Good morning. It's Friday, Feb. 5, and we're covering the war in Yemen, Super Bowl LV, and much more. Have feedback? Let us know at hello@join1440.com.

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NEED TO KNOW

War in Yemen

The US will end its support for the Saudi Arabia-led war in Yemen, President Joe Biden announced yesterday. The grinding, six-year conflict began as a civil war between the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels. The bloodshed quickly spiraled into a proxy for the broader regional power struggle, with Saudi Arabia—Yemen's direct neighbor to the north—backing government forces and Iran backing the insurgency (see 101).

With fighting largely at a stalemate, the war has plunged the country into deep poverty and unleashed widespread famine. By 2018, a reported 85,000 children had died from acute starvation, with at least 1.2 million cases of cholera reported due to lack of clean water access. 

See a real-time conflict map of the region. 

Brady Versus Mahomes

Football fans will be treated to one of the most anticipated NFL championships in recent memory Sunday, as Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs take on Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV (6:30pm ET, CBS). 

The game features possibly the best quarterback matchup in Super Bowl history (see rankings). Mahomes is considered the best young signal-caller in the NFL, having led the Chiefs to their first title in 50 years last season while being named Super Bowl MVP. The 43-year-old Brady is generally considered the best quarterback in league history, appearing in his 10th championship—having won six—in 20 seasons as a starter. 

Taking place in Tampa, Florida, it will be the first time a team has played for a Super Bowl on its home field. Roughly 25,000 fans will be in attendance, 7,500 of whom will be vaccinated front-line healthcare workers attending for free. Award-winning R&B and pop singer The Weeknd is set to headline the halftime show. The Chiefs are three-point favorites to win—one furniture store owner bet almost $3.5M on the Bucs to win.

Not really into the game? Watch all the ads released ahead of Sunday here.

A Third Vaccine

Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson applied for emergency use authorization for its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine yesterday. The request comes just days after the company revealed clinical data showing its drug achieved 72% efficacy in US trials. More notably, the study showed an 85% drop in instances of severe disease, with zero deaths reported in a group of more than 44,000 participants.

If approved, the vaccine would become the third available in the US, and would be available for distribution as early as the end of this month. While the two currently available drugs—mRNA-based vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech—have 95% efficacy, health officials previously set an approval threshold of 50%. 

Both currently available vaccines require two doses spaced at least three weeks apart, and must be stored at ultralow temperatures. The new vaccine requires one shot and can be stored at standard refrigeration temperatures, significantly simplifying logistics.

In related news, the number of vaccine doses administered worldwide hit 105 million—surpassing the total number of infections reported globally.

The US has reported 455,869 total COVID-19 deaths as of this morning, with a record 5,078 deaths reported yesterday. More than 35 million vaccine doses have been administered, with almost 7 million receiving their second shot. 

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

Brought to you by Atlas Coffee Club

> Late actor Chadwick Boseman makes Screen Actors Guild Awards history with four film nominations in a single year; see full list of nominations for 2021 SAG Awards (April 4, 9pm ET, TNT/TBS) (More)

> Jim Weatherly, country artist and Songwriters Hall of Fame member best known for penning “Midnight Train to Georgia,” dies at 77 (More) | First Black US gymnastics national champion Dianne Durham dies at 52 (More)

> CNN President Jeff Zucker to leave at the end of 2021 after eight years with the cable news network (More)

From our partners: From Papua New Guinea to Peru discover the world of coffee with Atlas Coffee Club, a coffee subscription delivering coffee and culture to your door. Right now, enjoy 50% off your first bag and go on a "coffee world tour" from your kitchen. Get 50% off coffee today.

Science & Technology

> New details emerge around Apple's virtual reality headset; has a projected price tag of $3,000, comes equipped with an 8K display and 12 cameras (More)

> Early childhood diets high in fat and sugar can alter the gut microbiome into adulthood, mouse study suggests; diets were shown to reduce the total number and diversity of gut bacteria (More)

> Scientists create and capture einsteinium, making some of the first measurements of its chemical properties; the 99th element on the periodic table was first observed in the fallout of a 1952 hydrogen bomb test (More)

Business & Markets

> US stock markets up (S&P 500 +1.1%, Dow +1.1%, Nasdaq +1.2%) as initial unemployment claims decrease to 779,000 filed during the previous week (More) | GameStop continues slide, down 38% to $57; “meme stock” traded as high as $483 last week (More)

> Merck CEO Ken Frazier—one of four Black Fortune 500 CEOs—to retire at the end of June (More)

> Genetics testing giant 23andMe to go public via SPAC led by Richard Branson’s Virgin Group valuing company at $3.5B (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> Smartmatic USA files $2.7B libel suit against Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Fox News, and three Fox News hosts over election fraud claims (More) | Former President Trump will not testify at impeachment trial, which begins Tuesday (More) | Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R, GA-14) stripped of committee assignments (More)

> Senate holds vote-a-rama, an all-night session debating dozens of amendments to a budget resolution; procedure is part of a maneuver that would enable Democrats to pass Biden administration's $1.9T stimulus package along party lines (More) | What is budget reconciliation? (More)

> Campaign to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom picks up steam as frustration mounts over COVID-19 closures; organizers need 1.5 million valid signatures by March 17, with 600,000 confirmed so far (More)

IN-DEPTH

A Glitch in the Constitution

The Experiment | Julia Longoria. (Podcast) Deep in the wilderness of Yellowstone National Park, there's a zone described as a constitutional loophole, where someone could theoretically get away with anything—including murder. (Listen)

The Nightmare Share

The Cut | Bridget Read. Plenty of New Yorkers rent out rooms to help manage the sky-high living costs—what's the worst that could go wrong? (Read, $$)

The Gut and the Brain

Nature | Cassandra Willyard. It's no longer a crackpot theory. Scientists are beginning to work out the direct links between the bacteria in your gut and your brain health. (Read)

A HIGH-CALIBER INVESTMENT

In partnership with Caliber

Caliber's 12-year track record is nothing to scoff at: 26% compounded annual growth rate since 2017; cash flow positive; seven consecutive features by Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies in America. All thanks to their investment in real estate, an asset class largely accessible only to the ultrawealthy.

And Caliber's Online Public Offering is now live for 1440 readers. Check out this investment opportunity today.

Please support our sponsors!

ETCETERA

The state of Black entrepreneurship. ($$, Forbes)

Many Americans had to lean on their retirement accounts in 2020.

The wealthiest person in every US state.