7.15.2022

988 Launches, Murdaugh Charges, and Spectral Evidence Everything you need to know for today in five minutes.

Good morning. It's Friday, July 15, and we're covering a new way to access support during a mental health crisis, charges in a winding South Carolina saga, and much more. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

NEED TO KNOW

 

Strike in Central Ukraine

Twenty-three civilians were killed—including three children—and over a hundred injured when three Russian missiles struck a business center Thursday in central Ukraine. The attack took place 150 miles southwest of Kyiv, far from the eastern region where the majority of fighting has occurred, as Russia seeks to consolidate its gains in the Donbas region.

 

Vinnytsia, a city with a prewar population of 370,000, has seen a flood of refugees from the war-torn east since the start of the war. Russia has not confirmed the attack, though military officials reportedly claimed the building was targeted for harboring “Ukrainian Nazis” (see background on claims). The UN reports nearly 5,000 civilians have been killed in the conflict, though some estimates say the number is far higher. See updates on the war here.

 

The strike came as 40 nations met at The Hague to support the International Criminal Court’s overarching strategy to prosecute Russian war crimes. 

988 Hotline Launches

Those seeking support during a mental health or emotional crisis may dial 988 to connect to a nationwide support network beginning tomorrow. The transition to a simplified three-digit number is meant to increase access to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and will operate similar to 911.

 

The move was facilitated by almost $300M in federal funding to both expand telephone infrastructure and increase call center staff. Via the network, trained counselors at more than 180 centers will be available over phone, text, or chat—users may call on behalf of themselves or others. The current 10-digit number has received more than 20 million calls since it was launched in 2005.

 

Suicide was one of the three leading causes of death in the US for those between 10 and 24 years of age in 2020 and claimed nearly 46,000 lives that year (see data)—almost double the number of homicides.

Murdaugh Charged

Former South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh was indicted yesterday, charged with the double homicide of his wife and son last summer. The charges bring into the courtroom a saga involving one of the state's most powerful families that gained national attention over its numerous twists, including a hitman and a botched suicide attempt. 

 

The family's alleged misdeeds began to emerge in 2019 when Murdaugh's son, Paul, was accused of boating under the influence in a crash that left a 19-year-old woman dead (see timeline). Ahead of the trial, set two years after the accident, the elder Murdaugh found both his wife and Paul shot to death on the family's hunting estate. 

 

In early September, Murdaugh survived a superficial gunshot to the head—only for it to be revealed he had hired a hitman to kill him in order for his remaining family to collect a life insurance payout.

 

Separately, the probe uncovered possible links between the Murdaughs and the 2015 death of a local teen, as well as the 2018 death of the family's housekeeper.

 

See a deep dive into the family and its history.

In partnership with Outer

ELEVATE YOUR OUTDOORS

 

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This summer, the Outer team has been busy. Not only are they perfecting outdoor furniture one piece at a time, but they've also been visiting the backyards of Outer Community members across the country to see how their furniture has become a fixture in customers' lives. Take a look at this new campaign and peek in on a few backyards for a little inspiration here—and don't forget you can take $200 off + free shipping with code 1440.

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IN THE KNOW

 

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

In partnership with Future

> Track and Field World Championship begins today (July 15-24) from Eugene, Oregon (More) | See day-by-day preview (More)

 

> Kevin Spacey pleads not guilty in the UK to five charges of sexual assault; trial is set for June 2023 (More

 

> MLB Draft kicks off Sunday (7 pm ET, ESPN); see preview and full first-round mock draft (More) | University of Oregon tight end Spencer Webb dies at 22 from cliff-diving accident (More)

From our partners: Looking for real fitness results? Future pairs you with your own dedicated and expert fitness coach who provides daily support and accountability. Each week, your coach builds a new training plan to fit your schedule, goals, equipment, and travel. They design guided workouts and incorporate activities you already love. Join Future today and get your first 3 months of training for an exclusive 50% off. 

Science & Technology

> Federal cyber assessment finds the so-called Log4j exploit discovered in November was one of the worst cyber vulnerabilities in US history, with the effects expected last for years (More) | What is Log4j? (More)

 

> Study links the loss of Y chromosomes in men as they age to tissue damage leading to increased risk of heart failure and cardiovascular disease (More)

 

> Physicists demonstrate silicon qubits—bits of information in quantum computers—that also emit light at standard telecommunications wavelengths; discovery marks a key advancement toward a practical quantum internet (More)

Business & Markets

> JPMorgan shares fall 3% as banking giant misses revenue and earnings expectations (More)

 

> Pinterest shares up over 15% in after-hours trading after activist investor Elliott Management discloses 9% stake in the company (More) | Payments giant Stripe reduces internal private valuation by 28% amid market conditions; company was last valued at $95B (More)

 

> Amazon’s 48-hour Prime Day nets $12.5B in sales, up 17% over last year per industry estimates (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> Ivana Trump, the first wife of former President Donald Trump, passes away at age 73 (More)

 

> Italy slides into political turmoil as President Sergio Mattarella refuses to accept the resignation of Prime Minister Mario Draghi after unity government collapses (More)

 

> Israel agrees to deal governing security arrangements on two key Red Sea islands; agreement viewed as a step toward normalizing relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia (More)

IN-DEPTH

 

Spectral Evidence

Morbid | Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley. (Podcast) In 1897, a West Virginia trial became the only case in US history to admit testimony from a ghost into court. (Listen)

A Questionable Story

Atlantic | Jeffrey Goldberg. Was "Where the Crawdads Sing" author Delia Owens involved in a murder in Zambia decades ago? (Read, paywall)

Retrospective Aging

VSauce | Staff. Science confirms that people from the past used to look older at younger ages—in a way. (Watch)

Playing Dead

BBC | Fergal Keane. How one Ukrainian man survived the massacre in Bucha at the hands of Russians. (Read)

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

 

In partnership with Outer

Nothing quite beats the great outdoors: fresh air, sunshine, and connecting with friends and family are among the many perks. So it's about time we upgrade how we enjoy the outdoors, starting at our own home.

Outer takes a fresh approach to outdoor living, combining future-focused materials and time-honored craftsmanship to create lasting solutions that effortlessly weather the elements. And today, you can (virtually) take a peek into the backyards of real Outer customers for inspiration on your own outdoor spaces and furniture. Check out the campaign here, and take $200 off + free shipping with code 1440.

Please support our sponsors!

ETCETERA

 

Explaining why the James Webb images are so awesome.

 

... and explore a comprehensive archive of Martian images.

 

Visualizing the global economy in one chart.

 

Mapping where there is more livestock than humans.

 

Researchers uncover the oldest known footage of New Orleans.

 

Art experts discover a hidden van Gogh self-portrait.

 

Bad taste is having a moment.

 

Georgia man freed from pizza oven vent.

 

Clickbait: A crack in Earth's magnetic field.

 

Historybook: Spanish explorer and conquistador Ponce de León dies (1521); Rosetta Stone is found in Egypt (1799); HBD journalist and businesswoman Arianna Huffington (1950); Fashion designer Gianni Versace is murdered (1997); Twitter is launched (2006).

 

"I am not interested in the past, except as the road to the future."

- Gianni Versace

Why 1440? The printing press was invented in the year 1440, spreading knowledge to the masses and changing the course of history. Guess what else? There are 1,440 minutes in a day and every one is precious. That’s why we scour hundreds of sources every day to provide a concise, comprehensive, and objective view of what's happening in the world. Reader feedback is a gift—shoot us a note at [email protected].

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