Good morning. It's Wednesday, July 2, and we're covering the opening of a controversial migrant facility, the latest on Trump's tax and domestic policy bill, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4.5 million intellectually curious readers. Sign up here.
And, as always, send us feedback at [email protected]. |
|
|
|
|
|
A new migrant detention center opened yesterday in the Florida Everglades, with President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in attendance. Nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” the 39-square-mile site located at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport can house up to 5,000 detainees and is surrounded by swampland filled with alligators and pythons, which officials say serves as a natural security barrier.
The facility, composed of tents and trailers, was built within a week and is projected to cost Florida approximately $450M annually. FEMA is expected to reimburse a portion of the cost. Officials say it will help alleviate overcrowding and expedite deportations. But environmental groups and Indigenous leaders argue it threatens the Everglades ecosystem and encroaches on sacred tribal land. The site has prompted protests and lawsuits, with critics condemning what they call inhumane treatment of migrants.
Originally planned in the 1960s, the area was once pitched as the largest airport in the US—five times the size of JFK—before the project was scrapped. Its massive runway remains and will now serve as a departure point for deportation flights. |
Megabill Returns to the House |
The US Senate narrowly passed President Donald Trump’s tax and domestic policy bill yesterday. The final tally was 51-50, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. The revised, 940-page document heads to the House for consideration.
Three Republicans joined the upper chamber's 47 Democrats to reject the package: Sens. Rand Paul (KY), Thom Tillis (NC), and Susan Collins (ME)—Paul over the added debt ($3.3T by 2035), and Tillis and Collins over Medicaid cuts (over $1T by 2035). Out of a record-breaking 45 amendments considered over 27 hours, senators passed a catch-all amendment boosting rural hospitals’ funding and phasing out federal subsidies for wind and solar energy. See what's in the bill—and how much it would cost or save—here.
The bill’s passage reignited tensions between Trump and former ally Elon Musk. Musk suggested he will fund primary challengers to the bill’s supporters and launch a third party. Trump suggested he would cut subsidies to Tesla and signaled interest in deporting him (Musk was born in South Africa but is a naturalized US citizen). |
Malaysia Rejects US Rubbish |
Malaysia cracked down yesterday on plastic waste imports, raising concerns about where the US—especially California—will send its growing mounds of trash. The new policy bans plastic waste from countries that don’t abide by the Basel Convention, a global treaty regulating hazardous waste. The US signed the pact in 1990 but never ratified it. Last year, the US exported nearly 80 million pounds of plastic to Malaysia, with over 10 million coming from California.
Since China barred imports in 2018 over environmental and health concerns, Malaysia has become a key destination for the world’s plastic, whose production has more than doubled to roughly one trillion pounds over the past two decades as recycling systems lag. US recycling rates remain below 10% largely due to contamination and mixed materials that make the process costly. Much of what lands in Malaysia is either burned—releasing toxic pollutants—or dumped into overfilled landfills.
Thailand and Indonesia, which also saw a rise in imports after China’s ban, announced similar bans on plastic waste earlier this year. |
|
|
|
|
|
In partnership with SmartAsset |
|
$1B Startup Disrupting Retirement Industry |
|
This Princeton grad's startup raised $161M to help people plan for retirement.
If you're one of the whopping 110 million Americans over age 50—or a wise millennial planning ahead—SmartAsset's no-cost tool makes it easy to find vetted financial advisors who serve your area. Research suggests that people who work with a financial advisor could end up with 15% more money to spend in retirement.*
Get retirement-ready. Try SmartAsset's no-cost tool to find and compare vetted financial advisors serving your area, each legally bound to work in your best interest. It's never too late to plan to work toward a comfortable retirement. Get your financial advisor matches today. |
|
Please support our sponsors! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> Jury reaches partial verdict in Sean "Diddy" Combs' wide-ranging sex crimes trial, agreeing on four of five counts; jury resumes deliberations today on racketeering conspiracy charge (More) | Jimmy Swaggart, televangelist and gospel singer who was defrocked amid prostitution scandals, dies at age 90 (More) |
> University of Pennsylvania agrees to ban transgender women from competing in women's sports, resolving the federal civil rights case (More) |
> NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signs four-year, $285M contract extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the highest annual salary in NBA history (More) | FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinal is set; see latest bracket (More) |
|
|
> Web infrastructure firm Cloudflare announces it will block bots and AI crawlers by default, provide an option for per-page-crawl payment; company services about 20% of the open internet (More) |
> New imaging analysis reveals how quickly the human brain is aging from a single MRI scan; tool can assess risk of dementia and chronic disease, motivate lifestyle changes to improve brain health (More) | Aging explained (1440 Topics) |
> Engineers develop technique to reconstruct 3D images of hidden objects using reflections from millimeter radiation (the same frequency as Wi-Fi); approach achieved 96% accuracy with common household objects (More) |
|
|
> US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 -0.1%, Dow +1.0%, Nasdaq -0.8%) (More) | Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says the Fed would have likely cut interest rates by now if it weren't for tariffs (More) | US job openings rose to 7.8 million in May, up from 7.4 million in April and the highest level since November (More) |
> Design-software maker Figma files for initial public offering, with plans to trade on the NYSE; comes after Adobe scrapped a $20B deal to buy the company in 2023 following regulatory hurdles in the UK (More) | IPOs explained (1440 Topics) |
> Grammarly, maker of AI-powered writing assistant, acquires email client Superhuman (More) | Lululemon sues Costco, accusing the retail wholesaler of selling bargain knockoff versions of its popular activewear (More) |
|
|
In partnership with FinanceBuzz |
|
Your 50s+ are a smart time to grow your wealth. Beyond basics like retirement accounts and bulk shopping, there are overlooked programs that could help you save thousands.
You might already use senior discounts at restaurants or retailers—but that’s just the beginning. From cutting insurance costs to lowering monthly bills, there are government and private programs available now that could unlock major financial relief.
We rounded up some of the top money-saving moves for 2025. These benefits won’t last forever, so check what you qualify for today. |
|
|
|
|
|
> Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani officially secures Democratic nomination for New York City’s mayoral race, with final tally showing he beat former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo by 12 points (More) | See previous write-up (More) |
> Thailand court suspends Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra amid ethics probe over leaked phone call with Cambodia's leader; court suggests Shinawatra may have been too deferential when discussing border incident that left one Cambodian soldier dead (More) |
> President Donald Trump says Israel has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire plan for Gaza, urges Hamas to accept deal (More) | German authorities summon Iran's ambassador after Danish citizen was arrested and accused of spying for Iran, scouting Jewish targets in Berlin for possible attacks (More) |
|
|
In partnership with SmartAsset |
|
How to Set Up a Family Trust |
|
Please support our sponsors! |
|
|
|
Mark your calendar for July stargazing.
The physics behind ice cube shapes.
Power naps may spark “aha” moments.
Ranking the most expensive states to raise a child.
Humanitarian efforts fueled by used hotel soap.
Why strawberries and cream are a Wimbledon staple.
Cheapest European destinations for an Aperol Spritz.
… and the rise of the pickle juice martini. (w/recipe)
Clickbait: These Japanese hotels are run by robot receptionists.
Historybook: Thurgood Marshall, first Black US Supreme Court justice, born (1908); Amelia Earhart disappears on round-the-world flight (1937); Ernest Hemingway dies (1961); Businessman Sam Walton opens first Walmart store in Rogers, Arkansas (1962); Civil Rights Act of 1964 is signed into law (1964). |
|
|
|
|
"Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country. This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass it on." |
|
|
Why 1440? The printing press was invented around the year 1440, spreading knowledge to the masses and changing the course of history. More facts: In every day, there are 1,440 minutes. We’re here to make each one count.
Interested in reaching intellectually curious readers like you? To become a 1440 partner, apply here. |
|
*Disclosure: "Journal of Retirement Study Winter" (2020). The projections or other information regarding the likelihood of various investment outcomes are hypothetical in nature, do not reflect actual investment results, and are not guarantees of your future results. Please follow the link to see the methodologies employed in the Journal of Retirement study. |
|
1440 Media 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 1212 Chicago, IL 60654
Copyright © 2025, 1440 Media, All rights reserved. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
