Good morning. It's Saturday, Jan. 31, and in this weekend edition, we're covering the death of a comedy icon, a power shift on the Panama Canal, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4.6 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.
And, as always, send us feedback at [email protected]. |
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Comedy actress Catherine O'Hara, known for her iconic roles in "Beetlejuice" and "Home Alone," passed away in her Los Angeles home yesterday following a brief illness. She was 71.
O'Hara was born in 1954 to an Irish-Catholic family in Toronto. Her first acting role was as the Virgin Mary in a Nativity play, and following high school graduation, she began waitressing at Toronto's Second City theater. O'Hara joined the comedy troupe in 1974, after an unsuccessful first audition. She was a regular on the theater's first TV series, "Second City Television," for which she earned her first Emmy for writing. (Watch a skit here.) She won a second Emmy for acting—and her first Golden Globe—in her 60s for playing a former soap opera star in the sitcom "Schitt's Creek" alongside former "Second City Television" co-star and creative partner, Eugene Levy.
O'Hara is survived by her husband, Bo Welch—a production designer she met on the "Beetlejuice" set—and their two adult children, Luke and Matthew. See her career in photos here. |
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Government shuts down as officials await House vote.
Most of the federal government shut down at 12:01 am ET, despite the Senate passing a funding package yesterday. The deal must be approved by the House, which reconvenes Monday. Under the package, most agencies will be funded through September. The Department of Homeland Security will be funded at current levels until Feb. 13, as lawmakers negotiate immigration enforcement reforms. |
Journalist Don Lemon arrested in connection with anti-ICE protest.
Federal authorities yesterday announced the former CNN anchor was arrested in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy Awards. He faces charges of conspiracy and interfering with the First Amendment rights of worshippers stemming from his coverage of an anti-immigration enforcement protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota, this month. Another journalist and two protesters were also arrested in Minnesota yesterday in connection with the same protest. |
President Donald Trump nominates Kevin Warsh as next Federal Reserve chair.
Trump considered Warsh for the role in 2017, before nominating current Chair Jerome Powell. An ex-Morgan Stanley executive, Warsh served on the Fed board from 2006 to 2011, including as a Wall Street liaison during the 2007-08 financial crisis. The Senate must confirm Warsh before he can replace Powell, whose term ends in May. Confirmation is uncertain after two Republicans vowed to oppose any Trump nominee unless the Justice Department drops its criminal probe into Powell. |
Department of Justice opens civil rights probe into Alex Pretti's death.
The DOJ's Civil Rights Division will work alongside the FBI and a division of the Department of Homeland Security, which are already reviewing last weekend's fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents. The FBI is also leading an investigation into the fatal shooting of Renee Good by federal agents earlier this month; the DOJ has not opened a civil rights probe into the events surrounding her death. |
Panama Supreme Court ousts Hong Kong company from Panama Canal.
The court found CK Hutchison's contract to manage both ends of the Panama Canal unconstitutional after a lawsuit alleging the company shortchanged Panama by roughly $1.3B. A Danish shipping firm is expected to temporarily oversee the port while a new operator is selected. President Donald Trump has expressed interest in bringing the canal—handling roughly 5% of global seaborne trade—back under US control. The US ceded the canal to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999 (more on 1440 Topics). |
Justice Department releases 3 million pages of Epstein files. (w/ live analysis)
The documents were disclosed alongside over 2,000 videos and 180,000 images under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The DOJ tasked hundreds of lawyers with reviewing records after missing the act's Dec. 19 deadline to release all investigative files tied to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Authorities are allowed to redact information that could harm ongoing investigations or expose victims' identities. |
NASA delays first Artemis moon shot due to extreme cold.
The first crewed flight to the moon since 1972 will now occur no earlier than Feb. 8, two days later than planned. The decision came after near-freezing temperatures at Florida's Kennedy Space Center forced NASA to call off a fueling test scheduled for today. The test is now set for Monday, weather permitting. A successful mission will mark the first woman and person of color on a lunar mission. |
Australian Open wraps this weekend, with veteran Djokovic eyeing history.
Novak Djokovic, 38, became the oldest men's finalist in Australian Open history after defeating defending champion Jannik Sinner, 24, in yesterday's semifinals. He faces top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, 22, tomorrow for a record 25th Grand Slam. But first, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina meet in today's women's singles finals. Neither women's finalist has dropped a set—a feat unseen at the Australian Open since 2004. |
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American financier to give $200K to each US Olympic and Paralympic athlete to improve financial security after their athletic careers; unlike in other countries, the US government does not pay Olympians. (More) |
Oklahoma man turns his vintage fire truck into a warming center for people experiencing homelessness during dangerous winter conditions. (More, w/video) |
NFL teams up with OneCourt and Ticketmaster to give 10 blind and low-vision fans a one-of-a-kind chance to experience the Super Bowl. (More) |
New York police officer helps a widow experiencing homelessness find an affordable home after finding her sleeping on her late husband's grave. (More) |
Young volunteers, known as DC's Snow Team Heroes, help clear ice sheets from outside senior citizens' homes. (More) |
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In partnership with Frontieras |
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The Next $435B Energy Empire Is Being Minted |
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Dear readers—
We're taking a moment this week to remember our dear friend and colleague, Pierre Lipton, who unexpectedly passed away three years ago on Feb. 4, 2023.
Pierre accomplished more in 26 years than most do in a lifetime—a world traveler, speaker of multiple languages, valedictorian, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, startup founder, and more.
What folks may not have seen from the outside was his consistent desire to drive positive impact in the lives of others. At 1440, Pierre pushed for our employee wellness program, employee happiness interviews, vacation incentives, and more. Outside 1440, he cared deeply about making the world a better place, devoting his time and energy to issues he was passionate about—physical health in underserved communities, food security, animal welfare, and the environment. And his favorite saying was "Feed two birds with one scone."
These are just a few examples of how Pierre turned the spirit of human kindness into daily action. He was humble and took time to deeply connect with people, lifting others up and helping them succeed.
Pierre passed away after completing a marathon in Arizona. He was doing what he loved. He is deeply missed by his family; friends; colleagues; his dog, Appa; and many others.
A philanthropic foundation has been established in Pierre's memory to support charitable organizations consistent with his passions. |
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1440 Explores ... The Science of Wildfires |
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A planet that learned to burn. A century of fire suppression. A warming world primed to ignite. Our latest episode of "1440 Explores" traces how humans turned fire from a life-giving tool into one of our most destructive forces, featuring a conversation with fire historian Stephen Pyne. |
We'll unpack:
> How fire shaped life on Earth and made humans the species we are today.
> Why a century of fire suppression turned forests into ticking time bombs.
> How humans are the main source of the heat that fuels modern wildfires.
> Why the warming climate isn’t the full story behind extreme fire events. |
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"I think the success of my work stems from being truthful... the more I let the character take over, the more I feel like that person. When you become the person, nothing is contrived." |
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Behind the Name. In 1440, the printing press sparked a knowledge revolution. We carry that spirit forward, cutting through the noise and algorithm-driven feeds, to bring fact-driven knowledge to everyone.
Need a breather? Snooze this email for 30 days. |
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