Good morning. It's Thursday, Jan. 22, and we're covering a House panel's vote against the Clintons, the world's oldest cave painting, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4.6 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.
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🇺🇸 Civics Thursday—As America gears up for its semiquincentennial (its 250th birthday), we're releasing new pages on 1440 Topics exploring all the things you need to know to be a good citizen. Scroll down for the latest batch, including pages on the US Constitution, the theory of federalism, James Madison, and more! |
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The House Oversight Committee voted to advance resolutions holding former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress yesterday. The move pushes the measures to the full House for a vote as soon as Monday, Feb. 2.
The Clintons have for months rebuffed a subpoena to answer questions related to their interactions with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Their lawyer argues the subpoena is illegal and does not serve a legislative purpose. The Clintons have instead offered to submit written statements, and this week proposed the committee's chair, Rep. James Comer (R, KY-1), interview Bill Clinton and his staff in New York. If the House votes to hold the Clintons in contempt, it could pave the way for a Justice Department indictment.
Bill Clinton has been documented taking four international trips on Epstein’s Boeing 727 jet in 2002 and 2003. Stops on those trips included Bangkok, Brunei, Rwanda, Russia, and China. |
The world’s oldest cave painting has been discovered in Indonesia, a Nature study revealed yesterday. The image—a stenciled outline of a hand—dates back at least 67,800 years, predating Neanderthal cave art discovered in Europe.
The art was discovered on Muna Island, near Sulawesi, and dated by analyzing uranium isotopes. Researchers say the creator, a Homo sapiens, moved their hand while blowing or spitting a mouthful of red pigment on the limestone cave to create a negative, claw-like image. The approach indicates symbolic imagination—the same skill needed to understand language, religion, and science. The finding suggests our species reached the Australia-New Guinea landmass 15,000 years earlier than previously thought.
The discovery also further undermines a Eurocentric theory of cultural innovation; researchers once believed creativity exploded in France and Spain, where paintings, engravings, and stone tools were made shortly after Homo sapiens arrived in Europe roughly 40,000 years ago. |
Centuries of Love Letters |
Love letters spanning five centuries of British history go on display at Britain’s National Archives this weekend.
One of the most anticipated letters was written to Queen Elizabeth I by her suitor, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, days before he died. The note was found by the unmarried queen’s bedside when she died nearly 15 years later. The exhibit also strays from the traditional love letter, featuring a 20th-century ad seeking same-sex relationships as well as Jane Austen’s 1817 handwritten will, which left nearly everything to her sister. Visitors can also read a never-before-displayed 1944 note revealing a softer side to an infamous British intelligence officer turned Soviet spy. Other documents show love’s power to steer history, like King Edward VIII’s formal abdication of the throne in 1936 to marry twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson.
See photos of select letters, including Robert Dudley’s final letter, here. The exhibit runs through April 12 in Richmond, about 30 minutes southwest of central London.
Editor's note: Next month, our Saturday Weekend Edition will feature reader-submitted love stories—from joyous to quirky and tear-jerking. Share yours here. |
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In partnership with SmartAsset |
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The Top 10 Wealth Management Firms of 2025 |
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Whether you're looking for help with retirement, wealth management or tax planning, the US is home to thousands of advisors that can potentially meet your specific needs. SmartAsset ranked the top 10 wealth management firms in the US based on AUM, fees, and more.
SmartAsset's no-cost tool will match you with vetted fiduciary advisors, obligated to work in your best financial interest. The criteria for the matching tool differs from the methodology for the list above and you may not be matched with the advisor firms mentioned in the article. See the list. |
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Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> Taylor Swift, 36, becomes the youngest female Songwriters Hall of Fame honoree; others include Kiss' Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley and Christopher “Tricky” Stewart, who wrote Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" and Rihanna’s “Umbrella” (More, w/full list) |
> Prince Harry testifies in London court against Daily Mail tabloid publisher Associated Newspapers, alleging the company invaded his privacy to publish stories that caused him and his family distress (More) |
> Sundance Film Festival begins today, marking its last run in Park City, Utah, and first without founder Robert Redford (More) | James Beard Foundation releases restaurant and chef semifinalists; award ceremony on June 15 (More, w/full list) |
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> Marine microbes help each other more than they compete or eat each other, according to a six-year analysis; warming waters that cause stress result in more beneficial interactions (More) |
> Jeff Bezos-backed Blue Origin to deploy 5,408-satellite internet network by late 2027; the service, called TeraWave, will compete with SpaceX's Starlink and Amazon's Leo (More) |
> Physicists create largest-ever superposition—a state where objects behave as particles and waves—in an effort to determine the physical limit of quantum physics (More) | What Schrödinger's cat teaches us about superposition (1440 Topics) |
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In partnership with Frontieras |
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Unlocking $2.1T in Energy Potential |
Reaching just 2% of the global coal market could mean a trillion-dollar valuation for Frontieras. Just like John D. Rockefeller did with oil, Frontieras is creating its own “Rockefeller” moment by transforming coal into potentially $2.1T worth of high-value commodities using patented technology.
Under a White House that favors domestic energy, with a Nasdaq ticker reserved (FASF), Frontieras’ momentum positions the company for potential valuation impact.
You have until February 12 to invest at the current $7.38/share.** |
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> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +1.2%, Dow +1.2%, Nasdaq +1.2%) as President Donald Trump calls off tariffs on eight European nations, says framework on Greenland has been reached (More) | Trump's comments come after the EU suspended last summer's US trade deal amid Greenland tensions (More) |
> Intel shares rise over 11% to highest level since January 2022, ahead of the chipmaker's quarterly earnings report scheduled for after close today (More) |
> Nathan's Famous, iconic Coney Island hot dog maker, to be acquired by Smithfield Foods for $450M in an all-cash deal (More) |
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> Supreme Court hears two hours of oral arguments over the White House's firing of Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook; justices appear to express concern the firing could undermine Fed's independence (More) |
> Department of Homeland Security launches immigration enforcement operation in Maine, following similar crackdowns in cities including Minneapolis, Chicago, and Los Angeles (More) | Former police officer found not guilty of endangering students during 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas (More) |
> Seven countries join the US' planned Board of Peace to oversee rebuilding of Gaza; signing ceremony involving more than 20 countries could take place today in Davos (More) |
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In partnership with SmartAsset |
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7 Mistakes When Choosing A Financial Advisor |
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Working with a financial advisor can be a crucial part of any healthy retirement plan.
Research suggests that people who work with a financial advisor feel more at ease about their finances and could end up with about 15% more money to spend in retirement.* But choosing the wrong one could wreak havoc. Avoiding these 7 mistakes people make when hiring an advisor could potentially help reduce financial stress.
SmartAsset’s no-cost tool helps you find and compare vetted financial advisors serving your area. All advisors on the platform have been rigorously screened through a proprietary due diligence process and are legally bound to work in your best financial interest. Get your financial advisor matches today. |
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1440 Topics: Civics Thursday |
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In celebration of America's 250th birthday, each week we're sharing what we've learned about topics we should all know to become better citizens:
> The roughly 8,000-word document that established the framework for the American government, here's what we learned about the US Constitution.
> Explore the philosophy that balances national and state powers with the best resources we found on federalism.
> Learn about the life of the Founding Father and architect of the Virginia Plan with our topic page on James Madison.
What is 1440 Topics? A continuously updated ecosystem where we curate the best evergreen resources we've found on thousands of topics for you to explore. Have a suggestion for our Civics section? Let us know here. |
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Historybook: English polymath Francis Bacon born (1561); President Lyndon B. Johnson dies (1973); Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision (1973); Caitlin Clark born (2002); Hank Aaron dies (2021). |
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"Guessing what the pitcher is going to throw is 80 percent of being a successful hitter. The other 20 percent is just execution." |
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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.
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*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.
** This is a paid advertisement for Frontieras’s Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.frontieras.com/. Reservation of the ticker symbol is not a guarantee that we will be listed on the NASDAQ. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals. Under Regulation A+, a company has the ability to change its share price by up to 20%, without requalifying the offering with the SEC. |
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