Good morning. It's Saturday, Oct. 19, and in this weekend edition, we're covering the start of a long-awaited murder trial, an unexpected ouster at CVS, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4 million intellectually curious readers. Sign up here.
Don’t keep us a secret: Share the email with friends (copy URL here).
And, as always, send us feedback at [email protected].
|
|
|
|
Delphi Murder Trial Begins
|
The trial against a man accused of murdering two teenage girls outside the small Indiana town of Delphi in 2017 is officially underway, with opening arguments presented to the jury yesterday.
Close friends Abigail "Abby" Williams, 13, and Liberty "Libby" German, 14, went missing Feb. 13, 2017, after going to a hiking trail near their hometown of 3,000 people. Their bodies were found a day later in a wooded area near the Delphi Historic Trail. The case, which gained national attention, remained unsolved until 2022, when now-52-year-old Richard Allen was arrested on charges of murder and murder while kidnapping. See a timeline here.
Investigators seized a .40-caliber pistol at the one-time drugstore pharmacy employee's house and linked it to an unspent bullet (one that wasn't fired) found between the girls' bodies. The suspect allegedly admitted to the killings in a prison phone call to his wife.
The defense claims the girls were killed as part of a pagan ritual sacrifice. The trial is expected to last a month.
|
|
|
|
|
In partnership with Sundays
|
Now The Whole Family Can Eat Well
|
Please support our sponsors!
|
|
|
|
Cuba plunges into darkness after island's power grid fails.
A power plant failure in Cuba has led to a nationwide blackout affecting roughly 10 million residents. The Antonio Guiteras power plant, which is the country's largest and provides about 20% of Cuba's electricity, went offline due to technical issues. The shutdown comes as the country already faces a fragile energy infrastructure coupled with fuel and food shortages. Residents and businesses have been experiencing rolling blackouts for months. See an overview of Cuba's crisis here.
CVS shares close down 5% after CEO is abruptly replaced.
The healthcare giant's chief executive officer, Karen Lynch, stepped down Friday after nearly four years at the helm. She will be replaced by David Joyner, an executive vice president at CVS who has led its pharmacy-benefit manager, CVS Caremark. CVS also announced its Q3 earnings would miss expectations for a third consecutive quarter. The company's shares have fallen roughly 25% this year.
Regulators open new probe into Tesla's "Full Self-Driving" system.
The US auto safety regulator is investigating Tesla's "Full Self-Driving" software in 2.4 million vehicles after reports of four crashes in low-visibility conditions, including one that killed a pedestrian. The probe will assess the software's ability to detect and respond to reduced roadway visibility and examine any system updates that may have affected its performance in these conditions. The investigation comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Tesla's autonomous driving technology.
Virginia men's basketball coach Tony Bennett retires.
Bennett, 55, announced his immediate retirement as head coach of the University of Virginia men's basketball team after 15 seasons. Bennett led the Cavaliers to a national championship in 2019 and became the program's winningest coach with a record of 364-136. His departure comes just weeks before the 2024-25 season, despite signing a contract extension in June that would have kept him at Virginia until at least 2030.
Former Olympic snowboarder wanted for running drug cartel.
Ryan James Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder, is accused of leading a drug trafficking organization responsible for transporting hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico, the US, and Canada. The FBI is offering a $50K reward for information leading to his capture. Wedding faces multiple felony charges, including murder and conspiracy to distribute cocaine, as part of a broader indictment involving 16 individuals in the alleged criminal network.
North Korea reportedly sending troops to help Russia.
South Korean intelligence reports North Korea has sent at least 1,500 troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine. If confirmed, the development would mark North Korea's first major participation in a foreign conflict since the 1950-53 Korean War. Analysts, however, question the effectiveness of North Korean troops due to outdated equipment and a lack of combat experience.
|
|
|
|
Introducing 1440 Business & Finance
|
Dear Readers—
For years, you’ve told us you want to go deeper on fascinating topics, but don’t know where to look. Search engines return billions of results littered with algorithmically optimized garbage. Yet thousands of amazing expert-made resources—explainers, podcasts, videos, and more—exist. They are just impossible to find.
In the coming months, we will unveil just that: 1440 Topics, a trusted place for you to take your own knowledge journey.
But for now, you can get a preview—we're launching our second-ever newsletter, 1440 Business & Finance, on Oct. 31.
Curious about retirement? Venture capital? The gig economy? Each week you’ll receive an email with a deep dive into a new topic—along with our hand-picked resources from across the internet. You’ll also be able to explore all of our Business & Finance content online—a preview of the 1440 Topics ecosystem.
Sign up here (100% free) to get on the waitlist!
|
|
|
Tennessee man proposes to his girlfriend with help from United Airlines and passengers on his flight. (More)
Utah city builds playground based on 11-year-old girl's drawing submission. (More)
Groom surprises bride by having her students be the ring bearers. (More, w/video)
Garbage collector rearranges route to coincide with 3-year-old preschooler's schedule after they become friends. (More)
... and a Minnesota teen honors local UPS driver with tiny diorama. (More, w/video)
|
|
|
In partnership with FinanceBuzz
|
|
|
|
Today, we're sharing a story from reader Lois B. in Tampa, Florida.
"We lost power from Hurricane Milton and subsequently cell life was lost. I went in search of a place to recharge on my bicycle and came across a neighbor surveying damage with a drone who told me she hadn’t lost power and offered to recharge my devices. She had a portable generator, and I rode with her while she continued her work. She continued to check on us in the following days and lent us a backup charger, brought us ice, asking nothing in return. We had never met before this encounter. So heartwarming to know there are kind souls like her, especially during a disaster."
What act(s) of kindness did you experience this week? Tell us here.
|
|
|
|
"I like happy endings in movies. I think life has a happy ending. When it's all said and done, it's all something worthwhile, and I want my movies to reflect that."
|
|
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.
Send us your feedback at [email protected] and help us stay unbiased as humanly possible. We’re ready to listen.
Interested in reaching intellectually curious readers like you? To become a 1440 partner, apply here.
|
1440 Media 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 1212 Chicago, IL 60654
Copyright © 2024, 1440 Media, All rights reserved.
J
|
|
|
|
|
|