Good morning. It's Friday, Feb. 14—and also Valentine's Day (we're sure you didn't forget)! Today, we're covering resignations in Manhattan, five decades of a Saturday night standby, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4 million intellectually curious readers. Sign up here.
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The top federal prosecutor in Manhattan resigned yesterday after orders from the Justice Department to drop corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams (D). Danielle Sassoon had been appointed acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York by President Donald Trump last month. Two other federal attorneys involved in the case also resigned.
Adams was indicted in September on five counts of bribery, fraud, and receiving illegal campaign donations following a three-year probe by the office (see previous write-up) and was set to go on trial in April. Monday's order from Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove said the decision to drop charges was not based on the strength of evidence, but suggested that the case against Adams had been politicized and that charges interfered with the city's 2025 mayoral election and Adams' ability to address challenges related to immigration and crime (read letter).
New York City's primaries—a strong predictor of who will win the November general election in majority Democratic city—are scheduled for June 24. Polls currently show Adams in a distant second place behind former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, 33% to 10%. |
"Saturday Night Live" will celebrate its 50th anniversary Sunday (8 pm ET, NBC) with a three-hour special featuring former cast members, hosts, and major musical guests. In its normal 11:30 pm ET slot Saturday, viewers can watch a rerun of the debut episode.
First aired Oct. 11, 1975, "SNL" was conceived as a countercultural, live sketch comedy show meant to fill a scheduling gap where reruns of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" used to play. The show launched the careers of its original cast, including Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd, and became a staple in cultural discourse with its irreverent takes and satirical "Weekend Update." Dozens of alumni would go on to become A-list comedic actors like John Belushi, Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray, Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Amy Poehler, Will Ferrell, and many more. See a list of the show’s 10 most-watched sketches here.
Television critics suggest "SNL's" success stemmed in part from its decision to rotate celebrity hosts and regularly turn over the cast to spotlight new comedians, as well as the guidance of longtime NBC producer Lorne Michaels. |
Japanese auto giants Honda and Nissan have officially ended their $60B merger discussions, which would have created the world's third-largest automaker. The pair said the deal collapsed due to disputes over management structure, with Honda proposing to make Nissan a subsidiary. Both companies emphasized the need for quick decision-making in the rapidly evolving electric vehicle market.
Merger talks began in December as a potential lifeline for Nissan, which has been struggling since its ex-CEO, accused of financial misconduct, made headlines by escaping Japan in a large box. Nissan reported a 78% drop from a year earlier in third-quarter operating profit. In contrast, Honda reported a 5% increase in third-quarter operating profit. Nissan also announced a turnaround plan yesterday that includes cutting costs by $2.59B by 2026 through headcount reductions and production efficiency measures.
The pair said they would continue their strategic partnership in electric vehicles and other fields. Nissan, already part of an alliance with Mitsubishi and Renault, is reportedly exploring new partnerships, including with iPhone manufacturer Foxconn. |
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Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> The 2025 NBA All-Star Game is set for Sunday (8 pm ET, TNT); will feature four-team mini-tournament for first time (More) | NASCAR Cup Series kicks off this Sunday (2:30 pm ET, Fox) with the 67th Daytona 500 (More) |
> Closing arguments begin in rapper A$AP Rocky's felony assault trial (More) | CBS, Comedy Central, and MTV among more than 20 channels that could go dark on YouTube TV amid contract dispute with the streamer (More) |
> New York Jets parting ways with four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers after he played just one full season with the team (More) | More than 1 million people expected to attend Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl parade this morning (More) |
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> The Boring Company announces deal to build 10-mile-long underground tunnel in Dubai; Elon Musk-owned company built and operates similar project under Las Vegas (More) | Musk says he'll withdraw $97B offer for OpenAI nonprofit arm if organization gives up for-profit plans (More) | OpenAI 101 (1440 Topics) |
> Engineers decode electrical signals between the nervous system and hand movement, use patterns to create robotic movement that feels human-like (More) |
> New study suggests birds, reptiles, and mammals each developed complex brain circuitry independently despite sharing a common ancestor (More) | Thirteen examples of convergent evolution (More) |
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> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +1.0%, Dow +0.8%, Nasdaq +1.5%) (More) | President Donald Trump signs memo directing federal agencies to examine how to adjust US tariff rates to match import taxes imposed by other countries (More) |
> Robinhood shares close up 14% after beating Q4 estimates; quarterly revenue rose 115% year over year (More) | Coinbase shares close up over 8% after reporting biggest quarterly revenue in three years due to postelection crypto rally (More) |
> US household debt—including credit cards, mortgages, and other loans—reaches all-time high of $18T, per report from Federal Reserve Bank of New York; total credit card balances stand at record-high $1.2T (More) |
1440 Business & Finance: Our upcoming newsletter explores death taxes—where they came from and how they work. If you're not on the weekly mailing list, click here to join! |
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> Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed as health secretary in 52-48 Senate vote (More) | Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith (D) won't seek reelection, is second Senate Democrat to retire ahead of 2026 midterm elections (More) | Federal judge halts executive order seeking to end funding for gender-affirming youth care (More) |
> At least 30 people injured in Munich, Germany, after driver rams into labor union demonstration; suspect—a 24-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker—is in custody (More) |
> Hamas says it is ready to resume releasing hostages in Gaza this weekend, following talks in Cairo, as long as Israel holds up its end of ceasefire deal (More) |
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> Hallucinatory Thoughts of the Dying Mind
The MIT Press Reader | Michael Erard. Delirium, the disorienting deathbed phenomenon, is common yet often misunderstood. This article bridges the gap between our cultural ideals about dying words and the reality of one’s brain function in this state. (Read)
> AI’s Influence on Indian Matchmaking
The Walrus | Mihika Agarwal. Players in India’s multimillion-dollar matrimony industry are embracing AI tools to optimize the generations-old practice of arranged matchmaking, but prioritizing efficiency comes with its own limitations. (Read) |
> The Medieval Legend of Tristan and Isolde
TED-Ed | Staff. A video animation shares the tragic Celtic myth featuring slain dragons, powerful potions, and lovers torn apart. (Watch)
> 'Love Is Blind' and Its Legal Battles
The Journal | Staff. Netflix’s "Love Is Blind" is one of the biggest reality TV shows today. Former cast member Nick Thompson details his treatment during filming and calls for change in the industry. (Listen) |
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"A bell is no bell 'til you ring it, a song is no song 'til you sing it. And love in your heart wasn’t put there to stay. Love isn’t love 'til you give it away." |
- Oscar Hammerstein II from "Sound of Music" |
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