Good morning. It's Thursday, Feb. 19, and we're covering the FCC's investigation into "The View," Mark Zuckerberg testifying in court, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4.6 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here. |
|
|
|
|
🇺🇸 Civics Thursday—America turns 250 this year, and we're marking the occasion with weekly drops on 1440 Topics to help you stay informed on the key topics that shape the world around you. This week's theme: money in the United States. Scroll down for pages on Alexander Hamilton, the Federal Reserve, and more! |
|
|
|
|
|
The Federal Communications Commission yesterday confirmed a probe into whether ABC's daytime talk show “The View” failed to give rival Texas Senate candidates equal airtime following an interview with Democratic candidate James Talarico earlier this month (watch here).
The news comes after CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” pulled a separate interview with Talarico from its Monday broadcast over concerns about the equal-time rule. The 1934 provision requires broadcasters who give airtime to one political candidate to provide comparable time to competing candidates upon request. Talk shows have historically been treated as news programs and, therefore, exempt from the rule. But last month, the FCC issued guidance warning it would vet talk shows for partisan intent when granting exemptions.
Since the equal airtime provision applies to broadcasts but not streaming platforms, Colbert’s show released the Talarico segment on YouTube (watch here). Talarico's campaign yesterday reported a record $2.5M in donations within 24 hours of his Colbert interview being pulled from broadcast. |
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified yesterday before a jury in a high-profile case accusing social media companies of fostering addiction. Zuckerberg told the jury that some young users lie about their age on Instagram, among other comments.
The case centers on a now-20-year-old identified as KGM. She says she began using social media at age 10, alleging “addictive design” by Meta and YouTube—including notifications and recommendation features she says contributed to a decline in her mental health. Meta and YouTube are relying in part on Section 230, a federal law protecting platforms from liability for content posted by their users. Instagram’s chief this week also sought to differentiate between social media addiction and clinical addiction. (TikTok and Snap were originally part of the suit but have settled.)
The outcome of the case could influence more than 1,000 similar lawsuits. Some observers have drawn comparisons between the case and lawsuits against tobacco companies in the 1990s. |
California's Deadliest Avalanche |
Authorities have retrieved the bodies of eight backcountry skiers following an avalanche near Lake Tahoe—the deadliest in California history. Six skiers were rescued after issuing a 911 call; one is still missing, with rescue efforts ongoing as of this writing.
The group of 15 had been staying near Frog Lake (see map), below the 9,100-foot-tall Castle Peak—one of the Sierra Nevada’s most popular skiing destinations. Before the avalanche at 11:30 am Tuesday, local authorities had issued a warning due to strong winds and rapid snowfall (nearly 3 feet of snow had accumulated within two days). It was not immediately clear whether the group—which included four guides from Blackbird Mountain Guides—had seen the warning.
Search and rescue efforts were impeded by ongoing avalanche conditions. Rescuers used a snowcat to get within 2 miles of the survivors then skied toward them to avoid triggering another avalanche. See how the machine works here (w/video). |
|
|
|
In partnership with Motley Fool Money |
|
This Card Just Received a Rare 5-Star Rating |
|
In Olympics terms, this is a straight-to-the-podium, sure bet for gold.
In finance terms, well, we’ll let you decide:
> 0% intro APR into 2027 on purchases and balance transfers
> Up to 5% cash back at places you actually shop
> A lucrative sign-up bonus
> No annual fee
If that sounds like some of the highest cash-back potential you’ve ever heard of, well, it probably is. Those benefits are out there for the taking. It’s no wonder the experts at Motley Fool Money just rated it 5 stars. Apply in minutes. |
|
Please support our sponsors! |
|
|
|
|
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> US skier Mikaela Shiffrin wins gold in slalom race, marking the four-time Olympian's first medal since the 2018 Winter Games (More) | Norwegian cross-country skier Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo ties Michael Phelps for a record 10th Olympic gold (More) |
> Seattle Seahawks up for sale less than two weeks after winning the Super Bowl; the sale follows the wishes of late owner Paul Allen, who bought the team for $194M in 1997 and died in 2018 (More) |
> Bad Bunny to star in historical drama directed by fellow Grammy-winning Puerto Rican artist Residente (More) | Pulp Fiction actor Peter Greene died of an accidental gunshot wound, says New York City medical examiner (More) |
|
|
|
In partnership with Green Coffee Company |
|
The Next Coffee Giant Is Brewing an IPO |
|
|
|
|
|
|
> Food and Drug Administration reverses course, agrees to review Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine after the company revises its study approach (More) | White House taps National Institutes of Health director, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, to serve as acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (More) |
> Google introduces AI-powered music generation feature to Gemini app, enabling users to create songs from text, video, and image prompts (More) |
> Bioelectric device enables scientists to map neural activity inside lab-grown human brain-like tissues; the invention could facilitate discoveries about how human brains develop and function (More) |
|
|
|
|
|
> US stock markets close up (S&P 500 +0.6%, Dow +0.3%, Nasdaq +0.8%) as traders assess Federal Reserve's January meeting minutes (More) | Fed officials appear split over whether to cut, raise, or hold interest rates, with most wanting to see further progress on inflation (More) |
> Elon Musk’s xAI secures $3B investment from Saudi Arabia's state-backed AI firm Humain; investment is part of xAI's recent $20B funding round, which completed before SpaceX acquired the startup (More) |
> Christine Lagarde to reportedly step down as president of the European Central Bank before her eight-year term expires in October 2027, fueling succession talks (More) |
|
|
|
> Former Victoria's Secret CEO Leslie Wexner testifies before House Oversight Committee for its Jeffrey Epstein investigation, maintains he did not know about Epstein's wrongdoing, did not participate in criminal activity (More) |
> The US will reportedly withdraw all of its 1,000 troops in Syria over the next two months, ending decadelong presence; officials say the decision predates recent tensions with Iran (More) |
> Vatican declines to join 19 countries on President Donald Trump's Board of Peace to supervise Gaza governance; says the United Nations is the right body to oversee global conflicts (More) |
|
|
|
In partnership with Motley Fool Money |
|
Thousands Flock to 5-Star Cash Back Card |
|
When experts select for themselves, it's a hint worth considering. Picture a restaurant that Michelin-starred chefs choose to frequent. Similarly, when a group of financial analysts and credit card specialists vouch for a credit card they personally use, it captures our attention.
Here’s the gist: Up to 5% cash back, a big sign-up bonus, 0% intro APR into 2027, and no annual fee. It’s time to level up your finances. Learn more and apply today. |
|
Please support our sponsors! |
|
|
|
|
1440 Topics: Civics Thursday |
|
In celebration of America's 250th birthday, each week we're sharing what we've learned about key topics that help you stay informed and participate in the world around you:
> The $10 Founding Father who shaped America's financial system, here's what we learned about Alexander Hamilton.
> How the government decides where it spends trillions of dollars each year, explore our topic page on the Federal Budget.
> Learn about the institution that controls the nation's money supply and interest rates with the best resources we found on the Federal Reserve.
What is 1440 Topics? A continuously updated ecosystem where we curate the best evergreen resources on thousands of topics for you to explore. Have a suggestion for our Civics section? Let us know here. |
|
|
|
|
|
Historybook: Thomas Edison awarded patent for the phonograph (1878); Battle of Iwo Jima begins (1945); Betty Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique" is published (1963); Actress Millie Bobby Brown born (2004); “To Kill a Mockingbird” author Harper Lee dies (2016).
|
*Please support our sponsors. |
|
|
|
"Mockingbirds don't do one thing except make music for us to enjoy ... That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." |
- Harper Lee, from "To Kill a Mockingbird" |
|
|
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. |
|
*Disclosure: This is a paid advertisement for Green Coffee Company's Regulation CF offering. Please read the offering circular at https://invest.greencoffeecompany.com/. Timelines are subject to change. Listing on the NASDAQ is contingent upon necessary approvals, and reserving a ticker symbol does not guarantee a company's public listing. |
|
1440 Media 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 1212 Chicago, IL 60654
Copyright © 2026, 1440 Media, All rights reserved. Privacy Policy. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
