Good morning. It's Tuesday, Dec. 30, and we're covering the battle for control at a popular athleisure company, New Year's Eve celebrations, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4.5 million insatiably curious readers. Sign up here.
And, as always, send us feedback at [email protected].
Editor's note: The 1440 Daily Digest team will be off for the New Year's holiday—this will be our last news-focused email until Friday, Jan. 2. Keep an eye out for our end-of-year recap tomorrow, and have a great holiday! |
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China's military deployed air, navy, and missile units yesterday in its largest-ever drills around Taiwan. Beijing said the operation—dubbed "Justice Mission 2025"—aims to deter Taipei's push for formal independence and discourage foreign involvement. The exercise follows a record US arms sale to Taiwan and remarks from Japanese leaders about potential defense commitments to the island.
Taiwan reported roughly 89 Chinese military aircraft and 28 naval and coast guard vessels were present, with live-fire drills simulating blockades and coordinated strikes. Taiwan mobilized rapid-response troops and said flights were canceled or diverted for more than 100,000 travelers. Taiwan condemned the exercise, saying it threatens regional stability. Drills continue today.
China and Taiwan have had strained relations since 1949; China views Taiwan as part of the mainland, while Taiwan maintains it is a sovereign nation. Taiwan sits on key trade routes in the Western Pacific and produces about 90% of the world’s most advanced semiconductor chips (see visual deep dive). |
When Life Gives You Lululemon |
Lululemon Athletica founder Chip Wilson is launching a proxy fight with the company, revealing yesterday that he nominated three directors to the company’s board. The decision comes weeks after the board announced CEO Calvin McDonald’s exit without a successor.
McDonald ran the Vancouver-based company for over seven years, taking its stock to a height of over $500 per share in 2023. The company's stock has since fallen, dropping 45% this year amid tariffs, reduced consumer spending, and increased competition. Wilson, Lululemon's second-largest shareholder, has criticized the board’s lack of a succession plan. Now, he’s nominating former executives from ESPN and Activision, as well as a former CEO from rival company On Running. The bid is separate from activist investor Elliott Investment Management’s public campaign to see Lululemon hire former Ralph Lauren executive Jane Nielsen.
Wilson founded Lululemon in 1998 and led the company until 2005. Learn about its history here (w/video). |
More than 360 million glasses of sparkling wine are expected to be consumed in the US tomorrow, as over half of Americans gather with friends and family to ring in the new year. See more fast facts.
Roughly 1 million people historically pack into New York City’s Times Square to watch a crystal ball drop from One Times Square as midnight approaches—a tradition that began on New Year's Eve 1907. This year marks the debut of the ninth and largest ball, adorned with 5,280 crystals and weighing about 12,350 pounds. For the first time, the ball will be relit and dropped again at approximately 12:04 am ET in anticipation of the US’ 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026.
Elsewhere in the US, communities have put their own spins on the tradition, from a jumbo shrimp drop in Florida to a potato drop in Idaho. Celebrations vary widely around the world, too, with wave-jumping in Brazil and onion calendars in Romania.
Explore our favorite resources on New Year's Eve here. |
Editor's note: In our Sunday edition, we incorrectly stated Y2K took place 25 years ago—we meant 26. Thank you to the readers who caught this error. |
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This Chef Collective Cooks for You |
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Ready to check it out for yourself? Get 50% off your first week of CookUnity. |
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Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> Hollywood claims best Christmas Day box office since before the COVID-19 pandemic, propelled by “Avatar: Fire and Ash” and "Marty Supreme"; 2025 domestic ticket sales to date are over $2.6B short of 2019 total (More) |
> Beyoncé becomes the fifth billionaire musician after her recent "Cowboy Carter" album and tour (More) | Boxer Anthony Joshua injured in car accident that killed two other passengers in Nigeria (More) |
> Hulu releases first "Malcolm in the Middle" reboot trailer, announces April 10 release date (More, w/trailer) |
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> Scientists find wildfires emit about 21% more airborne organic compounds than previously estimated, signaling a greater threat to air quality (More) |
> Gestational diabetes has risen every year in the US from 2016 to 2024, culminating in a 36% jump over the nine-year period; scientists call for further research (More) |
> OpenAI seeks head of preparedness to mitigate AI-related risks, including impacts on human health and cybersecurity; offering $555K salary plus equity (More) |
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> US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -0.4%, Dow -0.5%, Nasdaq -0.5%) as investors sell tech shares, including Tesla (-3.3%) and Nvidia (-1.2%) (More) |
> SoftBank to buy data infrastructure firm DigitalBridge in $4B deal as part of AI push (More) | Nvidia finalizes roughly 4%, $5B stake in Intel (More) |
> US pending home sales index rises 3.3% month-over-month in November, the biggest increase in contract signings since February 2023 (More) |
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In partnership with Motley Fool Money |
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> President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, says reconstruction of Gaza will begin soon (More) |
> Iran's biggest protests in three years erupt as the country's currency falls to a record low against the US dollar (More) | Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, Khaleda Zia, dies at age 80 (More) |
> Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the US is offering Ukraine security guarantees for a period of 15 years (More) |
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> Visualizing Musical Motifs
Pudding | Michelle Pera-McGhee. How motifs (callbacks) support storytelling in everything from opera to video game music to modern musical theater. (Read) |
> Your Family’s Memory Keeper
Psyche | Samantha Ellis. What if preserving your family’s stories and relics isn’t just nostalgia—it’s a way to anchor your identity, bridge generations, and feel more rooted in who you are? (Read) |
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Historybook: Author Rudyard Kipling born (1865); The Soviet Union formed (1922); Tiger Woods born (1975); LeBron James born (1984); Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein executed (2006); Oscar-winning actress Luise Rainer dies (2014). |
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"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." |
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