Good morning. It's Friday, Sept. 5, and we're covering testimony by the US health secretary, the death of fashion legend Giorgio Armani, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4.5 million intellectually curious readers. Sign up here.
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Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared yesterday before the Senate Finance Committee to discuss recent turnover at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Much of the testimony centered on vaccine policy, following Kennedy’s decision last week to fire CDC Director Susan Monarez. (Several senior CDC officials subsequently resigned in protest.) Monarez contends she was pressured to preapprove recommendations from an advisory panel considering vaccine recommendations for COVID-19, RSV, and measles, among others. That panel—recently reconstituted to include vaccine skeptics—is due to meet Sept. 18-19, with expected implications for insurance coverage. Kennedy yesterday disputed Monarez’s version of events, saying she was fired for answering “no” when asked whether she is trustworthy.
Kennedy also addressed his agency's decision to pull funding for mRNA vaccine research and restrict approval for the updated COVID-19 vaccine, among other decisions. He separately criticized lawmakers on the committee for accepting donations from pharmaceutical companies. |
Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani has died at age 91. The company did not disclose a cause of death, though he had missed a Milan fashion show this summer—marking the first time he missed a runway show in his career—while recovering from undisclosed health issues.
Born in Piacenza in 1934, Armani started as a window decorator before designing for stylist Nino Cerruti. In 1975, he founded his namesake label alongside partner Sergio Galeotti, softening menswear with supple fabrics and unlined jackets while pioneering women’s power suits. By the mid-1980s, his clean tailoring defined corporate style. He later expanded into fragrances, cosmetics, accessories, and sportswear—outfitting athletes and designing Olympic uniforms—evolving into a global brand valued at more than $10B.
His clothes became a red-carpet staple, with Armani earning wardrobe credits in over 200 films. He was honored with Italy’s Order of Merit, France’s Legion of Honor, and a UN goodwill ambassadorship. See tributes here. |
The reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles beat the Dallas Cowboys 24-20 last night to kick off the 2025-26 NFL season. Tonight, the Kansas City Chiefs face the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil (8 pm ET, YouTube), the first of seven international games, before Sunday's 13-game lineup. See full schedule here.
QB Aaron Rodgers begins his first season with the Pittsburgh Steelers—and possibly his final NFL season—against his former team, the New York Jets. Meanwhile, Washington QB Jayden Daniels looks to build on a standout rookie year that ended with the Commanders’ first conference championship game in 33 years. In Monday night's only game, the Chicago Bears take on the Minnesota Vikings, with Chicago QB Caleb Williams aiming for redemption after the Bears' rocky 5-12 season. See more top storylines here.
This year also brings rule changes, from tweaked kickoffs to banned celebrations. Read the updates in full here. |
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Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> The 2025 US Open wraps this weekend; see latest updates and schedules for both the women's and men's tournaments (More) |
> College Sports Commission approves 8,300 name, image, and likeness deals for college athletes worth nearly $80M; the commission is tasked with approving contracts between athletes and third-party entities (More) |
> "Bluey" animated feature film, based on the popular children's TV show, sets August 2027 release date (More) | Justin Bieber's second surprise album of the year, "Swag II," released this morning (More) |
Back-to-school season: Tomorrow's 1440 Society & Culture email explores the history and operations of America's private schools (followed by a Sunday deep dive into public schools). Subscribe here! |
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> New study suggests thumbnails instead of claws provided certain rodent species an evolutionary advantage, allowing the animals to better manipulate food (More, w/photos) |
> Spaceflight accelerates aging of stem cells, lowering their production of healthy new cells; findings suggest health risks of long-duration space flights (More) | What are stem cells? (More) |
> Fine particle air pollution linked to Lewy body dementia; particles can trigger formation of protein clumps in the brain, a hallmark of the disease (More) |
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> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +0.8%, Dow +0.8%, Nasdaq +1.0%) ahead of today's jobs report release—the first since President Donald Trump's firing of Labor Department official who oversaw the monthly reports (More) |
> Justice Department opens criminal probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook over mortgage fraud allegations (More) | Stephen Miran, Trump's pick for Fed board, faces Senate confirmation hearing (More) |
> Software giant Atlassian to acquire The Browser Co., a startup offering AI-enhanced web browsers, for $610M (More) |
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> President Donald Trump will sign an executive order today rebranding the Defense Department as the Department of War, a title last used in 1947; Dept. of War will be the agency’s secondary title until Congress approves the change (More) |
> DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb (D) sues the Trump administration in effort to end deployment of National Guard; decision follows federal judge's ruling this week that the Guard's deployment in California was unlawful (More) |
> Third earthquake hits Afghanistan as the death toll from Sunday's earthquake exceeds 2,200 people, with over 3,600 others injured (More) |
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> Saquon Barkley's (Financial) Moves
The Profile | Polina Pompliano. While many professional athletes stumble when greeted with life-changing contracts, the Philadelphia Eagles star running back aims to live off endorsement deals while funneling his salary into a nine-figure financial portfolio. (Read, w/video) |
> How to Die Well
The Free Press | Charlotte Grinberg. A young hospice physician reflects on her experiences with death and dying—and how to treat the process with care, compassion, and maturity. (Read) |
> Subpar Sunscreen
Short Wave | Staff. The federal government hasn't approved a new sunscreen ingredient in over 20 years. The result is a sun protection regimen that falls behind Europe and Korea. (Listen) |
> Resisting the Gym
Big Think | Daniel Lieberman. We struggle to exercise despite knowing it's good for us. Why running on a treadmill and lifting weights are against our instincts, according to an evolutionary biologist. (Watch) |
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