Good morning. It's Friday, July 5, and we're covering a drubbing on Downing Street, the competitive eating crown, and much more. First time reading? Join over 3.5 million intellectually curious readers. Sign up here. |
|
|
|
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was ousted from office yesterday after the center-left Labour Party won a parliamentary majority in the United Kingdom's first national elections in nearly five years. Sir Keir Starmer, Labour's leader, is expected to become the country's next prime minister.
Sunak, who heads the center-right Conservative Party, called for the early elections in May in a last-ditch effort to sway public support despite significantly trailing in opinion polls. Voters expressed dissatisfaction with a range of issues, including stagnant household income, the highest tax rates since the 1940s, and record immigration levels.
With 326 seats needed for a parliamentary majority, early results point to Labour winning 410 seats, Conservatives with 131, Liberal Democrats with 61, and the remainder split among a variety of parties (see tracker).
It would mark the lowest share of seats for the Conservatives—colloquially known as Tories—in the party's 200-year history and ends a 14-year run by the party. |
Almost 30,000 people were ordered to evacuate their Northern California homes in recent days as wildfires continued to spread near the city of Oroville. As of this writing, the Thompson Fire had consumed around 3,500 acres, having tripled in size during the day Wednesday. Officials say the blaze is 7% contained; no deaths have been reported, though at least seven firefighters were treated for injuries.
The fire comes as Northern California and the interior western US prepare for a heat wave expected to bring triple-digit temperatures in many spots. Oroville is slated to pass 110 degrees this weekend, along with much of the inland parts of the state, while Las Vegas to the southeast may reach 120 degrees (the all-time high is 117 degrees).
Meanwhile, forecasts suggest Death Valley may hit 130 degrees early next week—a mark that would be the hottest temperature ever reliably measured on the planet. |
A new face hoisted the Mustard Belt at Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest yesterday after 39-year-old Patrick Bertoletti downed 58 hot dogs in 10 minutes. Florida's Miki Sudo chomped through 51 franks, setting a women's world record en route to her 10th title.
For Bertoletti, the win comes in the absence of all-time great Joey Chestnut who was banned from the contest after signing an endorsement deal with Impossible Foods, a maker of plant-based meats. Chestnut had won 16 of 17 previous contests and tossed back 62 hot dogs last year. The excommunicated champ instead held a charity event in El Paso, Texas, facing off against active-duty service members.
While the Coney Island event has been held since 1972, the history of the humble hot dog dates back much further. German immigrants began selling the food, which evolved from traditional sausages, from New York City pushcarts in the 1860s. |
|
|
|
|
In partnership with Babbel |
Start Speaking A New Language This Summer |
Please support our sponsors! |
|
|
|
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
|
|
|
> LeBron James signs two-year, $104M deal to remain with Los Angeles Lakers; James' son Bronny was selected by the Lakers at last week's NBA Draft (More) |
> Robert Towne, Oscar-winning screenwriter best known for "Chinatown" and "Mission: Impossible," dies at 89 (More) |
> Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and Bryce Harper headline list of starters for 2024 MLB All-Star Game (July 16) (More) | British cyclist Mark Cavendish breaks Tour de France record with 35 career stage wins (More) |
|
> Three new species of plants related to cacao trees discovered in South American rainforests; scientists say finding sheds light on the species' biodiversity, may lead to climate-resilient chocolate (More) |
> Mysterious Denisovan population—ancient human relatives whose remains have only been found in a few locations—subsisted by hunting animals on the Tibetan plateau (More) | Who were the Denisovans? (More) |
> Researchers create most detailed map to date of the brain cells associated with language processing, identifying neurons that encode the meaning of individual words (More) |
|
In partnership with Incogni |
|
|
|
> US markets end Wednesday mixed (S&P 500 +0.5%, Dow -0.1%, Nasdaq +0.9%), with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hitting new highs (More) | Monthly jobs report to be released today; 200,000 jobs expected to have been added in June (More) |
> Saks Fifth Avenue parent company to acquire luxury retailer Neiman Marcus in nearly $2.7B deal (More) |
> European Union raises tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, citing unfair subsidies by China; additional duties range from around 18% to almost 38% depending on manufacturer (More) |
|
> Israel reportedly approves largest land expansion in the West Bank in three decades; move opens roughly 5 square miles for Israeli settlements in the territory (More) | The West Bank explained (More) |
> Hurricane Beryl to pass over Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula today, on track to reach southern Texas early next week; hurricane left at least two people dead in Jamaica (More) | See trajectory (More) |
> Runoff elections in Iran to be held today to replace former President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a May helicopter crash; reformist Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian faces hard-liner Saeed Jalili (More) |
|
> What Happens Online When You Die?
Untangled | Charley Johnson. (Podcast) In an effort to deal with grief, some are using AI-powered chatbots to once again talk to their deceased loved ones. (Listen)
> The Endless Symbolism of 'Jaws'
Literary Hub | Olivia Rutigliano. (From 2020) The metaphors in "Jaws"—considered one of the best summer movies ever made—are always lurking just under the surface. (Read) |
> The Last American Slave Ship
National Geographic | Staff. This documentary explores the history of the Clotilda, a ship smuggling enslaved people that crashed along the Alabama coast in 1860, giving rise to the community of Africatown. (Watch)
> 'Rent is Too Damn High'
Reuters Graphics | Staff. Rental prices across the US have jumped 35% over the past five years. See a visual breakdown on how the issue may affect the 2024 election. (Read) |
|
In partnership with Babbel |
Learn A Language Even with a Busy Schedule |
Who said language learning had to be daunting or time-consuming? Whether you’re shuttling kids to summer camp, running from one meeting to another, or getting ready for a night with friends, Babbel’s lessons can fit right in.
Built by 200+ linguistics experts, their lessons only take 10 minutes a day. Researchers at Yale and Michigan State University have proven the Babbel Method is effective, because it’s more than just vocab and memorization — with Babbel, you’ll learn the skills to have conversations in the real world. Start speaking a new language in no time: Get 60% off today during Babbel’s 4th of July Sale. |
Please support our sponsors! |
|
|
"We must reach out our hand in friendship both to those who would befriend us and those who would be our enemy." |
|
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 as unbiased as humanly possible. We’re ready to listen.
Interested in reaching smart 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 |
|
|
|
|
|
