Good morning. It's Tuesday, March 18, and we're covering the push toward a ceasefire in Ukraine, Harvard's move toward increased accessibility, and much more. First time reading? Join over 4 million intellectually curious readers. Sign up here.
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President Donald Trump is set to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin today about a potential ceasefire in Ukraine and a framework for a peace deal aimed at resolving the three-year conflict. The talks are expected to cover territorial concessions and control of key assets, including power plants and infrastructure. Ukraine accepted the 30-day ceasefire proposal last week, while Russia has expressed concerns about Ukraine's military activities during the truce.
Russia has illegally annexed four Ukrainian regions since 2022 but doesn't fully control any of them. However, in the occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region, Russia controls Europe's largest nuclear power plant. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has maintained that his country's sovereignty is nonnegotiable, while Moscow has demanded that Ukraine abandon its NATO aspirations.
Separately, the UK and France have pledged to lead a multinational peacekeeping force, with more than 30 countries expected to send troops or logistical support, as part of a broader effort to secure Ukraine and enforce the ceasefire. |
Harvard Expands Free Tuition |
Harvard University announced yesterday it would make tuition free for all students from households making up to $200K, and cover the full cost of attendance—including room, board, and associated expenses—for students from households earning under $100K. The move makes the school the latest to try to expand access to middle- and lower-income candidates, following MIT, the University of Pennsylvania, and others.
School officials estimate that more than 85% of families in the US will receive some form of assistance, with support tapering off as household income reaches $400K. Support is likely to be drawn from the university's endowment—the world's largest at around $50B (see list). Admission still remains intensely competitive at the school, with an acceptance rate near 3.5% in 2024.
Dig into 1440's overview of the twin issues of student debt and college tuition. |
Google parent Alphabet will spin off its laser-based internet startup into an independent company, according to reports yesterday. Known as Taara, the firm is anticipated to compete directly with SpaceX's Starlink as a means of providing high-quality internet access to hard-to-reach locations.
Starlink, which currently serves an estimated 5 million users across 100 nations and territories, uses a network of thousands of satellites to connect users to high-speed broadband. Taara's approach relies on a land-based system of lasers beaming information back and forth to each other (watch overview). While each approach has pros and cons—laser networks don't need to be launched into space but can be blocked if an object gets in the way—company engineers say they can transmit 20 gigabytes of information per second across more than 10 miles.
Alphabet says the company will begin by focusing on helping established telecom firms extend existing networks. See a deep dive into Alphabet's (Google's) history here. |
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Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
> Conan O'Brien tapped to host next year's Academy Awards; O'Brien returns after hosting this year's Oscars, which hauled in the show's highest ratings in five years (More) | Émilie Dequenne, Belgian actress best known for "Rosetta," dies at age 43 (More) |
> Universal Music Group files motion to dismiss Drake's defamation lawsuit, which alleged Universal damaged Drake's reputation by promoting Kendrick Lamar's diss track "Not Like Us" (More) |
> Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers kick off the MLB regular season from Tokyo this morning (6 am ET, FOX); regular season begins in earnest on Opening Day, March 27 (More) |
🚀 New 1440 launch: We'll be launching our second 1440 Topics newsletter this weekend, with deep dives into cultural trends—starting with subjects ranging from Disney to Stephen King to Coachella. Sign up here for free! |
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> Google's Gemini 2.0 is highly effective at removing watermarks from copyrighted images, users report (More) |
> New study finds gorillas have self-awareness comparable to chimpanzees; results suggest efforts should go beyond the "mirror test"—an evaluation of whether animals can recognize themselves in the mirror (More) |
> Engineers develop artificial muscles capable of flexing in multiple directions; advance has applications in soft, form-shifting robots (More) |
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> US stock markets close up (S&P 500 +0.6%, Dow +0.9%, Nasdaq +0.3%), posting back-to-back gains (More) | Trading platform Robinhood launches predictions market, allowing users to bet and trade on current events (More) |
> HR software firm Rippling sues rival Deel, alleging the company planted a mole who rose to Rippling's executive ranks to carry out corporate espionage (More) | Pepsi acquires Poppi, maker of lower-calorie prebiotic pop, for $1.7B (More) |
> Fashion retailer Forever 21 files for bankruptcy, citing continued drop in mall and brick-and-mortar shopping, will wind down its US business (More) | What is bankruptcy and how does it work? (1440 Topics) |
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> Legal showdown begins between federal judge, Trump administration over use of Alien Enemies Act to carry out deportations of nearly 300 alleged Venezuelan gang members; see timeline here (More) | Texas midwife accused of providing an abortion, the first to be charged under state's near-total ban on the procedure (More) |
> President Donald Trump expected to release around 80,000 pages of previously classified documents relating to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy today (More) | Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) postpones book tour over Democratic backlash to passage of recent funding bill (More) |
> US court orders British Prince Harry's immigration records be released by end of day today; Harry, who moved to California in 2020, is accused of lying about past drug use on visa application (More) |
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> 'Then Came the War, Old Sport'
National WWI Museum and Memorial | Staff. How F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" weaves World War I into its narrative, using the experiences and aspirations of its characters to show the societal shifts that reshaped 1920s America. (Read)
> Why Don't Women Play Baseball
The Atlantic | Kaitlyn Tiffany. The story of 87 women who attended the 2025 Yankees Women's Mini-Fantasy Camp, where they paid to experience life as a New York Yankee under the coaching of former players. (Read) |
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