In The NEWS

Global Tensions
An explainer on the Cold War
The Cold War was a global competition (watch animated map) for power and influence between the United States, a capitalist democracy, and the Soviet Union, a state-controlled socialist system, from 1945 to 1991, sparked by tensions over how to shape the post-World War II order.

The conflict was defined by ideological rivalry, massive military spending, and a nuclear arms race that brought the world to the brink of thermonuclear war. Though the two superpowers never engaged in direct combat—hence, the war remained “cold”—they waged proxy wars on nearly every continent.

The Cold War concluded in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union after losing control of much of its territory in the preceding years. However, its legacy is still visible today in renewed great-power rivalries, ongoing nuclear tensions, and the resurgence of strongly centralized governance.

... Read our full explainer on the conflict here.

Also, check out ...
> Watch Churchill's 1946 speech recognizing an "Iron Curtain" across Europe. (More)
> ... and watch Reagan demand that Gorbachev tear down the Berlin Wall. (More)
> A 1983 NATO simulation provoked the Soviets to arm for war. (More)


Household Leverage
Mortgages, 101
Mortgages are a type of property loan that financial institutions, such as banks and credit unions, can offer when a prospective buyer decides against paying a property’s full cost in cash. In 2024, 74% of homebuyers took out a mortgage. Debt owed on mortgages made up about 70% of US consumer debt as of 2025.

People have been formally lending money in exchange for interest and collateral since the fifth century BCE. But the term “mortgage” wasn’t adopted until around the 11th century in Britain.

In the US, individuals loaned money to each other to buy property before institutional private financing was popularized in the 1800s. Mortgage banks were created in the 1870s to provide loans financed by mortgage-backed bonds.

... Read our full write-up on mortgages here.

Also, check out ...
> Construction of small, affordable "starter homes" has decreased 75% since 1976. (More)
> Charting the history of interest rates on 30-year fixed home loans. (More)
> Housing costs have more than doubled since 1965, adjusting for inflation. (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS