Axios

The White House on Monday criticized Elon Musk's now-deleted post that questioned why former President Trump has recently faced two apparent assassination attempts while President Biden and Vice President Harris have not.

The big picture: After Sunday's apparent attempt on Trump's life, Musk wrote on his X platform in a since-removed post, "And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala 🤔."

Amazon employees must return to the office five days per week at the start of 2025, CEO Andy Jassy announced Monday.

Why it matters: Amazon is one of America's biggest employers, and hybrid work is increasingly seen as working adults' post-pandemic preference.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is testing what it says is the first respirator developed specifically for battling wildfires.

Why it matters: The device would at last shield wildland firefighters from toxic smoke that most inhale without proper protection, especially as the wildfire season is made even longer by climate change.

TikTok on Monday will make its case in court against a bill that would require it to be divested by its Chinese parent company, Bytedance, or else risk a nationwide ban.

Why it matters: TikTok is one of America's largest social media platforms, and Bytedance is the world's most valuable startup.

Private equity firm KKR and German billionaire Mathias Döpfner are close to striking a deal that would separate Axel Springer's classifieds business from its media properties, a source confirmed to Axios.

Why it matters: An agreement would see KKR exit a media business it once heavily funded and allow Döpfner to pursue more media acquisitions.

Sliding oil prices are putting a fresh spotlight on China's sway in global petro-markets — and a seismic change that may be unfolding.

Why it matters: It's by far the world's largest oil importer, so stalling demand growth is helping push down global prices.

Prediction markets look set to be a core part of horse race coverage for the foreseeable future — but that doesn't mean they're going to become a popular pastime in which Americans gamble on electoral outcomes.

Why it matters: Even if they're legal, election markets will always be controversial, and at risk of being banned. They're also very unlikely to receive widespread attention outside presidential election campaigns.

For the first time in decades, the cost of housing is a key issue in a presidential election.

Why it matters: A shortage of affordable homes to buy or rent in the U.S. keeps home prices high. Record-high mortgage rates are putting monthly payments out of reach for many.

Apple's newest iPhone models launch Friday, but starting Monday iPhone owners with compatible devices can update to the latest operating system, iOS 18.

The big picture: The new version of the software that powers the iPhone will allow greater customization, but users will have to wait for a future update to use "Apple Intelligence," the company's new AI offerings.