Key leaders in the House of Representatives have taken a fresh stab at writing a comprehensive scheme to regulate cryptocurrencies in the U.S.
Why it matters: The question of which digital assets are subject to securities laws, and which aren't, has been a significant point of friction between the government and the industry since at least 2017, when entrepreneurs started raising money by issuing tokensen masse.
President Trump said Sunday he's directed government departments to rebuild and reopen Alcatraz, the notorious California prison-turned-tourist -attraction.
The big picture: Alcatraz housed prisoners including the gangster Al Capone before it closed as a prison in 1963 because it was expensive to run and the U.S. government "found that it was more cost-effective to build a new institution" than keep it open, per a Federal Bureau of Prisons post.
President Trump's legally dubious threat to strip Harvard's tax-exempt status could cost the university hundreds of millions a year, and other nonprofits fear they could be next.
Why it matters: Trump has waged an unprecedented assault on the independence of universities, law firms, and nonprofit media, using the power of the government to punish his perceived political enemies.
The 2025 Pulitzer Prize winners were announced Monday, with several prizes awarded to news organizations for their coverage of the assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump last summer.
Why it matters: This year's prizes underscored the value of journalists having access to powerful people and institutions to hold them to account and be present to accurately write the first draft of history.
More than 200 CEOs on Monday signed a letter urging state leaders to mandate artificial intelligence and computer science classes as a high school graduation requirement.
Why it matters: The letter follows President Trump's creation of an AI education task force to expand students' exposure to AI instruction, as aptitude with the technology increasingly becomes a workforce expectation.
Brace yourself if you're flying in the coming days and weeks for long lines and delays at the airport.
Why it matters: Wednesday is the first day a Real ID compliant license — or another acceptable document — is needed to board a commercial aircraft in the U.S.
But several key stocks pared their losses as the White House signaled that the plan hasn't been firmed up.
Why it matters: It was not immediately clear how or whether Trump could follow through with his 100% duties on films made outside the U.S. — but investors nonetheless winced.
President Trump is threatening to open a new front in the global trade war.
The president will direct trade officials to investigate imposing "a 100% Tariff on any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands," according to a late-night post on Truth Social.
Up to this point, tariffs have been focused on physical goods.
Reality check: It is unclear how this might work. It is straightforward to slap tariffs on physical goods crossing borders, as the U.S. has done for centuries; less so for intellectual property like movies.
Jury selection for the sex trafficking trial of music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs opens Monday in New York City.
Why it matters: Combs faces several charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, with prosecutors alleging he "abused, threatened and coerced" women and those around him for decades.
Skechers, which claims to be the world's third-largest shoe brand, on Monday said it's agreed to be acquired in a roughly $9 billion deal by Brazilian private equity firm 3G Capital.
Why it matters: Skechers is the sort of consumer products maker that could get hit hard by Trump tariffs, and recently withdrew its annual guidance due to the uncertainty.
One way to think about OPEC+'s accelerated return of barrels: Saudi Arabia and some other members see President Trump — for now — as more invested in lower prices than in what's comfortable for U.S. producers.
Why it matters: Crude prices are falling again to open the week following Saturday's OPEC+ decision to boost output by another 411,000 barrels per day next month.
Since Donald Trump announced his "Liberation Day" tariffs on the afternoon of April 2, the most important markets for the U.S. economy have weakened significantly. The stock market, by contrast, has risen.
Why it matters: As the reminder often goes, The Stock Market Is Not The Economy. Still, it helps to set the broader vibe, and over the past couple of weeks, greed and optimism have had something of a resurgence.
MAGA media is seizing on its new influence in Washington — staffing up, enjoying unprecedented access to power, and making market splashes.
Why it matters: Corporate America has typically shunned right-wing media. But expanded exposure to Washington's powerbrokers is helping MAGA outlets and personalities establish themselves as key media players.
Homebuyers have to earn over $50,000 more a year than renters to afford their monthly housing payments, according to a recent Redfin report.
Why it matters: A "triple whammy" of rising home prices, high mortgage rates and a shortage of houses for sale is making it harder for renters to make the leap to homeownership, per the report.
