1. FBI unlocks San Bernardino shooter's iPhone, drops case against Apple
The Justice Department said Monday that it was dropping its court effort to force Apple to help hack into an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino terrorist attackers, Syed Rizwan Farook, because it had found its own way to unlock the smartphone. The FBI has started reviewing the phone's contents, but did not immediately say whether it had found anything significant.
2. Chinese firm raises offer in Starwood bidding war
China's Anbang Insurance Group has increased its bid for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide to nearly $14 billion, or $82.75 a share, Starwood said Monday. The move was the latest salvo in a bidding war that started with a takeover bid by Marriott International. Marriott last week increased its offer to around $78 a share. Starwood said it expected the U.S. hotel chain to respond with a sweeter offer, although some analysts think Marriott will balk at paying more. Starwood's board has recommended going with Marriott when shareholders vote on April 8.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
3. Investors cautious ahead of Yellen speech
U.S. stock futures and the dollar edged tentatively higher early Tuesday as cautious investors awaited a speech by Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen. Analysts expect Yellen to reiterate her case for slowly proceeding with the Fed plan to raise interest rates, with two rate hikes this year instead of the four projected in December. Yellen is scheduled to speak at the Economic Club of New York at 12:20 p.m.
MarketWatch International Business Times
4. Pandora brings back co-founder Tim Westergren as CEO
Internet radio pioneer Pandora is bringing back co-founder Tim Westergren to be chief executive as it contends with increasingly stiff competition for streaming-music listeners from such rivals as Spotify and Apple Music. The company's shares dropped by 9 percent after the news was announced Monday. Westergren will replace Brian McAndrews, who took over in 2013. Westergren first ran the company from 2002 to 2004, and continued to play a role after stepping aside.
5. Judge throws out Puerto Rico's Walmart tax
A federal judge on Monday struck down a controversial Puerto Rico tax that targeted Walmart. The U.S. territory last year lifted taxes on corporations shipping goods to affiliates in Puerto Rico, but hiked the island's minimum alternative corporate income tax by 325 percent, so Walmart Puerto Rico would still be taxed for goods sent by its suppliers and parent company. The judge said it was unlawful to impose a special tax on Walmart — the island's second largest employer after the government — just because it is "the biggest fish in the pond."
Financial Times The New York Times
-
Why reports of Donald Trump's demise are greatly exaggeratedIn The Spotlight US president has once again brushed aside rumours that he's dead
-
Lose yourself in these magnificent mazesThe Week Recommends These fiendishly clever puzzles aren't just for kids
-
Codeword: September 4, 2025The Week's daily codeword puzzle
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across SyriaTHE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weaponsThe Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarrayIn the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
