1. Harriet Tubman to replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced Wednesday that former President Andrew Jackson will soon be replaced by Harriet Tubman on the front of the $20 bill, though his image will remain on the back. Though the Treasury had initially planned to usurp Alexander Hamilton from his spot on the $10 bill in order to feature a woman on the currency, the Founding Father will also remain on the $10, while leaders of the women's right to vote movement will be featured on Hamilton's flip side. The $5 bill will also be updated to depict civil rights-era leaders.
2. Volkswagen reportedly reaches buyback deal over emissions scandal
Volkswagen and U.S. officials have reportedly reached a framework deal to buy back nearly 500,000 diesel cars that used special software to evade emissions tests, Reuters reports. While the exact details of the deal have yet to be announced, Volkswagen has reportedly also agreed to a compensation fund for owners — though it is not yet clear how much money owners would receive — and it's also possible that the company would offer to repair polluting vehicles. The deal affects diesel versions of the Jetta sedan, the Golf compact, and the Audi A3; larger 3.0-liter diesel vehicles like Audi and Porche SUV models are not part of the buyback deal.
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. Canada aiming to legalize marijuana in 2017
Canadian Health Minister Jane Philpott announced Wednesday at a United Nations special session on drugs that Canada will introduce legislation in 2017 to legalize and regulate recreational marijuana. The government plans to form a task force that will design a marijuana regulation system after gathering insight from provincial and territorial governments, experts, and the public. "I believe that if we respect one another's perspectives and seek common ground, we can achieve our shared objective: protecting our citizens," Philpott said. "Better yet, we can improve their lives."
4. Mitsubishi Motors shares hit record low on news of mileage cheating scandal
Mitsubishi Motors Corp's stock lost a third of its market value — $2.5 billion — in the two days after the company admitted it had tampered with test data to overstate the fuel economy of 625,000 vehicles. The loss marks a record low for the stock of Japan's 6th-largest automaker, and the government called the situation "extremely serious." A JPMorgan analyst estimated the scandal, which the automaker says only affects cars sold in Japan, could cost Mitsubishi more than $450 million.
5. Home sales up in heartening sign of recovery
Home sales surged in March, beating economists' expectations in a heartening sign that the housing market is recovering at the start of the spring selling season. According to the National Association of Realtors, existing home sales rose 5.1 percent to an annual rate of 5.33 million units last month. "It points to a very strong start to the crucial spring selling season, and initial anecdotal indications point to this positive momentum being sustained in coming months," Millan Mulraine, chief economist at TD Securities in New York, told NBC News.
-
Rothermere’s Telegraph takeover: ‘a right-leaning media powerhouse’Talking Point Deal gives Daily Mail and General Trust more than 50% of circulation in the UK newspaper market
-
The US-Saudi relationship: too big to fail?Talking Point With the Saudis investing $1 trillion into the US, and Trump granting them ‘major non-Nato ally’ status, for now the two countries need each other
-
Sudoku medium: November 30, 2025The daily medium sudoku puzzle from The Week
-
Femicide: Italy’s newest crimeThe Explainer Landmark law to criminalise murder of a woman as an ‘act of hatred’ or ‘subjugation’ but critics say Italy is still deeply patriarchal
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro behind bars after appeals run outSpeed Read He will serve 27 years in prison
-
Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
-
Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
