Keeping Up With America

Online searches for gambling addiction surge as legalized sports betting expands, study finds: Internet searches seeking help for gambling addiction have “increased substantially” as the number of states with legalized sports betting has expanded in recent years, prompting a need for more public health awareness, according to a study released Monday.

Department of Homeland Security preparing to fire hundreds of senior leaders this week: The Trump administration is preparing to fire hundreds of high-level Department of Homeland Security employees this week as part of a move to rid the country’s third-largest agency of people deemed to be misaligned with the administration’s goals, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

Kentucky reels from flooding that killed 12 as another storm will bring snow and cold: Another winter storm will hit the United States this week and will bring snow to Kentucky, after the state was hit with devastating flooding over the weekend that killed 12 and prompted over 1,000 rescues.

Ohio sex worker charged with fatally drugging 4 customers can stand trial, judge rules: An Ohio sex worker charged with fatally drugging four customers and trying to kill a fifth has been found competent to stand trial. Rebecca Auborn, 34, understands the nature and objective of the proceedings and can assist in her defense, Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Karen Phipps said in the order Thursday.

Judge appears unlikely to immediately halt DOGE access and firings: A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Monday hinted she might not throw up immediate roadblocks to Elon Musk’s infiltration of the nation’s government agencies, where he and his team have accessed sensitive data and enacted a flurry of firings.

Around the World

18 people injured after Delta plane landing at Toronto airport overturns: At least 18 people were injured Monday when a Delta Air Lines plane overturned upon landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport. There were no fatalities and the injuries were relatively minor, officials said Monday evening.

China accuses U.S. of ‘serious regression’ in its Taiwan position after change to State Dept. website: China accused the United States on Monday of a “serious regression” in its position on Taiwan, after the State Department updated the Taiwan section of its website to remove a reference to the independence of the Beijing-claimed island.

Lets Talk Business and Tech

Stock futures rise to kick off a shortened trading week: Live updates

‘Game on’: Tech execs say DeepSeek ramps up China-U.S. competition but won’t hurt OpenAI

Southwest Airlines to slash 15% of corporate jobs in ‘unprecedented’ move to cut costs

Richer, Wiser, Happier

4 expert tips for getting the lowest home equity loan rate this March: In the current high-rate environment, some of the most popular borrowing options are now simply too expensive for many Americans. For example, the most recent Federal Reserve data reveals credit card rates are averaging 22.80%, with some new card offers approaching 30%. Similarly, 24-month personal loan rates average 12.32% annually, close to their highest levels since the early 2000’s.

This Strategy Can Help You Get Out of Credit Card Debt Without Paying Interest | Jake FitzGerald, Fool. If you’re struggling with credit card debt, you’re not alone. With sky-high interest rates, paying off your balance can feel like a never-ending battle. But what if you could hit pause on interest and make real progress toward becoming debt free? That’s exactly what the best balance transfer credit cards can do. By moving your existing credit card debt to a new card with a 0% introductory APR, you can focus on paying off what you owe without interest slowing you down.

4 reasons to open a long-term CD this March, experts say: After a string of cuts were made to the federal funds rate by the Federal Reserve in 2024, many savers have felt like the good times were over for certificate of deposit (CD) account yields. But while CD rates have come down a bit from recent highs, many savers are still locking in solid returns by opening a CD account — and the returns aren’t the only reason savers are flocking to these accounts.

Sports and Showbiz Shenanigans

Sources: Geraldo Perdomo, D-backs reach 4-year, $45M extension | Canada’s MacKinnon on finals vs. USA: ‘We could beat those guys’

‘SNL50’ Ratings: Anniversary Special Hits 14.8 Million Viewers on NBC, More Than 200% Above Season Average | ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ Weighs Cannes Film Festival Debut

Lil Wayne’s ‘SNL 50’ performance reignites Super Bowl discourse on social media | Cecily Strong shows off baby bump at ‘SNL 50,’ plays pregnant ‘Weekend Update’ character

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