Beer cans, helium balloons and mortgages: An unexpected mix of things affected by war It's not just oil and gas that are affected by the Iran war. All sorts of shortages and price spikes are starting to pop up that stand to affect people's daily lives. NPR Staff
Questions to help you get 'financially naked' with your partner Having "brutally honest conversations" about money can bring couples closer together, says Vivian Tu, a financial educator. She shares questions to ask your partner at every relationship stage. Clare Marie Schneider
When legal sports betting surges, so do Americans' financial problems As online betting has grown in popularity, a new report from the New York Federal Reserve builds on the troubling link between legal sports wagering and financial health. Alana Wise
Tax refunds are trending a bit higher this year. Here's how people are spending them Some people are splurging. Others are finding that their refunds are being swallowed up by the rising cost of gas. Stephan Bisaha
The labor market springs back to life in March as employers add 178,000 jobs The U.S. job market perked up last month as employers added 178,000 jobs. The unemployment rate dipped to 4.3%, mainly because the number of people seeking work declined. Scott Horsley
Verdicts against Meta and Google may bring a new era of big tech accountability Advocates hope recent verdicts against social media platforms will build momentum for bigger changes in Silicon Valley. Shannon Bond
What's next for Meta in the wake of trial losses and layoffs? In the last few weeks, Meta has lost two lawsuits and seems to be scaling back the Metaverse. What's next for the tech giant? John Ruwitch
Entertainment and California regulators push back against Warner-Paramount merger California officials and Hollywood figures are pushing back on a proposed $111 billion Warner Bros.-Paramount merger, citing antitrust concerns, job risks, and media consolidation. Mandalit del Barco
Trump administration sues three states over attempts to regulate prediction markets The suits are the most ambitious effort to date that the Trump administration has gone to try to override state laws and set the rules for the fast-growing and increasingly divisive betting industry. Bobby Allyn
The K-shaped economy: Why diners are dying but yachts are booming Businesses that cater to middle-class customers are closing thanks to what economists call the “K-shaped economy,” where high- and low-income groups grow while the middle hollows out. Monica Nickelsburg
