DOJ Sues Apple Over iPhone Monopoly; Lawmakers Unveil $1.2 Trillion Funding Deal As Shutdown Looms

The Department of Justice (DOJ) and 16 states filed a civil lawsuit against Apple Inc. on March 21, accusing the company of illegally monopolizing the smartphone market. The DOJ and state attorneys general claim that Apple has attempted to limit competition via the firm’s App Store and other Apple features, harming consumers, small businesses, and app developers.

After a last-minute controversy regarding funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), congressional leaders have unveiled a massive package to fund large portions of the government ahead of a Friday deadline. The package, which funds half of the 12 yearly government spending bills, kicked off a mad dash by Congress to approve over $1 trillion in spending. The bills cover funding for the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Labor, and others.

President Joe Biden has announced that his administration is canceling another $6 billion in student loans. The latest group to benefit comprises 78,000 public service workers including teachers, nurses, firefighters, and others who qualify under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program created in 2007. The latest move brings the Biden administration's total student debt cancellation to $144 billion for around 4 million Americans.