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Good morning readers. We’re back and ready to get a head start on the week’s news. I think at this point its safe to say everyone and their grandmother knows about the issues Boeing has been facing this year. Well, instead of prioritizing safe travel, it looks like executives at the airline have been treating themselves to over $500,000 worth of flights on the company’s private jets and disclosed them as “business travel” when in fact it was the exact opposite. Prompted by a Wall Street Journal investigation, Boeing's disclosure revealed flights in 2021 and 2022 improperly classified as perks. With the IRS auditing corporate jet use, Boeing's board mandates executives, including CEO David Calhoun, to fly company jets for personal security. Despite Calhoun's defense of travel objectives, the revised disclosure paints a pricey picture, with $514,000 in personal flights for Calhoun alone in 2023.

Let’s jump into today’s storylines.

In today’s digest:

• The House just passed a bill that allows them to continue to spy on you

• Headline Hustle: The U.S. will wait to see how Israel will respond to attacks from Iran, six people died in stabbing incident at Sydney’s shopping mall, severe thunderstorms to hit Pennsylvania and the Midwest

• Airlines will start kicking people off flights for not adhering to their dress code

• Week ahead: What to expect

• Pulse Points: What’s Trending

POLICY

Spy games and phone taps: The congressional tug-of-war over your privacy

Ever wondered if your casual chats are secure? Or who might be tuning in? Well, think again, because your digital footprints might just be the latest catch in the vast net of national security.

On Friday, the House passed a bill that's stirring quite the mix of controversy and concession. The legislation extends Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which, without renewal, would have expired next week. This renewal, however, isn't just any old legislative refresh—it's the center of a high-stakes tug-of-war involving everyone from grassroots activists to the upper echelons of power, including a persuasive nudge from former President Donald Trump.

Privacy vs. security

The heart of the debate revolves around the balance between safeguarding American lives and protecting individual privacy rights. Section 702 allows the National Security Agency (NSA) extensive leeway to collect foreign communications, which often inadvertently captures Americans' interactions without a warrant. Critics argue this overreach poses a significant threat to civil liberties.

While the bill introduces new measures—like reducing the number of FBI agents who can search U.S. data and establishing criminal penalties for abuses—it stopped short of requiring warrants for searching Americans' information, a proposal that saw a nail-bitingly close vote fail in the House. Both the Biden administration and security hardliners viewed such requirements as a “poison pill.”

But this isn’t just about catching bad guys. It's about how we do it. Critics have long argued that Section 702 too easily ensnares Americans' communications without a warrant when they contact foreign targets—raising big red flags about privacy.

What’s next? The legislation now heads to the Senate, backed by President Biden, but with a twist: it's been trimmed to a two-year renewal instead of five. This compromise aims to appease Trump's camp, which has seen FISA as a thorn in its side, especially given past allegations of misuse.

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IN THE KNOW

Headline Hustle

🇺🇸 The U.S. will wait and see how Israel will respond after Iran’s attempted strike. In response to Iran's attempted strike on Israel, the White House is adopting a cautious stance, emphasizing diplomacy over military intervention. Iran launched numerous aerial weapons, including ballistic missiles, which were largely intercepted. The Biden administration is focused on de-escalation efforts and convened G-7 leaders to coordinate a diplomatic response, discussing potential sanctions. Despite Iran's threat of further action, the situation appears to be cooling for the moment. Biden assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of U.S. support in defense while refraining from offensive operations against Iran.

🇦🇺 Six people stabbed and killed at Sydney shopping mall. Australian police shot and killed a man following a knife attack at a shopping mall near Sydney’s Bondi Beach, leaving six dead and several injured, including a nine-month-old baby. Authorities believe the attacker, identified as Joel Cauchi, had known mental health issues. The assailant began stabbing people inside the mall around 3:20 p.m. local time before being confronted and shot by police. Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as shoppers sought refuge. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the incident as a "horrific act of violence." While terrorism isn't suspected, authorities are investigating, with the help of security footage.

⛈️ Pennsylvania and Midwest face severe thunderstorms this week. Approximately 50 million Americans face the risk of severe thunderstorms sweeping from Pennsylvania through much of the Plains and Midwest from Sunday evening to Tuesday. Unusually early for this region, a significant line of storms, bringing hail and wind damage, extended southward from Pittsburgh. The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center issued an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms for parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania. The tornado risk remains uncertain, with varying severity expected from Nebraska to Texas. Severe weather threats are forecast to shift eastward into the Mississippi Valley by Tuesday.

TRAVEL

Who wore it best? Maybe not you, according to some airlines

If you thought catwalks were exclusive to fashion shows, think again—they're seemingly extending into airplane aisles, with some passengers finding themselves in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

Recently, a spotlight has shone on the clash between personal style and airline policies. From models to medical professionals, stories of passengers being singled out or denied boarding for their attire are becoming alarmingly common.

Comfort vs. code

Gone are the days when flying was a formal affair. Post-Airline Deregulation Act, the shift towards casual comfort is undeniable. Jeans and T-shirts have replaced suits and skirts in the economy cabins, aligning with the relaxed norms of athleisure.

But this laid-back fashion often crashes against the ambiguous dress codes set by airlines. While some carriers like Hawaiian Airlines offer detailed guidelines—no bikini bottoms or Speedos, for instance—others maintain vague rules buried within lengthy contracts of carriage. This ambiguity can lead to subjective enforcement, sparking incidents where passengers find themselves policed over their choice of clothes. For example:

• American Airlines succinctly demands "appropriate" dress, banning bare feet or offensive clothing.

• Similarly, Delta allows the removal of passengers if their attire or hygiene poses an "unreasonable risk" of offense. Spirit Airlines draws the line at anything "lewd, obscene, or offensive."

The fashion police at 30,000 feet. The enforcement of these vague policies has led to public outrage and embarrassing headlines. In 2017, United Airlines barred two teenagers wearing leggings from boarding, defending their decision amidst a flurry of criticism.

Looking ahead…so next time you pack for a flight, you might want to throw in a bit of legal knowledge with your leggings or hoodie—just in case fashion becomes the unexpected focus of your travel plans.

WEEK AHEAD

What to expect

• Economic events: The IMF and World Bank commence their joint spring meeting in Washington on Monday. The agenda includes significant reports and meetings, such as the IMF’s World Economic Outlook releasing on Tuesday. The G20 finance ministers also convene on Thursday.

• Political developments: Several countries are holding elections, notably India, which starts its 44-day parliamentary election process on Friday. Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party is expected to secure another five years in power, but concerns persist regarding the erosion of Indian democracy.

• Financial reports: Earnings season is underway, with numerous financial companies reporting. Companies to watch include: Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Blackstone, and American Express. Another company to keep an eye on? Netflix. Investors are eager to see if the company has been able to maintain its impressive growth seen at the end of last year.

What else is happening:

• The NBA’s play-in tournament begins Tuesday. The LA Lakers face-off against the New Orleans Pelicans while a rematch takes place in the Bay area as Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors take on De’Aaron Fox and the Sacramento Kings.

• NHL Playoffs begin this Saturday, April 20th.

• Weed smokers rejoice: 4/20 is also this Saturday. Smoke responsibly.

SNIPPETS

Pulse Points

• StubHub is planning a summer IPO with a target valuation of at least $16.5 billion, matching its late 2021 private funding valuation, according to a source familiar with the situation.

• Google is removing links to California news sites as a test in response to proposed state legislation demanding payment for news content, affecting a small percentage of users, the company announced.

• Roku reported that approximately 576,000 accounts were compromised in a cyberattack, marking the second security breach for the streaming service this year.

• Vietnam sentenced real estate tycoon Truong My Lan to death for a $12.5 billion financial fraud, as part of its extensive "blazing furnace" anti-corruption campaign, following the resignation of two presidents over separate wrongdoing allegations.

• The European Court of Human Rights ruled in favor of elderly Swiss women, finding that their government's insufficient action on climate change endangers their lives due to heat waves.

• Scottie Scheffler secured his second Masters title on Sunday, solidifying his position as a leading figure in men’s golf.

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