Por Steve Contorno y Marshall Cohen, CNN

Con sus casinos de Atlantic City en crisis durante la década de 1990, Donald Trump vio una posible salvación en las apuestas deportivas e hizo campaña agresivamente para legalizarlas en Nueva Jersey.

Pero cuando los influyentes políticos estatales le cerraron el paso, Trump prometió que tarde o temprano encontraría la manera de ganar.

“Algunas personas se rinden con mucha facilidad”, declaró Trump al New York Times tras la decisiva derrota de 1993. “Pero yo nunca he sido una de esas personas”.

Más de tres décadas después, y ya fuera del negocio de los casinos, la familia Trump ha encontrado una nueva vía para obtener beneficios de las apuestas deportivas: los mercados de predicción, una industria de rápido crecimiento donde la gente puede apostar a casi cualquier cosa.

Trump Media and Technology Group, la principal fuente de riqueza del presidente desde su salida a bolsa en 2024, ha anunciado planes para lanzar su propia plataforma de predicción basada en criptomonedas, llamada Truth Predict.

Además, el hijo mayor del presidente, Donald Trump Jr., es asesor de las dos mayores empresas de mercados de predicción, Kalshi y Polymarket, y es inversor en esta última.

A diferencia de los primeros intentos de Trump por ofrecer apuestas deportivas en Nueva Jersey, cuando necesitó la ayuda de legisladores y reguladores hostiles, ahora su propia administración presidencial y los funcionarios que él mismo designó están redactando las reglas para la incipiente industria del mercado de predicciones.

La Comisión de Comercio de Futuros de Productos Básicos y su comisionado designado por Trump están tratando de proteger estos mercados incipientes de las leyes estatales que regulan o prohíben las apuestas deportivas, porque están legalmente estructurados como contratos de eventos, que se regulan de manera diferente a los juegos de azar.

Dado que las acciones de la CFTC podrían beneficiar a la empresa del presidente, los posibles conflictos de intereses ya han atraído la atención de los organismos de control ético.

Esta dinámica también enfrenta a la administración Trump y a su familia con la industria de los casinos, la misma que contribuyó a que se hiciera famoso y que, según los informes de financiación de campañas, ha generado un grupo de magnates que han aportado más de US$ 200 millones para apoyar sus ambiciones políticas durante la última década.

Los operadores de casinos han observado con creciente preocupación cómo las apuestas deportivas en los mercados de predicción han proliferado, mermando sus negocios de maneras que, según afirman, son ilegales.

“Él defendió las apuestas deportivas en una época en la que no existían”, declaró el exgobernador de Nueva Jersey, Chris Christie, quien ahora es cabildero de la industria del juego y los casinos. “Lo que está haciendo ahora es arruinar algo que ha funcionado extraordinariamente bien”.

Una persona cercana a la industria del juego, que pidió permanecer en el anonimato debido al poder que ejerce la administración Trump sobre su negocio, reconoció que la participación de la familia Trump en los mercados de predicción es un factor crucial en la política de este asunto.

Los operadores de casinos ven pocas posibilidades de influir en la administración, y los republicanos en Washington se muestran reacios a intervenir en una disputa que podría perjudicar los negocios de la familia Trump.

“Es el elefante en la habitación”, comentó la persona.

En una declaración a CNN en respuesta a estas preocupaciones, el portavoz de la Casa Blanca, Davis Ingle, m

By Jeanne Sahadi, CNN

(CNN) — The much-touted new tax breaks for tips, overtime, seniors and car loan interest have a lot of income tax filers expecting a big bump in their refunds this year – or a big cut in their tax bill.

That certainly may be the result for some people. But for others, the new deductions may offer a smaller-than-expected break. Or none.

Why? Complicated details and eligibility rules reduce the relief taxpayers may have assumed they’ll get given the misleading promotion of the new tax breaks as “no tax on … .” And that same misleading language is repeated on Schedule 1-A, the form you must fill out to claim the breaks.

So, temper your expectations: There will be no 100% tax-free anything.

These breaks are deductions, which reduce the tax you owe by a percentage of the deductible amount. And that percentage will be the same as your tax bracket. If you’re in the 12% bracket, you will reduce your federal income tax bill (or boost your refund) by $12 for every $100 in deductions. If you’re in the 22% bracket, it’s $22.

What’s more, there are income limitations on who may claim the deductions, limits on what constitute “qualified” tips, overtime and car loan interest, and a limit on how much you may deduct.

Here are details on key limitations for each of the four deductions.

Tips deduction

How much may filers deduct? Up to $25,000 of “qualified” tips – even if you and your spouse both earn tips. “It’s not a per spouse limit,” the IRS notes in its 1040 instructions.

What are “qualified” tips, exactly? Per the IRS, they are “tips that you received from customers or, as an employee, through a tip-sharing arrangement in an occupation that customarily and regularly received tips on or before December 31, 2024.”

Also, they have to be “voluntary” tips – meaning customers decide whether and how much to tip you. So, if you’re a waiter at a restaurant that includes an 18% automatic gratuity for large tables, that is not deductible.

If you’re self-employed, you may only deduct the qualified tips that don’t exceed your gross business income minus all your business deductions (except for the tips one). So, those include “the deductible part of self-employment tax; the deduction for contributions to self-employed SEP, SIMPLE, and qualified plans; and the self-employed health insurance deduction,” according to the IRS.

Am I eligible? Yes, if you meet the following criteria:

• Your modified adjusted gross income was $150,000 or less in 2025 ($300,000 if married). You will get a partial deduction if your MAGI was above those thresholds. But the deduction is disallowed if your MAGI was $400,000 or more ($550,000 or more if married).*
• You earned your tips in one of these industries.
• You have a valid Social Security number.
• You file a joint return if married.

Overtime deduction

How much may filers deduct? “Up to $12,500 ($25,000 if married filing jointly) of your qualified overtime compensation,” per the IRS. “Qualified” overtime refers to the portion of your pay that is above your standard wage. So if you’re paid time and a half, only the “half” portion is deductible.

Am I eligible? Yes, if you meet the following criteria:

• Your MAGI was $150,000 or less in 2025 ($300,000 if married). You will get a partial deduction if your MAGI was above those thresholds. But the deduction is disallowed i

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN

(CNN) — The world’s happiest countries for 2026, what travelers can expect in terms of rising air fares, plus United Airlines cracks down on noisy passengers. Here’s what’s happening in Travel.

Noise annoys

Here’s a teensy bit of positive news in what’s been a dark and difficult month: United Airlines has updated its contract of carriage to stipulate that “passengers who fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content” can be refused travel or removed from the aircraft.

There were more than 1,600 incidents of unruly passenger behavior on US flights last year, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. While that’s down from a record high of 5,973 in 2021, it’s still a lot more disorderly conduct than pre-pandemic levels.

Public noise nuisance caused by people not bothering to use headphones might not rise to the level of a federal offense, but it’s something nearly all of us have encountered more often in recent years.

United’s decision to formally call it out as unacceptable might seem a small thing, but it’s a nod towards courtesy and consideration for our neighbors. That’s something we all could do with more of.

World’s happiest countries

Speaking of which, social support and generosity are two of the six variables researchers look at to help explain the rankings in the annual World Happiness Report, released this week. The others are GDP per capita, life expectancy and perceptions of freedom and corruption.

Finland was crowned the happiest country in the world for a record ninth time in a row, with Finns reporting an average score of 7.764 to evaluate their life satisfaction, on a scale of 0 to 10.

By comparison, the US is in 23rd place, with respondents from the States giving themselves a life evaluation rating of 6.816 on average.

Nordic countries triumphed overall in the happiness stakes, with Iceland at No. 2, Denmark at No. 3 and Sweden and Norway in fifth and sixth places respectively.

See how other countries did here.

Aviation chaos

A partial government shutdown in the US has meant Transportation Security Administration workers missed their first full paychecks last week.

The situation has employees at their breaking point, with many not showing up to work. US air travelers have been facing hours-long lines at security checkpoints, just as the spring break travel season intensifies.

CNN is tracking TSA security wait times at 16 major airports across the United States, including those in Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas-Fort Worth and Denver. Check your local airport here.

Globally, ticket prices for flyers have increased dramatically because the war with Iran is driving up fuel costs. In this video, CNN’s Richard Quest explains the factors at play, including how a strategy called “hedging” has provided an extra twist in the tale.

Unexpected possum

Airport staff in Tasmania, Australia, found a real live possum blending in a little too well among stuffed toys in a gift shop. A spokesperson for Hobart International says the furry visitor “was safely escorted, it wasn’t distressed — just another day of adventuring.”

Citizenship and relocation

By Arlette Saenz, CNN

(CNN) — In the days after winning the Democratic nomination for Senate, Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton spoke to the two women with whom she could make history next year.

“We both were just gleeful. I can tell you that much,” Democratic Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland said of her call with Stratton on Wednesday. “I’m just really thrilled for her. Thrilled for all of us.”

Only five Black women have served in the Senate in American history. Alsobrooks and Democratic Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware broke barriers last year as the first two Black female senators to serve simultaneously.

If elected, Stratton, 60, would become the sixth Black woman to serve in the Senate and expand the number doing so at the same time to three, giving Black women greater representation and governing experience in the upper chamber.

“The idea of three means there’s that much more of an opportunity to make sure that when policy is being made, when legislation is being passed, that the voices of our community is right there at the table,” Stratton told reporters on Wednesday. “We don’t want policy to just be made for us. We want it to be made by us and with us, and that’s going to help that to happen.”

Given Illinois’ Democratic lean, Stratton is the heavy favorite to win November’s election when she’ll face off against Republican Don Tracy. Stratton would also make history on another front serving alongside Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who is Asian American. They would be the first two women of color to ever represent a state together in the Senate.

“It’s going to bring a much-needed perspective to what we need to do to move our party forward, to move our state forward and to move our country forward,” said Stratton.

In the history of the country, only 14 Black individuals have served in the US Senate, starting in 1870 with former Sen. Hiram Revels, a Republican from Mississippi. More than 120 years later, Illinois sent the first Black woman to the US Senate – former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, a Democrat.

“Illinois understands diversity and the value of it. It always has,” Moseley Braun told CNN in an interview. “When I ran, people thought I had lost my mind. Happily, no one’s surprised about it now. That’s a good thing and that’s the progress we’ve been able to make.”

An early endorser of Stratton, Moseley Braun was among the people the Democratic nominee called after her victory this week.

That same day, Stratton spoke with former Vice President Kamala Harris, who was the second Black woman to serve in the Senate, a source familiar with the call said.

Stratton also has exchanged text messages with former Sen. Laphonza Butler, who became the third Black female senator when she was appointed to finish the term of the late Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, another source said.

Stratton’s path

Born and raised on Chicago’s South Side, Stratton worked as a lawyer before winning a state House seat in 2016. Former President Barack Obama, also a senator from Illinois, endorsed Stratton’s state legislative campaign during the Democratic primary.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker tapped Stratton as his running mate in 2018, and when they won, she became the first Black lieutenant governor of the state.

Pritzker, who is eyeing a 2028 presidential run, played a significant role in Stratton’s primary victory, flexing his political and financial muscle to boost his governing partner. The governor’s involvement caused frustration with the head of the Congressional Black Caucus, which had endorsed another Black woman in the race, Rep. Robin Kelly.

Stratton also defeated

By Kyle Feldscher, CNN

(CNN) — The chaos of the opening round of the men’s NCAA tournament is behind us and spots in the Sweet 16 are on the line on Saturday.

The women’s NCAA tournament is still rolling strong in the opening round after a slate of games that went heavily in favor of the top seeds on Friday, and the nation’s top team is taking the court as UConn looks to repeat as champions.

It’s the first weekend of the NCAA tournament, here’s what you need to know.

Top seeds under the microscope

Duke and Michigan are the two No. 1 seeds playing on Saturday and both are looking to reassert themselves after unexpectedly close (for the most part, in the Wolverines’ case) games on Thursday.

The 16-seed Howard Bison hung with Michigan for the first half of their game in the opening round before the Wolverines woke up and ran away with things to win by 21. It was a comfortable win in the end but a dominant Michigan team that is a popular pick to win it all was expected to be in the clear from the opening minutes. They’ll face a Saint Louis team that absolutely destroyed Georgia on Thursday in one of the most unexpectedly one-sided games of the tournament.

But it’s Duke that has the most to prove. The top seed in the entire tournament was pushed to the limit by 16-seed Siena on Thursday. The Saints took the lead from the Blue Devils with about 12 minutes to go in the first half and held onto it until there were four-and-a-half minutes to play in the game. The Blue Devils were never really able to pull away and escaped with a six point win.

Now Duke has a feisty TCU team that held off an Ohio State comeback on Thursday in the tournament’s opening game.

Cinderella looks to hold off midnight a bit longer

VCU and High Point are the tournament’s lone true Cinderellas after the first two days after the mid-major teams pulled off the traditional 12-seed over a 5-seed upset on Thursday.

They both have their work cut out for them if they want to extend their season for another week.

VCU comes up against 3-seed Illinois, fresh off a 25-8 season and a second-place finish in the Big Ten (tied with Nebraska and Michigan State at 15-5). The Illini are, as per usual, huge – they’ve got two seven-footers and a slew of other big forwards that could dominate the smaller Rams.

High Point will play in Saturday’s final game against John Calipari’s Arkansas, which cruised over Hawaii on Thursday. Calipari is a Hall of Fame coach who is all too used to this stage and will be relishing another opportunity to take the Razorbacks to the Sweet 16. His team isn’t sneaking up on anyone this year as they did in 2025 when they were a 10-seed.

The Panthers meanwhile, are coming off their school’s first NCAA tournament victory and their coach is looking to make a statement. After beating Wisconsin on Thursday, Flynn Clayman made a passionate case for the strength of mid-majors in his postgame interview. Expect him to bring that same fire to Saturday’s showdown.

Lone Star underdogs

It’s not often that Texas and Texas A&M are going to be mentioned in the same breath as being similar. In fact, the heated rivals would probably rather be kept as separate as possible at all times.

But on Saturday, they’re both double-digit seeds who are looking to make up for lackluster seasons with some tournament magic.

It’s not really fair to qualify the Longhorns and Aggies as Cinderellas, but no one really expected them to be Sweet 16 teams before tipoff of their games. Texas made it through the First Four on Tuesday and had to fa