Did you clock that today is 4/20? It’s the day tens of thousands of people gather around the country (and the world) to celebrate marijuana—a drug that remains illegal in most places. The day has gotten so big even major, mainstream companies are getting in on the fun.

So how did the dankest day on the cannabis calendar go from a seemingly secret code to mainstream weed lingo? One common belief is that 420 was the California police code for marijuana, but there’s no evidence to support those claims.

The Los Angeles Times went digging for the real story and uncovered a group of California high schools students, dubbed The Waldos, who would go on “safaris” around the Bay Area to escape the banality of suburban youth. The group would meet at 4:20 PM and only had two rules: They had to go somewhere new, and participants had to be stoned.

The Waldos have thoroughly documented the term’s origins with postmarked letters, high school newspaper clippings and even military records to corroborate their first 4:20 PM safari. The ritual spread, and soon 420 became a common codename for smoking marijuana. Eventually, it morphed into 4/20 for calendar purposes, and the day of celebration was born.

It was once something of a counterculture holiday to protest, at least in part, the social and legal stigmas against weed. But lately, the day is also used by activists and supporters to call for broader legalization and federal decriminalization of weed in the U.S. and beyond.

As of April 2026, 40 states have legalized the medical use of cannabis, while 24 states and Washington, D.C. have legalized it for recreational purposes. But federally, under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, the Drug Enforcement Agency still classifies cannabis as a Schedule I drug. Which is why Ben & Jerry’s (makers of the beloved Half Baked ice cream) is working to legalize cannabis on the federal level and expunge the records of nonviolent drug offenders. They’re joining the Cannabis Unity Week of Action in Washington D.C. (April 29-May 1, 2026) and participating in the "4/20 Buds and Bites" event in West Hollywood.

American forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship after it tried to bypass a U.S. naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman, President Trump said Sunday. Apparently, it was just hours after he renewed his threats of broad attacks on Iran’s infrastructure if no deal is reached in talks expected this week in Pakistan.

The operation marks the first ship boarding by U.S. forces since the naval blockade took effect April 13th. Oil prices jumped almost immediately following the fresh escalation of the conflict and Iran’s military accused the U.S. of violating the ceasefire agreement and of “maritime piracy” and vowed to “soon respond” to the incident, per state media.

Now, after a brief pickup in transit attempts this weekend, shipping traffic in the Gulf has once again come to a halt. Much will hinge on whether the U.S. and Iran will actually meet for another round of talks in Pakistan later this week, as the ceasefire (once again) expires on Tuesday. According to CNBC, even if a deal is reached, it could take months to claw back the supply lost over recent weeks of closures, keeping oil prices elevated for longer.

Attending Coachella is a legendary experience whenever you go, but many people will tell you that the second weekend tends to go harder. As Variety points out, most artists have basically played the same set since the festival expanded to two weekends in 2012, but the second is usually musically superior—which makes sense, because there's less pressure, and they know the “room” better.

Plus, a surprise is going to be more of a surprise without the chance of stealing a headliner’s thunder. Case in point: Madonna coming back to the Coachella stage after two decades, joining Sabrina Carpenter. Amid a frenzy of flashing lights and backup dancers, the pair sashayed through a duet of the 1990 hit classic “Vogue,” before delivering a new song seemingly from Madonna’s upcoming Confessions II.

PinkPantheress brought out a gaggle of special guests for her Weekend 2 set, including Zara Larsson, Manon from KATSEYE and Janelle Monae. And did you hear about Billie Eilish? From Belieber to headliner and back again. Eilish had a full circle moment when she got pulled on stage as the “One Less Lonely Girl” during Justin Bieber’s second headlining set.