Interest Rates, Stolen Pharaoh Bracelet, and a Keychain Camera

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Adam Rogers
September 18, 2025

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The Fed cut interest rates a quarter-point to 4%-4.25% Wednesday as job growth collapsed to just 22,000 in August, far below expectations. Unemployment rose to 4.3%, the highest level since 2017 outside of the pandemic. Chair Jerome Powell cited concerns about the slowing labor market now outweighing inflation worries.
The cut came despite inflation rising from 2.3% to 2.9% since Trump announced tariffs in April, above the Fed's 2% target. Powell resisted administration pressure for larger cuts, saying the Fed must balance employment and inflation concerns. The vote was 11-1, with new governor Stephen Miran dissenting for a bigger reduction
In response, the Dow rose 0.6% to hit an all-time high while the S&P 500 fell slightly and tech stocks declined as investors took profits. Small-cap stocks jumped 0.25% as companies relying on variable financing benefit most from lower rates. Powell tempered enthusiasm by calling it a 'risk-management cut' rather than the start of a long rate-cutting cycle.

A 3,000-year-old gold bracelet of Pharaoh Amenemope disappeared from Egypt's national museum during restoration work. The artifact, adorned with prized lapis lazuli beads, was being prepared for a 'Treasures of the Pharaohs' exhibition in Rome next month.
Authorities sent photos to all border crossings in an effort to prevent smuggling, while a specialized committee is reviewing all artifacts in the restoration laboratory to ensure nothing else is missing. The bracelet came from one of only three intact royal burials discovered in ancient Egypt.
Amenemope ruled from 993-984 BC, and his tomb was discovered in 1940, but excavation was delayed by World War II. Egypt has struggled with art theft, including van Gogh's 'Poppy Flowers' stolen from a Cairo museum in 1977, recovered, then stolen again in 2010 and never found.

Ben & Jerry's co-founder Jerry Greenfield left the ice cream brand after 47 years, saying Unilever's suppression of the company's social activism violates their merger agreement.
The exit follows escalating legal battles over corporate control. Ben & Jerry's sued Unilever in November over blocked Gaza statements and the removal of its CEO in apparent retaliation for political stances. Tensions increased in 2021 when the brand stopped selling in Israeli settlements - communities built in occupied Palestinian territories that most countries consider illegal under international law.
Unilever has spun off its ice cream business into standalone 'Magnum Ice Cream Company' as part of broader restructuring. The new company says it maintains a commitment to Ben & Jerry's social mission despite disagreeing with Greenfield's assessment. Unilever acquired the brand for $326 million in 2000.

Five police officers were shot in Pennsylvania while serving a warrant. Three are in grave condition, and the suspect is reportedly dead from suicide. (More)

New Jersey legalized human composting as an alternative to burial and cremation, becoming the 14th state allowing bodies to decompose into soil. (More)

Senator Adam Schiff unveiled expanded legislation to curb presidential powers, citing Trump's acceptance of Qatar's royal jet and tariff moves as abuses. (More)

Alexei Navalny’s widow accused Putin of murdering her husband, saying secret lab tests prove Russia’s jailed opposition leader was poisoned. (More)

Environmental defenders faced deadly violence in 2024, with 146 killed or missing globally, mostly in Latin America, where Colombia recorded 48 deaths alone. (More)

Christian Brueckner, prime suspect in Madeleine McCann's 2007 disappearance, walked free from German prison on Wednesday wearing an ankle monitor after serving time for an unrelated rape. (More)

Amazon announced a $1 billion investment to raise worker pay to over $23 hourly and slash healthcare costs amid union pressure and safety concerns. (More)

America's top 10% of earners now account for nearly half of all consumer spending, masking economic struggles among middle and lower-income households. (More)

Nvidia shares fell after China reportedly banned companies from buying the chip maker's AI processors. (More)

ABC indefinitely pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! after outrage over his remarks on Charlie Kirk’s murder. FCC pressure and Nexstar stations dropping the show fueled the suspension, though Kimmel hasn’t been fired. (More)

First-year coach Natalie Nakase won WNBA Coach of the Year after leading expansion Golden State Valkyries to an unexpected 23-21 record and playoff spot. (More)

The Chicago Cubs clinched their first playoff berth since 2020 by beating Pittsburgh 8-4. (More)

Scientists created an AI tool that predicts personal risk for over 1,000 diseases and forecasts health changes up to a decade in advance. (More)

Northrop Grumman's new cargo ship bound for the International Space Station suffered engine failure during its debut flight, stranding 11,000 pounds of supplies in orbit. (More)

Divers solved a 96-year mystery by identifying a Nantucket shipwreck as the ST Seiner fishing boat that vanished in 1929 with 21 men aboard. (More)

Kodak shrunk a camera down to fit on a keychain.

“Friends” Central Perk coffeehouse coming to NYC.

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