Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signaled the central bank could cut rates as soon as next month during his annual Jackson Hole address, pointing to a slowing labor market and the risk that tariffs could push prices higher. While jobs remain stable, Powell noted that both hiring and labor demand are weakening. Markets jumped on the signal of easing, a win for President Donald Trump, who has been pressing the Fed to cut rates. But as Powell spoke, Trump renewed threats to fire Fed board member Lisa Cook, potentially allowing him to appoint a more sympathetic replacement — though he would face legal hurdles to do so.
Sri Lanka’s former president Ranil Wickremesinghe, who led the country from 2022 to 2024, was arrested Friday on corruption charges tied to oversees trips while in office. Wickremesinghe came to power following mass protests over the island’s worst-ever economic crisis, and was credited with stabilizing the economy and securing an IMF bailout. That bailout came with harsh austerity, however, fueling public anger and paving the way for his defeat last year to leftist reformer Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who campaigned on rooting out corruption. Wickremesinghe’s arrest is the most high-profile yet in a post-crisis anti-graft drive that has already ensnared 63 Sri Lankan officials and politicians.
Algerians are headed to the polls today to elect their next members of parliament. However, hopes for true democracy look more remote than ever.
In addition to the health concerns from the Ebola outbreak, the UN is sounding the alarm on a potential development crisis in Africa sparked by the disease.
The protests in the small Balkan country were touched off by the start of construction on a seaside luxury resort linked to US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.