The Federal Reserve hikes interest rates
Today is Thursday, September 17, 2026
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- Good morning, and welcome to Hark News. Here's what the world got up to while you slept. First, the weather in New York. A high of 84 and a low of 68, with clear skies.
- The Federal Reserve unanimously raised interest rates by a quarter point today, marking its first hike in three years and lifting benchmark rates to between 3.75% and 4%.
- The Kennedy Center abruptly closed its doors after its board voted to shutter the complex for a two-year renovation. The move came hours after a federal judge ruled Trump's name cannot legally be carved onto the building without congressional approval, prompting Trump to threaten to withhold renovation funding.
- Public anxiety over artificial intelligence is surging, with a new Politico poll showing nearly two-thirds of Americans fear AI could destroy humanity. While lab leaders like Sam Altman urge caution and safety audits, the White House and advisers like David Sacks dismissed the panic as media-driven hysteria.
- Fighting between Saudi forces and Yemen's Houthis intensified, sparking regional panic after Saudi defenses intercepted a drone near the holy city of Mecca. Drone strikes also forced the kingdom to shut its crucial East-West oil pipeline, rattling global energy markets already squeezed by disruptions across the Persian Gulf.
- The Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration from enforcing new restrictions on mail-in ballots ahead of November's midterm elections. The justices ruled the administration is unlikely to defend changes requiring extra Postal Service vetting so close to voting, drawing angry online rebukes from Trump against his own appointees.
- Nonpartisan watchdog reports from the Congressional Budget Office and the Pentagon Inspector General revealed the Iran war has already cost over $38 billion. The findings detail extensive, previously unacknowledged destruction across American bases in Bahrain, the loss of around 60 aircraft, and severe shortages of defensive interceptors.
- All supporting acts have resigned from Ed Sheeran's world tour after concert promoters dismissed rapper Macklemore over onstage pro-Palestinian remarks. Sheeran tried to distance himself by noting the decision was made by tour promoter Robert Kraft, but the walkout left his upcoming stadium dates without opening acts.
- The Senate killed the Clarity Act in a 49 to 50 vote, handing cryptocurrency lobbyists a massive defeat. Democrats stood united against the measure, arguing it lacked necessary ethics guardrails to prevent Donald Trump and his family from profiting, after Trump generated $1.4 billion from crypto ventures last year.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unexpectedly proposed making Canada the European Union's first associate member, seeking closer economic and security ties amid trade friction with Washington.
- The 2026 primary season concluded with 11 sitting members of Congress defeated, seven Democrats and four Republicans, outpacing the 2010 Tea Party wave for the most primary losses this century.
- With polls showing over 80% of Americans worried about data centers driving up electricity bills, Google and Nvidia launched the AI Energy Management Alliance with startup Emerald AI.
- Pennsylvania confirmed its fourth measles fatality in a month, turning 2026 into the deadliest year for the disease in America in decades. The outbreak took center stage on Capitol Hill, where deputy health secretary nominee Chris Klomp broke with his boss, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., by endorsing the measles vaccine.
- A new Government Accountability Office audit revealed the federal government spent $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave last year, a sixfold jump from 2023. The soaring cost stemmed from deferred resignation deals used by the Department of Government Efficiency, paying departing staff full salaries while they stayed home.
- The Trump administration formally approved a $2.8 billion arms package to Israel featuring 40,000 one-ton bombs. The sale ranks among the largest American munitions shipments to Israel in years, igniting fresh debate among congressional Democrats over Middle East policy as regional hostilities continue to expand.
- The House passed a major sanctions bill giving the White House authority to hit foreign buyers of Russian energy with secondary tariffs reaching 100%. The measure, honoring the late Senator Lindsey Graham, overcame partisan deadlock after moderate Democrats broke ranks to advance the vote before recess.
- Benchmark 10-year Treasury yields climbed above 5.04%, reaching levels not seen since 2007 as bond selloffs rattled global markets. The sharp rise in government borrowing costs has shrunk the equity risk premium, prompting fund managers to warn that corporate earnings may soon struggle to justify elevated stock valuations.
- The Pentagon officially confirmed for the first time that the United States has deployed operational weapons in Earth orbit. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink announced that on-orbit space control weapons are defending American forces, though officials declined to share details about their exact nature or capabilities.
- And before you go, a little extra from The New York Times. 274 — That is how many days there were between the moment when the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a devastating knee injury in December 2025 and his start in Monday night's season opener against the Denver Broncos. The answer: Nine months
- And that's your world for today. The full stories and the links are waiting in the app. Tap through, bookmark what matters, and share what's worth sharing. And if you want to see what stuck, take today's quiz in the app: five quick questions. And if Hark is making your mornings a little better, share it with a friend. It's the best way to help us grow. I'll see you again tomorrow morning. Until then, have a great day.