Plus, RTO is fast becoming a new glass ceiling in disguise |
As of today, the U.S. shutdown is on its 16th day—and the Senate this morning (for a tenth time) rejected a GOP-backed measure to reopen the government, blocking the funding bill from moving forward and indicating negotiations remain at a stalemate.
And yet, in spite of the bevy of news to follow here in the states, much of my attention has been on global headlines this week. After all, the week began with an Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal that provided for the release of all 20 living hostages in Hamas custody and nearly 2,000 Palestinians who had been imprisoned in Israel. Then on Wednesday, my colleagues on the breaking news team published a story about how tariffs on countries responsible for much of the world’s coffee production—Brazil and Vietnam—have led to a 20% year-over-year surge in what we’re paying for our morning brew.
Meanwhile, I regret to also share that the U.S. passport has lost some of its power: Forbes travel writer Suzanne Rowan Kelleher reports that for the first time ever, the United States blue book is not among the top 10 most powerful passports, sliding to the 12th spot on the Henley Passport Index, a ranking based on the number of destinations accessible without a visa.
“The declining strength of the U.S. passport over the past decade is more than just a reshuffle in rankings—it signals a fundamental shift in global mobility and soft power dynamics,” Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners, said in a statement. “Nations that embrace openness and cooperation are surging ahead, while those resting on past privilege are being left behind.”
Cheers!
Maggie
P.S. Speaking of global headlines… Nominations for the next 50 Over 50 Global List remain open! We’ve shared this link before but because we’re seeing some submissions from folks who don’t meet the geographic criteria for this list, we want to emphasize: We’re looking for women around the world, in every country EXCEPT THE U.S., who are actively stepping into their power in their sixth decade or beyond. Know someone who should be on our radar? Put their name forward here. Need ideas? Last year’s list is a great place to start. Younger than 50 or based in the U.S.? Please find an alternative path to pitch your story to Forbes! |
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 | | CHRISTOPHER ISON FOR BAE SYSTEMS |
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| When Karin Hoeing first joined BAE Systems, a U.K.-based global defense, security and aerospace company, nearly eight years ago, she was the only woman on the executive committee. But she soon felt at home. “Once you have broken down the first resistance and uncertainty about you, people are very receptive,” she says of her colleagues. Fast forward to today, and BAE Systems’ C-suite looks very different, with five women and seven men on its executive committee. The company’s progress on this front has led to more equal representation of women across leadership roles, and it’s helped the company earn the No. 25 spot on our list of the World’s Top Companies For Women 2025. |
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ICYMI: Stories From The Week |
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Playwright, journalist, and screenwriter Keli Goff is a multihyphenate who has quietly accumulated an impressive collection of vintage, Black-designed clothing—and Goff recently spoke exclusively to Forbes contributor Rachel Elspeth Gross about why she agreed to give some of her pieces to the acclaimed Victoria & Albert Museum, one of the world’s largest museums dedicated to applied arts and creativity.
October is World Menopause Awareness Month, which is an opportunity for U.S. employers to catch up with rapidly evolving state laws. Earlier this year, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee signed a first-of-its-kind state law prohibiting menopause discrimination in the workplace and requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations for menopause symptoms.
On Friday, a new dynasty was crowned as the Las Vegas Aces won the franchise’s third WNBA championship in four years after beating the Phoenix Mercury 97-86 in Game 4 of the first-ever WNBA best-of-seven Finals series. A’ja Wilson, later voted Finals MVP, scored a game-high 31 points with nine rebounds.
For centuries, women in Japan were banned from entering sake breweries—even though they are believed to be the original brewers 2,000 years ago. According to Yasuyuki Kishi, vice director of the Sakeology Center at Niigata University, the ban had to do with the exclusion of women from sacred spaces (sake brewing roots go back to the Shinto religion) because it was believed menstruation made them impure. Today, about 50 women play active roles in the industry, as master brewers (tojis) and as owners.
RTO, once framed as a “return to culture,” is fast becoming a new glass ceiling in disguise: Turnover for women under RTO policies is three times higher than for men. Mothers of young children are the hardest hit, with labor force participation dropping 2.8 percentage points—the steepest mid-year decline in more than 40 years. |
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 | 2. Stay in joy. This advice comes from Jennifer Aniston, who recently spoke to Forbes contributor Jeff Conway about her workout business, Pvolve. “Take in the good news and take in what is working, what is beautiful and what is joyful—because that needs as much attention as the other stuff. I think we are like antennas: we have to be really careful what our channels are receiving,” Aniston says. |
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| GAMES | | QUIZ | | It’s not just you—grocery prices in the U.S. are up this year for a number of key products. Coffee has been the hardest hit in recent weeks, as President Donald Trump’s tariffs on dominant coffee producers are contributing to a more than 20% hike for the much-loved beverage. What other grocery staples are seeing the biggest increases? | | A. | Beef | | B. | Eggs | | C. | Bananas | | D. | All of the above |
| | | FRASE BY FORBES |  | | Unscramble today’s anagram to solve this hidden phrase! |
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