U.S. Fed cuts interest rate by 25 basis points

The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday decided to lower the target range for the federal funds interest rate by 25 basis points to 4 to 4.25 percent, the first rate cut since December 2024.

Recent indicators suggest that growth of economic activity moderated in the first half of the year. Job gains have slowed, and the unemployment rate has edged up but remains low. Inflation has moved up and remains somewhat elevated, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the principal monetary policymaking body of the Federal Reserve System, said in a statement after a policy meeting.

"In support of its goals and in light of the shift in the balance of risks, the Committee decided to lower the target range for the federal funds rate by 1/4 percentage point to 4 to 4-1/4 percent," the statement said. "In considering additional adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the Committee will carefully assess incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks."

China condemns Israeli attack on Qatar at UN Human Rights Council

A Chinese representative on Tuesday condemned Israel's attack on Qatar last week during an urgent debate at the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, which was convened at the request of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Chen Xu, China's permanent representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland, said Israel's attack on Qatar constitutes a flagrant violation of Qatar's territorial sovereignty and national security, breaches international law and the UN Charter, and undermines peace efforts.

China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the attack, he stressed.

Thousands protest in central London against Trump's state visit to Britain

Thousands of demonstrators marched through central London on Wednesday afternoon to protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's second state visit to Britain, as Trump was being feted at Windsor Castle by the royal family.

Protesters waved placards criticizing U.S. policies on immigration, Gaza and climate change, marching to the sound of trumpets and drums from Portland Place to Parliament Square.

U.S. citizen Amanda said that she traveled to London from Los Angeles just for the protest. "I think everything is just very messed up right now. We don't have good leadership and I'm very worried for the direction that the United States is taking and the world," she said.

Palestinian death toll in Gaza war tops 65,000: health authorities

The number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, has surpassed 65,000, Gaza-based health authorities reported Wednesday.

Over the past 24 hours, 98 bodies and 385 wounded were brought to hospitals in Gaza, they said, adding that seven aid workers were killed and 87 others injured in the same period.

The total death toll of Palestinians since the start of the conflict in 2023 has climbed to 65,062, with 165,697 others injured, they said.

Nearly 48,000 flee Israel's Gaza City ground offensive in last 2 days

Nearly 48,000 Palestinians have fled southward in the last two days from the Israeli military's ground offensive in Gaza City, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that between mid-August and Monday, its partners observed more than 190,000 such movements, with many people traveling on foot due to the extremely high cost of transport.

"Partners report that displaced families, often led by women and older people, are walking up to nine hours in extreme heat, frequently barefoot and with injured children," OCHA said. "Many are arriving without shelter, and requests from the most vulnerable for family tents are rising."

Brazil's ex-president Bolsonaro ordered to pay damages, issue public apology for racist remarks

Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro was ordered on Tuesday to pay 1 million reals (about 188,000 U.S. dollars) in damages for racist remarks he made while in office and issue a public apology.

The Federal Regional Court in the southern city of Porto Alegre made the ruling after Brazil's Supreme Federal Court on Thursday sentenced the ex-president to 27 years and three months in prison for attempting a coup in 2022.

The latest ruling held Bolsonaro accountable for comments he made about the curly hair of a young man of African descent during a broadcast in 2021, which caused collective moral damage by eroding the values of society as a whole.■