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Fed Poised for First 2025 Rate Cut as Weak Jobs Data Outweigh Inflation Concerns

  The Federal Reserve seal at its Washington, D.C. headquarters, where policymakers are set to decide on the first interest rate cut of 2025. The U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to lower its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points today, marking its first rate cut of 2025 and the first since December last year. The move would bring the federal funds target range down to 4.00%–4.25%, as policymakers respond to slowing job growth and rising unemployment, even as inflation remains above the Fed’s 2% target. Recent labor market data showed just 22,000 jobs added in August, with earlier months revised downward, while the unemployment rate has climbed to around 4.3%. Inflation, measured by the Fed’s preferred PCE index, has edged higher in recent months, partly due to tariffs pushing up consumer prices. Markets have largely priced in the cut, with investors watching the Fed’s updated “dot plot” for clues on whether more reductions will follow in October and December. The decision ...
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Israeli Tanks Push Deeper into Gaza’s Rafah Amid Displacement Crisis

 

Israeli tanks have intensified their offensive in the southern border city of Rafah, pushing deeper into eastern neighborhoods. This escalation comes as more than a million civilians, who had sought refuge in Rafah after being displaced during seven months of war, face renewed danger. Here’s are the details: 

  • Humanitarian Crisis: Israel’s international allies and aid groups have repeatedly warned against a ground incursion into Rafah, fearing a potential humanitarian catastrophe. The city has been a refuge for displaced Palestinians, but the recent offensive threatens their safety and well-being.

  • Evacuation Orders: Israel issued evacuation orders for people to move from parts of eastern Rafah, extending to further zones. Displaced civilians are relocating to designated areas, including Al-Mawasi, a strip of land along the coast. However, these zones lack proper facilities to accommodate the influx of people.

  • Hamas Resistance: Despite international pressure, Israel continues its operation in Rafah. The goal is to root out the remaining Hamas battalions holed up in the city. Clashes persist as Hamas’s armed wing retaliates, destroying an Israeli troop carrier with an Al-Yassin 105 missile.

  • Ceasefire Efforts: Qatar and Egypt are mediating ceasefire talks, but Israel’s actions in Rafah have complicated the negotiations. Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani expressed concern about the impact on reaching a truce.

  • Intensified Conflict: Fighting across Gaza has intensified, with the Israeli military re-entering areas previously claimed to be dismantled. Israel aims to prevent Hamas from rebuilding its military capacities, but the toll on Palestinian lives continues to rise.

In summary, the situation in Rafah remains dire, with civilians caught in the crossfire. As the conflict persists, the international community must redouble efforts to find a peaceful resolution and alleviate the suffering of those displaced by war.

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