Fed Independence - An independent central bank has served the public well and should be respected as long as it continues to do so [2] - Independence allows the Fed to make challenging decisions based on data and evolving outlook, not political factors [2] - Governments worldwide have chosen to distance monetary policy decisions from direct political control [3] - Without independence, there would be a great temptation to use interest rates to affect elections [3] - The importance of Fed independence is widely understood, particularly in Congress [4]

Economic Outlook - The economy is in a solid position with a low unemployment rate and a labor market at or near maximum employment [1] - Inflation has been running somewhat above the 2% longer-run objective [1][3] - There's also downside risk to the labor market [5] Monetary Policy - The Federal Open Market Committee decided to leave the policy interest rate unchanged [2] - The current stance of monetary policy is believed to be well-positioned to respond to potential economic developments [2] - The policy rate is characterized as modestly restrictive [3] - Financial conditions are accommodative [4] - The economy is not performing as though restrictive policy were holding it back inappropriately [4] Future Considerations - In coming months, a good amount of data will help inform the assessment of the balance of risks and the appropriate setting of the federal funds rate [5]

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell holds a news conference following the central bank's decision on interest rates. #Fed #JeromePowell #WSJ ...

Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza - Child hunger is increasing across the Gaza Strip, with reports of starvation [1] - The UN-backed IPC reported famine conditions in Gaza, the most dire assessment since the war began [1] - 16 children under the age of five have died of hunger-related causes since mid-July, compared to 7 in the first half of the year [5] Aid Delivery and Obstacles - Both sides trade blame over responsibility for undelivered aid [2] - The Israeli military claims the UN and other relief agencies are refusing to pick up and distribute aid [3] - The UN cites restrictions on movement, security concerns, and long wait times at border crossings as obstacles [5] - Despite eased restrictions, the UN says on average 60 of its trucks are getting into Gaza each day [8] Aid Availability and Distribution - The UN says it has enough food to feed Gaza's entire population of more than 2 million people for almost 3 months [6] - Even with more food entering Gaza, the population is still extremely desperate, and almost every single truck that enters the strip is looted [8] - Humanitarian workers believe flooding the zone with food will reduce desperation and looting [9]

An 8.8-magnitude earthquake strikes Russia’s far east, triggering tsunami warnings as far as the U.S. West Coast. ...

I rise today to propose an amendment to the bills before us. One that guarantees every officer in every state like Officer Islam has the full support they deserve in their service to our communities from this body. Sadly, this is not what the Justice Department is doing.Rather than supporting law enforcement agencies and officers equally across the nation, they are weaponizing public safety grants to punish state and local jurisdictions that resist the Trump policy agenda, including my home state of New Jer ...

The lone gunman who killed four people in a Midtown Manhattan office left a suicide note targeting the National Football League. In the note, police say 27-year-old Shane Tamora of Las Vegas accused the NFL of concealing the dangers of the sport on players brains. He alluded to having CTE um from playing in the NFL. uh he never played in the NFL and he alluded to the CTE uh being the reason for his illness.Uh it appears as though uh he was going after the uh employees at the NFL, the building 345 house, the ...

Uh with respect to a potential pause, you we're going to head back to Washington DC. We're going to talk to the president about whether that's something that he wants to do. Um it's certainly something that's been under discussion and so we'll brief the president on the outcome of this and we'll see if there are any we have further technical discussions that are happening right now as we speak among the teams and so the president can make a final call on whether that's something that he wants to do.>> I'm j ...

- So, we're here in the heart of Paris where I'm about to do something I never thought I would. Swim in the Seine River. Swimming has been banned for a hundred years because of boat pollution and sewage.And for the first time this summer, swimming is actually allowed. - I thought I was gonna cry. I might cry right now.Yeah. 'Cause it's just so beautiful from this angle. And it also feels like it could be any time in the world and history. It could be any time when you're just in the water and looking at the ...

Chinese President Xi Jinping orders ‘all-out’ search and rescue efforts to minimize casualties as severe flooding leaves at least 30 people dead in Beijing. Photo: Adek Berry/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images ...