International
The Federal Reserve (Fed) announced a 0.25 percentage-point reduction in its benchmark interest rate, citing significant limitations in economic data due to the current U.S. federal government shutdown. Chair Jerome Powell highlighted that a lack of timely labour-market and inflation signals is making policy decisions more challenging. The rate cut drew dissent from two
International
The ongoing face-to-face negotiations between Eastern Ladakh border commanders of India and China have failed to produce a clear roadmap for demilitarised “buffer zones”, sources say. Although both sides continue to engage diplomatically, no agreement has been reached on pulling back frontline troops or creating neutral zones along the contested stretches of the frontier.