Daily World Briefing, July 31

U.S. Fed keeps interest rates unchanged despite pressure from the Trump administration

The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday kept the target range for the federal funds rate unchanged at 4.25 percent to 4.5 percent, though it faces stark pressure and harsh criticism from the Trump administration.

"Although swings in net exports continue to affect the data, recent indicators suggest that growth of economic activity moderated in the first half of the year. The unemployment rate remains low, and labor market conditions remain solid. Inflation remains somewhat elevated," said a statement by the Federal Open Market Committee.

Uncertainty about the economic outlook remains elevated, said the statement.

Tsunami warning lifted in Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula

Russian authorities have lifted the tsunami warning for the Kamchatka Peninsula after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck offshore Wednesday, the region's Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Lebedev announced on social media.

According to the Kamchatka branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Unified Geophysical Service, the earthquake, the strongest in the region since 1952, occurred in the Avacha Bay area of the peninsula. In response, local authorities issued a tsunami alert for coastal areas along the bay.

The quake triggered a tsunami, with waves reaching 3 to 4 meters along the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula and the Yelizovsky District, local emergency officials said. The tremor also caused power outages, intense shaking of vehicles and slowed Internet access.

Trump says to slap 25 pct tariff on Indian imports

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that India's exports to the United States will face a 25 percent tariff starting August 1, according to a post on Truth Social.

Death toll hits 22 in Angola as fuel price protest turns violent

Angolan Interior Minister Manuel Homem confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll has risen to 22 after a protest over fuel prices broke out on Monday in Luanda Province.

According to Homem, the chaos has since spread to other provinces, such as Huambo, Benguela, and Huila. Additionally, 197 people were injured, 66 shops were damaged, and 1,214 individuals were arrested for vandalism and looting.

The minister said the overall public security situation in Angola has stabilized. In Luanda, the situation has returned to normal, with public transportation services back to their regular operations.

9 killed, 2 injured after firework factory explosion in central Thailand

Nine people were killed and two others injured in a firework factory explosion in central Thailand's Suphan Buri province on Wednesday, local authorities said.

According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the explosion occurred at 11:10 a.m. local time, prompting emergency services to respond and transport the injured to a nearby hospital.

The authorities were currently investigating the cause of the explosion.■