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America's annual inflation rate fell to 2.5% in August, from 2.9% in July. It was the smallest increase since February 2021.

Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, was unchanged at 3.2%.

With inflation close to the Federal Reserve's 2% target and the jobs market cooling,

the Central Bank is all but certain to start cutting interest

rates at its meeting next week.

Israel launched a series of airstrikes overnight Tuesday and on Wednesday that killed at least 34 people,

according to hospital officials in Gaza.

One, which hit a UN school housing Palestinians, killed 14 people.

Israel said it was targeting Hamas militants.

Earlier this week, an Israeli strike on a designated humanitarian zone killed 19 people according to the

Hamas-run health ministry. Anthony Blinkin, America Secretary State, and David Lamy, Britain's Foreign Secretary,

met Volodymie Zelensky in Kiev.

The Ukrainian President asked them to allow his country to use Western supplied weapon systems to strike targets inside Russia.

Mr Lamy said that he was listening carefully to Ukraine's needs and announced more than 600 million pounds or 780 million dollars of support,

according to Reuters.

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