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Here's today's free edition. This is the World and Brief from The Economist.

Our top stories.

The Israel Defence Forces launched an offensive in Central Gaza as talks over a cease-filed deal continued.

The assault included airstrikes and ground attacks on Berege, a refugee camp and near Dera

al-Bala, a city in the South.

Dozens of people are thought to have been killed since the strikes began on Tuesday.

America is trying to finalise an agreement over a pause in the fighting and the exchange of Israeli

hostages held by Hamas for some Palestinian prisoners, forming the basis for a

long-term cessation of hostilities.

The Bank of Canada became the first Central Bank in a G7 economy to cut interest rates

in the current cycle, lowering its main rate from 5% to 4.75%.

The European Central Bank is expected to reduce rates by a similar margin on Thursday. but America's Federal Reserve will probably hold rates steady

at its next monetary policy meeting on June 12th.

The Barro-Tia-Janaata Party and its allies won India's election but with a reduced mandate.

The ruling alliance won 292 seats, more than the 272 needed to form a government, but well below its stated

ambition of 400.

The BHP lost 63 seats compared with the last election in 2019.

...