The US Federal Reserve increased its inflation expectation for 2021, according to projections released Wednesday after it kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at the end of a two-day meeting.

The central bank expects personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation to come in at 3.4%, up from a 2.4% estimate made in March.

Its PCE inflation forecast was also increased 0.1 percentage point to 2.1% and 2.2% for 2022 and 2023, respectively.

The Fed raised its economic growth forecast to 7%, up from a 6.5% estimate made in March.

But the central bank did not change its unemployment forecast, which is anticipated at 4.5%.

Although the Fed kept repeating it would not raise its benchmark interest rate until full employment is achieved, it may be forced into a rate hike to tame rising inflation.

As for federal funds rate projections, the Fed indicated interest rates will increase in 2023, according to its "dot plot" that shows projections of the 12 members of the Federal Open Market Committee./aa

Occupied Palestine

A Palestinian youth was shot in the head by “Israeli” soldiers on Wednesday in the northern West Bank, a witness said.

A witness said the youth was injured during a protest by residents of the town of Beita in the Nablus area against the establishment of a settlement outpost on their land in Jabal Sabih.

It said the injured person was rushed to hospital "in critical condition."

International law regards both the West Bank and East Jerusalem as occupied territories and considers all Jewish settlement-building activity there illegal./agencies

In less than 24 hours the French can stop wearing masks outdoors, except when in crowded places, and enjoy a curfew-free life from Sunday, the prime minister announced in a major rollback of public health restrictions on Wednesday.

“We are living in an important moment, a happy time to return to a normal form of life," Jean Castex told a press briefing following a health council meeting at the Elysee.

The decision to lift the restrictions 10 days in advance was taken in lieu of the "positive development” in the health situation due to an effective mass vaccination drive, he said. At least 21.4% of the French population is fully vaccinated, according to Our World in Data, a tracking website.

"In view of these results, it is normal that we adjust our measures and certain elements of our calendar, while maintaining a high level of vigilance over the coming weeks," he added. “We are going to lift the general obligation to wear a mask outdoors ... without delay."

Masks will still be compulsory indoors, closed spaces and outdoors in crowded areas and public markets.

The health restrictions on masks and curfew were to continue until June 30, but since the third stage of lockdown came into effect last week, in general the obligation on wearing of masks outdoors was followed with less stringency.

The announcement on the rollback comes even as Health Minister Olivier Veran on Tuesday appealed to “not relax collective vigilance.” He advised caution based on the UK's experience amid rising cases of the Delta variant. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the delay in lifting the last stage of the lockdown for four weeks.

Veran said France is currently facing the situation which was in the UK a few weeks ago. About 50-150 new infections are being detected daily in France and nearly 2% - 4% of the test results show the presence of the Delta variant, which was first detected in India.

Castex said vaccination is the “best bulwark against the epidemic resumption." He said by next month, the target is to fully vaccinate 35 million people and provide the first shot to 40 million people.

France has also begun vaccination for children aged 12-17 to avoid them being the asymptomatic carriers of highly contagious variants./aa

A team of archaeologists have unearthed a castle dating back to the Urartian era in eastern Turkey.

The remains of the castle dating back 2,800 years ago were discovered during an excavation project sponsored by Van Yuzuncu Yil University on a mountain at an altitude of 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) in the Gurpinar district of eastern Van province.

A large cistern with a depth of 6.5 meters, a length of 6.5 meters, and a diameter of 2.5 meters, walls, and ceramic remains were found in the castle.

"Although it is believed to be dated back to the Urartian era like the Van Castle, we see that it was mostly used in the Middle Ages," Rafet Cavusoglu, the head of the excavation team and an archeology professor at Van Yuzuncu Yil University, told Anadolu Agency.

"We understand that this place was built about 2,800 years ago from ceramic pieces, the cistern, and the city walls," Cavusoglu said.

Meanwhile, he added that they "found that limestone rock and sandstone were used in the construction of walls in the region. This castle is a very important discovery for us."

Besides, the newly found castle will contribute to the historical richness of the district, Hayrullah Tanis, mayor of Gurpinar, said.

"In cooperation with Van Yuzuncu Yil University, we made an important discovery here. We found a new castle witnessing the Urartian period and the Middle Ages. This discovery excited us in terms of tourism and culture," Tanis added./aa

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey 

One more family has joined the ongoing sit-in against the PKK terrorist group in southeastern Turkey on Wednesday.

Families of children abducted or forcibly recruited by the PKK terror group have been protesting in the Diyarbakir province since Sept. 3, 2019, encouraging their children to give up their weapons and surrender to Turkish authorities.

The protest outside the office of the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which the government accuses of having links to the PKK, had started with three mothers who said their children had been forcibly recruited by the terrorists.

Coming from eastern Batman province, Yasemin Gonyeli, the mother of 21-year-old Muhammed, who was abducted and taken to the mountains last year, joined the protest on Wednesday.

Gonyeli said that her son was deceived while he was preparing for mandatory military service.

She said she has not heard from her son for 11 months and urged her son to surrender to Turkish security forces.

“The HDP shall bring my child back just as it took him away,” she said.

Offenders in Turkey linked to terrorist groups who surrender are eligible for possible sentence reductions under a repentance law.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants./aa

The Turkish Red Crescent will send 10 truckloads of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

Kerem Kinik, head of the Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay), who held a series of meetings in Egypt’s capital Cairo to speed up aid efforts, said that the process has been completed for the first humanitarian aid convoy of 10 trucks to enter through the Rafah border crossing.

In the early days of attacks, he noted, two ambulances were delivered to Palestinians in Jerusalem to meet the Palestinian Red Crescent's need for small ambulances that could enter the streets of the holy city.

"We have prepared our humanitarian aid convoy of 10 trucks with the Egyptian Red Crescent. The six trucks in the convoy will carry approximately 2,000 food parcels.

"Also, other trucks will carry materials such as medical consumables, hygiene kits along with stationery and playsets, sent by our Ministry of National Education,” he added.​​​​​​​/agencies