The State Department has called on Beijing to end its eradication campaign against Falun Gong ahead of July 20, the date that marked the start of the persecution in 1999. More than 1,000 Falun Dafa practitioners and human rights advocates gather in the nation’s capital on Thursday for a rally and parade, demanding the Chinese Communist Party end its persecution.

The number of Americans filing for new unemployment benefits declined for the fifth consecutive week to a three-month low as the U.S. labor market continues to perform at a solid pace. Initial jobless claims declined by 7,000 to 221,000 for the week ending July 12, according to the Department of Labor.