Good morning, and Happy August 1st to all who celebrate! While we might have hoped for a quieter start to the new month—and a Friday at that—today’s headlines are already proving otherwise.
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Global stock markets tumbled after Donald Trump imposed new tariffs (10%–41%) on dozens of U.S. trading partners, including 25% on India, 20% on Taiwan, 30% on South Africa, and 39% on Switzerland; the move sent Europe’s DAX and CAC down nearly 2%, hit Asia-Pacific markets hard, and sparked concern from leaders like Canada’s PM Mark Carney as fears of job losses grow.Trump’s new tariff plan introduces sweeping changes, with most imported goods facing higher rates.Universal tariff remains at 10%, but only for countries where the U.S. has a trade surplus.15% becomes the new base rate for imports from countries with which the U.S. has a trade deficit (about 40 countries).26 countries face tariffs higher than 15%, including:Syria (41%), Switzerland (39%), Laos and Myanmar (40%), Iraq and Serbia (35%), Canada (35%), and India (25%).Mexico’s 25% tariff extended 90 days; Canada’s tariff raised to 35% starting August 1.New tariffs take effect August 7, except for Canada’s, which start immediately.Some countries avoided hikes due to recent trade deals (e.g., UK, China, Mexico, EU, Japan, South Korea).
Trump’s new tariff plan introduces sweeping changes, with most imported goods facing higher rates.
Universal tariff remains at 10%, but only for countries where the U.S. has a trade surplus.
15% becomes the new base rate for imports from countries with which the U.S. has a trade deficit (about 40 countries).
26 countries face tariffs higher than 15%, including:Syria (41%), Switzerland (39%), Laos and Myanmar (40%), Iraq and Serbia (35%), Canada (35%), and India (25%).
Syria (41%), Switzerland (39%), Laos and Myanmar (40%), Iraq and Serbia (35%), Canada (35%), and India (25%).
Mexico’s 25% tariff extended 90 days; Canada’s tariff raised to 35% starting August 1.
New tariffs take effect August 7, except for Canada’s, which start immediately.
Some countries avoided hikes due to recent trade deals (e.g., UK, China, Mexico, EU, Japan, South Korea).
U.S. employers added 73,000 jobs in July, while the unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.2%, according to the Labor Department.
he bigger story lies in sharp downward revisions—May’s job growth was cut to +19,000 and June’s to +14,000, resulting in a net loss of 258,000 jobs across those two months.
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History removed references to Donald Trump’s two impeachments from its presidential exhibit, reverting the display to a 2008 version amid political pressure from the White House; officials now say a future update will include all presidential impeachments.
The family of Virginia Giuffre, a prominent Jeffrey Epstein accuser who died by suicide in April, says she wanted Epstein-related documents released and criticized Donald Trump for downplaying her exploitation at Mar-a-Lago; they also voiced concern over the possibility of clemency or immunity for Ghislaine Maxwell, calling it a betrayal of survivors and a sign of power shielding abusers from justice.
Radioactive wasps were found at the Savannah River Site in Aiken, SC, on July 3, 2025. A nest was discovered near a tank, and after being sprayed, it was determined to contain a moderately high level of radiation (100,000 dpm). The nest was considered "onsite legacy radioactive contamination," with no further contamination detected in the surrounding area. The incident did not affect facility operations, and the wasps were disposed of as radiological waste.
In her first interview since Trump’s inauguration, former Vice President Kamala Harris said she’s stepping back from politics due to a “broken” system, revealing she avoided the news for months after her loss, won’t run for California governor, and instead plans to travel, listen, and reflect—while promoting her new book 107 Days chronicling her short-lived 2024 presidential campaign.
Construction begins in September on a $200 million, 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom—Trump’s long-desired project inspired by his private clubs—featuring gold accents, chandeliers, and room for 650 guests; the project, funded by Trump and private donors, replaces part of the East Wing and aims to enhance event capacity while preserving the White House’s classical style.
Prominent historian Rashid Khalidi canceled his fall course at Columbia University in protest of its $200M settlement with the Trump administration over alleged antisemitism, accusing the school of capitulating to political pressure, restricting academic freedom, and enabling censorship of pro-Palestinian speech under the guise of combating discrimination.
A new poll shows that most Americans blame Donald Trump and corporate interests for the rising cost of living, with six in 10 saying Trump has worsened their financial situation, nearly eight in 10 fearing his tariffs will increase prices, and many struggling with debt, housing, healthcare, and job prospects amid growing concerns of a recession and corporate exploitation.
A new Gallup poll shows party preferences in the U.S. have shifted, with 46% of Americans now identifying as Democrats or leaning Democratic—surpassing Republicans, who stand at 43%—marking the first Democratic lead in party affiliation since 2023, after Republicans led in late 2024.
At the National Bar Association’s centennial gala, former President Joe Biden warned of an “existential” crisis for marginalized groups under the Trump administration, criticizing deportations of legal immigrants, attacks on civil rights, and pressure on law firms and judges, while addressing concerns over his health, legacy, and ongoing investigations into his final acts in office.
A 2024 mass die-off of monarch butterflies in Southern California was likely caused by pesticide exposure, with a new study finding an average of seven pesticides—mostly lethal pyrethroids—in each butterfly tested near a key overwintering site, underscoring the broader threat pesticides pose to monarch populations already declining due to habitat loss and climate change.
Judge Esther Salas, whose son was murdered in 2020, expressed heartbreak over a wave of threats against judges—many involving pizzas delivered in her son Daniel’s name—amid an escalating climate of intimidation under the Trump administration, with judges facing death threats, swatting, and public vilification, prompting warnings from the Chief Justice that such attacks undermine the rule of law.
A Guardian investigation reveals the FBI is probing rampant drug trafficking, gang activity, and violence at the CoreCivic-run Cibola County Correctional Center in New Mexico—a facility housing ICE detainees—where some staff allegedly smuggle drugs, inmates face threats and abuse, and at least 15 detainees have died since 2018, even as CoreCivic seeks to expand ICE detention there amid growing corruption and overcrowding concerns.
Gaza News:
US envoy Steve Witkoff visited Gaza aid sites amid global outrage over the starvation crisis and Israeli-imposed aid restrictions; hundreds of Palestinians have been killed trying to access aid.
Human Rights Watch called US- and Israeli-backed GHF aid centers “death traps”, citing routine Israeli gunfire at civilians and use of starvation as a weapon of war.
The UN reports at least 1,373 Palestinians killed while seeking food since late May, most of them by Israeli forces, including 859 near GHF sites.
Witkoff met with Netanyahu and toured GHF sites alongside US Ambassador Mike Huckabee, who defended the centers.
France suspended Gaza evacuation programs after controversy over a Palestinian student’s alleged antisemitic posts; France also pledged 40 tons of humanitarian aid.
