NATIONAL

What Happened to the Jobs?: The July 2025 U.S. jobs report revealed a significant slowdown in the labor market, with just 73,000 jobs added, well below expectations. More strikingly, the Bureau of Labor Statistics revised job gains for May and June downward by a combined 258,000, slashing May’s total from 144,000 to 19,000 and June’s from 147,000 to just 14,000. These adjustments mean that the economy has averaged only about 35,000 new jobs per month over the past three months—the weakest stretch since 2010 outside the pandemic. In response, President Trump fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics! Off with her head! YAHOO FINANCE 

Tariff Deadline Passes: August 1 was the deadline for countries to finalize deals before they were hit with punitive tariffs. As of now here is where the South Asian countries stand: India now faces a 25% tariff on goods exported to the U.S.—up from 10%—impacting approximately $85–$87 billion worth of exports, including garments, auto parts, jewelry, pharmaceuticals, and electronics Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka received comparatively lower rates, around 19–20%, aligned with new trade agreements or limited bilateral deals. Bangladesh, for example, secured a 20% tariff cap for its apparel exports after talks. REUTERS, ARAB NEWS

Ford Takes $800 Million Tariff Hit, Posts First Loss Since 2023: TFord Motor paid out more than $800 million in tariffs last quarter, despite manufacturing most of its vehicles in the U.S. The tariff bill came from parts imported from outside of the country as well as from fees on steel and aluminum. The hit helped wipe out the company’s net profit, leading to its first quarterly loss since 2023. WSJ (paywall)

Proctor and Gamble to Raise Prices on Consumer Goods Due to Tariff Pressure: P&G said it plans to raise prices on about a quarter of its products in the U.S. in the single-digit range starting this month. The company said that the strength of its pantry staples like Charmin toilet paper and Dawn dish soap, as well as demand for new products like the Tide Evo laundry detergent tile, have given it room to raise prices to offset about $1 billion in cost increases associated with tariffs. FOX BUSINESS

The FBI Redacted Trump’s Name in the Epstein Files: Is anyone surprised at this point? BLOOMBERG

INTERNATIONAL

Trump Announces New US-Pakistan Trade Deal to Develop Oil Reserves: The move is a blow to the Paris-based global organisation, founded after the second world war to promote peace through international cooperation in education, science and culture. The decision is part of the president’s second-term drive to pull the US out of a series of global bodies, including leaving the World Health Organization (WHO), halting funding to the Palestinian relief agency Unrwa and withdrawing from the UN human rights council. GUARDIAN

IMMIGRATION

Immigrant Kids Detained In ‘Unsafe And Unsanitary’ Sites: Children are being held in “unsafe and unsanitary” U.S. Customs and Border Protection facilities such as tents, airports, and offices for up to several weeks despite the agency’s written policy saying people generally should not be held in its custody longer than 72 hours. INDIA CURRENTS

CORRUPTION ALERT

Funds for Shoring Up Nuclear Sites Being Diverted to Refurbish Plane Gifted to President Trump: In order to solve the problem of aging nuclear sites and silos, the Pentagon set up its Sentinel Program, a fund into which it put $77.7 billion. The fund, meant to “protect” the weapons, is out of reach to any and all elected officials. Only the Pentagon and the President can touch it. President Trump has indeed raided the fund recently, but not to make anyone living near the silos safe. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has handed Trump $972 million to use to modernize the allegedly “free” airplane he got recently from Qatar. It is reported that Trump is adding to the extensive gold plating that is already present in the airplane he claimed would cost taxpayers nothing. PEOPLE’S WORLD

President Trump’s Handouts to the Fossil Fuel Industry Will Cost the Public $80 Billion Over Next Decade: The Congressional budget bill plunders funding for much-needed renewable energy in order to pay for oil and gas industry tax breaks. https://blog.ucs.org/

Ghislaine Maxwell is Quietly Moved to Cushy New ‘Club Fed’ Prison as She Pushes for a Deal to Tell All on Epstein:  Notorious sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell has quietly been moved to a cushy prison camp as she tries to hash out a deal to divulge her sordid secrets about late pedophile ex Jeffrey Epstein.This comes days after she met Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche twice while trying to seek immunity. NY POST

SCIENCE, HEALTH & SAFETY

FEMA Rejects Aid for Maryland Despite the State Meeting Criteria: The White House on Wednesday denied Democratic Gov. Wes Moore’s request for $15.8 million in disaster relief funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, to pay for repairs after heavy floods swept through Western Maryland in May. WASHINGTON POST

Trump EPA Moves to Repeal Landmark ‘Endangerment Finding’ that Allows Climate Regulation: The proposed Environmental Protection Agency rule would rescind a 2009 declaration that determined that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare. The “endangerment finding” is the legal underpinning of a host of climate regulations under the Clean Air Act for motor vehicles, power plants and other pollution sources that are heating the planet. “As Americans reel from deadly floods and heat waves, the Trump administration is trying to argue that the emissions turbocharging these disasters are not a threat,’' said Christy Goldfuss, executive director of the Natural Resources Defense Council. “It boggles the mind and endangers the nation’s safety and welfare.” The rule is likely to be challenged in court, but in the meantime it’s open season for polluters. AP

TAKE ACTION

Local and state elections are a great way to combat the forces of fascism and authoritarianism at the federal level. This November, TSB is working on elections in Virginia, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. These state offices protect the American people from the worst impacts of federal policy that is geared towards the wealthy. Join us as we make an all out push to get Democrats out to vote. See how you can help at https://www.theyseeblue.org/victory-in-2025