The Trump administration has dismissed 1,353 key officials from the U.S. State Department, including 1,107 Civil Service and 246 Foreign Service officers. The layoffs began on July 11, with an additional 1,600 employees expected to resign voluntarily. The State Department clarified that U.S. missions abroad are not affected for now. As part of a broader reform plan approved in April by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, numerous bureaus are being merged or restructured. Dismissed officials are receiving termination notices via email and mandatory leave.

Microsoft has saved $500 million over the past year through AI-powered efficiencies in its call center operations, according to a top executive. The announcement follows the company’s third wave of layoffs, totaling around 15,000 employees. AI integration has boosted productivity across sales, customer service, and engineering. While it’s unclear if AI directly replaced laid-off staff, the move comes amid record profits and a planned $80 billion investment in AI. The timing of the layoffs has sparked criticism despite Microsoft’s strong financial performance.

Text-based social network X saw a nearly 10% drop in daily active users in Q2 2025 compared to last year, as competition from Meta’s Threads intensifies. While X still leads with significantly more users than Threads and Bluesky, Threads’ rapid growth—up 127.8% year-over-year—raises doubts about X’s long-term dominance. Despite this, X users spend four times longer daily on the platform than Threads users. Bluesky gained users last year amid U.S. election protests but has slowed since early 2025.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held their first direct meeting in Malaysia, describing it as “constructive and positive.” The talks came amid escalating US-China tensions due to Trump’s new tariff policies. Rubio said the meeting laid the groundwork for future dialogue and raised hopes for a Trump-Xi Jinping summit. Although China criticized the tariffs as “bullying,” it kept channels open for discussion. Rubio aims to position the US as a better strategic partner for Asia than China, despite Southeast Asian concerns that Trump’s unilateral tariffs are deepening global economic divisions.

At least 120 people have died in flash floods that devastated Texas Hill Country, prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to visit the affected areas on Friday. While praising local and federal relief efforts, Trump faced criticism over a lack of early warnings and inadequate emergency preparedness.

Concerns have been raised over federal budget cuts and emergency response gaps before the floods. As of now, 160 people remain missing, including 36 children. The state government plans to convene a special session to address both relief efforts and a full investigation.

Starting in 2026, the United States will introduce a new $250 Visa Integrity Fee on most non-immigrant visas, significantly raising costs for applicants from Bangladesh and other countries. This fee applies to tourist, student, and work visas, increasing total expenses to nearly $472 for a B-1/B-2 visa. Refunds are possible under strict conditions, such as timely departure or legal status changes. The fee aims to encourage lawful behavior and is part of broader immigration reforms, including a new tax on remittances.

OpenAI is set to introduce a new AI-powered web browser within the coming months, aiming to compete with the widely used Google Chrome. According to sources, this browser will incorporate an AI agent named ‘Operator’ to enhance browsing by keeping some user interactions within ChatGPT. The move reflects OpenAI’s strategy to offer a browsing experience less dependent on Google’s control, similar to other AI browsers like Perplexity’s Comet. The launch is planned for 2024, marking a significant step in AI-driven web technology.

More than 2,000 senior officials at NASA are resigning amid proposed budget cuts, risking a major loss of expertise crucial for upcoming space missions. The departures, including scientists, engineers, and mission planners, may disrupt plans for sending humans to the Moon and Mars. Layoffs are ongoing across NASA’s centers, with Goddard, Johnson, and Kennedy centers most affected. Experts warn this could weaken U.S. leadership in space exploration, especially as complex missions approach. The workforce may shrink to its smallest since the 1960s.

Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist recently freed from a Louisiana immigration detention center, has filed a $20 million lawsuit against the Trump administration. He alleges wrongful imprisonment, biased treatment, and defamation as an anti-Semite due to his role in pro-Palestinian campus protests. After 104 days in detention, a federal judge ruled his deportation unconstitutional. Khalil demands compensation, a formal apology, and policy changes. He plans to share any damages with others affected by the administration’s crackdown on Palestinian activists.

US President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will supply weapons to Ukraine, with NATO covering the full cost. Trump revealed this in an interview with NBC News and mentioned he will make a significant announcement regarding Russia next Monday. Expressing frustration over the ongoing conflict following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Trump explained that while the US provides the arms, NATO will bear the financial responsibility before transferring them to Ukraine.

President Trump’s recent policies, including strict immigration enforcement, tariff threats, and government instability, have already weakened the U.S. economy and global confidence in the dollar. Federal budget cuts to scientific research threaten America’s innovation leadership. Proposed legislation could increase national debt by trillions, deepen inequality, and reduce social support programs. Despite public opposition, these measures risk long-term economic slowdown, higher borrowing costs, and reduced labor supply, undermining both short-term recovery and future growth prospects for the U.S.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a 35% tariff on Canadian goods, set to take effect from August 1. This follows earlier tariffs of 25% imposed on select Canadian imports. In a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump stated that U.S.-based manufacturing would be exempt from the tariffs. He cited Canada's protectionist dairy policies, trade imbalance with the U.S., and failure to prevent fentanyl trafficking as key reasons behind the move. The new tariff is expected to have a significant impact on the Canadian economy.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a sweeping 50% tariff on all imports from Brazil, effective August 1. The decision follows escalating tensions with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who recently criticized Trump, calling him an “emperor.” The move is also seen as a response to Brazil’s stance on the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro and alleged suppression of free speech.

Brazil has threatened to retaliate with its own tariffs. The decision has already impacted Brazil’s currency and stock market, and analysts warn it may drive up food prices in the U.S.

The United States has imposed sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, citing her documentation and criticism of Israeli actions in Gaza. U.S. Secretary of State accused Albanese of waging a “political and economic war” against the U.S. and Israel.

Albanese condemned the move as “mafia-style intimidation,” reiterating her commitment to preventing genocide and ensuring accountability. She had earlier criticized European nations for allowing Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to use their airspace despite an active ICC arrest warrant.

During a meeting with African leaders at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed surprise and admiration when Liberian President Joseph Boakai spoke fluent English. Despite English being Liberia's official language, Trump reportedly asked where Boakai learned to speak it so well. Boakai simply replied, "In Liberia, sir."

Liberia was established in 1822 as a colony for freed African Americans, and while English is the official language, several indigenous languages are also spoken across the country.