Human Times

North American Edition

3rd July 2026

THE HOT STORY

Appeals court prevents firing of 19 intelligence officers assigned to DEI programs

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court's decision blocking the Trump administration from terminating 19 career intelligence officers at the CIA and Office of the Director of National Intelligence who were involved in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) roles. “The Agencies have never suggested that any of the Intelligence Officers engaged in workplace misconduct or that the terminations were motivated by performance concerns. Rather, the Director of the CIA stated affirmatively that the decisions to terminate the Intelligence Officers were taken to ‘effectuate the directives in' DEIA Executive Order” signed by President Trump, the majority wrote in its opinion. U.S. Circuit Judge Nicole ⁠Berner, writing for the majority, said that among the promises of the U.S. Constitution's Fifth Amendment "is the requirement that no person be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law . . . This promise of due process has been construed to require federal government agencies to adhere to their own binding regulations."

The Hill

WORKFORCE

U.S. job growth slows sharply in June as hiring falls short of expectations

The U.S. economy added just 57,000 jobs in June, well below economists' forecasts of 115,000, signaling a slowdown in hiring after stronger gains earlier this spring. The Labor Department report also found that unemployment rate unexpectedly edged down to 4.2%, largely because the labor force shrank by 720,000 people during the month, pushing the labor force participation rate down to 61.5%, its lowest level since March 2021. Healthcare and social assistance accounted for most of the month's job gains, while leisure and hospitality shed 61,000 positions, and previously reported payroll growth for April and May was revised down by a combined 74,000 jobs. The weaker-than-expected employment report also reduced market expectations for a near-term Federal Reserve interest rate increase, even as wage growth remained modest at 3.5% year over year and inflation continued to outpace earnings. The Labor Department's weekly jobs report, published separately, found that the number of filings for unemployment benefits in the seven days to June 27th fell by 1,000 to 215,000. Analysts had expected 225,000 new applications. The four-week moving average fell 2,500 to 222,000, while the total number of filings, reported with a one-week lag, rose 2,000 to 1.81m.

STRATEGY

Microsoft commits 6,000 employees to new AI implementation unit

Microsoft is establishing a new subsidiary, Microsoft Frontier Co., to enhance its AI services, and is investing $2.5bn in the initiative. The move will see 6,000 employees embedded with clients to facilitate AI implementations, a strategy known as forward deployed engineering (FDE). Rodrigo Kede Lima, previously leader of Microsoft's Asia operations, will serve as president of the new division. Judson Althoff, CEO of Microsoft's commercial business, emphasized the need for tailored AI solutions. "Customers are in very different places right now, and trying to really figure out AI . . . Do they snap to one model from OpenAI or one model from Anthropic, or a family of models?" Althoff said. "Do they take it from a technology first mindset? How do they look at their existing business processes and operations?" Leading AI labs Anthropic and OpenAI both established FDE groups in May.

CNBC

REMOTE WORK

More than one-third of employees still work from home, research shows

The share of U.S. employees working from home grew in 2025 from the year before, according to a survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Last year, more than one-third (35%) of employed people did some or all work remotely, up from 33% in 2024, according to the bureau's latest American Time Use Survey. Workers with a bachelor's degree or higher were more likely to work from home, at least some of the time, and women were also more likely to work from home than their male counterparts, and spend more time on childcare and other household tasks, the data found.

CNBC

TECHNOLOGY

Baker Botts head says AI threatens rivals’ associates - but not his

Danny David, Baker Botts’ managing partner, has said the law firm will hire more associates as it bets AI will boost, not threaten, young lawyers’ careers. But he believes some other firms are exposed to lesser associate demand because of AI. “When AI reduces the hours a matter requires, a profit model built on associate volume is more exposed. Our profitability comes from specialized expertise where clients are paying for judgment on hard problems, not for hours on routine tasks,” David said. “For some firms, AI may well result in pink slips falling from the ceiling,” he added. “That will not be our experience.”

Bloomberg Law

White House accelerates plans for AI model standards

The U.S. government is in advanced talks with AI companies to create voluntary standards for the release of new models. The guidance could be announced as soon as next week.

Financial Times

LEGAL

IRS halts removal of union materials after legal challenge

The IRS has agreed to stop confiscating National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) materials from employee workstations and common areas after the union sued, alleging the agency violated workers' First Amendment rights. Under the agreement, the IRS will pause enforcement of its directive, allow employees to display union materials again, return confiscated items where possible, and provide the union with five days' notice before reinstating any similar policy.

Bloomberg Law

GovExec

ECONOMY

Rising food and fuel costs push Fourth of July cookout prices higher

Americans are expected to pay more for their Fourth of July celebrations this year as higher production, labor and transportation costs continue to drive up the prices of food and fuel. The American Farm Bureau Federation estimates the cost of a cookout for 10 people has risen 4% year-on-year, broadly in line with inflation, while Wells Fargo's Agri-Food Institute estimates barbecue costs have increased 2.4%. Beef prices remain at record highs, with ground beef and steak up 14% from a year ago due to tighter cattle supplies, higher feed and labor costs, drought conditions and supply chain disruptions. Other notable increases include pork and beans, up 13.8% as aluminum can costs rise, strawberries, and hamburger buns, up 7.7% because of increased production and distribution costs. The National Retail Federation expects consumers to spend a record average of $94.41 per person on Independence Day food this year.

Barron's

PYMNTS

INTERNATIONAL

Workers throughout Brazil demand shorter work week

Hundreds of bus drivers in Rio de Janeiro protested on Tuesday, demanding better pay, improved working conditions, and an end to the six-day workweek. Alexandre Garrido, a bus driver for 20 years, highlighted the impact of long hours on family life, saying: "You can't spend quality time or go out with your family, give attention to your children, visit relatives, or have a day like going to a restaurant to have lunch together." A proposed constitutional amendment to limit the workweek to 40 hours is currently under Senate review, and is backed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. If passed, it could significantly improve the lives of many Brazilians, particularly those in lower-income jobs. However, businesses say that reducing the workweek could increase labor costs and slow economic growth. The country's National Confederation of Industry argues the annual labor costs could increase by as much as 267 billion reais ($52bn) if the current workweek is reduced. That could slow the economy by 0.7%, the confederation says.

U.S. News

Australia considers sweeping reforms for Big Four accounting firms

The Australian government is considering major reforms to Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC, following a series of high-profile misconduct scandals, including proposals to separate audit and consulting businesses, bring firms under the oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, cap partnership sizes, and require mandatory audit firm rotation. The Treasury said the measures are aimed at restoring public trust and addressing conflicts of interest exposed by the PwC tax leaks scandal and allegations involving KPMG. The firms said they broadly welcome the consultation and support reforms that strengthen governance, transparency, auditor independence, and confidence in the profession.

Reuters

Mercedes wants its employees to work longer hours for the same salary

Mercedes Benz has told its employees that it wants them to work longer hours for the same salary. "The cost per hour must decrease – in development, sales, administration, and production . . . we should work more for ⁠the same pay in all areas," CEO Olaf Kallenius wrote in a note to the German carmaker's employees. Mercedes' works council said employees are expected to bear the burden of the company's challenges - even though responsibility does not lie with them.

Reuters

Incheon airport operator to halve employee parking permits

Incheon International Airport is to reduce employee parking permits by over 50%. The decision follows a Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport audit that revealed the issuance of an excessive number of permits and their misuse for personal purposes. All current permits will be invalidated, requiring workers to reapply under stricter criteria. The new rules will limit permits to those deemed "essential for work." The move has been slammed by airport workers and employees of the airport's subsidiaries, many of whom will be required to park much further from their workplaces than before. “If this policy is implemented, commuting times for resident staff and subsidiary workers could increase by more than an hour per day,” a union official said.

The Korea Times

OTHER

Nearly one million people worldwide became millionaires in 2025

UBS's annual Global Wealth Report reveals that personal wealth grew by 10.8% in 2025, creating nearly 1m new U.S. dollar millionaires globally. The United States accounted for almost half of new millionaires last year, adding more than 440,000 individuals, followed by China, Japan, Germany, France and the U.K., which each count more than two million millionaires in total. "The real story is one of continued expansion: more people moving up the wealth ladder," the report said. "The gains . . . point to a world that kept building wealth, deepening its affluent population and extending a long-running upward trend." Despite such growth, the report also noted a deepening wealth inequality, as median wealth declined in many countries. UBS analysed 56 markets, representing over 92% of the world's wealth, highlighting a stark divide between the richest and the broader population.

France 24

U.S. News

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