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North American Edition
4th September 2026
 
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THE HOT STORY

ICE whistleblower warned of ‘unprecedented lowering of standards’

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recruited many new officers before basic vetting steps had been completed, including fingerprints, identity verification and credit checks, according to a newly released whistleblower complaint from an official who was a unit chief in ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility. “This unprecedented lowering of standards sacrifices proper risk mitigation for expediency, placing [Department of Homeland Security] at risk of infiltration and insider compromise,” the official wrote in a memo to the DHS’s Office of Inspector General dated August 2025. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice has charged an ICE officer with lying about the shooting of a Venezuelan national during the Trump administration’s crackdown in Minnesota this year, in a rare instance of the DOJ seeking to hold immigration officers accountable while conducting arrests. Authorities say Christian Castro fired his weapon through a closed door and shot Julio Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan immigrant, in the leg.
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LEGAL

Former U.S. pardon attorney sues DOJ

Elizabeth Oyer, the former U.S. pardon attorney, has filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department, claiming her termination was unlawful after she refused to recommend restoring gun rights to actor Mel Gibson. Oyer, who served in the role from 2022 to 2025, has alleged that she was pressured to overlook Gibson's history of domestic violence. “This case is about much more than what happened to me,” Oyer said, as she highlighted wider implications for public servants. The lawsuit seeks to declare her removal unlawful, reinstate her position, and restore her pay. Oyer has previously appealed her firing to the Merit Systems Protection Board, which dismissed her case.
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WORKFORCE

Jobless claims edge higher as hiring remains subdued

U.S. unemployment claims rose slightly to 206,000 in the seven days to August 29th from a revised 204,000, the Labor Department reported on Thursday, just ahead of the 205,000 expected among economists polled by the Wall Street Journal. The four-week average increased to 207,250 while continuing claims, reported with a one-week lag, rose 8,000 to just under 1.78m. Despite the uptick, claims remain within their historically low range of 200,000 to 230,000, and the unemployment rate stands at 4.1%, indicating that layoffs remain limited. The labor market is increasingly characterized by low firing and weak hiring. Economists expect August data, to be released later today, to show 65,000 jobs added, with the unemployment rate rising to 4.2%.
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ECONOMY

U.S. services activity strengthens in August as new orders accelerate

U.S. services-sector activity expanded for a 26th consecutive month in August, with the Institute for Supply Management’s services purchasing managers index rising to 55.4 from 54.1 in July. The increase exceeded economists’ expectations for the index to remain unchanged, with a reading above 50 indicating expansion. New orders strengthened considerably, with the index climbing to 60.9 from 57.2 in July, signaling robust demand. However, the employment index remained in contraction territory for a second consecutive month, suggesting that stronger overall activity has yet to translate into improved hiring.
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STRATEGY

Campbell’s to cut 13% of salaried workforce

Campbell’s has cut more than 550 jobs, around 13% of its salaried workforce, as part of a turnaround program targeting $500m of cost savings by fiscal 2030, which also includes the closure of two snack plants and a 36% reduction in its quarterly dividend to $0.25 per share.
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CYBERSECURITY

OpenAI commits $1bn to cyberdefense effort

OpenAI has said it would commit $1bn in subsidized access to its AI cybersecurity tools, training and technical ​support for organizations that protect critical services, amid growing concern over increasingly sophisticated AI-enabled cyberattacks. The "Daybreak for Frontline Defenders" program will initially focus on U.S. operators of essential ​services including water utilities, electric grid operators, and state and local ​governments. There are plans to soon expand to partner countries, OpenAI said. "In the ⁠coming months, AI-enabled cyber attacks will become far more widespread and sophisticated as models around ​the world become increasingly capable," the company said, adding: "Our goal ⁠is to use frontier AI to make the systems Americans depend on harder to attack and easier to repair."
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INTERNATIONAL

VW board backs job cuts

Volkswagen's supervisory board has approved a transformation plan that will see around 50,000 jobs being cut, in addition to a 50,000-job reduction already under way. The plan, which is the most extensive restructuring in the automaker's 89-year history, includes exploring alternatives for four plants in Emden, Zwickau, Neckarsulm and Hannover. The company said the changes are necessary amid rising global competition, shifting demand, and technological advancements. Volkswagen aims for an operating margin of 9% by 2030, up from 3.8% in H1 2026. "This is a strong signal for the future of the Volkswagen Group. We are taking responsibility for our entire workforce, for our partners and for industrial jobs worldwide," CEO Oliver Blume said. Asset manager Union Investment has warned that VW's credit rating could be cut to 'junk' status unless it cuts costs.

Airline faces strike after workers say they were forced to fly to Israel

Brussels Airlines is facing potential strike action after the ACV Puls workers' union claimed the carrier violated an agreement by compelling staff to operate flights to Israel. Workers expressed concerns over their safety and the ethical implications of flying into a conflict zone. A union representative said: "Staff have serious concerns about both their physical safety and the mental and ethical impact of these flights . . . Nevertheless, Brussels Airlines refuses to give employees the option to refuse such assignments." The airline said it had resumed operations to Tel Aviv with volunteer crews and will monitor the situation closely. The Belgian foreign ministry has warned against nonessential travel to Israel.

Nearly 10,000 New Zealand public servants to strike

Nearly 10,000 public servants in New Zealand plan to take strike action for several hours on Wednesday next week ​after negotiations over pay and working conditions failed ‌to produce an agreement. The proposed strike will involve workers at the Department of Internal Affairs, ​National Emergency Management Agency, Ministry for Ethnic ​Communities, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and ⁠Ministry of Social Development, the Public Service Association (PSA) ​said. “These public servants are facing pay offers well below inflation while working amid the devastating consequences of the government’s public service cuts,” said PSA national secretary Duane Leo. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said instead of striking, public servants should “get around the negotiating table and negotiate.”

Maternity leave cannot cost women their careers, Delhi HC says

The Delhi High Court has ruled that women returning from maternity leave must be reinstated to their previous roles without facing professional disadvantages. The court ordered an employer to pay ₹10 lakh in compensation and ₹1.5 lakh in costs to a chartered accountant who said she was demoted after her leave. Justice Sachin Datta said that the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 protects women from adverse employment actions due to pregnancy.
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OTHER

Los Angeles County pursues $38m in unpaid private jet taxes

Los Angeles County has issued hundreds of tax bills to private aircraft owners, including celebrities, billionaires, and business executives, as it seeks an estimated $38m in additional revenue from unpaid property taxes. California requires private jet owners to pay an annual 1% property tax based on where an aircraft is habitually situated. County officials have stepped up enforcement using aircraft location data to identify planes frequently based in Los Angeles that had not been properly assessed; many owners said they were unaware of their obligations and have since paid. The use of flight-tracking data by tax authorities has drawn privacy concerns and political scrutiny, although County Assessor Jeff Prang argues that it is necessary to ensure private aircraft owners pay taxes owed under California law.
 
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