August 1, 2025

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,254 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• The Ukrainian capital of Kyiv observed an official day of mourning today following yesterday's Russian missile and drone attacks on the city that killed 31 people and injured more than 150 others. Authorities say the attacks damaged more than 100 buildings, including homes, schools, kindergartens, medical facilities, and universities. [more]
• In a brief statement yesterday, the Russian Defense Ministry said its forces had captured the city of Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine after nearly 16 months of fighting in the region. Ukrainian officials dismissed the Russian claim as disinformation. [more]

U.S. TARIFFS | President Donald Trump signed an executive order yesterday imposing new trade tariffs on 68 countries and the European Union, but postponed their implementation date for seven days to allow for updates to the tariff schedule. Countries not listed in the order will be subject to a baseline 10% tariff rate, according to the White House. [full executive order] [more]

U.S. TRADE | In an executive order signed this week, President Donald Trump suspended the de minimus exemption that, for decades, had allowed low-value parcels shipped to the United States to avoid tariffs. The order, which takes effect August 29, applies to products shipped from anywhere in the world and is expected to have significant effects on low-cost online retailers such as Etsy and Temu. [full executive order] [more]

U.S. VACCINES | CDC data released yesterday indicates that vaccination rates for U.S. kindergarten students fell during the 2024-2025 school year, with more exemptions being issued for one or more vaccines in 36 states. Researchers note that the nationwide vaccination rates for the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR) and polio vaccines fell to 92.5% for the year – below the 95% level that makes it unlikely that a single infection will spark a disease cluster or outbreak. [full CDC report] [more]

U.S. EMPLOYMENT | Analysts surveyed by data firm FactSet predict that Labor Department figures due out today will show that U.S. employers added 115,000 jobs in July – down from 147,000 in June. [more]

U.S. FEDERAL OPERATIONS | Washington, DC-based U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth this week accused the Trump administration of ignoring his orders to restore operations at the Voice of America, the U.S. government broadcasting outlet that dates back to World War II, and to explain by August 13 how it is using the $260 million Congress appropriated for VOA’s operations this year. [more]

CALIFORNIA | The Department of Defense announced yesterday that it is ending the deployment of all but 250 of the remaining National Guard troops sent to Los Angeles recently as part of immigration protest-related security measures. [more]

U.S. WHITE HOUSE | The Trump administration announced plans yesterday to build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom on the White House grounds to accommodate events with as many as 650 participants. President Donald Trump said he and other private donors will finance the nearly $200 million building project. [more]

U.S. AND CANADA | Citing what he said is a lack of progress by Canada in combating the flow of illicit drugs across the border, U.S. President Donald Trump raised the tariff rate on goods imported from Canada to 35% yesterday. The new rate takes effect today. [Trump executive order] [more]

EL SALVADOR | The governing New Ideas party of President Nayib Bukele and its allies approved constitutional changes for El Salvador yesterday that will allow indefinite presidential re-election, extend presidential terms to six years, and eliminate the second round of presidential elections in which the two top vote-getters from the first round face off. [more]

INDONESIA | Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas said yesterday that a first group of more than 1,000 inmates will be released from Indonesian prisons next week as part of President Prabowo Subianto’s wide-ranging clemency plan, under which some 44,000 inmates are expected to be eventually released. [more]

GERMANY | Amidst plans to increase NATO forces in response to perceived increased threats from Russia, the German Defense Ministry reports that the country's armed forces showed a 28% increase in recruitment in the first half of 2025, compared to the same period last year. [more]

ENTERTAINMENT | Marking the 60th anniversary of the band, original members of the Grateful Dead Bob Weir and Mickey Hart begin a three-day series of concerts in San Francisco, California, today under the name "Dead & Company." [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1975, a 35-nation summit in Finland concluded with the signing of a declaration known as the Helsinki Accords dealing with European security, human rights, and East-West contacts. [more history]