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President Donald Trump named EJ Antoni, chief economist of the conservative Heritage Foundation, to lead the Bureau of Labour Statistics after firing the former head of the agency earlier this month. Trump appointed Antoni, who has been vocal about his concerns with BLS jobs data and revisions, in a Truth Social post. The position is subject to Senate confirmation. “Our Economy is booming, and EJ will ensure that the Numbers released are HONEST and ACCURATE,” Trump wrote. Antoni would succeed Erika McEntarfer, whom Trump abruptly fired on August 1 after a BLS report showed weak job growth in July and substantial downward revisions to the prior two months. He accused her, without evidence, of manipulating the numbers for political purposes, while noting that she was appointed by former President Joe Biden. Trump’s firing of McEntarfer shocked economists across the political spectrum, who immediately came to her defence and the BLS as an institution. The agency’s work, in addition to that of other US statistical offices, has a “gold standard” reputation globally for being free of political influence — a status which many now fear is at risk. Also Read: Donald Trump says gold will not face tariffs BLS routinely revises its data in an effort to make it more accurate in the long run. But the latest revisions, which trimmed 258,000 jobs from May and June, were particularly eye-catching — marking the largest downward adjustment since the pandemic. Steve Bannon, a senior adviser to Trump in his first term and an influential voice in conservative circles, had pushed Antoni for the role, calling him “the perfect guy at the perfect time to run the BLS.” Antoni came on Bannon’s podcast shortly after the latest jobs report was released, where he was asked if there was a “MAGA Republican” in charge of BLS. Antoni responded, “No, unfortunately.” Antoni added that the absence of a Trump pick running the agency is “part of the reason why we continue to have all of these different data problems.” He contributed to the Project 2025 policy rubric, which, in part, called for maximising hiring of political appointees at the Labour Department, which oversees BLS. Initial Reaction “So far, what worries me is that the nominee and his work are not well known in the business, academic or public service communities,” said Erica Groshen, who served as BLS commissioner during the Obama administration and co-chairs an advocacy group for the agency. A candidate needs to be able to effectively interact with both Congress and senior Labour Department staff as well as show a record of understanding that trust and data integrity are “mission-critical” for BLS, among other qualifications, to garner bipartisan support, she said. Also Read: Trump says Intel CEO has ‘amazing story,’ sets cabinet talks William Beach, who Trump appointed to the role in his first term and co-chairs the Friends of BLS group with Groshen, agreed the candidate would need those characteristics, as well as others like deep expertise in economic statistics, extensive engagement with the federal statistical agencies and visibility in the statistical community. Beach said Antoni possesses “many” of those, adding he doesn’t know if anyone has them all. Antoni, who has a Ph.D. in economics, is a senior fellow at Unleash Prosperity, a group that counts Steve Forbes, Arthur Laffer and Stephen Moore among its leaders and is one of the entities regularly bringing policy ideas to Trump. “EJ will be outstanding,” Moore, also an economist at the Heritage Foundation, said in a text to Bloomberg News. “Great economist and statistician.” Jason Furman, who chaired Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, disapproved of Trump’s pick. Antoni is “completely unqualified” to lead BLS, Furman said in a post on X. “He is an extreme partisan and does not have any relevant expertise.” McEntarfer Firing Commissioners serve four-year terms, often spanning both Republican and Democratic administrations. Beach, who preceded McEntarfer, criticised her firing. He said it is “damaging” and “undermines credibility in BLS.” William Wiatrowski, who was McEntarfer’s deputy, has served as acting commissioner in the interim. Those appointed to the commissioner role typically have years of experience as economists or statisticians within the agency, government or related institutions. Effective January 2025, the pay for the role of BLS commissioner was $195,200. The latest employment report showed job growth averaged just 35,000 in the past three months, fundamentally shifting perceptions of the labour market from solid to near-stalling. The new data also called into question the Fed’s decision to keep interest rates steady at their meeting just a few days prior, following repeated pressure from Trump to lower borrowing costs. Trump said the numbers were “RIGGED” to make him and Republicans look bad. BLS said the revisions were largely a result of seasonal adjustment and incorporating more data. ‘Top to Bottom’ Review Antoni has called for a “top-to-bottom” review of all the agency’s data collection, data processing, analytics and dissemination. He also said the BLS should post even more information on its website to increase transparency. McEntarfer was confirmed as commissioner in early 2024 with bipartisan support. She arrived at the agency with over 20 years of experience in the federal government, including roles at the Census Bureau and Treasury Department. She previously served as a senior economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers under Biden. BLS is responsible for publishing some of the foremost statistics on US employment and inflation, which are used to inform an array of business and policy decisions from setting wages to adjusting Social Security benefits. It’s housed within the Labour Department but largely functions as an independent institution. Trump’s 2026 budget proposal suggested moving BLS under the Commerce Department, where other economic statistical agencies like the Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis reside. The proposal would also reduce BLS’s budget and staffing, adding to funding challenges that predate Trump but have grown more acute in his second term. Catch the latest stock market updates with CNBCTV18.com’s blog Read More

HomeMarket NewsNSDL shares in focus ahead of first quarterly earnings after listing NSDL’s peer CDSL had seen an increase of 15.3% from the March quarter for its topline, while margins too, had seen an expansion from last quarter. Shares of National Securities Depository Ltd. (NSDL) will be in focus on Tuesday, August 12, ahead of the company’s board meet to consider results for the June quarter. This will be the first earnings statement that NSDL will be releasing after becoming a public company. Shares of NSDL saw a sharp fall from the day’s high on Monday, having once made an intraday high of ₹1,425, which implied a gain of nearly 80% from the IPO price of ₹800. The stock though, ended lower, having corrected more than 12% from its intraday high. NSDL’s peer CDSL had seen an increase of 15.3% from the March quarter for its topline, while margins too, had seen an expansion from last quarter. However, the number of net accounts opened during the quarter declined by 11% and also on a year-on-year basis. Demat Custody though, had increased on a sequential basis for CDSL. With the surge that NSDL has seen since its listing, the stock has already turned more expensive in comparison to CDSL on the valuation front, while it was at a discount ahead of the listing. Shares of NSDL ended 2.1% lower on Monday at ₹1,273. Read More

HomeWorld NewsTrump says Intel CEO has ‘amazing story,’ sets cabinet talks The president’s warm remarks were a stark reversal from just four days earlier, when Trump called for Tan’s resignation and accused him of having conflicts of interest. By Bloomberg  August 12, 2025, 7:16:05 AM IST (Published) President Donald Trump said members of his Cabinet would continue discussions with Lip-Bu Tan in the coming days after meeting with the Intel Corp. chief executive officer at the White House on Monday. “The meeting was a very interesting one,” Trump said in a social media post. “His success and rise is an amazing story. Mr. Tan and my cabinet members are going to spend time together and bring suggestions to me during the next week.” Intel, in a statement, said Tan and Trump had discussed the company’s “commitment to strengthening U.S. technology and manufacturing leadership,” casting the talks as “candid and constructive.” “We appreciate the President’s strong leadership to advance these critical priorities and look forward to working closely with him and his Administration as we restore this great American company,” the statement added. The president’s warm remarks were a stark reversal from just four days earlier, when Trump called for Tan’s resignation and accused him of having conflicts of interest. Trump last week wrote in a post on Truth Social that Tan should step down as chief of the American chipmaker, describing him as “highly CONFLICTED.” The post came after Republican Senator Tom Cotton asked the chairman of Intel’s board to answer questions about Tan’s ties to China, including investments in the country’s semiconductor companies and others with connections to its military. Tan has said he has the full backing of the company’s board and had reached out to the White House to clear up what he called “misinformation” about his track record. The chipmaker’s shares jumped more than 2% in extended trading following Trump’s post on Monday. The stock declined 3.1% on Aug. 7, the day of the president’s initial remarks. Read More

In competitive markets, the pressure to land the next deal can be relentless, pushing even top-performing agents to their limits. While many agents thrive on the hustle, that same drive that leads to success can also lead to burnout. Burnout isn’t just “being tired.” It’s a state of emotional and physical exhaustion that can sap motivation, hurt client service, and drive talented agents out of the industry altogether. For team leaders, preventing burnout isn’t only about caring for people; it’s about building a sustainable, high-performing team. There are proven ways to address it. By intentionally fostering a culture that supports mental health and balance, team leaders can help agents achieve long-term success without sacrificing their well-being.  Here are practical strategies to get started. Recognize the signs of agent burnout You can’t fix what you don’t see. One of the most important responsibilities of a team leader is recognizing the early warning signs of burnout among agents. In a sales-driven environment where everyone wants to appear busy and productive, these signs can be easy to miss or even hide. Watch for common symptoms like: Emotional exhaustion or detachment from work. Declining responsiveness to clients or teammates. Missed deadlines or forgotten tasks. Irritability or increased conflict within the team. Loss of motivation or passion for the work. Regular check-ins, both formal and informal, can help you spot changes in behavior before they become crises. Encourage managers and senior agents to look out for these signs among their colleagues, creating a team-wide commitment to well-being. Normalize conversations about mental health Admitting to feeling stressed or burned out isn’t easy for many agents. The drive to stay upbeat and “always on” can make it hard to talk about challenges, even when those conversations are most needed. As a team leader, it’s important to recognize that a culture of constant hustle can make those conversations feel risky. Team leaders can set the tone by normalizing these conversations. That starts with modeling vulnerability themselves. Share your own strategies for managing stress or balancing work and life. Let agents know it’s okay to say, “I need help,” without fearing judgment or lost opportunities. Consider creating multiple channels for these conversations. For instance: One-on-one meetings where agents can share challenges privately. Group check-ins focused on well-being, not just numbers. Anonymous feedback options for those less comfortable speaking up. Build psychological safety into your culture so agents feel comfortable asking for help before burnout takes hold. Set realistic goals and expectations High-performing teams often set ambitious sales targets to stay competitive. That’s healthy until expectations become unrealistic or overly aggressive, creating a recipe for burnout. Team leaders should think carefully about how they define success. Is success purely measured by transaction volume, or does it also include service quality, client satisfaction, and agent well-being? Some tips to help balance ambition with sustainability include: Make sure goals are challenging but achievable, with clear support to reach them. Recognize and reward quality work, not just raw numbers. Avoid celebrating “always-on” behavior that encourages agents to skip breaks or work 24/7. Agents who feel pressured to sacrifice their health for performance might deliver in the short term but are much more likely to burn out or leave over time. Encourage time off and work-life balance Real estate is notorious for its “always available” mindset, where clients expect instant responses at any hour. Many agents skip vacations or personal time out of fear they’ll lose deals or let clients down. But skipping time off isn’t a badge of honor; it’s a path to exhaustion. Team leaders can actively encourage true work-life balance. A few strategies include: Create coverage systems: Pair agents or assign floating team members who can cover leads or client communication when someone is away. Encourage genuine “unplugged” vacations where agents don’t check email constantly. Model time off at the leadership level so agents see it’s not only acceptable but valued. By normalizing rest, you help agents return refreshed and ready to perform at their best. A sustainable team isn’t the one that works nonstop. It’s the one that knows when to recharge. Provide access to mental health resources Talking about mental health is a strong start. However, backing it up with resources shows true commitment. Consider options like: Partnering with local counselors or coaches who understand real estate stress. Offering or subsidizing therapy sessions. Providing wellness stipends agents can use for mental health apps, yoga classes, or stress-relief activities. Sharing vetted lists of mental health resources, hotlines, and local services. When you invest in your team’s well-being, you see real returns. Healthy agents are more productive, provide better client service, stay longer, and maintain higher levels of motivation and professionalism. Make well-being part of your team’s culture Preventing burnout isn’t about making agents “tougher” so they can handle more. It’s about creating a culture where well-being is valued, protected, and supported. As a team leader, you can create an environment where agents thrive for the long term, not just until the next commission check. By recognizing burnout and supporting mental health, setting realistic expectations, encouraging balance, and offering real resources, you can help your team achieve sustainable success. Supporting agent well-being isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s smart business. For more tips on building a high-performing, healthy real estate team, visit our Resource Center. Read More

You must never reply NurPhoto via Getty Images Republished on August 11 with a new defense against text message attacks. American smartphones are under attack from malicious text messages. This industrial scale campaign is driven by organized criminal gangs in China, well beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement. If you do succumb to an unpaid toll, DMV or Amazon refund text, your phone, your data and even your identity could be at risk. But there’s a different wave of text attacks now targeting phones, and it’s harder to detect. These messages do not pretend to come from a DMV or bank or retailer, but from someone you know. There’s no link to click. The attacker just wants you to reply. The FBI’s warning is clear. “Verify the identity of the person calling you or sending text or voice messages” before you reply.” If the text shows up on your phone with the usual contact details you’d expect, then it’s fine. The issue is where the sender is unknown. ForbesDelete All These ‘Spyware’ Apps On Your Android SmartphoneBy Zak Doffman If that’s the case, the FBI says, “before responding, research the originating number, organization, and/or person purporting to contact you. Then independently identify a phone number for the person and call to verify their authenticity.” The team at MalwareBytes has just published a useful report on these “innocent” texts that are anything but. “All the messages are carefully crafted to seem plausible—so you don’t immediately feel suspicious — and short — to trigger your curiosity.” The text may a single word, a “hey” or a “hello.” Or it might be a message that appears to either be a wrong number or a lost contact or a continuation of a thread you’ve started elsewhere. It doesn’t matter what lure is used. Once you reply, even if it’s just to inform the sender they have the wrong number then you fall into the trap. The lure could be more specific, “a doctor’s appointment, a social event, a funeral, a hospital visit, a message after a long absence,” but the objective is the same. And because these messages lack links, some of the usual red flags will not be there. The end result could be financial scam such as a crypto investment, or a romance scam where the by-chance encounter with a wrong number seems to lead to more, or that could escalate into a sextortion scam, if the exchange includes sharing images. As the FBI explains, “the scammers behind the fake wrong-number text messages are counting on you to continue the conversation. They want to exploit your friendliness. Once they’ve made a connection, they’ll work to become friends or even cultivate a remote romantic relationship.” And while “they’re posing as regular people who entered the wrong numbers on their phones,” in reality these “fake wrong-number text scams use extremely sophisticated technology to commit their crimes.” Dom not reply to any of these messages MalwareBytes The FTC reports that “losses to text scams hit $470 million” last year, including “wrong number scams that start as a seemingly misdirected message,” but which “evolve into a conversation with romantic undertones that can lead to investment and other scams.” McAfee warns “these messages may seem harmless, but they’re often the first step in long-game scams designed to steal personal data—or even life savings.” And they’re surging, with “1 in 4 Americans having received one.” At any point you “believe you are a victim of a scam,” the FBI tells phone users, “end all communication with the perpetrator” immediately and contact law enforcement. Meanwhile, a new initiative seeks to finally resolve the text scam conundrum for users: “It can be difficult sometimes to work out whether a text message that’s landed in your phone is real or from a criminal trying to steal your information or money.” Australia’s Commonwealth Bank has enhanced its Truyu identity assurance app, and will now enable users to “send a screenshot of the message to check what they should do.” Industrial-scale text message scams are as much an issue in Australia as they are in the U.S. and across most of Europe. Rather than have users collect and send details of a potential scam or rely on generic AI-fueled smartphone defenses to catch a scam in the act, this new offering enables a user to send a specific message for a one-time check. The data that will be collated by the platform will be critical in building up data on new attacks and lures. ForbesMicrosoft Sued For Killing Windows 10—All Users Must Act NowBy Zak Doffman As Truyu’s boss Melanie Hayden explains, “when you upload a suspicious text to Scam Checker, you’re not just protecting yourself. You’re also helping keep others safe by sharing valuable information that can be used to help protect them too.” MalwareBytes has its own scam defense offering. Scam Guard lets users “check scam texts, fake shipping alerts, dating and job scams, phishing links, robocalls, suspicious emails, and more — all with the simple upload of a screenshot, text, number or URL.” Making it that easy for users to check if a text is real or malicious is clearly the way forwards, and makes adhering to advice from the FBI and others much easier. Read More

Topline The FBI has deployed its agents to conduct night patrols in the nation’s capital, according to multiple reports, as President Donald Trump said that homeless people living in the nation’s capital would “have to move out, IMMEDIATELY,” ahead of a planned press conference where he will address his claims that violent crime is widespread in the nation’s capital, despite federal data indicating crime rates have fallen to historic lows. The president claimed Washington, D.C., had become “one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the world,” despite federal data indicating crime fell to historic lows. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Key Facts According to the New York Times and the Washington Post, the administration will pull 120 FBI agents, primarily from the agency’s Washington field office, from their regular duty and deploy them on night patrol duty with local law enforcement officers to tackle street crime. Citing unnamed officials, the Post reported that the FBI is also sending in agents from Philadelphia and other offices to help in D.C. and the Secret Service and the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division have also been ordered to conduct “special patrols” in the city. A White House press conference on Monday will “essentially stop violent crime” in Washington, D.C., Trump wrote on Truth Social, claiming the city had become “one of the most dangerous” in the world. Trump said the press conference would take place at 10 a.m. on Monday, and would focus on “ending the Crime, Murder, and Death in our Nation’s Capital.” “The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social accompanied by images of a few tents and refuse scattered on the side of the road and the steps of a building, adding “we will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital.” Trump said his plans in D.C. include also “beautification” efforts, and took the opportunity again to lambast the Federal Reserve for their yearslong headquarters renovation and ballooning budget of at least $2.5 billion on the project. Trump has claimed in recent months that violent crime was rampant in Washington, D.C., and has threatened to deploy the National Guard and have the city be taken over by the federal government, writing earlier this week that if “D.C. doesn’t get its act together, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the city.” Will Trump Deploy The National Guard To D.c.? Citing an unnamed U.S. official, Reuters reported that the Trump administration is “preparing to deploy hundreds of National Guard troops” in Washington, D.C. The official said Trump has yet to make a final decision, and the exact number of troops and their exact roles are still being discussed. Earlier this year, Trump deployed about 4,000 National Guardsmen to Los Angeles in response to protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. Unlike California, where Trump had to federalize the state’s National Guard troops to deploy them—despite opposition from the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom—the president already has direct control over the D.C. National Guard. On Sunday, Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington, D.C., said she was concerned that deploying the National Guard would not be the most “efficient” use of their time, adding “they’re not law enforcement officials. These are men and women who leave their families to serve our country, and that is just not their primary role—to enforce local laws.” What Do We Know About The Deployment Of Federal Agents In D.c.? The White House said in a statement that agents from some law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, immigration police and a dozen other offices were deployed early Friday. It’s not immediately clear where or how many agents were deployed, though the White House said deployment was focused on “high traffic areas and other known hotspots.” Officials will be “identified, in marked units, and highly visible.” Violent Crime Fell To A 30-Year Low In D.c. Last Year—and Rates Are Lower In 2025 Violent crime rates in Washington, D.C., dropped 35% from 2023 to 2024, marking the lowest rates recorded in more than 30 years, according to the Justice Department. According to data released Aug. 8 by the Metropolitan Police Department, violent crime rates have continued to fall in 2025, with violent crime down 26% year-over-year. The MPD said homicide rates have dropped 12% on the year so far, sex abuse by 49%, assault with a dangerous weapon by 20% and robbery by 28%. Property crime rates have also fallen, including burglary (19%), theft from vehicles (4%) and other theft crimes (6%). However, Trump continued to insist Sunday that the crime numbers keep rising. “The Mayor of D.C., Muriel Bowser, is a good person who has tried, but she has been given many chances, and the Crime Numbers get worse, and the City only gets dirtier and less attractive,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “The American Public is not going to put up with it any longer.” Why Does Trump Want A Federal Takeover Of D.c.? Trump previously called for the federal government to take control of Washington, D.C., by falsely claiming violent crime rates were rising in the city. His latest calls follow an attack on a high-ranking member of the Department of Government Efficiency, as Trump wrote on Truth Social that crime in D.C. was “out of control” and the federal government would “put criminals on notice that they’re not going to get away with it anymore.” MPD said two 15-year-old suspects were arrested and charged with unarmed carjacking, after Edward Coristine was assaulted in the early morning of Aug. 3. Bowser said that although the incident was unfortunate, crime in the city was already trending lower for the month. “We had one of the lowest crime levels in shootings in a July in recent history,” the mayor said, later adding that carjackings fell 50% after spiking in 2023, and are still falling this year. Could Trump Order A Federal Takeover

This latest twist suddenly hits Windows 10 users. Getty Images Microsoft knows “many millions of users will not buy new devices or pay for extended support” when Windows 10 goes end of life in October, a new lawsuit alleges. “These users,” it claims, “will be at a heightened risk of a cyberattack or other data security incident, a reality of which Microsoft is well aware.” The lawsuit filed in California by Lawrence Klein, the owner of two Windows 10 laptops set to become obsolete in 8 weeks, “seeks injunctive relief requiring Microsoft to continue providing support for Windows 10 without additional fees or conditions until the number of devices running the operating system falls below a reasonable threshold.” Around 45% of all Windows users are still on the soon to be obsolete version of the OS and must now act to ensure PCs are safe from attack. That number was dropping, albeit it has seen a reverse following Microsoft’s decision to offer varying support extensions. That means 700 million users will be affected come October 14. ForbesiPhone And Android Warning—Do Not Keep These Apps On Your PhoneBy Zak Doffman Klein says Microsoft decided to kill the older OS when “Windows 10 users represented more than half of the Windows operating system (OS) market share.” He also references the 240 million PCs that cannot upgrade, “forcing” users to “buy new devices capable of running Windows 11 or pay unanticipated sums for extended support.” Putting upgrade costs aside, the security risks are clear. Microsoft’s “long-term business strategy” Klein says, “will have the effect of jeopardizing data security not only of Microsoft’s customers but also of persons who may not use Microsoft’s products at all.” Windows 10 users can now extend support by paying between $30 and $60 or by for free subject to certain parameters. That support extension is available to all Windows 10 users, whether or not their PCs meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11. Arguably, a better solution would be to extend Windows 10 support for free for PCs that can’t upgrade, while mandating the upgrade for those that can. This lawsuit is the latest twist in a the windy road Windows 10 users have followed for the last year. Klein claims Microsoft’s primary intent in killing Windows 10 is “ to force its customers to purchase new devices optimized to run Microsoft’s suite of generative AI software such as Copilot, which comes bundled with Windows 11 by default.” ForbesMicrosoft’s ‘Urgent’ Windows Warning—$20 Upgrade To Save Your DataBy Zak Doffman This approach, Klein’s lawsuit says, has the “inevitable effect of decreasing trade in generative AI products of Microsoft’s competitors, increasing the barriers to entry in the generative AI market, and dampening innovation and consumer choice.” Klein wants Windows 10 to be supported until less than 10% of the Windows user base is using that version of the OS. That means more than 600 million more PCs upgrading to Windows 11. That will take some considerable time. Meanwhile, given the “heightened” risks of attack, if you intend to keep Windows 10 because you won’t or can’t upgrade, make sure you extend support before the deadline. I have approached Microsoft for any response to the lawsuit. Read More

As of July 29, there’s already been a total of 1,333 confirmed measles cases across 40 jurisdictions, according to CDC data. (Photo by Natalie Behring/Getty Images) Getty Images Childhood vaccination rates dropped even further for the 2024-2025 school year down to the lower 92% range with a record number of exemptions from vaccinations among kindergarteners, according to new data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile, this year the U.S. has already experiencing the most measles cases and outbreaks that it’s had in years with 1,333 and 29, respectively. Gee, do you think these things are somehow connected in any way? Well, the likely answer rhymes with the word “mess.” Childhood Vaccination Rates Have Fallen To The 92% Range “A mess” can describe what used to be a tidy public health situation. The newest CDC data shows that measles, mumps, rubella vaccination coverage among kindergarteners continued a downward trend. Rates have dropped from 95.2% in the 2019-2020 school year down to 92.7% in the 2023-2024 school year and even further to 92.5% this past school year. Coverage numbers for other vaccines have been going the wrong direction as well. Rates for the diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine otherwise known as the DTaP vaccine have fallen from 94.9% in 2019-2020 to 92.3% in 2023-2024 to 92.1% this past school year. Over the same time periods. the percentage of kids who got two doses of the varicella vaccine went from 94.8% to 92.3% to 92.1%. And coverage for the polio vaccine has gone from 95% to 92.7% to 92.5%. All of this has corresponded to a rise in the number of parents seeking exemptions from vaccinations for their children, going from 2.5% in the 2020-2021 schools year to 3.3% in 2023-24 to 3.6% in 2024-25. The U.S. basically had an all-time record number of such exemptions last school year with around 138,000 children getting them for at least one vaccine. And this isn’t an issue in just a few states painted a certain political color. The majority of states (36 of them) in the U.S. as well as the District of Columbia had increases in exemptions from the previous. In fact, 17 states saw exemption rates that went above 5%. And which state do you think had the highest rate of exemptions? It rhymes with “I don’t know.” Idaho had the highest rate at a whopping 15.4% 2025 Has Already Had 1,333 Confirmed Measles Cases, 29 Outbreaks Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to go back in time when it comes to the measles. Measles outbreaks were very common before the arrival of the measles vaccine in the 1960s. Then over time as vaccination coverage increased, the threat of measles decreased. Once measles vaccination rates stayed above the herd immunity threshold of 95% for years, measles became rarer and rarer. That was because with such a large percentage of the population vaccinated, the measles virus had trouble finding unprotected humans to infect and treat like a cheap motel to reproduce and spread further. Eventually, the measles virus was effectively gone baby gone from the U.S., which declared measles eliminated in 2000. How quickly people forget, though. Since 2000, persistent misinformation and disinformation about the measles vaccine have helped erode MMR vaccination rates. Over the past decade, I’ve been writing more and more about measles cases and outbreaks, like this one, in the U.S. mainly because more and more measles cases and outbreaks have been occurring. I’ve written about I wrote in Forbes in 2019 about how anti-vaxxers made that year’s World Health Organization’s list of top ten global health threats All of this brings us to this year, which has been a great year if you are the measles virus. Not so great for many humans. As of July 29, there’s already been a total of 1,333 confirmed measles cases across 40 jurisdictions, according to CDC data. Try to find the states that are not among the following that have had reported measles cases: Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming. Oh, and measles is really contagious. Like really, really contagious. Among unvaccinated people, one case can easily lead to 12 to 18 more cases. About 87% of all reported measles cases this year have been part of outbreaks. This year has also already had 29 reported outbreaks, up from 16 in all of 2024. Lack Of More Urgent Action Dropping vaccination rates and rising measles cases and outbreaks should be more than a canary in a coal mine for the U.S. It should be a freaking elephant. We’ve essentially allowed a problem that was taken care of to return and potentially make America measle-ly again. Not only that. With other vaccination rates declining as well, we could see resurgences of other infectious disease as well, including polio. Things could be reversed if prompt actions are taken to get vaccination rates back up again before the different nasty microbes can spread too far in the U.S. population. But there doesn’t seem to be an organized effort at the federal level to address these worsening problems. In fact, there are disturbing trends in the opposite direction such as the layoffs of personnel who were dedicated to help control infectious diseases, claims being made about vaccines that are unsupported by scientific evidence and cuts in funding for scientific research and public health efforts. The CDC website still has language about vaccination being simply a personal choice. But that simply is not the case. Since the percentage of people vaccinated affects the spread of viruses and other microbes, each person’s decision to get vaccinated affects everyone else’s risk of getting the disease. Therefore, having people around you not vaccinated against say the measles raises your risk of

James Litinsky, chief executive officer of MP Materials, during the Hill & Valley forum at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg © 2025 Bloomberg Finance LP In July, the Defense Department made an unusual move for a federal U.S. agency when it purchased $400 million of newly created shares, plus warrants to buy additional stock, in the rare earths miner MP Materials. As part of the deal, the DoD also signed a 10-year agreement to buy rare earth magnets from MP Materials to power its future instruments of warfare. The federal government came calling because MP Materials owns the only rare earth mine in the U.S. at its Mountain Pass site in California’s Mojave Desert, where it extracts, refines, and separates rare earth materials like neodymium and praseodymium. Those elements are essential ingredients in the magnets used by electric vehicles, drones, defense systems, robotics, wind turbines and other advanced technologies. Shares in MP Materials have risen 150% since the DoD announcement, pushing James Litinsky, founder and CEO, into the three-comma-club. The 47-year-old Las Vegas resident is worth an estimated $1.2 billion, between his 8% stake in MP Materials (worth about $1 billion as of Friday’s market close) and over $200 million in cash and outside investments, per Forbes’ estimates. Litinsky, who did not respond to Forbes’ request for comment on his wealth, is not your typical mining magnate. He studied economics at Yale and received his J.D. and M.B.A. from Northwestern University before working at investment giant Fortress Group and then founding his own hedge fund JHL Capital in 2006. His firm acquired $20.5 million worth of distressed bonds issued by Molycorp Minerals, the previous owner of the Mountain Pass site, in 2014. Three years later, during Molycorp’s bankruptcy proceedings, he turned those bonds into full ownership of the mine (which had flooded and was inactive). After getting $50 million in financing from a Chinese backer and orchestrating an 18-month cleanup effort, the newly named MP Materials began mining operations in 2018. Litinsky took the company public in 2020 through a SPAC, and its output has more than tripled since it began operations. While Trump’s tariffs and trade war wreak havoc on global supply chains and raise consumer prices in the United States, MP Materials is uniquely positioned to benefit from the chaos, especially from the escalating standoff between the U.S. and China. That’s because China dominates the global rare earths trade, processing 90% of the metals and producing 95% of high-strength magnets; the U.S. imports nearly all of its 7,000 tons annually from China. China has used U.S. reliance on its rare earth magnets as a key bargaining chip in its negotiations with Trump. Following Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs announcement in April, China began requiring foreign companies to obtain export licenses for rare earth magnets, which caused a crisis for U.S. firms: exports of the magnets to the U.S. declined 59% year-over-year in April and a whopping 93% in May, the Wall Street Journal reported. For MP Materials, the chokehold spurred a surge in domestic demand. “The sense of urgency, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Litinsky told Forbes in April. Ironically, Litinksy has relied on the Chinese to get MP Materials off the ground and sustain its business prior to Trump’s trade war. Shenghe Resources, a Chengdu-based rare earths giant that is partially owned by the Chinese government, helped finance JHL’s 2017 bid by purchasing $50 million of future rare earth concentrate produced by MP Materials. Those funds helped pay for the mine’s cleanup effort and new capital costs, in return for an 8.4% stake in the company, which Shenghe still holds. (It has no operational involvement at MP Materials and does not have a board seat). Shenghe is also its largest customer, accounting for 80% of its $204 million in revenue last year. That is changing fast: after Liberation Day and China’s retaliatory tariffs, MP Materials announced it would stop shipping its products to China and focus on other buyers. To wean off its reliance on China, MP Materials needs to continue vertically integrating. Its Mountain Pass refinery now processes around half of all ores excavated from the nearby mine, but it is still working to build out refinery capacities for the all-important neodymium-praseodymium metals that go into magnets. (The government’s $400 million investment should help on that front). Further downstream, MP Materials has built a magnet manufacturing facility in Fort Worth, Texas, which is already churning out magnets and is on track to begin full commercial production later this year. And in conjunction with the DoD deal, the company announced it will build a second U.S. magnet manufacturing facility at a yet-to-be-announced location with the help of a $1 billion bank loan. All of this costly, but even more costly for MP Materials has been the precipitous decline in rare earth prices over the past couple of years, which has hit the bottom line hard. After netting a record $290 million in 2022, MP Materials made $24 million in 2023 and lost $65 million last year. Still the company remains well positioned with $750 million of cash and cash equivalents on its balance sheet, a growing roster of U.S. customers like General Motors, and now the government’s backing amid the ever-escalating trade war. Even with its stock trading at an all time high of over $73 per share, seven out of 11 analysts have a Buy rating on the stock, while the other four have a Hold. Though Litinsky has no formal training in mining or geology, he clearly knows a good investment when he sees one. He’s turned a $20.5 million bet on distressed bonds into a $13 billion (market cap) company with strategic importance to his home country. “If you can buy a world-class asset at a discount to replacement cost at the bottom of a cycle,” he told Forbes last year, “luck finds you.” MORE FROM FORBES ForbesThe Only U.S. Rare Earth Mine

Topline The Powerball jackpot soared to $501 million after no winners were drawn Saturday, but a lucky winner will face federal and state taxes on their winnings. Winners can choose between receiving $501 million in annualized installments, or a lump sum of $229.5 million. AFP via Getty Images Key Facts No tickets were sold matching Saturday’s numbers (7, 14, 23, 24, 60, and Powerball number 14), pushing the jackpot over $500 million, now the second-biggest lottery prize of the year. A Powerball winner in the next drawing would have the option to receive the $501 million jackpot spread out in 30 payments over 29 years, or take a lump sum of $229.5 million—the more popular option. A federal withholding tax is applied to the winnings, bringing the jackpot down to $380.7 million and the cash lump sum down to $174.4 million. A 37% marginal tax rate for the highest income bracket would bring the lump sum down to $144.6 million. If winners take the full jackpot, their $16.7 million annual payments could bump them into the highest income tax bracket with a 37% marginal rate, bringing their annual payments down to about $10.5 million. Winners also have to pay state taxes on jackpots—New York levies the highest tax rate on lottery winners at 10.9%, while some states like Texas and California do not tax lottery winnings at all. What To Watch For The next drawing is scheduled for Monday night, Aug. 11 at 10:59 p.m. EDT. If no tickets are sold with the winning numbers, the next drawings take place Wednesday and Saturday. The jackpot grows every time no winner is selected. Key Background Powerball tickets start at $2. A winning ticket matches all five numbers drawn on white balls (between 1 and 69) and the Powerball number on a red ball (between 1 and 26). The odds for winning a jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, while the odds for winning the $1 million prize (matching all five numbers without the red Powerball number) are 1 in 11.6 million. Big Number $1.326 billion. That was the biggest Powerball jackpot in 2024, which was won by Cheng “Charlie” Saephan, a cancer patient in Oregon. Like most winners, Saephan chose to take the lump sum and received $422.3 million in cash. Read More