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Trump pulls nomination of E.J. Antoni to lead Bureau of Labor Statistics, AP source says

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is withdrawing the nomination of E.J. Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics, according to a White House official and an AP source who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the White House action, which has yet to be publicly announced. Antoni’s nomination, announced by the White House in August, was an attempt by Trump to gain greater control over the federal agency responsible for producing key economic data. The White House has maintained that it wants accurate figures after a series of downward revisions to the jobs report. Trump fired Erika McEntarfer as BLS commissioner on Aug. 1 after the July jobs report showed a rapid slowdown in hiring, with job gains in May and June revised much lower than initially estimated.

US job openings barely budged in August at 7.2 million

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. jobs openings were essentially unchanged million last month amid economic uncertainty arising from President Donald Trump’s trade policies and an impending government shutdown. The Labor Department reported Tuesday that job openings blipped up to 7.23 million from 7.21 million in July. Economists had forecast a drop to 7.1 million. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) showed that layoffs fell month. But so did the number of poeple quitting their jobs — which is a sign of confidence in their prospects of finding a better job. Job openings remain at healthy levels but have fallen steadily since peaking at a record 12.1 million in March 2022 as the U.S. economy roared back from COVID-19 lockdowns.

How to shop secondhand clothing sustainably and look cool doing it

More online platforms are giving secondhand shopping a digital upgrade, rolling out features like livestream shopping and AI-powered search to make thrifting faster and more exciting. And while secondhand over new is often the more sustainable option, experts say it’s not a license to overconsume. Experts say buying more than you need still fuels waste, and shopping online can add emissions from servers and shipping, thrifted or not. Experts on fashion, sustainability and secondhand shopping say consumers can still find quality pieces that last while looking cool, too.

Georgia farmers will get $531M in Hurricane Helene aid, but the deal’s not done yet

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia farmers are still waiting for aid after Hurricane Helene, even as other states finalize agreements. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Georgia officials announced $531 million for Georgia farmers on Tuesday. However, unlike South Carolina, Florida, North Carolina and Virginia, Georgia hasn’t completed an agreement on distributing the funds. Officials are still ironing out administrative details. The delays have frustrated farmers, who have faced financial stress and low crop prices. The September 2024 storm caused significant damage across several states, with Georgia’s poultry industry being a major target for additional aid.

Pfizer agrees to lower prescription drug costs for Medicaid in a deal with Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — Drugmaker Pfizer has agreed to lower drug costs under a deal struck with President Donald Trump’s administration. Trump made the announcement Tuesday with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla at the White House. Under the agreement, New York-based Pfizer will charge most-favored-nation pricing to Medicaid and guarantee the same pricing on newly launched drugs. That involves matching the lowest price offered in other developed nations. The agreement by Pfizfer builds on an executive order Trump signed in May setting a deadline for drugmakers to electively lower prices or face new limits on what the government will pay.

OpenAI’s Sora joins Meta in pushing AI-generated videos. Some are worried about a flood of ‘AI slop’

OpenAI has launched a new social media app called Sora, aiming to capture the audience of short-form video platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Released on Tuesday, the app allows users to create AI videos in various styles, from anime to realistic. Some worry these AI-generated videos could crowd out genuine human creativity and degrade the internet with a flood of what’s known as “AI slop.” The app is currently available on Apple devices in the U.S. and Canada. OpenAI says it is building in safeguards to deter doomscrolling and addiction.

FCC moves to end discounts for Wi-Fi hotspot lending and school bus connectivity

The Federal Communications Commission voted to end discounts for library and school Wi-Fi hotspot lending programs on Tuesday, drawing criticism from lawmakers and librarians who say the move will make it more difficult for people who are low-income or live in rural areas to access the internet. The 2-1 vote reverses a Biden-era expansion of the discounts that allowed schools and libraries use E-rate funds for school bus Wi-Fi and hotspots so people could go online outside of schools and libraries.