NPR News: 08-08-2026 3AM EDT
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Why did the U.S. labor market lose 23,000 jobs in July and what could it mean for the Fed?
Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. The economy unexpectedly lost 23,000 jobs in July. The news from the Labor Department surprised analysts who were expecting a gain of 80,000 jobs. The data is raising concerns that the labor market may be cooling too quickly, and it could also give the Federal Reserve pause about raising interest rates too soon. KPMG Chief Economist Diane Swonk says it could go either way.
This doesn't take a rate hike off the table in the month of September, but it makes it much more fraught with risks now to the labor market if inflation remains persistent.
President Trump says he'll immediately appeal a lower court's decision to pause construction of his White House ballroom. Now the Supreme Court might weigh in.
What is the controversy over President Trump's White House ballroom and why is the Supreme Court involved?
NPR's Deepa Shivram has more.
Trump argues the ballroom is needed for national security. Construction has been ongoing for months already. But a federal appeals court has now ruled that the White House must pause construction until the project gets approval from Congress.
How are Nashville officials using eminent domain to block a new data‑center near the zoo?
Trump calls the decision unjust and says the Supreme Court should overturn the ruling entirely. Trump has repeatedly said taxpayers won't foot the bill for the ballroom. But reporting from The Washington Post says the project is being funded by more than $300 million in taxpayer money. Polling indicates the ballroom and several of Trump's other construction projects in Washington are deeply unpopular among voters. Deepa Shivaram, NPR News, the White House.
As the rise of AI drives the growth of new data centers, some places have used eminent domain, which is the power of the government to seize private property for public use, to build necessary infrastructure. But as Cynthia Abrams from member station WPLN reports, in Nashville, city leaders are trying to use eminent domain to block a new data center.
The proposed facility is located near the Nashville Zoo and has drawn broad community pushback.
What did Wall Street react to the unexpected job cuts and how did major indexes perform?
More than half a million people have signed a petition in opposition. City leaders have enacted a temporary moratorium on data centers, but it won't block the zoo-adjacent facility. Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell has criticized the developer.
They ignored encouragement to go engage with the zoo and community.
So Nashville is now trying to prove its need of the $37 million plot of land through eminent domain. The city council has greenlit the attempt, but Nashville will now have to go through the courts. If successful, it could then purchase the land. For NPR News, I'm Cynthia Abrams in Nashville.
On Wall Street, stocks rose Friday and Treasury yields fell after the government reported that employers unexpectedly cut 23,000 jobs last month. The S&P 500 finished the day up more than six-tenths of a percent, and that beat the record high.
Which three countries signed a new defense treaty and what are the regional security implications?
It said on Tuesday the Dow was up three-tenths. NASDAQ posted 1.3 percent. This is NPR News. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have signed a defense treaty that treats an attack on one of the countries as an attack on all three. Officials say the deal will solidify cooperation between the three regional powers during a time of growing security concerns. The agreement was signed in the Saudi holy city of Mecca. Iran was quick to criticize the deal, saying it would not bring security to Saudi Arabia, which has faced recent attacks from Iran. A study on pumas in Washington state shows the large cats, also called cougars and mountain lions, may make roadways safer for drivers.
How are Washington state pumas reducing deer‑vehicle collisions and why does it matter for wildlife management?
NPR's Burleigh McCoy reports.
Researchers combined data from more than 500 wildlife cameras around the Olympic Peninsula. They also looked at the number of vehicle wildlife collisions and found where pumas were most active, there were 76% fewer vehicle collisions with deer compared to areas with the least amount of puma activity. Justin Sirachi at Conservation Science Partners says the pumas are likely changing deer behavior. They're actually spending less of their time near roads. Which he thinks is so deer can avoid the open space that roads provide, which are ideal hunting grounds for ambush predators like pumas.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
Why did the U.S. labor market lose 23,000 jobs in July and what could it mean for the Fed?
0:01–0:48
2
What is the controversy over President Trump's White House ballroom and why is the Supreme Court involved?
0:48–1:05
3
How are Nashville officials using eminent domain to block a new data‑center near the zoo?
1:05–1:58
4
What did Wall Street react to the unexpected job cuts and how did major indexes perform?
1:58–2:51
5
Which three countries signed a new defense treaty and what are the regional security implications?
2:51–3:33
6
How are Washington state pumas reducing deer‑vehicle collisions and why does it matter for wildlife management?
3:33–5:04