NPR News: 08-08-2026 5AM EDT
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How did the Senate confirm Todd Blanche as Attorney General and who opposed him?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. In an early morning vote, the Senate has confirmed President Trump's nomination of Todd Blanche to serve as Attorney General. His confirmation appeared assured after Republican Senator Bill Cassidy announced his support for him on Friday. Two Republicans, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, voted against his nomination. Демократ have questioned whether Blanche, Trump's former personal attorney, can lead the Justice Department independently. The Senate has also voted to approve new sanctions aimed at cutting the revenue that Russia uses to fund its war in Ukraine.
The Years are eighty six.
The nays are eleven the measure targets Russian leaders, banks, energy projects, and Moscow's so-called shadow fleet of oil tankers. It also allows President Trump to impose tariffs of up to one hundred percent on major buyers of Russian energy. Сенатор Richard Blumenthal praised the bipartisan ефер.
What are the new sanctions on Russia and how might they affect Russian energy exports?
I want to particularly thank Senator Lindsey Graham and his courageous. effective sister darlene for Their immensely important, even historic, contribution to this bill.
The legislation now heads to the House. A federal appeals court is ordering the Trump administration to stop construction of its four hundred million dollar White House ballroom, NPR's Rachel Treesman reports.
A three judge panel Friday ruled that building a White House ballroom is a question for Congress, not, quote, a matter for executive self-help. That's a win for the historic preservation nonprofit that sued the administration back in December, after it demolished the east wing of the White House to build a $400 million ballroom. The ruling halts further above ground construction, but does not take effect for two weeks to give the Trump administration time to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. President Trump immediately said that it will. Rachel Treaty.
Why did a federal appeals court halt construction of the White House ballroom?
Freezeman NPR News the stock market soared this week even as the job market showed signs of weakness. NPR Scott Horsley reports investors shrugged off news that U.S. employers cut more than 20,000 jobs last month.
Investors focused their attention on strong corporate earnings reports and renewed hopes that a diplomatic deal can be reached to end the war with Iran. Retail gasoline prices have been falling in recent days, although they're still more than a dollar a gallon higher than they were when the war began. Higher energy prices have been a drag on the economy, causing restaurants and retailers to cut jobs last month. Revised figures also show hiring in May and June was weaker than had been reported. Investors hope the lackluster jobs report will make the Federal Reserve less likely to raise interest rates next month. For the week the Dow rose three percent, the S P five hundred index climbed more than three and a half percent, and the Tech Heavy Nasdaq jumped more than five percent.
Scott Horsley, MPR News, Washington.
How are recent U.S. jobs data and corporate earnings influencing the stock market?
This is NPR. Wildfires are now burning across Serbia following weeks of destructive fires in France and Spain. One blaze is threatening a nature reserve about forty miles from Belgrade. Prolonged dry weather and temperatures reaching one hundred four degrees have fueled the fires across the region. Spain is implementing border controls for all travelers arriving from Italy. It comes during a rare fight between the two European Union and NATO member states over the issue of immigration. It was triggered by last week's sudden mass influx of migrants from Morocco into the tiny Spanish territory of Ceyuta, the BBC's Charles Havilin reports.
Madrid was not happy with Italy's hard line response to the breaching of Ceyuta's borders last week. Even though Ceyuta isn't part of the Schengen open border system, Rome promptly imposed border restrictions on third country travelers from Spain, saying these would remain until it was sure there were no security or terrorism risks to Italy. Spain has now retaliated and has gone further.
What is the impact of wildfires in Serbia and the EU‑Italy border dispute over migrants?
For one month it's introduced border checks not just on the
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
How did the Senate confirm Todd Blanche as Attorney General and who opposed him?
0:00–1:01
2
What are the new sanctions on Russia and how might they affect Russian energy exports?
1:01–2:01
3
Why did a federal appeals court halt construction of the White House ballroom?
2:01–2:57
4
How are recent U.S. jobs data and corporate earnings influencing the stock market?
2:57–4:04
5
What is the impact of wildfires in Serbia and the EU‑Italy border dispute over migrants?
4:04–4:57