Marketplace All-in-One - On track for a layoffs record
The U.S. is on track for the largest number of announced layoffs since 2020. Yay us! (Kidding.) We can thank a combination of federal cuts and their ripple effects, an uncertain trade environment, and AI experimentation. After that, Jenny Han of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” tells Kai about her career journey from nanny and school librarian to novelist and Amazon Prime showrunner. Plus: recession indicators, a federally-backed lithium mine and industrial outdoor storage.
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In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons - Meet The Chicagoans Teaching English To Immigrant Neighbors
Marketplace All-in-One - Another budget breakdown. Why are we like this?
Messy fights over funding the federal government have become all too familiar in American politics. Why are we like this? On the show today, The Brookings Institution’s Molly Reynolds joins Kimberly to explain how shutdowns became Congress’ political weapon of choice and why the federal budget process has gotten even more complicated under the Trump administration. Plus, we hear from you, our dear listeners.
Here’s everything we talked about today:
- "Congress has long struggled to pass spending bills on time" from Pew Research Center
- "Government shutdown continues as Senate Democrats hold firm on health care demands" from AP News
- "How John Thune sees the shutdown ending" from Politico
"What are Democrats' demands in the government shutdown fight?" from Marketplace
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Marketplace All-in-One - First came the shutdown, next the layoffs
Federal worker layoffs are near, according to Trump administration officials. Earlier this week, the president said he would use the government shutdown to target "Democrat things." And a shutdown with layoffs may have more serious economic consequences than your average shutdown. For more on that we turn to Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG. Also on today's show: China launches a new visa to attract more international STEM talent.
Marketplace All-in-One - As the labor market cools, job scams heat up
Unemployment remains relatively low, but the labor market is slowing down. Private payroll company ADP estimates the private sector lost 32,000 jobs last month. Hiring has slowed, and it's taking longer for jobseekers to find work. And where there are people with anxiety and fear, there are scammers to prey on them. The Federal Trade Commission says reports of job scams tripled over the past four years. But first, why the Trump administration is sending memos to universities and what Democrats are demanding to reopen the government.
Marketplace All-in-One - Europe plans to build a high-tech ‘drone wall’
From the BBC World Service: Some European Union countries have backed plans for the new defense system to keep out unmanned aircraft from Russia. But how will it work, and what's the price tag? In France hundreds of thousands of workers have walked out over looming budget cuts and pension reforms. Today marks the 75th anniversary of The Turing Test, to tell the difference between a human and a machine. And we hear how Chilean businesses are adapting — or not — to an ageing workforce.
Marketplace All-in-One - VCs are investing in LA’s defense tech startups
So far this year, LA defense tech companies have raised $4 billion in funding — more than double last year's haul, according to Los Angeles Times tech reporter Queenie Wong. She told Marketplace’s Nova Safo that venture capital firms are increasingly embracing military-focused tech.
