Category: 4-FrequentNewsStreams

Consumer spending was up pretty significantly for more expensive items last month — things like cars and furniture. All that big-ticket buying comes despite a softening labor market and broader economic uncertainty. We'll parse the data a bit more. Also on the program: we'll hear what we can expect from homebuilder confidence and learn how the startup world is grappling with tariffs and the cancellation of government grants and contracts.

From the BBC World Service: A court in Australia has handed the airline Qantas a record fine — just under $59 million USD — for illegally laying off 1,800 ground staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. And later, could plans for sweeping tax cuts on consumer goods boost India’s economy in the face of U.S. tariffs? Plus, the root vegetable cassava is one of the world's most versatile crops. We'll hear more about Nigeria's cassava market.

Esports is a multi-billion dollar industry, with players making millions by getting good at video games. But while traditional athletes, usually, retire into coaching, managing or being a pundit, what does an esports player do when they’ve hung up their controller? The BBC’s Will Chalk files this report from the U.K.

When Zelenskyy returns to the Oval Office on Monday, at least a half-dozen European leaders will join him in a high-profile display of unity. After meeting with Putin on Friday, Trump aligned himself with Russian positions, triggering fears that Ukraine could be pressured to accept Moscow’s terms. John Yang speaks with William Taylor, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, for more on what to expect. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine are shifting next week to the White House, where Trump will meet with Ukraine’s Zelenskyy. Their talks come as Trump aligns himself with Putin, dropping his demand for a ceasefire and backing a comprehensive peace deal hours after meeting with Russia’s president in Alaska. John Yang speaks with security expert Andrea Kendall-Taylor for analysis. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Alaska on Friday for talks on the Ukraine war. After meeting for about two and a half hours, the two presidents appeared briefly before the press to read statements and both left a short time later. Nick Schifrin was there for the summit and reports from Anchorage. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

For a recap of the summit between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Geoff Bennett spoke with Andrew Weiss. He's a former State Department official who served in the George H.W. Bush and Clinton administrations, and is currently serving as vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Trump welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. It was the first time Putin had set foot in the U.S. in a decade. The talks centered on reaching a ceasefire nearly four years after Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions. Nick Schifrin reports from Anchorage. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Recent data show moderate retail sales growth in July — a positive sign for our economy? On the flip side, consumer sentiment fell in an early-August survey. In this episode, why gloomy shoppers are still gonna shop. Plus: How NEA grant cuts are affecting nonprofit arts organizations, why a wealth tax might be unconstitutional, and when did Putin visit a New York City gas station?

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement has plans to nearly double the number of its immigration detention centers by the end of the year. The agency has an enormous budget to carry out its agenda, but can it find enough workers to do the job? We’ll get into it. And, we’ll play a round of Half Full/Half Empty!

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• "ICE documents reveal plan to double immigrant detention space this year" from The Washington Post
• "ICE Has Tons of Cash, But Is Struggling to Hire Enough Agents" from Time
• "Secretary Noem Unveils No Age Limit for Patriotic Americans to Join ICE Law Enforcement to Help Remove Worst of the Worst from U.S." from the Department of Homeland Security 
• "Spike in Corruption Followed Last Hiring Surge at CBP and ICE" from American Immigration Council
• "Adjustable-rate mortgages make a comeback" from Marketplace
• "The White House makes a play for Intel" from Marketplace
• "Work weeks are getting more intense for AI startups" from Marketplace
• "LA 2028 Olympics to sell venue naming rights" from Axios

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