Good morning! The weekend edition is 608 words, a 3-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Middle East defense pact

• Sports equipment library

• Sidewalk repair robot

First-time reader? Sign up here!

Today’s Big Story

The Show Ballroom Mustn't Go On

• A federal appeals court ruled that President Donald Trump must halt construction of a $400 million White House ballroom, finding that Congress—not the president—must authorize major structural changes to the White House. The 2-1 decision leaves a temporary pause in place while the administration appeals to the Supreme Court.

• The Trump administration argues congressional approval is unnecessary because the ballroom is being financed with private donations and includes security upgrades such as underground bunkers and medical facilities. Preservationists who sued over the project counter that federal law gives Congress authority over major White House construction regardless of how it is funded.

• The project is already well underway. The East Wing was demolished last year, and courts have allowed underground construction on security facilities to continue, but Friday's ruling blocks aboveground work on the planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom.

Saturday’s Quick Hits

• The U.S. economy lost 23,000 jobs in July, well below expectations for a gain of 95,000, while payrolls in previous months were revised down by a combined 103,000. The unemployment rate edged down to 4.1%, though economists said the decline reflected slower labor force growth rather than stronger hiring. (More)

• Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir by storage capacity, fell to its lowest recorded water level, dropping below the previous record set in 2022. Prolonged drought and poor winter snowpack have reduced Colorado River flows, while nearby Lake Powell is also approaching record-low levels. (More)

• Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a mutual defense pact pledging to treat an attack on one as an attack on all, as regional tensions remained high. The agreement came as Iran-backed Houthi rebels escalated attacks in Yemen and launched strikes that wounded civilians in southern Saudi Arabia. (More)

• A New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay an additional $567 million to address harms to young people on Facebook and Instagram, bringing the company's total liability in the case to $942 million. The ruling also requires Meta to implement new child safety measures, though the company plans to appeal. (More)

• A 14-year-old gunman killed six people, including three students and three teachers, at a high school in Thailand after allegedly fatally shooting his grandparents, authorities said. More than 20 others were wounded before the suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot, police said. (More)

• The Senate passed a bipartisan bill imposing new sanctions on Russia and Iran, targeting major buyers of Russian oil and gas while expanding penalties on Russian officials and Iranian energy and weapons sectors. The legislation, renamed in honor of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, now heads to the House. (More)

Weekly Dose of Positive

• Watch: A Eurasian lynx rescued from war-torn Ukraine and illegal captivity walked on grass for the first time after reaching her permanent home at a British sanctuary. (More)

• A new Oakland lending library lets families borrow free sports equipment and games, aiming to reduce barriers that keep children from participating in recreational activities. (More)

• Virginia employers must now include good-faith salary ranges in job postings and cannot ask applicants about previous pay under a new state employment law. (More)

• Grady-White Boats' former CEO rejected buyout offers worth hundreds of millions, placing the company into a trust that will direct future profits to charitable causes. (More)

Extra Credit

Internet search company creates sunglasses that do nothing.

A 97-year-old wing walker breaks her own world record.

Visualizing the price of happiness around the world.

A little robot is repairing Texas’ sidewalks.