NPR News: 06-08-2026 6PM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton.
What is President Trump's nomination of Todd Blanche for Attorney General about?
President Trump has officially nominated Todd Blanche to serve as Attorney General, NPR's Ryan Lucas reports.
Todd Blanche previously served as President Trump's personal attorney, defending him against criminal prosecutions. After Trump returned to the White House, he tapped Blanche for the number two post at the Justice Department. Blanche then stepped into the top job on an acting basis after Trump pushed out his first Attorney General, Pam Bondi, in April. Since Blanche took over, The Justice Department has aggressively pursued the president's agenda, including prosecutions of Trump's perceived enemies. Blanche also has signed papers that would shield Trump, his family and companies from IRS tax audits. Blanche's recent work has won praise from Trump. but could complicate his road to confirmation in the Senate.
Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.
A federal judge in Massachusetts has ruled that President Trump's $100,000 fee for highly skilled worker visas is unlawful. 20 states sued over the policy saying it would impede their ability to hire teachers and medical workers. The judge ruled that the change intruded on Congress's powers and that the administration had no authority to impose the fee. Final results are in from parliamentary elections in the former Soviet Republic of Armenia. The vote was the latest test of Russia's influence in the region, as NPR's Charles Maines reports.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's ruling Civil Contract Party took just under 50% of all votes, with the pro-Russian bloc placing a distant second. The result is an endorsement of Pashinyan's recent pro-Western policies, including ambitions to join the European Union and expand ties with the U.S. As the region's traditional power broker, Russia has expressed displeasure over Armenia's drift. imposing bans on key exports and threatening future access to cheap Russian gas. And Pashinyan has other troubles. His party fell far short of a supermajority. That will complicate efforts to push through constitutional changes needed to ratify a U.S.-backed peace deal with longtime rival Azerbaijan and open up trade to the region.
Charles Mainz, NPR News, Moscow.
In Los Angeles today, the man accused of setting what became known last year as the Palisades Fire goes on trial. First on the agenda is jury selection. Steve Futterman reports.
Jonathan Rinderknecht is charged with intentionally starting a different fire, the Lachman Fire, just past midnight on January 1st last year. Prosecutors say the Lachman Fire then smoldered underground for a week before resurfacing and exploding into the Palisades Fire. Defense Attorney Steve Haney says his client is not guilty. He says the Lachman Fire was started by errant fireworks.
Jonathan did not start the fire on January 1st. We believe strongly it was started by a firework.
The Palisades fire led to the death of a dozen people. Nearly 7,000 structures were destroyed. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Los Angeles.
This is NPR News. Pope Leo met with six survivors of clergy sexual abuse in Madrid and vowed to consider how the Catholic Church can improve its response to the crisis. Spain's Catholic hierarchy has only recently begun reckoning with its legacy of abuse and cover-up after long dismissing the severity of the scandal. There's a boom in interest in vibration devices to help boost bone health at a time when millions of Americans have low bone density and muscle mass. NPR's Alison Aubrey reports there's a lot of hype on social media.
Vibration plates have gained popularity as a way to mimic some of the effects of exercise. The low-intensity vibrations produce mechanical signals that lead to some of the same effects that happen when our muscles contract. The devices are marketed as helping everything from lymphatic drainage to muscle strength, but the evidence is limited. The FDA has only approved one vibration device, a belt, to help slow the loss of bone strength in women with osteopenia.
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