NPR News: 07-15-2026 10PM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Hurst.
What happened at Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch's Senate confirmation hearing?
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch was on Capitol Hill for a Senate confirmation hearing to be the permanent head of the Justice Department. It was a rocky hearing where he faced criticism by Republican Senator John Cornyn, who was defeated by a Trump-backed opponent in the Texas primary. Cornyn grilled Blanch about his role in creating a $1.8 billion fund for the for purported victims of Justice Department persecution. Blanche needs all the Republican votes to get his nomination out of the committee and onto the full Senate. NPR's Ryan Lucas has more.
Democrats are united in their opposition to Blanche's nomination. They say he's weaponized the department to go after President Trump's perceived enemies. They criticize his handling of the Epstein files, the firing of apolitical career employees at the Justice Department. The list really goes on and on. But for better or worse, when it comes to this confirmation, Blanche knows he really only has to worry about keeping all of the Republican senators on board.
How are Democrats and Republicans reacting to Blanch's nomination and controversies?
NPR's Ryan Lucas. At least a dozen Democrats in Maine are hoping to win their party's nomination to challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins this fall. As Kevin Miller with Maine Public Radio reports, Democrats are scrambling to replace former nominee Graham Plattner.
The list of candidates who filed papers by Wednesday's deadline includes several names familiar to Democratic voters. For instance, three of the contenders, former State Senate President Troy Jackson, Maine Secretary of State Shana Bellows, and former Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah, competed in last month's gubernatorial primary. Plattner lost the support of state and national party leaders after a former romantic partner accused him of raping her five years ago. He strongly denied the allegations but withdrew last week. The main Democratic Party is now under intense pressure from Plattner's large and mobilized base of supporters to choose a replacement with the same populist, progressive agenda.
The new nominee will be chosen on July 25th. For NPR News, I'm Kevin Miller.
Who are the candidates vying to challenge Senator Susan Collins in Maine?
Argentina is headed back to the World Cup final after beating England 2-1 in today's semifinal. NPR's Becky Sullivan has more.
The defending champs are defeat-defying escape artists. In every knockout game so far, Argentina has come face-to-face with elimination. They have gone to extra time twice and trailed late in two other games, including in this semifinal in Atlanta against England. In a tough physical game, England scored first, but that just seemed to uncork Argentina, who cranked up the intensity. As they took shot after shot late in the second half, it felt inevitable they would score, and in the 85th minute, they did. Enzo Fernandez hit a rocket in from outside the penalty area. Then soon after, his teammate, Lectaro Martinez, put Argentina ahead with a stoppage time header. Assisting on both goals, superstar Lionel Messi.
Now, Argentina is headed to the final for a possible repeat. This time, they'll face Spain, a defensive juggernaut that has allowed its opponents only one goal in the entire World Cup.
Why did Graham Plattner withdraw and how will Democrats pick a replacement?
Becky Sullivan, NPR News, Atlanta.
This is NPR News. Iran's former president is denying reports that Israel cultivated him as a possible future leader of Iran. The report was first published in The New York Times. And as Ampir Sadil Al-Shulji reports, his office called it fake news.
Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called the New York Times report an attempt to, quote, disturb public opinion in Iran.
How did Argentina beat England to reach the World Cup final and who stood out?
The report claimed that Ahmadinejad and the Mossad head met secretly in 2025 and that the CIA was later informed that it had established contact with him. The report goes on to say that Israel believed that Ahmadinejad's break with the Islamic Republic was genuine and that he could be installed as Iran's new leader. In the statement, the former Iranian president denied that he's under house arrest, contrary to what the report says. The liberal Israeli news outlet Haaretz published its own version of the same report.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–0:05
2
What happened at Acting Attorney General Todd Blanch's Senate confirmation hearing?
0:05–1:01
3
How are Democrats and Republicans reacting to Blanch's nomination and controversies?
1:01–2:02
4
Who are the candidates vying to challenge Senator Susan Collins in Maine?
2:02–2:55
5
Why did Graham Plattner withdraw and how will Democrats pick a replacement?
2:55–3:24
6
How did Argentina beat England to reach the World Cup final and who stood out?
3:24–4:22
7
What are the latest international and science headlines: Ahmadinejad report, new exoplanet, and a Seattle protest story?
4:22–5:04