NPR News: 07-16-2026 12AM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder.
What issues did Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche face during his Capitol Hill confirmation hearing?
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was on Capitol Hill Wednesday facing tough questioning during his confirmation hearing, even from Republicans. Much of the scrutiny focused on a highly controversial fund that would have funneled taxpayer dollars to Trump allies who've been prosecuted for crimes. Here's NPR's Jacqueline Diaz.
The nearly $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund was created earlier this year. It was part of a settlement with Trump to end his lawsuit against the IRS over his leaked tax returns.
How was the controversial $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund described and why was it criticized?
The fund was killed after bipartisan pushback, but Blanch still faced a ton of questions on it during his hearing. Republican Senator John Cornyn pointed out that Trump has not agreed in writing to officially kill the fund and said the settlement is still technically an enforceable contract. Blanche confirmed that, but said no matter what, the fund is dead.
There's no fund. So the results of such litigation, whatever it would be, wouldn't be a revival of the fund.
What were Republican Senator John Cornyn's concerns about reviving the killed settlement fund?
But Cornyn said he is not convinced and that he's not sure he will vote to confirm Blanche. Jacqueline Diaz, NPR News.
President Trump's choice to lead the nation's intelligence agency is also on Capitol Hill for his confirmation hearing. Jay Clayton repeatedly clashed with Democrats who asked him over and over about who won the 2020 election. Clinton is a U.S. attorney in Manhattan who issued subpoenas to three New York Times journalists after they reported on security concerns about President Trump's new Air Force One. The Times has filed a court motion to quash the subpoenas. President Trump claimed Wednesday that Iran will be defeated soon.
They want to settle so badly. They don't like what we're doing. And they do want to settle. We'll find out whether or not we settle with them or we just finish it off.
Trump speaking at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, a lawyer for an Iranian-American who's been allowed to leave Iran after a year and a half. is giving him credit for her release. 53-year-old Dana Karari had been accused, but never charged, of espionage. Ukraine's tech-savvy defense minister stepping down. NPR's Joanna Kakisis reports from Kyiv on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's latest government reshuffle.
Mikhail Fedorov is 35, a reform-minded innovator. He took over the defense ministry just six months ago. Announcing his departure on social media, Fedorov listed more than 20 accomplishments, including the successful drone strike campaign against Russian logistics in occupied Crimea. Ihor Fedirko, who leads the Ukrainian Council of Defense Industry, told NPR that he is sorry to see Fedorov go.
One of the faces of the modern and technological war, it's Mikhail Fedorov.
Lawmakers from Zelensky's Servant of the People party told NPR that Fedorov was removed in part because he clashed with Ukraine's old school military chief, Oleksandr Sirski.
You're listening to NPR News. California rescuers still searching for three people missing after a boat sank Tuesday afternoon in San Francisco Bay near Alcatraz Island. The boat capsized with 20 family members and friends on board to scatter the ashes of a loved one. 16 people were rescued, but one person died after being pulled from the water. National Weather Service is warning that widespread flooding could remain a threat in the Texas Hill Country through at least Friday. Heavy downpours have been drenching the region this week. Officials say more than 40 people have been rescued from high water, with most of the rescues in Uvalde County. Nearly 60 Texas counties are under a flood watch. Argentina has advanced to the World Cup final after a stunning victory over England.
The defending champions beat England in Atlanta, Georgia, two goals to one. NPR's Jasmine Garst reports.
It was a game for the history books, with both teams playing equally hard and holding each other off until England scored during the second half in minute 55. Argentina then started attacking relentlessly and, as has been their style in recent games, staged a last-minute comeback.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:04
2
What issues did Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche face during his Capitol Hill confirmation hearing?
0:04–0:33
3
How was the controversial $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund described and why was it criticized?
0:33–0:59
4
What were Republican Senator John Cornyn's concerns about reviving the killed settlement fund?
0:59–5:04