NPR News: 07-29-2026 11AM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston.
Why did Senator John Cornyn cancel his meeting with AG nominee Todd Blanch?
Senator John Cornyn has canceled a planned meeting with Attorney General nominee Todd Blanch as the Texas Republican continues to withhold his support.
What is the status of Todd Blanch's Attorney General nomination and why is Cornyn's vote critical?
His vote is considered critical because Republicans cannot afford any defections on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Blanch's nomination to become Attorney General remains in limbo as negotiations continue.
How severe are the wildfires in southwestern France and what resources are being deployed?
Emergency teams are working around the clock to contain massive wildfires across southwestern France. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports the fires are being fueled by hot, dry weather and could take days to bring the largest blazes under control.
They burned through about 100,000 acres, including forests, farmland, and villages. The military's been mobilized, joining firefighters. About 5,000 people are now battling these blazes. The European Union has sent firefighting planes and helicopters to join the French Canadair planes.
NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reporting, crews across Spain are also battling a number of large wildfires that broke out one week ago today.
What is the wildfire situation in Spain and how are authorities responding to evacuations?
NPR's Miguel Macias reports the country is facing its fourth hate wave of the summer.
The fire in the region of Madrid remained stable overnight, that is as tens of thousands of neighbors are allowed to return home. However, the ongoing fire in the region of Castellón is still not under control, after burning nearly 25,000 acres and forcing the evacuation of more than 10,000 people. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the central command facilities in the region of Madrid this morning. He sent a positive message but also warned about the risks. He said there are 10 active wildfires in Spain at the moment. Sánchez asked citizens to continue to be extra careful during the ongoing heatwave, which is forecast to last until Sunday. Miguel Macías, NPR News, Seville, Spain.
Democrats may be focusing on the wrong issues as they try to understand their losses in the 2024 election. A new report shared exclusively with NPR says the party still hasn't fully reckoned with why working-class voters moved away. NPR's Tamara Keith has more.
The report, called the Left's Coalition Crisis, finds there are huge gaps between the priorities of the party's college-educated liberal base and the working-class voters it needs to win over. There's a significant disconnect on issues from abortion and climate change to resisting authoritarianism, says Joan Williams, one of the authors.
What does the new report say about Democrats losing working-class voters after 2024?
We need progressive economics. That's what the polling says. That's what the political science says. And we need to get a lot savvier about cultural issues.
It doesn't mean abandoning progressive values, she says, but understanding and respecting those of the working class. Tamara Keith, NPR News.
What other breaking international stories are covered, including Japan’s earthquake and the FCC robotics ban?
This is NPR News in Washington. Rescue crews are searching for survivors in southwestern Japan after Tuesday's powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake. The quake struck the country's southern main island, heavily damaging a shopping mall. Japan's prime minister says the death toll has risen to at least 18. China is opposing a Federal Communications Commission ban on foreign-made robots over national security risks. NPR Jennifer Pack reports Beijing says the U.S. is trying to suppress its companies.
The FCC said it would ban new imports of advanced robotics, including foreign-made humanoid robots and robot dogs. While the directive doesn't single out China, China just so happens to make more humanoid robots than the U.S. China's foreign ministry says the U.S. is overstretching the concept of national security and that protectionism does not make the U.S. more competitive. This ban does not apply to existing models previously authorized for sale or import into the U.S., Last week, the U.S. blacklisted dozens of China's research institutions to prevent unauthorized tech transfer. Jennifer Pak, NPR News, Beijing.
Attorneys general from 44 states are urging the Trump administration to rein in prediction markets, saying companies such as Kaoshi and Polymarket are violating state gambling laws.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:05
2
Why did Senator John Cornyn cancel his meeting with AG nominee Todd Blanch?
0:05–0:15
3
What is the status of Todd Blanch's Attorney General nomination and why is Cornyn's vote critical?
0:15–0:28
4
How severe are the wildfires in southwestern France and what resources are being deployed?
0:28–1:09
5
What is the wildfire situation in Spain and how are authorities responding to evacuations?
1:09–2:35
6
What does the new report say about Democrats losing working-class voters after 2024?
2:35–2:56
7
What other breaking international stories are covered, including Japan’s earthquake and the FCC robotics ban?
2:56–5:02