NPR News: 08-04-2026 1PM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lindy Kenyon.
What is the latest on Todd Blatch's Senate nomination and why did Republicans change their votes?
A Senate committee has advanced the nomination of Acting Attorney General Todd Blatch to be confirmed to the role. NPR's Claudia Grisales reports the 12-10 vote along party lines comes as two key Republicans lifted their objections.
Republican Senators Tom Tillis of North Carolina and John Cornyn of Texas voted to advance Blanche's nomination after the acting Attorney General rescinded a $1.8 billion fund dubbed the Anti-Weaponization Fund. Ahead of the vote, Tillis said he was satisfied with Blanche's rescindment that was put in writing.
I called the payout pot for punks. It made no sense to me, and I thought it was an insult to the police officers and the people that defended us on January the 6th.
How did Tillis and Cornyn describe concerns about the 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' and its rescindment?
It's done.
Tillis and Cornyn, both in their final terms, held up the nomination until Blanche addressed their concerns of the fund and other provisions tied to a government settlement deal for President Trump. Blanche's nomination now heads to the full Senate floor. Claudia DeSales, NPR News.
In Spokane, Washington, three out-of-control wildfires are threatening thousands of homes. NPR's Kirk Siegler says fighting the fire is complicated in this city built out into pine forests.
Which wildfires are threatening Spokane and what makes urban fire spread so rapid?
Urban wildfires like we've seen lately, like these, like Los Angeles, like in California, you really just can't stop them once they're going from house to house. You know, the structures create the fuel for rapid spread alongside all the trees and the brush. Now, one lucky thing I would say quickly is that the elite federal firefighting crews, some of them, including the incident commander, only had to travel from Oregon, where more than a million acres has burned so far, and they arrived in just a few hours.
The extremely dry conditions and high temperatures combined with a warm winter have made fire conditions especially treacherous. The Saudi oil company Aramco is announcing a major boost in earnings despite escalations in the Middle East in the war with Iran. NPR's Hadil Alshalji reports.
Saudi Arabia's oil company Aramco said it earned a profit of $33.4 billion in adjusted net income in April through June. That's up from $25.2 billion in the same quarter last year. It's one of Aramco's largest quarterly profits in almost four years. Many oil companies have benefited from the war with Iran as it has driven energy prices up. Aramco had to find alternative ways to route its oil shipments as the war affected the Strait of Hormuz.
How did Aramco report its quarterly profits and what role did Middle East tensions play?
It used pipelines on the Red Sea and exported millions of barrels of oil a day. But now the Red Sea route is at risk as Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis declared a blockade on Saudi ships. Hadil Al-Shalchi, NPR News, Istanbul.
Both the Dow Jones and the S&P have hit record highs as stocks rallied after Treasury Secretary Scott Besant said there could be a deal regarding the Strait of Hormuz by later in the day or tomorrow. The Dow is up more than 1,000 points. You're listening to NPR. Planning on going to the movies? You'll have some great picks to choose from. Hollywood's summer blockbusters seem to be on track to bust some records this season. NPR's Bob Mondello has the details.
With Spider-Man brand new day for superhero fans. Michael for the music crowd. Odyssey for folks who like epics.
Why are stocks hitting record highs and what comments did Treasury officials make about the Strait of Hormuz?
Devil Wears Prada 2 for fashionistas. Toy Story 5 for kids. We're gonna Hollywood seems to have something for everyone this summer, which has theater owners cheering, a season poised to top the $4 billion Barbenheimer summer of 2023. Hi Barbie! Hi Ken! And since hot weather almost always accounts for 40% of the film industry's annual revenues,
What consumer and lifestyle headlines should parents and moviegoers know this summer?
Analysts are increasingly optimistic that movie theaters may finally be getting back to the $10 and $11 billion years they enjoyed before streaming services caught on during the pandemic. Bob Mandello, NPR News.
Here's something to think about if you're getting ready to send kids back to school. The American Academy of Pediatrics says those backpacks kids are carrying may be too heavy for them.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–0:05
2
What is the latest on Todd Blatch's Senate nomination and why did Republicans change their votes?
0:05–0:47
3
How did Tillis and Cornyn describe concerns about the 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' and its rescindment?
0:47–1:17
4
Which wildfires are threatening Spokane and what makes urban fire spread so rapid?
1:17–2:29
5
How did Aramco report its quarterly profits and what role did Middle East tensions play?
2:29–3:23
6
Why are stocks hitting record highs and what comments did Treasury officials make about the Strait of Hormuz?
3:23–3:45
7
What consumer and lifestyle headlines should parents and moviegoers know this summer?
3:45–5:04