NPR News: 08-17-2026 1AM EDT
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Why did Attorney General Todd Blanche refuse to pledge an independent Justice Department?
Live from NPR News in New York City, I'm Duahli Saikautau. Newly confirmed U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche refused to commit to a Justice Department wholly independent from the White House. NPR's Jacqueline Diaz reports he was asked to make this pledge on NBC's Meet the Press.
After the scandal of Watergate, it was standard that the DOJ and the White House were kept completely separate, even though the president would nominate an attorney general. The DOJ handled its own affairs and prosecuted cases without input from the president. Blanche refused to pledge an independent DOJ when asked by Meet the Press host Kristen Welker.
No, I'm not going to pledge that, and no attorney general should ever pledge that.
Blanche's comments were made just days after a close confirmation vote.
How are the Democrats reshaping the 2028 primary calendar and why does it matter?
He replaced Pam Bondi. who Trump fired after Bondi was seen as having not moved fast enough to prosecute his opponents, including former FBI Director James Comey. Jacqueline Diaz, NPR News.
The Democratic Party has approved a new roadmap for choosing its next presidential nominee. The changes reshape the opening stretch of the 2028 primary and break with decades of tradition, As in-person, Mara Liason reports.
For the 2028 presidential elections, the Democrats' calendar will no longer begin with primaries or caucuses in Iowa and New Hampshire, two small rural white states. Instead, it will begin with South Carolina and then Nevada. Democrats say because those states are more diverse, Black and Hispanic voters will represent the Democratic Party more fully and help the party nominate candidates more able to win a general election.
What are the key storylines in Brazil's upcoming presidential election?
After South Carolina and Nevada, the Democrats have slotted New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, and then Virginia. Mara Liason, NPR News.
In Latin America's largest economy, presidential candidates today rallied supporters on the first official day of campaigning before Brazil's October 4th primary. The two top candidates are almost a repeat of the divisive election four years ago, except the challenger is the son of Brazil's far-right party's leader, currently under house detention. NPR's Kerry Khan
reports.
Flavio
Bolsonaro greeted supporters along Copacabana's iconic beach.
With
total humility, I accept the mission. President Bolsonaro passed to me, he said, referring to his father, the former far-right president, convicted of plotting a coup to overturn his electoral loss four years ago. The younger Bolsonaro pledges to crack down on crime, a top issue for voters.
What is the latest update on the deadly 7.7‑magnitude earthquake in eastern Indonesia?
Leftist president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva campaigned in his stronghold of Sao Paulo state. The 80-year-old touted his standing up to President Trump's harsh rhetoric and high tariffs. Carrie Conn, NPR News, Rio de Janeiro.
You're listening to NPR from New York City. In eastern Indonesia, rescue teams continue to search for survivors of Saturday's magnitude 7.7 earthquake. It struck off the island of Flores early morning while many were still sleeping. Scientists and disaster management officials say nearly 1,000 aftershocks have been reported so far. Today, rescuers found more bodies in the regencies of Sika, Mangarai and East Mangarai, increasing the death toll to at least 53. There are still isolated villages that are inaccessible because of landslides or mudslides.
Which movies are breaking box‑office records in 2026 and why are they significant?
Local authorities said more than 1,300 homes were damaged, along with health care facilities, schools and government offices. Hollywood is setting some fresh box office milestones, and Perez Bob Mondello has details.
In just 17 days in theaters, Spider-Man Brand New Day has joined the very exclusive $2 billion club. I am
totally out
of control. It is the eighth film in history to have reached that number in worldwide ticket sales. The Odyssey, meanwhile, has become filmmaker Christopher Nolan's biggest box office hit at almost $1.3 billion worldwide, and Toy Story 5 has passed all previous Toy Stories to take in just over $1.1 billion. Combined with the Michael Jackson biopic Michael and the animated Super Mario Galaxy movie, that means that even before Avengers Doomsday and Dune 3 arrive in December...
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
Why did Attorney General Todd Blanche refuse to pledge an independent Justice Department?
0:00–0:47
2
How are the Democrats reshaping the 2028 primary calendar and why does it matter?
0:47–1:39
3
What are the key storylines in Brazil's upcoming presidential election?
1:39–2:39
4
What is the latest update on the deadly 7.7‑magnitude earthquake in eastern Indonesia?
2:39–3:34
5
Which movies are breaking box‑office records in 2026 and why are they significant?
3:34–4:37
6
What topics does NPR’s 1A podcast cover in its “If You Can Keep It” series?
4:37–5:04