Life from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst.
Iran today issued a dramatic new demand around the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
“Amongst says talks with Iran to manage the Strait are continuing.”
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates says that Iranian missile targeted one of its ships that is owned by Abu Dhabi's state-run ad-noch oil company, no casualties were reported, and Yemen attacked the country's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in response to the strikes escalating tensions and threatening to re-ignite the Civil War. Earlier today, the Senate confirmed President Trump's controversial nominee for U.S.
Attorney General Todd Blanch, who was previously Trump's personal attorney, which caused concerns on both sides of the aisle. And here's Barbara Sprunt has more. And this became a big concern for Democrats that his personal relationship with the President would color the way that he approaches the job.
Another issue he faced was the so-called anti-weaponization fund, which is the nearly $2 billion
fund that was created as part of a settlement with President Trump to end his lawsuit against the IRS over his leaked tax returns. Senators on both sides of the aisle had concerns about this fund.
“Many thought it would be a way for January 6 to defendants to get a payday.”
In response to that pushback, Blanch told Senators the fund was next. And in the lead up to this vote, he was spending a lot of time on the Hill trying to gain support from key senators. And here's Barbara Sprunt reporting. A growing number of states are considering stricter rules for social media influencers
who are paid to promote candidates. And here's Windsor Johnson reports the issue is taking on new urgency as campaigns are
quoting popular online creators in the lead-up to the elections in the fall.
Texas now requires online creators to disclose when they are paid to post political content and lawmakers in New York are considering a similar rule. California already requires disclosure and the bill before the state legislature would allow fines of up to $5,000 per violation. The issue recently surfaced in Michigan where influencers on social media were reportedly
offered money to promote democratic primary senate candidate Hayley Stevens
“without clearly disclosing the payments.”
Stevens campaign denied any involvement. The controversy highlights the growing role of paid influencers as campaigns try to reach voters ahead of the midterm elections. Windsor Johnson and PR news, Washington. The Senate overnight passed a short-term measure to keep federal agencies funded
into early December and avoid a government shutdown during campaign season. The Senate's passage shows lawmakers are still smarting from the two historic shutdowns that happened this past year. The bill generally funds the federal government at current levels through December 11, but it includes a variety of funding exceptions that the senators
negotiated with the White House. You're listening to NPR news from Washington. Thousands of people in central British Columbia are fleeing a fast-moving wildfire. It's just one of dozens of wildfires spreading across the province. A state of emergency has been issued and is staying carpentruck reports officials
in the district of Summerland have also declared an emergency. The evacuation order covers the entire district. Officials say that bald range wildfire exploded in size over the past 24 hours and now poses a significant threat to the health safety and welfare of the more than 12,000 people who live there.
The region's emergency information officer says it has become one of the quickest moving and fastest growing fires experienced in the area. Recent surveys suggest the fires in British Columbia, the Northwest, and in Northern Ontario have sparked a sharp rise in Canadians' concerns about climate change. For NPR News, I'm Dan Carpindcheck in Toronto.
Former President Joe Biden's son Hunter says his father's prostate cancer has spread to other parts of his body and is causing impaying, even as he continues to speak out on public issues. In an interview with the BBC, Hunter Biden says his father's condition is very sad to watch saying the cancer has spread metastasized into his bones
and that it's very painful and very debilitating. His 83-year-old father was the oldest man to serve as president and Biden's age was a concern for much of his four years in office. On Wall Street's stock saw this week as investor shrugged off news that U.S. employers cut more than 20,000 jobs last month.
This is NPR. This week on the NPR Politics podcast, another progressive Democrat edges out an establishment candidate. Abdul El-Sayed, one Michigan Senate primary campaigning on affordability, health care, and ending U.S. military aid to Israel.
Join us as we break down his victory and what it could signal for no Vembers midterms on the NPR Politics podcast.
