Politics & World Affairs — August 16, 2026

Senate confirms Blanche as attorney general in overnight vote. The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general 50-49 after a bruising fight that exposed bipartisan concerns about installing a personal ally of the president atop the Justice Department.

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Four takeaways from Tuesday's primaries in six states. Moderate David Crowley narrowly beat democratic socialist Francesca Hong in Wisconsin's governor primary while progressive Peggy Flanagan won Minnesota's Senate nod — spotlighting the Democrats' left-center battle ahead of the midterms.

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Syria sentences absent Bashar al-Assad to death over killings, torture. A Syrian court convicted the ousted leader in absentia of killings, torture, and arbitrary arrest during the 14-year conflict that left about half a million people dead.

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