NPR News: 07-18-2026 1AM EDT

Dan Ronan· Host0:00

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Ronan. Israeli lawmakers voted unanimously to end the current session of Knesset and set new elections for the fall. The parliament, with a far-right coalition majority, pushed through a number of laws favoring the ultra-religious, as well as laws the current government has been advocating for. NPR's Carrie Kahn reports.

Carrie Kahn0:22

The vote to dissolve the government occurred early Friday. National elections are set for October 27th. It was the first time in nearly 40 years that an Israeli government completed its entire four-year term. Critics say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu achieved that longevity by placating far-right and ultra-Orthodox coalition partners, a move they say he repeated this week by rushing through laws they say are anti-democratic, including one that will weaken the power of the attorney general and another giving the government more control over the media. Israel's far-right finance minister also pushed through hundreds of millions of dollars for new settlements and accompanying roads in the occupied West Bank. Carrie Kahn, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

Dan Ronan· Host1:06

Thick smoke continues to blanket large parts of the Midwest and Eastern U.S., leading to unhealthy and potentially dangerous air quality in several states. It's the result of extreme heat and dry conditions in parts of Canada and northern Minnesota, where officials say about 900 wildfires are burning. Some visitors in Washington, D.C. said the smoking conditions are impacting activities.