NPR News: 07-12-2026 12PM EDT
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How did NPR open the midday newscast on July 12, 2026?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Ronan. President Trump is remembering Senator Lindsey Graham as a great politician and skilled dealmaker in an appearance on NBC's Meet the Press. The South Carolina Republican died last night, age 71, in Washington, D.C. NPR's Eric McDaniel reports.
What did President Trump say about Senator Lindsey Graham’s legacy?
Trump said he spoke to Graham by phone Saturday night after the senator returned from a trip abroad. He remembered the South Carolinian as a loyal ally who fiercely advocated for the president's agenda, despite an acrimonious 2016 Republican primary fight. Here's Trump speaking to NBC's Kristen Welker this morning.
This man was a great politician. He really got it.
Graham's temporary replacement will be appointed by South Carolina's Republican governor and serve for the rest of the year. A new Republican nominee will be elected in August and will compete for a six-year term in November's general election against Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in the ruby red state. Eric McDaniel, NPR News.
Even as the United States and Iran continue to exchange military strikes, President Trump said today on NBC's Meet the Press that the critical Strait of Hormuz is open to commercial traffic. Iran says it's closing off of the Strait completely and not allowing any vessels to transit, this after a third round of U.S. airstrikes overnight. Pakistani and Omani officials have urged diplomacy But as NPR's Emily Fang reports, both the U.S. and Iran say the temporary ceasefire is over.
Pakistan has been an important intermediary in the Iran war, and its deputy foreign minister told Iran's foreign minister to consider, quote, diplomacy remains the only viable path to resolving disputes. On Saturday, Iran also wrapped up talks with Oman on how to manage the Strait of Hormuz. But later, U.S. CENTCOM said it struck more than 100 targets across Iran. And the Sultanate's news agency reported Iranian drones had struck some sites in Oman. Iran's top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, wrote on X, quote, The era of one-sided deals is over. And Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had fired on a ship trying to get through the strait. Emily Fang, NPR News.
Democrats in Maine have two weeks to select a new candidate for the U.S. Senate race against incumbent Republican Susan Collins. It's considered a must-win for Democrats if they're to gain control of the Senate in the midterms. Maine Democratic Party Executive Director Devin Murphy Anderson says Collins remains vulnerable because of her yes votes to confirm President Trump's nominees to the Supreme Court.
We have a very real situation in this country where women have had their reproductive rights stripped away from them. That is because of Susan Collins' vote to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh. She is not escaping that history.
Yesterday, the previous nominee, Graham Platner, officially ended his campaign amid allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denies. A heat wave is expected to cross much of the country this week. Two-thirds of the nation could be impacted by the high temperatures. You're listening to NPR News. A U.S. congressman says he was threatened by Israeli settlers during a recent visit to the occupied West Bank. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, claims that Israeli soldiers aided the attackers and blocked him from leaving. From Ramallah, Nuha Musla reports.
Posting on social media after his return to the U.S., Congressman Ro Khanna says what he saw in the West Bank, including attacks on Palestinians and their villages by Israeli settlers, is inhumane.
We need to stand up for human dignity. We need to tell the stories of what's happening to Palestinians and Palestinian Americans in the West Bank. It's just wrong.
Khanna, who's exploring a 2028 presidential run, says he felt helpless for 90 minutes when Israeli soldiers arrived and did not assist him. In a statement, Israel's military told NPR soldiers did not block the congressman's exit. According to the U.N., more than 36,000 Palestinians have been displaced in the past two years due to Israeli military action and settler violence.
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