NPR News: 07-12-2026 3PM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Ronan.
What breaking news announced Lindsey Graham's death and what are the immediate Senate implications?
South Carolina four-term Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a key ally of President Trump's, died Saturday night in Washington. Graham was pro-defense and recently returned to Washington from Ukraine. He was 71. With Graham's death in the absence of Senator Mitch McConnell, who is facing his own health challenges, the narrow Republican majority in the Senate is even thinner. NPR's Mara Liason reports.
There's a lot of work before the Senate. There's the National Defense Authorization Act. It's a must-pass piece of legislation. Any absence of a senator makes that job much, much harder because the Senate majority, Republican majority, is so slim there. They also have to pass an emergency supplemental funding request from the Pentagon to help fund the war in Iran. Those are big priorities on Capitol Hill. And then there's the countdown clock to the midterms that's ticking down.
Also, at least three Republican senators who are retiring or lost primary elections have been more aggressive voting against President Trump's agenda. The U.S. and Iran are again engaging fire for the third weekend in a row. The back-and-forth strikes began after Iran fired warning shots at a tanker that attempting to transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
NPR's Kerry Kahn reports. Iran's Navy says it fired the warning shots at a container vessel after, quote, several ships attempted to travel along an unapproved route through the vital waterway. The U.S. has urged ships to use a southern route through the strait that hugs the coast of Oman. Iran says that is a violation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed last month between Iran and the U.S. Posting on X, the U.S. military says it completed a third round of strikes overnight, hitting more than 100 targets to hold, quote, Iranian forces accountable for its attack on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran says it responded with fire toward Jordan and other Gulf states. The UAE and Qatari officials report intercepting incoming missile attacks.
Carrie Conn, NPR News, Tel Aviv.
An outbreak of foodborne illnesses that cause diarrhea, nausea and fatigue has now been detected in 31 states, according to federal health officials.
How will Graham's absence affect passage of the National Defense Authorization Act and emergency Pentagon funding?
It includes 1,500 cases in Michigan, 177 in Ohio. NPR's Joe Hernandez reports the cause of the outbreak is still under investigation.
Cyclosporiasis is a gastrointestinal disease caused by the parasite cyclospora, which can contaminate food and water. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it's still trying to figure out what caused the spike in infections and that the total number of cases could rise. Previous outbreaks in the U.S. have been linked to raspberries, basil, cilantro, snow peas, and lettuce. Cyclosporiasis is not typically fatal and no deaths have been reported, but federal health officials say there have been 86 hospitalizations. Joe Hernandez, NPR News. You're listening to NPR News from Washington.
Some researchers say they're devastated by the Trump administration's recent changes to the enforcement of the Endangered Species Act. This comes after the administration finalized a rule Friday. It eliminates a major protection for wildlife against logging, oil drilling, and other activities. KQED's Lakshmi Sara has more from Berkeley.
The change to the Endangered Species Act allows for development on wildlife habitats as long as the animals aren't killed or injured. Christopher Martin is a professor in the Integrative Biology Department at the University of California, Berkeley. His lab studies the endangered devil's hole pupfish found in Death Valley National Park in California and Nevada. It would be the death of the Endangered Species Act, right? Because the species cannot survive without its habitat, without its home. So without having those habitat protections in place, it's all out the window. Martin says this change could have impacts on species many people cherish, like the bald eagle, California condor, and his own beloved devil's hole pupfish.
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Chapters
3 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:04
2
What breaking news announced Lindsey Graham's death and what are the immediate Senate implications?
0:04–2:13
3
How will Graham's absence affect passage of the National Defense Authorization Act and emergency Pentagon funding?
2:13–5:04