NPR News: 07-12-2026 8AM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Schiavone.
Who was Senator Lindsey Graham and what were the circumstances of his death?
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has died at 71. His office said in a statement he died Saturday night after a brief and sudden illness. NPR's Sam Gringlass has details.
Since his election to the Senate in 2002, Graham has become known for promoting muscular military intervention abroad, and his judiciary chair played a key role confirming Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Around his own bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, Graham called Donald Trump a bigot and said Trump would destroy the GOP, but has since become one of the president's closest allies. NPR asked Graham about that evolution in 2019.
He's proven to me that he's been a better president than I thought he was. Really, I had very low expectations. But what he does is he listens to people, including me and others.
Trump called Graham one of the greatest people and senators I have ever known. South Carolina's Republican governor can immediately appoint a replacement. Sam Greenglass, NPR News, Washington.
Graham had recently survived a rough political primary and was heading confidently toward November elections for a fifth Senate term. In the state of Maine, the contest for U.S. Senate has been complex, with Democratic hopeful Graham Plattner abandoning his candidacy in the face of sexual assault allegations, which he's denied.
How did Lindsey Graham's political stance evolve toward President Trump?
Now the Democratic Party is looking at a nominating convention on July 25th. Party Director Devin Murphy Anderson says it will be a scramble to revive momentum.
The challenge that we face right now is the timeline. And how do we get people involved in this timeline? And so the grassroots energy that we had up until this moment needs to find a home.
Whoever wins the party nod will face Republican Senator Susan Collins, who's seeking a sixth Senate term. Iran says it's closing off the Strait of Hormuz completely after a third round of U.S. strikes overnight. Pakistani and Omani officials have urged diplomacy. But as NPR's Emily Feng reports, both the U.S. and Iran... say a 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.
In the American West, a dangerous heat wave with temperatures in the triple digits is settling in over parts of Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and the Dakotas. This is NPR. The Eiffel Tower and other Paris landmarks are closing early again today because of another brutal heat wave. It's France's third this year. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports.
In addition to the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum will close early due to temperatures forecast to soar above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Paris is mostly un-air-conditioned as temperatures are usually in the mid-80s this time of year. Scientists say the frequent and prolonged heat waves are due to global warming caused by man-made greenhouse emissions. Europe is warming faster than any other continent. Paris is extending heat wave measures. With parks open all night and drinking water stations available, docks set up along the Seine River for swimming are attracting huge crowds as people cast aside reservations over cleanliness in order to cool off. Eleanor Beardsley in PR News, Paris.
Ukraine's military is saying today it has hit an oil refinery in Russia's Samara region. Local officials say one person was killed, three were injured. Kiev has increased attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure, including oil refineries.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–0:04
2
Who was Senator Lindsey Graham and what were the circumstances of his death?
0:04–1:24
3
How did Lindsey Graham's political stance evolve toward President Trump?
1:24–4:42
4
What are the immediate succession rules for Graham's Senate seat in South Carolina?
4:42–5:04