NPR News: 07-13-2026 1PM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh.
What are the top national headlines this hour including the Paramount–Warner merger lawsuit?
A dozen Democratic state attorneys general are suing to block Paramount from acquiring Warner Brothers Discovery over anti-competitive concerns. A merger would effectively give the Trump-allied Ellison family control over some of the country's largest movie studios, television newsrooms and other entertainment properties. South Carolina will prepare to hold a special primary election for a new Republican Senate nominee following Senator Lindsey Graham's death over the weekend. Under state law, candidates have a one-week filing period that begins a week from tomorrow. A preliminary medical examiner report said Graham suffered a tear in his aorta. Graham had just returned from another trip to Ukraine.
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal said, says he and Graham were pushing for stronger sanctions against Russia over President Vladimir Putin's ongoing war against Ukraine.
These sanctions would be pivotal in getting Putin to the peace table. That was his objective. And my hope is that his death, tragic as it is, will provide an impetus to President Trump and my Republican colleagues to pass the Russia sanctions bill.
Republican Senator Mitch McConnell has broken weeks of silence about why he was in the hospital. Yesterday, the lawmaker from Kentucky disclosed he had fallen but did not break any bones. He was also being treated for mild pneumonia. The Maine Democratic Party has two weeks to select a new candidate to replace Senate nominee Graham Plattner. NPR's Tamara Keith reports a process is now set, but voters are still reeling.
Independent voter Joseph Baraby had been disengaged from politics for decades, but Plattner drew him back in. Now Plattner is out after an allegation of rape he denies. And Baraby is mad. I am more upset than I've ever been around a political figure in my whole life. I mean, no, it's just, it's devastating. And he blames the Democratic establishment.
How will Senator Lindsey Graham’s death affect the South Carolina Republican Senate nomination process?
State Senate President Maddie Daughtry says she wants to believe Plattner's success was about his message and not the man.
You can have grief for the moment and also anger, but also opportunity and hope that we can turn this around.
Plattner's replacement will be selected at a convention on July 25th. Tamara Keith, NPR News, Brunswick, Maine.
A court finds President Trump's lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service sought to use the system to help legitimize a nearly $1.8 billion taxpayer-backed compensation fund for Trump's allies. Today, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams recommended attorney sanctions and disciplinary action. In South Korea, former President Yoon Sung-yeol has been sentenced to two years in prison over election-related corruption. It is the latest in a string of criminal cases against the ousted leader who authorities say masterminded an illegal insurrection in 2024. This is NPR News. European countries and Japan have agreed to contribute about a billion dollars to a new fund to help rebuild water and health systems in Gaza.
More from NPR's Emily Fang.
Much of Gaza's buildings are destroyed, and the United Nations says about 70 percent of Gazans, or about 1.7 million people, are internally displaced, many living in makeshift tents. Rebuilding has been slowed down by ongoing Israeli strikes and because Israel restricts what can go into Gaza, including heavy machinery and construction materials. The UN has requested $2.8 billion to address critical needs only in Gaza.
That's NPR's Emily Fang reporting from Tel Aviv. 31 states have reported cases of an intestinal illness that causes diarrhea. NPR's Allison Aubrey reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating to identify a likely source.
Michigan has more than 1,500 cases of cyclospora and 44 reported hospitalizations. The CDC is working to confirm cases and investigate the source. Food safety experts say heating food to 158 degrees is the most effective way to kill cyclospora parasites. And Martin Bucknavage, a food safety expert formerly with Penn State, says rinsing produce under warm water can help remove pathogens.
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