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One World with Zain Asher

U.S. Launching More Strikes, Reaching Deeper Inside Iran; Longtime, Influential Republican Senator Being Remembered; U.K. Counterterror Police Now Lead Widdecombe Probe; 10K Deaths Reported In Western Europe's Hottest In June On Record; Father Of American Killed by Settlers Visits Site Of Attack; Japan Faces Succession Crisis For Future Emperor; Aired 12-1p ET

Aired July 13, 2026 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:00:31]

ZAIN ASHER, CNN ANCHOR: All right. The Guardian of the Strait. Donald Trump floats new ideas for very different Strait of Hormuz.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: The second hour of "One World" starts right now.

Ceasefire unraveling. The U.S. announces a new blockade as Iran vows retaliation.

ASHER: Also ahead, shocking figures. New data says Europe reported 10,000 more deaths than usual during the heat wave in late June alone.

GOLODRYGA: And later, Japan is running out of male heirs to the throne, but traditionalists insist, women need not apply. A crisis of royal succession,

just ahead.

ASHER: All right. Coming to you live from New York, I'm Zain Asher.

GOLODRYGA: And I'm Bianna Golodryga. You are watching the second hour of "One World."

After days of escalating and expanding strikes between the U.S. and Iran, the rhetoric is heating up quickly on both sides.

ASHER: Yes. Iran's military is now threatening to expand the war if regional countries cooperate with the United States, while Donald Trump is

vowing to, quote, hit them very hard while also claiming the U.S. will take over the Strait of Hormuz, and also get paid for it.

The president also announced, he will be reinstating a blockade of Iranian ships in that crucial waterway too that both sides claim to control.

GOLODRYGA: And while this debate is playing out publicly, Tehran and Washington are engaging in a heavy exchange of fire that began over the

weekend.

The U.S. is now striking deeper into Iran while Iran is targeting American assets throughout the region, including Qatar, which is mediating peace

talks.

ASHER: CNN's Betsy Klein joins us live now from the White House. So, Betsy, I mean, obviously this is a mess for President Trump. This is not what he

wanted. He's talked about not being able to trust the Iranians as soon as there's a deal the Iranians go, but these are the president's words.

And then now, he's also talking about the U.S., not only claiming some control over some part of the Strait of Hormuz but also getting reimbursed

for it. Just talk to us about the president's thinking here, Betsy.

BETSEY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, all of that taken together, there are clearly no signs of de-escalation from President Trump

in this conflict. And it is clear that both the ceasefire has fallen apart.

And the future of diplomatic negotiations is incredibly uncertain. At the root of this is the Strait of Hormuz, that critical oil thoroughfare we've

heard so much about over the past few months.

Before this conflict started, no one had clear authority over that waterway. But Iran has used it as a key point of leverage throughout this

conflict.

Now, the U.S. position, according to CENTCOM, is that Iran does not control the Strait and that it is an international waterway. But back on Friday,

U.S. officials had said that they expected Iran to issue a public statement saying that the Strait of Hormuz was open and any commercial ships that

were trying to traverse it would not be attacked.

That ended, over the weekend, as Iran hit one of those ships in the U.S. launching retaliatory strikes, which continued throughout the weekend.

President Trump announcing today that a blockade will be reinstated.

He says in that lengthy post to social media, quote, the Hormuz strait is open and will remain open with or without Iran. We are reinstating the

Iranian blockade so named because it is only stopping Iran's ships or customers for entering or leaving. All other countries will have a fair and

open use of the Strait.

Now, he goes on to say that the U.S. will be reimbursed at the rate of 20 percent on all cargo ships for any and all costs necessary to do the job of

providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the world. This process and formation, he says, will begin immediately.

Now, we are waiting to see how Iran plans to respond to this. Of course, the issue of tolls in this oil thoroughfare has been very controversial

here.

But the White House's view is that there is a power struggle within Iran's leadership. On one side, there are the moderates who want to see a

diplomatic solution here. At the same time, that the hardliners are trying everything they can to undermine this memorandum of understanding that was

signed just about a month ago between these two countries.

So, as the president plots a path forward, he is considering all of that. He's also considering that this has become a political issue at home

because gas prices are once more on the rise after a brief reprieve. Up about 10 cents on the gallon, and that is all contributing to his thinking

as he heads just four months from now toward those November midterm elections.

[12:05:06]

It's going to be very challenging for Republicans to get back on track here, Zain and Bianna.

ASHER: All right. Betsy Klein, live for us. Thank you.

All right. President Donald Trump is weighing in on who should replace Senator Lindsey Graham after his unexpected death over the weekend.

The president says that Graham's sister should temporarily serve as interim senator, though it is, of course, not his school.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. The longtime South Carolina Republican died Saturday night shortly after returning from a visit to Ukraine.

The governor of South Carolina says that he will announce his pick for a temporary replacement in four hours' time.

ASHER: Graham's death has major implications for the U.S. Senate. The House and Senate are back in session today after that recent recess.

GOLODRYGA: CNN's Annie Grayer joins us now from Capitol Hill to say that this was a shock to wake up to is an understatement. The president himself

appeared to be quite taken and surprised by this, saying in a number of interviews, including with our Jake Tapper, that he had just spoken with

Senator Graham just a few hours before he died and talked about their relationship.

We could go back and talk about the arc of not only the Republican Party's embrace of Donald Trump, but Lindsey Graham really encapsulated that. He

was very close with Donald Trump towards the end of his life there.

And he was on the precipice of what he says was one of his main focuses and priorities in his time in Congress, and that is instituting Russian

sanctions.

Just tell us the impact of that initiative and the reaction there on the Hill from both sides of the aisle to his passing.

ANNIE GRAYER, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: Well, both sides of the aisle are reeling from Senator Lindsey Graham's passing. That was a complete shock to

the Capitol Hill community and the world.

Graham, it was a power player on Capitol Hill. He was involved in every major legislative fight that is playing out right now. And he is a key --

he was a key ally for President Trump in every way.

I mean, just to show you, when Graham was in Ukraine, he came back Saturday night and called the president to, in -- in part, what they talked about,

was the president's legislation to try and reshape the U.S. elections systems, calls the SAVE America Act, that Graham was trying to help the

president pass.

Trump has been so focused on this piece of legislation that it's essentially halted Congress from being able to do essentially anything

else.

And Graham was trying to find ways to pass pieces of that legislation through his powerful committee, the budget committee, that he was chairman

of. So, he was working behind the scenes with the president on that.

This week, Graham also sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee. And this week, that committee was going to start the confirmation process of Todd

Blanche to be attorney general. So, Graham was a critical vote for the administration, for the president on that.

And you mentioned the Russia sanctions bill. This is something that Graham has been working on for over a year in a bipartisan way. It's a huge

priority of his. And he has -- was finally starting to see some progress.

And so there's lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who said they want to push this through now in Graham's honor. Graham was also a very big

supporter of the U.S. relationship with Ukraine, which is a position that is sort of waning in Trump's Republican Party.

Graham, who also serves on the appropriations committee, was keen on getting more funding for the administration with its ongoing war with Iran,

which is something that was going to take a major lift to get -- build the political capital and get that over the finish line. Graham was going to be

a major player in that debate as well.

And as you mentioned, there is now a scramble in South Carolina to try and fill the late senator's seat. He was expected to run for re-election.

So, first what's going to happen is the Republican governor of South Carolina is going to appoint a short-term replacement so that Republicans

can still have that vote in Congress for the remainder of this year.

And then this summer, a wild primary is now kicking off in South Carolina where multiple politicians there are jockeying for those seats.

But Republicans will still maintain their majority for the rest of this year. It is just going to be that much more narrow because not only was

Graham's passing so sudden and they'll have to wait for that seat to be replaced, Senator Mitch McConnell has been in the hospital for weeks, is

not returning any time soon. That is two votes that Republicans can't count on right now.

But Graham's legacy will surely, surely be missed up here in Capitol Hill.

GOLODRYGA: No doubt. Annie Grayer, thank you.

ASHER: Al right. Moments ago, the U.K. Home Secretary updated Parliament on the investigation into the suspected murder of former U.K. lawmaker Ann

Widdecombe. British counterterrorism police are now leading that probe after new information has come to light.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. Police previously suggest that there was no indication the former Conservative M.P.'s death was politically motivated or terrorism-

related. She was found dead at her home last week. A man is now under arrest.

[12:10:06]

ASHER: Let's bring in CNN's Nic Robertson joining us live now from London.

Nic, I was actually on air during that press conference where police there in the U.K. reiterated that this was not politically motivated, that there

was no evidence of that, and that it was not terrorism-related either.

And so now to have the counterterrorism team leading the investigation, because of new evidence, it's quite a surprise to a lot of people.

Just walk us through what the new evidence is that has now come to light, if we even know that at this point in time.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes. The -- the evidence isn't being made public. The police first became aware of her

murder Thursday last week, so we're now four days into their investigation. So, I think it will be, and as a surprise to people here having, as you

said, had this sort of clear messaging from -- from the police that this wasn't counterterrorism, but now it very clearly is, and it's taken four

days to get to that point is something of a surprise.

It has appeared to have been developed this information subsequent to the arrest late Saturday of a 28-year-old British -- white British male living

270 miles in a place called Rotherham in the sort of middle of the north of the country, a long way from where Ann Widdecombe was brutally murdered.

And that was another thing we sort of understood from the Home Secretary just how brutal her murder was.

So, it does seem to have been developed around this individual who has been re-arrested. He was arrested, apparently released, re-arrested on suspicion

of terrorism-related offenses.

So, there's that part there that that's the sort of surprise, but very little information coming from the Home Secretary. She did say that this

individual wasn't known to prevent and prevent is a multi-government agency body that seeks to intervene when it becomes aware that people might be

gravitating towards terrorism and tries to prevent them going down that path, sometimes sort of seen as a de-radicalization type tool. It's

something that the government has had in its sort of toolbox, if you will, for tackling terrorism for -- for -- for more than a decade, it's come in

for a lot of scrutiny, but in this instance, this individual, not known to prevent.

Now, it's not clear, to me at least, if he was known to any of the intelligence services, what -- what bodies he might -- might have been

aware, but the impression being created at the moment is that this person doesn't appear to have been to have a sort of a terrorist type profile on

them that was -- that was well-known.

Beyond that, we -- we have very little information and -- and, in fact, calls really not to speculate about this case, so as not to prejudice the

investigation, not to prejudice the potential of a future trial here.

ASHER: Nic Robertson, live for us there. Thank you so much.

GOLODRYGA: Well, while much of Western Europe continues to swelter in dangerous heat, the World Meteorological Organization, trying to say that

three times, says that it was the hottest June --

ASHER: I stumbled too.

GOLODRYGA: -- ever on record. The deadly heat wave led to more than 10,000 excess deaths with 9,000 of those in the 65 and older community. That is

according to the European Mortality Monitoring Network.

ASHER: Yes. The extreme heat continuing well into July where many cities are sweltering, harsh conditions, accelerating fire danger leaving France

and Spain to both battle wildfires.

For more on these dangerous conditions, let's bring in our chief climate correspondent, Bill Weir.

So, Bill, just this idea that Europe has had 10,000 more people die as a result of these heat waves.

I mean, it's really striking. And I think that a lot of people are concerned that this could be what is coming down the pipe. This could be

the new normal if these temperatures continue on this trajectory. Just walk us through your assessment.

BIL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Sure. You know, much has been made, Zain, of this, the fact that there's such a dearth, a lack of air

conditioning infrastructure in Europe and France.

Of these countries that reported 27 countries, France and Belgium were the extreme fatalities. They didn't break them down. They're about 2,700 deaths

from a separate study just in England and Wales alone from the heat.

But these are reminders that Europe didn't need air conditioning for most of the 20th and 21st centuries up until now. And now we're seeing the

results of what exactly science has been warning about, climate scientists for generations now. Every gigaton of fossil fuel that's burned cranks up

the global thermostat a little bit.

[12:15:01]

And what this shows us is this combination of an omega block as the jet steam breaks down, that -- that belt of wind at the top of the earth. And

so you get these big sort of like the Greek alphabet letter omega that just sits like a -- like a pot lid holding the heat in for weeks sometimes.

And then it is the -- the infrastructure that was built for a different world. And -- and as you said about 90 percent of these are folks over 65.

This heat praise on older folks in older homes. And these sad numbers are - - are just the result of that.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. And these temperatures are lasting for weeks on end with no reprieve into the nighttime as well. And it is interesting and notable that

-- that all of the climate experts that we've had on to cover this have said in the immediate time now that the number one priority should be

retrofitting and getting as many air conditions installed as possible to save lives. That is by no means a panacea. It could perhaps be even more

detrimental to the climate in the longer term.

But most people are now saying that this has to be the new normal and getting A.C.s for those that are most vulnerable, Bill.

What other unprecedented events are happening now as a result of climate change that maybe we're not focusing enough attention on?

WEIR: Yes. But you're absolutely right. Adaptation is life and death right now. It's not political. Air-conditioning is not about wokeness or being

frugal. It's life or death now in this new hotter world.

And what you're seeing, for the first time ever, are firefighting planes being called up from southern France to defend Paris, the Fontainebleau

forest. As a result of that heat has dried out is on fire. And so they're fighting the kind of fires that the folks in southern California had to

worry about. That shouldn't happen in a zone like Paris.

And again, this is -- this is what a climate change looks like. We're not going back. We're not re freezing anytime soon, given the current

trajectory of things. And folks in London now know why people in Phoenix wear oven mitts in the car sometimes. They keep them in the glove box

because you can't touch that -- that steering wheel in August.

Or why first responders in Phoenix have started bringing big bags, body bags full of ice out on calls in order to cool these folks down when

they're in the middle of heat stress. You never think that those ideas spread from Phoenix to Paris and London, but here we are.

GOLODRYGA: Yes.

ASHER: Yes. I mean, such a good point about what the future holds, and especially just what you were saying, Bianna, about Europe really adapting

in terms of getting A.C. units. There aren't outright bans on A.C. units, but there are local planning laws and building conservation laws.

And obviously also for aesthetic reasons, let's be honest, that a lot of people are against having sort of A.C. unit hanging from windows, as you

would see here in New York.

Bill Weir, live for us there. Thank you so much.

GOLODRYGA: Thanks, Bill.

All right. Coming up, a year and an after an American was killed in the West Bank, CNN accompanies his father to the place where his son died.

We'll show you what happened when he got there.

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[12:20:38]

GOLODRYGA: We want to take you now to the West Bank, where CNN accompanied the father of an American citizen killed by Israeli settlers back to the

site of his son's death.

ASHER: Yes. The journey quickly turned dangerous as arm settlers ambushed the convoy. Here's Jeremy Diamond report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kamel Musallet hasn't been able to reach this land in over a year. This is the hillside

where his son, Saif, an American citizen, was killed.

DIAMOND: Looks like it's down here. Do you want to walk?

KAMEL MUSALLET, FATHER OF AMERICAN KILLED BY SETTLERS: Yes.

DIAMOND: Yes.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Beaten to death by Israeli settlers exactly one year ago.

Since then, settlers have illegally occupied the area, preventing this father from getting the closure he so desperately seeks.

MUSALLET: We have to keep an eye on it, because usually, they'll come down that way.

DIAMOND (voice-over): We've come here in an armored vehicle wearing bulletproof vests because of how violent these settlers have been, but

we've made it.

DIAMOND: What does it feel like to finally be here after a year?

MUSALLET: It's just like I'm -- I was really I'm imagining, like -- yes. Well, I've been just imagining him, you know, like, so it's just -- it's

just thought a lot going on my head right now like just what he went through at that moment.

DIAMOND: I'll let you take a moment, Kamel.

DIAMOND (voice-over): But this solemn, sacred moment won't last.

Within seconds, we spot a car speeding towards us. We start to leave, but as we drive away, we see that four settlers have set up a roadblock. Armed

with clubs and rocks, they try and block our way, first with their bodies.

And then --

DIAMOND: And now, it looks like he's trying to slash our tires. He's trying to slash our tires.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, he's got a knife. He's going to the tire.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my gosh.

DIAMOND (voice-over): A group of independent journalists and activists are in the car behind us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Move, move, move.

DIAMOND (voice-over): But their vehicle isn't armored.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Watch out. Watch out.

MUSALLET: Without an armored car, without a bulletproof vest, how do I get to my land? The Israeli army should -- right now, should be here and

kicking them out. It's illegal for them to be there. It's frustrating. You're so angry and you can't do nothing about it. It just kills you from

inside.

DIAMOND (voice-over): But the settlers aren't done, more arrived, blocking another road before chasing us and attacking us again.

DIAMOND: No, they're trying to stop our car again. (THUD) They're hitting us.

DIAMOND (voice-over): We finally make it back to safety where I get on the phone with the Israeli military, which is responsible for security in this

area. But settlers have also called the military, and these soldiers are only interested in harassing us, refusing to take action against the

settlers.

Minutes later, the commander of a different battalion arrives.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's OK. We'll take care of it.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Sends his soldiers after the settlers, detaining them until the police arrive.

The Israel police said they arrested four suspects and seized clubs and a knife. They vowed to, quote, bring them to justice accordingly.

A full year later, Kamel Musallet is still waiting for his son's killers to be brought to justice.

MUSALLET: No one's been arrested, no accountability.

DIAMOND (voice-over): Saif was just two weeks shy of his 21st birthday when he was killed. A Florida native, he had been visiting his family in the

West Bank.

At the time, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned Musallet's killing as a criminal and terrorist act and vowed to pressure Israel to

bring his killers to justice.

DIAMOND: I reached out to the U.S. embassy. I sent them a list of questions. And this is the response they gave me. They said, "The Trump

administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans. Due to privacy considerations, we have no further information to

provide at this time."

MUSALLET: If that was true, you know, they would do something about it. You know, at least an open investigation, you know. That's the least that they

could do.

If it was anywhere else in the world, an American citizen was killed by a mob of extremists, of terrorists, what kind of outrage would there be? You

know, how disappointed would Saif a lot be right now that, you know, his U.S. passport did nothing for him?

[12:25:10]

DIAMOND (voice-over): Saif believed in that blue passport.

SAIF MUSALLET, PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN: Blue is blue. Not because he's Palestinian-American. He's just American.

DIAMOND (voice-over): But his family is still waiting for it to mean something, anything, in their pursuit of justice.

Jeremy Diamond, CNN, Sinjil, the West Bank.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: All right. Welcome back to "One World." I'm Bianna Golodryga.

ASHER: And I'm Zain Asher.

More now on the life and legacy of Senator Lindsey Graham after his unexpected death this weekend. U.S. lawmakers are remembering the colorful

senator as they head back to Congress after a recess.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. Graham died shortly Saturday after returning from a visit to Ukraine. South Carolina's governor says that he'll announce his pick for

a temporary replacement later today.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny has more on the man who went from Trump critic to a Trump loyalist.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): You know how you make America great again? Till Donald Trump to go to hell.

And when it comes to President Trump, Mr. President, I'm going to be your strongest ally in the United States Senate.

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: From fierce critic to loyal ally. Few Republicans have come around to Donald Trump with more

gusto and less apology than Lindsey Graham.

Looking back at the relationship of Senator Graham and President Trump is really quite extraordinary. They were rivals on the campaign trail and

certainly fierce critics as well.

But Lindsey Graham has his fingerprints on many of President Trump's biggest successes, including from his first term with the Supreme Court

nomination of Brett Kavanaugh.

GRAHAM: This is the most unethical sham since I've been in politics.

What you want to do is destroy this guy's life, hold this seat open, and hope you win in 2020. You've said that, not me.

[12:30:04]

Now, they worked together on foreign policy, but clearly after January 6th, it sounded like the relationship had ended.

GRAHAM: We've had a hell of a journey. I hate it then this way. Oh, my God, I hate it. For my port of view, he's been a consequential president. But

today, first thing you'll see. All I can say is, count me out. Enough is enough.

ZELENY: But clearly, enough was not enough, and they joined together again in just a few weeks' time. Lindsey Graham would be campaigning for Donald

Trump and now back in the second term.

GRAHAM: We can't do that without Donald Trump, so he's ready to hit the trail and I'm ready to work with him.

ZELENY: They have been as close as ever. That's why the death of Senator Graham came as such a shock to President Trump. Not only is President Trump

nearly a decade older, they are legitimate friends, spending time on the golf course and certainly through many meetings as well.

This is not just a history moment here thinking back to Senator Graham. This will have an impact on President Trump's policies going forward as

well. He is a key vote in the Senate, a key ally in the White House when many Republicans are beginning to have their doubts.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: Thanks to Jeff Zeleny there. Time now for The Exchange. We want to take a closer look at Graham's life and legacy. Let's bring in Leigh Ann

Caldwell. She is the Chief Washington correspondent for "Puck" and joins us now from Washington, D.C. Leigh Ann, good to see you.

So, this was indeed a surprise for everyone, including the president, who as we noted earlier in the programs that he had just spoken with Lindsey

Graham when he'd returned for, I believe, what is his tenth trip now to Ukraine since 2022?

And he really was a Trump ally and whisper on issues where they did publicly disagree and one of those was foreign relations, the NATO alliance

and support for Ukraine. He, I think, could be credited with helping it survive politically thus far. He was from a different elk, really. He was

part of the three amigos. Joe Lieberman, obviously, he -- he was a Democrat before he became an independent and John McCain.

Now all three are gone, who is there to fill that void, specifically when it comes to maintaining our allies and alliances abroad?

LEIGH ANN CALDWELL, CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, PUCK: Yes, that's a great question. And it's not only Lindsey Graham, but also another person

who is in that vein is Senator Mitch McConnell as well. And, of course, he's been sick and also is retiring at the end of the year.

And so the thing with Lindsey Graham as you laid out so well is that he was extremely close with Trump, but he also maintained kind of his

conservative, hawkish, very, you know, neoliberal foreign policy views. And he was doing what he could to influence the president on that.

And so the relationship really went both ways. The president relied on Lindsey Graham, but Lindsey Graham also really used the president to move

the president back from this America first isolationist policy.

Now, who is there to replace him? We'll have to see a lot of this mold of senators have already left the Senate are resigning or are not running for

reelection or law. Someone like Senator John Cornyn is someone who kind of fit in that mold as well. But, of course, he won't come back. So the space

is wide open. The question is if someone's actually going to take it.

ASHER: Yes. We know that Nancy Mace has made it clear that I think her exact words was, should be an idiot not to consider it.

But just for our international audience, I mean, obviously, Lindsey Graham was up for reelection this year. He was strongly expected to win a fifth

term. Of course, just explain to our audience who are watching from around the world and may not be familiar with the process what exactly happens

next?

As I understand it, there's going to be a special sort of primary election, I think on August 11th. And there could possibly be sort of some kind of

caretaker Senator who finishes out the term until January. Just -- just explain the process to us.

CALDWELL: Yes. Well, there's two ways to think of it. There's two different processes that are happening. The first is to -- to fill his seat for the

remainder of his term, someone who's going to serve until January 3rd, 2027, when the new Congress comes in.

And that person is appointed by the governor of South Carolina. We are told that that appointment could come as early as today.

President Donald Trump has recommended that Lindsey Graham's sister, Darlene, be that person. If that were to be the case, you know, he would --

she would probably keep all of Lindsey Graham's staff, just try not to have as much of a disruption as possible, just to fill for the rest of the year.

Separately, Lindsey Graham was on the ballot. He was running for reelection. And so now they have to have a new Republican nominee to run

for that Senate seat. And that is the electoral process. That is where the primary -- a new primary is going to happen on August 11th.

[12:35:14]

We will know in the next coming days how -- who is going to throw their hat in the ring and run for that. We can expect it to be extremely crowded, a

lot of Republicans to run for that. And then they will have to take on the Democrat in a November election and the winner of that is obviously takes a

seat in January.

So, there are two different processes going on. So, it's been a lot of disruption for the state of South Carolina.

GOLODRYGA: And we should just alert our viewers, and you as well, that on CNN domestic our colleague, Dana Bash, is interviewing Senate Majority

Leader John Thune who has indicated that he would be supportive of Graham's sister serving out his own term and then went on to say that passing the

Russia sanctions package would be an incredible legacy for Graham.

So, we'll see if the president follows up on that as well, if there's more support on both fronts. The president himself was the one who introduced

Graham's sister taking over and serving out his term.

Leigh Ann, can you talk about why Lindsey Graham was able to do something that the majority of Republicans who even disagreed with Trump on one

issue, if they supported his policies 99 percent of the time but disagreed on one issue.

They were dead to him. He -- he went out to kill their political career. That didn't apply to Lindsey Graham, the same man who said that the best

way to make America great again in 2015 was for Donald Trump to go to hell. Now, the two have remained fierce allies in the second term for sure and

even after January 6th when Graham publicly said that he was off the train he's done with Trump.

Came back on the train. He's spoken out publicly on some political or foreign policy issues and he's remained an ally of Trump. How did he

accomplish that?

CALDWELL: Well, that just goes to show you how talented of a politician Senator Graham is. A lot of people take issue with the fact that he used

the -- he used politics and he used a relationship with Donald Trump someone that he previously despised, but it was in order to get his

priorities passed make sure that the things he wanted were still considered in play and he used politics to a great extent and was able to navigate and

maneuver with a very mercurial president.

He did that. He also personally is extremely humorous. He's funny. He's witty. Donald Trump actually likes him and he was able to be loyal enough

to the president on the things that were interest -- that the president was himself obsessed with did he say in the president's good graces, and then

he could push -- Lindsey Graham could push the things that he wanted to.

I'll tell a small anecdote. A Republican senator told me years ago that to always watch what Lindsey Graham does and what he says, because he

understands the political winds and where they are changing before anyone else is able to do so.

And so that is a huge stat. I just always go back to that that Lindsey Graham is sensing something in the political electorate that sometimes

other people aren't. And he did that with Donald Trump at the right moment. And he still understood till his last day that the power that the president

has, over the Republican Party, and over Republican voters. And he understood that and used that to his advantage really.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. I mean, Donald Trump, upon hearing the news, describe Lindsey Graham as one of the best men he -- he'd ever known. And you just -

- Zain and I were talking about in 2015 when they were running against each other for the Republican nomination during the primaries, Donald Trump

publicly just posted Lindsey Graham's phone number at the time.

And to your point about his humor and wit, I think he, a few minutes later, posted, I'm going to have to change my number because, you know, everyone

is now calling me and doxxing me. But this is, thus, the evolution of their relationship.

Leigh Ann Caldwell, thank you. Good to see you.

ASHER: All right. Now, to a succession crisis for the world's oldest territory monarchy. Only three men are eligible to inherit Japan's throne.

GOLODRYGA: Hanako Montgomery explains why this moment is sparkling a debate over gender equality.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HANAKO MONTGOMERY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Japan is facing a royal crisis with just three men left in line to the throne; one 19, 60, and 90.

It's running out of eligible heirs.

[12:40:06]

MONTGOMERY: And one proposed solution is to adopt members of former royal branches. But here's the catch, they have to be all men.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): This bill submitted to parliament to give Japan more choices for future emperors and helps preserve an unbroken male

bloodline, a tradition that hasn't changed in over 2000 years.

But some argue there is an easier solution, just let a woman rule.

KARA SAKAKURA, TOKYO RESIDENT (through translator): When it comes to the qualities required to bear the responsibilities of being the emperor, there

is no difference between men and women.

AKIO KUBOTA, TOKYO RESIDENT (through translator): We have gender equality and things like that. So, I guess it just feels a bit strange that only the

role of the emperor will be strictly passed down through men.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Before being banned in the 19th century, women have ruled Japan in 10 out of 126 reigns. But their reigns often awaited a

male heir to reach adulthood, and succession only passes from father to son.

And in deeply patriarchal Japan, changing that tradition is politically unthinkable, including for the country's first woman prime minister.

SANAE TAKAICHI, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER (through translator): It is considered appropriate to limit eligibility to male descendants of the

imperial lineage.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Tsuneyasu Takeda is a descendant of the royal family. Now, a commoner, he's a vocal advocate for preserving this male-

only lineage.

MONTGOMERY: You know, some people say that it would just be easier to allow women to become emperors. Why isn't that a possibility?

TSUNEYASU TAKEDA, ROYAL FAMILY DESCENDANT (through translator): Since the potential to maintain the patrilineal lines still exists, that is what we

are focusing on right now. If that fails, then discussions about changing a 2,000 year old tradition are perfectly acceptable.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Under the proposed law, Takeda himself can't become emperor because he's already married, but his grandson could. A

future he doesn't envy.

TAKEDA (through translator): You lose the right to vote, and you cannot run for public office. Thus, the freedom's ordinary citizens enjoy on a daily

basis are significantly curtailed.

MONTGOMERY (voice-over): Heavy is the head that wears the crown. A burden that for now remains one reserved for men.

Hanako Montgomery, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: All right. That does it for "One World" today. I'm Bianna Golodryga.

ASHER: And I'm Zain Asher. Bianna's going to be back in 15 minutes with "Amanpour." For now, African Voices is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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