NPR News Now - NPR News: 07-06-2026 12AM EDT

Episode Date: July 6, 2026

NPR News: 07-06-2026 12AM EDTSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. Some of Iran's top officials Sunday attended funeral prayers for the country's former Supreme Leader. The leader and four members of his family were killed in the U.S. Israeli airstrike last February. As NPR's Hadil Al-Shalchi reports, one high-profile figure, though, was not there. Iranian state media showed three of Ayatollah al-Hamanei's sons and the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps General Ahmed Vahidi, who is rarely seen in public. They were all performing the ritual Islamic funeral prayers for Khomeini.

Iran's president, Speaker of Parliament, and the head of Iran's elite military Quds force were also there. Some were sobbing profusely, their shoulders shaking. But one notable absence was that of Ayatollah Moushtab Khan, Iran's new leader and Ali Khamenei's fourth son. Mushdabah Khamenei took over power from his father in March and is yet to be seen in public, as many top leaders stay in hiding to protect their whereabouts for fear of assassination. It's unclear if Moushtabah Manei will take part in any of the ceremony. planned for his father's funeral. Hediel Al-Shalchi, NPR News, Istanbul.

A funeral was held Sunday in Colorado for three firefighters killed last week while fighting a wildfire along the Colorado, Utah border. U.S. Wildland Fire Service Chief Brian Fennessey said the weight of the tragedy is being felt far beyond the fire community. What stands out most to be about these three firefighters is that they always showed up. They showed up for their fellow firefighters. They showed up to perform a, mission that many cannot or will not.

Dozens of fires are continuing to burn in the western U.S. at this hour, and weather officials say the extreme heat in the region is making the possibility of additional fires even more likely. Police in Memphis say Tennessee National Guard members assigned by the Trump administration to a crime-fighting patrol fatally shot a man early Sunday morning. They say the man turned toward the soldiers with a gun during a pursuit in the city's downtown. The troops were responding to reports of gun-fighting. at the time of the shooting.

State officials are now investigating the incident. U.S. men's soccer star forward for Lauren Belligan will be allowed to play in the U.S.S. World Cup match against Belgium Monday night. FIFA has lifted the strikers red card ban, and Pierre's Kristen Wright has more. FIFA's disciplinary committee announced it's suspending Balligan's one-game ban

for a probationary period of one year, a major decision that gives the U.S. men's team back its lead score for the World Cup round of 16 match, against Belgium. Balagan got the red card for a foul against an opposing defender during the U.S.'s two-nill victory against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday. The American strikers said it was unintentional. U.S. soccer said in a statement, it's pleased with FIFA's decision, and its attention is focused on the game. President Trump thanked soccer's governing body in a post online, calling the initial suspension an injustice. Kristen Wright, NPR News. And you're listening to NPR News.

Minions and Monsters and Toy Story 5, each sold more than $30 million worth of tickets this weekend, but NPR's Bob Mandelo says Hollywood is buzzing about the historical biopic that came in third. As the film Young Washington begins, America's first president's dreams are modest. Why can I not become a British officer? Because you are not British, George. Young Washington, which had ticket sales of just over $20 million, is from Angel Studios, the Faith-based Media Company that opens Sound of Freedom on the 4th of July three years ago. That one also had a three-day total around 20 million, then played so well in Rocky Mountain States, the Midwest and South, that it ended up making over $250 million globally.

The Angel Studio Playbook hasn't changed. Young Washington also has its best numbers in America's Heartland. Its top theater is Utah's Megaplex 18 Thanksgiving Point, midway between Salt Lake City and Provo. The studio has already announced a George Washington sequel called 1776. Bob Mandello, NPR News. Several countries in the OPEC Plus Oil Producing Alliance say they'll slightly increase oil outputs next month. In an announcement Sunday, OPEC says seven countries will expand production by 188,000 barrels a day. It's the fifth straight month that the block has agreed to raise their outputs.

Middle East oil production and shipments are still low, though, compared to pre-war levels. A cargo ship was attacked Sunday off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea. Officials say a small boat approached the bulk carrier and open fire, but it left after security guards on the ship. ship return fire. Both the cargo ship and its crew have reported that they are safe. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News.