The Headlines - Huge Crowds Gather for Ayatollah’s Funeral, and China Tests Long-Range Ballistic Missile

Episode Date: July 6, 2026

Plus, an unusual World Cup reversal. Here’s what we’re covering: Live Updates: Crowds Gather in Tehran for Ayatollah’s Funeral Procession, by The New York Times China Tests Long-Range Ballistic Missile in the Pacific, Angering Neighbors, by Victoria Kim and Chris Buckley White House Criticizes Smithsonian Museum for ‘Extreme Political Activism,’ by Graham Bowley, Robin Pogrebin and Jennifer Schuessler Prosecutors to Detail Case Against Man Accused of Killing Charlie Kirk, by Jack Healy, Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Robert Draper Trump Asked FIFA to Review U.S. Player’s Suspension. Now He’s Eligible to Play., by Tyler Pager and Tariq Panja Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From the New York Times, it's the headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. Today's Monday, July 6th. Here's what we're covering. People are carrying Iranian flags. They are carrying flags for Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group that is backed by Iran. It's honestly a sea of black everywhere you look. People in Mormon.

People carry the photos of the Supreme Leader. My colleague, Abdi Latif Tahir, has been in Tehran all weekend for the funeral of Iran's former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Hamenei ruled the country for decades, brutally crushing dissenters, before he was killed at the start of the war with the U.S. and Israel. The Times was granted access to the funeral by Iran's government, which determined what events the reporters could attend, accompanied by a government translator and guide. We've seen many people talk about losing a father, losing a leader, a figure who was central to their lives, and come down here tomorrow and not today.

Abdi says that in some moments, the crowds broke into chants against the U.S. and Israel, and some mourners carried banners calling for revenge. In all, the views expressed by those of the events may not be representative of many Iranians. Some may have felt unable to speak freely. Over the course of the multi-day funeral, huge crowds have been filling the streets of Tehran,

and the Ayatollah's body is expected to be carried through the city in a public procession today. The event is intended as a show of strength by Iran's Islamic Republic, which survived despite the U.S. and Israel's earlier talk of regime change. The funeral will continue into this week with the Ayatollah's body traveling to several more cities in Iran and Iraq. Overnight, China tested a long-range ballistic missile in the Pacific, the first time the country's done that in almost two years.

The missile was launched from a nuclear-powered submarine and sent a very large. to quote, mock warhead into the ocean, according to China's official news agency. Countries in the region were warned shortly beforehand and reacted with alarm. Australia called it destabilizing to the region, and Japan said it had, quote, serious concern regarding the intensification of China's military activities. One expert who studies how China is modernizing its nuclear weapons told the times the region should expect more tests, saying that China has. had historically tested their missiles less than other countries,

but it's now ramping things up. Quote, they're willing to pay the political costs of that in a way that they weren't in the past. The birth and survival of the American nation under God is quite simply the best and most incredible thing ever to happen on this planet by human hands ever. That is ever, ever, ever. This weekend, as President Trump gave back-to-back speeches celebrating the 250th anniversary of the country's founding...

We have thrived and flourished because our founders were great. Our cause was just our people are brave. The White House released a scathing report, condemning how the Smithsonian has portrayed American history. The 162-page document put out by the White House's domestic policy council accuses the Smithsonian's National Museum of American history of failing to celebrate the country and arguing that the museum has become a political tool. It said the institution has focused too much on the founding father's connections to slavery, and not enough on the country's founding era in general. It also argues that the museum endorses illegal immigration and presents an overly critical view of Christianity. It's the latest step

in the Trump administration's campaign to pressure the Smithsonian into conforming to what President Trump has described as patriotic history. The document drew immediate backlash from some historians, including the head of the country's largest group of history scholars, who said visitors to the museum encounter a lot of artifacts related to the country's founding and the American Revolution. Today, prosecutors in Utah will begin laying out their case against the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk. It's been nearly 10 months since Kirk, a prominent conservative activist was shot and killed while on a speaking tour at Utah Valley University. The killer

escaped the scene, but within days, authorities charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson with the murder. His parents had recognized him from images released by the police and convinced him to surrender to authorities. He's now facing the death penalty. But first, prosecutors will have to prove to a judge that there is enough evidence against Robinson to go to trial in the first place. Today's preliminary hearing will basically be similar to how grand jury's work. in other states, with prosecutors expected to present surveillance videos, autopsy findings, witness statements, and a video interview with Robinson's former roommate and romantic partner who could shed light on his motive. Investigators say the killing was politically motivated,

and they released text messages of Robinson confessing and telling his roommate that, quote, I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can't be negotiated out. Robinson has yet to enter a plea, and his defense team has given few people. hints about its strategy, other than trying to bog down the case with challenges over procedure. This week's hearing could reveal whether Robinson's lawyers will acknowledge him as the shooter, or whether they'll dispute the evidence tying him to the killing. And finally, with the World Cup barreling toward the quarterfinals, FIFA made a highly unusual announcement yesterday. It reversed the suspension of a key player on the U.S. team. Fowler and Balligan has been the

U.S.'s top score in this World Cup. During a game last week, he was given a red card after his foot came down on an opponent's ankle when they were both going for the ball. With that came a one-game suspension, which would have kept him out of the match today between the U.S. and Belgium. But the Times has learned that hours after Balligan got the red card, President Trump called the head of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, and asked him to review the suspension, according to four people familiar with the conversation. On top of that, senior Trump administration officials engaged lawyers to try and appeal it, despite FIFA's rules against such appeals. FIFA's reversal is the first time it's nullified a red card suspension like this in the World Cup since 1962. In a statement, the White House confirmed the

phone call between Trump and Infantino and said that, quote, the correct and proper outcome was achieved after what it described as an independent review. FIFA. FIFA. did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Soccer Federation for Belgium, who will play the U.S. today for a spot in the quarterfinals, said it was, quote, astonished by the decision and was investigating all potential options. So far, half of the quarterfinals are already set,

with France set to play Morocco, and England facing off against Norway, who managed to knock out the powerhouse Brazil yesterday. You can find full coverage of the tournament at n.Ytimes.com. Those are the headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. We'll be back tomorrow.