NPR News: 07-09-2026 1PM EDT

Lakshmi Singh· Host0:01

Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Iranian state media report that the Iranian military worked to secure the skies over the city where the supreme leader was to be buried today in Mashhad. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. His funeral began last weekend. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Iran traded strikes for a second day. Iranian officials say at least 14 people were killed. NPR's Hadil Al-Shalchi has more.

Hadil Al-Shalchi0:29

Iran's semi-official media agency, Tasnim, said that army fighter jets are flying overhead to protect the skies of Mashhad. That's the birthplace of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and where he will be buried. His funeral began in Tehran almost a week ago and spanned five cities, including holy sites in Iraq. On Wednesday, U.S. CENTCOM said it struck Iranian radars at a naval installation in retaliation for Iranian strikes on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded by targeting U.S. military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, and the Jordanian armed forces said it intercepted missiles launched from Iran towards Jordanian territory. At the NATO summit this week, President Trump declared the ceasefire over but did not rule out talks to end the war. Hadil Al-Shalchi, NPR News, Istanbul.

Lakshmi Singh· Host1:13

Democrats are searching for a new Senate nominee in Maine, one of their best shots at flipping a seat and winning back the U.S. Senate in the midterm elections. In a video, Graham Plattner dropped out after a woman accused him of rape, which he denies.

Graham Plattner· Soundbite1:26

We're not doing it because of the allegations. We're doing it because of the structures that are being