The state funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
The ceremonial events comprising the state funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s late religious leader, ran from 3-9 June. The funeral is being reported as the largest in human history with millions flooding public spaces, nailing the western and expatriate Iranian agitprop lie that Iran’s government does not have wide public support. The Ayatollah was assassinated along with members of his family when Israeli jets targeted his Tehran compound on 28 February 2026. The 86-year-old Shia cleric was Iran’s second supreme leader since the revolution of 1979 and had ruled Iran for 36 years. Footage of the initial ceremonial rites have emerged on X showing various dignitaries paying their respects including delegations from the Russian Federation and significantly Saudi Arabia. In an explainer by Marium Ali for Al Jazeera, she provides more information about the late Iranian leader and maps out the events of the six-day funeral.
US Democratic socialists are winning and their ambitions don’t stop at Capitol Hill
A year ago, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) had two members in Congress. After some excellent primary results on 30 June, they are on track to have at least five – and their leaders are aiming higher still. A string of Democratic primary wins, capped by the defeat of Rep. Diana DeGette, has the DSA eyeing further gains – and, its leaders say, the presidency.
Despite earthquakes, US still controls 70% of Venezuela’s oil revenues
While La Guaira state struggles to rebuild out of the ruins of the double earthquake, one financial factor is worsening the humanitarian crisis. Technical reports and expert statements say that the US administration’s sanctions policy ensures most of the foreign currency Venezuela generates from oil sales remains under US control, drastically limiting the funds available for reconstruction.
Draconian sentences for ICE protestors
The activities of the Immigration Control and Enforcement agency (ICE) of America’s Department of Homeland Security, including local resistance against them have featured in the international digest previously. One such protest took place on 4 July 2025 outside an ICE detention centre in Alvarado, Texas. In a recent article for the Intercept, Matt Sledge describes how a Texas court hearing last month on 23 June passed draconian sentences on the Alvarado protestors. In one case, in what was arguably a case of rabid judicial lunacy, Daniel Sanchez Estrada who was not present at the protest, received a 30-year sentence for moving a box of anti-fascist magazines after the event.
The Flamingo Revolution continues
In late May, protests erupted in Albania after contractors started fencing off a beach area on the south Adriatic coast. News had also surfaced of the plan by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump to develop Sazan Island as an exclusive tourist resort. Many Albanians had been enraged by a podcast in which she spoke about the project. By mid-June it had emerged that this was part of a wider tourism real estate project involving significant parts of the Adriatic coast which had the blessing of the Albanian government. In an investigation by Reactionary International they go behind the news headlines and look at the wheeling and dealing of Albanian politicians and international finance and what needs to happen next.
Activist murdered in Ecuador
On 8 June 2026, Monika Silva, a well-known anti-corruption and environmental activist, was found dead in her home in Montañita, Ecuador. Initially the authorities claimed her death was suicide, but a post-mortem quickly established she had suffered a blow to the head, then been strangled and so murdered. Before her death, Silva had amongst other things been investigating Noboa Trading, the fruit conglomerate belonging to the family of the right-wing president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa and its links to cocaine trafficking. She had met with obstruction from the authorities and told friends she had received explicit death threats. In an article for the Guardian Dan Collins and Jakub Krupa tell us more about Monika Silva and efforts to investigate her death.
Italy opposition to Ukraine aid
Total EU financial support for Ukraine to date according to the EU’s own figures amounts to approximately €110bn which includes military, financial and humanitarian aid. In the current financial year, a further €70bn has been allocated with a proposal for a similar level of funding in 2027. An article by TFI Global recounts how this has met resistance from Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni and her government. This may signal more widespread resistance on the part of NATO members to continuing open-ended funding for Ukraine. However, on the first day of the NATO summit in Ankara on 7 July, Norway announced it was providing $306m in aid for air defence in Ukraine.
Subscribe to our regular updates to receive the latest articles, analysis and news direct to your inbox at https://theleftlane.media/subscribe/
