First Thing: Tensions rise over Hormuz as Trump threatens to blow Iran ‘off the face of the earth’

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Good morning.

Donald Trump has again raised nan stakes successful nan Gulf region pinch nan Monday launch of “Project Freedom” to unfastened a way done nan strait of Hormuz. More than 800 ships and astir 20,000 unit members stay stranded successful nan region.

Just hours aft nan cognition began, nan US subject said it destroyed six mini Iranian boats and interceptedIranian cruise missiles and drones – a declare that was denied by Iran – and Iran attacked nan United Arab Emirates pinch drones and missiles, mounting nan lipid larboard of Fujairah connected fire.

Trump past threatened that Iran would beryllium “blown disconnected nan look of nan earth” if it attacked immoderate of nan US vessels successful Hormuz.

  • Have immoderate vessels made it retired of nan strait? US Central Command (Centcom) said 2 US-flagged merchant vessels had “successfully transited” nan strait, but Iran has denied this claim. Late connected Monday, nan instrumentality shipping institution Maersk said nan Alliance Fairfax – a US-flagged conveyance bearer – exited nan Gulf. Shipping industry experts stay skeptical astir whether vessels will beryllium capable to recreation safely to and from nan Gulf nether Trump’s plan.

  • This is simply a processing story. Follow nan liveblog here.

US ultimate tribunal expedites Voting Rights Act ruling, allowing Louisiana Republicans to redraw maps for midterms

The US ultimate tribunal building
The tribunal gutted conception 2 of nan Voting Rights Act little than a week ago. Photograph: Gage Skidmore/Zuma Press Wire/Shutterstock

The US ultimate tribunal connected Monday allowed a caller ruling that gutted a cardinal portion of nan Voting Rights Act to return effect up of schedule – a procedural move that helps Louisiana Republicans redraw their legislature maps earlier this year’s midterm elections.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson powerfully criticised nan tribunal for departing from its accustomed process of waiting 32 days to formally rumor its judgement to nan little court. “The Court’s determination to subordinate our accustomed believe nether Rule 45.3 and rumor nan judgement forthwith is tantamount to an support of Louisiana’s unreserved to region nan ongoing predetermination successful bid to walk a caller map,” she wrote.

  • How will this play into nan wide conflict for Congress? Red states, including Alabama and Tennessee, are rushing to revise their legislature maps aft nan original ultimate tribunal decision. On Monday, Ron DeSantis, nan Florida governor, signed a gerrymandered legislature territory representation into rule that gives Republicans an electoral advantage successful 4 further races successful November’s midterm elections.

  • How are Democrats fighting back? Eight candidates person been added to their slate of apical contenders vying to reclaim a Democratic House mostly successful November’s midterm elections.

  • When do voters caput to nan polls? Ohio voters will coming select candidates earlier November’s midterm elections, including nan candidates for Ohio’s Senate typical election. Indiana voters besides go to nan polls today, pinch 7 Republican authorities senators battling for re-election against candidates backed by Trump.

In different news …

A composite image of Blake Lively, wearing a flowered gown, posing connected nan reddish carpet against a backdrop of flowers, and Justin Baldoni wearing a bluish and achromatic flowered shirt.
The ineligible spat betwixt Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni is over. Composite: AFP, NBC, Getty Images
  • Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni person settled their ineligible conflict from nan production of their 2024 movie It Ends With Us, putting an extremity to a highly anticipated trial earlier it began.

  • Zohran Mamdani and different section officials condemned Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) aft national officers dragged a man retired of a infirmary building, prompting a crowd of protesters to stitchery extracurricular and conflict pinch police.

  • A US judge connected Monday apologized for nan “legally deficient” curen of nan man accused of attempting to assassinate Trump astatine nan White House correspondents’ dinner.

  • The rapper Kid Cudi has fired MIA from his circuit aft nan British creator went connected a rant astir being a Republican on shape successful Dallas.

Stat of nan day: 70% of voters judge ambiance action tin little nan costs of living

Two ambiance activists clasp up a yellowish motion reference 'big lipid profits, workers pay!' Behind them is simply a ample globe. Another worker bangs a drum to nan side.
Climate activists artifact a road ramp adjacent nan offices of nan American Petroleum Institute (API) successful Washington DC connected 1 May 2026. Photograph: Bryan Dozier/Zuma Press Wire/Shutterstock

An influential group of progressives has put guardant a “working-class ambiance agenda” seeking to antagonistic claims that ambiance argumentation is politically toxic amid a costs of surviving crisis. A caller study recovered that 70% of voters – including 65% of Republicans – judge ambiance action tin little nan costs of living, a uncovering that suggests moving group whitethorn beryllium receptive to greenish policies, they say.

Culture pick: Ex-Vampire Weekender Rostam connected what it intends to beryllium Iranian-American

Rostam Batmanglij holds an acoustic guitar while sitting betwixt 2 different guitars against a backdrop of a faded American flag
‘What is my narration to nan American flag? What is my narration to American citizenship?’ Batmanglij asks. Photograph: Matthew Weinberger

Rostam Batmanglij explores his narration pinch American civilization and his American citizenship arsenic an Iranian American in his 3rd solo album, American Stories, fusing together Americana pinch sounds of nan Middle East.

Don’t miss this: The man who blew up a atomic powerfulness position and disappeared

An orangish and achromatic illustration of a man cycling distant from 2 atomic reactors that are cracking.
Rodney Wilkinson became nan astir wanted saboteur successful South African history. Illustration: Daria Lada/The Guardian

In December 1982, Rodney Wilkinson set disconnected 4 bombs successful nan Koeberg atomic powerfulness station in South Africa, successful an enactment of defiance against nan apartheid authorities that made him nan astir wanted saboteur successful South African history. Then he sewage connected his bicycle and rode away, disappearing for much than 40 years. How did he do it?

… aliases this: The conflict to flip Ohio

A man mows a greenish portion of section adjacent to a statement of houses, immoderate pinch American flags retired front, successful Middletown, Ohio.
Some group successful Ohio opportunity they’re tired of timeworn governmental promises. Photograph: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Ohio lies astatine nan halfway of Democrats’ hopes of retaking power of Congress successful nan midterm elections and hobbling Trump’s legislative agenda. They’re hoping that voters, disappointment pinch rising state prices and nan warfare successful Iran, will ballot against nan Republicans who supported Trump’s policies.

Climate check: The ‘point of nary return’ for New Orleans

An aerial position of nan streets of New Orleans successful heavy h2o aft Hurricane Katrina.
Rising oversea levels and nan rampant erosion of wetlands successful confederate Louisiana will swallow up nan New Orleans area wrong a fewer generations, a study concluded. Photograph: Reuters

New Orleans whitethorn beryllium surrounded by nan Gulf of Mexico earlier nan extremity of this century, a study has concluded, pinch rising oversea levels and nan rampant erosion of wetlands threatening to swallow up nan metropolis wrong decades. The study’s authors are recommending that nan process of relocating residents retired of metropolis statesman immediately.

Last Thing: The Met Gala reddish carpet

Sabrina Carpenter poses successful her costume dress made retired of movie from nan movie Sabrina.
Sabrina Carpenter attends nan 2026 Met Gala. Photograph: Mike Coppola/Getty Images

“Fashion is art” at nan 2026 Met Gala, pinch stars specified arsenic Hailey Bieber and Kim Kardashian wearing sculpted numbers while others specified arsenic Gigi Hadid choosing to move their bodies into a canvas. This year’s arena was funded by honorary chairs Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos, prompting protests.

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Source theguardian.com
theguardian.com