First Thing: Trump tells critics to ‘sit back and relax’ as Iran claims to target US base

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Good morning, Martin Belam here. I will beryllium popping into your inbox penning First Thing regularly for nan adjacent small while. Here are today’s main stories …

Trump promises warfare pinch Iran ‘will each activity retired good successful nan end’

Donald Trump has told critics of his Israeli-backed warfare connected Iran to “sit backmost and relax”. Posting connected Truth Social, nan US president claimed securing a woody pinch Iran to extremity nan warfare was being made much difficult by what he said were “political hacks” who “keep negatively ‘chirping’”, but that “it will each activity retired good successful nan end. It ever does!”

Meanwhile, nan US said it struck Iranian subject sites astatine nan weekend, and Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said connected Monday it had targeted an airbase utilized by nan US for an onslaught connected confederate Iran. Air defences successful Kuwait, wherever a ample US guidelines is located, were intercepting rocket and drone attacks connected Monday arsenic sirens sounded crossed nan country, nan authorities news agency Kuna reported.

  • Is this nan extremity of nan ceasefire, then? The US and Iran person sporadically exchanged strikes since their ceasefire took effect successful early April, arsenic negotiations aimed astatine a much durable statement resistance on. A akin speech occurred past Thursday. The warfare launched by nan US and Israel connected 28 February has killed thousands of group – chiefly successful Iran and Lebanon – and caused world economical symptom by pushing up power prices.

Lead charismatic withdraws from criminal lawsuit against James Comey

Former FBI head James Comey.
The erstwhile FBI head James Comey denies nan allegations. Photograph: Michael Reynolds/EPA

The lead charismatic successful nan erstwhile FBI head James Comey’s lawsuit complete a arguable societal media station has withdrawn from nan case, according to a tribunal filing.

The justness section revenge announcement pinch nan tribunal connected Friday evening that Matthew Petracca, a charismatic from nan US attorney’s agency for nan eastbound territory of North Carolina, had been replaced by nan adjunct US lawyer Timothy Severo. The documents did not see immoderate mentation for nan change.

  • What was Comey accused of? Comey, who was indicted successful North Carolina successful April, faces up to 10 years successful situation for a photograph of seashells arranged to publication “86 47.” Prosecutors allege nan station constituted a threat against Donald Trump, nan 47th US president. Comey denies nan allegation.

Colombia’s far-right statesmanlike campaigner Espriella wins first information of ballot up of runoff

Abelardo de la Espriella speaks to supporters down bulletproof solid successful Barranquilla, Colombia.
Abelardo de la Espriella speaks to supporters down bulletproof solid successful Barranquilla, Colombia. Photograph: Rodrigo Buendía/AFP/Getty Images

The far-right lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella won nan first information of Colombia’s statesmanlike predetermination connected Sunday. He will look Senator Iván Cepeda, nan campaigner backed by nan leftwing president, Gustavo Petro, successful nan runoff.

With 99.97% of ballots counted, nan outsider and Trump admirer Espriella secured 43.7% of nan ballot – conscionable complete 10.3m votes – compared pinch 40.9% (about 9.6m votes) for Cepeda, a philosopher and quality authorities activistic who has served arsenic a legislator since 2014.

Although polls successful caller weeks had identified Espriella’s accelerated rise, astir showed him trailing Cepeda, who for months appeared to person a coagulated lead. The 2 will look each different successful a runoff connected 21 June.

  • What did Espriella opportunity aft nan victory? In a video alongside his woman and children, each wearing Colombian nationalist shot squad shirts, he said: “Compatriots, defenders of nan homeland, much than 10 cardinal Colombians placed their spot successful el Tigre and joined nan battalion … In 21 days, we are going to alteration nan history of Colombia for ever.”

In different news …

An Israeli emblem flies complete nan medieval Beaufort Castle, known locally arsenic Qalaat al-Shaqif aliases Shaqif Arnoun, photographed successful nan Marjayoun area of confederate Lebanon.
An Israeli emblem flies complete nan medieval Beaufort Castle, known locally arsenic Qalaat al-Shaqif aliases Shaqif Arnoun, arsenic seen from nan Marjayoun area of confederate Lebanon. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
  • European leaders person condemned Israel’s expanding incursion into Lebanon, aft its subject captured nan medieval Beaufort Castle and Israel’s premier minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, vowed to push moreover deeper into nan country.

  • The French navy has boarded an lipid tanker that was taxable to world sanctions and was sailing from Russia, nan French president, Emmanuel Macron, has said.

  • The Facebook whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams was forced to beryllium successful silence connected shape astatine an arena astatine Hay show successful nan UK, aft lawyers advised her not to speak because of ongoing ineligible action brought by Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta.

  • A United Airlines level bound for Spain from Newark Libertyairport turned astir midflight aft a imaginable information threat. According to aerial postulation power audio, information came to inspect nan craft aft personification named their Bluetooth instrumentality a “certain four-letter word”.

Stat of nan day: California reports huge diminution successful homelessness

A  bum man successful San Francisco, California.
A bum man successful San Francisco, California. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

California recorded one of nan largest declines successful homelessness successful nan US complete nan past year, according to a study from nan Department of Housing and Urban Development. The state’s unhoused organization fell to 181,934 successful 2025, a alteration of almost 3% compared pinch nan erstwhile year, placing California among nan 5 states pinch nan biggest reductions since 2024. Significant drops were recorded successful Illinois (44%), Hawaii (41%), Florida (11%) and New York (8%).

Building power: ‘We won’t extremity until they’re free’: protesters extracurricular a New Jersey ICE facility, successful their ain words

A group of protesters retreats aft national agents sprayed them pinch a chemic supplier extracurricular Delaney Hall.
A group of protesters retreats aft national agents sprayed them pinch a chemic supplier extracurricular Delaney Hall. Photograph: Julius Constantine Motal/The Guardian

Last week, much than 300 Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees were connected a hunger and labour onslaught astatine Delaney Hall successful Newark, New Jersey. The temper among nan dozens of organizers and organization members rallying extracurricular nan installation was tense but energized, Lex McMenamin found.

Don’t miss this: a ocular guideline to Fifa World Cup stadiums

A shot lucifer astatine Levi’s Stadium successful Santa Clara, California successful 2016.
A shot lucifer astatine Levi’s Stadium successful Santa Clara, California successful 2016. Photograph: Marcio José Sánchez/AP

The 2026 World Cup will beryllium nan largest men’s shot tourney successful history, featuring much stadiumsacross much countries than ever before. In nan run-up to kick-off connected 11 June, Alexander Abnos, Ella Brockway and Paul Bellsham person produced a comprehensive ocular guideline to each 16 venues successful nan US, Mexico and Canada.

… aliases this: really Nigeria’s bandit situation spun retired of control

Ex-bandits successful Katsina State, Nigeria.
Former bandits successful Katsina State, Nigeria. Photograph: Terna Iwar/The Guardian

Nigeria’s bandit situation has its roots successful conflicts betwixt farmers and nomadic herders complete onshore and resources that person go much aggravated because of nan ambiance crisis, deforestation and accelerated organization growth. Some herders formed vigilante groups, which shape-shifted into criminal gangs. Eromo Egbejule reports from Batsari, pinch striking photography and drone footage by Terna Iwar.

Climate check: Australia’s family artillery revolution

Condensation from star panels waters drought-stricken grazing onshore adjacent Dubbo, New South Wales.
Condensation from star panels waters drought-stricken grazing onshore adjacent Dubbo, New South Wales. Photograph: Fairfax Media

Australia is pioneering a gyration successful location renewables and artillery use, proving what is imaginable pinch nan correct policies. Batteries antagonistic nan long-used arguments against renewables – that they are unpredictable and intermittent and truthful put an further connected a nationalist grid, which must person an costly backup powerfulness root specified arsenic gas. Instead, batteries mean star powerfulness tin beryllium stored and utilized erstwhile needed.

Last Thing: The ruthlessness and redemption of Rupert Everett

Rupert Everett, photographed astatine La Fromagerie, Bloomsbury, London.
Rupert Everett: ‘Brash, disingenuous, lethal.’ Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian

Rupert Everett admits he lied to his partners, disrespected his audiences, betrayed his friends, describing his younger aforesaid arsenic “brash, disingenuous, lethal”. In this candid question and reply pinch Simon Hattenstone, nan English actor, 67, reflects connected years of recklessness, nan transformative acquisition of caring for his mother and nan agelong roadworthy to adulthood.

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Source theguardian.com
theguardian.com