First Thing: Trump says US navy will ‘guide’ trapped ships through strait of Hormuz
2026-05-04 13:00
Good morning.
Donald Trump has announced this morning that the US will “guide” ships trapped in the Gulf by the Iran war through the strait of Hormuz, and claimed his representatives were having “very positive” discussions with Iran.
Trump wrote on his social media site that what he called Project Freedom would be a humanitarian gesture “on behalf of the United States, Middle Eastern Countries but, in particular, the Country of Iran”.
“I have told my Representatives to inform them that we will use best efforts to get their Ships and Crews safely out of the Strait.”
The acting US attorney general, Todd Blanche, yesterday defended new criminal charges filed against the former FBI head James Comey, insisting the case was based on more than just an Instagram post from last year.
The Department of Justice announced a two-count felony indictment against Comey last Tuesday, charging him in connection with a picture he posted on Instagram in May 2025.
The picture displayed seashells on the beach arranged in a formation to read “86 47”. The figure 86 is shorthand for getting rid of something, and Trump allies accused Comey of threatening violence against the president.
Women are hit hardest when developing countries’ debt burden rises, a trend expected to worsen as the war in the Middle East continues, UN research shows.
A report by experts from the UN’s development programme (UNDP), based on data from 85 countries gathered across three decades, shows women are disproportionately affected when debt repayments increase significantly.
As governments cut back public spending to accommodate rising debt costs, women, who are overrepresented in sectors such as education and care, are more likely to lose their jobs.
Astronomers have discovered 27 new potential planets that orbit two stars, like the fictional desert planet Tatooine from the Star Wars universe. To date, only about 18 circumbinary planets – those which orbit around two stars – had been identified in the universe. More than 6,000 planets have been discovered that orbit single stars, as Earth does around the sun.
When USA Rugby (USAR) updated its eligibility requirements in February to ban trans women from competing, many players and fans were outraged. Within days, 300 people from around the country were on a call to discuss next steps. Players are considering only competing in the “open” category, which allows people of any sex or gender to play.
Meet the writer Ana Viladomiu, 70, who lives in Antoni Gaudí’s Casa Milà. She has been a ‘privileged’ resident of the once derided, now revered Barcelona apartment building for almost 40 years – and is now the only one left. So what’s it like being the sole occupant of a building that receives about a million visitors a year?
Since Donald Trump’s first term, they have been viewed comfortingly as the “adults in the room,” a last line of defense against the impulsive whims of a president with access to the nuclear codes. Now – after an unprecedented wave of firings that has been compared by some to Stalin’s purges – the Pentagon top brass no longer seem like such a reliable bulwark.
Last week’s first conference on “transitioning away from fossil fuels” came at a pivotal moment. Oil and gas prices have surged after the US-Israeli attacks on Iran – the second such shock in five years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – underlining how reliance on fossil fuels leaves governments exposed to forces beyond their control.
Beagles rescued from a controversial Wisconsin research facility appeared to relax almost immediately, with some seeking affection within hours, rescuers said. A deal was struck to buy 1,500 dogs after weeks of protests, and organisations are now working to rehome them across the US. More than 700 adoption applications applications have already been received.
First Thing is delivered to thousands of inboxes every weekday. If you’re not already signed up, subscribe now.
If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email newsletters@theguardian.com