First Thing: Trump says US navy will ‘guide’ trapped ships through strait of Hormuz

A man apparently fishing off Bandar Abbas in the Strait of Hormuz with trapped ships in the background. Photograph: Razieh Poudat/AP View image in fullscreen A man apparently fishing off Bandar Abbas in the Strait of Hormuz with trapped ships in the background. Photograph: Razieh Poudat/AP First Thing: Trump says US Navy will ‘guide’ trapped ships through Strait of Hormuz US president’s post follows flurry of mixed signals including concern Tehran had not ‘paid big enough price’. Plus, could Santa Marta climate talks mark ground zero in push to ditch fossil fuels? 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.” What has Iran said? The head of the Iranian military’s unified command has said US and foreign armed forces will be attacked if they enter the strait. It told US forces to stay out of the area and said its forces would respond harshly to any threat. It also told commercial ships and oil tankers to refrain from any movement in the absence of coordination with Iran’s military. Todd Blanche says case against Comey based on more than just Instagram post View image in fullscreen The acting US attorney general, Todd Blanche, announces a second indictment against the former FBI director James Comey. Photograph: Nathan Howard/Reuters 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. What did Comey say about the post? Comey deleted the post and apologized. He said the hadn’t known what the expression meant and condemned violence. He has said he is innocent and denies any wrongdoing. Women hardest hit by developing countries’ rising debt burden, UN research finds View image in fullscreen The report, based on data from 85 countries gathered across three decades, shows women in developing countries are disproportionately affected. Photograph: Issouf Sanogo/AFP/Getty Images 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. What was the situation like before the conflict in the Middle East? The head of the UNDP, Alexander De Croo, said that even before the US-Israel war with Iran, 56 countries were spending more than 10% of government revenue on servicing their debts. The conflict is likely to make the situation worse as energy and fertiliser costs rise and interest rates increase. In other news … View image in fullscreen Isa Briones of The Pitt has told fans ‘Broadway is not a circus’. Photograph: Tricia Baron/Shutterstock The Pitt star Isa Briones has issued a strong message to fans who have taken to shouting references to the medical drama at her while she is on stage in a Broadway musical. Briones, who is performing in Just in Time, said people had shouted “when are you going to finish your charts”just before she started singing. A suspected outbreak of the rare hantavirus infection on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean has killed three people, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and South Africa’s health department. The former mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani has been hospitalized and is in a “critical but stable condition”, according to his spokesperson. Stat of the day: Scientists discover 27 potential new planets that orbit two stars in solar systems far, far away View image in fullscreen A mournful Luke Skywalker contemplates a double sunset in a memorable scene from Star Wars. Photograph: Lucasfilm/Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock 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. Building power: ‘Every body is a rugby body’ – US women players fight for inclusivity after trans ban View image in fullscreen The USA women’s team at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in York, England, in September 2025. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images 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. Don’t miss this: ‘It’s a world heritage site, but it’s my home’ – the last resident of Casa Milà on life in Gaudí’s masterwork View image in fullscreen Ana Viladomiu, the last tenant of Gaudí’s apartment building, Casa Milà, says she ‘can’t take the rubbish out in my pyjamas because people will take photos’. Photograph: Jordi Matas/The Guardian 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? … or this: ‘This is just disarray’ – alarm inside Pentagon after Hegseth staff purges View image in fullscreen Pete Hegseth testifies before the Senate armed services committee on Thursday. Photograph: Cliff Owen/AP 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. Climate check: Could Santa Marta talks mark ground zero in push to ditch fossil fuels? View image in fullscreen An oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea at sunset. Photograph: Iván Valencia/AP 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. Last Thing: ‘They know they’re safe’ – beagles saved from US research facility after protests View image in fullscreen Daisy, one of about 1,500 beagles removed from Ridglan Farms. Photograph: AP 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. If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email newsletters@theguardian.com Explore more on these topics US-Israel war on Iran First Thing newsletter James Comey Debt relief news Share Reuse this content