First Thing: Trump threatens to impose US tolls on Hormuz shipping as strikes on Iran continue

Donald Trump signing an executive order in the White House on Monday. Photograph: Aaron Schwartz/EPA View image in fullscreen Donald Trump signing an executive order in the White House on Monday. Photograph: Aaron Schwartz/EPA First Thing: Trump threatens to impose US tolls on Hormuz shipping as strikes on Iran continue Change of US position on free navigation comes as two tankers hit by Iranian cruise missiles. Plus, the international outpouring of love for the late actor Sam Neill Good morning. The US has launched its third consecutive night of strikes on Iran, hours after Donald Trump said Washington would reinstate a maritime blockade on the country and charge ships for safe passage. The UAE said two ⁠national tankers ⁠were ​targeted by two Iranian cruise missiles in ⁠the southern lane of the strait ⁠of Hormuz in Omani territorial ​waters, ‌killing one ‌Indian crew member and wounding ‌eight others, including four seriously. Iran and the US are in theory nearly halfway through the 60-day period of an interim deal that was supposed to set up talks for a permanent end to the war, which began in February with the Assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. In reality, that deal has devolved into a series of attacks over the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in the near-total collapse of an interim ceasefire and worrying world leaders that the conflict could fully resume. How has Trump changed his position on tolls? On Monday, Trump said the US would demand a 20% tariff on all cargoes shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. Until now, the US had said the strait should remain open to all without tolls – as it was before Washington and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February. Any attempt by the US or Iran – which has also proposed tolls – to charge fees would violate global norms on freedom of navigation and would be likely to cause further economic disruption far beyond the region. Lindsey Graham’s sister appointed to serve rest of Republican’s Senate term View image in fullscreen Darline Graham Nordone (centre): ‘I think this is what Lindsey would have wanted.’ Photograph: Sean Rayford/AP Henry McMaster, South Carolina’s governor, appointed Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to replace him in the Senate after his death on Saturday, after Donald Trump recommended that she be given the role. Her appointment was welcomed by lawmakers from both parties, who saw Nordone as an appropriate replacement for the brother who had raised her after their parents died when she was a teenager. What did Nordone say about her appointment? In brief remarks, Nordone, 64, said: “Lindsey has always been there for me, and now I will be there for him. I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and the United States. I think this is what Lindsey would have wanted, and I plan to honor him in this way. I miss you more than I can even put into words, but I’m going to do this. I got it.” Rubio launches campaign to dismantle international criminal court View image in fullscreen Marco Rubio wants to dismantle the international criminal court. Photograph: Eric Lee/Reuters Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, launched a campaign to dismantle the international criminal court (ICC) on Monday, claiming the global tribunal was interfering with US military and law enforcement operations at the risk of American sovereignty. Rubio invoked images of US border patrol agents and elected leaders being “dragged before an international court” and tried by judges from around the world. “If we stand idle, all of them will be at the mercy of foreign judges, thousands of miles away – facing the constant risk of prosecution and even imprisonment for the so-called ‘crime’ of defending their own country,” Rubio said in a video. What is the international criminal court? The international court, headquartered in The Hague, can only investigate crimes committed in states that are party to the Rome statute, the 2002 treaty that established it. The US has not ratified the treaty, nor has the court opened any investigations into alleged crimes committed on American soil. In other news … View image in fullscreen A sign honoring Alex Pretti and Renée Good. Photograph: Tim Evans/Reuters Minnesota prosecutors have received long-withheld evidence on the fatal shootings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti, helping the state gain clarity on the deaths that occurred earlier this year during protests against a federal immigration crackdown. Minnesota authorities had said earlier this year that the FBI was refusing to share evidence from its investigation into the shootings. Mexico is to file criminal complaints over the killing of migrants by ICE in US, with the president, Claudia Sheinbaum, saying Mexicans were “outraged” over the killing last week of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by agents in Houston. A US judge has nullified Trump’s deal to resolve his IRS lawsuit, in a scathing ruling that said the $10bn suit was brought for “improper purpose”. Idaho is to have a ballot measure for a reproductive freedom law that would reverse a ban on abortions at all pregnancy stages, one of the strictest bans in the US. Polish-Ukrainian solidarity over the Russian threat on their borders is being undermined by a bitter historical dispute over a second world war massacre. Stat of the day: US refunds $81bn in Trump tariffs after supreme court ruled them illegal View image in fullscreen Donald Trump talking about tariffs. Photograph: Carlos Barría/Reuters The US government has already paid back tens of billions of dollars in tariffs it collected before the supreme court ruled them illegal, according to budget figures released on Monday. Culture Pick: Why The Polygamist should be your next TV obsession View image in fullscreen Gugu Gumede (left) as Joyce Gomora and Kwanele Mthethewa as Matipa in The Polygamist. Photograph: Netflix With its lovable playboy and jaw-dropping twists, the South African drama has become Netflix’s latest breakout smash. Andrew Lawrence explains why you should get straight on it with a binge watch. Don’t miss this: Sale of multimillion-dollar T rex skeleton is big headache for scientists View image in fullscreen A videographer documents ‘Gus’ the T rex. Photograph: Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Images One of the largest and most complete T rex skeletons discovered to date is to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York with an estimated sale price of $20m-$30m – and scientists are worried about the trend. Prof Richard Butler, a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Birmingham in the UK, said: “Dinosaur fossils being marketed and sold like rare artworks at vast prices by auction houses is very concerning. A fossil not in a recognised museum collection cannot be studied and is therefore lost to research.” … or this: Sam Neill remembered by his co-stars and neighbors View image in fullscreen Sam Neill in 2023. Photograph: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images There has been a huge outpouring of love for the late Sam Neill. Lindsay Duncan, Charles Dance and the director Peter Webber are among those who worked with him paying tribute. To the small South Island communities in New Zealand near where he lived, he was beloved as “just a local”. And if you missed it, his final interview – with Guardian readers – was one for the ages. Climate check: Trump dramatically cuts size of two national monuments held sacred by tribes View image in fullscreen Lower Calf Creek Falls at the Grand Staircase-Escalante national monument in Utah. Photograph: Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket/Getty Images Donald Trump has approved a sharp reduction in the size of two national monuments in Utah – Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante – held sacred by many Native Americans, in the latest move to open US public land to corporate developers and the oil and gas industry. The monuments have ancient cliff dwellings, petroglyphs and scenic canyons, as well as coal and uranium deposits that state officials want made available for development. Last Thing: The lonely reality of male infertility – podcast View image in fullscreen Sperm counts are in decline worldwide. Photograph: nevodka/Shutterstock Sperm counts are in decline worldwide, and testosterone levels are said to be plunging, but male infertility still carries a stigma. Prof Michael Carroll speaks to Helen Pidd in this podcast on what every man should know. If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email newsletters@theguardian.com Explore more on these topics US news First Thing newsletter news Share Reuse this content