First Thing: US starts naval blockade of Iranian ports after deadline passes | US news

Good morning.

The US began blocking ships from using Iranian ports in the Gulf, turning the US-Israeli war against Iran into a test of economic endurance.

US Central Command (Centcom) did not make an official statement about the start of the blockade, but said that the blockade will begin at 17.30 Iranian time on Monday and will apply to all ships entering or leaving Iranian ports or coastal areas. Ships using ports outside Iran will not be affected.

It turns out that US naval forces will try to enforce the blockade in the Gulf of Oman, east of the Strait of Hormuz, in a place where Iranian missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles cannot easily reach.

The American strategy aims to devastate Iran’s economy, which is heavily dependent on oil, to force Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ships from the ports of its Gulf allies and agree to a complete ban on uranium enrichment. Iran says Donald Trump’s blockade will impose higher fuel costs on ordinary Americans.

• How can Centcom enforce the blockade? It’s not clear, but since a missile attack on a tanker trying to break the blockade could lead to an environmental disaster, it’s possible that U.S. forces will try to board and capture any ship that doesn’t comply with their instructions.

• Follow the latest updates on our live blog.

Republican and Democrat withdraw from Congress over expulsion threats

Republican Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas announced Monday that he is resigning from Congress after admitting to having an extramarital affair with a staffer.

Facing mounting threats of expulsion from colleagues, Gonzales admitted last month that he had an affair with an aide who later died by suicide.

His announcement came hours after Democratic representative Eric Swalwell, who is running for governor of California, said he was resigning from Congress following multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.

• Did Swalwell also face expulsion? Yes, there were bipartisan calls for this. Swalwell acknowledged the threat of impeachment, saying: “It is wrong to expel anyone in Congress without due process within a few days of the impeachment. But it is also wrong for my constituents to remove me from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.”

Mark Carney secures majority government in Canada after special election victory

Mark Carney’s Liberal party has won a majority government in Ontario and Quebec after winning three special elections, CBC reported.

According to the public broadcaster, these wins will allow the Canadian prime minister’s government to push through its own agenda without relying on the opposition, as it currently has 174 seats in the 343-seat House of Commons. Carney said the majority would help Trump deal more effectively with the trade war he started.

• When will Canada’s next election be? A majority government would allow Carney to decide the exact timing of the next election, while minority governments risk snap elections. National elections are planned to be held in 2029.

In other news…

• US military said this killed two people in another boat attack in the eastern Pacific Ocean, He claimed – without providing evidence – that the targets were involved in “drug smuggling operations.”

• A. 16 years old from Florida was accused He sexually assaulted and killed his 18-year-old stepsister On a cruise ship in November.

• Donald Trump deleted a post containing an AI image of himself as a Christ-like figure After the anger of Christians.

• Iran announces release of captain’s assets Iranian women’s football team They were frozen after he sought asylum in Australia last month and then withdrew.

Metabolic liver disease will affect 1.8 billion people worldwide by 2050, with increasing obesity and blood sugar levels being the main cause, a study has suggested. According to the latest estimates, there are currently 1.3 billion people living with this disease; a 143% increase in three decades.

Culture pick: Euphoria season three review – dirty, desperate and totally not worth the wait

Euphoria has only aired 18 episodes since its debut in 2019; the production schedule has been disrupted by everything from the pandemic to the Los Angeles wildfires. The high school drama barely managed to complete filming for the third season before most of the cast reached 30. Hannah J Davies argues that the third season is not worth her time, calling it “a filthy, humorless work of torture porn”.

Don’t miss this: Francesca Albanese on death threats, danger and fear after accusing Israel of genocide

Francesca Albanese is greeted by rock stars everywhere she goes; This is certainly not a normal situation for a UN rapporteur. But he is not a typical UN expert: He was the first at the intergovernmental organization to call Israel’s war in Gaza a genocide and has spoken openly about the complicity of Western states and corporations. Albanese, who was sanctioned by the USA and faced death threats, explains how he paid the price.

Climate control: ‘All of a sudden boom, it’s totally hot.’ Summers are getting longer

The research, covering 10 global cities, shows summer conditions are busier, arrive earlier and last longer than before. The change, which is largely a result of human-caused global warming, means summer months are six days longer every decade.

Latest Thing: Dolly Parton tops US global figures list positivity survey

Country star and 11-time Grammy winner Dolly Parton Ranked at the top of the survey in which 20 international figures participatedHe is ahead of his two closest rivals, Barack Obama and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, by 50 points. The American people will always love you, Dolly.

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