First Thing: Trump launches tirade against Europe for not joining Iran war
Some European countries have blocked Israeli and US planes from moving weapons through their airspace. Plus, a rocket heads to the moon for the first time since 1972
Good morning.
Donald Trump has launched a tirade against European countries that refused to join the Israel-US war against Iran, calling out the UK and France, as transatlantic relations continue their downward spiral and the war wreaks havoc on the global economy.
On Truth Social, the president told governments concerned about fuel prices to “go get your own oil” by force from the Gulf, comments that sent oil prices even higher. He later claimed the US would end its operations within two to three weeks.
As energy prices surge, governments across Asia are increasing their use of coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, in an attempt to cover huge energy shortfalls. Coal is the “fastest, cheapest way to replace LNG”, the managing director of energy and resources at Eurasia Group said, noting that countries such as India are also ramping up their renewable energy capacity. Experts have called for the crisis to act as a wake-up call for green energy investment.
What pushback has there been from Europe? France has blocked Israeli planes from flying weapons through its airspace, while Italy refused last-minute permission for US bombers to land in Sicily. Spain has already denied the US use of its bases and airspace. The UK, however, has allowed the US to use its bases for a war that its government says is illegal.
For the latest updates, follow our live blog.
Trump restricts mail-in ballots in likely unconstitutional move
Donald Trump has signed an executive order instructing his administration to create a national voter file and curb the use of mail-in ballots, in an unprecedented move that is probably unconstitutional.
The order directs the Department of Homeland Security to work with the Social Security Administration to draw up a list of verified US citizens who can vote in each state. It also directs the United States Postal Service (USPS) to develop a process that would require states to notify it of voters who want to vote by mail and ban them from receiving a ballot unless they are on a USPS-approved list of eligible voters. As well as being probably unconstitutional, the plan appears unworkable for practical reasons.
What does research on voter fraud show? Repeated studies and investigations have shown there is no widespread voter fraud, including fraud through mail-in voting. Trump has repeatedly spread misinformation about voter fraud.
Why is it probably unconstitutional? The constitution explicitly authorizes states to set election rules, giving the president no authority over elections.
Fully crewed Nasa rocket will go to the moon for first time since 1972
A fully crewed rocket will head to the moon from Florida this evening, marking the first time that humans will have left lower Earth orbit since 1972.
Up to 400,000 people are expected to gather on beaches and causeways to watch the launch of Artemis II, which is scheduled for 6.24pm ET, provided the weather and technical conditions allow it.
“The nation, and the world, has been waiting a long time to do this again,” Reid Wiseman, the Artemis II commander, told reporters on Sunday.
What is the mission’s purpose? A key aim is to photograph areas of the moon’s south pole where the next human landing and an eventual lunar base are planned. The 10-day test flight will not land on the moon.
In other news …
A US judge has halted the construction of Trump’s $400m White House ballroom after a lawsuit alleged that the president had exceeded his authority by demolishing the East Wing and beginning construction without approval from Congress.
A federal judge has ordered the University of Pennsylvania to give a federal agency its records about Jewish employees as part of an investigation into antisemitic discrimination, but said it did not have to reveal any individual’s affiliation with an organization.
An American journalist has been kidnapped in Baghdad by a suspected Iranian-backed Iraqi armed group, the US said, with media advocacy groups identifying the journalist as Shelly Kittleson, a freelancer.
Stat of the day: US average fuel price passes $4 a gallon for first time in four years
Average US fuel prices have exceeded $4 a gallon for the first time in four years, burdening drivers with steep costs as Trump’s war on Iran continues to cause oil prices to surge. The average reached almost $4.02 on Tuesday, according to AAA data, capping an extraordinary rise from $2.98 just a month ago.
Well actually: What I learned after a week of Hyrox classes
When the writer Wilson Wong’s social media feeds started to fill up with videos about Hyrox, he became curious and looked into it. A newer, endurance-based counterpart to CrossFit, Hyrox, which began in 2017, is so challenging that the main goal is just to finish the race. He looked at why the fitness trend has exploded in the US over the past two years.
Don’t miss this: I wore Meta’s smartglasses for a month – and it left me feeling like a creep
Content creators love the built-in camera that comes with Meta’s smartglasses, but skeptics have called them “pervert glasses”. “Of course, not all users are ill-intentioned, but I can’t deny: not only do I feel creepy wearing them, but they also lead me to think like a creep. When I see a stranger walking her lookalike dog, and when I run into an ex for the first time in years, both times I have the fleeting thought: I wish I’d been recording,” writes Elle Hunt.
Climate check: Invisible plumes and ‘terrible pollution’: the reality of the US gas sites rated ‘grade A’
The world’s largest voluntary methane certification program, which covers a fifth of US fossil gas production, may be understating the actual methane emissions it purports to certify, a Guardian investigation has found. BP, ExxonMobil and EQT are among the producers relying on MiQ to demonstrate that that their US gas complies with the EU Methane Regulation mandate.
Last Thing: Painting eyes on food boxes can stop gulls stealing fries
If you live near the coast, you’ll know how carefully you need to guard food from gulls. Now, a new study has found that painting eyes on a box makes the birds less likely to want to steal fries from them, reducing thefts by as much as 50%.
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