Trump flip-flops on Hormuz toll and threatens Iran’s civilian infrastructure | First Thing

. UK edition

A person raises their arms as an ball of fire rises in the distance
A screengrab from a video said to show an Iranian missile being launched from an undisclosed location towards US targets in Bahrain and Kuwait. Photograph: Sepahnews.com/AFP/Getty Images

US president says power plants and bridges could be targeted, which would probably constitute war crimes

Good morning. Donald Trump has threatened to expand US strikes on Iran next week to target civilian infrastructure including power plants and bridges if Tehran does not agree to a deal. Trump made similar comments in March. Destroying civilian infrastructure such as power and water facilities would be illegal under international humanitarian law and would probably constitute a war crime.

The US president, meanwhile, has U-turned on a threat that ships would have to pay a 20% fee to the US for “security” in the strait of Hormuz. He said he had decided to scrap the toll “based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership”, and touted “massive” investments. He said the US would continue to blockade Iranian ports.

ICE pauses vehicle stops after deadly shootings in Texas and Maine

Federal immigration officials have been instructed to stop pulling over vehicles until further notice, according to a homeland security source, after two recent deadly shootings in Texas and Maine during which officials shot and killed immigrants in vehicles.

Federal immigration officials, including officers with ICE and Customs and Border Protection, have shot and killed 11 people since January 2025. Five people fatally shot by ICE officials were in their vehicles. In most of the cases, DHS claimed people “weaponized” their vehicles against federal law enforcement officers, leading the officials to shoot. Claims by DHS officials were later disputed after footage of the separate incidents cast doubt on the department’s claims.

Meta used AI to tag workers who took leave to be laid off, lawsuit claims

Dozens of Meta employees have sued the social media company over claims that it used artificial intelligence tools to tag workers for mass layoffs. The workers allege that those AI tools targeted them after they asked for protected or maternity leave or disability accommodation. The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in the northern district of California, points to Meta’s workforce reduction of about 8,000 employees earlier this year.

In other news …

Stat of the day: Florida executes one of its oldest prisoners in state’s 10th lethal injection this year

Dennis Sochor, a 74-year-old convicted murderer, was pronounced dead at 6.16pm after a three-drug injection at Florida state prison near Starke. He was convicted of killing Patricia Gifford on 1 January 1982 hours after meeting the 18-year-old woman at a New Year’s Eve party. Her body has never been found. A family statement said: “He had 45 years to return Patty’s remains to us, but he cruelly chose not to.”

Well Actually: Help, my sunscreen stings! What should I do?

Discomfort is no reason to give up sun protection, and Madeleine Aggeler finds out what you should do if your sunscreen stings and how do you make sure sunscreen actually works. She also has some tips if you are one of those people who finds hot weather makes them cranky – I am, for sure – including being proactive about managing our own temperature.

Don’t miss this: Rising number of Afghan girls being sold into child marriage

Afghanistan is seeing a resurgence in underage brides and mothers as desperate families sell their children in order to eat. The trend is driven by Taliban policies legalising the practice and forcing girls out of school, combined with a deepening humanitarian crisis. The Guardian and Zan Times spoke to families with daughters under nine who were traded into marriage to settle debts

… or this: Shipwrecks of Shackleton and Scott recreated in 3D digital form after deep sea expedition

“To see a very large ship in the abyss, and to realise you are among the first humans to see it, and to realise that it is largely intact, is a powerful experience. We’re scanning these wrecks and collecting thousands of high-resolution 3D images. We’re seeing these ships magically appear through this process in front of us on the screen,” said John Geiger, the head of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS). “It’s just mind-boggling.”

Climate check: California faces highest shark numbers in years as great whites head north

California is set to see one of its sharkiest summers in a decade, with large numbers of juvenile great whites already on a reverse vacation from the warm waters of Mexico to cooler pastures along the western United States because of the impact of El Niño.

Last Thing: Japan officials hunt bear that raided couple’s fridge amid string of break-ins

Authorities are searching for a bear that sneaked into the home of an elderly couple and raided their fridge, amid concerns it may be behind 14 break-ins across a Japanese town in the past fortnight. “It’s unusual for a bear to break into the same place multiple times,” said Shiho Chida, a bear specialist with the nature division in Iwate prefecture, where the town lies. “It’s possible this is the same animal, so we want to capture it as soon as possible.”

Sign up

Sign up for the US morning briefing

First Thing is delivered to thousands of inboxes every weekday. If you’re not already signed up, subscribe now.

Get in touch

If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email newsletters@theguardian.com