First Thing: Trump says ‘likely more’ deaths of US troops before Iran conflict ends
Trump cited debunked claims in video address that Iran was on verge of nuclear weapons to justify US casualties. Plus, the teacher who exposed Putin’s primary school propaganda
Good morning.
Donald Trump recorded a new video address yesterday, vowing to avenge three American deaths after the joint US-Israel strikes on Iran and accusing the Iranian regime of “waging war against civilization itself”.
The US president addressed the deaths, saying “we grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives” and called for prayers for “the full recovery” of five others who were seriously wounded.
But he warned: “Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That’s the way it is, likely to be more. But we’ll do everything possible where that won’t be the case.”
What is Trump’s plan? It’s unclear but he is under pressure to spell out his vision for Iran. Trump’s critics are demanding that the White House provide greater clarity about what comes next. Opponents and analysts say the lack of a clear plan outlined so far has created a danger of the US being sucked into a long-lasting conflict of the sort that Trump repeatedly vowed to avoid.
This is a developing story. Follow our liveblog here.
Hundreds more flights cancelled as world faces worst travel chaos since Covid pandemic
Hundreds more flights were cancelled today, extending the turmoil in global air travel caused by the US-Israel war on Iran, with hundreds of thousands of passengers already stranded.
Major Middle Eastern airports, including Dubai – the world’s busiest international hub – closed for a third consecutive day, in the most acute aviation shock since the Covid pandemic paralysed the industry.
How many flights have been cancelled? Early on Monday, 1,239 flights had already been cancelled. Emirates, based in Dubai; Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi; and Qatar Airways, based in Doha, have collectively cancelled hundreds of flights. Almost 2,800 flights were cancelled on Saturday, and 3,156 were cancelled on Sunday, according to the tracking platform FlightAware.
Austin bar shooting leaves three dead, including suspect, and 14 wounded
The FBI’s joint terrorism taskforce has been called in to help investigate a deadly mass shooting in downtown Austin, Texas, yesterday morning in which a gunman opened fire in front of a bar popular with university students, killing two people and injuring 14 others before being fatally shot by police.
The Associated Press reported that officials had identified the suspect as Ndiaga Diagne, 53, a US citizen who first came to the US in 2000 from Senegal, married an American six years later and naturalized in 2013. He spent some years in New York before moving to Texas.
What was the motive? An FBI official, Alex Doran, told reporters at a press conference that it was too early to determine the suspect’s motivation. But he added that evidence found on the suspect and in his car indicated a “potential nexus to terrorism”, while an intelligence group said he had expressed “pro-Iranian regime sentiment”.
In other news …
All unaccompanied immigrant children who are pregnant, many by rape, are being moved to a single facility in Texas in order to avoid providing abortion services in a significant human rights violation, critics say.
A Florida man who had been missing since Valentine’s Day was rescued more than a week later trapped in mud up to his shoulders, authorities said. Andrew Giddens, 36, had reportedly gone several days without food or water.
The actor Shia LaBeouf has said he needs to sort out his “small man complex” rather than undergo another round of substance abuse treatment after his recent arrest on allegations that he battered three men at a New Orleans bar while hurling homophobic slurs at them.
Stat of the day: Oil could be driven over $100 a barrel by Iran conflict, analysts warn
Analysts are warning that the US-Israel war with Iran could drive oil prices up to $100 a barrel. The consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie is warning that higher oil and gas prices are certain, and that oil prices could exceed $100 per barrel if tanker flows through the strait of Hormuz are not quickly restored.
Building power: ‘Liberty Vans’ appear across US to help immigrants – and document ICE raids
As ICE operations ramped up across the US, vans emblazoned with imagery of the Statue of Liberty have been deployed in various cities. The so-called Liberty Vans (Camioneta de la Libertad in Spanish) are organized by a politically diverse coalition, using volunteers who hope to defend vulnerable communities in the crosshairs of federal enforcement.
Don’t miss this: The teacher who exposed Putin’s primary school propaganda
Grenade-throwing contests replaced gym class and “denazification” speeches became homework. Pavel Talankin’s undercover film Mr Nobody Against Putin, which tells the story of his school’s indoctrination drive, won a Bafta and is now being talked about for a Oscar, but it has also left him in exile, he tells Amelia Gentleman.
… or this: Savannah Guthrie may never know what happened to her loved one. In the US, she’s not alone
The disappearance of NBC’s Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother has prompted a $1m reward, but also reignited debate about unequal coverage of missing-person cases, with campaigners arguing media exposure can shape public urgency and the chances of someone being found.
Climate check: Winter getting shorter in 80% of major US cities, new data shows
For the millions of people across the US who have spent the past month digging themselves out of above-average levels of snow and ice, this winter has felt especially long and harsh. But the typical winter is actually getting shorter in 80% of major American cities, according to data released by Climate Central.
Last Thing: US Half Marathon Championship ends in chaos as runners guided in wrong direction
USA Track & Field has denied an appeal to change the results of its Half Marathon Championship in Atlanta, which ended in chaos. With less than two miles to go in the women’s race, Jess McClain had a significant lead over Ednah Kurgat and Emma Hurley, when the guide vehicle took the trio off course.
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