1 Iran Conflict: President Says The US Will Guide Ships Through The Strait of Hormuz
President Trump announced yesterday that the U.S. military will begin guiding stranded commercial ships out of the Strait of Hormuz starting today, in an operation he dubbed "Project Freedom." Trump framed it as a humanitarian mission, saying neutral countries with no stake in the Iran war had asked for American help to free vessels that have been locked in the strait for weeks with dwindling food and supplies for their crews. CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper described it as a "defensive mission" essential to both regional security and the global economy. Iran's deputy parliament speaker called the move a violation of the ceasefire reached last week and said Iran "will not back down" from its position in the strait. A cargo vessel near the strait was struck by what the UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre described as multiple small craft yesterday morning, though all crew members were reported safe.
2 Spirit Airlines Shut Down On Saturday, Stranding Passengers Across The US
Spirit Airlines, the budget carrier known for its bright yellow jets and bare-bones fares, shut down all operations in the early morning hours on Saturday, making it the first major U.S. airline to go out of business in roughly 25 years. The company canceled all flights, halted customer service, and told passengers not to go to the airport. Spirit blamed soaring jet fuel costs driven by the Iran war as the final blow, saying the sustained price spike left it unable to secure the hundreds of millions of dollars it needed to survive. An 11th-hour Trump administration bailout plan that could have provided up to $500 million in exchange for up to a 90-percent government stake fell apart after bondholders rejected the terms; the shutdown put roughly 17,000 employees out of work. Customers who paid by credit or debit card will receive automatic refunds. Major carriers, including United, Delta, American, and Southwest, capped fares at around $200 to help stranded passengers rebook.
3 Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized In Critical Condition
Former New York City Mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, 81, was hospitalized yesterday in critical but stable condition, according to his spokesman Ted Goodman, who did not say what caused the admission or where Giuliani was being treated. On Friday, Giuliani had appeared on his online show from Palm Beach, coughing and saying his voice was "a little bit under the weather." Trump confirmed the news on Truth Social, calling Giuliani "a True Warrior and the Best Mayor in the History of New York City." Giuliani has faced a string of health setbacks in recent years, including a car accident in New Hampshire last August that left him with a fractured vertebra and other injuries. Trump pardoned Giuliani in November and awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier that year.