First Thing: US-Iran ceasefire at risk after exchange of fire in strait of Hormuz

Good morning. The US and Iran traded fire late on Thursday in the greatest test so far to their month-long ceasefire. Tehran accused Washington of breaching the truce by targeting two ships in the strait of Hormuz and attacking civilian areas, while the US said it had struck in retaliation. Donald Trump told reporters in Washington DC that the ceasefire remained intact despite the strikes. When asked where this left hopes of a negotiated end to the war, the president was vague, saying a deal “might not happen, but it could happen any day”. He claimed: “I believe they want the deal more than I do.” Where were negotiations up to before the strikes? There were reports the two sides could be nearing an agreement to halt the war, with a one-page memorandum shared between Washington and Tehran, via Pakistan. Here is a rundown of the ins and outs over the past week. What happened to Trump’s “Project Freedom”? The US plan to guide tankers through the strait of Hormuz was ditched just days after it was launched, apparently because Saudi Arabia refused to let the US use its bases and airspace to carry out the operation. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments. Tennessee Republicans redraw maps to erase last Democratic, Black-majority district The Democratic state representative Justin Jones burns a photo of the confederate flag on Thursday with the words ‘We Will Not Go Back’, on the third day of a session on redistricting at Nashville, Tennessee. …