Good morning. You’re reading the Up First newsletter.
Today’s top stories
President Trump ordered the Navy to “shoot and kill any boat” trying to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz as shipping through the waterway has nearly stopped amid fears of mines, Iranian attacks and seizures of ships. There are no reliable figures on how many mines are in the Strait; clearing them is slow and dangerous, and recent gunfire attacks and seizures have chilled the already small number of ships attempting passage.
Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend their ceasefire for three weeks after high-level talks at the White House. The extension aims to maintain the fragile truce between the Israeli military and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
The Trump administration is easing restrictions on medical marijuana by moving it from Schedule I to Schedule III. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the change allows more research on safety and efficacy and should give doctors and patients better information. The reclassification is expected to further normalize the marijuana business—potentially expanding banking services and allowing common tax deductions now unavailable—though the order changes regulation, not legalization. Medical-only states like Florida and Oklahoma could see quick benefits; a broader rescheduling process is underway, with an administrative hearing set for June.
Wildfires are burning in South Georgia and Northern Florida. One Georgia fire has destroyed nearly 90 homes and forced evacuations. Months of worsening drought have made fires easier to spread and harder for firefighters to contain. Residents in Brantley County say they are shaken and not used to wildfires; evacuation orders can arrive suddenly, forcing people to leave uncertain if their homes will remain.
For the first time, U.S. officials have criminally charged someone over prediction market wagers. Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment against Army Special Forces soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke, accusing him of using insider knowledge of a U.S. military operation to profit more than $400,000 on Polymarket tied to the raid that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. He faces charges including wire fraud, commodities fraud and misuse of non-public government information; the Justice Department and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission brought the actions.
Picture show
“Framerate: Desert Pulse” at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix is an immersive art exhibit by ScanLAB Projects. It features detailed 3D scans of saguaros and other Sonoran Desert plants projected across massive screens inside and outside the gallery, and pairs striking visual celebration with a cautionary message about human impact on the desert. The work also offers scientists data useful for conservation.
Weekend picks
– Movies: Michael, a new biopic about Michael Jackson’s rise.
– TV: Margo’s Got Money Troubles, starring Elle Fanning as a community college student whose life quickly spirals.
– Books: Like, Follow, Subscribe: Influencer Kids and the Cost of a Childhood Online by Fortesa Latifi.
– Music: Noah Kahan’s fourth album, The Great Divide.
3 things to know before you go
1. Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders voted to approve a $110 billion merger with Paramount–Skydance; regulatory approval is still required.
2. Meta will lay off about 8,000 workers, roughly 10% of its staff, in May.
3. Conductor and composer Michael Tilson Thomas, who led the San Francisco Symphony for 25 years, died at 81.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.