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Tracy Mumford (0:35)
From the New York Times, it's the Headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. Today's Tuesday, May 5th. Here's what we're covering. One day into President Trump's plan to get traffic moving through the Strait of Hormuz again, the US Military says it's been shooting down cruise missiles and drones fired at commercial ships by Iran. It's responded with force, sinking six Iranian speedboats. The new attacks have shaken the temporary truce, and they've also added to the confusion and uncertainty for ships caught near the waterway. While the US Is vowing to help tankers carrying everything from natural gas to fertilizer get out, it's unclear if the shipping companies will take the risk. One trade analyst told the Times a key reason cargo ships aren't going through yet is insurance costs. Even if a captain is willing to sail through the strait, the ship's owners or the owners of its cargo could refuse, shipping companies said. Iran needs to be part of any plan to move a large number of ships through the waterway. According to the International maritime organization, around 1600 vessels are currently trapped in the gulf. Before the war, about 130 ships a day used to cross the straits. Yesterday, according to one financial intelligence firm, four ships got through. Meanwhile, China.
Squarespace Sponsor (2:01)
Let's see them step up with some diplomacy and get the Iranians to open the strait.
Tracy Mumford (2:06)
Treasury Secretary Scott Besant called on China to try and help get the strait open. The country has continued to buy Iranian oil through the war, which has in part kept Iran's economy afloat. But the US has been applying pressure, warning China that it will go after entities involved in those oil sales, like refineries and financial institutions. So far, the Chinese government has avoided taking a strong position on the war. In Indiana today, voters will cast ballots in a state legislative primary. Usually that's kind of a sleepy affair down ballot races without a lot of eyes on them. Not this time. Today will be a test of President Trump's power in the Republican Party. It stems from last year, when Trump urged red states to redraw their election maps to try and get the GOP more seats in Congress. Several followed suit, but not Indiana. In a rare instance of elected Republicans publicly defying the president, a critical mass of Indiana lawmakers said no to his redistricting effort. So Trump has primaried them. For months, he's been inviting challengers to the White House and putting out endorsements on social media. And tonight, seven Republican incumbents will be fighting to keep their seats against candidates that Trump backed over them. It will be one of several tests of the president's power this primary season.
