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For the ones who get it done.
Welcome to NewsHour.
It's coming to you live from the BBC World Service studios in central London.
I'm Tim Franks.
We're beginning, as we often do, with a question.
What is going on?
And in particular, what is going on in the Strait of Hormuz,
that critical waterway where transit has been dramatically reduced as a result of the US-Iran conflict?
The reason it 's a particular question today is because of President Trump's announcement
that as of mid-morning Middle East time, in other words,
a few hours ago, the US would begin freeing the merchant ships that have been trapped by Iran's blockade.
I say freeing.
What Mr Trump and his regional commanders indicated was n't a full military escort,
but they would somehow guide those stranded vessels.