Read the daily news to learn English

Middle East crisis live: Trump says Iran deal will be signed today but Tehran casts doubt on timing as Israel launches strikes on Beirut

Iran’s top ⁠negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, ⁠said ⁠on Sunday that Israel’s attack ⁠on Beirut’s southern suburbs showed the ⁠United States ‌either lacked ‌the will to ‌fulfill its commitments or the ability to do so. In ‌a post on X, he said continuing on the ⁠current path would be impossible if commitments could not be ‌fulfilled. The deputy commander of ⁠Iran’s top ⁠joint military command, Khatam ⁠al-Anbiya central headquarters, said on ⁠Sunday that Israeli “crimes” ‌in ‌the southern suburbs ‌of Lebanon’s capital will not go unanswered, according to ‌state media. The comments follow ⁠Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs that Israel said ‌targeted Iran’s Lebanese ally Hezbollah.

DNA from 2,000-year-old grape seeds points to origins of modern winemaking

DNA extracted from 2,000-year-old grape seeds found in ancient wells in Tuscany has enabled scientists to map the most extensive genetic history of grapevines recovered from a single site, revealing that vineyards of the Roman era formed part of the empire’s sophisticated agricultural network that might have influenced the development of modern winemaking. The research led by scientists at the University of York also found that white grapes once dominated the site in Chianti, an area of Tuscany famous for its red Sangiovese wines. The discovery was made at Cetamura del Chianti, a hilltop archaeological site that was home to the Etruscans before the arrival of the Romans and then medieval Italians. Those living there between 300BC and 300AD dropped grape pips into deep wells, where they were preserved in oxygen-free mud. “We sequenced the DNA of 80 seeds and found a remarkable story of continuity,” said Dr Oya Inanli, the study’s co-author from the University of York. “A large majority of the tested seeds belonged to a single, identical variety passed directly from the Etruscans to the Romans and maintained for centuries. “We were also able to go a step further with the genetic testing and determine the colour of the ancient grapes. The markers revealed that this dominant, long-lived clone produced white berries.” The prevalence of white grapes was a surprise for the researchers. Nancy De Grummond, a professor at Florida State University, which has been undertaking excavations at Cetamura del Chianti since 1973, said: “Our team’s research adds an important chapter on the history of wine in the viticulture region of Chianti. “What a delightful surprise to learn that the world-famous red wine of today was actually preceded by a white vintage that was curated and maintained for centuries in Etruscan and Roman times.” After the Roman conquest of the settlement, new grape varieties appeared at Cetamura, possibly pointing to vines introduced from elsewhere across the empire, the study showed. Genetic testing also revealed that the dominant Cetamura vine was closely related to two ancient grape seeds previously tested from southern France. The researchers said this provided biological evidence of long-distance agricultural networks across the Roman empire that might have contributed to the standardised production of wine today.

Brazilians paint streets to celebrate World Cup after deadly police raid: ‘Why not transform this place?’

Months ago, the street was covered with dozens of bodies laid out on blue tarpaulins and black plastic sheets: victims of Rio de Janeiro’s deadliest day, when 122 people were killed in the bloodiest police operation in Brazilian history. Now, however the asphalt and curbs of Saint Luke’s Square in the Vila Cruzeiro favela are drenched in the colours of the national flag after local artists and children repainted them, emblazoning the street with messages of support for Brazil ahead of the World Cup. Sunday’s repainting was organised by the local artist and painter Luan Medeiros, 33, a former footballer who wanted to bring some joy back to Saint Luke square, which became indelibly associated with the trauma of the police operation last October. “Everything that happened brought so much pain. I thought: paint transforms things, so why not transform this place and the community as well?” said Medeiros, who was helped by local businesses and many volunteers. Aline de Souza Martins, 39, who lives a street away was one of those volunteers, along with her daughter, Ágatha, 15, who was soon covered in green, yellow and blue paint. “I’ll be honest: I avoided this area for a long time,” said Martins. Since the massacre, she had taken different routes to avoid passing through the square, which is home to much of the favela’s commerce and its main public transport links. It was there that the bodies of many of the 117 civilians killed in the operation were laid out by residents after they had been abandoned by police in a nearby forest. (Five police officers also died in the violence) “It was horrific. Much worse than what people saw on television. We had the smell, the screaming, the sound of mothers crying,” said Martins. Last Sunday, her daughter was among the many children who, smiling and playing, had been given responsibility for painting the kerbs and the larger sections of the street, while the finer details – including a portrait of the superstar Neymar – were left to the adult artists. “This doesn’t erase what happened, but the image today is completely different from what it was then, so it eases your heart a bit,” she said. Just over seven months after the massacre, public prosecutors are still investigating how a police operation came to produce such a high death toll – unusual even by the standards of Brazil’s notoriously violent police forces. So far, 17 officers have been charged over alleged offences, including the theft of a rifle and car parts. Marcelo Resende, a journalist whose doctoral research focuses on the politicisation of national symbols such as the national team’s shirt, sees the street painting as an attempt by the community to assert that, despite how it is treated by the authorities, it too is part of Brazil. “Football is one of the few popular phenomena still capable of allowing vulnerable populations to feel that they belong to the nation … By painting a street, you create new meanings. Months ago, that same street had been the setting for one of the most powerful images of what Brazil does to Black people and favela residents,” said Resende, who was born and raised in the Jacarezinho favela, where a police operation killed 27 civilians in 2021. Resende also sees the repainting as part of a broader trend in which Brazilians appear to be reviving the decades-old tradition of decorating streets with flags and murals ahead of the World Cup. “After fading in recent years, my impression is that the tradition is coming back,” he said. It is not known exactly when the tradition began, but another researcher traced it back to at least the 1970 World Cup, when Brazil won its third title. It then returned every four years and reached a peak when Brazil hosted the World Cup in 2014. In the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, however, enthusiasm was far more muted. Resende believes that was due, respectively, to the humiliation of Brazil’s 7-1 defeat to Germany in the 2014 semi-final – a subject on which he wrote a book – and to the Covid-19 pandemic. But now, “social media is flooded with images of painted streets from all over the country … It creates the impression that this is happening with greater intensity, and I think that is probably true,” said Resende. Municipal governments are holding competitions to choose the most beautifully decorated street. The mural artist Hugo Silvério, 37, who designed the painting in Saint Luke square, believes much of the tradition’s resurgence is being driven by its trending on social media. “Everything can become something Instagrammable these days, so some big companies are taking advantage of that to generate engagement. But what’s interesting is that it has also spread through communities and people are doing it on their own, so it becomes something positive in the end,” he said.

‘Straight out of Trumpland’: LGBTQ+ members fight for Pride after Essex library ban

Before Reform gained control of Essex county council in the May elections, Chris Taylor and members of the Rochford LGBTQ+ community already felt they were witnessing a growing tide of political rhetoric around identity. But they were still shocked when the county’s new leadership moved to ban Pride events in 74 libraries, scaling back events of “any particular groups or themes”, a decision they said was “straight out of Trumpland”. “It communicates the fact that we’re not welcome,” said Taylor, who recently launched a petition against the “Orwellian” ban on pride events in Essex libraries. Reform councils across England, from Essex and Durham to Leicestershire and Kent, have imposed bans on flying the pride flag and holding pride events in public spaces, as well as, in some cases, defunding pride events previously sponsored by local authorities. Essex county council said libraries were “safe spaces for everybody” and LGBTQ+ books and displays would continue, but added the promotion of library events aimed at specific groups was under review. Reform councils have stopped flying Pride flags outside civic centres and county halls and restricted council flagpoles exclusively to union, national, county or armed forces flags at council buildings under its control. Since learning of Essex council’s proposed changes to its libraries, Taylor, 38, has contacted Reform councillors with concerns but has yet to receive a response. With Essex Pride approaching, one LGBTQ+ resident told Taylor they had wanted to attend the library with their child, but expressed safety concerns. “There does seem to be a bit a resurgence of anti-acceptance toward the community in the area,” added Taylor. “It’s a bit alarming.” In Sunderland and Gateshead, Reform-led councils have withdrawn funding for Pride events and ended the practice of flying Pride flags on council buildings, while South Tyneside council has restricted the flag’s display at South Shields town hall to a single day at the start of Pride month. Drew Dalton, an outreach manager at Out North East, which runs Pride events across Sunderland, Gateshead and South Tyneside and recently opened One Centre, the north-east’s first LGBT community centre in Gateshead, said the organisation had been preparing for Reform victories for months. He said Sunderland and Gateshead’s decisions to stop flying Pride flags, alongside funding cuts, had left the organisation feeling it had lost “money”, “visibility” and “a great number of allies” in council chambers. Dalton said: “We’ve spent a long time building up relationships and we lost them overnight in the local elections.” The group has been forced to move events away from council-owned land and venues in anticipation of further restriction, Dalton said. “We had to future-proof everything we were doing,” he said. “It’s become that type of era where you have to watch your step.” He said concerns within the LGBTQ+ community extended beyond council policy. Promotional signs had been repeatedly torn down for a smaller Pride event supported by the organisation, while people attending the One Centre hub had expressed anxiety about the wider climate. “I don’t want to paint us as all scared,” he said. “There’s also a lot of righteous anger about what’s going on. And there’s the beginnings, which is wonderful to see, of people starting to pull together.” Dalton said the political climate was reshaping Pride events. “We’ll probably look back at the latter half of the 2010s as a period when Pride became much more of a party. This year we’re not even having concerts. We’re having a rally in Sunderland. That tells you how the dynamic has shifted.” Gateshead council, defending the changes, said it would only fly the union flag and St George’s Cross from council buildings but would continue to support civic, cultural and community events. Wakefield council said it had adopted a more consistent approach focused on civic, national and military service flags, while Kent county council said it did not fly “cause-specific or community campaign flags” on its buildings. Warwickshire Pride said they had “severely” felt the impact of the Reform administration since the party had won local elections in 2025. “From not permitting the Pride flag to fly, to announcing that Warwickshire Pride should not receive council funding, and this week saying [they] want LGBTQ+ books and information banned from Warwickshire’s libraries and schools, we are seeing hate towards our charity rise as a direct result,” said the charity’s chair, Daniel Browne. Browne had requested the Pride and Trans flag fly at the county council on behalf of Warwickshire Pride, but was not surprised when the requests were declined. However, when the county council’s chair changed from Reform to Conservative, it was decided the flag would be raised this month. Reform’s actions have affected the communities they serve, Browne said. The charity’s services include coffee mornings, LGBTQ+ counselling, youth groups and social events, where attenders have said as a direct result of the changes they have experienced increased anxiety, self-harming behaviours and hate incidents. Browne said: “We’re stretched, under attack ourselves, and that’s difficult to navigate, but we remain here for Warwickshire’s LGBTQ+ population and will continue to push back against attempts to erase us or discriminate against us.”

Ukraine and Moldova to enter first phase of EU membership negotiations

Ukraine and Moldova will take a decisive step towards joining the EU on Monday, as they embark on the first phase of membership negotiations. The start of substantive negotiations, launched by senior EU officials and ministers from both countries in Luxembourg on Monday, will be a highly symbolic moment for the two countries that were both part of the former Soviet Union. It comes after Russia has intensified its bombardment of Ukrainian towns and cities, while sustaining huge losses for little territorial gain. Ukraine and Moldova were quickly accepted as EU candidate countries in 2022, having filed applications days after Russia’s full-scale invasion. But despite a symbolic decision to open talks in June 2024, substantive negotiations were blocked by Hungary’s pro-Russian president, Viktor Orbán. The election of a new Hungarian government in April paved the way for EU member states to agree unanimously last Friday to open “the first cluster”, the chapters of the EU rulebook covering rule of law and democracy. Launching this cluster opens the door to talks on other areas, such as the single market, the environment, economic and social policy. In a joint statement on Friday, EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa praised “the determination, courage and hard work shown by both countries in advancing reforms, even in the face of immense challenges”. “Enlargement is a strategic choice,” they said . Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said: “Ukraine is doing what is necessary, and it is important that the EU is also keeping its word. The opening of the first cluster is significant political and moral support for our state and our people.” Heather Grabbe, a former adviser to the European Commission on enlargement, said the opening of cluster one really mattered. “It’s the start of the process of getting a deal for membership. So it’s very significant.” Grabbe,who is also a senior fellow at the Bruegel thinktank, said that starting talks would also be a reality check for the Ukrainian side. “You can’t short circuit the adoption and implementation and enforcement of the EU laws on Ukrainian territory. And that is going to take a while to do. And it’s going to cost administratively.” To join the EU, a country must adopt thousands of European laws and decisions, then gain the unanimous approval of existing members. EU officials have praised Ukraine and Moldova’s reform efforts. In Ukraine, high-profile arrests, such as Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak, who was named as a suspect in a big corruption investigation last month, are seen as positive signs that authorities are taking anti-graft inquiries seriously. Yermak has denied all allegations. Yet praise is tempered with disappointment that Kyiv has not moved faster on 10 priority reforms agreed last December. EU officials consider Ukraine has only completed 15% of reforms contained in a 10-point plan agreed last December between the EU enlargement commissioner Marta Kos and Ukrainian deputy prime minister, Taras Kachka. The plan includes measures to strengthen the independence of the anti-corruption agencies Nabu and Sapo, the adoption of an anti-corruption strategy and reforms in the appointment processes of judges and prosecutors. Officials also believe that with sufficient will, Ukraine could complete technical talks in around four years, while acknowledging that membership is ultimately a political decision. A proposal from the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, that Ukraine gain “associate membership” – representation in EU institutions without voting rights, as a step to fully joining – has flopped in other national capitals. Ukraine, however, like other EU candidate countries, is already taking part in some EU policies, suggesting that the idea of “staged membership” has gained traction. Grabbe argued the EU should take a security-first approach to Ukraine, integrating its eastern neighbour into security and defence policy, where EU law is fairly light. She said: “Given that Ukraine is the most serious security and defence player on the continent, the only one with battle-hardened troops and a serious arsenal of effective weapons on the modern battlefield dominated by drones, the worst thing that could happen for European security is for some future Ukrainian government to turn against the EU and to become Eurosceptic.” She added: “They’re not going to turn towards Russia, but if they were to become disillusioned with the EU, this would be a disaster for European security. The EU needs Ukraine at least as much as Ukraine needs the EU to assure all of our future security.”

Growing risk that thousands buried in Gaza’s rubble may never be identified, says Red Cross

The International Committee of the Red Cross has said the risk that the thousands of Palestinians buried beneath Gaza’s rubble may never be identified is increasing by the day, as recovery efforts remain slow and many victims have yet to be retrieved, the Guardian can reveal. “There is no doubt that these bodies could soon become difficult to identify,” said Pat Griffiths, the ICRC spokesperson in Jerusalem. “The longer it takes for human remains to be recovered, the more difficult it can be to identify them. The longer the deceased lie beneath the rubble, the more likely they will be in advanced stages of decomposition – even skeletonised – when eventually recovered.” He added: “Forensic experts lose access to circumstantial evidence that can be used to corroborate their identity.” Since the fragile US-brokered ceasefire took hold in October, Palestinians have started digging through an estimated 61m tonnes of debris, about 20 times the combined amount generated by conflicts worldwide since 2008. Beneath the rubble, at least 10,000 people are thought to be buried, according to health officials in Gaza. Some experts believe the number could be as high as 14,000. Rescue teams have so far been forced to rely on rudimentary tools – shovels, pickaxes, wheelbarrows, rakes and hoes – as well as their bare hands. Repeated requests for Israel to allow the entry of excavators and other heavy machinery, which would significantly speed up recovery efforts, have gone unanswered. “Search and recovery teams need access to all sites where human remains are thought to be located,” Griffiths said. “We know that much of this machinery and equipment remains almost impossible to bring into Gaza right now. And it remains our call, and part of our ongoing direct dialogue with the relevant authorities, to allow the entry of these items and equipment into Gaza.” The longer it takes to retrieve a body, the harder it becomes to identify – including by using DNA. Dr Cristina Cattaneo, a professor of forensic pathology at the University of Milan, said: “Time, ultimately, is the greatest enemy of identification. When it comes to identification, the more time passes, the slimmer the chances of success. In the early stages, if a body is relatively well preserved, the face and other distinguishing features may still be recognisable. As time passes, many of the features that allow for a reliable identification are lost.” When human remains are recovered, forensic experts can use age, sex, height, fingerprints, dental records and personal belongings, alongside details about where and when the body was found, to establish an identity. But the ICRC says the longer bodies remain unrecovered, the greater the risk that such evidence is lost. Remains can be displaced from their original location, personal effects destroyed or scattered, and environmental conditions – humidity and animal activity – can erase vital clues needed for identification. Dr Ahmed Dahir, Gaza’s forensic medicine director, said: “In some cases, we were surprised to find that a person reported missing for only two weeks had turned into bones bearing signs of animal scavenging, with nothing left but bones. Under normal conditions, reaching this stage due to environmental factors and weathering usually takes between six months and one year.” Witnesses have also raised concerns that Israeli military bulldozers operating in areas controlled by the Israel Defense Forces may be moving bodies still buried beneath the rubble, making it harder for families to locate and recover their loved ones. The ICRC said it could not single out specific groups. “But what we can say is that certainly, in any armed conflict in any part of the world, heavy machinery must be used with incredible caution so as not to disturb human remains – to maintain the dignity of the deceased, but also to ensure that crucial information that could be used to identify them isn’t lost.” A cemetery was established in Deir al-Balah to bury and preserve unidentified bodies recovered from the rubble and other temporary burial sites, with each grave numbered and documented in the hope that the remains could one day be identified and returned to their families. “The number of bodies buried in this cemetery has now exceeded 650,” said Ziad Obeid, the director of the cemeteries department in Gaza. “Today, we are approaching three years since the beginning of the war, and some bodies have now been buried for more than two years.” Further worsening the situation, the few remaining hospitals in the territory lack the equipment for DNA testing, which is desperately needed to help identify the deceased. Israel does not allow DNA testing materials to enter Gaza. But genetic material, too, can deteriorate over time. “The passage of time also affects DNA, increasing the risk of degradation and making identification progressively more difficult,” Cattaneo said. “A genetic match that might have been rapid and highly reliable a few weeks earlier can become far more complex months later.” Identifying the bodies is not just a question of restoring dignity to the dead; it is also necessary for the health of the living. Psychologists describe the unresolved grief of relatives of the unidentified dead as an “ambiguous loss” that can generate or contribute to depression, trauma and identity confusion, a situational disorder widespread in Gaza. Saed al-Yazji’s brother Sameh, 40, disappeared on 7 October 2023. After seeing some of the videos that flooded social media that day, like hundreds of other residents he left the house to see what was happening. “We have had no information about him since that day,’’ said al-Yazji, 52, from al-Mughraqa in the Gaza Strip. “We still cling to the hope that he is alive because there has been no confirmation that he was killed or detained.” He added: “His disappearance has devastated the family. His wife suffers repeated psychological breakdowns, and after two years of not knowing whether he is alive or dead, they can no longer sleep or eat normally. We wait every day for news that might finally bring peace to our hearts.” Wael Radwan, 24, from Jabaliya, lost his father, 49, and brother, 26, after their home was hit by Israeli artillery fire in December 2024. “I was later told they had been buried at Kamal Adwan hospital, but when I returned after the siege, the site had been bulldozed and I could not find their bodies,” he said. “Without death certificates, my brother’s children are denied assistance for orphans because there is no official proof of their father’s death.” Israeli officials contacted by the Guardian said there was no approval to bring equipment used to recover bodies into Gaza. Griffiths said: “We see the scale of the task and we see what’s at stake. Thousands of families are still seeking answers in this way. That’s what at stake: their right to know the fate of those they love.”

Trial of 12mph bike lane speed limit grinds gears of Dutch cyclists

As road deaths increase and cycle lanes overflow with e-bikes, the Netherlands is considering a cycling speed limit of 12mph (20km/h). The government has started a two-week trial in Houten, near Utrecht, to gauge whether freedom-loving Dutch cyclists are willing to slow down – and whether they have any idea how fast they are going in the first place. Last year, an estimated 80,900 cyclists ended up in A&E departments after accidents, and cyclist deaths rose 14% to 281. “Traffic safety is ever more important because more and more different types of road users are on the bike paths,” said Houten’s transport chief, Wouter van den Berg. “Speed pedelecs, fat bikes, racers, golf carts with children in them – you name it. So when the government suggested this pilot, Houten stuck up its hand.” Cameras were installed last week to measure the normal situation on Fossa Iberica, a 130-metre road that includes a low-visibility crossroads where 3,000 people a day travel in one direction and 1,000 travel in the other. Speed limit signs were installed on Monday and next week a research team will measure the results. The Netherlands may have excellent cycling infrastructure, with bikes used for 27% of all journeys, but Van den Berg said it was difficult to retrofit the urban environment. “It all starts with how you organise public space, the roads and the streets – especially in new developments – so that the slowest traffic gets priority,” he added. “But here, you can’t widen the cycle lane, otherwise you’d be in people’s living rooms.” JanPeter Westein, 80, of the cycling association Fietsersbond Houten, said the group was glad the council was taking its concerns seriously. “I avoid the busy times because I’m an older chap. But pretty much all of the primary schools in Houten are on the bike paths … and you don’t want parents to say they will take their children by car because it’s not safe.” Some cyclists were unenthusiastic, even before anyone proposed handing out fines. One man told the current affairs programme EenVandaag that he probably cycled at about 14mph. “But how am I supposed to know?” he said. “I just have a normal bike.” A woman told the programme: “This is all about cyclists on motorised bicycles, so I should think you would do something about motorised cyclists. Make a rule for them and not for all cyclists.” The speed limit trial is just one of a number of measures to address increasing road accidents. Amsterdam and Enschede are banning wide-tyre fat bikes from some central locations or parks and – to the anger of many cycling advocates – the government plans to introduce helmets for under-18s on electric vehicles. Marcel Aries, of the Doctors for Safe Cycling group, said behaviour and the environment needed to change. “Safer cycling requires a package of measures, including a minimum age of 16 for e-bike riders, e-bike registration and licensing, better infrastructure and greater use of cycle helmets,” he said. But, added Anke Huss, an associate professor at Utrecht University, any cycling was better than none – even accounting for air pollution and accident risk. “The public health case should focus on that: keep people cycling, and keep cycling safe for everyone.”

Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy not on Trump’s G7 bilateral meeting list, official says

Donald Trump will take part in a G7 working session with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in France on Tuesday, but the US president won’t hold a bilateral meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, a senior administration official said. The G7 summit will take place in Evian in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region on 15-17 June, and Trump is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings on its sidelines with French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as the leaders of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and India, the official said. One of the senior US officials who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity about Trump’s trip, said Russian gains have “more or less stopped” They added: “We want the war to end as quickly as possible.” A Ukrainian drone attack killed one person and injured three in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region, local officials said Saturday, as part of Kyiv’s campaign of strikes on Russian military and energy targets. The governor of Krasnodar, Veniamin Kondratyev, said drone debris sparked a fire at a sea terminal. Ukraine’s general staff did not comment on the Krasnodar strike Saturday, but said that its forces had hit an oil preparation and pumping station overnight in Russia’s Volgograd region, as well as Russian-occupied areas in Ukraine’s Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. The attacks come after Zelenskyy said his Ukrainian forces had struck several infrastructure sites deep inside Russia, including a military factory that he said supplied components for Russian drones and missiles. Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been reconnected to the grid after repairs carried out under an IAEA-brokered localised ceasefire, the agency said. The outage marked the 19th time the plant has lost off-site power since the start of the war, after an attack on an electrical substation across the Dnipro River disconnected the Ferosplavna back-up power line late on Wednesday. Lasting almost three days, it was one of the site’s longest power loss events, forcing the facility to rely on emergency diesel generators for the electricity it needs to cool its six shutdown reactors.