Read the daily news to learn English

Middle East crisis live: Iran sends mixed signals on talks after US seizes ship

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov held a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Monday, Russia’s foreign ministry said. Lavrov reiterated the need to uphold the ceasefire and stressed the importance of continued diplomatic efforts, while the Iranian side confirmed its readiness to do everything in its power to ensure the uninterrupted passage of Russian ships and cargo through the strait of Hormuz.

Hungary’s Magyar eyes swift political deal to unfreeze EU funds after Orbán years – Europe live

… and on that note, it’s a wrap for today! Hungarian election winner Péter Magyar has signalled Hungary would seek a political agreement on reforms needed to unfreeze EU funds after Orbán years as the new government faces a August cliff to agree on spending or lose money (16:02). Magyar called the talks with the EU “constructive” and joked that he would urge officials to take short holidays this summer as the new government will have just under three months to get the EU money flowing again (12:16, 16:25, 16:38). The incoming prime minister also confirmed he would drop Hungary’s veto over the €90bn Ukraine loan as soon as oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline are restarted, urging Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy to do it as quickly as possible (16:22). The issue is expected to formally be discussed at the EU level on Wednesday (17:15), with France’s Emmanuel Macron saying he is “reasonably optimistic” that the loan will finally be paid out (17:12). Magyar also named first ministers in his incoming government (14:55), and repeated his warning to Orbán-era officials, urging them to step down by end of May or face removal by the new parliamentary majority as he seeks a break from the past (15:22). Separately, Poland’s Donald Tusk has confirmed that Magyar asked Poland to help with repairing the relations with the EU (17:01), as we reported over the weekend. Separately, Spain’s Pedro Sánchez has led the calls for the EU to suspend its association agreement with Israel, as the issue is expected to return to the EU forum on Tuesday (17:45). EU and Nato leaders congratulated Bulgaria’s former president Rumen Radev on winning the country’s parliamentary election on Sunday (12:30, 13:33, 13:41), amid some concerns over his future government’s stance towards Russia and Ukraine after the Kremlin praised his call for “pragmatic” relations with Moscow (11:49). Romania and Slovenia could soon also experience political problems after difficulties were reported in their ability to form stable governments (11:37). If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com. I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.

Japan tsunami alerts downgraded following powerful earthquake off northern coast – as it happened

An earthquake registering a preliminary magnitude of 7.7 off northern Japan on Monday prompted a short-lived tsunami alert and the advisory of a higher risk of a possible mega-quake for coastal areas there. The Cabinet Office and the Japan Meteorological Agency said there was a 1% chance for a mega-quake, compared to a 0.1% chance during normal times, in the next week or so following the powerful quake near the Chishima and Japan trenches, Associated Press reports. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said only one person in Aomori, north of Iwate, was injured after falling due to Monday’s quake. Still, Monday’s events were a reminder to the quake-prone area of the March 2011 disaster that ravaged large swaths of the northern coast, triggering a nuclear crisis in Fukushima. The quake occurred off the coast of Sanriku at around 4:53pm local time (0753 GMT) Monday, at a depth of about 19km (11 miles), the meteorological agency said. Footage on NHK television showed hanging objects swaying and people squatting at a shopping centre in Aomori, as authorities told people to seek higher ground and stay away from coastal areas. Shinkansen bullet trains connecting Tokyo and northern Japan were suspended. A tsunami of about 80cm (2.6ft) was detected at the Kuji port in Iwate prefecture within an hour of the quake. The US-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later said the tsunami threat “has now passed.” The Nuclear Regulation Authority said nuclear power plants and related facilities in the region were intact and no abnormalities were detected. The disaster management agency said at one point more than 170,000 people in five northern prefectures from Hokkaido to Fukushima were advised to take shelter. It is now 11pm in Japan and given the downgrading of the tsunami alerts we will be closing this blog shortly.

Pakistan seeks to raise its global standing in push for Middle East peace

As Pakistan works frantically to narrow differences between Iran and the US in its newfound role as global peacemaker, it is also seeking to recast its diplomatic standing and attract business. Pakistani officials, mediating between an unpredictable US president and hardliners in Tehran, were on Monday trying to coax both sides to put the conditions in place for a second round of talks in Islamabad this week, including easing the standoff in the strait of Hormuz. Pakistan was optimistic that the meeting would happen, viewing objections voiced by the Iranian side and Donald Trump’s threats as posturing for domestic audiences. At stake is not only regional peace, but also Islamabad’s own concerns about becoming dragged into the war and its dependence on energy supplies shipped from the Gulf. Often portrayed as an international problem child, under threat from religious extremism and with an economy perennially on the brink, Pakistan seized the opportunity of its relative neutrality in the conflict to take the role of “adult in the room”. A three-day visit to Tehran last week by Pakistan’s powerful military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, helped produce a ceasefire in Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, and a short-lived breakthrough on opening the strait of Hormuz. Pakistani officials expect concessions from the two camps, including on Iran’s nuclear programme, the trickiest dispute. If an agreement is reached, Pakistan is hopeful that Trump and the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, will fly to Islamabad to sign the deal. A security cordon was reinstated around the centre of Islamabad on Sunday, with roads closed and the two big hotels there emptied of guests in order to house the Iranian and US delegations – if they return. The only nuclear-armed country in the Muslim world, with an army of 600,000 soldiers, Pakistan believes it has been punching below its weight. As a new multipolar order takes shape, Pakistan is seeking greater sway, using its military heft to counterbalance the longstanding weaknesses of an anaemic economy and tumultuous politics. The opening was provided by the Trump administration’s need for an interlocutor with Iran, a task that Munir took on after a surprise June 2025 meeting at the White House with Trump. For Iran, Islamabad’s diplomatic support during last year’s 12-day conflict with Israel cemented ties. Ali Sarwar Naqvi, a former senior Pakistani diplomat now heading the Centre for International Security Studies, a thinktank in Islamabad, said Iran did not have faith in traditional European diplomatic venues, such as Geneva and Vienna, to host the talks. “Pakistan has the confidence of all the permanent members of the [UN] security council. And Pakistan also has the trust of Iran,” said Naqvi. “Pakistan is a big country, with nuclear capability, and it is strategically located.” For decades, Pakistan has managed to balance close ties both with Beijing and Washington, and has maintained a deep partnership with the Gulf states. Pakistan was able to call on China to provide assurances to Iran to enter into peace negotiations. Zamir Akram, a former Pakistani ambassador, said Pakistan’s embassy in Washington had represented Iranian interests there since the 1979 revolution, while Pakistan had set up secret talks in 1971 that led to the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US. “Pakistan’s role today does not come out of the blue,” said Akram. “Pakistan’s job now is to make sure that both sides believe they are getting an honourable exit.” Even in the midst of its high-wire diplomacy, Pakistan’s economic vulnerability has been on display in recent days, with daily power cuts to save money and an emergency $3bn (£2.2bn) loan taken from Saudi Arabia. There is hope that with greater global stature, Pakistan could attract more investment, though that would also depend on economic reforms such as lower taxes and more robust laws. Joshua White, a former White House official who is now a professor at Johns Hopkins University, said Washington’s traditional policy-making process would have flagged that Pakistan had a difficult relationship with Iran and that it lacked leverage. “Pakistan has been sophisticated and obsequious in engaging the Trump administration,” said White. “The decision-making process in Washington today is highly personalised, and highly dependent on the president’s instincts, perspectives and proclivities. And the Pakistani leadership, to their credit, have taken full advantage.” Elizabeth Threlkeld, a former American diplomat who is director for south Asia at the Stimson Center, a US thinktank, said Pakistan’s stock had risen in Washington through its performance in the conflict with India last year, its more active role in the Middle East that included joining Trump’s Board of Peace initiative, and the defence deal it signed last year with Saudi Arabia. “So long as Pakistan does not set unrealistic expectations for the outcome of talks and is able to host them without incident, it stands to gain from simply providing an opportunity for the two sides to come together and has little to lose in the process,” Threlkeld said.

Anti-Islam influencer Valentina Gomez blocked from entering UK for far-right rally

A US-based anti-Islam influencer who had been authorised to attend a far-right rally in London has been blocked from entering the UK by the home secretary. Valentina Gomez, a self-styled Maga influencer, was given permission last week to enter via a UK electronic travel authorisation (ETA). She was due to speak at the Unite the Kingdom rally on 16 May organised by Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. The Guardian understands that Shabana Mahmood has intervened to withdraw the authorisation on the grounds that Gomez’s presence “would not be conducive to the public good”. The government gave the same reason when refusing permission for the rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, to travel to the UK earlier this month. His ETA was withdrawn after concerns over a string of antisemitic, racist and pro-Nazi comments. West subsequenly apologised for his comments and blamed them on his bipolar disorder. Gomez, 26, attended the first Unite the Kingdom rally in September alongside Yaxley-Lennon, and warned from the stage that “rapist Muslims” were “taking over” the UK. “England, they took your guns, they took your swords, and they raped your women. You have nothing else to lose, but there’s still hope. You are still the majority. So you either fight for this nation or you let all of these rapist Muslims and corrupt politicians take over,” she said. She also addressed police officers, telling them: “I need you to stop following orders because you know you are being told to look the other way while your country is being raped into submission.” An estimated more than 100,000 people attended the event, thought to be the largest far-right rally of its type in British history. In addition to a range of extremist speakers who appeared on stage, the event was addressed remotely by Elon Musk, whom Downing Street condemned for using “dangerous and inflammatory” language. Mahmood has the power to cancel a person’s permission to enter or stay in the UK. A source close to the home secretary said: “While we recognise the democratic right that people must be free to peacefully express their views, this does not include promoting hatred and extremist views.” Mahmood had faced pressure to ban Gomez from entering the UK. The crossbench peer Shaista Gohir wrote on X two days ago: “The @ukhomeoffice should show consistent standards and deny UK entry to Valentina Gomez.” After Gomez posted about her ETA approval, the Muslim Council of Britain wrote: “The decision highlights a clear double standards in how freedom of speech is applied and can potentially lead to less safety and security on the streets of Britain. “Others have been denied entry to the UK for rhetoric directed at different faith groups. This inconsistency raises serious concerns about whose speech is deemed unacceptable and who is permitted.” Gomez, a Christian who was born in Colombia, gained notoriety through a series of anti-Islam stunts. In August last year, she burned a copy of the Qur’an and vowed to rid Texas of the religion if she were elected to Congress. In a video posted to social media while unsuccessfully standing for a Republican nomination to Congress, she said her goal was to “end Islam in Texas”. She asked Muslims to leave the state, saying: “Muslims can fuck off to any of the 57 Muslim nations.” The TV celebrity Sharon Osbourne has faced a backlash after claiming this week that she would be attending the far-right rally. On an Instagram post about the planned march, Osbourne’s official account left a comment saying: “See you at the march.” The homeless charity Centrepoint has said it will cut its ties with Osbourne as a result.

Canada’s residential school abuse survivors face fresh battle to stop testimony being destroyed

Cheryle Dreaver first heard her mother discuss what she had endured as a child in a Winnipeg courtroom in 2008. Ivy Dreaver was one of tens of thousands of Indigenous people in Canada invited by the federal government to testify about their experiences of sexual, physical and mental abuse in the country’s residential school system. “At that time … I didn’t know those things had happened to her until that very day,” said Dreaver. “I was in shock … there was a lot of abuse.” About 38,000 former students came forward to detail the mistreatment they were subjected to in what was later described as a policy of “cultural genocide”. Those hearings culminated in the largest class-action lawsuit in Canadian history and marked an important moment in the country’s reckoning over its colonial legacy. But two decades later, all documents stemming from the hearings – including first-hand accounts of widespread, systemic harm and even the deaths of Indigenous children – are scheduled to be destroyed. The deadline next year was set nearly a decade ago, but First Nation communities, academics and advocates say the federal government has made minimal efforts to inform survivors their files face destruction. “The responsibility of reaching out to these survivors … is something the federal government should be taking on,” said Heather George, the executive director of the Woodland Cultural Centre, an Indigenous-owned education facility in southern Ontario that has worked to raise awareness about the looming date of 19 September 2027. “It’s a consistent pattern that we’ve seen with the federal government in terms of stepping back from their obligations,” she said. Canada’s supreme court ruled in 2017 that the testimonies must be expunged after 10 years, arguing that claimants expected confidentiality when they agreed to testify. Survivors and their families now have until 19 September 2027 to request the preservation of their documents. Only former students can request the files themselves, which means if a survivor has since died, their documents are guaranteed to be destroyed. Between the late 19th century and the 1990s, more than 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend Christian residential schools that sought to “eliminate” First Nations people as a distinct group. Incarcerated children were subject to routine physical mistreatment, starvation and neglect, along with rampant sexual abuse, according to survivors and evidence gathered by a governmental truth and reconciliation commission. After a cascade of lawsuits from former students, the federal government established a settlement in 2006 for those who came forward with their claims. Ivy attended the Prince Albert school in Saskatchewan from grades one to six in the 1960s. In her testimony, she described being viciously beaten if she spoke her native language, Cree. She was humiliated in front of other children if she wet the bed and she described how a priest sexually abused her at age eight, isolating her under the guise of giving her piano lessons. Dreaver only realised her mother’s evidence to the court was due to be destroyed last year, and rushed to keep the files safe. Kimberly Murray, the former executive director of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, said the agency fought for the records to be retained. “There were ways for us to protect those records and the confidentiality of those records without destroying them,” she said. But the supreme court ruling was final. Now a law professor at Queen’s University in Ontario, Murray said destroying files that could contain evidence of genocide is against international law. But when survivors testified, they were not asked what they would like to do with their records, nor was the government planning to use their evidence to further investigate crimes committed at the schools, said Murray. “It wasn’t their mandate,” she said. “They were a compensation scheme.” Connie Walker, a journalist from Okanese First Nation in Saskatchewan, said the impending document destruction underscores how difficult it is to access information on crimes at residential schools and how much more still needs to be uncovered. In her investigation of her father’s time at St Michael’s residential school in Saskatchewan, Walker says she found more than 220 allegations of sexual abuse against 16 priests, 13 nuns and 15 staff members over a 65-year period. “It was shocking – the scale of abuse at a single school that was not notorious,” she said. Walker is now attempting to build a new national archive to compile as much testimony as possible. With approximately 18 months until the destruction date, the federal government has said “materials are being prepared to help raise awareness of the upcoming 19 September 2027 deadline”. But a spokesperson for Canada’s Ministry for Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs said the government cannot ignore the “final orders” of the supreme court. As an adult, Ivy Dreaver worked hard to treat her children well – in defiance of what she had lived through at residential school, her daughter said. “My mom was always gentle to us. She’s very soft spoken; she hardly ever yelled at us because of the shame she experienced,” said Cheryle. Ivy, now 68, is the central matriarch of their family, said Cheryle. She wants her story to be shared to encourage others to retain their files. “It’s really important to have [the files] … There’s people that want to know. I want to be able to go back and tell my children and my grandchildren about my mom,” she said.

US urges contractor to evacuate workers from Kuwait and Iraq over worries of Iran-backed attacks

The US government has called on the defense contractor V2X to evacuate its employees from Kuwait and Iraq, warning the company that they could be targeted by Iran-backed militias, four sources said. The intervention follows reporting by the Guardian that V2X employees were stationed at US military bases in Kuwait, and at Martyr Brigadier General Ali Flaih airbase and Erbil in Iraq. Employees claimed having inadequate protections, receiving limited communications from the company about evacuation plans and being pressured to remain in the Middle East. In Iraq, workers say they are targets of Iran-allied attacks, and one employee was killed in a night-time drone attack in March. On 9 April, representatives of the US Department of State held a meeting with members of V2X leadership during which concerns were raised about local militia launching an attack on the Martyr Brigadier General Ali Flaih airbase, two sources said. The company has a Logistics Civil Augmentation Program contract to provide base operating support and security services in Iraq in a $252m deal. “The US government had a meeting with the company today questioning why Americans are still on base, asking if the articles in the Guardian are true,” said one source, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals from the company. “V2X told the government that they had to keep them there to ‘please the client’, and the company was told, ‘You know they’ll kill them. It’s just too dangerous.’” The government officials at the meeting asked if the company had contacted US Central Command (Centcom) – the combatant command of the US Department of Defense responsible for military operations – for help evacuating its staff, the source said. The government representatives also ordered an airplane to be returned to base in case of an emergency evacuation, said a second source. The state department did not respond to a request for comment. At the Martyr Brigadier General Ali Flaih airbase, also known as the Balad airbase, employees interviewed say there are no plans to evacuate them. Should they try to leave, V2X management has said it will be regarded as a “voluntary evacuation” and they will lose their jobs, because the security situation is not dire enough, according to sources and messages seen by the Guardian. Efforts to keep workers in Iraq are due to the company’s fears that the Iraqi government will end the contract, sources allege. However, workers interviewed said they hear and see drone activity and gunfire most days and nights, which is affecting their mental health and ability to sleep. “The overall regional threat environment, particularly for US personnel, facilities and energy infrastructure, remains assessed as VERY HIGH, with minimal warning time for escalation,” an email sent to employees on 14 April said. The email added that Iranian-aligned proxy groups retain the capability and intent to conduct attacks against US-associated targets within Iraq. “As such, the current lull in activity should be viewed as temporary and potentially situational rather than indicative of reduced threat,” it said. Earlier this month, there was an incident where one of the base’s own defense weapons was fired into the camp by an Iraqi soldier, hitting and damaging a fortified wall surrounding living quarters. “Senior leadership visited the base to investigate, the problem was identified and the soldier disciplined, with actions taken to prevent a recurrence,” the email said. In a separate email, workers were also warned about the risks of unexploded ordnance on the base. Since the start of the US-Israel conflict with Iran, employees have raised concerns with V2X leadership that the bunkers on the base do not provide adequate protection against an attack. In an email from V2X management seen by the Guardian, the company acknowledged requests from employees that their bunkers be sandbagged and reinforced, and said it was “looking at this to be accomplished”. “I’m starting to feel like I won’t make it out of here,” said a second source. “Everyone is anxious and scared.” The Guardian has approached V2X for comment. The company did not respond by the time of publication, and it has not offered statements in response to the previous three articles. Separately, in Erbil in northern Iraq, V2X has maintained a presence under an active contract, with several hundred employees, primarily American, Indian and Kenyan nationals. After the outbreak of conflict, most personnel were housed in a local hotel, which lacked security measures and allowed unrestricted access to the public, heightening fears among V2X employees that they could be targeted by Iran-aligned militant groups operating in the region. Several senior members of V2X management, including the task order manager and site manager, departed Erbil and evacuated in late March, further intensifying concerns among those who remained. On 14 April, V2X evacuated about 100 of these employees from Iraq, upon instructions from the US government to reduce its headcount in Erbil, after the Guardian’s reports about the situation, two sources said. “Soon after the article came out and after airspace resumed, they sent out 104 employees by charter plane to their homes,” said a third source. “But not everybody got to leave. The company said the military still requires us for assistance with missions.” The workers who were evacuated “were excited like little school kids”, a fourth source said.