Keir Starmer leadership pressure grows as Makerfield vote looms
A local election in the northern English constituency of Makerfield is drawing national attention as a potential political turning point that could pa...
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is ready to pursue diplomacy with Iran as nuclear talks resume in Geneva, using a visit to Budapest on Monday (16 January) to reaffirm both U.S. negotiating aims and strong ties with Hungary ahead of its April election.
Speaking alongside Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Rubio said Washington remains committed to securing a deal that curbs Iran’s nuclear programme, while also addressing Tehran’s ballistic missile activities and regional influence.
“The United States is prepared to negotiate, but we will not ignore Iran’s destabilising actions in the region,” Rubio said.
He stressed that under President Donald Trump, diplomacy is preferred over military options, while warning that a successful outcome will require Iran to meet U.S. demands on both nuclear enrichment and sanctions.
The resumption of talks follows a first round of indirect negotiations in Oman earlier this month.
Rubio’s visit also underscored longstanding U.S.–Hungary ties. He described bilateral relations as entering a “golden era” and praised Orbán’s leadership, saying: “President Trump is deeply committed to your success, because your success is our success.”
The endorsement highlights the strategic importance Washington places on Hungary as a regional partner in Central Europe, particularly as Orbán prepares for a parliamentary election on 12 April.
The Hungarian prime minister, a long-time ally of Trump, has frequently clashed with the European Union while maintaining cordial ties with Russia. His domestic policies, including strict immigration controls and support for Christian conservatism, have drawn admiration from elements of the American hard right.
Analysts say the April vote will have significant implications for Europe’s conservative and far-right movements, as well as U.S. engagement in the region.
Rubio is concluding a two-day Central European tour that included Slovakia, aiming to strengthen security and diplomatic links ahead of the Geneva nuclear negotiations.
Donald Trump has said the U.S. will resume bombing Iran if Tehran doesn't "behave," at the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. Earlier, the U.S. President criticised Israel for its tactics against Hezbollah, saying it was unnecessary to bomb entire apartment buildings to tackle militants.
U.S. President Donald Trump sought a deal with Iran "out of deperation," Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said, in a statment on social media. Khamenei added that he himself "held a different view," to Trump, but allowed the agreement after receiving assurances from Iran's President.
Britain has announced an additional £8 million ($11 million) to help Pakistan combat illegal migration, human trafficking and organised crime, while praising Islamabad's role in diplomacy that helped secure the recent U.S.-Iran agreement.
Lionel Messi matched the all-time World Cup scoring record as Argentina began their title defence with a 3-0 win over Algeria. Austria, France and Norway also secured opening victories in Group J and Group I matches on Tuesday.
Caleb Yirenkyi’s stoppage-time goal secured a 1-0 win for Ghana over Panama as World Cup action delivered a mix of late drama and key results. Colombia and England also began their campaigns with victories, while DR Congo held Portugal in a historic 1-1 draw and Austria beat Jordan 3-1.
A local election in the northern English constituency of Makerfield is drawing national attention as a potential political turning point that could pave the way for Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to return to parliament and mount a bid for the Labour leadership.
The leader of an extremist group that carried out so-called "Sharia patrols" targeting people suspected of drinking alcohol in Russia's Kabardino-Balkarian Republic has been sentenced to four years and three months in a penal colony.
The U.S. has announced new visa restrictions targeting individuals it says are undermining peace efforts in Ethiopia, focusing on hardline members of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and their immediate family members amid rising tensions in the country's north.
A Ukrainian drone strike has hit an oil refinery in south-east Moscow for the second time in three days, triggering a major fire, disrupting flights across the Russian capital and highlighting growing vulnerabilities in the country's energy infrastructure.
The United Arab Emirates has introduced a minimum age of 15 for social media use, becoming the first country in the Arab world to impose such a restriction amid growing global concerns about the impact of digital platforms on children.
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