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- US insists no plan B as Iran and US officials engage in talks in Islamabad
- Péter Magyar emerges as significant challenge to Fidesz party in Hungary
- Premier League — Sunday’s 5th Apr fixtures
- Father and partner face charges after nine-year-old boy found locked in van in France
- Pope Leo XIV denounces delusion of omnipotence amid US-Iran peace talks
- Cyclist narrowly escapes train collision after breaching safety barrier in Hanoi
- Viktor Orbán reshapes Hungary’s foreign policy and EU relations
- Elderly demonstrators in camping chairs among 100 detained at Palestine Action protest
LIVE German 2025 Election Results as they come in and analysi on who will be the next German Chancellor.
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US insists no plan B as Iran and US officials engage in talks in Islamabad
3:00 am
Get you up to speed: US insists no plan B as Iran and US officials engage in talks in Islamabad
Donald Trump stated that the US has no plan B if crisis talks in Islamabad fail. The US delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance, is engaging in negotiations with Iranian officials, including parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and foreign minister Abbas Araqchi.
Trump stated that the US does not have a backup plan if the ongoing crisis talks in Islamabad do not succeed, as he believes Iran has already been militarily defeated. Vice President JD Vance expressed hope for a positive outcome but warned that the US negotiating team would not be receptive to any attempts by Iran to play games during the discussions.
Vice President JD Vance has expressed hope for a positive outcome as he leads the US delegation in Islamabad for negotiations with Iran, despite warning that the US negotiating team will not be receptive to attempts at manipulation. Iranian sources indicated that three-way talks involving Pakistan have started, with a key factor being the US’s initial response to Iranian conditions.
Donald Trump says US doesn’t need a backup plan while JD Vance arrives for Iran talks | News World
Donald Trump has insisted the US does not need a plan B as it has already hit Iran ‘very hard’ (Picture: Getty)
Donald Trump has said that the US has no plan B if crisis talks fall apart in Islamabad.
Iranian and US officials have travelled to the Pakistani capital in an attempt to broker a deal, days after a two-week ceasefire was agreed to halt hostilities between the two countries on Tuesday.
But the US president admitted there was no backup option prepared should the talks not yield a breakthrough.
He insisted the US didn’t need one as Iran’s military had been ‘defeated’ and the nation’s weapons manufacturing capabilities hit ‘very hard’.
Washington and Tehran seek to advance stalled negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme, with Pakistan serving as neutral ground amid persistent tensions between the two countries. (Photo by Jacquelyn Martin – Pool/Getty Images)” decoding=”async” loading=”lazy”/>
JD Vance meeting Pakistani deputy prime minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar after landing in Pakistan for peace talks with Iran (Picture: AP)
Trump told reporters this morning: ‘We’ll find out what’s going on. They’re militarily defeated.’
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The president’s bullish rhetoric echoed his words on Truth Social, where he wrote on Friday that Iran had ‘no cards’ except for ‘short term extortion of the World using International Waterways’.
‘The only reason they are alive today is to negotiate!’, he wrote.
Vice president JD Vance said he was hopeful of a positive outcome as he headed to Pakistan to lead the US delegation.
But he warned: ‘If they’re going to try to play us, then they’re going to find the negotiating team is not that receptive.’
Vance landed this morning in Pakistan along with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Armed forces are on the streets in Islamabad with the city of two million inhabitants onw lockdown as the high-level talks take place (Picture: Xinhua)
Iran’s delegation, headed up by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and foreign minister Abbas Araqchi arrived on Friday dressed in black as a symbol of mourning for late supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
The crucial talks have locked down Islamabad’s population of two million, with a large military presence on the city’s streets.
Preliminary talks have been so far been conducted with both sides in different rooms.
On Saturday afternoon, Iranian sources suggested that three-way talks with the US and Pakistan had commenced after its preconditions, including a reduction in Israeli strikes on Lebanon, appeared to have been met.
However a Pakistani source refused to be drawn on whether all parties were in the same room.
They said: ‘I cannot say whether they are sitting in the same room or in separate rooms, but talks have started and are progressing well.’
If the Iranian and US delegations meet, it will be the first face-to-face negotiations between the two nations since 2015.
High up on demands from the Iranian side is a ceasefire in Lebanon, where Israel has continued to exchange military operations with Hezbollah. Both sides are due to hold talks in Washington on Tuesday.
A huge cloud of smoke rises in the village of Bent Jbeil in southern Lebanon following an Israeli airstrike (Picture: EPA)
A senior source said that the US would give its initial response to Iranian conditions through Pakistani officials, a key factor in determining whether negotiators from both sides will meet.
Iran has also suggested it will demand the lifting of economic sanctions which have crippled its economy.
It also wants authority over the all important Strait of Hormuz, thus allowing it to charge ships for safe passage through critical oil chokepoint.
Trump wrote on Saturday that empty US tankers were heading to the Gulf to ‘load up’ on oil, as the strait’s closure continues to threaten global supply chains.
Iranian officials were cautiously optimistic of progress at the crunch talks, but warned that trust was low between sides.
Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani told state TV that Iran would negotiate ‘with our finger on the trigger’.
He said: ‘While we are open to talks, we are also fully aware of the lack of trust; therefore, Iran’s diplomatic team is entering this process with maximum caution.’
Early today US officials denied a claim by Iran that they had agreed to release frozen assets in Qatar and other foreign banks.
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Péter Magyar emerges as significant challenge to Fidesz party in Hungary
2:00 am
Péter Magyar emerges as significant challenge to Fidesz party in Hungary
Political Rise
Péter Magyar has rapidly transformed from an obscure figure in Hungarian politics to a prominent threat to the Fidesz Party following a scandal in early 2024.
Péter Magyar has rapidly transformed from an obscure figure in Hungarian politics to a prominent threat to the Fidesz Party following a scandal in early 2024.
Remarkable Growth
In just two years, Péter Magyar has transformed from an unknown figure into a significant political threat, exemplified by his election as an MEP, where his party consistently tops the opposition.
In just two years, Péter Magyar has transformed from an unknown figure into a significant political threat, exemplified by his election as an MEP, where his party consistently tops the opposition.
Outspoken Allegations
“I witnessed widespread corruption and abuses, forced to favour those close to Orbán,” said Péter Magyar, reflecting on his disillusionment with the Fidesz Party.
“I witnessed widespread corruption and abuses, forced to favour those close to Orbán,” said Péter Magyar, reflecting on his disillusionment with the Fidesz Party.
Key developments
Péter Magyar has emerged as a significant challenger to the Fidesz Party, following a pivotal scandal in early 2024 that saw a presidential pardon ignite wide public outrage and political fallout.
Polls indicate that despite various allegations against him, including accusations of domestic abuse and blackmail, Magyar’s popularity remains largely intact among voters disillusioned with traditional opposition parties.
From insider to rival: how Magyar became Orbán’s most serious challenger in 16 years
In just two years, Péter Magyar has grown from a virtually unknown figure in Hungarian politics to becoming the biggest threat to the Fidesz Party – his former political home – and its 16-year uninterrupted stretch in government.
Magyar burst into prominence in 2024 as the government faced a presidential pardon scandal that involved a child abuser’s accomplice. Prior to that, he was raised in a conservative family and was anything but an outsider when it came to the politics of of Fidesz.
Born into a family of conservatives
Born into a family of prominent conservatives, his grandfather was well-known TV personality and lawyer Pál Erőss, while his godfather Ferenc Mádl was the President of Hungary. Magyar received his degree from the law faculty of Pázmány Péter Catholic University in 2004.
While at university, he befriended Gergely Gulyás, now Minister of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán‘s office. Gulyás introduced Magyar to Judit Varga, with whom he had three children after marrying her in 2006. Varga later became the country’s justice minister under Orbán.
After being sent to Brussels by the Orbán government to serve as a diplomat dealing with EU affairs, the family moved back to Hungary in 2018. Magyar was appointed to the board of directors of state-owned road operation and maintenance company Magyar Közút ZRT. He later became head of of the government’s student loan provider and was on the board of several other state companies.
He and Judit Varga, who became justice minister during that period, divorced in 2023.
It all started with an interview
Magyar was largely unknown to the public until a scandal broke out in early 2024, where the pardoning of a convicted child abuser’s accomplice led to the resignation of the president as well as Varga’s retirement from politics.
The Fidesz Party blamed Varga, who signed the pardon decision in her capacity as justice minister.
Péter Magyar was so outraged that he took to Facebook within hours and spoke out against the Orbán government. From that moment onwards, his relationship with the party was turned on its head.
His post accused the government of widespread corruption and outlined abuses which he had personally witnessed, such as being forced to favour people close to Orbán during his time as head of the national student loan provider.
He subsequently did an interview with online channel Partizán, an event which is credited with playing a major role in his fast-growing popularity.
Péter Magyar became so popular, in fact, that within a matter of days he organised a rally in Budapest on Andrássy Avenue which attracted tens of thousands.
Capitalising on his newfound support, he took over the previously unknown Tisza Party and ran as a candidate in the 2024 European Parliament elections. He won a seat as MEP, with Tisza finishing second behind the ruling coalition.
The result of that election showed that Hungarian voters appeared to have become increasingly disillusioned with other opposition parties, which Magyar referred to as “old opposition”.
Scandals and accusations did little to hurt Magyar’s rise
A number of allegations have been made against at him since then, including accusations of domestic abuse from his former wife, spying and drug consumption. A document was recently posted by media online, claiming to be the Tisza Party’s tax programme, but its authenticity was never confirmed.
In a bizarre incident that took place in February this year, Magyar said he was blackmailed by government figures with a sex tape showing him and his former partner, secretly recorded in a Budapest flat in 2024. Fidesz representatives denied the claim.
Nevertheless, polls indicate that Magyar’s popularity has been largely unaffected.
The Tisza president has made a point of travelling extensively to meet voters, positioning himself as different to out-of-touch opponents. Towards the end of the election campaign, he spoke in seven cities within a single day.
Magyar has promised to improve public services in the country, and undertake reforms that will unfreeze billions of Euros that the EU had allocated for Hungary.
His position on LGBTQ issues is vague, while his views on immigration are even stricter than Orban’s as he has said he would end the government’s guest worker programme. He is generally distrustful of the media, and often clashes with them.
Overall, his promise to voters is simple: a functioning country with a Western identity and Christian-conservative politics, but without what he calls the corruption of Fidesz.
Premier League — Sunday’s 5th Apr fixtures
1:00 am
Check out today’s fixtures from the Premier League, Championship, Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, and Scottish Premiership.
Premier League |
Championship |
Serie A |
La Liga |
Bundesliga |
Ligue 1 |
Scottish Premiership
Premier League
Matchday 32
Crystal Palace 14:00 Newcastle United
Nottingham Forest 14:00 Aston Villa
Sunderland 14:00 Tottenham Hotspur
Chelsea 16:30 Manchester City
Championship
Matchday 42
Birmingham City 12:00 Wrexham
Serie A
Matchday 32
Genoa 11:30 Sassuolo
Parma 14:00 Napoli
Bologna 17:00 Lecce
Como 19:45 Internazionale
La Liga
Matchday 31
CA Osasuna 13:00 Real Betis
RCD Mallorca 15:15 Rayo Vallecano
RC Celta 17:30 Real Oviedo
Athletic Club 20:00 Villarreal CF
Bundesliga
Matchday 29
1. FC Köln 14:30 Werder Bremen
VfB Stuttgart 16:30 Hamburger SV
1. FSV Mainz 05 18:30 SC Freiburg
Ligue 1
Matchday 29
OGC Nice 16:15 Le Havre AC
Toulouse FC 16:15 Lille OSC
Olympique Lyonnais 19:45 FC Lorient
Scottish Premiership
Matchday 33
Falkirk 12:00 Rangers
Father and partner face charges after nine-year-old boy found locked in van in France
10:00 pm
Get you up to speed: Father and partner face charges after nine-year-old boy found locked in van in France
Gendarmes discovered a nine-year-old boy locked inside his father’s van in Hagenbach, eastern France, on April 6, 2026, after being alerted by a local resident. The boy’s father has been charged with preliminary kidnapping, while his partner faces charges for failure to help a minor in danger.
A nine-year-old boy was found locked in his father’s van in Hagenbach, eastern France, where he had been confined for nearly 18 months, according to Prosecutor Nicolas Heitz. The boy’s father has been charged with preliminary kidnapping and other offences, while his partner faces charges for failure to assist a minor in danger, according to the prosecutor’s office.
The boy, currently in a hospital in eastern France, is recovering after being locked in his father’s van for nearly 18 months. Prosecutor Nicolas Heitz stated that the boy’s father has been detained on preliminary kidnapping charges, while the father’s partner faces preliminary charges for failure to help a minor in danger and has been released under judicial supervision.
Boy, 9, can no longer walk after being locked in dad’s van for nearly 500 days | News World
The suspects’ terrace at a residential building where a boy was discovered naked and malnourished on a pile of rubbish in a van in Hagenbach, eastern France (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
A nine-year-old boy has been rescued after being locked inside his dad’s van for nearly 18 months.
The youngster is now in a hospital in eastern France after being found ‘lying in a foetal position, naked, covered by a blanket on top of a mound of trash and near excrement’.
He had been confined to a sitting position inside the vehicle for so long he can no longer walk, Prosecutor Nicolas Heitz added in a statement.
Police were alerted by a neighbour who heard the ‘sounds of a child’ coming from the van in the village of Hagenbach near the borders of Switzerland and Germany on Monday.
The boy’s father, who has been detained, allegedly told investigators he put his son in the van in November 2024 ‘to protect him’ because his partner wanted to send him to a psychiatric hospital.
But the prosecutor said there were no medical records of the youngster having any psychiatric problems, while school records show he had good grades.
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Mr Heitz said the boy told investigators he had ‘big difficulties’ with his father’s partner and thought he ‘had no choice’ but to lock him up.
He said he hadn’t showered since 2024.
Gendarmes discovered the child after being alerted by a local resident who had heard ‘the sounds of a child’ coming from a van (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
The father was handed preliminary kidnapping and other charges and kept in custody.
His partner denied knowledge that the boy was in the van, according to the prosecutor.
She was handed preliminary charges, including for failure to help a minor in danger, and released under judicial supervision.
The boy’s 12-year-old sister and the 10-year-old daughter of his father’s partner were put in the care of social services.
The prosecutor’s office is investigating whether anyone else knew what was happening to the child.
Friends and family told investigators they thought the boy was in a psychiatric institution.
His teachers were told he had transferred to a different school, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Authorities did not release the names of the victim or family members.
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Pope Leo XIV denounces delusion of omnipotence amid US-Iran peace talks
9:00 pm
Pope Leo XIV denounces delusion of omnipotence amid US-Iran peace talks
Pope’s Plea
Pope Leo XIV denounced the “delusion of omnipotence” driving the US-Israel war on Iran during an evening prayer at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Pope Leo XIV denounced the “delusion of omnipotence” driving the US-Israel war on Iran during an evening prayer at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Military Complaints
Over 200 complaints from US military personnel allege the use of extremist Christian rhetoric by commanders to justify military action against Iran, indicating deep institutional concerns.
Over 200 complaints from US military personnel allege the use of extremist Christian rhetoric by commanders to justify military action against Iran, indicating deep institutional concerns.
Papal Appeal
“Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!” urged Pope Leo XIV during an evening prayer in St. Peter’s Basilica.
“Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!” urged Pope Leo XIV during an evening prayer in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Key developments
Pope Leo XIV condemned the “delusion of omnipotence” driving the US-Israel war on Iran, urging political leaders to prioritise peace. He condemned recent military rhetoric during an evening prayer at St. Peter’s Basilica.
The US Military Religious Freedom Foundation revealed over 200 complaints from military personnel regarding extremist Christian rhetoric used to justify the conflict. Complaints originated from multiple military branches.
Pope Leo XIV’s criticisms intensified after Palm Sunday, highlighting his dismay towards US threats against Iran. His message called for prayer and action against the ongoing cycle of violence.
Pope Leo XIV says ‘Enough of the idolatry’ as he grows increasingly frustrated over war
By Lucy Davalou with AP
Published on
Pope Leo XIV did not hold back on Saturday as he denounced the “delusion of omnipotence” that is powering the US-Israel war on Iran and urges political leaders to stop and engage in peace processes. All while, the US and Iran entered peace negotiations in Pakistan.
During an evening prayer in St. Peter’s Basilica Pope Leo XIV did not mention the US nor did he mention US President Donald Trump, however, his tone and message appeared directed at US officials and Trump, who have bragged of their military superiority and justified the war using religion.
“Enough of the idolatry of self and money!” Leo said. “Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!”
The US Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) announced on 3 March 2026 that it had received more than 200 complaints from military personnel from various branches of the armed forces – including the Marines, Air Force and Space Force – accusing their commanders of using extremist Christian rhetoric to justify war against Iran.
Among those in the basilica was the archbishop of Tehran, Dominique Joseph Mathieu. The United States was represented by Laura Hochla, the deputy chief of mission, the US Embassy said.
US-born Pope Leo XIV had initially been reluctant about openly criticising the war, however, he stepped up his criticism starting on Palm Sunday. Earlier this week, he condemned Trump’s threats to annihilate Iranian civilisation calling them “truly unacceptable” and pushed for dialogue to be prioritised.
On Saturday, the pontiff called for all people of good will to pray for peace and demand an end to war from their political leaders.
Praying for peace, Pope Leo XIV said, was a way to “break the demonic cycle of evil” to build instead the Kingdom of God where there are no swords, drones or “unjust profit.”
“It is here that we find a bulwark against that delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive,” he said. “Even the holy Name of God, the God of life, is being dragged into discourses of death.”
Leaders have used religion to defend their actions in the war. US officials, especially Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, have spoken about their Christian faith and described the United States as a Christian nation fighting its enemies.
Leo has said that God does not support any war, especially wars where bombs are dropped.
The Vatican is especially worried about Israel’s war with Hezbollah which is spreading into Lebanon, where Christian communities in the south are already suffering.
Cyclist narrowly escapes train collision after breaching safety barrier in Hanoi
7:00 pm
Get you up to speed: Cyclist narrowly escapes train collision after breaching safety barrier in Hanoi
A cyclist in Hanoi, Vietnam, came within an inch of being run over by a train after breaching the safety barrier. The 14-carriage train involved was inspected before continuing its service.
Following recent incidents, including the death of a motorbike rider on March 8, officials in Hanoi are planning to increase fines for breaching railway barriers to six million dong (£170) for cyclists and 20 million dong (£564) for drivers of other vehicles. According to local news reports, the cyclist involved in a recent near-miss was using his phone when he crossed the tracks.
Officials are set to raise the fine for ignoring railway barriers to six million dong (£170) for cyclists and 20 million dong (£564) for drivers of other vehicles. This decision follows ongoing concerns about safety at railway crossings in Hanoi.
Cyclist just inches from being crushed by a train after crossing safety barrier | News World
A cyclist came within an inch of being run over by a train after breaching the safety barrier.
The biker was shown on CCTV footage being clipped by the passing locomotive as he crossed the railway in Hanoi, Vietnam.
He was thrown on to the ground along with his bike, but was able to get back on his feet and ride away.
According to local news reports, the cyclist was on his phone when the incident occurred.
Following the incursion, the 14-carriage train involved was inspected before continuing its service.
Railways are common at street level in Vietnam, including in its capital where trains frequently travel on tracks within metres of buildings on either side.
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The man was clipped by the train as he avoid safety barriers and risked jumping the track (Picture: Jam Press)
The driver crashes into fellow bike riders waiting behind the barriers on the other side (Picture: Jam Press)
Accidents are frequent. In February a lorry driver was killed after his vehicle was hit by a train travelling through the city.
On March 8, a motorbike rider was killed after trying to circumvent the safety barrier at a crossing.
Hanoi’s famous Train Street carries railway vehicles several times a day on its single-track line.
The narrow road is lined with shops and homes and is a popular attraction for visitors looking for an iconic photo grab.
The distinctive railway line forms part of the north-south route through the city and was built under French colonial rule.
The cyclist was knocked to the ground as the train passed by (Picture: Jam Press)
Tourists can view the railway while sitting at the street’s many cafes, with many advertising scheduled passing times to spur business while advising customers to move their seats in as a train approaches.
Between 2019 and 2023 it was closed to tourists by authorities citing safety concerns, with several visitors reported to have narrowly missed trains weaving through the street.
Officials are set to raise the fine for ignoring railway barriers to six million dong (£170) for cyclists and20 million dong (£564) for drivers of other vehicles.
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