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Feb 17, 2026 - World

Discussions through Omani intermediaries may pave way for further meeting on nuclear programme, Iran saysIran has described the latest round of indirect talks with the US as “more constructive” than the previous set earlier this month, and said agreement had been reached on “general guiding principles” that could lead to a further meeting to discuss its nuclear programme.The talks – held in Geneva through Omani intermediaries – were to discuss the terms for Tehran constraining its nuclear programme under the supervision of the UN nuclear weapons inspectorate. They ended after three and a half hours. Continue reading...

Feb 17, 2026 - World

Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s gushing praise of Viktor Orbán, the authoritarian prime minister of Hungary, on Monday was called out on MS NOW as nothing more than an attempt to stay in the good graces of Donald Trump and the far-right MAGA base.During their joint appearance in Budapest, the former Florida senator exclaimed, “I can say to you with confidence that President Trump is deeply committed to your success because your success is our success, because this relationship we have here in Central Europe through you is so essential and vital for our national interests in the years to come.”That led “Morning Joe’ co-host Joe Scarborough to point out that, until Rubio joined Trump’s administration, Orbán was the type of leader that the secretary of state publicly loathed.Speaking with “Morning Joe” regular Katty Kay, Scarborough noted, “What is good for Orban is bad for America, is bad for freedom, is bad for Ukraine, and is only good for Vladimir Putin. And I suppose Donald Trump.”“It is screwed up that any American president would want anything to do with that autocratic thug,” he said. “And for Marco Rubio, a guy caddie for Marco Rubio, a guy who is this, you know, anti-communist hawk and against autocracy and supporting freedom and liberty, for him to be embracing Orbán and saying those things about Orbán, which he does not believe, it is a new low.”Kay observed, “Yeah. I was listening to that speech that he gave in Hungary, and I felt like you that it came off as somebody who was desperately trying to say something they believed in, but it was pretty obvious that they didn't.”“I mean, there is Marco Rubio,” she elaborated. “He's sort of straddling this world where he's looking to 2028 thinking, ‘I have to shore up the MAGA vote. I can't have them abandon me. I have to make sure that Donald Trump is happy.’ Although, apparently, he wasn't with the speech that he [Rubio] gave in Berlin. And make sure the Europeans are also happy, because that's actually what I believe. I still do believe in this world order where America leads. "And he tried to reconcile [with] Europeans and have them in a better position with America at the Berlin Security Conference, at the Munich Security Conference. But then he goes on, and where does he go and visit? The two countries that are the most Russia-aligned in all of Europe. He goes to Slovakia and he goes to Hungary.” - YouTube youtu.be

Feb 17, 2026 - World

The former PM is open to resurrecting his parliamentary career, if Angus Taylor does what Peter Dutton wouldn’t and actively drafts him inFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIn June last year, the Liberal party’s federal executive met to discuss the next phase of an intervention into the troubled New South Wales division.The meeting will be a short footnote in the modern history of the Liberal party. Continue reading...

Feb 17, 2026 - World

Thinking ‘supply is the answer’ lets politicians dodge a much more difficult conversation about tax – for investors and ownersFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIs building more homes the answer to Australia’s housing crisis?No, it’s not. Not even close. Continue reading...

Feb 17, 2026 - World

Mark Aitken, who worked in the sector for 16 years, said eight times out of 10 he disagreed with the integrated assessment toolFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAged care clinicians and carers say an algorithm-based assessment tool that determines federal home support funding packages is “cruel” and “inhumane”, stripping away clinical expertise and leaving elderly people with inadequate support.The integrated assessment tool (IAT), introduced in November, is used across aged care to determine eligibility and classification for services, including residential care. Continue reading...