GEOPOLITICS | Vance Delays Iran Talks; Pound Slips After Andy Burnham Wins UK Seat

Planned US-Iran talks in Switzerland on Friday will not take place after Vice President JD Vance decided not to depart Thursday night for the face-to-face negotiations. According to Bloomberg, Reuters cited a Swiss Foreign Ministry statement, and the White House had said earlier Vance would not travel. The pound edged lower after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham won a contest for an open parliamentary seat, a result seen as paving the way for him to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for his job.