NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told the BBC at the alliance's summit in Ankara that NATO is stronger than ever, and compared Donald Trump's inflammatory remarks—including criticism of NATO's non-participation in a US strike on Iran and calls to take control of Greenland—to a family quarrel. Rutte said Trump is "completely committed to NATO," though Trump has also claimed the US receives poor returns on its defence spending in the alliance.
8 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Sir Keir Starmer received a personalized revolver with live ammunition from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a NATO summit in Ankara. The firearm will be decommissioned before being returned to the UK, as it is illegal to import a live firearm into the country.
8 July 2026 · Joy Online →
At the NATO summit in Ankara, US President Trump condemned Spain as a "wasted cause" and "terrible partner in NATO," threatening to cut off trade relations. Trump also revived his interest in the US taking over Greenland from Denmark, calling NATO's resistance to the plan "a big problem for us," while Spanish PM Sánchez later said relations remained friendly and discussions involved no tension.
8 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Centre raised the threat level in the Strait of Hormuz to "severe" following Iranian attacks on tankers using a U.S. Navy-protected corridor. The U.S. military responded with strikes against over 80 Iranian targets, including air defence systems and more than 60 small boats belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
8 July 2026 · Joy Online →
US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire agreement with Iran is "over" following fresh exchanges of fire on Tuesday and Wednesday, describing Iran's leadership as "scum" and dismissing further negotiations as "a waste of time." Oil prices spiked by around 6% after the strikes and Trump's comments, while the US revoked its temporary suspension of sanctions on Iranian oil sales.
8 July 2026 · Joy Online →