Here's a rundown of all the news you need to start your Friday, including US President Donald Trump's threat of pulling troops out of Italy and Spain, FIFA's green light to Iran playing in this year’s US-based World Cup matches, Iran's supreme leader urging Gulf nations to forge a future without Washington, and outrage after Israel intercepted a Gaza-bound humanitarian flotilla in international waters.
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he “probably will” withdraw US troops from Spain and Italy after threatening to do so in Germany amid a rift within NATO over his war against Iran.
Trump maintained that when the US “needed them, they were not there,” adding: “We have to remember that.”
“I probably will. Why shouldn’t I? You know, look, why shouldn’t I? Italy has not been of any help to us, and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible,” the US president told reporters in the Oval Office.
"It's NATO. It's not even the fact that they're bad. It's one thing if they said nicely, or if they said: 'Okay, we'll help, but the help is a little slow.' But the level, and we help them with Ukraine. You know, they made a mess out of Ukraine, a total mess, and we helped them with Ukraine," he added.
The head of international football body FIFA confirmed on Thursday that Iran will take part in this summer’s 2026 World Cup and play its scheduled matches on US soil, despite the ongoing war.
“Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup, 2026, and of course, Iran will play in the United States of America,” Gianni Infantino said at the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada.
He argued that the decision is rooted in the responsibility to "bring people together," saying that football remains a unique force that "unites the world" amid global divisions.
However, the path to participation remains deeply uncertain. Ahmad Donyamali, Iran's sports minister, said the country could not take part "under any circumstances," citing the Feb. 28 killing of then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at the start of the US-Israeli offensive.
Iran’s supreme leader said Thursday the future of the Gulf will be “without US presence,” stressing that new legal and management frameworks for the Strait of Hormuz will bring stability and economic benefits to the region.
In a written statement released by his office to mark Persian Gulf National Day, Mojtaba Khamenei said the presence of foreign powers, particularly the United States, has been a source of instability in the region, adding that a “new phase is emerging.”
He said the Gulf is a key part of regional identity and global economic connectivity, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman.
Khamenei said Iran would ensure security in the Gulf through what he described as new management of the Strait of Hormuz, including updated legal frameworks.
Multiple countries, including Türkiye, Brazil, Jordan, Pakistan, Spain, South Africa, condemned Israel's interception of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud aid flotilla in international waters as a violation of international law and called for restraint and accountability.
Meanwhile, Germany and Italy expressed concern over the incident in a joint statement, calling on Israel to respect international law and avoid "irresponsible actions."
According to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, naval forces intercepted more than 20 vessels from the flotilla near the Greek island of Crete, detaining around 175 activists. The convoy, which had departed from Sicily two weeks earlier as part of a 58-ship mission, sought to break Israel’s longstanding blockade on Gaza, where some 2.4 million residents face severe humanitarian conditions amid ongoing conflict and widespread destruction.
The European Central Bank on Thursday left its three key interest rates unchanged, warning that the Middle East war has increased upside risks to inflation and downside risks to economic growth.
The European Central Bank said the deposit facility rate, main refinancing rate and marginal lending rate would remain at 2%, 2.15% and 2.40%, respectively, in line with market expectations.
Brent crude fell below $110 per barrel on Thursday, retreating sharply after topping $120 a day earlier, as volatility continued to grip global oil markets.
The international benchmark declined more than 1.4% to around $108.9 as of 1118GMT, driven by concerns over supply risks linked to the Iran war and uncertainty around energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
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