BBC News Briefing

8 July, 2026

Alex has short blonde hair and blue eyes. She is smiling and wearing a black turtleneck

Alex Binley

Hello. Will negotiations resume in the wake of strikes between the US and Iran? Our international editor provides analysis. In Russia, fuel shortages are increasing pressure on President Vladimir Putin. And find out why a "cursed" Scottish forest is about to hit the big screen.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

Why Trump has no better option than talks with Iran

UTrump is wearing a very dark blue, almost lack suit, white shirt and yellow tie. He is standing behind a microphone and in front of a teal-coloured background. He is holding up a hand with a finger pointing into the air.

Throughout the conflict, Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran and claimed victory. Credit: Reuters

US President Donald Trump has threatened to attack Iran "hard" tonight, hours after saying he thinks the US-Iran ceasefire is "over", after both sides exchanged attacks. However, speaking later in the day, Trump said he didn't think the conflict would start again. "Buried" in his initial "verbal onslaught was an acceptance that the talks will continue", writes international editor Jeremy Bowen. "For all his bluster," Trump "does not have a better option than negotiations". "America's capacity to hit Iran, doing great damage, is not in doubt," Jeremy notes, but writes that despite the US's firepower it has not been able to "break the will of the regime to drop any of its fundamental demands, starting with control of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz".

Jeremy's analysis

GET UP TO SPEED

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Egypt calls for officials to be kicked out of World Cup

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NEWS FROM THE UK

Ruth Ellis: The last woman to be executed in the UK has been granted a posthumous conditional pardon. This is why.

CCTV: Police have released an image of a murder suspect believed to have killed his wife and two daughters before fleeing the UK.

Heatwave foods: More protein or less? As temperatures soar in the UK, here's what to eat to help you deal with the heat.
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AT THE SCENE

Moscow, Russia

Russian fuel shortages bite – but will Putin change tack in Ukraine war?

People queue to refuel their cars at a Rosneft petrol station in Moscow. Cars stretch back from the fuel pumps and into the road. It is a sunny day and a block of flats are next to the petrol station.

A fuel crisis is currently gripping Russia with long, daily queues at petrol stations. Credit: Getty Images

Putin has worked hard to insulate Russians from the consequences of what he calls his special military operation, but in recent weeks, Ukraine has intensified its attacks on energy infrastructure, causing widespread fuel shortages. Kyiv hopes that economic pressure could lead to talks, but some fear it could result in escalation.

James Landale is smiling and wears glasses with a black frame. He has short brown hair and is wearing a suit and tie.

James Landale, diplomatic correspondent

If you want to get a sense of the fuel crisis gripping Russia, all you need to do is spend a day driving around Moscow. At almost every petrol station we passed there was a queue of cars and lorries. Some lines were long, some short; some static, others moving steadily. If there was no queue, that meant the garage had run out of fuel entirely and was closed.

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Remember: this is Moscow, the wealthy, populated capital that draws in so much of Russia's vast resources. Even here the authorities cannot ensure there is enough petrol and diesel to keep Muscovites on the road.

Keep reading

Watch: Russians queue for kilometres for fuel, with one line so long, it could be seen from space.

Recruitment: As Russia's losses in Ukraine continue to mount, the Kremlin has turned its attention to students to make up numbers.

Patriot missiles: Trump has offered to give Ukraine the right to produce the interceptor missiles, which could help defend against attacks.