Tuesday briefing: How the conflict in Iran shattered the Gulf state image of peace and luxury

Chancellor’s measure to help families save money during summer holidays ‘won’t make any difference’Cutting tax on children’s meals is a political “soundbite” that will make little difference to families or businesses, restaurateurs have said.This week, Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, announced a temporary reduction in VAT on the children’s menu in restaurants from 20% to 5% between June and September, in order to help families with the cost of living crisis and offer a boost to the hospitality sector. Continue reading...

US-backed board has put sole blame for stalled ceasefire on militant group despite Israel not fulfilling its obligations, analysts sayThe top diplomat from the Board of Peace has blamed Hamas for the stalled ceasefire, but critics have said the US-backed board’s lack of even-handedness in implementing the truce risks a return to war.The “high representative for Gaza”, Nickolay Mladenov, told the UN security council on Thursday that Hamas was the “principal obstacle” to the ceasefire’s continued implementation because “it refused to accept verified decommissioning, relinquish coercive control and allow a genuine civilian transition”. Continue reading...

Chancellor’s supporters urge MPs to back her if Keir Starmer is replaced, saying she is only candidate who can safeguard UK’s financesRachel Reeves has launched a rearguard action to save her job as chancellor, telling friends she would like to stay in the post even under a new prime minister.The chancellor’s supporters have been urging MPs to back her if Keir Starmer is replaced later this year, saying she is the only candidate who can safeguard the country’s finances. Continue reading...

Paperwork supplied by Andrew Crowley, 46, found to be made using printing methods 25 years too modernA fraudster who tried to sell fake ancient statues to Sotheby’s was foiled when his bogus accompanying paperwork was found to be written with printing methods that were 25 years too modern, a court has heard.Andrew Crowley, 46, asked the auctioneers to value three Cycladic figures and one Anatolian stargazer statuette that he had inherited from his grandfather, Southwark crown court in London was told on Friday. Continue reading...

Australia’s leaders join those of the UK, Italy, France, Germany, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands and New Zealand in condemning illegal settlementsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Israeli government is undermining stability in the West Bank as settler violence reaches unprecedented levels, a coalition of Western countries says, as its leaders call for an end to construction of Israeli settlements it says breach international law.In a joint statement issued on Friday, Anthony Albanese and the leaders of the UK, Italy, France, Germany, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands and New Zealand said: Continue reading...

Xi Jinping urges authorities to ‘spare no effort’ in rescue efforts after blast at mine in northern Shanxi provinceThe death toll from a gas explosion at a coalmine in northern China’s Shanxi province has risen to at least 82, state media Xinhua reported on Saturday, with nine people still missing.The gas explosion happened late on Friday at the Liushenyu coalmine in Qinyuan county, while 247 workers were underground, Xinhua reported. Initial reports said eight people had been killed, while more than 200 people had been brought safely to the surface. Continue reading...

Exclusive: New biography uncovers Frank Hawking’s papers in which he lamented that his son had ‘little initiative’In exploring the physics and geometry of the universe, Stephen Hawking became a world-renowned pioneer of black hole theory, writing the bestselling book A Brief History of Time, which has sold more than 13m copies, and inspiring people to “look up at the stars and not down at your feet”.But, during Hawking’s student years and as he approached adulthood, his father was deeply concerned about how his son would turn out. Frank Hawking lamented that “he hangs round the house with little initiative and does not study much”, according to previously unknown diaries that he had written partly in code. Continue reading...

Marsh Street has been cited as Bristol’s worst for potholes. But it’s just one of many crumbling roads in Britain as councils face repairs backlogs and lack of fundsMarsh Street in the historic centre of Bristol is a modest little stretch of road with an office block at one end, a Thai restaurant at the other, and an almighty mess in between.Along its length of 200 metres or so, the tarmac surface of the road is pockmarked with many dozens of cracks, patches, divots and holes. In some spots where the surface has worn away, three or more layers of road structure are exposed beneath. What is a bouncy enough ride in a bus or car is even more of an assault course for cyclists, a number of whom weave carefully down its length as they cut through the city centre. Continue reading...

‘Living archive’ will mark loss of Northumberland landmark with storytelling, sound and sculpture using saved woodA new artwork will transform preserved wood from the felled Sycamore Gap tree into a “living archive” after a public vote.The community arts charity Helix Arts and George King Architects were named winners of the vote on Saturday, after being shortlisted for a National Trust commission in March. Continue reading...

Prime minister launches impassioned argument in favour of much-maligned reforms announced in last week’s federal budget A visibly emotional Anthony Albanese has launched an impassioned defence of Labor’s proposed changes to negative gearing, the capital gains tax discount and family trusts, saying he will “not allow Australia to become a country where aspiration is only for some”.The prime minister has faced sustained criticism to the reforms, which include limiting negative gearing to new-builds while grandfathering existing properties, changing how CGT is calculated and imposing a new 30% minimum tax on discretionary trusts. Continue reading...

Lebanon’s health ministry condemns attacks as violations of international law; Israel says it struck Hezbollah infrastructure sites and militantsIsraeli strikes in Lebanon killed 10 people, including six paramedics and a child, in the space of 24 hours, Lebanon’s health ministry said on Friday, placing further strain on a US-brokered ceasefire. The ministry condemned the attacks as violations of international law.Further airstrikes were reported on Friday night into Saturday. An AFP correspondent in the southern city of Tyre reported hearing two blasts as one building on the outskirts was struck, then another inside the city, sending plumes of smoke into the air. Earlier, officials worked to evacuate people from the neighbourhood, using loudspeakers urging them to leave. Continue reading...

Phone company launched by Donald Trump’s family says names and contact details appear to be affected, but not credit card or banking informationA phone company launched by Donald Trump’s family business is investigating a potential security flaw on its website that appears to have exposed the personal details of an estimated 27,000 people who sought to buy a gold-coloured smartphone.Trump Mobile said in a statement that it was investigating the issue – “with the assistance of independent cybersecurity professionals” – in which the full names, addresses and phone numbers of people who filled out preorder forms appeared to be exposed. Continue reading...