Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Tuesday 7 Aug 2018

1. Iran: ‘Trump’s sanctions don’t make sense’

Iran has condemned the US for “psychological warfare” after President Donald Trump reinstated some of the sanctions dropped by Barack Obama in 2015, and has complained his strategy “doesn’t make sense”. The EU has also condemned the measures, which Trump says are necessary because Iran is not ending its nuclear programme.

2. Heatwave could continue until October

Parts of the UK are likely to continue to experience higher-than-average temperatures until as late as October, the Met Office says. While the beginning of this week is bringing rain and cloud to much of Scotland and Northern Ireland, England and Wales will mostly stay dry and warm until the weekend, when temperatures will be cooler.

3. ‘Too hot for High Street’ – retail sales slow

July may have been “just too hot to hit the High Street”, according to accountant KPMG, after the latest figures showed retail sales slowed down last month. Year-on-year, sales in shops open for at least 12 months rose 0.5%, less than half the 1.1% they rose in June. The long hot summer has also meant demand for summer goods slowing down.

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4. California in grip of worst-ever wildfire

A fire bigger than New York and almost the size of Los Angeles, which has destroyed 87 homes and 82 other buildings, is the worst California has ever seen. The Mendocino Complex fire, actually two fires a few miles apart, may not be under control for another week, officials say. Fires across the state have caused seven deaths this summer.

5. Nearly 10,000 police have second jobs

The Police Federation of England and Wales say officers are “struggling” financially, to the extent that nearly 10,000 have taken on a second job within the past year. There have been reports of officers working as taxi drivers, plumbers, gardeners, photographers and beauticians. The Federation says pay is down 18% in real terms since 2009-2010.

6. Cricketer Ben Stokes ‘mocked gay couple’

England cricketer Ben Stokes mocked a gay couple – and threw a cigarette butt at one of them – outside a Bristol nightclub, a court was told yesterday. Stokes, who is accused of affray, then attacked two other men. He told the court he accused the two men he attacked of using “nasty homophobic language” about the first two men.

7. Army unit to tackle female suicide bombers

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has announced a specialist army training team has been set up to help tackle the threat of female suicide bombers and of sexual violence. The team, which will include female soldiers, will be sent to East Africa in the coming weeks to help local forces understand that child soldiers deserve a second chance.

8. Robert Redford: ‘I’ve retired from acting’

Robert Redford, now 81, has said he has retired from acting – after 60 years. The Sting and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid star said his last film role will be The Old Man & the Gun, a comedy crime film to be released later this year. Redford has been Oscar-nominated for acting, but has only won the coveted award for his work as a director.

9. China bans Winnie the Pooh film for Xi

China has refused to allow the distribution of Disney’s new Winnie the Pooh film after comparisons between AA Milne’s tubby ursine and President Xi Jinping became popular online. Analysts Global Risk Insights say the suppression of the mockery may be a mistake as it is a “potential positive, and organic, public image campaign for Xi”.

10. Briefing: Why England’s green belt is disappearing

The UK’s green belt is disappearing at an “alarming rate” as the Government strives to meet targets for new homes, a new report has warned.

The study from the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) says that property developers are being allowed to “gobble up” protected land released by local authorities. A total of around 460,000 homes are now planned on former green belt sites - up from 425,000 a year ago.

Why England’s green belt is disappearing at ‘alarming rate’