From Queen Elizabeth II with a sword to an agile Cocker Spaniel- these are today's best pictures


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More from The National:

From a hot summer's day in Srinagar to thick morning fog in Sydney - Friday's best pictures

From a sculpture in the sky above Hong Kong to a forest fire near Jerusalem - Thursday's best pictures

From sleeping elephants in China to a pipeline protestor in the US - Tuesday's best pictures

From a Chemical Brothers concert movie in London to surfing in El Salvador – Sunday's best pictures

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
While you're here
At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates

Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
​​​​​​​Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books