Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 21 Maret 2015 | 18.25
At least 142 people have been killed and hundreds more injured after four suicide bombers attacked two mosques in the Yemeni capital Sanaa.
The bombers struck during Friday prayers at mosques mainly used by supporters of the Shia Muslim Houthi group which recently seized control of the government.
The attackers detonated their explosive belts inside and outside the buildings.
One of the mosques attacked by suicide bombers
One witness said: "A man with a crutch and his leg covered with plaster showing the Houthi sign on the crutch entered the inside of the mosque, then we heard the explosion."
A spokesman for the country's health ministry said at least 30 of those wounded in the attacks were in a critical condition in intensive care.
Video:19 Jan: Yemen In Turmoil
In an online statement, the previously unknown Sanaa branch of Islamic State claimed responsibility for the bombings and said they were "just the tip of the iceberg".
The US condemned the attacks, but said it was too early to confirm whether IS was involved.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said there is not, as yet, a "clear operational" link between Yemeni extremists and IS fighters in Syria and Iraq.
"We express our condolences to the families of the victims, we deplore the brutality of the terrorists who perpetrated today's unprovoked attack on Yemeni citizens, who were peacefully engaged in Friday prayers," he said.
Yemen is divided by a power struggle between the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in the north and UN-recognised President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who fled to the southern city of Aden in February after escaping house arrest in the capital.
He has established a rival seat in Aden with the backing of Sunni-led Gulf Arab states but twice in the last two days unidentified aircraft have attacked his presidential palace.
A government spokesman said the President was not in the palace at the time and is unharmed.
By Sherine Tadros, Middle East Correspondent, in Iraq
Ansar Marjaiyeh, or Soldiers Of The Religious Leadership, is a group of Shia volunteers leading the fightback against Islamic State militants near Fallujah.
IS snipers are just 200m away, and they return fire hard and fast. The volunteers are slowly pushing the militants back, but holding the territory they retake is their main challenge.
Their weapons are not impressive, but their resolve is. Dozens of these fighters have been killed so far. This is just one of several open fronts with the Islamic State group in Iraq.
More than 20,000 Shia militiamen from different groups, many backed by Iran, are involved in the fight against IS. They make up what is known as the Popular Mobilisation Force. Around 5,000 Iraqi officers and soldiers are working with them.
The men proudly show off their weapons and what they have picked up during battle.
Video:People Return Home After Liberation
One militia leader showed us what he said was a receipt, bearing the stamp of the Islamic State group, invoicing the Syrian government for crude oil worth thousands of dollars. The receipt said the oil was to be transferred from Mosul to Syria.
We met up with hundreds of fighters on their way to the frontline in Tikrit - the birthplace of former president Saddam Hussein, which was taken over by IS last summer.
The military operation In Tikrit is in its third week, but the militias still only control parts of the city.
Hadi al Amiri heads up the Badr Brigade, one of Iraq's most effective fighting forces.
Seen by many as Iran's man on the ground, he told Sky News that dozens of Iranian advisors are helping take back territory from IS, and that Tikrit would be retaken within days.
Video:'This Is Not A Sectarian War'
But he insists co-ordination with local Sunni forces has been key, and is confident his men will soon take back Anbar before recapturing the country's second city, Mosul.
He said: "We were victorious in Diyala, and we're using the same strategy here, as a result of a high degree of co-ordination between the army, the popular mobilisation forces and the police."
In Diyala, though, Sunni families returning have found their homes burned and looted. Rights groups say dozens of villages were destroyed not just by IS, but also Shia militias carrying out revenge attacks.
We spoke to people in Diyala who told us they heard about those attacks from their neighbours and friends, but did not see anything themselves.
Militia leaders insist they have strict orders not to harm locals under their control, and near Tikrit, we found Shia fighters helping hundreds of families going home.
Video:Shia Fighters Battle Islamic State
There are also some areas where the battle was too fierce, meaning there is nothing left to come back to. Islamic State flags still litter the walls along the streets as mangled metal and charred buildings replace what used to be a vibrant neighbourhood.
For now, the momentum is with the militias and the Iraqi army.
Tikrit will be a strategic and symbolic victory before the push northwards, but that will entail Shia militias controlling Sunni and mixed villages - putting Iraq's delicate sectarian balance to the ultimate test.
Written By Unknown on Jumat, 20 Maret 2015 | 18.25
Eclipse Tourist: Polar Bear Went For My Head
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Video:Czech Tourist Recounts Bear Attack
A tourist visiting Norway for the eclipse has described the terrifying moment a polar bear dragged him out of his tent as he slept.
"It was going for my head. I used my hands to protect my head," said Jakub Moravec.
Mr Moravec said he managed to fend off the animal's jaws before another of the group grabbed a shotgun and saved his life.
"Now I am fine. I have some scratches in the face, on one arm and on the back. But I feel fine," Mr Moravec told the Svalbardposten newspaper.
The Czech citizen was in a group of six on a ski and snowmobile trip on the Svalbard islands, 500 miles from the Norwegian mainland.
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Gallery: Polar Bear Attacks Eclipse Tourist In Svalbard, Norway
A Czech tourist who travelled to a remote Arctic island to see the solar eclipse is recovering in hospital after being attacked by a polar bear
Jakub Moravec was asleep in a tent on the remote Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard when the animal dragged him out. Warning: A photo of the dead polar bear follows
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The bear was eventually found and killed by authorities
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Thousands of tourists are in Svalbard ahead of the rare eclipse
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Accommodation has been booked out for years and people choosing to sleep outdoors have been warned of the dangers
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Another of the group, Zuzana Hakova, told local media her mother had shot at the bear three times.
Authorities later hunted the predator down and killed it.
Mr Moravec was taken to hospital by helicopter but said he was hoping to be out of hospital in time for Friday morning's solar eclipse.
"I'd gladly go out to the mountains on Svalbard again," he told the Svalbardposten newspaper.
The remote Norwegian islands are one of the few places on land from which people were able to see the Moon totally block the Sun. A partial eclipse was also seen in the UK.
Several thousand people travelled to Svalbard, as well as about 8,000 to the Faroe Islands.
Another member of Mr Moravec's group was taken to hospital with frostbite, and locals said the incidents were a stark reminder of the dangers of the Arctic.
"I think there's been a tendency, even before the eclipse, that a lot of people come here and they don't know where they're going," said Aksel Bilicz, manager of Svalbard's Longyearbyen hospital.
"Both the weather conditions and the bears can be very dangerous."
A bear killed British teenager Horatio Chapple, 17, on Svalbard in 2011, the most recent fatality.
On average, three bears a year are shot in self-defence by people on Svalbard and people are ordered to carry guns when travelling out of town.
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Eclipse Tourist: Polar Bear Went For My Head
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Video:Czech Tourist Recounts Bear Attack
A tourist visiting Norway for the eclipse has described the terrifying moment a polar bear dragged him out of his tent as he slept.
"It was going for my head. I used my hands to protect my head," said Jakub Moravec.
Mr Moravec said he managed to fend off the animal's jaws before another of the group grabbed a shotgun and saved his life.
"Now I am fine. I have some scratches in the face, on one arm and on the back. But I feel fine," Mr Moravec told the Svalbardposten newspaper.
The Czech citizen was in a group of six on a ski and snowmobile trip on the Svalbard islands, 500 miles from the Norwegian mainland.
1/6
Gallery: Polar Bear Attacks Eclipse Tourist In Svalbard, Norway
A Czech tourist who travelled to a remote Arctic island to see the solar eclipse is recovering in hospital after being attacked by a polar bear
Jakub Moravec was asleep in a tent on the remote Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard when the animal dragged him out. Warning: A photo of the dead polar bear follows
]]>
The bear was eventually found and killed by authorities
]]>
Thousands of tourists are in Svalbard ahead of the rare eclipse
]]>
Accommodation has been booked out for years and people choosing to sleep outdoors have been warned of the dangers
]]>
Another of the group, Zuzana Hakova, told local media her mother had shot at the bear three times.
Authorities later hunted the predator down and killed it.
Mr Moravec was taken to hospital by helicopter but said he was hoping to be out of hospital in time for Friday morning's solar eclipse.
"I'd gladly go out to the mountains on Svalbard again," he told the Svalbardposten newspaper.
The remote Norwegian islands are one of the few places on land from which people were able to see the Moon totally block the Sun. A partial eclipse was also seen in the UK.
Several thousand people travelled to Svalbard, as well as about 8,000 to the Faroe Islands.
Another member of Mr Moravec's group was taken to hospital with frostbite, and locals said the incidents were a stark reminder of the dangers of the Arctic.
"I think there's been a tendency, even before the eclipse, that a lot of people come here and they don't know where they're going," said Aksel Bilicz, manager of Svalbard's Longyearbyen hospital.
"Both the weather conditions and the bears can be very dangerous."
A bear killed British teenager Horatio Chapple, 17, on Svalbard in 2011, the most recent fatality.
On average, three bears a year are shot in self-defence by people on Svalbard and people are ordered to carry guns when travelling out of town.
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Breaking News: 'Eerie' Solar Eclipse Casts Shadow Across Europe
Breaking News: Live: Solar Eclipse Moves Across The Earth
Millions of people across Europe have defied gloomy weather forecasts to watch a solar eclipse cast its shadow across the continent.
Some lucky observers in Britain got to experience the full extent of the event as the moon crossed in front of the sun, covering up to 97% of its face.
One of the best vantage points was in South Gloucestershire, where amateur astronomer Ralph Wilkins described the "eerie" feeling as a chilly gloom descended and shadows sharpened.
Elsewhere there were reports of birds "going crazy" and flocking to trees, confused by the fading light.
Crowds around the UK - including in Glasgow - gathered to watch the eclipse
Skywatchers in Newquay, Cornwall, got a clear view of first contact as the moon cut across the Sun at 8.20am, shortly after observers in Spain saw the eclipse begin.
As the spectacle began, astronomer Tom Kerss told Sky News: "You're seeing the Moon's rugged mountainous and valleyed surface starting to cut into the face of the Sun. That will just grow and cut more of the Sun away."
Video:Eclipse: Who Turned The Lights Out?
:: Live Updates: Countdown To The Solar Eclipse
First contact in London was visible at 8.47am, with a large crowd of enthusiasts choosing the Royal Observatory at Greenwich as the ideal spot to watch as the Sun was partially obscured.
Members of the public and commuters who might have caught sight of the eclipse on the way to work had been warned that looking directly at the Sun could seriously damage their eyesight.
Despite fears that cloud cover could ruin the event, there were good views in many areas, from the South West to London, Lincolnshire and the Isle of Lewis in Scotland.
But some were left disappointed, including in cloudy Eastbourne, Glasgow, Bristol and Sheffield.
Video:Whoops Of Joy As Eclipse Appears
Twitter user @RGGoldie wrote from Jersey: "So cloudy I can't even tell where the sun is right now."
Even in gloomy areas darker skies and a slight drop in temperature were experienced during the event that will not be seen again in the UK until 2026.
It was the deepest solar eclipse shadow to fall across Britain since 1999.
The Faroe Islands and the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard in the North Atlantic were the only places to get a total eclipse.
There were clouds in the Faroes, where Jill and Valerie Lucas, who travelled from Pennsylvania in the US to watch the eclipse, told Sky's Senior Correspondent Ian Woods: "This is a thrill in itself, to be this dark at nine o'clock in the morning - it's like nine o'clock at night."
Video:Children In Awe At First Eclipse
But moments later there were gasps from the delighted crowd when the Sun broke through the darkness of total obscuration at 9.42am.
Around the UK, the proportion of the sun covered by the moon increased towards the north, ranging from 84% in London to 89% in Manchester, 93% in Edinburgh and 97% in Lerwick in the Shetland Isles.
:: London
The partial phase of the eclipse commenced at 8.25am. One hour and six minutes later at 9.31am the maximum eclipse occurred with 85% of the Sun blocked out. The event ended at 10.41am.
:: Manchester
Viewers in the northwest saw 90% of the Sun obscured. The event began at 8.27am, and reached maximum coverage at 9.32am. It lasted two hours and fifteen minutes finished at 10.42am.
Video:How To View The Eclipse Safely
:: Belfast
The event began a minute later than London at 8.26am and lasted two hours and 13 minutes, ending at 10.39am. The eclipse reached maximum coverage at 9.31am when 95% of the Sun was obscured.
:: Scotland
Further north, eclipse watchers enjoyed a slightly better show. Viewers in Edinburgh saw 93% of the Sun covered and from Lerwick in the Shetland Isles, the Moon obscured 97% of the solar disk.
:: Aberystwyth
Viewers watched the eclipse from 8.24am and the event lasted a total of two hours and 14 minutes. The event reached maximum at 9.29am when 90% of the Sun was obscured.
Despite the excitement, Robin Scagell, vice-president of the Society for Popular Astronomy, warned the event could become memorable for the wrong reasons if observers failed to heed warnings of the dangers.
Video:Solar Eclipse: Myths And Magic
"This one takes place right in the middle of the rush-hour," he said. "It's not the best time from a safety point of view.
"A partial eclipse is more risky by far than a total eclipse because people don't realise that even looking at a thin sliver of sun is dangerous. It's absolutely true that there is a serious risk to people's eyesight.
"If people can't find a way to view the eclipse correctly then they shouldn't look because they're likely to damage their eyes."
A tourist visiting Norway for the eclipse has described the terrifying moment a polar bear dragged him out of his tent as he slept.
Written By Unknown on Kamis, 19 Maret 2015 | 18.25
British Woman Killed In Tunisia Attack - Report
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Tunisian security forces secure the area after gunmen attacked
A British woman was killed in the terror attack in Tunis that left 23 people dead, it has emerged.
News of the British victim - named as Sally Adey - came after Tunisia's health minister said the number of people who died in the attack had risen to 23, including the two gunmen.
Witnesses say the gunmen behind the attack opened fire on tourists arriving at the capital's Bardo Museum, renowned for its collection of Roman mosaics, before chasing them inside.
The victims, who also included Japanese, Italians, Colombians, Spaniards, Australians, Poles and French, were passengers on two cruise liners which had recently arrived in Tunis.
Moncef Hamdoun, an official with the Charles Nicolle hospital where many victims were taken, said seven of the dead remain unidentified.
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Gallery: Gallery
Police officers stand outside the parliament
A tourist injured after an attack by gunmen on Tunisia's national museum is wheeled on a stretcher
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Police lead their dogs during the attack by gunmen
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Police officers and a journalist run outside the parliament
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A tourist injured after an attack by gunmen on Tunisia's national museum
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And British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said: "Sadly, I can confirm the death of a British woman in yesterday's terrorist attack in Tunisia. Consular staff are providing assistance to her family. My thoughts are with them at this very difficult time."
"The Tunisian people are rightly proud of their democratic transition.
"Cowardly attacks, such as the one we saw yesterday, must not be allowed to undermine what they have achieved.
Video:Tunisians Unite Against Terror
"I spoke to Prime Minister Habib Essid yesterday to offer my condolences to all those affected by this despicable act and to assure him we stand together against terrorism."
Meanwhile, Mr Essid said one of the two gunmen was known to intelligence services. Authorities are searching for two or three other possible accomplices.
In an interview with France's RTL radio, Mr Essid said Tunisia was working with other countries to learn more about the attackers, identified as Yassine Laabidi and Hatem Khachnaoui.
Video:Terrified Hostages Flee Museum
The pair were killed by security services in a raid after the attack.
Mr Essid said Laabidi had been flagged to intelligence, although not for "anything special." No formal links to a particular terrorist group have been established following the attack.
Spain's foreign minister, Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo, also revealed a Spanish tourist couple - including a pregnant woman - were found safe after hiding out in the Tunis museum all night after the attack.
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Tunisian security forces secure the area after gunmen attacked
A British woman was killed in the terror attack in Tunis that left 23 people dead, it has emerged.
News of the British victim - named as Sally Adey - came after Tunisia's health minister said the number of people who died in the attack had risen to 23, including the two gunmen.
Witnesses say the gunmen behind the attack opened fire on tourists arriving at the capital's Bardo Museum, renowned for its collection of Roman mosaics, before chasing them inside.
The victims, who also included Japanese, Italians, Colombians, Spaniards, Australians, Poles and French, were passengers on two cruise liners which had recently arrived in Tunis.
Moncef Hamdoun, an official with the Charles Nicolle hospital where many victims were taken, said seven of the dead remain unidentified.
1/14
Gallery: Gallery
Police officers stand outside the parliament
A tourist injured after an attack by gunmen on Tunisia's national museum is wheeled on a stretcher
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Police lead their dogs during the attack by gunmen
]]>
Police officers and a journalist run outside the parliament
]]>
A tourist injured after an attack by gunmen on Tunisia's national museum
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And British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said: "Sadly, I can confirm the death of a British woman in yesterday's terrorist attack in Tunisia. Consular staff are providing assistance to her family. My thoughts are with them at this very difficult time."
"The Tunisian people are rightly proud of their democratic transition.
"Cowardly attacks, such as the one we saw yesterday, must not be allowed to undermine what they have achieved.
Video:Tunisians Unite Against Terror
"I spoke to Prime Minister Habib Essid yesterday to offer my condolences to all those affected by this despicable act and to assure him we stand together against terrorism."
Meanwhile, Mr Essid said one of the two gunmen was known to intelligence services. Authorities are searching for two or three other possible accomplices.
In an interview with France's RTL radio, Mr Essid said Tunisia was working with other countries to learn more about the attackers, identified as Yassine Laabidi and Hatem Khachnaoui.
Video:Terrified Hostages Flee Museum
The pair were killed by security services in a raid after the attack.
Mr Essid said Laabidi had been flagged to intelligence, although not for "anything special." No formal links to a particular terrorist group have been established following the attack.
Spain's foreign minister, Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo, also revealed a Spanish tourist couple - including a pregnant woman - were found safe after hiding out in the Tunis museum all night after the attack.
Britain's beaches are becoming clogged up with wet wipes as people increasingly flush them down the lavatory.
Marine conservationists have said the number of wet wipes found on beaches has risen by around 50% over the past year as people use them instead of toilet paper, in baby changing, to remove make-up and to apply fake tan.
The Marine Conservation Society's latest annual "Great British Beach Clean" survey of more than 300 beaches showed a 6.4% rise in beach litter in general between 21013 and 2014.
The charity revealed 2,457 pieces of litter were collected from each kilometre (0.6 mile) of coastline cleaned, up from an average of 2,309 in 2013.
Within that, an average of 35 wet wipes were retrieved, up from 23 on the previous year.
Many people do not realise that what goes through the sewers may end up in the sea.
Gill Bell from MCS told Sky News: "You don't want to put anything down your toilet other than the three Ps - pee, poo and paper.
"Nothing else needs to go down the toilet. A lot of those other things contain plastics and plastics can remain in the environment for years.
Prince Charles has called for an end to the dumping of plastic at sea
"Not only do they remain in the environment, they break down into smaller and smaller pieces so they affect animals from the bottom to the top of the food chain."
The plastic in wet wipes, which stops them disintegrating like toilet paper, also causes blockages in the sewage system - and once those blockages happen everything else flushed down the toilet can back up into people's homes or overflow into rivers and seas.
Other strange objects found on the beaches during the survey included a colostomy bag, a plastic hand, a piping gun nozzle, a bra strap and, on one particular beach, nine pairs of shoes of various sizes.
The charity's call for a national marine litter action plan comes as the Prince of Wales attended a one-day long conference in the US and called for action to halt the dumping of plastics - by far the greatest source of pollution in the sea.
Prince Charles said: "I was horrified to learn that, according to recent research, we collectively allow as much as eight million tonnes of plastic to enter the oceans every year.
"Today, almost half of all marine mammals now have plastic in their gut and I know I am not the only person haunted by the tragic images of seabirds, particularly albatrosses, that have been found dead, washed up on beaches after mistaking a piece of plastic for a meal.
"The fact that a recent study estimates that by 2025 there will be one ton of plastic for every three tons of fish in the sea is not what I call encouraging.
"Speaking as a grandfather with a new grandchild due to appear in this world in a month's time, I think we probably owe it to everyone else's grandchildren to grasp that solution."
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander is delivering his "alternative Budget" to the House of Commons.
Mr Alexander said he was unveiling an option that will not return the country to the era of "Kathy Come Home".
Mr Alexander used an unprecedented alternative fiscal statement, using assessment from the Office for Budget Responsibility, to say deficit reduction needed to happen more fairly than proposed by the Chancellor.
He struggled to make himself heard over Labour MPs shouting that he was using "ministerial privileges" for "purely party political purposes".
Amid heated scenes, Mr Alexander ended up accusing one Labour MP of "ranting like a lunatic".
Video:Osborne Dismisses Cuts Fears
He went on to announce measures to crack down on tax evaders that had been left over from the Budget from him to officially unveil in the House of Commons.
The plans will see banks and accountants who help people dodge tax facing fines equal to the amount owed.
Speaking ahead of his statement, Mr Alexander told Sky News the Government wanted to send the message that "dodging and evading tax is simply unacceptable".
Under the measures firms that assist people or other firms to evade tax by "hiding" their money will be fined precisely the amount they helped people to evade.
It means the Government would get the money back from both the person who evaded the tax, and the firm that helped them to do so.
He said: "In future if a bank or an accountancy firm help you evade tax they will be liable for a financial penalty the same as the tax that they encourage you to evade.
"This is all part of the Liberal Democrat-led clampdown on avoidance and evasion that has gone on for the whole of the parliament."
He added: "We need to send a strong message that dodging and evading tax is simply unacceptable."
Labour MP Chris Leslie accused Mr Alexander of orchestrating a "phoney exercise" to put forward a Liberal Democrat agenda.
Video:Balls: Rollercoaster Budget Cuts
Mr Leslie accused Mr Alexander of using a legitimate Government Budget statement on tax evasion measures to present Liberal Democrat plans and said he was guilty of making "false pretences".
He said the Liberal Democrats had backed the Tories for five years and now Mr Alexander must pay the "ultimate price".
The Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, said £6bn of the £27bn needed to balance the books should be found from an increase in tax - mainly for the richest in society.
Speaking on his LBC radio show Call Clegg, he said: "Over the last five years, we have basically taken a mixture of tax increases and spending reductions, welfare reductions, action on tax avoidance, to start balancing the books. That's allowed us to halve the deficit as a proportion of our nation's wealth.
"The Conservatives announced last autumn that they are going to lurch away from that and only nobble the working-age poor and only the working-age poor will make additional sacrifices to balance the books.
"I don't think that's fair, I don't think it's right to ask for £1,500 off the eight million poorest families in this country, which is what the Conservatives want to do."
The Chancellor has said there will be "no giveaways, no gimmicks" so what can we expect to see in today's Budget?
:: Income Tax: Personal allowance increase to £11,000. George Osborne has already announced the amount people can earn before tax kicks in will be increased to £10,600 in April but it is expected he will go further.
How to spend your pension?
:: Pensions: The Chancellor has indicated he will announce that pensioners will be able to swap their fixed annual incomes – annuity – for cash.
This is an extension of measures contained in the Autumn Statement, which saw savers given the option of drawing down cash from their pensions, rather than being forced to buy an annuity. This comes into effect in April.
Video:60-Second Economist: The Budget
:: Google Tax: Expect further tax avoidance measures to build on the so-called "Google Tax" announcement last year.
The Government wants to stop multinational companies from moving profits around the world to keep the tax bill down.
:: Something for the regions: Expect announcements of investment in infrastructure, science, energy and housing. Remember, Mr Osborne wants to create a "northern powerhouse".
:: Beer: The Chancellor is expected to either freeze beer duty or announce a 1p or 2p cut on a pint.
:: Fags: Tipped for a 28p cut on a packet of 20 but the Chancellor is also thought likely to announce a tobacco levy.
He already ordered a consultation on the issue on the grounds that smoking has a significant cost to society and tobacco firms should pay for it.
If he did it could indicate he could look to impose a levy on other industries using the same rationale.
Video:50 Years Of Pre-Election Giveaways
:: National Insurance: There have been some suggestions the Government could increase the amount of earning before National Insurance Contributions (NICs) are paid.
It would help the lowest paid and, therefore, would win favour with the Lib Dems but is an income tax/NICs double-whammy too much?
What we are unlikely to see:
:: Inheritance Tax Cuts: The Tories included this in their 2010 manifesto, agreed in coalition not to make it a priority but still want to make changes.
It has been disclosed the Treasury drew up plans to allow parents to pass homes worth up to £1m to children tax free ahead of the Autumn Statement but the Lib Dems blocked it.
David Cameron has said the proposals will not be included in the Budget – but do expect to see them in the Tory manifesto.
:: 40p Tax Rate Changes: The PM has made clear he wants to raise the level at which people start paying the 40p tax rate.
Video:The Sky News Budget Rap Battle
At the Autumn Conference he pledged to increase the threshold from £41,900 to £50,000 by the end of the next parliament.
There had been suggestions measures could appear in the Budget but given the Lib Dem opposition to tax cuts for the wealthy it is unlikely.
:: And the white rabbit?
Well this might not be quite like all other pre-election Budget giveaways, despite the fact the Chancellor has around £5bn to play with.
Remember, if the Tories look good the Lib Dems will look good and as the coalition partners are going toe-to-toe in a number of marginal seats then Mr Osborne will be keen to make sure Nick Clegg's party are not the ones left showing the rabbit.
A stunning light display has lit up skies in the UK and around the world following a severe geomagnetic solar storm.
The spectacular natural phenomenon was visible in the early hours of this morning across parts of Britain where the skies were clear.
The stunning effect was much more amplified than expected with the Aurora Borealis being seen in the northern hemisphere as far south as Austria and the Aurora Australis seen across New Zealand and Australia.
The light show occurs when charged particles from the Sun collide with Earth's magnetic field.
The storm ranked 4 out of 5 in the scale for geomagnetic effects and is the strongest solar storm to reach earth for 18 months.
Video:Northern Lights In North Wales
Authorities warned the bursts of radiation could disrupt communications and power.
Usually only seen in the Arctic and Antarctic regions forecasters say it would have been possible to view the Northern Lights across much of Northern Europe, Canada and the United States.
Some of the most dramatic images come from the Southern Lights with the night sky in New Zealand and Australia illuminated with pink, purple and green colours.
There will be no "spectacular giveaway" in the Budget, the Business Secretary has told Sky News as George Osborne prepares to deliver the coalition's last economic plan before the General Election.
Vince Cable insisted the measures contained in today's Budget were a "joint effort" between the Tories and the Liberal Democrats and that voters should not expect pre-election gifts.
Mr Osborne will find himself with around £5bn to play with as the Budget deficit for 2015 is expected to be revised down from £75.9bn to £69bn.
However, Dr Cable said that with a national debt still increasing it would be wrong to announce a number of giveaways and that it would not be an electioneering Budget by the Tories.
In a statement shortly after his Budget statement was signed off by the coalition parties, Mr Osborne said: "Today we set out the next stage in a plan that is working, with a Budget that works for you. We will deliver a truly national recovery."
Video:Cable: No Big Giveaway Budget
Mr Osborne is expected to include a number of measures to benefit the "regions" and has long said he wants to create a "northern power house".
Among the anticipated announcements are a £1bn tidal lagoon in Swansea, investment in the HS3 rail link between Liverpool and Hull, and investment in science.
Income tax is expected to be one of the central measures and Mr Osborne is widely tipped to raise the level at which people start to pay income tax to £11,000 in April.
Video:Prediction: 'Several Give-Aways'
Mr Osborne will also announce plans to scrap the annual tax return - affecting more than 12 million professionals. It will be replaced with a "real-time" digital system which aims to reduce the time it takes to do returns from 40 minutes to 10 minutes.
Around five million pensioners with existing annuities will be given the right to cash them in from next year.
Businesses will also hope to see announcements on passenger air duty, reductions in charges on North Sea energy firms and measures to encourage research and development.
Video:Osborne's 'No Gimmicks' Budget
Also expected are announcements on loans of up to £25,000 for PhD students from poorer backgrounds and a £40m fund for church and cathedral roof repairs.
:: Updates and analysis with the Sky News team.
Mr Osborne will say: "The critical choice facing the country now is this: do we return to the chaos of the past?
Video:What Two Georges Want From George
"Or do we say to the British people, let's work through the plan that is delivering for you?
"Today we make that critical choice: we choose the future. We have a plan that is working - and this is a Budget that works for you."
The Chancellor is expected to use the Budget to give voters more details on what the Conservatives will do if they win the General Election on 7 May.
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These will include taking more people out of inheritance tax and raising the higher rate tax threshold to £50,000.
The Lib Dems have announced they will give their version of the Budget on Thursday.
A Sky News projection, following analysis of the latest polls, suggests a hung parliament with the two parties virtually neck and neck.
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The Budget statement comes after new figures showed the number of unemployed falling by more than 100,000 to 1.86, which is the lowest since 2008.
Written By Unknown on Selasa, 17 Maret 2015 | 18.25
Revealed: Britain's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives
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Video:Spain Names Most Wanted Britons
By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent
A killer, a rapist and a suspected child abuser are on a new list of most wanted British fugitives being hunted in Spain.
Police are appealing to thousands of expats and holidaymakers to help track them down and get them extradited to the UK.
The list includes several drug traffickers who are thought to be carrying on their life of crime on the Costas.
Hank Cole, head of international operations at the National Crime Agency (NCA), said: "They are hiding from the UK and Spanish authorities whilst in most cases still committing criminal offences.
"Some of them continue to be a danger to the public.
1/10
Gallery: Britain's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives
Mohammed Jahangir Alam, 32: Wanted by Gloucestershire Police for rape and sexual assault. Alam, who is from Bangladesh, arrived in the UK on a temporary visa in October 2007
Paul Buchanan, 29: Wanted by West Mercia Police on suspicion of attempted rape. Originally from New York
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Carlo Dawson, 52: Wanted by the Metropolitan Police on suspicion of indecent assault and making indecent photographs of a child
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Paul Monk, 54: Wanted by the Metropolitan Police on suspicion of conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to supply cannabis. Monk, from Romford, Essex, was allegedly involved in the handover of 1kg of cocaine in London
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Anthony Dennis, 47: Wanted by the National Crime Agency on suspicion of conspiracy to commit drug trafficking offences outside the UK and conspiracy to import class A drugs. Believed to be the lead member of an organised crime group
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"Spain is not a safe haven for British fugitives. The NCA and its partners will continue to pursue these individuals relentlessly and return them to the UK to face justice.
"However, we still need the support of the public. Be our eyes and ears and tell us if you have any information on the whereabouts of our targets."
Some of the most wanted are already convicted, others are wanted to face trial, but all are the subject of European arrest warrants.
Their identities were revealed in the latest appeal in Operation Captura, a joint initiative by the NCA, Crimestoppers and the Spanish police.
Video:What's Lure Of 'Costa Del Crime'?
Previous appeals have resulted in the capture and extradition of 65 out of 76 British fugitives.
Inspector Olga Lizana, head of Spain's fugitive unit, said the country was still a favourite bolt-hole for British criminals.
She said: "It's a really easy life, they come here because there is a big British community with its own schools, doctors, supermarkets and everything else.
"You don't even need to know the language, so it's a good place for them to come and hide. But we are catching more and more, so it is not a safe place for them to be."
1/16
Gallery: The Foreign Suspects Wanted By Police
Balint Budi is wanted for human trafficking and sexual exploitation of girls in Romania
Silviu-Bogdan Bruzlea is wanted for battering a man to death with a baseball bat for arguing with his girlfriend
]]>
Broadcaster Giles Brown, who has lived in Marbella for more than 30 years, said expats resented the area's reputation as the "Costa del Crime" and urged fellow Brits to help police.
He said: "We are not just a bunch of disinterested sun worshippers knocking back gin and tonics.
"People care about their communities here and don't want criminals living among them."
:: Anyone with information can contact Crimestoppers by phone free and anonymously from Spain on 900 555 111, from the UK on 0800 555 111, oronline at Crimestoppers.
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Revealed: Britain's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Video:Spain Names Most Wanted Britons
By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent
A killer, a rapist and a suspected child abuser are on a new list of most wanted British fugitives being hunted in Spain.
Police are appealing to thousands of expats and holidaymakers to help track them down and get them extradited to the UK.
The list includes several drug traffickers who are thought to be carrying on their life of crime on the Costas.
Hank Cole, head of international operations at the National Crime Agency (NCA), said: "They are hiding from the UK and Spanish authorities whilst in most cases still committing criminal offences.
"Some of them continue to be a danger to the public.
1/10
Gallery: Britain's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives
Mohammed Jahangir Alam, 32: Wanted by Gloucestershire Police for rape and sexual assault. Alam, who is from Bangladesh, arrived in the UK on a temporary visa in October 2007
Paul Buchanan, 29: Wanted by West Mercia Police on suspicion of attempted rape. Originally from New York
]]>
Carlo Dawson, 52: Wanted by the Metropolitan Police on suspicion of indecent assault and making indecent photographs of a child
]]>
Paul Monk, 54: Wanted by the Metropolitan Police on suspicion of conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to supply cannabis. Monk, from Romford, Essex, was allegedly involved in the handover of 1kg of cocaine in London
]]>
Anthony Dennis, 47: Wanted by the National Crime Agency on suspicion of conspiracy to commit drug trafficking offences outside the UK and conspiracy to import class A drugs. Believed to be the lead member of an organised crime group
]]>
"Spain is not a safe haven for British fugitives. The NCA and its partners will continue to pursue these individuals relentlessly and return them to the UK to face justice.
"However, we still need the support of the public. Be our eyes and ears and tell us if you have any information on the whereabouts of our targets."
Some of the most wanted are already convicted, others are wanted to face trial, but all are the subject of European arrest warrants.
Their identities were revealed in the latest appeal in Operation Captura, a joint initiative by the NCA, Crimestoppers and the Spanish police.
Video:What's Lure Of 'Costa Del Crime'?
Previous appeals have resulted in the capture and extradition of 65 out of 76 British fugitives.
Inspector Olga Lizana, head of Spain's fugitive unit, said the country was still a favourite bolt-hole for British criminals.
She said: "It's a really easy life, they come here because there is a big British community with its own schools, doctors, supermarkets and everything else.
"You don't even need to know the language, so it's a good place for them to come and hide. But we are catching more and more, so it is not a safe place for them to be."
1/16
Gallery: The Foreign Suspects Wanted By Police
Balint Budi is wanted for human trafficking and sexual exploitation of girls in Romania
Silviu-Bogdan Bruzlea is wanted for battering a man to death with a baseball bat for arguing with his girlfriend
]]>
Broadcaster Giles Brown, who has lived in Marbella for more than 30 years, said expats resented the area's reputation as the "Costa del Crime" and urged fellow Brits to help police.
He said: "We are not just a bunch of disinterested sun worshippers knocking back gin and tonics.
"People care about their communities here and don't want criminals living among them."
:: Anyone with information can contact Crimestoppers by phone free and anonymously from Spain on 900 555 111, from the UK on 0800 555 111, oronline at Crimestoppers.
Recommended by Outbrain Recommended by Outbrain
Top Stories
Breaking News: Cyril Smith Kept From Court 'To Save Others'
Breaking News: Three Judges Fired For Watching Porn At Work
Three judges have been fired for allegedly viewing pornography at work - a fourth would also have been sacked but resigned first.
A spokesperson for the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office confirmed that District Judge Timothy Bowles, Immigration Judge Warren Grant and Deputy District Judge and Recorder Peter Bullock have been removed from judicial office.
Their sacking follows an investigation into an allegation that they viewed pornographic material on judicial IT equipment in their offices.
The spokesman added that the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice were "satisfied that the material did not include images of children or any other illegal content".
Nevertheless, the body had "concluded that this was an inexcusable misuse of their judicial IT accounts and wholly unacceptable conduct for a judicial office holder".
A fourth judge, Recorder Andrew Maw, was also found to have viewed similar inappropriate material via his judicial IT account, the JCIO said, but resigned before the disciplinary process concluded.
A former police detective who investigated peadophilia allegations against Cyril Smith has said that if the MP had been taken to court, he would have exposed other high-profile offenders.
Mr Smith died in 2010 but Jack Tasker said the investigation into his alleged paedophilia at Cambridge House care home was stalled because "other people were rather worried that if Cyril Smith went before a court, he would open his mouth".
Retired Det Sgt Jack Tasker, who served with Lancashire Police, carried out the third investigation in 1969, following two by the former Rochdale Borough force.
He told Sky News that senior officers repeatedly prevented him from properly investigating the case and that, if he'd been allowed to prosecute the former Rochdale MP, the case could have led to the fall of the government at the time.
Written By Unknown on Senin, 16 Maret 2015 | 18.25
Russian President Vladimir Putin has appeared in public for the first time since 5 March.
The 62-year-old met Kyrgyzstan President Almazbek Atambayev at the Constantine Palace, outside St Petersburg, on Monday.
Commenting on speculation that ill health had forced him out of the public eye, Mr Putin said: "It would be boring without the gossip."
The Russian leader was last seen in public when he hosted Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.
The Kremlin claimed he had officially held meetings since 5 March and released photos and videos of him on national television, but Russian media reported the images had been taken much earlier.
Last week, he postponed a trip to Kazakhstan fuelling speculation that he was unwell.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has launched massive military manoeuvres involving 40,000 servicemen in the Arctic, in an effort to expand its presence in the polar region.
Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, who is overseeing an expensive modernisation of the armed forces, said Russia faced new threats to its security which obliged it to boost its military strength and capabilities.
In a statement carried by Russian news agencies, he said that more than 50 surface ships and submarines and 110 aircraft will be used in the snap exercises.
He said Mr Putin has ordered the manoeuvres in order to check the readiness of Russia's Northern Fleet.
The announcement came as speculation continued to swirl about the president's whereabouts.
Video:Where Is Putin?
Mr Putin had not been seen in public since a meeting with Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi in Moscow on 5 March, prompting rumours that he was ill or distracted by the birth of a child with his girlfriend.
But on Monday he made an appearance with the Kyrgyzstan president.
Mr Shoigu said that "the new challenges and threats require further increase of the armed forces' capabilities".
Moscow has boosted its ambitions in the resource-rich Arctic region, where it shares a border with NATO member Norway.
The exercise comes amid Russia-West tensions over Ukraine. The United States is planning to conduct joint exercises with forces from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania later this month.
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The West and Kiev accuse Russia of supplying arms and soldiers to support pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine who are fighting government troops.
NATO made new allegations last week that Russia was arming the separatists in east Ukraine, where more than 6,000 people have been killed in nearly a year of fighting.
It has also emerged that Mr Putin was "ready" to place Russia's nuclear forces on alert as he sought to annex the Crimean peninsula last year.
Speaking during a documentary aired on Russian state TV, the president said he was prepared to face "the worst possible turn of events" in the Crimea.
Scotland Yard is to be investigated for alleged corruption over claims it covered up child abuse because police and MPs were involved.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission will carry out the investigation into the actions of the Metropolitan Police.
There are 14 referrals which detail alleged corruption dating back to the 1970s and stretching into the 2000s.
Sarah Green, deputy chair of the IPCC, said: "These allegations are of historic, high level corruption of the most serious nature. We will oversee the investigations and ensure that they meet the terms of reference that we will set.
"Allegations of this nature are of grave concern and I would like to reassure people of our absolute commitment to ensuring that the investigations are thorough and robust."
Written By Unknown on Minggu, 15 Maret 2015 | 18.25
Kurdish authorities claim to have evidence which shows Islamic State used weaponised chlorine gas against Peshmerga fighters in January.
The Security Council of the Kurdish region said soil and clothing samples showed traces of chlorine after an IS car bombing attempt.
Analysis of the samples showed they "contained levels of chlorine that suggested the substance was used in weaponised form".
The allegation has not been independently verified.
Peter Sawczak, spokesman for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, said: "We have not had a request from Iraq to investigate claims of use of chemical weapons in Iraq, and the OPCW cannot immediately verify the claims."
The use of chlorine as a chemical weapon dates back to World War One.
The substance was banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1997.
Smoke rises from a vehicle which the Kurds say was carrying chlorine gas
Chlorine has been used "systematically" in the civil war in neighbouring Syria, an OPCW fact-finding mission found last year.
The Kurdish authority said in a statement that the car bombing attempt happened on 23 January on a highway between Mosul and the Syrian border.
Peshmerga fighters fired a rocket at the car, killing the driver.
About a dozen Peshmerga fighters later experienced symptoms of nausea, vomiting, dizziness or weakness.
Video footage and photographs of the incident were sent to the Reuters news agency.
In some of the photographs, several canisters are seen lying on the ground.
The White House said in a statement it could not confirm the allegations but found them "deeply disturbing" and was monitoring the situation "very closely".
A US defence official said the use of chlorine as a weapon was a possible sign of "growing desperation due to the pressure being applied by coalition air power and Iraqi ground forces".
Iraqi Kurds were the victims of the deadliest chemical attack of modern times when Saddam Hussein's air force bombed the town of Halabja in 1988, gassing at least 5,000 people to death.
Chancellor George Osborne is expected to extend pension freedoms to some five million people who have already purchased an annuity.
The change - due to be announced in Wednesday's Budget - will remove limits on buying and selling existing annuities.
The reform lets people cash in their annuity without incurring heavy tax penalties.
It also allows pensioners the same access to their retirement funds as the Chancellor announced last year for people who have yet to take their pensions.
Under those changes, from 6 April people can cash in their pension savings when they retire, rather than purchase an annuity.
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With just weeks to go before the General Election, the announcement is expected to be popular with elderly voters.
The Chancellor is also reportedly considering cutting inheritance tax in a move which could allow millions to pass on their homes to their children tax free.
The Sunday Express reports that Mr Osborne is considering raising the death tax threshold from £325,000 to £1m, or abolishing the tax for a main family home.
The reform will either be announced in the Budget or as part of the Conservative manifesto, according to the newspaper.
Mr Osborne is expected to say on Wednesday that his Budget will deliver "a truly national recovery".
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The Chancellor will outline measures to invest in industries around Britain, not just in London and the South East.
The measures are expected to include increased support for regional technology clusters and investment in the chemical sector in the North East.
Writing in The Sun On Sunday, Mr Osborne said: "We mustn't go back to the bad old days of just relying on the City of London for growth.
"New analysis shows that if all parts of England outside London and the South East grew at the national average then the UK economy as a whole could be an extra £90bn bigger by 2030.
"And it can be done. Between 2010 and 2013 Yorkshire and the Humber alone created more jobs than the whole of France, and in the South West over the last year someone has got a new job every 10 minutes."
The president of a Pacific island nation devastated by a tropical cyclone says he "fears the worst" as the first aid teams reached the disaster zone.
At least 10 people were killed after the fierce storm, bringing winds of more than 185mph, struck Vanuatu, levelling homes, smashing up boats, destroying roads and bridges, and bringing down power and phone lines.
And the number of dead is expected to rise as rescuers reach the outlying islands.
Thousands have been left homeless on the tiny archipelago.
A Red Cross spokesman has described the situation as apocalyptic.
Video:Scenes of Devastation in Vanuatu
Vanuatu's government has declared a state of emergency.
President Baldwin Lonsdale, who happened to be at a disaster risk conference in Japan, compared the storm to a monster.
He said most houses in the capital Port Vila had been damaged or destroyed by Cyclone Pam.
President Lonsdale said the impact would be "the very, very, very worst" in isolated outer islands but held out hope the number of casualties would be "minor".
He had earlier made a tearful appeal for international assistance.
Video:Cyclone: Onboard An Aid C130 Plane
Aid workers were particularly concerned about the southern island of Tanna, about 125 miles south of the capital, Port Vila.
An official with the Australian Red Cross said an aircraft had managed to land there and confirmed "widespread destruction".
"Virtually every building that is not concrete has been flattened," the official said.
Witnesses in Port Vila described sea surges of up to 26 feet and widespread flooding.
Residents said the storm sounded like a freight train. with Port Vila strewn with debris.
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Gallery: Fears Dozens Killed By Powerful Cyclone Pam
There are fears dozens of people have been killed after Cyclone Pam stuck the Pacific's Vanuatu archipelago
The streets of Porta Vila are reportedly littered with debris and uprooted trees following the storm
