Cyprus Leaders Head To Brussels For Talks

Cyprus Bailout: Threat To Savings

Updated: 7:36am UK, Saturday 23 March 2013

By Ashish Joshi, Sky News Correspondent

Finally late into Friday night - an agreement on Plan B, meaning Cyprus has moved one giant step towards securing a Brussels bailout.

It includes a solidarity fund pooling together state assets and the granting of power to the Government to control bank capital.

The latter move is to prevent a run on the banks when their doors finally open on Tuesday.

There will also be a restructuring of the country's banks and a savings tax on Cypriot savers.

The details of the tax have still to be finalised, but the framework is in place.

It could mean savings over 100,000 euros held in Bank of Cyprus accounts being taxed up to 20%, according to one source close to the negotiations.

The same source said if that proposal is rejected there will be a plan to impose a tax of around 10% on all Cypriot bank accounts over 100,000 euros.

The threat of savers being hit hangs over the heads of people like Loizos Michael.

The 60-year-old tailor worked hard for 35 years, building up a good business.

He was looking forward to a wealthy retirement. Not anymore. Times are hard.

Speaking from his small tailor's shop in central Nicosia, Mr Michael said: "With the banks being closed, it is hard because I don't have a credit card and so cash flow is a problem.

"Even filling your car with petrol needs thinking about.

"Cypriots have always been workers by nature and nobody could have imagined that unemployment would be so high.

"This has hit us hard in the pockets."

Cyprus is weathering a storm - the likes of which this Mediterranean island has never faced in her young history.

Mr Michael said he knew things were getting bad, but expected solutions to be found to avoid ordinary people having to suffer.

"I expected something better. But now, it looks like the problem has been brewing for some time," he said.

"There used to be some people talking about the crisis, but now everyone's talking about it.

"I think things are harder now than just after the war. After the war of '74 people could still find work. Now, there is just no work so people have no money. What can we do?"

In the 1990s, Cyprus boasted a dynamic, booming economy, but it grew and unchecked.

An overbloated banking sector exposed to Greek debt has crippled the country's economy.

Now people like Loizos Michael must pay the price. He and the rest of Cyprus will soon find out exactly how much that is going to be.

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Experts Defuse Bomb Found In Northern Ireland

A bomb discovered and defused in a car in Northern Ireland was destined for a police station, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has confirmed.

The device was found in County Fermanagh, not far from the luxury Lough Erne golf resort where this June's G8 conference of world leaders will be held.

Sky's David Blevins said the device consisted of explosives packed into a beer keg rigged with timing devices.

PSNI district commander Pauline Shields said: "The people responsible for this have no regard for the lives of anyone in our community.

"It is fortunate that no-one was killed or seriously injured as a result of this reckless act.

"Although investigations are at an early stage it is our assessment at present that this vehicle was destined for Lisnaskea PSNI station."

Residents were told to leave their homes and Army technical officers carried out a clearance operation on the suspicious car and a viable device was made safe.

Ms Shields added: "Once again our community has been disrupted and the lives of residents put at risk by an element intent on causing  loss of life and disruption.

A week ago the Police Service of Northern Ireland discovered a mortar-type device aimed towards New Barnsley police station in north Belfast.

Also last week, three officers escaped injury when an explosive device detonated close to them as they patrolled a coastal path on the outskirts of Belfast.

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Miliband Offers Answer To 'Decade Of Decline'

Ed Miliband has accused David Cameron of condemning the UK to a "decade of decline" by sticking to austerity plans.

In a speech this afternoon, the Labour leader insisted public anger with the coalition is growing in the wake of a no-change Budget - but he conceded that his party still has work to do to convince voters there is a real alternative.

Mr Miliband presented a list of policies that he claims would kick-start growth and make the economy fairer, including bank reform, infrastructure investment and a 10p tax rate.

He contrasted the platform he fleshed out with George Osborne's financial package this week.

"We are five years on from the financial crisis of 2008," he told a 'people's policy forum' in Birmingham, which is billed as representing political opinion from across the West Midlands.

"We are in the slowest recovery for 100 years. And it is you who are suffering. Wages are frozen. Prices are rising. Living standards falling.

"Yet the Chancellor offered no change in the Budget. He offered more of the same. Can you imagine another five years of this?

"Low growth. Living standards squeezed further. You paying the price. A lost decade Britain cannot afford. A decade of national decline."

Mr Miliband accused the Government of "shrugging their shoulders", saying ministers have "run out of ideas", and he urged voters to give him a chance to change the way the country is run.

"Over the last two and a half years since I became Labour leader, I have sought to understand why people left Labour," Mr Miliband said.

"From banking regulation to immigration to Iraq, I have been clear about what we got wrong. But as I listen to people around Britain I also know they are increasingly disappointed with this Government.

"People all over Britain have lost confidence in David Cameron's ability to turn Britain around. But let me clear with you. I know that however discredited, divided and damaging this Government is, I will not assume that their unpopularity will mean people turn to Labour.

"Indeed, many people will believe that the failure of this Government means they should give up on politics altogether."

Mr Miliband said he cannot offer "overnight answers" or that things will be easy, but he pledged to seek an economic recovery "made by the many, not just a few at the top".

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Weather: Snow Brings Severe Disruption

Heavy snowfall has brought disruption to many parts of the UK, with roads closed, flights delayed, rail services cancelled and sports events called off.

The severe weather has brought down power lines, leaving tens of thousands of homes in Northern Ireland without electricity, while 6,000 properties in Scotland and hundreds more in areas of northern England also had no power.

The snowy conditions extended south, hitting areas around London and Kent, where forecasters said there could be 2cm-5cm of the white stuff on higher ground.

The Met Office issued a yellow warning for the public to be aware of adverse weather conditions as a slow-moving band of rain, sleet and snow made its way across many central and northern parts, and the south and east.

There may be 5-10cm of snow at lower levels and further significant snow accumulations were likely on hills, with continued drifting and blizzard conditions in strong southeasterly winds. 

There is apparently 18 inches of snow near Wrexham (Pic: Alison Brooks)

One of the worst affected areas seemed to be North Wales, where reader Alison Brooks said there was more than 18 inches (45cm) of snow outside the town of Wrexham.

Airports were forced to shut their runways, and road closures hit motorists.  The AA has warned drivers that even short journeys may be difficult.

About 70 people stranded in their cars in Cumbria overnight were put up in a local high school.

In Northern Ireland, 6ft snow drifts left emergency crews struggling to get through but electricity returned to 5,000 homes overnight.

However, about 35,000 customers were still cut off and teams were out again from first light to continue with network repairs, Northern Ireland Electricity said.

In Scotland, ScottishPower estimated there were some 6,000 homes were still off supply in the south-west area.

Electricity North West was trying to restore power to parts of Cumbria, with 350 customers still without electricity, as engineers were unable to reach them due to road closures.

A snow plough is pictured toppled over in the bad weather

Leeds Bradford Airport said flights were not currently operating due to the adverse weather conditions. There was also disruption at East Midlands Airport.

Among the problems reported on the railways was disruption on First Transpennine Express services between Huddersfield and Manchester, and no Northern Rail services between Skipton and Carlisle.

The bad weather also hit the sporting programme, with racing at Doncaster and Newbury called off and some football league games in England and Scotland postponed.

Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifier against Russia fell foul of the weather for the second time in 24 hours, with hostile conditions rendering Windsor Park unplayable.

The Group F clash was initially due to take place on Friday night but heavy snow and plummeting temperatures in Belfast saw the fixture postponed after three inspections by Norwegian referee Tom Hagen and the FIFA delegation.

The South West, which was hit by heavy rain and floods on Friday, was expected to have a relatively dry day, with only one flood warning, meaning flooding was expected, in place.

Dozens of flood alerts, where flooding was possible, remained for that region as well as the South East, the Midlands and Anglia.

Sky weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "Southeast England, East Anglia, the Midlands, north Wales, northern England, Northern Ireland and much of Scotland can expect snow today.

A woman died when this house in Looe collapsed

"High ground will be worst affected with some heavy snow at times with drifting in the strong winds and also blizzards.

"Low levels could see 5-10cm, two to four inches, of snowfall today although amounts will probably be lower across London."

She added: "Southwest England, south Wales and southern Ireland looks largely dry and relatively mild with some brighter spells.

"A few showers may nudge into the extreme southwest later. Tonight will stay dry with a frost forming in places."

The rain was a particular problem on Friday in Cornwall, where a landslide, thought to have been triggered by torrential rain, smashed through a block of flats, partially collapsing the building.

Emergency crews found a woman's body after picking through debris at the Veronica flats in Looe on Friday night. The body is believed to be that of Susan Norman, who was in her 60s and had been unaccounted for, according to the police.

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Gay Advert Ban On London Buses 'Not Illegal'

Transport for London's decision to ban a Christian group's controversial bus advert about gays was not unlawful, the High Court has ruled.

The ad posters, earmarked for the sides of the capital's buses, suggested that gay people can be helped to "move out of homosexuality". The advert read: "Not Gay! Ex-Gay, Post-Gay and Proud. Get over it!"

Core Issues Trust, the Christian charity behind the ads, had taken the matter to court, claiming that London Mayor Boris Johnson - who is chairman of TfL, was "politically driven" when he intervened to block the ad in the run up to the last mayoral elections.

Mr Johnson condemned the "gay cure" ad as "offensive to gays" and said it could lead to retaliation against the wider Christian community.

But a judge ruled that the Mayor of London did not abuse his position.

Mrs Justice Lang, sitting at London's High Court, said that TfL's process in introducing the ban "was procedurally unfair, in breach of its own procedures and demonstrated a failure to consider the relevant issues".

But that was outweighed by factors against allowing the ad, including that it would "cause grave offence" to those who were gay and was perceived as homophobic, "thus increasing the risk of prejudice and homophobic attacks", said the judge.

TfL insisted that it was an internal decision to ban the advert, of which Mr Johnson was "informed".

Welcoming the court ruling, a spokeswoman for the transport body said: "The advertisement clearly breached our advertising policy as it contained a controversial message and was likely to cause widespread offence to the public.

"This was borne out by the hugely negative public reaction the advertisement generated, including on social media and newspaper websites. We are taking steps to address the Judge's comments regarding our internal processes."

The judge revealed her concern over the issues raised by the case by giving Core Issues permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal.

The judge said that, although she did not think an appeal would succeed, there were "compelling reasons" to allow an appeal to go ahead.

She said the case "concerns interference with the right to freedom of expression which is a matter of such fundamental importance that it merits consideration by the appellant court."

Core Issues, which works with gay people seeking to change their lifestyles, had asked the judge to rule that the charity was unlawfully denied the freedom to express its views on homosexuality.

Paul Diamond, appearing for the charity, said it was imposed in April last year "very close" to the mayoral election on May 3, when Mr Johnson defeated political opponent Ken Livingstone.

Mr Diamond said: "It was clearly a highly-charged issue, and the mayor took credit for the highly, politically-driven decision.

"The mayor was strongly of the view this advertisement should not run."

Mr Diamond said the Core Issues Trust had nothing but "utter respect for people struggling with same-sex attraction".

He denied that it was attempting to offer a so-called "gay cure".

He said the ads were a response to a bus poster campaign by gay rights group Stonewall, which carried the message: "Some people are gay. Get over it!"

Mr Diamond contended the trust was equally entitled to express its view on the sides of buses, and to have its right to freedom of expression protected under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

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Snow And Rain: Woman Missing After Floods

A woman is missing after the country was lashed by heavy rain, floods and snow that have brought widespread disruption.

Police spent the morning using a sniffer dog to search for the woman after floodwater crashed through her home in Looe, Cornwall.

Devon and Cornwall Police say Susan Norman, who is in her 60s, has not been seen or heard of since 6pm yesterday.

Neighbours said they heard "windows popping" at the three-storey property under the pressure of a torrent of surface water which had been washed down the road behind the building, which is split into three flats.

Devon and Cornwall Police duty inspector Graham Claybourn said: "The property and adjoining properties were evacuated this morning, everybody was accounted for.

"However, one lady has not been accounted for. She lives in the ground flat."

It came as up to 40cm (16ins) of snow was expected over high ground in the Midlands, north and east Wales and northwest England, with 10-15cm (four to six ins) in lower lying areas.

Up to 30cm (12ins) of snow was predicted for Northern Ireland across the hills of counties Antrim and Down, with high winds leading to blizzard conditions.

Amber alerts have been issued for snow and rain

The snow was expected to continue into Saturday with the Met Office saying another 5-10cm (4-6ins) was possible in some areas of central Britain.

Two amber warnings for snow have been issued, meaning that the public in some places should be prepared for "severe disruption, particularly to transport and power supplies".

The bad weather resulted in the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant in Cumbria being shut down.

A spokesman said: "In response to the current and predicted adverse weather conditions on and around the Sellafield site, as a precaution, a site incident has been declared and the plants on the site have been moved to a controlled, safe, shutdown state.

"We have implemented a phased early release of staff from the site. This will be carried out in a safe, controlled manner.

"There is no reason to believe that there will be any off-site nuclear, environmental or conventional safety issues associated with the incident."

In Northern Ireland, more than 40,000 homes and businesses were left without power and around 60 schools were closed.

George Best City Airport closed its runway for a while but later announced it had reopened and flights from Belfast International Airport were disrupted.

In West Yorkshire, Leeds Bradford International Airport has suspended all flights due to "adverse weather conditions".

Snow in Derwen (Pic: Geraint Evans)

The airport has told passengers: "We advise you contact your airline or tour operator and check the status of your flight before arriving at the airport."

Among the main roads affected in the region are the A1(M) between the end of the M1 and the A62 junction, between Leeds and York, where snow has closed a lane, the M62 near Brighouse, where another lane has been closed due to the weather and the A66 across the Pennines which has been closed in both directions between the A685 and the A1.

Police in Cumbria have established a multi-agency 'Gold Group' to co-ordinate its response to a number of incidents.

A spokeswoman said police had received about 20 calls throughout the morning for assistance following multiple reports of road traffic collisions, impassable roads from trees falling, road signs blowing over and heavy snowfall.

Despite a series of accidents on the region's road network, North Wales Police said all main routes were passable but urged drivers to take care.

In the West Midlands, nearly 230 schools shut their doors to pupils, with many reporting burst pipes and frozen heating systems.

In Staffordshire, 170 closed their doors, but there was also disruption in Walsall, Dudley and Wolverhampton.

Nearly 200 schools closed across North Wales and scores more closed across Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lancashire and Cumbria. Schools across Greater Manchester appeared largely unaffected.

Shops and homes were flooded in Cornwall overnight, as the AA warned motorists even short journeys "can quickly turn bad".

Yesterday and last night there was flooding across the South West, including Penzance, Newlyn, Porthleven, Stithians, Bridge, Mevagissey, Colebrook and Holbeam with early reports suggesting around 10 properties have flooded so far.

At one point, there were 96 flood warnings in place across the country, with southwest England the worst affected.

The worst flooding was reported to be around Newlyn in Cornwall

Fifteen flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, and 40 flood alerts, where flooding is possible, are now in place across the south west. Another 36 flood alerts applied to East Anglia, the Midlands, the south east and Wales.

Sgt Dave Opara, based in Plymouth, said: "There has been a considerable amount of rainfall across the force area."

Cornwall opened its dedicated control centre to deal with the volume of calls about flooding.

Newlyn, in the southwest of the county, was reported to be the worst affected area.

Resident Adam Gibbard said the river through the town had burst its banks and swept into the main street.

"This is the second time it has happened in three months and a lot of these properties are businesses who were just getting back on their feet," he told Sky News.

Sky's weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "The snow will turn to sleety rain over north Wales and the north Midlands for a time, reverting to snow again later. Southern Britain and south-east Ireland meanwhile will see more heavy rain, bringing local flooding in the west where another 5cm, (2ins) are possible.

"There'll be more snow tonight, from around the M4 up into central Scotland and across the north of Ireland, while southern counties will have yet more rain. Saturday will see snow over central parts slowly fading, but there'll be a raw wind and it will stay near freezing away from the south-west.

"The average temperature for the month so far, combining day and night, has been around 3C, well below the long term average of 6C. It's highly unlikely to be record breaking (the coldest March on record was in 1962, at 1.9C), but it could well be the coldest for over 25 years."

Environment Agency spokesperson Pete Fox said the public can sign up for flood warnings and check the latest information on the Environment Agency's website, or follow us on Twitter at @EnvAgency.

Darron Burness, head of the AA's Special Operations Response Team, said: "It's going to be a real witch's brew of driving wind, rain and snow, which will inevitably cause disruption on the roads.

"Drivers should be well prepared as even short journeys can quickly turn bad."

The Local Government Association said council gritting and ploughing teams would be out in force to try to ensure main roads remained passable.

:: Send in your photos of the weather here

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Olympic Stadium: West Ham Handed The Keys

West Ham have been handed the keys for the Olympic Stadium after a deal for the London 2012 venue was finally agreed.

The announcement ends a seven-year battle for the showpiece venue in Stratford between rival football clubs that often saw the process bogged down by legal challenges.

West Ham were named preferred bidders ahead of Tottenham Hotspur and Leyton Orient, but negotiations with the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) have been lengthy and complicated.

However, the LLDC announced this morning that a deal has now been signed off that sees the Barclays Premier League club become anchor tenants, paying £2m a year on a 99-year lease.

As expected, it was confirmed that the LLDC will receive a windfall payment should West Ham's owners sell on the back of the move within 10 years.

The stadium during London 2012

It is thought the deal was agreed after the Government agreed to put in an extra £25m towards the cost of converting the venue for football, taking the Treasury's overall contribution to £60m.

West Ham are also understood to have upped their funding of the project from an initial offer of £5m to around £15m.

The rest of the cost of adapting the stadium - estimated at between £150m and £190m - will come from sources including the Mayor of London's budget, a £40m loan from Newham Council and a £20m loan from the LLDC.

As well as the £2m rent and a possible share of any future sale of West Ham, the taxpayer stands to claw back money from a share of naming rights and catering and hospitality revenue.

Boris Johnson says the deal 'defies the gloomsters'

Plans for the revamped stadium were also unveiled, with the facelift due to be completed in time for the 2016-17 football season.

It will be transformed into a 54,000-seater venue with a new roof, corporate areas, toilets, concessions and retractable seating. As well as football the stadium will also be used stage athletics, live concerts and other events.

London Mayor Boris Johnson told reporters: "This is a truly momentous milestone for London's spectacular Olympic Stadium, ensuring its credible and sustainable future.

"Through this deal with West Ham United FC, we are defying the gloomsters who predicted this landmark would become a dusty relic."

Karen Brady: 'We'll pay our way'

West Ham vice chairman Karren Brady insisted that the club intends to "pay its way."

She told reporters: "We want to pay our way, we accept that we have to pay our way and myself and the two owners of West Ham have been very clear on that.

"We will put in a lump sum, we will pay a rent that will cover most of the running costs and then of course we're sharing naming rights and other revenues.

"We accept that the cost of making it that world class stadium is coming from the Government but we hope that over 99 years we pay back not only that but an awful lot more than that."

David Sullivan and David Gold said the decision was 'fantastic'

West Ham's owners David Sullivan and David Gold said the decision gives the club a platform "to compete on the pitch at the highest level".

But former sports minister Richard Caborn branded the deal "the biggest mistake of the London Olympics".

Mr Caborn said that he welcomed the fact that the future of the stadium was now settled but insisted there has been unnecessary cost to the public purse.

He said: "This is the biggest mistake of the Olympics and lessons should be learned from this. West Ham are basically getting a stadium costing more than £600m for just £15m and a small amount in annual rent.

"The mistake was made in 2006-7 when they [the Olympic Board] ruled football out of a retro-fit design as we has done successfully in Manchester with the Commonwealth Games stadium."

An application by Leyton Orient for a judicial review of the decision to award West Ham preferred bidder status is still outstanding, but it is not expected that it will affect the outcome.

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Woman And Child Killed By Train At Station

A woman and a young child have died after they were struck by a train in the morning rush hour.

British Transport Police were called to the incident at Riddlesdown rail station near Purley, south London, at around 8.20am.

Ambulance teams and Met Police officers also attended and the woman and child - believed to be a toddler - were declared dead at the scene.

The station was temporarily closed while the emergency services dealt with the incident and the police investigation was carrying on.

Electrical power to the line between Woldingham and South Croydon was turned off and it was anticipated the line would not open until at least 4pm today.

There was considerable disruption to services run by the Southern train company in the area, with buses running between some stations and extended journey times.

More follows..

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Budget: George Osborne Defends Economic Plans

Budget: The Key Points You Need

Updated: 5:48pm UK, Wednesday 20 March 2013

George Osborne's Budget lasted 54 minutes and contained a raft of measures as well as data about the state of the economy. Here is a handy guide.

ECONOMY

:: The independent Office for Budget Responsibility predicts Britain will avoid a second quarter of negative growth and slipping into a triple-dip recession.

:: OBR forecasts put growth for this year at 0.6%, down a massive 50% on its previous forecast of 1.2%.

:: Growth forecasts for the coming years are now: 2014 - 1.8%, 2015 - 2.3%, 2016 - 2.7% and 2017 - 2.8%.

:: The deficit has been cut by a third from 11.2% of GDP in 2009/10 to 7.4% this year. It is forecast to drop to 2.2% by 2017/18.

:: Borrowing forecast to hit £114bn this year instead of £108bn, then £108bn in 2014, £97bn in 2014/15, then £87bn, £61bn and £42bn in the following years.

:: Proportion of national income spent by the state has fallen to 43.6%.

:: Public sector net debt is due to be 75.9% of GDP this year, then 79.2%, 82.6%, 85.1%, 85.6% in following years falling to 84.8% in 2017/18.

:: The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee keeps 2% inflation target but has its remit overhauled.

CUTS AND SPENDING

:: Whitehall departmental budgets cut by 1% after £11bn underspend this year.

:: Bigger savings of £11.5bn sought in the spending review for 2015/16, up from £10bn.

:: Public sector pay cap of 1% extended by a year in 2015/16. Military will receive full recommended increase and be exempt from changes to profession pay.

:: New limit on "annually managed expenditure", which includes welfare budget, debt interest and payments to the EU.

:: Deal on the European budget secured by David Cameron saved Britain £3.5bn.

:: Infrastructure plans given and annual £3bn boost from 2015/16 - a total of £15bn over the next decade.

:: Plans to take forward two major carbon capture and storage projects.

:: "Generous" new tax regime to promote early investment in shale gas and tax incentives for the manufacture of ultra low emission vehicles.

TAX AND WELFARE

:: Corporation tax cut another 1% to 20% in April 2015 and small company and main rates of corporation tax merged at 20p.

:: Corporation tax cut paid by rise in bank levy rate to 0.142% next year.

:: Help for employees with more generous shareholder status, Capital Gains Tax relief for sales of business to workers and doubling tax free loans for commuter season tickets to £10,000.

:: Large new package of measures targeting tax avoidance and evasion to bring in £3bn in unpaid taxes.

:: New Employment Allowance from April 2014 taking off first £2,000 from employer National Insurance bills. Means around 450,000 small businesses will pay no employer NI at all.

:: Rise in personal allowance brought forward to 2014, meaning no income tax will be paid on the first £10,000 of earnings.

:: Extension to the Capital Gains Tax holiday.

:: Tax-free child care vouchers worth £1,200 per child and increased support for families with children on universal credit.

HOUSING

:: New Help-to-Buy scheme for people struggling to build up a deposit to buy a house, worth £130bn in loans.

:: Includes £3.5bn for shared equity loans and Government interest-free loan worth 20% of the value of a new build house.

PENSIONS AND SOCIAL CARE

:: Flat rate pension of £144-a-week brought forward to 2016.

:: Cap on social care introduced in 2017 and set at £72,000. Threshold for means-testing of help raised from £23,000 to £118,000.

:: Help for Equitable Life Policy holders extended to those who bought with-profits annuities before 1992, with payments of £5,000 and extra £5,000 for those on lowest incomes.

FUEL AND BEER

:: Planned rise in fuel duty this autumn is cancelled.

:: Planned 3p rise in beer duty tax scrapped and replaced by a 1p cut on a pint of beer.

:: Beer duty escalator axed. Planned rises for other alcohol duties is retained. 

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Weather: Weekend Snow Warnings Across UK

Large swathes of the UK are facing a white weekend, as more wintry weather looks set to cause widespread disruption.

Snow is expected overnight in Northern Ireland, Wales, the Midlands, northern England and southern and western Scotland.

Commuters are being warned of Friday morning rush-hour chaos as strong gusts combine with the anticipated deluge to cause blizzard-like conditions.

And dozens of flood alerts have been issued by the Environment Agency for south-east England, while the Met Office put out several severe weather warnings for the weekend.

Sky News Weather Presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "The rain across south-west England, southern Wales and the south of the Republic of Ireland will continue moving north-eastwards into tonight.

"As it does, it hits the cold air coming in from the east and so it will turn to snow, giving significant accumulations by the early hours of the morning.

"The areas most affected will be across Northern Ireland, central and northern parts of Wales, the Midlands, northern England and southern and western Scotland."

Ghaffar added that outbreaks of rain across south-western parts of the UK and Ireland brought the risk of flooding.

"Disruptions are likely during Friday morning's rush hour as the snow will continue to fall with strong to near gale force winds, causing blizzard conditions and drifting," she said.

"In fact, throughout the day on Friday outbreaks of sleet and snow will continue with windy conditions, although outbreaks of light and patchy rain are more likely for southern England and southern Wales.

"Additional accumulations are likely across the north Midlands, Lincolnshire, northern England and Scotland.

"It'll be windy and cold over the weekend with further outbreaks of snow, especially across northern England, Wales and the Midlands."

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North Korea Issues Fresh Threat To America

By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent

North Korea has threatened to attack American airbases on the Japanese island of Okinawa and the Pacific island of Guam.

A statement by Kim Yong Chul, the spokesman of the Supreme Command of the Korean People's Army warned of "military actions".

"The US should not forget that the Anderson Air Force Base on Guam where B-52 bombers take off and naval bases in Japan and Okinawa where nuclear-powered submarines are launched are within the striking range of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) precision strike means," the statement read.

"Now that the US started open nuclear blackmail and threat, the DPRK, too, will move to take corresponding military actions."

The words mark the latest escalation in a lengthy stand-off as North Korea defies calls from the rest of the world to halt its dual nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

North Korea has threatened an attack over B-52 drills

The American government has not yet responded to the threat.

British diplomatic sources speaking to Sky News from Seoul have said the UK Government "takes any threats seriously and there is some concern over the more harsh rhetoric coming from the DPRK".

However, the source insisted that there was no panic or alarm among diplomatic circles and that UK travel advice to South Korea remains unchanged.

The latest threat from North Korea is a direct response to a series of joint military exercises involving the US and South Korea.

On Tuesday, the US Air Force deployed its giant B-52 bombers from their base on Guam. The planes, which are capable of carrying and deploying nuclear bombs, flew sorties over the Korean peninsula as part of the military exercise.

The Pentagon in Washington confirmed the B-52 deployment. Spokesman George Little said the US wanted to underline its commitment and capacity to defend South Korea against an attack from the North.

Military guard posts of South Korea (front) and North Korea (far)

However, the flights were condemned by Pyongyang as "an unpardonable provocation".

"The US is introducing a strategic nuclear strike means to the Korean peninsula at a time when its situation is inching close to the brink of war," the North Korean statement added.

The North Korean military does have rockets capable of reaching both Okinawa and Guam.

The surprisingly successful rocket launch in December followed a trajectory similar to that which any strike against Okinawa would take.

The Pentagon has confirmed the B-52 deployment

Okinawa is 600 miles due south of the Korean peninsula. Guam is further away, to the east of the Philippines.

While Pyongyang has proved it has the range capability, it is not clear whether or not their missiles are accurate enough to hit a specific target. And the country does not yet have the ability to carry out a nuclear strike at this range.

Earlier this month, the UN imposed the toughest sanctions yet on North Korea.

Kim Jong-Un reacted with anger, threatening to attack America, South Korea and Japan. The young and unpredictable leader toured military units calling for them to prepare for 'all out war'.

Computers are seen down at the main office of broadcaster YTN in Seoul

Meanwhile, Wednesday's unusually large cyberattack in South Korea, which brought down banks and broadcasters for one hour, has been traced to China.

Experts in Seoul claim the simultaneous attacks all bore the same IP address which was traced to the Chinese mainland.

Many of North Korea's internet and computing operations are tied to China. There is no suggestion that the Chinese government had any involvement.

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Dale Cregan 'Admitted' Two More Killings

A man who murdered two policewomen admitted to a psychiatrist that he had earlier killed a father and son, a court has heard.

Dale Cregan, who pleaded guilty to murdering PCs Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone in Hattersley, Greater Manchester, last year, is on trial for the murders of David and Mark Short in the months before, which he denies.

But a consultant forensic psychiatrist told Preston Crown Court of statements made by the one-eyed 29-year-old during three interviews while he was on remand in HMP Manchester.

In one interview Cregan allegedly admitted all four killings and said he had "the best sleep of my life" after the brutal murder of David Short.

Cregan admits killing police officers Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes

Cregan also said he was a drug dealer who earned up to £20,000 a week, he was paranoid that the Short family were trying to kill him and he had "fantasies" about murdering David Short.

Cregan is accused of shooting David Short before throwing a hand grenade at him, blowing his body apart in Clayton, east Manchester.

Prosecutors say he carried out the killing just months after shooting dead his son Mark Short in an attack on the Cotton Tree Pub in Droylsden, Manchester, in May last year.

After months on the run, Cregan lured PC Hughes, 23, and PC Bone, 32, with a bogus burglary report before he opened fire on the unarmed and unsuspecting officers.

Cregan told a psychiatrist he had a host of weapons

He then used his "calling card" by throwing a hand grenade at the stricken victims.

Dr James Collins, a consultant forensic psychiatrist, told the jury he interviewed Cregan three times in January this year ahead of the trial.

He said Cregan told him David Short had threatened to rape his sister and his son and he was worried the Short family would also harm his other family.

Dr Collins, quoting Cregan from notes he made of the interviews, said: "'I used to get visions of them killing my son, perhaps by a stray bullet. I was also worried about my mother and brother.

"Since I lost my eye it's been worse. I thought if I killed David Short I thought all these thoughts would go away.

"I did feel better after killing him. I felt better for a couple of days but all the thoughts came back. The paranoia was so bad I used to just sit in the house on my own.

"David Short was the biggest threat. I felt quite good about myself when I killed him."

Cregan added: "I felt calm before killing David Short but, after, a big relief rushed through my body. If I'd had time, I would have cut his head off and arms and legs.

"The thoughts were such, I knew I would have to do it. However, after I killed Mark Short, he said he would rape my son, he said he would set him on fire.

"He threatened my whole family. He told me 'The gloves are off'. So I was always going to kill him."

Cregan also told the psychiatrist he owned "up to 10 guns ... a few pistols, a few revolvers and a few big ones ... machine guns, AK47s. I had an Uzi, but that didn't work."

The trial continues.

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Budget 2013: The Key Points You Need To Know

The main Budget announcements by the Chancellor, George Osborne:

:: New Employment Allowance will take the first £2,000 off the employer National Insurance bill of every company in the country from next April. Says 450,000 small businesses - one third of all employers - will pay no employer National Insurance at all as a result.

:: Personal tax allowance will be raised to £10,000 from 2014. It means no income tax on an individual's first £10,000 of earnings.

:: Abolishes beer duty escalator. Cuts beer duty by 1p. "We're taking a penny off the pint" effective from Sunday night. Planned rises for all other alcohol duties maintained.

:: Cancels 3p-per-litre fuel duty rise scheduled for September.

Osborne: Employment Allowance was the Budget's biggest tax measure

:: Housing programme: "Help To Buy" scheme. New Help-to-Buy scheme for those struggling to find mortgage deposits will include £3.5bn for shared equity loans, and a Government interest-free loan worth 20% of the value of a new build house. Move to support all families and construction sector. New mortgage guarantee, sufficient to support £130bn worth of loans.

:: Flat rate pension worth £144 a week to be brought forward to 2016.

:: Wide programme to tackle tax avoidance and evasion to bring in £3bn in unpaid taxes. Will name and shame promoters of tax avoidance schemes.

:: Help for employees includes more generous shareholder status, Capital Gains Tax relief for sales of business to workers, tax help to return to work after sickness and a doubling to £10,000 for tax-free loans for commuters' season tickets.

:: Corporation Tax rate cut to 20% from April 2015. Abolishing different rates. Levy on bank balance sheets raised to 0.142% from next year.

:: Stamp Duty on shares in Alternative Investment Market (AIM) scrapped.

:: The Government intends to take forward two major carbon capture and storage projects and offer new tax incentives for manufacture of ultra low emission vehicles and production of shale gas.

:: Annual extra spending on infrastructure of £3bn from 2015/16.

:: Public sector pay rises to be limited to 1% for a further year to 2015/16. "We should put jobs first." Military to receive full recommended increase in "X-Factor" payment in May and to be exempted from changes to progression pay.

:: Whitehall department budgets to be cut by 1% after £11bn under-spend this year, with protection for schools and health.

:: There will be an updated remit for the Bank of England's monetary policy committee. The 2% CPI inflation target will remain. MPC will be additionally tasked with saying when inflation will return to target. Both Sir Mervyn King and in-coming governor Mark Carney agree.

:: The deficit continues to come down. Deficit has fallen from 11.2% of GDP in 2009/10 to a forecast 7.4% this year and is expected to fall to 6.8% next year, 5.9% in 2014/15, then 5%, 3.4% and 2.2% by 2017/18. (The predictions imply £60bn more borrowing than previously thought).

:: OBR has revised down forecast for growth but suggests Britain will miss triple-dip recession. Growth now estimated at 0.6% in 2013 (halved) and 1.8% in 2014. OBR estimate for employment revised up, with 600,000 more jobs expected in 2013 than this time last year.

:: This is a Budget for those who aspire to work hard and get on. Will support people who want to own their own home and save for retirement.

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Natalie Putt: Land Searched Over Missing Teen

Police are searching land in South Staffordshire over the disappearance of teenager Natalie Putt 10 years ago.

Specialist teams are at private land off the Stourbridge Road in Wombourne after getting new information.

Natalie disappeared from her home in Thornleigh, Lower Gornal, in September 2003.

The young mother, who was aged 17 at the time of her disappearance, had given birth to a baby boy 11 weeks before.

A police compter-generated image of how Natalie might have looked in 2010

Natalie's child, Rhys, continues to be cared for by relatives.

Superintendent Andy Parsons, from Dudley Police, said: "The missing person's investigation into Natalie's disappearance has always remained open and a number of new lines of enquiry have been investigated over the past 10 years.

"This current search is based on new information received by our investigation team and Natalie's family have been informed of the latest developments.

"We continue to urge people with information relating to this investigation to contact us as soon as possible."

Anyone able to help the police inquiry should call Dudley Police by dialling 101

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Philpott Trial: Mosley Will Not Give Evidence

By Darren Little, Nottingham Crown Court

The friend of a couple accused of the manslaughter of six children has chosen not to give evidence in his own defence.

Paul Mosley has denied six counts of manslaughter along with the children's parents Mick and Mairead Philpott, after a fire at the family home in Derby.

A jury at Nottingham Crown Court was told by Mr Mosley's barrister Ben Nolan QC: "On behalf of Paul Mosley we do not call any evidence."

The Philpotts' children who died in the fire

Mr Nolan was then asked by the trial judge whether Mosley had been advised that the jury may draw such inferences as appeared proper from his failure to give evidence.

Mr Nolan replied: "We have so advised him and he has elected to exercise his right to silence."

Mr Mosley along with Mr and Mrs Philpott have pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Jade, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five, who all died in the fire at Victory Road, Derby last May.

Mairead's eldest son Duwayne died in hospital in Birmingham days later.

The trial will resume on Thursday.

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Budget: 2013 Growth Forecast Is Cut In Half

Osborne's Letter To B of E Governor

Updated: 1:44pm UK, Wednesday 20 March 2013

Chancellor George Osborne has reaffirmed the 2% inflation target in a letter to the Governor of the Bank of England.

REMIT FOR THE MONETARY POLICY COMMITTEE

The Bank of England Act (1998) requires that I specify what price stability is taken to consist of and the Government's economic policy objectives at least once in every period of 12 months beginning on the anniversary of the day the Act came into force.

I hereby re-confirm the inflation target as 2 per cent as measured by the 12-month increase in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). The inflation target of 2% applies at all times.

This reflects the primacy of price stability and the inflation target in the UK monetary policy framework.

In accordance with the Act, I also confirm that the economic policy objective of Her Majesty's Government is to achieve strong, sustainable and balanced growth that is more evenly shared across the country and between industries.

The Government's commitment to medium-term price stability remains absolute. It represents an essential pre-requisite for economic prosperity.

The remit recognises that inflation will on occasion depart from its target as a result of shocks and disturbances. Attempts to keep inflation at the target in these circumstances may cause undesirable volatility in output. This reflects the short-term trade-offs that must be made between inflation and output variability in setting monetary policy. It therefore allows for a balanced approach to the objectives set out in the remit, while retaining the primacy of price stability and the inflation target.

In recent years, the economy has been hit by a series of shocks, some of which have been exceptionally large and with persistent effects. For example, the Office for Budget Responsibility and the International Monetary Fund forecast output in the UK to remain below its potential level for at least five years. Large shocks with persistent effects pose challenges for the setting and communicating of monetary policy and involve significant trade-offs. The remit clarifies the Government's expectations of the Committee in terms of the judgements it must make in setting and communicating policy in such exceptional circumstances.

As the Committee explained in its statement alongside its decision on 7 February 2013, CPI inflation is likely to rise further in the near term and may remain above the 2% target for the next two years, in part reflecting a persistent inflationary impact from both administered and regulated prices and the recent decline in sterling. The Committee judged that as long as cost and price pressures remained consistent with inflation returning to the target in the medium

term, it was appropriate to look through the temporary, albeit protracted, period of above-target inflation.

I confirm that the Committee's interpretation of the flexibilities provided by the remit is correct, and that these flexibilities are conditional on the Committee's judgement that the risks to meeting the 2% inflation target in the medium term remain balanced. The Committee should remain vigilant to those risks to ensure that medium-term inflation expectations remain anchored. This represents an appropriately balanced approach to the Committee's objectives, while retaining the primacy of medium-term price stability and the inflation target.

Transparency plays an important role in communicating the trade-offs inherent in setting monetary policy. I welcome the Bank of England's response to the independent Stockton Review into the Monetary Policy Committee's forecasting capability, which was published this month.

Over the past year, reflecting the exceptional challenge facing monetary policy makers, there has been ongoing innovation by central banks around the world. The Bank of England, with the Treasury, has launched the Funding for Lending Scheme; the European Central Bank has introduced Outright Monetary Transactions; the US Federal Reserve has developed its forward guidance such that it is currently using state-contingent intermediate thresholds to influence expectations. The Committee has discussed a range of instruments, communicating that discussion through its minutes and the speeches of Committee members.

Monetary activism has a vital role to play in the Government's economic strategy as the Government delivers on its commitment to fiscal consolidation. Given the ongoing exceptional challenges facing the UK economy, it is possible the Committee may judge it necessary to deploy new unconventional policy instruments or approaches in future, including some of those deployed by other central banks in recent years. The remit clarifies that the development of new unconventional instruments should include consideration with Government of appropriate governance and accountability arrangements. It also requests that the Committee provide in its August 2013 Inflation Report an assessment of the merits of intermediate thresholds. I will respond to the general approach outlined by the Committee in its August Inflation Report confirming whether it is consistent with the Monetary Policy Committee's remit.

The new Financial Policy Committee will be established on a statutory basis this April. As a result the remit clarifies how the two committees should interact, and states that the Monetary Policy Committee should have regard to the policy actions of the Financial Policy Committee. I will recommend that the Financial Policy Committee mirrors this.

In setting this remit, the Government has reviewed the monetary policy framework in historical and international context, and the operation of monetary policy in a number of economies in recent years. That review is being published alongside the Budget. It provides further background on the changes that have been made in this remit and the absolute commitment to medium-term price stability that remains at its core. To ensure the UK's monetary policy framework remains at the forefront of international best practice, the Government will undertake a further review before the end of 2019.

A copy of the remit is attached.

Finally, I also confirm that the Asset Purchase Facility, created on 29 January 2009, will remain in place for the financial year 2013-14.

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Pope Francis To Embrace Poor As Papacy Begins

Pope Francis has vowed to embrace the world's "weakest and poorest" and called on world leaders to shun "destruction" at his inaugural mass in St Peter's Square.

Francis was interrupted by applause several times during his homily, including when he spoke of the need to serve one another with love and tenderness and not allow " hatred, envy and pride to defile our lives".

The Pope must "open his arms to protect all of God's people and embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important," Francis, the first Jesuit pope, said.

"He must be inspired by lowly, concrete and faithful service," said Francis, who as a Jesuit has taken a vow of poverty.

Francis is the world's first Jesuit pope

"I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life ... Let us not allow omens of destruction and death to accompany the advance of this world.

"It means respecting each of God's creatures and respecting the environment in which we live.

"It means protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need, who are often the last we think about."

The Fisherman's Ring

The new pontiff officially began his ministry as the 266th pope and leader of the world's 1.2bn Roman Catholics when he earlier received the ring and pallium symbolising his new papal powers at the Vatican.

The pallium is a strip of lambswool that represents the Pope's role as a shepherd and the Fisherman's Ring is named in honour of the first pope St Peter, a fisherman by trade.

The grand ceremony started at 8.30am GMT in a sun-drenched St Peter's Square before about 200,000 people, including royalty, political and religious leaders.

The biggest delegation came from Argentina, led by President Cristina Kirchner, who held a private meeting with Pope Francis on Monday.

Britain was represented by the Duke of Gloucester, Kenneth Clarke MP and Baroness Warsi. The Queen and Prime Minister David Cameron did not attend.

Controversial Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe also made the journey to Rome in defiance of an EU travel ban, which does allow him to attend events within the Vatican state boundary. 

The Pope kissed several babies as he toured the square

Before the proceedings began, Francis toured a crammed St Peter's Square, kissing babies and blessing a disabled man.

In another sign of the informality that is already a mark of his papacy, Francis abandoned the bullet-proof popemobile frequently used by his more formal predecessor Benedict, to tour the square.

Francis wore a plain white papal cassock and black shoes in contrast to the luxurious red loafers that attracted attention under Benedict.

"Go Francis! We Will Be With You Wherever You Go!" read a sign held up by a group of Brazilian nuns in St Peter's Square.

Sister Rosa, an elderly Italian nun, said she expected the pope would be "another St Francis on Earth for love, goodness, poverty and humility".

Crowds had been pouring into the square and surrounding streets since before dawn.

The crowds had begun gathering from the early morning

The former archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio was the surprise choice at a conclave of cardinals to find a successor to 85-year-old Benedict, who last month brought a sudden end to a papacy, saying he was too old to carry on.

After the Mass, Pope Francis met many of the world leaders, including Mr Mugabe, before having lunch.

Leaders of the Eastern Catholic Rite were also at the ceremony, including Bartholomew I, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

Bartholomew I became the first patriarch from the Istanbul-based church to attend a papal investiture since the two branches of Christianity split nearly 1,000 years ago.

Also attending for the first time was the chief rabbi of Rome.

Francis abandoned the bullet-proof popemobile

Their presence underscores the hopes for ecumenical and interfaith dialogue in this new papacy given Francis' own work for improved relations and his namesake St Francis of Assisi.

In a gesture to Christians in the East, the pope prayed with Eastern rite Catholic patriarchs and archbishops before the tomb of St Peter and the Gospel was chanted in Greek rather than the traditional Latin.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Francis will hold meetings at the Vatican before he holds a face-to-face meeting with Benedict at Castel Gandolfo, just outside Rome, on Saturday.

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Hinkley Point Nuclear Plant Given Go-Ahead

A new nuclear plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset has moved a step closer after Energy Secretary Ed Davey granted planning permission.

The proposed development of Hinkley Point C by French energy company EDF is a boost for the nuclear industry following a series of setbacks in plans to construct a new fleet of reactors in the UK, which ministers say are needed to cut carbon and keep the lights on.

The deal is expected to be rubber-stamped within weeks when EDF and the Government secure agreement on the price the company will be paid for the electricity it generates.

Once up and running it is anticipated that the plant's two reactors will generate enough electricity to provide 7% of the country's needs, or power five million homes.

Mr Davey told the Commons that affordable new nuclear would play a "crucial role" in ensuring secure, diverse supplies of energy in the UK and decarbonising the electricity sector and the economy.

He also confirmed that EDF had now secured the majority of consents it needed to build and operate the plant and that he expected to announce shortly a deal on the so-called 'strike' price.

Under electricity market reforms, low-carbon power such as nuclear reactors and offshore wind farms will have long-term contracts with a guaranteed price for their electricity, to give investors certainty to invest in projects with high capital costs.

It has been reported that the costs of the new power station would run to around £14bn.

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Bill Roache: Soap Star Sorry Over Remarks

Coronation Street actor Bill Roache has said he is "very sorry for any offence caused" after he seemingly claimed victims of sexual abuse are being punished for their behaviour in "previous lives".

The star, who plays Ken Barlow in the long-running soap, made the original remarks in a television interview, during which he said famous men can be "caught in this trap" by young female fans who follow their movements.

Speaking to New Zealand's TVNZ, he said of the victims: "If you accept that you are pure love ... and therefore live that pure love, these things won't happen to you."

He was then pressed by reporter Garth Bray, who asked: "To some people that sounds perhaps like you're saying victims bring things on themselves. Is that what you're saying?"

The 80-year-old replied: "No, not quite, but then yes I am. Everything that happens to us is the result of what we have been in previous lives."

The comments echo those of Glenn Hoddle who was sacked as England's football manager in 1999 after he was quoted as appearing to suggest disabled people were paying for sins committed in previous lives.

Glenn Hoddle appeared to say disabled people were paying for previous sins

Roache has been asked by Sky News correspondent Becky Johnson: "You appear to have suggested some victims may be paying for things they did in a past life. Is that how you feel?"

The star replied: "No I would not go along and say things like that. I'm not saying that.

"In this situation where we can only talk about the law. I'm not going to talk about victims or life.

"Life is what we make it. We do come into life to learn from certain experiences and broadly some of the major experiences we have we have asked to go through. This is my understanding of life."

He added: "If you're going to pin me down and start saying 'all victims deserve what they're getting'. No I am not saying that at all."

His remarks to TVNZ were condemned by the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), which said his comments were an insult to abuse victims.

Dr Jon Bird, from NAPAC, condemned Roache's "hippy-dippy" spiritualist beliefs, saying child sex abuse left people with horrific physical and mental scars.

He said of the remarks: "This is a real insult, it is horrible. I think a lot of people will be deeply offended by what he said. Abuse is a crime. The rape of a child is an appalling crime and the long term effects we hear about include suicide."

Michael Le Vell pictured arriving at court

Roache's co-star of 30 years, Michael Le Vell, has been suspended from the ITV soap after he was charged with 19 child sex offences.

Le Vell, whose real name is Michael Turner, appeared in court last month and was bailed until his next appearance in the dock at Manchester Crown Court. Le Vell has insisted he is innocent.

During his interview with TVNZ, Roache said: "Everyone's innocent until they're proven guilty."

He described paedophilia as "absolutely horrendous" but added: "There's a fringe here ... particularly pop stars who have these groupies, these girls, who are sexually active and sexually mature.

"They don't ask for their birth certificate and they don't know what age they may be. They're certainly not grooming them and exploiting them but they can be caught in this trap."

He added: "These people are instantly stigmatised. Some will be innocent and some will not, but until such time as (any offence) is proven, there should be anonymity for both.

"If someone has done something wrong, the law should take its course. But whether they're proven guilty or not, we should never be judgemental about anyone.

"We shouldn't go round condemning. We should be forgiving about everything."

Speaking to Sky News, Roache said: "I'm not blaming anybody for anything but things were different back in the 1970s. People were more tactile.

"I think it's probably unfair to judge too harshly today on things that were done 20 or 30 years ago.

"There should be a greater understanding that things were different in those days."

He added: "I'm not excusing inappropriate and insensitive behaviour to women. I think women are wonderful and they should be treated with respect."

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Weather: No Sign Of Spring Amid More Snow

Snow has covered the north of the UK overnight as persistently cold weather keeps an unusual grip on March.

Heavy snow - up to 10cm across lowlands and 25cm on higher ground - has fallen across Scotland, with temperatures hovering around a bitter three degrees.

The Met Office has issued amber alerts for many parts of Scotland, while gale force winds are also forecast.

Driving conditions have been made difficult and more than 100 schools have closed. Aberdeenshire and the Borders are among the worst hit areas.

Sky News Weather Presenter Isobel Lang warned people to prepare for disruption.

She said: "Heavy snow and strong winds will bring travel disruption today with the worst of the conditions likely to be across central and eastern Scotland, northeast England and Northern Ireland.

"Bitter east winds will blow the snow around causing drifting and blizzard conditions."

Several inches of snow have fallen in Scotland

The outlook for the rest of the UK also looks typically unseasonal.

Lang said: "Heavy showers in other parts of Britain could also bring hail, sleet or snow, especially later today and tonight."

Meanwhile, the whole country should be braced for further snow storms and cold wet weather throughout the week - and beyond.

"Tomorrow may start with some snow in the morning, perhaps disruptive in places, but it should turn drier during the day.

"Concerns increase again, though, later in the week as wet and windy weather, preceded by snow, moves in across the southwest and spreads north across the country.

"Although rainfall totals may be enough to cause some problems across the south and southwest, it is likely to be snow that is most disruptive, especially across central and northern parts," Lang said.

The latest snowy spell continues a cold month across the UK which has brought an unwelcome delay to springtime weather.

Forecasters said that while snow was not uncommon in March, the persistent dumpings and low temperatures were unusual.

It is too early to predict if it will be a white Easter or not, but Lang warned that the run-up looked "unsettled and unspring-like".

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Father And Son Die Hiking In The Alps

A British father and his 12-year-old son who went missing while hiking in the Alps have been found dead.

Rescue services in Chamonix were called by the 48-year-old man at 2pm local time on Saturday.

He apparently said his son had fallen into a crevasse near Mont Blanc and that they were lost.

Captain Patrice Ribes, a French police officer, told Sky News that emergency services tried to trace the mobile phone call and launched a rescue mission.

But the rescuers lost contact and had to launch their search with little information about the pair's location.

A helicopter eventually spotted their bodies on Sunday morning at an altitude of 1,600m.

Capt Ribes said: "We think the father tried to find his son after he called us and asked for rescue. We believe he fell as he tried to find his son. Their bodies were found together this morning at 7.40am."

The father and son, who have not yet been named, had ventured into the Glacier des Bossons area of the Mont Blanc mountain range.

Capt Ribes said they had inadequate equipment and were exploring a "dangerous, deep, snowy" mountain trail.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are urgently looking into reports that two British nationals have been found dead in the French Alps."

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Cyprus Postpones Vote On Savings Raid Bailout

Cyprus has delayed a vote on whether savers will have to pay a levy on their bank deposits as part of an EU bailout.

The island's parliament had been due to decide whether to back the radical move later on Sunday but has pushed back the vote until Monday.

The delay came as Britain promised any UK government and military personnel would be compensated if their personal accounts were hit.

Chancellor George Osborne told the BBC's Andrew Marr show: "People who are doing their duty for our country in Cyprus will be protected from this Cypriot bank tax."

Around 3,500 British military personnel are based in Cyprus.

George Osborne promises British troops will be protected

But there are tens of thousands more British residents in the country who do not fall into that category and will end up out of pocket.

Under the terms of the 10bn euro (£8.6bn) bailout by the eurozone, savers in Cyprus have to hand over up to 10% of their deposits.

The one-off levy has sparked anger in the eastern Mediterranean island, with queues at cash machines battling to withdraw their money.

Electronic transfers were blocked and the country's cooperative banks had to shut their doors after seeing a rush of savers keen to protect their money.

Christos Demetriades, 58, who was outside a shut Nicosia co-operative bank branch, said: "Politicians and senior bank bosses have covered each other's backs for years, now it's ordinary people who are paying the price and are being punished."

One disgruntled customer at a branch in the southern coastal town of Limassol briefly parked his tractor in front of its shut doors in a show of frustration.

The move marks the first time the 17 eurozone countries and the IMF have dipped into people's savings to finance a bailout.

An informal meeting earlier this morning for parties in the 56-member chamber to discuss the bank levy was also postponed by newly-elected Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades.

He has said refusing the bailout would lead to the collapse of the island's two largest banks, badly burnt by their exposure to bailed out neighbour Greece.

Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades with Angela Merkel in Brussels

The tax on deposits in Cyprus, which accounts for only 0.2% of the eurozone's economy, is expected to raise up to 6bn euros (£5bn).

Those affected will include rich Russians with deposits in Cyprus and Europeans who have retired to the island as well as Cypriots themselves.

The size of foreign deposits in Cyprus - estimated at 37% of the total - was one reason the eurozone agreed to the tax on savings, to take effect when banks reopen on Tuesday.

It will apply to all deposits held in banks within Cyprus, including an estimated 2bn euros (£1.75bn) of British money, according to the European Central Bank.

It will not affect deposits held in the UK branches of Cypriot banks, such as Bank of Cyprus, whose UK subsidiary is regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

However, Laiki Bank UK said on its website: "Your eligible deposits with Laiki Bank UK are protected up to a total of 100,000 euro (£87.000) by the Cyprus Deposit Protection Scheme and are not protected by the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

"Any deposits you hold above the 100,000 euro limit are not covered."

Cyprus was badly hit by the Greek financial crisis because of its close links to the country.

Its two largest banks saw combined losses of 4.5bn euros (£3.8bn) - equal to a quarter of the island's gross domestic product.

The rescue package was agreed after 10 hours of talks in Brussels and was significantly less than the 17bn euros (£14.7bn) asked for.

As part of the deal, the government will also have to hike corporate tax to 12.5% from 10% and sell off state assets to help balance the public finances.

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Pope Francis Ad Libs During His First Angelus

Pope Francis has broken with tradition while delivering the first Angelus of his papacy.

As he made his first Sunday window appearance from the balcony of a papal apartment high above St Peter's Square, he delivered off-the-cuff remarks about God's power to forgive instead of reading from a written speech.

And the 100,000-strong crowd gathered down below roared with delight.

Dozens of flags from his native Argentina were waving in the packed piazza as the former Buenos Aires archbishop began his first Angelus.

Tens of thousands packed into St Peter's Square for the Angelus

"Thank you for your welcome, and for your prayers," said the first pope from Latin America. "Pray for me," he added.

The occasion is traditionally used to comment on international issues, but Francis instead used the moment to emphasise his Italian roots.

The former cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, whose parents hailed from Italy's northwestern Piedmont region, said he chose to name himself after St Francis of Assisi because of his "spiritual ties with this land".

Flags from other Latin American nations including Colombia, Peru, Paraguay and Mexico, could also be seen in the crowd.

One banner read: "Francis, You Are the Springtime of the Church", reflecting a groundswell of hope that the choice of a humble outsider has inspired in many Catholics weary of Vatican scandal and dysfunction.

Gabriel Solis, 33, an Argentine pilgrim, said: "He will bring much peace because he seems more humble, more spontaneous. He seems closer to the people. We didn't feel that with the pope we had before."

Earlier on Sunday, Francis made an impromptu appearance to the public from a side gate of the Vatican before celebrating Mass.

Pope Francis greeting crowds earlier on Sunday

Dressed only in a white cassock, he waved to the crowd in the street outside St Anna's Gate before entering the church.

The Pope took the opportunity to shake hands with well-wishers, and kissed their babies, plunging into crowds pushing against barricades as security men and Swiss Guards stood nervously by.

Chanting "Viva Il Papa" and calling his names, the faithful jostled to greet the new pontiff, who has projected a common touch by breaking with many formal traditions since his surprise election to lead the world's 1.2bn Catholics on Wednesday.

Francis then went over to the chief of his security detail and appeared to indicate he wanted to greet two priests in the crowd, who approached and embraced him.

One said: "I think he is very different to what we are accustomed to. He has a different style, he is from the south. More natural. He is not so Vatican."

Some young American tourists said: "This is history in the making. It's great to be part of it and really exciting for us."

Soon after the Angelus, Francis sent his first tweet. It read: "Dear Friends I thank you from my heart and I ask you to continue to pray for me."

The first tweet from the new pope

The 76-year-old has displayed an informal style that contrasts sharply with that of his more academic predecessor Benedict XVI.

Hours after his appointment, he shunned the papal limousine for a shuttle bus with other cardinals to return to a residence inside the Vatican for a formal supper.

He also showed his humorous side during the meal. As Francis toasted the cardinals, he said to them: "May God forgive you." It brought the house down, according to US cardinal Timothy Dolan

The official car was dropped again on his first full day in office when he slipped out the Vatican for private morning prayers at Santa Maria Maggiore. The priest at the ancient Rome basilica was given just 10 minutes' notice of his arrival.

On leaving the place of worship, he insisted on settling his bill at the hotel he stayed in before the start of last week's conclave.

Pope Francis has a busy week ahead. On Monday, he will meet the President of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, one of the many world leaders who are flying into Rome for the Pontiff's Inaugural Mass on Tuesday.

On Wednesday and Thursday, he holds meetings at the Vatican, and then on Saturday he will fly by helicopter to the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo on the outskirts of Rome for an unprecedented meeting with Benedict who resigned last month.

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Six 'Confess' To Tourist Gang Rape In India

Six villagers in India have confessed to the gang rape of a Swiss tourist, according to police.

The woman was on a cycling holiday with her husband in Madhya Pradesh state when they were attacked.

The six men were all arrested after they admitted to the crime, a spokesman said.

The alleged rapists live in a village near the forested area where the couple had stopped to camp for the night.

They were en route to the popular tourist destination of Agra in northern India.

"They were passing by, noticed the couple putting up their tent and saw an opportunity to attack and rape the woman,"  local police official M S Dhodee said.

It is believed the man was beaten and tied to a tree while his wife was sexually assaulted.

The woman, who is thought to be around 39, was treated in hospital but released on Saturday.

The Swiss embassy said it was in touch with local authorities in Madhya Pradesh and has urged a "swift investigation and for justice to be done".

The attack comes just a few days after the man accused of leading the fatal gang rape of a student on a New Delhi bus was found hanged in his prison cell.

Police say Ram Singh took his own life in the high-security Tihar jail, where he had been on suicide watch in an isolated cell.

The case made headlines around the world and raised the issue of sexual violence against women in India.

The student's internal injuries were so horrific she died two weeks later in a hospital in Singapore despite surgery to try to save her.

Four other men and a juvenile are on trial for that attack.

One woman is raped every 20 minutes in India, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.

But police estimate only four out of 10 rapes are reported, largely due to victims' fear of being shamed by their families and communities.

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