Saying, quote the fires began on tuesday and are now about 80 contained. The blazes spread quickly, fuelled by strong winds generated by a hurricane over the pacific ocean. Thousands are still in emergency shelters. Visitors are being evacuated from the island. These are the latest pictures we Have Smouldering Ruins and total devastation. The worst destruction has been on the island of maui, where some beachfront areas have been completely levelled. Us President Joe Biden has now declared the wildfires a major disaster. This triggers the release of federal funds to help Recovery Efforts. He spoke earlier. We have just approved a major disaster declaration for hawaii, which will get aid into the hands of people who desperately need the help now. Theyve lost, anyone who has lost a loved one, whose home has been damaged or destroyed, is going to get help immediately. And ive directed that we send support to these brave firefighters and First Responders and Emergency Personnel working arou
Another 2 cut in the pound in National Insurance , the National Insurance, the centrepiece of his pre election budget. But figures suggest expected rises in council tax will wipe out any benefits felt by households. Speaking after his statement in the commons today, jeremy hunt said his budget marks a big reduction in the tax bill for ordinary families. Families. What you see is that after a four percentage point cut in National Insurance , there is National Insurance, there is a big reduction in the tax bill for ordinary families , and that for ordinary families, and that is because the economy has turned a corner. Weve stuck to the plan we have. The forecasts are much more optimistic for the economy going forward. And as conservatives, we believe that if we bring down the tax burden that will fire up the economy, create more jobs, more money for pubuc create more jobs, more money for Public Services like the nhs, one more. So what are the key elements of other parts of the Spring Bud
Turned a corner. Weve stuck to the plan we have. The forecasts are much more optimistic for the economy going forward. And as conservatives, we believe that if we bring down the tax burden that will fire up the economy, create more jobs, more money for pubuc create more jobs, more money for Public Services like the nhs, one more. So what are the key elements of other parts of the Spring Budget . Well, the non dom tax status is to be scrapped and replaced by what the chancellor calls a modern residency system. The Great British pub will also get a boost from freeze on alcohol duty child benefit threshold goes up to £60,000 a yean threshold goes up to £60,000 a year, and the £0. 05 cut to fuel dufies year, and the £0. 05 cut to fuel duties locked in for another 12 months. Also in the budget, the vat registration threshold goes up from 85 to £90,000 a year. The pensions regulator will get new powers to make sure people get defined contributions and better value from their investment
and coming up on bbc news: qualification at stake for britain at the olympics. we ll tell you why it matters for england and scotland later at hampden. good afternoon. the home secretary james cleverly is in rwanda signing a treaty this lunchtime on the controversial plan to send some asylum seekers there. downing street hopes it will remove legal obstacles to the scheme after the supreme court ruled last month that it s unlawful. the rwanda plan is aimed at deterring migrants coming to the uk on small boats. mr cleverly is the third home secretary to visit the country, but so far not a single migrant has actually been sent there. in a moment, we ll hear from our political editor chris mason, who s in rwanda with the home secretary, but first, this report from helen catt. the home secretary, touching down in rwanda this morning. it s where the government still hopes to send some people who arrive in the uk illegally to seek asylum. despite the supreme court ruling last month