Announcements from the budget starting with tax. The chancellor has announced that National Insurance will be cut by another 2p. He says the cut which will begin next month is worth £450 a year for each worker. Mr hunt also announced. 0n taxes there will be a new tax on vaping products that will start in october 2026. The chancellor says thatis october 2026. The chancellor says that is to maintain the financial incentive to choose vaping over smoking. The chancellor finished his statement by Attacking Labour for the economy. We statement by Attacking Labour for the economy the economy. We today put this country back the economy. We today put this country back on the economy. We today put this country back on the the economy. We today put this country back on the path the economy. We today put this country back on the path to the economy. We today put this | country back on the path to lower taxes. Allowed to grow the economy versus no plan. A plan to Better Public Services versus no p
breaking news this hour, the u.s. ant britain going after militants backed and funded by iran. not long ago, iran condemned the strikes calling them a violation of international law. and russia has requested an emergency meeting of the u.n. security council later today. the coalition strikes are a direct response to the worsening surge of attacks on ships in the red sea from houthi. many of the houthi launches have been intercepted by the u.s. led coalition that had been playing defense until now. american fighter jets have been taking off from the uss dwight d eisenhower aircraft carrier to carry out their mission. the u.s. president issued this statement. these targeted strikes are a clear message that the united states will not allow attacks on ore personnel or imperil freedom of navigation. i will not hesitate to take further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary. we are also hearing from the pentagon. we reserve the rig
US, French and British forces downed several drones in the Red Sea area following a Houthi attack. The Houthis have been indulging in consistent attack to mark solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel-Hamas war.
will also not hesitate to direct further measures to protect personnel. u.s. officials have been warning for weeks that the houthis must stop its attacks. on shipping vessels in the red sea. what we are learning tonight, this was just two days ago, had targeted some u.s. vessels. and what we are told by sources is that had it not been for this defensive coalition called operation prosperity guardian that was already set up by the u.s. in a number of its allies in the red sea, we may have seen situations where ships were sunk by these attacks and there was an instance within the last month where a commercial vessel may have been hit. the senior official saying that some of these were basically close calls.
the western port city along the border or close to the border with saudi arabia, also around the capitol. those targets at radar sites, ballistic missile launch and storage sites, cruise missile launch and storage sites. drone launch and storage sites, those are intended as the coalition says as the united states says to send a message. but they are intended to degrade their ability to target shiping in the red sea. but already, the houthi are saying they are going to respond against u.s. and u.k. interest. it was u.k. typhoon fighter jets that targeted two different sites. it was the united states, missiles and fighter aircraft. who will say they will respond? u.s. interest in the region,