New Greek Govt Begins Battle Over Bailout

Greece's newly elected anti-austerity government has said it will not co-operate with its international "troika" of creditors - the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Greece's finance minister Yanis Varoufakis said that despite warnings his country would shortly run out of money, his government preferred to do without fresh funds and instead renegotiate its entire €240bn (£180bn) bailout package.

Athens has been promised another €7.2bn (£5.4bn) in funds from the troika if it completes reforms required by its lenders by 28 February, when the bailout programme runs out.

"This government was elected on the basis of analytically questioning the very logic of the programme now being applied," Mr Varoufakis said, referring to the reforms and budget cuts demanded by the troika.

"We don't want the €7bn ... We want to sit down and rethink the whole programme."

Video: New Greek PM Takes Office

But the stance has already drawn criticism from top EU officials, and Germany's Angela Merkel.

"There has already been voluntary debt forgiveness by private creditors, banks have already slashed billions from Greece's debt," Mrs Merkel said.

"I do not envisage fresh debt cancellation."

Her comments follow remarks made at a strained news conference between Mr Varoufakis and Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem.

Video: Greece On EU Collision Course

Mr Varoufakis said Athens was willing to negotiate with its lenders but not with the troika, which he described as a "committee built on rotten foundations".

Mr Dijsselbloem said Greece and the Eurogroup had a "mutual interest in the further recovery of the Greek economy inside the eurozone" and warned against Athens acting on its own.

"Taking unilateral steps and ignoring previous arrangements is not the way forward," Mr Dijsselbloem said.

"The problems of the Greek economy have not disappeared or changed overnight with the elections."

Video: Greek People Ready To 'Turn A Page'

Further concern comes from the potential of the anti-austerity political movement spreading to other nations, with a large "march for change" expected today in the Spanish capital Madrid to support new far left party Podemos.

The troika was formed in 2010 to rescue debt-riddled Greece with the bailout on the condition Athens imposed huge spending cuts and fiscal reforms.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was elected last Sunday on a platform of ending austerity and erasing most of the country's national debt.

He will meet Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on Tuesday and French President Francois Hollande on Wednesday, but has no plans to visit Germany - Europe's biggest economy and its effective paymaster.

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IS Chemical Weapons Expert Killed, Says US

A chemical weapons expert working with Islamic State (IS) in Iraq has been killed in a coalition airstrike, the US military has said.

Abu Malik was killed near Mosul during an air raid on 24 January, US Central Command announced on Friday.

Malik had worked at a chemical weapons production plant under Saddam Hussein's regime before the dictator was toppled in 2003.

He later forged an affiliation with al Qaeda in Iraq in 2005, before joining IS, according to Central Command.

Malik's training "provided the terrorist group with expertise to pursue a chemical weapons capability", the military said in a statement.

"His death is expected to temporarily degrade and disrupt the terrorist network and diminish ISIL's ability to potentially produce and use chemical weapons against innocent people."

Previously US officials had not publicly referred to Malik as a key IS figure.

There has been no evidence to suggest IS possesses a major chemical weapons arsenal, but there have been claims the jihadist organisation has employed chlorine gas, which is classified as a "choking agent".

A US defence official, speaking anonymously, said Malik had been "involved in operations to produce chemical weapons in 2005, and planned attacks in Mosul with AQI (al Qaeda in Iraq)".

"Based on his training and experience, he was judged to be capable of creating harmful and deadly chemical agents," added the official.

"We know ISIL is attempting to pursue a chemical weapons capability, but we have no definitive confirmation that ISIL currently possess chemical weapons."

The US-led coalition has carried out more than 2,000 air raids against IS in Iraq and Syria since 8 August.

Airstrikes have been pounding the Mosul area in the north over the past week, the military said.

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Cyber Warfare: Army Creates 'Twitter Troops'

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

The British Army has formed a specialist unit of "creative" soldiers who will be tasked with fighting wars using unconventional methods.

Members of 77 Brigade have been trained to use guerrilla tactics and will be experts in psychological warfare operations.

The Army hopes the brigade will impact the traditional battlefield using non-lethal techniques including social media to reflect the digital age.

Using creative thinking it is hoped that 77 Brigade will influence the minds and shape the behaviour of the enemy and local populations. 

This has led to the early nickname "Twitter troops".

Video: Tech Used To Attract Army Recruits

"The brigade consists of more than just traditional capabilities," the head of the army, General Sir Nicholas Carter, said.

"It is an organisation that sits at the heart of trying to operate smarter."

The 77 Brigade has its origins in Orde Wingate's famous Chindits - a group of elite soldiers unleashed behind enemy lines during the Burma Campaign in World War II.

They were officially called the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade.

Video: Are Army Jobs At Risk?

The 77 Brigade will share the Chindits' "spirit of innovation and offensive spirit".

It will also display the same emblem: a golden Burmese dragon, worn on the arm.

They will support mainstream military tactics.

The 77 Brigade will draw its members from the regular and reserve forces across the Army, Navy and RAF, and will be based in Hermitage, Berkshire.

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Ukraine: Daily Struggle On Conflict's Front Line

By Katie Stallard, Moscow Correspondent, in Donetsk

As the fighting in eastern Ukraine intensifies, humanitarian conditions in the region are deteriorating.

Sky News filmed families in the rebel-controlled capital of Donetsk, as it was revealed the European Union has extended its first set of sanctions against the separatists and Russia, which has been accused of aiding the rebellion.

Some of the families in Donetsk have been living in underground shelters since July, too frightened to let their children play outside or go to school.

Two hundred people, including more than 50 children, are living in the basement of an arts centre in the city's western suburb - afraid to allow the children above ground for more than a few minutes at a time.

One eight-year-old girl said she could not remember when she last played outside.

Video: 'People Don't Have Money For Food'

"If they go out it's only for five minutes maximum," her mother, Vika Makeeva, told us.

"To get fresh air and come back."

They said the school had been shelled and it had no basement shelter so the children had not been since December.

UNICEF has provided them with hygiene kits, and individuals have donated food and toys for the children.

"They started to shell us from the Ukrainian side," Luba, one of the mothers, said.

"I took the child when he was asleep in his blanket, put him on a bike and we went to a shelter in the children's hospital, but it was really damp, with frogs, and then we came here."

Many of the residents have homes, but they are too frightened to return.

We went with one lady to check on her flat - she told us their block was shelled four days ago, and their roof destroyed.

As she led us across the courtyard she heard outgoing rocket fire and hurried behind a concrete wall, listening for the sound of the impact so she could work out which direction it was heading.

She said this was why she was afraid to bring her children outside.

In the city centre we saw long queues of people, the majority of them pensioners, outside an aid distribution point.

It was bitterly cold and there was thick ice on the ground, but they had been waiting patiently since 8am for handouts donated by Ukraine's richest man, Rinat Akhmetov.

Video: Inside A Donetsk Bomb Shelter

The Ukrainian government has cut off pensions and other social payments to those living in rebel-controlled areas like Donetsk.

There is food in the shops, but many have no money to buy it, and so find themselves dependent on donations.

"For six months we have had no pension," one elderly woman told us.

"We have no salaries, no pensions, that's it... so we're queuing for help."

"This is how we live," her husband added.

"Waiting for the humanitarian aid, thanks that they are helping us."

Pavel Gudchok worked for a Ukrainian bank, but they closed the branches in Donetsk last year and now he cannot find a job.

He was visibly shivering as he waited to help his grandmother at the aid point. 

"There's no money here, people are hungry here, without homes," the 24-year-old said.

"They need everything now."

The longer this goes on, the more attitudes here are hardening, the stronger the anger with Kiev - and the deeper the divisions in this already bitterly divided country.

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Child Obesity 'Levelling Off' But Concerns Remain

By Emma Birchley, East of England Correspondent

The steady rise in childhood obesity finally seems to be slowing down, but a third of young people are still too heavy, a study has found.

In younger children it appears that the rate of obesity has even begun to fall, but there is particular concern about the number of 11 to 15 -year-olds who weigh too much.

The research, based on 20 years of electronic health records relating to more than 370,000 children aged two to 15, revealed 37.8% of boys and 36.6% of girls in the older age group are either overweight or obese.

Report author and professor of public health at Kings College London, Martin Gulliford, said: "Children in their teens are very likely to become overweight or obese as adults, and from their obesity they might be at greater risk of chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes.

"The concern therefore is that future generations may not be as healthy as previous generations."

Video: Labour's Plan For Kids' Health

And that has cost implications for the NHS - but there are signs of change.

The report found that between 1994 and 2003, the prevalence of too much weight or obesity in children rose by 8% a year, but in the second decade of the study, that rate fell to an annual rise of just 0.4%.

And while one in four children in the youngest group are too heavy - up from one in five in 1994 - it is among those aged two to five that the obesity rate is slowly beginning to decline.

Video: Under-25s Turning To Gastric Bands

Prof Gulliford said: "It's an interesting finding that we see this trend level off in younger children.

"At the present time it's too early to say whether this result is down to interventions that have been rolled out to address childhood obesity - or whether this reflects some kind of saturation whereby the children who are going to become obese have become obese in the environment in this country."

In Colchester, Russell Turner runs a group called Crossfit Kids to instil a passion for being active at a young age.

Video: Obesity Costs UK More Than War

"Once they are here they don't look back," he said.

"It's really important because it starts with fun and we are shaping their mindset with regards to how they see exercise, so as they grow up hopefully they will want to carry on and participate, eat well and keep that general lifestyle going."

The children taking part in Russell's class already know the importance of exercising.

Video: 'Radical' Plan Unveiled To Save NHS

James Chapman, who is seven, says it keeps him healthy and is much better than playing computer games all day.

And six-year-old Sophie Mann said she enjoys it because "you are not being lazy and you are keeping fit".

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Boris Launches Outspoken Attack On Jihadis

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Boris Johnson is set to trigger a new controversy with an outspoken outburst - even by his standards - on the character and personality of jihadist bombers.

Citing an MI5 report into Muslim extremism, London's Mayor told The Sun newspaper: "If you look at all the psychological profiling about bombers, they typically will look at porn. They are literally w***ers. Severe onanists.

"They are tortured. They will be very badly adjusted in their relations with women, and that is a symptom of their feeling of being failures and that the world is against them.

"They are rejected by women, they are not making it with girls, and so they turn to other forms of spiritual comfort - which of course is no comfort."

It is not the first time Mr Johnson has launched an outspoken attack on jihadi terrorists.

Video: August: Boris On UK Jihadists

Last year he said hoped the terrorist known as "Jihadi John" would be killed in a bomb attack.

In his Daily Telegraph column in August he said Britain must take on Islamic State (IS) and "try to close it down now".

Mr Johnson warned that doing nothing would mean a "tide of terror will eventually lap at our own front door".

But his inflammatory remarks in The Sun may reinforce the view of those Conservatives who believe Mr Johnson lacks the gravitas to be party leader and Prime Minister.

And Mr Johnson could also face accusations from radical Muslims and other ethnic groups of Islamophobia and racism.

The mayor, who is poised to return to the Commons in May in the safe Tory seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip, told The Sun: "I fervently think we need to de-mystify this lot.

"The type of people who are likely to get involved in ISIS or get radicalised are the same sorts of people who are vulnerable to getting dragged into drug gangs or other types of criminal activity.

"They are just young men in desperate need of self-esteem who do not have a particular mission in life, who feel that they are losers and this thing makes them feel strong and feel like winners."

Mr Johnson backed the Muslim Cabinet minister Sajid Javid - seen by some Tory rivals as an opponent to the Mayor for the Conservative Party leadership - after the Culture Secretary said it was "absolutely right" to say Muslim communities carry a "special burden" to tackle terror.

The Mayor said: "I want to hear a proper angry Islamic theological denunciation of what is going wrong.

"We won't succeed if Western politicians just go around bashing and blaming Islam; that is hopeless.

"This problem can only be addressed if Muslim authorities and clerics find a powerful and compelling way of setting up an alternative narrative for young people that makes this seem irrelevant."

Pointing out his own great grandfather was a Turkish Muslim, the Mayor added: "I often hear voices from the Muslim intelligentsia who are very quick to accuse people of Islamophobia.

"But they are not explaining how it can be that this one religion seems to be leading people astray in so many cases.

"They are not being persuasive in the right way with these people. I am not yet hearing it in the way that we need to hear it."

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Rotherham Victim Says Abusers 'Untouchable'

By Jason Farrell, Sky News Correspondent

A survivor of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham claims she still sees her abusers "driving young girls in their car", as a Sky News investigation reveals hundreds of new cases continue to emerge.

In August 2014, the Alexis Jay report identified 1,400 cases of child sexual exploitation in the Yorkshire town.

But Sky News has learned that hundreds more cases were known to authorities prior to its publication and that hundreds more are being reported.

Victims continue to feel let down by authorities.

One survivor "Gemma" told Sky News: "It's still going on if not worse, because now they're having to hide it more.

Video: Rotherham Abuse Victim Speaks Out

"I'm still seeing my abusers driving young girls in their car. They're untouchable."

The Alexis Jay report found that hundreds of children had been sexually exploited, mostly by Asian gangs, and that Rotherham Council and South Yorkshire police had failed to tackle the problem.

Jayne Senior, who ran an outreach programme for victims in Rotherham called Risky Business, has revealed that she reported nearly 1,700 cases of grooming or sexual exploitation to the council's children's services between 1999 and 2011.

This was a shorter time period than that examined by the report.

"I was accused of saying too much, of sharing too much information, reporting too much intelligence," she told Sky News in her first interview.

"Risky Business didn't make all this up. It was accused of making it all up and Alexis Jay exonerated all of that."

The report found Risky Business was seen by the borough's social care services "as something of a nuisance".

It added that "there were too many examples of young people who were properly referred by Risky Business to children's social care and who somehow fell through the net and were not treated with the priority they deserved".

Risky Business was shut down in 2011 and victims have expressed frustration that a recent application to set up a new support group has been turned down by the council despite recommendations in the Jay report.

"It shouldn't have been shut down," one victim told Sky News.

"Because that was an agency that was trying to tackle the situation. But knowing now that it was all a cover-up then I think it was closed down because they were trying to tackle the problem."

Rotherham MP Sarah Champion said she was also baffled as to why Risky Business was discontinued.

"Genuinely, I have no idea why it was shut down. Why would you shut down a successful organisation that was demonstrating there was a massive need for their services and was proving results. They were getting prosecutions."

She is leading calls for a national task force to be set up to combat large scale child abuse across the UK. She said she has been "overwhelmed" with new cases coming to her for help and advice.

As well as support, many victims are still seeking justice.

"Gemma" complained that local police "turned up suited an booted" outside her home with a panic alarm - showing neighbours that she was someone who had reported abuse.

"All they care about is getting a statement," she said. "Six months on we've had no arrests, we've had no charges, evidence is still being lost."

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said: "We look at each case individually to establish the most appropriate way to contact and visit victims throughout an investigation to ensure their personal safety is maintained.

"South Yorkshire Police has not received a complaint in relation to this alleged incident."

Leader of Rotherham Council, Cllr Paul Lakin, said: "We accepted the recommendations of Professor Jay's report and immediately acted to address the issues raised.

"We fully acknowledge that we should have done more in the past and have offered our sincere and heartfelt apologies to the victims and survivors of child sexual exploitation.

"Make no mistake, protecting children and supporting the police in tackling child sexual exploitation is our highest priority.

"With regard to the 2002 Home Office researcher's report, we take allegations of a "cover up" very seriously and have made strenuous efforts to obtain a full copy of the report. As yet, this has not been forthcoming.

"We are also working with our partners, including South Yorkshire Police, to identify cases where individuals may not have had the access to the services and support that they need."

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IS Sets Sunset Deadline To Save Hostage

An audio recording purportedly from a man being held by IS militants says a fellow hostage has just hours to live unless an Iraqi prisoner is released.

The message, which is unverified, is believed to have been read out by Kenji Goto - a Japanese journalist taken by Islamic State militants last year.

In it the voice demands the release of Sajida al Rishawi, who was sentenced to death in Jordan for her involvement in a 2005 terrorist attack that killed 60 people.

The man states that a fellow hostage - Jordanian pilot Lieutenant Muath al Kasaesbeh - would be killed if the prisoner was not ready to be exchanged at the Turkish border with Syria by "sunset".

The brief message did not make it clear what the fate of either hostage would be even if the group's demands were met.

Video: Profile of Sajida Al Rishawi

Japan's chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said: "We are still in the process of verification but with all of the information gathered we think that there is a high probability that the voice was indeed that of Mr Goto."

Although the Jordanian government is willing to hand over the would-be suicide bomber, nations around the world - including the US - believe the deal with IS should not go ahead.

Such an exchange could set a dangerous precedent, encouraging terrorists to take more people hostage.

Video: Mum's Tearful Plea To Islamic State

However, if both hostages were to survive, it could provide crucial intelligence about their captors, as the whereabouts of a man dubbed "Jihadi John" remains unknown.

The family of Lt al Kaseasbeh have met Jordan's King Abdullah, where they were assured that "things were still positive".

Despite this, the country's Foreign Minister has not received any evidence that the pilot is alive and well.

Video: IS Hostage's 'Last Message'

The Japanese government is investigating the latest footage, which was originally uploaded to YouTube.

The mother of Kenji Goto has made a tearful appeal to Japan's Prime Minister to help save her son.

Junko Ishido said she had begged Shinzo Abe to "Please save Kenji" and to work with the Jordanian government to secure his release.

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Killed Sydney Hostages' Final Moments Revealed

A hostage killed during a siege at a Sydney cafe was made to kneel before being shot in the back of the head with a sawn-off pump action shotgun, an inquest has heard.

Cafe manager Tori Johnson was killed by Iranian-born gunman Man Haron Monis, moments after several people managed to flee the coffee shop safely.

Jeremy Gormly, one of the lawyers assisting the coroner, said: "Mr Johnson was made by Monis to kneel on the floor of the cafe. After a short lapse of time, Monis simply shot him without further notice or warning in the back of the head.

"The end of the barrel was about 75cm from his head at the moment of discharge. Mr Johnson is believed to have died immediately."

It was the 34-year-old's death which led tactical operatives to force their way into the Lindt cafe in the early hours of 16 December.

Video: Remembering Sydney's Siege Victims

The inquest also heard that another hostage who died, 38-year-old barrister Katrina Dawson, was struck by six fragments of a police bullet which ricocheted off the walls when officers stormed the building to end the 16-hour siege.

"One fragment struck a major blood vessel," said Mr Gormly.

"She lost consciousness quickly and died shortly afterwards."

He said three other hostages were also injured by a ricochet off a police bullet.

Video: Sydney Gunman: What We Know

The inquest also heard of the gunman's movements early on in the day's events - how he first ordered and ate a piece of chocolate cake and drank tea after entering the cafe on the morning 15 December.

Around half an hour later, he asked to move tables and to speak to manager Johnson, who then asked an employee to lock the doors.

Monis then stood up, putting on a vest and bandana, and told staff: "This is an attack. I have a bomb."

Trained officers ended the siege when they threw 11 flash bangs into the building before firing 22 shots at Monis.

Video: Sydney Siege Victims Hailed

Mr Gormly told Glebe Coroner's Court: "At least two bullets, police bullets or bullet fragments hit Monis in the head and 11 other bullets, police bullets or fragments hit him in the body. It seems he was killed instantly."

The inquest aims to determine what happened during the siege, and investigate whether emergency services' response to the hostage situation was sufficient.

It will also examine the motivations of Man Haron Monis.

Although the gunman claimed his attack was in affiliation with Islamic State, it has emerged that he had no contact with the terror organisation before the siege.

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1. Gallery: Latest Images From Australia

   A bomb disposal robot moves towards Sydney's Lindt Cafe after armed police moved in to end the seige in a barrage of gunfire.

A woman is carried out of the cafe after armed police stormed the building where a gunman was holding up to 20 hostages

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The Candidates: Old, Young And Reincarnated

By Joe Tidy, Elections Reporter

From teenage students, 84-year-old great grandmothers and ancient reincarnated kings, this election is seeing candidates from all walks of life vying for your votes.

:: King Arthur Pendragon: I'm Really Going To Fight This One

Perhaps the most resilient of all the candidates is King Arthur - standing in Salisbury as an independent, in what will be his fifth tilt at a general election.

The druid king, who believes that he is the reincarnation of the ancient King Arthur, says this year he is taking it seriously.

He told Sky News: "This year I have the best chance yet as so many people are fed up with politicians.

Video: Great Gran Wants The Pensioner Vote

"In the past I was a paper candidate, but I'm really going to fight this one. I've got just as much chance as any of the others."

:: The Great-Grandmother: My Age Is An Advantage

The oldest candidate to declare is 84-year-old Doris Osen, standing in the marginal seat of Ilford North.

She turns 85 in March so will be the oldest parliamentary candidate in the country by a few months.

Standing as an independent, she says she is not going to be able to do much of the door-knocking but will instead focus her campaign on talking to people and sending out leaflets.

Recently she spent £1,000 sending 30,000 fliers to the area.

Video: The 18-Year-Old Career Politician

When asked about how her age will affect her, she said: "It's actually a big advantage because I've got experience and lots of time. I'm in this to win it." 

:: The Student: I Can Win This Tory Seat

The youngest candidate to step forward so far is 18-year-old Solomon Curtis - standing in Wealden for Labour.

He has a large Conservative majority of 17,000 to overturn to become the youngest MP ever.

As a member of the Youth Parliament, Solomon says he has built up lots of experience and thinks he can be an MP.

He said: "The argument I always make is that everyone that I speak to wants a more representative parliament, they want more women, more disabled people and they want more young people."

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Sky: 'Labour Main Party In Hung Parliament'

Labour will be the largest party in a hung parliament after May's General Election, according to a Sky News projection based on the latest poll of polls.

According to Sky's figures, which look at the national figures and those just for Scotland, Labour will fall short of an overall majority by 40 seats.

The Green Party, UKIP and the SNP all vying to lure voters away from the traditional two-party system and if the numbers are correct, the Scottish National Party could hold the key to any coalition.

It comes with just 100 days until the General Election, with Britain's two largest parties - Labour and the Conservatives - launching new policies in a bid to lure voters.

In an interview with Sky News David Cameron said he was worried about the future of the country saying that if Labour was to get the keys to Number 10 in May it would "wreck" the economy.

Video: Sky Reveals Election Predictions

He insisted the Tories could win an outright majority but said the next 100 days would be a "tough fight".

And he insisted his tax cut promises could be funded by the Conservatives' continued careful management of the economy.

He said: "I am worried about the future of our country if we end up with an unstable, Left-wing government that starts to borrow and spend and wreck the economic progress that we have made. Of course I worry about that.

"But, we have 100 days to go to make this argument and I think people  can now see, increasingly, our country getting stronger day by day. 

Video: 100 Days To Go Until The Election

"We have not finished the job, there are still many challenges left for us to meet but we are on the right track and when you are on the right track that's exactly the wrong time to turn backwards."

Mr Cameron has promised a renewed squeeze on benefits "within the first few days" of Government if the Tories are re-elected on 7 May.

The Prime Minister plans to reduce the annual cap on welfare payments from £26,000 to £23,000 - with the £135m saved going towards funding for three million apprenticeships by the end of the decade.

The Tories plan a £30bn adjustment in the first two years of government - £5bn from tax evasion, £13bn from cuts across Whitehall departments and £12bn off the welfare bill.

Video: In The Margins: 150 Key Seats

Mr Cameron said this would help to bankroll the tax cuts promised, including increasing the amount at which people start to pay income tax to £12,500 - lifting a million people out of tax.

He added that he was happy for the televised leaders' debates to go ahead but was keen Northern Ireland parties should be included and the showdowns should not "take the life out of" the election campaign.

:: Sky looks at the 150 seats that could play a deciding role in May's General Election. Click here for the link to the In The Margins console.

Meanwhile, Labour is outlining its 10-year plan for the National Health Service, which includes a pledge to improve the care that terminally ill, frail and elderly people receive at home.

Video: The Changing Face Of UK Politics

The announcement of 5,000 new "homecare workers" is part of a wider policy to invest an extra £2.5bn in the NHS, with a view to recruiting 20,000 more nurses and 8,000 additional GPs.

Speaking on Sky News Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said Labour was not thinking about cutting deals with the SNP to form a coalition in the event the party did not secure a majority.

He said: "My focus is on winning a majority for Labour."

He added that he was not putting his energy into "deal-making" but into making sure the coalition cuts and privatisation in the NHS did not continue.

Video: The Politics Of Your Weekly Shop

He said: "The NHS matters more to me than anything and I think it's in a very dangerous position today."

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Will There Be Another Hung Parliament In May?

By Michael Thrasher, Sky's Election Analyst

With 100 days to go until the General Election, Sky News is forecasting another hung parliament - with Labour rather than the Conservatives as the largest party.

Typical: you wait years for a hung parliament and then two come along together.

This forecast will change because electoral opinion is changing. Gone are the days when parties could rely upon a solid core of support and concentrate instead on wooing the "floating" voters. 

Over the past two years, former Tories have separated from the party, tempted by the promises of UKIP to curb immigration and abandon the European Union. It is 100 days and counting before separation turns into divorce.

Labour, which recovered rapidly from its 2010 defeat because of Liberal Democrat voters defecting, has squandered that inheritance. Deemed too left-wing or too right-wing according to which branch of the party has a public platform, it is being outmanoeuvred by the radical Greens in England and by the SNP in Scotland.

Based on Sky's forecast, Labour and the SNP could form a 'tartan coalition'

The electoral arithmetic is clear. Understanding what might happen on 7 May requires us to reset the parliamentary numbers to what they were after the last election.

The Conservatives, with 306 seats, fell 20 seats short of an overall majority, despite staging one of its best-ever election performances.

Video: Could Clegg Lose His Seat?

Labour finished with 258 seats, and required 68 gains for a victory.

:: Sky looks at the 150 seats that could play a deciding role in May's General Election. Click here for the link to the In The Margins console.

Election watchers normally talk about swing - the movement of voters from one party to another across consecutive elections. The line for next May is pretty well-rehearsed. 

The Conservatives require a swing of 2% from Labour (or an 11-point lead in the popular vote) for an overall majority.

Meanwhile, Labour overtakes the Conservatives with a 2% swing in its favour, and then crosses the finishing line with a 5% swing (a three-point lead).

The national polls currently show that Conservative support has fallen by six points, while Labour has enjoyed a rise of three points. Assuming a national uniform swing, Labour would be just short of a majority.

But the 2015 election is so unlike previous elections that such forecasting conventions should be abandoned.

National polls are now too blunt to capture the undercurrents of electoral opinion. They fail to reflect the turbulence in Scotland following the referendum vote, differences across the English regions, and politics in individual constituencies. 

Last September, 45% of voters in Scotland supported independence. The latest Scottish-only polls shows most of these will stick with the SNP for the Westminster election.

Video: The Politics Of Your Weekly Shop

Meanwhile, the majority that voted to stay with the union have scattered among other parties.

All of this is good news for the SNP, which could win 53 seats, and disaster for Labour, projected to lose 36 seats. 

There are differences in the English regions, too. The UKIP threat to the Conservatives is concentrated down the east coast, and into Essex and Kent particularly. 

While Conservative hopes are pinned on banging the drum of economic recovery, its sound is muffled in the Midlands and the north, where 38 of its most marginal seats are situated.

Opposition parties would hope to tap into such scepticism, but these voters are unimpressed with Labour's leader and his party's message. 

General elections are ultimately decided not by the national vote, but by results in 650 separate constituencies. The contrast here between UKIP and the Liberal Democrats reinforces this point. 

Farage's party is generally more popular than Clegg's, but vote distribution is everything. UKIP may win Clacton and Rochester again, but the Liberal Democrats could have 10 times that number of seats despite polling fewer votes nationally.

A hung parliament is therefore the most likely outcome of this chaos, but the 100 days after the election look equally unpredictable.

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Father Overwhelmed By Japanese Hostage 'Death'

The father of the Japanese hostage apparently killed by Islamic State has said he is overwhelmed by grief.

Shoichi Yukawa said he still had hope "deep in my heart that this is not true" and added that if he were reunited with his son he would give him a "big hug".

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe slammed "an outrageous and unforgivable act" after a video reportedly showing an image of captive Kenji Goto holding a picture of a beheaded Haruna Yukawa was posted online.

The clip also purportedly contained the voice of journalist Mr Goto, 47, claiming the 42-year-old private military company operator had been killed.

Mr Abe said the video, which also includes a demand for a prisoner exchange for Mr Goto, appears to be authentic.

Kenji Goto purportedly claimed his fellow hostage has been killed

The jihadist group Islamic State (IS) had threatened to kill the captives unless a $200m (£133m) ransom was paid to secure their release.

The 72-hour deadline set by the Islamist militants expired on Friday.

However, in the new video they have called for the release of Sajida al Risahwi, an Iraqi woman sentenced to death in Jordan for her part in the Amman bombings in 2005 that killed 60 people.

Mr Abe insisted Tokyo would not bow to terrorism and said his government would spare no effort to secure the release of the remaining captive.

Islamic State have demanded the release of Sajida al Risahwi from Jordan

But he reiterated that Japan would not give in to terrorism.

Barack Obama condemned the "brutal murder" and said the United states would stand "shoulder to shoulder" with Japan.

He called Mr Abe to offer his condolences and called for the immediate release of Mr Goto.

In the video, Mr Goto spoke in English, blaming Mr Abe for Mr Yukawa's death, and told his wife and family not to give up on him.

A Japanese news agency reported the video of Mr Goto had also been emailed to the wife of one of the hostages.

The hostages had appeared in videos wearing the same orange jumpsuits as those worn by captives in previous IS videos.

The mother of Mr Goto has pleaded with militants to spare her son's life.

Junko Ishido said he is a friend of Islam who devoted his life to helping children in war zones.

Mr Yukawa was seized by militants in August, after he went to Syria in what he described as a plan to launch a security company.

Mr Goto, a veteran war correspondent, went into Syria in late October seeking to secure Mr Yukawa's release, according to friends and business associates.

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UKIP MEP Defects To Conservative Party

UKIP MEP Amjad Bashir has defected to the Conservative Party, with David Cameron saying he was "absolutely delighted" with the decision.

But Nigel Farage's party said it had suspended him over allegations of a "grave nature", and would be forwarding its evidence to the police.

A senior Tory source has dismissed the move as a "desperate attempt" to divert attention from his decision to quit UKIP.

As news of his defection emerged, UKIP announced it was suspending the MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber - pending an investigation into "extremely serious" claims of interfering in the candidate selection process, as well as unanswered financial and employment questions.

"UKIP will not tolerate anyone abusing their positions in the party, as we have a firm commitment to differing ourselves from the existing political classes," said a party statement.

Matthew Richardson, a senior aide to Mr Farage, has also caused controversy

Mr Bashir, who was formerly UKIP's small business spokesman, was accused of hypocrisy last May after it emerged that seven people were arrested for immigration offences in a raid on his restaurant.

At the time, the party leader had refused to "prejudge" the case, as Mr Bashir's family had launched an appeal.

Video: UKIP MEP Suspended Before Defection

In addition, Mr Bashir reportedly held a "continued affiliation" with Mujeeb Bhutto - who resigned from the party in 2014 after it emerged he had been jailed for leading a gang of kidnappers in Pakistan.

Explaining his reasons for quitting the party, Mr Bashir told the Telegraph that UKIP had become a "party of ruthless self-interest" and was "pretty amateur".

He claimed it was "delusional" about its chances of winning Parliamentary seats in May's General Election, adding: "After almost three years as a party member, I realise that UKIP is more concerned with furthering its own interests as a political party than delivering for the British people."

In a statement, he continued: "On Friday, I met David Cameron and applied to join the Conservative Party. It is clear UKIP's action today is a desperate attempt to spoil this and is without any foundation.

"The issues raised in my notice of suspension are historic and well known to the party. Indeed, on one of them, Nigel Farage has publicly defended me over it."

The defection is a boost for the Prime Minister, who saw two of his own MPs defect to UKIP last year.

He said: "I'm absolutely delighted that Amjad has decided to leave UKIP and join the Conservative Party."

Meanwhile, one of Mr Farage's most senior aides has sparked controversy in claiming Britain has "hundreds of thousands of bigots" and said UKIP is proud to stand up for them.

Matthew Richardson, the party's secretary, has dismissed his comments as "lighthearted harmless banter in the pub".

A UKIP spokesperson said Mr Bashir promised in his resignation letter that his decision was "not intended to cause any embarrassment for UKIP", and that his defection was "a principled decision".

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Barack Obama Lands In India For Visit

US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle have arrived in New Delhi at the start of a three-day visit to India.

Mr Obama, who landed in the capital at around 9.40am local time, was given a red carpet welcome and received a hug from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his arrival.

It is the second time the president has travelled to India while in office.

The two leaders are due to hold detailed talks later today on a range of issues including climate change, defence co-operation, intelligence sharing and a civil nuclear power agreement.

Analysts say it appears unlikely that their discussions will result in major policy breakthroughs, but the mere fact that they're talking is a sign of progress given recent tensions that have marred relations between the US and India.

Video: US And India In Renewed Partnership

Their relationship hit rock bottom in late 2013 when Indian Deputy Consul General Devyani Khobragade was arrested and strip-searched in New York over allegations she lied on visa forms to bring her maid to the US while paying her a pittance.

The diplomatic row saw the Stars and Stripes torched on the streets of New Delhi.

But ties between the two countries have been steadily improving since Mr Modi took office last May.

He and Mr Obama met for the first time late last year in Washington, and officials from both countries say they quickly developed an "easy chemistry".

In an interview ahead of his arrival, Mr Obama hailed the "remarkable" rise of the 64-year-old Mr Modi, the son of a tea-seller who was elected the leader last year of the world's largest democracy.

Video: New Indian PM Takes Oath Of Office

He told India Today magazine: "When I addressed the Indian Parliament on my last visit (in 2010), I outlined my vision for how we could become global partners meeting global challenges.

"I'd like to think that the stars are aligned to finally realise the vision I outlined."

Mr Obama will be the chief guest at Monday's Republic Day parade in the capital.

He had been due to visit the Taj Mahal in the city of Agra on Tuesday, but he has scrapped that leg of his trip in order to attend the funeral of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz in Saudi Arabia.

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