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Budget changes give a boost to Pensioners and Savers

George Osborne has unveiled measures to boost the income of pensioners and savers hit by low interest rates.

The amount people can save tax-free in Isas is to rise, while pensioners also get a higher interest savings option.

People will also no longer have to use their pension pot to buy annuities.

The chancellor froze petrol duty, cut bingo tax from 20% to 10%, froze spirits and cider duty and cut a further 1p from a pint of beer — but put the price of cigarettes up.

Labour leader Ed Miliband dismissed the Budget as full of the «same old Tory tricks» and said millions of people were worse off under the coalition government.

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Malaysia plane relatives dragged from news conference

Frustration with the search for missing flight MH370 boiled over into chaotic scenes as Chinese relatives were dragged away from journalists.

They were attempting to speak to Chinese journalists outside the daily press conference in Kuala Lumpur.

A BBC reporter was pushed away from the relatives, who were carrying banners criticising the handling of the case.

Teams from 26 countries are trying to find flight MH370, which went missing on 8 March with 239 people on board.

One of the relatives, a middle-aged woman, cried: «They give different messages every day! Where’s the flight now? Find our relatives! Find the aircraft!»

The Malaysian government said later it regretted the scenes and ordered an investigation, saying «one can only imagine the anguish they are going through».

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Pro-Russians seize Ukrainian naval bases in Crimea crisis

Pro-Russian forces have taken control of two naval bases in Crimea — including the HQ of Ukraine’s navy.

Streams of Ukrainian servicemen were seen leaving the bases. Kiev said its navy chief has been detained.

Crimean leaders signed a treaty with Moscow on Tuesday absorbing the peninsula into Russia.

Sunday’s referendum approving Crimea’s split from Ukraine came nearly a month after Ukraine’s pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych fell from power.

Crimean and Russian officials said the vote showed overwhelming public support for joining Russia, with 97% of voters in favour.

But the West and the Ukrainian government in Kiev say the hastily organised referendum — boycotted by many of Crimea’s Ukrainian and Tatar minorities — was illegal and will not be recognised.

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How do you spot a fake pound coin

The number of fake £1 coins in circulation now stands at more than 30 million, according to the Royal Mint. How do you know if you’ve been given one?

That £1 coin in your pocket could be worthless.

The number of fake pound coins in circulation has doubled in the past five years and one in every 50 is now counterfeit.

It’s illegal to make or use counterfeited coins and the Royal Mint says people must hand them in if they think they have one. But how can you tell?

It all depends on the quality of the counterfeit, but key signs include a poorly defined ribbed edge, the wrong typeface and an indistinct design or bust of the Queen. A fake can also be slightly different in colour.

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President Rousseff shocked by police car death

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has offered her condolences and said the nation was «shocked» after a woman died when dragged by a police car along one of Rio de Janeiro’s busiest roads.

Mother-of-four Claudia da Silva Ferreira, 38, had been hurt in a shoot-out in the shanty-town where she lived.

Policemen threw her into their patrol car’s boot, which opened by accident when it drove off.

Relatives said Ms Ferreira had been «treated like a criminal».

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