Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 14 Mar 2016

1. Turkey launches air strikes against Kurdish rebels

Turkey has begun operations against Kurdish rebels with curfews in parts of the country and air strikes in Iraq after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to "defeat terror" in the wake of a car bomb that killed at least 37 people in Ankara. Around 125 others are being treated in hospital, with 19 in a serious condition. Erdogan spoke of "resolve" and said terrorism would be "brought to its knees".

Ankara bomber was member of militant rebel group, says official

2. Anti-immigration party makes gains in German elections

German anti-immigrantion party AfD has made strong gains in state elections. The right-wing group campaigned using slogans such as "Secure the borders", but a German government spokesman said the country's immigration policy would not change. However, Angela Merkel admitted that it was a "difficult day" for her CDU party.

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Blow to Merkel as anti-immigration party surges in German elections

3. Budget savings bonus for low-paid workers

George Osborne will announce a savings bonus for low-paid workers in Wednesday's Budget, the government has announced. A new scheme will mean employees on in-work benefits, such as tax credits, who manage to save £50 a month will receive £600 after two years (50 per cent of their savings). This would be repeated after another two years.

4. Ivory Coast: Al-Qaeda gunmen kill 16 on beach

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Magreb has claimed responsibility for the murder of 16 people on a beach in Ivory Coast yesterday. Four of the dead were foreigners, including one French and one German national. Local authorities say the gunmen were "neutralised" at the scene in Grand Bassam, 25 miles from the capital.

Al-Qaeda claims responsibility for Ivory Coast attack

5. Boris accuses Obama of 'hypocrisy' on EU

Boris Johnson has accused Barack Obama of "outrageous and exorbitant hypocrisy" after it emerged the US President will visit the UK to urge voters to choose to stay within the EU. The London Mayor said the US itself was "born from a refusal to accept overseas control" and therefore Obama was being hypocritical.

6. Top Gear slammed for filming around Cenotaph

Retired army commander Colonel Richard Kemp has called on the BBC not to broadcast a stunt for its Top Gear motoring show because it lacked "respect" to film the segment next to the Cenotaph on Whitehall. Former Friends star Matt LeBlanc, one of the re-vamped show's new presenters, performed "donuts" near the memorial.

Has Top Gear returned to its former glory?

7. Mars methane mission blasts off in search for life

A joint European and Russian mission to Mars, which will search for gases that could indicate the existence of life on the Red Planet, has blasted off from Kazakhstan. It will examine the Martian atmosphere for traces of the methane gas detected by the Curiosity rover. On Earth, methane is produced by living organisms.

Lift off for Europe and Russia's joint mission to Mars

8. Composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davies dies aged 81

British composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davies has died at the age of 81. He wrote around 300 works, including ten symphonies, the ten Strathclyde Concertos and the operas Taverner and The Lighthouse, while his most famous work was the solo piano piece Farewell to Stromness. Sir Peter was master of the Queen's music from 2004 to 2014.

9. Westie Geordie Girl wins Crufts Best in Show

West Highland terrier Geordie Girl has been named Best in Show at Crufts. She beat a whippet called Hazel into second place for the top prize in the 125-year-old dog show, which featured 22,000 entrants. Commentator Clare Balding was moved to exclaim: "Isn't she just divine!"

Crufts 2016 - see the pick of the pooches

10. Briefing: What the US would look like under President Donald Trump

Although there is still some way to go until the US election in November, pundits have already begun to speculate what the US would be like with the property mogul in the White House. After winning primaries in Michigan and Mississippi earlier this week, Trump told supporters: "I can be more presidential than anybody, if I want to be, I can be more presidential than anybody."

If he won, the property tycoon would be the first US leader to have never held public office or served at a high level in the military, says the BBC's Anthony Zurcher.

Trump travel ban: Judge expands definition of relatives