Rio de Janeiro police end strike ahead of carnival
Police officers and firefighters in Rio de Janeiro have ended their pay strike, days before the annual carnival.
Union officials in the Brazilian state said a vote on Monday had agreed to stop the demonstration over pay.
Earlier, officials said the strike had had only a limited effect and one police force had decided to suspend its action.
Police in the state of Bahia voted at the weekend to end their 12-day strike after being offered a 6.5% wage rise.
Officials in Bahia said they had also agreed that none of the officers who stopped work would be punished.
The stoppage had led to an increase in reported murders and violence before troops and federal police were deployed to keep order.
In Rio de Janeiro, police and firefighters took action despite being offered a 39% increase in pay.
Trade unions said this was not enough to make up for decades of falling wages.
On Sunday, some 400 people demonstrated on Copacabana beach to call for the release of several arrested officers, who they say have been locked up in maximum security prisons with criminals they put behind bars.
Rio's carnival is the world's largest and gets under way on 17 February.
Explosion damages oil pipeline in Syrian city of Homs
An explosion has hit a major oil pipeline in the central Syrian city of Homs, witnesses and activists say.
A large plume of smoke was seen rising from the pipeline, which runs near farmland on the edge of the Baba Amr district - the target of bombardment by government forces for more than a week.
State media blamed "armed terrorists", but one activist group said government fighter jets had blown up the pipeline.
Activists also said security forces had begun shelling the nearby city of Hama.
Several people had been injured by rocket and mortar fire in the districts of Arbain, Amiriya, Faraiya, Elilat, Bashura and Bab Qibli, and all telecommunications had been cut, they added.
Damascus raids
The pipeline damaged on Wednesday morning runs from the Rumeila fields in the eastern Syriac Desert to the Homs refinery, one of two in the country, which supplies the capital Damascus and the country's south.
A dense plume of black smoke was seen rising above the city several hours after the blast, residents told the Reuters news agency.
It is not yet clear what caused the explosion, but the state news agency, Sana, reported that an "armed terrorist group" was behind it.
One activist group, the Local Co-ordination Committees, said warplanes had flown over Baba Amr - a centre of anti-government protests - and blown up the pipeline. Others said the army had shelled it by mistake.
The pipeline has been targeted several times during the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, which began in March.
Activists say more than 400 people have died in Homs since security forces launched an offensive on opposition-held areas on 5 February.
Meanwhile, reports from Damascus say troops from the elite Republican Guard and army's Fourth Armoured Division - both under the command of President Assad's brother, Maher - have stormed the suburb of Barzeh, setting up roadblocks, searching houses and making arrests.
Residents told the Reuters news agency that the soldiers were looking for opposition activists and members of the Free Syrian Army, a group of army defectors who are seeking to overthrow the president by force.
Rampaul out as T&T leaves for Barbados
On the heels of the national cricket team’s departure at 6 pm today to battle Barbados in their second match of the Regional 4-day tournament, the national selectors have announced that fast bowler Ravi Rampaul has suffered a shoulder injury which has forced him out of the team.
Rampaul is currently receiving treatment for the injury and has been replaced by inform batsman Marlon Barclay. T&T are already without the services of allrounder Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Kevon Cooper who are all currently participating in the inaugural Bangladesh Premier League T20.
Opening batsman Lendl Simmons is also recovering from a knee injury which he picked up in the match against the CCC. Years gone by when T&T national cricket teams left for neighbouring Barbados, not much was expected, however these days that country is a favorite stomping ground for T&T. Last week, T&T opened their campaign with victory over the Combined Campuses Colleges (CCC) at Cave Hill. They were on a bye for the last round and now face Barbados in their den from Thursday. Manager of the team Omar Khan said the players were confident and looking to keep up with Jamaica by winning the clash outright. “Jamaica have now gone ahead with two wins from their two matches. We got a win in our first match and we will be going hard at the Bajans to ensure we keep the pressure on Jamaica.”
Khan said he was very happy with the performances over the weekend in the domestic cricket league. “It was good to see the guys get runs and take wickets and this would give them confidence going into the clash. Skipper Denesh Ramdin had a century for T&TEC, Jason Mohammed was also among the runs and Justin Guillen scored a century for Queen’s Park
Denesh Ramdin (captain), Lendl Simmons, Adrian Barath, Justin Guillen, Darren Bravo, Jason Mohammed, Imran Khan, Rayad Emrit, Sunil Narine, Shannon Gabriel, Marlon Barclay, Atiba Allert and Yannick Cariah.
The officials are: Omar Khan (Manager), Kelvin Williams (Coach).
Greece 'can't take any more cuts'
The Greek people have been pushed to the limit by austerity measures demanded by the EU and IMF, the country's public order minister says.
Christos Papoutsis said Greece had made "superhuman" efforts to comply, and the people "can't take any more".
Eurozone chiefs cancelled a meeting with Greek officials earlier, demanding further cuts and reassurances.
International lenders have told Greece to make huge cuts in return for a 130bn euro ($170bn, £109bn) bailout package.
The Greek parliament approved an austerity package on the weekend, despite violent protests sweeping the country.
But eurozone ministers have demanded a further 325m euros of cuts.
They have also insisted that all major Greek parties give an assurance that the cuts will be enacted regardless of who wins a general election scheduled for April.
Antonis Samaras, whose New Democracy party is a member of the governing coalition and is expected to win April's vote, had hinted that he would try to renegotiate the bailout deal after the election.
Earlier reports said Mr Samaras had refused to give a written assurance that the cuts would be enforced.
But unnamed officials were quoted on Wednesday as saying Mr Samaras had now signed a letter committing him to the austerity package, and it would be delivered by the end of the day.
After a cabinet meeting late on Tuesday, Mr Papoutsis, a member of the other major coalition party Pasok, said Greece had "made all the efforts that it needed to do".
"The people cannot take any more. The government is making superhuman efforts, and we have reached the limits of the social and economic system," he said.
"Greece has owned up to its own responsibilities, and the sacrifices of the Greek people are huge. I believe it is time for everyone to own up to their responsibilities."
Eurozone ministers were due to hold talks on the bailout on Wednesday, but eurogroup head Jean-Claude Juncker said face-to-face talks would be replaced by a conference call.
He said Greece had not shown that it was committed to the austerity plan, and technical work was still needed "in a number of areas".
As well as 17 ministers from nations that use the euro, the president of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi and the Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, Olli Rehn, had also been due to attend the meeting.
The latest bailout was agreed in principle by EU leaders in October, conditional on Greece adopting further measures to cut its deficit and restructure its economy.
On Sunday, Greek MPs approved extra cutbacks, but coalition parties had to expel more than 40 deputies for failing to back the bill.
Thousands protested in Athens, where there were widespread clashes and buildings were set on fire. Violent protests were reported in cities across the country.
On Tuesday, an official report showed that the decline of the Greek economy accelerated in the final three months of 2011.
The estimate showed that, compared with a year earlier, Greek GDP contracted by 7% in the fourth quarter of 2011.
That is an acceleration from the 5% contraction in the third quarter.
The report also shows that the Greek economy shrank 6% last year, an increase on earlier estimates and the fifth year of recession.
US Voices Concern about Syria Resolution Veto During Talks with China's VP
China's veto with Russia of a U.N. Security Council resolution on Syria earlier this month was among a broad range of issues discussed during talks President Barack Obama, Vice President Biden and other U.S. officials had with visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping on Tuesday.
Since China joined Russia in vetoing the U.N. resolution, the United States has continued to make clear its deep disappointment with Beijing's position on Syria.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice called the veto disgusting.
Before Vice President Xi visited the White House, a key question was to what extent President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and other U.S. officials would raise the Syria veto with China's anticipated future leader.
During brief public remarks at the White House with the Chinese vice president, Biden spoke in general terms about the two countries not seeing "eye to eye" on particular issues.
At a State Department lunch for Vice President Xi, Biden specifically mentioning the China vote on Syria.
"We saw this in the recent United Nations Security Council debate about Syria, where we strongly disagreed with China and Russia's veto of a resolution against the unconscionable violence being perpetrated by the [Bashar al-] Assad regime," said Vice President Biden.
Biden repeated a statement he made at the White House with Vice President Xi that the ability of the United States and China to speak candidly about their differences reflects the "strength and maturity" of Sino-American relations.
President Obama's Press Secretary Jay Carney was asked by reporters whether the president raised China's veto of the Syria resolution during his meeting with Xi.
"It is elemental to the kind of relationship we have established with China in this administration that we speak very candidly about the full range of issues that are on the table between us - both the ones where we cooperate very effectively and where we have concerns, and that includes our disappointment that China joined with Russia in vetoing the U.N. Security Council resolution not long ago with regard to Syria," said Carney.
Asked whether the White House agreed with a statement by the Istanbul-based exile Syrian National Council that the Security Council veto had given Syrian President Bashar al-Assad a "license to kill," Carney said he agreed with that assessment.
"That has seemed to have been the case, and it is highly regrettable that that veto occurred and that the resolution didn't pass," he said. “And that is why it is so important for action to be taken for the international community of nations who consider themselves friends of the Syrian people to come together and do everything they can to further pressure the Assad regime and to assist the Syrian people."
Carney quoted President Obama as saying that the reason his meeting with Vice President Xi ran nearly 90 minutes is because of the "importance of the relationship and cooperation in dealing with a range of challenges" the United States and China face together.
Israel Links Bangkok Bombing to Blasts in India, Georgia
Iran is rejecting accusations by Israel that it is behind Tuesday's bomb blasts in the Thai capital of Bangkok and car bombing attacks against Israeli diplomatic targets in India and Georgia.
Itzhak Shoham, the Israeli ambassador to Thailand, says the explosives used in the Bangkok blasts were identical to those used in New Delhi and Tbilisi on Monday.
But a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry in Tehran accused Israel of attempting to harm the “friendly and historic” relations between Tehran and Bangkok.
Four people were injured in the New Delhi attack, while the car bomb in Tbilisi was defused.
Two Iranian men have been arrested in connection with the Bangkok blasts, which injured the suspected bomber and four civilians, and are facing charges including attempted murder of police officers and members of the public, and causing explosions in public.
The first blast went off at a house rented by one of the suspects in the central part of Bangkok. Police say that shortly afterward, a man threw a bomb at a taxi that refused to stop, and later tried to hurl a grenade on a busy road near a school.
The man lost both his legs in one of the explosions. A second suspect was later arrested at Bangkok's international airport.
Thai security forces are searching for a third Iranian suspect, who is believed to have fled to Malaysia.
Syrian Activists Say Government Troops Storm Hama
Syrian rights activists say government forces have launched an assault on the central flashpoint city of Hama, while an explosion hit an oil pipeline in the opposition stronghold of Homs.
The activists say government troops stormed residential areas of Hama Wednesday and that telephone lines in the city were cut.
In Homs, about 40 kilometers to the south, activists say the pipeline explosion near the rebel-held Sunni Muslim district of Baba Amr sent a large plume of smoke into the air. They blame the military for the blast, while the government says “terrorists” are responsible.
One of Syria's two refineries is in Homs, and activists say a nearly two-week assault on the city by government forces has killed hundreds of people.
Syrian officials have blamed “armed terrorists” for an 11-month uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's autocratic rule.
Arab diplomats on Tuesday circulated a draft resolution to United Nations General Assembly members calling on Syria to stop its deadly crackdown on the opposition and accusing the government of rights violations.
The diplomats say the resolution is likely to be put to a vote on Thursday and receive broad support in the 193-nation body.
U.N. General Assembly resolutions are non-binding and cannot be vetoed. Russia and China vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution earlier this month, blocking the body from endorsing a Western- and Arab-backed plan for President Assad to step aside as a way of ending the crisis.
U.S. officials say President Barack Obama expressed disappointment with China's veto at a Tuesday meeting with visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping. At another Washington event attended by Xi, Vice President Joe Biden said the United States “strongly disagreed” with Beijing and Moscow for vetoing a resolution against what Biden called “unconscionable violence” by the Assad government.
China's official Xinhua news agency says Xi told Biden that Beijing's position on Syria is aimed at “safeguarding peace and stability in the Middle East” and is “in line with international principles.” Both China and Russia have said the Security Council must not take sides in a domestic conflict or provide a pretext for foreign military intervention in Syria.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said Monday the Security Council's failure to act has “emboldened” Mr. Assad to try to “crush dissent with overwhelming force.”
The United Nations said last month that violence linked to the uprising has killed more than 5,400 people. U.N. officials stopped updating the death toll in January, saying it was too difficult to obtain information. Rights groups say hundreds more people have been killed since then.
IMF concludes mission to Trinidad and Tobago
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team visited Trinidad and Tobago during February 1-10, 2012, to conduct the 2011 Article IV consultation. The team met with senior government and central bank officials, a broad range of private sector representatives, and political and business leaders, and discussed recent macroeconomic and financial developments, medium-term prospects, and policy challenges.
At the end of the visit, Judith Gold, head of the IMF mission to Trinidad and Tobago, issued the following statement in Port of Spain:
“There is concrete evidence that the economy is turning the corner and that economic growth will resume in 2012 notwithstanding the ongoing technical disruptions in the energy sector. Real economic activity is projected to increase by 1.7 percent in 2012 as private sector credit expansion gains momentum, the resolution of a large failed insurance company (CLICO) proceeds, the faster pace of government investment continues and energy production returns to normal as the maintenance work is completed while energy prices remain high. Still, there are downside risks to the forecast stemming from the global economic environment, uncertainty in gas prices, and possible delays in the implementation of the public sector investment program.
“The economic slowdown that began with the global financial crisis has been more profound and lasted longer than anticipated. The economy is estimated to have contracted by 1.3 percent in 2011, after recording no growth in 2010 and a significant decline in 2009. Ample buffers, including savings in the Heritage and Stabilization Fund, low public debt, and high international reserves, have cushioned the impact of the crisis, including the failure of CLICO. While unemployment has increased during this period, it remains low at 5.8 percent. Inflation, despite its recent resurgence due to volatility in food prices, also remains moderate at 5.3 percent.
“The 2011/12 budget seeks to provide further support to the economic recovery by maintaining the high level of public capital expenditure, strengthening the business environment, and enhancing the social safety net. The mission agrees that the near-term focus of fiscal policy should be on reviving economic activity, and the timely implementation of the investment program should be a priority. The completion of the restructuring of CLICO claims will also be important to defuse remaining uncertainties. Over the longer term, a shift in the fiscal trajectory will be needed to continue building net savings for future generations while maintaining public investment to support diversification and growth of the non-energy sector. Such a strategy would focus on containing increases in transfers and subsidies while better targeting social benefits to vulnerable groups. It would also include a strengthening of the tax effort through ongoing improvement of tax and customs administration and a broadening of the tax base.
“The financial system has not been immune to the prolonged economic downturn. Although commercial banks remain well capitalized, profitable, and liquid, the banking system’s non-performing loans (NPLs) have increased and provisioning has declined. Given financial vulnerabilities, the mission agrees that continued intensified monitoring and surveillance of the financial system is warranted and urges accelerating the strengthening of the regulatory and supervisory framework, including the enactment of legislation on insurance, credit unions, and securities. The mission concurs with the central bank’s accommodative monetary stance to support the revival of private sector credit.
“Key challenges in the energy sector are the projected depletion of oil and gas reserves and the uncertainty in the gas market as a result of the shale gas production in the United States. The industry has been successful in redirecting its exports to new markets in view of the falling gas prices in the United States. Looking forward, adapting the sector’s investment framework and the fiscal regime to ensure its competitiveness will be essential. Just as critical will be the continued effort to diversify the economy. The mission welcomes the government’s focus on improving the regulatory and administrative framework for private sector activity, and fostering investment, including the planned divestment and public/private partnership programs. It will also be important to strengthen public administration and the public service, to ensure effective and efficient delivery of public goods and services.
“The mission wishes to express its gratitude for the exceptional collaboration of many government and non-government representatives, and for their kind hospitality.”
CNN
IDB strengthens partnership with Caribbean
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has strengthened its historic partnership with member countries of the English-speaking Caribbean and Suriname.
IDB general manager for the Caribbean Department, Gerard Johnson, hailed results achieved by the countries in the region by discussing and identifying the main areas in which the IDB and other international and regional organizations may cooperate with each other and with the countries. Johnson ratified the firm commitment of the Bank in supporting countries to tackle their economic, financial, social and environmental challenges.
IDB lending to borrowing member countries in the English-speaking Caribbean and Suriname reached more than US$900 million per year in 2010 and 2011. With an active portfolio of US$3.5 billion and a pipeline of around US$1.5 billion, the IDB is deeply invested in these countries.
The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago -- along with Dutch-speaking Suriname -- are brought together by commerce, geography and traditions. Their economic situations and development challenges, however, may vary widely.
They share some common development challenges. One is the need to become more competitive in the global economy. Other challenges include more economic growth, overcoming the threat of macroeconomic imbalances that weaken development efforts, the need to strengthen public-private dialogue to promote private sector development, and institutional capacity constraints that affect efficiency and public policy. The global economic slowdown has made these challenges more daunting.
The IDB also partners with CARICOM to support regional integration and provides financing and technical support for the members of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States in partnership with the Caribbean Development Bank.
Key Areas of Focus
The IDB finances programs to promote sustainable energy, infrastructure strengthening, governance, fiscal reform and citizen security, as well as furthering reforms in social sectors, such as health, housing and education in the Caribbean.
In the area of competitive regional integration and private sector development, the IDB finances projects in the trade sector and fosters competitiveness. Compete Caribbean is an initiative promoting competitiveness in 15 countries in the region through a partnership with the United Kingdom Department for International Development and the Canadian International Development Agency.
The IDB is also helping these countries to deal with the effects of climate change and providing support for environmental sustainability. Several new projects seek to improve disaster risk management and coastal infrastructure in the Caribbean region as a whole to mitigate the effects of climate change.
The Inter-American Development Bank
The IDB is a leader in social and economic development and one of the largest sources of multilateral financing for Latin America and the Caribbean. The Bank works with governments, companies, and civil society organizations from its 48 member countries, offering financial products and resources to help the region reduce poverty and inequality in a sustainable way.
The IDB is a member of the IDB Group, which also includes the Multilateral Investment Fund and the Inter-American Investment Corporation to support the private sector. The members of the IDB Group invest in projects to improve the business and investment environment and to support companies with projects that promote social and economic development.
CNN
Grammys 2012: Adele Wins Big While Stars Mourn Whitney Houston
Adele swept the top categories at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards, taking home five top awards including Album of the Year for her blockbuster smash 21, Record and Song of the Year for "Rolling in the Deep" and Pop Solo Performance for "Someone Like You." The British singer also won for Pop Vocal Album and returned to the stage after months of medical issues for a rousing, vibrant rendition of "Rolling in the Deep." Paul Epworth, producer of 21, also won for Producer of the Year.
While it was very much Adele's night, Whitney Houston's death yesterday cast a shadow over the entire ceremony, with host LL Cool J opening the show by offering a brief prayer for the late superstar. "There's no way around this," the rapper and actor said. "We've had a death in the family." Later in the show, Jennifer Hudson paid tribute to Houston by performing her own rendition of "I Will Always Love You," the singer's signature hit.
Houston wasn't the only music legend being mourned at the ceremony. Bonnie Raitt and Alicia Keys paid homage to Etta James with a cover of her hit "A Sunday Kind of Love," and Questlove honored Don Cornelius before Foo Fighters, Deadmau5, David Guetta and Lil Wayne performed a tribute to electronic dance music. The Band Perry and Blake Shelton paid tribute to the still-living Glenn Campbell, who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease, but nevertheless hit the stage for a flawless rendition of his classic "Rhinestone Cowboy."
Bon Iver took home awards for Alternative Album and Best New Artist, beating out stiff competition from Nicki Minaj, Skrillex and the Band Perry. "It's really hard to accept this award," said Bon Iver songwriter Justin Vernon. "When I started to make songs, I did it for the inherent reward of making songs." He did, in fact, accept the award.
Other big winners were Foo Fighters, who swept the rock categories and took home Rock Album forWasting Light, and Kanye West, who won for Rap Album for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, took two awards for the single "All of the Lights" and shared Rap Performance with Jay-Z for "Otis." Neither West or Jay-Z were on hand to accept their honors. Skrillex may have been shut out for Best New Artist, but cleaned up in the electronic dance categories with Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites.
In the reggae category, Stephen Marley won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album for Revelation Pt 1: The Root Of Life.
The show included several memorable performances, including an over-the-top production of Nicki Minaj's new track "Roman Holiday" that relied heavily on Catholic iconography, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's energetic run through their new hit "We Take Care of Our Own," a collaboration between Coldplay and Rihanna on the song "Princess of China," and the debut of a new song by Katy Perry in which she slams her ex-husband Russell Brand after what had seemed like amicable divorce agreement.
The Civil Wars made the most of a brief spot before Taylor Swift's elaborate production number for "Mean" with a truncated version of their song "Barton Hollow," and the Foo Fighters ripped through a no-frills rendition of their Grammy-winning hit "Walk" on an outdoor stage. Paul McCartney played the pop standard "My Valentine" midway through the show, and closed it with an energetic run through the closing medley of the Beatles' Abbey Road.
The strangest performance of the night was no doubt the Beach Boys reunion, which began with Maroon 5 and Foster the People running through pitchy takes on "Surfer Girl" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice" before assisting the newly reunited band on "Good Vibrations." Maroon 5's Adam Levine and Foster the People's Mark Foster seemed to be overjoyed by this opportunity, but Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson appeared to be totally befuddled by the situation, giving confused, vaguely horrified looks to the camera, and shuffling off stage as soon as the song ended.