RBS reports £3.5bn loss for 2014
UK state-owned bank RBS has reported a loss of £3.5bn for 2014, down from a £9bn loss the previous year.
The results were hit by a £4bn writedown on the sale of its US business, Citizens.
The bank's chief executive Ross McEwan confirmed he would not receive a bonus this year.
But RBS will still pay out bonuses from a pool of £421m, which is some 21% smaller than in 2013.
Mr McEwan defended the size of the bonus pool.
Speaking on the Today programme he described it as "fair pay" and said it was necessary to pay bonuses to attract people to carry out "fairly technical jobs".
The bank is 79%-owned by the British taxpayer after a government-led rescue in 2008.
Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne has written a letter to the new chairman of the bank, Howard Davies, saying he expected the bank not to give bonuses to senior executives.
He wrote: "I would also expect that, as in the past, no executive directors or members of the executive committee will receive bonuses, despite improved profitability.
"Given the extraordinary support it has enjoyed in the past from taxpayers, I know you recognise that RBS must remain a backmarker on pay and continue to show responsibility and restraint."
Thursday's results show that after one-off costs are stripped out operating profits were £3.5bn last year, the highest since 2010.
Source-BBC
Ghana secures $1bn IMF loan in bid to revive economy
Ghana has struck a deal with the International Monetary Fund aimed at stabilising its troubled economy.
The three-year deal follows months of talks prompted by the government's failure to meet targets on inflation, the budget deficit and growth.
The Ghanaian economy had been expanding at about 8% annually on the back of gold, cocoa and oil exports.
However, growth fell to 4.2% in 2014 as commodity prices fell and the currency depreciated.
The IMF will provide Ghana with loans worth about $940m in instalments, beginning in April.
Joel Toujas-Bernate, head of the IMF's Africa division, said the short-term priority was to stabilise Ghana's economy.
Finance minister Seth Terkper said the agreement was expected to "make markets to react more positively" and encourage more support from donors.
The IMF now expects inflation in Ghana to fall to between 11% and 12% by the end of the year.
Growth should come in at 3.5% in 2015, it said, rising to between 5% and 6% by 2017.
Madonna falls off stage at Brit Awards 2015
Pop star Madonna fell off the stage during her performance at the 2015 Brit Awards, on a night that saw Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran each win two prizes.
Madonna tumbled down a set of stairs and landed awkwardly, apparently after a dancer tried to remove a cape she was wearing at the start of her routine.
But she recovered and returned to continue her song, Living For Love.
The 56-year-old issued a statement later saying she was "fine" and that her cape had been "tied too tight".
"Nothing can stop me and love really lifted me up," she wrote on Instagram, referencing the lyrics to her song. "Thanks for your good wishes!"
The painful incident came at the end of a ceremony where Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith shared the honours, winning two awards each.
An average of 5.3 million people tuned in to the ceremony on ITV, according to overnight ratings - rising to 5.8 million when ITV+1 viewers are added in.
That is up from the 4.6 million who tuned in last year - but less than 2013's overnight audience of 6.5 million.
You may have wondered why there was no gasp of shock from the O2 crowd as Madonna took her backward tumble.
Well, sitting way up in the balcony seats among some of Madonna's biggest fans - the type who know and sing along with every lyric - the initial thought was that it may have been a particularly well orchestrated dance manoeuvre.
Consider the evidence - she fell on the lyric "I let down my guard, I fell into your arms" and was back on her feet to sing purposely "now that it's over, I'm going to carry on".
The truth later emerged but credit to the showbiz trooper for carrying on. In the words of those other Brit Award history-makers Chumbawamba "I get knocked down but I get up again".
Sheeran scooped the night's main prize, album of the year, for his record X - which was the best-selling record of 2014 in the UK.
"I was really worried abut this album," he said, accepting his trophy from actor Russell Crowe. "It took a long time to make."
The star added it had been a "very, very good year for British music".
"I don't think a statue gives justification of people's success," he continued.
Sheeran also won best British male, while Sam Smith took home best breakthrough artist and the global success award - recognising album sales outside the UK.
The singer, who won four Grammys earlier this month, thanked his fans in an emotional speech.
"Since I was a little kid I dreamed of people all over the world singing my songs and although I've got a long way to go, this shows that I'm stepping in the right direction."
Earlier, Taylor Swift opened proceedings, playing her hit single Blank Space surrounded by dancers in white suits and bowler hats.
She went on to win best international female, her first award after eight years of releasing records in the UK.
"I started out playing King's College [in London] and eight years later I'm getting ready to play Hyde Park," she said backstage. "It's like... what?"
The star dedicated her award to Sheeran, a close friend, who fanned the flames of her love affair with the UK by "taking me to pubs and showing me how to make a proper cup of tea."
Both acknowledged their slow-building success in their speeches.
"Oh my god, wow," said Swift. "I've been coming to England and playing shows for eight years and this is my first Brit Award, I'm so happy."
Paloma Faith won best British female, and also alluded to her slow-building career.
"This has been 13 years in the making and I'm going to gob off a bit," she told the audience at London's O2 Arena.
She revealed she'd "been arrested twice" for fly posting in Hackney when she was a young artist, but could now see her face on posters at the tube station outside the venue.
Faith's third album, A Perfect Contradiction, was the biggest-selling female record in the last year, shifting more than 725,000 copies.
She also gave one of the night's more elaborate performances, singing Only Love Can Hurt Like This under a streaming waterfall.
Mark Ronson won best single for Uptown Funk, while Brighton rock duo Royal Blood were presented with best British Group by rock legend Jimmy Page.
The band also performed at the show, alongside George Ezra and Kanye West, who premiered a new song All Day, which had to be heavily censored by ITV.
Source-BBC
Jamaica Parliament approves ‘Ganja Law’
The much anticipated amendment to the Dangerous Drugs Act was passed in the House of Representatives.
The debate on the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill, often referred to as the ganja law, was piloted in the House, by Minister of National Security, Peter Bunting.
The Bill was passed with five amendments in the Senate on February 6, piloted by Minister of Justice Senator Mark Golding, under intense scrutiny from the Opposition, during a seven-hour debate
The Government is hoping to see significant economic gains from the decriminalisation of ganja, particularly in the area of medicinal use, which is a US$2.5-billion market in the United States.
The changes to the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act will make possession of two ounces or less of marijuana a non-arrestable, ticketable offence, that attracts no criminal record.
Where the person found in possession of a small quantity of ganja is a minor, or an adult who appears to be dependent on the substance, they are to be referred to the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) by the police officer issuing the ticket.
Additionally, the Bill prohibits the smoking of ganja in public places, and makes provisions for the granting of licences, permits and other authorisations to enable the establishment of a regulated industry for ganja for medical, scientific, and therapeutic uses.
It also provides for the creation of a Cannabis Licensing Authority, which will be responsible for developing the regulations governing the medical marijuana industry.
The Bill was tabled in the House of Representatives on February 10.
Mayweather to fight Pacquiao in May
Floyd Mayweather will fight Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas on 2 May in what promises to be the richest bout in the history of boxing.
American Mayweather, 37, and Filipino Pacquiao, 36, are considered to be the best two fighters of their generation.
Mayweather’s WBC and WBA welterweight titles and Pacquiao’s WBO belt will be on the line at the MGM Grand.
Mayweather is unbeaten in 47 professional fights; Pacquiao has 57 wins and five losses from 64 contests.
The fight is expected to generate as much as £162m ($250m). The most lucrative fight in history is thought to be Mayweather’s bout against Saul Alvarez in 2013, which made an estimated £97m.
Mayweather-Pacquiao is also expected to break the record for pay-per-view buys in the United States. The current record of 2.4 million was set when Mayweather fought fellow American Oscar de la Hoya in 2007.
Mayweather wrote on his webpage: “What the world has been waiting for has arrived. Mayweather vs Pacquiao on May 2, 2015 is a done deal.
“This will be the biggest event in the history of the sport. Boxing fans and sports fans around the world will witness greatness on May 2.”
IS Militants Kidnap 220 Assyrians
At least 220 Assyrian Christians have been abducted in northeastern Syria in recent days, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Thursday.
Observatory Director Rami Abdurrahman told VOA Islamic State fighters have attacked 11 Assyrian villages in the Tal Tamr area in Hassakeh province in the past three days, taking 220 people prisoner. He said they have now been moved to the Abd al-Asiz mountains, where they are still in captivity.
University of London expert in Eastern Christianity Erica Hunter said she is not optimistic about the fate of those abducted.
“I am sure that they will probably kill the young men, they do tend to do that, particularly if the young men have been involved in any militias, and there have been Christians joining up with the Kurds," Hunter said.
"The women will have the fate of what we saw in the Roman empire of being sold into slavery as sexual concubines," she added.
The Islamic State group has targeted religious minorities with kidnappings and killings during its spread across northern Iraq and Syria.
In Libya last month, for example, 20 members of Egypt's Coptic Christian minority were killed by Islamic State fighters.
In addition to the kidnappings in Syria, activists said many more residents in the province have fled from their homes to the main cities of Hassakeh and Qamishli.
Kurdish fighters, backed by days of airstrikes from a U.S.-led military coalition, have also been battling the militants in the area.
Hunter said some Assyrians have aligned themselves with Kurdish militia, taking up arms in an attempt to defend their communities against Islamic State terrorists, known as Daesh.
Earlier this week, the U.S. State Department called for the immediate release of the kidnapped Assyrian Christians.
Source-VOA
Al-Shabab Targets Somali Presidential Palace
Somalia militant group Al-Shabab carried out a mortar attack at the presidential palace Thursday, and witnesses said one person was killed.
Security officials confirmed the attack but did not release any information on casualties.
Police said they are investigating.
Al-Qaida-linked, militant group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack and said several shells landed inside the palace, but police would confirm only that several mortars landed near the heavily fortified structure.
The attack occurred as Prime Minister Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke was meeting with his Cabinet.
Al-Shabab also claimed responsibility for last week's hotel bombing in Mogadishu that killed 25 people, including two government officials, and wounded the country's deputy prime minister.
Mogadishu deputy mayor Mohamed Aden Guled and Somali lawmaker Omar Ali Nor were among those killed in the hotel attack.
Among the 40 wounded there were Somalia's deputy Prime Minister Mohamed Omar Arte and Transport and Aviation Minister Ali Ahmed Jama Jangali.
Al-Shabab has repeatedly attacked government and civilian targets in Somalia in its efforts to topple the government and establish its version of an Islamic state. An African peacekeeping force pushed the militants out of Mogadishu in 2011.
The group launched two assaults on the presidential palace during 2014, and killed at least five members of parliament.
Some material for this report came from Reuters and AP.
Anguilla HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY dissolved and RETURNING OFFICERS sworn-in
The Anguilla House of Assembly has today been dissolved in advance of the forthcoming election as provided for by subsection (2) of section 63 of the Constitution of Anguilla. The election must now take place on or before Friday 24 April 2015. A further announcement of the date for the election will be made in due course.
The Governor will also formally swear-in the Returning Officers on Wednesday afternoon. The Returning Officers for each district will be as follows:
District 1: Mr Rodney Rey
District 2: Mr Bernard Wattley
District 3: Ms Laureen Bryan
District 4: Ms Melissa Meade
District 5: Mr Sinclair Buchanan
District 6: Mr Gifford Connor
District 7: Mrs Gracita Christopher
Executive Council has already approved and published guidance to inform public officers and elected officials of the principles that inform decision making between the dissolution and the election. This guidance makes clear that:
“The dissolution of the House of Assembly does not affect the day-to-day business of the Government. Executive Council members remain in charge of their portfolios. Following the dissolution of the House of Assembly it is, however, expected that Ministers will refrain from initiating any action of a continuing or long-term character. Decisions on matters of policy, board appointments and other issues (for e.g. large and or contentious procurement contracts) on which a new Government could reasonably be expected to want the opportunity to take a different view from the present Government should be postponed until after the election, where such postponement would not be detrimental to the national interest nor wasteful of public money.”
Detailed planning continues to ensure that Anguilla’s elections are free, fair and efficiently run, with the Supervisor of Elections, Ms Aurjul Wilson, conducting weekly training sessions in preparation for Polling Day.
Source-Anguilla News
Gayle hits first ever World Cup double century
West Indies opener Chris Gayle became the first batsman to score a double century in a World Cup innings when he reached the landmark against Zimbabwe in a Pool B clash in Canberra on Tuesday.
Gayle, who might have been given out lbw before he had scored, brought up his first double century in 226 one-day internationals off just 138 balls including nine fours and 16 sixes.
The 35-year-old Jamaica left-hander’s innings surpassed the previous World Cup best of 188 not out by South Africa’s Gary Kirsten against the United Arab Emirates at Rawalpindi in 1996.
It was also only the fifth double century in all ODI cricket and the first by a non-Indian, with Rohit Sharma (two), Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag the only other batsmen to achieve the feat.
Source-AFP
DEPUTY PREMIER AND MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, HON. AKIERRA MISSICK BREAKS GROUND FOR LONG BAY HIGH SCHOOL
I am grateful for all of you attending this ceremony today, and recognize my fellow politicians past, and present who took the time to be here to share with the Ministry on this occasion. Regardless of your political persuasion, your motivation to serve this country we love is commendable and the Turks and Caicos Islands love and thank you all. To all who have spoken today I want to say thank you for your kind words and the examples you have set.
I want to say a great thanks to the members of my Ministry and Department of Education who are here to partake in this celebration today. Each and every one of you’ve worked tirelessly on this project and it is only fitting to offer public thanks for your involvement and commitment. So with that said, PS Jones, Deputy Secretary Robinson, Director Howell, EO Thomas, HOS Lightbourne, Executive Assistant Williams, new DS Cox and the team at EMS, PWD and GSS Thank You for making this vision, promise, and pledge a reality!
And as time does not permit me to name everyone, I will conclude my thanks to the Members of Cabinet, Premier, Governor, Ministers, DG and even the CFO by saying that someday when the history is written, History will show that I served with great people -- a talented, dedicated, intelligent team -- team of men and women who love our nation as much as I do.
Today marks a major milestone in a journey started almost 40 years ago. In 1976 the Turks and Caicos Islands embarked on an official journey of nationhood, today that journey takes another step with the development of this school that represents the modernization of Secondary Education in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Today I present a bridge to the future!!!
The construction of this school represents the first new major infrastructural investment by Turks & Caicos Islands Government on the island of Providenciales in a number of years. And while roads have been built and the airport renovate & extended, the idea of a new purpose built Government building on this island has become almost a rare thought – but today I say NO MORE.
Through dedication and motivation we have built a bridge over the obstacles an as we turn the sod on a new Government investment, for which I say proudly JUST LOOK AT US NOW.
Another day, another bridge, another reason to continue -- A bridge from a dream illustrated years ago in a newspaper advert that had been placed by my predecessor of this Constituency Galmo “Gilley” Williams. The advert envisioned a new school in a new area, with a new vision to uphold an old ideal, the ideal of more and better education for all, the ideal of keeping hope alive and keeping the dreams of the next generation always within their reach. Today, Gilley, Our dream is now a reality.
American journalist Sydney J. Harris once wrote, “The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.” In nation, after nation and generation after generation, education has opened more doors for more people then any key, or influence, or power or might, ever could. You see, in an era of building bridges, EDUCATION represents the strongest, longest and more reliable bridge to take the youth of the Turks and Caicos Islands to the future.
Education is our bridge, a bridge over discrimination, a bridge over unsatisfactory jobs, a bridge over insufficient pay, a bridge over bridges that were built to act against us, a bridge over national debt and even a bridge over the sinking fund! As I say to my colleagues time and time again, if the sinking fund is going to be deprived for EDUCATION, then we must either borrow to learn or learn to borrow.
When I came office, I was awarded a group of people who were beyond all else passionate. Passionate about the TCI yes, and also passionate about the future, but I noticed an overarching passion in each of them, the passion to elevate the TCI education system above and beyond the best that the region and even the world has to offer. That kind of passion demanded my support, because while the passion was very much alive, the spirits were slowly dying.
This school project marks a tangible accomplishment of years of hard work and determination. The passion of a people has resulted in this advancement in education and this advancement in education shall cultivate a new passion of our people. Educational philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau once wrote – “Plants are shaped by cultivation and (people are shaped) by education”.
In times like these when the future may not appear as certain as it use to, we are charged as adults and leaders to always preserve the vision of a bright and promising future for our youth. This is our focus in the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Libraries. And while other Ministries work equally as hard to ensure that we have a good present and a great future, we in my Ministry are dedicated to make sure that we the people of the Turks & Caicos Islands, through the Children that will be educated in this and other schools, would become the Masters of this country’s future.
This project is of utmost significance to us as a Country, and a People. This project is the sign of bolder and grander things to come for our people, and while this is no time to bask in the accolades or gloat over accomplishments, I want to assure you the Ministry is nearing completion of the design and specifications for Phase 2.
Today’s ceremony, although a major development for this Government and our People, it is only one step in a bolder plan for the investment in our People through Education.
Turks & Caicos we are staying the Course, and on the road to prosperity Good Morning.