Qantas airline soars to record profit after restructuring
Australia's national carrier Qantas has posted record annual profits of A$1.42bn ($1.1bn, £820m)nearly doubling last year's result.
The airline will also pay a final dividend to shareholders for the first time since 2009. Qantas has been though major restructuring after posting record losses in 2014. To achieve the turnaround, the carrier has cut capacity, reduced staff and benefited from a slump in oil prices.
"Transformation has made us a more agile business, created value for our shareholders and given us a platform to invest for the future," Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said in a statement. The record results come despite much of aviation business seeing a downturn in business in the wake of a global economic slowdown.
Staff bonus
The profit before tax of A$1.42bn for the year ending 30 June was nearly double the previous year's A$789m, but still came short of analysts' forecasts.
Is Wikileaks putting people at risk?
Whistle-blowing site Wikileaks has been criticised for not doing enough to screen sensitive information found in documents released via the site.
An investigation by the Associated Press has found the names and addresses of teenage rape victims, people who have suffered sexual abuse, and information about individuals suffering mental illness in documents on Wikileaks. Now some are questioning whether the site should be more careful with the information it publishes.
What is Wikileaks?
The website was set up in 2006 by Julian Assange to help whistle-blowers publish secret information, classified documents as well as stolen and leaked data. In early interviews, Mr Assange said it was intended to be a "giant library of the world's most persecuted documents". It has now published more than 10 million documents including:
US military logs and field reports from wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
US State Department diplomatic cables
Official messages sent between the Saudi government and its embassies
Millions of emails from intelligence firm Stratfor
Files and messages from the Democratic National Committee
Melissa McCarthy overtakes Scarlett Johansson on Forbes rich list
Melissa McCarthy has overtaken Scarlett Johansson in Forbes' annual rich list.
McCarthy earned $33m (£25m) before tax between June 2015 and June 2016, making her the world's second highest paid actress, behind Jennifer Lawrence. Johansson, who was placed second last year, dropped to third, earning $25m (£19m) across the year. It tops off a busy year for McCarthy, which saw her appear in the all-female Ghostbusters reboot, as well as The Boss, which topped the US box office.
Johansson has appeared in Captain America: Civil War, the remake of The Jungle Book and the Coen brothers' film Hail Ceasar! over the last year. Forbes reported Lawrence earned $46m (£34.9m) before tax over 12 months to make her the world's highest-paid actress for the second year running. She appeared in the last film in The Hunger Games franchise and the Oscar-nominated Joy during that time.
Earthquake strikes central Italy
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake has struck central Italy, south of the city of Perugia, the US Geological Survey says, with the shock also felt in Rome.
The quake hit at 03:36 (01:36 GMT), 76 km (47 miles) southeast of the city, at the very shallow depth of 10km (six miles), the USGS said. In Rome, some buildings shook for 20 seconds, according to La Repubblica newspaper.
So far, there are no reports of damage or casualties. The prime minister's office said the government was in touch with regional heads of the civil protection agency. The quake was initially reported as being magnitude 6.4.
Louisiana floods: Obama 'heartbroken' after tour
President Barack Obama has toured the flood-ravaged areas of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he vowed to help residents rebuild in the coming months.
"We are heartbroken by the loss of life," he said after his tour. Mr Obama dismissed criticism that he arrived too late and praised state officials for their initial response. The president also met the family of Alton Sterling and the families of the Baton Rouge police officers killed last month. Mr Sterling, a black man, was killed at the hands of a white police officer in Baton Rouge.
His death, along with the police killing of Philando Castile in St Paul, Minnesota, stoked racial tensions and led to protests across the country. Nearly two weeks later, three officers were shot and killed and three more were injured in a shooting near the Baton Rouge police headquarters. The gunman, Gavin Long, was shot dead at the scene.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who travelled to Louisiana four days ago, and others have criticised Mr Obama for not cutting short his vacation on Martha's Vineyard to visit the devastated areas. But Mr Obama hit back after meeting with flood survivors, urging Americans to stay focused on helping the state.
TROPICAL STORM FIONA
NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM FIONA ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION, AT 6PM THURSDAY 18TH AUGUST 2016.
FIONA MOVING NORTHWESTWARD OVER THE CENTRAL TROPICAL ATLANTIC
AT 5PM EDT, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM FIONA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.0°NORTH AND LONGITUDE 41.3° WEST OR ABOUT 1145 MILES WEST OF THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS.
FIONA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST (NW) AT 10 MPH. A MOTION BETWEEN THE NORTHWEST AND WEST-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 45 MILES PER HOUR (MPH) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME SLIGHT STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO, FOLLOWED BY GRADUAL WEAKENING OVER THE WEEKEND.
THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT 6:00 AM
PREPARED BY FORECASTER: SHEZELLE MATHER
THURSDAY 18TH AUGUST 2016 5:30PM
BAHAMAS PUBLIC FORECAST
THIS IS A BAHAMAS PUBLIC FORECAST FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT FRIDAY 19TH AUGUST 2016 ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY AT 6AM
GENERAL SITUATION: THE COMBINATION OF A LOW AND UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IN THE VICINITY OF THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS WILL CONTINUE TO TRIGGER POCKETS OF UNSETTLED WEATHER ACROSS THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS TODAY.
NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS
WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY AND HOT WITH A FEW SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. MOSTLY FAIR AND WARM TONIGHT.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT SHOULD BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND HIGH SEAS IN OR NEAR HEAVY SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: LIGHT AND VARIABLE.
SEAS: 3 FEET OR LESS OVER THE OCEAN.
SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
WEATHER: MOSTLY SUNNY AND HOT WITH THE SLIGHT CHANCE OF AN ISOLATED SHOWER TODAY. FAIR AND WARM TONIGHT.
WINDS: EASTERLY AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE 92°F 33 °C
OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURE 77 °F 25 °C
SUNRISE: 6:46AM MOONSET: 7:54AM HIGH TIDE: 9:04AM & 9:27PM
SUNSET: 7:41PM MOONRISE: 8:45PM LOW TIDE: 3:16PM
EXTENDED FORECAST: FAVORABLE BOATING CONDITIONS ACROSS THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL ISLANDS WHILE A SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE BUILDS OVER THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
FORECAST FOR SATURDAY
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY WITH THE CHANCE OF FEW SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS…MOSTLY SUNNY AND HOT ELSEWHERE.
WINDS: LIGHT AND VARIABLE IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS…EASTERLY AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
SEAS: LESS THAN 3 FEET IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS…2 TO 4 FEET IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
FORECAST FOR SUNDAY
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY WITH THE CHANCE OF FEW SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS…MOSTLY SUNNY, BREEZY AND HOT IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
WINDS: LIGHT AND VARIABLE IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS…EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS…EASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
SEAS: LESS THAN 3 FEET IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS…2 TO 4 FEET IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS…4 TO 6 FEET IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: PLEASE SEE LATEST NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM FIONA…ELSEWHERE 1. A TROPICAL WAVE LOCATED ABOUT 300 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CABO VERDE ISLANDS IS BEING MONITORED FOR POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
2. ANOTHER TROPICAL WAVE IS FORECAST TO MOVE OFF THE COAST OF AFRICA ON SATURDAY INTO FAVORABLE CONDITONS FOR GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT EARLY NEXT WEEK.
FORECASTER: IAN V. MCKENZIE/C.G.
Two Police Officers charged with Acts of Corruption
Two Sworn members of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force has been arrested and charged on Wednesday 17th August 2016.
The two who were on administrative leave since 8th October 2014, were charged with Acts of Corruption and Theft. The charges stemmed from an internal investigation into a report of corrupt practices by both officers in respect of the handling of seized exhibits made sometime in October 2014. The investigation was conducted by Senior Investigators of the Organization.
Both officers were taken to the Magistrate’s Court and are presently on bail until 7th October 2016 for a sufficiency hearing in the Supreme Court.
Both officers will be suspended.
BAHAMAS PUBLIC FORECAST
THE BAHAMAS PUBLIC FORECAST FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
FRIDAY 19TH AUGUST 2016
GENERAL SITUATION: A WEAK HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE REMAINS ACROSS THE AREA WHILE AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH NEAR THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS WILL TRIGGER ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS.
FOR THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS,
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY AND HOT TODAY WITH SOME CLOUDY PERIODS AND ISOLATED SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS TURNING FAIR AND WARM TONIGHT.
ADVISORY: BOATERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WINDS: LIGHT AND VARIABLE OVER OPEN WATERS
SEAS: 3 FEET OR LESS OVER THE OCEAN
FOR THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY AND HOT WITH THE SLIGHT CHANCE OF AN ISOLATED AFTERNOON SHOWER TURNING FAIR AND WARM TONIGHT
ADVISORY: NONE
WINDS: SOUTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET OVER THE OCEAN
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE: 91F 33C
OVERNITE LOW TEMPERATURE: 79F 26C
SUNRISE: 6:46 AM
SUNSET: 7:41 PM
MOONRISE: 8:45 PM
MOONSET: 8:55 AM SAT
LOW TIDE: 3:16 PM HIGH TIDE: 9:27 PM
LOW TIDE: 3:18 AM SAT HIGH TIDE: 9:51 AM SAT
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: SEE LATEST NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM FIONA
FORECASTER: BASIL A. DEAN/vs/sc/cwr
AIRBNB CONFIRMED FOR CTO STATE OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY CONFERENCE
The online community marketplace will join discussion on the sharing economy at the region's premier tourism gathering
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, 19 August, 2016 - One of the world's best known online marketplaces for accommodation has been confirmed to present at the region's leading tourism gathering.
The San Francisco, California-based Airbnb has confirmed its participation in next month's State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC) in Barbados.
The home rental company's regional manager for the Caribbean Mikel Freemon will join a panel on the sharing economy at the 14-16 September conference organized by the region's tourism development agency, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO).
"The sharing economy is a US$26 billion dollar sector and Airbnb is one of the most successful architects of the accommodation component of this sector, disrupting the traditional hotel industry and raising concern among the incumbent firms. We are delighted to have Airbnb share its success model as we examine this hybrid market model and discuss the challenges, risks and opportunities for the Caribbean tourism sector," Sylma Brown, director of the CTO's New York office said.
Airbnb is a US$25.5 billion business and has served over 60 million people since it was formed in 2008. The community marketplace has over two million listings in 191 countries and earned nearly $1 billion in revenue last year.
Freemon will be joined on the panel by Khalil Bryan, a Barbadian entrepreneur and co-founder of Caribbean Transit Solutions which provides on-demand and real time information on taxis and buses, and Frank Comito, the chief executive officer of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA). It will be moderated by Paul Pennicook, Jamaica's director of tourism.
The session on the sharing economy takes place on Friday 16 September.
The State of the Tourism Industry Conference, which has as its theme, Honouring Our Legacy, Defining Our Future, is the pre-eminent tourism gathering in the region. It brings together tourism decision-makers, including ministers, commissioners and directors of tourism, hotel and airline executives, travel agents, students, the media and persons directly and indirectly involved in tourism. It is preceded by CTO business meetings, including meetings of the board of directors and the Council of Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism.
This year's conference at the Hilton Barbados Resort is organized in collaboration with Barbados' Ministry of Tourism and International Transport and the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.
For more information on SOTIC, including how you can register, participate and benefit, visit www.sotic.onecaribbean.org.