Royal Bank of Scotland will cut more jobs, chairperson Philip Hampton warned on Friday as he called for an end to ”public flogging” of the bank.
Eddie O’Sullivan has resigned as Ireland coach following a disappointing Six Nations campaign and the side’s early exit from last year’s World Cup. Ireland finished fourth in the Six Nations, winning two matches out of five. They were knocked out of the World Cup in the group stages.
A lone try from winger Shane Williams handed Wales a 16-12 win over Ireland and the Triple Crown after a tight Six Nations clash at Croke Park on Saturday. Unbeaten Wales, with four wins from four in the tournament, can clinch their second Grand Slam in four years if they beat France in Cardiff next Saturday.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair welcomed a power-sharing deal reached on Monday by Northern Ireland’s main Protestant and Catholic political parties. ”This is a very important day for the people of Northern Ireland … In a sense everything we’ve done in the last 10 years has been a preparation for this moment,” he said.
Britain and Ireland urged Northern Ireland’s politicians on Friday to agree to a power-sharing government after assembly elections in the province or face continued direct rule from London. The vote, widely viewed as a test of support for joint rule, was dominated by the Protestant pro-British Democratic Unionist Party and Catholic Sinn Fein.
Northern Ireland took a step towards restoring a government shared between Protestants and Catholics as it counted votes on Thursday from an election for a new provincial assembly. A strong showing for the main parties on both sides of the divide at Wednesday’s ballot could strengthen prospects for a return to sharing power.