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Water and medicine in short supply after Myanmar earthquake, says UN

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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Water and medicine in short supply after Myanmar earthquake, says UN

Multiple UN Agencies have raised the alarm about cholera and the shortage of drinking water

Patients lie on beds inside the compound of Mandalay General Hospital following a strong earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar, April 1, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer

International news via Reuters:

Shelter, clean water and medicine are in short supply following the earthquake in Myanmar that has caused significant structural damage and had a devastating human toll, the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Tuesday.

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake on Friday, which killed more than 2,700 people and left more than 4,500 injured, severely damaged critical infrastructure including major bridges and roads.

“The time window for critical search and rescue is narrowing … Shelter, clean water, medicine are in short supply. People in affected areas spent the night in the open because there is no electricity or running water,” OCHA’s Myanmar Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Marcoluigi Corsi told reporters in Geneva via video link from Yangon.

Multiple UN Agencies have raised the alarm about the shortage of drinking water, with concerns of cholera spreading.

“It is really dire – the most immediate need is water, it is super hot out there…Water pipes and septic tanks have broken,” said Julia Rees, UNICEF’s Deputy Representative, via the video link.

The World Health Organization said hospitals were overwhelmed and that medical supplies were running out, and that there were shortages of running water and fuel.

The UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, has identified the situation as a top-level humanitarian crisis and is mobilising stocks like plastic sheets, sleeping material and mosquito nets.

Response efforts have been complicated by severe damage to roads and bridges, meaning it took UNHCR teams 13 hours to reach Mandalay from Yangon, in what should usually be a eight-hour journey, according to the organisation.

“The most urgent requirements is shelter and relief items … there is also the risk of explosive ordnance – due to the last four years of active conflict,” UNHCR representative Babar Baloch told reporters in Geneva.

FUNDING CONCERNS

OCHA, UNHCR and UNICEF have raised funding concerns – urging countries to offer money so they can replenish stocks.

“Stocks on the ground will not last forever, so that is why it is very important that we get the resources that we need”, said Baloch.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since early 2021, when the military ousted an elected civilian government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

A protest movement morphed into an armed rebellion against the junta and the widening conflict has displaced over 3.5 million people.

Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin; Editing by Ludwig Burger and Raju Gopalakrishnan

UK grocery inflation edges higher, says Kantar

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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UK grocery inflation edges higher, says Kantar

Britons’ spending power is under pressure from increased energy and water bills

FILE PHOTO: People shop at a grocery market, in London, Britain May 6, 2023. REUTERS/Emilie Madi/File Photo

International news via Reuters:

British grocery price inflation edged higher in March, industry data showed on Tuesday, putting more pressure on consumers’ budgets at a time when they are facing several other cost increases.

Market researcher Kantar said annual grocery price inflation was 3.5% in the four weeks to March 23, versus 3.3% in last month’s report.

UK grocery sales rose 1.8% over the same period year-on-year, the slowest rate of growth since June last year.

That growth implies a drop in sales volumes, once inflation is taken into account.

Kantar said prices were rising fastest in chocolate confectionery, butter and spreads, and chilled smoothies and juices, and were falling fastest in dog and cat food and household paper products.

In addition to rising food prices, Britons’ spending power is under pressure from increased energy and water bills, and higher local taxes.

UK retailers have warned that employer tax rises imposed in the Labour government’s first budget, together with another rise in the national minimum wage and a new packaging levy, will also be inflationary.

Industry researcher the Institute of Grocery Distribution has forecast that food inflation could hit nearly 5% this year.

A separate survey from the British Retail Consortium, also published on Tuesday, showed overall UK shop prices fell by 0.4% in the 12 months to March, while food prices rose 2.4%.

Discounter Lidl was the best performing bricks and mortar supermarket over the 12 weeks to March 23, with sales up 9.1% year-on-year, Kantar said.

It was followed by fellow discounter Aldi, with growth of 5.6%, and market leader Tesco, with growth of 5.4%.

Asda, Britain’s third largest grocer, remained the industry laggard, with a sales fall of 5.6% and a 1.1 percentage points loss of market share over the year.

Last month, Asda launched a major campaign of price cuts to try to regain lost market share, sending shares in Tesco and Sainsbury’s lower.

UK supermarkets’ market share and sales growth (%)

Market share Market % change in

12 wks to share 12 sales

Mar. 23 2025 wks to Mar. (yr-on-yr)

24 2024

Tesco 27.9 27.3 5.4

Sainsbury’s 15.2 15.1 4.1

Asda 12.5 13.6 -5.6

Aldi 11.0 10.7 5.6

Morrisons 8.5 8.7 0.6

Lidl 7.8 7.4 9.1

Co-operative 5.3 5.4 1.0

Waitrose 4.4 4.4 2.7

Iceland 2.2 2.3 1.8

Ocado 2.0 1.9 11.2

Source: Kantar

Reporting by James Davey. Editing by Paul Sandle and Mark Potter

Towering blaze in Malaysia on Petronas pipeline, 63 sent to hospital

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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Towering blaze in Malaysia on Petronas pipeline, 63 sent to hospital

No deaths reported but the full extent of the injuries or damage so far not immediately clear

An onlooker takes a picture of a fire after a gas pipeline operated by Malaysia’s state energy firm Petronas caught fire, in Puchong, Malaysia April 1, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer

International news via Reuters:

At least 63 people were being treated in hospitals in Malaysia on Tuesday after a major blaze at a gas pipeline operated by state energy firm Petronas, authorities said, with efforts ongoing to control the fire and evacuate residents.  

The fire started on Tuesday morning in the town of Puchong in Selangor state on the outskirts of the capital Kuala Lumpur and those taken to hospitals had suffered burns, respiratory problems or other injuries, authorities said.    

The pipeline had been isolated, Petronas in a statement said. The fire department said the firm had closed off the valve on the 500 m (1,640 feet) long pipeline and 49 houses in the area had been affected.

The fire started on Tuesday morning with a towering orange blaze on the horizon and a large plume of smoke above, according to early images carried by news outlets and footage shared on social media. 

A Reuters journalist located about 5 km (3 miles) away from the blaze said the intensity of the fire had reduced by early afternoon but a flame and billowing smoke could still be seen.    

Ambulances were seen rushing towards the area of the fire, which had been sealed off by authorities.

No deaths were reported but the full extent of the injuries or damage so far was not immediately clear. Authorities had earlier said some people trapped in their homes.

Petronas said it was working closely with all relevant parties to ensure the safety of the surrounding community, environment and security of gas supply to the country. 

The government set up relief centres at two local mosques, Bernama reported.

Reporting by Mandy Leong, Danial Azhar and Ashley Tang; Writing by Xinghui Kok; Editing by Stephen Coates and Martin Petty

Pharma industry lobbies Trump for phased tariffs, sources say

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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Pharma industry lobbies Trump for phased tariffs, sources say

Trump is expected to unveil a massive tariff plan on Wednesday

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump holds an executive order about tariffs increase, flanked by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 13, 2025.

International news via Reuters:

Drugmakers are lobbying U.S. President Donald Trump to phase in tariffs on imported pharmaceutical products in hopes of reducing the sting from the charges and to allow time to shift manufacturing, according to four sources familiar with the discussions.

Trump is expected to unveil a massive tariff plan on Wednesday. He said on Sunday that the reciprocal tariffs he is due to announce will include all nations, not just a smaller group of 10 to 15 countries with the biggest trade imbalances.

He has also said he will soon declare tariffs on the pharma industry, which have been exempt from past trade wars, following his measures against other sectors.

The four sources, who asked not to be named because discussions between the administration and industry have been confidential, said it is their understanding that Trump will not announce specifics on any pharma tariffs on Wednesday.

Still, the largest multinational drug companies now expect U.S. tariffs targeting medical products are inevitable and hope to secure an incremental ramp-up to the 25% tariff the president has threatened, rather than 25% from day one, the four sources said.

“The idea of incremental ramp up of tariffs, a sort of gradation if you will, is definitely out there from the pharma industry side,” according to one of the sources.

Trump may announce on Wednesday a study looking at how the industry-specific tariffs could be applied, three of the four sources and an additional source familiar with the matter said.

Large drugmakers have global manufacturing footprints, mainly in the U.S., Europe and Asia, and moving more production to the U.S. is a major commitment of resources. Industry trade group PhRMA has said it can take 5 to 10 years and $2 billion to bring on a new production facility in the U.S. in part because of regulatory requirements.

PhRMA used this point in meetings in February and March with the U.S. administration to urge it to consider a staggered tariff rate increase over several years to reflect the time companies need, one of the four sources said.

While the situation remains fluid, the industry is hopeful that any initial tariff announcement on the sector would be below the 25% Trump has repeatedly threatened, the same source said.

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

NOT A QUICK PROPOSITION

There may be a growing acceptance within the Trump administration that moving drug manufacturing to the U.S. from abroad is not a quick proposition, leading to optimism among some in the industry that the president might consider a gradual ramp-up to 25% tariffs, another of the sources said.

Drugmakers have argued that tariffs could increase the chance of drug shortages and reduce access for patients. Still, Trump has pushed for the fees, arguing that the U.S. needs more drug manufacturing so it does not have to rely on other countries for its supply of medicines.

Another of the four sources, an industry lobbyist, said the pharma sector is also hopeful that compliance with U.S. regulations on policymaking that require public comment periods on federal law could slow implementation of the new fees.

Some multinational drugmakers have in the past several months announced billions of dollars in new investments in U.S. manufacturing to ramp up production of their best-selling drugs for the U.S. market. They include Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca and GSK.

But many firms still make the active ingredients for these products largely in Europe.

Ahead of Wednesday’s tariffs announcement that could include products made in Europe, some companies have taken the unusual step of sending more medicines by air to the U.S., Reuters reported last week.

Several large European drugmakers told Reuters this month that some of their medicines would be affected by any U.S. tariffs on the EU, because substantial manufacturing of these products is currently done outside the U.S.

An executive at one of the European drugmakers said it would not be a very lengthy process for it to increase manufacturing of medicines that it currently makes, albeit in limited quantities, in the U.S.

Building new manufacturing lines at existing U.S. plants for medicines it currently makes overseas for the U.S. market, however, will take at least two years, they said.

Reporting by Maggie Fick in London and Michael Erman in New York; Additional reporting by Padraic Halpin in Dublin and Paul Arnold in Zurich; editing by Caroline Humer and Bill Berkrot

Bermuda Tonight – 31 March 2025

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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Bermuda Tonight – 31 March 2025

Football – U17 Women Beaten 5-0

Julie Matthews-Borchardt
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Football – U17 Women Beaten 5-0

Mexico outclasses Bermuda in World Cup Qualifying Finals

It was a tough day at the office for Bermuda’s Under-17 Women’s National Squad. In their opening match of the World Cup qualifying finals, hosts Mexico demonstrated why they are regarded as one of the region’s powerhouses. Leading 2-nil at halftime, the Mexicans continued their dominance in the second half, adding 3 more unanswered goals to seal a 5-nil victory over Team Bermuda. Tomorrow, Bermuda will face Haiti, who were defeated by Costa Rica 8-nil

Politicians vote to give themselves pay increase

Gary Foster Skelton
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Politicians vote to give themselves pay increase

Premier – ‘We need to attract high-calibre people to politics’ ; OBA Leader – ‘it’s not the right time for a pay raise’

Premier David Burt and Opposition Leader Jarion Richardson disagreed on the necessity of a salary increase for the Legislature. File images

An amendment to increase the salaries of MPs, Ministers and Senators was passed in the House on Friday.

Legislature salaries have not been increased since 2009, and a 10% pay reduction for Cabinet Ministers implemented in 2013 has not been reversed until now.

We estimate that the pay hikes will increase the taxpayer burden of the Legislature by more than a million dollars.

Every individual MP will see a gross salary increase from $56,023 to $73,555.

MPs who are also Cabinet Ministers will see a near-$40K boost, with the Premier getting an extra $$50K-plus, and the Speaker of the House an additional $91K-plus (See our estimates HERE).

As MPs debated the motion on Friday, Premier David Burt cited the need to attract high-calibre people into politics, citing that Government Ministers in the Cayman Islands recieve a $366K package.

He says, “this is probably the reason why they can attract persons to leave the private sector to come into government for a stint.”

He balked somewhat at the Salary Review Board’s suggestion that private sector salaries are not comparable because of the different qualification expectations.

“That may be correct”, the Premier said, “but… we should not be talking about what we have. We should also be talking about where we want to go to, because governance will not get less complex… governance will get more complex.”

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Jarion Richardson said the timing of the pay rise is off.

“There comes a time, every now and again”, Mr Richardson said, “when the House of Assembly must not look inwards at one another, but in fact outwards into the wider community… where parents are, right now, stretching every dollar that they have… to the shops where the dollar does not go as far, and you bring home fewer groceries.”

“So the question is – is this the time to get a pay raise?”

LISTEN to the comments below…

PLP MP Lawrence Scott compared Legislature salaries to other jobs, saying “an assistant cook… for the government has a starting salary of $62,000 a year…”

“Our recommendation is $73,000. But yet, a senior administrative officer for the Police Service starts at $74,000.”

However, Shadow Finance Minister Dr. Douglas DeCouto suggested that an MP should not necessarily be considered a full-time position.

“We come to work maybe 30 days a year, in the House”, De De Couto said.

“Some will say, ‘I’m out there cutting grass, painting bus stops, making donations’. I would suggest that those functions are better handled by the government, instead of MPs having to pick up the slack when the government is not doing the job it should.”

LISTEN to the comments below…


Hospital overcrowding – ‘we will likely face this scenario again’

Gary Foster Skelton
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Hospital overcrowding – ‘we will likely face this scenario again’

Solution to capacity issues “lie external to the hospital”, says Acting Chief of Staff

Forty fit-for-discharge patients left in the hospital, and one Emergency patient waiting five days for admission.

Those are two grim statistics from the hospital for the month of March.

On Tuesday, March 18, King Edward Memorial was overcrowded with 34 patients waiting in the Emergency Department for beds elsewhere in the facility.

The hospital activated its second-highest alert level, and nurses aids temporarily downed tools to highlight the stress they were under.

However, Dr. Anna Neilson-Williams, Acting Chief of Staff, says the hospital would have had enough beds to cope with a recent influx of cases – if patients who don’t need hospital care were being cared for in the community.

Over 40 medically fit-for-discharge patients remained in the hospital at the time of the capacity crunch. Some had to be doubled-up in Acute Care rooms to enable the hospital to admit some of the patients waiting in Emergency.

The situation calmed down after a day, but Dr Neilson-Williams told Bermuda Broadcasting that “it’s likely that we may be facing this scenario again”.

In an extended interview, she says “I think the answers lie external to the hospital… we’re already saying these individuals don’t necessarily require hospital care. Some of them do required skilled nursing care, but that does exist within the community, albeit not necessarily the number that’s needed.”

“…what is needed is more facilities… perhaps a different way of supporting families – maybe it’s more carer hours. Maybe it’s some benefit to allow for individuals to achieve a financing a carer, and working with families in a way that we can re-assimilate their loved ones back into the community.”

When asked how long the hospital has been aware of the growing problem, Dr Neilson-Williams says the data was already there, even pre-pandemic, to show we need more continuing care for patients leaving the hospital.

She says, “what we’ve seen [in] trends around the world is an aging demographic… far more chronic diseases, diabetes, heart disease… So we have an older age of patient coming into the hospital with more complexities in terms of their care needs.”

Hurricane damage to a hospital building in 2014, and the rising cost of living, also play a role in the ongoing capacity crisis, Dr Neilson-Williams says.

WATCH our wide-ranging interview above, conducted a few days after the recent capacity issues.

Two executives at BTA on ‘administrative leave’

Jasmine Patterson
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Two executives at BTA on ‘administrative leave’

Erin Wright is serving as interim Chief Executive Officer

Two executives at the BTA are ‘on administrative leave’, it was announced today.

The BTA Board of Directors issued the following statement: “In response to the numerous queries received by the BTA, the Board of Directors confirms that two executive members of staff are currently on administrative leave.

“Erin Wright serves as the Acting CEO during this time.

“As this is an internal personnel matter, no further comment will be made at this time.”

The current CEO is Tracy Berkeley, who has held the position since 2023 after serving as interim, following the departure of Charles Jeffers II. 


She joined the BTA in 2020 and is the first woman to hold the CEO position.

Tourism Minister Owen Darrell last year ordered the BTA to address mounting workplace complaints by way of an independent culture review.


The results of the culture review were published earlier this month, citing low staff morale and a deficit of human resources administration staff.


PLP MP Wayne Caines resigned as chair of the BTA in mid-February.


Veteran tourism professional Billy Griffith is Acting Chair of the Board, with the addition of business owner Dennie O’Connor.


Jennifer Phillips, Shiona Turini, Ronald Simmons and Kim Swan remain on the board. 

Canadian Visa biometric collection session offered in two weeks

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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Canadian Visa biometric collection session offered in two weeks

The biometric identification criteria is compulsory for all international students, including Bermudian students.

Canadian flag. Photo: Pexels/SocialSoupSocialMedia

Bermudians students, visitors or workers seeking Canadian Visas can collect their biometric identification on April 9th, according to the Ministry of Economy and Labour.


The Ministry advised that identification criteria is mandatory for all international students including Bermudians and others seeking to enter the country.


The collection times are 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Wednesday, April 9th at the Department of Immigration, 1st Floor Government Administration Building, 30 Parliament Street in Hamilton.


To schedule an appointment, email CNGNYConsular@international.gc.ca and include your first and last name, date of birth, contact number and a copy of your biometrics instruction letter.


The Minister of Economy and Labour, Jason Hayward, said, “I appreciate the Consulate General of Canada’s continued collaboration in providing this convenient service, and I strongly encourage those eligible to take advantage of it.”


A spokesperson noted that those with specific questions not to direct queries to the Bermuda Department of Immigration because they cannot assist with this process.

BTA staffer recognised in Destinations International’s ’30 under 30′ list

Jasmine Patterson
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BTA staffer recognised in Destinations International’s ’30 under 30′ list

This marks the third time a BTA staff member has been recognized in the 30 Under 30 program by Destinations International

25-year-old Kiira Grant was listed in Destinations International’s 30 Under 30 Class of 2025, a third time a BTA staff member has been honoured by the firm.


The Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) said the program recognises the next generation of talent in the marketing and tourism industry, selecting 30 talented marketers out of 91 applicants.


This year’s pool represents talent from across four countries, according to a news release.


Ms. Grant, a Standards and Training Specialist at the BTA said, “As a young professional, I hope my journey inspires other young Bermudians by showing that remarkable milestones in this field are within reach.

“I am committed to using my knowledge and experiences to advocate for others and support their career growth.”


Destinations International represents over 9,500 members and partners from more than 750 destinations worldwide, including convention and visitors’ bureaus and tourism boards.


BTA CEO Tracey Berkeley commented, “The future of Bermuda’s tourism sector is bright, and with emerging leaders like Kiira, backed by a committed and talented team, I know we’re in very good hands.”

UK’s Starmer calls for coordinated fight against people smugglers

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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UK’s Starmer calls for coordinated fight against people smugglers

More than 36,800 people illegally crossed the English Channel via dinghy in 2024

FILE PHOTO: People believed to be migrants, disembark from a British Border Force vessel as they arrive at the Port of Dover in Dover, Britain, April, 29, 2024. REUTERS/Chris J. Ratcliffe/File Photo

International news via Reuters:

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called on Monday for nations to pool resources to tackle the problem of illegal migration at “every step” of the route, from North Africa and the Middle East to Britain’s streets.

Starmer spoke at a meeting of more than 40 countries and organisations, including the United States, France and Vietnam, aimed at coordinating global efforts to counter illegal migration and the people-smuggling gangs who profit from it.

Starmer, like his predecessors for more than a decade, is seeking ways to stop migrants coming illegally to Britain, where immigration remains a major issue for voters worried by pressure on scarce resources like healthcare and housing.

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer leads a roundtable discussion at the Border Security Summit in London, Britain March 31, 2025. Kin Cheung/Pool via REUTERS

“This evil trade exploits the cracks between our institutions, it pits nations against one another, it profits from our inability at the political level to come together,” he told the Organised Immigration Crime summit.

“I simply don’t believe that organised immigration crime cannot be tackled. So we’ve got to combine our resources, share intelligence and tactics and tackle the problem upstream at every step of the smuggling journey.”

Migrants pay thousands of pounds to traffickers for places in small inflatable boats that then try to cross one of the world’s busiest shipping channels to reach the English coast.

Traffickers often promote their services on social media, and representatives from Meta, X and TikTok were attending the London summit.

Starmer was elected in July last year, promising to “smash the gangs” behind the crossings. He immediately ditched the previous Conservative government’s policy to deter migrants through a scheme to deport them to Rwanda.

He said Britain had deported more than 24,000 people who had no right to be in the country since his Labour government had taken office, which his government said was the highest return rate for eight years.

Britain’s Home Secretary Yvette Cooper poses with participants for a family photo, on the day of the Border Security Summit in London, Monday, March 31, 2025. Kin Cheung/Pool via REUTERS

However, the number of people arriving in small boats has grown. More than 36,800 people made the crossing in 2024, 25% more than the previous year, while over 6,600 people have crossed successfully so far this year, 43% higher than the same period last year.

Reporting by William James and Sachin Ravikumar; Editing by Jane Merriman, Aidan Lewis

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