Police confirm body found floating off Pompano Beach
Police confirm body found off Pompano Beach
A man has died after being found in the waters off Pompano Beach in Southampton.
The Royal Gazette reporting that police were called shortly before 3:15 yesterday afternoon after receiving a report of an unresponsive man in the water.
The man was discovered by a group of tourists who were kayaking nearby. Emergency medical responders carried out life-saving efforts before he was transported by ambulance to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Police say an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death is now underway, with no further information being released at this time.
King Charles will not live at Buckingham Palace after refit, officials say
Officials at the same time disclosed the king paid £12.9 million ($17.04 million) in tax in 2024/25 — the first time the figure has been made public — placing him among Britain’s top 100 taxpayers
International News via Reuters:
King Charles will not live at Buckingham Palace after its 10-year refurbishment finishes next year, royal officials said on Thursday, ending nearly two centuries of the central London landmark serving as the British monarch’s primary residence.
Officials at the same time disclosed the king paid £12.9 million ($17.04 million) in tax in 2024/25 — the first time the figure has been made public — placing him among Britain’s top 100 taxpayers.
Members of the royal family have promised greater transparency about their finances amid growing criticism following the death of Queen Elizabeth in 2022.
PALACE STILL MONARCH HQ
Charles decided to continue living at Clarence House, his longstanding London home nearby, when the £369 million refurbishment of Buckingham Palace concludes next year. The project includes replacing ageing electrical wiring, pipes and heating.
When work started in 2017, officials had expected the palace to remain the monarch’s primary London residence as it had been since Queen Victoria became sovereign in 1837.
James Chalmers, the king’s treasurer and keeper of the privy purse, said it would remain the primary venue for ceremonial and official functions including receiving foreign dignitaries.
“It is and will remain monarchy HQ, the crown jewel of our national buildings, with the sovereign’s standard flying proudly from the roof whenever his majesty is in London,” he told reporters.
Neither Charles nor the late Queen Elizabeth had stayed overnight at the palace since 2019. The king will maintain private rooms there that could be used as accommodation.
Some 700,000 people visit the building every year, and there will be greater public access, Chalmers said, without providing details.
CHARLES REVEALS TAX BILL
By law, the British king is not obliged to pay income, capital gains or inheritance tax, but Charles, like his mother did after 1993, has voluntarily done so without disclosing the amounts.
Charles, like all monarchs since 1399, gets a private income from the vast Duchy of Lancaster estate — £25.2 million in 2025/26 — as well as from his other holdings and investments.
Chalmers said the king paid £11.7 million in tax in 2023/24 and more than £30 million in taxes since becoming king in 2022.
He also receives money from the government, known as the Sovereign Grant, to pay for staff, royal palaces and travel. That amount will be £137.9 million in 2026/27.
But Chalmers said it would be cut for the first time in 2027/28 to £100 million “in line with his majesty’s clear wishes”, a level where it will stay until 2031/32.
That makes it almost £60 million higher than in 2016 when the funding formula was changed to pay for the Buckingham Palace refit. “This is not a blank cheque,” Chalmers said, adding there were safeguards in place to ensure the amount was proportional.
Prince William, heir to the throne, paid £7.76 million in tax in 2024/25 and instructed that £1.5 million in rent from a closed prison go to the local community, his office said. William and Charles have faced criticism that they are profiting from charging the army, health service and schools rent.
($1 = 0.7569 pounds)
Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Cynthia Osterman
Simpler bank rules risk creating loopholes, study says
The paper, to be presented to top central bankers at the European Central Bank’s Sintra conference next week, found that complexity in financial rules can play a useful role by making them harder to get around
International News via Reuters:
Moves to simplify bank regulation in the U.S. and Britain could end up making the system less safe if rules become easier for lenders to circumvent, according to research that challenges the push to cut red tape.
The paper, to be presented to top central bankers at the European Central Bank’s Sintra conference next week, found that complexity in financial rules can play a useful role by making them harder to get around.
Researchers, including Stockholm School of Economics professor Mariassunta Giannetti, showed that simpler rules, even if they look as tough on paper, are more likely to be gamed as banks shift risks elsewhere in the system.
“Our evidence suggests the U.S. rollback risks going too far,” the authors said, adding that Britain was also slowly moving in the same direction.
The findings run against a broader trend. In the United States, regulators are easing supervision and capital requirements in a bid to support lending and innovation. Britain is also reviewing post-financial crisis constraints such as ring‑fencing to give banks more flexibility.
The study suggests this approach may carry unintended consequences, as rules that are easier to apply are also easier to sidestep.
In the European Union, policymakers are trying to simplify the rulebook without reducing overall capital requirements. The researchers say that balance is broadly consistent with their findings, as long as simplification does not remove what they call “load‑bearing” elements that keep rules effective.
Switzerland’s tougher stance after the 2023 collapse of Credit Suisse also fits the pattern identified in the paper, combining strict requirements with enough detail to limit loopholes.
The authors caution the results are based on market data covering listed financial institutions, meaning they may not capture risks in less‑regulated areas such as private credit or private equity-backed lending.
Reporting by Francesco Canepa; Editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak
On the streets and in hospitals, Venezuelans scramble to save lives after quake
U.S. Geological Survey models suggested deaths could exceed 10,000 after two powerful earthquakes wreaked havoc in and around the capital Caracas on Wednesday
International News via Reuters:
Nearly 24 hours after devastating twin earthquakes in Venezuela, people in the coastal city of La Guaira were still using their hands to dig through rubble, trying to rescue their neighbors.
“We are trying to help with what we can, but there is a lack of equipment,” said Carlos Borges, who said he was frustrated by the shortage of machinery like backhoes to move the piles of concrete slabs that were once high-rise apartment buildings.
His team pulled three people from one building, as other anxious family members, including the single mother of a missing teenage boy, waited at the site on Thursday morning.
U.S. Geological Survey models suggested deaths could exceed 10,000 after two powerful earthquakes wreaked havoc in and around the capital Caracas on Wednesday. The government of acting President Delcy Rodriguez has confirmed nearly 200 dead and 1,520 injured.
Residents of La Guaira, a popular spot for beachgoers and the worst-hit city in the country, and Moron, near the quakes’ epicenter, were scrambling amid limited official help.
“Is it not possible to call in the military? Everyone come, come and pitch in. Put them in an armored vehicle and come help the people. Find tractors wherever you can,” said Argenis Martinez, a resident of La Guaira’s Los Corales neighborhood, who was looking for a relative among the rubble.
Some rubble caught fire overnight, despite a cut to domestic gas service. Terrified residents, many with nowhere else to go, huddled in the streets or peered into destroyed buildings, looking for survivors.
The government, which said 250 buildings had been damaged or destroyed, mainly in La Guaira, has said aid is on the way from Spain, the United States, Mexico and Qatar and called on the private sector to lend equipment like backhoes to help with rescue efforts.
At other places in La Guaira, neighbors pulled two dead people from a house, including a little girl, and saved a mother and two children, injured but alive, from a destroyed apartment building.
Reuters witnesses saw members of a colectivo — ruling party-allied motorcycle groups who have long been accused of abusing protesters at anti-government rallies — assisting rescue efforts at at least one location.
“My building is uninhabitable and now I have nothing. It’s just me and my son, and I have no family in the country,” said Suhayl Sarquiz, 50, who lost her job a few months ago.
LOOTING AT STORES
In some areas of La Guaira, people were looking for food and water, and a Reuters team witnessed looting at at least two stores.
The city’s Jose Maria Vargas Hospital was overflowing with injured, and some patients were being tended to outside, where police were limiting access to the building. Officials there said they had no information for journalists.
“It’s a tragedy,” said Beatriz Rodriguez, 60, whose nephew’s legs were amputated at the hospital after being crushed in the quakes. Another nephew, age 6, was killed.
The armed forces are deploying field hospitals to La Guaira, its command said in a press release, and will be able to perform emergency surgeries. A Reuters team in the city on Thursday saw a military convoy near the local stadium carrying out aid efforts.
Hospitals elsewhere were also struggling.
As he worked through a 24-hour emergency shift at the modest hospital in Moron, Dr. Augusto Ramirez found himself short of basic supplies.
“We need blood pressure monitors, gauze, thermometers, gloves, plaster, painkillers — everything,” Ramirez told Reuters.
He, two fellow doctors and other staff had treated 112 people since the quakes collapsed houses and cut off electricity and water in the town. Nine have died from skull fractures and other injuries, including three children.
Reporting by Mayela Armas in La Guaira, Tibisay Romero in Moron; Additional reporting by Efrain Otero in La Guaira; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Cynthia Osterman
UN pauses Hormuz evacuation plan after ship reports attack
The cargo ship said it was hit close to Oman by a projectile, British navy agency UKMTO said, hours after Tehran warned vessels against taking routes that it had not approved
International News via Reuters:
The U.N. International Maritime Organization paused its operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday after a vessel reported an attack, reigniting fears over a preliminary deal to end the Iran war.
The cargo ship said it was hit close to Oman by a projectile, British navy agency UKMTO said, hours after Tehran warned vessels against taking routes that it had not approved.
Two U.S. officials told Reuters that Iran had fired on the ship, while Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority, which Tehran established to manage requests for ships to travel through the strait, said vessels outside routes it has set will not be guaranteed safe passage.
Four sources identified the ship as the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely. A security source said it was likely targeted by a drone.
There was no immediate comment from the U.S. government. U.S. President Donald Trump warned earlier this month that if Iran did not honor an agreement aimed at ending the war and reopening the strait that the U.S. would probably go back to bombing the country again.
SHIPS AND SEAFARERS STRANDED FOR MONTHS
The IMO was helping to get hundreds of stranded ships and thousands of seafarers out of the strait where they had been stranded for months since the start of the war in late February.
It decided “to temporarily pause its implementation in order to reconfirm that the necessary safety guarantees continue to be in place for the ships on our evacuation list and all those in the region,” IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement.
The IMO said the ship involved in the suspected attack was not part of its evacuation programme.
The initiative, which was launched on Tuesday, was a voluntary option for ships and their crew to sail out of the Gulf using two routes – one via Iranian waters and the other via Omani waters, with U.S. oversight, the IMO said this week.
Benchmark oil prices rose 1.9% following the reported attack, which analysts said rekindled concerns about how long it could take for Gulf oil flows to resume normal levels.
The Oman incident is likely to refocus attention on the extent of Iran’s future control over the Strait of Hormuz which, before the conflict, handled a fifth of the world’s daily oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
Before the incident, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio – wrapping up a tour of the Gulf to reassure states about the interim pact – told reporters that if Iran threatens or blocks ships in the strait, “then we’re going to have a problem.”
Iran, though, has signalled it would continue to assert control over the strait.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Thursday that safe passage through the strait would only be possible through routes designated by Iran, adding that it would take action against vessels that failed to comply.
The Revolutionary Guards also ordered two Panama-flagged ships to change course on Thursday, British maritime security company Ambrey said.
Earlier, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said shipments through the strait were approaching levels seen before the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, with at least 20 million barrels of oil exiting the waterway in the previous 24 hours.
During the conflict, Iran took effective control of the vital chokepoint, disrupting oil flows and rattling global energy markets and the wider economy.
The war is weighing heavily on U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of November midterm elections that will determine control of Congress. Just one in four Americans believes the war was worth the cost, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed.
Conflicting accounts have emerged over elements of the framework ceasefire deal, which has prompted criticism of Trump at home and abroad.
Disagreements persist over financial incentives for Iran, nuclear inspections, control of the Strait of Hormuz and Israel’s parallel war in Lebanon.
Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, said on Thursday that the U.S. assertion that Iran would spend its unfrozen assets to buy U.S. agricultural products was false.
The deal sets up 60 days of talks to tackle thornier issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme.
Reporting by Reuters bureaus; Writing by Ros Russell, Andrew Heavens and David Brunnstrom; editing by Gareth Jones, Jason Neely and Sanjeev Miglani
Farmers trained to safely and humanely manage feral chickens
It’s part of Government’s wider efforts to reduce the island’s growing feral chicken population
The Ministry of Public Works and Environment has expanded its efforts to reduce Bermuda’s growing feral chicken population by providing training to farmers, equipping them with the skills and resources to manage chickens affecting agricultural land safely and humanely.
The training sessions, held last week, provided practical guidance on approved management techniques, safe equipment handling and responsible practices designed to ensure humane outcomes while protecting farmers’ crops and livelihoods.
Minister of Public Works and Environment, The Hon. Jache Adams, JP, MP said, “Our farmers play a vital role in Bermuda’s food security, and we have a responsibility to provide them with the practical tools to protect their livelihoods. By expanding training and ensuring humane, consistent management practices, we are helping farmers reduce crop losses while supporting a coordinated, island-wide approach to managing the feral chicken population.”
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources currently removes an average of approximately 1,300 feral chickens each month, including roughly 60 captured through traps distributed to members of the public. Despite these ongoing efforts, populations continue to recover due to high reproduction rates, making community cooperation and proactive management essential.
As the demand for feral chicken management continues across the island, equipping farmers with the resources to safely manage feral chickens on their properties strengthens the overall response, allowing the Department to focus on priority areas while supporting farmers during critical planting periods.
Participants also received practical information on adapting management techniques as feral chickens become more cautious over time, ensuring management efforts remain safe, effective, and humane.
Farmers highlighted the ongoing impact of chickens on crop yields, noting that unmanaged populations continue to damage crops and contribute to significant agricultural losses. The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to supporting farmers through practical training and guidance as part of its broader strategy to protect Bermuda’s agricultural sector.
The Ministry will continue working closely with farmers and other stakeholders while monitoring population trends to ensure that management efforts remain effective and resources are directed where they will have the greatest impact.
Members of the public are also reminded to avoid feeding feral chickens, as this contributes to population growth and undermines ongoing management efforts.
Residents experiencing issues with feral chickens are encouraged to submit a request to have them removed by visiting https://www.gov.bm/feralchickens, or by contacting the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on 236-4201.
Media release and images supplied by the Government of Bermuda.
Government archives closed due to water leaks
Repairs are expected to take about two days, with the public urged to delay planned visits
The Ministry for the Cabinet Office and Digital Innovation advise the public that the Archives Section, located in the Government Administration Building, is temporarily closed due to water leaks within the facility.
The closure is necessary to allow repair work to be carried out and to ensure the safety of staff, visitors, and archival materials.
At this time, the Archives Section is expected to remain closed for approximately two days while repairs are completed. Every effort is being made to restore normal operations as quickly as possible.
The public is encouraged to postpone any planned visits to the Archives Section during this period. Updates will be provided should the closure need to be extended or if services resume earlier than anticipated.
The Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Digital Innovation apologise for any inconvenience and thank the public for their patience and understanding.
Media release supplied by the Government of Bermuda.
Aon backs SkillCraft Bermuda in its mission to help teens
Aon has proudly partnered with SkillCraft Bermuda, contributing $8,000 to support its mission of helping teens ages 16–18 develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed in work and further education. SkillCraft Bermuda connects youth with personalized internship placements, skills-development training and one-on-one coaching, broadening their exposure to career opportunities across the island. Aon’s contribution will support SkillCraft’s ongoing programs, helping more young people access the guidance, experience and support they need to successfully transition into the workforce.
Leanne Wheatley, VP – Operations Manager, stated, “This partnership reflects Aon’s continued commitment to investing in Bermuda’s future workforce. Supporting organizations like SkillCraft Bermuda is an important way to help young people build confidence, access meaningful opportunities and achieve long-term career success.”
Margot Shane, Executive Director of SkillCraft, shared, “We are grateful for Aon’s partnership and their belief in SkillCraft’s mission. This contribution will help young people develop key workplace behaviours—taking initiative, showing drive and responding constructively to feedback—through hands-on work experiences that build responsibility and accountability.”
Convicted sex offender due to be released today
The Ministry of Justice also confirmed that the victim was notified in advance
The Ministry of Justice today moved to clarify a situation surrounding the release of a sex offender.
Kevin Leon Goater is due to be released today – a fact contradicting an earlier public notice that was issued in error.
The date of release stated in a public notice as “May 2026” should have read June 2026.
Kevin Leon Goater, aged 66, will be released following a period of imprisonment after being convicted of unlawful carnal knowledge and intruding on the privacy of a person.
After consulting with the Commissioner of Police, the Ministry has determined that the public should be notified of the offender’s release date.
A spokesperson added, ” The Ministry can also confirm that the victim was notified in advance.”
Mr. Goater’s address was listed as Devonshire.
Oil prices at pre-war levels on rising Middle East supply
Prompt-month Brent crude futures for August delivery were down 25 cents, or 0.34%, to $73.49 a barrel by 1327 GMT, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate lost 24 cents, or 0.34%, to $70.10 a barrel
International News via Reuters:
Oil prices were on Thursday at levels last seen before the start of the Iran war, as expectations of rising supply from the Middle East outweighed demand concerns.
Prompt-month Brent crude futures for August delivery were down 25 cents, or 0.34%, to $73.49 a barrel by 1327 GMT, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate lost 24 cents, or 0.34%, to $70.10 a barrel.
Both contracts hit their lowest since February 27, the day before the launch of U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.
August Brent was trading lower than September, which was priced at $73.83 at 1327 GMT, signalling ample short-term supply.
“The backlog of vessels in the Persian Gulf is being cleared which has created a wave of supply, and we see evidence of supply assets restarting soon alongside terminals restarting,” said Rystad Energy analyst Janiv Shah.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told a forum that flows through the Strait of Hormuz were close to those before the war began, with at least 20 million barrels having exited the strait in the last 24 hours.
Normalisation would take a few weeks, however, because the strait needs to be demined, he added.
“Most of the increase in flows from the Gulf is outbound —ships exiting the Strait,” UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said.
However, a significant increase in inbound flows requires shipping confidence to return, including safety assurances and mine clearance to allow insurance premiums to normalise, Staunovo said.
Rising Middle Eastern supply, together with Iran set to boost sales after a temporary reprieve from U.S. sanctions, drove down prices of physical crude oil cargoes around the world.
Goldman Sachs said it does not expect a large pick‑up in Iranian production, even if sanctions relief extends beyond the August 21 expiry.
On the demand side, China is likely to remain the main buyer of Iranian crude, as European Union and British sanctions on Iranian oil and vessels remain in place, the bank added.
An accord agreed last week to end the war has allowed the resumption of traffic through the strait, which Iran had effectively blockaded.
It set up a 60-day period of negotiations to tackle tougher issues, such as Iran’s nuclear programme. Wright said oil would continue to flow through the strait even if the deal did not hold, and that Iran would not be able to close it again.
UBS lowered its Brent price forecasts to $85 per barrel for end-September and end-December, and $80 per barrel for end-March and end-June 2027.
Reporting by Anushree Mukherjee in Bengaluru and Robert Harvey in London, Colleen Howe in Beijing and Siyi Liu in Singapore, Editing by Alexandra Hudson, Susan Fenton and Timothy Heritage
School community embraces free Google training
St David’s Primary parents and staff say the online courses are building confidence, careers and digital skills
Residents are being urged to sign up for free online training after early access to the scheme helped a primary school community build practical digital skills and confidence.
St David’s Primary School was given early access to Grow with Google as part of Google’s support for the school and its wider community engagement connected to the Nuvem transatlantic cable project and planned cable landing station in St David’s.
The programme has now launched island-wide through a partnership between Bermuda College and Google, with hundreds of scholarships available to residents.
Dr Gladstone Thompson, Principal of St David’s Primary School, said parents and staff had already seen the value of the opportunity.
He said: “St David’s is unique in that we have this opportunity. It is something that we cherish, and we are so grateful to Google for choosing us.”
More than 50 parents and staff signed up after the programme was introduced at a packed PTA meeting attended by Bermuda College President Dr David Sam.
Dr Thompson said several members of the school community had already started courses, including himself.
He said: “My experience is that I have completed two certificates with AI, and it has been very exciting. I am going to do my best to engage in as many things as possible with Grow with Google.”
Parent liaison Dommonique Desilva has also taken part, focusing on project management and e-commerce.
She said the training was practical, flexible and useful for people at different stages of life.
Ms Desilva said: “I would definitely recommend the programme. It provides practical skills, creates opportunities for personal and professional growth, and is flexible enough for people at different stages of life.
“More importantly, it empowers individuals to invest in themselves and their future.”
Ms Desilva said the response from parents and others had been “very positive and curious”.
She added: “Once people understand the opportunities available through the programme, they quickly see its value. Many are excited by the possibility of gaining new skills, exploring career pathways, and improving their confidence in digital spaces.”
She said age should not be seen as a barrier.
“What matters most is a willingness to learn, stay consistent, and apply new skills,” Ms Desilva said.
“One of the biggest lessons from this experience is that when parents invest in their own learning, they set a powerful example for their children.
“Home is the first school, and children often learn perseverance, discipline and confidence by watching the adults around them.”
Grow with Google gives residents access to online, self-paced courses designed to help people learn new skills, reskill, upskill or retrain.
Five hundred scholarships have been awarded to Bermuda residents and, by signing up, people will get access to a vast number of courses until December 31, 2027.
The programme includes foundational Google Career Certificates in cybersecurity, data analytics, IT support, digital marketing and e-commerce, project management and user experience design.
Advanced certificates include advanced data analytics, business intelligence and IT automation with Python. Shorter courses include AI Essentials, Prompting Essentials and Agile Essentials.
The courses are 100 per cent online. Foundational certificates are designed for learners with no prior experience and can typically be completed in three to six months of part-time study. Shorter courses can be completed in about five to seven hours.
After completing a course, participants receive an official Google certificate of completion that can be added as a badge to professional profiles on LinkedIn.
To learn more or sign up, go to the Grow with Google Scholarship Request Form (Grow with Google Scholarship Request Form) or email apace@college.bm.
Media release supplied by the Bermuda College.
