Roads Policing chief warns serious crashes are happening every three days on average
Viewers will have noticed in recent weeks a spate of separate incidents in which cars have flipped over.
When we spoke to police about it, they cited speed and impaired driving as key contributors to most of the serious collisions involving cars.
Chief Inspector Robert Cardwell of the Roads Policing Unit says high speeds can maim and kill.
Minister Alexa Lightbourne tables green paper, urging Bermudians to move beyond “fearmongering” and weigh potential benefits and protections
The government is seeking to spark a national conversation on Bermuda’s potential full membership to CARICOM, stating that “fearmongering has run its course”.
During a House of Assembly sitting today, Home Affairs Minister Alexa Lightbourne tabled a green paper on the topic.
She cited the protections Bermuda would uphold, such as retaining full authority over immigration and work permit policies, and the BMA’s regulatory authority over the financial sector.
Minister Lightbourne contends that Bermuda’s story is a Caribbean one, as she invites the public to read the paper and provide feedback.
The document is available online at: Bermuda × CARICOM
This weeks episode of Inside Sports features an in-depth interview with Rena Dysiewska; Director of Sports & Christian Brown; Head of Triathlon at Millfield School in England – discussing sports education, youth development, and international sports collaborations. The conversation covers Millfield’s prestigious history, innovative coaching strategies, and Bermuda’s sports initiatives. This episode also features in-depth discussions on Bermuda’s youth sports initiatives, upcoming regional sports events, and the development of cricket and pickleball in Bermuda.
The protesters, dressed sharply in black suits and ties, held banners bearing the Greenpeace logo and reading “Nuclear Power = Energy Insecurity” and “Nuclear power fuels Russia’s war”
International News via Reuters:
Two Greenpeace activists broke onto the stage at the start of a global nuclear summit in France on Tuesday, interrupting President Emmanuel Macron and U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi as they were greeting heads of state.
The protesters, dressed sharply in black suits and ties, held banners bearing the Greenpeace logo and reading “Nuclear Power = Energy Insecurity” and “Nuclear power fuels Russia’s war”.
One of them shouted at Macron, “Why are we still buying uranium from Russia?” to which the president replied, “We produce nuclear power ourselves.”
France has its own uranium enrichment capacity, but also imports enriched uranium for its power plants, including from Russia, according to the latest customs data published by the French government.
Russia’s state nuclear company Rosatom accounted for about 44% of the global uranium enrichment capacity in 2025, according to the World Nuclear Association, and European nuclear power producers have struggled to wean themselves off these supplies four years after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Around 15 Greenpeace activists blocked arriving convoys outside the venue in Boulogne-Billancourt on the outskirts of Paris on Tuesday, the environmental campaigning group said in a statement.
France is hosting the second world nuclear energy summit on Tuesday, where world leaders will meet to discuss and promote nuclear power.
“For Greenpeace France, the holding of such a summit is an anachronism, an event completely out of touch with reality and with the lessons to be learned from the tragic situations of the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the strikes on Iran, and the impacts of the worsening climate disruption,” the group said.
Reporting by Gianluca Lo Nostro in Paris, Inti Landauro in Brussels; Editing by Andrei Khalip
Ten farmers receive access to previously underused public land to boost local food production
Images and media release supplied by the Government of Bermuda
The Ministry of Public Works and Environment has awarded agricultural land leases to ten Bermudian farmers, placing more than seven acres of previously underutilised Government-owned arable land into active food production.
The leases represent a meaningful expansion of local farming activity and reflect the Government’s commitment to strengthening Bermuda’s food security and supporting sustainable agriculture.
Among the parcels leased are several plots at Old Military Road in St George’s. Last week, the Minister of Public Works and Environment, the Hon Jaché Adams, JP, MP, visited the site to meet with farmers Brian Robinson, John Gibbons and Kenneth ‘Neil’ Paynter Jr., who are among those cultivating the land.
Minister Adams said: “It was encouraging to meet with these farmers to see first-hand how these plots are being put to productive use. Their work reflects the dedication and commitment that many Bermudian farmers bring to strengthening our local food supply.”
The Ministry has leased the lands to the farmers under multi-year agreements to encourage long-term investment in local agriculture.
The leases include approximately 4.03 acres at the former Almeida Farm on Barry Road in St George’s, 1.6 acres at 33 Barry Road, and additional plots at Old Military Road totalling more than an acre. In St David’s, a parcel of approximately 0.695 acres has also been leased for agricultural use.
The Minister said the initiative reflects the Government’s determination to ensure that publicly owned agricultural land is actively contributing to the Island’s food system.
Minister Adams noted: “Land that was once underutilised is now being placed in the hands of Bermudian farmers who are committed to producing food for our community. That is exactly the outcome we want to see.”
He added: “Bermuda imports the majority of what we eat. Expanding local farming capacity is an important part of building resilience and improving our food security.
“Giving access to Government-owned arable land to farmers helps to create the conditions for greater local production.
“These leases represent a practical step toward a more sustainable Bermuda. When we support local farmers and make better use of available land, we reduce reliance on imports and create opportunities for greater self-sufficiency.”
The Ministry noted that the leasing programme is part of broader efforts to support agriculture, improve the use of public assets and encourage sustainable land management across the Island.
U.S. President Donald Trump praised Albanese for allowing the women to stay, saying on social media the U.S. was ready to take the players if Australia did not
International News via Reuters:
Australia on Tuesday granted humanitarian visas to five Iranian women soccer players after they sought asylum, fearing persecution on their return home for their refusal to sing the national anthem at an Asia Cup match.
“Australians have been moved by the plight of these brave women,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told a news conference in Canberra on Tuesday, a day after police had helped extract the women from their Iranian government handlers.
“They’re safe here, and they should feel at home here.”
U.S. President Donald Trump praised Albanese for allowing the women to stay, saying on social media the U.S. was ready to take the players if Australia did not.
Australian officials identified the players as Zahra Sarbali Alishah, Mona Hamoudi, Zahra Ghanbari, Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanizadeh. They were staying at an undisclosed location under police protection, officials said.
Albanese said help was also available to the other players currently in Australia with the Iranian national team, but it was up to them to accept.
Television footage showed several other Iranian players leaving their hotel in the northeastern city of Gold Coast on a bus on Tuesday afternoon. It was not clear which players were on the bus or where they were going.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke posted pictures on his X account showing him posing with the five players after granting their visas.
He said the government had been in secret talks with the players for days but acknowledged fleeing was a difficult decision for them.
“Even though the offer continues to be there for other members of the team, it is quite possible and indeed likely that not every woman in the team will make a decision to take up the opportunity that Australia would offer to them,” he said.
“VERY GOOD JOB”
Trump initially posted on social media that Australia was “making a terrible humanitarian mistake” by allowing the team to be sent back home, apparently unaware that Australia had been in secret talks with the women for several days.
Trump said members of the team would “likely be killed” if forced to return to Iran. “The U.S. will take them if you won’t,” he added.
In a later post Trump said he had spoken to Albanese and that the Australian leader was “doing a very good job having to do with this rather delicate situation”.
Albanese said Trump rang him just before 2 a.m. (1500 GMT Monday).
“I was able to convey to him the action that we’d undertaken over the previous 48 hours, and that five of the team had asked for assistance and had received it and were safely located,” Albanese said.
The Iranian team’s campaign in the Australian-hosted Asian Cup tournament started just as the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, killing the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. They were eliminated from the tournament on Sunday after losing 2-0 to the Philippines.
“WARTIME TRAITORS”
Soccer fans and governing agencies started expressing concerns about the welfare of the team after they were labelled “wartime traitors” on state television for refusing to sing their national anthem before their first match against South Korea.
The players’ decision to stand in silence was labelled by a commentator on Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting as the “pinnacle of dishonour”.
The Iranian team sang their anthem and saluted before their second match against Australia, sparking fears among human rights campaigners that the women had been coerced by government minders.
Iranian media quoted Farideh Shojaei, vice president for women’s affairs at the Iranian Football Federation, as saying the team had left the hotel through the back door with the police.
“We have contacted the embassy, the football federation, the foreign ministry and anywhere possible to see what will happen,” she said. “We have even spoken with the families of these five players.”
Global players’ union FIFPRO said they remained concerned about the safety and wellbeing of the other players and their families in Iran.
“The focus needs to remain on ensuring that all of the players have agency and are aware of their rights,” Beau Busch, FIFPRO Asia/Oceania President told Reuters in a statement.
Iranian media said other team members were still in Australia and quoted Shojaei as saying the squad had planned to return to Iran via Dubai, but the United Arab Emirates had not allowed them to do so.
It said efforts were now expected to be made for the team to return via Malaysia and Turkey.
Australia granted emergency humanitarian visas to over 20 members of the Afghanistan women’s cricket team after the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and banned women’s sport.
Reporting by Katharine Jackson, Renju Jose and Praveen Menon; Additional reporting by David Brunnstrom in Washington and Parisa Hafezi in Dubai; Writing by Michelle Nichols and David Brunnstrom; Editing by Ed Osmond, Ken Ferris, Shri Navaratnam and Stephen Coates
Markets have been pricing rate hikes from the ECB over the past week on the premise that surging energy costs will quickly feed into consumer prices
International News via Reuters:
The war in Iran and soaring energy prices could fundamentally alter Europe’s economic prospects but the European Central Bank should take its time to reassess policy and stay on its present course for now, two policymakers said on Tuesday.
Markets have been pricing rate hikes from the ECB over the past week on the premise that surging energy costs will quickly feed into consumer prices and the bank will want to prevent such price pressures perpetuating rapid inflation.
Gediminas Simkus, Lithuania’s central bank chief, argued that the ECB will not reassess policy with every market move given exceptional volatility and needs to stay calm, taking stock at its next meeting on March 19.
“If you start thinking about monetary policy in the morning, you may end up with very different thinking in the evening,” Simkus said, in response to crude oil prices surging to close to $120 per barrel on Monday before falling to $90 on Tuesday.
“As for the coming meeting, I would say we of course will discuss and try to assess all the possible implications of the events in Iran or to the European economy, but I would say, for the moment, we should stay our course,” Simkus told a conference in Vilnius.
Financial markets, which priced a rate hike by mid-year on Monday, now see just a 50% probability of such a move. But that is still a big change compared to two weeks ago when investors saw steady rates all year, with a small chance of a rate cut, due to weak inflation.
Speaking at the same event, Madis Muller, Estonia’s central bank chief, also made the case for a measured response and said the ECB needed to weigh if the energy price shock is temporary or a longer-lasting shift.
“Even if we shouldn’t rush into decisions, the probability of the next change in the policy rates now being more towards an increase, rather than the opposite, that probably has gone up in the last couple of weeks,” Muller said in a panel discussion.
“We shouldn’t rush into any decisions,” Muller said. “We should first see if the increase in energy prices that we are now experiencing turns out to be transitory or not, as it was the case the last time,” he said.
Reporting by Balazs Koranyi; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Sharon Sngleton
The builder expects underlying operating profit near the upper end of analyst consensus of 486 million to 517 million pounds ($593-$630 million)
International News via Reuters:
British homebuilder Persimmon bucked the sector trend on Tuesday, forecasting more home deliveries and profits at the top end of market estimates in 2026 as sales recover, sending shares 11% higher.
The builder expects underlying operating profit near the upper end of analyst consensus of 486 million to 517 million pounds ($593-$630 million), contrasting with rivals Taylor Wimpey and Vistry which have recently warned of margin pressure and weaker demand.
The outlook, however, is based on an assumption that the fallout from the war in the Middle East can be contained.
“The impact of the Iran conflict on customer sentiment remains to be seen. Assuming the conflict with Iran and its impact is short, Persimmon is set to grow again in 2026,” CEO Dean Finch said in a statement.
Sales in the opening weeks of the year have been strong and the build-to-rent market is recovering from the slowdown seen in November, Finch said.
Persimmon also reported underlying pre-tax profit of 445.6 million pounds for the year ended December 2025, ahead of market expectations, and its shares were on track for their best day since April 2020, if gains hold.
ALL THE RIGHT THINGS
Persimmon has weathered cost pressures better than rivals because it makes its own bricks, tiles and timber frames, shielding it from cost inflation squeezing its competitors.
RBC Capital Markets analyst Anthony Codling said the 2025 results and the beginning of this year confirmed their view
“that Persimmon is doing the right things at the right time in the right places, and is performing ahead of its peers.”
The company expects to deliver between 12,000 and 12,500 homes in 2026, while also leaning on marketing and incentives that helped it outperform sales expectations in 2025.
“The potential impact of current uncertainty on build cost inflation is not yet known, but we anticipate limited impact this year due to existing supplier agreements and accelerated production levels coming into 2026,” Finch said.
Reporting by Raechel Thankam Job in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Tomasz Janowski
Shadow minister calls for strategy to address more than 160 vacant posts
Statement from Shadow National Security Minister, Robert King:
The Minister of National Security today presented what was intended to be an update on recruitment across Bermuda’s uniformed services. Unfortunately, what the statement actually revealed is a troubling picture of serious staffing shortages across the very services responsible for keeping Bermudians safe.
According to the Minister’s own figures, Bermuda currently has more than 160 vacancies across national security departments. The Bermuda Police Service alone has approximately 47 vacant posts. The Customs Department reports 52 vacancies, yet only 14 of those posts are funded, meaning that 38 positions required to properly secure our borders are not even budgeted for.
The Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service has 11 vacancies, the Royal Bermuda Regiment has 46 unfilled positions, and the Department of National Drug Control has 11 vacant clinical roles.
These vacancies represent fewer police officers on the streets, fewer customs officers protecting our borders, fewer firefighters available to respond to emergencies, and fewer addiction professionals available to support those battling substance abuse.
There are operational risks being created by running essential services so far below their full strength. Public safety requires consistent workforce planning, proper funding of essential posts, and a clear strategy to recruit and retain Bermudians in these critical roles.
If the Government is serious about national security, it must explain why such significant shortages exist and what concrete steps will be taken to restore the staffing levels required to properly protect our community. As we will continue to have retirements and the staffing levels are already below what is necessary there needs to be a strategy shared with the public.
France will be able to open data centres and meet the needs of artificial intelligence thanks to its large energy exports, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday
International News via Reuters:
France will be able to open data centres and meet the needs of artificial intelligence thanks to its large energy exports, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday.
“In France, last year, we exported 90 terawatt-hours of decarbonized electricity. Thanks to our nuclear plants, we have the ability to open data centers, to build computing capacity, to be at the heart of the artificial intelligence challenge,” Macron said in his keynote speech at the World Nuclear Energy summit in Paris.
Reporting by Forrest Crellin and Gianluca Lo Nostro; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta
Oil prices surged to their highest levels since mid‑2022 on Monday propelled by fears of Gulf output cuts and disrupted tanker traffic
International News via Reuters:
G7 energy ministers will discuss soaring energy prices due to the war in Iran on a call on Tuesday while a group of European Union leaders will do so later in the day, officials said.
Oil prices surged to their highest levels since mid‑2022 on Monday propelled by fears of Gulf output cuts and disrupted tanker traffic.
G7 finance ministers said on Monday they were prepared to implement “necessary measures” in response to the price surge but stopped short of committing to coordinated emergency releases of reserves.
Even before the Iran crisis, European energy prices typically sat higher than those in the U.S. and China. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has promised to propose measures to tackle the issue at an EU summit next week.
Tuesday’s G7 call is scheduled for 1245 GMT. French Finance Minister Roland Lescure, whose country holds the G7 presidency this year, said there were currently no supply problems in either Europe or the United States.
The G7 comprises the United States, Canada, Japan, Italy, Britain, Germany and France. Italy, Germany and France are also EU members.
EU leaders in the evening will discuss competitiveness, including energy prices, on a call with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and others.
The EU imports more than 90% of its oil and around 80% of its gas, making European countries highly exposed to fluctuations in global oil and gas prices.
EU commissioners discussed potential measures last Friday including changes to energy taxes and amending the EU carbon price, which accounts for roughly 11% of industries’ power costs, a Commission document seen by Reuters showed.
Additional reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Jan Strupczewski; writing by Ingrid Melander and Kate Abnett; editing by Jason Neely
The blue-chip FTSE 100 gained 1.6% by 1015 GMT, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 added 1.9%
International News via Reuters:
London’s FTSE indexes rose on Tuesday, after three sessions of declines, as U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that the Middle East war could be close to ending.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 gained 1.6% by 1015 GMT, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 added 1.9%. If both indexes hold their gains, it would mark their biggest one‑day rise in nearly a year.
Trump’s comments on Monday led to a nearly 7% slump in oil prices, even as Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they would not allow “one litre of oil” to be shipped from the Middle East if U.S. and Israeli attacks continue. [O/R]
Most major British subsectors were in the green, except the energy index, which fell 2.1%, with oil majors Shell down 1.7% and BP sliding 2.9%.
Meanwhile, interest rate expectations stayed volatile, with traders now evenly split on whether the Bank of England will cut interest rates at least once this year after briefly pricing in a hike on Monday, according to LSEG data.
Standard Chartered and Morgan Stanley delayed their forecast for a rate cut to the second quarter, amid inflation risks from the Middle East conflict that pushed the FTSE 100 4.6% below its record high in late February.
The BoE is expected to deliver its interest rate decision on March 19.
Meanwhile, British consumer spending grew slowly last month as households turned more pessimistic about the economic outlook amid inflation worries, surveys from Barclays and the BRC showed.
In corporate news, Persimmon rose 6.3% after the home builder said it expects to deliver more homes in 2026, with profits likely at the top end of estimates.
Domino’s Pizza rose 3% as the fast-food chain bets on its new fried chicken brand to drive growth beyond pizza.
Reporting by Tharuniyaa Lakshmi in Bengaluru; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair
