The Bermuda Police Service advised motorists to use alternative routes
Bermuda Police Service media release:
Around 5:35 p.m. on Thursday, February 19, 2026, police were dispatched to a single vehicle road traffic collision involving a motorcycle, in the area of Chancery Lane, Reid Street, in the City of Hamilton.
It was reported that the male motorcycle rider was exiting the garage of a nearby building when when he appeared to have lost control of the motorcycle.
EMTs, who attended the scene attended to the motorcyclist who appeared to have sustained head injuries.
He was attended to at the scene and subsequently transported via ambulance to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for further treatment of his injuries, the extent of which is unknown at this time.
Reid Street, is currently closed to between Burnaby Street and Parliament Street is currently closed to vehicular traffic.
It is anticipated the roadway will remain closed off an extended period while the collision scene is processed.
The meeting in Washington came amid a broader push by Trump to build a reputation as a peacemaker
International News via Reuters:
U.S. President Donald Trump told the first meeting of his Board of Peace on Thursday that nations had contributed $7 billion to a Gaza reconstruction fund that aims to rebuild the enclave once Hamas disarms, an objective that is far from becoming a reality.
The disarmament of Hamas militants and accompanying withdrawal of Israeli troops, the size of the reconstruction fund and the flow of humanitarian aid to the war-battered populace of Gaza are among the major questions likely to test the effectiveness of the board in the months ahead.
The meeting in Washington came amid a broader push by Trump to build a reputation as a peacemaker. It also took place as the United States threatens war against Iran and has embarked on a massive military buildup in the region in case Tehran refuses to give up its nuclear program.
The Board’s founding membership does not include some key U.S. Western allies concerned about the scope of the initiative.
In a flurry of announcements at the end of a long, winding speech to representatives from 47 nations, Trump said the United States will contribute $10 billion to the Board of Peace. He did not say where the money would come from or whether he would seek it from the U.S. Congress.
MOSTLY MIDDLE EASTERN MEMBERSHIP
Trump said contributing nations had raised $7 billion as an initial down payment for Gaza reconstruction. Contributors included Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Kuwait, he said. The membership is mostly made up of Middle Eastern countries, plus leaders from outside the region who may be looking to gain favor with Trump.
Estimates for rebuilding Gaza, which was reduced to rubble after two years of war, range up to $70 billion.
Trump proposed the board in September when he announced his plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza. He later made clear the board’s remit would expand beyond Gaza to tackle other conflicts worldwide, a point he reiterated on Wednesday by saying it would look into “hotspots” around the world.
Trump said FIFA will raise $75 million for soccer-related projects in Gaza and that the United Nations will chip in $2 billion for humanitarian assistance.
The Board of Peace includes Israel but not Palestinian representatives. Trump’s suggestion that the Board could eventually address challenges beyond Gaza has stirred anxiety that it could undermine the U.N.’s role as the main platform for global diplomacy and conflict resolution.
“We’re going to strengthen the United Nations,” Trump said, trying to assuage his critics, even though the United States is in arrears on making payments.
Trump said Norway would host a Board of Peace event, but Norway clarified it was not joining the board.
IRAN SABER-RATTLING
Even as he talked up himself as a man of peace, Trump rattled sabers against Iran.
Trump said he should know in 10 days whether a deal is possible to end a standoff with Tehran. “We have to have a meaningful deal,” he said.
Trump said several nations are planning to send thousands of troops to participate in an International Stabilization Force that will help keep the peace in Gaza when it eventually deploys.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announced his country would contribute up to 8,000 troops to the force.
The plan for the force is to begin working in areas Israel controls in the absence of Hamas disarmament. The force, led by a U.S. general with an Indonesian deputy, will start in Israeli-controlled Rafah, an area that Israeli forces depopulated and demolished during the war. The aim is to train 12,000 police and have 20,000 troops.
HAMAS DISARMAMENT A KEY ISSUE
Hamas, fearful of Israeli reprisals, has been reluctant to hand over weaponry as part of Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan that brought about a fragile ceasefire last October in the two-year Gaza war.
Trump said he hoped the use of force to disarm Hamas would be unnecessary. He said Hamas had promised to disarm and it “looks like they’re going to be doing that, but we’ll have to find out.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in Israel that Hamas will be disarmed one way or the other. “Very soon, Hamas will face a dilemma – to disarm peacefully or disarmed forcefully,” he said.
In Gaza, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said in a statement that the real test of the Board of Peace “lies in their ability to compel the occupation to halt its violations of the ceasefire, to oblige it to meet its obligations, and to initiate a genuine relief effort and launch the reconstruction process.”
The Board of Peace event had the feel of a Trump campaign rally, with music blaring from his eclectic playlist that included Elvis Presley and the Beach Boys. Participants received red Trump hats.
Hamas, which has resumed administration of the ruined enclave, says it is ready to hand over to a U.S.-backed committee of Palestinian technocrats led by Ali Shaath, but that Israel has not allowed the group into Gaza. Israel has yet to comment on those assertions.
Nickolay Mladenov, a Bulgarian with a senior role in the Board of Peace, said at the meeting that 2,000 Palestinians have applied to join a new transitional Palestinian police force.
“We have to get this right. There is no plan B for Gaza. Plan B is going back to war. No one here wants that,” said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Reporting By Trevor Hunnicutt, Steve Holland, Simon Lewis, Samia Nakhoul, and Nidal al-Mughrabi; additional reporting by Steven Scheer and Omri Taasan in Jerusalem and Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Don Durfee, Ross Colvin, Philippa Fletcher, Rod Nickel
Indigenous protesters have been blocking truck traffic at the entrance of Cargill’s Santarem grain terminal in northern Brazil for several days, protesting against plans to dredge the Tapajos river
International News via Reuters:
A Brazilian court reinstated late on Wednesday an order to free up access to the Santarem river port terminal where U.S. grain trader Cargill operates, according to a ruling signed by federal judge Shamyl Cipriano and seen by Reuters.
Indigenous protesters have been blocking truck traffic at the entrance of Cargill’s Santarem grain terminal in northern Brazil for several days, protesting against plans to dredge the Tapajos river.
Last Friday, a federal court issued a decision obligating the government to adopt measures in 48 hours to remove protesters and restore access to Cargill’s facility in Para state.
Federal prosecutors told Reuters they appealed that decision, arguing the ruling ignored norms of the National Council of Justice, which requires the direct participation of indigenous peoples and the holding of mediation hearings before any removal.
That led to the ruling being overturned on Sunday, prosecutors said, before Wednesday’s reinstatement offered a win for Cargill.
The prosecutors are analyzing the latest court decision.
Cargill declined to comment.
Reporting by Ana Mano, Editing by Franklin Paul, Kirsten Donovan
The blue-chip index fell 0.5% after closing at a record high for two straight sessions
International News via Reuters:
London’s FTSE 100 dipped from record highs on Thursday as Rio Tinto’s shares fell after the global miner’s annual earnings missed expectations, while simmering U.S.-Iran tensions kept investors cautious.
The blue-chip index fell 0.5% after closing at a record high for two straight sessions. The domestically focused mid-cap FTSE 250 was down 0.4%.
Rio Tinto fell 3.6% after the miner reported flat annual earnings as lower prices at its mainstay iron ore business were offset by a strong performance in its copper division.
Other London-listed miners also fell after copper prices were hit by a firmer dollar, rising inventories and reduced demand because of the Lunar New Year holiday in China, the world’s biggest metals consumer. [MET/L]
“A stronger US dollar – at one-month highs amid flight-to-safety flows – added pressure on precious and base metals, weighing on UK mining stocks, putting a dent in the FTSE 100’s stellar performance,” said Axel Rudolph, senior financial analyst at IG.
Investors around the globe have been unnerved by U.S.-Iran tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program, with oil prices rising by more than 2%. [O/R]
UK stocks have been finding broad support from upbeat corporate earnings, expectations of monetary policy easing as well as inflows from investors looking to diversify away from U.S. stocks that have been pressured by AI-disruption concerns.
On Thursday, British Gas owner Centrica was down 5.1%, the biggest faller on the blue-chip index, after warning that 2026 profit at its energy trading arm would miss forecasts and pausing its share buyback programme after reporting a 39% drop in annual profit.
Reporting by Tharuniyaa Lakshmi in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala, Kirsten Donovan
Mountbatten-Windsor, who turned 66 on Thursday, had been questioned all day by detectives from Thames Valley Police
International News via Reuters:
King Charles’ younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was released from police custody on Thursday evening after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations he sent confidential government documents to Jeffrey Epstein.
Mountbatten-Windsor, who turned 66 on Thursday, had been questioned all day by detectives from Thames Valley Police. Earlier this month, the police force said it was looking into allegations that he had passed documents to the late convicted sex offender while working as a trade envoy.
The arrest of the senior royal, eighth in line to the throne, is unprecedented in modern times.
“I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office,” King Charles said in a statement.
A Reuters witness saw Prince Andrew leaving a police station in Aylsham, eastern England, where he was met by a small group of photographers and television crews, just after 1900 GMT.
A Reuters photograph taken after his release shows him seated inside a car, appearing visibly shaken.
Thames Valley Police said later on Thursday that “the arrested man” had been “released under investigation.”
‘THE LAW MUST TAKE ITS COURSE’
Although Buckingham Palace was not informed in advance about the arrest, Charles said the authorities had the family’s “full and wholehearted support and cooperation”.
“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course,” the monarch said in his statement.
“Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.”
The king visited a fashion show in London on Thursday, making no further public comment.
Mountbatten-Windsor, the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth, has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, and said he regrets their friendship.
His office did not respond to a request for comment and he has not spoken publicly since the release of more than 3 million pages of documents by the U.S. government relating to Epstein, who was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008.
Those files suggested Mountbatten-Windsor had in 2010 forwarded to Epstein reports about Vietnam, Singapore and other places he had visited on official trips as the government’s Special Representative for Trade and Investment.
He was forced to step down from that role in 2011 after his close links to Epstein first emerged.
“Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office,” Thames Valley’s Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said in a statement.
“We understand the significant public interest in this case, and we will provide updates at the appropriate time.”
The arrest marks a new low for the former prince, who was forced to quit all official royal duties in 2019 over his ties with Epstein and was then stripped by his older brother of his titles and honours last October amid further revelations about their relationship.
UNMARKED POLICE CARS
Earlier, six unmarked police cars and around eight plain-clothed officers were pictured at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in eastern England where Mountbatten-Windsor now resides.
Thames Valley Police officers were also searching the mansion on the king’s Windsor estate where Mountbatten-Windsor lived until he was forced out amid anger at the Epstein revelations.
While being arrested means that police have reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed and that the royal is suspected of involvement in an offence, it does not imply guilt.
A conviction for misconduct in a public office carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, and cases must be dealt with in a Crown Court, which deal with the most serious criminal offences.
Police have previously said misconduct in public office, which is a ‘Common Law’ offence and is not covered by written statute legislation, involved “particular complexities”.
GIUFFRE LAWSUIT
In 2022, the king’s brother settled a civil lawsuit brought in the United States by the late Virginia Giuffre who accused him of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager at properties owned by Epstein or his associates.
The current police investigation is not related to this or any other allegation of sexual impropriety.
“Today, our broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty,” the family of Giuffre, who died by suicide last year, said in a statement.
In response to Mountbatten-Windsor’s earlier arrest, U.S. President Donald Trump said it was a “shame.”
“I think it’s very sad. I think it’s so bad for the royal family,” Trump told reporters. “It’s very, very sad to me… to see what’s going on with his (King Charles’) brother.”
Were Mountbatten-Windsor to ultimately face criminal charges, he would join a very small group of senior British royals who have formally been accused of offences.
His elder sister Princess Anne was fined for speeding in 2001, and the following year became the first royal to be convicted of a criminal offence in 350 years when she appeared in court to plead guilty to failing to stop one of her dogs, named Dotty, biting two children.
King Charles I was tried for treason in 1649 towards the end of the English Civil War, found guilty and beheaded.
The misconduct investigation is not the only accusation against Mountbatten-Windsor into which police are looking.
Anti-monarchy campaign group Republic has reported him over allegations he was involved in the trafficking of a woman to Britain for sex in 2010. Thames Valley Police said it was assessing allegations that a woman had been taken to an address in Windsor, where the former prince lived until recently.
U.S. lawmakers have also said he should testify before committees in the United States over what he knew about Epstein.
Meanwhile former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has also called for a police investigation into the extent of Epstein trafficking women without proper checks by the authorities through London’s Stansted Airport, saying this had been overlooked by previous inquiries into Mountbatten-Windsor.
Essex Police said on Wednesday it was looking into the issue.
Reporting by Phil Noble and Sam Tabahriti and Michael Holden in London; Additional reporting by Catarina Demony and Muvija M in London, and Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington; Editing by Janet Lawrence, Jon Boyle and Rosalba O’Brien
In this conversation, Aaron Crichlow; founder of Bermuda is Love, discusses the mission and vision of the organization, which aims to create a community guided by love and focused on meeting basic human needs as rights. He shares his personal journey, the structure of Bermuda is Love, and the importance of collective action in addressing social issues. The conversation emphasizes the role of love in fostering community, the challenges faced in Bermuda, and the goals for the future, including advocacy for systemic change and the democratization of resources.
In this conversation, we sit down with Anthony Santucci – the executive director of CADA to discuss the cultural and historical context of alcohol consumption in Bermuda and its impact on road safety. We also discuss the importance of family and community in addressing alcohol-related issues. He emphasizes the need for responsible drinking, increased police presence, and education to combat alcohol abuse. The conversation also touches on generational changes in attitudes towards alcohol and the significance of preserving cultural heritage.
Bermuda Road Safety Council Chairman; Altonio Roberts joins us to discuss the pressing issue of road safety in Bermuda. He emphasizes the importance of changing behaviors, educating the community, and enforcing existing laws to reduce accidents and fatalities on the roads. The conversation covers various aspects of road safety, including the role of the Road Safety Council, the need for community engagement, the challenges of enforcement, and the importance of vehicle maintenance. Altonio also highlights future initiatives aimed at promoting road safety, including education programs for young people and campaigns focused on e-bike safety.
Victor Vielma, head of the Carabineros police force, told reporters in a press conference that the truck lost control and crashed into a guardrail, for reasons still under investigation
International News via Reuters:
At least three people were killed when a truck transporting liquid gas in Chile’s capital of Santiago crashed and exploded, authorities said on Thursday.
Another 10 people were injured, they said.
Victor Vielma, head of the Carabineros police force, told reporters in a press conference that the truck lost control and crashed into a guardrail, for reasons still under investigation.
Seven smaller vehicles were also affected in the incident that took place in the northern part of Santiago early on Thursday.
Reporting by Fabian Cambero; Writing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez; editing by Cassandra Garrison, Daina Beth Solomon
Staff were told on Thursday that the move followed a wave of client departures after disclosures about Mandelson’s past links to the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein
International News via Reuters:
Global Counsel, the consultancy firm co-founded by former British ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson, is preparing to enter administration as early as Friday, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Staff were told on Thursday that the move followed a wave of client departures after disclosures about Mandelson’s past links to the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the source said.
The firm did not respond to a request for comment.
Global Counsel cut ties with Mandelson in September last year, Reuters had reported, the day Prime Minister Keir Starmer sacked him as Britain’s ambassador to Washington.
Benjamin Wegg-Prosser, who co-founded Global Counsel alongside Mandelson, stepped down as chief executive earlier in February.
Wegg-Prosser had met Epstein in February 2010 while the sex offender was under house arrest, according to documents in the Epstein files seen by Reuters.
Global Counsel said in a statement earlier this month that it had reached an agreement to divest Mandelson’s shares, bringing to an end “any connection” between the firm and the former British envoy.
The shares owned by Mandelson, whose role in the firm ended when he was named ambassador, were acquired by an existing board member, shareholder and the firm’s managing director.
Following more revelations of the extent of Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein, KKR, Barclays, Klarna, Phoenix Group, Tesco and the Premier League have all cut ties with Global Counsel, while Vodafone said its contract was coming to an end in March and GSK said it had no plans to work with the firm further.
Being named in the files is not evidence of criminal activity.
Reporting by Sam Tabahriti, Editing by Paul Sandle
The Bermuda National Athletics Association hosted yet another high-stakes Carifta Trial at the Flora Duffy South Field Stadium, where the island’s rising stars pushed for their place on the regional stage. The evening was defined by a mix of jubilation and narrow misses, as one athlete successfully met the qualifying standard while two others fell just short of their marks.
In the Under 17 Women’s 1500 Meter Run, the spotlight belonged to Riana Robinson. With the qualifying standard set at 5:06.00, Robinson delivered a composed and clinical performance to touch the tape in 5:01.24, comfortably securing her spot for the upcoming games. Her success provided a stark contrast for Elena Bortoli, who fought valiantly in the same event but ultimately missed the qualifying time by a heartbreaking margin, stopping the clock in 5:07.31.
The sprinting events also saw fierce competition, particularly in the Under 17 Women’s 100 Meter Dash. Zakhya Scott led the field with a strong showing, but her time of 12.73 was not quite enough to reach the challenging standard of 12.35. Despite the near misses, the performances underscore the depth of talent currently developing in Bermuda’s track and field ranks as the road to the Carifta Games continues.
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