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Warwick Academy reigns supreme at Arboretum cross country

Warwick Academy asserted their authority over the local running scene on Tuesday, being crowned overall champions at the Senior School Cross Country Championships after a series of commanding performances at the Arboretum.

In a display of depth and tactical discipline, Warwick emerged as comfortable winners with a total of 164 points. Saltus Grammar School secured the silver medal position with 207 points, while The Berkeley Institute rounded out the podium with 240.

Warwick’s dominance was built on consistency across both genders. They cruised to the girls’ title (83 points) and narrowly held off a resilient Saltus side in the boys’ standings, winning by just five points (81 to 86).

The Under-16 Girls race provided a historic moment for Bermuda High School (BHS), as Brooklyn Myers delivered a clinical victory in 13:22, finishing nearly a minute ahead of the field.

In the Over-16 categories, Carifta standout Jaeda Grant proved her class for Saltus, surging away from the pack to win in 14:16. However, the day concluded with a Warwick masterclass in the boys’ race; heavy favorites Jackson Langley and Gianluca Bortoli lived up to the billing, crossing the line in a dominant one-two finish to secure the team title.

Phillips provides spark but LSU clinches sweep over Tulane

Tulane Men’s Tennis faced a stern examination on Tuesday evening as they traveled to Baton Rouge to face No. 21 LSU at the LSU Tennis Complex.

While the hosts eventually secured a dominant 7–0 victory, the Green Wave pushed the ranked Tigers throughout a competitive doubles session that set a high-intensity tone for the dual match.

The afternoon began with a statement performance from Tulane’s top pairing. Bermudian standout Daniel Phillips and partner Lance Nisbet displayed clinical chemistry to defeat LSU’s Sasa Markovic and Andrej Loncarevic.

Playing with an aggressive baseline style, Phillips and Nisbet claimed a 6–4 victory, handing the LSU duo their first loss of the season. However, LSU showed their national-ranking depth on the remaining courts, clinching the doubles point with 6–1 and 6–4 wins at the second and third spots respectively.

In the marquee singles matchup, Phillips stepped into the number one spot to take on Olaf Pieczkowski. The Polish freshman, currently ranked No. 502 in the ATP world rankings, found himself in a dogfight in the opening set as Phillips matched his pace from the back of the court.

Ultimately, Pieczkowski’s professional consistency proved the difference. After edging a tight first set 6–4, the Tiger found another gear in the second to seal a 6–4, 6–1 victory and clinch the overall match for LSU.

Suits to silks: Minister and former MP set for motocross showdown

All roads lead to the Southside Moto Sports Park this Sunday as the Bermuda Motocross Association (BMA) hosts its highly anticipated Celebrity Motocross Race Day.

The starting gate on February 8th will feature an unusual lineup, as local dignitaries swap the halls of government for the grit of the track to support the BMA’s fundraising efforts.

Leading the charge is the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Owen Darrell, alongside former MP Wayne Caines. While Minister Darrell has been a vocal supporter of the island’s “Pink Sand Scrambling” resurgence, this weekend marks his transition from the sidelines to the saddle.

“Support comes in multiple ways,” Minister Darrell noted. “As this is a fundraiser, I did not hesitate. Come down and watch me beat the other celebrities; it’s going to be a real deal on a scrambler this Sunday.”

The pre-race tension is already mounting. Caines, racing under #06, has wasted no time in launching a direct challenge to his fellow competitors.

“I will be scrambling down Southside on Sunday!” Caines stated. “I will win my race. Keep your eye on number 06.”

Beyond the celebrity spectacle, the event celebrates the island’s motocross heritage, featuring riders ranging from six-year-old novices to veterans aged 60 and over. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to witness the unique sight of Bermuda’s leaders navigating the jumps and berms of Southside.

Residents reflect on 1965 BELCO riots

Imagine Bermuda, a community activist group organised an event this week to commemorate the 2 February 1965 BELCO riots

Officers from the Bermuda Police Service launch tear gas at rioters on Serpentine Road, outside BELCO HQ. Photo: BPS/Roger Sherratt

It sparked some of the bloodiest clashes in modern Bermuda history…The BELCO Riots of 1965 left an impact on many Bermudians .. some of whom gathered on Monday to reflect on what happened and why.


Jasmine Patterson attended the anniversary event at Devonshire Recreation Club and filed this report.

FTSE 100 touches record high, BoE policy in focus

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index was up 1.4% at 10,457.84 points at 1155 GMT, while the domestically focused mid-cap FTSE 250 was up 0.6%

Signage is seen outside the LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) headquarters in Paternoster Square, London, Britain, April 25, 2025. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo

International News via Reuters:

The UK’s FTSE 100 touched a record high on Wednesday, helped by gains in energy stocks and insurer Beazley, while investors awaited the Bank of England’s monetary policy decision later this week.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index was up 1.4% at 10,457.84 points at 1155 GMT, while the domestically focused mid-cap FTSE 250 was up 0.6%.

Energy stocks climbed 2%, tracking higher crude prices as geopolitical tensions simmered between the United States and Iran. [O/R]

Beazley climbed 8.7% to the top of the FTSE 100 as the British insurer agreed to the terms of a sweetened 8 billion pound ($10.97 billion) takeover proposal from Switzerland’s Zurich Insurance.

Meanwhile, European software names remained in focus following Tuesday’s selloff when updated artificial intelligence models raised fresh doubts about whether software firms can defend their business models.

Business information group RELX slid 2.6%, while exchange operator and data provider London Stock Exchange Group dipped 2.4%. The stocks suffered double-digit losses on Tuesday.

IT firm Softcat slid 6% to a one-year low, while HG Capital, which recently agreed to buy U.S. financial software maker OneStream for $6.4 billion, slumped another 7.4%. Ad firm WPP fell 3.2% to its lowest since 1998.

British interest rates are likely to fall further this year, but the BoE might be vague on Thursday about when or by how much it will cut borrowing costs, as it awaits a clearer picture on inflation. The BoE is expected to keep its benchmark borrowing costs unchanged at 3.75% on Thursday.

Activity in Britain’s services sector grew strongly in January and confidence rose, a survey showed on Wednesday, but firms also reported a jump in their prices, a potential concern for the BoE ahead of the policy meeting.

Reporting by Tharuniyaa Lakshmi in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli

Global software stocks hit by Anthropic wake-up call on AI disruption

European data analytics, professional services and software stocks fell for a second day in volatile trade, after Anthropic’s new legal artificial intelligence model underscored the threat to businesses seen as most exposed to AI disruption

International News via Reuters:

European and U.S. software stocks struggled to find support on Wednesday as a sector-wide selloff spread to Asia, fuelled by mounting worries that advances in artificial intelligence could upend companies’ business models.

European data analytics, professional services and software stocks fell for a second day in volatile trade, mirroring losses in global peers, after Anthropic’s new legal artificial intelligence model underscored the threat to businesses seen as most exposed to AI disruption.

Britain’s RELX and the Netherlands’ Wolters Kluwer – major providers of analytics to the legal industry – dropped about 3% in morning trade before paring some losses, after plunging more than 14% and 12% respectively on Tuesday.

Shares of U.S. software and services firms were mixed in premarket trading after a near 13% slide over five straight sessions. Nasdaq-listed Thomson Reuters, the parent company of Reuters News, was flat in light volume after Tuesday’s record 16% slump on fears that AI could threaten its core legal division.

London Stock Exchange Group slid as much as 6.9%, extending Tuesday’s near 13% drop.

Indian IT exporters also fell sharply, while Japanese software and systems developers NEC, Nomura Research and Fujitsu sank between 8% and 11%, dragging the Nikkei benchmark index lower overnight.

The rout comes amid wider concern that a tech bubble could burst, posing financial stability risks.

JP Morgan analyst Toby Ogg said investors were focused on long-term growth questions that stretch far beyond traditional three-year forecasts.

“The sector isn’t just guilty until proven innocent, but is now being sentenced before trial,” he said.

“Our sense from investor discussions is that general appetite to step in remains generally low,” he added, citing risks including competition from AI-native firms and clients building their own solutions in-house. 

ANTHROPIC THE SPARK BEHIND THE SELLOFF

One trigger for Tuesday’s selloff was Anthropic’s launch of plug-ins for its Claude Cowork agent on Friday, enabling automated tasks across legal, sales, marketing and data analysis.

Advertising stocks – viewed as among the most exposed in European media to AI – also stayed under pressure. France’s Publicis was last down 3.6% and Britain’s WPP lost 3%, both hitting new lows.

Shares in SAP, Europe’s largest software company, dropped more than 3%, a week after a disappointing cloud revenue forecast wiped around $40 billion off its market value.

With stellar gains in chipmaker Nvidia and so-called AI hyperscalers like Microsoft pushing U.S. stocks to record highs, regulators and policymakers – including the International Monetary Fund and the Bank of England – have warned of the risks of a potential bubble.

“All innovation means there is going to be disruption at some point, and we appear to be at a significant point in that journey for software and IT services companies,” said Ben Barringer, head of technology research at Quilter Cheviot.  

“There is a lot of uncertainty around exactly what AI agents can do, and as such, investors are choosing to shun the software market altogether, leaving nowhere to hide.” 

Salesforce, CrowdStrike, Adobe each dipped about 0.2% in U.S. premarket trading, while Intuit eased 0.6%. Atlassian Corp firmed 0.6%.

Reporting by Danilo Masoni. Additional reporting by Medha Singh and Siddarth S. Editing by Amanda Cooper, Dhara Ranasinghe and Mark Potter

Storm Leo pounds Iberian Peninsula with torrential rains

Spain’s state meteorological agency AEMET forecast that some parts of the southern Sierra Grazalema may see rainfall equivalent to a full year of precipitation from the storm

International News via Reuters:

Spanish and Portuguese authorities braced on Wednesday for the impact of Storm Leo, suspending classes in some areas and warning against travel, just one week after deadly Storm Kristin wreaked havoc across the Iberian Peninsula.

Spain’s state meteorological agency AEMET forecast that some parts of the southern Sierra Grazalema may see rainfall equivalent to a full year of precipitation from the storm. 

Authorities are concerned about the heightened risk of flooding as the ground remains saturated from the preceding storm and heavy rains last month.

Spain recorded 119.3 mm of rainfall in January, 85% above the 1992-2020 average, making it the second-wettest January of the 21st century, the Environment Ministry said.

The regional government in Spain’s southern Andalusia region urged residents to avoid non-essential travel, warning that public safety alerts could quickly escalate to the highest red-alert level as the storm evolves, regional leader Juanma Moreno said.

In-person classes were suspended across the region, apart from in Almeria province, while Spain’s Military Emergency Unit was on alert to provide a rapid response, including flood rescue, the stabilisation of landslide-prone areas and the monitoring of mining tailings ponds at risk of overflow.

Day centres for the elderly and disabled have been closed, and local governments in affected areas were advised to cancel outdoor sports activities, while about 3,000 people have been evacuated from areas most at risk of flooding. 

High-risk regions include Grazalema, Campo de Gibraltar, Ronda and parts of Jaen, where residents received mobile alerts warning of the potential for heavy rainfall.

Emergency personnel, along with two aircraft and two helicopters, have been deployed to monitor flood-prone zones and provide real-time updates, Moreno said.

In Portugal, the national Civil Protection Service raised its preparedness to the highest level as its commander warned of a “very complex” meteorological situation ahead. 

The Portuguese armed forces deployed up to 3,000 personnel and 42 inflatable boats with marine teams along flood-prone sections of the country’s major rivers as weather conditions were forecast to worsen throughout the week.

Reporting by Emma Pinedo and David Latona in Madrid, Sérgio Gonçalves in Lisbon; Editing by Sharon

TikTok extremely cooperative with EU’s probe on Romania election, Commission spokesperson says

In December 2024, the European Union opened formal proceedings against social media firm TikTok over its suspected failure to limit election interference in the Romanian presidential vote

International News via Reuters:

Social media firm TikTok is “extremely cooperative” with the European Commission’s ongoing investigation on potential interference in the 2024 Romanian elections, Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said on Wednesday.

“This also shows that when you want to engage with the Commission, we are very happy to engage with you. Tiktok is very cooperative. They have taken a number of measures,” Regnier told reporters.

In December 2024, the European Union opened formal proceedings against social media firm TikTok over its suspected failure to limit election interference in the Romanian presidential vote.

Reporting by Inti Landauro, Editing by Louise Heavens

Nestle widens infant formula recall after France lowers toxin level

Cereulide, which can cause nausea and vomiting, has been detected in ingredients from a factory in China supplying many infant formula makers, including Nestle, Danone and Lactalis

International News via Reuters:

Nestle widened an infant formula recall to include a batch of Guigoz after France lowered the maximum threshold for the cereulide toxin, contradicting analyst expectations that no further withdrawals would be needed from the Swiss group.

Cereulide, which can cause nausea and vomiting, has been detected in ingredients from a factory in China supplying many infant formula makers, including Nestle, Danone and Lactalis. The findings have triggered recalls in dozens of countries and raised concerns among parents.

“As methods for analyzing cereulide have evolved, we are voluntarily recalling a batch of Guigoz infant formula in addition to the batches already recalled,” Nestle said on its recall alert.

ANALYSTS HAD SAID FURTHER RECALLS WERE UNLIKELY

France reduced its safety limit for cereulide on Saturday, aiming to strengthen protections after recalls widened to include other companies such as Vitagermine. The new threshold followed a meeting with the EU’s food safety authority EFSA, which issued similar advice on Monday.

Analysts at Barclays and Jefferies had said on Monday they did not expect Nestle and Danone to face additional recalls as a result of the updated limit.

Nestle had already recalled some Guigoz batches, among other brands, in France in January and December.

French investigators are looking into whether there is a link between the death of two infants and recalled Guigoz infant formula products, local prosecutors said.

The French health ministry and the company said there was no evidence of such a connection at this stage. Results are expected in the coming days.

Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide and Gus Trompiz; Editing by Benoit Van Overstraeten and Louise Heavens

Euro zone inflation dips in January as soft patch begins

Price growth in the 21 countries that share the euro slipped to its lowest level since September 2024, dropping to 1.7% in January, weighed down by a fall in energy prices

International News via Reuters:

Euro zone inflation dipped last month, data showed on Wednesday, entering a soft patch that most economists expect will last for at least a year and keep the European Central Bank on hold.

Price growth in the 21 countries that share the euro slipped to its lowest level since September 2024, dropping to 1.7% in January, weighed down by a fall in energy prices. The reading was in line with economists’ forecasts.

But a key measure of underlying inflation that strips out volatile items such as energy, food, alcohol and tobacco unexpected edged down to 2.2% from 2.3 in December, as prices in the services sector continued to ease.

Taken together, the readings were unlikely to trigger any immediate move by the ECB, which is expected to keep interest rates steady on Thursday and through the remainder of the year.

“With underlying inflation still a little too high for comfort and expectations that the euro zone economy will regain momentum later in the year, we believe the most likely outcome is that the ECB will keep rates unchanged for the foreseeable future,” Diego Iscaro, head of European economics at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said.

The euro zone’s central bank expects inflation to slightly undershoot its 2% target this year and next before heading back to it in 2028.

Inflation has been hovering around 2% for at least a year after a wave of price hikes fuelled by the economy’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which pushed up fuel costs.

Economists are split over whether the ECB’s next move will be a cut or a hike, with some policymakers recently saying both moves are equally likely.

A recent appreciation of the euro against the dollar, partly a response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s unpredictable policymaking and worries about the Federal Reserve’s independence, has fuelled some market talk about a rate cut.

“Inflation under target and euro strength are something that may cause the ECB to think twice about staying on hold,” Melissa Davies, an economist at Redburn Atlantic, said.

Reporting by Francesco Canepa; Editing by Hugh Lawson

Toyota plans 30% boost to 2026 hybrid vehicle output by 2028, Nikkei says

The world’s largest automaker is aiming to raise global output to about 11.3 million vehicles in 2028, roughly 10% above its 2026 plan

International News via Reuters:

Toyota plans to boost production of hybrid and plug‑in hybrid vehicles to about 6.7 million cars by 2028, 30% higher than its 2026 target, the Nikkei business daily reported on Wednesday.

The world’s largest automaker is aiming to raise global output to about 11.3 million vehicles in 2028, roughly 10% above its 2026 plan, the paper said, adding that hybrids would account for about 60% of production, up from around 50% this year.

A Toyota statement said the company provides a rough estimate of future production prospects to suppliers and other partners every year as a reference for their planning, emphasising that these figures are a reference and not production or sales plans.

Reporting by Daniel LeussinkEditing by Louise Heavens and David Goodman