The Bermuda Police Service proudly congratulates 12 Inspectors and Sergeants from the Bermuda Police Service and the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, on their successful completion of the Incident Commander Course, delivered through the Training and Development Unit of the Bermuda Police Service.
This course was facilitated in partnership with the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office and Investigo Government Solutions UK, highlighting the value of international collaboration in strengthening policing capability and leadership.
This engagement reflects a continued commitment to the enhancement of leadership capacity across policing.
The Incident Commander Course is a scenario-based, command-focused programme designed to support Inspectors in managing complex, high-risk incidents. The programme focused on:
• Professional judgement and decision-making
• Risk ownership and escalation
• Multi-agency coordination
• Managing competing demands and public scrutiny
• Exercising defensible command under pressure
Congratulations to all graduates on reaching this important professional milestone. Your dedication continues to strengthen public safety and policing standards locally and regionally.
BPS refute claims a body was found at Paget Primary School
The Bermuda Police Service has issued a public statement refuting claims circulating on social media that a body was found at Paget Primary School.
Full BPS Statement:
The Bermuda Police Service is aware of information circulating on social media suggesting that a body was found at Paget Primary School. We wish to clearly and unequivocally state that this information is false.
There is no incident of this nature at Paget Primary School, and there is no cause for public concern.
We recognise that misinformation can spread quickly, particularly online, and can unintentionally cause fear and distress within the community.
We therefore encourage members of the public not to share unverified information.
The Bermuda Police Service thanks the public for their cooperation and understanding
Portugal raised its alert level to the maximum until at least Friday, with authorities warning several rivers were at high risk of flooding
International News via Reuters:
Rivers and reservoirs in Spain and Portugal were on the verge of overflowing on Wednesday as a new weather front pounded the Iberian peninsula just a week after Storm Kristin left six people dead and thousands without power.
In southern Spain’s Andalusia, 14 rivers and 10 dams were at “extreme” risk of overflowing, compounded by saturated ground from earlier storms this month, according to Antonio Sanz, head of the regional government’s interior department.
Portugal raised its alert level to the maximum until at least Friday, with authorities warning several rivers were at high risk of flooding.
In Alcacer do Sal, a town 90 kilometres (55.92 miles) south of Lisbon, the Sado river overflowed its banks on Wednesday, flooding parts of the town.
“I’ve never seen anything like this, never. It’s surreal. I have no words,” said longtime local resident Maria Cadacha.
“The entire lower part of the city is flooded, the whole waterfront is inundated,” said mayor Clarisse Campos.
“We have businesses flooded. We are monitoring people who live in those areas to determine whether it is necessary to evacuate them and move them to a safe place,” she added.
In Spain, Andalusian authorities described the situation in the municipality of Grazalema as dire, with an overwhelmed sewage system leading to water gushing from homes. Television footage showed water flowing out of electrical sockets and workers drilling holes into walls to drain floodwaters. A house wall collapse in Ubrique, Cadiz, injured one person.
At least 3,500 residents were evacuated in Andalusia. Authorities cancelled classes across the region, warned residents to avoid unnecessary travel and deployed 1,200 emergency personnel and 400 military service members to assist in flood-prone areas. Emergency aircraft and helicopters were also called in to monitor critical zones.
“It’s been raining like this for hours. The river has already overflowed, and people are very worried inside their homes. We are experiencing many power cuts,” Jose Luis Castillo, who lives in Jimera de Libar, told Reuters.
Spain’s state weather agency AEMET forecast continuous and intense rainfall in parts of Andalusia, central Spain, and Galicia in the northwest lasting through Saturday. It warned of possible landslides and damage to property and infrastructure.
Portugal’s National Civil Protection service said water levels are likely to rise over the coming days and the armed forces have deployed 1,600 personnel, including marine teams with 35 inflatable boats, to rescue people from flood-hit areas.
Reporting by Emma Pinedo and David Latona in Madrid, Sérgio Gonçalves in Lisbon; Editing by Sharon Singleton, Charlie Devereux, Nia Williams and Nick Zieminski
Operating as law enforcement on the water, the Bermuda Coast Guard’s Commanding Officer says they patrol the waters about 1,200 times a year
Photo supplied by the Royal Bermuda Regiment
Safety at sea has been a headline this week, after three men had to be rescued off Bermuda’s eastern coast when their yacht was stranded.
Their distress call was received by local Maritime Operations and relayed to the US Coast Guard. The USCG sent an aircraft to the scene, and the sailors were eventually rescued by the carrier ship Genco Bourgogne to be transported to Baltimore in the US.
Closer to home, Bermuda’s own Coast Guard has been in operation for nearly six years.
Commanding Officer, Major Jeff Patterson, says it’s a very active unit, particularly in the summer, averaging about two search and rescues every week:
The latest group of Royal Bermuda Regiment volunteers will start their training at Recruit Camp Alpha on Sunday.
Corporal J.D. Symonds and Private Sofia Card spoke to us about the benefits of volunteering, citing camaraderie as a factor that’s keeping people in the RBR longer than conscription once did.
Starmer ceded to pressure from the opposition Conservative Party to release documents on how Mandelson was appointed
International News via Reuters:
Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed regret on Wednesday for appointing Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington, saying the Labour veteran had created a “litany of deceit” about his ties to U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Starmer ceded to pressure from the opposition Conservative Party to release documents on how Mandelson was appointed, and was forced to water down an attempt to limit the scope of that disclosure after facing a revolt in his own Labour Party.
Mandelson, a government minister when Labour was previously in power more than 15 years ago, quit the House of Lords on Tuesday over links to Epstein, and is now under police investigation for alleged misconduct in office.
Files released by the U.S. Justice Department last week include emails suggesting Mandelson had leaked government documents to Epstein, and that Epstein had recorded payments to Mandelson or his then-partner, now husband.
OPPOSITION QUESTIONS STARMER’S JUDGEMENT
Mandelson has said he does not recall having received payments. He has not commented publicly on allegations he leaked documents, and did not respond to messages seeking comment.
On Wednesday, Starmer defended his own response, saying he had moved quickly to strip all titles and roles from a man he accused of “betraying” Britain.
But Starmer’s explanation of how Mandelson was appointed did little to quieten opposition voices, who said the ambassador’s selection in late 2024 put a question mark over the judgment of Starmer and his closest adviser, Morgan McSweeney.
It also did little to quell anger in the Labour Party, with lawmakers increasingly frustrated over Starmer’s appointment of Mandelson and a series of embarrassing policy U-turns.
MANDELSON ‘LIED REPEATEDLY’
“I am as angry as anyone about what Mandelson has been up to. The disclosures that have been made this week of him passing sensitive information at the height of the response to the 2008 financial crash is utterly shocking and appalling,” Starmer told a rowdy session of parliament.
“He has betrayed our country, he’s lied repeatedly, he’s responsible for a litany of deceit. But this moment demands not just anger but action, and that’s why we’ve moved quickly,” he said after telling lawmakers he had agreed with King Charles to remove Mandelson from the sovereign’s formal body of advisers.
A chaotic afternoon in the House of Commons, in which lawmakers from all sides lined up to criticise Starmer and demand maximum transparency, culminated in the government agreeing a compromise to avoid an embarrassing defeat.
After Labour Party lawmakers complained, the government dropped a proposal to withhold documents about Mandelson that it deemed prejudicial to national security or international relations. They will instead be handed to parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee.
British police said they had also asked the government not to release some documents over concerns that could undermine their investigation into allegations against Mandelson of misconduct in public office.
EMAILS SENT TO EPSTEIN
Emails released last week appeared to indicate that in 2009 Mandelson had sent Epstein a government memo about possible UK asset sales and tax changes, and in 2010 gave Epstein advance notice of a European Union 500-billion-euro bailout package.
Starmer appointed Mandelson in late 2024, arguing that his past work in the governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and as the EU’s trade commissioner made him an ideal person to navigate relations with Washington under President Donald Trump.
Starmer sacked Mandelson in September after seven months in the job, when documents emerged showing he had remained close to Epstein after the financier was found guilty in 2008 of child sex crimes.
Reporting by Muvija M, Sam Tabahriti and Elizabeth Piper; Additional reporting by Sarah Young; Writing by Sam Tabahriti and William James; Editing by Paul Sandle, Peter Graff and David Holmes
This weekend’s event connects business owners with service providers, panels and local vendors
Calling all entrepreneurs – The Bermuda Economic Development Corporation’s 4th Annual small business expo takes place this weekend.
Ondreyah Rochester and Tahkeesha Welch from the BEDC stopped by the studio to share more about the event which provides networking opportunities, guidance and direct access to service providers – resources that will help you move your businesses forward.
The Expo will include a trade-show style vending opportunity to promote business services and a range of engaging panel discussions.
This year also sees the introduction of a Vendor Village, allowing attendees the opportunity to shop local.
The BEDC’s small business expo will be held in the Gymnasium at Cedar Bridge Academy on Saturday from 11 am to 4pm.
Don’t forget to register your attendance online at bedc.bm.
From Henry Schein and Invisalign maker Align Technology to Envista and Dentsply Sirona, major companies contended a choppy 2025 marked by uneven dental visits throughout the year
International News via Reuters:
Wall Street is hoping dental-product makers will offer a brighter 2026 outlook, but analysts say a full industry rebound may still be some time away.
From Henry Schein and Invisalign maker Align Technology to Envista and Dentsply Sirona, major companies contended a choppy 2025 marked by uneven dental visits throughout the year.
While there appears to be some green shoots in demand, last year’s volatility has left investors cautious, analysts said.
“The general expectations are for steady messaging and better/less bad results,” Leerink analyst Michael Cherny said, noting that while trends that led to weakness last summer seem to have stabilized, there was not any meaningful acceleration.
At least four analysts expect U.S. dental demand to look relatively stable in 2026, a marked improvement from the “roller-coaster” swings of the past two years. But stability, they warn, should not be mistaken for recovery.
“The market generally remains soft, with demand for expensive procedures still depressed,” said J.P.Morgan analyst Lilia-Celine B Lozada. She expects management teams to frame forecasts conservatively to allow for more predictable performance through the year.
There, however, are pockets of improvement. Patient volumes appear to be edging up and demand for clear aligners has shown some firmness, though analysts caution the category remains highly exposed to household budget pressures. The fourth quarter, typically boosted by seasonality and year-end spending, offered some relief.
Yet, confidence in a sustained rebound remains fragile. Elevated prices, labor market anxiety and shifting consumer sentiment continue to weigh on discretionary dental care.
“The consumer in dental is very fickle, it takes one tweet tomorrow to wake up to that we’re putting tariffs back on and then all of the optimism goes away,” said William Blair analyst Brandon Vazquez.
Reporting by Sriparna Roy and Padmanabhan Ananthan in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar
The Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) is being established in Frankfurt, creating the first Europe-wide body to fight illegal financial flows
International News via Reuters:
The European Union’s new agency formed to fight dirty money said on Wednesday it was on track to be fully operational in 2028, as it set out its plan to tackle emerging illicit finance risks including crypto and “novel payment channels”.
The Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) is being established in Frankfurt, creating the first Europe-wide body to fight illegal financial flows.
From 2028, AMLA will directly supervise 40 EU financial institutions judged to present the biggest risk.
AMLA will finalise its methodology for its risk assessment in 2026 and start the selection process in 2027, it said in a 2026-2028 plan on Wednesday. It has already met its initial 2025 target of hiring 120 of the 432 staff it aims to employ, AMLA said.
The idea of the EU-wide agency was proposed in 2021, after a major money-laundering scandal highlighted the inadequacy of the bloc’s defences against illicit finance.
“AMLA marks a new chapter in Europe’s fight against money laundering and terrorism financing, transitioning from fragmented national responses to a unified, risk-based system tailored to the complexity of today’s criminal networks,” AMLA’s chair, Bruna Szego, wrote in a report setting out the plan.
“The challenges ahead — from crypto-asset supervision to cross-border criminal innovation — require an Authority that is both technically excellent and anchored in sound governance.”
EMERGING FINANCIAL CRIME RISKS
The plan cited developments in the crypto-asset market or novel payment channels as examples of emerging financial crime risks.
Money launderers received at least $82 billion worth of cryptocurrencies last year, up from $10 billion five years earlier, researchers estimate. Still, the “vast majority” of terrorist financing uses regular money, the Financial Action Task Force has said.
Speaking on the sidelines of a conference in Brussels on Tuesday, AMLA board member Derville Rowland told Reuters that the agency would follow the evidence to locate the biggest money-laundering risks, and had yet to decide how much of a focus crypto would be.
“Certainly when we look at money-laundering risk it’s present in some sectors more than others. For definite, crypto is an area where technology and secrecy can coincide to produce a high money-laundering risk,” she said.
Reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft; Editing by Tommy Reggiori Wilkes and Emelia Sithole-Matarise
Minister of Economy and Labour Jason Hayward (centre) joins H.E. Sakari Puisto, Minister of Economic Affairs of the Republic of Finland (right), and H.E. Bilal Kayani, Minister of State for Finance and Railways of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (left), to share perspectives on strengthening economic stability at WGS. Photo: Government of Bermuda
Full press release from the Ministry of Economy and Labour:
The Ministry of Economy and Labour is pleased to announce that the Minister of Economy and Labour, the Hon. Jason Hayward, JP, MP, is representing Bermuda at the World Governments Summit (WGS) 2026, held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from February 3–5, 2026.
The World Governments Summit is an annual global landmark event held in Dubai under the theme “Shaping Future Governments”. It serves as a premier knowledge-exchange platform for government officials, thought leaders, and private sector experts. The 2026 Summit focuses on five main themes: Global Governance and Effective Leadership, Societal Wellbeing and Capacity Building, Economic Prosperity and Emerging Opportunities, Urban Futures and Evolving Demographics, and Future Realities.
As part of his high-level ministerial engagements, Minister Hayward participated in two panels during the Summit, including the Government Experience Exchange Forum centered on the theme “Future of Trade and Economy.”
During the forum, he participated in a keynote session titled “Investing Smart for Resilient Economies,” which offered a strong platform for exploring smart investment, innovation, and long‑term economic resilience. Minister Hayward joined a panel of international peers, including H.E. Sakari Puisto, Minister of Economic Affairs of the Republic of Finland, and H.E. Bilal Kayani, Minister of State for Finance and Railways of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, to share perspectives on strengthening economic stability. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Rawa Harfoushi, Economic Advisor to the President of the Lebanese Republic.
Additionally, Minister Hayward participated in the Future of Economy Forum centered on the theme “Future of Trade and Economy”, joining a session entitled “Recalibrating Economic Priorities for 2026”. The discussion focused on how governments are strategically recalibrating their economic priorities for 2026 and beyond and explored the new priorities that economic policymakers and ministers in selected advanced emerging economies are considering, and how new partnerships across regional blocs can support new economic directions. During this session, Minister Hayward joined a panel alongside H.E. Anacláudia Marinheiro Centeno Rossbach, UN Under‑Secretary‑General and Executive Director of UN‑Habitat, and H.E. Amer Bisat, Minister of Economy and Trade of the Lebanese Republic. The discussion was moderated by Jean Fares, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Economy of Canada.
Minister Hayward’s participation highlights Bermuda’s active engagement in the global dialogue on sustainable economic development and the future of work. With over 6,000 participants and 150 government delegations expected, the event provides a critical opportunity for Bermuda to showcase its economic resilience and innovative regulatory environment on a world stage.
Minister Jason Hayward stated, “It is a privilege to participate in the World Governments Summit 2026, a vital platform for navigating the complexities of the modern global economy. Contributing to both the Government, I was honored to take part in the Experience Exchange and the Future of Economy Forums. Engaging with my international peers in these sessions offered invaluable insights into how we can collectively drive smart investment and foster a culture of sustainable innovation.
“I value the opportunity to engage with fellow leaders and experts on shaping resilient economies for the future. Our goal remains to build strategic partnerships that will strengthen Bermuda’s economic growth and ensure we remain at the forefront of global governance.”
The soon-to-reopen hotel has launched an online hub so local vendors can apply to provide certain front-facing services
Can you provide luxury hotel transport… or destination experiences… or produce audiovisuals for events… or create a platform for guests to book all these things…?
…if so, the Fairmont Southampton Hotel may want to partner with you.
Ahead of the resort’s planned reopening this summer, an online Vendor RFP Hub has been launched as a gateway for service providers interested in collaborating with Fairmont Southampton across a number of guest-facing and operational areas.
Five Requests for Proposals are aleady online for arrivals and mobility, events, experiences, and in-room technology.
Further RFPs are set to be published, including babysitting services, floral design, cleaning and watersports.
Kiaran MacDonald, Fairmont’s Regional Vice President, says quote “This new RFP Hub allows us to engage with vendors in a more transparent, efficient, and strategic way – ensuring that every service supporting our guests meets the same world-class standards as the resort itself.” end quote.
Intriguing theme for motivational speaker who will be at CedarBridge tomorrow
The Mirrors Programme is pleased to welcome Coach Alfred Powell back to Bermuda as he continues his long-standing commitment to supporting families, youth, and community development. Due to unforeseen travel delays, Coach Powell will now arrive on island tomorrow. As a result, this evening’s parent session will not take place at CedarBridge Academy as previously planned and will instead be held virtually via Zoom. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87611092792
Coach Powell, who has been visiting Bermuda for the past 27 years, is an author, internationally renowned motivational speaker, and the Director of People of Colour at Stony Brook University in Long Island, New York. While on the island, he will be speaking and presenting to various sectors of the community.
Minister of Youth, Social Development and Seniors, the Hon. Tinee Furbert, JP, MP, welcomed Coach Powell’s return, stating, “Coach Alfred Powell has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to empowering families and strengthening our community. His work challenges us to think differently, engage more intentionally with our young people, and build stronger foundations for success. The Mirrors Programme is proud to once again host his impactful sessions.”
This evening’s virtual session, Assumptions vs Reality: Discovering the Child You Haven’t Met, will run from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm and remains free and open to all parents and guardians. Speaking on the importance of parental involvement, Coach Powell shares, “You have to be involved in your child’s rescue. This workshop is not an apology, but a warning. To find out what I mean, you’ll have to attend the workshop.”
With his arrival expected tomorrow, all other scheduled engagements—including visits with the Department of Corrections, senior schools, and a special session with the current cohort of Emerging Leaders and Life Coaches—will proceed as planned.
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