Runner Jake Brislane has delivered the performance of his career, shattering his personal best at the 10K Valencia Ibercaja. Competing on what is widely regarded as the world’s fastest 10k course, Brislane stopped the clock in a blistering 29:31 to secure 166th place in an elite global field.
The 18th edition of the Spanish race lived up to its reputation for speed, with a record-breaking 15,610 runners participating. The flat, coastal course provided perfect conditions, as both the European men’s and women’s records, alongside the Spanish national men’s record, tumbled during a morning of unprecedented distance running.
For Brislane, the sub-30-minute performance represents a significant milestone in his development on the international circuit. Navigating a dense pack of world-class athletes, he maintained a relentless pace to finish well within the top two percent of the massive field. His time of 29:31 marks a substantial improvement and signals his intent as he eyes further regional and international qualification standards later this year.
With this result, the young runner now turns his attention to the upcoming track season, where he will look to translate his road speed into the 5,000m and 10,000m disciplines.
Distance runner Dennis Mbelenzi has embraced the true “spirit of the island” by accepting a personal apology from motorcyclist Willis Dill, following a bizarre navigational error that cost Mbelenzi the Goslings “Rum to the Beach” title.
The two men met at Mbelenzi’s workplace on Monday after Dill sought out the athlete to express regret for inadvertently leading him off-course. Mbelenzi, who held a dominant lead in the 7.13-mile race, had followed Dill’s motorcycle up the punishing Southampton Princess Hill instead of continuing straight onto Lighthouse Hill.
The mix-up occurred due to the absence of an official lead marshal at that stage of the race. Dill, a member of the public who was simply tracking the leader’s progress, admitted the lack of official guidance was “strange” and never intended to misdirect the runner.
The detour allowed defending champion Philip Woollins to pounce, securing victory in 42:54, while a frustrated Mbelenzi fell well out of the podium places.
“A very gracious Mr. Dill came to see me this morning,” Mbelenzi told IslandStats. “I’m very humbled by his act. He went out of his way to see me, and for that, I truly appreciate it. It is one more reason I love Bermuda and its people.”
Mbelenzi now turns his focus to this Friday’s Chubb Bermuda Triangle Challenge, where he remains a top contender for international honors.
Town of St. George, Bermuda – January 13, 2026 — The Corporation of St. George’s is pleased to announce its first newsletter for 2026. This edition highlights the progress on Somers Garden Wall, a business spotlight on the Daily Grind, a recap of 2025 activities, and an expression of full support for the Bermuda Tourism Authority’s (BTA) Restaurant Week.
Mayor Quinell Francis, JP, states, “2025 was a momentous year for the town as we celebrated our 25th anniversary as a UNESCO World Heritage site. We took the opportunity to spotlight major properties in the town, presenting the best of our business community and providing insights into their unique stories.
“While we were disappointed that weather and logistics forced the cancellation of two of our seven signature events—the Cup Match Extravaganza and Seafood Festival—the majority of our calendar was a resounding success. We even secured a full drone light show for NYE, an extended feature that many people were asking for. We look to 2026 with renewed focus and are currently seeking corporate partners to help realize an enhanced vision for the Town of St. George, ensuring even greater national engagement.”
Town Manager Candy-Lee Foggo adds, “Operationally, we are working within a new framework for service delivery across all Town services—from waste disposal and wastewater management to event management. Despite the decisions to cancel two signature events, our team showed incredible resilience by ensuring our core civic programs continued. We successfully ran our scheduled traditions, including the Peppercorn Ceremony all the way through to our New Year’s Eve celebration.”
Foggo also acknowledged the staff and vendors who navigated a complex year: “In 2025, we had to seriously evaluate our preparedness for extreme weather. With the increasing risk of major Category 5 storms in the Atlantic, discussions around recovery planning became essential, particularly as the Town is primarily residential, with buildings dating back over 200 years. Additionally, the Town successfully addressed infrastructure challenges, including a sinkhole and utility line breaks, while transitioning wastewater management to the BLMC as our new service provider.”
The Corporation is encouraging residents and visitors to experience the Town as a complete destination for dining, weddings, and public presentations. The January newsletter highlights the local venues participating in the BTA’s Restaurant Week, which runs from January 16th to February 16th. Participating town favorites include: White Horse, Three Kings, Lina at St. Regis.
During this period, these establishments will offer specialized prix fixe menus for lunch and dinner, providing a perfect reason to visit St. George’s during the shoulder months. Additionally, if you are looking to grab a quick coffee or specialty drink, you can stop by The Daily Grind, Nala’s charming open-air coffee stand in King’s Square, and learn more about it in the January 2026 edition of the Town Crier Newsletter.
The full January newsletter is available through the Corporation of St. George’s official channels.
The trade alliance between the EU and South America’s Mercosur will substantially boost trade ties in a region that saw commerce with China soar in recent decades while U.S. influence plummeted
International News via Reuters:
A mega trade deal clinched between the European Union and South America’s biggest economies after a quarter-century of talks may signal the limits of the Trump administration’s pressure tactics in the region, officials and analysts said.
The trade alliance between the EU and South America’s Mercosur, comprising Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, will substantially boost trade ties in a region that saw commerce with China soar in recent decades while U.S. influence plummeted.
But even as U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration seeks wider regional fealty, South American governments from Brazil to Peru are unlikely to relinquish strengthening ties to China or Europe at a time when they have eclipsed the U.S. in trade in most of the region.
If anything, several analysts said, Trump’s efforts to flex American power in the region may have helped push past the finish line a trade agreement that suffered numerous delays over two decades of negotiations.
“If credit for this deal goes to anyone, it is to the international context,” said Ignacio Bartesaghi, a foreign policy adviser who has worked with numerous Uruguayan governments over the years. “It goes to Trump’s tariff war, the conflict in Ukraine, to what happened in Venezuela recently.”
Trump’s commando raid to seize Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which set the stage for a more amenable successor government, was the latest of several moves by the U.S. president to sway regional governments.
Last year, Trump threatened to cut off U.S. financial support to Honduras if a conservative candidate did not win the presidential election and conditioned billions of dollars in loans to Argentina on conservatives triumphing in the country’s midterms.
He also used steep tariffs on Brazilian goods to try forcing the country to stop the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro, a staunch Trump ally.
Voters backed Trump’s choice in both elections. But Bolsonaro was later convicted, and the U.S. government dropped most of the new tariffs against Brazilian products soon after.
“The return of America’s pre-eminence in the Western Hemisphere, led by President Trump, is undisputed,” Anna Kelly, a White House spokeswoman, said in a statement. “All of the President’s foreign policy actions have restored American strength after four years of weakness under Joe Biden.”
MORE DEALS TO COME
Trump has repeatedly bashed multilateralism and refused to abide by international rules, withdrawing the U.S. from several global pacts and even telling The New York Times last week that he did not need “international law.”
Few countries in Latin America seem to agree.
While Argentine President Javier Milei, one of Trump’s closest allies in the region, praised the U.S.-backed capture of Maduro, his Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno also celebrated the deal with the EU as a victory for “clear rules and freedom.”
Venezuela was a full Mercosur member until its suspension in 2016 for failing to meet trade and human rights commitments.
One Brazilian official close to the presidency, who asked not to be named to discuss private deliberations, called the EU deal a “breath of fresh air” in “the most shameful and negatively critical week for multilateralism in decades.”
The agreement signed this month may also push Mercosur to conclude other trade agreements with Canada and the United Arab Emirates, said Welber Barral, a former Brazilian trade secretary.
“Countries are seeking to create regional rules that can be obeyed, so they won’t depend on the World Trade Organization, which is being discredited by Trump,” Barral said.
The EU-Mercosur deal is just one more example of several being negotiated and signed by countries that were hit with steep tariffs by the Trump administration, such as Indonesia’s trade accord with the European bloc and a pledge between Japan, South Korea and China to increase regional trade.
The deal between Europe and South America shows that many countries want to reinforce global norms, said Margaret Myers, director of the Asia & Latin America Program at the Inter-American Dialogue.
“At a time when the U.S. is breaking from the status quo, parts of Latin America appear to be upholding it,” she said. “It’s a wake-up call for the U.S.”
Additional reporting By Luciana Magalhaes in Sao Paulo and Ricardo Brito in Brasilia; Editing by Christian Plumb and Diane Craft
The public consultation period will officially close this Friday, January 16
The Ministry of Finance is reminding the public, businesses, and all stakeholders to provide feedback on the 2026/27 Pre-Budget Report. The public consultation period will officially close this Friday, January 16, 2026, at 5:00 PM. Submissions can be made directly via forum.gov.bm or email openbudget@gov.bm.
The Pre-Budget Report outlines the Government’s proposed fiscal strategy ahead of the upcoming Budget Statement on February 20, 2026. Key focuses include the responsible management of new Corporate Income Tax revenues to reduce public debt, provide cost-of-living relief, and invest in essential social services.
“Consultation is vital, and the input we’ve received so far has been invaluable,” said Premier and Minister of Finance, David Burt. “Community engagement is essential to shaping the final Budget, and the voices of the public and our stakeholders guide the decisions we make, ensuring that the progress we deliver reflects the real needs of the people of Bermuda.
“I encourage everyone to read the report, ask questions, and send feedback and suggestions either online at forum.gov.bm or email openbudget@gov.bm before January 16, 2026.”
The full 2026/27 Pre-Budget Report can be viewed online at the official Government of Bermuda website at www.gov.bm/pre-budget-report.
The Ministry of Finance thanks all participants for their contributions to this vital process.
Shares of the carrier, however, fell nearly 5% in premarket trading as the forecast was largely below estimates
International News via Reuters:
Delta Air Lines forecast about 20% earnings growth in 2026 on Tuesday, citing strong consumer and corporate demand and rising sales of premium travel, and said it has agreed to buy 30 Boeing 787-10 planes to strengthen its long-haul fleet.
Shares of the carrier, however, fell nearly 5% in premarket trading as the forecast was largely below estimates.
The airline has been benefiting from resilient demand among higher-income travelers, even as lower-income consumers face pressure from inflation and weaker spending power.
That divergence was evident in the December quarter, when overall passenger revenue rose just 1%, masking a widening gap within the cabin. Main-cabin ticket revenue fell 7% from a year earlier, while revenue from premium products increased 9%.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian said virtually all of the airline’s planned seat growth is in premium products, with little expansion in the main cabin. New aircraft entering the fleet are configured with heavier premium seating, reinforcing the airline’s long-term strategy.
Bastian described the outlook as “upbeat,” pointing to record booking trends at the start of the year, but said the airline is maintaining a range for its forecast due to ongoing geopolitical and policy-related uncertainty.
The Atlanta-based carrier expects full-year 2026 adjusted earnings per share of $6.50 to $7.50 and free cash flow of $3 billion to $4 billion. For the March quarter, Delta forecast revenue growth of 5% to 7% and adjusted earnings of $0.50 to $0.90 per share. Analysts surveyed by LSEG expect earnings of $7.25 a share for the year and $0.72 for the quarter. INTERNATIONAL RECOVERY UNEVEN International demand remains solid overall, Bastian said, though markets such as Canada and China have yet to fully recover, with capacity to China still well below pre-pandemic levels. He said the upcoming World Cup soccer tournament could help unlock inbound travel, potentially easing a logjam in international demand.
The airline ended 2025 with the highest level of premium and diversified revenue in its history, with nearly 60% of total revenue coming from premium cabins, loyalty programs and other non-ticket sources, including its long-standing partnership with American Express.
“The strength in the consumer sector is at the higher end of the curve,” Bastian told reporters, adding that Delta’s core customers continue to prioritize travel and higher-quality experiences. The imbalance in consumer spending is also reshaping the broader U.S. airline industry. Low-cost and ultra-low-cost carriers, which rely heavily on price-sensitive travelers, have struggled with weak profitability and excess capacity, prompting consolidation and retrenchment. Allegiant has announced plans to acquire Sun Country Airlines, while Spirit Airlines has entered a second bankruptcy. “The lower-end consumer is struggling,” Bastian said. “We fortunately do not live there.” BOEING ORDER DIVERSIFIES LONG-HAUL FLEET Delta’s fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.55 a share narrowly beat analysts’ expectations, though results were weighed down by the longest U.S. federal government shutdown on record, which disrupted tens of thousands of flights and cut about $200 million from quarterly profit.
Earlier in 2025, airlines were also hit by a sharp drop in demand following sweeping U.S. tariffs, which dented consumer confidence. Delta’s 2026 outlook assumes those disruptions will not be repeated. As part of its long-term fleet strategy, Delta will buy 30 Boeing 787-10 widebody aircraft, with options for an additional 30, with deliveries beginning in 2031. The 787-10 will be a new aircraft type for Delta. Bastian said the aircraft was selected for its operating efficiency and flexibility on mid-range international routes, particularly across the Atlantic and to South America, where ultra-long-range capability is not required. Compared with larger widebodies such as the Airbus A350, the 787-10 is cheaper to operate on many missions, he said. Over the past 15 years, Delta has leaned toward Airbus, building a fleet centered on the A220 and A320-family narrowbodies alongside its flagship A330 and A350 widebodies.
Bastian said the Boeing order reflects a deliberate effort to diversify suppliers, reducing reliance on a single manufacturer as the airline expands internationally. “It’s pretty tough to operate…being reliant on only a single-source provider,” he said.
Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh; Editing by Jamie Freed
Louvot will replace Bruno Even, who has been with the company since 2018 and decided to leave for personal reasons
International News via Reuters:
European aerospace group Airbus said on Tuesday it had appointed Matthieu Louvot as new chief executive officer for its helicopters business starting in April.
Louvot will replace Bruno Even, who has been with the company since 2018 and decided to leave for personal reasons, Airbus said in a statement.
Reporting by Gianluca Lo Nostro in Gdansk; Editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak
The failed attack aimed to disrupt the communication between renewable installations and the power distribution operators, Milosz Motyka told reporters
International News via Reuters:
Poland’s power system faced its largest cyberattack in years in the last week of December that also followed a different pattern, the country’s energy minister said on Tuesday.
The failed attack aimed to disrupt the communication between renewable installations and the power distribution operators, Milosz Motyka told reporters, adding in the past large power units or transmission networks have been targeted.
“The command of the cyberspace forces has diagnosed in the last days of the year the strongest attack on the energy infrastructure in years,” Motyka said.
Poland’s critical infrastructure has been subject to a growing number of cyberattacks by Russia since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022.
Russia’s military intelligence trebled its resources for such action against Poland last year, the country’s digital affairs minister told Reuters.
Motyka declined to provide details on who was responsible for the attack or the recommendations made by the administration following the incident.
Of the 170,000 cyber incidents that were identified in the first three quarters of 2025, a significant portion was attributed to Russian actors.
Reporting by Marek Strzelecki; Editing by Sharon Singleton
The move comes as several battery projects in Europe have been cancelled or delayed over the past two years amid spiralling costs and slowing demand for electric cars
International News via Reuters:
Sweden’s Volvo Cars has halted operations at its battery startup Novo Energy, which had already been sharply scaled back, as its search for a partner drags on, Novo Energy said on Tuesday.
The move comes as several battery projects in Europe have been cancelled or delayed over the past two years amid spiralling costs and slowing demand for electric cars.
The Novo factory has been in limbo for more than a year as Volvo Cars seeks a new technology partner following the collapse of Swedish battery maker Northvolt, which co-founded Novo Energy with Volvo in 2021.
Novo chair Alexander Petrofski, who also heads Volvo Cars’ small car programmes, told Reuters that talks with multiple battery makers remained active and the pause was driven by cost pressures rather than the progress of discussions.
“Carrying those costs and carrying that entire operation, we don’t look upon as viable currently,” he said.
The pause means that all remaining 75 jobs at Novo are being cut, after the workforce was halved in May last year.
Amid China’s dominance in battery production, industry players have urged the European Union to step up support for battery manufacturing investment.
Brussels recently announced a new automotive package which included some incentives for local battery production.
Petrofski said additional EU support would be vital to revive the project.
“Our technology partners, the ones we are talking to, that’s one of the questions they ask us – what are the prerequisites for getting financial support within the EU for establishing production? So it’s really, really important,” he said, adding that credit guarantees were essential for financing.
Elsewhere in Sweden, U.S. startup Lyten is trying to resurrect Northvolt’s battery factory in the city of Skelleftea after buying the operations last year.
Swedish truckmaker Volvo Group’s planned battery factory in Mariestad has also faced heavy delays.
Reporting by Marie Mannes and Anna Ringstrom. Editing by Terje Solsvik and Mark Potter
Sterling was last flat on the dollar at $1.3471 having gained 0.47% on Monday as the U.S. currency took a hit from investor concerns about the independence of the Federal Reserve
International News via Reuters:
The pound held onto its gains from the previous day against both the dollar and the euro on Tuesday, with the currency having been a somewhat surprising beneficiary of global geopolitical turmoil.
Sterling was last flat on the dollar at $1.3471 having gained 0.47% on Monday as the U.S. currency took a hit from investor concerns about the independence of the Federal Reserve.
The pound was last at 86.62 pence to the euro, again steady on the day, after the euro had dropped 0.23% on Monday.
There is little in the way of economic data this week that could affect the pound. Gross domestic product data is due on Thursday, but investors are largely waiting until next week’s jobs and inflation data, which could shape expectations for Bank of England monetary policy.
Market pricing reflects expectations of one and likely two rate cuts in the first half of this year, though a quick slowing of inflation could see more monetary easing.
Until the data is released, the pound’s moves against major peers are largely shaped by events elsewhere, most notably the United States.
“It’s less to do with UK fundamentals — which we still think are weak — it’s rather that events elsewhere are providing a distraction from Britain’s problems,” said Nick Rees, head of macro analysis at Monex Europe.
As well as worries about the independence of the Federal Reserve, investors are also digesting a vast amount of political and geopolitical news from around the world.
But while that seemed to boost the pound against the euro on Monday, Nomura analysts, who recommend traders buy the euro against the pound, say they think recent developments should support their argument.
“Our long EUR/GBP trade is positive exposed to developments that weigh on investor sentiment regarding US assets,” they wrote in a Monday note.
“The scope for a shift in investment allocations or even a slowing of inflows into the U.S. – whether due to geopolitical risks (over Greenland for example) or concerns about Fed independence – would have positive repercussions for (the euro).”
Reporting by Alun John; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise
Made by stripping back the branches from dried walnut or hazelnut trees, the “chichilaki”, as the trees are known, are designed to look like the beard of the fourth-century Saint Basil
International News via Reuters:
Outside a wooden cabin in central Georgia, local villager Natia Gedenidze places an ornamental tree no more than one metre (3.28 ft) tall in the packed snow, and with the swift strike of a match, sets it ablaze.
“This is the Georgian Christmas tree with which we celebrated the New Year,” she said.
“Now that the New Year celebrations are over, we burn and throw away everything old and we greet the New Year with new hopes and new love.”
Made by stripping back the branches from dried walnut or hazelnut trees, the “chichilaki”, as the trees are known, are designed to look like the beard of the fourth-century Saint Basil, who was known for caring for the poor and destitute.
Popular in western Georgia but found throughout the country, chichilaki are traditionally put on display in homes on Georgian Orthodox Christmas, on January 7, and are ceremonially burned on Epiphany, which falls on January 19, to symbolise the shaking off of the previous year’s woes.
Another villager, Mariam Gulordava, sitting in her workshop surrounded by dozens of chichilaki, runs her knife down the length of the tree with an expert hand, adding satisfying new bunches of curlicues to the bushy white beard at the tree’s base.
“Hazelnuts… are a symbol of prosperity and well-being,” she said, adding that after the old chichilaki is burned, a new one is brought into the home and kept there for the whole year.
At local plant shop Gardenia, owner Zura Shevardnadze hawks chichilaki in the hopes of keeping the traditions of his ancestors alive. When he was a child, a chichilaki always stood in his parents’ home in wintertime.
“All Georgians believe, especially in western Georgia, that without chichilaki, the real New Year will not come,” Shevarnadze said.
Reporting by David Chkhikvishvili and Irakli Gedenidze; Writing by Lucy PapachristouEditing by Gareth Jones
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