Premier’s Concert marks 40 years of supporting Bermudian talent
On Saturday, January 10, 2026, the Department of Culture presented the 40th Annual Premier’s Concert, marking forty years of supporting Bermuda’s young artists and creative development. The concert was hosted by Gianluca Gibbons and Patrina “PowerGirl” O’Connor-Paynter. The evening opened with a musical procession by the Junior Regiment Band, featuring a mix of traditional and contemporary selections.
Minister of Tourism & Transport, Culture & Sport, the Hon. Owen Darrell, JP, MP, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the arts, stating, “The Department of Culture remains committed to nurturing Bermuda’s creative industries, and this year’s Premier’s Concert once again demonstrated the depth of talent and passion that exists within our community.”
The programme included performances across multiple disciplines. The Bermuda School of Music featured piano performances by Odin and Dylan Flanagan, followed later by the Intermezzo Orchestra, conducted by Dan Turcanu. DanceSations presented contemporary and hip-hop works, while the Northlands School Choir, under the direction of Terry Henry, performed a choral medley. Spoken word artist Alay Burgess-Rocker and singer-songwriter Serilina Fisher also appeared.
The concert concluded with a performance by TROIKA, choreographed by Sacha Dill, highlighting music and movement from the 1980s to the 2000s. Premier of Bermuda, The Hon. E. David Burt, JP, MP, noted the concert’s continued role in providing a platform for young performers. The 40th Annual Premier’s Concert will be broadcast on CITV and the Department of Culture’s YouTube channel.
Under the European Union’s crypto rules, MiCA, crypto companies must receive licences from national regulators in order to be able to operate across the bloc
International News via Reuters:
Nearly a third of crypto companies without an EU licence in France are still to tell the regulator whether they intend to get the licence required under new EU rules or will cease operating by July, the country’s markets regulator warned on Tuesday.
Under the European Union’s crypto rules, MiCA, crypto companies must receive licences from national regulators in order to be able to operate across the bloc.
Those rules, a landmark regulatory package, came into force last year to bring crypto assets under formal regulation.
Stephane Pontoizeau, executive director of the market intermediaries and market infrastructures supervision directorate at the AMF, told journalists in Paris that the regulator had written to companies in November to remind them that the country’s transition period ends on June 30 this year.
Of about 90 registered crypto companies in France that are not MiCA-licenced, 30% have already applied for a licence and 40% were not seeking one.
A remaining 30% had not told the regulator their plans nor responded to the November letter, Pontoizeau said, adding that he was concerned by this group.
‘ORDERLY WIND-DOWN PLANS’
The European Securities and Markets Authority said in December it expects crypto companies without MiCA authorisation to have either implemented “orderly wind-down plans” or have such plans in place by the end of the transition period, which varies for different EU countries.
MiCA licences have been granted to crypto companies including U.S. exchange Coinbase, stablecoin issuer Circle, and British fintech Revolut.
Last year, France threatened to challenge the “passporting” of licences granted by different member states, saying it was concerned companies were seeking out jurisdictions with more lenient licensing standards.
In December, the European Commission proposed that ESMA should supervise crypto companies at a centralised EU level, a move which is opposed by some countries.
Setting out the regulator’s 2026 plans, AMF President Marie-Anne Barbat-Layani also reiterated France’s support for boosting European capital markets, and for giving more powers to ESMA.
Reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft; Editing by Tommy Reggiori Wilkes and Jan Harvey
Bermudian all-rounder Katherine Bean-Rosario is set to pull on the Leeward Islands colours once again for a pivotal double-header of regional women’s cricket in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
The wicketkeeper-batter has been named in the squad for both the CG United Women’s Super50 Cup and the CWI T20 Blaze. The tournaments serve as a vital springboard for the West Indies’ busy 2026 calendar, which includes this summer’s tri-nation series and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
The T20 Blaze kicks off this week at the Arnos Vale Ground, featuring daily triple-headers played under a round-robin format. Matches start as early as 9:30 a.m., with the marquee evening slots played under lights ahead of the finals on January 23rd.
The focus then shifts to the Super50 tournament on 27 January, held across Sion Hill, Park Hill, and Cumberland. In a condensed format where every delivery counts, each team will play three matches to determine who succeeds reigning 50-over champions Trinidad & Tobago.
For Bean-Rosario, who debuted for the Under-19 side in 2024, her senior call-up underscores the growing pathway for Bermudian talent into the elite Caribbean game.
Court documents published late on Monday showed the broadcaster would argue that the court in Florida lacked personal jurisdiction in the case because it did not broadcast the programme in Florida
International News via Reuters:
The BBC will file a motion to dismiss U.S. President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit over its editing of a speech that made it appear he had directed supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol.
Court documents published late on Monday showed the broadcaster would argue that the court in Florida lacked personal jurisdiction in the case because it did not broadcast the programme in Florida, and that the president could not prove damages because he was re-elected after it aired.
Trump said Britain’s publicly owned broadcaster defamed him by splicing together parts of a January 6, 2021, speech, including one section where he told supporters to march on the Capitol and another where he said “fight like hell.” It omitted a section in which he called for peaceful protest.
Trump’s lawsuit alleges the BBC violated a Florida law that bars deceptive and unfair trade practices. He is seeking at least $5 billion in damages for each of the lawsuit’s two counts.
BBC ASKS COURT TO STAY THE DISCOVERY PHASE
The BBC has apologised for the editing which appeared on its Panorama documentary programme but said it would defend the case.
The court document said that by a March 17 deadline, the broadcaster would move to dismiss the complaint. The document said the BBC would argue that Trump could not plausibly allege that the documentary was published with “actual malice.”
The BBC, which is funded by a mandatory licence fee on all television-watching households, also said the documentary was not available in the U.S. on the streaming service BritBox, as claimed in Trump’s lawsuit.
It asked the court to stay the merits-based discovery phase, when both sides can obtain evidence from other parties in the lawsuit.
The BBC said engaging in unbounded merits-based discovery while the motion to dismiss was pending would subject the defendants to “considerable burdens and costs” that will be unnecessary if the motion is granted.
“As Plaintiff failed to plead actual damages, claiming only vague ‘harm to his professional and occupational interests,’ his claim fails,” the BBC document stated.
Reporting by Kate Holton; Editing by Bernadette Baum
The Uganda Communications Commission ordered mobile service providers to shut down public internet connections from 6 p.m. (1500 GMT) on Tuesday
International News via Reuters:
Ugandan authorities cut internet access and limited mobile services across the country on Tuesday, two days before an election in which President Yoweri Museveni will stand for a contentious seventh term after four decades in power.
The Uganda Communications Commission ordered mobile service providers to shut down public internet connections from 6 p.m. (1500 GMT) on Tuesday in order to curb “misinformation, disinformation, electoral fraud and related risks”, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
Security forces have detained hundreds of opposition supporters in the run-up to the election and repeatedly fired live bullets and tear gas at campaign events in support of Museveni’s leading challenger, pop star Bobi Wine.
“The UCC acknowledges the operational challenges this directive may impose and appreciates your full cooperation in upholding national stability during this sensitive period,” the UCC said in the letter dated Tuesday and addressed to Licensed Mobile Operators and Internet Service Providers.
The 81-year-old Museveni, who came to power in 1986 after leading a five-year rebellion, is Africa’s third-longest ruling head of state.
He has changed the constitution twice to remove age and term limits, and his dominance of Ugandan institutions means there is little prospect of an election upset in the East African country of 46 million people, political analysts say.
WATCHDOGS HAVE SPOKEN OUT ABOUT RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
Uganda’s internet went out at 6 p.m. local time, a Reuters witness confirmed.
The government also early on Tuesday ordered two local rights groups to cease operations before Thursday’s election, which the United Nations Human Rights Office says is taking place in an atmosphere of repression and intimidation.
The two groups had denounced the alleged arbitrary detention and torture of opposition supporters and journalists.
The state-run National Bureau for NGOs said in a letter to one of the groups, Chapter Four Uganda, that it was found to be involved in activities “prejudicial” to Uganda’s security and “should cease operations … with immediate effect”.
Robert Ssempala, who heads the Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-U), told Reuters he had received the same letter ordering his organisation to stop operating.
Stephen Okello, head of the state NGO bureau, confirmed to Reuters that he had written the letters.
REPORTS OF ARBITRARY ARRESTS
The U.N. Human Rights Office said in a report on Friday that Uganda’s police and military had used live ammunition to disperse peaceful rallies, carried out arbitrary detentions and abducted opposition supporters ahead of the vote.
A Ugandan government spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on the report.
Museveni’s government has defended the security forces’ actions as a justified response to what it called lawless conduct by opposition supporters.
Writing by Vincent Mumo Nzilani; editing by Alexander Winning, Bernadette Baum and Mark Heinrich
The R&A and the USGA have officially confirmed that the 11th Latin America Amateur Championship will be contested at the historic Lima Golf Club in Peru from 15-18 January 2026.
Founded in 2014, the championship has become the premier development platform for amateur talent across South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The stakes are predictably high: the winner earns a life-changing invitation to The Masters, along with exemptions into The Open and the U.S. Open.
Representing Bermuda in the elite field are Eric West and Oliver Betschart.
For West, this marks a debut appearance. He arrives in Peru following a strong 2025 campaign as runner-up in the Bermuda Amateur Stroke Play Championships. A former professional, West has become a regular fixture at the top of local leaderboards since regaining his amateur status.
Teenage sensation Betschart returns for his second consecutive appearance. The 17-year-old made his debut in Buenos Aires last year, carding an opening-round 74 that included a spectacular eagle. Having recently secured a 14th-place finish at the Junior Pan American Games, he brings valuable international momentum to the tee.
The Lima Golf Club, which celebrated its centennial in 2024, offers a strategic parkland test. The par-70 layout is defined by tight, tree-lined fairways and treacherous lake hazards, promising a rigorous 72-hole challenge for the region’s rising stars.
The World Bank’s semi-annual Global Economic Prospects report shows that global output growth will slow slightly to 2.6% this year from 2.7% in 2025 before edging back to 2.7% in 2027
International News via Reuters:
The global economy is proving more resilient than expected, with 2026 GDP growth expected to improve slightly over forecasts from last June, the World Bank said on Tuesday while warning that growth is too concentrated in advanced countries and overall too weak to reduce extreme poverty.
The World Bank’s semi-annual Global Economic Prospects report shows that global output growth will slow slightly to 2.6% this year from 2.7% in 2025 before edging back to 2.7% in 2027.
The 2026 GDP forecast is up two-tenths of a percentage point from the last predictions released in June, while 2025 growth will exceed the prior forecast by four-tenths of a percentage point.
The World Bank said about two-thirds of the upward revision reflects better-than-expected growth in the U.S. despite tariff-driven trade disruptions. It predicts U.S. GDP growth will reach 2.2% in 2026, compared to 2.1% in 2025 – up two-tenths and half a percentage point from the June forecasts, respectively.
After an import surge to beat tariffs early in 2025 held back U.S. growth for that year, bigger tax incentives will aid growth in 2026, offset by the drag of tariffs on investment and consumption, the World Bank said.
But if the current forecasts hold, the 2020s are on track to be the weakest decade for global growth since the 1960s and too low to avert stagnation and joblessness in emerging market and developing countries, the global lender said.
“With each passing year, the global economy has become less capable of generating growth and seemingly more resilient to policy uncertainty,” Indermit Gill, the World Bank’s chief economist, said in a statement. “But economic dynamism and resilience cannot diverge for long without fracturing public finance and credit markets.”
Gill added that global GDP per person in 2025 was 10% higher than on the eve of the COVID-19 pandemic – marking the fastest recovery from a major crisis in the past 60 years. But he said many developing countries are being left behind, with a quarter of them saddled with lower per-capita incomes than in 2019, particularly the poorest countries.
CHINA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH EXPECTED TO SLOW
Growth in emerging market and developing economies will slow to 4.0% in 2026 from 4.2% in 2025, up two-tenths and three-tenths of a percentage point from the June forecasts, respectively. But excluding China, the 2026 growth rate for this group will be 3.7%, unchanged from 2025, the World Bank said.
China’s growth will slow to 4.4% in 2026 from 4.9%, but the forecasts are both up four-tenths of a percentage point from June due to fiscal stimulus and increased exports to non-U.S. markets.
Growth in the euro zone is set to slow to 0.9% in 2026 from 1.4% in 2025 due to the drag from U.S. tariffs but recover to 1.2% in 2027 due to increases in European defense spending, the World Bank said.
Japan’s outlook is much the same for 2026, with growth slowing to 0.8% after a rise of 1.3% in 2025, a year aided by the front-loading of exports to the U.S. to beat President Donald Trump’s tariffs. But slower consumption and investment in Japan will keep GDP growth unchanged at 0.8% for 2027, the World Bank said.
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
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