With 2025 winding down and the New Year nearly upon us, residents and visitors alike have a wide range of celebratory events to choose from.
From boat cruises and dinner events to parties and the traditional Onion Drop, there are plenty of ways to ring in the New Year across the island.
Kendal Trott has more on the events taking place on Wednesday as Bermuda prepares to welcome the year ahead.
It was a Christmas Day gift – the weather tool we all use to plan our days got fixed
A Christmas miracle?
Maybe Santa wanted to make sure the skies were clear for his approach.
Joking aside, many Bermudians will be very happy to see that the popular Doppler radar is back online after a two-month shutdown.
The radar service, available at weather.bm, was restored on Christmas Day.
The Royal Gazette reports that Airport Authority technicians and engineers from German manufacturer Leonardo had worked over the holiday.
Bermuda Airport Authority CEO Lester Nelson told the RG, “this effort reflects a small part of the continuous, behind-the-scenes work that is necessary to maintain the reliability of this complex system.”
The radar has been unavailable for about a quarter of 2025, having been offline early in the year, then shutting down once again in October, just ahead of Hurricane Melissa.
Bermuda Weather Service Director Philip Rogers drew the ire of residents when, ahead of the storm, he said the radar was, quote, “considered non-essential”…
“We can do the job without it”, he said, “but it does give us more information.”
Commenters on Bermuda Broadcasting’s social media pages were not impressed, citing the radar as being vital to planning events and outings, and reacting to any immediate changes that could put plans and property at risk.
Lester Nelson subsequently said the weather radar “is essential for BAA to achieve optimal performance across all its resources and assets”, but he also said the BWS Director is correct in they have the resources to provide weather forecasts without the radar.
Importantly, Mr Nelson said, the radar is not essential for aircraft operations.
Responding to Bermuda Broadcasting today, Mr Nelson said the weather radar has had three significant technical events affecting performance and availability.
The system underperformed for six months after its initial commissioning in 2019. Following manufacturer repairs, it reached 95% availability through to Q4 2024.
An electrical fault in late 2024 then required manufacturer intervention, and was resolved in early 2025.
Finally, the most recent mechanical failures took the system offline until service returned on Christmas Day.
Mr Nelson says the objective remains to operate the radar at its intended 95% availability.
The BAA has enhanced its maintenance approach alongside the manufacturer – including more frequent site visits from Leonardo’s specialists, and a more structured balance between reactive maintenance and preventative interventions, to reduce disruption of service.
With the weather radar back online, Bermudians are planning their New Year’s Day activities will probably be grateful for a more immediate idea of what the skies are about to bring.
Q&A with Lester Nelson, CEO of Bermuda Airport Authority
Q: The radar had been offline for about a fifth of the time from October 2024 to October 2025. With the recent offline status, had the radar been offline for about a quarter to a third of 2025?
A: From October 2023 to October 2025, the weather radar was offline for approximately 21% of the time, and in 2025 the system was offline for approximately 25% of the time.
For broader context, since the system was commissioned in April 2019, there have been three significant technical events that materially affected the system’s performance and availability:
Initial commissioning period (2019):
Upon commissioning, the system underperformed for approximately six months. This issue was fully addressed by the manufacturer and has not reoccurred. Following remediation, the radar achieved an availability rate of approximately 95% through to Q4 2024.
Electrical fault (late 2024 – early 2025):
An unplanned and acute electrical issue occurred toward the end of 2024 and required manufacturer intervention, with resolution completed in early 2025.
Recent mechanical failures (late 2025):
The most recent outage resulted from a series of unexpected mechanical failures. Following detailed diagnostics and repairs, the system was successfully returned to service on Christmas Day.
Q. Will these recent repairs will ensure consistent service for the year ahead?
A. The recent repairs addressed the specific issues identified during the most recent outage, and we are encouraged by the system’s return to service. Our objective remains to operate the radar at or near its intended 95% availability.
That said, as with any highly specialized and complex technical system operating in a challenging environment, it would not be appropriate to offer absolute guarantees regarding uninterrupted operation. What we can say is that the system is currently operational, closely monitored, and supported by enhanced technical oversight by the manufacturer.
Q. Will there be any changes to the operation or maintenance of the radar following recent repairs?
A. Yes. While routine maintenance has always been carried out in accordance with the manufacturer’s prescribed programme by factory-trained engineers, the nature of the recent failures required more in-depth, manufacturer-led diagnostics and intervention. In response, Bermuda Airport Authority and our Bermuda Weather Service unit, together with the technical teams, have enhanced the current maintenance approach with Leonardo.
Key enhancements include:
∙ More frequent preventive and proactive inspection visits by manufacturer specialists using advanced diagnostic tools.
∙ Continued routine maintenance and reactive response capability by on-island engineering teams.
∙ A more structured balance between reactive maintenance and preventive, forward-looking interventions, aimed at reducing the likelihood and duration of future disruptions.
While it is neither practical nor cost-effective to stock all specialist components on island or maintain a permanent manufacturer presence, this enhanced preventive approach is intended to minimise system interruptions and shorten resolution times should issues arise. Most importantly, BAA and BWS are exploring additional technologies to complement the primary S-Band Doppler weather radar, as we fully appreciate that many Bermudians rely on the weather radar information.
With this move, the government aims to defuse a legal dispute with the EU Commission over Italy’s use of golden powers to impose conditions on bank deals, which Brussels says breaches EU rules
International News via Reuters:
Italy plans to revise its golden power rules designed to shield strategic assets, deferring its own review of major financial-sector M&A deals until the European Commission and European Central Bank have completed their assessments, a document seen by Reuters showed on Tuesday.
With this move, the government aims to defuse a legal dispute with the EU Commission over Italy’s use of golden powers to impose conditions on bank deals, which Brussels says breaches EU rules. The outcome could shape cross-border consolidation in Europe’s fragmented banking sector.
The clash erupted after UniCredit, Italy’s No. 2 bank, blamed government intervention for abandoning a takeover bid for smaller lender Banco BPM.
Italy has signaled openness to changes to avoid an EU infringement procedure, Reuters reported in October, while insisting on its right to protect national interests in business matters.
EU TO MAKE FIRST MOVE
The amendment under discussion in parliament says the government should wait for EU decisions on “prudential and competition” issues before invoking golden powers in deals involving banks and insurance companies, the document said.
Rome also intends to state that economic and financial security fall within the scope of national security, a principle strenuously defended by Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti in talks with Brussels.
The EU Commission has challenged Italy’s stance by arguing significant corporate mergers should be vetted at the EU level to prevent member states from taking unjustified measures.
In a separate proceeding, the EU is weighing whether to order Italy to withdraw the decree that set conditions on UniCredit’s bid for BPM.
Among those conditions, Italy told UniCredit to exit Russia by early 2026 to ensure Banco BPM’s savings did not benefit Moscow’s economy during its war on Ukraine.
While Rome is willing to revise its golden power framework, it is unclear whether it will comply with any EU demand to scrap the UniCredit-BPM terms or challenge the move in court.
A ruling against Italy could expose the state to billions of euros in damages claims from UniCredit.
Editing by Gavin Jones and Louise Heavens
Nomination Day for the extraordinary municipal election to fill the position of Residents’ Councillor for the Corporation of Hamilton was held today, Tuesday, 30 December 2025.
At the close of nominations, the election was declared uncontested, and Maxanne Javita Caines was duly declared elected to the position of Residents’ Councillor.
In accordance with the Parliamentary Election Act 1978, as read with the Municipalities (Election) Order 2015, no poll will be required.
For further information, please contact the Parliamentary Registry.
The pan-European STOXX 600 rose 0.6% at 592.78, edging ever closer to the 600 points milestone
International News via Reuters:
European stocks logged a second consecutive record close on Tuesday, lifted by banks and commodity-linked shares, although gains were capped by thin, year-end trading.
The pan-European STOXX 600 rose 0.6% at 592.78, edging ever closer to the 600 points milestone.
Banks jumped 1.3%, while aerospace and defence gained 1.4%.
The defence index has scored a run of record highs this year and, despite easing back since October, is still on course for its biggest annual gain since 1996, buoyed by pledges of higher defence spending across Europe.
Basic resources led the STOXX 600 higher, up 1.7%, as silver and gold steadied after a sharp retreat from record highs. [GOL/]
Energy added 0.7%. Oil prices climbed more than 2% in the prior session after Russia accused Ukraine of attacking President Vladimir Putin’s residence, while investors looked for clearer signals on Ukraine peace talks.
All STOXX 600 sub-indexes were in the green, with Technology rising 0.7%.
Moves across major regional markets were higher, with the benchmark index in London up 0.7% and Germany’s up 0.6%.
As 2025 draws to a close, the index is on track for its strongest annual performance since 2021, bolstered by a combination of declining interest rates, Germany’s commitment to fiscal expansion, and investors diversifying away from premium-valued U.S. technology stocks.
“Investors have been looking beyond the usual suspects for value and diversification … and the world continued to be beset with geopolitical turmoil and fears of an AI bubble,” said Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell.
Many European exchanges will be shut on Wednesday, while others, including London and Paris, will run shortened sessions ahead of the New Year holiday.
With the week compressed by holidays, trading is expected to stay light. Sparse corporate updates and a thin calendar of catalysts leave investors leaning more heavily than usual on the U.S. Federal Reserve’s December meeting minutes, due later in the day.
“The current market mood is very strong and positive for European equities, and we expect more of the same strong performance in 2026, particularly for defence stocks and European banks,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB.
Among individual stocks, Fresnillo climbed 6.8%, topping the benchmark index after Citi analysts raised their target price for the stock while maintaining a buy rating.
Airbus rose 1.5% after Air China signed an agreement with the planemaker to purchase 60 A320NEO jets in a deal worth around $9.5 billion at list prices.
Reporting by Ragini Mathur in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich, Harikrishnan Nair and Louise Heavens
Nasralla finished second to conservative candidate Nasry Asfura, who was backed by U.S. President Donald Trump and was declared the winner on Christmas Eve, more than three weeks after the November 30 election
International News via Reuters:
Honduran presidential candidate Salvador Nasralla has formally challenged the results of the country’s recent election, the latest twist in a closely contested race that was beset by delays, technical problems and fraud allegations.
Nasralla finished second to conservative candidate Nasry Asfura, who was backed by U.S. President Donald Trump and was declared the winner on Christmas Eve, more than three weeks after the November 30 election.
Less than 1% of votes separated the two candidates, according to the CNE, Honduras’ electoral authority.
Nasralla’s legal team filed an appeal with Honduras’ Electoral Justice Tribunal (TJE) on Monday, prompting the tribunal to issue a resolution late on Monday evening calling for additional documentation before it decides whether to admit the challenge.
“There have been too many inconsistencies in this electoral process,” Nasralla’s lawyer Karla Romero said on Monday night, asserting that in many departments of the country, votes for Asfura had been “inflated.”
Nasralla’s lawyers have not made evidence of fraud presented in the appeal publicly available.
Asfura’s party has denied Nasralla’s accusations of fraud.
Nasralla, a centrist who has unsuccessfully run for president twice before, is seeking a comprehensive review and recount of presidential ballots in at least 12 of Honduras’ 18 departments.
The TJE has set a 48-hour deadline for the CNE to submit paperwork pertaining to the recount requests.
The challenge unfolds amid heightened political tension and public mistrust in the electoral process.
Nasralla, who also disputed his loss in the 2017 general election, rejected the CNE’s declaration of Asfura’s victory last week, saying the electoral authority had excluded ballots that should have been counted.
The head of the Honduran Congress, from the ruling Libre party, has also rejected the results. Libre supporters demonstrated outside the CNE headquarters in Tegucigalpa on Monday.
Asfura is due to take office on January 27 for the 2026-2030 term.
Reporting by Laura Garcia, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien
The Government of Bermuda extends its deepest condolences to the Hendrickson family, the H&H Gombeys, and the wider cultural, sporting and community networks of Bermuda on the untimely passing of Mr Zaniko Hendrickson.
The Minister of Tourism & Transport, Culture & Sport, the Hon. Owen K. Darrell, JP, MP, said:
“Zaniko Hendrickson’s passing is a tragic loss to Bermuda. He was a young leader whose influence spanned culture, sport and community life, and whose commitment to service was evident in everything he did.
“While he carried a proud family legacy, Zaniko was also building his own, grounded in discipline, generosity and a deep sense of responsibility to future generations. On behalf of the Government of Bermuda, I extend my sincere condolences to his family, the Gombey community, his sailing and Boat Club colleagues, and all who mourn his loss.”
Mr Hendrickson was a co-owner of the H&H Gombeys, the troupe’s lead drummer, and a founding member of the Bermuda Gombey Council. His passing represents a particularly profound loss, as he was a young leader whose work and influence were still actively shaping Bermuda’s cultural, sporting and social club communities.
He was the grandson of the late Lawrence “Stickers” Hendrickson Sr. (a 2005 Gombey Festival Honouree), and the late Carolyn Isabell Louise Hendrickson; the son of the late Lawrence Withfield “Stickers” Hendrickson Jr. (both 2024 Gombey Festival Posthumous Honourees) and Tammy Hendrickson. Through both lineage and leadership, Zaniko carried forward one of Bermuda’s most influential Gombey legacies with discipline, skill and deep respect for tradition.
As lead drummer of the H&H Gombeys, Zaniko was widely recognised for his mastery of traditional rhythms and his commitment to preserving the distinctive sound established by his father and grandfather. He represented Bermuda internationally at CARIFESTA in Barbados in 2017 and again in 2025, contributing to meaningful cultural exchange and proudly representing Bermuda within the Caribbean region.
The Department of Culture worked closely with Mr Hendrickson over many years through the Gombey Festival, national celebrations and cultural education initiatives. He was deeply committed to youth engagement and regularly shared lessons on Gombey heritage and other Bermudian traditions, including kite flying, with young people in schools and community organisations. This reflected his belief that cultural knowledge must be actively passed on to future generations.
Beyond his cultural contributions, Mr Hendrickson was also a respected figure in Bermuda’s sporting and social club communities. He served as Commodore of the Mid-Atlantic Boat and Sports Club and was an avid comet racing sailor, known for his leadership, mentorship and dedication to club life. He also played football recreationally with North Village Community Club in the Corona League.
Mr Hendrickson was also a valued public officer within the Ministry of Public Works and Environment. The Minister, the Hon. Jaché Adams, JP, MP, reacted: “I extend my sincere condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Zaniko Hendrickson.
“Zaniko served the Ministry as a skilled labourer based at the Prospect Depot for several years, and since joining the public service, he has been known as a dependable and hardworking member of our team.
“His passing is deeply felt by those who worked alongside him, and our thoughts are with his loved ones during this difficult time.”
The Government of Bermuda honours the life of Zaniko Hendrickson, recognising both his own contributions and the lasting impact of the Hendrickson family on Bermuda’s cultural heritage, and extends its sympathy to all those who will continue to carry forward the values and traditions he so strongly embodied.
Buriko was among a group of senior executives and board members who resigned from Western-sanctioned Sberbank shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022
International News via Reuters:
The United States on Tuesday removed sanctions on Alexandra Buriko, the former chief financial officer of Russia’s state-owned Sberbank, according to a post on the U.S. Treasury Department website.
Buriko was among a group of senior executives and board members who resigned from Western-sanctioned Sberbank shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
A U.S. official said Buriko has separated from Sberbank and demonstrated that the circumstances resulting in the sanctions by the Office of Foreign Assets Control no longer apply.
“This removal was done as part of Treasury’s normal administrative process in response to a petition request for reconsideration. The power of OFAC sanctions derive not only from the ability to designate individuals, but also from its willingness to remove sanctions consistent with the law,” the official said.
The Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Buriko in May 2022 as part of an action targeting “individuals and entities critical to Russia’s ability to wage war against Ukraine,” including what it said at the time were eight current and recent senior executives of Sberbank.
Sberbank, Russia’s largest lender, was hit with U.S. sanctions in April 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February that year.
Buriko sued the Treasury Department in Washington federal court in December 2024, arguing she had severed ties with Sberbank days after it was sanctioned and her continued inclusion on the sanctioned list was unlawful. The lawsuit remains pending.
Buriko and the U.S. government repeatedly said in court filings this year that they were in negotiations to resolve the case.
Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Andrew Goudsward in Washington and Bhargav Acharya and Ryan Patrick Jones in Toronto; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Rosalba O’Brien
Brent crude futures for February delivery, which expire on Tuesday, were up 2 cents, or 0.03%, at $61.96 a barrel at 11:29 a.m. EDT (1629 GMT)
International News via Reuters:
Oil prices were steady on Tuesday as investors weighed dented hopes of a Russia-Ukraine peace deal and rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East around Yemen.
Brent crude futures for February delivery, which expire on Tuesday, were up 2 cents, or 0.03%, at $61.96 a barrel at 11:29 a.m. EDT (1629 GMT). The more active March contract was down 1 cent or 0.02% at $61.48.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained 3 cents, or 0.05%, to $58.11.
The Brent and WTI benchmarks settled more than 2% higher in the previous session as Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes against Yemen and after Moscow accused Kyiv of targeting a Russian presidential residence, denting hopes of a peace deal.
Russia has said it will toughen its position in peace talks after accusing Kyiv of attacking the residence, an allegation that Kyiv dismissed as baseless and designed to undermine peace negotiations.
“The peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine could be delayed further, which is supportive to prices,” said Dennis Kissler, senior vice president of trading at BOK Financial, adding that the actual effect on crude exports remains minimal.
The ongoing U.S. blockade of Venezuelan oil and suspension of Caspian CPC Blend exports because of poor weather supported prices on Tuesday. said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo.
MIDDLE EAST TENSIONS
Adding to supply concerns were strikes by a Saudi Arabia-led coalition on what it described as foreign military support to UAE-backed southern separatists in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday that its national security was a red line and backed a call for UAE forces to leave Yemen within 24 hours, shortly after a Saudi-led coalition carried out an airstrike on the southern Yemeni port of Mukalla.
The UAE said it was disappointed with Saudi Arabia’s statement and surprised by the airstrikes on Mukalla.
The UAE’s Defence Ministry said later on Tuesday it has voluntarily ended the mission of its counterterrorism units in Yemen, the only remaining forces it has in the country after ending its military presence in 2019.
Traders also watched other Middle East developments after U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States could support another major strike on Iran were Tehran to resume rebuilding its ballistic missile or nuclear weapons programmes.
Despite renewed fears of potential supply disruptions, perceptions of an oversupplied global market remain and could cap prices, analysts say.
Prices are likely to trend downwards in the first quarter of 2026 because of a “growing oil glut”, said Marex analyst Ed Meir.
Reporting by Georgina McCartney in Houston, Robert Harvey in London, Anushree Mukherjee in Bengaluru and Sudarshan Varadhan in Singapore; Editing by Jan Harvey, David Goodman and Nick Zieminski
Authorities say the items are not believed to pose a public safety threat but should not be touched and must be reported
The Bermuda Police Service issued the below media release.
In recent weeks, the Bermuda Police Service has been alerted to a number of suspicious packages, found washed up on some South Shore beaches.
While there has been no indication that these items pose a threat to public safety, should you come into contact with or happen upon any of these packages you are advised not to touch, or open them, as they may contain substances that could pose a health risk if handled.
We also urge that you do not go in search of these packages or take possession of them should you find any.
Should you encounter any suspicious package:
We appreciate your assistance and cooperation in addressing this situation.
All three indexes dipped into negative territory shortly after the opening bell of what is likely to be a light-volume session, a subdued ending to a volatile year
International News via Reuters:
U.S. stocks edged lower on Tuesday, while gold bounced back and benchmark Treasury yields turned higher on the penultimate trading day of a turbulent year.
All three indexes dipped into negative territory shortly after the opening bell of what is likely to be a light-volume session, a subdued ending to a volatile year.
Having weathered a year of tariff wars, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, and roiling geopolitical strife, all three U.S. indexes, along with their global counterparts, are set to log robust, double-digit gains.
“It’s been a year of corporate resilience,” said Ross Mayfield, investment strategy analyst at Baird in Louisville, Kentucky. “For all the anxiety about the state of the labor market consumer spending was still pretty good.”
“People were still mostly working and still mostly spending and that underlies the whole economy,” Mayfield added.
Minutes from the U.S. Federal Reserve’s last meeting of the year are expected later in the session, and should provide insight into the disagreement among its members regarding the central bank’s decision to cut interest rates in December and shed light on the path forward of its monetary policy in 2026.
“There might be a little bit more attention paid (to the minutes) given the several dissents in the December meeting,” Mayfield said. “The market is not expecting anything from January, so I think it’ll be more about setting the stage for 2026.”
On the geopolitical front, efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war were complicated by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s warning that Russia’s negotiating stance will toughen following its accusations that Kyiv attacked Putin’s residential complex in Roshchino.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 127.26 points, or 0.26%, to 48,334.67, the S&P 500 fell 10.70 points, or 0.15%, to 6,895.04 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 39.80 points, or 0.17%, to 23,434.55.
European shares climbed to all-time highs, with a boost from banking and commodities stocks.
MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe fell 0.67 points, or 0.07%, to 1,020.02.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.62%, while Europe’s broad FTSEurofirst 300 index rose 14.92 points, or 0.64%.
Emerging market stocks rose 0.10% to 1,403.11. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan closed higher by 0.07%, at 722.25, while Japan’s Nikkei fell 187.44 points, or 0.37%, to 50,339.48.
Gold and silver prices rebounded from the prior session’s steep selloff, largely attributable to year-end profit-taking following the precious metals’ bumper year.
“Trees don’t grow to the sky and the move in gold over the last couple of years – basically doubling – requires a longer period of consolidation,” Mayfield said.
Gold remains poised to register its best year of gains since 1979.
Spot gold rose 0.67% to $4,360.79 an ounce, while spot silver rose 5.5% to $76.18 per ounce.
The dollar strengthened ahead of the release of the Fed minutes, but remained on course for its steepest annual drop in eight years.
The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies including the yen and the euro, rose 0.24% to 98.25, with the euro down 0.2% at $1.1748.
Against the Japanese yen, the dollar strengthened 0.32% to 156.54.
In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin gained 1.63% to $88,665.04. Ethereum rose 1.55% to $2,980.13.
The yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes rose 1.8 basis points to 4.134%, from 4.116% late on Monday.
The 30-year bond yield rose 1.6 basis points to 4.8202% from 4.804% late on Monday.
The 2-year note yield, which typically moves in step with interest rate expectations for the Federal Reserve, fell 0.2 basis points to 3.463%, from 3.465% late on Monday.
Oil prices steadied amid fading hopes of an imminent Russia-Ukraine peace deal and rising Middle East tensions concerning Yemen.
U.S. crude rose 0.46% to $58.35 a barrel and Brent rose to $62.06 per barrel, up 0.19% on the day.
Reporting by Stephen Culp; Additional reporting by Stella Qiu, Vidya Ranganathan and Dhara Ranasinghe; Editing by Lisa Shumaker
