Bermuda Evening News at 7pm.
POA president calls for stricter penalities for those convicted of assaulting officers
POA President Timothy Seon said a recent assault by two inmates compounded by the fact that prison officers are “still working in a crisis.”
The President of the Prisons Officers Association has called for harsher penalities for those convicted of assaulting corrections staff.
This comes in the wake of a serious assault on an officer at the weekend.
Timothy Seon said it was compounded by the fact that prison officers are “still working in a crisis” of staff shortages and a failing infrastructure.
Brown University gunman still at large as manhunt enters fifth day
It is rare but not unprecedented for the perpetrator of a high-profile attack to evade capture for multiple days
International News via Reuters:
The gunman who killed two Brown University students remained at large on Wednesday, and there was no indication that authorities have grown closer to identifying the suspect four days after he opened fire inside a classroom and escaped into the surrounding streets in Providence, Rhode Island.
It is rare but not unprecedented for the perpetrator of a high-profile attack to evade capture for multiple days. But the lack of any identification has left residents in the area on edge, with some staying behind locked doors and keeping their kids home from school.
“This is outside of the norm,” said Felipe Rodriguez, a former New York Police detective who now teaches at the City University of New York’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice. “Mass shooters, by large, are usually killed at the scene or quickly captured.”
Early on Sunday, a day after the shooting, investigators appeared to have broken the case open when they announced a “person of interest” was in custody. But authorities released the unnamed person, a man in his 20s, that evening after evidence showed he was not involved and resumed the manhunt.
Officials said on Tuesday the investigation has been hampered by a lack of security cameras in the building and in the nearby area.
Investigators have released video clips, mostly taken from residential doorbell cameras, showing the possible shooter walking in a neighborhood near campus both before and immediately after the attack. In one video, the person can be seen walking away from the building right after the shooting as police cars with flashing lights arrive on the scene.
While the man in the footage is masked, officials hope someone might recognize his body, gait, movements or posture.
“Once we identify who this person is, I believe we’ll be able to locate him,” Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said at a Tuesday press conference. “It’s very hard to hide in this country.”
There are some other cases in which attackers have escaped, at least temporarily. The brothers who bombed the Boston Marathon in 2013 hid for four days in the Boston area and then killed a police officer when trying to flee. The older brother died after a gunfight with police that ended when his younger brother ran him over with a stolen car.
Luigi Mangione, the man accused of assassinating a healthcare executive last year in Manhattan, eluded authorities for five days. Mangione was captured in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after he was spotted eating at a McDonald’s by a customer and an employee who believed he resembled the gunman.
More recently in September, conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s suspected shooter was taken into custody after a 33-hour manhunt. Suspect Tyler Robinson was captured after a relative and a family friend alerted the local sheriff’s office that he had made comments suggesting he had committed the murder, the Utah governor said at the time.
The shooting at Brown took place inside an engineering and physics building. The facility was expanded in recent years, but the attack occurred in the older part of the facility, officials said, where there are few or no cameras.
Cameras in the newer part of the building recorded the chaos that unfolded after the shooting, Neronha said, but did not capture any video of the gunman.
The building is at the edge of campus, which allowed the suspect to escape into the College Hill residential neighborhood, where there are few cameras aside from doorbell ones.
“Unfortunately here, given location and given the age of the building, we just don’t have additional footage,” Neronha said on Tuesday.
In a social media post on Wednesday, President Donald Trump criticized Brown for not having more cameras in place, adding, “There can be no excuse for that.”
Brown has 1,200 security cameras, according to Brown University President Christina Paxson, who defended the school’s precautions and safety measures that were in place before the shooting at Tuesday’s press conference.
“Brown is deeply committed to the safety and security and wellbeing of our community, and I’ve been deeply saddened to see people questioning that,” Paxson said. “We understand that as time goes on there is maybe a natural instinct to assign responsibility for a tragic event like this…But the shooter is responsible.”
Kenneth Gray, a former FBI agent who is now a criminal justice professor at the University of New Haven, said it was possible the gunman chose the building and classroom in part because of the lack of cameras.
He said determining a motive might help the police break this case.
“Was it someone with a beef with Brown?” Gray said. “Was he a student, former student, and employee, a former employee? Why did he pick that target? That’s what police need to know.”
Neronha said on Tuesday that investigators have “zero” evidence related to motive.
Reporting by Rich McKay and Helen Coster; Writing by Joseph Ax; Editing by David Gregorio
EU carbon tax changes for metals are not enough, industry says
The European Commission earlier on Wednesday announced proposals to expand the scope of the CBAM – which will impose a carbon tax on Europe’s imports of steel, aluminium and a handful of other commodities
International News via Reuters:
Proposed changes to the European Union’s carbon border adjustment mechanism are a step in the right direction for Europe’s steel and aluminium sectors but not a complete solution, industry representatives said on Wednesday.
The European Commission earlier on Wednesday announced proposals to expand the scope of the CBAM – which will impose a carbon tax on Europe’s imports of steel, aluminium and a handful of other commodities from January 1 – to cover some downstream products with a high content of those metals, such as machinery and appliances, as well as some scrap.
In doing so, it took account of warnings from metal industry players in Europe about “carbon leakage” – or the risk that industries concerned about a loss of competitiveness would move operations outside the region to avoid the cost of its climate policies.
European steel association Eurofer said in a statement the proposals identified loopholes, but failed to deliver “a comprehensive and durable response to carbon and jobs leakage,” saying the number of downstream products included was “very limited”.
“We stand ready to discuss further with the legislators how to make CBAM fully watertight,” Axel Eggert, Eurofer’s director general, said.
Norwegian aluminium producer Norsk Hydro was at the forefront of the lobbying for the expansion of CBAM to cover the downstream and scrap, saying that 35% of EU aluminium recycling capacity could close if remelted aluminium scrap entered the bloc free from a carbon levy. It said on Wednesday the inclusion of pre-consumer scrap was a “big step forward”.
“However, post-consumer scrap must also be added to the scope,” a company spokesman said. “Otherwise, half of the scrap loophole will remain open.”
Pre-consumer scrap refers to scrap metal generated during the manufacturing process before a product reaches the consumer, whereas post-consumer scrap refers to end-of-life metal such as aluminium beverage cans.
Reporting by Tom Daly; editing by Barbara Lewis
Cassine champions ‘shop local’ push
Continuing our coverage of the festive collaboration among retailers, which aims to boost trade by encouraging residents to shop locally, we turn our focus today to Cassine on Reid Street.
Cassine, established in 2018, offers natural beauty and wellness products.
We spoke to co-founder Mia Chambray, who shared insights on this year’s beauty and gifting trends, what customers can expect in store this holiday season, and details about late-night shopping.
Britain to overhaul benchmark rules to cut industry burden
Industries such as commodity trading, foreign exchange, bond issuance and derivatives clearing rely on a wide range of benchmarks to help allocate capital and risk across the economy
International News via Reuters:
Britain plans to overhaul broad rules governing financial benchmarks to ease industry’s compliance burden and focus regulation only on benchmarks that pose significant risks to the financial system, the finance ministry said on Wednesday.
Industries such as commodity trading, foreign exchange, bond issuance and derivatives clearing rely on a wide range of benchmarks to help allocate capital and risk across the economy.
The FTSE 100 index, for example, tracks the largest listed companies on the London Stock Exchange and MSCI has a series of indices that focus on specific segments like large and mid-cap companies, or those with high ESG ratings.
Currently, all benchmarks produced in the UK are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, but under the proposals, only benchmarks that pose systemic risks to UK financial markets will remain in scope, according to laid-out criteria.
The finance ministry said the changes would shrink the number of benchmark administrators by 80% to 90%.
It is seeking industry feedback on the plans by March 11, 2026.
The FCA said the reforms would allow it to build a regime more aligned with current market conditions and ease unnecessary burdens on the industry.
In May, the EU finalised revisions to its Benchmarks Regulation, which also saw the number of benchmarks subject to compulsory regulation slashed.
Reporting by Phoebe SeersEditing by Frances Kerry
Princess rolls out its gift drive
The Hamilton Princess & Beach Club launched its inaugural Christmas Wish Breakfast Gift Drive in the Harbourview Ballroom, welcoming community members to donate new, unwrapped gifts in support of children aged two to eighteen. The festive event benefited the Gina Spence Programme, The Family Centre and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bermuda. It featured a complimentary breakfast along with holiday music and entertainment. The Hamilton Princess & Beach Club’s General Manager Timothy Morrison, along with Public Relations & Reputation Manager Keisha Webb, told us more …
We also spoke with representatives from the charities set to receive donations from the Christmas Wish Breakfast Gift Drive.
Each organization expressed its gratitude to the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club for including them, highlighting how meaningful the community’s generosity will be for the children and families they serve.
They told us how initiatives like this not only provide much-needed support during the holiday season, but also strengthen partnerships that help create lasting impact across Bermuda.
Brazil, Mexico call for de-escalation as US ramps up pressure on Venezuela
Trump’s administration has moved thousands of troops and nearly a dozen warships – including an aircraft carrier – to the region, spiking tensions
International News via Reuters:
The presidents of Latin America’s two largest countries urged restraint on Wednesday in the face of escalating actions from the United States toward regional neighbor Venezuela.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered a blockade of all oil tankers under sanctions entering and leaving Venezuela, a move that the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called a “grotesque threat.”
Trump’s administration has moved thousands of troops and nearly a dozen warships – including an aircraft carrier – to the region, spiking tensions. Maduro’s government has rejected Trump’s moves and has alleged that the U.S. military aims to control Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.
SHEINBAUM CALLS FOR UN ACTION
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, at her morning press conference, called for dialogue and asked the United Nations to act to prevent violence in Venezuela.
“I call on the United Nations to fulfill its role. It has not been present. It must assume its role to prevent any bloodshed,” she said, reiterating Mexico’s position of being against intervention and foreign interference in Venezuela.
Sheinbaum also offered Mexico as a host for any potential negotiations or meetings between the two countries.
“The entire world must ensure that there is no intervention and that there is a peaceful solution,” she added.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also called for peace in the region.
“I am concerned about President Trump’s attitudes towards Latin America, about the threats,” Lula said at a ministerial meeting, adding that he urged dialogue between Caracas and Washington in a call with Trump this month.
“The power of the word can outweigh the power of the gun … I said to Trump: ‘If you are interested in talking to Venezuela properly, we can contribute. Now, you have to be willing to talk, you have to be patient,'” Lula said.
Lula and Sheinbaum made the comments hours before Trump was set to address Americans on Wednesday evening from the White House.
The two leftist presidents have both been closely engaged in trade negotiations with the Trump administration, and both have achieved a relatively positive rapport with the U.S. leader.
In a statement shared by his spokesperson on Wednesday, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the immediate de-escalation of tensions between the United States and Venezuela, asking both countries to “honor their obligations under international law, including the U.N. Charter and any other applicable legal framework to safeguard peace in the region.”
Guterres repeated calls for de-escalation in a phone call with Maduro on Wednesday, the Venezuelan government said in a statement.
Reporting by Aida Pelaez Fernandez, Raul Cortes Fernandes, Ana Isabel Martinez, and Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Brendan O’Boyle, Cassandra Garrison, Rod Nickel
Broadening transatlantic dialogue
Brussels Office Director Aliyyah Ahad chosen from 1,900+ applicants for fully funded leadership programme in Morocco
Aliyyah Ahad, Director and European Union Representative of the Government of Bermuda’s Brussels Office, has been selected as a 2025 Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leader (ADEL).
Ms Ahad was chosen from more than 1,900 applicants and is one of 42 emerging changemakers representing 27 nationalities. The Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leader programme, now in its 10th year, is organised by the Policy Center for the New South under the patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco.
The fully funded, week-long leadership programme took place in Rabat, Morocco, from December 8 to 13. Participants took part in workshops, debates, site visits and collaborative exchanges focused on leadership development and practical tools, including strategic communications, forecasting, scenario planning and design thinking.
The programme concluded with the 14th Annual Atlantic Dialogues conference, a high-level gathering of public and private sector leaders from across the Atlantic Basin. The conference serves as a platform for dialogue among the four Atlantic continents and aims to strengthen cooperation on issues of regional and global importance. Speakers included current and former presidents, prime ministers, foreign ministers, ambassadors, and leaders from civil society and academia.
Ms Ahad was also one of four ADEL participants elected by her peers to participate in the Atlantic Dialogues closing panel, titled “Wider Atlantic Challenges Viewed by Emerging Leaders.”
Reflecting on the experience, Ms Ahad said she was “deeply grateful” to the Policy Center for the New South and the ADEL programme for the opportunity to connect with leaders and experts from across the Atlantic Basin.
“It was extremely valuable to have a space for reimagining and broadening traditional transatlantic dialogues, and to explore how we can create agile ‘coalitions of the willing’—including overseas territories, cities, regions, civil society, and the private sector to address the world’s most pressing challenges,” she said. “I look forward to applying these new tools, networks, and perspectives in my work.”
ABIR to sponsor free insurance course
Hamilton, Bermuda (December 17, 2025) — The Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers (ABIR) will sponsor a free foundational course for the sixth consecutive year, providing Bermudian students and the public with free access to education about Bermuda’s re/insurance industry.
The Special Topics in Insurance programme, starting in January, is offered in collaboration with Bermuda College and the Maurice R. Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science at St. John’s University, New York.
The 14-week, online course is designed to help participants build a basic knowledge of Bermuda’s international re/insurance market and to serve as a stepping stone to potential careers in the industry for students and career shifters alike.
The Bermuda Foundation for Insurance Studies (BFIS), which helps Bermudian students to build careers in the re/insurance industry through financial support and mentorship, is a new partner this year and will coordinate the course and engage with students.
Continuing their partnership with the programme for a second year are Lloyd’s, the longest-standing global re/insurance market, and The Institutes Knowledge Group, a global provider of online courses and designations in the risk management and insurance field including the Bermuda-important Associate in Reinsurance (ARe) designation. Each will host one of the sessions.
The programme will be conducted via the Zoom videoconferencing platform on Monday evenings from 6pm to 8pm. The first session, on January 12, will focus on re/insurance in Bermuda’s economy. Esteemed faculty from St. John’s University and senior executives from ABIR member companies will be among those presenting.
Course topics include:
- The history and economic importance of Bermuda’s re/insurance industry
- Careers in insurance
- Bermuda’s leadership in natural catastrophe reinsurance and climate risk
- Focus on market segments including collateralized reinsurance, cyber re/insurance, captive insurance, life/annuity and run-off (legacy) insurance
- Opportunities for inclusion in the industry
- The role of regulation in insurance
- The Lloyd’s market is, how it operates and its collaborative relationship with Bermuda
- Trends in artificial intelligence (AI) and an overview of The Institutes organization and its offerings for re/insurance professionals.
John Huff, ABIR CEO, said: “ABIR’s continued sponsorship of this programme reflects the dedication of our member companies and their employees to support this community education initiative and to build a diverse and inclusive talent pipeline. By opening doors to Bermudians who are curious about the re/insurance sector, we are helping to inspire the next generation of leaders in an industry that is both global and vital to Bermuda’s economy.
“We value our ongoing collaboration with Bermuda College and St. John’s University, and the continuing support from Lloyd’s and The Institutes. We’re also delighted to welcome BFIS on board to help ensure course participants get maximum benefit from the programme, including access to advice on pursuing a re/insurance career.”
Craig Simmons, retired senior lecturer at Bermuda College and the course facilitator, said: “At its core, insurance is about making people whole after they experience an unfortunate or catastrophic event. This course will give you clues about how insurance does just that. We’ll explain the difference between insurance and reinsurance and then take deep dives into the various lines of reinsurance produced on island.
“Each week, starting Monday, January 12, we’ll take on a different topic. If you’re in the industry and wondered what your colleagues in cyber, life, or legacy are doing, or if you wanted to know more about catastrophe models and climate change, then this is the course for you.”
Mark J. Browne, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Faculty at the Greenberg School, said: “The Special Topics in Insurance course — jointly produced by St. John’s University’s Greenberg School of Risk Management, ABIR, and Bermuda College — will provide insights into Bermuda’s insurance sector and serve as a gateway for those interested in careers in the industry. The class will offer professionals insights into Bermuda’s essential and dynamic insurance and reinsurance sectors.”
Victoria Cunningham, BFIS Executive Director, said: “This established and highly successful programme aligns seamlessly with our mission, and BFIS is honoured to be its new home. It has already changed lives and bringing it under BFIS strengthens what we do best: preparing young Bermudians to succeed in international business. We are also proud to continue our partnership with Bermuda College, an institution we value and look forward to working alongside in the years ahead. Together, we’re ready to take this opportunity to the next level for our students.”
Registration is open now for the course, which is free of charge, courtesy of ABIR. Participants can sign up for individual sessions, based on their interests or the full course. Register free here. https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_IMUGzON3RN6xfEaN9XeDiQ
European lawmakers vote for scheme to improve access to abortions
The “My Voice, My Choice” citizens’ initiative proposes a fund from the EU budget to cover procedures for people from nations with near-total bans or places where abortion is hard to access
International News via Reuters:
The European Union’s parliament voted on Wednesday in favour of a scheme that would enable women from nations restricting abortion to terminate pregnancies in another member state free of charge.
The “My Voice, My Choice” citizens’ initiative proposes a fund from the EU budget to cover procedures for people from nations with near-total bans such as Malta and Poland or places where abortion is hard to access, like Italy and Croatia.
While the trend in Europe has been towards more accessibility for abortions, with the UK decriminalising it and France making it a constitutional freedom, there has been a surge in popular support for far-right parties, many of which oppose abortion.
After the parliament vote of 358 for and 202 against, the European Commission is to decide in March whether to adopt the proposal, though other citizens’ initiatives have not been entirely successful.
Proponents of the initiative, including abortion rights campaigners and some members of parliament (MEPs) from the left to centre-right, say it should reduce unsafe practices and help women who lack funds for a procedure abroad.
Critics, including far-right and some centre-right MEPs, say the proposal interferes in national laws and traditional Christian values.
Under the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) mechanism launched in 2012, the parliamentary vote is advisory only but can influence the Commission decision.
‘EU STANDS BY WOMEN’
“Today we show the world, but above all our citizens, that the EU stands by women. The EU stands for gender equality, and the EU is not afraid to fulfil all human rights, also women’s human rights,” Swedish MEP Abir Al-Sahlani of the centrist Renew Europe group told reporters in Strasbourg.
In Poland, where abortion was outlawed in nearly all cases in 2021, abortion rights activists applauded the vote.
“With that resolution, it means that (Polish women) do not have to risk their lives in the Polish healthcare system,” said Mateusz Bieżuński, a lawyer with Polish organisation Federa (Foundation for Women and Family Planning).
Jerzy Kwasniewski, of Polish anti-abortion group Ordo Iuris, said he viewed the vote as “contrary to European values” and expected the proposal to be rejected by the Commission.
In the lead-up to Wednesday’s vote, opponents held events with anti-abortion rights federation One of Us and the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), a sister organisation of the American Center for Law and Justice, which litigates on abortion cases, and was involved in the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 overturning of the landmark Roe v Wade case.
“It is sad that Europe is stuck in this ideological approach,” ECLJ director Gregor Puppinck said of the vote. “The battle for us is first and foremost a cultural one, and deep down we are convinced that life will win in the end.”
Reporting by Layli Foroudi in Strasbourg, Paul Carsten in Berlin, Anna Semczuk-Wlodarczak and Kuba Stezycki in Warsaw; editing by Andrew Cawthorne, Mark Heinrich and Ed Osmond
Regulator orders inspections on some Airbus A320s after fuselage flaw
Under a proposed directive from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), airlines must inspect the thickness of certain panels near the front of the aircraft within 6 months or sooner
International News via Reuters:
European safety authorities issued preliminary instructions on Wednesday requiring airlines to inspect fuselage panels on dozens of A320-family jets after a production problem at a Spanish supplier prompted Airbus to slow deliveries.
Under a proposed directive from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), airlines must inspect the thickness of certain panels near the front of the aircraft within 6 months or sooner if the affected panels have already been repaired.
A total of 177 planes in service are covered by the inspection order, in addition to a further 451 still in various stages of production inside Airbus itself.
EASA said the inspections were designed to address a “potentially unsafe condition” on panels that have a combination of the wrong thickness and a history of previous repairs.
The safety directive was expected after Airbus prepared its own technical instructions and gives airlines a timetable for resolving the problem.
Industry sources said some airlines are nonetheless reluctant to take new deliveries until panels have been replaced, while others have pressed for compensation or improvements in warranty terms.
Airbus declined to comment on any commercial discussions.
The company earlier this month lowered its 2025 delivery target by 4% to around 790 jets after the panel flaw slowed deliveries in November.
Industry sources say deliveries remained below average in the first half of December, but have accelerated in recent days.
Airbus, which has a history of speeding up deliveries in the final days of the year, declined to comment on deliveries ahead of a full-year breakdown due on January 12.
Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Kirsten Donovan
