Bermuda Evening News at 7pm.
PLP has ‘steadied the economic ship’
Minister Jason Hayward reflects on slower growth after three booming years, lauding the stability that comes from economic diversification
The pace of economic growth may have slowed down, but diversification across and within business sectors makes for a steadying of the ship called Bermuda.
This from Jason Hayward, Labour & Economy Minister, who this week released the Gross Domestic Product figures for 2024.
The 1.9% year-on-year increase is less than half the annual growth of the previous three post-pandemic years.
The Minister told Gary Foster Skelton that this is in line with global trends. While International Business is still the primary contributor to GDP, he highlights how the economy has expanded outside of the IB-led growth of the last few years. (WATCH above)
WHO chief ‘not worried’ about US bilateral deals affecting pandemic treaty
The U.S. signed a new five-year agreement with Kenya earlier this month under an ‘America First’ global health plan
International News via Reuters:
The World Health Organization chief said on Thursday that he was hopeful an annex to a pandemic treaty would be adopted next year, saying that he did not see bilateral negotiations between the United States and African states as a threat.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters at a press briefing in Geneva he was “hopeful” that a deal on an annex covering the sharing of pathogenic information could be finalised before a major WHO summit in May 2026.
“Bilateral agreements are no problem to be honest. It doesn’t affect (the annex) and I’m not worried,” he told the ACANU press briefing.
The U.S. signed a new five-year agreement with Kenya earlier this month under an ‘America First’ global health plan.
Health experts have voiced concerns that such deals would bypass the WHO and even derail the ongoing negotiations.
At the same press briefing, Tedros voiced concerns that deep cuts to donors’ foreign spending on health would soon hit childhood mortality.
“Early estimates are indicating that childhood mortality could increase for the first time this century,” he said, without giving a projection.
But he voiced optimism about the U.N. health agency’s financial future, saying he was confident that a $1 billion budget cut could be filled. “Our standing is very good,” he said.
Reporting by Emma Farge, Editing by Miranda Murray
Strong winds leave millions in Sao Paulo without power, cutting water and flights
Damaging wind storms also caused vast power outages in 2023 and 2024, putting utility firm Enel under intense public scrutiny
International News via Reuters:
About 1.5 million homes and businesses were without electricity on Thursday after an extratropical cyclone swept through Sao Paulo’s metropolitan area, toppling trees and power lines and disrupting flights and the water supply.
Damaging wind storms also caused vast power outages in 2023 and 2024, putting utility firm Enel under intense public scrutiny.
Enel said gusts of up to 98 km/h (61 mph) battered the region during a 12-hour gale on Wednesday, with impacts lingering into Thursday across the city of 11.5 million people and the wider metro region.
About 2 million customers in the area lost electricity during the storm’s peak, Enel said in a statement early on Thursday, adding that service had been restored to 500,000.
Power regulator Aneel demanded the company provide detailed explanations for the disruptions.
Water utility Sabesp warned that outages had hit its pumps, affecting neighborhoods across the area.
“The long time without power to pump water heavily impacted the system. Supply is being resumed gradually,” Sabesp said.
Air travel also faced disruptions. Airport operator Aena said Sao Paulo’s Congonhas Airport, which handles domestic flights, was open on Thursday but had canceled 31 arrivals and 15 departures, after scratching 181 flights on Wednesday.
At Guarulhos International Airport, one of Latin America’s busiest, 61 arrivals and 56 departures were canceled since Wednesday, its operator said in a separate statement, adding that operations were back to normal early on Thursday.
Reporting by Leticia Fucuchima in Sao Paulo and Rodrigo Viga Gaier in Rio de Janeiro; Writing by Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Brad Haynes and Bill Berkrot
Help children … and enjoy a festive treat
The Hamilton Princess & Beach Club is preparing for its first Christmas Wish Breakfast Gift Drive, set for Tuesday, December 16th from 7am to 10am.
The community is invited to donate new, unwrapped gifts for children aged two to eighteen, supporting the Gina Spence Programme, The Family Centre, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bermuda.
Donors will also enjoy a complimentary festive breakfast, with holiday music and entertainment.
General Manager Timothy Morrison shared more details about the event today with our Kendal Trott.
Bangladesh to hold first vote since uprising, president to quit
An interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has governed since, but has been grappling with fresh protests over delayed reforms, and warnings of unrest by Hasina’s party
International News via Reuters:
Bangladesh will hold parliamentary elections on February 12, authorities said, its first national vote since a deadly student-led uprising forced then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to India last year.
An interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has governed since, but has been grappling with fresh protests over delayed reforms, and warnings of unrest by Hasina’s party, which has been barred from the vote.
Highlighting the turmoil, President Mohammed Shahabuddin – who was nominated for the largely ceremonial role by Hasina – said he would step down after the vote, halfway through his term, telling Reuters he has felt humiliated by the Yunus government.
REFERENDUM ON JULY CHARTER REFORMS
Analysts say voters’ concerns include restoring democratic rule, reviving the core export-driven garment industry and repairing ties with giant neighbour India, which have been strained by New Delhi taking in Hasina.
Nearly 128 million voters are eligible to take part at more than 42,000 polling stations across 300 seats.
The vote will run alongside a referendum on implementing the so-called ‘July Charter’, a state reform plan drafted in the aftermath of the unrest, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin said in a national broadcast.
The Charter proposes wide-ranging changes to state institutions, including curbing executive powers, strengthening the independence of the judiciary and election authorities, and preventing the misuse of law-enforcement agencies.
YUNUS HAILS ‘IMPORTANT MILESTONE’
Yunus welcomed the announcement of the election and referendum schedule, describing it as a defining moment for Bangladesh.
“Bangladesh’s democratic journey has crossed an important milestone, strengthening the new path the nation has taken after the historic mass uprising,” he said.
Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is widely seen as the frontrunner, competing alongside the Jamaat-e-Islami party, which has returned to electoral politics after the interim government eased restrictions.
Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh’s biggest Islamist party, could not contest elections after a 2013 court ruling that its registration as a political party conflicted with the secular constitution.
The National Citizen Party formed by student leaders involved in the 2024 uprising is seen trailing, as it struggles to convert street power into electoral strength.
Reporting by Ruma Paul; Writing by Sakshi Dayal and YP Rajesh; Editing by Andrew Heavens
Microsoft fights $2.8 billion UK lawsuit over cloud computing licences
Regulators in Britain, Europe and the United States have separately begun examining Microsoft and others’ practices in relation to cloud computing
International News via Reuters:
Microsoft was on Thursday accused of overcharging thousands of British businesses to use Windows Server software on cloud computing services provided by Amazon, Google and Alibaba, at a pivotal hearing in a 2.1 billion-pound ($2.81 billion) lawsuit.
Regulators in Britain, Europe and the United States have separately begun examining Microsoft and others’ practices in relation to cloud computing.
Competition lawyer Maria Luisa Stasi is bringing the case on behalf of nearly 60,000 businesses that use the Windows Server on rival cloud platforms, arguing Microsoft makes it more expensive than on its own cloud computing service Azure.
Stasi is asking London’s Competition Appeal Tribunal to certify the case to proceed, an early step in the proceedings.
Microsoft, however, says Stasi’s case does not set out a proper blueprint for how the tribunal will work out any alleged losses and should be thrown out.
MICROSOFT ACCUSED OF ‘ABUSIVE STRATEGY’
Stasi’s lawyer Sarah Ford told the tribunal that thousands of businesses had been overcharged because Microsoft charges higher prices to those who do not use Azure, making it a cheaper option than Amazon’s AWS or the Google Cloud Platform.
She also said that “Microsoft degrades the user experience of Windows Server” on rival platforms, which Ford said was part of “a coherent abusive strategy to leverage Microsoft’s dominant position” in the cloud computing market.
Microsoft argues that its vertically integrated business, where it uses Windows Server as an input for Azure while also licensing it to rivals, can benefit competition.
In July, an inquiry group from Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority said Microsoft’s licensing practices reduced competition for cloud services “by materially disadvantaging AWS and Google”.
Microsoft said at the time that the group’s report had ignored that “the cloud market has never been so dynamic and competitive”.
($1 = 0.7473 pounds)
Reporting by Sam Tobin; editing by Barbara Lewis
Inflation continues to rise
Today, the Ministry of Economy and Labour released the Department of Statistics’ July 2025 Consumer Price Index.
In summary, consumers paid 2.0 per cent more in July 2025 than they did a year ago for the basket of goods and services included in the Consumer Price Index [CPI]. This level of inflation increased 0.3 percentage points from the June 2025 annual inflation rate. Some highlights for July 2024 to July 2025 include:
- The Rent division increased 2.4 per cent.
- The Health & Personal Care division rose 3.8 per cent.
- The Transport & Foreign Travel division increased 2.6 per cent.
- The Fuel & Power division increased 4.3 per cent.
- The Food division advanced 1.1 per cent.
Between June 2025 and July 2025, the average cost of goods and services increased 0.4 per cent. Additional areas of note between June 2025 and July 2025 were as follows:
- The Transport & Foreign Travel division increased 2.1 per cent.
- The Clothing & Footwear division increased 2.6 per cent.
- The Rent division rose 0.2 per cent.
- The Food division rose 0.1 per cent.
*Note: The Government measures the annual and monthly inflation rates. Annual changes are from the same month last year, and monthly changes are from month to month. The July 2025 Consumer Price Index is available online at https://www.gov.bm/consumer-price-index.
Sancho Smith secures top-six finish as indoor campaign begins
Sancho Smith and his Clayton State University men’s track & field teammates commenced their 2025-26 season today, delivering solid performances at the Birmingham Indoor Icebreaker meet, marking the start of the new indoor campaign.
In the highly competitive men’s 800-meter run, Sancho Smith delivered a strong showing for Clayton State.
Smith finished the race in sixth place overall, clocking a time of 2:00.21. The result marks a positive season opener for Smith and contributes to Clayton State’s solid performances at the Birmingham Indoor Icebreaker, setting a good baseline for the weeks ahead.
KO Cup Finals day: Saltus and Berkeley set for eight final showdowns
A massive day of school football is set for the National Sports Centre North Field on Saturday, December 13th, as eight teams will be crowned KO Cup Champions across all divisions. The day is expected to be dominated by a rivalry battle, with Saltus Grammar School featuring in seven of the eight finals, and The Berkeley Institute appearing in all three Senior School championships.
The final showdowns begin at 11:00 am with the Primary School Girls Final between Saltus Grammar and Warwick Academy. Both teams needed penalty shootouts to reach the final after tense semi-finals.
Also at 11:00 am, the Under 13 Boys Final pits the Whitney Institute Bulls against Somersfield Academy. Whitney survived a late Saltus comeback to win their semi-final 4-2 on penalties.
The rivalry between Warwick and Saltus continues in the Middle School Girls Final at 12:45 pm. Later, Saltus, who routed Mount Saint Agnes 13-0, will face Sandys Secondary Middle School in the Middle School Over 13 Final.
The afternoon culminates in the Senior School finals, all featuring The Berkeley Institute against Saltus.
The Under 16 Final sees undefeated Berkeley take on Saltus, who advanced with a 3-2 win over Warwick.
The Senior School Girls Final at 4:15 pm features League Champions Berkeley, who had a 9-0 semi-final win, against runners-up Saltus.
The day’s climax, the Senior School Over 16 Final, kicks off at 6:00 pm, with Berkeley facing Saltus once more. Saltus edged their semi-final 2-0 with goals from Isai Gibbons and Rajee Knight-Rowling.
The day promises an exciting showcase of Bermuda’s young football talent.
Year-round lifeguards for Horseshoe Bay
The Ministry of Public Works and Environment is pleased to announce that six lifeguards from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in the United Kingdom are now providing year-round lifeguard services at Horseshoe Bay Beach.
The new arrivals, each on a two-year contract, are supporting efforts to establish consistent professional lifeguard coverage throughout the year and to prepare for upcoming peak tourism and cruise seasons.
They arrived in September and have been on duty since that time, using the past several weeks to become familiar with local conditions, operational procedures, and lifeguard operations across the Island. Once the seasonal programme resumes, these lifeguards will support the wider network of beaches traditionally covered during peak months.
Their deployment follows a local recruitment drive earlier this year that did not yield a sufficient number of suitably qualified applicants. As a result, these full-time lifeguards are serving as a temporary measure while the Department of Parks continues to advance efforts to attract, train, and retain Bermudians for long-term roles in lifeguarding.
This approach forms part of a wider strategy to enhance beach safety, support local teams, and strengthen the resilience of lifeguard operations throughout the year.
On Wednesday, the Minister of Public Works and Environment, the Hon. Jache Adams, JP, MP, visited Horseshoe Bay Beach to meet the new lifeguards and observe their operations.
During the visit, the Minister toured the lifeguard stand, viewed equipment demonstrations, and held discussions about beach conditions and safety practices.
Minister Adams commented: “These new lifeguards are here for three key reasons. First, they strengthen our coverage across major beaches throughout the entire year, not only during the traditional summer period.
“Second, their presence helps reduce the risk of incidents in our waters, particularly at locations with strong surf and high visitor activity. Third, they will give advice on how to make lifeguarding more attractive to Bermudians.
“For many years lifeguarding has been viewed as a seasonal role for returning students. If Bermuda is to build a strong and dependable year-round service, the profession must be seen as a viable full-time career.”
The Minister added: “I thank the RNLI for its expertise and for working closely with our Ministry. Their partnership has been invaluable as Bermuda strengthens its approach to coastal safety. Training and recruitment of Bermudians remain priorities, and these full-time guards will help ensure that our beaches remain safe while long-term improvements take place.”
FTSE 100 gains after Fed’s softer tone; eyes on GDP data
The Fed lowered rates by an expected 25 basis points in a divided vote on Wednesday, but signalled interest rates are unlikely to fall further in the near term as it awaits clarity on the labour market
International News via Reuters:
London’s FTSE 100 rose on Thursday, buoyed by gains in precious metal miners, after the Federal Reserve’s softer tone on the monetary policy path supported sentiment globally.
The FTSE 100 closed up 0.5%, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 index added 0.10%.
The Fed lowered rates by an expected 25 basis points in a divided vote on Wednesday, but signalled interest rates are unlikely to fall further in the near term as it awaits clarity on the labour market.
Still, traders continued to bet on more easing from the U.S. central bank.
Even as Wall Street indexes wobbled on concerns about lofty AI spending by tech companies, other pockets of the equity markets rose. Europe’s STOXX 600 index closed up 0.6%.
Investors are looking ahead to the UK’s October GDP data on Friday for clues on the health of the domestic economy.
The Bank of England is widely expected to cut interest rates next week, with a Reuters poll showing all economists forecasting a 25-basis-point cut to 3.75%, as easing inflation and softer economic signals sway a narrowly split MPC toward loosening policy.
The FTSE 350 precious metal miners rose 3.2%, as gold and silver prices climbed against a weaker dollar following the Fed’s rate cut. [GOL/]
Among individual stocks, Entain fell 2.2% after the gambling firm said International Distribution Services executive Michael Snape will replace finance chief and deputy CEO Rob Wood next year.
Industrial and electronic components provider RS Group topped the FTSE 250 with a 6.2% gain after a rating upgrade from J.P. Morgan, while Ceres Power slid 10.6% after Grizzly Research disclosed a short position in the clean-energy firm.
Reporting by Tharuniyaa Lakshmi in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore and Philippa Fletcher
