The 19-year-old sailor embarks on a high-speed race around the island
Nineteen-year-old Rachael Betschart, a student of Engineering at the University of Exeter, has successfully completed her ambitious sailing challenge: circumnavigating Bermuda in a high-speed WASZP foiling boat.
This unique endeavour marks Betschart’s second time sailing around her home island. She previously completed the feat in 2019 aboard an Optimist Dinghy in just over 10 hours. This time, her goal was to finish in a third of that, showcasing the WASZP’s speed and her own significant development as a sailor.
Betschart began her journey at Two Rock, near the Great Sound, setting off westward around Dockyard. She then navigated down the challenging South Shore, rounded Castle Harbour and St. David’s Head, before heading up the often-testing North Shore, eventually finishing back at Two Rock.
She completed the demanding 96.2-kilometre course in an impressive 4.5 hours, maintaining an average speed of 18.9 knots. This accomplishment truly showcases Betschart’s skill, endurance, and the remarkable capabilities of the WASZP foiling dinghy.
The bank’s former global M&A head Kamal Jabre’s left for U.S. rival JPMorgan
FILE PHOTO: HSBC logo is seen on a branch bank in the financial district in New York, U.S., August 7, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
International news via Reuters:
Europe’s biggest bank HSBC appointed Christopher Chua head of mergers and acquisitions on Wednesday, after its former global head left for JPMorgan last month.
Chua, who was most recently the bank’s Asia head of M&A, will take up the new role immediately and continue to be based in Hong Kong, according to a memo seen by Reuters and confirmed by a company spokesperson.
He will lead the M&A business in “Asia and the Middle East, an area of competitive strength where we provide significant value to our clients”, Adam Bagshaw, the bank’s global head of capital markets and advisory said in the memo.
Chua is the latest top banker to be promoted to oversee reconfigured dealmaking business at the Asia-focused bank, which started a global overhaul last year that left the operation more focused on M&A and equity capital market capabilities in Asia and the Middle East.
The bank wound down its M&A and some equities businesses in Europe and the Americas earlier this year and its former global M&A head Kamal Jabre’s left for U.S. rival JPMorgan.
Chua, who joined HSBC in 2022 from Credit Suisse to lead its M&A business in Asia, has more than 20 years’ experience advising international blue-chip companies on complex cross-border M&A transactions.
Meanwhile, Vikas Seth will chair the M&A business at HSBC, in addition to his role as vice chair for corporate and institutional banking that focuses on strategic client engagement.
Reporting by Selena Li; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise
Erick is expected to be the first hurricane to hit Mexico this season
A red flag flutters in the wind, warning beachgoers of dangerous conditions as Tropical Storm Erick strengthens off Mexico’s Pacific Coast, in San Benito, Chiapas state, Mexico, June 17, 2025. REUTERS/Damian Sanchez
International news via Reuters:
Hurricane Erick is rapidly strengthening off Mexico’s Pacific coast and is expected to intensify into a major Category 3 hurricane before making landfall, authorities said on Wednesday.
Erick is expected to be the first hurricane to hit Mexico this season, and would bring “life-threatening flash floods to portions of southern Mexico later tonight and Thursday,” the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in a report.
“Rapid strengthening is expected today, and Erick may reach major hurricane strength when it approaches the coast of southern Mexico,” the center warned.
With maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 kph), Erick is located 255 kilometers (about 160 miles) from the tourist enclave of Puerto Angel, where a hurricane warning is in effect.
Conditions are favorable for the storm’s intensification, and Mexico’s civil protection agency said it may reach Category 3 strength before landfall.
The agency’s head, Laura Velazquez, told a presidential press conference earlier in the day that the hurricane could make landfall between the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero on Thursday.
EMERGENCY PREPARATIONS
Up to 20 inches (about 50 cm) of rain is expected to hit the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, according to NHC.
Both states have begun emergency planning and taken preventive actions with local authorities. Over 18,000 first responders have been deployed and over 500 temporary shelters have been activated, according to authorities.
Mexican authorities are also coordinating evacuation and care efforts for tourists in popular beach destinations, including Acapulco.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged residents to stay indoors and move to shelters if they are in flood-prone areas.
Mexico’s national water commission, Conagua, warned rainfall in coastal areas could trigger landslides and flooding, with waves reaching up to six meters high.
Reporting by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez; editing by Stefanie Eschenbacher, Rod Nickel and Alistair Bell
An anti-missile system operates as missiles are launched from Iran, as seen from Tel Aviv, Israel, June 18, 2025. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura
International news via Reuters:
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected Donald Trump’s demand for unconditional surrender on Wednesday, and the U.S. president said his patience had run out, though he gave no clue as to what his next step would be.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump declined to say if he had made any decision on whether to join Israel’s bombing campaign against arch-enemy Iran.
“I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do,” he said.
People watch as smoke rises following an Israeli attack on the IRIB building, the country’s state broadcaster, in Tehran, Iran, June 16, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
Trump said Iranian officials had reached out about negotiations including a possible meeting at the White House but “it’s very late to be talking,” he said.
“Unconditional surrender, that means I’ve had it.”
Asked for his response to Khamenei rejecting his demand to surrender, Trump said: “I say, good luck.”
Iranians jammed highways out of the capital Tehran, a city of 10 million people, as residents sought sanctuary from intensified Israeli airstrikes.
In its latest bombing run, Israel said its air force destroyed Iran’s police headquarters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a video released by his office on Wednesday evening, said Israel was “progressing step by step” towards eliminating threats posed by Iran’s nuclear sites and ballistic missile arsenal.
“We control the skies over Tehran. We are striking with tremendous force at the regime of the ayatollahs. We are hitting the nuclear sites, the missiles, the headquarters, the symbols of the regime,” Netanyahu said.
He also thanked Trump, “a great friend of the state of Israel”, for standing by its side in the conflict, saying the two were in continuous contact.
Khamenei, 86, rebuked Trump in a recorded speech played on television, his first appearance since Friday.
The Americans “should know that any U.S. military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage,” he said.
“Intelligent people who know Iran, the Iranian nation and its history will never speak to this nation in threatening language because the Iranian nation will not surrender.”
Trump has veered from proposing a swift diplomatic end to the six-day-old war to suggesting the United States might join it. In social media posts on Tuesday, he mused about killing Khamenei, then demanded Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”
A source familiar with internal discussions said Trump and his team were considering options that included joining Israel in strikes against Iranian nuclear installations. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a Senate committee that the Pentagon was prepared to execute any order given by Trump.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations mocked Trump in posts on X: “Iran does NOT negotiate under duress, shall NOT accept peace under duress, and certainly NOT with a has-been warmonger clinging to relevance,” it wrote.
“No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House,” it said. “The only thing more despicable than his lies is his cowardly threat to ‘take out’ Iran’s Supreme Leader.”
Israel’s military said 50 Israeli jets struck around 20 targets in Tehran overnight, including sites producing raw materials, components and manufacturing systems for missiles.
It advised Iranians to leave parts of Tehran for their own safety while it bombed targets.
FLEEING TEHRAN
Arezou, a 31-year-old Tehran resident, told Reuters by phone that she had made it out to the nearby resort town of Lavasan.
“We will stay here as long as this war continues. My friend’s house in Tehran was attacked and her brother was injured. They are civilians,” she said. “Why are we paying the price for the regime’s decision to pursue a nuclear programme?”
In Israel, sirens rang out anew at dusk on Wednesday warning of further incoming Iranian missiles. There were no immediate reports of serious damage, while a motorist was injured by missile debris, Israeli medics said.
The army later advised civilians they could leave protected areas, signalling the threat had passed.
At Ramat Gan train station east of Tel Aviv, people were lying on city-supplied mattresses or sitting in the odd camping chair, with plastic water bottles strewn about.
“I feel scared, overwhelmed. Especially because I live in a densely populated area that Iran seems to be targeting, and our city has very old buildings, without shelters and safe spaces,” said Tamar Weiss, clutching her four-month-old daughter.
Iran has reported at least 224 deaths in Israeli attacks, mostly civilians, but has not updated that toll for days.
In Israel, the Iranian missile salvoes mark the first time in decades of shadow war and proxy conflict that a significant number of projectiles fired from Iran have penetrated defences, killing Israelis in their homes.
Since Friday, Iran has fired around 400 missiles at Israel, some 40 of which have pierced air defences, killing 24 people, all of them civilians, according to Israeli authorities.
LEVERAGE
Iran has been exploring options for leverage, including veiled threats to hit the global oil market by restricting access to the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important shipping artery for oil.
Oil prices leapt 9% on Friday and have marched higher this week. The CEO of Italian energy company Eni said the rises so far were still limited, signaling an expectation that serious disruption would be averted.
Inside Iran, authorities are intent on preventing panic and shortages. Fewer images of destruction have been allowed to circulate than in the early days of the bombing, when state media showed pictures of explosions, fires and flattened apartments. A ban on filming by the public has been imposed.
The communications ministry said on Wednesday that temporary restrictions on internet access would be imposed to help prevent “the enemy from threatening citizens’ lives and property”.
Iran’s ability to hit back hard at Israel through strikes by proxy militia close to Israeli borders has been limited by the devastating blows Israel has dealt to Tehran’s regional allies – Hamas and Hezbollah – in conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon since 2023.
Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Michael Georgy and Mark Heinrich; Editing by Saad Sayeed, Peter Graff and Daniel Wallis
FILE PHOTO: Amazon logo is seen in this illustration taken February 16, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
International news via Reuters:
Rollout of generative AI and agents will reduce Amazon’s total corporate workforce in the next few years, Andy Jassy, CEO of the online retailer said in a note to employees on Tuesday.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping the global workforce by automating routine and repetitive tasks, and industry leaders expect this to prompt a reduction or transformation of certain roles across industries.
Despite uncertainties, many experts agree that AI will not lead to mass unemployment, but rather to a reshuffling of the workforce.
“As we roll out more Generative AI and agents, it should change the way our work is done. We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs,” Jassy said.
Amazon had more than 1.5 million full-time and part-time employees at the end of last year. The company also hires temporary workers and independent contractors as needed.
The company is using GenAI across internal operations to enhance efficiency and customer experience, Jassy said.
He added that Amazon is using AI to optimize inventory and forecasting in its fulfillment network, upgrade its customer service chatbot and improve product detail pages.
“Amazon is communicating a message we have been increasingly hearing from other technology companies – AI is progressing so fast in improving productivity that the need for hiring will diminish over time,” said D.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria.
“The main roles being enhanced right now are in software development, and that is where we are seeing the most pronounced slowdown in hiring.”
Microsoft has emphasized that AI will boost productivity, but it has also laid off thousands of employees, while Google too has reportedly laid off hundreds of employees in the past year. Other tech companies are increasingly using AI to write code for both their products and internal operations.
Reporting by Akash Sriram and Harshita Mary Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona
Environmental liability is one of Mosaic’s seven lines of specialty business
Update via press release:
Mosaic Insurance has developed a pioneering climate solution to support the growing number of companies working to remediate abandoned and orphaned oil and gas wells across North America.
The company’s environmental team has launched a hybrid pollution product that de-risks the current wave of efforts spurred by government incentives to plug disused wells, thereby progressing climate-change goals.
“Mosaic is proud to be at the forefront of supporting companies tackling this urgent challenge that enables real progress on climate mitigation,” said Karen Reilly, Mosaic’s Head of Americas, Environmental Liability. “Our innovative, responsive coverage brings certainty to the many liabilities involved. By doing so, Mosaic is helping unlock the growth of projects that directly reduce greenhouse gas emissions—a win for our partners, our industry, and the planet.”
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, an estimated two-million inactive, unplugged oil and gas wells are scattered across US states. The sites pose significant environmental and health threats, from leaking toxic chemicals to releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas contributing to climate change. In 2021, the US federal Orphaned Well Program was established under America’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, providing $4.7 billion in funding to plug, cap, and reclaim orphaned oil and gas wells and related facilities on US federal lands. Federal and provincial government incentive programs have also been launched to clean up wells across Canada.
Mosaic environmental specialist Max Horn recognized a critical coverage gap in the market and developed a product to address the unique exposure, providing critical coverage to companies undertaking the well-plugging process.
“We saw an opportunity to bridge the divide between traditional Contractors Pollution Liability (CPL) and standard Control of Well (COW) policies,” said Horn, who worked closely with partners at global broker Aon and Tradewater, a project development company focused on preventing harmful greenhouse gases releasing into the atmosphere.
“While CPL typically covers pollution events and COW covers well control and redrill costs, neither fully addressed the needs of orphaned well remediation projects. Mosaic created a tailored solution that combines the two, offering more comprehensive protection for this evolving risk,” said Horn, noting Mosaic and Aon have entered into an exclusive distribution agreement for the new plug-and-well exit liability product to bring the solution to project owners, well-plugging contractors, and buyers of carbon credits generated from well-plugging operations.
Horn is driving product development for several emerging energy-transition initiatives at Mosaic, not only focused on oil and gas wells, but also the equally fast-growing sphere of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), which has similarly been galvanized by government incentives and embodies a slate of environmental and technical risks.
“Through well-designed policies to cover these potentially complex challenges, insurers can play a significant role in advancing climate solutions,” noted Horn.
Environmental liability is one of seven lines of specialty business at Mosaic; the others include cyber, transactional liability, political risk, political violence, professional liability and financial institutions. The company’s expanding footprint in the Americas now encompasses product specialists across the US, including in New York, Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boulder, New Orleans, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles, as well as Toronto, ON, and Bermuda.
Respondents were entered into a prize draw to win a year of free parking in any City car park
Corporation of Hamilton update via press release:
The City of Hamilton is pleased to announce the the results of its 2025 Satisfaction Survey, which invited feedback from City residents, property owners, and City-based businesses on a range of municipal services and priorities.
The survey, which was conducted between April 4 and May 2 by local research firm Narrative Research was designed to evaluate public perception of City operations, identify areas for improvement, and support data-driven planning for the future.
The initiative featured two distinct surveys, one for City residents and property owners, and another for businesses operating within City limits. Responses were collected anonymously through a combination of email invitations, flyers, telephone calls, in-person interviews, and digital links. The effort was part of the City’s ongoing commitment to public engagement and transparency.
Jessica Astwood, Director of Marketing and Communications, said the results provide a vital benchmark for the City’s strategic priorities: “This survey serves as an important channel to connect and listen directly to the people we serve,” she said. “It allows us to identify where we’re performing well and where we need to improve, so that we can better align our services with community expectations.”
Survey results show that overall satisfaction with City services remains strong. 70 percent of both residents and businesses reported being satisfied with the services they receive, and three-quarters described the City as responsive to their needs. Nearly all business respondents said they would recommend Hamilton as a place to do business (93 per cent), and a large majority of City residents (85 percent) would recommend the City as a good place to live.
Cleanliness and upkeep remain standout strengths. Over two-thirds of businesses rated the City’s cleanliness and appearance positively, and residents gave particularly high marks to the condition of City parks and the quality of waste management services. Many residents and businesses also expressed satisfaction with the City’s beautification efforts and public art installations.
In terms of direct interaction, two-thirds of residents described their recent contact with the City as mostly positive, citing friendly staff, timely responses, and clear communication. Businesses echoed that sentiment, with more than 75 percent saying their recent dealings with the City were handled effectively.
At the same time, the survey – the first of its kind for the City – uncovered opportunities for growth. Parking availability and cost emerged as common concerns, along with a desire for improved infrastructure maintenance. Many respondents also encouraged further efforts to enhance the City’s appearance, support local businesses, and address issues around homelessness in public spaces.
In recognition of their participation, all eligible respondents were entered into a prize draw to win a year of free parking in any City of Hamilton car park, valued at up to $3,500. The City is pleased to announce that the winners are Mr. Coldrex Gordon, a City resident, and Mr. Keith and Mrs. Candice Trott, representing a City business.
The City extends its sincere thanks to everyone who took part in the survey. Their input plays a direct role in shaping policies and services and ensures that future plans reflect the voices of those who live and work in Hamilton. Stay tuned for more ways to share your voice as we continue to shape the future of our City together.
“This type of community feedback is essential,” Ms. Astwood added. “It’s how we stay accountable, forward-thinking, and connected to the people who call Hamilton home.”
For more information about the survey or to view the results in full, please visit www.cityofhamilton.bm
The training marked “a significant step in strengthening the armed policing capabilities of the British Overseas Territories”
Images supplied
The Government of Bermuda issued the following media release.
The International Policing Assistance Service (IPAS) is currently delivering an eight-week ‘Train-the-Trainer’ course for officers in police forces from Bermuda and the Caribbean Overseas Territories. With Bermuda’s firearms capability already the regional benchmark, Bermuda looks set to become a centre of excellence for Armed Police training within the region.
This first phase of the programme which finishes on 20 June will focus on Armed Response Vehicle (ARV) capabilities, typically used when officers are responding to incidents that are believed to involve firearms or a perceived threat to life. Part of the programme will see the UK Home Office’s Firearms Subject Matter Expert, supported by National Firearms Instructors from Police Scotland and Greater Manchester Police, deliver ARV tactics for dealing with subjects in vehicles, where participants will learn tactics for de-escalating situations, extracting and detaining suspects while maintaining maximum officer safety and control.
A spokesperson from IPAS said, “This training marks a significant step in strengthening the armed policing capabilities of the British Overseas Territories. By enhancing the officers’ capabilities based on UK standards and fostering regional cooperation, we’re building a more resilient and interoperable security framework across the Caribbean based British Overseas Territories and Bermuda.”
Developed in consultation with Police Commissioners across the British Overseas Territories and part of a wider effort to standardise firearms training and operational capability across the Territories, the programme will equip officers from Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands to deliver future training within their respective forces.
His Excellency Andrew Murdoch, CMG, Governor of Bermuda, met trainers and students at the beginning of their course, and later joined them again during formative ARV practical scenario exercises.
He said, “The provision of armed response vehicles is a critical capability to help ensure the safety and security of Bermuda and other Overseas Territories. It was impressive to watch IPAS officers and regionally based officers in action. The train-the-trainer model being delivered by IPAS, using UK Government funding, ensures that training for this specialist work can in future be delivered locally to deliver a sustainable capability. It helps build safer communities in Bermuda and the Caribbean, including adopting tactics and techniques which take into account local cultures and behaviours.”
Building armed policing capability and strengthening regional security cooperation in the Overseas Territories is a core responsibility of the UK’s Home Office with UK officers regularly deploying in a training capacity as part of a wider and longer-term Overseas Territories Police Strategy. In delivery of this first phase of training, IPAS have worked in close partnership with Commissioner of Police for Bermuda, Darrin Simons and his team.
Commissioner of Police for Bermuda, Darrin Simons said, “Bermuda has always been at the forefront of policing excellence among the British Overseas Territories, particularly in firearms and investigations training. This UK-supported initiative keeps our instructors current and competent while establishing common standards that will allow our territories to work seamlessly together. We’re building something bigger here. Bermuda as the regional centre of excellence, offering an entire program of training that every British Overseas Territory can access and benefit from.”
Bermuda Optimist Sailors Set for World Championship Challenge in Slovenia
The Bermuda Optimist Dinghy Association, BODA, is proud to announce the five young sailors who will represent the island at the 2025 Optimist World Championship in Portorož, Slovenia, from June 26th to July 6th.
This year’s prestigious event will feature over 250 sailors from around the world, and Bermuda’s representatives are eager to compete amongst the best.
The Bermuda Team consists of Emma Brown and Harry Brown from the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, and Thomas McBain, Heath Meyers, and Jesse Savage from the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. They will be coached by Pablo Weber, with David Brown serving as Team Leader.
The team has successfully completed an intensive training programme both in Bermuda and overseas, including competing at the JK Pirat Portorož Easter Regatta in April to familiarise themselves with the World Championship venue and conditions. BODA President Mark Soares praised the dedication, stating, “Under the expert guidance of National Coach Pablo Weber, our athletes are prepared not just to compete but to excel.”
Looking forward to meeting sailors from around the world, Emma Brown shared, “Making friends and seeing how different peoples’ lives are.” Thomas McBain echoed this, adding, “I’m looking forward to making new friends and learning from the better sailors.” Optimist sailing has clearly shaped them; Emma noted increased confidence and resilience, while Harry mentioned becoming “more competitive and more confident.” A shocked 10-year-old Heath Meyers, who had just begun sailing, “could not have even imagined it.”
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