In tonight’s news at 7pm…
- Cost of Living survey cites housing, utilities, groceries and food as barriers to financial stability
- Climate Advocate Noelle Young partners with Greenpeace UK on ocean protection
Bermuda Tonight – 11 June 2025
Police to conduct roadside sobriety checkpoints
Motorists urged to plan ahead as officers target drink-driving
Motorists are being warned that police will be carrying out roadside sobriety checkpoints from today through to and including the National Heroes Day holiday on Monday.
A post on the Bermuda Police Service’s social media read:
“Family, in case you aink heard, Roadside Sobriety Checkpoints will be in place in all nine Parishes, starting today, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, through to and including Monday, June 16, 2025. If you’re going to consume alcohol or use any mind altering substances, please, do not drive. If caught doing that, you will be arrested.
Just imagine, the music truck going by Hotel Delta during the carnival and you can’t even jump and wave because your bunk is in the way.”
Road blocked after truck hits utility pole in Warwick
Traffic diverted near South Road and Dunscombe Road
A crash in Warwick this afternoon resulted in detours for motorists.
The Bermuda Police Service stated on social media: “A truck has struck a utility pole near the junction of Dunscome Road and South Road, Warwick, causing the roadway to be blocked.”
Police Officers were said to be on scene at around 4 pm. At that time, traffic diversions were in place at Dunscombe Road as well as Cobbs Hill.
Police advised, “Where possible, please use alternative routes to get to your destinations.”
BBC Radio News: Evening – 11 June 2025
Journalist Jasmine Patterson brings you the latest news plus sports with Earl Basden
In the headlines, Home Affairs Minister announces date of the upcoming Cost of Living Summit; Construction leader laments building costs as a deterrent for new capital investment; Hospital makes urgent appeal for blood donations plus a historic win for Gombey Warriors against Cuba in sports.
EMO gears up for hurricane season
National Security Minister says the Emergency Measures Organisation is ‘not leaving anything to chance’
The Government of Bermuda issued the following media release.
The Emergency Measures Organisation (EMO), chaired by the Minister of National Security, Michael Weeks, convened today, Wednesday 11 June, for a planning session as Bermuda officially enters the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which runs annually from 1 June to 30 November.
Minister Weeks stated, “The Government of Bermuda, through the EMO, is actively preparing for any threat this season may bring. Today’s meeting confirms that all Government agencies are coordinating efforts to ensure readiness, and I want to assure the public that we are not leaving anything to chance.”
Today’s meeting included updates confirming that all EMO agencies and Government departments have completed or are finalising their hurricane preparedness measures.
The EMO also discussed the planned scenario-based tabletop exercise scheduled for 18 June to assess national response procedures.
A follow-up EMO meeting is set for 23 July, including a tabletop exercise debrief. The EMO stands ready to reconvene earlier if a developing storm requires immediate coordination.
This year’s season is expected to be above normal. According to the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 13 to 19 named storms, 6 to 10 hurricanes, and 3 to 5 major hurricanes are predicted for the Atlantic.
These figures are above the long-term seasonal averages, due in part to record-warm sea surface temperatures and a weakening La Niña pattern.
The Bermuda Weather Service (BWS) has cautioned that even if the storm’s centre is not directly over Bermuda, the Island can still experience significant impacts.
Minister Weeks said: “Residents must remain informed using trusted sources. The Bermuda Weather Service is the Island’s official authority for all storm forecasts and updates.
“Likewise, our Government Emergency Broadcast Station at 100.1 FM is the official source of EMO updates during storms, especially during a power outage. Every household should have a working battery-powered FM radio ready.”
The EMO reminded the public of key preparation measures as part of today’s discussions:
- Create a family emergency plan and hold a discussion with loved ones about what to do during a storm.
- Stock up on non-perishable food and water, and check in on the elderly and vulnerable.
For a complete list of recommended actions, residents are urged to visit the Government’s official hurricane preparedness page at www.gov.bm/are-you-ready-hurricane-season.
Minister Weeks concluded: “Preparedness is not just a Government responsibility; it starts at home. We must all take proactive steps now to reduce our risks later.”
Cost of Living survey: 83% of residents expect to struggle to meet basic needs
Minister of Home Affairs, Alexa Lightbourne announced a Cost of Living Summit will be held on 25 June
Home Affairs Minister Alexa Lightbourne and Chair of the Cost of Living Commission, Anthony Richardson. Photo: Bermuda Broadcasting Company
40 percent of residents polled in the Government’s latest Cost of Living survey are citing housing, utilities, groceries and food as barriers to financial stability, according to Home Affairs Minister Alexa Lightbourne.
Minister Lightbourne revealed the findings of this survey which collected feedback from around 2,000 residents and 200 members of the business community.
Over 83% percent of respondents said they expect to struggle to meet basic needs in the next 12 months.
She further announced the upcoming Cost of Living Summit on June 25th at the Hamilton Princess.
During a media conference today, Minister Lightbourne said her ministry is inviting stakeholders from the third sector, local grocers and other retailers to attend the summit, as they seek to find tangible solutions to Bermuda’s high cost of living.
While conceding that many of the concerns were not new, Minister Lightbourne argued that the survey was validation of the urgency to develop new policy.
Minister Lightbourne was joined by Junior Home Affairs Minister Lindsay Simmons, Anthony Richardson chair of the Cost of Living Commission and Deputy Chair Michelle Jackson.
Funding cuts could harm progress on child labour as world misses key target
U.N. agencies expressed alarm about the impact of the Trump administrations’ cuts
International news via Reuters:
The world has missed its target of eliminating child labour by 2025 and funding cuts threaten recent progress on reducing the numbers of children in work, a new joint report by two United Nations agencies said on Wednesday.
The number of children in work worldwide has almost halved in the past 25 years but nearly 138 million were still involved in child labour in the past year, denied the right to learn and play, the International Labour Organization and UNICEF said.
UNICEF’s executive director Catherine Russell said funding cuts by donor countries threaten to undermine what she said had been encouraging signs on the issue in the last four years.
Reductions in education and livelihood support programmes risk forcing more vulnerable families to send their children to work, she said.
“Progress towards ending child labour is possible by applying legal safeguards, expanded social protection, investment in free, quality education… We must recommit to ensuring that children are in classrooms and playgrounds, not at work,” Russell said in a statement.
U.N. agencies have expressed alarm about the impact of drastic cuts implemented by the Trump administration in U.S. foreign aid, though the ILO-UNICEF report did not explicitly reference this issue.
Though there are 22 million fewer children in work since 2020, some 54 million worldwide remain in hazardous work that could harm their health and development, the agencies said.
The majority of children work in agriculture, while about a quarter are in services such as domestic work or selling goods in markets.
Two-thirds of all child labour takes place in sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for around 87 million children, with only a small reduction from 23.9% to 21.5% over the last four years.
“The findings of our report offer hope and show that progress is possible. Children belong in school, not in work… We still have a long way to go before we achieve our goal of eliminating child labour,” said ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo in a statement.
Reporting by Olivia Le PoidevinEditing by Gareth Jones
EU, Britain seal post-Brexit deal easing Gibraltar border flow
Gibraltar residents can cross into the EU country of Spain using residence cards
International news via Reuters:
The European Union (EU) and Britain reached an agreement on the status of the overseas territory of Gibraltar on Wednesday which facilitates border crossings and ends years of political uncertainty.
The status of Gibraltar – an enclave at the southern tip of Spain that has been under British rule since the 18th century – and how to police the border with Spain have been points of contention since Britain voted in 2016 to leave the EU.
Talks have continued without an agreement since Britain officially left the EU in 2020 over the territory’s status and border with Spain.
Gibraltar residents can cross using residence cards without needing to have their passports stamped. Spanish citizens can cross using a government ID card.
Passport controls have occasionally been re-established in tit-for-tat disputes, however, causing massive queues for up to 15,000 cross-border workers.
Under Wednesday’s agreement, those arriving at Gibraltar airport will show their passports to both Gibraltar and Spanish border officers.
The British Foreign Office said the system would follow a similar model to French police operating in London’s St. Pancras station, where the Eurostar train service connecting Britain with mainland Europe runs from.
It added that the agreement would provide a practical solution to avoid the need for what it described as “onerous checks” and long delays at the border.
“We have reached an agreement which protects British sovereignty, supports Gibraltar’s economy and allows businesses to plan for the long-term once again,” British Foreign Minister David Lammy said.
Spain had urged Britain to close a deal on Gibraltar’s post-Brexit status before the start of new EU border controls, which include a biometric entry-check system for non-EU citizens.
“This is about the removal of the last fence in Europe,” European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said.
Sticking points have included what role Spanish officials would have carrying out entry checks to the 29-nation Schengen free travel zone – of which Britain is not a member – at Gibraltar’s airport and its ports.
“I’m delighted we have finalised a conclusive political agreement which will bring legal certainty to the people of Gibraltar, its businesses and to those across the region who rely on stability at the frontier,” Fabian Picardo, the chief minister of Gibraltar, said.
Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels, David Latona in Madrid and Sam Tabahriti in London; Writing by Catarina Demony; Editing by Inti Landauro, GV De Clercq and Ed Osmond
Health, defence and schools: UK’s Reeves sets out spending plans
Dividing more than 2 trillion pounds ($2.7 trillion) of public spending on Wednesday
International news via Reuters:
British finance minister Rachel Reeves set out her plans to divide up more than 2 trillion pounds ($2.7 trillion) of public spending on Wednesday in a speech she hopes will foster a sense of national renewal.
Below are the key quotes:
AIM OF THE SPENDING REVIEW:
“We are renewing Britain. But I know that too many people in too many parts of our country are yet to feel it. This government’s task, my task as Chancellor and the purpose of this spending review is to change that.”
DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS:
“Today I am allocating the envelope I set out in the Spring. In this spending review, total departmental budgets will grow by 2.3% a year in real terms.”
“This first rule (on stability) allows me as I set out in the Budget to allocate 190 billion pounds more to the day to day running of our public services over the course of the spending review compared to the previous government’s plans.”
ON CHALLENGES AHEAD:
“As I said in the Spring Statement, the world is changing before our eyes. And since the Spring, the challenges we face have only grown more acute. The signs of our age of insecurity are everywhere. So we are acting on the promise in our Plan for Change: Building renewal on foundations of national security, border security and economic security.”
BORDERS AND ASYLUM
“At the Budget last year I announced 150 million pounds to establish the new Border Security Command. And today, to support the integrity of our borders I can announce that funding of up to 280 million pounds more per year by the end of the spending review for our new Border Security Command.”
“We will be ending the costly use of hotels to house asylum seekers, in this Parliament. Funding that I have provided today including from the Transformation Fund will cut the asylum backlog; hear more appeal cases; and return people who have no right to be here, saving the taxpayer 1 billion pounds per year.”
TRAINING AND SKILLS
“To champion those small businesses seeking access to finance as they look to grow, I am increasing the financial firepower of the British Business Bank, a two-thirds increase in its investments, increasing its overall financial capacity to 25.6 billion pounds.”
HOUSING
“I am proud to announce the biggest cash injection into social and affordable housing in 50 years. A new Affordable Homes Programme – in which I am investing 39 billion pounds over the next decade.
“Direct government funding that will support housebuilding, especially for social rent.”
SCHOOLS AND HEALTH
“I am providing a cash uplift of over 4.5 billion pounds a year of additional funding for the core schools budget by the end of the spending review.”
“I am increasing the NHS technology budget by almost 50%. We are investing 10 billion pounds to bring our analogue health system into the digital age, including through the NHS app, so patients can manage their prescriptions, get their test results, and book appointments all in one place.”
Reporting by Kate Holton and Sarah Young
Fulbright board resigns citing interference by Trump administration
The State Department didn’t immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment
International news via Reuters:
All members of the board that oversees the U.S. State Department’s Fulbright Program, which facilitates international educational exchanges, have voted to resign over alleged political interference from President Donald Trump’s administration, the board said on Wednesday.
The Trump administration had unlawfully “usurped the authority” of the board by denying awards to a “substantial number” of people who had already been selected for the 2025-2026 academic year through a yearlong, merit-based process, the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board said in a statement posted on the website Substack.
The department is also putting another 1,200 Fulbright recipients through an “unauthorized review process” that could lead to more rejections, according to the statement.
The board members chose to resign “rather than endorse unprecedented actions that we believe are impermissible under the law, compromise U.S. national interests and integrity, and undermine the mission and mandates Congress established for the Fulbright program nearly 80 years ago,” they said.
The State Department didn’t immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
The New York Times reported the board had approved the applications of around 200 American professors and researchers who were set to work at universities and research institutions in other countries this summer, and the State Department was meant to send acceptance letters to the applicants in April.
Instead, board members learned the department’s Office of Public Diplomacy had begun sending rejection letters to the scholars based on the topics of their research.
“The bipartisan Fulbright Board was mandated by Congress to be a check on the executive and to ensure that students, researchers and educators are not subjected to the blatant political favoritism that this Administration is known for,” Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement.
“While I understand and respect the bipartisan Fulbright Board for resigning en masse rather than grant credibility to a politicized process, I’m painfully aware that today’s move will change the quality of Fulbright programming and the independent research that has made our country a leader in so many fields,” she added.
The Fulbright program, which was established in 1946, sends U.S. graduate students, scholars, artists, teachers, and professionals abroad to study, conduct research or teach English in approximately 160 countries worldwide.
The program awards approximately 8,000 competitive, merit-based grants each year in most academic disciplines and fields of study, according to its website.
Since taking office for his second term in January, Trump’s administration has undertaken a major overhaul of the State Department, enacted massive funding cuts for academic research, and curbed visas for foreign students.
Reporting by Ryan Patrick Jones; Editing by Aurora Ellis
Basketball team starts DR tour with dominant win
Senior men’s team beat local club Baez
A strong win for Bermuda sets a positive tone for the rest of the tour
The Bermuda Basketball Association’s Senior Men’s National team has kicked off their development tour in the Dominican Republic with a commanding victory, defeating local club team Baez 56-40.
The Bermudian squad set the tone early, with their defense dominating the first half. They showcased an impressive effort at that end of the court, limiting Baez to a mere 17 points in total by half-time, building a significant lead.
On the offensive end, Cameron Basden led the scoring for Bermuda with a strong performance, contributing 16 points to the victory. He was ably supported by Jaelen Williams, who also reached double figures with 14 points.
This dominant opening win provides a positive start to their highly anticipated tour of the Dominican Republic, setting a strong precedent for their upcoming matches against competitive opposition.
“Not possible” for private sector to build low-cost housing
Construction boss says costs have risen to such a level that investment is not viable
Don’t look to the private sector to build affordable housing – it’s just not possible.
This from Alex DeCouto, President of Greymane and the Co-Chair of the Construction Division of the Chamber of Commerce.
“I think that boat has long sailed”, he says.
Speaking above to Gary Foster Skelton about the recent import duty cuts on building supplies, Mr DeCouto says the cost of construction has risen to such a level that such investment is simply not viable.
Mr DeCouto says Government should look to the public housing model in Singapore for ideas.
