Diallo Rabain says the ‘pause’ to transitioning from three-tier to two-tier public education was only supposed to last a year, and he wants to know what is holding it back
The success of Signature School Programmes is evident, according to Diallo Rabain.
The Education Minister concedes, however, that parents have become skeptical about the planned transition to a two-tier public school system.
Reflecting on the first four years of Signature Senior Schools, Minister Rabain cites feedback from a former teacher who, to coin a phrase, became a believer at a recent high school graduation.
Nevertheless, he says the ‘pause’ to transitioning from three-tier to two-tier public education was only supposed to last a year, and he wants to know what is holding it back.
Manpreet Kohli, a 45-year-old Indian national, was the leader of Saitama, a company that promoted a token on the ethereum blockchain, which at one point had a market value of $7.5 billion
International News via Reuters:
The British-based chief executive of a cryptocurrency company who is wanted in the United States on charges of wire fraud and market manipulation faces being sent to the U.S. to stand trial after he lost his fight against extradition last week.
Manpreet Kohli, a 45-year-old Indian national, was the leader of Saitama, a company that promoted a token on the ethereum blockchain, which at one point had a market value of $7.5 billion.
He was arrested in London in 2024 after U.S. prosecutors accused him and more than a dozen others of engaging in widespread fraud, following an investigation in which the FBI for the first time set up a digital token to ferret out crime.
Prosecutors alleged Kohli and his co-conspirators claimed to be holding and purchasing Saitama tokens, while privately selling them for millions of dollars in profit. Kohli is said to have made around $20 million.
Kohli fought against extradition, including on the grounds that in the U.S. there would be inadequate measures to prevent him taking his own life in custody.
But Judge Samuel Goozee rejected Kohli’s challenge on August 19 and sent his case to British ministers to decide whether to order his extradition, a step which is usually a formality.
“I find there are clearly appropriate arrangements in place both during transit and within the prison system in the U.S. to be able to cope with (Kohli’s) mental health and reduce the risk of suicide to an acceptable level,” Goozee said in his ruling.
Kohli remains free on £200,000 ($272,420) bail and can appeal against the ruling. He could not be contacted for comment.
Earlier this month, a federal judge in Boston rejected his bid to have the indictment against him dismissed on the grounds that the Saitama token cannot legally be considered a security subject to regulation under U.S. securities law.
Kohli’s U.S. lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
($1 = 0.7342 pounds)
Reporting by Sam Tobin in London and Nate Raymond in Boston;Editing by Tomasz Janowski
The first foldable iPhone is expected to be a crucial landmark for Apple, with analysts saying that the high-end devices would be the main driver of higher selling prices and margin growth for the company
International News via Reuters:
Apple is set to host its next launch event on September 9, where the company is expected to unveil its newest iPhone series and potentially its long-awaited foldable phone.
The first foldable iPhone is expected to be a crucial landmark for Apple, with analysts saying that the high-end devices would be the main driver of higher selling prices and margin growth for the company.
The launch would also mark incoming Apple CEO John Ternus’s first major event. Ternus, Apple’s longtime hardware chief, is set to take the helm at the company on September 1, as Tim Cook transitions to the role of executive chairman.
Ternus’s appointment, announced in April, was widely regarded as a sign of Apple’s renewed push to building on its core strength in devices.
Currently, Samsung Electronics dominates the niche but growing foldable smartphone market, which companies are betting would soon become mainstream despite their premium price tags.
Foldable phones are expected to be a bright spot for consumer electronics companies that have faced a setback due to a severe shortage of memory and storage chips that resulted in price hikes and dampened overall consumer demand.
Apple has also lifted prices across its Mac and iPad line-ups to offset the soaring costs. Still, the company said in July it was facing “very significant” supply chain shortages and predicted the snags would dampen sales in the current quarter.
Analysts expect Apple to launch a foldable iPhone with a screen similar in size to an iPad mini. Earlier this year, Samsung unveiled a new passport-sized foldable phone as the South Korean tech giant seeks to defend its foothold against Apple.
Apple is expected to ship more than 17 million foldable iPhones by 2027, according to research firm IDC.
Its entry into the market is also key to driving growth, with IDC predicting a 12.6% jump in foldable phone shipments this year. In comparison, global smartphone shipments are expected to see a record 16.7% decline.
Last year, at its launch event, Apple unveiled a slimmer iPhone Air and loaded its iPhone 17 base models with several better features. The iPhone 17 line-up helped drive a strong upgrade cycle among consumers.
Reporting by Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli
12th August 2026, marked the one-year anniversary of the double murder on Court Street, City of Hamilton, where two young men were fatally shot, around 4:40 p.m. Tuesday, 12th August 2025.
Detectives of the Serious Crime Unit continue to actively investigate the double murder and remain committed to bringing those responsible to justice.
To date, two persons have been arrested in connection with this matter; however, no charges have been laid. Investigators are therefore renewing their appeal for any relevant information that may assist the inquiry and have re-circulated images of the suspects.
The suspects are described as two males on a dark coloured motorcycle, both wearing helmets with dark coloured visors.
The rider was wearing a blue top, black gloves, grey pants, and white sneakers.
The passenger was wearing a beige jacket and dark coloured pants, with red and white sneakers.
The pair are believed to have travelled from Ewing Street, heading south along Court Street, before turning right onto Dundonald Street and fleeing the area.
Community involvement remains crucial. Every detail—no matter how small—could help bring justice and closure to the families and to the wider community. All information shared will be treated with the strictest confidence.
Anyone who can assist is encouraged to contact Acting Detective Inspector Anneka Donawa of the Serious Crime Unit at 717-2250, 247-1739, or via email at adonawa@bps.bm.
Anonymous tips may also be submitted through the independent and confidential Crime Stoppers Bermuda hotline at 800-8477, or online at www.crimestoppers.bm.
Crime Stoppers Bermuda is offering up to $50,000 for information that leads to the arrest and charge of the suspects.
Information can additionally be shared through the Bermuda Police Service reporting portal at https://portal.police.bm, or with any police officer you know.
The main reason for the trip will be for the royals to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which is being held in Antigua and Barbuda from November 1-4 this year
International News via Reuters:
King Charles and his wife Queen Camilla will carry out a week-long tour of Caribbean nations later this year, visiting Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas and Guyana, Buckingham Palace said on Wednesday.
The main reason for the trip will be for the royals to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which is being held in Antigua and Barbuda from November 1-4 this year.
Charles, who is king of Antigua and Barbuda, is also the head of the Commonwealth, a club of more than 50 countries that evolved from the British Empire.
Prior to the CHOGM meeting, Charles will travel to the Bahamas, another nation where he is the monarch, and will also pay a state visit to Guyana.
In a still-unfolding disaster, verified videos showed dozens of people swept away at the border, with authorities on both sides fearing far higher casualties and massive destruction
International News via Reuters:
A huge wall of mud and rock collapsed into a river on the Himalayan border of Nepal and China’s Tibet on Wednesday, triggering catastrophic flooding on the Nepali side that killed at least 95 people and left hundreds of tourists missing.
In a still-unfolding disaster, verified videos showed dozens of people swept away at the border, with authorities on both sides fearing far higher casualties and massive destruction.
Houses, roads and power projects were swept away in Nepal, while officials in Tibet said they feared “major casualties”, with some people missing in the county of Gyirong after a mudslide hit a border land crossing.
Initial reports suggested an earthquake in the area could have triggered an avalanche and caused the floods, Nepal’s foreign minister, Shisir Khanal, told the country’s parliament on Wednesday, local media reported.
FIXED CAMERA FOOTAGE SHOWS PEOPLE FLEEING
Security footage captured on the Chinese side of the Nepal-Tibet border showed many people fleeing before a torrent of rock, mud and water destroyed buildings, vehicles and took many lives.
With the deluge of muddy water sweeping down from an estimated nearly 2,000 metres (6,560 feet) above sea level, flood alerts were issued in the populous northern Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which border Nepal and where several rivers flow down the mountains into the plains.
Authorities in Bihar said they had evacuated about 5,000 people from six districts and planned to evacuate a total of 10,000 to 12,000 people.
At least 341 foreign travellers were missing from the region, including more than 100 Indians, three U.S. citizens and 12 British nationals, Nepal’s tourism ministry said. Dozens of local people were also missing.
Rescue teams in Nepal had recovered 95 bodies so far, police said. Local media reported 65 people were being treated in hospitals in the area and in the capital Kathmandu.
South Korea separately said that eight of its nationals working on a hydropower plant were missing.
EXPERT FEARS A SECOND FLOOD
The exact cause of the mudslide could not be immediately determined, but the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) said there was a 4.4 magnitude quake approximately seven minutes before the time shown on the security footage time-stamp.
An initial study of Planet Labs satellite imagery indicated that a landslide of snow and rock triggered a debris-laden flood in the Lhende river, about 20 km (12 miles) northeast of the Nepal-China Rasuwagadhi border crossing, Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said on X.
Before and after images from Planet Labs appeared to show a wide swathe of destruction on either side of the usual river course.
Qianggong Zhang, head of climate and environmental risks at the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, said the cause of the ice-rock avalanche into the Lhende Khola river on the Nepali side was yet to be confirmed.
“With a blockage still lodged upstream on the Nepal-China border river, authorities warn a second flood may occur,” Zhang said.
Rescue helicopters could not land in Nepal’s affected areas of Syapru Besi and Timure in the mountainous district of Rasuwa, with a population of about 50,000, officials said, with the river flowing above its normal course.
Television images showed collapsed homes, floating cars and a metal bridge being washed away, while witnesses told Reuters the waters engulfed entire villages.
“There could be heavy casualties or loss of property,” said district administrator Narendra Pariyar, who urged dwellers on the banks of the Bhote Koshi river — into which the Lhende Khola empties — to move to higher ground.
“There is devastation everywhere we look,” Tula Bahadur BK, a health worker in Rasuwa, told Reuters. “The settlements next to the river have been completely swept away. Five of my own relatives are missing.”
CHINA SAYS GYIRONG PORT AFFECTED
China’s official Xinhua news agency said the mudslide hit the Gyirong port, cutting roads, communications and power links in the Shigatse region near the border, but did not elaborate.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said authorities had deployed 601 personnel and 113 vehicles, along with search dogs and rescue equipment, to conduct emergency operations.
A rescuer interviewed by CCTV said they had been trying to establish contact with the Gyirong border port but “so far there haven’t been any results”. All roads leading to the border crossing had been “completely destroyed” after a preliminary inspection with a drone, the rescuer added.
“The mudslide situation is indeed quite severe,” he said. “The mud is very thick, and the weather is a major concern — it’s been raining continuously, so water levels could rise at any time.”
President Xi Jinping urged “all-out” search efforts for the missing, as well as stronger monitoring and early warning systems to prevent secondary disasters.
From its origins in Tibet, the Bhote Koshi river empties into Nepal’s Trishuli river, which eventually flows into India as the Gandak river.
Last year’s Bhote Koshi flood killed nine people, with 24 missing, as it washed away a “Friendship Bridge” linking Nepal and China, disrupting trade and transport for months. That flood was triggered by the draining of a supraglacial lake in Tibet, a regional climate monitor said.
Reporting by Gopal Sharma, Sahana Bajracharya, Aftab Ahmed, Liz Lee, Yukun Zhang, Xiuhao Chen, Shi Bu, Sakshi Dayal, Kanjyik Ghosh, and Jatindra Dash; Writing by Shilpa Jamkhandikar and YP Rajesh; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Alex Richardson
The all-clear for Uganda follows a declaration on July 28 from the Ugandan government that it was free of the disease, which caused 20 cases and two deaths in the country
International News via Reuters:
The outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in Uganda is over but it is not under control in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, a World Health Organization official told a briefing on Wednesday.
The all-clear for Uganda follows a declaration on July 28 from the Ugandan government that it was free of the disease, which caused 20 cases and two deaths in the country.
The WHO monitored the situation until this week to ensure that no chains of transmission had been missed.
But Dr Marie Roseline Belizaire, director of emergency preparedness for the WHO African region, told a WHO regional meeting that cases in Democratic Republic of Congo continued to rise despite some progress. The outbreak there is the second-deadliest in history, and outpacing containment efforts.
According to the Congolese government, as of Tuesday there have been more than 2,700 deaths and more than 5,600 cases.
“Transmission remains very active,” said Belizaire. “We have slowed the acceleration, but we have not yet bent this curve.”
She said there are improvements in contact tracing and testing, and also that analyses of the Bundibugyo virus have not shown any signs of mutation despite the rapid spread.
While she described that as good news, she also flagged an immediate $30 million funding gap for logistical operations to deliver medical and personal protective equipment in the worst-hit areas of Congo.
“Without this immediate investment, we risk stalling the momentum we have built,” she said.
Reporting by Jennifer Rigby; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Barbara Lewis
The settlements announced on Wednesday end a federal trial that had been one of the highest-profile tests of allegations that social media companies harm children
International News via Reuters:
Meta Platforms agreed to make major changes to Facebook and Instagram and pay up to $18 billion to resolve claims by most U.S. states that it designed those platforms to addict children and misled consumers about their safety.
The settlements announced on Wednesday end a federal trial that had been one of the highest-profile tests of allegations that social media companies harm children.
While Meta will not undergo a fundamental overhaul, the accords represent a sweeping effort to define how it serves young users.
“The focus of this case was to protect our kids,” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said in a statement. “The relief we are getting in this settlement is very meaningful and well beyond what any court has ordered or is likely to order.”
Meta agreed for the next decade to restrict teenagers’ use of Facebook and Instagram to two hours a day and block all usage from midnight to 6 a.m., absent parental consent.
These limits could be tightened if other social media companies adopt similar terms. Meta will also enhance measures to prevent children from accessing age-restricted content.
The settlement does not require Meta, which denied wrongdoing in agreeing to settle, to abandon personalized recommendations or targeted advertising. The total payout represents about three to four months of profit for the Menlo Park, California-based company.
“Ensuring teens have a safe and productive experience on our platforms is an absolute imperative for Meta,” the company said in a blog post. “We want to get this right for parents and teens.”
CHANGING THE ONLINE EXPERIENCE
The settlements include more than $17.6 billion of payments to 48 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Meta will also pay $459 million to resolve states’ privacy claims related to the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where the British consulting firm collected personal data of millions of Facebook users.
California would receive the highest payout, $2.2 billion, and New York and Texas would each receive more than $1 billion.
Some of the payout is contingent on whether Alphabet’s YouTube and ByteDance’s TikTok impose similar protections for children. Neither of those companies was immediately available for comment.
“This is a big deal,” said James Speta, a Northwestern University law professor who specializes in telecommunications and internet policy.
” Meta and other companies were facing pressure to change business practices whether or not they lost the lawsuits, from the public and from Congress and state legislatures,” he continued. “These restrictions will change the experience on Instagram and Facebook, and they are designed to reduce engagement.”
The settlement requires approval by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who oversaw the trial that began on August 18.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri had begun testifying, and Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg had been expected to testify.
Shares of Meta rose 1.4% in morning trading.
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
Social media companies face a broad wave of litigation by states, local governments, school districts and individuals accusing them of fueling a youth mental health crisis, causing such harms as anxiety, depression and suicide.
Meta, YouTube, TikTok, and Snap Inc’s Snapchat still face thousands of lawsuits in federal and state courts claiming they knowingly tried to addict children to their platforms.
The Meta trial included claims by California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey that the company violated state consumer protection laws. It also included claims by 29 states that Meta violated the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act by knowingly collecting personal data from children without parental consent and using the data to train generative AI.
Meta had long argued that it could not have misled consumers because “social media addiction” was not a recognized psychiatric condition.
Before the trial began, Meta said California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey were seeking up to $1.4 trillion in penalties. The states suggested the figure was closer to $200 billion.
THOUSANDS OF LAWSUITS STILL PENDING
Gonzalez Rogers still oversees thousands of lawsuits by individuals, school districts, and state and local governments accusing social media companies of harming children.
Meta itself still faces thousands of lawsuits by individuals, school districts and municipalities. The next trials are slated for October in Los Angeles.
Earlier this year, Meta lost both phases of a landmark lawsuit where New Mexico accused it of misleading consumers about its platforms’ safety. A jury in March ordered Meta to pay $375 million, and a judge on August 6 ordered it to pay an additional $567 million and implement youth-safety measures, finding that Meta created a public nuisance.
Also in March, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Alphabet’s Google negligent in designing their platforms, and ordered them to pay $6 million to a 20-year-old woman who said she became addicted to Instagram and YouTube as a child and suffered from anxiety and depression.
Meta and Google have said they will appeal those verdicts.
New Mexico and Florida were not part of Wednesday’s settlements.
“The payouts to the states are peanuts compared to the profound harms Meta’s profit-driven addictive features have inflicted on our children,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said in a statement. “We’ll see them at trial.”
Reporting by Diana Novak Jones in Chicago and Jonathan Stempel in New York; Additional reporting by Nishara Karuvalli Pathikkal and Jaspreeth Singh in Bengaluru, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi, Jamie Freed and Mark Porter
Allshores is celebrating another successful year of its summer internship programme, with 30 students across its jurisdictions gaining hands-on experience, developing professional skills and contributing to projects across the business as part of the company’s commitment to developing future industry talent.
Interns worked alongside experienced professionals in departments including Marketing & Communications, Information Technology, Finance, Property & Casualty, Employee Benefits, Legal & Compliance and other corporate functions. Bermuda hosted 18 interns in the programme, with eight students returning for a second summer, to build on the experience and relationships developed during previous placements. The rest of the interns worked in Allshores’ other jurisdiction offices.
Karysa Ebanks, Group Head of Talent Management said, “We provide an internship programme that offers students more than workplace experience. During their time with us, they’ve had the opportunity to contribute to real projects, learn from experienced colleagues and participate in professional development sessions, networking opportunities and presentations that broaden their understanding of both our business and the insurance industry. As part of the programme, interns also had the opportunity to give back to their communities, with those in Bermuda volunteering at HOME and those in Cayman at The Red Cross.”
Reflecting on his experience as an intern in Bermuda, Andrew Cheeseman shared: “My Allshores internship has given me valuable insight into the important role the insurance industry plays in everyday life. I’ve learned the importance of staying open to new experiences, building meaningful relationships, and continuously growing. The supportive environment and opportunities to work across different departments have made this an experience I would highly recommend to other students.”
Abigail Clifford, Group President and Chief Executive Officer, added: “Our internship programme is one of the ways we invest in the future. Each year I spend time with our interns, and I’m always inspired by their perspectives, ambitions and energy. I hope they leave Allshores with valuable skills, lasting connections and the confidence to take the next step in their careers.”
The Bermuda Police Service (BPS) is urging parents and guardians to be aware of the serious risks associated with young people using e-bikes on Bermuda’s roads.
During road policing enforcement on Friday, 21st August 2026, officers stopped a 14-year-old boy riding an e-bike at 70 km/h, twice Bermuda’s maximum general speed limit of 35 km/h. He is expected to appear before the courts in due course.
This is extremely concerning. Travelling at that speed on a public road places the young rider and other road users at significant risk of serious injury or death.
The BPS reminds the public that bicycles and e-bikes being used on public roads are subject to Bermuda’s traffic laws. Parents and guardians are strongly encouraged to know the capabilities of e-bikes being used by their children and ensure they are being operated legally and responsibly.
The incident was detected during road policing activity which resulted in 85 moving violation tickets and seven arrests, including 17 speeding offences, 20 seat belt offences and two arrests on suspicion of driving whilst impaired.
The BPS will continue its road policing efforts and urges all road users, regardless of the type of vehicle they operate, to obey the law, slow down and make responsible choices.
ASU BIOS is proud to celebrate 50 years of the Bermuda Program, marking the milestone with a cohort of 10 Bermudian interns. Since its founding in 1976, the Bermuda Program has provided more than 320 Bermudian students aged 18 and older with hands-on experience in oceanographic and atmospheric research.
Through fully funded summer internships, participants work alongside leading scientists and mentors across ASU BIOS research programs, contributing to active research while gaining practical technical skills and professional experience. The program offers students a unique opportunity to explore career pathways in science, technology, and environmental stewardship while developing the confidence to become future leaders in their fields.
This year, students engaged in a diverse range of research initiatives including marine fungi investigations, underwater video and technology design, sediment trapping, microplastics detection, coral ecology studies, and hurricane development analysis. Together, these projects reflect the range of research underway at ASU BIOS and the program’s ongoing commitment to developing the next generation of Bermuda’s scientific leaders and changemakers.
School: Year 3, Mechanical Engineering, University of Kentucky (USA)
Mentor: Tim Noyes, PhD
Project: Adaptive Marine Monitoring Technologies: eDNA Sampling and Baited Remote Underwater Video System [BRUVS] Video Analysis
“For those applying, don’t be scared of what you don’t know, because you’ll learn it along the way. Join because of the lab experience and all of the people you’ll meet,” said Gray.
Charlotte Slayton (21)
First-time Bermuda Program intern
School: Year 4, Wildlife Biology and Conservation, University of Guelph (Canada)
Mentor: Hossein Masigol, PhD
Project: Fungi in the Sea-Air Interface
“This experience has taught me that I enjoy the process of scientific research just as much as I enjoy learning more about one specific species or group of animals. I am now more confident that I want to apply for a master’s program to continue researching ecology,” said Charlotte.
Noah Astwood (19)
Second-time Bermuda Program intern
School: Incoming Student, Biology, Sussex County Community College (USA)
Mentor: Rachel Parsons, MSc, and Dani Cox, PhD
Project: Sargassum Microbiome Removal Methods
“It has changed the way I think about science and my future in the field. I now understand that working in the sciences is not always going to be a smooth endeavor and there will be research mishaps that I will have to push through and maintain my composure, a skill I will have to keep up and strengthen over time,” said Noah.
Guyen Bean (19)
First-time Bermuda Program intern, Innovations for the Environment student (2024)
School: Year 2, Theology minor in Chemistry, Andrews University in Michigan (USA)
Mentor: Hossein Masigol, PhD
Project: Fungi in the Sea-Air Interface
“Because of this opportunity, I am now able to understand what other scientists in this field are actually saying. I am able to communicate with them on a level where I can know the basics and that they can teach me so that I can move on to the next level,” said Guyen.
Maya Kennedy (21)
Second-time Bermuda Program intern
School: Year 4, Environmental Science, University of Guelph (Canada)
Mentor: Tarik Smith (KoomConsulting)
Project: First Flush Project 2026
Maya said, “I have been able to strengthen my presentation and report writing skill and develop skills in data analysis.”
Zahari Burgess (19)
Second-time Bermuda Program intern, Innovations for the Environment student (2024)
School: Year 2, Nuclear Engineering, Ontario Tech University (Canada)
Mentor: Tim Noyes, PhD
Project: Reproducing a low-cost release system
“It has been very inspiring [to work alongside ASU BIOS researchers] as you get a window into the research world,” said Zahari.
Laura Frith (18)
First-time Bermuda Program intern
School: Year 2, Marine Biology, Swansea University (UK)
Mentor: Jessica Godfrey, MSc
Project: Different methods for monitoring marine fungi
“I did not know I could get that happy before now about fungi,” said Laura.
Shavon Nisbett (21)
Fifth-time Bermuda Program intern
School: Year 3, Marine Biology, Nova Southeastern University (USA)
Mentor: Rod Johnson, PhD and Rachel Parsons, MSc
Project: Microplastic Distribution in the North Atlantic Gyre
“I would recommend the Bermuda Program to anyone interested in marine and environmental science. This is a good opportunity to get hands-on experience and work with professional researchers to conduct real-life research and create projects that can really gain a better understanding of what is going on in our oceans and environment,” said Shavon.
Sanjay Fox-Romaine (19)
First-time Bermuda Program intern
School: Year 2, Science, Bermuda College
Mentor: Mark Guishard, PhD
Project: Climate Controls on Major Hurricane Impacts Affecting Bermuda
“This internship has reminded me that science can be both challenging and exciting. While research often requires patience and persistence, the process of discovering new insights and answering meaningful questions has reinforced my passion for meteorology and my desire to pursue a career in the field,” said Sanjay.
De’Asia Symonds (22)
First-time Bermuda Program intern
School: Year 2, Science, Bermuda College
Mentor: Yvonne Sawall, PhD
Project: Responses of the brain coral Diploria labyrinthiformis to heat stress and artificial upwelling using traditional tissue biomarkers as heat stress indicators
“This experience has allowed me to prepare myself for possible career opportunities in the future that correspond with marine life and…build meaningful friendships and relationships with professionals in my field of work that will allow me to advance my career,” said De’Asia.
As the 2026 cohort prepares to begin university studies or continue their academic journeys, they leave the ASU BIOS campus with new skills, professional networks and first-hand experience contributing to scientific discovery.
Through their work addressing some of today’s most pressing ocean and climate challenges, these 10 interns have contributed to efforts with both local and global relevance. They join a growing network of more than 320 Bermuda Program alumni whose careers continue to shape research, education, conservation and environmental stewardship in Bermuda and beyond.
The CBI’s headline sales volume balance — based on retailers’ assessment of sales volumes compared with a year earlier — fell to a two-month low -48 in August from -26 in July
International News via Reuters:
British retail sales weakened in August after their strongest performance in six months in July, although stores expect a recovery in September, a monthly survey from the Confederation of British Industry showed on Wednesday.
The CBI’s headline sales volume balance — based on retailers’ assessment of sales volumes compared with a year earlier — fell to a two-month low -48 in August from -26 in July.
“Retail firms grew more downbeat in August as they grappled with sharply falling sales volumes. These weak trading conditions, which were echoed across the broader distribution sector, continued to weigh on retailers’ investment and hiring plans,” CBI Lead Economist Martin Sartorius said.
• Sales expectations for September point to a pickup to -22, the strongest expectations since March
• Sales for the time of year in August fell to a two-month low of -26 from -18 in July
• The CBI’s quarterly business situation balance fell to -29 in August from -15 in May
• Investment intentions rose to -16 in August from -52 in May, their strongest since February 2024
• Retailers shed jobs at the slowest pace since November 2025
• The survey was based on responses from 58 retail chains between July 27 and August 13
Reporting by David Milliken, Esditing by Paul Sandle
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