Dame Flora, Bermuda’s Olympic Gold medalist in triathlon announced her retirement from the sport on social media on Wednesday
One of Bermuda’s greatest ever athletes – Dame Flora Duffy – announced her retirement this week after more than 20 years on the circuit.
Today, the Olympic gold medallist and four-time world champion talked to us from Boulder, Colorado, about her decision and explained why the timing was right.
Jasmine Patterson spoke with her today.
Schools Checkpoint report for 2023-2025 shows consistent performance in English, but a gap forming in science and math. The document also highlights trends over the preceding decade.
Public education results have been relatively stable from 2023 to 2025, but there is a growing gap between high and low performers in mathematics and science.
A takeaway from the Cambridge Education Checkpoint Report for 2023-2025, released today (FULL REPORT BELOW).
Education Minister Diallo Rabain addressed the report in the House this morning…
Minister Rabain went on to talk about accountability…
Having just got hold of the report today, Gary Foster Skelton asked the Minister about the apparent trends in average checkpoint scores over the decade prior to 2023 before the Cambridge marking system changed…
Checkpoint Report Bermuda 2023-2025 April 2026:
Statement by Diallo Rabain, Minister of Education
Sobering statistics provided today by the police
DWI Statement.
The Bermuda Police Service would like to report that, at Hamilton Magistrates Court this Thursday, July 17, 2026, eight persons appeared charged with offences of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Of that figure, five persons pleaded guilty and were immediately banned from driving all vehicles for a period of 18 months as well as issued fines of $1500 each.
ACOP Martin Weekes said that whilst, that it could be considered good news that these persons were caught and put before the courts before they could cause harm to other road users, it still demonstrates that Bermudians are willing risk their licences and in some case their livelihoods, to get behind the wheel having consumed too many alcoholic beverages. The impact of these offences can have serious consequences to themselves as well as to other members of the public with whom they come into contact.
Despite extensive public awareness campaigns, impaired driving remains a significant issue on Bermuda’s roads. The arrest statistics alone are sobering:
2026 (Year-to-Date): 128 arrests for impaired driving
2025 (Total): 223 arrests
2024 (Total): 203 arrests
This, despite the ongoing use of roadside sobriety checkpoints, designed to deter impaired driving and keep our roads safe, show that many are still ignoring the warnings.
The decision to drink and drive is a choice. With that in mind, we are appealing, yet again, for members of the public to take absolute personal responsibility for their actions. If you plan to consume alcohol, or use any other mind altering substance, you must avoid operating any vehicle. Including e-bicycles pedal cycles and of course, boats, for that matter.
It is evident that personal accountability alone is not enough. As such, we must foster a culture where drunk driving is socially unacceptable. We strongly encourage our community to hold each other to account.
If a friend, family member, or colleague is impaired and attempting to drive, step in. Do not let them get behind the wheel of any vehicle. If you cannot prevent them, please call 295-0011 0r 211 and report the impaired person attempting to operate a vehicle.
The Bermuda Police will continue its work to make our roads safer, not only using sobriety checkpoints but also with ongoing stop and check and high visibility initiatives. However, we cannot be everywhere at once. We need your help to alert us to impaired persons seeking to drive or ride a vehicle.
This is not snitching, this is saving lives and preventing serious injuries to our friends, our families, our neighbours, our visitors and the motoring public in general. Let’s all help Make Bermuda Safer!!
Specialist Team Begins Ten-Day Rattlesnake Search in Southampton
The Ministry of Public Works and Environment advises that a specialist search team from the United States arrived in Bermuda yesterday, 16 July 2026, with two trained dogs to assist with the search for the reported Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake.
The visiting specialists, Robert J. Noziska and Sarah M. Boese, owners of National Canine Facility, arrived with K9 Yak and K9 Q, both Labrador Retrievers.
They were welcomed at LF Wade International Airport by Dr Ian Walker, Principal Curator of the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo, and Dr Jonathan Nisbett, Chief Veterinary Officer.
The specialist team began searching the surrounding areas of Gibbs Hill in Southampton on Thursday evening, shortly after arriving in Bermuda and they resumed their search Friday morning.
Searches will mainly take place around dawn and dusk, when Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes are generally more active. Search activity may also take place at other times, depending on conditions and advice from the specialists.
The visiting team will conduct searches over ten days. If the snake is not located during that period, the Government will further assess its options.
The snake has not been seen since a member of the public reported a sighting to the authorities on 26 June.
Residents in the Gibbs Hill, Lighthouse Road and Lighthouse Lane areas are asked to remain vigilant throughout the search period.
Anyone who sees the snake should immediately dial 911, keep a safe distance and avoid approaching or attempting to capture the animal.
The specialist team may request permission to search private properties with the dogs. Residents are urged to cooperate where access is requested.
A retired Bermuda Police Service officer and K-9 handler will accompany the visiting team, assist with the search operation and liaise directly with residents where access to private property may be required.
The Government will provide a further public update when necessary.
Bermuda’s Trey Mallory is just one victory away from securing a career-defining professional tennis breakthrough after storming into the final of the Battle of Boca wildcard tournament in Florida.
The 24-year-old third seed carried his blistering form onto the outdoor hardcourts, delivering a clinical baseline performance to dispatch Argentina’s Balthazar Orsanic in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1.
The stakes could not be higher for the Bermudian. Standing at the top of the podium in Florida will guarantee a direct, coveted main draw wildcard spot at the upcoming Men’s Open ITF M15K ATC Open in Asunción, Paraguay.
To claim the ultimate prize and punch his ticket to the South American professional circuit, Mallory will have to get past American Avner Wong in a highly anticipated final showdown.
Unlike the Bermudian’s straightforward semi-final victory, Wong was forced to take the scenic route in his semi-final clash. He showed immense physical resilience to outlast fellow American Daniil Berezin in a grueling three-set battle, eventually progressing 7-6, 2-6, 10-5.
With Wong coming off a highly demanding three-set match and Mallory clicking into peak form at the perfect moment, the Bermudian holds a golden opportunity to transition onto the ITF professional stage.
Bermuda’s overseas stars were at the heart of a frantic night of English non-league and National League pre-season action, with several of the island’s top talents making key impacts for their respective clubs.
From clinical victories and high-scoring stalemates to eye-catching new partnerships, the road to the 2026/27 campaign is officially in overdrive.
Here is how Bermuda’s contingent fared across the English pyramid.
The headline of the night came from the Victoria Road outfit, as National League side Dagenham & Redbridge cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Hitchin Town.
Bermudian international forward Kane Crichlow was handed a starting berth up front, lining up in a star-studded, physical strike partnership alongside former Newcastle United, Liverpool, and England international striker Andy Carroll. Crichlow’s movement and link-up play with the veteran frontman proved a constant thorn in the side of the Hitchin defence, helping the Daggers build vital rhythm ahead of their league campaign.
It was also a memorable night for veteran playmaker Reggie Lambe, who made an instant impact on his debut for new club Ipswich Wanderers. The experienced midfielder pulled the strings in the center of the park to help his side kick off their pre-season schedule in spectacular fashion, playing an instrumental role in a thrilling 3-3 draw against the Felixstowe Sea Siders.
Meanwhile, Willie Clemons enjoyed a highly productive and energetic outing as Southern League Premier Division Central side Leiston FC ran out comfortable 4-2 winners in an entertaining clash against Aveley.
Further north in the West Midlands, midfielder Milan Butterfield put on a commanding display at the Prestige Midlands Arena. Butterfield dominated the engine room from the first whistle, breaking up play and driving transition as Halesowen Town cruised to a dominant 3-0 victory over AFC Wolverhampton City.
In Herefordshire, Keziah Martin and his Hereford FC teammates had to settle for a hard-fought 1-1 draw on the road against local rivals Hereford Pegasus in a feisty derby matchup at the KGD Stadium.
There was disappointment, however, for promising young defender Harry Twite. His Basford United side suffered a frustrating setback on home soil, falling to a narrow 1-0 defeat against Dunkirk FC at Greenwich Avenue as they continue to fine-tune their defensive line ahead of the competitive season.
A pioneering Bermudian football academy has received a significant financial boost to ensure that elite coaching remains accessible to the island’s next generation of talent, regardless of their financial background.
Trevo Academy’s high-performance 2026 summer programme is set to expand its reach following a $10,000 contribution from The Charles and Lesley Marshall Fund for Football.
The grant will be split evenly, with $5,000 supporting equipment and operational costs, and the remaining $5,000 providing seven fully funded registrations for the upcoming camp.
Founded by three young Bermudian professional footballers—Remy Coddington, Ajani Burchall, and Sincere Hall—Trevo Academy aims to replicate the elite environments its founders experienced within the UK professional system.
Between them, the trio boasts experience spanning the academies of Premier League and English Football League clubs, including Aston Villa, West Ham United, AFC Bournemouth, and Hull City.
Their co-educational summer programme, designed for players aged 8 to 13, focuses heavily on translating those professional standards into holistic youth development, blending elite on-the-pitch coaching with mentorship and leadership training.
“Trevo Academy was created to bring the standards we experienced in professional environments to Bermuda’s young players,” said co-founder Remy Coddington.
“Through our 2026 summer programme, we aim to develop not only footballers, but confident, disciplined young people. The support of The Charles and Lesley Marshall Fund for Football will help us deliver that experience while ensuring more young athletes have the opportunity to participate, regardless of financial circumstances.”
The partnership beautifully aligns with the ethos of the late Charles “Charlie” Marshall, a towering figure in Bermudian sport.
Marshall—a legendary former referee, FIFA-certified official, and former President of both the Bermuda Referees Association and the Bermuda Football Association—dedicated his life to creating pathways for the island’s youth. Established in 2017, the fund in his and his wife Lesley’s honour continues to invest directly in local communities through sport.
“Charlie’s vision was born out of profound gratitude,” said Shervin Dill, Director of the Fund. “He believed retirement shouldn’t mark the end of his contribution to football, but the beginning of a legacy that would create opportunities for young people across Bermuda for generations to come.”
“Supporting Trevo Academy reflects that vision by investing in young people through football and helping ensure more aspiring players have access to high-quality development opportunities.”
Applications for the seven fully funded scholarship spots are now open to local families.
Bermudian triathlete Erica Hawley is set to lead the island’s charge on the international stage as she lines up for the 2026 World Triathlon Cup in Edmonton this Saturday, July 18.
The elite race marks a highly anticipated return to the newly revitalized William Hawrelak Park, a venue with deep sentimental value for the 28-year-old. It was on these very paths in Canada that Hawley made her World Triathlon Series debut back in 2018, before securing a superb top-25 finish at the Under-23 World Championships here in 2021.
Currently training out of her base in Boulder, Colorado, Hawley heads into the weekend in fine form. She recently secured a stellar 23rd-place finish against a world-class field at the World Triathlon Championship Series in Yokohama, proving she has the speed and tactical sharpness to challenge the front-runners.
Competing over the sprint distance—comprising a grueling 750m swim, a fast-paced 20km bike, and a clinical 5km run—Hawley will be eager to test herself against a formidable lineup of global elites as she continues her climb up the world rankings.
An EU executive report released on Friday says internal barriers are preventing EU banks from expanding, leaving them at a disadvantage to U.S. lenders that have benefited from economies of scale in a more integrated U.S. market
International News via Reuters:
The European Commission aims to limit political interference in European Union banking mergers and remove obstacles to cross-border banking within the bloc to allow EU banks to compete more effectively against larger U.S. rivals.
An EU executive report released on Friday says internal barriers are preventing EU banks from expanding, leaving them at a disadvantage to U.S. lenders that have benefited from economies of scale in a more integrated U.S. market. EU mergers remain largely within national borders.
“This leads to an outcome where many banking groups in the EU are large relative to the size of their home economy, but not relative to the size of the EU or the banking union economy or international competitors,” the report said.
Unjustified national interventions in cross-border bank mergers were preventing banks from acquiring scale at the EU level to reach a critical size, it said.
The criticism comes after Germany rejected in June an offer from Italy’s UniCredit to take over Commerzbank. UniCredit began its pursuit of Commerzbank back in September 2024, but has faced strong opposition – highlighting how hard it is to pull off cross-border banking deals in Europe.
While Germany officially cited the price offered by the Italian bank as the reason for its rejection, the government has also made clear that Commerzbank is a key lender to German companies and should remain under German ownership.
“It is a mistake from our point of view. If it’s okay by the supervisor and the competition authority, cross-border mergers are good things,” a senior EU official said, adding that U.S. banks were outcompeting European peers across many business lines in Europe.
“The main driver of competitiveness is not the rulebook … it’s the absence of scale,” the official said.
The EU executive, the report said, will propose a range of measures in the first quarter of 2027.
These include plans to crack down on EU members that breach EU rules limiting the circumstances under which they can intervene in proposed mergers.
Other proposals would allow cross-border banking groups to meet capital and liquidity requirements more at the parent level, rather than the current system with additional requirements for subsidiaries. Removing such constraints could release €230 billion ($263.1 billion) of liquid assets, the report said.
It will also replace its proposal from a decade ago to create a European deposit insurance scheme with a new plan to simply deposit insurance measures in the bloc.
The banking industry gave the report a mixed reception. French banking lobby FBF described the report as containing “several positive orientations” but said concrete measures on key issues were required, including better regulatory coordination and limits on country-specific rules.
Christian Sewing, Deutsche Bank CEO and president of the Association of German Banks, urged swift action, calling for adjustments to the lower limit on capital requirements known as the output floor, relief for trade finance and improvements on software investments, as well as urging a review of financial stability buffers. ($1 = 0.8742 euros)
Reporting by jan Strupczewski and Philip Blenkinsop; additional reporting by Tom Sims in Frankfurt, Mathieu Rosemain in Paris and Tommy Reggiori Wilkes in London. Editing by Louise Heavens
The three dead include a worker clearing a road in the southern town of Negrete, a person who fell while cleaning a roof in Temuco, and another person who suffered an electric shock in the capital
International News via Reuters:
Heavy rains sweeping central and southern Chile have left three people dead in addition to power cuts, multiple floods and road closures, authorities said Friday.
President Jose Antonio Kast traveled to the Biobio region, one of the hardest-hit areas, as the storm system brought strong wind gusts and torrential rain across much of the country.
• The three dead include a worker clearing a road in the southern town of Negrete, a person who fell while cleaning a roof in Temuco, and another person who suffered an electric shock in the capital, the government said.
• Friday is expected to bring the heaviest rainfall yet to the central zone, according to authorities.
• The director of Senapred, the government agency responsible for managing emergency responses, Alicia Cebrian, added that seven people so far have been injured, 79 affected, 466 sheltered and 158 isolated, mainly in the Coquimbo region due to rising water levels.
• Around 257,000 customers lost power, mainly in the south.
• Chile’s northern mining zone, home to most of the country’s copper and lithium extraction, was not affected by the storm.
• Copper mines in the center-south of Chile were operating normally under standard winter contingency plans, which include temporary work stoppages when weather conditions deteriorate.
• Schools suspended classes on Friday.
Reporting by Fabian Cambero; writing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez. Editing by Lucinda Elliott
Burnham, who earned the regal moniker for his determination as mayor of Greater Manchester to defend the region’s interests, told a special conference on Friday he was ready for power and would work to offer hope to people in “forgotten places everywhere”
International News via Reuters:
Andy Burnham, nicknamed the “King of the North”, was elected leader of Britain’s governing Labour Party on Friday, the final step before becoming its seventh prime minister in a decade on a pledge to thwart the rise of the populist Reform UK.
Burnham, who earned the regal moniker for his determination as mayor of Greater Manchester to defend the region’s interests, told a special conference on Friday he was ready for power and would work to offer hope to people in “forgotten places everywhere”.
Warning that it was Labour’s last chance to turn its fortunes around, the 56-year-old promised to spread power away from Westminster, the heart of British politics, to the nation’s regions and preside over a united team to deliver the change the country was “crying out for”.
“We are united and we put the power that comes from that unity at the service of people and places who have been waiting too long for politics to let them hope again,” he told a room full of Labour lawmakers and party officials.
“And that’s what we’re going to do, everybody, we’re going to give them hope back.”
He also paid tribute to Keir Starmer, the man he will replace as prime minister on Monday, when the party will be eager to find out his cabinet team and learn more about his approach to government.
BURNHAM’S BIG ‘REBALANCING OF POWER’
Despite repeating his offer to hand power to regions and to be decidedly pro-business, there is still much to know about Burnham’s policy priorities.
Burnham said he had not yet decided on his top team of ministers but would make sure it “reflects all parts of our party, all communities”, listing five priorities, largely targeted at party unity and being a leader for all parts of Britain.
In his message, delivered after a contest in which he was unopposed, he did little to elaborate on the plans set out in the one speech he had given since returning to parliament last month after winning a seat in Makerfield, the start of a process to replace Starmer.
In it, he sketched out some of his domestic agenda, saying he wanted to oversee the “biggest rebalancing of power” to Britain’s regions — something he believes will reduce inequality and the anger felt by neglected communities who have increasingly flocked to Reform and, in some cases, to the leftist Green Party.
On Friday, he said Labour could fight the threat from both of those parties not by trying to “out-Green the Greens or out-Reform Reform” but instead being “boldly, confidently, authentically us — Labour”.
BURNHAM PLEDGES TO THWART FARAGE’S REFORM UK
His message of having a plan to thwart the rise of Reform had won over Labour lawmakers, who feared they would lose their parliamentary seats to veteran Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage’s populist party at the next national election, due by 2029. Reform has topped opinion polls for months.
Some of that sheen has been tarnished in recent weeks by Farage’s acceptance of funds from wealthy donors, perhaps giving Burnham an opening to revive Labour’s fortunes.
Yet the new Labour leader will need to start implementing some of his pledges, many of which are based on long-term thinking, as quickly as possible.
“Andy Burnham’s government needs to hit the ground running and focus relentlessly on improving the living standards of working people,” said Paul Nowak, general secretary of the TUC, the umbrella group for Britain’s trade unions.
Burnham promised he would move quickly next week.
“The government I lead will confidently lay that path out, starting next week,” he said. “And that is why this change today is the most significant change moment in our politics for 40 years.”
Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Hugh Lawson
Apple was last valued at $4.90 trillion as its shares rose marginally in premarket trading on Friday, while Nvidia was roughly at the same level, following a 2.4% decline
International News via Reuters:
Apple is within striking distance of overtaking Nvidia as the world’s most valuable company, a milestone that would reshuffle the ranks of tech heavyweights as investors reassess the outlook for AI.
Apple was last valued at $4.90 trillion as its shares rose marginally in premarket trading on Friday, while Nvidia was roughly at the same level, following a 2.4% decline.
If Apple overtakes Nvidia, it would reclaim the top spot for the first time since April last year. The close race shows that investors are broadening their focus beyond the obvious beneficiaries of the AI boom, such as Nvidia, which has been at the helm for nearly a year.
“Apple was seen as a laggard in the AI race because it wasn’t spending to develop models, but now sentiment has changed,” said Toni Meadows, head of investment at BRI Wealth Management.
“Apple is less exposed to capex intensity and better positioned to monetize AI via services, ecosystem lock-in, and hardware upgrades. The re-rating reflects confidence in earnings durability rather than speculative AI upside.”
For a company that was often seen trailing in the AI race, the narrowing gap with Nvidia reflects Apple’s efforts to establish itself more firmly among the sector’s leading players, and could shape how CEO Tim Cook’s final months at the helm are viewed.
Cook is preparing to cede his role to hardware veteran John Ternus in September.
Last month, the company rolled out a long-delayed overhaul of Siri, betting the upgraded assistant would help close the gap with Big Tech rivals and new-age startups in the crucial AI race.
Some analysts say Apple is sitting on an AI gold mine in the form of the personal data that lives on every iPhone. The data could make Siri’s answers more useful and the assistant more capable.
The challenge is that such data is locked away in operating systems in the name of privacy and the company would have to find a way to unlock its value.
AI SPENDING LIFTS NEW WINNERS
Nvidia became the first company in the world to surpass a $5 trillion market valuation in October, a landmark that propelled it into a rarefied territory that was far beyond the reach of its rivals.
Even if Nvidia is superseded by Apple, it would not necessarily signal a lasting change in the companies’ relative standing. The chipmaker remains a major beneficiary of AI-related spending, and its graphics processors are powering much of the generative AI frenzy.
Nvidia could also reclaim the top spot if sentiment shifts.
Besides, Apple is in a delicate position itself, having raised prices to offset rising costs — a strategy that could hurt demand.
“I don’t see any meaningful distinction should Nvidia lose its crown. It’s likely to be a significant participant in whatever happens going forward,” said Benjamin Hall, vice president, alpha research at Segal Marco Advisors.
However, the AI enthusiasm has spread to other corners of the semiconductor industry. The bigger winners this year have been memory chipmakers such as Micron, which crossed $1 trillion in market value in May as investors embraced the significance of memory chips in AI infrastructure.
South Korea’s SK Hynix also listed on the Nasdaq earlier this month, adding another player to the race for investor attention.
“The new entrants to the market could spread out the focus away from the pure Magnificent Seven names into a wider number of names,” Hall said.
The eye-watering chips rally ran into turbulence in July as investors reassessed the sustainability of the artificial intelligence trade, knocking the Philadelphia SE Semiconductor index down almost 19% from its all-time highs.
Despite the steep fall, the index has performed better than Nvidia so far this year.
Reporting by Niket Nishant and Shashwat Chauhan in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli
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