Statement by Linda Smith, OBA MP for Southampton West Central and Shadow Minister for Seniors, Environment & Sustainability:
The recent Government press conference announcing the commencement of road works on Church Road, Southampton has been a long time coming and now appears to be made possible only through a new partnership between Government and Bermuda’s largest private paving company, Surface Experts Limited.
This news is disturbing given that it was only two years ago that Government spent $5.2 million on a new asphalt production plant that apparently has yet to arrive in Bermuda. Additionally, it is difficult to fathom that no one in Government seems to feel a need to update the public or talk about what has happened to the plant.
Certainly, the Church Road project has been a long time coming. Area residents had been appealing to Government, and former Southampton West Central MP the now Senator Crystal Caesar, for over five years.
While there is a lot of competition across the Island for urgent paving projects, Church Road is different from many other roads in that it is a public road that is home to three schools, a church and post office. It also sits between Middle and South Roads and is often used as a thoroughfare. Additionally, it has several residential branch roads flowing to it. Public Works & Environment Minister the Hon. Jache Adams said work on Church Road has begun and will continue for the next few weeks to include improved road safety measures. This is good news to many.
When speaking about Church Road, Minister Adams announced several projects that will follow. Apparently, these are also being made possible due to the new private paving company partnership.
While most everyone will agree that our roads need urgent improvement, we should not lose sight of the fact that only $5 million was allocated by Government in the 2026/2027 budget for road paving projects. This now begs questions about the value of the most recent paving partnering arrangement. It also raises questions about the whereabouts and status of Bermuda’s already paid for asphalt production plant.
College of the Sequoias are gearing up for the postseason after landing a host of student-athletes on the Central Valley Conference (CVC) honors list ahead of this weekend’s crucial 3C2A Northern California Regional First Round.
The Giants wrapped up their regular season campaign with a balanced 20-20 overall record. However, a strong 14-10 run in conference play was enough to secure an impressive second-place finish in the CVC and lock in the No. 3 seed in their regional postseason pod.
Leading the charge for the Giants was Bermudian star Walker Selley, who enjoyed a spectacular individual campaign at first base. Selley scooped the prestigious CVC Gold Glove MVP award, alongside a spot on the CVC Gold Glove Team, following a defensive masterclass that saw him post a near-flawless .997 fielding percentage over 39 games.
The Bermudian was equally devastating with the bat, earning First Team All-Conference honors after turning in one of the most dominant all-around seasons in the division. Selley anchored the Giants’ lineup with a blistering .394 batting average, racking up 65 hits and driving in 29 runs.
Backed by Selley’s individual brilliance, College of the Sequoias will now look to leverage their newly decorated roster when the opening pitch flies in the high-stakes environment of the regional tournament this weekend.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 closed up 0.14% at 10,508.61 points, while the midcap FTSE 250 added 0.16%
International News via Reuters:
Britain’s FTSE indexes closed higher on Wednesday, with gains in miners offsetting broader declines, while investors weighed domestic inflation data ahead of interest rate decisions by the Bank of England and the U.S. Federal Reserve.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 closed up 0.14% at 10,508.61 points, while the midcap FTSE 250 added 0.16%.
• Precious metal miners rose 3.3% in their fifth consecutive session of gains, their longest gaining streak since late February — when the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran began.
• Banks were the biggest boost to the benchmark FTSE 100, with Barclays rising 3.4% after BofA Global Research raised its price target
• Markets are awaiting the Fed’s interest rate decision due later in the day, with focus on comments from new Chair Kevin Warsh.
• Back home, British inflation unexpectedly held at 2.8% for May, compared with a 3% rise economists polled by Reuters had expected.
• The data prompted traders to trim their expectations for a rate hike later this year, a day ahead of the BoE’s rate decision, widely expected to remain steady.
• Homebuilders gained 3.2%. Separately, British house prices rose in the year to April, data showed.
• “For the investor it is a dilemma; good news for the economy’s resilience is bad news as it justifies a rate hike,” said Nick Saunders, CEO of online investment platform Webull UK.
• On the flip side, consumer-leaning stocks were the biggest weights, with the personal goods sub-index down 2.3%, and the personal care, drug and grocery index off 1%.
• Oil giants BP and ShellL> were down 1.6% and 1% respectively, dragging the energy index down 1.2%.
Reporting by Utkarsh Hathi and Tharuniyaa Lakshmi in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid and Joyjeet Das
A month after the World Health Organization declared an international emergency, the outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain has grown to more than 800 confirmed cases, with warnings mounting that it could become the worst on record
International News via Reuters:
Health workers battling an Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo lack the personnel to identify suspected cases, the ambulances to transport them and even the construction materials to build isolation wards, officials and aid workers told Reuters.
A month after the World Health Organization declared an international emergency, the outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain has grown to more than 800 confirmed cases, with warnings mounting that it could become the worst on record — surpassing the 2014-16 West Africa epidemic that killed more than 11,000 people.
Health teams are so stretched that tens of thousands of contacts of those cases remain untraced, Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, told Reuters, pointing to insecurity and the urban, mining-heavy setting of the outbreak as central obstacles.
“After four weeks we have an outbreak in an urban area where there is insecurity, where there is this mining and trade activity, and also where we are not reaching all the people who must be in the contact list,” he said late on Tuesday.
“If we don’t reach these people, we cannot say that we can win with this outbreak.”
PATIENTS ESCAPING, LEFT WAITING
Even the identified cases, which may represent just a fraction of the total due to insufficient testing and data gaps, are not always isolated and cared for, he said.
“We have people who were admitted who decide to escape for many reasons. We have people who are positive who are not admitted. And we saw also a number of people who are admitted but we believe that they are not getting appropriate support,” Kaseya added.
A WHO report showed roughly a third of the 241 alerts about new suspected cases in Ituri, the worst-hit province, were not being followed up as of June 14.
Manel Rebordosa, Oxfam Ebola Response Coordinator in the city of Bunia, told Reuters a woman with symptoms including fever and bleeding at a Rwampara medical centre he visited this week had been left waiting for hours.
“They were calling the surveillance system but they didn’t show up as they cover many health zones and don’t have enough ambulances,” he said.
Africa CDC said teams handling safe burials and decontamination in Ituri had only about 15% of the required personnel and 7% of the necessary vehicles in place.
Congo’s health minister Samuel-Roger Kamba rejected suggestions the outbreak was outpacing the response, telling a government briefing on Monday the ministry had trained 1,200 community relay workers and deployed 1,000 of them to go door-to-door tracking contacts and suspected cases, with contact follow-up currently running at 63%.
However, response teams were facing a number of challenges on the ground. In documents shared with Ebola response teams in Ituri on Wednesday, the ministry highlighted issues including lost contact cases, patients moving across health zones, and a lack of fuel for mobile units.
RESOURCES NEEDED FOR ‘ALMOST EVERYTHING’
Professor Salim Abdool Karim, who advises the Africa CDC and visited Ituri last week, said the biggest challenge was supplies.
“There is a need for more resources of almost everything from PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to gravel,” he said in a report he will present at an emergency meeting soon.
Gravel shortages have delayed construction of isolation wards, he said, adding that prefabricated panels for walls, floors and roofs were lacking and that the absence of USAID — dismantled by U.S. President Donald Trump last year — was noticeable.
The U.S. says it is the biggest donor to the response and has asked others to contribute.
Medics lack masks, and dozens of them have caught the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no proven vaccine or treatment.
Africa CDC’s Kaseya said sometimes the needed supplies are “sitting somewhere in a warehouse”.
The African Union says it has received only a fifth of the funding for its $518 million response plan and aid workers say donor support has fallen versus previous Ebola outbreaks.
Asked if Western governments should do more, Kaseya said: “I think they are starting to understand that it’s serious.”
Reporting by Emma Farge, Jennifer Rigby and Clement Bonnerot; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Deepa Babington
The deal is forecast to boost British GDP by £4.8 billion ($6.5 billion) and increase bilateral trade by £25.5 billion in the long run, according to UK government figures
International News via Reuters:
A free trade deal between Britain and India will come into force next month after India said its concerns over the UK’s forthcoming steel tariff regime, which threatened to delay implementation of the agreement, had been addressed.
Britain and India agreed a long-coveted free trade pact last year, binding the world’s fifth- and sixth-largest economies in one of the most ambitious deals of its kind in the shadow of tariff turmoil sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The deal is forecast to boost British GDP by £4.8 billion ($6.5 billion) and increase bilateral trade by £25.5 billion in the long run, according to UK government figures.
Under the agreement, India will cut whisky tariffs to 40% from 150% by the deal’s 10th year, and automotives to 10% under a quota from 100%, with Britain cutting tariffs on goods such as clothes, footwear and some food.
COUNTRIES MOVE FORWARD WITH FTA AFTER LEADERS MEET
On Wednesday the two countries agreed to move ahead with implementation of the trade deal on July 15 after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi at a G7 leaders summit in France.
“A historic milestone for India-UK relations,” Modi said on X, adding the agreement would “significantly boost our bilateral trade and investment.”
Indian officials had previously raised the prospect of reopening or delaying the application of the FTA over concern about the impact of new UK steel trade measures, due to come into effect on July 1.
In an effort to shield its domestic industry from a surge in global supply, Britain will sharply reduce tariff-free quotas for steel and impose steep duties on shipments beyond those limits from next month, though details of the measures are still being finalised.
The Indian government on Wednesday said 85% of Indian exports would not be impacted by Britain’s steel measures, and lines that were covered by the measures would have access through quotas and other means.
“Following constructive deliberations… both sides mutually agreed to protect commercial interests, minimize market disruptions, and ensure an overall balanced and stable trading environment for exporters,” the Indian government said.
A British official previously said that talks to implement the FTA were separate to the steel trade measures, and Wednesday’s announcement by the British government made no reference to any separate deal on steel.
The free trade deal will come into effect almost exactly a year after it was signed, which Britain said was the quickest ever turnaround following signature. Indian officials previously suggested the steel dispute prevented earlier implementation in May, though Britain never put a timescale on talks.
“The deal gives British exporters an edge over international competitors,” British Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said in a statement.
Britain and India have also agreed that workers will no longer have to make social security contributions in both India and Britain while on temporary postings to the other, and on Wednesday said they had extended the length of time workers could be exempted from so-called “double contributions” under the scheme to five years from three.
($1 = 0.7462 pounds)
Reporting by Alistair Smout and Shivangi Acharya in New Delhi; additional reporting by William James and Muvija M in London, Editing by William Maclean
The move underlines the rise in anti-immigration sentiment across the European Union over the past decade that has broadened popular support for far-right parties
International News via Reuters:
The European Parliament approved on Wednesday an overhaul of migration policy aimed at ramping up deportations and allowing member states to set up detention centres abroad, in what critics describe as a cruel system that weakens safeguards for asylum seekers.
The move underlines the rise in anti-immigration sentiment across the European Union over the past decade that has broadened popular support for far-right parties.
The text, which requires final formal approval from the 27 EU member governments, marks a sharp hardening of EU migration policy that has taken shape since an influx of over a million refugees and migrants in 2015-16.
“The Return Regulation will provide the necessary tools to make returns more efficient, with faster and more effective procedures,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a letter on Tuesday addressed to member states ahead of a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels.
EU countries say they struggle to ensure that rejected asylum seekers and people who overstay their visas leave their territory.
Critics argue EU migration policy has become too heavily focused on deterrence and deportation, overlooking the root causes of migration including conflict, poverty and political repression.
“The dehumanization of migrants and refugees, including in the UK, US, and many EU countries, is appalling, often leading also to the denial of their rights,” Volker Turk, the United Nations’ human rights chief, said on Monday in the United Nations Human Rights Council.
“The European Union’s new rules on returning migrants risk expanding the use of detention, establishing offshore return hubs, and weakening safeguards against refoulement.”
The Commission last month invited Taliban officials to Brussels to discuss deportations of Afghan migrants, despite warnings from human rights groups that such engagement could endanger Afghans and violate core EU values.
The Commission and the Swedish government, which is co-hosting the visit, said the meeting is technical and does not constitute recognition of Taliban rule.
The visit, scheduled for June 22 to 23 according to a letter seen by Reuters and addressed to Abdul Qaher Balkhi, a Taliban foreign ministry spokesman, will focus on “the return and readmission of Afghan nationals without a right to stay in the European Union.”
The Commission said last month that the deportations would be limited to individuals “who pose a security risk”.
Neither the Commission nor the Swedish migration minister confirmed the date of the meeting.
Western countries have refused to recognise the Taliban since the hardline Islamist group overthrew a U.S.- and NATO-backed government in Afghanistan in 2021 and regained power.
Reporting by Amina Ismail, additional reporting by Oliva Le Poidevin, Louise Rasmussen, Editing by William Maclean
The high-stakes tactical battle at the 2026 International One Design (IOD) World Championship intensified on Day Three in Marblehead, as the introduction of the discard rule reshuffled the leaderboard.
With sailors finally permitted to drop their worst individual race score, the competitive landscape shifted dramatically across the fleet.
Bermudian skipper Peter Bromby holds firm in second place overall following a mixed day on the water. Bromby carded finishes of fifth and ninth during the day’s two races, instantly tossing out the lower score to keep his title hopes firmly alive with 19 Net Points. The veteran remains well within striking distance of the summit, sitting eight points behind overall leader Peter Wickwire.
Further down the fleet, fellow Bermudian Kelsey Durham endured a bittersweet day, sliding two spots down the standings into ninth place overall with 29 Net Points.
Durham opened the morning in spectacular fashion, executing his best performance of the regatta so far to cross the line in second place. However, he was unable to carry that momentum into the afternoon, finishing eighth in the subsequent contest. Durham used his discard to erase a disappointing finish from Day Two, but he faces a steep climb over the final days of racing to break back into the top five.
This week on Think Pink, Jasmine sits down with tourism veteran Billy Griffith for an insightful conversation on the state of Bermuda’s tourism industry. From current challenges and emerging opportunities to innovative strategies for the future, Billy shares his expert perspective on what’s next for one of Bermuda’s most important sectors.
Bermuda endured a difficult opening day at the Billie Jean King Cup Americas Group III tennis tournament, falling to a clinical 3-0 defeat against Panama in Santa Tecla, El Salvador.
The four-strong squad of Asia-Leigh Hollis, Alexcie Burrows, Nadhira Durham, and player-captain Shelby Madeiros found the transition to the regional clay courts tough as the Central American side dominated the opening tie of the week.
Madeiros took to the court first for Bermuda in the opening singles rubber, but found herself on the wrong end of a 6-4, 6-2 scoreline against Michelle Agelvis in an hour and 10 minutes.
Any hopes of a Bermudian fightback were quickly dashed in the second singles match, where Nadhira Durham fell 6-2, 6-0 to an inspired Anna Louise Bjornestad, who secured the overall tie for Panama with a match to spare.
With the tie already decided, Asia-Leigh Hollis and Alexcie Burrows teamed up for the final doubles rubber against Agelvis and Gabriella Leurck. Despite showing flashes of resistance, the Bermudian duo were eventually overpowered 6-3, 6-0 in 56 minutes as the favorites completed the clean sweep.
Thirteen-year-old Dominic Wright stole the headlines at Seven Mile Beach, defying his age to claim a stunning age-group victory on his debut 10km open water swim.
Competing in the prestigious PanAm Aquatics Open Water Swimming Series (Stop 3) in the Cayman Islands, Wright not only conquered the grueling distance but comfortably won the 14-15 age category with a remarkable time of 2 hours, 13 minutes, and 10.33 seconds.
The premier Caribbean circuit event saw competitors tackle a punishing 1.25km loop course under a strict 3.5-hour cut-off time.
Wright, one of the youngest athletes in the field, showed maturity well beyond his years. Far from just surviving the grueling eight-loop course, he crossed the finish line sixth overall out of 10 elite competitors.
While the series continues to establish the Cayman Islands as a world-class hub for open water swimming, it is the spectacular emergence of young talent like Wright that will leave the most lasting impression.
Thirteen held on outstanding warrants as officers report safe carnival events but ongoing concerns over impaired driving
Image: Bermuda Police Service
Over the National Heroes Day long weekend, the Bermuda Police Service conducted a stepped-up programme of high-visibility policing across the island. This proactive approach resulted in 37 arrests between Friday, June 12 and Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
Of these, 13 arrests were for outstanding warrants. Seven individuals were arrested for impaired driving offences, despite widespread public advisories about the deployment of Roadside Sobriety Testing and stop-and-search checkpoints. These arrests included one person who refused to provide a breath sample and another who had care and control of a vehicle while impaired.
Additionally, four people were arrested for possession of bladed articles. Some of these incidents were connected to other offences, such as driving while disqualified in an unlicensed and uninsured vehicle, possession of suspected controlled drugs, and trespassing.
Superintendent Arthur Glasford, Gold Commander for the holiday weekend operations, said: “We can confirm that there were no incidents of note at any of the various social events held over the National Heroes Day holiday weekend, including carnival fetes and reggae shows. Things went off without a hitch, and we are truly grateful to the members of the public for their cooperation with our officers. This ensured a safe and enjoyable time for everyone who attended these events.”
“Bermuda’s drink-driving culture remains a concern, and we will not be deterred in our efforts to reduce road harm through continued high-visibility policing and enforcement. However, the positive change we all want to see will come when individuals take personal responsibility for their actions—before it is too late.”
“I also wish to note that while the number of arrests may appear high when viewed cumulatively over the four-day period, these figures are not unusual when considered on a day-to-day basis. Once again, thank you, Bermuda, for helping to make this National Heroes Day and carnival weekend safe and enjoyable for all.”
The Bermuda Police Service commends the community for its partnership in maintaining public safety and encourages everyone to continue working together to keep our roads and neighbourhoods safe.
Media release supplied by the Bermuda Police Service.
The over 50s event takes place on Friday at the Flora Duffy Stadium
The Ministry of Health is reminding individuals aged 50 and above to register now for the Move More Bermuda Games 2026, taking place on Friday, June 19th, from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Flora Duffy Stadium. Registration ends on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, and is open to anyone aged 50 and older at trackie.com/event/movemorebda. The fee is $10, and the first 100 registrants receive a free swag bag.
This year’s Games promise an exciting evening of friendly competition, movement, and community spirit. Participants can take part in the 100m, 200m dash, 400m race walk, long jump, shot put, and 4x100m relay. Multi-event consisting of 60m, standing long jump, and Turbo javelin.
The event is free for spectators and will feature food vendors, live entertainment with DJ iBreeze, fun castles, health and wellness displays, and giveaways. The evening will be hosted by Powergirl, Patrina O’Connor‑Paynter, bringing her signature energy and encouragement to the Games.
Minister of Health, Kim Wilson, JP, MP, shared: “We are truly excited for this year’s Move More Bermuda Games. The energy, the activities, and the spirit of friendly competition make this one of our most enjoyable community events. We look forward to seeing participants on the track and hope that families, friends, and supporters will come out to watch, cheer, and enjoy the evening together.”
Presented by the Department of Health, in partnership with the Bermuda National Athletics Association (BNAA) and other government and private sector organisations, the Move More Bermuda Games offers a welcoming space for friendly competition, community connection, and fun.
Media release supplied by the Government of Bermuda.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
