All eyes will be on Port Royal later this week as the island once again hosts the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
Television images will be beamed across the world, showcasing the island not only to golfers, but also to countless would-be visitors.
So just how important are major international sporting events in terms of strengthening Bermuda’s overall tourism offering? Kendal Trott went into Hamilton to see what the people think.
Bermuda College is celebrating after securing full reaccreditation – with no conditions – following a comprehensive independent review.
The decision from the New England Commission of Higher Education means the College’s next comprehensive evaluation is scheduled in a decade’s time.
It also means NECHE has not required Bermuda College to undertake any special monitoring, corrective action or additional reporting as a condition of maintaining its accreditation, beyond the Commission’s normal ongoing review requirements.
The confirmation of reaccreditation also comes after the College announced that student enrolment numbers had increased for the third year running this year.
Dr David Sam, president of Bermuda College, said the outcome provided important independent assurance of the quality of a Bermuda College education for students, families, employees, partners and the wider community.
He said: “Securing reaccreditation affirms the quality of a Bermuda College education and reinforces the vital role we play in supporting our students and our island.
“It also gives us momentum as we advance the priorities of our Strategic Plan 2025–2030, Innovate, Inspire, Impact.”
NECHE is an independent, non-profit institutional accreditor recognised by the US Department of Education. It evaluates colleges and universities as whole institutions against standards designed to assess their educational quality and institutional capacity.
Its more than 200 member institutions include Harvard University, Yale University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Brown University and Dartmouth College, alongside public and private universities, liberal arts colleges and community colleges.
Accredited institutions undergo comprehensive evaluation at least once every 10 years. The process includes an extensive institutional self-study, an on-site evaluation by peer reviewers and consideration of the findings by the Commission.
NECHE may require an institution to undergo its next comprehensive evaluation earlier than 10 years where closer monitoring is considered necessary, making a full 10-year interval a significant outcome of the review process.
Dr Sam said the achievement reflected the work of employees and the Board of Governors across the College throughout the lengthy accreditation process.
He said: “This achievement reflects the unwavering dedication, professionalism, and collective effort of our faculty, staff, and Board of Governors.
“Reaccreditation is never the work of one person or a single department; it requires deep reflection, rigorous documentation, open engagement, and a shared commitment to excellence in higher education.”
Dr Sam paid particular tribute to Nikkita Scott, vice-president of student affairs and the College’s Accreditation Liaison Officer, for her leadership of the process.
He also thanked employees who served on committees, assembled and reviewed evidence, participated in site interviews, responded to requests and supported the accreditation work behind the scenes.
The decision continues Bermuda College’s accreditation history stretching back more than 15 years. The College first gained institutional accreditation in 2010, a milestone announced publicly the following year.
Following a comprehensive review in 2015, Bermuda College was continued in accreditation and its next comprehensive evaluation was scheduled for 10 years later, according to NECHE’s institutional record.
The latest evaluation included a College-wide self-study completed ahead of the review and a visit by an external evaluation team in February 2026.
NECHE accreditation applies to Bermuda College as an institution rather than to individual academic programmes and provides external assurance that the College continues to meet the Commission’s institutional standards.
Dr Sam said the outcome would provide a strong foundation as Bermuda College implements its 2025–2030 Strategic Plan and continues responding to Bermuda’s changing educational and workforce needs.
He said: “I want to thank not just those at Bermuda College, but the whole of Bermuda for your commitment, your contributions, and your continued belief in the work we do together every day.”
Bermuda College Foundation (“the Foundation”) today announced $308,000 in scholarships and financial assistance for Bermuda College (“the College”) students for the 2026/27 academic year, reaffirming its commitment to expanding access to higher education. This support will help students pursue their academic goals and prepare to contribute to Bermuda’s workforce and community.
Since its inception in 2019 through 31 March 2026, the Foundation has also provided an additional $1,194,345 in scholarships and student financial assistance for Bermuda College students.
2026/27 Scholarship Recipients
| Scholarship Name | Scholarship Details | Recipient | Programme of Study |
| Bermuda Chess Association Scholarship | $5,000 per year for two years | Kyah Richardson | Associate of Arts (Business Administration) |
| Conduit Re Motor Vehicle Technology Scholarship | $1,250 per student | Jaden Obas-Simons Seth Samuels Zaeden Stewart | Certificate in Motor Vehicle Technology Diploma in Motor Vehicle Technology Certificate in Motor Vehicle Technology |
| Dr. James King Culinary Arts Scholarship | $5,000 tuition support | Terrai Trott | Associate of Applied Science (Culinary Arts) |
| Global Atlantic Re Scholarship* | $6,750 for tuition, books, and fees | Marcus Rodrigues | Associate of Arts (Business Administration) |
| Martello Re Limited Scholarship | $6,750 for tuition, books, and fees | Tolulope Akinmola | Associate of Science (Computer Information Systems) |
| Nursing Scholarships* | $10,000 per student for tuition, books, and fees | Chemahj Rayner Cleophea Darrell | Associate of Science (Nursing) Associate of Science (Nursing) |
| Price Forbes Book Award | $500 per student for books | Andryah Fishington Nyla Goodchild Talitha Pearman Fabiana Pitcher Jaylen Woodley-Herbert | Associate of Arts (Arts & Design) Associate of Science (Pre Health Science) Associate of Science Associate of Arts Associate of Science (Computer Information Systems) |
| Roche Science Merit Scholarship | $7,500 tuition support | Talitha Pearson | Associate of Science |
| W. Roy Wright Scholarship* | $5,000 tuition | Nathan Agostinho | Associate of Arts (Business Administration) |
*These donors also provide funds towards student financial assistance
The 2026/27 student financial assistance has been supported by generous contributions from The Simons Foundation International, Global Atlantic, Essent Reinsurance Limited, W. Roy Wright, The Altrusa Club of Bermuda, and an anonymous donor.
“These awards represent much more than financial support; they are an investment in the ambitions, resilience and potential of Bermuda College students,” said Kerry Judd, Executive Director of Bermuda College Foundation. “We are deeply grateful to every donor whose generosity makes this support possible and helps remove barriers for students pursuing their academic and career goals.”
Dr. David Sam, President of Bermuda College added, “Bermuda College is proud to partner with the Foundation in supporting students who are working hard to build their futures. Scholarships and financial assistance play a vital role in helping students remain focused on their studies, complete their programmes and contribute meaningfully to Bermuda’s workforce and community.”
Applications for student financial assistance remain open until 21 October 2026. Current Bermuda College students who require additional financial support are encouraged to visit www.college.bm or email financialsupportservices@college.bm for more information.
The Foundation extends its sincere appreciation to the donors, partners, and supporters whose generosity strengthens educational opportunity and helps Bermuda College students access the resources they need to succeed.
ABOUT BERMUDA COLLEGE FOUNDATION:
Bermuda College Foundation was established in October 2019 to provide dedicated fundraising support for Bermuda College, helping to ensure its long-term sustainability and its ability to provide students with a state-of-the-art educational experience. The Foundation is a Bermuda-registered charity (Charity No. 341) with an independent Board and governance structure.
The Bermuda Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) will host a two-part evening workshop series on cooperative business on Wednesday, October 28th, 2026 and Monday, November 2nd, 2026. Both sessions run from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the BEDC Training Room. The series is designed for people who want to learn about cooperative businesses and take the first steps toward starting one.
Cooperatives are businesses owned and governed by the people who use them, such as workers, customers, or community members, rather than by outside investors. For Bermuda, the model offers entrepreneurs another path to build shared ownership, keep economic value within the community, and create more resilient local enterprises.
The workshops will be led by William Spriggs, Director of Economic & Cooperative Development at BEDC, and will feature virtual presenter John Holdsclaw IV, President and CEO of Rochdale Capital.
Participants will hear from an experienced practitioner and have the opportunity to engage directly with the material.
Mr. Holdsclaw leads a certified community development financial institution (CDFI) that promotes cooperative and community ownership, providing financing and technical assistance to communitybased organizations and cooperatives. He also serves as chief policy officer at the National Cooperative Bank and was named one of ImpactAlpha’s Agents of Impact for 2022.
The series includes:
The workshops are open to anyone interested in learning about and starting a cooperative business, including aspiring entrepreneurs, community groups, and existing business owners exploring a shared-ownership structure. Attendance is in person, and space is limited. The cost is $20 per session, or $30 for both sessions.
“Cooperatives are one of the most practical ways for people to pool their skills, resources, and ambition to build something that lasts,” said William Spriggs, Director of Economic & Cooperative Development at BEDC.
“These workshops give Bermudians a clear understanding of how the model works and what it takes to get started. Our goal is to help more people see cooperative ownership as a real opportunity to strengthen their businesses and their communities.”
The series reflects BEDC’s ongoing commitment to expanding the tools and pathways available to Bermuda’s entrepreneurs and to supporting economic development that benefits the wider community.
To register or for more information, visit www.bedc.bm.
About BEDC
Established in 1980, the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) supports Bermuda’s entrepreneurs and businesses while advancing local economic development. BEDC provides business advice, education, financing and other resources to help micro, small and medium-sized businesses start, grow and succeed; and advances strategic economic development initiatives that support investment, innovation and economic diversification. Bermuda Business Starts Here. Visit www.bedc.bm.
Statement by Vance Campbell, Shadow Minister of Public Works & Infrastructure:
Parents arrived at Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy last week only to discover the school was closed because of drainage and health concerns.
For families with children who have complex needs, this is more than an inconvenience. It disrupts their lives and raises serious questions about the management of our public facilities.
And this is not an isolated incident.
At Elliot Primary School, air-conditioning units were installed only for Government to discover there wasn’t enough electrical capacity to operate them. How does that happen without anyone checking first?
At the start of the school year, 47 health-and-safety priority items remained outstanding across our public schools.
Now the National Sports Centre’s Aquatics Centre has been closed for nine days because of mechanical and water-quality problems.
Different facilities. Different problems. The same lack of planning and accountability.
How many complaints were made before these problems became emergencies? Were they ignored? Who is responsible for ensuring maintenance gets done?
Why does Government seem to wait until facilities become unusable before taking action?
These are not luxuries. They are schools and sporting facilities that our children, families and communities depend on.
The Government must explain what went wrong at Hope Academy, publish the outstanding maintenance issues across our schools and provide clear timelines for repairs.
Maintenance is not a surprise expense. It is a basic responsibility of Government.
Bermudians deserve a Government that plans ahead, responds to concerns and fixes problems before families are left dealing with the consequences.
Minister of Overseas Territories here to sign a declaration that seeks to boost international support for vital marine eco system
Moves to protect one of the world’s most extraordinary marine eco systems have moved a step forward.
The U.K. Minister for the Overseas Territories, Uma Kumaran, signed the Hamilton II Declaration at Government House yesterday.
The aim is to build global support for protecting the Sargasso Sea, a vital habitat for marine life and the only sea in the world governed by ocean currents rather than land boundaries.
Both Minister Kumaran and Governor Andrew Murdoch underscored the importance of the mission.
Watch the video below.
A single occupant of the home on West Dale Lane, off Palm Valley in Southampton parish, was left with ‘critical’ injuries in last Wednesday’s incident
A utility company says it has found no evidence of a gas leak or defect in its supply following an explosion at a Southampton residence.
A single occupant of the home on West Dale Lane, off Palm Valley, was hurt in last Wednesday’s incident.
A 31-year-old man was hospitalised with critical injuries last Thursday following an explosion at the residence.
The apparent gas tank explosion sent shock waves across the neighbourhood and blew in nearby windows, according to residents.
Bermuda Gas and Utility Company has released a statement following the incident denying any negligence on the part of the company or its employees.
Acknowledging the incident, the company said: “Our thoughts are with all those affected by this event.
“Following the incident, Bermuda Gas cooperated fully with the relevant authorities and provided technical assistance, including the inspection and testing of the gas supply system and its associated connections.
“The findings of these inspections and tests identified no evidence of a leak or defect in the gas supply system, nor was there any evidence of negligence or wrongdoing on the part of Bermuda Gas or its employees.”
The matter remains under investigation and therefore, the company said it would not comment any further at this time.
They added, “Bermuda Gas remains firmly committed to the safe handling and supply of gas, and we will continue to cooperate with the authorities as required.”
The explosion is under active investigation by the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service.
We have reached out for an update on the investigation.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said on Monday they launched several attacks on Saudi energy, airport and military targets, such as an Aramco site in Yanbu, the Shaybah oilfield, Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport and Abha airport
International News via Reuters:
Oil prices advanced on Tuesday, with Brent reaching a five-month high, as traders priced in a geopolitical risk premium from Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure and reports of vessel attacks in the Gulf.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said on Monday they launched several attacks on Saudi energy, airport and military targets, such as an Aramco site in Yanbu, the Shaybah oilfield, Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport and Abha airport.
Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm the Houthi claims and Reuters could not independently verify them.
Brent crude futures rose to $111.05 a barrel, the highest since May, and as of 0810 GMT were trading at $110.80, up $1.25 or 1.1%.
US West Texas Intermediate crude rose as high as $104.94, the highest since September, and was last at $104.80, up $1.14 or 1.1%.
“Oil prices remain well-supported … This suggests the market is pricing in a significant risk premium, given the situation’s volatility,” ING analysts said in a note on Tuesday.
“However, if flows continue uninhibited despite the geopolitical environment, the risk premium would likely erode slowly. Clearly, there are no signs of this yet.”
At least 18 vessels were reportedly attacked over two weeks, which keeps the risk premium intact, shiptracker Kpler said in a note on Monday.
Also on Monday, a Houthi attack on a training camp for government security forces in Yemen’s Shabwa province killed 58 people and injured more than 200.
The renewed attacks heightened fears about regional stability and underscored continuing risks to energy supply from the region, keeping oil prices above $100 a barrel.
In the US, analysts expected crude oil stockpiles to have fallen last week along with product inventories, a preliminary Reuters poll showed on Monday.
Additional reporting by Anjana Anil in Bengaluru and Siyi Liu in Singapore; Editing by Sonali Paul and Clarence Fernandez
Activists had occupied Lisbon’s Rossio square since Saturday, pitching around 200 tents, and Porto’s Dom Joao I square for around 10 days
International News via Reuters:
Portuguese police cleared protest camps in Lisbon and Porto before dawn on Tuesday, removing activists who had occupied two central squares to protest against a worsening housing crisis, and making 55 arrests.
Activists had occupied Lisbon’s Rossio square since Saturday, pitching around 200 tents, and Porto’s Dom Joao I square for around 10 days.
The camps mirrored housing protests in neighbouring Spain, and coincided with unrest over rising living costs in countries such as France, Belgium and Italy.
Shortly before 6 a.m., after warning protesters that the camps were illegal, police launched coordinated operations in both cities. The protesters took down their own tents in Porto while officers cleared Rossio square.
Carla Valadao, a spokesperson for the Lisbon camp, described the police operation as “very aggressive”, vowing to resume the protest at 7 p.m.
Public Security Police superintendent Sergio Soares later told reporters that the eviction had been “calm, proportionate and appropriate, with no police charge”.
He said 55 people had been detained for refusing to leave the area voluntarily, and that two minor injuries had been promptly treated.
Pedro Duarte, mayor of Porto, said concerns over housing would continue to be heard as long as demonstrations remained peaceful and legal.
Portugal is grappling with one of Europe’s worst housing affordability crises. Purchase prices have more than doubled since 2017 and rents for new leases have nearly doubled.
The squeeze is most acute in the major cities, where there has also been opposition to excessive tourism and an influx of so-called digital nomads.
The protesters are demanding the centre-right government withdraw a bill making evictions easier and ending rent caps on new leases, which passed a first parliamentary reading with the abstention of the far-right Chega party.
Reporting by Sergio Goncalves; Editing by David Latona and Kevin Liffey
British digital bank Revolut has suffered a service outage related to the disruption in Alphabet’s Google Cloud service, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters
International News via Reuters:
A disruption at Google’s cloud operations in London on Tuesday affected the websites and mobile apps of several banks, financial firms and public service providers in the region, highlighting how businesses and services have become critically dependent on digital infrastructure.
British digital bank Revolut has suffered a service outage related to the disruption in Alphabet’s Google Cloud service, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.
European regulators have become increasingly worried in recent years about the financial sector’s reliance on external technology providers, including cloud-computing services that support critical banking operations.
In July the UK designated four tech companies, including Google Cloud EMEA Limited, as critical third-party suppliers for its financial sector, bringing them under direct regulatory oversight.
Google Cloud was also among 19 technology companies designated by EU regulators last year as critical third-party computing providers on which the bloc’s finance industry depends.
On Tuesday, Google said its engineering team was investigating the issue that affected the London-based europe-west2 data centre, primarily designed for customers in the UK and Ireland. The search giant did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for further details.
Revolut’s status page showed most of its services were unavailable or partially available, including card payments and ATM withdrawals. “We are currently experiencing a service disruption affecting multiple services. We can confirm that all our customers’ money and data are safe,” it said on X.
Separately, ING Germany said there were problems logging into online banking and its banking app due to a technical issue. Britain’s Halifax Bank also said customers were facing issues online and with its app.
Outage tracking platform Downdetector showed a small number of reports of issues in the UK, affecting Lloyds Bank, HSBC, Bank of Scotland, property website Rightmove, parcel delivery service DPD as well as the state-owned National Health Service (NHS) England and Royal Mail.
HSBC, Rightmove, DPD, NHS England and Royal Mail did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment on the cause of the outage. Lloyds said its app was operating normally but some customers were experiencing issues with certain online services.
Downdetector tracks outages by aggregating status reports from multiple sources, including users. Actual user impact may vary.
Reporting by Akanksha Khushi and Anhata Rooprai in Bengaluru, Elizabeth Howcroft in Paris and Sam Tabahriti in London; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar
Helen Haines, an independent, underwent surgery overnight and remained in critical condition after Monday’s attack in the small rural town of Wangaratta, north of Melbourne
International News via Reuters:
Doctors have amputated the leg of an Australian lawmaker after a man rammed her with his car and then reversed to hit her a second time, media and officials said on Tuesday, in an incident being investigated by anti-terrorism police.
Helen Haines, an independent, underwent surgery overnight and remained in critical condition after Monday’s attack in the small rural town of Wangaratta, north of Melbourne.
Australian media, citing unidentified sources, said Haines had lost one leg as a result of her injuries and doctors were working to save the other.
“At this stage it appears this is an isolated incident, and there are currently no other known threats connected to this matter,” police in the southeastern state of Victoria said in a statement.
While the motive for the attack has yet to be revealed, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese linked it to a domestic climate of ugly, polarised political debate.
“It’s clear that there was a deliberate act here. This wasn’t an accident, someone just skidding off the road,” Albanese told ABC News.
Initial investigations suggested the car hit Haines as she was loading or unloading items from the trunk of her car, he said.
The 43-year-old alleged attacker was arrested at the scene and charged on Tuesday with the offences of dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury, and causing harm to a public official.
Police, who are investigating the incident along with counter-terror authorities and the domestic intelligence agency, said in a statement they would allege the attack was targeted.
STRUCK TWO TIMES
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke told ABC Radio that witnesses said the alleged attacker reversed the vehicle and struck Haines a second time before a bystander intervened.
Ricky Jefferies ran from his barber shop, restraining the attacker and removing a knife from him after initially believing the incident was a car accident, Australian media reported.
“I heard a loud bang with no brakes. It was crazy, I just ran out to the front to see what’s happening,” Jefferies told reporters outside his shop.
“I didn’t realise the seriousness of the situation initially, and once it became relevant I just did what I could and what others were already trying to do.”
‘TURN TEMPERATURE DOWN’
Violent attacks on politicians are extremely rare in Australia, where federal lawmakers, state leaders and even prime ministers are regularly seen in supermarkets and coffee shops, attending community events and chatting with voters with minimal security.
Haines worked in nursing and midwifery and as an academic before being elected to parliament as an independent in 2019 in the seat of Indi. She retained the seat in 2022 and 2025.
Outside the hospital where Haines is being treated, Melbourne resident Shawn Hill said the attack showed “the political climate is becoming more and more polarising today.”
“No one deserves to be put at risk of anything, especially someone who is serving the people and trying to do what is best for the Australian community,” Hill told Reuters.
Albanese expressed concern about growing division, and urged Australians to engage more respectfully with one another. He also flagged a “significant increase” in threats to politicians in recent years.
“We all have a responsibility to turn the temperature down,” he added. “I really don’t want to see the character of Australia change.”
Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney, Melanie Burton and Cordelia Hsu in Melbourne; Editing by Bill Berkrot and Lincoln Feast.
Devonshire course tests junior players as Logie and Betschart also set benchmarks
Lewis MacFarlane and Fletcher Logie opened up commanding leads in their respective divisions on day one of the ICS Tires Cobra Puma Junior Championship at Ocean View Golf Course.
In testing conditions across the Devonshire layout, MacFarlane set the day’s benchmark in the Boys’ 11-13 division, carding a four-over-par 74 to establish a formidable 14-shot cushion at the summit. An attacking display yielded three birdies and nine pars to offset five bogeys and a double bogey, putting him firmly in control.
A tight tussle has emerged in his wake, with Jack Jones and Michael Hinwood tied for second after both signed for 18-over-par 88s.
In the Boys’ 14-18 bracket, Logie weathered an eventful round of 14-over-par 84—featuring eight pars and a birdie—to carve out a three-stroke advantage heading into the second round.
Chasing the leader are Austin Frank and Nathan Carreiro, locked together in second after matching 17-over rounds of 87.
Meanwhile, Darina Betschart produced the standout performance of the afternoon in the Girls’ Division. The sole entrant in her category, Betschart impressed with a composed two-over-par 72, collecting three birdies and 12 pars to set the standard for the tournament.
