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Team Bermuda conquer the Atlantic to claim Cocoa Beach glory

Bermudian powerboat duo David Selley and Stephen Bridges have claimed a historic victory on Florida’s “Space Coast,” masterfully navigating treacherous Atlantic swells to secure the top spot at Thunder on Cocoa Beach.

The final day of the three-day IHRA Offshore Racing Series spectacle saw thousands of fans line the shoreline to witness the fastest boats in the sport battle the elements. However, it was the technical precision of the Team Bermuda S25 crew that stole the show, as they adapted to conditions that forced race officials to shorten the contest.

With the Atlantic delivering its trademark unpredictable “chop,” officials made the tactical decision to limit the Super Stock Class to a grueling five-lap sprint. The shortened distance placed an immediate premium on the start and initial positioning—a challenge Selley and Bridges met with clinical execution.

While rivals struggled to keep their hulls settled in the turbulent water, Selley and Bridges found the ideal trim to maintain maximum velocity, crossing the line to take a commanding win.

It was a tougher afternoon for the island’s second entry, the Nuff Said S12 boat. Crewed by Lewis Martin and Nick Imprescia, the team found themselves entrenched in a punishing mid-pack scuffle from the opening buoy. Despite the physical toll of the five-lap sprint, Martin and Imprescia displayed immense grit to battle through the spray and secure a sixth-place finish.

Greenland says US talks make progress but island is not for sale

U.S. special envoy Jeff Landry, appointed by Trump last year to push for American control ​of Greenland, arrived in Nuuk on Sunday and met on Monday with Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Foreign Minister Mute Egede

A person cycles past a poster in Nuuk, Greenland, March 17, 2026. REUTERS/Tim Barsoe

International News via Reuters:

Greenland’s government said on Monday that progress has been made in high-stakes talks with the United States over the territory’s future, but that the giant island sought by President Donald Trump will never be for sale.

U.S. special envoy Jeff Landry, appointed by Trump last year to push for American control ​of Greenland, arrived in Nuuk on Sunday and met on Monday with Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Foreign Minister Mute Egede.

“We believe there is progress, and from Greenland’s side we are focused on finding a solution that is good for us all, and most importantly that threats of annexation, takeover or a purchase of Greenland and the Greenlandic people does not occur,” Nielsen told reporters after meeting with Landry.

There was no immediate statement from Landry who told local media on Sunday he was there to “listen and learn”.

Trump’s assertion that the U.S. must acquire or control Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, has sparked tension between Washington and Copenhagen, both founding NATO members, and more broadly across Europe.

“They asked for a meeting, and we’ve explained our situation and standpoint, and that we have some red lines – we will not sell Greenland, we will own Greenland for all time,” Egede said.

Seeking to calm tensions, Greenland, Denmark and the U.S. earlier this year agreed to hold high-level diplomatic negotiations to resolve the crisis, ​although the outcome of those ongoing talks has yet to be presented.

The United States wants to boost its military presence in Greenland and make it part of Trump’s planned “Golden Dome” system of defence against nuclear attack.

The U.S. currently has one active base in Greenland, the Pituffik Space Base in the northwest, down from around 17 facilities in 1945 when thousands of U.S. personnel staffed facilities around the island.

Reporting by Stine Jacobsen and Soren Jeppesen in Copenhagen; Writing by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Andrew Heavens

Four killed in protests over Kenya fuel price hikes as strike strands commuters

The Transport Sector Alliance said on Sunday that vehicles affiliated with its member associations would stop operating from midnight in protest, while police said they would act to tackle any disruptions

Kenyan comedian and social activist Eric Omondi offloads empty plastic cans along the central business district as he protests rising fuel costs, linked to global supply pressures following the war in Iran, in Nairobi, Kenya May 18, 2026. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

International News via Reuters:

Four people were killed in protests against fuel price hikes prompted by the Iran war in several Kenyan towns on Monday, its interior minister said, after a nationwide public transport strike stranded commuters.  

The Transport Sector Alliance said on Sunday that vehicles affiliated with its member associations would stop operating from midnight in protest, while police said they would act to tackle any disruptions.

“We lost four Kenyans in today’s violence, which also saw more than 30 people injured,” Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen told a televised press conference.

Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority last week raised retail fuel prices ​by as much as 23.5% – ‌after hiking them by 24.2% last month – as the conflict in the Middle East squeezed global oil and gas supplies.

On Monday morning, roads into the capital Nairobi were blocked by striking transport operators and scattered groups of protesters.

Police fired tear gas in some areas while some protesters lit tyres to cut access to key roads, worsening congestion and leaving many commuters stranded.

In Mombasa, Kenya’s main port city, the strike raised fears of supply-chain delays.

Murkomen said the finance, transport and energy ministers were meeting with public transport operators later on Monday to discuss a solution, while Finance Minister John Mbadi had said earlier on Monday that the current prices were already subsidised.  

Kenya imports nearly ​all ⁠its fuel products from the Middle East via government-to-government ⁠deals ​with Gulf suppliers. The fuel price hike has sharply raised transport fares and pushed up the cost of basic goods, deepening pressure on households already struggling with the high cost of living.

Public relations worker Gabriel Odhiambo, 24, said his transport costs had doubled and that food prices had also risen. Four tomatoes now cost 60 shillings (50 U.S. cents) – a threefold increase.

Kenya raised the pump price of super petrol in Nairobi to 214.25 Kenyan shillings ($1.66) a litre from 206.97, and diesel to 242.92 shillings from 196.63 for the May 15-June 14 cycle, while kerosene was unchanged at 152.78 shillings. 

($1 = 129.2000 Kenyan shillings)

Reporting by Humprey Malalo; Writing by Vincent Mumo Nzilani; editing by Ammu Kannampilly, Kevin Liffey and Chiara Rodriquez

Bank of England’s Greene says central banks can’t assume Iran war impact will be temporary

Greene voted with the majority of her colleagues on the BoE’s Monetary Policy Committee to keep rates on hold in April but said at the time that an increase might be needed in upcoming meetings

International News via Reuters:

Bank of England interest rate-setter Megan Greene said central banks should not assume that the Iran war’s inflationary hit will be temporary and that policymakers cannot wait to see all the evidence of the impact before taking a stance on rates.

“This is our third negative supply shock in five years. We do have to worry about wage and price setting,” Greene said at a Financial Times event on Monday.

“Traditionally you look through negative supply shocks, but I think when you have successive ones, actually that’s outdated folklore and we shouldn’t be looking through them anymore.”

Greene voted with the majority of her colleagues on the BoE’s Monetary Policy Committee to keep rates on hold in April but said at the time that an increase might be needed in upcoming meetings.

In her comments on Monday, Greene said the second-round effects from the energy price surge – such as workers demanding more pay or companies raising their selling prices on a broad basis – would take a year to become apparent.

Separately, another MPC member Catherine Mann said she was awaiting data – including official April inflation figures due on Wednesday as well as more forward-looking indicators – to help her assess the upward risks to inflation.

Uncertainty over the future of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer could weigh on economic growth, Mann told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference in Budapest organised by Hungary’s central bank.

“Instability of a variety of types is deleterious to decision-making by firms and households, and so it does tend to be associated with … ‘let’s wait and see’, and so that’s not good for growth,” she said.

Investors are pricing at least two BoE rate hikes before the end of the year but most economists polled by Reuters last week forecast no change in borrowing costs.

Reporting by William Schomberg in London and Gergely Szakacs in Budapest; editing by William James and David Milliken

Health workers race to contain Congo’s fast-spreading Ebola outbreak

The World Health Organization on Sunday declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern because of the high risk the disease could spread further beyond DRC’s borders

People at Bunia General Referral Hospital following confirmation of an Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain in Bunia, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 16, 2026. REUTERS/Victoire Mukenge

International News via Reuters:

Medical personnel were rushing on Monday to the frontlines of a new Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo whose late detection and quick spread have alarmed health experts.

The World Health Organization on Sunday declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern because of the high risk the disease could spread further beyond DRC’s borders after two cases were confirmed in Kampala, the capital of neighbouring Uganda.

The outbreak is suspected to have killed around 80 people in recent weeks, with eight cases confirmed by laboratory testing and 246 suspected cases reported in eastern DRC’s Ituri province.

Another case was confirmed in neighbouring North Kivu province’s capital, Goma, according to the M23 rebels who control the city. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also said on Sunday that it was supporting partners withdrawing a small number of directly affected Americans.

A delegation led by DRC Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba arrived in Ituri’s capital Bunia on Sunday with tents to set up treatment centres to support strained local hospitals.

“This is not a mystical disease,” he told Reuters. “Make yourself known so that you can be taken care of and so that we can prevent the disease from spreading.”

WHO’s representative in DRC, Anne Ancia, said WHO had emptied its stocks of protective equipment in the capital Kinshasa and was now preparing a cargo plane to bring additional supplies from a depot in Kenya.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said on Monday it was deploying an expert to its African counterpart’s headquarters in Ethiopia to support operational planning, and the U.S. CDC said it planned to send more people to its offices in the DRC and Uganda.

On Monday, the U.S. embassy in Uganda said it had temporarily paused all visa services in Uganda in light of the Ebola virus outbreak in the East African nation, effectively restricting travel. And a Reuters witness said Congolese people trying to cross into Rwanda from Bukavu were stopped by authorities at the border.

PREVIOUS OUTBREAK RESPONSE WAS COMPLICATED BY INSECURITY

The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, which unlike the more common Zaire strain of Ebola, has no approved virus-specific therapeutics, or vaccine.

An outbreak of the Zaire strain from 2018-2020 in North Kivu and Ituri provinces was the second deadliest on record, killing nearly 2,300 people. The response to that outbreak was complicated by widespread armed violence in eastern Congo that continues today.

Jean Pierre Badombo, the former mayor of Mongbwalu, a mining town in Ituri at the epicentre of the outbreak, said people started falling ill in April after a large open-casket funeral procession arrived from Bunia.

“After that, we experienced a cascade of deaths,” he said.

The WHO has said it was informed of an unknown illness with high mortality in Mongbwalu on May 5, including four health workers who had died within four days, and dispatched a rapid response team.

Several subsequent missteps, including an initial failure by personnel in Bunia to escalate samples for further testing after they came back negative for the Zaire strain, meant the virus was not detected until May 14, Congolese health officials told Reuters. An outbreak was declared the next day.

Lievin Bangali, IRC’s senior health coordinator in DRC, said declining funding from international donors had also weakened disease detection.

“When surveillance networks break down, dangerous diseases like Ebola are able to spread further and faster before communities and health workers can respond,” he said.

UGANDA POSTPONES MARTYR’S DAY HOLIDAY

Congo has experienced 17 outbreaks of Ebola since the virus was first identified in the country in 1976. The disease spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons or contaminated materials.

According to WHO, the average fatality rate from Ebola is around 50%, varying from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks.

Uganda on Sunday postponed next month’s celebrations of Martyrs’ Day, a national holiday that typically attracts thousands of pilgrims from eastern DRC, because of the outbreak.

Kithula Haggai Sunday, a doctor at Uganda’s health ministry, told an online briefing that several people from western Uganda who had recently gone to a burial in eastern Congo and then returned home were under observation, with some who developed symptoms taken to the city of Fort Portal.

Additional reporting by Jennifer Rigby in London; Additional reporting and writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Sharon Singleton

Football scholarship opportunity announced

The Bermuda Equal Justice Initiative and Trevo Academy have announced a new sponsorship programme that will provide two fully funded summer football scholarships for Bermudian boys and girls aged 8 to 13.

The scholarships, valued at a combined $1,400, will cover participation costs for Trevo Academy’s summer football programme, which runs in four cohorts from June through August and focuses on skill development, discipline, teamwork, confidence, and character building.

The initiative aims to support young Bermudians facing financial barriers while helping develop the island’s next generation of football talent.

Eron Hill, Founder and Executive Director of the Bermuda Equal Justice Initiative, said the partnership reflects the organisation’s commitment to expanding access and opportunity for young people.

“Too often, talented young people miss out on opportunities simply because of financial circumstances,” Mr. Hill said. “We wanted to partner with Trevo Academy to help ensure that two young Bermudians who are passionate about football have the chance to participate and develop their skills.”

Remy Coddington, one of Trevo Academy’s founders, said the academy hopes to encourage young athletes both on and off the field.

Applications opened today and close on May 29, with successful applicants expected to be selected by June 5.

Applicants are required to submit a two-to-three-minute video explaining their story, football inspiration, role model, and why they should be selected. Video applications should be emailed to trevoacademy@gmail.com.

More information is available at Trevo Academy

Christopher Williamson honoured with Public Service Excellence Award

David Burt has praised the dedication of public officer Christopher Williamson after he was named the April recipient of the Public Service Excellence Award.

Mr. Williamson, the Sites Management Officer at Marsh Folly, was recognised for creating an interactive field trip experience for Primary 6 students from Somerset Primary School and for supporting the Department of Parks ahead of the busy Good Friday holiday period during staffing shortages.

According to Government, Mr. Williamson received multiple nominations highlighting both his educational outreach efforts and his operational support in helping maintain public spaces and coordinate additional staffing resources.

Premier Burt said Mr. Williamson demonstrated the “highest standards of public service” through his willingness to support both the community and fellow public officers where needed.

Jache Adams said the recognition highlighted how public officers can use their expertise to benefit the wider community, while Head of the Public Service Cherie Whitter described his work as a strong example of teamwork, reliability and effective service delivery.

The Public Service Excellence Award recognises individuals or teams who demonstrate exceptional service and achievement within the Public Service over a 60-day period.

Public invited to shape satellite licensing rules

The proposed framework is the final stage of policy development under Bermuda’s National Space Strategy

The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced today that it has opened a public consultation on a consolidated framework for the licensing of Earth Stations in Bermuda.

It is a decisive step in strengthening Bermuda’s position in the global space and satellite economy.

The proposed framework is the final stage of policy development under Bermuda’s National Space Strategy. It was developed in consultation with the Regulatory Authority and sits within Bermuda’s existing legal and regulatory regime.

The framework sets a proportionate, internationally aligned approach to satellite communications infrastructure, including gateway stations, teleports, and user terminals. It pairs that approach with strong oversight, disciplined spectrum use, and clear cybersecurity obligations.

The Hon. Alexa Lightbourne, JP, MP, Minister of Home Affairs, said, “This moment speaks to where we are and where Bermuda is going. We are building on regulatory strength and credibility while taking deliberate steps into a growing global industry. Our responsibility is to ensure Bermuda remains a trusted jurisdiction. One that enables innovation, attracts investment, and creates meaningful opportunities for our people.”

The proposed model includes a two-tier licensing structure, distinguishing between blanket authorisations for standardised user terminals and individual licences for more complex infrastructure such as teleports and tracking facilities. It also sets out clear requirements for spectrum licensing, equipment standards, cybersecurity, and compliance with Bermuda’s data protection framework.

The framework positions Bermuda to support the next generation of satellite infrastructure and services without compromising on oversight. It is part of the Ministry’s broader work to diversify the economy, attract responsible investment, and open pathways for skills development in technical and emerging fields.

Stakeholders, operators, and members of the public are invited to review the consultation and submit feedback at forum.gov.bm. Consultation closes June 19, 2026.

Submissions will inform the finalisation of the National Earth Stations Licensing Framework. A summary of responses will be published after the consultation closes.

Trash collection adjusted for Bermuda Day

The Ministry of Public Works and Environment is advising that due to the Bermuda Day holiday on Friday, 22 May 2026, household waste that would normally be collected on that day will instead becollected on Saturday, 23 May.

Recycling collection occurs every other week and will not be impacted by the holiday, with the next household recycling collection occurring on 28 May in the west and on the 29th in the east.

The Tynes Bay Public Drop-Off will remain open on 22 May from 9 a.m. until noon. It will accept all household waste, small metal waste, wooden items, TAG recyclables, waste paint, pesticides, used motor oil, fluorescent tubes, CFLs, and household and vehicle batteries.

Serious collision involving motorcyclist and public bus

Officers from the Bermuda Police Service have cordoned off a partial area of Palmetto Road where the collision occurred late this morning

A rider was rushed to hospital late this morning after being involved in a collision with a PTB bus along Palmetto Road in Devonshire.

It is unclear what injuries the rider sustained however, police said their condition is listed as ‘serious’. The scene was occupied by emergency responders including the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service.

A BPS spokesperson said, “Details surrounding the circumstances of the collision are unclear at this time. However, the male motorcyclist was transported to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital with what appear to be serious injuries.

“The male bus driver was not reported to be injured.”

Officers have diverted traffic away from the area setting up detours at the Barker’s Hill round-about and onto Parson’s Lane.

Motorists are being asked to avoid the ares while the BPS examine the scene.

Anyone who may have witnessed the collision is asked to contact police by calling 211 at the earliest opportunity.

Students sent home as school closes amid protest

Port Royal Primary students were sent home on Monday morning after teachers apparently did not show up

Port Royal Primary School students were sent home today, as teachers failed to show up for class.

A parent informed Bermuda Broadcasting that, as they turned up to drop off their child, they were told that the teachers have not come in today.

The parent said that it wasn’t a staff member that informed them of the situation.

Bermuda Broadcasting reached out to both the Ministry of Education and to the Bermuda Union of Teachers for more information on the matter.

A Ministry Spokesperson responded, “the Ministry of Education has closed Port Royal Primary School today due to insufficient staff. Parents have been notified, and students were dismissed for the day. The Department will provide updates to parents and key stakeholders as they become available.”

Port Royal Primary has been at the centre of a row over alleged ministerial overreach.

At an an inter-school track meet in April, the Port Royal P.E. teacher had apparently prohibited a student from participating for disciplinary reasons.

The Royal Gazette reported that the student’s mother reached out to Education Minister Crystal Caesar. A meeting between education officials and teacher reportedly led to teachers warning that the event would be shut down if the student took part.

The P.E. teacher was subsequently put on administrative leave.

The Bermuda Union of Teachers suggested that due process had been undermined, and stated, “when school-level discipline is overturned from above… we are not just ‘softening’ the system – we are quietly ensuring that the antisocial behavior and societal ills… will continue to manifest well into the next generation.”

The union spokesperson added that, under the Education Act and Code of Conduct, school discipline is the responsibility of the principal, and that suspensions are issued by school leadership, can be extended by the Commissioner of Education, and may ultimately be appealed to the Minister, “in that order”.

The PTA Executive at Port Royal also unanimously believe the P.E. teacher should be reinstated.

Last week, Government reiterated its position, rejecting the notion that Education Minister Caesar acted improperly or outside of her authority.

A statement added that the Minister has responsibility to ensure the system is operating fairly and in the best interest of students, in line with the Education Act.

Minister Caesar stated, “when concerns are brought forward, the Minister has a duty to seek information, review what took place, and ensure that decisions were handled fairly and appropriately. That is not interference. That is part of the Minister’s job.

“No Minister can ignore concerns involving the well-being or treatment of a child and pretend it is someone else’s responsibility.”

Pope Leo to issue first major work, addressing AI, on May 25

The text, known as an encyclical, is also likely to decry the wars roiling the world

Pope Leo XIV arrives for the weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, May 6, 2026. REUTERS/Yara Nardi

International News via Reuters:

Pope Leo will release his first in-depth document, expected to address the rise of artificial intelligence and challenges to workers’ rights, on May 25, the Vatican announced on Monday.

The text, known as an encyclical, is also likely to decry the wars roiling the world. It will be titled “Magnifica Humanitas” (Magnificent Humanity) and was formally signed by the pope on Friday ahead of publication, a statement said.

Leo, the first U.S. pope, will take part in a Vatican presentation of the text on the day of its publication, in an unusual move for a Catholic pontiff.

Reporting by Joshua McElwee, editing by Gavin Jones