National Entrepreneurship Strategy focuses on financing gaps, slashing red tape and startup support
One in four islanders is interested in starting a business but barriers like limited financing and a complex process are holding them back. A new blueprint launched today aims to cut red tape and turn that ambition into action.
It’s a joint initiative between the Ministry of Economy and Labour and the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation. The National Entrepreneurship Strategy is a five-year plan rolled out in three phases.
As BEDC Executive Director Erica Smith explains, the first step is removing barriers quickly, starting with a one-stop business hub.
The strategy also aims to improve access to financing through new tools, including a public-private Bermuda Innovation Scale-Up Fund, while expanding modern options like peer-to-peer lending and crowdfunding – currently unavailable in Bermuda.
Another key focus is integrating entrepreneurship into the school system, as Economy and Labour Minister Jason Hayward explains.
The European Union resumes talks this month on streamlining the bloc’s 2024 AI Act, with the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, also due to present its “Tech Sovereignty Package” on May 27
International News via Reuters:
Europe’s AI regulations should be reduced and simplified, chief executives of seven of Europe’s top technology firms including Christophe Fouquet of the biggest, computer chip equipment maker ASML, said in an opinion piece published on Tuesday.
The European Union resumes talks this month on streamlining the bloc’s 2024 AI Act, with the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, also due to present its “Tech Sovereignty Package” on May 27 — including plans still under negotiation to support the computer chip industry and AI infrastructure.
“More than three years after the ‘ChatGPT moment’, Europe is still debating regulation, while others have long shifted focus to scaling AI in physical systems and robotics,” the executives wrote in the op-ed.
The commentary, published in newspapers including Germany’s Handelsblatt and Italy’s Corriere della Sera, also called for stronger industrial policy, and M&A rules that would allow European companies to grow.
“We face fragmented markets and subsidized rivals with very strong market penetration in the EU,” the executives wrote.
It was signed by the CEOs of ASML, Airbus , Ericsson, Mistral AI, Nokia,, SAP AG and Siemens, and followed a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Reporting by Toby Sterling, Editing by William Maclean
Housing Minister Zane DeSilva signals Boaz Island project could move ahead
Zane DeSilva, Minister of Housing and Municipalities, appears confident that a pilot project for emergency capsule homes in the Boaz Island area will move forward – despite objections from nearby residents and a recommendation for refusal by the Development Applications Board.
When asked where things currently stand, he told Alisa Bernardo that, the project could still get the greenlight soon.
The Minister’s comments came during yesterday’s media briefing where he launched public consultation on the Bermuda Affordable Housing Strategy.
The ten year roadmap aims to tackle the housing crisis, with a target of delivering between 950 and 1,350 affordable and attainable housing units by 2035, using modular, precast, hybrid, and mid-rise construction methods.
The public can share feedback on the strategy online at forum.gov.bm.
The Ministry of Public Works said the Southside outlet provides a more efficient wholesale water access point for truckers serving St. David’s, St. George’s, and the wider East End
A new 24-hour Water Truckers Outlet is now open at Carters Bay Road, Southside for water wholesalers servicing the east end of the island.
All registered truckers will have access using a key fob designed to service two water trucks at a time. The Ministry of Public Works said in a news release, the site is expected to dispense up to 20,000 Imperial gallons per day.
The new Southside outlet will reduce the need for water truckers based in the St. George’s area to travel to the Government Quarry in Hamilton Parish and will improve efficiency ahead of the dry, summer period.
Public Works Minister Jache Adams said: “This outlet is a logical step that supports better service, better use of the water network, and more efficient movement of trucks across the Island.
“The Ministry continues to look at practical ways to improve public infrastructure and service delivery. This new outlet is a good example of that work. It is not complicated, but it makes sense, and it should make a real difference for the truckers and customers who depend on timely water delivery.”
The Ministry thanked the Bermuda Land Management Corporation for its support in establishing the new Water Truckers Outlet at Southside.
Warren Stephens, U.S. Ambassador to the U.K., gave his thoughts on Bermuda’s importance as an insurance hub, and any future aspirations to separate from the U.K.
Bermuda is the global reinsurance capital… we’re not a tax haven… and the island should approach ideas about independence with caution…
…just a few thoughts about Bermuda from Warren Stephens, U.S. Ambassador to the U.K., who paid a brief visit to Bermuda ahead of the arrival of King Charles.
In an interview covering trade relations, border controls, and global economic impact of the war in Iran, Gary Foster Skelton asked Mr Stephens for a U.S. perspective on Bermuda-specific issues.
WATCH the interview clips above. Our extended interview with Mr Stephens is available HERE.
A celebration of pop music and high camp, the contest is taking place in particularly tense circumstances this year
International News via Reuters:
Vienna police expect protests against Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest to include “blockades and disruption attempts”, they said on Tuesday, calling the competition in the Austrian capital one of the biggest security events they have faced.
A celebration of pop music and high camp, the contest is taking place in particularly tense circumstances this year as five national broadcasters including Spanish heavyweight RTVE and Ireland’s RTE, are boycotting over Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza, launched in retaliation for the October 2023 attacks on Israel by Hamas.
The Iran war has now exacerbated that tension.
A handful of demonstrations, mainly against but also in favour of Israel’s taking part, have been registered so far for next week, with attendance estimated at up to 3,000.
Protests must be registered with 48 hours’ notice.
“We expect there will in fact be blockades and disruptive actions, particularly on the day of the final, whether through authorised or unauthorised gatherings,” Xenia Zauner, a senior police official who will oversee the security operation, told a press conference.
Demonstrations against Israel’s participation have become a feature of recent editions of the contest.
The eve of the final, Friday, May 15, is also Nakba Day, when Palestinians commemorate the loss of their land after the 1948 war at the birth of the state of Israel. The word “nakba” means “catastrophe”. Zauner said that day has “great emotional significance for the pro-Palestine movement”.
Police are preparing for a wide range of threats.
Drones will be banned within 1.5 km (0.9 miles) of sites including the contest venue, and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation will set up a task force in New York next week that Austrian authorities can contact around the clock to address cyber threats, police said.
While the general “terrorism alert level” in Austria has been at the second-highest notch for more than two years, there is no specific threat against the contest, Vienna police Vice President Dieter Csefan said.
Those attending the event should expect international airport-level security screenings, and can only bring small, transparent bags inside, police said.
Airport-style security will also be set up at a large fan area in front of city hall, they added.
The potential reshuffling would put the Google parent at the No.1 spot for the first time in more than a decade
International News via Reuters:
Alphabet is on the cusp of overtaking Nvidia as the world’s most valuable company, riding on a record stock rally fueled by its artificial intelligence efforts and booming cloud business.
The potential reshuffling would put the Google parent at the No.1 spot for the first time in more than a decade. It last held that position briefly in February 2016 before Apple reclaimed the spot.
The move reflects a dramatic shift in sentiment as Alphabet emerges as both a major AI services provider with its cloud platform and a key rival to Nvidia in chips through custom processors that have won customers such as Anthropic.
The search giant has stunned Wall Street in recent months with cloud growth that far outpaced expectations and bigger rivals Amazon and Microsoft, giving investors confidence that its hundreds of billions of dollars in AI spending will pay off.
“It’s really about hyperscaler capex spend and, to some degree, early signs of better monetization – particularly from Alphabet – versus the broader AI ‘food chain,’ which includes data centers, grid and power,” said Stephanie Link, chief investment strategist at Hightower Advisors.
Nvidia’s market cap last stood close to $4.79 trillion as of Tuesday morning, well off its all-time highs of around $5.2 trillion, whereas Alphabet was at $4.67 trillion, hovering near its all-time highs.
Here’s a look at how the Wall Street giant has fared as it approaches a historical high:
Revenue of its Google Cloud segment grew 63% in the first quarter, well above what analysts had forecast and the growth rate was the highest since the company began breaking out the segment’s revenue in 2020, according to LSEG data.
“High demand for cloud and AI offerings drove a ‘meaningful acceleration’ in growth, indicating to investors that significant AI investments are paying off,” Jeff Buchbinder, chief equity strategist at LPL Financial said.
Investors think Google is scooping up a large chunk of new computing demand thanks to its AI tools for businesses and powerful custom chips. CEO Sundar Pichai said Google had started selling its AI chips, which compete with Nvidia’s semiconductors, directly to some customers.
Alphabet’s shares have surged about 24% this year, while Nvidia’s shares are up just about 7%.
Nvidia’s stock was knocked off its high after the Wall Street Journal reported last month that OpenAI had missed its goals for new users and revenue.
Valued at about $4.5 trillion as of last close, Alphabet dwarfs the combined value of Germany and Switzerland’s main stock markets. The stock last traded at around 29 times its 12-month forward earnings, above its five-year average of 22 and higher than the S&P 500’s valuation of around 21 times forward earnings. Nvidia’s stood at around 21.
Alphabet has been taking on OpenAI with a gusto that underscores Wall Street’s perception that the company is the leader in AI, with its shares having surged 65.3% in 2025.
The stock also got a boost last year after a U.S. judge ruled against breaking up the company and allowing it to retain control of its Chrome browser and Android mobile operating system.
Reporting by Shashwat Chauhan and Aditya Soni in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath
The National Museum of Bermuda (NMB) is seeking a motivated 12‑Month Museum Intern to support its education, curatorial, and community engagement initiatives. This paid internship is designed for recent university graduates who are eager to gain practical museum experience while contributing meaningfully to the Museum’s programmes and daily operations.
At NMB, we believe that history powers community. Through our collections, exhibitions, and education programmes, we connect people to Bermuda’s past and help strengthen a shared sense of place and identity.
NMB Curator Dr. Deborah Atwood, who manages the internship programme, said: “Interns are an integral part of the Museum’s team, supporting education, curatorial, and community programmes while assisting with collections management, conservation, research, and exhibition work. These talented and enthusiastic students are gaining practical experience while helping to ensure a bright future for Bermuda’s cultural heritage sector.”
Lisa Howie, Director of Learning and Engagement, added: “Our internship programme is designed to provide meaningful, practical experience across multiple museum functions. Through close mentorship with experienced museum professionals, interns develop skills in research, collections management, programme development, and project coordination—building a strong foundation for future careers in museums, education, and the wider cultural sector.”
The Education and Curatorial Intern will play an active role across education, public engagement, collections, and museum operations, supporting the planning and delivery of tours, workshops, school programmes, and community events, as well as assisting with the development of interpretive materials and educational resources for visitors of all ages. Working closely with curatorial staff, the intern will support cataloguing, documentation, and basic collections care, conduct research and image sourcing, and contribute content for exhibitions, NMB blogs, MARITimes, and other Museum publications.
The role also includes administrative and project support across departments, helping coordinate programmes and events, track project timelines, attend meetings and training sessions, and provide occasional Ticket Office assistance. Through close collaboration with staff across the Museum, the intern will contribute to ongoing initiatives and undertake duties that support both departmental priorities and the National Museum of Bermuda’s broader institutional goals.
This opportunity is open to recent graduates from a range of academic backgrounds who demonstrate strong organisational and communication skills, a keen interest in museums, heritage, and education, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively. Applicants must hold Bermudian status, be a Spouse of a Bermudian, or hold PRC status.
The U.S. military said it had destroyed six Iranian small boats, as well as cruise missiles and drones, after President Donald Trump sent the navy to escort stranded tankers through the strait
International News via Reuters:
The United Arab Emirates said it was under attack from Iranian missiles and drones on Tuesday, even as Washington said a shaky ceasefire was intact despite an exchange of fire the previous day as U.S. forces attempted to force open the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. military said it had destroyed six Iranian small boats, as well as cruise missiles and drones, after President Donald Trump sent the navy to escort stranded tankers through the strait in a campaign he called “Project Freedom”.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the operation to protect commercial ships was temporary and the four-week-old truce was not over. “We’re not looking for a fight,” he told a press conference. “Right now the ceasefire certainly holds, but we’re going to be watching very, very closely.”
Iran fired missiles at U.S. ships on Monday and attacked the UAE, a key regional ally of Washington, with missiles and drones. Shortly after Hegseth spoke on Tuesday, the UAE’s defence ministry said its air defences were again dealing with missile and drone attacks coming from Iran.
The Gulf Arab state’s foreign ministry said in a statement that the attacks were a serious escalation and posed a direct threat to the country’s security, adding that the UAE reserved its “full and legitimate right” to respond.
There was no immediate comment on that from Iran, though earlier its parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, had said breaches of the ceasefire by the U.S. and its allies endangered shipping through the strait, which carries a large share of the world’s oil and fertiliser supplies.
“We know well that the continuation of the current situation is unbearable for the United States, while we have not even begun yet,” he said in a social media post.
ATTACKS IN THE GULF
The narrow strait has been virtually shut since the United States and Israel began attacks on Iran on February 28, triggering disruptions that have pushed up commodity prices around the world.
Hegseth said the U.S. had successfully secured a path through the critical waterway and that hundreds of commercial ships were lining up to pass through.
Several merchant ships in the Gulf reported explosions or fires on Monday, and an oil port in the UAE, which hosts a large U.S. military base, was set ablaze by Iranian missiles.
Iran has effectively sealed off the strait by threatening to deploy mines, drones, missiles and fast-attack craft. The United States has countered by blockading Iranian ports and mounting escorted transits for commercial vessels.
The U.S. military said two U.S. merchant ships made it through the strait, without saying when, with the support of Navy guided-missile destroyers.
Iran denied any crossings had taken place, though shipping company Maersk said the Alliance Fairfax, a U.S.-flagged ship, exited the Gulf under U.S. military escort on Monday.
The commander of U.S. forces in the region said his fleet had destroyed six small Iranian boats, which Iran also denied. Iranian media quoted a military commander as saying U.S. forces targeted civilian and cargo vessels, killing five civilians.
Iran also said it fired warning shots at a U.S. warship approaching the strait, forcing it to turn back.
Reuters could not independently verify events in the strait as the two sides issued contradictory statements.
General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that since the ceasefire was announced on April 7, Iran had fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships.
He said Iran has attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times.
However, the attacks fell “below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point”, Caine told reporters.
UAE OIL PORT ABLAZE
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said peace talks were progressing with Pakistan’s mediation, and warned the U.S. and the UAE against being drawn into a “quagmire”. He was travelling to Beijing on Tuesday for talks with his Chinese counterpart, his ministry said.
Iranian drone and missile attacks on the UAE on Monday included one that caused a fire at Fujairah, an important oil port. Iran’s state television said military officials had confirmed they attacked the UAE on Monday in response to the “U.S. military’s adventurism”.
Iranian authorities released a map of what they said was an expanded maritime area now under Iranian control, stretching beyond the strait to include sections of the UAE coastline.
The Iranian map included Fujairah and another Emirati port, Khorfakkan, both on the Gulf of Oman which the UAE has relied on since the start of the conflict to bypass the blocked strait.
PEACE EFFORTS STALLED
The war in the Middle East has already killed thousands and roiled the global economy. U.S. and Iranian officials have held one round of face-to-face peace talks, but attempts to set up further meetings have failed.
Trump has said the U.S.-Israeli attacks aimed to eliminate what he called imminent threats from Iran, citing its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, its support for Hamas and Hezbollah and its “menacing activities”.
Iranian state media said on Sunday that the U.S. had conveyed its response to a 14-point Iranian proposal via Pakistan, and Iran was reviewing it. Neither side gave details.
A senior Pakistani official involved in the talks said “backdoor diplomacy” was continuing. “We have put in a lot of efforts, actually both the sides have narrowed gaps on a majority of the issues,” the source said.
Tehran’s proposal would defer talks on its nuclear energy and research programmes until after agreements to end the war and on shipping security. Trump said over the weekend he was still studying it, but would likely reject it.
Trump has insisted Iran must surrender its enriched uranium stockpiles to prevent it producing a nuclear weapon – an ambition Tehran denies.
Reporting by Reuters bureaux; Writing by Stephen Coates and Alex Richardson; Editing by Ros Russell and Gareth Jones
The deadline for entries into the competition is June 19
As the Bermuda End-to-End looks ahead to its landmark 40th charity event in 2027, organisers are inviting the community to play a role in this milestone celebration with the launch of the Bermuda End-to-End 40th Anniversary T-Shirt Design Competition. Open to artists, designers, students and creative individuals of all ages, the competition offers a unique opportunity to design the official commemorative event t-shirt. The winning artwork will be worn by thousands of participants and supporters, becoming part of the legacy of one of Bermuda’s most beloved charitable events.
Entrants are encouraged to create designs that reflect the spirit and story of the Bermuda End-to-End, including themes of community, endurance, and charity, as well as the journey across the island. Christen Styche, End-to-End Board Chair, said, “As we prepare to celebrate 40 years of the End-to-End, we wanted to give the community a chance to help shape this milestone moment. The event has always been driven by the people of Bermuda, and this competition is a way to celebrate that creativity, pride and shared spirit.”
Each participant may submit up to five original designs in high-resolution digital vector format suitable for t-shirt printing. All entries will be reviewed by the organisers, who will select five finalists based on creativity, originality, relevance to the event, and overall visual appeal. These final designs will then be showcased online for public voting, with the community helping to select the final winning design.
The winning designer will receive recognition across event materials and social media, as well as during the 40th Annual End-to-End event, along with a special prize.
The submission deadline for entries is June 19, 2026.
Human to human transmission is not common, and the U.N. health agency reiterated that the risk to the wider public was low from a disease typically spread from contact with infected rodents
International News via Reuters:
The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that it suspects some rare human to human transmission took place between very close contacts on board a luxury cruise ship hit by seven confirmed or suspected hantavirus cases.
Human to human transmission is not common, and the U.N. health agency reiterated that the risk to the wider public was low from a disease typically spread from contact with infected rodents.
A Dutch couple and a German national have died, while a British national was evacuated from the ship and is in intensive care in South Africa, officials said. Three more people with suspected cases are still on board the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius.
The cruise ship hit by the deadly outbreak is marooned off Cape Verde, an island nation in the Atlantic off West Africa, which has not allowed the vessel to put passengers ashore.
NO RATS ON BOARD
The WHO said it had been told there were no rats on board.
People are usually infected by hantavirus through contact with infected rodents or their urine, their droppings or their saliva.
However, a limited spread among close contacts has been observed in some previous outbreaks with the Andes strain, which spreads in South America, including Argentina, and which the WHO believes could be involved in this instance. Testing is under way.
The Hondius left Ushuaia in southern Argentina in March.
“We do believe that there may be some human to human transmission that’s happening among the really close contacts, the husband and wife, people who have shared cabins,” Maria Van Kerkhove, the director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention at the WHO, told reporters in Geneva.
“Some people on the ship were couples, they were sharing rooms so that’s quite intimate contact,” Van Kerkhove said.
INFECTED BEFORE THE TRIP?
The U.N. health body said its working assumption was that in the initial cases of the Dutch couple, who joined the ship in Argentina after travelling in the country, they were infected before joining the cruise.
Other cases may also have been infected whilst on bird-watching trips to islands where birds and rodents live as part of the cruise, it said.
Van Kerkhove said the focus now was to evacuate the two sick passengers still onboard and then for the ship to continue to the Canary Islands. The third suspected case still on board only reported a mild fever at some point.
“We have heard from quite a few people on the boat,” she said. “We just want you to know we are working with the ship’s operators. We are working with the countries where you are from. We hear you, we know that you are scared,” she said, adding they were working hard to get people home safely.
But while the WHO said the plan was for the ship to head to the Canary Islands, Spain’s health ministry said it had made no decision yet on receiving it and that this would depend on data collected from the ship. A team of epidemiologists will carry out an inspection of the vessel in the afternoon, it said.
Meanwhile, Cape Verde’s National Director of Health Angela Gomes told Rádio de Cabo Verde that they were working on plans to evacuate the two sick people, and possibly others.
VOYAGE STARTED IN SOUTHERN ARGENTINA
Around 150 people are stuck on the Hondius, which is carrying mostly British, American and Spanish passengers on a luxury cruise that set off from the southern tip of Argentina in late March. The cruise visited the Antarctic peninsula and South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha – some of the remotest islands on the planet.
The voyage was marketed as an Antarctic nature expedition, with berth prices ranging from 14,000 to 22,000 euros ($16,000 to $25,000).
The first stricken passenger, the Dutch man, died on April 11. His body remained on board until April 24, when it “was disembarked on St Helena, with his wife accompanying the repatriation”, the ship’s operator, Oceanwide Expeditions said.
His wife, who had gastrointestinal symptoms when she was disembarked, later deteriorated during a flight to Johannesburg. She died upon arrival at the emergency department on April 26, the WHO said, adding that contact tracing was under way for passengers on that flight.
South African authorities have confirmed that the British patient, who is being treated in a Johannesburg hospital, tested positive for the hantavirus. The Netherlands has confirmed the virus in the Dutch woman who died.
South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases is working to sequence the virus, with results possible by Wednesday, Van Kerkhove said. The Institut Pasteur in Senegal is supporting efforts to test and confirm the suspected cases.
The WHO estimates that there are between 10,000 and 100,000 hantavirus cases annually. Argentina continues to have the most cases in the Americas region, the WHO said in December, with a lethality rate of around 32%, higher than average and than for other strains of the virus.
Writing by Ingrid Melander; Reporting by Jennifer Rigby in London, Chandni Shah in Bengaluru and Charlotte Van Campenhout in Amsterdam; Additional reporting by David Latona, Toby Sterling, Julio Rodrigues, Emma Pinedo and Monica Naime; Editing by Nia Williams, Andrew Heavens and Alison Williams
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.
