U.S. Ambassador to the U.K., Warren Stephens, says King Charles’ State Visit to the U.S. was a success, and that President Donald Trump has a “genuine affection” for the Royal Family
Warren Stephens, U.S. Ambassador to the U.K, has been in Bermuda for the past day and a half.
Yesterday, he met with the Premier and the Governor, and visited St. George’s where he learned about the gunpowder plot and the island’s connection with the American Revolution.
He also met with local insurers and reinsurers today to talk about the strength of the sector, and he says Bermuda helps keep the world economy running.
Mr. Stephens’ arrived a day before King Charles, who has just completed a U.S. State visit.
He spoke to Bermuda Broadcasting about the success of the King’s time in America, saying U.S. President Donald Trump has a “genuine affection” for the Royal Family.
He also said some leaked comments by his U.K. counterpart, Ambassador to the U.S. Christian Turner, were “unfortunate”.
Today marks International Jazz Day, a celebration of jazz music recognized around the world each April 30th. The initiative, supported by legendary musician Herbie Hancock, has brought countries together to honour the impact of jazz on culture and creativity.
Here in Bermuda, the day is being celebrated with a live-streamed concert, along with a local event titled “Me and My Music,” celebrating 22 of Bermuda’s greatest artists. The event gets underway at 6 p.m. at the T. N. Tatem Auditorium, hosted by Nadanja and curated by Shine Hayward.
BUEI fundraiser to feature SailGP film and next-gen panel discussion
The Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI) invites you to an action-packed evening where cutting-edge sport meets ocean innovation! BUEI has collaborated with SailGP and Endeavour to host a special fundraising event “Racing For The Future: SailGP SPEED” film screening and panel discussion at BUEI on Thursday, May 7th at 6:00pm. All proceeds will be shared equally between registered charities BUEI and Endeavour in support of each organisation’s ocean education and youth development programmes.
This one-night only event launches into action with “SPEED”, an exciting short film from SailGP, the global championship that’s redefining sailing, featuring international teams racing high-tech F50 foiling catamarans at breathtaking speeds on iconic waterfronts around the world. The exhilarating twenty-five minute documentary explores the F50 Catamaran’s evolution, a marvel of design and technology that has transformed sailing into one of the fastest and most thrilling sports on the planet. From foiling flight to data-driven performance, “SPEED” showcases how innovation is redefining what’s possible on the water.
After the film, guests can engage in a dynamic panel discussion with SailGP team members alongside local youth sailors and students participating in SailGP’s Next Gen Challenge, delivered in partnership with Endeavour. The Next Gen Challenge engages approximately 1,800 local students aged 11–14 from 15 schools across Bermuda and pairs them with SailGP’s international teams during the Apex Group Bermuda SailGP Grand Prix. Through hands-on, team-based learning, students are challenged to design and build model F50 catamarans using repurposed materials, applying principles of sustainability, engineering, and innovation.
Panelists will share insights into high-performance racing, ocean health and community impact. The interactive discussion, including a Q&A session with the audience, will highlight how youth in Bermuda are helping to shape the future of sailing and impact the wider marine industry.
A suggested minimum donation of $40 per person secures your seat and funds vital youth education and ocean programmes delivered by BUEI and supports youth scholarships for Endeavour graduates at local sailing clubs. Your support is empowering and inspiring future generations of ocean advocates, leaders and changemakers.
Space is limited and seats are going fast! Visit www.BUEI.org/events or visit BUEI’s Oceans Gift Shop to confirm your attendance at this very special event!
Guests can also enjoy 15% off an early dinner at the award-winning Harbourfront Restaurant when you dine before the event! Reservations are required. Please call 295- 4207 to book.
City Hall to host health fair and EV showcase on May 4
Bermuda Electric Light Company Limited (BELCO or the Company) today announced a partnership with the City of Hamilton to Celebrate Health and Safety Day.
The 2026 Occupational Health and Safety Day theme is ‘Building Safety into What We Do’, and an event will be held on May 4th between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm at City Hall, Hamilton.
Between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM there will be a Health Fair on the front steps and lawn of City Hall. There will also be an Electric Vehicle (EV) Car Show located at Nellie’s Walk, also at City Hall.
At 3:00 PM there will be a Fire Marshall Public Awareness Training course that will be held at BELCO headquarters at 27 Serpentine Road, Pembroke. The deadline for registration for the course is May 1 and registration can be completed online at www.belco.bm.
BELCO President Wayne Caines said: “Every year our team at BELCO participates in Health and Safety Day and we are thrilled this year to partner with the Corporation of Hamilton to provide several exciting events and important information and training for the public. We will have something for everybody including an Electric Vehicle (EV) car show so that members of the public can learn more about the benefits of EVs, as well as a health fair to offer free testing, advice and information to improve personal health. We will also host a Fire Marshall Public Awareness Training course at the BELCO campus which can benefit every business in Bermuda. All these initiatives are geared towards Building Safety Into What We Do, and I look forward to welcoming the public at City Hall and building a safer, healthier Bermuda.”
BELCO Director, Operational Support Services, Mark Pacheco said: “Health and Safety is at the core of everything we do at BELCO. We have a dedicated OHSE team at BELCO that are happy to share their knowledge and expertise with members of the public who may benefit from training for any potential safety issues they may face, such as fire. I encourage members of the public to attend and participate in Health and Safety Day to gain valuable experience in keeping themselves, their family and the community healthy and safe.”
CEO & City Secretary Dwayne Caines said: “The City is pleased to partner with BELCO in support of Health and Safety Day 2026 and this year’s important theme, Building Safety into What We Do. Creating a culture of health and safety is not limited to one organisation; it is a shared responsibility that strengthens workplaces, public spaces, and communities alike. Having hosted staff wellness fairs in recent years, we recognise the positive impact these initiatives can have in encouraging healthier choices and greater awareness. We are proud to support BELCO’s leadership in this space by making City Hall available as a central gathering place for education, engagement, and community connection.”
Apple said sales and profits were $111.18 billion and $2.01 per share for the fiscal second quarter ended March 28, above analyst expectations of $109.66 billion and $1.95 per share, according to LSEG
International News via Reuters:
Apple on Thursday reported results that beat Wall Street estimates, with customers showing eagerness to buy a new MacBook model driven by incoming CEO John Ternus, while supply constraints hindered iPhone sales.
Apple said sales and profits were $111.18 billion and $2.01 per share for the fiscal second quarter ended March 28, above analyst expectations of $109.66 billion and $1.95 per share, according to LSEG.
Sales of the iPhone, still the company’s best-selling product nearly 20 years after its introduction, were $56.99 billion, slightly less than estimates of $57.21 billion, according to LSEG data, after the biggest revamp of the lineup since the iPhone X in 2017.
Apple shares were down about 1% in after-hours trading.
‘LESS FLEXIBILITY’ IN SUPPLY CHAIN
Apple CEO Tim Cook said iPhone sales were held back in the quarter by supply constraints for the advanced processor chips that form the brains of the device. The iPhone 17 family’s chips are made on a variant of the same Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co chip manufacturing technology as many leading AI chips.
“The demand was off the charts. And there’s just a little less flexibility in the supply chain at the moment for getting more parts,” Cook told Reuters.
The iPhone 17 family of devices, plus the iPhone Air, was spearheaded by incoming CEO Ternus, who will take over from Cook in September. Under Ternus, Pro models gained more features but also a higher price tag, while entry-level models such as the 17e and base model iPhone 17 held prices steady relative to their storage capacity.
That strategy, along with massive buying power, has helped Apple navigate higher memory chip prices. Apple said gross margins were 49.27%, above estimates of 48.38%, according to LSEG data.
Another product masterminded by Ternus was the MacBook Neo, which costs $500 for students. Analysts believe it could help Apple crack a new $20 billion market for lower-priced laptops now dominated by Google Chromebooks. Apple said Mac sales, which included several weeks of Neo sales, were $8.4 billion, compared with estimates of $8.02 billion.
Apple will hold a conference call at 5 p.m. ET (2100 GMT) during which analysts expect Ternus to make remarks. Investors are waiting to hear more about Apple’s plans for Siri, its voice assistant that it plans to improve with Google technology.
Ben Bajarin, CEO of technology consulting firm Creative Strategies, said investors are likely waiting to hear from Apple executives about whether some iPhone customers made purchases earlier than they otherwise would have due to economic conditions and how memory supplies look for the rest of the year.
Apple holds its annual software developer conference in June, where it is expected to reveal more details about its AI plans.
While Apple is not spending tens of billions of dollars per quarter on AI like its rivals, its research and development costs were up 33.5% to $11.42 billion in the fiscal second quarter.
“We are investing a lot. We see it as a huge opportunity, both for consumer and for business,” Cook told Reuters. “We’re all in, and personalized Siri is on schedule for this year.”
SERVICES STAY ROBUST
Apple’s services business, which includes revenue from its App Store, which has been under regulatory scrutiny in Europe and elsewhere, generated $30.98 billion in revenue for the fiscal second quarter, above analyst estimates of $30.39 billion.
Sales of iPads were $6.91 billion, compared with estimates of $6.66 billion, and wearables, which include the Apple Watch, accounted for $7.9 billion in revenue, compared with expectations of $7.7 billion, according to LSEG data.
Apple’s greater China sales were $20.5 billion, beating analyst estimates of $19.45 billion, according to Visible Alpha data.
Apple updated its capital return program, saying its board has authorized an additional $100 billion in buybacks, the same as a year ago.
Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco and Juby Babu in Mexico City Editing by Rod Nickel
The increase to the second-highest threat level out of five means a terrorist attack within the next six months is highly likely, following Wednesday’s stabbing of two Jewish men in the Golders Green area
International News via Reuters:
Britain raised its national terrorism threat level to “severe” from “substantial” on Thursday, a day after an antisemitic stabbing attack in north London, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Jewish people were living in fear and vowed stronger action to protect them.
The increase to the second-highest threat level out of five means a terrorist attack within the next six months is highly likely, following Wednesday’s stabbing of two Jewish men in the Golders Green area, the government said. It was decided independently by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre.
Britain last faced such a threat level in November 2021, after the Liverpool Women’s Hospital bombing and the killing of lawmaker David Amess, before it was lowered to “substantial” in early 2022.
Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood said the assessment reflected the latest intelligence and a longer-term rise in extremist threats, and was not made solely in response to the Golders Green attack.
Officials said the classification came against a spate of recent attacks in London and mounting security concerns linked to foreign states which they said had helped fuel violence, including against the Jewish community.
The head of counter-terrorism policing, Laurence Taylor, said Britain had been experiencing a growing terrorist threat for some time, with risks coming from multiple directions.
“We are seeing an elevated threat to Jewish and Israeli individuals and institutions in the UK,” he said in a statement, adding that police were also working “against an unpredictable global situation that has consequences closer to home, including physical threats by state-linked actors.”
‘PEOPLE ARE SCARED’
Starmer, who has faced severe criticism from some in the Jewish community for the government’s response, promised more police in Jewish areas, a crackdown on those spreading antisemitism, and new legislation to deal with state-sponsored threats from the likes of Iran.
“People are scared, scared to show who they are in their community, scared to go to synagogue and practise their religion, scared to go to university as a Jew, to send their children to school as a Jew, to tell their colleagues that they are Jewish,” Starmer said in a televised statement.
He had earlier been jeered and heckled by a small crowd waving banners reading “Keir Starmer Jew Harmer” when he visited Golders Green, where the latest attack took place.
The suspect in the attack, a 45-year-old British national who was born in Somalia, had a history of serious violence and mental health issues, police said.
They confirmed he had previously been referred to the counter-radicalisation scheme Prevent in 2020, while local media reported he had served time in prison for an incident in 2008 when he stabbed an officer and a police dog.
STRONGER POWERS NEEDED, STARMER SAYS
Amid widespread calls for more protection for Britain’s small community of about 290,000 Jews, Starmer said the government would do “everything in our power to stamp this hatred out.”
This included stronger powers to shut down charities promoting extremism and a clampdown on “hate preachers,” he said.
The government also said it would fast-track legislation allowing the prosecution of people acting as proxies of a state-sponsored group, so they can be dealt with in the same way as spies for foreign intelligence services.
“We need stronger powers to tackle the malign threat posed by states like Iran, because we know for a fact that they want to harm British Jews,” Starmer said.
A pro-Iranian government group has claimed responsibility for some recent attacks while last month, two men were charged under Britain’s existing National Security Act with being tasked by Iran to carry out hostile surveillance.
Tehran has rejected such accusations.
PROTESTS CAUSE ANGER AMONG JEWISH COMMUNITY
Pro-Palestinian marches, which have become commonplace since the October 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel that triggered the Gaza war, have also fuelled anger within the Jewish community. Critics say the demonstrations have generated hostility and become a focus for antisemitism.
“If you stand alongside people who say ‘Globalise the Intifada’ you are calling for terrorism against Jews, and people who use that phrase should be prosecuted,” Starmer said.
“It is racism, extreme racism, and it has left a minority community in this country, scared, intimidated, wondering if they belong.”
The recent incidents in London are part of a rising number of antisemitic attacks.
Last October, two people were killed after an attack at a synagogue in the northern English city of Manchester. A week later, two men went on trial over a plot to kill hundreds in an Islamic State-inspired gun rampage against the Jewish community.
They were found guilty in December, just over a week after a mass shooting at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration on Australia’s Bondi Beach.
Britain’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, Jonathan Hall, told the BBC the British attacks had become “the biggest national security emergency” since 2017, when there was a string of high-profile attacks.
($1 = 0.7429 pounds)
Reporting by Sam Tabahriti and Muvija M, writing by Sam Tobin, Michael Holden and Sam Tabahriti; Editing by Aidan Lewis, Andrew Heavens, Bernadette Baum, Rod Nickel
Approximately 612,000 businesses reported at least one cyber breach or attack in 2025/26, the government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey found
International News via Reuters:
More than two-fifths of British businesses suffered a cyber breach or attack in the past 12 months, the same figure as for the previous year, according to a government survey published on Thursday.
Approximately 612,000 businesses reported at least one cyber breach or attack in 2025/26, the government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey found.
• 43% of businesses reported a breach or attack in 2025/26, with the most common breach or attack being phishing attacks, suffered by 38% – both the same figures as for 2024/25
• There has been a decrease in prevalence among businesses since 2023/24, when 50% experienced a breach or attack
• Britain’s minister for cyber security urged business leaders to take action now, especially as AI is making the threat more acute.
• The head of Britain’s cyber security agency warned last week of a potential rise in cyber attacks linked to hostile states. Ministers have also sent an open letter to business warning about AI-related cyber threats.
Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Kirsten Donovan
Iraq’s alliance of Shi’ite political blocs, the Coordination Framework, on Monday named Zaidi as its nominee for the post of prime minister, a coalition statement said
International News via Reuters:
U.S. President Donald Trump congratulated Ali al-Zaidi on his nomination to be next prime minister of Iraq on Thursday, saying that he looked forward to a highly productive new relationship.
Iraq’s alliance of Shi’ite political blocs, the Coordination Framework, on Monday named Zaidi as its nominee for the post of prime minister, a coalition statement said.
“We wish him success as he works to form a new Government free from terrorism that could deliver a brighter future for Iraq,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
“We look forward to a strong, vibrant, and highly productive new relationship between Iraq and the United States.”
Trump had threatened in January to withdraw Washington’s support for Iraq if former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was designated to form a cabinet.
Reporting by David Ljunggren, Editing by Christian Martinez and Doina Chiacu
Looking for something to do this weekend? There are plenty of activities happening across the island – from entertainment to community outings, there’s something for everyone.
The judge said an investigation of Christopher Okello Onyum’s phone and laptop had found searches including “schools near me” and “ISIS beheading”, a reference to the Islamic State group
International News via Reuters:
A Ugandan court sentenced a man to death on Thursday for killing four young children this month at a nursery school, in an attack that sparked public outrage and concern for pupils’ safety in the East African country.
The judge said an investigation of Christopher Okello Onyum’s phone and laptop had found searches including “schools near me” and “ISIS beheading”, a reference to the Islamic State group.
In the attack, which took place on April 2 at a nursery school in the capital Kampala, 39-year-old Onyum stabbed his four victims – toddlers aged two and three years old – before a guard subdued him, police said.
Angry parents tried to lynch him before he was detained.
Onyum had pleaded not guilty to murder, and one of his lawyers had argued that he should be acquitted because he had long been mentally unstable and had been committed to a psychiatric hospital.
“I have no doubt in my mind that the search for ‘ISIS beheading’ prepared the accused person to launch this fatal attack,” Judge Alice Komuhangi Khaukha said while delivering the sentence.
She rejected his lawyer’s assertion that Onyum was insane, saying that his attack, which took less than seven minutes, had been carefully planned.
Onyum was seen laughing in the dock during his trial, which his lawyer said showed he was mentally ill.
Although Uganda still hands down the death penalty for serious offences such as murder, the last execution was carried out roughly two decades ago.
Reporting by Vincent Mumo Nzilani and Elias Biryabarema;Editing by Alexander Winning and Gareth Jones
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