Safely on the ground: The Gulfstream jet at L.F. Wade International Airport this afternoon. Photo: Bermuda Broadcasting
Statement from Skyport:
Skyport can confirm that a private corporate aircraft travelling from West Palm Beach, Florida, en route to Beja, Portugal, declared an emergency due to smoke in the cockpit late Friday morning. The aircraft landed safely at 11:47 am with six souls on board, including four crew members. The Bermuda Fire & Rescue Service met the aircraft upon arrival and, following inspection, escorted it to apron four where the passengers subsequently deplaned. Further assessment is currently underway by the relevant agencies, and arrangements have been made for the passengers to continue their travel on an alternate aircraft at a later time.
As a precautionary measure and in accordance with the airport’s emergency protocol, the Causeway and access to Kindley Field Road were temporarily closed. The occurrence concluded without further incident at approximately 12:20 pm.
In a previous interview, Premier and Finance Minister David Burt said a drop in the number of registered business is due to a clean-up exercise. As the latest figures come out, we take a look at the numbers…
The number of registered companies in Bermuda fell significantly last year – but it’s not due to the Corporate Income Tax, according to David Burt.
In June, the Premier and Finance Minister told us that a clean-up exercise at the Registrar of Companies had removed companies that were inoperative or in arrears. He also took issue with media reporting at the time.
The Registrar of Companies informed Bermuda Broadcasting that a total of 1,326 business entities have been struck off for 2020 through 2024 – that’s 821 Exempted companies and Limited Liability Companies, and 505 incorporated local companies and LLCs.
We take a look at the numbers – WATCH the report above.
Dutch regulator RDW approved the system in April, with Belgium and a handful of other countries following suit
International News via Reuters:
An expected European Union vote on allowing Tesla’s supervised Full Self-Driving (FSD) system across the bloc has been delayed from October, with the next apparent opportunity for a decision not before December, according to an agenda published on the EU’s website.
• Dutch regulator RDW approved the system in April, with Belgium and a handful of other countries following suit
• RDW is also proposing that the software be approved across the bloc
• Tesla said on September 1 in a post on X that an EU-wide vote could potentially happen on October 6
• However, the agenda for an October 6 meeting of the Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles (TCMV), which brings together representatives of EU member states and the European Commission, lists only a “continuation of discussions” on the Dutch request for an Article 39 authorisation, with 25 minutes allocated to the discussion
• The committee has already discussed Tesla’s request at two previous meetings. The next scheduled TCMV meeting after October is in December, making that the earliest apparent opportunity for a vote based on the current agenda
• An EU-wide rollout requires support by a “qualified majority” of 15 of the EU’s 27 member states, representing 65% of the bloc’s population
• Several EU countries, including Sweden, have expressed concerns about FSD exceeding speed limits, while countries that approved it say drivers remain responsible for complying with traffic laws
• The same committee approved Ford’s BlueCruise driver assistance system March 2024, with Germany as its sponsor
• Tesla has called FSD approval key to boosting sales in Europe, where it is seeking to regain market share amid growing competition from Chinese electric-vehicle makers
Reporting by Marie Mannes. Editing by Inti Landauro and Mark Potter
The independent review marks the second time in three years that the Civil Aviation Authority has been forced to scrutinise a major NATS systems failure
FILE PHOTO: Passengers wait for news on their flights at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5 in London, Britain, September 8, 2026. Some departing flights at major British airports were disrupted on Tuesday after air traffic control provider NATS experienced a technical issue, with Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted among the airports affected by restrictions and delays. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes/File Photo
International News via Reuters:
Britain’s aviation regulator on Friday said it will examine the causes of a software failure earlier this month at air traffic control provider NATS that stranded hundreds of thousands of passengers at airports.
“In recent weeks, passengers and airlines have been let down too many times, and I’m determined to get to the bottom of why,” Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said, adding that she expected “answers and action” as a result of the review.
• The independent review marks the second time in three years that the Civil Aviation Authority has been forced to scrutinise a major NATS systems failure
• A NATS spokesperson told Reuters it welcomed the CAA’s publication of the scope of its review and would cooperate fully with the regulator
• The CAA said its review would consider NATS’s report on the causes of the disruption, assess the impact on consumers, and identify any additional actions needed
• It will also scrutinise NATS’ plans for renewing, replacing and modernising its critical operational systems
• The regulator will also review how well previous recommendations have been implemented and lessons that could be drawn from international best practice
• Multiple European airlines cancelled flights or reported delays as a result of the technical failure on September 8. Ryanair has repeatedly called for NATS CEO Martin Rolfe to resign after the incident
• An initial report is due to the transport secretary by the end of January 2027 and a final report by March 8, 2027
Reporting by Yamini Kalia in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Anushka Chourasia in Bengaluru and William James in London; Editing by Sahal Muhammed
The Bermuda Football Association (BFA) has announced that Dudley Eve Match Day 5 has been pushed back by 24 hours to Sunday, September 27th.
The double-header was originally scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 26th, but will now be held on Sunday afternoon at Bernard Park.
The fixture revision comes following a formal request from Young Men’s Social Club, allowing their squad to attend the funeral service for the father of one of their players.
Action on Sunday will begin in Group C at 3:00 pm, with Paget Lions taking on Devonshire Colts.
That match will be followed at 5:00pm by the Group B clash between Young Men’s Social Club and X-Roads.
Brent was down $1.34, or 1.3%, at $105.26 a barrel at 1215 GMT, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was $1.83, or 1.9%, lower at $92.78 a barrel
International News via Reuters:
Oil prices fell more than 1% on Friday as markets weighed the possibility of a truce between the US and Iran against concerns that increasing attacks against Saudi Arabia by Houthi fighters could disrupt supply from the key Middle Eastern producer.
Brent was down $1.34, or 1.3%, at $105.26 a barrel at 1215 GMT, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was $1.83, or 1.9%, lower at $92.78 a barrel.
For the week so far, Brent has gained 1.5% and WTI has dropped 7.4%.
US and Iranian negotiators in New York are exploring a phased path out of war that would involve Tehran reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Washington lifting its economic blockade of Iran, sources close to the talks said this week.
On Thursday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said it was up to the US to choose when the war will end.
“At this point, neither Iran nor the US has an interest in a more intense, less controllable war,” SEB Research’s Erik Meyersson said in a note. “The next couple of days could represent a watershed moment in the Iran War.”
Since the conflict began at the end of February, around a fifth of the world’s oil and gas shipments have been curtailed.
“Diplomatic hopes are essentially helping oil prices weather the latest military strikes in the Middle East, with crude trading moderately softer despite the attacks,” said Tim Waterer, chief analyst at KCM Trade.
On Thursday, oil prices touched a one-week high, with both contracts rising as much as 5%.
The spread between Brent and WTI is the widest it has been since May at $12.83 a barrel.
Fears of a US ban on diesel exports that could flood the domestic market are largely responsible for the price bifurcation, given that the two benchmarks usually rise and fall in tandem, despite the US contract usually selling at a discount.
The wider spread signals that markets expect US refiners to process less crude if their diesel output gets stuck at home.
That may bring some immediate relief to high domestic diesel prices, which this week hit a record $6.528 a gallon and stirred a political uproar. But the bigger discount for domestic crude futures could be a double-edged omen: an indicator of higher gasoline prices to come, while in the longer term diesel prices could also begin rising again.
Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani military chiefs are to meet to discuss how to support Saudi Arabia under a joint defence pact. The Houthis have launched strikes on the Saudi-backed government in Yemen and repeatedly fired into Saudi Arabia, disrupting oil flows from the world’s largest energy exporter.
Saudi Arabia is building up crude pumping volumes through its East-West Pipeline that runs to its Red Sea export hub of Yanbu, although crude tanker loadings have yet to resume, according to industry sources, satellite imagery and shipping data.
Ship-to-ship transfers in the Gulf of Oman for Middle Eastern oil from inside the Strait of Hormuz have reached their limits after Saudi Arabia diverted exports from the Red Sea, adding to shipments from other producers, trade sources and analysts said.
Crude oil flows out of the Strait of Hormuz have reached 33.7 million barrels so far in the week starting September 20, preliminary ship-tracking data from Kpler showed on Friday, putting exports roughly on track with the previous week’s levels.
Reporting by Stephanie Kelly, Helen Clark and Sethuraman NR. Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise, Andrew Cawthorne and Mark Potter
Bermudian prospect Oliver Hayward tested himself against the world’s rising elite, finishing 53rd in the junior men’s race at the World Triathlon Championship Finals in Pontevedra, Spain.
Hayward was part of a global field of 4,650 athletes representing 62 nations across four days of competition in Galicia.
Lining up 64th on the junior start list under clear skies and warm temperatures, Hayward navigated a frantic 750-metre swim to emerge in 52nd place with a split of 9 minutes 33 seconds.
The Bermudian then clocked 28:27 over a technical 20-kilometre bike section before posting an 18:26 split on the five-kilometre run course.
Hayward crossed the finish line in an overall time of 58:17, climbing 11 spots from his initial bib seeding to claim a commendable top-60 finish on the global stage. Switzerland’s Thibault Rivier took the world title in 54:05.
Bermudian squash international Taylor Carrick has bowed out of the Men’s Open Ville de Quebec after a straight-games defeat to Australian top seed Joseph White in the second round.
Carrick, who had battled through a testing 51-minute four-game opener against France’s Clément Leperlier, was unable to derail the tournament favourite in a 33-minute contest in Quebec City.
White took control from the outset of the $9,000 PSA Challenger Tour event, dictating the tempo from the ‘T’ and capitalising on loose drives to pull away to a comfortable 11-3 opening game.
Carrick found his range in the second, engaging White in extended, physical rallies and testing the Australian’s movement into the front corners. Despite the improved display, White’s consistency in the closing points proved decisive as he edged the frame 11-7.
The Bermudian fought hard to keep the match alive in the third, but White maintained a high court pace and forced crucial errors to wrap up an 11-6 victory and seal a 3-0 sweep.
Burnley academy winger Blayz Borgesson has received his first senior international call-up for Bermuda ahead of their upcoming Concacaf Nations League campaign.
The 18-year-old steps up to John Barry Nusum’s squad for four fixtures across 11 days, having already represented his country at under-15, under-17, and under-20 levels.
“It feels amazing,” Borgesson said. “I can’t wait to try and make my friends, family, and everybody else proud.
“I’ll be playing with some professional players like Nahki Wells, who plays in League One, who can teach me and hopefully I’ll learn new stuff.”
Born in Somerset Village, Sandys Parish, Borgesson moved to Spain at age nine before relocating to England in 2023. A prolific spell with Radcliffe FC’s academy secured him a summer move to Turf Moor, where he has featured in every under-21 match this term and scored against Leeds United and Liverpool for the under-18s.
Bermuda open their campaign at home to Guadeloupe on Friday, before visiting Saint Lucia and finishing with a double-header against Barbados. Borgesson is one of five Burnley youth players away on international duty this month.
The first US pope, who has made sounding the alarm about the risks of AI a central part of his 16-month papacy, put the issue at the heart of his visit to France, the first by a pope in nearly 20 years
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron welcome Pope Leo meets during a courtesy visit at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, September 25, 2026. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/Pool
International News via Reuters:
Pope Leo urged the world to reconsider the development of artificial intelligence, opening his four-day visit to France on Friday with a fervent warning that AI could create a future where “a paradise of machines” takes control of the Earth.
The first US pope, who has made sounding the alarm about the risks of AI a central part of his 16-month papacy, put the issue at the heart of his visit to France, the first by a pope in nearly 20 years.
“If we are to avoid losing our humanity amid a ‘paradise of machines’ invading and conditioning our daily lives, there is an urgent need for education in ethical discernment,” he said, speaking under the gilded ceilings of the Elysee Palace.
The pope also strongly reiterated the Church’s pro-life teachings, criticizing initiatives to allow assisted dying for those who have incurable illnesses, two months after French politicians approved such a measure.
“I am concerned … by those trends in society that risk turning science and technology into profit-driven ventures promoting genetic manipulation, surrogacy, the trade in human organs or the possibility of arranging one’s own death,” he said.
Leo, on a whirlwind three-city visit to France, will also seek to repair the Church’s standing there after abuse scandals sparked nationwide shock, and is also expected to lay out a vision for the future of Europe in a speech on Monday.
‘MESSAGE OF PEACE’
Leo was greeted at the Paris Orly airport, under a clear blue sky, by President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte, and by children who sang for him and asked for autographs. During his visit, he will travel to the famed Catholic shrine at Lourdes, in the southwest, and to Metz, on the German border.
Leo was due to lead a prayer service in Paris on Friday at the restored Notre-Dame cathedral, in the first visit by a pope since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the Gothic masterpiece in 2019.
Telling reporters on the plane to Paris that he was coming to convey a message of peace, Leo added: “It is a message which at this time, as we all may know, is particularly important.”
People lining the streets Leo was due to pass through on his way to the Elysee held up phones and waved flags and signs.
“He brings a message of peace and hope that is very, very positive. His visit to France sends a wonderful signal to the country,” a Catholic passer-by, Antoine Barxias-Casties, said in front of Notre-Dame cathedral on the eve of Leo’s visit.
Next on Leo’s agenda on Friday is a speech to staff at the headquarters of the UN culture and education body, UNESCO, which is facing budget shortfalls after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the agency in 2025.
The first US pope attracted Trump’s ire earlier this year after criticizing the Iran war.
Asked about Trump’s attempt to bar CNN and several other outlets from the White House, Leo, aboard the plane to Paris, reaffirmed his support for freedom of the press, saying all were welcome to cover his visit.
SECULAR NATION
France, a secular nation where the separation of church and state is enshrined in a 1905 law, has witnessed a steady decline in affiliation to the Catholic Church during the post-war era, mirroring a trend in other traditionally Catholic countries.
Although the French Bishops’ Conference points to an increase in baptisms of adults, a report published by the official statistics agency INSEE showed that only 25% of French 18-to-49-year-olds identified as Catholic, compared with 43% a decade earlier.
Leo’s visit comes as Catholic leaders in France have been at odds with the government over the 2024 enshrining of a right to abortion in the French constitution, a world first, and the passage of the law legalizing assisted dying for adults with incurable illnesses.
POPE TO MEET ABUSE SURVIVORS
Local Church leaders hope the pope’s visit will repair the Church’s standing after a crushing 2021 report found that some 330,000 French children had been abused by Catholic clergy and lay leaders over seven decades.
French bishops have since introduced compensation and safeguarding measures, but survivors have continued to press Church leaders to demonstrate accountability.
“Leo bears the immense responsibility of ‘declaring enough is enough’,” Alain Esquerre, 66, a spokesperson for victims at the Notre-Dame de Bétharram Catholic institution, told Reuters.
The pope will meet seven French victims of abuse by Catholic clergy on Sunday in Lourdes.
Additional reporting by Richard Lough, Makini Brice; writing by Joshua McElwee and Ingrid Melander; editing by Alex Richardson
The IAA is part of broader EU efforts to help local industries compete with global rivals, notably China, that do not face Europe’s strict regulations and higher energy costs
FILE PHOTO: European Union flags flutter outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium April 29, 2026. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo
International News via Reuters:
Spain has proposed a three-tier system to determine which third countries qualify as “Made in EU” under the European Commission’s planned Industrial Accelerator Act, according to a document from sources at Spain’s industry secretariat.
The IAA is part of broader EU efforts to help local industries compete with global rivals, notably China, that do not face Europe’s strict regulations and higher energy costs.
The proposal would allow treatment to vary by sector, avoiding a blanket approach.
• The first layer would consist of only the bloc’s 27 member states. The second layer would include the EEA and “trusted partners” while the third would be countries with a free trade, customs or procurement agreement with the EU.
• The three-tier system would allow the Commission to act “surgically” rather than exclude “an entire country for lack of reciprocity in just one product”, the document said.
• Countries producing critical components that cannot easily be replaced in the EU could also qualify for the third tier.
• How the layers are applied could be changed over time as the EU’s own capacity grows.
• Under the proposed IAA, goods from the 27 EU member states, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway – which are part of the European Economic Area (EEA) – would qualify.
• The final list of exemptions based on trade agreements or reciprocity would not be set until after the act is agreed in 2027, leaving allies such as Britain and Japan uncertain about how their companies will be treated.
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