“They made a proposal, and it’s a significant proposal. It’s a significant step. It’s not good enough,” Trump said of Iran
International News via Reuters:
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday the Tuesday deadline he has set for Iran to make a deal is final, adding that Iran’s proposal was significant but not good enough.
“They made a proposal, and it’s a significant proposal. It’s a significant step. It’s not good enough,” Trump said of Iran.
“It could end very quickly, the war, if they do what they have to do. They have to do certain things. They know that, they’ve been negotiating I think in good faith,” he said while at an annual White House Easter event.
Reporting by Nandita Bose, Susan Heavey and Bhargav AcharyaEditing by David Ljunggren and Michelle Nichols
Dennis Mbelenzi and Estienne Coetzee produced masterclasses in distance running to claim the men’s and women’s titles at a sun-drenched Ed Sherlock 8K.
In a race honoring one of Bermuda’s true sporting icons, Mbelenzi proved he was in a league of his own from the starting gun. Establishing a punishing rhythm that decimated the chasing pack, he crossed the finish line in a clinical 26:44. His dominance was reflected in a massive winning margin of over two minutes, leaving the rest of the field fighting for the remaining podium spots.
Shannon Lawrence showed immense grit to secure second place in 29:07, followed closely by Peter Christopher, who rounded out the top three in 29:50.
The women’s race was defined by the relentless pace of Estienne Coetzee, who not only secured the female crown but forced her way into the elite bracket of the overall standings. Coetzee finished an incredible 11th overall in 31:57, fending off a spirited challenge from Stepanka Sprincova, who took silver just 21 seconds later. Nina Coetzer completed the female podium, finishing 18th overall in 33:24.
As the road racing season intensifies, both champions have set a formidable benchmark, carrying “engine-room” form into the upcoming spring meets and further cementing their status at the summit of the local middle-distance scene.
The Dandy Town Hornets are the Bermuda Premier Division champions after a dramatic final day saw them come from behind to secure the title with a 2-1 victory over St. George’s Colts.
Knowing only a win at Wellington Oval would guarantee the silverware, the Hornets suffered an early shock when St. George’s player-coach Drewonde Bascome opened the scoring in the 18th minute. However, the leaders responded with the poise of champions; Nizigh Spence equalized just sixty seconds later to settle the nerves.
The decisive blow was struck in the 63rd minute by the league’s top scorer, David Jones, who clinicaly found the bottom corner. The Hornets navigated a frantic final half-hour to spark jubilant celebrations, confirming their status as the island’s best.
The Devonshire Colts did everything possible to snatch the trophy at the eleventh hour, dismantling Young Men’s Social Club 4-2. Elisha Darrell set the tone with an early brace, and while Zeiko Lewis netted twice for Social Club, the Colts’ clinical finishing ensured they finished the campaign as gallant runners-up.
Elsewhere, the PHC Zebras clung to third place despite a shock 1-0 defeat to the relegated Boulevard Blazers, while North Village Rams and Paget Lions shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw to bring the curtain down on a memorable season of Bermudian top-flight football.
Bermuda’s senior girls’ relay team delivered a masterclass at the XXXIX Carifta Aquatics Championships, securing the island’s first gold medal of the 2026 meet on a scintillating second night of finals.
The quartet of Violet Smith, Teagan Mewett, Marleigh Howes, and Katherine Wheddon brought the Pierre Samot Community Aquatic Centre to fever pitch. In a display defined by clinical transitions, the Gombey Warriors stopped the clock in 4:33.17 to claim the 15-17 Girls 400m Medley Relay title, surging ahead of their regional rivals to take the top step of the podium.
While relay gold was the highlight, several Bermudian individual finalists found themselves agonizingly close to the medals. Dominic Wright (13-14 Boys 200m Freestyle) and Katherine Wheddon (15-17 Girls 200m Freestyle) both battled to fourth-place finishes.
The backstroke events followed a similar pattern of near-misses. Rory Shepherd claimed fourth in the 13-14 Boys 100m in 1:04.52, while Connor Hupman produced a standout sub-minute swim of 59.29 to take fourth in the 15-17 Boys final.
In the grueling 400m Individual Medley, Teagan Mewett backed up her relay heroics with a fifth-place finish. Despite the narrow individual misses, the historic relay triumph ensures Bermuda heads into day three with immense momentum and their first championship title safely secured.
The Head of the Public Service, Cherie Whitter, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Mandellas Lightbourne as the Director of Libraries and Archives.
In this capacity, Mr. Lightbourne will work under the policy direction of the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of the Cabinet Office and Digital Innovation, providing strategic leadership and guidance for the Department of Libraries and Archives.
Mandellas Lightbourne is a dedicated public servant with over 25 years of experience in the Government of Bermuda. He began his career as an educator at the middle and senior school levels before transitioning into information management in 2008 through the Government’s Professional and Technical Trainee Scheme, where he served as a Trainee Appraisal Archivist. He was subsequently appointed Appraisal Archivist in 2012.
In 2018, following the merger of the Bermuda National Library and Bermuda Archives, Mr. Lightbourne was appointed Archivist of the Bermuda Archives. He later transferred to the role of Archivist Records Manager in 2023 and has recently served as Acting Director for the Department of Libraries and Archives.
Mr. Lightbourne holds a Bachelor of Science with honours in English Literature and History Education from Alabama A&M University, and a Masters with distinction in Archives and Records Management from University College London (UCL). He is also a member of the 2023 cohort of the Government of Bermuda’s Leadership Development Programme.
His professional expertise includes archival appraisal and records preservation. He maintains a strong interest in 19th and 20th-century history and art, particularly in how primary historical records and literary material impact and shape contemporary society; as well as how art is interpreted and appreciated in public spaces.
Bermuda’s medal tally at the 53rd Carifta Games has doubled following a heroic silver-medal performance by Sanchez Smith and another record-breaking sprint from Miles Outerbridge.
In the grueling Under-17 Boys 3000m final, Sanchez Smith produced a tactical masterclass at the Kirani James Athletic Stadium. Tucked within the leading pack for much of the contest, Smith found an extra gear as the bell rang for the final lap, surging ahead of his rivals to claim a magnificent silver in 9:22.24.
The evening’s momentum continued as Miles Outerbridge once again rewrote the history books. Fresh from his 100m gold, Outerbridge shattered a national junior record that had stood for nearly half a century. Competing in the Under-20 200m heats, the 18-year-old clocked a sensational 20.54 seconds, toppling the 20.91 mark set by Vaughn Harvey back in 1977.
Outerbridge heads into the 200m final as the second-fastest qualifier, firmly positioned as a dual-gold threat. With Smith’s silver and Outerbridge’s relentless form, Bermuda’s track contingent heads into the final stages with massive momentum.
LaunchPad will introduce young learners to STEAM and Bermuda’s environment through five weeks of fun educational hands-on activities
Media release issued by the Bermuda College.
A summer programme for young children is set to be launched at Bermuda College, with sessions designed around Bermuda and its environment.
LaunchPad, the Summer STEAM programme, from June 29 to July 29, will aim to engage young students with science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics through activities focused on the island’s land, sea and community.
Designed for children aged 8 to 12, LaunchPad is organised into five subject-based sessions: science (June 29 to July 3), technology (July 6 to 10), engineering (July 13 to 17), arts (July 20 to 24), and mathematics (July 27 to 29).
Each session features innovative projects, creative challenges and educational activities designed to strengthen STEAM fundamentals while encouraging inquiry, collaboration and creativity among participants.
Programme staff will facilitate lessons and guide the children through hands-on discoveries. Weekly lab experiences and field trips will extend learning beyond the classroom into environmental settings.
It is hoped that more STEAM-related courses and programmes could follow as LaunchPad develops.
Cree Watson, LaunchPad coordinator, said: “This is designed to give children an early introduction to Bermuda College through hands-on learning, while helping them explore Bermuda and its environment in practical and engaging ways.”
Ms Watson added: “Each week will bring a different STEAM focus, but the wider aim is to encourage curiosity, creativity and confidence through activities that connect learning to the world around them.”
An open house will be held during the final week of camp, when participants will showcase their summer experience. Daily programme hours will run from 8.30am to 4pm, with aftercare available from 4pm to 5.30pm.
Dr David Sam, President of Bermuda College, said: “As Bermuda’s community college, we want to support learning at every stage of life and help people see education as something that can begin early and continue throughout adulthood.”
Dr Sam added: “The programme’s tagline of ‘Fuelling Imagination. Sparking futures. Powered by Bermuda College,’ says it all.”
Further information is available by emailing launchpad@college.bm or visiting the Bermuda College website, www.college.bm.
The Artemis II crew, flying in their Orion capsule since launching from Florida last week, are due to awake around 10:50 a.m. ET Monday for their sixth flight day
NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman peers out of one of the Orion spacecraft’s main cabin windows, looking back at Earth, as the crew travels towards the Moon April 2, 2024. NASA/Handout via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY.
International News via Reuters:
The four astronauts of NASA’s Artemis II mission entered the moon’s gravitational sphere of influence early Monday morning as they cruised along a path that will soon take them over the shadowed, lunar far side to become the farthest-flying humans in history.
The Artemis II crew, flying in their Orion capsule since launching from Florida last week, are due to awake around 10:50 a.m. ET Monday for their sixth flight day. By 7:05 p.m., they will reach the mission’s maximum distance from Earth of roughly 252,757 miles, 4,102 miles beyond the record held by the Apollo 13 crew for 56 years.
As NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen approach the distance record, they will be sailing around the moon’s far side, witnessing it from roughly 4,000 miles above its darkened surface as it eclipses a basketball-sized Earth in the distant background.
The milestone is a climactic point in the nearly 10-day Artemis II mission, the first crewed test flight of NASA’s Artemis program. The multibillion-dollar series of missions aims to return astronauts to the moon’s surface by 2028 before China and establish a long-term U.S. presence there over the next decade, building a moon base that would serve as a proving ground for potential future missions to Mars.
Officially starting at 2:34 p.m. ET, the lunar flyby will plunge the crew into darkness and brief communications blackouts as the moon blocks them from NASA’s Deep Space Network, a global array of massive radio communications antennas the agency has been using to talk to the crew.
The flyby will last about six hours, during which the astronauts will use professional cameras to take detailed photos through Orion’s window of the silhouetted moon, showing a rare and scientifically valuable vantage point of sunlight filtering around its edges in what will effectively be a lunar eclipse.
They will also have the chance to photograph a rare moment in which their home planet, dwarfed by their record-breaking distance in space, will rise from the lunar horizon as their capsule emerges from the other side, a celestial remix of a moonrise seen from Earth.
A team of dozens of lunar scientists positioned in the Science Evaluation Room at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston will be taking notes as the astronauts, who studied an array of lunar phenomena as part of mission training, describe their view in real time.
Reporting by Joey Roulette; Editing by Don Durfee and Aurora Ellis
Sanchez has emerged as one of the most vocal Western leaders criticising what he calls an illegal and reckless war, closing Spanish airspace to U.S. planes involved in the strikes
International News via Reuters:
Spain’s ruling Socialist Party has gained voter support amid Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s staunch opposition to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, while far-right Vox, which supports the offensive, has seen a decline, two surveys published on Monday showed.
Sanchez has emerged as one of the most vocal Western leaders criticising what he calls an illegal and reckless war, closing Spanish airspace to U.S. planes involved in the strikes and banning them from using jointly operated military bases in southern Spain.
Vox – closely allied with U.S. President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement – has harshly criticised Sanchez’s stance.
A survey by state pollster CIS showed last month that 85% of respondents rejected the war.
Monday’s new poll by Sigma Dos for newspaper El Mundo showed support for Sanchez’s Socialists rising to 27.7% from 26.4% last month, reducing the lead of the conservative People’s Party (PP). Another survey, by 40dB for El Pais, put them at 28.6%, up from 27.7%.
Meanwhile, Vox dropped to 17.1% in April from 18.3% according to Sigma Dos, and slipped by 0.1 percentage point to 18.7% in the 40dB survey.
The PP topped both polls, securing 32.5% and 31.1% of voting intentions, respectively, up by less than one percentage point in both polls. The party accuses Sanchez of damaging transatlantic relations and has refrained from publicly denouncing Trump and Israel, though its leader has also echoed the “no to war” slogan.
A common trend is the transfer of voting intention from the extremes of the spectrum to the two mainstream outfits. The PP appears to be stemming the flow of votes to Vox and the Socialists are picking up former voters of its hard-left junior coalition partner Sumar, the polls showed.
A fragmented electorate still means coalitions are required to secure a government and both polls point to a right-wing majority if elections were held now.
The next general election is due in August 2027.
The surveys each polled some 2,000 people and had margins of error of 2.2%.
Reporting by David Latona; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Susan Fenton
OBA candidate Maurice Foley calls on island to link space industry access with jobs, education and innovation
Written by Maurice Foley, OBA Candidate for Constituency 3
Recently, I stood at the NASA tracking facility on Cooper’s Island, in St. David’s, and watched history unfold, and I have to say, it leaves you thinking a little differently about Bermuda.
As the Artemis mission lifted off, marking humanity’s return to the Moon, you could feel the magnitude of the moment, not just in the roar of the rocket, but in what it represents, ambition, innovation, and a commitment to shaping the future. But what struck me most was not just what was happening thousands of miles away in the sky, it was what was happening right here in Bermuda.
For decades, Bermuda has quietly played a role in global space missions, and yet we rarely talk about it. From the earliest days of space exploration to modern launches, our geographic position has made us a critical point in tracking and communications, meaning that while the world looks up at the stars, Bermuda has been part of the infrastructure that helps make those journeys possible.
And standing there, as a Bermudian, I felt proud, genuinely proud, because this is a reminder that our island, so often described as small, has consistently contributed to some of the most significant achievements in human history. But at the same time, as someone in public service, I left with a different feeling, concern, because the real question is not whether Bermuda has a role in these global industries, the question is whether Bermudians are benefiting from it.
Are we positioning our young people to enter fields like aerospace, engineering, data science, and advanced communications? Are we building partnerships that turn proximity into participation? Are we thinking strategically about Bermuda’s place in an increasingly technology-driven global economy, or are we simply allowing these opportunities to exist around us, without ever fully connecting our people to them?
This is where leadership matters, and from my perspective, this is not just about inspiration, it is about execution. We have to move beyond acknowledging Bermuda’s geographic advantage and start building a national strategy around it, aligning education with future industries, investing in STEM pathways, and creating structured partnerships with global institutions that are already operating within our reach, while ensuring that Bermudians are not on the outside looking in when these opportunities arise.
Too often, we speak about diversification, but we fail to connect it to real, tangible sectors where Bermuda already has a foothold. Aerospace, satellite communications, and digital infrastructure are not abstract concepts, they are present, active, and evolving industries that intersect with Bermuda today, and the policy conversation must now catch up with that reality.
So, what does that actually look like? What would it look like to create a pipeline from our schools into aerospace and technology careers? What incentives can we introduce to attract and anchor more of these partnerships in Bermuda? And how do we ensure that any expansion in these sectors includes clear pathways for Bermudians to participate and lead? These are not long-term questions, they are immediate ones, because being in the right place geographically is no longer enough.
We have to be intentional. We have to be strategic, and we have to be prepared.
Standing on Cooper’s Island, watching that rocket rise into the night sky, one thought stayed with me, if Bermuda can play a role in reaching the Moon, surely we can do more to reach our own potential here at home.
The opportunity is there, now the responsibility is ours to act.
Bermuda’s role in the future is not a question of geography; it is a question of whether we choose to act.
I also extend my thanks to the US Consul General Antoinette Hurtado, along with NASA, for the opportunity to witness this moment, and for their continued engagement with Bermuda; partnerships that highlight what is possible when we connect locally to global opportunity.
Maurice Foley is a former OBA Senator who ran in the 2025 General Election in Constituency 3, St. David’s.
Minister visits Heritage Wharf, Nelson Bascome Centre for Substance Abuse Treatment, and the Somerset Police Station
The Government of Bermuda issued the following media release.
The Minister of National Security, the Hon. Michael Weeks, JP, MP, visited three facilities in Bermuda’s west end last Wednesday to meet with staff, observe operations, and gain a first-hand look at the work being carried out across key services under the Ministry’s remit.
Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of National Security, Lt. Col. Edward Lamb, the Minister toured the Department of Customs cruise port screening facility at Heritage Wharf in Dockyard, the Nelson Bascome Centre for Substance Abuse Treatment, and the Somerset Police Station.
The visits provided an opportunity for the Minister to speak directly with officers and staff, learn more about their day-to-day responsibilities, and see how their work supports Bermuda’s safety, security and wellbeing.
At Heritage Wharf, the Minister met with Customs officers as they carried out screening operations at the start of Bermuda’s cruise ship season. The facility plays an important role in monitoring arriving passengers and helping to prevent contraband and other prohibited items from entering the island.
Minister Weeks said, “It was important for me to visit Heritage Wharf and see this operation up close, especially as the cruise ship season gets underway.
“Customs officers perform a vital role in protecting Bermuda’s borders, and I wanted the opportunity to hear directly from them about their work and what the job demands each day.”
He added, “There is real value in being on site, speaking with officers, and seeing these operations in person. It helps to keep the focus on the people doing the work and the responsibilities they carry on behalf of the Island.”
The Minister also visited the Nelson Bascome Centre in Sandys, where he met with staff and learned more about the facility’s current operations and the support it continues to provide to individuals receiving treatment for substance abuse.
The Minister commented, “The Nelson Bascome Centre continues to play an important role in helping individuals address substance abuse and move forward with the support they need. I was pleased to visit the facility, meet with staff, and see first-hand the work that continues to be carried out there.”
The final stop on the tour was the Somerset Police Station, where the Minister and Permanent Secretary met with officers serving the west end and observed their daily operations.
Minister Weeks stated, “Our police officers continue to carry out demanding work in communities across Bermuda, and this visit was another useful opportunity to see that work and speak directly with those serving in the west end.
“Whether it is border security, treatment services or policing, these teams carry out work that makes a positive contribution to Bermuda’s wellbeing every day.”
In a social media message, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent drew on the symbolism of Easter, the day Jesus was resurrected from the dead
President Donald Trump arrives from the Blue Room to speak about the Iran war from the Cross Hall of the White House on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Washington. Alex Brandon/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
International News via Reuters:
President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials cast the rescue of a U.S. airman in Iran as an “Easter miracle” on Sunday, framing the operation in religious terms that portrayed the war as a just cause and divinely blessed.
In the past, administrations typically issued postcard-style Easter greetings, and critics said officials’ messages this time had blurred the line between faith and policy by invoking religion to justify the war and shape the military’s conduct.
“The rescue was an Easter Miracle,” Trump told NBC’s “Meet the Press,” and some cabinet members followed with messages of their own.
In a separate message that invoked religion in another way, Trump threatened on social media to strike power plants and bridges, urged Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz, “you crazy bastards” or face “living in Hell,” and signed off with the phrase “Praise be to Allah.”
In a social media message, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent drew on the symbolism of Easter, the day Jesus was resurrected from the dead.
“The Easter miracle is considered the greatest victory in history,” Bessent said on X. “And so, it (is) fitting on this holiest of Christian days that a brave American warrior was rescued from behind enemy lines in one of the greatest search and rescue missions in military history.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote “God is good” on his private account on X on Sunday, reposting a social media post by Trump about the success of the rescue mission in Iran.
Axios, citing an interview with the Republican Trump and an unnamed U.S. defense official, reported that was the phrase uttered by the rescued officer over the radio after he ejected from his aircraft.
FAITH AND POLICY LINKS DRAW CRITICISM
Trump said at his inauguration in 2025 that God enabled him to survive an assassination attempt during the 2024 election campaign. “I felt then and believe even more so now that my life was saved for a reason. I was saved by God to make America great again,” he said then.
But his blending of religious references with threats of military action drew some criticism on Sunday.
Republican former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, writing on X, accused Trump of betraying Christian values. She said Christians in the administration should be “pursuing peace” rather than “escalating war” and argued that Jesus’ teachings emphasized forgiveness and love, including toward enemies.
The Council on American‑Islamic Relations also condemned Trump’s language, saying in a statement that his “mocking of Islam and his threats to attack civilian infrastructure” were reckless and dangerous.
CAIR said the casual use of “Praise be to Allah” in the context of violent threats reflected a willingness to weaponize religious language while showing contempt for Muslims and their beliefs.
Last month, a group of 30 Democratic U.S. lawmakers asked Defense Department Inspector General Platte Moring to investigate reports that some within the U.S. military had sought to justify the war in Iran by invoking “biblical end-time prophecies.”
“At a time when billions of dollars and untold numbers of lives hang in the balance while the Trump administration wages a war of choice in Iran, the imperative of maintaining strict separation of church and state and protecting the religious freedom of our troops is especially critical,” the letter to the inspector general said.
“We must ensure that military operations are guided by facts and the law, not end-times prophecy and extreme religious beliefs,” the letter said.
Iran, whose political system is based on the Shia Islamic belief that religious authority derives from the line of imams descended from the Prophet Mohammad, routinely portrays the United States as “the Great Satan” and uses religious language in military propaganda, describing fallen fighters as martyrs.
Reporting by Maria Tsvetkova; Editing by Howard Goller
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