Micah Franklin and Melina Turk have solidified their status as the island’s premier squash talents, securing the 2026 GNOSIS Bermuda National Squash Championships titles at the Bermuda Squash Club. Despite the final scorelines, both champions emerged from their respective finals physically spent after a brutal test of endurance.
In the Men’s Open final, second seed Franklin captured the title with a clinical 3-0 straight-sets victory over top seed Taylor Carrick. Franklin admitted the score belied the physical toll, noting his “body was hurting” after a mental battle that required him to remain relentless and proactive throughout.
The Women’s Open title went to Melina Turk, who outlasted Rachel Barnes in a grueling 31-minute encounter. Turk showcased immense resilience to close out the match 11-5, 11-9, 11-13, 11-4 after a tightly contested third-set setback.
The tournament also produced drama in the lower divisions and veteran categories. Colin Alexander claimed the Men’s C Division in a 33-minute five-set thriller, while Jan Brewer (Over 60) and Hadleigh Farrer (Over 50) relied on veteran stamina to secure their respective titles. In the Men’s B Division, Michael Schrah was handed the championship following a walkover victory against Owen Rosorea.
This week on Inside Sports, Nick & Butch covers various sports events and initiatives in Bermuda. Starting with the Lindos to Lindos event supporting diabetes awareness, the new leadership in the Bermuda Gymnastics Association, the growth of pickleball, and the upcoming Caribbean Championships. It emphasizes the importance of community involvement in sports, diabetes education, and the role of physical activity in promoting health. The discussion also highlights an international running event, the Bermuda Connection, aimed at fostering connections between Bermuda and participants from the U.S.
Last December, Australia became the first country to impose a nationwide ban on teenagers using social media
International News via Reuters:
Australians were downloading virtual private networks (VPNs) in droves, while one of the world’s largest porn distributors said it was blocking users from its platforms as the country rolled out sweeping online age restrictions on Monday.
Last December, Australia became the first country to impose a nationwide ban on teenagers using social media. A separate law now requires AI-powered chatbot services to keep certain content – including pornography, extreme violence and self-harm and eating disorder material – from minors or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($34.5 million).
The country also joined Britain, France and dozens of U.S. states requiring websites which disseminate pornography to verify users are over 18. App stores must also run age checks before allowing downloads of software labelled 18+.
The country’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the measures aimed to afford children the same protection online as the world expected offline.
“A child today can’t walk into a bar and order a drink, they can’t stroll into a strip club or browse an adult shop or sit down at a blackjack table in a casino,” she told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
“This just really brings … those protections that we put for kids in place to the digital realm.”
Three of the 15 most downloaded free smartphone apps on Monday were VPNs, a chart published by iPhone maker Apple showed. The most downloaded VPN, called VPN – Super Unlimited Proxy, ranked ahead of any social media platform, the chart showed.
VPN – Super Unlimited Proxy did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. All internet-connected devices carry an individual code which discloses their location, and VPNs hide the user’s location by assigning a new code to the device.
Canada-based Aylo, owner of a large network of pornography websites, meanwhile blocked Australians from accessing the platforms RedTube and YouPorn, while presenting a version of Pornhub without explicit content.
All the websites carried a banner saying it was “not currently accepting new account registrations in your region”.
Aylo said in an email it had “restricted access to our platforms in a number of locations, including the UK, France, and a number of US states, due to ineffective and haphazard age verification laws”.
Tom Sulston, deputy chair of advocacy group Digital Rights Watch, said it was unsurprising that people were reaching for VPNs.
“My hope is that, not only will they discover that this works for looking at spicier internet sites, but that it’s just generally a good idea to use VPNs when you’re traversing the internet, because they do offer you some privacy protections.”
($1 = 1.4351 Australian dollars)
Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Stephen Coates and Edwina Gibbs
More than 200 families commit to delaying smartphones until age 14 and social media until 16
Smartphone Free Childhood Bermuda issued the following media release.
What began as a small WhatsApp conversation among concerned parents has grown into a community-wide movement. Smartphone Free Childhood Bermuda (SFC Bermuda) is encouraging families to sign a pledge to help regulate smartphone use for children, promoting healthier development, stronger peer support, and more intentional digital engagement.
Since launching the pledge in February, more than 200 parents have signed, signaling a growing appetite for clearer norms around children’s access to smartphones and social media. At the heart of the initiative is a simple, shared commitment: “We pledge to delay smartphones until at least age 14 and social media until age 16.”
The pledge, available at https://www.sfcbermuda.com/sign-the-pledge, reflects a shared desire among parents to support one another in setting boundaries that protect childhood while still embracing technology in age-appropriate ways.
“Many of us felt we were navigating this alone,” said Una Walsh-Taylor, a founding parent. “By coming together, we’re creating a supportive community and making it easier for families to navigate the world of smartphones without their children feeling left out.”
Across the world, countries including Australia, Denmark, Chile, and several European nations have introduced or strengthened restrictions on youth social media access and smartphone use in schools, reflecting growing concerns about mental health, focus, and online safety. Organizers of SFC Bermuda say that as a small and connected island community, Bermuda is uniquely positioned to take this growing body of research and apply it thoughtfully at a local level.
“Our goal isn’t to eliminate technology,” said Mike Walsh, a founding member of the group. “It’s to be intentional about when and how our children engage with it. Childhood is short. We want to protect space for play, independence, in-person friendships, and healthy development before introducing the pressures that come with smartphones and social media.”
To continue building awareness and connection, the organizers of SFC Bermuda are hosting two upcoming information sessions where parents can meet others and better understand the goals of SFC Bermuda.
March 16, 2026, 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM at Bermuda High School
March 19, 2026, 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM at Bermuda High School
Anyone interested in attending can rsvp at info@sfcbermuda.com
Parents interested in signing the pledge or learning more can visit www.sfcbermuda.com.
About Smartphone Free Childhood Bermuda Smartphone Free Childhood Bermuda (SFC Bermuda) is a grassroots, parent-led community initiative formed in 2025 by parents seeking to create healthier norms around children’s use of smartphones and social media. SFC Bermuda is not a registered charity or political organization. It is a voluntary network of parents committed to sharing research, hosting information sessions, and building peer support through a collective pledge. The group’s focus is on education, community dialogue, and empowering families to make informed decisions that support children’s mental health, development, and wellbeing.
The Series C funding round was led by Norway’s Aker and 8090 Industries, and included Nvidia, Citadel, Dell, Jane Street, among others, the firm said in a statement
International News via Reuters:
Nvidia-backed artificial intelligence group Nscale was valued at $14.6 billion after raising $2 billion in its latest funding round, the British company said on Monday.
The Series C funding round was led by Norway’s Aker and 8090 Industries, and included Nvidia, Citadel, Dell, Jane Street, among others, the firm said in a statement.
Former Meta executives Nick Clegg and Sheryl Sandberg, and former Yahoo President Susan Decker will join the board of the AI firm, the company said.
The funding round comes ahead of the AI group’s preparations for an initial public offering, for which Nscale Global has hired Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan as underwriters, sources told Reuters earlier this year.
The timeline for the potential listing has not yet been set, the sources had said.
Founded in 2024, Nscale owns and operates its own data centres, graphic processing units (GPUs), and software stack to deliver large-scale, GPU-powered AI compute.
The new funding will help it expand its data‑centre capacity to meet soaring demand for AI computing from customers, including Microsoft and OpenAI.
Reporting by Ruchika Khanna in Bengaluru; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair
The collapse took place at the Bantargebang landfill on Sunday, located in the region of Bekasi on the outskirts of the capital Jakarta, said Desiana Kartika Bahari, head of the local rescue agency
International News via Reuters:
Rescuers are still searching for five missing people after a large stack of garbage collapsed at Indonesia’s biggest landfill site over the weekend, killing at least four people, an official said on Monday.
The collapse took place at the Bantargebang landfill on Sunday, located in the region of Bekasi on the outskirts of the capital Jakarta, said Desiana Kartika Bahari, head of the local rescue agency.
It was likely triggered by the heavy rain that hit the area from Saturday evening, she told Reuters.
“It was raining all day even from (Saturday) evening and the mountain of garbage was unstable,” Bahari said.
Some trucks were unloading garbage when the collapse took place, and there was also a food stall near the site.
“The missing people are the truck drivers and scavengers,” she said, adding that there there could be more people buried in the landfill.
Four people survived the accident.
More than 200 rescuers, including police and military personnel and 17 excavators, have been deployed since Monday morning to search for the missing.
Bantargebang covers around 110 hectares and receives around 6,500 tons-7,000 tons of garbage per day.
Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Editing by David Stanway
TripAdvisor users place the St. George’s beach among the region’s best, drawing praise from the Corporation for its high standard of hospitality
Tobacco Bay
The Corporation of St. George’s has released the March 2026 edition of the Town Crier, the monthly newsletter that keeps residents and visitors up to date on local news, town works, and happenings across one of the Atlantic world’s most storied communities.
Mayor Quinell Francis, JP, states: “We are elated to be informed by Mr. O’Connor that his team has been selected as one of the best beaches in the Caribbean, ranking at #2. While Bermuda is not technically in the Caribbean, our historical links to the islands are unquestioned. TripAdvisor’s ranking is based on actual users, so the designation reflects a lived experience—whether visiting via cruise ship docked at the other end of the island in Dockyard or arriving by flight. The Corporation of St. George’s congratulates the team at Tobacco Bay for consistently delivering a high standard of town hospitality.”
With a warm welcome, the Corporation invites town members—both residents and businesses—to attend the general council meeting on Thursday, 26 March, at 6 PM. This will be a historic event, as the legislation for the town council is expected to be revamped as municipal reform proceeds.
Town Manager Candy-Lee Foggo announces: “The team is steadfast in delivering on its promise to care for the municipal needs of Bermuda’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site. Having completed the Somers Garden Wall, attention will now be given to Blockade Alley to relieve drainage issues. Bermuda has seen increased rain, which inevitably brings potholes; the team is addressing these. Residents are reminded to maintain vegetation that can overgrow into the roads, creating impediments for pedestrians and traffic on our narrow streets.”
While the town is a major tourist destination, Ms. Foggo reminds the public that parking is free in designated areas based on time limits and location. Please adhere to the rules to avoid parking tickets.
In the month of March, as Spring begins, the Corporation will host UNESCO World Poetry Day on King’s Square on March 23rd, featuring participation from regional schools. We also remind all town members that the Urban Footrace will take place Friday, March 13th. This event will transform many areas around town, including Ordnance Island, King’s Square, and the length of Water Street.
The full March newsletter is available through the Corporation of St. George’s official channels.
Read the newsletter: https://corpstgeorge.bm/thetown/newsletters Sign up: https://corpstgeorge.bm/newsletter
Andrew Stevenson’s latest film combines years of whale research with a personal story told through the eyes of his daughters
A Bermuda filmmaker and whale researcher is delivering another powerful ocean story.
Andrew Stevenson’s latest documentary about humpback whales in the Sargasso Sea recently premiered at an international whale conference in Hawaii – alongside some of the biggest names in ocean science.
Now the film will have its exclusive premiere at home this week at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute.
WATCH more in the above report.
Tickets to Mr Stevenson’s latest film can be purchased online at PTix.
President Mamady Doumbouya, a former special forces commander, seized power in 2021 and won a seven-year term as president in December in a result contested by his opponents
International News via Reuters:
Guinea’s main opposition leader said “direct resistance” to the country’s coup leader-turned-president was now the only way to bring about change after the government consolidated its position by dissolving 40 political parties.
President Mamady Doumbouya, a former special forces commander, seized power in 2021 and won a seven-year term as president in December in a result contested by his opponents. Legislative elections are expected in May in the West African nation, which is rich in bauxite and iron ore.
Guinea’s Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization said in a decree late on Friday that 40 parties’ headquarters and local offices would be closed and use of their logos, acronyms “and other distinctive signs” would be prohibited.
The decree said the parties had failed to meet legal obligations such as filing financial statements; several of the dissolved political parties have protested, maintaining they had fulfilled all legal requirements.
In a video statement published on social media on Sunday, Guinea’s main opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo said “war has been openly declared” on Doumbouya’s challengers.
He called on Guineans to engage in “direct resistance”, without specifying what exactly that should look like. And he said political change would not happen through dialogue or democratic processes.
“The head of the junta and his malevolent clique want to rewrite the country’s history by erasing from the political landscape all forces likely to overshadow his nascent one-party state,” he said.
A government spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Diallo is in exile outside the country, as is former President Alpha Conde, who Doumbouya toppled and whose party was also dissolved on Friday.
Guinea has a history of political violence, including during the 2020 election which Diallo said he had won. The December 2025 election was tightly controlled and unfolded without major security incidents.
Reporting by Guinea newsroom; Writing by Robbie Corey-Boulet; Editing by Philippa Fletcher
Industry groups say boosting transportation availability can reduce travel friction for visitors and support the local economy, while recognising taxi drivers’ role as frontline ambassadors
Joint Statement on Enhancing Ground Transportation for Bermuda’s Visitors, Residents & Businesses:
The Bermuda Tourism Authority, Bermuda Hotel Association, Skyport and the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce welcome initiatives that help ensure Bermuda delivers a seamless and enjoyable on-island experience. Reliable ground transportation is a vital part of that experience, and user feedback has consistently highlighted transportation availability, particularly during peak periods and late evenings, as an area where improvements would enhance satisfaction. Expanding transportation options through thoughtful innovation reflects the National Tourism Plan’s commitment to reducing friction in the travel experience to support Bermuda’s tourism economy.
At the same time, we recognise and value Bermuda’s taxi drivers as frontline ambassadors for our island. Visitors consistently rate their interactions with taxi operators very highly, and their professionalism, knowledge and hospitality are an important part of the Bermuda experience. We support efforts that enhance overall transportation availability for residents, businesses and visitors alike, whilst maintaining the important role that taxis play within Bermuda’s transportation network.
Minister Alexa Lightbourne promotes new supplier partnerships during virtual trade event connecting more than 60 U.S. companies with the local market
Images and media released supplied by the Government of Bermuda.
The Minister of Home Affairs, the Hon. Alexa Lightbourne, JP, MP, recently participated in the US Department of Commerce and US Department of Agriculture Virtual Trade Event: Market Opportunities for US Companies, convened in partnership with the US Consulate General Bermuda.
The engagement traces directly to Bermuda’s Cost of Living Summit, where US Consul General Antoinette Hurtado attended and pledged support to connect Bermudian businesses with expanded market opportunities. That commitment led to this engagement, developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and US Department of Commerce to connect American companies with opportunities in the Bermuda market.
The pathway was also shaped by the private sector. Retailers and wholesalers, consulted as part of the Government’s ongoing affordability work, identified a persistent challenge: Bermuda’s market size makes it difficult to attract new suppliers and establish competitive supply relationships. The Minister’s response was to build a structure that made engagement possible regardless of market size.
By partnering with the US Consulate General and engaging US federal trade agencies, the Government created a structured entry point for American companies to understand Bermuda’s market, connect with the Bermuda Business Development Agency, and explore supply relationships with local partners. Over 60 US companies registered for the session.
During her presentation, Minister Lightbourne outlined the Government’s current affordability measures: duty relief across 33 essential goods, plans to expand that list, and the deliberate diversification of Bermuda’s import markets. She also addressed the modernisation of Bermuda’s milk legislation, an initiative under active review to improve food supply and expand consumer choice.
“We are leaving no stone unturned and exploring all available opportunities,” Minister Lightbourne said.
“We listened to what families are paying. We listened to what businesses cannot access. And we built a forum that serves both. Lower costs for Bermudians require more competition. More competition requires more suppliers. We are removing the barriers that have kept those suppliers away.”
Minister Lightbourne added, “Bermuda’s size has too often been treated as a ceiling. This partnership reframes it as an asset. We are a high-value, stable, strategically located market. Through the right partnerships and the right architecture, we can compete for supply relationships that benefit the entire economy. The private sector identified the problem. This Government built the bridge.”
The session also featured presentations from the Minister of Economy and Labour, the Hon. Jason Hayward JP, MP, and from BDA Managing Director Kendaree Burgess and Head of Business Development David Parker, who outlined Bermuda’s economic profile and the agency’s services for companies seeking to establish or expand their presence on the island.
Minister Hayward explained, “Bermuda’s long-term economic resilience depends on deepening our trade relationships and giving local retailers direct access to expanded US product offerings and retail distribution deals.
“This engagement demonstrates that even as a small jurisdiction, we can leverage strategic partnerships to enhance Bermuda’s retail landscape. By aligning Government policy, diplomatic relationships, and private sector insight, we are positioning Bermuda as an accessible, high-quality market for international partners while supporting affordability and economic growth at home.”
And US Consul General Hurtado remarked, “One of my top priorities is supporting the U.S.-Bermuda trade and economic relationship. With the United States as Bermuda’s closest neighbour and largest trading partner, I am pleased to facilitate even stronger connections that support Bermuda’s economic growth and affordability agenda while expanding commercial collaboration between Bermudian and US businesses. Our economic partnership is robust – reflecting hundreds of years of shared interests – and I look forward to continuing to work with the Bermuda government and private sector to expand our connectivity.
The EU must be prepared to project its power more assertively
International News via Reuters:
The EU must be prepared to project its power more assertively as it can no longer rely on a “rules-based” system against threats and must determine if its institutions and systems help or hinder its credibility, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday.
“We will always defend and uphold the rules-based system that we helped to build with our allies, but we can no longer rely on it as the only way to defend our interests or assume its rules will shelter us from the complex threats that we face,” von der Leyen said at a conference for EU ambassadors.
“We urgently need to reflect on whether our doctrine, our institutions and our decision making – all designed in a postwar world of stability and multilateralism – have kept pace with the speed of change around us. Whether the system that we built – with all of its well-intentioned attempts at consensus and compromise – is more a help or a hindrance to our credibility as a geopolitical actor,” she added.
Reporting by Lili Bayer; Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by Bart Meijer
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