Papplewick and Linby Cricket Club have made a significant move ahead of the new campaign, securing the signature of Bermudian international Zeri Tomlinson. The young standout becomes the first official signing for the club’s new player-coach, Robin Smith, who arrived from South Africa with a formidable reputation and a prolific record of over 5,000 runs in the UK.
Tomlinson, who made his senior international debut for Bermuda at just 15, arrives at Papplewick following a spectacular 2025 season. During his time at Sedbergh School in England, he established himself as a dominant force, highlighted by a superb 108 runs in May—the highest overseas score by a Bermudian that week. He also showcased his big-game temperament at Old Trafford, striking a fluent half-century in a T20 showcase.
The 18-year-old carried that form back to Bermuda, where he struck his maiden Premier century with a blistering 102 for Warwick Workmen’s Club. However, it was his tactical switch to Somerset Cricket Club that defined his summer; Tomlinson was selected as a Colt for the historic Cup Match, where he took over the gloves as the champions’ primary wicketkeeper after scoring a fluent 51 in the Colts game.
Currently the Captain of the Bermuda Under-19 team, Tomlinson’s arrival marks a new era for Papplewick as they look to blend youth with the seasoned experience of Smith at the helm.
Taylor White produced a commanding individual display in the pool this past weekend, though her efforts were not quite enough to prevent Bentley University from falling to a narrow 147-139 defeat against Pace University. In a tightly contested dual meet at the Goldstein Fitness Center in Pleasantville, New York, the Falcons saw their final regular-season contest decided by a mere eight points.
White, a senior from Warwick, showcased her versatility by playing a pivotal role across both individual and relay events. Her afternoon was highlighted by a superb victory in the Women’s 200 Yard Freestyle, where she controlled the race from the outset to touch the wall in a winning time of 2:00.32.
Beyond her individual triumph, the Bermudian was a key component of the Falcons’ relay strategy. She spearheaded the Bentley 200 Yard Medley Relay A team, delivering a sharp leadoff backstroke leg that helped her quartet secure second place. White later returned to the blocks to claim another runner-up finish, this time in the Women’s 200 Yard Backstroke, trailing only Pace’s Eugenia Morossi, who swept both backstroke events on the day.
White capped her competitive day by leading off the Bentley 400 Yard Freestyle Relay team, joining forces with Bella Montanari, Fotini Anastasiadou, and Skyla Lang to power to a victory in 3:44.71. Despite the narrow team loss, White’s form remains a major positive for Bentley as they transition into post-season mode. The Falcons now have two weeks to prepare for the Northeast-10 Conference Championships, scheduled for February 12th to 15th in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Four earn air traffic control licences after rigorous training
A milestone was reached for aviation in the country today after four young Bermudians were recognised for earning certifications as qualified air traffic control specialists.
Dejon Robinson, Hannah Fletcher, Nakiiah Robinson Baker and X-onna Stevens (absent) were today presented with their licences after successfully completing rigorous training and beating out more than 100 other applicants.
All four graduates range in age from 22 to 31.
Fostering the next pipeline of Bermudian talent in the aviation industry is a top priority for the Bermuda Airport Authority, which says it aims to have a full slate of trained and experienced Bermudians by the time the airport’s project agreement with Skyport concludes.
WATCH the full report above.
Bermuda Broadcasting also spoke to Dejon Robinson about his motivation to pursue a career in aviation.
Two, four-year engineering scholarships are worth $100,000 each
Hamilton, Bermuda – 28 January 2026 – Bermuda Electric Light Company Limited (‘BELCO’ or the ‘Company’) has announced two new Electrical Engineering Scholarship Awards for 2026, with a total value of $100,000 each.
Each four-year scholarship provides $25,000 per year to support aspiring electrical engineers in advancing their education while fostering opportunities to contribute their expertise within BELCO and the broader Bermudian community. BELCO’s objective is to increase the number of qualified Bermudian engineers that have a knowledge base that enables active participation in Bermuda’s changing energy landscape. Recipients will be expected to work at BELCO for up to four years upon graduation, subject to availability of a suitable position.
BELCO Director Human Resources & Culture LaKeitha Cunningham said: “BELCO has been empowering Bermudians for decades through scholarships, awards and internships and we are pleased to offer two new Electrical Engineering Scholarship Awards for 2026. As we look to the future, and our goal to build a resilient energy company, we need qualified, knowledgeable employees and these scholarships are critical for the development of our workforce. I encourage those interested in electrical engineering and power systems engineering, and who are motivated to build a career at a great company, to submit an application so that the next generation of Bermudians will have the training and expertise to help us achieve our future sustainability goals.”
Applications are now open and close April 30, 2026. For eligibility requirements and application details, visit belco.bm/scholarships.
The new Electrical Engineering Scholarships expand BELCO’s comprehensive educational support portfolio, which includes:
The Llewellyn Vorley Engineering Scholarship provides recipients the opportunity to further their knowledge in engineering fields and to share knowledge and experience with the Company and wider community. The BELCO Scholarship Selection Committee’s objective is to increase the number of qualified Bermudian engineers participating in the field and ensure assistance for recipients’ educational endeavours. The four-year scholarship award is $25,000 per year.
The BELCO STEM Education Awards are open to students studying for an undergraduate degree in science, technology, engineering and math. The number of awards and value, between $2,500 and $20,000, will be at the discretion of the Committee. These awards are for a first degree and are awarded for one academic year only. Candidates must have provisional acceptance or notification to an accredited educational institution.
The A.T. Oughton Post Graduate Business and Finance Scholarship provides up to $25,000 for one year to Bermudians pursuing graduate degrees in business or finance. These academic fields are particularly important to fulfil BELCO’s leadership requirements, so that the Company can meet its commitment to be Bermuda’s trusted and preferred provider of energy and infrastructure solutions.
The C. Eugene Cox Post Graduate Environmental Studies and Sustainability Scholarship is valued up to $25,000 for one year. BELCO is committed to a sustainable energy future, and this scholarship will increase the number of qualified Bermudian engineers so that the Company can achieve its sustainability goals. The scholarship will be granted to suitable candidates studying for graduate degrees in Renewable Energy, Sustainability, Engineering, Environmental Studies and Information Technology, or related disciplines.
To apply or for more information, interested applicants can visit belco.bm/scholarships.
Bermudian track standouts Arima Turner and Amaris Munya delivered a series of strong performances this past weekend as they represented Montverde Academy at the high-profile Sunshine Showcase in Gainesville, Florida. Competing at the Alachua County Events Center, the duo continued their impressive indoor campaigns against some of the region’s elite collegiate and high school talent.
Turner, a senior from Paget, was among the leading figures for the Florida-based academy in the short sprints. In the Girls 60 Meters, she navigated a competitive field to secure 11th place overall, crossing the line in 7.79 seconds. She followed that up with a standout display in the 200 Meters, where she stopped the clock in 25.08 seconds to earn an impressive sixth-place finish in a race featuring several top-ranked sprinters.
In the middle-distance events, Warwick native Amaris Munya tested her endurance in the Girls One Mile. Maintaining a steady pace throughout the eight-lap contest on the banked track, the junior fought her way to 15th place with a time of 5:37.07.
For the Bermudian pair, who recently impressed at the Virginia Showcase, the meet provided another vital platform for high-performance development as they build toward the major indoor championship season.
OBA MP suspects recent town hall meetings were merely an exercise in ‘rubber stamping’
Statement by Dwayne Robinson, OBA MP for Constituency #30, Southampton East Central:
The Minister of Cabinet and Digital Innovation recently concluded his consultative town halls for electoral reform. I am all for consultation, but the public has received very little concrete information on the Government’s actual plan for electoral reform.
The Government refused to support our bill because of issues it didn’t wish to go into depth on, and a plan it would not share. My hope was that during this process a concrete plan would be shared with the public. As according to the Minister, the plan had been in motion prior to the tabling of the One Bermuda Alliance’s Absentee Voting Act 2025. Instead, it operated more like a brainstorming session with very vague answers. The Minister didn’t even bother to show up for the final town hall, giving the whole exercise a rubber stamp feel.
The Progressive Labour Party Government needs to reveal to the public its concrete plan for electoral reform, the official structure of the working group, and a concise timeline document for reaching its goal of completion in September 2026. Education reform has shown us that the wait and see approach with the PLP can yield devastating results for Bermuda.
The way this has been handled does not inspire confidence that the September 2026 deadline will be reached.
The benchmark slipped back to little changed, while the Nasdaq held on to a mild advance after trimming earlier gains
International News via Reuters:
The S&P 500 briefly topped 7,000 points for the first time on Wednesday only to pull back, with volatility picking up as traders awaited the Federal Reserve’s rate decision and a wave of Big Tech earnings.
The benchmark slipped back to little changed, while the Nasdaq held on to a mild advance after trimming earlier gains.
“These big round numbers can be difficult psychological tests for the market, but we think it’s a very positive sign,” said Jeff Buchbinder, chief equity strategist for LPL Financial.
The Fed convenes later in the day for its rate decision, with policymakers widely expected to keep it unchanged at 3.5%–3.75%. Traders will be alert for the Fed’s statement and Chair Jerome Powell’s remarks, for clues on the future rate trajectory.
The U.S. central bank, which recently started receiving real-time data on the economy’s health after a partial government shutdown last year, is navigating policy while peering through an increasingly politicized fog.
This meeting arrives in the backdrop of a Justice Department inquiry launched earlier this month involving Powell as well as Trump’s hints that a successor will be named “soon”.
The markets currently expect the first rate cut to come in June, according to CME’s FedWatch tool.
At 11:31 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 49.62 points, or 0.10%, to 49,053.03, the S&P 500 gained 1.23 points, or 0.03%, to 6,980.50 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 20.74 points, or 0.09%, to 23,839.44.
Nvidia climbed 1.5%, Intel jumped 11.3%, and Micron and Microchip Technology each gained over 5%. SK Hynix, a key Nvidia supplier, reported a record quarterly profit and ASML booked its highest ever fourth-quarter orders, igniting a tech rally from Europe to Asia.
The Philadelphia SE Semiconductor index rose 1.8%.
“MAG 7” KICKS OFF EARNINGS
Meta, Microsoft and Tesla report after market close, kicking off the so-called “Magnificent Seven” earnings that have driven the AI trade, powering markets to record levels.
Apple, whose results are due on Thursday, fell over 1%.
With lofty valuations driving rotation into undervalued areas of the market, the group’s capital plans will be closely watched as investors question whether AI spending will drive returns.
Meta and Microsoft slipped over 0.3% while Tesla gained 0.8%. Bellwether IBM, also due to report after the market closes, was flat.
“We’re still in the early innings. The last phase of it is end users adopting and we’re still in the early phases of business adoption,” said Glenn Dorsey, head of client portfolio management at Clark Capital.
“You’re starting to see a point where their growth rate is slowing somewhat. It creates a potential normal volatility year.”
Among earnings-driven moves, Texas Instruments surged 8% after the analog chipmaker forecast first-quarter revenue and profit above Wall Street estimates. Starbucks rose 1.8% after posting a bigger-than-expected increase in first-quarter comparable sales. AT&T climbed 5.2% after the U.S. carrier projected annual profit above market expectations.
In industrials, Textron fell 8.4% after guiding fiscal profit below estimates, while Otis dropped 3% after its fourth-quarter revenue missed expectations.
Seagate Technology jumped 20.3% after it forecast third-quarter revenue and profit above Wall Street expectations. Rival Western Digital rose 10%.
Reporting by Pranav Kashyap and Twesha Dikshit in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri
EU countries gave their final sign-off this week to the bloc’s legally-binding plan to phase out Russian gas imports by late 2027, allowing it to pass into law
International News via Reuters:
The European Union will exempt gas from key suppliers including the U.S. and Qatar from extra checks under its upcoming Russian gas ban, a draft European Commission document seen by Reuters showed.
EU countries gave their final sign-off this week to the bloc’s legally-binding plan to phase out Russian gas imports by late 2027, allowing it to pass into law.
To enforce the ban, the EU will subject shipments of gas and liquefied natural gas from non-Russian countries to “prior authorisation” – meaning that companies must provide European customs authorities with proof of the gas’s production country five days before it arrives in the EU.
However, that requirement will be waived for major existing suppliers and for countries where the EU deems the risk of Russian gas entering their exports to be low – based on factors such as whether the country has itself banned Russian gas or lacks import infrastructure that could allow Russian supplies into its network.
The countries granted this exemption will be the U.S., Norway, Qatar, Britain, Algeria and Nigeria, according to the draft document.
A European Commission spokesperson declined to comment on the draft, which could still change before it is published in the coming days.
Norway was the EU’s top gas supplier in 2025, followed by the U.S. and then Russia, according to pipeline gas and LNG import data from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.
Norway supplied 89 billion cubic metres to the EU in 2025, versus 81 bcm from the U.S. and 37 bcm from Russia, the IEEFA said.
For comparison, former top supplier Russia sent 151 bcm of gas to the EU in 2021, the year before its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
It will launch new flights to Ecuador’s capital, Quito, from its Toronto and Montréal hubs starting in December this year, using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner
International News via Reuters:
Air Canada on Wednesday said it expanded its winter network to Europe and Latin America, betting on growing demand for premium international travel.
It will launch new flights to Ecuador’s capital, Quito, from its Toronto and Montréal hubs starting in December this year, using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Airlines in North America are increasingly relying on premium cabins, corporate travel and loyalty programs to drive bottom-line growth.
“We are continuing our strategic expansion into Latin America, taking advantage of continued demand strength and cargo opportunities, while leveraging a new Airbus A321 XLR base at our Toronto-Pearson global hub to enable year-round service to Copenhagen and Manchester,” said Mark Galardo, president of cargo at Air Canada.
Last week, Air Canada said it was expanding its route with non-stop flights to Sapporo, beginning in December 2026.
Separately, Unifor, which represents 6,000 members working at the carrier, said it had opened collective bargaining for airport and customer service staff ahead of a February 28, 2026 contract expiration.
Reporting by Anshuman Tripathy in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid
After U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew new tariff threats on imports from the EU and appeared to strike a deal with NATO over Greenland, the foundations were laid for the 2025 deal to be implemented, said Merz
International News via Reuters:
The foundations for the ratification of a trade deal between the EU and U.S. are in place as long as Washington honours its commitments, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Wednesday.
After U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew new tariff threats on imports from the EU and appeared to strike a deal with NATO over Greenland, the foundations were laid for the 2025 deal to be implemented, said Merz.
“However, the U.S. must not be allowed to cast doubt that it will stand by its commitments from last summer,” the chancellor said at a press conference with his Romanian counterpart.
Adding that a final agreement on aluminium and steel still had to be reached, Merz said the U.S. should have an interest in ensuring that the agreements were not undermined by daily announcements that the U.S. may want to do things differently.
“We are not prepared to accept a deterioration of this agreement,” said Merz, adding that he was keen for the EU to quickly ratify a trade deal with India struck on Tuesday.
Reporting by Madeline Chambers and Andreas RinkeEditing by Miranda Murray
Adam Tavares, 51, died after a collision in Devonshire last Thursday
Sadly, the Bermuda Police Service (BPS) can now confirm Bermuda’s first road fatality of 2026, 51-year-old Adam Tavares.
His family is grateful to those members of our community who came to the aid of Mr. Tavares and thanks them for their efforts at the collision scene last Thursday.
An investigation regarding the single vehicle motorcycle collision that claimed his life, which occurred around 5:20 p.m. 22nd January 2026, at the junction of Loyal Hill and North Shore Road Devonshire, is ongoing.
The BPS extends sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Tavares and a BPS Family Liaison Officer is assisting his loved ones, while inquiries continue.
Any witnesses who have not already come forward, or persons with relevant information, are once again encouraged to contact Sergeant Milton Hill of the BPS Roads Policing Unit, by calling 515-2481, or e-mailing mjhill@bps.bm, as soon as possible.
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