Thursday, November 5, 2026
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Brush fire close to Mid-Ocean Club

There appeared to be no structural damage from the blaze

Trees and bushes close to the Mid-Ocean Club caught fire this afternoon.

Bermuda Broadcasting News understands at least one fire engine from the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service were called to the scene sometime this afternoon.

There appeared to be no structural damage to the golf club as a result of the blaze.

The BFRS has been contacted for further information.

Parish council to host party and vendor market

Sandys Parish Council to Host Block Party and Vendor Market on November 22

The Sandys Parish Council invites the community to its Block Party & Vendor Market on Saturday, November 22, 2025, from 12 pm to 5 pm at Mangrove Bay, Somerset Village.

This free, public event celebrates the spirit of Sandys Parish, offering a chance to reconnect and enjoy local talent.

The market will feature over 20 local vendors (including Jazzy Treats, Pan Bakery, Urban Island, and Bone Fish Bar & Grill), a fun castle, food, and live entertainment. The MC, Mr. Fotogenik and DJ Rahja of Black Lion Sound.

“This event is about bringing people together and celebrating the talent, creativity, and resilience of our parish,” said the Sandys Parish Council Events Team.

The Council thanks Sandys Holding Company Ltd (venue), the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) for financial support to boost small businesses and Keep Bermuda Beautiful (KBB) for promoting an environmentally friendly event.

Richard Augustus, Asst. Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Officer and Somerset EEZ Officer, highlighted the value of the event. “The BEDC is committed to strengthening the entrepreneurial landscape island-wide, and events like these help small businesses gain visibility,” he said. “The Somerset EEZ continues to create opportunities for local entrepreneurs, and we are pleased to support the Sandys Parish Council during Global Entrepreneurship Week as they bring residents and businesses together.”

All are invited to come and enjoy an afternoon of community connection. Media are encouraged to attend to capture the festivities and speak with vendors and organizers about the Council’s ongoing efforts to uplift and revitalize Sandys Parish.

For additional information or to confirm media attendance, please contact info@spcbda.org.

Event Details
Venue:
Old Somerset Country Squire Patio & Parking Lot, Mangrove Bay
Date and Time: Saturday, 22 November 2025, 12pm – 5pm
Cost: Free entry with vendor items and activities available for purchase
Contact: sandyssecretary@gmail.com

International clubs rally around Bermuda’s women’s squad

Four international clubs are celebrating the selection of their Bermudian stars to the Senior Women’s squad as they prepare to launch the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifying campaign this month with two challenging away fixtures.

The Bermuda Football Association’s squad announcement has been met with warm wishes from AFC Bournemouth, Fort Lauderdale United FC, Sutton United Ladies, and AFC Sudbury, all of whom will release key players for the matches.

Kenni Thompson (AFC Bournemouth) and Nia Christopher (Fort Lauderdale United FC) will spearhead the attack for Bermuda against the Cayman Islands (November 27th) and Guatemala (December 1st). Thompson holds the distinction of being the first woman to earn international honours while on Bournemouth’s books.

Midfielders Eva Frazzoni (AFC Sudbury Women captain) and K’Shaela Burch Waldron (Sutton United Women F.C.) were also selected. Burch Waldron is in strong form, having recently scored crucial goals in the Women’s FA Cup and recording an assist in a 3-0 league win for Sutton.

The Gombey Warriors will rely on the experience and form of these international players as they begin their qualifying journey on the road.

Paramount wins UK rights for most Champions League matches from 2027

Amazon’s Prime Video retained the first pick of Tuesday matches in Britain and two other European markets

International News via Reuters:

U.S. media company Paramount+ will show the majority of Champions League soccer matches in Britain from 2027 to 2031 after it beat the current main broadcaster TNT Sports in an auction, UC3 said on Friday.

Amazon’s Prime Video retained the first pick of Tuesday matches in Britain and two other European markets, said UC3, a joint venture between UEFA and European Football Clubs, which sells the rights for the competition.

TNT Sports, previously known as BT Sport, has shown Champions League matches since the 2015-16 season.

The joint venture between British broadband company BT Group and Warner Bros Discovery Inc said it would still have a strong soccer offer, including English Premier League, as well as an extensive portfolio of other premium sports.

On losing the Champions League rights, it said: “Ultimately we remained committed to the approach that made financial sense for our business, and for our customers.”

Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Kate Holton

Bitcoin on thin ice after sinking in flight from risk

Bitcoin fell to $80,553, and ether hit a four-month low, as cryptocurrencies led a broad flight from riskier assets

International News via Reuters:

Bitcoin dropped to a seven-month low on Friday, closing in on the $80,000 level below which some analysts say much heavier losses are likely for the world’s largest cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin fell to $80,553, and ether hit a four-month low, as cryptocurrencies led a broad flight from riskier assets, spurred by investor worries over lofty tech valuations and uncertainty over near-term U.S. interest rate cuts.

    Cryptocurrencies are often viewed as a barometer of risk appetite and their slide highlights how fragile the mood in markets has turned in recent days, with high-flying artificial intelligence stocks tumbling and volatility spiking.

Bitcoin is down 12% for the week. Its slide follows a stellar run this year that propelled it to a record high above $120,000 in October, buoyed by favourable regulatory changes towards crypto assets globally.

But analysts say the market remains scarred by a record single-day slump last month that saw more than $19 billion of positions liquidated. 

As it plunged through $100,000 last week and headed for $80,000 on Friday, some analysts said bitcoin was reaching levels that corporate and institutional investors on average paid for their tokens, and where they might have to sell to prevent losses.

Bitcoin has erased all its year-to-date gains and is now down 12% for the year, while ether has lost close to 19%.

“If it’s telling a story about risk sentiment as a whole, then things could start to get really, really ugly, and that’s the concern now,” Tony Sycamore, a market analyst at IG, said of the fall in bitcoin.

CRYPTO TREASURIES

The plunge on Friday will compound problems for so-called crypto treasury companies, which have been big buyers of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies this year.

These companies hold the crypto on their balance sheets in the hope the price rises. Standard Chartered has estimated that a drop below $90,000 for bitcoin could leave half of these companies’ holdings “underwater” – a term which typically refers to holding assets worth less than what was paid for them. 

Analysts say the companies could be forced to raise new funds or sell down their crypto holdings, putting further downward pressure on prices.

Listed companies collectively hold 4% of all the bitcoin in circulation, and 3.1% of ether, Standard Chartered estimates.

“The procyclical nature of bitcoin treasury companies is fully obvious now, if it wasn’t obvious six months ago,” Brent Donnelly, president at analytics firm Spectra Markets, said in a note.

“They buy high and now some of them are selling low.”

Citi analyst Alex Saunders said $80,000 would be an important level as it is around the average level of bitcoin holdings in exchange-traded funds.

About $1.2 trillion has been wiped off the market value of all cryptocurrencies in the past six weeks, according to market tracker CoinGecko. 

Shares in the bitcoin buyers soared earlier this year but have fallen sharply in recent months. Strategy, the biggest of the treasury firms, has seen its shares tank 61% since a July peak, leaving them down nearly 40% year-to-date.

JP Morgan said in a note this week that Strategy could be excluded from some MSCI equity indexes, which could spark forced selling by funds that track them.

Japanese peer Metaplanet has tumbled about 80% from a June peak.  

Donnelly notes that bitcoin selloffs in 2018 and 2022 saw prices drop around 75% to 80%, which if repeated could see a plunge to as low as $25,000.

“I am not saying we are in crypto winter. Just offering a reminder that 75%/80% drawdowns have been part of the game in bitcoin,” he wrote.

Reporting by Rae Wee, Niket Nishant and Vidya Ranganathan. Editing by Kevin Buckland and Mark Potter

Somersfield crowned middle school netball champions

Somersfield Academy are the Bermuda School Sports Federation’s Middle School Open Netball Champions, defeating Warwick Academy 12-7 in the final at Bernard Park.

Somersfield secured the title thanks to the sharp shooting of Anya-Aeleisha Pearman, who led all scorers with an impressive eight goals. Cali Atcheson provided the rest of the winners’ scoring with four goals. Warwick Academy’s efforts were led by Victoria Smatt (four goals) and Sayla Williams (three goals).

Somersfield reached the final after a 6-3 semi-final win over BHS, with Pearman and Atcheson each netting three times.

The other semi-final was a thrilling affair, with Warwick Academy edging out Saltus Grammar School 5-4 in sudden death to secure their spot in the championship match.

Nokia plans $4 billion AI investment in the United States

The telecom equipment maker said that $3.5 billion of the investment will be allocated to R&D efforts

International News via Reuters:

Finland’s Nokia said on Friday it plans to invest $4 billion in the United States, targeting research, development, and production to drive advancements in artificial intelligence-driven network connectivity.

The telecom equipment maker said that $3.5 billion of the investment will be allocated to R&D efforts. It added $500 million will be spent on manufacturing and capital expenditures in states including Texas, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Nokia, which operates over a dozen sites in North America and owns Bell Labs in New Jersey, introduced a new strategy on Wednesday aimed at streamlining operations with an emphasis on AI.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said earlier in October Nokia was one of the topics discussed with U.S. President Donald Trump at a White House meeting.

Friday’s announcement follows a profit warning in July tied to tariffs and a weakening dollar, as some non-US firms shift production there to mitigate trade risks.

    The U.S. lacks a major domestic maker of telecom equipment, leaving Nokia, Ericsson and Samsung as the main options.

Chief executive Justin Hotard, who joined Nokia from Intel earlier this year, told Reuters on Wednesday that Nokia’s focus for networks is on countries that value Western technology.

Reporting by Anna Ringstrom and Gianluca Lo Nostro, editing by Terje Solsvik and Matt Scuffham

Saltus crowned champions in Under 13 six-A-side thriller

Saltus Grammar School are the new champions of the Bermuda School Sports Federation’s Under 13 Boys Six-A-Side Football Tournament, defeating the Whitney Institute 2-0 in the final at Shelly Bay field.

The championship was secured by goals from Roman Gaglio and Lagan Slator, capping off a high-energy tournament.

Saltus’s path to the final required penalty shootout heroics against Warwick Academy in the Semi-Final after the match ended goalless.

The Whitney Institute earned their final spot by overcoming Somersfield Academy 2-1. Julian Simmons proved the difference-maker for Whitney, scoring both goals, despite Shiloh Stevens netting for Somersfield.

The exciting tournament demonstrated the depth of talent emerging in middle school football across Bermuda.

Zara workers plan Black Friday protests at stores across Europe

Spain’s CCOO union is coordinating the planned November 28 protests with unions in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and Portugal

International News via Reuters:

Workers at Zara plan to protest outside stores in seven European countries on Black Friday, a key sales day, to demand a profit-sharing scheme be reinstated, the European Works Council for parent company Inditex said on Friday.

Spain’s CCOO union is coordinating the planned November 28 protests with unions in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and Portugal, set to take place in front of Zara stores in major cities.

Rosa Galan, representative for CCOO at Inditex, told Reuters that Inditex previously had a profit-sharing scheme, but that it was removed after the pandemic.

“We are once again asking that a company that has huge profits, which are the result of the work of its staff, distribute those profits fairly,” said Galan.

Inditex did not respond to a request for comment. It was not clear how many workers were expected to participate in the protests.

The world’s biggest listed fast-fashion retailer has enjoyed strong sales growth in the years since the coronavirus pandemic ended, and its shares have doubled in value since three years ago.

Black Friday – the last Friday of November – and the weeks around it are a key sales period that retailers use to lure shoppers into stores and clear old stock before bringing in new holiday collections. Retail workers worldwide also use the day to spotlight their demands through strikes and protests.

On the eve of Black Friday in 2022, workers in Spain protested to demand higher pay, and three months later Inditex agreed a 20% increase in average wages for store workers in its home country.

Reporting by Helen Reid; Editing by Susan Fenton

Loyal staff and a focus on wellness: The ‘secret sauce’ at Miles

A behind-the-scenes look at what makes things tick at Miles Market

What’s the ‘special sauce’ that makes a business successful?
We spoke to William Cox, President of Miles Market, which has weathered generations of change and challenge and yet managed to thrive.
He tells us about the trend towards wellness and organic food, the challenge of importing produce from all parts of the world while supporting local sustainability – and the sugar tax.
We started out by asking Mr. Cox about how he nurtures loyalty among his staff.

Scott re-elected president to lead Somerset into 2026 Classic

Richard Scott has retained his role as President of the Somerset Cricket Club, successfully seeing off a challenge from Dennis Lister III at the club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) held last night.

Scott secured the membership’s mandate and is now confirmed to lead the historic club as it prepares to host the prestigious Cup Match Classic in 2026.

The AGM also saw several key executive positions confirmed: Terrence Bean was elected unopposed as the new Treasurer, while Tracee Seymour was re-elected unopposed as Assistant Secretary. Trenton Fubler and Charlotte Tucker retain their positions as Vice President and Assistant Treasurer, respectively.

The management team welcomes several new members, including Maria Darby, Mohammed Aden, Jibri Smith, and Seon Tatem, who join the Management Committee. Dennis Lister III will also serve on the Management Committee.

Scott’s focus now turns to consolidating his executive team and commencing the extensive preparations required to host the highly anticipated 2026 Classic.