Dennis Joell delivered the standout performance of Week 6 in the 2025/26 Continental Bowling League at Warwick Lanes, rolling a perfect 300 game—the fourth of his career.
Joell’s flawless 300 was the highlight of an excellent night, contributing to a strong overall series of 753 following earlier games of 226 and 227.
Meanwhile, the fight for the top spots intensified:
The Invaders, sitting fifth, secured a crucial win, defeating the sixth-placed Odd Balls 15-12.
Fourth-placed Under Dawgs delivered a convincing performance, routing seventh-placed New Hope with a 22-5 scoreline.
Third-placed Spicenix matched that result, defeating ninth-placed Sunset 22-5.
The match between second-placed Nifty Rollers and eighth-placed Cubs ended in a tight 13-13 draw, costing the Rollers valuable ground.
League leaders Astronauts received the bye this week, leaving them to watch the chasing pack close in.
The IMF’s chief economist said the global lender was observing increasing pressures on central banks to lower interest rates, but did not name any specific countries
International News via Reuters:
The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday said putting pressure on central banks to lower interest rates “always backfires,” warning that erosion of trust in monetary authorities could de-anchor inflation expectations.
The IMF’s chief economist, Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, said the global lender was observing increasing pressures on central banks to lower interest rates, but did not name any specific countries.
He said the loss of trust in central banks could have negative consequences for efforts to keep inflation expectations in check, a lesson learned in the past by advanced and emerging economies.
“Trust in central banks helps anchor inflation expectations, and this credibility needs to be protected. As trust erodes, inflation and inflation expectations always rise, macroeconomic stability deteriorates and everyone loses out,” he told reporters at the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington.
Economists and investors have expressed concern in recent months about attacks on the independence of the U.S. Federal Reserve.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged the U.S. central bank to slash interest rates, deriding the leadership of Fed Chair Jerome Powell and seeking to fire one of its policymakers, Lisa Cook. Trump also nominated the head of the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers, Stephen Miran, to serve out the term of former Fed Governor Adriana Kugler through January.
Cook is fighting Trump’s effort to fire her, with her lawyers telling the U.S. Supreme Court that granting the president’s request “would eviscerate the Federal Reserve’s longstanding independence, upend financial markets and create a blueprint for future presidents to direct monetary policy based on their political agendas and election calendars.”
The Bank of England weighed in with its own concerns last week, warning that a “sudden or significant change in perceptions of Federal Reserve credibility” could result in a sharp repricing of U.S. dollar assets, including in U.S. sovereign debt markets.
The IMF had warned in its previous global economic outlook in July that any loss of central bank independence could undermine efforts to keep inflation expectations in check, potentially triggering a wave of financial, monetary and macroeconomic instability.
Reporting by David Lawder and Andrea Shalal; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Paul Simao
Citibank, like its competitors, benefited from a deals rebound as companies struck megadeals, despite uncertainty over U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies
International News via Reuters:
Citigroup beat estimates for third-quarter profit, which rose as all of its divisions brought in record revenue, despite booking a loss from selling a stake in its Mexico unit.
Citibank, like its competitors, benefited from a deals rebound as companies struck megadeals, despite uncertainty over U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. The banking division had the highest revenue growth among the units, 34% from a year earlier.
Citi CEO Jane Fraser said in a statement that restructuring in recent years has “put Citi in a materially different place in terms of our ability to compete.” Citigroup shares rose 1.3%.
The surging profits came despite Citi booking a $726 million loss from the sale of a 25% stake in its Mexican subsidiary Banamex.
Adjusted earnings per share excluding this loss were $2.24 per share against the $1.90 consensus from analysts, according to LSEG.
Markets revenue rose 15% to $5.6 billion in the quarter, helped by a strong performance in equities and fixed income. A rate cut in September and hopes of further easing this year could help banks by spurring economic activity and demand from borrowers.
Citigroup Chief Financial Officer Mark Mason told reporters that high stock valuations have left sectors “frothy and overvalued.”
CREDIT COSTS
Delinquent corporate loans more than doubled in the quarter compared to a year earlier, to $2.1 billion. Mason said the higher non-accrual loans were related to two downgrades of clients in its corporate portfolio.
He added the bank did not lose in the recent bankruptcies of auto parts supplier First Brands and auto finance company Tricolor. Mason said the bank has not seen worrying signs of distress in either its corporate or consumer credit portfolios.
Citi’s return on tangible common equity, a measure of how well it uses its capital to earn profit, was 8% in the quarter and 8.6% so far this year. Excluding the one-off loss in the quarter, ROTCE was 9.7%, closer to the target set by Fraser of 10% to 11% for next year.
Mason said the bank expects a lower minimum capital requirement after the Basel III endgame and other regulatory revisions are completed. The CFO said Citi is making progress in improving the quality of its regulatory reporting data.
Peers JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo also reported higher third-quarter profits on Tuesday, buoyed by investment banking.
Citi’s shares have gained 36.5% in 2025, compared with increases of 28.5% for JPMorgan and 12.4% for Wells Fargo. Citi is recovering lost ground, as the bank has the lowest share price among its peers compared to its book value. The KBW banking index is up nearly 15% year to date.
MEXICO SALE
Citi announced last month it would sell a 25% stake in its retail unit Banamex to Mexican billionaire Fernando Chico Pardo, chairman of airport operator ASUR, for around $2.3 billion. The bank plans to list the Mexico business to divest from the rest of the stake and rejected last week an unsolicited offer by Mexican mining and transport conglomerate Grupo Mexico.
Analysts are expected to discuss the future impact of the Banamex divestiture during a call on Tuesday.
Reporting by Tatiana Bautzer in New York and Pritam Biswas in Bengaluru, editing by Lananh Nguyen, Shinjini Ganguli, Bernadette Baum, Rod Nickel
Bermuda’s young sailing stars delivered a series of strong results at the highly competitive Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy Regatta, securing a podium finish and a strong top-20 result.
The regatta, which featured six races for both the ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 classes, proved a valuable international test.
In the ILCA 7 Fleet, Sebastian Kempe sailed brilliantly to secure a third-place podium finish out of 44 sailors. Kempe recorded a final Net Points score of 24, thanks to four top-five finishes, including two third-place results. Great Britain’s Finley Dickinson won the fleet with 11 Net Points.
In the larger ILCA 6 Fleet, Adriana Penruddocke sailed consistently well to take a highly respectable 18th place overall in a field of 83 competitors.
Penruddocke tallied 101 Net Points, with her best individual race being a second-place finish in race five. Ireland’s Eve McMahon was the dominant fleet champion with 14 Net Points.
Under their joint agreement, the two transatlantic partners are to consider ring-fencing their steel, aluminium and derivative products made from the metals from overcapacity
International News via Reuters:
The European Commission is pressing the United States to remove tariffs on products made from steel as Brussels seeks to advance parts of the EU-U.S. tariff deal that have yet to enter force, EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said on Tuesday.
Under their joint agreement, the two transatlantic partners are to consider ring-fencing their steel, aluminium and derivative products made from the metals from overcapacity, with 50% U.S. tariffs possibly replaced by tariff-free or low-tariff quotas.
The Commission, which oversees trade policy on behalf of the 27-nation EU, believes it has fulfilled its side of the bargain with its proposal to hike its tariffs for steel to 50%, halve current quotas and be clearer on where steel originates.
The proposal, which still needs approval from EU governments and the European Parliament, had “very similar” contours to the approach the U.S. wanted to protect its domestic steel industry from overcapacity, Sefcovic said.
“Once we are protecting our markets in a very similar way, it’s time to discuss the steel derivatives, because I think that we should stop the practice where we have to calculate how much steel is in the fridge or dishwasher,” he told a news conference at the end of an EU trade ministers meeting in Denmark.
He added he had proposed this in a letter to his U.S. counterparts.
U.S. tariffs are not just limited to steel and aluminium themselves, but extend to a range of ‘derivative’ products made from the metals.
In August, the U.S. added 407 product categories to its list of derivative products, with a 50% tariff on the steel and aluminium content, plus the universal rate on the non-metal content – for the EU, at 15%.
The product categories include wind turbines, bulldozers, railcars, motorcycles, automotive exhaust systems, refrigerators, freezers and dryers.
Reporting by Philip BlenkinsopEditing by Mark Potter
The Bermuda Olympic Association (BOA) has announced the reappointment of veteran administrator Jon Beard as Chef de Mission for Team Bermuda at the XXV Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in 2026.
The Games will run from July 24 to August 8, 2026, marking the centennial celebration of the multi-sport event.
This is Beard’s third appointment to the prestigious leadership role, following his successful tenures at the 2018 and 2022 CAC Games.
BOA President Peter Dunne praised the decision, stating: “His experience, leadership, and dedication to our athletes were evident in El Salvador, and we have every confidence he will once again lead Team Bermuda with distinction.”
Mr. Beard, who will oversee all operational aspects and athlete welfare for the delegation, called the role “an honour,” and committed to ensuring athletes have the necessary support to “perform at their best while proudly representing Bermuda.”
Statement by Maurice Foley, a community advocate and former Senator for the One Bermuda Alliance:
It’s a familiar sight on our roads: a small group of teenagers on electric bikes, swerving through traffic, overtaking cars, and laughing as they disappear around a bend. To some, it may look harmless — just kids having fun. But one wrong turn, one moment of overconfidence, and that laughter could be replaced by sirens.
Recently, a video circulated online showing young teens racing down a main road on e-bikes. The caption read: “There’s going to be a serious accident at some point.”
That statement should stop every one of us in our tracks because it’s true, and it could involve someone we know.
Under the Auxiliary Bicycles Act 1954, no one under 16 is legally permitted to ride an e-bike on Bermuda’s roads. Those aged 16 to 18 must hold a youth license, cannot carry passengers, and are restricted from riding between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. Helmets are mandatory under the Motor-Cycles and Auxiliary Bicycles (Special Measures of Control) Act 1953. These rules exist not to punish, but to protect. Yet every day, we see underage and unlicensed riders breaking them; often on high-powered bikes capable of reaching motorcycle speeds.
Parents and guardians who allow this may not realise the risks they are taking until it is too late. None of us want to receive that phone call—the one that begins with, “There’s been an accident.”
The responsibility doesn’t stop at enforcement; it begins with all of us. Retailers and importers of e-bikes must ensure that no one under 16 is permitted to test, purchase, or be the intended rider. Every sale should come with a signed agreement confirming that the buyer understands the legal age requirements and will ensure only licensed riders use the bike. Just as liquor stores must verify age and pharmacies must confirm prescriptions, e-bike dealers should be held accountable for confirming that their products will not end up in the hands of minors.
This is not about blame; it’s about shared responsibility. If we all take ownership, from parents to sellers to law enforcement, we can prevent tragedy before it happens because what begins as fun can end in heartbreak.
The Road Traffic Act 1947 makes it a criminal offense to ride recklessly or dangerously, overtaking on blind corners, speeding, or riding without due care. These are not minor infractions. If a young person is seriously injured, or worse, if they injure someone else, the consequences can last a lifetime.
E-bikes are not toys. They are motorised vehicles and that means they carry real power and real danger when mishandled.
The Bermuda Police Service and the Road Safety Council have both warned about this rising issue, but enforcement alone will not solve it. Education and awareness must work hand in hand with the law. Project Ride exists to prepare young people for the road, yet too many are not participating. Parents must take an active role, schools can reinforce the message, and the police must intervene when minors are caught riding illegally.
While the laws are clear, what’s less visible is consistent enforcement. Many in our community are unsure whether e-bike regulations are being applied with the same seriousness as those for motor vehicles. The result is a growing perception that riders can operate with little oversight. This perception alone undermines respect for the law and fuels unsafe behavior. Our enforcement agencies need the tools, resources, and public backing to ensure that every rider regardless of age or bike type, is held to the same standard of safety and responsibility.
We should also have an honest conversation as a community about how we’ve become too comfortable with what we call “just bad habits.”
The reality is that one bad habit on a 50 + kilometre-per-hour e-bike can end a young life.
Imagine for a moment if the rider in that video was your child, your cousin, or your neighbour. Would you still think of it as harmless? Would you still shrug it off as “just kids being kids”?
Electric mobility is part of Bermuda’s future and a promising one at that. E-bikes can reduce congestion, lower emissions, and make travel more affordable. But without structure, accountability, and respect for the law, they can just as easily become a public hazard. We must update our legislation to distinguish between pedal-assist commuter bikes and high-powered motorized ones, while maintaining strict age and safety requirements.
But more than anything, we must change our mindset. Safety is not just a rule; it’s a culture. It’s the decision to value life over convenience, responsibility over recklessness, and prevention over regret.
We cannot wait for another headline, another vigil, another life lost on Bermuda’s roads. The time to act is now. I urge the Ministry of Transport, the Bermuda Police Service, and the Road Safety Council to work together on a coordinated response that includes enforcement, education, and retail accountability.
And to parents, I say this with urgency: if your child is under 16, do not let them ride an e-bike. It is not just illegal, it could be the worst decision of your life.
Bermuda is too small to lose another young person to something so preventable. Let’s do what we can, while we still can.
Maurice Foley is a community advocate and former Senator for the One Bermuda Alliance.
The explosion occurred in Castel d’Azzano, near the city of Verona, overnight and caused the farmhouse to collapse, firefighters said
International News via Reuters:
An explosion at a farmhouse in northern Italy during a police raid killed three Carabinieri officers and injured 12 others, Italy’s fire service said on X on Tuesday.
The explosion occurred in Castel d’Azzano, near the city of Verona, overnight and caused the farmhouse to collapse, firefighters said. A woman was also injured and seven firefighters were taken to hospital for checks, they added.
Italian media reported that the officers were trying to carry out an eviction order and that the initial indications were that gas canisters had exploded in the building. The noise from the blast could be heard as far as five kilometres (3.1 miles) away.
Corriere della Sera reported that three siblings lived in the building and had been resisting attempts to evict them for several years.
“With deep sorrow I have learnt of the tragic passing of three Carabinieri. My condolences, and those of the government, go to the families of the victims,” Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote on X.
Reporting by Gianluca Semeraro, editing by Keith Weir
A presidency decree on Facebook said the 51-year-old Rajoelina had consulted with the leaders of the National Assembly and the upper house Senate, but the legality of his gambit was unclear
International News via Reuters:
Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina said on Tuesday he had dissolved the lower house of parliament, escalating a standoff with youth-led protesters and the military that forced him to flee the island.
A presidency decree on Facebook said the 51-year-old Rajoelina had consulted with the leaders of the National Assembly and the upper house Senate, but the legality of his gambit was unclear.
In a defiant address from an undisclosed location on Monday evening, Rajoelina refused to step down despite weeks of Gen Z protests demanding his resignation and widespread defections in the army.
Rajoelina said he had been forced to move to a safe place because of threats to his life. An opposition official, a military source and a foreign diplomat told Reuters he had fled the country on Sunday aboard a French military plane.
In a separate post on X, Rajoelina said the decision to dissolve the national assembly, which would pave the way for new elections to be held in 60 days at the earliest, was “necessary to restore order” in Madagascar.
“The people must be heard once again. It’s time for the youth,” he said.
However, the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly disputed it. “This decree is not legally valid … the president of the National Assembly says he was not consulted,” said Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, who is also the assembly vice president.
ESCALATING DEMONSTRATIONS
The opposition has been trying to gather enough signatures to launch impeachment proceedings against Rajoelina in parliament, where the ruling coalition commands a majority.
Demonstrations erupted in the country on September 25 over water and power shortages and quickly escalated into an uprising over broader grievances, including corruption, bad governance and a lack of basic services.
The anger mirrored recent protests against ruling elites elsewhere, including Nepal and Morocco.
On Tuesday, at Antananarivo’s 13 May Square, along the main drag lined with palm trees and French colonial buildings, thousands of protesters danced, marched, sang songs and waved banners denouncing Rajoelina as a French stooge because of his dual citizenship and support from Madagascar’s former coloniser.
Many were waving Malagasy flags and the signature Gen Z protest banner of a skull and crossbones from the Japanese “One Piece” anime series.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that constitutional order must be preserved and that while France understood the grievances of the youth, they should not be exploited by military factions.
Rajoelina has appeared increasingly isolated after losing the support of CAPSAT, an elite unit which had helped him to seize power in a 2009 coup.
CAPSAT joined the protesters over the weekend, saying it would refuse to fire on them and escorting thousands of demonstrators in the main square of the capital Antananarivo.
It later said it was taking charge of the military and appointed a new army chief, prompting Rajoelina to warn on Sunday of an attempt to seize power.
The paramilitary gendarmerie and the police have since broken ranks with the president.
Madagascar, where the average age is less than 20, has a population of about 30 million, three-quarters of whom live in poverty. GDP per capita plunged 45% from the time of independence in 1960 to 2020, according to the World Bank.
Reporting by Lovasoa Rabary and Tim Cocks in Antananarivo and Giulia Paravicini in Nairobi; Writing by Silvia Aloisi; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne
Kering owned Gucci was fined 119.7 million euros, Chloé 19.7 million euros and Loewe 18 million euros, highlighting growing regulatory scrutiny of luxury groups
International News via Reuters:
Gucci, Chloe and Loewe have been fined a total of 157 million euros ($182 million) by the European Union’s antitrust watchdog for fixing the resale prices of their retail partners.
Kering owned Gucci was fined 119.7 million euros, Chloé 19.7 million euros and Loewe 18 million euros, highlighting growing regulatory scrutiny of luxury groups.
“The three fashion companies interfered with their retailers’ commercial strategies by imposing restrictions on them, such as requiring them to not deviate from recommended retail prices; maximum discounts rates; and specific periods for sales,” the European Commission said in a statement on Tuesday.
Kering said the EU probe was resolved following a cooperation procedure with Gucci and the financial hit was provisioned in the group’s 2025 first-half results.
LVMH’s Loewe also confirmed the deal with the EU and pledged to operate “in strict compliance with antitrust laws”. LVMH is due to report third-quarter sales later.
Chloe, owned by Richemont said it was taking the matter “extremely seriously” and has stepped up its measures to ensure adherence to competition law since the investigation, which began in 2023.
The practices deprived retailers of pricing independence and reduced competition while protecting the brands’ own sales channels from retailer competition, the Commission said.
Brands including Armani, Dior, Loro Piana and recently Tod’s have also come under pressure from Italian authorities about alleged worker abuse in their supply chains.
Meanwhile, recent breaches of protected client data at some companies have added to regulatory problems facing the sector.
($1 = 0.8649 euros)
Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout and Tassilo Hummel; Editing by Benoit Van Overstraeten and Alexander Smith
Update on the Ministry of Education’s School Transformation Plan
Amid some uncertainly about the future of education reform, Qian Dickinson today sat down with the Minister of Education, Crystal Caesar, to get the latest on the School Transformation Plan.
Whilst the focus has been mainly on the buildings, the School Transformation Plan includes ongoing work for Signature Learning Programmes and strengthening learning communities.
Five years have passed since the government began its educational reform … so have these programmes improved the quality of education and outcomes for students?
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