The prestigious award, formally known as the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, is the final prize to be given out this year
International News via Reuters:
Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt won the 2025 Nobel economics prize for “having explained innovation-driven economic growth”, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said on Monday.
The prestigious award, formally known as the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, is the final prize to be given out this year and is worth 11 million Swedish crowns ($1.2 million).
“The laureates have taught us that sustained growth cannot be taken for granted,” the prize-awarding body said in a statement. Economic stagnation, not growth, has been the norm for most of human history. Their work shows that we must be aware of, and counteract, threats to continued growth.”
Mokyr is a professor at Northwestern University, in Evanston in the United States, while Aghion is professor at the College de France and INSEAD, in Paris, and at the London School of Economics and Political Science, in Britain.
Howitt is a professor at Brown University, in Providence in the United States.
Mokyr was awarded half the prize with the other half being shared between Aghion and Howitt.
“Joel Mokyr used historical observations to identify the factors necessary for sustained growth based on technological innovations,” John Hassler, member of the Nobel Committee, said.
“Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt produced a mathematical model of creative destruction, an endless process in which new and better products replace the old.”
The awards for medicine, physics, chemistry, peace and literature were announced last week.
Those prizes were established in the will of Swedish dynamite inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel and have been handed out since 1901, with a few interruptions mostly due to the world wars.
The economics prize was established much later, being given out first in 1969 when it was won by Norway’s Ragnar Frisch and Jan Tinbergen from the Netherlands for work in dynamic economic modelling. Tinbergen’s brother Nikolaas also won a prize, taking home Medicine in 1973.
While few economists are household names, relatively well-known winners include former U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke, and Paul Krugman and Milton Friedman.
Last year’s economics award went to U.S.-based academics Simon Johnson, James Robinson and Daron Acemoglu for research that explored the relationship between colonisation and the establishment of public institutions to explain why some countries have been mired in poverty for decades.
($1 = 9.5112 Swedish crowns)
Reporting by Simon Johnson, Niklas Pollard, Johan Ahlander and Greta Rosen Fondahn in Stockholm; Mark John in London; Editing by Toby Chopra
France is in the midst of its worst political crisis in decades as a succession of minority governments seek to push deficit-reducing budgets
International News via Reuters:
French President Emmanuel Macron rejected calls to resign and blasted his opponents on Monday, as his latest government was threatened by two no-confidence motions that could bring it down by the end of the week.
France is in the midst of its worst political crisis in decades as a succession of minority governments seek to push deficit-reducing budgets through a truculent legislature split into three distinct ideological blocs.
Macron has burned through five prime ministers in less than two years, and many of his rivals have said the only way out of the crisis is for the president to call fresh legislative elections or resign, both of which he has refused to do.
SHRINKING CONFIDENCE
Shortly after arriving in Egypt on Monday to attend a meeting to end the war in Gaza, Macron was defiant, blaming his rivals for destabilising France and saying he had no plans to step down before his second and final term ends in 2027.
“I ensure continuity and stability, and I will continue to do so,” he said, urging people not to forget that the mandate given to the president means “to serve, to serve, and to serve.”
On Friday, Macron reappointed Sebastien Lecornu, who had resigned as prime minister earlier in the week. Macron’s office announced Lecornu’s new cabinet late on Sunday, with many of the top jobs remaining unchanged, despite the prime minister’s pledge to name ministers who embody “renewal and diversity.”
Both the hard-left “France Unbowed” (LFI) party and the far-right National Rally (RN) filed no-confidence motions on Monday.
Lecornu will face a no-confidence vote most likely on Thursday. It’s unclear if he has the votes needed to survive, as the Socialists – whose support he will almost certainly need to fight on – are keeping their options open.
The Socialists want Lecornu to repeal Macron’s pension reform and roll out a billionaires tax, measures the right outright rejects.
“There will be no censure if the prime minister commits to abandoning Article 49.3 and suspending the pension reform,” Socialist lawmaker Philippe Brun told Reuters, referring to the constitutional tool used to ram legislation through parliament without a vote, and echoing remarks by the party’s secretary Olivier Faure on Sunday.
Lecornu, already France’s shortest serving prime minister with a first term that lasted just 27 days, has not ruled out resigning again if he cannot fulfill his mission.
RN party president Jordan Bardella, asked on TF1 TV whether he would support a motion by the hard-left, said: “I’m not a sectarian … I believe that France’s interest today is to ensure that Emmanuel Macron is stopped in his tracks”.
BUDGET PRESSURE
The newly appointed cabinet meets for a first time on Monday afternoon and must present a budget by Wednesday.
France has the euro zone’s largest deficit, and Macron has tasked a string of prime ministers with passing slimmed-down budgets.
Michel Barnier was the first to try, but he was toppled by parliament last December for his proposed budget cuts to the 2025 budget. His successor, Francois Bayrou managed to get the 2025 legislation over the line, but he was ousted last month over his proposals for the 2026 budget.
“The political forces that decided to vote against Francois Bayrou and the political forces that sought to destabilise Sebastien Lecornu are solely responsible for this mess,” Macron said.
Reporting by Geert De Clercq and Alessandro Parodi and Elizabeth Pineau; editing by Gabriel Stargardter and Ros Russell
Resistance to antibiotics rose in around 40% of samples monitored, the U.N. health agency said in a report based on data from more than 100 countries between 2016-2023
International News via Reuters:
One in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections are resistant to antibiotic treatments, the World Health Organization said on Monday, calling for the medicines to be used more responsibly.
Resistance to antibiotics rose in around 40% of samples monitored, the U.N. health agency said in a report based on data from more than 100 countries between 2016-2023.
“Antimicrobial resistance is outpacing advances in modern medicine, threatening the health of families worldwide,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement accompanying the report. “We must use antibiotics responsibly, and make sure everyone has access to the right medicines, quality-assured diagnostics, and vaccines.”
Globally, resistance to antibiotics directly accounts for more than 1 million deaths annually. While genetic changes in pathogens are part of a natural process, human activity such as the misuse and overuse of antibiotics to control infections in humans, animals and plants is accelerating that process.
The highest levels of antibiotic resistance are in parts of South Asia and the Middle East where about one in three reported infections are resistant, according to the WHO.
In Africa, resistance to the first-choice treatment for some types of bacteria found in bloodstream infections which can cause sepsis, organ failure and death, now exceed 70%, it said.
Sterling, which tends to benefit from risk appetite, much like the Australian dollar, stocks or crypto, was up 0.24% at $1.3365
International News via Reuters:
The pound rose on Monday, getting a tailwind from a degree of relief that U.S. President Donald Trump may not make good on his threat last week to hit Chinese goods with 100% tariffs, which gave risk-linked assets a boost.
In a lengthy post on his Truth Social network on Friday, Trump threatened to impose duties from November 1 on Chinese goods in retaliation for Beijing’s decision to restrict exports of critical rare earth materials, triggering a hefty sell-off on Wall Street, in bitcoin and in riskier currencies like sterling.
By Monday, investors recovered some poise, based on Trump’s apparent back-pedalling the previous day. “Don’t worry about China, it will all be fine!” he wrote on Truth Social.
Sterling, which tends to benefit from risk appetite, much like the Australian dollar, stocks or crypto, was up 0.24% at $1.3365, making it one of the better performing major currencies against the U.S. dollar.
The key risk event for the pound this quarter will be the November budget. For now, investors will parse through UK employment data, including wage growth, on Tuesday, as well as economic activity for the three months to August on Thursday, to try to get a sense of where British interest rates may be headed.
“UK data have stabilised anew – we will closely monitor labour market data and August GDP this week, fundamentals are more solid than markets appreciate, and short positions are crowded,” strategists at Barclays said.
Six of the nine Bank of England rate-setting committee members will speak this week and, with the central bank’s next meeting not until November 6, investors will be listening carefully for any hint of where monetary policy may go in the coming months.
Money markets show traders expect no change in rates when the BOE meets next and are only pricing in the next cut by March at the earliest. UK inflation is still running above the central bank’s 2% target and a large share of the price pressures are in parts of the economy the BOE cannot easily target, such as wages and the services sector.
Reporting by Amanda Cooper; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala
The Entry/Exit System (EES) will be introduced over six months
International News via Reuters:
European Union member countries began rolling out a new entry and exit system on Sunday at the bloc’s external borders, electronically registering non-EU nationals’ data.
The Entry/Exit System (EES), an automated system that requires travellers to register at the border by scanning their passport and having their fingerprints and photograph taken, will be introduced over six months.
The move is aimed at detecting overstayers, tackling identity fraud and preventing illegal migration amid political pressure in some EU countries to take a tougher stance.
“The Entry/Exit System is the digital backbone of our new common European migration and asylum framework,” European Internal Affairs and Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner said in a statement.
SIX MONTHS TO ADJUST
Non-EU citizens will have to register their personal details when they first enter the Schengen area – all EU member countries apart from Ireland and Cyprus, but including Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Subsequent journeys will only require facial biometric verification.
The system should be fully operational, with passport stamping replaced with electronic records, on April 10, 2026.
“Every third country national who arrives at an external border will undergo identity verification, security screening, and registration in the EU databases,” Brunner said, adding that “the six-month rollout gives member states, travellers, and businesses time to transition smoothly to the new procedures”.
For British travellers using the Port of Dover, the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone or Eurostar terminal at London’s St Pancras International, the process will take place at the border before they leave the UK.
At Dover and the Eurotunnel terminal, only freight and coach traffic will be subject to EES checks from Sunday.
Passenger vehicle checks will follow in November at Dover and by the end of the year at Eurotunnel, while the Eurostar at St Pancras will gradually introduce the new process starting with some business travellers from Sunday.
“We recognise that EES checks will be a significant change for British travellers, which is why we have worked closely with our European partners to ensure the rollout goes as smoothly as possible,” British Minister for Border Security and Asylum Alex Norris said.
“The UK and EU have a shared objective of securing our borders and these modernisation measures will help us protect our citizens and prevent illegal migration,” Norris said.
Reporting by Lili Bayer, James Davey and Kate Holton. Editing by Mark Potter
His opponents include former government spokesperson Issa Tchiroma, 76, who has galvanised large crowds demanding an end to Biya’s long tenure
International News via Reuters:
Cameroonians began voting on Sunday in a presidential election where incumbent Paul Biya, the world’s oldest ruler at 92, is widely expected to extend his 43-year grip on power despite an energised opposition pushing for change.
His opponents include former government spokesperson Issa Tchiroma, 76, who has galvanised large crowds demanding an end to Biya’s long tenure and drawn endorsements from a platform of some opposition parties and civic groups.
However, analysts say that Biya, in power since 1982, is likely to be reelected given his firm control of state machinery and the fragmented nature of an opposition field of nine candidates.
DECADES OF ECONOMIC STAGNATION
“Nothing is given. Let’s wait and see. Let’s wait for the name of the winner,” Biya told journalists after voting in the upscale Bastos neighbourhood near the presidential palace in the capital Yaounde.
Outside, voters trickled in amid tight security around the president, to cast their ballot.
“I hope it will go well, particularly for my champion,” said one voter, Patrick Mbarga Mboa, 45, declining to say who he supported. “I hope peace and tranquillity will continue in the country after the election.”
Biya’s critics are still hoping he can be ousted after decades of economic stagnation and tensions in the Central African nation of 30 million people, an oil and cocoa producer.
“This election comes at a time when the whole nation aspires for change,” Tchiroma said after voting in his hometown of Garoua in the North region.
He urged voters to remain vigilant and make sure that the results announced by the constitutional council reflect the result from ballot boxes.
“For 43 years, Cameroonians have been suffering. There are no jobs,” said Hassane Djbril, a driver from Yaounde’s Briqueterie neighbourhood, who plans to vote for Tchiroma.
BIYA’S SLOGAN: ‘GREATNESS AND HOPE’
Voting started at 0700 GMT and ends at 1700 GMT. Just over 8 million people have registered to vote. Results are expected within 15 days.
Biya abolished term limits in 2008 and has long deployed divide-and-rule tactics. The single-round electoral system gives victory to the candidate with the most votes, even if they have not secured a majority.
“A surprise is still possible, but a divided opposition and the backing of a formidable electoral machine will, we predict, give the 92-year-old his eighth term,” said Francois Conradie, lead political economist at Oxford Economics.
“Although we think he isn’t very aware of what is going on, it seems that the machine he built will divide to rule one last time,” Conradie added in a note.
Under the slogan “Greatness and Hope”, Biya has held just one campaign rally, in the northern city of Maroua, relying instead on tightly controlled state media and posts on social media, while his team promises more economic development.
“We want to see that change, we want to see it actually happen. We don’t want to just keep hearing words anymore,” said Herves Mitterand, a mechanic in the commercial capital, Douala.
Reporting by Amindeh Blaise Atabong in Yaounde, Desire Danga Essigue in Garoua and Eyoung Blaise in DoualaAdditional reporting and writing by Bate FelixEditing by Frances Kerry, Helen Popper and Joe Bavier
The company is monitoring the situation in real time with authorities, and “the resumption of operations will remain subject to a daily assessment of the situation,” Air France said
International News via Reuters:
Air France-KLM’s French division has suspended flights between Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport and Madagascar’s capital, Antananarivo, from October 11 to October 13 inclusive “due to the security situation” on the ground, the airline said in an e-mailed statement on Sunday.
The company is monitoring the situation in real time with authorities, and “the resumption of operations will remain subject to a daily assessment of the situation,” Air France said. Affected customers will be notified and offered rebooking or refund solutions, it said.
Madagascar’s presidency said on Sunday that “an attempted illegal and forcible seizure of power” was underway in the African nation, without providing details, a day after some soldiers joined a protest movement that had begun last month.
Reporting by Mathieu RosemainEditing by Alexandra Hudson
Keaton, who appeared in more than 60 films stood out in Hollywood with a personal style that favored androgynous looks
International News via Reuters:
Diane Keaton, the quirky U.S. actress who won an Academy Award and captured hearts with her performance as Woody Allen’s eccentric, insecure girlfriend in the 1977 romantic comedy “Annie Hall,” has died at the age of 79.
Rizzoli, a publishing company that released several of Keaton’s books, confirmed her death in a statement, calling her an “icon whose influence spanned film, fashion, and design.”
A representative for Keaton could not be immediately reached. Her death was first reported by People magazine.
Keaton, who appeared in more than 60 films, including “The Godfather” trilogy, “The First Wives Club” and eight films with Allen, stood out in Hollywood with a personal style that favored androgynous looks, turtleneck sweaters and her trademark hats.
‘ANNIE HALL’ ESTABLISHED KEATON
She earned Oscar nominations for best actress for her portrayal of U.S. journalist Louise Bryant in the 1981 political drama “Reds,” as a caring aunt to Leonardo DiCaprio in the 1996 family saga “Marvin’s Room” and opposite Jack Nicholson in the 2003 romantic comedy “Something’s Gotta Give.”
But it was “Annie Hall,” which Allen loosely based on his relationship with Keaton, that established her as a consummate actress.
“It was an idealized version of me, let’s put it that way,” Keaton said about the film in an interview with CBS News in 2004.
“Annie Hall” and Keaton’s dramatic turn as a dedicated teacher by day and prowler of singles bars at night in “Looking for Mr. Goodbar” landed her on the cover of “Time” magazine in September 1977.
Rolling Stone magazine described her as “the next (Katherine) Hepburn” in its June 30th issue that year.
Forty years later, Allen paid tribute to his early muse when Keaton received the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award for her body of work.
“The minute I met her she was a great, great inspiration to me,” he said. “Much of what I’ve accomplished in my life I owe for sure to her. She’s really astonishing.”
Keaton was also a director, writer, producer, and photographer and had a passion for restoring California mansions. She detailed her life in two memoirs, “Then Again” in 2011, in which she revealed she had suffered from the eating disorder bulimia in her 20s, and “Let’s Just Say it Wasn’t Pretty” in 2014.
She was equally famous for high-profile romances with her leading men: Allen; Warren Beatty, her co-star and director in “Reds”; and Al Pacino, who played her boyfriend and husband in “The Godfather” films.
“Each man had a different decade,” she told The Telegraph in 2013. “Woody was my twenties, Warren was my thirties and Al was borderline: late thirties/early forties.”
‘LA-DEE-DA, LA-DEE-DA, LA-LA’
Keaton was born Diane Hall in Los Angeles on January 5, 1946. The oldest of four children, she adopted her mother’s maiden name to avoid confusion with another actress with the same moniker.
Her father, a civil engineer, and her housekeeper mother moved the family to suburban Santa Ana when Keaton was a child.
After briefly attending college in California, Keaton moved to New York to study at the Neighborhood Playhouse. She landed a role in the original Broadway rock musical “Hair” in 1968. The shy actress, who spent years in therapy, refused to appear nude in the production.
But it was an audition with Allen for the stage production of “Play It Again, Sam” that changed her life.
“Nothing would have happened without Woody Allen. If I hadn’t been cast in that play …” Keaton said in an interview with Vanity Fair in 2011.
Keaton won a Tony nomination for the role that sparked their romance as well as a life-long friendship and a collaboration that included many of Allen’s best films such as “Sleeper,” “Love and Death” and “Manhattan.”
In “Annie Hall,” she immortalized the phrase “la-dee-da, la-dee-da, la-la,” which was characteristic of her flighty, fluttered style.
Keaton stood by Allen years later after the filmmaker’s adopted daughter accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was a child. Allen has denied the allegations and has never been charged.
“I still love him – there are some people who stay in your life and it matters and they are in for the long haul,” she said about Allen in an interview with The Telegraph in 2013.
After seeing her in “Lovers and Other Strangers” and intrigued by her kooky, nervous demeanor, Francis Ford Coppola cast Keaton as Kay Adams, Pacino’s love interest in “The Godfather.” It was a major role for the actress in the film that won the Oscar for best picture in 1973.
As Keaton’s career progressed, she moved from ingenue roles to mature career women and mothers grappling with family issues. She credits director Nancy Myers for her long-lasting career. They worked on four films together, including 1987’s “Baby Boom,” and the 1991 remake of the 1950s film “Father of the Bride.”
Keaton was also nominated for a lead actress Emmy in 1995 for “Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight” and directed several films, television episodes and two music videos for singer Belinda Carlisle.
Despite her well-publicized romances, she never married.
“I think I was really afraid of men and also very attracted to extremely talented people that were dazzling,” she told Elle magazine in 2015. “I don’t think that makes for a good marriage with a person like me, someone who just didn’t adjust well.”
After adopting two children, Dexter and Duke, when she was in her 50s, Keaton said she found a real purpose in her life that she never had before.
“I was very heavily involved in myself forever. And this changes the whole landscape of your life. Your whole point of view in a good way,” she told CBS News. “In a nice way … I just think they are both miracles.”
Reporting by Bhargav Acharya in Toronto and Patricia Reaney; Editing by Sergio Non, Paul Simao, Rod Nickel
A weekend of contrasting fortunes for Bermudian coaches and players
A weekend of contrasting fortunes for Bermudian coaches and players saw a dominant victory in the US, a frustrating draw in the WSL, and a mixed bag in the English lower leagues.
Smith’s Rhode Island Hit Five
Head coach Khano Smith led his Rhode Island FC side to a commanding 5-0 rout of the Tampa Bay Rowdies in their regular-season home finale, continuing their excellent run of form in the USL Championship.
WSL Frustration
In the Barclays Women’s Super League, Aston Villa Women, featuring assistant coach Shaun Goater, were held to a goalless draw by Leicester City. Despite dominating chances in the first half at Villa Park, the hosts couldn’t find a breakthrough.
Women’s Lower League Action
Goalkeeper coach Dashun Cooper celebrated as his QPR Women’s team secured a solid 3-1 victory on the road against Cambridge United Women.
Kenni Thompson’s AFC Bournemouth Women maintained their unbeaten start to the FA Women’s National League season, earning a hard-fought draw with Plymouth.
In the NWSL, both Leilanni Nesbeth’s Chicago Stars and Mia Fishel’s Seattle Reign secured 1-1 draws.
Elsewhere, K’Shaela Burch-Waldron’s Sutton United also drew 1-1, while Jahni Simmons and Coventry Sphinx Ladies FC were knocked out of the Birmingham FA Challenge Cup, losing 7-1 to Aston Villa Academy.
The recognition comes on Dr David Wingate’s 90th birthday
CariGenetics’ research lab was named in dedication of Dr David Wingate on the eve of his 90th birthday. Image supplied.
Imagine Bermuda issued the following press release.
Friday, October 10th marks the 90th Birthday of David Wingate who in 1951 – as a 15 year old – was a member of the 3-person team which rediscovered the Cahow on an islet in the Castle Harbour , which had been long-thought to have been extinct. The teen – known for his sense of adventure – had been invited to join the team by Louis Mowbray – Director of BAMZ – and Robert Murphy – Curator of Birds @ the American Museum of Natural History.
Imagine Bermuda invites families to join in Celebrating this community exemplar, who has received recognition – from home & abroad – for his pioneering contribution which has had global implications.
From early youth, David has accessed his personal agency; manifested his sense of wonder, regardless of peer pressure and courageously overcome challenges. All this, in tirelessly restoring Endangered Species while laying an important foundation for us to sustain Bermuda’s Delicate Balance.
Families are encouraged to use this weekend to celebrate David Wingate’s contribution by engaging in informal discussions that could benefit all involved.
Potential Discussion Points with Your Children:
· The teenage David Wingate was teased by some fellow Saltus students because of his passion for Nature/Environment and nick-named – Bird.
· He ignored that Peer-Pressure and persevered; becoming involved in that iconic Rediscovery of the Cahow.
· He went on to complete his Bachelors at Cornell University and as Conservation Officer established a prototype for restoring Endangered Species globally, at Nonsuch; much of this involved going ‘Over & Beyond’ with limited resources.
· The success of restoring a sustainable population of Cahows has provided a globally respected template.
· His passion over the decades has had an impact on the Island’s whole natural environment.
· David’s example has inspired many; including Miguel Mejias; a former Cedarbridge student who also overcame Peer Pressure and engaged as a volunteer at BAMZ, during his teens. Inspired by Wingate, Miguel pursued Ornithology and eventually attained his PhD in this regard, some 3 years ago.
· This background offers a context to discuss the implications of peer pressure, which is highly leveraged in the current culture dominated by Social Media.
This offers everyone the reminder that as Humans – at our Best – we all, are Always Learning.
MP Linda Smith questions how government will reconcile public feedback on proposals at the national park
Press statement:
The recent video by the Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce (BEST), the Bermuda National Trust and the Audubon Society clearly drives home that many people remain very concerned about the fate of Southlands National Park.
Opposition MP Linda Smith, Shadow Minister of Public Works & Environment says it has been over a month since Public Works & Environment Minister, Jache Adams, received the petition signed by over 5,000 people, while hundreds rallied on South Shore Road to save Southlands National Park.
During Premier question time in the House of Assembly on July 18, MP Smith asked Premier David Burt several questions about the pending planning applications for Southlands National Park, but say his responses shed very little light.
“The answers offered little to no real information. Although the Premier did say that he had no knowledge of arrangements or discussions with a cruise line or lines for the use of Southlands. Premier Burt also suggested that I direct my questions to the Minister responsible, which I was able to do at the most recent House of Assembly meeting on September 26th.
“I asked Minister Adams what due diligence had been conducted in the lead-up to the filing of the two planning applications, one for a zipline attraction on the north side of the park, and the other the application for a café, a parking lot, and better access to the beach on the south side. I also repeated my earlier questions directed to the Premier about whether there had been any arrangements or discussions with a cruise line or lines for the use of Southlands Park, the beach and proposed new facilities. As the planning application for the zipline in the north side of the park mentions it being a Public, Private, Partnership (PPP), I asked specifically, what is the taxpayers’ role in the PPP.”
MP Smith continues, Minister Adams provided a history of events beginning with Southlands designation as a National Park in 2017. The Minister said since that time, the Government’s due dilegence included input from a Southlands Park Panel established in May 2023. He said that the panel was comprised of representatives from Parks, Public Lands and Buildings, the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources, the Bermuda Tourism Authority and the Department of Planning.
In reply to the Parliamentry Question, Minister Adams told the House of Assembly, “In late 2022 to 2023 we consulted with the National Parks Commission, Bermuda National Trust and Audobon Society. Based on their feedback the Ministry made several changes including, scaling the restaurant down to a smaller café reducing the building size down from 9000 square feet to under 5000 square feet, and possibly as low as 3000 square feet.”
The Minister also told the House that there has been no discussion with a cruise line or lines about the use of Southlands. As to the question about a Public Private Partnership for the zipline enterprise the Minister said, “these are on-going negotiations and no final decision has been made.”
There were approximately 25 formal objections to the two planning applications, but thousands of people voiced their concerns outside of the formal planning process. MP Smith questions how the Government will reconcile the extensive public feedback they have received.
“There are multiple government entities involved in these decisions. The Minister said the Planning Department is awaiting formal feedback from the Parks Commission, and once that comes in he is committed to reviewing all submissions before making a final decision. “It would be in the public interest to have some clarity as to how those submissions will be weighted,” MP Smith concludes.
Bermuda charities are invited to submit applications for funding from the 2026 Convex End-to-End. Applications must be submitted electronically by 5:00 PM on Thursday, October 30, 2025.
For 2026, the Convex End-to-End will once again allocate proceeds to four charitable programmes. This year’s event also introduces new $10,000 grant opportunities to make funding more accessible to smaller charities, helping sustain their important work even without a large-scale project in place.
Theresa Hall, End-to-End Charity Liason, said, “We’re thrilled to open the 2026 grant window. Our online application through BermudaTix makes it simple for charities to apply, and the new $10,000 grants mean even more organisations can benefit from the End-to-End’s support.”
The Bermuda End-to-End awards grants that fund non-sectarian Bermuda charitable programmes and projects that sustain and strengthen Bermudian families, the Bermuda Railway Trail, and the wider community. Grant details and process:
● Charities may apply for either a $10,000 or $50,000 allocation via bdatix.bm or bermudaendtoend.bm
● Final funding decisions are made at the sole discretion of Bermuda E2E, with successful applicants notified in December 2025.
● Funding will be distributed following the 2026 event and the E2E Awards Reception.
Board Chair, Christen Styche, added, “We’re always inspired by the incredible projects put forward by local charities. The Convex End-to-End continues to be a powerful way for our community to come together and support meaningful causes across Bermuda.”
Ms Styche continued, “We’re extremely grateful to Convex for returning as our title sponsor in 2026. Their continued support helps us host an outstanding event while ensuring local charities receive the funding they need to thrive.”
The 2025 event provided funding to five deserving charities — Age Concern, Bermuda Audubon Society, Bermuda Red Cross, The Duke of Edinburgh International Award, Bermuda and The Reading Clinic. Additional funding was also awarded to St John’s Ambulance, Open Airways, the Horticultural Skills Programme, and Warwick Academy, the top fundraising school. Amber’s Wings received the $10,000 Anne Mello Award, which recognises a charity providing exceptional community support.
The 39th annual Convex End-to-End will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026, bringing together walkers, cyclists, and rowers for the traditional island-wide route from St. George’s to Dockyard.
For questions about the End-to-End Charity Grant Application, please contact Theresa Hall, Charity Liaison, at charities@bermudaendtoend.bm
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