FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Team Bermuda takes on Curaçao in the 2nd leg of the final round
Team Bermuda will face Curaçao tonight in their first away match of the final round of World Cup qualifiers. The Gombey Warriors are hoping to bounce back after a tough 4 nil loss to Jamaica on Friday at Flora Duffy Stadium. Despite the setback, captain Nahki Wells says there’s still plenty of football to play and remains cautiously optimistic about Team Bermuda’s chances.
Before July 2024’s election, Labour promised not to raise the rates of income tax, value-added tax or national insurance contributions – the main sources of government revenue
International News via Reuters:
British finance minister Rachel Reeves should break pre-election promises not to raise taxes on the general public rather than target businesses again in her November 26 budget, the head of the Confederation of British Industry said on Tuesday.
Writing in The Guardian newspaper, CBI chief executive Rain Newton-Smith said new tax rises on businesses would go against the government’s goal to boost economic growth and commitments made after last year’s budget, which raised taxes by the most since 1993.
“The chancellor cannot raid corporate coffers again so she must look elsewhere, embracing long-term strategic tax reforms rather than maintaining a slavish adherence to manifesto promises on tax,” Newton-Smith said.
Before July 2024’s election, Labour promised not to raise the rates of income tax, value-added tax or national insurance contributions – the main sources of government revenue.
But in October’s budget Reeves increased employers’ national insurance contributions – which she said were not covered by the pledge – by 25 billion pounds ($34 billion).
Since then, businesses have blamed the tax rise, which took effect in April alongside an increased minimum wage, for weaker hiring and investment and higher prices.
At this year’s budget, many economists think Reeves will need to find tens of billions of pounds more in revenue due to higher borrowing costs, a less certain growth outlook and a failure to pass welfare cuts through parliament.
Newton-Smith said Reeves should restructure the tax system, repeating longstanding calls to change business property taxes.
Other areas for reform included thresholds around tax and state-subsidised childcare, taxes on house purchase which discouraged labour mobility, road pricing and the threshold at which businesses must start to pay VAT.
“Geopolitics and global markets have shifted. The world is different from when Labour drafted its manifesto, and when the facts change so should the solutions,” Newton-Smith said.
($1 = 0.7384 pounds)
Reporting by David Milliken; Editing by Sachin Ravikumar
The choice of Lecornu, 39, indicates Macron’s determination to press on with a minority government that stands firmly behind his pro-business economic reform agenda
International News via Reuters:
French President Emmanuel Macron named loyalist Sebastien Lecornu, a one-time conservative protege who rallied behind his 2017 presidential run, as prime minister on Tuesday, defying expectations he might tack towards the left.
The choice of Lecornu, 39, indicates Macron’s determination to press on with a minority government that stands firmly behind his pro-business economic reform agenda, under which taxes on business and the wealthy have been cut and the retirement age raised.
Macron was forced to appoint a fifth prime minister in less than two years after parliament ousted Francois Bayrou nine months into the role over his plans for taming the country’s ballooning debt.
In handing the job to Lecornu, Macron risks alienating the centre-left Socialist Party and leaves the president and his government depending on Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally for support in parliament.
Lecornu’s immediate priority will be to forge consensus on a budget for 2026, a task that proved the undoing of Bayrou who had pushed for aggressive spending cuts to rein in a deficit standing at nearly double the EU ceiling of 3% of GDP.
BUDGET IN FOCUS
The political upheaval this week lays bare deepening turmoil in France that is weakening the euro zone’s second-biggest economy as it sinks deeper into a debt quagmire.
Lecornu’s nomination is not without peril for Macron. He risks appearing tone-deaf at a time of simmering popular discontent and with polls showing voters want change. Nationwide “Block Everything” protests threaten widespread disruption on Wednesday.
Lecornu most recently served as Macron’s defence minister, overseeing an increase in defence spending and helping shape European thinking on security guarantees for Ukraine in the event a peace deal with Russia is brokered.
Lecornu entered politics canvassing for former President Nicolas Sarkozy when he was 16. He became mayor of a small town in Normandy when he turned 18 and then former President Nicolas Sarkozy’s youngest government adviser at the age of 22.
He left the conservative Les Republicains party to join Macron’s centrist political movement when the president was first elected in 2017. Five years later, he ran Macron’s re-election campaign.
By naming a minister from his own camp with a conservative background, Macron appears to have decided to preserve his economy legacy at all cost.
Socialists had pledged to reverse some of his flagship pro-business policies, including the scrapping of a wealth tax and a raised retirement age, planks the president considers essential to making France attractive to investors.
Lecornu has at times had the ear of Marine Le Pen and her party chief Jordan Bardella, with whom Lecornu had a secret dinner last year. RN officials have told Reuters they could maintain some kind of tacit support to Lecornu if he was named premier.
The RN has said it will not tolerate tax increases on hard-working people.
Some aspects of education reform are being deferred to “stabilize” the provision of education
Government Press Release:
Today, the Ministry of Education welcomed back students, parents, and educators across the island for the start of the new academic year. The Minister of Education, the Hon. Crystal Caesar, JP, MP, and the Commissioner of Education, Kalmar Richards, greeted families at schools to mark the occasion and share important updates on the ongoing transformation of the Bermuda Public School System (BPSS).
Minister Caesar emphasized the Ministry’s focus on balancing long-term transformation with immediate stability in schools.
The Minister said, “Education transformation is a generational undertaking. While we continue the work of our master plan, including a realistic infrastructure strategy, we must also provide stability and maintain focus on improving the teaching and learning taking place in our schools today. Following a review of the transformation programme, the Ministry determined the best way forward would be to defer certain aspects of transformation to stabilize, strengthen, and deliver education that truly serves every child.”
The following work will continue to be accelerated to complete the transformation projects comprehensively:
The development work and transition planning for the Signature Learning Programmes is ongoing by the Berkeley Institute, CedarBridge Academy and Sandys Secondary School in preparation for September 2026, and will progress as planned.
Francis Patton, Purvis, Harrington Sound and Elliot Parish Primary Schools will continue with the phasing in of their Parish School Features and strengthening their learning communities.
The Signature School for Exceptionalities remains a high system priority. This term, a design team will begin the developmental work that will shape the vision for this specific signature school.
The following project activity will be deferred to strengthen planning, programming and cross-ministry coordination.
The timeline provided to stakeholders, which depicted the sequence of schools opening and closing beyond September 2025, is rescinded.
Minister Caesar explained, “Infrastructure development will now be completed ahead of the announcement of any school opening or closing dates. Additionally, the coordination of infrastructure development and design work for teaching and learning will be intentionally paced and coordinated for seamless merging. The infrastructure plan will provide a roadmap and sequencing of when a school is scheduled to be opened or closed.”
The Minister said, “Parents, students, educators, and our partners have shared their concerns, celebrations, and hopes for the future of education. These insights remind us to plan sensitively, strategically, and always with the child at the center. Our students, parents, and educators deserve clarity and confidence in the path ahead. This stabilization program ensures that while we plan carefully for the future, we also remain steadfast in our commitment to equity, excellence, and improved student outcomes today.”
Minister Caesar concluded, “The Ministry remains committed to creating policies that support the whole child, foster world-class teaching and learning, and expand opportunities for parents and the wider community to be active partners in our schools. Together, we will build an education system that serves every child, every family, and every community in Bermuda.”
By: Kim Swan, JP, MP, MP, Constituency #2, St. George’s West | Jr Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport
A strong future for Bermuda is built on the strength of our people. That’s the foundation of the PLP Government’s approach to economic development, ensuring that the benefits of growth reach not just the top, but every hardworking Bermudian trying to build a stable and meaningful life.
Whether it’s providing support for entrepreneurs, expanding job opportunities for young people, or improving fairness for workers, our Government initiatives reflect a simple belief: when Bermudians thrive, Bermuda thrives.
Let’s begin with entrepreneurship. This year, the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation, through its Micro Loan and Guarantee Programme, has provided $687,000 in funding to local enterprises, helping numerous Bermudian entrepreneurs get the support they need to grow.
When we support local businesses, we keep money circulating within our economy, create local jobs, and open doors for innovation. From salons and restaurants to tech services and creative ventures, these small businesses are the heartbeat of our communities and the BEDC is ensuring they don’t just survive, but thrive.
Equally important is the Government’s investment in young people through the National Youth Employment Strategy, which continues to connect Bermudians aged 18–26 with real employment and training opportunities. One standout initiative, the Learning Through Experience hospitality programme, resulted in most participants receiving full-time job offers.
In addition, Phase 1 of the Government’s Apprenticeship Programme placed 12 young Bermudians in trades such as carpentry, masonry, and plumbing, offering both income and a pathway to skilled, long-term careers.
It is no coincidence that Youth Unemployment fell to only 2.4% last year.
The PLP has also continued to prioritise economic fairness by implementing Bermuda’s minimum wage, which increased on September 1st. Before the PLP took office, exploitative employers could pay ridiculously low wages, and while more needs to be done, this was a huge step forward.
Whether it’s young people entering the workforce, parents launching small businesses, or workers fighting for a fair wage, our vision is people-centred, not profit-driven. It is focused on ensuring that growth doesn’t leave Bermudians behind.
Yes, challenges remain from global inflation to supply chain disruptions, but the path forward is clear: build a modern Bermudian economy on the talents, dreams, and resilience of our people.
Every dollar invested in a local business, every young person given a career opportunity, every wage lifted it all adds up. It all strengthens our country from the ground up.
We don’t just want a growing economy. We want an economy that grows with us, one that lifts Bermudians, values Bermudian talent, and puts Bermudians first.
By August 31, the company had delivered 385 jets in 2025, already surpassing its full-year 2024 total of 348 planes
International News via Reuters:
Boeing said on Tuesday that it delivered 57 jets in August, up from 48 in July. It was the highest number of deliveries in August since 2018, when the U.S. planemaker handed over 64 airliners.
By August 31, the company had delivered 385 jets in 2025, already surpassing its full-year 2024 total of 348 planes.
Deliveries last year were hampered in part by a seven-week strike by union workers in the Seattle area, though that stoppage did not begin until September.
European rival Airbus delivered 61 jets in August, raising its annual tally to 434 jets.
Boeing delivered 42 737 MAX jets last month, including seven for low-cost carrier Ryanair and six to United Airlines.
The company delivered 14 widebody airliners, including nine 787 Dreamliners, four 777s and one 767.
Chinese carriers received nine jets in August, including six 737 MAXs and two 787-9s.
Boeing booked 26 gross orders, led by a 14-jet purchase of 777-9 aircraft by Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific.
The planemaker also secured orders for five 737 MAXs and seven 787 Dreamliners.
It recorded two 737 MAX order cancellations.
For 2025 through August, Boeing recorded 725 gross orders, offset by 46 cancellations and conversions.
After accounting adjustments, the company’s official backlog reached 5,994 aircraft.
Reporting by Dan Catchpole in Seattle; Editing by Jamie Freed
Since its formation, the RBR has shaped the lives of some 13,000 Bermudians
The Regiment was formed by the amalgamation of two racially divided but illustrious units – the Bermuda Militia Artillery and the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps.
Bermudians from both units had served with distinction in two world wars.
Racial tensions in the 1960s, fuelled by inequality, led to a pragmatic decision to bring the two units together.
Amid great pomp and ceremony, the Bermuda Regiment was formed on September the 1st, 1965. Princess Margaret was present for the occasion.
The story came full circle when, on September the 1st, 2015 – 50 years since formation – an endorsement from the Queen gave birth to the title ‘Royal Bermuda Regiment’.
This year, the Regiment is celebrating six decades of service.
Alisa Bernardo reflects on its storied past, its evolution … and enduring significance in the above report.
Stung into action, they turned to still-accessible apps such as Viber and TikTok to rally thousands, sparking protests that left at least 19 protesters dead
International News via Reuters:
When Nepal banned major social media platforms including Facebook last week citing a tide of fake news, activists like Sandip saw it as an attempt to silence their growing online anti-corruption movement.
Stung into action, they turned to still-accessible apps such as Viber and TikTok to rally thousands, sparking protests that left at least 19 protesters dead and ultimately forced Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli from office on Tuesday.
Their success came 13 months after similar youth-led protests in nearby Bangladesh forced out Sheikh Hasina, who had been prime minister since 2009.
Sandip, a social media influencer who uses one name, said he had made several online appeals, some using virtual private networks to evade the ban, but had not expected so many to pour into the streets in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu and elsewhere.
“Every single citizen of Nepal was done with the corrupt government of Nepal,” said the 31-year-old, based in the Lalitpur district near the capital.
“The anger against this government had been brewing for many months, but the call for this protest was very spontaneous.”
Transparency International ranks Nepal 107th out of 180 countries in its Corruption Perceptions Index, highlighting persistent governance challenges. Young activists said frustration with inequality and a lack of job opportunities also played a part.
ONE IN FIVE NEPALIS LIVE IN POVERTY
Over 20% of Nepal’s 30 million people live in poverty, according to the World Bank, while unemployment among those aged 15–24 stood at more than 22% in 2022-23. The richest 10% earn more than three times the income of the poorest 40%, underscoring stark economic divides.
Gaurav Nepune, a 34-year-old from Kathmandu who led some of the protests, said young people had been running an online campaign for three months to contrast the lives lived by ministers and their families with those of ordinary people.
“The youth are against corruption but the government resorted to violence, trying to silence the movement,” said Nepune.
“We have been continuously urging our people not to indulge in any violence or arson. We now want a government that thinks independently, is corruption-free and does not play into the hands of any neighbours,” he said. India and China are widely seen as jostling for influence in Nepal.
Last year’s protests in Bangladesh ushered in an interim government, with some students in de facto ministerial positions under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
In Nepal, one of the protesters’ popular choices to replace Oli is 35-year-old Balendra Shah, a former rapper and composer who became mayor of Kathmandu since 2022 after a campaign to clean up the city’s streets and waterways.
“Dear @ShahBalen, we’re eagerly waiting your leadership in Nepalese politics,” wrote Bimal Pokhrel in response to a post on X by Shah. “You are the last hope for our nation. Please … step forward to take the leadership as prime minister to guide Nepal toward a brighter future.”
After the protest deaths on Monday, Shah called Oli a “terrorist” who did not understand the “pain of losing a son or daughter”.
On Tuesday, after Oli’s resignation, he urged his nearly 784,000 followers on Instagram to remain calm.
“Dear Gen Z, the resignation of your harassers in politics has already come! Now please be patient,” he wrote. “You and we now need to be restrained! Now your generation will have to lead the country! Be prepared!”
Writing by Shivam Patel; Editing by Krishna N. Das and Kevin Liffey
Statement by Victoria Cunningham, Opposition Senate Spokesperson for Education
This morning, Bermuda’s public primary school students returned to class. But behind the smiling photo ops and carefully staged opening-day snapshots we will likely see from the Government, the reality for too many families was far less polished.
Driving past Harrington Sound Primary (our new Parish Primary School), I saw cars parked on what looked more like a jungle than a playing field, grass left unmown and buildings looking unkempt despite an entire summer to prepare. At other schools, parents reported puddles inside classrooms, broken air conditioning, blank walls where welcoming displays should be, and lockers still bearing the names of last year’s students. Broken playground equipment remains untouched, even after PTA teams have fundraised tirelessly to cover what the system should already provide. PTAs should be mobilized to enrich our children’s education, not to patch holes in a mismanaged system.
Communication has also been a major failure. Parents were left guessing about the first day of school because emails are still bouncing from Government accounts to Gmail and Outlook users, a problem that has persisted since last year. Families who reached out directly to schools were told information would be coming, but for many, it never did. Uniform confusion added to the frustration, highlighting wider issues with how the system is managed at the departmental level.
This is not good enough. Our children are not second-class citizens. They deserve classrooms that nurture learning, safe play spaces, and teachers who are supported and present from day one. Instead, parents and grandparents dropped their children off today to schools that simply weren’t ready.
The reality does not match the staged photos and smiling faces the public will see online. Government cannot hide behind social media pleasantries while failing to meet the most basic needs of our students. Our children are our future, and they deserve better, every single day.
Wayne Caines foresees a mix of renewable energy sources, with BELCO likely not remaining the only bulk generation provider
Major changes at the BELCO plant have seen the demolition of five smoke stacks and the removal of aging equipment.
But what will go in its place?
In the third and final instalment of Qian Dickinson’s interview with BELCO President Wayne Caines, he explains that return on investment will be a key component of the next Integrated Resource Plan, which will plot the way forward.
Given the rapid pace of innovation and change, and the various options for renewable energy being explored in Bermuda, we asked Mr. Caines to describe what the island’s power supply might look like a decade from now.
He talked about the importance of battery storage and a mix of wind, wave and solar energy sources.
Mr. Caines also said Belco would likely not remain the sole bulk generation provider.
The Hon. Jache Adams JP, MP, Acting Minister of Tourism & Transport, Culture & Sport, officially welcomed Virgin Voyages’ newest ship, ‘Brilliant Lady’, during her inaugural call at Heritage Wharf.
Virgin Voyages ‘Brilliant Lady’ General Manager– Alberto Noversa, Minister Jache Adams, Virgin Voyages ‘Brilliant Lady’ Captain- Krzysztof Marek Majdzinski, Harbour Master- David Simmons, Deputy Pilot Warden- Wendell Burchall Jr.
Arriving from New York on September 7, the vessel carried 2501 passengers under the command of Captain Krzysztof Marek Majdzinski. Built in Italy and delivered in late 2023, the €700 million ship offers innovative entertainment, diverse dining, and Virgin’s signature adult-only experience.
Principal Customs Officer- Kent Dill,Virgin Voyages ‘Brilliant Lady’ General Manager– Alberto Noversa, Chairman of the Host Port- Mr. Neville Tyrrell, Virgin Voyages ‘Brilliant Lady’ Captain- Krzysztof Marek Majdzinski, Minister Jache Adams, BLMC Facilities & Port Security Manager- Tabia Butterfield, Harbour Master- David Simmons, CEO of Meyer Agencies- Cheryl Hayward-Chew, Deputy Pilot Warden- Wendell Burchall Jr., Port Agent- Joe Simas.
Following her Bermuda visit, the ship will continue to Miami before embarking on seasonal itineraries in the Northeast U.S., Caribbean, and Alaska.
Minister Adams remarked: “It was an honour to welcome Virgin Voyages’ ‘Brilliant Lady’. Her presence highlights Bermuda’s position as a leading cruise destination, and we look forward to building on this partnership. The Government of Bermuda remains committed to welcoming cruise visitors and strengthening relationships with industry partners to further enhance the island’s position as a premier cruise destination.”
With the vessel scheduled to return to Bermuda on Friday, September 12th, Minister Adams’ attendance aboard the ‘Brilliant Lady’ highlights the importance of strengthening Bermuda’s economy. It also emphasises the continued effort to position Bermuda as a leading cruise destination as we head into the fall and winter seasons.
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