WORLD IN BRIEF : BERMUDA : Voters Decisively Reject Independence

Voters in Bermuda overwhelmingly rejected independence from Britain, which has ruled the mid-Atlantic island colony for 400 years. Premier John Swan, who supported independence, kept his promise and stepped down as leader of the governing party. He will be replaced as head of government as well. With all 22,236 ballots from the Wednesday voting counted, 74% opposed independence and 26% favored it. Voter turnout was 54% in the referendum, which was delayed a day because of Hurricane Felix. The vote was Bermuda’s first independence referendum.