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CARICOM reparations body calls for decolonisation

Gary Foster Skelton
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CARICOM reparations body calls for decolonisation

Government has sought not to associate independence with its CARICOM plans, but this week a CARICOM body calling for reparations has coupled it with a call for decolonisation

The PLP Government has tried to stress that their plan to make Bermuda a full CARICOM member is not part of a push for independence from the UK.

However, CARICOM officials appear to be making that push on behalf of all Overseas Territories seeking sovereignty.

The CARICOM Reparations Commission is currently in the UK for a three day programme to “advance its advocacy for reparatory justice”.

During a media briefing at the University of London yesterday, David Comissiong, Barbados Ambassador to CARICOM, said the Caribbean remains the most colonised part of the world.

He said, “as part of our reparative justice demand, we are dedicating this reparations campaign to supporting all of those movements in the Caribbean and elsewhere that are demanding decolonization… We are making the case that reparations and decolonization go hand in hand.”

Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Chairman of the CARICOM Reparations Commission, said “when Columbus came across the Atlantic, he arrived in the Caribbean. That triggered the process. And we are still here…

“The world has been decolonized, maybe 95%. We in the Caribbean remain the most colonized part of the world.”

Sir Beckles is a Barbadian historian. He said the UN Committee on Deolonisation did good work in the early 1900s, but has since slowed down.

He added, “we are saying to the world and to the United Nations – re-energize that process that started in 1916, re-energize it and bring an end to colonisation.”

At their meeting last week, the CARICOM Heads of Government endorsed a revised ten-point plan for reparatory justice, which includes a demand for “monetary compensation as reparations from enslaving nations, monarchies, churches, [and] institutions” for the victims of the trans-Atlantic trafficking and enslavement of Africans.

The manifesto also demands the cancellation of certain related debts, and states that CARICOM “supports the notion that the process of decolonisation of the still existing European and North American colonial territories is an important component of the reparations cause.”

The document states elsewhere that “the demand to the European and American nations that maintain these colonies is to listen to the calls of the African-descended and Indigenous populations of those colonies for independence, self-determination and reparations.”

“Reparations and decolonisation are bound by the hip of justice.”

The reparations campaign is expected to have a prominent presence at November’s Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Antigua and Barbuda.

King Charles is set make his first speech at the event as monarch.

UK media asked the Commission on Tuesday if any pressure will be put on the King to accede to CARICOM’s demands.

Professor Sir Hilary Beckles answered that he was “quite sure that the people of the Caribbean… not only our governments, but the people and civil society on the streets will be looking to see whether their king… is going to advance this conversation about sovereignty, decolonization and preparatory justice for these crimes that have been that have been committed.”

“It’s a wonderful moment in history, and I think the whole world is going to be observing whether the Commonwealth will go forward into a dialog of decency, or whether the Commonwealth will be seen as a site of resistance.”

Both Premier David Burt and Home Affairs Minister Alexa Lightbourne were present at the recent CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in St Lucia.

Bermuda Broadcasting today asked if they were party to any of the discussions surrounding the revised plan for reparatory justice.

In response to media inquiries, a Government spokesperson said that it notes the recent coverage of the CARICOM Reparations Commission.

The spokesperson added, “as an Associate Member of CARICOM, Bermuda is not a member of the Caricom Reparations Committee and therefore has had no input in the framing of the Caricom Reparations Justice Program. Bermuda remains an Associate Member of CARICOM and a colony.”

BP proposes to close venturing arm, sell stakes in portfolio

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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BP proposes to close venturing arm, sell stakes in portfolio

CEO Meg O’Neill, who started in the top job in April, said earlier this month that BP needs to prioritise financial discipline by simplifying its portfolio, cutting costs and tightening capital spending

International News via Reuters:

BP is proposing to close its venturing arm and has reached an agreement to sell minority interests in more than 10 companies in the portfolio to investment firm Verdane, it said on Wednesday.

CEO Meg O’Neill, who started in the top job in April, said earlier this month that BP needs to prioritise financial discipline by simplifying its portfolio, cutting costs and tightening capital spending, as the company refocuses on its core oil and gas investments.

“We are proposing to evolve how we manage our interest in the small number of investments we will retain, and to close the bp Ventures team, subject to consultation and in line with local legal and regulatory requirements,” a BP spokesperson said in an email to Reuters. 

As part of the agreement with Verdane, BP will retain interests in a small number of investments, the company said in a news release. It did not disclose the price of the sale. 

The divestment is expected to complete by the second quarter of 2027.

The British major’s venturing arm BP Ventures, which began in 2007, had 27 companies in its portfolio, its website showed ahead of the announcement. These included projects related to artificial intelligence, electric vehicles and hydrogen. 

BP had an ill-fated foray into renewables before announcing a strategy reset last year. 

The company is embarking on a $20 billion divestment plan aimed at cutting debt and boosting returns. 

Reporting by Stephanie Kelly; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Jan Harvey

French parliament votes on landmark assisted dying bill

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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French parliament votes on landmark assisted dying bill

The proposed legislation would, under strict conditions, allow a person who requests it to receive a lethal substance

International News via Reuters:

French lawmakers will vote on Wednesday on a bill that would create a legal right to assisted dying for adults with incurable illnesses, capping an intense ethical and political debate.

The proposed legislation would, under strict conditions, allow a person who requests it to receive a lethal substance. The substance could be self-administered or, if the person is physically unable to do so, administered by a doctor or nurse.

Access to assisted dying would be restricted to adults who are French citizens or legal residents in France, and who suffer from a serious and incurable illness that is life-threatening and in an advanced or terminal phase, experience constant physical or psychological suffering linked to that condition, and are able to express a free and informed choice.

SENSITIVE DEBATE

The debate has divided French society.

Supporters say the legislation would give people facing unbearable suffering at the end of life greater autonomy and control over how they die, while maintaining strict safeguards.

“Can it still be called a life when the suffering is so great that you can no longer do anything?,” said Anne Raynaud, a representative of France’s association for the right to die in dignity (ADMD).

“People will be able to decide for themselves when and how they want to die once their suffering has become unbearable and can no longer be relieved.”

Opponents, including sections of the medical profession and religious groups, argue that legalising assisted dying could put pressure on vulnerable people. The Catholic Church is among those that have opposed the legislation, with one bishop threatening to deny communion to lawmakers who support it.

“A society grounded in fraternity supports, protects, and cares for people. It never gives up on the most fragile among us,” former interior minister, Bruno Retailleau, a conservative presidential candidate, said on X.

Opinion polls have consistently shown broad public backing for assisted dying in France. An Ifop poll published in February found that 84% of respondents approved of the bill.

Assisted dying is already permitted in several European countries, including Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands, under varying legal frameworks. Several U.S. states also allow medically assisted dying for terminally ill patients.

France’s Senate, where the conservative right has a majority, has voted against it, but the lower house of parliament, which has already backed the bill in the past, is set to have the final word on Wednesday.

SAFEGUARDS

The bill establishes a detailed procedure. Patients must submit a request to a doctor, who reviews eligibility with at least one other physician and another healthcare professional.

If the request is approved, patients must confirm their request after a minimum two-day reflection period.

Healthcare workers may opt out but must provide the patient with the names of healthcare professionals willing to help the patient end their life.

Even if passed, the bill could still be reviewed by the Constitutional Council and amended.

Reporting by Ingrid Melander and Ardee Napolitano, Editing by William Maclean

UK’s incoming prime minister Burnham to name Mahmood as finance minister, FT reports

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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UK’s incoming prime minister Burnham to name Mahmood as finance minister, FT reports

Mahmood has little economic policy experience and has taken a tough line on immigration, but she is further to the right in the governing Labour Party than Miliband

International News via Reuters:

Andy Burnham is set to name interior minister Shabana Mahmood as his finance minister when he becomes Britain’s prime minister next week, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing three people briefed on his thinking.

Sterling had rallied earlier on Wednesday to a one-year high against the euro on speculation that Mahmood, rather than the more left-wing energy minister, Ed Miliband, would succeed Rachel Reeves when Keir Starmer steps down as prime minister on Monday.

A spokesperson for Mahmood declined to comment on the report, while there was no immediate response from Burnham’s team.

The FT said a spokesperson for Burnham had declined to comment on possible ministerial appointments before they are formally announced on Monday.

Mahmood has little economic policy experience and has taken a tough line on immigration, but she is further to the right in the governing Labour Party than Miliband, whose promotion of net-zero emissions policies has been unpopular with some businesses.

Separately, Burnham said in an interview that he would take his time to assess the nation’s finances but would not be afraid to take difficult decisions, even if that meant raising more money from taxpayers.

“We are going to have to work quite hard to make sure we can pay our way and, at some point, that might be having to ask for a little more — but those decisions are not for now, they’re for another day,” he said in the interview with broadcaster Gary Lineker, which was published on YouTube.

Reporting by David Milliken and Alistair Smout; editing by Sam Tabahriti and Kevin Liffey

Atlanta police prepare for Argentina-England World Cup semi-final

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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Atlanta police prepare for Argentina-England World Cup semi-final

The Atlanta Police ​Department has said it will have enhanced security in place, proactive measures that were the result ⁠of continual security assessment

International News via Reuters:

Police in Atlanta were preparing on Wednesday for the World Cup semi-final clash between Argentina and England, a match seen as potentially high risk for trouble given the history of animosity between the two countries.

The Atlanta Police ​Department has said it will have enhanced security in place, proactive measures that were the result ⁠of continual security assessment. The stadium in downtown Atlanta normally hosts NFL and Major League Soccer.

There have been isolated reports of minor disorder in the run-up to the match but the atmosphere was peaceful on Wednesday morning, with fans gathering in cafes and bars or playing cards as they waited outside the stadium. 

In Mexico earlier in the tournament, there was a deadly crush as fans celebrated, but this World Cup has generally been free of the violent disorder that blighted some matches in the 1980s and 1990s.

Still, authorities are taking no chances. For the first time at this tournament, rival fans will be channelled through separate entrances at the stadium.

The rivalry between Argentina and England goes back decades and stems both from controversies at soccer matches and historical tensions. It intensified in the wake of the 1982 military conflict between the two countries over the Falkland Islands/Malvinas and South Georgia in the South Atlantic, which resulted ​in 907 deaths.

Argentina’s security minister said Argentina ​fans would not be able ⁠to take any flags into the stadium claiming sovereignty over the islands.

FIFA rules ban items in stadiums making political expressions, although earlier in the tournament in Los Angeles Iranian Americans carrying flags protesting against the Tehran government entered the stadium and the game proceeded without issue.

Reporting by Reuters in Atlanta; Writing by Rosalba O’Brien; Editing by Alison Williams

Apple chasing AI chip company deals, The Information reports

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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Apple chasing AI chip company deals, The Information reports

Apple is looking to buy chip companies to bolster its efforts to make server processors for running AI

International News via Reuters:

Apple is looking to buy chip companies to bolster its efforts to make server processors for running AI, The Information reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Here are some details:

• The iPhone maker has approached chip startups to gauge their interest in a buyout and has spoken with bankers about possible deals, the report said.

• Apple’s interest comes as it faces challenges with the performance of its in-house AI servers, which currently run on internally designed M2 Ultra chips, according to The Information.

• It had originally planned to ship a future version of its AI server chip, known internally as “Baltra”, this year, but the project has been pushed back, people familiar with the matter told The Information.

• Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters could not independently verify the report.

• Earlier this year, Apple tried running Google’s Gemini models on its internal servers as part of a Siri overhaul, but the Mac-based chips could not handle the large model, forcing the company to run parts of the revamped assistant on Nvidia chips in Google’s cloud infrastructure, the report said.

• Apple has historically avoided large acquisitions, last making a deal in January for Q.ai, an Israeli company working on AI technology for audio.

• The company had $45.57 billion in cash and cash equivalents as of March 28, the end of its second quarter.

• Last week, Apple said it plans to spend over $30 billion under a multi-year chip supply deal with Broadcom, bolstering its domestic sourcing.

Reporting by Anhata Rooprai in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila

Sheinbaum rejects DEA comments of “deadly connection” between her government and cartels

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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Sheinbaum rejects DEA comments of “deadly connection” between her government and cartels

Sheinbaum said the DEA should focus its efforts on combating drug trafficking, distribution, and money laundering within the United States, which she described as the world’s largest market for illicit drugs

International News via Reuters:

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday rejected comments from the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) who said there is “a deadly connection” between the Mexican government and the country’s drug cartels, calling the remarks “unfortunate” and baseless.

DEA Administrator Terry Cole on Tuesday said the Mexican government and cartel networks were “one in the same” and the agency’s “number one priority.” 

In her daily press conference, Sheinbaum said the remarks seemed “a very unfortunate statement.”  “It seems more like a political statement than one backed by evidence.,” she added. 

Sheinbaum said the DEA should focus its efforts on combating drug trafficking, distribution, and money laundering within the United States, which she described as the world’s largest market for illicit drugs.

On Tuesday, the Mexican government issued a formal statement rejecting Cole’s remarks, calling them inconsistent with the results of its anti-cartel efforts. The statement reiterated Mexico’s willingness to cooperate with Washington, provided such collaboration respects Mexican sovereignty.

The spat comes amid worsening relations between the U.S. and Mexico, with a U.S. indictment of Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha in April triggering a strong rebuke from Sheinbaum’s government which has said there is not enough evidence to execute a warrant for his arrest.

This week, Mexico also filed criminal complaints with U.S. prosecutors over the deaths of Mexican nationals in immigration enforcement in the United States. 

Reporting by Ana Isabel Martinez and Aida Pelaez-Fernandez,Writing by Natalia Siniawski, Editing by Stephen Eisenhammer

Incoming UK budget office head sees higher interest rates and weaker growth than consensus

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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Incoming UK budget office head sees higher interest rates and weaker growth than consensus

Britain’s exposure to the jump in energy prices caused by the Iran war could cause high inflation to become embedded in the economy for several years, Haskel told lawmakers in a set of written answers

International News via Reuters:

Jonathan Haskel, a former Bank of England interest rate-setter who has been nominated to head Britain’s budget forecasting agency, said on Wednesday he was less optimistic than most other analysts about the outlook for the country’s economy.

Britain’s exposure to the jump in energy prices caused by the Iran war could cause high inflation to become embedded in the economy for several years, Haskel told lawmakers in a set of written answers.

“My forecast would be in the medium term of somewhat higher interest rates and weaker GDP growth than most are expecting,” he said in his replies to questions sent to him by members of parliament’s Treasury Committee.

Haskel told the committee in a public hearing Britain was “not in a very good fiscal position” after a big jump in debt as a share of economic output caused by shocks such as the COVID pandemic and the war in Ukraine and that this had increased political pressure on the OBR.

However, he also said he was hopeful that growth in artificial intelligence would help improve the country’s weak productivity record.

The OBR has been criticised for being too optimistic with its productivity growth forecasts and being too slow to revise them down, but Haskel came to its defence.

“I think it right for the OBR to have been cautious,” he said. “It is perhaps right for OBR to move more slowly than those being judged primarily upon their very short-run forecasts.”

Bodies such as the OBR should have a high bar for changing key productivity forecasts, lest they be subject to political pressure, and problems with official data during the pandemic had reasonably made forecasters wary about a swift change to long-term forecasts, Haskel said.

However, Haskel said he remained concerned about productivity headwinds from Britain’s labour market, which — unlike the BoE — he did not think had regained its pre-COVID flexibility.

Tighter employment regulation being brought in by the government was also likely to weigh on growth though the details were not yet clear enough to quantify, he added.

Haskel’s nomination to chair the OBR is subject to approval by the Treasury Committee.

The organisation has been without a chair since Richard Hughes stepped down after the OBR published prematurely its Economic and Fiscal Outlook — with details of finance minister Rachel Reeves’ 2025 budget — in November.

Writing by William Schomberg; editing by David Milliken, Alexandra Hudson

Portugal says strategy, not just price, will decide TAP stake buyer

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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Portugal says strategy, not just price, will decide TAP stake buyer

Portugal relaunched TAP’s long-delayed privatisation in July, aiming to sell a 44.9% stake to a strategic airline partner to strengthen its global reach and competitiveness, while reserving 5% for employees

International News via Reuters:

Portugal’s choice of a buyer of a minority stake in flag carrier TAP is a strategic decision that will depend on more than the bid price, the country’s infrastructure minister said on Wednesday, as Air France-KLM and Lufthansa prepare to make binding offers.

Portugal relaunched TAP’s long-delayed privatisation in July, aiming to sell a 44.9% stake to a strategic airline partner to strengthen its global reach and competitiveness, while reserving 5% for employees.

The government has asked Lufthansa and Air France-KLM to submit binding bids by July 29 after the two airlines emerged as the sole contenders, with initial offers it deemed “largely equivalent and very ambitious” across strategic, industrial and financial criteria.

Infrastructure Minister Miguel Pinto Luz said that a proposal of that nature was inherently complex and involved numerous factors. 

He did not elaborate on the factors but the government has said bidders must commit to strengthening TAP’s operations and route network not only at its Lisbon hub but also across Portugal’s nine other airports, including Porto, Faro in the Algarve, and the archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira.

“This is a strategic decision that should not be reduced to price alone and therefore requires careful consideration and discretion,” Pinto Luz told a parliamentary committee.

TAP’s main attraction is its prime and lucrative slots connecting its Lisbon hub with Brazil, Portuguese-speaking African countries, and the United States.

After receiving binding bids, state holding company Parpublica has 30 days to submit a final report assessing their merits to the government, which can then either choose a winner or open negotiations with one or both bidders for improved final offers.

The government is expected to decide on a winner later this year.

Reporting by Sergio Goncalves; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise

Trott injury ‘not serious’ says Cardiff boss Barry-Murphy

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Trott injury ‘not serious’ says Cardiff boss Barry-Murphy

Cardiff City manager Brian Barry-Murphy has downplayed concerns over goalkeeper Nathan Trott after the Bermudian sat out the club’s opening pre-season fixtures.

The 27-year-old, who joined the Bluebirds on a permanent deal this summer, is currently sidelined with a minor groin issue and missed Cardiff’s dominant 6-1 friendly victory over Cork City.

However, Barry-Murphy insists the omission of his new shot-stopper is purely precautionary as the club prepares for the upcoming Championship campaign.

“Nathan has a very minor groin irritation,” Barry-Murphy said. “It is nothing to be overly concerned about. We are just being sensible at this stage of the summer.”

Trott, who enjoyed a stellar promotion-winning campaign last term, is expected to integrate back into first-team training in the coming days as Cardiff’s pre-season preparations intensify.

Olympic Gold medalist Dame Flora Duffy announces retirement

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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Olympic Gold medalist Dame Flora Duffy announces retirement

Olympic Gold Medallist and Bermudian icon Dame Flora Duffy has officially announced her retirement from triathlon.

She leaves the sport after thirty years making the announcement on her social media pages.

Dame Flora gave her heartfelt thanks to her fellow athletes, her husband, Dan and the Bermuda community for their support over the years.

Minister of Tourism and Transport, Culture and Sport, Owen Darrell said:

“Today, Bermuda celebrates the extraordinary career of Dame Flora Duffy, one of the greatest athletes our island has ever produced.

From competing in the Iron Kids Triathlon at just eight years old, Flora’s passion for sport was born here in Bermuda. Few could have imagined that the young girl racing around our island would one day become an Olympic Champion, a four-time World Triathlon World Champion, a six-time XTERRA World Champion, a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist, and one of the most accomplished triathletes in the history of the sport.

While her list of achievements is extraordinary, what has always stood out is the pride with which she represented Bermuda. Every time she wore our colours, she showed the world that excellence knows no boundaries and that a small island can produce the very best.

Flora’s legacy extends beyond the medals she has won. Through the Flora Fund, she has chosen to invest in Bermuda’s future by supporting aspiring young athletes, demonstrating that true champions also inspire and uplift those who follow.

On behalf of the Government and people of Bermuda, I thank Dame Flora Duffy for inspiring generations of Bermudians to dream boldly, work tirelessly, and believe that anything is possible.

Congratulations on an exceptional career, Flora. We wish you every success and happiness in this next chapter, and we look forward to seeing the continued impact you will have on Bermuda and the world beyond competition.”

Bermudian duo shine on opening day of Battle of Boca

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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Bermudian duo shine on opening day of Battle of Boca

Tariq Simons and Trey Mallory made a flawless start to their Battle of Boca wildcard campaigns in Florida to keep their hopes of a spot in Paraguay alive.

The stakes are high at the clay-court event, with the overall singles champion securing a coveted main draw wildcard for the upcoming ITF M15K ATC Open in Asunción.

Simons took the scenic route, battling through two matches on a grueling opening day. He first dispatched Mexico’s Juan Pablo Lopez 6-3, 6-4, before showing immense grit to edge past American London Vasilescu 7-6, 6-4 in the Round of 32.

Meanwhile, third seed Mallory made light work of his opening fixture after receiving a first-round bye. The Bermudian dominated Chile’s Maximo Quiñonez from the back of the court to seal a clinical 6-2, 6-3 victory.

Both players advance to the round of 16 in impressive fashion as they look to secure a breakthrough opportunity on the professional transition circuit.

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