On the eve of Bermuda Day, Kendal Trott took to the streets of Hamilton to ask members of the public a simple question: ‘What makes you proud to be Bermudian?’
Trump says US will send additional 5,000 troops to Poland
he announcement comes two days after U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters a U.S. troop deployment to Poland had been delayed
International News via Reuters:
The United States will be sending an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday.
Trump, in a Truth Social post, cited his relationship with Poland’s conservative nationalist president, Karol Nawrocki, as the reason behind his decision to send additional troops.
The announcement comes two days after U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters a U.S. troop deployment to Poland had been delayed.
The U.S. had been reviewing its troop presence in Europe and had long been expected to scale it back following demands from Trump that NATO take a larger role in the defense of Europe.
“Based on the successful Election of the now President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who I was proud to Endorse, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will be sending an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland,” Trump said in the post.
Trump hosted Nawrocki at the White House in May last year and backed him at a crucial moment ahead of the Polish election in which Nawrocki went on to defeat the candidate of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s pro-European, centrist party.
He met Nawrocki again at the White House in September, and said at the time that the U.S. could increase its troop presence in Poland and pledged to secure the country’s defense.
Reporting by Bhargav Acharya and Ismail Shakil; Editing by Ryan Patrick Jones and Caitlin Webber
Pope Leo to visit Uruguay in November, part of regional tour
The visit would be notable in Uruguay, one of the region’s most secular countries, where church and state are formally separated
International News via Reuters:
Pope Leo is set to visit Uruguay in November, news outlet Teledoce reported on Thursday, citing the Catholic Church in Montevideo.
Uruguay’s foreign ministry confirmed to Reuters it is preparing for the visit, which would form part of a broader tour of southern Latin America announced in February and is expected to also include Peru and Argentina.
The visit would be notable in Uruguay, one of the region’s most secular countries, where church and state are formally separated.
Pope Leo’s visit to the region at the end of the year is expected to draw large crowds to see a pontiff, who was a missionary in Peru for decades.
Leo, the former U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost, was first ordained a bishop for the diocese of Chiclayo, in Peru’s northwest, and became a Peruvian citizen in 2015.
Reporting by Kylie Madry and Lucinda Elliott; Editing by Natalia Siniawski
Oil falls, stocks mostly higher as investors hope for progress in Iran war talks
Oil prices had been higher earlier in the day, while major U.S. stock indexes were all lower, after Reuters reported Iran’s supreme leader has issued a directive that the country’s near-weapons-grade uranium should not be sent abroad
International News via Reuters:
Oil prices fell and U.S. stocks were mixed on Thursday as investors weighed the likelihood of progress in talks between the United States and Iran to end their war.
Oil prices had been higher earlier in the day, while major U.S. stock indexes were all lower, after Reuters reported Iran’s supreme leader has issued a directive that the country’s near-weapons-grade uranium should not be sent abroad, a hard stance against one of the main U.S. demands.
Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s order could complicate talks on ending the Iran war, potentially making the conflict, which began on February 28 and has sent energy prices soaring, drag on.
U.S. President Donald Trump has assured Israel that Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium will be removed and that any peace deal must include the demand, Israeli officials have told Reuters.
U.S. crude fell $1.91 to settle at $96.35. Brent declined $2.44 to settle at $102.58.
“Oil is down and below $100, and that’s a good thing,” said Adam Sarhan, chief executive of 50 Park Investments in New York. But also, Sarhan said, investors have remained upbeat about the outlook for stocks.
Shares of Nvidia, the world’s biggest company by market capitalization, were last down 1.4% and off earlier lows.
Nvidia late on Wednesday reported earnings that beat Wall Street expectations and announced an $80 billion share repurchase program.
Investors were also watching developments in Turkey. Trading on Turkey’s stock market was temporarily halted after sharp falls and the government’s bonds slid after one of the country’s top courts dealt the latest blow to the main political opposition party. The court annulled the Republican People’s Party congress in 2023 at which its chairman, Ozgur Ozel, was elected.
The U.S.-traded iShares MSCI Turkey exchange-traded fund was last down 9%.
In the Treasury market, the yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes rose 0.6 basis points to 4.576%, from 4.57% late on Wednesday.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 270.24 points, or 0.54%, to 50,279.59, the S&P 500 rose 7.70 points, or 0.10%, to 7,440.67 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 6.15 points, or 0.02%, to 26,264.21.
“When you look at the normal economic environment surrounding this market, you would expect (stocks) to be lower, but if you believe the war will come to an end soon – that we’re at a temporary high on energy prices, it does push you to look more not just at the underlying earnings that have been good but also the earnings potential that comes from AI,” said Rick Meckler, partner at Cherry Lane Investments.
SpaceX unveiled its IPO filing late on Wednesday, giving the market its first glimpse into how much billionaire Elon Musk is spending on AI as he bets on transforming the rocket maker into a broader AI-led business.
MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe rose 5.26 points, or 0.48%, to 1,106.91.The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.04%.
The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies including the yen and the euro,rose 0.26% to 99.39, with the euro down 0.3% at $1.1592. Against the Japanese yen, the dollar strengthened 0.18% to 159.19.
Spot gold fell 0.17% to $4,535.68 an ounce.
Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch in New York and Harry Robertson in London; Additional reporting by Gregor Stuart Hunter in Singapore; Editing by Alex Richardson, Chizu Nomiyama, Will Dunham and Chris Reese
Spotify cranks up AI push with Universal Music deal, lays out bold growth targets
The companies did not disclose the financial terms of the deal or name artists whose music will be part of the new AI remix feature, but said the new tool would help create an additional source of income for artists and songwriters
International News via Reuters:
Spotify on Thursday laid out an ambitious roadmap to drive growth and profitability through the end of the decade, doubling down with AI-powered features to boost user engagement and partnering with Universal Music, sending shares up 13%.
The Swedish audio-streaming giant unveiled a slate of new offerings, including “Reserved,” which lets eligible premium subscribers buy up to two tickets to their favorite artist’s concert before they are offered to the general public for sale, and “Personal Podcasts,” an AI tool that generates custom podcasts from user prompts.
It also announced a deal with Universal Music Group, allowing subscribers to create AI-generated covers and remixes of tracks by some of the label’s artists, the first time Spotify has allowed its users to create AI content.
The companies did not disclose the financial terms of the deal or name artists whose music will be part of the new AI remix feature, but said the new tool would help create an additional source of income for artists and songwriters. Universal Music represents several major artists including Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Drake.
Spotify co-CEO Alex Norstrom told Reuters that subscribers would initially receive a “limited amount of usage,” allowing them to try out the tool, but to continue using it, they will have to purchase the add-on.
The moves offer a glimpse of how recently appointed co-CEOs Norstrom and Gustav Soderstrom are starting to reshape Spotify’s strategy as it seeks to fend off mounting competition from AI music startups such as Udio and Suno and larger podcast rivals including YouTube and Netflix.
“What we’re building is grounded in consent, credit and compensation for the artists and songwriters that take part,” Norstrom said.
Spotify expects a mid-teens compounded annual revenue growth rate through 2030 and projected gross margins between 35% and 40%. Last year, it reported revenue growth of around 10% and a gross margin of 32%.
The company also expects its operating margin to rise above 20%. It reported an operating margin of 12.8% in 2025.
Among its new features is “Studio by Spotify Labs,” an AI-powered desktop app that can take actions on behalf of users to create personalized content. A preview-version of the app will soon be available for premium users in more than 20 markets.
The company is also rolling out “Memberships,” to allow podcasters to build recurring revenue streams directly from their most dedicated listeners.
Spotify said it would also expand Audiobooks+ with new subscription tiers. The product is on track to generate $100 million in annualized recurring revenue.
Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Jonathan Ananda and Diti Pujara
Minister expects greater accuracy in future population projections
Labour & Economy Minister Jason Hayward believes population figures going forward should be more accurate than ever, with improved monitoring of movement at our borders
It’s time to stand up and be counted.
The 2026 Census of Population and Housing starts today.
The last census was held in 2016, and it collects information that will help guide future planning in areas including healthcare, education, housing, and infrastructure.
The census.gov.bm website is online now, under the theme ‘fill the gap’.
With improved monitoring of movement at our borders, Economy and Labour Minister Jason Hayward believes population figures going forward should be more accurate than ever.
WATCH the interview above…
Plant-based foam and water machine to tackle roadside vegetation
The Foamstream L16 machine uses hot water and a biodegradable foam to treat unwanted weeds and vegetation
Highway crews have introduced a new environmentally friendly machinery using water pressured heat and foam to rid the island’s roadways of pesky vegetation.
he foam acts as an insulating blanket, holding heat on the plant long enough to damage it from the leaf down toward the root.
The Minister of Public Works and Environment, Jaché Adams was on site today on Middle Road in Devonshire, where he personally tested the machine and observed its operation with Ministry staff.
Minister Adams said, “Roadside vegetation is a real issue in Bermuda, especially during periods of heavy rain when growth increases quickly.
“It affects visibility, sidewalks, road edges and the overall appearance of public spaces. The Ministry has to keep these areas maintained, but we also have to be responsible in how we do it.”
The Ministry noted that roadside vegetation has to be managed consistently, particularly during the summer months, when rainfall contributes to rapid growth.
Traditional cutting and weed-whacking remain useful, but they often remove only the visible growth, which can return quickly.
Independent review reports Westgate Correctional Facility plagued with raft of issues
The report cited particular challenges at the Westgate Correctional Facility which holds the island’s largest prison population of 177 inmates
An independent review of the prison system has highlighted a raft of problems ranging from staffing shortages and poor infrastructure to failings in leadership and policy.
The report cited particular challenges at the Westgate Correctional Facility which holds the island’s largest prison population of 177 inmates.
Announcing the findings in the Senate on Wednesday, Attorney General and Minister of Justice Senator Kim Wilkerson expressed confidence in the short term and long term plan to put things right.
Jasmine Patterson reports.
Spotify strikes deal with Universal Music to let premium users create AI covers, remixes
Shares of the company rose around 16%
International News via Reuters:
Spotify has struck a deal with Universal Music Group to let subscribers create AI-generated covers and remixes of songs, marking the first time the audio-streaming giant will allow users to produce AI content using its platform.
Shares of the company rose around 16%.
The companies did not disclose the financial terms of the deal or which artists will participate in the new feature in their joint announcement on Thursday. Universal Music is home to artists including Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Drake and Billie Eilish.
The move puts Spotify in more direct competition with startups such as Udio and Suno that allow AI-powered music creation.
The new tool will create an additional source of income for artists and songwriters, on top of what they already earn on Spotify including through royalties, the companies said.
“What we’re building is grounded in consent, credit and compensation for the artists and songwriters that take part,” said Spotify Co-CEO Alex Norström.
Major record labels have been seeking new licensing arrangements to safeguard their vast catalogs as AI-generated music grows in popularity and consumers increasingly struggle to tell it apart from human-composed songs.
Last year, Udio signed deals with UMG and Warner Music Group to settle copyright cases, while Suno reached a settlement with WMG.
But the two AI music companies face class action lawsuits from more than 1,800 independent artists, who allege the startups’ actions “were an attack” on the music community’s “most vulnerable and valuable members.”
Spotify has previously introduced several AI-powered music discovery features to boost user retention and engagement, including voice interaction for its personalized music tool AI DJ and the option to generate playlists using natural-language prompts.
Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Jonathan Ananda
Brazil Senator Bolsonaro seeks White House meeting amid campaign crisis, sources say
One source said Bolsonaro is expected to fly to the U.S. on Monday ahead of a meeting with Trump at the White House next week
International News via Reuters:
Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro is seeking a meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington, two people familiar with the matter said, as the presidential hopeful looks to turn the page on news of his ties to a scandal-hit banker.
One source said Bolsonaro is expected to fly to the U.S. on Monday ahead of a meeting with Trump at the White House next week. A second source confirmed a White House invitation but could not specify the timing of the encounter.
A spokesperson for the right-wing senator, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Plans for the visit to Washington come as the senator’s campaign weathers a crisis that has eroded his competitiveness in recent polling against the leftist incumbent, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, ahead of October elections.
Bolsonaro was entangled this month in a scandal around a record-breaking bank fraud investigation after he confirmed reports that he lined up millions of dollars in funding for a film about his father from Daniel Vorcaro, a banker now jailed over accusations of bribing officials and defrauding investors.
Bolsonaro has said that their negotiations involved a private investment contract with no favors or impropriety involved. The senator had previously denied any contact with the banker.
This week, the senator traveled to Sao Paulo for meetings to shore up support among business leaders, who have grown increasingly worried about his chances of beating Lula.
He also met with senior members of his campaign team and replaced his head of communications.
Reporting by Luciana Magalhaes and Marcela AyresEditing by Brad Haynes and Mark Porter
