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Britain warns Iran it will not tolerate hostile activity on UK soil

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Britain warns Iran it will not tolerate hostile activity on UK soil

In July, Britain banned support for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a linked group following a series of antisemitic attacks, using new legal powers designed to stop the use of state-sponsored proxies

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha shake hands as they attend a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Ukraine, during the 81st United Nations General Assembly, at UN Headquarters in New York City, US, September 23, 2026. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

International News via Reuters:

Britain’s foreign minister met his Iranian counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York and told him his country would “not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on UK soil” from groups linked to Iran.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also discussed the war in the Middle East, the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Britain’s “unwavering resolve to combat threats from Iranian-linked groups on UK soil,” a Foreign Office statement said.

“The Foreign Secretary reiterated the UK’s unwavering resolve to combat threats from Iranian-linked groups on UK soil, including attacks on the British Jewish community,” it said.

In July, Britain banned support for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a linked group following a series of antisemitic attacks, using new legal powers designed to stop the use of state-sponsored proxies.

Iran has previously denied using proxies. The British statement did not say how Araqchi responded to Miliband.

A statement on Araqchi’s Telegram account said he had used the meeting to call for a correction to “the destructive and irresponsible approaches of some European governments towards Iran and regional developments.”

He also said an “insistence on interfering in countries’ internal affairs and the instrumental use of human rights concepts is in no way acceptable.”

Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre said last week Iranian state-linked cyber actors had used a spyware family known as “CHOSEN BRICK” to steal emails, messages and other sensitive information through “spear-phishing” campaigns on messaging platforms including WhatsApp and Telegram.

“The Foreign Secretary made clear that Britain will not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on UK soil and set out the measures the Government has taken in response,” the Foreign Office statement added.

Reporting by Gnaneshwar Rajan in Bengaluru and William James in London; Editing by Stephen Coates and Philippa Fletcher

Stocks weather bond volatility, oil eases slightly

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Stocks weather bond volatility, oil eases slightly

Oil prices retreated as traders weighed up the possibility of a truce between the United States and Iran

International News via Reuters:

Global stocks headed for their best weekly performance since early August on Friday, as AI euphoria and the prospect of an improvement in Middle East energy supplies won out over surging bond yields for now.

Oil prices retreated as traders weighed up the possibility of a truce between the United States and Iran. Negotiators are exploring a phased path out of the war that would involve reopening the Strait of Hormuz, sources close to the talks told Reuters. [O/R]

Slightly lower oil prices brought some respite to bond markets that have been hit hard by the inflationary concerns unleashed by higher energy prices.

“Markets tend to buy the rumour on signs of better news coming from the Middle East,” said Nordea chief market strategist Jan von Gerich. “But there is no quick resolution and the weekend is approaching so we could see some caution.”

Despite easing, Brent crude remained above $100 a barrel, keeping government bond yields near recent peaks. Japan’s 10-year bond yield touched 3.115%, a level last seen in 1996.

Inflation fears have also bolstered bets on multiple Federal Reserve rate hikes after last week’s increase, putting the dollar on track for a second straight week of gains.

European shares edged higher and were headed for a weekly rise, with the pan-European STOXX 600 index up 0.6%, while U.S. stock futures also traded higher in a positive sign for the Wall Street open later.

MSCI’s world stock index was a touch firmer on the day and set for its best weekly performance since early August.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is in Washington for talks with President Donald Trump, though beneath the fanfare there has been scant evidence of breakthroughs on thorny issues over AI, trade, Taiwan or the Iran war.

RISK ASSETS UNDER THREAT

Risk assets are under threat from a dramatic selloff in global bonds, as inflation worries and fiscal strains push investors to demand ever-higher returns, particularly on long-dated debt.

“The world’s bond markets are screaming, and ignoring it could prove very expensive,” said Nigel Green, CEO of deVere Group, a financial advisory firm.

“Once risk-free rates sit above 5% in the world’s largest economy, every asset on the planet has to justify its price against that. Equities, property, private credit, emerging market debt — nothing’s immune.”

The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield was a touch higher on the day at around 5.17%, having surged 20 basis points in just two days to a new 19-year peak of around 5.22%. That was the biggest two-day gain since April last year when Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs spooked markets.

Thirty-year US bond yields were steady at around 5.47%, having surged 17 bps over the past two days to hit their highest since 2004. A rise in US borrowing costs has pushed up mortgage rates to 7%, hamstringing the housing market.

Euro zone bond yields were lower on Friday but poised for their seventh weekly rise.

“We have seen some violent moves in bonds and those moves have gone further than the economic conditions justify,” said Nordea’s von Gerich, adding that he saw room for yields to move lower.

Investors continue to position for further rate hikes from major central banks.

Five out of the Group of 10 most influential central banks have raised rates this month, and the remainder have either signalled a hike is coming, or, at the very least, warned about rising inflation.

Norway raised rates on Thursday and Sweden’s Riksbank signalled it was likely to follow suit by the year end.

And expectations for further Fed tightening are keeping the dollar firm.

While the dollar index was a touch lower on Friday, it was set for a second week of gains and has this week hit the highest since late July.

The dollar, however, lost 0.4% against the yen to 158.23, retreating from a three-week peak, after Japan’s Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said Trump raised concern about yen weakness during a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi earlier this week.

Reporting by Amanda Cooper and Dhara Ranasinghe in London and Stella Qiu in Sydney. Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Mark Potter

UK shares set for weekly gains as oil prices retreat

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UK shares set for weekly gains as oil prices retreat

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index rose 0.41% to 10,723.98 points by 0952 GMT, while the midcap FTSE 250 climbed 0.71%, with both indexes on track for a second consecutive weekly gain

International News via Reuters:

The main UK stock benchmarks rose on Friday and were set for weekly gains, as a retreat in crude oil prices helped lift risk appetite, with banks and mining shares leading the day’s gains.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index rose 0.41% to 10,723.98 points by 0952 GMT, while the midcap FTSE 250 climbed 0.71%, with both indexes on track for a second consecutive weekly gain.

• Heavyweight banks climbed 1.4%, with HSBC up 1.3%, while Lloyds Banking and Standard Chartered each added around 2%.

• Precious metal miners jumped 2.5% as gold and silver prices rose after dropping sharply earlier this week.

• Industrial metal miners climbed 1.3% as copper prices nudged higher. Miners Glencore climbed 1.9% and Anglo American gained 1.6%.

• Oil prices retreated after two sessions of gains, with investors weighing hopes of a US-Iran truce against the risk that stepped-up Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia could disrupt supply.

• Energy giants Shell lost around 1% and BP shed 3%.

• Reuters reported that BP is weighing a potential acquisition of US-based Devon Energy’s operations in South Texas.

• Global government bond yields eased a touch after jumping earlier this week. The British benchmark 10-year gilt yield inched lower to 5.3682% after hitting a more than one-week high earlier this week.

• British consumer confidence unexpectedly struck a more than two-year high this month as households grew more optimistic about their personal finances, according to a survey on Friday, adding to recent signs of resilience in the economy, market research firm GfK said.

• Among stocks, land and property regeneration company Harworth Group rose 4.9% after Peel Holdings-backed Goodweather Holdings raised its final offer to 187 pence per share

• Oil and gas producer Capricorn Energy gained 12.4% after Genel Energy raised its cash offer for the company to $436 million, topping a rival offer from DNO

Reporting by Anand Gopal in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore

Public encouraged to tune in for Historic Land Losses Debate

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Public encouraged to tune in for Historic Land Losses Debate

Full Statement:

Premier David Burt is encouraging Bermudians to follow proceedings in the House of Assembly on Friday, 25 September, when the House is expected to debate the long-awaited Report of the Commission of Inquiry into Historic Land Losses in Bermuda.

The Report was tabled in the House of Assembly on 10 December 2021 following the work of the Commission of Inquiry, which was established by the Premier in 2019 in fulfilment of a resolution first approved by the House of Assembly in 2014.

The debate has been delayed while matters concerning the Commission were before the courts and in accordance with the rules governing proceedings in the House. Following a ruling from the Speaker that the matter may now proceed, the Government intends to bring the take-note Motion before the House.

Premier Burt said: “This is an important debate for Bermuda and one that has been a long time coming. The Commission heard from Bermudians whose families have carried stories of land loss, dispossession and injustice for generations, and its Report contains findings and recommendations which deserve the full consideration of the people’s elected representatives.

“The purpose of Friday’s debate is not simply for the Government to state its position. I want to hear the views of Honourable Members from across the House on the findings of the Commission and, importantly, on its recommendations.

“The Government will indicate areas where we believe action should now be taken, but there are other significant matters on which I believe it is right to hear from Members before the Government determines its next steps.

“This process began because Bermudian families asked to be heard. It was championed in this House by the late Walton Brown, whose 2014 Motion called for an independent examination of historic land losses and for justice for those who may have been wronged. Twelve years later, this House will finally have the opportunity to debate the Report that flowed from that work.

“I encourage Bermudians, particularly those families who participated in the Commission’s hearings or who have a connection to the histories of Tucker’s Town, Southside in St. David’s and other historic land-loss claims, to tune in and follow the debate.”

The Commission of Inquiry held 74 hearings and considered 53 claims. Its Report examined the well-known expropriations at Tucker’s Town and St. David’s Island as well as claims of historic land loss in other parts of Bermuda.

Among its recommendations were proposals concerning assistance for persons seeking to pursue historic land-loss claims, the preservation and teaching of the history of Tucker’s Town and St. David’s, suitable memorialisation of affected communities, consideration of a Land Tribunal, legislative reform and compensation.

The Government has accepted the Report in principle and is reviewing implementation of its recommendations. Friday’s debate will form an important part of that process and will assist the Government as it considers the next steps arising from the Report.

Members of the public can follow House of Assembly proceedings live through the Bermuda Parliament website at parliament.bm.

Bermuda Tonight – September 24

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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Bermuda Tonight – September 24

130 years on, Salvation Army still marching

Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk
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130 years on, Salvation Army still marching

Series of events will celebrate milestone

The Salvation Army in Bermuda has a weekend of 130th Anniversary celebrations for the entire community to enjoy. Commencing September 25 – 27th, all events are free as a thank you to our local community for all the support provided over these 130 years.

Schedule of Events

Friday, September 25, 2026

Proclamation on the Steps of City Hall, Hamilton

  • Time: 12:30 p.m.
  • Admission: All are welcome

Local Bermuda Leadership will be involved including Town Crier Ed Christopher, Mayor Michael Branco, His Excellency the Governor of Bermuda, Andrew Murdoch, MP Tinee Furbert, former Mayor Charles Gosling, The Salvation Army Bermuda Area Commander Captain Alfred Esdaille, the Territorial Leaders for The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda, Commissioners Lee and Debbie Graves, and music from The Salvation Army 130th Anniversary Band, among other special participants.

Saturday, September 26, 2026

Pre-Concert Meet & Greet

  • Location: Ruth Seaton James Foyer
  • Time: 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
  • Admission: Free

So many people are connected to the Salvation Army either through attending Sunday School, Brownies, Girl Guides, Cup Scouts, Boy Scouts, Youth Group, Singing Company, Church or have been a recipient, donor or volunteer of community services offered. This is a time to reunite with friends and neighbours. There will be a photo booth where you can capture these reunions. Lots of old photos will be on display to reminisce over. Make a voluntary love offering or register on the night to help with Christmas Kettles. Light refreshments will be served.

130th Anniversary Concert

  • Location: Ruth Seaton James Auditorium
  • Time: 6:00 p.m.
  • Admission: Free

Enjoy music from the Anniversary Band consisting of Salvation Army and Bermuda Regiment bands, an anniversary Songsters and Singing Company, anniversary Songsters and an anniversary timbrel brigade. Flying in from Canada just for this occasion is guest brass trombone soloist and Bermudian Salvationist Kevin Hayward.

Sunday, September 27, 2026

March of Witness

  • Location: Starting on the corner of Front and Court Streets (Old Fire Station)
  • Time: 9:00 a.m.
  • Admission: All are welcome

We’ll journey from the site of Hamilton Citadel’s first meeting venue, along Court Street, past the location where the Salvation Army’s Hamilton Citadel’s Booth Memorial Hall once stood on to Angle Street with a special “mark time” at the home of our oldest living Salvationist, before finishing at North Street Citadel for the 10:00 a.m. Anniversary Service.

Anniversary Worship Service

  • Location: Salvation Army North Street Citadel
  • Time: 10:00 a.m.
  • Admission: All are welcome

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Bermuda in 1896 and has grown to become one of the largest direct providers of social services in the country. The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people in Bermuda and in more than 130 countries around the world.

Its community and social service activities include:

  • Hunger relief for individuals and families through food banks in Hamilton, Somerset and St. Georges and feeding programs
  • Shelter for people experiencing homelessness and support for those needing housing
  • Rehabilitation for those struggling with substance-use recovery
  • Soup van delivering meals to the homeless
  • Christmas assistance such as food hampers and toys
  • After-school programs, camps for children and youth
  • Life-skills classes and so much more

When you give to The Salvation Army, you are investing in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community.

Burt: ‘We should have resolved this internally’

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Burt: ‘We should have resolved this internally’

PLP Leader David Burt has addressed party members regarding the ongoing court case over membership rules, and says that up until now the PLP has settled its differences internally

An update from PLP Leader David Burt to party members:

September 24, 2026

To the Members of the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party
An update on the court proceedings

PLP Family,

I want to update you directly on today’s Court hearing and on how we got here. Because the matter is before the Court, there are things I cannot say. What I can say is set out below.

On 24 August, the Central Committee, the body our Constitution charges with governing the Party between conferences, passed two resolutions concerning new membership applications. Their purpose was simple: to make sure that the people who decide the Party’s future are people who have joined it in accordance with its Constitution. Confirming that an application is genuine, complete and paid for is the ordinary work of any membership organisation. It is what the Membership Process approved by the Central Committee in July requires, and it is what the Party has been doing, openly, since the summer.

On 4 September, MP Curtis Dickinson and four other plaintiffs went to the Supreme Court and, without notice to the Party, obtained an injunction against the Party’s Chairperson and Secretary General in respect of those resolutions. The Court will hear the case on 1 and 2 October and will decide whether the Central Committee had the power to do what it did. The Party will make its case there, and it will respect the Court’s decision.

Since the original injunction, the Party has made its best efforts to do what the Court has asked of it. It has produced its records, sworn its affidavits, and worked long hours to comply with every direction the Court has given. The plaintiffs, for their part, have returned to Court twice more, on 17 September and again today, each time seeking further orders.

Today’s hearing concerned an allegation that members have been removed from the Party’s records. The Party’s position is clear: no member has been struck off the membership roll in the preparation of these lists. We reject the allegation that differences between the lists show that members have been removed in breach of the Court’s order. The Party’s lawyers will address these allegations and explain the relevant records in Court. The Court has given further directions, which the Party and its lawyers are reviewing. The Party will continue to respect the Court’s process, as it has throughout.

These questions about the records could have been clarified through direct discussion. We belong to the same Party and should be able to speak to one another, ask questions and check the facts before drawing conclusions and filing aggressive legal orders against our hard-working volunteers. There was a caucus meeting last night, and none of these concerns were raised by MP Dickinson, who was in attendance.

The latest application includes a request for a Penal Notice in the proceedings involving our Chair and our Secretary General. In court today, counsel for the plaintiff said he didn’t feel the penal notice was necessary, but it was included at the insistence of his client. Such a notice warns that disobeying a Court order may result in penalties, including imprisonment, fines or the seizure of their assets. I am deeply concerned about the pressure this places on two women who volunteer their time serving our Party. The application also asked that the Party be made to pay the plaintiffs’ legal costs on the highest basis the law allows.

I am also deeply disappointed that TNN appears to have been made aware of this latest challenge before the Party’s leadership. I understand that Mr Lindsay was seen walking with counsel for the plaintiffs into court. We should be raising concerns directly with one another and giving those responsible for the records an opportunity to explain them, rather than learning about court filings after members of the media have been made aware.

I have seen the hours being put into gathering documents, checking applications and preparing records. Our Chair, our Secretary General and those assisting them are doing this alongside their other responsibilities. It pains me to see colleagues carrying this burden, and I ask you to reach out and offer them your support.

Every member of this Party has ways to raise concerns within it. A member can go to their Branch. A member can bring a matter to the Central Committee. The Constitution provides grievance and appeal procedures, and the Party’s officers have said throughout that the door is open. For sixty-three years, the PLP has settled its differences, and it has had many, through those channels, in rooms full of its own members, by the votes of its own members.

The plaintiffs were free to bring their concerns to any of those bodies and to put their case to the members whose Party this is. They chose instead to go to the Supreme Court, without notice, and they have gone back twice since, and refused to meet without preconditions and threats from their lawyers. Every dollar the Party spends defending these proceedings is a dollar of members’ dues and donations that is not spent on our branches, our organising or the next election.

I have called for dialogue before, and I am making that call again. Nobody has to abandon their position to sit down and talk. We can address questions about the records, discuss our disagreements and seek an agreement through the Party’s own processes, with any settlement properly brought before the Court. The Party’s lawyers will continue to address the proceedings. We remain willing to come to the table so that our time and resources can be redirected towards the Party’s mission, rather than further Court proceedings over allegations of membership removals that the Party maintains are factually incorrect.

In the meantime, please do not be drawn into arguments about this case on social media or in the press. The Party will not litigate in public, and I ask you not to either. If you have a question, bring it to your Branch or to Party Headquarters, where it will be answered.

I know the toll this is taking collectively on all of us. I can only continue to pray that reason will prevail.

Regards,
Party Leader

PLP receives penal notice in membership case

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PLP receives penal notice in membership case

Curtis Dickinson’s lawyers took the PLP back to court today, and a penal notice was attached to compel the party to comply with court orders. The ‘removal of 373 members’ is a new concern raised by the plaintiffs

The row over membership rules that has engulfed the PLP was back in court today.

In a statement, the Curtis Dickinson Campaign cited its continuing efforts to ensure compliance with the Court’s orders and the Constitution of the party.

The campaign stated that as a result of apparent breaches of the Court’s orders, the Supreme Court today attached a penal notice to its order.

This means failure to comply could result in contempt of court proceedings.

Among the issues raised by the Curtis Dickinson campaign is the apparent removal of 373 people from the party’s membership list.

FULL statement below…

MEDIA STATEMENT – CURTIS L. DICKINSON CAMPAIGN, 24 September 2026

The Curtis L. Dickinson Campaign returned to the Supreme Court today as part of its continuing effort to ensure compliance with the Court’s orders and the Constitution of the Progressive Labour Party.

Following several court appearances and previous orders concerning this matter, and as a result of continued breaches of the Court’s orders, the Court today took the significant step of attaching a penal notice to its order. A penal notice places those bound by the order on clear notice that failure to comply may result in contempt of court proceedings and serious consequences can follow.

This latest development follows continuing concerns raised before the Court regarding breaches of its orders. These include the calling of a Special Delegates Conference following the September 4 Order, the initial failure to provide full membership lists, and use of a membership process that is not contained in the Constitution, and, most recently, concerns surrounding a second incomplete membership list, with removal of 373 members from the confirmed list by way of a verification process that is not contained in Constitution of the Progressive Labour Party.

Where orders of the Supreme Court have been made, they must be respected. As the Acting Chief Justice stated in the September 21 ruling, compliance with the Court’s orders is mandatory and no person or entity is above the law.

Of particular concern is information arising from the membership records produced during these proceedings. A comparison of the lists provided shows that 373 initially confirmed members of the Progressive Labour Party no longer appear on the subsequent list produced by the Party.

The Campaign needs to know what happened to those 373 members. It is not clear whether those individuals themselves are aware that they appeared on one list and subsequently did not appear on another. The Campaign also remains concerned that there are many more documented individuals who do not appear on the membership list at all.

The Campaign has maintained that transparency, adherence to the Party’s Constitution, and compliance with the Court’s orders matter. Our Campaign believes in protecting the integrity of the process and ensuring that every member is treated in accordance with the same rules.

The Intention Effect | Episode 5 w/Peter Aldridge [Season 2]

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The Intention Effect | Episode 5 w/Peter Aldridge [Season 2]

In this weeks episode, Shara sits down with her husband Peter Aldridge to explore men’s mental health, the silent crisis after 45, and how community support can make a difference.

Lumina Festival returns this week

Kendal Trott
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Lumina Festival returns this week

The Lumina Festival is returning for its second year, bringing together financial education, entrepreneurship, culture and creativity in a two-day event.

Kendal Trott spoke with founder and CEO Zach Wilson, who talked about the importance of financial literacy and using his own resources and connections to help bridge opportunities for the community.

The festival begins with its Financial Literacy Summit on Friday, before turning the spotlight on Bermuda’s creative community on Sunday with the Solara Music & Arts Concert, headlined by Grammy-nominated R&B artist Musiq Soulchild. 
Mr. Wilson is encouraging the public to secure their tickets and come out for this years’ experience

International DJ Andre ‘Milhouse’ Johnson is bringing his sound back to Bermuda as resident DJ for the Lumina Festival.

The Queens, New York native has built a career that has taken him around the world, working with major brands including Nike and Foot Locker, while also building connections within the music industry through Dreamville, Bas and The FIENDS.

Kendal Trott spoke with him about his journey in the industry, what audiences can expect from him at Lumina Festival, and his advice for Bermuda’s local creatives looking to expand their careers beyond the island.

Meta’s Charm gadget carries CEO Zuckerberg’s big AI ambitions

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Meta’s Charm gadget carries CEO Zuckerberg’s big AI ambitions

The device, called Muse Charm, highlights a broader shift at the social media giant that has long sought to escape Apple and Google’s operating systems with a platform of its own

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg presents the Muse Charm during the Meta Connect event at the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California, U.S., September 23, 2026. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

International News via Reuters:

Mark Zuckerberg took repeated digs at Apple during Meta’s annual event on Wednesday, only to borrow a page from Steve Jobs’ playbook for a surprise reveal: a pocket-watch-sized device that carries Meta’s viral Muse AI agent into the real world.

The device, called Muse Charm, highlights a broader shift at the social media giant that has long sought to escape Apple and Google’s operating systems with a platform of its own. Users can tap the gadget to access Muse directly, bypassing AI apps on smartphones.

Having once championed the metaverse — the immersive digital world that inspired the company’s name change in 2021 — as the next computing platform, Zuckerberg now sees “personal superintelligence” as the bigger and more immediate breakthrough, after his previous costly wager failed.

“It is actually quite clear personal superintelligence will not only come first; it will be much bigger and more important,” Zuckerberg said at the company’s annual Meta Connect conference.

“So we have shifted our focus to building the best devices for personal superintelligence,” he said, adding that Muse would also soon be available across Meta’s smart glasses lineup.

The remarks follow a blockbuster few days for Muse, which has drawn millions of downloads in what some analysts have said could be the biggest app launch in the US since ChatGPT arrived in November 2022 and kicked off the AI boom.

Investors have embraced Muse’s potential to automate tasks ranging from booking flights to filing taxes, lifting shares of partners such as Shopify while dumping companies seen as vulnerable to disruption, including online travel agency Booking and TurboTax software creator Intuit.

Meta’s shares were down about 2% in premarket trading on Thursday after gaining nearly 12% this week.

MAY APPEAL TO GEN Z, MASS ADOPTION DIFFICULT

Muse Charm could resonate with younger consumers at a time when digital cameras, flip phones and MP3 players are enjoying nostalgic comebacks, analysts say.

Gen Z consumers, aged about 14 to 29, treat AI assistants as companions or brainstorming partners rather than simply search tools. Many interact with technology through voice notes, short videos and AI chatbots, unlike older users who are often more comfortable with PCs and smartphone apps.

“Muse Charm could find some traction among Gen Z and younger consumers. The combination of AI, fashion and personalization could appeal to younger users, especially if it is affordable and easy to use,” said Linda Sui, founder of Smart Analytics Global, a market research firm. 

The device features a roughly 2-inch (5-cm) screen that can be navigated with a thumb, with a customizable Muse character at its center. A built-in 5G modem allows access to Muse even without Wi-Fi, though it cannot make calls.

“They are appealing to people who might not want to wear glasses or might not trust glasses,” said IDC director Jitesh Ubrani. 

“Some people might remember Tamagotchi and this might evoke that,” Ubrani said, referring to colorful virtual pets that became a cultural phenomenon in the late 1990s. “They might be able to run a small language model locally. So you can run AI on such a small package.”

Whether Muse can sustain its momentum and the device can amplify that appeal is a question for the months ahead.

Similar devices have had limited success. The Rabbit R1, a handheld generative AI device from startup Rabbit Inc with a screen and a button, had a buzzy launch in early 2024 only to flop because it overpromised on AI features and delivered an unreliable experience.  

“I would be cautious about its mass-market potential,” Sui said. “Unless Muse Charm can offer unique functions that smartphones, watches, earbuds or smart glasses cannot easily replace, it is more likely to remain a nice-to-have device for early adopters than become a mainstream product.”

Reporting by Aditya Soni in Menlo Park, California; Editing by Sayantani Ghosh and Jamie Freed

EU concerned about reported US plans to ban diesel exports, spokesperson says

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EU concerned about reported US plans to ban diesel exports, spokesperson says

Politico reported that the United States was preparing a 90-day ban on diesel exports amid a spike in prices ahead of the midterm elections, though U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has disputed that

FILE PHOTO: A worker fills his truck with diesel fuel at a corporate filling station in San Diego, California, U.S., May 18, 2026. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

International News via Reuters:

The European Union observes with concern the United States’ reported plans to ban diesel exports, as such a disruption would risk negative impact on both sides, a European Commission spokesperson said on Thursday.

“High-level contacts between the European Union and the U.S. administration are ongoing. We expect close partners to consult each other before taking measures that affect shared markets,” Olof Gill told reporters.

Politico reported that the United States was preparing a 90-day ban on diesel exports amid a spike in prices ahead of the midterm elections, though U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has disputed that, saying the administration was considering voluntary measures.

Reporting by Makini Brice and Richard Lough in Paris and Mateusz Rabiega in Gdansk

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