Bacardí’s Art of the Pour is returning as a featured event of this year’s Taste of Bermuda Weekend, this time with a new theme — ‘Havana Nights’.
The event will bring ten of Bermuda’s leading bars, restaurants and hotels to the Bacardí Global Headquarters, where bartender teams will create original cocktails while guests enjoy live music, Latin-inspired entertainment and Caribbean flavours before voting for their favourites.
Kendal Trott spoke with Bacardí Commercial Manager Jalen Harvey, who shared what’s new this year, what guests can expect from the Havana Nights experience, and why those hoping to attend should secure their tickets soon as they are selling quickly.
The Bermuda Land Management Corporation (BLMC) confirms that Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) advised the Corporation on 17 August 2026 that it will not pursue the Daniel’s Head property for development at this time.
The decision follows discussions between BLMC and NCLH regarding the potential redevelopment of the approximately 18-acre property in Sandys Parish. The discussions stemmed from a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) announced in July 2025, under which NCLH agreed to assess the property and explore the possibility of investing in and developing it as a first-class day-tourism product.
BLMC wishes to clarify that the MOU did not constitute an agreement to develop Daniel’s Head, nor had BLMC granted NCLH a lease or other development rights over the property. The discussions were exploratory, with any potential development subject to further conceptual and financial evaluation, as well as stakeholder engagement.
BLMC Chief Executive Officer Andrew Dias said:
“We appreciate the time and effort that Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings invested in exploring the potential of Daniel’s Head with us. While we are naturally disappointed that they have decided not to pursue the opportunity at this time, we respect their decision and value our ongoing relationship with NCL.
“Daniel’s Head remains a significant and exciting opportunity for Bermuda. The property has been underutilised for many years, and we now have an opportunity to invite other experienced partners to put forward their vision for the site.
“Our objective is to identify a partner and a development proposal that is commercially sound, appropriate for the location and delivers meaningful benefits for Bermuda and the surrounding community. We look forward to seeing what opportunities the market can bring forward.”
BLMC remains committed to the responsible and productive redevelopment of Daniel’s Head for the long-term benefit of Bermuda.
The Ministry of Public Works and Environment advises motorists that a lane closure will be in effect on Cox’s Hill Road, Pembroke, beginning Monday, 21 September 2026, until further notice.
The lane closure is required to facilitate construction works associated with a rock cut/cliff area near Auto Solutions.
Works will take place between 7:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Motorists travelling through the area are asked to exercise caution and follow any traffic management measures in place.
The Ministry thanks the public for their patience and cooperation while the works are carried out.
For questions regarding the works, please contact Malachi Astwood, Project Manager for Auto Solutions, at 524-4443.
Under the rules, which entered into force in April 2024, each EU country agrees an individual, tailor-made annual debt reduction path with the Commission
International News via Reuters:
The European Union’s fiscal watchdog criticised EU institutions on Monday for using too much discretion and flexibility in applying the EU’s new fiscal rules, as markets globally focus on debt sustainability because of expectations of a rate-tightening cycle.
The independent European Fiscal Board warned in a report that repeated exceptions to the rules, granted by the Commission and the Council of EU governments to EU countries and designed to gradually bring down debt, risked undermining the credibility of the rules not long ago after they entered into force.
Under the rules, which entered into force in April 2024, each EU country agrees an individual, tailor-made annual debt reduction path with the Commission. It has between four and seven years to cut deficit and debt towards the EU’s limits of 3% and 60% of gross domestic product respectively.
If the government does not deliver on the agreed path, it has to explain why, or face a disciplinary procedure.
“No statements under the comply-or-explain rule … were issued, and only one country faced procedural consequences in the form of a new excessive deficit procedure,” the EFB said, in reference to Bulgaria.
“This contrasts with a shortfall of fiscal outcomes and projections from the recommended expenditure paths. The gap reflects both flexibility under the new rules as well as discretion and forbearance on the part of the Commission and the Council,” the EFB said.
The fiscal watchdog said that whenever governments faced pressure to spend more, like on defence or to counter high energy prices, EU institutions agreed to create an exception.
“Every such exception may seem reasonable from a political perspective, but rules are judged in the accumulation of precedent, and a framework that bends with each new shock risks losing its ultimate purpose,” said EFB Chair Pieter Hasekamp.
The exemptions, first offered in March 2025, take the form of National Escape Clauses (NECs), which allow temporary departures from fiscal targets to accommodate higher spending. One was used for defence, and another, in 2026, to cover some energy-resilience measures.
The criticism comes as EU countries face mounting pressure to increase spending on defence, energy security and the green transition while also coping with rising debt servicing costs after years of elevated borrowing.
The report found that, despite stronger-than-expected economic growth in 2025, fiscal positions across the EU improved far less than envisaged in countries’ fiscal plans. EU government debt rose to 82% of GDP in 2025 from 81% a year earlier, according to Eurostat, and the Commission forecasts it will exceed 84% in 2026.
Reporting by Jan Strupczewski; Editing by Aidan Lewis
The man was shot in the torso and taken to a local hospital, officials told reporters at a press conference
Demonstrators react to tear gas flung in their direction by police during a protest after a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and wounded a man, city officials said, in Austin, Texas, US, September 20, 2026. REUTERS/Kaylee Greenlee
International News via Reuters:
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and wounded a man in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, city officials said, adding that the man was in serious but stable condition.
The man was shot in the torso and taken to a local hospital, officials told reporters at a press conference. The ICE agent shot him during a brief pursuit on foot shortly before 1 p.m. (1800 GMT), Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said.
Immigration attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch identified the victim to multiple news outlets as Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, 28, and posted on social media that she is representing his family. Lincoln-Goldfinch said he was released from the hospital on Sunday into the apparent custody of ICE.
Perez is an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela, a law enforcement source told CNN. Lincoln-Goldfinch told the Texas Tribune that her client entered the United States legally.
The Department of Homeland Security said in a post on social media website X that its Homeland Security Investigations unit is leading the investigation of a case of an officer-involved shooting in Austin on Sunday with the assistance of the FBI.
The post said the person shot was a Venezuelan who entered the United States “illegally” during the Biden administration and was subject to a final removal order, adding the person is stable and in federal custody pending removal.
ICE is an agency within the Department of Homeland Security.
City officials did not identify the man who was shot, and said they did not know the identity of the ICE agent involved. Austin Police Chief Davis said she had not been briefed yet by federal officials and had few details about the incident.
The shooting is the latest in a series of incidents involving ICE, which has become the face of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and whose actions have drawn scrutiny and calls for accountability from rights advocates.
CALLS FOR POLICE INVESTIGATION
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, a Democrat, said he wants city police involved in the investigation, with the additional participation of the Texas Rangers.
“From my perspective, the credibility of ICE doing some form of an investigation just by itself and excluding others would not be appropriate,” Watson said, adding that he is angry about the shooting but not surprised by it.
ICE recently started detaining more people in Austin, Watson and US Representative Greg Casar, a Texas Democrat, said.
“Just a few weeks ago, as we saw the ICE surge come to Austin, especially to North Central Austin, I and others said that ICE needed to leave before someone was shot,” said Casar, whose district includes parts of Austin.
Local TV news coverage on Sunday afternoon showed protesters gathered across the street from a blue Toyota Corolla that had sustained damage to the passenger-side door, as ICE agents stood nearby.
Rights advocates say the federal immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump violates free speech and due process rights. Trump defends his actions by saying he aims to improve domestic security.
PATTERN OF ICE SHOOTINGS
Federal immigration officials have been involved in multiple shootings this year, including the killing of two US citizens in Minnesota, which sparked a widespread backlash. More than 50 people have died in ICE detention since Trump returned to office last year.
The killing of US citizen Renee Good in Minnesota earlier this year showed that ICE cannot be trusted to provide accurate information about its shootings, Casar said.
“It is important for us to have transparency and the true facts in this case,” he said. “Unfortunately, ICE has not been truthful in shootings in other cities.”
Reporting by Karen Sloan in San Francisco and Kanishka Singh in Washington; additional reporting by Rishabh Jaiswal; Editing by Sergio Non, Matthew Lewis and Christian Schmollinger
The bond market, which last week endured a sixth straight weekly selloff in the face of rising interest rates and a persistently high oil price, rallied, with European debt leading gains
International News via Reuters:
Global stocks rose on Monday, as evidence of booming AI demand lifted tech shares, and oil fell on reports that more supply was leaving the Gulf than previously thought despite the ongoing conflict.
The bond market, which last week endured a sixth straight weekly selloff in the face of rising interest rates and a persistently high oil price, rallied, with European debt leading gains.
MSCI’s All-World index rose 0.4%, while shares in Europe rallied 1.2%.
Futures on the Nasdaq rose 1.1% as shares in chipmakers rallied, with Intel up 5.2% and AMD and Super Micro Computer up 2.4% and 3%, respectively, in premarket trading.
South Korean data showed exports for the first 20 days of this month hit a record high, thanks to surging demand for chips.
S&P futures gained 0.7%.
Some of the concern that rattled investors last week about global central banks possibly embarking on a hiking cycle subsided, as the oil price edged back towards $100 a barrel, from highs last week above $109.
“Maybe things got a little bit apocalyptic last week, and they’re just easing off. But obviously the direction of travel in oil prices is still higher. This is just a minor correction,” IG chief market strategist Chris Beauchamp said.
“Then again, the AI demand was cited overnight as the reason why tech stocks have bounced, so the ongoing themes just keep coming back to the fore … it’s just the sort of the dance where one narrative prevails over the other for the time being,” he added.
On the geopolitical front beyond the Middle East, US President Donald Trump will attend the United Nations General Assembly this week, ahead of a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday.
OIL RETREATS, FOR NOW
Oil futures prices eased even as Iran and the United States exchanged new threats and after the Houthis attacked Saudi Arabia’s capital. Brent fell 2.6% to $101.2 a barrel.
Data from analytics firm Kpler showed exports from Saudi Arabia had recovered to just over 4 million barrels per day (bpd) so far in September after slumping to 2.4 million bpd in August, the lowest since at least 2013. [O/R]
There were also reports that Saudi producers were aiming to quickly restart some flows through the country’s main east-to-west pipeline after it was damaged in attacks last week, though details were lacking and analysts harboured doubts.
“We now estimate that oil markets have 5 to 10 weeks before global oil and refined product inventories deplete, compared to estimates closer to 15 to 20 weeks just a fortnight ago,” Vivek Dhar, head of commodities at CBA, said.
Against that backdrop, central banks in most major economies are expected to raise rates again this year. Hawkish guidance from the Federal Reserve last week has futures wagering on a 56% chance it will hike rates again in October, with a move by year-end considered a done deal.
Bonds have been hit hard as a result, with the average 10-year yield for the Group of Seven biggest economies at its highest since 2008 around 4.2%.
Concern about the impact of inflation, as well as over governments’ long-term finances, hit French debt on Friday, sending its risk premium to the highest since the 2012 euro zone debt crisis.
In Germany, Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s mainstream conservative party suffered its worst election results since 1949. But the driving force for bonds remained the drop in oil, leaving German 10-year yields down 5 basis points at 3.472% and French 10-year yields 10 bps lower at 4.469%, unwinding almost all Friday’s rise.
In foreign exchange, the dollar edged up 0.2% against the yen to 157.2 , with investors wary in case the Bank of Japan took advantage of the lack of liquidity during the country’s three-day Silver Week holiday to step in to buy the currency.
The yen jumped on Friday after Japanese authorities conducted rate checks in the currency market, the Nikkei newspaper reported.
Additional reporting by Wayne Cole in Sydney; Editing by Jamie Freed and Andrew Heavens
The EU wants to triple its data centre capacity over the next seven years, to support the rapid development of artificial intelligence and attempt to cut reliance on US Big Tech
FILE PHOTO: Racks for data servers, GPUs and CPUs inside the Nebius AI UK data centre, a new facility hosting NVIDIA and other computer firms, at Ark Data Centres, in Chertsey, Britain, November 6, 2025. REUTERS/Toby Melville//File Photo
International News via Reuters:
The European Commission proposed rules on Monday requiring data centres in Europe to disclose how efficiently they use energy and water, as concerns grow over their consumption of resources.
The EU wants to triple its data centre capacity over the next seven years, to support the rapid development of artificial intelligence and attempt to cut reliance on US Big Tech.
That risks straining Europe’s energy grids, depleting water resources and increasing CO2 emissions, if the huge facilities’ use of energy and water is not controlled.
To attempt to incentivise companies to build more energy- and water-efficient data centres, the Commission has proposed a rating scheme for facilities, to make this information more transparent.
The scheme would not impose limits on their energy and water use or require data centres to disclose their total power use, but would require operators of facilities with a capacity of 500 kW to disclose their energy and water efficiency using an EU-designed labelling system.
Data centres would also have to disclose information on the relationship between their water use and levels of water stress in the local area, and whether they are able to offer services to the local energy system, such as by re-using their waste heat.
The new label could serve as a precursor for mandatory minimum standards on data centres’ water and energy efficiency in Europe, which the EU is developing.
Data centres currently account for around 2.5% of EU electricity consumption, the EU said in a report in June.
That share is expected to jump, as EU data centre capacity is expected to more than double by 2030, to 28 gigawatts compared with 12 GW last year.
EU countries and lawmakers have two months to object to the rules, or they will enter into force.
Image of crayons and exercise books against blackboard
Statement by Ben Smith, Opposition Leader & Shadow Minister of Education:
During the last Parliamentary session, Education Minister, the Hon Diallo Rabain, confirmed there were significant changes in senior leadership within his ministry.
The changes include a new Permanent Secretary and Deputy Permanent Secretary, an Acting Commissioner of Education, an Acting Director of Academics, acting leadership in Student Services and Early Childhood, as well as several other appointments and vacancies.
At a time of significant education reform, that level of change naturally raises questions around continuity and institutional knowledge. But it can also represent an opportunity.
Andrew Pettit’s appointment as Permanent Secretary brings someone into Education from outside the existing education structure.
Rather than automatically viewing that as a disadvantage, it may provide an opportunity for a fresh set of eyes and a different perspective.
The question I have is whether the new Permanent Secretary will be given the authority and support to objectively examine what is working, what is not working and what needs to change.
Fresh leadership should not mean disregarding the knowledge of our teachers, principals and education professionals. Their experience must be central to improving the system. But neither should experience or longstanding relationships prevent us from challenging structures and practices that are not producing the outcomes our students need.
The proposed Education Authority makes this moment even more important.
If Parliament agrees to establish a new Authority, it must represent more than a new name, a new board and a rearrangement of existing positions.
There will undoubtedly be people within the existing education system whose experience and expertise could be valuable to a new Authority. We should not exclude good people simply because they have worked within the current system.
But neither should the Authority become a destination where the same leadership and the same approaches are simply transferred into a new organisation.
Appointments to the Authority must be transparent and based on merit, relevant expertise, independence of thought and, above all, the ability to contribute to better educational outcomes. Political connections or familiarity with the existing system cannot be substitutes for those qualities.
That is why Bermuda should pay close attention not only to the structure of the proposed Authority, but also to who is appointed, how they are selected and what experience and skills they bring.
We have spent years discussing and restructuring education. Teachers have experienced repeated change, parents have faced uncertainty and our students ultimately live with the consequences.
This is an opportunity for a genuine reset. We should retain the best knowledge and experience within our education system while bringing in new expertise, independent thinking and a willingness to challenge the status quo.
A new Education Authority will mean very little if we simply change the organisational chart without changing the outcomes.
The test for every appointment should ultimately be simple:
Is this the best person to help deliver better education for Bermuda’s children?
Dylan Eiselt and Will Greene combined to capture the men’s crown as the Aon Mixed Team Relay National Championship delivered high-octane racing at Clearwater Beach.
Racing under the banner of ‘Tri-ed and Tested’, the duo stopped the clock in a sharp 58 minutes 59 seconds to edge out their closest rivals in a fiercely contested all-male division.
They were pushed all the way by ‘Tri and Stop Us’, with Jens Drea and Spencer Haldeman finishing just 22 seconds back in 59:21 to claim silver. ‘Bianchi Bosses!’ pairing Ronan Davidge and Sanchez Smith completed the podium in 1:00:51.
In the all-female event, ‘Synergy’ asserted their dominance courtesy of a commanding display from Ashley Couper and Marie Dore. The pair controlled the race from the front, crossing the line in 1:01:05 to secure the national title by more than two minutes.
‘The Two Scoops’ duo Colette Durkin and Evelyn Fahy took second place in 1:03:09, with ‘Two Tri-ed’ pairing Elena Bortoli and Iris Duda finishing third in 1:03:49.
Daniel Augustus produced a bogey-free final round to wrap up an emphatic six-stroke victory at the Johnnie Walker Classic, finishing on five under par at Ocean View Golf Course.
Building on his overnight lead following an opening two-under 68, Augustus barely put a foot wrong on Sunday. A clinical three-under 67, featuring three birdies and 15 pars, saw him pull comfortably clear of the chasing pack.
Nick Jones mounted a spirited final-day charge with a matching 67 to take solo second at one over par. Jones lit up the course with an eagle and three birdies, but two dropped shots kept him from genuinely threatening Augustus’ unblemished lead.
Chaka DeSilva and Mark Phillips shared third place at three over par after both carded turbulent rounds of 73, while Andrew Trott and Jonathan James finished tied for fifth on five over par.
Bermudian cyclists Kaden Hopkins and Nic Narraway tested themselves against the planet’s best as the 2026 UCI Road World Championships got under way in Montreal.
Taking on a technical, flat 39.2-kilometre course in the elite men’s individual time trial, both riders delivered determined rides in Quebec against a formidable international field.
Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel produced a masterclass to claim the rainbow jersey, blitzing the test in a blistering 44 minutes 53 seconds.
Hopkins led Bermuda’s challenge with a disciplined ride, stopping the clock in 49:41 to secure 40th place overall, under five minutes adrift of Evenepoel’s winning benchmark.
Narraway followed close behind on the demanding circuit, crossing the line in 51:10 to take 46th position and cap a solid showing for the island duo on the global stage.
The Bermuda Diabetes Association (BDA) marked a successful three-day chronic kidney disease (CKD) screening initiative, providing members of the community with free access to early detection and health education.
The initiative reinforces the importance of regular screening, particularly in Bermuda, where more than 13% of residents are living with diabetes and approximately one in three adults has high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol. Diabetes and high blood pressure are among the leading risk factors for kidney disease, alongside obesity and a family history of kidney disease.
CKD can develop with few or no noticeable symptoms, making early detection particularly important. Identifying changes in kidney health at an earlier stage gives individuals an opportunity to take action to slow or prevent the progression of the disease before it reaches more advanced stages, when dialysis or other intensive treatment may be required.
Minister of Health Kim Wilson, JP, MP, participated in the screening. Having been the very first person in Bermuda to undergo the screening in 2023, Minister Wilson returned this year and became the 400th person screened in Bermuda using Carna Health’s point-of-care technology.
Minister Wilson said: “Kidney health continues to be a significant challenge in Bermuda. Opportunities for free screening are important to early detection, which helps people prevent or slow the progression of the disease and avoid late-stage CKD when dialysis is required. Early detection of chronic diseases supports the Bermuda Health Strategy 2022–2027 to deploy technology, along with community partners, to improve health outcomes.” Lori Rockhead, Executive Director of the Bermuda Diabetes Association, welcomed Minister Wilson’s participation and emphasised the importance of prevention and early intervention.
“Catching CKD early gives individuals the opportunity to take the steps necessary to prevent or delay the progression of the disease,” said Ms. Rockhead. “Managing blood sugar and high blood pressure are essential to reducing risk. The Bermuda Diabetes Association offers a number of free health screenings to make it easier for people to understand key health indicators and take action – not only to prevent diabetes, but also to reduce the risk of serious complications such as vision loss, kidney disease and amputation.”
The screening initiative was conducted in partnership with Carna Health, using its digital platform and point-of-care technology to support the screening process. This year,
HbA1c testing was also incorporated into the screening, providing participants with additional insight into their blood sugar management alongside their kidney health assessment.
Dr. Salvatore Viscomi, CEO of Carna Health, said: “Our continued partnership with the Bermuda Diabetes Association demonstrates the value of combining innovative technology with accessible, community-based healthcare. By bringing a digital health platform with integrated point-of-care testing directly into the community, we can help identify people who may be at risk of chronic kidney disease earlier, when there is a greater opportunity to intervene and slow or prevent its progression.
“The addition of HbA1c testing this year provided further insight into participants’ health and important risk factors for kidney disease. Ultimately, the aim is not simply to screen, but to provide individuals and their healthcare providers with meaningful information that can support earlier intervention and better long-term health outcomes.”
For the BDA, one of the most encouraging outcomes of the initiative was seeing participants return for screening after attending one or two years earlier, with improvements in their kidney function.
“In each case, people had improved their kidney function by becoming more aware of how to maintain healthy kidneys,” said Ms. Rockhead. “When asked what they had done differently, participants described lifestyle changes such as reducing their salt intake, improving their diabetes management and increasing their physical activity.
“This is precisely what we wanted to accomplish. By educating people about the risk factors and helping them become more aware of their kidney health, participants were empowered to make practical changes that are having a positive impact on their health.”
Screening results reinforce the need for prevention:
A total of 31 people were screened during the initiative, with 32% identified as being at moderate to high risk of kidney disease. The most common risk factors identified were diabetes and high blood pressure, followed by obesity and a family history of kidney disease.
The findings reinforce the importance of accessible, community-based screening and health education, particularly as CKD can progress without noticeable symptoms. Identifying people who may be at risk provides an opportunity for further assessment, appropriate follow-up and changes that can help protect their kidney health.
As part of its mission to prevent diabetes and support people living with diabetes, the Bermuda Diabetes Association continues to provide free health screenings and educational opportunities designed to promote prevention, early intervention and a healthier community.
The Association encourages residents to understand their risk factors, monitor key health indicators including blood sugar and blood pressure, adopt healthy lifestyle habits and speak with their healthcare providers about appropriate screening.
Ms. Rockhead concluded: “Early detection makes a difference. Knowing your numbers today can help protect your health for tomorrow.”
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