This year’s parade will be dedicated to the memory of our colleague and friend, Vernon Hassell, Vice President of The MarketPlace, who passed away in September, according to Marketplace
Senior US diplomat calls EU policies bad for trans-Atlantic partnership
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau joined Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other American officials in criticizing the European Union’s fine on Musk-owned X as censorship
International News via Reuters:
A $140 million fine on tech tycoon Elon Musk’s social media platform underscores how Europeans undermine U.S. policies even while demanding that the United States provide military protection, one of the top American diplomats wrote on Saturday.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau joined Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other American officials in criticizing the European Union’s fine on Musk-owned X as censorship. But Landau went further than Rubio by invoking broader ideological and strategic concerns.
Landau posted on X that the EU’s differences with the Trump administration on many issues undermine the idea of a partnership with the United States despite the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The EU’s regulatory stance could hurt shared Western security and values, Landau wrote.
“When these countries wear their NATO hats, they insist that Transatlantic cooperation is the cornerstone of our mutual security,” Landau posted. “But when these countries wear their EU hats, they pursue all sorts of agendas that are often utterly adverse to US interests and security … This inconsistency cannot continue.”
The X fine, announced on Friday, is the first significant enforcement action under the EU’s Digital Services Act. European regulators said they cited X for a deceptive blue-check verification system, inadequate transparency in advertising records, and refusal to grant researchers access to public data.
The criticism from Landau, along with earlier objections by Rubio, U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr reflects Washington’s concerns over the impact of European digital regulations on American companies.
Rubio and Carr said the fine demonstrated bias against U.S.-based technology firms, with Rubio calling it an attack on the American people by foreign governments and an act of censorship against Americans online.
Adding to the furor, billionaire entrepreneur Musk, once a close ally of President Donald Trump before a public falling out, in a Friday post on the platform called for the EU to be abolished.
EU officials have said they are protecting users from deception, scams, and misinformation, and said X’s status as a U.S. company had nothing to do with the decision to levy a fine.
The tensions are surfacing as the Trump administration signals dramatic shifts in U.S.-Europe relations within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as it seeks to maintain unity amid broader geopolitical challenges.
While the Trump administration has pushed for increased European defense spending, its approach has been marked by mixed signals toward NATO, ranging from criticism of burden sharing to rare moments of praise for allied initiatives.
Landau, the No. 2 U.S. diplomat, had previously questioned the need for NATO in a June post on X, which he later deleted.
Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Sergio Non and Deepa Babington
EU could announce package to support auto industry on December 16, industry source says
Brussels is so far planning to announce the package on December 10, but EU transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said earlier this week that the package could be delayed until January
International News via Reuters:
The European Commission could announce a package to support the local automotive sector, including a possible watered down version of its 2035 combustion engine phase-out, on December 16, an industry source briefed on the matter said.
Brussels is so far planning to announce the package on December 10, but EU transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said earlier this week that the package could be delayed until January.
The source said that December 16 was a target but could still change.
A spokesperson for the European Commission declined to comment on the new date, which was first reported by Germany’s Tagesspiegel Background.
Reporting by Christoph Steitz; Additional reporting by Lili Bayer; Editing by Kirsti Knolle, Elaine Hardcastle
Stop-Time Goal Sinks Goater’s Villa; Dill’s FC United Secure Big Win
Football: A busy weekend for Bermuda’s women in league action in the UK
Tottenham Hotspur snatched a dramatic 2-1 victory over Aston Villa in the Women’s Super League (WSL), with a stoppage-time goal sinking the team where Bermuda legend Shaun Goater serves as Assistant Coach. Meanwhile, Keunna Dill found the net in a dominant win for FC United of Manchester.
Aston Villa, with former Manchester City and Bermuda international Shaun Goater serving as Assistant Coach, suffered a painful late defeat in the Women’s Super League.
Tottenham came from behind to beat Villa 2-1, with the winning goal arriving in the most dramatic fashion. Olivia Holdt scored deep in stoppage time, ensuring Spurs took all three points and leaving Goater’s side with nothing to show for their efforts.
In lower league action, Keunna Dill made a significant contribution as her FC United of Manchester teammates secured a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Curzon Ashton at the Thornleigh Salesian College Ground. Dill was on the scoresheet, helping her side to a dominant result.
The FA Women’s National League saw mixed results for Bermudian players:
- Jya Ratteray-Smith and her Chesham United Women’s teammates endured a tough day, going down 4-0 to Chatham Town Women.
- Eva Frazzoni and her AFC Sudbury Ladies teammates secured a point, battling to a 1-1 draw against MK Dons FC Women.
Utility pole downed during traffic collision
The Bermuda Police Service said no one was injured during the incident Saturday evening
Car collision with a utility pole on Harrington Sound Road, Smith’s. Photo: BPS/Instagram
Full press release from the Bermuda Police Service:
There has been a single vehicle road traffic collision involving a motorcar, on Harrington Sound Road, near the junction with Rocky Ridge Road, Smiths.
There were no reported injuries.
A utility pole was downed in the collision and has resulted in the roadway being blocked.
Traffic diversions were in place with westbound traffic being diverted onto Paynter’s Road at the junction with Harrington Sound Road and eastbound traffic, being diverted onto Devil’s Hole Hill, at the junction with Harrington Sound Road.
The roadway was subsequently reopened after traffic investigators surveyed the scene.
National Trust Christmas Walkabout hailed a success
The Bermuda National Trust’s 45th annual Christmas Walkabout in St. George’s on Friday drew thousands to the historic town to kick off the festive season
National Trust Head of Development & Engagement, Dr. Dorte Horsfield live on Bermuda Tonight
The Bermuda National Trust’s annual Christmas Walkabout event in St. George’s on Friday was hailed a success by organisers.
It was the event’s 45th anniversary celebrating the start of the Christmas season. It began as an annual Christmas party exclusively for Bermuda National Trust members, designed to give them a glimpse inside the Trust’s historic properties. At the time, the Trust already played a significant role in St. George’s, caring for eleven historic buildings, including two museums – Tucker House and the Globe Museum.
Dr. Dorte Horsfield, the Head of Development and Engagement at the National Trust said, “Apparently there was standing room only [on the ferry] – a beautiful night of course to go by ferry. The shuttle service worked out very beautifully.
“And everyone is saying, ‘This is just amazing!..The streets are just filled with people being happy to see each other again.”
There were food vendors and live performances by the Royal Bermuda Regiment Band & Corps, Bermuda Island Pipe Band, Bermuda Highland Dancers, Bermy Bouncers Jump Rope Team, Bermuda School of Music Brass Band and several dance groups to keep the crowd entertained at King’s Square.
The Bermuda Tourism Authority also showcased its latest augmented reality mural in King’s Square that offers a snapshot of St. George’s history through a QR code on display.
St. George’s is the oldest, continually inhabited English-settled town in the New World and was founded over a century ago. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000.
Jasmine Furbert, Director of Visitors Exeperiences at the Bermuda Tourism Authority said, “We had amazing feedback. We have worked with local artist, Shanna Hollis. Its a the mural, ‘The Unsettled Freedom’ that we commissioned last year. It tells such a comprehensice story of Bermuda’s history up until we became a UNESCO World Heritage site.
“It was important that we added a layer of augmented reality to help deepen that cultural connection between our vistors and our cultural heritage.”
The Trust is an independant, non-profit organisation which relies on donations, legacies and the subscriptions of members who share a love of Bermuda and a desire to safeguard its heritage.
France’s Macron threatens China with tariffs over trade surplus – Les Echos
During Macron’s visit earlier in December, he urged China to boost cooperation on “unsustainable” global trade imbalances, geopolitics and the environment
International News via Reuters:
French President Emmanuel Macron said he had threatened Beijing with tariffs during his state visit to China if there was no action taken to reduce the country’s ever-widening trade deficit with the European Union.
During Macron’s visit earlier in December, he urged China to boost cooperation on “unsustainable” global trade imbalances, geopolitics and the environment.
“I tried to explain to the Chinese that their trade surplus is unsustainable because they are killing their own customers, particularly by no longer importing much from us,” Macron said in an interview published on Sunday by French daily Les Echos.
“I told them that if they do not react, we Europeans would be forced, in the coming months, to take strong measures following the example of the United States, such as imposing tariffs on Chinese products,” he added.
The EU’s goods trade deficit with China has ballooned by nearly 60% since 2019, while France’s trade balance with the $19 trillion economy continues to widen.
Macron has in the past sought to project a robust European front in dealing with China, pushing Brussels to deploy protectionist countermeasures to slow the arrival of Chinese goods hammering European industry.
Macron told Les Echos that the European industry was in a tough position, caught between U.S. President Donald Trump’s protectionism and China, which “is hitting the heart of the European industrial and innovation model”.
“Today, we are caught between the two and it is a matter of life or death for the European industry. We have become the adjustment market and this is the worst-case scenario,” he added.
Macron also said he was proposing a more conciliatory approach towards China, such as the dismantling of restrictions on exports of semiconductor machinery on the European side and limitations on exports of rare earths on the Chinese side.
Macron called on Chinese companies to invest in Europe and to “create value and opportunities for Europe”.
Reporting by Dominique Vidalon, Zhifan Liu in Paris. Editing by Jane Merriman
Hong Kong election turnout in focus amid anger over deadly fire
Security was tight in the northern district of Tai Po, close to the border with mainland China, where the fire engulfed seven towers
International News via Reuters:
Hong Kong’s citizens were voting on Sunday in an election where the focus is on turnout, with residents grieving and traumatised after the city’s worst fire in nearly 80 years and the authorities scrambling to avoid a broader public backlash.
Security was tight in the northern district of Tai Po, close to the border with mainland China, where the fire engulfed seven towers. The city is holding elections for the Legislative Council, in which only candidates vetted as “patriots” by the China-backed Hong Kong government may run.
Residents are angry over the blaze that killed at least 159 people and took nearly two days to extinguish after it broke out on November 26. The authorities say substandard building materials used in renovating a high-rise housing estate were responsible for fuelling the fire.
Eager to contain the public dismay, authorities have launched criminal and corruption investigations into the blaze, and roughly 100 police patrolled the area around Wang Fuk Court, the site of the fire, early on Sunday.
‘NOT A HEALTHY SYSTEM NOW’
A resident in his late 70s named Cheng, who lives near the charred buildings, said he would not vote.
“I’m very upset by the great fire,” he said during a morning walk. “This is a result of a flawed government … There is not a healthy system now and I won’t vote to support those pro-establishment politicians who failed us.”
Cheng declined to give his full name, saying he feared authorities would target those who criticise the government.
At a memorial site near the burned-out residential development, a sign said authorities plan to clear the area after the election concludes close to midnight, suggesting government anxiety over public anger.
Beijing’s national security office in Hong Kong has said it would crack down on any “anti-China” protest in the wake of the fire and warned against using the disaster to “disrupt Hong Kong”.
China’s national security office in Hong Kong warned senior editors with a number of foreign media outlets at a meeting in the city on Saturday not to spread “false information” or “smear” government efforts to deal with the fire.
The blaze is a major test of Beijing’s grip on the former British colony, which it has transformed under a national security law after mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.
An election overhaul in 2021 also mandated that only pro-Beijing “patriots” could run for the global financial hub’s 90-seat legislature and, analysts say, further reduced the space for meaningful democratic participation.
‘ABSOLUTELY NEED ALL VOTERS TO COME OUT’
Publicly inciting a vote boycott was criminalised as part of the sweeping changes that effectively squeezed out pro-democracy voices in Hong Kong. Pro-democracy voters, who traditionally made up about 60% of Hong Kong’s electorate, have since shunned elections.
The number of registered voters for Sunday’s polls – 4.13 million – has dropped for the fourth consecutive year since 2021, when a peak of 4.47 million people were registered.
Seven people had been arrested as of Thursday for inciting others not to vote, the city’s anti-corruption body said.
Hong Kong and Chinese officials have stepped up calls for people to vote.
“We absolutely need all voters to come out and vote today, because every vote represents our push for reform, our protection of the victims of (fire) disaster, and a representation of our will to unite and move forward together,” Hong Kong leader John Lee said after casting his vote.
Hong Kong’s national security office urged residents on Thursday to “actively participate in voting”, saying it was critical in supporting reconstruction efforts by the government after the fire.
“Every voter is a stakeholder in the homeland of Hong Kong,” the office said in a statement. “If you truly love Hong Kong, you will vote sincerely.”
The last Legislative Council elections in 2021 recorded the lowest voter turnout – 30.2% – since Britain returned Hong Kong to Chinese rule in 1997.
Additional reporting by Artorn Pookasook and Angie Teo; Writing by Anne Marie Roantree; Editing by William Mallard and Deepa Babington
Trott wins thriller; Buxton exit FA Cup in high-scoring defeat
Bermudian footballers shine in overseas leagues
A busy weekend saw mixed results for Bermuda’s overseas football players, headlined by a vital win for goalkeeper Nathan Trott’s Cardiff City and a tough exit for Keziah Martin’s Buxton United in the FA Cup.
Goalkeeper Nathan Trott continued his club’s brilliant start to the season, securing a narrow 3-2 victory for Cardiff City over Huddersfield at the Cardiff City Stadium.
The biggest disappointment of the weekend saw Keziah Martin and his Buxton United FC teammates fall out of the FA Cup Second Round, suffering a heavy 6-2 defeat to Cheltenham Town.
Elsewhere, Colridge Fubler and Remi Coddington started for Binfield FC, who secured a strong 3-0 win on the road against Littlehampton Town in their Isthmian Football League clash.
In non-league action, Ajani Burchall and his Wimborne Town teammates shared the points in a 1-1 draw with Sholing FC. Harry Twite and Loughborough University battled Sutton Coldfield Town to a scoreless draw in their NPL Midlands Division One match.
It was a difficult weekend for others: Reggie Lambe’s Needham Market FC went down 3-0 to Quorn Football Club, while Willie Clemons’ Leiston FC suffered a 4-1 loss against Spalding United. Ayleal Dill came off the bench at halftime for Southwell City FC, but they were unable to recover from a 5-0 deficit, ultimately losing by the same scoreline.
BHB calls for community voices in its Vision 2030 strategic plan
CEO & President Scott Pearman wants the community to know how important their voices are in developing a strategic plan
Full press release from the Bermuda Hospitals Board:
If you want to have your say in the future direction of your hospital services, you should pop by the City Hall foyer in Hamilton between 11am and 3pm on Monday 8 December.
BHB is developing its 2026 to 2030 strategic plan, called Vision 2030 in partnership with the University of Toronto’s Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
The team will be on hand to present their findings to date, and also shared will be BHB data and over 700 responses from people in Bermuda from community surveys.
CEO & President Scott Pearman wants the community to know how important their voices are in developing a strategic plan.
“The people in Bermuda who rely on and use our services have a unique perspective that will help us understand what matters most to our community,” he says.
“This event is for our patients, families and anyone with an interest in healthcare. Come and review what BHB data and survey responses are suggesting about improving and developing our services, and tell us if you agree. Where do you see opportunities? What in your experience needs to be addressed most urgently?
“It won’t require too much of your time. There aren’t long presentations – you can just pop any time between 11am to 3pm, see the gathered information and chat to the team.”
Mr Pearman adds: “I would like to thank the University of Toronto team, who will attend to present their pro bono work, which has formed part of their Master of Health Informatics field experience. I would also like to extend my appreciation to BermudAir, whose assistance has made the team’s travel to Bermuda affordable, enabling this presentation of information to the community take place.”
Feed My Lambs orphanage flees gang violence in Haiti
The orphanage, health clinic and feeding program has been put on halt after a humanitarian and civil crisis escalates in the Caribbean nation
A story about caring for others in time of need.
The Feed My Lambs orphanage in Haiti is run by Bermudian Phillip Rego.
However, ongoing humanitarian and security crises in Haiti have brought the facility to a standstill.
OBA reacts to new feral chicken policy
MP Robin Tucker MP of the One Bermuda Alliance said the Government’s steps to address feral chicken issue “piecemeal and reactive”
Full statement from MP Robin Tucker of the One Bermuda Alliance:
After speaking publicly to the feral chicken issue for approximately three years, I was glad to hear in the House today that the government is taking steps to address it. However, its response is piecemeal and reactive.
The Government’s plan to sell traps at $100 each and launch an app for residents to report feral chickens is a step, but is half‑measure that shifts responsibility onto residents instead of delivering a coordinated national response.
While there is some positive movement, the government continues to band-aid this longstanding issue leaving farmers and communities continuing to fend for themselves, and with no disincentive for residents who encourage the sustainability of the feral chicken population.
