The Warren family is proudly celebrating the launch of the Genesis Boot — a football boot designed by their beloved brother, son and partner Marco Warren, who passed away in a road accident two years ago.
The Genesis Boot, created specifically for Bermudian footballers, was designed by Marco himself before his untimely passing.
The boots were officially launched this week. Chelsea Warren — Marco’s sister, designer, and creative partner — shared the emotional and inspiring journey of bringing her brother’s vision to life. After Marco’s passing, it took Chelsea two years to complete the project, honoring his legacy with every step of the process.
The family has set a goal to sell 1,000 units of the Genesis Boot, with a portion of the proceeds going toward supporting Marco’s son.
Chelsea Warren spoke with our Kendal Trott to share more about the incredible story behind the Genesis Boot and the legacy her brother left behind.
Wendie Warren, mother of Marco Warren, shared that Marco had a profound impact on many people’s lives. She expressed her deep gratitude for the opportunity to keep his legacy alive.
Project part of ongoing government pledge to boost housing supply
Image supplied
12 more units came online today at Harmony Hall in Paget, marking the third phase of its transformation from a hotel into affordable housing.
The re-development is being led by the Bermuda Housing Corporation, with support from the Government.
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony today, Deputy Premier and Minister of Housing and Municipalities, Zane DeSilva, officially opened the newly completed Harmony East Terrace, featuring six studio apartments and six one-bedroom units.
Premier David Burt said the project upholds a 2020 PLP election pledge to expand the island’s stock of affordable housing.
That commitment was initially backed by a $15 million dollar government investment into the Bermuda Housing Corporation in 2022, and continues with additional funding for affordable housing in this year’s budget, which took effect this month.
Work began on Harmony East Terrace last spring with a budget of $1.6 million dollars and we’re told it came in under that figure.
The next phase, Harmony North, is expected to add 16 more units.
Meanwhile, the Bermuda Housing Corporation says the number of people on its housing waiting list has dropped to around 350 -down from 452.
The deal will create a free trade area with almost 300 million people and a combined GDP of more than $4.3 trillion
International News via Reuters:
South American bloc Mercosur and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) concluded talks on Wednesday on a free trade agreement that will open access for 97% exports, ministers announced during a Mercosur summit in Buenos Aires.
The deal, which still requires parliamentary approval and a legal review from members of both blocs, will create a free trade area with almost 300 million people and a combined GDP of more than $4.3 trillion, according to a joint statement published by the commercial blocs.
“Both parties will benefit from improved market access for more than 97% of their exports, which will increase bilateral trade and benefit companies and citizens,” the statement said.
Talks between the EFTA group of four non-EU nations – Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein – and Mercosur, which includes Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia, began in 2017.
Talks began in 2017 between the EFTA group of four non-EU nations – Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein – and Mercosur, which includes Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia that is still in the process of becoming a full member of the bloc.
Reuters reported last year, citing sources, that an agreement with EFTA was among the most likely to be signed by Mercosur this year.
Foreign ministers of both blocs said during a press conference they were committed to taking the necessary steps to ensure the treaty is signed in the coming months.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said that Brazil was ready to move “as quickly as possible to sign the agreement.”
He added that the government hoped to finalize the deal during the second half of 2025 when Brazil takes over the rotating Mercosur presidency, along with the deal between Mercosur and the European Union.
The EFTA deal comes as Mercosur and the European Union continue to finalize a long-delayed free trade deal that was agreed, at least in principle, in December last year.
That agreement still needs to be translated and then ratified by all 27 EU member states, but has faced pushback from countries such as France.
“I believe there may be some resistance or difficulties in certain countries, but the outlook from the European Union is positive,” Vieira said.
Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu in Brasilia and Lucila Sigal in Buenos Aires; Additional reporting by Lucinda Elliott in Montevideo, Andre Romani, Isabel Teles, Madeline Chambers, Walter Bianchi, Louise Rasmussen; Editing by Kylie Madry, Brendan O’Boyle, Stephen Coates, Chizu Nomiyama and Marguerita Choy
Kenni Thompson has agreed fresh terms as new era dawns for promotion-winning club
Kenni Thompson’s contributions, which included scoring in the Plate Final against Cheltenham Town, were vital as the club achieved promotion from the fourth tier of English women’s football.
AFC Bournemouth Women have announced a significant boost to their squad for the upcoming 2025/26 season, confirming that 13 key players from their double-winning campaign – including Bermudian international Kenni Thompson – have agreed fresh terms with the club. Thompson was an integral part of the Cherries’ memorable 2024/25 season, which saw them clinch both the FA Women’s National League Division One South West title and the National Plate competition. Her contributions, which included scoring in the Plate Final against Cheltenham Town, were vital as the club achieved promotion from the fourth tier of English women’s football. This promotion means AFC Bournemouth will compete in the National League Southern Premier Division for the first time in their history next season, marking a new era for the club. This division is part of the third tier of the English women’s football pyramid, a significant step up in competition. Manager Steve Cuss expressed his delight at the retained list: “We’re really pleased that the 13 players have agreed to be with us again for next season. They were all a big part of the promotion-winning squad and I am delighted they are going to be with us for the season ahead.” Cuss acknowledged the challenge ahead but highlighted the team’s excitement: “We are going into a new league, a new era, some of those players have played at that level before but there’s a majority who haven’t, so I think there’s a real excitement from the group as we move forward.” For Thompson, who signed with the club in February 2025, her continued presence provides valuable experience and flair as the Cherries aim to carry their winning momentum into the higher division. “These players have made a legacy from being the title-winning team from last season and hopefully we can carry on the momentum and get off to a good start,” Cuss added. The announcement signifies a strong foundation as AFC Bournemouth Women prepare for their highest-ever league campaign.
The cases were the first in South Africa since September last year
International News via Reuters:
South Africa has reported the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza, or bird flu, on two poultry farms in the country, the World Organisation for Animal Health said on Wednesday.
The cases were the first in South Africa since September last year, Paris-based WOAH said in a notification.
South Africa’s poultry sector has been recovering from an outbreak in 2023 that led to the loss of a third of the national chicken flock. The industry has been wary of a resurgence of the diseases amid criticism of the rollout of a government vaccination programme.
Bird flu has ravaged poultry flocks worldwide in recent years, including in the United States, and top poultry exporter Brazil this year reported its first known case on a commercial farm.
In South Africa, the new outbreaks killed 1,150 poultry birds on the affected firms, Paris-based WOAH said, citing South African authorities.
This included 300 birds killed on a farm in Tswaing in North West province and 850 birds that died on a farm in Mkhondo in Mpumalanga province.
The company planned to reduce organizational layers with fewer managers and streamline its products, procedures and roles
FILE PHOTO: A view shows a Microsoft logo at Microsoft offices in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, France, January 9, 2025. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo
International News via Reuters:
Microsoft will lay off nearly 4% of its workforce, the company said on Wednesday, in the latest job cuts as the tech giant looks to rein in costs amid hefty investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The company, which had about 228,000 employees worldwide as of June 2024, had announced layoffs in May, affecting around 6,000 workers. It was planning to cut thousands of jobs, particularly in sales, Bloomberg News reported last month.
The Windows maker had pledged $80 billion in capital spending for its fiscal year 2025. However, the soaring cost of scaling its AI infrastructure has weighed on its margins, with its June quarter cloud margin expected to shrink from last year.
Microsoft said on Wednesday it planned to reduce organizational layers with fewer managers and streamline its products, procedures and roles.
The Seattle Times first reported on the layoffs earlier on Wednesday. Separately, Bloomberg News reported Microsoft’s Barcelona-based King division, which makes the Candy Crush video game, is cutting 10% of its staff, or about 200 jobs.
Microsoft confirmed to Reuters that its gaming division was impacted by the layoffs, although not the majority of the unit, but did not provide further details.
Big Tech peers, which are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, have also announced job cuts.
Facebook parent Meta earlier this year said it would trim about 5% of its “lowest performers”, while Alphabet’s Google has also laid off hundreds of employees in the past year.
Amazon has also cut jobs across its business segments, most recently in its books division. The company had earlier laid off employees in its devices and services unit, and communications staff.
Economic uncertainties and rising costs have triggered layoffs across sectors in Corporate America, as companies rush to streamline operations and hedge against further cost pressures.
Reporting by Aditya Soni and Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and Sriraj Kalluvila
Bermudian Juniors continue North & South Amateur Challenge at Pinehurst
Bermudian junior golfers Oliver Betschart and Sienna Mosquera continued their campaigns today at the prestigious North & South Junior Amateur Championship at Pinehurst, North Carolina. The young talents had the unique experience of playing at the same venue where golf legend Tiger Woods was on hand, watching his son Charlie compete in the Championship. In the Boy’s Field, Oliver Betschart showed improvement in his second round, carding a two-over-par 74. This performance moved him to 11-over-par for the tournament, placing him in a tie for 57th position among the large field. His second round scorecard included three birdies and ten pars, but these positive scores were unfortunately offset by five bogeys. Meanwhile, in the Girls’ Field, Sienna Mosquera finished her second round tied for 49th at thirteen-over par overall. Her second round of eight-over-par 81 featured four birdies and six pars, alongside four bogeys and four double bogeys. Both young Bermudian talents are gaining invaluable experience competing on a grand stage at Pinehurst, a venue steeped in golfing history. Their resilience will be tested as they continue their pursuit in one of junior golf’s most significant events, aiming to climb the leaderboard in the final round of stroke play. The top players will then advance to the match play portion of the tournament.
Government unveils twelve new affordable housing units at Harmony Hall in Paget, Dock workers divided on union action that lead to overtime ban, Finance consultant Michael Branco elected new City of Hamilton councillor plus all the latest sports news
United Nations health agency said the move would help cut consumption of the products
International News via Reuters:
The World Health Organization is pushing countries to raise the prices of sugary drinks, alcohol and tobacco by 50% over the next 10 years through taxation, its strongest backing yet for taxes to help tackle chronic public health problems.
The United Nations health agency said the move would help cut consumption of the products, which contribute to diseases like diabetes and some cancers, as well as raising money at a time when development aid is shrinking and public debt rising.
“Health taxes are one of the most efficient tools we have,” said Jeremy Farrar, WHO assistant-director general of health promotion and disease prevention and control. “It’s time to act.”
The WHO launched the push, which it is called “3 by 35” at the UN Finance for Development conference in Seville.
WHO said that its tax initiative could raise $1 trillion by 2035 based on evidence from health taxes in countries such as Colombia and South Africa.
The WHO has backed tobacco taxes and price rises for decades, and has called for taxes on alcohol and sugary drinks in recent years, but this is the first time it has suggested a target price rise for all three products.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the conference that the taxes could help governments “adjust to the new reality” and bolster their own health systems with the money raised.
Many low and middle-income countries are coping with cuts to aid spending led by the United States, which is not attending the Seville conference. The U.S. is also in the process of withdrawing from the WHO.
FROM $4 to $10
As an example, the initiative would mean a government in a middle-income country raising taxes on the product to push the price up from $4 today to $10 by 2035, taking into account inflation, said WHO health economist Guillermo Sandoval.
Nearly 140 countries had already raised tobacco taxes and therefore prices by over 50% on average between 2012 and 2022, the WHO added.
Sandoval said the WHO was also considering broader taxation recommendations, including on ultra-processed food, after the agency finalises its definition of that type of food in the coming months. But he added that the agency expected pushback from the industries involved.
The initiative is also backed by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the World Bank and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and involves support for countries who want to take action.
Reporting by Jennifer Rigby and Virginia Furness; editing by David Evans
Daniel Phillips chalks up third win in the qualifying stages of ATP Tour events
Phillips: Proving to be a resilient competitor
Tennis player Daniel Phillips has continued his impressive journey on the professional circuit, securing yet another victory in the qualifying rounds of the M15 Kayseri Tournament in Turkey. This marks his third win in the qualifying stages of ATP Tour events. Phillips, who has been building significant momentum since his strong performances in the Davis Cup World Group II playoffs, took to the court for his Second Round Qualifier today. He faced Aleksandar Lavrnja from Sweden (ITF Rank #2430). Phillips, proving to be a resilient competitor, had to battle hard but ultimately prevailed in straight sets, securing a 7-6, 6-1 victory. This win propels Phillips into the next round of qualifiers at the M15 Kayseri event, a crucial step on the ITF Men’s World Tennis Tour for players looking to climb the professional ranks. His continued success in these challenging qualifying draws highlights his adaptability and growing confidence against a variety of international opponents.
Record supplies of new bonds could continue, with low oil prices driving exporting countries to keep borrowing to fund spending
International News via Reuters:
Emerging market debt sales boomed in the first half of the year, defying tariff tantrums, missile attacks and gyrating oil prices, on track for another year of records – and with nascent signs of a shift away from the dollar, bankers told Reuters.
Cash-rich investors keen for margins – and to diversify their portfolios – hardly paused their buying spree even during U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” sweep of tariff announcements or Israel’s attacks on Iran.
Record supplies of new bonds could continue, with low oil prices driving exporting countries to keep borrowing to fund spending.
“What is astonishing this year is how markets … were still active, if not very active, in the toughest moments of the globe,” said Alexis Taffin de Tilques, global head of emerging markets sovereigns and head of Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa debt capital markets with BNP Paribas.
“The volumes of issuance have been incredible.”
Stefan Weiler, head of debt capital markets for CEEMEA at JPMorgan, said debt sales in the group of regions surpassed $190 billion in the first half of the year, on course to beat last year’s all-time record of $285 billion.
The surge is another sign of investor interest in emerging market assets in a year that has been marked by the sort of turmoil that typically sends investors fleeing for safe-havens.
“Investors are very cash rich … eagerly looking to deploy their cash in the primary market,” said Weiler, predicting that if oil prices fell, issuance from the Middle East and North Africa could rise further.
The Gulf, led by behemoth Saudi Arabia, issued just over 40% of CEEMEA debt, bankers said, as companies and countries took advantage of a dip in interest rates and the expectation that U.S. Treasury yields would remain elevated for some time.
“It has been definitely a record first half of issuances this year” for the Middle East, said Khaled Darwish, head of CEEMEA Debt Capital Markets at HSBC, calculating that Middle East issuers had raised bond and sukuk deals worth $106 billion so far this year, compared with $139 billion for the whole of 2024.
“The impact of all the geopolitical developments that happened this year has been quite minimal on the GCC market,” he added.
Geopolitical upheaval has even helped demand for certain issues. Investors who may once have been cautious about defence companies have become keener in response to higher military spending in NATO countries following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Czech defence and industrial company CSG more than doubled its dual-tranche 2031 bond issue to 1 billion euros and $1 billion in response to strong investor demand.
DIVERSIFICATION
Fixed-income investment is better shielded from geopolitical turmoil than equity markets, Taffin de Tilques said. Weiler said crossover investors are keen for the bigger margins emerging market debt offers.
Citi’s debt finance team said global emerging-market issuance volumes were up 20% year-on-year for the first half of 2025, with corporate issuance growing particularly quickly.
While much of it is refinancing, new issuers have joined the fray such as Saudi mining giant Maaden, with a sukuk worth $1.25 billion, and Angola’s Azul Energy, which debuted with a $1.2 billion bond.
Victor Mourad, Citi’s co-head of CEEMEA debt financing, said the growing list of debut issuers offered investors diversification.
Darwish and Weiler said there are also more governments and corporates turning to other currencies – chiefly the euro – to diversify away from the dollar.
Saudi Arabia issued in euros this year, as did Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Weiler said other currencies were being explored too, from Japanese yen to “Panda bonds” issued on China’s domestic market in yuan. Uruguay sold its first sovereign bond in Swiss francs.
“There’s definitely a theme among global issuers currently exploring more non-USD financing alternatives as borrowers are seeking to achieve less reliance on USD-denominated funding,” Weiler said, adding it was an early sign of de-dollarisation. “I think it’s the start of a clear trend.”
Mourad said the other notable trend was a move away from 30-year issues; he said there were only two 30-year transactions from the CEEMEA region in the first half of the year. Yield curves have become steeper globally, making longer-term issues more costly to governments and corporates than before.
“The long end supply has been replaced by a surge in volumes for three-year transactions as issuers took a view on short-term rates,” Mourad said.
Reporting by Libby George in London and Federico Macconi in DubaiEditing by Karin Strohecker and Peter Graff
Sterling dropped by more than 1% against the dollar, set for its largest one-day decline since mid-June
International News via Reuters:
British government bond prices fell by the most since October 2022 and the pound tumbled on Wednesday, after finance minister Rachel Reeves appeared visibly distressed in parliament, a day after the government sharply scaled back plans to cut benefits.
Reeves has repeatedly emphasised her commitment to fiscal rules, limiting the amount Britain will borrow, and, analysts said, the market moves reflected fears that she would be replaced, creating even more uncertainty.
The yield on the 10-year government bond, or gilt, rose as much 22 basis points on the day at one point, to 4.681%, as investors ditched UK debt.
That would be the largest one-day jump in the British benchmark yield since October 2022, in the aftermath of then Prime Minister Liz Truss’ chaotic fiscal announcement that cost her premiership.
The selloff hit the entire gilt curve. Thirty-year yields rose nearly 22 basis points, and 2-year yields rose 11 bps
“Gilt yields were moving up but started to spike during (Prime Ministers Questions) as Reeves looked utterly shaken,” said Neil Wilson, UK investor strategist at Saxobank.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s press secretary later said Reeves has his full support, and she was upset because of “a personal matter”.
Investors are watching Reeves’ position after the British government’s U-turns on welfare reforms mean the plans will no longer save taxpayers any money and have shredded the margin Britain relies on to meet its fiscal rules, analysts said on Wednesday.
“The market is pricing in the possibility of a replacement chancellor with a more left-leaning agenda, which is spooking the bond market and waking up the bond vigilantes from their slumber,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB
Sterling dropped by more than 1% against the dollar, set for its largest one-day decline since mid-June and also weakened sharply against the euro, after Reeves appeared to wipe tears away in parliament.
The pound was last down 1% on the dollar at $1.361. The euro was up 0.6% at 86.4 pence. That would be the euro’s largest one-day rise against the pound in two months.
Britain’s domestically focused mid-cap index was down 1.65% on the day, sharply underperforming European stocks.
“It’s about Rachel Reeves finding herself in a very difficult situation following a series of U-turns, which means that the savings that had been anticipated … (are) not going to be had,” said Dani Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell
“What’s gone on in parliament today has absolutely unsettled (investors) because what is happening is the market is becoming increasingly concerned with Reeves’ position.”
Reporting by Alun John, Andy Bruce and Johann Cherian; Editing by Amanda Cooper and Alison Willliams
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