BIU rejects accusations of voter intimidation during dock dispute, National Security Ministry to host CCTV system town hall tonight and hospital’s lab equipment faults plus the latest in sports
Code of practice to help firms comply with AI rules may apply end 2025, EU says
The Commission pushed back against calls for a delay in rolling out the AI rules
International News via Reuters:
A code of practice designed to help thousands of companies comply with the European Union’s landmark artificial intelligence rules may only apply at the end of 2025, the European Commission said on Thursday.
Alphabet’s Google, Meta Platforms, European companies such as Mistral and ASML as well as several EU governments have called for a delay in implementing the Artificial Intelligence Act, partly due to the lack of a code of practice.
Publication of the Code of Practice for large language models (GPAI), such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and similar models launched by Google and Mistral, had originally been planned for May 2.
The Commission plans to present the code in the coming days and expects companies to sign up next month and the guidance likely to kick in at the end of the year, a Commission spokesperson said.
“On the AI Act’s GPAI rules, the European AI Board is discussing the timing to implement the Code of Practice, with the end of 2025 being considered,” he said.
Signing up to the code is voluntary, but companies who decline to do so, as some Big Tech firms have indicated, will not benefit from the legal certainty provided to a signatory.
AI advocacy group The Future Society said the Code would be a key part of the AI rule book.
The Code of Practice makes clear what level of quality downstream users or business customers can expect, making it harder for U.S. companies to mislead users into adopting unreliable products, its executive director Nick Moës said.
He said the code requires legally mandated authorities and experts to assess the quality of these general-purpose AI services.
The Commission pushed back against calls for a delay in rolling out the AI rules.
“Our commitment to the goals of the AI Act, such as establishing harmonised risk-based rules across the EU and ensuring the safety of AI systems in the European market, remains unchanged,” the spokesperson said.
Campaign group Corporate Europe Observatory decried Big Tech’s role.
“Delay. Pause. Deregulate. That is Big Tech’s lobby playbook to fatally weaken rules that should protect us from biased and unfair AI systems,” said Bram Vranken, Corporate Europe Observatory researcher and campaigner.
The AI rules for GPAI models will become legally binding on August 2 but only enforced a year later for new models placed on the market starting from next month. Existing models will have two years to August 2, 2027 to comply with the rules.
Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Hugh Lawson, Marguerita Choy and Jane Merriman
China’s north and west on alert after sweeping rains trigger deadly floods
Economic losses from natural disasters exceeded $10 billion last July
International News via Reuters:
China’s north and west braced for more flash floods and landslides on Thursday as annual ‘Plum Rains’ left a trail of destruction and prompted the mobilisation of thousands of rescue workers to pull people from floodwaters.
Red alerts were issued tracing the rains as they moved from the southwestern province of Sichuan through the northwestern province of Gansu, and up to the northeastern province of Liaoning.
While some Beijing-bound trains were suspended and one of the city’s airports experienced flight delays and cancellations late on Wednesday and into the early hours.
Extreme rainfall and severe flooding, which meteorologists link to climate change, increasingly pose major challenges for policymakers as they threaten to overwhelm ageing flood defences, displace millions and wreak havoc on China’s $2.8 trillion agricultural sector.
Economic losses from natural disasters exceeded $10 billion last July, when the ‘Plum Rains’ – named for their timing coinciding with plums ripening along China’s Yangtze River during the East Asia monsoon – typically reach their peak.
State media said over 1,000 rescue workers were dispatched to the town of Taiping in central China’s Henan province on Wednesday, after torrential rains caused a nearby river to burst its banks, killing five people in a flash flood and leaving three others missing.
Two more people died in a landslide at a construction side in Gansu province caused by heavy rains over Wednesday and Thursday, a separate state media report said.
During a two-day visit to the northern province of Hebei, which borders Henan, Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing urged local officials to step up efforts ahead of anticipated heavy rain to minimise casualties by preemptively evacuating people, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday.
While China has a nationwide severe weather monitoring and forecasting system, scientists say very localised predictions remain a challenge, testing the ability of particularly rural communities with fewer forecasting resources to evacuate local populations quickly ahead of any extreme weather.
Further south, in China’s Guangxi region, several buildings slid down hillsides over the last two days after their foundations gave way in waterlogged soil, local media reported.
Footage verified by Reuters shows a five-storey building under construction in the town of Xinzhou collapsing into a nearby river within seconds, as the ground beneath it suddenly gave way.
Between June 30 and July 1, the Lengshui River which flows through Xinzhou experienced its worst flooding in records going back to 2005, said a separate local media report, citing the Ministry of Water Resources. The report also instructed readers on how to recognise early signs of flash flooding.
Meanwhile, in Pingliu Village, some 80 km (50 miles) west of Xinzhou, 21 people from seven households were evacuated on Tuesday after a landslide collapsed two houses and damaged four others, other local media reported.
In contrast, the national meteorological centre forecast scorching heat along the country’s eastern seaboard.
Reporting by Joe Cash, Xiuhao Chen and Arthur Wei; Editing by Michael Perry
Do international carbon credits fight climate change?
Carbon credits, or offsets, involve funding projects that reduce CO2 emissions abroad
International News via Reuters:
The European Commission has proposed an EU climate target for 2040 that allows countries to count carbon credits bought from developing nations towards the EU goal for the first time.
Here’s what that means, and why the EU move on Wednesday faced criticism from campaigners and some scientists.
WHAT ARE CARBON CREDITS?
Carbon credits, or offsets, involve funding projects that reduce CO2 emissions abroad in place of cuts to your own greenhouse gas emissions.
Examples include forest restoration in Brazil, or converting a city’s petrol buses to electric. The buyer counts “credits” for those emission reductions towards its climate goal, and the seller gets finance for their green project.
Proponents say the system generates much-needed funding for CO2-cutting efforts in developing nations and lets countries work together to cut emissions around the world.
However, the reputation of CO2 credits has been dented by a string of scandals in which credit-generating projects failed to deliver the climate benefits they claimed.
WHY IS THE EU BUYING THEM?
The European Commission proposed allowing up to 3 percentage points of the EU’s 2040 target – to cut net emissions by 90% from 1990 levels – to be covered by carbon credits bought from other countries.
The EU’s existing climate targets require countries to meet the goals entirely by cutting emissions at home.
The bloc’s executive Commission said last year it hoped the EU could agree a 90% emissions-cutting target for 2040, with no mention of carbon credits.
Tumultuous geopolitics and the economic woes of European industries have since stoked political pushback, with governments from Germany to Poland demanding a softer target.
In response, the Commission said it would add flexibilities, and landed on carbon credits as a way to retain a 90% emissions-cutting goal while reducing the domestic steps needed to reach it.
EU countries and the European Parliament must negotiate and approve the goal.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS?
The EU plan was welcomed by countries including Germany, which had pushed to include carbon credits in the goal, and by carbon credit project developers as a boost for climate finance.
But environmental campaigners said the EU was shirking domestic CO2-cutting efforts and warned against relying on cheap, low-value credits.
The EU’s climate science advisers had also opposed buying credits under the 2040 target, which they said would divert money from investments in local clean industries.
The EU banned international credits from its own carbon market after a flood of cheap credits with weak environmental benefits contributed to a carbon price crash.
To try to address the risks, the Commission said it would buy credits in line with a global market and rules for trading carbon credits which the U.N. is developing. These include quality standards aimed at avoiding the problems that unregulated credit trading has faced in recent years.
Brussels will also propose rules next year on specific quality standards for the carbon credits the EU buys.
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
The EU doesn’t yet know. Carbon credit prices today can be as low as a few dollars per tonne of CO2, up to more than $100, depending on the project.
EU emissions records suggest the bloc would need to buy at least 140 million tonnes of CO2 emissions to cover 3% of the 2040 target, roughly equivalent to the Netherlands’ total emissions last year.
One senior Commission official said the bloc was determined not to hoover up cheap junk credits.
“I don’t think that would have any additional value. The credits we see currently on voluntary carbon markets are very, very cheap, and that probably reflects a lack of high environmental integrity,” the senior official said.
Reporting by Kate Abnett; additional reporting by Virginia Furness; editing by Philippa Fletcher
Dove & Butterfly Spa opens in Bermuda
The Bermudian skincare brand Dove & Butterfly has officially opened its spa.
Founded by Bermudian entrepreneur Shi‑Vaughn Lee in partnership with her father, Leroy Robinson, the spa marks a milestone for the local brand.
Mr. Robinson shared that the project took just over a year to complete.
The spa offers Dove & Butterfly’s handcrafted skincare line.
BIU denies intimidation in lead-up to overtime ban
The BIU pushes back against claims of division and unfair process following a recent vote by dock workers to implement an overtime ban
The Bermuda Industrial Union Executive Board issued the following statement.
We will not revisit the specific discussions that took place during the union meeting in which the vote occurred.
However, we categorically deny any allegations of intimidation or procedural flaws in the voting process. The
union is made up of members who attend meetings and exercise their democratic right to vote. While a secret
ballot is not required under the union’s constitution except for specific types of meetings, the option was still
presented to members during the meeting. It was clearly stated that a secret ballot would be held if even a
single member requested it. No such request was made at this meeting.
To clarify, of the 35 dock workers, 33 are unionized and were eligible to participate in the union meeting. All
eligible members were notified and given the opportunity to attend. To prevent service disruption, the union
agreed that 5 workers would remain on the dock during the meeting. At least 3 other members were known to
be on vacation, meaning 25 members had the opportunity to attend.
24 members were present at the start of the meeting. When the vote took place, 21 members (approximately
65% of eligible unionized members) remained and participated. A clear majority voted in favor of the overtime
ban and there were none against.
We recognize that some dock workers disagree with the decision made by the division, which is a natural part
of any democratic process. However, those voicing concerns may include non-members, members who chose
not to attend the meeting, or individuals who are simply dissatisfied with the outcome. While we respect
differing opinions, it is equally important to uphold and respect the democratic processes that govern our
union. Dismissing the outcome of a majority vote or suggesting the process lacked legitimacy undermines the
integrity of that process and the collective strength of our membership.
Regarding the emergency request for overtime, this should have been directed to the union committee for
consideration, rather than the employer approaching individual members directly. Doing so bypasses
established processes and creates a divide-and-conquer dynamic that undermines solidarity.
Lastly, the Port Workers Division has previously implemented overtime bans not only in support of its members
but also in defense of managers who were unjustly terminated. In those instances, the Division actively
advocated for their reinstatement.
We respectfully ask that any member with concerns or differing views use the internal union channels available
to them. This ensures that issues are addressed constructively and in a manner that upholds the values and
principles of trade unionism.
Nvidia briefly on track to become world’s most valuable company ever
Nvidia now accounts for 7% of the S&P 500
International News via Reuters:
Nvidia hit a market value of $3.92 trillion on Thursday, briefly putting it on track to become the most valuable company in history, as Wall Street doubled down on optimism about AI.
Shares of the leading designer of high-end AI chips rose as much as 2.4% to $160.98 in morning trading, giving the company a higher market capitalization than Apple’s record closing value of $3.915 trillion on December 26, 2024.
The shares were last up 1.5% at $159.60, leaving Nvidia’s stock market value at $3.89 trillion, just short of Apple’s record.
Nvidia’s newest chips have made gains in training the largest artificial-intelligence models, fueling demand for products by the Santa Clara, California, company.
Microsoft is currently the second-most valuable company on Wall Street, with a market capitalization of $3.7 trillion as its shares rose 1.7% to $499.56.
Apple rose 0.8%, giving it a market value of $3.19 trillion, in third place.
A race among Microsoft, Amazon.com, Meta Platforms, Alphabet and Tesla to build AI data centers and dominate the emerging technology has fueled insatiable demand for Nvidia’s high-end processors.
“When the first company crossed a trillion dollars, it was amazing. And now you’re talking four trillion, which is just incredible. It tells you that there’s this huge rush with AI spending and everybody’s chasing it right now,” said Joe Saluzzi, co-manager of trading at Themis Trading.
The stock market value of Nvidia, whose core technology was developed to power video games, has increased nearly eight-fold over the past four years, from $500 billion in 2021 to now near $4 trillion.
Nvidia is now worth more than the combined value of the Canadian and Mexican stock markets, according to LSEG data. The tech company also exceeds the total value of all publicly listed companies in the United Kingdom.
Nvidia recently traded at about 32 times analysts’ expected earnings for the next 12 months, below its average of about 41 over the past five years, according to LSEG data. That relatively modest price-to-earnings valuation reflects steadily increasing earnings estimates that have outpaced Nvidia’s sizable stock gains.
The company’s stock has now rebounded more than 68% from its recent closing low on April 4, when Wall Street was reeling from President Donald Trump’s global tariff announcements. U.S. stocks, including Nvidia, have recovered on expectations that the White House will cement trade deals to soften Trump’s tariffs.
Nvidia’s swelling market capitalization underscores Wall Street’s big bets on the proliferation of generative AI technology, with the chipmaker’s hardware serving as the foundation.
The sharp increases in the shares of Nvidia and other Wall Street heavyweights have left people who save for their retirements through widely used S&P 500 index funds heavily exposed to the future of AI technology.
Nvidia now accounts for 7% of the S&P 500. Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon and Alphabet together make up 28% of the index.
“I strongly believe that AI is a greatly productive tool, but I am fairly sure that the current delivery of AI via large language models and large reasoning models are unlikely to live up to the hype,” cautioned Kim Forrest, chief investment officer at Bokeh Capital Partners.
Co-founded in 1993 by CEO Jensen Huang, Nvidia has evolved from a niche company popular among video game enthusiasts into Wall Street’s barometer for the AI industry.
The stock’s recent rally comes after a slow first half of the year, when investor optimism about AI took a back seat to worries about tariffs and Trump’s trade dispute with Beijing.
Chinese startup DeepSeek in January triggered a selloff in global equities markets with a cut-price AI model that outperformed many Western competitors and sparked speculation that companies might spend less on high-end processors.
In November of last year, Nvidia took over the spot on the Dow Jones Industrial Average formerly occupied by chipmaker Intel, reflecting a major shift in the semiconductor industry toward AI-linked development and the graphics processing hardware pioneered by Nvidia.
Reporting by Noel Randewich in Oakland, California; Arsheeya Bajwa and Shashwat Chauhan in Bengaluru, and Carolina Mandl and Sinead Carew in New York; Editing by Dawn Kopecki, Matthew Lewis and Nick Zieminski
Hospital warns of lab test result delays
Equipment issues prompt use of alternate labs during repairs
A spokesperson for the Bermuda Hospitals Board issued the following statement.
“Bermuda Hospitals Board advises the public that due to technical problems with some of its lab equipment, there may be delays in obtaining some test results. Alternate local labs are completing a number of the tests while our equipment is being repaired.”
City unveils travelling hourglass
The latest public art installation, LAPS: Pink Sand, will rotate between key locations in Hamilton
The City of Hamilton issued the following media release regarding its latest public art installation.
The City of Hamilton’s newest public art installation, LAPS: Pink Sand, is on the move. After its much-anticipated unveiling in Queen Elizabeth Park yesterday, the interactive sculpture has now been relocated to City Hall—bringing its vibrant energy to the heart of Hamilton.
Originally designed to rotate between key locations in Hamilton as part of the City’s commitment to keeping the experience fresh and engaging, LAPS: Pink Sand was always envisioned as a dynamic installation—activating new spaces and offering residents and visitors fresh perspectives each time.
While Queen Elizabeth Park provided a beautiful backdrop for its launch, the sculpture has been relocated to the grounds of City Hall a little sooner than planned after officials observed antisocial activity in the park that could compromise the piece’s safety and future enjoyment. Moving it to City Hall helps to ensure the artwork remains protected and available for everyone to experience.
“This is the beauty of LAPS—it’s designed to travel, to transform every space it touches, and to create moments of connection wherever it goes,” said Jessica Astwood, the City’s Director of Marketing and Communications. “By placing it at City Hall, we’re ensuring even more people can engage with it in a safe, central, and highly visible setting. This installation invites interaction—it’s meant to be touched, explored, and enjoyed by the community. City Hall provides the perfect stage for the next chapter of LAPS: Pink Sand’s journey, and we look forward to seeing it inspire even more moments of reflection and joy.”
LAPS: Pink Sand will remain at City Hall for the coming weeks before continuing its rotation through Hamilton’s streets and parks.
Created by Olivier Landreville in collaboration with visual artist RiverJune (Julia Derdour), LAPS: Pink Sand is a modern reimagining of the hourglass, allowing visitors to control the flow of vibrant pink balls—a nod to Bermuda’s iconic pink sand—through its transparent columns.
The work forms part of the City’s VIVID Public Art Initiative and is included in the City Art Tour, a self-guided walking tour that celebrates Hamilton’s growing collection of public art.
Tour brochures are available free at City Hall or online at www.cityofhamilton.bm.
The public is encouraged to visit LAPS: Pink Sand in its new location and experience this one-of-a-kind celebration of time, art, and place.
Warren Legacy Lives On: Bermuda Unveils First Home-Designed Football Boot
A landmark achievement in Bermudian sports and design has been unveiled with the launch of the “Bermuda National Memorial Boot” – the island’s first football boot designed by a Bermudian. This initiative proudly honours the enduring legacy of the late national footballer, talented graphic designer, and beloved educator, Marco Warren.
The professionally crafted football boot is now available globally, with a particular focus on making high-quality gear accessible to players who often struggle to find smaller sizes. The boots range from kids’ size 2 to adult size 11, with plans for future expansion.
The project, spearheaded by Marco’s mother and his sister, Chelsea Warren, ensures his dream of creating an impactful football boot lives on. Marco, a three-time Premier Division MVP and former PHC Zebras captain, had meticulously worked on the design for three years before his tragic passing in May 2023. He even wore prototypes in his final games, winning his last MVP award in them. Chelsea, a designer in her own right and the driving force behind the Uptimum Bodied brand, passionately took on the task to bring his vision to fruition.
This deeply personal venture serves as a powerful tribute to Marco’s passion for inspiring children and caring for his community. It also aims to create a lasting legacy for his two-year-old son, Vega.
Fans and supporters wishing to commemorate Marco’s remarkable life, sponsor a child, or simply support the dream and Marco’s son Vega, can purchase the “Bermuda National Memorial Boot” by visiting the Uptimum Bodied website: uptimumbodiedbda.com. This launch stands as a poignant and powerful testament to Marco Warren’s enduring impact on Bermuda, both on and off the pitch.
Bermuda Exit Team Racing as Spain Crowned Optimist World Champions
Under a pleasant sea breeze of around 10 knots and on a beautiful, sunny, and warm summer day, race officials successfully concluded the second day of team racing at the 2025 Optimist World Championship in Portorož. The day saw thrilling duels and culminated in a new world champion being crowned.
Team Bermuda, comprising Emma Brown, Harry Brown, Thomas McBain, Heath Meyers, and Jesse Savage, took to the water to participate in the competitive team racing format. Despite their best efforts, the Bermudian quintet faced a tough challenge against eventual finalists Spain, going down to the formidable European squad.
The top 16 teams advanced to the day’s decisive races. Utilizing the double elimination system, all scheduled races were completed, and the young sailors demonstrated impressive sailing and tactical skills throughout.
In the semi-finals, Singapore defeated a strong USA team, earning their spot in the gold medal match against Spain. The final duel proved to be a dominant display from the Spanish team. Spain won both races against Singapore, securing the championship title with a decisive 2-0 victory to be crowned the 2025 Optimist Team Racing World Champions.
While Bermuda’s team racing journey concluded earlier in the day, the experience of competing against the world’s best, including the champions and finalists, provides invaluable lessons for the island’s promising young sailors.
Bermudian Junior Golfers Conclude Pinehurst Challenge
Bermudian junior golfers Oliver Betschart and Sienna Mosquera have concluded their campaigns at the prestigious North & South Junior Amateur Championship at Pinehurst, North Carolina. Both young talents gained invaluable experience competing against a strong international field, even with golf legend Tiger Woods present to watch his son Charlie compete in a separate USGA qualifier at the same venue.
In the Girls’ Field, Sienna Mosquera finished her third and final round tied for 59th position overall, at twenty-five-over par. Her final round of twelve-over-par 84 featured nine pars, alongside six bogeys and three double bogeys, highlighting the challenging nature of the course.
In the Boy’s Field, Oliver Betschart showed notable improvement in his final round, carding an even-par 72. This strong performance saw him remain at 11-over-par for the tournament, placing him in a tie for 50th position. His final round scorecard included two birdies and fourteen pars, with just two bogeys, demonstrating his ability to produce a solid round under pressure.
While neither golfer advanced to the match play portion of the tournament, their participation in one of junior golf’s most significant events provides crucial experience for their continued development on the international stage.
