The secret to making successful financial New Year’s resolutionsStock market today: Indexes slip as investors brace for November inflation reportThe team attended the 2024 Annual Conference of the Museum Association of the Caribbean [MAC] in Panama. A spokesperson said, “The National Museum of Bermuda [NMB] was strongly represented at the 2024 Annual Conference of the Museum Association of the Caribbean [MAC] in Panama City, Panama. Led by NMB Executive Director Elena Strong, and co-president of MAC, the team included NMB education committee chair and trustee Dr. Janet Ferguson, curator Dr. Deborah Atwood, curatorial assistant Chynna Trott, and curatorial intern and interim MAC secretariat Amani Simons. Together, they showcased the Museum’s initiatives, engaged with Caribbean and Circum-Caribbean museum colleagues, and contributed to key discussions on the future of museums in the region. “The conference, ‘The Future of Caribbean Museums: Communities, Co-creation, and Connections,’ was opened by Ms. Strong, who introduced the keynote speaker, Ana Elizabeth González, director of the Museo del Canal. González reflected on the Museo del Canal’s transformation into a dynamic space that preserves Panama’s history and cultural heritage and embraces a broader range of cultural and social narratives. She highlighted the Museo del Canal’s efforts to connect with local communities, foster civic engagement, and establish itself as a key cultural reference for the region, contributing to Panama’s cultural and historical future. “The Conference had over 200 attendees with 57 presenters representing 25 countries across the region. Over the course of three days, presenters shared insights, explored opportunities for co-creation, and fostered deeper regional collaboration.” Ms. Simons shared: “In my interim secretariat role and in attending the conference, I have been exposed to a new side of heritage and culture. Working with like-minded individuals from the Caribbean, Latin America, the US and Canada has enhanced my understanding of not just my own history but the Atlantic World as a whole. My biggest takeaway from the conference was a quote that I heard during a presentation: ‘be the subject of history, not the object of it’. I identified with this because highlighting the everyday stories in history is just as important as the ones already being told.” The spokesperson said, “Ms. Strong organised a workshop at the conference facilitated by Dr. Ferguson, which brought together 20 museum leaders to creatively imagine what inter regional collaboration could look like. This interactive event allowed participants to share ideas on how museums can best serve their communities, with a focus on amplifying marginalised voices and fostering inclusive cultural spaces. “Dr. Ferguson was also a presenter, sharing the unique role museums play in fostering community engagement through innovative learning approaches. She highlighted NMB’s Adult Ambassadors programme, which uses facilitation methods, adult education pedagogies, participatory approaches, and dialogic learning to take museum tours to the next level. “In their presentation, Dr. Atwood and Ms. Trott shared insights into NMB’s transformation from a static repository of artifacts to a dynamic hub for community engagement, storytelling, and collaborative creation. They highlighted existing NMB projects that do this work such as ‘ ’, ‘ ’ and ‘ ’. “A highlight was the keynote speakers’ discussion for MAC’s AGM which focused on the post-COVID challenges facing museums globally. Dr. Oris Sanjur, Deputy Director of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute [STRI] in Panama, and Dr. Ariana A. Curtis, Curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and MAC Director, discussed issues such as resource disparities, the burnout of cultural workers, and the evolving demands on museums in the current cultural and political climate. Dr Sanjur, as the first female leader for STRI, emphasised the importance of resilience, empathetic leadership and fostering safe, healthy environments for both staff and visitors.” Reflecting on the conference, Ms. Strong shared: “Overall, the MAC conference underscored the vital role of museums in the Caribbean and Circum-Caribbean as centers of innovation, dialogue, and cultural resilience. The conversations, ideas, and collaborations developed during this event highlight the importance of these regions in shaping the future of museums worldwide. By continuing to strengthen connections across the Caribbean and beyond, museums in the Caribbean/Circum-Caribbean are positioned to lead the way in co-creating sustainable, inclusive cultural spaces that amplify diverse voices and reflect the dynamic histories of their communities. “While Bermuda is not geographically located in the Caribbean, we have so much in common with our southern museum colleagues. The conference was key for inspiration, networking, and professional development for the NMB team. Insights gained and relationships established will help guide NMB’s ongoing efforts to be a dynamic and inclusive space that serves our community and preserves Bermuda’s cultural heritage for future generations.” : , ,
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Trump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina Khan WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has named Andrew Ferguson to be the next chair of the Federal Trade Commission. Ferguson is already one of the FTC's five commissioners. He will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars’ worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior. Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday evening that Ferguson has “a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country.” The replacement of Khan likely means that the FTC will operate with a lighter touch when it comes to antitrust enforcement. Proposed merger of Kroger and Albertsons is halted by federal, state judges The proposed $24.6 billion merger between supermarket giants Kroger and Albertsons floundered on Tuesday after judges overseeing two separate cases both halted the merger. A federal judge in Oregon temporarily blocked the proposed merger until an in-house administrative judge at the Federal Trade Commission considers it. Shortly afterward, a judge in Washington state issued a permanent injunction barring the merger in that state, saying it lessens competition. Kroger and Albertsons in 2022 proposed what would be the largest grocery store merger in U.S. history. But the Federal Trade Commission and the state of Washington sued earlier this year. Kroger and Albertsons said Tuesday they are disappointed in the decisions and are reviewing their options. Biden says he was 'stupid' not to put his name on pandemic relief checks like Trump did WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden says he was “stupid” not to put his own name on pandemic relief checks in 2021, like Donald Trump had done in 2020. He noted Tuesday in a speech at the Brookings Institution that Trump likely got credit for helping people out through this simple, effective act of branding. Biden did the second-guessing as he defended his economic record and challenged Trump to preserve Democratic policy ideas when he returns to the White House next month. Trump’s decision to add his name to the checks sent by the U.S. Treasury to millions of Americans struggling during the coronavirus marked the first time a president’s name appeared on any IRS payments. Former chairman of state-owned bank China Everbright Group jailed for 12 years for corruption BEIJING (AP) — Chinese official broadcaster CCTV says a former chairman of the state-owned bank China Everbright Group has been jailed 12 years for embezzlement and bribery. Tang Shuangning, who had also held senior posts at the People’s Bank of China and the China Banking Regulatory Commission, was arrested in January, part of a wider wave of prosecutions of senior officials accused of financial crimes. A court in the city of Tangshan, about 100 miles east of Beijing, found him guilty of taking advantage of his position at the state-owned bank in “seeking convenience for others” in jobs and loans, in exchange for illegal payments. The court said he had accepted illegal property with a total value of more than $1.5 million. Trustee over Infowars auction asks court to approve The Onion's winning bid A trustee who oversaw the bankruptcy auction of Alex Jones’ Infowars is asking a judge to approve The Onion’s winning bid for the conspiracy-filled platform. Trustee Christopher Murray took the stand Tuesday in the second day of testimony at a hearing where a judge is scrutinizing the satirical news outlet’s winning offer. He told U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston that he was there asking a court to approve the sale of Infowars’ parent company to The Onion’s parent company. It is not clear how quickly Lopez will rule. The Onion wants to turn Infowars’ website and social media accounts into parodies. GM to retreat from robotaxis and stop funding its Cruise autonomous vehicle unit DETROIT (AP) — General Motors says it will retreat from the robotaxi business and stop funding its money-losing Cruise autonomous vehicle unit. Instead the Detroit automaker will focus on development of partially automated driver-assist systems like its Super Cruise, which allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel. In a statement Tuesday, GM said it would get out of robotaxis due to what it described as the considerable time and resources that would be needed to scale the business, along with an increasingly competitive robotaxi market. What did you Google in 2024? From the elections to Copa América, here's what search trends show NEW YORK (AP) — Remember what you searched for in 2024? Google does. Google has released its annual “Year in Search," rounding up 2024's top trending searches. It shows terms that saw the highest spike in traffic compared to last year. Sports — particularly soccer and cricket — dominated overall search trends, led by queries for Copa América, the UEFA European Championship and ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Meanwhile, the U.S. election led news-specific searches worldwide. Queries about excessive heat and this year’s Olympic Games followed. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump topped searches in Google’s people category this year — followed by Catherine, Princess of Wales, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif. US defense secretary in Japan to support alliance as Osprey aircraft safety causes concern TOKYO (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has met with officials in Japan to reaffirm the importance of their alliance and Washington's commitment to regional security as threats rise from China and North Korea. Austin’s visit on Tuesday also came amid growing concerns over the safety of Ospreys. The military aircraft have been grounded in the United States following a near crash at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico last month. The incident was caused by weakened metal components. It was similar to a fatal crash off southwestern Japan last year. The U.S. measure prompted the suspension of Ospreys operated by Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force. Small businesses plan events, start marketing earlier to deal with shorter holiday shopping season The holiday shopping season is underway, and this year small businesses have less time to capitalize on the busy shopping period. Only 27 days separate Thanksgiving and Christmas — five fewer than last year. But there are still ways to make the most of a shorter season. One key strategy is for owners to promote deals to customers wherever they can, from social media to physical ads. The National Retail Federation predicts that retail sales will rise between 2.5% and 3.5% compared with same period a year ago. Online shopping is expected to grow too. Adobe Digital Insights predicts an 8.4% increase online for the full season. 10 notable books of 2024, from Sarah J. Maas to Melania Trump NEW YORK (AP) — Even through a year of nonstop news about elections, climate change, protests and the price of eggs, Americans still found time to read. Sales held steady according to Circana, which tracks around 85% of the print market. Many chose the release of romance, fantasy and romantasy. Some picked up the tie-in book to Taylor Swift’s blockbuster tour, which had the best opening week of 2024. Others sought out literary fiction, celebrity memoirs, political exposes and a close and painful look at a generation hooked on smartphones.France, the US, Italy, Germany and other governments have raised hopes of progress in talks seeking a cessation of fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel's Cabinet will reportedly convene on Tuesday. What you need to know World leaders express hope of imminent cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah Israeli media report the country's Cabinet will meet on Tuesday to discuss latest proposal The UAE said police had arrested three Uzbek nationals on suspicion of killing an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi Here's a look at the latest in Israel, Lebanon, Gaza and other parts of the Middle East for Monday, November 25: Western governments voice hope of cease-fire progress Several governments on Monday suggested that a cease-fire between Israel and the Lebanon -based Hezbollah group was edging closer to being agreed. US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters at a daily briefing on Monday: "We believe we've reached this point where we're close." "We're not there yet. We believe that the trajectory of this is going in a very positive direction, but again nothing is done until everything is done, nothing is negotiated until everything is negotiated," he said. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said there had been more momentum than in previous days. "We are currently discussing with our partners from the Gulf States and the Arab world how we can, in this situation, at least perhaps resolve one of the major challenges, the situation in Lebanon, and finally achieve a cease-fire," she said. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani made similar comments after the meeting of G7 foreign ministers, describing himself as "optimistic" for a deal. France calls on Israel, Hezbollah to agree to cease-fire France's Elysee Palace said "significant progress" had been made in talks on a cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah. The French presidency urged both sides to seize "this opportunity as soon as possible." "Discussions on a cease-fire along the Blue Line have made significant progress," Emmanuel Macron's office said. "We hope that the relevant parties will seize this opportunity as soon as possible." According to Israeli media, the Cabinet was set to meet on Tuesday to discuss a new potential cease-fire deal with Hezbollah. Lebanese government officials in Beirut expressed optimism, but said the final decision rested with Israel. It's not the first time such a deal has been reported as close in recent months, with the progress being hailed by the foreign governments trying to help broker it, but in past instances a deal did not emerge. Israel's Haaretz treatment part of plan 'to silence independent media' — journalists' union head The Israeli government has told its agencies not to communicate with or advertise within the independent Haaretz newspaper following its criticism of the war in Gaza . Anat Saragusti, chair of the Union of Journalists in Israel , told DW that the steps against Haaretz were just a "chapter" in a larger "masterplan to silence independent media." On the question as to whether she agreed with Haaretz's deputy editor that the Israeli government was trying to silence independent media by boycotting the publication, Saragusti said: “Yes, I totally agree with that. I think the Israeli government drafted a masterplan to silence independent media in Israel and to weaken the press freedom in Israel and the sanctions on Haaretz is only one chapter of this masterplan.” "They also passed a resolution within the government to divest money and actually to destroy the public broadcaster in Israel. This was also decided yesterday by the same government. So these are two steps, part of this masterplan," Saragusti said. Israeli government wants to 'weaken press freedom in Israel' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Israel, Hezbollah 'close to deal,' ambassador to US says Israel's ambassador to the US, Mike Herzog, told Israeli Army Radio on Monday a cease-fire deal between Israel and Lebanon-based Islamist group Hezbollah could be reached "within days." According to Herzog, there are still "points to finalize." He said any deal requires the government’s agreement, but that "we are close to a deal" that can be sealed "within days." The deal seeks to push Hezbollah and Israeli troops out of southern Lebanon. Hezbollah is a Shiite political party in Lebanon as well as a militant organization. It is supported by Iran. Both wings are deemed a terrorist organization by the US, Germany and several Sunni Arab countries, whereas the EU lists only its armed wing as a terror group. UAE says Uzbek citizens arrested over killing of Israeli rabbi in Dubai The United Arab Emirates said Monday police arrested three Uzbek nationals for the killing of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi, with the country's Interior Ministry offering no motive for the slaying of Zvi Kogan. Israeli authorities say the motive for the killing was that Kogan was Jewish. Kogan, 28, was an ultra-Orthodox rabbi who went missing on Thursday. He ran a kosher store in the city of Dubai, where Israelis have flocked for commerce and tourism since the two countries forged diplomatic ties in the 2020 Abraham Accords. fmt/wd (Reuters, AFP, AP, dpa)