News

CARACAS, (Reuters) – President Nicolas Maduro has spent more than 500 hours addressing Venezuela since winning power nearly three years ago, demonstrating a loquacity reminiscent of his late predecessor Hugo Chavez, according to a watchdog.

The capacity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ headquarters in Georgetown is being buttressed as part of a broad approach to improve the country’s diplomatic representation.

SAO PAULO, (Reuters) – Beach-side apartments in Brazil may have been used as bribes and to launder money for members of the ruling Workers’ Party, police and prosecutors said yesterday after ordering six arrests and 15 search warrants.

KUALA LUMPUR, (Reuters) – Malaysia’s anti-graft agency said yesterday it will seek a review of a decision by the attorney-general to clear Prime Minister Najib Razak in a graft investigation.

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump yesterday escalated a fight with Fox News, using the word “bimbo” in a derogatory tweet about anchorwoman Megyn Kelly after pulling out of a debate only days before the first nominating contest of the 2016 campaign.

LONDON, (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – An unusual sex life may spell the extinction of the deadly African sleeping sickness parasite, which threatens millions of people in West and Central Africa, an international team of scientists said on Tuesday.

Investigations are being conducted into the circumstances surrounding the death of Kurt Burke, 41 years, of Drill, Mahaicony, ECD, whose body was found at about 0930h.

In the 2015 Transparency International rankings released today, Guyana is still perceived as a very corrupt nation, its score of 29 hovering around the same position as in the 2014 report.

BRASILIA/SAO PAULO, (Reuters) – Brazil’s Federal Police today launched the latest stage of a sweeping investigation into corruption at state-controlled firms, with six arrest and 15 search warrants issued in the states of São Paulo and Santa Catarina.

Almost 22 years after local government elections (LGE) were last held here, political parties, groups and individuals yesterday submitted their nominations to contest for seats in municipalities and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) across the country.

Trade union leader Carvil Duncan was yesterday charged with stealing almost $1M and conspiring to steal over $28M from the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL), where he had been serving as a board member.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) yesterday advised that charges be laid against the three suspects now in custody for the robbery of the Bank of Baroda branch at Mon Repos.

By Shabna Ullah   Nomination Day for long-awaited local government elections appeared to go smoothly yesterday with no immediate complaints from those submitting the names of candidates for the May 18th polls to the Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom).

The Mayor and City Councillors of Georgetown have instituted legal action against several defaulting ratepayers who collectively owe the council in excess of $2B.

Leon Khan and Quincy Khan are wanted by the police for questioning in relation to investigations into the murder of Dennis Martin which occurred on December 15, 2015, at Farm, EBD.

Long-time City Hall employee Waynewright Orderson was on Monday dismissed from his post as head of the city’s Information Technology department.

Global energy giant Repsol has applied to government for an exploration licence close to the Stabroek Block, where ExxonMobil reported a “significant oil discovery” at its Liza-1 well offshore Guyana last year.

A policeman yesterday corroborated testimony by a fellow officer that Warren McKenzie, one of the five accused in the attack on Land Court Judge Nicola Pierre and her family, had implicated himself during questioning.

President David Granger left yesterday for the Fourth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in Ecuador today with the intention of ensuring that Guyana’s concern on the security of small states is placed on the agenda of the meeting.

The wall of a store was smashed while two vehicles were badly damaged in a collision yesterday morning at the corner of North Road and Wellington Street.