Staff Editor

The Rupununi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) today called on the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) to ensure that the Guyana Brazil border remains closed at least for the next three  months or until such time as it is safe to reopen to regular traffic.

CARICOM today expressed condolences on the passing of Guyanese international civil servant Miles Stoby.

In an independence day message to Guyana, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo yesterday called on the Guyana Government to respect the wishes of voters as expressed on March 2nd 2020.

(Reuters) – LATAM Airlines Group SA filed for U.S. bankruptcy protection today, becoming the largest carrier to seek an emergency reorganization amid the coronavirus crisis.

MEXICO CITY,  (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Costa Rica gave the go-ahead to same-sex marriages today, making it the first country in Central America to do so after a landmark court ruling came into effect at midnight.

LONDON,  (Reuters) – Junior minister Douglas Ross resigned from the British government today over the handling of accusations that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s senior adviser had broken the coronavirus lockdown by travelling for help with childcare.

GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj this evening said that 82 ballot boxes were recounted today from the March 2nd general elections.

An 11th death as a result of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was disclosed today and the Department of Public Information identified the victim as fifty-nine-year-old Vincent Torres of the Moruca Sub Region in Barima-Waini.

The Transitional Management Committee (TMC) of the University of Guyana today said that UG is not demanding tuition fees from students at this time.

MUMBAI,  (Reuters) – India today posted its biggest single-day jump in cases of COVID-19, overtaking Iran to become one of the 10 worst-hit nations, even as the government allowed domestic air travel to restart.

(Jamaica Gleaner) On the heels of last weekend’s titanic clash between dancehall artistes Beenie Man and Bounty Killer that captured the attention of international fans, media outlets, and industry players, there is a push for the two to be reissued with United States visas to promote Jamaican music and culture.

(Trinidad Guardian) National Security Minister Stuart Young says over 300 nationals stuck on a ship off Barbados will be allowed to come home if the cruise ship company agrees to quarantine them at sea off Trinidad and Tobago.

Only 75 ballot boxes were recounted today for a total of 1,124 out of 2,339, according to GECOM Commissioner, Sase Gunraj.

The long-awaited $959m Port Kaituma Regional Hospital was commissioned today by de facto Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence.

HONG KONG,  (Reuters) – Hong Kong police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse thousands who, in defiance of curbs imposed to contain the coronavirus, gathered today to protest against Beijing’s plan to directly impose national security laws on the city.

MUMBAI, (Reuters) – India’s sports minister today said any decision to allow the Indian Premier League to go ahead this year would be taken by the government, not the Indian cricket board, and would be based on how well the country has contained the novel coronavirus.

ZURICH,  (Reuters) – First indications of the effectiveness of a potential vaccine against coronavirus may be available in the autumn, the head of the GAVI vaccine alliance told a Swiss newspaper, forecasting a long road from there to broad availability.

Eight-five ballot boxes  from the March 2nd general elections were recounted today at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, according to GECOM commissioner, Sase Gunraj in a post on his Facebook page.

Over 500 businesses have already applied to benefit from COVID-19 relief grants from the Ministry of Business  through the Small Business Bureau, according to the Department of Public Information (DPI).

LONDON, (Reuters) – A COVID-19 test that gives results in just over an hour and which requires no laboratory, potentially allowing for swifter testing of much larger numbers of people, is being rolled out at a number of London hospitals after getting regulatory clearance.