Staff Editor

(Trinidad Guardian) On the day that the world’s largest methanol producer announced that it had agreed to a two-month extension of its natural gas contract with the National Gas Company, President and CEO of Methanex, John Floren made it clear that the Canadian giant is prepared to shut down its plant rather than sign a bad deal with the NGC.

The National Park is temporarily closed until further notice as there seem to have been an invasion of bees, a release from the Protected Areas Commission said this afternoon.

Following recent revelations in Stabroek News of Global Witness’s estimate that Guyana stands  to lose some US$55B on one contract over the next 40 years, Change Guyana presidential candidate, Robert Badal said if he was elected to office he would set up a Commission of Enquiry into the processes and negotiations surrounding Oil and Gas Contracts.

SHANGHAI,  (Reuters) – China faced mounting isolation from international travel curbs and flight suspensions today as the death toll from a spreading coronavirus outbreak rose to 259.

(Trinidad Express) Eight years after it was proposed, glass bottles will officially be banned this Carnival Monday and Tuesday.

Police say they uncovered a plot to kill a member of the Special Operations Response Team (SORT), and the intended hit-man was killed in a shootout.

WASHINGTON,  (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate today voted against calling witnesses and collecting new evidence in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, clearing the way for Trump’s almost certain acquittal in the coming days.

Sheria Khalil, a bank teller, was stabbed last night allegedly by her reputed husband, Clifton Richmond who then allegedly ingested poison and plunged into the Demerara River, the police said in a statement today.

HOUSTON,  (Reuters) – Exxon Mobil Corp today reported a 5.2% drop in fourth-quarter profit on weaknesses in chemicals and refining and flat oil and gas output, with asset sales helping to stem the decline.

The Guyana Government today issued an advisory on the Novel Coronavirus and said that persons arriving here from China will be subject to quarantine protocols.

The bullet-riddled body of a rice farmer of Number 68 Village, Corentyne, was this morning found at the Number 67 Village, Corentyne backlands.

EL ROSARIO, Mexico  (Reuters) – Surrounded by the millions of monarch butterflies that Mexican environmental activist Homero Gomez fought to protect until his mysterious death, relatives and friends paid tribute to him today.

LONDON, (Reuters) – A coronavirus outbreak in China could cut oil demand by over 250,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the first quarter of this year and drag on oil prices already beleaguered by oversupply, analysts and traders say.

 (Trinidad Guardian) Sex ther­a­pist Giri­raj “Dr Raj” Ram­nanan says a High Court rul­ing that pre­vents Cus­toms and Ex­cise Di­vi­sion of­fi­cers from ban­ning the im­por­ta­tion of sex toys has the abil­i­ty to change the na­tion­al con­ver­sa­tion on sex.

BEIJING/GENEVA,  (Reuters) – The World Health Organization (WHO) said today  it was declaring the China coronavirus outbreak that has killed 170 people in China a global emergency, as cases spread to 18 countries.

PORT OF SPAIN,  (Reuters) – Trinidad and Tobago has imposed 14-day restrictions on travelers from China to prevent the spread of a new strain of coronavirus on the Caribbean island nation, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said today.

A New Amsterdam, Berbice woman has going into hiding after she allegedly doused her husband with a pan of hot oil around 8 am today.

The Police say they are investigating a fatal accident which occurred yesterday at about 11.20 pm  on the Capoey Public Road, Essequibo Coast, in which a member of the Guyana Defence Force lost his life.

President David Granger this morning told the Annual Police Officers’ Conference 2020 that there has been significant recapitalising of the force but that its current personnel strength is inadequate.

 (Reuters) – Three days after Los Angeles basketball great Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daugther and seven others perished in a helicopter crash, his wife, Vanessa, broke her silence with an Instagram message saying she was “completely devastated” by their loss.