Staff Editor

Two Chinese nationals perished in a fire which in the wee hours of today ravaged the Public Road, Vreed-en-Hoop home and supermarket they rented along with four other buildings on the busy West Coast of Demerara business stretch.

CONCEPCION, Bolivia,  (Reuters) – Bolivian volunteer firefighters, exhausted from battling blazes sweeping rapidly across the country’s lowlands, are starting to lose hope and retreat from the front lines of some infernos in the drought-stricken region.

(Trinidad Guardian) At 5 am to­day the Na­tion­al Hur­ri­cane Cen­ter, Mi­a­mi has up­grad­ed an area of low pres­sure lo­cat­ed to the east of Trinidad and To­ba­go in­to trop­i­cal storm Karen.

The Opposition PPP today chided the police force for a statement it issued yesterday warning against a repeat of the disorder stemming from a protest outside the Pegasus Hotel on Thursday against President David Granger.

The Attorney General’s Chambers today rejected a contention by the Bar Council that it is presently operating outside of the rule of law.

Torrential rainfall is sweeping across parts of Trinidad and Tobago at this time,and the Met Office has raised it’s alert level to Orange, meaning that citizens should prepare.

(Trinidad Guardian) En­er­gy Min­is­ter Franklin Khan yes­ter­day re­mained tight-lipped as to where the OW­TU will get its fund­ing to pur­chase Petrotrin’s re­fin­ery.

Apparently caught off guard by yesterday’s protests by the PPP inside and outside of the Pegasus Hotel against President David Granger and his government, the Guyana Police Force tonight said it will endeavour to prevent a recurrence.

PPP presidential candidate Irfaan Ali has thanked supporters for turning up at yesterday’s protest at the Pegasus Hotel where President David Granger was delivering an address to the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association.

The Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) today apologised to President David Granger for the disruption of his presentation to a business luncheon at the Pegasus Hotel yesterday by PPP activists.

The Bar Council of the Bar Association of Guyana today condemned the failure by the government to hold General and Regional Elections within the period mandated by Article 106(7) of the constitution, which it pointed out is the supreme law of the country.

President David Granger today said that every lawful measure will be taken to guarantee the safety of Ministers of Government and to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the country.

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) says that the concerns raised by residents of the Region Seven border community of Kaikan about the behaviour of soldiers stationed there will be investigated but it said the Force will not surrender its obligation to protect the territorial integrity of the country.

 (Reuters) – Two shootings in Washington, D.C. left two people dead and seven injured late on Thursday, reports by police and several media outlets said, as authorities on Friday hunted for a pair of suspects from one of the attacks likely armed with an assault rifle.

(Trinidad Express) Cricket legend Deryck Lance Murray has been appointed to the post of as High Commissioner for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to Jamaica.

(Trinidad Guardian) Na­tion­al Se­cu­ri­ty Minister and Min­is­ter in the Of­fice of the Prime Min­is­ter, Stu­art Young, yes­ter­day met with Venezue­lan Pres­i­dent Nico­las Maduro in Cara­cas for dis­cus­sions on mat­ters of en­er­gy and na­tion­al se­cu­ri­ty.

The letter sent today by GECOM Chair, retired justice Claudette Singh to President David Granger stating the end of February, 2020  as the date by which credible elections can be delivered follows.

The United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union today called on President David Granger to set an election date immediately.

Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chair Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh has indicated that she informed President David Granger that GECOM would be ready to hold General and Regional Elections by the end of February, 2020, opposition-nominated commissioner Sase Gunraj said today.

MUNICH,  (Reuters) – Huawei launched its Mate 30 smartphone range on Thursday in a challenge to Apple’s new iPhone 11, saying the Chinese firm’s new devices were more compact, their cameras superior and wraparound screens brighter.