The previous administration continues to come in for flak over a US$30M transaction it would have entered into to sell off the generation facilities of the Skeldon Sugar Factory. Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, is condemning it as a deal that doesn’t make sense. “It was a silly arrangement. Minister Holder was at the time responding to queries Tuesday by media operatives and he opined that, “conceptually, it makes no sense.”(Kaieteurnieuws.com/photo:Kaietuernieuws.com)…[+]

US   – Hillary Clinton stopped at a union rally outside Donald Trump’s hotel on the Strip here, taunting the Republican front-runner on the eve of the first Democratic presidential debate. “Some people think Trump is entertaining, but it is not entertaining to insult immigrants and women,” Clinton said. Clinton joined about 500 members of the Culinary Workers Union a powerhouse in Nevada, with 55,000 members. (CNN/photo: nytimes.com)…[+]

A businessman and his reputed wife were each granted $1.2M bail after they were slapped with a joint manslaughter charge in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. They were also each ordered to post $600,000 surety and were also placed on a bond to be on good behaviour until the matter is concluded.(Kaieteurnieuws.com/photo:kaieteurnieuws.com)…[+]

While the findings of a forensic audit into the National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU) point to some “glaring acts of corruption” the Head of the entity, Valmikki Singh, is contending that this is not the case. In a statement, Monday , Singh stated that the NFMU does not practise favouritism and that all of its financial reports are submitted to the Ministry of Finance on a monthly basis for review. Singh said those reports are also submitted to its subject minister—the Prime Minister.(Kaieteurnieuws.com/photo:kaieteurnieuws.com)…[+]

Months after the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) sold its electricity generation facilities at the new Skeldon sugar factory, the company is yet to be paid in full. There are also indications that the buyer, Skeldon Energy Inc (SEI)—the special purpose company that was created specifically to buy over the GuySuCo assets– is still determining how much it will be paying. Earlier this year, the cash-strapped GuySuCo, which controls eight estates between Demerara and Berbice, announced that it was selling its generation facilities at Skeldon for US$30M.(Kaieteurnieuws.com/photo:Kaieteurnieuws.com)…[+]

Political Activist and University Professor, Dr. David Hinds believes that government’s recent decision to increase the salaries for Members of Parliament (MPs) and Government Ministers will go down as its “second, big misstep.”Dr. Hinds said that the decision should have been influenced by a number of crucial social factors. He said that the fact that it was not, suggests “political naivety, arrogance, insensitivity” or all of those.(Kaieteurnieuws.com/photo:Kaieteurnieuws.com)…[+]

IRAN   – Iran has successfully test-fired a new precision-guided, long-range missile, state-run media reported Sunday. The Emad (Pillar) surface-to-surface missile, designed and built by Iranian experts, is the country’s first long-range missile that can be precision-guided until it reaches its target, said Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehqan, Iran’s defense minister.(CNN/photo: kurv.com)…[+]

GERMAN – WOLFSBURG, German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Thursday that there was no drawbridge that could be pulled up to stop refugees arriving in Germany and it was unrealistic to close the borders. “We do not have a drawbridge we can lift,” he said, adding people are coming due to a the dramatic situation in Syria. “Closing the borders, someone would have to tell us how that’s supposed to work. Are we going to have the army there, with bayonets at the ready? Nobody would do that,” he said, adding the causes of flight, hunger and misery had to be fought. “And we need to cooperate with Turkey because we cannot just abandon refugees there. They need to be helped and Turkey needs German and European help there, which we are offering. (todayonline)…[+]

ARHENTINA – The spontaneous dance moves of Argentinean President Cristina Elisabet Fernandez de Kirchner during a recent political rally in Buenos Aires have caused an internet sensation. Mrs. Kirchner began to gyrate to the rhythms of a politically-themed song on Monday at the end of a rally of ruling party candidate Daniel Scioli, the chosen successor of Mrs. Fernandez. Mr. Scioli, who is the governor of Buenos Aires, could be seen standing next to an arm-swaying Mrs. Kirchner.(telegraph.co.uk)…[+]

MALAYSIA — Malaysia’s highest court today (Oct 8) dismissed a challenge to a ban on cross-dressing, dealing a major setback to the battle for the rights of the country’s transgender community, as Islamic conservatism grows in the South-east Asian country. Muslim-majority Malaysia’s image as a promoter of moderate Islam has eroded in recent years as authorities and political figures push for stricter measures, with cases challenging religious law in civil courts being quashed. “After today, we are concerned over the safety and security of the transgender community,” said Ms Thilaga Sulathireh, an activist representing the transgender appellants.(todayonline)…[+]