West Indies Select Teen Wrist Spinner for New Zealand ODIs The West Indies cricket team has announced the inclusion of 19-year-old left-arm wrist spinner Vitel Lawes in its 15-player squad for the opening three One Day Internationals (ODIs) of a five-match home series against New Zealand. The decision marks Lawes' first call-up to the senior team, following his standout performances in the ICC Under-19 World Cup earlier this year. The series, to be played across Guyana and Barbados, serves as a crucial preparation step for the West Indies ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. Lawes, who has been training with the senior squad since the preparatory camp ahead of the ongoing home season, finished the U19 World Cup with 10 wickets and bowled the most dot balls in the tournament. His performances caught the attention of the coaching staff, leading to his inclusion in the ODI squad. To support his transition to international cricket, spin-bowling coach Nikita Miller has been added to the team management for the Guyana leg of the series, where he will work closely with Lawes to refine his skills. Head coach Daren Sammy emphasized the importance of the New Zealand series in the team's development. "Every series we play from here on leading up to the 50 Over World Cup, we view them as must-win scenarios," Sammy stated. "The matches against New Zealand provide the best opportunity for us to continue our improvement as an ODI unit while winning more matches for the people of the Caribbean." He further highlighted the strategic value of Lawes' inclusion, noting that the team aims to expose players who can complement the squad in conditions that suit their strengths. The squad will assemble in Guyana on July 8 after the conclusion of the Test series against Sri Lanka in Antigua.#new_zealand #west_indies #guyana #barbados #vitel_lawes
ExxonMobil Reports Strong First-Quarter 2026 Earnings and Operational Milestones ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) announced its first-quarter 2026 financial results, highlighting robust earnings, record production, and strategic progress across its global operations. The company reported earnings of $4.2 billion, or $1.00 per share, reflecting a mix of operational performance and adjustments for specific factors. Excluding identified items and unfavorable estimated timing effects, earnings surged to $8.8 billion, or $2.09 per share, underscoring the company’s resilience amid market challenges. The results included a 48% one-year total shareholder return, driven by strong performance and strategic initiatives. Shareholder distributions totaled $9.2 billion, comprising $4.3 billion in dividends and $4.9 billion in share repurchases, aligning with the company’s 2026 repurchase plan of $20 billion. Cash flow from operating activities reached $8.7 billion, with $13.8 billion excluding margin postings tied to derivative contracts. Free cash flow amounted to $2.7 billion, supporting the company’s financial flexibility. Key operational achievements included sustained industry-leading reliability in Guyana, where the FPSO (Floating Production Storage and Offloading) unit achieved record production levels. The project’s operational availability ranked among the top performers globally, according to Solomon Associates’ April 2026 benchmarking report. Additionally, ExxonMobil completed the first LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) shipment at the Golden Pass Train 1 facility in the U.S., contributing to a 5% increase in U.S. LNG exports. The company also emphasized its global supply chain capabilities, supporting customers in over 180 countries.#middle_east #guyana #exxonmobil_corporation #solomon_associates #golden_pass_train_1
Refined Fuels Deal at Center of US Lawsuit A legal dispute involving a refined fuels agreement between the Guyana government and a US company has escalated into a lawsuit in an American court. The case centers on allegations that confidential trade information was misused to gain an advantage in securing the deal. The lawsuit, filed in Florida in late February, names former Tennessee congressman Mark Green, lobbyist and attorney Marc C. Hebert, and Hebert’s law firm Jones Walker LLP as defendants. The suit was brought by Curlew Mainstream LLC and Playera Group Global LLC, which claim the defendants improperly used protected business information to pursue a refined fuels contract with Guyana. The report by the Nashville Banner states that Green, who served as a congressman during the time the alleged misconduct occurred, traveled to Guyana multiple times. Hebert, who previously represented Playera as it collaborated with Curlew to secure the fuel supply arrangement, is accused of leveraging confidential details from that relationship to establish a competing venture with Green. Last year, Green and Hebert formed Prosimos, a company the lawsuit alleges was created to compete for a similar fuel agreement in Guyana. The filing claims that during a meeting in Washington, D.C., in April 2025, Green and Hebert suggested they could influence whether Curlew Midstream secured a proposed fuel exchange agreement. At the time, Green was chairman of the US House Homeland Security Committee. The same week, Prosimos was established in Florida, and the defendants allegedly communicated with the Guyanese government about issues with Curlew’s pending agreement, actions the plaintiffs say delayed the deal.#mark_green #marc_c_hebert #guyana #curlew_midstream #playera_group_global
Mark Green faces lawsuit over Prosimos dealings in Guyana Before Mark Green abruptly retired from the U.S. House of Representatives last summer, the embattled congressman and his lobbyist business partner allegedly used trade information from one of the partner’s clients to compete for a lucrative fuel agreement with the Guyanese government. Last spring, Green established a company called Prosimos alongside lobbyist and corporate attorney Marc C. Hebert. In June, Green announced his retirement from Congress, less than six months into his fourth term, which he won in a 2024 campaign marked by personal drama involving his divorce, an alleged affair, and family tensions. In July, he stepped down, triggering a special election to replace him in a midstate district. While campaigning for his successor, Rep. Matt Van Epps, Green told the Nashville Banner that Prosimos was designed to compete with Chinese companies for international business, stating, “The motto is basically, ‘If an American company doesn’t do it, a Chinese company will.’” At a September event for Van Epps, Green emphasized his commitment to supporting American companies abroad, saying, “You don’t serve the country for 36 years in some capacity and [not] still want to do some good.” At the center of Prosimos’ operations is Guyana, a South American nation that Green visited repeatedly during his final months in office, including during his retirement announcement. Since discovering a large oil reserve off its coast in 2015, Guyana has become a target for foreign investors seeking to profit from its resources and infrastructure needs. However, the lawsuit claims this was not the original plan for Prosimos.#mark_green #marc_c_hebert #jones_walker_llp #guyana #curlew_mainstream_llc
