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Autopsy: Guatemalan died of drowning, not beaten

The result of a postmortem on the body of a Guatemalan recovered from the Mopan River on Monday shows that he died from drowning. The result of the autopsy, which would otherwise be considered routine, was anxiously awaited by officials on both sides of the border due to controversy surrounding the death. According to Guatemalan […]

Border evacuation reported in progress

Today was scheduled to be “D-Day” at the Guatemalan border, “D” standing for departure of residents from three illegal settlements in Toledo. Late word from Belmopan is that Belize’s observers have just returned from the area by helicopter and are being debriefed at the Foreign Ministry. Earlier reports cryptically stated that “the exercise is ongoing.” […]

Regional literature congress opens in Belize City

In Belize, where television is fast replacing the written word, the ninth International Congress on Central American Literature may just be what is needed to get Belizeans to re-visit their favorite authors. News 5’s Ann-Marie Williams was diverted from her normal beat to become a scholar-for-a-day. Ann-Marie Williams, Reporting The first working session of the […]

Ladyville woman wins weekly karaoke

She won the competition in an extremely close race. Ladyville’s Shermaine Jones is the second weekly champion in Channel 5’s Karaoke TV. An overflow crowd at the Bellevue and live audience at home watched six singers vie for cash and prizes and a chance to come back for the finals in May. (Shermaine Jones singing […]

Ruta Maya race begins next week

In just a few short years its creators and participants have turned it into one of the nation’s premier sporting events. And this year the big canoe race is going to be better than ever. Jose Sanchez, Reporting The serious paddlers have been practicing for months… and next week they’ll put it on the line […]

New technology builds virtual museum of Belize

Bureaucratic delays have set back the conversion of the old Belize City prison into the Museum of Belize, but fortunately the lack of progress in construction has not delayed the museum’s real purpose: the advancement of knowledge. News 5’s Stewart Krohn reports on one of the best kept secrets in Belmopan. Stewart Krohn, Reporting Forget […]

Border agency under fire in Guatemalan’s death

There is trouble at the border tonight and we are not referring to illegal Guatemalan settlements in Toledo. Instead the problems centre around the frontier post at Benque Viejo and the role of a newly created government body which may have overstepped its authority. That body, the Border Management Agency, has been ordered by the […]

Pledge to flag initiated in schools

As Belizeans, we are known as a proud people… but pride does not always translate into patriotism. Today the Ministry of Human Development took a step to promote nationalistic feelings in our young people as part of its Civic Education Programme. Jose Sanchez was on hand for the flag raising at St. John Vianney Primary […]

Shooting victim clings to life in hospital

A thirty-five year old Belize City man is fighting for his life at the K.H.M.H. after being shot Sunday night. He is James Whylie of Tanoomah Street. An eyewitness told News 5 that around 10:40 p.m. on Sunday a group of young men in a black car drove up to Whylie’s home, called him out […]

Rotoract hosts fashion show fundraiser

The Rotaract Club of Belize will be staging a fashion show to raise funds for education. The two-hour long production takes place at the Belize Biltmore Plaza on Saturday night at 7:30. According to the show’s co-ordinator, Kimberley Vasquez, the night will offer a preview of the latest styles for spring. Kimberley Vasquez, Coordinator “You […]

Musician introduces first CD

After four years of song writing and studio work, Belizean Albert Gill has released his debut CD titled “Tribute to a king”. Gill, a former singer and musician with the Harmonettes Band, says the inspiration for his twelve track CD came from reggae legend, the late Bob Marley. Albert Gill, Musician “I started writing music […]

Poets launch new books

The Image Factory has become well known as the nation’s premier art gallery, but behind the paintings and sculptures a successful publishing operation has been slowly gathering steam. Jose Sanchez reports on the two latest additions to the library. Amado Chan, Reciting “The Phantom Bus” “Kevin rides high On a dream Heavy with dark clouds […]

Wednesday is latest date for Guat. evacuation

The painfully slow process under which residents of three illegal Guatemalan settlements in Belize are being returned across the border now has a new estimated date for completion. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs tells News five that the Guatemalan government has agreed to begin disbursing financial compensation on Wednesday to those settlers willing to voluntarily […]

Coye wins nomination in Caribbean Shores

The People’s United Party continued to select candidates for the next general election, which will likely not be held for another two and a half years. The most hotly contested convention was held on Sunday in the Caribbean Shores constituency in Belize City. When all nine hundred and ninety-nine votes were counted, incumbent representative and […]

Mopan River claims three lives

In a strange set of coincidences, Cayo’s Mopan River proved to be the final resting-place for three accident victims in three separate incidents over the weekend. On Friday afternoon a Canadian tourist, fifty year old John Raycroft, drowned while tubing near Clarissa Falls. He apparently became separated from his inner tube in the rapids. His […]

Mugger jacks bank deposit

A grab-and-run thief made off with a bag full of cash this morning in downtown Belize City. Carmina Baeza, an employee of Delta Store on Albert Street, was walking towards Atlantic Bank with the store’s deposit bag when she was attacked in front of Community Drug Store. Her assailant, a tall dark-skinned man wearing a […]

Man shot twice, assailants escape

A twenty-eight year-old Banak Street man clings to life at the K.H.M.H. after he was shot twice over the weekend. Ellis Meighan told police that he was riding his bicycle on Cemetery Road around 9:40 p.m. on Friday. On approaching First Choice Pharmacy two men on foot asked him what he was doing in the […]

Alleged victims fake robbery

An armed robbery reported to police last week was in fact a hoax perpetrated by the alleged victims. On Thursday twenty-three year old Rene Miranda, a truck driver for Femagra Industries, told authorities that two dark complexioned men held him up at gunpoint while he was driving down Police Street in Belize City. They relieved […]

Teenage vandals hit Belmopan cemetery

Reports from Belmopan indicate that sometime over the weekend a vandal or vandals invaded the capital city’s graveyard and caused damage to a number of gravestones. Police have apparently detained a large number of teenagers said to be involved in the desecration, but it is not clear at this point what, if any charges, will […]

New housing project for Orange Walk

Forty Orange Walk families have now taken up residence on what promises to be a planned residential community in the San Lorenzo area of the district. Area representative Johnny Briceno, in inaugurating the project on Saturday, says of the ninety homes built in the area seventy have already been sold. Johnny Briceno, Area Rep, Orange […]

San Pedranos celebrate carnival

It may not rival celebrations in New Orleans or Rio, but San Pedro’s pre-Lenten carnival got underway over the weekend. The carnival parade pictured here took place on Saturday afternoon and was sponsored by the San Pedro carnival committee and San Pedro Town Board. Festivities, including the infamous painting of unwilling participants, continue through Tuesday […]

New park created in Mountain Pine Ridge

The Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve may be suffering from the devastation of the Southern Bark Beetle, but that has not stopped the creation of a new park in the reserve’s northwestern corner. Minister of Natural Resources Johnny Briceno signed the official instrument on Friday night at the San Antonio Agricultural Fair, designating approximately five […]

Vocational education receives major funding

Belizean students who plan on making a career as skilled tradesmen or women now have more opportunities to learn their craft. This is thanks to a twenty-six million dollar Caribbean Development Bank loan signed this morning. CONALEP from neighboring Mexico will also provide technical assistance to the project. Education Minister Cordel Hyde says the newly […]

Cartoon booklet promotes children’s rights

A pocket-sized booklet outlining children’s rights and responsibilities in cartoon form was this morning launched at the Hattieville Government School. According to National Human Rights Coordinator Maria Gamero, the publication is timely as it coincides with National Children’s Week. Ann-Marie Williams “You hear a lot on child’s rights, but you seldom hear of responsibility. Zero […]

Boxing successfully returns to Bird’s Isle

Good evening I’m James Adderley and we certainly want you to partake of this clubbing version of Sports Monday. The fight world in Belize has literally been in chaos over the past two years, not unlike semi-pro basketball, a victim of inertia at the very top. However, the boxing community was able to put a […]