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Channel 5

Belize Bond 2038; the newly minted superbond
The much condemned and now newly minted super-bond is now the Belize Bond 2038, a done deal with a majority of bondholders signing on and the balance will follow suit under a collective action clause. The numbers have been thrown about since last week, but today Prime Minister Dean Barrow was all smiles as he [...]

Ambassador Mark Espat to deal with government's debt management
At his press conference of the Belize Bond 2038, the PM said the terms of the restructuring of the five hundred and thirty million US dollars bond is cause for celebration and jubilation. But it also calls for glaring scrutiny of the prudent fiscal management in maintaining the sustainability of the national debt. To this [...]

Barrow supports AG's proposed amendment to change legal profession act
Attorney-General Wilfred Elrington is taking on the Bar Association again, and this time he wants to push legislation which will remove compulsory membership of attorneys in that association. The move is seen in many circles as a way to formalize the deep divisions within the Bar and government's way of resisting opposition through legislation. Today [...]

Placencia land titles given to DPM cronies revoked, but they will be compensated at market value
In February it made the news when it came to light that just six days before the general elections, four prime parcels of land on the Placencia Peninsula were sold to friends and relatives of the Minister of Natural Resources, at rock bottom prices. There was an outcry from environmentalists and residents of Placencia since [...]

San Ignacio family says police used excessive force in the killing of two robbers
Two San Ignacio residents were killed by the police on Tuesday afternoon. The duo, twenty-two year old Rony Garcia and eighteen year old Jose Garcia, had robbed a store and were pursued by the police when they were fatally shot. The robbery of three hundred plus dollars and various packs of cigarettes cost them their [...]

The staggering government wage bill
The budget debate for the 2013-2014 financial year which begins April first, takes place next week in the House of Representatives. When the proceedings get underway, the opposition will be presenting its official position to the estimates that were introduced to the House on March first.� But before that happens, we have been looking at [...]

Barrow says cost of the restructuring astronomical
Earlier in the newscast we told you about the Prime Minister's celebration over the Belize Bond 2038.� But at the press conference, the media raised the matter of the cost of the restructuring, including legal fees, payment to advisors and payments to the renegotiating team. Prime Minister Dean Barrow did not come up with an [...]

Espat compares challenges of superbond: past and present
Still on the restructuring, Ambassador Mark Espat is the head of the team which worked on the debt restructuring with bondholders that resulted in the Belize Bond 2038. Espat was also an integral part of the team which, under the previous administration in 2007 negotiated what has been dubbed the super-bond. Today, he compared the [...]

Court of Appeal opened; 2 murder cases heard
  The Court of Appeal opened on Tuesday, presiding is President, Justice, Manuel Sosa. Two cases were heard on the first day of this session. Twenty-three year old Nelson Gibson, who was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, appeared before the court; his case was heard expeditiously and a ruling has been set [...]

Mother and stepfather charged in disturbing carnal knowledge case
In a most disturbing story tonight, the stepfather and mother of an eight year old girl have been detained by police for the crimes of Carnal Knowledge and Abetment. On Monday, the minor along with her aunt, visited the Belize City police station and reported the alleged heinous crimes. �The minor complained to her aunt [...]

Minister's son charged for marijuana possession
The son of a minister was spared jail time today after he was criminally charged before the Courts. Around two-thirty this afternoon, a son of Minister Edmund "Clear the Land" Castro was escorted in cuffs to the Belize City Family Court and was read a single charge of Possession of a Control Drugs. The minor [...]

Belize Jaguars to take on powerhouses in its first appearance in CONCACAF Gold Cup
After a rather impressive outing in the recently held Copa Centroamericana at Costa Rica, the Belize Jaguars will be making its first appearance in the CONCACAF Gold Cup which is held every two years.� While our national team proudly takes its stand with the best teams from our region, Belize finds itself grouped with the [...]

New Pope elected: Jesuit Archbishop, Jorge Mario Bergoglio now Pope Francis
History was made today at the Vatican and in Latin America.� The former Archbishop of Buenos Aires,�� Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as the new pope of one point two billion Roman Catholics, including more than forty percent who are from Latin America. The new pope took the name Francis and he is seventy-six years [...]

LOVE FM

Police Commanding Officers Receive Award
Minister of National Security, John Saldivar presented certificates of award to officers commanding the Intermediate Southern Formation and Toledo Formation for their performance during the month of February in reducing major crimes within their respective jurisdictions. Comparat...

Police Kills Robbers In San Ignacio
Two men are dead after they reportedly robbed a store in San Ignacio yesterday afternoon. Reports are that sometime after one o'clock yesterday afternoon the two men who wore masks and were armed, held up Roses Store on the Benque Road. The men made off with an undisc...

Teenager Walks on Attempted Murder Charge; Case File Unavailable
Nineteen year old Ibrahim Smith, charged with attempted murder in connection with a shooting incident, was freed of that charge and two other charges when they were dismissed today by Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith because the case file was not available. The other charges wer...

Attempted Murder Charge Levied Against Local Man Following The Brutal Beating of A Mechanic
Twenty-five year old Joseph Almendarez, who allegedly beat a man in his head with a cement block and a stone until he became unconscious, was charged with attempted murder when he appeared in court today. Almendarez was also charged with dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm. ...

CTV3

Video Shows Students Tying Up Howler Monkey
The case of animal cruelty against a male black Howler monkey has attracted much attention throughout the country. The adult howler monkey died last week Friday while receiving treatment at the Wildtracks rehabilitation facility in Sarteneja. The monkey was left in a terrible state after it was brutally beaten allegedly by four students of the Belize High School of Agriculture under the instructions of a male teacher of the same school. Last night we showed you photographs that were sent to the media showing three students aggressively tying up the monkey. Tonight, an actual video of the action carried out, was sent to us via email by an anonymous sender. The video shows three students holding the monkey down while a fourth student places a thin rope around the animal's neck and binds his hands. As you can see, the monkey is not fighting back. As one of the students grabs the animal from both his legs and tail, another firmly grips his throat. The video is just over a minute long and in reality, it is cause for concern since the act of capturing an endangered wildlife is illegal. Yesterday the Forest Department, through a press release, stated their intentions to fully investigate the matter and prosecute those found responsible. News tonight is that the investigation is in its final stage and the department is preparing the necessary paper work to file criminal charges, allegedly, against four students of BHSA and one teacher who have been identified by the department. If the accused are found guilty of animal cruelty against an endangered species, the law dictates that they can pay a fine of no less than one thousand dollars or face six months in prison.

Trail Farm Government School Gets Visited By Special Helpers
After three months of waiting, yesterday the student body of Trail Farm Government School welcomed more than 22 volunteers from the 2nd Baptist Church in Houston Texas to Orange Walk. The group arrived in Belize on Sunday and immediately work began at the school. Luis Grimaldo, 2nd Baptist Church "We have two different groups really and every year we come to Belize and they always hand select a few of the kids to come and we always find the projects and stuff to do in the area and whatever we can help with." Madelyn Peterson, 2nd Baptist Church "And this year we are painting the mural and we are painting some of the doors here and we are also writing some of the scriptures and kind of making the schools look a place for children to have fun and be a happy place. And then, when the children come out we get to play with them and kind of love on them, just like we really want to."

Belize At CONCAF
The 2014 World Cup kicks off in Brazil next year when the 32 best teams in the world will compete for the sport's most coveted title. Will Belize be there? Well, years ago Belize would not have been part of such global covetousness. But time has passed and Belize has risen to new heights when it comes to football. As you can recall, the Belize National Football Team gave a stellar performance in the Estadio Nacional de San Jose, Costa Rica, on Tuesday January 22nd, when the played against the Nicaraguan National Football Team at the Central American Cup UNCAF. In a stunning, last minute fashion, Belize's Jaguars took an impressive victory of 2-1 in its third game at the Central American Cup, capturing the attention of the football world and guaranteeing their participation at the CONCAF games. The Confederation of North Central America and the Caribbean, CONCAF, announced today the 2013 CONCAF Gold Cup groups and schedule. There are three groups headed by Mexico, Honduras and the United States respectively. Belize forms part of Group C together with Costa Rica, Cuba and the United States. Belize's first game is set for July 9th at the JELD-WEN Field in Portland, Oregon against the United States. On July 13th the National Team will go up against Costa Rica at Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. Then on July 16th the team will play against Cuba at the Rentschler Field located in Hartford, Connecticut.

Leader Of Opposition Says Guatemala Is Out Of Order
On March 8th 2013 Belize was taken by surprise when Guatemala's Vice Minister of Education Evelyn Amado de Segura, wrote to directors of the Ministry of Education in that city instructing them that a map of Guatemala, which includes Belize as part of its territory, be circulated at all schools. In the letter sent to the directors, the Vice Minster of Education states that it is right that the territory of Belize is included in the map of the Republic of Guatemala, divided by a dotted line and a phrase: territorial dispute, insular and maritime unresolved. In her letter, Amado De Segura also states that they view with concern the fact that some media, print and television are using only a partial map of Guatemala. Belize's Ambassador to Guatemala Fred Martinez has called the move a retrogressive step and totally out of order while Belize's Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington, has stated on the record, that the move is only one ploy on the part of those who don't want to seek peace between Belize and Guatemala. As for the Leader of the Opposition, he believes that Guatemala's latest infringement is for one, disturbing and uncalled for.

Happy Rotaract Week
The first ever Rotaract Club in the world was formed back in 1968 in North Charlotte, North Carolina in the United States. Six years after, in 1974 to be exact, the Orange Walk Rotaract Club was formed and since then, the charitable group has been working arduously to assist the community. This week Rotaractors from across the globe are celebrating World Rotaract Week with today being celebrated as World Rotaract Day. This morning we spoke to President of Rotaract Orange Walk, Nadia Urbina, who told us how the group is celebrating the week. Nadia Urbina, President Rotaract OW "To start of this very eventful week we have a number of activities plan and we started off by doing a fun literacy day at Saint Peter's School. It was the first time we ever did this activity and it was very successful and we got very good compliment from the parents that were involved. In this activity we had especially, special needs kids involve. It was an activity- a fun literacy activity just for the special needs."

New Pope: Francis 1st Of Argentina
On February 11th, the then Pope, Benedict the 16th, surprised the world when he announced that effective February 28th he would no longer be the leader of the 1.2 billion Catholics around world. Thirteen days after Benedicts last day as pope, a new pope was chosen in Rome today. Cardinal Jorge Ber-go-glio becomes the first Latin American and Jesuit to lead the Catholic Church taking the name of Pope Francis the first. The new Pope was elected on the second day of conclave in the Vatican City after receiving the required two-thirds majority, or at least 77 votes of the 115 cardinal electors from 48 countries. Pope Francis the First appeared on the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica just over an hour after white smoke poured from a chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel to signal the election of a new pope. Here is Cardinal Jorge Ber-go-glio's first appearance as pope. The 76-year-old Pope is from Buenos Aires, Argentina and is the first Jesuit and the first non-European pontiff to be elected in nearly 1,300 years. Pope Francis the First is known for his concern for the poor and is expected to bring a radical change of style to the Churches leadership. This is indicated by his choice of name, St Francis of Assisi, who died in 1226 after living a life of poverty and simplicity. Pope Francis becomes the 266th pope to be elected.

Guinea Grass Health Committee Holds Heath Fair
Accidents are regrettable events that take place when one least expects it. The best way to deal with an accident is to be prepared and the best way to be prepared is by knowing first aid. While many may not realize the importance of taking a first aid course, it is highly recommend since it can safe lives. In sight of the huge positive impact that First Aid Training can have during an accident, the Guinea Grass Health Committee, formed in April of last year, in conjunction with the owner of Med Express in the U.S, organized a First Aid Training for residents of the Guinea Grass community. The training took place for one week and over the weekend participants put their new skills to use during a health fair held at the village's Football Field. Mark Majors, Owner Med Express "We decided about, not only the health fair but also those in the communities who wanted to learn the skills of taking care of each other. So in accidents, medical emergencies, accidents around the home- there is a group of care givers, 33 students, who after a full week of training have the knowledge and skills to really make a difference in people's life. There is no doubt about their enthusiasm and motivation. They are really, really excited about helping the community out now that they have the skills to do it. Many of the people that you see in the community are students from the class using the skills that they learnt this week."

PlusTV

Prime Minister speaks about renegotiated superbond payments
We reported yesterday that the Government of Belize through the Central Bank has announced that all bondholders of the 2029 package of US dollar bonds negotiated for debt relief, whether voluntarily or otherwise, have now subscribed to the re-negotiated bond which lasts through 2038. At a press conference held...

Police Officers awarded for Crime Reduction Efforts
The Ministry of National Security today awarded officers for their performance in reducing major crimes during the month of February. The awards went to the Intermediate Southern Formation and the Toledo Formation which both saw a 50% increase in major crimes when compared with last month's figures. The awards...

More details emerge on fatal shooting of robbers
In last night's newscast, we told you about a robbery that took a deadly turn for two robbers. The men - 21 year old Roni Garcia and his brother, 18 year old Jose Garcia, were shot and killed yesterday afternoon, during a shoot-out with police. This is after the...

Blogs

Walking North Ambergris Caye from Costa Maya to Grand Caribe, Part Two
In Part One, I told you about a failed attempt at a sea turtle rescue and only about 15 minutes of my 3 hour walk down the coast. I made it down to Portofino Resort (about 6 miles up the coast). Time to keep trekking. And it was really a gorgeous day for a walk. Warm but not too warm�breezy but not too breezy. I could not have picked one better. I passed Casa Layla�more of a pile of dirt right now. Is Layla the dog in the picture? I passed La Perla and then Xaman 'Ek/Jambal Jerk Pit Restaurant. I planned on stopping there for a drink�I've been very curious about this establishment for some time�but it was closed. Next up is Mata Chica Resort�very cute individual pastel cottages with a beautiful beach. They also have a restaurant there, Mambo, that I have been meaning to try. Has anyone been?

Fry Jack in One Minute
I show in one minute, how to make Fry Jacks

Medical / Dental Tourism
"Mother Nature's best kept secret" has been the touristic logo for Belize for a while. Well now the secret has been revealed. BELIZE is now known for its naturally beautiful and welcoming environment. People from the rest of the world are making Belize their destination for fun, relaxation and just plain "living your life".

"What's Going On"
First things first. No edition on Wednesday so apologies for its absence. I had been slightly off colour for the last few days. Dry, then cracked, lips. Runny nose (sorry for the vivid description). Temperature going up. Tuesday afternoon it really started to take a hold. Aching limbs. Hot then cold.I felt really quite rough. This was shortly after I had gone for a US$ 15.50 'cut and shampoo' at a local Walmart. For a while I wondered if I was suffering from the Samson effect but no, ths was the real thing not an attack of Man Flu. So early to bed for me. No hitting Sixth Street. A really good night's sleep allowed me to 'sweat it out' and I woke up feeling so much better and ready for the short drive (around 80 miles) to San Antonio. On arrival I took a couple of the tablets (flu and cold relief) that Rose insisted I take and had a couple of hours sleep (had I been able to get the Bayern Munich v Arsenal game on TV I would have watched that) and woke up feeling so much better and ready for a visit to San Antonio's Riverwalk District. We caught the bus (masquerading as a trolley bus) for US$ 1.20 each to the County Court House and then walked a very short distance to the Riverwalk.

Mennonite Gurls A'ken Cook: Pineepple Casserole

International Sources

The Phenomenal Story of Nikola Tesla
I was doing a bunch of research on Nikola Tesla for some projects going on and came across this wicked image set that sums up Tesla's story and the challenges that took place with Thomas Edison. Th...

Remembering Aldo Leopold, Visionary Conservationist And Writer : NPR
Leopold's A Sand County Almanac was published in 1949. Decades after his death, his work is at the cutting edge of his field - and his words inspire a new generation of environmentalists.

20 Things Every Smart Traveler Should Know
While not specifically about Belize, still good advice should you be traveling here...

Rio Frio Cave in Western Belize - A Worthwhile Stop
The Rio Frio Cave, located in the jungle of western Belize, is a beautiful and worthwhile stop along the road to the Mayan ruins of Caracol. Unusually for a cave, there is plenty of light thanks to the size of the cave's entrance. The quarter of a mile long trek is worth it to see the huge stalactites dangling and the shallow river that runs through it.

U.S. drawn with Belize, Costa Rica and Cuba in Gold Cup
The United States men's national team was drawn into Group C for the 2013 Gold Cup on Wednesday, along with Belize, Costa Rica and Cuba. The Americans will open the competition on July 9 at JELD-WEN Field against Belize, which is competing in the Gold Cup for the first time. Up next is a clash with Cuba on July 13 in Utah before closing out the group stage in Connecticut on July 16 against Costa Rica, which figures to offer the toughest test of the opening round. The quarterfinals will take place July 20-21, while Cowboys Stadium will host the two semifinals on July 24 prior to the Gold Cup final on July 28 at Chicago's Soldier Field. Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2013/03/13/4434175/us-drawn-with-belize-costa-rica.html#storylink=cpy

Names picked for zoo's baby jaguar
Meet B'alam and Zean, the newly named baby jaguars at Milwaukee County Zoo. One of the names for the 4-month-old cubs was chosen from over 1,300 entries in a public contest, and the other was chosen by schoolchildren in Belize. The name B'alam, the Mayan word for jaguar meaning "great and powerful king," won the public contest, while the students in Belize chose the name Zean, the last few letters of "Belizean." The Belizean schoolchildren previously co-authored a book with Milwaukee-area students called "Pat the Great Cat, A Jaguar's Journey," that tells the life story of the cubs' father. Pat is a wild-born jaguar from Belize. The new zoo residents were born Nov. 13, the first litter for parents Stella and Pat and the only jaguars born at the zoo since 1975. Visitors can see the baby jaguars from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

Gold Cup groups and schedule announced
Caribbean champions, Cuba, will play Costa Rica on July 9 at the JELD-WEN Field in Portland, Oregon in their opening match of the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2013. Cuba has been drawn in Group C which also includes Belize and the United States, said CONCACAF, in announcing the groups and schedule of the prestigious event on Wednesday. The Cubans, who celebrated their first Caribbean Cup title with a 1-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago in December, will also play the United States on July 13 at the Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City and Belize on July 16 at Rentschler Field Connecticut in remaining preliminary round games. Trinidad and Tobago have been drawn in Group B and will commence their campaign with a match against El Salvador on July 8 at the Red Bull Arena. The former Caribbean champions will also play Haiti on July 12 at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami, and Honduras on July 15 at the BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Pro photographer smartphone shoot-out
The built-in cameras on smartphones are getting better and better with each new phone release. Some phones' camera lenses and features are so good that they rival basic point-and-shoots, prompting users to ditch their stand-alone cameras. Paired with photo-editing apps and the ability to instantly share our work, phone cameras are often easier to use, even if that means sacrificing some of the manual settings that come with regular cameras. But what about for professional purposes? For this story, we equipped three professional photographers with three smartphones that are the camera leaders for their respective mobile operating systems: the iPhone 5 on iOS, the Nokia Lumia 920 on Windows Phone 8, and the HTC EVO 4G LTE on Android. These pro photographers took their phones on shoots, and swapped out their full DSLR setups to snap a few styled shots with these smartphones, often making use of the apps that nonprofessionals use every day. Here's what they came up with.