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Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5 and CTV 3
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials


The San Pedro Sun

Island Academy presents "December around the World"
The students of Island Academy ushered in the 2014 holiday season with their highly anticipated annual Christmas program. On Wednesday, December 17th, the students celebrated the cultural diversity within the academy and on the island with a dynamic presentation entitled "December around the World." The acts showcased the various traditions apart from Christmas during the Holiday Season. The night opened with a warm address from principal Lady Dixie Bowen as she welcomed families and friends that had arrived to cheer on the night's performers. The first presentation of the night saw the Infant classes, lighting up the stage with two song numbers. With antlers and bright red noses, the little ones serenaded the audience with their very own rendition of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, followed by a mash-up of two popular hits from Frozen "Do you Wanna Build A Snowman," and "Let It Go."

Raquel Badillo's participation at Miss World culminates
The 2014 Miss World Pageant opened with the Dances of the World Segment with LMFAO's Sky Blu performing his new single "We Love Girls". Following the program, the contestants were officially presented in their formal gowns, after which the contestants were narrowed down to the top 25. British boy band The Vamps delivered an amazing mid-pageant performance while judges deliberated. But in the end it was Miss South Africa Rolene Strauss who charmed the judges and took the Miss World crown. Rolene was crowned by 2013 Miss World Megan Young. Miss Hungary Edina Kulcsar took the runner-up spot, while the Miss United States Elizabeth Safrit was third. Individual awards included: People's Choice Winner- Miss Thailand Nonthawan Thongleng, Talent- Miss Malaysia Dewi Liana Seriestha, Multimedia- Miss United States Elizabeth Safrit, Top Model- Miss Bosnia and Herzegovina Isidora Borovčanin, Beach- Miss Sweden Olivia Asplund, Sports- Miss Finland Krista Haapalainen, Beauty With a Purpose- Miss Brazil Julia Gama, Miss Guyana Rafieya Husain, Miss India Koyal Rana, Miss Indonesia Maria Sastrayu, and Miss Kenya Idah Nguma.

Staff Christmas Greetings
amara- Who can say they work, live and play on the #1 island in the world? I CAN! Yes, for the last ten years that is exactly what I have had the privilege of doing! Through tough times and good, I have remained grateful to be a part of this island community I call home. It's hard to believe the changes our beloved Isla Bonita has seen over the last decade, and each year seems to have its own share of problems and challenges.

Misc Belizean Sourcesmzz

BACON WRAPPED JALAPENOS
Slice the tops off of the jalapenos. Slice them in half and dig the seeds and membrane out. Wear plastic gloves for this and keep your hands away from your face! Mix cream cheese, ranch dressing and shredded cheese. Stuff into each jalapeno. Slice bacon both length and width-wise. I like to use my kitchen scissors for this. Much easier than a knife. Wrap each bacon strip around a stuffed jalapeno and secure with a toothpick.

RUM BALLS
Combine all ingredients well. Refrigerate for an hour or two until firm. Take rounded teaspoons of the mixture. Form into balls and roll in coconut flakes. SEASONS GREETINGS AND ENJOY!

HANGING TODAY WITH BELIZEAN MUSIC MAKERS MICHAEL HYDE & RAPPER TECKNEAK (MAALIK MORRIS) AT HYDES MUSIC STUDIO IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA!
It's been some fours years ago, and around this same time that this photo was taken at Belize's most outstanding and accomplished musical producer, Michael Hyde's studio in Los Angeles, California, in 2010. And today again, we are right here to enjoy the company of this rarely seen Belizean musical icon who has just completed another intensive international and U.S. tour with the legendary Ziggy Marley, and is now at home relaxing after playing so much music in front of thousands of people around the world and in the U.S.

PlusTV

NTUCB calls on GOB to set date for sugar cane crop opening
The NTUCB issued a press release urging the government to declare a starting date for the crop season, despite the impasse between BSCFA and ASR/BSI. The release says that "the NTUCB offers its support and solidarity to the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers' Association (BSCFA), in its plight to garner a so...

Belize City Council releases independent audit
The Belize City Council has released the recently completed 2013-14 audit for the financial year ending March 31, 2014...

Unknowingly smuggled cannabis into prison
We report regularly on those Belizeans who dare to defy the perfect record of prison officers in sniffing out attempts to smuggle marijuana into the Central Prison at Hattieville...

Police say "Sudden Death" but has suspect detained?
The body of� 20 year old Juan Young, was found around 2:40 am on Tuesday near the Monkey River road junction with the Southern Highway. He was found in an unconscious state laying in a pool of blood and was transported to the Independence Poly Clinic but died before reaching. According to police re...

Honduran jailed for sexual assault of mother and daughter
41 year old Carlos Perez Sanchez, a Honduran laborer from the Belama Phase IV area, is spending these Christmas holidays and the next three years in jail, after a lapse in judgment two nights ago. Though he claims not to remember what happened because he was intoxicated, police accuse him of approac...

American deemed prohibited immigrant
Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A. resident, 32 year old Timothy Eels, ran afoul of Belizean law, after failing to report his passport stolen to local police...

Former soldier charged for assaulting ex-common law
Thirty-one year old ex-BDF soldier Rennick Baizer, a resident of Park Avenue, Lake Independence, was charged with grievous harm when he appeared� before Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser. Rennick Baizer pled not guilty to the charge...

Convicted robber spared jail time
Twenty-one year old Lorenzo Ogaldez, who was remanded last week after he had pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and wounding, was spared custodial sentences when he appeared Monday before Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser for sentencing. Lorenzo Ogaldez was fined $3,000 for robbery and $1,000 for wo...

Accused rapist is remanded
Police say they caught 24 year old Alexander Nunez, an employee of Cisco Construction, red-handed forcing himself on a woman nearly twice his age on Racoon Street, Belize City, �on Friday�night. On Tuesday he was remanded into custody, after arraignment before Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer, who ...

More displays of gang membership
Police continue to catch alleged gang members in the act of displaying their affiliations. 25 year old Kevin Faber, an unemployed man of Gibnut Street, Belize City, pleaded not guilty to displaying gang membership before Magistrate Hettie Mae Stuart...

Drugs charge for Belize Rural man
Police found crack cocaine and cannabis at the North Creek Road, Belize City, home of businessman Winston Bevans, originally from Lucky Strike Village in the Belize District. He pleaded not guilty to charges of drug trafficking and possession of controlled drugs, before Magistrate Hettie Mae Stuart,...

Roy Bennett jailed for drugs
Former murder accused, 27 year old Roy Bennett, is headed back to jail Monday after pleading guilty to possession of a controlled substance, to wit 0.9 grams of cannabis. He received a nine-month jail term despite his pleas to Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer for leniency and not to be sent to prison...

Days of Healing scheduled for Boxing Day
Christmas Day is usually spent with family, but Boxing Day, celebrated on December 26, does not carry as much tradition. The Days of Healing Committee, led by Perry “Sticks” Smith, wants to bring residents of the Jane Usher Boulevard, Belize City, �together for a community celebration...

Patrick JonesPJ

Queen Elizabeth II speaks of reconciliation in her Christmas message
Reconciliation is the theme of the 2014 Christmas Message by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The 7-minute message, which was broadcast worldwide on the BBC highlighted instances when opposing sides in battle chose to cease hostilities in the best interest of peace and goodwill. Such was the case on December 25, 1914 when German and British soldiers laid down their weapons, the Queen said. In the words of the Queen: "sometimes it seems reconciliation stannds little chance, but the Christmas truce reminds us peace and goodwill have lasting power."

Tropic Air puts new aircraft into service
The San Pedro-based Tropic Air has landed a new Cessna Grand Caravan. The turbo prop aircraft comes with a price tag of BZ$5.2 million according to a press release from Tropic Air. The plane has already been pressed into service, bringing the airline's fleet to 15 aircraft, ten of which are Caravans. Tropic Air says that the new plane was purchased from Cessna's production facility in Wichita, Kansas, USA. Tropic Air explains that on this new airplane, passenger comfort is top of the line and that the new Caravan EX comes fully loaded with "a more powerful engine, faster cruise speed, air conditioning, new LED lighting and the Garmin G1000 glass cockpit advanced avionics suite with radar."

Blogs

Christmas in Cayo
When it comes to Christmas in Belize, we certainly do it big! It's a time that Belizeans do home improvement; this can be making an addition to their homes, painting the house or fence, wash and clean the windows, even power wash pathways, all to get it ready for the season. Many of us decide to purchase a new sofa set or dinning set, electronics, kitchen appliances or even washers and dryers. Economists say that during the second week in December, Belizeans spend the most money. I could compare this time to the American Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Christmas all in one. In the past, nativity scenes were what people did, some being very detailed; but as time progressed, likely because of media, Christmas trees became more popular and so did that jolly happy man known as Santa. As a child, my parents arranged and decorated real pine trees. The scent of pine in the house was amazing. They would also decorate the house with lights. As time went by, more and more Belizeans caught on to this activity. Later came the introduction of artificial or plastic pine trees now widely used, likely because it's more economic, convenient and, why not, it saves a lot of our pine trees!

A Day in Hectic Belize City and MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Yesterday, Christmas eve, I had an errand to run in Belize City. For some reason it did not occur to me that the city would be PACKED with last minute shoppers. Hardly a taxi to be found, four cruise ships in port, apple & pear stands EVERYWHERE (they are a Belize tradition for the holidays), Christmas music blasting from most store fronts and just people out and about, traveling, everywhere. A few pictures from San Pedro last night and then it's off to help Finn with his "soup kitchen" here in town. With the help of many, a few hundred people will received toys, gift baskets, turkey, ham, stuffing and more�

International Sourcesizz

Colombia, Belize Agree on Visa Exemption
Belize and Colombia governments agreed the reciprocal exemption of visas for their citizens, emphasized today the national morning news. The deal was reached at a proposal made by the Central American country conveyed to Bogota in the last few days through diplomatic channels. The Colombian Foreign Ministry announced that the Belizean proposal was made to Bogota after the adoption of such an agreement by the Council of Ministers of Belize, a former British colony bordering Mexico and Guatemala. The Foreign Ministry added that with Belize there are now 34 nations for which Colombian citizens don't need an entry visa, including 22 from Latin America and the Caribbean.

Drought may have led to collapse of Mayan civilisation
The ancient Mayan civilisation may have collapsed due to a century-long drought, a new research suggests. Researchers analysed minerals taken from Belize's famous underwater cave, known as the Blue Hole, as well as lagoons nearby, and found that an extreme drought occurred between AD 800 and AD 900, right when the Mayan civilisation disintegrated. Although the findings are not the first to link a drought to the Mayan culture's demise, the new results strengthen the case that dry periods were indeed the culprit. From AD 300 to AD 700, the Mayan civilisation flourished in the Yucatan peninsula. In the centuries after AD 700, the civilisation's building activities slowed and the culture descended into warfare and anarchy, 'Live Science' reported.

James "Bubba" Busceme: Alexis Arguello, Boxing Skills and Not Just Your Ordinary Bubba
In 2005, Busceme was involved in an accident while crossing over an 8ft seawall near his home in South America. Ever the keep fit fanatic, he would swim for hours at a time and run 6 miles a day. He fell from the wall as he returned home and crashed onto the limestone rocks below. It would be many months later before the effects of the fall would become evident. He began to have a tingling sensation in his fingers and his legs would go week. Initially he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease but an MRI later showed fractured vertebrae and damage to around the spinal cord. He would require potentially debilitating surgery. "On the day of the operation, my neurosurgeon asked if I'd like her to get me a walker "Busceme recalled "and I told her 'Hell no'. I said I was going to beat this thing as I'm walking out of her office holding onto walls and furniture". It took Bubba 2 grueling years to recover but recover he did. Today, James Bubba Busceme can be found each morning walking the beach in San Pedro located on the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye in Belize. He may have undervalued the gift that was given to him in the ring but, when it came to his fight for recovery, Bubba Busceme is a true champion.

Videos

Flips | Ambergris Caye, 3min. Hanging out with friends, doing some flips in the Sea.

Queen Christmas , 1min. Queen Elizabeth II Christmas message. Video is courtesy of the BBC.

X'tan Ha Resort, 4min. SkyCam

Belize Cave Tubing, 2min.

Fun At The Pool - Coco Beach, Belize, 2.5min.

Snorkeling - Belize, 2.5min.

Christmas 2014, Placencia, Belize, 2.5min. by Mary Toy. Mary, Lukey Luke and Baby enjoy Christmas. Bernie just wants to sleep in, and Whistles is hunting elves.

Belize City Ramada Hotel and Resort in December, 12min. Last weekend before Christmas. From the Ramada Princess resort in Belize City Belize.

You Better Belize It!, 11min. Belize Trip 2014 - Ian Anderson's Caves Branch - Ambergris Caye.

Miami, Belize and Tulum, 4min. Our trip to Miami, Caye Caulker (Belize) and Tulum (Mexico).

12-19-14 Belize: Spotted Eagle Ray, 1min. Swimming with Spotted Eagle Ray

Rainy day bike ride in Belize, 1min. Riding around exploring the town of San Pedro in Ambergris Caye, Belize.