Benita Keme-Palacio - Greater Belize Media

At Least Six Dogs Killed in Kings Park Bee Attack

Residents of the Kings Park area in Belize City are being urged to stay indoors after a swarm of bees attacked and killed at least six dogs in the neighbourhood.

The incident occurred early this morning along Sixth Street in the Kings Park Area. Local resident Steve Mahler told News 5 that he woke up just after 8:00 a.m. to find all six of his dogs “dead and swell up.”

He said, “A young man who worked for me came, and he called me immediately and told me that when he entered the yard, he noticed my 6 dogs, and all of them were dead. He said that when he entered the yard, the bees attacked him. At the same time, a man who was working downstairs for me, the bees also attacked him.”

According to Mahler, the bees are coming from an abandoned house owned by the Anglican Church on that same street. The property has not been properly maintained and has become a public hazard.

“The last time I called the city council, they came and clean it out and chop it down and so, but nobody go in the house like that except for some people, like some guys who go there to smoke weed or something,” he said.

Mahler added that he made several attempts to get help from the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) and was told that officials were unavailable due to the annual National Agriculture and Trade Show happening this weekend in Belmopan.

“Then somebody else called back and said they could get a private exterminator to come and deal with it for me, but the person who he was going to send works at BAHA, but then he wanted me to pay around $1000 and more depending on what’s going on. But I said that this property belowngs to the Anglican church. The property is abandoned. There’s nobody there,” Mahler said. “They just tell me to stay in the house and no come out because the bees might rise up again since they rose up this morning.”

He added that other animals in the area were also affected. “My daughter passed by the house and saw other animals that died. A guy had a horse outside, but he managed to get him out.”

Mahler said that the city mayor, Bernard Wagner, confirmed that a private exterminator will be visiting the area to address the issue this afternoon. Meanwhile, residents are being advised to stay inside, especially children and pets, as the bees may become aggressive again.

13 Weather Stations to Strengthen Climate and Disaster Readiness in Rural Belize

Thirteen new weather stations are being installed across rural Belize to strengthen climate monitoring and improve support for the country’s agricultural resilience and emergency response capacity.

According to a statement by the Ministry of the Public Service, Governance and Disaster Risk Management, six stations have been installed and four upgraded. “Once completed by June 30, the 13 weather stations will provide detailed, real-time weather data from all 13 communities in the RRB project area, including San Carlos, Yo Chen, Libertad, Yo Creek, Santa Martha, Nago Bank, La Gracia, San Antonio, Red Bank, Barranco, San Jose, etc.,” the ministry said.

The sensors will help provide up-to-date weather information to farmers and improve the National Meteorological Service’s (NMS) ability to track weather and share useful forecasts with the “agriculture and other climate-sensitive sectors in key rural communities.”

The ministry also announced that the next step in the project will be upgrading and launching the NMS’s first mobile app, which would give farmers and the public access to real-time weather updates, climate information, and early warning alerts.

The initiative is being implemented by the Government of Belize through the Ministry of Economic Transformation and the Resilient Rural Belize (RRB) Programme, with funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

Family of Five Loses Home to Bushfire

A family of five lost their home and all belongings after a bushfire destroyed their wooden house during a three-day blaze in Trio Village, Toledo, on Thursday. “This has hit the family members very hard… as they lost their house and everything that they had inside,” a local resident said on social media.

Footage shows neighbours using buckets and water pumps to prevent the fire from spreading further.

Residents are urging that villagers be mindful when burning close to homes. “Let’s try to keep our surroundings as clean as possible, especially during this dry season, as bushfires can spread easily,” the resident added. “For the past 3 days, bushfires have been affecting us.”

Anyone able to assist the affected family can contact Marivela Muku at 660-8038.

They were busted with 17 pounds of Weed

A couple from Ladyville was arrested on Friday night after they were caught transporting over eight kilograms of cannabis on a public bus.

The incident occurred during a routine bus trip from Orange Walk to Belize City. While the bus was refuelling at a 24-hour gas station on the Philip Goldson Highway, a police constable onboard noticed a strong smell of cannabis. His attention was drawn to a man and woman seated a few rows behind the driver, with two bags on them.

A search of the bags led to the discovery of eight transparent parcels containing suspected cannabis. The couple was immediately removed from the bus and taken to the nearest police station for processing.

Authorities confirmed that the suspects are residents of Ocean Drive in Ladyville. Police say the couple will be formally charged with Possession of Controlled Drugs with Intent to Supply.

64-Year-Old Green Card Holder Released from 3-Month ICE Detention

A 64-year-old health worker legally residing in the United States for five decades was released from immigration custody on Thursday after being detained at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in February.

NBC News reported that Lewelyn Dixon, a lab technician at the University of Washington, had been held at the Northwest ICE Processing Centre in Tacoma for three months. A judge ruled she does not meet the criteria for deportation.

“It was horrific; it was awful,” Dixon said outside the facility, according to NBC News. “It is crowded — super crowded. They release maybe nine, bring back seven, and release one; they bring three.”

Dixon, a green-card holder since her teens, was returning from a visit to the Philippines when she was detained. NBC News added that her attorney, Benjamin Osorio, said the arrest stemmed from a 2000 embezzlement conviction related to her work at Washington Mutual Bank.

“She turned it all around,” said her niece, Lani Madriaga. “She really worked hard and focused on health care, where it’s about helping the community.”

Now reunited with family, Dixon is looking to obtain U.S. citizenship and continue supporting detainees she met in custody.

Supreme Court Lets Trump End Humanitarian Parole for Migrants

More than half a million migrants living legally in the United States now face deep uncertainty after the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to move forward, for now, with ending a Biden-era humanitarian programme.

The programme was introduced in 2022 and offered temporary legal status to people fleeing conflict and crisis in countries such as Venezuela, Haiti, Cuba and Nicaragua. Its goal was to create a safer, more orderly process for migration and to reduce dangerous border crossings.

The court issued an unsigned order today, granting the administration’s emergency request to end the scheme, even as legal challenges continue in the lower courts. The justices gave no reasoning, a standard approach in emergency rulings, according to The New York Times.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissenting, warned the decision would have “devastating consequences,” disrupting the lives of “nearly half a million noncitizens while their legal claims are pending.”

The New York Times also reported that the lawyers for the migrants say the revocation is illegal and could inflict “immense… needless human suffering.”

Belize City Artists Unite to Inspire Youth with New Track “Changes”

A new music video titled “Changes” brought together three local artists to deliver a message of hope, hard work, and unity. Unlmtd, J Monie, and Vince the Prince collaborated on the track, which was produced under the guidance of Kenneth “Big Tom” Flowers from Rod Mack Records.

“We’re trying to show the youth that if you have a talent, you have to work behind it,” said Flowers. “My involvement is to make sure the youth stay positive and push that mindset forward.”

“A lot of us want the change, but we don’t want to work on it. We need to put in the work,” Unlmtd added.

The song addresses the struggles and mindsets that come with personal growth and societal change, encouraging young people to work hard and support one another.

Vince the Prince said that “The message we’re trying to send is to build hope and motivation. A lot of youths have dreams but get discouraged due to lack of support.”

No Foul Play Suspected in American’s Death

Police have confirmed there were no visible signs of injury or violence on the body of American national Fred Mason Hoffman, whose body was discovered late Thursday night on the Placencia Main Road.

Hoffman’s body was found wrapped in a sheet and lying at the roadside shortly before 10 p.m. Authorities responded to the scene around 9:51 p.m., where they identified the deceased. According to initial reports, Hoffman had last been seen alive earlier that morning.

Belize Sees Sharp Drop in Imports and Exports

Belize’s trade activity took a hit in April 2025, with both imports and exports seeing a year-on-year decline, according to the latest data from the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB).

Imports fell by 16%, down from $263.8 million in April 2024 to $221.5 million in April 2025. This drop was mainly due to reduced spending across several major categories. Imports into the Commercial Free Zone saw the largest fall, plummeting by $17.6 million to $25.8 million. Other notable decreases were recorded in ‘Other Manufactures’, ‘Food and Live Animals’, and ‘Machinery and Transport Equipment’.

Domestic exports also suffered a 21.9% drop, sliding from $56.9 million in April 2024 to $44.5 million this year. Although a large shipment of sugar was exported in April, sugar earnings still plunged by over 30% to $19 million, according to SIB. Revenues from molasses, bananas, and citrus products also declined.

Meanwhile, exports of red kidney beans more than tripled, and marine products rose by $0.7 million due to strong lobster and conch sales.

Over the first four months of 2025, imports fell 7.1% to $914.3 million, while exports declined 6.9% to $115.9 million, with sugar and molasses driving most of the downturn.

Food and Rent Push Up Prices in April

Belize’s national inflation rate rose by 1.3% in April 2025, driven mainly by rising food and home rental costs, according to the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB).

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 119.6 in April, up from 118.1 a year earlier. Food accounted for over half of the monthly price increase, with costs for bread, meats, fruits, and non-alcoholic beverages climbing. Juices saw the sharpest rise at 15.4%.

Home rental prices also contributed, up 2.3% compared to April 2024. LPG prices followed suit, with the cost of a 100-pound cylinder rising by $6.87. Personal care items and household cleaning products also recorded notable increases.

In contrast, fuel prices continued to fall. Premium and regular gasoline dropped by $0.49 and $0.89 per gallon respectively, while diesel prices fell by $1.21. Prices for mobile phones and communication equipment also declined.

SIB also reported that Belmopan and San Pedro recorded the highest inflation rates at 3.5%, while Independence Village saw a 2% decrease in consumer prices due to drops in food, fuel, and personal items.

Year-to-date inflation now stands at 1.6%, with prices for food, rent, and personal care items continuing to lead the upward trend.