A 31-year-old man from Stann Creek was arrested and charged with the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl, according to police reports.
The man faces one count of rape of a child, two counts of incest, and six counts of sexual assault.
Authorities confirmed the charges were filed today, May 3.
Police are investigating a shooting that took place near Croton Lane in Belize City this morning, shortly after 9 a.m. The area is known to be part of PIV territory. The 27-year-old victim, Jimmy Rojas, was transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) for treatment.
Rojas is connected to the January 12, 2024, murder of Jose Matus, who was discovered dead in the driver’s seat of a GMC SUV with multiple gunshot wounds. Matus was pronounced dead at the scene, while two women, also wounded in the attack, were transported to the hospital for treatment.
Rojas’ father, Clay Mansanto, was also killed last year, shortly after Matus.
This is an ongoing investigation.
Less than a week after surviving a serious dump truck crash on April 28th, Adrian Williams says he is steadily recovering from the traumatic incident. The crash occurred when the truck’s brakes failed while exiting Frank’s Eddy Road, causing it to slam into a drain off the George Price Highway, leaving Williams pinned and critically injured.
Williams, who was accompanying a new driver in the fully loaded truck, said their efforts to slow the vehicle, including gearing down and using the emergency brake, were unsuccessful. “Nothing worked,” he said in a social media statement. The driver managed to escape, but Williams was trapped when the passenger door latch failed just before the truck slammed into a ditch.
“I was unconscious for a couple of minutes, and I began to shout for help,” he stated. Locals tried to free him, but he said his head was pinned between the dashboard and rear cab.
“I was drowning in my own blood because my nose was broken,” Williams said. After several attempts, he managed to release his head and was pulled out alive.
Williams said he suffered multiple skull fractures, facial injuries, and a dislocated shoulder but remains grateful. “My road to recovery begins. I’m sure it’s going to be a long journey, more mental than physical for me.”
UNESCO marked World Press Freedom Day 2025 with a sharp focus on the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on journalism, under the theme “Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media.”
According to UNESCO, while AI tools offer “efficiency, multilingual accessibility, and improved data analysis,” they also pose grave risks, including “AI-generated misinformation and disinformation, deepfake technology, biased content moderation, and surveillance threats to journalists.”
Meanwhile, the Media Institute of the Caribbean (MIC) released a parallel statement stating that AI challenges are compounded in the region by fragile economies, shrinking advertising revenues, and disaster vulnerability. MIC President Kiran Maharaj warned, “AI could democratise information access, but without guardrails, it may erode the financial sustainability of Caribbean media. We must advocate for equitable AI governance that prioritises public interest journalism.”MIC also pointed to the risk of AI-driven misinformation during crises and elections, calling for stronger safeguards and regional strategies. Vice President Wesley Gibbings stated, “Caribbean media must adopt AI-driven verification tools and invest in digital literacy programmes. Our survival depends on retaining public trust through accuracy and transparency.”
Both UNESCO and MIC stressed the urgent need for ethical rules and stronger regional cooperation to make sure AI helps, rather than harms, democracy and press freedom.
Global press freedom has reached its lowest point on record, a historical all-time low, according to the 2025 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). It described the media space as now officially in a “difficult situation” for the first time in the Index’s history. The Index shows that journalism is collapsing under financial strain, political interference, and the unchecked power of tech giants.
Each year on 3 May, World Press Freedom Day reflects the importance of a free press as the cornerstone of democracy, accountability, and informed public debate. However, economic fragility, not just violence or repression, is now the most dangerous threat to journalism worldwide. While journalists in the region may not regularly face imprisonment or death, they face intimidation, censorship, and online abuse that steadily undermine the integrity and independence of the press.
At the heart of this year’s report is an alarming decline in the financial stability of media outlets. According to RSF, media outlets in 160 of the 180 countries surveyed are either struggling to remain financially viable or unable to do so at all. Advertising monopolies by tech giants, opaque public subsidies, and growing ownership concentration are suffocating editorial independence and undermining journalistic integrity. RSF warns that without strong, transparent economic frameworks, the press cannot remain free, credible, or resistant to political and commercial influence.
The global map of press freedom is turning redder, with 42 countries now rated “very serious,” including Palestine, China, Eritrea, and North Korea. In Palestine, journalism is under siege amid military bombardment and information blackouts, with nearly 200 journalists killed. East Africa saw Uganda, Ethiopia, and Rwanda slip into the red zone, while Hong Kong joined China in the bottom tier for the first time.
In the Caribbean, press freedom is facing mounting pressures. Haiti (93rd) has seen a sharp decline amid deepening political and economic turmoil. Journalists face gang violence, kidnappings, and impunity for attacks, with the fall of Ariel Henry’s government in 2024 worsening the situation. Jamaica, while still the region’s highest-ranked at 32nd, fell 20 places.
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) dropped to 93rd from 55th, as political influence over editorial content grows.
Meanwhile, Belize has climbed to 47th in the 2025 Index, which reflects an improvement from its 54th position the previous year, according to RSF.
Journalists in the region often endure poor training, low pay, and lack of institutional support, conditions that especially drive women out of the profession, RSF reported. It added that though press freedom remains largely respected, there are physical attacks on journalists and the rise of online threats.
Argentina has fallen to 87th as President Javier Milei dismantles public media, while journalists in Peru, ranked 130th, and El Salvador, at 135th, are facing growing hostility. Mexico, now 124th, remains the most dangerous country in the region for reporters. Brazil, ranked 63rd, is showing signs of democratic recovery following the Bolsonaro era. While Nicaragua places at the bottom as the 172nd, it has all but eliminated its independent press.
Even in nations historically considered press-friendly, such as South Africa and New Zealand, the situation is worsening. The United States, ranked 57th, is collapsing into “news deserts,” and Trump’s second term has ushered in funding cuts that crippled global media initiatives.
Europe continues to lead globally, with Norway, Estonia, and the Netherlands topping the Index. However, RSF pointed out that even here, cracks are forming. Seven in ten European Union (EU)-Balkans countries experienced economic setbacks, and the much-anticipated European Media Freedom Act remains unimplemented. The gap between democratic strongholds and authoritarian regimes is widening, but even democracies are far from immune to the mounting economic and political pressures facing the free press.
RSF’s Index warns that without urgent and coordinated action to protect journalism’s financial independence, the light of press freedom is threatened to flicker out.
Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a 61-year-old mechanic who was gunned down on Thursday night in Belize City. Police report that the victim, Carlos Alvelar, was attacked shortly after 8 p.m. on Coney Drive by two men riding a motorcycle. Reports are that one of the assailants fired several shots at close range before fleeing the scene.
Officers arrived shortly after the incident and found Alvelar lying motionless. He was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
The motive behind the attack has not been determined , and no suspects have been detained.
Police are investigating an attempted robbery in Lord’s Bank Village that left a 49-year-old shop owner, Glenford Williams, hospitalised with a gunshot wound.
The incident occurred on Tuesday night as the victim was closing a local small shop. Williams reported that he was ambushed by two masked gunmen, one of whom opened fire at him, causing his injuries.
Reports are that the assailants fled the scene on foot and remain at large.
Williams was taken to Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he remains in stable condition.
Police processed the scene and recovered a single 9mm expended shell. No suspects have been arrested, and investigations are ongoing.
Labour Day, celebrated on different dates around the world but with the same purpose, is observed in Belize on May 1st to honour the men and women whose daily efforts fuel the nation’s economy and development.
“Today, we recognize and express gratitude for the contributions of our people through the various stages of our national development,” Prime Minister John Briceño said on social media.
Schools and most businesses remain closed as workers enjoy a midweek break. A well-deserved “day off” from the usual work routine serves as a quick reset.
While some Belizeans have voiced on social media that the day off comes ‘abruptly’ within the week just to “get back on the grind” on Friday, many others don’t have the privilege to enjoy.
Essential workers, such as doctors, nurses, medical laboratory technologists, police officers, firefighters, port workers, and other emergency responders, remain on duty. “You are the engine that drives our country forward,” the Leader of the Opposition, Tracy Panton said on her social media.
The contributions of essential workers is a stark reminder that even on a day meant for rest, some must continue to serve to keep the wheels going.So how can one show appreciation for loved ones working today, especially those in essential roles? Here are a few thoughtful ways to care for them:
Respect Their Rest Time
Let them sleep in or nap if they’re on night shifts or coming home exhausted.
The West Landivar community in Belize City is proudly welcoming home one of its own, Captain Howell Grange. He is hailed as a hero after his courageous actions during a harrowing mid-air hijacking incident in April. The residents are hosting a “hero’s homecoming celebration” this afternoon from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Bachelor Avenue.
“Join us to celebrate Captain Howell with your family and community,” the invitation stated. The neighbourhood comes together on Labour Day, a day to celebrate the contributions of working citizens. In this case especially, the West Landivar community is inviting everyone to join in saluting the bravery and resilience of a heroic pilot.
Grange was the pilot who found himself in a life-and-death situation when American veteran Akinyela Taylor, 49, hijacked a Tropic Air domestic flight on April 17. Taylor had entered Belize illegally and was involved in a string of incidents, including the assault of a police officer, before being released. During the flight, Taylor stabbed two passengers and pilot Grange. The ordeal lasted nearly two hours before one of the injured passengers, who was licensed to carry a firearm, shot and killed Taylor as the plane landed safely at the Philip Goldson International Airport. All three injured individuals survived.
In response to the hijacking, Tropic Air has implemented new security measures aimed at improving passenger safety. These include mandatory over-the-counter check-ins and gate checks for all travellers. While children are generally exempt from searches, they must still comply with security protocols if there is suspicion of concealed items.
More than 2,500 union members voted to move forward with industrial action on Wednesday, according to a Belize National Teacher’s Union (BNTU) announcement statement. “A powerful display of unity, participation, and commitment to democratic principles,” the BNTU added.
BNTU’s national president, Nadia Caliz, confirmed the union will proceed with a three-phase plan. Phase 1 involves a public demonstration, followed by a two-day national shutdown in Phase 2, escalating to a full strike in Phase 3.
The union is demanding a salary adjustment and an immediate increase in the minimum wage from $5 to $6 per hour. “We are willing to take the appropriate actions to ensure that government meets its obligation to the public sector,” said Coral Lord, Belize District President of the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU), following a strong turnout at the countrywide vote.
In an interview on Wednesday with the newly appointed Minister of Education (MOE), Oscar Requena, he reaffirmed BNTU and MOE’s “respectful and cordial relationship,” but added that he has not “seen or received any official communications from BNTU.”
Requena acknowledged long-standing issues, particularly around the appointment of teachers, dating back to legislative changes in 2012. “Significant work has been done on this process,” he said, adding that the ministry is actively working to resolve it.
Wednesday’s BNTU countrywide meeting stemmed from recent salary increases for top government officials, including a raise from $76,000 to $96,000 for the Cabinet Secretary and to $88,000 for Chief Executive Officers, a 15.7% increase.
The BNTU was not the only union to respond to the salary increases for the Cabinet Secretary and Chief Executive Officers. In an April 16 statement, the Public Service Union (PSU) condemned the adjustments, describing them as a “grotesque display of self-interest” and “parasitic enrichment.”
With its membership vote concluded and a plan in place, the BNTU is now preparing to move into the first phase of industrial action. The timeline for implementation has not yet been announced.
