Santo Domingo.- Scientists and laboratory personnel in the Dominican Republic are participating in a biosafety and biosecurity course aimed at strengthening their capacities and raising awareness about preventing the proliferation of biological weapons and their delivery systems. The course, coordinated by the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE), is being held with the support of the Ministry of Defense. It focuses on UN Security Council Resolution 1540 and the Biological Weapons Convention.

During the course’s opening, Ambassador Aracelia Azuara emphasized the importance of proper and safe handling of biological components to protect lives and the need for strong scientific networks with well-trained technical personnel. She also mentioned the uncertainties surrounding the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic and the concern over potential biological weapons.

Brigadier General Francisco Ovalle Pichardo, the national contact point for Resolution 1540, highlighted the evolving nature of warfare, including hybrid conflicts and media-based wars facilitated by social networks. He reaffirmed the Dominican Republic’s commitment to security, peace, and the agreements under the Biological Weapons Convention.

José Antonio Matos, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Public Health, and Enya Daniela Ramírez Castillo of CICTE stressed the importance of increasing knowledge and training high-level officials to prevent and control biological weapons, ensuring a safer country.

The course also covers crisis management exercises for biological accidents, the treatment of epidemics like H1N1, and a comprehensive review of Resolution 1540 based on the events of 2016. The aim is to strengthen capabilities and promote a safer environment in the face of biological threats.

Kelvin Regalado, for example, is facing charges related to the possession and distribution of various drugs, including carfentanil, heroin, fentanyl, and ketamine. According to the United States Department of Justice, Regalado conspired to deliver significant amounts of heroin and carfentanil to cooperating witnesses in multiple states.

Carfentanil is primarily used as a veterinary anesthetic for large animals such as elephants and bears. Its controlled and restricted use is due to its extreme potency, and any trade outside approved uses is illegal and highly dangerous. Handling the substance requires strict safety measures, including protective gloves, glasses, and masks, as even skin contact can be lethal.

Reports indicate that carfentanil poses significant risks not only to individuals who consume it but also to rescuers, medical personnel, and even drug-sniffing dogs. Inhaling its vapors can lead to immediate collapse, necessitating urgent treatment with drugs like Narcan, which contains naloxone to counteract acute opioid intoxication.

Carfentanil, first synthesized in the 1970s, is known for its minuscule lethal dose compared to fentanyl. While 2 milligrams of fentanyl can trigger an overdose, just 0.02 milligrams of carfentanil are sufficient to produce lethal effects. The potency and dangers associated with carfentanil make it a significant concern in the fight against illicit drug trafficking.

The first new Alzheimer’s treatment in 20 years was given full FDA approval earlier this month — and now two patients who participated in the clinical trials have spoken about their personal experience with the drug to Fox News Digital.

Lecanemab, sold under the brand name Leqembi, works by reducing amyloid plaques in the brain, which is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s. 

In early trials, the drug was shown to slow cognitive decline by 27%.

FDA FULLY APPROVES 'NOVEL' ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE DRUG LEQEMBI, WILL BE COVERED BY MEDICARE

Two Ohio patients who participated in the trials recently spoke to Fox News Digital about how Leqembi has impacted their Alzheimer’s journeys — and changed their lives.

Joan Murtaugh, 77, lives in Lakewood, Ohio, with her husband, Larry. 

She first started noticing memory problems nearly seven years ago, just after her 70th birthday.

"Timing is everything," her husband, Larry Murtaugh, told Fox News Digital in an interview. "It was Joan who made an appointment at the brain center clinic."

In 2017, Murtaugh was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. 

The next year, after having a 3-D MRI and spinal tap, she learned that she had an enzyme in her spinal fluid that predicted a 65% chance of getting Alzheimer’s in her lifetime. 

In February 2020, Murtaugh received some good news: She was eligible to participate in a double-blind study trial for a new drug, Leqembi, at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. 

"I assume it was because it was obvious there was some plaque in my brain, which they realized was causing Alzheimer’s," Murtaugh told Fox News Digital.

This was Phase 3 of the clinical trial, which included some 1,800 people worldwide. Murtaugh was one of only eight people to receive the drug at Cleveland Clinic.

A few months later, she began getting twice-monthly infusions of what was either a drug or a placebo.

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE IS MOST COMMON IN THESE US COUNTIES, NEW STUDY FINDS

To this day, Murtaugh still doesn’t know if she was getting the real thing or a placebo — she won’t find out until the very last person has received the very last dose of the double-blind study. Yet she said she "has a hunch."

"I am fully functional — I’m still doing everything I always did," Murtaugh said. 

"I can still drive my car, shop, garden, cook, read — all those things."

Throughout the entire trial period, Murtaugh said she never got any worse. She just experienced the same mild symptoms she’d had before starting the drug — and she may have even improved a bit. 

Although Leqembi has been linked to some potential side effects, she experienced none.

"When you first hear the word ‘Alzheimer’s,’ a chill goes through you — it’s like you’re looking into a dark abyss," Murtaugh said. 

"But this new drug offers great hope."

VISION PROBLEMS COULD MEAN HIGHER DEMENTIA RISK, STUDY FINDS: 'EYE HEALTH AND BRAIN HEALTH ARE CLOSELY LINKED'

In September 2021, the trial portion of the study ended and Murtaugh was eligible to start receiving the actual medication, which she still takes today. 

Instead of the lengthy infusions, she now gets the medication via an EpiPen injection once a week with the help of her husband.

The drug is currently covered by Medicare, which means Murtaugh gets it for free — and she hopes that will continue for the foreseeable future.

While the Murtaughs realize that the future may bring challenges, they regard Leqembi as "a ray of sunshine in a very cloudy sky."

Paired with other approaches such as cognitive speech therapy, they’re optimistic that the drug will continue to keep Alzheimer’s symptoms at bay.

"We’re not going to declare victory, but we’re on the right path and we have the right team at Cleveland Clinic," said Larry Murtaugh. 

"It’s not a miracle, but it’s gradual progress."

A retired attorney in Aurora, Ohio, John Domeck was just 57 years old when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

The people around him — his colleagues at the law office and his family at home — started noticing his memory lapses before he did.

After 30 years of never having to take many notes at work, Domeck, now 61, had started to write things down to avoid forgetting them.

"Over time, I wasn't able to continue doing as much work as quickly as I once did," he told Fox News Digital during an interview.

His wife of 40 years, Ann Domeck, had also started noticing some red flags at home, but said the last thing they expected was Alzheimer's disease.

The Domecks made an appointment at Cleveland Clinic for some cognitive testing, which led to a spinal tap and, ultimately, an Alzheimer’s diagnosis in July 2019.

Domeck’s wife, a TV news producer in Cleveland, left her job to help care for her husband.

Given Domeck’s young age and early-stage decline, a Cleveland Clinic doctor told him he was the perfect candidate for a clinical trial for a new Alzheimer’s drug.

For 18 months, Domeck went in for twice-monthly infusions, which lasted up to six hours per session — without knowing whether he was getting the drug or the placebo.

A year ago, he was switched to the "open-label" Leqembi medication, which he takes via injection at home once a week.

SURPRISING BRAIN BOOST: BRUSHING YOUR TEETH MAY REDUCE THE RISK OF DEMENTIA, NEW STUDY SUGGESTS

The Domecks suspect that John has been on the drug the entire time, as he has not declined much at all in the past four years.

"Everyone's like, he had to have been getting it before — he's doing so well," Ann Domeck said. "His cognitive deficits have only increased minimally. After four years of Alzheimer’s, his scores should be a lot lower."

"The fact that he’s still able to maintain his day-to-day activities and do the things that he enjoys is just so promising," she added.

"John gets up and drives and golfs and reads every day," she said. "He got to see our son get married, and we’re planning to visit our daughter in Europe."

Throughout the process, the Domecks said they have been "astounded" by the compassion and support of their care team at Cleveland Clinic.

"They're professionals, and they know their stuff about Alzheimer's, but they're also some of the nicest people we've ever met," Ann Domeck said. 

While the couple understand that Leqembi is not a cure, they’re more optimistic now than they were a few years ago. 

"Alzheimer's kind of rocked our world, and this drug kind of rocked it back a little bit the other way," said Ann Domeck. 

After initially being "shell-shocked" by the unexpected diagnosis, the Domecks feel that the drug has given them time they were told not to expect.

"I thank God every day that we got in this trial," Ann Domeck said. "It's the best thing that's happened to us."

While it's the first Alzheimer’s drug to receive full FDA approval in 20 years, Leqembi is also the first medication to target the underlying disease and not just the symptoms, explained Dylan Wint, M.D., director of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Leqembi is approved only for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment or early-stage Alzheimer's for people who have been shown to have amyloid plaques in the brain.

"Lecanemab labels abnormal amyloid and tells the immune cells to remove those fibers from the brain," Wint told Fox News Digital. 

In testing, about two-thirds of patients went from amyloid positive to amyloid negative — and cognitive and functional decline was 27% slower for study participants compared to those on placebo, the doctor said.

AI GIVES DOCTORS PERSONALIZED TREATMENT PLANS FOR DEMENTIA PATIENTS

"Taking this drug is a long-term commitment," said Wint. "Doctors need to make sure the patient can tolerate this rigorous regimen — intravenous infusions every two weeks for 18 months, interspersed with MRI scans and memory testing."

More care and support are needed for people with moderate and severe Alzheimer’s disease and their families, not to mention people with other forms of dementia, he added.

As with any medication, lecanemab can have some side effects. 

Most commonly, it can cause various brain reactions, like swelling and bleeding, explained Manisha Parulekar, M.D., co-director of Hackensack University Medical Center’s Center for Memory Loss & Brain Health in New Jersey.

"Patients will have to stop the medication if these changes are noted on MRIs," Parulekar told Fox News Digital. "People who are taking multiple blood thinners will not be able to take Leqembi."

Headaches and confusion are also commonly reported. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Now that Leqembi is fully approved, Medicare will cover the medication, with other insurance companies likely to follow, said Parulekar.

"Without Medicare or insurance, the out-of-pocket costs are around $26,000 per year," she noted. 

Alzheimer’s disease involves many complex factors, Wint noted, and the new medication targets just one factor: amyloid. 

"While this new approach is excellent news, removing amyloid is not a cure," he said. 

"We still need to find better symptomatic and disease-modifying treatments in the future." 

Leqembi is most effective when combined with existing treatments, said Wint, including symptomatic medicines, rehabilitation and family support.

Santo Domingo.- According to the Minister of Public Health, Daniel Rivera, there is no presence of fentanyl in the population addicted to drugs in the Dominican Republic. He stated that there are no records of fentanyl in autopsy reports, and the National Directorate for Drug Control has not seized any of it.

Rivera emphasized that medical-grade fentanyl, which is not mixed with other substances, does not pose risks as seen in Mexico and other countries where it is used illicitly alongside synthetic drugs for recreational purposes.

The minister clarified that the fentanyl entering the country for medical purposes is well controlled by the Drug Directorate and is directly distributed to clinics, with no access for individuals to purchase it at pharmacies.

Rivera also highlighted the assistance program implemented by the Ministry of Public Health called “Ruta de la Salud” (Health Route). This program was developed based on a study revealing that 32% of the population suffers from high blood pressure, 12% have diabetes, and 70% are obese or overweight.

He mentioned that Monte Cristi has the highest prevalence of hypertension, with 50% of the population affected. As a result, the Health Route will focus on that region in the upcoming week.

The Health Route program provides the population with 35 different types of care, including check-ups, diagnostic tests, and treatments. Recent visits to Azua revealed a 37% prevalence of hyperglycemia in the population. However, through the treatments provided, the risks of cardiovascular events and heart attacks are being reduced.

Given the high levels of obesity in the Dominican population, the Health Route includes a one-hour walk as part of the program in different cities each week. This initiative aims to address the fact that 93% of people do not engage in regular physical exercise.

“So far this year, 5 people have died by suicide, and that number is too many”

View the full post Ministry of Social and Community Development: Statement on suicide on NOW Grenada.

The World Health Organization (WHO) released its official statement this week on the potential health risks of aspartame, with a committee classifying the non-sugar, low-calorie sweetener as "possibly carcinogenic to humans."

Many industry experts, however, are speaking out in defense of aspartame, which is commonly used in diet sodas, chewing gum, some dairy products and many other low-calorie foods and beverages.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a cancer-focused organization within WHO, was the agency that called out the sweetener’s potential cancer risk.

BYPRODUCT OF SUCRALOSE, A CHEMICAL IN SPLENDA, FOUND TO CAUSE 'SIGNIFICANT HEALTH EFFECTS' IN NEW STUDY

The IARC uses five different levels of cancer risk: Group 1, "carcinogenic to humans"; Group 2A, "Probably carcinogenic to humans"; Group 2B: "Possibly carcinogenic to humans"; Group 3, "Unclassifiable as to carcinogenicity in humans"; and Group 4, "Probably not carcinogenic to humans."

Aspartame was placed in Group 2B based on "limited evidence" of causing cancer in humans and animals — particularly a type of liver cancer, the press release stated.

In the same announcement, the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), another group within WHO, seemed to contradict the IARC’s classification.

"JECFA also considered the evidence on cancer risk, in animal and human studies, and concluded that the evidence of an association between aspartame consumption and cancer in humans is not convincing," the press release stated.

The acceptable daily intake (ADI) of aspartame remains 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, JECFA also said. That amount is the equivalent of nine cans of 12-ounce diet soda per day for a 150-pound person.

(The FDA recommends an even higher ADI, at 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.)

UTERINE CANCER DEATHS COULD SOON OUTNUMBER DEATHS FROM OVARIAN CANCER, ONCOLOGIST SAYS: ‘WE NEED TO DO BETTER’

"Our results do not indicate that occasional consumption should pose a risk to most consumers," Dr. Francesco Branca, director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at the WHO, stated during a press conference in Geneva.

Dr. Mona S. Jhaveri, a biotech scientist and cancer researcher in Ridgefield, Connecticut, told Fox News Digital that the likelihood of getting cancer depends on the types and the number of carcinogens that one is exposed to, as well as genetic factors. 

"Carcinogens can work either alone or in combination with other substances," she said. 

Often, she added, "people who are subject to multiple carcinogens can increase their risk of getting cancer exponentially."

Many industry experts maintain that aspartame is still safe for consumption — including the FDA, which released a statement refuting the cancer risk.

"The FDA disagrees with IARC’s conclusion that these studies support classifying aspartame as a possible carcinogen to humans," the statement read. 

"FDA scientists reviewed the scientific information included in IARC’s review in 2021 when it was first made available and identified significant shortcomings in the studies on which IARC relied."

"We note that JECFA did not raise safety concerns for aspartame under the current levels of use and did not change the acceptable daily intake (ADI)."

Additional agencies, including the European Food Safety Authority and Health Canada, have also deemed aspartame to be safe at the current recommended levels, the FDA added.

"Aspartame is one of the most studied food additives in the human food supply," the FDA stated. 

"FDA scientists do not have safety concerns when aspartame is used under the approved conditions."

Dr. Arnold Baskies, a New Jersey-based surgical oncologist and past chairman of the National Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society — he's also a member of the Coalition for Safe Food and Beverage Choices Expert Advisory Committee — pointed out that the WHO agencies, IARC and JECFA, reviewed previous research. They did not review new evidence.

"The WHO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives’ (JECFA) review says that aspartame is safe for human consumption," Baskies said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. "JECFA is the authoritative international agency when it comes to food safety."

The FDA relies on JECFA’s assessments as part of its process of determining the safety and risks of foods and beverages, Baskies noted.

POPULAR ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER, ERYTHRITOL, COULD RAISE RISK OF HEART ATTACK AND STROKE: STUDY

"It is irresponsible to needlessly scare or confuse people," he said. "If there was any cause for concern, they would have adjusted the current acceptable daily intake (ADI)."

The Calorie Control Council (CCC) in Atlanta, Georgia, also spoke out in defense of aspartame as a safe food additive.

"The JECFA ruling not only confirms the four decades of science concluding aspartame is safe, but also provides real-life ‎context around the safe consumption of this ingredient," said Robert Rankin, president of the CCC, in a statement sent to Fox News Digital.

Any risk is highly unlikely given the JECFA’s guidelines for recommended daily intake, Rankin also said.

"The average 150-pound person would need to consume about 14 12-oz. cans of diet beverages or about 74 packets of aspartame-containing tabletop sweetener every day over the course of their life to raise any safety concern," Rankin said.

"Obviously, that level of consumption is not realistic or recommended, nor is it ‎aligned with the intended use of these ingredients."

Regarding IARC describing aspartame as "possibly cancer-causing," Rankin stated that IARC is not a regulatory agency or food safety authority, and said that its classification is "misleading, inaccurate and [constitutes] fearmongering."

He said, "IARC looks for substances that could potentially cause cancer without considering actual dietary intake, and has found many things, such as drinking hot water and working at night, to be probably carcinogenic."

ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD CONSUMPTION LINKED TO HIGHER RISK OF DEATH FROM OVARIAN, BREAST CANCERS: NEW STUDY

"It is not only wrong, but potentially damaging to certain populations to position IARC’s report alongside true scientific and regulatory agencies like JECFA, the Food and Drug Administration, and the European Food Safety Authority," Rankin added.

Dr. Ernest Hawk, head of the Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, also spoke to Fox News Digital about aspartame’s safety.

"IARC classified aspartame as ‘possibly carcinogenic to humans’ based on limited evidence for cancer in humans and experimental animals, and limited evidence that it might behave as a carcinogen," he said. 

"Because all of the evidence was limited, aspartame was added to WHO’s list of possible carcinogens."

The list begins with 126 agents known to be carcinogenic in humans (including tobacco and alcohol) and 94 agents that are "probably carcinogenic" — followed by 322 agents that are "possibly carcinogenic," Hawk explained.

"Aspartame will now be included in that final group, but keep in mind that none of those have been convincingly proven to cause cancer," he added.

The FDA, the National Cancer Institute, the American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Society all have evaluated the same evidence in the past, and all of them concluded that there was no clear evidence that artificial (non-nutritive) sweeteners cause cancer when consumed at typical levels, Hawk said.

While he believes that the WHO agencies did a careful review and have the public’s best interest in mind, Hawk called for additional research on the long-term health risks of consuming non-sugar sweeteners.

The FDA and other health agencies do not agree that aspartame is a cancer risk, so some medical professionals recommend using sugar instead of artificial sweeteners.

"Although it’s approved by regulatory bodies, potential risk factors are associated with preferring aspartame over sugar," noted Jhaveri.

SUGAR SUBSTITUTES NOT ADVISED FOR WEIGHT LOSS OR DISEASE PREVENTION, SAYS WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

"Sensitivities or allergies to aspartame can result in adverse reactions, and excessive consumption may contribute to weight gain due to heightened cravings for sweet edibles," she said.

For some people, aspartame may cause physical symptoms that include headaches, dizziness, digestive ailments and allergic responses, Jhaveri noted.

"Avoiding aspartame when possible and opting for natural sugars in fruits and vegetables is prudent," she said. 

In May, the WHO advised against the use of non-sugar sweeteners like aspartame for the purposes of controlling body weight or lowering the risk of non-communicable diseases.

"Replacing free sugars with NSS does not help with weight control in the long term," said Branca, the WHO’s director for nutrition and food safety, in a press release at the time. 

SUGAR SUBSTITUTES MAY INTERFERE WITH LIVER’S ABILITY TO DETOXIFY, RESEARCHERS SAY

For the general public, Hawk recommended "paying attention to the science" as it continues to develop regarding the possible health consequences of artificial sweeteners.

"In the meantime, continue to work on consistently eating a balanced, healthy diet that contains whole foods that are high in nutrient density," he suggested.

People with a rare inherited disorder called phenylketonuria (PKU) should avoid aspartame, medical experts say.

Those with PKU don’t have the enzyme to break down an amino acid called phenylalanine, so it builds up in the body. 

Consuming foods and drinks with aspartame can cause dangerous levels of phenylalanine that can lead to serious health issues, according to the Mayo Clinic’s website.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Aspartame-containing products will include a warning on the label stating "PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE." 

Anyone with PKU should avoid any food or drink with this warning.

View the full post Counselling needed for youthful Grenadians on NOW Grenada.

President Irfaan Ali on Thursday appealed to Canada to set up a training institution in Guyana to train Guyanese as nurses for the local, Caribbean and Canadian markets, as the South American nation grapples with a serious shortage of that category of health workers due to migration. “We encourage Canadian accredited institutions to establish their ...

View the full post Health authorities monitor Monkeypox in Trinidad and Tobago on NOW Grenada.

Posted: Thursday, July 13, 2023. 2:15 pm CST.

By Zoila Palma Gonzalez: The National Tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) program in collaboration with Spouses of CARICOM Leaders Action Network -SCLAN is conducting the first cohort group of Trainer of Trainers workshop.

The workshop focuses on HIV and Tuberculosis testing strategies and is being held this week in Belmopan. 

The objective of the 3-day workshop is to update participants on new testing strategies and guidelines for the prevention, early diagnosis and appropriate referral to care and treatment of Tuberculosis, HIV and other STIs.

Deputy Director of Hospital Services and Allied Health Dr. Francis Morey encouraged health officers to become familiar with the information shared and also with colleagues countrywide to be able to support each other.

He also spoke on the need for better integration of care especially in the area of mental health.

The participants are expected to return to their regions and conduct similar training.

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Belize ~ We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages. Your content is delivered instantly to thousands of users in Belize and abroad! Contact us at mаrkеtіng@brеаkіngbеlіzеnеwѕ.соm or call us at 501-601-0315.

© 2023, BreakingBelizeNews.com. Content is copyrighted and requires written permission for reprinting in online or print media. Theft of content without permission/payment is punishable by law.

jQuery(function() {var $breakslider2091387321 = jQuery( ".break-slider-2091387321" );$breakslider2091387321.on( "unslider.ready", function() { jQuery( "div.custom-slider ul li" ).css( "display", "block" ); });$breakslider2091387321.unslider({ delay:4000, autoplay:true, nav:false, arrows:false, infinite:true, animation:'fade', speed:0 });$breakslider2091387321.on("mouseover", function(){$breakslider2091387321.unslider("stop");}).on("mouseout", function() {$breakslider2091387321.unslider("start");});});

jQuery(function() {var $breakslider520544236 = jQuery( ".break-slider-520544236" );$breakslider520544236.on( "unslider.ready", function() { jQuery( "div.custom-slider ul li" ).css( "display", "block" ); });$breakslider520544236.unslider({ delay:4000, autoplay:true, nav:false, arrows:false, infinite:true, animation:'fade', speed:0 });$breakslider520544236.on("mouseover", function(){$breakslider520544236.unslider("stop");}).on("mouseout", function() {$breakslider520544236.unslider("start");});});

jQuery(function() {var $breakslider321760903 = jQuery( ".break-slider-321760903" );$breakslider321760903.on( "unslider.ready", function() { jQuery( "div.custom-slider ul li" ).css( "display", "block" ); });$breakslider321760903.unslider({ delay:4000, autoplay:true, nav:false, arrows:false, infinite:true, animation:'fade', speed:0 });$breakslider321760903.on("mouseover", function(){$breakslider321760903.unslider("stop");}).on("mouseout", function() {$breakslider321760903.unslider("start");});});

window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-a',
container: 'taboola-below-article-thumbnails-',
placement: 'Below Article Thumbnails',
target_type: 'mix'
});

The post Health officers engage in HIV and Tuberculosis testing strategies workshop appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.