December, 2024 - Channel 5 Belize

TikTok Set To Be Banned in the U.S.

TikTok’s future in the United States hangs in the balance after a federal appeals court upheld a law that could force the app to sell its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face a nationwide ban by January 19, 2025. The ruling affects over 170 million American users who rely on the platform for entertainment, news, and income.

While TikTok plans to appeal to the Supreme Court, experts suggest the app faces an uphill battle. “Given the conservative makeup of the court, it’s hard to see them not siding with national security concerns,” said Josh Schiller, a legal expert.

However, President-elect Donald Trump could provide a potential lifeline. Although Trump initially sought to ban TikTok, he recently stated in June—in a video posted to the platform itself—that he would “never ban TikTok.” Once he takes office in January, Trump may have the power to delay the ban, either by directing the Attorney General not to enforce the law or by declaring TikTok’s divestiture complete, potentially bypassing legal challenges.

For now, TikTok users are scrambling for alternatives to transfer. “TikTok is a huge part of my income,” said content creator Carrie Berk. Others are less concerned, with some believing that the app’s ban won’t happen due to its importance to small businesses.

The case could take months to unfold, but TikTok’s fate in the U.S. remains uncertain until January 19.

First-Ever Agricultural Drone Pilotage Course Wraps Up in Northern Belize

Twenty-six participants have successfully completed Belize’s first-ever “Introductory Course to Agricultural Drone Pilotage,” a 42-hour training program aimed at modernising the country’s agriculture sector.

The training, conducted by Mexico-based DRTX Drones from Quintana Roo, sought to enhance the use of agricultural drones in Belizean farming. The course focused on increasing yields, cutting operational costs, and reducing pilot errors that could damage valuable resources. By equipping Belizean farmers with drone pilotage skills, officials hope to boost efficiency, improve profitability, and modernise the agricultural sector, particularly in the Corozal and Orange Walk districts.

Participants included local farmers, representatives from the Sugar Industry Research and Development Institute (SIRDI), the Pesticides Control Board (PCB), the Ministry of Agriculture, and educators from secondary and tertiary institutions in the Corozal District.

They were trained in key areas such as drone operation, crop monitoring, mapping, air safety, and pesticide application.

The initiative, spearheaded by the Office of the Prime Minister and Ministry of Investment through its Investment Policy and Compliance Unit (IPCU), was carried out in collaboration with the Corozal Think Tank, DRTX Drones, the Ministry of Agriculture, Corozal ITVET, the Pesticides Control Board, the Department of Civil Aviation, and the Corozal Town Council.

GST Christmas Waiver: Here’s How It Works for Shoppers and Businesses

The Briceño Administration is introducing the first-ever General Sales Tax (GST) Christmas Waiver this year. A release from the government says that this aims to provide financial relief to Belizean shoppers while boosting local businesses. Here’s everything you need to know about how it works and how you can benefit.

What is the GST Christmas Waiver?

On December 14, 15, 21, and 22, 2024, shoppers across Belize will be able to buy ALL standard-rated goods at local retail stores without paying the 12.5% GST. This means lower prices at checkout for a wide range of everyday items.

In addition, for the entire month of December, certain holiday favorites — picnic shoulder hams, smoked ham legs, and imported turkeys — will be zero-rated, meaning no GST will apply to these products for the entire month.

How Does It Work for Shoppers?

If you’re shopping on the designated GST-free days (December 14, 15, 21, and 22), here’s what you need to know:

No GST added on immediate local retail purchases of standard-rated goods.

This applies only to purchases made and paid for on the spot. Items bought on credit, layaway, hire purchase, or consignment are NOT included.

Check your receipt! Make sure GST is not applied at checkout. If you spot any errors, report them to the Belize Tax Services Department.

What’s NOT included? Some items are not eligible for the waiver, including motor vehicles, gasoline, LPG, diesel, firearms, ammunition, cigarettes, and alcoholic beverages. Additionally, the waiver does not apply to services, only to physical goods.

How Does It Work for Businesses?

For GST-registered businesses, the process is simple and requires minimal adjustment. Here’s how to comply:

For POS systems and programmable cash registers, apply a 12.5% discount at checkout instead of reprogramming the system.

For basic cash registers, simply exclude GST from the final sales price on the eligible dates.

Businesses must still pay GST on imported goods at Customs, and GST continues to apply to wholesale purchases.

When filing GST returns for December 2024, zero-rated sales must be reported on line 110 of the return form, with supporting details on the sales made during the GST-free days.

Businesses can still recover input tax as usual for eligible purchases.

What Items Are Excluded from the GST Waiver?

Certain products are not covered by the GST waiver. These include:

Motor vehicles

Gasoline, diesel, and LPG

Firearms and ammunition

Alcoholic beverages

Cigarettes
Additionally, the waiver does not apply to services, such as professional fees, utilities, or other service-based transactions.

Why Is the Government Doing This?

The press release says this initiative is part of the Government of Belize’s broader effort to combat global inflation and provide direct relief to Belizeans facing the rising cost of living. At the same time, it aims to support local businesses by encouraging higher sales during the holiday season.

Need Help or Have a Complaint?

Shoppers and businesses alike are encouraged to contact the Belize Tax Services Department if they encounter any issues or have concerns about GST being improperly charged.

“Free at Last”: Syrians Across the World Celebrate the Fall of Assad Regime

Thousands of Syrians, many of them refugees who fled the brutal civil war, took to the streets of European cities on Sunday to celebrate the collapse of the Assad family’s half-century rule.

In Berlin, the heart of Europe’s largest Syrian diaspora, over 5,000 people gathered in the Kreuzberg district, waving opposition flags, chanting “Free Syria,” and singing in celebration. The air was filled with the sounds of car horns honking in support, and the crowd’s cries of “Allahu Akbar!” (God is Greatest) echoed through the streets. Children’s faces were painted in the colors of the Syrian national flag, adding a sense of hope and innocence to the occasion.

“Finally, we are free!” declared Bassam Al-Hamada, 39, beaming with joy amid the sea of revelers. Al-Hamada, a social worker who fled to Germany in 2016, described the moment as a long-awaited victory for Syrian exiles like himself.

“We’re happy. The dictatorship is over. Assad has gone,” said Ahmed, 39, a Syrian refugee in Berlin, who fled from Aleppo in 2015. His words were echoed by Ahmad al-Hallabi, 27, a mechanic from Aleppo, who recalled the horrors of war he witnessed before escaping to Germany. “Assad is the worst terrorist imaginable. I hope there’ll be peace now and that everything Assad and his men destroyed will be rebuilt,” al-Hallabi said.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has fled his country and arrived in Russia, according to Russian state media and two Iranian officials. The dramatic development follows a swift and decisive offensive by rebel forces who seized control of Damascus on Sunday, marking a stunning downfall for the leader who ruled Syria with an iron grip for over two decades.

The collapse of Assad’s regime signals a seismic shift in Syria’s political landscape. Since the 1970s, the al-Assad family has maintained an authoritarian hold on the nation, crushing opposition with brute force. After more than a decade of civil war, it took only a matter of days for rebel forces to achieve what years of conflict had not: the ousting of Bashar al-Assad.

Celebrations erupted in parts of Syria as news of Assad’s departure spread. “Our hearts are dancing with joy,” said Walaa Salameh, a 35-year-old resident of the Damascus area. “We can’t predict the future and anything is possible, but the most important thing is we got rid of this oppressive regime.”

The repercussions of Assad’s ousting have already spread beyond Syria’s borders. Israel’s military announced it had entered a demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights to safeguard its border amid the rapidly changing situation. Iraq also closed its Al-Qaim border crossing with Syria, citing national security concerns.

As Syria faces an uncertain future, its neighbors are bracing for potential aftershocks. The region has already seen how the collapse of authoritarian regimes can create power vacuums that extremist groups rush to fill. The world is now watching to see what kind of leadership emerges in Syria — and what that means for the broader Middle East.

Jay-Z Accused of Raping 13-Year-Old Girl in 2000

Jay-Z, the Grammy-winning rapper and entrepreneur whose real name is Shawn Carter, has been named in a civil lawsuit alongside music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, accusing them of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000.

The accuser, identified only as “Jane Doe,” alleges the assault occurred at a party following the MTV Video Music Awards in New York. The federal lawsuit, originally filed in October against Combs, was refiled Sunday to include Carter as a defendant.

According to the suit, Jane Doe claims she was driven to the party by a limousine driver who said she “fit what Diddy was looking for.” After being transported to a house with a U-shaped driveway, the teen was required to sign a document she believed was a nondisclosure agreement. She was not given a copy, the lawsuit states.

Once inside, she alleges, she witnessed partygoers using marijuana and cocaine. At some point, she says she was offered a drink that made her feel “woozy, lightheaded, and felt [like] she needed to lie down.” She went to a room to rest, according to the suit.

Shortly after, Combs and Carter allegedly entered the room, with Combs reportedly stating, “You are ready to party!” The suit claims Carter then forcibly removed her clothes and raped her as Combs and an unnamed female celebrity watched. Combs allegedly raped her as well while Carter and the woman observed.

In a statement issued Sunday, Jay-Z vehemently denied the allegations, calling them “idiotic” and accusing the accuser’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, of misconduct.

“These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!! Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree?” Carter said in a statement to NBC News. “These alleged victims would deserve real justice if that were the case.”

He further criticised the approach taken by the accuser’s legal team, claiming that he was being unfairly targeted. “You have made a terrible error in judgement thinking that all ‘celebrities’ are the same,” Carter added. “I’m not from your world. I’m a young man who made it out of the projects of Brooklyn. We don’t play these types of games. We have very strict codes and honor. We protect children.”

He noted that before the lawsuit was refiled, he received a letter from the plaintiff’s attorneys requesting a mediation to resolve the matter. Instead of engaging in mediation, Carter responded by filing a lawsuit against the attorneys, according to the court filing.

Briceño Administration Suspends GST for Holiday Shopping Days

It was announced on Open Your Eyes this morning the government’s intent to designate two weekends in December as GST-free.
Henry Usher, Minister of Public Service, Constitutional and Political Reform, and Michelle Longsworth, Director General at the Belize Tax Service, announced that certain items will be tax-free on specific days this December.

“It’s the season of giving, and it’s about giving back,” said Longsworth. She added, “We are now announcing that we will have GST tax-free days in December. This coming weekend, which is the 14th and 15th, Saturday and Sunday, and next weekend, the 21st and the 22nd. Weekends that are high spending in this month, these days will be GST free.”

Longsworth advises citizens to “ask for the receipts” to verify that the tax-free offer is being applied at the register. She added that this will take effect across Belize.

“In short, it’s local retail immediate and final sales, sales that you will pay for and take home with you,” Longsworth said. “The entire month of December, not only these GST tax-free days, from today you go out and buy your imported turkey and imported ham; those are tax free,” Longsworth added.

“This is a targeted initiative… a targeted relief efforts for the consumers, for the Belizean citizens,” Usher said.
Certain products will not be included in the tax exemption, such as cigarettes, alcohol, fuel, firearms, and vehicles.

This initiative is valid from December 9 through to the 31st.

Relative of Driver Ruduel Parham Speaks Out

A relative of Ruduel Parham, the driver of the Toyota Corolla involved in the deadly crash on the George Price Highway, has shared details about his final moments and the devastating impact on the family. According to the relative, Parham left early in the morning to travel to Melchor de Mencos, Guatemala, in search of a vehicle part. Accompanying him on the trip was his sister-in-law, identified as Aimie Hernandez.

“We got the sad call that my nephew may be in the vehicle — that it had blown up and he was dead along with the rest that had passed away,” the relative recounted. “It hurts a lot because it’s my nephew that passed away.”

Clarifying reports circulating online, the relative stressed that Parham was not a taxi driver. “He wasn’t a taxi man. I don’t know where people got that information. It wasn’t a taxi — it was a private vehicle, and he was the driver,” the family member said.

The family is still grappling with unanswered questions about how so many people ended up in the vehicle, which was only supposed to be carrying Parham and his sister-in-law. “As far as we know, it was just the two of them that went to Melchor, not the others who also passed away,” the relative explained.

Describing the emotional toll on the family, the relative said, “As you can see, it’s nothing easy. It’s very hard. We didn’t expect to lose another family member in this tragic kind of way, but such is life.”

The crash involved a Toyota Corolla, a Ford Expedition, and a motorcycle. The Toyota Corolla, carrying nine passengers, collided with the motorcycle, causing a fiery explosion that killed everyone in the car and the motorcyclist. The victims have been identified as Ruduel Parham (driver), Shailer Lopez, Abigail Bradley, Keilin Pinelo, Jaheim Inglesias, Aimie Hernandez, Dennis Williams, Jasmine Rodriguez, and Jazelle Rodriguez. Two passengers in the SUV were critically injured, while the other two sustained minor injuries.

Relative Recounts Receiving Heartbreaking News of Fatal Crash

Shamela Pinelo, a relative of accident victims Keilin Pinelo and Abigail Bradley, shared the devastating experience of learning about their deaths. According to Pinelo, she first became concerned after receiving a call from her young niece, who was worried that her sister, who had gone to Melchor to shop, might have been involved in the accident. Efforts to contact Abigail were unsuccessful, and repeated calls went unanswered.

“I called her brother and I asked him if she was at home. He said he will go and check and when he checked, she wasn’t there.

Her fears grew when she finally got through to Abigail’s phone, only for a police officer to answer and advise her to come to the crash site. Pinelo says that at that moment, she already knew what awaited her. “If they were at the hospital, the police would have said to go to the hospital. I knew what I was coming to see.”

Upon arriving at the scene, Pinelo witnessed bodies on the highway.

Other families soon arrived, each met with the heart-wrenching task of identifying their loved ones. She described how interconnected the victims were, explaining that some were in-laws or relatives of her close family members.

Later that night, another family contacted her, searching for a missing brother who had been travelling with Pinelo’s niece and cousin. Pinelo accompanied the woman to the hospital and police station, where they too received the tragic news.

“It’s very heartbreaking,” Pinelo added.

Mayor Trapp Mourns Crash Victims, Calls for Stricter Traffic Laws

Mayor Earl Trapp, on behalf of the San Ignacio and Santa Elena Town Council, has extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the ten people who tragically lost their lives in a devastating road traffic accident on the George Price Highway.

Describing the incident as “the worst I have ever seen here in Belize,” Mayor Trapp expressed the profound grief felt by the community. “This municipality mourns the death of these 10 people. We are very much hurt and very much sorry that this happened,” he said.

The tragedy, which claimed the lives of nine passengers in a Toyota Corolla and one motorcyclist, has left a lasting impact on the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena.

Mayor Trapp says there is the urgent need for stronger enforcement of traffic laws. He called on local authorities and the government to take a more proactive stance on road safety. The mayor argued that while enforcing the law may upset some individuals, the ultimate goal is to save lives. “I think it’s high time that we, as leaders, begin to take these things very seriously and implement the laws because by implementing the laws, one or two people will get mad at you, but you know what? In the end we end up saving lives.”

Trapp says there is the need for more effective and consistent checkpoints, particularly those equipped with breathalysers.

ComPol Extends Condolences Following Tragic Highway Crash

Police Commissioner Chester Williams has expressed heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Belize Police Department to the families and loved ones affected by the fatal collision at mile 68 on the George Price Highway.

The crash claimed the lives of 10 people, including nine occupants of a Toyota Corolla taxi and a motorcyclist. Among the deceased are Ruduel Parham (the taxi driver), 31-year-old Shailer Lopez, 29-year-old Abigail Bradley, 24-year-old Keilin Pinelo, 19-year-old Jaheim Inglesias, Aimie Hernandez, 30-year-old Jasmine Rodriguez, and her daughter, Jazelle Rodriguez, and 21-year-old Dennis Williams.

The tragedy has left the nation in mourning and sparked widespread calls for improved road safety.

“This heartbreaking incident has left an immense void in our community, and our thoughts and prayers are with all those grieving the loss of their loved ones,” Commissioner Williams said. He also extended well-wishes to those injured in the crash, including two passengers of a Ford Expedition SUV who remain hospitalised in critical condition.

The Commissioner assured the public that the Police Department is collaborating with the Department of Transport to enhance highway safety for all users. He also urged motorists and motorcyclists to exercise extreme caution when travelling on Belize’s roadways.

“May the memories of those we lost bring comfort, and may we come together as a nation to offer strength and solace to those in mourning,” Williams stated.

The collision has reignited public discourse on road safety and overcrowding in vehicles after it was revealed that nine people were crammed into a five-seater Toyota Corolla.