Permanent representatives from nine of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies have jointly called on United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to advocate for Taiwan’s inclusion in the UN.
The letter, signed by representatives from Belize, Eswatini, Guatemala, the Marshall Islands, Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), and Tuvalu, urges the UN to address what the allies describe as “malicious distortions” of UN Resolution 2758. They argue that the misinterpretation of the resolution threatens peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the broader Indo-Pacific region.
China claims that the resolution supports its “one China” policy, asserting Taiwan as an “inalienable part” of its territory. However, Taiwan maintains that the resolution only pertains to China’s representation at the UN and does not define Taiwan’s political status or sovereignty.
The letter also calls for the UN to uphold neutrality and stop its current interpretation of Resolution 2758, which, the allies argue, unjustly prevents Taiwan and its media from participating in UN meetings and events.
The letter was submitted ahead of the UN’s upcoming Summit for the Future and the General Debate of the 79th session of the General Assembly.
Belize’s UN Representative, Carlos Fuller, highlighted the critical importance of Taiwan’s involvement in climate discussions, as it is one of the island nations most vulnerable to rising sea levels.
Authorities are seeking help to locate 73-year-old Eugene Leslie from Butter Cup Estate, Burrell Boom Village. Leslie has been missing since September 13, 2024, riding toward the main road outside the village.
He is described as having dark complexion and being of Creole descent. Leslie stands at approximately 59 inches tall and has a medium build.
At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing long blue jeans and a short-sleeved checkered shirt. His children have been searching local establishments with video cameras in hopes of retracing his steps. Leslie suffers from dementia.
Anyone with information regarding Eugene Leslie’s whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 922.
At just 17, Alaine Perdomo marked her presence at the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, where she urged global leaders to combat violence against children and promote digital literacy for girls.
As a talented young developer, Perdomo launched the innovative mobile app SafeScape in December 2023 with support from UNICEF.
The app provides crucial resources for victims of sexual assault and abuse, amplifying her mission today at the UN General Assembly.
President of the Jamaica Egg Farmers Association, Mark Campbell, told local media that Hurricane Beryl caused significant trauma to chickens, which led to a decrease in egg production of an average of 25% post-Hurricane Beryl.
Hurricane Beryl, a powerful Category 4 storm, slammed into Jamaica in early July. It brought fierce winds and heavy rain. With gusts reaching up to 130 mph (215 km/h), the storm has caused widespread damage, toppling trees and damaging buildings along the island’s southern coast.
Egg farmers continue to be affected. Chickens are not producing as many eggs as they usually would.
Campbell explained that they initially estimated the trauma and stress caused by the storm would take around 21 days for the birds to recover, as that’s the typical turnaround period for birds experiencing stress. However, he noted that it has far exceeded that timeframe.
Tonight, the family of twenty-three-year-old Alwyn Arnold is grieving after he was murdered in Orange Walk after the Independence Day celebrations. The Belize City laborer attended the carnival and was enjoying the evening with family and friends when an altercation between him and another individual resulted in Arnold’s fatal stabbing. Arnold was transported to the Northern Regional Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. News Five’s Britney Gordon reports.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
On Saturday, Belizeans at home and many others in the diaspora celebrated the forty-third anniversary of the country’s independence. For one family, the festivities were cut short when they got the news that a loved one had been viciously stabbed. Like many other Belize City residents, Alwyn Arnold traveled to Orange Walk to participate in the carnival festivities. Later that evening, he would be fatally injured.
Stephen Bain
Stephen Bain, Brother of Deceased
“My brothers attended the carnival in the Orange Walk district. We normally go every year. I normally go myself too, but this year I was not really feeling it too. Because I had other business to deal with in the city, so I did not accompany them this year. But unfortunately, after the carnival, in the night I received a telephone call from my younger brother telling me that my younger brother, Alwyin, has been in an altercation and received a stab wound.”
Arnold had been celebrating along with family and friends, who rushed to his aid. He was taken to the Northern Regional Hospital but succumbed to his injury shortly after.
Stephen Bain
“I told him just stay close to the doctor and try to get the information that we need. And I, coming up, going to fuel my vehicle and come up to assist. But about half an hour later, about a little after nine, he called me back and he told me that the doctor had informed him that my brother had passed. He succumbed to his injury, you know? But that’s all I know. I was not there, I just made a move accordingly.”
This year, several fights broke out among the crowds, resulting in multiple stabbing incidents. According to police, several people were involved in the incident, and they have yet to identify the perpetrator.
“On Saturday, the twenty-first day of September 2024 around nine twenty p.m. Orange Walk police visited the Northern Regional Hospital where they found Alwin Arnold with stable injuries. Thereafter, he succumbed to his injuries. Information receiver Alwin Arnold was at Orange Walk when he got into a fight with several persons. One of which inflicted a stabbing injury to him. We have no suspects for the stabbing at this time.”
Police are still investigating the cause of the conflict, but they suspect that alcohol was a contributing factor to its escalation.
ACP Hilberto Romero
“We do not know. We know that a lot of persons were consuming alcoholic beverages. It was a carnival. And a fight started and this is where this person was stabbed.”
Bain acknowledges that alcohol may lead to violence at these types of events but maintains that his brother was an unnecessary casualty of the day.
Stephen Bain
“Yes these things do happen from time to time. But my brother was not no trouble person. He was not in no gang affiliation or nothing like that. I really can’t say what happened, but I don’t know what triggered it. The police here, investigating. And so we just leave it to them to do their investigation.”
Britney Gordon
“Were any of your other siblings injured during the altercation?”
Stephen Bain
“Not that I am aware of.”
Arnold hails from a large family; twelve siblings in total, including a twin sister, Brenda Arnold. Several family members were in Orange Walk with Arnold on the day of his death.
Stephen Bain
“Basically, there were like about twelve of us. But this year my son accompany them and my little nephew. All of them were together. I really don’t know what transpired. Like I said, I was not there. I only received a call and that is when I responded. And I went over there and we went, tried to look for where the incident happened and so forth. We’re working very closely with the police and they said leave it to them. They will do the investigation. So that is what we’re doing.”
Stephen Bain says his brother will be remembered for his lively spirit and work ethic.
Stephen Bain
“He was a very energetic very jovial person. Very up front. He was very hard working. Very loving and caring to family and friends. He was not no type of gang figure as I mentioned, no.”
Britney Gordon
“He was quite young I know. What did he do for work and in his free time?
Stephen Bain
“He used to work up at the foam factory on the highway. Yeah, he was working over there.”
Arnold’s family is leaving the fate of the incident to the investigators and remain hopeful that justice will be served.
Stephen Bain
“We are just here trying to support each other in this time and see how we can get through the funeral and everything safely and quietly.”
Today, a Belizean American man was charged with assaulting Commissioner of Police Chester Williams during the Orange Walk carnival road march. Forty-six-year-old Jaron James pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and is facing a fine of one thousand, five hundred dollars or ten months imprisonment. Allegations are that on Saturday, around four p.m. Commissioner Williams was walking with several police officers on Dunn Street, Orange Walk, when he saw a man and a woman drinking from a bottle. He reportedly approached the man and asked him to hand over the bottle, but he refused, pushing the commissioner’s hand away. McKay was then escorted into custody at the Orange Walk Police Station where a statement was recorded from Commissioner Williams who requested court action. McKay’s attorney, Leeroy Banner, asked the court to consider the fact that his client is a Belizean American and did not recognize the commissioner as he was not attired in his primary uniform. Mackay was given until September thirtieth to pay the fine or face imprisonment.
There were reports of several other stabbing incidents during and after the Orange Walk carnival celebrations. In one instance, a father and son who were working during the event are now hospitalized. They were serving drinks inside a bar when an argument ensued between them and a customer. According to police, the customer stabbed both men. A.C.P Hilberto Romero tells us more.
“Police visited the Northern Regional Hospital where they found Francis Bustamente Senior and Francis Bustamante Junior with stab wounds with stab wounds. They were working at a bar in Orange Walk during the Carnival when they were approached by a male person who began arguing with them. At this point, this person pulled out a knife and stabbed them both. They are at the hospital recovering. Francis Bustamante Sr. is in the hospital recovering and Francis Bustamante Junior is in a critical condition at this time. Again, we have no suspects. Some arguments was had over some drink that this person wanted to purchase because the Bustamantes were working at a bark in the area.”
Certainly, the Belize Police Department had their hands full policing the Orange Walk carnival. Apart from multiple reports of stabbing, there were also reports of numerous brawls taking place. Today we asked A.C.P Hilberto Romero about the policing strategy employed at the carnival and how it can be improved for 2025.
“There was adequate police officers policing that event. It was large crowds so these incidents occurred in different areas. But there was a large number of police working.”
Paul Lopez
“Yet police was unable to prevent these incidents?”
A.C.P. Hilberto Romero
“Again, we cannot prevent everything. These incidents occurred in different areas, so as soon as we got the information we responded. That is what we have at this time.”
Paul Lopez
“Are stabbings the only violent incidents occurred. What about brawls, we have seen reports of brawls.”
A.C.P. Hilberto Romero
“There are reports of brawls but no major injuries so if we have video footage then those will be dealt with. We will look at the strategy for the next carnival but adequate police officers were there, but people got into these fights and these stabbings occurred.”
Almost three years after the murder of Winston “Tanga” James and the attempted murder of Marybeth Wade, police have arrested and charged a suspect. Police believe that twenty-year-old Azzane Domingo was the shooter behind Tanga’s murder and Wade’s attempted murder. Over the weekend, he was charged with the crime of murder, attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm and wounding. The Plues Street resident was brought before the Chief Magistrate where he was read the four counts. Due to the nature of the offenses, no bail could be offered, and Domingo was remanded into custody at the Belize Central Prison until October thirty-first, 2024. As was reported, the shooting incident that claimed the life of James and left Wade injured occurred on January twenty-first, 2022, between Bishop and King streets on East Canal. James received fatal gunshot injuries, while Wade lived to tell the tale. He was driving a Nissan Pathfinder when they came under attack. According to A.C.P Hilberto Romero, Domingo was already behind bars in relation to other charges when he was charged with this murder.
“Reference the murder of Winston James we have since arrested and charged Azzane Domingo for the crime of murder. An investigation was carried out and evidence surfaced that he has been charged for the crime of murder.”
Paul Lopez
“Why would they take so long to apprehend this individual?”
A.C.P Hilberto Romero
“There was not enough evidence at the time, btu now evidence have surfaced so an arrest has been made. He was in custody. He was in custody at Kolbe in relation to other charges.”
Tonight, two brothers are in the hospital after back-to-back road traffic accidents on Sunday. Eighteen-year-old Francis Mejia and fifteen-year-old Malachi Mejia, residents of Santana Village in Belize District, are the latest victims of road traffic accidents this month. The first incident occurred around ten a.m. while Francis and his friend, Carlos Garcia, were traveling on Altun Ha road when Francis collided with a vehicle and lost control of his motorbike. Shortly after, Francis’s brother, Malachi arrived on the scene to assist and while returning home to inform his parents, collided with a van. News Five’s Britney Gordon reports.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
On the morning of his eighteenth birthday, Francis Mejia’s life was forever changed when he was involved in a road traffic accident that resulted in the amputation of one of his limbs. Around ten a.m., Mejia and his friend, Carlos Garcia were travelling on a motorcycle down Altun Ha road when he collided into the tail end of a vehicle turning onto another road. Mejia lost control of the cycle and veered off the path, crashing into a nearby house. The intensity of the impact left Mejia’s leg in a gruesome state and left Garcia with several broken bones. After hearing about the incident, Francis’ younger brother Malachi, rushed to the scene. It was during his race to get back home that the younger man collided with an approaching van. Their mother, Melonie Mejia, recounts the event.
Melonie Mejia
Melonie Mejia, Mother of Victims
“Both of them are injured. One of them lost their foot and the next one has a broken leg. Well, the next one, his left leg is broken and his wrist is broken on his left hand, and Francis is the one that took catching an accident first while the other one knee by the name of Malachi. He went on a cycle and look for his other brother, but I never know when he left because when my ma holler at me, I have my husband nephew in my hand. Then the next lady come and ask me. She said, please come ya miss please come ya, I figured more or less something done wrong already, right? And I said I can’t take it no more, I can’t take it no more. I just bawl out.”
The incidents occurred within such a short period that Mejia was hardly able to process the events. One of her sons lost his leg on his birthday while the other is unconscious in the days leading up to his birthday.
Melonie Mejia
“While I was driving down to Sandhill to catch a ride, So I call my husband, I tell him, I tell him, I told Francis ketch in an accident. He said, well the ambulance come for he. Alright, then I call him, I tell him that the next one ketch an accident, so we have to end up turning back. So, that, that when I end up in the hospital, Malachi was unconscious.”
Britney Gordon
“I understand that it was Francis’s birthday.”
Melonie Mejia
“Yesterday was his birthday, and the next one is next two weeks from now.”
Melonie sympathizes with her son Francis, who after enduring a traumatic event, awoke to the news that his leg had been amputated.
Melonie Mejia
“All I know that. When he conscious this morning that when he know that his foot is cut off, but they couldn’t save it. They can’t do nothing better.”
Britney Gordon
“Your son, Malachi, went to the scene to see his brother in the accident and from what I’ve heard, he went back home to get you, to tell you this news.”
Melonie Mejia
“Actually, he don’t know weh I mi deh. So I guess that’s why it must happen that way.”
Britney Gordon
“And now both of them are, receiving medical attention. But are they in stable conditions?”
Melonie Mejia
“Both of them can’t move right now.”
She says the family is accepting any donations to fund her sons’ medical assistance or assist in their recovery, whether it be monetary or through the donation of a wheelchair or crutches.
Melonie Mejia
“My number is six-zero-seven-seven-three-nine-seven. The other one is six-two-nine-six-three-two-one. The next one is six-ten-zero-three-nine-five.”
