International News - Channel 5 Belize

One Year of War: Gaza Death Toll Surpasses 41,000

It’s been 365 days of war since the October 7 attacks unleashed a devastating conflict between Israel and Hamas. The war led to the Gaza Strip bearing the brunt of the war’s violence. Since then, the death toll has only increased while humanitarian conditions deteriorate. The fighting has spilled into Lebanon.

Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni Islamist military and sociopolitical movement and a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organisation (FTO). Hamas’s primary base of action and support is in the Gaza Strip, which it has controlled since 2007.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched the “Al-Aqsa Flood” offensive, firing around 5,000 rockets at southern Israel. This resulted in at least 1,189 deaths. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu declared that “the country is at war.”

On October 27, 2023, Israel launched a ground offensive in Gaza. By December, the United Nations reported over 20,000 deaths in Gaza. The UN warned of imminent famine in Gaza, while the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to prevent genocidal acts.

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza reported that as of October 6, 2024, at least 41,870 people have been killed in the nearly year-long war between Israel and Palestinian militants.

Prior to the war, 36 hospitals were functioning in Gaza, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

As of August this year, 19 hospitals have stopped functioning, and the remaining 17 are partially functioning, the WHO reported. There are currently no fully functioning hospitals, according to the Global Health Agency.

U.S. Port Strike Resolved, Workers Return to Duties

A three-day strike at East and Gulf Coast ports in the United States has come to an end. The International Longshoremen’s Association resumed work today. The strike, which began early Tuesday, was primarily about wage increases and threatened supply chains and exports.

The maritime alliance USMX agreed to a $4 hourly raise, boosting current pay from $39 to $43, resulting in a total increase of $24 over a six-year contract—an overall 62% hike. Union leader Harold Daggett indicated that the union was open to this raise prior to the strike but had rejected a lesser $3 offer. Both sides swiftly resumed operations, with workers eager to minimise income losses.

Ports, including New York and New Jersey, are working to restore normal operations. Container backlogs remain, with the Port Authority reporting daily losses of $250-300 million during the strike, totalling around $1 billion.

While the strike has ended, the final contract still requires ratification by union members, leaving open the possibility of future strikes if the agreement is rejected.

Israeli Strikes on Iran Oil Facilities

President Joe Biden has confirmed that the United States is engaged in discussions concerning possible Israeli military actions targeting Iran’s oil facilities. When pressed about whether he would support such strikes, Biden responded, “We’re discussing that,” the BBC reported.

The situation intensified after Iran launched a missile attack on Israel earlier this week, which sent Brent crude oil prices soaring by 5% and up by 10% overall since the incident. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Iran “will pay a heavy price” for the assault involving over 180 ballistic missiles.

Reports from Israeli media suggest that the initial focus of any strikes could be on Iran’s oil infrastructure.

Iran’s military chief has warned that any retaliation would be directed at all Israeli infrastructure.

The escalating tensions have raised alarms about potential disruptions in the Straits of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil shipping.

Recent developments are that the Israeli military has conducted airstrikes in Beirut. This resulted in casualties and prompting increased evacuation orders in southern Lebanon.

Israel’s ambassador to the UN stated that a response to the recent missile assault from Iran “will be soon.”

Elderly Couple Killed by Tree in Hurricane Helene

An elderly couple were tragically found embracing in their bedroom after a tree fell on their ceiling during Hurricane Helene in Beech Island, South Carolina. The storm claimed the lives of Marcia Savage, 74, and Jerry Savage, 78, and at least 200 other lives.

The elderly couple were married for over 50 years.

Their grandson, 22-year-old John Savage, had checked in on them just moments before the disaster. “We heard a snap, and I went back to see how they were. They were both okay, and the dog was fine,” he said.

However, shortly after his visit, a thunderous boom marked the onset of tragedy as a massive tree fell. “All you could see was the ceiling and the tree,” John said.

Jerry was well-regarded for his skills as an electrician and carpenter, while Marcia was a retired bank teller. Their granddaughter, Katherine Savage, remarked, “They loved each other to their dying day.” John added, “Their love was instant and everlasting.”

Additionally, two firefighters in South Carolina lost their lives when a tree struck their truck.

Israel Declares UN Sec. Gen. Persona Non Grata

Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, announced on Wednesday that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been denied entry into the country. This decision follows what Israel says is Guterres’s failure to “unequivocally” condemn Iran’s missile attacks on Israel.

On Tuesday, Iran launched over 180 ballistic missiles at Israel, some of which breached its defences. Guterres condemned the widening conflict but did not specifically denounce Iran’s actions.

Katz stated, “Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran’s heinous attack does not deserve to set foot on Israeli soil,” declaring Guterres “persona non grata.”

Katz affirmed that Israel will defend its citizens “with or without” Guterres.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate against Iran for its missile attack on Israel, which he called a “big mistake.”

U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller criticised the move as counterproductive to Israel’s global standing. Meanwhile, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric described the ban as a political manoeuvre and noted that the UN does not recognise the concept of persona non grata for its officials.

During a Security Council meeting, Guterres reiterated his condemnation of the Iranian attack and called for an end to the “deadly cycle of tit-for-tat violence” in the Middle East. He also criticised Israel’s military operations in Gaza as “the most deadly and destructive” during his tenure.

Belize Attends Swearing-in Ceremony of New Mexican President

On Tuesday, Claudia Sheinbaum made history by being sworn in as Mexico’s first female president and the first of Jewish origin. The momentous ceremony took place at the Legislative Palace of San Lázaro in Mexico City, with Belize’s Prime Minister John Briceño leading a delegation in attendance. Belize’s Ambassador to Mexico, Oscar Arnold, shared with News Five that PM Briceño had preliminary meetings with President Sheinbaum. While the Prime Minister will provide a detailed briefing upon his return, Arnold gave us a glimpse into the historic swearing-in ceremony of Mexico’s sixty-sixth president.

Oscar Arnold, Belize’s Ambassador to Mexico

“Prime Minister Briceño is accompanied by Mrs. Briceño. We have Minister Shabbat as well as Minister of State, Osmond Martinez as part of the delegation, and myself as Ambassador of Belize to Mexico. Outgoing president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador held a lunch, which, uh, Prime Minister and Mrs. Briceño attended, uh, Monday afternoon. And then there was a dinner reception, uh, that was held by that time by the president elect Claudia Schoenbaum in the evening. That, prime minister and Mrs. Briceño also attended that again was just for the heads of state because there’s over a hundred countries who sent delegations, um, as a show of solidarity and support to the new Mexican president, but it was only the head of state that were invited to the lunch and dinner yesterday, Tuesday, October 1st was the official firing in. It was held at the in Mexico city, where it’s the. Camaraderie deputados, it’s like their, House of representative chambers again, but that, Prime Minister Briceño, Mrs. Briceño, and Foreign Minister, Francis Fonseca attended that event, after that event was finished and the swearing in was, was over with, and the new president Was then presented. They all traveled to the Palacio Nacional, which is the official resident of the president. Um, and there, the heads of state also got a brief meeting, uh, individual meeting with President Claudia, and from there, a lunch was held for all those in attendance. There were some other meetings held, but I will leave that for the Prime Minister and the Office of the Prime Minister to comment on and share the details. It’s been a very hectic and very tight work schedule that we’ve had here but a very productive one as well.”

Chamber Warns: Dockworkers Strike Threatens to Escalate Inflation

As we reported on Tuesday, dockworkers on the U.S. East Coast have launched an indefinite strike against port managers, demanding higher wages and a ban on automated equipment. This labor dispute has significant implications for Belize. Jody Williams, Vice President of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, warns that the impasse could drive up the cost of imports from the U.S. East Coast. If local stocks run out before the strike is resolved, Belizean importers and wholesalers will be forced to seek alternative sources, likely leading to soaring prices.

Jody Williams, Vice President, Belize Chamber of Commerce & Industry

“Here in Belize, you know, we import a lot of products, especially perishables and food products from the US. So. Right now, as we speak, we have the entire East Coast starting in the north from Maine, straight down to New York, down North Carolina, straight to Florida, and then taking that swing into the Gulf, you know, up to Houston. All of that is closed. And we can see here most of our imports come from that side of the US., whether through Florida, through New York, or through the Gulf, you know, from Houston. And definitely they will have not only national implications, but a global supply chain problem, because other than that, the most serious problem we see here, Marion, is that there’s no timeline or end date for this strike. It’s just begun. It could go on for weeks. It could go on for months. We will have shortages on the shelf. Um, it could be anywhere from one to two weeks, but it definitely will after the two weeks. We will see some problems, especially when we are here consuming these products and then now it can’t come to Belize due to the strike happening, so it won’t take long. And also for exports, you know, exporters that can’t get their products into the US market and they could say, okay, well, we’re going to use the West Coast, you know, ship through California, but we could see that most of our businesses get products from closer to the East side and central US. So that extra inland trucking, any business would incur ten to twenty percent more freight and other costs to do extra inland freight. And other than that, you know, we will see price increases and not only at the wholesale level, but also in the retail on the shelf. And, we know, Marion, that when there is a scarcity of goods, especially on the shelf, and there’s such limited supply, you know, a lot of times we will see those items price go up.”

If Strike Drags On, Xmas Hams Could Be Imported from Mexico

Williams, who also holds a stake in Marie Sharp Fine Foods, highlights that the strike will impact exporters like their company, which are striving to get Belizean products into the U.S. East Coast market. Additionally, there is growing concern among importers of perishable goods, such as hams and other frozen foods, which wholesalers are beginning to stock up on for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The strike could disrupt these crucial holiday imports, adding another layer of complexity to the situation.

Jody Willams, Vice President, Belize Chamber of Commerce & Industry

“Just for a real-life example, like, you know, we at Murray sharp, you know, we right now we have to ship to a private port. In Pennsylvania, and this private port will be the only entry into the East Coast. But for us to use that port, you know, we are incurring extra costs. And then the thing is, these are a lot of uncertainty because more than likely, we’re not the only persons using that port. So we will also see congestion at that port. So how long will that congestion take place? And how long will it take for ships to dock in? And the same thing to get products to Belize, then businesses will have to either absorb the cost and leave the prices the same or they would have to pass those increasing costs to the final consumer. And right now, as we speak, you know, we have inflation in Belize. And, you know, definitely we’ll see a little hike up due to this global supply chain problem. And that’s the thing, Marion, as well, before this shot, before this strike happening, there were also other problems happening, like the Red Sea, and the drought at the Panama Canal. So this is just another shock to our supply chain and another potential increase to inflation in Belize and around the world. We try to be resilient. We’re looking for other ways to probably get containers to Belize, other two other ports from the West coast. Well, definitely we will see increasing costs in trying to do so. Around the countries. Yes, and that’s another thing. We can’t get the butter from the US. We can’t get the ham. Well, we have to look at Mexico, look at Guatemala, look at El Salvador. I think since COVID, you know, we have seen products from those countries import into Belize from those countries increase. And, you know, after COVID we’ve learned a lot. We have sometimes tiptoed trying to find new ways. And I think that this will probably, you know, we will see ham from those countries entering the country while this strike happens.”

Francis Gegg Appears in Indian Court; He’s Denied Bail for Drug Trafficking

Seventy-one-year-old Francis Gegg, brother of developer David Gegg, has been languishing in prison since his arrest on October 30, 2022, at Delhi airport. He was caught with nearly ten kilograms of heroin while traveling from Johannesburg to India via Doha. Customs officers intercepted him and discovered the alleged contraband during a baggage search. Earlier today, the Belizean national appeared before the Delhi High Court, seeking bail. Gegg argued that the conditions outlined in Section 50 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, which require informing a person of their right to be searched by the nearest gazetted officer, were not met. However, the court found this argument unconvincing due to the nature of the search. Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, relying on established judicial precedents, noted, “Section 50 is not applicable in this case as the search was of the applicant’s baggage and not his person, and that too in a public place. Moreover, the applicant was served with a notice under Section 50 of the Act. The issue was merely the absence of the word ‘nearest’ in the notice, which cannot be addressed at the bail stage as it is a matter for trial.” The court also highlighted that Section 37 of the NDPS Act, which imposes strict conditions for granting bail, was applicable since the quantity of contraband recovered was of a commercial scale. Consequently, the court concluded that there were no reasonable grounds to believe that Gegg was not prima facie guilty of the alleged offense under the NDPS Act.

Polls Show Tight Race: Vance and Walz Go Head-to-Head

The vice presidential debate between Republican JD Vance and Democrat Tim Walz in New York City proved to be a fierce showdown.

A CBS News poll immediately after the debate revealed a nail-biting contest. According to the poll, 42% of voters declared Vance the winner, while 41% leaned toward Walz, leaving 17% calling it a tie.

The debate touched on key issues like the economy and Middle Eastern conflicts. Walz excelled in health care and abortion, while Vance was stronger on immigration. Both candidates saw a slight uptick in favorability post-debate.

The poll revealed that some felt Vance focused more on attacking Walz’s running mate than promoting his own positions. While Walz clarified his views effectively.

Walz, who started off shaky, gained confidence discussing sensitive topics like abortion and the Capitol riot. Vance defended Donald Trump’s presidency but faced tension when dodging questions about the 2020 election, which Walz labelled a “damning non-answer.”