International News - Channel 5 Belize

North Korea’s Rocket-Carrying Satellite Explodes Mid-Flight

North Korea’s bid to launch a second spy satellite ended in failure as the rocket carrying it exploded mid-flight. The announcement came late Monday, following South Korea’s military report of an “unidentified projectile” launch.

Initial analysis pointed to issues with a newly developed liquid-fuel rocket motor, though other potential causes are still being investigated. Earlier, officials in South Korea and Japan had also indicated that the launch appeared unsuccessful. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff observed North Korea firing an “unidentified projectile southwards” over the Yellow Sea, followed by the sighting of numerous fragments in the sea minutes later.

Following the failed launch, nuclear envoys from South Korea, the United States, and Japan had a phone conversation, condemning the attempt. They emphasised that it violated United Nations Security Council resolutions banning North Korea’s use of ballistic missile technology, posing a severe threat to regional peace and security.

North Korea had notified earlier in the day about its launch plan, stating that the window would remain open until June 4. This comes after North Korea successfully launched its first spy satellite in November on its third attempt, which drew international condemnation. That launch followed a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in eastern Russia, where Putin promised technical assistance to North Korea.

Kim Jong Un had declared at the end of last year that Pyongyang would launch three more military spy satellites in 2024 as part of a military modernization programme that saw a record number of weapons tests in 2023.

Source: Aljazeera

9 Dead, 121 Injured in Stage Collapse in Mexico

A stage collapse caused by strong winds at a campaign rally in San Pedro Garza García, Mexico, resulted in nine deaths and 121 injuries. Candidate Jorge Álvarez Máynez was present but uninjured. Governor Samuel García Sepúlveda pledged to cover funeral and hospital costs for the victims, including a minor who died.

The incident, which happened on Wednesday was captured on video, showed a sudden gust causing the stage to fall, injuring many. Videos shared on social media showed the moment a strong gust caused the stage to collapse. Álvarez Máynez and his team can be seen running for cover as the structure, which included a large video screen, falls onto the stage and part of the audience area. Footage taken in the aftermath of the accident shows a large number of emergency vehicles at the scene, their lights flashing in the darkness, as injured people are carried away. The area was cordoned off and guarded by heavily armed security personnel.

Álvarez Máynez has suspended his campaign to focus on the victims.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador expressed condolences and urged an investigation. The accident occurred amid preparations for Mexico’s largest election on June 2, marked by significant political violence, with 28 candidates attacked and 16 killed this year. The presidential race features two leading female candidates, Claudia Sheinbaum and Xochitl Gálvez.

Italian Teenager Set to Become First Millennial Saint

Pope Francis has attributed a second miracle to Carlo Acutis, moving him closer to canonization, the Vatican announced on Thursday.

Carlo Acutis, often referred to as the patron saint of the internet among Roman Catholics, passed away from leukaemia at the age of 15 in 2006. Known for his computer skills, Carlo used the internet to share his faith.

After his death, Antonia Acutis received messages from people worldwide claiming medical miracles, such as cures for infertility and cancer, after praying to Carlo.

Carlo’s path to sainthood began in 2020, when the Diocese of Assisi petitioned the Vatican. In February of that year, Pope Francis attributed the healing of a boy with a malformed pancreas to Carlo, marking his beatification. For canonization, a second miracle was required.

The second recognised miracle involves a woman from Costa Rica named Liliana, who prayed at Carlo’s tomb in Assisi on July 8, 2022. Liliana’s daughter Valeria had suffered severe head trauma from a bicycle accident in Florence on July 2. She required critical brain surgery with a low survival chance. Liliana’s secretary began praying to Blessed Carlo, and Liliana herself made a pilgrimage to Carlo’s tomb. That same day, Valeria began breathing spontaneously, followed by improvements in movement and speech. A CAT scan on July 18 showed the haemorrhage had disappeared, and Valeria was moved to rehabilitation on August 11. On September 2, Liliana and Valeria returned to Assisi to thank Blessed Carlo.

Man Falls Off Rooftop on Stump and Dies

Forty-four-year-old Ronny Sierra was working on the rooftop of a house in Esperanza Village when he slipped and fell. Sierra, a resident of Benque Viejo del Carmen, had just started working with a construction company three weeks ago. According to a relative, the incident has left the Sierra family in grief over the loss of their youngest sibling who had just left a voice message on Monday, wishing an older brother well. This morning when he fell, he landed on a wooden stump that had a sharp edge at the top. The stump penetrated Sierra’s right upper chest, causing his death. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.

Marion Ali, Reporting

This piece of stick protruding out of the ground wouldn’t be considered a hazard, but this morning, forty-four-year-old Ronny Sierra fell on it and lost his life. The construction worker was on the roof of this house in Esperanza Village when he slipped. It stabbed him in the right upper part of his chest, killing him. Sierra’s older brother, Carmito, told News Five via phone that Ronny took his job seriously.

Via phone: Carmito Sierra, Brother of deceased

“What we learned from him was that he needs to be punctual at work, and he needed to be at work every day. He was very responsible, not only with his immediate family, but with also his brothers and sisters. Whenever we needed help from him, when it comes to helping the family, he was al always there.”

Carmito Sierra said that he spoke with his younger brother only hours before he lost his life.

Via phone: Carmito Sierra

“I spoke with him only last night. I sent him a message because I was doing some construction work – getting someone to go to do construction work, and so I told him to recommend someone to me. The last words that he said was he wished me the best, and may everything go fine, and then God’s blessings. And just last night, he did that recording and sent it to me.”

Carmito Sierra said that the family will remember Ronny as a hard-working person who was selfless and thoughtful, and someone who always looked out for them, even though he was the youngest one. Marion Ali for News Five.

Update on NEMO’s Response to Fires Near San Pedro Columbia

The Ministry of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management, along with the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO), reports that wildfires affecting San Pedro Columbia and nearby communities in the Toledo District have prompted the Governor General to declare a state of public emergency for the district on May 19.

A release from NEMO says that over the weekend, Minister of Disaster Risk Management Andre Perez and Toledo West Area Representative Oscar Requena visited the affected areas to assess the situation firsthand.

The Toledo District Emergency Operations Centre remains on high alert. Assessment teams are currently in the district conducting damage and needs evaluations. The Belize Defence Force and firefighters from the Punta Gorda Fire Station are actively participating in firefighting and search and rescue operations alongside community efforts.

There is no immediate fire threat to San Pedro Columbia, Crique Jute, Mafredi, Nah Lum Cah, or San Antonio.

PM John Briceño Reaffirms Belize’s Support During Visit for Taiwan’s Presidential Inauguration

During his official visit to Taiwan, Prime Minister John Briceño had the opportunity to meet the recently elected president of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Lai Ching-te. PM Briceño reiterated Belize’s support for Taiwan’s inclusion in international fora, including the UN and related agencies.

Dr. Lai Ching-te as Taiwan’s fifth democratically elected president, with ceremonies featuring street performances and a military display in Taipei.

Prime Minister Briceno expressed his pleasure at standing alongside regional leaders from the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. PM Briceño says he looks forward to continued positive and mutually beneficial relations with President Lai Ching-te and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim’s administration.

During his visit, Briceño met with Belizean students and the diplomatic team led by Ambassador Dr. Candice Pitts.

International Criminal Court Seeks Arrest Warrants for Hamas’s Leader and Israel PM

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is pursuing arrest warrants for Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the October 7 attacks on Israel and the ensuing conflict in Gaza.

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan says that the ICC is also seeking warrants for Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and two other senior Hamas leaders: Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri, known as Mohammed Deif, the leader of the Al Qassem Brigades, and Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’ political leader.

This action marks the first time the ICC has targeted the top leader of a U.S. ally, placing Netanyahu alongside figures like Russian President Vladimir Putin, who faces an ICC arrest warrant over the Ukraine conflict, and the late Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, who was under an ICC warrant for alleged crimes against humanity at the time of his death in 2011. Khan’s simultaneous pursuit of arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders may draw criticism for seemingly equating a recognized government with a terrorist organization.

Khan mentioned that his team has gathered substantial evidence to support the arrest warrant applications, including authenticated videos, photographs, and testimonies from eyewitnesses and survivors.

He also asserted that Israel has the right and obligation to recover the hostages, but must adhere to legal standards in doing so.

Iran’s President Dies in Helicopter Crash Amidst Middle East Tensions

Iran’s president and foreign minister have died in a helicopter crash during a period of heightened tensions in the Middle East. President Ebrahim Raisi and the foreign minister were found dead on Monday, hours after their helicopter went down in dense fog, leaving Iran without two of its top leaders amidst extraordinary regional turmoil.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei swiftly appointed a little-known vice president as caretaker to ensure that the government remained stable.

Iran has not provided a cause for the crash nor indicated sabotage, stating only that the helicopter fell in mountainous terrain during sudden, intense fog.

This incident occurs amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, which has further destabilised the region.

President Raisi, a hard-liner and former judiciary head, was seen as a protégé of Khamenei. His tenure saw worsening relations with the West, uranium enrichment nearing weapons-grade levels, and the supply of drones to Russia for its war in Ukraine. His administration has also faced mass protests over economic issues and women’s rights, adding to the current sensitivities.

Shyne Denounces Diddy’s “Repugnant” Behavior

Opposition Leader, Moses “Shyne” Barrow says he vehemently denounces the “repugnant behavior of Sean Diddy Combs captured on the video in which he is seen physically assaulting Mrs Cassie Ventura-Fine.”

CNN aired security video that showed him beating singer Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016.

Diddy took to social media on Sunday to apologize. “It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life. Sometimes you gotta do that,” Combs begins in a brief recording shared on Instagram. “I was ****ed up … I hit rock bottom. But I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions.”

In his statement, Shyne said “There is no place for Violence against Women anywhere on the planet. As a father of a precious daughter, a global citizen and the next Prime Minister of Belize I want absolutely nothing to do with people who engage in this pattern of diabolical behaviour.”

CNN’s report is the latest public relations crisis for the former hitmaker, who also finds himself at the centre of a federal investigation after agents raided his homes in Los Angeles and Miami in late March.

According to CNN, the investigation was handled by the Department of Homeland Security’s team that handles human trafficking crimes.

A U.S. judge rules that tacos and burritos are Mexican-style sandwiches

It’s a question that has stood the test of time—and one that sparked a legal battle in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in the U.S.A.

Are tacos sandwiches? According to Allen County Superior Court Judge Craig J. Bobay, the answer is yes, including burritos. In a ruling on Monday, Bobay declared tacos and burritos “Mexican-style sandwiches.” This decision arose from a case on whether “Famous Taco” could open in a Fort Wayne shopping centre.

The zoning policy for the property bans fast food but allows restaurants to sell “made-to-order” or Subway-style sandwiches. Although the city commission initially denied the request, Bobay ruled that Famous Taco fits the criteria of serving “Mexican-style sandwiches,” noting that the policy doesn’t restrict to American-style sandwiches.

This isn’t the first legal consideration of food categorization. The USDA in 2005 labelled a burrito as a “Mexican style sandwich-like product.” Additionally, the Cube Rule, which categorises food by starch placement, would classify a burrito as a calzone and a taco as a taco.

For now, Judge Bobay seems to have settled the debate in Fort Wayne. “No amendment was necessary,” he wrote.