International News - Channel 5 Belize

Antigua MP Asot Michael Found Dead at Home

Antigua and Barbuda’s independent Member of Parliament for St. Peter, Asot Michael, was found dead in his home under circumstances suggesting potential foul play. Police discovered the 54-year-old politician early Tuesday, lying in a pool of blood, which has launched an immediate homicide investigation.

Michael, a prominent and sometimes controversial figure in Antiguan politics, previously served as Minister of Tourism, Economic Development, Investment, and Energy under Prime Minister Gaston Browne. His recent transition to an independent role in Parliament added another layer to his influential career.

Authorities have cordoned off the area as forensic teams meticulously gather evidence at the scene. Although few details have emerged, police have indicated that foul play has not been ruled out as they work to piece together the events surrounding Michael’s death.

B.D.F. Soldier Says His Salary is Not Enough

U.S. Presidential Election’s Eve: Who Will Become President?

It is the last day before the U.S. presidential elections, and the polls continue to show Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump running neck-and-neck, both nationally and in most swing states. Early voting has already surpassed 77 million.

A Trump victory would make him the first president to serve non-consecutive terms, while Harris hopes to become the first woman and first person of South Asian descent to be elected president.

Harris campaigned in Michigan on Sunday, while Trump visited North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Harris is campaigning in Pennsylvania, and Trump is touring North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.

Trump talked about the damage caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, saying, “It was horrible. Many people died” and criticised FEMA for its response, claiming it was inadequate. Despite his claims, FEMA has allocated over $100 million to help affected families in the state.

In addition to Harris and Trump, several third-party candidates are also on the ballot. Jill Stein from the Green Party and Chase Oliver from the Libertarian Party are notable contenders. Stein is polling at 2% in Michigan, while Oliver has the same support in Arizona. Robert Kennedy, Jr. is still on the ballot in some states despite suspending his campaign, polling at 3% in Michigan.

Daylight Saving Time Ends

On November 3rd, 2024, Americans across the country set their clocks back one hour, marking the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST) for the year. This annual event, often referred to as “falling back,” brings a mix of benefits and adjustments for individuals and communities.

The end of DST means that mornings will be lighter and evenings will be darker. This shift can have several immediate impacts:

Sleep Patterns: Many people appreciate the extra hour of sleep gained when clocks are set back. However, the change can also disrupt circadian rhythms, leading to temporary sleep disturbances as our bodies adjust to the new schedule.
Daily Routines: With the sun setting earlier, activities that rely on daylight, such as outdoor sports and evening walks, may need to be rescheduled. This can also affect mental health, as shorter days and longer nights can contribute to seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Safety Considerations: The time change can impact road safety. Studies have shown an increase in traffic accidents immediately following the switch due to altered sleep patterns and reduced daylight during evening commutes.
Energy Consumption: One of the original purposes of DST was to save energy by extending daylight hours. However, modern research suggests that the energy savings are minimal, and the benefits may not outweigh the inconvenience.

Daylight Saving Time was first introduced during World War I as a way to conserve energy. It was standardized in the US by the Uniform Time Act of 1966. Despite its long history, DST remains a topic of debate. Many Americans express frustration with the biannual clock changes, and there is a growing movement to make DST permanent. Nineteen states have passed legislation to “lock the clock,” but such a change requires federal approval.

Spain’s King and Queen Stoned with Mud

During a visit to flood-stricken Valencia, Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia faced a hostile crowd who threw mud and shouted accusations, calling them “murderers” and expressing “shame” at the government’s response. The protest erupted as the royal couple walked through Paiporta, one of the areas worst affected by the recent catastrophic floods.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who joined the royals, was also targeted by the crowd and was swiftly evacuated as tensions mounted. Some protesters even threw stones at Sánchez’s car as he left the scene.

The flooding, the deadliest in Spain in decades, has claimed over 200 lives, with emergency responders still searching underground areas for survivors and victims. Public outrage has grown amid criticisms of insufficient warnings and inadequate support from authorities.

In the heart of Paiporta, video footage captured King Felipe struggling through a narrow street surrounded by his security detail, who were quickly overwhelmed by protesters. The king attempted to engage with the crowd, reportedly even embracing some demonstrators, though objects continued to be thrown.

As the protest intensified, bodyguards shielded the royal family with umbrellas, but mud and debris still struck the king, queen, and members of their entourage.

King Felipe later addressed the public’s reaction in a video, stating he understood the “anger and frustration” of those affected.

Local politician Juan Bordera criticised the timing of the royal visit, calling it “a very bad decision” and noting that authorities ignored warnings leading up to the disaster. Sánchez, in response, has deployed an additional 10,000 troops, police, and civil guards to the area, acknowledging that the crisis response has faced “severe problems and shortages.”

The devastation began on Tuesday after days of relentless rainfall triggered flash floods, sweeping through towns, destroying infrastructure, and cutting off essential services.

B.D.F Investigates Patrol Commanders for Bribery Allegations

Last month, reports emerged of Guatemalans offering food and produce as bribes to B.D.F. patrol commanders stationed in the remote southern border areas. Allegations pointed to two patrol commanders in the Machakil Ha community of Toledo who accepted these bribes. These commanders are now under investigation at Price Barracks. Today, B.D.F. Commandant Brigadier General Azariel Loria disclosed that other patrol commanders in different areas are also being investigated.

Brig. Gen. Azariel Loria, Commandant, B.D.F.

“Whenever other security forces are operating in the area here, aren’t they bribed? You see, we are not immune to these things. The BDF, we are not immune. What we need to continue to do Is to supervise and that is what we’re doing. Because of the constant patrolling in in that area, we increase our patrols responding to the illegal logging reports that we got, and because of that, we kinda bumped into Guatemalans. The Guatemalans, we have it on recording, and I believe that it has been leaked to the media too, as well. That is part of our investigation. And as part of our investigation, we know now that they’re, the Guatemalans are bribing our patrol commanders. And that is something that is being finalized and it will be coming in front of me for disciplinary procedures.”

Hipolito Novelo

“Okay, so do you concede that the reason why B.D.F. soldiers are accepting bribes by Guatemalan loggers is because when the pay too cheap, the government pays them too cheap?”

Brig. Gen. Azariel Loria

“No, the pay is average at this point in time..”

Hipolito Novelo

“But appropriate or average?”

Brig. Gen. Azariel Loria

“It is average, it is appropriate, we can survive. You know the cost of living is going up and, but that is another discussion.”

Hipolito Novelo

“But can they survive on that pay?”

Brig. Gen. Azariel Loria

“Yes, we could. We could survive. It’s more than a thousand soldiers that are getting paid and, and there will be the elements, the bad guys there that are going to come and try to extort bribes. If persons come bribe more, then there are some that will take it, others that will not. I am being taught in my force about the virtues and the values that we espouse. So, all the alleged bribes – it’s not everybody’s getting bribed. It’s only one or two commanders, rogue commanders.”

4 Days Until U.S. Presidential Elections

As Election Day looms just four days away, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are making their final campaign pushes in critical Midwestern swing states. Harris and Trump, both hitting the battleground states hard this week, will focus today on Wisconsin, with Harris making three stops across the state, including a star-studded rally in Milwaukee, while Trump holds rallies in Michigan and Wisconsin to deliver his closing message to voters.

With recent polling showing a neck-and-neck race in Wisconsin and other “Blue Wall” states, Harris’s campaign has put a special focus on avoiding the missteps of 2016, when the Clinton campaign famously bypassed Wisconsin, which contributed to Trump’s narrow win. The Harris campaign’s renewed focus on Wisconsin also follows a notable endorsement from former GOP Representative Liz Cheney, a critic of Trump, who joined Harris in the state last month to support her bid.

As Harris aims to appeal to a wide coalition of voters, including key demographic groups and independents wary of Trump’s rhetoric, Trump’s strategy leans heavily on energising his base with inflammatory language and doubling down on a message of populist resentment.

With the race remaining tight, both candidates are crisscrossing key battlegrounds in a last-ditch effort to mobilise supporters. While Trump’s campaign hopes his base-centric message will deliver an upset in the Midwest, Harris’s coalition-focused strategy reflects a broader effort to hold the Blue Wall states and secure the White House on November 5.

US Election: 6 Days to Go as Harris, Trump Push for Swing States

With just six days until the U.S. election, both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are intensifying efforts to secure critical support in battleground states. Harris addressed supporters at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C.—the site of Trump’s January 6, 2021, rally—while Trump campaigned in Allentown, Pennsylvania, following recent controversy over racially charged remarks made at a New York rally.

In the polls, Harris holds a slim 1.4-point national lead, according to FiveThirtyEight. However, swing-state races remain exceptionally close. Harris leads in Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin, but Trump has slight edges in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arizona, and Georgia, with all seven states showing margins within two points.

Polling data from Reuters/Ipsos shows Harris’s national lead narrowing, with just a one-point advantage over Trump, 44% to 43%. The race has grown closer in recent weeks, down from a two-point lead in mid-October, and the current margin of error leaves outcomes uncertain as both campaigns push to sway undecided voters ahead of November 5.

Spain’s Deadliest Flooding in 30 Years Claims 64 Lives

At least 64 people have lost their lives in Spain’s most devastating flooding in three decades after torrential rains lashed the eastern region of Valencia on Tuesday, leaving entire areas cut off.

Rescuers in dinghies worked through the night, evacuating trapped residents in hard-hit towns like Utiel. Videos showed people clinging to trees to escape the fast-rising waters, while others were carried to safety in bulldozer buckets. Meteorologists reported that Valencia received an entire year’s worth of rain in just eight hours, causing severe damage to the region responsible for nearly two-thirds of Spain’s citrus production.

Carlos Mazon, Valencia’s regional leader, said access to some isolated areas remains “absolutely impossible” despite intense rescue efforts.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez extended condolences, promising to rebuild destroyed infrastructure and adding, “For those still searching for loved ones, all of Spain stands with you.”

The floods have also halted essential services and led to widespread school closures. Emergency services have advised against road travel as military rescue units join the efforts in the most affected areas.

These floods are Spain’s deadliest since 1996, when 87 people perished near the Pyrenees.

Climate experts attribute this extreme event to climate change, with rising Mediterranean temperatures increasing water evaporation and making torrential rains more frequent and intense. “Events like this, which once happened only every few decades, are now recurring with greater destructive force,” explained Ernesto Rodriguez Camino, senior state meteorologist and Spanish Meteorological Association member.

Bus Crash in Central Mexico Kills 19

Nineteen people were killed and six others injured in a bus crash on a highway in Zacatecas, central Mexico, on Saturday. The crash occurred in the early morning when the bus collided with the back of a tractor-trailer carrying corn, which had detached from the vehicle.

Zacatecas Governor David Monreal initially reported a death toll of 24, but the state attorney general’s office later revised the figure to 19.

The attorney general’s office is investigating and has launched efforts to apprehend the tractor-trailer driver. Rescue teams were working to recover bodies from a ravine near the crash site.

The bus was en route to Ciudad Juarez, near the US-Mexico border, and authorities confirmed that none of the victims were migrants.

With 12 Days to Go, Who Will Be the Next U.S. President?

With just 12 days until the U.S. presidential election, a new Wall Street Journal poll shows Donald Trump leading Kamala Harris by 2 percentage points nationally, 47% to 45%. This marks a shift from Harris’s previous 2-point lead in August. Despite the change, both figures are within the margins of error, indicating a neck-and-neck race.

The polls show that Harris holds a slim lead in Nevada and Wisconsin, while Trump leads in Arizona and Georgia. The competitive states include Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Michigan, where results are still very close.

Harris has been facing rising criticism for not clearly differentiating her policies from President Biden’s.

Meanwhile, Trump has focused on immigration and declared to supporters at a rally in Georgia, “We will stop illegal immigration once and for all.”

Both candidates are making aggressive efforts to sway voters in these crucial states as Election Day approaches.