2024-08-21 - Channel 5 Belize

Atlantic Hurricane Season Entered Most Active Phase on Tuesday

The Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, but on Tuesday, we entered the “season within the season”—the period when tropical activity in the Atlantic is at its most intense.

This peak period, which runs through October 10, includes the overall peak of hurricane season on September 10. Remarkably, two-thirds of all hurricanes occur during this time as activity surges.

This surge is fuelled by a combination of atmospheric conditions across a vast area of the Atlantic, including low wind shear, warm sea surface temperatures, increased moisture, and atmospheric instability. These factors come together most powerfully from August through mid-October, creating an ideal environment for the formation and intensification of tropical systems. September, in particular, is the most active month, with a large area of the Atlantic becoming a hotspot for development.

During this period, tropical waves emerging from Africa and moving into the Atlantic are often more organised and developed, increasing their chances of evolving into hurricanes.

While the likelihood of hurricane formation decreases after mid-October as atmospheric conditions become less favourable and potential formation areas shrink, the threat persists until the official end of the season on November 30.

Media Executive Ramon Vasquez Steps Down as UDP Candidate

Chairman and CEO of Belize Broadcasting Network (BBN), Ramon Vasquez, stepped back from his role as standard bearer for the United Democratic Party (UDP) in Belize Rural South for the upcoming General Elections.

The announcement was made on August 20, 2024, in a statement issued on BBN’s official Facebook account. The statement explained that the decision followed “extensive discussions with the board of directors” at BBN. The statement emphasised that the move was made to maintain the television station’s “identity, neutrality, and independence.”

Vasquez’s departure comes after other candidates, including Jazelié Azueita and former Mayor Daniel Guerrero, were removed or withdrew from the race due to internal conflicts within the party.

BBN stated that Vasquez and the network will continue to provide news, entertainment, and daily programmes to the public.

Official Statement:

“August 20, 2024

RE: Withdrawal of Candidacy for Belize Rural South

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

After extensive discussions with the board of directors for BBN Tv,

(Belize Broadcasting Network) Ramon Vasquez of BBN Tv has agreed to withdraw his candidacy for Belize Rural South for the upcoming General Elections. This is in regards to maintaining the integrity of the Media Station’s Identity and Core values of Neutrality in Politics and its Independence in the public domain.

Ramon Vasquez and BBN Tv will continue to serve the General Public in its Capacity of providing News, Entertainment and Daily Programs.

Belize’s UN Ambassador Advocates for Colonial Independence

Carlos Fuller, Belize’s Ambassador to the United Nations, called on all states under colonial rule to seek independence. This call was made during an international conference organised by the Baku Initiative Group (BIG) on June 20, 2024, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The conference was titled “Towards Independence and Fundamental Freedoms: The Role of the C-24 in Ending Colonialism.” Fuller emphasised the importance of territorial integrity and self-determination. He also commended the Baku Initiative Group for their work in safeguarding workers’ rights and opposing colonialism.

“This is a great struggle. Countries need to fight for their freedom,” Fuller stated. He shared Belize’s own experience, noting that the country achieved independence in 1981 after a prolonged struggle and diplomatic efforts. “Striving for independence is a long struggle that requires perseverance and a demonstration of your core principles,” Fuller said. “It took us until 1981 to achieve independence. We had to convince our neighbours to the north. Panama and Caribbean countries joined us, and we spread the message to a wider audience, engaging Europe, Africa, and East Asian countries.”

Fuller likened the process to a marathon, acknowledging the difficulties involved. “All these countries around the world supported our fight for independence. This allowed us to approach the United Nations and become a member of the United Nations,” Fuller said.

Can Bats’ Sugar Management Offer Solutions for Diabetes?

Researchers are investigating if bats’ ability to manage high sugar levels could lead to breakthroughs in diabetes treatment. Wei Gordon, a biologist at Menlo College, studied fruit bats in Belize during the sixteenth Bat-a-thon, an annual event that convened 80-some researchers at Belize’s Lamanai Archaeological Reserve.

Gordon found that fruit bats, which feed on what she calls “nature’s candy,” can handle large amounts of fruit without developing diabetes. “These bats control sugar like it was nothing,” said Nadav Ahituv from the University of California, San Francisco.

Gordon’s research, published in Nature Communications, showed that fruit bats have more pancreas cells for insulin production and genetic traits for rapid blood sugar regulation.

Meanwhile, in another study, Jasmin Camacho from the Stowers Institute examined nectar-feeding bats, which consume even more sugar. “These are basically hummingbirds of the night, drinking floral nectar,” said Camacho. Despite their high intake, these bats stay healthy, potentially due to their constant flight, which might help manage their blood sugar.

Both Gordon and Camacho’s teams hope their findings on bats’ sugar metabolism could lead to new approaches for managing diabetes in humans.