As of this morning, Hurricane Rafael remains a powerful Category 3 storm, sustaining winds of 120 mph, says the National Hurricane Centre. The 17th named storm is moving across the Gulf of Mexico as one of the strongest hurricanes to form in the region during this late season. While it is expected to weaken over the weekend, it may still produce tropical storm-force winds and dangerous surf across the Gulf Coast and threaten the southern United States.
The hurricane has already caused significant damage in Cuba, where millions of people are still without power after the storm knocked out the country’s entire power grid. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel visited the affected areas, and more than 283,000 people were evacuated due to the storm, with large numbers coming from the capital Havana.
The NHC advises those living along the Gulf Coast to stay updated on forecasts and prepare for possible impacts as Rafael continues its path.
As the city works to improve street conditions, the ongoing pothole problem is causing significant strain on vehicles and wallets. News 5 spoke to two local mechanics to get their take on the toll potholes are having on vehicles, especially after the last few weeks of heavy rainfall.
Travis Flowers, a mechanic based in Lord’s Bank, told us that potholes can cause significant damage to a vehicle’s suspension, tires, and rims. He said, “It can get expensive. It’s kind of expensive if you have to get the parts here. And you have to pay the labour to put it on. So in the case of rim damage, most of the time, you can’t get the rim here either. So you have to try to go and fix it at a welding shop or something so you can get it running until you get another good one.”
He said fixing rim damage can cost $200-$300, while suspension repairs may run $400-$500, not including parts. The cost also depends on the vehicle’s model, year and the need to import parts.
Similarly, another local mechanic, Lewis Hamilton of On The Spot Mechanic, also said that potholes can severely impact a vehicle’s entire suspension system. “I would say the suspension part like the damage would be on the bushings, the struts, the shocks, even tires; I mean, the rims could get bent easily,” he said.
Hamilton said that tires are another major expense, with replacements costing between $300 and $400. For drivers in particularly pothole-riddled areas, Hamilton estimated drivers might need to spend between $500 and $1,000 two to three times a year just to maintain their vehicles in good shape.
Both mechanics also noted that potholes cause fuel inefficiency, though this is less costly than mechanical repairs.
While the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing is handling the city entrances, the Belize City Council did its damage assessment of the city streets. The Council identified 147 streets in urgent need of repair, with a cost of about $1.6 million. City Administrator Albert Vaughan assured that funds would be secured through a disaster program, and temporary patches are already being applied. However, priority will be given to key routes, including those for public transportation and school buses.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced today that its government will introduce a law to ban social media for children under 16. Albanese said this decision is anticipated to be in effect against major social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X by the end of 2025.
In his address, Albanese said, “Social media is doing harm to our kids, and I’m calling time on it,” and pointed out the risks of harmful body image portrayals for girls and misogynistic content targeting boys. “If you’re a 14-year-old kid getting this stuff, it can be a really difficult time,” he added.
The Australian government is testing age-verification methods, including biometric scans and government IDs, to enforce the ban. These methods would make Australia the first country to use such technology to block underage access to social media.
“There will be no exemptions for children who have parental consent or who already have accounts,” said Communications Minister Michelle Rowland. “The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access.”
Other countries, like France and the United States, have also set age limits for social media use, but Australia’s approach is the most restrictive to date.
Hurricane Rafael, which struck Cuba on Wednesday as a powerful Category 3 storm, has caused significant damage to the island’s power grid. “The national electric system collapsed due to strong winds,” said Félix Estrada Rodríguez, director of Cuba’s Electric Union. The storm brought down power poles and disrupted services.
Rafael has weakened to a Category 2 hurricane as it moves westward into the Gulf of Mexico. While its path no longer threatens the U.S., the storm poses an increasing risk to Mexico’s Gulf Coast. The National Hurricane Centre now predicts the storm will stay over the southern Gulf for several days before weakening further.
Chevron, Shell, and BP have all taken precautions by evacuating personnel from oil rigs in the Gulf as Rafael moves closer.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister John Briceño and the Cabinet made several decisions that address key challenges in Belize’s justice system, expanding access to electricity, and boosting the country’s international presence.
In an official statement, the government announced that the Cabinet approved the creation of a Criminal Justice Board to tackle the backlog of appeals and endorsed a comprehensive National Electrification Plan. This endorsement, which is a partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), outlines a roadmap for ensuring universal electricity access by 2030, particularly in rural households, schools, and clinics. The Board identified issues with the inferior appellate regime, which will now be addressed by an amendment to the Senior Court’s Act. This change will allow for expanded substituted services through public notice, enabling the Senior Courts to manage a backlog of appeals and ensure that appellants are given reasonable notice of the date, time, and place of their appeals.
Cabinet also approved a name change for the Women’s Department, which will now be known as the Family Support and Gender Affairs Department.
In the area of maritime governance, the Cabinet approved the designation of San Pedro as a port. The new port status will also introduce clearer port limits and enforce stronger safety and security measures.
Additionally, Belize is set to join the Inter-Parliamentary Union, strengthening its role in global diplomacy. The IPU is an international organisation that empowers parliaments worldwide to promote peace, democracy, and sustainable development through parliamentary diplomacy.
A few minutes ago, Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a concession speech at Howard University in Washington, DC., following Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election. In her address, Harris acknowledged the emotions of her supporters, saying, “Now I know folks are feeling and experiencing a range of emotions right now. I get it. But we must accept the results of this election.”
She shared that she had called President-elect Trump to concede the race. She said, “We will engage in a peaceful transfer of power.”
While conceding the election, Harris vowed to continue fighting for causes central to her campaign. “I will never give up the fight for a future where Americans can pursue their dreams, ambitions, and aspirations,” she declared. She also reiterated her commitment to protecting women’s rights and addressing gun violence, saying, “The women of America have the freedom to make decisions about their own body and not have their government telling them what to do. We will never give up the fight to protect our schools and our streets from gun violence.”
Harris called on her supporters to remain respectful and kind, urging them to continue the fight for “fundamental rights and freedoms that must be respected and upheld.”
On Malaria Day in the Americas, the Ministry of Health and Wellness highlighted Belize’s success in becoming malaria-free, with the World Health Organization (WHO) officially certifying the country on June 19, 2023. Belize has now gone nearly six years without local transmission, reporting its last case in December 2018.
The Ministry of Health shared, “Today we join in the celebration of Malaria Day in the Americas. The day is used to raise an important opportunity for countries of this region to engage various stakeholders in aggressively fighting malaria.”
The theme this year is ‘Expanding access to malaria diagnosis and treatment without barriers.”
Belize’s efforts include a robust malaria diagnosis network with 8 malaria laboratories, 10 microscopists, and 362 community-level testing sites, 223 of which offer both microscopic diagnosis and rapid diagnostic tests.
The Ministry also expressed its appreciation for the collaboration of malaria volunteers, health workers, and regional partners like the Pan American Health Organization and the Inter-American Development Bank.
This year marks the 18th annual Malaria Day in the Americas.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise (MAFSE), in partnership with Taiwan ICDF, hosted a hands-on “Lamb/Mutton Culinary Workshop” at Swift Garden in Bermudan Landing, Belize District. The workshop targeted local farmers, butchers, and restaurateurs to enhance culinary techniques and lamb carcass breakdown.
This workshop is part of the ongoing sheep and Goat project Phase II, bringing together more than twelve participants from the Belize District. MAFSE’s technical officers led the session, which included a live demonstration on breaking down a lamb carcass.
A local favourite, lamb stew, was also prepared, with step-by-step guidance on the key points for optimal preparation.
The National Women’s Commission (NWC) announced the launch of a Digital Poster Competition with the theme “#NoExcuse” to raise awareness about gender-based violence and promote gender equality. As part of addressing gender-based violence and incorporating elements from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Commission encourages participants to create digital posters that reflect this theme.
The competition will recognise the top five winners, with prizes for each place. First place will receive a laptop and a gift package containing hygiene or school supplies. Second place will win a tablet and a gift package, while third place will be awarded a cash prize and a gift package. Fourth and fifth place winners will each receive a gift certificate.
The competition is open to everyone, and submissions are accepted until November 8, 2024. Anyone interested is encouraged to submit their digital posters via email to programme.officer.nwc@humandev.gov.bz.
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to “revolutionise” industries, it’s leaving an unexpected environmental footprint: water usage. Research shows that AI-powered data centres, which run the vast AI models used by businesses worldwide, are using staggering amounts of water for cooling and energy production.
According to International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), about 82% of large enterprises have either deployed AI or are experimenting with doing so, signalling a rapid AI adoption. But this comes at a cost, as every AI prompt in data centres consumes around 16 ounces of water. Experts say that a single data centre can have cooling towers that need millions of gallons of water annually to prevent the critical computing infrastructure from overheating.
This growing demand for water poses a problem. Google reported a nearly 22% increase in its water usage from 2021 to 2022, reaching over 5.56 billion gallons. Microsoft saw a 34% jump, consuming almost 1.7 billion gallons.
The water consumption of AI data centres is driven by the need to cool the massive servers that power AI models. These servers generate extreme heat, which is managed through industrial-scale cooling systems that rely heavily on water. In addition, these systems often use water for humidification to keep the equipment running smoothly.
The environmental costs of AI extend beyond water, with energy consumption and carbon emissions also raising concerns. For instance, generating the electricity needed to run AI servers consumes vast amounts of water at thermal and nuclear plants. AI’s water footprint is thus a combination of both “onsite” and “offsite” water consumption.
In a world facing growing water scarcity, balancing technological growth with responsible resource use poses a serious sustainability challenge.
