AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Belize Life News Daily news prior to today Today's Belize News: December 26, 2017

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Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, West Vision (Cayo) and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and other specials

The San Pedro Sun

The Orange-breasted Falcon, a species in peril or a bright future?
The country of Belize is blessed with some of the most amazing animals on the planet, and in some instances, we are the last place on Earth where they survive and thrive. Although they may seem abundant to us, our small country is home to a number of amphibians, birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, plants and even corals that are at risk of extinction; perilously registered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. From near-threatened to critically endangered, animals like the American Crocodile, Hicatee turtle, Yellow-headed Amazon parrot, Orange-breasted Falcon, West Indian manatee and countless others, Belize is their last stronghold for survival. Fortunately, our country is also blessed with a number of non-profit conservation groups that are dedicated to their preservation.

Season's Greetings from The San Pedro Sun
2017 has been a bittersweet year. From painful stories to ones full of hope, we've been on an emotional roller coaster the last 365 days! One thing is for certain, regardless of the highs and lows, as a community we are always there for each other, showing lots of love and support! As the island newspaper, we also appreciate the love and support we get from those who advertise with us and applaud our efforts to report without bias or prejudice. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous 2018.

Misc Belizean Sources

OCEANA Reef Bash
Inviting the Corozal and Sarteneja community to come out and celebrate the great year 2017 has been for collective voices!

Huay Peek
The Huay Peek' is the Brujo who transform him/herself into a huge dog . It is known that Huay Peek' is a large black dog who may appear in houses to scare people , destroy property and even profanate tombs in the cementary . Also known to attack domestic animals . When the Huay Peek' roam in the streets the dogs bark in a disperate manner . The word Huay in Yucatec Maya means "Brujo" and Peek' means Dog . The stories of the Huay Peek' are heard in Northern Belize but not as common as the Xtabai,Huay K'eek'en,Alux and Nukux Tat(Tata Duende) .

An Ascenthium Christmas
Wow! Ascenthium covered the Trans Siberian Orchestra's mix of O Come All Ye Faithful and O Holy Night, and they rocked it. Merry Christmas to all. "Merry Christmas to all our friends, fans and family! be safe and enjoy the holidays!!! ( Load in HD for best sound quality)"

20 year old Killed on Christmas on the Peninsula
Police in Placencia are investigating the murder of 20 year old Carlos Luis Jackson of Placencia village. Jackson was outside a night club when he received a cut wound to his neck. He succumbed to his injuries at 3:35 a.m. at the Placencia Health Center.

More speed bumps won't help
A road traffic incident occurred early this morning in Santa Elena Town. Residents say it happened at around 3 o'clock.

Breaking Belize News

Traffic accident on Christmas morning in Santa Elena town
A white vehicle orverturned this morning around 4:00 on the George Price highway near the Hawkesworth bridge in Santa Elena town. It is not yet certain how many people were injured.

Drunken man stabbed this morning
Placencia police are investigating the fatal stabbing of Carlos Luis Jackson, 20, last night. Jackson was outside a Placencia night club when he was stabbed to his neck.

Christmas murder in Placencia
A man who police presumed to be under the influence of alcohol was stabbed near his heart this morning. Police reported that at about 5:35 am they received information of a man in a yard on Carmen St in Santa Elena Town.

International Sources

Guyana-born Belize CJ will be unable to meet backlogged judgments deadline
Despite assurances, Guyana-born Chief Justice (CJ) of Belize Kenneth Benjamin will be unable to deliver all 32 of his delayed judgments and this could result in the Belize Bar Association making good on its threat to file proceedings to have him removed from office for misconduct. Amandala newspaper in a December 12 publication reported that Justice Benjamin will be unable to conclude the backlog by the end of the legal year. "The old maxim that `justice delayed is justice denied,' has once more come to the forefront as it relates to the delayed judgments of Chief Justice Benjamin, some of which date as far back as 2010 and will not be completed by the end of the legal year next month, when the Supreme Court has its ceremonial opening to mark the beginning of the 2018 legal year", the newspaper said.

Rare one dollar featured in sale
The note has been in private hands since the mid-1890s. According the auction firm, the other two known specimens are the Pick plate note ("which is in abysmal condition") and one reputed to be part of a private British Honduras collection. No issued example of any of the five higher values of these notes has ever come to light. "First issue British Honduras notes in any form are absent from virtually all of the world's greatest collections," according the auctioneer. "This issued 1894 example clearly rivals in rarity, exclusivity, and desirability even such major pieces as the much-vaunted Zanzibar notes. The 1894 British Honduras issue was withdrawn and destroyed after only two months, while the Zanzibar series ran for 20 years," plus, "�this One Dollar 1894 British Honduras note is the only issued example for 1894 British Honduras in the PMG population report; in contrast, Zanzibar pieces have a much higher population."

Caribbean hotels reporting strong holiday seaso
Holiday travelers are escaping to the Caribbean, with hotels in most destinations not impacted by this year's hurricanes reporting occupancies in excess of 90 percent over the holiday season. "More than 70 percent of the Caribbean was not impacted by hurricanes Irma and Maria and travelers are discovering the incredible diversity of destinations and offerings throughout the region, as they explore its many vacation options," stated Frank Comito, CEO and Director General of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA). CHTA canvassed a number of the region's destinations this week to see how they are faring for the holidays and into the first quarter of 2018. The results are encouraging, according to Comito, who reports that a sampling of the region's 32 holiday destinations all pointed to a surge in holiday bookings and most indicated that forward bookings into the first quarter of 2018 are equaling or surpassing 2017.

Review of the year: the female groundbreakers of 2017
The Independent picks the 20 names whose strides in their fields challenged preconceptions and stereotypes and provided inspiration.
Lisa Carne was only a young biologist and coral researcher when she witnessed the effects of 2001 Hurricane Iris on the Central American country of Belize. In particular, she was struck by how vulnerable the southern Belize marine ecosystem was to climate change like rising sea temperatures. So, in 2006, Carne founded Fragments of Hope, a community-based organisation that, with the help of a coral nursery, aims to restore an endangered species of Belize's Barrier Reef, a Unesco World Heritage site. The project has been hailed as a huge success, significantly increased the coral population in Belize. Carne herself was southern Belize's first female diving instructor, and trains women to restore coral reef habitats while advocating for sustainable management. In 2014, Carne received the prestigious Ocean Hero Award from Oceana, Belize, for her work with endangered Acropora Corals and her activism in helping protect the marine environment for future generations.

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