Earl is forecast to make landfall in Belize tonight

Tropical storm Earl was “almost a hurricane,” the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported at 8:00am EDT, triggering a hurricane warning for Puerto Costa Maya, Quintana Roo, south to the Belize/Guatemala border.

A tropical storm warning has been issued for the area between Puerto Costa Maya and Punta Allen.

Earl was reported to be 195 kilometers east of Isla Roatán, Honduras, and moving westward at 22 kilometers an hour, with landfall expected tonight in Belize. The storm was generating maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h and was expected to become a hurricane later today.

Hurricane-force winds are forecast for parts of the hurricane warning area by tonight or early tomorrow, said the NHC.

Heavy rainfall is forecast for parts of the Yucatán peninsula through tomorrow night, with very heavy rain in Tabasco and Veracruz between tomorrow night and Saturday morning.

A storm surge is predicted for the eastern Yucatán peninsula near and to the north of where the storm makes landfall.

You won’t find many countries happier than Mexico. In fact, there’s just one and that’s Costa Rica, according to the Happy Planet Index.

Mexico has been ranked No. 2 in the world by the index, described by its creator as a measurement of sustainable well-being.

It was well-being, along with life expectancy, where Mexico scored high. Data gathered by the research firm Gallup measured how satisfied citizens felt with life overall, on a scale of one to 10, and gave Mexico 7.3 for well-being, 11th out of 140 countries.

Life expectancy of 76.4 years put Mexico in 39th place in that category.

Another factor was “inequality of outcomes,” which takes into account inequality within a country in terms of how long people live and how happy they feel based on the distribution of life expectancy and well-being data.

Mexico didn’t fare so well here, coming in 60th out of the 140 countries measured.

A fourth factor was ecological footprint, measuring the average impact each resident places on the environment. Mexico placed 77th.

The study, conducted by the think tank New Economics Foundation, points out that well-being in Mexico is higher than in the United States, despite having an economy that is five times smaller, and an ecological footprint that is one-third that of its neighbor.

The index cites the 2012 introduction of universal health coverage and the 2014 soft drink tax as two examples of “what’s working well in Mexico.” It also mentions the growing political attention being given to environmental sustainability, which has been seen in legislating long-term climate targets and steps to conserve forests and protect biodiversity.

But the index points out that economic inequality is “a massive problem,” saying the top 20% of the population earns more than 13 times as much as the bottom 20%. That and high poverty rates among indigenous peoples and human rights violations represent “significant challenges.”

It also mentions the multi-party agreement called the Pact for Mexico, signed in December 2012, as having been an important step for the country’s future.

Other Happy Planet Index rankings put the U.S. in 108th place and Canada 85th.

Colombia, Vanuatu and Vietnam placed third, fourth and fifth while Togo, Luxembourg and Chad were at the bottom of the list.

The New Economics Foundation describes itself as the United Kingdom’s leading think tank promoting social, economic and environmental justice, and says its goal is to transform the economy so it “works for people and the planet.”

Another happiness index ranked Mexico in 14th place last year. The World Happiness Report, prepared by a United Nations agency, examined income, life expectancy, generosity, social support, freedom and corruption among 158 countries. Switzerland placed first, and Togo last.

Mexico and Australia agreed on Monday on the need to take advantage of the "enormous potential" in their bilateral relationship, which still has not been adequately exploited, to mutually benefit from trade, tourism and education.

Within the framework of his state visit to the Mexican capital, Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove agreed with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto to continue moving forward with political dialogue at all levels.

This will "promote greater growth in economic exchanges," given that, although annual bilateral trade volume amounts to more than $1.6 billion, this is "a figure still much below the enormous potential we have," Peña Nieto emphasized in remarks to the media at the National Palace.

The two nations share positioning within the international order, with both being members of G20, the MIKTA Group - comprised of Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey and Australia - and as signers of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Mexican leader noted.

Ratification of the TPP, he said, "without a doubt will make possible greater integration between the economies of the countries of the Americas and (those) of the Asian region."

Australia is one of the five most important destinations by volume for Mexican students.

Cosgrove, who traveled to Mexico on the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, emphasized the opportunities in the tourism sector afforded by open dialogue.

"More and more Australians are visiting Mexico," he said, noting that 80,000 of his countrymen had done so last year, a situation that suggests that this is an area where the two nations can "work even more" closely together.

He said that cooperation in the environmental, innovation and science and technology sectors were discussed at their meeting, and he committed his nation to continuing to cooperate with Mexico on "sustainable development, humanitarian issues and arms control," among other areas.

Peña Nieto said that he and Cosgrove had discussed Australian education models and "the great opportunity represented by (giving) Mexican students ... access to different levels of training in Australia."

Ash from the Popocatepetl volcano fell Monday on eight Mexico City boroughs and six municipalities in neighboring Mexico state, covering streets and roofs, the Cenapred national disaster management agency said.

Popocatepetl, located 85 kilometers (52 miles) southeast of Mexico City, began emitting steam, gas and ash on Sunday afternoon, with the emissions continuing into the early hours of Monday, the agency said in a bulletin.

Ash was reported on the ground and on buildings in the Mexico City boroughs of Milpa Alta, Xochimilco, Tlalpan, Cuajimalpa, Magdalena Contreras, Alvaro Obregon, Tlahuac and Iztapalapa.

Six cities – Ozumba, Atlautla, Tlalmanalco, Ecatzingo, Tepetlixpa and Amecameca – in Mexico state, which surrounds the Federal District and forms part of the Mexico City metropolitan area, also reported ash from the volcano.

The national disaster management agency extended the volcanic alert for the region, warning residents to be prepared for an eventual evacuation.

In areas where ash is falling, there could be precipitation of incandescent fragments, steam and gas fumes, and mudslides, the Cenapred said.

The agency recommended that residents of areas affected by ash cover their noses and mouths with wet bandanas or wear masks, close windows and remain indoors as much as possible, rinsing their eyes and throats with clean water.

About 25 million people live less than 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Popocateptl, which is located where the states of Mexico, Puebla and Morelos meet.

Popocatepetl, which rises 5,452 meters (17,875 feet) above sea level, is one of the world’s most monitored volcanoes because of its recurring activity over the past 22 years.

From the first “kiss” of mezcal, as a sip of that beverage is called here, along a trail of tasty discoveries that even has its “spiritual” moments, tourists in Mexico City can now follow a new route through the tradition, culture and heritage of this liquor of pre-Columbian origin.

This is the Mezcal Route, a chance to explore the history of mezcal through tastings accompanied by traditional dishes of the Mexican states that distill it.

More than 50 plant species of the Agave genus are used for making mezcal, but only a few are officially recognized by the Mexican Regulatory Council of Mezcal Quality, or Comercam, which is in charge of certifying production.

In recent years, production of this Mexican drink first distilled in pre-Columbian days has taken off in states like Oaxaca, Michoacan, Durango, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi, Guerrero and Guanajuato.

Expert mezcal-maker Otto Minera told EFE on the inauguration tour of the route that the most common agave plant is the “espadin,” whose leaves must grow for eight years before they’re ready to make mezcal.

The flavor changes depending on the touch given it by the distiller, so that each mezcal has a “unique, unrepeatable taste,” Minera said.

The first stop on the route is La Lavanderia, an establishment with magical colors in the capital’s Condesa suburb, where visitors on the route can taste a 90-proof mezcal with a smoked flavor that is savored with a salted apple or orange.

To taste this drink, considered “spiritual,” one must give it a “kiss” – have a first drink – which opens the throat to its strong flavor. The second drink is friendlier and the mezcal flavors are readily discerned and appreciated.

Paco Hernandez, who stages the mezcal tasting at La Lavanderia, told EFE that his goal is to teach clients the origins of agave and help them appreciate the properties of the liquor.

Some agaves are found “only once in a lifetime,” so “the drink made from them cannot be mixed with other beverages or ingredients,” Hernandez said.

The second stop is Corazon Oaxaqueño, a restaurant that brings all the charm of the southern state of Oaxaca to the capital.

It offers a dazzling array of mezcals – tepextate, tobala, arroqueño, tobaziche and more – along with other gastronomic dishes typical of the region like mole, enchiladas and tlayudas.

At this stop one can enjoy the 80-proof Oaxacan mezcal Amatlan to the beat of music typical of that region. Its smoky-sweet flavor and alcohol content give it a rich aroma and delight the palate.

The tour, which lasts some four hours, comes to an end at El Candelero restaurant, whose style takes visitors back to the romantic splendors of 18th century Mexican baroque.

Available for tasting at El Candelero is a 92-proof mezcal called Santa Pedrera that has matured for eight years in the Oaxacan community of San Agustín Amatengo.

The Santa Pedrera at the end of the route is savored with chocolate to smooth its strong flavor. Its distillers call it “no more sorrow.”

A new service was recently founded in western Mexico to provide assistance in the difficult process facing people who decide to have a surgical sex-change and have been rejected by their families because of their transgender condition.

Casa Impulso Trans is the first establishment in Mexico to offer counseling along with medical, psychological and legal aid, its president Izack Zacarias, a young man who decided to leave behind his life as a woman, told EFE.

This is a place where they can come, settle in and “find a solution so they can go on with their lives,” said the activist, a native of Tequila municipality in the western state of Jalisco.

Since its opening a few months ago, the establishment has received some 20 patients from northern and central Mexico.

Those who come to this two-bedroom house outside the city are going through “a complicated emotional process,” not only to accept their deep-down wish for gender change, but also to deal with their families when it comes time to announce their decision, Zacarias said.

“There are no statistics, but of the people I know, at least half have suffered rejection by their families and have had to leave home,” he said.

Edgar Gonzalez Galarza, the psychologist and sexologist who counsels those who come to Casa Impulso Trans, says the staff takes on the task of finding the parents of those who come to the refuge with the intention of reconnecting patients with their families, and in some cases they succeed.

Parental support is fundamental for those who decide to go through with this transition from one sex to another, known as “gender reassignment,” since they will be less likely to get into high-risk situations like drug abuse or prostitution, above all in the case of transgender women, he said.

Aside from psychological companionship, the activists arrange medical attention by specialists who understand the transition process, from the implementing of hormone therapy to the necessary surgeries for modifying the body.

“It’s a long, tedious and costly process,” said Zacarias, who experienced the rejection of doctors that refused to treat him for ethical reasons or tried to convince him to forget the whole idea with “moral and religious arguments.”

Since 2015, the Mexico City Civil Registry has allowed those who have undergone gender reassignment to obtain a birth certificate reflecting their new gender identity.

Vancouver Fire Battalion Chief Dan Christie was vacationing with his wife when he heard screams.
He ran to the ocean where he learned that a man on a boogie board had gone under the water. (Tina Lovgreen/CBC)

Vancouver Fire Battalion Chief Dan Christie and his wife were relaxing on the beach, playing backgammon during a vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico when the yelling started.

"It was a strange yell," said Christie, "It was like there was distress."

The two glanced at each other and began running towards the ocean, where the screams originated. They soon discovered that someone had gone under the water and could not be found.

Christie would later learn that a group of friends from Wisconsin were boogie-boarding that morning when one of them, Steve Heim, 39, somehow wiped out and never came back up.

"He was probably being towed along the bottom," said Christie, recalling the incident that occurred in February.

"I was calling people to assist and to do things. I got the lifeguard to get some Sea-Doos so we could see things better ...

"By the time we got him out of the water I was thinking, 'No, it's been too long, we are going to lose this guy,' " he said.

Steve Heim, in hospital bed, was flown to a U.S. hospital were he he made a full recovery. (Tina Lovgreen/CBC)

Christie had given up hope because it had been at least 10 minutes since he was told that Heim had gone underwater.

"But that doesn't mean we are going to stop trying," said Christie, who with the help of a stranger gave Heim CPR.

"I gave him a couple of quick breaths and this guy just jumped on the chest to give CPR," said Christie, "I didn't know who he was but it didn't matter cause he was doing a good job."

Heim was quickly taken to a nearby hospital then flown to the U.S. for treatment.

Heim's friend, Barry Paye was the one who yelled when he noticed Heim had gone under. Christie said if it wasn't for Paye, the outcome might have been worse.

"All the things that started happening that saved this guy's life would not have happened without (Paye) yelling," said Christie.

The group of friends had known each other since high school in Wisconsin. They were on vacation in Mexico when the incident happened. (Tina Lovgreen/CBC)

In hospital, doctors said Heim's lungs were damaged from all the sea water.

"I would describe it almost as a miraculous turnaround ."

"For the first four days there, he was on a ventilator, basically on life support to get his lungs working," said Paye in a phone interview from Wisconsin.

But just days later, Heim was released from the hospital and was able to fly back home to Wisconsin.

But after about a month Heim was able to go back to work.

"That day God was from Vancouver, Canada."

No one knows how Heim went under water that morning in Mexico. but they credit Christie with helping to save his life.

Heim, who doesn't remember the accident, said he doesn't know what to say to Christie and others except 'Thank you.' "

Heim said he doesn't remember the accident, but is grateful for everyone who helped save his life. (Tina Lovgreen/CBC)

Heim said he doesn't remember the accident, but is grateful for everyone who helped save his life. (Tina Lovgreen/CBC)

He said the experience gave him a different perspective on life.

"Just a lot more thankful for .... just everything," Heim said.

The friends who were vacationing together and have known each other since high school, said they're planning another trip in February to Mexico.

But Heim said, "you won't find me in the ocean."

​

Increase reflects rebound in international crude prices

Fuel prices went up today in response to a recent increase in the price of crude oil. It was the second time in two months that gasoline prices have risen.

Magna gasoline is now priced at a maximum of 13.96 pesos per liter, up 56 centavos, premium is 14.81 pesos, an increase of 44 centavos, and diesel, 13.98 pesos, which is up 21 centavos. Gasoline prices are now 3% higher than they were a year ago.

In announcing the increase, the Finance Secretariat said the price hikes were within the range established for this year by Congress, which allows for prices to be adjusted according to international oil prices, but not by more than 3%.

According to a State of México business organization, most of the impact will be felt in small corner stores, or abarrotes, due to the cost of delivering dairy, bread and meat products. The Industrial Union of the State of México, or Unidem, said a typical delivery route in urban areas has as many as 22 such stores to service.

The additional fuel costs could mean those products will cost 2%-4% more for such stores within one or two months, said Unidem director Francisco Cuevas Dobarganes.

He said the government is hiking fuel and electricity prices because it has pledged not to increase taxes during the administration of President Enrique Peña Nieto. The price increases, which are needed to help balance spending in the wake of economic damage caused by low oil prices and other factors, represent a hidden tax, Cuevas said.

Bill Gates has triggered a wave of investments in a remote region of Mexico called Punta Mita, which is known for its iconic beaches, watersports and charming towns.

In 2014, Cascade Investment, Bill Gates’ private investment firm, bought about 48 acres of land and the Four Seasons Hotel in Punta Mita for $200 million. Other wealthy investors, particularly from the United States, Canada and Mexico, followed suit.

“Bill Gates buying land in the area has had a real impact,” Aaron Fisher, the sales director at Punta Sayulita, one of the developments in the Riviera told The New York Times. “We needed high-end clients and now they’re coming.”

In the past 18 months, property values in Punta Mita have increased 5 percent and those of the Four Seasons Hotel have increased by 12 percent, Brendan Wood, the sales and marketing director of Punta Mita Properties, told the Times.

The Riviera Nayarit, the area that includes Punta Mita, has historically attracted watersport enthusiasts, particularly due to its proximity to the surfer town of Sayulita, a bohemian town home to American and European expats.

“Residents can work from here, send their kids to the local international school and walk to town for the restaurants, bars and shopping,” Fisher said. “You can even paddleboard across the bay.”

Yet, with Bill Gates’ purchase, the region has witnessed a rise in investment from more upscale customers, particularly those from the tech, finance, and media industries.

The average age of buyers has also decreased, down to 30 or 40, from over 50.

One and two-bedroom homes in the Riviera Nayarit range from $130,000 to $250,000 and large villas cost over $800,000, while in Punta Mita, in particular, two-bedroom apartments cost over $345,000 and ocean-view villas cost more than $10 million.

Although foreigners cannot directly own property in Mexico, international investors can buy properties via a “fideicomiso,” meaning that the property is owned by a trust in a bank.

According to Wood, watersports are now an important driver for demand in the region, as opposed to golf, which dominated the market in the past.

The Punta Mita project was originally designed by Mexican developer “Dine” 15 years ago when they bought about 1,500 acres to develop a luxury resort with two golf courses, residences, hotels, and restaurants.

Today, most of the resort is sold out and plans for further construction are underway.

The Riviera Nayarit’s proximity to Puerto Vallarta and its recently expanded international airport has also boosted investment in the region.

Gates has not revealed what he plans to do with his investments so far.

Within the next few days 29 members of the Riviera Nayarit’s hotel personnel who successfully completed the Instructor Training course will receive their registration and certification on behalf of the Department of Labor.

An Instructor Training course was recently imparted as part of the improvement programs coordinated by the Administration team of the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the Human Resources office of the Banderas Bay Hotel and Motel Association (AHMBB by its acronym in Spanish).

The hotel personnel who finished the course are now ready to prepare and present departmental training within that segment, helping to increase the overall level of quality of service in the Destination.

Twenty-nine staff members from among the Destination’s hotels successfully completed the course, which was given by the Grupo Consultor Mexicano, an entity that not only shared important knowledge and evaluated the results but will also be processing the registrations and official certifications for each student through the Department of Labor shortly.

“The idea is for these 29 instructors to be in charge of training their colleagues, not only in the hotels where they work, but also the personnel of all Association hotels who need training,” said Fernando González Ortega, President of the AHMBB.

Participating staff included managers, trainers, auditors, and supervisors as well as personnel in other areas including human resources, maintenance, health and safety, systems, accounting, quality control, training, special projects, spas, bars and restaurants, and more.

The new trainees are employees of Las Palomas, Vallarta Gardens, Paradise Village, Four Seasons, Grupo Marival, Dreams Villamagna, Grand Sirenis Matlali, Grupo Vidanta, Decameron and Villa del Palmar. The three-part course was held July 13, 20 and 27, 2016.

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City issued the following news release on Wednesday July 27:

Edomex, Nuevo León, Colima, Coahuila, Jalisco, Michoacan and Campeche launched Criminal Investigation Instructor Courses for police investigators, part of a national program to create a cadre of criminal investigation instructors. Officials from the United States Embassy and U.S. Consulates in Mexico joined inauguration events for the program in Toluca, Estado de Mexico; Nuevo León; and Guadalajara, Jalisco. Tobin Bradley, Director, Office of Narcotics and Law Enforcement, US Embassy in Mexico, shared his optimism for the program and its impact on law enforcement in Mexico: “We are grateful for this opportunity to assist Mexico in preparing police investigators to meet their responsibilities under the new criminal justice system. This program will advance the successful consolidation of the new criminal justice system throughout Mexico.”

Over the next three months, all thirty-one Mexican states will have completed similar courses. The three-week course encompasses training in criminal investigation and instructor development and will create a cadre of 1,050 federal and state instructors in criminal investigation who will then go on to train approximately 30,000 investigators throughout Mexico.

The program is the result of a collaborative effort between the government of Mexico and the Embassy of the United States under the Merida Initiative. It prepares Mexican police investigators to meet their responsibilities under Mexico’s new criminal justice system and the course content has been validated by the Secretariado Ejecutiva de Sistema Nacional de Seguridad Pública (SESNSP). During the course, police investigators receive instruction in core competencies that are critical to law enforcement and the success of criminal prosecutions, such as the judicious use of force during detention or arrest of individuals, criminal analysis, preservation of a crime scene and evidence, and preparation for giving testimony during oral trials.

Through the Merida Initiative, the United States government provides broad support to the government of Mexico as it consolidates the accusatory criminal justice system. To date, the US Embassy in Mexico has funded First Responder instructor training in the new criminal justice system for nearly 1,500 preventative police officers who will replicate that training for police officers throughout Mexico; since 2011 has provided capacity building visits for 30,000 members of the federal justice system; has funded programs that develop oral litigation skills among law students and professors at over 150 universities; has equipped over 120 courtrooms nationally; and has assisted 14 states to establish the legal framework for the successful implementation of the new criminal justice system. The Embassy continues to support the consolidation of the new criminal justice system with training, technical assistance, and equipment donations that help to institutionalize rule of law and strengthen law enforcement institutions in Mexico.