Belize is set to experience moist and unstable weather as a cold front approaches.
Expect sunny skies with cloudy intervals today. By tonight, conditions will become increasingly cloudy, with a few showers and thunderstorms developing initially offshore and along southern coastal areas. As the evening progresses, showers and thunderstorms are expected to intensify, particularly over inland and coastal regions.
By tomorrow morning, the activity is forecast to gradually decrease, bringing some relief from the unsettled weather. Stay tuned for updates as conditions evolve.
The National Meteorological Service also shared that it is currently facing a service disruption due to a damaged fiber cable near the airport, affecting both website and phone lines.
Police continue to investigate a fire incident in the DFC neighbourhood of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, that destroyed three structures, including a two-story house, a four-bedroom home, and a small shop with a bedroom.
The damage is estimated at $200,000. The property owner, Sandra Catzim, and the community are concerned after officials confirmed the fire was set intentionally.
The fire broke out around 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday and quickly spread, destroying the houses. “The houses were already lost by the time we arrived,” said a local firefighter to the San Pedro Sun. Prior to the fire, witnesses reported suspicious activity in the area. One resident told the local newspaper, “My neighbour said they saw someone hanging around, and then suddenly, there was smoke everywhere. All I could do was grab my child and the most important documents and leave with my family.”
The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) is closely monitoring the situation and preparing to assist those affected. Daniel Mendez, NEMO’s National Emergency Coordinator, told the San Pedro Sun, “We encourage residents to be aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious behaviour.”
Residents in Region 7 are urged to monitor waterways and remain cautious. On the Rio Hondo, flood levels at Blue Creek North are expected to decrease, while at Santa Cruz, minimal increases in levels are anticipated. Flood stage levels will also decrease from San Antonio, San Roman, and Douglas towards the coast. On the New River, bankfull stage levels are expected at Hill Bank, Tower Hill, and Caledonia, extending to the coast.
In Region 9, the Mopan River at Benque Viejo Town, flood levels are receding and are expected to continue decreasing to Hurricane Mitch levels. On the Macal River, floodwaters at Fortis facilities, including Chalillo, Mollejon, and Vaca spillways, are active, while flood levels at San Ignacio are expected to decrease. On the Belize River, flood levels at More Tomorrow will continue to decrease, but at Double Run, levels will rise. Increasing levels are also expected at Crooked Tree Lagoon, although they should remain below the causeway.
In Region 11, the Sibun River at Freetown Sibun, flood levels have already exceeded historical Hurricane Mitch and Keith levels and continue to rise. On the Southern Lagoon at Gales Point Village, flood levels are expected to decrease. In the watersheds on the Eastern Slopes of the Maya Mountains and on the Sittee River at Kendal Bridge, flood stage levels are also expected to decrease. Increasing flood levels are expected on the branches of the Monkey River at Swasey and Bladen. On the Deep River at Medina Bank, above-normal levels are expected. On the Rio Grande at San Pedro Columbia, levels will decrease, while at Big Falls South, levels will remain above normal. On the Moho River, above-normal levels are expected at Blue Creek South and Jordan, and on the Temash River at Crique Sarco, above-normal levels are also expected.
In the Sarstoon River in region 13, above-normal levels are expected.
A flood warning remains in effect for the northern, central, and southern rivers and their tributaries, including the Rio Hondo, Belize River, Sibun River, Mopan River, Sittee River, branches of the Monkey River (Bladen and Swasey), and areas along the eastern slopes of the Maya Mountains.
Additionally, a flash flood warning is in effect for downstream communities in the Cayo District. The San Roman and San Antonio access roads are flooded, and communities along and downstream of the Belize River can expect flooding conditions.
Severe flood warnings are in effect for the Macal River and its tributaries. San Ignacio Low-Lying Bridge and Iguana Creek Bridge remain impassable.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Francis Fonseca, is representing Belize at the second India-CARICOM Summit in Guyana.
The India-CARICOM Summit brings together leaders from India and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to explore ways of enhancing bilateral ties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented seven key pillars aimed at deepening cooperation and addressing shared global challenges.
A central theme of the summit was “capacity building,” with Prime Minister Modi reaffirming India’s commitment to supporting the Caribbean through educational and technical initiatives. As part of this effort, India will expand its ITEC scholarship program by adding 1,000 new slots over the next five years. Modi also announced plans to collaborate with CARICOM countries to develop forensic centres and improve parliamentary training, further solidifying India’s role as a development partner.
Agriculture was highlighted as another critical area of collaboration, with Modi emphasising India’s commitment to helping strengthen agricultural infrastructure and ensure food security in the Caribbean region. Recognising the challenges faced by the global south, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters, Modi underscored India’s ongoing support to CARICOM countries, including vaccine distribution and capacity-building efforts.
The summit also focused on digital innovation, with Modi showcasing India’s technological advancements. He proposed the adoption of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) across CARICOM countries, building on its successful implementation in countries like the UAE, Singapore, and France. Modi also introduced India’s Digi Locker platform, a cloud-based system for secure document storage, and the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal, aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency in public procurement.
On the cultural front, Modi celebrated the deep-rooted ties between India and the Caribbean, particularly through the shared love of cricket. In a bid to promote gender equality, Modi proposed training eleven young female cricketers from each CARICOM nation in India.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the summit “serves as a platform for Belize to expand its relations with.”
Bluesky, a social media platform, recently reached one million users, seeing rapid growth as many users left X (formerly Twitter) following the U.S. presidential election. According to Similarweb, over 115,000 U.S. users deactivated their X accounts on November 6, though X still had its highest web traffic of the year on the same day. X, which was acquired by Elon Musk in 2022, has faced criticism over issues like hate speech and political bias, prompting many users to seek alternatives.
Bluesky, initially a project funded by Twitter before Musk’s acquisition, differentiates itself by focusing on decentralisation and user control. It allows users more freedom in what they see and enables easier movement across platforms. Founded as an independent company in 2022, Bluesky is primarily owned by Jay Graber, who has a background in cryptocurrency and decentralised systems.
Despite Bluesky’s surge, X remains larger, with more users and traffic. However, Bluesky’s user base has doubled in the past 90 days, and its growth accelerated post-election, while X’s user engagement appears to be waning. Prominent journalists and media outlets, such as Charlie Warzel, Mara Gay, Don Lemon, and The Guardian, have also shifted to Bluesky, citing concerns over X’s content and direction under Musk. While Bluesky’s rise signals a potential shift, X still dominates, though its future remains uncertain amid growing user dissatisfaction.
You can follow News 5 Belize on Bluesky by clicking here.
The Belize Softball Federation announced on Monday that the roster for the U-18 National Team is set to represent Belize in the Central American Softball Championships from November 21-24 in Estelí, Nicaragua.
The team departed on Tuesday and is to return on Monday, November 25.
The Federation said it has worked hard to form a competitive team, organising open tryouts and training sessions across several towns in Belize, including Belize City, Orange Walk, Camalote, Independence, and San Pedro. They also reached out to Belizeans living abroad to ensure a diverse selection of talent.
According to the Federation, after weeks of intense training with the national team coaches and regional trainers, the following players have been selected to represent Belize in the tournament: Georgianna Carr, Helen Cassasola, Wilma Chun, Kimari Davis, Rayanna Ferrel, Josey Flowers, Malesha Frazer, Aalianna McFadzean, Danisha Richards, Reginae Ruiz, Ixchel Cuellar-Santiago, Zarra Cuellar-Santiago, Briannie Saravia, Zyra Smith, Naveah Sosa, Yasmin Weir, Jaysha Weir, and Shellange Wilshire. Additionally, Rhea Henry and Rahira McKoy have been named as reserves.
The coaching staff for the team includes Floyd Flowers as head coach, Agnes Lucas as assistant coach, and Jason Belisle as pitching coach.
Belize officially opened its High Commission office in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on Tuesday. This is according to an X post by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. It said, “FM Fonseca, accompanied by Amb. Mai and HC Gale Miller-Garnett, officially opened Belize’s High Commission in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. FM Fonseca spoke of the strong relations with Guyana and the importance of forging ties with CARICOM.”
Earlier in June, the Belize flag was hoisted at the chancellery of the High Commission of Belize in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, marking the nascent of its operations.”
The event was led by High Commissioner H.E. Gale Miller-Garnett and attended by Belize Defence Force members studying in Guyana.
While in Guyana, Foreign Affairs Minister Francis Fonseca, in his capacity as Minister of Education, “met with Belizeans studying in Guyana. The students who are primarily pursuing programs in medicine and law spoke to their experience and progress living and studying in Guyana.”
Negotiations on funding for adaptation to climate change are gridlocked. “We must double the funding for adaptation and expedite the allocation of resources to address the damages caused by climate change,” said Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Management, Dr. Kenrick Williams. He urged the international community to double funding for climate adaptation and speed up financial support for the damage caused by climate change.
Dr. Williams stressed that the climate crisis is having a severe impact on vulnerable nations like Belize. Natural disasters, including tropical storms and forest fires, have caused losses exceeding $200 million, more than 6% of the country’s GDP, over the past two years. “We need a doubling of adaptation financing, and we need to expedite the financing for loss and damage,” Dr. Williams said. “Investment in adaptation is not a luxury; it is a prerequisite for survival.”
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) rely heavily on tourism, fishing, and agriculture, are already bearing the brunt of climate change impacts. Developing effective NDCs is a difficult task, requiring financial resources, technical expertise, and strong data systems—things many SIDS lack. “We face the challenge of lack of human resources back home, especially when it comes to the expertise needed to put together international documents,” said Edalmi Pinelo, Belize’s Chief Climate Change Officer.
For many SIDS, financial struggles are made worse by growing debt, creating a cycle that makes it even harder to address climate risks.
“It is an honour to participate in such a landmark event to share our thoughts, engage in debate, and express our needs,” Pinelo said. “Climate finance is one of our top priorities. Our people are suffering from recurring tropical storms, and climate change is intensifying extreme weather events. Those trying to adapt in these conditions urgently need financial support,” she added.
Developing nations, including Belize, are frustrated that climate finance discussions are still focused on emission reductions while their urgent financial and adaptation needs remain unmet. Meanwhile, the EU has not yet agreed on a final figure for climate finance under the new goal.
Last week, Prime Minister John Briceño travelled to Mexico City on an official visit aimed at strengthening the relationship between both countries. That same day, he chaired a meeting of COCESNA, the Central American Air Navigation Services Corporation, in his role as pro tempore chairman. The Prime Minister also took the opportunity to advocate for CEO Kennedy Carillo’s candidacy for a position on the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) Board, a specialised agency of the United Nations.
The discussions covered a wide range of topics, including security, trade, and tourism in the border region. The future of the Tren Maya project, which aims to improve connectivity between Mexico and Central America, was another major point of conversation.
PM Briceño stated that President Claudia Sheinbaum and Mexico’s new Foreign Minister are committed to continued bilateral cooperation. Both countries also explored ways to strengthen cooperation in the energy sector, with plans to form working groups to increase energy generation and transmission and expand the existing power purchase agreement to meet growing demand on both sides of the border. A key focus of the talks was the need for green energy development in both countries.
The man recently won $25,000 on a Scratch and Win ticket. He recalled going to a shop with several options and deciding to buy two scratch tickets—one for one dollar and the other for five dollars. As he scratched the five-dollar ticket, he realised he had won a significant amount of money. “When I scratched the bottom number, I saw 25, and I thought, well, it made a good birthday; it’s my birthday today,” he said.
He added, “Well, I said, well, you know, you feel like you’re funny in your body because, you know, you win this big prize.”
When asked what he planned to do with the cash, he mentioned that the first priority would be improving his home. “Well, the first thing is my house because it’s been two years. It will start at my house, but then I’ll have some day labor. But now, that’s the correct time, I figure,” he said, adding that he planned to use the money wisely. He also encouraged others to keep trying their luck, saying, “If you don’t buy, you don’t win. You don’t have hope that way.”
