2025-04-30 - Channel 5 Belize

Baseball Federation Pushes Back on Amalgamation, Reaffirms Independence

On Tuesday the Belize Softball Federation (BSF) announced via its Facebook page the formation of the Belize Baseball and Softball Federation, following the adoption of a revised constitution by the Belize Softball Federation at a Special General Assembly on Saturday, April 26.

According to the Federation, the new constitution formalises the unification of baseball and softball under one governing body, with provisions for separate vice presidents overseeing each sport, mirroring the structure of the World Baseball and Softball Confederation (WBSC).

However, the move has sparked controversy. On April 29, the Baseball Federation of Belize (BFB) fired off a statement reaffirming its status as an independent and legally recognised organisation, registered with the National Sports Council and the Belize Companies Registry since 2019.

In the statement, the BFB said it was not consulted by the Belize Softball Federation regarding the proposed amalgamation. It stressed its sole mandate to govern and develop baseball in Belize while expressing openness to collaboration—so long as its autonomy and governance are respected.

According to the BSF, Saturday’s meeting was attended by softball and baseball representatives from Belize City, Belmopan, Cayo, San Pedro, Orange Walk, and other areas.

Belize Hosts Workshop to Strengthen Climate Reporting

Belize is hosting a two-day national workshop to review and strengthen its greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting as part of its ongoing efforts to meet international climate commitments. The Greenhouse Gas Inventory Review Workshop brings together technical experts, sector leads, and key stakeholders.

The workshop aims to assess Belize’s GHG inventory using the 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines. It follows Belize’s submission of its first Biennial Transparency Report (BTR) and Fifth National Inventory Report (NIR) to the UNFCCC in December 2024.

Participants are reviewing data across sectors including energy, industry, waste, agriculture, and forestry. “This workshop not only sharpens our technical readiness but also reaffirms our role as a regional leader in building a transparent, accountable, and data-driven climate future,” a joint statement said.

It added that the workshop is key to prepare “Belize for the upcoming Technical Expert Review (TER), a process that evaluates the quality and transparency of submitted reports.”

The event is in collaboration with the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Solid Waste Management through the National Climate Change Office (NCCO), with support from the Regional Climate Action Transparency Hub (ReCATH).

Spain’s Unprecedented National Blackout Caused by “Rare Atmospheric Phenomenon”

According to Al Jazeera, Spain and Portugal experienced one of Europe’s worst blackouts, affecting tens of millions of people and disrupting transport, communications, and medical procedures.

The blackout lasted from Monday to early Tuesday, plunging major cities like Barcelona, Madrid, and Lisbon into darkness. Emergency meetings were convened by the Spanish and Portuguese governments, and a state of emergency was declared in Madrid.

Portugal’s electricity provider, Redes Energeticas Nacionais (REN), attributed the outage to a rare atmospheric phenomenon causing severe temperature imbalances.

However, Spain’s national meteorological office, Aemet, ruled out weather as the cause. Investigations are ongoing, with experts suggesting multiple factors might be involved.

Despite the restoration of power, transport systems remain affected, and the exact cause of the blackout is still unknown. Authorities have not ruled out any possibilities, including cyberattacks, although there is no evidence to support this theory at present.