Belgium Yesterday brings a sombre mix of tragedy and loss, alongside developments in unemployment law and school safety. There was also room for travel, jobs and the future role of Queen Sonja after her husband’s death.
Last year, Belgians took a total of 31.2 million trips involving at least one overnight stay. Of these, 21.8 million were trips abroad, according to figures from statistics agency Statbel. France was the most popular holiday destination among Belgian travellers. The figures show the scale of travel activity and confirm France's enduring appeal as a destination.
The Constitutional Court has rejected the Christian trade union’s challenge to limiting unemployment benefits in time. The federal government’s reform therefore largely stands. However, the Court has struck down a transitional rule, meaning people who had already been unemployed for a very long time could lose their benefits sooner than originally planned.
More than 20 schoolchildren have died in a fire in Bukavu, an eastern Congolese city controlled by the M23 militia. Some children were trampled as they fled the school buildings. Hundreds of wooden homes also went up in flames in the densely populated district. The fire affected both schools and residential areas.
Evapco has completed its expansion in Tongeren-Borgloon ahead of schedule. The US cooling systems manufacturer had aimed to hire 100 additional employees for the new plant but has now hired 112. The company says the growth is mainly driven by rising demand for cooling systems for data centres and artificial intelligence applications.
Michael O’Leary, CEO of the Ryanair Group, says comparing other airlines to “rapists” is “fully justified.” He made the remarks in Dublin on Thursday, on the eve of his company’s annual general meeting. The statement came as part of his criticism of rival carriers.
The 89-year-old Norwegian queen dowager Sonja has said goodbye to her husband, King Harald. Yet she remains active within the royal family. Her son Haakon, 53, has ascended the throne, giving Sonja a new role alongside the new king. Her 35 years of experience in the day-to-day running of the monarchy will be important in that role.
On Friday, February 25, 2022, officers find the body of 14-year-old Jairon in a villa in Turnhout. The boy is lying in a bedroom and has been dead for about two months. His body is in an advanced state of decomposition. Those present in the villa show no surprise; they pray around the bed.
A Dutch tour bus was involved in a serious traffic accident in Switzerland on Thursday. The bus overturned, killing and injuring several people. Engadiner Post, Blick and SRF report that it was a serious accident involving the Dutch bus, in which several people were killed or injured.
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