Belgian headlines yesterday included an espionage arrest linked to an East Flemish chipmaker and the rescue of a tourist in Spain. Abroad, protests closed the Eiffel Tower, while volcanic activity disrupted flights in Jakarta.
Eiffel Tower closed to visitors in Paris on Monday after staff struck over claims that female employees were sidelined during a private visit by 100 BAPS representatives. Unions said women were moved from workstations while male colleagues replaced them after requests to limit contact. Operator SETE apologized and opened an investigation; Paris opened an inquiry.
Eiffel Tower staff walked off the job on Monday, leaving the Paris tourist attraction closed. According to staff and management, employees were “shocked” after female colleagues were sent away on Saturday during a visit by a Hindu delegation. The strike followed the incident and affected visitors who wanted to visit the tower on Monday.
Spanish emergency services rescued a Belgian tourist in Los Cañones de Jaén, in southern Spain. During a hike, the woman suffered a panic attack and could no longer move forward or backward. Officers brought her safely out of the canyon after emergency responders arrived; footage shows the rescue.
The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed that a former key employee of bankrupt chipmaker BelGaN is in custody on suspicion of spying for China. The company was based in Oudenaarde, East Flanders. Investigators allege the suspect passed trade secrets about gallium nitride chip production to a Chinese front company. The case remains under investigation.
Alexander Blockx has lost the second set to Francisco Cerúndolo at the US Open, leveling the match. The Argentine made it 1-1 in sets after a less smooth set for the Belgian. The match continues live, with attention also on the other Belgian participants and top players at the tournament.
Operations at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport have been suspended after an eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano. Volcanic ash in the air currently makes safe air travel impossible. About 170,000 passengers are affected, stranded across 1,500 flights. The airport will remain closed until flying is safe despite the ash.
The Dutch travel app Polarsteps made data from around 23 million users accessible, investigative platform Follow the Money found. They included nearly one million Belgian profiles. The app is used to share trips and experiences, but the discovery shows its security is insufficient to shield the data from unwanted access.
Spain’s justice system has opened an investigation into the mass influx of migrants into the North African exclave of Ceuta. At the end of July, around 80,000 people tried to enter by sea or over the border fences. An estimated 100 people died. The investigation aims to establish what happened.
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