Belgium Yesterday brought scrutiny of public services and institutions, from replacement-bus disruption at NMBS and energy contracts at bpost to a privacy scandal involving nude images. Legal and sporting stories also featured, alongside the serious injury of a 15-year-old French student at a protest and debate over bear hunting in Romania.
The Red Devils face France in Paris tonight. Statistics do not suggest that France are a clear bogey team for Belgium, although there is an important caveat. The match can be followed live via a live blog and will be broadcast on VTM and VTM GO.
A 15-year-old French school student lost a hand after picking up a police grenade during a protest. In France, demonstrations against teacher shortages and outdated school infrastructure have continued since last week. The situation regularly escalates at secondary schools, with arson and fireworks. Liège also saw renewed unrest on Monday after serious riots over the weekend.
Italy and Turkey play each other in Bologna in the same group as Belgium. Italy has collected four points from three matches and is third. Turkey lost its first three games and is still bottom without a point. The match could affect the balance of power in the group, while Belgium take on France elsewhere.
A dark-web platform traded nude photos of 10,311 women for $250 per image. An HLN journalist uncovered the trade after a year-long undercover investigation. The Antwerp public prosecutor’s office has since launched an investigation. Victim Meddy Goossens, 31, says images of her taken when she was 16 were shared and that this affected her.
The investigation into the death of influencer Zoë Snoeks, 33, from Meerhout is complete, the Turnhout public prosecutor’s office confirms. Investigators conducted a sound test concerning a scream heard by a witness. Prosecutors want her husband, Joeri J., brought before the court of assizes. J. says Snoeks fell; prosecutors say she was pushed.
From today, bpost is also offering Luminus energy contracts at its 655 Belgian post offices. Customers can have their energy bill reviewed there and switch at the counter to one of the supplier’s plans. The expansion is part of plans to quickly transform the offices into multiservice points. The service will therefore be available nationwide.
In Romania, hunters may shoot 969 bears this year. The permitted hunting quota is twice as high as it was two years ago. The measure follows an increase in incidents involving bears and people. It is a national decision on the number of animals that may be killed under the quota.
TreinTramBus has asked NMBS for an explanation about the chaotic replacement bus service between Ostend and Bruges. No trains ran last weekend due to track works, while too few buses were also available, resulting in long queues at the stations. The passengers’ association is calling on NMBS to better organise bus services during future track works.
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