Latest news with #BelgaNewsAgency
Gulf Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Belgian king describes situation in Gaza as 'disgrace to humanity'
In his speech, the eve of Belgium's National Day, King Philippe of Belgium urged Europe to demonstrate stronger leadership at a time when international law is under increasing threat, Belga News Agency reported. He also described the situation in Gaza as a "disgrace to humanity'. The King added that Brussels urgently needs a new regional government. "For decades, international law has been the reliable foundation upon which states could rely. Today, however, that foundation is being openly questioned. But when international law is trampled underfoot, the entire world suffers. Unpredictability and violence are then given free rein,' he went on to highlight the global resurgence of conflicts that ''we had thought were relics of the past''. In this context, he expressed satisfaction that Europe continues to prioritise cooperation and openness over confrontation and exclusion. He noted that this is "sometimes a difficult choice' and "requires courage today.' Palestinians children queue for a portion of hot food distributed by a charity kitchen at the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza. AFP Yet, the king added, it is precisely this choice that has brought Europe prosperity and enabled it to forge its own path. Such an approach puts Europe in a better position to respond to digital transformations, strengthen its defence capabilities and address climate change. "Europe must show stronger leadership. It must become a bulwark against, and a credible alternative to, the brutal power struggles we are witnessing today. This can be achieved by remaining true to our core values of democracy, justice and the rule of law. By upholding international law and human rights, we can safeguard human dignity. This is also how we build trust, a virtue we so desperately need," the King said. He then recounted a meeting with two fathers - one Palestinian and one Israeli - who had each lost a child in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They set aside their grief and desire for revenge, transforming their pain into a message of peace. Their testimony moved the King profoundly. "These fathers remind us that, beyond the political dimension, it is always human dignity that is at stake." WAM
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tomorrowland festival still scheduled to go ahead despite stage fire, says organiser
The Tomorrowland music festival in Belgium is still scheduled to take place this weekend despite a huge fire that destroyed the event's spectacular main stage on Wednesday (16 July). Images shared on local news sites and social media showed flames and plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage, which took two years to build, and spreading to nearby woodland. Nearby residents were urged to close all windows and doors until the fire was under control. With the festival due to begin on Friday (18 July), spokesperson Debby Wilmsen has reassured those attending that the fate of the event rests with authorities, according to the Belga News Agency. 'There's a lot of fake news going around, but we're definitely expecting 38,000 visitors at the Dreamville campsite tomorrow. They're looking forward to it, and we're looking forward to it, and we're going to give them a warm welcome,' Wilmsen said despite a site employee describing 'an apocalyptic scene'. 'The festival will go ahead, albeit without the main stage,' Wilmsen said. 'I can't yet say how we're going to handle that.' Fireworks burst and smoke rises as a fire engulfs the main stage of Tomorrowland, an electronic music event, in Boom, Belgium (Morgan Hermans via Reuters) In a separate statement, Wilmsen added: 'Our showpiece, which took two years to build, is gone. Fortunately, the other stages are intact. The intention is truly for the festival to go on. But we can't work magic, so it will be without the Mainstage. Our production team will now do everything to make something beautiful out of it.' She continued by declaring that 'cancellation was never considered' but said organisers are consulting with authorities about whether the site is safe enough for people to attend. 'If tomorrow it turns out that the site is not safe and we receive instructions from the authorities, we will follow them. Safety is always the priority,' Wilmsen added. 'We suddenly heard bangs and saw fire near the stage, a huge amount of fire,' an unnamed onlooker told Het Nieuwsblad newspaper. 'We were just putting the finishing touches on it. One more day and it would be finished.' Tomorrowland attracts tens of thousands of fans from across Europe (AFP) Dozens of emergency teams were seen rushing through the festival grounds just after 6pm in an attempt to extinguish the flames and evacuate those inside the grounds. There were no members of the public present at the time, but around 1,000 staff members were working on site. The annual electronic music festival is held in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, draws tens of thousands of visitors from around Europe. Some of the world's most popular DJs are due to appear on the stage over the weekend, including Martin Garrix, David Guetta, Fisher, Swedish House Mafia and Steve Aoki. Back in 2017, the festival had to evacuate over 22,000 people after another major fire. The crowds at Barcelona's Tomorrowland Unite were forced to flee just hours before Steve Aoki was due to headline the event.
Euronews
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
One dead in fourth shooting linked to gang violence in Brussels this week
A shooting incident in Brussels — the fourth in the Belgian capital this week — killed one person, authorities told local media, with the spike in violence linked to rival drug gangs. The latest outbreak of violence in the city happened in the early hours of Friday in the Peterbos neighbourhood in Anderlecht, the Brussels prosecutor's office told the media. The victim was a man who has yet to be identified, police spokesperson Sarah Frederickx said. "It is probably linked to rival drug gangs," said a spokeswoman for the Brussels prosecutor's office. The fatal shooting on Friday follows three other incidents in the last three days. One person was injured on Thursday in a shooting near the Clémenceau metro station in Anderlecht. On Wednesday, two men exchanged fire outside the same station, which led to a manhunt in the tunnels of the metro system and a brief shutdown of several stations. The suspects have yet to be caught. Hours earlier, two people were injured in a shooting on the other side of Brussels, in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode. Although it is unclear if the incidents are related, they are believed to be linked to territorial disputes between different drug gangs in the capital. "These are probably reprisals, wars between mafias that are waging a war for territory," Brussels mayor Philippe Close told public radio. On Thursday, Close said he would convene other mayors of the city's districts to propose a plan to combat drug-related violence, according to Belga News Agency. The government has said it plans to temporarily merge the six separate Brussels police zones in order to more efficiently deploy officers between different districts. The new Belgian government, led by Flemish nationalist Bart De Wever, has said that he wants the police zones to be permanently merged to better combat violence in the city.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Yahoo
Manhunt after shooting at Brussels underground station
Belgian police have launched a manhunt after a shooting near an underground station in the capital. It happened outside Clemenceau metro station - near Brussels-Midi Station - at about 6.30am on Wednesday, according to local media reports. Clemenceau, Trone and Gare de l'Ouest underground stations have been closed to the public as police search for the perpetrators, The Brussels Times reported. CCTV footage showed two people were involved and shot into the air with an automatic rifle, according to the newspaper. "The suspects fled in the direction of the metro station and may still be in the tunnel between the Clemenceau and Midi stations," a police spokesperson told Belga News Agency. "The Brussels Midi police and the federal railway police are searching the area. No one was injured in the shooting." The prosecutor's office confirmed no one was hurt. Images showed emergency services at the scene with a police cordon in place. Several tram and underground lines have also been shut. Police said the incident may have been drug-related. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. You can receive Breaking News alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News App. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
Sky News
05-02-2025
- Sky News
Manhunt after shooting at Brussels underground station
Belgian police have launched a manhunt after a shooting near an underground station in the capital. It happened outside Clemenceau metro station - near Brussels-Midi Station - at about 6.30am on Wednesday, according to local media reports. Clemenceau, Trone and Gare de l'Ouest underground stations have been closed to the public as police search for the perpetrators, The Brussels Times reported. CCTV footage showed two people were involved and shot into the air with an automatic rifle, according to the newspaper. "The suspects fled in the direction of the metro station and may still be in the tunnel between the Clemenceau and Midi stations," a police spokesperson told Belga News Agency. "The Brussels Midi police and the federal railway police are searching the area. No one was injured in the shooting." The prosecutor's office confirmed no one was hurt. Images showed emergency services at the scene with a police cordon in place. Several tram and underground lines have also been shut. Police said the incident may have been drug-related. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
