Expatica news

Belgian news in brief, 24 October 2005

Two people injured in a knife fight

Two people were injured in Waterloo on Sunday in a fight between two families. Le Soir reported that knives were used during the scrap at 2pm which was not the first. Gun shots had been fired during a previous disagreement last week. On Sunday, officers seized fire arms.

Racist outbreak at anniversary celebrations

An extremist group interrupted an event in Ghent to mark the anniversary of the founding of the Belgian state 175 years ago. The audience was watching the play La Muette de Portici, the play in progress when the Belgian revolution broke out in 1830 at Theatre de la Monnaie in Brussels. On Sunday, though, it was Flemish separatists which interrupted, chanting the song Flemish Lion before leaving. The show then continued as normal.

Urgent call to protect Wallonia’s forests

A conservationist group has called for action to protect biodiversity in Walloon forests. The Centre for Research into Nature, Forests and Woods says the disappearance of a number of natural species from the francophone region is become worrying. Researcher Etienne Branquart told La Libre Belgique that the region needs to create more reserves in forests in a similar way to networks in France, Germany and Flanders.

[Copyright Expatica News 2005]

                                         Subject: Belgian news