Goeiemiddag and bonjour!
Me, Maïthé Chini, again – delivering the latest news straight to your inbox today.
On our homepage, we have a very interesting story about Belgium's wastewaters and what they reveal about people's drug habits. For the first time, Belgium's public health institute Sciensano carried out a large-scale monitoring of drugs in the country's sewage last year.
What they found, mainly, is that people in Belgium use a lot of different drugs: from cocaine and meth to ketamine, cannabis and ecstasy – it's all in the water.
Our reporter Anas El Baye took a look at what's in the sewers, and painted a clear picture of Belgium's drug scene, from nightlife highs to weekday dependency.
Elsewhere, our News Editor Ugo Realfonzo took a look at YouTube, and how its homepage video recommendation system may be breaching EU law; Brussels-based NGO European Digital Rights Initiative (EDRi) filed a new complaint against Google Ireland with the Belgian telecom regulator (BIPT).
The organisation alleges that YouTube's design of its video recommendation system on users' homepage is intentionally designed to benefit the company over the user. Ugo tells you all about it.
And lastly, in case you missed it: services across Belgium will be disrupted due to the general strike on Thursday. You can find everything we know about the disruptions here.
If you have any comments, tips or suggestions to improve our coverage, please feel free to email me at m.chini@brusselstimes.com.
See you later!
Belgium in Brief is a free daily roundup of the top stories to get you through your coffee break conversations. To receive it straight to your inbox every day, sign up below:
1. What Belgium’s sewage reveals about the country’s drug habits
Belgium's sewers paint a picture of the country's drug scene, from nightlife highs to weekday dependency. Read more.
2. YouTube accused in EU of having ‘manipulative’ homepage
"It pushes its own profiling-based recommender systems at the expense of people's right to use an alternative option." Read more.
3. Putin offers EU energy lifeline as Middle East conflict sends oil prices soaring
Russia offered oil and gas supplies to Europe, in exchange for "long-term" contracts and no political pressure on Moscow. Read more.
4. Antisemitism is ‘widespread’ in Brussels, says new report
"The attack on the synagogue in Liège confirms that it is no longer just antisemitic speech that has been unleashed, but antisemitic acts as well." Read more.
5. ‘The city will catch you’: Brussels to crack down on money laundering in hospitality
Brussels City mayor Philippe Close (PS) announced a joint security sector summer campaign to hunt down money laundering venues. Read more.
6. Liège and Mons stops are on route of new Paris-Berlin night train
New European sleeper train connecting Paris and Berlin will be able to pick up Belgian passengers from Wallonia on the board. Read more.
7. Working from home is still popular in Belgium, but companies are tightening rules
Belgian firms are tightening remote work policies, with one in six now mandating four office days a week despite employee preferences. Read more.
