Good afternoon. It’s Katie Westwood here, easing you into the weekend with our final newsletter of the week.
Once upon a time, Brussels had a main railway station to be proud of. Before it was demolished in 1949, the second, neo-classical-style iteration of Brussels-Midi was a sight to behold.
Much like Penn Station in New York or the old Euston Station in London, Midi was the victim of philistine post-war urban planning. Now, we are stuck with a station that is frankly a bit of an eyesore.
We can’t turn the clock back, so we have to make the best of what we’ve got. A beautiful main railway station would be lovely, but I think most of us in Brussels simply want somewhere safe and clean to travel through. Sadly, Midi is not currently delivering these basic needs.
As our News Editor Ugo Realfonzo writes, both Brussels-Midi and Brussels-North have been affected by longstanding social issues, petty crime and general feelings of insecurity and uncleanliness – all of which have a hugely detrimental effect on the city’s image.
The new Brussels government has pledged to tackle the problem in two phases. On Thursday, it released details of a ‘Station Plan’ to improve cleanliness and safety at the two stations. Phase one of the plan includes installing more CCTV cameras and launching a one-off deep cleaning operation. Read more about the plan here.
Staying in our Brussels nostalgia groove, I strongly recommend reading this excellent article by guest contributor Thomas Huddleston on the city's status as one of Europe's great capitals of exile.
Thomas takes us on a refugee-inspired walking tour of Brussels, explaining how it has offered sanctuary to a remarkable range of exiles and emigrés, from the French Bourbons and English Stuarts to Karl Marx and Haile Selassie.
Bringing us bang up to date, reporter Christopher Richards drills down into the data on a hot-button issue in many countries today: social media use among young people.
Specifically, Christopher looks at recent statistics on parental engagement with children regarding their social media use. He found that Belgian parents tend to be a little more reticent than other nationalities when it comes to talking to their teenagers about their online activities.
This weekend is set to be a real scorcher in Belgium, with temperatures expected to exceed 30°C. If you’re planning to be out and about, there are loads of great activities around the city – including the much-loved Fête de la Musique.
Check out our list of what’s on this weekend in Brussels for inspiration. And don’t forget the Red Devils are back in action against Iran on Sunday evening. You can watch it on the big screen at various places around the city.
As a subscriber to our newsletters, you rely on The Brussels Times as a trusted news source, so please take a moment to select our website as a preferred source on Google. That way, when you carry out Google searches, you will see our verified news articles first.
As always, should you have any comments, tips or suggestions, you know where to find me: k.westwood@brusselstimes.com.
Bye for now!
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. Brussels is planning ‘ambitious’ clean-up of Midi and North stations
More CCTV, a one-off deep-cleaning operation and turning Midi station into an "economic hub": Brussels has finally announced its new 'Station Plan'. Read more.
2. An unusual walking tour through Brussels – Europe’s capital of exiles
Asylum has always been central to the identity of Belgium as an independent nation and to Brussels as the national and European capital. Read more.
3. Belgian parents are reluctant to talk to their kids about bad online experiences
Compared to many of their EU counterparts, Belgian parents are less likely to talk to their children about social media use. Read more.
4. Everything you need to know about Fête de la Musique in Brussels
On any given weekend in Brussels, live music isn't hard to find. But this weekend, it's everywhere. Read more.
5. One person injured in fire on Rue due Trône in Brussels
Emergency responders arrived on the scene in Ixelles at around 4:40 a.m, with the entire building declared uninhabitable from the fire. Read more.
6. Earth may not be swallowed up by dying sun after all, say Belgian researchers
"This doesn’t mean Earth will remain habitable,” warned astronomy professor Leen Decin of KU Leuven, author the new research. Read more.
7. What to do in Brussels this weekend: 19 – 21 June
With the summer solstice arriving this weekend, Brussels is making the most of the season's longest days. Here are our favourite picks! Read more.
