It's been an eventful morning here at The Brussels Times. Depending on whether your morning routine starts with looking at your phone or out the window, there was likely cause for concern and perhaps a quick recalculation of the commute to work.
If the window is your first observation, you would have registered a steady snowfall that settled just enough to coat cars and rooftops in a few centimetres of snow. But besides the novelty, it was hardly enough to write off travelling to the office (and at time of writing has melted on roads and pavements).
The second (or first) abnormality you might have clocked – and arguably cause for greater concern – were reports of bomb threats on the Brussels metro. The alarm was raised after the European Commission received emails sent in Russian warning of an attack, although after swift investigation and increased vigilance on the public transport system, the threats were ultimately deemed "implausible" and passengers were allowed to continue their journeys as usual. That is, as much as they could given union strikes that were already due to cause widespread disruptions.
For loyal readers who look to The Brussels Times for the latest info on what's happening in the city, an additional complication was an inopportune website crash (which caused considerable stress behind the scenes). Whilst the bugs now seem to be fixed, we do apologise for the inconvenience.
Below is a round-up of this morning's news. Bonne journée à toutes et à tous!
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1. International Women's Day strike: Long waiting times for Brussels metros
Ahead of the expected disruption on Friday, public transport in Brussels is also being impacted by a strike call for women's rights on Wednesday, which in the morning resulted in long waiting times. Read more.
2. Brussels metro hoax threat triggers emergency response
Unverified reports have been circulating on social media of a potential terrorist attack on Brussels' 2 and 6 metro lines on Wednesday. But whilst Belgium's National Crisis Centre has indicated that the threat has led to extra vigilance, it stated that "various implausible elements show that an attack is unlikely." Read more.
3. Nearly 100 Delhaize supermarkets closed as staff spontaneously strike
Staff at some of Delhaize's largest supermarkets spontaneously went on strike on Tuesday morning, after Delhaize announced that all shops would be transferred to independent operators. Read more.
4. 'Tip of the iceberg': Qatargate mere symptom of deeper corruption, claims senior EU official
A senior European official has suggested that the so-called Qatargate scandal is "only the tip of the iceberg" of more deeply entrenched European corruption, and claimed that the illicit funds uncovered thus far by Belgian investigators in connection with the affair were likely used "only for tips". Read more.
5. Deep diving in Brussels: Discover the Nemo 33 facility
With a depth of 33 metres, the Nemo 33 diving pool in Brussels was once the deepest in the world and is now second only to Deep Dive in Dubai. The pool was conceived by diver and adventurer John Beernaerts, who wanted a facility to practice his passion without having to travel to faraway destinations. Read more.
6. Legendary American comedian Jon Stewart spotted in Brussels
Legendary American comedian Jon Stewart has been spotted in the European Parliament, arousing excitement as well as media speculation over what the former host of The Daily Show is up to in Brussels. Read more.
7. Hidden Belgium: Crabbegat
It’s easy to miss the Crabbegat. This ancient sunken lane in southern Brussels is buried among the expensive villas on Avenue de Fré. The cobbled path lined with old beech trees has hardly changed in centuries. The earth banks on either side are overgrown with tree roots, ivy and rare plants. A street lamp is the only sign of modernity. Read more.
