Good afternoon, bonjour and hallo everyone!
I want to start today’s newsletter with a question: do you still carry cash?
As everything moves increasingly online, the answer is most likely no. But if you are ever in need of cold hard euros, do you know where to find the nearest ATM in Brussels?
With a new draft bill being discussed in parliament today, politicians want to ensure access to cash machines for everyone in the country.
Stressing that access to physical currency is a right, the bill aims to have a minimum number of ATMs in densely populated areas, a reasonable supply of small denomination (€5 and €10) notes, and a maximum distance to the nearest cash machine, from 5km by road in rural areas to 2km in towns and cities.
And while consumers' rights organisations are happy that steps are being taken, they stressed that the draft does not go far enough. Read more about it here.
Meanwhile, one third of hospitals, clinics, and care homes in the Brussels-Capital Region are exposed to nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) concentrations that are 50% higher than the WHO recommendation, according to new data.
Of 48 healthcare facilities analysed by UCLouvain’s SIRANE software, all were exposed to annual average NO₂ concentrations that exceed the WHO recommendation, while 16 (33%) have concentrations exceeding 15 µg/m³.
The facilities include the Clinique Saint-Jean, the Saint-Pierre University Hospital and the Brugmann University Hospital, and more. Find out more here.
And lastly, we have a story about stray cats. In Flanders, municipal authorities caught more than 12,500 strays, with over 3,000 of these cats finding new homes.
Since 2018, the number of stray cats caught by local authorities has increased by an average of 20%, while adoptions have risen by 147%. While adoption may help, it won’t solve the problem, so what can be done to tackle the stray-pet-pandemic? Learn more here.
If you have any comments, tips or suggestions, you can find me at m.chini@brusselstimes.com.
Enjoy the day off tomorrow!
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. ‘Cash is a right’: Consumer groups say new Belgian ATM law falls short
“We call on the government to enshrine guarantees in law, so that access to cash is guaranteed for all Belgian consumers." Read more.
2. One third of Brussels healthcare facilities overexposed to NO₂
“It would be a scandal to find cyanide in paracetamol. So why do we accept breathing in nitrogen dioxide at concentrations that are hazardous to health in the vicinity of our hospitals?" Read more.
3. Body of newborn baby discovered near Liège
The dead body of a newborn baby girl was found in a bin bag at the edge of a field in Warsage, in the Liège province, on Sunday afternoon. Read more.
4. Belgian dies in light aircraft crash in New Zealand
A Belgian and a New Zealander were killed when a light aircraft crashed near Castor Peak in New Zealand on 3 November. Read more.
5. More women than men dissatisfied with their pay in Belgium
More than four in ten Belgian employees feel underpaid compared to other Belgian workers, including almost half of women according to a new survey from Partena. Read more.
6. Palestinian doctor seeks court order to force evacuation of family from Gaza Strip to Belgium
“The constant fear that his loved ones will be killed before he has been able to see them again and hold them in his arms adds to the physical suffering caused by his cancer and reduces his chances of recovery.” Read more.
7. Flemish municipalities have ramped up their efforts to control stray cat populations
According to a survey, Flemish municipalities caught more than 12,500 stray cats last year, with over 3,000 of those cats finding new homes. Read more.
