Rwanda has officially cut diplomatic ties with Belgium, accusing the European country of repeatedly undermining it amid the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).
Belgium has been at the forefront of efforts to push for European sanctions against Rwanda, citing its alleged support for M23, the rebel group heavily involved in DR Congo’s crisis.
As a result, Rwandan authorities have ordered Belgian diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours.
Belgium, which once ruled Rwanda as a colonial power, has called the decision an overreaction and promised to issue a response.
While both the UN and the US have accused Rwanda of backing M23, Kigali has strongly denied any involvement. In its statement on Monday, Kigali accused Brussels of attempting to “sustain its neo-colonial delusions”.
“Belgium has clearly taken sides in a regional conflict and continues to systematically mobilise against Rwanda in different forums, using lies and manipulation to secure an unjustified hostile opinion of Rwanda, in an attempt to destabilise both Rwanda and the region,” the statement said.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot responded to Rwanda’s measures on social media, saying: “This is disproportionate and shows that when we disagree with Rwanda they prefer not to engage in dialogue.”
Prevot said Rwandan diplomats in Belgium will be declared “persona non grata”. When a diplomatic declaration is issued, it can strip individuals of their official status, often leading to their expulsion or a refusal to recognize their roles.
Since the beginning of this year, fighting between the M23 rebels and the DR Congo’s military in the eastern region has caused around 7,000 deaths, according to Congolese authorities. The conflict has also displaced more than 850,000 people, as reported by UNICEF, with violence escalating significantly since January.
In the past two months, the M23 rebels have seized control of two major cities, Goma and Bukavu. In response to the situation, Britain has reduced its financial aid to Rwanda as a way to pressure the country to stop supporting the M23 rebels.
Last month, the UN Security Council called for an end to M23’s attacks and demanded that Rwanda withdraw its troops from DR Congo. Meanwhile, Rwandan President Paul Kagame promised that his nation would stand firm against Belgium before Kigali officially cut ties with Brussels. “We would ask [Belgium]: ‘Who are you by the way? Who put you in charge of us?’ Rwandans believe in God, but did God really put these people in charge of Rwanda?”Kagame asked in an address on Sunday.
August began with a bang in Belgium as Stonebwoy graced the stage at the 2024 Reggae Geel Festival.
On August 3rd, the Telecel Ghana Music Awards 2024 Artiste of the Year made a triumphant return to one of Europe’s premier reggae festivals, eight years after his memorable debut in 2016.
Sharing the stage with top reggae and afrobeats stars, Stonebwoy delivered a performance to remember.
In front of a crowd of over 50,000 at Geel’s Belse Bossen, the Ghanaian sensation captivated the audience with an electrifying hour-long set.
He performed a slew of his biggest hits, including “Run Go,” “Ekelebe,” “Shuga,” “Everlasting,” “Into The Future,” “Your Body,” “Hero,” and “Activate,” creating a vibrant and unforgettable atmosphere.
Stonebwoy’s stage presence was both poised and dynamic, dressed in a custom ensemble featuring reflective materials, detachable zippers, and embellished with stones.
His performance was further enhanced by four dancers in flowing, coordinated outfits, and visually striking animations of lions, cowries, and a stone head with a lightning eye displayed on the big screens.
Following the performance, reggae legend Luciano praised Stonebwoy for his dedication to dancehall music and expressed a desire to collaborate.
“You are hardworking. I love your work, and I want us to work on a collaboration,” Luciano stated.
Stonebwoy’s international acclaim continues to grow, highlighted by his impressive haul of seven awards, including Artist of the Year, at the 2024 Telecel Ghana Music Awards.
This year, he has also released popular singles like “Ekelebe” and “Your Body,” and performed at major festivals such as Summerjam in Germany, Austin Reggae Festival, CaliVibes in the US, and Island Music Festival in Jamaica.
Looking ahead, Stonebwoy will drop his third single of the year, “Pray For Me,” featuring the legendary Wyclef Jean, on August 9th. The single will be accompanied by an inspiring video filmed in London.
In a thrilling showdown in Cologne, Kevin De Bruyne’s masterclass inspired Belgium to secure their first Euro 2024 victory with a dynamic performance against Romania.
The win was crucial for Belgium, who were under significant pressure in Group E after an initial defeat to Slovakia.
Belgium, needing a positive result, delivered an outstanding attacking display that underscored why they are considered one of the tournament favorites.
The electrifying atmosphere set the stage for a fast-paced game, with Youri Tielemans firing Belgium into the lead with a precise low drive just 73 seconds into the match. This early goal set the tone for a match filled with chances for Belgium.
Despite Belgium’s relentless pressure, Romania managed to stay in contention. Romelu Lukaku experienced misfortune when his goal was disallowed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), marking the third time in the tournament he had been denied. The decision came after Lukaku was ruled offside from a perfect pass by De Bruyne.
However, Belgium’s determination and De Bruyne’s brilliance proved unstoppable. The Manchester City midfielder sealed the victory by scoring from close range in the 79th minute, ensuring Belgium’s dominance on the field translated into the scoreline.
With this win, Belgium’s position in Group E remains precarious, as all four teams are now tied with three points each. The result leaves the group finely balanced, setting up an intense battle for the remaining matches.
De Bruyne’s performance was pivotal in Belgium’s resurgence, demonstrating his critical role in their campaign. His leadership and skill will be vital as Belgium continues their quest for Euro 2024 glory.
Jude Bellingham sent an enthusiastic message to his England teammate James Maddison after their collaboration led to a late equaliser against Belgium.
Maddison had limited playing time under England manager Gareth Southgate during the international break.
He did not feature against Brazil and only played the final 15 minutes against Belgium.
Despite his brief appearance, Maddison played a crucial role in the game by setting up Bellingham for the 95th-minute equalizer at Wembley Stadium. After the match, Maddison shared a photo of their celebration on Instagram with the caption: “Sheriff [A] Jude Bellingham.”
Great character at the death to salvage something at Wembley! Need to take that attitude into the summer.” Bellingham was quick to reply with the message: “What a f***ing player.”
Maddison looks set to be part of England’s squad for Euro 2024 and he will be hoping his latest cameo can help convince Gareth Southgate he deserves a place in his starting XI at the tournament in Germany.
Yet the Tottenham star faces serious competition for a place in the team, with Bellingham and Declan Rice having already nailed down spots in midfield.
England are reportedly due to play friendlies against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland in June before kicking off their Euro 2024 campaign against Serbia.
The arrested person has been accused of being involved with a terrorist group and planning to carry out an attack. Three young people who are not old enough to be considered adults were also taken into custody by the police.
The investigation found that a concert hall in Brussels was the intended target of a planned attack in a few weeks. The office did not provide more information.
Recently, Belgium has been hit by violent attacks from extremists. In October, two fans of Swedish soccer were killed in Brussels.
Some people were found guilty for planning a suicide bombing in 2016. One of them is Salah Abdeslam, who is already serving a life sentence without the possibility of being released in France for his involvement in attacks on Paris cafes, the Bataclan music venue, and France’s national stadium in 2015.
The attacks in Paris and Brussels were connected to the same IS group.
Belgium’s Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib has told Al Jazeera that “it is crystal clear that the proper answer to this conflict is not a military one”.
“We need to negotiate to activate diplomacy and that’s exactly the message that hundreds, maybe thousands of people are delivering by the demonstration on the street [outside the Conference site]. As responsible politicians, we have to work hard to find an agreement for a two-state solution. This is the only way to tackle this problem properly,” she said outside the Munich Security Conference.
“[At the conference] I have heard that the negotiations are not going well. Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, is saying that he will maybe launch a ground military operation [in Rafah]. This is really alarming,” Lahbib added.
“There are 1.5 million people, a civilian population, who are in very difficult, disastrous situation. Humanitarian access is blocked over there. We must remind that the International Court of Justice decision asking for the humanitarian aid access should be respected.”
He refuted false claims circulating on social media regarding the circumstances leading to her death.
Emmanuel, who serves as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Grace Gift Herbal Hospital, emphasised that being from the same hometown as the deceased doesn’t automatically confer family status.
He urged the public to disregard unauthorised individuals presenting themselves as family members and reassured that the family would address the public officially.
Furthermore, he disclosed that Dr. Grace Boadu’s mother and daughter, currently in Belgium, are expected to arrive in Ghana soon to initiate the necessary funeral arrangements.
Emmanuel encouraged the public to await an official statement from the family, cautioning against believing unverified sources spreading misinformation.
“The fact that you are from the same hometown as the deceased does not make you her family member. All these claims are not true. The family has not sat down to officially address the public. Don’t pay heed to anyone parading themselves as Dr. Grace’s uncle, sister, brother, and so on
“My mother, Doc’s mother, is in Belgium and not America as people are saying. She and Doc’s daughter are in Belgium. They will soon arrive in Ghana so the family can come together and brief Ghanaians on all they need to know. The family will hold a press conference to address the rumours on social media,” he said in an interview on Angel FM.
The death of the late Dr. Grace Boadu has been subjected to controversies on social media, with Uncle claiming that the herbal doctor is unmarried with no child.
The Ghana Immigration Service has nullified the residency permit of the spokesperson for the New Force, Shalimar Abbuissi, ordering her repatriation scheduled for later today.
Shalimar Abbiussi was arrested by the NIB on Monday, December 4, 2023, on charges of allegedly obtaining a student permit in Ghana through false declarations.
After her arraignment at the Kaneshie District Court, she was remanded into lawful custody on Friday, December 8.
The charges were initially brought by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), leading to an ongoing legal dispute.
The court granted the prosecution a brief period to conclude their investigations, scheduling her to reappear on Monday, December 11, 2023.
She was later granted bail in the tune of GHc20,000 by the Court.
Meanwhile the New Force has accused the government of attacking the movement by going after its members and initiatives aimed at making it the third force in the country’s political space
Stay tuned for further updates.
New Force Spokesperson, Shalimar Abbuissi re-arrested by Ghana Immigration Service after the state prosecutors dropped charges against her in court. #JoyNewspic.twitter.com/Nb6TizvdDt
A man in Belgium has been given a prison sentence of 11 years for leading a big group involved in smuggling people across the English Channel.
The police think that Hewa Rahimpur, who is 30 years old, was responsible for a group that brought 10,000 individuals to the UK using small boats.
Rahimpur was 23 years old when he came to Britain in 2016 and asked for protection, because he believed he would be mistreated in his country, Iran, as a Kurd.
He was given permission to remain in 2020.
Rahimpur came to the UK and was allowed to stay. He started a barbershop in London with a friend. However, he then used Britain as a hub for a large-scale criminal enterprise.
He was responsible for a group that obtained boats, engines, and life-jackets for people who wanted to cross the water as migrants. They got the material from Turkey and China and moved it to Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The boats were taken to the northern coast of France and given to groups of people who wanted to move there and were waiting in Calais and Dunkirk.
The people who migrated, including women and children, were told basic instructions on how to operate the boats to reach Britain, and then started their journey across the Channel.
Some boats were extremely dangerous because they were not built properly and were held together with tape and pieces of wood.
A migration expert named Stef Janssens told the BBC that around 30 to 40 individuals were placed in each boat. Janssens mentioned that the smugglers demonstrate a complete disregard for the value of human life. It’s surprising that there are not more people dying.
It is believed that the gang from Rahimpur was responsible for nearly 10% of people illegally crossing to the UK within a period of 12 to 18 months.
Mr Janssens said that this is the first time a person in a powerful position in a network that uses small boats is being held accountable. He described the trial as a crucial step in combating global groups involved in smuggling people.
He said that this case is directly connected to the 31 people who died in the North Sea. Mr Janssens witnessed a conversation on WhatsApp between Rahimpur and individuals on his boat who were crossing the Channel. They requested him to contact the police as they were scared for their lives.
In a message, Rahimpur said they needed to continue until they reached the waters of Britain. There, the UK Coast Guard would come and bring them to the UK.
You can understand from this conversation that these people are working really hard because if they don’t, they will earn less money.
UK’s National Crime Agency and Belgian authorities worked together to investigate a situation where some boats were found in the trunk of a car near the border between Belgium and France in October 2021.
The police caught Rahimpur in Ilford, which is in East London, in May 2022. They took away 135 boats, 45 engines, and over 1,200 life jackets.
He was arrested as a result of a joint investigation by police in the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Over 40 people were taken into custody in four different countries in one of the largest law enforcement actions ever.
Rahimpur got a fine of €80,000, but experts think that his 11-year prison sentence is not likely to stop human traffickers from doing their illegal activities in the future.
People who bring people into a country illegally are getting better at what they do, making it harder for the authorities to catch them.
After Rahimpur was arrested, more people have still been coming to the UK on small boats. More than 24,200 people have travelled across the English Channel from France this year.
And many people want it.
People who move to another country give a lot of money to people who help them illegally cross the sea. A group called Rahimpur earned about €60m (£52m) in 2021 by organizing these illegal trips.
Even though there have been dangerous accidents, people are still willing to take risks and try to reach Europe on small boats. In June last year, it is believed that 500 individuals lost their lives when a boat overturned near the southern coast of Greece.
Craig Turner, who is the NCA Deputy Director, said that the criminal groups did not care about the people they were smuggling. However, he also mentioned that the agency will do everything possible to stop and break up these criminal groups bringing people to the UK.
France, Belgium, and Portugal have officially secured their spots at Euro 2024 after claiming victories on Friday.
In a bid to guarantee their qualification, these teams had to secure wins and were driven to victory by their standout players.
Kylian Mbappe played a pivotal role in France’s triumph over the Netherlands in Amsterdam by scoring a brace. The PSG star found the back of the net on both sides of the halftime break, and despite Quilindschy Hartman pulling one back for the Netherlands with seven minutes remaining, France maintained their lead.
With this win, Didier Deschamps’ squad has the opportunity to vie for the title of European champions for the first time since 2000.
The France boss said: “We qualified but it was never easy.
“To be able to do it two games to go, even if there is room for improvement, I am very proud to see what this group has achieved.”
Sevilla winger Dodi Lukebakio emerged as the hero for Belgium, securing their place in Germany with a 3-2 victory over Austria. The 26-year-old matched Kylian Mbappe’s two-goal performance, giving Domenico Tedesco’s team a comfortable lead before Romelu Lukaku extended it. Although Austria managed two late goals of their own, it was not enough.
Cristiano Ronaldo played a starring role for Portugal, leading them to a 3-2 victory and securing their spot in the upcoming competition. The Al-Hilal striker scored in both halves in an entertaining match against Slovakia, guaranteeing Roberto Martinez another opportunity at international silverware.
The draw for the tournament is scheduled for Saturday, December 2, with the 24 qualifying teams placed into six groups of four. All three of these teams will be considered favorites to contend for the championship, which commences on Friday, June 14.
Germany will feature in the tournament’s opening match in Munich, and the final is set to take place in Berlin on Sunday, July 14.
Former Chelsea star, N’Golo Kante, is set to become the owner of Belgian third division side Royal Excelsior Virton.
On July 1, current owner Flavio Becca will officially transfer ownership of the club to the French star. The club has confirmed this news through a statement on their official website, using the slogans ‘Together, always higher’ and ‘Small town, big dreams.’
Becca took over the club in 2018, and under his ownership, they experienced immediate success by earning promotion to the second division for the first time in their history.
In the subsequent season, they narrowly missed out on promotion to the top division, finishing in second place. While Royal Excelsior suffered relegation from the second division in the 2022-23 season, the club is in a financially stable position with no debts. A new board of directors will be appointed soon.
The club statement revealed that Becca is delighted to pass on ownership to Kante.
“Flavio is obviously extremely happy to be able to hand over the keys of the club to N’Golo Kanté, a high-class player, not only for his footballing qualities but also and above all for his unanimously recognized human qualities.”
Kevin De Bruyne, in the opinion of Pep Guardiola, is now benefiting from his time on the Manchester City bench.
The Belgium playmaker was outstanding as treble-chasing City overpowered Premier League leaders Arsenal 4-1 to seize complete control of the title race on Wednesday.
De Bruyne scored two goals and set up another, underlining his return to form just as their season enters its most crucial phase.
Only last month City manager Guardiola openly criticised the performances of the player, who found himself among the substitutes four times in the space of nine Premier League games.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s trip to Fulham, Guardiola said: “He is the same player as a month ago – same personality, same exceptional player, whether I decide he doesn’t play or if he plays.
“But we cannot demand every player – during a career of seven, eight, nine, 10 years – play every three days for 11 months, then rest three weeks, then come back for pre-season and go to Asia.
“Sometimes sitting and not playing is good. It is not to punish. Sometimes you have to see it and realise, to refresh your mind a little bit, let him notice that his standards are so, so high.
“In three days you have another game, another opportunity and you can show how happy you are playing football.”
The statistics suggest the rest did De Bruyne good. The issue is relative of course, as even at the time of Guardiola’s criticisms, the inspirational De Bruyne had registered 17 assists in his first 34 appearances of the season.
Yet such are the high standards the 31-year-old has set in the past that he clearly had another level.
In his eight appearances since he has notched another seven assists and weighed in with four goals.
His figures, though, are eclipsed by those of the remarkable Erling Haaland, with whom he has struck up a formidable partnership.
The Norwegian took his overall goal tally for the campaign to a remarkable 49 by scoring City’s fourth in Wednesday’s win.
He has also now struck 33 in the Premier League, just one short of the record 34 held jointly by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer. He also has eight assists in all competitions.
Guardiola said: “Kevin is a master of the assist with or without Erling. Erling scores goals all the time with or without Kevin but, together, they are so dangerous.”
Hansi Flick rued a timid Germany performance as Belgium “took full advantage” to seize an unassailable early lead in Tuesday’s 3-2 friendly triumph in Cologne.
Yannick Carrasco and Romelu Lukaku fired Domenico Tedesco’s new-look Belgium into a 2-0 lead inside nine minutes at RheinEnergieStadion.
A Niclas Fullkrug penalty, his sixth goal in as many international appearances, brought Flick’s side back into it before Kevin De Bruyne – who created Belgium’s first two goals – put the game out of reach.
Serge Gnabry managed a late consolation but Flick acknowledged there was no way back after Tedesco’s visitors punished a woeful start to earn Belgium’s first win against Germany since 1954.
“We were too cautious, too passive and weren’t able to put our opponents under pressure, and Belgium took full advantage,” Flick said on RTL.
“Our passion brought us back into contention, but it wasn’t quite enough to get a result.”
While a late fightback offered Flick reason for hope, Germany must improve and make use of their international friendlies, given they have automatically qualified for Euro 2024 as a host nation.
Their cause was not helped by Leon Goretzka limping off with an ankle injury in the first half, raising fears the midfielder will not feature in Bayern Munich’s crucial Bundesliga meeting with Borussia Dortmund.
Just a point separates Bundesliga leaders Dortmund and Bayern ahead of Saturday’s Klassiker at Allianz Arena, with Thomas Tuchel set to take charge of the reigning champions for the first time.
The former Chelsea coach’s appointment came after the dismissal of Julian Nagelsmann last week, but Tuchel may be boosted by the injury update Goretzka provided after the match.
Bayern star Goretzka, who appeared in an upbeat mood, told reporters: “I’ve twisted my ankle. It shouldn’t last until Saturday.”
Kevin De Bruyne revelled in a reinvigorated Belgium realizing their potential as the new Red Devils captain hailed the “fun” approach Domenico Tedesco has instilled.
Manchester City superstar De Bruyne assisted two and scored another as Belgium defeated Germany 3-2 in Tuesday’s friendly at RheinEnergieStadion.
That made new coach Tedesco the first Belgium manager to start his tenure with two victories since Rene Vandereycken in 2006.
Tedesco also became the first Belgium boss to see his side score six goals in his first two matches since 1999 when Robert Waseige’s new side managed nine from their first pair of outings.
De Bruyne, whose 46 assists for his country are 15 more than any international team-mate since his August 2010 debut, lauded the early work Tedesco has delivered since Roberto Martinez’s exit.
“It was a nice match. The first 30 minutes were very good, full of effort. It’s good to see that we can be so good,” De Bruyne said on television channel VTM. “After that it was a bit more difficult, but it is logical that you also get into trouble against a team like Germany.
“The last quarter of an hour was hard, but it is good to see that this team can do that too. The combinations were there, defensively it was also pretty good. There were many positives.
“It’s fun to play like this, fun for everyone. Not only with the ball, also defensively. We try to put pressure on quickly and win the ball quickly. Then you get the ball back so much faster, that is also the intention of the coach. There were many good moments.
“The coach has already laid a certain foundation, for example in terms of structure. His way of playing is already a bit there, but there are of course also times when it is still a bit difficult.
“But after eight days together, I think this is the best we could do.”
Belgium crashed out in the group stages at the World Cup in Qatar as Martinez waved goodbye to what many deem a golden generation of international footballers for the Red Devils.
Martinez’s side finished third at FIFA’s top international tournament four years before at Russia 2018, sandwiched in between a pair of quarter-final eliminations at the European Championships.
8:26 – With 8 minutes and 26 seconds on the clock, the @BelRedDevils took their fastest 2-0 lead since February 2003 (within 7 minutes against Algeria). Supersonic. pic.twitter.com/30jBJ4aJUh
While it appears a vastly talented group of Belgian footballers may end their career without international reward, Tedesco’s new era has offered early promise.
A rare win over Germany, who were stunned by early goals from Yannick Carrasco and Romelu Lukaku, coupled with Friday’s 3-0 victory over Sweden in Euro 2024 qualifying have left Tedesco impressed.
“Yes, I am satisfied after these two victories,” Tedesco said on VTM. “Not only with the result, but also with the way we played. Only we should have finished the game in the first half.
“I wanted my players to show courage, to play forward and to claim the ball, even when Germany put pressure on us. We have the players for it. We have to believe in our own strengths, but we have to maintain the quality we bring for 90 minutes. And that’s the problem.”
Belgium’s elimination at the World Cup came as somewhat of a surprise, given their recent success at major tournaments, and Tedesco is out to offer his new players a lease of freedom.
“The players have qualities, they can play freely here and are allowed to make mistakes,” he said at his post-match press conference.
“The most important thing is that they develop as a team and as individuals. We must help and guide them in this.
“It is crucial that the enthusiasm is back. I have a good feeling and am extremely motivated. However, we still have a lot of work to do. If you win, it’s more fun, of course.
“But I do not agree that Belgian football was at a standstill after the World Cup. Losing matches at a World Cup, that can happen.”
Belgium is renowned for its delicious chocolate, mouth-watering waffles, and exquisite beer. But did you know that this Northwestern European country also boasts of an awe-inspiring park and museum complex that will leave you in awe?
Nestled in the Province of Limburg near Genk, the Bokrijk Provincial Domain offers an experience unlike any other – ‘Cycling through Water”. This immersive adventure allows cyclists to traverse more than 200 meters through a tranquil pond without getting wet. That’s right, no wetsuits required!
At one point during your journey, the surface of the water will be at eye level on both sides, providing a breathtaking view that mirrors the Red Sea parted by Moses in the Biblical tale of the Israelites’ escape from the Egyptians.
Opened in April 2016, the Bokrijk Provincial Domain is located at node 91 of the cycle node network in Bokrijk, which is part of the extensive De Wijers pond landscape. So grab your bike, pack your sense of adventure, and get ready to ride on water without getting wet!
The Golden Generation player from Belgium, Toby Alderweireld, has announced his retirement from active duty.
The 34-year-old, who played 127 times for his country over the course of a 13-year career, is third in Red Devils history in terms of total caps.
The former Tottenham and Atletico Madrid center back Toby Alderweireld played for Belgium at five successive major competitions, including three World Cups and two European Championships. He was also a part of the Russia 2018 team that came in third place.
Yet after a discouraging group stage exit in Qatar the previous year, he has now become the most seasoned player on their team to retire from international competition.
“As a little boy, I dreamed of playing for the national team,” Alderweireld told the Belgium national team’s official website. “I am very grateful and proud that this dream has become a reality.
“I can look back, 14 years later, on 127 international matches, three World Cups, two European Championships and countless beautiful memories.
“With pain in my heart, I announce that I will retire from the Red Devils with immediate effect I have given myself completely, physically and mentally.
“I want to thank all my team-mates and the staff for the unforgettable moments we shared together. Without them, none of this would have been possible.”
Alderweireld made his debut against Chile in 2009, although he didn’t start playing regularly until 2013.
He later played for them at the World Cups in Brazil in 2014, Russia in 2018, Qatar in 2022, as well as Euro 2016 and Euro 2020.
His resignation follows team-mate Eden Hazard’s decision to bow out following their poor Qatar campaign.
Later this month, Belgium will compete in a Euro 2024 qualifying match against Sweden and a friendly match against Germany for their first games under new coach Domenico Tedesco.
The nearly 8.8 tonnes of cocaine were seized by Ecuadorian police before the priceless shipment left for Europe.
The South American nation has developed into one of the primary hubs for the passage of cocaine made in the neighboring countries of Peru and Colombia.
He said, “We stopped the export of 90 million doses, which would have cost $330 million in Europe.
Police released a video showing officers searching the container with the cocaine.
President Guillermo Lasso, a conservative former banker, has pushed for Ecuador to ramp up efforts to fight gangs using the country as a transit point for shipping cocaine to the US and Europe.
The cocaine was to be exported from the coastal city of Guayaquil to Belgium.
Last year, Belgian customs intercepted roughly 110 tonnes of drugs in the port of Antwerp – a new record.
The port is known as the number one cocaine hub in Europe, with the quantities seized so great that the incinerators used to destroy the drug cannot keep up.
Ecuador and Belgium yesterday agreed to increase bilateral cooperation in their fight against international organised crime.
The interior ministers of both countries signed an agreement in Quito to promote the exchange of information, methodology, procedures and experiences, as well as technology to combat drug exports.
Ecuador’s interior minister Juan Zapata said that of the 201 tonnes of drugs seized in the country last year, almost 18% was destined for Belgium, and specifically Antwerp.
‘It is undeniable that we need new transversal responses against organized crime,’ he said.
Following the Red Devils’ shocking group-stage exit in Qatar, Roberto Martinez resigned as Belgium’s head coach, and Domenico Tedesco has been selected as his replacement.
After winning just one of their three games in Group F, Belgium was eliminated from the World Cup, falling short of matching their outstanding third-place performance at the 2018 tournament in Russia.
Martinez quit his position as manager of Belgium following the tournament in Qatar and is now in command of Portugal’s national team. Martinez had led Belgium to the top spot in the FIFA world rankings between 2018 and 2021.
Martinez’s replacement is Tedesco, who lost his job at RB Leipzig in September following a shaky start to the season. Tedesco has a contract to manage Belgium through the 2024 European Championships.
While with Leipzig, Tedesco delivered the club’s first DFB-Pokal in its history and took them to the Europa League semi-finals before they were ultimately beaten by Rangers.
“For me, it is a great honour to be the new head coach of Belgium,” Tedesco told reporters following his appointment. “I’m really looking forward to the task and I’m extremely motivated.
“I had a very good feeling right from the first conversation.”
Tedesco will be tasked with making sure his new team reaches the European Championships in Germany next year, with the first qualifier set to be played away at Sweden on March 24.
In light of the conflict in Ukraine, the Belgian government is considering whether to extend the lives of three nuclear reactors that were scheduled to shut down in 2025.
The government has requested an evaluation to determine whether the nation’s three oldest nuclear reactors could be kept operational for an additional two years.
The government is set to inquire with the plant’s operator, Engie, as to whether it would be possible to postpone the closure of the 1975-opened plants Tihange 1 and Doel 1 and 2 until 2027 instead of 2025 as originally planned.
“The war in Ukraine and the problems in the French nuclear energy sector have made us look at ways to create more certainty and reduce risks in the energy supply,” Energy ministry spokesman Jonas Dutordoir said. “This could be part of the solution.”
Operational since 1975, the three reactors were initially set to be decommissioned in 2015 but had their lifetime extended until 2025 after Belgium held a review of its phase-out plan.
Belgium first decided on its nuclear phase-out in 2003 and it was scheduled to be completed by 2025. However, it decided last year to keep the newest plants open until 2035.
Belgium took one nuclear reactor, Tihange 2, off its power grid after 40 years on Tuesday evening as part of the country’s planned nuclear phase-out. The winding down of nuclear power began with the closure of a reactor at Doel, near the Belgian port city of Antwerp in September.
Those two reactors were known for repeated safety issues, having been shut down on previous occasions after the discovery of cracks in reactor pressure vessels. The Belgian government had considered keeping those two reactors online because of energy concerns.
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The German government and the German city of Aachen, which lies near the Belgian border have repeatedly called for the reactors to be decommissioned in the past.
In 2019, the European Court of Justice found that Belgium infringed European Union law by failing to carry out the required environmental assessments before prolonging the life of Doel 1 and 2 nuclear reactors.
Thierry Henry has refuted claims that he has put himself forward to succeed Roberto Martinez as the head coach of Belgium.
After the Red Devils’ World Cup exit in Qatar, Martinez’s tenure came to an end, and the Spaniard was named Portugal manager on Monday.
The France great reportedly contacted the Royal Belgian Football Association to express his wish to become the head coach while Henry served as Martinez’s assistant.
The 45-year-old asserts such is not the case though.
He told Sky Sports News: “I would like to make it abundantly clear that contrary to written reports, I have never contacted the Belgian FA offering my services as the new first team coach.
“I think it’s vital that the truthful version of facts is always presented.”
Belgium’s all-time leading goalscorer Romelu Lukaku this month confidently stated that Henry will succeed Martinez.
“For me, Henry is the next coach of Belgium. There are no doubts. I say it openly: he will be the next coach,” Lukaku told Italian broadcaster Sky Sport.
“He has the respect of all the players, he has won everything. He knows how to coach, he knows what we have to do to get there.
“He knows the team, the league, the staff. For me, he is the ideal coach for our national team. Then I don’t know who they will take. But I don’t think Belgium should start from scratch.
“So far this generation hasn’t won, but we have to keep trying to win. He wants to win, and I don’t think the federation is going to get a coach who wants to change everything and start from scratch. It’s not worth it to me.”
After their shocking loss to Morocco, former Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez informed his team that he would be retiring after the World Cup. Martinez confesses that the outcome “will haunt for me for a long time.”
The second-ranked team in the world, who were semi-finalists in 2018, unexpectedly lost at the group stage in Qatar after placing third in Group F.
The Red Devils failed to upset Canada in their opening match before losing to Morocco 2-0, and a scoreless draw with Croatia guaranteed their early exit.
It put an end to a dismal tournament in which Martinez and several other players were had to deny rumors of a fracture within the team.
The Spaniard, who subsequently stepped down after six years in the role, also denied rumours of any friction within the camp in his first interview since departing.
“It’s the match against Morocco that will haunt me for a long time,” he said. “We weren’t ourselves. A bit like against Canada by the way. We were not in the state to win these games.
“Against Croatia, it was different. We are probably the team that created the most chances against the Croatians. You won’t find any tactical or technical expert who can explain to you why we didn’t score in the last half hour. A matter of millimetres.
“I told the group after the defeat against Morocco that I would stop after the World Cup in Qatar.
“In a way, everyone knew that the match against Croatia could be the last. I would have liked to say goodbye on December 19 [the day after the final].
“Fake news has grown in importance. When L’Equipe writes that Jan Vertonghen and Eden Hazard had fallen out, the group had the impression that all the media were jumping on the information.
“So, we decided to distance ourselves from the outside world. The core wanted to show that the group is solid. And from that moment on, you saw another team. It made us stronger. How many percent of what L’Equipe said was true? Zero, nothing, nada.”
Martinez believed that Belgium’s lack of preparation contributed to their lackluster performance in Qatar, with their lone pre-tournament friendly being a 2-1 loss to Egypt.
The homecoming procession in Brussels is one of the 49-year-favorite old’s recollections of their trip to the semi-finals in Russia four years earlier.
“In 2018, we had three warm-up matches. Not this time,” Martinez added.
“Several countries used this group stage as preparation. That was the price to pay for a tournament in the winter. Unfortunately, we needed two games to be ready.
“In 2018, I already felt at the airport [before the finals] that the team was ready – emotionally and tactically.
“Here, I only felt that two days before the game against Croatia. After the match against Egypt, I felt that we were not ready. Nothing was rolling for us.
“On the Grand Place in Brussels. I cherish that image from 2018 for life, it is burned on my retina. It will encourage me to keep working in football.”
Following Morocco‘s victory over Les Blues in the semifinal, about 400 people from France and Belgium were detained.
266 people, including 167 in Paris, the capital of France, had been detained following the violence, according to a spokeswoman for the French police.
Paris prosecutors revealed that 40 people from the right-wing spectrum were arrested, some of them carrying stabbing weapons.
According to reports, the defendants planned to confront the Moroccan fans, as they were aiming to go to the famous Champs-Elysées, where the French victory celebrations took place.
Meanwhile, the Belgian news agency “Belga” reported earlier in the day that nearly 100 people were arrested in the Belgian capital, Brussels, following clashes after the match.
Belga said, citing police, that the detained fans face charges of disturbing public order, damaging two police cars and possession of prohibited fireworks.
The Atlas Lions, who became the first African country to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup were unable to make another history after suffering a 2-0 defeat against the European country.
Goals at either side of the half from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani ensured France made it back-to-back finals at the global stage.
Morocco will face Croatia in the third and fourth place playoff on Saturday. They will become the first country from Africa to finish third if they beat Croatia.
Meanwhile, France will be hoping to defend their title against the Albeceleste of Argentina on Sunday at the iconic Lusail stadium.
In an investigation into alleged bribes from the World Cup host Qatar, Belgian investigators searched offices at the European Parliament in Brussels on Monday.
Since Friday, there have been 20 searches conducted in Belgium, and parliament president Roberta Metsola warned MEPs that “democracy is under attack.”
Four people have been taken into custody by Belgian police, including Greek MEP and vice-president of the European Parliament Eva Kaili.
Any wrongdoing has been refuted by Qatar. On Tuesday, MEPs will discuss the scandal.
Since Friday, the IT resources of 10 parliamentary employees have been “frozen” to prevent the disappearance of data necessary for the investigation.
The four suspects arrested by Belgian police have been charged with “participation in a criminal organisation, money laundering and corruption”, prosecutors said in a statement on Sunday.
Ms Kaili – an MEP for eight years – was suspended from her duties as one of 14 vice-presidents by parliament president Metsola.
She has also been suspended from the parliament’s Socialists and Democrats Group and expelled from the Greek centre-left Pasok party.
IMAGE SOURCE,REUTERS Image caption, Eva Kaili was arrested on Saturday and has reportedly had her assets frozen
Prosecutors in Greece have reportedly frozen all of Ms Kaili’s assets.
Six people were detained on Friday as part of the investigation into allegations that Qatar bribed EU officials to win influence. Two were later released.
No suspects have been publicly named, but Ms Kaili is understood to be among those who have been indicted.
The three other accused are all Italian citizens and her partner Francesco Giorgi, who is a parliamentary assistant, is among those reportedly charged.
The BBC’s Brussels correspondent, Jessica Parker, says details released by Belgian authorities in the last few days left many people’s jaws on the floor in EU circles.
MEPs who spoke to our correspondent say they are shocked by both the scale and blatancy of the accusations.
‘European democracy under attack’
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the accusations were “very serious” and called for the creation of a new ethics body to oversee the bloc.
Ms Metsola vowed to MEPs that the parliament’s integrity would be restored.
“European democracy is under attack and our free and democratic societies are under attack,” she said.
Watchdogs and MEPs said the bribery investigation could represent one of the biggest corruption scandals in the parliament’s history.
Prosecutors said they suspected a Gulf state had been influencing economic and political decisions of the parliament for several months, especially by targeting aides.
Local media has named the state as Qatar, although the Qatari government said any claims of misconduct were “gravely misinformed”.
Ms Kaili’s responsibilities as vice-president include the Middle East. She has been a defender of Qatar in the past.
The European Parliament is the EU’s only directly elected institution. Some 705 members of parliament, elected by voters in the 27 nations which make up the EU, meet to scrutinise proposed legislation and vote through European law.
MEPs generally enjoy immunity from prosecution, but not in cases where “a member is found in the act of committing an offence”, the parliament says.
Roberto Martinez stated he would resign as the nation’s head coach after Belgium‘s 2022 World Cup group stage elimination on Thursday.
The Red Devils were eliminated from the World Cup after a scoreless tie with Croatia at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, despite the fact that they were in need of a victory.
In his post-game interview, the Spaniard made an official announcement of his departure.
“This was my last game as national coach. I said goodbye to the players and staff,” Martinez said.
The third-placed team from the 2018 World Cupbegan their campaign with a valiant 1-0 victory against Canada before falling to Morocco. They needed a victory over the winners of the 2018 Russian Cup to advance, but they blew their chances.
“Today we were ourselves again. It is never easy to win a match at a World Cup. In that first match against Canada, we won, but we weren’t ourselves. We deservedly lost the second match against Morocco. We weren’t ready,” the 49-year-old added.
Despite 15 shots at goal, Belgium was unable to break through against the Croats. Notably, Lukaku blew three good opportunities.
Martinez stated that despite being one of the favorites to win the championship, they are leaving the international competition proud with what they have accomplished.
“Today we created a lot of chances, so no, I have no regrets. We can leave the World Cup with our heads held high.”
Insisting that this is Belgium’s “golden generation,” Roberto Martinez denies any similarity to England‘s mid-2000s disasters.
Although the Red Devils’ 2018 World Cup finish was their best in recent years, this collection of Belgian players has long been praised.
Coach Martinez has defended the players as pressure mounts on the team heading into the 2022 finals, where there have been rumors of veteran stars fighting.
He aimed to draw attention to the leaders of Belgium’s squad’s contributions off the field as well as on it and made the argument that the England team that received the same moniker under Sven-Goran Eriksson was not comparable.
“It’s interesting, because when I arrived in 2016, there was talk of a ‘golden generation’,” Martinez said on Wednesday.
“Clearly we were not the golden generation. The golden generation of Belgian football was 1986 in Mexico. They were the ones who arrived into the semi-finals.
“Since then, these players showed incredible commitment to the national team. We’re talking about players who left Belgium very young, they went into the best dressing rooms in European football, they win trophies, and they’re always committed.
“We have eight players with over 100 caps; we have Thibaut Courtois reaching his 100th cap against Croatia. You’ve got players who gave their career for the national team.
“This generation is the golden generation of Belgian football, there is no doubt.
“They got the bronze medal in 2018, they kept the national team for four years at the number one spot in the world rankings, a population of 11,000,000.
“Twenty-one of them got their A [coaching] licences. This generation is going to carry on impacting Belgian football from a coaching point of view for the next 20 years.
“They were able to build a new training facility, state of the art, that is going to change Belgian football for the next generations.
“What you can say is this generation haven’t won a major tournament. But leaving a legacy goes a lot further than winning a tournament. I’m sure you can find national teams who win tournaments and they don’t leave a legacy.
“This group of players deserve respect, deserve admiration for what they’ve done.
“From here, we can win, draw, lose, but with the legacy of this generation, I am the proudest person because I’ve been able to work with them, to see day to day how much they care.
“The next 20 years in Belgian football will not be the same because of this generation.
“You cannot compare it to England. England was a group of players that were sensational, outstanding at a group level, and they never found the way to do that with the international team. Comparisons are totally, totally impossible.”
When even Kevin De Bruyne has an off-day you know something is wrong. In the context of Belgium’s World Cup, perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise.
The noises coming out of the camp, from the Man City maestro in particular, have been eyebrow-raising for all the wrong reasons. His open frustration with Jan Vertonghen’s long passing against Canada. Then an admission that he and his team-mates were “too old” to win the tournament.
Against a backdrop of increasing disharmony, Belgium now need to beat Croatia in their final group game to be sure of qualifying for the last 16, four years after the Golden Generation marched past Brazil and to third place for their best-ever World Cup in Russia.
That they should do so having lost to a Morocco side celebrating only a third win in their World Cup history, half as many as Belgium managed in 2018 alone, is even worse.
Belgium’s body language looked concerning from the first minute against the African underdogs. They controlled possession, but never looked to know what to do with it. It would have all felt very familiar for anyone who lived through England’s years of underperforming.
Morocco had moments of quality, flashes of brilliance through Sofiane Boufal in particular but there was only one reason they won the game – they wanted it more.
Belgium’s players were sniping at each other long before Morocco’s opener, eventually credited to Romaine Saiss, and the unhappy camp which they present is just as big of an issue for Martinez as their most embarrassing World Cup defeat in nearly 30 years.
Vertonghen offered a small insight into the situation inside the Red Devils squad, telling reporters: “A lot is going through my head now, things that I shouldn’t say outside the dressing room.”
That didn’t stop him also sarcastically biting back at De Bruyne, and questioning whether Belgium’s poor attacking play was because his team-mates were “too old”. When things start spilling out in public, you know there’s trouble brewing.
At some point, that Belgium dressing room has to end the infighting and focus on creating a united front ahead of Croatia on Thursday. But on current evidence, you wouldn’t bet on it. Ron Walker
Is Fullkrug Germany’s trump card?
Image:Niclas Fullkrug celebrates after he equalises for Germany
He ran immediately into the outstretched arms of manager Hansi Flick. It transpired, in the 83rd minute against Spain, that Germany do indeed have a natural No 9 and he goes by the name of Niclas Fullkrug. The sense of occasion was enormous. It was the goal that kept the four-times world champions’ tournament dreams alive.
The 29-year-old travelled to Doha as the Bundesliga’s top-scoring German, with 10 goals in 14 games for promoted Werder Bremen, yet he’s only four weeks and three caps into his senior international career. It’s taken some time but the striker, who has drawn comparisons with the infamous Mario Gomez, has finally announced himself – scoring Germany’s first World Cup goal as a substitute since Mario Gotze at the 2014 final.
Kai Havertz played up top against Japan. Thomas Muller was entrusted with the role against the Spaniards. But neither have made the impact Fullkrug has in Qatar. Unai Simon sunk to his knees as the forward, Germany’s oldest outfield debutant, fired high into the Spanish net, almost in admiration of a strike that was simply unstoppable.
Special mention must be reserved for 19-year-old Jamal Musiala, for his role in the goal, and his general command of the pitch, but the remainder of the plaudits can be attributed to Fullkrug. He came to Germany’s rescue in their time of need.
The Mannschaft have failed to win their first two group stage matches at a World Cup finals for the first time in their history, but thanks to Fullkrug, they live to fight another day. Laura Hunter
Image:Substitute Alvaro Morata celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal
It’s two in two for Alvaro Morata at his first World Cup but his strike against Germany was a better indicator of his usefulness to Luis Enrique at this tournament, compared to his goal which added gloss to the thumping win over Costa Rica.
In a fascinating tactical battle, Germany were doing well to shut off the passing avenues into playmakers Pedri and – in particular – Gavi and Spain had run up against an opposition side able to stymie their attacking play. Dani Olmo had forced Manuel Neuer into an early parry onto the bar but Hansi Flick’s side were carving out the better openings despite having less possession.
Marco Asensio was largely ineffective through the middle and Spain needed a focal point; the only recognised striker in their squad. Step forward Morata.
He is a player who can delight and frustrate in equal measure – his performance against Italy in the semi-finals of the Euros summed that up when he scored the extra-time equaliser but never looked confident with his spot-kick in the shootout.
But speaking after the draw with Germany, it’s clear he feels comfortable with his role in Luis Enrique’s plans. He knows what’s needed of him.
Stepping off the bench for the second game in a row, he produced a goal which was a wonderful example of his finishing ability, a clever flick past Neuer on the move. A striker’s run. Only a brilliant tackle from Nico Schlotterbeck prevented him capitalising on more good movement, before a loose touch let him down when he looked to be away from Niklas Sule.
This is a Spain side capable of playing wonderful football but like any side with ambitions of winning major trophies, they need options and Morata allows this talented group to tweak their approach and find a way through the opposition’s plans. Peter Smith
Image:Costa Rica’s Keysher Fuller celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal against Japan
“You have to be at your strongest when you are feeling at your weakest.”
It’s a quote better suited to – and no doubt aimed at – the trials and tribulations of the real world, but it seems Costa Rica took that on board after they were thrashed by Spain on Thursday.
As such, Los Ticos set up with defence at the forefront of their minds on Sunday. With the pace Japan attacked at times, it was almost as though they were resigned to their fate and saving face for the remainder of their stay in the tournament would be more important.
But even after their win over Germany, the Japanese could never generate the fluency needed and, as the second half wore on, it looked as though a mistake would settle the game – in either team’s favour. That was exactly what happened. Hidemasa Morita made a hash of his clearance, Costa Rica pounced and the points were theirs.
A draw would have all-but sealed their fate, but Keysher Fuller’s moment of magic not only kept them very much in the tournament, but provided added inspiration that they could even qualify for the last 16. Who would have guessed that would be the case earlier this week?
Costa Rica may not have been at their best and it may not have been the most convincing win – by any stretch of the imagination – but the way they dug deep to triumph in the face of adversity should offer inspiration for others.” Dan Long
Having spent so long in the shadows of his esteemed colleagues Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic, Sunday may have been the day that – on the award of his 86th cap – Mateo Kovacic finally emerged as the key cog in Croatia’s engine room.
That is not to say that Modric wasn’t also excellent in their 4-1 win over Canada, but it was Kovacic, an unused substitute in their World Cup final defeat four years ago, who proved the most influential figure in their turnaround victory.
His reclaiming of possession and driving runs forward helped Croatia retake control of the game after Canada’s quick start, turning it on its head and getting their World Cup campaign truly underway.
At 37 it is likely Modric’s last tournament, while Rakitic retired from the international game in 2020. At 28, Kovacic will be at the heart of Croatia’s plans for plenty of years to come. Simeon Gholam
Image:Canada’s Alphonso Davies celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal
Canada’s first World Cup for 36 years ended prematurely on Sunday, but the performances of John Herdman’s team in Qatar will provide hope they will not have to wait over a quarter of a century for the next.
They were very narrowly beaten by Belgium in their Group F opener earlier in the week and that prompted a confident start against Croatia, which resulted in them taking a shock lead with just two minutes on the clock.
It was their first-ever goal at a World Cup finals and there was little surprise that starboy Alphonso Davies was the player that scored it.
Croatia – finalists in 2018, of course – looked nervy early on, but grew as the minutes ticked by and, in the end, proved to be too strong, too experienced and too big a barrier for the side ranked 41st in the world before a ball was kicked.
Herdman had been bullish before the encounter, suggesting his side would “F’ Croatia”, which seemingly provided fuel for the Europeans. Two-goal Andrej Kramaric batted back after the final whistle: “In the end, Croatia demonstrated who F’d whom.”
There is perhaps a lesson to be taken about choosing battles wisely, which Herdman and Canada will no doubt learn from as they look to remain players on the world stage. Dan Long
Following Belgium’s unexpected World Cup loss to Morocco, Jan Vertonghen appeared to poke fun at teammates Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard.
As the penultimate opportunity for the Red Devils’ golden generation to win a championship, Roberto Martinez’s team fell far short of their potential as late goals from Romain Saiss and Zakaria Aboukhlal gave the Atlas Lions a 2-0 triumph.
When Belgium lost to France in the World Cup semifinals by a score of 1-0, De Bruyne and Hazard argued that an aging Belgium was better suited to win the tournament before the Group F matchup.
“We are too old. I think our chance [to win] was in 2018,” the Manchester City midfielder said. “We have a good team, but it is getting older.
“We lost key players. We have good new players coming in, but they are not at the level of other players in 2018. I see us more as underdogs.”
Skipper Hazard, who feels his side had “greater chances” of glory in Russia, added: “We don’t have the three fastest centre-backs in the world, but they know that.”
Belgium has scored the fewest goals through two World Cup games since the tournament’s inception in 1930 after scoring none against Morocco after defeating Canada 1-0. (none).
Vertonghen appeared to take a dig at his team-mates when addressing the media in the mixed zone following the loss. “I guess we attack badly because we are also too old up front,” he said.
Defeat to 2018 runners-up Croatia in their final Group F match on Thursday would result in an early exit from the competition, and Thibaut Courtois insists the Red Devils must raise their game.
“We know that Croatia are an excellent team, they have talent and are well-organised,” he said. “They are good at counter-attacks, one-on-one and have no flaws.
“It will be like a final – after all, they are the finalists of the last World Cup. So far, we haven’t played adequately in this tournament, if we want to win we have to level up.”
Kevin De Bruyne was named player of the match in Belgium’s 1-0 win against Canada in their World Cup opener on Wednesday, but he was unsure why.
Belgium were second-best for large parts of the Group F contest at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, with Thibaut Courtois having to save a penalty from Alphonso Davies before Michy Batshuayi scored what proved to be the winner.
De Bruyne cut a frustrated figure as little came off for him on the night, and he was as confused as anyone as to why he had been awarded player of the match.
“I don’t think I played a great game, I don’t know why I got the trophy – maybe because of my name,” he said at a post-match press conference.
“We just didn’t play well as a team, especially in the first half.
“We started really badly, the momentum was with Canada and we couldn’t break through the press. I think there was more space than we thought.
“I don’t think we played a good game, me included, but we found a way to win.”
De Bruyne completed just 23 of his 33 passes (70 per cent), though did still create four chances, three more than any of his team-mates.
“When I saw the way we played I thought we were playing long too much, there was more space,” he added when asked about a confrontation with Toby Alderweireld immediately after the goal in the first half.
“You have to attract the pressing, play short and cross that line, but I don’t think we were brave enough to find that position.
“At half-time we cleared it up and things are OK, no hard feelings with Toby.”
Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez also acknowledged his team had not played well, but praised them for getting the three points.
Belgium “need to improve” if they are to stand a realistic chance of going deep at the 2022 World Cup, according to defender Toby Alderweireld.
It was Alderweireld’s long pass that created the only goal of the game for Michy Batshuayi as Belgium struggled to make much headway against an athletic and well-drilled Canada team.
Alphonso Davies saw an early penalty saved by Red Devils goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Canada also squandered a host of first-half chances as Belgium held on to a precious win to take an early lead at the top of Group F.
Alderweireld said: “We didn’t play our best game, but we fought hard, especially in the second half and it’s better to improve things with three points in the bag than no points.
“We weren’t good enough on the ball, we didn’t create the right spaces and in the second half we could have hurt them a lot more. Our last pass has to be a lot better.
“The first step is to get through but we need to improve.”
Alderweireld’s sentiments were shared by fellow defender Timothy Castagne, who felt Canada’s no-fear approach made them tricky opponents.
The Leicester City full-back said: “We were expecting that, it’s not easy to play against.
“We tried to play through them but we could not find the free men. When we did, we had some good opportunities but couldn’t finish them.
“We can thank Thibaut for keeping us in the game first half. After that we defended pretty strong together, which hasn’t always been our strongest suit so that’s good.”
With Argentina and Germany having already lost in Qatar to unheralded opponents, Castagne was just pleased Belgium avoided joining the ranks of beaten favourites, adding: “If you get the win, you get confidence even if it wasn’t our best game.
“Some big teams have lost so it’s good to get off to a good start points-wise.”
While Belgium were relieved, it was a night of pride and frustration for Canada. They emerged with enormous credit, inspired by the shrewd leadership of head coach John Herdman, but will rue their profligacy in front of goal.
Defender Steven Vitoria said: “We deserved more against a world-class side. When we play like that we’ll be a lot closer to winning than anything else. It was a fantastic performance but at this level you have to get the win.
“The intention is to be fearless on the biggest stage, this is a new Canada and we gave that statement to the world. But no excuses, we’re here to win and we’re not satisfied.”
Alphonso Davies has been declared fit by head coach John Herdman for Canada’s clash with Belgium on their return to the World Cup stage.
The Bayern Munich left-back’s participation in Qatar was in doubt after he sustained a hamstring injury against Hertha Berlin on November 5.
Davies sat out Bayern’s final two matches prior to the mid-season break and Herdman said at the weekend he was unsure exactly when the 22-year-old would return.
However, in a huge boost for Canada ahead of Wednesday’s Group F showdown with Belgium at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Herdman has confirmed Davies is ready to feature.
“You’ve just got to go through the algorithms they put in front of you to progress to hit top speed, which he’s hit,” Herdman said at Tuesday’s pre-match press conference.
“He’s been clear he wanted to play. He’s been in full training and got that big smile on his face, so that’s great.
“I don’t think there’d be any doubt we’d be starting him, but you’ve got to follow the medical advice. Our goal first and foremost is always the safety of the players.
“As a coach you’re always frustrated when you get the reports in and all the algorithms on returning to play, what they can and can’t do and loadings, et cetera.
“But when you speak to the player you have to look into their eyes and get a sense of what they want, how far they’re willing to push, and you’ve got to ask the questions.
“If not the first game, then what’s the risk for the second game? At the end of the day, he’s fit now, he’s hit his markers, he’s ready to go. He was flying in training yesterday.”
Canada are back at the World Cup following a 36-year absence – the second-longest gap between participations of any nation at this year’s tournament behind only Wales (64 years).
The Reds topped their CONCACAF qualifying group while scoring the most goals in the final round (23) and conceding the fewest (seven).
Herdman also provided positive updates on the fitness of Stephen Eustaquio and Milan Borjan ahead of facing a Belgium side ranked second in FIFA’s world rankings.
“I think we’re in a position now where we can field our strongest team,” he said. “Everyone’s come through training.
“It’s exciting times for us now – the dark clouds have shifted. This is our last training session together and we’ll all be 100 per cent.”
Canada lost their only previous meeting with Belgium 2-0 in an Ottawa friendly 33 years ago.
Belgium‘s final warm-up match before the World Cup ended in defeat as Mostafa Mohamed and Trezeguet struck to earn Egypt a 2-1 victory in Kuwait.
Mohamed took advantage of an uncharacteristic mistake from Kevin De Bruyne to fire the Pharaohs into the lead, before Trezeguet scored a minute after half-time to put them two goals to the good.
Lois Openda reduced the deficit with a close-range finish but they could not find an equaliser as Roberto Martinez’s men fell to a second consecutive defeat.
The defeat exposed serious defensive deficiencies for Belgium ahead of their trip to Qatar, where they are hoping to better their run to the semi-finals at the 2018 World Cup.
Belgium hit the bar within 10 minutes when Michy Batshuayi rattled the woodwork, though replays later showed the former Chelsea man was clearly offside.
After Thibaut Courtois twice denied Trezeguet, Arthur Theate sent a long-range curler looping onto the top of the net.
Mohamed gave Egypt the lead, capitalising on De Bruyne’s poor touch before side-footing beautifully into the bottom right corner from outside the box.
Mohamed El Shenawy then made a big stop to save Yannick Carrasco’s fierce drive and preserve his side’s lead heading into the interval.
Egypt doubled their lead moments after the break, Trezeguet latching onto Mohamed Salah’s excellent throughball before rifling home as Belgium continued to look shaky at the back.
Martinez’s men screamed for a penalty when half-time substitute Openda was felled by Ahmed Hegazy but a VAR review decided not to award a spot-kick.
Belgium pressed to pull a goal back but they struggled to break though Egypt’s resolute defence, with Youri Tielemans firing well over from range almost out of frustration.
They did find a goal back through Openda when he was picked out by a superb Carrasco cross but they could not kick on and find an equaliser.
What does it mean? Belgium head to World Cup out of form
Belgium are ranked second in the world by FIFA but they looked a million miles from that against Egypt in both attack and defence.
Martinez’s men rarely threatened and completed the match with just 0.64 xG (expected goals). They also looked a liability at the back despite holding 67.4 per cent of the possession as Egypt finished with a superior 0.76 xG.
Terrific Trezeguet
Trezeguet was a constant threat and could have finished with more than just the one goal had his finishing been more clinical.
The former Aston Villa man finished the game with four shots, all on target, while he ranked highest on his team for touches in Belgium’s box (three) and total xG (0.61).
Rare De Bruyne mistake
Egypt were set on their way to victory by De Bruyne‘s heavy touch when in seemingly no danger just outside his own penalty area, which Mohamed ruthlessly punished.
The Manchester City midfielder was taken off at the break after a poor 45 minutes by his lofty standards, failing to register a shot or a touch in Egypt’s box as his usual attacking output was missing.
What’s next?
Belgium get their World Cup campaign underway against Canada on Wednesday, while Egypt’s absence from the tournament means they will not be back in action until 2023.
Some European countries including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland and Scotland stepped up to offer ‘loss and damage’ funding for African nations impacted by climate change.
While the amounts offered so far are insignificant compared to the billions needed for vulnerable populations to tackle the climate crisis, other potentially meaningful initiatives are afoot at COP27.
The G7 nations are set to launch a ‘Global Shield’ fund that will provide support to 58 developing countries impacted by climate change, while the African Development Bank is proposing that vulnerable countries establish local green banks to provide faster funding for renewable energy projects.
Significant FX inflows to African countries could help boost local currency markets, though based on the track record of unfulfilled pledges, volumes materialising risk being considerably lower than levels being called for.
Naira recovery unlikely to sustain
The Naira appreciated against the dollar, recovering to 813 from a record low 865 at last week’s close after the rush to convert soon-to-be-abolished high-value Naira notes into dollars slowed.
UAE flag carrier Emirates has suspended flights to Nigeria again less than two months after lifting a previous suspension that it put in place because it was unable to repatriate $85m of funds trapped in the country. The airline said the move was to mitigate against further losses. While Nigerian Bureau de Change operators have confirmed reduced demand at current parallel market levels, we expect dollar appetite to pick up again in the coming days and the Naira to resume its recent slide.
Record-low Cedi set for 14.50 levels
The Cedi hit a fresh record dollar low, sliding to 14.24 on Tuesday from 13.71 at last week’s close, before recovering slightly to 14.20. The latest round of stress came after the Bank of Ghana cancelled a planned forex auction, causing the currency to spike.
The bank has been taking a range of measures to stem the currency’s year-long spiral, including an unsuccessful crackdown on unlicensed currency sellers. It has also been buying dollars directly from mining companies to shore up its reserves, starving the market of much needed liquidity. Against that backdrop, we expect the Cedi to remain under pressure in the near term, possibly weakening beyond the 14.50 level.
Risk-on mood lifts Rand
The Rand strengthened against the dollar, trading at 17.72 from 17.90 at last week’s close as global risk sentiment improved—though we expect that risk-on rally to be limited amid concerns about global commodity prices.
On the domestic front, embattled South African power utility Eskom said that planned rotational power cuts will continue until 2027, with its ageing power stations also being disrupted by sabotage.
The government this week signed a $600m loan agreement with Germany and France to finance clean fuel development in the country. We expect the Rand to continue trading in line with global risk sentiment in the week ahead.
Away from COP fanfare, Egypt Pound halves in value
The Pound slumped to a fresh low against the dollar, trading at 24.42 from 24.26 at last week’s close. The currency has now lost more than half of its value against the greenback since the start of the year. Fitch Ratings cut Egypt’s credit outlook to negative, citing the country’s deteriorating external liquidity position and risk of reduced bond market access.
FX reserves have also declined to under $32bn in October from $35bn in March. Egypt’s financing challenges are being exacerbated by $6bn of upcoming external debt maturities next year and a further $9bn of maturities in 2024, Fitch said. Despite a flutter of finance deals announced at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh this week, continued foreign exits overall are likely to cause the Pound to weaken further against the dollar in coming days.
Record low Kenyan Shilling faces more pressure
The Shilling declined to a new dollar low, trading at 121.70/121.90 from 121.35/121.55 at last week’s close as FX supply and demand remains imbalanced. The weakening has resulted in higher import costs of raw materials for manufacturers, as well as higher food, transport and household commodity prices more broadly. Annual inflation jumped to 9.6% in October from 9.2% in September. FX reserves fell again to $7.21bn from $7.29bn a week earlier as the central bank took action to prevent a steeper Shilling decline. We expect that dynamic to continue over the next seven days.
Ugandan Shilling gains on stronger economic data
The Shilling strengthened marginally against the dollar, trading at 3770 from 3786 at last week’s close after output and new orders grew and employment expanded for the first time in five months, according to Stanbic Bank. Concern is rising over the country’s Ebola outbreak, with schools expected to close for the holiday period two weeks earlier than planned after eight children died of the disease.
At least 53 lives have now been claimed in total, with the World Health Organization warning there is a moderate risk of the virus spreading outside Uganda, with neighbours Kenya, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania all on alert. We expect the Shilling to weaken near term as rising costs of electricity, fuel and water put pressure on inflation.
Tanzania pitches $18bn renewables plan at COP
The Shilling was unchanged against the dollar, trading flat at 2332. Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan this week travelled to the UN’s COP27 climate conference in Egypt to pitch an $18bn plan to finance renewable energy projects in Southern Africa.
That followed her recent trip to China, where she sought to boost trade between the two countries, with annual Chinese exports now expected to increase to $1bn from their current level of $600m.
Tanzania’s government said the economy is forecast to grow 4.7% this year and a further 5.3% in 2023, with Finance Minister Migulu Nchemba seeking to raise the government’s spending budget by 4.4% in the next financial year. We expect the Shilling to remain steady against the dollar in the near term.
The life of a footballer is short as the average footballer gets to play actively for 10 years. While many go to real estate, hotels, and other investment ventures with the money they get while playing, only a handful pursue a career in academia.
Footballers across the globe do not have a reputation for intelligence as there is an ill-conceived perception that unintelligent people chase a career in football but there are those who have made themselves to be an exception to that rule.
Today we look at six footballers who are actively playing the sport and are on top of their game but have still managed to get degrees and other academic certificates even with a very busy tight schedule.
1. Romelu Lukaku – Inter Milan (On loan from Chelsea)
Born on May 13, 1993, to Adolphine Bolingoli Lukaku and father, Roger Lukaku, in the city of Antwerp, Belgium, Romelu picked up a career in football at an early age after he was enrolled in the Rupel Boom academy team.
Romelu has had a great career after playing for Anderlecht, Chelsea, Manchester United, Everton, and Inter Milan.
Aside from scoring over 300 goals in his career, Lukaku is also an intelligent young man who can speak eight languages. The 29-year-old can speak German, English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, and a Swahili dialect.
He also has a degree in tourism and international relations from the University of Leuven.
34-year-old Mata who set up Didier Drogba to score that iconic UEFA Champions League goal in 2012 is second on our list with two degrees.
Juan Mata is a brilliant football with an Ivy League education. He holds two degrees from the Universidad Camilo Jose Cela, one in Sports Science and another in Marketing.
3. Simon Mignolet
The Belgium goalkeeper is the only shot-stopper in this list who is best remembered for his time in the English Premier League with giants Liverpool.
Born on March 6, 1988, the Belgian international is the second player on this list who has two degrees despite playing football actively.
Simon Mignolet holds a degree in both law and political sciences. The 34-year-old Club Brugge goalkeeper graduated from the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium.
4. Giorgio Chiellini
Considered to be one of the greatest defenders of his time, Giorgio Chiellini is one of the most decorated players to have ever played in the Italian Serie A.
The Italian international who is also the captain of Juventus wasn’t satisfied with just being one of the best defenders in the world so he decided to take on another challenge and that was in academia.
Giorgio Chiellini is not just a genius on the Football pitch. The Italian defender graduated with a Masters’ Degree in Business Administration from The University of Turin’s School of Management and Economics.13 Jun 2022.
Giorgio is the only player on this list who has a Masters’s Degree. He completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Commerce in 2010 and graduated with a Masters’ Degree in Business administration in 2017.
He got both his degree and masters from the University of Turin.
5. Gerard Pique
Another player on our list is Barcelona and Spanish international, Gerard Pique Bernabeu.
Pique is one of the most decorated players in history after winning the Champions League, Premier League, Club World Cup, Super Cup, Euros, and FIFA World Cup with Manchester United, Barcelona, and the Spanish national team.
Gerard Pique is not only good at football but also at academia. He has a Business Economic Degree from of the most prestigious business institutions in Europe.
He graduated from, the ESADE business school in Barcelona, Spain.
Wilfried Ndidi
Representing the brothers on the continent is Nigerian international, Wilfred Ndidi.
Considered to be one of the best midfielders in the English Premier League, 25-year-old Wilfred Ndidi also has an academic qualification which according to the player is his retirement plan.
Wilfred Ndidi bagged a degree in Business Management at De Montfort University in the UK in August 2022.
Belgium has described as “good basis”, Morocco’s autonomy plan, presented in 2007, for a solution accepted by the parties” regarding resolution of the Sahara issue.
This statement came in a joint declaration issued after talks between Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, and Hadja Lahbib, Belgium’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade and Federal Cultural Institutions.
“Belgium considers the autonomy plan, presented in 2007, as a serious and credible Moroccan effort and as a good basis for a solution accepted by the parties,” says the joint declaration.
In this context, the Belgian Minister reiterated Belgium’s long-standing support for the UN-led process for a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution.
According to the Joint Statement, the two ministers agreed on the exclusivity of the UN in the political process and reaffirmed their support for UN Security Council Resolution 2602, which noted the role and responsibility of all parties in the search for a realistic, pragmatic, sustainable and compromise-based political solution.
Morocco and Belgium also welcomed the appointment of the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary General, Staffan de Mistura, and reaffirm their active support to his efforts to advance the political process on the basis of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, the Joint Statement said.
With this position, Belgium joins the list of European countries that clearly support the autonomy plan such as Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Hungary, Romania, Portugal and Serbia.
A young biology graduate and former taxidermist from Ghent, Belgium, creates warrior figurines out of hundreds of dead insect body parts.
28-year-old Joos Habraken typically spends between 20 and 30 hours working on each of his ‘Frankenstein bugs’, fantastic creatures born out of his imagination and featuring intimidating names and impressive backstories. He uses body parts sourced from his own impressive collection or from a network of people he has collaborated with over the years. He only uses body parts from already dead bugs and would never even consider killing insects simply to fuel his hobby.
Habraken, who works in a climbing gym as a route setter and instructor, has always had a thing for taxidermy and insects, so his intriguing hobby combines both passions. It all started when he went to the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences for his masters, after studying biology in college.
“We had a behind-the-scenes tour of the collections and were told volunteers could take some material home to mount the insects and bring it back – it all started from there,” Joos said. “I had a lot of free time so I started doing a lot of work for the museum and got to keep some broken butterflies.”
For me it’s really important that the backstory is part of it because that’s where it all comes alive.
“You start with nothing, just a steel rod and then you start looking for mythological names and looking at places where they could live.
“And then you use all of these different parts of insects to create something beautiful.
After graduation, the Belgian already had an impressive collection of insects and had started mounting them to sell to like-minded bug enthusiasts. Then he landed a job as a taxidermist and ended up piecing together his first Frankenstein warrior in his shop.
In the beginning, his creations were simplistic and didn’t even have a name or a backstory. But that all changed after The Hero With A Thousand Faces, his first truly complex figurine, for which he used 70 body parts, including 26 insect heads.
After his first complex project went viral, Joos Habraken kept challenging himself to create even more complex pieces, with his most recent projects featuring between 100 and 200 insect body parts and intriguing backstories.
“For me it’s really important that the backstory is part of it because that’s where it all comes alive,” Habraken said. “You start with nothing, just a steel rod and then you start looking for mythological names and looking at places where they could live. And then you use all of these different parts of insects to create something beautiful.”
The young Belgian uses superglue to piece hundreds of insect body parts together, spending tens of hours designing and experimenting with each creation. His latest one took a total of 40 hours – spread over several weeks – to finish.
The number of Burundian asylum seekers arriving in Belgium through Serbia have drastically increased, overwhelming reception centres, authorities say.
Hundreds of Burundians are reportedly sleeping on roads and public parks in Brussels as they wait to be processed.
Josephine Nkunzimana is one of Belgium’s residents from Burundi who are offering basic needs for her compatriots “after an exhausting journey that takes them to cross more than five countries to arrive here”, she tells BBC Great Lakes.
Belgian authorities recorded 263 asylum seekers from Burundi in July, up from just 34 in May and 112 in June. This is eight times more than the previous three months, the Belgian newspaper La Libre Belgique reports.
The paper quotes Dirk Van den Bulck, the Belgian commissioner for refugees, as saying that Burundian nationals do not need a visa to enter Serbia and once there, “they enter European territory via Romania”.
In June, the Burundian parliament ratified agreements on different sectors with the Serbian government.
Burundi, a former Belgian colony, is the poorest country in the world according to the World Bank’s GDP per capita report.
Most travellers are young people seeking a better life abroad with Belgium giving them hope as 96% of the Burundian asylum cases were accepted last year.
“But it is hard this time as many can be denied, [because] refugees from Ukraine are prioritised,” Mrs Nkunzimana says.
Media in Burundi cite ONLCT, a local anti-illegal migrant organisation, urging the government to manage its deal with Serbia so “it doesn’t cause problems” for Europe.
The Netherlands booked their place in the Nations League Finals as Virgil van Dijk’s second-half header sealed a 1-0 win over Belgium on Sunday.
Victory over Poland on Thursday meant the Oranje only needed to avoid a heavy defeat to their neighbours at the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam to seal top spot in Group A4.
Belgium never looked like they had the firepower to pull off such a result, with Liverpooldefender Van Dijk securing three points for the hosts by scoring in the 73rd minute.
The result meant the Netherlands topped their group with 16 points, with Roberto Martinez’s Red Devils six points behind in second.
4 – Four of Virgil van Dijk’s six goals for the Netherlands were headers from corners, his goal against Belgium was his first one for @OnsOranje since October 2021 (header from a corner against Gibraltar). Weapon. pic.twitter.com/jJGDDTIuNl
Belgium looked bright in the early stages, with Eden Hazard blazing over from a promising position and Michy Batshuayi firing at Remko Pasveer after being played in by Kevin De Bruyne.
At the other end, Denzel Dumfries cracked wide from 12 yards after fine work down the left from Vincent Janssen, which was the closest the hosts came in a first half that saw them fail to have an attempt on target.
Dumfries again went close at the start of the second period, while Belgium’s Amadou Onana was denied by a smart stop from Pasveer shortly after the hour mark.
Steven Bergwijn powered a shot straight at Thibaut Courtois as the Netherlands cranked up the pressure, before Van Dijk handed the hosts victory with a close-range header from Cody Gakpo’s corner.
Courtois did well to deny Davy Klaassen and Bergwijn in the closing stages, while Belgium substitute Dodi Lukebakio struck the post with a sensational overhead kick with almost the last kick of the game.
50 – Remko Pasveer is the first goalkeeper with a clean sheet against Belgium since Hugo Lloris in the semi-final of the World Cup in 2018, 50 matches ago for Belgium. Safe. pic.twitter.com/zjdwHFh88F
What does it mean? Red Devils make life easy for Oranje
Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal was unable to call on Frenkie de Jong, Memphis Depay and Teun Koopmeiners, who were all injured during the 2-0 win over Poland in midweek, but it mattered little as his side sealed their place in next year’s mini-tournament without breaking sweat.
Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez, who watched on from the stands following his dismissal against Wales on Thursday, will be concerned his side made it so easy for the hosts, and will be demanding a marked improvement when the World Cup kicks off in under two months.
Van Dijk shines
Van Dijk was a colossus at both ends of the pitch.
In addition to his match-winning goal, he made more clearances than any other player (three) and played more passes (55) than any of his team-mates.
Batshuayi struggles
It was little surprise to see Batshuayi replaced by Charles De Ketelaere at half-time.
The Fenerbahce striker had just one shot during his 45 minutes on the pitch and failed to make a single key pass to a team-mate.
What’s next?
Attention turns to the World Cup in Qatar, with the Netherlands starting their campaign against Senegal on November 21 and Belgium taking on Canada two days later.
Kevin De Bruyne was on target as Belgium kept their faint hopes of progressing to the Nations League Finals alive with a 2-1 victory over Wales.
De Bruyne opened the scoring and set up the second goal for Michy Batshuayi at the King Baudouin Stadium, as the Red Devilsremained three points behind leaders Netherlands in Group A4.
Kieffer Moore pulled one back for Wales, but the Dragons must now beat Poland on Sunday to have any chance of avoiding relegation from League A.
The Red Devils, whose head coach Roberto Martinez was sent from the touchline for time-wasting, need an emphatic win over the Dutch when they meet on Sunday to reach the Finals.
Belgium took just 10 minutes to break through as De Bruyne applied a wonderful first-time finish to Batshuayi’s lay-off to the edge of the penalty area.
Youri Tielemans steered Yannick Carrasco’s cross off target and Batshuayi fired over from a tight angle as the Red Devils continued to dominate, while the woodwork denied De Bruyne a second goal as he rattled the post from 20 yards out.
Eden Hazard then curled narrowly wide before the hosts doubled their lead in the 37th minute. This time, De Bruyne was the provider; sweeping in a pinpoint cross for Batshuayi to touch home.
Ethan Ampadu called Thibaut Courtois into action with Wales’ first attempt on goal, while Wayne Hennessey denied De Bruyne at the other end.
The visitors halved the deficit within five minutes of the restart as Moore rose to head home Brennan Johnson’s inviting cross.
Rob Page introduced Gareth Bale in the 64th minute and the Los Angeles FC forward went close soon after; Toby Alderweireld deflecting his header over from Dan James’ centre.
VAR overturned a Belgian penalty later on, but the hosts held on for maximum points after Martinez was ordered from the touchline in stoppage time.
What does it mean? Belgium still in the hunt
Belgium can still progress to the Nations League finals after Thursday’s win in Brussels.
But following the Netherlands’ 2-0 success over Poland, the Red Devils must record at least a 4-1 victory over the Dutch in the Group A4 decider to dislodge them at the summit.
As for Wales, they must beat Poland by two goals to avoid relegation from League A.
De Bruyne instrumental once more
Once again, De Bruyne played a starring role for his side with another commanding display in the middle of the park.
The Manchester City midfielder found the back of the net and provided an assist, while he also recorded game-high tallies of key passes (seven), crosses (six), shots (five), and efforts on target (three).
Batshuayi continues impressive form
Though he recorded just 22 touches and 15 passes, Batshuayi maintained his rich vein of form on the international stage with another goal and assist.
The Fenerbahce striker has now been directly involved in seven goals (scored four, assisted three) in his last seven games for his country.
What’s next?
Both sides conclude their Nations League campaigns on Sunday. Belgium travel to the Netherlands for the Group A4 decider, with Wales hosting Poland in the battle to avoid relegation.
The 25-year-old played 35 times for the Dons last season, but he has not made a single appearance this season.
Bates had joined Aberdeen from Hamburg last summer after a spell in Belgium with Cercle Brugge.
The defender, who has four Scotland caps, began his career with Rangers before joining Hamburg.
Danny Buijs’ Mechelen currently sit 10th in the Belgian top flight after finishing eight last season.
Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin had earlier stated that he was open to Bates and striker Christian Ramirez finding new clubs and suggested that it was time for 22-year-old forward Connor McLennan to move on in pursuit of more regular first-time starts.
However, Goodwin played down the possibility of United States international Ramirez joining Heart of Midlothian following newspaper reports amid the Edinburgh club’s hunt for a replacement following Liam Boyce’s long-term injury.
“I can’t see us loaning a player to one of our rivals,” he added. “And, as of this moment in time, I’m not aware that Hearts have even made contact.”
Formula 1 is nearly ready to go racing again after a short summer break, with Max Verstappen having one hand on the drivers’ title heading into the second half of the campaign.
Back-to-back victories for the Dutchman before the mid-season recess saw him extend his drivers’ championship lead at the top of the table to 80 points with nine races to go.
The reigning champion’s superb win from tenth on the grid in Hungary has also pushed Red Bull 97 points clear in the constructors’ standings, piling the pressure on a faltering Ferrari outfit.
A catalogue of mechanical and strategic errors from the Scuderia appears to have handed Red Bull the title. Still, after some time to clear their heads, a Ferrari fightback could get underway at historically one of their favourite tracks.
Leclerc chasing Belgium bounty
The Italians have taken the chequered flag 14 times at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps, which has received an €80m facelift despite this potentially being its final F1 appearance.
Charles Leclerc was the last Ferrari driver to win in Belgium in 2019 and is in desperate need of a repeat result, having managed just one podium finish in his previous eight races.
For a driver with seven pole positions to his name, Leclerc can count himself unlucky to not have more points to his name, especially given Ferrari have a car equal, if not better, than Red Bull.
The improvements made by the Maranello-based outfit have largely negated Red Bull’s previous straight-line speed advantage, and there shouldn’t be much between the duo around the power-hungry Spa circuit.
Verstappen hoping to be signing in the rain again
Whether we see Red Bull and Ferrari go flat out and engage in another thrilling battle could depend on the weather.
Showers are forecast for all three days of action in Belgium, bringing back bad memories of last year’s washout race, which lasted two laps and was won by Verstappen, who is the favourite to win this year’s edition.
The world champion’s tainted 2021 victory kept up Red Bull’s impressive record of having at least one car on the podium in 11 of the last 13 years.
Mercedes in the mix
Lewis Hamilton will hope he can kickstart his season in Belgium this weekend
Red Bull will expect to maintain that record of top-three finishes, but both they and Ferrari face the added complication of a rejuvenated Mercedes team.
The Silver Arrows signed off for the summer on a high with back-to-back double podium finishes, coupled with a first pole position of the season from George Russell at Hungary.
The Brackley-based outfit have made steady improvements since a poor start to the year and are looking to kick on in the second half of the season, with Lewis Hamilton now having a realistic chance of continuing his streak of at least one win in every year he’s been in F1.
Mercedes expect to be even closer to the top two in Belgium, courtesy of new technical regulations introduced for the final nine races relating to porpoising or bouncing, believing they will hinder the advantage Ferrari and Red Bull previously enjoyed in that regard.
Prediction
The improvements made by the Silver Arrows and incoming rule changes muddy the waters when it comes to the fight for first, but if Ferrari can stop shooting themselves in the foot, they look the class of the field.
Leclerc hasn’t always handled the pressure well this season, but with the drivers’ title now an unrealistic goal, he could race with a bit more freedom at the scene of his maiden win in Formula 1.
Heat records tumbled and firefighters faced new blazes as much of Western Europe baked in a gruelling heatwave.
The UK, normally used to milder climates, saw temperatures of more than 40C (104F) for the first time.
Germany saw its hottest day of the year so far while Portugal raised its death toll after days of excess heat.
Deadly wildfires have swept the continent. The UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned there was worse to come.
Heatwaves have become more frequent and more intense, and last longer because of human-induced climate change.
“In the future these kinds of heatwaves are going to be normal, and we will see even stronger extremes,” WMO chief Peterri Taalas said.
In addition to record temperatures in the UK, several fire services declared major incidents after a surge in fires.
A major blaze in Wennington, east London, set homes alight. Residents who had to be evacuated told the BBC that some eight homes and possibly a local church had been destroyed in the fire, while a firefighter at the scene described it as “absolute hell”.
In France, 64 different areas registered record-high temperatures on Monday.
Although the all-time high for mainland France has not been topped, the south-west of the country has experienced its biggest wildfires in more than 30 years. Since 12 July, fires have engulfed more than 20,300 hectares (49,400 acres) of the wine-growing Gironde region.
Nearly 37,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes.
Cooler weather has now returned to the UK and France.
In Belgium, a fire broke out in dunes at the Belgian resort of De Haan, setting several vehicles alight. But following the ferocious heat, the country is now bracing itself for thunderstorms that could lead to 20-30mm of rain in some region, Le Soir newspaper reports.
Weather warnings are still in place in Germany as the heatwave continues to move north and east.
On Tuesday, the country experienced its hottest day of 2022. The national weather service recorded 39.5C in the western city of Duisburg. The Netherlands also reached the same high of 39.5C in Maastricht, forecasters said.
Temperatures in Portugal have decreased significantly. However, more than 1,000 heatwave-related deaths have been recorded since last week.
Wildfires have become a common consequence of these extreme temperatures across Europe.
Central and north-western Spain has also been ravaged by wildfires.
The Copernicus monitoring service – part of the EU’s Earth observation programme – said total carbon emissions from wildfires between June and July are the highest seen in Spain for the period since 2003.
In Belgium, a fire broke out in dunes at the Belgian resort of De Haan, setting several vehicles alight. But following the ferocious heat, the country is now bracing itself for thunderstorms that could lead to 20-30mm of rain in some region, Le Soir newspaper reports.
Weather warnings are still in place in Germany as the heatwave continues to move north and east.
On Tuesday, the country experienced its hottest day of 2022. The national weather service recorded 39.5C in the western city of Duisburg. The Netherlands also reached the same high of 39.5C in Maastricht, forecasters said.
Temperatures in Portugal have decreased significantly. However, more than 1,000 heatwave-related deaths have been recorded since last week.
Wildfires have become a common consequence of these extreme temperatures across Europe.
Central and north-western Spain has also been ravaged by wildfires.
The Copernicus monitoring service – part of the EU’s Earth observation programme – said total carbon emissions from wildfires between June and July are the highest seen in Spain for the period since 2003.
In Greece, a wildfire fuelled by gale-force winds raged on the mountainous region of Penteli, near Athens. It has damaged homes and and prompted local authorities to evacuate at least four areas and a hospital.
Forecasters in Italy are warning of temperatures as high as 40-42C between Wednesday and Friday.
Several wildfires have already been reported in the country, and blazes that broke out on Monday evening in Tuscany were still raging on Tuesday afternoon.
Romelu Lukaku has returned to Inter Milan on a season-long loan, just a year after leaving for Chelsea.
Chelsea paid Inter a club-record £97.5m for Lukaku, 29, last summer but, before Christmas, he said he was “not happy” and hoped to rejoin the Italian side.
Inter have agreed to pay a loan fee of about 8m euros (£6.9m) for Lukaku, who helped them win Serie A in 2020-21.
The Belgium striker was not a regular starter for Chelsea last season but scored 15 goals in all competitions.
It is understood Lukaku was willing to take a pay cut to seal a move back to Inter, but the club’s financial situation meant it was impossible for them to match his wages or buy the forward outright.
However, president Steven Zhang got involved personally in the negotiations last week, which was viewed as significant.
“I’m back baby,” Lukaku said in a video on Inter’s Twitter page.
“I am very happy.” Zhang added: “The big boss is back. It is like deja vu, coming back here again.”
In an interview with Inter TV, Lukaku said it was “like coming home” and he had been in contact with his new coach Simone Inzaghi “all last season”.
“Inter have given me so much and I hope now to do even better than before,” said the frontman, who scored 64 goals in 95 appearances during his first spell in Italy.
“I didn’t even leave my home when I went to England, which shows how happy I am to be back here.”
Asked what convinced him to return, Lukaku added: “The affection of the fans and my team-mates, but also the opportunity to work with the coach. I stayed in contact with him all last season.”
Lukaku, who left Chelsea to join Everton for £28m in 2014, returned to Stamford Bridge last summer on a five-year deal.
But after spells out with injury and illness, he was left out of the starting line-up and, in an interview with Sky Sport Italia, said he was not happy with his role under manager Thomas Tuchel.
After apologising for those comments, Lukaku returned to the Chelsea squad and scored only three times in his final 15 Premier League games of last term as the Blues’ season fizzled out.
Tuchel’s side finished third in the Premier League, while they were beaten by Liverpool on penalties in both the FA Cup and League Cup finals.
Inter finished second in Serie A last season, two points behind city rivals AC Milan. They are also in talks with Juventus forward Paulo Dybala.
The Argentina international, 28, is set to be a free agent when his contract expires at the end of the month.
Italian club Inter Milan have agreed a deal to sign striker Romelu Lukaku on a season-long loan from Chelsea.
The Blues signed the 29-year-old from Inter for £97.5m in August 2021, but he will return to the Serie A side having struggled last season.
The loan fee for Lukaku is about 8m euros (£6.9m).
The Belgium international scored 15 goals in all competitions for Chelsea last season, with eight in 26 Premier League appearances.
It is understood Lukaku was willing to take a pay cut to rejoin Inter, who won the Serie A title in 2020-21 with him leading their attack.
The Italian club’s financial situation meant it was impossible for them to match Lukaku’s wages or buy the frontman outright.
However, president Steven Zhang got involved personally in the negotiations on Monday, which was viewed as significant.
Lukaku, who left Chelsea to join Everton for £28m in 2014, returned to the Stamford Bridge side last summer on a five-year deal for a club-record fee.
However, he apologised for an interview during the season where he said he was not happy with his role under Blues manager Thomas Tuchel and wanted to return to the Italian club in the near future.
Lukaku scored only three times in his final 15 top-flight outings of the season as Chelsea’s season fizzled out.
Tuchel’s side finished third in the Premier League, while they were beaten by Liverpool on penalties in both the FA Cup and League Cup finals.
Inter finished second in Serie A last season, two points behind city rivals AC Milan. They are also in talks with Juventus forward Paulo Dybala.
The Argentina international, 28, is set to be a free agent when his contract expires at the end of the month.
A court in Belgium has ruled that a tooth taken from the corpse of Congolese independence hero Patrice Lumumba should be returned to his family, Belgian media are reporting.
Lumumba, who became Congo’s first prime minister after it gained independence from Belgium in 1960, was murdered in 1961 after he was abducted by separatist fighters.
The Belgian government had a role in his death and in 2002 issued a formal apology.
The British and American spy agencies are also believed to have been involved.
Lumumba’s tooth is thought to have been taken by a Belgian policeman who was helping to dispose of the body, AFP news agency reports.
It was later seized by the Belgian authorities, AFP adds.
The court in Belgium said that the tooth should be given to Lumumba’s daughter, Juliana Lumumba, who had written a letter to the Belgian king asking for its return, the Brussels Times website reports.
Earlier this year, the BBC spoke to Juliana Lumumba, about her father’s legacy.
The bloc has recommended that the member states fully reopen their frontiers with each other on June 15, and many countries are planning to relax controls on that date.
But the border reopenings have been far from harmoniously coordinated.
Early birds… and those that never closed
Italy, which has been among the world’s hardest hit by the new coronavirus pandemic, reopened its borders on June 3, lifting all restrictions for travellers from within Europe.
Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovakia and Slovenia have also already begun to lift restrictions for foreigners entering their countries but excluded those from nations they deem as not safe — in many cases that list includes Sweden and the UK.
Since the signing of #Schengen Treaty 35 years ago today, citizens have learned to enjoy the value of freedom of movement in the EU. I am happy that after the restrictions imposed by the #coronavirus pandemic, borders are now reopening across the Schengen area and the EU. pic.twitter.com/xy7UrkeIJ1
— Ursula von der Leyen #UnitedAgainstCoronavirus (@vonderleyen) June 14, 2020
Poland has reopened its borders to all fellow EU members and the UK from June 13.
Sweden meanwhile never closed its borders to EU countries.
Neither did tiny Luxembourg — but quickly found all its neighbours closing their borders instead.
EU’s mid-June plans
In line with the EU’s plans to reopen borders in the bloc by mid-June, Belgium, France and Greece are lifting restrictions on Monday for travel within Europe.
Paris, however, has specified it wants reciprocity and so may impose restrictions on those countries blocking travellers from France.
Greece, on the other hand, has gone further, also allowing travellers from farther afield, such as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, China, Israel and Lebanon.
Germany is due to end land border checks on June 15, while the Dutch government has announced it would ease warnings against non-essential foreign travel from the same date.
Austria, which has already opened its borders to most of its neighbours, will on June 16 lift travel restrictions with a total of 31 countries — but has excluded Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
5:30 in the morning, all volunteers here to greet our first passengers after almost 90 days of grounding. Simply amazing … â¤ï¸â¤ï¸â¤ï¸ pic.twitter.com/ChNj55l4S2
The Czech Republic is also allowing free travel with a number of European countries from Monday, but restrictions are still in place with those deemed a risk due to their levels of coronavirus infections.
Hold outs
Spain will only lift travel restrictions on June 21, re-establishing free travel with fellow EU countries.
The land border with Portugal will however remain closed until July 1. Portugal has suffered a much lower death rate than Spain from the coronavirus epidemic.
However, Spain’s Balearic Islands will see an earlier contingent of foreign guests when they welcome 11,000 Germans from June 15 in a pilot project for the revival of the crucial tourism sector.
Romania has not yet announced when it will re-open its borders to foreigners without restrictions.
Meanwhile, others are lifting border controls, but are still doing so more gradually.
Denmark opens its borders to Germany, Norway and Iceland for visitors from Monday as long as they can show they plan to stay outside the capital Copenhagen for at least six consecutive nights
Belgium has promised every resident a protective mask from next week, when the country begins to phase out coronavirus lockdown measures.
With just days to go many doubt the authorities will hit their target, but town mayors like Yves Kinnard are taking matters into their own hands.
From Monday, when Belgium begins to ease its lockdown, anyone taking public transport will need to cover their mouth and nose.
Commercial supplies of face masks have been unpredictable and time is running out, so Kinnard plans to supply the 3,500 members of his community himself.
The 55-year-old mayor in the small eastern town of Lincent has assigned 15,000 euros ($16,300) from the municipal budget to order masks.
Belgian firm YTS received the order for 3,500 masks on April 10 and now they have arrived, shortly before some workers and businesses will go back to work.
First, though, the masks must be distributed door-to-door before the May 1 long weekend.
Kinnard has secured the assistance of fellow elected officials and he used his official car to ferry the order 65 kilometres (40 miles) from the plant in Nivelles.
More that 7,500 Belgians have died in the outbreak, one of the world’s highest per capita fatality rates in a population of 11.5 million.
Local producers
And there has been media skepticism about the capacity of Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes’ government to deliver on its “promise without a strategy”, as one outlet put it.
On April 24, she outlined a cautious plan to end the lockdown while enforcing some continued social distancing rules to head off a second wave of cases.
She promised that “each citizen would have at least a cloth mask” the simple barrier defences often being sewn together by volunteers and off-duty tailors.
She put no deadline on the vow, and sceptics noted that Belgium has already fallen foul of shortages in medical masks and been let down by some foreign suppliers.
This in turn has led to a number of initiatives by firms, individuals and local governments to fill the gaps, such that from YTS in Nivelles.
The firm usually prints on textiles for restaurants and hotels, and had polyester to hand to relaunch as a mask-maker.
“We called the team, and increased from seven to 15 employees,” said Alexandre De Clerq, the manager. “We rethought the entire logistics chain.”
YTS has now established the ability to produce 2,000 masks per day and has partnered with other workshops to share technique and make six times more.Belgium has promised every resident a protective mask from next week, when the country begins to phase out coronavirus lockdown measures.
With just days to go many doubt the authorities will hit their target, but town mayors like Yves Kinnard are taking matters into their own hands.
From Monday, when Belgium begins to ease its lockdown, anyone taking public transport will need to cover their mouth and nose.
Commercial supplies of face masks have been unpredictable and time is running out, so Kinnard plans to supply the 3,500 members of his community himself.
The 55-year-old mayor in the small eastern town of Lincent has assigned 15,000 euros ($16,300) from the municipal budget to order masks.
Belgian firm YTS received the order for 3,500 masks on April 10 and now they have arrived, shortly before some workers and businesses will go back to work.
First, though, the masks must be distributed door-to-door before the May 1 long weekend.
Kinnard has secured the assistance of fellow elected officials and he used his official car to ferry the order 65 kilometres (40 miles) from the plant in Nivelles.
More that 7,500 Belgians have died in the outbreak, one of the world’s highest per capita fatality rates in a population of 11.5 million.
Local producers
And there has been media skepticism about the capacity of Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes’ government to deliver on its “promise without a strategy”, as one outlet put it.
On April 24, she outlined a cautious plan to end the lockdown while enforcing some continued social distancing rules to head off a second wave of cases.
She promised that “each citizen would have at least a cloth mask” the simple barrier defences often being sewn together by volunteers and off-duty tailors.
She put no deadline on the vow, and sceptics noted that Belgium has already fallen foul of shortages in medical masks and been let down by some foreign suppliers.
This in turn has led to a number of initiatives by firms, individuals and local governments to fill the gaps, such that from YTS in Nivelles.
The firm usually prints on textiles for restaurants and hotels, and had polyester to hand to relaunch as a mask-maker.
“We called the team, and increased from seven to 15 employees,” said Alexandre De Clerq, the manager. “We rethought the entire logistics chain.”
YTS has now established the ability to produce 2,000 masks per day and has partnered with other workshops to share technique and make six times more.#
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