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Nearly 500 firefighters and some 120 vehicles are battling the fire that have scorched about 3,000 hectares of Belgium’s Hautes Fagnes, now mainly confined to its eastern front, with rain helping to slow progress. Difficult, poorly accessible terrain and burning peat mean containment will likely take weeks as crews “soak” the bog to prevent underground fires from reigniting. Air support — including Swedish Air Tractor planes, Dutch Chinook helicopters and incoming German and Norwegian reinforcements — is critical. Several villages and a German border neighbourhood were partially evacuated, and Walloon authorities released FFP2 masks for responders. A Liège prosecutor has opened an inquiry into the fire’s origin.
A convoy of volunteers set off yesterday to support the firefighting efforts. Responding to a social‑media call, about 15 people — including farmers and landscape gardeners — left Echternach in four tractors and a lorry carrying over 50,000 litres of water in total. The tractors transported more than 20,000 litres across four barrels, while the lorry added roughly 20,000 litres. The group plans to drive three to four hours to the stricken area, hand the water to local firefighters, and stay two to three days to assist as needed. Organizer Martin Heynen said the mission is voluntary and unpaid, driven by solidarity with Belgian crews battling the fire.
Around 150 Luxembourg companies were subject to surprise inspections last week as part of “Action Days Ecofin,” a crackdown on compliance with the Register of Beneficial Owners aimed at combating money‑laundering and terrorist financing. Police economic units and magistrates conducted 146 on‑site interventions nationwide, with about 50 local officers taking part. Half of the firms inspected received penalties: 55 were fined for failing to file annual accounts on time, 22 lacked proper establishment authorization, and 23 had inaccurate or outdated beneficial‑owner entries. Authorities stress that timely financial filings, accurate beneficial‑owner registration, and valid establishment permits are legal obligations designed to improve corporate transparency and prevent misuse of companies for illicit finance.
Ruben Querinjean won a stunning silver for Luxembourg in the 3,000m steeplechase at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. The 24‑year‑old, ranked 13th globally, raced mid-pack for most of the event before launching a decisive move with 600m to go, sprinting into contention to secure second place. Germany’s Frederik Ruppert took gold, with Karl Bebendorf third. Querinjean’s medal is one of Luxembourg’s biggest athletics achievements in recent decades, the nation’s first major track podium since David Fiegen nearly 20 years ago. The finish capped the Championships’ final evening and sparked celebrations back home.
