Belgian city, capital of Hainaut province, Wallonia
Belgian prisons are overcrowded, with 13,733 inmates in mid-May against a capacity of 11,064. Detainees face extended isolation, scarce medical care, and staff shortages. France reports similar strain, with Villepinte housing 1,332 inmates in a 703-capacity facility amid a heatwave and warnings from the UN about degrading conditions.
Belgian prosecutors have opened an espionage investigation after NATO security services flagged a Canadian citizen of Chinese origin working at SHAPE in Mons. The suspect has been detained and searches of her home and workplace have occurred. NATO says there is no evidence that operations were disrupted as the case unfolds.