Over the next few weeks, a number of men living in the area of Mol will be invited to give police a sample of their DNA, in an effort to unmask a serial rapist responsible for at least six rapes in the last five years and up to 20 in all. The men have been identified on the basis of tips provided by the public since the arrest of Ronald Janssen for three murders in other parts of the country. Giving a DNA sample is not obligatory, unless other evidence offers an investigating magistrate grounds to order one. Police have not revealed how many men are involved.

The bird protection agency Vogelbescherming Vlaanderen (VV) has made a formal complaint against a hairdresser in Kortessem, near Hasselt, who was shown on TV shooting sparrows and pigeons. According to VV, sparrows became a protected species last May. The organisation also criticised the makers of the VRT programme Man bijt hond (Man Bites Dog) for virtually encouraging an illegal act.

Flanders’ wind energy capacity has gone up from 130 megawatts (mW) in 2006 to 240 mW now, according to the energy ministry, with growth of a further 100 mW expected this year. The ministry was reacting to a report from the Global Wind Energy Council that put Belgium at the bottom of the Western European table of wind energy producers. Recent legislation has made it easier to install wind turbines in agricultural areas, the ministry said, and a “substantial increase” in the numbers is planned.

Dredging work in the Westerschelde approaches to Antwerp harbour will begin on 12 February, three weeks earlier than originally planned, the port authority revealed. The dredging, most of it in Dutch waters, is intended to make it easier for large container ships to use the channel regardless of tide. The work will last for 15 months and cost €100 million.

Police are investigating the death of a woman whose body was washed ashore at Wenduine last week. The woman, aged 58, comes from Antwerp, and the body showed no signs of violence. Earlier in the week another body, of a 55-yearold Knokke man, washed ashore at Knokke-Heist. That case was judged to be a suicide.