Day: October 6, 2025

Herent (24brussels) – Herent has officially joined the Digital Cemetery project, part of the Flemish government’s initiative to enhance online accessibility, mapping four local cemeteries in 2025, reports 24brussels.

According to VRT News, residents and visitors in Herent, located in the province of Flemish Brabant, can now utilize the new Digital Cemetery website to locate graves. The online mapping system allows users to find specific burial sites across the four cemeteries within the municipality, accessible via smartphones, tablets, or computers.

Officials have stated that entering a name in the search bar enables users to quickly discover a grave’s location. The map also features a reverse mechanism; clicking on a grave reveals the name and relevant details of the deceased.

How is Herent making its cemeteries digital in 2025?

Alderman for Civil Affairs Maarten Forceville (CD&+) emphasized that the Digital Cemetery harmonizes technology with the act of remembrance. He highlighted that this platform not only simplifies grave searching but also ensures the preservation of burial records for future reference.

“Now you can find someone’s grave in the cemetery with just a few clicks of the mouse.”

Forceville further stated,

“We want to make everything clear and transparent.”

Historically, individuals faced lengthy searches to locate a specific grave, but the new system allows them to pinpoint locations within seconds using digital devices.

The municipality plans to enhance the website’s functionality in the future. One upcoming update is the inclusion of photographs of the graves, assisting users in identifying precise sites during their searches. Additionally, there are intentions to install an information column at the entrance of each cemetery, providing directions and access to grave names.

The Digital Cemetery initiative commenced in 2018 under the Flemish government’s digital plan to improve public information accessibility. Initial local tests began in 2019 when several municipalities piloted online mapping of their cemeteries.

This system enabled individuals to search for graves by name and ascertain their precise locations on a digital map. Over the years, participation grew, and by 2023, the service had expanded significantly throughout Flanders.

Trump Authorizes National Guard Deployment Amid Protests

U.S. President Donald Trump has authorized the deployment of Texas National Guard members to Illinois, Oregon, and several other locations, heightening tensions with Democrat-led cities amidst ongoing protests against aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations targeting migrants, reports 24brussels.

The Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, confirmed that additional special operations agents are being sent to Chicago following incidents where law enforcement officers were reportedly attacked and surrounded by vehicles. Furthermore, federal agents utilized chemical irritants against over a hundred protesters in Brighton Park, a neighborhood in southwest Chicago, as the FBI declared its intent to proceed with charges against demonstrators.

In response to these developments, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker criticized the military deployment as “Trump’s invasion.” He urged for national unity, asserting that “the brave men and women who serve in our National Guard must not be used as political props. This is a moment when every American must speak up and help stop this madness.”

In Portland, Oregon, District Judge Karin Immergut issued a temporary restraining order blocking Trump’s National Guard deployment. The ruling asserted that Oregon state authorities and the city would likely succeed in a lawsuit against the federal government, citing that the president had exceeded his constitutional authority.

Despite this legal obstacle, Trump ordered the deployment of 300 California National Guard members to Portland.

This sharp escalation of federal involvement in local law enforcement has sparked widespread debate regarding the appropriate limits of presidential power and the implications for civil liberties in the United States.