Three Belgian soldiers hurt in ‘shooting incident' during exercise in Scotland
The third was taken to hospital with minor injuries and has been discharged.
About 'a dozen' soldiers also suffered hearing damage as a result of the incident.
A spokesperson for the defence ministry said: 'On May 12, during Exercise Red Condor currently taking place in Scotland, three Belgian soldiers were injured.
La triste nouvelle m'est parvenue que trois militaires du Troisième Bataillon de Parachutistes ont été blessés lors d'un exercice en Écosse. Je souhaite aux blessés un prompt rétablissement. Mes pensées vont à leurs proches.
— Bart De Wever (@Bart_DeWever) May 12, 2025
'They received first aid on site and were then transferred to a regional hospital. In addition, around a dozen soldiers suffered hearing damage.
'Defence authorities have confirmed that the two soldiers who were seriously injured are now in stable condition.
'They have already been able to speak with their families. One of them will undergo surgery in Scotland before being repatriated to Belgium.
'The third soldier sustained minor injuries and has since returned to the military camp.'
The spokesperson added: 'The families of the injured personnel have been informed.
'The incident took place during a planned training exercise. An investigation has been launched to determine the exact circumstances.'
Last week it was reported that around 600 Belgian military personnel were in Moray for exercise Red Condor.
In a post on X, Belgian prime minister Bart De Wever offered his condolences to the injured soldiers and their families.
'I have received the sad news that three soldiers from the Third Parachute Battalion were injured during an exercise in Scotland,' he wrote.
'I wish the injured a speedy recovery. My thoughts are with their loved ones.'
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But the market is expanding rapidly, with consumer spending on the policies having grown by at least 20% each year since 2020 to hit more than $4.7 billion last year, according to the trade group. The growth of pet insurance coincides with a steep run-up in the costs of pet services — from grooming and kenneling to veterinary visits — relative to goods like food, leashes and toys. Prices for the latter are up 22% since 2019, while the former have surged 42%, Bank of America Institute researchers noted in May. The inflation gap points to lopsided demand as pet owners prioritize their animals' health, said Taylor Bowley, a Bank of America Institute economist. 'Maybe you're not going to that premium, upper-line specialty pet store, and while you're at the grocery store, you're picking up a more 'value' brand,' she said. Vet visits, on the other hand, feel like more of a necessity for many consumers, who simply pay whatever they're billed. 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The 6 beers good for your gut health according to experts
Health experts have revealed beers like Guinness, Stella Artois Unfiltered, and London Porter Dark Ale could all have benefits when it comes to your gut health. Researchers have been accumulating evidence to suggest that certain beers could help improve the diversity of species in the gut microbiome. A study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, from 2022, followed 22 men who drank a little more than half a pint of beer every day for four weeks and found as a result, they had better intestinal health, The Telegraph reported. Health experts have now conducted a review of experiments in Frontiers in Nutrition and have come to the conclusion that various ingredients in beer may have a positive impact on the immune system. Nutrition researcher at King's College London and founder of The Gut Health Doctor, Dr Megan Rossi, said this was due to plant chemicals known as polyphenols, which are found in certain beers, and are useful for the bacteria in your gut. 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(Image: PA) Medical scientist at Imperial College London, Dr Federica Amati, said: 'It's not a health drink, but some of these ales will contain more of these useful chemicals as well as yeast strains left in the beer. 'They're probably not going to be alive, but there's a vein of thought that they still have some sort of beneficial impact on our immune system when they reach the gut.' Belgian branded beers such as Hoegaarden, Westmalle Tripel and Echt Kriekenbier are fermented twice. This second fermentation uses a different strain from the traditional brewer's yeast, The Telegraph reports, which not only increases the strength of the beer, but also means it contains more useful microbes. Belgian professor Jeroen Raes added: 'We know that even dead yeasts could have an effect on the composition of the microbiota, and it could also have an effect on transit times." Craft beers and dark ales also contain gut-boosting yeast, according to The Telegraph. 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(Image: JD Wetherspoon) The six beers drinkers should avoid, according to the health experts, are: While the experts say there are benefits to some beers, they also emphasise alcoholic drinks are not health drinks and in many cases, any benefits for the gut are likely to be cancelled out by the impact of alcohol on the body. Dr Amati said: "I'm very keen to pass on the message that we have to drink very moderately. 'Have at least three days with no alcohol in your week, and no more than one drink when you do drink.' While Dr Rossi advocates drinking no more than one or two alcoholic drinks at a time. RECOMMENDED READING: Is wine good for you and what are the healthiest options - dietician has their say Chocolate is good for you and here are the 7 health benefits to prove it Walkers Cheese & Onion to Kettle Lightly Salted - which crisps are the healthiest? 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North Wales Chronicle
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- North Wales Chronicle
The 6 beers good for your gut health according to experts
Health experts have revealed beers like Guinness, Stella Artois Unfiltered, and London Porter Dark Ale could all have benefits when it comes to your gut health. Researchers have been accumulating evidence to suggest that certain beers could help improve the diversity of species in the gut microbiome. A study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, from 2022, followed 22 men who drank a little more than half a pint of beer every day for four weeks and found as a result, they had better intestinal health, The Telegraph reported. Health experts have now conducted a review of experiments in Frontiers in Nutrition and have come to the conclusion that various ingredients in beer may have a positive impact on the immune system. Nutrition researcher at King's College London and founder of The Gut Health Doctor, Dr Megan Rossi, said this was due to plant chemicals known as polyphenols, which are found in certain beers, and are useful for the bacteria in your gut. Dr Rossi, speaking to The Telegraph, said: 'Bacteria have been shown to digest about 90 per cent of polyphenols and turn them into chemicals, which can have anti-inflammatory effects." The six beers that are good for your gut health, according to health experts, are: Guinness is thought to be rich in certain plant chemicals, according to Dr Rossi. She said: 'Some polyphenols are particularly high in Guinness. "We talk about diversity (being good for the gut), and that's the case for drinks as well. "So, if you drank a little bit of Guinness one night, and then a little red wine another time, while keeping within the alcohol limit, that's probably going to get you a wider range of these polyphenols.' Guinness is among the beers experts say could be beneficial for your health. (Image: PA) Medical scientist at Imperial College London, Dr Federica Amati, said: 'It's not a health drink, but some of these ales will contain more of these useful chemicals as well as yeast strains left in the beer. 'They're probably not going to be alive, but there's a vein of thought that they still have some sort of beneficial impact on our immune system when they reach the gut.' Belgian branded beers such as Hoegaarden, Westmalle Tripel and Echt Kriekenbier are fermented twice. This second fermentation uses a different strain from the traditional brewer's yeast, The Telegraph reports, which not only increases the strength of the beer, but also means it contains more useful microbes. Belgian professor Jeroen Raes added: 'We know that even dead yeasts could have an effect on the composition of the microbiota, and it could also have an effect on transit times." Craft beers and dark ales also contain gut-boosting yeast, according to The Telegraph. Dr Amati said if there's a little bit of sediment at the bottom of your craft beer or dark ale, "that's always a good sign". If you are a larger drinker, try finding an unfiltered version as it may contain more potentially useful chemicals, as well as having a more "complex flavour and aroma". Dr Amati continues: 'If you drink a fairly long fermented and traditionally made beer, so not one that's super filtered, you will get some of those polyphenols and yeast strains left in the beer." If you are a larger drinker, finding an unfiltered version will be better for your gut health. (Image: PA) "Drinking alcohol-free beers could offer all the benefits to your gut, without the disadvantages of the actual alcohol content," The Telegraph said. Alcohol free beer - in particular Doom Bar's version - are said to be more likely to contain helpful plant chemicals. According to Dr Amati, there are also several artisan cider brands, including the likes of Old Rosie Scrumpy Cider and Henry Westons Vintage Cider, that can have benefits for the gut microbiome. She explained: 'They tend to have some of the actual fruit left in the drink, meaning that fermentation carries on for longer. 'The cloudier ciders are better as these are sugars known as polysaccharides which float in the cider and they're good prebiotics to feed the gut bugs.' Other drinks, such as mead, are also thought to be beneficial for the gut. While the likes of Guinness, Newcastle Brown Ale and Stella Artois Unfiltered are good for your health, there are a number of beers that are not so good for you, and the experts have warned to avoid them. There are also beers to avoid, according to health experts, including the likes of Budweiser, San Miguel and Peroni. (Image: JD Wetherspoon) The six beers drinkers should avoid, according to the health experts, are: While the experts say there are benefits to some beers, they also emphasise alcoholic drinks are not health drinks and in many cases, any benefits for the gut are likely to be cancelled out by the impact of alcohol on the body. Dr Amati said: "I'm very keen to pass on the message that we have to drink very moderately. 'Have at least three days with no alcohol in your week, and no more than one drink when you do drink.' While Dr Rossi advocates drinking no more than one or two alcoholic drinks at a time. RECOMMENDED READING: Is wine good for you and what are the healthiest options - dietician has their say Chocolate is good for you and here are the 7 health benefits to prove it Walkers Cheese & Onion to Kettle Lightly Salted - which crisps are the healthiest? These are the 8 foods to eat that will help you live to 100 (or longer) She added: 'When we're talking about any anti-inflammatory benefits for the gut from these darker beers, that becomes pro-inflammatory after about two drinks.' 'That's because the alcohol starts to make the gut a little bit leaky, allowing things to move from our gut into the bloodstream that wouldn't normally be there, and causing low-grade inflammation.' The NHS recommends drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread across 3 days or more. That equates to around six medium (175ml) glasses of wine, or six pints of 4% beer.
