The first two blasts ripped through the Brussels airport on the morning of March 22, 2016, turning a busy travel hub in the heart of Europe into a scene of carnage. Baggage carousels froze, takeoffs and landings were held off and all other activity at the airport ceased for the tribute. The noise was meant as an affirmation of life, to show “that we have not forgotten, but remain standing against hate and terror,” the authority said. President Trump once publicly called Brussels “a hellhole,” but the city has shown resilience over the last year, even as the scars from the attacks exposed endemic weaknesses in Belgian law enforcement and a lack of social cohesion. Near the heart of the European quarter of the city, a large sculpture by the Belgian sculptor Jean-Henri Compère was unveiled on Wednesday.

Source: New York Times March 22, 2017 16:07 UTC