Belgium

The Brussels Summer Festival (BSF) will not take place this year. With the last two editions having been scrapped, organisers fear the risk of cancellation is too great to warrant undertaking the extensive planning involved with its preparation, Bruzz reports. Refunds for 2020 ticket holders BSF was cancelled in 2020, with purchased passes or tickets

Nine out of 10 young Europeans say that tackling climate change can help improve their own health and well-being, according to a recent survey from the EU’s Eurobarometer. People aged 15-24 listed the environment as a top priority when it comes to European policy, with 86% of all respondents echoing the sentiment. The year 2022

Today Belgium’s Federal Parliament starts a days-long hearing on the topic of mandatory vaccination. The issue is highly contentious and has implications far beyond the realms of public health. To this end, 32 experts from numerous sectors will present arguments for and against the measure in the hope that any eventual decision can be as

Belgium dropped three points in the last year on Transparency International’s 2021 corruption index (CPI), falling to 18th place on the list of 180 countries with a score of 73 out of 100. “At the top of the CPI, countries in Western Europe and the European Union continue to wrestle with transparency and accountability in

Schools across Belgium are facing a grim situation, as more and more staff and students test positive for the coronavirus and prompt class-wide quarantines. “The situation has worsened considerably over the past two weeks,” Etienne Michel, director-general of Segec (Secrétariat général de l’enseignement catholique), told Bel RTL on Wednesday […]

In 2021, the excess mortality rate in Belgium was “significantly” lower than in 2020, with over 5,000 additional deaths last year, compared to nearly 19,000 in the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, according to calculations of the Sciensano national health institute. 2021’s excess mortality rate was marked by three coronavirus waves, a short […]

Of the 11 judicial arrests following the riots on the fringes of Sunday’s anti-Covid demonstration, legal action has already been taken against three suspects, including two minors. During the European Manifestation for Democracy demonstration on Sunday, some 228 people were arrested, but most were placed under administrative arrest. Eleven others, […]

The European Commission announced on Tuesday that EU ministers had agreed on coordinating travel rules but in practice there are still different restrictions in place in member states. As previously reported, the ministers agreed on updating the travel rules to facilitate safe and free movement in the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic. This agreement follows

Belgium’s hearings to discuss whether a general vaccination obligation or a vaccination pass will start in the Federal Parliament today. Over the coming weeks, the case for and against a mandatory coronavirus vaccination will be put by 32 experts from various fields before the Parliamentary Committee on Health. Before the speakers started, group leader of

A month after its Christmas Day launch, the James Webb Space Telescope reached its final orbit, 1.5 million km away from Earth. Once fully online, scientists hope that the images it sends to Earth will help answer some of the universe’s enduring mysteries. “We’re one step closer to uncovering the mysteries of the universe. I

UK transport secretary says testing rules for travellers into country will change from 4am on 11 February; new France rules come into forceBoris Johnson faces fresh outrage over lockdown birthday partyA full list of alleged UK government Covid rule-busting ‘parties’US to distribute 400m free N95 masks to pharmacies and health centres‘Paradigm shift’ […]

Protest against coronavirus restrictions spirals out of control. What's next?

Violent clashes broke out between police and people protesting against Covid-19 restrictions in Brussels on Sunday. Police used teargas and fired water cannon in an effort to disperse protesters. Authorities said about 50,000 people took part in the demonstration in the Belgium capital, which coincided with similar protests in other European […]

From autonomous driving to new shared-mobility models, customized insurance contracts, remote diagnostics and repair, and predictive maintenance services, digitalization will allow new use cases and business models to develop.

Some 50,000 people protested coronavirus restrictions.

System will allow authorities to tie coronavirus measures to hospitalization numbers and ICU capacity.

Project does not meet EU’s requirement for environmental impact assessment, NGOs say The British petrochemicals company Ineos is facing a legal challenge over plans to build a giant plastics plant in Antwerp.The legal NGO ClientEarth, acting with 13 other NGOs, on Friday launched an appeal against Antwerp’s decision to grant Ineos a permit to build a […]

Belgian-British Zara Rutherford braved acrid smoke and freezing Siberia on round-the-world journey in two-seater microlightIt should have been perfect flying weather when Zara Rutherford set off from Palo Alto in California for Seattle, a month into her attempt to become the youngest woman to fly solo round the world. But while the skies were clear, […]

A Belgian-British teenager has flown into the record books by becoming the youngest woman to fly solo around the world. Zara Rutherford, 19, touched down at Kortrijk-Wevelgem airport in Flanders, completing a 52,000km (28,100 nautical mile) journey that took in 31 countries across five continents. 'It’s just really crazy. I haven’t quite processed it,' […]

Nineteen-year-old completes 52,000km journey that took in 31 countries and five continentsA Belgian-British teenager has flown into the record books by becoming the youngest woman to fly solo around the world.Zara Rutherford, 19, touched down at Kortrijk-Wevelgem airport in Flanders just after 1pm local time on Thursday, completing a 52,000km (28,100 […]

West struggles to find common ground on diplomatic snub to China.

Banks say stricter EU anti-money laundering rules create a 'clash' with some companies.

Gang leader Vo Van Hong sentenced by Belgian court over deaths in sealed lorry container in EssexThe Vietnamese leader of a people smuggling gang has been sentenced to 15 years in a Belgian jail over the death by suffocation of 39 men, women and children transported across the Channel in a sealed trailer.Vo Van Hong, 45, was also ordered to pay a €920,000 […]

Babysitter Dave De Kock said to have led police to where he is suspected of dumping the body of Dean VerberckmoesThe body of a four-year-old Belgian boy has been found in the Netherlands after he was abducted by his babysitter, who it emerged has a previous conviction for abuse that led to the death of a two-year-old child.A police search found Dean […]

Politicians are in a bind over whether short-term fixes will work, or whether they need to hunker down for a long-term price surge.