Today: May 22, 2025

Society

KU Leuven researchers develop method to permanently disable HIV virus
KU Leuven researchers develop method to permanently disable HIV virus

KU Leuven researchers develop method to permanently disable HIV virus

Researchers at KU Leuven have developed a method to render HIV viruses permanently harmless. The research was published on Thursday in the scientific journal Nature Communications. Currently, 600,000 people worldwide still die
11 hours ago
Kanal-Centre Pompidou museum to open in November 2026
Kanal-Centre Pompidou museum to open in November 2026

Kanal-Centre Pompidou museum to open in November 2026

The Kanal-Centre Pompidou museum in Brussels will officially open ​ in November 2026, director Yves Goldstein announced on Tuesday during a press visit to the construction site. Spanning 40,000 square metres, the
1 day ago
Company cars still on the rise in Belgium, NSSO reports
Company cars still on the rise in Belgium, NSSO reports

Company cars still on the rise in Belgium, NSSO reports

Despite attempts to curb the trend, the number of company cars on Belgian roads continues to rise, according to a monitoring report by the National Social Security Office (NSSO), cited by De
2 days ago
Brussels Pride set to draw crowd of 200,000
Brussels Pride set to draw crowd of 200,000

Brussels Pride set to draw crowd of 200,000

Organisers expect around 200,000 people to attend Saturday’s Brussels Pride event, similar to last year’s attendance figures. Under the banner “Unite, time to protect our rights”, they are calling for renewed vigilance
7 days ago
Brussels grapples with renewed violence after cup final clashes
Brussels grapples with renewed violence after cup final clashes

Brussels grapples with renewed violence after cup final clashes

Police are facing mounting challenges following a second consecutive night of unrest in Brussels. On Monday evening, 12 administrative arrests were made as officers struggled to contain violent scenes linked to ongoing
2 weeks ago
Herd of elephants appears near Antwerp Central station
Herd of elephants appears near Antwerp Central station

Herd of elephants appears near Antwerp Central station

A dozen life-sized model elephants appeared on Wednesday morning at Operaplein, near Antwerp Central station. The stunt follows similar sightings last week in Brussels and Liège, but its purpose remains unclear. “This
3 weeks ago
Up to 140 jobs at risk at ArcelorMittal Belgium
Up to 140 jobs at risk at ArcelorMittal Belgium

Up to 140 jobs at risk at ArcelorMittal Belgium

Up to 140 jobs are at risk at ArcelorMittal’s Belgian operations as the steelmaker plans to relocate certain activities to Poland or India. The plans would mainly affect white-collar workers at the
4 weeks ago
Tesla sales in Europe down 45 per cent
Tesla sales in Europe down 45 per cent

Tesla sales in Europe down 45 per cent

Sales of new Tesla vehicles in Europe fell by 45 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, according to figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA). Tesla has been
4 weeks ago
Overcrowding reaches alarming levels in Ghent prison
Overcrowding reaches alarming levels in Ghent prison

Overcrowding reaches alarming levels in Ghent prison

Overcrowding in Ghent prison reached alarming proportions in 2024, according to a new report by the Inspection Committee. The number of complaints from inmates about living conditions in the prison has risen
1 month ago
Brussels’ only outdoor pool to close after 5 years
Brussels’ only outdoor pool to close after 5 years

Brussels’ only outdoor pool to close after 5 years

Brussels’ only open-air swimming pool is closing after five years. Flow, in Anderlecht, was intended as a prototype to show demand for outdoor swimming in the capital, and the organisers say they
1 month ago
Doctors sound alarm over rise in measles infections
Doctors sound alarm over rise in measles infections

Doctors sound alarm over rise in measles infections

At least 55 people have been infected with the measles virus this year, according to the Flemish Healthcare department. Of those cases, 23 occurred in Antwerp. The most recent figures date from
1 month ago
200,000 people waiting for social housing in Flanders
200,000 people waiting for social housing in Flanders

200,000 people waiting for social housing in Flanders

Almost 200,000 people are on a waiting list for social housing in Flanders, the highest figure ever. Among the 199,085 candidates, more than half are single people. The Flemish government has earmarked
1 month ago
Sint-Niklaas hosts Hopmarkt Beer festival with live music
Sint-Niklaas hosts Hopmarkt Beer festival with live music

Sint-Niklaas hosts Hopmarkt Beer festival with live music

Sint-Niklaas (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The beer festival ‘Hopmarkt’ was organised for the first time on the Sint-Nicolaasplein in Sint-Niklaas. You can experience beer tasting while listening to live music under sunny
2 months ago
Flanders invests in 10,000 extra childcare places
Flanders invests in 10,000 extra childcare places

Flanders invests in 10,000 extra childcare places

The Flemish government is investing an extra 200 million euros to create 10,000 additional childcare places. Of those places, 6,000 must be income-related: the cost will depend on the parents’ income. In
2 months ago
New ‘Master’s Tours’ explore Flemish art heritage
New ‘Master’s Tours’ explore Flemish art heritage

New ‘Master’s Tours’ explore Flemish art heritage

Nine new ‘Master’s Tours’ will guide art and heritage lovers through key works of the Flemish Masters. Launched on Wednesday at the Message Chapel in Heverlee, the routes are part of Flemish
2 months ago
Work, work, work leads to strike, strike, strike
Work, work, work leads to strike, strike, strike

Work, work, work leads to strike, strike, strike

On Monday, immediately after a week-long strike at the railway, Belgian trade unions hold a ‘national strike’. They protest against measures of the new federal government, mostly concerning pensions. The De Wever
2 months ago
What to expect from the national strike on 31 March
What to expect from the national strike on 31 March

What to expect from the national strike on 31 March

Belgium is bracing for major disruption on Monday 31 March as the country’s two largest unions – the socialist ABVV and the Christian democrat ACV – plan a national strike. This follows
2 months ago
Gezondheidsmakers Kempen leads health program in 27 towns
Gezondheidsmakers Kempen leads health program in 27 towns

Gezondheidsmakers Kempen leads health program in 27 towns

Kempen – Towns in Kempen joined Gezondheidsmakers Kempen, led by Lieselot Wynants, signing a health charter to promote well-being through exercise, smoke-free areas, mental health programs, and preventive healthcare like the 10,000 steps
2 months ago
Kortrijk Railway Station demolition halted by permit council
Kortrijk Railway Station demolition halted by permit council

Kortrijk Railway Station demolition halted by permit council

Kortrijk – The Council for Permit Disputes paused the demolition of Kortrijk Railway Station (built in the 1950s), citing a lack of consideration for its historical value. Groups like the Flemish Association for
2 months ago
LGBTQI+ rights in the US prompt Belgium to update travel advice
LGBTQI+ rights in the US prompt Belgium to update travel advice

LGBTQI+ rights in the US prompt Belgium to update travel advice

As announced earlier this week, the Belgian Federal Public Service (FPS) for Foreign Affairs officially updated its travel advice for the United States on Wednesday evening, citing recent changes in the treatment of
2 months ago
EU court adviser backs WhatsApp in privacy fine appeal
EU court adviser backs WhatsApp in privacy fine appeal

EU court adviser backs WhatsApp in privacy fine appeal

Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – WhatsApp, a Meta Platforms got the support of an adviser to Europe’s top court in its fight against the European Union privacy watchdog, which had ordered the
2 months ago
Umicore refocuses on core businesses amid profit pressure
Umicore refocuses on core businesses amid profit pressure

Umicore refocuses on core businesses amid profit pressure

Brussels-based materials group Umicore is holding an investor day in London on Thursday, with CEO Bart Sap unveiling a strategic overhaul that marks a clear shift away from large-scale investment in battery
2 months ago
Leuven sewage shows daily Ketamine for 18 months
Leuven sewage shows daily Ketamine for 18 months

Leuven sewage shows daily Ketamine for 18 months

Leuven – The Leuven sewage water contains ketamine that researchers detected daily for eighteen months. The strong anaesthetic ketamine continues to increase as a recreational drug. The situation with ketamine in sewage
2 months ago
EU to provide 8 million euros in aid for Van Hool workers
EU to provide 8 million euros in aid for Van Hool workers

EU to provide 8 million euros in aid for Van Hool workers

The European Commission has proposed an 8 million euro support package to help 2,400 workers made redundant after the bankruptcy of Belgian bus manufacturer Van Hool. The funding, requested by Belgium, comes
2 months ago
Port of Ostend reports record financial profit
Port of Ostend reports record financial profit

Port of Ostend reports record financial profit

Ostend’s port has achieved its highest financial profit in years. This marks six consecutive years of growth, according to annual figures released on Wednesday. Officials credit strategic investments and a focus on
2 months ago
OECD: Belgium must strengthen fight against foreign bribery
OECD: Belgium must strengthen fight against foreign bribery

OECD: Belgium must strengthen fight against foreign bribery

Belgium has made legal progress in tackling foreign bribery, but enforcement remains weak, according to a new OECD report. The organisation urges stronger corporate accountability, tougher sanctions, and more resources for investigations.
2 months ago
Belgium’s prison population hits record high
Belgium’s prison population hits record high

Belgium’s prison population hits record high 

Belgium’s prisons have surpassed 13,000 inmates for the first time. Overcrowding has left hundreds sleeping on the floor, while thousands of short-term offenders wait for a place. In response, officials are calling
2 months ago
Pro-Russian hackers attack Belgian government websites
Pro-Russian hackers attack Belgian government websites

Pro-Russian hackers attack Belgian government websites

The pro-Russian hacker collective NoName057 has taken several Belgian government websites down today. Government portal MyGov.be, which gives citizens access to official documents, can currently not be reached. The Walloon Parliament’s website
2 months ago
2/3 IC Trains run Monday amid Metisp-protect strike till March 30
2/3 IC Trains run Monday amid Metisp-protect strike till March 30

2/3 IC Trains run Monday amid Metisp-protect strike till March 30

Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Over two-thirds of scheduled IC trains will operate on Monday as per SNCB’s announcement for the period of Metisp-Protect’s railway worker strike. Metisp-Protect labour union’s strike will
2 months ago
Nine out of ten construction firms struggle to find staff
Nine out of ten construction firms struggle to find staff

Nine out of ten construction firms struggle to find staff

Nine out of ten firms in the construction industry find it “problematic” to find staff, according to a survey of 233 companies carried out by construction association Embuild. Nearly seven out of
2 months ago
US happiness ranking hits all-time low, Germany climbs
US happiness ranking hits all-time low, Germany climbs

US happiness ranking hits all-time low, Germany climbs

For the eighth consecutive year, Finland has topped the World Happiness Report, leading the rankings alongside its Nordic neighbors. The United States has fallen to its lowest happiness ranking ever, according to the annual
2 months ago
Bullfighting ban in Mexico City sparks controversy
Bullfighting ban in Mexico City sparks controversy

Bullfighting ban in Mexico City sparks controversy

Activists have hailed the ban as a success for animal rights, but bullfighting fans say it threatens an important centuries-old tradition. Lawmakers in Mexico City have voted to ban violent bullfighting, prompting celebration among animal
2 months ago
Peru passes law critics claim will cripple NGOs
Peru passes law critics claim will cripple NGOs

Peru passes law critics claim will cripple NGOs

Peru’s NGOs expressed their anger over a bill that seeks to tighten control over civil society organizations. The groups say the law would hamper their ability to defend human rights. Rights groups
2 months ago
British PM Starmer announces NHS England to be abolished
British PM Starmer announces NHS England to be abolished

British PM Starmer announces NHS England to be abolished

NHS England, the body overseeing the activities of the British National Health Service, is to be scrapped. British Prime Minister Keith Starmer said the move aims to cut unnecessary bureaucracy Labour Prime
2 months ago
Argentina: Pensioners and soccer fans unite in protests
Argentina: Pensioners and soccer fans unite in protests

Argentina: Pensioners and soccer fans unite in protests

Police in Buenos Aires have fought running battles with hundreds of football fans and anti-austerity protesters during a weekly protest by pensioners. Argentine pensioners and soccer fans clashed with police on Wednesday
2 months ago
German police rumble smuggler with meth-flavored wraps
German police rumble smuggler with meth-flavored wraps

German police rumble smuggler with meth-flavored wraps

A bus passenger was carrying three tortilla wraps-worth of smuggled meth, with a street value of €23,000. The 29-year-old man has been detained. German customs officers discovered an unusual filling in several tortilla
2 months ago
Hong Kong court finds social worker guilty of rioting
Hong Kong court finds social worker guilty of rioting

Hong Kong court finds social worker guilty of rioting

Jackie Chen, accused of rioting during Hong Kong’s 2019 protests, pleaded not guilty and declined to testify in her retrial. She had used a megaphone to urge police restraint. Jackie Chen, a
2 months ago
After Assad’s fall, over 300,000 Syrians return home
After Assad’s fall, over 300,000 Syrians return home

After Assad’s fall, over 300,000 Syrians return home

Called “the worlds largest displacement crisis” by UNHCR, more than a million Syrians want to return to their areas of origin. Adequate housing, employment and basic services are challenges facing them if
3 months ago
Paris: WWII bomb discovery disrupts trains
Paris: WWII bomb discovery disrupts trains

Paris: WWII bomb discovery disrupts trains

French police were working to disarm a WWII-era bomb found “in the middle of the train tracks” in the north of Paris. All trains to the Gare du Nord station, including the
3 months ago
UN releases $110 million to compensate global aid cut
UN releases $110 million to compensate global aid cut

UN releases $110 million to compensate global aid cut

Amid cuts by major countries, the UN is trying to fill the global aid gap. It has described 2025 as a year of “unprecedented levels of suffering.” The United Nations has allocated $110 million
3 months ago
Women's rights under attack amid democratic erosion: UN
Women's rights under attack amid democratic erosion: UN

Women’s rights under attack amid democratic erosion: UN

As democratic institutions worldwide have weakened, so have women’s rights, according to a report from UN Women. The head of the UN said instead of mainstreaming equal rights, the world was mainstreaming
3 months ago
Vatican says Pope Francis had two new breathing attacks
Vatican says Pope Francis had two new breathing attacks

Vatican says Pope Francis had two new breathing attacks

The head of the Catholic Church has been in hospital for over two weeks. The 88-year-old pontiff is battling to recover from double pneumonia. Pope Francis on Monday suffered two new breathing attacks
3 months ago
Thailand criticized for deporting 40 Uyghurs to China
Thailand criticized for deporting 40 Uyghurs to China

Thailand criticized for deporting 40 Uyghurs to China

Thailand has deported a group of Uyghurs to China against their will, where they say they face torture and ill-treatment. Germany, the US, Australia and the UN are now condemning the decision.
3 months ago
Oldest known Holocaust survivor dies aged 113
Oldest known Holocaust survivor dies aged 113

Oldest known Holocaust survivor dies aged 113

After having survived the Nazi pogroms and escaped to New York via China, Rose Girone passed away on Monday. Aged 108, Mirjam Bolle is now believed to be the oldest living Holocaust
3 months ago
Freedom declined globally, but bright spots in Asia
Freedom declined globally, but bright spots in Asia

Freedom declined globally, but bright spots in Asia

The report said that political violence and armed conflict fueled the 19th straight year of decline of global freedom. But 34 countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Syria registered improvements. Freedom
3 months ago
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