Belgium

Belgium imposes new lockdown to fight third COVID-19 wave

Belgium will close schools, non-food stores and hairdressers for four weeks from Saturday, in a sharp renewed lockdown designed to contain a rising third wave of COVID-19 infections. A year on from the first pandemic shutdown, Prime Minister…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Commemoration of 5th anniversary of Brussels terrorist attacks

A message for the victims at Brussels Airport on the fifth anniversary of the Brussels terrorist attacks, in Brussels, Belgium, 22 March 2021. On the same day in 2016 a…

Read More Here

Belgian clubs vote to support joint league with Netherlands

Belgian clubs have voted to support the possibility of a joint league with their neighbours in the Netherlands, reviving an idea first floated two years ago but put on ice…

Read More Here

Brussels to rename tram, bus stops after famous women

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Brussels' public transport operator marked International Women's Day on Monday by renaming 10 metro stations after famous women for one day, and pledging to permanently rename 17…

Read More Here

Belgium sets out plan for easing, with bars to reopen on May 1

BRUSSELS, March 5 (Reuters) - Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo set out a roadmap for easing lockdown restrictions on Friday, even as COVID-19 infections rose, with restaurants, bars, gyms…

Read More Here

Non-EU students will have one year to find work in Belgium

Non-European students studying abroad in Belgium will soon have one year to find work in the country following the competition of their studies. Currently, students must return to their home…

Read More Here

Record 23 tonnes of cocaine seized by customs in Hamburg and Antwerp

Customs authorities in Hamburg and Antwerp have seized a record haul of more than 23 tonnes of cocaine destined for the Netherlands in two raids this month, German customs authorities said on…

Read More Here

200 arrested during Covid-19 protests in Brussels

Brussels Times - Around 200 people have already been arrested in Brussels for participating coronavirus protests in the city, despite announcements from officials and police that the gatherings did not…

Read More Here

Belgium fears surge of COVID-19 cases in coming weeks

Belgium could see an increase in daily cases of COVID-19 infections in coming weeks as more Belgians undergo tests on return from holidays, the government warned. Health ministry spokesman Yves…

Read More Here

Belgium’s coronavirus deaths hit 20,000, still among world’s highest per capita

Belgium's death toll from coronavirus infections, one of the highest per capita in the world, has breached the 20,000 mark, according to official data published on Sunday. The country, home…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Snow in Belgium

A Police officer close the road to the ski resort near the 'Baraque de Fraiture', in the Ardennes, Belgium. 'The Baraque de Fraiture' site and the 'Hautes Fagnes' are banned…

Read More Here

Belgian authorities seize a record amount of cocaine in 2020

Customs employee during demonstration of of a mobile scanner for truck during presentation of the year results of drug seizure in port of Antwerp, Belgium. Belgian narcotics officers seized a…

Read More Here

Cases in Belgium continue to drop

Belgium’s daily average new coronavirus infections continue to drop, according to the latest figures published by the Sciensano public health institute on Saturday. Between 23 and 29 December, an average…

Read More Here

Belgium tightens COVID-19 controls with tests for all travellers

Belgium has tightened its measures to restrict the spread of the coronavirus by requiring all people who have travelled abroad to undergo a COVID-19 test. The country of 11 million…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Christmas decoration in Brussels

Photos from the Grand Place square in Brussels, Belgium, decorated for the Christmas season. A Christmas tree is reflected in a puddle at the Grand Place square in Brussels, Belgium.…

Read More Here

EU countries take preventive action in view of new Covid mutation in UK

LONDON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Several European countries placed new restrictions on travel to and from the United Kingdom on Sunday due to concern over a new strain of the…

Read More Here

Belgium tightens travel restrictions after Christmas

POLITICO - From Christmas, travelers arriving in Belgium will have to produce a negative coronavirus test in order to be allowed into the country, Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke said Friday.…

Read More Here

Belgian mail turns to sports stores to ease parcel overload

Belgium's post office has teamed up with the country's largest sports store chain as a shift to online purchases accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic has left it overloaded with packages.…

Read More Here

Animal rights organisation welcomes fireworks ban on New Year’s Eve in Belgium

Animal rights organisation GAIA has welcomed the ban on fireworks announced by Belgium’s Consultative Committee. “It will help save animals from a great deal of suffering,” GAIA President Michel Vandenbosch…

Read More Here

Belgium lets shops reopen, but keeps Christmas curbs to prevent third wave

Belgium will let shops reopen from Tuesday, but keep other coronavirus curbs over the festive period, including limits on gatherings over Christmas and a ban on fireworks at New Year,…

Read More Here

Belgium accused of abandoning thousands of elderly to die from the coronavirus

Amnesty International said Belgium authorities “abandoned” thousands of elderly people who died in nursing homes during the coronavirus pandemic following an investigation published Monday that described the situation as “human…

Read More Here

Belgian racing pigeon sells for world record 1.6 million euros

A two-year-old Belgian racing pigeon called New Kim set a world record of 1.6 million euros ($1.89 million) at an auction that ended on Sunday, the online auction house said.…

Read More Here

Belgium goes into lockdown

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced a national “reinforced” lockdown starting Monday, with shops deemed non-essential to close and family visits outlawed, Politico reports. Belgium stopped short on Friday…

Read More Here

Belgian ambulance crews say they risk being overwhelmed by COVID

Belgian ambulance crews say they are at risk of being overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients, running out of capacity to handle other calls. One ambulance company, NAAB Ambulance Services, said COVID…

Read More Here

Belgium becomes EU nation with highest rate of COVID-19 infections

The Belgian government will convene on Friday to decide on a potential new national lockdown with the country now suffering the highest rate of coronavirus infections per 100,000 citizens, according…

Read More Here

Warning hospitals in Belgium could run out of beds in 15 days

Belgium could run out of beds in intensive care units within two weeks if the number of people in hospitals continue to increase at its current rate, an official said…

Read More Here

Brussels edges towards lockdown

Sport and cultural facilities in Brussels must close and residents will face a longer curfew from Monday, the regional government said on Saturday, as COVID-19 infections in Belgium continued to…

Read More Here

Belgium tightens coronavirus restrictions

Belgium, one of the European countries worst hit by the new coronavirus, tightened restrictions on social contacts on Friday by banning fans from sports matches, limiting the number of people…

Read More Here

Belgian Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmès in intensive care with Covid-19

Sophie Wilmès, who was Belgium’s caretaker prime minister during the first wave of the coronavirus outbreak, has been admitted to intensive care with Covid-19. Wilmès, who is now foreign minister,…

Read More Here

Belgium postpones non-essential hospital work because of COVID “tsunami”

Belgium will need to postpone all non-essential hospital procedures to deal with a surge in COVID-19 infections, Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke told lawmakers, days after warning of a COVID “tsunami”…

Read More Here

Belgium’s foreign minister tests positive

Belgium's foreign minister Sophie Wilmes said on Saturday she had tested positive for COVID-19. "My Covid test result is positive. Contamination probably occurred within my family circle given the precautions…

Read More Here

Ghent University moves online because of the coronavirus

One of Belgium’s main universities is moving to online education whenever possible and another is getting ready to follow suit because the coronavirus is continuing to soar across the nation.…

Read More Here

Belgium Health Minister not ruling out a second lockdown as infections rise in ‘dramatic’ way

Belgium is heading for a “difficult autumn” as coronavirus infections are rising in a “dramatic” way, Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke said Sunday. Vandenbroucke called on people to “pull together” to…

Read More Here

England beats Belgium 2-1 Nations League at Wembley

Marcus Rashford's penalty and a deflected strike from Mason Mount helped England come from a goal down to overcome top-ranked Belgium 2-1 at Wembley on Sunday and climb above them…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Bars in Brussels to close for one month after spike in virus cases

A closed bar at Flagey Place in Brussels, Belgium, 08 October 2020. Bars and cafes in Brussels have been ordered to close for one month from 08 October by local…

Read More Here

Belgium tightens coronavirus restrictions, nominates first Covid-19 Commissioner

Belgium will tighten its coronavirus measures for a month starting Friday, new Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced Tuesday. Bars will have to close at 11 p.m. instead of 1…

Read More Here

Hospital capacity for coronavirus patients in Brussels saturated

All hospital beds for patients with the coronavirus in and around Brussels are full already, with the University Hospital (UZ) even transferring patients to a hospital outside the Region. “With…

Read More Here

Photo Story: ‘Warhol – The American Dream Factory’ Exhibition in Liege

A visitor looks at art pieces on display at the exhibition 'Warhol - The American Dream Factory ' in Liege, Belgium. The exhibition brings together Andy Warhol's most famous works,…

Read More Here

Belgium has a new princess

A Belgian artist who has fought a seven-year legal battle to prove that Belgium’s former King Albert II is her father secured a literally crowning success in court on Thursday…

Read More Here

Belgium’s finance minister De Croo set to become prime minister

Belgium's caretaker finance minister Alexander De Croo is set to be appointed the country's prime minister, 16 months after a parliamentary election, according to Belgian daily Le Soir. The new…

Read More Here

Covid deaths pass 10,000 in Belgium

Belgium, one of the European countries hardest hit by the coronavirus, said today its death toll from the pandemic has surpassed 10,000. The country, which has a population of 11.5…

Read More Here

Sex workers say Brussels prostitution ban drives them underground

Belgium's capital has banned prostitution in certain districts in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus. For sex- workers, however, the prohibition is a threat to their livelihoods.…

Read More Here

Belgian coronavirus experts go on ‘silent strike’ against relaxed rules

Several Belgian experts will go on “silent strike” this weekend, in a protest against the relaxed coronavirus measures and politicians who often hide behind the experts. Experts such as virologist…

Read More Here

16 months after elections, Belgium inches closer to having a government

Sixteen months after elections, Belgium may finally have a new government as King Philippe on Wednesday tasked the caretaker finance minister and the leader of the Francophone Socialist Party with…

Read More Here

Belgium cuts quarantine and eases mask rules, Malta and Luxembourg to become red zones

Belgium is ending a requirement to wear masks outdoors and reducing the time people have to self-isolate, in a slight easing of coronavirus restrictions announced on Wednesday despite sharply rising…

Read More Here

Digital security system for containers at the port of Antwerp

In Belgium, the Port of Antwerp will introduce a new security system for containers at the port from next year. The current system uses a pin code that if it…

Read More Here

Belgium’s government formation talks put on hold as mediators test positive for Covid-19

Belgium's plans to forge a fully fledged government 16 months after an election were put on hold on Tuesday after one of the two mediators charged with the job tested positive for…

Read More Here

Belgium updates its safe-travelling list – Malta on the orange list

Belgium has turned light orange on the coronavirus map of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), meaning fewer than 60 new coronavirus infections per 100,000 inhabitants were…

Read More Here

Belgium compulsory education age lowered to 5 years

School will be compulsory for all children in Belgium from the age of five years, instead of six, from this academic year, which starts in September. By adopting the new…

Read More Here

Photo Story: ‘Meet the Masters’ exhibition in Brussels

Photos from the exhibition 'Meet the Masters', a digital art expo the three great masters of Flemish painting Jan Van Eyck, Pieter Paul Rubens and Pieter Bruegel, at Dynasty Palace…

Read More Here

Belgium revises down COVID-19 deaths just shy of 10,000 mark

Belgium revised down on Wednesday the country’s COVID-19 death toll, just as it was about to pass the milestone of 10,000 fatalities. Health authorities have reviewed figures from care homes…

Read More Here

Coronavirus re-infections raise concerns about immunity

Two European patients are confirmed to have been re-infected with COVID-19, raising concerns about people’s immunity to the coronavirus as the world struggles to tame the pandemic. The cases, in…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Origami For Life

Photos from Origami For Life, an artistic setup of 22 000 origami exposed a Cathedral of Saint Michael and Gudula in Brussels , Belgium. Origami For Life is an initiative…

Read More Here

Belgian schools to reopen in September with masks mandatory for older children

Belgian schools will reopen on 1 September when the academic year starts, with children above 12 years old and teachers required to wear masks, prime minister Sophie Wilmes has. “The…

Read More Here

Head of Flemish liberals appointed to lead Belgian government coalition talks

Belgium's King Philippe on Tuesday asked Egbert Lachaert, leader of the Flemish liberal party Open VLD, to try to form a coalition government. The king had held talks with party…

Read More Here

Malta to be placed on the travel Red Zone by Belgium

The colour codes for several countries and regions in Belgium’s travel zones system on the Foreign Affairs’ website will be adapted again on Friday afternoon, the Crisis Centre announced during…

Read More Here

Belgian hospitals stock up on drugs, kits for possible second COVID wave

Belgian hospitals are stockpiling drugs and protective kits and putting in place contingency plans amid a continuing spike in new COVID-19 infections that has forced the capital Brussels to make…

Read More Here