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E-cigarettes legal but cannot contain additives, says health minister

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, sold in Belgium cannot contain vitamins or stimulating substances such as caffeine. The coloured smoke also offered by some brands is also prohibited, according to a new federal decree from public health minister Maggie De Block. The electronic cigarette is...

VUB finds 'gigantic particle accelerator' in Milky Way

The Milky Way galaxy seems to contain a gigantic particle accelerator, probably in the form of an enormous star. That is the discovery of a research team at the Free University of Brussels (VUB), led by astrophysicist Stijn Buitink. Their findings are published in the science magazine Nature. The...

Museum paintings become street art in Ixelles

Volunteers are putting the finishing touches this week on a series of murals pasted onto the walls of buildings across Ixelles. From 5 March, the Brussels commune will be the centre of the art project, the first of its kind in Belgium, which takes the characters of several paintings from the Museum...

Brussels unemployment at lowest rate since 2009

There are less than 100,000 unemployed residents in the Brussels-Capital Region, the lowest figure since 2009. Since then, the unemployment rate in the Region has decreased by an average of 7.1% annually, writes Brusselnieuws. As of late February this year, 99,828 people in the Region received...

'I like that responsibility': American conductor set to lead Belgium's national orchestra

The National Orchestra of Belgium has a new head conductor. Starting next year, the American Hugh Wolff will take over the baton from Andrey Boreyko, who has served five years. These are turbulent times for the National Orchestra, with a possible merger with the Monnaie orchestra on the horizon in...

US defence secretary asks for Belgium's help in Syria

The United States has formally asked Belgium to extend its military mission against the terrorist organisation Islamic State (IS) to include Syria, writes De Standaard . The request was made last week in an official letter from US defence secretary Ashton Carter to his Belgian counterpart Steven...

AB InBev deprived of world’s most popular beer

Leuven’s AB InBev, the world’s largest brewer, will not be able to get control of the world’s best-selling beer when it takes over London-based SABMiller. Competition authorities in China have ordered Miller to divest itself of China’s Snow brand before the deal can go ahead. SABMiller owns 49% of...

Figures show Brussels residents among Belgium's poorest

The net income of Brussels residents has dropped significantly in recent years, falling for the first time below that of the Walloons, which means they are now Belgium's poorest inhabitants, reports De Tijd. According to figures from the Institute for National Accounts, economic activity in the...

Thalys launches budget service to Paris

Railway company Thalys is celebrating its 20 th anniversary this year with the launch of a new low-cost train service, branded Izy. From 3 April, the Izy train will offer passengers round-trip service between Brussels Midi and Paris Nord starting from €19. Thalys plans to renovate two Thalys...

KU Leuven opens pop-up bar without alcohol

The new pop-up bar NapLap, an acronym of “non-alcoholic place/low-alcoholic place”, on Oude Markt in Leuven will serve students only drinks with no or little alcohol this month. The idea is to promote responsible alcohol consumption and is an initiative of the local university, student umbrella...

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