The Belgian teacher Pierre Piccinin da Prata, who went missing in Syria in April, is alive, reports Le Soir. He had a brief conversation with his parents – who live in Gembloux, Walloon Brabant - on Thursday afternoon, the foreign affairs ministry confirmed. The Italian journalist who was with him...

An Irish elephant currently residing in Belgium is to arrive at Denver zoo in the next few weeks — the first Asian elephant imported to the U.S. in more than 30 years, writes the Denver Post’s Electa Draper . Five-year-old Billy, hails from Dublin, Ireland, but is currently training at Antwerp zoo...

Belgium's telecoms regulator has published a preliminary timetable for its 800Mhz radio spectrum auction, which it still aims to complete during this financial year, reports Cellular News . The BIPT said that the new time schedule will allow the candidates to start their technical tests. However,...

Even if you don’t get lunch vouchers or meal tickets at work, you’ll have no doubt seen someone pay for their restaurant bill or their groceries with them, or with their electronic equivalent (since the beginning of this year, the paper version is slowly being replaced by a smart card which is...

Belgium’s federal traffic police does not intend to relax its efforts to tackle speeding on the motorway, several newspapers report today, and has started installing several speed cameras in a row on some stretches of road. "Far too many drivers, having just passed a speed camera, consider that the...

The annual electricity bill for the average household could increase from €590 to €840 – an increase of 40%, according to a study by Boston Consulting on behalf of the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium (FEB), several newspapers report this morning. The price paid by large companies is expected...

Belgian cyclist Tom Boonen has reportedly paid €2m to resolve a tax evasion investigation in Belgium, reports Cycling News . News came to light last month that Boonen had been the focus of special tax investigators, who suspected that the former world champion had overstepped the mark in terms of...

British singer Robbie Williams is currently rehearsing in Brussels Expo’s Palais 5, in preparation for his forthcoming ‘Take The Crown’ European tour, which kicks off in Dublin on June 14, and reaches our shores on August 3 with a show at the King Baudouin stadium. He performed two songs (Bodies...

There will be three Belgian directors featured at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, which runs from June 28 until July 6, writes Cineuropa's Aurore Engelen . Vincent Lannoo’s In the Name of the Son (pictured) will be in the running for the Independent Camera in the ‘Independents’ Forum...

Prison officer Thomas, 30, from Antwerp province talks about what he earns and how he spends it What do you do for a living? I'm a prison officer in Hoogstraten. We have all kinds of inmates: sex offenders, drug dealers... Mostly people who are nearing the end of their sentences and learning a...