More than one-third of Belgian school canteens fail to meet food hygiene standards, L’Avenir reports today. In 2012 the Federal Agency for Food Safety (AFSCA) inspected 1,316 schools where meals are served; in total, 35% of schools had insufficient hygiene levels. "Food hygiene standards in Belgian...

Walkers yesterday morning found the body of a drowned woman on the beach in Ostend. A rescue helicopter arrived on the scene and attempts were made to resuscitate the victim but to no avail, said the Bruges prosecutor’s office, adding that more details were expected on Monday. According to various...

Some 20% of Walloon car owners do not pay road tax on their vehicle, leading to a significant shortfall in revenue for the region, the Sudpresse newspapers report today. Minister of the Budget André Antoine has just had a €1m plan approved, which will cover the recruitment of twenty agents as well...

A Polish captain ran his ship aground as he tried to sail from Scotland to Belgium, reports the Daily Mail . The man plotted a straight line from Scotland to Belgium - forgetting that England was in the way, it is claimed. An investigation has revealed that Tadeusz Dudek had been using an...

Belgian chemicals and plastics company Solvay announced today that it had begun the construction – along with partners - of one of the world's largest hydrogen peroxide plants in Saudi Arabia, reports Reuters . Solvay and Sadara Chemical Company, a joint venture of Saudi Aramco and Dow Chemical Co...

Expats are raising money for two charities in Africa in a two-person golf-scramble in Nivelles on September 5. Places are still available for the charity golf day at the American course La Tournette and the evening dinner. The Orbit Village charity was launched in 2012 by a group of ex Rugby...

In 2011, the average working Belgian earned a gross monthly salary of €3,192, according to official figures from the Federal Public Service Economy. The professional category that earns the most is business management with €8,610 gross per month. Those who earn the least are servers and bartenders...

Minister of Home Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Joëlle Milquet has 20 guidelines ready that should attract more women to the police force. Belgium's police corps remains a predominantly male bastion, where only one in three police officers is a woman. Women are especially underrepresented in top...

The unions at Brussels Airlines issued a strike notice today, after attempts at conciliation between unions and management failed to come to an agreement during talks on Thursday. Sticking point is the increased workload of the crew, some 1,200 employees, due to recent budget cuts. The current...

Homeless Association Chez Nous/Bij Ons will not be allowed to hold its annual barbecue this year in the Rue des Chartreux/Kartuizersstraat. The City of Brussels put a stop to the event, citing the lack of on-site sanitary facilities as a reason. Chez Nous/Bij Ons is upset with the decision and...