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Royal pardons criticised in parliament

King Philippe has apologised to the families of road traffic victims after it was revealed that he had granted a royal pardon to several offenders convicted of traffic violations, leading to reduced fines. The TV programme Royalty reported last week that the king had used his royal power to pardon...

Belgian “Cybersquad” cracks down on the counterfeit industry

Belgium’s Customs and Federal Public Service (FPS) Finance bureau have launched a major operation in an effort to curb the sale of counterfeit products. Known as the “Cybersquad,” the operation has targeted online sales outlets and has already shutdown 236 domain names suspected of running illegal...

Brussels elite track event in search of a new home

News that Brussels future national stadium won’t include a track has left organisers of the international Diamond League’s Ivo Van Damme Memorial scrambling to find a new venue by 2020. The replacement of the Boudewijn Stadium in Heizel, being cleared for a large-scale residential project, will be...

Brussels taxi drivers turn down fares

Hailing a taxi this week in Brussels will be harder than usual. Until Thursday this week, up to 200 affiliated drivers with three Brussels taxi associations will take strike action every morning. Passengers will be left short of cabs between 8 and 11 as drivers are refusing to pick up passengers...

Politicians accuse Ryanair of social dumping in Belgium

Politicians are accusing Ryanair, the Irish low-cost airline, of social dumping, after its announcement last week that it will start flying out of Brussels Airport in February. The accusations come just as Belgium’s secretary of state against fraud, John Crombez ( pictured ), is preparing a clash...

Mechelen's Holocaust museum marks first anniversary

Since opening on December 1, 2012, the Memorial, Museum and Documentation Centre on the Holocaust and Human Rights in Mechelen, commonly referred to as the Dossin Barracks, has attracted 102,000 visitors, more than the 65,000 expected at the outset, said conservator Herman Van Goethem. The museum...

English-speaking fraudsters target Windows users

The Belgian Federal Police are alerting Windows users of an alleged con scheme targeting their personal information. Police report that consumers are being contacted in English by supposed Microsoft call centre employees phoning to notify them of a computer virus. Through a series of questions...

Electricity bills set to drop

Tax relief is on its way as the Belgian Government has announced that it will be reducing VAT on electricity from 21 to 6 percent. The lowered sales tax rate will remain in effect until at least the end of 2015. The initiative is part of an Economic Stimulus Pact, or ESP, that is aimed at boosting...

Brussels’ white elephant continues to grow

When it appeared it could get no worse, the ongoing Justice Palace renovation has been hit with more bad news only days following a bomb scare hoax. Seemingly never-ending, the renovation demands of the Brussels’ landmark building have grown to include the scaffolding itself. The familiar long-time...

Belgium and Hong Kong look to boost cultural ties with Queen’s visit

Belgium’s Queen Mathilde will kick-off her Asian tour Wednesday when she arrives in Hong Kong for a three-day visit. Although the itinerary for her Majesty and a 300-person Belgian trade delegation will be primarily focused on business and finance, strengthening cultural relations will also be on...

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