Today's Top Stories - July 16, 2012

Belgian nationality harder to obtain

The members of the coalition majority in the Belgian parliament have come to an agreement under which acquiring Belgian citizenship will be stricter. The criteria to be met are both linguistic (being able to speak either the region’s language or any of the country’s three national languages) and social (having obtained a qualification in Belgium, received 400 hours of professional training or undergone an integration course). Furthermore, there are economic conditions attached – the successful candidate will have to prove that he or she has been legally employed for a minimum of 468 days over the previous five years. The goal of these measures is to favour integration. From now on there will be two procedures: a short one taking five years (described above) and a longer one lasting ten years. The shorter one is specifically aimed at those who have demonstrated that they are already integrated in Belgian society.

Irish Times praises Belgian film to the rafters

In its Friday edition, the Irish Times newspaper singled out Belgian film Les Géants (The Giants), directed by Bouli Lanners, for special praise, even awarding it four stars. “It comes as a surprise to discover that, on the evidence of this spooky, funny little film, Belgium boasts watery stretches that look uncannily like portions of the American south,” it read. “Indeed, for much of its duration, The Giants comes across like a European version of Benh Zeitlin’s upcoming, stratospherically praised Delta drama Beasts of the Southern Wild... Lanners manages to insert such absurd humour into every scene that the atmosphere never becomes oppressive... Huckleberry Finn by way of The Three Stooges, The Giants profits from hilariously bemused juvenile performances and soft, hazy cinematography as it drifts its way to an open-ended conclusion that will accommodate both optimists and pessimists. Easily the best Belgian film of the year.”

To read the full four-star review, go to www.irishtimes.com

Belgian Restaurant Week opens in New York

Today marks the beginning of the 2nd edition of Belgian Restaurant Week in New York City. The week-long event showcases Belgium’s many culinary delights and takes place in the city’s Belgian eateries, bars and speciality shops: Brabant, BXL Cafe, Le Pain Quotidien, Markt, Petite Abeille, Rouge Tomate, Top Hops Beer and Wafels & Dinges. After the food-fest, it will be time to celebrate Belgian National Day on July 21 at the Highline Ballroom (on West 16th St), with a gala event headlined by Axelle Red, organised by the Belgian-American Chamber of Commerce.  

http://belgianrestaurantweeknyc.com

Record number of counterfeit goods seized

Belgian police and customs seized a total of 4,297,806 counterfeit items in 2011, more than double the 2010 figure (1,776,854 items). The most commonly counterfeited goods are cigarettes, followed by perfume and cosmetic products. The State misses out on millions of euros’ worth of tax revenue each year because of counterfeit tobacco alone.

Last week, the Federal Public Service for Economy warned against the proliferation of counterfeit electrical goods (including power generators and, chillingly, chainsaws), deemed “potentially highly dangerous”.

Boonen’s Olympic dreams in jeopardy

Reigning Belgian cycling champion Tom Boonen, who abandoned the Tour of Poland on Saturday, has been diagnosed with a broken rib, reports Cyclingnews.com. “The Belgian had new medical checks in the Herentals Clinic on Sunday,” the website explains. “Boonen crashed with around three kilometres left to race on Stage 1 of the Tour of Poland and continued several more days before abandoning. It has now been confirmed that the 31-year-old is suffering from a fractured sixth rib on his right side. According to a team press release, Boonen will now observe three days of rest before attempting to resume training on Thursday. A decision will then be made on whether the Belgian champion will race the Tour de la Region Wallonne before the Olympic Games road race on July 28. Boonen deliberately avoided racing both the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France, in the lead up to the Games, and recently admitted that it was also unlikely that he will ride the Vuelta a España prior to an attempt at a second world title to add to his 2005 crown.”

Read the full article on www.cyclingnews.com