Anyone who watched Annemiek van Vleuten’s sickening, bone-crunching crash as she was heading for gold in the women’s road race at the Olympics last summer will have been roaring her over the line in the concluding stage of La Course on Saturday. Van Vleuten was a worthy winner, having battled back to fitness after suffering three spinal fractures and a severe concussion in Rio. Her victory means a Dutch rider has won the race in three of the last four years. The previous three editions of La Course took place…
Read MoreDay: July 25, 2017
European and African ministers discuss plan to tackle flow of refugees
Meeting in Tunis follows pressure from UN refugee agency, which says EU efforts to train Libyan coastguard are not enough. European and African ministers are to meet in Tunis on Monday to discuss a plan to try to regularise the flow of refugees from Africa to Europe to about 20,000, coupled with a much tougher strategy to deport illegal migrants from Italy and break up smuggling rings. The plan to regularise the migrant flow is being pushed by the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, which warns that EU efforts to…
Read MorePrime Minister leads bilateral talks with a view to resolving fiscal and social issues
The Prime Minister, Charles Michel, has today been pursuing bilateral talks. The avenue of a tax on share accounts is still on the table. The head of the federal government must now assess by what means coalition partners can implement such a tax. The Prime Minister had to return, this weekend, to having bi-lateral meetings. This came after the Open Vld were opposed to the concept of a tax on share accounts. This avenue was on the table as an alternative to capital gains tax, which the Flemish Christian Democrats…
Read MorePort of Antwerp invests $10 million in Brazilian port
The Port of Antwerp has acquired a shareholding of 1.176% in Porto do Açu. This is a port complex located in the north of the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. The Belgian port announced on Monday that the investment amounts to $10 million (€8.5 million) and has been generated via the subsidiary Port of Antwerp International (PAI). Porto do Açu is active notably in the transport of oil and gas, and dry bulk and container goods. Brazil is ranked the sixth partner of the Port of Antwerp in order…
Read More2016: awful year for Belgian agricultural production
Last year (2016) is a year that Belgian farmers will remember for a long time to come. However, for all the wrong reasons. It was marked by an extremely humid spring, and even floods in places. Thus the 2016 season witnessed decreased production for all crops. This was confirmed by the statistics of the FPS Economy, published a few days before the 83rd Agricultural Fair at Libramont (this will be held this coming weekend from 28th July to 31st July). Faced with low-quality grain and yield declines, some specialists did…
Read More