Category: News

The decision to prohibit the sale of nicotine pouches in Belgium, effective from October 1, has significant implications for public health and tobacco control efforts. The move is part of a comprehensive anti-tobacco plan endorsed by Federal Minister of Public Health Frank Vandenbroucke and other ministers. By taking this action, the Belgian government is making a clear statement about its commitment to reducing the harms associated with nicotine consumption. Nicotine pouches, which do not contain tobacco but deliver nicotine and flavorings, have gained popularity in recent years as an alternative…

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For the Belgian citizen who occasionally wonders why our country is so complicated, they can rest easy on both ears. Because from a distance of 5,885 kilometers, our prime minister sent him a reassuring message! Building on the boundless optimism he had already displayed at the United Nations, Alexander De Croo stated that we should not worry about the complexity of Belgian institutions. “Some people are always complaining about the complexity of our country,” he lectured at a gathering for American Belgians at the ambassador’s residence in New York. “But…

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The Belgian State has played its part in the fight against climate change and has met its targets”. This was the argument put forward by lawyers representing the Belgian State at the Brussels Court of Appeal on Friday. ‘Belgium has been passive and is moving in the right direction’, they said. In 2015, the non-profit organization Klimaatzaak took legal action against the Belgian authorities for failing to meet European and global commitments on climate change, putting its citizens at risk. In June 2021, the French-speaking Court of First Instance in…

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“In difficult circumstances, we must remember what we have achieved.” That was the message delivered by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo on Thursday to the press in New York after addressing world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly. “We can listen to the doomsayers who claim that Belgium is the ‘Greece of the North Sea.’ But is that really the case? I have a lot of respect for the Greeks, but Belgium is twice as prosperous as Greece,” the Prime Minister declared. He pointed to factors such as the…

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92-year-old media mogul Rupert Murdoch is retiring. Murdoch is the founder of News Corporation, one of the largest media conglomerates in the world. His son, Lachlan Murdoch, will take over his responsibilities. Murdoch owns several influential media outlets, including Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and the New York Post in the United States, The Sun and The Times in the United Kingdom, and newspapers in his native Australia. The businessman’s fortune is estimated at $17 billion (15.9 billion euros). Murdoch’s influence is immense, and through his newspapers and television…

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According to Defense figures, Belgium can indeed supply F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine if it chooses to do so. This is evident from a detailed calculation that takes into account the current mission of the Air Force and the planned renewal of the fighter aircraft fleet. The decision lies with the government. In recent weeks, Chief of Defense Michel Hofman and General Goetynck of Material Resources have stated that Defense does not have the capacity to donate F-16s to Ukraine. “Our country needs the fleet to carry out its own…

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On Tuesday, Belgium opened a memorial garden at the location where the infamous serial killer Marc Dutroux held his young victims captive. Authorities in Charleroi demolished the ‘House of Horrors’ last year, where Dutroux tortured and raped children in a soundproof dungeon. The parents of two of his victims, Julie Lejeune and Melissa Russo, will be present to formally inaugurate the tree-filled garden. The garden is adorned with a mural of a child watching a kite fly into the sky. Now 66 years old, Dutroux received a life sentence in…

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Belgium cannot refuse single men who apply for asylum. On Wednesday, a judge ruled that they are entitled to asylum. However, the Government continues to plan to accept only women, children and families. There is a huge shortage of asylum homes in Belgium. That is why Foreign Minister Nicole de Moore decided last month to reserve places for women, children and families. In practice, this is already the case, as women, children and families are prioritized; men are on the waiting list from 2021. Because there is only one type…

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The German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock, has praised the political reforms being implemented in Ukraine. The Ukrainian government hopes to eventually become a member of the European Union. This intention is likely to be further discussed during Baerbock’s visit, her fourth since the beginning of the Russian invasion. The minister traveled from Poland to Kyiv by train for the unannounced visit. Baerbock stated that her country wants to assist Ukrainians in implementing necessary reforms and meeting EU standards. She mentioned in a statement that significant progress has already…

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The devastating earthquake in Morocco is also being felt in our country. Emergency relief efforts are being organized in every corner of the country. “This is unrelated to religion or culture; it is simply our duty as human beings to help.” “The plan was to send the first truck to Morocco on Tuesday. But as it stands now, we might already receive the first trailer tonight,” says Redouan El Osri, sounding a bit surprised by the amount of relief goods he has seen pouring in since Sunday afternoon at Boomsesteenweg…

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