Belgium

A 29-year-old former secondary school teacher from Bredene has been found guilty of sexual offences, including the rape of minors that were his pupils; the 5-year prison sentence will be suspended on provision that he abides by the probation conditions

A new plan to combat antimicrobial resistance will be launched amid a global rise in infections resistant to common antibiotics; the WHO calls the occurrence a “silent pandemic”

46 people were arrested in Brussels in a police operation targeting drug trafficking and organised crime; the announcement comes after a violent weekend with shootings in Saint-Gilles and on Boulevard du Midi, prompting authorities to continue efforts

The Capital Region has the lowest levels of car ownership in the whole of Belgium: according to Statbel data, 56% of Brussels households don't own a car and rely on public transport, soft mobility or walking; Wallonia scores 24.7% and Flanders 23.6%

Police seized 2 tons of cocaine in Borgerhout and Bowel, arresting 3 men; the case began with 9 kg found in Deurne in June 2025 and is the biggest blur to trafficking after the discovery of 1,5 tons of cocaine in Antwerp in March 2022

Three Brussels athletes kitesurfed across the Channel reaching England in less than 5 hours and raising €12.500 for charity; while praising the initiative for its intention, Mobility Ministry stressed sailing without permit is illegal and dangerous

Errors in the storage of fireworks at world-famous Tomorrowland festival venue are currently being investigated by the authorities in Antwerp, as can possibly be the cause of the devastating fire which gutted its main stage last month

Shops in Belgium will soon be allowed to remain open until 21:00, and seven days a week; the measure is expected to be validated to relax businesses' opening hours and meet modern needs

1 in 4 young foreign workers in Belgium feels overqualified for their job, says recent analysis by Statbel, especially at entry-level, and 1 in 5 Belgian youth have jobs below their skill level, while the country has the second highest job vacancy in EU

A veterinary care group is calling on pet owners to add their animals to the blood donation register to cope with the severe shortage of animal blood donors; according to AniCura transfusions help surgery recovery and increase effectiveness of medication

Bankruptcies in Belgium increased by 7,13% year on year in May, according to the latest monthly report from commercial information bureau GraydonCreditsafe, the highest figure since 2013; in Flanders alone, bankruptcies reached a record high of 570

A new legislation came into effect in Brussels to regulate rental property prices in a bid to preserve housing access; affecting over 30.000 homes, mostly short-term rentals, it establishes a rent exceeding 20% of the regional rates would be a violation

Schools in Flanders ditched plans to provided a laptop to each primary education student, while are encouraged to develop collective ICT infrastructure; the regional government has also announced it will fully reimburse schools for asbestos removal costs