Belgium News

Iraq court sentences Belgian jihadist to death for IS membership

By AFP

Baghdad - An Iraqi court on Tuesday sentenced a Belgian jihadist, who threatened Europe in propaganda videos, to death by hanging for membership of the Islamic State group, an AFP journalist reported.

Migrant girl died from 'bullet' after Belgium police chase

By AFP

Tournai - A two-year-old girl of Kurdish origin who died after police gave chase to a van carrying illegal migrants in Belgium succumbed to a bullet wound to the face, prosecutors said Friday.

Tens of thousands protest Belgian pension reform

By AFP

Apo - Tens of thousands of people marched through the Belgian capital Brussels on Wednesday to protest the centre-right government's plans to reform pensions.

Last Paris attacks suspect not to appeal Belgium sentence

By AFP

Apo - Salah Abdeslam, the sole surviving suspect in the Paris attacks, will not appeal his 20-year prison term over a gun battle with police in Brussels that led to his capture, his lawyer says Monday.

Saudi-financed Belgian mosques teach hatred of Jews, gays: report

By AFP

Apo - Teaching manuals in Gulf Arab-financed mosques in Belgium promote anti-semitic stereotypes of Jews and call for the persecution of homosexuals, according to a leaked Belgian intelligence report.

Belgian ex minister indicted in 'Kazakhgate' graft scandal

By AFP

Apo - Former Belgian minister Armand De Decker has been indicted for influence-peddling as part of the wide-ranging "Kazakhgate" probe into allegations of corruption linked to a trade agreement between France and Kazakhstan, a public prosecutor said Monday.

Last Paris attacks suspect sentenced to 20 years in Belgium

By AFP

Apo - A Belgian court on Monday said the sole surviving suspect in the Paris attacks, Salah Abdeslam, remained "dangerous" as it sentenced him to 20 years in prison over a gunbattle with police in Brussels that led to his capture.

Verdict for Paris suspect Abdeslam in Belgian trial

By AFP

Apo - A Belgian court will give its verdict Monday on Salah Abdeslam, the last surviving suspect in the Paris Islamist attacks, over a bloody 2016 shootout with police in Brussels that led to his capture.

Belgian firms 'exported nerve agent precursor to Syria'

By AFP

Apo - Three Belgian companies are facing prosecution for allegedly exporting a chemical that can be used to make the deadly nerve agent sarin to Syria, in breach of international sanctions, officials said Wednesday.

Belgium to name first square after Congo independence hero Lumumba

By AFP

Apo - Belgium is set to name a square in Brussels after late Congolese independence hero Patrice Lumumba, the first public place in the former colonial power to honour him, an official said Tuesday.

France detains Belgian imam suspected of Syria fighting

By AFP

Paris - French authorities have detained and charged a Belgian-based radical imam suspected of fighting with jihadists in Syria, sources said Wednesday.

Paris suspect Abdeslam to get Belgian trial verdict in April

By AFP

Apo - Belgian judges will hand down their verdict in April in the trial of Salah Abdeslam, the last surviving suspect in the Paris Islamist attacks, over a shootout in Brussels that led to his capture.

Taxis paralyse Brussels to protest against Uber

By AFP

Apo - Hundreds of taxis brought traffic to a standstill in Brussels on Tuesday to protest proposed government reforms said to favour ride-hailing competitors like Uber.

Belgium unveils plans to help terror victims before anniversary

By AFP

Apo - One week before the second anniversary of the Brussels suicide bombings, the Belgian government unveiled plans Wednesday to establish one point of contact for victims frustrated in their bid for compensation.

Belgium unveils plans to help terror victims before anniversary

By AFP

Visiting Belgian royals won't meet with Trudeau due to 'agenda issues'

By AFP

Ottawa - Belgian royals visiting Canada would have liked to meet Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but the Canadian leader was busy touring aluminum and steel smelters to reassure workers this week.

Belgian royals greeted in Canada with German flag

By AFP

Ottawa - A German flag accidentally flapped Monday at an official welcome in Canada for Belgium's king and queen.

Catalan separatists propose new referendum

By AFP

Barcelona - Catalonia's main separatist parties have proposed holding a new referendum on a constitution of the "Catalan republic" which was declared in October but never came into effect.

Belgium distributes iodine pills in case of nuclear accident

By AFP

Apo - Belgium began Monday to make iodine pills available free to its 11 million people in case of an accident at its ageing nuclear plants but said there was no "specific risk.

Eight questioned in Belgium anti-terror raids

By AFP

Apo - Eight people were questioned in Brussels following counter-terror raids as part of an investigation into what one source said Monday appeared to be preparations for an attack.

Frenchman admits raping and assaulting 40 women

By AFP

Valenciennes - A French grandfather was charged Wednesday after confessing to raping and sexually assaulting "around forty" women in a series of attacks since the 1990s.

No politics, please: DR Congo tycoon Forrest shares secret of success

By AFP

Lubumbashi - Rebels have wanted to kill him, NGOs accuse him of exploitation and Chinese newcomers have rattled his Congo mining empire, but George Forrest, one of Africa's biggest businessmen, remains unbowed.

Belgian court orders Facebook to stop tracking web users

By AFP

Brussels - A Belgian court on Friday ordered Facebook to stop tracking internet users in Belgium who have no accounts with the social network, or face fines of 250,000 euros a day.

Ex-Oxfam official denies organising orgies as Haiti opens probe

By AFP

Brussels - A former Oxfam country director at the centre of sexual misconduct allegations embroiling the London-based charity has denied organising orgies, as Haiti announced it would open a probe into the spiralling scandal.

Ex-Oxfam official to give 'his version' on sex scandal: report

By AFP

Brussels - A former Oxfam country director at the centre of allegations of sexual misconduct embroiling the London-based charity does "not deny everything" but wants to give his version of events, a Belgian daily reported Thursday.

Spain-Belgium ties could be harmed by ex Catalan leader: minister

By AFP

Madrid - Spain's foreign minister warned Thursday that deposed Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont's plan to govern the region remotely from Belgium could harm "friendly relations" between Madrid and Brussels.

April verdict in Belgian trial of Paris attacks suspect: court

By AFP

Brussels - A Belgian court will hand down its judgement by the end of April in the trial of Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam, who is accused of trying to kill police officers in a bloody Brussels shootout, officials said Thursday.

Paris suspect Abdeslam refuses to return to Brussels trial

By AFP

Brussels - Paris terror attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam has refused to return to his trial in Belgium this week over a shootout with police in Brussels that led to his capture, the court said Tuesday.

Suspect in Abdeslam's shadow may be bigger player than thought

By AFP

Brussels - A Tunisian man on trial in Belgium alongside Paris terror suspect Salah Abdeslam may have been a bigger player in the Islamic State group than first thought, investigators say.

Iran rejects review of academic's death sentence

By AFP

Tehran - Iran's Supreme Court has rejected a request to review the death sentence given to university professor Ahmadreza Djalali, accused of passing information to Israel, his lawyer said on Tuesday.