I don't know enough about the art sector to have an opinion on this, I just thought it interesting that this has become a big enough controversy to be featured in The Guardian.

"In a document filed on Tuesday in the Federal Register, C.B.P. said it plans to ask applicants for a long list of personal data including social media, email addresses from the last decade, and the names, birth dates, places of residence and birthplaces of parents, spouses, siblings and children."

"The Brussels Times and De Tijd examine the finances of the Brussels Region. The report raises questions about the true size of the debt."

Long article, but imo interesting, and also worrisome.

“Given the inhumanity of the current situation, which is also leading to emotional reactions in our own society, we believe it is undesirable to allow this concert to go ahead,” the organisers said, adding that they had chosen not to collaborate with partners who had not “distanced themselves unequivocally from that regime.”

Also in dutch on VRT.be: https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2025/09/10/gent-festival-van-vlaanderen-annuleert-muenchner-philharmoniker/

An interesting video about Carat Duchatelet, a luxury coach builder from Liège with apparently loads of history.

As much as 25% to 35% of all Brussels office space is vacant. Millions of square metres are unused, with buildings often even lit up looking like 'zombie buildings' from the outside.

...

A prominent Brussels real estate broker, speaking on condition of anonymity, offered a more blunt take: “In large building deals in Brussels, the usual players gather around the table — there’s the smart money, and then there’s the Régie des Bâtiments.”

Serbia’s government has restricted the time academics can spend on research to just five hours each week. The rule has been widely criticised by the country’s research community, which is now seeking to overturn it through the courts.

‘Pure retaliation’

Many think the regulation has been made to punish university staff who have been supportive of students’ protests against corruption. Those protests began in November, having initially been triggered by an incident in which a train station roof collapsed and killed 15 people.

In an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws on April 14, 2025, Belgium’s Defense Minister, Theo Francken, formally proposed that future F-35 fighter jets ordered by Belgium be assembled in Italy rather than in the United States. The minister also revealed that he had already made the request to his Italian counterpart, Guido Crosetto.

The article also goes into more detail of what's already been delivered under the program, the underperforming economic returns for Belgium, the bookkeeping shenanigans to take on more debt, and more.

Nothing new.

This is also unchanged: "while countries like Sweden and Denmark also have quite high taxes, they manage to offer better services in terms of health care, higher pensions and free child care, among others."

Oud nieuws, maar nog niet gepost denk ik. De Pano reportage is zeker het bekijken waard, best wel grappig, en tegelijk ook triestig.

Gerelateerd: https://www.humo.be/tv/dankzij-humo-brengt-pano-geen-andere-onzin-walter-de-donder-gaat-af-als-een-gieter~bf6b7eea/

Also of interest: https://www.gezondheidenwetenschap.be/gezondheid-in-de-media/factcheck-mazelen-is-terug-en-veroorzaakt-in-een-op-de-vier-gevallen-complicaties#article-detail-wrapper