Belgium

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Beer Lovers, Rejoice: Monks Export Rare Brew

Westvleteren 12 sales will pay for abbey renovation

(Newser) - Beer fans, meet the monks of St. Sixtus Abbey. The Belgian monks are temporarily exporting their world-famous brew, Westvleteren 12, to pay for a pricey abbey renovation, NPR reports. The monks lead such a spartan, devout life that they lack cash reserves, so they're selling the beer at select...

French Slam Fleeing Richest Guy as 'Traitor'

'Ingrate' billionaire announces move to Belgium in wake of 75% tax

(Newser) - France's richest man has infuriated his countrymen by announcing a move to Belgium ahead of the Socialist government's planned 75% tax on the country's wealthiest citizens . Louis Vuitton CEO Bernauld Arnault denies he is seeking Belgian citizenship for tax reasons, but he has been denounced from all...

Belgian Mayor May Sue Over ... Weather Report

Says dreary report has hurt tourism

(Newser) - The mayor of a seaside town in Belgium is fuming over ... a weather report. He says a seasonal weather report for this summer was downright unfair, and he might sue. A private weather forecasting firm said the country would only have two weeks of sunshine this month. "We all...

DSK Now Target of Gang-Rape Investigation

Centers on alleged 2010 incident in Washington, DC

(Newser) - More hot water for Dominique Strauss-Kahn, and once again it's US-flavored: A French prosecutor today opened a preliminary investigation into an alleged gang rape in Washington, DC, CNN reports. In the course of France's probe into Strauss-Kahn's alleged participation in a prostitution ring, the gang-rape allegations surfaced;...

Swiss Tunnel Bus Crash Kills 22 Kids, 6 Adults

Belgium in mourning after ski holiday bus crash

(Newser) - A bus carrying students returning from a ski holiday crashed into a wall in a Swiss tunnel last night, killing 22 Belgian 12-year-olds and six adults. Another 24 students were hospitalized with injuries after the crash near the Alpine city of Sierre. The cause of the crash has not been...

Eurozone Economy Shrinks
 Eurozone Economy Shrinks 

Eurozone Economy Shrinks

Nine of 17 member states post a fall

(Newser) - For the first time since 2009, the eurozone economy contracted last quarter. The fourth quarter of 2011 saw the GDP shrink 0.3% compared to the third quarter; the last quarterly contraction occurred during the second quarter of 2009 when the GDP dropped 0.2%. Meanwhile, the GDP grew just...

Belgium Gunman Had Woman's Body in His Shack

Nordine Amrani was also stockpiling weapons, growing marijuana

(Newser) - The plot thickened today in the case of the grenade and shooting rampage in Liege, Belgium , when police announced that they'd found a woman's body hidden in a shack that alleged gunman Nordine Amrani was using to grow marijuana. The woman is said to be a 45-year-old who...

2 Dead in Belgium Grenade Attack

 4 Dead in Belgium 
 Grenade Attack 
UPDATED

4 Dead in Belgium Grenade Attack

Assailant threw grenades, fired guns into crowd

(Newser) - At least four people are dead in Belgium after a man armed with hand grenades and guns attacked a busy intersection in Liege today; local media is reporting that 75 were wounded. Initial reports indicated that there were multiple attackers, but police now say there was just one, identifying him...

S&P Lowers Belgium's Credit Rating

Cites 'protracted political uncertainty'

(Newser) - Standard & Poor's is lowering its long-term sovereign credit rating for Belgium, citing a threat to exports and the country's lack of a permanent government. In a sign that financial contagion is spreading across Europe, the agency cut Belgium's credit rating from AA+ to AA. Belgium has...

Belgium Bails Out Failing Dexia
 Belgium Bails Out Failing Dexia 

Belgium Bails Out Failing Dexia

Belgian division to be nationalized; Belgium, France offer guarantees

(Newser) - Leading Franco-Belgian bank Dexia has agreed to a government rescue plan—making it "the biggest euro zone bank failure in quite some time," one analyst tells the New York Times . The plan will nationalize Dexia's Belgian banking division in a $5.4 billion government buyout; meanwhile, Belgium,...

Obama, Jay-Z, Steve Jobs: America Is World's Coolest Country, Poll Says


 It's Official: 
 US Is World's 
 Coolest Country 
15-country poll

It's Official: US Is World's Coolest Country

Obama, Jay-Z, Steve Jobs help win crown

(Newser) - When it comes to foreign policy, perhaps Americans aren’t the world’s favorite nationality. But the US has clearly cornered the market on coolness. Just ask the 30,000 people from 15 different countries polled by social networking site Badoo.com. When asked to choose the coolest country, America...

5 Killed as Storm Slams Belgian Rock Fest

US band Smith Westerns survives stage collapse

(Newser) - At least five people were killed and about 140 others injured after a heavy storm hit Belgium's Pukkelpop music festival yesterday, the AP reports. One stage was completely destroyed after trees blown over in strong winds crashed into rigging, the Guardian adds. The Chicago-based band Smith Westerns was playing...

80 Belgians to Sue Vatican, Church Over Sex Abuse

Suit comes days after Belgian Catholic Church agreed to pay victims

(Newser) - Eighty people who say they were sexually abused by priests or monks plan to sue the Vatican as well as the country's Catholic church and its highest authorities, according to Belgian media. The announcement comes days after the Belgian church said it was willing to pay compensation to victims...

Belgium Grabs World Record For...

...number of days without a government. And everything seems OK

(Newser) - Who needs a government? Not Belgium! The country broke the world record for the longest political deadlock last week—a distinction previously held by Iraq and its much-fretted-over 249-day holdout. Some quibble that Iraq’s lawmakers had to wait another 40 days to be seated, but no one doubts that...

Belgians Strip to Protest Government Deadlock

Lawmakers set world record for indecision: 249 days (as of yesterday)

(Newser) - The sex strike didn't work, and Belgians remain frustrated. The country is still without a government and, as of yesterday, lawmakers had been bickering over forming a coalition for a world record-setting 249 days, the Telegraph reports. Protests have been becoming ever more creative, with people growing long beards, dressing...

Senator: To Break Deadlock, Don't Sleep With Politicians

Marleen Temmerman urges politicians' partners to say 'no coalition, no sex'

(Newser) - Would Belgium's politicians have dithered over forming a government for 241 days if they weren't getting any? Socialist senator Marleen Temmerman thinks not. She has urged the bed partners of the country's politicians to "keep their legs closed" until the deadlock is broken and a coalition government is finally...

Man Runs 365 Marathons in One Year

Onetime asthma sufferer Stefaan Engels aimed to inspire

(Newser) - A Belgian runner has plowed through 365 marathons in the past year, shattering the former record of 52, the Daily Mail reports. Stefaan Engels, 49, completed his goal in Barcelona. "I wanted to inspire people by showing that if I could run a marathon a day for an entire...

As Crises Spread, Europe Scrambles for an Answer
As Crises Spread, Europe Scrambles for an Answer
analysis

As Crises Spread, Europe Scrambles for an Answer

Even healthier countries now feeling pinch

(Newser) - Financial crises in Greece, Ireland, and Portugal have stoked fears for Italy, Belgium, and the more robust Germany as Europe struggles to find a solution, the New York Times reports. Worry that Germany may have to pay the brunt of bailout costs have prompted the sale of its debt; investor...

Belgium Charges 9 After Terror Raids

Authorities cite plot against unknown Belgian target

(Newser) - Authorities charged nine people today in a Belgian anti-terror court following yesterday's raids in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, the Christian Science Monitor reports. Belgium charged 7 for plotting an attack on an unknown target within the country; they include 6 Belgian-Moroccans and a “Russian of Chechen origin.”...

Greeks Nab Parcel Bomb Addressed to Sarkozy

Others addressed to various embassies; no al-Qaeda link seen

(Newser) - Greek police have intercepted several packages containing “explosive devices,” one of which was addressed to Nicolas Sarkozy, Reuters reports. One, addressed to the Mexican embassy, exploded at an Athens courier firm, slightly wounding an employee. Others addressed to the Dutch and Belgian embassies were detonated by police. Two...

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