Belgium // Current

added
11 days ago

2,500 ways of getting drunk, all on one menu

The Delirium Bar in Brussels has about 2,500 different beers on its menu. Apparently staff have to train for five weeks before... more

abbym0308
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2 responses

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26 days ago

Iran Demonstrations: Violent Clashes Between Protestors And Riot Police

Security officials and riot police engaged in violent clashes with demonstrators in Tehran today in what one reporter called an "unprecedented scene" in Iran in recent years.

NBC producer Ali Arouzi described the events on Saturday:

What started off as a small rally outside a pro-reformist newspaper swelled into a massive crowd of people chanting, "Death to the dictator, death to Ahmadinejad!"

Then, what started with a small amount of police pushing the crowd back turned into huge riot police in armored gear and motor bikes beating all the young students here with batons, knocking them back. The students responded by throwing stones, which the police then threw back. Now the police are coming off all the heart streets and main streets to try and disperse the crowd. But this is an unprecedented scene in Iran today.

Arouzi said that many of the demonstrators, afraid of reprisals, were wearing green scarves and surgical masks.

Asked if he believed the election results being reported by Iran's Interior Ministry, Arouzi sounded highly skeptical. "If you were in Tehran the last few days, you would think it impossible that Ahmadinejad won," he said. "Everybody we spoke to was a supporter of Mousavi."

He noted that Mousavi's supporters acknowledged that he was somewhat of a blank slate politically, but that the presidential election had become a referendum on Ahmadinejad.

Arouzi then described the protests in greater detail:

Initially, it was a peaceful demonstration. People were forming a human chain, saying they wanted their vote back... but the more the police came, the angrier the mob got. It became sort of a mob mentality here. Now the police have swelled in huge numbers. They are being very, very violent with the crowds.

Every young person I've spoken to here, I've asked them, 'do you think you coming out onto the streets is going to make a change?' They said, no, but we have to come out anyway if we want our voices to be heard, but they're sure this won't make a change.

Demonstrators have been injured. People have come up to us and they've shown us that their arms have been bruised, black eyes, broken noses, bloody heads. But they are fighting back as well. This is, I mean, I've been in Iran four years here and everything here has always been contained. Today we saw the demonstrators setting on the police. An hour ago, maybe 30, 40 demonstrators rushed the police, throwing stones at them. One of the policemen fell and they were kicking him in the head and some of his colleagues had to come and drag him away.Security officials and riot police engaged in violent clashes with demonstrators in Tehran today in what one reporter called an... more

singrrr
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51 responses

added
26 days ago

France: Launch of Broad Campaign against Agrexco

France: Launch of Broad Campaign against Agrexco « U.S. Campaign ... By marcy/مارسي newman/نيومان Millions... more

Highr0ller
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4 responses

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1 month ago

U.S. soldier in Baghdad kills four fellow troops before killing himself

It is unclear if the shooter was among the wounded, despite earlier reports that he killed himself, an official said.... more

Highr0ller
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15 responses

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2 months ago

Belgian Jews criticize Flanders Opera for staging anti-Israeli premiere

"Prominent Belgian Jews have harshly criticized the Flanders Opera in Antwerp for staging what they regard as an... more

St_Alia_10191
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3 months ago

"Sound Of Music" Train Station Dance

A video of almost 200 people taking over Antwerpen's Centraal Station in Belgium and doing a carefully choreographed dance to... more

covelogibbs
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6 responses

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3 months ago

Centraal Station Antwerpen gaat uit zijn dak!

The Central Station of Antwerp is shaken up by 200 dancers who gave the best of themselves on Do Re Mi, a hit from the Sound Of Music.

TravG73
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1 response

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4 months ago

March becomes angry as demonstrators round on NATO

Police have detained peace activists who tried to get into NATO headquarters to protest the alliance's 60th anniversary.

TravG73
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0 responses

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4 months ago

Cricket Invented by Hercule Poirot!

A sad day for all stiff upper lips everywhere. Cricket, the game where gentlemen hurl balls of pigskin at each others legs with... more

matlaroche
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3 responses

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4 months ago

Cricket may have been invented in Belgium

New research suggests that cricket was imported by immigrants from northern Belgium.

ClareW
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5 months ago

The "Joker" Killer Uses Depression as Excuse for killing 3 in a Beligian Nursery

Kim de Gelder, The 20-year-old suspected of slashing two babies and a staff member to death at a day care center last week just... more

platinumpixie
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added
6 months ago

Children dead in Belgian nursery knife attack

Two children and one adult were killed Friday after a man with a painted face launched a knife attack at a children's daycare... more

TravG73
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7 months ago

Mom tries to sell her twins to pay for cosmetic surgery

no joke.. what is wrong with people?!?!?

momsword
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7 months ago

Belgian police arrest al-Qaeda legend

Belgian police Thursday arrested a woman they called an 'al Qaeda living legend' as part of an operation to... more

sontag
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5 responses

added
7 months ago

Mother ‘sold her twins to pay for liposuction’

A restaurant worker is accused of selling her newborn twin boys for £9,000 to pay for cosmetic surgery. Belgium has no... more

TravG73
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19 responses

added
7 months ago

Belgian police arrests Al Qaeda's Legend

Al Qaeda's BIG ONES going DOWN

Brazil617MA
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4 responses

added
7 months ago

Belgian police arrest 14 al-Qaeda suspects

Police in Brussels have arrested suspected al-Qaeda members planning on using suicide attacks on the European Union leaders'... more

joshuaheller
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3 responses

added
7 months ago

Ice Scuptures in Belgium

Photographs from Bruge, Belgium on Sunday, November 30, 2008.

ebindelglass
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added
8 months ago

Couple has bungee weddng

This couple from Belgium decided to take a leap of faith - literally. Check out the video.

nazbags
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added
8 months ago

Would you help a loved one die?

"Prosecutors fear a high court judgment today will lead to the first criminal cases against people who helped their terminally ill relatives to die.

They believe that efforts by Debbie Purdy, a terminally ill MS sufferer who has asked the director of public prosecutions (DPP) to clarify the law, could end the practice of turning a blind eye to the growing number of Britons travelling abroad to clinics where they help their relatives die.

More than 90 UK citizens have travelled abroad with relatives to countries where assisted suicide is legal. Although many of these cases have been investigated by the police, none has been prosecuted.

Sources close to the Crown Prosecutions Service (CPS) say officials are privately reluctant to bring criminal proceedings in such cases. However, campaigners say Purdy's attempts to seek clarification of CPS policy represent a "high risk strategy" which may compel prosecutors to take a tougher line. "If the DPP does publish guidelines it will make it more likely that the decision will be made to prosecute," said David Matthew, a leading barrister who prosecutes criminal cases. "All cases where people die are taken very seriously. It's difficult for a prosecutor to shut off a whole area from prosecuting."

Sir Ken Macdonald, the outgoing DPP, has said he would not be willing to publish guidelines granting immunity from prosecution in assisted suicide cases. "It's for parliament to decide what the law should be and we operate according to the legislation," a spokesperson for the DPP said. "We are awaiting the judgment and if parliament wants to look at the law then that's a matter for parliament."

While the law continues to make assisting suicide a criminal offence, lawyers say the CPS may have no choice but to prosecute.

"Any further guidelines may prove restrictive," said John Cooper, a barrister who has written about the state of the law on suicide. "It may also result in prosecutions, which might not be in the public interest."

The law makes assisting the suicide of another, including a terminally ill friend or relative, a crime carrying a sentence of up to 14 years' imprisonment. It is legal in other jurisdictions, including Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and the US state of Oregon.

Purdy fears that if her husband travels with her to Switzerland to assist in her suicide, he could be prosecuted on his return. "It is important that the law and the DPP's policy should be clarified," said Saimo Chahal, her lawyer. "There are many other people in the same situation. They should know what the consequences of their actions will be."

The issue came to the fore last month when it was revealed that a 23-year-old, Daniel James, had been helped to travel to Switzerland to end his life. James, paralysed from the chest down since March last year after a rugby scrum collapsed on top of him, ended his life at the Dignitas clinic on September 12, accompanied by his parents. Prosecutors are considering whether they should face criminal charges. Campaigners say the absence of clear guidelines enables prosecutors to take a compassionate stance by deeming it not in the public interest to prosecute. "As things stand, relatives are not being prosecuted for assisting suicide," Nan Maitland, a campaigner for Friends at the End, said. "This might change in future if the CPS are forced to outline a clear policy".

Attempts to legalise assisted suicide in Britain have been rejected. The most recent, in 2006, was defeated in the House of Lords by 148 votes to 100.""Prosecutors fear a high court judgment today will lead to the first criminal cases against people who helped their... more