Liz Newmark

Brussels

Journalist at Freelance

Freelance journalist passionate about Brussels, cycling and patrimoine.

Articles

Brussels region cuts back on office space

1 day ago | thebulletin.be | Liz Newmark

The Brussels region is making savings of €6.1 million a year in rent, following moves to centralise its public administrations and operate a "flexi-desk" policy. If this policy continues, by 2030, Brussels could save as much as €12 million per year, Brussels finance and budget minister Sven Gatz told the Brussels parliament, in response to a question from MP Benjamin Dalle (CD&V).
Cyclists aid research into Sonian Forest’s cooling effect

2 days ago | thebulletin.be | Liz Newmark

This summer, 20 cyclists will cross the Sonian Forest to collect data relating to the forest’s cooling effects on the surrounding urban areas. The "Climate Trappers" project was launched on 3 June at the new bicycle bridge at the Quatre-Bras intersection near Tervuren.
Brussels police officers spent 175,000 days sick at home last year

3 days ago | thebulletin.be | Liz Newmark

Brussels police officers were absent for 173,521 days in 2024 due to illness, not counting accidents at work and maternity leave, new figures reveal. This corresponds to an absenteeism rate of 7.51% in Brussels’ six police zones – slightly higher than for 2023 (7.18%) and above the average for Brussels civil servants (6.71% in 2023).
EU funding to increase accessibility of Belgian rail stations

4 days ago | thebulletin.be | Liz Newmark

Belgium’s federal government is to reallocate €76 million from the European Recovery and Resilience Facility to rail projects, Belgium’s minister for mobility, climate and the environmental transition, Jean-Luc Crucke has announced. Belgium’s rail network provider Infrabel will receive most of the money (€69.2 million), while Belgian rail operator SNCB will receive €6.95 million, to improve the safety, sustainability and accessibility of the railways, the minister said.
Plan to ease summer overcrowding at Brussels Airport

1 week ago | thebulletin.be | Liz Newmark

Belgium's interior minister has announced a "summer plan" to reduce waiting times at passport controls at Brussels Airport. As part of the plan, extra staff will be provided at passport control at peak periods. On so-called "orange" days, capacity will increase by 30% and on the busiest "red" days, it will go up by 40%. In the short term, reinforcements will be taken from other sections of the airport.
SNCB vows to make amends over Holocaust trains

1 week ago | thebulletin.be | Liz Newmark

Belgium’s rail operator SNCB will carry out several measures and make a public apology for its use of trains that from 1942 to 1944 deported thousands of Jews and Roma - most to their eventual deaths in concentration camps. SNCB chief executive Sophie Dutordoir told the Belgian Senate that the SNCB would work on the recommendations of the Groupe des Sages report on the role of the railway company during the second world war.
Belgium's insurance mediator handles more than 8,000 complaints per year

1 week ago | thebulletin.be | Liz Newmark

Belgium’s insurance ombudsman opened more than 8,300 cases last year concerning problems arising between a customer and an insurance company, its new annual report has revealed. The number of complaints about insurance firms is similar to the number recorded in 2023. In almost a third of cases, customers said insurance companies were not sufficiently available and that handling times were too long, particularly for motor and fire insurance claims.
Brussels Airport posts record profit for 2024

1 week ago | thebulletin.be | Liz Newmark |Paul McNally

Brussels Airport Company, the operator of Zaventem airport, has announced that 2024 was a record year for annual turnover and operating profit. However, when announcing its annual results, the company made clear that, for the sixth year in a row, no dividend will be paid to shareholders. There were about 10% fewer passengers seen at the airport last year (23.6 million) than in the record pre-Covid year of 2019, when 26.4 million passengers walked through the doors.
Molenbeek up in arms over football club name change

1 week ago | thebulletin.be | Liz Newmark

Molenbeek is threatening to terminate its agreement with football club Daring Brussels, following US owner John Textor’s decision to wipe out the name Molenbeek from the club’s title Racing White Daring Molenbeek (RWDM). The municipal council may even terminate the agreement with the club around the use of Edmond Machtens stadium.
Swimming possible in some parts of Brussels canal, survey finds

1 week ago | thebulletin.be | Liz Newmark

Water quality in the Brussels canal is “surprisingly good” according to the results of what is claimed to be “the largest-ever citizen survey” in Flanders and Brussels, based on thousands of water samples in Belgium's waterways. “You could swim in some places,” said Lieven Symons, coordinator of Waterland vzw, one of the project leaders.