Good afternoon.
The rector of the College of Europe Federica Mogherini has been formally charged in a suspected fraud case, the ECB will not back an EU loan to Ukraine funded by frozen Russian assets in Belgium, and the return of bird flu as well as ATMs in shops.
All this and more on The Brussels Times' website today.
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1. Mogherini and two others charged in suspected EU diplomatic training fraud case
The rector of the College of Europe has been charged alongside two others in the suspected fraud case involving EU-funded training for junior diplomats. Read more.
2. ECB will not back EU loan to Ukraine funded by frozen Russian assets in Belgium
The EU wants to use €140 billion of Russian assets currently held at Euroclear in Brussels to keep Ukraine financially and militarily afloat for the next two years. Read more.
3. Bird flu outbreak in Belgium – should you be worried?
Avian influenza has so far been detected at eight Belgian poultry farms this autumn. But the virus isn't just affecting chickens. Read more.
4. Need cash? Belgium set to make it easier to withdraw money in shops
Trying to find somewhere to get cash money in Belgium can sometimes feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. But that may soon change. Read more.
5. Five Brussels restaurants feature in prestigious list of best places to eat in the world
La Liste has unveiled its ranking of the top 1,000 restaurants in the world for 2026. Read more.
6. French supermarket giant Carrefour considers exit from Belgium
The decision follows years of financial losses, with Belgium no longer considered a priority market for the company. Read more.
7. Why Dutch products are taking over Belgian shopping baskets
The share of Belgian products in household food and drink spending dropped to 62.3% in 2023, down from nearly 67% in 2010. Read more.
