Hello, goeiemiddag and bonjour!
Maïthé Chini here, back in the BIB saddle to deliver you the latest news on the homepage of The Brussels Times.
Today, I want to highlight a great piece by our reporter Anas El Baye, who visited Brussels' newest food market, RATZ, and interviewed the man behind the “raw, hybrid food bazaar" on its opening night.
If you, like me, love food from a variety of Asian and Mediterranean cultures, RATZ seems like the place for you: dishes from Vietnam and China to Japan and Korea, and from Egypt and Syria to Lebanon and Italy – there is something for everyone.
However, even before it opened, the food market received criticism for alleged cultural appropriation and racism, with people leaving negative reviews before even setting foot inside. Anas went to check it out for himself and tells you everything you need to know.
Elsewhere on our homepage, we explain the rise in minimum salary requirements that foreign workers in Belgium are facing now that all three of the country's regional authorities have announced their criteria for 2026.
Whether you live in Brussels, Flanders or Wallonia, take a look here to see if and how these new thresholds affect you.
And before I leave you to enjoy the sunshine, I just want to warn any regular train travellers of a new strike coming up in March. Yet another national railway strike will be organised on 9, 10 and 11 March, the days before the large national strike on 12 March.
Taking all of this into account, I think it's safe to say that your regular commute might be disrupted for four days straight.
If you have any comments, tips or suggestions to improve our coverage, please feel free to drop me an email at m.chini@brusselstimes.com.
Unseasonably warm greetings!
Belgium in Brief is a free daily roundup of the top stories to get you through your coffee break conversations. To receive it straight to your inbox every day, sign up below:
1. ‘If I hurt people, I apologise’: Inside Brussels’ controversial new Asia-style food hall
Belgium's new and largest food hall was embroiled in a cultural appropriation controversy even before opening. So we went to check it out. Read more.
2. Three-day national train strike to take place next month
“I don’t underestimate the changes for my employees, but what’s happening today is really no longer reasonable,” said SNCB boss Sophie Dutordoir. Read more.
3. Foreign workers in Belgium face steep rise in minimum salary requirements
Non-compliance with these minimum salary requirements may result in administrative and/or penal sanctions, including a prison sentence. Read more.
4. Police inspector caught snorting cocaine in Brussels police station
According to Sudinfo, a colleague caught the inspector using the illegal substance in the toilets of the police station. Read more.
5. Brussels to crack down on ‘corona terraces’ in city centre
Amid the Covid-19 crisis, terraces appeared on the streets of Brussels as businesses moved outside. Now the City of Brussels wants to remove them. Read more.
6. What to do in Brussels this weekend: 27 February – 1 March
From exhibitions on a range of topics to dancing workshops, treasure hunts and a food tour of the city, here's what's on in Brussels this weekend. Read more.
7. Why Brussels should close down its tunnels
Reimagining Brussels’ car tunnels is politically sensitive, but increasingly unavoidable. Read more.
