Belgium

BRUSSELS, Dec 11 (Reuters) - A Belgian judge charged four people on Sunday over allegedly receiving money and gifts from a Gulf state to influence decisions in the European Parliament, accusations that have caused consternation in Brussels.

Prosecutors searched 16 houses and seized 600,000 euros ($631,800) in Brussels on Friday as part of an investigation into money laundering and corruption.

Six people were initially detained. Four have been charged and two released, prosecutors said in a statement. They did not name any of those involved.

BRUSSELS, Dec 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Belgian police arrested Greek socialist MEP Eva Kaili, one of the vice-presidents of the European Parliament, in Brussels on Friday evening, in connection with an investigation into corruption implicating World Cup hosts Qatar.

The arrest follows the detention of four other suspects earlier Friday, said a source close to the case.

Kaili, who is the partner of one of the four people arrested earlier, was detained for questioning by the police, the source added.

BRUSSELS (AP) — Russia’s war in Ukraine, chaos in Haiti and rising violence by criminal groups in Mexico contributed to a 30% spike in the number of journalists killed doing their work in 2022 over the previous year, according to a new report released Friday.

The International Federation of Journalists says that 67 journalists and media staff have been killed around the world so far this year, up from 47 last year.

BRUSSELS, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Hungary vetoed an 18 billion euro ($19 bln) loan to Ukraine from the European Union on Tuesday as its row with the bloc over undermining democracy rumbled on and the other 26 member states delayed a decision on releasing billions of aid to Budapest.

At an EU economics and finance ministers' meeting in Brussels, Hungarian minister Mihaly Varga confirmed his government's opposition to a loan for Ukraine financed by joint EU borrowing. Budapest has said it would provide bilateral help to Kyiv.

BRUSSELS (AP) — A rift between the European Union and member state Hungary deepened Tuesday when Budapest vetoed an 18 billion euro ($18.93 billion) financial aid package to Kyiv, exacerbating a dispute over the rule of law under Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his outlook over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

EU finance ministers also postponed any decision to punish Hungary by withholding billions of euros for failing to implement solid rule-of-law reforms.

BRUSSELS (AP) — More than six years after the deadliest peacetime attack on Belgian soil, the trial of 10 men accused over the suicide bombings at Brussels airport and a subway station started in earnest under high security on Monday.

Among the accused is Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor among the Islamic State extremists who in 2015 struck the Bataclan theater in Paris, city cafes and France’s national stadium. He was brought to the court in an armored police vehicle and identified himself when called upon by the presiding judge.

BRUSSELS (AP) — Jaana Mettala was six months pregnant and on her way to work when the bomb exploded in the heart of Brussels’ European Union quarter. She suffered severe burns, but Mettala and her baby survived — 32 other people did not.

It’s now more than six years since the deadliest peacetime attacks on Belgian soil. And Mettala yearns for closure as the trial of 10 men accused over the suicide bombings at Brussels airport and an underground metro station starts in earnest Monday.

BRUSSELS, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission on Wednesday proposed a plan to confiscate frozen Russian assets to compensate Ukraine for its damages caused by the conflict.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement that the frozen funds would go to Ukraine "to compensate for the damages caused to the country", already estimated at around 600 billion euros (621 billion U.S. dollars).

"We have blocked 300 billion euros of the Russian Central Bank reserves and we have frozen 19 billion euros of Russian oligarchs' money," she said.

BRUSSELS, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Yearly inflation in the Eurozone went down from 10.6 percent in October to 10 percent in November, thanks to lower energy prices, according to a flash estimate published on Wednesday by Eurostat.

This is mostly driven by the decreasing prices of energy, said the Eurostat. Year-on-year price increase for energy is estimated at 34.9 percent in November, compared to 41.5 percent in October.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union proposed Wednesday to set up a U.N.-backed specialized court to investigate possible war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine, and to use frozen Russian assets to rebuild the war-torn country.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said in a video message that the EU will work with international partners to get “the broadest international support possible” for the tribunal, while continuing to support the work of the International Criminal Court.