Retail technology news and views for omnichannel retailers Carrefour Belgium has developed a new autonomous micro-store concept with the aim of tapping into opportunities beyond traditional retail The initiative has now seen a trial of an interactive fridge section at an Auderghem hypermarket "We’re proud to mark a new milestone with Carrefour Belgium, bringing smart stores to one of the largest hypermarkets in Auderghem - unlocking new revenue streams with ease," says Ana Pinto, CEO at Reckon.ai driving growth and creating value together." Data and Digital Transformation at Carrefour comments: "This is the future of shopping - the interactive fridge that lets you buy and say bye in one seamless move.Developed with our amazing Innovation team this new concept is designed to revolutionise the way our customers shop combining convenience with cutting-edge technology." He adds: "After successful technical tests we’re now diving into financial viability assessments to measure its potential impact The journey has already begun with Carrefour BuyBye units up and running at our Service Centre in Zaventem and in other strategic locations such as hospitals “We’re excited to see how the latest test at the Auderghem hypermarket unfolds A huge thank you to all the teams who brought this idea to life Your dedication is paving the way for a more innovative and effortless shopping experience This is just the beginning as we continue to build the future for our customers." Smart stores will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.” “But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.” and all those who attended November's gathering.  For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.  Sign up with your email address to receive the daily RTIH newsletter straight to your inbox We respect your privacy and will not pass your email address on to third parties we will occasionally send you promotional messages on behalf of our advertisers or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Paxton Media Ltd Jack Beresford is a Newsweek Senior Internet Culture & Trends Reporter His focus is reporting on trending topics on the Internet he covers viral stories from around the world on social media Jack joined Newsweek in 2021 and previously worked at The Irish Post You can get in touch with Jack by emailing j.beresford@newsweek.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content There's a white house that sits on a street in the Brussels suburb of Auderghem in Belgium Standing three stories tall on a road lined with trees not far from a busy highway to most it would appear like an ordinary house David was just one when World War II began. Living in Brussels, like many others, his family suffered immeasurable cruelty as the persecution of the Jewish community began David and his family moved several times during the war Eventually his father and uncle would be arrested They would later be murdered in the concentration camps Initially, David and his mother took shelter in a Catholic convent in Brussels His story might have ended there had it not been for the heroic actions of the Mother Superior who helped them escape detection when the convent was raided Many children ended up being sent to concentration camps during those raids around Brussels But David and his mother survived thanks to a courageous Belgian family who lived in that white house in Auderghem Georges Bourlet and his four young adult children and Christiane provided shelter to David and his mom in 1944 during the final stages of the war In doing so, they risked their own lives. Had the authorities discovered David and his mom then the Bourlets would have almost certainly been sent to a concentration camp themselves After the war, David's mother remarried and he went on to take the name of his stepfather, a survivor of Auschwitz In an era before the internet and social media But even as the decades went by and David went from boy to man to father and grandfather that white house and the Bourlets never left his thoughts even if he was hesitant to talk about that period for a long time only been a small child during that turbulent and traumatic period Yet he longed to reconnect with that part of his history Lionel spent several years trying to find the Bourlets and the house his father took shelter in. Having explored countless avenues, he decided to post an appeal for help in finding the Bourlets to Facebook "I had no other alternatives," Lionel told Newsweek "I am not an expert in genealogical research at all and the authorities in Belgium did not want to follow up on my various requests because of the new GDPR privacy rules." He didn't hold out much hope of finding answers there But then he received a response from Marie Cappart who had her own reasons for wanting to help "My husband lost his grandfather during the war He died at the concentration camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau," Marie told Newsweek "My own great grandmother also died in the camp at Ravensbrück She was British and was in Belgium as part of the resistance Sadly she was caught by the Nazis and deported "I know personally how it feels to look for answers," she said "I saw this as a way to pay it forward for all the good that others have done in history Describing it as a "race against time" with David in his 80s and Lionel desperate for answers Marie said she began to dedicate every waking moment to finding answers she felt she it was like "searching for a needle in a haystack." Yet by cross referencing data from a range of sources available on MyHeritage she eventually found that needle: information on Georges Bourlet's daughter She discovered Anne-Marie had been born in Auderghem in 1929 and later married someone with the surname Dedoncker with whom she had five children Marie was also able to ascertain that the white house was still owned by the Bourlet family After contacting several other members of the family Marie suggested they meet at the place which had provided David and his mom with a safe haven during their darkest hour returned to the house he had called home when he needed one most MyHeritage captured that the moment David set eyes on the house over 75 years on from the last time he was there who recalled how Georges Bourlet had been afraid of being caught and denounced for harboring them so began skipping work and spending his days in a nearby cafe "It was an incredibly emotional day for us," Lionel said the place where my father was kept safe from the Germans all those years ago." "Both the meeting with the descendants and the return to these places almost 80 years later was a very important emotional charge." David had to take a moment to compose himself "This subject was for a long time a more or less taboo at home because it aroused an intense emotion with my father," Lionel explained "It is therefore understandable that the memories that day were very intense to absorb the emotion and recover completely." Xavier, Georges Bourlet's grandson, had only known part of what his grandfather did during the war. In meeting David and hearing his story, Lionel is satisfied that has changed. "It's important to my father for younger generations to hear his story and understand that there must be no more hate and no more war," he said While both he and David are thankful to the tireless work of Marie and MyHeritage his biggest thanks are reserved for Georges there is a saying that 'He who saves one life saves all of humanity'; Georges Bourlet saved humanity nine times over," he said Lionel and his family will be submitting their testimony to Yad Vashem in hopes that Georges Bourlet will be recognized for heroism and granted the title of Righteous Among the Nations Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all Avenue d’Auderghem 48What’s good: If you are looking to treat yourself to a tasty lunch break in the Schuman area all the dishes vary daily depending on the availability of the ingredients which are imported from the sunny Neapolitan coast The staff is friendly and loud … exactly what you would expect from a Neapolitan pizzeria And bravo for being one of the few restaurants in town to offer gluten and lactose-free pizza options We ordered a margherita with smoked mozzarella and mixed salad as a side The espresso at the end of the meal was also a treat What’s not: Not an ideal spot for sharing confidential information with your colleagues over lunch The small venue and the Italian pizzaioli talking loudly behind the kitchen counter will inevitably lead to you raising your voice as well and the interior is modern and bright thanks to the glass window walls In the summertime you can opt for the wide terrace which looks out over Parc du Cinquantenaire two Neapolitan restaurant owners in Brussels had a brilliant idea: import genuine Italian products from the sunny Neapolitan coast to the pulsing center of the EU quarter That’s how Paolo’s Idea came to life Insider tip: Paolo’s Idea is not only a restaurant but also a gastronomy shop located 50 meters away If you are a fan of the food here you can attempt to recreate your favorite pasta and pizza at home using the same ingredients.  Spotted: Lots of blue-string badges in here as it’s ideally located between Parc du Cinquantenaire and the European Commission building for DG GROW It’s almost impossible not to spot Commission and Council employees during their lunch break Who’s picking up the check? Prices are pretty average for a pizza in Brussels ranging between €8.50 for a simple marinara and €19 for the most elaborate ones Plates of antipasti to share range between €15 and €18 How to get there: From the Schuman roundabout you will simply need to head toward the park turn left and walk until the first intersection Illustration by Dato Paralava for POLITICO.  “Excellent result,” cheers former Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the conflict have proved fruitless so far An uptick in gang violence has seen more than a dozen shootings so far this year Russia has yet to prove it wants to end the war A notice of award was posted Oct. 11 by the European Union for seven contracts to six different companies for demonstration of non-GNSS positioning The awardees are OPNT BV from the Netherlands; Seven Solutions SL from Spain; SPCTime of France; GMV Aerospace of Spain; Satelles Inc of the United states; and Locata Corporation of Australia Locata received two separate contract awards: one to demonstrate delivery of time According to the EU project officer, Ignacio Alcantrailla-Medina some of the awardees will demonstrate delivery of time Locata received separate awards because the company provided separate responses for timing and positioning Eleven different companies responded to the tender No information was provided on the unsuccessful bidders The EU tender for this project was announced in October 2020 The stated goal of the project is to better understand available non-GNSS PNT technologies The intent is to identify potential backups for GNSS during an outage All offered technologies were required to be able to operate independently from and have “no common points of failure with” GNSS Alcantrailla-Medina says the demonstration project is expected to last seven and a half months a public event will be held at the EU’s Joint Research Center in Ispra This will be followed by a consolidated report on the project in May or June This consolidated report will be used in the next edition of the European Radionavigation Plan due out next fall Companies that did not respond to the EU’s tender or were not selected for a contract can still have information about their products and services included in the consolidated report Now that all contracts for the demonstrations have been awarded he is open to receiving the information and can be contacted at: e-mail: ignacio.alcantarilla-medina@ec.europa.eu Goward is President of the Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation Image: GarryKillian/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images subscribe to GPS World to receive more articles just like it At the opening day of the play at the OLP-COSCO Europe Trophy Grand Final in Piraeus host of the tournament Olympiacos S.F.P and Belgium’s Logis Auderghem TT topping their respective groups In the semi final on Sunday Olympiacos S.F.P will play against UTTC Stockerau and Logis Auderghem will meet KS Gobal Pharma Orlicz 1924 Suchedniow As it was expected top favorites for the Trophy Olympiacos S.F.P was unbeaten but they faced problem at the begining since Liam PITCHFORD who arrived yesterday from Singapore suffered from stomach problems In the opening round against Luxembourg’s DT Hueschtert-Folscht he lost to Mats SANDELL However Anastasios RINIOTIS was ready to accept the challenge He seized the opportunity; he beat Gleb SHAMRUK and one round later Robert FLORAS from Poland’s KS Gobal Pharma Orlicz 1924 Suchedniow In the match against TK Libertas Marinkolor RINIOTIS recovered from 1:2 to win the match against Tomislav JAPEC I know I am 40 years old but I still love to be in position to improve my game I am happy that I got the opportunity to play in front of our fans It was not planned for me to play and of course I am sorry Liam is not feeling good but at the end it is all right ” said Anastasios RINIOTIS Andrej GACINA and Tomislav PUCAR won all their matches today “Everything is going according to the plans concerning results Unfortunately Liаm is not feeling well but I hope he will join us for next matches ” said GACINA In Group B Logis Auderghem TT overcame STK Radnički Beočin without due alarm before they secured close five matches victory against Austria’s UTTC Stockerau David COMELIAU exceeded his rankings and overcame Alexander CHEN and David SERDAROGLU “David was the key to our victory and secured the victories against much better ranked players ” said Ludovic BIERNY who won the decisive match in the duel against Austrians.”I got nothing to lose at the end We came here without our first players and we take this in consideration it is a little upset what we did but the last match in the Group is important If we win it will justified this success.” In the third Round Logis Auderghem TT overcame Portugal’s ADC PONTA DO PARGO STK Libertas Marinkolor – KS Gobal Pharma Orlicz 1924 Suchedniow 1:3 Filip CIPIN – Piotr CYRNEK 3:1 (11:8 11:7 10:12 11:7) Miho SIMOVIC – Robert FLORAS 1:3 (8:11 11:9 10:12 5:11) Tomislav JAPEC – Daniel BAK 2:3 (5:11 5:11 11:8 11:8 3:6) Filip CIPIN – Robert FLORAS 2:3 (11:9 11:7 9:11 8:11 1:6) DT Hueschtert-Folscht – Olympiacos S.F.P Gleb SHAMRUK – Andrej GACINA 0:3 (3:11 5:11 6:11) Mats SANDELL – Liam PITCHFORD 3:1 (14:12 11:6 8:11 11:3) Maël VAN DESSEL – Tomislav PUCAR 1:3 (4:11 5:11 6:11) Gleb SHAMRUK- Anastasios RINIOTIS 1:3(7:11 11:4 6:11 6:11) DT Hueschtert-Folscht – STK Libertas Marinkolor 3:2 Gleb SHAMRUK – Filip CIPIN 3:0 (11:4 11:7 11:3) Mats SANDELL – Miho SIMOVIC 1:3 (11:7 9:11 5:11 7:11) Maël VAN DESSEL – Tomislav JAPEC 3:1 (11:9 9:11 11:4 11:9) Gleb SHAMRUK – Miho SIMOVIC 1:3 (10:12 11:8 4:11 7:11) Mats SANDELL – Filip CIPIN 3:2 (12:10 6:11 11:5 7:11 6:5) KS Gobal Pharma Orlicz 1924 Suchedniow – Olympiacos S.F.P Piotr CYRNEK – Tomislav PUCAR 0:3 (5:11 11:13 7:11) Daniel BAK – Andrej GACINA 0:3 (3:11 6:11 6:11) Robert FLORAS – Anastasios RINIOTIS (6:11 11:7 7:11 8:11 4:6) STK Libertas Marinkolor – Olympiacos S.F.P Filip CIPIN – Tomislav PUCAR 0:3 (9:11 5:11 5:11) Tomislav JAPEC – Anastasios RINIOTIS 2:3 (11:8 7:11 5:11 11:9 5:6) DT Hueschtert-Folscht – KS Gobal Pharma Orlicz 1924 Suchedniow 2:3 Gleb SHAMRUK – Piotr CYRNEK 0:3 (5:11 6:11 11:13) Mats SANDELL – Robert FLORAS 3:0 (11:8 12:10 11:9) Maël VAN DESSEL – Daniel BAK 3:2 (4:11 12:10 11:8 4:11 6:5) Gleb SHAMRUK – Robert FLORAS 2:3 (11:7 9:11 11:5 7:11 4:6) Mats SANDELL – Piotr CYRNEK (9:11 12:10 11:9 7:11 5:6) STK Radnički Beočin – Logis Auderghem TT 0:3 Marko PETKOV – Ludovic BIERNY 1:3 (17:15 4:11 8:11 4:11) Bojan CREPULJA – David COMELIAU 1:3 (9:11 7:11 11:5 7:11) Jovan JOCKOV – Kilomo VITTA 0:3 (7:11 3:11 3:11) UTTC Stockerau – ADC PONTA DO PARGO 3:0 David SERDAROGLU – Jide OGIDIOLU 3:0 (11;1 11:8 11:7) Alexander CHEN – David BESSA 3:0 (11:6 11:9 11:7) Michal BANKOSZ – Joao SEDUVEM 3:1 (11:5 8:11 11:6 11:8) UTTC Stockerau – Logis Auderghem TT 2:3 David SERDAROGLU – Ludovic BIERNY 3:1 (7:11 11:9 13:11 11:3) Alexander CHEN – David COMELIAU 0:3 (6:11 8:11 4:11) Michal BANKOSZ – Kilomo VITTA 3:0 (11:3 11:2 11:7) David SERDAROGLU – David COMELIAU 2:3 (7:11 11:7 8:11 11:5 5:6) Alexander CHEN – Ludovic BIERNY 0:3 (6:11 8:11 10:12) STK Radnički Beočin – ADC PONTA DO PARGO 0:3 Marko PETKOV – Joao SEDUVEM 2:3 (4:11 11:7 11:7 7:11 2:6) Bojan CREPULJA David BESSA 1:3 (10:12 11;13 11:8 5:11) Jovan JOCKOV – Jide OGIDIOLU 0:3 (6:11 7:11 7:11) UTTC Stockerau – STK Radnički Beočin 3:0 David SERDAROGLU – Bojan CREPULJA 3:0 (11:4 13:11 11:6) Michal BANKOSZ – Jovan JOCKOV 3:0 (11:3 11:4 11:6) Alexander CHEN – Marko PETKOV 3:2 (11:9 10:12 11:3 10:12 6:1) ADC PONTA DO PARGO – Logis Auderghem TT 1:3 David BESSA – Ludovic BIERNY 2:3 (12:14 11:7 7:11 11:3 3:6) Jide OGIDIOLU – David COMELIAU 3:0 (11:9 11:9 11:8) Joao SEDUVEM – Kilomo VITTA 1:3 (12:10 8:11 6:11 5:11) David BESSA – David COMELIAU 1:3 (7:11 11:7 9:11 4:11) The European Table Tennis Union (ETTU) is the governing body of the sport of table tennis in Europe and is the only authority recognized for this purpose by the International Table Tennis Federation The ETTU deals with all matters relating to table tennis at a European level including the development and promotion of the sport in the territories controlled by its 58 member associations and the organization of continental table tennis competitions We deliver! 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Subscribe to Adweek newsletters has waited a good long while for its first Burger King restaurant Remember when we mentioned the brand likes to showboat? Early on, to tease its arrival in the Belgian capital, it released ads that literally asked people to choose between Burger King and the actual king of Belgium The monarchy was not having it. the King (of burgers) finally has a home of its own in Brussels—in Auderghem So the brand has released The Subscribe now for unlimited access to exclusive insider reporting I want to receive emails from Adweek about products services and events that they feel may be of interest to me I want to receive emails from Adweek on behalf of carefully-selected third party partners about products By submitting your information you agree to Adweek's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and you will begin receiving our newsletters I understand by creating an account, I agree to Adweek’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and that I may review and update my marketing 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she can be found picking food off your plate Adweek is the leading source of news and insight serving the brand marketing ecosystem BRUSSELS — The Bruxellois are living healthier lives — at least some of them The latest Health Dashboard released by Vivalis the entity responsible for implementing health and assistance policies in the capital region found that health in the Belgian capital has improved significantly over the years The report noted that life expectancy increased by nearly five years for men and roughly three years for women since the early 2000s Mortality rates from cancer are also on the decline and advancements in health care are the main reasons behind these positive developments also found that the improvements did not benefit everyone equally Data from the 2017-2019 period shows stark differences in life expectancy between Brussels' rich and poor neighborhoods Life expectancy among men living in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre (the commune with the highest median income in 2019, according to the Belgian statistical office) is more than six years higher than for residents of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode babies born today in the wealthier parts of Brussels can expect to live at least two years longer than those born in the least affluent areas The report also found that the life expectancy gap had widened in the last two decades, suggesting that the Belgian capital is becoming increasingly unequal Vivalis noted that "health care inequalities start at or before birth" and called for a comprehensive health care and prevention policy that goes "beyond personal choices and strives to improve the conditions in which Brussels residents live Conservatives face accusations of collaborating with far-right parties in NGO funding probe Privacy regulator’s secretary general traveled on the EU’s dime to Spain Brussels is far from meeting its targets to reshore microchips manufacturing There are major hurdles to overcome for the EU to retaliate against U.S The Europe Trophy Men’s Grand Final is ready to take centre stage in Igalo bringing together twelve clubs from across Europe who earned their place through intense regional battles the competition offers ambitious clubs from outside the Champions League and Europe Cup spotlight a chance to compete for continental glory Group A: Panathinaikos Leads a Balanced Trio (GRE) comes into the Grand Final with a deep and well-rounded roster featuring domestic stars Konstantinos KONSTANTINOPOULOS and Portuguese international João MONTEIRO Panathinaikos brings both legacy and ambition into their battle to defend the title Logis Auderghem TT (BEL) presents the line-up that includes Lauric JEAN making them a strong dark horse in the group Železničar Niš (SRB) rounds out Group A with a multinational squad including Francisco SANCHI and Ziver GÜNDÜZ ready to challenge their higher-ranked opponents Group B is headlined by UTTC Panaceo Stockerau (AUT) bringing firepower with players like Khalid ASSAR (EGY) and PARK Chan Hyeok (KOR) backed by local standouts David SERDAROGLU and Julian RZIHASCHEK and international flair with Vallot VAINULA and young guns like Martinkus VALDAS (LTU) GSTK Zagreb comes in with national experience Italian side ASD TT Santa Tecla Nulvi features a large diverse line-up with players like Tomas KOLDAS (CZE) Baltais LA (LAT) mixes local talent Daniels KOGANS with international additions such as Arturs SPALIS the Slovak club has consistently performed in regional competition and aims to carry that form into Igalo Their line-up includes top names like Tomislav PUCAR (CRO) and Aleksandr KHANIN (BLR)—a combination of Balkan strength and international firepower Club Tenis de Taula Olot (ESP) brings a competitive squad featuring Arnau PONS and Portuguese duo Diogo SILVA and Diogo PINHO ASD Marcozzi -A- (ITA) fields the talented Carlo ROSSI aiming to make a deep run in the tournament Group Winner and Group Runner-Up will advance to Final Stage Third team will continue competition in Position Matches 9-12 Stage and highlights as the action unfolds in Igalo Be vigilant ! Increase in attempts to impersonate Eiffage and its subsidiaries (use of fake email addresses, fraudulent websites, etc.). More details here. Inventing the future with a human perspective means continuing to grow while staying true to who we are. Maintain our balance between construction and concessions businesses  Eiffage puts at your disposal tools to facilitate your exchanges with the group. Find here all the news Eiffage Group and stay connected on our application and networks. Following the moving of the patients hospitalized in Cavell and Park Léopold private hospitals on December 9th and 10th, the new Chirec hospital opened its doors last Monday in Auderghem. This modern hospital of 545 beds, of 104 000 m ² of surface, is completely centered on the patient. He was designed so that spaces are flexible and adaptable according to needs. The various departments of the establishment are closely bound thanks to a course which allows to minimize the time of transfers through the hospital to treat the patient as quickly as possible. All of the medical surgical services are practised except the cardiac surgery. The first floor, extented on 11 000 m², will include the emergency department, the medical imaging, the operating district and the intensive care. So, the main déoartelebts are situated nearby. - A processing center of the cancer with a radiotherapy department - A maternity hospital welcoming more than 3 000 births a year - Two surgical blocks counting 28 operating rooms completely digitized. Carried out by Valens S.A, this construction site amounts to 314 million euros. The official inauguration of the hospital will take place on January 27th of this year during an open day. SUPPORT OUR JOURNALISM: Please consider donating to keep our website running and free for all - thank you! Queen Mathilde and Prince Emmanuel didn’t miss their traditional appointment and ran the Brussels 20km race through the streets of the Belgian capital.  On Sunday, 28 May, the Queen and her youngest son were among the thousands that made up the racing contingent, which snaked their way for 12,42 miles.  The Belgian Royal Palace released several pictures of the mother and son during the race, with Queen Mathilde being seen wearing a striped t-shirt and Prince Emmanuel a green one.  Her Majesty was wearing running number 33034 and finished her race in 3637th position, with a time of 2:58:43.  The Prince was running with the number 6552 and arrived at the finish line in 1773th position, with a time of 1:58:29.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Belgian Royal Palace (@belgianroyalpalace) Running numbers are assigned based on the previous year’s performance in the same competition or the performance on an equivalent distance in another race; the rest are given to people who don’t match those criteria.  As it is tradition, the race ran along a route that created a ring around the areas of Ixelles, Etterbeek, Auderghem, and Watermael-Boitsfort, towards the southern edge of the city bounds.  Several water and refreshment points were established with the help of the race’s partners, and the Belgian Red Cross was, as always, in charge of providing medical support all along the racing route and help to those who might need it.  Because the race is held within the city, if people feel like they can0t complete it, they can get off at any point and hop on public transport to return home.  This year marked the 43rd edition of this running race, which is traditionally organised on the last Sunday of May since its inception in 1980; 2021 marked the first time that Queen Mathilde participated in the race, which amassed more than 33,000 participants that year, following the 2020 break.  Activists have removed a statue of Belgium's King Leopold II in Brussels - days after another one was taken down in Antwerp due to anti-racism vandalism.   The figure was removed from its plinth during Thursday night, Belgian broadcaster RTBF reported, leaving an empty stand in the Auderghem neighbourhood on Friday. Photos show the separated bust on the floor nearby covered in red paint.  Leopold owned the Belgian Congo as his personal property from 1885 to 1908 and subjected its people to forced labour while he exploited the country's rubber reserves - leading to millions of deaths in what some regard as a genocide.   Statues of the colonial-era monarch have become a focus of anger and debate in Belgium amid worldwide protests that followed the killing of black American George Floyd on May 25. Dutch protestors defaced Rotterdam monuments commemorating two of the country's historic figures in Rotterdam on Friday. Demonstrators sprayed the words 'killer' and 'thief' on the statue of 17th-century admiral Piet Hein, who was linked to the slave trade.  Meanwhile, black tape was placed on the Rotterdam statue of controversial right-wing politician Pim Fortuyn. Phrases such as 'No Racism' were written around the statue of Fortuyn, whose assassination in 2002 changed the Netherlands' liberal image into a unified and secure society. Activist group 'Heroes of Never' claimed responsibility for the vandalism, stating they were condemning 'the glorification of Dutch colonialism and the martyrdom of Pim Fortuyn'. The protestors also defaced the arts centre named after Hein's captain, Witte de With in the same city. The Witte de With centre later has since announced it will be renamed. A number of representations of Leopold II have been vandalised, with statues burnt and daubed in red paint. On Tuesday a statue of Leopold was taken down in Antwerp after it was vandalised by protesters. The mayor's office said the statue was removed to be 'restored' after it was daubed with paint, but said it was unlikely to return to its public pedestal.    Separately, a statue of King Baudouin - Belgium's second-longest reigning monarch after Leopold II - was found smeared bright red in a park in front of Brussels' Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula on Friday. The word 'reparation' was painted on the back. 'This is not how we proceed in a democracy. This is not how we put history back on the right track,' Auderghem Mayor Didier Gosuin told RTBF. 'On the contrary, these are acts which shock, which block, which create tensions, conflicts.' Gosuin said the municipality of Auderghem had a few days ago removed a sentence from a memorial that honoured 'those who brought civilization to Congo'.      On Tuesday a spokesman for Antwerp mayor Bart de Wever said the city's statue was 'seriously vandalised last week' and 'needs to be restored' by a sculpture museum.  'Because of the renovation work planned for 2023 in the square in which it was placed, the statue will not be replaced. It will probably become part of the museum collection,' he said.  A spokeswoman for the Middelheim Museum confirmed they had received the statue and said they would restore it before deciding what to do with it. There had previously been separate calls to take down Leopold monuments in Brussels, where one of his busts was covered in red paint last week.  Leopold is honoured with several monuments after ruling Belgium from 1865 to 1909, the longest reign in the kingdom's history.  But his exploitation of the Congo Free State is seen as brutal even by the standards of the time, with millions thought to have died under Leopold's personal rule.   Leopold amassed a huge personal fortune while the Congolese were killed or savagely maimed working on his rubber plantations. Locals who failed to produce enough rubber would have their hands chopped off or their women taken hostage until the target was met. Others were shot dead.  The plunder of resources also included ivory, copper and diamonds, while Leopold even imported some Congolese people to be put on show at a 'human zoo' in Belgium.     Other looted treasures were put on display at the Africa Museum in Brussels, which Leopold used as a 'propaganda tool' for his colonial project.  American writer Adam Hochschild claimed in his 1998 book King Leopold's Ghost that the death toll from Leopold's policies was as high as 10million Congolese.  In fiction, the Belgian Congo provided the backdrop for Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad's classic novel on colonial exploitation. The exploitation made Belgium a successful trading economy, but sparked an outcry which has been described as one of the world's first major human rights campaigns.  After the atrocities came to light, Leopold was eventually stripped of personal ownership of the Congo in 1908.  However, Congo did not become independent until 1960 and many Belgians remain uninformed about their country's colonial past.   While the former king and some of his most notorious lieutenants are still honoured in street names and statues, protests have been growing over his legacy. More than 64,000 people had signed a petition demanding that Brussels take down its Leopold II statues.  There have been numerous calls to strike down symbols of colonialism around the world as the Floyd protests enter their third week.  In Britain, a crowd of protesters tore down a statue of slave trader Edward Colston and threw it into a Bristol harbour on Sunday.  Statues of Confederate leaders who fought in defence of slavery have also been removed in the US, where they have long been a subject of controversy.  Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:... Victim of acid attack 'plotted by his ex-partner who teamed up with a gang' dies in hospital six... We are trapped in unsellable newbuild homes after a £52m dual carriageway was built on our... Horror as $4.5M influencer-laden yacht SINKS off Miami... after glam women made a rookie maritime... 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Hamas hostage, 23, 'raped by personal trainer influencer in her own home after being released' King, Queen, William and Kate honour selfless devotion of Britain's wartime heroes as they lead... Where 'soft-touch' Britain's asylum seekers are REALLY coming from Activists remove a statue of Belgium's King Leopold II in BrusselsCommenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}} Belgian table tennis legend Jean-Michel Saive (R) shakes hands with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. /VCG Photo Copyright © 2018 CGTN. Beijing ICP prepared NO.16065310-3 Where to climb in Brussels? Discover these bouldering gyms, climbing walls and good addresses for climbing without leaving the city. View this post on Instagram A post shared by New Rock Escalade (@newrockescalade) In Auderghem, New Rock is the ideal spot for climbers in search of height and challenge. With the highest walls in Brussels and two bouldering gyms, it offers a wide choice of routes for beginners and experts alike. Self-sufficient in rope climbing? Test your technique on a variety of routes, and if required, instructors are available to advise you on request. 📍 Address: Ch. de Watermael 136, 1160 Auderghem View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arkose Canal (@arkose.canal) Located along the canal, Arkose Brussels is a vast 2800 m² space entirely dedicated to bouldering. With 170 meters of walls to climb and over 200 boulders of varying levels, there’s no shortage of challenges, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced climber. Children even have a secure area just for them, and the more ambitious can perfect their moves in a training area specially designed for efficient progress. 📍 Address: Rue Willy de Bruyn Straat 52, 1000 Brussels View this post on Instagram A post shared by Terres Neuves - Climbing gym (@terresneuves.bxl) A pioneer in indoor climbing, Terres Neuves was founded in 1987 in the heart of Brussels. Today, it remains an institution for climbers of all levels. Housed in a former factory, it offers a variety of routes, impressive walls and a unique atmosphere. With its affordable prices, welcoming atmosphere and courses given by experienced instructors, this emblematic venue continues to win over climbing enthusiasts. 📍 Address: 28, rue Terre Neuve, 1000 Brussels View this post on Instagram A post shared by Le camp de base (@lecampdebase.bxl) In the heart of Ixelles, Le Camp de Base is much more than a bouldering gym. It’s a real meeting place for climbing enthusiasts. With climbing areas for everyone, courses, workshops and a snack bar featuring local produce, the place has a warm and committed atmosphere. Whether you come to improve your skills, share a moment over a coffee or take part in an event, here, climbing rhymes with community and good energy. 📍 Address: Chau. de Boondael 210C, 1050 Ixelles View this post on Instagram A post shared by Brussels Monkeys Climbing (@brusselsmonkeysclimbing) With its dizzying walls and some 80 regularly renewed routes Brussels Monkeys Climbing is one of Belgium’s top climbing spots Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned climber You’ll also find a training pan and a Güllich pan for fine-tuning your technique there are group introductions and even cliff outings BMC is a great place to progress and share your passion for climbing