A man in his 20s from the Flemish Brabant municipality of Opwijk has been sentenced to 3 years’ imprisonment for planning 2 terrorist attacks The man had planned to burn down a mosque and in a second attack to shoot dead as many people as possible with an assault rifle In 2022 the federal prosecutor’s office began investigating the man after he had been brought to their attention by the security services The man was active on the messaging service Telegram The investigation found evidence that he had incited others to carry out terrorist attacks Further investigation revealed that the man admired mass murderers such as Anders Breivik and Brenton Tarrant In 2019 Brenton Tarrant murdered more than 50 Muslims in 2 attacks on mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch Anders Breivik killed nearly 80 people in 2011 He first of all set off a bomb in the Norwegian capital Oslo before opening fire on dozens of young people that were attending a summer camp on the island of Utøya Like Anders Breivik the young man from Opwijk had written a manifesto Although it was just 15 pages long “His intentions and ideas were very clear He wanted to create the ‘Ideal Empire’ in which race is more important than religion He called for the setting up of an ethnonational state” The man also had plans to carry out 2 terrorist attacks The federal prosecutor’s office decided to use an undercover detective The detective met up with the man at a carpark in Opwijk They had a conversation about using firearms The court passed a sentence of 3-years suspended on the man “The offences the defendant is accused of pose a real danger to our society and its citizens Defence lawyer Jan Donckers spoke of entrapment on the part of the undercover detective He added that "I will discuss with my client whether we will appeal." Now Heineken is getting serious and said the 400,000 hl production site it is too small and fails to reach environmental benchmarks Heineken plans to transfer production to several other Belgian and French breweries Affligem beer for sale in Belgium and the Netherlands will be brewed at Heineken’s major brewery in Alken The rest of production will be relocated to France The eleven people currently employed at the Opwijk brewery will be offered jobs at Heineken’s sites in Belgium including the Stassen cidery and the Albert Maltings Heineken is keen to realise production efficiency and flexibility resisted calls to close the Opwijk brewery its current leadership does not want to faff around with smaller plants Opwijk is not even a full-blown brewery since it does not have its own packaging facilities the Opwijk plant would require a significant investment to make it more sustainable “Opwijk takes up 40 percent more water and emits 60 percent more CO2 than the group’s other plants Mr De Meester told the Belgian newspaper De Tijd uses far more water in absolute figures than the Opwiik plant Belgium company closures company news Newsletter archive and information A 20-year-old neo-Nazi from the Flemish Brabant municipality of Opwijk is suspected of having planned to carry out 2 terror attacks The 20-year-old allegedly intended to set fire to a mosque and also allegedly planned to kill a maximum number of people with an assault rifle in a second attack His trial starts today (Friday 14 February) The federal prosecutor's office started an investigation into the young man after he had come to the attention of the intelligence services He used the messaging service Telegram where he chatted with others that shared his far-right views The 20-year-old also allegedly incited others to commit a terrorist attack Further investigation revealed that the man was an admirer of mass murderers such as Anders Breivik and Brenton Tarrant According to a source close to the investigation calling for the creation of a white ethnostate the federal prosecutor's office says that the man planned two attacks The first was to be an arson attack on a mosque In a subsequent attack he intended to shoot as many people as possible dead with an assault rifle The suspect is said to have actively been seeing a firearm to enable him to carry out the second attack At his trial that starts today he will answer charges of inciting terrorism and planning a terrorist attack the 20-year-old risks a long prison sentence He has already spent some time on remand but was released on conditional bail after a few months to await his trial The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n \n \n \n '.concat(e,' Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response The file could not be found for a number of reasons such as the file being moved or deleted. 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Click here to get back to where you came from Infrastructure operator Fluxys Belgium is increasing its transmission capacity with the construction of a new dual-purpose pipeline between Desteldonk and Opwijk which also marks its first strategic investment for hydrogen transport in Belgium This is the second pipeline between Desteldonk and Opwijk and it will initially increase the security of supply for Belgium and neighbouring countries in the context of modified gas flows it is an important step for Fluxys in achieving its ambitions in terms of the energy transition The new pipeline will run parallel to the existing natural gas pipeline between Desteldonk and Opwijk Work is scheduled to start in March 2023 and be completed by the end of the year This expansion of Fluxys’ network capacity is said to be vital in view of the changed structure of the European gas supply Doubling the pipeline will increase the offtake capacity from Zeebrugge by 15 GWh/h equivalent to the energy generated by 15 nuclear reactors With this project, Fluxys is anticipating the growth in LNG regasification capacity at the Zeebrugge terminal to avoid creating a bottleneck further down the network the pipeline will be fully future-proof and will be immediately available for hydrogen transport as soon as the market is ready As such, Fluxys is consolidating Belgium’s federal hydrogen strategy which aims to make the country a European hydrogen hub Fluxys is strengthening its pivotal position in the European energy transmission network and bolstering the security of supply in Belgium and neighbouring countries It is also the first visible step in realising our ambitions on the energy transition and the development of a European hydrogen hub in Belgium.” Daily news and in-depth stories in your inbox The Pioneers of Offshore Engineering GustoMSC part of NOV’s Marine and Construction business is recognized for providing advanced design & engineering consultancy for mobile offshore units and reliable equipment and technical knowledge into realistic & innovative ideas The performance of new and existing jack-ups Sign up for our daily Newsletter and stay up to date with all the latest news You are receiving this pop-up because this is the first time you are visiting our site You are using software which is blocking our advertisements (adblocker) we are relying on revenues from our banners So please disable your adblocker and reload the page to continue using this site.Thanks UK: Morrisons staff strike in pensions rowAbout 1,000 Morrisons staff in West Yorkshire and Cheshire have started strike action in a row over pensions and take-home pay. Staff at the supermarket's warehouses in Wakefield and Northwich are taking part in industrial action which began at 05:00 BST on Thursday and runs until 05:00 on Sunday.Source: bbc.com US: Walmart to lay off 568 workers in CaliforniaWalmart is laying off 568 employees in California as part of its previously announced cutbacks, according to filings with the state. The layoffs, effective August 9, include 180 employees in Sunnyvale and 388 in San Bruno.Source: supermarketnews.com Frontpage photo: © Dreamstime FreshPublishers © 2005-2025 HortiDaily.com Looking to access paid articles across multiple policy topics Interested in policy insights for EU professional organisations Gas pipeline operator Fluxys Belgium reported stable half-year results on Wednesday (28 September) as strong demand to send gas from Belgium offset risks from Western sanctions imposed due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine An LNG ship docked at the Fluxys Zeebrugge terminal. Fluxys said it planned to bolster the Zeebrugge-inland route in the near term by building an additional pipeline between Desteldonk and Opwijk in order to create additional throughput capacity for Belgium and neighbouring countries. [Photo: GIEBrussels / Flickr] Heineken will turn off the lights at the Affligem brewery in Opwijk Although the official reason for the closure is plausible enough – the plant is subpar Heineken’s sustainability standards – it still raises pertinent questions does Heineken think the brand can thrive without a physical home The beer is named after the Affligem Abbey This question has been bugging me since January when Heineken announced its imminent closure It eventually became a puzzle because the nearby Grimbergen Abbey had just opened a swish new brewery cum restaurant (June 2021) the Grimbergen brewery was joined by a no-expenses-spared visitor centre which provides “a multi-sensory experience journey through Grimbergen’s 900-year history,” according to Carlsberg’s press release Grimbergen is a Premonstratensian monastery one opening – can shed light on how the two Big Brewers there is no spin on either Affligem or Grimbergen in their 2021 annual reports which may indicate they are just one of several hundred brands in their respective global portfolios Carlsberg’s honchos decided to splash out on a new 10,000 hl brewery which gives the brand not just a physical home but also a ring of authenticity Consider it an extra boon that Carlsberg can enlist Father Karel Stautemas it is debatable if abbey beer brands need a physical home which must be brewed at Trappist monasteries under the supervision of its monks to carry the Trappist seal abbey beers are brewed by secular breweries in reference to an abbey Usually there is a contract between the abbey and the brewery which provides the abbey with royalties in exchange for the use of its brand The best-known and best-selling abbey beer is AB-InBev’s Leffe which is brewed at AB-InBev’s breweries in reference to Notre-Dame de Leffe an abbey of Premonstratensian canons in Belgium’s Dinant The monastery was abandoned during the French Revolution – a fate that also befell Affligem and Grimbergen the production of Leffe beer was taken up again in a partnership with the Lootvoet brewery in Overijse This brewery was later bought by Belgium’s Artois (which then became Interbrew the Leffe licence has since been extended to Molson Coors for central and eastern Europe Leffe underlines that an abbey beer brand can flourish under a Macro Brewer for as long as punters think the beer honours the highest ethical standards and an unwavering commitment to quality which is crucial at a time when corporations are better known for their greed Why did Heineken decide to close the Affligem brewery I can only speculate that Heineken deemed the Affligem brand as surplus to requirements in Belgium When Heineken and Carlsberg jointly took over brewer Scottish & Newcastle in 2008 including its long-term Grimbergen licence for Belgium which had the Grimbergen licence for the rest of the world If you think this a highly complex relationship whereby Heineken and Carlsberg act both as collaborators (Grimbergen) and competitors (Affligem vs Grimbergen) Grimbergen outsells Affligem by far and has done so for many years Grimbergen on draught can be found all over and compared with EUR 4.30 for a glass of Affligem Heineken has felt inclined to push Grimbergen rather than its own Affligem brand The financial rewards would have been far higher Despite all the articles written about Belgian Trappist and abbey beers in international media – these alcoholorific beers are truly exotic in our secular times – the market for these beers is relatively small and limited to a few countries Most abbey beers are drunk in just three countries: France Take Leffe: of the estimated 2.5 million hl sold in the three countries in 2020 more than 2 million hl were sold in France alone and has seen its output rise to an estimated 1.5 million hl in 2020 Estimates put Affligem’s total volume at some 500,000 hl annually Except for perhaps a few thousand hl in Belgium the bulk of the brewery’s output has long been shipped to France That may have been the reason why Heineken got interested in Affligem in the first place it did not have an abbey beer in its portfolio With Affligem it suddenly had a challenger the idea must have taken hold that selling Affligem in France did not warrant the costs of running a dedicated “Did not AB-InBev’s Leffe show that cumbersome paraphernalia like a brewery are superfluous if a brand is healthy?” Heineken’s cost cutters may have argued according to the Boston Consulting Group’s product portfolio matrix given its low market share and low rate of growth companies regularly draw upon the BCG’s growth-share matrix or similar tools when deciding which brands to keep all forecasts about a brand’s future rest on these so-called “scientific” methods The final closure of the Affligem brewery will be a sad day for its workers the monks and possibly a few passionate consumers But as the corporates never tire of reminding us: courage is the key to making tough decisions Amelia Sharpe finished an excellent sixth place in the Brussels-Opwijk kermesse one-day race in Belgium on Sunday. The Isle of Man Sports Awards nominee won the bunch sprint behind a leading group of five riders that included Great Britain’s Anna Docherty. With her team-mate in the break, Amelia took up a protective role in the chasing group, grabbing sixth place in the final gallop out of a field of 110 starters in very windy conditions. Having spent a long winter concentrating on the track and training hard, including attending a pre-season camp in Majorca, this result marks a fine start to her senior career for the British Cycling academy rider. This was the first in a series of kermesse races in Belgium for the Manx cyclist over the next few weeks, gaining experience racing in larger fields before stepping up to some UCI 1.2 category races at the end of March and early April. Amelia would like to thank the support she receives locally, most notably Isle of Man Sport and the Steam Packet Company. l Fellow Manxies Will Corkill and James Harrison were also in action in Belgium over the weekend competing in the junior Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne one-day race. Glen Vine’s Corkill, riding for Fensham Howes-MAS Design JRT, finished a respectable 27th, while Harrison of GB South East was one of the 70 to not finish the race. Mark Cavendish won the elite version in 2015. Tel: 01624 695695[email protected]Follow us Further Links Owned or licensed to Tindle Newspapers Ltd | Independent Family-Owned Newspapers | Copyright & Trade Mark Notice & 2013 - 2025 Nona Van Assche from Opwijk in Flemish Brabant has won the gold medal in her age category at the World Championships ‘Obstacle Course Racing’ The challenge involves participants running a course where they have to face various obstacles along the way I still can't believe it,’ says a jubilant Nona ‘It was an incredible surprise when they called me on stage.’ Being able to call herself world champion at the age of 10 is pretty special even though victory did not come out of the blue ‘I started the sport because I was good on the rings in the playground,’ Nona explains ‘My parents then looked for a sport that involved this skill and that's how I ended up at the Invictus club in Aalst.’ but also real grips in the shape of coffee beans or corncobs but they can also be cones or balls,’ says her mum but also a technically very challenging sport.’ even though there are the world championships ‘Last year the world championship was in Belgium though few people know that’ explains Mum Natalie ‘Next year the European championship is in Portugal and the next world championships are in Sweden.’ Marnix Decuyper from Opwijk has got injured in a car accident in central Brussels He was surprised by a retractable bollard that suddenly emerged again The bollard had been installed as part of the new circulation plan "This new circulation plan creates life-threatening situations," Decuyper claims Through traffic no longer welcome in the centre of Brussels Decuyper was driving in the Groot Eilandstraat towards the Fontainasplein when a bollard moved up was following another car when the accident happened "The car sensors weren't even able to detect the obstacle."  but he did not feel well and was taken to hospital after all cuts in his leg and experienced a big pressure on his chest The bollard only goes down for motorists with a personal code The city of Brussels says that the accident was not caused by a technical failure underlining that Decuyper shouldn't have been driving there in the first place "There are enough signs and boards warning motorists" the spokesman of the Mobility Alderman Bart Dhondt suggesting motorists only need a code as from 1 October He has spoken to his lawyer and may take the matter to court Faharas News is an AI-driven news aggregator that provides real-time updates from a variety of sources We do not take responsibility for the content or the external links provided We use cookies to personalize content and ads , to provide social media features and to analyze our traffic...Learn More