Belgium
Some of the key events about Belgium
- 1576Spanish troops sacked and burned Antwerp, killing thousands in what became known as the "Spanish Fury"
- 1830Belgium gained independence from the Netherlands, establishing itself as a sovereign state
- 1830The Belgian Revolution led to the separation from the Netherlands and significant political instability
- 1835The first railway on the European continent opened between Brussels and Mechelen
- 1905The world's first diamond cutting factory was established in Antwerp
- 1914Germany invaded neutral Belgium, triggering Britain's entry into World War I
- 1919Universal suffrage for men was introduced in Belgium
- 1921The world's first international hockey league was founded in Belgium
- 1940Nazi Germany invaded and occupied Belgium during World War II
- 1958Brussels hosted the World's Fair, introducing the iconic Atomium structure
- 1960Belgium hastily granted independence to Congo, leading to years of instability and violence in the former colony
- 1967The world's first stock exchange was founded in Antwerp
- 1980A series of terrorist attacks known as the "Brabant killings" left 28 people dead and many more injured
- 1985The Heysel Stadium disaster occurred, resulting in 39 deaths and hundreds of injuries
- 1989Belgium became the second country in the world to legalize abortion
- 1996The Marc Dutroux case shocked the nation, exposing failures in the Belgian justice and police system
- 1999Belgium became one of the first countries to legalize same-sex civil partnerships
- 2003Belgium became the second country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage
- 2016Brussels was hit by terrorist attacks, killing 32 civilians and injuring over 300 people
- 2021Severe flooding in Belgium caused by heavy rainfall led to 42 deaths and widespread destruction
Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.
Belgium Latest news
French minister pushes back on UK Channel border deal with new demands
Frances top security official wants major changes in UK-France border control setup. New deal should include legal ways for migrants to reach Britain while keeping strict control over illegal crossings
Global assisted dying numbers hit new peak as more countries change laws
Medical assistance in dying reached over 30‚000 cases last year with some nations reporting up to 5% of total deaths. Numbers have doubled since 2019 as more countries adopt-or expand their laws
101-year-old D-Day veteran shares untold story of Normandy landing
A WW2 Royal Engineer opens up about his life-changing experience during D-Day operations and post-war journey. Living in a veterans care home‚ he shares his first-ever interview about those historic events
Hidden tax that keeps British workers' salaries low - new report shows way out
Fresh research shows how capital-gains tax impacts everyday workers wages and productivity. Report suggests removing this tax could boost UK economy by £25bn yearly‚ with workers being main winners