Journal De Bruxelles - News from Brussels, Belgium, Europe and the world

United States officials have reached out to their Chinese counterparts for talks on vast tariffs that have hammered markets and global supply chains, a Beijing-backed outlet said on Thursday citing sources.

The Bank of Japan revised down its growth forecasts and held interest rates steady on Thursday, warning that trade tariffs are fuelling global economic uncertainty.

New Australia coach Les Kiss will have little over a year to mould the Wallabies into a force to challenge for their home Rugby World Cup in 2027.

Serbia's trade unions will for the first time join a protest Thursday called by student leaders, six months after the deadly train station tragedy that sparked mass demonstrations against corruption.

A dejected-looking Lionel Messi walked off the field in defeat on Wednesday after his Inter Miami team were exposed in emphatic fashion by a young Vancouver Whitecaps.

A man was in hospital after falling some 20 feet from the stands onto the warning track in the PNC Park outfield during a Pittsburgh Pirates game on Wednesday, the Major League Baseball team said.

Rich in solar and wind power, and bulging in critical minerals for renewable energy technology, Australia touts itself as a leader in the race to net zero carbon emissions.

Japanese stocks rose Thursday as the central bank kept its key interest rates steady as expected, in thin trade with most Asian markets shut for the May 1 holiday.

The Bank of Japan on Thursday left its key interest rate unchanged but revised down its growth forecasts, warning that US trade tariffs are fuelling economic uncertainty.

Bordeaux-Begles host Toulouse in the Champions Cup semi-final on Sunday having come a long way since their inception more than two decades ago.

Napoli are closing in on a second Serie A title in three seasons ahead of their trip to struggling Lecce on Saturday, the first of four matches against modest opposition which could confirm a stunning league crown.

Driven by huge crowds, unpredictable results and some of Germany's biggest clubs including Hamburg and Schalke, the Bundesliga 2 broke through the billion-euro revenue barrier last season to become Europe's wealthiest second division.

Paris Saint-Germain must go to Strasbourg this weekend, in between the two legs of their Champions League semi-final against Arsenal, for a clash with one of a host of sides scrapping to qualify from Ligue 1 for Europe's elite club competition next season.

Centenarian Dorothea Barron recalled the wave of relief she felt when she heard World War II had finally come to an end.

Myanmar's military junta let a truce declared to spur aid efforts after last month's earthquake expire on Thursday, a ceasefire that monitors say it consistently violated with air strikes.

The Houston Rockets thrashed the Golden State Warriors 131-116 to fend off elimination in the NBA playoffs on Wednesday, narrowing the gap in their Western Conference series to 3-2.

Lionel Messi's dream of winning Inter Miami's first CONCACAF Champions Cup title ended on Wednesday with the Vancouver Whitecaps reaching the final with a 3-1 win in south Florida earning them a 5-1 aggregate victory.

The head of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) on Wednesday criticized US President Donald Trump's order to fast-track deep-sea mining in the open ocean outside American territorial waters.

Britain's two main parties are tipped to suffer losses Thursday in local elections likely to confirm the rise of hard-right populists and portend the splintering of a century-long political duopoly.

A US judge on Wednesday accused Apple of defying an order to loosen its grip on the App Store payment system to the point that criminal charges could be warranted.

The last time these thrumming, red-eyed bugs burrowed out of the ground across America's suburbs and woodlands was the early summer of 2008.

Nine-time Olympic gold medallist Katie Ledecky made a blistering return to the swimming pool on Wednesday, clocking the second fastest 1,500m freestyle in history in heats at the TYR Pro Series meeting in Florida.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Wednesday that rapidly spreading wildfires near Jerusalem could reach the city, as he declared the situation a "national emergency".

Istanbul authorities on Wednesday closed metro trains, buses and Bosphorous ferries, paralysing Turkey's biggest city in a bid to prevent May Day demonstrations.

Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, a 22-year-old Australian who led the NBA in steals, was voted the 2025 NBA Most Improved Player, the league announced on Wednesday.

Mexico City will host high-altitude Formula One races for at least three more years after a contract extension was signed Wednesday.

Bolivia's ex-leader Evo Morales has told AFP he will not back down in his bid to regain power, despite being dogged by allegations of abusing a minor and being barred from seeking a fourth term.

The United States and Ukraine on Wednesday signed a minerals deal after a two-month delay, in what President Donald Trump's administration called a new form of US commitment to Kyiv after the end of military aid.

Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi lavished praise on Barcelona's teenage winger Lamine Yamal after a thrilling 3-3 Champions League semi-final first leg draw on Wednesday.

The United States and Ukraine said Wednesday they could sign a long-anticipated minerals deal within the day, with Kyiv saying it secured promises of control over its resources.

Global stocks rose for the most part Wednesday, digesting mixed economic data as more companies pull back from earnings forecasts amid uncertainty over US President Donald Trump's fast-changing trade policy.

Ronnie O'Sullivan insisted he would have to raise his game in order to win a modern-day record eighth snooker World Championship title after securing his place in this year's semi-finals.

Last year’s runner-up Aryna Sabalenka survived a gritty Marta Kostyuk and an untimely rain interruption to complete a 7-6(7/4), 7-6(9/7) win over the Ukrainian and reach the Madrid Open semi-finals for a fourth time on Wednesday.

Survival through teamwork: It's a tale as old as time with particular resonance today, says Argentine actor Ricardo Darin of his latest project "The Eternaut," which hit Netflix on Wednesday.

The US economy unexpectedly contracted in the first three months of the year on an import surge triggered by Donald Trump's tariff plans, although the president pinned the blame squarely on his predecessor.

Barcelona and Inter Milan shared a compelling 3-3 draw in a high-octane Champions League semi-final first leg clash on Wednesday.

Tech giant Meta reported quarterly profits well above expectations Wednesday, brushing aside market worries that its heavy investments in cloud computing and artificial intelligence would hamper growth.

The US Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared to be leaning towards allowing public funding of a religious charter school in a case testing the historic separation of church and state.

Human-induced climate change made the ultra-dry and warm conditions that fanned South Korea's deadliest wildfires in history this March twice as likely and more intense, researchers said Thursday.