The EU capital may start charging drivers per mile to combat congestion, writes Trent Broad.

Belgium marked a year without a full government today.

Over four months after elections, efforts to form a new government flopped again in an enduring spat between Belgium’s Dutch and French-speaking camps that touches on the fate of the country as a unitary state.

BELGIUM faced political and economic limbo yesterday as right-wing Flemish separatist and French-speaking Socialist election winners sized each other up going into entrenched talks.

Belgians are going to the polls today in general elections that are widely seen as a vote on an orderly break-up of a country where 6.5 million Dutch and four million French-speakers are locked in a quarrelsome union.

BELGIUM’S future hung in the balance last night as King Albert II considered whether to let his prime minister, Yves Leterme, resign over his failure to bridge the gulf between the country’s two linguistic communities.

Hundreds of farmers and lorry and taxi drivers blocked roads in Brussels today to push for help in coping with soaring fuel prices.

BELGIANS were still recovering yesterday after a television channel announced in a spoof programme that the Flemish part of the country had declared independence and that Belgium was no more.

Belgian authorities confirmed the discovery today of a second body in their search for two missing schoolgirls.

Transport Minister Seamus Brennan told the EU in a letter made public today that the Government is "very concerned" about the potential impact of a European Commission ruling against Ryanair, for receipt of state aid for using Charleroi airport in Belgium.

RYANAIR believes it will have to pay out millions of euro as its worst fears have been confirmed in its "state aid" battle with the EU Commission, which could also impinge on the future growth of Cork, Shannon and Dublin airports.

THE Belgian region of Wallonia, facing charges it gives illegal aid to Ryanair at a local airport, said selling the site to private investors was one possible way to resolve the dispute with the European Union.

RYANAIR boss Michael O’Leary admitted to being rattled at the prospect of the EU Commission ruling its deal at Brussels Charleroi airport illegal.

Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt tonight claimed victory in the country's elections.

I CHANCED upon a press release from Brussels this week and it makes interesting reading for more than one reason.

The Brussels-London Eurostar service and the Brussels-Paris Thalys service have been paralysed by a strike by Belgian railway staff, Agence France-Presse reported.