Belgium–Malaysia Diplomacy: Belgium’s Deputy PM Maxime Prévot wrapped a two-day Malaysia visit, pushing deeper trade, energy transition and halal ecosystem cooperation, and signaling a review of travel advice for Sabah. EU Sanctions Tensions: Southern EU states are pressing to soften parts of the EU’s 21st sanctions package ahead of a July 13 foreign ministers meeting, including a proposed six-month Russian oil price cap. Belgium Defence Procurement: Reuters reports Belgium is set to announce a €3.1bn ground-based air defence package at NATO’s Ankara summit: 20 Skyranger short-range systems plus 10 NASAMS launchers, using Dutch framework contracts. Belgium Heatwave Toll: France and Belgium report thousands of excess deaths from the late-June heatwave, with Belgium recording 1,222 additional deaths (June 18–29). Belgium Congo Archives: Belgium is opening up colonial-era Congo geological archives at the AfricaMuseum in Tervuren, aiming to digitize and share data within five years to support research and critical-minerals work. Belgian Industry Tech: Nokia secured a multi-year contract with Orange Belgium to upgrade transport networks with a converged optical setup and automation tools. Offshore Wind Ownership: JERA Nex BP increased its stakes in Belgian offshore wind farms Northwester 2 and Nobelwind by buying Sumitomo’s partners’ shares. Cybercrime Crackdown: Belgian police arrested a 19-year-old suspected leader in a phishing and money-laundering network tied to €572k theft using fake government emails and remote-access scams. Construction Procurement Reform: EU public procurement rules are expected to be overhauled in September, with unions and employers urging Brussels to curb abusive subcontracting chains. Belgium–Kazakhstan Trade Push: Kazakhstan’s EU ambassador says Tokayev’s Brussels visit boosted cooperation on transport, critical raw materials and digitalization, with business deals worth around €10bn.