The news service of the public broadcaster VRT has received two awards from the Association of International Broadcasters, a group representing TV channels based in 120 countries. The VRT picked up the Editors’ Award for its 11-hour live broadcast of the elections on 7 June this year and the award for best coverage of a single event for a Villa Politica programme about the fall of the government of Yves Leterme.

Lego and board games top the wish-lists of children for this year’s Sinterklaas (St Nicholas) festivities, according to the main retail chains. Other favourites include Playmobil, building blocks, trucks, Monopoly and merchandising from entertainment brands such as Star Wars and Cars.

Trade unions representing shop staff have protested at plans by Maasmechelen Village, the outlet-store complex in Limburg, to stay open every Sunday for the next year. Unions pointed out that the law requires shops to close a minimum of seven Sundays a year, although retail businesses established in tourist zones – which include Maasmechelen Village – have more leeway than elsewhere. The Village argued that many of its customers come from other countries, making it impossible to inform them of the closing days if the law were followed. Besides, a spokesman said, shops at the coast remain open 52 Sundays a year.

Belgium’s second satellite, the Proba-2, was launched into space last week aboard a Russian Rokot from the base at Plesetsk. Proba (Project for Onboard Autonomy) was built by Kruibeke-based firm Verhaert, is about the size of a washing machine, weighs 135 kilograms and will send back weather information to the European Space Agency. Proba-1, launched in 2001 for a planned lifetime of two years, is still going strong. Proba-2 cost €18 million, financed by the federal government.

Johann Sebastian Bach took the top three places in Klara’s annual Top 75 music poll this year. At numbers one and three were the chorale Wir setzen uns and the aria Erbarme dich from the St Matthew Passion, while the number two slot was filled by the Prelude to the suite for solo cello BWV1007. The full list contains a few surprises: the Theme from Schindler’s List by John Williams and Adios Nonino by Astor Piazzolla, a perennial hit since it featured at the wedding of Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and his Argentinean bride Maxima.