Two doctors have been fined the record sum of €635,000 for prescribing inappropriate medication for patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The two, an endocrinologist and a neuropsychiatrist, were found guilty by a health insurance tribunal of prescribing medication not approved for the patients’ condition. The doctors deny the charge.

A controversial sculpture by Flemish artist Wim Delvoye will be installed behind Kaaitheatre on the Arduinkaai in Brussels, the city council has decided. The plan to situate the work, a ninemetre- long cement truck made of steel rods so that it resembles a work of Gothic architecture, was first launched in 2004 but was scrapped after local residents protested and brought an action before the Council of State. The council has approved a new licence for the plan, and work will begin in October.

An employment agency in Hasselt that provides staff for local solar panel installers is using a climbing wall to ensure job applicants do not suffer from a fear of heights. According to Z-Staffing of Beringen, Limburg province, the rising demand for solar panels has led to more jobs, but candidates often do not realise that they have a fear of heights. Others think they can work at ground level instead, which is usually not the case. In a first trial of the wall, 200 candidates were whittled down to 17 capable of making it to the top.

The federal police is making more use of technical and scientific investigation methods like telephone tapping and DNA analysis, resulting in the budget running out, an independent committee revealed last week. In addition, Belgium is paying more for DNA tests than neighbouring countries. A DNA test can cost up to €400 here, but only €120 elsewhere. From this year’s budget of €90 million, the committee reported, €60 million had already been spent by 31 May.

A 100-year-old woman was last week found guilty of unintentional homicide after a tenant died from inhaling carbon monoxide from a faulty room-heater. The woman, who, along with her son, rented out studio apartments, was not sentenced but will have to pay back €20,000 raised in rent for the premises, where inspectors found 57 breaches of safety regulations. The son was given a six-month suspended sentence.

The five-strong Flemish contingent at Wimbledon was reduced to just Kim Clijsters by 28 June when Flanders Today went to press. Clijster, who was due to play Justine Henin in a fourthround showdown, had earlier beaten Maria Kirilenko. Russia's Vera Zvonareva beat Yanina Wickmayer 6-4, 6-2 in the third round; Wickmayer herself had earlier knocked out fellow Fleming Kirsten Flipkens. American Sam Querrey had defeated Xavier Malisse in five sets in the third round, just after Malisse beat the German Julian Reister in four sets. And Kristof Vliegen lost to French player Julien Benneteau in the first round.

Tongeren-born Freddy "Fast Freddy" Loix, driving the new Škoda Fabia S2000 “facelift” model, claimed his sixth career win in the Ypres Rally on 26 June. The threeday competition – which is round six of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge – contained a total of 19 speed tests, with competitors racing 280 kilometres. British driver Kris Meeke, driving a Peugeot 207, was just six seconds behind Loix coming into the Saturday session, but he crashed out heavily, destroying his car in the process.