A major study on happiness carried out at the University of Leuven (KU Leuven) demonstrates that tips on how to be happy actually have a positive effect on the average person’s level of happiness. The results are assembled and explained in the book Veel geluk (Good Luck). KU Leuven examined the...

An increasing number of Belgians suspect their neighbours of tax evasion, as evidenced by the fraud cases reported to the Federal Public Service Finance. In five years, the number of reports increased from 510 to 2,610 complaints in 2013. This year, already more than 2,000 new complaints have been...

While you might prefer to quietly sip your coffee in the wee hours of the last day of the work week, thousands of people in some 100 cities all over the world gather for CreativeMornings in their respective hometowns. Brussels recently joined the pack, and it is welcoming designer Alain Gilles at...

After Denmark, Belgium has the highest labour costs in the European Union, according to a study by the German Macroeconomic Policy Institute (IMK). The study shows that in 2013, the average private sector salary in Belgium was €41.2 per hour. The European Union average is less than €23.9 per hour...

A Brussels investigating magistrate has accused HSBC Bank of “serious and organised” tax fraud, money laundering, criminal conspiracy and illegally acting as a financial intermediary. The accusation falls short of actual criminal charges but is announced in order to give the suspect a chance to...

Flemish culture minister Sven Gatz wants to hold a round table discussion to improve cultural co-operation in Brussels. Normally culture in Brussels is sharply divided between the Dutch-language and French-language communities, with just a few organisations such as Bozar and Flagey successfully...

As it is now in Belgium, the biggest portion of your assets following your death automatically goes to your children. But that is about to change, according to Minister of Justice Koen Geens (CD&V). Geens is working on a relaxation of the inheritance law in Belgium. Parents who draw up a will...

The Christmas tree erected annually on Brussels’ Grand Place traditionally comes from the Ardennes, in the south of Belgium. But this year the tree comes from the Tireliwoud, near the Latvian capital Riga. The 18-metre high fir was felled yesterday morning and made a nearly 2,000-km journey to...

Individuals can now apply for a .brussels domain name up until December 15. All that is needed are a Belgian eID and eID card reader, reports Brusselnieuws.be. For the initiative, the Brussels-Capital Region’s digital presence, visit.brussels, has joined forces with top-level domain name...

Belgian Red Devils trainer Marc Wilmots is happy with the result of yesterday’s European Championship qualifier match against Wales, which ended in a 0-0 draw. “We had bad luck,” he said, according to fcupdate.nl. "I saw a lot of good things: pressure up-front, a strong organisation in the back and...