Flanders’ most famous art curator, Jan Hoet, died last night in a Ghent hospital at the age of 77. Hoet was a flamboyant and charismatic figure who shook up the local art world time and again. He became the director of Ghent’s contemporary art museum in the 1970s and made headlines when, in the...

An honour normally only bestowed on British nationals was given to one of Belgium’s own yesterday. Jacques Rogge, the former International Olympic Committee President, received an honorary knighthood at London’s Buckingham Palace for his years helming the post as the IOC chief, but especially for...

You don’t have to walk far in Brussels to see that it is not one of the world’s cleanest cities. The capital of Europe has been trying for years to tackle the problem of rubbish on the streets – whether illegal dumping or citizen carelessness. But so far the results have been unimpressive. The...

Latest employment figures released Monday reveal that up to 50 percent of young people in some neighbourhoods in Brussels are without a job. The news has city officials calling for action. Some politicians are suggesting that the problems begin with language. According to Jean-Luc Vanraes, a...

The patriarchal tradition of giving children the surname of the father appears to be coming to an end in Belgium. A new government bill proposed by the Justice Commission in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives is introducing changes that will alter how children are named at birth. No longer will...

Tuesday: just another boring weekday for expats in Brussels? Not anymore: once a month Tuesday, a new and exciting type of evening is taking place at the Theatre de la Toison d’Or ( TTO ). The concept is called FFact - Fun, Food and Acting – and its purpose is to reach out to the growing and...

Yesterday the federal government has approved the nomination of Koen Van Gerven as CEO of the federal postal service bpost. Van Gerven’s name was proposed to the council of ministers earlier this week by the bpost board. “The government sincerely congratulates Mr Van Gerven and wishes him every...

Carrying around cash and bank cards to make purchases could soon be part of the past. Beginning in May, it will be possible to make purchases with a smartphone with the use of a new app developed by Bancontact that will eventually put plastic in the history books. Consumers in Belgium will simply...

They’ve got it and they’re not afraid to flaunt it: that’s the best way to sum up these extravagant automobiles. With these cars, there’s no talk of finesse, equal proportions, or moderation; the goal is simply to lay it all out on the table! And these 5 lovely diamonds do just that; in a way that...