The City of Brussels is awarding a €155 gross monthly language bonus to teachers who have a qualification to teach French, in response to a short supply and growing demand for French-language tuition. “We want to motivate people to follow the teacher training course,” said Anaïs Maes of the...

While progress to renovate Brussels-Central metro station is on schedule, it is currently going to cost around €48 million, some €13 million more than expected. That was the message from Brussels mobility minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen), replying to a recent written question in parliament from...

Three partial solar eclipses in a row – in 2025, 2026 and 2027 - will all be visible in Belgian skies, Brussels’ astronomy research institute, the MIRA Public Observatory, has announced. The first of these celestial phenomena will take place on Saturday 29 March at about midday. A solar eclipse...

Belgian public transport companies De Lijn, SNCB and Stib have jointly left the social networking site X (formerly Twitter). Walloon transport company TEC already left X on 12 March. The three remaining companies announced their departure in unison in a series of joint posts on Wednesday. “We are...

Seasonal plant fairs and floral extravaganzas offer a bounty of springtime blooms. The dazzling events also provide seasonal inspiration for keen gardeners looking for a range of flowers, plants, bulbs and sought-after specimens. Most of these horticultural celebrations are also sited in gorgeous...

Belgium’s new minister for asylum and migration, Anneleen Van Bossuyt (N-VA), has launched a new social media campaign discouraging people from seeking asylum in Belgium because its reception centres are overwhelmed. “The asylum centres are full,” the campaign reads. Belgium has been experiencing a...

In the absence of a firm plan to overhaul tobacco regulations this year, the European Commission is coming under pressure to revise its outdated Tobacco Excise Directive (TED). Individual member states and lobby groups are calling for the EU to update legislation on minimum tobacco tax levels and...

The Brussels hospitality sector wants to promote and professionalise hospitality professions, raise quality standards and make the sector more attractive, with the launch of a new campaign called "Choose Horeca" [hotels, restaurants and catering] by employers and the government. The hospitality...

Belgium has no shortage of award-winning zoos and animal parks, with Antwerp, Plankendael and Pairi Daiza to name just three. But they can be pricey days out, so read on to find five free fauna gems in or near the capital. Unlike its European neighbours, Brussels lacks a big animal draw, although...

Ideas and culture hub Full Circle launches the first Ideas-to-Action Day on Saturday 5 April. As a spin off of its annual Ideas Festival, which explores fresh perspectives and sparks intriguing conversations, the innovative concept aims to emphasise individual and collective action . After over 10...