The director of Haren prison, Jurgen Van Poecke, is resigning from his post in protest against overcrowding and staff shortages. “I would have been happy to see out my career here, but not under these circumstances,” Van Poecke told De Tijd. “I came here because I liked the direction things were...

The average temperature for spring 2026 was 12.1°C, well above the average of 10.5°C, the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) announced on Monday. This made it the third warmest spring since observations began in 1833, reports RTBF. As usual, the season was marked by alternating periods of cooler...

Tartine et boterham , the independent guide to pastries, bread and patisserie in Belgium, has revealed its six favourite ice-cream outlets in the capital. With a scoop of ice cream now costing around €3 even from a neighbourhood ice-cream van, it is good to know which parlours pick up the accolades...

Several new measures come into effect on 1 June in Belgium that affect healthcare, insurance, eco-voucher purchases and the world of work. They include the extension of the right to be forgotten for former cancer patients, expanded reimbursement for the HPV vaccine and new products available via...

In May, the Belgian tax authorities send out tax returns in brown envelopes to all taxpayers. Depending on your situation, you may have some questions on how to fill out this form correctly. What is in the envelope? How to fill in the boxes? Which documents do I need to fill out my tax return? What...

The state of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode’s finances is so abysmal that Brussels is considering placing its smallest municipality under the control of the region. The cumulative budget deficit of Saint-Josse was almost €14 million in 2024 and now stands at about €30 million just two years later. According...

Belgians are becoming increasingly pessimistic about the economic situation in the country, according to an extensive survey commissioned by RTBF and VRT from the University of Antwerp and the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB). Almost seven in 10 Belgians believe that the state of the Belgian...

Bpost is still trying to clear a backlog of more than 16 million letters and about 700,000 parcels that accumulated during the weeks-long strike over plans to adjust working hours for staff. “We’re doing everything we can to clear these backlogs with extra staff,” Bpost spokesperson Mathieu...

Italian musician Ettore Pagano has been crowned the winner of the 2026 Queen Elisabeth Competition , receiving a cheque for €25,000 and numerous concert engagements in Belgium and abroad. In an additional prize celebrating the 75th anniversary of the prestigious contest, the 23-year-old is being...

Within the distress increasingly voiced by beleaguered farmers across the continent, the plight of tobacco growers is rarely heard. The understandable global drive to reduce smoking means that tight regulations are applied to all aspects of tobacco production. The result is that these farmers do...