Headlines March 7

Belgians drink less Beer
Beer consumption in Belgium has more than halved during the last 75 years. The figures, which were published in Monday's edition of the Flemish daily 'Het Laatste Nieuws', show that per capita consumption of beer in Belgium now stands at just 95 litres per annum. The number of bars and cafés in Belgium is also at an all time low, having dropped by 7,600 in just ten years. READ ON

OH BROTHER! MONKS SELL SKIING HOLIDAYS
MONKS in Europe have sold beer and farm products for years, but now they are branching out into joint ventures such as skiing and meditation.
In the past monks have relished their seclusion from the rest of the world but in recent months they have been forced to increase monastery funds beyond just brewing beer and selling agricultural products to launch “monastery tourism”. READ ON

A Flotilla of low-cost airlines is redrawing the economic map of Europe.
Today the city's modest airport—rechristened Brussels South Charleroi—is a new hub for two of Europe's busiest low-cost airlines. Four years ago, only 200,000 travelers passed through; now the figure is more than 2 million annually. Charleroi serves 16 destinations from the Mediterranean to Eastern Europe. It will add five more this spring, including Malaga and Salzburg. READ ON