(HLN; ; in English The Latest News) is a Dutch-language newspaper based in Antwerp, Belgium. It was founded by Julius Hoste Sr. on 7 June 1888. It is now part of DPG Media, and is the most popular newspaper in Flanders and Belgium.
History
19th century
thumb|Front page of Flemish newspaper "Het Laatste Nieuws" of 5 September 1944. With headline: Long live Belgium !, Long live The King !, Long live Freedom! in honor of the liberation of Belgium.
thumb|Front page of the Flemish newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, 20 April 1943
The liberal Julius Hoste Sr. founded the newspaper on 7 June 1888 five days before the Belgian elections. With his newspaper he wanted to support the Liberal Party in the upcoming elections and on the other side the Flemish movement in Brussels, a city which was dominated by francophone bourgeois (Franskiljons). The newspaper supported the cause of the Gelijkheidswet (equality law between Dutch and French in Belgium), the rescue of the Royal Flemish Theatre in Brussels and the election of the first Flemish, liberal, Ghent municipal governing board in 1907.
Its liberal character, anti-Francophone stance and support for the Flemish movement were essential characteristics of the new daily, just like its anti-clericalism. The circulation of the paper was 287,000 copies in 2001. It was 341,257 copies in 2002. In 2003 its circulation was 294,000 copies, making it the best selling newspaper in Belgium.
In 2009 had a circulation of 287,162 copies. The approximate circulation of the paper was 370,000 copies in 2010.