Brussels seeks UNESCO heritage mark for puppetry, flower carpet
Brussels, Belgium Reuters Brussels is looking to protect two of its historical traditions: rod puppetry and a 1,680-square-metre flower carpet rolled out every second year in front of the Belgian capital’s city hall, by granting them the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage status. Puppets are seen at the Royal Toone Theatre, in Brussels, Belgium, on 28th […]
Ministers to mark 75 years of NATO, discuss more support for Ukraine
Brussels, Belgium Reuters NATO foreign ministers meet on Thursday to celebrate the 75th anniversary of their alliance, having agreed to start planning for a greater role in coordinating military aid to Ukraine. On the second day of a meeting in Brussels, the ministers will mark the signing in Washington on 4th April, 1949, of the […]
Pope expels disgraced former bishop, says Belgian church
Brussels, Belgium Reuters The Pope has expelled from the priesthood a disgraced former Belgian bishop who admitted more than a decade ago to sexually abusing two nephews, the Belgian church said on Thursday. Roger Vangheluwe, 87, resigned as Bishop of Bruges in 2010 after admitting he had abused one nephew for 13 years. A year […]
Western leaders in Kyiv, G7 pledge support for Ukraine on war anniversary
Kyiv, Ukraine Reuters Heads of the Group of Seven major democracies on Saturday pledged to stand by war-weary Ukraine, and Western leaders traveled to Kyiv to show solidarity on the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion, with no end in the sight to the fighting. After initial successes in pushing back the Russian army, Ukraine has […]
Western leaders in Kyiv to show support on war anniversary
Kyiv, Ukraine Reuters Four Western leaders arrived in Kyiv on Saturday to show solidarity with Ukraine on the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, which has cost tens of thousands of lives and ravaged the country’s economy. The prime ministers of Italy, Canada and Belgium – Giorgia Meloni, Justin Trudeau and Alexander De Croo – […]
Police move to end Dutch farmer protests
Brussels, Belgium/Amsterdam, The Netherlands Reuters Dutch police moved on Monday to end demonstrations by farmers who disrupted traffic throughout the Netherlands by blocking exit roads of highways and setting fires along those roads. Angered by low prices for their produce, rising costs, cheap imports and environmental regulations imposed by the European Union, farmers have blocked […]
Farmer protests spread in Europe ahead of EU summit
Jossigny, France/Brussels, Belgium Reuters French and Belgian farmers angry about rising costs, EU environmental policies and cheap food imports blocked highways and access roads to a major container port on Tuesday as the protests spread across Europe. In France, farmers, who have been protesting for over two weeks, stepped up their pressure on the government […]
Fortress Europe – Where will the migration flashpoints be in 2024?
Brussels, Belgium/London, UKThomson Reuters Foundation As governments across Europe pursue policies aimed at deterring growing migration from Asian, African and Middle Eastern countries, rights campaigners say some measures could shut out or even criminalise refugees. With polls pointing to a swing to the far-right in June’s European parliament elections, and migration dominating debate ahead of Britain’s 2024 general election, […]
Seven European countries pledge CO2-free power systems by 2035
Brussels, BelgiumReuters Seven countries including Germany, the Netherlands and France pledged on Monday to eliminate CO2-emitting power plants from their electricity systems by 2035. Taken together, the countries account for nearly half of EU power production – largely thanks to the contributions from Germany and France, Europe’s two biggest power producers. Steam rises from the […]
COP28 focus on health draws $US777 million to fight tropical disease
Dubai, United Arab EmiratesReuters The United Arab Emirates and several charities at the UN climate summit on Sunday offered $US777 million in financing for eradicating neglected tropical diseases that are expected to worsen as temperatures climb. Climate-related factors “have become one of the greatest threats to human health in the 21st century”, COP28 President Sultan […]