More than 50 unique sports cars assembled for the ZOUTE CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE® by Degroof Petercam in Knokke-Heist on 12 and 13 October 2019. Over the past years the sophisticated resort town on the Belgian coast has made a name for itself with a concours d’élégance for the rarest and most exceptional classic cars. The ZOUTE CONCOURS… Read More Zoute Concours d’Elegance 2019 : Gallery
THOMAS THIELEMANS LANDER DANIËLS – ILLUSTRATIONS In a climate of lacklustre economic growth, unemployment and growing Islamophobia, populist and radical parties have been surging in popularity in many European nations, gaining legislative seats, enjoying the legitimacy endowed by ministerial offices, and striding the corridors of government power. Meanwhile, centre-left social democrats and centre-right traditional parties… Read More Populist parties in Europe: From the margins to the mainstream
Five years into the Syrian crisis and with an all-out war on its doorstep, Lebanon is experiencing ever-worsening repercussions of its neighbour’s collapse. Yet the small country remains resilient, despite the influx of a million Syrian refugees, the regional turmoil, current tensions over a vacant presidency, and the fact that its institutions are barely functioning.… Read More With Syria in turmoil, little Lebanon remains in limbo
A series of explosions ripped through the check-in area at Brussels Airport, killing at least eleven people shortly before rush hour on Tuesday morning. A third device at the airport failed to detonate and was later dismantled by the police. Then a little more than an hour after the initial attacks, another explosion struck Maalbeek metro station near… Read More At least 30 killed in Brussels terror attacks
Thomas Thielemans Lander Daniëls (illustration) The first two tests of the 2016 presidential race, in Iowa and New Hampshire, demonstrate how polarised and volatile American politics has become. The electorate’s choices bear out early indications that they are rejecting the “establishment” on their respective sides. In the Democratic race, Bernie Sanders, the self-declared socialist senator… Read More 2016 US elections: Trump and Sanders win New Hampshire primary
THOMAS THIELEMANS – Brussels WOUTER ELSEN (PHOTO) – Ouagadougou While the world frets over the spread of violent extremism through the Middle East and the Gulf, there is a tendency to turn a blind eye to the menace of ongoing violence in more remote regions such as the Sahel or Lake Chad Basin. In Africa,… Read More West Africa: The War On Extremism Is Not Yet Won
On 18 December 2010, a man in Tunisia burned himself to death in protest of police corruption and ill treament. The following months, uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt led to the overthrow of their heads of state and sparked a wave of protests throughout the Middle East and North Africa, now commonly referred to as the “Arab Spring”, “Arab… Read More The Arab Spring: Five Years Later
After years of hard negotiations, Iran and six world powers reached a comprehensive long-term deal on Iran’s nuclear programme in July 2015, marking a rare diplomatic success in the Middle East. Moderates and reformists hoped that the nuclear accord would rehabilitate Iran’s international image and allow Tehran to be a regional economic player and force… Read More Regional Turmoil in the Gulf: Iranian Perspectives
In March 2015, in the small Middle Eastern country of Yemen, a long-running political crisis escalated into a full-fledged war. Air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition, fighting on behalf of the disposed government have hit nearly as many civilians as rebels. The main fight is between forces loyal to the beleaguered President, Abed Rabbo Mansour… Read More Yemen: a full-fledged war
Violence in Israel has been rising for months, with attacks spreading beyond East Jerusalem and the West Bank. At the time of writing seven Israelis and around 32 Palestinians, including eight children, have died in more than two weeks of bloodshed, fueled in part by Muslim anger over increasing Jewish visits to the al-Aqsa mosque… Read More #Intifada?
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