Stories about Belgium
Reactions to the Greek Financial Crisis and the IMF from the Africansphere
With the challenges facing the Greek economy and the ensuing intervention from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), reactions from African bloggers range from cautionary tales from past experiences to lessons that ought to be learned for their own regions.
Belgium: Comic Strip “Tintin in the Congo” Faces Ban Over Racism
Tintin in the Congo, the second of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums, written and illustrated by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé and featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero, faces ban over racism. On his blog Alain Mabanckou thinks that «Tintin must remain as a proof...
Qatar: Expats outraged by plans to scrap visa-on-arrival policy
Effective May 1, Qatar plans to scrap its visa-on-arrival policy for dozens of nations currently exercising the option. Dismayed expats worry about seeing their families and predict that the additional paperwork will deter tourists from visiting the tiny Gulf country.
Haiti: “Solidarité Haïti”
After a few days of silence, the collective blog Solidarité Haïti, born after the 2008 hurricanes, has eventually posted [Fr] about a dozen solidarity and relief efforts led by French Caribbean people in Europe or elsewhere.
EU: Russophone Bloggers React to Dairy Farmers’ Protest
LJ user drugoi hosts a discussion of the Belgian dairy farmers' protest over low milk prices.
Europe: Entropa
Belatedly, links to some posts on Entropa: Margarete of The Foreigner's Guide to Living in Slovakia believes “it should be taken down”; Kosmopolito thinks that “the debate around the project is also part of the installation”; BBC's Mark Mardell writes that “the fact that it is a hoax does not...
Ukraine, EU: A Closer Relationship?
The EU's plan to finalize an Association Agreement with Ukraine in 2009 was made public at the EU-Ukraine Summit in Paris on Sept. 9. The media and bloggers greeted it with mixed reactions. “EU offers reassurance to Ukraine,” read a BBC headline. “EU offers no promises to hopeful Ukraine,” wrote...
Russia, Georgia, EU: Will There Be No Sanctions?
BBC's Mark Mardell reports from the emergency EU summit in Brussels that “it seems all but decided that there will no sanctions against Russia.”
Palestine: Ramadan Mubarak
Originally from Gaza, Palestinian Alaa Annan, who is now based in Belgium, wishes his readers a blessed Ramadan [Ar] with this drawing.
Europe: Football and Politics
Desmond McGrath of A Fistful of Euros writes about football and politics: “Part of the fun of football is the way in which it overturns the international order of power politics.”
Lithuania: Stance on EU-Russia Partnership
Lituanica reports that Lithuania “is not interested in vetoing or blocking Brussels-Moscow talks over commencement of strategic EU-Russia partnership treaty.”
Belgium: The Balkan Presence
Tanchi is guest-blogging at Kosmopolit about the Balkan presence in Brussels.
Serbia: Ambassadorial Discontent
While some of the foreign embassies were being set on fire in Belgrade in protest to the unilateral proclamation of independence of Kosovo, Serbian embassies in Belgium and Russia were having diplomatic activities of a different kind - and Serbian bloggers took interest in them. Sinisa Boljanovic translates.
Kosovo: Views from the Russophone Blogosphere
According to the Yandex Blogs portal, over 3,700 posts on Kosovo independence have appeared in the Russian-language blogosphere in the past three days. Some of these posts have received dozens, if not hundreds, of comments. Below are a few snippets of this lively discussion, all translated from Russian.
Louis Michel Heckled by Congolese Protestors at the London School of Economics
Le renouveau congolais posts a YouTube video which shows Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid and formerly Belgian's foreign minister, as he was confronted by Congolese protesters during a talk given earlier this month on the EU and Africa at the London School of Economics. Read the reactions from Congolese netizens and a video response that will make you move your feet.
Serbia, the EU: Stability and Association Pact
A Fistful of Euros writes about Serbia's Stability and Association Pact with the EU (SAA), to be signed in Jan. 2008: “It looks like Brussels is trying to strengthen the ‘liberal and Western’ strain of Serbia’s politics before December, when problems are likely to arise with Kosovo.”
Europe: Islamisation
The beatroot writes about the “non-issue” of Islamisation of Europe.
Russia, EU: On the Eve of Samara Summit
Time to study Russian, again, writes Jonathan Newton of Tales from the European Underbelly: “I would have had much use for such skills today, as I seem to be surrounded by Russian-speaking colleagues at the EU Council’s Press Centre, where the EU’s foreign ministers and assorted colleagues will wriggle around...
DRC: UDPS’ Early Report Card for Kabila
UDPS Liège posts an interview with Rachel Kabua Atwele, a Belgium-based UDPS sympathizer. She says [Fr]: “Let's not kid ourselves, dictatorship is alive and well. Those who believed in the good faith of Kabila the imposter are already having a hard time: Thérèse Nlandu, Pasteur Kuthino, the coup d'état on...
Haiti: Delegation presents Haiti as a place to do business
Collectif-haiti-de-provence writes about a Haitian delegation's March visit to France and Belgium (Fr), which hoped to present Haiti as a place to do business and counteract negative images of the country. The delegation, which included the heads of various government ministries and members of the private sector, presented plans to...
