Belgium
Trappist monks keep beer tradition alive despite decline in interest for monastic life
Only five Trappist breweries remain in Belgium, known for producing the famous Westmalle brand. Beer consultant Sofie Vanrafelghem had the rare opportunity to visit one of the monasteries, and she joined The World's host Marco Werman from Antwerp to share her experience.
Belgium faces pressure to support sanctions on Russian diamonds
As summer travel kicks off in Europe, airline strikes could thwart holiday plans
Return of Patrice Lumumba's remains to DR Congo gives 'peace of mind,' UN envoy says
Belgian King Philippe’s visit to DR Congo stirs hope for a 'win-win partnership,' historian says
COVID-related travel bans spark outrage from targeted countries
“As omicron makes its way around the world, we have to see borders not as a stop point, but more as a surveillance point,” said Kelley Lee, a researcher of cross-border measures at Simon Fraser University in Canada.
Europe sees widespread protests against COVID-19 restrictions
Protests against COVID-19 restrictions, some of them turning violent, rocked Europe over the weekend. Also, Sudan's top military commander reinstates Abdulla Hamdok, but as interim prime minister, until new elections are held. And, two of 17 missionaries kidnapped in October have been released in Haiti.
Emotions raw before Paris trial for ISIS carnage
The survivors of the ISIS attack on Paris the night of Nov. 13, 2015, and those who mourn the 130 dead, are bracing for the long-awaited trial set to begin Wednesday.
Severe floods devastate parts of Germany and Belgium
Top of The World: Devastating floods across parts of western Germany and Belgium have left more than 120 people dead. And, Lebanon’s Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri has stepped down after failing to form a new government. Also, Cuba has agreed to temporarily lift some restrictions, following unprecedented protests.
Migrant hunger strike puts pressure on Belgian government
A hunger strike by hundreds of migrants living in Belgium without legal permission is putting increasing pressure on a government coalition weighing the wellbeing of those involved against the need to stick to immigration and asylum rules.
‘We cannot continue to live like this': Migrants desperate to work occupy Brussels church
Up to 200 undocumented migrants, including teenagers, have occupied St. John the Baptist in Brussels since the end of January. They're calling on the government to grant them legal status.
'I Silenti' gives a voice to those who died in the Romani genocide
The performance piece features musician Tcha Limberger, who is Roma, and pays homage to the hundreds of thousands who died in the Romani genocide during the Holocaust, whose stories often go untold.
Virus makes for quiet WWI remembrances
When a dawn fog lifted over countless World War I battlefields, cemeteries and monuments in Belgium and France Wednesday, the pandemic ensured that the remembrance of the millions killed in the 1914-1918 conflict was one of the loneliest ever.
El Paso and Ciudad Juárez face COVID-19 surge; Tanzania imposes internet restrictions; Iran building new centrifuges
A record surge in COVID-19 cases is stretching hospital resources in the adjacent border cities of El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. As millions of Tanzanians vote in the country’s general election, internet users have reported that WhatsApp and Twitter are being restricted. And, satellite images show that Iran has begun construction on an underground centrifuge assembly plant at the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility.
Europe on edge over new surges; North Korea's new missile; Nagorno-Karabakh cease-fire in question
Health authorities in Europe are bracing for new surges of the coronavirus, this time with concerns over “pandemic fatigue” as a growing number of regions return to lockdown restrictions. And, North Korea’s Kim Jong-un unveiled several new weapons including a large intercontinental ballistic missile carried on an 11-axle vehicle; Also Armenia and Azerbaijan were again accusing each other of attacks over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region despite a ceasefire deal.