© Brecht Goris
Column

The Ambiguities of Anti-Semitism

It's essential we do not see antisemitism or the Shoah as something unique, says Anya Topolski in her column. It blinds us for a systematic pattern of racism and genocide, and, because it means we do not try to get to the root cause of the problem.
Report

Kris Berwouts: Four days in the hands of Congo’s insecurity services

Although being expelled from Congo in 2017, Kris Berwouts was able to receive a visum for the DRC one year later. On arrival in Congo however, he was immediately stopped by the authorities. This is what happened.
CC Bruno Deceukelier
Blog Post

When civil society speak, will leaders from Asia and Europe listen?

Mid October leaders of states from Asia and Europe will meet in Brussels, as part of the Asia Europe summit which happens every two years. In its wake, civil society meet at the Asia Europe People’s Forum, as do business representatives and other lobbying groups
Gage Skidmore (CC BY-SA 2.0)
News

How a worldwide lobby keeps corrupt politicians in power

Hundreds of Romanian businessmen and politicians who were convicted for corruption are working on an unprecedented PR-operation to get amnesty. The trail leads from social-democrats in Bucharest, consultants of the right-wing Benjamin Netanyahu and Viktor Orbán, Israeli private espionage companies of ex-Mossad agents, to neoconservative t ...
Partidul Social Democrat from Romania (cc-by-2.0) / S&D
Analysis

Social democrats voted in favour of sanctions against Hungary. What about autocrats in their own ranks?

The European Parliament historically voted to launch a sanction procedure against Hungary. A similar procedure against Poland for undermining the rule of law is already launched. This time it was the parliament that launched it. Members of Orbán’s own European People’s Party voted against him. Would the Social Democrats in the Euro ...
BKL ART (CC BY-NC 2.0)
Analysis

Did two Belgian nationals fall victim to Rwandan death squads?

Two citizens of Bruges have died in South-Africa under suspicious circumstances. The family of the first victim, Thomas Ngeze, points the finger at the Rwandan State. The family of Pieter-Jan Staelens, the second victim, has doubts about Rwanda’s part in the two deaths. To anyone who has ever been into contact with Rwandan secret services, th ...
© Xander Stockmans
Report

‘This is a war for land, Romania is the battlefield’

Forced by poverty, a population transfers its decision-making power over the European granary to foreign shareholders of subsidized, wealthy investment groups. Local residents work in paid employment of the companies to whom they sell their land, move to the city or emigrate. Landgrabbing, by the international market.
© Frauke Decoodt
Report

Surviving violence and Ortega in Nicaragua

These are the stories of a mother whose son was killed by snipers, of a doctor saving lives on the barricades and of an ex-Sandinista combatant. Their stories tell us of the violence that shaked their lives, and about their many reasons to protest.
© Matjaz Krivič
Report

Who’s paying the “green” bill for the electric car?

What do a poisoned lake in Mongolia, a deadly lung disease in the Congolese cobalt mines and water conflicts in the Andean countries have in common? They are the heavy price paid for our electric cars, which tun out to be anything but green for people living in places where crucial resources are mined.
© Minor-Ndako
Report

A whole new world? Truths and terrors of the unaccompanied child refugees in Belgium

Every week thirteen unaccompanied refugees enter our country, more than half of them coming from conflict country Afghanistan. They become younger every time and carry more and more traumatic experiences with them. Belgium promises adequate shelter and protection. Are we able to provide that?
© Fady Alghorra and Mahmoud Elsobky
Report

Countering the jihadist narrative - the future of the War on Terror

As long as the instability continues, jihadist propaganda will somehow keep oozing out of the internet. “This is the struggle of a generation.”
© Fady AlGhorra en Mahmoud Elsobky
Report

Terrorism and tech - Silicon Valley’s violent propaganda headache

Terrorist content has been a problem for internet giants like Facebook, Google and Twitter for years. Silicon Valley has been throwing a lot of resources at the fight against violent jihadist content on-line. Some progress has been made, but fighting terrorists on the internet remains a game of whack-a-mole.

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