Belgian Cocktail Championship

Julie Nullens

They came from far and wide…..all seeking to  be crowned the best bar person in Belgium. Bartenders, who come from all over the world, converged on a horeca training centre in Anderlecht for their gold standard event of the year: the national cocktail championships. This writer was among the judges who joined an elite group…

European Parliament Crackdown on Child Abuse

Anders Vistisen MEP

 Anders Vistisen MEP says he supports child protection but defends national legal sovereignty and harsher penalties against child abusers, including medical castration. He was speaking on Wednesday in a key plenary debate on the proposal to combat child abuse across the EU. Vistisen emphasized both his strong support for protecting vulnerable children and his firm…

Darcey Harry Wins Hulencourt Womens’ Open

Photo by PepsPhotography

Welshwoman Darcey Harry, 22, won the inaugural Hulencourt Women’s Open, a Ladies European Tour tournament with €300,000 in prize money, held on the prestigious Belgian course “Le Vallon” de Hulencourt, in Vieux-Genappe. After four rounds, the Cardiff rookie won with a total score of -13 under par (cards of 71, 68, 68, and 68). It…

Collapse of the World Order

Oleksandra Matviichuk

The current international peace system is outdated and ineffective, says Oleksandra Matviichuk, a Ukrainian human rights lawyer and 2022 Nobel Peace Prize co-recipient. Speaking in London last week to highlight the urgent need for justice and accountability, she said “We are witnessing the collapse of the world order before our eyes.” She told this site, “The…

Listen to the Ocean Before it Falls Silent

Photo Credit Relais and Chateaux

Photo Credit Relais and Chateaux A major hospitality group is calling on chefs at all of its 580 properties, including those in the UK and Benelux, to remove threatened seafood species from their menus. The move by Relais & Châteaux is part of its stated mission to contribute to the protection and development of biodiversity….

Eating Breakfast Cereals Good for You

Photo by Melissa Askew on Unsplash

Photo by Melissa Askew on Unsplash Eating breakfast cereals is good for you, according to a new study. The study, which coincided with the recent World Breakfast Day,  highlighted the nutrition and health benefits of breakfast cereals. The comprehensive analysis is said to have shed a light on the role that breakfast cereals can play…

Commission Urged to Rethink Embargo Policy

Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash

Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash Brussels-based foreign correspondents association API-IPA says it has taken note of the European Commission’s formal reply to a case involving the European Ombudsman. The case concerns how the European Commission dealt with the request by a journalist working at a news agency to be added to a mailing list…

Ageing to Wreak Havoc from 2030

Photo by Bruno Aguirre on Unsplash

Photo by Bruno Aguirre on Unsplash The impact of Europe’s rapidly ageing population is coming under increasing scrutiny, including by British peers. The UK House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee has just concluded an inquiry into Preparing for Ageing. Britain is an ageing society, the birth rate is declining and life expectancy increasing. It can…