All posts tagged: Belgian

The fight for mineral data in DRC: Belgian museum, US mining firm at odds over archive maps

The fight for mineral data in DRC: Belgian museum, US mining firm at odds over archive maps

Just a few kilometers from Brussels, the cellars of the Royal Museum for Central Africa hold one of the world’s most valuable mining archives. Colonial-era maps and surveys had previously detailed minerals like cobalt, lithium, coltan, and tungsten, essential for the digital and energy transition. Now, a battle over digitization is unfolding, with these documents literally worth their weight in gold. KoBold Metals, backed by Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, is looking to AI in order to locate new deposits faster. Source link

Belgian Police Break up Migrant Smuggling Network, Four People Arrested

Belgian Police Break up Migrant Smuggling Network, Four People Arrested

BRUSSELS, March ⁠25 (Reuters) – ⁠Belgian ⁠police have ​broken up ‌a migrant ‌smuggling ⁠network operating ⁠across Belgium, the Netherlands ​and Germany, ​the Belgian federal ⁠prosecutor’s office ⁠said ⁠on Wednesday. (Reporting by Inti LandauroEditing ​by Ros ​Russell) Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters. Photos You Should See – March 2026 Source link

High-flying Bart De Wever’s Russia chatter tests Belgian coalition unity – POLITICO

High-flying Bart De Wever’s Russia chatter tests Belgian coalition unity – POLITICO

The remarks cut against the EU’s broadly hard-line stance toward Moscow since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began and threaten to fuel a sensitive debate in the bloc about sanctions and Russian energy. De Wever’s comments also come after a nationwide poll last week revealed he enjoys widespread support, with the Flemish-nationalist leader’s popularity not only at a record high in Dutch-speaking Flanders, but also growing in French-speaking Wallonia. The strong polling may help explain the prime minister’s willingness to push a politically sensitive argument. “The conflict must be ended in Europe’s interest. Without being naive about Putin. That’s a mistake we must never make again. We must rearm and remilitarize the border. And at the same time, we must normalize relations with Russia and regain access to cheap energy,” De Wever said in L’Echo, adding it was a matter of “common sense.” “Behind closed doors, European leaders tell me I’m right, but no one dares to say it out loud,” De Wever was also quoted as saying. You don’t speak for us De Wever’s …

EU greenlights €260M for Belgian carbon capture and storage project

EU greenlights €260M for Belgian carbon capture and storage project

The European Commission has authorised €260m funding to support a large-scale Belgian carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiative designed to reduce industrial greenhouse gas emissions. The funding will support the Kairos@C project, a joint initiative involving Air Liquide Large Industry NV and BASF Antwerpen NV. The decision, made under EU state aid rules, enables Belgium to provide financial support for the project as part of broader efforts to decarbonise industrial activity. According to the Commission, the initiative aligns with European climate objectives by supporting the development of an integrated carbon capture and storage value chain. What is carbon capture and storage? Carbon capture and storage is a climate mitigation technology designed to prevent carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. In a typical CCS system, CO₂ produced during industrial processes or energy generation is captured at the source, compressed, and transported – usually via pipelines or ships – to a storage site. The gas is then injected deep underground into geological formations such as depleted oil and gas fields or saline aquifers, where it can be …

Belgian synagogue rocked by explosion in ‘antisemitic’ attack – POLITICO

Belgian synagogue rocked by explosion in ‘antisemitic’ attack – POLITICO

Belgium’s federal judicial police anti-terrorism unit and the federal prosecutor’s office are investigating the incident. A spokesperson for the Liège mayor’s office told POLITICO: “The mayor and the municipal executive express their strongest condemnation of this extremely violent act of antisemitism, which runs counter to Liège’s tradition of respect for others. There can be no question of importing external conflicts into our city.” According to the mayor’s office, the blast caused damage to the building. Local media reported that windows on the building’s front façade were blown out. The mayor’s office said a press briefing would be held later in the day. Israel’s Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg Idit Rosenzweig-Abu also condemned the attack. “I was shocked by the news of the attack in Liége. I am in touch with the community that is understandingly shaken and terrified. I agree with PM De Wever who said that this is an attack on Belgian society as a whole,” she said. “To prevent such attacks,  I hope we would not only see an increase in Jewish communities’ …

A Minerals Company Wants a Belgian Museum’s Records About the Congo

A Minerals Company Wants a Belgian Museum’s Records About the Congo

A museum devoted to Belgium’s colonial history in Africa has found itself involved in a dispute over access to documents pertaining to rich mineral deposits in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly colonized by the European country. The Congolese government and KoBold Metals, a mining and artificial intelligence company backed by billionaires including Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, are seeking access to documents, including geological records, which are housed at the Africa Museum In Tervuren, Belgium the Financial Times reports; the company inked a deal last year with the Congolese government to digitize the records. The institution was formerly known as the Royal Museum for Central Africa. Related Articles KoBold entered into a deal with the DRC in 2025 that positioned the firm to acquire the Manono lithium deposit, one of the world’s largest, and undertake large-scale exploration for minerals that are crucial for electric vehicle batteries, Reuters reported. The country is also home to rich reserves of copper as well as cobalt, which is used in mobile phones and batteries, notes …

Belgian police raid EU Commission buildings in property sale probe – POLITICO

Belgian police raid EU Commission buildings in property sale probe – POLITICO

The investigation concerns “the sale of 23 Commission buildings to the Belgian state in 2024,” a Commission spokesperson told POLITICO. The property sale “followed established procedures and protocols,” the spokesperson said, expressing confidence that the transaction was conducted in compliance with applicable rules. “The European Commission is committed to transparency and accountability and will cooperate fully with EPPO and the competent Belgian authorities on this issue, providing any information and assistance needed to ensure a thorough and independent investigation into this matter,” the spokesperson added. According to reporting first published by the Financial Times, the searches took place at multiple Commission locations, including the budget department. Source link

Kazakh court jails 3 Belgian football fans who dressed up as Borat – POLITICO

Kazakh court jails 3 Belgian football fans who dressed up as Borat – POLITICO

A spokesperson for Belgium’s foreign ministry told POLITICO on Thursday that it was “monitoring” the case together with the Belgian embassy in Astana. “We are providing our fellow citizens with the necessary consular support,” the spokesperson said. British actor Sacha Baron Cohen created the character Borat, a fictional Kazakh journalist, in a satirical TV show that lampooned attitudes in the U.K. and the U.S. A 2006 movie adaptation, in which Cohen appeared as Borat in a neon-green mankini, became an international hit. The movie initially angered Kazakh officials, who banned it. Years later, Kazakhstan’s then-foreign minister said he was “grateful” for the character’s role in attracting tourists, and when a second film was released in 2020 the country embraced Borat’s catchphrase “Very nice” in tourism campaigns. Club Brugge won the match 4-1, keeping it alive in the UEFA Champions League, Europe’s top football competition. Source link