World Focus from Brussels

Massive seismic activity has led to the evacuation of close to 4000 inhabitants from the fishing town of Grindavík, on the south coast of the Reykjanes peninsula in Iceland. I speak to my fellow Icelander, geophysicist Ari Trausti Guðmundsson, who explains the immense forces at work. Geoscientists still think it is likely that an eruption might start, close to or even in Grindavík itself. Already earthquakes, sink holes and other activity have caused huge damage to houses and infrastru...

France plays a major role in Europe as one of the leading nations of the European Union, plus being a founding member of NATO and a key Ally. Nevertheless French governments have often been critical of the Alliance through the years. French President Emmanuel Macron has focused on strengthening the influence and status of France on the global stage, while also emphasizing the importance of Europe's strategic autonomy. For this episode I travelled to Paris and interviewed dr....

Major conflicts are raging in different parts of the world. The war in Ukraine continues and since early October, a war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, following Hamas terrorist attack on Israel - adding a new chapter to the violent and complicated history of that region. Leaders of the European Union member states met in Brussels late last week to discuss these two conflicts and other pressing matters. In this episode I interview Belgian professor Sven Biscop, an expert at the Egmont Insti...

Targeting LGBTIQ+ people is one tool that the Kremlin and other foreign threat actors use to manipulate the information space, in order to sow discord and weaken democracy, aiming to achieve their own political and even military objectives. The most prominent anti-LGBTIQ+ disinformation narrative, asserts that the West is trying to destroy everything that is good, normal, and moral by actively pushing ‘the LGBTIQ+ agenda.” The European External Action Service – the diplomatic service of...

US President Joe Biden met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 18 October, in a high-stake visit to Israel, trying to break the latest cycle of violence in the region or at least prevent the current conflict from escalating even further. On 7 October the Hamas organization launched a horrific terrorist attack on Israel across the border from it’s bases in Gaza. Israel has retaliated with massive air strikes on the Gaza strip, also cutting fuel, water and other supplies to this densely ...

NATO ministers of defence meet in Brussels today 11 October and tomorrow to discuss the war in Ukraine as almost 600 days have passed since the full-scale invasion by Russia on 24 February last year. Volodymyr Zelensky President of Ukraine was welcomed to NATO's headquarters this morning by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, In this episode I speak to top Danish defence and miltary expert Mikkel Vedby Rasmussen, a professor in political science at the University of Copenhagen.&nb...

China’s military – the People’s Liberation Army – aims to be world class by mid century, equal to the United States military. The PLA has already added massive capabilities, such as enlarging the navy and is also preparing for intelligentized warfare through developing and analyzing AI – Artificial Intelligence. Brigadier General Ole Kværnø, was a contributor to a conference on 2 October organized by the Centre for Military Studies at the University of Copenhagen, about the Chinese mili...

The Global Organized Crime Index 2023 reveals a widening gap between organized crime and our collective resilience efforts. A new edition of the index has been launched by Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime and the results highlight the urgent need for informed, practical strategies to combat organized crime globally. The index profiles all 193 member states of the United Nations, by providing a criminality and resilience score for each of them. In this episode I speak wi...

Brussels has a very lively art gallery scene and a thriving market for art that is internationally recognized. This week, from 21 to 24 September, 70 galleries and jewellers take part in the annual Brussels Art Square in the Sablon neighbourhood. World Focus from Brussels visits one of art dealers taking part, Jonathan Kugel, in his gallery in the heart of Sablon. We discuss the importance of Brussels Art Square, the market for art in general, how to be aware of forgeries and how the business...

Slovaks go to the polls on 30 September to select a new parliament. The election campaign takes place in a volatile political environment where disinformation has been rampant and rivals fight bitterly. The elections are also closely watched because the results might decide whether Slovakia changes course in it’s support for Ukraine, which until now has been robust. On the other hand, Former Prime Minister and front-runner in the elections, Robert Fico, says Slovakia will stop sending arms an...