From street performances to the most prestigious concert halls

Kristīne Balanas playing the violin - PHOTO: Klinta Kazāka

 

I remember when my violin teacher asked me: “Kristīne, do you want to play the violin full time?” I was living without my parents in the capital of Latvia with older girls as roommates, having the time of my life. …

Trump’s second term – what will this mean for Ukraine?

Trump is nog heel wat van plan ©Pixabay

Trump is nog heel wat van plan ©Pixabay

 

President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Russia’s war in Ukraine will end “sooner” under Donald Trump than it would have otherwise in an interview with Ukrainian media. Zelensky referenced his phone call with Trump after the US presidential elections, remaining adamant …

Re-release of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ sparks criticism on lyrics

"THE TWELVE (45 RPM) SLEEVES OF CHRISTMAS: 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' - Band Aid (1984)" by RetroLand U.S.A. is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.

 

As the 2024 Ultimate Mix of Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas? has been announced by the song’s producers, it has been criticized for its outdated portrayal of Africa. The song will be released on the 25th of November, marking …

Belgium’s hidden community of the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons

PLAYERS CREATE CHARACTERS USING CHARACTER SHEETS AND EMBARK ON COLLABORATIVE ADVENTURES; PHOTO: KATHARINA WOISETSCHLÄGER AND MANOLIS GUSTAFSSON

 

The game is about to start and the whole bar is full to the brim. “Gosh, I haven’t seen you in a long time,” says Tanner Rawlings, one of the newly arrived players, walking up to his friend, Sigurd Joostens. …

Artevelde explains: Ecuador’s ongoing gang violence

Credit: Artevelde University of Applied Sciences

 

Earlier this week, the Ecuadorian authorities recaptured Fabricio Colon Pico Suarez, the alleged leader of the notorious Los Lobos gang. His escape spotlights the South American country’s struggles with drug trafficking and gang violence, which has also expanded to Western …

This Was 2023: Flash Floods Kill Hundreds in Eastern Africa

More than 400 people died after heavy rains caused floods and landslides in eastern DR Congo. Image from MONUSCO Photos.

 

500 people killed and tens of thousands displaced after extreme weather in Eastern Africa. On Thursday, the 4th of May 2023, over 400 people lost their lives in flash floods in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). This comes …