#communication agency brussels

[pageinextremis]

A Canvas of Collaboration: Unveiling OCA's Online Annual Report by #Pageinextremis

In sustainability, narratives require a canvas that's as organic and transparent as the missions they represent. This belief united the Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) and #Pageinextremis, setting the stage for creating the Online Annual Report 2022. As you delve into this digital narrative, the essence of a profound collaboration between OCA and #Pageinextremis unfolds, painting a vivid picture of nature intertwined with data.

The journey began with a shared vision - to encapsulate OCA's mission and accomplishments in an organic, transparent format. The close collaboration between the seasoned communicators at #Pageinextremis and the advocates of organic cotton at OCA led to a fusion of creativity and purpose.

Pageinextremis delved into the ethos of OCA, crafting a comprehensive online annual report that doesn't just enumerate accomplishments but narrates a saga of sustainable impact.

The report is a user-centric experience, meticulously crafted for easy navigation, engaging storytelling, and transparent disclosure of OCA's 2022 journey. Every section is a testament to the collaborative endeavour, where OCA's mission resonates through # Pageinextremis' innovative design and communication strategies.

Heads of Communication seeking to amplify their ventures' impact will find rich inspiration in this partnership. It exemplifies how, with the right communication ally, your mission's story can resonate globally.

Communication Managers striving for a blend of professionalism, innovation, and human-centric narratives would appreciate the harmonious combination of these elements in the report.

This online annual report transcends traditional yearly reviews. It's a narrative showcasing how like-minded entities can collaboratively create something insightful and engaging.

As you traverse through the Online Annual Report 2022, the symbiotic relationship between OCA and #Pageinextremis is palpable, underscoring what can be achieved when innovative minds collaborate with purpose.

We invite you to explore the OCA Online Annual Report 2022 at annual-report-2022.organiccottonaccelerator.org and witness a sustainable narrative elegantly crafted through close collaboration between OCA and #Pageinextremis.

[pageinextremisbranding]

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ESMA's branding journey: a strategic and impactful approach

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) recently underwent a branding overhaul, entrusting the mission to revitalise its image to the innovative agency, #Pageinextremis. This was no small feat, as ESMA is a highly respected institution that plays a crucial role in ensuring the stability and integrity of the EU's financial markets. But #Pageinextremis was up for the challenge.

Working closely with the ESMA Communication team, they developed a visual identity that fully encapsulates the institution's strategy for 2023-2028, focusing on sustainability, technology, and data innovation. The new logo and visual identity is a bold and modern design that represents the dynamic nature of the financial markets, reflecting the institution's professionalism and authority.

With the new visual identity, ESMA aims to better connect with its stakeholders. This unique design is a testament to that commitment. It is a significant step forward in modernising the financial industry and better connecting with stakeholders. The institution's mission is to ensure the stability and integrity of the EU's financial markets, and this new design reflects that mission.

Overall, the new visual identity is a powerful and impactful representation of ESMA's mission and values, sure to captivate its audience. The hard work and dedication of the team behind this project —Solveig Kleiveland, Sarah Vandenbergh-Edwards, Emilie Brakha, Greta Di Pierri, Iris Hude, Dan Nacu-Manole and David Cliffe— have paid off, resulting in a visual identity that truly represents the institution.

At #pageinextremis, we understand the power of a strong brand. With 28 years of branding experience under our belt, we have developed a unique methodology for a successful branding process that will take your brand to new heights.

Our process begins with the Clarify phase, where we align the organisational effort with the brand strategy. By starting from the overarching strategy and distilling it to the level of the brand strategy, we ensure that everyone is on the same page. We also change perspective and put ourselves in the shoes of the audience, partners, analysts, competitors, and potential future employees. This allows us to see things from different angles and develop a brand strategy that resonates with everyone.

In the Define phase, we clearly define the audience segments, key messages targeted to each of them, brand architecture, brand positioning, and value proposition. This ensures that your brand speaks the correct language to the right people.

The Personalisation phase is where we create a visual identity that reflects the brand's essence and personality and differentiates it from the competition. We want your brand to stand out and be easily recognisable. We achieve that by creating a visual identity that is unique and memorable.

Once the visual identity is established, we move on to the Implement phase, where we roll out the new brand across all communication channels, including websites, social media, marketing materials, and signage. This ensures that your brand is consistent and cohesive across all touchpoints.

Finally, we come to the Measure phase, where we monitor the effectiveness of the new brand and make adjustments as needed. We continuously evaluate the brand's impact on the organisation's reputation and bottom line to ensure we achieve our goals.

It's important to remember that a simple cosmetic and aesthetic approach is to be avoided as it would hardly have any impact, even in the short term. At #pageinextremis, we don't believe in shortcuts.

[pageinextremisdigital]

Charting a Greener Path: Navigate the Landscape of EPS Insulation with EUMEPS

In an era where eco-friendly solutions are not just an option but a necessity, Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) emerges as a lighthouse of green transformation. 

EUMEPS is at the forefront of this movement, advocating EPS insulation as a material and a gateway to a more sustainable, energy-efficient Europe. 

Their engaging story, detailed on "The Perfect Green Fit" website, weaves together the narrative of EPS as both an economically savvy and environmentally accountable alternative, ideally in line with the EU's ambitious goals for a climate-neutral 2050.

Set sail on an enlightening expedition through the EUMEPS lens, uncovering a wealth of benefits that EPS insulation brings to the table in the construction and building worlds. 

From its superior thermal qualities and lightweight nature to its ease of application and potent carbon footprint reduction capabilities, the story is as captivating as it is instructive. 

EUMEPS doesn't just limit the EPS tale to insulation; it expands its role to encompass a broader scope where it becomes instrumental in paving the way for a greener, more energy-efficient tomorrow.

Far from being just an informational resource, the comprehensive overview of "The Perfect Green Fit" website is a clarion call. 

Individuals and enterprises must become active contributors to a sustainable future. 

Focusing intently on environmental advantages, economic practicality, and adaptability, the narrative finds common ground with all stakeholders in the construction industry, laying out a vivid, eco-conscious roadmap in line with the European Green Deal.

Take the plunge into the transformative world of EPS insulation via "The Perfect Green Fit" website. 

You'll find that adopting EPS isn't merely a choice—it's a meaningful stride towards constructing a resilient, environmentally responsible future.

In a true spirit of collaboration, the insightful narrative and eco-conscious roadmap presented on "The Perfect Green Fit" website results from a synergistic partnership between the communication team of EUMEPS and #pageinextremis. 

We're thrilled to have been a part of this vital initiative, adding our communication acumen to EUMEPS's industry expertise. 

Together, we've crafted a platform that's not just an informational resource but a catalyst for change. 

[mariacallous]

In a couple of short years, the Integrity Institute, a think tank founded by former Facebook employees, has become an influential voice on how to make social media safer. Its research on issues like election misinformation and online bullying have influenced European Union regulators and US lawmakers, and have become required reading inside tech companies. “We’re crushing it,” the institute’s executive director, Sahar Massachi, wrote in a December blog post.

But by March, when the nonprofit brought its dozen or so staff and research fellows to a small New York conference room for a strategic planning retreat, the mood was grim. As Massachi and cofounder and chief research officer Jeff Allen presented their visions for growing the institute, many in the audience stared at the ground or folded their arms, and few wanted to socialize after hours.

The institute’s rank and file had grown tired of hearing the founders’ sometimes dueling plans for the nonprofit, which left them unsure what to prioritize. They were drained by a fight in Slack over Israel’s assault on Gaza. And a few staffers knew that the institute’s external HR agency had just begun investigating Massachi after a number of workers alleged he was verbally hostile to women in the workplace.

WIRED’s account of the previously unreported tensions inside the Integrity Institute draws on reviewing internal communications, as well as interviews with several people familiar with the organization who asked for anonymity to speak about private discussions. Early last week, Massachi announced his resignation as executive director in a morning email that didn’t mention the investigation into his conduct. Allen, who was in Brussels for meetings with EU officials, sent his own email 15 minutes later that thanked his cofounder and said a transition plan was in place. “The work of the institute continues full steam ahead,” Allen wrote.

In a statement, Massachi did not comment on the external HR investigation or allegations about his workplace conduct. He says he resigned of his own volition after accomplishing his goal of building an organization that unselfishly serves the public interest. “Working hard to achieve that was not easy, and I'm looking forward to taking a break, and then working on the 2024 elections,” he says.

Behind the scenes, the institute is now trying to recover from an ironic setback. A smart bunch of do-gooders full of advice on how tech companies can create more welcoming spaces couldn’t get their own house in order. Challenges that have plagued the tech industry—namely content moderation and allegations of workplace discrimination—proved just as pernicious for an institution stacked with relevant expertise and under no pressure to make a profit.

[beardedmrbean]

1. Eurostar hints at new destinations as it expands fleet for first time in ten years

High-speed railway operator Eurostar has announced it is working on "thoroughly renewing and expanding its fleet" with up to 50 new trains, while also hinting at extending its services to other destinations. Read more.

2. Brussels' linguistic evolution: English gains ground as French declines

The internationalisation of Brussels is increasingly reflected in the languages spoken in the region. The latest Language Barometer shows almost half of the region's citizens speak English fluently and Dutch speakers are on the rise, while French is losing ground. Read more.

(USA USA USA)

3. 'Proportionate restriction': ECHR upholds ban on Islamic veil in secondary education

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that it upholds the ban on hijabs in Flemish Community secondary schools. It rejected the applicants' complaint that the ban is incompatible with freedom of religion. Read more.

4. Dubai criminal paradise: Traffickers wanted in Belgium making millions selling UAE property

Several leaders of drug gangs have been able to buy, rent and sell villas and flats in Dubai in recent years, making hefty profits, despite being wanted, prosecuted or even convicted by Belgian law enforcement agencies. Read more.

5. Slovenian Prime Minister first serving EU leader to back 'European right to abortion'

As far-right and populist parties are predicted to make large gains in the forthcoming European elections, progressive leaders from Spain to Slovenia are joining the 'MyVoiceMyChoice' pro-choice campaign to protect women's reproductive rights. Read more.

6. Vietnamese trafficking network: Police close nail salons and arrest 17 people in Brussels

17 suspected members of a human trafficking ring were arrested last month. The suspects have been forcing Vietnamese migrants to work in nail salons in the Belgian capital for years, according to the Brussels Labour Audit Office. Read more.

7. Wallonia unveils 26 summer bathing spots for locals and tourists alike

Wallonia has unveiled 26 official outdoor swimming sites across the region this summer. Read more.

[coochiequeens]

Men are holding conferences to discuss how to have a child without a legal mother. Women opposed to surrogacy need to start organizing.

A national surrogacy organization will host a conference and expo—aimed at gay couples and individuals wishing to learn about surrogacy and gay parents that have already used surrogacy strategies—at Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St., from June 2-3.

New York City-based Men Having Babies (MHB) is organizing the event.

Yanir Dekel, MHB's Los Angeles-based Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, explained that MHB originated at New York City's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, where a group of gay men wishing to become biological parents began meeting in the mid-2000's.

"Up until then, it was expected that you would adopt—doing [in-vitro fertilization] was something that lesbians would do," said Dekel.

The group began bringing in speakers who instructed participants on ethical surrogacy strategies. Around the world, surrogacy is tied into national and local rights issues—LGBTQ+ individuals might be prohibited from attempting surrogacy, for example, while women who become surrogates might have few legal rights.

MHB "wanted to be human-rights advocates and make our own families," Dekel said, adding that the group developed "out of the needs of the community. We're a community organization. We're not a surrogacy agency. We're a non-profit organization."

The urge to have biological children is a human trait from which gay men are often not exempt, he explained.

"They want to see their their genes moving forward," Dekel added. "For me and my husband, we wanted two kids, and with the same egg donor. One of them is my biological [child] and the other is my husband's. To me, I saw it as a biological connection between my husband and myself."

Some couples and individuals are motivated to choose surrogacy by the lack of control they would have were they to pursue adoption as their main route for having children.

"You have to wait for other people to want you—it's not a proactive thing that you can make happen," said Dekel. "People are waiting two or three years, and eventually become tired of waiting. They say, 'I want to have control over the process. I'm going to do it myself.'"

MHB generally has conferences in seven or eight locations nationwide, as well as in cities such as Brussels, Berlin, Taipei and Tel Aviv.

"We're going where people have need [for information," Dekel said. "In America, we're trying to expand our work. … We're trying to serve the community across the board."

An important part of MHB's advocacy is not only instructing the community about surrogacy, but keeping gay parents in social networks with one another.

"As a gay dad myself, I want my kids to see families that look like ours, and I want to hang out with gay men whom I can talk about gay stuff with—talking about Mariah Carey, for example," Dekel explained. "I cannot talk about that with straight guys."

[thoughtportal]

If you’re a news junkie and read multiple news sources a day, you may notice sometimes that there is an article repeated almost word for word in more than one publication. That’s because the story originates from a wire service. News agencies like Reuters, Bloomberg, and the Associated Press (AP) hire journalists to write original articles that are published on the wire and picked up by a variety of subscribing news outlets. These articles will always have the journalist’s name included, and the news agency they work with.

In today’s changing and competitive media landscape, many outlets now rely on news agencies to provide their baseline news copy. This allows the outlet to employ fewer reporters and redirect resources instead to creating more robust editorial content to give the publication its unique flavour and characteristic “voice”.

News wires of all varieties were invented to help journalists do their job more effectively, and most are subscribed to

both news-agency and press-release-feed news wires. In fact, according to a study by Vitis Business Consulting, despite being quick to point out their flaws, 67 per cent of journalists use news wires with as many as 37 per cent checking them daily.

With our 24/7 news cycle and tech-dependent media landscape, it’s easy to forget that at one time, transmitting news from one location to the next was a multi-day affair. Without the benefit of the Internet, fax machine, or even a telephone, the early-mid 1800s were characterized by news being dependent on postal service and reporters going down to the docks in major coastal cities like Boston and New York to get transatlantic news from the ships arriving in port. But what about the reporters who didn’t live in a coastal city where they could access international news? And never mind international news, how did anyone quickly and efficiently find out about anything going on outside of their own city? Key words: “quickly” and “efficiently”.

Until the mid 1800s, news had to be transmitted through letters and the national postal service. Well, in 1846, five New York City newspapers decided that method wasn’t fast enough. Together they formed the Associated Press to create an express pony trail that would get news of the Mexican War to the northern United States quicker than the post. Shortly after, the Associated Press would have an even more effective tool at their disposal.

Enter the telegraph. The telegraph, developed by Samuel Morse (Morse code anyone?) in the 1830s and 1840s, allowed users to transmit and receive messages over long distances using wire and electricity. Telegraphs became a staple of news rooms world wide and were used to communicate news with each other. If a wire didn’t exist to connect certain cities, that’s where the carrier pigeons came in. In fact Reuters, now an internationally recognized news agency, began as a bird service, using pigeons to transmit messages between Brussels, Belgium and Aachen, Germany until the telegraph finally connected the two in the mid 1800’s.

As for international news, reporters still had to go down to the docks to meet the ships before heading back to transmit via telegraph to other news rooms in the region, until the first transatlantic wire came into permanent operation in the 1860s.

Since the telegraph’s transmission capacity was limited, the press discovered quite quickly that it was in their best interest to pool news-gathering, instead of competing for transmission over an already-crowded service.

The continued existence of multiple wire services proves that the benefits of news-pooling is still as relevant now as it was well over one hundred years ago. {read}

[ultyso]

Alt: “Israeli legal rights group issues warning ahead of expected rain. Tania Hary, executive director at Gisha – Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, has said on X that with rain expected in Gaza in the next few days, the lack of sewage treatment is ‘terrifying.’ UNRWA’s Gaza chief had warned earlier that with no fuel being allowed into the besieged coastal enclave, sewage is not being pumped away from homes and waste is not being collected. Thomas White called it a “serious threat to public health”.

Alt: “EU supports ‘immediate pauses’ in Gaza: Borrell. The bloc’s top diplomat made the comment during a news conference following a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels. The EU is calling for “immediate pauses and humanitarian corridors to be established in order to face the dire situation of the people in Gaza.”Reporting from Brussels, Al Jazeera’s Paul Brennan said the statement is an “incremental” shift from the bloc’s earlier appeal, which called for pauses but did not use the term “immediate”. Still, he said, the bloc has not called for an all out ceasefire, despite pressure from some members. Borrell also said he was traveling to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.”

Alt: “More from Gaza health ministry’s daily update. Gaza health ministry’s deputy director general Ismail al-Thawabta just gave the latest updates. Here’s what he said. Ten people – “kids, babies, patients and wounded” – were unable to be rescued at al-Shifa hospital due to operation rooms being shuttered from lack of fuel. If fuel shortage causes communications and internet black, which is projected to happen on Thursday, “all the crimes of Israel will be hidden from the world” and will move the humanitarian crisis from “bad to worse”. Fuel must be allowed into Gaza and Rafah crossing with Egypt must be fully opened. Israel and the international community – particularly the United States – are fully responsible for “crimes against civilians”. The fighting has also destroyed 41,120 residential properties; 94 government headquarters; 71 mosques destroyed; and 253 schools have been damaged. There has been $181m in direct agricultural losses, with 25 percent of agricultural farms destroyed.”

Alt: “‘All primary care for pregnant women has been lost’ Dr Haya Hijazi, who works at al-Hilo Hospital in Gaza City, has said that the collapse of the health system has meant there are no prenatal, neonatal or postpartum services catering to pregnant women, new mothers and newborns. UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, said that Gaza is home to 50,000 pregnant women.”

“It also said: 70 percent of those killed and injured so far are women and children. 5,500 women are due to give birth in the coming month – more than 180 births per day. Fuel, medicines, blood supply and other essentials for hospitals are running out. Two truckloads of Inter-agency Reproductive Health Kits have arrived in Gaza containing individual clean delivery kits and supplies and equipment for emergency obstetric care, including anesthesia and supplies for cesarean sections. Some 238 attacks against health care have been reported in the occupied Palestinian territories since the beginning of the hostilities, killing 517 people, according to WHO.”

Alt: “More from UNRWA’s Gaza chief. Thomas White said: “This morning, two of our main water distribution contractors ceased working – they simply ran out of fuel – which will deny 200,000 people potable water.”We earlier reported White’s warning that operations in Gaza by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) would shut down within two days due to fuel shortages. Israel has not allowed fuel to enter the Gaza Strip since before October 7. Earlier on Monday, the health ministry said all hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip had stopped functioning as a result of the impact of fuel shortages and intense ongoing fighting.”

Alt: “Al-Ahli now the ‘only hospital in all of Gaza City’: Doctor. Surgeon Ghassan Abu Sitta spoke to Al Jazeera from al-Ahli Hospital, which he said was now the only operating hospital in all of Gaza City after al-Shifa and al-Quds were forced to almost completely close. “Ever since the collapse of al-Shifa Hospital, we have become the only functioning Hospital in Gaza City,” he said. “If you recall, this is the hospital that was targeted initially by the Israelis at the beginning of the war and so parts of the hospital were damaged,” he said, referring to the October 17 blast at the hospital. Israel has denied it was behind that explosion, which Palestinian health officials said killed over 470 people.”

Alt: “Al-Quds hospital under ‘intense gunfire: Red Crescent. The Palestine Red Crescent says that Israeli military vehicles continue to surround the building, trapping patients and injured people, who have no food, water or power.”

Alt: “Doha denounces Israeli shelling of Qatari organisation in Gaza. Qatar has condemned the Israeli shelling of the Gaza Reconstruction Committee, calling it “a gross violation of international law and an extension of the Israeli modus operandi of targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure”. The foreign ministry called shelling the Gaza-based organisation is “an extension of Israel’s policy to target humans, especially since this committee works on alleviating the plight of Gaza’s population, which has been suffering from the long siege and ongoing aggression”. The ministry also demanded that Israel end its “false justifications” and the spread of “misinformation” that leads to the targeting of civilians and civilian installations.”

Sources at AlJazeera, Check out further updates there too.

[ammg-old2]

The dinner at Andrey Kurkov’s apartment was special. Kurkov and his British wife, Elizabeth, had invited a handy group of guests: Brazil’s ambassador to Kyiv, who was still in the Ukrainian capital after many of his diplomatic colleagues had fled; the head of the city’s medical history museum, which had its own subterranean morgue; and two writers working for Politico and the New York Review of Books. I apologised for being late. Kurkov brought me a bowl of borshch. It was delicious.

There was honey vodka, Odesan wine and pork zakusky. Kurkov passed around fascinating material taken from the files of the Bolshevik secret police. The daughter of a KGB general had discovered them in an attic after her father’s death. They were source material for Kurkov’s latest novel, and included records of interrogations – some typed, others written in curling Cyrillic letters. The papers dated from 1917 to 1921, when the Red Army had swept away a short-lived independent Ukrainian parliament based in Kyiv and had reclaimed the city for Lenin’s new Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Among the files were black-and-white photos of police suspects. They included three young men – one with crimped black hair, wearing a white blouse. Circus performers, the records said. There were portraits of a bourgeois young woman, smiling, debutante-like. And more conventional prison-style mugshots of arrestees with shaved heads. Most, I suspected, vanished into the vortex of the 1920s and 30s. Was history repeating itself a century later, with Moscow once more snuffing out Ukraine’s independence with another invasion?

Despite the premonitions, war that evening seemed unreal. Surely, Putin was bluffing. His uncompromising posture – on Nato and European security – was a gambit, was it not? The international community had listened politely to Putin’s tirades, shot through with familiar anti-western grudges and paranoia. In theory, Ukraine might join Nato. To say it couldn’t would be to violate the country’s democratic rights. But – whisper it in Brussels, where the headquarters of Nato is located – nobody expected Ukraine to join the alliance soon, if ever.

Putin, though, appeared to dwell in a strange and unreachable realm. There was an unexplained urgency to his machinations, a sense of haste. Was he ill? A neuroscientist had written to me diagnosing Parkinson’s disease, based on a review of the president’s rare public appearances, where he had difficulty moving his right arm. Cancer, perhaps? Or steroid addiction, which might explain his puffy cheeks?

Related to this was the more diffuse question of Putin’s mental wellbeing. Most Ukrainians I spoke with thought he had gone nuts. Former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko said he behaved logically within warped parameters. She described him to me as “absolutely rational, cold, cruel, black evil”, adding: “He’s driven by a sense of historical mission.” And then there was the issue of ultimate concern, too awful to contemplate. Was Putin crazy enough to launch a nuclear bomb?

One Ukrainian intelligence officer I spoke to said Putin lived in an alternative reality. He had convinced himself ordinary Ukrainians were “rural Russians” who would rise up and welcome their Russian liberators. The Kremlin’s spy agencies were complicit in this fantasy, the person suggested. This misconception would have large consequences.

Whatever the reason, Putin had gone beyond what you might imagine to be rational considerations of self-interest. The US, the EU and the UK had threatened the Russian government with massive retaliation should it attack Ukraine. This included a package of devastating sanctions that would destroy Russia’s economy if it was enacted. Did Putin really want to return Moscow to a pre-globalised existence without Visa card payments, Big Macs and aircraft parts – a sort of grey 21st-century USSR?

And then there was Kyiv. It was a colourful, modern European city of 3 million people. With its cafes and restaurants, Bolt cars and food-delivery guys on pedal bikes labouring up ancient cobbled boulevards, it felt like a cosmopolitan Berlin or Prague. You could order a taxi or an artisanal pizza by app. There was an art-house cinema and an underground bar not far from the French Renaissance opera house. (The bar was down a flight of steps, in an unmarked basement, open Wednesdays and Saturdays, by password only.) A contemporary capital, in short, where hipsters navigated the hills on electric scooters.

That evening, on the brink of war, people were out and about as usual. Kyivites had come up with a term for a possible Russian invasion – “Day X” – never quite believing it would happen. I was staying in a hotel on Yaroslaviv Val. The street was close to the heart of the capital. I walked past pavement florists selling tulips from buckets, and a violinist, busking in her usual evening spot and playing Édith Piaf’s La Vie en Rose.

It was inconceivable that Russian missiles might soon be landing amid such varied humanity and beauty. Kyiv’s art nouveau mansions were painted in the faded colours of a Victorian stamp album: lilac, buff, cerise and imperial green. My street was home to the Polish embassy. Across the road was the House of Actors, originally a synagogue, built in an imposing Moorish revival style. Four doors farther along was a late 19th-century building called the Baron’s House, a neo-gothic fantasy with a turret and two demonic gargoyles above the door. They had seen and outlasted war, revolution and Nazi occupation.

The dinner done, I embraced Kurkov and his wife before leaving to walk home. Their flat, it seemed at that moment, had everything you might wish for in life: love, good conversation, books, paintings and a tub filled with spring narcissi next to a kitchen window. Why would you ever leave such a place? But like most residents in the city, they had an emergency plan should the worst happen. Out on the street, I took a call from a well-placed contact who had served in Ukraine’s foreign ministry. He knew people, information, rumour. It was approaching midnight. The sky was a dark shiny velvet.

The invasion, he said, would begin at 4am.

[thxnews]

Canada's $55.4M Aid for Syria

In response to the ongoing Syrian crisis, Canada announced a significant increase in humanitarian assistance. On May 27, 2024, at the Brussels VIII Conference, Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen revealed an additional $55.4 million in funding, bringing Canada's total aid for Syria and its neighbors to $147.15 million for the year.  

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development. Photo by Cancillería del Perú. Flickr.  

Introduction

The Syrian crisis, now in its 13th year, has led to unprecedented humanitarian needs, affecting over 16 million people. Canada, through the leadership of Minister Ahmed Hussen, has pledged $55.4 million in new aid to help alleviate the crisis. This funding, announced at the Brussels VIII Conference, reaffirms Canada’s dedication to providing essential support to Syrian refugees and host countries.  

Canada's Humanitarian Efforts in Syria

Canada's new funding will be directed towards addressing critical needs in Syria and neighboring countries, including Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Türkiye. Over 6.8 million Syrian refugees are currently hosted in these countries, straining their resources and infrastructure.   Key Areas of Assistance - Food Security: Ensuring access to adequate nutrition for displaced Syrians. - Protection Services: Including prevention and response to gender-based violence. - Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene: Providing clean water and improving sanitation facilities. - Health Services: Focusing on sexual and reproductive health care. This comprehensive approach aims to address the most pressing needs of Syrian refugees and host communities, promoting stability and resilience in the region.  

Red Crescent in Syria. Direct Canadian support. Photo by British Red Cross. Flickr.   Canada’s Role in International Humanitarian Aid Since 2016, Canada has committed over $4.7 billion in funding for Syria and the region. This substantial contribution highlights Canada's role as a leading global humanitarian actor. Working through established partners like UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, Canada ensures that aid reaches the most vulnerable populations.   Minister Hussen emphasized, “The prolonged conflict in Syria has left millions of people requiring urgent assistance, a need further exacerbated by the devastating natural disasters that struck the region in February 2023. Canada stands in solidarity with the people of Syria and those in neighbouring countries affected by this ongoing crisis, and we will continue to work with international partners to address this dire humanitarian crisis.”   Impact on Host Countries The influx of Syrian refugees has significantly impacted host countries like Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq. Canada's assistance aims to not only support refugees but also strengthen the capacity of these countries to manage the increased demand for services. Development assistance funding is allocated through existing projects that benefit Syrian refugees and bolster local infrastructure and services. In Lebanon, for instance, part of the $147.15 million includes $26.75 million specifically for humanitarian aid. These funds enhance local healthcare systems, improve access to education, and provide essential resources to both refugees and host communities.  

Syrian Refugees Crisis. Photo by Freedom House. Flickr.  

Global and Local Perspectives

Canada's participation in the Brussels VIII Conference reaffirmed its commitment to addressing the Syrian crisis alongside the international community. The conference brought together global leaders to discuss sustainable solutions and reinforce solidarity with countries hosting Syrian refugees. This new funding announcement not only reinforces Canada’s position on the global stage but also resonates deeply with Canadian values of compassion and support for those in need. By investing in humanitarian aid and development projects, Canada is contributing to long-term stability and peace in the Middle East.   The Takeaway Canada's $55.4 million pledge at the Brussels VIII Conference highlights the nation's ongoing commitment to humanitarian efforts in Syria and neighboring countries. This funding will provide critical support to millions of people affected by the crisis, reaffirming Canada's role as a compassionate and proactive member of the international community. As the Syrian crisis continues, Canada's dedication to helping those in need remains unwavering, reflecting its core values and global responsibilities.   Sources: THX News, European Union & Global Affairs Canada. Read the full article

[pageinextremisbranding]

APPLiA's Revitalised Brand: A Gateway to the Future of the European Home Appliances Industry

Discover the innovative and redesigned APPLiA website, a dynamic and interactive platform that genuinely embodies the visual identity of APPLiA, a Brussels-based trade association representing one of Europe's largest manufacturing sectors for turnover and employment. As the voice of the home appliance industry in Europe, APPLiA substantially impacts our daily lives, and this website is a testament to that influence.

The creation of this engaging platform has been a collaboration of several months. Beginning with a detailed review of the brand's identity five years after its rebranding, the mission was steered by Paolo Falcioni, General Director of APPLiA, and his communications team conducted by Federica Lavoro, alongside the #Pageinextremis agency.

#Pageinextremis, responsible for the previous branding, worked in synergy with APPLiA's team to develop a system to evaluate the impact of the organisation's communication activities. This research, bolstered with questionnaires and workshops, strengthened the international association's visual system. This laid the foundation for the website's overhaul, aligning it with the world's rapid transformations in recent years.

The result perfectly embodies the new strategic direction of APPLiA's communications, serving the European home appliances sector. Dive in and enjoy the journey!

Get started with a tour of the 'Featured Content.' Immerse yourself in in-depth articles exploring the latest industry trends and initiatives. Understand the industry's role in Europe's net-zero emissions journey and how it prepares to fit into the 2050 landscape.

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[mariacallous]

Tatjana Zdanoka MEP has spent decades openly advocating for Moscow from both Riga and Strasbourg. The Insider can today reveal that Zdanoka was working on behalf of the FSB’s Fifth Service, reporting to two different handlers from at least 2004 to 2017.

Tatjana Zdanoka, a Latvian member of the European Parliament, has been a trusted asset of Russian intelligence since at least 2005, The Insider, in collaboration with the news site Delfi Estonia, Latvia’s Re:Baltica investigative journalism center, and Sweden’s Expressen newspaper, can disclose. Leaked emails between Zdanoka and her two known Russian case officers include explicit, detailed reports from Zdanoka to her handlers describing her work as a European legislator, particularly as those official duties relate to fostering pro-Kremlin sentiment in her native Baltic region. Other correspondence involves arranging physical meetings in Moscow or Brussels between Zdanoka and her Russian handler, along with requests for funding from Russian sources to underwrite her political activities in Latvia and the European Parliament. At least once she requested money for organizing a rally to commemorate the Red Army’s victory in World War II.

In an emailed response to The Insider, Zdanoka stated: “I cannot consider this text to be questions put to me because it is based on information that you supposedly have, which by definition, you should not have.”

The Insider has confirmed that Zdanoka’s two documented handlers have been officers of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), the successor agency to the Soviet-era KGB. According to the emails, her first case officer was a veteran FSB cadre from the St. Petersburg central directorate, Dmitry Gladey, 74, who ran Zdanoka from approximately 2004 to 2013. After 2013, Zdanoka was in regular contact with Sergei Beltyukov, an FSB operative since 1993.

Zdanoka told The Insider she has met “thousands of people” and cannot remember anyone named Beltyukov, which may be because he communicated with her using the cryptonym “Sergey Krasin.” The Insider followed up by asking if Zdanoka could confirm knowing anyone by that name or meeting him in person. She did not respond in time for publication of this story.

Zdanoka did, however, confirm knowing Gladey for decades, having met “in the early 1970s at a tourist base in the North Caucasus, where they were learning to ski.” However, she denied having any knowledge that Gladley is a Russian spy. “I can testify that the only people with whom I have sat at the same table, and with the certain knowledge that they are/were Russian FSB officers, are Vladimir Putin and Sergei Naryshkin,” Zdanoka said. (Naryshkin is the current director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), the successor of the KGB’s First Chief Directorate.)

Alice Bah Kuhnke, an MEP from Sweden’s Green Party and the former Minister of Culture and Democracy in Stockholm, is vice president of the Greens/European Free Alliance to which Zdanoka belonged until April 2022. Kuhnke said news of Zdanoka’s espionage struck her as “terrible [but] unsurprising.After all, we [both] receive ongoing reports in the European Parliament, as parliamentarians. And I know, since I was a minister in the government of Sweden, about how Russia and Putin's agents work, and they have networks everywhere.”

[beardedmrbean]

1. One person killed in third shooting around Porte de Hal this week

One person was shot dead in Saint-Gilles at around 06:00 on Wednesday morning in the same location as Tuesday's shooting. This is the third incident to take place in the area around the Porte de Hal this week. Read more.

2. Four shootings in three days: What is happening around Porte de Hal?

Four shootings have taken place in the area of Porte de Hal area over the past few days – with several people injured and one dead. As drug-related violence is escalating, local authorities are calling for stronger measures. Read more.

3. Belgium's quirky traditions: Orange throwing at Binche Carnival

Belgium's carnival season is underway, with small towns around the country rising to national attention as they display peculiar traditions and spectacular costumes. Especially renowned is Binche Carnival, where the custom of throwing oranges sets it apart. Read more.

4. Belgium issues two new state bonds in March, but limits subscriptions

Belgium will again issue state bonds – one with a one-year term and one with a three-year term – on 4 March, but it will limit the amount raised to €6 billion and may close the subscription early, the Debt Agency announced in a press release on Tuesday afternoon. Read more.

5. 'Unique property': Smallest house in Brussels put up for sale

What is believed to be the smallest house in Brussels has been put up for sale. The house, which is full of character but is due for renovation, can be bought for just under €200,000. Read more.

6. 'Addiction is not loyalty:' Belgium urged to tighten gambling policy

As the number of online gamblers has doubled in four years, several organisations are now calling on Belgium's Federal Government to strengthen its gambling policy against the dangers of addiction. Read more.

7. Belgium's highest prices: Most expensive and cheapest communes in Brussels

While the entire region is the most expensive in the country for buying property, there are large discrepancies in Brussels' housing market. The difference between the lowest and highest median price was around €400,000 in 2023. Read more.

[goatles]

[Anti-genderists] position themselves as challengers of the existing elites (the vaguely defined “they”), protectors of the world’s colonized peoples, the disenfranchised and economically disadvantaged, whose livelihoods as well as authentic cultures and traditional value systems are threatened by globalization. An unexamined assumption underlying the anti- gender worldview is not only that local and authentic cultural identity is always “familial,” that is socially conservative and heteronormative, but also that gender conservatism constitutes this sovereign identity’s essential core. Anti-genderists fashion themselves as defenders of an oppressed, silent majority, as in a 2015 in- flight interview, where Pope Francis stressed that “colonizing empires […] seek to make peoples forget their own identity and make them (all) equal” (Pope Francis 2015). This populist strategy allows anti- gender actor to justify attacks on enemies or even violence by claiming the need for self- defense against all- powerful forces. (...) The anti- gender movement portrays itself as a safe haven from the turbulent and dangerous world, a sort of Heimat to use a term popular in Germany. Genderism is portrayed as a global force, while resistance is always presented as local. (...) Conservative parenthood has emerged globally as a new political identity, a site of social solidarity and a form of resistance in relation to the state, transnational institutions, the market and feminism, which is viewed here primarily as a form of individualism. Within this framework, feminism is presented as an integral part of neoliberalism, while the traditional family becomes the last frontier of resistance, a place where there is still hope and a sense of community. It is a narrative with enormous affective power, one that endows subjects with a sense of dignity and collective agency, while at the same time giving voice to anxiety, which results from increasingly precarious working and living conditions under global capitalism.

-- Agnieszka Graff, Elżbieta Korolczuk: Gender as “Ebola from Brussels”: The uses and abuses of the anti- colonial frame

[newstfionline]

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Canada’s maple syrup in a sticky situation (BBC) Canada’s maple syrup reserve—the world’s only—has reached a 16-year low, raising questions about the future of a globally loved sweet staple in the face of climate change. The reserve, located in Quebec, is designed to hold 133 million pounds of maple syrup at any given year. But in 2023, the supply fell to 6.9 million pounds (3.1 million kg). Experts link the shortage to both a rise in demand and warmer weather, which has disrupted production. Canada’s billion-dollar maple syrup industry accounts for 75% of the world’s entire maple syrup production.

Crew aboard Dali all survived bridge crash ‘by God’s grace’ (Washington Post) The director of a Baltimore ministry heard a loud boom in the wee hours of Tuesday and figured it was thunder. Then he woke up, turned on the radio and learned that the noise had been the sound of a catastrophe—the crash of a ship into a bridge that involved merchant sailors he had seen just hours earlier. Andrew Middleton, director of the local Apostleship of the Sea, texted a seafarer aboard the 985-foot container ship Dali. “Is everyone on board safe?” he asked at 6:03 a.m. Five minutes later, the crew member replied. “Yes. By God’s grace.” Their exchange is the first publicly reported communication from a mariner aboard the vessel, which lost power and slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.

South Carolina has $1.8 billion but doesn’t know where the money came from or where it should go (AP) South Carolina has collected about $1.8 billion in a bank account over the past decade and state and private accountants are still trying to figure out where the cash came from and where it was supposed to go. “It’s like going into your bank and the bank president tells you we have a lot of money in our vault but we just don’t know who it belongs to,” said Republican Sen. Larry Grooms, who is leading a Senate panel investigating the problem. It’s the latest trouble with the state’s books and the two agencies, typically led by elected officials, that are in charge of making sure government accounts stay balanced.

Fleeing violence in Haiti (Foreign Policy) France airlifted around 240 people from Haiti on Wednesday as gang violence escalates in the capital, Port-au-Prince. More than 170 evacuees were French citizens and around 70 others were foreign nationals. Paris’s decision echoes other nations’ efforts to evacuate their citizens, including a Canadian flight to the Dominican Republic on Monday and U.S. flights the same day to Miami, Florida. The evacuations come amid a surge in armed attacks over the past month on key infrastructure across Port-au-Prince by gangs that have repeatedly targeted police stations; released thousands of prisoners; and closed roads, hospitals, and Toussaint Louverture International Airport. Mired in an ongoing political crisis, the country has been unable to stop the violence.

Spraying manure and throwing beets, farmers in tractors again block Brussels to protest EU policies (AP) Farmers threw beets, sprayed manure at police and set hay alight on Tuesday as hundreds of tractors again sealed off streets close to the European Union headquarters, where agriculture ministers sought to ease a crisis that has led to months of protests across the 27-member bloc. The farmers protested what they see as excessive red tape and unfair trading practices as well as increased environmental measures and cheap imports from Ukraine. “Let us make a living from our profession,” read one billboard on a tractor blocking a main thoroughfare littered with potatoes, eggs and manure. As the protests turned into violence again, police used tear gas and water cannons to keep farmers and some 250 tractors at bay. Authorities asked commuters to stay out of Brussels and work from home as much as possible.

Ukrainian navy says a third of Russian warships in the Black Sea have been destroyed or disabled (AP) Ukraine has sunk or disabled a third of all Russian warships in the Black Sea in just over two years of war, the navy spokesman said Tuesday, a heavy blow to Moscow’s military capability. Ukraine’s Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk told The Associated Press that the latest strike on Saturday night hit the Russian amphibious landing ship Kostiantyn Olshansky that was resting in dock in Sevastopol in Russia-occupied Crimea. The ship was part of the Ukrainian navy before Russia captured it while annexing the Black Sea peninsula in 2014. Pletenchuk has previously announced that two other landing ships of the same type, Azov and Yamal, also were damaged in Saturday’s strike along with the Ivan Khurs intelligence ship. He told the AP that the weekend attack, which was launched with Ukraine-built Neptune missiles, also hit Sevastopol port facilities and an oil depot.

Anti-Christian Attacks Surge as Hindu Nationalism Grows (Christianity Today) The number of violent anti-Christian incidents in India jumped to 601 in 2023 compared to 413 the previous year, according to a new report from the Evangelical Fellowship of India’s Religious Liberty Commission (EFI-RLC). India is home to about 28 million Christians, or about two percent of the country’s population of 1.4 billion. The majority of attacks on Christians were categorized as threats and harassment (201) followed by 146 instances of false accusations and subsequent arrests. The report follows and reinforces the narrative of the 2024 World Watch List released earlier this year by Christian persecution watchdog Open Doors, which ranks India at number 11, noting the sustained rise of Hindu nationalism: “Any Christian who does convert from Hinduism is most likely to come under intense pressure or even violence. They can face constant pressure to renounce their new faith, face job loss/discrimination, endure physical assaults, and even be murdered. Church leaders are also in danger in many parts of India: extremists target them (along with their families) to create fear and chaos in the Christian community.”

South Korea doctors’ strike widens as medical professors join protests (Guardian) South Korea’s doctors’ strike is widening as medical professors across the nation say they’re going to join the collective action, which currently only involves trainee doctors who are protesting pay disparities and a government plan to sharply increase medical school admissions. The head of the Medical Professors Association of Korea said that medical professors would begin their strike by scaling back outpatient treatment to focus on patients with critical needs, while some professors are expected to turn in their resignations soon. The professors will be backing trainee doctors’ claims that adding 2,000 additional medical students per year will degrade the quality of Korea’s medical services.

Hong Kong official warns online criticism could breach new national security law (Guardian) Hong Kong’s justice minister has warned that posting and sharing criticism of the city’s newly enacted national security law could be in breach of the legislation, which lays down harsh penalties for sedition. Secretary for justice Paul Lam said in a televised interview on Sunday that a person might commit an offence if they reposted online critical statements issued by foreign countries and persons overseas, depending on their “intention and purpose”. The Article 23 legislation, which came into force on Saturday, includes penalties of up to life imprisonment for five categories of crime including treason, insurrection, espionage, sabotage and external interference. It also expands the British colonial-era offence of “sedition” to include inciting hatred against China’s Communist party leadership. Hong Kong security chief Chris Tang said in the same interview that additional evidence such as “what you keep at home and what other acts you have done” would have to be collected to facilitate prosecution. “As I often said, if you breached the law, I will definitely find evidence against you,” Tang said.

7 Lebanese and an Israeli killed in an exchange of fire along the Lebanon-Israel border (AP) An Israeli airstrike on a paramedics center linked to a Lebanese Sunni Muslim group in south Lebanon killed seven of its members early Wednesday and triggered a rocket attack from Lebanon that killed one person in northern Israel, officials said. The strike on the village of Hebbariye came after a day of airstrikes and rocket attacks between Israel’s military and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group along the Lebanon-Israel border, raising concerns of further escalation along the frontier that has been active for the past five months of the Israel-Hamas war. The airstrike after midnight Tuesday hit an office of the Islamic Emergency and Relief Corps, according to the Lebanese Ambulance Association. It was one of the deadliest single attacks since violence erupted along the border. The paramedics association listed the names of seven volunteers who were killed in the strike. It said the strike was “a flagrant violation of humanitarian work.”

Israel Presses On With Strikes in Gaza After U.N. Cease-Fire Resolution (NYT) The Israeli military pressed on with its bombardment of the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, signaling that the passing of a United Nations resolution calling for a cease-fire for the holy month of Ramadan the day before had not shaken Israel’s determination to keep fighting. The military said its fighter jets had struck “over 60 targets” in Gaza over the previous day. It added that its forces were also operating in central Gaza, where it said they had killed “a number of terrorists.” Wafa, the Palestinian Authority’s news agency, said Tuesday that the Israeli military had struck residential homes and buildings and that dozens of people were killed. In a statement, the Israeli military added that it was continuing its “operational activity” around Al-Amal Hospital and the town of Al-Qarara, in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza, adding that its forces were “eliminating terrorists and carrying out targeted raids on terrorist infrastructure.”

Majority of Americans Disapprove of Israel’s Actions in Gaza, New Poll Shows (NYT) A majority of Americans disapprove of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, in a pronounced shift from November, according to a new poll released by Gallup on Wednesday. In a survey conducted from March 1-20, 55 percent of U.S. adults said they disapproved of Israel’s military actions—a jump of 10 percentage points from four months earlier, Gallup found. Americans’ approval of Israel’s conduct in the war dropped by an even starker margin, from 50 percent in November, a month after the war began, to 36 percent in March. The findings are the latest evidence of growing American discontent with Israel over the course of the five months in which it has killed more than 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including nearly 14,000 children, according to local health officials and the United Nations. Israeli officials say roughly 1,200 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7.

A decade of documenting more than 63,000 migrant deaths shows that fleeing is more lethal than ever (AP) More than a decade ago, the death of 600 migrants and refugees in two Mediterranean shipwrecks near Italian shores shocked the world and prompted the U.N. migration agency to start recording the number of people who died or went missing as they fled conflict, persecution or poverty to other countries. Governments around the world have repeatedly pledged to save migrants’ lives and fight smugglers while tightening borders. Yet 10 years on, a report by the International Organization for Migration’s Missing Migrants Project published Tuesday shows the world is no safer for people on the move. On the contrary, migrant deaths have soared. Since tracking began in 2014, more than 63,000 have died or are missing and presumed dead, according to the Missing Migrants Project, with 2023 the deadliest year yet. “The figures are quite alarming,” Jorge Galindo, a spokesperson at IOM’s Global Data Institute, told The Associated Press. “We see that 10 years on, people continue to lose their lives in search of a better one.”

Vinyl (The Verge) For the second year in a row, vinyl records outsold CDs, with people buying 43 million vinyl records and just 37 million CDs. Vinyl accounted for $1.4 billion worth of revenue compared to just $537 million from CDs. Streaming dwarfs them all—$14.4 billion in revenue—and scored 84 percent of the music revenues in the U.S.

[inextremisnews]

Teaming Up for Better Returns: How Migration and Development Joined Hands

In a world where people move across borders, helping them settle back in their home countries can be tough. That's where the Technical Working Group on Reintegration & Development steps in. They started in 2018 under a bigger project called the Return and Reintegration Facility, bringing together experts who care about migration and development to help returnees.

They work together to link helpful services with existing programs, making the journey back home smoother for migrants. This teamwork helps returnees and also gets the migration and development sectors to work better together.

One cool thing they made is the "Operational Framework." It's a guide that helps them plan and monitor their work to make sure they're helping returnees in a good and fair way.

To spread the word about what TWG R&D does, Camilla Baouchi Habre, Francesco Tosi, and the Pageinextremis agency created a website. It explains how TWG R&D helps out and provides info for anyone curious about how to help returnees.

TWG R&D is part of a bigger European network, showing that many countries and big European groups are on board with this.

The journey of TWG R&D is about growing understanding and finding practical ways to help, dreaming of a world where migration and development teams work hand in hand for a brighter, more supportive future for everyone.

In Brussels, Pageinextremis is acclaimed for delivering significant web-focused communication projects for esteemed institutions, European associations, and global private groups.

Considering a partnership with us?

The communication agency thrives in rendering brands into interactive conversational entities, supporting organisations in establishing a robust engagement with their stakeholders whilst conveying their messages effectively.