Belgium in Brief: New month, new rules, new events

With February being the shortest month (even with its extra day this year), the new month full of changes to Belgium's rules came even quicker than usual this time around.

From a bigger bonus for people ditching their polluting cars, limited opening hours of ticket offices in train stations and cheaper internet for low-income households, a lot is changing in March.

For those looking to start March on a more cultural note, many museums offer free entry on the first Sunday of the month, and this weekend promises art exhibitions in abundance, a music festival for children, an Asian pop culture extravaganza and folkloric festivities.

To celebrate 100 years of surrealism, two exhibitions on Belgium's famous avant-garde movement are ongoing in Brussels: one in Bozar and the other in Brussels' Royal Museums of Fine Arts (KMSKB).

On another note, the 'Made in Asia' festival is also taking place at Brussels Expo from today. Heralded as the meeting place for fans of manga, anime, video games, YouTubers and cosplay, the festival promises dancing Chinese lions, the beautiful sound of Japanese Koto string instruments and blaring K-pop.

In addition to the extensive Asian food hall, there will also be massages, tea ceremonies, Mahjong, calligraphy, and Japanese language learning.

1. Why Brussels became the capital of the EU

For more than 65 years, Brussels has hosted the European Commission and other key European institutions. But the city’s role as the de facto capital of the EU was far from inevitable. Read more.

2. Cheaper internet and extra money to ditch your car: What changes on 1 March?

After the shorter month of February, March has come around fast, bringing more changes to the rules put in place in Belgium. This month, these include a bigger bonus for people ditching their polluting cars, limited opening hours of train station ticket offices and cheaper internet for low-income households. Read more.

3. What to do in Brussels this weekend: 1 - 3 March

As well as being the first Sunday of the month (when many museums offer free entry), this weekend promises art exhibitions in abundance, a music festival for children, an Asian pop culture extravaganza and folkloric festivities. Read more.

4. 41% more terrorism and extremism threats in 2023

The threat level in Belgium remains high, with Brussels in particular a potential target – as October's terror attack proved. Belgium's Threat Assessment Body (OCAD) has observed a significant rise in threats in 2023. The second-highest threat level remains in place. Read more.

5. KU Leuven criticised for 'reactive' condemnation of far-right event on campus

KU Leuven has lodged a complaint against far-right political activist Dries Van Langenhove and has banned the student association that hosted him from using campus facilities until 2025. Read more.

6. Live phone images of fire can now be shared with Brussels emergency centre

People calling the emergency centre of the Brussels fire brigade can now share live images of the incident they are calling about via their smartphone. It is the first Belgian rescue zone to facilitate this. Read more.

7. Over a quarter of bees from Flemish beekeepers did not survive winter

Beekeepers in Flanders lost an average of 27% of their bee population this winter, according to figures from the Flemish Beekeeping Institute (VBI). 10% of beekeepers even lost all their bees. Read more.

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Human trafficking in Airbnbs: Flemish cities collaborate to tackle growing problem

Several cities in Flanders are working together to tackle abuse of rental platforms such as Airbnb and Booking, as they fear a recent increase in migrant workers, sex workers and asylum seekers being exploited in tourist rooms.

The cities of Antwerp and Genk (in the Limburg province) are looking into how to tackle human trafficking in private homes and tourist lodgings, specifically concerning sex workers, asylum seekers and migrant workers.

"It is a new phenomenon, and we first need to understand it. We want to protect these vulnerable groups from exploitation," Genk mayor Wim Dries (CD&V) said on Flemish radio. To investigate this, Genk and Antwerp are collaborating with the Dutch cities of Tilburg and Amsterdam in the 'Confine 2.0' project.

"Antwerp has picked up signals that rental platforms are being abused and asked us to cooperate, because we already set up a similar 'Confine' project together six years ago," Dries said.

Manifest malpractices

That investigation, in 2018, targeted the exploitation of staff in Thai massage parlours in Antwerp and in hand carwashes in Genk. "Now we first want to see how big the problem is in our cities. In the coming months, we are going to check whether the rental websites are being abused for human trafficking."

To investigate the abuse of lodgings offered over the internet, the cities are cooperating with the police. "With special software, we scan the internet and get in touch with those people," Antwerp mayor Bart De Wever (N-VA) told Belga News Agency.

"Then we can check who they are, whether they are in a precarious situation and whether they do have a passport. We remind them of their rights and refer them to sex workers' counsellors. And if there are manifest malpractices, action can also be taken."

Just last weekend, De Wever closed down for one month a premise on Boomgaardstraat in Berchem because three vulnerable sex workers were working there: for a room with a shared bathroom, they were paying an average of €500 a week. Last year, eight Airbnb's were also shut administratively in the city of Antwerp because they were not being used for tourists.

"We want to find out whether there is a form of exploitation, for example whether the landlords renting to these vulnerable target groups generate abnormal profits from these rentals," Annemie De Boye of the Arrondissement Information and Expertise Centre (Ariec) told VRT. The Ariec is an alliance of government departments in the fight against organised crime.

While there is nothing illegal about renting rooms to sex workers, asylum seekers or migrant workers, De Boye stressed that it is best to avoid mixing tourism with this form of housing.

The most well-known rental platforms – such as Airbnb and Booking – are also the ones most used for possible exploitation of people, she said. "But we know that temporary employment agencies, often working in the Netherlands and Belgium at the same time, also use this. We now want to enter into dialogue with those hiring platforms to tackle certain forms of human trafficking."

Police in other municipalities are also noticing abusive rental platforms. In the Hasselt police zone (Limburg), there have even been a dozen reports from local residents or other witnesses for a year. "We come across situations such as prostitutes working off the books, but sometimes we also see that their living conditions are not okay. There is also sometimes pimping, which has to be punished," said Dorien Baens of the local police.

In Antwerp, De Wever hopes that the results of 'Confine 2.0' will be known by the end of this year. "I hope that by then we will have a kind of manual with measures to take and policies to put in place to act in time against abuse of online lodging."

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Planes collide and catch fire at Japan’s busy Haneda airport, killing 5. Hundreds evacuated safely

A Japan Airlines plane is on fire on the runway of Haneda airport on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024 in Tokyo, Japan. The passenger plane collided with a Japanese coast guard aircraft and burst into flames on the runway of Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Tuesday, officials said. (Kyodo News via AP)

TOKYO (AP) — A large passenger plane and a Japanese coast guard aircraft collided on the runway at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Tuesday and burst into flames, killing five people aboard the coast guard plane, officials said.

All 379 people on Japan Airlines flight JAL-516 got out safely before the Airbus A350 was fully engulfed in flames, Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito confirmed.

The pilot of the coast guard’s Bombardier Dash-8 plane escaped but the five crew members died, Saito said. The aircraft was preparing to take off to deliver aid to an area affected by a major earthquake on Monday, officials said.

Television footage showed an orange fireball erupting from the Japan Airlines plane as it collided while landing, and the airliner then spewed smoke from its side as it continued down the runway. Within 20 minutes, all passengers and crew members slid down emergency chutes to get away.

As firefighters tried to put out the blaze with streams of water, the area around the passenger plane’s wing caught fire. The flames spread throughout the plane, which eventually collapsed. The fire was extinguished after about six hours.

Tuesday’s accident was the first severe damage to an Airbus A350, among the industry’s newest large passenger planes. It entered commercial service in 2015. Airbus said in a statement it was sending specialists to help Japanese and French officials investigating the accident, and that the plane was delivered to Japan Airlines in late 2021.

The A350 had flown from Shin Chitose airport near the city of Sapporo, the transport minister said.

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African countries with the best startup ecosystems

 Top 10 African countries with the best startup ecosystems in 2023

Nairobi city 

South Africa leads with cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg, which have a vibrant, private sector-led startup scene.

Nigeria stands out with significant funding and high valuations in the African startup scene.

Kenya has become an innovative tech hub, especially for mobile payment solutions.

The tech startup scene in sub-Saharan Africa has experienced significant growth, making the region a hub of innovation. Based on the Global Startup Ecosystem Index, we highlight the top ten African countries with thriving startup ecosystems.

These countries have shown remarkable achievements in funding, deal count, and sector-specific advancements, attracting entrepreneurs and investors alike.

1. South Africa

Skyline of Johannesburg, South Africa

The South African startup ecosystem is one of the most promising on the continent. With economically successful cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa has a vibrant, private sector-led startup scene. Cape Town, in particular, has emerged as a tech hub and has attracted direct foreign investment as well as talented workers from around the country. It is also the most popular digital nomad hub in Africa.

2. Mauritius

Port Louis Mauritius

Mauritius is the 2nd highest-ranked country in Africa, bypassing Kenya, Nigeria, and Egypt this year. With a small but healthy startup ecosystem, thanks to a tight-knit community of freelancers and entrepreneurs, Mauritius has a relatively developed physical infrastructure that serves as a solid foundation for new businesses.

3. Kenya

Nairobi City skyline.

One of the most advanced economies in Africa, Kenya has become an innovative tech hub, especially for mobile payment solutions. Kenya’s pioneering status as a leading continental ecosystem is even more impressive considering the relatively low population compared to countries such as Nigeria.

4. Nigeria

Lagos CBD skyline

With a massive consumer market, Nigeria and its capital, Lagos, have become a leading startup hub in Africa. The country now tops Africa's unicorn charts, with companies such as Flutterwave and OPay rapidly expanding regionally.

5. Egypt

   

Cairo city 

Egypt’s startup ecosystem is one of the strongest in North Africa, dominantly led by its capital’s ecosystem, Cairo. The Egyptian ecosystem displays great potential, given the sheer size of the Egyptian market and population of over 110 million people. Egypt also offers entrepreneurs and foreign companies access to skilled and affordable talent. In 2023, Egypt achieved a major milestone by creating its first unicorn, MNT-Halan.

6 Ghana

Accra - Ghana

Ghana’s startup ecosystem is constantly evolving and receiving foreign direct investment, mentorship, training, and other types of support from various organisations, including the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT and 3 Day Startup. One of the key initiatives in this ecosystem is the development of the Ghana Startup & Innovation Bill, which is still in progress.

7. Cape Verde

Cape Verde - Praia 

A new and energetic community of local entrepreneurs has already formed on the Island and is generating high-quality innovations with the potential to expand regionally and globally. Additionally, the Cabo Verde Remote Working Program allows digital nomads to stay in the country for six months with an option to extend for another six months. Additionally, the green card is a permanent residence permit for foreigners willing to relocate to Cape Verde and benefit from tax exemptions.

8. Senegal

Dakar, Senegal

Senegal is becoming increasingly popular for entrepreneurs and investors wanting to do business in West Africa. This is due to its favourable business climate and robust institutions. One of the largest seaports in the region is located in Dakar, Senegal, allowing quick access to European and North American markets.

9. Namibia

Windhoek

The Namibian startup scene offers local entrepreneurs a secure and stable environment that promotes entrepreneurship and innovation in the region. The main challenges for Namibian startup ecosystems are the lack of physical infrastructure, heavy bureaucracy and administrative requirements, access to the market, and low levels of funding for startups.

10. Tunisia

Central downtown Tunis (Image Source: Imen Hentati) 

The Tunisian startup ecosystem is still in the early phase of its development, but the total startup funding raised by the Tunisian tech startups increased significantly in 2022. The Tunisian government is well aware of the importance of creating startup hubs and has introduced the startup support organisation Startup Tunisia.

Credit to VICTOR OLUWOLE

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African countries projected to have the lowest economic growth in 2024

 10 African countries projected to have the lowest economic growth in 2024

10 African countries projected to have the lowest economic growth in 2024

Business Insider Africa presents the top 10 African countries projected to have the lowest economic growth in 2024.

This list is courtesy of the International Monetary Fund. 

Equatorial Guinea has its own economic growth percentage of less than zero. 

The global economic environment is always changing, and as 2024 approaches, certain nations are exhibiting encouraging signals of notable economic development, while the prospects of others are not exactly as encouraging.

Africa is no exception as some countries are projected to experience a rapid economic rise, while some are projected to live less than their full potential.

While the continent has shown resilience and potential for growth in various sectors, certain nations face challenges that might impede their economic advancement.

Factors such as political instability, external debt burdens, inadequate infrastructure, and reliance on specific sectors are contributing to the projected slow growth in some African economies.

According to the International Monetary Fund, the growth of developing and emerging market economies is expected to moderately fall from 4.1% in 2022 to 4.0% in 2023 and 2024, as seen in its October World Economic Output report.

The report titled, Navigating Global Divergencies also noted that global inflation is expected to gradually decrease as a result of tighter monetary policy supported by decreasing international commodity prices, from 8.7% in 2022 to 6.9% in 2023 and 5.8% in 2024.

This underscores the sluggish economic performance some African countries are projected to experience, and below are 10 of the worst hits.

1. Equatorial Guinea -5.5

2. Sudan 0.3

3. South Africa 1.8

4. Tunisia 1.9

5. Lesotho 2.3

6. São Tomé and Príncipe 2.4

7. Central African Republic 2.5

8. Gabon 2.6

9. Ghana 2.7

10 Namibia 2.7

Cc:CHINEDU OKAFOR

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Kenya has reduced government spending

 Local Leaders
Under its new administration, Kenya has reduced government spending

According to the most recent statistics, the cost of running the national government in Kenya declined slightly in the first quarter of the current fiscal year.

President William Ruto hosted the 22nd Extra-Ordinary Summit of the East African Community Heads of State

In the three months through September, the Ruto government spent Sh268.10 billion on administration, operations, and maintenance, as well as salaries and compensation, a 2.90 percent decrease from Sh276.11 billion in the same time the previous year

The Sh8.01 billion year-on-year decrease in day-to-day operating costs for the administration, Parliament, the Judiciary, and independent bodies is mostly due to lower election spending following the completion of the contentious polls in the first quarter of last fiscal year.

According to statistics released by Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung'u, recurrent expenditure for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has dropped from Sh10.33 billion to Sh544.52 million, indicating the expense of the traditionally high-stakes elections on taxpayers.

Excluding the IEBC's recurring costs, the national government's operating expenses were almost steady compared to the previous year, rising by 0.66 percent, or Sh1.77 billion, to Sh267.55 billion.

The rising costs of debt payment have now surpassed those for operating, maintaining, and compensating employees, underscoring the impact of the commercial loans taken out over the past ten years to build desperately needed roads, bridges, power plants, and a new railway line.

For instance, during the three-month review period, debt charges devoured Sh347.22 billion, surpassing the daily cost of administering the government, which includes salaries and wages, by 29.51 percent, or Sh79.13 billion.

Since taking office a year ago, the Ruto government has struggled to reduce recurrent costs, while promising to lower the previous administration's spending by up to Sh300 billion during the previous fiscal year.

This became clear when the recurrent expenses for the fiscal year that ended in June came in at Sh43.17 billion more than the Sh1.18 trillion that Uhuru Kenyatta's administration had planned.

Head of the Public Service Felix Koskei announced that the State will no longer reimburse expenses incurred on trips taken by government officials for benchmarking and study visits, training and related capacity-building initiatives, research, academic meetings, and symposia. This is part of a renewed effort to control growth in recurrent expenditures.

Conferences and meetings with open enrollment, side events, and exhibitions, as well as committee and association meetings and activities, are additional costs that will be reduced as part of the new austerity effort.

“Public institutions wishing to travel and participate in any of the pipeline events in the above categories are required to request for virtual participation where available and, alternatively, engage the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs to ensure on-the-spot participation of diplomatic officials in the country of reference,” Mr. Koskei wrote in the memo.

Cc. CHINEDU OKAFOR

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 The Most Spoken Language in Every U.S. State (Besides English and Spanish)

The Most Spoken Language in Every U.S. State (Besides English and Spanish)

While 78% of Americans speak only English at home, between 350 and 430 languages can be found in the United States.

Spanish is the second most common language, spoken in 62% of non-English-speaking households.

In this graphic, WordFinderX used Census data to uncover the most spoken languages (aside from English and Spanish) in American neighborhoods.

German is the Most Spoken Language in 13 States

During the mid-18th century, German immigrants played a significant role in early American society. They constituted one-third of the population of American colonies, ranking second in numbers only to the English.

As a consequence, German now stands as the third most prevalent language in 13 states, with over 40 million Americans claiming German ancestry.

State Most Spoken Language (Besides English and Spanish)

Alaska Aleut languages

Alabama German

Arkansas German

Arizona Navajo

California Chinese

Colorado German

Connecticut Portuguese

District of Columbia French

Delaware Chinese

Florida Haitian Creole

From military aid to ideological support, France played a pivotal role in the success of the American Revolution. More than two centuries later, approximately 9.4 million people in the U.S. claim French or French-Canadian ancestry.

In the Midwest, French stands as the most spoken language (following English and Spanish) in four major cities.

In the Midwest’s largest city, Chicago, Polish is the third-most common spoken language.

Asian Languages in the American West

The American West is home to 45% of all U.S. Asians, making Asian languages the most spoken in many cities, following English and Spanish.

Tagalog is the most spoken language in nine cities, ranging from Anchorage, Alaska, where half of the local Asian community is Filipino, to Las Vegas, Nevada, home to one of the largest Filipino-American communities in the country.

Chinese dominates in California and Washington, while Japanese ranks as the third most common language in Hawaii.

The Most Spoken Languages in New York

In the late 1800s, people worldwide chose to emigrate to the United States, leaving their homes due to crop failure, land and job shortages, rising taxes, and famine. Many also saw the U.S. as a land of economic opportunity.

More than 70% of all immigrants entered through New York City, which came to be known as the “Golden Door.”

As a result, the city today has an eclectic mix of languages.

While numerous languages across America thrive, some face imminent extinction. These include rare regional dialects, like the Pawpaw French in Minnesota, and indigenous languages.

According to the National Congress of American Indians, all surviving Native American languages are severely endangered, with over 90% of them at risk of extinction by 2050.

Various initiatives, including leveraging technology, have been proposed to ensure the preservation of the diverse cultures and languages in the U.S. 

This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.

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Visa-Friendly African Countries

 Lifestyle

Top 10 visa-friendly African countries in 2022

Business Insider Africa presents 10 African countries with the highest visa openness index.

Out of the 54 African countries, 48 now grant visa-free travel to the citizens of at least one other African nation.

The list is courtesy of Africa Visa Openness Index.

For far too long, intercontinental travel within the African continent has been marred by a myriad of challenges, the foremost of which was the restrictive visa policies that made crossing borders a cumbersome and often frustrating experience.

The situation even got worse amid the uncertainties of the COVID-19 crisis. Every country seemed to have its own rules, from shutting borders completely to making people do quarantine and burdensome checks. This didn't just mess up people's travel plans, it also put a big stop sign in front of the free flow of ideas, business, and culture.

But lately, things are looking up. There has been a remarkable shift in the policies of many African nations, a shift that is increasingly aligning with the vision of a united and economically vibrant Africa.

The Africa Visa Openness Index (AVOI) did a deep dive into visa rules, and it's clear that things are getting better. More countries are saying "come on in" instead of "stay out." Kenya recently announced plans to remove visa requirements for all Africans.

As the AVOI 2022 report shows, African countries are dismantling many of the measures imposed during the pandemic. Indeed, on the whole, the continent has returned to a level of visa openness last seen just before the pandemic began.

Out of the 54 African countries, 48 now grant visa-free travel to the citizens of at least one other African nation. In addition, 42 of these countries provide visa-free access to citizens from at least five other African nations.

However, just three African countries extend the privilege of visa-free travel to all citizens of other African nations.

Here is a list of 10 African countries with the highest visa openness index:

Rank Country No visa required Visa on arrival Visa required Score

1 Benin  53 0 0 1.000

2 Seychelles  53 0 0 1.000

3 The Gambia  53 0 0 1.000

4 Ghana  26 26 1 0.883

5 Rwanda  18 35 0 0.868

6 Nigeria  17 36 0 0.864

7 Guinea-Bissau  13 40 0 0.849

8 Cabo Verde  16 36 1 0.845

9 Togo  14 38 1 0.838

10 Mauritania  8 45 0 0.830

by Adekunle Agbetiloye

ADEKUNLE AGBETILOYE

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