Latest news with #Dutch-language
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Who is Kevin De Bryune's wife Michele Lacroix? How an X exchange sparked a lifelong bond
Image Source: Getty In the realm of football, you will be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn't respect Kevin De Bruyne. But beyond the roar of the stadium and the pressure of elite competition is a personal narrative equally compelling. His wife, Michèle Lacroix, has been a rock, providing the support, love, and grounding that he has needed. Their love story didn't launch with a glittering red carpet or the introduction of celebrities; instead, it all began with a single unassuming favourite on X. That small favor forged a lifelong bond that endures even in the face of time and fame. A love story born online and went to the marriage altar In 2014, on loan at Werder Bremen, he tweeted something that caught the eye of Michèle, a student at university in Genk, Belgium. She gave the tweet a like, and Kevin's friend, being a good digital wingman, slid into her DMs on his behalf. That online exchange of words soon became, well, something a bit more conventional: regular conversations and, ultimately, what became a budding romance not long after. And two years later, Kevin got down on one knee in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, as romantic as it gets. In June 2017, they were married in Sorrento, Italy, in a love-filled celebration that inaugurated their married life. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like local network access control Esseps Learn More Undo The couple now have three children together – Mason, Rome, and Suri – and a love that still thrives off the pitch. They have a refreshingly down-to-earth relationship despite the fanfare of professional football. Michèle has long been described as Kevin's partner in crime and best friend, to him, and she has been credited for bringing balance to Kevin's life. In sickness and in health — or in this case, in high times and low ones — they are riding out the ups and downs of the athlete's life together. Michele Lacroix is more than Kevin De Bryune's wife As Kevin is praised on the field, Michèle has made a name for herself in her own right. She is a host of the Dutch-language podcast Secret Society and holds forth about pop culture and women's issues. She's not merely the sidekick to Kevin's narrative, an adjunct to another story. Also Read: Manchester City chairman reveals tribute plans for midfielder Kevin De Bruyne In addition, Michèle often contributes to charity events, features in campaigns (such as her contractually bound McDonald's Belgium commercial), and serves as an unwavering shoulder through injuries, victories, and club moves of Kevin. The next chapter in Kevin's journey is on the horizon, away from Manchester City, wherever it is now, one thing is for sure – Michèle will be by his side, in every way. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
A Family Was Renovating Their Townhome—and Found a Secret WWI Tunnel Underneath
A renovation of a townhome in Tielt, Belgium, led to the discovery of a secret tunnel system under the historic structures. The townhome complex was commandeered by the Germans during World War I and used for roughly four years during the war. A shaft drops from the back of one townhome into an 18th century water cistern system but has a more recent tunnel connection to a cellar beneath a nearby home. We can't say for sure that a recently discovered secret tunnel connecting historic townhomes in Belgium was created by the Germans during World War I after they commandeered the properties, but a recent Dutch-language report into the find makes that possibility quite likely. During a renovation project in Tielt, Belgium, near the historic city center at the Nieuwstraat townhouses, the homeowner remodeling a floor at Nieuwstraat No. 7 discovered a hidden well cap with a nearly 13-foot-deep shaft underneath it, according to a translated statement from Belgium's Agency for Immovable Heritage. The shaft connected to a closed-off 18th century water well and, more interestingly, links to a nearly 32-foot-long tunnel only about four feet high that may have been built during the German occupation. The tunnel connects Nieuwstraat No. 7 to a cellar underneath Nieuwstraat No. 5. Finding a 100-year-old tunnel underneath your home is surprising regardless, but slightly (only slightly) less so when considering the history of the townhouse complex. During World War I, the Germans took over the townhome complex and made Nieuwstraat a four-year-long headquarters. The site served as a crucial Fourth Army command center featuring a war room that scripted the first chlorine gas attack and flamethrower uses in 1915 while coordinating operations on the Western Front until French bombardment in 1918. According to the report, this context makes it 'likely that this tunnel was built as an escape route.' 'Given the strategic function of the property,' the statement read, 'with the map cabinet and top generals above the floor, that is not a forgotten theory.' The history of the home dates further back than German occupation. The house was built in 1769 on a plot of land once housing a small community of Franciscans. In 1906 a doctor purchased the house and extended it toward the rear. But in summer 1914, German troops invaded neutral Belgium and in October 1914 decided to house military command for the Fourth Army in Tielt, out of the range of enemy artillery, but strategically located near road and rail infrastructure. Nieuwstraat No. 7 become a strategic center that featured a 1:20,000 replica of the front lines. The tunnel find came near another underground find. One metal manhole cover gave access to a brick water well that featured the same bricks used when the house was constructed. But more surprising was a second manhole cover about three feet away. This one covered a vertical shaft with non-connected walls positioned between the well and house with supports made of bricks and beams that came well after initial home construction. 'All these elements made it clear that this shaft is a later addition,' according to the report. At the bottom of the shaft, a northwest wall appeared to have been breached, featuring an opening over seven feet high that leads directly into a well. 'The opening was cut through the brick wall, but neatly finished,' according to the report. Once in the well, there was a brick tunnel with a barrel vault running northwest, parallel to the rear of the houses in the Nieuwstraat. At the end of the tunnel a now-blocked passage gave access to the cellar of Nieuwstraat No. 5. While the report noted that the well and cisterns were likely original construction when the house was built, the work of the shaft with its metal I-beams and the cut in the well 'can be dated to after 1909.' By ensuring the vertical shaft was inside the building, it also allowed for unseen movement between homes. While the tunnel was still somewhat small for comfortable human use, the shape of the tunnel, neat finishes of the interior, lack of slope, dimensions, and use of construction elements such as iron and steel make its use as a water conveyance tunnel unlikely. 'The remarkable history of the house makes another function more likely,' according to the report, 'namely an escape route from the First World War.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Huawei named by Belgian authorities in brewing European Parliament bribery scandal
More than 100 Belgian police officers raided premises implicated in a lobbying scandal in the European Parliament on Thursday morning, with federal prosecutors later in the day naming the company at the centre of the investigation as Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies. The Belgian Federal Prosecutor's Office said several individuals were arrested for questioning over an "active corruption" case in the parliament as well as for "forgery and use of false documents". "The corruption is said to have been practised regularly and very discreetly from 2021 to the present day, under the guise of commercial lobbying and taking various forms, such as remuneration for taking political positions or excessive gifts such as food and travel expenses or regular invitations to football matches," the office said in an update first thing Thursday. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. "The alleged bribery is said to have benefited Huawei," the office announced later in the day. As the investigation developed, offices used by two parliamentary assistants were sealed off and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola was notified. The prosecutor's office said that the lobbying was "promoting purely private commercial interests in the context of political decisions". A joint investigation by Brussels-based news site Follow the Money, Belgian daily Le Soir and Dutch-language weekly Knack first reported Huawei as the focus of the investigation, saying the "dawn raids were part of a covert police investigation that started about two years ago after a tip-off from the Belgian secret service". Follow the Money said Huawei's EU office as well as the homes of its lobbyists were among the sites raided. Huawei did not respond to several requests for comment. The media outlets reported that "around 15 [former] MEPs are on the radar" of the investigators and that members of the European Parliament may have been offered "luxurious trips to China and even cash to secure their support of the company while it faced pushback in Europe". The prosecutor's office said an investigation into alleged money laundering was also under way. "The financial advantages linked to the alleged corruption may have been mixed up in financial flows linked to the defrayal of conference expenses, and paid to various intermediaries, with a view to concealing their illicit nature or enabling the perpetrators to escape the consequences of their actions," the office said. Huawei has been under pressure in Europe for many years, with the European Commission urging the EU's 27 member states to remove the company from telecoms networks due to security concerns. Not all states have complied. During her confirmation hearing late last year, European Union tech commissioner Henna Virkkunen said she was not satisfied with the progress. "Member states have not taken this problem seriously enough," she said. A commission spokesman said it had "no comment" on the case, but encouraged countries to cut Huawei out of Europe's 5G networks. "We're urging member states to adopt swift action. This is a recommendation, but we will continue to engage with our member states," the spokesman said. Lawmakers called for the parliament to take action. "I expect a clear and forceful response from the European Parliament president. The credibility of our institution is at stake, so no ifs or buts but clear and forceful measures should be taken," said Bart Groothuis, a centrist MEP and the former head of the Dutch government's cybersecurity agency. "Demonstrate we have learned from Qatargate, demonstrate the new measures in place are effective," he said, referring to a 2022 corruption scandal in which parliament officials, lobbyists and their families were allegedly bribed by the governments of Qatar, Morocco and Mauritania. Qatar and Morocco were added to the parliament's restricted list, limiting access to European officials. China and Iran were also on that list after they sanctioned MEPs in 2021. But the Post reported last week that the parliament has dropped all such restrictions for those four countries, leaving only Belarus and Russia out in the cold. The decision had been seen as another sign of improvement in the European Union's ties with China, driven in large part by the collapse in Europe's ties with the US. But Thursday's raid and the brewing scandal could undercut those efforts. The head of the parliament's China delegation, Engin Eroglu, said that the chamber "knows Beijing's influence operations all too well". "Even in this current geopolitical climate, China is not a partner but is a systemic rival and increasingly a security threat. #HuaweiGate," he wrote on social media. Eroglu said separately that some MEPs tried last month to block a debate on a resolution condemning Thai authorities for the deportation of 40 members of the Uygur ethnic group to China on February 27. The reason given, he said, was "because a delegation of the European Parliament was to travel to Thailand". Eight lawmakers were in Thailand while the deportations took place, but did not make any public statements on the issue. The resolution went before the parliament for debate on Wednesday night and was passed with a clear majority in a vote on Thursday. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Rudaw Net
08-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Rudaw Net
A Kurdish poet gains recognition, popularity in Netherlands
Also in Culture A century after Leyla Bedir Khan's performance in Stockholm Kurdish artist finds audience in Germany for eco-friendly creations Kurdish composer receives Hollywood music awards Online Kurdish film festival returns with focus on Rojhelat A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Originally from Kirkuk, Baban Kirkuki has spent years establishing himself as a poet in Dutch literary circles. With four poetry collections to his name, Kirkuki's work has appeared in Dutch magazines, newspapers, and literary platforms. His poetry is even displayed on the streets of Utrecht, with verses inscribed along city pathways. In a notable achievement, the city's central library features a digital screen broadcasting his poetry 24 hours a day, allowing the public to engage with his work. Speaking about the role of language in poetry, Kirkuki said it is crucial, but not the only defining factor. 'Poetry also requires deeper thought and emotion,' he told Rudaw on Saturday. He described Eastern poetry as rich in sentiment and in Europe is sometimes perceived as overly emotional or exaggerated. Kirkuki has been writing poetry in Dutch since 2002 and believes in offering fresh perspectives through his work. 'What matters most is creating a new thought, a vivid world that hasn't been imagined before,' he explained. 'It's about how you see something and how you describe it in a unique way.' His poetry is held to high standards, he added, as Dutch publishers carefully assess linguistic quality and the strength of ideas before publication. His Dutch-language poem Moedertaal (Mother Tongue) will be released on March 21, coinciding with both World Poetry Day and Newroz, the Kurdish new year. The poem has already been translated into multiple languages, including English, Italian, and Arabic, and will soon be available in Kurdish. Kirkuki remains deeply connected to Kurdistan, despite his growing influence in Europe. 'My poetry is a bridge between cultures. I want people to remember the name of Kirkuk, to know that Kirkuk has poets and writers,' he stated. His latest collection, Tishkî Nenasraw (Unfamiliar Light), was recently published and he is currently working on a new book set for release next year. The poet's motivation for writing in Dutch stems from a desire to ensure his work reaches a wider audience. 'If I wrote only in Kurdish, people here would not read it,' he explained. 'I wanted my poetry to be accessible to Dutch society, while also representing Kurdish literature on an international level.' As his work gains increasing recognition, Kirkuki continues to be a literary voice bridging Eastern and Western poetic traditions, bringing Kurdish narratives to the forefront of Dutch literature.
