Countries.


Mauricio Ruiz is a writer and journalist who has lived in the US, Belgium, Mexico and Norway. His work has appeared in Words Without Borders, CatapultThe CommonThe RumpusElectric LiteratureJMWWRiver TeethLiteral Magazine, among others. He's been shortlisted for the Bridport Prize and Myriad Editions Competition in the UK, as well as the Fish Short Story Prize in Ireland. He has received fellowships from OMI writers (NY), Société des auteurs (Belgium), Jakob Sande (Norway), Can Serrat (Spain), and the Three Seas' Council (Rhodes). His second book, Silencios al sur, was published in early 2017, and his work has partially been translated into Dutch and French. Mauricio Ruiz can be followed on Twitter and Instagram.

21 December 2022

Do you know why the world’s longest flight doesn’t follow a seemingly straight line?

The longest flight in commercial aviation around the world is currently the one that connects New York to Singapore, with a total of approximately 18 hours […]
20 December 2022

What do people around the world eat for Christmas?

It’s that time of the year again. Christmas trees are decorated, gifts are piling up, the aroma of mulled wine fills the air. And, of course, […]
20 December 2022

Brussels Airlines records 28% increase in year-end bookings

On Monday December 19th, Brussels Airlines announced that the company is preparing to fly almost 270,000 passengers during the year-end vacation. This represents a 28% increase […]
20 December 2022

Debt & Climate Change: Our children’s inheritance

Critics of government spending argue that when one generation pays for current expenditure on health, welfare and education by borrowing, we are shifting the cost to […]
20 December 2022

Brussels’ town hall opens as a museum next year

Brussels’ town hall, watching over the famous Grand Place, will open as a museum as of January 2023. On the sideline of an official budget meeting, […]
20 December 2022

These were the world’s top city destinations in 2022

After almost two years of pandemic induced quarantine, the travel and tourism industry has finally started to recover this year. People have been eager to travel […]
20 December 2022

EU increases carbon reduction target by 62% in order to tackle climate change

After hours of discussions, lawmakers in the European Parliament and the Council have agreed, on December 17, to step up the carbon reduction target, under the […]
20 December 2022

The effortlessly expressive faces of Marlene Dumas

Marlene Dumas’ portraits at the Palazzo Grassi in Venice must be seen by anyone who dreams of capturing character on paper or canvas. They are a […]
20 December 2022

US visa delays to result in loss of 6.6 million tourists and $11 billion in 2023

Prolonged visa delays are stifling tourism recovery in the US, according to the US Travel Association (USTA), the industry’s leading advocacy group. USTA estimates that US […]
19 December 2022

5 tourist attractions you won’t be able to visit in 2023

Tourism across the world is on the rise. Despite higher air fares, long queues at airports due to reduced staff and scheduled strikes, many seem bent […]
19 December 2022

France and Ireland to launch new combined train and ferry tickets

France and Ireland are launching a single ticket in the summer of 2023 that can be used for flight-free travel in both countries. The initiative aims […]
19 December 2022

The winemaking tradition of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is a land of many rich cultures and customs, among which a millennia old tradition of winemaking. 1. Winemaking in Azerbaijan Artifacts uncovered at an […]
19 December 2022

New Paris-Madrid high speed rail connection announced for 2024

Fancy a Parisian croissant for breakfast and Madrileño tapas for lunch? And no climate guilt? Paris and Madrid are set to be linked with a new […]
19 December 2022

Stranded tourists evacuated from Peru

For the past few weeks, Peru has been the home of political unrest, with protests taking over the country. Since former president Pedro Castillo was removed […]
19 December 2022

Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary and Romania sign Black Sea Energy submarine cable deal

On Saturday, 17 December, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met with leaders from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary and Romania for the signing of a Black […]
19 December 2022

Belgium to tax private jets and short-haul flights

As of April 1, 2023, Belgium will increase taxes on short-haul flights and private jets to reduce noise and air pollution, as reported by Reuters. Currently, […]