The first woman to run the EU's law enforcement agency comes into the job with a lot of doubts to overcome.

The biggest: Her previous job.

Catherine De Bolle, who took over as head of Europol on Tuesday, was Belgium’s top cop during the terror attacks in Paris in 2015 that were partly planned in Brussels, and four months later when the same group struck the EU capital itself. Both of these exposed shortcomings in her country's policing.

Citing her track record in Belgium, officials at Europol and several European security and intelligence services raised concerns about her ability to coordinate the Continent’s counterterrorism efforts, which is the agency's main task. Belgian law enforcement drew widespread criticism in particular for failing to share information, both across borders but within Belgium itself, and connect the dots about terror threats.

Security and intelligence sources pointed out that the director of Europol must liaise with police forces from 27 countries and questioned whether she would have the authority to elicit cooperation from security services from across the EU.

De Bolle refuted criticism of her record in Belgium, pointing out that major EU countries including Germany, France and the U.K. have suffered deadly terror attacks.

"She failed to properly coordinate the country's police services, one wonders how she will succeed in doing a better job on a European scale," said a senior security analyst who spoke on condition of anonymity. "She does not allow critical voices to be heard and that is a handicap."

De Bolle, who served as Commissioner General of the federal police from 2012 until last week, succeeds Rob Wainwright, a former intelligence analyst at MI5, Britain’s domestic intelligence service. He built a reputation as a strong communicator who used the authority of his office to push for better coordination among European agencies.

Presented with the doubts, De Bolle refuted criticism of her record in Belgium, pointing out that major EU countries including Germany, France and the U.K., as well as the U.S., have suffered deadly terror attacks.

“If … ‘failing’ is having an executed attack, then there are many other countries and authorities that failed in their fight against terrorism because they could not prevent an attack,” De Bolle told POLITICO over email.

Her supporters note that for all the criticism leveled at the Belgian response to the terrorist attacks, De Bolle emerged personally unscathed.

“Not only in Europe, but also in the U.S. for example, the FBI interrogated the perpetrator of the attack in Orlando two times prior to the attacks, even a week before the attack,” she said.

She added that Belgian authorities "responded swiftly and in a well-organized manner immediately to the attacks."

Critics at home

De Bolle has come under attack at home. Belgium’s Committee P, an independent watchdog tasked with overseeing the country’s police force, found in 2016 that Belgian police had information as early as mid-2014 that the brothers Salah and Brahim Abdeslam — alleged perpetrators of the Paris attacks — intended to carry out “an irreversible act."

The report also highlighted sloppiness by individuals, limited resources and a lack of procedural guidance for officials dealing with highly sensitive information.

Yves Keppens — who chaired the committee from 2012 until his retirement in 2017 — accused De Bolle of attempting to hamper the investigations that followed the Paris and Brussels attacks.

"After the November 13 attacks in Paris it became increasingly difficult to collaborate with her and her services," Keppens told POLITICO. "She said our inquiry constituted an obstacle to their daily work. She also wanted to see a draft of the report. She even used [Belgian Interior Minister Jan] Jambon to push us to release a copy to her."

Keppens said De Bolle attempted to withhold documents that the committee requested, a violation of the watchdog's mandate. She also advocated closing the oversight committee in the Belgian press. calling it outdated and voicing frustration about how the police had been treated in the aftermath of the attacks.

De Bolle did not deny that there were tensions between her and the watchdog, and bemoaned the fact that she only heard about the report’s conclusions in the press.

“In my opinion, it is logical that when a service or a policeman receives comments, a possibility is created to defend themselves and that also the defense is included in the report,” De Bolle said. "In this way, the readers of the report receive the full picture and they can take into consideration also the defense."

Hitting the jackpot

The 48-year-old, media-shy Belgian does have a squad of national and international supporters who describe her as a tough, exceptional police officer who leads by example.

“Cops — it’s a white man job,” said Saad Amrani, the chief commissioner and policy adviser of the Belgian Federal Police. “She has had to develop tremendous strength to survive five years.”

“No one wanted a woman at the head of the organization,” added Amrami, who is of Moroccan descent. “The federal police is a boys club, and many conservatives were not happy to have a female boss.”

Her supporters note that for all the criticism leveled at the Belgian response to the terror attacks, De Bolle emerged personally unscathed.

“Here, you have the first woman to run Europol, and she seems to be ticking the boxes," said Claude Moraes, a British MEP and chair of the Liberty, Justice and Home Affairs Committee in the European Parliament. "She has been running a very complex situation in her home country and is aware of current failings, strengths and limitations."

Jambon, the Belgian interior minister, said in a speech in Tallinn last month that by choosing De Bolle, Europol "hit the jackpot," adding the organization "managed to recruit a remarkable lady for this top-level position."</s>A year ago, it was announced that Fahadh Faasil and Sunny Wayne would soon team up for a film, which had its title as Aanenkilum Allenkilum. A sample poster of the film was also released by the makers. Now, here is an update regarding this film, which is being directed by debut film-maker Vivek.

According to the latest reports that have come in, popular South Indian actress Catherine Tresa has been roped in to play the role of the leading lady in this film. Catherine Tresa is a well-known face of the South Indian film industry and has acted in a good number of films in Tamil and Telugu.

At the same time, Catherine Tresa is not new to the Malayalam film industry. The actress had previously played the role of the leading lady in the film The Thriller, which featured Prithviraj in the lead role. The film, directed by B Unnikrishnan had hit the theatres in the year 2010.

While speaking to Times Of India, Vivek, the director of Aanengilum Allenkilum has stated that Catherine Tresa will be seen playing the role of a village belle, whi hails from Kottayam. The film-maker has also added that the film will be a complete entertainer. Reportedly, popular actor Sharaf U Dheen has replaced Sunny Wayne in this film. The film is all set to go on floors by the first week of May.</s>Timur Timerzyanov is enjoying a positive start to the 2018 FIA World Rallycross Championship, with the move to Marcus Gronholm‘s GRX Taneco team paying off so far.

The two Hyundai drivers made a smooth start to the first day with team-mate Niclas Grönholm eighth fastest and Timerzyanov finishing in ninth place in Q1.

Grönholm progressed up the rankings to seventh place in Q2, whilst the Russian driver could do no better than thirteenth. The first day concluded with both i20 Supercars featuring in the top 12.

The track conditions changed on Sunday with both Q3 and Q4 being run in firstly in rain and then with snow following on later in the day. The former Double FIA European Rallycross Champion made it into the Semi-Finals.

“I went all out in Q4, I got a good start and led my race. Conditions were quite changeable and it wasn’t easy to find grip. We missed out on the top 10 in qualifying by just one point, but getting both cars into the semi-finals is a positive result,” said Timerzyanov

The Russian driver made it to the Semi-Finals at the 2018 World RX of Spain and managed to repeat that feat in the 2018 World RX of Portugal, however his progress was halted with a mechanical issue on the Hyundai.

Timerzyanov admits there is more to come but could only manage sixth place in the second race. The pace of the GRX Taneco Hyundai has been very strong so far and the team will be looking for more at the 2018 World RX of Belgium.

“We had a sensor issue, I was stuck on the start line for several seconds. The car is in great shape but there’s still some work to do for the next round in Belgium,” Timerzyanov added.</s>WORLD CUP: Belgium has exceptional talent but so many doubts

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium has all the ingredients for success at the World Cup.

Romelu Lukaku leads the attack, supported by the creative genius of Eden Hazard and with Kevin De Bruyne pulling the strings in midfield. Thibaut Courtois is in goal.

But for all the exceptional talent, Belgium keeps underwhelming at major tournaments, only reaching the quarterfinals at the 2014 World Cup and 2016 European Championship.

There are doubts throughout the team. Center back Vincent Kompany spends much of his time in the treatment room at Manchester City. Too many Belgian players have morphed into glorified benchwarmers these days after falling out of favor, including Toby Alderweireld at Tottenham, Thomas Meunier at Paris Saint-Germain and Thomas Vermaelen at Barcelona.

Axel Witsel and Yannick Ferreira Carrasco do have a lock on their starting position for their clubs, but in the modest Chinese league.

It all makes the road to World Cup success seem far from clear for FIFA's third-ranked team.

Here's a closer look at the Belgium team:

It took a loss to Wales at the 2016 European Championship for Belgium to oust underachieving coach Marc Wilmots and turn to Roberto Martinez, a Spanish coach with Premier League experience.

Martinez led Belgium to the top of its qualifying group with an unbeaten record. But it's unclear how a coach who spent most of his time with teams like Wigan, Swansea and Everton will endure at a World Cup.

At least he has already won a trophy, taking unheralded Wigan to the FA Cup title by beating Manchester City in 2013.

Having Courtois in goal has made Belgium the envy of world football.

Then came the night in March at Barcelona when Lionel Messi beat Courtois twice with shots through the legs to open up the Chelsea goalkeeper to international ridicule for the first time. Courtois will need to banish any self-doubt in Russia.

When it comes to doubt, there is plenty of uncertainty about backup Simon Mignolet, who has been banished to the bench at Liverpool.

Previously known for its dour defensive prowess, Belgium added flair with Kompany, Alderweireld, Meunier and Jan Vertonghen.

Going into the World Cup, though, only Vertonghen inspires confidence and gets all the playing time he wants at Tottenham.

Every time the 32-year-old Kompany takes the field for Belgium, onlookers fear he could come down with another injury.

This department is where Belgium's genius resides, with De Bruyne and Hazard dazzling with sparkling moves and piercing passes. Even if their synergy on the field has not been perfect, Martinez has been getting close enough.

Now the coach has to figure out what to do with Radja Nainggolan, whose skillful doggedness helped take Roma past Barcelona in the Champions League.

Martinez, though, has fallen out with Nainggolan and criticized his sometimes raucous off-field behavior. It means Nainggolan is still not an automatic pick to make it to Russia.

The 24-year-old Lukaku is already Belgium's all-time top scorer with 33 goals.

All hope is invested in Lukaku staying fit and in form for the World Cup after an impressive first season leading the Manchester United attack, with De Bruyne and Hazard in support.

Martinez can also turn to Dries Mertens, the deft, diminutive winger-striker who has been instrumental in Napoli's pursuit of the Serie A title.

Michy Batshuayi was just hitting form with Dortmund when he injured his ankle in early April and is racing to be fit for Russia.

After opening in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on June 18 against Panama, the second Group G game is close to its Moscow base against Tunisia on June 23. The group concludes on June 28 against England in Kaliningrad.</s>ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS – Belgium’s previous prime minister faced accusations anti-Semitism by complaining in an interview that the kingdom has become a country “of Antwerp diamond dealers.”

Elio di Rupo, a Socialist politician, was accused of dog whistling in an interview published Friday in the L’Echo newspaper.

“Belgium cannot be governed the way it is today: solely for the richest and most powerful,” Di Rupo said. “It’s a Belgium of Antwerp diamond dealers that we have today when we need a much more pluralistic Belgium. It’s an unapologetic right-wing policy that presumes to know everything, but is belied by statistics.”

The diamond district of the Belgian city of Antwerp for decades was dominated by Jews. However, since the 1980s, Jewish traders have gradually been replaced by south Asians, who now are believed to outnumber the Jews.

In an editorial op-ed on the news site Juif, the writer accused di Rupo of dog whistling about Jews. But even if this was not his intention, the writer continued, “he could have said what he wanted to say differently instead of pouring oil on the fire of a certain kind of anti-Semitism.” The op-ed originally appeared on the blog “philosemitism.”

Di Rupo did not immediately reply to JTA’s request for a reaction.

Di Rupo in 2015 came under scathing criticism by Jews when he wrote on Twitter: “I am Charlie, I am Jewish, I am Palestinian” following the murder of four Jews in Paris by an Islamist who cited Israel’s actions as his motivation for the murders.

Di Rupo’s comments about diamond dealers come amid a debate in Belgium over the awarding of an honorary doctorate by a Brussels university to a film director who dismissed claims of anti-Semitism in Britain’s Labour party as “dirty tricks.”

Ken Loach, who supports the attempt to boycott Israel who has likened Israel’s actions to those Nazi Germany, received the honor last week from Free University of Brussels despite opposition to it by Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, according to the RTBF broadcaster.

Earlier this month, Loach demanded that lawmakers from Labour who demonstrated against anti-Semitism in London’s Parliament Square be kicked out of the party.

“You cannot work with people who have come to undermine the biggest challenge we’ve had — we’ve never had a leader like Corbyn before in the whole history of the Labour Party… and that’s why the dirty tricks are going to come out.”

Jeremy Corbyn was elected Labour leader in 2015. He has called Hamas an organization “dedicated towards the good of the Palestinian people and bringing about peace and social justice and political justice.” He’s called that group and Hezbollah his “friends.”

Corbyn’s critics say he is responsible for a proliferation of anti-Semitic rhetoric in the ranks of Labour, which saw thousands of his supporters join. In 2016 he was accused of being soft on anti-Semitism last year by an inter-parliamentary committee of inquiry on the problem, which included Labour members.

Asked about Holocaust denial by Corbyn supporter, Loach in 2017 said: “I think history is for all of us to discuss. The founding of the state of Israel, for example, based on ethnic cleansing, is there for us all to discuss, so don’t try and subvert that by false stories of anti-Semitism.”

He later said he does not question the historical record on the Holocaust.
Catherine De Bolle from Belgium becomes the first woman to lead Europol.