Despite this regional organization, some bus and tram routes operated by STIB / MIVB go beyond the regional border, and some bus routes operated by TEC or De Lijn transport passengers from the Flemish or Walloon regions to the capital city.

Despite opposing the United States in favour of the Sandanistas on the country's northern border, stern warnings against the US Bay of Pigs invasion, along with repelling Nicaraguan dictator Somoza's invasion after turning to the Organization of American States, and border disputes with Nicaragua, Costa Rica has held firmly to its belief against ever having a military.

Despite strong economic and cultural ties with Thailand, parts of the border shared by the two countries are indefinite.

Despite the occasional recurrence of a border conflict over Lete Island in the Niger River, Benin and Niger, both former French subjects of French West Africa, relations are close.

Despite his youth, Osman II soon sought to assert himself as a ruler, and after securing the empire's eastern border by signing a peace treaty ( treaty of Serav ) with Safavid Iran, he personally led the Ottoman invasion of Poland during the Moldavian Magnate Wars.

Despite this, Amanullah grew increasingly disillusioned with the Soviets, especially as he witnessed the widening oppression of his fellow Muslims across the border.

Despite the tribute and a negotiation between Laoshang Chanyu ( r. 174 – 160 BCE ) and Emperor Wen ( r. 180 – 157 BCE ) to reopen border markets, many of the Chanyu's Xiongnu subordinates chose not to obey the treaty and periodically raided Han territories south of the Great Wall for additional goods.

Despite Asser's comment that the dyke ran " from sea to sea ", it is now thought that the original structure only covered about two-thirds of the length of the border: in the north it ends near Llanfynydd, less than five miles ( 8 km ) from the coast, while in the south it stops at Rushock Hill, near Kington in Herefordshire, less than fifty miles ( 80 km ) from the Bristol Channel.

Despite the fact that Switzerland covers only 14 % of the Alps total area ( 192, 753 km² ), many alpine four-thousanders ( 48 of 82 ) are located in the Swiss Alps and the remaining few are within 20 km of the country's border.

Despite these definitions, Portugal's border with Spain remains a unresolved territorial dispute between the two countries.

Despite the law, around Halloween and New Year's Eve a large amount of fireworks are set off, many smuggled across the border from Northern Ireland.

Despite having massed forces along the border, Charles ' military attentions were distracted by the problems in Gascony and he eventually chose to settle the rebellion peacefully through the Peace of Arques in 1326, in which Louis was only indirectly involved.

Despite having no jurisdiction on American soil Brock sent a party across the border in pursuit and the men were captured.

Despite crossing a county border, they also shared a school district and residents considered the whole area as " Bloomingdale " until about 1881 when a Post Office named Butler was designated.

Despite Robert's further condemnations of his border lords, all the signs were that Robert backed the growing successful Scottish militancy following Edward III's death in 1377.

Despite the decline, there still exist over 3, 000 maquiladoras along the 2, 000 mile-long United States – Mexico border, providing employment for approximately one million workers, and importing more than $ 51 billion in supplies into Mexico.

Despite often being deployed in the reconnaissance role, SASR units inflicted at least 20 kills on Indonesian forces in a series of ambushes and contacts, on both sides of the border.

Despite the fact that the Italian border is less than 20 km away and that Ajdovščina was under Italian administration from 1918 to 1945 as a commune of the Province of Gorizia ( as Aidussina ), except during the period between 1924 and 1927, when the Province of Gorizia was abolished and annexed to the Province of Udine during Italian rule ( 1918 – 1943, nominally lasted to 1945 ), the style of the town does not resemble that of a typical Italian town.

Despite their chances of progression being written off by press on both sides of the Anglo-Scottish border, Celtic defeated Liverpool 3 – 1 on aggregate with Larsson scoring the opener in a 1 – 1 1st leg draw followed by a 2 – 0 Celtic victory at Anfield.

* Despite UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's reassurances in early March that the plight of the hundreds of thousands of internal refugees has not been forgotten by the international community, the UN withholds its aid to refugees stranded on the border with neighbouring Tajikistan later in the month.

Despite its extensive territory, its northern border was frequently subject to harassment by the Xiongnu and other northern nomadic peoples.

Despite not asking the return of territory, the Chinese did ask the USSR to formally ( publicly ) acknowledge that said border, established with the Treaty of Aigun ( 1858 ) and the Convention of Peking ( 1860 ), was a historic Russian injustice against China ; the Soviet government ignored the matter.

Despite occasional proclamations from Yuldeshev, and rumours of a re-emergence under the name the Islamic Movement of Turkestan ( IMT ), there is no reliable evidence indicating that the IMU / IMT remains an operational force in Central Asia outside of the Afghanistan / Pakistan border region.

Despite being epileptic, Charles achieved respect both as a commander and as a reformer of the Austrian army.

Despite this, aircraft today are much more extensively used as the primary tools for both army and navy, as evidenced by the prominent use of helicopters to transport and support troops, the use of aerial bombardment as the " first strike " in many engagements, and the replacement of the battleship with the aircraft carrier as the center of most modern navies.

Despite everything, however, there are some who support both dates and even some who support dates other than the two major possibilities presented.

Despite the fact that their actions were ultimately fruitless, the Eretrians and in particular the Athenians had earned Darius's lasting enmity, and he vowed to punish both cities.

Despite several army mutinies and increasing civic concern both at his erratic style and arbitrary, corrupt method of governing he was re-elected for another 6-year term in September 1999.

Despite this papal condemnation, both Catholicism and Protestantism permit the use of ambiguous and equivocal statements in specific circumstances.

Despite both forces having similar numbers, the Japanese were easily defeated due to the Ming cannon.

Despite the consensus of public health professionals regarding the benefits of vaccination, among chiropractors there are significant disagreements over the subject, which has led to negative impacts on both public vaccination and mainstream acceptance of chiropractic.

Despite its initial recklessness, the alliance was very prestigious for both families.

Despite this, there is a substantial number of chamber works that incorporate the double bass in both small and large ensembles.

Despite being characterized as unreliable, the work is valued as both a study of Turkish culture and the lands he reports on.

Despite considerable popularity amongst the people, Madero ´ s administration soon encountered opposition both from more radical revolutionaries and from remnants of the former regime.

Despite the Roman victories at sea, the Roman Republic lost countless ships and crews during the war, due to both storms and battles.

Despite its many faults, the wheellock was a significant improvement over the matchlock in terms of both convenience and safety, since it eliminated the need to keep a smoldering match in proximity to loose gunpowder.

Despite Davies ' unequivocal statement that the two wars are distinct, Lance Parkin, in his Doctor Who chronology AHistory, suggests in a speculative essay that the two destructions of Gallifrey may be the same event seen from two different perspectives, with the Eighth Doctor present twice ( and both times culpable for the planet's destruction ).

Despite its status as beneficiary of both the Caribbean Basin Initiative ( CBI ) and the Generalized System of Preferences ( GSP )-- both of which confer duty free status on Honduran imports to the United States — Honduras has run a long-standing trade deficit with the United States.

Despite this, Honduras and El Salvador both officially recognised the Palestinian state on 26 August.

Despite this, however, Italy's alleged 1987 GDP growth of a phenomenal 18 %, it was shortly re-overtaken by both France and the United Kingdom during the 1990s, when Italy's economic growth was particularly stagnant, with an average of 1. 23 % compared to an EU average of 2. 28 %.

Despite the losses, the Manufactory served as a playground of innovation, both in turning a large amount of cotton, but also developing the water-powered milling structure used in Slater's Mill.

Despite the defeat, both sides withdrew, but Shawar remained in control with a crusader garrison in Cairo.

Despite the promising off-season moves, the team suffered critical bullpen injuries while the newly signed Davis hurlers both experienced lackluster performances throughout the 1990 campaign.

Despite being an idealization of the real world, the “ vortex system ” set up around a wing is both real and observable ; the trailing vortex sheet most noticeably rolls up into wing-tip vortices.