Metrics details We investigated healthcare avoidance during the first COVID-19 wave in a Dutch region with high infection rates multiphase study used (1) primary care electronic health records to identify patients (2) questionnaires to capture patients with unreported COVID-19 symptoms a natural language model estimated COVID-19 incidence from routine care data 535 (23%) reported COVID-19 symptoms; 180 sought help Care-seeking rates did not differ significantly between those with or without relatives who experienced severe illness or death before their own illness (p = 0.270) Interviews showed the main barriers were feeling not ill enough and concerns about an overstressed healthcare system Only a third of participants with symptoms sought help Serious illness or death of loved ones had no significant impact Findings highlight the need for clear communication and accessible healthcare The underlying reasons for avoiding care during the COVID-19 pandemic remain insufficiently explored the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on seeking help at the GP during the initial wave of the pandemic We hypothesized that healthcare-seeking behaviour could be influenced by factors such as the serious illness or death of loved ones particularly focused on cases where individuals did not seek help despite having COVID-19 complaints Description of the different phases of our mixed-method study The study population comprised all patients registered at one of the three different general practices in the Dutch municipality Hasselt as of March 2020 meaning the population had slightly changed since 2020 due to factors such as relocation or mortality all inhabitants are registered with one GP Baseline characteristics (March 2020) of all patients were extracted from the electronic health records of the participating practices. Patients with a registered email-address received an online invitation and questionnaire, while others were sent the same materials by post in September 2022 (Supplementary File 1) a reminder was sent to those who received the online questionnaire but not those who received the postal invitation the study was promoted in the local newspaper “De Stentor” The questionnaire was designed to identify patients who experienced COVID-19 symptoms during the first wave but did not seek medical care for their COVID-19 complaints it was an unvalidated questionnaire developed by several experts in the field we identified a subgroup of COVID-19 cases who did not seek medical help participants from this subgroup were randomly selected and stratified across the three different practices they were invited to participate in individual face to face semi-structured interviews at their homes An interview guide was developed based on expert opinion and some available literature at that time to explore the participants’ experiences and needs during the first lockdown period Interviews were conducted by experienced interviewers (AR and ALP) from the regional Community Health Service until no new themes emerged in two consecutive interviews The interviewers were independent of the patients and had no personal interest in study’s outcomes Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS statistics 27.0 software Characteristics of the study population measured on a continuous scale were represented as either mean ± SD or median (interquartile range) Categorical variables were presented as the total number of observations with corresponding percentages Data comparing participants and non-responders were analyzed by using Mann-Whitney U test or Chi Square tests P-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant The study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Isala Hospital The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki Informed consent was obtained from all participants In total, 6123 patients aged over 16 years were extracted from three different general practices. 143 patients were excluded due to missing data, leaving 5980 patients in the study population. The response rate of the questionnaire was 39% (n = 2361). Baseline characteristics of participants and non-responders are shown in Table 1 The median age of participants was higher than the non-responders (median 57 years the proportion of females was higher in the participant group (58%) compared to the non-responder group (44%) and malignancies exhibited higher response rates those with asthma or COPD had lower response rates Lower response rates were observed in individuals identified by the AI model as having COVID-19 symptoms 4207 have had contact with their GP at least once Information about COVID-19 was discovered in 3400 unique medical records 1508 patients participated in the questionnaire the AI model predicted the presence of COVID-19 Among all participants, 23% (n = 535) reported experiencing any COVID-19 related symptoms (Table 2) 139 participants (26%) actually had a positive PCR-test by testing at the community health service The most frequently reported symptoms were cough (56%) 180 participants (33.6%) reported seeking help for COVID-19 Four patients went directly to the hospital without involving the GP Of the 535 participants with complaints during the first wave 80 participants (15%) reported experiencing symptoms for more than 24 months there was no significant difference in the percentage of relatives or acquaintances who experienced severe COVID-19 symptoms or passed away before their own illness between those who sought care and those who did not (48% vs as mentioned in the free-text section of the questionnaire included ‘due to the wave of participants’ ‘we waited at home to reduce the severity of complaints to a bearable level’ and ‘the government’s advice at the time was: only seek for help if you have severe shortness of breath’ Cross-sectional thematic network of the interrelated themes before the interviews (light grey) and the additional themes resulting from the qualitative analysis (dark grey) of the interviews (n = 12) A key reason for not seeking help was participants’ assumption that they were not seriously ill One participant (#1) said: I do not go to the GP very often and being sick for three weeks and feeling flu-like does not necessarily mean that I will consult a doctor.One participant indicated that he was experiencing ongoing complaints but did not want to burden the GP too much due to the high workload for GPs at that time Participant #5 reflected on the challenging situation for the GPs: But the knowledge that the GP’s were just in such a crisis and were so terribly busy and that you indeed first heard one ambulance after another arriving and later one death bell after another because it was like that.While most participants were satisfied despite not receiving healthcare they were able to manage their symptoms on their own Some indicated they would have sought help if their symptoms had persisted a little longer The mental impact was mainly attributed to the broader COVID-19 crisis in general Several participants described the number of deaths on Hasselt as profoundly impactful and intense Some older participants noted that the infection and crisis had a less impact on them overall as they were already retired and engaged in fewer activities And I have a wife who could always step in if necessary Participants frequently cited social limitations and changes in social interactions as significant factors A participant (#6) commented on the difficult social limitations as well a huge number of people around you have passed away and that had much more impact than me not being able to do my own thing many participants expressed frustration regarding the lack of clarity from the national government and the frequent changes in COVID-19 regulations noting that clearer communication could have alleviated these issues One participant (#4) mentions the lack of appropriate resources to provide good care: But the fact that it just takes a very long time before they realize that you have corona If they had just tested everyone back then And then you could have taken targeted actions but now it was just a bit of muddling through Participants expressed varied preferences for assistance or care but faced barriers like limited complaints and high GP workload They also highlighted healthcare system bottlenecks worsened by COVID-19 such as limiting PCR testing capacity and insufficient aftercare for long-term COVID-19 effects Suggestions for improvement included a 24-h helpline and better guidance on managing complaints and medication use various factors contributed self-direction and self-management among participants Acceptance of their illness and the inability to visit a GP were common themes the majority experienced spontaneous improvement through rest One participant (#5) described the situation as: I am positively surprised by my own ability to deal with it and also to trust the signals my body was giving me and to think I do not need a caregiver at this moment because I am managing Informal support from partners or children including task assistance and emotional support Participants appreciated healthcare workers despite challenges in arranging immediate assistance many understood the crisis constraints and did not blame GPs given the limited understanding of COVID-19 at the time I would just much rather talk directly to a GP but that simply was not there back then either This mixed-methods study suggests that only one-third of patients who experienced COVID-19 related symptoms during the first wave sought medical care no difference was found between healthcare seeking and the presence of serious illness or death of loved ones The primary reason for not seeking help was participants’ belief that they were not sick enough compounded by an overstressed healthcare system Participants generally expressed contentment with most managing the situation by themselves Suggested improvements for future health crises included: sufficient availability of PCR-tests improved access to health advice (possibly through telephone or digital means) and enhanced information on managing complaints and unclear COVID-19 related regulations as key determinants affecting their mental health This study provided meaningful insights in healthcare-seeking behavior in a region heavily impacted by infections during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic we did not determine how many people would have actually wanted to seek help Probably some participants who did not seek for help actually had no desire to seek for help because of few complaints the severity of the participants’ complaints remain unknown the questionnaires were sent more than a year after the first wave Applying the AI model on the routine care data resulted in a higher number of participants with a probable COVID-19 episode than the participants themselves recalled meaning the self-reported incidence of COVID-19 could have been underestimated The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly hastened healthcare system transformations Our study findings can enhance care structures for future pandemics emphasizing the need for clear communication and accessible healthcare Data is stored in the online portal ResearchManager Prevalence and determinants of healthcare avoidance during the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based cross-sectional study E Lockdown policies and the dynamics of the first wave of the Sars-CoV-2 pandemic in Europe Cancer has not gone away: a primary care perspective to support a balanced approach for timely cancer diagnosis during COVID-19 Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary care-recorded mental illness and self-harm episodes in the UK: a population-based cohort study Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on utilisation of healthcare services: a systematic review A Primary health care during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative exploration of the challenges and changes in practice experienced by GPs and GP trainees The role of socio-demographic and health factors during COVID-19 in remote access to GP care in low-income neighbourhoods: a cross-sectional survey of GP patients The general practitioners perspective regarding registration of persistent somatic symptoms in primary care: a survey AR Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health in Adolescents: A Systematic Review Epidemiology of mental health problems in COVID-19: a review A natural language processing model for COVID-19 detection based on Dutch general practice electronic health records by using bidirectional encoder representations from transformers: development and validation study Data Resource Profile: Registry of electronic health records of general practices in the north of The Netherlands (AHON) Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in the general population: A systematic review R The association between uncertainty and mental health: a scoping review of the quantitative literature Postponed healthcare in The Netherlands during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on self-reported health Revolution in UK general practice due to COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey Rural use of health service and telemedicine during COVID-19: The role of access and eHealth literacy Download references The authors thank the participating GPs in Hasselt (Robert van Kleef Nico Tuinstra and Gabriëlle Rook) for sharing their data and for their assistance in contacting the patients Special thanks are extended to Fokko Douma for his IT-support Acknowledgement is also given to Marieke Jansen for conducting the interviews we extend our appreciation to Lilian Peters Maarten Brilman and Karina Sulim for their contributions in running the AI model wrote the manuscript in consultation with E.A.G. was responsible for conducting and processing the interviews assisted us with obtaining the questionnaires and processing the data The authors declare no competing interests The Hasselt Corona Impact Study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Isala Hospital Zwolle (registration number 20211017) Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41533-025-00426-w Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science Some are necessary and we can’t switch them off Others help us to provide you with the best possible service We use cookies to personalise content and ads to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic We also share anonymous information about your use of our site with our social media By accepting cookies you will be helping us to continue to provide you with the best possible service Power Progress International met with Deutz’s Bert van Hasselt at the recent Bauma trade fair in Munich to discuss future plans for the New Technology division Please check the options provided to opt-in and recive marketing communications from KHL Group you will be amond the first to get updates on our events We’ve sent a confirmation link to your email Please check your inbox and click the link to continue The trusted reference and buyer’s guide for 83 years The original “desktop search engine,” guiding nearly 10,000 users in more than 90 countries it is the primary reference for specifications and details on all the components that go into engine systems Unique marketing services that create demand for your products locally Marketing Services Download Media Kits You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email Sponsored by Sarens2025-04-15T07:00:00+01:00 Sarens places a 240-tonne cycling and pedestrian bridge over the city’s busy ring road Source: Sarens Sarens recently completed a key phase in a major infrastructure project in Hasselt involving the placement of a 240-tonne cycling and pedestrian bridge over the city’s busy ring road This operation marked the third stage in a four-phase project and brought together complex engineering and flawless execution by the Sarens Belgium team The bridge was first transported to the quay using two sets of SPMTs fitted with turntables it was transferred onto a barge with the help of an LTM 1650-8.1 and a Sarens AC700 configured as a 500-tonne crane due to scheduling constraints Once the bridge arrived in Hasselt by water Cranes were set up along the quay and SPMTs prepared for the next stage A three-crane tandem lift was then used to carefully unload the bridge from the barge The LTM 1500-8.1 and an AC700 first lifted one side of the bridge together When the first AC700 was able to bear the 145-tonne load alone and the bridge was gently slewed between the two remaining cranes a second AC700 helped guide the bridge into final position onto the SPMTs The final move took place during the early hours of a Sunday morning the team lifted the bridge above the ring road the cranes had been demobilised and the bridge was securely positioned—marking the successful completion of a highly coordinated Local media widely covered the event. The installation was featured on TVL News, VRT NWS, and a LinkedIn update celebrating the engineering behind the scenes the new bridge will serve as a vital link for cyclists and pedestrians in Hasselt Residents across Limburg are invited to vote on a name for this new addition to the city’s sustainable transport network set to become a familiar landmark for years to come Sarens completes rotor replacement for EVM in Hidalgo Heavy transport engineering specialist Sarens has unveiled the SGC-120.1 – an upgraded version of its SGC-120 crane now offering the lifting capacity of the larger SGC-140 model Sarens successfully replaces chiller in operation at the Braehead Shopping Centre in Glasgow Site powered by Webvision Cloud The intervention serves as a model for architecture that integrates environmental considerations with social engagement The design team collaborated with BC Materials a workers’ cooperative that transforms excavated earth into building materials experimenting with sustainable material use is part of a broader municipal initiative to transform the space into a community center Due to the impact of a major road that divided the village and disrupted its social fabric The initiative aligns with the ‘Noord-Zuid Limburg’ redevelopment project which seeks to restore community connectivity The design consists of two key elements, a wooden pavilion positioned within the garden’s tree canopy to create a quiet retreat, and an earth oven placed near the vicarage to function as a visible landmark Building Beyond Pastorie project was developed through extensive research and engagement with local residents Construction was carried out by students with direct involvement from the community and labor through workshops and a building festival Local businesses and organizations also provided support including material donations and logistical assistance all images by Olmo Peeters unless stated otherwise | courtesy of Hasselt University Sustainability guided the selection of construction materials, with a focus on sourcing locally and reclaiming elements from structures scheduled for demolition due to the Noord-Zuid road redevelopment. The team designed the reversible pavilion to be deconstructed thereby reducing waste and impact on the site Instead of traditional concrete foundations screw piles were installed on one side of the structure while the opposite side rests on a foundation composed of reclaimed sand These materials were topped with precast concrete elements that can be easily dismantled The pavilion’s wooden framework was built from repurposed timber donated by a local construction company, extending the lifespan of existing materials. The roof was clad with wooden shakes, handcrafted from logs sourced through sustainable forest management in the Meerdaal forest near Leuven. Inside, a bench constructed from compressed earth bricks (CEBs), provided by BC Materials contributes to both structural stability and seating The bench’s weight helps anchor the structure against wind forces The earth oven follows a similar construction approach Its foundation and plinth were built using reclaimed materials while the oven itself consists of molded earth bricks (MEBs) finished with lime plaster for durability This approach ensures material efficiency and long-term resilience By integrating circular construction principles and community participation Building Beyond Pastorie project demonstrates how architecture can respond to both environmental and social needs the Building Beyond Pastorie project introduces a pavilion and an outdoor earth oven for communal use located in the garden of an abandoned vicarage the wooden framework was built using repurposed timber a bench made from compressed earth bricks contributes to both seating and structural stability the earth oven serves as a landmark near the vicarage signaling the site’s revitalization | image by John Silvertand the earth oven was constructed from molded earth bricks and finished with lime plaster reclaimed materials were used for the oven’s foundation and plinth Building Beyond Pastorie project aligns with municipal efforts to restore community spaces in Helchteren the use of molded earth bricks ensures material efficiency and long-term resilience name: Building Beyond Pastorie architects: Postgraduate Program Building Beyond Borders – Hasselt University | @universiteithasselt collaborators: Faculty of Architecture and Arts of UHasselt, VLAIO Living Lab on Earth Blocks, BC Materials | @bcmaterials_org academic supervisors: Nicolas Coeckelberghs supported by: Municipality Houthalen-Helchteren photographer: Olmo Peeters | @oooolmoooo designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here. edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom happening now! partnering with antonio citterio, AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function, but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style, context, and personal expression. Camille Van Puymbroeck is a Belgian freelance journalist with a big interest in anything lifestyle and ecology-related. Nothing makes her more happy than visiting a former Soviet building, overgrown by nature, equipped with a camera and a coffee. Not without an Italian meal afterwards, of course. Her work has previously been published in Metro, Sabato Magazine and Culinaire Ambiance. From 1 March until 13 April, the famous Japanese Garden in Hasselt, Belgium, will open its doors for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, with several special events planned to celebrate this natural spectacle. As the largest Japanese garden in Europe, Hasselt’s garden attracted a record-breaking 140,000 visitors last year. Although the gardens remain open throughout spring, summer, and autumn, the Cherry Blossom Festival is traditionally one of the most popular times to visit. Extra staff have been hired this year to enhance visitor experience. Ver esta publicação no Instagram Uma publicação partilhada por @_theplaces__ Although the festival was originally scheduled to begin on 8 March, it opened a week earlier due to high tourist demand and the early blooming of the cherry blossoms. The Japanese tradition of hanami or ‘flower viewing’ is a significant cultural practice. Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram Публикация от Travel Tomorrow (@traveltomorrow.eu) During the Cherry Blossom Festival, visitors can do more than just admire the blooming trees—tea ceremonies, guided tours, and cultural performances will also take place at the Japanese Garden in Hasselt for those eager to deepen their understanding of Japanese culture. “We will conclude Hanami with the unique ‘Sakura’ performance on April 13th in the Japanese Garden. Enjoy an enchanting combination of music and traditional dance that brings the essence of Japanese culture to life. Be carried away by the mesmerising sounds of the koto and shamisen, traditional Japanese instruments, as graceful dance reflects the magic of the blooming cherry blossoms.” Ver esta publicação no Instagram Uma publicação partilhada por Japanse Tuin | Hasselt (@japansetuinbe) While cherry blossoms have long held cultural significance in Japan they have gained increasing global popularity in recent years Many people now travel to Japan for the ultimate cherry blossom experience while others seek alternative destinations closer to home The garden is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, but special evening openings are scheduled on 11 March, 19 March, 27 March, and 4 April. Tickets for the Cherry Blossom Festival can be purchased online. Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper function of the website. Statistics cookies collect information anonymously. This information helps us to understand how our visitors use our website. ​CategoriesCategoriesEnglishCULTUREEarly Andy Warhol exhibition brings rare drawings and record covers to Hasselt12 February 2025 A rare collection of early works by American Pop Art icon Andy Warhol will be on display at PXL University College in Hasselt starting Thursday Among the highlights are several homoerotic drawings before Warhol’s rise to fame with his iconic silkscreen prints of Campbell’s soup cans and Marilyn Monroe Warhol is widely recognised as one of the most influential artists of the Pop Art movement transforming everyday objects and celebrities into bold Early Andy Warhol showcases a different side of the artist revealing how his unique visual style developed long before his commercial success “Using 30 exceptional drawings from a Belgian private collection the 'firm' and inventive-experimental way in which Andy Warhol prepared the visible evolution towards Pop Art in the 1950s becomes clear,” the exhibition description explains The exhibition features drawings of men wearing earrings and necklaces "Nobody takes offence to that now," curator Luk Lambrecht told VRT NWS "But in the 1950s of puritanical America it was not easy to be 'different' Warhol had a great fascination for the human body Did you know that he also depicted a lot of feet for which he made a lot of advertisements." One of the techniques showcased in the exhibition is Warhol’s blotted line method where he transferred wet ink drawings onto another sheet of paper was an early experiment in mechanical reproduction something Warhol would later perfect with his silkscreen prints “The hats of the women are coloured with watercolour paint,” the exhibition notes explain “This technique is Warhol’s first attempt to easily reproduce his works but from 1962 onwards it will be done by machine.” many of which Warhol co-designed before becoming an icon of Pop Art Early Andy Warhol runs from 15 February to 15 March at PXL-MAD School of Arts in Hasselt It is open daily except Sundays from 13.00-17.00 with free admission ​#FlandersNewsService | A woman walks past Andy Warhol's Campbell Soup Cans at the opening of the Museum of Modern Art Queens in 2002 © PHOTO MATT CAMPBELL / AFP Copy linkGet updates in your mailboxYour email addressSubscribeBy clicking "Subscribe" I confirm I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy rapid and high-quality information 24 hours a day from Belgium and abroad to all Belgian media not to mention entertainment and lifestyle our journalists and press photographers produce hundreds of photos and news stories Since the end of March 2022 English has been added as a language businesses and various organisations that need reliable information Belga News Agency also offers a comprehensive range of corporate services to meet all their communication needs www.belganewsagency.eu    By Emma Silvestri for CNA For the past 340 years in the town of Hasselt in northeastern Belgium people have been celebrating a major Marian event every seven years — honoring the “Virga Jesse” through processions tens of thousands of people are expected to attend the 47th gathering Aug “Virga Jesse,” which translates to “stump of Jesse,” is an ancient term for the Virgin Mary the prophet Isaiah predicts the birth of Christ with these words: “A branch will come forth from the stock of Jesse father of David; a shoot will spring from his roots” (Is 11:1) Christian tradition has given Christ’s mother The septennial celebration of Virga Jesse is part of a tradition of Marian processions in the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion bringing together part of Flanders in Belgium Septennial festivities are held in Tongeren (Belgium) the town of Hasselt in Belgium has organized the festivities around its Marian statue in the Basilica of Our Lady The Gothic oak statue of Mary has been venerated in Hasselt since the 14th century and the tradition of septennial feasts began in 1682 About 3 feet high and polychrome, this precious sculpture is loaded with symbolism. The tunic of the infant Jesus, a mixture of yellow and brown, refers to the divine and the earthly, according to the official website of the Virga Jesse in Hasselt The people of Hasselt are very attached to their Madonna who has been invoked in times of calamity over the generations The Madonna of Hasselt received official recognition in a story recounted on the festivities’ website a contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals threatening the survival of the distillers of jenever (the ancestor of modern gin) the people of Hasselt took refuge at the foot of the Virga Jesse The disease was beaten and the inhabitants moved by a deep gratitude to their patroness asked the Vatican to crown the Virga Jesse the statue was given such honors by the visit of a papal representative This history has further strengthened the resolve of the town’s inhabitants to come together every seven years to celebrate Virga Jesse “It’s a spiritual tradition but also a cultural one,” Luc Vandeweyer head of communications for Hasselt’s Virga Jesse Committee “The festivities are centered on the Virgin Mary but many initiatives have been developed in the neighborhoods While Vandeweyer acknowledged that Catholicism “has become less fashionable in recent decades” in Belgium he said he is delighted that this Marian tradition is still “alive and kicking.” “We manage to gather over 1,300 participants for each procession based on episodes from the life of Mary,” he said and dances illustrating the life of the Virgin Mary around themes such as openness to God with the help of the organizing Virga Jesse Committee in Hasselt and a professional producer participants were able to actively contribute to the content and shaping of the procession this year The committee reserved space for interviews with participants in the program booklet written for festival visitors the oldest man in the procession — who is 97 years old — will be following the procession in a wheelchair There is also the story of a family participating with four generations of women — grandmother and granddaughter pregnant with a daughter The organizing committee itself has about 20 members and 250 volunteers in August who coordinate three processions around the Virgin on Aug Each procession attracts about 20,000 visitors alone paintings will depict the “miracles” performed by the patron saint of Hasselt — and there are many miraculous events attributed to Virga Jesse Tradition says that a child playing in a garret fell out of a window and was found dead on the cobblestones by his mother Bringing the child to the statue of Virga Jesse the mother obtained from the Virgin a return to life for her son “L’homme errant,” a native of Hasselt named Christianus set off on a pilgrimage to Rocamadour in France save me!” And suddenly he felt the Virgin Mary take him by the hand and lead him to safety In another miraculous story surrounding the Virga Jesse and lace dresses covering the statue of the Virgin The thief filled a bag with the loot and climbed the fence between the choir and the transept when he realized that he was strangely stuck on the fence Another miracle dates to the Second World War a bomb destroyed a large part of the church housing the Virga Jesse the statue was found intact under the rubble In addition to the above-mentioned processions and a dozen exhibitions will take place between Aug One not-to-be-missed tradition is the distribution of “pea soup,” which takes place in the square in front of the basilica under the eye of the “Langeman” — a 16-foot-tall statue of a giant from local tradition which only comes out of its cellar for Virga Jesse festivities or the arrival of a new Belgian king All this is completed by the “rotten,” the traditional name in English for 45 street committees of Hasselt’s inner-city districts who decorate the city’s streets and squares with flags These same groups also take care of depicting all of the “miracles” surrounding the town’s beloved Virga Jesse If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter Young Catholic scientists research blindness in program that ties together faith and science  Boston Archbishop-elect Henning: ‘My mission is going to be the people in front of me’ Pope Francis washes the feet of 12 young men and women inmates at Casal del Marmo juvenile detention center on Rome’s outskirts during a Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday Vatican City, Mar 11, 2024 … […] Vienna, Austria, May 2, 2018 / 12:08 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The apostolic nuncio to Austria said Tuesday that he is “saddened and ashamed” that bishops and priests have been vocal critics of the Bavarian government’s mandate to display crosses in government buildings that when in a neighboring country crosses are erected,  it is bishops and priests of all people who think they have to criticize the decision That is unacceptable,” Archbishop Peter Zurbriggen said May 1 at the Benedict XVI Philosophical-Theological University in Heiligenkreuz lamented such religious and political correctness He noted that “We are in Heiligenkreuz,” which means in German “Holy Cross” He was speaking at a “day of thanks” at the pontifical university a Cistercian monastery located about 20 miles southwest of Vienna “Many know that my episcopal motto is ‘Sancta Crux Archbishop Zurbriggen added that it is similarly shameful that some bishops have removed their pectoral crosses while visiting sites in the Holy Land “But then I think of … Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran who recently visited Saudi Arabia and was received by the king He wore a cross that was twice as big as that cross which I am wearing now president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue had met with King Salman in Riyadh April 18 Archbishop Zurbriggen’s comments come after Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising criticized the Bavarian government’s move saying the cross is “a sign of opposition to violence but not a sign [of exclusion] against other people.” The cross can be misunderstood as purely a cultural symbol Cardinal Marx said the Bavarian government had triggered “division But Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg had applauded the government’s decision saying that “the cross is the epitome of Western culture It belongs to the foundations of Europe.” Its public presence – which in traditionally Catholic Bavaria is near ubiquitous – should be seen as such Christians have placed crosses atop the peaks of Bavarian mountains: “Not the national flag or other symbols of human rule as others might have liked to see at other times the sign of salvation and life in which Christ is heaven and earth The requirement that every entrance to state buildings display up a cross was announced by the office of Markus Söder The directive to hang the crosses by June 1 has sparked a public debate in Germany and Christian roots in a country divided by questions of heritage The accusation that the government would attempt to misappropriate the cross or designate it as a purely cultural symbol was flatly rejected by Söder a Lutheran who hails from the Protestant region of Franconia in northern Bavaria “Of course the cross is primarily a religious symbol,” Söder told German media also carries with it basic foundations of a secular state Söder’s office had said the decision is meant to “express the historical and cultural character of Bavaria” and to present “a visible commitment to the core values of the legal and social order in Bavaria and Germany.” […] My heart is lifted reading of this tradition Thank you for bringing an armchair traveler in Texas this beautiful tradition through this article please protect Hasselt and our world in our present day All comments posted at Catholic World Report are moderated While vigorous debate is welcome and encouraged please note that in the interest of maintaining a civilized and helpful level of discussion comments containing obscene language or personal attacks—or those that are deemed by the editors to be needlessly combative or inflammatory—will not be published Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" A renowned Scottish philosopher has told an audience of experts gathered in London for a pro-family conference that “the term ‘progressive consensus’ has become a bullying term, it’s become a cover for intimidation.” Professor John […] You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/ Sign up to receive a weekly email with news, analysis, and commentary from a voice you can trust! (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[3]='MMERGE3';ftypes[3]='text';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';fnames[4]='MMERGE4';ftypes[4]='text';fnames[5]='MMERGE5';ftypes[5]='text';fnames[6]='MMERGE6';ftypes[6]='number';fnames[7]='MMERGE7';ftypes[7]='radio';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); HomeDestinationsInterestsTop Places to Travel by MonthSearchMenuBest time to go to Belgium Kolonel Dusartplein transforms into a true winter wonderland for over seven weeks which takes place between late November and early January in Hasselt the main highlight is the Hasselt Christmas market With about a hundred international vendors selling exclusive Christmas gifts and delicious treats the fair claims to be the largest one in the region such as iconic Liège waffles and Belgian fries and also festive treats from throughout Europe you've got an array of mulled wine and jenever bars Winterland Hasselt boasts various extra attractions which is a replica of the home of Santa in Rovaniemi Hasselt is an amazing winter destination in Belgium Feel free to browse the city and absorb the enchanting Christmas ambiance off the Kolonel Dusartplein You might likewise find something special on the numerous shopping streets of the city To better immerse in the atmosphere of the Winterland Hasselt Christmas Market and share real experiences rove.me spoke with Timothy Kawana from Hawaii We asked Timothy to share the overall impression of the event "I attended the Christmas Market in Hasselt on New Year's Day of 2023 with my wife and 17-year-old daughter The Market was smaller compared to those in Brussels and Antwerp but had the same type of huts that had food It was easy to find and access by car or train It was not a problem for visitors like us who spoke English with only a few French phrases The people at the market were very friendly and welcoming and helped us when we needed directions and had questions The food options were plenty and things that you found in Belgian markets like poffertjes and raclette." Timothy didn’t experience anything particularly different from other markets but mentioned that it was about a 15-minute walk from the train station so visitors with mobility issues might need additional means to reach the market if arriving by train Timothy encourages travelers to visit the Winterland Hasselt Christmas Market: "I would recommend visiting this market because even though it may not have all of the energy that larger markets have with more huts and bigger crowds it has a wonderful cozy feeling to enjoy the holiday season Its ice rink is covered and has an area for eating with tables and chairs their is still an area to enjoy your time there The antique carousel was something that gave the market a special feel and added to the overall atmosphere there There was an archery game that we haven’t seen at any other market The market is well worth the effort to visit if you have the time and want to experience a small market that is unique on to itself." Timothy Kawana also shared tips for those looking to have a great experience at the Winterland Hasselt Christmas Market including the best time to visit and whether it’s easy to reach Hasselt without a car: "We visited during the day in the morning so crowds may have been a little smaller That seems to be our experience with visiting the other markets too Visit earlier and on a week day," Timothy advises "If you are visiting Belgium and don't have a car the trains into Hasselt are fast and efficient Getting to and from larger cities is no problem at all I'm guessing that the market was more crowded before Christmas in the evenings and weekends Visiting after Christmas will still allow you the same experience and you can still find that special treasure for the next Christmas season." Phoebe Philo’s ‘Mum’ necklace Belgium explores the rarely examined link between fashion and motherhood Sonia Rykiel and Lanvin gave the curators a chance to look at fashion history afresh designers like Meryll Rogge who learned she was pregnant at the same time she debuted her own line in 2020 Ann Demeulemeester was the same – she launched her house whilst carrying her son.’ The show also documents the legacy of male designers influenced by their mothers Lucienne Saint Laurent introduced her son – the young Yves – to the world of fashion theatre and cinema via the pages of glossy magazines A paper doll that the designer made at the age of 17 using cuttings of them has pride of place in the exhibition alongside personal family photographs The Musée Yves Saint Laurent preserves 11 dolls and 100 accessories made during the same period 1953-54 ‘We see so many celebrations of motherhood and pregnancy today on the catwalk and in the media but it's so interesting to see what the evolution has been,’ Demoen says seven-month pregnant Demi Moore posed on the cover of Vanity Fair for its August 1991 issue some shops stacked it in the pornography section or refused to sell it The cover is included in the show alongside Rhianna radiant in her third trimester on the cover of American Vogue's May 2022 issue I think many visitors to the museum arrive thinking they are going to see an overview of maternity wear from the 19th century up until today which of course is not what they get.’ Fashion and Motherhood’ at Modemuseum Hasselt runs until 5 January 2025 escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox modemuseumhasselt.be London based writer Dal Chodha is editor-in-chief of Archivist Addendum — a publishing project that explores the gap between fashion editorial and academe He writes for various international titles and journals on fashion art and culture and is a contributing editor at Wallpaper* Chodha has been working in academic institutions for more than a decade and is Stage 1 Leader of the BA Fashion Communication and Promotion course at Central Saint Martins In 2020 he published his first book SHOW NOTES Joost Peter is a painter and visual artist based in Ballycasey County Clare JP was educated at the Royal Academy of the Arts KABK in the Hague completing his studies in Utrecht at HKU with a Bachelor of Fine Art with honours at age 27.  opened a doorway to express the beauty around him through drawing and painting Moving to Zimbabwe in the mid-1990s in adolescence further paved the way for the marvel and wonder encountered on the artist’s journey Time spent in Botswana later in life cemented his place as a professional visual artist and son of the soil with exhibitions at the National Gallery in Gaborone "Hawthorne" is JP’s debut exhibition in Ireland muted; on a frequency unique to the Emerald Isle The ebb and flow of the tides will pulse and pull Áras Contae an ChláirNew Road EnnisCo Email: customerservices@clarecoco.ie Opening hours Christina Schweinberger third in 31.2km race against the clock from Heusden-Zolder to Hasselt Lotte Kopecky wins elite women's time trial at the UEC Road European Championships(Image credit: Getty Images)Anna Kiesenhofer competes during the elite women's time trial at the 2024 UEC Road Cycling European Championships (Image credit: Getty Images) The reigning Belgian time trial champion completed the 31.2km course in a time of 39 minutes at an average speed of 47.984kph to claim her first-ever European title Van Dijk took the silver medal at a deficit of 44 seconds, while Christina Schweinberger (Austria) rounded out the podium with bronze a further 19 seconds back I have to thank my coach who drew up a pace plan at the Olympic Games and here,” Kopecky said after her win so it was a very nice time trial where I could ride the power that was set “I gained time at every intermediate point so that was good for the morale along the way The decisive part was definitely between 10 and 15km with a headwind You could make a big difference there.” Norway’s Katrine Aalerud was the quickest of the early runners recording a time of 40:25 to take over the hot seat from Mieke Kröger (Germany) by 24 seconds She’d only last in the provisional lead for a matter of minutes with Van Dijk coming through to set the quickest time at both checkpoints and the finish The Dutchwoman was the 15th starter of 27 competitors and had won the title four times in a row between 2016 and 2019 Her time held strong as the next several riders and Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka (Poland) crossed the line Vittoria Guazzini (Italy) was the sixth-last woman to finish taking over second place in the process with a time of 40:10 but she wouldn’t stay on the podium as the late runners came to the line Kopecky’s time at the first checkpoint – 13:25 – was three seconds up on Van Dijk an advantage she extended to 15 seconds at the second checkpoint she had added 29 seconds to that lead to take over the hot seat Only Riejanne Markus (Netherlands) and Schweinberger remained out on the course by that point though both lagged over a minute behind Kopecky Markus’ time of 40:06 saw her briefly take over the bronze medal position before Schweinberger raced home just two seconds up to secure the final spot on the podium behind Kopecky and Van Dijk Results powered by FirstCycling Dani has reported from the world's top races She has interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars and her favourite races are the Giro d'Italia ​CategoriesCategoriesEnglishCULTURE, TOURISMFormer administrative centre to become Hasselt's new cultural hub26 February 2025 The former administrative centre of Hasselt will be converted into a cultural hub in the next few years The Kunstenhuis Groenplein should open in 2027 Preparatory works to transform the building will take place in the coming weeks The conversion of the building is expected to take two years and cost 15 million euros The façade and building will be preserved as much as possible and supplemented by a new section The new part will be equipped with high-tech spaces and will accommodate a cinema B-Classic and Vonk will move into the art hub in 2027 The Kunstenhuis Groenplein is intended to be a hotspot for film performance and music and a place where artists can develop projects Hasselt will have another huge cultural and tourist asset,” said mayor Steven Vandeput #FlandersNewsService | The former administrative centre of Hasselt © BELGA PHOTO JORIS VLIEGEN Italy takes a pair of podium spots with Mattia Cattaneo in third Switzerland's Stefan Küng finished just shy of 10 seconds slower to take the silver medal while Mattia Cattaneo was a surprising third It was a tight race between the 2021 European Champion Küng and the 2018 under-23 European Champion Affini with Küng going out harder in the first 10 kilometres The Swiss rider was quickest at that first check Affini had picked up his pace considerably while Küng was more steady and came through the check 0.62 seconds slower than Affini Küng rallied and clawed back a few seconds but it wasn't enough He came in 9.59 slower than the Italian's time Affini is the first Italian winner of the European men's time trial which was added to the UEC's programme in 2016 and it was an emotional moment for the 28-year-old who received a congratulatory phone call from compatriot Filippo Ganna after the finish "I don't know what to say," Affini said fighting back tears The last three weeks have been a difficult Vuelta for me One of the most difficult Grand Tours ever for me but I felt like I lacked the power to achieve a good result I'm trying to enjoy it as much as possible I can achieve another good result with my national team." The European Championships continue on Thursday with the team time trial mixed relay Results powered by FirstCycling she coordinates coverage for North American events and global news As former elite-level road racer who dabbled in cyclo-cross and track Laura has a passion for all three disciplines When not working she likes to go camping and explore lesser traveled roads UCI governance and performing data analysis Syn-Pro by SISIS Cricket Groundcare Machinery Cricket fans can tune in for live streaming and full post-match coverage as the tournament gets underway Scarlett Souren takes second as Eleonora Gasparrini rounds out the podium for Italy sprinting to victory from a full peloton in Hasselt The 22-year-old scored the Netherlands' third gold medal of the week after a perfect run-in to the line for her and her team Her Dutch teammate and lead-out woman Scarlett Souren finished off a one-two in second place.  Eleonora Gasparrini finished third to take bronze – Italy's fourth medal of the Championships Van Rooijen's win came after her Dutch squad had controlled the final kilometres of the 101km race run over flat roads between Heusden-Zolder and Hasselt which also included Ilse Pluimers and Nienke Vinke shut down attempted late attacks by several Italian riders as well as Julia Kopecky (Czechia) and Wilma Aintila (Finland) to ensure a bunch sprint finish Belgium had attempted several moves to send riders clear once the early break of Mikka Holm (Denmark) and Nela Slanikova (Czechia) had been reeled in though no big names managed to slip clear and disrupt the sprint As the race hit the final of the local laps around Hasselt some 14km out a crash took several riders out of contention Finnish sprint hope and newly crowned U23 time trial champion Anniina Ahtosalo was among them with the 21-year-old eventually rolling home in 74th place at 1:42 down keeping the lead group together for the finishing sprint where Souren delivered a textbook lead out for her trade teammate Van Rooijen staying close to take silver as Van Rooijen sped ahead to the blue-striped jersey of European U23 champion Belgium will host the 2024 European Championships, the first time that nation has done so since the event’s revamp in 2016. More specifically, Limburg will play host to the week of racing All races will go from Heusden-Zolder, home of one of the classic cyclocross courses with flat time-trials for the purists and road races that are headlined by several cobbled sectors and short bergs It’s no Flanders though, so expect a lot of the hardy sprinters to be in contention at the end of the races. We’re talking Lorena Wiebes and Elisa Balsamo in the women’s road race while Jasper Philipsen and Jonathan Milan will be hoping to overcome Classics powerhouses Mathieu van der Poel and Mads Pedersen on the men’s side Time-trials take place on Wednesday 11th September and the elite road races are on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th Related questions you can explore with Ask Cyclist, our AI search engine.If you would like to ask your own question you just need to Login, Register or subscribe The time-trial sets out from Heusden-Zolder a regular host on the cyclocross circuit and two-time host of the UCI Road World Championships The route is shaped like a question mark from Zolder The arrival into Hasselt follows the path of the Albertkanaal The finish line comes on the inner ring road of Hasselt The profile is pan-flat with no vertical challenges it continues the recent trend of shorter time-trial distances not too dissimilar from the profile tackled by the riders in Paris during the 2024 Olympic Games time-trial Filippo Ganna has announced that he will skip the European Championships while reigning champion Josh Tarling will also not be in attendance given Britain’s decision not to send a team for the week’s events The Swiss duo of Stefan Küng and Stefan Bissegger will start as favourites keep an eye out for Italians Mattia Cattaneo and Edoardo Affini being among the medals Data powered by FirstCycling.com The women will ride the same course as the men This 31.2km ride from Zolder to Hasselt will see riders looking to become the new European champion in the absence of Switzerland’s Marlen Reusser become the oldest European champion in the women's sport Christina Schweinberger and Riejanne Markus are among other race favourites Lotte Kopecky will carry the hopes of Belgium while reigning champions Switzerland will count on Elena Hartman with three-time winner Reusser still out Data powered by FirstCycling.com On Thursday everyone's favourite discipline is back for its fourth inclusion at the European Championships There has yet to be a repeat winner but Germany Italy and the Netherlands have been up there each time and France are the reigning champs The men will ride almost the same route as the individual TT before the women finish off with couple of more technical laps in the east side of Hasselt The only teams in this year's race are Bulgaria Expect it to be a battle between the final two for the victory The road race routes again go from Heusden-Zolder to Hasselt but head further south to also take in some cobbled sections and bergs There are a couple of circuits that the riders will take on The finishing circuit in Hasselt will be done 1.5 times on the way south and again at the finish and the circuit that encompasses the sectors will be done twice It's not the most challenging parcours with only 905m of elevation but the short bergs and cobbles could form splits boasting a startlist that includes Lorena Wiebes and Shirin van Anrooij and the course should be within Wiebes's capabilities – if she's still at the front of the race at the end she'll be the favourite to take the win Elisa Balsamo will also start as a big favourite and is one of a few riders who can get close to Wiebes in a sprint Data powered by FirstCycling.com The men's road race will take place over the same roads as the women's but with more laps of the circuits The Hasselt circuit will be ridden 3.5 times to start with and 1.5 times at the end while the Limburg circuit with the bergs and cobbles will be taken on three times This year's race promises a field of Classics superstars Reigning world champion Mathieu van der Poel will be looking to add another international jersey to his collection He will start as the favourite for the blue-striped European champion's jersey He will be joined by an in-form Olav Kooij who recently claimed the BEMER Cyclassic in Germany Kooij came close last year with a bronze medal in the road race Leading the host nation will be Jasper Philipsen Mads Pedersen will also start as a firm favourite after recently reigniting his season with a win at the Deutschland Tour His Lidl-Trek teammate Jonathan Milan will start as Italy's leader His recent run of form was highlighted at the Renewi Tour where he claimed a handful of stages against a stacked sprinting field Data powered by FirstCycling.com Limburg will host a plethora of events for younger riders in both the under-23 and junior categories the women will get their own under-23 race while all the time-trials apart from the junior women's race will be on the same route as the elite races The junior women's time-trial is shorter at 13.3km which is direct from Heusden-Zolder to Hasselt Likewise in the road races the junior women have the shortest course at 73km going from Heusden-Zolder to Hasselt and then doing three laps of that circuit The junior men's race is 129.8km with 1.5 laps of the Hasselt circuit early on and again to finish with just one lap of the Limburg circuit in the middle The U23 women's race is like the junior women's route cutting the bergs and cobbles out for a pan flat 101.5km The U23 men route is the same as the elite women's route The elite races will be broadcast across the continent including on Eurosport and Discovery+ with time-trials from 14:00 to 16:50 on Wednesday 11th mixed relay from 13:20 to 15:25 on Thursday the women's road race on Saturday from 12:30 to 16:45 and the men's road race on Sunday from 11:25 to 17:05 A lot of the Junior and U23 races will also be broadcast in Belgium with Sporza showing all the time-trials and VRT1 showing the U23 road races The UEC website will also be live streaming all the races, find that here You must be logged in to post a comment To manage an existing Cyclist magazine subscription, please visit Manage your account or visit our subscription FAQ page. To subscribe, or for other enquiries, please contact us Sign up to the Cyclist newsletter to receive curated emails direct to your inbox Sign up to our newsletter Log in to access Cyclist Rides using your email pertaining to your subscription Don't forget a subscription to Cyclist includes: Log in to post comments and use Ask Cyclist our AI platform that answers your questions based on our articles Register to comment on our latest articles Occasional emails from selected third-party sponsors and advertisers Please enter your username or email address to reset your password Netherlands sprinters beats Elisa Balsamo and Daria Pikulik after controlled race The 2024 European Championship women's podium (l-r) Elisa Balsamo (Italy Daria Pikulik (Poland) (Image credit: Getty Images)Lorena Wiebes will wear the distinctive European champion's jersey for another year(Image credit: Getty Images)Lorena Wiebes (Netherlands) followed a powerful Dutch lead-out surfed the wheels to perfection and then surged away to win the elite women's road race title at the UEC Road European Championships in Limburg The Dutch team led the field into the final flat kilometres of the 162km race from Heusden-Zolder to Hasselt at speeds reaching more than 53km/h.  Although France and Italy challenged the Netherlands with their own lead-outs jumped on the Italian train and then launched the fastest sprint to the line third-placed Daria Pikulik (Poland) and fourth-place Clara Copponi (France) by several bike lengths Wiebes' victory marks the sixth consecutive win for the Netherlands in the elite women's EUC road race only beaten by Italy's Marta Bastianelli in the 2018 edition The elite women's field faced a 162 km hilly road race from Heusden-Zolder to Hasselt The peloton passed through the finish line for the first time just 27km into the race and then embarked on opening short circuits a large loop and finishing circuits in Hasselt There were six cobbled sectors on the course that added to the dynamics of the race along with four categorised ascents: Kolmontberg (700m at 4.4%) and Zammelenberg (800m at 3.8%) which were tackled a second time on the final lap of the large circuit before entering the Hasselt finish circuits mechanicals and a flurry of attacks as the peloton departed from Heusden-Zolder but the field remained intact as they entered the first cobbled sectors of the race The Dutch team with defending champion Mischa Bredewold managed the pace at the front of the field but after multiple attacks from riders on the Belgian and Spanish teams and then a countermove from Nikola Nosková (Czech Republic) the field split with roughly 50 riders in the front group Mireia Benito (Spain) was the first rider to gain any significant time on the peloton pushing her lead out to 20 seconds ahead of the back-to-back climb over the Kolmontbberg and Zammelenberg on the first large circuit Benito crested the two climbs and maintained a gap of 25 seconds over the peloton while Jade Wiel (France) attempted to bridge across to the solo breakaway rider Wiel's efforts to bridge across were short lived however and both she and Benito's time out front came to an end as the race reached the Op de Kriezel cobblestone sector with 58 km to go Loes Adegeest and Thatlita de Jong formed a new five-rider move but that too was short lived and the reduced field was back together on the second large circuit ahead of the Kolmontbberg and Zammelenberg Another series of attacks came from riders from the Netherlands but Sara Martin (Spain) was the only rider to successfully open a gap inside 30km to go As the Spanish rider pushed her lead out to 20 seconds Germany's Lea Lin Teutenberg and then her teammate Lippert gave chase followed by Nina Berton (Luxembourg) and Marion Norbert (Belgium) but none were strong enough to make it across the gap Martin's gap increased to nearly 30 seconds as she raced through the finish line at the start of the last 15 km circuit But the eight-rider Dutch team pulled to the front of the peloton slashing the gap in half on the flat circuit The Dutch riders led the field into the final kilometres of the race with a lead-out that hit speeds of over 53 km/h They  were eventually challenged by the French and Italian teams inside the last kilometre and the sprint became chaotic as Italy surged on the left.  Wiebes lost her lead out but wisely got on the Italian train and then kicked at the same as Balsamo with two hundred metres to go She was significantly faster than Balsamo and anyone else taking the sixth consecutive elite women's road race title for the Netherlands.  Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006 Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023 beating Söderqvist and Mouris on home ground Alec Segaert (Belgium) once again won the U23 men's European time trial title (Image credit: Getty Images)The final podium – Segaert and Mouris(Image credit: Getty Images)Segaert finishes his winning effort in Hasselt(Image credit: Getty Images)Söderqvist took second place(Image credit: Getty Images)Wessel Mouris rounded out the podium(Image credit: Getty Images)Alec Segaert successfully defended his European U23 men's time trial title on home ground in Hasselt The 21-year-old Belgian tackled the 31.3km course in a time of 35:06 to retake the gold medal he won in the Dutch town of Emmen last year He beat out Sweden's Jakob Söderqvist by 31 seconds while Dutchman Wessel Mouris – the older brother of newly crowned junior European time trial champion Michiel – claimed bronze a further four seconds back who this year turned professional with Lotto-Dstny can add his victory here to a plethora of time trial wins at junior and U23 level He has now won the European U23 time trial three times in a row having won the junior title back in 2021.  beating Magnus Sheffield in the time trial at the Renewi Tour Dutch rider beats Bräutigam and Dubcova in sprint finish Stephen FarrandSocial Links NavigationHead of NewsStephen is one of the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team having reported on professional cycling since 1994 He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022 before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters The blossoming of the first cherry blossom buds An absolutely magical sight to behold at the Hasselt Japanese Garden Europe’s largestJapanese garden, the Hasselt Japanese Garden hosts a wonderful festival in March-April the blossoming of the Japanese cherry trees creates a magical spectacle that transports us to the land of the Rising Sun the Hasselt garden is only an hour’s drive from Brussels Nestled in the heart of the town that gave it its name the Hasselt Japanese Garden is a veritable oasis of tranquility and beauty Also known as the “Garden of Peace” this enchanting space offers visitors a true immersion in Japanese culture Every element of this Japanese garden is carefully designed to evoke Japanese aesthetics and philosophy every corner of the garden exudes beauty and harmony the garden opens its doors to the public for longer on certain days on April 13 you can enjoy a beautiful show in the park Let yourself be carried away by the magnificent sounds of the koto and shamisen View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rob Driessen (@robstreeworks) Visit this wonderful garden in March/April for your chance to see the cherry blossoms Veteran batsmen Sherry Butt will aim to lead Hasselt All-rounder Faisal Mehmood will aim to lead Brussels Warriors in runs and wickets this season Cricket Betting Tips and Match Predictions* - PrePlay Top Batter (Runs Scored) - Sherry Butt (Hasselt), Faisal Mehmood (Brussels Warriors) Top Bowler (Wickets taken) - Waqas Raja (Hasselt), Faisal Mehmood (Brussels Warriors) Most Sixes – Sherry Butt (Hasselt), Faisal Mehmood (Brussels Warriors) Player of the Match- Sherry Butt (Hasselt) Team Scores Batting first – Hasselt 110+, Brussels Warriors 100+ Brussels Warriors - Ameenullah Aslami Live Cricket Streaming ECSN Belgium 2025: The live cricket streaming page which enables you to watch live cricket - Geo-restrictions apply *NB these predictions may be changed nearer the start of the match once the final starting teams have been announced and we will be running ‘In-Play’ features Also planning new data center in Kortrijk in West Flanders Belgium’s Datacenter United is acquiring local colocation provider Hasselt DC and developing a new data center Investment firm and DCU owner TINC this week announced that the two Limburg-based data centers of Hasselt DC are now ‘part of the Datacenter United ecosystem’ we are taking the next step to strengthen our position in the Belgian data center market We can now offer our professional services from no less than nine locations this means that we can guarantee an even better geographical presence and economies of scale we lay the foundation for the digital economy of the future.” Hasselt DC operates two facilities in Hasselt in Limburg Hasselt DC1 offers 380 racks across 950 sqm (10,225 sq ft) and 650kW; Hasselt DC2 offers 80 racks across 200 sqm (2,150 sq ft) and 250kW this is a logical step to fully develop the possibilities of our data centers As a pioneer of colocation data centers in Limburg the foundation was laid for the digital development of the region at the time This joining of forces ensures an increase in scale and further connects the Limburg region with the rest of Flanders.” The companies also announced that ground had been broken on a new data center in Kortrijk in West Flanders Specifications of the new facility weren’t shared Datacenter United currently operates facilities across Belgium in Antwerp (x2) TINC took a majority stake in the company in 2020 with a €12 million ($13.5m) investment “This investment represents a nice step forward in our ambition to develop a leading group of data centers in Belgium Datacenter United further diversifies its presence in order to serve a broad customer base We look forward to continuing this growth path together with the management team to shape the digital infrastructure for the world of tomorrow,” said Arnoud de Ridder director of digital infrastructure at TINC DCU previously acquired DC Star and took over its three facilities in early 2022 Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia This website has been translated using an AI program Hasselt? Yes, Hasselt. The city may not be on the first page of your dance card, but it Belgian Hasselt, a stone's throw from Limburg Maastricht is an excellent choice for a short city trip Not least because of the Fashion Museum and the Modern House for Contemporary Art Z33 two inspiring addresses that you really should visit at least once and we came to appreciate Hasselt for its compactness and Burgundian character Boulebar in Hasselt is a beautiful stately mansion and is above all an excellent summer address thanks to the terrace in front of the door and the small courtyard Dishes are placed on the tables to share: a well-known concept that we are still crazy about the place is more like a living room than a restaurant And at home we always put everything on the table The couple who run the business 'sit' on their coffee: in addition to an espresso and a cappuccino you can also go to Boulebaar for continuous coffee and slow coffee Please note: they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays Boulebar eat out' Hasselt join in restaurant Ogst The classy restaurant is located in a dark building from 1872 Through a heavy curtain you enter a small but spacious room: white painted brick wall There are no more than 26 place settings and tables are not rotated twice – hallelujah in a time where we regularly have to register for the early or late shift Read more: Ogst Because of that name alone we would immediately return to the charming hotel 't Hemelhuys in lovely Hasselt The small-scale hotel with only five rooms in the heart of Hasselt is a project of two friends They gave all five rooms in the hotel names that refer to gemstones: Aventurine Read more: 't Hemelhuys You didn't know you were missing it until you Blos discovered: a beautiful fresh beauty store with affordable beauty for your face and body The Belgian e-store for responsible beauty products was launched 2 years ago by make-up artist Kim Maes Here you will find high-quality (and as much natural as possible) care products and cosmetics Book your appointment now: Blos Sleeping in Hasselt has been great since September 2015 YUP A contemporary hotel in the center of the city Young business people and anyone who wants to fit into that category that are small and very efficiently furnished - everything you need in a few square meters just like the citizenM hotel chain and the POD hotel in New York do a great shower and less than 60 euros per room for two per night Read more: YUP Hotel First things first: drinks - recovery: the apéro - is possible bardot in Hasselt striking tiles and here and there a (Brigitte) Bardot on the wall And then continue as usual to the Rosch restaurant bardot Restaurant Ross from owners Nicolle and Glenn it is located in a small building near the Hasselt inner canal with an open kitchen and a total of twenty place settings The thinly sliced ​​Iberico hams and crackers with dukkah herbs Although nothing beats the perfectly cooked lamb with green asparagus But the best part is if you choose the whole package Because if you choose the delicious 4/5-course menu Exactly what you should do at this restaurant because you really just want everything from here Restaurant Ross Ciao Zuppa is the new name of the soup bar Still led by Heleen Timmermans (who was also the owner of Zuppa) Heleen will also make the soups fresh at this location with a lot of attention to local products Ciao Zuppa should open sometime around March you can serve a variety of pasta dishes Pocomatto order Pair it with a glass of prosecco and voilà your night out has suddenly become a lot more chic Because that's exactly why you want to go to Pacomatto Be pampered extensively with one soul warming plate of pasta in front of you And not only an evening out is possible here An evening at home is also within the range because then you can enjoy that delicious plate of pasta on your own couch Pocomatto So come by if you fancy one breakkie or a nice lunch The coffee machine here is glowing all day You can even buy some of the products on the menu at the one and only Deli corner Bistro bar By Liv But for really tasty cake you have to go Tarte Tatin are The store is also beautifully and classically decorated Here you can enjoy a cup of coffee or tea with a large piece of cake at Tarte Tatin you get that grandmother effect Mother and daughter are fresh and fruity in the kitchen every morning to prepare the cakes and goodies for the opening Tarte Tatin This doesn't seem to be about chefs' stories but rather about a cocktail bar called Cooks&Tales At this cocktail bar you can enjoy both classic cocktails and adventurous creations From one Holy Mother Mary to one Big Daddy's Mule to one Blazing Britt expats must register with the local municipality and obtain a Frozen Nuclear Margarita it is not due to the originality of the names Koks&Tales has recently also been added to the list of 150 bars you must visit before you die Cooks&Tales Dutch squad beats Germany and Norway to win as Belgium finish fourth Roos Müller and Michiel Mouris combined to win The six-rider squad averaged 48.001kph over the 52.4km course to Hasselt beating out Germany by 13 seconds for the nation's fifth medal of the Championships Norway rounded out the medal positions in bronze 23 seconds down while the home squad of Belgium finished fourth at 46 seconds HASSELT: When Belgium's Willy Claes took over as NATO secretary general in 1994 the Cold War had ended and Europe still took American protection for granted some 30 years after his brief stint in charge the fierce anti-European stance of Donald Trump's administration and its outreach to Russia is making the ex-Belgian foreign minister queasy with nerves “I can’t understand why they’re being so anti-European and showing solidarity with the Russians at the expense of their long-standing allies Claes's tenure at NATO lasted just 13 months -- making him the shortest serving secretary general -- and ended in disgrace when he had to resign over a corruption scandal But it was a critical period for the alliance as it searched for its purpose after the collapse of the Soviet Union and launched its first military operation to intervene in the Balkans Now NATO appears to be facing another decisive moment as Trump rocks the foundations of the security order that has underpinned the West for the past seven decades Claes says he is “waiting impatiently” for NATO's summit in The Hague in June for Trump to give a sign if the alliance will continue in its current form “We will know whether or not the United States intends to respect the commitments made since NATO's creation it will be very painful for us Europeans,“ he says As questions hang over Washington's commitment Claes insists that Europe needs to work on having “greater autonomy” in decisions taken at the alliance there were only 16 member countries in NATO -- but now it has 32 and finding unanimity has often become trickier Claes recognises that Europe is often divided as some countries such as Hungary “prefer dialogue with Moscow” “How can we organise confidential decisions on armaments with partners like Hungary Russia has pitched its invasion of Ukraine as a reaction in part to NATO's moves towards its borders -- a narrative rejected by the West as a flimsy justification for President Vladimir Putin's expansionism Claes says that in his opinion it was US president George Bush who miscalculated in 2008 by pushing the alliance to say ex-Soviet Ukraine and Georgia would one day become members “He caught the French and Germans short,“ Claes said of Bush “Putin thought that we were getting too close to his borders.” Shortly afterwards Russia launched a lightning war in Georgia -- setting the stage for the tensions to come Another error came in 2013 when Bush's successor Barack Obama backed down at the last minute on striking Syria after Bashar al-Assad's use of chemical weapons That’s when the Kremlin said to itself ‘it’s time to get on with it’,“ he says For now Claes does not see an assault from Moscow against a NATO country as likely -- as the Russian army has been so weakened in Ukraine “But I can’t hide my concerns about nuclear weapons,“ he added “There is an urgent need to restore dialogue between the major powers on the control of these weapons Tel: +603-7784 6688      Fax: +603-7785 2625 magazines and a film by American artist Andy Warhol are on display at PXL University College in Hasselt It is the first time they have been exhibited in Europe even before silk-screen prints of soup cans made Andy Warhol famous ‘This is a very special drawing,’ says curator Luk Lambrecht as he points to a drawing of a man with two women behind him The ladies' hats are coloured in with watercolours ‘The drawing was made using the ‘blotted line technique’ which means he pressed lines drawn with ink that were still wet onto another sheet of paper He coloured in the women's hats afterwards.’This technique is Warhol's first attempt to reproduce his works with ease a drawing with playing children where he uses the same technique He copies the drawing and colours the areas afterwards,’ the curator continues ‘These are the highlights of the exhibition.’ Andy Warhol (1928-1987) was an American artist of the Pop Art era He became famous on account of his silk-screen prints of famous people in bright colours or images of everyday utensils including soup cans and banknotes He started producing these silk-screen prints in the 1960s; before that he made drawings and made a living in advertising made films and collaborated with musicians from the band ‘The Velvet Underground’ PXL University College is very proud to have been able to bring this exhibition to Hasselt ‘It allows us to show Limburg and the rest of Flanders that we can feature alongside other big cities,’ beams department head of arts education PXL Dirk Reynders ‘This is also a good opportunity for the students from our PXL-Mad School of Arts to get acquainted with Warhol's work there are drawings of men wearing earrings and necklaces juxtaposed to homoerotic drawings of naked ‘Nowadays nobody takes offence to that,’ clarifies curator Luk Lambrecht it was not uncontroversial to be ‘different’ did you know that he also depicted a lot of feet It’s because he was fascinated by shoes for which he made numerous advertisements.’ In addition to original record covers for classical music and jazz the exhibition also features Andy Warhol's film ‘Sleep’ we are showing here: for 5 hours we see a sleeping man It is a movie about his lover at this time ‘Warhol thought that people came to watch films to see celebrities so they could now spend hours watching their favourite actor or even a building.’ Andy Warhol continues to make art even today, even after his death. ‘He lives on today in a film. Because there is a webcam aimed at his grave allowing you to view it at any time of the day It was Warhol's wish for this to happen so you see what a genius the man actually was,’ Luk Lambrecht concludes The ‘Early Andy Warhol’ exhibition runs until 15 March at the PXL-Mad School of Arts in Hasselt The Flemish nationalist/liberal list has remained the largest in the Limburg city of Hasselt With all of the votes counted the list headed by the incumbent Mayor Steven Vandeput 27.8% This is 4.4 percentage points more than the Christian democrats that were in second place 5.9 percentage points more than the socialist party Vooruit that gained the support of 17.5% of those in Hasselt that voted The far-right Vlaams Belang came fourth with 11.7% of the votes This is 1.3 percentage points more than the 10.4% of voters that voted green The far-left PVDA gained 6.7% of the votes Norwegian part of three-rider long-range attack that stays clear Viktória Chladoňová takes the bronze in 13.3km race Results powered by FirstCycling In a social media exchange on X (formerly Twitter), South African musician @TheKiffness and pro-Palestinian account @Africa4Pal engaged in a heated debate over the events of October 7, 2023, with the former correcting his rival on inaccuracies. The exchange which occurred on the one-year anniversary of the horrific Hamas atrocities. has recently become a household name among millions around the world when he created a remix of former President Donald Trump's comment during a televised debate with Vice President Kamala Harris known for his "cast remixes," took Trump's own words in which he accused immigrants in Springfield Ohio of eating the pets of local residents The song "Eating the Cats" became viral overnight The spat began when @Africa4Pal showed tweets posted by Kiffness in which he made sure to show the Israeli version of events including one replying to South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa in which the artist said the following: "Today marks one year since Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel They murdered over 1180 Israelis and kidnapped 251 people You are an embarrassment to South Africans who love the truth — The Kiffness (@TheKiffness) October 7, 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BrCvZmSnKA After @TheKiffness was attacked as being pro-Israel and "casually overlooking the nuance of the region's troubles" and saying that "Atrocity blame can be equally allocated," he shot back writing: "We're not talking about nuances here we're talking about what happened on October 7 2023." He went on to and framed the discussion by presenting a binary choice regarding the events of October 7 asking whether it marked "the start of an onslaught against the Palestinian people" or "the day that Hamas launched an attack on Israel." The exchange quickly devolved into accusations of bullying and ad hominem attacks with @TheKiffness claiming to be the target of personal attacks rather than substantive engagement with his arguments further intensified the debate by praising @TheKiffness for "standing up for the truth" and accusing @Africa4Pal of supporting Hamas and Hezbollah In another response to an accusation of being biased in favor of Israel Israel's right to exist & to defend itself Hamas using civilian infrastructure like schools & hospitals as military bases is shameful and cowardly A photo attached to a post about a joint Israeli-American Air Force exercise featured the phrase "All units ready" According to a new report released by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Tuesday titled “Editing for Hate: How Anti-Israel and.. West posted on social media platform X on Friday "It was always a dream of mine to walk around with.. Analysis  Archaeology Blogpost Business & Finance Culture Exclusive Explainer Environment Features Health In Brief Jewish World Judea and Samaria Lifestyle Cyber & Internet Sports Diplomacy  Iran & The Gulf Gaza Strip Politics Shopping Terms of use Privacy Policy Submissions Contact Us The first issue of Israel Hayom appeared on July 30 Israel Hayom was founded on the belief that the Israeli public deserves better more balanced and more accurate journalism [contact-form-7 id=”508379″ html_id=”isrh_form_Newsletter_en” title=”newsletter_subscribe”] Do you recall all those drugs that were hastily proposed as potential treatments for COVID-19 the goal is to offer an effective treatment more quickly and efficiently a team led by Coen van Hasselt is developing a platform that can speed up the process from laboratory testing to clinical research using mathematical models and then progressing from healthy volunteers to real patients Only when the safety and efficacy are thoroughly assessed can the drug be tested on a large group of patients you don’t have that time,’ explains Coen van Hasselt ‘You want to have a treatment within six months.’ However ‘You don’t want to administer a drug with many side effects we aim to support the entire process of developing and optimally using medicines in patients.’ it’s clear that many of the drugs used against COVID-19 had little to no effect,’ says Van Hasselt a great deal of research into possible treatments was rapidly initiated but the translation from laboratory experiments to patients is highly complex.’ Van Hasselt hopes to collaborate with both experimental and clinical groups to create a mathematical modelling platform that can assist in this translation to the clinic This will allow you to predict which dosages are best to investigate in a larger study The proposed platform focuses on two key factors you want to understand how the drug behaves in the body you need to understand the drug’s effect on inhibiting the virus which is determined through laboratory tests this will allow you to predict which dosages of a drug are best to investigate in a larger group of patients Doses that are too high lead to side effects while doses that are too low are insufficiently effective.’ With this information you can set up a clinical drug trial during a pandemic as efficiently as possible The platform being developed can be immediately tested with data collected during the COVID pandemic ‘If a new pandemic breaks out in the future we’ll have an excellent framework and solid collaborations in place,’ says Van Hasselt we hope to speed up the steps of drug development significantly.’ we can support all steps of drug development’ Anne-Grete Martson's group has extensive experience in researching new drugs against viral infections while Tingjie Guo is working on developing user-friendly software for mathematical models Van Hasselt’s team aims to establish collaborations with research groups specialising in pandemic preparedness ‘We have brought together various partners who are involved in the entire drug development process allowing us to much more quickly determine: this is a drug that we can proceed with in a larger clinical trial to confirm its efficacy.’ which promotes the use of mathematical models in decision-making during future pandemics Germany takes silver while Belgium debuts on podium with bronze Italy reclaimed the European title in the team time trial mixed relay at the UEC European Road Championships in Limburg on Thursday who beat Italy to the title in 2023 did not enter a team in the race The victory marks Italy's second victory in the mixed relay since the event debuted in the European Championships in 2019 and Mirco Maestri were second to Germany at the changeover after 28.3km but the trio of women Elena Cecchini pulled out a 17-second victory over the German team of Nils Politt For the first time in European TTT history and Victor Vercouillie pulled out a 27-second lead over the Polish squad in their laps and Jesse Vandenbulcke held off the Poles by 16 seconds to win the bronze Only six nations entered teams in the event and Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka taking fourth Tetiana Yashchenko) were fifth and Bulgaria (Martin Papanov The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox! 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