Scheldeprijs overviewDateApril 9Start locationTerneuzen, NetherlandsFinish locationSchoten, BelgiumDistance202.8kmPrevious editionScheldeprijs 2024
Scheldeprijs is a 1.Pro race – the next classification below the WorldTour level – nestled among the cobbled Classics of the spring
Held midweek between the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix – this year on April 3
it's a race predominantly suited to the sprinters
started in 1907 with a start and finish in Antwerp
The race did not leave the borders of the Netherlands until a route change in 2018
Since 2018, however, the inclusion of start towns to the west into the Netherlands' windswept Zeeland province has made for a somewhat more selective affair
Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quickstep) out-sprinted Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceunick) to win the 2024 edition in Schoten
Profile of the 2025 Scheldeprijs(Image credit: Flanders Classics)Map of the 2025 Scheldeprijs(Image credit: Flanders Classics)The route for the 2025 Scheldeprijs remains largely the same as in previous years
Scheldeprijs is a pan-flat course at 202.8km in length
It features four laps of a closing circuit around Schoten
with each lap including the short pavè sector named Broekstraat
Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quickstep) is a prime contender to win Scheldeprijs in 2025
having the most victories of any WorldTour rider so far this season with six - two stages each in the AlUla Tour
along with second place in Gent-Wevelgem behind solo winner Mads Pedersen
His main rivals will be Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Sam Welsford (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and perhaps Matteo Moschetti (Q36.5)
winner of two stages of the recent Tour of Hellas
Jef Van Hemelryk - ICT advisor Police Schoten
Belgium elaborates on the use of Blue Light Mobile and the use of Smartphones
"With an emphasis on 'smart' " - Jef Van Hemelryk - ICT advisor Police Schoten
Gone are the days when police officers were glued to their desks for downloading data and to write reports
the Schoten police has now fully deployed the use of mobile data
with Blue Light Mobile as a reliable partner
"Schoten made the switch to mobile data back in 2019"
we were one of the first police zones to join the 'Focus project'
Focus is being rolled out all over Belgium
we gave all our operational staff a smartphone with which they can consult the Focus App
they are able to browse between various databases
They receive real-time information about incidents
they are able to share images and can immediately make reports on location
much less time is wasted on administration and the people in the field receive the correct information much faster.
We do indeed use Focus during emergency situations'
we also are able to use 'Slim Blauw' (Smart blue) on the street
with the emphasis on smart: as we do not always want to be present
We focus on nuisance and traffic enforcement
For this we have developed our own smartphone tools that are based on Microsoft Office PowerApps
our police inspectors receive the locations that they have to visit more often in order to prevent vandalism or drug dealing
Those assignments can still be adjusted during the day.
So the smartphone is your central working tool
the information reaches the people in the field faster and better
the police inspector also has the possibility to use a tablet computer as well as a laptop at home
Actually it was not planned that homeworking would 'take such a flight'
but the Corona virus has decided otherwise.
Is there still room for the trusted ASTRID radios
Voice communications by using a two way radio remains crucial
The smartphones mainly serves to avoid communication overload
In the past you had to dictate number plates over the radio
but typing the licenceplate number is much easier and you don't have to bother the control room with these details.
You have chosen Blue Light Mobile as your data provider
Of course you never know what the landscape will look like in five years
but we are very satisfied at the moment.
Younger people can't imagine a world without mobile solutions
sometimes said that things were going the same way anyway
but in the meantime everyone recognises the benefits
If only because they had to use their own smartphonesl to take photos n the past
the equipment is provided by the police zone
As a member you can view all our web pages
© 2025 | The Critical Communications Review All rights reserved
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Jacques Wirtz an Belgian landscape architect and one of Europe’s most widely respected landscape and garden designer
blending sculptural treatment of boxwood and yew hedges with a deep knowledge of plants and flowers
Archive Urbanism-Landscape
2023Get email notification for articles from Nir Hasson FollowNov 30
2023The Israeli soldiers who killed two terrorists on the outskirts of Jerusalem on Thursday also shot and killed a civilian at the scene
according to footage of the attack published on social media
Tim Merlier celebrates at finish line as race winner ahead of Jasper Philipsen during the 112th Scheldeprijs 2024 (Image credit: Getty Images)A general view of the peloton (Image credit: Getty Images)Baptiste Planckaert (Intermarche-Wanty)
Axel Huens (TDT-Unibet) and Stijn Appel (Beat) in the breakaway at Scheldeprijs(Image credit: Getty Images)Baptiste Planckaert (Intermarche-Wanty)
Axel Huens (TDT-Unibet) and Stijn Appel (Beat) in the breakaway at Scheldeprijs(Image credit: Getty Images)
Axel Huens (TDT-Unibet) and Stijn Appel (Beat) in the breakaway at Scheldeprijs(Image credit: Getty Images)Warre Vangheluwe (Soudal QuickStep) and Filip Maciejuk (BORA hansgrohe) lead the peloton during the 112th Scheldeprijs 2024 (Image credit: Getty Images)Baptiste Planckaert (Intermarche-Wanty)
Axel Huens (TDT-Unibet) and Stijn Appel (Beat) in the breakaway at Scheldeprijs(Image credit: Getty Images)Gianni Moscon (Soudal QuickStep) competes during the 112th Scheldeprijs 2024 (Image credit: Getty Images)
Axel Huens (TDT-Unibet) and Stijn Appel (Beat) in the breakaway at Scheldeprijs(Image credit: Getty Images)Siebe Deweirdt (Image credit: Getty Images)
Scheldeprijs 2024 (Image credit: Getty Images)
Liam Slock competes in the breakaway during the 112th Scheldeprijs 2024 (Image credit: Getty Images)Soudal-QuickStep and Jayco AlUla leadouts at Scheldeprijs(Image credit: Getty Images)Tim Merlier wins Scheldeprijs 2024 (Image credit: Getty Images)
Tim Merlier wins Scheldeprijs 2024 (Image credit: Getty Images)Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quickstep) made it two in a row in the Scheldeprijs
out-sprinting a poorly positioned Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceunick) in a bunch sprint to win the 2024 edition
Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla) had Philipsen on his wheel and could only watch as the Milan-San Remo winner came past to snatch the runner-up spot and had to settle for third
The victory was Merlier's seventh of the season and the second of the Classics season
Merlier had to fight his way back into the peloton after a puncture with 10km to go and was out of position until his teammate came back to pull him to the front
"We were quite far [back] a bit and I was alone for a bit then it was Bert coming and he knows what to do and brought me to a good spot
When I felt the moment was there I started my sprint and it was enough to hold it."
the rain stopped for the 112th Scheldeprijs and attacks went from the flag drop as usual
five riders had forged a small lead but their time out front was short
Bram Dissel (BEAT) and Peder Dahl Strand (Tarteletto-Isorex) were hovering at 20 seconds ahead of the peloton when a crash took down one of the pre-race favourites
Gerben Thijssen (Intermarche-Wanty) and his teammate Arne Marit
In the mayhem of the crash and an upcoming section of crosswinds
the peloton split as teams were keen to take advantage of the wind conditions
The breakaway mostly came back with 160km to go but Slock made it into another move with Baptiste Planckaert (Intermarche-Wanty)
Axel Huens (TDT-Unibet) and Stijn Appel (Beat)
The crosswinds fizzled but not before Bora-Hansgrohe sprinter Sam Welsford found himself on the wrong end of a split and had to burn matches to get back to the front group
The leaders had just over a minute on the first trip over the cobbles of Broekstraat with 50km to go and the gap continued to fall
With two laps to go it was under a minute and Huens decided he could go on no further and sat up
Van Hemelen and Appel joined him in going back to the peloton
leaving Planckaert and Slock continue alone
the pair enjoyed a bit of sunshine but the outlook for their move was not as bright as the bunch were 20 seconds behind and
Planckaert lost touch leaving Slock to go it alone
His advantage stretched to 30 seconds as Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quickstep) had to stop for a puncture
That meant his team had to lose position with 10km to go to bring him back into contention
the gap to the peloton fell fast enough that Slock sat up
leaving the peloton all together with Astana
Bora-Hansgrohe and Jayco-AlUla to battle at the front for position
Uno-X and Tudor came forward in the final 5km with Alpecin and Quickstep taking a back seat
A surge from Lidl-Trek opened a door and Alpecin-Deceuninck finally made their way to the front
the Alpecin train finally came to the front with 1.7km to go with Philipsen in tow
Merlier opened up the sprint first as Phlilipsen had to fight his way through traffic and could not get past the flying Belgian.
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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
Ukraine — Two Ukrainian attack jets were shot down Wednesday over territory held by Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine
The Ukrainian government said the planes were downed by missiles fired from Russia
raising questions about whether Ukrainian separatists who had crossed the border were responsible or whether Russians fired the weapons
the incident highlighted the growing conflict in eastern Ukraine between separatists who want autonomy for the region
which is trying to seize back control of the territory
"According to the preliminary information we have
the missiles were fired from the territory of Russia," Andriy Lysenko
spokesman for Ukraine's National Council for Security and Defense told a news conference Wednesday
He said the planes were flying at 17,000 feet when they were struck
"Such altitude is too high to be reached by portable air-defense systems," Lysenko said
referring to field weapons used by the insurgents
"It can be reached only by heavy missile complexes."
The attack and Lysenko's suggestion of Russian involvement come a day after senior U.S
intelligence officials warned that Russia was continuing to supply rebels with arms and training despite U.S
evidence that separatists used Russian weaponry to shoot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 last week
The separatists and Russia blame Ukraine's military for downing the Boeing 777
The defense ministry said on its Facebook page that the jets were among four Russian-built fighters that were returning to base after providing air support for Ukrainian troops near the border
The pilots of both jets ejected from the aircraft
Their condition was not immediately reported
Ukraine's parliament approved a presidential decree Wednesday on a third mobilization of men to be called up to serve in the army
The first two mobilizations took place on March 17 and May 6
280 troops have died in the conflict and 780 have been wounded
according to Defense Minister Valeriy Geletey
The national government has vowed to regain control of key cities in eastern Ukraine now held by the separatists
intelligence officials who briefed reporters Tuesday said rebels have shot down about a dozen aircraft over the past several months
The rebels stepped up their attacks on Ukrainian planes after its military had begun to make progress against the rebels
who shared intelligence findings on condition that they not be identified by name
The Ukraine military's ability to attack rebels from the air and move troops quickly by helicopter provides an advantage over the rebels
Defense Ministry spokesman Oleksiy Dmitrashkovsky said the Sukhoi-25 attack aircraft were downed in an area called Savur Mogila in the Shaktersky region near the Russian border
The Sukhoi-25 are typically used for supporting ground troops
Many of the aircraft downed by rebels were attacked by ground fire
The Malaysia plane was flying above 33,000 feet when it was downed by a sophisticated SA-11 surface-to-air missile fired from rebel-held territory
They said Russia provided the missile system and training on how to use it
The site of Wednesday's attack is only a few miles from where the Malaysia Airlines jetliner crashed
military is supplying Ukraine's military with a $33 million package of "non-lethal" aid
Ukraine's military has asked for arms and ammunition
but for now the Pentagon said it was continuing to focus on the non-lethal aid
the Pentagon in coming weeks is sending a second assessment team to Ukraine to examine ways to provide long-term assistance to Ukraine's military
The plans for the assessment team were in the works before the downing of the Malaysia Airlines flight
Contributing: Doug Stanglin; Associated Press
The shooting of a Saudi tribal activist protesting his eviction as part of the construction of Neom
has increased local tensions over the project and further stoked grievances
On Wednesday, Saudi authorities acknowledged security forces had shot Abdul-Rahim al-Howeiti dead in northwestern Al-Khuraybah
The statement also said that Howeiti had refused to surrender to security forces and had opened fire
However, footage purported to be from the incident and events leading up to it has circulated online in recent days - including testimony from Howeiti himself decrying the Neom project
'I would not be surprised if they come and kill me in my home now like they do in Egypt
throw weapons in your home and call you a terrorist'
The futuristic city, which will cost billions of dollars, is due for completion in 2025 on the Red Sea coast in northwestern Tabuk province. The megacity, referred to as “the world’s most ambitious project” by Saudi officials, is slated to be 33 times the size of New York City
According to social media posts and videos posted by Howeiti
an area said to have been occupied by the Howeitat tribe for hundreds of years
The large tribe has a presence in southwest Jordan
Egypt's Sinai and northwestern Saudi Arabia.
In a video posted on social media
Howeiti appeared to document his final moments before he was shot
showing the area that his neighbours have been forcibly removed from.
saying that “whoever refuses expulsion or signing
One of the Saudi forces is heard replying to Howeiti: “No one is making you sign.”
In another video posted on social media
Howeiti's home appears to be shot at and gunshots can be heard as authorities are seen patrolling in the area
MEE was not able to confirm when these events took place
and if the apparent shooting incident happened at the same time as Howeiti's remarks to the camera
Howeiti regularly posted videos to his YouTube page
condemning the development project and the alleged forced displacement of residents.
In one of his most recent videos
Howeiti said that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has already started the project
and people were being removed from the area.
'I am against the forced removal of people. I don’t want to leave
In the 12-minute video
Howeiti describes his feelings towards the displacement from the area
“People are being wiped out from their homes and people do not agree with what is happening at all
But the way in which the state has dealt with things can only be described as terrorism..
“I am against the forced removal of people. I don’t want to leave
I want to stay in my home. I do not want compensation
“The general feeling here is that people are opposed to it
and no amount of compensation will make up for that
even if you pay them 100 million riyals," he added.
"I would not be surprised if they come and kill me in my home now like they do in Egypt
throw weapons in your home and call you a terrorist..
The expulsion of people from their homes to make way for the new project has been largely absent from Saudi media. However, a statement by an alleged tribal leader was made in the pro-government newspaper Sabq
stating that Howeiti acted alone and does not represent the tribe.
assured that the tribe is loyal to the House of Saud and supports the Neom project
a centrepiece of Mohammed bin Salman's ambitious Vision 2030 economic plan
Calls for the protection of residents' homes have been made for months
with people from the area expressing their opposition to the project and lamenting the lack of consultation with them.
In January, locals posted a video to YouTube
showing residents protesting the forced removal of people
In another video posted last month
a resident from the tribe says they have been living in the area for centuries
and that the forced removal of people violates human rights regulations.
The resident names members of his family who have been removed from the area
were beaten and forcibly moved from their homes
'The displacement of people is something international law should punish them for'
“I went to the expropriation committee and spoke to them about my opposition towards the Neom project
and told them that they do not have the right to remove people
religiously or by international law," he is seen saying
"The displacement of people is something international law should punish them for," he adds
"I told them that they acknowledge these laws but they don't enforce them
and when I returned after two days they attacked my home and gunshots were fired
"All of this because I said that we would not leave our homes."
A social media campaign was launched following Howeiti's killing
The Arabic hashtag #الحويطات_ضد_ترحيل_نيوم (Al-Howeitat against displacement Neom) has been used to highlight images of the activist
as well as what appears to be his blood-stained home after the shooting
Translation: Photos from Al-Howeiti’s home
Activists using the hashtag have criticised the Saudi government for their decision to relocate people from the area
and many have urged them to reconsider the plans
Translation: The government is responsible for the events which took place and the exacerbation of the situation
They must stop the attacks so we do not lose more of our children
whether that’s from citizens or from the military
and they must stop trying to forcibly displace people from their homes if they refuse to leave.
Howeiti has been hailed as a martyr on social media
with users sharing the hashtag #استشهاد_عبدالرحيم_الحويطي (The martyrdom of Abdel-Rahman al-Howeiti)
as well as changing profile pictures to an image of him with the word "martyr" written across it.
The circulation of the video and photos online has caused a fierce debate
with many accusing the crown prince of carrying out brutal acts for the sake of a tourist project
and saying that the monetary compensation given to residents is unacceptable
claim that Howeiti took up arms and refused compensation
Translation: Whoever has watched the clips and followed the sequence of incitement
can be sure that what happened was a scenario that was put together behind peoples’ backs
and it is being implemented in partnership with this fool.
assistant professor of Middle East studies and digital humanities at Hamad bin Khalifa University in Qatar
raised concerns about Twitter users who were smearing Al-Howeiti as a terrorist.
There is a hashtag circulating about the killing of Saudi Abdul Rahim Alhowaiti, reportedly because he refused to leave his home to make way for the Neom project. Details seems sketchy (of course) but Saudi trolls are already smearing him as a terrorist #الحويطات pic.twitter.com/1WKMrCs42N
Neom, designed to attract international investors, has been subject to scrutiny since it was announced in 2017
with critics calling it wasteful and ineffective in addressing the problems of the Saudi economy
including unemployment and dependence on oil.
Last year, details of the project plan generated a flurry of sarcastic and confused reactions on social media
as people turned the project's most eccentric aspects into ridicule and accused bin Salman of using extravagant technology to cover up the kingdom's human rights abuses
This article is available in French on Middle East Eye French edition
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Only England and Wales jurisdiction apply in all legal matters
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Scheldeprijs Women overviewDateApril 9, 2025Start locationSchoten, BelgiumFinish locationSchoten, BelgiumDistance130.3 kmCategoryUCI 1.1Previous editionScheldeprijs Women 2024
but the flat course is well suited to sprinters and attracts a strong field
Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) has won all four editions
firmly establishing herself as the top sprinter of the women's peloton
Wiebes heads into the 2025 race as the overwhelming favourite again, having won seven races this season to bring her career tally up to 100 victories.
Profile of the 2025 Women's ScheldeprijsMap of the 2025 Women's ScheldeprijsThe women's Scheldeprijs route starts and finishes in Schoten, first taking a northern loop toward Braken and then heading back via Hoogstraten. The peloton then tackle the same finishing circuits as the men, a 16.9 kilometre loop that includes a stretch of cobbles and a gently rising approach to the finish line.
Cosmetic surgery clinics have reported a huge surge since the reality TV star's confession yesterday
Kylie Jenner's confession that she has had lip fillers to enhance her pout has led to a huge increase in enquiries for the procedure
The admission came last night from the 17-year-old Keeping Up With The Kardashians star
whose noticeably oversized pout has been the source of much speculation
the revelation has led to a surge in enquiries from the public wanting to copy Jenner's look
A photo posted by Kylizzle (@kyliejenner) on Apr 13
Dr Leah Totton of Dr Leah Clinics told The Independent her clinic has reported a staggering "70% rise in lip filler enquiries in the last 24 hours"
Dr Maryam Zamani, Consultant at Cadogan Cosmetics reported a similar increase: "We received a higher number of enquiries late last night and today than we would normally have."
Most UK clinics including Dr Leah Clinics have a strict no-under-18 policy, however in the US it is reported that such procedures are allowed with parental consent.
The procedure, Dr Totton explains involves injecting dermal filler "into the border of the lips to define the lip line or injected into the body of the lip to create a fuller pout or even asymmetry".
"The most common temporary lip fillers are made of a naturally occurring hyaluronic acid gel, and typically 1ml is injected to give a moderate enhancement" she continues.
"The effects are instant and last between six to 12 months depending on the type of dermal filler used. Common side effects include bruising and swelling."
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