Gone Fission
Articles by Jules Johnston
Equinix Announces 2022 Global and Regional Partner Award Winners
Global Award Winners Partner of the Year This partner has consistently delivered value to their customers’ business through the use of Platform Equinix for global reach and interconnection services to harness the power of the ecosystem; partner has a proactive strategy and program to establish customer value. The Equinix and Dell Technologies partnership is paving the way for innovation in infrastructure, the cloud market and digital transformation.
4 Ways to Drive Business Value with Digital Ecosystems
Equinix has partnered with HPE GreenLake to help our joint customers scale out SAP systems in a hybrid multicloud environment. These customers can deploy SAP S/4HANA in proximity to cloud providers, ensuring low-latency access to integrated SAP applications and SAP’s own ecosystem partners. The solution is available as a fully managed service with a flexible consumption model that scales up or down based on the changing needs of the business.
How We Enable People of All Abilities to Thrive at Work
ConnectAbilities was launched as a global EECN in November 2021. We are building an inclusive environment for colleagues with diverse abilities. Our goal is to remove barriers and support creative approaches to work.
Digital Infrastructure Roadmap to Unlock Growth – Part 2: Digital Ecosystems - Interconnections - The Equinix Blog
Integrating with diverse digital ecosystems accelerates digital transformation journeys; learn what’s possible Digital transformation and the evolution of the digital economy show no signs of slowing down; instead, the pace is accelerating. Digital leaders have discovered that it’s no longer feasible to operate as a standalone company in a hyper-competitive digital world.
Equinix Recognizes 2021 Global and Regional Partner Award Winners
Celebrating an ecosystem of outstanding partners helping digital leaders advance their digital-first strategies. As the pandemic continued through unpredictable ups and downs in 2021, business leaders faced the new normal: a constant state of flux. Many companies were immersed in applying and refining their digital-first strategies for competitive advantage in the digital economy.
Belgium in Brief: Endings
Unlike many things at this time of the year, the news doesn’t stop. Countries are still turning red, lost children are being found safe and sound, and Omicron is spreading. But, there will be plenty of time to talk about that. Today, we’re talking about things coming to an end. The end of the work year for many, the end of your time behind a desk, or at the very least switching off your brain for a while. Go on, you’ve earned it.
Belgium in Brief: Terrible Gifts
What’s the worst Christmas gift you’ve ever been given? Odd socks? The banning of all indoor activities? A BBQ kit despite not having a garden? Back to shopping in pairs? A mug from secret Santa? Honestly, I’ve had some gifts so hopeless that I’d almost have preferred a gift card for 1 new measure. But from 26 December, Belgium will be introducing quite a few measures in the hope of preventing surge in Omicron infections. We knew it was coming, but it still stings a little.
Two missing children, aged 10 and 14, found safe
Two sisters, aged 10 and 14, who went missing in Dilbeek (Flemish Brabant province) have been found safe and sound, Child Focus announced on Twitter on Thursday evening. The foundation had issued a poster appealing for information about the lost girls earlier in the evening, Belga News Agency reports. The two children had left the family home in the morning.
Confirmed: No white Christmas this year
It’s official – well, as official as it can be – Belgium will not be having a white Christmas this year. As already predicted by the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) last week, temperatures this week will not be cold enough for snow this coming Saturday. Friday will be overcast with intermittent light rain. Highs will range between 4 degrees in the upper Ardennes to 10 degrees in the country’s extreme west. The same type of weather is expected on Saturday, precluding the chance of snow.
Omicron now accounts for 33% of infections in Belgium
The Omicron variant now accounts for 33% of all infections, virologist Marc Van Ranst (KU Leuven) announced on Thursday. On Monday, the variant accounted for 20% of infections, compared to 6% the week before, Belga News Agency reports. According to Marc Van Ranst, the measures taken on Wednesday by the Consultative Committee will certainly slow down the spread.
Eco-vouchers can be used for all farm products from 1 January
From 1 January, eco-cheques can be used to buy any product sold by farms that hold the “Direct from the Farm” label and not just those certified as organic, the Walloon Federation of Agriculture (FWA) said in a statement on Thursday. The decision was taken in the National Labour Council (CNT) which brings together the social partners, Belga News Agency reports. The CNT has updated the list of products that can be purchased with eco-vouchers, the Christian union ACV confirmed.
Coronavirus infections and hospitalisations continue to fall in Belgium
The average number of daily coronavirus infections in Belgium continues to fall, continuing a trend seen in previous days. According to the latest figures released on Thursday morning by the Sciensano public health institute, between 13 and 19 December, an average of 8,153 positive cases were detected each day. This is 36% less than the previous seven days, Belga News Agency reports.
Belgium in Brief: Pre-Fest Test
Belgian virologist Steven Van Gucht has a seasonal message for all of you out there, but let’s keep it in Dutch because it rhymes. “Eerst een testje, dan een feestje.” “First a test, then a party.” Can’t really argue with that. Going into this time of year, it’s almost inevitable that you will see people, but how will you go about doing so in a safe way?
Omicron now accounts for 6% of infections in Belgium
The Omicron variant is increasingly present in Belgium and currently accounts for around 6% of all infections, microbiologist Emmanuel André, who is in charge of the national Covid-19 reference laboratory, said on Twitter on Thursday. This percentage has doubled in the space of three days. A fortnight ago, it was only 0.3%, reports Belga News Agency. #Omicron update for Belgium The number of Omicron infections is rising fast.
Belgium in Brief: The Fourth Dose
“Fourth? But I’ve not even had my third yet,” you might be thinking. This may well be the case, and you might even start thinking about doses five, and six, and… This reaction is not irrational. As virologist Steven Van Gucht put it, “it is very likely that we will need repeat vaccinations at some point in the future. The only thing we do not know yet is how often.” This, of course, slots nicely into the discussion of when does it all end? Or does it? Take flu jabs: they’re just normal.
Belgium in Brief: Going Home! Going Home?
Mid December marks the point when many begin wrapping up their work for the year and turn their attention towards trips (or not) as the festive period gets into full swing. This one, however, has a special note to it. For many last year, celebrations were minimised or scrapped entirely. The general prognosis isn’t exactly great for Christmas 2021 but it at least should be an improvement on 2020.
Flood zone location essential research for prospective buyers
More than nine in ten (93%) prospective buyers in Brussels and Wallonia say that they pay particular attention to flood zones when looking for property, the real estate agency ERA reported on Tuesday. The information, based on a survey of 1,800 Belgians, found that 85% saw this as a decisive criterion in their decision to make an offer or not, Belga News Agency reports.
Belgian food banks call for Christmas donations
The federation of food banks and its 631 affiliated local associations are launching an appeal for donations on Wednesday to add a “virtual plate” to the longest-running Christmas solidarity table. As the festive season approaches, many people look forward to a feast with family and friends. “But for the more than 175,500 beneficiaries of food banks, it is difficult to offer a healthy meal to their friends and family, even more so a festive meal,” explains the federation of food banks.
Brussels Architecture Prize: Who won?
Urban.brussels, the public service responsible for spatial development in the Brussels-Capital Region, has announced the winners of the inaugural Brussels Architecture Prize. Seven winners were awarded during a ceremony held at Bozar. The winners were picked from 31 finalists shortlisted from 175 submissions – led in collaboration with A+ Architecture in Belgium. For the full list of nominees, click here.
Flemish pig farmers will ride their tractors to Brussels on Wednesday
On Wednesday 15 December, Flemish pig farmers will travel to Brussels to call on the Flemish government to find a solution to the financial difficulties facing their industry, the Algemeen Boerensyndicaat (ABS) announced on Sunday afternoon. “The pig sector has been financially strapped for some time due to African swine fever and the situation related to the health crisis caused by the coronavirus,” ABS vice-president Paul Cerpentier explained in a statement.
Belgium in Brief: Don’t Miss Your Train
When Andy Williams sang about the most wonderful time of the year, part of me likes to think he was speaking about Belgium’s annual change of train schedule. I accept that this yearly update to the rail timetable is unlikely to be the inspiration behind the festive hit, but it’s a nice idea all the same. And it may sound like a small event, a minor adjustment for when you finally return to the office. But what a difference a day few minutes can make to those that rely on Belgium’s rail network.
Largest space telescope ever launched into orbit will have a piece of Belgium onboard
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) – the next great space science observatory after Hubble and a partnership between NASA, ESA and the Canadian Space Agency – will be launched on 22 December from the Kourou base in French Guyana. It will carry two instruments that have been tested and/or partly developed at the Liège Space Centre (ULiège) with other Belgian industrial partners, Belga News Agency reports.
World’s largest brewer promises carbon neutral breweries by 2028
AB InBev brewery at Jupille. © Wikimedia Brewing giant AB InBev has pledged that its five largest European breweries – including those in Jupille and Leuven – will be carbon neutral by 2028, it announced Friday. “The term ‘net zero’ refers to the balance between the amount of emissions produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere,” the group explained in a statement, adding that its ambition is to achieve net-zero emissions in its entire value chain by 2040, Belga News Agency reports.
Belgium in Brief: Great Power/ Great Responsibility
Ok, I give up. Today we’re talking about covid, but at least it’s going to be a slightly different angle. Today we’re talking about risks. A new tool aims to help people assess their chances of becoming infected with the coronavirus and how severe the illness will be based on their location and state of health. But what would you do with that information?
New cookbook aims to bring Cara Pils into the kitchen
Illustration photo of the cook book. Credit: Koken met Cara Pils/ Canva A new cookbook aims to bring one of Belgium’s more studenty beers into the culinary world, promising 26 recipes made using “the divine drink called ‘Cara Pils’.” Created by recent graduate Dorian Coppenrath, the tongue in cheek book covers dishes from breakfast to dinner, all made using inexpensive pale lager. ‘Every student remembers it like yesterday.
Belgium in Brief: 30 km/h Belgium
Another day of avoiding the elephant in the room (if that’s your bag, see below). In other news, Flanders is considering 30 km/h speed limits. This got me thinking more generally about travel in Belgium. We’re still at a point in time when the commute feels like a hazy memory. But give it a few months (probably) and people will start travelling back to the office on a semi-regular basis. This begs the question: will they drive?
Bpost: parcels shouldn’t be delayed this festive season
The postal company Bpost does not expect any parcel delivery problems during the busy end-of-year period, CEO Dirk Tirez announced on Tuesday evening. Last year, Bpost experienced a spike in deliveries with recipients either waiting longer than usual for their orders or having to collect them from a collection point, Belga News Agency reports. Related Posts “We have learned from this,” explained Tirez.
Two players on Belgian women’s water polo team tested positive for Omicron variant
The Belgian swimming federation has announced that two players from the women’s national water polo team tested positive for the new variant of the coronavirus, Omicron, during a tournament a fortnight ago. Belgium played in a European Nations tournament in Brno in the Czech Republic from 12 to 14 November where “two players were contaminated by this new variant, unknown at the time of testing,” the Belgian swimming federation said.
Belgium in Brief: The Journey Home
Nope. Still not talking about Covid, there’s plenty on that below. Today, we’re discussing a topic close to the hearts of many: the festive journey. With everything else going on in the world it might seem like a small thing to be concerned about, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not on people’s minds. 2020 saw plenty of people practically trapped abroad, unable to visit loved ones at a time of year that – for many – is intrinsically linked to family and friends. So what’s happening in 2021?
‘Scenes of war’: Belgian Football Association condemns weekend of violence
The Belgian Football Association has issued a statement in response to a ‘football weekend marked by unacceptable incidents’. The numerous outbursts by fans during the match between Standard and Charleroi and also between Beerschot and Antwerp have tainted Belgian football and once again raise questions on the use of pyrotechnics brought by fans into stadiums, Belga News Agency reports.
Belgium in Brief: All Eyes On Schools
Here we go again (again, again): another last-minute meeting of Belgium’s Consultative Committee. Depending on when you read this, there might already be a concrete set of fresh rules out there, but at midday, the ministers were still meeting. For now, we have only predictions and the looming threat of school closures. “The pressure is enormous, and not only in healthcare. Look at education. How do we cope with that?
Champagne industry hopes for record sales in 2021
The champagne industry is forecasting record sales in 2021, thanks to the replenishment of stocks after months of health crisis and demand from individuals, the industry said on Friday. Despite this optimism, the industry remains concerned about the new Omicron variant, Belga News Agency reports.
Fake news considered a major problem by 83% of Belgians
More than four in five Belgians (83%) consider fake news a “major problem,” according to a survey published Friday by Deloitte on our digital habits and consumption. However, just over half of respondents (52%) admit to having difficulty in distinguishing the real from the fake, Belga News Agency reports. The survey found that the pandemic and the flood of controversial information surrounding it have been a catalyst for change in how we consume news and the need for reliable information.
Belgium in Brief: Seriously, again?
Of all the possible stories I thought December could bring, I can comfortably (naively?) say that I didn’t think we’d be scrambling to get trips booked in fear of a travel ban. To be clear, there isn’t any indication as of yet that it will happen, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t. To be honest, that’s kind of the issue here.
World War II bomb explodes in Munich, injuring several people
Several people were injured Wednesday in Munich after an unearthed World War II-era bomb exploded, German media reported. Police said that the blast occurred at a railway construction site near the city centre, Belga News Agency reports. Three people suffered minor injuries, and another was seriously injured but is not in a life-threatening condition, according to the Dutch news agency ANP. A large plume of smoke is rising from the site, according to the German daily Bild.
Relatively low risk of winter electricity shortages in Belgium
Under normal weather conditions, European electricity network managers do not foresee an electricity shortage in Europe this winter. In Belgium, the risk is estimated to be ‘rather low’, according to the annual Winter Outlook report by Entso-E – the association of European high-voltage network operators, Belga News Agency reports. Entso-E notes that the Belgian electricity market will be characterised by the high availability of nuclear power and thermal units this winter.
Belgium in Brief: Saving The Holiday Season
No matter how you look at it, it’s beginning to look a lot like… the holiday season. How people celebrate at this time of year varies depending on tradition and family holidays but no matter where you are, December is a month of seeing people. Or, at least, it should be. With the end of November rapidly approaching, the storm clouds are gathering for yet more restrictions to dampen the festive period.
Brussels tunnels blocked by Uber driver protest
Several tunnels in the centre of Brussels were blocked on Friday morning by Uber drivers protesting against a ruling by the Brussels Court of Appeal that drivers can no longer work with the ridesharing app. The Cinquantenaire and Loi tunnels towards the city centre of Brussels are blocked, as well as the Tervueren tunnel, Brussels Mobility said on Twitter.
Cheat Sheet: New Rules, Quiet December Nights
It’s been a while since we’ve had measures complicated enough to deserve a cheat sheet, but less than a week after Belgium rolled out new measures, here we are. So, from stricter rules for hospitality to a lack of bubbles, here are the latest rules for Belgium. No bubbles: there will be no rules on having people in your home, or how many people you see. Events are a bit complicated Home parties are ok: things like home Christmas parties can go ahead.
Black Friday not your bag? Try Green Friday
Today is Black Friday: a North American custom that has made its way across the Atlantic and is when retailers aim to draw consumers in with low prices in order to sell lots of stock and boost revenue after Thanksgiving. In the US, consumers spend billions on this occasion. Although potentially lucrative for businesses, the date fuels rampant – sometimes aggressive – consumerism as customers cram into retail stores in the hopes of securing a bargain.
Police strikes at Brussels and Charleroi airports cause delays
Police unions are taking action at Brussels and Charleroi airports this Friday morning, causing delayed services at both locations. At 7:00 AM at Brussels Airport, delays caused by the police “work-to-rule” were estimated at 40 minutes for passengers, Belga News Agency reports. “The actions are at the level of passport control for passengers departing to the non-Schengen zone,” said Brussels Airport spokesperson Nathalie Pierard.
De Croo in quarantine after attending ceremony to terrorism victims
Tuesday, 23 November 2021 Yesterday (22 November), Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and his French counterpart Jean Castex paid homage to the victims of the terrorist attacks of 22 March 2016 in Brussels. However, Castex tested positive shortly after the wreath-laying ceremony and numerous Belgian ministers are now in quarantine.
Belgium named 6th best country for non-native English
Belgium has once again moved up the rankings in an international list of countries that are best for non-native English speakers, landing in 6th place for 2021. The global ranking, produced by international education company EF Education First, analysed data based on test results of 2 million adults in 112 countries & regions.
In Wallonia, Christmas trees are big business
In Belgium’s southern region, the end of the year means a boom in business for one particular sector. As the festive season begins, December is the time of year that the region’s annual crop of two million Christmas trees go for sale. Sold wholesale, around 85% of the trees leave Belgium for other countries, making Belgium the second largest European exporter of Christmas trees after Denmark, according to the Walloon agency for the promotion of quality agriculture (Apaq-W).
Petrol prices drop tomorrow, but stay high
The maximum price of petrol in Belgium will be reduced tomorrow, according to the latest figures from the Federal Public Service Economy. For 95 petrol (E10) prices will fall by 6.7 cents per litre, hitting a maximum of €1.73/ litre. Belga News Agency reports that the maximum cost for 98 petrol will drop by only 3.5 cents to €1.796 per litre. The price adjustments are caused by fluctuations in the price of oil products and bio components on the international markets.
Belgium in Brief: Then What?
This weekend, protests against the extra coronavirus measures that many states are introducing took place across Europe. But you probably knew that already. In Brussels, an estimated 35,000 people took to the streets for a demonstration that turned violent as a few thousand attendees diverged from the agreed route and clashed with police. The riots caused considerable damage and lead to dozens of arrests.
Rush hour disappears as teleworking returns
Rush hour on Monday morning was quieter than normal on the main roads in the north of the country, according to the Flemish Traffic Centre (Vlaams Verkeerscentrum), which attributed this to the teleworking measures that came into force today. At around 7:45 AM, there was 120 km of traffic on Flemish motorways, but this quickly decreased; the traffic peak usually occurs at around 8:15 AM, Belga News Agency reports. There were also fewer accidents.
Water cannons and tear gas deployed at Brussels march
Police have used water cannons and tear gas to dispel demonstrators at the march against the current coronavirus measures in Brussels, according to reports in local media. Around 35,000 demonstrators joined the march from North station to the Berlaymont building, near the Cinquantenaire Park. While initially peaceful, the atmosphere changed at around 2:30 PM, Belga News Agency reports, citing Brussels-Ixelles police spokesperson Ilse Van de keere.
560 new contact tracers wanted in Belgium
Rising coronavirus infections mean that HR services provider Randstad is looking for 560 contact tracers for call centres in the Bruges, Ghent, Ypres and Mechelen region. Randstad wants to hire 560 new call centre agents as soon as possible, Belga News Agency reports. “As a contact tracer you really make a difference in the fight against the coronavirus,” said Wim Van der Linden, spokesperson at Randstad.
Thousands march through Brussels against health measures
Several thousand people gathered at 1:00 PM on Sunday in front of Brussels North Station for a “Together for Freedom” demonstration. The participants want to protest against the health pass, which they believe is a divisive factor in society, Belga News Agency reports. The procession started at 1:25 PM instead of 2:00 PM due to the large numbers of people present.
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