Goeiemiddag, hallo!
It's Maïthé Chini at the helm of Belgium in Brief again today.
Depending on what circles you run in, you may have missed it. But last Saturday, 11 July, was the Flemish Community Day – and because Brussels is the official capital of Flanders, some festivities took place in the city over the weekend.
However, as a Flemish person, I am not convinced it is particularly Flemish to stand in a square to celebrate one's identity. If you're asking me, I would tell you to do as the Flemings do and celebrate with food.
And if you're asking our other Flemish reporter Josse Van Dessel, not only will he agree with me, but he will even have a full menu at the ready.
The official day might have passed, but it is never too late for Asparagus à la Flamande, a good smoske, or a gevulde koffiekoek! Read Josse's piece and start salivating.
However, it's not all mattentaartjes and endives with ham and cheese for Flemish people. In Brussels, many of them still feel out of place – specifically due to the fact that they have a tough time using their native language in the city.
Between 13,000 and 14,000 people move from Flanders to Brussels every year, but native Dutch speakers still very much make up the minority in the Belgian capital: just over one in 10 residents speak it at home.
And even though Brussels is officially a bilingual city, Dutch speakers regularly have trouble when communicating with official bodies such as the police, the municipalities or even hospitals. The Brussels Times went to Rue de Flandre to hear what les néerlandophones had to say.
However, whether we speak Dutch, French or another language entirely, I think it's safe to say that all Belgians felt pretty sad about the Red Devils' elimination from the World Cup last Friday.
Did you feel like a deflated balloon after Spain kicked us out? Don't worry, science can explain that! Regular contributor Kristina Chetcuti tells you all about how sport taps into our brains' ancient survival wiring. It'll all be okay.
Speaking about brains, our News Reporter Ugo Realfonzo took a look at the addictive features on Meta's social media platforms. The European Commission has ordered the US tech giant to remove these features, such as autoplay and infinite scrolling, from its platforms.
They said that this fuels users' urge to keep scrolling and shifts their brain into ‘autopilot mode', contributing to unhealthy habits and compulsive use. Read the story here.
And lastly, I wanted to highlight a story that you might have missed over the weekend. As part of her dating series, our Features Editor Isabella Vivian went on eight dates in just one weekend.
What possessed her to do this? How did it go? And did she find the love of her life? You can find out all about it here.
As always, if you have comments, tips, corrections or suggestions, you can find me at m.chini@brusselstimes.com.
Een fijne dag!
Belgium in Brief is a free daily roundup of the top stories to get you through your coffee break conversations. To receive it straight to your inbox every day, sign up below:
1. Lost in translation? Why Dutch-speakers still feel out of place in Brussels
"There is no need for Flemish people to put themselves second to make others more comfortable." Read more.
2. Code yellow heat warning extended until Friday across all Belgium
Maximum temperatures are expected to range between 30 and 33°C in many parts of the country until the end of the week. Read more.
3. Brussels resident in critical condition after falling from window
A person was left in a life-threatening condition after falling from a fourth-floor window in Laeken, Brussels, on Sunday night. Read more.
4. Wallonia floods five years on: How one of Belgium’s worst tragedies unfolded
In the span of three days, multiple rivers burst their banks, causing the deaths of 39 people and devastating the region. Read more.
5. Belgium accuses EU of ‘token gesture’ on illegal Israeli settlement imports
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot criticised the Commission when arriving at the European Council meeting in Brussels on Monday. Read more.
6. About 30 people evacuated from burning building in Brussels
The fire broke out in a four-storey building with a launderette and 11 flats on Chaussée de Helmet in Schaerbeek. Read more.
7. Why do I feel emotionally drained after watching my country lose at sport?
For a few weeks, knowing that at 2am you were going to wake up, plod to the living room and watch your country play and win was keeping you buoyant. Read more.
