Everybody loves the sunshine. Right?
As we approach the longest day of the year, this week we've been treated to balmy summer conditions and luck would have it that the weekend will also bring a good baking. Belgians will be flocking in their thousands to the coast and meals will be al fresco... what's not to love?
Not wanting to stand accused of putting a downer on light-hearted summer vibes, I'll set aside the environmental alarm bells that this week's heatwave is ringing and instead turn my attention to one (of many, I do realise) activity that, researchers have found, becomes markedly less effective when conditions are good.
It's not driving a bus, being an on-call A&E surgeon, or even working in a bar. No, if anyone deserves your sympathy belting weekend, spare a thought for students. That's right, the ones who have longer holidays than anyone and who sometimes seem to spend more time in drinking than educational establishments.
After analysing reams of data from over 10 million students, researchers concluded that unusually high temperatures not only affect our ability to concentrate, but also how well we remember things. In short, it's quite a block for brain cells and exam results take a dip as a result.
Fortunately for most students, Belgium's peak exam period has passed, although there are still a few to come, not to mention theses that need finishing. I suppose we should also think of the examiners who are lumped with the task of marking the work... or just head for the beach.
Ready for the weekend? Let @Orlando_tbt know.
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1. While temperatures rise, students’ grades drop
Hot days and heatwaves sweeping across the country make studying difficult, and students are seeing their grades drop as the mercury rises. Read more.
2. Temperatures up to 34°C during this weekend’s heatwave
Brussels is facing a rare heatwave in the coming days as Saturday is set to reach up to 34°C. Today may in fact become the warmest 17 June in Belgium of all time, with the highest ever temperature having been recorded at 31.8°C in Uccle in 2002. Read more.
3. Proposal to transfer Brussels International Airport to Flanders
A bill proposed by three Flemish politicians from the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) party seeks to transfer the administration of Brussels’ International Airport (Zaventem) to the Flemish regional government, according to Walloon newspaper La Libre Belgique. Read more.
4. ‘Taxing excess profits of energy companies’: Energy Minister to present draft law
Federal Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten will present a draft bill to tax the excess profits of energy companies before the summer holidays, she announced on Thursday. She did not, however, give away many details of the draft law. Read more.
5. EU powerhouses get behind Ukraine membership bid
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi arrived in Kyiv on Thursday by train. The leaders of the EU’s three largest economies expressed support for immediately granting Ukraine candidate status at the European summit next week. Read more.
6. Poor state of Belgian roads a danger for 9 in 10 motorcyclists
91% of Belgian motorcycle enthusiasts have told Belgian insurance company Yago that the state of Belgium’s roads poses the biggest danger to their lives. Read more.
7. Hidden Belgium: Oudenaarde battlefield
The Battle of Oudenaarde in 1708 was one of Europe’s great battles. But they don’t tell you much about it in Oudenaarde. Read more.
