Chaque année, 60 à 70 millions de pommes à croquer sont cultivées à travers le monde. Avec 18,8 kilos en moyenne, il s'agit du fruit le plus consommé en Belgique. Mais en dépit de sa valeur commerciale, les scientifiques n'étaient pas encore parvenus à déchiffrer le code génétique de la pomme, alors que c'est chose faite pour le riz, le raisin et le peuplier. L'équipe d'Yves Van De Peer, de l'Institut flamand de biotechnologie à Gand, est enfin parvenu à à identifier d'importants éléments de l'ADN de la pomme. Avec des scientifiques italiens, français, néo-zélandais et américains, ils ont remporté la course à la publication dans le très réputé journal "Nature Genetics". "L'étude de la pomme a porté sur la Golden Delicious, mais en principe, la découverte s'étend à toutes les variétés. Le scan de la pomme a coûté dix millions d'euros, financés par la province italienne du Trentin, un des principaux producteurs de pommes européens et fief de la Golden Delicious. Sur les 742,3 millions de "lettres" (brins d'ADN) de la pomme, l'équipe de Van De Peer a identifié divers gènes importants qui déterminent notamment le goût. La découverte permettra aux agriculteurs de cultiver la plus belle, savoureuse et résistante des pommes, sans qu'il s'agisse de manipulation génétique. "Nous ne touchons pas aux gènes, nous nous contentons de les identifier. Désormais, les cultivateurs pourront faire des croisements ciblés, au lieu de procéder par essais et erreurs comme par le passé. Nos recherches permettent toutefois davantage de manipulation génétique", explique Van De Peer. Les éleveurs industriels vont pouvoir bénéficier gratuitement de l'étude, car toutes les découvertes sont simplement publiées.

Actuellement, il existe des listes d'attente pour les enfants de moins de quinze ans qui doivent être admis en pédopsychiatrie. Jusqu'à présent, les enfants en crise (agressivité, tendances suicidaires) devaient donc être renvoyés chez eux; seuls les jeunes entre 15 et 18 ans avaient la possibilité de se faire admettre rapidement pour un problème psychiatrique. Mais le 1er septembre, le service de pédopsychiatrie et psychiatrie pour adolescents du centre universitaire psychiatrique de l'université de Leuven ouvrira la première consultation d'urgence pédopsychiatrique de Flandre. Les enfants de moins de 16 ans présentant des problèmes psy urgents pourront s'y adresser pour une admission d'urgence par une équipe du pédopsychiatre Peter Adriaenssens. Le nouveau service pourra admettre un maximum de huit enfants pour une période de cinq jours tout au plus. Autre nouveauté : l'avis d'un médecin sera suffisant pour permettre cette admission d'urgence. En outre, le jeune proprement dit ne devra pas nécessairement marquer son accord. L'admission d'urgence en pédopsychiatrie sera évaluée au bout d'un an.

"The party that provides the prime minister must try and separate itself from its own community sometime," N-VA chairman Bart De Wever believes. It is for this reason that he is urging `preformateur' Elio Di Rupo (PS) to reach an agreement on paper between the Parti Socialiste and the N-VA with regard to the financing act, funds for Brussels and the splitting up of the Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde electoral district. In De Wever's proposal the result would be a compromise between the two largest political parties, which the other five parties can then take or leave. And according to De Wever those parties that don't agree can simply move to the opposition benches. So, doesn' exclude the possibility that one or more parties presently at the negotiating table drop out, which means that other parties will have to be invited to join the coalition so as to form a two-thirds majority. But De Wever's proposal immediately hit a veto by a united francophone front, including Di Rupo's own PS party. At a press conference the latter shifted the blame for the impending final failure of his assignment to form a government almost fully onto the N-VA. Di Rupo believes the only alternative to this compromise is chaos, a threat that left little impression on De Wever and his party. The N-VA are not interested in refinancing Brussels if this is not linked to a comprehensive review of the financing act. Speaking in interviews on various national TV stations, De Wever said that he wants concrete guarantees on paper, reiterating that he did not want to give a blank cheque to Brussels. The pre-formation process has consequently hit a deadlock. The French-speakers want additional funds for Brussels, and only want a part of that financial injection to be linked to the overhauled financing act, while the N-VA maintains that the half billion Euros the French-speakers want for Brussels is the only big stick the Flemish have for introducing a system of financial accountability for the regions. De Wever made an approach to Di Rupo and the French-speakers in his television interviews as well as to the Flemish socialists and environmentalists, who are prepared to accept Di Rupo's compromise, which would fragment the Flemish front. The French-speakers as well as the Flemish parties SP.A and Groen! are all believing that the N-VA is actually not interested in a compromise, consequently causing the country to collapse at an accelerated pace. But De Wever denies this. "If I don't want to reach a compromise, I would not have done my best throughout the summer," he said. "I would have already pulled the plug after three weeks."

Buying more competences for the Flemish with more money for the French-speakers: that seems to have been the formula to date for keeping the negotiations on state reform in Belgium running smoothly. This concept has been repeated this time as well, with an additional 1.5 billion Euros for Brussels over the following legislative term (four years) in exchange for additional competences for Flanders and splitting up the Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde electoral district, which are supposed to support the reaching of a compromise. The French-speakers maintain that Brussels is underfunded, with the capital representing 19 percent of the Belgian gross domestic product, but collecting only eight percent of Belgian taxes due to the fact that many people working there are commuters and pay taxes in Wallonia and Flanders instead. The Brussels government consequently misses out on 500 million Euros a year, it estimates. Aside from lost taxes, it also suffers from greater expenditure for roads, trams, buses and the metro. The budgetary deficit for the Brussels Capital-Region this year also happened to be 500 million Euros. In order to back up the demand, Di Rupo even called on the services of the ratings agency Standard & Poor's, who already warned in June that the solvability of the capital region would be under threat if it was not refinanced, which would lead to the region's credit rating dropping. Debt at the end of 2009 amounted to 2.1 billion Euros, while the Capital-Region only receives 2.3 billion Euros in income. Catholic University of Leuven academic, Koen Algoed, who is now chief of the minister's office of Flemish budget minister Philippe Muyters (N-VA), says that Brussels is not underfunded, but shifts the money on to the 19 municipalities and to the French Community, leaving insufficient funds for transportation. Commuters are not only a burden, they also create additional income, says Algoed, who says that Brussels operates inefficiently when it comes to training and supporting the unemployed. For the PS and Brussels' minister-president, Charles Picqué, an additional 500 million Euros will mean a sizeable weapon, pushing up the budget by over one-fifth. The party however does not want to enter into any arrangement on what this money will be spent on.

Some 60 to 70 million tons of apples are grown commercially around the world every year, and it's the most popular fruit in Belgium with an average of 18.8 kilograms consumed annually per Belgian. Despite its commercial value, scientists had never been able to crack the apple's genetic code, matching success met with rice, grapes and poplars. But a Ghent-based Flemish Institute for Biotechnology team under Yves Van de Peer has now managed to identify the most important elements of the apple's DNA. Together with scientists from Italy, France, New Zealand and the United States, they have won the race to publish in the renowned journal `Nature Genetics'. The apple research specifically revolved around the Golden Delicious, but the discovery applies in principle to all types of apples. The apple scan cost ten million Euros, which was funded by the Italian province of Trento, one of the biggest apple-producing regions in Europe and a Mecca for the Golden Delicious. Van de Peer's team has identified some of the most important genes of the 742.3 million `letters' or DNA strands, including ones for their taste. The discovery will allow growers to cultivate the nicest, strongest and best-looking apple, although this does not involve genetic manipulation. "We are not fiddling with the genes, merely identifying them,' says Van de Peer.'Growers will now be able to cross types of apples in a more considered manner. It used to be hit-and-miss, and now it can be targeted. Although our discovery does allow for the possibility of greater genetic manipulation.' Industrial growers can use the study free-of-charge, as all findings are to be released to the public.

Waiting lists currently exist for children under 15 that require psychiatric treatment, and children with urgent psychological problems (such as aggressive behaviour or suicidal tendencies) are sent home. To date there was only an accelerated procedure for youngsters between 15 and 18 with a psychiatric disorder to be admitted into hospital. But that is set to change on 01 September, when the child and youth psychiatry department at the Academic Psychiatric Centre of the KU Leuven university will launch the first emergency admittance procedure for child psychiatry in Flanders. Children up to the age of 15 suffering from urgent psychiatric disorders will henceforth be admitted for treatment by a team led by child psychiatrist Peter Adriaenssens. The new division will accept a maximum of eight children for a period not longer than five days. Another new facet is that referral by a GP will suffice for this emergency admittance. The child does not even have to agree with the treatment. The system will be subjected to evaluation within a year.

26/08/10 - BHV: a complicated matter or not? The issue looks simple at first sight, but in Belgium nothing is simple, so it turns out. Maybe Brussels can help in solving the issue.

26/08/10 - In Bandadu, in western Congo, a plane of the Congolose airline Filair has crashed. 20 passengers are reported dead, including the Belgian pilot.

The plan was to assemble 80,000 cars next year, but due to the high demand this number will be adjusted to 100,000 or even 120,000.

26/08/10 - At the Brussels South station, a hub for internatiol train traffic, the ticket offices for international destinations, kept their doors closed due to a strike. Employees are protesting against the 7 euro extra cost passengers have to pay if they buy their ticket at the counter.

26/08/10 - In September, insurance rates for fire or hazard insurances are to go up again. Insurance companies claim that they have no choice, as the number of claims following natural disasters has risen significantly. A possible solution could be to offer various types of insurance in future.

Every municipality should have 9 GP's per 10,000 inhabitants to guarantee proper health care standards.

25/08/10 - The Wikileaks website specialised in divulging secret and sensitive information has published hundreds of pages of documents containing details of the Belgian judicial investigation into the child sex killer Marc Dutroux.

`Preformateur' Elio Di Rupo met with the King yesterday without an agreement on state reform. All the political parties had reached a consensus on the compromise proposal aside from the Flemish nationalist N-VA and the Christian democrats of the CD&V. The reason why they rejected the proposal of the preformateur was the separation of the additional funds for Brussels and the effective review of the financing act, which lays down the rules for the flow of money between the federal authorities, the regions (Flanders, Brussels, Wallonia) and the communities (French, German and Flemish). According to the proposal, the smallest region (Brussels) would receive 300 million Euros (a year), with a hefty bonus as soon as the financing act is reformed. Consequently, the annual 300 million Euros would likewise apply to Brussels should the financing act not be reviewed. This means that Brussels would receive 1.2 billion Euros over a period of four years (a full parliamentary term). However, the centre-right Flemish parties argue that the money problems of the Brussels Capital region must be solved through a system of structural support incorporated into the financing act. 'The financing act is essential for obtaining a sense of responsibility within the state reform,' is their message. Both parties are not prepared to hand a blank cheque to Brussels while the Flemings receive no guarantee whatsoever that the financing act will be comprehensively applied. There is no point in state reform without a sense of regional responsibility, the Flemish nationalists say. It is only the introduction of responsibility mechanisms that will ensure that the regions become responsible for their own resources. The fact that the French-speakers refused point blank to structurally link the funds for the capital city to the new financing act has raised suspicions in the N-VA that the former were never planning to review the financing law. The CD&V also considers a `blank cheque' for Brussels to be unacceptable. The CD&V is prepared to grant money to the underfunded capital, but only if it is linked to the principles of regional responsibility and solidarity, which will apply in the amended financing act. Moreover, the party points out that cutbacks of 25 billion Euros have to be implemented on federal level and granting 500 million Euros per annum to Brussels in exchange for the splitting up of the Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde electoral district is not justified as a result. The francophone representatives in turn were unable to agree with a counterproposal by CD&V chairman Wouter Beke to grant 200 million Euros to Brussels as "interim financing" in 2011, followed by a settlement according to the financing act and a maximum of 200 million Euros per annum as of 2012.

In 2009 Belgians deducted 519.5 million Euros in green investments in their tax declarations, over 40 percent more than in 2008. Initial figures for the 2010 tax returns show that this increase is continuing, with most of the deductible expenditure involving insulation, double glazing, boiler maintenance and solar panel installations. Tax authorities allow for 40 percent of these investments to be deducted, with a ceiling of 2,770 Euros currently in place for most products. That ceiling is raised to 3,600 Euros if, for example, the money is spent on solar panels, for example. Figures released by the tax authorities show that Belgians are increasingly aware of this fact, with 464,044 families using the option in 2008 to deduct a green investment, which rose to 627,857 families following suit in 2009. That is over nine percent of the tax returns received in 2009. The amount actually deducted is also increasing year by year. In 2008 a family making use of the facility deducted 778 Euros on average, with that figure rising to 827 Euros last year. This year there has been a division in tax returns on the basis of the nature of the investment. This has shown that expenditure on solar panels is the clear winner. Authorities are now trying to encourage tenants to also make green investments, although figures demonstrate that this is rare.

Last weekend saw the second Flachlandfest (Festival of the Low countries) 2010 hosted in Berlin, a cultura festival featuring music, art, performance art and film from the Netherlands and Flanders. The Dutch/Flemish cultural festival was held in the Arena grounds (Berlin-Treptow), where renovated industrial buildings on the banks of the Spree are now doing duty as events halls. Flachland presented a highly diverse programme over its three days, with DJs, bands, writers, choreographers, artists, short films, cross-over art between different disciplines and even a 'food theatre' from the Low Lands. The purpose of the Flachlandfest is to introduce the people of Berlin to contemporary art and culture from their western neighbours and provide a platform for Dutch and Flemish artists. Amongst those billed were Balthazar, Mintzkov, The Bony King of Nowhere, DAAU and I Love Sarah. The first Flachland was held in 2008, with a smaller version in 2009 under the name of Nachbar und Nachbar (Neighbour and Neighour). The kick-off this year was held in Trix in Antwerp with the band Dirty Vicky.

The presence of the French street performance group Royal De Luxe's gigantic mechanical puppets the Diver and the Little Giantess last weekend marked a successful end to the Zomer van Antwerpen 2010 (Summer of Antwerp) festival. The gigantic Diver was pulled out of the Kattendijk dock and went in search of its Hand and then the Little Giantess. However, other items on the summer festival's programme also attracted a striking number of visitors. Ticket sales in the first two days saw a spectacular rise, with more visitors also attending the many free exhibitions. The Zomer of Antwerpen's intention is to make culture accessible to everyone in the city. The organisers opted to focus on innovations this year, with great success. Aside from the long series of circus and theatre performances, much favour was also found for the free 'Late Night Shows' in the old gas works in Nieuw Zurenborg. This was especially popular amongst new and younger public, with the Zomerfabriek bar (Summer factory bar) also being located on the site. A total of 48,850 visitors attended the Zomerfabriek (Summer Factory). Meanwhile, the Nulsterrenpension (Zero Star Hotel), offering low budget accommodation in a sleep-in in an office block on the site, saw 1,300 people overnighting. A Zomerbibliotheek (Summer Library) was set up and was free to enter at the Zomerbar (Summer Bar), which was the heart of the festival at the circus site. The summer bar itself was enlarged with an additional beach and play area for the children. The circuses together brought in a crowd of over 30,000, while the travelling music festival Muziek in de Wijk (Music in the neighbourhood) also drew notably more music aficionados than in previous years at its performances in local squares around the city. There were a total of 48 performances, featuring music from around the world.

Hier, le pré-formateur Elio Di Rupo s'est rendu chez le Roi sans avoir d'accord sur la réforme de l'Etat. Toutes les parties étaient d'accord avec sa proposition de compromis, excepté la N-VA nationaliste et le CD&V démocrate-chrétien. Si ces deux formations n'ont pas accepté, c'est parce que la proposition découple l'argent supplémentaire destiné à Bruxelles et la révision effective de la loi de financement, qui règle les transferts financiers entre le fédéral et les régions et communautés. Le texte prévoyait une manne de 300 millions (par an) pour la plus petite des régions du pays, avec un important bonus dès que la réforme de la loi de financement serait une réalité. Par conséquent, le montant de 300 millions accordé chaque année à Bruxelles s'appliquerait même en l'absence de réforme. En d'autres mots, Bruxelles recevrait 1,2 milliard sur 4 ans. Pour les partis du centre droit flamands, les problèmes financiers de la Région Bruxelloise doivent plutôt se résoudre via un mécanisme de soutien financier intégré à la loi de financement. Justification : "La loi de financement est essentielle pour créer une responsabilisation dans la réforme de l'Etat". Les deux partis ne sont pas disposés à signer un chèque en blanc pour Bruxelles alors que les Flamands n'ont aucune garantie que la loi de financement sera réformée en profondeur. Une réforme de l'Etat sans responsabilisation aurait dès lors "peu de sens" selon les nationalistes flamands. Seule la responsabilisation peut faire en sorte que les entités fédérées veillent sur leurs propres ressources. Le fait que les francophones ne veuillent rien savoir d'un couplage structurel entre l'argent destiné à Bruxelles et la loi de financement fait craindre à la N-VA qu'ils n'aient jamais eu l'intention de réviser la loi. De même, pour le CD&V, un "chèque en blanc" pour Bruxelles est inacceptable. Le CD&V est disposé à donner de l'argent à une région bruxelloise sous-financée, mais uniquement si ces fonds sont liés aux principes de responsabilisation et de solidarité qui s'appliqueront dans la nouvelle loi de financement. En outre, le parti rappelle qu'il faut économiser 25 milliards d'euros et que donner 500 millions par an à Bruxelles en échange de la scission de l'arrondissement électoral de Bruxelles-Hal-Vilvorde n'est pas justifié. Le président du CD&V Wouter Beke a avancé une contre-proposition incluant 200 millions d'euros de "financement intermédiaire" pour Bruxelles en 2011 et une compensation selon la loi de financement par la suite, avec un maximum de 200 millions à partir de 2012, mais les francophones ne l'ont pas acceptée.

En 2009, les Belges ont déduit 519,5 millions d'investissements "verts" de leurs déclarations fiscales (plus de 40% de plus qu'en 2008), et les premiers chiffres des déclarations fiscales 2010 permettent de constater que cette augmentation se poursuit. La plupart des investissement déductibles incluent l'isolation du logement, la pose de double vitrage, l'entretien de la chaudière ou l'installation de panneaux solaires. Le fisc autorise une déduction à 40% de ces investissements, qui sont pour la plupart plafonnés à 2770 euros par au, ou 3600 euros dans le cas par exemple de panneaux solaires. Les chiffres du fisc démontrent aussi une prise de conscientisation croissante de la part des Belges. En 2008, 464.044 ménages ont profité de la possibilité de déduire l'un ou l'autre investissement vert, mais ils étaient déjà 627.857 l'an dernier, ce qui correspond à 9% environ des déclarations que le fisc a reçues en 2009. Le montant augmente lui aussi d'année en année : en 2008, un ménage déduisait en moyenne 778 euros, contre 827 euros l'an dernier. Depuis cette année, la déclaration fiscale établit une distinction selon la nature de l'investissement. Cette modification permet de voir que les panneaux solaires représentent de loin les montants les plus élevés. Le fisc s'efforce d'inciter les locataires à réaliser eux aussi des investissements verts, mais les chiffres démontrent qu'ils restent minimes.

Le week-end dernier, Berlin accueillait la "Flachlandfest 2010" (littéralement, Fête du Plat Pays) , un festival culturel mêlant musique, art, performance et cinéma des Pays-Bas et de Flandre. La deuxième édition de cette manifestation thématique s'est déroulée sur le terrain d'Arena (Treptow), où d'anciens bâtiments industriels bordant la Spree ont été rénovés pour accueillir divers événements. Pendant trois jours, Flachland a présenté un programme très diversifié alternant DJ, orchestres, écrivains, chorégraphes, artistes graphiques, courts métrages, croisements entre diverses discipline et même "Food Theatre". La Flachlandfest veut permettre au public berlinois de découvrir la culture et l'art contemporains des Pays-Bas et de Flandre, tout en offrant une plate-forme aux artistes qui en proviennent. L'affiche regroupait entre autres Balthazar, Mintzkov, The Bony King of Nowhere, DAAU et I Love Sarah. La première édition de Flachland avait eu lieu en 2008, et une édition plus réduite avait eu lieu en 2009 sous le nom de "Nachbar und Nachbar" ("entre voisins"). Cette année, le coup d'envoi a été donné à Trix (Anvers) avec le groupe Dirty Vicky.