Flemings started to speak colloquial Dutch as a result of the economic growth and increased standards of living that followed the Second World War, writes linguist Koen Plevoets of the University College Ghent in the language magazine Over taal. The upper and middle classes no longer felt obliged to conform to the prestigious variants of the standard language, and Flemings developed a so-called tussentaal (in-between language). This is a specific variety of Belgian Dutch that is situated somewhere in-between dialects and the standard language. An example, Plevoets says is using ge or gij instead of the standard je or jij (“you”).

Fine dust particles are the culprit in most environmental illnesses in Flanders, reports the Flemish Environment Agency (VMM) in their latest environmental report. The VMM examined, among other things, the effects of carbon dioxide, dioxin in food, electromagnetic fields, noise, heat, lead, fine dust, ozone, UV radiation and second-hand smoke. Fine dust turned out to be responsible for threequarters of all health damage caused by environmental factors. Exposure to transport noise (traffic, railways and airports) is the second-greatest cause of damage, followed by passive smoking.

Ghent University, the University College Ghent (HoGent) and the Artevelde University College Ghent are launching a highter education course in forensic behavioural sciences to improve the knowledge and skills of health-care professionals working with people displaying antisocial and criminal behaviour. The multidisciplinary course consists of 12 evening lectures, during which guest lecturers will share practical experience in forensic health care.