You won't believe our rates!

A 21-year-old homeless man has been posing as a journalist to get free food and lodging at various ambulance depots, fire stations and hospitals. Kevin Van Huyck pretended to be working on documentaries while staying with the Mechelen fire department for three weeks and two with the ambulance service.

Could you please send me the royal address?

The King handed out €200 to 450 Belgians who had written pleading him for money to tide them over a rough patch last year. Over 10,000 begging letters were received, a quarter more than before the financial crisis of 2008. The King’s spokesperson noted that asking the King for help was perceived as the last resort for many Belgians.

Batteries not included.

Belgians are particularly sceptical when it comes to electric cars, according to a study by Deloitte Consultants. Only 7 percent are ready to buy electric, compared to a European average of 16 percent. Nearly half of Belgians reject the idea outright while only 30 percent of Europeans are vehemently opposed. Deloitte claims that the gap is caused by a lack of vision in Belgian politics.

There's such thing as too much frites?

With over 5,000 frietkots/friteries in Belgium, there are 1,000 too many, according to the Frituriste national union (Navefri/Unafri). The union is looking to certify frietkot managers and introduce mandatory training, partly to tackle the lack of hygiene in many of the chalets. “People are tempted to open frietkots because they think they are gold mines. But it takes knowledge and passion to make frites. If you have neither, your customers will disappear. That’s why beginners don’t last a year,” said president Bernard Lefèvre

They were just gathering dust in Belgium.

The Belgian armed forces sold surplus weapons to eight countries in the last eight years including Jordan, Morocco, Amman, Bahrain, Benin and Lebanon, according to the Stockholm International Peace Institute. The equipment ranged from F-16 fighter jets, armoured vehicles, troop transport, frigates, command posts, helicopters and artillery items. Armour was also sold to Saudi Arabia and Chad by private Belgian companies, as was uncovered by The Bulletin in February 2008.