Free gas causes chaos...who would have thought?

Belgian police had a hard time managing traffic flows to a Shell filling station at the Heizel (Brussels) on Wednesday morning.
The oil company was offering motorists free petrol (gas) in order to promote its new network of unmanned filling stations.
Motorists were able to fill up for free between 11 and 12 o'clock.
The company wanted to highlight lower prices at unmanned filling stations. Scores of motorists spent several hours queuing up in order to fill their tank for free.
The oil company is launching similar give away promotions across Belgium in the next few days.
Petrol costs around 1.30 euros/litre in Belgium at the minute.

Your tax dollars at work...EU official 'took photos' up girls' skirts

A Greek EU public servant was arrested in Brussels on Thursday for allegedly taking photos up the skirts of unsuspecting girls.
The man's actions were spotted by a female cashier in the shopping centre City II. He was also filmed by security cameras.
The incident took place in the Veritas shop, where a cashier noticed a man keeping a close eye on a 16-year-old girl in the lingerie department.
The man allegedly bent down and took a photo. He then allegedly went down on his knees behind the girl and took more photos under her skirt.
The cashier informed security, who detained the man until police arrived.
Identified as a 36-year-old man of Greek nationality working for the EU in Brussels, the suspect has reportedly confessed his actions.
Police also found various photos on the man's camera and he had a similar collection of photos stored on his computer at work.
The man has been charged with public indecency and has been remanded in custody.

Zinneke Parade May 13th

May 13th sees the fourth Zinneke Parade. The parade, which was organised for the first time when Brussels was European City of Culture in the year 2002, draws its name from the Brussels dialect word for a mongrel dog.
The organisers chose the name as it is not only understood by speakers of both French and Dutch, but also reflects the great mix and diversity of the city's population.
Organisations from all over Brussels have been working on costumes, dance routines and other forms of artistic expression in preparation for the bi-annual event.
The organisers say that the aim of the Zinneke Parade is to help combat the increasing disillusionment and social alienation that is often present in Europe's large cities.
4,000 participants, 200,000 spectators
Some 4000 people will be taking part in the parade, which is the culmination of two years of work by people from neighbourhoods throughout Brussels.
They will set off from one of the four starting points located in Schaarbeek, Elsene, Sint-Jans Molenbeek and Anderlecht.
The four groups will all come together in the city centre. The organisers estimate that some 200,000 will watch the parade as it makes its way through the city.

Real Estate Prices Soar

The price of building plots in Flanders went up by some 20% last year. Meanwhile, house prices in Flanders went up by an average of 16% and more than doubled in some parts of Brussels.
The prise rises are the biggest since the 1970's.
Low interest rates and the banks' willingness to allow home buyers to stagger their mortgage repayments over a much longer period than was previously the case are both cited as causes of the increas
Filip Jansen from the study bureau Stadium told the VRT that the price rises are to blame on people being allowed to lend more.
"Everyone dreams of being able to buy a home that is just above their budget".
"If people are able to lend more by staggering their repayments over a longer period, they will be able to pay more for a home".
The prices adapt to the new market conditions and rise accordingly.
Houses in the Brussels districts of Schaarbeek, Sint-Joost-ten-Node, Etterbeek and Elsene have doubled in the space of a year.
The districts are in the East of the city and not too far from the European institutions.
Nevertheless, house prices there are still cheaper than in the affluent South Brussels suburbs of Ukkel, Watermaal-Bosvoorde, Oudergem and Sint-Pieters Woluwe.

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