Random BENL News

Age limit to buy tobacco in the Netherlands
Dutch tobacco companies have written to the health ministry
urging the new government to put up the age limit for buying
cigarettes and tobacco from 16 to 18. Ministers plan to
increase the legal age at which teenagers can buy alcohol
from 16 to 18. This could also be applied to tobacco products,
Dutch tobacco companies say.

Sheep on moped
Police in Tienen, Belgium, arrested three men who were transporting
a sheep on a moped. The police soon discovered
that the three men were staying here illegally and that the
sheep had been stolen.

[I swear I did not make this up!]

More U.S. students in Belgium
Figures from the Institute of International Education show
that 880 Belgian students registered to study at a school
of advanced learning in the United States in 2012-13. The
figure is up 8.4% in comparison with only five years ago.
The institute's report also shows that 1,374 U.S. nationals
registered for academic studies in Belgium in 2011-12. This
figure is up 10.5% on the year.

Belgian weapons
Saudi Arabia is the most important purchaser of Belgian
weapons. Saudi Arabia purchases approximately one third of
all Belgian weapons valued at 253 million Euros. All weapons
for Saudi Arabia are produced in Wallonia. Nils Duquet of the
Flemish Peace Institute states “because FN Herstal is a crucial
company for the Walloon economy, the Walloon government
delivers weapons permits without much argument, even if
it concerns sensitive clients. It seems economic interests
prevail in Wallonia.” Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has not made
it a secret that it supplies weapons to armed groups in Syria,
says Thomas Baum, the Director of the Peace Institute.

[Note: Wallonia is the French speaking region of Belgium]

Nearly every Dutch household has internet
Some 96% of Dutch households now have an internet connection,
while 42% of the population have access to mobile
internet via smart phones, according to a new research.
Around 56% say the internet has given them better access
to government and official information and two-thirds have
more contact with their family. One third say they have made
new friends online.