Europe U.S. Allies in Europe Begin to Pull Back
William Pfaff

Five NATO governments made it known that they want American nuclear weapons removed from their territory. They include the Benelux three, together with Germany and Norway. The five reportedly will ask that all the European NATO governments endorse their position before a meeting in New York in May.

Association achieves alleviation of tax on helmets
Following a rigorous campaign of awareness and research in the last two years the Panhellenic Cooperative of Importers/Exporters of Motorcycles PASEED has achieved the eradication of taxes on motorcycle helmets making them both more affordable and rapidly accessible. The move to bring such important safety wear to line with ethical standards...

Silchester buying up too much of Delhaize
Delhaize Group the Belgian international food retailer has received a notification of the threshold of 3% being crossed by Silchester International Investors Limited Silchester which owns 3.05% of Delhaize Groups voting rights.According to the notification that Delhaize Group received from Silchester on 20 August 2010 Silchester acts as an investment...

Gadot buys ADPO chemical terminal in Belgium
Gadot Chemical Tankers and Terminals Ltd a subsidiary of Ampal-American Israel Corporation last week confirmed that it had completed the previously announced purchase of the entire issued and outstanding share capital of ADPO Ghent NV for a purchase price of Euro 30 000 000.The purchase has been made through Gadots...

Delhaize cuts outlook and says consumer crisis not over
The US unemployment problem is casting its shadow into the Belgian business scenario. Delhaize the Belgian high street retail major recently announced a trimmed outlook for full year 2010 citing the high unemployment in its key market United States. In a statement in which the company also raised its 2012 cost...

Food safety authorities not concerned by clones
Belgian authorities recently confirmed that cloning do not pose any serious threat on food safety ground and the recent controversy raised with a UK supply of beef did not require a rapid alert. At issue was the meat from the offspring of a cloned cow raised and slaughtered in the...

Negotiators hand over in small step to Belgian government
Belgiums quest for a viable government recently moved a small step forward as the man tasked with drawing up the options for a possible coalition handed over to the man tasked with launching the first coalition talks. Dutch-speaking nationalist Bart De Wever handed to King Albert II his final report on...

Net polished diamond exports $28.6 million in June
The latest set of data released by the AWDC confirmed the Belgian polished diamonds sector continued to experience increase in exports in June though the performance was yet to meet previous highs. Gross exports of 680 720 carats at a value of $1.09 billion increased 3.3 % in volume and...

Belgiums Premier Goes Green
STRASBOURG - Belgium which took over the EUrsquo;s six-month Presidency on 1 July plans to support on a European level initiatives promoting investment focusing on new green technology the countryrsquo;s acting Prime Minister Yves Leterme told New Europe here on 7 July following a plenary session of the European Parliament...

KPIL opens storage facility in Antwerp
Kuwait Petroleum International Lubricants KPIL recently inaugurated a major new storage facility at the site of its Antwerp lubricant blending plant in Belgium. KPIL is a subsidiary of the Kuwait National Petroleum company. The new site hosts 24 massive new tanks. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Belgium...

RTE Elia upgrade electricity link with France
Belgian transmission system operator Elia and its French peer Reseau de Transport dElectricite recently flagged off an upgraded interconnection for electricity flows between the high-voltage substations at Moulaine France and Aubange Belgium. A statement from the company revealed that the project involved an investment of 13.2 million Euro. RTE and...

King tasks election winner with leading coalition talks
Belgiums King Albert II recently tasked Dutch- speaking nationalist leader Bart De Wever with heading talks aimed at forming a government after recent snap elections an announcement from the palace revealed. De Wevers N-VA party emerged as the landslide winner of the recent vote. The party campaigned to end Belgiums...

KPN Belgium upgrades network
KPN Group Belgium recently handed down a contract to Acision for deploying its Open Internet Proxy OIP to manage its mobile data traffic flow and improve network performance. KPN Belgium is a subsidiary of Netherlands Koninklijke KPN. The OIP forms part of the Acision broadband mobility suite which combines mobile...

Chiadzwa Diamonds are the sparkling choice
Belgian companies are vying with their Briton counterparts to buy diamonds from the contested Chiadzwa diamond fields even though Brussels and London claim Zimbabwe should not be given Kimberley Process certification to export diamonds harvested in the area local media reports revealed last week. The revelations were made public by...

Coalition manoeuvring begins
Belgiums political elite began manoeuvring to form a new government on 14 June as King Albert II summoned top politicians to the palace a day after snap elections. The vote put Belgiums two provinces Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia on a collision course as voters handed large wins to diametrically opposed...

Diamond exports keep climbing
After a challenging year in 2009 this year seems to be changing the tune for the Belgian diamond industry. According to the latest figured from the Antwerp World Diamond Centre AWDC in May Belgiums exports of rough and polished diamonds increased for the fifth consecutive month. Polished exports in the...

Prince Philippe of Belgium visits Shanghai Expo
Belgiums Prince Philippe was recently in China to visit the Shanghai Expo Park. Philippes visit to the expo on 13 June was to celebrate the Belgium-EU Pavilion Day according to local media reports. Philippe attended the pavilion day celebration ceremony at the expo center where he was welcomed by Shanghais...

Belgium lists five priorities program for its upcoming EU Presidency
The bulk of the European legislative work of Belgian EU Presidency will be based on the work programme for 2010 of the European Commission which was published at the end of March and on the so-called legacy programme said Belgian Minister Vanackere while delivering a speech on discusses Belgium and...

Ageas moves to new headquarters in Brussels
Belgium-based international insurance company Ageas SA/NV has moved to its new headquarters at Rue du Marquis 1 1000 Brussels on 7 June. Ageas formerly Fortis was earlier headquartered at 20 Rue Royale in Brussels. Ageas is an international insurance company with a heritage spanning more than 180 years. Ranked among...

Monument acquires Dow Haltermann Processing
The Antwerp Belgium based Dow Haltermann Custom Processing is now owned by Monument Chemicals Inc MC a specialty chemicals holding company. A statement from MC last week announced the completion of the acquisition. It revealed that the acquisition involved a multipurpose manufacturing facility and the business assets of located in...

Greece Belgium discuss EUs economic governance
Despite the ongoing crisis that has severely affected the common currency the Belgian leadership remains hopeful of an imminent recovery Prime Minister Yves Leterme indicated last week. The visiting Belgian premier met with his Greek counterpart George Papandreou on 1 June. During their talks both the sides agreed that the...

KBC Bulgarian Unit Capital up by 5 million Euro
A Bulgarian subsidiary of Belgiums KBC is set to raise its capital by some 5 million euros $6.1 million local media reports revealed last week. Cibank is majority-owned by the Belgian company. The capital hike would be carried out by issuing 965 365 shares the bank reportedly said in a...

State Secretary presents challenges for Belgian EU Presidency
On Thursday 20 May the Belgian State Secretary for European Affairs Olivier Chastel gave a presentation on the challenges facing the Belgian EU Presidency to the members of the Board of Directors of the Walloon Association of Enterprises Union wallonne des entreprises . According to Mr Chastel the 12th Belgian Presidency...

Federal Debt amounts to 335.26 euros in Q1
The Belgian Federal Government Debt amounted to €335.26 billion as of 30 April 2010. Debt issued or taken over by the federal government amounted to €334.82 billion and the institutions for which the federal government supports the debt service registered a debt of 0.44 billion Euro. In net terms i.e....

Shanghai Expo participation lauded
The 2010 Shanghai Expo was an ideal platform for Belgian entrepreneurs to find their way into the lucrative Chinese market Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme indicated on May 17. He was addressing the press before his departure for Shanghai. Leterme said China is a great nation that opens up to...

Belgian schemes post positive Q1 return
Belgian pension funds experienced a positive first quarter delivering an average return of 4.4 % based on performances of Japanese and US equities a recent study by Mercer revealed. In the three months the average asset allocation for Belgian schemes slightly decreased equity investments in favour of bonds and alternatives...

Parliament dissolved elections on 13 June
After the fall of another unsuccessful regime the Belgian politicians are now set for a new face-off on 13 June when the country will vote to choose its new government. The decision paving the way for snap elections was taken on the day when the parliament voted to dissolve itself....

Elia to buy majority of German 50Hertz
The Belgian firm Elia last week unveiled plans of raising $392 million in a capital hike to fund the purchase of 60% in German high-voltage power grid 50Hertz from Vattenfall Europe. Elia announced an agreement on the acquisition of 50Hertz together with Australian Industry Funds Management or IMF on 12...

India Pakistan Israel urged to join NPT
India Pakistan and Israel should join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty NPT and hould bring their nuclear posture fully in line with the treaty a Belgian official recently said. Werner Bauwens head of the Belgian delegation to the recently held NPT Review Conference also called on other countries to remain indefinitely...

Burqa Ban bill passes chamber reading
Imposing an outright ban on female Islamic face veils violates the freedom of expression and religion a leading human rights organisation recently said condemning the Belgian parliaments approval of a draft law on the matter. Belgiums chamber of deputies the lower house of parliament passed a law week before last...

Tanzanias inland container depots get a boost
Despite the ongoing internal crisis which many fear might lead even to the dissolution of Belgium the government looks poised to continue with its international agendas aimed at boosting its trade relations on the global scale. Recently the Belgian authority provided five Reach Stackers to help in improving Inland Container...

Smart meter pilot to be powered by Elster
An Elster Group company EnergyICT last week announced the successful deployment of Elsters EnergyAxis portfolio of advanced metering infrastructure AMI solutions to power Belgiums largest integrated smart metering pilot. The customer is Eandis one of Belgiums largest electricity and gas grid companies. As part of the smart metering pilot Eandis...

EU confident in presidency despite government collapse
The European Unions executive last week expressed confidence that Belgiums government would help the bloc run effectively when it takes over the rotating EU presidency on 1 July even though that government fell on 26 April reported dpa Deutsche Presse Agentur . The importance of the rotating presidency has been...

Carrefour sees strikes again
Workers at the Belgian outlets of the French retail major Carrefour last week confirmed their plan of a further strike in continuation of previous strikes launched in February and March. The workers reportedly had informed the group of their plans protesting against the retailers planned store closures and job cuts....

Owens Corning sets up fabrics excellence center
Owens Corning a glass fiber reinforcements and engineered materials producer recently flagged off a 5 500-square-meter center of excellence for technical fabrics at its manufacturing plant in Zele Belgium. A statement from the Ohio-based company said that the center will have pilot- and full-scale advanced production equipment capable of weaving...

Flemish Liberals pull out topples government
The Flemish Liberals Open VLD decided to leave the current Belgian government shortly before midday on 22 April. After this the Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme handed in his letter of resignation to King Albert II of Belgium for the third time. The question which is to follow swiftly from...

Polished diamond exports soar in March
As the European economy has started showing signs of recovery the Belgian diamond sector seems to have taken a boost. Figures released last week by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre AWDC revealed that during March Belgiums polished exports rose by 57 percent to USD 1.12 billion. However the countrys polished...

EU says no complaints made yet on housing row
The European Unions executive had yet to receive any complaints from non-Dutch speakers who have allegedly been blocked from buying houses around Brussels the German Press Agency dpa said in a recent report citing officials as saying contradicting their earlier statements. Scandal erupted in Belgium at the weekend before last after...

Yildiz Holdings Godiva halts production due to strike
A recent series of workers protests at the chocolate producer Godiva prompted a halt in its production a statement from the company revealed. Godiva is owned by the Turkish conglomerate Yildiz Holding. The company statement said the safety of workers could not be guaranteed and production could not be maintained...

EBRD grants 20 mln to Intesa Sanpaolo Banka BiH
The European bank for Reconstruction and Development announced a 20 million euros credit line to Intesa Sanpaolo Banka the fourth largest commercial bank in Bosnia and Herzegovina for on-lending to small and medium enterprises SMEs reads a press release. Intesa Sanpaolo Banka with a nationwide network and a growing portfolio...

15 years of ties with China celebrated
Early last week the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao exchanged congratulatory messages with his Bosnian counterpart Nikola Spiric to mark the 15th anniversary of their countries diplomatic ties Fars news agency reported. During the talks both leaders pledged efforts to boost their friendly cooperative relationship based on the principles of mutual...

AWDC holds Antwerp diamond day in Mumbai
The Indian economic hub Mumbai last week experienced a gala organized by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre AWDC . AWDC was organizing an Antwerp Diamond Day in the city that houses the backbone of the Indian economy. At the show the most important players in the Indian diamond trade were...

Investors plan to sue Lehman counterparties
A group of Belgian investors along with their Dutch peers were mulling plans to sue ABN Amro and KBC who acted as counterparties in trades with Lehman Brothers and Ernst Young who audited the banks accounts local media reports revealed last week. The investors reportedly alleged that Lehman Brothers was...

Support shown for Indian bid for permanent UN seat
Belgium last week unequivocally reconfirmed its support for Indias bid for a permanent seat in the enlarged UN Security Council Indian media reported. It also expressed solidarity with India and resolved to defeat terrorism across the international community saying no cause can justify terrorism. Admitting that the world had undergone...

Delhaize sees stronger profit growth in the rest of the year
Delhaize the Belgian retail major recently upped its full year outlook saying that the measures like cost-cutting and expansion of its store network would shore-up the operating profit figure for 2010. Delhaize expects operating profit to grow by 7 to 10% in 2010 at identical exchange rates. According to the...

Belgian company invests in Bulgarian biofuels plant
Belgian company 4Energy Invest would be completing the construction of a new plant for biofuels production in Bulgarias southern city of Kardzhali by the end of 2010 CEO of the company Yves Crits recently announced. 4Energy Invest specialises in renewable energy by creating and managing a portfolio of small to...

Vattenfall sells German grid subsidiary to Elia
Belgian transmission system operator Elia recently inked an agreement with Vattenfall to purchase its subsidiary 50Hertz Transmission GmbH which owns and operates Vattenfalls German transmission grid. Australian Industry Funds Management IFM one of the largest global infrastructure investment managers is partnering Elia in the deal. Under the terms of the...

Hand-making chocolatiers too expensive for Godiva
Godiva chocolate makers have announced their intention to refocus their activities in Brussels on the fabrication of chocolate and to pass off the handmade section of the chocolate making to machinery. A move which could mean 90 out of 360 employees could be fired. An analysis by the management of the...

EU approves restructuring of Dexia bank
The European Unions executive recently approved a bail-out package offered to the troubled Dexia bank by the Belgian French and Luxembourg governments but only on condition that the bank stick to strict conditions. The bank was one of the highest-profile casualties of the global financial smash in late 2008 receiving...

Marks Spencer set to start a new Belgian chapter
The Iconic Briton retail chain Marks Spencer MS hopes to reopen outlets in Belgium MS CEO Stuart Rose recently indicated cited by local media. The daily Le Soir said in a recent report that the department store was revising its strategy. In 2001 under the leadership of its Belgian CEO...

Carrefour Belgium closes lays off 1 700
Carrefour Belgium SA the Belgian arm of the French retailer acknowledged on 2 March that it had badly misread its market and said it would begin a drastic austerity drive of store closings and worker layoffs. The company said it would close 21 hyper and supermarkets lay off at least 1...

Belgium News - New Europe News
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NXP selected to provide German identity card chip
The Dutch chipmaker NXP Semiconductors N.V.on August 19 announced that its SmartMX secure contactless microcontroller chip has been chosen to power the new German contactless National Identity card Neuer Personalausweis .The German government has selected NXP as the supplier of an inlay solution containing a dedicated SmartMX chip packaged in...

Shell Petro China hit bulls eye with Arrow
Shell a global group of energy and petrochemicals companies and PetroChina today welcomed the successful completion of their joint acquisition of Australian coal seam gas company Arrow Energy Limited.The acquisition follows an offer in March 2010 to purchase 100% of the shares of Arrow by CS CSG Australia Pty Ltd...

World Cup boosts Dutch commercial standing
Dutch insurance company AEGON on 17 August expects to receive final approval from the European Commission regarding the € 3 billion of capital support the company obtained from the Dutch State in December 2008. As part of the process to conclude the Commissions review AEGON has agreed with the Dutch...

Cooperation on criminal matter
The United Arab Emirates UAE and the Netherlands will intensify their cooperation in criminal matters and the fight against organised crime. Minister of Justice Hirsch Ballin signed a Memorandum of Understanding today in the Hague together with his colleague Hadef bin Juan Al Dhaheri of the UAE. Pursuant to the...

World Cup boosts Dutch commercial standing
Despite its failure to grab the cup the football World Cup has produced positive results for the Netherlands in financial terms. According to local media reports getting to the final in some or the other way raised the global commercial standing of the country. The Dutch Tourism and Congresses Agency...

Pensions firm joins Vedanta sell-off
PGGM investment firm recently disposed its €13 million $16 million stake in the notorious mining conglomerate Vedanta Resources local media reported last week. The firm manages pensions for more than two million people in the Netherlands. PGGM reportedly made intensive efforts to engage with British company Vedanta over its plan...

Collapse of Dutch bank blamed on Central Bank
The Dutch Central Bank DNB had to face strong criticism last week over its role regarding DSB. A critical review said that DNB should never have allowed the one-man financial enterprise DSB to go into banking. Presenting his report committee chairman Michiel Scheltema accused the central bank of taking unacceptable...

Helicopter crash kills three in Netherlands
A helicopter owned by the Heli Holland Airservice crashed in the port region of the Dutch city Rotterdam Sunday killing three people according to local police. Including the pilot there are five people on board in total a spokesman of the police said.The helicopter is a Eurocopter EC130 just five...

Netherlands send Brazil home
The Netherlands eliminated 10-man Brazil 2-1 in a hot-tempered clash of titans to advance into the World Cup semifinals on 3 July reported the Xinhua News Agencys sportswriter Cao Jianjie. The Brazilians controlled the first half where the five-time champions opened scoring through Robinho at the 10th minute but they...

Axe to fall on 600 Scots jobs in revamp Dutch giant
The Dutch insurance group Aegon recently unveiled a major overhaul of its operations which would see up to 600 jobs in Scotland being shaved-off of the companys payroll local media revealed last week. Aegons UK life and pensions arm shall have to borne the pressure of 25% cuts in costs...

World Cup ambush marketing charges dropped
The Dutch brewer charged for an alleged ambush marketing stunt at a World Cup match breathed a sigh of relief last week when the South African prosecutors confirmed they were dropping dropped the charges. Thirty-six women wearing identical skimpy mini-dresses in Dutch orange sold as part of a gift pack...

Considerable exports growth back to pre-crisis levels
Data released from the Dutch national statistics office CBS on 14 June showed that the national export volume rose 17% in April compared with the same period last year. This was almost at par with the pre-crisis levels the CBS statement noted. The volume of goods imports grew by nearly...

Retail sales decline in April
A June 15 report from the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics revealed that retail sales in the Netherlands dropped in April from the previous month. Retail sales value decreased 0.2 % year-on-year in April in contrast to the 3.3 % increase in the previous month but slower than the 2.9...

Minister says agreement with Serbia conditional on ICTY
The member states of the European Union cannot be expected to ratify a Stabilisation and Association Agreement SAA with Serbia until the prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia ICTY reaffirms that Serbia is doing everything in its power to arrest the two indicted war criminals who...

Emergency aid bound for Guatemala
To combat the effects of tropical storm Agatha the Netherlands is giving 75 000 euros in emergency aid to Guatemala which asked for international assistance on 1 June. The money will be channelled via the International Federation of the Red Cross IFRC which will ensure that the Guatemalan Red Cross...

International Centre for Counterterrorism opens
Terrorism is one of the biggest and most challenging threats facing the world in the twenty-first century. To meet this challenge a truly international approach is needed based on a clear legal foundation and solid cooperation. The Netherlands would like to contribute constructively to developing new ideas and frameworks. Today...

Total net assets of Dutch investment funds up 5% in Q1
In the first quarter of 2010 Dutch investment funds total net assets increased for the fourth consecutive quarter according to statistics from Dutch central bank De Nederlandsche Bank. The rise as a result of revaluations and net deposits amounted to more than 5%. As at 31 March 2010 total net...

Shell acquires new positions in US tight gas
Royal Dutch Shell said it continues to build a leading portfolio in North America tight gas with new positions in high potential US shale gas acreage in the Marcellus and Eagle Ford plays. Shell announced that it has agreed to acquire subsidiaries which own substantially all of the business of...

Technip awarded new Subsea contract
Technip has announced that it has signed an agreement worth around €30 million with Statoil ASA for the fabrication and installation of a pipeline on the Marulk field in the North Sea Norway Post reported. Norways Statoil is carrying out parts of the Marulk development project on behalf of the...

Hi de Hydro
Norways energy producer Hydro is planning to start work on the Holsbru hydro power project this fall. In addition the company has delivered a concession application for two hydropower projects in Sogn Norway Post reported. Altogether the three projects will increase Hydros power production by about 300 GWh. We have...

Google Grabs GIPs
Google aquired Norwegian company Global IP Solutions GIPS for a cash offer of US$68.2 million representing a premium of 142.1% over the closing share price of GIPS stock on January 11 2010 the last day of trading before GIPS announced interest from a potential buyer . The deal will mean...

Agreement on farm subsidies - higher prices
Agreement has been reached between the Farmers Union and the Government on farm subsidies for 2010 in Norway. The farmers have accepted an offer of an additional 11 500 Norwegian crowns per year Norway Post reported. The total grant amounts to 950 million crowns 910 million less than the farmers...

Nuclear weapons rule breaches will mean penalties
If countries do not follow the international rules governing the peaceful use of nuclear technology any cooperation in this area must be suspended at once. This suggestion was made by the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Verhagen in his speech to the Review Conference on the Non-Proliferation Treaty at...

Workplace integration programmes get 7 mln euros
In 2010 employers will be encouraged to organise workplace integration programmes for employees for which Minister Van Middelkoop Communities Housing and Integration will set aside a total of seven million euros this year. The subsidy scheme was published in the Government Gazette today and is part of the implementation of...

Dutch firm to establish Africas first ship recycling plant
A Dutch company in partnership with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA would establish Africas first ship recycling facility in Nigeria a NIMASA statement revealed last week. The agency Director General Temisan Omatseye made this disclosure during a presentation to NIMASA by representatives of the Southern African Shipyard...

Synovate buys Dutch healthcare consultancy
Netherlands-based Firm United Healthcare FUH recently went into the hands of Synovate Healthcare a statement from the later informed last week. FUH is a consultancy which offers market research marketing and communications support to firms in the health market. FUH was founded in 1995 by Berend Bielderman who before opening...

Royal Dutch Essar end UK Germany refinery sale talks
The Anglo-Dutch oil major recently concluded its exclusive talks with Essar to sell refineries in the UK and Germany local media reported last week citing senior executive of the company. There are private equity national oil companies and there are companies from outside Europe that are interested CFO Simon Henry...

Dutch-German Makro opens third store in Peru
A Dutch-German home improvement chain Makro recently announced the opening of its third store in Peru located in the Limenian district of Santa Anita. In a statement Makro General Manager Pieter Boon revealed that the compamy would invest $50 million in the opening of five more stores as part of...

Parliament backs Afghanistan mission Labour opposed
A majority of 80 MPs backs a compromise proposal by the left wing greens GroenLinks and D66 Liberals to send a sizeable police mission to Afghanistan to train local officers the Volkskrant reports on 22 April. And the police trainers would be accompanied by soldiers to protect them foreign minister Maxime...

Pre-election spending plan check runs into trouble
The traditional pre-election check on the financial implications of political party spending plans is causing controversy this year because the agency which carries out the research opposes civil service cuts the Telegraaf reported. The governments macro-economic forecasting agency CPB is refusing to approve the Christian Democrats and VVD Liberals plans...

DSB bankruptcy inquiry into key players grinds to halt
Inquiries by the central bank and financial sector regulator AFM into the expertise of key players at bankrupt private bank DSB are grinding to a halt. DSB collapsed last year leading to a formal investigation into the capabilities of senior executives who still have important jobs in the financial sector....

Cabinet overspend set to reach €3bn
Ministers have overspent their budgets by a total of almost €3bn this year confidential sources have told the Financieele Dagblad. At the end of February the overspend was put at a maximum €2.5bn. The finance ministry has refused to confirm the new figure but has admitted the picture presented at...

Pay rises have halved over past year
Sector-wide pay rises agreed in the first three months of this year averaged 1.6% compared with 3.6% in the same period in 2009 the national statistics office CBS said on 7 April. The figure is based on pay awards covering 60% of the working population. Some 80% of Dutch workers...

Greenpeace set to grill Royal Dutch Shell
The Anglo-Dutch oil major Royal Dutch Shell Plc look set to be grilled again by environmental group Greenpeace. The latest action by Greenpeace would focus on their exploitation of Canadian oil sands according to local media reports. Greenpeace reportedly plans to launch more short-term actions to disrupt production in the...

Dutch insurers compensate clients for unit-linked pensions
Up to 4 Dutch insurance companies ING Groep NV Aegon NV SNS Reaal NV and Delta Lloyd NV last week announced that they would compensate clients who were charged excessive fees for their unit-linked pension plans. Under the arrangement which was initiated by the Dutch Association of Insurers more than...

Dutch Minister wants EU to speak with one voice
For the EU to fulfil its potential as a global player member states must commit to stronger joint external action. The Lisbon Treaty is in place. Now we must make sure that it starts working for us said Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen in a seepch at the presentation of...

Eureko reports net profit of 1.4 billion euross in 2009
At year-end 2009 Dutch insurance company Eureko reported a net profit of 1.4 billion Euros compared to a negative result of 2.1 billion euros over 2008 helped by the stabilisation of financial markets and further supported by the financial compensation following our settlement on PZU. In 2009 Eurekos net profit...

Russian firms bargain hunt in Holland
At least 10 Dutch companies were bought up by Russian firms last year the Financieele Dagblad reports quoting figures from accountants group KPMG. Since 2003 27 Dutch companies have come into Russian hands out of a total 81 firms which found new owners in developing markets. The deals include the takeover...

Convicted bomb maker to return to Holland
A Dutch Iraqi found guilty of setting roadside bombs in Iraq by an American court is to return to the Netherlands to serve out his sentence in April the Telegraaf reported early last week. Al-Delaema was extradited to the United States in 2007 after he was identified on video footage...

AEGON posts sharp rise in Q4 earnings
AEGON the Dutch insurance company posted a sharp rise in its profits for the fourth quarter early last week as markets improved and measures taken by the company over the past year further strengthened its financial position. AEGONs underlying earnings before tax rose 22 % from the third quarter to...

Dutch to push NATO on nuclear disarmament in April
On the initiative of Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen the Netherlands Belgium Germany Luxembourg and Norway have asked NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen to put non-proliferation nuclear disarmament and arms control on the NATO agenda. Verhagen thinks the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Estonia at the end of April...

Gudrun offshore jacket to Aker Verdal  
Statoil has awarded Aker Solutions and its Aker Verdal Yard an EPC contract for the Gudrun offshore jacket to be delivered in 2011. The contract value is approximately 420 million Norwegian crowns Norway Post reported on 19 February. We are very pleased that it has been decided to realise the...

Go-ahead for Gudrun
Statoil and its partners in the Gudrun licence Marathon Petroleum and GdF Suez have agreed to submit a plan for development and operation PDO of this North Sea discovery to the Norwegian authorities official of the companies said. The decision marks an important milestone in the continued development of this part...

AFM issues warning against London Mcfee Investment
The Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets AFM has issued a warning against London Mcfee Investment after it found that the London Mcfee Investment was not registered in the Dutch Trade Register and its address were found incorrect. The AFM has received reports concerning London Mcfee Investment from various European...

Essent concentrates office activities on five sites
Announcing a news site policy which will result in a significant fall in operational costs in forthcoming years Essent a Netherlands-based vertically integrated energy company said that it intends to concentrate its Dutch office activities at five sites dispersed throughout the Netherlands: Den Bosch Groningen Zwolle Roermond and Utrecht. Following...

Dutch-Afghan economic partnership launched
Afghanistan Investment Support Agency AISA the Afghan Economic Reconstruction Working Group WEWA of the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers VNO-NCW and the Dutch policy and business development agency Ferendi have signed an agreement in Kabul Afghanistan to launch Business Partners for Uruzgan to encourage cooperation between Dutch and Afghan...

Police chief warns councils on cannabis
Local government officials are often far too lax in their dealings with the owners of cannabis-selling cafes and risk becoming embroiled in organized crime police chief Max Daniel says in an interview with Mondays Volkskrant. A local council only sees the businessman who owns the cafe but cannot or does...

Media advertising income falls 3%
The amount of advertising income earned by the media in the Netherlands fell 3.1% to €6bn in 2009 according to research by market research group Nielsen. Income was down over the first nine months of the year as the financial crisis continued to bite but rose 0.9% in the final...

ING closes sale of its Swiss private banking business
ING announced early last week that it has completed the sale of its Swiss Private Banking business to Julius Baer the leading pure-play Swiss Private Banking group. As announced on 7 October 2009 the divestment is in line with INGs Back to Basics strategy to focus on fewer franchises and...

Heineken takes over Mexican Femsa
Heineken would be taking over the beer brewing division of its Mexican counterpart Femsa the Dutch company said early last week marking the second takeover by Heineken within two years. Heineken said it would take over all of Femsas Mexican beer operations as well as 83% of Femsas activities in...

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Euro to remain stable ex- leader says
Theres no need to panic.The ongoing sovereign debt crisis will not affect the Euro in long run and the currency will again emerge in a stable form a former vice-premier of Luxembourg said in a recent interview with Xinhua cited by the English vietnamnet.vn website.I am very optimistic that Euro...

Busy Luxembourg plant brings back workers
Officially ending the reduced working hours introduced at its tire making facility in Colmar-Berg Luxembourg Goodyear recently called back its workers. Following an extended freeze on new recruitment the company announced it was now seeking new employees local media reports revealed. Approximately 170 workers would be taken on in the...

University signs Sustainable Campus Charter
On 9 July Rolf Tarrach president of the University of Luxembourg has signed the international Sustainable Campus Charter which highlights the clear commitment of the University to organise its future development in view of affecting beneficial environmental and social impacts. The charter was developed by the International Sustainable Campus Network...

Enovos acquires wind farm in France
Enovos Luxembourg recently acquired a 100% stake in the wind farm La Benate near Saintes France local media reports revealed last week. Enovos is an energy company engaged in gas pipelines and renewable energy. A statement from the company explained that the six wind turbine generators WTG are of the...

Enovos acquires stake in Bard offshore wind farm
Enovos Luxembourg a subsidiary of Enovos International recently bagged a stake in the Bard Offshore 1 wind park a statement from the company revealed last week. The company said it would install 80 wind turbine generators each with a capacity of 5MW in an area where the water depth is...

UBS reportedly faces Luxembourg probe
The Swiss UBS looks set to be grilled in Luxembourg. Recent reports revealed that prosecutors in Luxembourg recently initiated a preliminary forgery investigation over how UBS oversaw funds linked to Bernard Madoff. Wealth management giant UBS was the custodian for the LuxAlpha and the Luxembourg Investment Fund which were forced...

Luxembourg backs Tehran nuclear deal
During a recent meeting with the visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in Luxembourg City Luxembourgs Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn expressed support for the Tehran Declaration signed between Iran Turkey and Brazil on 17 May. Mottaki said the Tehran Declaration was aimed at building greater confidence about the peaceful nature...

Largest per-capita chunk of Greek bailout pitched
Not the largest in terms of size of the chunk but the largest per-capita contribution to rescue the ailing Greek economy has been promised by the tiny central European state Luxembourg. Germany will be shelling out the largest chunk of a $145 billion bailout for Greece. The Grand Duchy of...

MEPA provides power plant plans permission
The Malta Environment and Planning Authority Board on 20 May approved the full development application for the development of a 144MW extension to the Delimara Power Station which will be permitted on the designated site. The applicant explained that through this extension which will include the construction of a power...

American firm Specialty Finance applies for credit institution license
The financial services industry in Malta is set to welcome another name in its fold as American company Specialty Finance Limited has applied for a credit institution licence from the Malta Financial Services Authority MFSA . Industry Minister Tonio Fenech highlighted the resilience of this sector that managed to exhibit...

Malta eases through stricter financial monitoring by EC
Stricter monitoring of state finances by the European commission is acceptable to the Maltese government. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi last week said proper sifting by the European Commission would prohibit what happened to the Greek economy from repeating itself and Malta expects this. This followed the news that the EC...

More Mediterranean pirates than ever
Software piracy in Malta is at the 45% exceeded only by Greece 58% Iceland 49% Italy 49% and Cyprus 48% findings of the Business Software Alliance revealed last week. Research carried out by IDC Consultancy showed that software piracy had fallen in 54 markets of the 111 examined and increased...

More hedge funds to be attracted
The Luxembourg authority is now poised to attract more hedge funds to swell its economy which already hosts 12 115 funds and 360 custodian companies with € 1.9 trillion of assets under management. Figures released in the Luxembourg financial regulators annual report confirmed that the countrys financial services sector hitherto successfully...

ArcelorMittal talks Corporate Responsibility
ArcelorMittal the Luxembourg-based steelmaker issued its corporate responsibility report for the 2009 financial year: Our progress towards Safe Sustainable Steel. Published to coincide with the companys annual general meeting at its Luxembourg headquarters this report demonstrates continued progress against ArcelorMittals goal of delivering safe sustainable steel despite the challenges posed...

Luxembourg mulls issuance of Islamic bond
In a bid to raise its profile for Islamic money Luxembourg was considering issuing a sovereign Islamic bond or sukuk a central bank official informed last week. It is under consideration but no decision has been taken yet Claude Zimmer member of the council of the central bank of Luxembourg...

Regulator approves Argentina debt-swap prospectus
The securities regulator of Luxembourg recently waived green to plans by Argentinas government to exchange some $20 billion in defaulted debts removing one of the last remaining obstacles for the government to launch its offer. The Argentina prospectus was published on the web site of the Luxembourg stock exchange. The...

US Finra sued in Luxembourg over Madoff losses
A law suit filed recently in Luxembourg by 13 layers has accused the US Securities and Exchange Commission SEC and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Finra for losses in a Luxembourg fund tied to New York money manager Bernard Madoff. According to the claimants in the case the SEC and...

Date for Autoroute du Nord delayed by deer
Once again the completion date for the construction of the motorway connecting the north of Luxembourg to the south has been pushed back apparently deer are one of the reasons for this! The construction of the motorway to the north of the Grand Duchy Autoroute du Nord is taking an...

Prince businessmen visits Moscow on economic mission
A high profile Luxembourg delegation led by Crown Prince Guillaume last week toured Moscow. The economic mission also included the Luxembourg Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Jeannot Krecke. They were leading a delegation of about 100 Luxembourg businessmen representing different sectors of the economy. The programme of the visit...

1000 bonds pass by Luxembourg Stock Echange
The Luxembourg Stock Exchange is pleased to announce that it passed the milestone of 1 000 bonds in continuous trading early last week. Continuous trading enables the execution of orders by market makers at any time during the trading session. Therefore the market makers operating on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange...

Fresh fruit prices up 7.2% in March
Prices last month rose by 5.5% compared with last December. The prices of food and nonfood products in March increased by 0.9% from February while the prices of the services provided for the population by 0.1% Info-Prim Neo has learned from the National Bureau of Statistics. The prices of fresh...

Policeman suspected of murder arrested for 15 days 
Ion Perju the police officer who is suspected of killing Valeriu Boboc was arrested for 15 days. The arrest warrant was issued by the Centru District Court. In a communique quoted by Info-Prim Neo the Prosecutor Generals Office says the prosecutors asked that Perju be placed under arrest for 30...

Flagstone Re to relocate from Bermuda to Luxembourg
Flagstone Reinsurance Holdings recently announced that it was planning to change the place of incorporate from Bermuda to Luxembourg. The company expects the re-domestication to take place over several months following shareholder approval. Flagstone operated in Luxembourg for most of its corporate history and is familiar with its regulatory and...

SES launches University of Luxembourg into orbit
SES and the University of Luxembourg recently inked a collaboration agreement aimed at developing Luxembourg as a European center of excellence and innovation for advanced information communications technology in satellite systems and to create a chair in satellite telecom and media law. Over the next six years SES will contribute...

Financial sector development fund boosted
Luxembourg looks poised to cement its position as a leading financial hub of Europe though injecting more funds in market development. According to a recent release from the Asian Development Bank ADB the Government of Luxembourg recently agreed to commit a further USD 1.65 million equivalent to the Financial Sector...

Stock exchange opens doors
The 2010 edition of the annual Stock Exchange Day of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange took place early last week. This year saw an exceptional turnout with nearly a thousand attendees taking part representing the financial centre and various economic and political circles of the country. The guest speaker for this...

KBL launches Australian Dollar sub-fund
Cashing upon the further stability of Australian dollar AD against USD and the weakening of the USDs dominant position the Luxembourg-based bank KBL Kredietbank Luxembourg recently announced the launch of a money-market sub-fund in AUD KBL EPB Monetary Fund AUD which aims to produce a positive yield in AUD giving...

MEPS take a trip to the stock exchange
The Luxembourg Stock Exchange welcomed Luxembourgs members of the European parliament on 26 February 2010. During the meeting officials of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange presented the main activities of the company especially in the field of the listing of securities in which the Exchange occupies a leading position. The meeting...

LuxFLAG advances SRI approach creates new label
At the Association of the Luxembourg fund industry ALFI SRI conference Luxembourg Fund Labelling Agency LuxFLAG announced that it is now working on establishing a new label for SRI funds investing in the sector of renewable energies/climate change. According to Daniel Dax General Manager of LuxFLAG: this project will increase...

Logwin BMW extend cooperation for Nuremberg
The Luxembourg-based logistics services provider Logwin and the car manufacturer BMW have extended their cooperation to distribute BMW original parts to BMW dealers in Nuremberg. Since October 2009 Logwin has been handling daily deliveries of BMW original parts to BMW dealers in Nuremberg and the surrounding area who numbered some...

Clearstream and Central Bank launch new depository
International depository Clearstream recently announced plans of launching a new local central securities depository in Luxembourg in 2011. The new central securities depository called LuxCSD would be co-owned by Clearstream and the Central Bank of Lxuembourg local reports said citing Clearstream.  The move was prompted by the European Central Banks...

Banking sectors profit estimated to rise 1.4% in 2009
On the basis of provisional figures the Luxembourg regulator Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financie estimates profit before provisions of the Luxembourg banking sector at 5 770 million Euro for 2009. This figure represents a 1.4% increase as compared to the financial year 2008. This slight improvement in profit before...

Children tied up in primary school case
Several pupils were badly treated in a primary school in Bonnevoie last year and Luxembourg Citys mayor who heard about the problem late last year has condemned these actions and taken measures to avoid any more incidents of the kind. Several children were tied to their chairs if they misbehaved...

Postal sector sets 20% CO2 reduction goal
This is the target the postal sector has set itself for reductions in CO2 emissions to be achieved by 2020. Under the coordination of the IPC International Post Corporation association 19 operators including PTLuxembourg have committed to a 20% reduction by 2020 in comparison to 2008 emission rates. These operators...

Arcelor Mittal pledges funds to Haiti
The ArcelorMittal Foundation announces its support of an intervention from the organization Médecins sans frontières MSF for the victims affected by the earthquake in Port-au-Prince Haiti. The foundation will donate $100 000 to enable this MSF intervention which aims to address the needs of around 70 000 persons affected by...

Financial centre to boost GCC ties
A recent Luxembourg financial delegation led by Crown Prince Guillaume made significant efforts to cement the central European countrys ties with the financial centres of the GCC region. At a seminar at the Ritz Carlton Bahrain Hotel and Spa the Luxembourg delegation emitted clear indications that Luxembourg and the CGC...

UCIs up 0.64% month-on-month in November 2009
According to the latest data published by the Luxembourg regulator Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier total net assets of undertakings for collective investment UCI and specialized investment funds reached 1 788.910 billion euros as at 30 November 2009 compared to 1 777.528 billion euros as at 31 October 2009...

Luxembourg Stock Exchange activities in 2009
In 2009 the Luxembourg Stock Exchange maintained its dominant position for the listing of international securities compared to its main competitors. However in general listing activity in 2009 experienced a significant slowdown as a result of the situation on the international capital markets since September 2008. This year was marked...

ArcelorMittal subsidiary issues a $750m private bond
ArcelorMittal announced the issuance via a wholly-owned Luxembourg subsidiary of a $750 million bond mandatorily convertible into preferred shares of such subsidiary. The bond was placed privately with a Luxembourg affiliate of Calyon and will not be listed.  The bond will have a maturity of 17 months and ArcelorMittal will be...

What happens if a German-Greek couple living in Belgium divorce?
European Commissioner Viviane Reding stopped during the European Peoplersquo;s Party Congress in Bonn Germany last month to be interviewed by New Europe about the change in how the former communication directorate would be handle and the new commission that will be in place until 2014 overseeing the workings of the...

Steria SCAs share capital increase for employees
Groupe Steria SCA has established a share capital increase for its employees in a move to balance capital in its portfolio. The description of the 2009 share capital increase of Groupe Steria SCA reserved for employees was established under a general regulation of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers AMF and...

Regulator appoints provisional administrator for Lifemark
The Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier the Luxembourg regulator last week announced the appointment of KPMG as the provisional administrator of Lifemark SA. Lifemark issued a series of bonds which underpinned several plans provided and administered by Keydata Investment Services. The regulator said the KPMG appointment was aimed at...

Jean-Claude Juncker on the future of Europe Van Rompuy Greeces economic situation and the UK joining the Euro
Prime Minister Europe has gone through the struggle and now we have The Lisbon Treaty what is the future for Europe? The Lisbon Treaty and ratification of the Lisbon treaty is of the essence now we are facing prevent challenges; one concerning the general economic and financial situation. Europeans as member...

BirdLife Malta BOV launch 2009s Dinja Wahda
This scholastic years Dinja Wahda BirdLife and Maltas leading financial services provider Bank of Vallettas BOV environmental education project for schools was this morning launched at Inspire in Marsascala with a prize giving ceremony for the 90 schools which participated in Dinja Wahda last year. This years Dinja Wahda programme...

Retail Price Index rises 0.76% in October 2009
 In October the Retail Price Index went up to 119.12 from 118.22 in September 2009. The Retail Price Index went up by 0.76 percent. This primarily reflected an increase of 10.29% in the Clothing and Footwear Index mainly brought about by seasonal price rises in womens outerwear. A rise of...

Abhisit welcomes deputy Prime Minister
Luxembourgs Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Jean Asselborn urged Thailand on 23 November to materialise the Asean-EU free trade agreement. While paying a visit to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva he pointed some obstacles to the FTA but Abhisit assured him that the technical obstacles would be...

Luxembourg ING to host 1st marathon in 2010
The city of Luxembourg ING Luxembourg Luxexpo and the Athletics Federation of Luxembourg FLA and CAL Spora CSL have announced that the 2010 edition of the Marathon will take place on the 15th of May the departure and arrival points will be at Luxexpo Kirchberg. During the past few months...

ArcelorMittal buys 13.88% stake in ArcelorMittal Ostrava
ArcelorMittal the Luxembourg-based worlds leading steel company early last week announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire a 13.881% stake in ArcelorMittal Ostrava a.s. from a subsidiary of PPF GROUP N.V. an international financial and investment group in Central and Eastern Europe for CZK 6 879 524 000...

Luxemborugs cogeneration sets a job hack      
WSI Internet Consulting and Education recently announced the launch of its cogeneration energy website development project http://www.energolux.lu. A statement from the company explained that this site would be part of an integrated communications plan for corporate client Energolux SA a service company integrating modules for the cogeneration of heat and...

Tenaris Announces 2009 3Q Results
Tenaris S.A announced its results for the quarter and nine months ended 30 September with comparison to its results for the quarter and nine months ended 30 September 2008 the company released on 9 November. Results in the third quarter reflect weak demand for our products and services from our customers...

Luxembourg News - New Europe News
Luxembourg News - New Europe News: The European News Source.

 

EU reaches deal on cross-border financial supervisors
Europe has reached a "crucial milestone" in efforts to reform the financial sector by introducing cross-border agencies to oversee banks, insurers and the markets.

Romanian PM fires five ministers in surprise cabinet reshuffle
Romania's centre-right Prime Minister Emil Boc has announced a surprise cabinet reshuffle as his unpopular government battles to cut spending and meet targets set by the...

Germany, Britain strongly back Mideast peace talks
The foreign ministers of Germany and Britain have given their strong backing to Middle East peace talks, calling them a "historic opportunity." They warned, however, that radicals...

VIDEO -Set good governance as a condition
2/09/10 - The International Development Committee of the OECD has taken a closer look at Belgian international development efforts. The overall picture is good, but the OECD says that...

VIDEO - Fish go belly up on the River Leie at Deinze
2/09/10 - Hundreds of kilos of dead fish have ended up floating on the surface of the River Leie outside Deinze. It's feared that the recent heavy rainfall has made oxygen levels...

Blair memoirs are revenge on Brown for destroying legacy
Tony Blair has reopened old wounds in his autobiography, published Wednesday, with his attack on one-time friend and successor Gordon Brown. The British press analyses what it means for...

Home prices are still edging higher
New figures show that the average price people have to pay for a home continues to rise, albeit slowly. Flemish Brabant remains the priciest area, while it's still cheap to buy a home...

Are health savings on the cards?
A new report from the commission supervising the budget suggests that two billion euros worth of savings can easily be accomplished in the health insurance sector.

"Walloon politicians don't understand us"
Karel De Gucht, the Belgian on the European Commission, has given a candid interview about the Belgian political stalemate.

Bush: Surprise at Belgian EU Presidency
The memoirs of the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair also contain passages that have attracted attention in Belgium. Mr Blair relates the tale of a meeting between the then...

Expatica - Belgian Headlines
Expatica - Belgian Headlines

 

Central bank calls for board member's dismissal over racial remarks
Germany's central Bundesbank on Thursday called for one of its board members to be dismissed after he warned that immigration and high birth rates among Turkish immigrants would...

Jihad leader wants Dutch anti-Islam MP beheaded
RNW Dutch anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders has received a death threat after his appearance on Australian TV. A radical Muslim preacher, Feiz Muhammad,...

EU reaches deal on cross-border financial supervisors
Europe has reached a "crucial milestone" in efforts to reform the financial sector by introducing cross-border agencies to oversee banks, insurers and the markets.

Romanian PM fires five ministers in surprise cabinet reshuffle
Romania's centre-right Prime Minister Emil Boc has announced a surprise cabinet reshuffle as his unpopular government battles to cut spending and meet targets set by the...

Germany, Britain strongly back Mideast peace talks
The foreign ministers of Germany and Britain have given their strong backing to Middle East peace talks, calling them a "historic opportunity." They warned, however, that radicals...

US should apologise for Yemenis' arrest: Yemen ambassador
The United States should apologise for the wrongful arrest of two Yemenis on Dutch soil after gifts in their luggage gave rise to terror suspicions, Yemen's ambassador to The Hague...

New Icesave talks taking place in Netherlands: officials
Dutch, Irish and British representatives started new talks in the Netherlands Thursday about a repayment deal for losses arising from the collapse of Iceland's Icesave bank,...

Blair memoirs are revenge on Brown for destroying legacy
Tony Blair has reopened old wounds in his autobiography, published Wednesday, with his attack on one-time friend and successor Gordon Brown. The British press analyses what it means for...

Three dead babies found in Dutch garden
RNW Police in the southern Dutch town of Geleen are searching a home where three baby corpses were found earlier this week. The 41-year old woman...

US must apologise for Yemenis' arrest: Yemen ambassador
The United States must apologise for the wrongful arrest on terror charges of two Yemenis on Dutch soil and investigate how such a "mistake" was made, Yemen's ambassador to The...

Expatica - Dutch Headlines
Expatica - Dutch Headlines

 

Steelworkers Try to Force Their Way Into Meeting
Angry over reduced hours and heightened job insecurity, steelworkers tried to crash ArcelorMittal’s shareholder meeting in Luxembourg.

Waves of Change Splash Landlocked Luxembourg
Two pillars of Luxembourg’s identity are under attack: its liberal banking laws and Grand Duke Henri, the last grand duke anywhere in the world.

Tax Havens Likely to Be Target of G-20 Nations
Nations like Switzerland and Luxembourg, long considered tax havens, are coming under increasing pressure by European officials to divulge more information on potential tax evaders.

Netherlands Takes Over Fortis's Dutch Operations
Dutch government, in added sign of deepening European government efforts to address credit crisis, takes over operations in Netherlands of Fortis Bank in deal valued at 16.8 billion euros ($23.3 billion); new deal replaces rescue package by Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg; photo

Europe Moves to Calm Ripple Effect of Crisis
Several European governments went on the offensive Tuesday, bailing out a second Belgian bank in two days and promising to protect all bank depositors in Ireland.

Authorities Aid Banks in Europe
The turmoil that has rocked the United States banking system spread to Europe on Monday, buffeting institutions in at least four countries with a chain of new failures.

European Regulators Move Swiftly to Rescue Two Lenders
Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourg governments, in latest sign of trouble to hit Europe from global credit crisis, announce partial nationalization of troubled Belgian-Dutch financial conglomerate Fortis; British regulators, following marathon weekend meetings, prepare to seize mortgage lender Bradford & Bingley after no private buyers emerge

Tiny Nation, Big Feat: Qualifier Keeps Going
Gilles Muller is the first player from Luxembourg to advance this far in a Grand Slam event and the lowest-ranked quarterfinalist in the U.S. Open since 1999.

Banking Scandal Unfolds Like a Thriller
One of the largest private banking scandals in years in Liechtenstein has brought to light a group of characters worthy of a spy thriller.

Tax Havens Face Pressure From Europe
The European Commission will propose expanding a directive to ensure that Europeans do not evade taxes on the interest from savings by opening accounts abroad.

Germany Breaks With Its Clubby Business Past
From the Siemens bribery investigation to the prosecution of illicit conduct at Volkswagen, the German business world is undergoing a painful national cleansing process.

Prosecutors in Germany Expand Tax Evasion Inquiry
German prosecutors said that they were investigating several hundred people on suspicion of tax evasion in a case that claimed the job of Klaus Zumwinkel, the chief executive of Deutsche Post.

Restarts Cited in Skype Failure
A two-day system failure that left millions unable to the popular Internet phone service was caused by an abnormally high number of restarts after people had downloaded a Windows security update.

Attracting Private Equity Becomes a National Sport in Europe
Private equity markets in Europe have faced the same issue of private equity taxation with fiery debate and quiet lobbying.

$45 Million Invested in Internet TV Venture
Joost, a start-up that delivers television programming over the Internet, said that it had received $45 million in financing.

NYT > Luxembourg

World news about Luxembourg, including breaking news and archival articles published in The New York Times.

 

Cardinal, Who Mediated in Belgian Abuse Case, Says He Was Misled
Cardinal Godfried Danneels is distancing himself from his colleague and friend, Roger Vangheluwe, the former bishop of Bruges who is accused of abusing his own nephew.

Belgian Church Leader Urged Victim to Be Silent
The former leader of Belgium’s Roman Catholic Church urged a victim of abuse by a bishop to keep silent until the bishop could retire, according to tapes.

Hamilton Navigates a Chaotic Race
It was clear from the first lap that the Belgian Grand Prix through the rollercoaster circuit in the Ardennes Forest would be unpredictable to the end.

Building It 'Bulletproof'
Mark Gallagher, the business unit leader of the Cosworth engine program in Formula One, speaks about the program with Brad Spurgeon of the International Herald Tribune.

Into the Forest on Nature's Circuit
The Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium, through the landscape of the Ardennes Forest, is one of the most challenging of the Grand Prix season and the favorite of most drivers.

Flemish Region’s Language Divide Mirrors Belgium’s
A picturesque bedroom community offers a clear enough picture of why Belgium is stuck in a state of dysfunction.

Abuse Took Years to Ignite Belgian Clergy Inquiry
For decades, the nephew of the bishop of Bruges sought to alert others that he had been molested by his uncle.

Belgian Raiders Went to National Archives
Police officers, who also raided the Roman Catholic Church last week, took documents relating to around 30 allegations of sexual abuse.

Raids on Belgian Church Offices Followed Complaint to Police
The former head of an internal church sexual abuse commission raised questions about the security of records.

Vatican Criticizes Raid on Belgian Church Offices
The Catholic Church expressed “shock” after clerics were detained as part of an inquiry into allegations of sexual abuse.

Despite Internal Political Turmoil, Belgium Prepares for E.U. Presidency
With only a caretaker government in place following recent elections, the Belgian Prime Minister, outlined plans for the country’s rotating presidency of the European Union.

European Spat Sheds Light on Power Shift
The present tensions between José Manuel Barroso and Herman Van Rompuy have arisen because there is a growing threat to the position of the European Commission.

E.U. Diplomatic Service Moves Closer to Birth
After months of delay, the service could start phasing in operations by autumn.

Vote Widens Divide Between Flemish- and French-Speaking Regions
The move to break up Belgium gathered pace as a separatist won an emphatic election victory in Flanders, the more prosperous Dutch-speaking region of the divided nation.

Divisions Expected to Widen After Belgian Vote
Political deadlock after voting this weekend would hurt efforts to cut government spending while again raising the question of whether the country can hold together.

NYT > Belgium

Updated: July 16, 2010

The Kingdom of Belgium, located in northwestern Europe, is a country kept together by a byzantine political system built on multiple tradeoffs between the two main language groups. In June 2010, the move to break up Belgium gathered pace as a separatist won an emphatic election victory in Flanders, the more prosperous Dutch-speaking region of the divided nation.

A stunning electoral success for Bart de Wever's Flemish nationalist party, which won the most parliamentary seats, is a significant new challenge to the fragile unity of a federal country where tensions between French and Dutch speakers run deep, and where voters in one region cannot vote for parties in the other.

It is likely to take months to negotiate a new coalition, raising the prospect that Belgium will be struggling to assemble its own government as it takes over the rotating presidency of the European Union for the second half of 2010. The Belgian presidency will be responsible for pushing through a package of complex financial regulations designed to prevent a repeat of the financial crisis.

Read More...

In 2007, after the last general election, it took the Belgians roughly nine months to form a coalition government, a measure of the centrifugal forces threatening to destroy the already-loose federal state, or to make it even less relevant than it is today.

After claiming victory, Mr. de Wever said that it was too soon for independence, which he favors, for Flanders, the northern part of the country where 60 percent of the population lives. He promised to reach out to French speakers, even as he demanded radical reform of the federal state.

Belgium's 180-year history contains many of the seeds of today's difficulties. French-speakers in Wallonia dominated the country for much of the last century. The resentments of Dutch speakers in Flanders, who remember being treated as second-class citizens, run deep in Belgium. As Wallonia's traditional industries like coal and steel have declined, the Flemish increasingly feel that they are subsidizing the less productive south.

The parallel political system, in which each region has its own parties, reinforces the divisions. Politicians on either side increasingly have little in common, but have to form a federal coalition anyway.

While the two regional governments have considerable autonomy, the Flemish parties want to decentralize authority over justice, health, social security, taxation and labor, while the poorer French speakers fear losing federal social security protections.

Perhaps Mr. de Wever's greatest success has been to make the cause of independence respectable. Other separatist parties were identified with the extremist and xenophobic far-right, which limited their appeal.

Mr. de Wever said he would not seek the post of prime minister, which might frighten Francophones, but preferred to concentrate on negotiating "a deal" to reform the state and its finances. The leader of the French Socialist party, Elio di Rupo, may be asked to become prime minister, which would make him the first Francophone prime minister since 1974.

Few symbols of Belgian unity remain, other than the royal family, the cartoon character Tintin and Brussels itself. There is a national soccer team, but it did not qualify for the 2010 World Cup.

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2 Yemenis Detained in Amsterdam Found Unconnected to Terrorism
Officials said they thought it unlikely that two United States residents of Yemeni descent held in Amsterdam on Monday had any connection to terrorism.

A Dutch City Seeks to End Drug Tourism
Struggling to reduce traffic and crime, Maastricht is pushing to make its legalized use of recreational drugs a Dutch-only policy.

New Normal on the Issue of Migrants: Incoherence
After years of European societies accommodating immigrants from Islamic countries and black Africa, a reversed core notion now insists that the newcomers' behavior must accommodate the majority's values.

Soccer Stars Pay a Price in March to Glory
The World Cup ended a month ago, but Kaká and Arjen Robben still bear the pain.

A Small Book on a Big Career
Irma Boom recently took on a challenge: creating a book to commemorate 25 years of making books. Her work is showcased at the University of Amsterdam Library.

Model Testifies at War Crimes Trial
At the trial of the former president of Liberia, Naomi Campbell said she received “dirty-looking stones” after meeting him.

Dutch Opponent of Muslims Gains Ground
Geert Wilders, who has campaigned for a ban on the Koran, seemed poised on Thursday to emerge as a prominent player in a new government.

Naomi Campbell Testifies at War Crimes Trial
At the trial of the former president of Liberia, Naomi Campbell said she received “dirty-looking stones” after meeting him.

A Revival of Rural Craft, With a Modern Twist
In a reaction to industrialization and environmental damage, many cutting-edge designers are looking to the land to find inspiration and materials for their work.

Private Sector’s Health Determines a Nation’s Risk
Corporate strength , an economist argues, is a better gauge of debt problems than gross domestic product growth, or even government debt.

After Elevated Park’s Success, Other Cities Look Up
The High Line elevated park in Manhattan has motivated a host of other cities to try copying its success.

Politicians Embrace Soccer Teams, Win or Lose
Spain deserved its celebration, but the Netherlands honored a team that seemed deliberately destructive.

Global Leaders Find Returning World Cup Squads to Be Useful
The role of governments, royalty, and the masses in welcoming home sports players like soldiers from a war is becoming embarrassing.

Deserving Spain Finally Wins the World Cup
This final had no taunting or head-butting like the last one, and did not end with the gloomy coup de grâce of penalty kicks.

Score One for Style as Spain Wins World Cup
With a goal from Andrés Iniesta in the 26th minute of extra time, Spain defeated the Netherlands and became the eighth country to win the World Cup.

NYT > Netherlands

Updated: June 10, 2010

Once a model of staid stability, Dutch political life has been volatile in recent years. The country was convulsed by the assassination of the anti-immigration campaigner Pim Fortuyn in 2002 and then two years later by the murder of Theo van Gogh, who had made a documentary critical of Islam.

In February 2010, the government collapsed over a fierce argument in the country about the presence of Dutch soldiers in Afghanistan. Dutch leaders had promised voters to bring most of the country's troops home this year, but after entreaties from the United States, Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende tried to find a compromise to extend the Dutch presence, at least on a scaled-back basis. Instead, the Labor Party pulled out of the government after an acrimonious 16-hour cabinet meeting.

The question of retaining troops in Afghanistan was far from the only issue pulling apart the parties in the governing coalition in the Netherlands; the parties were also divided over a controversial decision to increase the retirement age and the impending need for deep budget cuts. But the dispute over the troops brought relations to the breaking point.

Many thought the elections in June 2010 would focus on immigration and Afghanistan. Instead, the campaign seemed to turn on economic issues, with voters apparently embracing the Liberal Party's message of austerity and spending cuts - but no tax increases - to reduce the expanding budget deficit.

With almost all the votes counted, the conservative-leaning Liberal Party took 31 seats, up from 22 in the last Parliament. The Liberals were ahead of the Labor Party with 30 seats, down from 33.

The outspoken anti-immigration politician Geert Wilders outlined a host of extreme policies including a ban on the Koran and a tax on the wearing of head scarves. Mr. Wilders, who faces prosecution for comparing Islam to Nazism, demanded a place in the new government after his party defied predictions to become the third-largest force in Dutch politics. A job in the cabinet is a real possibility due to his party's gains.

Read More...

Were such an outspoken critic of Islam as Mr. Wilders to join the Dutch government it would mark a significant moment for European politics, similar to that in 2000 when the far-right campaigner, Jörg Haider, joined an Austrian coalition, prompting a European boycott of political contacts with Vienna.

"More safety, less crime, less immigration and less Islam is what the Netherlands has chosen," Mr. Wilders told supporters as the results were being announced. "We would love to govern. I don't think other parties can ignore us."

Mr. Wilders, who lives under 24-hour guard because of death threats, made a further pitch for inclusion in government by saying he would compromise over his opposition to raising the age of retirement.

The success of Mr. Wilders highlights the difficulties faced by mainstream politicians across Europe in dealing with the rise of populists and extremists: Include them and you have to take on board their unsavory policies; exclude them and end up increasing their appeal to protest voters.

Such a dilemma would have been unthinkable in the Netherlands a decade ago, when the country was as renowned for the dull, consensual predictability of its politics, as for its profusion of canals.

Most of the big, traditional, parties were rebuffed by a disgruntled and divided electorate. So splintered is political support that the construction of a coherent and durable coalition will be an uphill task for the leader of the Liberals, Mark Rutte.

Against a difficult economic background Dutch voters appeared to accept the need for austerity advocated to varying degrees by the different parties.

But they refused to give a decisive mandate to any one force while punishing the center-right Christian Democrats, led by the departing Prime Minister Jan-Peter Balkenende, who resigned as leader after the election rout. The party won only 21 seats, down from 41.

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Terror suspect from Spain arrested in Belgium
One of Spain's most wanted terror suspects was arrested in Belgium on Saturday, Spanish interior ministry officials said.

520 die in Belgium's hot weather
More than 500 people have died in Belgium since the start of April, a higher-than-usual number which may be tied to a string of summer days with high temperatures, health authorities said Tuesday.

World's best street food
With all due respect to esteemed chefs and restaurateurs, anyone who's ever bought fresh steamed crab from a Bangkok canal boat or sampled hot, crisp frites on a Brussels sidewalk knows that not all stellar meals are served in courses -- or even come with silverware.

Belgian cardinal quizzed for 10 hours over abuse allegations
Belgian police questioned the country's former Catholic archbishop for about 10 hours over accusations that he knew of sexual abuse in the church but failed to stop it, the Belgian prosecutor's office told CNN on Wednesday.

Police probe Belgian cardinal over abuse cover-up allegations
Police are investigating accusations that the former archbishop of Belgium knew of sexual abuse in the church but failed to stop it, the Belgian prosecutor's office told CNN Tuesday.

Church panel resigns to protest raid
Members of a Belgian church commission that helps sexual abuse victims have resigned to protest a raid on the Catholic Church headquarters in Belgium, a spokesman for the Mechelen-Brussels Archdiocese said Monday.

Pope deplores abuse raid on Belgium church HQ
A raid at the headquarters of the Catholic Church in Belgium by police investigating child abuse was "deplorable," Pope Benedict XVI said Sunday.

Man arrested after Brussels shootings
A suspect has been arrested in the shooting deaths of a female judge and clerk at a Brussels courthouse, Jean-Marc Meilleur, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office, said Friday.

2 shot at Belgian courthouse
Two people have been shot and killed at a courthouse in Brussels, Belgium, police and Belgian news outlets said Thursday.

Belgium's lower house votes to ban burqa
Lawmakers in Belgium on Thursday approved a ban on the wearing of burqas and other Islamic garb that covers a woman's face but the bill must still be approved by the upper house of parliament before it becomes law.

Belgian PM's resignation accepted
The king of Belgium accepted the resignation of Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme Monday, the government press office told CNN.

Belgium considers ban on Islamic face coverings
The latest round in the battle of the burqa kicks off Thursday in Belgium, which could become the first country in Europe to ban face coverings worn by observant Muslim women.

At least 58 dead as storm sweeps across Western Europe
Western Europe was dealing with the aftermath of violent weather Monday after a winter storm dubbed "Xynthia" battered at least six countries, leaving at least 58 people dead, authorities said.

Storm batters Europe, at least 55 dead
A winter storm named "Xynthia" battered the western coast of Europe Sunday, its high winds downing trees and power lines and leaving as many as 55 people dead, authorities said.

Belgian authorities work to identify rail crash victims
Belgian authorities were holding a crisis meeting Tuesday morning in the aftermath of a commuter train crash near Brussels that left 18 people dead and more than 160 injured.

A new contender for the world's largest yacht
The mega yacht business has been slow since the economy soured, but at least one luxury shipbuilder appears to be betting on a rebound.

World Soccer: Spain taking efficient, brilliant national team for granted
If no news is good news, then it's tempting to conclude that good news is no news at all. Not when it's this familiar, anyway, because when it's this familiar, the extraordinary becomes ordinary.

Former Guantanamo detainees sent to Kuwait, Belgium
Two detainees released from the U.S. military's prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have been transferred to Kuwait and Belgium, the Department of Justice announced Friday.

Guantanamo detainee to be moved to Belgium
A detainee at the U.S. prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, will be transferred to Belgium, officials announced Friday.

9 die in fire at Belgium home for elderly
Nine people died and three more were hospitalized after a fire ripped through an elderly home in northern Belgium Thursday night, a government spokeswoman said.

Inmates in chopper jail break on crime spree
Three men who escaped from prison in Belgium in a daring helicopter escape committed a string of robberies on Saturday, a police spokesman said.

Al Qaeda priority: Western targets
Between late July and early December of 2008 four members of a Belgian-French group returned to Europe from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region.

Trio break out of Belgium prison in helicopter
Three prisoners -- including one considered to be among Belgium's most dangerous criminals -- have broken out of a prison near Bruges in a daring helicopter escape.

Strange brew: Beer and office democracy
New Belgium Brewing Co. likes to do things differently.

Belgian king in talks over govt. crisis
Belgium's King Albert II held urgent talks with political leaders Saturday after Prime Minister Yves Leterme offered his government's resignation amid a row over the break-up of the stricken Fortis bank.

Belgium: PM offers resignation over banking deal
Belgium's Prime Minister Yves Leterme has offered his government's resignation amid a row over the break-up of the stricken Fortis bank, according to national media reports.

Six al Qaeda suspects charged in Belgium
Belgian authorities charged six suspected al-Qaeda-linked extremists with membership in a terrorist group Friday, including a woman they called an "al Qaeda living legend," according to media reports.

Amid Financial Crisis, Belgians Go on Strike
As if the beleaguered country didn't have enough problems, now its roads are paralyzed and schools shut down

Terror suspect transferred from Belgium to Spain
Spanish police Friday transferred a suspected leader of an al Qaeda-linked group from Belgium to Madrid, where he was indicted last year for alleged Islamic terrorist activities, the Spanish Interior Ministry said.

Belgium paradise for beer lovers
The other night I found my way home, a little tipsy after an evening in the Belgian town of Bruges. I'd been at my favorite bar in town, the 't Brugs Beertje, where not only did I get schooled in the many varieties of local beer, but also learned a few things about modern-day Belgian life.

Jon Wertheim: Sizing up Henin's place in tennis history
Hopefully I am first off the blocks with this question: What is your opinion on Henin's retirement? As a long time fan (before she even won her first title), there is no doubt that she would be in the Hall of Fame. Do you consider her someone who has overachieved despite the physical nature of the modern game? Could she have won more titles or is she another by-product of the power game? How is the media taking it since she has finally opened up to you last year? -- Ed Chew, Melbourne, Australia

Morocco arrests alleged terror plotters
Moroccan security services have broken up an alleged al Qaeda-linked terrorist network planning attacks in the North African country and in Belgium, Morocco's state-run news agency reported Monday.

Belgians stop al Qaeda jail break
Police in Belgium arrested 14 Muslim extremists on Friday after uncovering a plot to free an al Qaeda suspect from prison using weapons and explosives.

Belgium Finally Gets a Government
After six months of deadlock, the country's factions formed an emergency coalition. But with security being stepped up, the hard work has already begun

Belgium remains without government
Political parties in Belgium have been unable to form a ruling coalition since the June 10 general election, leaving the country without a government for half a year.

Belgium at 5 Months With No Govt
Belgium heads for 149 days with no government unless the two winners of this year's elections suddenly resolve linguistic spats deadlocking their bid to form an alliance

Ethnic Politics in Belgium
French-speaking politicians see a better chance of claiming the top job in the country's upcoming election, but the favorites remain Flemish

The ties that bind
Could there be a bigger honor for an athlete than representing her country in competition?

One-two punch
Welcome back to Rankings-ville. For the first time in several installments, there hasn't been any Champions League action upon which we can base our rundown. And that's good news, because it forces us all to take a more critical eye at the local competition facing the world's best clubs.

Space oddity for a good night's sleep
Janjaap Ruijssenaars has always been interested in the concept of gravity.

Antwerp Forum
The Scene spent the day in Antwerp with painter Luc Tuymans. Do you have a favorite hangout in the Belgian city? What's your favorite Luc Tuymans painting? Send us your suggestions and ideas and read your comments below.

Social unrest spreads to Belgium
After more than two weeks of nightly rioting and arson in France, unrest spread northeastwards to Belgium, where more than two dozen similar incidents took place overnight Saturday.

If you go ...
Tips for travel to Bastogne:

Deadly gas explosion rocks Belgium
At least 10 people were killed and 100 others injured when a leaking underground natural gas pipeline exploded in southern Belgium, officials said.

Child murderer jailed for life
A Belgium court has sentenced convicted murderer and child rapist Marc Dutroux to life imprisonment.

15 terror suspects held in Belgium
Working with Italian authorities, Belgian police have arrested 15 people, mainly of Arab and North African origin, in a series of raids early Tuesday morning, said Belgian's federal prosecutor dealing with terrorism cases.

Child sex abuse back in focus
The "trial of the century" of four people in Belgium on child kidnapping, abuse and murder charges has once again focused attention on child sex abuse and worldwide child pornography rings.

Money Makes the World Go 'Round
"Here be dragons." That was the formulation that medieval mapmakers used to indicate the vast areas where they had to admit they had no clue as to what was out there. Today, the problem is not a la...

If I buy my ex-wife's share of our home, will I forfeit a major tax break?
Q. My wife and I are divorcing. Originally, I planned to buy my wife's share of the house for $300,000 and continue living there with our daughter. (We purchased the house for $200,000 but it's now...

GARCON! LAGER, S'IL VOUS PLAIT! FORGET WINE--TODAY'S FINE DINING CALLS FOR BEER.
Imagine a betoqued, heavily accented chef presenting an haute five-course feast--and eschewing his excellent wine cellar for beer. Try very hard, because it's becoming a common image in serious res...

A bold stroke in Belgium
While most Europeans have barely warmed to the notion of hostile takeovers inside their own countries, Carlo de Benedetti has turned up the heat. The hero of Olivetti is vying to take charge of Soc...

PUTTING A EUROPEAN ACCENT ON WHERE TO SEEK GLOBAL GAINS
The spectacular showing by international mutual funds over the past two years has taught many Americans that the world of investments doesn't begin and end on Wall Street. As the graph below shows,...

Belgium: News & Videos about Belgium - CNN.com
Find stories, videos, and photos about Belgium from CNN.com.

 

Skype plans $100 million initial offering
Skype, the Internet video phone service, is planning a $100 million initial public offering, according to a regulatory filing Monday.

Rogue satellite may impact cable TV in U.S.
A rogue satellite is floating through space, threatening to push into another satellite's orbit and interrupt cable TV programming in the United States.

Keyword ad buyers beware
The European Court of Justice in Luxembourg ruled this morning on whether Google violated trademarks by selling brand-name keywords to competitors -- for example, allowing makers of Louis Vuitton knockoff or competitor handbags to buy the keyword "Louis Vuitton." The practice had been challenged by several trademark owners, led by Vuitton's parent company, luxury conglomerate LVMH. And while both sides are claiming victory, it's clear that the big losers are advertisers -- many of whom are small businesses, hoping to be noticed -- who now face potential legal peril when they go shopping for keywords.

Kindness of American Saint Nick remembered
A small town in Luxembourg once destroyed by fierce fighting remembers one of the bright moments in the dark of World War II -- a visit from Saint Nick.

Jon Wertheim: Wozniacki 'scandal' should serve as end to on-court coaching
A few thoughts from the tennis world ...

Spanish protesters demand protection for jobless
Tens of thousands of protesters marched on the streets of Spain's capital Thursday to demand better protection for workers hit hard by the economic crisis.

Global markets thrash
Europe's major stock markets hovered around the break-even point Tuesday even as lingering concerns over the credit crisis continued to haunt world markets and financial institutions.

Dexia Bank Gets Multi-nation $9.2B Bailout
Dexia became the second Belgian bank this week to get a government and shareholder bailout Tuesday when Belgium, France and Luxembourg said they would inject almost $9.2 billion to keep it afloat

Uncovering the real Florence: A Florentine's view
Tanya Gray, 28, works at a preschool in Florence, where she has lived for the last two years. She first moved to the city seven years ago from her home in Luxemburg, when she and a friend decided to travel to Italy's cultural capital to enroll as students.

Enough With the New Countries
Now Kosovo has broken off from Serbia. A confused follower of world events asks: Are we really better off minting smaller and smaller nations?

French train smash kills 5
A passenger train collided head-on with a freight train in northeastern France on Wednesday, killing at least five people, rail officials said.

Does anyone out there believe in globalization?
The dispute over whether Dubai Ports should be able to buy a British company that operates several U.S. ports may be about national security; the rights of Congress; and the quality of decision-making about foreign investment, as the many critics of the deal say it is. But it is sure looking like a xenophobic catfight, too.

Steely Competition
In late January the world's largest steel producer, Mittal Steel of Rotterdam, launched a $23 billion hostile bid for Luxembourg's Arcelor, the world's current No. 2 in steel. The Arcelor board has...

Luxembourg steel maker files for US IPO
Luxembourg -based steel maker Ternium S.A. on Wednesday filed to raise about $434 million in an initial public offering of 24.8 million shares.

EU opens entry talks with Turkey
The European Union opened historic membership talks with Turkey, after Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul arrived in Luxembourg.

Anger over EU summit failure
European Union nations are struggling to find a way forward after the failure of a two-day summit that produced neither a budget for the years ahead, nor a clear sign that the EU constitution will ever be ratified.

Chirac seeks emergency EU summit
French President Jacques Chirac has called for an emergency summit to discuss the future of the European Union, reeling after French and Dutch rejections of is first constitution.

France, Germany in EU crisis talks
The leaders of France and Germany were set to hold crisis talks following the twin French and Dutch rejections of the proposed European Union constitution.

Juncker 'will quit' if EU rejected
In a sign of growing frustration over a voter backlash to a proposed European Union constitution, Luxembourg's prime minister has threatened to resign if his country rejects the charter in a referendum next month.

EU agonizes over fate of charter
Europe's leaders are agonizing over the future of the EU constitution after voters in the Netherlands joined the French in rejecting it.

EU anger at Britain's veto threat
EU leaders are urging Britain's Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to reconsider his threat to use the veto to protect Britain's multi-billion pound rebate.

Wolfowitz heads for EU meeting
Paul Wolfowitz, Washington's nominee to head the World Bank, will be in Brussels Wednesday to meet with European Union officials, diplomats said.

Experts: Cyber-crime bigger threat than cyber-terror
As David Perry left a cyber-security conference in Luxembourg in 2004, an airport terminal handling international flights was in chaos.

3-minute silence for dead, missing
Much of Europe fell silent for three minutes on Wednesday as busy rail stations, stock exchanges, offices and shops paused to mourn the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster.

G8 nations 'plan debt relief'
The world's richest nations are likely to agree to freeze debt repayments for nations devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami, according to Britain's treasury chief.

If you go ...
Tips for travel to Bastogne:

Latvia, Malta cast EU ballots
Voters in Latvia and Malta have begun casting ballots in their first European Parliament elections.

J.K. Jain Founder and chairman, Jain TV Group
A former member of the Indian Parliament, Jain now runs a news and current affairs satellite TV channel that reaches 26 million homes in India, as well as 36 other Asian countries.

Le Comeback Kid Globalist Jean-Marie Eveillard has turned around one fund and is starting another.
Value investing demands plenty of patience. For proof, look no further than well-known fund manager Jean-Marie Eveillard. From 1995 through 1998, the outspoken French native saw SoGen International...

Money Makes the World Go 'Round
"Here be dragons." That was the formulation that medieval mapmakers used to indicate the vast areas where they had to admit they had no clue as to what was out there. Today, the problem is not a la...

Tiremaking Technology Is On A Roll An industry with sprawling plants, fat inventories, and long cycle times is turning to speedy
Up on a catwalk in a hospital-clean factory in Milan, research director Renato Caretta of Italy's Pirelli waves his hands happily as he points out features of a new robot-based production line. Wit...

Net Stocks and the Countries They Can Buy
When Amazon.com announced in mid-November that it would sell videos online, its stock soared 22 1/4 points, and its market cap rose by $1.2 billion. That and a three-for-one stock split gave Amazon...

ALL'S WILD ON THE EASTERN FRONT
Ever since the Berlin Wall came down, people have been talking about the possibility of making big money in Eastern Europe. Now at least some investors are. A little-known mutual fund, Vontobel Eas...

FORTUNE GLOBAL 500 RANKED WITHIN COUNTRIES
FORTUNE'S GLOBAL

CHOLESTEROL CAGES Scientists are building traps to snare cholesterol in arteries, where it can kill by forming plaques
If you could see the molecules of cholesterol in your blood, they'd appear as soapy blobs shaped like hot dogs -- diabolically well suited to clog your arteries and give you a heart attack. Doctors...

SWISS BANKS FEEL COMPETITIVE HEAT
Swiss banks are struggling to hold on to clients in the face of new competition from tiny Luxembourg (pop. 390,000). The reason: In a series of controversial decisions, the Swiss voted to stay out ...

WON'T SHARE OFFICE WITH HER HUSBAND
Critics are gushing over the 1989 Chateau Haut-Brion Bordeaux. But don't expect enological excess from the vineyard's president. ''I think it's a little boring when people start talking about the p...

EUROCONDOM TREATY
Europe may be riven over the weighty issues of monetary policy, federalism, and agricultural subsidies, but continental unity has at last been reached in one area. Yes, folks, there will be a Euroc...

PUTTING A EUROPEAN ACCENT ON WHERE TO SEEK GLOBAL GAINS
The spectacular showing by international mutual funds over the past two years has taught many Americans that the world of investments doesn't begin and end on Wall Street. As the graph below shows,...

Luxembourg: News & Videos about Luxembourg - CNN.com
Find stories, videos, and photos about Luxembourg from CNN.com.

 

Three dead babies found at Dutch home
Dutch investigators were trying to determine Thursday whether the bodies of three babies found at a home in the Netherlands belong to the woman who lived there.

Hemp kingpin ditches Amsterdam for Denver
When American entrepreneur Adam Dunn moved to the Netherlands at age 19, his first business plan wasn't anything to write home about. He'd crammed 300 Rolling Stones concert T-shirts into his luggage, hoping to sell them for some quick cash.

Somali pirates get 5 years in prison
Five Somali men were convicted in the Netherlands of plotting a hijack at sea and sentenced to five years in prison, CNN affiliate RTL reported Thursday.

Pirates get 5 years in prison in first trial in Europe
Five Somali men were convicted of plotting a hijack at sea and sentenced to five years in prison in the Netherlands, in the first trial of pirates in Europe, a prosecution spokesman said Thursday.

Far-right party comes third in Netherlands, poll predicts
The far-right anti-immigration, anti-Muslim Freedom Party of Geert Wilders beat expectations, coming in third in parliamentary elections in the Netherlands on Wednesday, according to exit polls.

Long-lost poem reveals soldier's torment
What does it feel like to kill a man? James Lenihan of Brooklyn, New York, knew.

Five pirates stand trial in the Netherlands
Five suspected pirates went on trial Tuesday in the Netherlands in what is thought to be the first trial in Europe of pirate suspects.

Grant Wahl: Netherlands another stern test for U.S.
AMSTERDAM -- Hard games. That has been the mantra for the U.S. national team under coach Bob Bradley, and Wednesday's test against world No. 3 the Netherlands (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2, Galavisión) is the latest big challenge in a four-year World Cup preparation cycle that has been far more difficult than the one before World Cup 2006.

Alexander Wolff: Kramer, Dutch eager to rebound in pursuit
RICHMOND, British Columbia -- Sven Kramer of the Netherlands gets back up on his skates today. He'll join two countrymen in team pursuit qualifying, with an eye on Saturday's men's final, in which Holland is heavily favored.

Why love can make you more creative
"My beloved. The delight of my eyes." So says a poem inscribed in cuneiform on a lump of clay approximately 4,000 years ago.

UK, Netherlands vote in Euro elections
Voters in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands became the first European Union citizens to go to the polls Thursday to elect a new European Parliament.

Dutch 'royal attack' death toll rises
The death toll from the suspected attack on the Dutch royal family has continued to rise as more details emerged about the man who slammed his car into a crowd during a holiday parade.

Driver dies after suspected Dutch royal attack
The man suspected of trying to attack the Dutch royal family by crashing his car near their bus has died, Dutch police said Friday.

Attempted attack on Dutch royal family leaves 5 dead
Five people were killed Thursday after a man tried to attack the Dutch royal family during a Queen's Day celebration by crashing his car near the royal family's bus, Dutch police said.

FBI: Wanted professor bought plane ticket to Netherlands
A former University of Georgia professor, wanted in the fatal shootings of his wife and two other people over the weekend, purchased a plane ticket to the Netherlands for May 2, authorities said Monday.

Tom Verducci: Netherlands shocks the world and puts WBC on map
1. The World Baseball Classic arrived Tuesday night. Baseball became a truly global game when the Netherlands, the international baseball version of Buster Douglas, the 1980 U.S. hockey team and the Milan Indians rolled into one, put the tournament on the map by upsetting the heavily favored, star-studded Dominican Republic team, 2-1. Talk about shocking the world. Go crazy, Rotterdam, go crazy.

Buoyant market: Are floating homes the future of housing?
From the Epic of Gilgamesh, composed in Mesopotamia 4,000 years ago, to Evan Almighty -- Hollywood's 2007 take on the Noah's Ark story -- floods and their catastrophic effects have long provided inspiration for storytellers.

Dutch move on $10 billion rescue program
The Dutch government on Friday approved an economic stimulus package worth up to 8 billion euros ($10 billion) to help the country cope with the global financial crisis.

Science in Search of the Top Banana
It's not easy to keep a banana yellow

Winter blackout results in Dutch baby boom
A small cluster of villages in eastern Netherlands has found itself in the midst of a mini-baby boom -- nine months after a power outage plunged its residents in darkness for two chilly days.

World Soccer: Once-proud Dutch league is struggling to compete
Holland gave everything to Euro 2008. The team played dazzling soccer against France and world champion Italy. Pundits swooned over an updated version of total football and praised the individual skills of Wesley Sneijder, Rafael van der Vaart & Co.

Alexander Wolff: Dutch baseball's cool Tjerk
If you want to know how a kid with a fantasy-league baseball team realizes a baseball fantasy-come-true, you could do worse than the story of Tjerk Smeets, a backup catcher on the Dutch Olympic team.

An American Pastime: Smoking Pot
A global survey finds that Americans are most likely to have tried illegal drugs

Gavin Hamilton: Van Basten on what's next for him, Dutch soccer
Marco van Basten came up short of his dream ending as Netherlands manager when Russia upset the Oranje in the quarterfinals of the 2008 European Championship. The former Dutch legend decided long before the Euros that this would be his last stint as national-team manager. I spoke with van Basten just before the tournament about what's next for him and Dutch soccer.

Gabriele Marcotti: Death of 4-4-2 at Euro 2008 signals changing times
BASEL, Switzerland -- Remember 4-4-2? That basic formation you most likely played when you were kids? Four defenders in a line (maybe one of them might drop off to sweep), four midfielders in a line (the wide guys acting, effectively as wingers) and two forwards, also pretty much playing alongside each other.

Gabriele Marcotti: Euros have been a display for coaching performances
BASEL, Switzerland -- Eight days in and there's plenty of interesting stuff to admire at this European Championship. What struck me most was the tactical diversity on display. In fact, while the quality of the play has been roughly on par with expectations, the coaching has, in my opinion, surpassed them. There really are managers doing new and interesting things.

Euro 2008: the Hosts' Fates Diverge
While the Dutch continue to reinvent 'The Beautiful Game', France's woes continue. And it's mixed fortunes for the tournament's hosts

First Blood Drawn at Euro2008
Germany, Holland and Spain set the pace in Europe's classic football championship

Gabriele Marcotti: Five-minute guide to Euro 2008
SI.com's Gabriele Marcotti is in Switzerland and Austria for the 2008 European Championship. Here's his primer for the tournament.

Live in luxury by pampering the rich
You've probably heard the old lament that good help is hard to find. Carol Scudere has a place where the help can be found -- by the rich.

The future of transport: Your views
What is the future of transport? What role will cars play? What will we use to get around? Send us your thoughts and we'll print the best ones here.

Aditi Kinkhabwala: Villanova's big drive
Andy Talley was afraid Michael Holland might tackle the neurologist.

Jonah Freedman: Sevilla soldiers on amid Puerta death, jumps to No. 2
OK kids, let's get this over with -- we're all looking ahead to the loads of international action this weekend. The bell may be tolling for England as far as qualification for Euro 2008, and Spain and the Netherlands face uphill battles.

Carroll dismisses Holland from Trojans
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Jamere Holland, one of USC's fastest players, has been dismissed from the team by coach Pete Carroll.

Dutch Consider Magic Mushroom Ban
After several bad trips by foreigners, there's talk -- but just talk -- of a crackdown

Renal-ity TV in the Netherlands
In a new Dutch program, three desperately ill candidates will compete for a single donor kidney. Lifesaving reality, or a new low for reality TV?

Tagged for Growth
While U.S. retailers like Wal-Mart are still struggling to put radio-frequency ID tags on boxes and pallets so they can track merchandise in bulk, Dutch bookseller Selexyz may be the first merchant...

7 ways to avoid employees from hell
Bill Demeza, a partner at the Holland & Knight law firm, specializes in defending companies from employee lawsuits. Roxanne Davis, principal of Davis Gavsie in Los Angeles, represents employees. Here are their suggestions for avoiding the courtroom.

Delta force holds back rising tide
At the end of August 2005 Hurricane Katrina swept up through the Gulf of Mexico battering the coastline of the southern United States.

The green sailor
Bill Joy is wearing bright-red sneakers and a boyish grin that belies his 52 years. Although dusk has settled over the Netherlands' Royal Huisman shipyard and hunger pangs are surely gripping the l...

Q & A: Anton Corbijn
The Scene talks to photographer Anton Corbijn about how Amsterdam's artistic traditions and liberal culture have influenced his work.

Holland copes with threat of flood
Flat, surrounded by water, and like New Orleans, largely below sea level, Holland lives with the threat of flooding from the North Sea.

Scientists grow brain cells in a dish
American scientists have discovered a way of creating new brain cells in a dish -- a breakthrough that could lead to treatments for conditions such as Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.

Schroeder vows EU fight
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has vowed to keep on fighting for the proposed EU constitution.

Dutch reject EU constitution
The Netherlands has become the second country to reject a proposed constitution for the European Union, three days after the French turned the proposal down, leaving the EU in disarray over what steps to take next.

Human mad cow case in Netherlands
A patient in the Dutch city of Utrecht has been diagnosed with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, a human form of mad cow disease, the Dutch Health Ministry said.

Dutch ponder 'mercy killing' rules
Dutch health officials are considering guidelines doctors could follow for euthanizing terminally ill people "with no free will," including children, the severely mentally retarded and patients in irreversible comas.

Flowers as Dutch film man cremated
On the day of his cremation, hundreds of people laid flowers, candles and notes at the spot where controversial Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh was killed.

To a pollster, less is more
Despite the plethora of public opinion polls coming out this election year, few Americans ever answer questions from a pollster. CNN polling director Keating Holland explains why in this week's "How It Works."

A Website as Big (and Cheap) as the Great Outdoors Thanks to its stingy, ski-bum culture, BackcountryStore.com has become the se
Backcountry skiers, those intrepid types who forsake chairlifts and well-groomed runs for the challenge of blazing their own way down a mountain, have to get by without the comfort of an obvious ro...

What's Roiling The Market? Three experts look past daily volatility to find the long-term trends.
If you're a close observer of the stock market, you may have suffered a bad case of whiplash in recent weeks. Earnings warnings, the Enron effect, off-balance-sheet blues and the New York attorney ...

Money Makes the World Go 'Round
"Here be dragons." That was the formulation that medieval mapmakers used to indicate the vast areas where they had to admit they had no clue as to what was out there. Today, the problem is not a la...

Secrets From The Vault AN ENTREPRENEUR TURNED BANKER OFFERS TIPS FROM THE OTHER SIDE.
In the spring of last year, entrepreneur Pete Holland did the unthinkable: He put away his $350 banana suit--for good. Holland, now 30, wasn't just making a bold fashion statement. He was making a ...

Classic
Leather has long been the city slicker's armor of choice--it's lean, it's mean, it rarely needs to be cleaned. Problem is, everyone has a leather coat. It's just not special anymore.

Valley of the Dollars The young, wealthy Netheads of San Francisco and Silicon Valley protest that it's not about the money. Giv
In early July, before the heat wave enveloped my hometown of New York City, I set out for San Francisco to spend the summer exploring how big money has changed life for Internet people there and in...

Say It in Pinstripes
One of the many sartorial hurdles facing today's moneyed executive is how to strike that perfect balance of understated elegance and bald ostentation. Monogrammed cuffs? Please. No, what's needed i...

Bye-Bye, Tie? We Don't Think So
In December, 73-year-old Prince Claus set off a fashion revolution--in the Netherlands, at least--when he ripped off his tie before a show of African fashions. According to reports, the prince toss...

America Vs. The New Europe: By The Numbers
With European monetary union only a couple of weeks away, the time has come to take stock of one of the world's great postwar transformations. The euro, of course, marks not the first but one of th...

WHERE TO? SHOTGUN VETTING
Spain is the place for sherry, olives, and fine Cordovan leather, yes--but fine shotguns? Some of the world's best are indeed made there, and six premier shotgun makers are within walking distance ...

SMART PLASTIC THE FUTURE OF MONEY IN AMERICA?
In October, 50,000 New Yorkers on Manhattan's Upper West Side will finally get a shot at the next great wave of technology--fresh off the boat, unbelievably, from the Old World. In much-delayed tri...

EXTREME SHOPPING SNIFF SNIFF, BANG BANG
In a blow to gun-control advocates, Holland & Holland, a 161-year-old British company that manufacturers the .700 Nitro Express, the largest shoulder-fired weapon in the world (excluding military i...

A NEW, IMPROVED CHEMICAL STOCK AT HALF-PRICE
Bedeviled by overcapacity and sluggish demand, chemical shares are in the dumps. Yet Akzo, a Netherlands-based company with $9.9 billion in annual sales, is popping up on the buy lists of savvy bar...

WHAT TO DO ABOUT DRUGS The U.S. needs a new policy: more toughness in fighting the hard stuff, more compassion in treating addic
DRUGS ARE dangerous. Even users agree on that. Yet the U.S. seems to be getting nowhere in its war against them. In frustration, large numbers of Americans, including academics, members of Congress...

THE DUTCH MONEY SEEMS TO GROW ON TULIPS
For a country with a tax-heavy, welfare-state economy, Holland has a surprising concentration of private wealth. Five Dutch families have blossomed to billionaire dimensions in the country's waterl...

Netherlands: News & Videos about Netherlands - CNN.com
Find stories, videos, and photos about Netherlands from CNN.com.