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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.
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...
Fortis CEO appointed Assuralia chairman
The general meeting of Assuralia the trade association of Belgian insurance companies elected Fortis CEO Bart De Smet as its chairman for a two-year term. The Board of Directors congratulates Bart De Smet on this appointment. Jozef De Mey Chairman of the Fortis Board of Directors commented: Bart De Smet...
KBC sells reverse mortgage portfolio
Early last week KBC a large employer in Belgium and Central and Eastern Europe sold its US reverse mortgage portfolio previously held by a subsidiary of KBC Financial Products. While reducing KBCs risk profile the financial impact of the transaction remains limited and will free up liquidity resources of $0.8...
Rough trade sizzles in January leaps 168%
Belgiums rough diamond exports soared 168.4% this January compared to January 2009 The latest figures released by the AWDC showed. Observers noted that the data was the latest evidence of a turnaround in the Belgian rough diamond market. Belgium exported $816.99 million worth of rough diamonds a volume of 10.44...
Ad agencies shut down their sites in virtual strike
The advertising agencies in Belgium recently initiated a one-week virtual strike to protest the way clients conduct pitches in their country. The organizers of the strike explained that many advertisers in Belgium had stopped following an industry charter that sets norms ranging from an acceptable number of agencies in a...
Google Maps joins up with STIB for a friendlier Metro
Google announced on 22 February that it has integrated public transport routes and schedules for Brussels into Google Maps. A collaboration with the city transport authority has made public transport data available in Google Maps enabling citizens and visitors to plan their routes through the city also on the Google...
Abbott acquires Solvay Pharmaceuticals
Belgium-based Solvay Pharmaceuticals recently went into the hands of Abbott in a deal worth 4.5 million euros USD 6.2 billion . In a statement announcing the completion of the acquisition Abbott noted that the deal would provide a large and complementary portfolio of pharmaceutical products for the company.
In turn this...
RasGas unloads first Q-Flex LNG cargo
RasGas Company Limited last week announced that it had completed unloading the first Q-Flex cargoes of liquefied natural gas LNG at the Fluxys Zeebrugge LNG Terminal in Belgium. A statement from the company informed that two fully loaded Q-Flex LNG cargoes were delivered to EDF Trading on board RasGas long-term...
Fashionwheels 2010 raises funds for childrens cancer research
The Rotary Club of Brussels Cantersteen is organising on 19 March a fashion show in the showroom of Volvo Zaventem to raise funds for the Olivia Hendrickx Research Fund financing research on childrenrsquo;s cancer and for A Place to Live the Brussels welfare organisation that devotes itself to socially vulnerable...
Despite safety delays EU says deadly Belgian train crash was not its fault
Almost as soon as the 18 dead were counted from a Belgian train crash last week ndash; nine years after a similar crash killed nine people another accident in which trains in both instances were said to have ignored red lights ndash; European Union officials said it wasnrsquo;t to blame...
Macheras joins Exec Committee of Delhaize
Delhaize Group Euronext Brussels: DELB - NYSE: DEG the Belgian international food retailer announced today that Kostas Macheras has been appointed to the Executive Committee of Delhaize Group effective as of January 15. Macheras is Chief Executive Officer of Alfa-Beta Vassilopoulos and Mega Image respectively the Greek and Romanian operating...
4 Bulgarians Killed in building blast in Liege
Four Bulgarians are believed to have died when a block of flats collapsed in the city of Liege in eastern Belgium last Wednesday officials say. Two Bulgarian women who were among the 21 injured in the blast have told authoirities that there were another four Bulgarians in the building. This...
Development minister protests ridiculous refusal of access to Gaza
Belgian Development Minister Charles Michel is protesting Israels decision to deny him entry into Gaza on the basis that his visit would give legitimacy to Hamas.Ā Speaking at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brussels Michel labeled the reasoning behind the refusal for access into Gaza as ridiculous. Deputy Foreign...
Dexia outlook for 2010
Dexia Belgiums largest standing bank release a proposal for economics in 2010. Although banks balance sheets may not yet be fully cleaned tensions on the money and credit markets have eased further. Stock markets have bounced back from their depressed levels of the beginning of the year. Regarding the real...
InBev responds to the humanitarian call in Haiti
The earthquake crisis in Haiti is prompting a worldwide humanitarian response. Through its North American companies Anheuser-Busch Labatt and Latin American North operations AmBev Anheuser-Busch InBev is joining governments and relief agencies in life-saving efforts on several fronts including the donation of water that is critically needed by the people...
Belgian minister protests ridiculous refusal of access to Gaza
Belgian Development Minister Charles Michel is protesting Israelrsquo;s decision to deny him entry into Gaza on the basis that his visit would give legitimacy to Hamas.nbsp; Speaking at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brussels Michel labeled the reasoning behind the refusal for access into Gaza as ldquo;ridiculousrdquo;.
Deputy Foreign Minister...
GM announces Antwerp Opel shutdown
General Motors announced on 21 January in a press conference that the Antwerp factory of Opel in Belgium will be shut down.
Following an economic thunderstorm that has shaken the automobile industry to its foundations over the last year Opel will continue to engage in the official information and consultation process...
Futech inks long-term partnership with CNPV
Ā Futech BvBa a Belgium project development and distribution company recently inked a long-term strategic partnership agreement with CNPV Solar Power SA a recent CPNV release revealed. CNPV Solar Power is an integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic products. Under the terms of this strategic agreement CNPV would supply Futech with a...
XDC acquires cinema equipment firm FTT
Ā A Belgium-based digital cinema services company XDC recently acquired Dusseldorf-based cinema equipment firm FTT a statement from the company informed last week. It explained that the move would strengthen the two companies position in the digital cinema market by offering exhibitors a network covering both technical and commercial issues. As...
Israel denies Belgian Minister Charles Michel entry into Gaza
In a failed measure of diplomacy Belgian Development Minister Charles Michel was refused entry into the Gaza strip. Israelss Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon told Michel on Sunday 24 January that allowing the Belgian Minister to enter the Gaza Strip would Bolster Hamas and legitimize it.
Michel has found the actions...
Nyrstar eyes Australian CBH for potential
Nyrstar the Belgium-based worlds biggest producer of zinc on 11 January announced that it had recently approached CBH Resources Limited CBH an Australian based mineral resource company in relation to a potential transaction regarding the ownership of CBH.Ā Nyrstars approach was made on 18 December 2009 when it presented CBH...
Three Belgian detainees return home from Iran
The Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere announced the return to Belgium of three Belgian detainees who had been held in Iran for several months. Vanackere said he was happy with the successful conclusion to this matter and would like to thank the parents and friends of...
Real estate set to pick up in 2010
The Belgian real estate market is expected to undergo a resurgence in the second half of 2010. The prices are expected to start rising again and the trend should continue further into 2011. This is the prognosis of Trevi Corporate Real Estate Group reported flandersnews.be.
The Trevi Corporate Real Estate Group...
Winter sales off to a freezing start
The first two days of the winter sales period were a huge success. The sales started on Saturday January 2. During the first two days of sales shopkeepers say they did 5% to 10% better business than they did on the first two days of the winter sales last year....
KPN to expand 3G networks in cooperation with ZTE
KPN Group Belgium and the E-Plus Group are set to expand and upgrade their mobile networks though deploying HSPA-enabled 3G-equipment a joint statement from the companies revealed last week. For this the companies have selected ZTE Corporation to supply the necessary equipments. The Chinese telecoms equipment provider will support both...
Rodenhuize plant converted
to 100% biomass fuels
Energy operators Electrabel Group GDF SUEZ and Ackermans van Haaren have cooperated in converting the Rodenhuize 4 unit into a 100% biomass fired unit with a capacity of 180 MW the companies said in a statement.
Rodenhuize a power plant in the city of Ghent was originally built as a coal-fired...
Prosecutors ask the EU about SPE acquisition
The College of Competition Prosecutors of the Belgian Competition Council submitted to the European Commission a request for referral concerning the proposed acquisition of SPE by EDF. In May 2009 EDF made public its intention to acquire the 51% stake of Centrica in SPE. On 23 September EDF notified its...
Solvay looks East
Solvay today announced early last week that its Korean subsidiary Solvay Fluor Korea has inaugurated its new Monofluoroethylene Carbonate F1EC production plant at its industrial site in Onsan South Korea. F1EC is an electrolyte additive for Lithium-ion batteries which improves safety calendar life and capacity of the batteries. The new...
Futerro starts up its bioplastics demo unit
Futerro last week announced the start up of its demo unit in Escanaffles Belgium designed to test a state-of-the-art technology for the production of PolyLactic Acid PLA bioplastics of renewable vegetable origin.The company is a 50/50 joint venture established in September 2007 by Galactic and Total Petrochemicals. The new Futerro...
Indias Suzlon sells stake in Belgian firm Hansen
Suzlon Energy Indias biggest wind-turbine maker recently announced that it had sold a 35 percent stake in Belgian wind gearbox maker Hansen for USD 370 million. Suzlon through its Netherlands-based subsidiary AE-Rotor Holding BV sold 236 million depository interests representing equity shares in Hansen the Indian firm said in a...
DHL set to let go of 788 workers
The courier company DHL is moving its European headquarters from Diegem Flanders just outside of Brussels to Bonn in Germany. The operation will be spread out over a period of 2 years. Some 788 people are losing their jobs in Belgium buy will reportedly be offered a new job abroad....
Flemish economy gets a boost
The Flemish government will invest Ā800 million extra in the Flemish economy. Flemish Prime Minister Kris Peeters announced this in the Sunday VRT news programme De Zevende Dag. The PM is hopeful that by investing extra money Flanders can stop the downward spiral of company closures and layoffs. Peeters said...
Vanden Camp becomes new Dexia Chief
AndrƩ Vanden Camp will join Dexia as of 1 December as Chief Operating Officer. As a member of the Executive Committee of Dexia Group he will manage the Operations IT Facility Logistics and Organization departments.
AndrƩ Vanden Camp will be replacing Marc Huybrechts who left the Group.
Vanden Camp started his...
Coma diagnosis wrong for 23 yrs
A leading European neurologist has said many cases of brain injury around the world are wrongly diagnosed as coma after discovering that a car-crash victim thought to have been in coma for the past 23 years was conscious all the time. Steven Laureys head of the Coma Science Group and...
Dexia Q3 posts Ā274 mln profit
In 3Q 2009 despite early signs of exit from the crisis the macro-economic environment remained difficult. The rebound of equity markets continued with a further rise of 20% of the Eurostoxx 50 in 3Q 2009 and spreads on fixed income markets tightened significantly. In this context Dexia confirmed its profitability...
InBev posts Q3 results up announces new products
InBev posted its positive Q3 results despite the economic downturn whilst showing off two new products. Carlos Brito CEO commented Were delivered by the double-digit EBITDA growth in a challenging operating environment made significant progress on all our commitments while increasing our sales and marketing investment. The integration of Anheuser-Busch...
Solvay Q3 pharmaceutical results shoot up
In a report released early last week on Slovays Q3 financial results fluctuations were the norm in all the sectors the company delves into.
As expected and probably caused by the companys pharmaceutical arm sale to a US company profits in the Pharmaceutical sector increased.
Group sales at the end of September...
DIeteren buys own shares
In accordance with article 207 of the Royal Decree of 30 January 2001 implementing the Company Code
s.a. DIeteren n.v. the Company announced early last week that it has purchased between 22 October and 30 October 5 519 Companys shares at an average price of Ā252.40 per share namely a...
KBC requests EU Commission OK
As was the case for many European financial institutions that received state support KBC has submitted a strategic plan to the European Commission for approval early last week. The plan is currently being talked through with the European Commission in a very open and constructive way and good progress has...
Belgacom RBS sign MoU on foreign currency exchange
Belgacom ICS a leading global provider of voice data and value added services announced on 30 October that they have signed an MoU with The Royal Bank of Scotland that will form the basis of a co-operation deriving mutual benefit from RBSs Fxmicropay System and Belgacom ICS HomeSend solution. Belgacom...
Alliance Bernstein crosses Delhaize share threshold
Pursuant to the Belgian Law of May 2 2007 relating to the publication of major shareholdings in listed companies Delhaize Group the Belgian international food retailer has received notification of the threshold of 3% being crossed by Alliance Bernstein L.P. by owning 2.92% of Delhaize Groups voting rights the company...
GDF SUEZ begins worlds largest desalination project
On 27 October GDF SUEZ will mark the commercial operation of the first power and desalination units of the Marafiq Independent Water and Power Project IWPP in the presence of HRH Prince Philippe of Belgium Vincent Van Quickenborne Minister of Economy and Reform Jean-FranƧois Cirelli Vice-Chairman and President of GDF...
ING Belgium to strengthen ATM network with NCR machines
ING Belgium recently decided to deploy the NCR SelfServ 34 automated teller machines ATM with cash-recycling module to equip its new-concept Proxi branches. NCR Corporation would be providing at least 1 200 automated teller machines with cash-recycling functionality according to a last weeks statement from the company.
The Proxi branch...
Laboratory upgrading project in Ghana supported
A benevolent Belgium is now set to assist Ghana to upgrade its medical facilities. Laboratories and clinical technicians in 46 Ghanaian hospitals are set to benefit from a new Belgian scheme which would see the government imparting extensive training to the technicians and providing financial assistance to develop and modernise...
Delhaize Group continues acquisition spree
THE Belgian food retailer Delhaize Group recently entered into a non-binding letter of intent with BI-LO LLC to acquire a substantial majority of BI-LOs assets including associated inventory a statement from the company revealed last week. The deal was fixed at $425 million in cash. This announcement was made in...
Belgian diamond trade sparkles in September Ā
THE latest official figures on Belgian diamond trade showed that rough diamond trade totaled $1.37 billion in September as the market was seeing growing activity. Net exports stood at $127.54 million for 2.2 million carats of gem and industrial grade rough diamonds. Imports and exports peaked in September yet compared...
Solvay sells pharmaceutical business to Abbott
IN ORDER to accelerate the implementation of its sustainable and profitable growth strategy Solvay the Brussels-based international chemical and pharmaceutical group on 28 September announced the sale of its entire pharmaceutical business to Abbott a global broad-based healthcare company for Ā5.2 billion.
This includes a purchase price of Ā4.5 billion...
Belgium News - New Europe News
Belgium News - New Europe News: The European News Source.
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 Ā
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 Ā6bn 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...
Virage Logic establishes itself in Eindhoven
Virage Logic Corporation the semiconductor industrys trusted IP partner on 11 January announced it has established a Dutch corporation B.V. in conjunction with its new research and development RD center of excellence in Eindhoven The Netherlands. The new site has been established as a result of Virage Logics recent acquisition...
10.3 billion Euro in new shares issued during H2 2009
Dutch corporations issued 10.3 billion Euro in new shares during the second half of 2009 ending a period of severely limited equity issuance since the credit crisis erupted in late 2007 apart from several private placements of equities by banks in the context of government capital support programmes reveals data...
UK Journalist takes syringe on Schiphol plane
A British journalist smuggled a syringe on a plane flying from Amsterdams Schiphol airport to London Heathrow the Sunday Express reported.
The paper said Stuart Clarke passed through security at Schiphol with the syringe containing fluid in his jacket pocket and no one noticed.
The papers investigation came just five days...
Full-body scanners may be coming to Dutch airports
The Netherlands plans to require full-body scanners as soon as possible for US-bound passengers travelling from Amsterdams Schiphol Airport reports said. Dutch Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin told US Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano via telephone that the Netherlands planned to implement the use of the scanners in the...
Dutch embassy in Yemen to stay open
The Netherlands embassy in Yemen will stay open for the time being but officials are keeping a close watch on developments foreign affairs minister Maxime Verhagen said. Verhagen was responding to the decision of the British and US authorities to shut down their embassies because of the risk of a...
Amsterdam Detroit plane fiasco deconstructed
The alleged terrorist attack on a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day is continuing to get considerable coverage in the Dutch newspapers early last week reported Dutchnews.nl.
Newspapers devote much attention to reconstructing what happened on board flight 253 on December 25 and the heroic actions of...
Arcelor Mittal gets new board members
ArcelorMittal appoints Peter Kukielski to its Group Management Board and Philippus F. Phil Du Toit to its Management in a move set to shake up the industry.
ArcelorMittal announced in Luxembourg early last week the appointment of Kukielski to its Group Management Board GMB with responsibility for the Groups global mining...
Philips forecasts profit in 2009
Electronics concern Philips expects to make a profit this year although turnover is forecast to be lower than in 2008 said company Chairman Gerard Kleisterlee in the Belgian paper De Tijd last week. Earlier this month Philips announced that turnover of its consumer lifestyle division will improve quarter on quarter...
Kroes says telecom portfolio was own choice
The decision to take on the telecommunication and IT portfolio in the European Commission was made by the Dutch commissioner Neelie Kroes herself reports the Telegraaf early last week. I was asked to make a choice during a discussion with the EC chairman Barroso. Naturally I consulted with [Dutch] prime...
Minister under fire over older worker pay plan
Social Affairs Minister Piet Hein Donner has come under attack from unions and MPs for suggesting older workers get pay cuts.
Speaking on tv programme Buitenhof Donner said older workers were expensive because of the long pay scales meaning wages continue to rise throughout a persons working life.
To make it more...
Heineken to brew beer in India
Heineken has signed a deal to brew and distribute its own beer in India giving it a foothold in one of the worlds fastest-growing beer markets. Heineken has a deal with Indias biggest brewery United Breweries Limited in which the Dutch brewer already has a 37% stake. UBL produces Kingfisher...
Aker Solutions opens new subsea facility
Aker Solutions has officially opened a new subsea facility at its yard in Egersund in south west Norway. The new subsea hall will add another capacity to the yard. Total investment is around 40 million Norwegian crowns the Norway Post reported early last week.
Aker Solutions said it will also...
Biofuel tax passed by Parliament
As expected the Norwegian Parliament previous evening voted to accept the Governments proposal to introduce a tax on biodiesel. The vote was 86 for and 83 against the tax Norway Post reported on 27 November. Beforehand it was clear that the Labour Partys coalition partners the Socialist Left Party SV...
Mass vaccination of children starts
Over 830 000 children aged from 6 months up to the age of 5 will be vaccinated against swine flu over the next 2 weeks in what the Volkskrant calls the biggest mass vaccination the country has held.
A further 200 000 people who share their homes with very young...
CDA to fight local kilometer tax plan
Plans by a number of local authorities to bring in their own peak period charges for motorists on top of the kilometer tax will be made impossible Christian Democrat MP Ger Koopmans says in the Volkskrant 23 November. Although an earlier agreed experiment with a rush-hour toll system on Amsterdams...
Canon and Oce to create global leader
Canon and OcĆ© today announced that they have reached conditional agreement to combine their printing activities through a fully self-funded public cash offer by Canon for all the Shares of OcĆ©. The offer price of Ā 8.60 per Share of OcĆ© the Offer represents a premium of 70% over the...
Liberals ask Brussels about kilometer tax
The Liberal party VVD has asked the European Commission for its views on the governments plans to introduce a kilometer tax on motoring from 2012 the Telegraaf reports. Early last week ministers agreed to replace road tax with a kilometer charge for Dutch motorists in an effort to reduce traffic...
Space and defense mix in parachute products
Dutch Space and the Netherlands Defense have signed an agreement on the delivery of 15 Smart Parafoil Autonomous Delivery Systems SPADES . SPADES is a reusable parachute system that is capable to fully autonomously deliver supplies of up to 1 000 kilos 2 200 lbs to any desired location in...
Shale reservoirs increased for Schlumberger
In shale reservoirs success depends on maximizing the amount of reservoir rock in contact with the well. Towards that end operators rely heavily on horizontal wells and hydraulic fracturing. And while recent advances in these technologies have been key to the economic viability of these developments said Doug Pferdehirt Schlumberger...
Aegon to repay Ā1 bln to Dutch State
Aegon has notified the Dutch State and Vereniging Aegon that it will exercise its option to repay one third of the Ā3 billion in core capital the company secured last year through its largest shareholder Vereniging Aegon and funded by the Dutch State.
Aegon first announced its intention to repay...
ABN AMRO announces Solicitation on Ā1 bln
ABN AMRO Bank N.V. announced a Consent Solicitation in conjunction with the Legal Demerger process as outlined in the legal demerger documents filed with the Amsterdam Chamber of Commerce on 30 September and subsequent Legal Separation of the Dutch State acquired businesses from ABN AMRO Holding N.V. The Legal Demerger...
ING to sell off insurance following EU pressure
Dutch financial services group ING is to split off its insurance activities and continue as a bank following pressure from the European commission over state aid issues.
ING announced early last week that it is to completely separate its banking and insurance operations. The structure and make-up of the board will...
Postal unions end opposition to TNT cuts
Postal unions said early last week that they now accept post office workers will have to choose between pay cuts and maintaining employment levels news agency ANP said. The unions set up their own investigation into the financial situation at TNT after union members voted against a preliminary agreement to...
NXP wins supply contract for Chinese ePassport chips
SmartMX security chip has been chosen by the Chinese government to power the countrys first ePassport scheme. Utilizing the latest developments in cryptography and security to protect the chip at both hardware and software level NXPs portfolio of SmartMX products enables data to be securely stored on the passport creating...
Commission grants extension to Fortis and ABN AMRO
The European Commission has decided to grant an extension of the deadline for the divestment of Fortis corporate banking business consisting of Hollandsche Bank Unie N.V. HBU two corporate client departments 13 Advieskantoren and ABN AMROs Dutch factoring activities IFN Finance BV to Deutsche Bank. The extension has been granted...
Doubleglazing subsidy scheme starts
THE temporary scheme subsidizing the installation of double glazing began on 1 October and will be retroactive to 1 July and will continue until 31 December 2010 unless the budget runs out sooner.
Homeowners and Homeowners Associations Vereniging van Eigenaren VvE can apply for a voucher giving a discount of Ā35...
TomTom starts new entrylevel carnavigation solutionĀ
PROVING that quality simplicity and style can mix Dutch navigation device maker TomTom NV introduced an entry-level car navigation solution TomTom Start in Europe on 6 October. The TomTom Start is specifically designed for occasional drivers and drivers who havent had a chance to experience the benefits of car navigation....
ANZ picks up Australia and NZ ING Insurance
THE Amsterdam-based global financial institution ING has reached an agreement to sell its life insurance and wealth-management venture in Australia and New Zealand to ANZ its joint venture partner. Under the terms of the agreement ING will sell its 51% equity stakes in ING Australia and ING New Zealand to...
TomTom and ATT to deliver LIVE Services
TOMTOM the Netherlands-based world-leading provider of navigation solutions and digital maps has announced a new agreement with ATT to provide the wireless connection to TomTom XL 340S LIVE the first mid-range portable navigation device to feature Local Search powered by Google real-time traffic information and TomTom Fuel Price Service. The...
55 000 jobs were lost in Q2 2009
IN THE second quarter of this year the number of employees fell by 72 000 relative to the second quarter of 2008. For the first time since 2004 the number of jobs is below the level of twelve months previously. For the second time in a row the number of...
One dead after train collision near Rotterdam
One man died and several others were injured as two cargo trains collided and hit a passenger train near Rotterdam Dutch police said 25 September reported Deutsche Presse Agentur dpa .
The driver of one of the cargo trains died and according to police relatively few others were injured when...
Typo leads to loss of Ā43 000
A man lost Ā43 000 when he made a typo during an internet banking transaction Dutch media reported 24 September. In late June a typo led a man from the south-eastern town of Wageningen to mistakenly transfer Ā43 000 to the account of an unknown woman from Almelo instead of...
Shell to develop Gorgon LNG project in Australia
The Board of Royal Dutch Shell plc Shell has taken the Final Investment Decision on the Gorgon liquefied natural gas LNG project signaling the start of initial construction on one of the worlds largest natural gas developments. Chevron will operate the project with a 50 percent stake with participants Shell...
Kardan sells 3% of indirect holding in GTC
The Amsterdam -based leading emerging markets player Kardan N.V. Kardan which is active in Real Estate Financial Services and Water Infrastructure in emerging markets announced on September 11 that it has sold three percent of its indirect holding in Globe Trade Centre SA GTC SA . After the sale Kardan...
SNV organises International Biogas Event
From November 10-12 the Netherlands Development Organisation SNV will organise in cooperation with the Asian Development Bank ADB the International Workshop: How to improve and scale up practices? in Kathmandu Nepal. Domestic biogas plants are a proven technology in providing clean gas for cooking and fertiliser for households raising livestock....
800 000 euros to combat honour crime
The Dutch Minister Van der Laan Housing Communities and Integration has concluded agreements with seven municipal authorities Eindhoven Arnhem The Hague Delft Hengelo Enschede and Deventer to tackle honour crime allocating 790 000 euros via the Municipalities Fund Gemeentefonds to support the initiatives. In their plans to tackle this phenomenon...
Queens Day attack was unstoppable
It would have been impossible to stop Karst Tates driving his car into the crowd watching the royal family during this years Queens Day celebrations the Volkskrant reports on September 3 quoting an official report due to be published on September 4. Nevertheless sources told the paper the reports are...
Netherlands News - New Europe News
Netherlands News - New Europe News: The European News Source.
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.Ā
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 MĆ©decins sans frontiĆØres 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.
Ā 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 AutoritƩ des MarchƩs 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
Ā 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 hackĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
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...
Espirito Santo issues Ā400 mln in subordinate notes
EspĆrito Santo Financial Group S.A. announced the successful launch of Ā400 000 000 6.87% Subordinated Notes due 2019. Closing came on 21 October. The Subordinated Notes are expected to be rated Baa1 by Moodys Investors Service Inc. and BBB+ by Fitch Ratings Limited and will be listed on the Official...
Tenaris moves into Romanian market
Luxembourg based Tenaris inaugurated new product testing laboratories at its seamless tubes mill in Zalau last month. The laboratories objective is to fully guarantee products quality using modern precise equipment and an automated testing process.
Tests performed in the new labs will certify products used in the oil and gas...
Arcelor Mittal releases Q3 report
ArcelorMittal recorded net income for the three months ended 30 September of $0.9 billion or $0.60 per share as compared with a net loss of $0.8 billion or $ 0.57 per share for the 3 months ended 30 June 30 and net income of $3.8 billion or $2.79 per share...
EU will not extradite US death penalty suspects
LUXEMBOURG - The European Union finalized early last week an extradition deal with the United States that excludes suspects who may face the death penalty across the Atlantic.
Extradition to the US will henceforth only be possible under the condition that the death penalty will not be imposed or if...
Corporate governance focus at Luxembourg Stock Exchange
Together with the Luxembourg Institute of Directors ILA the Luxembourg Stock Exchange held on its premises on 20 October a conference on The revision of the Ten Principles of Corporate Governance of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. Presentations at the conference were given by Alain Georges chairman of the board of...
Goodyear to sell Luxembourg steel cord plant
A recent announcement from Goodyear confirmed market speculations that the company had already embarked on the process of disposing its Luxembourg steel cord factory. The company last week revealed that talks with four potential buyers were already underway including with Belgiums Bekaert global top supplier of steel cord. Observers noted...
3V takes Visa voucher to Luxembourg
Irish online payments company 3V has announced it is expanding into Europe. 3V Transaction Services is launching its pay-as-you-go Visa voucher product in the Benelux region with Luxembourg Banque Invik as banking partner. Banque Invik will work with a number of national distribution partners in different countries to make the...
Fortis sells Luxembourg Nonlife activities
THE Belgium-based Fortis recently announced the inking of an agreement with La Baloise for the sale of its Luxembourg Non-life activities Fortis Luxembourg IARD. The sale value had been fixed at Ā23 million according to a Fortis statement.
Fortis Luxembourg IARD had Gross Written Premiums of Ā22 million in 2008....
Microfinance funds exempt from subscription tax
IN ITS proposal for the State Budget 2010 to be adopted by the Luxembourg Parliament in December the Luxembourg government has included an exemption from subscription tax for Microfinance Investment Funds following a recommendation issued by the Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry ALFI which has long considered that the...
New rules adopted at Lux Bourse
A REVISED version of the Ten Principles of Corporate Governance of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange was announced on 30 September which has been validated by the board of directors of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and entered into force on 1 October 2009. Two years following the implementation of the original...
ECJ overturns terrorist case
THE European Union was wrong to freeze the assets of Jose Maria Sison a Filipino national accused of heading a terrorist group in the Philippines the EU Court of Justice ruled on 30 September. Sison has lived in the Netherlands since 1987 but the authorities there have repeatedly refused to...
Indias BSNL eyes telecoms Sri Lanka unit
The Sri Lankan subsidiary of Luxembourg-based telecom operator Millicom International Cellular SA the telecom firm Tigo formerly Celltel Lanka Ltd might be bought by the Indian state owned telecom major Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd BSNL local media reports indicated last week.
As part of its expansion plans BSNL had already submitted...
Illegal dumping stirs controversy Belgians
Marcan a Luxembourg construction company has been illegally transporting waste to Attert in Belgium depositing 15 000 tonnes for landfill for the past four years. 15 000 tonnes of waste have been illegally transported from Luxembourg to the Belgian town of Attert and equipment was seized according to information just...
Climate change and economy discussed
Croatia can continue its membership talks with the European Union regardless of the fate of the Lisbon Treaty aimed at reforming the blocs institutions the prime ministers of Sweden and Luxembourg said on August 14. Speaking at a joint news conference with Swedish Premier Fredrik Reinfeldt Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker...
Seattle-based investor new ambassador to Luxembourg
The new US ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg would be Cynthia Stroum a Seattle-based investor it was reported last week citing a revelation from the White House. Cynthia Stroum has been an angel investor in over 20 successful technology biotechnology and retail start-up companies including Starbucks Coffee Company...
Logwin sells land transportation activities
The Luxembourg-based international logistics service provider Logwin is repositioning its land transportation activities for Turkey and Greece. Against this background Logwin Road + Rail Leibnitz GmbH is selling the activities if its site in Leibnitz to NUN Overland GmbH Leibnitz with effect from 1 September 2009. All employees and the...
Stock Exchange gets new set of harmonized tick sizes
The Luxembourg Stock Exchange announced early last week that it was set to move to a new set of tick sizes. Tick sizes are the minimum increments by which the price of a financial instrument is allowed to move up or down. Prior to this initiative there existed around 25...
PT Luxembourg in IPTV HD upgrade
PT Luxembourg recently divulged plans of expanding its 80-channel IPTV service with the launch of linear HD channels. The telco is deploying ATEMEs Kyrion AM2101 encoder on the MPEG-4 transmissions that are expected to commence later this year a recent statement from the company revealed. PT Luxembourg is committed to...
Liechtenstein signs DTA
Luxembourg recently inked a double taxation agreement in line with OECD standards for tax transparency with Liechtenstein. Luxembourgs Finance Minister Luc Frieden and Liechtensteins Prime Minister Klaus Tschutscher signed the double taxation agreement in Vaduz the capital of the Alpine principality. Liechtenstein agreed in March to adopt OECD standards on...
Double taxation deal inked with Lichtenstein
Luxembourg and Liechtenstein announced on August 26 they signed a double taxation agreement in line with the transparency standards demanded by a group of developed nations. It was the first such transparent treaty that Liechtenstein a tiny principality nestled between Switzerland and Austria that depends heavily on its financial sector...
Luxembourg offices score Excellent
A green office building in Luxembourg recently scored Breeam Excellent after going through a post construction assessment it was revealed last week. The European Investment Banks new East building originally received the rating very good from Breeam for its design so it moved up a grade. The application of the...
Sharia bonds for Petronas at Stock Exchange
On August 12 the Luxembourg Stock Exchange admitted to trading a sukuk issue and a bond issue from Petroliam Nasional Petronas the state-owned oil and gas company of Malaysia for a total amount issued of USD 4.5 billion. Sukuk are Islamic fixed income securities that allow companies and other organisations...
Google to scan Luxembourg streets
Internet users would shortly be able to go on a virtual tour to Luxembourg as the US based Google is upgrading its street view service on the country. News reports last week revealed that the country would shortly be filmed and photographed to improve Google-Earths street view service. The website...
Noble European Holdings bought by ArcelorMittal
The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Dutch company Noble European Holdings B.V. a subsidiary of Noble International Ltd. Of the US by ArcelorMittal of Luxembourg. After examining the operation the Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in...
Luxembourg News - New Europe News
Luxembourg News - New Europe News: The European News Source.
Fostering sustainable partnerships to build bridges of understanding (sponsored contribution)
BMW Group Award for Intercultural Commitment is celebrating its global premiere.
Irish party for St. Patrick's Day, at home and abroad
Belgium, like many other countries across the globe, turned green for a day... or three.
Europe hammers deficit bingers
Europe took a hard line with EU members over soaring government debt levels on Wednesday, while Germany upped the pressure by saying rule-breakers should be kicked out of the eurozone.
Eurozone mess forces hand of economic government
The mess the eurozone finds itself in, with an unprecedented contingency plan now drawn up to bail out wayward countries like Greece, has forced Europe to sketch out a new form of cross-border economic government.
DRCongo invites Belgian king to 50th independence fete
The Democratic Republic of Congo has invited Belgium's King Albert II to visit its former star colony for its 50th independence anniversary, the foreign minister said Tuesday, in a sign of easing strains.
How an MBA helps this consultant keep work and life in balance (sponsored contribution)
The Dutch, known globally for their relaxed attitudes and culture, were recently named among the most stressed people in Europe.
"Tackle illegal arms trafficking in Belgium"
The Belgian Interior Minister Annemie Turtelboom (Flemish liberal) has spoken out following the shooting of a policeman on Sunday. The 53-year-old officer died during an incident in Bilzen (Limburg).
Belgian king no billionaire, palace insists
The Ides of March struck as the Belgian royal palace on Monday dismissed as fantasy a press report that King Albert II is at least a billionaire and probably even richer.
Police officer shot dead in Bilzen
A Belgian police officer died in hospital on Sunday morning after being shot during an incident in Bilzen in Limburg. Later the officer's killer was found dead in his former wife's flat.
Record number of self-employed in Belgium
The number of people owning their own business in Belgium reached a record high last year.
Expatica - Belgian Headlines
Expatica - Belgian Headlines
Fostering sustainable partnerships to build bridges of understanding (sponsored contribution)
BMW Group Award for Intercultural Commitment is celebrating its global premiere.
The Expat Awards 2010
Expatica will announce the winners of the Expat Awards 2010 next week.
How an MBA helps this consultant keep work and life in balance (sponsored contribution)
The Dutch, known globally for their relaxed attitudes and culture, were recently named among the most stressed people in Europe.
Disney on Ice: Princess Wishes
Disney's Princess Wishes comes to the Netherlands and Expatica has two sets of tickets to give away for the English performance.
Bankers expose myths about bonuses
Has the bonus as a necessary incentive for top bankers passed its prime? The phenomenon may be cast in stone in the United States, but Dutch bankers are starting to have doubts.
Galileo is here!
How the EUās new satellite system Galileo will make life easier for motorists and pilots and even help farmers.
Back to nature: using dead people to grow trees
A simple ceremony, dark clothing, then coffee and cake; this is a typical Dutch funeral. But a new trend is emerging in the Netherlands: using the ashes of the deceased to grow trees.
Video: Dutch news roundup, 13 March 2010
High profile figures step out of the political arena this week. Labour Party leader Wouter Bos and prominent Christian Democrat Minister Camiel Eurlings both resign. Plus the agriculture minister is blasted for her new glossy magazine and D66 party founder Hans van Mierlo dies at 78.
OECD countries should tackle gender wage gap
A recent OECD report suggests governments and firms should do more to bridge the gender pay gap.
Video: Dutch news roundup, 6 March 2010
Politics reaches a fever pitch with local council elections and fierce campaigning for national elections in three months. And this week's local results cost a national political figure her leadership position and seat in parliament
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 ArcelorMittalās shareholder meeting in Luxembourg.
Waves of Change Splash Landlocked Luxembourg
Two pillars of Luxembourgās 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.
Ukraine Makes Pitch for Stronger Ties With E.U.
Visiting Brussels before Moscow, Ukraine's new president, Viktor F. Yanukovich, on Monday promised closer relations with the European Union and reform of his country's gas sector.
Trains Collide Head-On in Belgium
Two commuter trains collided at rush hour in a Brussels suburb, killing at least 18 people, officials said.
European Union Prepares for Economic Crisis Meeting
JosĆ© Manuel Barrosoās economic agenda risks being overwhelmed by the debt crisis that has swept across the Continent.
Trying to Grow Up While Collecting Saliva and Fidgeting Off Chairs
The theatrical piece āOnce and for All Weāre Gonna Tell You Who We Are So Shut Up and Listenā is about the energy, rebelliousness and possibilities of youth.
Iphigenia Travels From Aulis to Tauris (and Back Again) on Brussels Stage
Gluck never intended for his two Iphigenia operas to be performed in tandem, but La Monnaie in Brussels had the wisdom to do just that.
Misdiagnosed With Coma, Belgian Man Communicates After 23 Years
In an interview with Der Spiegel magazine, the man recalled the aftermath of a car accident that paralyzed him and the realization that no one understood that he was fully conscious.
Renewing a Classic, Adventure Intact
William Forsytheās āArtifact,ā performed on Friday in Germany by the Royal Ballet of Flanders, is rarely seen anywhere in its full-length version.
Blairās Chances for Europe Presidency Said to Fade
Herman Van Rompuy, the prime minister of Belgium, is emerging as the front-runner for the new European Union presidential post as Tony Blairās hopes fade.
Top Jobs in E.U. Are Proving Hard to Fill
Amid fierce horse-trading, the EU's biggest foreign policy nations, Britain, France and Germany, have kept their eyes fixed on other jobs.
60 Years Later, āRosiesā Have Their Day
The nation of Belgium held an event to honor the American women who served as riveters and other civilian workers during World War II.
Life of Drugs and Delusion Left Broken Hearts Along the Road
At the end of his squandered career, Frank Vandenbroucke, who died in a hotel in Senegal, was still aching to make a comeback that nobody was buying.
Waiting for the Chief
Who will be the first president of the European Union?
A Reformer in the NATO Henhouse
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the alliance's secretary general, is determined to reform the institution, big time.
Henin's Comeback Enriches Tennis
The real winner in the return of Justine Henin is womenās tennis.
A Chinese Spin on Baroque Opera
The artist Zhang Huan has staged Handelās āSemeleā for La Monnaie theater, in a production set in a 450-year-old Ming Dynasty temple.
NYT > Belgium
Maastricht Treasure Hunt Lures Collectors
This yearās European Fine Art Fair has been notable for a few standout sales amid the absence of big-ticket items.
Iceland Voters Set to Reject Debt Deal
Voting began Saturday in a referendum on a deal to repay British and Dutch customers for losses from a failed Icelandic bank that has so incensed residents it has little chance of passing.
Indicted Ex-Leader of Bosnian Serbs Calls Atrocities āMythsā
Radovan Karadzic, the Bosnian Serb wartime leader, denied charges that his troops had committed large-scale atrocities during the Bosnian war.
Film: Rotterdam@BAM
āAlamarā opens the āRotterdam@BAMā program at BAMcinĆ©matek on Wednesday.
Talks Stall Over Repayment of Icelandās Debt
Iceland is trying to negotiate the repayment of more than $5 billion to Britain and the Netherlands and avoid the need for a politically risky referendum.
Disqualified Dutch Speedskater Kramer Grabs the Headlines at Home
Sven Kramerās disqualification in the 10,000 meters on Tuesday was a national disaster in the Netherlands.
Dutch Pull-Out From War Expected After Government Collapse
A day after his government collapsed, Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said he expected Dutch troops to come home from Afghanistan this year.
Dutch Government Collapses Over Its Stance on Troops for Afghanistan
A last-ditch effort to keep Dutch troops in Afghanistan brought down the governing coalition in the Netherlands, immediately raising fears that the Western military coalition fighting the war is increasingly at risk.
Party Leaves Dutch Coalition Over Troops
The coalition government collapsed on Saturday when the two largest parties failed to agree on whether to withdraw troops from an Afghanistan province as planned this year, Dutch media reported.
Dutch Fishermen Join Their Catch on Endangered List
The government decided that eel fishing would be banned from September to November to help restock the waters, but fishermen are negotiating for an alternative.
American Speedskater Shani Davis Belongs to the World
The Vancouver Games could be the bridge that traverses the distance between Shani Davisās opaque image at home and his celebrity image abroad.
Sudanās Leader May Be Accused of Genocide
The president of Sudan came under new legal scrutiny when appeals judges reopened the possibility that he may be charged with genocide.
State of the Union, in Dutch
A comparison of how six world leaders use a yearly address to lay out their agendas.
Flight From Amsterdam to Aruba Diverted After Threats
An ArkeFly flight carrying 235 people was diverted to Ireland after an unruly Dutch passenger made bomb threats during the flight. The threats turned out to be false.
Dutch Carmaker Still Pushing to Buy Saab
G.M. is winding down the Swedish carmaker, but Spyker says it has an offer on the table and wants a decision.
NYT > Netherlands
World news about the Netherlands, including breaking news and archival articles published in The New York Times.
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.
World Soccer: Nations prepare to duke it out for 2018, '22 World Cup bids
FIFA will decide who hosts the World Cups of 2018 and 2022 on the same day in December 2010. This is for two reasons: firstly, to give the ultimate hosts a more realistic time frame in which to undertake all the necessary preparations and, secondly, to guarantee television and sponsor revenue a long way in advance.
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.
Belgian police arrest 'al Qaeda legend'
Belgian police Thursday arrested a woman they called an "al Qaeda living legend" as part of an operation to thwart a terror attack being planned to coincide with an EU summit in Brussels, a Belgian police source told CNN.
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
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
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.
Mission Impossible: Leading Belgium
Differences between Dutch and French speakers have made this trim little nation at the heart of Europe literally uncontrollable
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.
Bodies of missing girls found
Police in Belgium say they have found the bodies of two stepsisters who went missing earlier this month in a case that shocked the country and sparked a nationwide search.
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.
Belgium child killing trial opens
One of Belgium's most notorious men, alleged child-killer and pedophile Marc Dutroux, has arrived at a courthouse in Arlon where he is facing trial nearly eight years after his arrest.
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.
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.
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, GalavisiĆ³n) 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.
World's weirdest hotels
On your next trip, you could be checking into a wine cask, a salvaged 727 airplane, or a room where the furniture defies the law of gravity.
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.
Take your taste buds on a European tour
Eating and drinking in Europe is sightseeing for your taste buds. Every country has local specialties that are good, memorable, or both. Here are many of the fun experiences that stick in my mind after 30 years of travel. Seek out any of these on your next trip.
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.
John Rolfe: Great sports-themed album covers
With cd sales tanking (by nearly 50 percent since 2000) along with the economy and record stores going under by the score, album artwork ought to be placed on the endangered species list. So let us give thanks for the modest revival of the vinyl LP record.
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.
Gavin Hamilton: History shows a surprise in lurking in the Euro field
Euro 2008 is almost upon us, and the excitement is mounting. In England, however, you could be forgiven for thinking the tournament has been canceled.
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.
4 Algerians held on terror charges
A Spanish judge ordered four Algerian nationals remain in custody Tuesday on charges of collaborating with a terrorist group linked to al Qaeda, a National Court spokeswoman said.
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 ...
What's roiling the market?
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 general's investigation into brokerage practices have created an atmosphere of some insecurity.
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.