Amsterdam - A Dutch court is to hear the case on Thursday of a Dutch couple's alleged illegal adoption via the internet of a Belgian baby.

The hearing is to follow a request to the court Wednesday by the Dutch child protection service for a ruling on the custody in the matter that is also the subject of a criminal investigation, according to a spokesman for the public prosecutor.

The case was brought to light by Dutch current affairs programme Netwerk, which exposed how the couple, both aged 26, bought the newborn from its Belgian parents, aged 24 and 22, on the internet in the summer.

Amsterdam, Nov 26 (ANI): New observations made by radio telescopes have revealed that the bizarre astronomical object known as “Hanny’s voorwerp”, which is a huge green irregular cloud of gas, is being generated by a massive black hole at the centre of a nearby galaxy.

The Voorwerp was discovered by Hanny van Arkel, a Dutch school teacher and an enthusiastic volunteer of the Galaxy Zoo project.

Amsterdam - Italian national Giuseppe Nirta, aged 35, will remain in custody in the Netherlands until an Amsterdam court has decided whether or not he will be extradited to Italy to serve a prison sentence of 14 years and 18 months for dealing in drugs.

The leader of the so-called 'Ndrangheta clan from Italy is also a suspect for the German police in the gangland-style massacre.

In August 2007, a total of six Italians were murdered in Duisburg.

Wim de Bruin, spokesman of the Dutch public prosecutor, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa on Tuesday that Italy had filed its request for the Nirta's arrest last month.

Amsterdam - Trading in shares of banking and insurance giant Fortis NV on the Amsterdam stock exchange will be halted temporary starting at 3:45 pm (1445 GMT), the Dutch financial watchdog AFM announced Monday.

The AFM said the move is necessary because an Amsterdam court is due to rule at 4 pm (1500 GMT) on the need for an investigation into possible mismanagement at Fortis.

The Dutch shareholders' association VEB demanded the investigation after the share value of the Belgian-Dutch bank and insurance giant collapsed earlier this autumn.

Amsterdam  - Huge black puppets in colourful colonial slave outfits are being pulled up and down in the air in Dutch quality department store Bijenkorf in Amsterdam.

The store smells of traditional Dutch sweets and pastries. In the background, festive children's songs are played. Toys are on display everywhere.

The Dutch are celebrating the arrival of Sinterklaas, the legendary Dutch bishop who later became the basis of the traditional Christmas-time Santa Claus in the United States.