Amsterdam - The number of unemployed in the Netherlands will rise to 4.5 per cent of the Dutch labour force in 2008, government sources told Dutch news wire ANP on Thursday.

The calculations were made by the Dutch Central Planning Bureau (CPB), which provides statistics to the government, but have not been published yet.

According to the unnamed government sources, the CPB also adjusted the unemployment figure for this year upward from 4 to 4.25 per cent of the 7.5 million people in the work force.

If the calculations are correct, this will mark the end of almost 10 consecutive years of gradual unemployment reduction in the Netherlands.

Amsterdam  - Four Dutch soldiers were wounded in the Afghan province of Uruzghan as their military vehicle hit a bomb planted in the road, the Dutch defence ministry told local media on Saturday.

The condition of one of the troops was described as "stable but critical".

The incident happened near the military base of Qudus in the Baluchi valley. The four were transferred to the military hospital of Camp Holland in Tarin Kowt.

Amsterdam  - A tornado raced through the north-east Dutch province of Groningen, Dutch media reported early Monday.

The tornado struck the villages of Lutjegast, Sebaldeburen and Doezum Sunday night.

Cars were lifted in the air and small boats were tossed hundreds of metres across the water. Many farms were severely damaged.

There were no victims of the tornado, as it occurred in an agricultural area with a very low population density.

Amsterdam - A tornado raced through the north-east Dutch province of Groningen, Dutch media reported early Monday.

The tornado struck the villages of Lutjegast, Sebaldeburen and Doezum Sunday night.

Cars were lifted in the air and small boats were tossed hundreds of metres across the water. Many farms were severely damaged.

There were no victims of the tornado, as it occurred in an agricultural area with a very low population density.

The tornado was categorized as an F1, Reinout van den Born, a meteorologist affiliated with the Dutch meteorological institute Meteoconsult told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa on Monday.

F refers to the so-called Fujita scale which designates the strength of a tornado.

Amsterd

Amsterdam - The global climate is changing fastest in Europe, particularly in the Netherlands, a news report on Dutch RTL News said on Thursday.