Netherlands

Dutch politician claims incitement case based on misquotation

Amsterdam - Controversial far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders claimed in an interview Thursday that a court had based its decision to prosecute him for discrimination and incitement to hatred on false quotes.

Wilders, famous for his anti-Islam film Itna and refused entry to Britain last month, confirmed he had filed an appeal with the High Court of Justice against a district court's decision to prosecute him.

In an interview with Dutch daily newspaper De Telegraaf, the leader of the Freedom Party (PVV) said the district court had based its decision on remarks attributed to him, but in reality originating from other people. In other instances he was simply misquoted, he said.

Turkish airlines announces compensation for plane crash victims

Turkish airlines announces compensation for plane crash victimAnkara - Turkish Airlines Tuesday announced that it was prepared to immediately pay compensation to the families of those killed and all surviving passengers on board flight TK 1951 which crashed while approaching Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport last week.

Former Bosnian-Serb leader Karadzic declines to enter plea

Former Bosnian-Serb leader Karadzic declines to enter plea Amsterdam - Former Bosnian-Serb president Radovan Karadzic declined Tuesday to enter a plea at the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague.

Karadzic was asked to enter his plea in response to the 11 counts in the revised indictment filed against him. Presiding judge Iain Bonomy ordered that the court record Karadzic pleaded "not guilty".

John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Amsterdam "Bed-In" suite to open doors

John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Amsterdam "Bed-In" suite to open doorsAmsterdam - Until now only well-off Beatles fans could afford to spend a night in the hotel suite used by John Lennon and Yoko Ono during their honeymoon.

But management at the Amsterdam Hilton are to allow members of the public to catch a glimpse of the famous suite where the newly-wed couple spent a week 40 years ago.

Beatles fans can visit the suite from March 21 to 29 when a number of events will be taking place including a photo exhibition about the "Bed-In for Peace."

Amsterdam's AEX index drops below "red line"

Amsterdam's AEX index drops below "red line" Amsterdam - The main index of the Amsterdam stock exchange AEX on Monday dropped to 211.86 points as of mid-afternoon, down 3.6 per cent from Friday's close of 219.81 points and well below the psychological "red line" level of 218 points.

The value of Dutch insurer Aegon shares had dropped the most, plunging 11.43 per cent) and stood at 2.55 euros (3.22 dollars).

Dutch supermarket giant Ahold's income up in last quarter of 2008

Ahold-logoAmsterdam - Dutch supermarket giant Ahold was holding up against the financial crisis, the company said upon releasing positive fourth quarter results for 2008 on Monday.

The company said net income in the last three months of 2008 was 285 million euros (360.53 million dollars), up from 262 million euros in the same period in 2007.

Ahold runs the biggest Dutch supermarket chain, Albert Heijn, as well as US stores Stop&Shop and Giant-Carlisle.

Responding to the company results Chief Executive Officer John Rishton said Ahold was "well prepared to respond to the effects of recession."

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