London, Nov. 21: A think tank in The Netherlands has warned that the European Union is developing a military space policy that has the "potential for triggering an arms race in region".

According to the Transnational Institute: "EU-financed communication and spy satellites are slowly becoming reality and in the long term the inclusion of space-based missile defence and other more offensive uses of space are real options for an increasingly ambitious EU military space policy."

Ministers from all ESA member states are meeting in The Hague next week to implement a new European space policy that identifies military "security" as a priority, reports The Telegraph.

Amsterdam - The main AEX index on the Amsterdam stock exchange opened at this year's absolute low of 231.09 Thursday, down 2.9 per cent from the previous day's closing figure.

The previous low of 231.50 was reached in October.

By 9:30 am (0830 GMT), the AEX demonstrated little change and stood at 231.53, a loss of 2.77 per cent compared to closing time Wednesday, when the AEX had lost 5 per cent.

Utrecht, Netherlands  - The final years of Germany's last emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II, were spent in Castle Dorn in the Netherlands.

The castle is a testament to its royal resident as the house is set in a spacious garden. A bridge leads over a water lily-filled moat to a flight of stairs leading to the castle's main entrance.

The interior also reflects Wilhelm's aristocratic heritage and is filled with only the finest furniture.

Amsterdam - Dutch electronics company Philips confirmed Monday it had stopped production of electric razors for six weeks, the Dutch ANP news agency reported.

A spokesman for the Eindhoven-based manufacturer of electronic equipment emphasized it was a "regular measure" always taken in the last months of the year to minimize Philips' remaining stock and resulting storage expenses.

However, the company also confirmed the stop had begun earlier than in other years. But it refused to say whether this was due to reduced demand.

Washington  - Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende will not attend a meeting of the leaders of the world's top economic powers after learning that his father had died, US President George W Bush said late Friday.

Balkenende learned of his father's death while he was travelling to Washington for the G20 summit and immediately returned to the Netherlands to be with his family.

The country will instead be represented by Finance Minister Jan Cornelis de Jager.