Netherlands

Belgium, Luxembourg transfer ailing insurer Fortis to Netherlands

Belgium, Luxembourg transfer ailing insurer Fortis to Netherlands Amsterdam - The governments of Belgium and Luxembourg have transferred their shares in bank and insurance giant Fortis to the Netherlands, including the Dutch ABN Amro banking division.

Dutch newswire ANP reported Friday that Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme had made the announcement following the Belgian government's weekly meeting.

The agreement is worth some 16.8 billion euros (23.27 billion dollars), Leterme was quoted as saying.

Paper and pencil, not computer, boosts creativity

Paper and pencil, not computer, boosts creativityAmsterdam  - Paper, pencil and books are the key to developing one's creativity and maximizing one's intelligence, says Dutch psychologist Christof van Nimwegen.

The Dutch researcher recently completed a PhD dissertation at the University of Utrecht about the effects of software on the functioning of the human brain.

In "The Paradox of the guided user: assistance can be counter- effective," van Nimwegen asked two groups to perform the same tasks.

The first was allowed use a computer; the second group only got a pen and pencil.

Maximum growth for Schiphol until 2020, says advisory committee

Schiphol-AirportAmsterdam - Schiphol Airport should grow to accommodate a maximum of 510,000 flights per year by 2020 from 433,000 today, according to an advisory committee report released Wednesday.

Additionally, the report recommends the transfer of charter flights to Eindhoven in the south and Lelystad in the central-north.

"The recommendations provide Schiphol with new opportunities to grow without compromising on sustainability," Ingrid Pouw, Schiphol Airport spokeswoman told Deutsche-Presse Agentur dpa Wednesday.

Dutch museum discovers sixth formerly unknown Hals painting

Amsterdam  - The Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem in the Netherlands announced the discovery of another previously unknown painting by the Laughing Cavalier painter Frans Hals (1583-1666).

It is the second time within four days the museum has made such an announcement.

On Sunday, the museum confirmed that five formerly unknown paintings were also made by the Dutch master.

Pieter Biesboer, spokesman for the museum, said the sixth painting was discovered at auction house Christies in Paris.

Bierboer saw the painting first in June.

The painting is a portrait of an unknown man and dated 1655.

Frans Hals is one of the most famous masters from the Dutch Golden Age.

Dutch stock market gains slightly

Amsterdam - The main index at the Amsterdam stock exchange AEX gained slightly (up 1.44 per cent) Wednesday morning. By 10:19 am (0819 GMT) the index stood at 336.21.

Dutch increasingly fear economic crisis: poll

Amsterdam - An increasing number of Dutch nationals fear a financial crisis following the recent financial problems in the United States and with Benelux insurance and banking giant Fortis, according to a poll released Wednesday.

Polling agency Maurice de Hond said some 72 per cent of respondents said they thought these financial problems will have an impact on the Netherlands.

A total of 38 per cent said they fear the Dutch Stock Exchange may crash. Two weeks ago, a poll found 44 per cent of the Dutch feared a financial crisis while 23 feared a stock exchange crash.

The number of Dutch who fear to lose their savings deposited in Dutch banks, remained unchanged at 12 per cent, according to the poll.

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