Amsterdam - The right-wing leader of Holland's Freedom Party, Geert Wilders, on Friday slammed the upcoming appointment of Moroccan Ahmed Aboutaleb as mayor of Rotterdam.

"Appointing a Moroccan as mayor of the second largest Dutch city is just as ridiculous as appointing a Dutchman as mayor of Mecca," he said.

Instead, Wilders said, Aboutaleb "should become mayor of Rabat in Morocco."

"With him as mayor, Rotterdam will be Rabat on the banks of the river Maas. Soon we may even have an imam serving as arch bishop. This is madness."

On Friday the city council of Rotterdam determined Moroccan-born Muslim Ahmed Aboutaleb will be mayor from January 1.

Amsterdam - Rotterdam, the second largest Dutch city, will have a Moroccan-born Muslim mayor from January 1, as Ahmed Aboutaleb was presented Friday as future mayor by the city council.

The government still has to approve 47-year-old Aboutaleb's appointment, but this is considered a formality.

The Labour politician is the first mayor to be born and raised outside the Netherlands. He is also the first Muslim to become a mayor in the Netherlands.

Aboutaleb was born in Morocco and migrated to the Netherlands at the age of 14. He is currently deputy minister of social affairs, and before served as an alderman in Amsterdam.

Rotterdam  - Hundreds of energetic dancers opened the world's first eco-friendly nightclub late Thursday in Rotterdam.

Club Watt's moto is apt: "We want your energy."

Each night Club Watt will get about a third of the power it needs for its DJs from a special dance floor. Dancers' vigorous movements make the floor vibrate, and this is transformed into power with the help of mini dynamos.

Dancers can read just how much power is being produced on boards next to the DJs stage.

Everything is environment friendly at Club Watt, from the rain water toilet flushes to the bars with reusable plastic glasses.