Expatica news

Dutch news in brief, 10 May 2005

KPN reports sharp dip in profits

Dutch telecoms firm KPN reported net profit of EUR 273 million in the first quarter of 2005 compared with EUR 414 million in the same period last year. KPN had issued a profit warning at the presentation of its annual figures in March. The company said it had to invest EUR 120 million extra to recruit mobile phone customers in the Netherlands and Germany and wrote-off EUR 64 million for UMTS licences. Net turnover fell slightly to EUR 30 million to EUR 2.83 billion. The results were in line with analyst expectations.

Call to restrict elderly motorists a joke

A call by Social and Cultural Planning Bureau (SCP) director Paul Schnabel to issue a ‘grey number plate’ for elderly motorists was not serious, a SCP spokeswoman said on Tuesday. She said Schnabel did say in an interview with the magazine RAI Voorrang that people aged 65 or older should be issued with grey number plate at a reduced fee in which they would only be allowed to drive outside peak-hour periods. But the spokeswoman said the comment was tongue in cheek. But the joke did not come through the text and various newspapers took the proposal seriously. Schnabel was not available for comment on Tuesday.

‘Hand of God’ hauled from TV

Telecom firm Versatel has decided against broadcasting its television commercial with the ‘hand of God’ for the next two weeks as it awaits a ruling from the advertising code commission. Small political party ChristenUnie recently presented to the commission 1,100 signatures from people opposed to the commercial. The Versatel commercial advertises high-speed internet with exclusive coverage of the Dutch premier league football. The ‘hand of God’ taps a shot from Feyenoord star Romeo Castelen into the net. The ‘hand of God’ originates with Argentinean star Maradona who once used the expression to describe a goal he scored with his hands. The ruling from the Dutch commission, Reclame Code Commissie, will be handed down within two weeks, but is non-binding.

Dutch beauty bids for Miss Universe title

Miss Netherlands Sharita Sopacua has arrived along with a majority of her contestants in the Thai capital of Bangkok for the Miss Universe 2005 contest. In the coming days the women will present themselves to the world for the glamour title. The Miss Universe title will be awarded on 31 May. Sopacua, 22, of Den Bosch was third in the Miss Netherlands contest last year, but she won the contest this year. She is of Indonesian ancestry.

[Copyright Expatica News 2005]

Subject: Dutch news