Dutch news in brief – 14 April - Expatica Netherlands

Air France ‘obtains half of KLM for free’

Air France is obtaining about 50 percent of KLM for nothing, Dutch stockholders association VEB claimed on Wednesday. VEB said the takeover offer from Air France valued KLM at EUR 17.80 per share, but the KLM was worth EUR 34.14 per share. VEB based its estimates on the value of the KLM name and its landing rights. It said Air France should thus pay EUR 1.5 billion for KLM, but has instead offered about EUR 785 million for the Dutch airline. The deal is expected to be rounded off in coming weeks.

Family doctors improve efficiency

Dutch family doctors have increased efficiency in recent years and are seeing more patients in shorter periods of time and have replaced time consuming house calls with telephone consultations. The study, conducted by research institute Nivel and State public health institute RIVM, is a repeat of a 1987 study. The study indicated that family doctors are more focused at physical complaints, rather than psycho-social healthcare. Doctors are also increasingly becoming managerial and are thus delegating more tasks to surgery assistants.

Rotterdam agrees anti-taxi violence plan

The public prosecution, Rotterdam police and the Rotterdam Council have signed an agreement with Rotterdam taxi company RTC detailing efforts to tackle violence in city taxis. The agreement means that police will give top priority on reports of violence in taxis and drivers will be given anti-aggression training. Other taxi companies and independents can also sign the agreement — once their cars have been fitted with special police alarms. The agreement comes after concern was raised at rising violence against taxi drivers.

Dutchman jailed for French church art thefts

Found guilty of robbing French churches of valuable religious artworks, a 37-year-old Dutchman was sentenced on Wednesday to five years in a French prison. The spate of thefts included an August 2000 theft of a 16th century painting of the Ascension of Christ from a church in northern France. But that painting led to the arrest of Albertus Krijne after a member of the family which had donated it to the church recognised it at a Paris antiques market.

Subject: Dutch news