Dutch news in brief, 29 March 2006

First Integration exams

Two people have sat the new integration exam since it was introduced on 15 March. One of the candidates completed the exam at the Dutch embassy in Rabat, Morocco, and the other did so at the embassy in Zagreb, Croatia. Both passed, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday. The exam, intended for non-western people who wish to come to live in the Netherlands, examines the candidate’s knowledge of the Dutch language and culture.

Massive cannabis farm discovered

Police discovered thousands of cannabis plants and chemical waste in a bankrupt paint factory in Utrecht on Wednesday. Officers went there looking for the chemical waste, a police spokesperson said.

Mystery as pupils become ill

Ten children become unwell during a gym lesson at “t Ambacht’ Christian primary school in Vlaardingen on Wednesday. Seven employees at a nearby pharmacy and five of the children were brought to hospital, suffering from dizziness, nausea and diarrhoea. The Fire Department took readings in the gym after police officers at the scene reported a strange smell in the air. The test failed to identify the cause. The air was checked in the gym last Friday after a similar smell was reported.

Princess, 2, wins EUR 3,000 in damages

Gossip magazine ‘Privé’ was ordered by a court in Amsterdam on Wednesday to pay EUR 3,000 in damages to Princess Amalia, 2, and her parents Crown-Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Maxima. The court ruled the magazine invaded the royals’ privacy by publishing photographs last September of them in swimwear during their holiday at the royal family’s retreat at Porto Ercole in Italy.

Subject: Dutch news