Dutch news in brief – 24 February

KLM moderately safe based on numbers of deaths

Dutch flag carrier KLM has received a “moderate” rating in terms of airline safety. Based on victims per flown kilometre, KLM was placed in 23rd position out of 50 airlines considered important for Europe, German aviation magazine Aero International said. Qantas, Finnair and Cathay Pacific were considered the safest. KLM’s position was strongly influenced by the 1977 disaster at Tenerife when a KLM jumbo collided with a PanAm plane, killing 248 KLM passengers. Besides that disaster, KLM has only reported 3 other deaths in the past 30 years. KLM’s future partner Air France was rated 21st.

Contraceptive pill less popular

Fewer and fewer Dutch women are using the contraceptive pill. In the past five years, the use of the pill among women aged 25-34 declined by 10 percent, the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) said. But the pill remains the most popular contraceptive remedy, with 40 percent of women opting for the pill. Two-thirds of women aged 18 to 45 used a contraceptive method — such as the pill or asked their partner to use a condom — last year. The CBS said the decreased use of the pill was connected to the higher age that women are becoming pregnant.

Dutch urged to abandon Haiti

The Foreign Affairs Ministry has strong advised travel to Haiti due to the worsening security situation there. All Dutch nationals have been urged to leave the island if their continued stay is not absolutely necessary. In escalating violence, Haiti rebels seeking to overthrow President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and are moving in to capture the Caribbean island nation’s capital Port-au-Prince.

Islamic school chief accused of fraud for terrorists

The chairman of the Amsterdam Foundation of Islamic Primary Schools (SIBA) was arrested last week on fraud charges. Mohamed C. is accused of embezzling EUR 500,000, a prosecution spokesman said on Monday. Detectives are investigating whether the man passed the allegedly-embezzled funds on to terrorist groups. The money has not yet been located and SIBA has refused to comment.

Subject: Dutch news