Popular Bank gets support from State

The House of Representatives late last night approved legislation providing for state support to the island’s second largest lender. The item was passed with 43 votes for, none against, and three abstentions.
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Popular Bank seeking state aid

THE Popular Bank said yesterday it was in talks with the finance ministry and the Central Bank about state guarantees to raise fresh capital after being battered by the Greek debt write-down.
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15 firms to bid for gas drilling rights off Cyprus

Major oil and gas companies such as Russia’s Novatec, Italy’s ENI, France’s Total, and Malaysia’s Petronas are among 15 firms and consortiums that are seeking to carry out exploratory drilling for gas deposits off southern Cyprus, the island’s commerce minister said Friday, despite Turkey’s strong objections.
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Interesting Facts

Land and People

  • "The Netherlands" and "Holland" are often used to describe the same country.
  • One quarter of the Netherlands is below sea level.
  • With only 0.008 % of the world’s area, the Netherlands is the world’s third largest agricultural exporter after the USA and France.
  • Although Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, the government meets in The Hague.

  • There are twice as many bikes as cars in the Netherlands.
  • The Netherlands was one of the European Union’s founding nations.
  • The Netherlands has the highest population density (493 inhabitants per square km - water excluded) of any European country with over 1 million inhabitants. Worldwide, only Bangladesh and Taiwan, among major countries, have a higher density of population.
  • The ’Netherlands’ mean "Low Country" in Dutch. About half of its surface area is less than 1 meters above sea level. Its highest point is 321 meters (1,053 ft) above sea level.The Netherlands’ highest point is 321 meters above sea level, and is officially called a "mountain"!
  • Amsterdam has 1,281 bridges.
  • Most Dutch people speak at least one foreign language - usually English.
  • One in every three Dutch people belongs to a sports club.
  • Dutch people are the tallest in the world, with an average height of 184 cm for men and 170 cm for women.
  • Almost all Dutch people can swim and skate.
  • Many Dutch people spread chocolate on their bread for breakfast.
  • A 2007 UNICEF report on child well-being in rich countries ranked the Netherlands as the best country for children to live.
  • Dutch people have the lowest incidence of lactose intolerance of any country - only 1%.
  • In an area of the Netherlands called Friesland, there are as many cows as people.
  • Dutch people take their own bags to the supermarket to pack their groceries in.
  • People in Holland eat raw herring with onions on top.

Culture & Sciences

  • The microscope, the telescope, pendulum clock and the mercury thermometer are all 16th or 17th century Dutch inventions.
  • The Dutch company ’Philips’ invented the audio tape (in 1967), the video tape (in 1972), the Compact Disk (in 1982) and the CD-ROM (in 1985).
  • There are 1180 windmills in the Netherlands.
  • Tulips were imported from the Ottoman Empire and became very popular in Holland in the early 17th century. Nowadays, the Netherlands is the world’s first producer and exporter of tulips.
  • Keukenhof Park is the largest flower garden in the world.
  • Smith & Jones in Amsterdam is Europe’s first and only addiction clinic, treating everything from compulsive gambling to alcoholism, and from eating disorders to video game addiction.
  • The Netherlands’ favorite sweet is a salty liquorice sweet called "drop".
  • The Netherlands has spawned many world-class painters, such as Rembrandt, Jan Vermeer, Jan Steen, Vincent van Gogh or Piet Mondriaan.
  • There are 206 paintings by Vincent Van Gogh in Amsterdam.

Economy
  • Famous Dutch companies include Philips, Akzo Nobel, Royal Dutch Shell (half-British), Unilever (half-British), Heineken, IKEA (formerly Swedish) as well as the banks ING, ABN-AMRO and Fortis (Belgian-Dutch).
  • The KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines) is the longest running national airline in the world. It was founded in 1919.
  • The Netherlands has long been one of the richest countries in the world. Its GDP per capita was estimated to be the highest in the world in 1820, and the 2nd highest in Europe in 1900 (after Belgium). Nowadays, it still enjoys the 4th highest nominal GDP per capita (or 3rd at PPP) within the European Union.
  • The Netherlands have the highest level of foreign direct investment per capita in the world.
  • Rotterdam, in South Holland, is the largest seaport in Europe. It used to be the largest port in the world by cargo tonnage, until being overtaken by Singapore in the 1990’s, then Shanghai in 2003.

Government & Politics

  • The Netherlands has two capitals : Amsterdam (the official capital by constitution since the 19th century) and The Hague (the seat of government and first capital since 1584).
  • Soft drugs (e.g. cannabis, "magic mushrooms") are legal in the Netherlands. Only licensed "coffee shops" are allowed to sell such drugs, although people are allowed to grow cannabis at home for their personal use.
  • Prostitution is legal in the Netherlands. However, prostitutes must be at least 18, and clients must be at least 16.
  • Abortion on demand at any point between conception and viability has been legal since 1981.
  • The Dutch government has legalised same-sex marriages since 2001 and euthanasia since 2002.

A few famous Dutch companies :

  • Royal Philips Electronics :one of the largest electronics and home appliances companies in the world.
  • KLM Royal Dutch Airlines : major international airline.
  • Royal Dutch Shell : Anglo-Dutch oil company.
  • Unilever : Anglo-Dutch company owning many of the world’s consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products.
  • ING Group, worldwide bank and insurance company.
  • ABN AMRO : Dutch bank.
  • AEGON : insurance company.
  • Heineken and Amstel : brewing companies
  • Mexx and McGregor : fashion brands.
  • Vedior and Randstad : human resources and staffing services companies.
  • Akzo Nobel : healthcare products, coatings and chemicals.
  • KPN : telecommunications company owning such operators as BASE (Belgium), E-Plus (Germany), Simyo (France and Spain) and iBasis (USA).
  • Getronics : Information and Communication Technology company.
  • IKEA : international home products retailer (founded in Sweden but headquartered in Holland)
Sources:    http://www.channel4learning.com
                http://www.eupedia.com/netherlands/trivia.shtml