Amsterdam council will continue to block the privatisation of Schiphol airport unless the government comes up with concessions, alderman Lodewijk Asscher said earlier today. Amsterdam, which owns nearly 22% of Schiphol, wants the airport to remain in state hands. Finance minister Gerrit Zalm has accused the city of working against the public interest.

Train crash
At least 10 people were injured when a passenger train and shunt engine collided at Amersfoort station this morning. The passenger train was partly derailed, leading to long delays on routes between Amersfoort and Amsterdam.
Fast food kids
The Consumers Association and Dutch Heart Foundation have called on the government to bring in tough rules for junk food advertising targeted at children. The number of overweight children in Holland has doubled in the last 10 years.
KLM houses
Airline KLM is to stop handing out model Delft pottery houses filled with jenever (Dutch gin) to business class passengers because of the new ban on flying with liquids in hand baggage. So far 87 different souvenir houses have been issued.
Wage rises
Dutch wages have gone up by an average 3.8% this year, almost double the 2% increase forecast, according to a survey by ADP Nederland and consultants Mercer. Shop floor workers saw wages rise by 3.6% while senior managers’ pay went up 4.1%.