Dutch freight and delivery firm TNT Express issued a profit warning on Thursday as the global economic slowdown led more customers to snub air transport in favour of cheaper shipping.

TNT Express, which listed in May after it split from Dutch mail group PostNL , cut its 2011 outlook and said it saw revenue pressure in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) in the third quarter as well as weaker demand in Asia.

KLM has signed a new partnership agreement to boost the MICE market in Amsterdam. The Dutch airline penned a multi-year contract with Amsterdam RAI, the Netherlands’ largest exhibition centre, which will see the two parties work together on bids for around 25 large international events every year. KLM will provide flights to conference organisers, as well as offering use of the Air France-KLM Global Meetings online booking tool.

Amsterdam Police are investigating a stabbing that left man with a massive chest wound. Police say it happened at 27 McElwain Avenue around 7:30 p.m. Thursday evening.

Police say witnesses and family of the victim were not cooperative in providing a suspect description or any information on the stabbing. They told police they did not call for them, only for an ambulance for the victim.

Welsh 41-year-old rookie Liam Bond, who only escaped qualifying school at the 16th attempt last year, took a one-shot lead at the Austrian Open on Thursday.

He enjoyed seven birdies, with four coming in the last five holes, against one bogey, for a six-under-par 66 to lead by one from Denmark’s Thomas Norret, Australian Daniel Gaunt, Dutchman Joost Luiten and Steve Webster of England. More >

Critics urged the Dutch royal family Friday to get rid of a painting they say is an offensive reminder of wrongs from the Netherlands’ colonial past, but the Royal House defended the 19th-century work as an important part of the country’s history.

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Dutch police have uncovered huge caches of child pornography on “hidden” websites, including four based in the United States, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

The discovery was made as part of the far-reaching investigation into a suspected pedophile identified only as Robert M. who was arrested in Amsterdam last year. He is accused of abusing dozens of young children while he worked in at least two Amsterdam preschools.

This year’s rendition of the Nieuwe Kerk’s “Kerkmeester” (church master) series of exhibitions, in which an outside figure is selected to curate and install a show, starts today.

The church-turned-museum creates a number of unique aesthetic opportunities for curators. Nieuwe Kerk selected fashion designer Mart Visser to assemble this year’s edition, saying they wanted someone who could bring a forward-looking sensibility to the museum, best known for exhibitions that look back to the past. More >

The Amsterdam stock exchange has taken a dive. Its AEX index opened below the psychological barrier of 300 points on Friday. The last time the AEX fell below 300 points was 5 November 2009. The AEX had already closed 3.2 percent down on Thursday.

The value of many major Dutch companies has taken a battering, with ING banking group down 5 percent, Aegon financial group down 3.8 percent and SNS losing nearly 9 percent. The poor showing follows continuing gloom on the Asian and US markets.

Amsterdam AEX index trader Rob Koenders says: “It’s a real battlefield on the exchanges and the malaise is continuing.” He complains the European Central Bank said “too little, too late” in its press conference on Thursday.