 |
DUTCH TROOPS IN URUZGAN TILL DECEMBER 2010
The Dutch government has extended the Netherlands' military mission in the southern Afghan province of Uruzgan by two years. The last troops are to pull out by 1 December 2010. Originally the mission was to end in August 2008. NATO has put intense pressure on the Netherlands to lengthen its stay. No other NATO country was prepared to take over the country's role. more
December 5, 2007
SMASHING THE STEREOTYPES OF ARAB WOMEN
Frustration, sometimes even anger, was expressed by women academics and businesswomen from the Arab Gulf states. They were at the Binnenhof in The Hague to "smash" the stereotypes of Arab women prevailing in the West and in the Western media: "They think we are still completely covered in black, pulling our camel behind us." more
December 5, 2007
ELDERLY MUST ARRANGE CARE THEMSELVES
Many elderly will be arranging their own care and household assistance in the future. This is the conclusion from the Social and Cultural Planning Bureau (SCP) in a report published on Thursday. more
December 5, 2007
DUTCH STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN FOOTBALL REPUTATION
Euro 2008 will provide important testing ground for the Dutch football team, which has run into trouble in recent years. Despite ranking seventh in the world, Marco van Basten's team appears neither as strong, let alone glamorous, as previous Dutch sides - highlighted by a meagre 15 goals in 12 qualifying games. Since the Dutch have to play Italy, France and Romania
the test will be serious. more
December 5, 2007
DUTCH ACCUSED OF COMPLICITY IN TORTURE IN AFGHANISTAN
Dutch forces in Afghanistan have been accused of exposing their detainees to torture and flouting international obligations. Amnesty International says troops from NATO's ISAF mission in the country are handing over detainees to Afghan authorities, despite consistent reports that these are using methods such as whipping and beatings against inmates. more
November 19, 2007
PRIME MINISTER BALKENENDE UNDER FIRE
There is growing criticism of prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende within the ruling coalition, in particular over his role in the crisis over redundancy reforms, the Telegraaf reports on Friday. 'He is not leading the cabinet. He is a hopeless prime minister,' one Labour MP told the paper. Other tricky dossiers this coming week are the needed raise of teacher salaries, the desired restriction of high incomes and the decision about the extension of the Uruzgan mission. more
November 19, 2007
WHOSE ANTI-IMMIGRANT RHETORIC IS THE TOUGHEST?
Tough measures to tackle problem youths from migrant backgrounds, DNA tests to prevent marriages between cousins, a ban on all clothing that conceals the face, a ban on broadcasting the call to prayer. Tough language heralded the return of VVD (conservative) MP Henk Kamp to the lower house of the Dutch parliament. His message is aimed at voters; they don't have to defect to Geert Wilders or Rita Verdonk, they can stay in the VVD for tough anti-Islam rhetoric and anti-immigrant policies. more
November 19, 2007
GARMIN WITHDRAWS BID FOR TELE ATLAS
US satellite navigation system maker Garmin has withdrawn its bid for Dutch digital map maker Tele Atlas. Garmin and its Dutch rival TomTom have been embroiled in a takeover battle for Tele Atlas. An interesting moment to have a look at how the two Dutch merging companies make maps and navigation systems, and what the future of navigation will bring. more
November 19, 2007
EXPERIENCED UN PEACEKEEPER GENERAL CAMMAERT SPEAKS
Retired Major-General Patrick Cammaert of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps is one of Europe's most respected and experienced United Nations peace-keeping officers. His field of operations has extended from the jungles of Cambodia and the Congo to the offices of UN headquarters in Manhattan, during a career that has seen an enormous growth in the size and number of UN missions around the world. more
November 19, 2007
MAJOR RAIL INVESTMENT PLAN TO BE ANNOUNCED
The Dutch railway system - the bussiest in Europe - will come to a complete standstill after 2011 unless the cabinet makes major investments, reports Friday’s Volkskrant. Billions of euro's are needed to achieve the government’s target of a 5% growth in rail travel, it says. Dutch Rail top man Ad Veenman said in August that the government must invest a total of €8bn in the railways over the next 10 years. more
November 19, 2007
CDA EXPECTS EXTENSION OF AFGHAN MISSION
Pieter van Geel, leader of the senior government Christian Democrat party in parliament, expects the cabinet to extend the Dutch mission in Afghanistan past the August 2008 deadline. There is an 'underlying tone' in favour of an extension, Van Geel told NOS radio on Thursday. Yesterday the Australian army has criticised a Dutch offensive against the Taliban in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province in June. more
October 29, 2007
ACTION AGAINST THE TRAFFICKING OF NIGERIAN GIRLS
'The trade in Nigerian children is much more widespread than we think,' says Maria de Cock, deputy director of the Foundation against Women Trafficking. Her remark comes in response to a news report that Dutch police have arrested 13 suspects of people trafficking. They are allegedly members of an international gang which has brought large numbers of under-age Nigerian asylum seekers to the Netherlands. more
October 29, 2007
HOLLAND'S VIOLENT BLACK SHEEP
Over the past decade, groups of immigrant youths have been causing growing problems in Holland's major cities. They often hang out in squares in the evening and commit petty and violent crime. Jan Dirk de Jong, a researcher at the Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies at the University of Amsterdam, has spent the past seven years studying these youths and has just finished his doctoral thesis on the issue. more
October 29, 2007
RUN ON EUROPEAN FLAGS
European Parliament member Manders has already received 150 requests from municipalities for a European flag. The VVD member recently started a campaign to get more EU flags flying in the Netherlands. He is paying for the flags from his own pocket because he feels so strongly about promoting Europe. more
October 29, 2007
TOTAL BAN ON SALE OF MAGIC MUSHROOMS
The Dutch authorities agreed Friday to ban the sale of magic mushrooms, a move sure to annoy many tourists visiting the Netherlands, known for its liberal drugs policies. The Dutch health and justice ministers said Friday that they have agreed to change the drug laws to ban the sale and cultivation of hallucinogenic mushrooms. more October 17, 2007
NETHERLANDS NO. 4 ON INTEGRATION INDEX
The Netherlands is among the EU countries that are making a genuine effort to stimulate the integration of immigrants. The Netherlands ranks fourth after Sweden, Portugal and Belgium. This conclusion is contained in a report drawn up under supervision of the British Council and the Migration Policy Group in Brussels. Sweden is at the top of the Migration Integration Policy Index that ranks the government efforts to integrate foreigners. more
October 17, 2007
DUTCH PORTRAITS FROM THE GOLDEN AGE
They formed the first modern republic in Europe and the wealthiest society of their time, and their wealth was based not on the divine right of church or aristocracy, but on the power they earned with diligent commerce and clever dominance of the seas. These god-fearing burghers of the northern Netherlands were bound to see themselves as a different kind of human being who required new images to depict who they were. Sixty of the best portraits of these proud citizens of the Golden Age are now on view at the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague. more
October 17, 2007
DUTCH CABINET AGAINST REFERENDUM ON EU TREATY
As expected the government will not organise a referendum on the EU treaty reached in June. A new referendum is neither necessary nor desirable was the cabinet meeting's unanimous decision on Friday, Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende announced. Also the parliamentary faction of the Labour PvdA is opposed to a referendum on the new European treaty. Without PvdA's support, the initiative from the left-wing opposition for a referendum will not make it through Parliament. more
October 1, 2007
MUSEUM WITHOUT WALLS
Holland has got its first virtual museum: the mobile, interactive Museum for Diversity, devoted to the 500-year-long history of immigration to Holland and the cultural mix it brought along. "No other museum like mine exists," confirms Reza Atlaschi, the creator of the Museum for Immigration and Diversity. "I call it Museum Without Walls, which also goes well with its main theme 'immigration, which in effect overcomes any wall," Atlaschi says. more
October 1, 2007
THE RAMADAN FESTIVAL
The Dutch foundation ‘Tie that unites us’ organizes the Dutch Ramadan Festival. Since last Thursday special Ramadan festivities take place in various Dutch cities. Different activities are organized. Like large Iftar meals; free of charge and for every Dutch citizen. One of the most personal Ramadan Festival activities is a meal after sundown with an ordinary Muslim family. One of the slogans: ‘Wilders is already history’. more
September 20, 2007
NUMBER OF PADDO INCIDENTS IS INCREASING
Fresh magic mushrooms can be legally cultivated in fully legal paddo farms, and sold in The Netherlands in special smart shops. Lately many incidents occur where especially tourists get sick, go crazy or even commit suicide. The Amsterdam mayor Job Cohen suggested to build in a three day reflection phase between purchase and use. The Dutch association of smart shops supports the suggestions, hoping that a total ban on the sales of paddo’s will be prevented. Both the Dutch ministry of Health and the Amsterdam health department started to research if there are health dangers. more
September 20, 2007
EU INTERNET PHARMACIES LEGALLY OPERATE FROM THE NETHERLANDS
Although everybody knows the bombardment of medicine spam e-mails and it is known that most of it is criminal, selling medicines via internet is possible. In The Netherlands there are two major legal and official European players in this branch. A Dutch newspaper did tests to see how other Dutch medicines sites work. Most of these often supply medicines illegitimately. more
September 20, 2007
HALF OF ROTTERDAM COFFEE SHOPS CLOSED
After the new Dutch government finally made their new policy public after the ‘100 days of communication with society’, it comes out that a new coffee shop policy prohibits the sales of soft drugs closer than 250 meters from a school. The Rotterdam city hall stated that at least half of the coffee shops in the harbour city will be closed. 27 of the 62 coffee shops will have to close. Besides the dismantling of the Amsterdam Red Light district, it seems the Dutch also want to limit one of their most popular touristic attractions, the free sales and use of soft drugs. more
September 20, 2007
PROFESSORS BRING GENE FACTORY TO STOCK EXCHANGE
Nine years ago a few Dutch scientists erected the company Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics (AMT). Besides the largest hospital in Europe, the Amsterdam Medical centre, a special gene factory was build. A few days ago the AMT went to the stock exchange to pick up 46 million euro investment money. The money will be used for growth in the development of gene technology: the promised land of the bio tech industry. more
September 20, 2007
ILLEGAL GEN TECH FOOD ENTERS EU AND ENDS UP IN FOOD
Over the last weeks Greenpeace has taken samples from corn loads in the harbour of Rotterdam, to check if the corn pellets and corn flour aboard has been genetically manipulated. It turned out that the flour of one of the ships contained 1,9% of genetically manipulated corn, and the pellets were even 100% manipulated. Greenpeace is very worried. more
May 15, 2007
OLD CONSTITUTION, NEW WRAPPING
The European constitution is actually far from dead. Although the constitution was rejected in a referendum by 61,6%, the alternative constitution that is now incubated by the Dutch government is actually quite the same. Members of the opposition and constitution critics are afraid that they will be fooled by the present Dutch government. One of the Dutch drafters of the first constitution agrees totally: ‘the Dutch State Secretary is scraping the paint of the wall, but the wall itself will stay.’ more
May 15, 2007
SECRET INTOXICATION BY GHB
Last month a drug addicts care organisation raised the alarm about the intoxication of people in bars and discotheques. Most of the time it is the drug GHB, once used as an anaesthetic, that is secretly put in drinks to numb and rape women. That’s why the drug is also called the ‘rape-drug’. The drug throws away one's inhibitions and enforced the urge to have sex. The dosage requires precision. Especially in combination with alcohol the drug can be very lethal. more
May 15, 2007
MALADJUSTED MIGRANT YOUNGSTERS
The problems caused by maladjusted migrant youngsters are in the Dutch news again. More and more migrant youngsters do very well in Dutch society, but the problems with the ones that do not manage to join the system, are getting worse. In some area´s gangs, often even armed, run the show. It seems that a part of the disillusioned youngsters only sees a future in a criminal career. A street worker: ‘This is not their problem, this is a political drama.´ more
May 15, 2007
POSSIBLE FIRST EU-VISIT HAMAS LEADER HANIYEH
The Palestinian prime minister and leader of Hamas, Haniyeh might visit The Netherlands next month. He is the main guest on the fifth Palestinian-European Conference in the 5th of May in Rotterdam. Since the Palestinian organisation Hamas is mentioned on the European list of terrorist organisations, the EU refuses any contact with Hamas officials. The Minister of Foreign Affairs stated yesterday that he wants to prevent Haniyeh from coming to The Netherlands. The main discussion point on the conference is the fate of Palestinian refugees. more
April 17, 2007
KIDS RICH FAMILIES ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE
These days the children of very wealthy Dutch entrepreneurs want to do sustainable investments and business. The Green Visa card, a project of one the grand sons of the Philips family, takes care that those payments that involve CO2 emissions are compensated by the planting of new trees worldwide. They are also developing the Pharox-lamp that will be eight times more efficient than an ordinary low-energy light bulb. A grand child of the Brenninkmeijer family, owners of the C&A chain, invested over three billion euros in wind- and solar cell energy. more
April 17, 2007
LIVING IN OFFICES
At the moment a record number of buildings in The Netherlands are unoccupied. Since many years the Dutch authorities try to stimulate the transformation of empty office buildings into apartments. Although the projects starts up a bit slow, because investors fear the makeover formula, there is too much empty office space to ignore it. The Dutch will have to embrace these kinds of solutions, since there simply is not enough room left for new housing locations. more
April 17, 2007
THE BIO FUEL OF THE FUTURE
It seems that the system finally acknowledges that something needs to be done against the human tradition of polluting the globe. The Dutch are very successful with developing new techniques to produce new profitable types of bio fuel. New developed types of yeast are so strong that they can produce alcohol for bio fuel from new kinds of plants. Also a new type of fuel called ‘syngas’, made from coal, turns out to be very profitable and far less polluting. Will the Dutch find the recipe for the bio fuel of the future? more
March 16, 2007
POSSIBLE COVERUP DUTCH TORTURE AND SUPPORT FOR IRAQ WAR
The Dutch Lower House is criticising the way the Dutch Minister of Defence Kamp is defending the soldiers that are suspected of ‘violent’ interrogations of Iraqi’s in the South of Iraq in 2003. Dutch lobby organisations also question the politicians forming the new government about the reasons why it was decided not to do research after the way the Dutch supported the war in Iraq. To them it all seem to be attempts to cover up the misbehaviour of the Dutch military and politicians. more
February 20, 2007
FIRST PROCESS INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague decided that there are enough reasons to suspect the Congolese politician Thomas Lubanga of recruiting and deploying child soldiers in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The lawyer of Lubanga is very disappointed about the decision, since he is convinced that his client is innocent. When an appeal will not be granted, the first IIC process will start in the near future. more
February 20, 2007
CLOSURE BROTHELS RED LIGHT DISTRICT POSTPONED
After the Amsterdam municipality decided to stop the licences of one third of the sex companies in the red light district because they do not seem bona fide, the accused sex companies easily won the lawsuit they started against the city hall last month. The windows are still open, but some fear Amsterdam is making a mistake that will "ruin" the city's booming tourist industry. The deputy mayor: ‘If we legalise prostitution then we have an obligation to fight money-laundering and the trafficking of women. If we don't protect the women then it's not really tolerance, but indifference.’ more
February 5, 2007
FOUNDER TEFAF ART FAIR DECEASED
Rob Noortman, one of the world’s leading art dealers and a co-founder of the world’s leading Tefaf Maastricht fine art fair, died at his home in Borgloon, Belgium on January 14th aged 60. For decades, Rob Noortman counted as one of the most important dealers in Dutch and Flemish Old Master paintings and French Impressionist pictures. Every March, from the 9th to the 18th, the Tefaf art fair Maastricht takes place in one of the oldest towns in the Netherlands. more
February 5, 2007
SEX COMPANIES AMSTERDAM RED LIGHT DISTRICT SHUT DOWN
Amsterdam decided to close most of the prostitute windows in the red light district of the capital of The Netherlands. In a press release the Amsterdam mayor states that the closure of the first 37 prostitution companies is only the beginning. The complete Amsterdam prostitution branch will be investigated at the end of this year. One of the entrepreneurs, ‘(…) we are still in the long-lasting phase of screwing, or being screwed.’ more
January 15, 2007
SUPER CRIMINAL HOLLEEDER FINALLY WANTS TO TALK
Since a few days it turns out that Dutch super criminal Willem Holleeder, who became world famous after he kidnapped beer magnate Freddy Heineken, decided he will finally talk during his trial. Holleeder was arrested a year ago on suspicion of extortion and organising liquidations. Holleeder gave a secret interview to one of the Dutch criminal investigation programs. During the process he will probably talk about Willem Endstra, since the late real estate trader who was liquidated in 2003, blamed Holleeder for all the murders in the Dutch criminal scene. more
January 15, 2007
SEA BIRDS HEAVILY MUTILATED BY SLUDGE FROM TANKER
Since last week dead sea birds drift ashore on the beaches in the North of The Netherlands. It turns out that the birds were covered by a poisonous cleaning product used to clean holds of tankers. It seems this tanker was used to transport vegetable oil, probably sunflower oil. The Dutch national institute for water management will research the toxic ‘sludge’ and the justice department will research the options for criminal prosecution. more
January 15, 2007
ROTTERDAM EMPLOYS TARIQ RAMADAN TO BRDIGE THE GAP
To bridge the gap with the Islam community, the Rotterdam municipality asked the Islam Egyptian-Swiss philosopher Tariq Ramadan for help, and made him ‘guest’- professor at the Erasmus University. In France he is seen as someone who appears to been very liberal, but in fact supports fundamentalist idea’s. But during a series of public debates on Islam in 2005, Ramadan made a very good impression. The Rotterdam municipality was very charmed by Ramadan’s idea’s about a Euro Islam. more
January 15, 2007
COW HUGGING NEW STRESS THERAPY
The newest Dutch trend to fight stress is workshops in Cow Hugging. In the winter the cow hugging takes place in the stable, but in summer the best place for it is outside in the grass. The ‘cow hugging instructor’: ‘It is important to know that the land is from the cows, so behave as a guest. The first step is switching of the ego and to let the cow make contact out of free will.’ more
January 15, 2007
|
|
|
|
NETHERLANDS SHOULD FACE TRIAL OVER SREBRENICA
A Dutch court ruled last week that the United Nations and the Netherlands should face trial for the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, Bosnian lawyer Semir Guzin confirmed in Sarajevo. Guzin told local Bosnian media that the county court based in The Hague had set a legal precedent, dismissing UN legal immunity in the case in which more than 6,000 survivors of the massacre sued the world organisation and the Dutch government for failing to protect them. more
December 5, 2007
NINE ARRESTED FOR ILLEGAL FIREWORKS
Police in Haarlem and other cities have arrested at least nine suspects for trading in illegal fireworks. More than 1,750 kg of fireworks was confiscated. The Dutch let off an enormous amount of fireworks at New Year’s. Some kinds of fireworks are not allowed to be used by private people, but often these kinds of illegal fireworks are legally sold in Belgium and smuggled into The Netherlands. It is estimated that the Dutch have spent around 90 million last New Year's Eve. 'Nowhere new year's is that explosive!' more
December 5, 2007
THE AGE OF PETROLEUM DRAWS TO A CLOSE
If oil is the planet's drug, then cold turkey time is coming up way faster than we think. The moment of 'peak oil' - the moment when the maximum global petroleum production has been reached - could be just a few years away according to some estimates. Yet by 2030 the world is projected to need nearly double the quantity we are using now. more
December 5, 2007
TOP YEAR FOR BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS EXPECTED
The Dutch Central Bureau for Food Trade (CBL) expects record turnover of EUR 350 million in biological products for this year. Especially the sales in supermarkets increased during the first half of 2007. These same supermarkets are going to make biological products more attractive in future by lowering prices. The CBL announced this yesterday at the presentation of the book Visie op biologisch (Outlook on biological products) to Parliament. more
December 5, 2007
ANNE FRANK'S TREE TO BE AXED THIS WEEK
Anne Frank's chestnut tree is to be cut down this week - it had been granted a reprieve until January but it has been decided that it has to go a lot sooner. It has now become so diseased that it is likely to topple over damaging the surrounding houses. The tree was lovingly described by Anne Frank in the diary that she kept whilst hiding from the Nazi German occupation in World War II. In a last attempt, a pressure group of opposed neighbours will go to court to fight the decision. more
November 19, 2007
RECORD NUMBER OF JOB OPENINGS
The number of job openings has reached an all-time high. At the end of September there were 236,000 vacancies. Unemployment is declining steadily meanwhile. The number of unemployed fell by 5,000 a month on average over the past half year. more
November 19, 2007
"DUTCH TO REMAIN IN URUZGAN"
The Dutch troops will remain in Uruzgan until the Afghan army is capable of operating independently. Defense Minister Eimert van Middelkoop has said this in a talk with his Afghan counterpart Abdul Rahim Wardak. The Afghan Ministry of Defense announced this in Kabul on Wednesday. A spokesperson for Van Middelkoop says the report is "absolute nonsense." The Dutch minister only reiterated to the Afghans that the Netherlands is considering a possible extension of its mission to the southern province. A decision will be made soon. more
November 19, 2007
MOROCCAN FATHERS IN ACTION
A group of about 10 Moroccan fathers in the city district of Bos en Lommer in Amsterdam-West are going to offer parenting courses to other parents. A spokesperson for the city district announced this on Wednesday. Bos en Lommer is going to help the men in their efforts. The fathers sought contact with the local government after the recent unrest in Amsterdam-West. more
November 19, 2007
TEENS CHOOSE ABORTION MORE OFTEN
Pregnant teens are opting to have abortions more often than in the past. This has emerged from figures published by the Rutger Nisso Group on Thursday. The total number of abortions performed in the Netherlands in 2006 was 32,992. This amounts to 8.6 cases per 1,000 women aged 15 to 45. The number has remained virtually stable since 1992, the group reports. more
November 19, 2007
YAB YUM SEX CLUB MUST SHUT ITS DOORS
Famous sex club Yab Yum on the Singel in the centre of Amsterdam is going to have to shut its doors. The municipality informed the management of the establishment on Friday that its license is being revoked. more
November 19, 2007
DEMONSTRATION AGAINST BAN ON PADDOS
Last Saturday a few hundred people demonstrated against the future Dutch ban on the sales of magic mushrooms on the Dam Square in Amsterdam. The protest was organized by the action group ‘Save the Paddo’. Poet Simon Vinkenoog, writer Hans Plomp and paddo expert Adelaars made a speech. Via a special website around thirty thousand people have sent an e-mail to the Dutch Cabinet and the Lower House. In the e-mail the campaigners ask not to ban the hallucinating paddo. more
October 29, 2007
NETHERLANDS SLOW TO BAN SMOKING
Dutch smokers are feeling put upon. A new law is due to come into effect next summer which will drastically restrict smoking in restaurants and bars. An estimated 30 percent of Dutch adults still smoke, and they're none too happy with the latest developments. more
October 29, 2007
BUILDING FRAUD WHISTLEBLOWER 'NO REGRETS'
Ad Bos - the man who blew the whistle on widespread corruption and price-fixing in the construction sector in 2001 - has lost everything and now lives in a camper van, the Volkskrant reports on Friday. The van is parked not far from his old villa, complete with underground garage, which was sold to pay his legal fees. 'I am not bitter. I would do it again... I am not sorry,' Bos tells the paper. more
October 29, 2007
MOROCCAN ORGANISATIONS URGE FOR CALM
Moroccan organisations in Amsterdam urged for peace and quiet on Thursday. The organisations regret the disturbances that broke out in the Amsterdam district Slotervaart after the death of Bilal B., but feel that it is worrisome that after the incidents the call for repression and tougher measures has become louder and louder. more
October 29, 2007
DUTCH DJ VOTED BEST IN THE WORLD
Dutch DJ Armin van Buuren has been voted best DJ in the world by the UK-based DJ Magazine, which carried out a poll amongst hundreds of thousands of clubbersThe annual award is the international prize for DJ's, as it's based on public votes. Van Buuren says he still cannot believe it: 'I was chosen by the clubbers, and not by a jury. That means I won this award because almost 350,000 people voted for me.' more
October 29, 2007
DUTCH WANT JOINT KM CHARGE FOR BENELUX
Camiel Eurlings, the Dutch minister of transport, should talk to his counterparts in Belgium and Luxembourg about a collective approach to road pricing in the Benelux. The Dutch fear that the different plans of the Netherlands and Belgium could have serious consequences for the competitive position of both countries. more
October 17, 2007
THE BIG BROTHER RESTAURANT
Diners at the 'restaurant of the future' at the Dutch university of Wageningen have their eating habits scrutinised by researchers who are watching via hidden cameras. Does service with a scowl put you off at lunch? Will you eat more greens if you are surrounded by plants? Does romantic, pink lighting encourage you to linger over your fruit salad? more
October 17, 2007
GETTING INTIMATE WITH ROBOTS
Tired of your current wife, husband, or partner? Someday soon you may be able to end all these messy human relationships and take up with a robot. David Levy is an international chess master. He's also a PhD candidate at the University of Maastricht here in the Netherlands. His dissertation argues that, in the not-too-distant future, robotics will reach a level of sophistication that will allow real, intimate relationships between people and machines. more
October 17, 2007
INTEGRATION DEBATE ON EDGE
The Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR) has put the discussion on the topic of integration and the council's own position on edge with its report identification with the Netherlands, the Volkskrant reports. Princess Maxima expressed her support for the WRR in her speech at the presentation of the report. more
October 1, 2007
RADIO NETHERLANDS BROADCASTS TO MYANMAR
Radio Netherlands Worldwide is broadcasting all its English-language broadcasts via short wave to Myanmar. The Dutch international service has started the short wave broadcasts in response to the Burmese junta shutting down the Internet. Radio Netherlands' editor-in-chief says it will not be easy for the regime to block short wave broadcasts. more
October 1, 2007
EAST EUROPEAN WORKERS SETTLING IN THE NETHERLANDS
East Europeans who come to work in the Netherlands are increasingly deciding to stay here permanently. That's a clear break from the trend of recent years when workers from Poland, Bulgaria and Romania came to the Netherlands mostly for temporary work. At this moment, some 70,000 people from those three countries are registered with Dutch local authorities, according to the newspaper de Volkskrant on the basis of figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics in The Hague.more
October 1, 2007
ADOPTION IS LEGALISED TRAFFIC IN CHILDREN
Roeli Post, a Dutch European civil servant, pleas for a total ban on international adoption, after she handled the dossier of Romanian adoption children from 1999 till 2005. Post wrote a book about her experiences called, ‘Romania, for export only’. She says that adoption provokes criminality and that the same techniques are used worldwide to satisfy the huge demand. more
September 20, 2007
CHOCOLAD’AMOUR, FESTIVAL OF SWEET SIN
In its constant exploration of new fields of interest, the Kunsthal Rotterdam will be organising a new event on Saturday, 22 and Sunday, 23 September 2007: Chocola d’Amour, Festival of Sweet Sin. Based on the success of the two-yearly Festival of Real Taste, Kunsthal cooking, the Kunsthal again presents a culinary cultural event, this time completely dedicated to chocolate. more
September 20, 2007
EXPENSIVE OIL IS BLESSING FOR ENVIRONMENT
Sir Richard Branson made his fortune in aviation, invested in railway companies and even came up with an intergalactic space travel agency. Since a while he is profiling himself as ‘green’, following contemporaries like Al Gore and Bill Clinton. At the end of September Branson will give out half a million euro in Amsterdam for the best idea to save energy. The price is part of the ´Picnic Green Challenge', a Dutch initiative that looks for new green products and initiatives. Branson is member of the jury. more
September 20, 2007
LAW OBLIGES 250.000 MIGRANTS TO BE NATURALISED
Because of a new Dutch naturalisation law implemented in the 1 of January 2007, around 250 thousand migrants that often already live in The Netherlands for years, have to do a naturalisation course and exams. The costs for the course and the exams have to be partly paid by the migrants themselves. If the exams are not passed, fines will be imposed. more
September 20, 2007
THE WAVE SIMULATOR
The Dutch sea dykes are a lot more solid than expected. Lately the Dutch Ministry of Traffic and Water is doing tests. The first test that was carried out in the North of the country, was the first worldwide where waves that jump over a dyke where tested in a realistic environment. A professor from the technical university in Delft always stated that to him the Dutch dykes are a lot weaker than anticipated. To him the test dyke might have been the wrong example. more
September 20, 2007
NETHERLANDS SPRING BOARD ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS
It seems that it got quieter in the centre for laboratory animals in The Netherlands. But a report from the Dutch secret service states that for animal right activists The Netherlands is the springboard for Europe, especially since English animal right activists have a hard time caused by several injunctions. The Dutch changed their approach to the use of laboratory animals. Concerning laboratory animal’s policy they take the position of model country now. more
September 20, 2007
DUTCH POULTRY BRANCH WILL NOT SURVIVE POSSIBLE NEW EU RULES
Farming ministers have agreed new rules to improve the welfare of chickens across Europe.
If the new EU plans for chicken breeding are implemented in 2010, the Dutch poultry branch will suffer severely. A spokesman states: 'around 90% of the branch will not survive, and then the breeding of chickens will happen in countries where there are no rules whatsoever.' more
May 15, 2007
WATER AND REAL ESTATE
Earlier this year a special congress was organised in The Netherlands with the theme ‘water and real estate’. A variety of specialists gave their views on what the Dutch real estate branch can expect in matter of climate change. Specialists say that over the last years the percentage of weak Dutch dykes only increased. They criticise the Dutch authorities for still not having a long term policy, while at the same time the Dutch building industry and architects are developing new concepts to be able to live with the water. Even in the hip Dubai floating islands and towers are designed by Dutch architects. more
May 15, 2007
A FOOTBALL CLUB WITH A MISSION
After the Dutch football club FC Twente, based in the East of the country, has launched its new policy, a small revolution took place. Now English clubs come to FC Twente to learn more about the ´Scoring in the Neighbourhood´ project. The European Union praises FC Twente setting a good example by adopting two underprivileged areas. more
May 15, 2007
DUTCH HYPER EXPENSIVE CARGO RAILWAY LINE TO GERMANY OPENED
The ‘Betuwe Line’, the new cargo railway line from Rotterdam to Germany, will be opened on the 16th of June 2007. It seems that companies become interested now. Transporters have requested to use the new track from mid-June. Around ten years ago Dutch politics decided to build the line to bring back the huge amount of truck driving from Rotterdam into Europe. It is the question if the formula will work, and if the public will accept the extremely high costs for the reduction of pollution. more
May 15, 2007
POLICE DATES PROSTITUTES
Since a few years a special Dutch prostitution police team looks for advertisements of escort services on internet and in newspapers. Once a month they make dates with escort women and –men in hotel rooms, at home or in especially prepared “police” apartments. The lid is blown off, in three-quarters of the cases the police finds women without residence papers, minors or people that do not have the right papers. After the success of the Prostitution Control Team, also other police districts are very successfully adopting the method. more
April 17, 2007
SOFT DRUGS TOURISM
Maastricht is best known for the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, signed in 1992. But because it sits at a crossroads of two major highways, coming from Belgium and Germany, it has also become a key stopping point for Belgians, Germans and French who enjoy Holland's lax laws on soft drugs. The city has proposed a plan to move the legal cannabis cafes to a stretch of road close to the Belgian border, much to the dismay of the city's Belgian neighbours. more
May 15, 2007
THE DIFFICULT FIGHT AGAINST THE HELLS ANGELS
After the notorious criminal Willem H. ended up in hospital for a heart operation postponing his trial for many weeks, the Dutch Public Prosecutor suffered a serious defeat in the second civil Hells Angels trial. Although the Hells Angels in Amsterdam were happy with the outcome of the trial, there should not be too much reason for festivities. Against the Amsterdam Hells Angels and some of its individual members a criminal trial is still pending. more
April 17, 2007
4 YEARS IMPRSIONMENT FOR SUSPECT SEDUCED BY DEA
The Dutch Public Prosecutor demanded four year's imprisonment of Wilson A., suspected of the smuggling of 10 thousand XTC pills and planning to export of half a million XTC-pills to United States. Last month it came out that the American Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seduced the suspect to carry out criminal activities on Dutch soil. more
April 17, 2007
'PORN AND GOING OUT' ABSOLUTELY NORMAL FOR YOUNGSTERS
The majority of the Dutch Lower House wants to impose restraints on parties where youngsters can see porn openly and where it is possible to make love publicly. Last weekend an ‘Urban & Porn’ party was organised in Amsterdam with pole dancers, porn on video screens and at the end live sex on the podium. One of the visiting girls: we live in 2007, you know. Everybody thinks about it, everybody does it, so why not on a party like this?’ more
April 17, 2007
MAKING ENERGY FROM SHIT
A Dutch development organisation received the energy Globe Award in Brussels last week. Since 2003 the organisation provided containers that convert manure into energy to 25 thousand families in Vietnam. The managing director of the development organisation proudly stated ‘we make energy from shit’. The organisation wants to expand the biogas program to countries like Cambodia, Bangladesh, and also African countries like Senegal, Ethiopia and Rwanda. more
April 17, 2007
SEGREGATION ON DUTCH SCHOOLS
A Dutch research institute for Multi cultural development, concludes that the Dutch schools get more segregated. While practically all parties agree that a cultural mix is better for pupils and schools, there is no improvement at all. Many parents still think that only a ‘white’ school is good enough, on the other hands some Dutch cities do not see the so-called ‘black’ schools as a problem. The past year there were around forty initiatives of parents that decided to send their child to a ‘black’ school to make the school population whiter, and to let their kids be educated in a true multicultural atmosphere. more
March 16, 2007
MAJORITY AGAINST SMOKING BAN COFFEE SHOPS
Last Wednesday a majority of the Dutch Lower House made clear that the Dutch Minister of Health has to make an exception for coffee shops, in his fight for a total ban on smoking. According to some members of parliament the Minister of Health tries to secretly push through the closure of all coffee shops. That would mean the end to the famous liberal soft drugs policy of The Netherlands. more
March 16, 2007
FRONT RUNNING DUTCH ECONOMY CAUSES RECRUITMENT PROBLEMS
While the Dutch economy was one of the last comers in Europe over the last years, it suddenly became the front runner with a growth of 2,9% in 2006. The growth and profits stimulate the labour market, with a record breaking 219 thousand jobs last September. But unorthodox recruitment is very necessary because the labour shortage is increasing seriously. more
February 20, 2007
'MAFIA LAWYER' STOPS DEFENDING HOLLEEDER
Yesterday Bram Moszkowicz, the lawyer of one of the most notorious Dutch criminals Willem Holleeder, gave a press conference stating that he has to stop defending the Dutch top-criminal. According to Moszkowicz his resignation is caused by a conspiracy of the justice department, the media and the heirs of the liquidated late real estate trader Willem Endstra. He doubts that Willem Holleeder will get an honest trial. Moszkowicz will hand over the case to a colleague, which means that the process will probably start on the 2nd of April. more
February 20, 2007
RECORD NUMBER DUTCH EMMIGRANTS
According the Dutch bureau of statistics a record number of Dutch citizens has immigrated in 2006. Already since 2003 more emigrants leave The Netherlands than immigrants enter the country. A unique situation in Europe: a negative migration balance which restraints the population growth. In the fifties of the last century many Dutch emmigrated to Canada, Australia and South Africa forced by the effects of overpopulation and unemployment. more
February 20, 2007
DUTCH HAVE TO RECONSIDER STRATEGIES TO FIGHT WATER
‘We cannot run away anymore, and quick action is absolutely necessary.' This is the first reaction of the Dutch Minister of environment on the publication of the climate report of the United Nations last week in Paris. He emphasised the necessity for the Europe Union to lead the member states in the reduction of the emission of greenhouse gasses. Slowly but surely it becomes clear that the Dutch will have to do much more to protect two thirds of the country that is below sea level. more
February 5, 2007
DUTCH TALLEST IN THE WORLD
According to a recent study the Dutch are now the tallest in the world. While in earlier days the Americans where the tallest, now also the Norwegians, Danish and Germans have overtaken them. For specialists it is not easy to find the reasons for these changes. There are different explanations where especially good health care, high quality and balanced nourishment and the level of well-being play a role. more
February 5, 2007
CANNABIS PHARMACY
Two weeks ago the first cannabis pharmacy in the world was opened in The Netherlands. At the pharmacy cheap, legally cultivated medicinal cannabis can be ordered or bought. Since 2003 chronically sick people can get medicinal cannabis legally in The Netherlands as long as they got a prescription from their general practitioner. The ‘medi-weed’ is produced by a Dutch company, under the supervision of the Dutch Ministry of health. more
February 5, 2007
THE SHARED SPACE CONCEPT
Thanks to a new concept called ‘Shared Space’, tested in a small town in The Netherlands, most of the traffic signs and -lights disappeared and the number of accidents decreased seriously. The philosophy is simple: in a street where cars and pedestrians are equal, and where the rules and boundaries are not distinct, people pay attention to each other. A specialist: 'This is social space, so when Grandma is coming, you stop, because that's what normal human beings do'. It seems that the concept is also implementable in other sectors of society. more
February 5, 2007
HARSH CONDEMNATION DUTCH EXPULSION POLICY ASYLUM SEEKERS
The European court for the human rights gave a verdict last week that will probably have large consequences for the future expulsion of undesirable aliens from The Netherlands. The court stated that the Dutch state is violating the European ban on torture with plan to deport a refugee from Somalia to his mother country. An immigration law professor, ‘Already for years lawyers, human rights- and refugee organisations have been underlining the terrible effects of the severe Dutch asylum seekers policy, but these calls where never answered. Now it is the European court that has to show the Dutch that refugees have human rights.’ more
January 15, 2007
FEATURES 2009If you click on these links you will get to the proposals that were published on Featurez.com in 2009. more
FEATURES 2008If you click on these links you will get to the proposals that were published on Featurez.com in 2008. more
FEATURES 2005-2006If you click on these links you will get to the proposals that were published on Featurez.com in 2005 and 2006! more
FEATURES 2003-2004If you click on these links you will get to the proposals that were published on Featurez.com in 2003 and 2004! more
BACK TO INDEX PAGE
If you click on these links you will go
back to the Featurez 'Index' story page! more |
|
|
|
FRONT AGAINST WILDERS ON THE RISE
The "reasonable people" of the Netherlands are starting a movement against the standpoints of Geert Wilders, the Volkskrant reports. Also the refugee Council of the Netherlands supports the call from Doekle Terpstra, former trade union leader and chairman of the HBO Council for universities of applied science. Terpstra said in Trouw last week that he was annoyed at Wilders' actions and his statements about Islam as a fascist religion. He talks about the 'Wilderisation of society' and 'Wilders' evil message.' more
December 5, 2007
DUTCH PARLIAMENT WANTS BAN ON VIOLENT GAMES
Parliament wants a ban on extremely violent computer games like Manhunt 2. A majority in Parliament has asked Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin to tighten up legislation in this area. The minister said last summer that he was unable to ban Manhunt 2 on the basis of existing legislation. more
December 5, 2007
RETURN TO SENDER
Dutch actress and television presenter Katja Schuurman is using her wattage for a good cause. As she travelled around the world during the course of her successful television career she was moved by the poverty and inequality she saw in the developing world to do something concrete to try to help. more
December 5, 2007
ECSTASY AND THE NETHERLANDS
In the 1990s the Netherlands had the image of being for ecstasy what Colombia was for cocaine - a kind of 'narco state'. Today, ten years later, the country is being praised for the way it deals with synthetic drugs. The Netherlands has lost its reputation as an important player in the worldwide production of drugs. more
December 5, 2007
DUTCH CITIZEN PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO TERRORISM CHARGES
A Dutch national born in Iraq pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges in federal court in January, marking the start of the first U.S. criminal prosecution of an alleged Iraqi insurgent. Wesam al-Delaema, 33, was born in Fallujah, traveled to Iraq in October 2003 and was shown making and discussing explosives on a videotape that was seized from his house in the Dutch city of Amersfoort in May 2005, authorities said. Early next year the trial will proceed. more November 19, 2007
PROSECUTION WANTS 12 YEARS FOR HOLLEEDER
The public prosecution department demanded a sentence of 12 years for Willem Holleeder on Monday for blackmailing three businessmen. The most important file in the case is that of real estate magnate Willem Endstra, who was murdered in May 2004. more
November 19, 2007
US OFFICIALS IMPRESSED BY DUTCH HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
American policy makers are interested in the Dutch health care system. The combination of competition, universal health care coverage and relatively high quality impressed a delegation from the United States, visiting the Netherlands last week. more
November 19, 2007
PROFIT AND HUMAN RIGHTS, A PERFECT MARRIAGE?
Human rights are to take centre stage in Dutch foreign policy, according to Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen. But while Verhagen was presenting his first major policy strategy as minister, Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende was in Moscow to sign a trade agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a man not known for his respect for human rights. This coincidence underlines the limitations of minister Verhagen's new policy. Whenever trade interests are at stake, human rights will take a back seat. more
November 19, 2007
STEVAERT URGES FOR UNIFIED LIMBURG PROVINCE
Limburg's provincial governor Steve Stevaert wants the Belgian and Dutch provinces of Limburg to be able to profile themselves as a single province in the European context. Instead of making a distinction between "Belgian" and "Dutch" Limburg, the distinction should be between "West" and "East" Limburg, respectively. more
November 19, 2007
MASTER FORGER TURNS ART DEALER
Geert Jan Jansen is a Dutch painter… but he's not your average
painter. He's a former art forger. It all started when he was much younger and running a rather unsuccessful gallery. He decided to sign posters of lithographs and sell them as originals… and it worked. Before long he was forging works that even the artists acknowledged as their original work. After writing a book about his forgery he now opened a gallery in the middle of Amsterdam's art district. more
November 19, 2007
‘NEW REMBRANDT’ DISCOVERED
A painting valued in the vicinity of 1,000 euros has been sold for thee million. The piece, now thought to be a Rembrandt self-portrait, had hung on the walls of the owner’s house for years. The previous owner had told him that it had been checked by experts and was not a work of the renown Dutch master. Rembrandt expert Jan Six describes the discovery as ‘amazing’. more
October 29, 2007
US ASK DUTCH TO TAKE GUANTANAMO SUSPECTS
The US foreign affairs department has asked the Netherlands to take over a number of prisoners from its Guantanamo Bay camp on the island of Cuba, the Parool reports on Friday. The paper says the request was made to Dutch MPs who are on a fact-finding mission at the highly controversial camp. more
October 29, 2007
ONE IN 20 DUTCH IS
MUSLIM
About 5 percent of the Dutch population is Muslim, according to new figures for 2006 from Statistics Netherlands (CBS). That comes to about 850,000 people. more
October 29, 2007
FASCINATED BY STUPIDITY
Matthijs van Boxsel's life changed when, in 1980, he read Robert Musil's essay "On Stupidity" and then went on to discover that many other great minds, theologians and logicians had studied the subject of stupidity. His next biggest surprise was to discover that stupidity is not the opposite of intelligence, but an independent quality of its own, the driving force behind civilization, in fact. more
October 29, 2007
DUTCH OFFICIALS AIM TO TAME BROTHEL DISTRICT
Along with its cobbled streets and charming canals, this Dutch city has long been famous for another attraction: a thriving red-light district with lingerie-clad women on display in shopfront windows. But Amsterdam's relaxed attitude towards sex and drugs is under siege. more
October 17, 2007
TOO MANY TOXINS IN EU FRUIT
Banned toxins were found in Belgian strawberries and some grapes contained four times the permitted level of agricultural chemicals. Wouter van Eck of Friends of the Earth Netherlands is concerned by the extent of the chemicals found. "We bought a couple of kinds of fruit and they contained 28 different kinds of toxins. Legal maximums were exceeded and there were also substances that are now banned and shouldn't be in our food." The fruit was bought from a supermarket in the European Parliament building. more
October 17, 2007
DUTCH TO AID "FRAGILE STATES"
Dutch Minister of Development Cooperation Bert Koenders presented his development aid policy in the Hague on Tuesday afternoon. The Dutch development budget has been set at just under one percent of the country's GDP for years. But how that money is spent changes with each new government. The biggest change in Dutch development aid under Minister Koenders is that more aid will go to countries that are just emerging from conflict, where governments are not yet stable. more
October 17, 2007
DECISION EXTENSION DUTCH MISSION AFGHANISTAN THIS MONTH
The Netherlands will send 80 additional troops to support its own NATO force in Afghanistan on a temporary basis, the vice premier said Friday, raising the total Dutch presence to 1,745. Bos said the increase should not be seen as a signal that the Dutch will extend their mission in Afghanistan past its scheduled end next summer — a decision the government is due to make this month. more
October 1, 2007
PORN STAR CAMPAIGNS AGAINST ANIMAL PORN
Last Friday The Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant focused on porn star Charisma Gold and her campaign against bestiality and animal porn, which she says has led to her receiving death threats. Gold, photographed in her S&M cellar with a wall full of whips, says the Netherlands is the world leading producer of animal porn for the simple reason that it is not illegal. more
October 1, 2007
NETHERLANDS LETS NATURE RUN WILD
An epic landscape experiment is underway in the Netherlands. Its aim is to make Holland, the most developed of all European countries, wild again. Its method is to establish a vast network of natural habitats and wildlife corridors. Frans Vera, one of the ecologists driving the project, imagines it as a 'green circulation system' that will allow the freer movement of non-human species around north west Europe. Plans for the project show a mesh of green arteries, veins and capillaries, covering much of Holland and infiltrating Germany and Belgium. more
October 1, 2007
WILL THE AMSTERDAM RED LIGHT DISTRICT DISAPPEAR?
Almost 60 of the 450 windows in the famous Amsterdam Red Light District will permanently close. One of the larger sex entrepreneurs gave his okay to a deal with the Amsterdam city hall. For many millions the prostitution houses will be bought by a large Amsterdam housing association. The responsible alderman already announced that the buy-out formula will also be used for other sex companies in the Amsterdam Red Light district. He repeated an old elections promise: ‘Better a touristic attraction less, than guilty of complicity in the abuse of women. more
September 20, 2007
DUTCH GAYS VISIT SCHOOLS TO FIGHT INCREASE HOMOPHOBIA
In 1998 Amsterdam was still the ‘Gay way to Europe’, but not much is left from the freedom and gladness. It seems that it is even unsafe for gays in the public space. A man that wants to stay anonymous: ‘there are only three streets in Amsterdam where you can safely walk hand in hand.’ Although the acceptation of homosexuality was complete after the Dutch made the gay marriage possible, over the last months more and more cases of serious abuse and violation turn op. How the Dutch try to cope with a sudden increase of homophobia. more
September 20, 2007
MAASTRICHT COFFEE SHOPS RELOCATED TO BORDER
After years of preparation, talking and discussing, the mayor of Maastricht Gerd Leers finally managed to make deal with the coffee shop owners to start the radical relocation plan. Eight of the fifteen coffee shops will be moved to locations outside of the city centre. The first coffee shops should move at the end of this year. Since the relocation process will take too much time, the Maastricht mayor decided to first temporarily house the coffee shops in porta-cabins. more
September 20, 2007
HAPPY SHRIMPS
The number of new Dutch idealistic entrepreneurs that want to improve the world is seriously increasing. One of the most striking projects is ‘Happy Shrimps’, the breeding of large exotic shrimps in the Rotterdam harbour using the heat of a power plant. The next step is cultivation of glasswort, using the same aquarium and the excrements of the shrimp as fertilizer and buying a tropical island which will be totally forbidden for humans. more
September 20, 2007
US-ARAB DIALOGUE IN THEATER
The Dutch Theatre play director Adelheid Roosen is invited by the artistic director Susan Feldman of the St. Ann's Warehouse in New York. In October the performances ‘Is.man’ and ‘the Veiled Monologues’ will go on tour in the United States of America. Both plays are based on talks with women and men with an Islamic cultural background about honour, revenge, people that are given to someone in marriage and oppression of women. Feldman: 'We do not yet know the dialogue with the Arabic world'. more
September 20, 2007
FORCED COURSE PULL WOMEN OUT OF ISOLATION
A special Amsterdam project that involves home-sitting women in society turns out to be very successful. The courses cause an increase in knowledge and enforce social networks. The women were selected by the local social security office. When women refused to participate they were shortened on their allowance. The women can follow courses Dutch, cycling, yoga, knitting, painting, child care, finance and how to handle domestic violence. more
September 20, 2007
NEW FACTS PROSTITUTION BRANCH SHOCK POLITICS
Dutch politics is shocked about the status of the Dutch prostitution branch after an article was recently published in a Dutch newspaper. Police states that around three-quarter of the window prostitutes do not work out of free will, but are exploited. While the practice of prostitution was legalised nationally in October 2000, Amsterdam has long had a tolerant attitude towards the sector that has been coupled with clear regulations that have been in force for a while. A specialist: ‘only 1 to 2% of the prostitute works officially and voluntarily.’ more
May 15, 2007
DUTCH SOIL IS SINKING TOO FAST BECAUSE OF GAS EXTRACTION
An ex-employee of the Dutch Natural Gas Company (NAM) states that extractiosn of natural gas causes some of the soil in the North of The Netherlands to sink a lot faster than anticipated. The NAM does not agree with the fact that the risk of the new drilling for gas under the Wadden Sea, a sensitive natural reserve, is a lot higher. Some companies demand that the gas winning in the North Sea will be stopped. Their case is handled by the Dutch Council of State on the 19th of June. The latest figures of the ex-NAM-employee will serve as evidence. more
May 15, 2007
INCREASE DUTCH TRAFFIC JAMS TERRIFYING
Compared with last year, the Dutch so-called ‘traffic jam pressure’ has increased no less than 20% in the first quarter of this year. That makes this quarter the busiest quarter ever. The Dutch traffic information service concludes that the rise in the number of traffic jams is very alarming. Now new policy is introduced, but it is a big question if it will be enough and if it will be in time. The growth of traffic is so extreme that the Dutch will have to expect that they have to stand still a lot more and a lot longer than they already do.
May 15, 2007
GAMING TREATMENT
A Dutch addiction clinic that opened a gaming treatment program earlier this month has been inundated with calls from pleading parents leading the clinic director to exclaim, ´Computer game addiction is obviously an even greater problem than we imagined. Video game addiction is not a chemical dependency, but it's got everything of an obsessive-compulsive disorder and all of the other stuff that comes with chemical dependency. more
May 15, 2007
THE LARGEST DANGER OF PADDOS IS STUPIDITY
After a French girl committed suicide by jumping from a museum in Amsterdam after taking magic mushrooms, a majority of the Dutch Lower House wants a ban on the sales of hallucinogenic mushrooms. The Minister of Health stated that a change of law needs a good basis, so he ordered a special drugs research institute to do research. 'In my opinion you can better prohibit the use of alcohol’, states a Dutch professor in toxicology. When the sales of magic mushrooms would go underground the professor in toxicology expects many more victims, because of the lack of good information. more
April 17, 2007
DIFFICULT INTEGRATION OF MENTAL HANDICAPPED
Already since 1984 the basic assumption of the Dutch handicapped policy, is that handicapped are better off living in a normal neighbourhood. Earlier this month a managing director of a care centre for mental handicapped people made known that he will call back hundred patients to the care complex because for them the policy failed. Another managing director reacted furiously. To him, sticking away mental handicapped in care centres should be officially forbidden. more
April 17, 2007
THE RESTITUTION OF WAR ART IS ONLY STARTING
‘The Dutch can be proud, and can even be called a forerunner in the tackling of the war art issue, (…) but much more work needs to be done’. This is stated by the German historian Monika Tatzkow that wrote ‘Nazi Looted Art, a handbook for worldwide art restitution’. Tatzkow argues that if the research in The Netherlands is not even rounded off, countries like Germany and France are far from ready, ‘and I better keep silent of the situation in countries like Russia and Poland’. more
April 17, 2007
SOLID BASIS FIRST ANIMAL RIGHTS PARTY
After the provincial elections earlier this month, the new Party for the Animals also will win a seat in the Dutch Senate. This means that The Netherlands is the first and only country in the world that has an animal rights party in the Lower House, the Provinces administration and the Senate. The new situation is very inspiring for foreign animal right organisations. more
March 16, 2007
ROCK HARD DUTCH FIGHT AGAINST MODERN SLAVERY
Because of its location and infrastructure the Netherlands is a kind of turn table for a lot of human trafficking. Last year the Dutch Public Prosecutor indicated that it would really make a priority of the fight against trafficking in humans. It implemented a new 'unique' integrated form of cooperation of all involved organisations, and now the new effort is gradually beginning to pay off. The responsible public prosecutor: ‘It is really inadmissible that we have modern slavery in The Netherlands, and that women are exploited and abused. more
March 16, 2007
NEW DUTCH GOVERNMENT INSTALLED
After the coalition agreement of the new Dutch government was completed the future Ministers were presented by the Queen last week. The most striking new ministers are the Dutch-Moroccan Amsterdam alderman Ahmed Aboutaleb as State Secretary of Social Affairs and the outspoken scientist/columnist Ronald Plasterk as the Minister of Education. Critics say the future cabinet will stimulate segregation in labour, housing and social security, and will be remembered as a ‘polder cabinet’ of missed chances.’ more
February 20, 2007
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE DUTCH LANDSCAPE
An increasing number of Dutch are furious about what they call the ‘destruction of the Dutch landscape’. The main philosophy behind the actual environmental planning policy of the last five years is ‘to make optimal use the available space to strengthen the competitiveness of The Netherlands’. According to many this is the reason why there are no hindrances to stop the destruction of the Dutch landscape. And to them this process is taking place in a very fast tempo. A famous landscape architect: ‘I am really panicking.’ more
February 20, 2007
DUTCH CHILDREN HAPPIEST
A Unicef report have rated Dutch children the most fortunate children in Europe. Their parents go out of their way to please them, and teachers expect less of them than some of their European counterparts. This is very probably because the Dutch society is very child-centred. The Netherlands has come top of a league table for child well-being across 21 industrialised countries. more
February 20, 2007
Windmills play(ed) an important role in the Dutch culture, economy and forming of the landscape. The windmills pumped out the water of the new polders (reclaimed land), and the Dutch ‘Golden Age’ would have been very different without the windmill. With 1200 windmills The Netherlands is a true windmill nation. There are also problems. Through a backlog in maintenance and decreasing subsidies there is a large chance that the number of windmills will drop dramatically. An other problem is the difficulty to find new generations of millers. Six hundred years ago the first Dutch polder-windmill was constructed. more
February 5, 2007
WITH EACH BITE A BETTER COUNTRYSIDE
In a time of overproduction, animal diseases and care about health and nature, Dutch farmers discovered that working together in producing and promoting regional, high quality organic products is the future way to go. In some of the agricultural regions the products are produced organically with the preservation of nature and the landscape in mind. According to the cooperating farmers this is good for the animals, the environment, nature, the landscape and for the consumer. The new way of farming is done with heart and soul, so soon the Dutch will have a better countryside with each bite. more
February 5, 2007
FIRST DUTCH HELL'S ANGELS TRIAL
The trial of a chapter of the Hell's Angels in the north of The Netherlands has just opened. It is the first in a series of actions against the motorbike club, which the Dutch Public Prosecutor's Office regards as a criminal organisation. The lawyer for the Hell's Angels chapter denied the club was a criminal organisation and said its members distanced themselves from any form of criminal behaviour. The Dutch public prosecutor wants a ban on all the seven Hells Angels chapters in The Netherlands. more
February 5, 2007
DUTCH ARMS EXPORT BREAKS RECORD
The Dutch arms industry flourishes. In 2005 the Ministry of Economical Affairs gave out export licences for weapon- and military material for 1.2 billion euros. For the first time in history The Netherlands are in the top five of weapon exporting nations. Apart from the large role in the arms trade, the Dutch also play a big role in the transit of arms. The Rotterdam harbour and the Amsterdam airport Schiphol play a key role. more
January 15, 2007
EXPULSION STOP LONG TERM ASYLUM SEEKERS
After the national elections in November last year, the first thing the tiny left wing majority of the new Dutch Lower House did was to force the government to stop the expulsion of long term asylum seekers. Since both the social democrat party PvdA and the smaller Christian party Christen Unie made a large general pardon for long term asylum seekers to the main issue in the campaign, it is practically sure that it will happen. For the long term asylum seeker families life got even more uncertain. It will still take quite some time until they will know who can stay and who can’t. more
January 15, 2007
|
|
