Soldiers Allowed to Buy Additional Equipment

Soldiers who are sent abroad have more freedom to buy additional equipment. A list has been published of what accessories they can buy for themselves. Only a few of these items are paid for by the Ministry, such as certain boots, because the boots normally provided by the army do not dry well. http://www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/ln_binnenland/
article1028728.ece/Vaker_gevaarlijke_
medicijncombinatie_voorgeschreven?backlink=true

Relatively Large Number of Dutchmen in Foreign Jails

At the beginning of 2007, there were 2,194 Dutchmen in jails abroad. This figure is very high in relation to other countries, some of which have much larger populations (Belgium – 453; United Kingdom – 2,500 in 2004; France – 1,800 in 2004; Germany – 1,500 in 2004). Eighty-three percent of these Dutchmen are serving sentences related to drug crime. More than 70% of them had a criminal record in the Netherlands, although only 20% of these were drug-related. The research was carried out by the Institute for Applied Social Sciences on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/ln_binnenland/article1028573.ece/Relatief_veel_Nederlanders_in_buitenlandse_gevangenissen

Three Labor Representatives in Neighborhood Council Leave Party

Three Labor representatives in the neighborhood council of the troubled Amsterdam neighborhood Slotervaart have left the party. They claim that Ahmed Marcouch, the Labor Party head of the council, has an agenda of Islamization, which they oppose, although the party is supporting it.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1036426.ece/PvdA_ers_Slotervaart_weg_uit_fractie?source=rss

Multiple Computer Problems in Government Offices

Earlier this week psychotherapists who provide services to government offices went on strike because, due to computer problems, they had not been paid for six months. This is just another in a long series of major computer problems in government services. Prof. Piet Ribbers, who teaches information studies at Brabant Catholic University, says that there are many reasons for the problems, one being that the authorities often think that computers provide miracle solutions; others are that the computer technicians often do not have competent counterparts in the government offices.
www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article1153484.ece/Overheid_verwacht_en_eist_te_veel_van_haar_computer?service=Print

Wilders: If Necessary, Break Relations with Jordan

In an article in the Volkskrant, Geert Wilders, leader of the Freedom Party, calls King Abdullah II of Jordan an enlightened despot. This was his reaction to a complaint against him in a Jordanian court by 30 Jordanian organizations who claim that he has insulted the Prophet Mohammed. Jordan has also indicated that, if Wilders travels abroad, it may ask for his extradition by Interpol. Wilders has criticized the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs for not coming to his defense by summoning the Jordanian ambassador to tell him that such an action would be an attack on Dutch sovereignty.
http://extra.volkskrant.nl/opinie/artikel/show/id/934/Bevries_desnoods_de_relaties_met_Jordanie

Demonstrators in Curacao Attack White Dutchmen

A political demonstration on the island Curacao in the Dutch Antilles a few days ago led to a manhunt of white Dutchmen. Several Dutchmen were wounded, one ended up in hospital with a skull fracture. Targets were mainly Dutch students working in hotels on the holiday island. They were attacked by tens of locals in a café and they wreaked havoc. “We were abused and called names and had to run” said one of those attacked. Another one spoke of “South-African situations.” The hate started after a political demonstration against the interference of the Dutch government in the islands. The Dutch Antilles have been placed under financial legal authority of the Netherlands. Because of this a small group of islanders decided to attack Dutchmen and shouted “Bugger off to your own country” and “If we cannot go there, than you cannot be here.”
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/1386895/__Nederlanders_gebeten_hond__.html?p=10,1

Dozens of Early Vacationers Caught at Schiphol

Amsterdam parents who took their children out of school a few days prior to the beginning of the school holiday got a big shock at Schiphol airport last week. Compulsory education officials apprehended about eighty families at Schiphol, with a total of 140 children, who were already on their way to their holiday venue. This was reported by the Amsterdam municipality last week. Half of the parents had received permission from the school for the early holiday, the others had not. Forty families said that the reason for leaving early was cheaper air fare. This action by the municipalities of Amsterdam and Haarlemmermeer was meant as a warning – no real fines were given. www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1035628.ece/Tientallen_vakantiespijbelaars_betrapt_op_Schiphol