Belgium Police Stops Noisy Exercise of Dutch Army

The Belgian police have stopped a noisy exercise held on Saturday at 6 am by the Dutch army after tens of citizens complained. The Belgians are annoyed because they claim they were not informed about this beforehand. The Dutch Ministry of Defense says that the exercise was announced more than a year ago.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/6506572/__Politie_stopt_oefening_leger__.html?p=36,1

Majority of Chicken Meat Infected With Anti-Biotic Resistant Bacteria

A study has shown that 88% of chicken meat in Dutch shops is infected with ESBL bacteria. These are resistant to various anti-biotics such as penicillins and cefalosporins. Already last year several thousands of Dutch patients were infected with bacteria which was anti-biotic resistant. Pig meat and beef are also infected although in lesser percentages.
www.nrc.nl/wetenschap/article2515999.ece/Kippenvlees_vol_met_resistente_bacterien

Minister Wants to Abolish Informing People They Have Been Taped

Minister of Interior, Ernst Hirsch Ballin (Christian Democrat), is inclined to abolish the obligation of the National Intelligence Service AIVD too inform people who have been taped by the service about this afterwards. One of his motivations is that many people who have been taped cannot be found afterwards. A commission which has investigated this considers that citizens have enough other possibilities to enquire whether or not they have been taped.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/6488908/__AIVD__afluisteren_niet_melden__.html?sn=binnenland,buitenland

Ombudsman: Social Climate in the Netherlands Grim and Intolerant

National Ombudsman Alex Brenninkmeijer, when presenting his 2009 Annual Report to the Parliament, has said that the social climate in the Netherlands is grim and intolerant. This intolerance is fueled by the disproportionate attention of the politicians and media for incidents that are perceived to be deviations from what is the norm. The authorities should avoid polarization and not attack individuals. The authorities have much to learn in this field.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1360221.ece/Ombudsman_wil_minder_incidenten-politiek

Wilders: New non-western immigrants cost 6-10 billion euro annually

PVV Party leader Geert Wilders says that a study by the research organization NYFER has found that the annual immigration of 20 thousand non-western immigrants costs Dutch society 6-10 billion euro. He says that this is based on the number of non-western immigrants who come to the Netherlands each year within the framework of family reunification. The real number of these immigrants is higher, so that the cost is probably much higher as well. The PVV is in favor of a stop on this type of immigration. It has ordered the study after former Minister of Integration, Van der Laan, had only provided limited data.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/6471487/__Immigratie_kost_zes_miljard__.html

Scholar: Agricultural sector blocked Q-fever information for Decades

The Dutch Agricultural sector has blocked information about Q-fever of Dutch livestock for decades. This was revealed by Jan Hendrik Richardus, a scholar at Erasmus University in Rotterdam. Richardus published his doctorate, which dealt with Q-fever, in 1985. He and his academic supervisor were asked, for economic reasons, not to give much publicity to his findings. He therefore did not approach the media at the time. Richardus states that at the time only a few cattle and people were ill with Q-fever.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/zorg/article3034497.ece/_Doofpot_rond_Q-koorts_vergrootte_probleem_.html

1,300 Complaints on Sex Abuse in Roman Catholic Church

By the end of March the Hulp & Recht hotline for Abuse within the Roman Catholic Church had received 1,300 complaints regarding sexual abuse within the Church. In mid-March the number was 600. The spokesman couldn’t tell how many official complaints have been made against the Church. The Dutch Church has charged the former (non-Catholic) Minister Wim Deetman to establish a commission of enquiry in to the sex abuse in Catholic institutions during the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Ministers André Rouvoet (Youth and Families Affairs) and Ernst Hirsch Ballin (Justice) have also launched an investigation into possible sexual abuse of children which had been placed by the Child Protection Services in State or private youth care institutions during the 50s and 60s.
www.trouw.nl/religie-filosofie/nieuws/article3031966.ece/Aantal_misbruikmeldingen_nu_op_1300.html