Thursday, December 31, 2009

Antillean Criminals a Particular Problem


Antillean offenders often continue their criminal activities till about the age of 45 and are over-represented in crime statistics. In other ethnic groups, the peak of criminal behavior is between puberty and young adulthood. Many Antilleans come from one-parent families with women at the head. These are the results of a study on criminality age and ethnicity by the Scientific Research and Documentation Center (WODC) if the ministry of justice. The WODC suggested that more effort be made in helping older Antilleans to find work. At present the authorities are focusing on reducing unemployment among youth.
www.parool.nl/parool/nl/7/MISDAAD/article/detail/273710/2009/12/30/Criminele-Antilliaan-is-zorgenkind.dhtml

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Frequent Repeat Criminals More Violent and Younger


Frequent repeat criminals are increasingly violent and are younger, with the main age group today being 21. In the past it was 33. This results from research by Jessica van Mantgem of IPOL, the International Information and Research Service of the police force. Young Moroccans, who represent only a few percent of the Dutch population, are about 25% of the frequent repeat criminals. Turkish youngsters are also over-represented. The number of Turkish suspects in general crime is also increasing, whereas in this category the number of Moroccans is stable. There is a decline of people from Surinam and drug addicts among the frequent repeat criminals, and women are now hardly found among them at all.
www.elsevier.nl/web/Nieuws/Nederland/254503/Veel-Marokkanen-en-Turken-onder-criminele-veelplegers.htm?print=true

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Liberal Party Chairman: Cabinet Invisible after Terrorist Act


Ivo Opstelten, chairman of the Liberal Party and Mayor of Tilburg, thinks it is strange that not a single member of the Cabinet has appeared in public to provide explanations after the terror attempt to blow up an airplane flying from Amsterdam to Detroit. Opstelten said this when he appeared on the TV program Buitenhof. According to him, leaders must be visible in crisis situations, even if only little information is available. In this way, they create confidence among the population.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1331699.ece/Opstelten_Kabinet_onzichtbaar_na_aanslagpoging

Monday, December 28, 2009

Personnel Criticizes Poor Security at Amsterdam Airport


After the Nigerian terrorist Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab attempted to blow up a plane going from Amsterdam to Detroit, security personnel have strongly criticized the state of security at the Amsterdam airport. According to them, the increased control at the airport after the terror attempt consists of adding extra staff who have no knowledge of security procedures. The flights to the United States are checked by amateurs who have training fit only for securing a shop. Three-quarters of the employees have less than a year’s experience. Some former employees claim that among the personnel there were people who had sympathy for Muslim terrorists. One said: “Among my colleagues were friends of the condemned terrorist Samir A.”
Furthermore: “During the attacks on September 11, 2001, there was loud rejoicing among Muslim security workers.” Until now employees have remained silent on this subject because they have signed documents swearing them to secrecy.
www.elsevier.nl/web/Nieuws/Nederland/254367/Zware-kritiek-op-amateuristische-beveiliging-Schiphol.htm
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5663003/__Kritiek_op_knullige_controle__.html?p=1,1

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Terrorist Slips Through Security at Schiphol


On Friday, 25 December, terrorist Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab from Nigeria, attempted to blow up an airplane flying from Amsterdam to Detroit. He and two others were wounded when he tried to set off an explosion. The Dutch National Coordinator in the Fight against Terrorism (NCTb) has announced that Abdulmutallab was in transit from Lagos at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport and had gone through the security check before the flight according to the regular procedures of the airport.
www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article2445969.ece/NCTb_Terrorismeverdachte_volgens_procedures_gecontroleerd

Thursday, December 24, 2009

At Least 80 Civilians Killed Since Beginning of Dutch Mission in Afghanistan


The Dutch Ministry of Defense has announced that at least 80 Afghan civilians have been killed, and 120 wounded, since the Dutch mission in Afghanistan began. Most of the victims were in the Uruzgan province. The TV program RTL News claims that the numbers are actually 110 dead and 90 wounded. Most civil deaths were at the Battle of Chora in June 2007. The ministry says that 30-40 civilians were killed and about 70 wounded. The prosecution in Arnhem concluded that the military remained acted according the law of war and orders.
www.nrc.nl/nieuwsthema/uruzgan/article2444830.ece/Missie_Afghanistan_zeker_80_burgers_gedood

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Socialist Party: Does The Netherlands Contribute to Tensions with Venezuela?


Parliament Harry van Bommel (Socialist Party) has asked Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen (Christian Democrats) if there are American spy flights over Venezuela which originate from the Dutch Antilles island Curacao. He claims that for several weeks already an American Boeing plane, which takes off from Curacao, has been flying over Venezuela. He added that The Netherlands must solve the tensions with Venezuela and in no way support threats to that country.
www.parool.nl/parool/nl/224/BINNENLAND/article/detail/272817/2009/12/21/SP-wil-opheldering-over-spionagevluchten.dhtml

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Muslim Organization: Possible Child Abuse in Mosques outside The Hague


Farid Azarkan, the chairman of the Association of Moroccan Dutchmen (SMN), says that his organization has been informed by some of its members that there is a possibility that children are being beaten by teachers in mosques outside The Hague as well. The Justice Department is to investigate 49 cases of child abuse during Qur’an lessons in mosques in The Hague. Azarkan added that the number of mosques outside The Hague where this is happening is limited. The SMN said that it is unacceptable that there is corporal punishment of children.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5587497/__Ook_elders_lijfstraffen__.html

Monday, December 21, 2009

Venezuelan President Accuses The Netherlands of Aggression


Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has accused The Netherlands of preparing, together with the United States, aggression against Venezuela. Chavez says that the US is storing arms on the Dutch Antilles, Aruba and Curacao, with the permission of The Netherlands. He called on the European Union to prevent an arms conflict. Chavez made these accusations before a Leftist forum at the Climate Conference in Copenhagen.
www.telegraaf.nl/buitenland/5597990/__Chvez__Nederland_agressief__.html

Sunday, December 20, 2009

The Hague: Investigation of Child Abuse during Qur’an Courses



The Municipal Health Service (GGD) in The Hague has asked the police and the public prosecution to investigate possible child abuse during Qur’an courses in some mosques in the city. In April the Municipal Council accepted a motion to investigate reports of children being beaten during these lessons. In its investigation, a department of the GGD has found 49 indications of such abuse, which shows a pattern. Half of the cases concerned courses given under the auspices of the El Islam Mosque.
www.elsevier.nl/web/Nieuws/Nederland/253411/GGD-wil-onderzoek-mishandeling-tijdens-Koranles.htm

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Rights to Firemen Services No Longer Equal for All Citizens


Minister of the Interior Guusje ter Horst (Labor) wants to save money on by canceling the national time limits for firemen to reach the scene of a fire. This will now be set individually by each of the 25 zones in the country. Cees van Beek, chairman of the volunteer firemen’s trade union says that this means that from now on all Dutchmen will not the same rights regarding firemen’s services.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5572930/__Brandweer_langer_onderweg__.html?p=2,1

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Public Accounts Committee: Minister of Defense Insufficiently Informed


A new report of the Public Accounts Committee finds that the information the minister of defense receives regarding the preparedness of army units continues to be unreliable. Five of the eight military commanders who were interviewed say that the monthly reports the minister receives give “insufficient insight as to their capability to carry out tasks adequately.” Already in 2006 the Public Accounts Committee had reached a similar conclusion. At the time the ministry promised improvement, which is now also found as insufficient.
www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article2434655.ece/Rekenkamer_info_van_leger_schiet_tekort

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Amsterdam Metro: Six Years Delay, 1.7 Billion Euro Overrun


The Commission of Inquiry of the Amsterdam Municipality into the Metro North-South line has concluded that the municipality should have decided against its construction 2002. There was a political desire to push this project ahead and the technical, organizational and financial risks were considered secondary to that. Amsterdam lacked the competence to assess the risks and the project organization lacked experience and authority, while the officials in charge were incompetent. The city management failed to consult experts, nor did they meet their commitments to assess the major nuisance to the population. The cost of the metro will now be 3.1 billion Euro as against 1.4 billion budgeted. The metro is expected to be in operation in 2017, six years later than originally planned.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1327429.ece/Aanleg_Noord-Zuidlijn_fout_besluit

Monday, December 14, 2009

Aggression against Bus Drivers Unstoppable


There is a long list of towns where bus drivers have initiated actions after suffering aggression, intimidation or robberies in their buses. Last Friday 300 bus drivers of the Veolia Company in Limburg started a spontaneous strike after a number of violent robberies. The trade unions have received hundreds of complaints over the last several months and think that the limits of tolerance have been crossed. Also, almost all the political parties want to find ways to stop the violence. So far, all this hasn’t helped very much.
www.limburger.nl/article/20091211/ANPNIEUWS01/912119984/1176

Sunday, December 13, 2009

At Least 6,000 Homeless Minors in the Netherlands


Federatie Opvang says that there are at least 6,000 homeless minors in the Netherlands. This organization, which deals with outreach to the homeless, states that this number concerns only those youngsters which have registered with them. They think that this is only the tip of the iceberg. They add that the Ministry for Youth and Family Affairs is not making progress with plans for how to deal with this problem, and that the number of homeless youngsters is increasing.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5528096/__Opvang_luidt_noodklok_over_zwerfjongeren__.html?p=14,1

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Report: Failure of Police in Deadly Beach Riots


The Institute of Safety and Crisis Management (COT) concludes in a new report that the preparations by the police and other various services for the Sunset Groove dance festival on the Hoek van Holland beach on 22 August were a failure. Intelligence information that the hard core of hooligans of the Rotterdam soccer team Feyenoord would disturb the festivities was ignored. As a result the police could only save itself by targeted shooting, killing one person and wounding six. Rotterdam Police Chief Aad Meijboom blamed the hooligans. Neither he nor Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb see a reason to resign.
www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article2433652.ece/Rapport_politie_faalde_volledig_bij_strandrellen?service=Print

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Amsterdam Public Transportation: Cross Not Allowed, Muslim Head Scarf Permitted


Since the beginning of this year, the Amsterdam Public Transportation Company (GVB) has twice suspended a conductor because he was wearing a chain with a cross over his uniform. The company, however, does allow Muslim head scarves. The conductor has now taken his case to court.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5527188/__GVB_verbiedt_dragen_kruisje__.html

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

CTIVD: Minister Not Entitled to Authorize Taping of Journalist


The Commission of Supervision of the Intelligence and Security Services (CTIVD) has concluded that Minister of the Interior Guusje ter Horst (Labor) wrongly authorized the AIVD intelligence service to tape the telephone conversations of Jolande van der Graaf and Joost de Haas of the Telegraaf. Two courts had already decided that Ter Horst had acted wrongly.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5493717/__Ter_Horst_ging_in_de_fout__.html?p=26,1

Monday, December 7, 2009

Many Collaborators Killed Without Process by Dutch After War


The one hundred fifty thousand supporters of the Nazi Germans who were held in Dutch camps after the end of the Second World War, were underfed and maltreated by the Dutch authorities. This is the claim of historian and journalist Koos Groen in a new book. He claims that he has had access to secret files of the National Archives and the Ministry of Justice. He also claims that in 1944 in Limburg, a hundred collaborators were intentionally chased into a minefield where they all died. According to Groen, more than 1,000 people died in Dutch internment camps due to poor hygienic conditions and lack of medical care and food. These included old people people, children and babies. Women were systematically degraded and sexually intimidated.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5509747/___Mensenrechten_na_WO_II_opzij___.html

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Seven Incidents of Violence in Three Days in Rotterdam


An employee of a Rotterdam Metro station was attacked Sunday night. The perpetrator has not yet been apprehended. This was the seventh incident of violence in Rotterdam in three days. The RET company, which operates the Metro, says that the number of violent incidents in public transport is declining, but their nature has become more serious. The town has made available 34 million guilders annually to counter violence in public transport.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1324348.ece/Toezichthouder_Rotterdamse_metro_mishandeld

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Liberals Criticize Propaganda for Polygamy in Elementary School Paper


Parliamentarian Paul de Krom thinks that the school paper Samsam is promoting polygamy. This paper is distributed at many elementary schools. In a recent issue about Morocco a twelve year old explains why it’s good for a man to have two wives. De Krom says that it should have been pointed out that this practice is not approved of in the Netherlands.
www.spitsnieuws.nl/archives/binnenland/2009/11/propaganda_voor_polygamie_in_s.html

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

New Book: Did Father of Queen Support Coup d’Etat in Indonesia?


A new book by the historian Harry Veenendaal and the journalist Jort Kelder claims that in 1950 Prince Bernhard, father of the current Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, was involved in the preparation of a coup d’etat in Indonesia. This is based on the diaries of the secretary of the court Gerrie van Maasdijk and reports of the military police which investigated rumors about a coup d’etat. The historian Cees Fasseur, who has published extensively about the royal family, claims that there is no proof of this.
www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article2427015.ece/Coup_van_Bernhard_De_lezer_mag_kiezen

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Increase in Thefts in Schools


During the school year 2008-2009, the number of thefts in high schools increased by 21%, as compared to 2007-2008. In particular, electronic equipment is stolen. Other favorite items are money, clothing and scooters. These are the findings of the Iris Registration of Incidents by the DSP group.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2925058.ece/Diefstal_op_scholen_neemt_toe.html

Monday, November 30, 2009

Minister of Interior: Police Salary Supplements Problematic


Minister of the Interior Guusje ter Horst (Labor) has officially declared that she is “unpleasantly surprised” about the supplementary payments to the heads of the Dutch police. It was recently published that the top commanders of the police sometimes receive very high supplements for housing and for on call 24 hours a day. She has now starting discussions with the police supervisors on this matter.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5449121/__Ter_Horst_niet_blij_met_nota_s__.html

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Labor Parliamentarian: We Should be Pessimistic about our Party


Labor Parliamentarian Paul Tang has sketched a highly negative picture of his party on the website of the left wing think tank Waterland. He wrote that the party has been turned into an amalgamation of women, non-Western immigrants and university educated people. He added that it is not difficult to be pessimistic about the future of the party. Earlier his colleague Diederik Samsom called the situation of the party deplorable, in an e-mail which later became public.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5428482/___Pessimisme_over_toekomst_PvdA___.html?p=2,1

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Liberals: Minister of Environment has Double Standards


Parliamentarian Helma Neppérus (VVD) says that Minister of Environment Cramer (Labor) has double standards. In the past she allowed her name to be included in an advertisement which supported somebody who had stolen documents about nuclear energy plants. Now she has condemned as criminals people who hacked information on manipulations of data on global warming.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5416882/___Cramer_meet_met_twee_maten___.html

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

More Than a Thousand People Living in Polygamy


In the Netherlands there are at least 1,374 men or women who are married to more than one partner. This was announced by Minister of Justice Ernst Hirsch Ballin (Christian Democrats) in answer to questions by parliamentarian Paul de Krom (Liberals). Polygamy is forbidden in the Netherlands, but polygamous marriages performed abroad are recognized.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1317921.ece/Nederland_telt_1374_polygame_huwelijken

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Most Dangerous Psychopaths Can Order Prostitutes


The Pompe Foundation which deals with the most dangerous psychopaths, usually murderers who are condemned to remain in psychiatric wards for their whole life, provides them with prostitutes. This is not allowed by the ministry of justice. A new documentary movie “Longstay” deals with this issue, as well as those of psychopaths involved in drug abuse and watching porno films.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5372265/__Tbs-kliniek_regelt_seks_op_bestelling__.html?p=1,1

Monday, November 23, 2009

Amsterdam Wants to Create Panel of Prostitute Clients


Job Cohen, the mayor of Amsterdam, says that clients of prostitutes are so far an unorganized group. Therefore an independent research bureau has been charged by the municipality to create a panel. These people should inform the municipality about women or minors who have been forced into prostitution. If the initiative is successful the municipality will also establish panels of prostitutes and residents of prostitute neighborhoods.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Police Petition: No Security in the Netherlands


The Committee of Concerned Policemen will present a petition to Minister of the Interior Guusje ter Horst (Labor) asking to guarantee the safety of the Dutch population. The petition states that “we think that citizens have the right to be informed that the safety they think they enjoy is now only an illusion.” The policemen say that the possibility of guaranteeing an acceptable level of safety is decreasing continuously. They asked the minister to stop the cost reduction program.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1319018.ece/Amsterdam_richt_panel_van_hoerenlopers_op

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Dutch Website Offers Guidance for Suicide


The Dutch Organization for a Voluntary End of Life (NVVE) has launched a new website which shows how one can end his life by using certain medications. According to the organization this is one of the first sites worldwide which offers a number of methods to kill oneself. Assisting in suicide is punishable in the Netherlands. However, the organization says that the website only provides information. Anyone over the age of 16 can, with a small payment, access the site.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1315137.ece/Website_biedt_tips_voor_zelfdoding

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Utrecht: Half of Major Young Criminals are Moroccans


On behalf of the public prosecution department of the Ministry of Justice, two scholars Ido Weijers and Marjolein Kampijon have undertaken a study of major young criminals in Utrecht. They found that more than 75% of such criminals are involved in violent crimes including physical attacks, threats and insults and vandalism. About 27% of them are of Dutch origin and approximately half are of Moroccan origin.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5324131/__Autochtoon_ernstigste_veelpleger__.html

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Quarter of Employees Consider Workplace Unhygienic


More than 27% of employees think that the place where they work is unhygienic. One reason is that in times of economic problems, employers cut back on cleaning costs. The problems are greatest in the field of education where more than 45% of the employees consider their place of employment not to be clean.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5341578/_Personeel_vindt_werkplek_vies_.ht...

Monday, November 16, 2009

Royal Palace Has Poor Security


The national coordinator for the fight against terrorism has admitted that security of the Noordeinde Royal Palace in The Hague is insufficient. More security measures will be taken. This was announced after journalist Alberto Stegeman showed on television how he and a colleague entered the palace with imitation dynamite with no problems. The investigation by the military police thereafter was poorly executed. The faction leaders of four parties in Parliament have demanded clarifications from the two ministers in charge.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2915769.ece/Procedures_beveiliging_Noordeinde_onderzocht.html

Arson at Mosque


A Molotov cocktail was thrown into the Al Quibla mosque in Zoetermeer. Firemen managed to contain the fire and the damage. Half a year ago a similar kind of attack occurred at the same mosque. The perpetrators have not been found. Police will increase surveillance of the building.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2915098.ece/Brandstichting_moskee_Zoetermeer.html

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Forty Percent of Neighborhood Policemen May Leave Force


Nine out of ten neighborhood policemen say that they don’t have enough time to be in their neighborhoods due to other responsibilities. Four out of ten doubt whether they will want to remain with the force, or are already sure that they will leave. This was the result of a study by the Socialist Party among 10,000 policemen. Four out of five policemen think they are judged only by how many tickets they write. Almost 75% think that people do not appreciate the work of the police.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5310353/___Wijkagent_te_weinig_in_buurt___.html?p=3,1

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Major Losses Cause Cancellation of Maastricht Campus Building


Servatius, a construction company, has canceled the construction of the prestigious new student campus near Maastricht University. Losses are already 60 million Euro and expected to rise. The project had been designed by the famous Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.

Dutch Soldiers in Afghanistan Want Rehabilitation


In 2008 a group of Dutch soldiers serving in Afghanistan refused an assignment they considered having undue risks without adequate preparation. The officers complained to the military police and the soldiers were punished for not obeying orders. Two sergeants are now requesting rehabilitation. One of them said that the captain in charge at the time had shouted: “My grandmother is German, I’m a Prussian leader. For me an order is an order. (he used the German expression “Befehl ist Befehl”) I don’t give a damn who of you is killed.” The sergeant has now told the Telegraaf paper that the captain was a weirdo who saw his soldiers as “cannon fodder.”

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Disaster Simulation Goes Out of Control


A major simulation of a mass disaster in the Euroborg stadium in Groningen got out of control and had to be stopped. Fifteen hundred people participated in the exercise in which recovery services trained them on how to handle great numbers of people during a disaster. When the group of people who had been assigned to be hooligans started throwing stones, the exercise had to be disrupted.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5292847/__Rampoefening_loopt_uit_de_hand__.html

Trade Union Leaders: Labor Party is Losing Right of Existence


Twenty-eight leaders of the FNV Bondgenoten trade union, who are also members of the Labor Party, have called on the party’s parliamentarians to fight against raising the retirement age from 65 to 67. They warned that the party is alienating its natural supporters.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1314609.ece/FNV-leden_PvdA_verliest_bestaansrecht

Wilders: Do Not Threaten Singer


The singer Herman van Veen said on television that the Freedom Party, headed by Geert Wilders, should not become like the NSB which collaborated with the Nazis. This has led to many threats against him. Wilders declared that nobody should threaten Van Veen and condemned such actions.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1314306.ece/Wilders_bedreiging_Van_Veen_is_kwalijk

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Much Damage due to Poor Roads


The poor state of Dutch roads last year has led to a doubling of car damage. This was found by the Center for Insurance Statistics. A study by Autotaalglas shows that one out of six cars has suffered damage to their windows by stone chippings on the roads.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5270729/__Slechte_wegen_slopen_autos__.html?p=28,1

Sneek: Wave of Nazi Symbols


The town of Sneek has been suffering from a wave racist graffiti. According to the police, in many places swastika and other SS symbols have been found on buildings – for instance, the municipality building, the church and a sports club building.
http://sneek.nieuws.nl/1747631

Socialist Party: There will be less Policemen on the Streets


A study by the extreme left Socialist Party has found that cost cutting in the police force will lead to less security. There will be fewer policemen patrolling the streets, the number of patrols will be reduced and police stations will be closed, and the police will receive less support and equipment. Minister of the Interior Guusje ter Horst (Labor) says that the number of policemen will not be reduced.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2904945.ece/_Wel_minder_blauw_op_straat_door_bezuinigingen_.html

Liberal Party: Need to Subsidize Securing Jewish Institutions


Paul Slettenhaar, head of the Liberal Party (VVD) in the upcoming neighborhood council elections in southern Amsterdam, has said that Jewish institutions must receive funding for special security measures. Security is a matter for the authorities and the Jewish institutions must take special measures in view of potential anti-Semitic attacks in Amsterdam. Many of the Dutch Jewish institutions are located in this area.
http://www.parool.nl/parool/nl/266/RELIGIE-EN-SPIRITUALITEIT/article/detail/266542/2009/11/05/VVD-wil-bewaking-Joodse-instellingen.dhtml.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Customs Use Money Dogs


The Dutch customs authorities are using dogs to detect Dutchmen bringing in money from over the Belgian border. Belgian banks will soon be reporting on Dutchmen who have money in their accounts. Therefore many people with black money are withdrawing it from the banks and bringing it into the Netherlands. The dogs are capable of detecting money, even in cars.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5256494/__De_Jager_zet_geldhond_in__.html

150 Soccer Fans Fight with Police


One hundred fifty fans of the first league Graafschap soccer team fought with the police before the game on Sunday against Emmen. The fans vandalized the trains they were traveling in, and attacked policemen who were on the trains. At one station there was a fight with the special police unit. Policemen shot in the air. A number of policemen and vandals were wounded.
www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article2909116.ece/Supporters_De_Graafschap_op_de_vuist_met_politie.html

Parliamentarian: Crown Prince Must Choose between Kingship and Vacation Home


Senior Liberal Parliamentarian Willibrord van Beek said on a radio program that, with so much criticism regarding the Crown Prince’s planned vacation home in Mozambique, it seems that he will have to choose between his future reign as king and his vacation home.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5265201/__VVD__Prins_moet_consequenties_nemen__.html

Top League Soccer Game Interrupted due to Insulting Songs


The top league soccer game between ADO and PSV was temporarily stopped by the referee after ADO fans sang insulting songs about him. This occurred after he had sent two of the players off the field. The game was resumed only after a quarter of an hour.
www.volkskrant.nl/sport/article1313466.ece/ADO-PSV_stilgelegd_om_spreekkoren

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Only 24% of Public Toilets Clean


The national investigation of public toilets of 2009 has found that only 24% of the 150 inspected public toilets were clean. This is a decline of 2% since the last inspection in 2008. The study was published in the professional cleaners’ magazine Service Management. Cleanliness of faucets, the toilet seats and the door latches were checked. A major finding was that the men’s toilets are often cleaner than those of the women. The main decline was in toilets in health care facilities. As opposed to 33% clean toilets in 2008, this year it was only 22%. www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/5266185/__Openbare_wc_s_steeds_smeriger__.html