From January until August 2012, 1,330 businesses in the Dutch building industry went bankrupt. That shows an increase of 45% for the same time period in 2011. There was also an increase of about 50% in the bankruptcies of individual specialists such as plasterers, plumbers, painters and glazers. Similarly, there was a 50% increase in the bankruptcies of wholesalers and “do it yourself” businesses in the building branch. Overall, bankruptcies in the Netherlands increased in that period by a quarter to 8,205. It is expected that this year will be a record year.
Due to an internal mistake in the National Archive in The Hague, the personal files of hundreds of mayors and commissioners of the Queen have been easily accessible for the public. The files which originate in the Ministry of Interior contain confidential data such as medical data, solicitation letters and information about issues with which they had problems. One of the files from which many copies were made is that of former Dutch Prime Minister Dries van Agt. On such files, the legal time of disclosure is very long, in some cases up till 70 years.
Half of the employees of supermarkets in the Netherlands is confronted with aggression or violence during their work. This was found in a study by the union CNV Dienstenbond. One third was not told about the problem when they started working. The union asked for better information – its board member Wessel Breunesse said: “There are big risks for both personnel and clients if security is neglected.”
Two journalists, Goos de Boer and Rinus Bouwmeester put in a complaint against the mobile unit of the police because they were thrown on the ground and beaten by the unit during the major hooligan riots in Haren. That, in spite of the fact that they had shown that they were journalists. They said that hundreds of thousands of people heard on the radio what was going on.
It has now been published that the police has remained silent about a violent incident at the beginning of last month in Hilversum. This town has been prominent in recent news because of the many violent incidents there. In this case two men were attacked by a group of five men and one girl. One of the victims had to be treated in hospital. The police assume that the same group later beat another youngster who as a consequence lost a number of teeth.The Hague municipality will not monitor the prayer services of the radical Imam, Fawaz Jneid. This Imam became nationally known in the Netherlands when he said about the media maker Theo van Gogh, who was later murdered by a radical Muslim: “Oh God, give Van Gogh an illness which no inhabitant of the earth can cure.” He also attacked the former parliamentarian Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who took him to court. The Freedom Party had asked the municipality questions about whether the Imam was not dangerous for public order and safety. The prosecution and the police said that his services are part of freedom of religion. 
