Crime Returns to Rotterdam Neighborhood

Street terror and armed robberies have returned to the Rotterdam Katendrecht neighborhood, with a new generation of criminals. A consistent effort by the Rotterdam municipality in the neighborhood had put an end ten months ago to a series of armed robberies, murders and burglaries. These crimes had been carried out by a gang of 30 youngsters, mainly from the Dutch Antilles. Then preventive frisking was introduced, many weapons and drugs were found and arrests were made. The former alderman for security of the right wing Leefbaar Rotterdam party has proposed sterilizing all Antillean mothers who cannot control their children.

www.trouw.nl/hetnieuws/nederland/article907248.ece/
Straatterreur_terug_in_Katendrecht

Municipality Building Closed Temporarily Because of Powder Letter

The municipality building of the town of Zutphen was closed temporarily after a letter containing a suspicious powder was received. Three employees who were in contact with the powder were put in quarantine. Two hundred employees were forbidden to leave the building for five and a half hours. After investigation the powder was found to be innocuous.

www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/laatstenieuws/article910246.ece/
Poederbrief_gemeentehuis_Zutphen_loos_alarm

Soccer Fans Throw Stones at Police

Before the soccer game between Ajax of Amsterdam and Feijenoord of Rotterdam, supporters threw stones against a special unit of the police. Twelve fans were arrested. During the game one supporter was arrested for lighting fireworks.

http://www.parool.nl/nieuws/2008/FEB/03/p6.html

Businessmen Swindled out of 400 Million Euro

Dutch businessmen are swindled out of at least 400 million Euro per year by fraud-oriented service companies. Their victims are mostly small businessmen.This was stated by the monitoring group Steunpunt Acquisitiefraude which was founded four years ago for this purpose. They are presently able to identify 50 regular perpetrators, which they consider is only the tip of the fraud iceberg.

www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/ln_economie/article909259.ece/
Bedrijfsleven_voor_miljoenen_schip_in_door_fraude

Council of State: Negative Opinion on Free Schoolbooks

The senior advisory body to the Government, the Council of State, has expressed a negative opinion on the proposed Government law to make schoolbooks free of charge. It says that there should be other priorities in education, that people with high incomes will benefit most from it and that it will not improve the quality of education.

www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article914362.ece/
Raad_van_State_kritiseert_gratis_schoolboeken

Minister Ignored Critical Report on Cruelty of Animal Transport

The daily Volkskrant claims that Gerda Verburg (Christian Democrat), Minister of Labor, Nature and Food Quality, has ignored a report on the cruelty of animal transports for over a year. The policy rules laid down by the minister in 2004 are not being carried out by the ministry. Am external consultant wrote that in particular the regulations for the transport of pigs and sheep are not respected by transporters. A spokesperson of the foundation Dier en Recht (Animal and Law) claimed that the veterinarian inspectors are under pressure to break the law. The spokesman also claimed that the efforts by inspectors who want to stop animal abuse are being obstructed by the ministry.

www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article499523.ece/
Verburg_verzweeg_kritisch_rapport_over_VWA

Deputy Minister: Young People asking for Social Security Should be "Kicked in the Behind"

Deputy Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Ahmed Aboutaleb (Labor Party) has said that young people who ask for unemployment allowances should be "kicked in the behind." He is preparing a law which will not allow anyone aged 18-27 to receive unemployment payments.

www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/laatstenieuws/article908460.ece/Aboutaleb_geef_jongere_die_bijstand_wil_schop