Released only 18 months later: Former murdered deputy prime minister was stabbed 41 times

Former Dutch deputy prime minister Els Borst was murdered in February 2014.  It was only now released that she was stabbed 41 times, in the head, neck and hands.  The prosecution has given various excuses to explain their delay in releasing the information.

http://nos.nl/artikel/2055364-els-borst-gedood-met-41-messteken.html

Picture by Isman_7, flickr.com

Dutch Sergeant joins Islamic State

A Dutch sergeant has joined the Islamic State.  Experts say that he might pass on names and addresses of his fellow soldiers to the IS.  Rumor has it that he was serving at an air force base, which makes this possibility particularly worrying, especially since the Dutch air force participates in bombing IS bases.  Anything he knows about air force base security is also at risk of exposure.  While this is the first verified report of an active Dutch soldier joining the IS, it was discovered that at some point after 2012, a former Dutch soldier Omar Yilmaz also joined the fighting in Syria.

http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1012/Nederland/article/detail/4135524/2015/09/04/Wat-kan-overgelopen-jihadsoldaat-IS-allemaal-vertellen.dhtml

Picture by Graeme Maclean, flickr.com

Study shows poor knowledge of traffic rules by Dutch car drivers

The Royal Dutch Touring Club (ANWB) asked its members to do an online theory exam on traffic rules and regulations. Out of the 13,500 respondents, over 10,000 did not know enough to pass the test.  Only 28% of the men who took the test passed it, with an even lower pass rate for women – 16%.

http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/anwb-kennis-verkeersregels-nederlander-bedroevend~a4134044/

Dutch Embassy in Brussels guarded by Belgian military

The Dutch Embassy in Brussels is now guarded by Belgian soldiers.  The Belgian military have been guarding the Dutch Embassy since yesterday, along with other embassies of countries which are part of the coalition against the Islamic State.  These include the embassies of Canada, Australia, Qatar, Bahrain and others.

http://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/nederlandse-ambassade-belgie-ext

Police Reorganization Will Cost Twice As Much As Planned

Ard van der Steur, Minister of Security and Justice, has announced that the creation of a National Police Force through combining the 27 existing police corps will take double the time originally planned as well as double the cost budgeted.  The money required will be 460 million Euro instead of the original budget of 230 million Euro.  The deadline for the reorganization has been moved from the end of 2015 to 2018.

http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/fors-meer-tijd-en-geld-voor-reorganisatie-politie~a4132637/

Utrecht Municipality loses 20 million Euro on Soccer Stadium

The municipality of Utrecht has lost 20.5 million Euro on a loan to the contractor hired to develop a stadium for the local soccer club FC Utrecht.  The developer has gone bankrupt and the municipality has sold its claim to the Rabobank at a major discount, taking a huge loss in the process.

www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2015/08/31/gemeente-verliest-ruim-20-miljoen-op-lening-voor-voetbalstadion-galgenwaard/

Opponent of “Black Piet” received Death Threats.

Quinsy Gario, a much publicized black Dutch opponent of “black Piet” figure, has said that he has received many death threats.  He is now often afraid to go out and suffers from panic attacks and palpitations. He reported that he received 770 insulting messages and death threats over the course of one year.

www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1012/Nederland/article/detail/4130993/2015/08/28/Gario-Ze-willen-om-Zwarte-Piet-mijn-strot-afsnijden.dhtml