Dutch jurist accuses Ministry of Defense of ignoring sick soldiers

Ferre van de Nadort, a former Dutch soldier and jurist, claims that the Dutch army ignores sick soldiers.  When he was in the army he worked in the legal department and dealt with cases where soldiers became ill because of contact with asbestos and chrome 6 paint.  He says that open air burning of waste at army camps (burnpits) may have caused damage to soldiers.  He has established a website where soldiers can complain about illnesses possibly resulting from their army service.  So far, he has received hundreds of complaints.

https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/-ik-wil-het-zwijgen-bij-defensie-over-giftige-afvalrook-doorbreken-~bc07d2a3/

Little Support Left for Dutch Government

Only 35% of the Dutch population hopes that the current government completes its term.  This is the lowest percentage during this governmental period.  These results were found by a poll conducted by Maurice de Hond.

https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/3073078/peiling-steun-voor-regering-op-dieptepunt?utm_source=telegraaf&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=telegraaf_update_b&utm_content=Vandaaginhetnieuws_Peiling+steun+voor+regering+op+dieptepunt&utm_term=20190127120024_update_b&EMAIL_SK=SK5153880

Customs Employees at Rotterdam Harbor Suspected of Corruption

A new investigation by police regarding corruption amongst Custom employees at Rotterdam Harbor, has yielded three suspects.  When the police entered their homes, they found large amounts of cash and jewelry.

https://bit.ly/2S6VNxI

Amsterdam Municipal Council Wants to Give Local Passport to Illegal Citizens

The Green left party wants to give a local passport to about 10,000 illegal foreigners living in the country.  Several other parties support the idea.  It is assumed that many of these people have entered the Netherlands on a temporary visa and have stayed.  Among them are people from the Phillipines and Brazil.

https://www.ad.nl/amsterdam/amsterdamse-gemeenteraad-wil-lokaal-paspoort-voor-illegalen~a633be8d/

Dutch Consumer Confidence Drops For Sixth Consecutive Month

The Dutch Consumer Confidence Index has fallen for the sixth month in a row. The fall in January 2019 was the biggest in seven years. The Central Bureau of Statistics said that the consumers have more doubts about the economic climate and are less willing to spend money.

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2019/01/dutch-consumer-confidence-drops-eight-points-sixth-fall-in-a-row/

Chinese Hack Economic Information in the Netherlands

Cyber security company, Fox-IT, says that there must be victims in the Netherlands of the Chinese state hacker group, APT10.  The Chinese are interested in patents and intellectual properties with which they can gain economic advantage in the future.  A Dutch company can lose a tender because information has been stolen, thereafter the Chinese bidder can make an offer somewhat cheaper than the Dutch offer. 

https://www.ad.nl/binnenland/aivd-chinese-geheime-dienst-hackt-gevoelige-info-in-nederland~a6310fb12/

Turkey Expels Dutch Correspondent

Turkey has expelled Dutch journalist Johanna Cornelia Boersma, the freelance correspondent for the Financieele Dagblad.  A spokesman of Prime Minister Erdogan has said that the Turkish authorities have received information from the Dutch police that she had contacts with a terrorist organization. 

https://www.ad.nl/buitenland/turkije-boersma-had-banden-met-een-terroristische-organisatie~a9af0c48/