Three months of curfew have not had any effect on the number of coronavirus-related hospital admissions in the Netherlands but the measure was needed to slow the spread of the virus, the head of the Dutch intensive care association has said. Ernst Kuipers told television talk show Beau on Wednesday evening that the curfew was an essential but ‘uncontrolled experiment’ which ‘had to be done’.
Archiv: Netherlands
Curfew had no significant effect on hospital admissions, says acute care leader
He also said that implementing the curfew was necessary, even if measuring the effects are statistically challenging because it was enforced along with many other measures.
„When the curfew was introduced, the calculation was that it would reduce new infections by 10 percent. If you look at the course of hospital admissions over time, we saw no effect whatsoever with the introduction of the curfew,“ Kuipers explained on Wednesday evening on the talk show Beau.
ChristenUnie rules out a new coalition with Rutte as prime minister
ChristenUnie leader Gert-Jan Segers said in an interview with the Nederlands Dagblad …
Boris ‚will offer to SHARE millions of doses of AstraZeneca’s jab made at Dutch factory with the EU‘ as he warns a THIRD Covid wave will ‚wash up on our shores‘ from Europe
The PM is appealing to other leaders in a bid to resolve the crisis without a clash, and he spoke with continental heavyweights Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron last night to try and persuade them to soften their stance. He has also sent Lord Lister, a government ally, to India to ease tensions over the delay to a batch of five million UK-bound doses of the same vaccine.
Netherlands joins growing list of EU nations to suspend use of AstraZeneca jab over blood clot fears as Bloc’s battle against virus falters with new lockdown in Italy and cases spiking in France with hospitals over-run
It comes as Dutch voters deliver their verdict on the country’s coronavirus response in the first of three days of voting in a snap election, weeks after a curfew prompted three nights of rioting across major cities.
The Netherlands is the fifth country to pause its roll-out, following Ireland, Denmark, Iceland and Norway. Italy and Austria stopped using one particular batch of the jab.
Netherlands: Police use water cannon as tensions rise at The Hague anti-govt. demo
A demonstrator could be seen screaming in pain as he was bitten by a police dog. Officers made several arrests and beat one attendee with truncheons.
Protesters defied repeated requests from the police to leave the field the maximum number of allowed participants under COVID restrictions was reached.
#Netherlands — About 2,000 people gathered in The Hague on Sunday to protest
About 2,000 people gathered in The Hague on Sunday to protest against the government and its tough coronavirus lockdown on the eve of the Netherlands’ general election.
Dutch police break up thousands of anti-lockdown protesters
Police in the Netherlands dispersed thousands of anti-lockdown protesters outside the Hague on Sunday, one day before national elections begin in the country.
The 2021 general election: what you need to know
The Netherlands goes to the polls to elect a new government on March 15, 16 and 17. Here’s a round-up of useful articles and resources, regularly updated.
Dutch court orders government to lift Covid curfew
The government wrongly used emergency powers to bring in the first curfew since the Nazi occupation in World War II, a judge at The Hague district court ruled.
Manifestation contre les restrictions sanitaires à Amsterdam après une semaine d’émeutes aux PaysBas
Police put an end to illegal parties in Gelderland and Flevoland
After a report about the party, officers went to the shed where the gathering took place. There the atmosphere changed and those present behaved aggressively towards the police. The guests were between 15 and 78 years old.
Anti-coronavirus protests and riots across the Netherlands
The national curfew came into effect at 9pm on January 23. The first night saw the police issue over 3.600 95-euro fines for violations of the curfew. 25 people were arrested. However, the police did note that, of the people who were stopped and checked during curfew hours, 80 percent carried the necessary government forms.
On Monday, the Dutch Security Council – made up of the 25 mayors who chair security regions – will meet in Utrecht in order to discuss how the curfew will be enforced over the coming weeks.
Rutte calls anti-curfew violence ‘unacceptable’ but rules out calling in army
The prime minister expressed his support for police, municipal mayors and journalists who were targeted while reporting on the weekend’s violence. He said police had responded ‘adequately’ to the situation and dismissed the idea of calling in the army to enforce the curfew. We’re not taking these measures for fun,’ Rutte said. ‘We’re doing it because we’re fighting the virus and right now it’s the virus that’s taking away our freedom, and it’s because of the virus that we’re taking these rotten measures.’
Riot police called out across the Netherlands as trouble flares for third night
Police in Noord-Holland province said they had arrested five people who had called online for riots in Purmerend, Hoorn and Alkmaar. In Amsterdam, there were at least nine arrests after trouble erupted in the east of the city. In Gouda, the mayor also evoked his emergency powers after several cars were set on fire. There were also arrests in Geelen, in Limburg, including several minors, police said.
Empty roads during curfew; meanwhile riots escalate in Urk
Reportedly, the youngsters took to the streets, played loud music, and drank alcohol. At least a hundred young people had gathered in the center around 9 p.m. From there, they marched through the streets chanting “dictatorship.” They were addressed by someone with a megaphone who said, “today is the first day that we let you know that we are done.” The protestors also lit fireworks with which they attacked the police.
The police struggled to bring the situation on the control and had to call in the riot control unit. What followed was a game of ‘cat and mouse’, in which the police with long batons ran through the streets and groups of protestors repeatedly managed to escape via side streets.
Riot police called to Urk, youngsters protest in Limburg as curfew comes into force
The first curfew in the Netherlands since the occupation during World War II began smoothly in most part of the country but riot police were drafted in to restore order on the staunchly Protestant former island of Urk after youths went on the rampage.
Curfew effective in the Netherlands from Saturday, January 23
Why does the Netherlands need a curfew?
The weekly report from the National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVM) suggested that the number of coronavirus infections in the Netherlands was dropping, as they observed that the effects of the national lockdown announced on December 14 could finally be seen. However …
Since the beginning of March 2020 more than 1513 EMASOH flagged vessels have crossed the Strait of Hormuz while surface and air assets were monitoring shipping lanes and FHQ EMASOH was on watch 24/7 for the benefit of maritime security @EMASOH_SCR @FFEAU_ALINDIEN
French Navy puts fresh focus on high-intensity combat training
(19.11.2020)
Last week sailors successfully fired a cruise missile against a land target from a FREMM frigate, just a few weeks after the Suffren submarine fired its first naval cruise missile, trouble-free.
In a wide-ranging conversation with Defense News, Baudouard stressed that the Navy is a combat force and as such not only trains for today’s battles but is also preparing for tomorrow’s wars.
European mission to secure Strait of Hormuz
(25.09.2020)
A new European military mission is aimed at ensuring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane, experts told Al-Mashareq.
The European Maritime Awareness in the Strait of Hormuz (EMASOH) was established earlier this year by Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Greece, France, Italy and Denmark.
European Maritime Awareness in the Strait of Hormuz (EMASOH): political statement by the governments of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and Portugal (20 January 2020)
(21.01.2020)
Sharing the assessment that the current situation in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz remains unstable in a region critical to global stability, and supporting the de-escalation approach when it comes to dealing with regional security issues, the Governments of BELGIUM, DENMARK, FRANCE, GERMANY, GREECE, ITALY, THE NETHERLANDS, AND PORTUGAL politically support the creation of a European-led maritime surveillance mission in the Strait of Hormuz (EMASOH). We welcome any contribution in kind as already declared by DENMARK, FRANCE, GREECE, and THE NETHERLANDS to this effort and look forward to further commitments in the coming days.
U.S spied on allies, including Netherlands, through Denmark
According to the Danish broadcaster, the NSA and Danish military service FE signed an agreement in 2008, which stated that the Americans would help Denmark tap internet cables in the European country. In return, the NSA gained access to internet cables to Eastern Europe. Together they processed the data in a data center near Copenhagen Airport, which was built for that purpose.
But the United States also used that internet access to spy on Denmark itself, and surrounding countries including the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden, the whistleblower, a former employee of the FE, said to DR.
US Army kicks off live-fire Patriot drills in Greece with three NATO allies
About 250 troops from the U.S., Germany, Greece and the Netherlands are taking part in the air defense operations at NATO’s firing range on the Greek island of Crete, military officials said.
As coronavirus cases rise, Paris, Madrid and Ibiza are added to Dutch ‘no go list’
Britain has also been added to the code orange list, but travellers will not have to quarantine on their return to the Netherlands. Travel advice to the UK has been tightened up as a warning, because the British have introduced quarantine requirements for people from the Netherlands, the foreign ministry said.
Geplande demonstraties voor deze week. 27 Juni – Amsterdam 28 Juni – Den Haag.
Wees er alsjeblieft bij het is zo belangrijk dat we met duizenden mensen staan. Kom allemaal en wees niet bang. We staan samen! Je bent niet alleen!
#malieveld #politie #remkes #demonstratie
For the people who are not from the Netherlands. Don’t believe what people tweet about the demonstration yesterday. We are not alt right or anti islamic. #malieveld
Arrestaties op Malieveld
Aan het einde van de middag is een aantal demonstranten op het Malieveld gearresteerd. Ze demonstreerden tegen de coronamaatregelen.
Facts and figures flu in the Netherlands Winter 2018/2019
±400,000 patients had symptomatic influenza in the period between the beginning of October until the end of May.
±11,000 hospitalisations Many people were admitted to hospital with flu complications, such as pneumonia.
FLU VACCINE About half of the people who were eligible to receive a flu vaccination were vaccinated against flu.
2,900 more people than expected died during the epidemic period. These extra deaths were associated with the flu epidemic.
Current information about COVID-19 (novel coronavirus)
Current numbers COVID-19: 22 June 2020
Positive tested persons: 49,658* (+69)
Admitted to hospital: 11,851 (+2)
Reported deaths: 6,090** (+0)
ME-busje rijdt in op demonstranten in Den Haag, mensen rennen voor hun leven (VIDEO)
”De sfeer slaat om bij de betoging tegen de coronamaatregelen op het Malieveld”, dat deelt de Haagse politie via Twitter. Het aantal meer demonstranten neemt nog steeds toe. Ook zouden er nu supporters van verschillende voetbalclubs op het veld staan. Op het Malieveld moesten sommige mensen rennen voor hun leven. Een ME-busje scheurde namelijk over het Malieveld en reed in op mensen. Gelukkig konden alle mensen op tijd aan de kanten rennen. Hieronder de beelden.
Some 400 arrests around Hague protest against coronavirus measures
The demonstration started out relatively quiet and orderly, but the number of demonstrators quickly grew from a few hundred to thousands. Participants did not stay 1.5 meters apart, according to the police. At 1:30 p.m., the police ordered protesters to leave, but not all of them responded. During the course of the afternoon, the demonstration split into two group – peaceful protesters and people seeking confrontation with the police, according to NU.nl.
The police eventually took action on the Malieveld, using charges and a water canon to disperse protesters, according to the newspaper.
The Hague forbids weekend protest festival against Covid restrictions
(19.06.2020)
‚Virus Waanzin‘, the movement behind this protest, want social distancing and other measures in place against the spread of Covid-19 to be lifted. They planned to issue their demands in a demonstration in the form of a festival, including performances by DJs, on the Malieveld on Sunday. The organization expected at least 10 thousand attendees.
Black Lives Matter: Thousands of protesters gather on Dam Square in Amsterdam
(02.06.2020)
The mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, was criticised for not doing anything to stop such large crowds gathering amid the coronavirus pandemic. The event is thought to be a potential super-spreader, which the Outbreak Management Team’s virologists and epidemiologists find concerning.
Italian MEP sheds light on Germany’s ‚diabolical EU plan‘ to push its interests forward
(12.04.2020)
„It has been like this for years.“
The Italian politician added: „What Germany is doing is disgusting and I believe that the EU will look very different when this virus is over.
„The UK could have not made a better decision in leaving this bloc.“
Dutch PM prefers a ‚gift‘ to a loan for European coronavirus support
He said he would also prefer setting up a new support fund rather than having countries use the European Stability Mechanism (ESM).
„If you do (support) from the ESM, then it’s a loan and a loan must be paid back,“ he said. „If you do it as a gift, then it’s: ‚Listen, you guys have been hit hard, but together with a number of wealthier countries, we’re prepared to bear the direct costs of the coronavirus crisis‘.“
Dutch propose EU corona medical fund, will contribute up to €1bn
The Netherlands has proposed establishing an EU emergency fund to cover the immediate health costs associated with the coronavirus outbreak and, according to Trouw, is prepared to contribute around €1bn.
The fund, prime minister Mark Rutte said during Wednesday’s debate in parliament, would be filled by contributions by member states and would be a ‘gift to those in need’ rather than a loan or a guarantee.
Belgium Extends Euthanasia Law to Kids
(13.02.2014)
She has come across children as young as eight who have articulated an understanding of their situation, but doctors expect the most likely cases would involve adolescents.
While assisted suicide is permitted under certain conditions in Switzerland, Germany and parts of the United States, only Belgium, Luxembourg and The Netherlands allow doctors to take steps to actively end a patient’s life, usually by administering an overdose of sedatives. In Luxembourg, that patient must be over 18, while in The Netherlands children can request euthanasia from the age of 12.
The Persian Gulf Is About to Become Dangerously Crowded
(12.12.2019)
France and Qatar signed an agreement allowing France to deploy and station military forces within Qatar.
The Netherlands said on November 25 that it would join Denmark and France in the European naval mission, reported the NLTimes. The Netherlands said it would deploy a navy ship to the Persian Gulf for six months but said it would play an “observing” role. Belgium, Italy, Norway, Spain and Sweden are also expected to join the European coalition, the Tehran Times reported.
I like catchy names for military missions. The latest one? The ‚European-led mission Awareness Strait of Hormuz (EMASOH)‘. Almost as catchy as ‚International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC)‘ in the same Strait of Hormuz. EMASOH comprises France and the Netherlands, for now.
Gulf of Oman: Unconvinced EU foreign ministers call for independent investigation after US claim Iran is behind tanker attack
There was strong support among EU countries for an independent UN investigation and calls for more evidence – with the UK relatively isolated in its support the Trump administration’s line.
One foreign minister invoked the spectre of US misuse of intelligence over Iraq as a reason for scepticism, as representatives of the 28 countries arrived at the council meeting.
Why are Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel clashing over who should be the next European Commission president?
Each political group in the European parliament – the centre-left socialists, the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), the liberals, greens etc, propose a lead candidate. In theory, the candidate from the group that comes top becomes the president.
But this system isn’t written into the treaties, and has only been used once in 2014 – it’s not clear whether it will survive. Member states don’t like it because it takes power away from them and gives it to the parliament, and they’re under no legal obligation to follow it.
This is highly potentially highly significant: Sanchez and Macron are trying to get a social democrat (Frans Timmermans) to block Weber’s bid for the Presidency of the European Commission. The UK media are (of course) largely ignoring this.
Portugal’s Costa says Weber should not be Commission chief
(28.05.2019)
The interview took place late Monday, just after Costa had a conference call with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, the Netherlands‘ Mark Rutte and Belgium’s Charles Michel.
Klaus Regling is doing his best to play down the fact that the ESM is becoming the paramilitary wing of the Hanseatic League with new powers over budget surveillance and debt restructuring #Eurogroup
(19.11.2018)
Gang of eight: Northern member states unite on euro-zone reform
(08.12.2012)
Composed of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Sweden, the group, dubbed the New Hanseatic League, is starting to have some influence.
Two Israelis Arrested in Global Dark Web Investigation
The suspects, in their mid-30s, were arrested during a joint investigation with the FBI and Israel’s cyber crime unit. Further arrests were made in France, Germany, the Netherlands and Brazil.
EASTER MASSACRE: Sri Lanka Easter bombings – Brits among 156 killed and 400 injured in Easter Sunday terror attacks on eight churches and hotels
Three of the explosions this morning – as Christians attended Easter mass – were carried out by suicide bombers, according to a security official.
Sri Lanka’s minister of defence Ruwan Wijewardene said in a press conference: „We believe that all the culprits who have been involved in this unfortunate terrorist incident will be taken into custody as soon as possible. They have been identified, and they will be taken into custody as soon as possible.“
European far-right parties unite into new alliance ahead of EU elections
The group includes Mr Salvini’s League, as well as France’s far-right National Rally (formerly National Front), Austria’s Freedom Party and the Netherland’s Party for Freedom. Those parties have long sat together in the European Parliament.
But Mr Salvini was also joined on Monday by the far-right Alternative for Germany’s co-leader Joerg Meuthen, Olli Kotro of the Eurosceptic populist Finns party, and Anders Vistisen of the right-wing, populist Danish People’s Party.
Europeans furious at EU’s Brexit handling: Shock poll shows citizens turn back on Brussels
An average of just 38 percent of those asked by Pew Research Center approve of how the EU has dealt with Britain’s departure from the bloc. The Netherlands and Germany had the highest approval ratings but they were still only at 52 percent and 51 percent respectively. Italy and Hungary had the joint lowest at 31 percent, with Greece close behind at 32 percent in the poll published yesterday.
Juan Guaido Arrived in Venezuela Without Obstacles
His supporters gathered at the airport of the capital city Caracas without any problems. Guaido was accompanied by German and Netherlands embassadors
Statement of the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland, Italy and Finland to point 39 of the CRP I agenda of 20 February 2019 regarding the DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on copyright in the Digital Single Market.
Most notably we regret that the Directive does not strike the right balance between the protection of right holders and the interests of EU citizens and companies. It therefore risks to hinder innovation rather than promote it and to have a negative impact the competitiveness of the European Digital Single Market.
Furthermore, we feel that the Directive lacks legal clarity, will lead to legal uncertainty for many
stakeholders concerned and may encroach upon EU citizens’ rights.
We therefore cannot express our consent with the proposed text of the Directive.
Dutch-Russian cyber crime case reveals how the police taps the internet
(8.6.2017) Since 2009, regular meetings are held in the Netherlands, in which also officials from the FBI participate. The aim is to cooperate in tracking down and eventually arresting cyber criminals. The Volkskrant’s front page report is accompanied by an extensive background story, which contains some more worrying details, but is only available in Dutch.
The cooperation with the Russians dates back to September 2007, when the head of THTC attended a conference in the Russian city of Khabarovsk, at which CIA, FBI, Mossad, BND and other agencies were present. The head of THTC was able to create a connection to the FSB and their deputy head of the department for cyber crime, Sergei Mikhailov, became the liaison for the Dutch police and would regularly visit the Netherlands.
U.K., Netherlands Lead EU Push for New Cyber Sanctions
The group is recommending that cyber penalties focus on individuals and entities. It said the door should also be left open to making cyber-crimes also subject to “sectoral measures.”
The EU has been mulling such a cyber sanctions regime since 2015 and the group of countries is pressing the bloc’s 28 nations to formally agree on the matter at a gathering of EU leaders in Brussels next week.
European defense coalition launched in Paris – media
A coalition of European militaries ready to react to crises near the continent’s borders was launched on Wednesday with Finland becoming the 10th country to join, amid calls by French President Emmanuel Macron for a „real European army.“
The French-led initiative would not conflict with the almost 70-year-old, U.S.-dominated NATO alliance, proponents say, but reflects in part concerns about a more isolationist United States under President Donald Trump, as reported by Reuters.
The Dike Breaks – Netherland Ends Support For „White Helmets“ Terrorist Propaganda
The Netherland just announced that it is ending its support for al-Qaeda’s propaganda gang, the „White Helmets“. It also ends its support for the so called Free Syrian Police. Last week the Netherlands shut down its „non lethal“ support for the Free Syrian Army after Dutch news organizations found that members of these groups were accused of terrorism by their General Prosecutor.
The Netherlands stops supporting Syrian rebels, ahead of Idlib offensive
The chance that rebel forces will be able to win the civil war is, the ministers say, now ‘extremely limited’. Dutch support for the rebels has ‘not had the desired effects’, the ministers said. The Netherlands had set aside €70m to fund the opposition. In addition to funding ‘moderate’ rebels, the Netherland had also put money into their police forces and to the White Helmets programme, the civilian rescue service.
Dutch govt under fire for Syria opposition support
The Dutch government faced a storm of protest from lawmakers Monday after a news report said it supported a Syrian opposition group which Dutch prosecutors had labelled a „terrorist“ organisation.
Parliamentarians demanded answers after the report aired by the national public broadcaster said the Netherlands gave „non-lethal assistance“ (NLA) to 22 armed opposition groups battling President Bashar al-Assad’s forces.
Jordan says it has taken in 800 Syrian White Helmets rescuers and their families from Israel and plans to transfer them to the UK, Canada and Germany
US, allies set to evacuate Syrian aid workers from southwest
Two officials familiar with the plans said Thursday that the U.S., Britain and Canada are spearheading the evacuation that would transport members of the White Helmets group to transit camps in neighboring countries. From there, they will be sent to third countries, including Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and possibly Canada, according to the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.
Leftist Femke Halsema 1st Woman to Become Amsterdam’s Mayor
Femke Halsema became the first woman in history to become mayor of the city of Amsterdam in The Netherlands on Thursday. Halsema, a 52-year-old former leader of the left-wing Groenlinks party, said she was “happy, proud and humbled,” by the nomination, according to the BBC.
Dutch police can now access 200,000 private security cameras: AD
There are an estimated 500,000 security cameras in the Netherlands operated by companies and private individuals. According to the AD, police want registration to be compulsory, as is now the case in Belgium.
Dutch central bank says Italy among risk
The Dutch central Bank, the DNB, mentioned Italy as a risk factor in its spring Financial Stability Report on Friday. „One of the main threats to financial stability is a sudden increase in interest rates due to growing risk premiums,“ the report said.
Netherlands ready to expand co-op with Iranian petchem companies
Dutch as well as other European companies are interested
Iran, Netherlands sign agricultural co-op documents
Tehran and Amsterdam have ramped up efforts to broaden trade ties after the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. Trade turnover between the two countries stood at $650 million 2017, more than $600 million of which pertain to Iranian imports from the Netherlands.
Dutch Joint Sigint Cyber Unit (JSCU), AIVD-MIVD partnership in practice
(26.2.2015) The February 2015 issue (.pdf, in Dutch) of the Dutch government magazine “Nationale Veiligheid en Crisisbeheersing” contains an article about the Joint Sigint Cyber Unit (JSCU). Here is a translation of that article (hyperlinks are mine): (…)
„Another example of network-oriented cooperation is the cyber cooperation between the AIVD, MIVD, the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) and the National Police. Under the working title “Cat5″ the partners initiated a pilot for sharing technical and operational information for detecting digital attacks and digital attackers.“