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| Man arrested for cockroach plague |
9/9/2012 |
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Man arrested for cockroach plague
Friday 07 September 2012
A man has been arrested for releasing hundreds of cockroaches in the town of Etten-Leur in August and may face charges of causing a public nuisance, Nos television reports.
The insects, which are not poisonous but can spread bacteria, were meant as food for his reptile collection. At one point, the man had so many cockroaches he decided to let them go in a green space near his home.
The man, who was not named, had not thought about the consequences of letting the cockroaches go and is very sorry for what happened, Nos said. As well as criminal charges, he may also be billed for the clean-up operation.
Senior diplomat says the Netherlands is too passive on foreign affairs
Friday 07 September 2012
The Netherlands is losing face internationally because of its passive approach to foreign affairs and mixed messages on Europe, a senior diplomat claims in Friday’s NRC.
Pieter Feith, who stands down as the ICO representative in Kosovo this weekend, told the paper the Netherlands has ‘fallen behind’ in diplomatic circles.
‘Foreign affairs minister Uri Rosenthal says the Netherlands does not want to be the EU’s pet. But in that case, you have to be active yourself. You have to come up with ideas and take initiatives, you have to have a presence.’ Feith said. ‘
Take Sweden, which is professional and serious,'' he continued. ''I think Netherlands has fallen behind in terms of diplomacy.''
‘Internationally, people ask what the Netherlands actually wants,’ the NRC quoted Feith as saying. ‘With Greece, the euro, Serbia. You can no longer count on 100% consistency in our policy. Every country changes course on occasion but our country is heading off at top speed in lots of different directions.’
The ICO is an international body which supports Kosovo''s efforts to become independent within Europe.
Companies to be allowed to issue visas to foreign staff
Thursday 06 September 2012
Companies with a good reputation which employ foreign staff are to be given access to immigration service systems so they can organise visas directly, immigration minister Gerd Leers said on Thursday.
''I am prepared to give companies which perform well the opportunity to write out their own visas by logging into the system,'' Leers told BNR radio.
The visas could be given to non-EU nationals who meet standard criteria, such as a salary of at least €50,000.
Paperwork
The companies can save a lot of paperwork, ''but must accept the consequences if they bring in someone without the proper papers or who turns out to be a criminal,'' the minister said.
Companies which do break the rules will face fines and loss of their preferred supplier status, the minister said.
The new system is due to come into effect next year.
Immigration minister says no to amnesty for child refugees
Thursday 06 September 2012
Efforts to win residency permits for several hundred child refugees who have lived in the Netherlands for at least eight years took another knock on Thursday when immigration minister Gerd Leers said he would continue to say ''no''.
''I am going to say no, not with my heart but with my head,'' the minister said. He was speaking after receiving a petition signed by 130,000 people. The petition calls for an amnesty for children who have become rooted in the Netherlands.
''The children are not responsible, not for their arrival here or war and violence,'' Leers said. This made it a difficult decision to take, he said. However, in the end, shorter procedures were the best way of making sure children are not given false hope, he said.
Since GroenLinks parliamentarian Tofik Dibi began campaigning on behalf of refugee children, some 175 local councils have called for a permanent solution to the problem.
Political parties ChristenUnie and PvdA have also drawn up legislation which would give the children residency permits. That will be up to the next parliament after the September 12 general election.
Priest thrown out of priesthood for abusing boys
Friday 07 September 2012
A 59-year-old Catholic priest has been stripped of his priesthood by the Vatican following a string of offences against young boys.
Ron van der V is currently in jail following his conviction for abusing a 12-year-old boy on a campsite in France. The priest has several convictions for abusing boys and possessing child pornography over the years, Nos television said.
A report into child abuse within the Catholic church last year identified 105 priests who had abused children between 1945 and 1985 and are still alive.
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