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New initiative aims for better insights into murders of women

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – A new database covering the murder of women is being set up in the Netherlands to investigate the role of gender in femicide, the Volkskrant has reported.

In the Netherlands a woman is killed every eight days, figures show. In six out of 10 cases the perpetrator is the woman’s partner or ex, who, in most cases, is male.

“The debate about femicide is still largely based on case studies,” initiator and professor Marieke Liem told the paper. “But if you base policy on individual cases you may lose sight of the bigger picture. We are going to investigate how gender played a role in the murder of women and if it was a determining factor.”

Liem already heads the Dutch Homicide Monitor which contains data covering 25 years of murder and manslaughter in the Netherlands. For the femicide monitor, Liem will analyse 400 murders of women, including the “red flags” that preceded them.

One of the types of femicide Liem will be examining is that involving elderly men who kill their sick wives because they can no longer care for them.

“A man in that position may think, it is better if I kill her and myself. If he has never been violent police will have no information on him. But other organisations might if they are alert enough. Often the most attention will go to the most impactful cases: a man hits his wife, she leaves him, he kills her,” she said.

In every case of the murder of a woman, the question is what the data can teach us and if and when we could have intervened, Liem said.

Rijswijk mayor Huri Sahin will be an ambassador for the Femicide Monitor. In April,  she called on women who felt threatened to email her. Some 60 women and aid organisations did and in some of the more acute cases, Sahin intervened personally.

“We need both science and policies to put effective measures in place, and this database will help us do that,” she said.

(DutchNews)

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Trump tariffs will slow Dutch economy by 0.9%, experts warn

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – Donald Trump’s return to the White House is likely to be a blow for the Dutch and European economies, caused by higher inflation, a weak euro and trade barriers.

Rabobank economists projected growth in the Netherlands would be reduced by up to -0.9% in the long term, though much depends on how far Trump raises import barriers in 2025.

The United States is the Netherlands’ fourth largest export market, meaning Dutch companies would be hit by Trump’s promise to raise tariffs across the board when he takes office next year.

Rabobank considered two scenarios, one in which Trump imposes a universal extra tariff of 5% and another with a 10% rate. Both would drag down growth in the Netherlands, by 0.4% and 0.9% respectively over the president’s four-year term. That is equivalent to every Dutch citizen losing out to the tune of €500 a year.

The Trump administration is also planning an extra 60% tariff on all Chinese imports, which economists say could prompt China to flood Europe with cheap goods.

The predictions are measured against the impact of a much lower increase in tariffs of 1.6% that vice-president Kamala Harris was expected to impose, Rabobank said.

“Huge impact”

ING economist Bert Colijn said Trump’s tariffs would have a “huge impact” on the Dutch economy.

“Dutch exporters are already having a hard time,” he told the Parool. “They are already struggling with the rickety economies in Europe and China.”

One crumb of comfort, Colijn says, is that Trump was willing to negotiate on tariffs for individual companies. Tata Steel managed to secure an exemption on higher tariffs during the previous Trump presidency and the company has invested in strengthening its contacts with American authorities.

“There is a lot of scope to negotiate with Trump on tariffs,” Colijn said. “European commissioner [Jean-Claude] Juncker was very successful at that last time.”

Fewer rate cuts

Rabobank has also warned that high inflation in the Netherlands left the country vulnerable to any further weakening of the euro against the dollar. The euro dropped from nearly $1.09 on Tuesday to $1.07 by lunchtime on Wednesday.

A weaker euro means essential commodities such as oil, which is priced in dollars, automatically becomes more expensive. The bank predicted that Dutch inflation could rise to 3.8% from its current level of 3.6%, well above the European Central Bank’s 2% target.

Higher inflation means the ECB is likely to cut interest rates less aggressively, making it harder for bankers to stave off recession.

Rabobank anticipates two rate cuts in 2025 compared to three if Harris had become president, while the Federal Reserve is expected to deliver just one quarter-point cut.

Modest EU impact

Across the EU the impact of the tariffs is expected to be modest. The London School of Economics forecast last month that GDP growth in the eurozone would be cut by just -0.11%.

Some industries would be much harder hit than others, particularly the car industry, which is part of the reason Germany’s is expected to be curbed by -0.23%.

Trump has proposed a 100% tariff on all imported vehicles and a 200% on some types, a move that is expected to slow the transition to electric vehicles, which make up 30% of the US market.

Higher tariffs on imported vehicles would “significantly impact the affordability of electric vehicles in the US market, potentially slowing adoption rates and hampering efforts to reduce transport emissions,” Dr Aurélien Saussay, Assistant Professor at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, wrote in a paper.

The LES says the protectionist measures will have an even bigger impact on the American and Chinese economies, with GDP in the US revised downwards by -0.64% and Chinese GDP down by -0.68%.

“No retaliation”

Dr Saussay said: “These tariffs will impact the American economy, not just Chinese and European sectors, so Donald Trump ploughing ahead with these policies if elected would be awful for economies across the globe.”

But he said Europe should resist the temptation to hit back with retaliatory tariffs, warning that it would risk triggering an even bigger trade war with the US.

He said the EU and China should “consider highly targeted protective measures for specific vulnerable sectors, such as the automobile industry.

“This is particularly relevant for Germany, and could include temporary subsidies, tax relief, R&D incentives, and support for export markets to diversify.”

(DutchNews)

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School tells vaping teens to wear a vest, get parents permission

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – A school in Den Helder in Noord-Holland has banned smoking and vaping unless pupils have written permission from their parents and wear a high visibility yellow vest while doing it.

Just nine parents at the 1,300-pupil Lyceum aan Zee school said their children could vape or smoke during breaks.

“The measure is meant to cause a bit of friction,” school director Hielke ter Veld told the Telegraaf. “We wanted to do something to engage parents and children in a conversation. We want to involve the parents in school policy,” she said.

Ter Veld said parents often don’t know their children smoke or vape, or are afraid to tell their children no.

“It’s one of the things that used to be part of the parents’ responsibilities but are now being left to the school,” school board chairman Hans van Beekum told the paper. “And the image of all those kids vaping in front of the school was horrible. We needed to do something,” he said.

The nine children who did get their parents’ permission, which was followed up by a phone call, is an “easy to monitor group”, Ter Veld said. “We are under no illusion that they are the only ones who are vaping.”

Some parents objected to the yellow vest for restricting smokers’ and vapers’ movements and even made WW II comparisons but, Ter Veld said, the vests are simply meant to identify those who can smoke from the rest of the pupils.

The first few days of the new regime have seen few pupils put on the vest and the measure has not given rise to the expected heated discussions, Ter Veld said.

Fifth-year pupil Tanja said she found it “a bit shocking” to find herself alone. “My friends used to come outside with me if I wanted to vape. But they can’t now,” she said. She also said she would not cut down on her vaping because of the measure. Pupil Brandon skipped his break-time vape, saying “no way I’m wearing the vest”.

Stop smoking

“Most pupils won’t want to ask permission from their parents and wear the vest. They will smoke less and that will hopefully become part of the school culture. If we only get a few pupils to stop smoking then it’s worth it,” Ter Veld said.

Recent research has shown that many of the vapes used by teenagers contain harmful chemicals including too much nicotine and formaldehyde.

(DutchNews)

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Hope Triumphs: Innovative Surgery at Health City Restores Shoulder Mobility

SINT MAARTEN/CAYMAN ISLANDS - Health City Cayman Islands celebrates a groundbreaking achievement, completing two advanced orthopedic procedures, which granted Caymanian resident Hope Stephenson newfound freedom from pain and mobility restrictions.

For over a decade, Stephenson, a dedicated receptionist, struggled to raise her right upper arm as she worked. Despite various treatments, including physiotherapy, her condition persisted, leading her medical practitioner to refer her to Health City for a comprehensive solution.

A Pioneering Surgical Approach

Dr. Niranjan Nagaraja, Senior Orthopedics and Joint Replacement Surgeon at Health City, closely examined Stephenson’s case. An MRI scan confirmed a significant rotator cuff injury coupled with muscle wasting, and Dr. Nagaraja proposed a Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty (RSA).

In a routine shoulder replacement, the top of the arm bone is fitted with a metal ball, and the shoulder blade receives a plastic cup to serve as a replacement socket. In contrast, a reverse shoulder replacement involves attaching the metal ball to the shoulder blade and placing the plastic socket on the upper arm bone. 

Addressing Complex Challenges

The weakened state of one of Hope Stephenson’s external rotator muscles complicated the surgery. This necessitated a rare and intricate procedure in which the latissimus dorsi muscle from her back would replace the damaged rotator cuff muscle. 

During this operation, the latissimus dorsi tendon was passed under the skin, through the armpit, and positioned over the shoulder joint, replacing the torn rotator cuff tendon. 

Dr. Nagaraja reassured, “Hope doesn’t have to worry about her shoulder for the next two decades. She will be able to do all (her) daily activities.” 

A Commitment to Patient Care

Post-surgery, Stephenson’s life has transformed. She now experiences pain-free, enhanced mobility in her right shoulder. She expressed gratitude for the care of Dr. Nagaraja and the staff at Health City, who contributed to the healing process. “To the Health City staff, I appreciate you so much. Please don’t change your attitude and your bedside manners. It means so much to healing.” 

Hope Stephenson’s story is a testament to Health City’s commitment to pioneering patient care and innovative treatments.

CAYM Dr

Dr. Niranjan Nagaraja, Health City Orthopedic Surgeon Performs Rare Orthopedic Surgery to Enhance Shoulder Strength for Caymanian Woman

 

 

 

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Online gambling laws are boosting addiction among the young

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – Legisltaion licencing online gambling companies in the Netherlands has boosted addiction particularly among young adults and needs urgent reform, the government’s research agency WODC says in a new report.

Legal online gambling was introduced to the Netherlands in 2021, with the government saying a regulated legal market would make it easier to help people who were gambling illegally on foreign websites.

Instead, a string of reports have shown how the measures led to an explosion in people becoming addicted and building up debts. In total, 27 companies offering 37 different labels now have a licence to operate in the Netherlands.

WODC researchers posed as would-be gamblers, opened accounts and then asked for help via their chat services. But 17 out of 23 licenced companies referred the “problem gamblers” to a page listing their bonus offers, rather than addiction help. Six offered help and just two blocked the account.

The limited help is symbolic for everything that is wrong with the system, the researchers said. “Putting the care for online gamblers in the hands of those who are providing the addictive product, and who are competing for market share… was naive,” the report said.

The gambling authority has the power to issue fines, but needs more teeth, the researchers said. One option would be to allow the authority to freeze permits so that online casinos have to close down for a period.

The national addiction watchdog said in January that tens of thousands of people have been hit by financial problems as a result of the way online gambling was legalised three years ago.

Since then, the government has introduced a string of restrictions on advertising. In 2022, former footballers and other famous faces were banned from appearing in adverts for online gambling companies following concerns about the number of youngsters picking up the habit.

In July 2023 adverts for online gambling on radio, television, and at outdoor locations such as bus shelters were banned.  Advertising on internet, on demand tv and in junk mail remains an option under strict conditions. Companies have to be able to show that 95% of the advertising reaches the over-23s and people should have the option to opt out of receiving it.

The government has also introduced a spending limit of €350 per day, but this is website-based and does not stop punters having multiple accounts.

Junior legal protection minister Teun Struycken told broadcaster NOS that players are not being protected by the legislation as expected. “There is work to be done,” he told NOS, pledging to come up with a formal reaction to the report before the end of the year.

(DutchNews)

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Welfare claimants need to trust the government, think-tank says

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – The right-wing cabinet’s plans to amend legislation aimed at ensuring people participate more in society are right to focus more on building up trust and less on finding work, according to the government’s socio-cultural think-tank SCP.

Research by the SCP shows that there is no jobs option for around one third of the people claiming welfare benefits, and that means a broader approach is needed.

“The participation law is currently focused on helping people find work,” said SCP director Karen van Oudenhoven: “But about one third of people on welfare are not in a position to hold down a paid job. At the same time, there is very little trust [in officialdom] but this is so important in helping people.”

A large number of people on welfare benefits can be helped to find job while others can participate in society via volunteer work, she said. “But there is a third group whose problems are so great that a job or other option won’t work.”

The SCP research shows that some welfare claimants feel they are being seen as potential fraudsters and that makes them unwilling to talk about their problems. Breaking through this barrier requires a change in the way claimants are viewed, the SCP said.

Government departments charged with administering social security benefits have come under repeated fire for discriminating against claimants for a variety of reasons.

The Dutch privacy watchdog in June warned that the tax office’s approach, including its use of algorithms to identify potential fraudsters, was “unlawful, discriminatory and contrary to privacy legislation.”

The AP’s report cites several examples of government organisations using “ill-considered algorithms,” including the Education Executive Agency’s (DUO) use of an algorithm to detect fraud regarding student grants that it called “discriminatory in nature without any substantiation.”

It also criticised benefits agency UWV for “illegally us[ing] algorithm[s] to detect fraud with unemployment benefits.”

The child benefit scandal, which brought down the government in 2021, involved over 50,000 Dutch parents who were incorrectly accused of fraud and unjustly ordered to pay back thousands of euros in childcare benefits by the Dutch tax office. They have still not received compensation.

(DutchNews)

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Ex-counterterrorism official denies spying for Morocco

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – A former member of the anti-terrorism taskforce NCTV has denied divulging classified information to Morocco during his decades-long career and told judges on Monday in Rotterdam he “felt unsafe” discussing the case.

The 65-year-old addressed the court for the first time since he was arrested in October 2023. He was picked up at Schiphol airport, planning to board a flight to Morocco with, according to police, hundreds of classified documents.

“I do not feel safe,” Abderrahim el M said, claiming he was unable to discuss the case further because the hearing took place in open court.

El M faces 15 years in jail if he is convicted of giving state secrets to the Moroccan government.

According to the public prosecution service, the man, who was born in Morocco and moved to the Netherlands to attend university, was carrying a “massive number” of data storage devices when he was picked up. They contained over 100 classified documents of which 23 included state secrets, covering the period between 2007 and 2023.

He had regular contact with the head of the Moroccan counter-espionage unit who also arranged his frequent flights to Morocco, the court was told.

El M denied the charges through his lawyer Bart Nooitgedagt. Nooitgedagt argued prosecutors had shown no evidence his client gave information to a foreign security agency. “He remains a civil servant loyal to the Netherlands,” Nooitgedagt said.

A woman who was also arrested in connection with the case, and who allegedly helped El M print the documents from the AIVD and MIVD computers, maintained she did not know what M wanted with the documents. She has been released but remains a suspect.

During an earlier hearing, the prosecuting officer said the investigation would take at least a year. “There are some 46 terabytes of information on the devices, the equivalent of 11.5 billion A4 pages,” the prosecution said.

(DutchNews)

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Researchers find pesticides in many bird food brands

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – Much of the bird food available in the Netherlands is contaminated with pesticides, including seed mixes sold by bird protection organisation Volgelbescherming, according to new research.

The organic bird food bought at C J Wildlife was the only pesticide-free sample found in the test, carried out by the environmental group Pesticide Action Network Netherlands (PAN).

The other samples came from bird food bought at Albert Heijn, Action, Maxi Zoo and garden centres.

Bird food sold by Vogelbescherming, for sale at Pets & CO and Tuinland, was found to contain piperonyl butoxide (PBO) which was also present in all the other samples. PBO is used to strengthen the effect of insecticides but its consumption affects birds’ hormonal function and therefore their fertility.

Vogelbescherming said in a reaction it is “shocked” by the news and wants to speak to PAN about how damaging the pesticide residues are.

Other pesticides found were deltamethrin, which can affect the nervous system, PAN claimed, as well as the banned insecticides pirimiphos-methyl, pyrethrin, and tebucanozole, an anti-fungus chemical.

PAN recommends either buying organic products or making a homemade mix of organic grains and seeds.

(DutchNews)

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Thieves steal two “queens” from gallery, dump others on pavement

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – Two portraits of queens by Andy Warhol have been stolen following an explosion at an art gallery in Oisterwijk, and two others were dumped on the streets, owner Mark Peet Visser has told broadcaster NOS.

The screen prints had been stored at the gallery ahead of their sale at the art fair Pan Amsterdam at the end of November.

The thieves used explosives to break into the gallery on Thursday night but could not fit all four Warhols in their getaway car, security camera images show. The two works left behind and the other two are “damaged beyond repair”, Visser said. “It is a terrible shame,” he said.

The works were made in 1985 and show four reigning queens, Beatrix of the Netherlands, Elizabeth in the UK, Danish queen Margrethe and Swaziland queen Ntombi Twala. Elizabeth and Margrethe were taken by the thieves.

Coincidently, an exhibition featuring the four queens is currently running at the Het Loo palace.

“They are not extremely rare,” art historian Willem Baars told NOS. “You can buy Warhols all over the world, but this series has extra meaning here because it features Beatrix.”

It will be difficult to sell the works because they are numbered and can be identified straight away, he said.

In 2021, four screen prints of Beatrix were sold at auction in The Hague for €217,000. Just days after her death in 2022, two portraits of Elizabeth sold for £529,200 and £554,400 at a Sotheby’s London online sale.

Website Artsy.net currently has 49 listed for sale.

(DutchNews)

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Gasoline and Diesel prices to be adjusted on Saturday

SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) – On Saturday, November 2, fuel pump prices will be adjusted for gasoline and diesel. 

The current price of unleaded gasoline is Naf.2.347 per liter, will be adjusted to the new price of Naf.2.195 per liter.

The current price of diesel is Naf.1.908 per liter, will be adjusted to the new price of Naf.1.793 per liter.

The Government of Sint Maarten regulates the prices of petroleum products by imposing a maximum price at which wholesalers and retailers can sell these products in the country to motorists.

At the international level, the prices of crude oil have experienced adjustments and local prices follow the international trend, and therefore prices are adjusted to reflect this. 

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