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Energy crisis in Europe: what will the Netherlands do?

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Energy crisis in Europe: what will the Netherlands do?

The effect of the Russia-Ukraine War on Europe continues. Since the start of the war, many European countries, including the Netherlands, have decided to impose sanctions against Russia. Moscow, on the other hand, found the solution to stop the flow of natural gas in order to respond to the European countries that imposed sanctions on it.

So, will the Netherlands be able to overcome the natural gas crisis? What are the measures taken by the Dutch government?

With the gas flow cut off, the Dutch government has decided to subsidize their energy bills so that their citizens are not burdened with high energy bills before the upcoming winter.

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From 1 November 2022, electricity and natural gas bills will be paid at the pre-Ukraine war price, up to the average consumption amount. With this decision, the amount of the basic consumption package was determined as approximately 2,500 kilowatt-hours in electricity and 1,169 cubic meters in natural gas.

The government used the average consumption of a Dutch family to determine the rate. With this step taken by the government, the Dutch people will have paid for the electricity and natural gas consumption in the determined amounts, at the prices of last year’s January during the winter. The deficit in the invoices will be covered by the state. Also, no one will be cut off from electricity and gas for not paying.

Could there be a gas shortage in the Netherlands?

GasTerra, the gas distribution company in the Netherlands, announced that the amount of gas cut by Russia constitutes about 5 percent of the annual gas need of the Netherlands. A spokesperson for the company said that this is a substantial amount, but not irreplaceable.

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The Dutch government sees the use of gas extracted in the Groningen region in the north of the country as a last resort. Dutch Climate and Energy Minister Rob Jetten stated that this is not necessary at the moment and said, “We promised the residents of Groningen that we would reduce gas production in that area and we are complying.”

Many buildings were damaged in the Groningen region due to earthquakes due to gas works, and the government decided to stop gas production.

GAS FLOW TO EUROPE AGAIN?

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The Russian government first shut down Nord Stream 1, the largest pipeline of gas sent to Europe, last August, and Moscow cited oil leaks in gas turbines as the reason for the pipeline’s closure. Upon this, Siemens Energy company, which manufactures gas turbines, confirmed that there was a malfunction in the turbines, but declared that this malfunction was not a malfunction that would require cutting off the gas flow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a statement he made recently, said, “We will not provide gas, oil, coal, heating oil. We will not provide anything. “The West will be frozen this winter,” he said. Russian gas giant Gazprom has announced that it will not reopen the Nord Stream gas pipeline to Europe as planned.

How is the situation in other European countries?

With Moscow’s use of energy as a weapon against Europe, energy prices are breaking records in continental countries. Europeans, who have started to experience partial cuts due to the serious price hikes one after the other, are thinking about how they will spend the winter.

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According to the news in the Turkish press, many EU citizens who were disturbed by this situation took action to spend the winter in Turkey. People from many EU countries have started to book hotels and rental houses in Turkey.

Which country is taking what action?

EU citizens continue to criticize their country’s dependence on Russian gas. So, what kind of steps do other European countries, trying to get through this process with the least damage, take to protect the welfare of their citizens?

The European Union (EU) Commission pushed the button to change the European energy market structure and rules, which led to the rise in gas and electricity prices. EU Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen noted that they are working on a “structural reform” that will be implemented in early 2023, and thus aiming to cut the negative impact of gas prices on electricity prices.

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On the other hand, EU governments, who were worried that the strikes that broke out in England would occur in their own countries, started to announce new reform packages. In addition, in some countries that are starting to go for various energy savings, governments are turning to coal and nuclear production. Some countries, on the other hand, propose the use of 200 billion Euros of credit provided by the post-Covid-19 recovery plan, which member states do not use, in this area.

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Sea level in the Netherlands has been rising faster than expected in recent years

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Sea level in the Netherlands has been rising faster than expected in recent years

As in the rest of the world, the sea level in the Netherlands is rising faster and faster.

According to the latest report, it is rising faster than 30 years ago.

Sea level in the Netherlands is rising faster and faster. Previous studies on this subject have also been confirmed by the latest report published by Deltares and the Dutch Meteorological Institute KNMI. Over the past 30 years, sea level has risen by an average of 2.9 millimeters each year.

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Stating that the effect of wind on the sea level can now be determined accurately, Deltares stated that the latest sea level data obtained are therefore more reliable.

In the report, it was noted that sea level rose by an average of 1.8 millimeters per year about 30 years ago, but according to the data obtained, this rate of rise increased to 2.9 millimeters per year.

The report stated that the rate of sea level rise in the Netherlands increased at the same rate as the global rise.
The rapid rise in sea level is also a direct result of climate change. Due to the emission of heat-trapping greenhouse gases, the Earth is currently on average 1.2 degrees warmer than it was before the industrial revolution. This accelerates the melting of glaciers and thus the rise of sea level, as in the Greenland and Antarctic regions.

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Fear of the Netherlands: Sea level rises above 2 meters

With its deepest point being the Zuidplaspolder 7m below sea level, half of the Netherlands’ surface area is just a meter above or below sea level. Looking at the demographic structure, it is seen that about half of the population lives in areas below sea level.

KNMI’s report in 2014 predicted a 1 meter rise in Dutch sea level by the end of the century. In the report published only 7 years later in 2021, it was stated that the sea level rose faster, and that it would rise by 2 meters at the end of the century.

Climatologists suggest raising dykes called “Dijk” and flood levees called “waterkering” to prevent the country from being flooded in case the sea level rises up to 2 meters. However, this measure may be insufficient if the sea level rises above 2 meters.

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Measurements on which Deltares and KNMI are based were performed in Delfzijl, Harlingen, Den Helder, IJmuiden, Hoek van Holland and Vlissingen.

Nearly half of the Netherlands lies below the sea level.

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Woman shot dead in Amsterdam

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Woman shot dead in Amsterdam

The suspect, who killed a woman in the morning hours in the Amsterdam West region, was found dead in an area close to the crime scene.

Acting immediately upon a tip-off at around 08:00 on Thursday, the Amsterdam police found a woman shot dead in front of her apartment in the Staatsliedenbuurt neighborhood, De Wittenstraat.

Many officers and trauma helicopters were dispatched to the scene. However, ambulance crews announced that the woman died due to her injuries.

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In the statement made on the social media account of the police around 10:00, it was recorded that the murder suspect was found dead in the car park in De Wittenkade, which is close to the address where the incident took place.

Police cordoned off the area where the woman was killed and started an investigation. No explanation was given as to why the woman died.

In the first statement made by the police after the incident, it was announced that the murder suspect was 1.90 meters tall and ran away from the scene.

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Woman shot dead in Amsterdam

Woman shot dead in Amsterdam 1

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1/3 of students starting university in the Netherlands this year are foreigners

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13 of students starting university in the Netherlands this year are foreigners

According to data published by the Netherlands’ official education agency DUO, approximately one-third of first-year undergraduate and graduate students at Dutch universities in the 2022/2023 academic year are international students.

In the autumn 2022 registration period, the number of foreign students increased by 7.3% compared to the previous year and exceeded 85,000. While the number of international students at universities is increasing, a slowdown is observed in the annual rate of increase. This rate was between 12-15% in previous years.

The increase in international students is causing difficulties in meeting the demand for universities in the Netherlands and the cities where the universities are located. This is especially observed in the Randstad region. The biggest problem is the lack of accommodation for students. Members of parliament recently demanded that the government take control of universities’ intake of international students. Particularly, it was requested to organize the participation of universities in career fairs abroad and the registration admission processes.

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Making statements on this subject, Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science Robbert Dijkgraaf emphasized that this increase in the number of foreign students and the negative aspects of internationalization are worrying, the need to reduce the workload on teachers, among other problems, and the positive impact of attracting talented foreign students to the country.

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In the Netherlands, 4 kindergarten students were hospitalized after smelling cocaine in the bag they found

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In the Netherlands 4 kindergarten students were hospitalized after smelling cocaine in the bag they found

In the town of Tegelen in the south of the Netherlands, 4 kindergarten students were taken to hospital after they tasted cocaine in a bag they found near the school garden.

Event; it happened last Monday at PassePortout Elementary School in Tegelen Township, near the city of Venlo: 4 kindergarten students out for recess found a bag in the bushes adjacent to the school garden. The children tasted it curiously at the white powder residue inside the bag. Realizing the situation, the security guard informed the police and teachers about the situation.

Four kindergarten students were taken to the hospital immediately. As a result of the controls, it was reported that the condition of the children was good.

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The school administration sent a letter to all parents and informed them of the incident.

A police spokesperson told De Limburger Newspaper that a white powder residue was found in the bag, which was determined to be “cocaine” as a result of investigations.

Police are investigating how the bag got around the school.

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NS warns 780,000 customers: Data stolen

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NS warns 780000 customers Data stolen

Dutch Railways (NS) has notified its 780,000 customers via email that their personal data may have fallen into the wrong hands due to a data leak.

The data leak did not originate from NS itself, but from a software supplier of market research firm Blauw.

Blauw provides customer satisfaction surveys for NS as well as many companies. E-mail addresses, phone numbers or names of train passengers who participated in such a satisfaction survey may have been leaked. While the stolen data is not financial data or passwords, there is a risk that malicious individuals could use this data to send phishing messages to NS clients, for example. It is now being investigated how the leak occurred.

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Emergency services in Amsterdam started drills

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Emergency services in Amsterdam started drills

Amsterdam and its surroundings are preparing for the exercise to measure emergency services in security zones.

Police, emergency medical services, firefighters, armed forces and the municipality will respond to a large-scale counter-terrorism attack in the planned exercises.

According to the news of RTL Nieuws, the exercise will start today in the Westelijk Havengebied neighborhood and will be moved around the Olympic Stadium on Wednesday.

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The Amsterdam-Amstelland Security District announced that the city does not have any security risks, but such a program has been applied to improve response to emergencies.

It has been announced that the places where the exercise will be held will be restricted to public access.

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Free meals in schools for students in need started in the Netherlands

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Free meals in schools for students in need started in the Netherlands

The Netherlands took action for the children of families in need. A free meal application was launched for students in need in primary and secondary schools.

The application, which started today in Merlijn primary school in The Hague, aims to prevent economic problems from affecting children’s education life.

The government has earmarked 100,000 euros for the program, organized by the Youth Education Fund and the Red Cross.

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Campaign to deter obscene party content from the Netherlands

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Campaign to deter obscene party content from the Netherlands

The Dutch Municipality is running a campaign to prevent obscene and drug-related parties in Amsterdam.

In the content of the digital campaign targeting men aged 18-35, young men are handcuffed and fingerprinted by the police as they stagger down the street. Advert; it will appear in front of those who search with terms such as cheap hotel, bachelorette.

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Dutch Association of Municipalities (VNG) warns the government

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Dutch Association of Municipalities VNG warns the government

In the report published by VNG, it was stated that the purchasing power was low and the social security was insufficient.

In the published report, it was also stated that there was an increase in the number of people suffering from financial difficulties and having to be supported by municipalities.

Saying that the government should make a ‘social security commitment’ to improve the quality of life of citizens, VNG also drew up a strategic plan for the situation.

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Dutch sperm donor with 550 children worldwide sued

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Dutch sperm donor with 550 children worldwide sued

A woman who became a mother through a sperm bank sued a Dutch sperm donor who was determined to be the biological father of 550 children worldwide.

A woman who became a mother through a sperm bank with the Child Donor Foundation in the Netherlands has filed a lawsuit against a Dutch sperm donor who, despite being on the “black list”, was determined to be the biological father of hundreds of children worldwide.

The foundation and mothers do not want Jonhatan M., 41, to donate any more sperm.
Families who have children through sperm donation are concerned that hundreds of children from the same donor may be at risk of incest or consanguineous marriage.

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Dutch law allows donors to give sperm to a maximum of 12 women and to father a maximum of 25 children.

However, it was determined that Jonathan M., who lives in The Hague, Netherlands, is the biological father of 102 children despite legal obstacles.

Jonathan M., who was blacklisted and banned from donating in the Netherlands, continued to donate sperm to other sperm banks and individuals around the world.

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According to Jonathan M.’s own statements, there are currently 550 children born from their own sperm in various countries.

The Dutch Foundation for Donor Children, founded by people born through sperm donation, and a mother applied to the court to prevent Jonathan M. from donating sperm and to name the clinics he has donated to date.

The Hague Court will take the case first. The court will set the timetable for the trial process on Monday.

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In the Netherlands, anonymous sperm donation has been banned since 2004. When the child turns 16, he can learn the identity of his biological father.

In order to prevent children from the same donor from having intercourse with each other and to prevent the spread of hereditary diseases, a maximum of 25 children are allowed from one donor’s sperm.

The Dutch Society of Gynecologists, alerting clinics in 2017, reported that at least 102 children were born with sperm from a donor.

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The Netherlands blacklisted Jonathan M. for not donating sperm. However, he continued to donate.

As a result of the researches, it was determined that Jonathan M. lied to the women he came into contact with via the internet and claimed that he did not donate to many people.

It was determined that the Dutch donor donated sperm to clinics and women in many countries from Australia to Ukraine. Whether he did this for economic or other reasons is unknown.

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According to the Dutch newspaper AD, Jonathan M. says he is the biological father of 550 children worldwide.

Ties van der Meer, President of the Donorkind Foundation, said that they have decided to take action against the Dutch sperm donor.

Van der Meer explained to public broadcaster NOS the reasoning for the lawsuit:

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“National governments are doing nothing about this person. It has a worldwide reach via the Internet and even does business with large internationally operating sperm banks.”

People who have children through the foundation and donated sperm are worried about the risk of incest or consanguineous marriage.

Van der Meer said: “It is dangerous not only biologically, but also mentally, for blood relatives to have intercourse with each other unknowingly. You will have hundreds of half-brothers and half-sisters. You can never have a healthy communication with them,” he said.

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Lawyer Mark de Hek emphasized that the Dutch sperm donor acted illegally and said, “This behavior is dangerous for the health and spiritual development of the donor children. The donor is acting illegally by giving priority to the reproductive impulse.”

Saying that he is currently in Kenya, Jonathan M. did not respond to questions from the Dutch media.

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