Dutch Statistical Institute (CBS) announced that 2 thousand 90 children had to be separated from their families from 2015 to June 2022 as a result of mistakes made by the Tax Office officials in some calculations.

CBS has updated the number of children taken into government protection from families experiencing legal, social and financial problems due to mismanagement of childcare support.

According to the current figures given to CBS by the Recovery Assistance Agency (UHT), which is applied by families who are victims of care assistance, it was stated that the number of children taken from their families, which was announced as 1675 in May 2022, was 2 thousand 90 in the period between 2015 and June 2022.

Accordingly, it was recorded that the number of children who had to be separated from their families was 415 more than previously announced.

FAMILIES DROUGHT TO FINANCIAL DESTRUCTION
Due to the miscalculations made by the Tax Office, the families whose childcare benefits were cut due to reasons such as “falsification of documents” and who were asked to pay a large amount of money retrospectively, were taken away from their children, claiming that they neglected their care after the financial destruction they experienced.

At the request of the Ministry of Justice and Security, in the statement made by CBS in May 2022 regarding the care allowance tables, it was noted that a total of 1675 children were “accidentally” taken under state protection, 1115 in 2015-2020 and 560 in 2021.

THOUSANDS OF FAMILY ACCIDENTLY DECLARED “FRAUD”
The Tax Office had decided to cut off the allowances of some families receiving child care assistance and to withdraw the aids due to erroneous or incomplete declarations, lack of documents, irregularity and fraudulent documents.

The investigative commission, established by the Dutch Parliament in December 2020, revealed that tens of thousands of families receiving childcare assistance were mistakenly labeled as “dishonest” by government officials and action was taken against these families.

In the report prepared by the commission, it was stated that there were mistakes in the income examinations made about the families receiving childcare assistance, those from certain ethnic backgrounds and those with dual citizenship.

The government resigned in January 2021 when it was revealed that discrimination had been made, and it was decided to pay compensation to families who had been discriminated against and suffered because of the cut-off of care benefits.

According to the data of the European Statistical Office, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, which was 6.1 percent in September, decreased to 6 percent in October.

The European Statistical Office (Eurostat) has published the unemployment data of the European Union (EU) and the Eurozone for October.

Accordingly, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the EU, which was 6.1 percent in September, decreased to 6 percent in October.

REGISTERED AS 6.5 PERCENT IN EURO REGION
The unemployment rate in the euro area, which was 6.6 percent in September, dropped to 6.5 percent in October. The unemployment rate was 7.3 percent in the euro area and 6.6 percent in the EU in October last year.

On a country basis, the unemployment rate was 12.5 percent in Spain, 11.6 percent in Greece, 7.8 percent in Italy and 7.1 percent in France in October.

While the number of unemployed in the EU was 12 million 953 thousand in October, 10 million 872 thousand of them were in the Euro Zone.

In October, the number of unemployed youth under the age of 25 was determined as 2 million 872 thousand in the EU and 2 million 326 thousand in the Euro Area. The youth unemployment rate was 15.1% in the EU and 15% in the Eurozone.

The Council of State decided that asylum seekers who had to wait unreasonably long for their claims to be processed could seek punitive damages from the government.

The country’s highest administrative court said the Immigration Service IND has the right to impose a conditional sentence, called “Dwangsom” in Dutch law, if judges fail to decide a request within the legal time limit.

The government suspended penalties for exceeding time limits while trying to remove the backlog in asylum cases by enacting a temporary law in 2020, but today’s decision puts the end to this.

According to Rabobank’s calculations, as a young person intending to buy a house, it is necessary to earn “almost twice the normal salary” in order to buy a house to buy.

Rising home prices, rising mortgage interest rates and tighter credit conditions have made the situation even more difficult for first-time home buyers.

Between 2003 and 2015, first-time home buyers were required to have a gross income of approximately 40,000 euros. Since then, that amount has jumped to 71,000 euros.

According to Rabobank economist Stefan Groot, the price of an average home rose 90% between 2003 and May of this year, to 380,000 euros.

Amsterdam is among the 25 most expensive cities in the world.

Amsterdam was ranked 44th in 2021, but this year it has moved up to 25th place in Mercer’s “Cost of Living Rankings 2022”, 21 places higher than last year. The Hague, surprisingly, was ranked 47th in the ranking of the 50 most expensive cities in the world. The Hague is in the top 50 for the first time.

Mercer’s report, published for the 28th time this year, ranked 227 cities from five continents according to the results of the biannual “Mercer Cost of Living Survey”, which examines the prices of more than 200 products and services in 10 categories. The following criteria were decisive in the ranking:

– Shelter
– Transport
– Utilities
– Food
– Domestic materials
– home services
– Personal care
– Clothing and shoes
– Recreation and entertainment
– Alcohol and tobacco

Accordingly, the cities determined as the top 10 most expensive cities in the world in the “world’s most expensive cities” ranking are as follows:

1. Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
2. Zurich, Switzerland
3. Geneva, Switzerland
4. Basel, Switzerland
5. Bern, Switzerland
6. Tel Aviv, Israel
7. New York City, NY United States
8. Singapore, Singapore
9. Tokyo, Japan
10. Beijing, China

218. Algiers, Algeria
219. Almaty, Kazakhstan
220. Tunis , Tunis
221. Tashkent, Uzbekistan
222. Istanbul, Turkey
223. Karachi, Pakistan
224. Islamabad, Pakistan
225. Dushanbe, Tajikistan
226. Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
227. Ankara, Turkey

With the new regulation, a blue or yellow Chipkaart will no longer be needed to check-in on public transport in Amsterdam.

The use of OV-Chipkaart is expected to decline significantly by the end of the year as the Dutch transport system switches to a new payment method, OV-Pay.

According to the news of Het Parool, debit cards can now be used to check-in.

Traveling in Amsterdam will become easier

So how does the system work? Actually the system is very similar to how Chipkaart works.

You can point your phone, smartwatch or contactless card towards the device to check-in using your debit card. The fee will then be deducted from your account under the name NLOV (Nederlands Openbaar Vervoer).

Just like Chipkaart, there will be no charge when entering and exiting the gates at the stations without traveling.

For business trips, NS Business Cards will continue to be used. In this way, travel expenses can be billed to employers.

A plus of OV-Pay is that it does not require a minimum balance. Thus, the obligation to load Chipkaart before the train will be eliminated.

Discount will not be available on OV-Pay

However, the only possible downside to OV-Pay will be the inability to take advantage of any subscriptions or discounts for public transport.

Those who want to take advantage of discounts and subscriptions will have to use OV-Chipkaarts for a while.

According to the law change published in the Official Gazette, all flavored e-cigarettes in the Netherlands will be permanently withdrawn from the market on October 1, 2023.

From this date, the liquids used for e-cigarettes will only be able to taste tobacco. The ban covers pre-filled e-cigarettes and disposable e-cigarettes, as well as refill liquids.

Banning flavors for e-cigarettes has long been on the agenda. Blokhuis, then Minister of State, said in 2020 that e-cigarettes are a stepping stone for young people to smoke regularly, and that flavors lower the threshold for e-cigarettes to be used.

The banning of images and words is also on the agenda.
Starting January 1, stores will still have nine months to sell their current stock.

In addition to the aroma ban, it is also thought to prevent references to anything other than tobacco on the packaging.

In addition, the naming conventions are also getting stricter. For example, e-cigarette liquids are still sold with terms like ‘bad boy fuel’, ‘chillin’ or puns like ‘OMGin’, which refers to a liquid that tastes like gin. As of October, these statements will not be included in the packaging.

Attractive for young people
Trimbos expert Esther Croes describes the ban as “a step in the right direction”. “Sweet flavors make e-cigarette and vape use particularly attractive to young people,” Croes says. says.

Stating that sellers also claim that e-cigarettes are a boon for people who want to quit tobacco smoking, Cross said, “But research shows that only a few people benefit from it.” said.

Croes also sees that most smokers who start using e-cigarettes are referred to as dual users. In other words, these individuals smoke both tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

‘Forbidden misses its target’
The aroma ban for sellers has been on the agenda for a while. That’s why some online stores have an announcement on their website calling on customers to “order on time”.

According to Emil ‘t Hart of trade association Esigbond, the taste ban is exceeding its goal: “We know that flavors play an important role in smokers’ recovery from tobacco addiction,” he says.

Contents list
RIVM has compiled a list of sixteen ingredients that manufacturers can use to make tobacco flavors. RIVM states that with these ingredients, about a quarter of existing tobacco flavors can survive.

According to Emil ‘t Hart, this is not possible. “We were able to taste the first variants. “This is a very poor copy of what a tobacco flavor should be,” he says. “The essential parts are missing to get the right flavor. The Secretary of State goes much further with this than just a flavor ban, because tobacco cannot be made with these ingredients.”

A man claiming to have dangerous goods with him was arrested Tuesday afternoon in Schiphol.

The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (KMar) said the 55-year-old man was suspected of making threats.
It is not yet clear whether the man actually had dangerous items with him.

A KMar outpost in Schiphol Plaza was tipped off. Later, part of the hall was cordoned off as a precaution. The man remained in Marechaussee’s office until a Defense team arrived.

A decontamination street was set up next to Schiphol Plaza, Schiphol’s central hall, through which the man passed.

The footage showed that emergency services such as firefighters and people in special protective suits were there. They also accompanied the Marechaussees, who arrested the man and took him away.

Those Marechaussees didn’t have protective gear. A spokesperson said they had to go through the decontamination street because of this. The suspect’s luggage is also being investigated for any dangerous goods.

In the afternoon, the hall was emptied again. The cord had no effect on air traffic or passengers. Train traffic was disrupted: fewer tracks were available due to the deployment of emergency services. The first trains started running again around 2 pm.

Those who receive social allowances in the Netherlands will be able to receive assistance for 1,200 euros without deductions.

Rules are being relaxed for those receiving social assistance. Those who receive allowances will be able to work in additional jobs without deductions from their salaries and receive 1200 euro monthly assistance.

Carola Schouten, Minister of Poverty Policy, Participation and Pensions, took a step for a change that would please those who receive social allowances (Bijstand). The allowances of those who do additional work other than the allowance and those who receive assistance in kind (aid in the form of goods or services) from their immediate surroundings will not be deducted. The amendment, drafted by Minister Schouten, must be approved by the House of Representatives.

In a statement on the subject on Monday, Minister Schouten noted that if the draft law, which is under preparation, is accepted, it will enter into force in July 2024. The minister emphasized that he wanted to ensure that “people rather than rules” are put at the centre.

Income from additional work and change in job description
The new amendment will allow those who receive social allowances to earn income from additional work up to a certain wage. According to the current law, different regulations are applied for different groups. But with the minister’s change, they will all be tied to one rule.

The person receiving the social allowance will be able to earn up to 15 percent of the allowance amount through additional work. This additional income will not be deducted from the allowance.

In addition, another important point in the amendment, which is thought to come into effect, was brought to the sale of goods over the internet, which is seen as additional income.

Minister Schouten stated that income from the sale of goods, for example, through the Marktplaats, will soon no longer be considered additional income. The Minister noted that no deductions will be made from the social allowances “provided that the money they earn in this way does not add a structural and commercial character”.

Helping family or acquaintances (Mantelzorger)
With the new law, people who receive allowances will be able to take care of their relatives, relatives or acquaintances without officially notifying them. He will also be able to stay with the person he cares for when necessary.

In the current law, the rule that people who receive social assistance can work for six months and keep 25 percent of their income, with a maximum of 226 euros per month, is valid. In the new amendment, this period may be extended for people (Mantelzorgers) who have a medical disability or have to look after their relatives.

Right to help for 1200 euro per year
In the Minister’s statement; He noted that the in-kind aids provided by those receiving social allowances and their surroundings (for example, regularly buying food packages) to support their living will not be deducted from their allowance. These people receive food, etc., for 1200 euros per year. such as assistance.

In one case in 2020, a woman residing in Wijdemeren and receiving social benefits had to repay around 7000 euros. The woman, who was brought to court by the Social Services, told the judge that her elderly mother helped her because the allowance she received was not enough and she was doing grocery shopping for her.

In the first case, the court ordered the woman to repay 7000 euros to social services for the help she received from her mother between 2015 and 2018. The final decision in the case, which went to a higher court, was given that the woman had to pay 2800 euros back.

In Hoorn, the Netherlands, they had a barbecue at home to keep warm and ended up in the hospital. They lit a barbecue for Energy Saving at home, they were hospitalized due to the smoke. You heard right, this event took place in the Dutch city of Hoorn.

According to the information received, two people residing in a house in the Plutohof district of the city of Hoorn lit a barbecue at home to warm up on the night of Monday to Tuesday. Two people, who were later understood to have lit a barbecue due to energy savings, were hospitalized due to smoke. It was stated that they were not life-threatening and were only exposed to heavy smoke.

They heated their homes with barbecues to save on energy costs, but ended up in the hospital because of the hazardous materials they inhaled.

An ambulance was called after one of the citizens had difficulty breathing. It soon became clear that the cause was a burning barbecue. Citizens were evacuated from the house in a short time and taken to the hospital. He put on oxygen masks for those affected by the smoke during the trip.

Firefighters then arrived at the scene to ventilate the house and take measurements.