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NS offers up to 75% discount on trains from the Netherlands to Belgium

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NS offers up to 75 discount on trains from the Netherlands to Belgium

Are you planning to go on a winter vacation? You are lucky; because on this Legendary Friday, NS International is offering a huge discount of up to 75% on train tickets to and from Belgium.

Tickets are sold online at (nsinternational.com) where you need to book directly.

Discounted train tickets to Belgium must be purchased between 25 – 28 November.

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The campaign is valid for the travel period between 2 December 2022 and 28 February 2023.

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Major disruption in train services between Rotterdam and Den Haag until December

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Major disruption in train services between Rotterdam and Den Haag until December

It was stated that there will be delays and disruptions in train services between Rotterdam, Delft and Den Haag for the next few weeks.

Dutch Railways (NS) stated that as of today, train services will be disrupted due to maintenance and repair works on train tracks and platforms between Rotterdam, Delft and Den Haag, and train services will be temporarily stopped on some lines.

Maintenance and repair works to be carried out by Prorail will continue until December 3. Rails and platforms will be renewed, and work will be carried out to increase train safety.

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In the NS statement, it was warned that train services may depart from other platforms and services may occur at different hours than usual and journey times may vary accordingly.

Lines outside the Rotterdam-Den Haag line (such as the line between Amsterdam Centraal and Vlissingen) will also be affected by the large-scale maintenance and repair work carried out by Prorail. For this reason, train passengers are advised to check the NS website before setting off.

NS; He states that the number of passengers will increase and more train services will be made in the coming years, and that the work carried out by Prorail is necessary.

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More than 800 film producers and actors in the Netherlands call for sanctions against Israel

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More than 800 film producers and actors in the Netherlands call for sanctions against Israel

More than eight hundred well-known names from the cinema world in the Netherlands called on the interim government to impose economic and political sanctions on Israel.

More than eight hundred Dutch filmmakers and actors called on the interim government to “impose sanctions on Israel within the European framework.” The letter distributed on the social media platform Instagram also includes the signatures of players such as Carice van Houten, Sanne Vogel and Georgina Verbaan.

“We condemn Hamas’ attack, the constant hostage-taking that caused the loss of life of many Israeli civilians,” the letter said, adding: “We are deeply concerned about the humanitarian disaster currently taking place in Gaza. “More than 6,000 bombs dropped by Israel on Gaza since October 7 have killed thousands of Palestinians and threatened to displace more than a million people,” the letter said. “Meanwhile, the Israeli media is calling for the “destruction” of Gaza. “Israel is threatening to bomb even more heavily, and a ground attack seems imminent.” It emphasizes that concerns about the situation in Gaza are increasing.

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In the letter, the signatories emphasized that unconditional support from the Netherlands and a call for a “break in war” were not enough and asked: “What will the government do while the international law of war is being violated and Israel is intensifying its military campaign?” he asks the question.

The letter concludes as follows: We, the undersigned filmmakers, actors and film professionals, reject violence against all civilians, regardless of their identity. “Therefore, we request the government to put pressure on the European Commission to impose economic and political sanctions on Israel within the European framework, if Israel does not immediately declare a ceasefire and guarantee humanitarian aid to Gaza.”

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There will also be an increase in the consumption tax on soft drinks in the Netherlands

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There will also be an increase in the consumption tax on soft drinks in the Netherlands

Next year, the consumption tax on soft drinks will be increased. As of January 1, prices will increase by an average of 26 cents.

The government aims to increase the excise tax on soft drinks as of January 1, 2024, and to eliminate the excise tax on mineral water from 2024. Therefore, not only the price of beverages such as cola and fruit juice, but also the prices of plant-based beverages such as oat milk and almond milk, which are used as alternatives to milk, will increase by an average of 26 cents per liter.

According to the information on the Rijksoverheid website, starting from next year, lemonade (including syrup), fruit juices, vegetable juices, mineral water, non-alcoholic beer, low-alcohol beer containing 0.5% or less alcohol, and other beverages containing a maximum of 1.2% alcohol will be limited to 100% alcohol. The price of a liter will increase from 17.30 euros to 26.13 euros.

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The purpose of the consumption tax that the government will impose on soft drinks, popularly known as the “lemonade tax”, is to direct people to make healthier choices. In addition, to increase the income from taxes to the state coffers. It is stated that with the new consumption tax, 300 million euros will be generated for the state coffers.

There are also those who oppose the “lemonade tax”
The price hike for plant-based products, which are used by vegetarians and vegans because they think they are better for their health, has been criticized by some circles. The petition launched by a university student opposing this tax has already been signed by 40 thousand people.

College student Misty Mason thinks this isn’t fair. Stating that it is unfair to impose higher taxes on milk alternatives, Mason points out that cow’s milk and chocolate milk are exempt from this tax.

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Oatly, the maker of oat milk, supports the petition and even started a campaign. In many places in Amsterdam, there is a photo of a packet of oat milk with a QR code leading to the petition and the words: “This is not lemonade, the government says so.” He had written billboards put up.

The petition is also supported by associations and institutions that promote plant-based nutrition.

Van Ooijen: “It is not possible to exempt these products”
State Secretary for Health Maarten van Ooijen acknowledged in a statement to Trouw that the increase in the price of oat milk had an ‘inadvertent, undesirable and even unreasonable effect’, but said he wanted to continue implementing the tax increase for now. According to Van Ooijen, it is technically not possible to put milk drinks in a separate category and therefore exempt them from tax increases.

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Wanted murder suspect Bretty Dorder in the Netherlands was caught!

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Wanted murder suspect Bretty Dorder in the Netherlands was caught

The notorious murderer suspect, 24-year-old Bretly Dorder, who was wanted since last Saturday, was caught in Amsterdam.

Suspect Bretly Dorder, who was wanted for allegedly killing a psychiatrist and causing injury to a person in a fight in Zutphen, was caught in Amsterdam.

According to Het Parool newspaper, at around 08:00 this morning, the police received a report that the suspect was seen getting on the subway. Thereupon, police teams took action and arrived in the area.

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It was stated in the news that the suspect, who saw the police officers, fled to a hotel in Prins Hendrikkade. Police teams entered the hotel and eventually caught the suspect, who came out of the hotel toilet with his hands up.

The police had recently raided several houses in Amsterdam-Oost and Arnhem, considering the reports received in the past few days.

New images have been published
In the information given in the Opsporing Verzoek television program broadcast on Tuesday evening, it was stated that it is not known whether Dorder is still in Amsterdam, but he was seen at the Amsterdam Centraal Train station at the end of last week. He shared new images of Dorder. Pointing out that Dorder did not act very carefully despite the suspicion of murder against him and all the public statements about him, the police spokesman said, “He does not hide himself.” He stated:

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In the published photos, Dorder can be seen wearing a dark blue hooded jacket and smoking a cigarette at the entrance of the station. In the second photo, he can be seen wearing sunglasses.

The police stated that the suspect usually travels by public transportation and especially by train, and warned: “We ask people traveling by public transportation to take a good look around them.”

Anyone who sees the murder suspect or knows his whereabouts is advised not to contact him and to call the emergency number 112 immediately.

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What is known so far about fugitive Bretty Dorder
Bretly Dorder (24) is suspected of being involved in the shooting incident that took place on Rotterdam Handelsplein on 13 October, leading to the death of Rotterdam psychiatrist Jean van Griensven (60). What is known about Dorder, who has been missing since Saturday and is also wanted in Germany and Belgium, is as follows:

Dorder is described as a “large” man, aged 24, approximately 1.83 meters tall. He does not have a fixed residence address.
Dorder was released in July. The court in Rotterdam ordered him to remain free in his trial, where he is expected to be convicted on three separate charges of threats, attempted (serious) assault and theft of a driver’s licence.
Police released two photos of Dorder and emphasized that he was considered armed and dangerous.
A week after the fatal shooting, Dorder was reportedly involved in a stabbing in Zutphen.
Dorder is frequently active on online platforms and communicates with men through chat rooms such as Bullchat.
It was stated that the Dutch police received many reports about the fugitive and based on these reports, it was determined that Dorder frequently traveled by train.
On Sunday, police in Wesel, Germany, carried out an operation following a tip from a truck driver. However, the suspect was not found.
In the police statements, it was emphasized that anyone who sees Dorder should definitely not contact him and should immediately call the emergency number 112.

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Fighting dog feces: Tracing feces with DNA

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A municipality in the Netherlands is establishing a DNA database to combat dog feces.

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Ajax – Feyenoord: 0-4 (MATCH RESULT)

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The match between Ajax and Feyenoord in the Dutch League on September 24, which was abandoned while the guest team Feyenoord was leading 3-0 due to torches thrown onto the field, was played again from the 56th minute. Feyenoord defeated its opponent 4-0 in the giant match.

The Ajax-Feyenoord match in the Dutch Eredivisie, which was interrupted in the 56th minute due to torches thrown onto the field on Sunday, September 24, was played without spectators today.

Feyenoord won the match, which continued where it left off at the Johan Cruyff Arena, 4-0 with the goal scored by Santiago Gimenez in the 59th minute.

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In the 6th week of the league, Feyenoord, hosted by Ajax at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Sunday, September 24, took a 3-0 lead in the match with Santiago Gimenez in the 9th and 18th minutes and Igor Paixao shaking the net in the 37th minute. In the 44th minute, due to torches thrown onto the field, Turkish-Dutch referee Serdar Gözübüyük stopped the game and went to the dressing room. While the match continued after the events calmed down, this time the match was stopped and abandoned again in the 56th minute due to torches thrown towards the Ajax goal.

Ajax, who could only get 1 win in the league this season, is in 14th place with 5 points. Feyenoord is in 3rd place with 14 points.

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Armed attack in Rotterdam, Netherlands: 3 dead

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rotterdam attack

3 people died in an armed attack in two different places in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

The attacker, who was a medical student and had a criminal record of animal abuse, set fire to a house and part of the Erasmus University Faculty of Medicine Hospital.

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The incident in the country’s second largest city occurred on Thursday afternoon.

According to the statement made by the Rotterdam police, the 32-year-old attacker first carried out an armed attack at a house in the Delfshaven district.

A 39-year-old woman died in the attack, and her 14-year-old daughter was seriously injured. The child was taken to the hospital and later died.

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The attacker then set the house on fire. It was stated that several houses on the street were also affected by the attack and fire.

The attacker went to Erasmus University Faculty of Medicine by motorcycle and shot and killed a 46-year-old male lecturer in one of the classrooms.

The attacker then went to the medical faculty hospital and set fire to a section there.

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It is said that the armed attacker, who was reported to be wearing a bullet-proof vest, threw a Molotov cocktail at the hospital. However, this information has not yet been confirmed by official authorities.

Following the incident, heavily armed police special units were directed to the medical school. Police detained the 32-year-old attacker at the helipad of the hospital.

Rotterdam Chief Public Prosecutor Hugo Hillenaar announced that the attacker, a medical student, was convicted of animal abuse in 2021.

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It is stated that the woman he killed was the attacker’s neighbor, and the male victim was his teacher at the university.

Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb stated that there are many scenarios regarding the attack and emphasized that the investigation is still at a very early stage and many questions are waiting for answers.

“All of these questions really need to be answered, and that’s the job of the justice system,” Aboutaleb said.

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Rotterdam Police Chief Fred Westerbeke also stated that the attack was a single-person and planned attack. The police chief did not provide further details about the incident.

It was reported that the attacker will be brought to court on Tuesday.

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Home Ownership Rate Declines in European Union Countries

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housing in EU

Home ownership rates are decreasing in European Union countries. 69.9 percent of the population living in the EU lives in their own homes. 

The home ownership rate is 49.1 percent in Germany, 54.2 percent in Austria and 59.2 percent in Denmark. The home ownership rate is at high levels in countries such as Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania. In EU countries, 43.8 percent of the population lives in a debt-free owner-occupied residence. The rate of people living in rented houses is 30.1 percent. The housing crisis is deepening in developed European countries, and housing costs may cause other expenses to be postponed.

According to the information compiled by the AA correspondent from the European Statistical Office data, 69.9 percent of the population living in the EU lives in their own homes. home ownership rateGermany49.1 percent in Austria 54.2 percent in Denmark In , it is at 59.2 percent.

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In the European Union, 43.8 percent of the population lives in an owner-occupied residence, free of mortgages or mortgages. This rate is over 60 percent in 10 EU member countries. The highest debt-free home ownership rate is in Romania with 93.9 percent, while Croatia has 82.8 percent.BulgariaIt follows Romania with 82.6 percent.

In contrast, 30.1 percent of the EU population lives in rental housing. Germany with 50.9 percent tenant. It stands out as the country with the highest rate. Germany is followed by Austria with 45.8 percent, Denmark with 40.8 percent, and Denmark with 35.3 percent.

“The housing crisis is deepening”

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In his statement to AA correspondent, Cushman & Wakefield I TR International Chairman of the Board of Directors, Tuğra Gönden, noted that housing costs in metropolitan cities in EU countries, generally in central locations, are quite high.

Stating that the population density is increasing year by year in the metropolitan cities of high-income countries, Gönden said, “The limited housing and land supply and the fact that more people want to live in urban areas causes housing prices to increase. As a result, this situation is also reflected in the housing ownership rates and people rent houses instead of buying houses.” “It causes them to turn to housing. Moreover, this increase in demand causes the prices of both sale and rental housing to increase, causing this vicious circle to continue.” he said.

Emphasizing that the housing crisis is deepening in developed European countries, Gönden made the following evaluations:

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“The housing crisis in Germany is deepening, and the arrival of immigrants makes this situation even more complicated. Especially in one of the big citiesBerlinThis problem is felt more in Germany’s major metropolises such as. Due to increasing construction costs, rising interest rates and the influx of refugees, the housing deficit in the country has reached its highest level in the last 20 years. Ukraine-Russia The demand of Ukrainians who came to Germany after the war caused the need for an additional 200 thousand houses. The increases in rental prices caused great public reaction, and the government organized a referendum to find a solution to this problem. As a result of the referendum, 56.4 percent voted yes for the expropriation of more than 240 thousand houses.

Similar housing crisis problems are experienced in France. Rental expenses constitute a large part of the monthly expenses of French households. Capital city Paris  increase in housing prices in central regions such as Turkey, etc., drives those looking for housing away from city centers and also prolongs the process of finding rental housing. According to the report of the Abbe Pierre Foundation, by 2022, 4.15 million people in France face housing problems or live in inhumane conditions. Following these housing supply problems, the French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced that it plans to provide easier access to loans and offer loan opportunities with 0 interest by collaborating with banks to ensure that citizens have easier access to housing in regions where there is a housing shortage.

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Van Gogh’s stolen painting was found after 3.5 years

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Dutch art detective Arthur Brand, known as the ‘Indiana Jones’ of the art world, found Van Gogh’s painting stolen from the museum three and a half years ago.

A painting by Dutch painter Van Gogh, stolen from a museum three and a half years ago during the coronavirus outbreak, was found.

Art detective Arthur Brand said: “Confirming that the painting was the stolen Van Gogh was one of the best moments of my life.”

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Richard Bronswijk from the art crimes unit of the Dutch police said, “Arthur Brand solved this problem in cooperation with the Dutch police. The painting is absolutely real, there is no doubt about it.”

Detective Brand received the lost painting “Parsonage Garden in Nuenen” dated 1884 at a house in Amsterdam.

The painting, estimated to be worth three to six million Euros, was stolen from the Singer Laren Museum on March 30, 2020.

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In the video published by the Dutch police shortly after the robbery, it is seen that a thief broke the glass door of the museum near Amsterdam at midnight and ran away with the painting hidden under his arm.

Van Gogh Vicarage Garden at Nuenen

‘The Indiana Jones of the art world’

Dubbed the ‘Indiana Jones of the art world’, Brand made a name for himself by retrieving stolen works of art, including bronze statues of “Hitler’s Horses”, a Picasso painting and a ring belonging to Oscar Wilde.

The whereabouts of the Van Gogh painting were unknown until two weeks ago. However, one person called the detective and said he wanted to return the painting.

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Brand noted that an unidentified man delivered the painting to him in a blue IKEA bag and a pillowcase.

A video the detective released shows him “opening the painting in the living room and being stunned by the discovery.”

Thief sentenced to 8 years in prison

In April 2021, police arrested a man identified by Dutch media as Nils M. on charges of theft. Nils M. was later sentenced to eight years in prison.

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Nils M. was also found guilty of stealing Frans Hals’s “Two laughing children” in another robbery.

Brand said that a few months after the theft, he learned from a source in the criminal world who had bought the Van Gogh painting from Nils M.

The art detective said the man is currently in prison on a separate case involving the import and export of cocaine. Dutch media announced that this person was Peter Roy K., who was sentenced to 12 years in prison, and that he asked for a reduction in his sentence by using the painting as collateral. Confirming the identity of Peter Roy K., Brand noted that “there will be no agreement to reduce the sentence.”

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The Van Gogh painting was returned to the director of the Groningen Museum, who had loaned it to the Singer Karen Museum.

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Pakistani cricketer who put a bounty on Geert Wilders’ head gets 12 years in prison

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Khalid Latif

Geert Wilders’ Hz. The cartoon contest on Muhammad caused reactions from Muslims around the world.

Pakistani international cricketer Khalid Latif, who put a bounty on his head for the murder of Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders, was sentenced to 12 years in prison in the Netherlands.

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Hz. A court in the Netherlands held a trial in absentia against former cricketer Latif, who placed a 21 thousand euro bounty on Wilders’ head for organizing a cartoon contest on the subject of Muhammad.

In its decision on Monday, the Hague District Court said, “The court ruled that the suspect’s statements should be considered as an attempt to incite, incite and threaten murder. The words used by the suspect are clear: He promises a significant amount of money to perform a certain action and kill Wilders.” he said.

Prosecutors stated in the indictment that the leader of the Freedom Party accused people of the Prophet Muhammad in 2018. It was reported that Latif offered a cash reward to those who would assassinate Wilders after he organized a contest calling for submissions of Muhammad caricatures.

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Latif, who lives in Pakistan, was not present at the hearing and did not retain a lawyer. According to local media, this is the first time a court in the Netherlands has convicted a non-Dutch person living abroad. There is no extradition agreement between the two countries.

‘If there was more, I would give it’

Geert Wilders’ Hz. The cartoon contest on Muhammad caused reactions from Muslims around the world.

Latif, a well-known figure in Pakistan, promised 3 million Pakistani rupees to “the person who will kill the person who planned this game” in a video he shared on social media and said, “If it was more, I would give it.” he said.

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Mark Rutte, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands at the time, condemned the cartoon contest as “provocative” and emphasized that Wilders was not part of the government. Wilders later canceled the contest.

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