During his visit to Indonesia, Dutch King Willem-Alexander apologised for the excessive use of violence on part of the Netherlands during its colonial rule in Indonesia. This apology comes as a surprise to many.
In his speech for a press conference, the King acknowledged and lauded Indonesia’s independence and continued: ‘at the same time, it is a good thing that we continue to face up to our past. The past cannot be erased, and will have to be acknowledged by each generation in turn.’
Acknowledging the ‘pain and sorrow of the families affected’
The King continued: ‘in line with earlier statements by my government, I would like to express my regret and apologise for excessive violence on the part of the Dutch in those years. I do so in the full realisation that the pain and sorrow of the families affected continue to be felt today.’
Interestingly, according to RTLNieuws, the Royal House reporter did not believe that formal apologies would be issued by the king, as the entire government would have had to agree- which probably wouldn’t have been the case. Furthermore, the Indonesian government had never asked for an apology.
Fostering friendly relations
Earlier this morning, the king placed a wreath on the national hero field in Jakarta, where the resistance fighters who battled for independence between 1945 and 1949 against the Dutch are buried.
The King added: ‘It is a hopeful and encouraging sign that countries which were once on opposite sides have been able to grow closer and develop a new relationship based on respect, trust and friendship. The ties between us are becoming ever stronger and more diverse. That gives me great pleasure. And I know that this feeling is widely shared in the Netherlands.’
The Dutch have more recently taken responsibility for their actions in Indonesia- just last year, the Court of Appeals in the Hague allowed for the relatives of Indonesian men who were summarily executed during the Dutch colonial rule to have their case heard. Read more on that here.
Should the Netherlands be doing something else in terms of reparations towards Indonesia? Let us know in the comments!
Ladies and gentlemen, the infamous Amazon is now here in the Netherlands, ready to monopolize the market and force its workers to pee in bottles.
Amazon has been trying to enter the Dutch market for some time now, and will compete with Bol and Coolblue, reports RTL Nieuws.
The website will have over 100 million products
In the true spirit of capitalism, you’ll be able to browse through 100 million different products on the Amazon website. This is more than four times the products on Bol, because nothing says commerce like having plastic trinkets for sale made by minimum wage paid workers who can’t go to the toilet!
Do you think that Amazon has a lot of products? Don’t worry, a representative confirmed that this “modest” number will surely increase over time. Thanks Jeff!
Dutch entrepreneurs involved in the website
In order to advertise products, Dutch entrepreneurs have the option of signing up on the website, with a couple of thousand already joining. This is similar to the system used by Bol, which currently has around 27,000 entrepreneurs affiliated to their website.
Of course, such consumption cannot be sustained without a bigger team. Thus, Amazon is extending its headquarters in the Netherlands, with 85 vacancies currently, with a team of around 400 people to be established by the end of the year. So if Jeff Bezos is consumerist Santa Klaus, and you want to be Santa’s little helper, consider joining this totally sustainable, ethical and employee loving company!
The distribution for the Netherlands comes from across the border in Germany, specifically from Roermond. It is of yet unknown if people in the distribution centre there also pee in bottles, but we are planning on sending an insider to check it out.
Should the Netherlands take protectionist measures against Amazon? Let us know in the comments.
People should no longer shake hands in daily life. That is the advice that the government is giving because of the coronavirus outbreak in the Netherlands.
This measure is the result from a crisis meeting of the cabinet that just took place under the leadership of veteran Dutch Prime Minister Rutte.
The measure that was introduced in Noord-Brabant (staying inside if you feel ill or cough) to prevent further infection with the coronavirus will also be extended up to and including Monday the 16th of March.
Working from home
Rutte also emphasizes that people who live in Noord-Brabant and can work from home should opt for that. He also advises employers and employees in that province to spread working hours as much as possible.
According to the prime minister, we are currently still in the so-called ‘containment phase’. “We try to stay there for as long as possible. We prepare for the next phase, which you will notice when the time comes.”
He states that the government will monitor the economy and that it is important that all 17 million residents in the Netherlands adhere to certain hygiene measures, such as washing your hands (WASH YOUR HANDS DAMNIT!), sneezing in your elbow and using paper handkerchiefs.
Rutte immediately fudges up
Right after the press conference, this happened:
BREAKING (and sort of funny): right after officially advising the Dutch people that they shouldn't shake hand anymorein daily life because of the #coronavirus : Dutch Primeminister Rutte does this:pic.twitter.com/e0ZoLdyuSp
And now we’re all wondering if we’re really in the right clean hands with this coronavirus outbreak in the Netherlands.
Coronavirus in the Netherlands: check out our Coronavirus video
How did coronavirus come to the Netherlands? What can you do against it in daily life? Is the Netherlands properly prepared for a COVID-19 pandemic? This and plenty of other pressing questions you might have about the coronavirus are all answered in this video by DutchReview.
As predicted, coronavirus numbers in the Netherlands have increased even more by 56 cases, adding to yesterday’s count of 265. This brings the total number of COVID-19 infections to 321, according to RIVM.
Er zijn sinds gisteren 56 nieuwe patiënten met #COVID-19 bij het RIVM gemeld. Hiermee komt het totaal aantal positieve testen in Nederland op 321. #coronavirus#COVID19
Most of the infections come from Brabant and subsequently Utrecht which now has 52 coronavirus cases. Yikes.
That being said, yesterday 77 cases were added to the total– today’s number is slightly less. Hopefully numbers tomorrow will continue in this direction.
Heading towards a recession?
According to Bloomberg, the coronavirus could bring recessions in the US, eurozone and Japan, slow growth in China – and could possibly mean a loss of $2.7 trillion in output (which is equal to the the UK’s total GDP).
Supply and demand have slowed in China which is already affecting other countries, since China plays a critical role in global trade.
The euro-area economy may be headed for its first recession in 7 years as the coronavirus outbreak takes an increasing toll on businesses and consumer confidence https://t.co/4vzccnCEbhpic.twitter.com/OKG8TTaHin
According to the NOS, Prime Minister Rutte claims that the Dutch economy is strong enough to handle any damage the virus might cause. Let’s hope there’s truth to this.
Check out our Coronavirus video
How did coronavirus come to the Netherlands? What can you do against it in daily life? Is the Netherlands properly prepared for a COVID-19 pandemic? This and plenty of other pressing questions you might have about coronavirus in the Netherlands are all answered in this video by DutchReview.
Today marks the first day of the passenger flight, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) trials at the Schiphol Judicial Complex. The trial involves three Russian citizens and one Ukrainian who have been suspected of involvement in the transport of the Buk rocket which brought down the flight.
Moscow denies involvement in the tragedy and Russian officials are denunciating the proceedings.
Not surprisingly, none of the defendants (Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky, Oleg Pulatov and Leonid Kharchenko) will be present at the trial since neither Ukraine nor Russia will extradite its citizens- but one will have a defence team present at the trial. The court has also noted that it will accept video testimony.
The first part of the trial is largely procedural, in which aspects of whether the trial can be conducted in absentia, or in absence of those accused will be determined. This means that the substantial aspects (namely whether the defendants are guilty) will follow much later. This means that the overall process is likely to take years, according to the NOS.
298 people perished aboard the flight, which was shot down while flying over Ukraine on July 17, 2014. MH17 was flying over the territory in the midst of a conflict between Russian-backed rebels and Ukraine in the east, and investigators have claimed to have proof that the missile came from a Russian military base.
Whether or not the defendants are present, the trial is particularly important for the families of the victims, as it provides an avenue for closure and helps in delivering them some form of justice.
The coronavirus, COVID-19 has increasingly spread throughout Europe, leading to a quarantine of 16 million people in Italy.
In the Netherlands, the first case was detected back on the 27th of February. In the time since, the number of cases has increased greatly, up to 264 positive cases.
Concern over the way Dutch authorities are handling the coronavirus
People on social media have been quick to point out that Dutch authorities are not doing enough to control the spread of the virus. Eva van Esch, a lawmaker from the Party for Animals stated that the government is more focused on controlling the panic rather than the virus.
She also declared that a friend of hers who came from Italy with the symptoms took over a week to get tested, and was not told to quarantine herself. Van Esch said that once her friend got tested positive, she was advised not to tell anyone about her diagnosis.
Students return to Groningen from ski trip in Italy
Another recent controversy has been the return of 900 students from a ski trip in northern Italy back home in the Netherlands, belonging to the Vindicat student society.
The authorities tested four of the students, and the results were negative. Students who do not show symptoms are not required to quarantine themselves and are free to walk around town.
Dutch and EU authorities have said that the virus cannot be spread by those who do not have symptoms, however, this contradicts with statements from US government agencies.
If you want to read more about the Dutch response, you can take a look here.
The EU's @ECDC_EU and US @CDCgov have contrary advice about Covid-19 Coronavirus transmission: ECDC: "It is currently believed that people who are infected but who do not show symptoms cannot transmit the virus." CDC: "Some spread might be possible before people show symptoms."
Overall, the media has had very different approaches to covering the coronavirus depending on the country.
Interesting to see the difference in the way #coronavirus is viewed in 🇬🇧 and 🇳🇱. In the latter, “We’ll Probably All Be Fine”; in the former “You’re Practically Dead Already!!!” pic.twitter.com/U12G6TAHxZ
How did coronavirus come to the Netherlands? What can you do against it in daily life? Is the Netherlands properly prepared for a COVID-19 pandemic? This and plenty of other pressing questions you might have about the coronavirus are all answered in this video by DutchReview.
Another day, another (higher) number: this time the RIVM added +77 to yesterday’s number of coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of corona patients in the Netherlands to 265. In addition, two more patients, aged 86 and 82 were found dead, the RIVM reported.
Dit weekend zijn helaas twee patiënten overleden aan de gevolgen van het #coronavirus. Dat heeft het @rivm zojuist laten weten. Het gaat om een man van 86 jaar en een man van 82 jaar. Mijn gedachten zijn bij hun naasten. Ik wens hen veel sterkte en kracht toe.
Vandaag zijn twee patiënten overleden aan het nieuwe coronavirus. Er zijn sinds gisteren 77 nieuwe patiënten met COVID-19 bij het RIVM gemeld. Hiermee komt het totaal aantal positieve testen in Nederland op 265, waarvan drie patiënten zijn overleden. #COVID19#coronavirus
Are the Dutch medical authorities doing it right when it comes to testing for coronavirus?
More people are also wondering if the Dutch health authorities are handling this correctly. For instance, the GGD is opposed to widening the testing criteria for the virus. If you haven’t been to Italy and China or haven’t had direct contact with somebody from those regions, you won’t be able to get tested. And it even then the process is troublesome, as explained read here.
The GGD has stated that this is to prevent an overload of the healthcare system- but of course, this isn’t necessarily a good reason not to be able to get tested. A quick search on twitter was pretty worrying:
Dermatologist with covid-19 had to insist on test: A Dutch dermatologist became infected with SARS-CoV-2 during a meeting with international colleagues. He is surprised at the way in which the Health Service works. #GGDhttps://t.co/Saq3Oy9q0T
Ik lig nu met 39 graden in bed het vocht uit mijn longen te kuchen. Heb zeker 10 jaar geen griep gehad, en nu heb ikalle #RIVM verschijnselen 🤷🏼♂️ 3 weken geleden in Daegu geweest,vorige week Freiburg. Ze zeiden dat ik het kan hebben, maar kom niet in aanmerking voor test 🤦🏻♂️ #GGD
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also issued ‘negative travel advice’ for parts of Italy. Here’s the tweet and the map, red = no go- which makes sense, of course, and actually feels a little late in posting on part of the ministry as well:
Reisadvies #Italie: Reis niet de Noord-Italiaanse regio's met de kleurcode 'rood'.
Reis alleen indien noodzakelijk naar de Noord-Italiaanse regio’s met de kleurcode 'oranje'.
As you’ve probably heard, large parts of Italy are in lock-down. Milan, Venice and countless other big cities are now socially on hold. It’s definitely not good, and for all the and we know we have many Italians here in the Netherlands reading this. Here’s hoping that we all get through the virus in a healthy way!
Check out our Coronavirus video
How did coronavirus come to the Netherlands? What can you do against it in daily life? Is the Netherlands properly prepared for a COVID-19 pandemic? This and plenty of other pressing questions you might have about coronavirus in the Netherlands are all answered in this video by DutchReview.
Vandaag zijn twee patiënten overleden aan het nieuwe coronavirus. Er zijn sinds gisteren 77 nieuwe patiënten met COVID-19 bij het RIVM gemeld. Hiermee komt het totaal aantal positieve testen in Nederland op 265, waarvan drie patiënten zijn overleden. #COVID19#coronavirus
It’s the weekend but coronavirus isn’t taking a break. Sixty new corona infections have been diagnosed in the Netherlands since Friday afternoon. This brings the total number of people infected with the virus to 188, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) stated on Saturday.
Of the 188 patients, 112 have been abroad, the majority (103) in northern Italy. 47 people became infected through another infected person as is reported by nu.nl. Of 29 people it is still unclear how they became infected; that is being investigated as we speak.
North-Brabant: stay inside if you have a cold, cough or fever says RIVM
Most new cases (26) were reported in North-Brabant. Residents of that province with complaints such as a cold, cough or fever were asked by the RIVM on Friday to stay home this weekend.
The reason for the call is that for a number of infected people in the province no source of the infection is known. To find out to what extent the virus is spreading in North-Brabant, the RIVM started a sample on Saturday morning to test for the virus.
How did coronavirus come to the Netherlands? What can you do against it in daily life? Is the Netherlands properly prepared for a COVID-19 pandemic? This and plenty of other pressing questions you might have about the coronavirus are all answered in this video by DutchReview.
Amsterdam is a city that has it all. The endless range of shops, clubs, cafés, restaurants, galleries, museums, concerts, exhibitions and events ensures that Amsterdam is never boring! And yes, this includes poetry and spoken word hangouts. Amsterdam is home to tons of them!
Perhaps there is no city in the Netherlands that appeals to the imagination more than Amsterdam. Many poets have been inspired by her buildings, streets, parks, a mix of cultures, diversity, and atmospheres. Their works have told of the city’s beauty, her people and her experiences throughout the years.
I have been a poet for as long as I can remember and there is something about Amsterdam that both inspires my poetry and drives me to perform my poems in almost every poetry event/hangout in the old city. Lovers of poetry are at home when in Amsterdam. Poetry events are regularly organised in various bookshops, cafes, bars, libraries and even theatres, and if inspiration or soothing spoken words are what you seek, then Amsterdam has so much in store for you.
Here are 6 of Amsterdam’s most popular poetry and spoken word communities and if you’re into the spoken word, then you would definitely want to check them out.
Labyrinth Poetry and Cocktail Bar Amsterdam
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Labyrinth Poetry and Cocktail bar is where good food, positive vibes, and awesome cocktails are mixed with creativity to produce the perfect bar and poetry experience. Labyrinth is the proud home to the art of mixology, and you will find it in the African-Caribbean soul food, the music, the poetry and spoken word and of course, in the cocktails. Labyrinth is initiated and hosted by Sam Kingue Ebelle. Born in Cameroon, having worked in some of the best bars worldwide, Sam is one of Amsterdam’s most gifted mixologists. If you visit Labyrinth, either pick one of the many delicious cocktails on the menu or just ask him to surprise you. You won’t regret it! I promise!
The Open Mic Evenings take place every Monday night while every last Saturday of the month is the poetry night. This is the perfect space and opportunity for every poet, spoken word artist, storyteller, comedian or singer/songwriter to share their art. These evenings are a mix of languages, but the art is mostly in English. The lineup is limited so make sure to be on time. The doors open at 8 pm and the poetry evening starts at half-past eight.
A combination of poetry and jazz music takes place once every 6 weeks on Sundays during Sundays Jazz & Poetry. So let your heart enjoy stories and music in different languages at Labyrinth Poetry and Cocktail bar Amsterdam. For reservations and more information, check out their website and Facebook and Instagram pages. As a tourist, a visit to Amsterdam is not complete without checking out Labyrinth Cocktail, Soul Food & Poetry Bar.
While Kode of Conduct may be considered the ‘new kid on the block,’ it has been an ‘unofficial’ poetry hangout for students since 2012.
The poetry hangout now has a permanent meeting location at Poetry Circle Nowhere Amsterdam and their first ‘poetry and open mic’ event is taking place this year on March 27 in the same building. Come immerse yourself in the world of literature and poetry, get acquainted with one of the Netherlands’ creative spaces for young people, discover well-known and unknown artists, enjoy upcoming talents and be seduced by their beautiful vibes and moving words.
At Kode of Conduct, the floor and the mic is open to all stage performances. Participate in and/or enjoy poetry/spoken word, storytelling, stand-up comedy, live music, open mic sessions, etc. The perfect place to unleash your creativity.
Kode of Conduct also organises Mental Health Evenings. This is a mental health support group that welcomes everyone, especially foreign students and expats in the Netherlands who may be going through tough times like; loneliness, burnouts, (winter) depression and/or homesickness. During the Mental Health Evenings, the group sits in a circle and everyone is given a chance to share their story with the group. There is support. There is love, and most importantly, there is a safe space to share, because sharing is the first step in finding a solution. Join Kode of Conduct and be part of a movement that is quickly gaining ground in the Netherlands.
Check out the Kode of Conduct website, follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date on their upcoming events. If you have any questions or would like to perform an act, send an email to info.kodeofconduct@gmail.com.
We The People is a place where poetry isn’t just unique, it is dynamic, raw, and exceptional. We The People… is for the people. It’s a place where people who want to create, feel, express and share come to find likeminded individuals and together, give their voice in birthing something beautiful, a vibe that is both different and original.
We The People believe that art should be democratic and that the power of expression should always lie in the diversity of it. A haven for creatives and expressive young individuals from diverse backgrounds, the platform was born out of the need for an avenue where the creative energies of talented young people can be unleashed. We The People intend their poetry nights to be warm, safe and approachable gatherings. Join their summer poetry hangout called PoeTree where they come together at Amsterdam’s Gaasperpark and in a picturesque, serene and inspiring environment, to share poetry with one another under a tree. Don’t miss it!
We The People welcome love, respect, and good vibes. Check out their Facebook and Instagram pages for updates on their upcoming events.
Word Up Amsterdam
Word Up is where internationally and nationally known and unknown spoken word talents are brought on stage in a casual and cosy atmosphere. Project Word Up was born out of the merger of two organisations: MUTE and Spoken Notes. Word Up regularly host poetry and spoken word events in Amsterdam and is a movement that celebrates and inspires self-expression through spoken word poetry. The movement encourages people to share their creativity with the world around them and to use spoken word poetry as an instrument through which they can explore and better understand their culture, their society, and, ultimately, themselves.
The poetry events are filled with so much energy and inspirational words and are bound to entertain and maybe even inspire you to start writing your own poems. Word Up is where performance and creativity come together, and Amsterdam events are hosted at Café CheckPoint Charlie. Follow their Facebook and Instagram pages for more details on their upcoming events.
While the American Book Centre may not be a typical poetry hangout, it still deserves to be mentioned because it’s one hell of an awesome book store that organises wonderful poetry events every once in a while. Amsterdam Spui is where you find the American Book Center (ABC), and they have been there since 1986 – four floors full of English books in all genres you could ever imagine.
They also host Open Mic events where you get a chance to go public with your book, song or poem. Everyone is welcome and it is the perfect intimate setting for you to share your talents and express your creativity. There is also an ABC Open Mic MEETUP group that you can join and share with friends if you regularly use the MEETUP app to find events around you.
Website:ABC | ABC Events Address: Spui 12, 1012 XA Amsterdam
Soul Food Poetry Amsterdam
Soul Food Poetry Amsterdam
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Image: Chuka Nwanazia/Supplied
Image: Soul Food Poetry Amsterdam/Supplied
Image: Soul Food Poetry Amsterdam/Supplied
Soul Food Poetry is where energy meets art, rhythm, melody, creativity, delicious soul food, and everything nice. This is poetry and spoken word done right! Step into a world of images, spoken word, videos, audio and all things creatively poetical and listen to special stories, poems and music. Be inspired, be entertained, and let your emotions be stirred up by creative wordplay.
As if that’s not enough, treat your tastebuds to some delicious soul food during the break. Don’t forget to order your dishes while buying your tickets on the Soul Food Poetry Facebook page. This is to avoid standing in line as their queues can be quite long. Soul Food Poetry host their events at the Volta events centre in Amsterdam. Check out their website, Facebook and Instagram pages for more details on their upcoming events.
The nos reported that an 86-year old man in the Netherlands died as a result of coronavirus today.
The man passed away in a hospital in Rotterdam and was in quarantine at the Ikazia Zienenhuis in Rotterdam. He was diagnosed with the virus last week, but officials are not sure how he caught the infection.
Although the death rate for those infected with coronavirus is fairly low, the elderly are more susceptible to it compared to the younger population.
As of yesterday coronavirus cases in the Netherlands have increased rapidly, and 82 patients have been confirmed with infection. Read more about what you can do to prevent being infected.
For updates on coronavirus in the Netherlands, follow DutchReview on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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