Annemiek van Vleuten wins first Tour de France Femmes

DutchNews, August 1, 2022

Annemiek van Vleuten celebrates her overall leader yellow jersey at
the end of final stage. Photo: Jeff Pachoud / AFP

Dutch rider Annemiek van Vleuten has won the first edition of a new stage cycling race, the Tour de France Femmes. 

Van Vleuten took the title by almost four minutes, despite having health problems in the early stages and changing her bike several times. With a price of €250,000, it is the richest race in women’s cycling. 

Van Vleuten, 39, won the final stage by 30 seconds over the Netherlands’ Demi Vollering, who also finished the race second overall. Polish rider Katarzyna Niewiadoma was third. 

Race review 

Van Vleuten also has three Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile titles, Olympic gold in the time trial and two world championship golds in the same discipline on her name. 

‘I’m super proud to be the first winner of the Tour de France for women, of this new version,’ Van Vleuten said after her victory. ‘I hope it’s a big start and we can build this into an even bigger event. It’s a milestone to win the first one of, hopefully, many more.’ 

The eight day event is organized by the Amaury Sport Organisation which also runs the Tour de France and is part of the UCI women’s world tour. 

Van der Poel settles debt for grandfather Poulidor with Tour de France yellow

Yahoo - AFP, 27 June 2021

Mathieu van der Poel stormed to victory on stage two to take the overall lead

Mathieu Van der Poel won stage 2 of the Tour de France on Sunday to claim the overall leader's yellow jersey and strike a blow for his famous cycling family. 

The Dutch 25-year-old is the grandson of French cycling icon, the late Raymond Poulidor who was a regular on the Tour de France podium and beloved of French fans despite never wearing the fabled yellow jersey. 

On his first Tour de France, Van der Poel dropped to the tarmac gasping for breath before weeping with his hands covering his face as the weight of Poulidor's historic legacy was settled on two dramatic ascents of the same Brittany hill, the Mur-de-Bretagne. 

"Imagine how he'd feel, he's not here," said van der Poel of Poulidor who died in 2019 at the age of 83. 

"This was my last chance on the Tour to do it, it's so good." 

French fans saw their own hero Julian Alaphilippe lose the yellow jersey, but cheered the Dutchman both for his gung-ho passion and for his beloved grandfather. 

Van der Poel won a maximum of 18 bonus seconds for crossing the summit in the lead twice, and then winning by a clear margin after accelerating away from a chasing clutch of elite road racers. 

Defending champion Tadej Pogacar was second followed by Primoz Roglic, while Alaphilippe was fifth at eight seconds. 

Stage two passed off in relative calm after two spectacular falls on stage one sparked a police investigation into the roadside spectator that caused a heart-stopping domino-effect pile up.

Hundreds arrested, tonnes of drugs seized as police intercept crime gang messages

DutchNews, July 2, 2020 

Photo: Depositphotos.com

Police have arrested over a hundred suspects in the Netherlands as a result of messages intercepted on encrypted service provider EncroChat, Dutch police and Europol said on Thursday. 

Some 20 million exchanges by criminals on the network were read by police before they could be encrypted in what police call ‘an earthquake for organised crime’. EncroChat has around 50,000 users worldwide, 12,000 of whom live in the Netherlands. 

The investigation has so far led to the arrest of more than 100 suspects in the Netherlands and the seizure of eight tonnes of cocaine and 1.2 tonnes of crystal meth.  In total, 19 synthetic drugs labs have been dismantled and police have confiscated dozens of (automatic) fire weapons, expensive watches and 25 cars, and almost €20m in cash. 

In addition, a large number of suspects have also been arrested in several countries which were not participating in the investigation, including in the UK, Sweden and Norway. Many of these investigations were connected with international drug trafficking and violent criminal activities, Europol said. 

According to the Daily Mail, in Britain, 746 people have been arrested. London’s Met force has detained 132 people – including in the most serious organised crime network in the capital – and seized more than £13.3m in cash as well as machine guns and narcotics. 

More arrests are very likely to follow in the coming period, Europol said. 

2017 

The investigation was set up in 2017 with French police when it came across an increasing number of EncroChat phones, and assisted by European crime fighting agencies Europol and Eurojust. France has not yet gone public with the results of the investigation on its territory. 

The operation came to an abrupt end two weeks ago when EncroChat became aware of the software used by police to infiltrate the site. It then told its users to get rid of the phones.‘It was like sitting in on a meeting of criminals’, Dutch police chief Jannine van den Berg said. 

It is the fourth time a network used by criminals is infiltrated by police. In 2016 the server of network provider Ennetcom yielded millions of messages whose content is used to get the group surrounding notorious criminal Ridouan Taghi behind bars.

Kings and World War II veterans mark the start of 75 years of freedom

DutchNews, August 31, 2019 

King Willem-Alexander starts off the festivities. Photo: Anneke Janssen via HH

 Eight veterans who helped to liberate the Netherlands during World War II were centre stage on Saturday at a ceremony in Terneuzen to mark the start of 75 years of freedom. 

The eight, who came from Poland, America, Canada, Britain and the Netherlands, were honoured with a standing ovation at the event. Their number included 93-year-old Max Wolff, who, as a teenager, acted as an interpreter for allied troops landing who took part in the liberation of France, Belgium and the Netherlands. 

Een staande ovatie voor soldaten Don White en Max Wolff. Een zeer emotioneel moment. #slagomdeschelde # pic.twitter.com/Gqz3dDG3I1

— Omroep Zeeland (@omroepzeeland) 31 augustus 2019

British veteran Roy Maxwell (97), who fought for the 4th Commandos in the Battle of the Scheldt, being greeted by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima at Terneuzen just now#75jaarvrijheid #75YearsofFreedom pic.twitter.com/n0HKUPp3GM

— Peter Wilson (@PeterWilson) 31 augustus 2019

The festivities were kicked off by king Willem-Alexander and will continue up to the autumn of 2020, to celebrate 75 years since the launch of the United Nations. Queen Maxima and Belgian king and queen Philippe and Mathilde were also in attendance. 

Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte, who lit the freedom flame, asked in his speech if we are ‘all sufficiently aware what freedom is’. ‘For 75 years we have been free to live as we want to,’ he said. ‘The horrors of war have become abstract. That is something to cherish, to protect and to pass on to others.’

Dutch Prime Minister Rutte @MinPres thanks veterans for their contributions to our freedom #75jaarvrijheid pic.twitter.com/5Dus9HlatF

— Black Liberators in the Netherlands (@LiberatorsBlack) 31 augustus 2019

Saturday’s event marked 75 year since the Battle of the Scheldt, which is seen as a turning point in the war. During the battle, allied troops opened up the shipping route to Antwerp so the port could be used to supply allied forces in north-west Europe – a move which was crucial for the liberation of Belgium and the Netherlands. 

An international fleet of 11 navy ships fired a salvo of shots over the Westerschelde estuary as an honour to the veterans present and the 10,000 soldiers and civilians who died in the offensive. 

King Willem-Alexander then sounded the bell which was sounded in 1944 to say that the passage to Antwerp was clear. 

Bij de viering van #75jaarvrijheid in Terneuzen is aandacht voor de bevrijding van Zuid-Nederland en de Slag om de Schelde. De veteranen die hierbij betrokken waren worden geëerd met saluutschoten vanaf een vloot van marineschepen. https://t.co/5JyMc9ihUM #75yearsoffreedom pic.twitter.com/1Z24yltpGz

— Koninklijk Huis (@koninklijkhuis) 31 augustus 2019

America’s ambassador to the Netherlands Pete Hoekstra told broadcaster NOS it is important to remember the enormous sacrifices made by allied troops and the resistance. ‘We have had 75 years of freedom and prosperity,’ the ambassador said. ‘We want to continue for another 75 years.’

Maritime parade
A Polish destroyer ORP Poznan in Terneuzen at 75 years of Freedom festival@EuropeRemembers pic.twitter.com/ZXRNthzyPh

— M_Bos-Karczewska (@BosKarczewska) 31 augustus 2019

Related Article:

"Recalibration of Free Choice"–  Mar 3, 2012 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Caroll) - (Subjects: (Old) Souls, Midpoint on 21-12-2012, Shift of Human Consciousness, Black & White vs. Color, 1 - Spirituality (Religions) shifting, Loose a Pope “soon”, 2 - Humans will change react to drama, 3 - Civilizations/Population on Earth,  4 - Alternate energy sources (Geothermal, Tidal (Paddle wheels), Wind), 5 – Financials Institutes/concepts will change (Integrity – Ethical) , 6 - News/Media/TV to change, 7 – Big Pharmaceutical company will collapse “soon”, (Keep people sick), (Integrity – Ethical)  8 – Wars will be over on Earth, Global Unity, … etc.) - (Text version)

“…  8 - The End of War

The last one is the best. For thousands of years on this planet, Human Beings have warred with each other. If you take a look at the reasons they warred with each other, you will quickly see there aren't any good ones - land, resources, greed. Those are not reasons. That is a description of old energy. Those are not reasons. Reasons would be perhaps defense against an aggressor. But what if there is no longer the consciousness of the aggressor?

When I appeared in my partner's life more than 20 years ago, I said to him privately that the first messages we're going to give will be unbelievable. There would be laughter. We told him that Human nature and consciousness itself would change, and that the seeds of peace would be planted and there would come a time where there is no more war. Indeed, the laughter was great because humans look at history and they see patterns based on an absolute energy called Human Nature. "Impossible! There always has to be war. There always has been. Therefore, there always will be." This is you, in a box, in a black and white potential, where you can only see the black and white of what is and the black and white of what has been. You have no idea the shades of color that are there in your consciousness and the beauty of the love of God.

North Korea is on the edge of change, as we told you it might be. What did this require? The death of the old energy, and I want you to watch this take place. The advisors of the young leader are going to do their best to pull him back into an old energy. This free choice of his will be far different than his father, for he sees some color. Watch for these things. They'll take longer than you want, but it is the beginning of the beginning.

You'll see a fresh unification of South America sooner than not, for what is going to take place potentially this year in Venezuela. You'll see Iran changing. We have no clock. These are the potentials. These can change with free choice. These are not prophecies. This is a reality shift, dear ones, so number eight becomes the propensity not to war again. This is what Humans are going to want. This is what governments are going to want. There is a wisdom factor that will begin to happen on the planet that is grander than what you think is possible. For when you look at government, what do you think about? You see dysfunction, and there is an axiom that says the more people that try to do something together, the worse it gets. It all settles to the lowest common denominator. I'm telling you even those things are going to become old energy concepts. Instead, you're going to watch wisdom become the top potential.

I have no clock. I cannot tell you when. I can just tell you it is in the works, and there will be the seeds of it for you to observe soon - right now, in every single of the eight categories I showed you.

There are those who will say, "Well, Kryon, you're doing a lot more predictions than you used to." I want to tell you what's going on, dear one. I am not predicting anything. I am just telling you what's already there in the potential soup of your reality. That's what Humans are doing on this planet, and for those who believe this communication, you should breathe a sigh of relief and say, "It's about time." ….”

Kruijswijk celebrates podium finish at end of closest Tour de France in years

DutchNews, July 28, 2019 

Kruijswijk on stage 20 of the Tour. Photo: Belga via HH

Steven Kruijswijk has become the second Dutch rider in as many years to finish on the podium on the Tour de France after crossing the line in Paris. 

The 32-year-old from Nuenen finished one minute 31 seconds behind Egan Bernal, who at 22 is the youngest winner of the Tour for more than century and the first Colombian to win the prestigious race. 

The first four riders were separated by less than two minutes in one of the closest races ever. 

Kruijswijk paid tribute to his Jumbo Visma team-mates, including Belgian Laurens de Plus, as he reflected on the best result of his career ‘so far.’ ‘We’re going to enjoy this. I’m very happy to be on the podium,’ he said. ‘We can be very satisfied with how we rode over the three weeks.’ 

Kruijswijk’s third place capped a successful tour for Jumbo Visma, who won three stages through sprinters Dylan Groenewegen and Mike Teunissen as well as the team time trial. 

In the traditional showpiece finale on the Champs-Élysées, Groenewegen was edged out by Australian sprinter Caleb Ewan, who took his third stage win of the Tour. 

Teunissen became the first Dutch rider to wear the leader’s yellow jersey for 30 years following his surprise win on the first stage. He held the race lead for two days before being overtaken by Frenchman Julien Alaphilippe. 

Kruijswijk is the ninth Dutch rider to finish in the top three on the Tour and gave Dutch fans reason to cheer in the absence of last year’s runner-up Tom Dumoulin, who was unable to compete because of a knee injury. 

The only Dutchman to win the race, Joop Zoetemelk, said his compatriot was a potential future race winner. ‘I’ve enjoyed watching Kruijswijk,’ he told NOS. ‘He’s on the podium and if you can make it there, you can go two steps higher.’

Marianne Vos powers to the La Course title after five year wait

DutchNews, July 19, 2019

Marianne Vos celebrates as she crosses the finish line . Photo: AP Photo/
Christophe Ena via HH

Dutch cyclist Marianne Vos has won the sixth edition of the La Course cycle race in France on Friday after overtaking runaway lone leader Amanda Spratt on the steep final climb. 

Vos, who has three time former world champion, had been favourite to take the title in the event, which begans and ended in the French city of Pau and covered 121 kilometres. 

La Course, organised to coincide with the Tour de France, first took place in 2014 when Vos also took the title. This year, the Tour de France stage 13 time trial takes place on the same course. 

‘This means a lot. My first title was five years ago and to win now again on a different circuit is a very special feeling,’ Vos said after the race.

Annemiek van Vleuten riding in La Course in 2017. Photo: Wikipedia

Related Article:

Van Vleuten takes second successive Giro title as Dutch dominate in Italy

Teunissen stays in yellow as Jumbo make flying start to Tour de France

DutchNews, July 8, 2019

Mike Teunissen celebrates after Jumbo’s win in the team time trial. Photo: Yorick
Jansens/ Belga via HH

Mike Teunissen will start stage three of the Tour de France in the yellow jersey after his Jumbo-Visma team were the surprise package for the second day running. 

The 26-year-old became the first Dutchman to lead the cycle race in 30 years after snatching the opening stage win in Brussels on Saturday, and his Jumbo team-mates followed up by winning the 27.6 kilometre team time trial on Sunday. 

Teunissen is 10 seconds ahead of his team leader, Steven Kruiswijk, in the general classification, with most of the other leading contenders 30 seconds or more behind. 

Saturday’s result took everyone by surprise, including Teunissen himself, who was expecting to lead out the sprint for his team’s specialist Dylan Groenewegen. The last Dutchman to wear yellow was Erik Breukink in 1989. 

Teunissen will hope to hold on to his jersey on Monday in a 215km stage through Champagne country that features a number of short, steep climbs. 

‘Anything is possible in this bubble that we’re in,’ he said after the second stage win. ‘The competition is strong, but we’ve been working for years with a good plan, loyal sponsors and the right people in the right place.

‘It’s all come together. This is what we were hoping for. It’s the magic of being in yellow and a very good team.’

Related Article:

Van Vleuten takes second successive Giro title as Dutch dominate in Italy - New

Leeuwinnen show their pride after losing World Cup final to USA

DutchNews, July 8, 2019

The players after the final whistle. Photo: Chine Nouvelle/SIPA via HH

The Dutch women’s football team said they were ‘disappointed but proud’ as they prepared to head home from France clutching their World Cup runners-up medals. 

‘Of course there is disappointment, but we have had a fantastic tournament. This is the outcome and I’m very proud,’ said goalkeeper Sari van Veenedaal. 

‘I think we played the way we planned and it worked. We just couldn’t get the result. That’s down to our opponents as well. I think our sense of pride will quickly overcome the disappointment.’ 

The USA were overwhelming favourites and defending champions going in to Sunday’s match in Lyon, but it took an hour for them to break down the well-organised Dutch defence. 

Van Veenendaal, who also takes home the Golden Gloves trophy as goalkeeper of the tournament, made a string of top-class saves in the first half but could do nothing about Megan Rapinoe’s penalty in the 60th minute. The spot-kick was awarded on the advice of the VAR panel after Stefanie van der Gragt made contact with Alex Morgan in the penalty area. 

‘I wanted to clear the ball away and didn’t see her,’ said Van der Gragt. ‘So I missed the ball. It might have been a soft penalty, but I did touch her.’ 

Royal visit 

Nine minutes later the Dutch were caught trying to launch a counter-attack and Rose Lavelle split the defence before burying a low shot in the bottom corner. Vivianne Miedema went close to pulling a goal back but Van Veenendaal was the busier goalkeeper in the closing stages. 

The result means there will be no tour of the canals of Amsterdam for the team, who said they only wanted a victory parade if they won the World Cup, in contrast to the men’s teams that lost the finals of 1974, 1978 and 2010. 

The players received a surprise visit in the dressing-room after the game from King Willem-Alexander and princesses Amalia and Ariane, who congratulated them on their performance. 

Coach Sarina Wiegman said the royal visit reflected the way the women’s game had broken through during the tournament. Around 5.5 million people tuned in to watch the final on Sunday evening, a record audience for a women’s match. 

‘The world around us is changing,’ said Wiegman. ‘It’s a credit to them that they were able to perform so well under such high pressure.

 ‘We will continue to grow so that we’ll be able to beat the USA in the foreseeable future.’ 

As one of three European teams to reach the semi-finals, the Netherlands have also qualified for next year’s Olympic football tournament in Tokyo.

Dutch women football players to earn the same as men in 2023

DutchNews, June 4, 2019

The Dutch women’s national football team will get the same pay as members of the men’s team in four years time, the Dutch football association has decided. 

The first substantial pay rise will come into effect after the World Cup and will run up to and including the 2021 European championships in England. Between 2021 and 2023 the payment will rise again until it reaches the level of the men’s team, the KNVB said. 

‘This is a great step forward … and a fine nod towards our current group,’ said Dutch player Vivianne Miedema. 

The Dutch women’s team, current European champions, are about to take part in the World Cup which starts on June 7. The Dutch are in Group E alongside Cameroon, Canada and New Zealand.

Related Article:

Swiss women strike for equal pay - again.

Nearly 30 years after staging a first nationwide strike for equal pay, women across Switzerland say they are preparing fresh actionhttps://t.co/5cpIiZFJAD pic.twitter.com/DAlULvO2ZS

— AFP news agency (@AFP) 4 juni 2019

Dutch state buys stake in Air France-KLM to ‘increase influence’

DutchNews, February 27, 2019

Photo: Depositphotos.com

The Dutch state has bought a large minority shareholding in the holding company of Air France-KLM in order to exercise more influence on the company, finance minister Wopke Hoekstra told a news conference on Tuesday evening. 

In total, the Netherlands has bought 12.68% of the company for €680m on the open market, but plans to raise this to 14% – in line with the stake held by the French government. 

The aim, Hoekstra says, is to better guarantee Dutch public interests. ‘The position of Schiphol and KLM are of great importance to the Dutch economy and employment,’ he said. ‘It involves thousands of direct and indirect jobs.’ 

In addition, KLM’s destination network is one reason so many foreign firms decide to relocate to the Netherlands, he said. 

The Dutch move, which apparently was not shared with the French authorities ahead of time, follows a turbulent period for the company. 

Holding chief Ben Smith is known to be keen to see Air France and KLM unify through common aircraft orders, alliances and flight programmes but the plans have caused unease in the Netherlands. 

‘Over the past few years it has become obvious that important decisions about KLM strategy are being taken at a holding level,’ Hoekstra said on Tuesday evening. ‘At the same time, talks about strengthening existing agreements… and the make-up of the board, have been difficult.’ 

KLM also reports better financial results compared to Air France, which has been hit by strikes, even though it is much smaller. 

France 

French economic affairs minister Bruno Le Maire told Les Echoes that the shares had been bought up without prior knowledge of the Air France-KLM board or the French government.

The French government has a 14.3% stake in the holding, which was created in 2003 when the two airlines merged. The Dutch state retains a 5.9% stake in KLM itself. 

‘The big question is, what will you achieve with this,’ aviation economist Eric Pels told broadcaster NOS. ‘It cost a lot of money, you don’t have a majority and you can’t sit in the chief executive’s seat. Operational decisions, the day to day affairs, are not taken together with shareholders.’

Wopke Hoekstra and Bruno Le Maire answer questions . Photo: AP Photo/

Christophe Ena via HH

Related Articles:

France, the Netherlands make up after Air France-KLM share purchase - New
Dutch state increases stake in Air France-KLM to 14%, as questions remain

Fasten your seatbelts and expect severe turbulence! France warns that the Dutch government's purchase of a major stake in Air France-KLM "benefits nobody"https://t.co/ncLzBsAzow pic.twitter.com/fDBBRxGK3z

— AFP news agency (@AFP) February 28, 2019

Netherlands eye Nations League finals after handing France first post-World Cup defeat

France24 – AFP, 16 November 2018

Wijnaldum and Depay both scored as the Netherlands beat France (AFP)

ROTTERDAM (NETHERLANDS) (AFP) - The Netherlands had qualification for the Nations League semi-finals in their sights on Friday after they beat France 2-0 to hand Didier Deschamps' side their first defeat since winning the World Cup in the summer.

Georginio Wijnaldum struck on the stroke of half-time and Memphis Depay chipped home a cheeky stoppage-time penalty to bag a win in Rotterdam for Ronald Koeman's revitalised side that leaves the impressive Dutch needing just a point against relegated Germany on Monday to leapfrog France and make the semi-finals.

The Dutch are a point behind leaders France, who only needed a draw themselves on Friday to qualify for the knockout stage in their last match of the group.

Wijnaldum's goal came practically at the midway point of a match dominated by the hosts, who had the better of the play and chances against the lacklustre world champions.

The closest Deschamps' men came to scoring was a weak 10th-minute header from Antoine Griezmann, who was otherwise anonymous alongside the equally invisible Kylian Mbappe.

The Dutch meanwhile peppered Hugo Lloris' goal from the off, with Wijnaldum forcing the France keeper's first save with just a minute on the clock following an impressive burst from star turn Depay.

The match would have been done and dusted long before the final whistle had it not been for Tottenham stopper Lloris, who engaged in an almost personal battle with the Netherlands' vibrant front three of Depay, Ryan Babel and Steven Bergwijn.

Depay was in particularly fine fettle, and the Lyon attacker was denied three times in the space of three second-half minutes by Lloris to stop the Dutch adding to their total.

First Lloris pushed away Depay's stinging free-kick in the 73rd minute, then two minutes later the Spurs man saved his bamboozled defenders with two smart saves from the striker in a matter of seconds.

France finally creaked into action not long after, but offered little going forward, and with the match rolling into injury time Lloris once again saved his team's blushes with a superb save from Frenkie De Jong's long-range strike following a rapid breakaway.

However De Jong, picked out by Deschamps on Thursday as one to watch for the Netherlands, helped his side seal the points when he was bundled down in the area by Moussa Sissoko with seconds left.

Depay stepped up and capped a brilliant individual and team display by clipping a panenka spot-kick over a despairing Lloris, announcing the return of the Netherlands to the big stage after years in the doldrums.

Related Article:

Late equaliser against Germany puts Oranje in Nations League semis

Dumoulin gets straight back on his bike for post-Tour race in Boxmeer

DutchNews, July 30, 2018

Tom Dumoulin (left) on the podium in Paris with Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome.
Photo: Stephane Mantey/ Belga via HH

Just a day after finishing second in the Tour de France, Tom Dumoulin is getting back on his bike for the Daags na de Tour race in Boxmeer. 

Organisers of the 80km race are hanging out yellow banners to welcome Dumoulin, who became the first Dutchman in 28 years to finish on the podium in Paris. Last year the town was decorated in pink to salute Dumoulin’s victory in the Giro d’Italia. 

Dumoulin ended the Tour 1 minute 51 seconds behind Welshman Geraint Thomas, the surprise winner, with Chris Froome, who edged out the Dutchman in this year’s Giro in May, a further 33 seconds behind. 

The 27-year-old from Limburg is one of several leading tour riders competing in Boxmeer, along with Steven Kruijswijk, who finished fifth overall, Bauke Mollema, Laurens ten Dam and Wout Poels. 

The short, flat course is best suited to sprinters such as last year’s winner, Dylan Groenwegen, who is also competing and claimed two stage wins in the first week of this year’s Tour. 

Race organiser Pierre Hermans said Mollema was a late addition to the start list after sponsors came up with extra cash to add his name to those of Dumoulin and Kruijswijk. ‘Initially he was out of our range. We had reached the limit of our budget. But the extra sponsorship money meant we were able to bring Bauke to Boxmeer,’ he told AD. 

Dutch king to visit hurricane-hit Sint Maarten as relief effort picks up steam

DutchNews, September 11, 2017

Fresh water supplies reach Saba. Photo: Ministerie van Defensie / Gerben van Es
/ Hollandse Hoogte

King Willem-Alexander will visit the hurricane-hit Caribbean island of Sint Maarten on Monday as part of a short visit to meet locals and assess the relief effort. 

The king and home affairs minister Ronald Plasterk arrived on Curaçao on Sunday where they were briefed about the aid effort so far. They also visited a hospital to meet people who had been injured when hurricane Irma lashed the former Dutch colony last week.

‘I’m here in the first place to find out what has happened so far and what the coordination from Curaçao has done,’ the king told local media. ‘The only message I have so far is that we realise what has happened to you and we are doing our best to help everyone who needs it. You can count on our help.’ 

The evacuation of people injured by the hurricane has been completed and holidaymakers are now being brought out, news agency ANP said. It is unclear how many tourists are on the island. 

The US has evacuated some 3,000 tourists and American nationals who live there. 

Soldiers

Plasterk said he is impressed by what the police and military have achieved so far. He dismissed claims that the Netherlands has not done enough by pointing out that hundreds of people had already been dispatched to the islands before the hurricane hit. 

On Monday, fresh water will be distributed to people left without water supplies and equipment to turn sea water into drinking water is also being flown in. Some 550 Dutch soldiers are in the region to help with the relief effort. 

On the smaller islands of Saba and Sint Eustatius, which were not as badly hit as Sint Maarten, the roads have now been cleared of debris and made passable again, ANP said. 

Meanwhile, prime minister Mark Rutte told a news conference on Sunday that the death toll in the Dutch half of the island has risen to four, including two unidentified bodies which were washed ashore.

Trots op mijn staf en tijdelijke augmentees die 24/7 een topproduct neerzetten. Hartverwarmende aandacht voor onze inzet. @Defensie #Irma pic.twitter.com/G9jTVVFwIA

— Peter Jan de Vin (@C_ZMCARIB) September 11, 2017

French President Emmanuel Macron joins the Dutch monarch for a tour of the hurricane-hit islands of St Martin and St Barts pic.twitter.com/teY6NwjRsR

— AFP news agency (@AFP) September 12, 2017

An aerial view of Hurricane Irma's destruction of Saint Martin pic.twitter.com/cKYFimcFVs

— AFP news agency (@AFP) September 12, 2017

Canada's Justin Trudeau defends the burkini

Yahoo – AFP, August 23, 2016

Some lawmakers in Canada's Quebec province have called for outlawing "burkinis"
-- body-concealing Islamic swimsuits -- following bans in at least 15 towns in
France's southeast (AFP Photo/Fethi Belaid)

Ottawa (AFP) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday defended individual rights and freedoms while touting cultural diversity and tolerance when asked about a controversy swirling in France over a burkini ban.

"We should be past tolerance in Canada," Trudeau told reporters after meeting with his ministers to plan the government's legislative agenda.

Some lawmakers in Canada's Quebec province have called for outlawing "burkinis" -- body-concealing Islamic swimsuits -- following bans in at least 15 towns in France's southeast.

They include the French Riviera resort town of Nice, the target of a jihadist attack on July 14, with the proponents citing the need to prevent public disorder.

Trudeau called for "the respect of individual rights and choices."

This, he said, should be "at the top of public discourse and debate."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his son, Xavier, disembark a 

government plane as they arrive in Warsaw, Poland, Friday July 8, 2016. (Adrian

Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Trudeau dismissed the idea of a burkini ban in Canada, saying Canadians should rise above the controversy.

"In Canada, can we speak of acceptance, openness, friendship, understanding? It is about where we are going and what we are going through every day in our diverse and rich communities," he said.

Trudeau bemoaned instances where governments preach tolerance but act to undermine individual rights, saying with irony: "Tolerating someone means accepting their right to exist on the condition that they don't disturb us too, too much."

Islamic clothing and the French position on their use in public (AFP

Photo/Iris ROYER DE VERICOURT)

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"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems  (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it),  Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse),  Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

“.   New Tolerance

Look for a softening of finger pointing and an awakening of new tolerance. There will remain many systems for different cultures, as traditions and history are important to sustaining the integrity of culture. So there are many in the Middle East who would follow the prophet and they will continue, but with an increase of awareness. It will be the increase of awareness of what the prophet really wanted all along - unity and tolerance. The angel in the cave instructed him to "unify the tribes and give them the God of Israel." You're going to start seeing a softening of intolerance and the beginning of a new way of being.

Eventually, this will create an acknowledgement that says, "You may not believe the way we believe, but we honor you and your God. We honor our prophet and we will love you according to his teachings. We don't have to agree in order to love." How would you like that? The earth is not going to turn into one belief system. It never will, for Humans don't do that. There must be variety, and there must be the beauty of cultural differences. But the systems will slowly update themselves with increased awareness of the truth of a new kind of balance. So that's the first thing. Watch for these changes, dear ones. ...."