The Red Cross is sending aid workers to the Dutch asylum seekers’ registration centre in Ter Apel to distribute food, water and blankets. The Dutch Central Asylum Seekers Reception Agency can no longer offer accommodation to all asylum seekers in Ter Apel. They might be forced to sleep outdoors.

Through its ‘Sponsor a far-right protester’ campaign the Dutch civil society organisation De Goede Zaak has raised over €100,000 for the ‘More Hope Than Hate’ campaign. After the far-right violence recent weeks, they organise the ‘Be Welcome’ demonstration for refugees tomorrow evening in Utrecht.

Three-quarters of the Dutch want to be in control of their own end of life. But how to properly document this? The Laatste Wil Cooperative has developed NORA, a digital conversation partner that allows people to discuss all aspects of their end of life and records everything in a personal report.

After an urgent appeal from Dutch mayors after asylum-related unrest has prompted the Lower house to hold an emergency debate Thursday. ‘Geert Wilders will not be taking part in the debate, but will instead be embarking on a ‘protest tour’ in Den Bosch to demonstrate against an asylum centre there.

Pro Palestine demonstrations caused considerable disruption in The Hague yesterday. Dozens of people were arrested following a confrontation with the police and train services stations had come to a standstill. Protesters took to the tracks, forcing trains to be halted for safety reasons.

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten spoke out after a emergency meeting on the outbreaks of violence at various anti-asylum-center protests: “We must take a hard line against people who resort to violence.” A “rapid response team” will assist municipalities to make asylum reception to more successful.

The main suspect in the Dutch Marengo murder trial, Ridoaun Taghi, has appointed two new lawyers, provided they are given sufficient time to prepare. The lawyers in question are Ronald van der Horst and Anique Slijters, who previously represented Taghi’s son Faissal in his criminal trial.

A Dutch person can request euthanasia, but the final decision rests with the doctor. Many people want to decide for themselves. On 9th of June the citizens’ initiative bill on end-of-life care' will be presented to the House of Representatives and there will be a March for Self-Determination.

Dutch judges are making a final attempt to find a lawyer for main suspect Ridouan Taghi in the Marengo murder case. During the trial 3 people in the key witness’s immediate circle were murdered and 3 of Taghi’s former lawyers were arrested on suspicion of involvement in his criminal organisation.

Dutch police identified 74 suspects as a result of a large-scale campaign in March which targeted bank helpline scams and fake police officers. Initially unrecognisable images of 100 suspects were shared. After two weeks recognisable images of anyone who had not yet come forward were made public.

For the first time in its twenty-year history the Dutch far-right Party for Freedom is set to provide an alderman. The party is joining the coalition in the municipality of Rucphen. Wednesday the alderman-elect Wesley Tack will be appointed. The PVV may also join coalitions in other municipalities.

The Dutch chip equipment manufacturer ASML is set to assist the Indian company Tata Electronics in setting up a chip factory in India. One of the first in the Asian country. The companies announced this during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to the Netherlands.

Research by a Dutch State Commission shows that the harsh tone of the Lower House migration debate has not yet softened. MP Gigi Markuszower spoke of “self-destruction through mass immigration” and PVV MP Marina Vondeling referred to an “asylum tsunami”. Other MPs emphasise that words matter.

Dutch research organisation TNO developed a technology that enables solar panels to be recycled in an affordable and energy-efficient manner. More than 99% of the silver and pure silicon is recovered. The technology, which requires relatively little energy, could yield ‘a goldmine of raw materials’.

Numerous far-right anti-asylum centre demonstrations in the Netherlands are increasingly accompanied by violence, fireworks and vandalism, and local authorities are intimidated. Problem is that the pressure on the asylum system now mounted so much that reception centres need to be opened quickly.

The unrest at the emergency shelter in the Dutch town Loosdrecht has prompted numerous public appeals for the violence to stop, as well as the sending of support postcards. Dutch actor Nasrdin Dchar states: ‘Now is the time to act.' A counter-demonstration is being organised in Utrecht next week.

In the Netherlands, around half of the recorded animal, plant and fungal species are threatened. A significant proportion of butterflies and bees have already disappeared. Today is International Endangered Species Day. The first red lists were drawn up in the 1990s.

An event intended to let refugees know they are welcome in the Dutch town IJsselstein has been cancelled. Organisers fear disturbances because opponents plan to demonstrate against reception of asylum seekers at the same time and in the same place.

Human rights organisation The Rights Forum will file a complaint against Dutch far-right MP Gidi Markuszower over a statement suggesting that the Netherlands should stop Palestinian asylum seekers at the border ‘using maximum force’. “Perhaps with even more violence than where they come from.”

The Dutch government has expressed its “horror” at the arson attack on an emergency shelter for asylum seekers in Loosdrecht Tuesday evening. Deputy Prime Minister Dilan Yesilgöz described it as “terrifying”. “This is truly appalling, truly reprehensible.” Yesterday several rioters were arrested.

Again French fishermen are angry with their Dutch counterparts over a new Dutch fishing vessel that can land 400 tonnes of fish a day. “A vessel like that catches as much in a day as I can catch in a whole year,” says a French fisherman “This simply spells the end for us small-scale fishermen.”

In February ‘Baco’ and ‘Zion’ were arrested in Colombia. These Dutch cocaine agents acted as key links between drug gangs in Europe and cartels in South America. According to Dutch police simply seizing drug shipments is not enough. “To disrupt the underworld, you have to target the key links.”

Fire broke out last night at the asylum seekers’ reception centre in Loosdrecht after protesters threw flares at the building. Mayor Verheijen reacted strongly: “A line has been crossed. This was a targeted attack against vulnerable people.” The security services are investigating the protests.

Criticism on German border controls is mounting in the Netherlands. They do not achieve their intended effect and have already led to fatal accidents. Yet Germany is pressing ahead. Dutch fiber-optic technicians Nabil and Iliass have been stopped 30 times already. “It’s a migration check (...).”

The Dutch government intends to introduce legislation against the Russian shadow fleet in the North Sea that would allow for the seizure of suspicious vessels carrying sanctioned Russian oil. According to Minister Karremans work is underway on emergency legislation through a ‘fast-track process’.

Today Advocates for the Future announces a groundbreaking climate case against the state-owned Enterprise Port of Rotterdam to take responsibility, to build towards a sustainable future and to phase-out of fossil fuel activities. Press Conference today at 12.00 hours at Oase in Rotterdam.

With fancy-dress competitions and smiling children on AI posters, Dutch anti-asylum centre groups increasingly present themselves as ‘concerned citizens’. The asylum protests highlight how the far-right organisation Defend Netherlands is attempting to make extremist ideas socially acceptable.

The Chinese semiconductor company Wingtech intends to initiate arbitration proceedings against the Netherlands over its intervention in its subsidiary Nexperia last October, statting it has resulted in losses running into billions. Wingtech is claiming $8 billion (€6.8 billion) from the Dutch state.

The granddaughter of the notorious Dutch SS general Hendrik Seyffardt is in possession of the painting 'Portrait of a Young Girl' by the Dutch painter Toon Kelder. It belonged to Jewish art dealer Jacques Goudstikker during the Second World War. Goudstikker’s heirs now want the painting returned.

Heart failure patients benefit from digoxin, a rarely used long-established and extremely cheap drug. Three scientific studies presented yesterday show that the drug reduces the risk of hospital admissions by a quarter. Together with recent similar German research there is sufficient evidence.

The Dutch want to play an important role in the emerging quantum sector. QuantWare designs quantum computer chips, works on a factory for large-scale production and just secured a record €152 million in funding. Last year, QuantWare unveiled a promising new chip. Each chip costs around €50 million.

Today demonstrations are organised at the Dutch asylum seekers’ centre in Ter Apel by two groups with diametrically opposed views. Far-right action group Defend Netherlands was the first to announce the protest. In response, ‘Groningen against the Far Right!’ is organising a counter-demonstration.

Railway tracks near the port of Rotterdam were blocked this morning by Geef Tegengas. Activists from the climate movement chained themselves to the tracks. Freight transport has come to a complete standstill. The masked protesters are calling for action from the ‘polluting Port Authority’.