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Corné Henderson wrote that Bartje wanted to promote the return with help for the reconstruction of countries. He referred to Afghanistan as an example and said that a previous inclusivity bonus of 200 million euros had been given there. He made a mocking comment about how beautiful the women in the country looked. https://t.co/PZvTkaLSuK #Opvangcrisis #Inclusiviteit #Hulpverlening (translated)

Although there are probably people who abuse the system, many long-term sick individuals suffer, as evidenced by the experiences of three people in a vulnerable situation who share their struggles and the challenges of returning to work. #IncapacitéDeTravail #BurnOut #ReintegrationProfessionnelle (translated)

Marcel Crok suspected that Tijs was referring to him with the term 'climate deniers' because he claimed to be about the only dissenting voice during an external expert day in March 2025. He called the term derogatory and pointed out that CDA leader Henri Bontenbal had also used it regularly, according to him. Crok invited Tijs to a lecture by Clintel given by Roger Pielke Jr. the following Sunday in Driebergen. He referred to an article by Pielke about a campaign against climate scientists with dissenting views. According to Crok, Australian activists, including a cartoonist, with the support of influential American climate scientists, created blacklists. Among those listed were Pielke, his father, and Judith Curry, according to him. Crok wrote that their academic careers were thereby hindered and called the issue concerning for Members of Parliament. Regarding his own participation in the Citizen's Assembly, Crok stated that the selection of citizens went well and that his discussions with KNMI director Maarten van Aalst were respectful. However, in hindsight, he claimed that the organization published an incorrect fact-check. He said he should have filed a forty-page complaint before he received any response. Crok argued that the debate about climate, just like the debate about corona which Tijs had previously struggled with as a journalist, was, in his view, being stifled. He spoke of a suffocating atmosphere in the academic world and wrote that no journalist had signed up to attend Pielke's lecture. #klimaat #wetenschap #discussie (translated)

In Europe, we must learn to become caretakers of the forest again to prevent the devastating effects of megafires and the climate crisis, as evidenced by recent experiences with wildfires and the need for sustainable management of our forests. #Bosbranden #Klimaatcrisis #Biodiversiteit (translated)

Irene Butter (1930-2026), a German-Jewish Holocaust survivor, only started sharing her terrible experiences in the concentration camps later in life, driven by a sense of responsibility to keep the memories alive, and passed away at the age of 95 after a life dedicated to spreading knowledge about the Holocaust. #Holocaust #IreneButter #historieschrijven (translated)

The English writer and politician Jeffrey Archer, who passed away at the age of 86, led a tumultuous life marked by both political successes and legal scandals, and he published millions of books worldwide, often inspired by his own controversial experiences. #JeffreyArcher #Controverse #Biografie (translated)

Joep Wennemars, who recently struggled with emotional and physical challenges due to a serious groin injury, reflects on his experiences during the Olympic Games in Milan and emphasizes that these difficulties are part of his story and growth as an athlete. #JoepWennemars #Schaatsen #Blessureherstel (translated)

In a report about the ongoing threat of drone attacks in Kyiv, reporter Iris Koppe discusses the uncertain future of Ukrainian families, sharing the experiences of her acquaintance Elena and the impact of the war on the lives of mothers and children considering leaving for Italy. #Oekraïne #oorlog #droneinslagen (translated)

In the podcast De Dag, the bill is discussed that would make the glorification of terrorism a criminal offense, looking at the experiences in the UK where such laws already exist and where protesters often get into trouble. #terrorisme #demonstratierecht #wetsvoorstel (translated)

Documentary maker Jessica Villerius was present at the failed execution of Christa Pike and describes the shocking experiences and emotions of that night when Pike, after two fatal injections, began to snore and her execution was halted. #documentaire #doodstraf #rechtspraak (translated)

Letschert in a tight spot! The Jewish and Israeli students in Maastricht are stating it clearly. They are no longer carried away by the dialogue merry-go-round of the D66 Minister of Education, after spending years in her merry-go-round when she led the university. Result: an antisemitic climate and the import of hate rallies. Letschert's reward: the plush of The Hague. Read the letter below. Support these brave students who let their voice, and only their voice, be heard. Who do not bow to the established order and do not allow themselves to be exploited and misled by them. Bravo! To the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, IJAR Maastricht has learned that Minister of Education Rianne Letschert intends to organize a meeting about Jewish students, following the recent developments at Maastricht University. As the representative organization of Jewish and Israeli students at Maastricht University, we have received no formal invitation from the minister or her ministry. Nor have we been informed about the purpose, the mandate, the intended participants, or the measures that may be considered. If the subject concerns the position and experiences of Jewish and Israeli students at Maastricht University, consultations should begin with the organization that represents these students and within the university environment where the relevant events take place. During Ms. Letschert's previous term at Maastricht University, Jewish and Israeli students and their representatives spoke with her and other members of the university administration on numerous occasions. They repeatedly expressed concerns about safety, intimidation, the campus climate, institutional decisions, and the implications of those decisions for Jewish and Israeli students. From those discussions, it appeared that consultations were taking place, but in our experience, they did not lead to measures that corresponded to the issues raised. Clear lines of accountability were also not established for what followed. This history means that the mere fact that there is again a meeting cannot be considered an achievement in itself. Other Jewish organizations and individuals elsewhere in the Netherlands may have legitimate perspectives on broader issues concerning Jewish life, antisemitism, or national policy. However, they do not represent the Jewish and Israeli students at Maastricht University and cannot replace the representative organization of the students whose campus, lecture halls, and daily living environment are directly at stake. A meeting held elsewhere, with discussion partners who do not represent these students, can be viewed as discussions with Jewish organizations, but cannot reasonably be presented as a consultation with the representative organization of Jewish and Israeli students studying at Maastricht University. For that reason, we believe that if the minister wishes to address what is happening at Maastricht University, she should come to Maastricht and engage directly in conversation with the representative organization of Jewish and Israeli students here. The location is important, as responsibility must be aligned with where the issue occurs and not be disconnected from it: the issues being discussed involve this university, the decisions being made here, and the students who experience the consequences of those decisions. Thus, consultations regarding Maastricht should take place in Maastricht and begin with those who are institutionally responsible for representing the involved students. Before such a meeting takes place, we also demand clarity about what the minister aims to achieve with it. We expect to know what questions are being investigated, what decisions or measures remain open, what responsibility the ministry will take on itself, what responsibility it expects from Maastricht University, what concrete follow-up steps are foreseen, and how the outcomes of the meeting will be recorded and communicated. Without that information, participation threatens to serve mainly as proof that consultations have taken place, rather than as a means by which those consultations can actually have an impact. Our concern, therefore, is not about whether there will be a meeting, but about the relationship between consultation and responsibility. We have previously participated in discussions, we have laid out the problems before, and our presence has previously shown that a dialogue existed. What too often has remained unclear, however, is who was responsible for acting on what was raised during those discussions and what actually changed as a result of those discussions. A representative consultation should not end once the participants leave the room, but should record who is responsible for the issues raised, what actions follow from that, and how those actions will be assessed. We remain willing to engage seriously with the minister in Maastricht. However, that consultation must take place with the representative organization of the Jewish and Israeli students whose situation is at stake, with a clear purpose, with well-defined responsibilities, and with an explicit connection between listening and acting. Anything less than that threatens only to reproduce the form of consultation, while the substance — and the responsibility for it — remains unresolved. Signed, The Board of IJAR Maastricht *link to the original letter in the tweet below #antisemitisme #onderwijs #studentenrechten (translated)

It is sad when children cannot participate because, for example, important items such as clothing, a school bag, or a laptop are unaffordable for their parents. Just as it is unbearable that there are children who do not receive a gift on their birthday or during Sinterklaas. That is why it is so wonderful that initiatives like the Toy and Clothing Bank Foundation and the Every Child a Saint Foundation exist. Today I visited them in Vriezenveen to observe their volunteers. I also spoke with young people in Almelo about their experiences growing up in poverty. Their stories, which they shared as ambassadors of the Children’s Relief Fund, made a great impression. Reducing poverty, and specifically child poverty, is an important priority for the government because everyone should be able to participate. #Kinderarmoede #SamenSterk #HulpAanKinderen (translated)