Week in review: February 1-7

The round-up of some of this week’s most noteworthy events and news stories features police finding 750 kg of Khat in several busts, Philips employees threatened over weed lamps, Timmermans calling attention to arrested plane spotters in UAE, a Dutch journalist who escaped from Egypt, Dutch to investigate a whale wars collision, and Rabobank not selling part of their American business. In several busts police netted a total of 750 kg of Khat in a 24-hour timeframe.

Khat is a stimulating soft drug, illegal under the Opium Act since January 5th, 2013. Philips has earned millions with the sale of grow lights to marijuana farmers, but upcoming legislation made the company decide to change course. Now employees are being threatened, even at their home address. Minister Timmermans brought up the subject of the three Dutch plane spotters who were arrested for espionage in the UAE, when he met with his colleague, Sheik Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, at the security conference in Munich. Dutch journalist, Rena Netjes, made it back safely to the Netherlands, with the help of the Dutch embassy in Egypt, after being accused of aiding a terrorist network. The Dutch Directorate for the Inspection of Living environment and Transport will conduct an investigation into a collision between the Dutch Sea Shepherd and a whale hunter, where both parties blame each other. Rabobank denies wanting to sell off parts of its American business, contradicting reports from informed sources. Rabobank and the sources agree however, the bank wants to stay active in the U.S.A. Check out NL Times for the rest of the news and stories this week.