More than 175 nations share their financial intelligence in the fight against dirty money and terrorist financing. Yet dozens of governments have been found to abuse anti-money laundering rules to stifle civil society and silence critics, especially in countries with poor human rights records. Adressing the issue is a challenge due to a lack of
Countries use anti-money landering rules to silence critics Read More »
The flavoring ban on vapes should reduce the popularity of vapes among young people and protect them from health damage. The Investigative Desk spoke to young people across the country. They don’t feel the ban is working. In fact, online sales are thriving since the elimination of sales from stores, youth coach Robin van Wieringen
Is the flavor ban on vapes having an effect? Read More »
With the proposed construction of at least two new nuclear power plants, nuclear power is no longer taboo. Two retired senior executives with a well-stocked address book called “a few old pals” and thus spearheaded a rare successful lobbying effort. Read the whole story in Vrij Nederland (in Dutch)
The lobby behind nuclear energy’s comeback in the Netherlands Read More »
Tobacco companies are investing billions in pharmaceutical and medical products. These ties complicate the ongoing efforts of researchers, scientific organisations, and journals to distance themselves from the industry, find The Investigative Desk and the British Medical Journal. Tobacco-industry-funded research still appears in widely cited medical journals – despite attempts by some to cut the links
Two brothers force a tenant to move seven times in a timespan of seven years. They shut him out when he refuses to move once again. Will the tenant see his rental property ever again? Read the full story at NRC.
Seven forced relocations for a Dutch tenant in seven years Read More »
The Dutch province Noord-Holland is facing a big task: they need to host 16.290 refugees because of the so-called ‘Spreidingswet’. A law which ensures that all municipalities in the Netherlands equally host refugees. There are many reasons for local residents to be angry and to call out for camera surveillance. But, those demands are unnecessary,
Fear for disturbances by asylum seekers generally unfounded Read More »
In springtime of 2022, blades of the Oude Maas windmills in municipality Hoeksche Waard were at a standstill for months. The mills were as good as finished and could have delivered sustainable energy to around 24.000 households. A cyber attack at the German supplier Nordex was the culprit. Two other windmill parks, Spuisluis in Velsen
Dutch wind parks are vulnerable to cyber attacks Read More »
While the Netherlands is carrying out a huge operation for nature restoration and nitrogen reduction, in some places livestock is actually growing. These farms with livestock appear to be placed right next to vulnerable nature areas. Argos discovered that this is a consequence of the government’s uncertain nitrogen policy. Watch the full episode on Argos
The Dutch livestock industry continues to grow Read More »
Consumers and small entrepreneurs who have a complaint against their bank or insurer, can submit it to the Dutch Institute for Financial Disputes “Klachteninstituut Financiële Dienstverlening” (Kifid), as an alternative for the civil court. This institute claims to offer easy access, but complainants find themselves in a position against professional lawyers in cases that become
Consumers left in the cold at Dutch Institute for Financial Disputes Read More »
Two prominent oligarchs have become victims of Russia’s termination of the tax treaty with the Netherlands, according to research by The Investigative Desk. The journalistic collective investigated the Dutch activities of the 25 largest privately-owned Russian companies. Three of these companies – owned by two oligarchs – appear to use the Netherlands as a transit
The Investigative Desk is an independent platform for investigative journalism, focusing on large international industrial sectors such as tobacco, food and chemicals, finance, energy, pharmaceuticals and health care, defence and security.
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