People want more to recognise themselves in communication expression; even in emoticons

We all know the famous yellow smileys, but it is high time that the emoticons adapt to the diversity in the world. An African company launched, therefore, a series of coloured emoticons. Apple also recently promised to take more account of the different varieties in making smileys.

Source: Newsmonkey

Learn Dutch or lose welfare benefits, new draft law says

People who do not speak sufficient Dutch will lose their rights to welfare benefits after one year, if draft legislation now sent out to consultation becomes law, broadcaster Nos reports. Junior social affairs minister Jetta Klijnsma has sent the draft bill to the Council of State advisory body for its recommendations, the broadcaster says.

Source: DutchNews

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Doctors sound the alarm over care of the frail elderly at home

The Dutch family doctors’ association has warned that thousands of frail elderly people are being left vulnerable because they no longer qualify for residential care. The government wants people to stay in their own homes for longer with the help of family and friends but doctors say they are at risk of malnutrition and depression and could be a fire risk, Nos said in a special report. ‘This is reason to sound the alarm,’ said LHV chairman Steven van Eijck. ‘Quality of care cannot be guaranteed like this.’

Souce: DutchNews

More women and ethnic minorites are entrepreneurs in the Netherlands

The proportion of female and ethnic entrepreneurs is growing slowly but steadily in the Netherlands. The proportion of female entrepreneurs increased in five years from 31.3 percent in 2007 to 32.2 percent in 2012. The proportion of ethnic entrepreneurs over the same period increased from 14.0 percent to 16.1 percent.

Netherlands, as a whole, is becoming more entrepreneurial and this trend is also reflected in the proportion of female and ethnic minority businesses; Panteia investigated and compiled an entrepreneurs ratio. The entrepreneurs ratio expresses the percentage of entrepreneurs in a group's workforce. Among women, this ratio increased in five years from 6.1 percent to 7.4 percent among ethnic minorities from 6.7 percent to 8.5 percent.

Source: Briskmagzine and Panteia

Plan to raise naturalisation rule to seven years residency under fire

The government’s plan to increase the residency requirement to become Dutch from five to seven years will not encourage integration, the Council of State said on Friday. The cabinet wants to increase the period to seven years saying it will inprove the chances of new Dutch nationals finding work. The Council, the government’s highest advisory body, points out that immigrants from non-EU countries have to pass integration exams within three years, Nos television says.

Source: NOS and DutchNews