Former health minister Hugo de Jonge tried to extricate himself from the face mask scandal this week by defending a deal that he officially had nothing to do with. Another former minister, Stef Blok, is deployed to speed up the confiscation of Russian assets as the number of Ukrainian refugees reaches 22,000. Soaring fuel prices drive inflation up to its highest level in 1976, while economic uncertainty puts the brakes on the housing market. In football news, Ajax coach Erik ten Hag looks to be packing his bags for Manchester as Ronald Koeman is confirmed as the successor to Louis van Gaal as Oranje coach. And a new breed of organised criminal makes life sour for Noord-Brabant farmers.
