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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 21 september 2022
Dutch king unveils billions in aid amid soaring inflation

By MOLLY QUELL restricting their operations,
Associated Press have been protesting
THE HAGUE, Netherlands over the past year by driv-
(AP) — Dutch King Willem- ing their tractors into The
Alexander unveiled plans Hague. Last week, the city
Tuesday from the Dutch announced that no large
government to help house- vehicles would be allowed
holds squeezed by rising on the streets as a security
costs, in his annual address measure.
to the nation. Echoing the king's sober
Inflation, energy prices and sentiment, Finance Minis-
the war in Ukraine were just ter Sigrid Kaag told report-
some of the "uncertainties" ers, "It is not a festive time
the country is facing, the for many Dutch people"
monarch said in his annual when she presented the of-
speech, made every year ficial budget. The package
on the third Tuesday in Sep- includes an increase in the
tember. The speech is im- minimum wage, a reduc-
mediately followed by the tion in income tax levels
release of the budget for and an expansion of child
the upcoming year. and health care subsidies.
Boos could be heard from The new budget includes
the crowd as the royal fam- Dutch King Willem-Alexander marked the opening of the parliamentary year with a speech 3.9 billion euros ($3.9 billion)
ily — just back from the outlining the government's budget plans for the year ahead at the Royal Theatre in The Hague, for Ukraine, in both military
state funeral of Queen Eliz- Netherlands, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022. Associated Press and humanitarian aid. Last
abeth II in London — trav- month, the Dutch sent 90
eled from their palace in and energy companies Around 10,000 people year and is now expected soldiers to provide basic
The Hague to the National reached an agreement on turned out to watch the to pick up a number of roy- training for Ukrainian mili-
Theater by horse-drawn Monday, although the king procession, which took al duties. tary personnel.
carriage in a pomp-filled alluded to the plan in his place for the first time Not everyone was happy The government has also
ceremony. speech. As recently as last since 2019 after two years with the day. Protesters held allotted one billion euros
"People are feeling increas- week, Dutch Prime Minister of pandemic restrictions. signs saying "Not my king" ($1 billion) to build housing
ingly uncertain about both Mark Rutte was resistant to Elementary schools in The and "Rutte must go." One for refugees. Hundreds of
the immediate and the lon- the idea of a cap, saying Hague were closed so chil- man carrying an upside- asylum-seekers have been
ger-term future," the king any help would have to dren could participate in down Dutch flag, a symbol sleeping outside of an asy-
said, speaking to a joint sit- wait until the new year. the festivities. of anti-government pro- lum reception center in
ting of both houses of par- The measure sets a price "I just want to see the hors- tests, described his struggle squalid conditions because
liament. He pledged an 18 ceiling for gas and elec- es," 3-year-old Emma told with soaring gas bills and there aren't enough beds.
billion euro ($17.9 million) tricity based on average The Associated Press while supermarket prices. Bold hats could be seen
aid package to help low- use from January 2022. The waiting behind barricades The police reported five around the city as part of
and middle-income house- government expects the along the route. people were arrested and the annual "hoedjespa-
holds. Notably missing from limit to save households For the first time, Princess they confiscated six trac- rade," a tradition where
the budget was an energy an average of 190 euros Amelia accompanied her tors. Farmers, upset about women wear striking head-
price cap that politicians ($189) per month. parents. She turned 18 this environmental regulations gear to the event.q

Putin blasts U.S. attempts to preserve

global domination

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV America, Europe, Asia and that they have backfired
Associated Press Africa." against their organizers
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian He added that "the hege- and also hurt poor coun-
President Vladimir Putin mon has succeeded in do- tries.
on Tuesday blasted what ing so for quite a long time, "As for Russia, we won't de-
he described as U.S. ef- but it can't go on forever ... viate from our sovereign
forts to preserve its global regardless of the develop- course," Putin said.
domination and ordered ments in Ukraine." Speaking later during a
officials to boost weapons Putin has repeatedly cast separate meeting on mili-
production amid the fight- his decision to send troops tary industries, he said Rus- Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his speech as he
ing in Ukraine. into Ukraine as a response sian weapons have shown attends a ceremony to receive credentials from newly
Speaking while receiving to alleged Western en- high efficiency during the appointed foreign ambassadors to Russia in the Kremlin, in
credentials from foreign croachment on Russia's vi- fighting in Ukraine and told Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022.
ambassadors to Moscow, tal security interests. officials to quickly increase Associated Press
Putin said "the objective The Russian leader de- output of military industries. the current regime in Kyiv." erything they have, every-
development toward a scribed Western sanctions "Our equipment efficiently Putin added that Rus- thing they use against us to
multipolar world faces re- against Russia over its ac- confronts Western types sia should study Western qualitatively increase our
sistance of those who try tion in Ukraine as part of of weapons," Putin said. weapons to improve its potential and improve our
to preserve their hege- efforts by the U.S. and its "Practically all of NATO own arsenals. equipment, our weapons
mony in global affairs and allies to strengthen their weapons stockpiles have "We can and must learn where we need to do it,"
control everything — Latin positions, but charged that been brought to support about these arsenals, ev- he noted. q