Bean sprouts have replaced cucumbers as the culprit for the EHEC bacteria. There is commotion after an undercover intelligence agent reveals his double life. Christian youths come together to pray in the province, while sluts unite in the capital for a protest march. And elephants never forget a face.

Bean sprouts under suspicion for EHEC outbreak
After wrongful accusations against Spanish cucumbers, the German authorities have discovered a new culprit for the outbreak of the EHEC bacteria. Bean sprouts from an organic vegetable grower, although it will not be certain until the results of tests are announced on Monday afternoon.

Meanwhile 23 people have died of the bowel disease and more than 2,000 have been infected, reports de Volkskrant. The vast majority of cases have been in Germany. Five people in the Netherlands are infected, but all recently visited Germany.

There is a sense of desperation in health-conscious Germany as the authorities rally to cope with the outbreak. German Health Minister Daniel Bahr, photographed wearing a surgical mask and overalls and looking like he might be starring in a medical series, warns there is a shortage of hospital beds. It is the first test for the new minister after a recent cabinet reshuffle writes nrc.next.

Many of the victims ate at a restaurant in Lübeck reports AD. The contaminated vegetables came from a grower in Lower Saxony. Both have been closed down, although there is no certainty that this is the source. The restaurant chef says, “I have already been condemned.”

Intelligence mole revelations lead to commotion
The news broke last weekend that an animal rights activist, Paul Kraaijer, had in fact been an undercover agent for the Dutch intelligence agency, the AIVD for quarter of a century. The mole infiltrated Dutch animal rights groups ADC (anti-vivisection coalition) and reported on their activities.

It seems De Telegraaf may have had its own mole among the activists. In 2008, the mass circulation paper reported that an extreme British anti-vivisection group (SHAC) had landed in the Netherlands. Back then it warned that financial institutions would be targeted. But the threats did not materialise into a prolonged campaign, only a couple of cars belonging to a former NYSE Euronext employee burnt out after explosives were planted on them. Now the paper has an exclusive with Mr Kraaijer who says his life back then was like an exciting boys’ book. He led a double life, pretending to be an activist by day and writing reports for the Dutch intelligence at night.

De Volkskrant reports that the Dutch Journalists Union (NVJ) is astounded by the revelations because Mr Kraaijer apparently posed as a reporter for Trouw to gain access to a G-8 summit. So far Trouw has declined to comment on the matter. The NVJ says using ‘journalism’ as a cover harms the profession’s impartiality.

AD writes that Mr Kraaijer has lost his job as a journalist in Suriname since the revelations about his past. The Caribbean Media Group says they knew nothing about his past and did not like the idea of having a former intelligence agent in their team.

Christian Youth Day a success
Around 30,000 young Christians came together in Arnhem on Saturday for the 37th EO (evangelical broadcasting station) Youth Day. The title this year was ‘ Move’. According to de Volkskrant, the ‘movement’ was supposed to be towards God. Trouw describes it as Europe’s biggest youth Christian event.

The protestant daily writes, busloads of young Christians from all over the country came to the eastern city of Arnhem to pray, clap, sing and praise God. Around the Gelderdome football stadium there were dozens of stands where the religious punters could speed date, pray together or play electronic games. On the main stage were various pop artists and devotional speeches. The paper prints a photo of the young men and women, eyes closed, mouths open in song, arms raised towards to the Lord.

Guest of honour was “God’s smuggler”, 83-year-old Anne van der Bijl, who smuggled Bibles into communist countries during the Cold War. The paper prints a number of tweets, Wendy Westeneng writes: “hoarse voice, ringing in my ears, half deaf, legs don’t work anymore. But it was worth it.”

SlutWalk held in Amsterdam
And while Christians gathered in the province, gays, lesbians, transvestites and other sexual libertines marched in the capital. According to de Volkskrant, around 500 people gathered to hold the first European SlutWalk in Amsterdam on Saturday afternoon.

The movement has blown over from Canada and the United States where SlutWalks were organised after a Canadian policeman said “Women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimised”. In Amsterdam, the motive of demonstration shifted slightly towards “tolerance”. As drag queen Paula Polyester puts it, “Let everyone have the courage to be themselves.” There is a sense that most women feel relatively safe in the Dutch capital, whereas transvestites and gays are more likely to be targeted.

The demonstrators, some dressed very scantily, carried banners such as “Slut Power!” And “Sluts are hot”. My personal favourite was a young woman in a pretty dress holding a placard reading “A dress is not a yes.”

Elephants are definitely not Dumbos
It seems the Disney film Dumbo was not based on fantasy, although elephants are far from stupid reports AD. A 35-year study of elephants by Amboseli Trust for Elephants on the Kenyan-Tanzanian border shows that elephants are extremely social and intelligent animals. They express emotions such as concern and have empathy for their fellow kind. They shudder when one is hurt and even remove sedative darts from others in their herd. The study of 2500 of these huge beasts has resulted in a book, The Amboseli Elephants.

As in the Disney film, older elephants have been known to give calves a nudge using their tusks when their behaviour is out of line. They even greet using their trunks or by rubbing shoulders. And yes they do have good memories. De Volkskrant writes, "they are better than monkeys at remembering a route and can recognise more than a hundred other elephants".