PM’s poll lead shrinks as election enters second day

AMSTERDAM >> The lead of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s conservative party in polls continued to shrink Tuesday, according to a new survey published before the second day of voting in the coronavirus-affected national election. Rutte’s People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy still retains a lead of around 10 percentage points over its nearest rival, the antiimmigration Party for Freedom led by anti-Islam firebrand Geert Wilders. According to the respected Peilingwijzer survey of different opinion polls, Rutte’s party is in line to win between 34 and 38 seats in the 150-seat lower house of parliament. Wilders’ party is forecast to win 17-21 seats. Rutte has led the last three Dutch ruling coalitions and has been in power for more than a decade.

Nearly three weeks after a 27-year-old man from Taylor was gunned down in Southfield, two suspects are each charged with a weapons crime in connection with the incident but neither has been charged in the slaying.

Southfield’s Deputy Chief of Police Jeffrey Jagielski said his department is still awaiting word from the Oakland County prosecutor regarding possible homicide charges for the Feb. 25 death of Joseph Marwan Brown. Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a previous relationship between Brown’s girlfriend and her ex-boyfriend. Brown was shot at around 3:15 p.m. that day in the area of 9 Mile and Greenfield roads. Following lifesaving efforts by responding police officers, Brown was transported to an area hospital where he died. Two suspects were subsequently arrested — a 21-yearold Oak Park man who was at the scene when officers arrived — and a 21-year-old Detroit man apprehended a short time later about a mile away. Both are charged with carrying a concealed weapon and were released on bond with electronic tethers, Jagielski said. One gun was recovered at the scene of the shooting and another gun was recovered after a search warrant was executed in Detroit Both suspects were known to the victim.

MediaNews Group is seeking comment about the case from the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office.