The Netherlands extends curfew, relaxes other coronavirus measures – by Eline Schaart

The Netherlands is extending its nighttime curfew for another three weeks in an attempt to further reduce the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, but will also relax other measures, outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced Tuesday.

High school and secondary vocational school students will be allowed back in the classroom on a part-time basis as of March 1. Two days later, most professions involving close contact — such as hair stylists, beauticians and some massage providers — will also be allowed to return to work.

Read more at: The Netherlands extends curfew, relaxes other coronavirus measures – POLITICO

Boeing 777: UK temporarily bans Boeing 777 planes with engine that blew apart in US

The United Kingdom will temporarily ban Boeing 777 planes with the same engine that blew apart in the US over the weekend, transport secretary Grant Shapps said.

The engine, designed by Pratt and Whitney, failed shortly after United Airlines flight 328 took off from Denver, Colorado, forcing pilots to make an emergency landing on Sunday.

Read more at: UK temporarily bans Boeing 777 planes with engin

The Netherlands: 747 engine turbine blades spear cars in the Netherlands

Longtail Aviation Boeing 747-400 freighter, operating Flt LGT-5504 from Maastricht in the Netherlands to New York has suffered an engine explosion, and turbine blades from the damaged engine showered down on cars in the village of Meerssen.

According to the Aviation Herald, an elderly lady was “hit by the debris and received minor injuries.”

The pilots declared an emergency and entered a hold to dump fuel and diverted to Liege (Belgium) for a safe landing about one hour after departure. A number of cars on the ground received damage as a result of debris falling. Aviation Herald says a resident in Meerssen reported he “heard a loud bang, spotted the aircraft with streaks of flames from one of the right-hand engines, then metal rained from the sky.”

Read more at: 747 engine turbine blades spear cars in the Netherlands - Airline Ratings

The Netherlands: Appeals court set to rule on legality of Netherlands coronavirus curfew

A court in the Netherlands is expected to decide next week whether ministers lawfully used emergency powers to introduce a coronavirus curfew.

The Court of Appeal in The Hague heard a government appeal on Friday after a lower court said earlier in the week that the curfew should be stopped.

Read more at:Appeals court set to rule on legality of Netherlands coronavirus curfew | Euronews

Coronavirus: US life expectancy falls by a year amid pandemic

Life expectancy in the US fell by a full year in the first half of 2020, a change experts say was fuelled by the growing coronavirus pandemic.

The life expectancy for the entire population dropped to 77.8 years, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control.

"This is a huge decline," Dr Robert Anderson, the CDC's Chief of Mortality Statistics, told the Associated Press.

Read more at: Coronavirus: US life expectancy falls by a year amid pandemic - BBC News

France versus Radical Islam: : French MPs back controversial law aimed at cracking down on Islamic radicalism

French MP's on Tuesday approved a contreversial law on stopping intenet hate speech and separatism and ending foreign funding of religious groups.

Read more at: French MPs back controversial law aimed at cracking down on Islamic radicalism | Euronews

The Netherlands - confusion court rulings : Covid: Dutch crisis as court orders end to Covid curfew - but later, a higher court ruled curfew could stay in place

A court in The Hague has told the Dutch government that an overnight curfew to reduce the spread of coronavirus should be lifted, ruling that it breaches the right to free movement.

The court said the 21:00 to 04:30 curfew was imposed by an emergency law when there was no "acute emergency".

Later, a higher court ruled that the curfew could stay in place pending an appeal on Friday.

The curfew, imposed in January, led to rioting in several Dutch cities.

Police were patrolling streets near the Dutch parliament on Tuesday evening but no unrest has been reported so far.

The earlier court ruling - which said the curfew should be lifted immediately - was a victory for campaign group Viruswaarheid (Virus Truth) and a major upset for the government.

Read more at: Covid: Dutch crisis as court orders end to Covid curfew - BBC News