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September 21, 2021

Netherlands remains red on Europe's coronavirus map - with Flevoland Province highest numbers of cases.

As expected, the whole of the Netherlands will remain red on the European Union's coronavirus risk level map for seven more days. Over 4.6 percent of all coronavirus tests performed in the Netherlands over the past two weeks were positive, according to data submitted by the Ministry of Health to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

Anything over 4 percent during a two-week period puts an entire country at the red level. Red is the second highest warning color on the map that the European health service ECDC produces every Thursday. All twelve provinces were also at red last week.

Flevoland is relatively the largest fire in the country. In the past two weeks, 281 out of every 100,000 inhabitants tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. That is considerably lower than last week's calculation. Friesland follows, but the number of positive tests there is almost 19 percent higher than with data used to produce last week's ECDC map. With 254 cases per capita, Friesland has overtaken Noord-Holland (244), Zuid-Holland (241) and Overijssel (227). The number of cases is also increasing in Utrecht.

Read more at: Netherlands remains red on Europe's coronavirus map | NL Times

September 20, 2021

Netherlands: The Dutch are the world's tallest people. But they're getting shorter, study shows

Statistics Netherlands (or CBS), a government institution that gathers statistics about the country, says that Dutch men born in 2001 are 0.39 inches (1 centimeter) shorter than those born in 1980. Dutch women are 0.55 inches (1.4 centimeters) shorter. Despite these drops, the Netherlands still has the tallest people in the world — with CBS reporting that today's generation stands, on average, at 6 feet (182.9 centimeters) for men and 5.55 feet (169.3 centimeters) for women.

Read morwe at: The Dutch are the world's tallest people. But they're getting shorter, study shows

September 19, 2021

EU: Dutch PM Rutte to Invite Britain to Join Defence Deal With EU

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to be offered a defence and security co-operation deal with the European Union during a meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in Downing Street on Friday, the Times newspaper reported, citing a diplomatic source.

“Since Brexit, not enough European leaders have been in touch with Johnson. It is important to look at the geopolitics without being divided and there is a need to work with the UK," the source said.

It is expected that Turkey will also be approached by the EU in joinimg this new EU defence strategy

Read more at: https://eu-digest.blogspot.com/2021/09/france-recalls-ambassadors-to-us.html

September 17, 2021

The Netherlands: Dutch foreign minister resigns over Afghan evacuation

Dutch Foreign Minister Sigrid Kaag resigned on Thursday following a vote of no confidence in parliament.

A parliamentary majority decided that she had mishandled the evacuation of refugees from Afghanistan after the Taliban seized control.

Read more at: Dutch foreign minister resigns over Afghan evacuation | News | DW | 16.09.2021

September 15, 2021

The Netherlands: 150,000 people joined protests against nightlife restrictions in the Netherlands this weekend

150,000 people reportedly marched in ten cities, 80,000 of which in Amsterdam alone, also taking to the larger provinces of The Hague, Eindhoven, Groningen, and Utrecht following an earlier protest in August. ‘Unmute Us!’ sparked international attention, with an aim to call attention to the plight of the nightlife industry.

The protest demanded that the Dutch government to amend COVID restrictions in the country after noting the successful reopening of clubs elsewhere in Europe.

Read more at: 150,000 people joined protests against nightlife restrictions in the Netherlands this weekend - News - Mixmag

September 14, 2021

Paris to Berlin in an hour: Welcome to the future of high-speed rail travel in Europe

Picture this: the year is 2045. You’re standing on a platform in Berlin awaiting a sleek Hyperloop pod that will glide into the station to a noiseless halt and then deposit you in Paris an hour later, ready for your morning meeting.

In the afternoon, you’ll take another southbound pod on a leisurely trip to Barcelona for the weekend, a journey that will take no more than 90 minutes.

The speed and ease is no longer a surprise to you because in the last quarter-century, almost all travel throughout Europe has shifted from the skies to the ground.

Read more at: Paris to Berlin in an hour: Welcome to the future of high-speed rail travel in Europe | Euronews

September 13, 2021

The Netherlands: Uber Loses Battle Over Drivers’ Rights in the Netherlands

Uber Technologies Inc. lost another suit over its drivers’ working rights after an Amsterdam court ruled workers who ferry passengers using the Uber app in the Netherlands are covered by a local collective labor law.

The legal relationship between Uber and its drivers meets all of the characteristics of an employment contract, the court said in its judgement. Uber must apply the Collective Labor Agreement for Taxi Transport to protect drivers, allowing them in some cases to claim overdue salary. Uber was also ordered to pay the local labor union, FNV, 50,000 euros ($59,000) in compensation for failing to comply with the agreement.

Read more at: Uber Loses Battle Over Drivers’ Rights in the Netherlands