It feels like we only just brushed off the icy chills from last weekend in the Netherlands (there might even be a whisp of snow still lying around).
While the fun we all had in the ice and snow is still fresh in your memory, this weekend you may want to swap your scarves for shorts with warm weather coming our way.
First day of spring
The weather will be “really enjoyable,” according to Buinradar meteorologist William Huizinga. He told RTL Nieuws that Saturday is set to be an average of 16-17 degrees, and up to 18 degrees in the southeast.
If the temperature does reach these dizzy heights it will officially be the first day of spring — claimed by the first day of the year that gets to 15 degrees.
For now, we will have to put up with the cloudy weather for a couple more days with a few more showers set for today and tomorrow. But, the sun might peek its head out on Friday, with a forecast between 10 and 14 degrees.
Sunny Sunday
On Sunday there will be “[n]o cloud in the sky,” says Huizinga. Those in the south may mistake it for the Bahamas with heights of 19 degrees. You may want to keep your windbreakers handy as it will be a bit blustery throughout the weekend, but lovely and warm once you’re out of the wind.
The weather will continue to be warm and dry in the coming week.
How are you going to spend the warm weekend? Let us know in the comments!
Good news for students in the Netherlands — you’ll only have to pay half of your tuition fees in the coming academic year.
The Dutch cabinet is imposing this measure to address the effect coronavirus is having on higher education, reports the NOS.
Cutting tuition fees is part of a wider set of measures the government is introducing to assist all areas of education, from primary schools to universities. These new initiatives will cost anywhere between €6-8.5 billion.
This measure comes two weeks after the House of Representatives asked the cabinet to make students whose studies have been delayed by coronavirus exempt from paying tuition fees. The cabinet agreed to meet the house halfway.
It is as yet unclear how this will affect international and non-EU students — but stay tuned 😉
Are you a student that has been affected by coronavirus? How has it affected your studies? Let us know in the comments below!
Looks like curfew is here to stay as an emergency law is able to go to the Dutch Parliament today.
According to NOS, The law was signed by King Willem-Alexander last night before being sent to the Council of the State. The government will take emergency advice after which Parliament can then vote on it.
The House of Representatives is currently in recess, but it is up to the house when the law will be discussed. The Senate will also have to debate the emergency act before it becomes law.
Curfew under emergency law
This emergency law was announced yesterday by Minister of Justice and Security, Ferdinand Grapperhaus, after a judge in The Hague found insufficient legal basis for the curfew. The case that led to such a ruling was brought to the court by the activist group, Virus Truth.
Last night, the Dutch cabinet appealed the court ruling and announced an emergency law would be put in place. The cabinet also asked the court to suspend the judge’s decision until an appeal could be made. The court agreed that the curfew will remain in place until at least Friday.
Are you surprised by how this is developing? Let us know in the comments.
If you’re reading this now, you better be at home. The decision earlier today that the curfew should be lifted immediately has been suspended.
This has been determined by the court in The Hague after an appeal by the State. That means the curfew remains in effect as of 9 PM tonight.
According to the court, the interest of the State is greater than that of the Viruswaarheid action group.
The court found that a flip-flop effect must be prevented. “Now there is a curfew, and if we as the court do not grant this suspension, then the curfew is off,” said the chairman of the court, reported by the NOS.
“What happens if we decide otherwise in the main proceedings? Then the curfew has to be in effect again. And otherwise, the curfew will be off for a few days. Under these kinds of circumstances, we deem the interest of the State more important.”
The State submitted an emergency appeal and asked the judge to suspend the decision so that the curfew would still remain until at least the substantive hearing next Friday at 10:00.
It remains to be seen if things will actually be quiet on the streets tonight, particularly after the Netherlands saw extended days of rioting after the curfew came into effect.
Cars, bikes and mopeds speeding around The Hague.
People blowing whistles and cheering, sirens sounding. Things feel v unpredictable this eve #COVID19
The RIVM has released its weekly coronavirus figures for the period of February 10 to February 16. The number of new infections has risen slightly and yet the country may even see a sudden ease in restrictions — namely through the lifting of curfew.
The lifting of the night curfew does not necessarily mean that the government plans on easing other restrictions yet.
New number of infections
Over the past week, the RIVM reported 25,229 new infections the Netherlands. This is more than the previous week’s number of 24,668 new infections.
The numbers for this week are a little unclear due to test centres being shut by the cold and icy weather.
Deaths
The number of patients who have died from COVID-19-related complications has also risen slightly. This week 423 people passed away, compared to 408 people the previous week.
Hospitalisations
Hospitalisations are also up, along with the number of admissions to the ICU. The past week saw 1,120 new admissions to the nursing ward and 191 new patients in the ICU. The week before, there were 1,096 and 172, respectively.
The Dutch government remains concerned over the new variants of coronavirus, as a result, strict measures (aside from curfew) are likely to remain in place for the Netherlands. There are also changes to the vaccination strategy, as well as large scale trial events taking place.
Curfew to be lifted immediately
A Dutch court ruling this morning decreed that the curfew should be lifted immediately. The judge ruled that the curfew breached the freedom of movement, and that Senate and the House of Representatives should have been consulted before it was made into law.
The Dutch cabinet is reviewing the case but the ruling cannot be delayed by an appeal.
Vaccination strategy
The distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine started last week. Alongside this, the Dutch government has altered its vaccination strategy. This week in Zeeland, GPs will start vaccinating those with serious lung conditions, Downs syndrome, and those who are deemed morbidly obese.
Trial events
Research began this week to test whether or not large scale events such as festivals, conferences and theatre events can safely go ahead. Yesterday, Fieldlab Events held a trial event at the Beatrix Theatre in Utrecht.
The Dutch cabinet is going to challenge the curfew ban which was ruled by a judge in The Hague earlier today.
The judge of the court case ruled that the curfew in the Netherlands should be lifted immediately, on the grounds that it is a violation of the right to freedom of movement and freedom of privacy. He had also found that the passing of curfew was unlawful, deeming the measure not urgent enough to bypass Parliament.
By the means of an urgent appeal, the cabinet is asking the judge to suspend his ruling, reports NOS.
Emergency law for curfew
As mentioned in the press conference with Mark Rutte and Ferd Grapperhaus, the cabinet is also planning to introduce emergency legislation to uphold the curfew. This is as yet unclear how and when it will take affect.
Rutte also stated in a moral appeal for the public to abide by curfew whether or not it is legally binding.
Appeal and possible decision later this afternoon
The court in The Hague is supposed to consider the request for suspension at 4 PM this afternoon. The question of whether or not the curfew should be upheld is to be decided in a later session.
If the ruling doesn’t change this afternoon, the curfew will be cancelled immediately. This would mean that you can legally go outside after 9 PM today, confirms NOS.
How does this all affect your plans for a midnight walk? Unless the higher appeal at 4PM gives us a different verdict, there will be no legal basis for the police to enforce curfew.
Are you surprised by this development? Let us know in the comments below!
The curfew in the Netherlands should be lifted immediately, the judge of a court case in The Hague has ruled.
The case was brought to the court by the Virus Truth Foundation. According to NOS, the judge ruled that the curfew is a violation of the right to freedom of movement and the freedom of privacy.
The curfew as introduced in line with the Extraordinary Powers of Civil Authority Act whereby the Dutch cabinet can pass laws without consulting the Senate or the House of Representatives. The judge in this case ruled that the curfew should have been debated by these houses as there was not enough to evidence provided to prove that it required “special urgency.”
Court rules Dutch curfew must be lifted immediately – according to the judge, the 2100 curfew was introduced as emergency but did not constitute an emergency “as is the case with a dyke breach” #Netherlands#COVID19#avondklok
This is decided one week after the Dutch government extended the curfew to March 2. While the Judge has made the decree, the cabinet has yet to respond.
Minister of Justice now studying the ruling
The Dutch Minister of Justice and Security, Ferdinand Grapperhaus, is now studying the judge’s decree, the NOS reports. It is understood that the lifting of the curfew cannot be delayed by an appeal.
However, for now the response of the cabinet remains unknown.
Updates to follow as the situation develops.
Are you surprised by the judge’s decision? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
As spring makes its way towards the Netherlands — yup, you read that right — it’s time to bid farewell to the wonderful distraction that was the ice and snow. We thought we’d gather up the best bits to help us remember what the cold was like.
The guy who fell through the ice — in his underwear
This man took bravery to a whole new level. Not only did he decide that today was the day that he wanted to truly know what it is like to “walk on thin ice”, he also decided that underwear was the proper clothing choice for such an occasion. At least he takes a bow once it’s all done?
The guy who decided to take the workout to the ice
Gyms have been closed for what feels like ages, but this guy doesn’t seem to be bothered too much. He just packed up all his equipment (flat bench included) and hit a frozen lake.
The week of snow and ice was no less exciting for the police than it was for the common folk. Police were able to enjoy a chuckle or two once they found out their potential homicide victim was, in fact, a snowman.
The fun on the ice in Amsterdam abruptly ended for everyone when this guy showed up on the scene. In an attempt to move his boat, he broke a thin layer of ice on the famous Prinsengracht. His little boat endeavour did not leave Amsterdam’s ice skaters happy.
Een ongelofelijke teringlijer heeft zojuist de #Prinsengracht kapot gevaren vanaf de #Brouwersgracht.
Ik ga het spoor volgen.
We all know that a bicycle is like an extended limb for a Dutchman. This year, we also learnt that the Dutch are quite the ice lovers. But would you ever think that some Dutchies manage to do these two entirely different things at the same time?! Neither did we.
That time the King re-proposed to the Queen
Who would have thought that King Willem-Alexander was such a romantic? Proposing to Queen Máxima just once won’t do it, he apparently thought. This year, the couple was captured reliving their special moment on ice.
Now that we have warmed your hearts with these chilly hits, it’s time to make way for the warm weather! While the ice and snow may melt away this week, we hope the good memories stick around for a while, if not, you know where to find this article.
Do you have any fond winter 2021 memories? Tell us about them in the comments below!
Feature Image: IngevGelder/Wikimedia Commons/CC3.0.
This article was co-written by Sarah O’Leary and Jana Vondrackova.
Music lovers rejoice as Fieldlab Events works with the Dutch government to set up a trial festival next month. RTL Nieuws reports that the festival is set to take place March 13 and 14 in Biddinghuizen, the site where the Lowlands festival is normally held.
While experts debate whether or not it is too soon to ease restricts in the Netherlands, this study is given an exemption from the law. Good luck getting a ticket for this coveted event, however, as more than 63,000 people have already signed up to take part in the trial — which has a maximum of 1,500 participants.
The small concert is part of ongoing research into the spread of coronavirus at events with an audience. As part of the study, experts are trialling large scale events such as music festivals, conferences and theatre performances. Yesterday, the organisers held a trial event at the Beatrix Theatre in Utrecht.
Strict rules apply
Attendees will have to follow strict rules in order to reduce the chance of infection. Everyone will have to do a coronavirus test before entering the festival, have their temperature checked and sanitise their hands upon entry. Those at the festival will be asked to take random rapid tests and anyone who attends the trials will be tested again five days after the event.
The 1,500 guests will be split up into groups of 500 people. In the trial at the theatre yesterday, each bubble had its own entrance and toilet amongst other facilities. Masks and visors were worn throughout the trial.
Beginning of the end of hard times
King Willem-Alexander is a fan of these kind of studies. He tells RTL Nieuws that he believes this research provides hope that we are coming to the end of these dark times. He says that everyone can benefit from this research and that it would be great if events like this are possible again.
Would you feel safe to go to a trial festival? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Rotterdam is known for its out-of-the-box thinking. I mean, just look at the city! A market hall that looks like a giant marshmallow? Funky yellow cube houses that people can actually live in?
A marvellous place to visit, Rotterdam is a breeding ground for countless mind-blowing initiatives and innovative projects. The city with the largest port in Europe is all too aware of the looming threat of climate change — and is ready to tackle it head on.
Be it by rethinking waste or rethinking the whole economy, here are five things that Rotterdam-based initiatives are doing to create a better world for everyone.
Taking farming to the next level
The Dutch are quite the farmers but you may be surprised to find out that it’s not all greenhouses and large farm fields. With more and more people moving into cities and living in tight spaces, the Dutch realize that there is a need for something a bit more compact.
DakAkker (meaning roof field in English) is one of Europe’s largest open-air rooftop farms. Located on the top of the Schieblock office building, it offers the space to experiment with different manners of growing vegetables and fruits on rooftops. Besides that, they also have a botanical garden and multiple beehives!
Next to being stellar farmers, the Dutch are also great at being the first to come up with awesome things before the rest of the world catches up. The Floating Farm is in this case no exception. Active since May 2019, it is the first floating farm in the world! Its goal is to produce healthy food as close to the consumer as possible, with animal welfare being their top priority.
Cleaning up the plastic soup
Removing plastic from the ocean. Image: The Ocean Cleanup/Supplied
The mission of the Ocean Cleanup is to rid our oceans of plastics — an idea which was born when the then 16-year-old CEO Boyan Slat went scuba diving in Greece. Instead of marvelling at beautiful underwater creatures, he was disappointed to see nothing but a bunch of plastic bags.
Unlike most of us who go and think — “What can I do about this?” — but then never actually do anything about it; Boyan went and started the “largest cleanup in history”. Coincidentally, he picked no other place than Rotterdam as a headquarters for this ambitious project.
Ocean Cleanup’s Interceptor cleaning up plastic from a Rio Ozama in the Dominican Republic. Image: The Ocean Cleanup/Supplied
Ocean Cleanup has two goals — clean up pollution which has already accumulated in the oceans, and prevent plastics from entering the oceans in the first place by intercepting the most polluting rivers. The technology they use for this is conveniently called the Interceptor, and it works by extracting debris from the water and moving it into in-built dumpsters.
Using our waste to create new products
Fruitleather uses mangos to create leather-like material. Image: Sophie de Vos/BlueCity
Your dream of owning a pair of fruit-based sneakers (doesn’t everyone dream this? 😉 ) may come true sooner rather than later, thanks to Fruitleather. Over recent years, the company has been experimenting with turning left-over fruits into leather-like material.
It currently focuses on mango peels, and aims to create fruit leather that can be made into footwear and fashion accessories, among other things. In line with the principles of circular economy, the designers and founders of Fruitleather, Koen Meerkerk and Hugo de Boon, see fruit waste not as a residue, but as a valuable resource.
Entrepreneurs rethinking waste. Image: Sophie De Vos/BlueCity
If a pair of sneakers made of fruits was never your dream (I honestly don’t know what to tell you if that’s the case…), perhaps you’ll find these two initiatives will wake you up 😉
Did you know that the Dutchies drink about 18 billion cups of coffee per year? Now imagine if we put all the used coffee grounds from these coffee cups on one giant pile. It would probably be quite a pile, huh? Luckily for us, used coffee grounds are now no longer just a waste of space.
Rotterzwam uses coffee grounds to grow oyster mushrooms on them. If that’s your thing, they have developed the so-called ‘rotterzwam growkit’ — a kit to help you convert your own coffee waste into mushrooms. You can put one of those on your kitchen counter and — voilà — here comes the first part of your mini-kitchen-farm.
If you’re not really a mushroom person, but still don’t want your coffee waste to go to waste, then fear not — there is also Coffee Based. They are closing the loop for coffee by turning coffee grounds into biobased products such as notebooks, plant pots and coffee cups.
A good idea always attracts other good ideas, so it is no coincidence that these three companies also share their home base. Where is that, you wonder? In a place where waste is seen as a treasure and not as trash.
Closing the loop: a world where waste doesn’t exist
BlueCity, located in the former Tropicana swimming pool. Image: Sophie de Vos/BlueCity
Unlike the conventional notion of “take 👉 use 👉 throw away,” a circular economy is based on the idea of “closing the loop”. This basically means taking products that no longer serve their original purpose, transforming them into something new and valuable, and thereby preventing them from ever entering the landfill.
This is the key principle behind the work of BlueCity — Rotterdam’s pool of opportunities (literally). In an effort to give new life to things that no longer serve their original purpose, the company based itself in the former Tropicana swimming pool.
A city within a city, a hub for circular economy pioneers, and a place where waste does not exist, BlueCity is all about collaboration and helping local entrepreneurs turn their ideas into action. Its ultimate vision is to disrupt the status quo, and show people that a circular economy is possible and feasible.
Sparking our imagination of a better world
Studio Roosegaarde’s latest project – GROW. Image: Daan Roosegaarde/Supplied
Love those dreamy utopian cities and landscapes from movies and novels? That’s what Studio Roosegaarde does in real life. Its aim is to spark our imagination of a better world through artworks which connect people and technology. Their projects not only improve urban environments but also help us fight climate change.
Dan Roosegaarde — artist, innovator, and the mind behind this inspiring social design lab — believes that the way to mobilize people is not by numbers and facts, but by triggering their imagination and creativity. No wonder this creative studio found their home in a place called The Dream Factory!
Their portfolio, which follows the ideals of beauty, as well as clean air, water and energy, includes stuff that is beyond the imagination. Think the largest outdoor air purifier, bicycle path that glows at night inspired by Van Gogh’s Starry Night, the famous Afsluitdijk, or their latest addition — GROW.
These super inspiring initiatives prove that a world free of overflowing landfills is not a utopia. And this is just a glimpse of all the gems and revolutionary ideas that Rotterdam has to offer!
