The new aldermen of Beverwijk have divided their administrative portfolios, with Adam Elzakalai (VVD) managing economy and finance while Carolina van der Aa (PRO) oversees the social domain and youth care. Other responsibilities include environment and labor for Suzanne Klaassen (D66), and housing and parking for Vincent Kellenaar (Vrij! Beverwijk).
A cheap gout medication approved by the Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board has been shown to prevent heart attacks, but regulatory barriers are preventing heart patients from accessing it. Despite its effectiveness and low cost, the Dutch Ministry of Health has reportedly refused to adjust the legislation necessary to allow for its prescription.
Dutch comedian Jochem Myjer raised 162,964 euros for his foundation, Stichting Wakker Worden Wakker Worden, through two benefit performances of his show Net Alsof. The funds will support the fight against narcolepsy, a sleep disorder that affects his daughter.
The southbound lane of the Spaarndamseweg in Haarlem will be closed to cyclists until February 2028 to accommodate local construction projects. Cyclists traveling from Haarlem-Noord to the city center are being redirected to use the Rijksstraatweg and Schoterweg instead.
Gasunie has expressed concerns that gas reserves in the Netherlands may not be replenished in time for the upcoming winter. The national gas infrastructure company warns that storage levels could fall short of necessary targets to ensure supply.
Authorities in Hong Kong are prosecuting seven individuals and two companies following a fatal fire at the Wang Fuk Court residential complex last year. The charges, linked to renovation work at the site, include manslaughter, money laundering, and tax evasion.