Netherlands

Amsterdam has launched an experiment that allows cyclists with fast electric bikes to use the road instead of a designated bike lane

There is a decrease in the number of cyclists killed on Dutch roads, although cyclists represent the largest group of road accident victims for the fourth consecutive year; in 40% of cases they were using an e-bike

The Veendam hyperloop test center is ready for use, and in a few weeks, the first vehicle will make a test run on the 420-meter track, made of prefabricated steel pipes

The Dutch government announced it has "provisionally selected" French shipbuilder Naval Group to build its future submarines as part of the Walrus-class replacement program

Twice the median income is no longer enough to afford an average home in the Netherlands, according to calculations by the data company Calcassa

Persons subject to integration obligations must integrate within three years and if they do not obtain the integration certificate the government can fine them; the European Court of Justice will assess whether this is contrary to European standards

The Dutch railway company NS is planning a complete reorganisation of its services for next year and aims to add 1.600 extra journeys per week from 2025 onwards; all plans will have to be approved by the government, a shareholder

Last year, people in need of a new organ had to wait slightly less than in previous years, the Dutch Transplant Foundation reported, from 29 months in 2022 to 27 months in 2023 for kidney transplants, with similar decreases for other organs

The life-size paintings of Marten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit by Rembrant will soon be sent to Paris, where they will be exhibited in the Louvre for five years; the two-metre high portraits have been in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam for five years

The country should aim for a total population of 19/20 million in 2050, thus having 'moderate growth', as Staatscommissie Demografische Ontwikkelingen believes this will allow to have enough housing, healthcare and education and to promote quality of life

Direct Eurostar train services from Amsterdam to London will be suspended for six months when part of the Dutch capital's main train station is closed for maintenance from next July

The two-day Christmas period was the second warmest since records began in 1901; five of the 10 warmest Christmas periods have been recorded since the turn of the century