Motorists are flocking to gas stations to fill up their cars and jerrycans as fuel prices rise rapidly following the conflict in the Middle East. Station owners have observed significantly higher demand since early last week.
Minister of Social Affairs Hans Vijlbrief announced that the Dutch cabinet will not seek an alternative to the scrapped plan for a faster increase in the state pension age (AOW). The decision follows pressure from opposition parties and trade unions during debates over social security policy.
A brown Mazda station wagon was deliberately set on fire on M. Vaumontlaan in Heemstede around 2:40 AM last Monday. Local police are investigating the arson and are currently searching for witnesses who may have information about the incident.
Hezbollah has officially rejected a ceasefire proposal with Israel, according to reports from AFP citing internal sources. The militant group communicated this decision to the Lebanese government, signaling a continuation of the conflict.
Protesters against budget cuts in French-speaking education entered the Parliament of the French Community in Brussels on Thursday afternoon. The demonstrators set off smoke bombs, triggering fire alarms and forcing a brief suspension of the voting session on education spending.
Opposition parties are seeking clarification on an alleged "shadow deal" involving a 380 million euro increase in the development cooperation budget for Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma. In exchange for the funding, the D66 party reportedly agreed to support legislation that criminalizes the glorification of terrorism.