Unrest in the Middle East has caused capital market interest rates to rise by 0.25 percentage points. As a result, mortgage lenders in the Netherlands have started increasing their interest rates.
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.