Dutch news in brief – 2 April - Expatica Netherlands

Northerners more reserved than southerners

Research has revealed that Dutch nationals in the north of the country are more closed and reserved than those in the south. Human resources bureau GITP also said southern Dutch nationals are more exuberant and jovial. Those in the west of the country are nonchalant and chaotic. GITP analysed about 30,000 personality tests and compared regional difference to determine its results. The tests were primarily conducted on high-educated Dutch men.

Minister scraps pet identification scheme

The animal protection group Dierenbescherming is outraged by a decision by Agriculture Minister Cees Veerman to scrap laws obliging lost animal homes, kennels and dog breeders to have the animals identified by a microchip or tattoo. The group fears that the law change will stimulate industry fraud with continued breeding of animals with, for example, with inherited genetic problems. The identification obligation among breeders was designed to assist investigations into dubious practices and was considered the first step towards a general obligation to have pets officially identified.

Man dies after wheelchair fall in water

A 71-year-old man in a wheelchair drowned when he fell into the water while out and about in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht at about 2pm on Thursday. The wheels of the Zwijndrecht man’s wheelchair hit the shoulder of the bike path along the Achterambachtseweg and he slipped down the slope into the water. Two male youths, aged 16 and 17, pulled the man out of the water shortly after, but emergency health workers could not reanimate him.

Christ’s passion less popular than Hobbits

The controversial film, The Passion of the Christ, attracted 10,500 theatre goers on Thursday. About 5,000 people saw the Dutch premieres of the film on Wednesday. But box-office hit The Return of the King, the third part of the Lord of the Ring trilogy, attracted 75,000 people to cinemas on its first day last year. But in comparison with The Passion of the Christ, The Return of the King had double the amount of copies released to cinemas last year.

Subject: Dutch news