Dutch news in brief, 25 November 2004

Thick mist blankets the north

A thick and persistent mist covered Amsterdam and much of the north of the Netherlands on Thursday, disrupting air travel and limiting visibility on roads. The mist kept the temperature around freezing point. Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport reported departure delays of up to two hours due to poor visibility caused by the mist. Only two runways could be used in the morning, cutting the number of take-offs to 25 an hour. The situation was showing signs of the improvement by late afternoon as a third runway was declared safe to use. Weather forecasters warned temperatures could reach freezing point again on Thursday night and the mist could spread to other areas of the country.

STD rates stabilise

The number of new sexually transmitted disease (STD) cases began to stabilise in the Netherlands last year, the Dutch government’s health institute RIVM said on Thursday. This reverses the general upward trend in recent years. However the RIVM said there were still signs of high rates of unsafe sex, particularly among drug users, and gay and bisexual men. These last two groups made up the largest portion of the 16,400 registered HIV cases last year. Some 20 percent of gay men with a sexually transmitted disease are HIV positive. The number of heterosexual people with HIV has been rising in recent years, but showed signs of stabilising in 2003.

Consumers limit December shopping

Dutch consumers are spending on average 35 percent less on Christmas and Sinterklaas presents than a year ago. The drop in sales is mirrored in other European countries, according to a European survey carried out by accountancy firm Deloitte. Almost 4,000 people in seven countries, including 600 in the Netherlands, were asked about their spending patterns over the festive season. The study found the most wanted present was a gift certificate that can be cashed-in during the January sales.

Subject: Dutch news