Expatica news

Dutch news in brief, 18 April 2006

Fatal shooting linked to relationship

A 35-year-old man was shot dead on Postjesweg in the west of Amsterdam on Saturday night.  Another man, also 35, was arrested in a home a short time later. Police said they suspect the incident was sparked by a row within a relationship. A second suspect was still being sought on Tuesday.

Wageningen hosts Anarchist festival

Anarchism is an attitude to life and has nothing to do with riots, chaos and disorder, according to the organisers of an Anarchist festival in the Dutch town of Wageningen. A real anarchist believes he or she is free to structure his or her own life without interference and control by the government, the group said. The festival takes places from 23 April to 1 May.

Most Dutch concerned about the bulge

At least 55 percent of Dutch people believe they are too fat. While 53 percent have tried on one or more occasions to tackle the problem, few have achieved satisfactory results, according to research by market research firm Motivaction on behalf of television programme ‘Netwerk’. Experts estimate about 50 percent of the population is overweight. Government campaigns on obesity have had little impact, Motivaction said.

Increase in Easter tourists

Some 900,000 foreign tourists were in Netherlands over the Easter weekend, according to the Dutch tourist board (NBTC). This is 50,000 more than in 2005. A further 400,000 Dutch people went on a weekend break in the Netherlands. Amsterdam hotels recorded a 95 percent occupancy rate.

Boy, 8, finds cocked handgun

An eight-year-old boy discovered a cocked handgun on a basket ball court in Amsterdam’s Bijlmer district on Sunday. Realising it was not a toy, the boy brought the gun to his parents, who alerted the police. The weapon was sent for forensic tests to establish if has been used in any crimes.

[Copyright Expatica News + ANP 2006]

Subject: Dutch news