A Dutch pre-teen is winning high praise around the Netherlands for racing around the country to play the piano in a fundraising effort. Bas Schipper set a record by playing all the pianos located at 16 different train stations in 18 hours and 10 minutes, breaking the previous record set by Ernesto Dennis by 75 minutes.
In doing so, he managed to raise €61,835 for diabetes research, as of Monday afternoon. The total far exceeded the goal the boy set.
The Netherlands national women's football team beat England 3-0 on Thursday night and thereby progressed to the European Women's Championship finals for the first time ever, according to ANP. The Oranje women will be facing off against Denmark in Enschede on Sunday. Should they win the cup, the Dutch team will be honored in a celebration ceremony in Utrecht on Monday evening.
The construction of 162 window brothels on the Nieuwe Zandpad in Utrecht was delayed for the time being. An investigation into the investor revealed that "a serious dangerous" exists that crimes are being committed with the property that was to be built, Utrecht Mayor Jan van Zanen said on Thursday, ANP reports.
Mayor Jan van Zanen of Utrecht and Minister Lodewijk Asscher of Social Affairs are very concerned about developments around the alFitrah mosque in Overvecht. Asscher, also the Deputy Prime Minister, is calling on parents to keep their kids away from the mosque, DUIC reports.
The Dutch government is making 500 million euros available for the integration of asylum seekers who are given refugee status and allowed to stay in the Netherlands, Minister Lodewijk Asscher of Social Affairs, Minister Ronald Plasterk of Home Affairs and chairman of the Association of Dutch Municipalities Jan van Zanen announced on Thursday
The mayors of ten large cities are calling on the government to make sure the National Police has enough money for their preventive approach in neighborhoods to stop radicalization in young people. In an opinion piece in the Volkskrant on Thursday they write that the police "squeaks and creaks" and something needs to be done.
There is a good chance that the city of Utrecht will have window prostitution again in 2017, Mayor Jan van Zanen wrote in a letter to the city council on Thursday. A builder was found that wants to construct 162 workplaces in the area designated for window brothel, and a sex worker wants to open a business on Hardebollenstraat
Utrecht Mayor Jan van Zanen banned Ajax fans from protesting in the city on Sunday due to indications that FC Utrecht fans want to disrupt the demonstration. The decision to refuse permission for the protest was made in consultation with the police and Public Prosecutor.
The Ajax supporters club plans to sue the municipality of Utrecht over the ban Mayor Jan van Zanen placed on Ajax fans attending the match against FC Utrecht in the city on December 13th. They hope that a court will overturn the ban.
Utrecht mayor Jan van Zanen "can not deny" that Ajax fans are being duped by the decision not to allow away fans at the match between FC Utrecht and Ajax on December 13th, but he is sticking to the decision. According to him, this is the only way he can guarantee their safety.
As he did after the attacks on Charlie Hebdo in January, Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb has once again taken a firm stance after the terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday. The Mayor believes that ISIS has to be "eradicated root and branch". He calls on Muslims to speak out against the violence and on Dutch society to be more inclusive towards Muslims.
The municipality of Utrecht has rejected anti-Islam movement Pediga's request to hold a second protest in the city this weekend. "The risk of disorder is too great." Pediga will not be allowed to protest in the city on Saturday, but the protest already arranged in the Hogelandsepark on Sunday may go through.
The municipality of Utrecht has decided to implement bans and ticket limitations ahead of the FC Utrecht vs Ajax match on December 13th, due to the anti-Semitic chants by fans. Mayor Jan van Zanen has done this in consultation with police to ensure that the away stand, Bunnik Side, remains empty for the game. These measures were taken after the April 5th match between the two teams saw FC Utrecht supporters singing antisemitic songs.
A suspicious package found at an asylum reception center on Friday turned out to be a false alarm. Graffiti with anti-refugee messages has shown up on other asylum facilities around the Netherlands.
The government should be more aggressive in seizing criminals' earnings. At this stage the Netherlands is only seizing about 1 percent of the estimated 9.3 billion euros earned every year through drug trafficking, arms trafficking and human trafficking.
The municipality of Utrecht has decided on a neutral approach to controversial imams. If controversial imams preaching in Utrecht creates unrest in the media, the municipality will react neutrally to prevent polarization.
Despite unrest in Utrecht about an Islam conference being held in the city this week, the event can continue as planned, the municipality of Utrecht told De Telegraaf Wednesday.
The VVD beat the D66 with only 104 votes in the province of Utrecht in last Wednesday's provincial elections, Utrecht mayor Jan van Zanen, who is also the chairman of the central electoral committee in the province, announced on Monday, NU reports.
Dozens of mayors have signed a letter supporting the assertion of Children’s Ombudsman Marc Dullaert that too many kids are refused asylum in the Netherlands. Bunnik mayor Hans Martijn Ostendorp let the call to action, which was supported by mayors across the Netherlands. The letter is being sent to Fred Teeven, the State Secretary for Security and Justice (VVD).
The Utrecht city council has nominated Jan van Zanen (VVD) as the new mayor of Utrecht, NRC.nl reports Tuesday.
Henk Westbroek is not going to be the new mayor of Utrecht. This was told to him by the municipal office of Utrecht on Wednesday. The reason for their decision is that Westbroek does not have enough management experience.
The Algemeen Dagblad (AD) in cooperation with the Utrechts Nieuwsblad did a poll about who is the most favorite for the job. In the beginning of October, the singer and presenter, was the most favorite among the readers of the AD. He received 28% of the readers’ votes.
