News about nitrogen, schools, earthquakes and heat (Saturday, June 27)

The cabinet wants to significantly reduce nitrogen emissions by 2035. Zones will be established around natural areas. There will also be a limit of 2.6 cows per hectare, and there is 20 billion euros available. LTO (Dutch Federation of Agriculture and Horticulture), Agractie, and Vee&Logistiek are critical, but Bouwend Nederland (Building Netherlands), VNO-NCW (Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers), and environmental organizations respond positively.

During the corona years, the cabinet closed schools and universities three times. Witnesses said during corona hearings that children and young people suffered greatly from this. Learning delays, loneliness, and inequality of opportunity increased. Slob called the closures a defeat. He also said that keeping schools open was not always responsible.

After the earthquakes in Venezuela, 920 people have died, and many people are missing. According to aid workers, there is too little material and medical care. The Venezuelan Medical Federation says that public hospitals are only operational at a small scale. Citizens are organizing search operations, donation points, and online lists of the missing themselves.

Due to extreme heat, many activities in the Netherlands and other European countries were canceled. In Brabant, the red alert continued to apply on Saturday, and municipalities revoked permits. Also in Paris, the Pride event was canceled, and parts of Switzerland have a heating ban.

On Friday, the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) issued a red alert for the first time. On Saturday, it applies again in Limburg, North Brabant, Gelderland, and Overijssel. Temperatures can reach 38 degrees Celsius there, elsewhere there is an orange alert, and the Central Office for Motor Vehicle Driver Testing (CBR) has canceled exams.