Rotterdam's new playpark, Spelen bij Beelen, reached full capacity on its opening day, welcoming 1,000 local children from Rotterdam-South. Entrepreneur Wim Beelen acquired the bankrupt site for 6.5 million euros in April and transformed it into a low-stimulus park for children under 12. The venue is opening in phases following more than a decade of failed development and financial troubles under its previous owner.

Train service between Schiedam and Den Haag Hollands Spoor will be suspended from Tuesday 28 July through Friday 31 July while ProRail carries out track maintenance and tunnel inspections. NS is deploying replacement buses, which could add up to 30 minutes to travel times, though passengers can also detour via Gouda.

The Netherlands will prohibit goods from illegal Israeli settlements from entering or passing through the country from 22 September. The move follows a parliamentary call for national action after efforts to secure an EU-wide ban failed, though questions remain about enforcement.

Nearly 46,000 walkers have begun the 108th Nijmegen Four Days Marches, with favourable weather expected throughout the week. While water shortages are not expected to disrupt the event, drought conditions have required adjustments to the traditional pontoon bridge near Cuijk.

Students from Eindhoven have built a solar-powered ambulance that could bring healthcare to remote communities with limited infrastructure. The vehicle will be tested in Kenya to assess how it performs in real-world medical situations.

Dutch growers expect a smaller apple harvest this year, while pear production is set to rise. Apple acreage continues to shrink, but pear cultivation remains stable. Growers say the final weeks of the season will determine the quality of the new harvest.

North Brabant and South Holland say they understand the truck ban on the Merwedebrug but warn that it creates major accessibility problems. The ban follows safety concerns about the bridge’s structure, and trucks now face long detours. A nearby alternative route is also closed for renovation, adding further pressure on the region.

Walkers at the Nijmegen Four Days Marches can now hand in empty cans and bottles at new deposit shelters along the route. Statiegeld Nederland expects the initiative to reduce litter and collect around 100,000 containers. Several bus shelters also serve as donation points.