DEN HAAG (ANP) - Alle aandacht voor branden in stallen heeft vooralsnog niet veel vooruitgang opgeleverd. Volgens cijfers van het Verbond van Verzekeraars kwamen vorig jaar ruim 60.000 dieren om door stalbranden. Een jaar eerder lag het aantal slachtoffers met circa 60.000 in dezelfde orde van grootte.
De belangenvereniging van de verzekeringsbranche is naar eigen zeggen "bezorgd over het feit dat ondanks alle aandacht het aantal stalbranden niet substantieel is verminderd". In totaal woedden 41 stalbranden in 2025. Dat waren er twee minder dan in 2024 en 2023.
De verzekeraars hopen dat het kabinet vaart maakt met de invoering van wettelijk verplichte brandveiligheids- en elektrakeuringen. "We hopen dat deze snel kunnen worden ingevoerd, zeker omdat we in de cijfers zien dat elektra en werkzaamheden de grootste oorzaken van branden zijn", zegt algemeen directeur van het verbond Richard Weurding.
If you have to consult the Reddit thread ‘am I too old for Coachella?’, then the answer is probably ‘yes’
This morning, over breakfast, in the course of discussing the week’s news, I happened to say the word “Coachella” in front of my two scornful 11-year-olds, whose heads snapped up from their screens in unison. “How have you heard of Coachella?” said one in amazement. “How have you heard of Coachella?” I replied. They exchanged a look with which I’ve become increasingly familiar – namely, the “here we go” look reserved by the very young for the very middle-aged. “What is Coachella, then?” I said, to which they replied: “It’s where influencers go.”
This is, of course, an accurate summary of what the California music and arts festival has become in the 27 years since its inception, but that’s not why I bring it up. The festival, which is running this week, has featured by Jack White, FKA Twigs and Sabrina Carpenter, but most of the publicity has gone on the audience; specifically, on the attendance of Justin Trudeau, the former prime minister of Canada, who, along with his girlfriend, Katy Perry, was photographed dancing to Justin Bieber and squatting chairless on a kerb, red plastic cups perched on their knees.
Continue reading...Test yourself on topical news trivia, pop culture and general knowledge every Thursday. How will you fare?
It is time for the Thursday news quiz, where even the most distinguished appearances can conceal a lingering doubt. A perfectly groomed moustache may suggest authority – until, thanks to our illustration from Anaïs Mims, it starts curling into a question mark of its own. Fifteen questions await – frankly rather more on the general knowledge side than topical news because the quiz master has been on holiday in Brighton and wrote most of it in advance, but it is what it is. There are no prizes, but we always enjoy hearing how you got on in the comments. Allons-y!
The Thursday news quiz, No 243
Continue reading...Penne may be the default short pasta all-rounder, but this variation on an alpine classic is soft, warming and a bit special
In December 2023, the magazine La Cucina Italiana ranked Italians’ favourite pasta shapes, according to data gathered by Unione Italiana Food (“the leading association in Italy for the direct representation of food product categories”). I love this sort of thing. According to the UIF, by processing NielsenIQ data (comprehensive market research, consumer intelligence and retail measurement), they identified the five most popular shapes from over 500, and examined how preferences vary in different regions.
In first place was spaghetti, while penne came in second, with these two shapes – which also takes in thinner spaghettini, chunkier spaghettoni and both ridged and smooth penne – accounting for 78% of all pasta sold in Italy in 2023. The regional variations of three, four and five are as follows: in the north-west and north-east, fusilli, short pasta and mixed pasta for broth or minestra; in central Italy, short pasta, fusilli and rigatoni; in the south, mixed pasta for broth or minestra, short pasta and tortiglioni. It has to be said that the regional variations are a bit baggy, considering that short pasta takes in eight shapes: conchiglie, farfalle, mezze maniche, orecchiette, pasta mista, penne again (which is confusing), paccheri and trofie. All of which is justification for calling this week’s column the second highest-ranking pasta shape in Italy with potatoes, cabbage, butter and cheese (while also noting that you can instead use the shapes ranked number three, four and five).
Continue reading...Mensen als Vladimir Poetin en Donald Trump presenteren zich als verlossers. Maar je kunt mensen niet eindeloos alles wijsmaken, heeft Viktor Orbán nu gemerkt.