Mike Corder

Severe drought across Europe is weakening the Netherlands’ peat-based dikes, prompting volunteers to inspect them for cracks and other damage. Record-low river levels are disrupting cargo shipping, while farmers face irrigation restrictions, reduced harvests and possible price increases. The Netherlands’ low-lying geography and the long-term effects of climate change are also intensifying salinity and water-supply challenges.

Severe drought across Europe is weakening peat-based Dutch dikes, reducing river levels and leaving some houseboats resting on riverbeds. Dutch volunteers and water authorities are inspecting flood defences for cracks and leaks, while authorities manage competing demands for water, including flood protection, farming and navigation. Low Rhine and Waal levels have sharply reduced the cargo that ships can carry, disrupting freight operations in the Netherlands and Germany. Farmers face irrigation restrictions, increasing salinity and likely smaller, more expensive fruit harvests. Researchers and water managers are examining measures such as slowing winter drainage and converting soils into water-retaining “sponges” to improve resilience to increasingly prolonged dry periods.

Hundreds of thousands of people watched Amsterdam’s annual canal Pride parade, which included openly gay Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten and boats representing government ministries, the military, police and LGBTQ+ organizations. The event took place a week after a suspected Islamic extremist attack at a Pride event in Berlin that killed one person and injured 29, prompting heightened security in Amsterdam. The parade also highlighted continuing concerns about verbal and physical attacks on LGBTQ+ people in the Netherlands, while COC Netherlands used its participation to call for further progress on human rights.

International Criminal Court judges dropped the war crimes case against fugitive Sudanese rebel Abdallah Banda over prosecutors’ refusal to proceed, despite finding that the evidence had not clearly deteriorated enough to make a trial impossible. Prosecutors cited credibility problems involving key witnesses and new testimony that could exonerate Banda, affecting 103 victims who had waited more than 15 years for justice. The decision comes amid pressure on the ICC, including efforts by the Trump administration to weaken the court and uncertainty over Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan’s position, while violence and humanitarian suffering continue in Darfur.

The European Commission fined AliExpress €550 million, the largest penalty for violating the EU’s Digital Services Act, over inadequate efforts to prevent unsafe, counterfeit and otherwise illegal products from being sold on its marketplace. AliExpress disputed the fine as disproportionate and said it had invested heavily in compliance and consumer protection. The company must submit an action plan by October 20 to address systemic risks, following earlier regulatory findings and commitments to improve its systems. The action follows similar penalties against Temu and X, and comes shortly after Alibaba agreed to pay $600 million to settle separate U.S. allegations involving illegal imports.

ICC judges unanimously confirmed 17 charges against Libyan suspect Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri, ordering him to stand trial for alleged murder, rape, torture and other abuses at Mitiga prison between 2014 and 2020. Prosecutors describe him as a senior commander responsible for the women’s section, while his lawyer disputes the charges and the court’s jurisdiction. El Hishri was transferred from Germany to the Netherlands after his arrest under an ICC warrant, but no trial date has been set. The case would be the ICC’s first trial focused on Libya, even as the court faces renewed pressure from the Trump administration, including sanctions and threats against countries and organizations that support its work.

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has restored Syria’s voting rights after citing constructive engagement by the post-Bashar Assad government. Inspectors have uncovered previously undeclared chemical bombs, rockets and weapons sites, and the OPCW approved plans to destroy parts of the stockpile, including nerve-agent materials, at Al Qutayfah near Damascus. The decision follows the fall of Assad and coincides with the United States removing Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, as President Ahmad al-Sharaa seeks to rebuild the country’s ties with the West.

The European Union has quietly initiated limited diplomatic contacts with Moscow to establish communication channels and ensure its interests are represented in any future negotiations over the war in Ukraine. Officials stressed that the outreach does not make the EU a mediator and that support for Kyiv remains firm. The moves come as Russia seeks to exclude Europe and Ukraine from talks with Washington, Ukraine faces continued attacks, and EU leaders prepare to discuss closer ties with Kyiv and its newly opened membership negotiations.

A Dutch court sentenced Syrian national Rafiq al Q. to 26 years in prison for crimes against humanity committed while he allegedly worked as an interrogator for the pro-Assad National Defense Force in 2013 and 2014. Judges found him responsible for torturing detainees in Salamiyah, including beatings, suspension upside down and electric shocks, as well as sexually abusing several victims and raping one. He denied the allegations and was acquitted on some charges for lack of evidence. The case was brought under universal jurisdiction, and both prosecutors and the defense have 14 days to appeal. The conviction forms part of broader international efforts in the Netherlands, Germany and France to prosecute alleged abuses committed during Syria's civil war, alongside a new domestic trial of former Assad officials in Damascus.

Three men were each sentenced to 47 months in prison for stealing the Cotofenesti helmet and three Dacian gold bracelets from the Drents Museum in the Netherlands in January 2025. The robbers used a homemade firework bomb and sledgehammer to enter the museum. The helmet and two bracelets were recovered after prosecutors reached an agreement with two of the thieves, while the third bracelet remains missing. The recovered artifacts have been returned to Romania; although they were insured for €5.7 million, the court stressed that their cultural value is effectively priceless.

Dutch police detained four men after searches across the Netherlands in an investigation into allegations that women were drugged by partners or acquaintances, sexually abused and filmed. Authorities suspect the men shared abuse images and advice on drugging people through social media chat groups, and are reviewing seized devices to identify victims. The number of affected women remains unknown, and further arrests are possible. The case has similarities to the Gisèle Pelicot case in France, in which her former husband, Dominique Pelicot, and 50 other men were convicted in December 2024.

The cruise ship Hondius is undergoing additional cleaning in Rotterdam after a hantavirus outbreak that has been linked to 12 cases and three deaths. Oceanwide Expeditions said the work was requested by the local GGD health authority and that a final inspection will take place before the ship departs. Passengers and crew remain quarantined and monitored, while the World Health Organization says the situation is stable and the risk to the general public is low. The company expects voyages from 13 June onward to proceed as scheduled.

The World Health Organization has confirmed 11 hantavirus cases linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship, including three deaths. A Spanish passenger evacuated from the vessel tested positive and was quarantined at a military hospital in Madrid, while 13 other evacuated Spanish nationals tested negative. Nine confirmed cases involved the Andes virus.

Spain confirmed a new hantavirus infection in a passenger evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship and quarantined in a military hospital in Madrid. The World Health Organization said the outbreak had reached 11 confirmed cases among passengers and crew, including three deaths; nine cases were identified as the Andes virus. Thirteen other Spanish nationals evacuated from the ship tested negative.

The International Criminal Court unsealed an arrest warrant for former Philippine national police chief and Duterte ally Ronald Marapon dela Rosa, accusing him of being an indirect co-perpetrator in the murders of at least 32 people during the Philippines’ anti-drug campaign. Dela Rosa and Rodrigo Duterte deny authorizing extrajudicial killings, while Duterte remains detained in the Netherlands on related crimes-against-humanity charges. Dela Rosa appeared at the Philippine Senate after being summoned for a domestic investigation, where he sought protection from fellow senators as National Bureau of Investigation officers attempted to reach him.

Venezuela told the International Court of Justice that the Essequibo region was fraudulently taken from it through a 19th-century arbitration involving Britain, Russia and the United States. Caracas argued that the 1966 Geneva Agreement, rather than the court, should guide a negotiated settlement and rejected the court’s jurisdiction. Guyana defended the validity of the existing border and said the dispute threatens 70% of its territory. The court is expected to issue a final, legally binding ruling after several months.

The Netherlands is expanding its military personnel from 80,000 to 120,000 by 2035 and plans to more than double its reservists to at least 20,000 by 2030. Recruitment has surged after Queen Máxima and Princess Amalia joined as volunteer reservists, creating what officials call the “Amalia effect,” but the military is struggling to provide sufficient training capacity, housing, uniforms and weapons. The buildup reflects growing concern over Russia’s war against Ukraine, uncertainty about U.S. commitment to NATO and new alliance plans focused on large-scale, mobile forces. Other European countries, including Germany, France, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Latvia, are also expanding voluntary or compulsory military service. Dutch reservists generally protect domestic sites and infrastructure, support national emergencies and train for security missions rather than overseas combat.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is being honored with the International Four Freedoms Award for his leadership and Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s full-scale invasion. He accepted the award on behalf of the Ukrainian people at a ceremony in Middelburg attended by Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten. The Netherlands has provided Ukraine with Patriot missiles and fighter jets and announced an additional 248 million euros for military drones. Zelenskyy has also sought further European backing, with Germany agreeing to a 4 billion euro defense package and Norway pledging 9 billion euros in assistance.

Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, arrived in Tehran to help revive US-Iran negotiations before the ceasefire expires. Pakistan is seeking compromise on Iran’s nuclear enrichment, control of the Strait of Hormuz and compensation for wartime damage, while the United States continues its naval blockade and threatens further sanctions. Iran has signaled conditional openness to discussing enrichment but warned against continued pressure. Fighting and humanitarian damage persist in Lebanon, where Israel is expanding operations against Hezbollah, while separate efforts seek an Israel-Lebanon ceasefire. The conflict has killed thousands, disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and affected global energy markets, although officials report an in-principle agreement to extend the ceasefire for further diplomacy.

Dutch police have launched a social media campaign to identify and support victims of an alleged sextortion scheme targeting girls and young women aged 13 to 20 in at least six countries. The suspect, a 22-year-old Dutch man known online as “Turpien,” allegedly posed as a young woman to obtain explicit images, then threatened victims and subjected them to degrading demands; prosecutors say he has confessed. He is on trial in Dordrecht on charges including online assault and rape, extortion, and producing, possessing and distributing child pornography. Prosecutors are seeking nine years in prison and compulsory psychiatric treatment. The case, aided by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, highlights the need for cross-border cooperation as Dutch authorities report a sharp rise in online sex crimes.

Amsterdam marked 25 years since the Netherlands became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage, with Mayor Femke Halsema marrying three couples at City Hall. More than 36,000 same-sex couples have married in the Netherlands since 2001, and Prime Minister Rob Jetten reflected on the milestone’s personal and international importance. The celebration also highlighted ongoing threats, including U.S. state efforts to challenge marriage recognition, restrictions on transgender rights, and rising repression in parts of Africa and Asia. Dutch LGBTQ+ advocates said the country must address bullying, harassment and weaker transgender protections despite its historic leadership.

Students in Amsterdam are using study sessions at the Concertgebouw to prepare for exams and complete assignments while musicians perform classical works and selected Studio Ghibli music. Organized by the venue’s youth association Entree during the COVID-19 pandemic, the low-cost events aim both to support concentration and attract younger people to classical music. Students describe the setting and music as calming and helpful, while neurologist Bas Bloem cautions that music affects concentration differently from person to person and may promote a productive state of flow for some.

Rwanda is seeking £100 million from the UK in international arbitration, arguing that it incurred substantial costs preparing to receive migrants under a 2022 refugee resettlement agreement. The deal was abandoned by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in 2024, while the UK argues that Rwanda agreed later that it would forgo further payments. Rwanda denies this and also claims Britain breached a commitment to resettle vulnerable Rwandan refugees. The dispute is being heard at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague and may take months to resolve. The scheme had already cost the UK an estimated £700 million despite never carrying out a deportation flight, and the UK Supreme Court ruled that sending asylum seekers to Rwanda was unlawful because the country was not a safe third country.

Iran confirmed that Ali Larijani, its top security chief, was killed in an Israeli strike, reversing earlier denials that included the publication of a handwritten letter to Iranian troops. Larijani’s death follows the reported killing of Basij commander Gholam Reza Soleimani and comes after the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The deaths remove key figures associated with Iran’s crackdown on January protests and deepen pressure on the Islamic Republic during a major wartime crisis.

A singing circle led by opera singer Maartje de Lint at Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw brings together people with dementia, Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions alongside their carers. Participants sing familiar songs in an ornate concert-hall setting, creating emotional connection, recalling memories and strengthening bonds with family members. Specialists say music can engage brain regions linked to identity, emotion and memory even when verbal abilities are impaired, while researchers continue studying its potential benefits for neurodegenerative diseases.】【。િડ

The Rijksmuseum has authenticated “Vision of Zacharias in the Temple” as a genuine Rembrandt after two years of research, including macro X-ray fluorescence scans, examination of the wooden panel and paint pigments, and comparisons with the artist’s other works. The painting, rejected as a Rembrandt in 1960 and acquired by an anonymous private collector in 1961, will go on long-term display at the Amsterdam museum. The discovery adds to the roughly 350 known Rembrandt paintings and raises hopes that other overlooked works may still be identified.

Rob Jetten, 38, has become the Netherlands’ youngest prime minister, leading a three-party minority coalition with 66 of the 150 seats in parliament. The government will need to negotiate with opposition parties, while the Green Left–Labour Party opposes proposed healthcare and welfare cuts. Jetten has pledged to promote parliamentary consensus, strengthen the Netherlands’ role in the European Union and maintain support for Ukraine. His cabinet includes Tom Berendsen as foreign minister, Eelco Heinen as finance minister, Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius as defence minister and Bart van den Brink as asylum and immigration minister.

Rob Jetten has become the Netherlands’ youngest and first openly gay prime minister at age 38, leading a minority three-party coalition after D66’s victory in a snap October election. Once nicknamed “Robot Jetten” for his stiff media performances, he later built a more relaxed and popular public image. His government controls only 66 of the 150 lower-house seats and lacks an upper-house majority, making opposition support essential. Jetten previously served as a climate-focused cabinet minister under Mark Rutte and advanced a €28 billion package of 120 measures intended to cut Dutch emissions by 60% from 1990 levels by 2030.

Rob Jetten is set to become the Netherlands' youngest-ever prime minister at 38, leading a minority coalition of D66, the Christian Democrats and the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy with 66 of 150 parliamentary seats. He will need opposition support to govern, while the GreenLeft–Labour bloc is already challenging proposed healthcare and welfare cuts. Jetten's government aims to restore consensus in Dutch politics, strengthen the Netherlands' role in the European Union, maintain close ties with the United States and continue supporting Ukraine. Key cabinet appointments include Tom Berendsen as foreign minister, Eelco Heinen remaining finance minister, Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius becoming defense minister and Bart van den Brink overseeing asylum and immigration policy.

Hashim Thaci urged judges at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague to acquit him and three other former Kosovo Liberation Army leaders of charges including murder, torture, persecution and other war crimes allegedly committed during the 1998–99 Kosovo war. Thaci portrayed himself as a peacemaker who fought for Kosovo’s freedom and rejected allegations that prisoners’ organs were harvested, while prosecutor Kimberly West said witnesses had provided overwhelming evidence of a policy targeting political opponents and alleged collaborators. The defendants, who have been in custody since 2020, now await verdicts after prosecutors sought sentences of up to 45 years; Thaci also faces a separate witness-intimidation trial.

The Enterprise Chamber of the Amsterdam Court of Appeal has ordered a formal investigation into Nexperia and upheld the suspension of Chinese CEO Zhang Xuezheng, citing indications of conflicts of interest, strategic changes without proper consultation and restrictions on European managers. The dispute involves Nexperia's owner Wingtech, Hong Kong-based holding company Yuching, the Dutch government and the company's Chinese unit. It has raised national-security concerns and disrupted semiconductor supplies, prompting automakers including Honda and Mercedes-Benz to seek alternatives. The investigation may take more than six months and will determine whether mismanagement occurred and whether further measures are necessary.

Dutch novelist, poet, travel writer and journalist Cees Nooteboom died peacefully on Menorca at age 92, according to his publisher De Bezige Bij. Nooteboom's career spanned fiction, poetry, journalism and travel writing, with works including Philip and the Others and Rituals. He reported on major European events such as the 1956 Hungarian uprising, the 1968 Paris student protests and the fall of the Berlin Wall. His books were translated into more than 25 languages, earned numerous Dutch and international honors, and were especially valued in Germany. No cause of death or funeral arrangements was announced.

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands has begun training to become a reserve member of the Dutch army, following her daughter Crown Princess Amalia. The training includes physical resilience, self-defence and marksmanship, and successful completion will lead to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. The move reflects heightened European security concerns linked to the war in Ukraine and broader threats, as the Netherlands expands military personnel and defence funding.

Queen Máxima has begun military training to become a reservist in the Dutch army, following her daughter Crown Princess Amalia. The Netherlands says she will receive the rank of lieutenant-colonel and may be deployed where needed after completing training in physical resilience, self-defence, marksmanship, map reading and military law. Her enlistment comes as the Netherlands and other European countries seek to expand their armed forces amid concerns over Russia’s war against Ukraine, uncertainty about NATO security and recruitment shortages. The incoming Dutch government plans to increase military personnel from about 80,000 to 122,000, while France, Germany, Denmark and Belgium are pursuing their own defence and recruitment measures.

Russian missiles and drones have repeatedly struck Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leaving civilians without electricity, heating and water during severe winter conditions. International humanitarian law permits attacks on power facilities only when they directly affect a valid military target and when expected civilian harm is not excessive; experts and the International Committee of the Red Cross say civilian energy systems are generally protected. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and military chief Valery Gerasimov over alleged strikes on electricity infrastructure. Russia denies targeting civilians and says it attacks facilities supporting Ukraine’s military, while Ukraine says the campaign is intended to inflict hardship and weaken public resolve. Damage to Ukraine’s energy sector is estimated at more than $20 billion.

A Dutch district court is set to rule on a lawsuit brought by eight residents of Bonaire, supported by Greenpeace, who argue that the Netherlands is failing to protect them from climate change, rising sea levels and extreme weather. The government maintains that it is already reducing greenhouse gas emissions and that climate policy should be decided by elected administrations rather than judges. The case could establish a precedent for similar challenges, building on the landmark Urgenda ruling and recent climate decisions by European and international courts.

A Dutch court sentenced Eritrean national Tewelde Goitom, also known as Amanuel Walid, to the maximum 20 years in prison for helping run a smuggling network that held migrants in Libyan camps, subjected them to abuse and extorted money from relatives for their passage to Europe. He was also ordered to pay more than €30,000 in damages, though he was acquitted on two counts because of insufficient evidence. Goitom denied being the person identified by witnesses and argued that the Netherlands lacked jurisdiction, but the court rejected both defenses. His case is linked to that of Kidane Zekarias Habtemariam, another alleged network leader who was extradited to the Netherlands and is awaiting trial.

Seven lawmakers have left Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom, reducing its parliamentary strength and ending its status as the largest opposition party in the Dutch House of Representatives. The departing members, led by Gidi Markuszower, said they had been unable to discuss the party’s direction internally and plan to form a separate parliamentary bloc. Wilders blamed disagreements over his proposed policy of hard opposition to a likely minority government led by D66, the Christian Democrats and the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy.

Myanmar told the International Court of Justice that its 2017 military campaign in Rakhine State was a legitimate counter-terrorism operation rather than genocide. Gambia argues that decades of persecution and the campaign’s killings, sexual violence, destruction and mass displacement demonstrate genocidal intent. More than 700,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh, where roughly 1.2 million remain in overcrowded camps facing worsening humanitarian conditions. The ICJ rejected Myanmar’s jurisdictional objections in 2022, allowing the case to proceed, while the International Criminal Court is separately considering an arrest-warrant request for military leader Min Aung Hlaing over alleged crimes against humanity.

The Amsterdam Court of Appeal heard arguments over whether to investigate alleged mismanagement at semiconductor maker Nexperia. The dispute pits the company’s Dutch headquarters and the Dutch government against Chinese owner Wingtech and its founder, CEO Zhang Xuezheng, amid concerns over national security and intellectual-property transfers. Chinese export restrictions, conflicts over wafer shipments and competing instructions between Nexperia’s Dutch and Chinese units disrupted supplies and forced automakers to seek alternatives. Although China later lifted its export ban and the Netherlands relinquished control of the company, the governance and supply-chain standoff continues.

Heavy snow and ice disrupted transportation across parts of Europe, stranding more than 1,000 passengers at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport and canceling at least 800 flights there. France also faced flight, rail and road disruptions, with authorities advising people to work from home and avoid driving. Highways in the Netherlands saw more than 700 kilometers of traffic jams, while public transport was suspended or reduced in Paris, Göteborg and the Helsinki area. In Berlin, power was being restored after thousands of households had been without electricity for four days following a suspected attack on high-voltage lines.

Severe winter weather brought heavy snow, ice, freezing temperatures, and widespread disruption across Europe. France reported at least five weather-related deaths, major snowfall in Paris, school closures, traffic problems, airport closures, and flight cancellations. The UK experienced temperatures as low as minus 12.5 degrees, disrupting transport and closing schools, while heavy snow and rain in the Balkans caused a death in Sarajevo and interruptions to transport, power, and water supplies.

Snow, ice, freezing temperatures and heavy rain caused widespread disruption across Europe, leaving at least five people dead in France and Bosnia. Six French airports closed and hundreds of flights were cancelled, while Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport grounded about 400 flights and rail services around the city were largely suspended. Britain faced sub-zero temperatures, transport disruptions, school closures and stranded communities, while Balkan countries dealt with flooding, power and water problems, dangerous roads and storm damage. Rome’s persistent rain also reduced attendance at Pope Leo XIV’s Epiphany blessing and prompted restrictions in flood- and tree-fall-prone areas.

The Rijksmuseum plans to open a new branch in Eindhoven within six to eight years, expanding access to its collection of art and historical artefacts, including Dutch Golden Age masterpieces. The more than 3,500-square-metre facility near Eindhoven’s central railway station will be supported by the Eindhoven municipality and semiconductor manufacturer ASML.

The Rijksmuseum plans to open a new branch in Eindhoven, southern Netherlands, in six to eight years. The 3,500-square-metre museum, supported by the Eindhoven municipality and semiconductor-equipment maker ASML, will display more of the Amsterdam museum’s collection of more than one million objects, much of which is currently in storage. The expansion is intended to make major Dutch artworks, including works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Frans Hals and Rachel Ruysch, accessible to audiences outside Amsterdam while contributing to Eindhoven’s cultural development and helping distribute tourism beyond the capital.

Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri appeared before the International Criminal Court after Germany transferred him to the Netherlands following his arrest on a sealed ICC warrant. Prosecutors allege that he commanded or oversaw murder, rape, torture and other abuses at Tripoli’s Mitiga prison between 2015 and 2020. He faces six counts each of crimes against humanity and war crimes, but was not required to enter a plea. Judges are scheduled to assess in May whether the evidence warrants a trial, which would be the first ICC trial involving a Libyan suspect. The court continues to pursue several other Libyan suspects, while Italy’s release of another Mitiga-linked suspect prompted criticism from human rights advocates.

Germany surrendered Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri to the International Criminal Court after arresting him on a sealed warrant. ICC prosecutors accuse the former senior commander at Tripoli’s Mitiga prison of overseeing murder, torture, rape and sexual violence between 2015 and 2020. El Hishri will first appear before ICC judges for identity and rights checks, followed by proceedings to determine whether the evidence supports a trial. His case would be the first involving a Libyan suspect to reach trial at the court. The proceedings form part of the ICC’s broader Libya investigation, which began after a 2011 UN Security Council referral and has been complicated by the lack of arrests and Italy’s release of another Mitiga prison suspect.

With 98% of votes counted in the Dutch general election, Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom and Rob Jetten’s centrist D66 were tied at 26 seats each, separated by just over 2,000 votes nationwide. The unprecedented result is expected to delay coalition negotiations. The Party for Freedom was projected to lose 11 seats, while D66 was projected to gain 11 in the 150-seat House of Representatives.

Dutch voters are casting ballots in a closely fought general election dominated by migration, asylum policy, housing shortages and the possibility of another coalition involving Geert Wilders. Wilders’s Party for Freedom remains on course to win the most seats, but moderate parties, including D66 and the Labour–Green Left bloc, have narrowed the gap. Mainstream parties oppose governing with Wilders, citing his role in collapsing the previous coalition and his confrontational policies. The proportional representation system is expected to force extended coalition negotiations, while the New Social Contract party risks losing nearly all of the seats it won in the previous election.

Dutch voters are choosing a new House of Representatives amid concerns over migration, a severe housing crisis and growing political polarization. Polls place Geert Wilders’ anti-Islam Party for Freedom ahead and potentially on course to win the most seats, though moderate parties are narrowing the gap and many voters may decide at the last minute. Mainstream parties have largely ruled out a coalition with Wilders, citing his role in bringing down a previous government over migration policy.

The Netherlands is entering the final day of a closely contested general election, with Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom still projected to be the largest bloc but moderate parties narrowing the gap. Immigration and housing dominate the campaign, while climate and defense have received less attention. Wilders’ previous coalition collapsed after he withdrew his ministers over disagreements on asylum and immigration policy, prompting the country’s fourth election in a decade. Mainstream parties say they will not govern with him, raising the prospect of prolonged coalition negotiations after the vote.

The Dutch election for all 150 seats in the lower house is expected to be closely contested between Geert Wilders' Party for Freedom and the Labor–Green Left bloc. Wilders remains a highly controversial figure because of his anti-Islam views, security threats and previous conviction for insulting Moroccans, while Frans Timmermans leads the center-left coalition after a prominent international career. Other key contenders include Christian Democratic Appeal leader Henri Bontenbal, VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius and D66 leader Rob Jetten. Bontenbal has helped revive his party through a more climate-focused platform, Yeşilgöz-Zegerius faces poor polling and possible leadership challenges, and Jetten's centrist party has recently gained momentum. The campaign has also been marked by coalition instability and the use of AI-generated misinformation targeting Timmermans.

The Netherlands is holding an early parliamentary election after Geert Wilders withdrew his Party for Freedom ministers from the governing coalition over disagreements about his proposed immigration crackdown. Migration remains the dominant campaign issue, alongside housing affordability and health care costs, while climate policy and defense have received less attention. Polls indicate a close result, but Wilders may struggle to form a government because major parties have ruled out joining him. The Christian Democrats have strengthened under Henri Bontenbal, while a Green Left–Labour bloc led by Frans Timmermans is also competing strongly. Whatever the result, prolonged coalition negotiations or an unfamiliar minority government may follow.

Dutch voters face a ballot featuring 27 parties and 1,166 candidates competing for 150 seats in the House of Representatives. The large ballot reflects the fragmentation of Dutch politics, while five municipalities are testing smaller ballots that separate party and candidate information. Polls indicate a close contest, with Geert Wilders’ far-right Party for Freedom seeking another victory alongside competition from center-left and center-right parties. The proliferation of parties has increased the difficulty and duration of coalition negotiations, while electoral thresholds determine whether smaller parties gain representation.

The Netherlands’ Oct. 29 election is dominated by migration and a severe housing shortage. Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom leads polls after winning the 2023 election, and he is campaigning for a total halt to asylum-seekers, a proposal legal experts say would violate international treaties. Although Wilders blames refugees for long housing queues and shortages, the Dutch Refugee Council and other critics argue that insufficient construction and years of policy choices are the main causes. Supporters in Wilders’ rural stronghold want housing prioritized for Dutch citizens, while Afghan-born GreenLeft representative Palwasha Hamzad says the housing crisis and erosion of social provisions are more urgent. Wilders may again win the most votes but is unlikely to form a coalition because mainstream parties have ruled out working with him.

Judges at the International Criminal Court unanimously disqualified chief prosecutor Karim Khan from the case against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, citing a reasonable appearance of bias because Khan previously represented victims of alleged crimes linked to Duterte’s drug war. The judges did not find that actual bias had been demonstrated, and the case will continue under a deputy prosecutor. Duterte remains detained in The Hague, denies crimes-against-humanity charges, and has also faced rejected release and delayed pretrial proceedings amid concerns about his health and fitness for trial.

Geert Wilders has resumed campaigning for the Netherlands’ 29 October general election after temporarily suspending activities following reports of a suspected Belgian plot to kill politicians with an explosives-laden drone. His Party for Freedom (PVV), which won the 2023 election and led a four-party coalition before withdrawing over migration policy, is leading polls. Wilders’ manifesto calls for a total halt to asylum seekers, border patrols and the closure of asylum centres. Coalition formation remains uncertain because the center-right VVD has ruled out joining the PVV, as other parties previously did when Wilders won the most seats but could not become prime minister.

The final award of the Nobel season, the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, is scheduled to be announced on Monday. The previous prize went to Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James A. Robinson for research into why some countries prosper while others remain poor. Established by Sweden’s central bank in 1968, the economics prize has been awarded 56 times to 96 laureates, including only three women before the latest announcement, and is presented alongside the other Nobel awards despite not technically being one of Alfred Nobel’s original prizes.

The Nobel Prize in Literature is scheduled to be announced on Thursday, following the 2025 prizes in medicine, physics and chemistry. The award has been given 117 times to 121 laureates, with South Korean author Han Kang winning in 2024. The Nobel Peace Prize will follow on Friday, while the economics prize is due on Monday. Award ceremonies take place on 10 December, and each prize includes 11 million Swedish kronor, a gold medal and a diploma.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences is scheduled to announce the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics in Stockholm on Tuesday, following the medicine award given to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi. The announcement begins a week of Nobel Prize reveals, culminating in the Peace Prize on Friday and the economics award on October 13. The prizes will be presented on December 10 and carry a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor.

ICC judges are delivering verdicts in the trial of Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, who faces 31 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the Darfur conflict. Prosecutors allege he commanded Janjaweed fighters responsible for killings, rape, torture and persecution, while the defense argues he was an uninvolved minor figure. The case comes amid renewed atrocities, famine and mass displacement in Sudan's ongoing war, with the Rapid Support Forces retaining links to the Janjaweed. A conviction could lead to a later sentencing hearing and life imprisonment.

The Netherlands’ highest court is ruling on the government’s appeal against a ban on transferring U.S.-owned F-35 fighter-jet parts to Israel. Dutch rights groups argue that the shipments could make the Netherlands complicit in war crimes, while the government says foreign policy decisions belong to elected officials and that a Dutch ban would be ineffective because the United States could supply the parts directly. The case follows an appeals-court decision ordering shipments to stop after finding a clear risk of international-law violations. The ruling comes amid the Gaza war, mounting Palestinian casualties, and similar European restrictions and legal challenges concerning arms transfers to Israel.

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is bringing together 14 portraits of postman Joseph Roulin, his wife and children for an exhibition on Van Gogh’s Arles period. While preparing the show, the museum discovered the actual small willow armchair depicted in Van Gogh’s portrait of Roulin in its storerooms. The chair, too fragile to travel to Boston for the exhibition’s earlier run, will now be displayed alongside the painting. Curators emphasize that portraying people helped Van Gogh feel connected to humanity and marked a crucial turning point in his artistic development. The exhibition runs from its opening Friday through January 11.

The Dutch government has agreed to return more than 28,000 fossils from the Dubois Collection to Indonesia. The collection includes the Java Man skull fragment, regarded as the first fossil evidence of Homo erectus, and was excavated in colonial-era Java by Eugène Dubois. A Dutch committee concluded that local people were coerced into revealing fossil sites and that the collection was likely taken against their will. Dutch and Indonesian officials will coordinate the transfer while preserving the fossils’ value for scientific research, as part of a wider international reckoning with colonial-era appropriation.

Rijksmuseum curator Anne Lenders discovered that the barking dog in Rembrandt’s 1642 masterpiece The Night Watch closely reproduces a dog in a 1619 pen-and-ink drawing by Adriaen van de Venne. The matching pose, head angle, open mouth, fur and collar resolve a longstanding mystery about the dog’s artistic source, although its exact breed remains uncertain. The finding emerged during the museum’s continuing Operation Night Watch research and restoration project, which uses modern techniques to reexamine the painting.

A growing number of genocide scholars, rights organizations and U.N.-commissioned experts say Israel’s conduct in Gaza may meet the legal definition of genocide, citing mass civilian deaths, siege conditions and the destruction of essential infrastructure. Israel rejects the accusation as false and antisemitic, argues that it is defending itself against Hamas, and points to the October 7 attack and evacuation warnings. Other governments and experts stress that only courts can make a definitive legal determination. South Africa’s case before the International Court of Justice could take years, while the International Criminal Court has issued warrants for Israeli leaders over alleged starvation as a method of warfare. Regardless of the eventual legal ruling, Israel is facing mounting diplomatic, economic, cultural and military pressure from former allies.

King Willem-Alexander urged Dutch politicians and citizens to revive a culture of compromise as the Netherlands prepares for its fourth general election in less than nine years. The governing coalition collapsed after Geert Wilders withdrew over migration policy, and the New Social Contract later left the caretaker administration over disagreements about sanctions on Israel. With only two parties remaining in government and no majority in parliament, coalition negotiations after the 29 October election may take months. The king also called for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine and the violence in Gaza, reaffirming Dutch support for Ukraine and efforts toward a Gaza ceasefire.

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam warns that it may have to close unless the Dutch government funds €104 million in urgent repairs to its 50-year-old building. Museum director Emilie Gordenker says the government is responsible under a 1962 agreement connected to the transfer of Van Gogh’s collection, while the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science argues that existing annual subsidies are sufficient. The dispute is awaiting a court hearing, with repairs expected to begin in 2028 and take three years.

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam warns that it could close if urgent repairs to its ageing, state-owned building are not funded. Director Emilie Gordenker says the estimated €104 million work, including repairs to air conditioning, elevators and sewage systems, is needed to protect visitors and the collection, and is expected to begin in 2028. The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science argues that the museum’s annual subsidy is sufficient and says the museum’s challenge to that decision will be heard in court. The museum cites a historic government pledge to build and maintain a facility for the Van Gogh family collection as support for its funding claim.

The International Court of Justice issued a unanimous, non-binding advisory opinion declaring that all countries have legal duties under international law to protect the climate and that people have a right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. The court said failures to address climate change could violate international law and potentially lead to lawsuits, state accountability, environmental restoration or financial compensation. It also recognized protections for climate refugees and said countries that disappear beneath rising seas do not cease to exist. Activists and Pacific island advocates welcomed the opinion as a major step toward climate justice, although implementation and calculating responsibility for climate damage remain difficult.

Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri, a former senior official at Tripoli’s Mitiga Prison, was arrested in Germany under a sealed International Criminal Court warrant alleging crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, torture, rape and sexual violence committed in Libya between 2015 and early 2020. He will remain in German custody while proceedings to transfer him to The Hague take place. The arrest follows international efforts to investigate crimes committed during Libya’s prolonged conflict, and Libya has accepted ICC jurisdiction through the end of 2027.

An international operation codenamed Eastwood disrupted the infrastructure of NoName057(16), a pro-Russian group accused of distributed denial-of-service attacks against Ukraine and countries supporting it. Europol said more than 100 computer systems were disrupted and much of the group’s central server infrastructure was taken offline. German authorities issued six arrest warrants for suspects in Russia, while one suspect was arrested in France and another detained in Spain; the FBI also participated. The group is described as a loosely organized network of Russian-speaking sympathizers using automated tools and motivated by ideology and rewards.