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The Netherlands

The latest news, analysis and opinion on The Netherlands. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Amsterdam

Head of State

King Willem-Alexander

Head of Government

Prime Minister Dick Schoof

Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio pictured in May. Photo: AFP

The Philippines

Duterte’s son files ‘kidnapping’ charges – in a bid to save Philippine VP Sara?

The lawsuit targets the justice secretary, a front runner for the ombudsman role who could decide the fate of Sara’s corruption cases.

17 Sep 2025 - 6:30PMvideocam

China-EU relations

Flagging imbalances in China, EU chamber urges course correction in 5-year plan

17 Sep 2025 - 5:01PMvideocam

US-China trade war

Peeling into TikTok deal, analysts see layers of leverage, tariffs and soybeans

16 Sep 2025 - 9:00PMvideocam

The Philippines

Philippines’ Duterte suffers from deteriorating cognitive condition: lawyers

The condition affects Duterte’s executive functioning, orientation and his capacity for complex reasoning, his defence team says.

12 Sep 2025 - 2:24AMvideocam

Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte is seen on a screen in the courtroom of the International Criminal Court with his lawyer Salvador Medialdea seated left, in The Hague, Netherlands, on March 14. Photo: Pool via Reuters

Poland

UN Security Council to convene over drone attacks in Poland

Warsaw has accused Russia of carrying out the drone raid, calling it an ‘unprecedented’ attack on Poland, Nato and the European Union.

12 Sep 2025 - 2:30AM

Malaysia

Can Malaysia become Southeast Asia’s top aircraft maintenance hub?

Industry leaders warn Malaysia must urgently scale up capacity if it wants to challenge Singapore’s dominance in the aviation support sector.

10 Sep 2025 - 7:42PM

The Philippines

Is Duterte’s ex-police ally set to give ICC drug war’s ‘smoking gun’ proof?

The former police colonel has flown to Malaysia ‘to meet with the ICC’, according to Manila’s justice secretary.

9 Sep 2025 - 9:24PM

Placards showing victims of extrajudicial killings during former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war displayed at a media conference in Manila on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Israel-Gaza war

UN human rights chief slams Israel’s ‘mass killing’ of Palestinians in Gaza

Volker Turk expresses horror at the ‘genocidal rhetoric’ and ‘disgraceful dehumanisation’ of Palestinians by senior Israeli officials.

8 Sep 2025 - 7:47PM

Science

Europe power guru Wang Xiongfei brings grid stability expertise home to China

The newly appointed Xinghua chair professor at Tsinghua University remains involved in six European research projects.

5 Sep 2025 - 12:15PMvideocam

China's military weapons

Western leaders parse China military parade displaying national pride

US President Donald Trump says America deserves more credit for helping China gain its freedom.

4 Sep 2025 - 10:45PMvideocam

Military personnel take part in a parade in Beijing on Wednesday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Japan’s World War II surrender. Photo: AP

Israel-Gaza war

US bars Palestinian leader Abbas from UN as allies pledge statehood

The US is denying and revoking visas for Palestinian officials despite a UN ‘headquarters agreement’ requiring access for diplomats.

30 Aug 2025 - 7:06AMvideocam

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2024. Photo: AP

Ukraine war

US unveils US$825 million arms sale to Ukraine, including long-range missiles

Kyiv will use funding from Nato allies Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway in addition to US foreign military financing to pay for the gear.

29 Aug 2025 - 10:14AMvideocam

The Philippines

Filipino food fight at The Hague reveals deepening rift among Duterte loyalists

The drama began with a plate of ‘humba’, but the true cause of the shouting match was a bitter power struggle for control.

22 Aug 2025 - 4:24PMvideocam

China trade

Europe’s scorching heatwave sees demand for Chinese air conditioners sizzle

Europeans are outpacing most of the world in embracing relatively affordable and easy-to-install China-made cooling units, customs data shows.

22 Aug 2025 - 4:00PM

Tourists cool off in the Trocadero Fountain, in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, last month as temperatures approached 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Photo: AFP

Science

Study reveals how corn has evolved to sense and respond to environment

International research team discovers plant mechanism that could help to combat pests and increase yield.

22 Aug 2025 - 12:00PMvideocam

Corn releases a gas called linalool that prompts nearby plants to alter their soil, which can boost defences against pests and predation. Photo: Shutterstock

China-EU relations

Why EU stance on Taiwan is a growing cause of concern for mainland China

Taiwan remains a red line for Beijing, but island’s informal EU ties are prompting worries that the bloc may backslide on one-China policy.

15 Aug 2025 - 11:00PMvideocam

Retailing

Chinese cosmetics challenge global brands with affordable allure

China’s cosmetics exports rose 12 per cent year on year in the first half to US$2.6 billion, according to customs data.

14 Aug 2025 - 3:51PMvideocam

Indonesia

How Indonesia’s AI-generated ‘Italian brainrot’ memes conquered Gen Z

Italian Brainrot, a quirky AI trend, has captivated Gen Z with its bizarre characters, sparking memes and cultural exchanges across nations.

12 Aug 2025 - 6:34AM

A bag of novelty merchandise centred around the online phenomenon of “Italian Brainrot”, containing collectable cards and a small figure of Frulli Frulla (centre), bought from a shop in Tokyo. Photo: AFP

Israel-Gaza war

14-year-old Palestinian boy killed by falling aid package in Gaza airdrop

The youngster’s death, during what aid groups say are dangerous and unreliable airdrops, came as Tel Aviv saw massive protests against the escalation of the war.

10 Aug 2025 - 5:41PMvideocam

Italy

Legal battle looms over Italy plan to build world’s longest suspension bridge

Italy this week approved a US$15.8 billion bridge linking Sicily to the mainland, amid concerns over its scale, seismic risks and environmental impact.

8 Aug 2025 - 3:09PM

Crime in Hong Kong

Man arrested in Hong Kong over smoking products, 30kg of drugs found in luggage

Authorities seized HK$12 million of illegal items, including ketamine from passenger who flew to city from the Netherlands.

7 Aug 2025 - 11:30PM

Authorities seized HK$12 million of illegal items, including ketamine, from the passenger, who flew to the city from the Netherlands. Photo: Nora Tam

International Criminal Court

My Take | How a clandestine campaign undercut ICC’s case against Israel

Newspaper exposes how the court’s chief prosecutor was sabotaged and discredited as he tried to pursue a war crime case against Israeli leaders.

7 Aug 2025 - 9:30PM

A general view of the exterior of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, March 12, 2025. Photo: AP

Tourism

Instagrammable windmill village overrun by tourists sparks upset over new fee

Zaanse Schans in the Netherlands is considering a US$20 entrance fee to reduce the crowds drawn by its picture-perfect windmills and houses.

7 Aug 2025 - 3:15PM

Ukraine war

Netherlands first to buy ‘badly needed’ US arms for Ukraine under Nato scheme

Dutch officials believe the US$577 million worth of weapons will apply additional pressure on Russia to negotiate and halt its advances in Ukraine.

5 Aug 2025 - 4:55PMvideocam

Ukraine war

Zelensky says Russia using mercenaries from China, Pakistan and other countries

Ukrainian president’s claims come as a US special envoy prepares for talks in Moscow ahead of a looming sanctions deadline.

5 Aug 2025 - 9:46AM

Ukrainian servicemen fire an anti-aircraft twin autocannon towards a Russian drone from a sunflower field, near Pavlograd, Dnipropetrovsk region. Photo: AFP

LGBTQ

Amsterdam Pride blends celebration and protest in LGBTQ show of solidarity

A record 260,000 people attended Pride in Germany’s Hamburg while in Prague the parade drew tens of thousands demanding equal rights.

3 Aug 2025 - 3:34AM

A person holds a sign as boats cruise canals during the annual Pride parade in Amsterdam, Netherlands on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

Climate change

Macroscope | Why force of law is world’s best hope for beating climate change

We need radical solutions reinforced by legal statutes to bolster the fight against climate change and make polluters pay.

2 Aug 2025 - 4:30PMvideocam

Ukraine war

US, Nato seek to supply Ukraine with weapons paid for by allies

The move, according to three sources, comes as US President Donald Trump has expressed frustration with Russia’s ongoing attacks on Ukraine.

2 Aug 2025 - 1:48PM

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