Dutch lawmakers back coronavirus curfew despite criticism

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A majority of Dutch lawmakers backed the government’s planned curfew Thursday, despite fierce criticism from some opposition legislators. The four parties that make up the ruling coalition and several opposition parties backed a curfew from 9 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. —...

Dutch propose curfew to rein in virus; will ban more flights

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch government wants to impose a curfew as part of beefed-up restrictions to rein in the spread of a new more contagious virus variant that already accounts for at least one in 10 Dutch infections. Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Wednesday that his government also will...

Dutch govt to beef up lockdown amid fears about new variants

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch government said Tuesday it needs to beef up lockdown measures “as soon as possible” to rein in the spread of the coronavirus amid fears about more transmissible variants. Health Minister Hugo de Jonge said in a letter to parliament that the government...

The Latest: China grapples with virus outbreaks in northeast

BEIJING — China is now dealing with coronavirus outbreaks across its frigid northeast, prompting additional lockdowns and travel bans. The country reported a total of 118 newly confirmed cases Tuesday — most of them in Jilin province, the Hebei region just outside Beijing and Heilongjiang province...

Dutch government wipes out debt for parents in fraud scandal

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch government on Monday said it is wiping out debts owed to the tax office and other government departments by parents caught up in a fraud scandal that caused the Cabinet to resign last week. State Secretary for Finance Alexandra van Huffelen said the decision means...

Russia expels 2 Dutch diplomats in quid pro quo move

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's Foreign Ministry on Monday announced the expulsion of two Dutch diplomats in a quid pro quo move. In December, the Netherlands ordered two Russian diplomats out after the country's intelligence agency accused them of gathering intelligence information on semiconductors,...

The Latest: Slovakia wants tests for nearly all in nine days

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Slovakia is launching a project to test almost all citizens for the coronavirus in nine days. The government hopes the nationwide testing will speed up a recovery from the latest wave of the infections, make it possible for students to return to school in February, help the health...

Dutch police use water cannon on anti-government protesters

OTTERLO, Netherlands (AP) — Police in Amsterdam turned a water cannon on hundreds of demonstrators who were taking part in a banned protest Sunday against the Dutch government and its tough coronavirus lockdown. Police on horseback also moved in to break up the demonstration on a large square ringed by...

The buck stops here: Dutch govt quits over welfare scandal

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his entire Cabinet resigned Friday to take political responsibility for a scandal involving investigations into child welfare payments that wrongly labeled thousands of parents as fraudsters. In a nationally televised speech, Rutte said he...

Dutch media report Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s government is resigning over scandal involving child welfare fraud probes

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch media report Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s government is resigning over scandal involving child welfare fraud probes.