Latest Mark Rutte News
Ukraine official says Russia massing forces around a key city in the country's east
KYIV (AP) — Russia is accumulating large forces around Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine as it seeks to make a breakthrough in the Donetsk region, a Ukrainian official said Friday. Illia Yevlash, spokesperson for the operational group overseeing the eastern front line, told Radio Free...
Dutch appeals court orders Netherlands to stop exports of F-35 parts to Israel, citing war in Gaza
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — An appeals court ordered the Dutch government on Monday to halt the export of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel, citing a clear risk of violations of international law. A trio of human rights organizations brought a civil suit against the Netherlands...
Former Dutch Prime Minister Dries van Agt and his wife die 'hand in hand' by euthanasia at age 93
THE HAGUE (AP) — Dries van Agt, the Christian Democrat prime minister of the Netherlands from 1977 until 1982, has died by euthanasia, “hand in hand” together with his wife, according to the human rights organization he founded. They both were 93. The news was made public on...
The Netherlands is having trouble forming a new far-right government. Here's why
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Talks to form a far right-led government in the Netherlands have come to a premature end, for now, leaving the Netherlands in limbo amid a stalled move to build a political coalition around anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders. Wilders' Party for...
EU officials urge Bosnia to press ahead with reform in order to start accession negotiations
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — The European Commission chief and the prime ministers of the Netherlands and Croatia told Bosnia on Tuesday to press on with reforms and seize a chance to begin accession negotiations with the European Union before the 27-nation block holds a parliamentary vote...
Outgoing Dutch PM begins his Bosnia visit at memorial to Srebrenica genocide victims
SREBRENICA, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Monday began a two-day visit to Bosnia with a stop in Srebrenica, where he paid his respects to victims of the 1995 genocide. The Netherlands has long wrestled with the legacy of the massacre,...
Immigration issue challenges delicate talks to form new Dutch government
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Delicate talks to create a new Dutch government around anti-Islam firebrand Geert Wilders suffered a setback Wednesday when a lingering immigration issue divided the parties involved in brokering a coalition. “We have a problem,” Wilders told...
A quiet Dutch village holds clues as European politics veer to the right
SINT WILLEBRORD, The Netherlands (AP) — “Everyone is welcome,” reads the sign at the church door in this quiet Dutch village, where neighbors greet each other from tidy porches overlooking manicured lawns. But that declaration of tolerance seems oddly out of place. ...
Towns reinforce dikes as heavy rains send rivers over their banks in Germany and the Netherlands
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Firefighters and volunteers worked to reinforce dikes against rising floodwaters in northern and eastern Germany as heavy rains falling on already soaked ground pushed rivers and streams over their banks and forced several towns to evacuate residents. The...