Dutch clubs Ajax, PSV, and Feyenoord advanced in the Europa Cup after winning their first legs in the final qualifying round. Ajax beat Kazakh side WFC Aktobe 8-0, featuring a hat-trick from Ella Touon. PSV narrowly defeated Danish club Fortuna Hjørring 1-0 via a goal from Liz Rijsbergen, having been eliminated from the Champions League earlier. Feyenoord overturned a deficit to beat Norwegian side Valerenga 4-1, with contributions from Tori DellaPeruta, Kirsten van de Westeringh, and Fleur Stoit. The return fixtures will take place on September 30, with winners progressing directly to the round of eight.
The province of Zeeland has warned that oil has washed up on multiple beaches, including locations along the Walcheren coast, Noord-Beveland, and Zeeuws-Vlaanderen. Authorities suspect the substance is heavy fuel oil and advise visitors to avoid contact with the residue and refrain from swimming in affected areas. While the origin of the oil remains unknown, inspections have revealed a wider spread than initially reported, with findings extending from Westkapelle to Vrouwenpolder and near the Verdronken Zwarte Polder nature area. Rijkswaterstaat and local municipalities are conducting additional checks over the coming days to ensure cleanup efforts proceed as quickly as possible.
Jürgen Klopp has brought humor back to the German national team during a press conference at the Johan Cruijff Arena ahead of their Nations League match against the Netherlands. Since his appointment in mid-July, the 59-year-old manager has enforced strict discipline, including punctuality rules, banning phones in locker rooms, restricting family visits, and prohibiting hairdressers at the team hotel. While tennis legend Boris Becker praised Klopp’s ability to generate positive energy, former Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness expressed skepticism, calling him a cult figure rather than a savior. Klopp acknowledged the pressure of returning to the sidelines after two years but highlighted the quality of his 44-player squad, which includes eleven new names. The match kicks off Thursday at 20:45 in Amsterdam.
OL Lyonnais dominated the first round of the Women's Champions League with an 8-0 away victory against Servette, featuring goals from Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Melchie Dumornay, and Ines Benyahia. Servette goalkeeper Jacintha Weimar conceded multiple times, including own goals by Laia Balleste and Laura Strik. In other matches, OH Leuven and AS Roma failed to score; Roma missed a late penalty kick via Marta Pandini against OH Leuven's Rachele Baldi. The next live broadcast will feature OL Lyonnais versus Chelsea on September 30.
Spanish police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators protesting the eviction of Maricarmen, an 87-year-old woman who had lived in her Madrid apartment for over seventy years. The eviction followed a court ruling that allowed an investment fund, which purchased the property in 2018, to enforce a rent increase from 500 to 1,650 euros monthly, which Maricarmen could not afford with her pension. Social workers transported the weakened woman in a wheelchair to an ambulance, where she was examined at a hospital. Her lawyer described the police action as disproportionate, while Housing Minister Rodríguez criticized the move as a symptom of unchecked speculation. Demonstrators, including celebrities and tenant union activists, highlighted the contrast between Maricarmen's plight and the controversial purchase of a luxury penthouse for Isabel Ayuso, president of the Madrid region.
The municipality of Neder-Betuwe has announced emergency measures for Opheusden to prevent further riots following protests against a planned asylum seeker center. A curfew and group ban are in effect from 17:00 until one hour past midnight, with facial coverings prohibited. Mayor Jan Kottelenberg stated these steps are necessary after fourteen arrests were made during previous disturbances involving fireworks and vandalism. The municipality is required by law to house 132 asylum seekers, including eight unaccompanied minors.
Ahead of the summit between Presidents Trump and Xi in Washington, both nations remain focused on dominating artificial intelligence rather than restricting its development. While Trump stated he will not curb AI growth despite risks, experts note that mutual distrust prevents concrete safety agreements similar to Cold War nuclear treaties. Although US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated openness to dialogue on shared risks following talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, analysts doubt meaningful concessions will emerge. Concerns are rising as AI errors nearly triggered military incidents, with polls showing 63% of Americans fear existential threats from the technology.
Former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was convicted again by a New York judge for the sexual assault of former production assistant Miriam Haley, receiving a 15-year prison sentence. Weinstein forced Haley into sex at his Manhattan apartment in 2006; he had previously received a 23-year sentence for this crime which was overturned on appeal before a jury found him guilty again last year. The 74-year-old Weinstein, who uses a wheelchair due to health issues, expressed regret and apologized to Haley, while his lawyers unsuccessfully argued that his illness prevented him from serving a long sentence. Weinstein has been accused by over 80 women of sexual misconduct since allegations emerged in late 2017, sparking the #MeToo movement. He has been incarcerated in New York since 2020, with additional sex cases pending in New York and California.
A broad majority of the Dutch Lower House considers it unnecessary for public broadcasting associations to prove they have sufficient members next year, as this criterion will be abolished under the new Media Act scheduled for January 1, 2029. VVD MP Van der Maas and Pro MP Mohandis argue that conducting expensive membership campaigns now wastes taxpayer money and risks jeopardizing the ongoing consolidation of eleven broadcasters into four new houses. They urge Culture Minister Letschert to resolve the issue via urgent legislation or by basing future membership counts on combined cluster totals, ensuring funds are directed toward journalism rather than redundant recruitment efforts.
A Russian Mi-8 helicopter violated Polish airspace for 42 seconds near the Kaliningrad border, prompting Poland to scramble fighter jets and place ground troops on alert. This incident follows warnings from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and European intelligence chiefs that Russia intends to test NATO’s readiness with small-scale hybrid attacks within months. The violation occurs amid heightened tensions after a recent drone strike damaged a train near the Polish border, leading Tusk to declare a high state of readiness. Meanwhile, Polish President Nawrocki expressed hope for US support, suggesting a potential permanent military base in Poland could be named 'Fort Trump' following recent US sanctions against Russia.
Fighting has broken out in Ethiopia’s Tigray region between the federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), threatening the 2022 peace agreement that ended the previous civil war. The TPLF claims it has launched a defensive war after accusing the government of drone and artillery strikes, while an advisor to Prime Minister Ahmed confirmed that rebels have seized Mek'ele airport and attacked government facilities in Afar and Amhara. Ethiopian Airlines has canceled flights to affected cities, and sources report armed fighters at the airport. The unrest follows disputed June parliamentary elections that excluded Tigray and were criticized by human rights organizations, raising fears of renewed conflict in a region where an estimated 600,000 people died during the 2020–2022 war.
Arsenal defender Jurriën Timber has rejoined the Netherlands squad for training ahead of their Nations League match against Germany, recovering from a groin injury. Coach Xavi Hernández has all 26 players available but must select a 23-man squad, leaving three internationals out. Players like Gjivai Zechiël, Ruben van Bommel, and Mexx Meerdink hope for their debuts as the team prepares for upcoming fixtures against Serbia and Greece.
Dutch State Secretary Silvio Erkens of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature has rejected researchers' calls to advise citizens to maintain an eight-day food supply, maintaining the current recommendation of a three-day emergency stockpile. Citing difficulties for those in small apartments and low public compliance with existing guidelines, Erkens indicated that responsibility for supplies beyond three days may shift to supermarkets and distribution centers. The debate highlighted concerns over food security risks from drought, the war in Ukraine, and supply chain disruptions, with researchers noting vulnerabilities in vegetable oils, fertilizers, and animal feed. While parties disagreed on long-term strategies involving plant-based versus animal protein production, Erkens emphasized that self-sufficiency is an illusion but risk diversification is essential, aiming for a strong agricultural nation capable of securing food safety through exports within five to ten years.
Max Verstappen expressed interest in competing in the Nürburgring 24-hour race next year and potentially the Spa-Francorchamps event, while skipping Le Mans. The four-time Formula 1 world champion made these comments ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, noting that the 2027 calendar offers weekends without F1 races for endurance events. Verstappen debuted at the Nürburgring last year, where his Mercedes GT3 led with three hours remaining before a technical issue caused it to fall back.
The Council of State has dismissed appeals from residents and the West Betuwe municipality against the construction of a military radar station in Herwijnen, allowing the project to proceed. The court ruled that the government sufficiently justified the location choice and demonstrated no health risks from radiation, addressing concerns about noise and environmental impact. Defense Minister plans to install a Smart-L radar for airspace monitoring and drone detection, a plan approved by the Second Chamber in 2022. Construction had previously faced delays due to missing permits for road widening, which were later granted. With this ruling, the last major legal obstacle has been removed, enabling Defense to resume work on the facility.
Australian illustrator Terry Denton has died at the age of 76. He is best known for illustrating the globally popular book series 'The Crazy Treehouse' alongside author Andy Griffiths, which follows two boys exploring a treehouse that expands with thirteen new floors in each installment. Griffiths praised their long collaboration as an honor and pure pleasure, expressing gratitude for their impact on children in Australia and worldwide. The series won the Dutch Children's Jury Prize in 2017, 2018, and 2020, and Griffiths previously wrote the gift for the Dutch Children's Book Week in 2022.
The Dutch cabinet is exploring a joint detection facility with Italy for the Einstein Telescope, a gravitational wave observatory, adding to previous bids by South Limburg, Sardinia, and Saxony. This collaboration involves two L-shaped detectors, potentially located in the Euregio Maas-Rijn region and Italy, to improve directional accuracy of gravitational wave measurements. The project, costing at least 2.3 billion euros, aims to measure over 100,000 signals annually and create hundreds of jobs, with a final decision expected next year among ten European nations.
The Dutch Public Prosecution Service has decided not to prosecute a physician who ended the life of a severely ill toddler last year, following a commission's ruling that the doctor acted carefully. This decision marks the first application of Netherlands' 2024 regulation allowing life termination for children aged one to twelve suffering unbearable and hopeless pain. The treating physician expressed relief, hoping the verdict supports other parents in similar situations and views the policy as a form of emancipation for children. Pediatrician Eduard Verhagen welcomed the outcome but urged faster processing times to reduce uncertainty for families.
German Chancellor Merz retains the broad support of his CDU party following significant losses in eastern state elections, including a historic failure to meet the threshold in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Despite internal criticism regarding his communication and unfulfilled promises on pension and healthcare reforms, prominent party figures have rallied behind him as no viable alternative leadership exists. Merz has pledged to improve how he explains his economic reform plans and strengthen coalition unity with the SPD ahead of the 2027 state elections. Vice-fraction leader Mathias Middelberg emphasized that internal division would endanger both the government and the country, urging members to unite for the upcoming political challenges.
Dutch author Sjoerd Kuyper, 74, has died in Bergen after a short illness, publisher Hoogland & Van Klaveren announced. Kuyper, who wrote over fifty children’s and young adult books spanning more than fifty years, is best known for his Robin series and the novel The Pocket Knife, which was adapted into a successful film and TV series. He received numerous awards, including multiple Griffel prizes and the Theo Thijssen Prize in 2012, and also contributed to musicals and poetry.
