The Netherlands

It is still far too easy to tell if the partial lockdown announced on October 13 is having an effect...

The number of newly registered coronavirus cases topped 10,000 for the first time in the 24 hours to Friday morning,...

A group of spotted deer which escaped from someone’s garden into a nature reserve in 2018 is once again being...

Chickens across the country have been grounded after a farmer discovered dead swans on his land which turned out to...

Government issues exemption to alien species ban in attempt to control destructive plantFive thousand Japanese leaf fleas have been released in Amsterdam to combat Japanese knotweed, a once celebrated plant the concrete-breaking roots of which now threaten local biodiversity, impinge on water quality and increase the risk of flooding.The Dutch government […]

A Dutch institute has started control trials pitching Japanese leaf flea against the the invasive Japanese knotweed in an attempt...

Online retailers booked an increase in sales of at least 55% during the second quarter of this year, as shops...

Fake reviews of products will be banned in new Europe-wide laws to protect consumer rights. The Dutch junior minister for...

Restrictions imposed by many local authorities in the Netherlands about how many seasonal workers can be housed in some areas...

A piece of rare colour film footage from 1939 has emerged showing volunteers on the lookout for enemy planes during...

A group of 20 Thai protesters gathered in front of the Peace Palace in The Hague on Thursday afternoon to...

Czech PM apologises for bringing back tough measures; Poland and Croatia set daily records Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageEuropean politicians and experts charged with combating the coronavirus pandemic are raising the alarm that nations across the continent are on the brink of an “out-of-control” resurgence of the […]

Authorities say canal views blighted by bikes and pedestrians pushed off pavementsAmsterdam prides itself on being one of the world’s most cyclist-friendly cities. But even the Dutch capital has its limits.The municipality has complained that the views of some of the most beautiful canals are being blighted while pedestrians are being forced into the […]

Switzerland makes masks mandatory as continent struggles to contain infectionsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coveragePolice fought anti-mask protesters in the Czech Republic, Ireland prepared to announce tough new restrictions and Switzerland made masks mandatory indoors as European governments struggled to contain continuing record […]

NOS takes unprecedented step amid far-right risk, saying journalism is ‘under attack’The Dutch state broadcaster has removed its logo from outside broadcast vans as politicians complained of a steep rise in threats and the national counter-terrorism agency warned of a heightened risk of far-right violence in the Netherlands.The broadcaster, NOS, said it […]

A roundup of the measures affecting mask-wearing, schools and more across mainland EuropeCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe governments of European countries are each responding in their own way to the second wave of coronavirus. Here we summarise the main measures being implemented in 20 mainland nations. Continue reading...

Germany among others bringing in new restrictions, and daily records set in Poland and CroatiaCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageResidents of major French cities including the Paris region are to be confined to their homes between 9pm and 6am, Emmanuel Macron has said, as governments across Europe battle to contain record numbers […]

Dutch heath minister says change is needed to help terminally ill childrenThe Dutch government will permit doctors to euthanise terminally ill children aged between one and 12 after months of debate within the ruling coalition.The country’s health minister, Hugo de Jonge, said a change in regulations was necessary to help “a small group of terminally […]

Governments across Europe ratchet up testing in effort to curb sharp increase in casesCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageRussia has recorded its highest day of fatalities and infections since the coronavirus pandemic began this year, amid concern that hospitalisations and deaths are increasing rapidly as cases of infections surge […]

Concern in Germany and maximum alert in France, as other countries report record infection ratesCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageSeveral mainland European countries have recorded their highest daily number of Covid-19 infections since widespread testing began, as governments struggle to stem a rapid resurgence of the virus that […]

Estimated 100,000 exhibits may be repatriated to remedy historical ‘injustices’Thousands of pieces of art deemed looted by Dutch colonialists could be returned to their country of origin after the Netherlands’ most famous museums backed a report proposing a wholesale “recognition and rectification of these injustices”.The directors of the […]

Following a revolution against rule from the Netherlands, a provisional government in Belgium declared its independence on 4 October 1830. See how the Guardian and Observer reported eventsAfter the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, Belgium became part of a single nation called the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, ruled by William of Orange. The traditionally […]

14 de musical, named after number on back of Johan Cruyff’s shirt, to be staged near AmsterdamA musical about the life of the Dutch footballer Johan Cruyff is to start late next year, paying tribute to one of the game’s greatest-ever players.The show, 14 de musical, referring to the famous number on the back of Cruyff‘s jersey, is expected to open at […]

Lawyer and doctor also suspected of being in ‘crime syndicate’ after 3.5m tonnes of drugs seizedAuthorities in Belgium and another three countries have dismantled a criminal drug trafficking network that allegedly relied on corrupt police officers to ship hundreds of millions of euros’ worth of cocaine into western Europe.The investigation, which […]

University and government watchdog drop academic and pundit Jaap KoelewijnA Dutch academic and media pundit specialising in corporate governance and integrity has lost his university and government watchdog roles after it emerged that he had knowingly gone into business with a convicted fraudster.Jaap Koelewijn, who wrote a column in a Dutch newspaper and […]

Anglo-Dutch oil firm expects to save up to $2.5bn a year through restructuring planCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageRoyal Dutch Shell plans to cut up to 9,000 jobs in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, up to 10% of its workforce, as part of a major corporate overhaul to keep pace with the global transition to clean energy.The […]

Rapper Famke Louise among those regretful after backlash from politicians and othersCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThey are young, famous and apparently could no longer abide by the coronavirus restrictions. But a group of Dutch celebrities who sparked a national debate after breaking cover on social media with the hashtag […]

Tighter measures are being imposed, but they vary across the continent Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverage Continue reading...

In a world first, Rotterdam’s Boijmans museum has put its entire collection on display in a mammoth new warehouse. As the V&A considers a similar experiment, is this ‘open storage’ model the future? From a block away, it looks like a craft from a more advanced civilisation has landed in the centre of Rotterdam. The structure is futuristic, with […]

Netherlands-based startup company behind eco-friendly fungi mycelium casketAfter months of testing, the first funeral has taken place in the Netherlands using a fast-composting “living coffin” made of mycelium, the mat of fibres that forms the underground part of fungi.“I didn’t actually go, but I talked to a relative beforehand – it was a moving […]