Stories from Netherlands

A fire broke out in the dunes near Duindorp, prompting the deployment of dozens of fire department vehicles. An NL-alert was issued calling for residents to leave the dune area. The fire was brought under control around 10:00 PM.

Dutch authorities discovered 352 explicit photos and 75 videos involving underage girls aged 12 to 15. The material was part of an extortion scheme where perpetrators demanded more explicit content under threat of online distribution.

A startup based in Venlo is using lasers to remove weeds from fields.

A music streaming service reported a loss of 86 million euros despite growth in monthly users and paying subscribers. The company's revenue for the quarter reached 4.2 billion euros, falling short of the 4.5 billion euros expected by analysts.

The International Court of Justice is expected to rule on whether Myanmar is responsible for genocide against the Rohingya people. The judgment is anticipated around July 2026. This marks the first time the court will judge a state's responsibility in this context.

The court also ruled that the United States is required to provide reparations to the Republic of Nicaragua for damages caused. The decision mandates the cessation of the identified violations.

Chip manufacturer NXP Semiconductors reported Q1 2026 revenue that surpassed Wall Street expectations. Sales for the period increased by 12.2%, causing the company's stock to jump 11.4%.

Approximately 70,000 children and young people in the Netherlands were staying home from school in 2024, according to the parent association Balans. The Telegraaf reported that the issue of school dropout rates has persisted for years without resolution.

A hacker group known as Bargo has withdrawn its threat to release stolen data from software provider Chipsoft. Chipsoft reported earlier this month that data had been compromised by the group.

A large fire at the Zuiderstrand in Den Haag is now under control. Forest rangers will monitor the dunes in the coming hours to prevent the fire from reigniting tonight. Firefighters have brought the fire near Duindorp under control after deploying dozens of personnel.