Tom Six, director of The Human Centipede, has revealed in a final homemade documentary that he has spent six years living as a recluse in Amsterdam after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2020.
Unilever, owner of brands like Marmite and Dove, announced plans for further price increases in the coming months to offset rising commodity costs, despite reporting strong Q2 sales growth of 5.8% and raising its 2026 outlook. The company's shares climbed over 8% as markets reacted positively to its performance.
Dutch dike inspectors, like Jeroen Wouda and Dirk Boom, are using modern tech to find drought-induced cracks in peat dikes, vital for the low-lying Netherlands. A severe European drought has also caused record low levels in the Rhine and Danube, impacting cargo shipping, agriculture, and raising concerns about long-term water management.
Lorena Wiebes of SD Worx-Protime secured her second consecutive victory in stage two of the Women's Tour de France, winning the 147.9km flat stage from Aigle to Geneva. The Dutch rider now leads the overall race by 14 seconds, with Elisa Balsamo and Marianne Vos placing second and third respectively.
Dutch sprinter Lorena Wiebes claimed her second victory in the Tour de France Femmes in Geneva, extending her overall lead. Despite her success, Wiebes and her SD Worx Protime team are pursuing legal action against the UCI over her disqualification from the Giro d'Italia in May due to an underweight bike, citing a flawed weighing process.
Dutch sprinter Lorena Wiebes secured back-to-back victories at the Tour de France Femmes, winning stage two in Geneva after a 147.9km route. The Team SD Worx-Protime rider extended her overall lead and record for most stage wins, with Elisa Balsamo and Marianne Vos placing second and third.
A severe European drought is weakening Dutch dikes, requiring constant monitoring by volunteers, and causing record low levels in the Rhine and Danube rivers, forcing cargo ships to reduce loads. Farmers face irrigation restrictions and warn of smaller harvests and higher prices, while houseboat owners find their vessels stranded on exposed riverbeds.
Archbishop Sarah Mullally visited Ghana's Cape Coast castle, a former slave trading post, to express "lament" for the Church of England's role in transatlantic slavery and reaffirmed commitment to a controversial £100m fund for affected communities, amidst calls for greater reparations.
Annisa Rahmadani's rejection from Bali's expat-run Entourage running club went viral, sparking national debate over foreign influence and discrimination. Indonesian authorities banned the Dutch organisers, highlighting local frustrations with digital nomads and cultural clashes on the island.
Analysts caution that China's reported production of home-grown immersion DUV lithography machines, though a concern, does not immediately threaten ASML's dominance due to the complexity of achieving commercial viability.
Bali's Immigration department banned two Dutch men, JAS (35) and HQV (37), from Indonesia for organizing an "Entourage Bali" run club event accused of discrimination against local residents and violating event regulations. The ban follows viral online complaints.
The Philippine economy faces fragility due to internal political turmoil, a corruption scandal, energy shocks, and extreme weather, despite inflation easing to 6.4% in June. ING's report highlights ongoing economic pressures, suggesting the central bank may not yet declare victory over inflation.
Italy and Brazil secured their spots in the Women’s Volleyball Nations League Finals semi-finals in Macau, with Italy beating the Netherlands 3-0 and Brazil overcoming Japan 3-1. Ana Cristina was key for Brazil, scoring 30 points. Turkey, Canada, China, and the USA will compete for the remaining semi-final places.
The world's largest meat company, JBS, faces a legal challenge in the Netherlands by Greenpeace, demanding disclosure on how its $6bn global expansion, particularly in Nigeria, is compatible with climate, nature, and human rights responsibilities. This case could set a precedent for the agriculture sector.
The Dutch government will ban the import, purchase, and sale of goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories and Golan Heights starting September 22, joining other EU states in unilateral action despite bloc-wide division.
European natural gas prices reached a four-month high, briefly exceeding €60/MWh, due to escalating Middle East conflict and fears of winter supply shortages. Disruption to Qatari LNG exports and reduced Gulf shipping are pressuring Europe's ability to meet storage targets, potentially requiring costly state intervention.
Dutch national Stefan Wijkamp, known as a Hitler doppelganger and far-right admirer, has been ordered to appear before a German court on July 24 for incitement of hatred, stemming from an interview where he glorified Adolf Hitler as a "world wonder without equal."
A Dutch court declared cryptocurrency platform Knaken Cryptohandel BV and its foundation bankrupt, citing €7 million in missing customer assets. The Rotterdam court's ruling follows a criminal investigation and raids by financial crime services, with the company unable to repay users.
Dutch intelligence agencies AIVD and MIVD revealed a large-scale Russian operation spying on NATO military bases via hacked civilian internet-connected cameras. The operation monitored military equipment transfers to Ukraine, exploiting devices with poor security. Organizations have been warned to update their systems.
Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam recreated Wim T. Schippers' 1969 'Peanut butter floor' installation, using 800lb of peanut butter to honor the late Dutch artist's absurdist legacy. The work, displayed with his posthumous instructions, continues to provoke questions about art's nature.
Dutch Deputy Prime Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius condemned Moroccan football fans for clashing with police across the Netherlands following their team's World Cup defeat to France. Incidents included throwing bottles and fireworks, with arrests made in multiple cities.
Dutch Deputy Prime Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius criticized Moroccan football fans for clashing with police across the Netherlands after their team's World Cup defeat. Fans threw bottles and fireworks, with incidents reported in Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
German startup QuantumDiamonds has received €76 million in non-dilutive funding and €15 million in equity to develop semiconductor testing equipment. Leveraging quantum technology and synthetic diamonds, the company offers rapid defect detection, potentially saving chip manufacturers millions.
Olav Kooij won stage five of the 2026 Tour de France in Pau, marking the first sprint finish of the race. Despite crashes affecting other riders, including race leader Torsten Træen, Kooij secured an easy victory. Remco Evenepoel prepares for a return to the Tourmalet, a site of past struggles.
