Netherlands apologizes for WWII persecution of Jews for first time

Jozef and Wiktoria Ulma offered several Jewish people refuge from the Nazis in German-occupied Poland before being caught and killed. The Vatican now plans to beatify the pair before possible sainthood.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte is due to deliver a speech in The Hague, with other ministers traveling to former Dutch colonies for the event. Some affected nations and groups have criticized the move.

The names of Oskar Schindler, Hans Calmeyer and Father Marie-Benoît are synonymous with heroism and the protection of Jews during World War II. But in the eastern French city of Nancy in July 1942, a handful of local police officers also made a courageous stand against the Nazi regime.

In a letter to the Dutch parliament, the country's trade minister has said exporters of chip technology will have to ask for licences to do business abroad, citing concerns over international security. The Netherlands is home to one of the leaders in chipmaking equipment, ASML.

Due to its intensive agriculture, the Netherlands has the highest nitrogen emissions in Europe. As a result, Dutch forests and rivers are among the most polluted in the world. EU environmental standards dictate that the Dutch government must reduce the presence of this chemical element in the soil.

The two countries are asking the International Court of Justice both to examine torture and other crimes against humanity committed during Syria's civil war, and to order Damascus to halt any such mistreatment.

In 1953, a gigantic storm swept across the North Sea and caused a tidal wave in the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK. Many dykes controlling water levels were simply swept away as the water spread far inland. While more than 300 people died in the UK, more than 1,800 lost their lives in the Netherlands. At the time, around a fifth of the Netherlands was below sea level. More than 2,000 square kilometres of land were flooded there, including almost the entire province of Zeeland.

A violent summer storm swept across the Netherlands, severely affecting air and train traffic. At least one person died in the town of Haarlem.

The Dutch government has decided to return some 478 highly valuable and culturally significant artworks, which had been looted during the Dutch colonial era.

The fire on a freighter loaded with thousands of cars appears to have burnt itself out. Although the vessel seems stable, there are still concerns over potential risks.

After several days of continued burning in the North Sea, the Fremantle Highway has been towed to port. Salvage work is slated to begin shortly.

Officials in the Netherlands found €600 million ($661 million) worth of cocaine from Ecuador in containers alongside bananas. Rotterdam is one of the main ports for drug traffickers bringing the drug to Europe.