Members of the European Parliament announced during a press conference that EU member states are responsible for implementing the new asylum and migration pact. The pact is scheduled to take effect this Friday, according to representatives from several political groups.
Train services in the Netherlands have largely resumed after a lightning strike near Utrecht Centraal caused major disruptions on Wednesday morning. The incident halted travel for several hours on routes connecting Utrecht with Schiphol and Amsterdam Centraal.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk is deploying an investigative mission to Lebanon to examine potential violations of international law. The probe will focus on the ongoing conflict between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah.
According to the human rights organization Caminando Fronteras, more than 1,300 migrants died in the first five months of this year while attempting to reach the Spanish coast. The figures were released ahead of a scheduled visit by the Pope to the Canary Islands.
Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel has decided that pepperspray will remain a prohibited weapon, despite earlier considerations to legalize it for self-defense against sexual violence. The minister concluded that legalizing the spray would be too dangerous, as attackers could potentially seize it and use it against the victims themselves.
Residents of the Kleverpark neighborhood in Haarlem are disputing Alderman Robbert Berkhout's claim that the local sewer system is not causing the area's rat infestation. Citing a recent research report, the residents argue that 79 urgent sewer measures are required, contradicting the city's reassuring conclusions.