Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Saudi Arabia for high-level talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The discussions focus on advancing bilateral agreements regarding security, energy, and infrastructure.
Rotterdam recorded the highest number of royal decorations in the Netherlands this year, with sixty residents receiving honors during the annual 'lintjesregen'. While Rotterdam's numbers increased compared to previous years, Amsterdam saw a decline in the total number of decorations awarded.
Men continue to receive over 60% of Dutch royal honors, while women receive less than 40%. Although the gender gap is narrowing, the progress remains very slow.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the US Navy has intercepted 34 ships as part of an intensifying blockade on Iranian ports. Hegseth emphasized that no vessels may travel from the Strait of Hormuz to anywhere else in the world without permission from the American military.
Prime Minister Rob Jetten reported that EU leaders held extensive and sometimes heated discussions regarding the 2028-2034 multi-annual budget during an informal summit in Cyprus. Jetten noted that the leaders' positions on the future budget remain significantly divided following the talks.
The Dutch cabinet has reversed a planned 30-million-euro annual cut to social assistance benefits. To fund this change, Minister Thierry Aartsen announced that child-related benefit schemes will be scaled back. This decision effectively shifts the budgetary burden from general income support to specific child assistance programs.