The Netherlands
Democracy & Human Rights
Venezuela’s democratic opposition leader driven out, despite probable victory
The departure on September 7 former Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez for exile in Spain likely marks the end of the latest opportunity...
Bulgaria
Schengen Zone tremblors center on Bulgaria and Romania
The Netherlands announced on December 2 that it will accept Romania and Croatia's joining the EU’s special passport-free Schengen Zone but intended to block...
Cyprus
EU invests over €110 million in environment and climate protection in 11 member states
The European Commission announced on February 17 an investment of over €110 million into LIFE program integrated projects for environmental and climate protection, selected...
Archive
Commission approves EU funding for nature, environment and climate action projects
The European Commission approved on November 25 an investment package of more than €290 million for 132 new projects under the LIFE programme for...
Afghanistan
Enough of the Durban depravity
This month marks the 20th anniversary of the so-called “World Conference Against Racism”, otherwise known as Durban I. The 2001 conference was to be...
Archive
Siemens Gamesa to double offshore blade facility in UK
Offshore wind industry major Siemens Gamesa said on August 9 it will expand its successful offshore blade factory in Hull, England by 41,600 square...
Analysis
If Europe is serious about fighting antisemitism, it must skip Durban 20
Countries are lining up to declare they will not attend the20th anniversary of the UN’s notorious 2001 World Conference Against Racism, held in Durban,...
Archive
MEPs slam EU food companies over caged confinement of animals abroad
In a strongly-worded letter released on May 15, members of the European Parliament called on food companies to end the caged confinement of animals in their global supply...
Afghanistan
In Afghanistan the Allies invested in the US’ security
After nearly twenty years of engagement in Afghanistan, the United States has now set in motion the process of pulling out all its forces...
Archive
Dutch Stone City Energy to build 1,560 MW thermal power plant in Uzbekistan
Dutch company Stone City Energy and Uzbekistan’s Energy Ministry signed in Tashkent on April 19 a Power Purchase Agreement and an Investment Agreement for...
Archive
EU medicine regulator finds possible link between AstraZeneca jab and blood clots
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it has found a possible link between the Coronavirus jab, developed by British-Swedish pharmaceutical AstraZeneca and the Oxford...
Archive
EU probes possible anticompetitive behaviour by power exchange EPEX Spot
The European Commission has opened a formal investigation to assess whether the power exchange EPEX Spot has been taking advantage of its dominant position...
Archive
Russia’s Gazprom, Shell ink 5-year ‘strategic’ deal
Gazprom and Royal Dutch Shell signed on March 16 an Agreement of Strategic Cooperation for a five-year period, the Russian gas giant said.The signing...
Archive
Turkey launches investigation into Dutch politician Wilders over Erdogan comments
Turkish prosecutors have launched an investigation into remarks by Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders about Recep Tayyip Erdogan, local media reported on Tuesday. The investigation...
Archive
Dutch govt appeals court order to scrap Coronavirus curfew
The Dutch government has appealed against a court ruling on Tuesday which ordered it to scrap a night curfew on the grounds that it...
Archive
Despite COVID, Europe invests €26 billion in offshore wind
Despite constraints due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Europe confirmed a record amount of €26.3 billion of investments in new offshore wind farms in 2020.According...
Archive
US takes charge on climate
The new US Administration of President Joe Biden plans to “mobilize in unprecedented ways” to fight the accelerating climate change problem, John Kerry, special...
Archive
Coronavirus curfew sparks protests across the Netherlands
Police and protesters clashed for the third consecutive day across the Netherlands after the government imposed a nationwide 9pm to 4.30 am curfew to...
Archive
Mass anti-lockdown protest in Amsterdam
Thousands held an unauthorised protest in Amsterdam on Sunday against a nationwide lockdown imposed to curb the spread of Coronavirus, set to remain in...
Archive
Dutch government could collapse over child benefits scandal
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his cabinet will decide on Friday whether to resign over his government's mismanagement of childcare benefits, after a...
Archive
Kosovo’s President Thaci heading to The Hague
Kosovo’s President Hashim Thaci, former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), announced his resignation on November 5 upon confirming that a tribunal in...
Archive
Polish fine against Gazprom over Nord Stream 2 unlikely to ever be paid
Poland anti-monopoly watchdog has fined Russian gas giant Gazprom $7.6 billion over the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which is unlikely to ever be...
Asia & Pacific
Could bad data be to blame for high coronavirus death toll
European countries saw some of the highest death told for coronavirus over the last month. Deaths in Italy have surpassed those in China many...
Archive
Shell exits Lake Charles LNG project in Louisiana
Royal Dutch Shell announced on March 30 the company will not proceed with an equity interest in the proposed Lake Charles LNG (liquified natural...
Archive
The Netherlands recalls defective masks from China
The Netherlands has ordered a recall of around 600,000 masks out of a shipment of 1.3 million from China, after an inspection showed they...
Archive
As the COVID-19 virus spreads, Shell acts to reinforce business resilience financial strength
As the COVID-19 virus spreads across the world - seriously impacting people’s health, their way of life and global markets, Royal Dutch Shell said...
Archive
MH17 trial resumes amid coronavirus restrictions
The MH17 trial resumed briefly at The Hague on March 23 amid coronavirus restrictions. The three Russians and one Ukrainian are charged with multiple...
Archive
New joint venture by AMG and Shell gets EU approval
The creation of a new joint venture called Shell & AMG Recycling, by AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group (AMG) and Shell Overseas Investments (SOI), all...
Archive
Dutch prosecutors claim Moscow is trying to thwart MH17 investigation
Dutch prosecutor Thijs Berger said Tuesday that there are “strong indications” Russia wants to undermine investigations in the MH17 case.
He explained that there was...
Archive
German police raid ABN Amro Bank over tax scandal
German law enforcement officials raided ABN Amro NV’s offices in Frankfurt for a second time in three months to probe the bank’s involvement in...
Archive
Global demand for LNG grows by 12.5% in 2019
Global demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) grew by 12.5% to 359 million tonnes in 2019, according to Shell’s latest annual LNG Outlook published...
Archive
Cyprus, Portugal among states rebuked by EU over delays in money-laundering reforms
Legal warnings have been sent to Cyprus, Portugal, the Netherlands, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain over delays in turning anti-money laundering rules into national laws, the...
Archive
The Netherlands refuses Moscow’s request to prosecute MH17 Russian suspects
The Dutch justice minister, Ferd Grapperhaus, said the Netherlands refused a request by Moscow to consider allowing Russia to prosecute three Russian nationals identified...
Archive
Acquisition of Eneco by Mitsubishi Corporation gets EU approval
The acquisition of Eneco Group of the Netherlands by Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) of Japan complies with EU merger regulation, the European Commission said on...
Archive
Europe installs 3.6 GW of new offshore wind capacity in 2019
Europe installed 3.6 GW of new offshore wind capacity in 2019, statistics released on 6 February by WindEurope showed. This is a new record...
Rest of World
Netherlands issues first apology for WWII persecution of Jews
Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte apologized for the first time on behalf of the government for the persecution of Jews during World War II.
"Since...
Energy
Kazakhstan invites Shell to invest in Caspian exploration
NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan – Kazakhstan’s Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources Minister Magzum Mirzagaliev met on 23 January with Shell Kazakhstan Country Chair Olivier Lazare and...
Archive
Cyprus, Noble Energy reach deal to expedite Aphrodite development
Cyprus’ government has reached a deal to revise the contract with US-based company Noble Energy and its joint venture partners, Israel’s Delek Group and...
Analysis
Name Dispute: Important issues progressing while public attention fades
While the Name Dispute between Greece and the newly-renamed Republic of North Macedonia has fallen out of the headlines, several notable developments occurred in...
Archive
Trump vs Nord Stream-2
At an early breakfast meeting with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels on July 11, US President Donald J. Trump launched an attack on the...
Archive
Nord Stream 2 gas project strives to fill EU’s import gap
DUSSELDORF – Ukraine can still be a transit gas country to Europe even after the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia to Germany is...
Archive
Dutch court backs Russia, nixes $50m YUKOS penalty
On 20 April, the District Court of The Hague allowed the challenge brought by Russia to the landmark 2014 arbitral award ordering Russia to...
Archive
Nord Stream 2: It’s the Ukraine gas transit, stupid
The leaders of Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic have reportedly signed a letter objecting to enlarging the Nord...