News Blog Netherlands July 22 2025

Amsterdam Stock Exchange 18:00 (CEST): AEX 901.19 (-0.80% to the previous day)

Journalist Derk Sauer seriously injured in sailboat accident

(NETHERLANDS) Journalist and media entrepreneur Derk Sauer has been seriously injured in an accident on his sailboat. This was reported by Het Parool, for which he writes a weekly column.
"Derk and his wife Ellen had an accident on their sailboat three weeks ago. Derk seriously injured his back," Het Parool's website states. "He is currently recovering and will be away for an extended period. We wish Derk and his family much strength during this difficult time."

The 72-year-old Sauer is also the founder of The Moscow Times, which he founded in Russia in 1992 as an English-language newspaper. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a large part of the editorial staff fled the country, fearing persecution and censorship. Since then, the editorial staff has been working remotely in Amsterdam.
Last year, The Moscow Times was designated an "undesirable organization" by Russia and blacklisted. As a result, Russian citizens are prohibited from working for the digital newspaper.
Derk Sauer is the father of Pjotr Sauer, who is also a journalist and writes about Russia for the British newspaper The Guardian, among other places.
(Source: NOS.nl)

Sports News: Van der Poel abandons Tour de France due to pneumonia

(NETHERLANDS / FRANCE) Mathieu van der Poel did not ride his bike today in the Tour de France for the sixteenth stage to Mont Ventoux.

The cyclist is suffering from pneumonia. "He had a cold for a few days," said Philip Roodhooft, team manager of the Alpecin-Deceuninck cycling team. "But yesterday it got worse and he also developed a fever. The final verdict was pneumonia."
The rider was taken to the hospital in Narbonne. "Mainly to be on the safe side. He was getting sicker and sicker. Obviously, we didn't want to take any risks."
Van der Poel was enjoying an impressive Tour de France, winning stage two and four days in the yellow jersey. He also repeatedly added to the early breakaway.
Last Sunday, Van der Poel said he wasn't feeling well due to a cold. He also suffered from a bee sting near his eye. "I feel like my body is having a hard time processing that," he said. Despite this, Van der Poel was still in the leading group that day and won the intermediate sprint.
This put him in third place in the points classification with 210 points, and the green jersey, currently held by Italian sprinter Jonathan Milan, was on the horizon with 251 points.
(Source: NOS.nl)

Plan for Eurovision Song Contest attack in Rotterdam, 'justice knew nothing'

(NETHERLANDS / LUXEMBOURG) In early 2020, Luxembourg security services discovered plans for a terrorist attack on the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam. The festival's main producer and the Dutch authorities were unaware of the plan, according to Het Parool.

This month, the suspect, Swedish national Alexander H., was sentenced to twelve years in prison in Luxembourg, not only for planning the attack but also for inciting hatred and membership in a terrorist organization. The verdict will be delivered in November.
H. was arrested on February 22, 2020, at his home in Strassen, Luxembourg. Investigators found a document on the then 18-year-old's laptop containing detailed plans for an attack, written by H. and a Dutch accomplice, according to Luxembourg media. They have not provided any further information about this Dutchman.
The document contained plans to poison Eurovision Song Contest visitors in Rotterdam with cyanide or ricin. According to the document, H. also intended to cause panic with chlorine, spread gas through ventilation systems, and make explosives.
The Eurovision Song Contest was ultimately canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. A year later, the event took place in Rotterdam.
Preparations for the production of chlorine and explosives were found in H.'s house. H. also wrote that he wanted to infiltrate security companies in Rotterdam and block emergency exits.
The Dutch Public Prosecution Service told Het Parool that it knew nothing about the case. This is also "new information" for the festival's main producer, Sietse Bakker. A spokesperson for the municipality of Rotterdam told NOS that the municipality had not been informed about the case.
The NPO (Netherlands Public Broadcasting) and broadcaster AVROTROS are shocked by the news, a joint spokesperson told the ANP news agency. "We only became aware of this case since recent media reports. We were unaware of this threat at the time. We are awaiting the further legal proceedings."
UPDATE: The Public Prosecution Service received information about a Dutchman who chatted about the Eurovision Song Contest attack after all
The Dutch Public Prosecution Service appears to have received a tip about a Dutchman who chatted with a Swede about his plans for a terrorist attack on the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam in 2020.
After an investigation, the authorities ultimately declined to prosecute the man, a spokesperson for the Central Netherlands Public Prosecution Service told the NOS. The then-underage Dutchman "had no malicious intent," according to the Public Prosecution Service.
(Source: NOS.nl)