Foreign Affairs

The kidnapping of a young Amsterdam girl is expected to be a key topic of conversation when Bert Koenders, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, meets his Indian counterpart, Sushma Swaraj, in New Delhi. The two are scheduled to speak with each other on Tuesday at the end of Koenders’ four-day official visit, newswire ANP reported.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte expressed shock and sadness Monday night in response to the deaths of at least nine people in Germany caused by a truck plowing into a crowd of people. Many of the victims were taking part in that city's annual Christmas market at the Breitscheidplatz when the Poland-registered lorry barreled into the crowd, injuring about 50 people, according to German authorities.

At least 34 people were killed and another 230 injured in targeted attacks on Belgium Tuesday morning. Two bombs were detonated in a departures hall at the Zaventem airport there, causing 14 deaths and wounding 100. The others were killed or hurt when a bomb went off inside a subway car at the city’s Maalbeek metro stop near European Union offices and several media agencies.

Journalists that were invited to an event attended by Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Amsterdam have reported being denied access, with some claiming they were attacked by Rwandan security guards. The incident took place on Saturday at the RAI convention center, which was hosting a "Rwanda Day" celebration for nationals from that country living in Europe.

A 62-year-old Muslim woman from the Netherlands was killed in a stampede during the annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. Local authorities say that the incident took place on Thursday, and have reported at least 717 people dead with over 800 more injured.

Of the 750 Dutch citizens who were known to be in Nepal at the time of last month’s devastating earthquake, nearly two dozen are still missing, according to the Dutch government. Meanwhile, a Netherlands fundraising effort to assist the relief operation topped 8.5 million euros.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and Foreign Minister Bert Koenders will meet with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House during a three-day visit to the United States, the Netherlands Royal House announced on Tuesday. Following a stop in Washington D.C., the Dutch leaders will continue to Grand Rapids, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois.

The controversial imam gala event scheduled for March 8 in Rijswijk has been cancelled, the organizers announced on Friday.

Protesters who overtook part of the Tweede Kamer, the Dutch House of Representatives in Parliament, left quietly around 2 a.m. Tuesday morning after they were told a delegation of leaders would be allowed to meet with Members of Parliament. The demonstrators spontaneously arrived at the government building when it became clear that the Islamic State, ISIS, would likely take control of the Syrian city Kobani.

In the international fight against ISIS and the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and possibly also Syria, The Netherlands will contribute with the deployment of F-16's. According to sources in the Cabinet, Kurdish resistance forces will also get Dutch weapons, Trouw reports.

The new president of the European Committee, Jean-Claude Juncker, has completed his list of proposed new European commissioners. Minsiter of Foreign Affairs, Frans Timmermans, is on the list representing the Netherlands, the European Union said today.