Mark Rutte

As of today, governments across Europe are rushing to step up their defenses against a possible new coronavirus outbreak after South Africa announced the discovery of a new strain of Covid-19 that scientists fear could thwart the pandemic effort.

Germans were warned on Nov. 22 they would be "vaccinated, cured or dead" from COVID-19 by the end of winter, as Europe battles an upsurge in the pandemic that prompted a U.S. travel advisory.

Belgium and the Netherlands are still reeling from clashes that rocked weekend protests against new anti-COVID measures.

Tens of thousands took to the streets in cities across Europe and Australia on Nov. 20 as anger mounted over fresh COVID restrictions imposed against a resurgent pandemic.

And Dutch police faced a second night of rioting - this time in The Hague - after the previous night's violence in the port city of Rotterdam.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to open the Turkish border for refugees and migrants to flock to Greece during a joint news conference in Ankara today with visiting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte is one of the longest-serving leaders in Europe, and his experience and clear look contribute to discussions of the bilateral and European agendas, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Tuesday after their meeting in Athens.

By George Gilson

Α joint news conference with visiting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis today became explosive when a Dutch journalist unleashed an ad hominem attack on the Greek PM over charges that Greece engages in push-backs of refugees and migrants coming to Greece from the coasts of Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his U.S. counterpart will meet on Oct. 31 on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rome, a senior U.S. official said.

The NATO allies had been expected to hold a bilateral at the U.N. summit climate in Glasgow next week, but a senior U.S. administration official briefed reporters on Oct. 30 that it would take place Sunday morning.

A Holocaust memorial inscribed with the names of more than 102,000 Dutch Jews killed during World War II was inaugurated in Amsterdam over the weekend.

The Netherlands will require proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a recent negative coronavirus test for entry to bars, restaurants, museums, theatres and other cultural events from Sept. 25, as almost all social distancing measures are dropped.

The Dutch government has reintroduced some measures to contain Covid-19 after a spike in new cases, particularly among young people. PM Mark Rutte said that bars, cafes and restaurants will have to close at midnight again as of this weekend and for much of the summer, while dancing clubs will have to close at all.