The Netherlands has been shaken by political turmoil over revelations that Dutch government members knew about Ukraine’s involvement in blowing up Nord Stream pipelines transporting Russian natural gas to Europe, even before it happened. Information about the planned sabotage in September 2022 was shared by the Dutch secret service with the United States, officials say, which raised questions about former Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who is due to become the secretary general of the NATO military alliance.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday that Ukraine had not informed Berlin about its August 6 shock incursion into Russia, and he defended his government’s decision to reduce military support for Kyiv by billions of euros.

A U.S. government-requested study has concluded that the U.S. army is not ready to respond to tactical nuclear weapons strikes by Communist-ruled China if war breaks out.

Azerbaijan has applied to join the BRICS bloc of developing economies despite the European Union vying for attention from the oil—and natural gas-rich South Caucasus nation.

Anxiety remained Wednesday after Taiwan conducted live-fire missile drills in response to growing military pressure from Communist-ruled China.

Ukraine says it wants peace talks to end Russia’s incursion, but not directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kyiv seeks an agreement similar to the Black Sea grain deal between the two nations, which allowed Ukraine, a key bread basket, to transport grain to the rest of the world again.

As the Democratic National Convention began, the United States said Monday that Iran was responsible for hacking into former President Donald J. Trump’s campaign and trying to breach the Biden-Harris campaign.

Christians in Indonesia have appealed for prayers amid fresh concerns about a once-in-a-century earthquake in the country and Japan.

Indonesia observed 79 years of independence from Dutch rule over the weekend with a ceremony in its unfinished future capital, Nusantara, but in the Netherlands, there were mixed feelings.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held separate phone conversations last week with his counterparts in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey about the multiple crises ongoing in the Middle East, the Media Line reports.