Copenhagen - Dutch authorities on Tuesday took custody of five suspected pirates held since early January on a Danish navy vessel that averted an attempted piracy attack off the Somalian coast, a Danish navy spokesman said.
The handover took place in Bahrain. The five men were likely to be taken to the Netherlands to face possible charges, the spokesman said.
The Absalon has been deployed in the waters off Somalia since early September, patrolling international shipping lanes in the region.
Dan B Termansen, commanding officer on the Absalon, issued a statement saying the vessel was heading back for the Gulf of Aden to resume patrols.
Rotterdam, Netherlands - Rafael Nadal got back to work on court eight days after his historic Australian Open title, adjusting to indoor conditions during a doubles loss on Monday at the ABN-AMRO World Tennis.
The Spanish world number one teamed with fellow Mallorcan Ignacio Coll-Ruidavets but the wild card pair lost to experienced Frenchman Michael Llodra - last year's singles champion - and compatriot Arnaud Clement 6-3, 6-4.
Amsterdam - Male victims of domestic abuse in the Netherlands can seek refuge in special shelters such as that due to open Tuesday in The Hague by Deputy Health Minister Jet Bussemaker.
The four biggest cities - Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht - each received 200,000 euros (255,920 dollars) to provide safe havens for abused men, the ministry said Monday.
Each city should provide 10 shelters. Half the total of 40 abused men's homes will be secret shelters.
Amsterdam - A Dutch national has died of Creutzfeld-Jacob disease, or mad cow disease, the Dutch Royal Institute for Health and the Environment RIVM said in a statement released on Monday.
The patient died in early January.
Post-mortem investigations performed by the Utrecht Medical Center, the teaching hospital affiliated with Utrecht University, and the Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease expertise centre in Rotterdam, confirmed the patient died from Creutzfeldt-Jakob.
Amsterdam - Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende on Monday announced the establishment of an "independent committee" to investigate the previous government's "political support" for the US- led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
In recent weeks opposition has mounted from opposition parties and within the government to openly question the then-government's decision making process in the weeks leading to the Iraq war.
The Dutch government did not provide military support in 2003 but did make a statement of "political support" for the Iraq war.
Rotterdam, Netherlands - Rafael Nadal got back to work on court eight days after his historic Australian Open title, adjusting to indoor conditions during a doubles loss on Monday at the ABN-AMRO World Tennis.
Amsterdam - Male victims of domestic abuse in the Netherlands can seek refuge in special shelters such as that due to open Tuesday in The Hague by Deputy Health Minister Jet Bussemaker.
Amsterdam - Several dozen Aja
Amsterdam - A Dutch national has died of Creutzfeld-Jacob disease, or mad cow disease, the Dutch Royal Institute for Health and the Environment RIVM said in a statement released on Monday.
