Dutch

KNVB invites associations and confederations to a summit to discuss the overhaul of FIFA and how it runs football.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino must be replaced by 2027, along with an overhaul of football’s global governing body, the Dutch football association (KNVB) has said.

The KNVB, one of FIFA’s ⁠⁠founding members in 1904, issued a scathing statement on Sunday, saying it had lost confidence in Infantino and wanted to reshape the body rather than just change leadership at the top.

The Dutch body wants to host ⁠⁠an international summit in Amsterdam and has invited football associations and confederations from around the world to participate.

Infantino is expected to run for re-election to the FIFA presidency in March, but world regional football bodies have considered a vote of ‌‌no confidence after his aborted proposal to sell a stake in FIFA events like the World Cup to private equity investors.

“The KNVB no longer has confidence in the leadership of FIFA President Gianni Infantino. We believe FIFA needs new leadership from 2027 onwards,” it said in the statement.

“But a new president alone is not enough. The way FIFA is governed must change as well.

“The KNVB supported Infantino in the most recent presidential election. That support was never ⁠⁠unconditional.”

The KNVB proposed an “International Summit on the Future of FIFA”, ⁠⁠emphasising it should determine “what kind of FIFA we want” before identifying new leadership.

“We see too much power concentrated around the FIFA president and insufficient separation between the President and the FIFA administration,” they added.

FIFA did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for a comment on KNVB’s statement and proposed plans for a summit.

Calls to revamp FIFA’s power structure

Among KNVB’s key demands was a revamp of the decision-making process in the organisation. It called for FIFA’s congress to take the call on key decisions under the governance and supervision of its council.

It proposed a shift of power, whereby the organisation’s secretary-general leads and the president plays the role of representing FIFA globally.

The Dutch body outlined three reform priorities: better governance with stronger checks and balances, putting human rights and sustainability at the heart of ⁠⁠decision-making and stronger international cooperation.

It also wants FIFA to work towards ⁠⁠reinvesting up to 90 percent of its distributable revenue in football development.

Infantino said last week it was FIFA’s job to close the gap between its wealthy members and those that have few financial resources.

“This should not be a European plan for the ‌‌rest of the world,” the KNVB said.

“We want to develop this new direction together with FIFA’s 211 Member Associations and the confederations from all parts of the world.”

The KNVB is part of ‌‌UEFA, ‌‌which asked a United States federal court for permission to obtain testimony and documents from FIFA entities in Florida for use in a planned criminal complaint in Switzerland against Infantino.

Dutch group Christians for Israel is taking the government to court in the Netherlands over its plans to introduce a ban on importing goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and Golan Heights.

The ban, which was announced in July, is due to take effect on September 22 and will run for three years. It bars importing, buying and selling goods produced in Israeli settlements, as well as intermediary services and any attempt to circumvent the rules.

But the Israel Product Centre (IPC), part of Christians for Israel (CvI), a Dutch evangelical organisation which a recent study found has donated about $300,000 to illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, has responded by filing summary proceedings against the state, with the hearing due today.

Here’s what we know about this case.

What is the case about?

The IPC has issued summary proceedings against the Dutch state, seeking to block the July decree.

The IPC argues the measure is “one-sided” and that the window it now has to clear its existing stock – some 20,000 bottles of wine – is too short.

It is also arguing that a national ban conflicts with the European Union’s principle of free movement of goods.

A verdict is not expected for about two weeks.

How has this case come about?

EU rules have long required goods from illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank to be labelled by their origin – Palestine – rather than as “product of Israel”, but the bloc has not placed an outright ban on trading with Israeli settlements. That remains up to individual countries.

In February 2020, the Dutch advocacy group DocP urged consumers to file complaints with the Dutch food safety authority, NVWA, if they found wine and Dead Sea cosmetics had been mislabelled.

Following complaints, the IPC changed its labelling to “product uit een Israelisch dorp in Judea & Samaria [product from an Israeli village in Judea and Samaria],” which it argued accurately reflected the exact geographical and administrative reality of the origins of the products without deceiving the buyer. Judea and Samaria is the biblical name used by the Israeli government to refer to the West Bank. DocP argued this fell short of the requirement to label products correctly, and continued its campaign.

In 2021, the NVWA agreed and fined the IPC 2,100 euros (about $2,500) for mislabelling goods.

Then, in July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion that Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and must end “as rapidly as possible”.

This shifted the legal argument beyond mere consumer labelling, with the court saying countries should take steps to prevent trade or investment relations which help to maintain the unlawful presence of Israeli settlers in the Palestinian territories.

The lower house of the Dutch parliament acted on that in September 2025, proposing an import ban.

The national decree against importing goods from Israeli settlements was made in July this year.

Does Christians for Israel describe the West Bank as ‘Israel’?

CvI describes the West Bank as a “disputed territory” rather than accepting the international legal description of it as “occupied Palestinian territory”.

It says it believes that Israel has strong claims to sovereignty there and that Jews have a right to live there.

The vocabulary matters in a legal sense, as “disputed territory” is not the same as “annexed territory”, therefore, the legal apparatus which would make settlement trade unlawful doesn’t straightforwardly apply.

The group’s stated reasons for funding projects there, it says on its website, are rooted in the Bible; it cites Ezekiel 47:21-23: “Peace for the Jewish people and resident foreigners inheriting alongside the tribes of Israel.”

However, the ICJ’s July 2024 advisory opinion is clear that the Fourth Geneva Convention’s Article 49(6) and successive Security Council resolutions treat the territories as occupied and the settlements as unlawful.

How have other Christian organisations in the West responded to trade with settlements?

Western churches are split on the issue, with CvI sitting at one end of the spectrum.

Mainline Protestants, including the Presbyterian Church in the United States, have divested shareholdings in Caterpillar, HP and Motorola Solutions as early as 2014, and from Israeli bonds in 2024. The United Methodist Church has opposed Israeli settlements since 1996 and sold its Israeli bond holdings last August.

The World Council of Churches called for sanctions against illegal Israeli settlements in 2025, divestment and an arms embargo.

The Vatican calls settlements an obstacle to peace but has avoided divestment so far.

Christian Zionist bodies, however, including Christians United for Israel (CUFI) and the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, send funding for settlements and fight against boycotts.

How significant is this ban?

It is significant considering that the Netherlands is one of only four EU countries currently imposing a ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements.

Trade from illegal settlements to the EU is estimated to be worth up to $400m per year.

The Netherlands is also a big market for the illegal settlements; a recent investigation by legal advocacy group Global Echo, which analysed thousands of shipments from Israeli settlements between 2017 and 2026, shows that within the EU, the Dutch market is the largest importer of goods from illegal settlements, with about 30 percent destined for or passing through the country.

Which European countries have banned products from West Bank settlements?

Spain has banned all imports of products from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, since September 2025. The decree also enforces an embargo on defence exports and dual-use technology to Israel, bans ships carrying military fuel for Israel from Spanish ports, and restricts advertising for services or goods linked to Israeli settlements.

Ireland’s parliament approved the text of its Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill in May and the bill was signed into law in July. It covers all goods produced in Israeli settlements, but excludes services.

Belgium’s federal government approved a draft royal decree in July introducing a specific regime for goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The precise details of the new law will be determined by the government in due course.

Slovenia imposed restrictions on imports from Israeli settlements under its previous government, but the new conservative government reversed them in June 2026.

The EU as a bloc remains deadlocked over whether a ban counts as foreign policy requiring unanimity or trade policy needing only a qualified majority, with ministers not meeting again in a decision-making format until October.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar last year described the push by some European governments to implement the ICJ advisory opinion as “shameful”.

Which European countries still allow trade with West Bank settlements?

Nearly all of them.

Outside the three European Union states which still have bans in place, settlement goods can be sold legally everywhere, including in most of the EU.

At a July 2026 meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, which addressed trade from Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories, Germany, Austria, Czechia and Hungary were opposed to an EU-wide ban.

Beyond the EU, the United Kingdom does not forbid trade with illegal Israeli settlements, although new Prime Minister Andy Burnham is reportedly considering a ban. In a recent parliamentary briefing, Amnesty International called on the UK government to implement a ban.

It said: “The argument for a UK ban on trade with settlements is clear. The UK government itself accepts it should take stronger action in response to settlement expansion and annexation. The International Court of Justice has directed states not to trade with Israel in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory; and there is precedent in UK law and policy to not trade with illegally occupied lands, ie Crimea and other illegally occupied parts of Ukraine.”

AVROTROS says escalating international conflicts are undermining the event’s neutrality and fuelling divisions.

The public broadcaster in the Netherlands has announced it will not participate in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest because the event can “no longer be considered neutral” due to ongoing divisions over the war in Gaza.

“It is undeniable that international conflicts are increasingly affecting the Contest, undermining its neutral character. The Eurovision Song Contest has therefore become a platform for division,” said Taco Zimmerman, Director-General of AVROTROS, in a statement on Monday.

The widely-watched show has recently faced a series of boycotts over Israel’s participation. Organisers announced earlier this month that they would exclude any country involved in an armed conflict from hosting the competition.

“However, the recently announced changes… do not provide sufficient confidence that the independent and neutral character of the Eurovision Song Contest has been restored,” the AVROTROS statement added.

Israel finished second in the competition – the world’s largest live televised music event – in both 2025 and 2026.

Next year’s Eurovision is due to be held in Bulgaria’s Black Sea city of Burgas, after Bulgarian singer Darina Yotova, known as Dara, won this year’s contest in Vienna, Austria, with her catchy floor-filler ‘Bangaranga’. The contest on May 15 will be the first time the Balkan nation has hosted.

Since its launch in 1955, Eurovision has become the ultimate pop platform, catapulting Swedish icons ABBA to worldwide fame, while also boosting the careers of artists such as Celine Dion, Cliff Richard and Olivia Newton-John.

However, this year’s competition pulled in 131 million viewers, 35 million fewer than last year, after five countries boycotted over Israel’s participation. The Netherlands, Iceland, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia all pulled out, with the latter three refusing to broadcast the show at all.

Netherlands international Memphis Depay has defended the release of his new music video showing Corinthians’ headquarters in flames as “just art” – days after a contract row with the Brazilian club.

The former Manchester United forward agreed to take a “significant” pay cut to stay at Corinthians on Tuesday.

It came a week after the club opted against renewing his contract.

But Depay has now come under scrutiny for releasing the controversial music video for his track ‘Don’t Panic’.

It was released just 24 hours after the 32-year-old helped Corinthians reach the quarter-final of the Copa Libertadores, and appears to contain references to his recent disputes with the club, showing him watching their administrative center Parque Sao Jorge in flames.

In the song, Depay does not name who he is referring to, but mentions “rivals” and sings: “I know a vice-president who is now my enemy.”

Corinthians fans are currently protesting against the club’s ownership amid growing financial and governance issues and Depay moved to dampen any potential backlash against the video before further protests, external by saying it was filmed “months ago”.

“I hope its a peaceful protest where people can express what they think calmly. About my music, I insist it’s just art,” he said on social media, external.

Referencing to the club’s headquarters’ being in flames, the Dutchman added he was “fully against any type of violence of all kind”.

THE identity of Safiyya Vorajee’s boyfriend has been unmasked.

The ex of Ashley Cain revealed she was in a new relationship earlier today on Instagram but did not give away the identity of the mystery man.

But now, he has been uncovered to be a popular Dutch social media influencer..

Virgil Sint Jago appears to have won the heart of Safiyya who has publicly remained single since her split from Ashley and the tragic passing of their daughter, Azaliya.

Safiyya is understood to have met Virgil in Bali on holiday and is now in the throes of a new romance with him.

As well as being an influencer and online creator, Virgil is also a personal trainer and specialises in helping older women lose weight.

holiday romance

Ashley Cain’s ex hard launches new man 5 years after daughter’s death

‘DITCH HIM’

Why Safiyya Vorajee’s pals are BEGGING her to leave shamed Ashley Cain for good

His social media is littered with plenty of shirtless pics as well as being packed full of his impressive fitness content.

Glam Safiyya first began to hint at the romance a few weeks ago before sharing a cosy selfie with Virgil earlier today.

The 38-year-old took to social media to share a sweet tribute to her new romance alongside a snap of them together. 

Safiyya wrote: “Happy the universe changed my direction from Thailand to Bali.

“In a world that’s so big we met exactly where we were meant to feel so happy.

“God always gets the timing right. Trust in him always. The most magical connection when you feel it in your soul.”

Safiyya also opened up about her trip to Bali and told followers she’s entering a new chapter of her life.

She said: “There’s something so magical here that has healed parts of my soul I didn’t even realise were still hurting.

“I’ve grown so much. My nervous system has finally experienced what real calm feels like. I’ve let my guard down, allowed myself to be vulnerable, and in doing that, I’ve found friendships and connections that have changed me forever.”

Safiyya and ex-boyfriend Ashley Cain were left devastated in 2021 when Azaylia died at eight-months-old following a battle with leukaemia.

It comes weeks after Ashley, who is also dad so sons Alyias, two, and Atlas, one, from different relationships, was dropped by the BBC over historic social media posts which allegedly showed him making degrading comments about women.

The Ex on the Beach star’s Twitter posts made in 2011 and 2013 are said to have referenced extreme sex acts and appeared to make light of consent.

He reportedly used offensive, sexualised and aggressive language about women.

Russian military bloggers have published what appears to be the first imagery showing the remains of a Ukrainian-operated Ruta Block 1 low-cost cruise missile following an operational strike. The weapon is another addition to an increasingly diverse arsenal that can hold targets even deep inside Russia at risk.

Photos that began circulating on Russian Telegram channels show wreckage consistent with the Dutch-produced Ruta Block 1. While the exact location and target of the strike remain unclear, the images represent the first publicly available evidence that the new long-range weapon has entered combat use.

The recovered debris includes fuselage sections, internal components, and part of the missile’s tailfin assembly. Although the imagery has not been independently verified, the remains appear consistent with the known design characteristics of the Ruta Block 1. The possibility cannot be ruled out entirely that the wreckage represents a previously undisclosed Ukrainian cruise missile design with broadly similar characteristics. Russian military bloggers claimed air defenses intercepted the missile, though that cannot currently be independently verified.

Footage purportedly showing a Ruta Block 1 missile flying toward its target has also appeared.

The Ruta Block 1 is a product of the Netherlands-based Destinus company, founded by the Russian exile Mikhail Kokorich. Earlier reporting indicated that the Block 1 was already being manufactured in the Netherlands and had been delivered to Ukraine since at least 2024.

A lot of people would be very surprised to learn how many of these Ukraine has received since at least 2025.

Also, whether or not you think it was the right call, the Dutch government has been extremely effective at keeping deliveries of these missiles, and especially their… https://t.co/3PESUlzE7U

— Fabian Hoffmann (@FRHoffmann1) July 23, 2026

Last month, then-Ukrainian Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov announced that the Netherlands was paying for approximately 700 cruise missiles for Ukraine — almost certainly referring to the Ruta Block 1 — as part of a wider package worth more than $500 million.

According to the manufacturer, the Ruta Block 1 has a range of more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) and carries a payload of 150 kilograms (330 pounds).

The missile is ground-launched via a booster, then flies to its target at low altitude, using a combination of inertial, satellite, and visual navigation systems, providing resilience also in GPS-contested environments. The weapon is intended to strike high-value fixed targets and features pre-programmed terminal guidance.​

Unlike larger and more expensive cruise missiles, Ruta has been presented as a mass-producible weapon optimized for deep strikes against military infrastructure. The missile is designed around affordability and production scale, enabling Ukraine to conduct sustained long-range precision attacks while reducing reliance on scarce, more exquisite Western-supplied weapons. The Block 1 also comes with the major advantage that its turbojet engine is also manufactured by Destinus, so the company doesn’t rely on the United States for this part.

Engine No. 1000: Destinus reaches industrial-scale turbojet production in Europe

Ukraine has generally remained silent regarding operational use of many of its newest indigenous strike systems until well after they have entered service. Confirmation of the introduction of other long-range weapons often came first from Russian photographs of intercepted missiles or strike aftermath before official acknowledgment from Kyiv.

For Ukraine, the Ruta Block 1 forms part of a broader effort to diversify its expanding arsenal of deep-strike capabilities, alongside long-range drones, indigenous cruise missiles, as well as missile-drone hybrids. As production ramps up, these systems are playing an increasingly important role in sustained attacks against Russian energy infrastructure, as well as command centers, logistics hubs, airbases, ammunition depots, and defense-industrial facilities far behind the front lines. Ukraine is currently ramping up its long-range strikes on all fronts and doing major damage.

Destinus is also working on additional members of the Ruta family.

Earlier this year, the company presented the Ruta Block 2, which increases the missile’s range to over 800 kilometers (around 500 miles) and boosts its payload capacity to 250 kilograms (550 pounds).

Ruta B2 Flight Test | European Canister-Compatible Cruise Missile | Destinus

Meanwhile, the Ruta Block 3 will have a range of 2,000 kilometers (around 1,200 miles) with a 550-kilogram payload. Block 3 is expected to enter flight testing in 2027 and is also suitable for air launch.

As well as bolstering the Ukrainian arsenal, the Ruta Block 3 has relevance for European nations looking to build up their long-range conventional strike capabilities.

Ruta B3 and the Future of European Deep Strike

Russia’s extensive use of ground-launched missiles in Ukraine, along with its deployment of long-range weapons in Kaliningrad, has highlighted the deficiencies in Europe’s deep-strike capabilities as NATO seeks to strengthen conventional deterrence against Moscow. The Block 3 could be part of the answer to emerging requirements, including the European Long-Range Strike Approach (ELSA), which involves France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and which seeks to bring new systems into service in the 2030s.

Destinus is also working to expand its production capacity, including through a joint venture with Rheinmetall that will make use of that company’s manufacturing facilities in Germany.

Overall, the Ruta series is part of a wider trend toward lower-cost, highly producible cruise missiles, something also evidenced in the United States. Examples of these include CoAspire’s Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile-Extended Range (RAACM-ER), which you can read more about here, and the Family of Affordable Mass Missiles-Beyond Adversary’s Reach (FAMM-BAR) effort, which is seeking lower-cost designs with maximum ranges of 1,000 nautical miles or more.

Whether this particular missile reached its intended target or was intercepted remains unknown. What is clear, however, is that we have the strongest evidence to date that the Ruta Block 1 has transitioned from an announced development program into an operational weapon being employed against Russian targets.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

Dutch football referee Rob Dieperink has died weeks after he was dropped from officiating at the World Cup following a police investigation in the UK.

Dieperink had been selected to be a video assistant referee (VAR) official at this summer’s tournament, but was removed from Fifa’s list of World Cup officials in May.

The 38-year-old was arrested by the Metropolitan Police in April following a report of a sexual assault against a teenage boy, but the case was dropped because of a lack of evidence.

The Netherlands’ football association, the KNVB, said they were “shocked and deeply saddened” by Dieperink’s death.

His cause of death has not been disclosed.

“With Rob, we lose a highly valued referee, but above all a kind and dedicated colleague,” the KNVB said in a statement.

“Our thoughts go out to his family, friends, and everyone who held him dear. We wish them much strength and support in processing this great loss.”

Fifa, football’s global governing body, said it learned of the news with “great sadness”.

“On behalf of the entire football community, we extend our sincerest condolences to his family and friends and the Dutch Football Association. May he rest in peace,” it said.

Dieperink had refereed in the Eredivisie since 2017 and was a VAR official at Euro 2024.

After he was dropped from the World Cup, Dieperink said he had been “wrongly accused” in an interview with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, external.

“It saddens me greatly that I have been wrongly accused,” he said.

“From the beginning, I have fully cooperated in the police investigation and also immediately gave full openness to Fifa, Uefa and the KNVB.

“I am grateful for the support I have received from the KNVB and the way in which they have dealt with this case. It is a pity that Fifa has decided not to appoint me for the World Cup any more, of course I am disappointed about that.”

Dieperink was the VAR for Crystal Palace’s 3-0 Europa Conference League quarter-final first-leg win over Fiorentina on 9 April.

A Metropolitan Police statement said: “On Thursday, 9 April, officers responded to a report of a sexual assault against a teenage boy, which occurred at an address on Wellesley Road, Croydon.

“A man in his 30s was subsequently arrested on suspicion of sexual assault.

“Officers completed a thorough investigation and reviewed all available evidence, including gathering CCTV and examining digital devices.

“Following these enquiries, they concluded that the evidential threshold had not been met. No further action will be taken.”

The United Kingdom and the Netherlands will jointly develop a new fleet of amphibious transport ships under a maritime partnership announced by the British government. Each country will operate four vessels, strengthening NATO’s amphibious capabilities and improving the alliance’s ability to respond rapidly to crises.

“Combining the U.K.’s industrial expertise with the Netherlands’ design and seafaring experience to deliver ‌first-rate platforms for our elite amphibious forces, this partnership will strengthen ⁠NATO,” U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement issued while he attended the NATO Summit in Turkey.

The new landing platform docks (LPD) will be based on a Dutch design and will be built in U.K. shipyards “alongside Dutch industry,” as part of a deal worth £2.4 billion ($3.2 billion), covering the four ships for the U.K. Royal Navy and four for the Royal Netherlands Navy. These are expected to enter service from the early 2030s.

What the United Kingdom refers to as the Amphibious Transport Ship Program supersedes the previous Multi-Role Strike Ship (MRSS) program, which was judged “too complex” and not reflective of the future U.K. Commando Forces.

The arrangement has some parallels with the recently announced program to build five Type 26 frigates for Norway, with the warships coming out of British shipyards.

Although the final design has not been confirmed, Dutch shipbuilder Damen is widely expected to provide the design basis, likely drawing from its Enforcer amphibious ship family.

The U.K. government says the vessels will be 525 feet (160 meters) long and will have a displacement of 15,000 tonnes. Damen offers a total of seven different Enforcer designs, ranging in displacement from 9,000 tonnes to 17,000 tonnes. It is unconfirmed if the vessels will be of the conventional LPD-type layout, as seen at the top of this article, or if they will be of the through-deck type, providing a longer flight deck for helicopter and drone operations.

As well as transporting troops, vehicles, and equipment, the vessels will have flight decks designed to operate current and future long-range drones and autonomous systems. This is in line with the U.K. Royal Navy’s shift to what it describes as a ‘hybrid navy.’

For construction, it appears that the program will rely upon the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Navantia UK, the owner of Harland & Wolff, shared the following statement:

“Amphibious transport ships will be a vital component of Britain’s sovereign naval defense capability going forward. As outlined in the Defense Investment Plan, they will enable troops to be deployed around the world and are a necessary replacement for the Albion class assault ships.”

After the United Kingdom officially decommissioned HMS Ocean in 2018 and sold it to Brazil, the Royal Marines had to rely on the Royal Navy’s two Albion class LPDs. However, in 2024, the U.K. Ministry of Defense announced that both Albion and Bulwark would be withdrawn from service the following year.

Since then, the Royal Marines have made use of the three Bay class landing ship docks. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), a civilian mariner service akin to the U.S. Military Sealift Command, operates these ships, which have more limited capabilities than the LPDs.

At one point, the British were planning to procure up to six Multi-Role Strike Ships (MRSS) to replace the two Albion class, three Bay class, and the single RFA Argus. Budget pressures reduced those ambitions. While the Royal Navy will now get four new assault ships, they will form something like a joint force with the same number of Dutch vessels.

As for the Royal Netherlands Navy, it currently operates two Rotterdam class LPDs and a single Karel Doorman class multifunction support ship, also outfitted for amphibious operations. The new LPDs are expected to replace the Rotterdam class.

Significant is the fact that the eight new LPDs are involved, representing a considerable boost for the amphibious forces of both navies.

These services already operate closely together under the U.K.-Netherlands Amphibious Force, which dates back to the Cold War.

“This partnership is not just about building ships; it is also about delivering long-term security for both the U.K. and the Netherlands, ensuring we are able to stay ahead of the threats of tomorrow,” Prime Minister Starmer said.

U.K. Defense Secretary Dan Jarvis added: “We are building an even stronger amphibious force with the Netherlands, strengthening our defense and deterrence as close NATO allies and JEF [Joint Expeditionary Force] partners.”

The commonality of LPDs will also see the Royal Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy increasingly train, deploy, and operate together, the U.K. government has confirmed.

The drone aspect is also important, with the new LPDs being viewed as a way of accelerating industrial and military cooperation on autonomous and uncrewed technology.

While the kinds of drones that will go aboard the vessels have not been disclosed and are probably still a work in progress, it’s clear that the LPDs fit in with the United Kingdom’s vision for future warfare. The recently published Defense Investment Plan provides a budget of more than £5 billion ($6.6 billion) over four years just for drones and related capabilities, as you can read about here.

There is also further scope for cooperation here, with the U.K. government confirming that there are plans for future drone and uncrewed technology to be developed between the two nations.

The partnership also has significant implications for security in the North Atlantic and High North, regions that have become increasingly strategic as NATO bolsters its northern defenses in the face of increasing tensions with Russia.

Alongside other NATO and JEF allies, the new LPDs will be expected to work together to protect critical undersea infrastructure and strengthen deterrence against emerging threats in these waters.

The new amphibious transport ships represent a major reset of Britain’s amphibious capability after years of uncertainty and force reductions. Operating alongside Dutch vessels, autonomous systems, and NATO partners, they are expected to become central elements of the Royal Navy’s future expeditionary and hybrid warfare model.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

Cody Gakpo and Brian Brobbey both scored twice as the rampant Netherlands thrashed Sweden 5-1 in a World Cup warning to the favourites.

The big win on Saturday in front of nearly 69,000 at Houston Stadium put the delighted Dutch on the cusp of the knockout rounds and gave them lift-off after being held by Japan.

Ronald Koeman’s side top Group F with four points from two games, ahead of Sweden on three, Japan (one) and Tunisia (zero).

Despite the sobering loss, the Swedes had plenty of chances but were denied by good goalkeeping and wasteful finishing.

Sunderland striker Brobbey got his first start of the tournament and repaid Koeman with predatory goals after five and 17 minutes.

Before that, the 24-year-old had scored only once for his country since making his debut three years ago.

In a game full of top Premier League talent, Liverpool’s Gakpo – who set Brobbey up for the opener – scored twice early in the second half.

Substitute Anthony Elanga from Newcastle United pulled one back for Sweden just before the hour with a classy finish.

West Ham’s Crysencio Summerville had the last word for the five-star Dutch.

Two crew members from the historic Artemis II lunar mission were among the VIP guests, a nod to Houston’s place as the home of space flight.

There was no problem here as the Dutch, twice pegged back in a lively 2-2 draw with Japan to start their title bid, made the brighter start in front of their orange-clad fans and King Willem-Alexander.

Brobbey, who came in for Summerville despite the winger scoring against Japan, started and finished the first goal.

It was made in the Premier League, with goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, midfielder Tijjani Reijnders and Gakpo all involved.

Brobbey exchanged passes with Gakpo, before the Anfield attacker crossed in low from the left for his team-mate to stab in from close range.

Sweden, who thrashed Tunisia 5-1 in their first game, could not handle Brobbey’s muscular presence.

Up front, the much-vaunted attack of Liverpool’s Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal were feeding on scraps for Sweden.

Gakpo’s half

Twelve minutes after his opener, Brobbey made it 2-0 when a deflected Denzel Dumfries cross from the right fell perfectly into his path and he toe-poked past Kristoffer Nordfeldt.

Sweden’s English coach, Graham Potter, was in deep discussions with his backroom staff as the game threatened to run away from them.

At the unpopular hydration break, Potter made a beeline for left-sided defender Gabriel Gudmundsson of Leeds United, who was being overrun by the flying Dumfries and Donyell Malen.

Sweden then had their best chance, Gyokeres crossing for an unmarked Yasin Ayari, who completely miscontrolled the ball with his chest.

Gyokeres was next to fluff a good chance, failing to make proper contact after being played in by the largely anonymous Isak.

Gyokeres and Ayari both had further sights of goal, only to be denied by the increasingly overworked Verbruggen.

The Netherlands were hanging on by the end of the half.

Koeman sent on Summerville for Malen at the break and two minutes later it was mission impossible for Sweden, Gakpo prodding in from close range after yet another dangerous low cross from Dumfries.

All three goals were strikingly similar.

Gakpo scored a lovely fourth on 54 minutes, turning inside his defender before firing low into the bottom corner.

Elanga pulled one back five minutes later when he raced clear of the Dutch defence and rattled the ball past Verbruggen.

Summerville made it five in the dying minutes with his second goal in North America.

Sweden are still in with a good chance of progressing into the last 32.

Japan and Tunisia play later Saturday in Monterrey, Mexico.

Sweden face Japan next, while the Netherlands play Tunisia.

Malak Mahmoud, the heavily pregnant woman filmed being thrown to the ground by a Dutch police officer as her Palestinian husband from Gaza was detained, has spoken to Al Jazeera.

Police in Zeist issued a statement saying they are reviewing the use of force and have opened an investigation, but have not responded to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.