Podcast: The Herding Cats and Chasing Cheeses Edition

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Social affairs minister Hans Vijlbrief cans the cabinet’s plans to extend the retirement age in the hope of avoiding a summer of strikes. Accusations fly in parliament in a bad-tempered debate on asylum, as the reception centre in Ter Apel continues to strain at the seams. The sale of DigiD is blocked at the last minute to the dismay of Donald Trump’s man in The Hague. Schiermonnikoog wants to use heat-seeking drones to round up its stray cats. And a Dutchman is king of the hill in the ancient English sport of cheese rolling.

Ophef of the week: Train passengers’ group hits the buffers over rail blockades (Telegraaf)

Asteroid named after Nijmegen amateur astronomer

Dutch archaeologist arrested for not handing over d’Artagnan’s bones

News

Dutch government drops plan to raise retirement age faster

MPs trade accusations in heated debate over political violence

Senate approves EU asylum pact, reviving rejected rules

Groningen calls for permanent solution to refugee beds crisis

Court backs council over asylum shelter as overcrowding worsens

Private landlord property sell-off hits peak but fewer homes to rent

Sale of DigiD owner to US tech giant blocked on security grounds

US ambassador criticises Dutch block on Solvinity takeover

Schiermonnikoog to use drones to round up and remove stray cats

Sport

Cheese comes home: Dutchman Niels Wennemars wins historic British downhill race

Only two Eredivisie players in Koeman’s Dutch World Cup squad

Stan Wawrinka bows out at Roland Garros with defeat to Jesper de Jong

Karen Khachanov’s horrific miss is in this article if you can access it. It has to be seen to be believed.