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A bomb explodes at the Dutch premier’s party headquarters, but nobody is injured

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A bomb that was pushed through a letter slot exploded at the party headquarters of Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten but didn’t injure anyone, and the centrist leader vowed Friday not to be intimidated by the attack.

Police said they had arrested a 37-year-old suspect in the bombing late Thursday at the headquarters of the centrist D66 party in The Hague, but declined to release any further details including any suspected motive.

The attack took place during a meeting of about 30 members of the party’s youth wing, who were startled but unharmed, Jetten said.

Jetten, who took office in February, told reporters during his weekly news conference that it was “pretty futile if you think you can intimidate politicians with these kinds of actions.”

The leaders of other political parties joined Jetten in condemning the attacks.

Center-right VVD leader Dilan Yeşilgöz called the attack a “cowardly act” on social media. Opposition leader Jesse Klave from the left party PRO called the bombing “a direct attack on our democracy and the rule of law.”

It was the second time the building in the city center of The Hague had been attacked in less than a year. In September a right-wing demonstration erupted into violence during which rioters vandalized the office, just weeks ahead of the general election.

Jetten, who became the Netherlands’ youngest-ever prime minister in February, was equally defiant in the autumn, calling the attackers “scum” in a post on social media.

Beijing bans 4 New Zealand lawmakers from entering China because they visited Taiwan

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Beijing banned four New Zealand lawmakers from traveling to China for a year and demanded they apologize because they visited Taiwan on a parliamentary trip, according to a message from the Chinese embassy conveyed via parliamentary officials and shown to The Associated Press on Thursday. China has hit lawmakers from other countries with sanctions related to contact with Taiwan before, but it's the first time for New Zealand parliamentarians, the government in Wellington said. Beijing has been increasing pressure in recent years on the democratically governed island that it claims as its own territory. Two lawmakers reached by the AP on Thursday rejected the demand for an apology, while the other two could not be immediately reached. New Zealand's government said it would express concern about the travel bans to Beijing. The elected officials visited Taipei in May, as New Zealand parliamentarians have done “for decades,” a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement.
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