Dutch government websites across cities and provinces experienced a large-scale DDoS attack, reportedly by pro-Russian hackers, as military spending worldwide reached post-Cold War highs. The attack coincided with Putin announcing a May holiday ceasefire while Trump continued pressuring him after the Vatican meeting with Zelensky.
By midday, attention shifted to an unprecedented power outage affecting Spain and Portugal. Initially suspected as a cyberattack, EU officials later attributed it to the disconnection of Spanish and French electrical networks. Spain declared a state of emergency as officials predicted restoration could take 6-10 hours or potentially a week.
Domestically, reports showed adult vaccination programs facing delays deemed "unworthy of the Netherlands," while new plans for discounted public transport passes for low-income residents were announced. Post-King's Day cleanup continued in Amsterdam, with divers recovering unusual items including an oven from the canals.