Powerball winning numbers for Monday, May 4. Check your tickets

Is the force with you today?

The Powerball lottery jackpot was an estimated $20 million for the Monday, May 4 drawing with a cash option of $9 million, according to thePowerball website.

The jackpot was last won on May 2 when lottery players fromFlorida and Texas split a $20 million jackpot. This comes after lottery players inKansas and Indiana split a $143.4 million jackpotin the prior drawing.

Meanwhile, the Mega Millions jackpot is at $195 million with a cash option of $86.3 million, according to theMega Millions website.

More:Arkansas lottery player won massive Powerball jackpot playing online

What are the 5/4/26 winning Powerball numbers?

Check back here after 11 p.m. for the Powerball winning numbers for Monday, May 4, 2026.

Looking for an edge?What are the luckiest Powerball numbers? These balls are drawn most often

When is the next Powerball drawing?

Powerball drawings are held three times a week - Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m.Monday drawings were added in 2021.

Winner:Missouri man claims half of $1.78 billion Powerball jackpot, plans on 'relaxing'

How late can I buy Powerball tickets?

The deadline for purchasing Powerball ticket varies by state so don't wait until the last minute. The deadline in New Jersey is 9:59 p.m. on the day of the drawing, while New York's deadline is 10 p.m.

Click here is a complete list of Powerball ticket deadline timesby state or jurisdiction.

Location, location, location:These are the states with the most Powerball jackpot winners

How do I play Powerball?

The cost is $2 per ticket, but you can add the Power Play for $1, which will increase the amount of your potential prize up to five times the original prize (except for the jackpot and Match 5). There is also a 10x Power Play possibility when the jackpot is less than $150 million.

Each player selects five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls and one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball. However, you can also have the lottery machine generate a quick pick ticket with random numbers for you.

Prizes vary from $4 for the matching the Powerball to $1 million for matching all five white balls (except in California) to the jackpot for matching all six balls. You cancheck all the prize payouts on the Powerball website here.

Beware:No, a lottery jackpot winner isn't giving you money. How to spot a scammer

Where is the Powerball available?

You can play the game in 45 states plus the Washington DC, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in-person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

Advertisement

You can also order tickets online throughJackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Winner:Texas lottery winner claims half of near-record $1.78 billion Powerball jackpot

How can I watch Powerball drawing?

The Powerball drawing is broadcast live on the lottery website at 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.You can watch the drawing by clicking here.

The drawing may be broadcast on a local television station in your market as well.

More:What would you do if you won the Powerball lottery? Survey answers might surprise you

What are my odds of winning?

Playing the Powerball can be exciting, but just don't go spending those millions before you win.

The odds of winning the jackpot are 292,201,338-to-1.

The odds to match all five white balls are 11,688,053-to-1.

Unlucky:Here are 13 things more likely to happen than winning the Powerball jackpot

Lump sum or annuity?

The major lotteries in the United States offer two jackpot payout options: annuity and cash.

The annuity option is paid out over time. There is an immediate payment and then 29 annual payments after that, increasing by 5% each year.

The cash option is significantly lower than the advertised jackpot, but it is paid in a lump sum. You don't have to wait decades for all the money.

Can I win jackpot and remain anonymous?

In some states, like New Jersey, you can win a lottery anonymously. That wasn't always the case, but now winners are able to stay anonymous undera law that was signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.

In other states, a winner's name and hometown are a matter of public record. Check with your state lottery for more information.

Top 10 largest Powerball jackpots

Here are the Top 10 jackpots sincethe Powerball lottery began in 1992:

1. $2.04 billion, Nov. 7, 2022: Won in California

2. $1.817 billion, Dec. 24, 2025: Won in Arkansas

3. $1.787 billion, Sept. 6, 2025: Won in Missouri and Texas

4. $1.765 billion, Oct. 11, 2023: Won in California

5. $1.586 billion, Jan. 13, 2016: Three winners in California, Florida, Tennessee

6. $1.326 billion, April 6, 2024: Won in Oregon

7. $1.08 billion, July 19, 2023: Won in California

8. $842.4 million, Jan. 1, 2024: Won in Michigan

9. $768.4 million, March 27, 2019: Won in Wisconsin

10. $758.7 million, Aug. 23, 2017: Won in Massachusetts

What was largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever?

Here's a look at the top jackpots won in the United States, between the Powerball and the Mega Millions lotteries:

1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022: Won in California

2. $1.817 billion, Powerball, Dec. 24, 2025: Won in Arkansas

3. $1.787 billion, Powerball, Sept. 6, 2025: Won in Missouri and Texas

4. $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023: Won in California

5. $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023: Won in Florida

6. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016: Three winners in California, Florida, Tennessee

7. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018: Won in South Carolina

8. $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2022: Won in Maine

9. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022: Won in Illinois

10. $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 6, 2024: Won in Oregon

11. $1.269 billion, Mega Millions, Dec. 27: Won in California

12. $1.128 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024: Won in New Jersey

13. $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023: Won in California

14. $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021: Won in Michigan

15. $980 million, Mega Millions, Nov. 14, 2025: Won in Georgia

16. $842.4 million, Powerball, Jan. 1, 2024: Won in Michigan

17. $810 million, Mega Millions, Sept. 10, 2024: Won in Texas

18. $768.4 million, Powerball, March 27, 2019: Won in Wisconsin

19. $758.7 million, Powerball, Aug. 23, 2017: Won in Massachusetts

20. $754.6 million, Powerball: Feb. 6, 2023: Won in Washington

Gambling problem?

If you need help with a gambling problem, you can get help by calling 1800-GAMBLER or clicking onwww.800gambler.org

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visitjackpocket.com/tosfor full terms and conditions.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com:Powerball winning numbers drawing for Monday, May 4, 2026

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 07, 2026

Powerball winning numbers for Monday, May 4. Check your tickets

Is the force with you today? The Powerball lottery jackpot was an estimated $20 million for the Monday, May 4 drawing with a cash...

Read More

For foreign workers in the Mideast, risk from the Iran war collides with economic strain at home

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — He had met his 6-year-old son only once. A few days together in a life otherwise spent apart.

US Foreign Workers

For 15 years, Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun worked in Saudi Arabia, sending money home to his family in one of the poorest areas of Bangladesh. This year, he had planned to return, build a larger house with his savings and spend time with the child he barely knew.

Then, on March 8,a missile struckhis workers’ camp. He suffered severe burns and later died. He was among more than two dozen foreign workers killed across the Mideast after the United States and Israel went to war with Iran in February.

Tens of millions of foreign workers have helped build the Gulf Arab states' modern, oil-fueled economies — with many not fully sharing in their prosperity. Now they face an even sharper dilemma: Keep working in the Mideast, where wages are far higher, hoping thata shaky ceasefire endures; or return to already poor countrieswhere prices have soaredbecause of the conflict.

Mamun's choice was made for him. He arrived home in a coffin earlier this month.

“We don’t know what we will do next,” said his widow, Sadia Islam Sarmin.

Millions work with little protection

Migrant workers make up a majority of the population in many Gulf Arab states. Westerners, Arabs and Indians dominate business and finance, while laborers from poor countries in Asia and Africa toil for long hours in scorching temperatures at oil facilities and construction sites — often with few protections.

The Coalition for Labour Justice for Migrants in the Gulf, an advocacy group, says few had access to bomb shelters and many were stranded by the conflict. It says attacks killed at least 24 foreign workers in the Gulf and four in Israel as Iran and allied armed groups launched waves of missile and drones strikes. Their count includes eight mariners killed at sea.

“It’s a very precarious situation for migrant workers,” said Udaya Wagle, who studies labor and migration at the Northern Arizona University.

A ceasefire was announced in early April, but negotiations to end the warhave repeatedly stalled. Iran has effectively blocked theStrait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil and gas, and says it will only reopen it if the war ends and the U.S. lifts its blockade.

The resulting spike in the price of gas,fertilizerand other goods hashit Asian countries particularly hard.

Remittances from the Gulf make up about 1% of the gross domestic product of India, 3% to 5% of the GDP in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka; and nearly 10% in Nepal. Now they are more vital than ever, as household incomes are strained and governments seek foreign currency to buy oil and gas.

The Gulf economies also face a bleak outlook, with exports bottled up and key energy facilities in need of repair after missile strikes. The fighting could resume, as Iran rejects U.S. PresidentDonald Trump's demands.

Low-wage laborers are the most vulnerable

Mamun's family awoke on March 9 to phone calls saying the 35-year-old had been hurt. Video footage shot by another worker showed him sitting in the open, badly burned and bleeding, crying out for help.

“He never imagined he would be hurt. That a missile would fall on him,” said Maruf Hasain, his younger brother.

Workers like Mamun are the most vulnerable since they do the “most dirty, dangerous and difficult” jobs, said Shariful Islam Hasan of the Bangladeshi development organization BRAC.

In Qatar, a 27-year-old Bangladeshi factory worker labored through 12-hour shifts as missiles flew overhead. Shrapnel from one strike fell near his living quarters. When alarms sounded, he said, workers went to a designated room.

Advertisement

He earns less than $400 monthly and sends two-thirds home. “We have no choice but to keep working,” he said on condition of anonymity for fear of angering the authorities.

Qatarenacted several reformsin the run-up to hosting the 2022 World Cup, including the partial dismantling of a system that tied workers to their employers. But activists say abuses are still widespread and that workers have few avenues to pursue justice.

Ahmed al-Aliyli, a taxi driver in Qatar, has not sent money home to his family in Egypt for two months. He once earned as much as $3,000 a month but his income has plunged to a third of that asthe war has disrupted travel. “We are the collateral damage of this war,” he said.

A slowdown in key sectors like real estate and construction will hit migrant workers directly, said Hasan of BRAC. Workers from Bangladesh and Pakistan are especially vulnerable, as they are often employed informally and without fixed contracts, he said.

Despite reforms in some countries, work permits are also often tied to a single employer and, in some cases, workers are effectively stranded, according to the labor coalition. It warned that some employers may use the conflict to withhold wages, deny leave or carry out arbitrary dismissals.

For many, going home isn't an option

When the war began, Mamun’s mother, Shahida Khatun, urged him to come home.

He had been saving up since November. In his last call home, he promised his younger brother and sisters he would pay for their studies, that he would build a larger house for his parents and return for good this spring.

Now, his family is struggling to recover his wages and piece together a life without him.

“The pain of losing a child. There are no words to describe the agony,” Kathun said.

For many workers, going home would mean giving up a steady income and much higher wages.

Marlene Flores, a Filipina worker in Qatar, said she felt the shudder each time a missile was intercepted. But the tax-free pay and health insurance made it feel safer — in a way — than the Philippines, which has declared a ″national energy emergency.”

“It’s not easy for me to say,” she admitted, “But I would really stay here.”

Israel also hasa large population of foreign workers. Filipino caregiver Jeremiah Supan continued caring for his two elderly charges despite near-daily missile alerts, sometimes dashing out for food or medicine despite the danger. He questions whether his own family could survive if he returns to the Philippines.

“I know that in the blink of an eye, one can die,” he said. “But what life shall we return to?”

Gomez reported from Manila, Philippines. Associated Press writers Al Emrun Garjon in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sam Magdy in Cairo, and Eileen Ng from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, contributed to this report.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’sstandardsfor working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas atAP.org.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 06, 2026

For foreign workers in the Mideast, risk from the Iran war collides with economic strain at home

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — He had met his 6-year-old son only once. A few days together in a life otherwise spent apart. US Foreig...

Read More

Iran threatens ships that take up U.S. offer on Strait of Hormuz transit

What to know about the Iran war today:Iran has threatened to attack any vessel that tries to transit the Strait of Hormuz without permission from its military, challenging aplan announced by President Trumpfor the American military to "guide" commercial ships through the narrow waterway.The U.S. military says 15,000 forces and more than 100 aircraft are involved in the effort, which he called "Project Freedom."The Iranian regime says it has received a U.S. response to its latest 14-point peace proposal, which it says is aimed at ending the war, not extending the current ceasefire. Mr. Trump said over the weekend that he'd likely reject the Iranian proposal, as "they have not paid a big enough price." CENTCOM denies Iranian claim to have struck U.S. warship with missiles near Strait of Hormuz

A spokesperson for the U.S. military's Central Command, Captain Tim Hawkins, told CBS News on Monday that claims by Iranian media outlets that an American warship had been struck by two missiles near the Strait of Hormuz were not true.

Hawkins did not provide any further detail, but he rejected the report by Iran's Fars news agency, which is associated with the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guard forces, that U.S. Navy frigate was struck on Monday amid an increasingly tense standoff between the countries in the Persian Gulf.

The U.S. military said it launched an operation Monday under the name "Project Freedom," under which President Trump says commercial vessels stuck in the Gulf can be guided out by the U.S. military via the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has warned that any ship trying to navigate the narrow strait without its explicit permission will be targeted.

CENTCOM later issued a briefstatement on social mediareiterating Hawkins' rejection of the Iranian report, saying: "No U.S. Navy ships have been struck. U.S. forces are supporting Project Freedom and enforcing the naval blockade on Iranian ports."

Macron calls on U.S., Iran to coordinate to open Strait of Hormuz, says France won't join "unclear" military operation

French President Emmanuel Macron has called on the U.S. and Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in a "coordinated" way, indicating that his country won't join an effort announced by President Trump to "guide" commercial vessels out of the Persian Gulf under the threat of Iranian attack.

"What we want above all is a coordinated reopening by the United States and Iran — that is the only solution for reopening the Strait of Hormuz," Macron told fellow European leaders during a meeting on Monday in Armenia.

"We are not going to take part in any military operation in a framework that to me seems unclear," he said.

France and the U.K. have led efforts to build a coalition of nations to deploy military assets to the region to ensure the strait remains open and safe for shipping once peace is secured, but European countries have declined to take up those efforts until a deal is reached to end the war.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard warns ships trying to transit Strait of Hormuz without permission "will be stopped with force"

Brigadier General Mohbi, a spokesman for Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned Monday that any vessel trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz without adhering to the regime's "transit protocols," which require coordination for passage "through designated routes with coordination," will "face serious risks."

"Violating vessels will be stopped with force," said Mohbi in a message shared byIranian state media.

It was the latest direct challenge from the Iranian regime to a plan announced by President Trump for a "humanitarian" military operation for American warships to "guide" commercial vessels out of the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz.

Dozens of tankers and cargo ships have been stuck in the Gulf for months as Tehran, in retaliation for the joint U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, has declared the strait — long an open international waterway vital to the transport of gas and oil — under its control, and attacked ships that don't get its permission to use it.

While an ongoing ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has ended American strikes on the country, the U.S. has imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports and vessels, which Tehran considers a breach of the truce. Iran has responded by maintaining its threat to commercial shipping, which has kept oil and gas prices high and fueled inflation around the globe.

U.S. military tells ships safe corridor established to transit Strait of Hormuz, with "high traffic volume" expected

The United States kicked off an effort to "guide" stranded ships from the Iran-gripped Strait of Hormuz, as it tries to counter economic disruptions that outlasted the peak of fighting with no peace deal in sight.

Advertisement

A day after President Trump announced what he called "Project Freedom," the Joint Maritime Information Centersaid Mondaythat the U.S. had set up an "enhanced security area" south of typical shipping routes and urged mariners to coordinate closely with Omani authorities "due to anticipated high traffic volume." The strait sits between Iranian and Omani territory.

The center warned that passing close to the usual routes, known as the traffic separation scheme, "should be considered extremely hazardous due the presence of mines that have not been fully surveyed and mitigated."

The U.S.-led maritime task force's announcement marked the start of the effort to revive traffic and restore confidence among commercial vessels transiting the strait.

The disruption of the waterway through which roughly one‑fifth of the world's oil typically passes has become one of the most enduring consequences of the war that the U.S. and Israel launched Feb. 28. It has squeezed countries in Europe and Asia that depend on Persian Gulf supplies and added new volatility to energy prices for households and businesses worldwide.

Iran military says U.S. forces will be attacked if they enter Strait of Hormuz

Iran's military said Monday that U.S. forces would be attacked if they entered the Strait of Hormuz, after President Trump announced Washington would begin escorting ships through the blocked waterway.

"We warn that any foreign armed force — especially the aggressive U.S. military — if they intend to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz, will be targeted and attacked," said Major General Ali Abdollahi of the Iranian military's central command, in a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB.

"We have repeatedly stated that the security of the Strait of Hormuz is under the control of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and under all circumstances, any safe passage must be coordinated with these forces," he added.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards say U.S. faces stark choice

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Sunday the United States faced a choice between an "impossible" military operation or a deal with Tehran, after President Trump disparaged Iran's latest peace proposal.

Iran's foreign ministry said Tehran had submitted a 14-point plan "focused on ending the war" and that Washington had already responded to it in a message to Pakistani mediators, which Iran was reviewing.

Project Freedom to include guided-missile destroyers, 15,000 service members, CENTCOM says

Project Freedom, the effort announced by President Trump to help merchant vessels get through the Strait of Hormuz, will include "guided-missile destroyers, over 100 land and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms, and 15,000 service members," U.S. Central Command said Sunday night.

Further details on what the operation would involve were not provided.

Trump announces effort to guide ships out of Strait of Hormuz

President Trump on Sunday said an effort to guide ships from countries not involved in the war with Iran safely out of the Strait of Hormuz, dubbed Project Freedom, will begin Monday.

"For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we have told these Countries that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business," Mr. Trump wrote onTruth Social.

"In all cases, they said they will not be returning until the area becomes safe for navigation," Mr. Trump wrote.

The president said the effort is a "Humanitarian gesture on behalf of the United States, Middle Eastern Countries but, in particular, the Country of Iran," noting that the ships are running low on food and other essential supplies.

"If, in any way, this Humanitarian process is interfered with, that interference will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully," Mr. Trump concluded.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 05, 2026

Iran threatens ships that take up U.S. offer on Strait of Hormuz transit

What to know about the Iran war today:Iran has threatened to attack any vessel that tries to transit the Strait of Hormuz without permi...

Read More

Vietnamese hiker survives 37-hour ordeal by eating popular chocolate snack

A 19-year-old Vietnamese student has become aviral sensationafter surviving nearly two days alone in a remote mountain by snacking on a box of the popular sweet treat Choco Pies.

Nguyen Tuan Anh, a student at Dai Nam University, had set out on 19 April with friends for a hike up Tam Dao mountain, about 70km north ofHanoi.

The group of 10, accompanied by a guide, reached the summit early in the afternoon after a seven-hour climb and began their descent shortly after.

Mr Anh, who had limitedhiking experience, became exhausted in the heat and got separated from the group after stopping to rest.

Believing there would be only one path down, he soon found himself lost as the trail seemed to disappear and his phone lost signal, Vietnamese outlet VnExpress reported.

What followed was a disorienting ordeal in one of the region’s more treacherous landscapes. Tam Dao is known for its rugged terrain, dense forests, and rapidly changing weather, with year-round thick fog often reducing visibility.

Mr Anh continued trying to find his way until evening, but as night fell, the fog thickened and darkness quickly set in. He eventually took shelter in a rocky crevice beside a stream.

Advertisement

He carefully rationed the only food he had with him – the popular South Korean snack Orion Choco Pies which are often gifted during the Lunar New Year – and drank water from the stream to stay hydrated.

Back in the village, his companions reported him missing to the police at around 6pm after realising he had not yet returned, triggering a large-scale search. Hundreds of officers, soldiers and rescue teams frantically searched for him for two days.

Mr Anh was found at 7.15am on 21 April after rescuers called out his name and finally received a response. He was exhausted but in stable condition.

Interestingly, he was still left with four packets of Choco Pies in his backpack.

Images from the rescue showed his mother in tears of relief as he was brought down the mountain by emergency personnel.

The unusual detail of his survival quickly drew attention online, with many users joking about Choco Pies as an unlikely survival essential.

“The secret to survival, Choco Pie,” a user said.

The attention prompted Orion to visit Mr Anh and gift him six boxes of snacks.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 02, 2026

Vietnamese hiker survives 37-hour ordeal by eating popular chocolate snack

A 19-year-old Vietnamese student has become aviral sensationafter surviving nearly two days alone in a remote mountain by snacking on a...

Read More

Royal recruits boost volunteers as the Netherlands builds up its military reservists

HAVELTE, Netherlands (AP) — Their faces daubed with camouflage, the troops emerge almost silently from a forest with Colt C7 rifles slung across their chests. They scan their surroundings for potential threats.

Netherlands New Recruits

The soldiers are members of the 10th Infantry Battalion Guard Security Corps National Reserve on a weekend exercise to hone their skills as the Netherlands bolsters its military with new recruits and volunteers. The Dutch government and top brass have committed to raising military personnel from its current 80,000 to 120,000 by 2035 — plans that have broad political support.

The recent enlistment by the country's queen and her eldest daughter as reservists look to be helping, with authorities now scrambling to arm and train new recruits.

The recruitment drive in the Netherlands reflects moves across Europe to expand and modernize militaries as leaders warily eye the grinding war launched byRussia against Ukraineand thedisenchantmentexpressed by U.S. President Donald Trump with theNATOalliance that has been the cornerstone of the defense and security architecture of the continent since World War II laid ruin to much of it.

A corporal in the reserve battalion, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the nature of her service, said she's seen a shift in priorities as the global security outlook has gotten more volatile and less predictable.

“When I first joined, there was almost no risk or almost no threat ... and now it’s changing so we are more aware of it," she said. That has meant a mindset shift toward “more what we call ‘green things,’ infantry things.”

She added: “We are here to defend our country and to make sure to keep the threat down.”

The threat is very real, according to European Union and NATO officials, who believe Russian President Vladimir Putin could be ready to launch an attack elsewhere in Europe in three to five years, especially if he wins the war in Ukraine.

New NATO plans aimed at countering that threat require allies to prepare their armies for big battles, focused on more mobile forces that can be quickly deployed.

Getting the House of Orange into military green

Dutch recruitment got a significant boost when Queen Maxima and her eldest daughter and heir to the throne Amalia, Princess of Orange, enlisted as volunteer reservists. Photos of Maxima in training and aiming a pistol on a shooting range were published around the world.

That royal seal of approval, together with recruiting campaigns running everywhere from newspapers and billboards to social media, has proven so successful that the military is now working overtime to arm, train and accommodate all the newcomers.

At the Defense Ministry, it's known as “the Amalia effect.”

“It's really a thing, yes,” State Secretary for Defense Derk Boswijk told The Associated Press. “It’s very inspiring to see how members of our royal family inspired people to join our armed forces.”

Boswijk said there are about 9,000 reservists in the Netherlands, and recruiters aim to have at least 20,000 in 2030.

“We have more applications than we can handle,” Boswijk said. Now the military has to battle “a lack of training capacity, a lack of housing. You have to give them all uniforms, you have to give them weapons.”

But, he added: “It’s a luxury problem.”

Advertisement

Other nations boost recruitment

German lawmakers are considering a government plan to offers better pay and conditions for people who join up on a short-term basis, along with better training and more flexibility on how long recruits must serve.

The aim is to draw sufficient recruits without reviving conscription that was suspended for men in 2011. The plan leaves the door open for limited compulsory recruitment if not enough people volunteer.

Like the Netherlands, France is leaning into voluntary service to boost the military. A program starting in September seeks to recruit 3,000 volunteers aged 18-25. They will serve in uniform for 10 months in France’s mainland and overseas territories only. The plan seeks to attract up to 50,000 volunteers per year by 2035.

In northern and eastern Europe, where the threat from Russia is felt most keenly, some nations still have some conscription.

Finland has a draft for all males and a voluntary system for women. Sweden reinstated a gender-neutral partial military service in 2017. If not enough people volunteer,a lottery is held to select people for the remain slots. Neighboring Denmark has a similar system, as does Latvia since it revived its draft in 2023 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Netherlands never fully abolished its draft, but call-ups have been suspended since 1997 and there are no immediate plans to reintroduce them. Instead, the Defense Ministry is seeking to make the military more attractive to a broad cross-section of society.

Threats have expanded from traditional battlefields into cyberspace and the digital world, he added, “so we need all kind of skills, to keep our society, our country, our allies safe. So, yes, we need also people wearing hoodies, having blue hair, who can game perfectly.”

Motivated by Dutch history and modern instability

For some among the new generation of answering their country's call to arms, a bitter lesson from Dutch history is motivating them.

“When I was in primary school, we were taught that in the Second World War it took (German forces) five days to take over Holland," Lisette den Heijer said at a recent information evening run by the Dutch military for reservist volunteers, adding that she doesn't want history to repeat itself.

At the exercise in the eastern Netherlands, a private first class in the reserve battalion who also spoke on condition of anonymity because he works for a defense-related company, said he too has seen a shift in recent years.

“So where we were just focused on peaceful operations in 2018, we’re now more focusing on protecting vital infrastructure,” he said. That included duty in the massive security operation to guard last year’s summit of NATO leaders in The Hague.

A weekend mission accomplished

Reservists in the Netherlands commit to 300 hours of service each year, including regular weekend exercises. Traditionally they are deployed to secure and guard domestic sites and are not sent to combat missions overseas. They also can be used in national emergencies, such as piling up sandbags in cases of severe flooding.

Back in the forests of the eastern Netherlands, the reservists suddenly stop and point their weapons at an innocent-looking mound of earth covered in dry leaves and wood.

A soldier — a member of their unit — crawls out of the foxhole where he was hiding and surrenders. The volunteers exchange high-fives before preparing to break down their camp and return to their day jobs.

Associated Press reporters across Europe contributed.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 01, 2026

Royal recruits boost volunteers as the Netherlands builds up its military reservists

HAVELTE, Netherlands (AP) — Their faces daubed with camouflage, the troops emerge almost silently from a forest with Colt C7 rifles slu...

Read More

Trump rails against ‘dirty cop’ James Comey over 8647 post: ‘It’s a mob term for kill him’

PresidentDonald Trumphas lashed out at formerFBIdirectorJames Comey, again calling him a “dirty cop” and insisting hisnow-notorious seashell Instagram postwas an assassination threat.

Writing on Truth Social late Wednesday, the president declared: “‘86’ is a mob term for ‘kill him.’ They say 86 him! 86 47 means ‘kill President Trump.’

“James Comey, who is a Dirty Cop, one of the worst, knows this full well! EIGHT MILES OUT, SIX FEET DOWN! Didn’t he also lie to the FBI about this??? I think so!”

Trump had earlier made the same argument in the Oval Office when confronted byCNNcorrespondent Kaitlan Collins over whether he really believed his life was in danger because of Comey’s post.

“Well if anybody knows anything about crime, they know ‘86,’” the president answered her. “You know what ‘86’ – it’s a mob term for ‘kill him.’ You know?

“You ever see the movies? ‘86 him,’ the mobster says to one of his wonderful associates. ‘86 him.’ That means kill him. I think of it as a mob term.”

Advertisement

When Collins pressed again on whether he sincerely believed Comey meant to encourage violence against him, he said: “Probably, I don’t know. Based on what I’m seeing out there, yeah. The people like Comey have created tremendous danger, I think, for politicians and others.”

TheDepartment of Justicefiled a two-count indictmentagainst the ex-official Tuesday over the contested post, insisting it amounted to “a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the president of the United States.”

Comey reacted wearily to the development in a video posted on Substack, protesting his innocence and commenting: “Nothing has changed with me. I’m still innocent, I’m still not afraid, and I still believe in the independent federal judiciary, so let’s go.”

The ex-director wasalso targeted by the DOJ last year, when the then-U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia,Lindsey Halligan, accused him of lying to Congress. He denied the charges before the case was tossed without reaching trial when Halligan was ruled to have overstayed her term in office.

Legal experts covering the new case against Comey have beenquick to disparage it.

Former Trump White House lawyer Ty Cobb called it “specious” and a “vindictive prosecution,” ex-deputy assistant attorney general Tom Dupree called it “skeletal,” and even conservative constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley labelled it “weak” on Fox News. All expected it to prove a dead end.

Acting AGTodd Blanchewas quizzed Wednesday on whether a popular MAGA influencer, Jack Posobiec, wouldface the same charges after posting an equivalent messagein 2022, which could be interpreted as a threat against Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

April 30, 2026

Trump rails against ‘dirty cop’ James Comey over 8647 post: ‘It’s a mob term for kill him’

PresidentDonald Trumphas lashed out at formerFBIdirectorJames Comey, again calling him a “dirty cop” and insisting hisnow-notorious sea...

Read More

King Charles and Camilla leave flowers and handwritten message at 9/11 memorial

King Charles and QueenCamillahave shared a message of "enduring solidarity" with the American people,commemorating the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Their words of sympathy were inscribed on a handwritten note accompanying a bouquet of flowers,placed at the poignant memorial in New York.

The tribute honours the thousands who tragically lost their lives almost 25 years ago.

Penned in the King’s distinctive black script, the message read: "We honour the memory for those who so tragically lost their lives on 11th September 2001.

“We stand in enduring solidarity with the American people and in the face of their profound loss. Charles RCamilla."

Thememorial, known as Reflecting Absence, immortalises those who perished.

It features twin waterfall pools situated precisely where the World Trade Centre’s north and south towers once stood, brought down by terrorists flying passenger planes into the buildings.

Advertisement

They are nestled among skyscrapers in a space filled with dozens of swamp white oak trees, with the sound of cascading water creating a feeling of tranquillity away from bustling Manhattan.

The King and Queen laid the bouquet of white roses at the edge of the south pool during a sombre and poignant moment of reflection.

The couple were joined by media mogul and formerNew YorkmayorMichael Bloomberg, chairman of the 9/11 memorial museum, who took up office just a few months after the terrorist attack.

Surrounding the waterfalls, which plunge almost 10 metres into a large basin before the water drops again, six metres into a central void, are the names of the victims of the 9/11 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing.

According to the memorial’s architect, Michael Arad, the pools represent “absence made visible” and although water flows into the voids, they can never be filled.

King Charles and QueenCamilladeparted the 9/11 memorial just before 2pm on Wednesday to head off to separate events.

The King will be in Harlem visiting a grassroots community organisation that works with children and young people impacted by food insecurity.

Meanwhile, the Queen will attend an event at theNew YorkPublic Library’s main branch to celebrate both countries’ shared love of literature.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

April 30, 2026

King Charles and Camilla leave flowers and handwritten message at 9/11 memorial

King Charles and QueenCamillahave shared a message of "enduring solidarity" with the American people,commemorating the victim...

Read More