The Christian Democrats iron over their differences, but at what cost? Football Act tackles more than just hooligans. Torrential rains uncover ancient ship and stomach pains lead to a more gruesome discovery. And an idyllic island seeks ideal islanders.

Christian Democrats get back in line
The papers appear to have very different readings of developments in the Christian Democrat party row over the stagnated coalition negotiations, probably depending on the time of night they went to press. Nrc.next reports: "This break cannot be fixed", while Trouw heads with "Verhagen sees a way out", AD predicts co-negotiator "Klink slams the door", as De Telegraaf writes "Christian Democrats close ranks" and finally de Volkskrant explains "Formation carries on after night-time Christian Democrat compromise".

The row in the Christian Democrat party over the coalition talks, conducted by the conservative VVD, the Christian Democrats and the Freedom Party took a new turn yesterday. A leaked five-page letter written by Maxime Verhagen's co-negotiator Ab Klink describes his definitive conclusion that cooperation with the Freedom Party is not an viable option. Apparently Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders advised them to turn away when he reacts to the presentation of the coalition agreement because "the coalition partners' heads will turn red".

Elsewhere in the letter Mr Klink describes Mr Wilders’ rhetoric, "The advance of the Freedom Party has begun thanks to the coalition agreement. The de-Islamisation has started: here and now. It'll be something along those lines." Mr Klink even explained how there had been a plan to hoodwink the party members by not revealing the details of the coalition agreement until after the congress.

Nevertheless, De Telegraaf and de Volkskrant must have held the press, because they report that Ab Klink has been replaced as negotiator by MP Ank Bijleveld. Mr Klink and two other faction dissidents will remain in the party faction and be given an opportunity during the congress to voice their opposition against the coalition. A typical Christian Democrat solution, perhaps one that will sink them even further in the polls.

Football Act tackles more than just hooliganism
While the politicians are fighting out their differences in public, it is hoped that the new Football Act will prevent hooligans from doing the same. Trouw writes that the legislation, which came into force on Wednesday, could be applied to situations where there is not a hooligan in sight. Any group which disturbs the peace could be banned from congregating in public. Even parents of under-12s which cause a nuisance in neighbourhoods could be forced to curfew their unruly kids.

The law gives mayors more powers to tackle problem groups. Experts expect city authorities to make grateful use of the new legislation and seek the limits of the law. Utrecht mayor Aleid Wolfsen hopes he will able to use it in the future if there is more bother in one of the city's problem neighbourhoods, as recently a gay couple was pestered so badly it had to move house. The council was powerless to do anything about it. Now with the Football Act, a group which is just standing in one spot can be tackled before it actually does anything wrong.

Torrential rains uncover ancient wreck
Last week's torrential rains uncovered a wreck in the Leidsche Rijn neighbourhood of Utrecht, according to de Volkskrant. The 20-metre-long ship from 956 AD has been preserved perfectly under the sand and was only discovered when a crane operator noticed the wooden construction poking out of the ground.

A year ago a similar find was made when a freight ship dating from 750 AD was found in the bed of the Medieval Rhine river which is being dug out along its former route.

City archaeologist Herre Wyni is euphoric, "We have found watchtowers and Roman ships in Leidsche Rijn. Every time we think 'that's it, now we're done', and it starts all over again."

Trouw informs its readers that the find is very valuable because little is known about early-medieval shipping. The meandering Old Rhine river was filled in at this point in 1122 AD. The amazing thing is that the boat was not found earlier as it was only half a metre underground. The only clue had been that gardeners had noticed that nothing ever grew on this spot. The paper speculates on why the boat sank - was the captain drunk? Or did the cargo shift too far to one side? For the time being no-one will be able to find out, as the wreck was covered over with sand again to preserve it while Utrecht City Council decides what best to do.

Gruesome discovery in Limburg town
The find of three babies' bodies in the Limburg town of Geleen, near Maastricht, is somewhat more gruesome. AD reports that the 41-year-old mother has been held in custody since Friday after the first body of a newborn was found in the shed of her home. Two others were found on Wednesday buried in the garden. The woman's boyfriend is not a suspect. The neighbours are shocked by the news and say they seldom saw the woman and when they did she seemed to be in a confused state. She was very skinny, like she used drugs, they tell the paper.

De Telegraaf fills us in with the gory details. Alarm bells started ringing when the woman landed in hospital with stomach pains. When doctors discovered part of a placenta and no baby had been registered, they called in the police. No-one knew she had been pregnant.

Meanwhile reactions have been pouring into the woman's social networking Hyves page. Many of them express anger, one is even from her own daughter saying, "Everything that has happened, shouldn't have happened, if someone had done something in time."

Just a month ago, another case of multiple baby killings was discovered in the Friesian village of Ny Beets, where police found four bodies hidden in an attic.

Choosy island invites candidate residents over
There is good news for the island of Schiermonnikoog off the northern coast of the Netherlands. The idyllic isle in the Wadden Sea (declared World Heritage site in 2009) has found ten potential new residents. The island council solicited for newcomers recently to boost the community's dwindling population.

At the moment 942 people live on the island, just a couple of years ago that figure was 1000. The council expect problems if the population shrinks any further. For instance, it could be difficult to fund the island's secondary school if its current population falls any further.

Ten people who reacted to the appeal have been invited to visit the island. The council wants to entice young couples to come and live on this paradise lost, which has just one village, one lighthouse, lots of beach and is mostly nature reserve. "But anyone can come and live here," says one councillor. Unfortunately, that is not entirely true as a committee will decide who gets to stay. Another 90 applicants have been put on the waiting list. You can be too choosy sometimes.