Netherlands News in English
Netherlands news in English — Dutch national headlines covering politics, housing, immigration, the economy, transport and daily life, translated and updated throughout the day for the international community.
Looking for a friendly chat? Step into the yellow square at the station on Wednesday
To promote social connection, the Week of the Chat initiative is launching in Haarlem on October 14, featuring a designated yellow zone at the train station where people can meet for casual conversati...
Investigation into dragon's blood in the gold buttons of the Palmwood Wreck?
Experts in Amsterdam are investigating 21-karat gold buttons recovered from the seventeenth-century Palmhoutwrak shipwreck to determine if they contain rare dragon blood resin. This research aims to r...
The Greenhouse | Don't be scared by 'complicated' new grid tariffs
The Netherlands will introduce a new electricity grid tariff system by 2029 that charges consumers based on their actual usage and timing rather than a flat fee. This reform aims to incentivize lower ...
Ajax wins only 1 of 5 home games. That is not enough for a serious title contender
Ajax is currently underperforming in home matches, having won only one of their first five games at the Johan Cruijff Arena this season. The team is struggling with squad integration due to late arriv...
German nitrogen rules much more lenient than ours, but we cannot adopt them
Germany uses a much higher nitrogen threshold for construction permits compared to the strict 0.005 mole limit enforced in the Netherlands. Although this appears to offer a solution to the Dutch nitro...
Frustration reigns at Ajax after 1-1 draw against NEC: I don't know if we are title contenders
Ajax played to a disappointing 1-1 draw against NEC at the Johan Cruijff Arena, marking their fourth home match this season without a win. Both players and staff expressed frustration over the result,...
Ajax hardcore fans celebrate 50th anniversary with fireworks in Johan Cruyff Arena
The F-side, the hardcore fan group of Ajax, celebrated their 50th anniversary with fireworks and a large banner at the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam. During the event, former captain Dusan Tadic wa...
Civil servants are busy with storytellers and sounding boards, yet we still have too few of them
The Dutch cabinet is planning significant budget cuts for the civil service, a move supported by some officials who criticize current administrative inefficiencies. However, analysts suggest these sav...
Is higher interest on student debt fair? 'Unlucky generation experiences injustice'
Students who studied between 2015 and 2023 are facing higher interest rates on their student loans due to automatic adjustments linked to government bond yields. This generation, which missed out on b...
Judge rejects request for investigation into Philips in sleep apnea affair
The Dutch Enterprise Chamber has dismissed a request for an inquiry into Philips concerning the company's communication about a major sleep apnea device recall in 2021. The court ruled that there were...
OG3NE singer Shelley is getting married: 'Easiest answer ever'
OGENE singer Shelley Vol has announced her engagement to her partner, describing the moment as an intimate and easy decision. The artist gained fame alongside her sisters after winning The Voice of Ho...
Possible discrimination at UWV is no incident: 'I was afraid of this'
Recent reports suggest that the Dutch employee insurance agency, UWV, may be unfairly targeting individuals with non-Dutch backgrounds for stricter fraud penalties. While the agency has launched an ex...
No trains between Amsterdam Sloterdijk and Hoofddorp due to power failure
A power failure has disrupted train traffic between Amsterdam Sloterdijk and Hoofddorp, affecting intercity and sprinter services traveling via Schiphol Airport. ProRail is currently investigating the...
Multiple casualties in A2 accident near Breukelen, road towards Amsterdam closed until this evening
A serious accident on the A2 near Breukelen has resulted in multiple casualties and a major closure of the highway toward Amsterdam. Authorities are investigating reports of a potential wrong-way driv...
Around two hundred men join 'Men's March' through Amsterdam city center: 'I want other men to hold me accountable for my mistakes'
Approximately two hundred men marched through Amsterdam on Saturday to protest against sexism and violence against women. While the organizer intended to encourage men to take responsibility for cultu...
Curaçaoan writer Frank Martinus Arion, who kept reminding the Netherlands of its colonial past, immortalized with a writer's stone in De Nieuwe Kerk
Curaçaoan writer Frank Martinus Arion has been honored with a dedicated stone at De Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. The memorial recognizes his significant role in keeping the Netherlands focused on its co...
Video | Criticism following De Bondgenoten win: 'But it is incredibly popular online'
The television show De Bondgenoten recently won the Gouden Televizier-Ring, triggering significant public debate. Experts argue the victory was expected due to the program's immense popularity and eng...
Petrol price hits new record and is now as expensive as diesel
Gasoline prices in the Netherlands hit a record high of 2.732 euros per liter on Saturday, matching the cost of diesel. This increase is driven by supply chain disruptions resulting from the conflict ...
Several hospitals less accessible due to nationwide KPN outage
A national KPN network outage caused by a cooling system failure has disrupted telephone services at several hospitals across the Netherlands, including UMC Utrecht and Maastricht UMC+. Affected hospi...
Housing, industry and nature: who gets the space along the North Sea Canal?
The Noordzeekanaal area is experiencing increasing pressure as industrial needs, new housing projects, and nature conservation compete for limited space. A new television series commemorates the canal...
Screen time | The Tax Authority can’t make it more fun, but they can make it more sovereign
The Dutch Tax and Customs Administration has decided to keep its office environment under its own management rather than migrating to Microsoft 365. State Secretary Eelco Eerenberg confirmed the shift...
More plumbing companies, yet a shortage of skilled workers persists
Although the number of plumbing businesses in the Netherlands has surged by nearly 60 percent since 2016, the sector continues to face a significant shortage of skilled workers. Rising demand for sust...
Broken foot for Esra de Ruiter after fall at Televizier-Ring Gala
Esra de Ruiter sustained a broken foot after falling during the Televizier-Ring Gala. She later appeared on the talk show Renze with her foot in a cast to explain that the accident was caused by a coo...
Yesilgöz wants to be VVD leader again in next elections
VVD leader Dilan Yesilgöz has confirmed she intends to remain the party's lead candidate for the next general elections. The announcement came during a meeting in Veghel where she addressed internal ...
Willem de Kooning was less abstract than previously thought: the draftsman emerges at the Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands is hosting an exhibition titled Willem de Kooning at Work, which explores the creative process of the renowned postwar artist. Featuring 120 works, the collection re...
'The worst part? That the whole street watched as they followed me and called me names': this is what everyday violence against queer people in Amsterdam looks like
Five queer residents of Amsterdam have shared personal testimonies describing a rising climate of hate, intimidation, and violence against the LGBTQ+ community. These individuals report that anti-quee...
The Bear has nothing on this: inside the kitchen of the award-winning Cradam
Café-Restaurant Amsterdam is celebrating its anniversary while managing a high-volume service that sees around six hundred reservations on weekend days. The kitchen staff maintains a fast-paced envir...
The year of young internet pioneers, bagels and coffee to go: was 1996 the year Amsterdam became a metropolis?
The year 1996 is highlighted as a transformative period for Amsterdam, marked by significant infrastructure projects like the Amsterdam Arena and the initial planning for the Noord/Zuidlijn. This era ...
A hidden suitcase in the attic revealed this Amsterdam woman's secret NSB past
The 1995 discovery of a hidden suitcase in an Amsterdam attic revealed the secret NSB past of local resident Willy Breurken. Researcher Merel Ligtelijn discovered that Breurken, who grew up in poverty...
Devanshu (34) from Mumbai left Amsterdam twice but kept coming back: 'I was welcomed here with open arms'
Devanshu Dalmia, a 34-year-old from Mumbai, has moved to Amsterdam twice for work and chose to return both times because he felt welcomed. He is now focused on raising awareness about the high levels ...