Netherlands News in English
Dutch national news translated to English. Politics, economy, housing, immigration, and more for expats and internationals.
Why the assassination of underworld kingpin Stanley Hillis still raises questions 15 years later
Stanley Hillis, a prominent leader in the Amsterdam underworld, was assassinated on February 21, 2011, while attending a meeting in the Watergraafsmeer district. Despite undercover police officers mon...
Are scandal documentaries about Ferry Doedens and Lil Kleine compelling or simply unethical?
The documentary 'Ferry Lost' has sparked an ethical debate in the Netherlands regarding the potential exploitation of vulnerable celebrities like actor Ferry Doedens for television ratings. While crit...
The best restaurants for dining out in Amsterdam
Food critic Mara Grimm has compiled an interactive map featuring her Amsterdam restaurant reviews since early 2022, which allows users to filter selections by price, rating, and location. The guide hi...
Extensive cloud cover, little sun in Haarlem in the afternoon
Haarlem will experience overcast skies today with an increasing chance of rain, followed by a rainy night. Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 10°C this afternoon with moderate winds and wil...
Schoof reflects on premiership: 'When they asked me I thought it was a joke that got out of hand'
In a farewell interview, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof rated his performance between a six and a seven after leading a coalition of PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB for eighteen months. Schoof, a non-partisa...
Police praise critical eye of Big Brother Awards
The Dutch National Police have adjusted their operational methods based on critical feedback provided by the digital rights organization Bits of Freedom. During the 2025 Big Brother Awards, Deputy Pol...
Shooting in Amsterdam West, man seriously injured
A man was seriously injured during a shooting at the corner of Marco Polostraat and Davisstraat in Amsterdam-West around 10:20 PM. The victim was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening ...
Dutch men's short track relay team wins eighth Olympic gold
The Dutch men's short track team, featuring Jens van ’t Wout, Melle van ’t Wout, Teun Boer, and Friso Emons, won the gold medal in the relay at the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games. This victory marks ...
Dutch Tax Authority continues to use algorithms, promises improvement
The Dutch Tax Authority has committed to using algorithms more responsibly following criticism and receiving a Big Brother Award for privacy violations. However, a spokesperson stated that the organiz...
Jelka van Houten: My body is one big scar
Dutch actress Jelka van Houten shared candid reflections on her body and lifestyle habits in a recent interview with Mezza magazine. She admitted to frequently forgetting to eat and neglecting her exe...
Sale of Diemerbos forest scrapped: ‘We said: we won’t let that happen’
The sale of the Diemerbos recreation area between Diemen and Amsterdam has been averted for the next two years after local and provincial governments reached a joint financial agreement. The funding a...
Future of vacant national monument Bloemoord still unknown
The housing association Brederode Wonen is considering various future scenarios for the vacant historic monument Bloemoord on Bloemendaalseweg. A new purpose is being sought for the building following...
György Kurtág’s 100th birthday at the Muziekgebouw is a celebration without the deep seriousness of his work
Amsterdam’s Muziekgebouw hosted a tribute concert to celebrate the 100th birthday of Hungarian composer György Kurtág, featuring musicians with long-standing ties to his work. The program included...
Public art not representative: Amsterdam is a male stronghold when looking at statues
The city of Amsterdam is developing a new policy framework to ensure its 1,750 public artworks and monuments are more representative of its diverse population. Research indicates that women, people wi...
Mayor Halsema: homeless foreign crack addicts may be repatriated more often
Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema has proposed scaling up the voluntary repatriation of homeless foreign drug users, particularly Eastern European migrants, to address the city's growing crack cocaine pro...
Firefighter Steven van de Looij (55) extinguished the fire in the Vondelkerk
Steven van de Looij, acting fire commander of Amsterdam-Amstelland, led the response to a significant fire at the historic Vondelkerk church during his first hours on the job on New Year's Eve. To pre...
Traffic jams expected in Amsterdam-East from Monday due to Linnaeusstraat closure
Starting Monday, major construction will begin on the Linnaeusstraat and part of the Middenweg in Amsterdam-East, causing significant traffic disruptions for drivers and cyclists. The project, which i...
Power struggle within BBB: Mona Keijzer was supposed to take over
Internal tension has surfaced within the BBB party following the unexpected appointment of Henk Vermeer as the successor to leader Caroline van der Plas. Although Mona Keijzer was previously slated to...
Higher sentences for mistaken identity kidnapping of man (56) held for days in Gouda warehouse
The Amsterdam Court of Appeal has sentenced six men to prison terms of up to four years and 11 months for the mistaken identity kidnapping of a 56-year-old man. The victim was abducted in Cruquius and...
'When something like this happens, football means nothing'. Tribute to Seedorf, Mbappé, Thuram, Henry and all those who spoke out against racism
In his weekly column, Henk Spaan pays tribute to football figures such as Clarence Seedorf, Vinicius Jr., and Wouter Goes for their stances against racism. The piece highlights the importance of playe...
Blow for Ajax: Season over for goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros after serious knee injury
Ajax goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros will miss the remainder of the season after sustaining a serious knee injury during training on Friday. The Czech goalkeeper requires surgery and will be replaced by Ma...
Steam from mailbox leads to discovery of cannabis plantation in Amsterdam-Zuidoost
Police in Amsterdam-Zuidoost discovered five cannabis plantations over the past few weeks, including one where 586 plants were found after neighbors reported steam and water leaking from the residence...
Piet Huijg and his legacy of service live on in Cronjé sports shop: 'We do things differently, but honor my father's values'
The sports shop founded by former HFC Haarlem player Piet Huijg is celebrating its 50th anniversary in the Cronjé district of Haarlem. Managed by his daughter Ilse for the past decade, the store cont...
Caroline's shadow, the party's 'fixer': who is Henk Vermeer really?
Henk Vermeer is stepping into a more prominent leadership role within the Dutch BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB) party as leader Caroline van der Plas takes a step back from the spotlight. Known as the party'...
We only have each other on loan
The author reflects on significant family transitions as their parents' house was sold this week following their deaths last year. On the same day the property was handed over, the author's youngest s...
Johan de Wit's insane 24 hours: from gold to nothing in a roaring skating arena
Speed skating coach Johan de Wit experienced contrasting fortunes within a 24-hour period during a recent competition. While his pupil Zhongyan Ning secured a gold medal in the 1,500-meter race on Thu...
Amsterdam asks government for help tackling moldy homes
Amsterdam Housing Alderman Zita Pels has requested support from the Dutch national government to address the issue of mold in local residential properties. The city aims to ensure healthy and mold-fre...
Five well-known buildings in the running for Friends of Old Hillegom Certificate
Five prominent public buildings in Hillegom have been nominated for the annual certificate awarded by the Friends of Old Hillegom association. The nominees include the Hof, the Maartenskerk, the Cultu...
Police arrest Amsterdam man for mailing hard drugs
A 31-year-old man from Amsterdam has been arrested for mailing hard drugs hidden in food packages to South Korea from various locations across the Netherlands. The suspect was identified through secur...
Abuses at Sleepers prove TV and film world is still a ‘toxic industry’
Recent allegations of manipulation and gaslighting on the set of the series *Sleepers* have sparked renewed criticism of a persistent toxic work environment within the Dutch film and television indust...