Netherlands News in English
Dutch national news translated to English. Politics, economy, housing, immigration, and more for expats and internationals.
New gymnastics hall named Turnhuis Haarlem
The new gymnastics hall in Haarlem-Noord has been officially named "Turnhuis Haarlem" following a public voting process among residents and athletes. Revealed by Sports Councilor Eva de Raadt and gymn...
Ton developed an alarm system after his great-uncle spent 36 hours on the floor following a fall
Ton van Hekezen from Bunnik developed a new alarm system after his great-uncle spent 36 hours injured in a bathroom following a fall. The device is designed to prevent long delays in discovery and aim...
Sommelier of the year works at restaurant Flore: ‘It doesn’t matter what I like’
Antonello Nicastri, head sommelier at Amsterdam's two-star restaurant Flore, was named Sommelier of the Year at the Gault & Millau 2026 awards. He was recognized for his innovative approach to beverag...
Friends from Nieuw-Vennep embark on notorious Scandinavian road trip: "It will be -30 degrees"
Four friends from Nieuw-Vennep are participating in the Carbage Run, a five-day winter road trip through Scandinavia in a 2002 Volkswagen Passat. The team is traveling from Sweden to Finland in extrem...
A coffee with Ruud Thonhauser (BBB): "Bringing common sense to Amsterdam"
Ruud Thonhauser is representing the BBB party in its bid for the Amsterdam City Council, aiming to introduce "down-to-earth common sense" to the municipal government. Drawing on his local upbringing, ...
De Olyphant cooks according to Italian principles – the chef comes from Zoldering
De Olyphant is a new bistro in Amsterdam’s Weesperzijde neighborhood, opened by the team behind Pizza Project and featuring chef Maarten van Westrop from the Michelin-starred Zoldering. The restaura...
Haarlem home hit again: Another explosion at previous arson target
An explosion occurred early this morning at a residence on Archipelstraat in Haarlem-Noord, damaging the front door but causing no injuries. This incident is the fourth attack on the property, followi...
Two boys (11 and 14) and girl (12) arrested for assault and threats with imitation firearm
Three minors aged 11, 12, and 14 were arrested in Uithoorn for allegedly assaulting a girl and threatening her with an imitation firearm following a long-standing conflict. The suspects reportedly for...
Elsbeth Etty writes book on February Strike: How is it possible they dared
Journalist Elsbeth Etty has released a new book titled "We moeten iets dóén!" which explores the motivations of participants in Amsterdam's 1941 February strike against Nazi persecution. Through res...
Houtfestival takes a one-year break to consider its future
The Houtfestival in Haarlem has been cancelled for 2024 after the local municipality offered only a partial subsidy of €48,000 instead of the requested €80,000. Organizers will use this one-year h...
Erwin Olaf exhibition at Stedelijk Museum extended
The Stedelijk Museum has extended the "Erwin Olaf - Freedom" retrospective by five weeks until April 6 due to high public demand. The exhibition showcases the career of the late Dutch photographer and...
IJmond youth violence trial: Attempted manslaughter suspect in court today
An 18-year-old man from IJmuiden is appearing in court today on charges of attempted manslaughter following a wave of severe youth violence that recently destabilized the IJmond region. The violence, ...
De Kleine Bes in East has a large sunny terrace – and therefore a deep fryer
The owners of the Amsterdam café R. de Rosa have opened a second location called De Kleine Bes, a colorful neighborhood café situated on the Mauritskade in Amsterdam-Oost. Partially funded through c...
Ukrainian supermarket workers surprised by photo in Haarlem picture book
A supermarket owner in Haarlem-Noord honored his Ukrainian employees by featuring their group photo on the back cover of a new historical picture book about the city. The staff, who arrived as refugee...
Person injured in Haarlem house fire
A person was injured and hospitalized following a house fire on Kleverparkweg in Haarlem around 1:00 PM today. The fire, which was quickly brought under control, reportedly started during maintenance ...
Once a German defense line, now a sanctuary for all kinds of animals
Remnants of the WWII Atlantikwall defense line in Zuid-Kennemerland National Park have become vital habitats for local wildlife, such as bunkers serving as bat hibernacula and water-filled tank ditche...
Margreet Dolman’s Amsterdam: ‘I’m looking forward to the first beer on the terrace at Van Zuylen’
Margreet Dolman shares her favorite locations and personal history in Amsterdam, highlighting iconic spots like the Betty Asfalt Complex theater and the Concertgebouw. She expresses a deep connection ...
Zohran Mamdani would undoubtedly love New Draver (8-)
Inspired by the culinary preferences of New York politician Zohran Mamdani, this review highlights New Draver, a traditional Surinamese restaurant and community hub in Amsterdam’s Oosterparkbuurt. T...
End of the road for Haarlem nature garden? "Ten years of work gone"
Board members of a permaculture garden in Haarlem fear their decade of ecological work will be destroyed by municipal plans to raise the site's ground level with a meter of sand. While the city argues...
More attention from boys than from the press: Lidy (92) skated at the Olympics
Lidy Stoppelman, now 92, was the first Dutch figure skater to compete in the Winter Olympics during the 1952 Games in Oslo. Despite receiving little media attention or official support from the Dutch ...
Two injured in car-bus collision near Schiphol: intersection temporarily closed
A car driver was seriously injured and a bus passenger sustained minor injuries following a collision between their vehicles near Schiphol Airport on Tuesday afternoon. Emergency services responded to...
North Holland municipalities fined for investigating Muslim residents
The Dutch Data Protection Authority has fined ten municipalities a total of €250,000 for conducting secret investigations into the religious and political backgrounds of their Muslim residents. Thes...
Fines for nuisance at Roerdompplein
Haarlem Mayor Jos Wienen has imposed a conditional €1,000 fine on 12 youths following nearly two years of persistent nuisance, vandalism, and intimidation at Roerdompplein. Under this administrative...
A9 finally open again after accident
The A9 highway towards Amstelveen has reopened following a closure caused by a morning collision between a truck and a car. One driver was hospitalized with injuries, and the road remained shut until ...
Spaarndammer shot neighbor in leg out of pure despair: Terrorized for years
A man in Spaarndam shot his neighbor in the leg following years of severe harassment and threats that local authorities reportedly failed to address despite over 100 complaints. During a community mee...
Ernesto and his family evacuate during major fire: Banging on the door in the night
A severe house fire in Hoofddorp's Antje Breijerstraat forced the evacuation of nearly twenty residents and resulted in one woman being hospitalized for observation. Three homes sustained damage, with...
Ray of hope for new Westeinder campsite owner: municipality issues permit after all
The municipality of Haarlemmermeer has granted an operating permit to Kleen Estate for camping De Westeinder, reversing an earlier refusal based on past asbestos violations. While this is a legal vict...
Long-standing neighbor dispute in Spaarndam preceded gun violence
A 69-year-old man was shot in the leg in Spaarndam yesterday following a long-running dispute with a neighbor. A 68-year-old suspect subsequently surrendered to police and confessed to the shooting, w...
Three houses damaged after major fire, one person hospitalized
A fire broke out at a residence on Antje Breijerstraat in Hoofddorp early this morning, injuring one person and damaging three homes. Approximately 20 residents were temporarily evacuated to a nearby ...
One injured in Spaarndam shooting, suspect (68) turns himself in
A victim was hospitalized with a leg wound following a shooting at Zijkanaal C in Spaarndam on Tuesday afternoon. A 68-year-old suspect later turned himself in to the police, where a handgun was seize...