Netherlands News in English
Dutch national news translated to English. Politics, economy, housing, immigration, and more for expats and internationals.
Man injured in Amsterdam stabbing
A man was injured in a stabbing incident at Koningin Wilhelminaplein in Amsterdam on Wednesday afternoon and transported to the hospital. Police are currently investigating the circumstances and searc...
Inspectorate: 42 violations among cannabis experiment growers last year
The Inspectorate of Justice and Security reported 42 violations among the ten licensed growers participating in the Dutch cannabis experiment last year. Out of 46 inspections conducted, authorities is...
In-house furnace builder training helps LIZ Holland tackle staff shortage
LIZ Holland in Velsen-Noord has launched an internal training program for oven builders to address a persistent shortage of specialized personnel. The initiative provides hands-on masonry and construc...
Tobacco company behind Lucky Strike fined for advertising at Pinkpop
British American Tobacco has been fined for illegal advertising at the Pinkpop music festival in the Netherlands. While this specific penalty was upheld, another previously imposed fine against the ma...
"They were gone within two minutes," shopkeeper frustrated after burglary
Two masked burglars stole approximately fifty smartphones and several tablets from a second-hand shop on Generaal Cronj) straat in Haarlem early Tuesday morning. The suspects broke into the store usin...
Trees Kolen finds meaning in volunteering at De Groene Gekko: ‘I prefer being at the front of the shop, by the baby toys’
Trees Kolen, a 67-year-old from Beverwijk, volunteers weekly at the second-hand toy store De Groene Gekko in Haarlem's Koningstraat. She finds deep meaning in her work there, noting that the shop prov...
Community service and suspended prison sentence for fake online landlord
A man has been sentenced to 180 hours of community service and a two-month suspended prison sentence for defrauding eighteen house hunters out of approximately €21,000. He targeted people moving to ...
From pavement shitters to sisters of mercy: what are your favorite Amsterdam nicknames?
Residents of Amsterdam have created numerous nicknames for various locations and objects throughout the city. The article highlights several local examples and invites readers to share their own favor...
Castor College qualifies for TeamNL Moves 2026 final
Students from Castor College in Beverwijk have qualified for the finals of TeamNL Moves 2026. The selection took place following their participation in the regional preliminary rounds held last week.
State held liable for first time over long mental health waiting lists
The Dutch State is being held liable for the first time over excessively long waiting lists in mental health care. The foundation Recht op ggz argues that these delays cause significant harm to patien...
Marlijn Weerdenburg replaces Martine van Os in We zijn er Bijna!
Marlijn Weerdenburg will replace Martine van Os as the host of the NPO 1 program We zijn er Bijna! this summer. After over fourteen years as the face of the show, Van Os is handing over the role to th...
Prosecution appeals in 1992 Hague garage owner murder case
The Public Prosecution Service has filed an appeal against the acquittal of 71-year-old Ruben B., who was suspected of murdering a garage owner in The Hague in 1992. While the court acknowledged stron...
Woman (50) arrested in Drenthe trunk murder case
Police have arrested a 50-year-old woman from Emmen in connection with the 2017 murder of Ralf Meinema, whose body was discovered in the trunk of his car with brain injuries. The arrest marks a new de...
Body found in Zaandam water identified as missing Polish man
The body of a Polish man who had been missing since March 13 was discovered in the water at Bornholmpier in Zaandam. Police have ruled out foul play following an investigation, concluding that no crim...
Police conduct further investigation at home where deceased man (81) was found
Police forensic investigators are conducting an additional search at a home in Amsterdam's Transvaalbuurt neighborhood where an 81-year-old man was found murdered in February. Detectives returned to t...
The oil crisis hits these entrepreneurs hard: "Trump must stop"
Local entrepreneurs in Amsterdam, including a driving school in Geuzenveld and a pancake restaurant on the IJ, are facing record-high fuel costs due to escalating tensions between the US, Israel, and ...
Ministry: UWV makes mistakes in unemployment benefit assessments too often
The Dutch Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) makes errors in approximately 11% of manual assessments for unemployment benefits. Minister Hans Vijlbrief reported these audit findings, indicating that mist...
Haarlem residents slightly better at waste separation, but city council still threatens new measures
Haarlem residents improved their waste separation rate to 50 percent in 2024, up from 49 percent the previous year. Despite this progress, the city government considers the improvement insufficient an...
Major planting day, urban safari and tile taxi in IJmuiden: Gathering ideas for Canopus Square renewal
On Saturday, April 18, Canopusplein in IJmuiden will host a community event to collect residents' ideas for transforming the square into a green meeting space. The day features various activities incl...
Doctors warn: intensive exercise sometimes masks dangerous heart problems, here is how
Doctors and researchers from Europe and the US, including those from Radboudumc in Nijmegen, are warning that intensive exercise can mask dangerous heart conditions. They highlight that certain heart ...
Record prices at the pump, but no shortages yet like in France
While nearly 20% of French gas stations are experiencing fuel shortages due to high demand at low-priced TotalEnergies locations, the Netherlands is currently not facing any supply issues. The Dutch i...
A10 South completely closed this weekend: what you need to know (and how to avoid the misery)
The A10 Zuid highway in Amsterdam will be completely closed this weekend, causing significant traffic disruptions for those traveling through the area. Motorists are advised to plan their trips carefu...
Cabinet grilled in Senate: will the plug be pulled on the state pension plan today?
D66 Senate floor leader Paul van Meenen expressed readiness to immediately scrap the planned increase in the state pension age during a debate on the government's policy statement. This signal from th...
Street robbery on Twickel: victim robbed by woman in red jacket and checkered skirt
A street robbery took place on Twickel in Haarlem on Saturday, April 4, where a victim was pushed and robbed by a woman wearing a red jacket and a plaid skirt. After the incident, the female suspect f...
From betting ten euros on AZ to losing 500 euros in Kazakhstan. North Holland sees rising number of gambling addicts: 'I’m no longer surprised by a debt of 50,000 euros'
Addiction clinics in North Holland are reporting a significant increase in the number of gambling addicts, often involving individuals with stable careers and homes. Psychologist Niels Bregman notes t...
Inspection: Only a quarter of festivals use reusable cups
A report by the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) reveals that fewer than 25% of festivals are using reusable cups and packaging despite a ban on disposable plastics. The agency chara...
From water pumps to mash: Mike (30) switches careers to start home-based takeaway. ‘The whole house smelled of mash every day’
30-year-old Mike Slot from Castricum has launched a home-based delivery service called Oma’s Stamppotkeuken to provide healthy meal options. The business focuses on traditional Dutch stamppot dishes...
Ter Apel application center overcrowded again all weekend
The asylum seeker reception center in Ter Apel exceeded its maximum capacity of 2,000 people, with 2,211 individuals staying overnight on Monday. This overcrowding reflects a recurring issue at the fa...
American investor makes billion-dollar bid for record label behind Taylor Swift
American billionaire Bill Ackman's investment firm, Pershing Square Holdings, has launched a multi-billion dollar takeover bid for Universal Music Group. The record label represents major global artis...
Linda went for a few plants and came home with 2,347 euros worth of stuff
38-year-old Linda, who struggles with emotional overspending, recently spent €2,347 at a garden center despite seeking financial guidance. She justified the large purchase as a reward for herself af...