Netherlands News in English
Dutch national news translated to English. Politics, economy, housing, immigration, and more for expats and internationals.

Erik cancels Landal holiday after partner's dementia-related panic attack, but decision is irreversible
Erik cancelled a holiday booking at Landal after his partner, who suffers from dementia, experienced a panic attack. Although he regretted the decision the following day, the company stated that the c...
Steven Berghuis defends Ajax squad after latest setback: ‘There is no common thread’
Ajax midfielder Steven Berghuis defended his teammates following a 1-2 defeat against FC Twente, a result that leaves the club in fifth place in the Eredivisie. Berghuis acknowledged the team's ongoin...

Car with French license plate flips over on bus lane in Haarlem
A car with a French license plate flipped over and landed upside down on a bus lane on the Europaweg in Haarlem on Saturday night. When emergency services arrived at the scene, they found the vehicle ...
Canceled Houtfestival explores relaunch: 'We are taking a fresh look'
The Houtfestival organization is exploring a potential comeback for the event in Haarlem following its cancellation for 2026. They have partnered with PR agency StartPR to evaluate the future of the f...

Neighborhood resists data centers: We knew nothing
Residents near Schiphol-Rijk are protesting the planned construction of three large data centers, citing a lack of communication from local authorities and concerns over noise and property values. Alt...

Zandvoort says it is doing enough for emergency shelter: Other municipalities must now step up
Zandvoort Alderman Gert-Jan Bluijs has declared that the municipality has fulfilled its refugee housing obligations and lacks space for additional emergency shelters, despite urgent calls from the Kin...
Is our beloved egg becoming a luxury product? ‘Compare it to a good piece of meat’
The price of barn eggs has risen by 38 percent over the last five years, reaching 35 cents per egg in Dutch supermarkets just before Easter. While consumers are paying more, farmers are currently bene...

How to stop physical and verbal violence against teachers? 'Teachers are being sidelined, even by themselves'
Teachers are increasingly facing physical and verbal aggression from both students and parents, leading to significant distress and disappointment within the profession. School leaders and the broader...

Teacher Sabine blocked the path of a student with a knife. 'Dealing with aggression is the hardest part of our job'
Teacher Sabine Bakker recounts her past experiences with extreme classroom aggression, including blocking a student armed with a knife and facing hostile parents. She currently teaches children of exp...

Michaela felt no support from school management when a student spat in her coffee: ‘Young teachers need intensive guidance’
Michaela, a biology teacher from Haarlem, nearly left the profession after a student spat in her coffee and she felt unsupported by her school's leadership in Amsterdam. The incident underscores the c...

City film commission receives five applications daily: "We are more expensive than other cities"
The Amsterdam Film Commission manages approximately five daily requests, overseeing about 80 film and series productions annually while striving to minimize disruption for residents. Although filming ...

Dutch tourists avoid Asia and choose Spain due to Middle East war
Dutch vacationers are continuing to book summer holidays despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Travel agencies report a shift in destination preferences, with many travelers opting for Spai...
Guide Louis shares his experiences on Fort Island: ‘At the very top you have a beautiful view of all the corridors’
Guide Louis 't Hart and a team of volunteers will host a public day at Forteiland in IJmuiden this Sunday. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the historic fortification and learn about its ...

Jan (78) lives right across from his wife with dementia in Hof van Jacob: ‘She doesn’t recognize me anymore, but that’s okay’
78-year-old Jan Scholten has moved into a new independent apartment at the Hof van Jacob site to be near his wife, who lives in the adjacent nursing home due to dementia. Although she no longer recogn...

Pro-Iran movement releases video of Nijkerk explosion
The pro-Iranian group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI) has released a video concerning a recent explosion in Nijkerk. According to the SITE Intelligence Group, it is currently unclear if the ...

Triple Threat goes down fighting in the playoffs after two games: 'Fought for every ball'
The season has ended for the Haarlem-based basketball team Triple Threat after losing their second quarterfinal playoff match against Den Helder with a score of 74-80. Despite a determined effort, Tri...
Hammer blow in Arena: Ajax lose to FC Twente and drop to fifth place
Ajax suffered a 1-2 home defeat against FC Twente at the Johan Cruijff Arena, moving them down to fifth place in the standings. The loss, featuring a winning goal by Bart van Rooij, further distances ...

Judge recuses himself from VU unlawful detention case because he is also a lecturer
A Dutch court rejected a judge's request to withdraw from a case involving two pro-Palestinian protesters accused of detaining a board member at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The judge, who is als...

Car catches fire in Venserpolder
A car caught fire on Berthold Brechtstraat in the Venserpolder neighborhood of Amsterdam-Zuidoost on Friday evening. The fire department quickly extinguished the blaze, though the vehicle is likely a ...

Blauw-Wit keep sights on another Korfbal League season
Amsterdam-based korfball club Blauw-Wit secured a 20-22 victory against local rivals AW.DTV in the play-down semifinals, moving closer to maintaining their spot in the Korfbal League. Star player Thij...
No plan B if Senate rejects asylum law
The Dutch government faces a critical situation as the Senate considers a new asylum law amid a severe shortage of housing for thousands of refugees. With emergency shelters overflowing, ministers wor...

Ajax starts Edvardsen against FC Twente, captain Klaassen missing
Oliver Edvardsen will start for Ajax in their home match against FC Twente as the team deals with several absences. Key players including captain Davy Klaassen, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kian Fitz-Jim, and Y...

Telstar beaten at home by FC Groningen; what worked against national champions fails against Groningen
Telstar suffered a 0-1 home defeat against FC Groningen on Saturday evening, ending their recent run of three victories in four matches. Despite the team's growing confidence, they were unable to equa...
Telstar fail to follow up PSV upset with home defeat against FC Groningen
Telstar suffered a 0-2 home defeat against FC Groningen following their previous upset victory over PSV. Goals from Dies Janse and Jorg Schreuders secured the win for the visitors, leaving Telstar una...
Jacques Hermus on his city Haarlem: ‘My wife and I were sold immediately’
Culinary journalist and author Jacques Hermus shares his favorite locations in Haarlem in the "My City" column of Mezza magazine. He provides local recommendations, including where to find quality ing...
This monstrosity of a law on freelancers was made by people who don't have a clue
Journalist Lisanne van Sadelhoff critiques Dutch legislative efforts aimed at regulating and protecting freelancers, arguing that the proposed laws are poorly designed. She suggests that the policymak...

Jim (23) is carillonneur at Plein '40-'45 and also takes requests
Jim, a 23-year-old carillonneur, is one of four young musicians performing on the freedom carillon at Plein '40-'45 in Amsterdam Nieuw-West. The district government decided to hire young talent follow...
Many mothers struggle to make ends meet during leave: ‘Extra recovery time is often needed’
A study by the CNV trade union reveals that nearly half of working women and 30% of partners in the Netherlands cannot afford to take parental leave due to financial constraints. Experts warn this sit...

Microcar flips on its side in accident on Zeeweg in Overveen, occupant taken to hospital
A minicar carrying three people overturned on a bicycle path along the Zeeweg in Overveen on Saturday evening. One occupant sustained injuries in the accident and was transported to the hospital for t...

Uproar in IJmuiden housing complex as seniors fear end of happy hour, but concern proves unfounded
Seniors at the Mercurius residential complex in IJmuiden sent an urgent letter to the city council fearing their regular 'Happy Hour' would be cancelled due to fire safety concerns. The issue was ulti...