Business News in English

Norwegian WEF chief Brende resigns after investigation into Epstein ties

Former Norwegian minister Børge Brende is stepping down from his position as a top executive at the World Economic Forum. The resignation follows an internal investigation into Brende's past contacts...

BAM reviews Dutch Safety Board recommendations after Lochem accident investigation

Construction company BAM has announced it will study the findings and recommendations released by the Dutch Safety Board (OVV) regarding a bridge lifting accident in Lochem. The safety board's report ...

X skips social media hearing, Dutch Parliament disappointed

Social media platform X has declined an invitation to meet with the Dutch House of Representatives for a discussion on social media. Members of Parliament representing a large majority expressed their...

Owner of Telegraaf and NRC surpasses one million digital subscribers

Mediahuis, the publisher of Dutch newspapers De Telegraaf and NRC, reached a milestone of one million digital subscribers in 2025. This growth in digital subscriptions has successfully offset the decl...

Odido refuses to pay hackers: data of hundreds of thousands of customers leaked on dark web

Telecom provider Odido has refused to pay a ransom to a criminal hacker group following a data breach involving millions of customer records. Consequently, the hackers have published the stolen data o...

Port of Rotterdam shrinks for fourth year in a row due to steel crisis

The Port of Rotterdam has experienced a decline in cargo throughput for the fourth consecutive year. Port authorities attribute this persistent shrinking to the struggling state of the European steel ...

Elon Musk’s AI chatbot continues to generate pornographic images: Dutch aid organizations sue Grok

Dutch organizations Offlimits and Fonds Slachtofferhulp are filing a summary injunction to ban Elon Musk's AI chatbot, Grok, from the social media platform X. The legal action follows reports that the...

ACM approves US acquisition of DigiD manager Solvinity

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has approved the acquisition of Solvinity by the American company Kyndryl. Following an investigation, the regulator concluded that the takeov...

From shelf stacker to fresh produce manager: Peter from Haarlem marks 50 years at Albert Heijn. 'Back then there was only white and brown bread'

Peter van Agteren from Haarlem is celebrating 50 years of employment at the Albert Heijn supermarket chain, where he began as a shelf stocker in 1975. Now serving as a fresh manager, he reflects on ho...

Returning empty plastic bottles and cans to neighbors for an instant deposit: It’s super accessible

A new initiative allows individuals to return empty plastic bottles and cans to local private collection points to receive their deposit refunds immediately. This system aims to provide a more conveni...

Moerdijk residents launch fund and fundraiser over uncertain future

The Moerdijk Residents' Collective has established a legal protection fund to raise money for legal defense and expert advice. This move comes as the village faces possible displacement due to the pla...

Anger over employers tampering with ‘too expensive’ schemes for older workers: ‘The timing is bizarre’

Dutch employers' association AWVN is proposing changes to regulations for older workers to reduce costs and keep them employed longer. The FNV labor union has strongly criticized the proposal, calling...

Chipmaker NVIDIA reports higher revenue thanks to AI investments

NVIDIA has reported a revenue increase of nearly 75%, driven by high demand for chips that power artificial intelligence applications. This growth exceeded financial market expectations, solidifying t...

Two friends start a guesthouse in Portugal with no experience: Another classic Ik Vertrek moment

US industry faces shortage of rare materials

The United States aviation and electronics industries are experiencing a growing shortage of rare materials necessary for manufacturing microchips and other components. Industry insiders report that t...

Emma Roberts to star in series inspired by Bride Wars

Emma Roberts has been cast in the lead role for a new series inspired by the 2009 film "Bride Wars." The project is currently being developed by film studio New Regency in collaboration with the strea...

Heemskerk residents cannot yet ‘Ask for Angela,’ but social safety to become regular agenda item for businesses

The Heemskerk local government supports the "Ask for Angela" safety initiative but has decided that the hospitality industry should lead its implementation rather than the municipality. While the prog...

Court of Appeal overturns one of Jimmy Lai's convictions

An appeals court in Hong Kong has overturned a fraud conviction against 78-year-old media mogul Jimmy Lai. The decision nullifies a previous ruling by a lower court regarding the tycoon's legal case.

Renewed unrest at Gierstraat-Breestraat corner. Felled trees and new hospitality permit application raise eyebrows

Tensions have resurfaced at the corner of Gierstraat and Breestraat in Haarlem after the property owner cut down several trees and submitted a new catering permit application. The local city council h...

Coastal towns want mandatory insurance after cutter runs aground, Fisherman's Union supportive

Coastal municipalities in North Holland are advocating for mandatory liability insurance for vessels under 300 tons following the costly stranding of an uninsured cutter near Zandvoort. The Dutch Fish...

Investor home sell-off continues

Investors sold the highest number of homes in the fourth quarter of last year since 2021, according to data from the Dutch Land Registry. This trend indicates a continuing wave of property divestment ...

US allows Venezuelan oil sales to Cuba again

The United States has authorized Venezuela to resume oil sales to Cuba, provided the supplies benefit the Cuban people instead of the government in Havana. The U.S. Treasury Department described this ...

Opposition accuses VVD of making middle class foot the bill

Dutch opposition parties have criticized the VVD, accusing the new government of placing the financial burden of increased defense spending on the middle class. Leaders from parties such as GroenLinks...

FNV also disagrees with 'mitigation' of state pension cuts

The FNV, the largest trade union in the Netherlands, has expressed its disagreement with a proposal by the Dutch House of Representatives to mitigate changes to the state pension (AOW). The union main...

Suriname President requests departure of 3 state company directors

Surinamese President Jennifer Simons has requested the resignation of three board members from state-owned enterprises following a scandal involving lucrative contracts. The controversy centers on the...

World's most powerful banker warns of financial crisis: ‘People are doing stupid things again’

Jamie Dimon, the head of JPMorgan Chase, has warned of a potential financial crisis, comparing current market euphoria to the conditions preceding the 2008 crash. He cautioned that investors are repea...

Ahold Delhaize wants higher bonuses for top executives

Ahold Delhaize, the parent company of major retailers like Albert Heijn and Bol, proposes to increase the potential bonuses for its top executives. The company aims to use this revised bonus policy to...

IKEA plush toy flies off shelves after rejected baby monkey goes viral

Demand for an IKEA orangutan plush toy has spiked after a video of a rejected baby monkey in Japan using it for comfort went viral. The stuffed animal has become a substitute companion for the young p...

Fertilizer plant ICL faces 10 times higher penalty for next violation

Port businesses can still dispose of cardboard despite collector quitting

Entrepreneurs in the Amsterdam port area can still dispose of their cardboard despite the recent closure of the popular Veldman Recycling collection point on Strandweg. The facility had previously ser...