Politics News in English

Politicians debate at Mendelcollege: 'You must stay in Haarlem and not end up in Hoofddorp'

Local politicians and students at Mendelcollege in Haarlem held a debate ahead of the municipal elections on March 18. The discussion addressed housing concerns for young people and the city's approac...

XR glues doors of multiple Amsterdam high schools shut

Extinction Rebellion glued shut the doors and chained the gates of approximately 35 high schools in Amsterdam to protest against the climate crisis and educational policies. The group left messages ca...

XR blocks access to Amsterdam high schools with glue and chain locks: classes cancelled at IVKO

Zita Pels (GroenLinks) forced to stand her ground during housing debate: ‘This is not polarizing’

Embassy cannot help stranded travelers in Thailand

The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised travelers stranded in Thailand due to tensions in the Middle East to contact their airlines and travel insurers for assistance. The ministry clarified...

Nationwide rise in human smuggling on ferries, but IJmuiden-Newcastle route bucks the trend: ‘Less attractive for smugglers,’ says marechaussee

Human smuggling at Dutch ferry ports has increased nationwide, with the number of detected migrants rising from 70 to 107 in a single year. In contrast, the route between IJmuiden and Newcastle has se...

Cabinet must speed up AI rules, says watchdog AP

The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) has urged the new cabinet to accelerate the establishment of clear regulations for artificial intelligence. The watchdog warned that current oversight is insuf...

That 500 Amsterdam police officers viewed the Lisa file is not necessarily illogical: ‘Many staff members were involved’

Justice Minister Bondi subpoenaed to testify in Epstein case

A U.S. House of Representatives committee has voted to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. The committee seeks to question her about her role in the...

US Senate votes against resolution to limit Trump's power

The US Senate has voted against a resolution intended to limit President Donald Trump's authority to launch military strikes against Iran. The proposal, introduced by Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican...

Israel eases restrictions, people allowed back to work

The Israeli military announced on Thursday that restrictions for citizens are being eased, allowing public gatherings of up to fifty people. Residents are also permitted to return to work, provided th...

Fat bike ban text amended: words 'intimidation' and 'chases' removed

The Amsterdam City Council has approved a revised regulation allowing for fatbike bans in specific areas, removing controversial terms like 'intimidation' and 'chases' to ensure more generic language....

Hezbollah leader refuses to surrender, calls resistance only option

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem declared in a recent speech that the group will not surrender following Israeli military operations, which he characterized as premeditated aggression. He emphasized that ...

Israel reports new attacks on Iran, powerful explosion heard

The Israeli military launched a new wave of attacks on Iran on Wednesday, resulting in powerful explosions in Tehran. Both international journalists and Iranian state media confirmed the strikes in th...

Hard anti-immigration policy, but Italy grants 500,000 migrants temporary work permits

Despite its hardline anti-immigration rhetoric, the Italian government plans to grant temporary work permits to 500,000 non-EU migrants over the next three years. This initiative marks a record-high n...

Tourists seek more value for money and stay outside the city more often

A report by Amsterdam&partners reveals that a growing percentage of tourists visiting Amsterdam are opting to stay overnight outside the city or with friends to find better value for their money. This...

UN: 100,000 flee Tehran in two days of war

According to the UN refugee agency UNHCR, approximately 100,000 people fled Tehran during the first two days of the conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel. The war began last Saturday wi...

US says Spain wants military cooperation, Madrid denies

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated on Wednesday that Spain has agreed to military cooperation with the United States. However, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has denied th...

Dutch Parliament allocates funds for defibrillators in poor neighborhoods

The Dutch House of Representatives has approved a proposal to allocate additional funding for automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in low-income neighborhoods. The initiative, led by GroenLinks-Pv...

Everything you say about Iran is wrong

Ayatollah Khamenei, who ruled Iran with an iron hand for 35 years, has reportedly been killed in an Israeli-American attack that also resulted in 1,000 civilian deaths. His death marks a significant s...

Palmen denies documents were deliberately withheld from benefit parents

State Secretary Sandra Palmen denied allegations that the Dutch government intentionally withheld documents from parents affected by the childcare allowance scandal. During a parliamentary debate, she...

Iran crisis makes Europe's gas dependence painfully clear once again

The conflict in the Middle East and Iranian counterattacks have caused a sharp increase in European gas and oil prices. The disruption, which includes Qatar halting gas production, underscores the vul...

Shooter in fatal Zwijndrecht shooting files summary proceedings

Minh Nghia V., who was sentenced to 30 years for a fatal shooting in Zwijndrecht, has filed a summary proceeding against the Dutch state. The 52-year-old is challenging the specific conditions of his ...

Muslims in the region eagerly await their own Islamic cemetery: ‘Traveling far only adds to the grief’

Islamic organizations and mosques in Haarlemmermeer have formed a society to advocate for the establishment of a local Islamic cemetery. The initiators argue that a local burial ground is a necessity ...

Groningen province holds cabinet to closure of Groningen gas field

The province of Groningen is holding the Dutch cabinet to the scheduled 2024 closure of the Groningen gas field, despite rising gas prices linked to conflict in the Middle East. Provincial deputy Susa...

Vogelenzang election debate is dull until GroenLinks-PvdA confronts VVD over social sector cuts: 'You were there yourself'

During an election debate in Vogelenzang, political leaders from the Bloemendaal municipality discussed topics including housing, traffic, and local livability. While the candidates were largely in ag...

Iraq hit by total power outage

Iraq is experiencing a nationwide power outage, according to the country's Ministry of Electricity. Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the blackout as regional conflict involving Isr...

More than 70 dead in Lebanon since new fighting broke out

Since the resurgence of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, at least 72 people have been killed and over 83,000 displaced in Lebanon. These figures were reported by the Lebanese Ministry of Health ...

Qatar to neighbor Iran: we are being dragged into war

Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani accused Iran of dragging its neighbors into a conflict that is not theirs during a call with the Iranian Foreign Minister. Qatar reported inter...

Closure of Stingray coffeeshop in Beverwijk now final: license revoked after incidents

The Council of State has upheld the decision to permanently close coffeeshop Stingray in Beverwijk by rejecting the owners' appeal. Mayor Martijn Smit's revocation of the operating permit and toleranc...