Politics News in English

Mirjam Rost van Tonningen (HBB) new face on Heemstede municipal council: 'I want to help residents lower the barrier to politics'

Mirjam Rost van Tonningen has joined the Heemstede local council as one of six new members representing the Heemsteeds Burger Belang (HBB) party. She aims to make local politics more accessible to res...

Kubilius: Member states must be more proactive in drone detection

European Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius has called on EU member states to become more proactive in detecting drones. During a meeting in Cyprus, he emphasized that while the Commission is p...

House in Eastern Islands closed after discovery of 5kg of ketamine

Review of The Poet and the Devil: Lieke Marsman warns those left behind in this political vale of tears

Watch Bruls' COVID hearing: Were mayors involved in policy-making?

Hubert Bruls, former chairman of the Safety Council, is testifying before a parliamentary inquiry committee investigating the Dutch government's COVID-19 response. The hearing focuses on whether local...

Day five of COVID-19 hearings: ‘Schoof texted: Hugo actually wants to do everything himself’

Nijmegen Mayor Hubert Bruls and top official Mark Roscam Abbing testified before the parliamentary inquiry committee investigating the Dutch government's COVID-19 response. The hearings examined the c...

Municipalities lagging far behind on housing for permit holders – check yours here

Most Dutch municipalities are significantly behind on their targets for housing refugees with residence permits, with 12,049 status holders still awaiting a home. This delay forces many individuals to...

NATO aircraft shoot down intruding drone over Latvia

NATO fighter jets, likely French Rafales, shot down a drone that entered Latvian airspace. The Latvian armed forces reported the incident amid increasing drone disruptions in the Baltic region linked ...

Halsema closes home in Kattenburg after 5kg of ketamine found

Mayor Femke Halsema has ordered the three-month closure of a residence in Amsterdam's Kattenburg neighborhood after police discovered over five kilograms of ketamine and other drugs inside. The reside...

Care villas for severely disabled children to close in three weeks after all: at least 9 children without a place

Two care villas for severely disabled children are set to close in three weeks due to financial difficulties, leaving at least nine children without placement. Parents are threatening legal action and...

Kallas: Middle East does not need escalation

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas expressed concern over recent escalations in the conflict involving Iran, urging all parties to return to the negotiating table. Speaking before a meeting of EU def...

Houthis close Red Sea to Israeli ships

The Yemeni Houthi movement has announced a ban on Israeli ships in the Red Sea and confirmed launching attacks against Israel. These actions were taken in response to recent Israeli military strikes a...

Xi Jinping begins first visit to North Korea in 7 years

Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in North Korea for a two-day official visit. This marks his first trip to the country since 2019 and his first foreign travel of the year.

Oil prices rise again as Middle East violence flares up

Oil prices rose sharply on Monday following renewed conflict between Israel and Iran. The escalation has diminished hopes for peace and raised concerns about the continued obstruction of oil tankers i...

Drugs, illegal prostitution and intimidation drive neighborhood to despair: "Eigen Haard fails"

Residents in the Zeeburg neighborhood of Amsterdam are reporting severe safety concerns due to a neighbor's involvement in illegal prostitution, drug dealing, and intimidation. Despite police confirmi...

Economy for VVD, social domain for PRO: How Beverwijk's new aldermen divide the tasks

The new aldermen of Beverwijk have divided their administrative portfolios, with Adam Elzakalai (VVD) managing economy and finance while Carolina van der Aa (PRO) oversees the social domain and youth ...

Aging and housing shortage: Village Council discusses liveability of Wijk aan Zee with residents

The Village Council of Wijk aan Zee is hosting an annual meeting on June 10 to discuss the town's livability with residents. The discussion will focus on challenges such as an aging population and the...

From Marlboro to marijuana: tobacco giant enters legal Dutch cannabis

Tobacco giant Altria, formerly Philip Morris, has entered the Dutch legal cannabis experiment by acquiring a partial stake in the country's largest participating grower. Experts have raised concerns t...

Horses forced to leave Engelandpark after 39 years: ‘I don’t think the way this was handled is fair’

The municipality of Haarlem is relocating the 'Plukweide' picking meadow to a site in Engelandpark to create space for parking and a volleyball court. This decision forces the Lems family to remove th...

Natuurbelang Foundation fights dune forest felling at Cremermeer: 'Major interventions are not standard maintenance'

Stichting Natuurbelang Nederland is opposing the planned clearing of fourteen hectares of dune forest near Cremermeer by Natuurmonumenten. The foundation argues that such an extensive operation cannot...

Toos & Henk - June 8

Cartoonist Paul Kusters provides a unique perspective on current events through his daily comic strip, "Toos & Henk." The comic is published every Monday through Saturday.

Peru presidential candidates neck and neck

Presidential candidates in Peru are in a tight race according to the latest polling data. Left-wing congressman Roberto Sánchez currently holds a narrow lead with 50.3 percent of the vote, compared t...

At what cost does Beverwijk want to build? Compensation for city center construction could exceed €200,000

The city of Beverwijk is planning to build a 31-unit apartment complex on Koningstraat, though the project may incur high costs. Potential damage compensation for neighboring residents is estimated to...

Israel carries out strikes on military targets in Iran

Israel carried out airstrikes on military targets in western and central Iran early Monday morning. Iranian state media reported that explosions were heard in several cities, including Tehran, Tabriz,...

France reviews 70,000 child abuse reports

French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has ordered prosecutors to urgently review 70,000 child-related abuse reports by July 14. This directive follows the tragic murder of 11-year-old Lyhanna and a...

Mayors caught in bind as new coalitions demand ‘zero asylum seekers’ despite dispersal law

Dutch mayors are facing conflict between the national asylum seeker distribution law and new local coalition agreements that refuse to host refugees. Sharon Dijksma, chair of the Association of Nether...

Haven-Stad under further pressure: province blocks housing plans in Amsterdam port

Armenian PM claims election victory for his party

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has declared victory for his Civil Contract party in the country's parliamentary elections. During a press conference held overnight, Pashinyan described the re...

Israel closes Gaza border crossings after Iran attack

Israel has closed its border crossings to the Gaza Strip as a security measure following missile attacks from Iran. The decision was announced by the government agency COGAT, which coordinates access ...

Human Rights Institute: Quarter of people with disabilities feel inferior

A study by the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights involving over 1,800 people found that one in four individuals with disabilities feels excluded from society. The report also highlights significa...