adOct 5, 2026, 08:55

Amsterdam school principal funneled nearly 1 million euros to family businesses since 2023

The director of the Oranje Nassauschool in Amsterdam-Noord is under scrutiny for awarding nearly one million euros in contracts to her daughter and son-in-law's businesses since 2023. Officials are investigating whether these payments were for legitimate services or constitute a misuse of school funds.

Politics Business Amsterdam

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Based on reporting by ad. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.

Full trash container? A 'fill-level sensor' may sound the alarm in the future

The municipality of Amsterdam is testing fill-level sensors in waste containers to optimize collection routes and reduce overflow. A trial with glass containers has already shown that smarter monitoring can improve efficiency, with plans to expand the sensor program by 2028.

Halsema: number of tourists must be curbed, even if it costs the hospitality industry visitors

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema has stated that the city must actively reduce the number of annual tourists to protect local livability and curb negative issues like waste. Although she acknowledges that limiting visitors may negatively affect hospitality revenue, she argues that the environmental and social costs of mass tourism are no longer sustainable.

Municipality critical of provincial plan putting 10,000 homes at risk

The Amsterdam city council is in conflict with the province of North Holland over new spatial plans that protect industrial land at the expense of potential housing. This policy threatens the realization of 10,000 homes in the Haven-Stad project, prompting the city to demand that the province uphold existing development agreements.

Municipalities spend 185 million a year on tech giant Microsoft: 'Amount shows the extent of dependency'

Dutch municipalities spent roughly 185 million euros on Microsoft products in 2025, highlighting a deep dependency on American tech companies. Experts and officials are concerned that this reliance contradicts national goals for digital autonomy and suggests a missed opportunity to invest in local software developers.

Residents and municipality face off in court over TikTok queues at Fabel Friet: how did it get so out of hand?

Neighbors of the Fabel Friet snack bar in Amsterdam are heading to court to demand that the municipality takes stronger action against massive, viral TikTok queues blocking the Runstraat. The residents argue that the city has failed to mitigate the significant disturbances caused by these crowds in the narrow residential street.