Netherlands News in English
Netherlands news in English — Dutch national headlines covering politics, housing, immigration, the economy, transport and daily life, translated and updated throughout the day for the international community.
Paying domestic help during illness is mandatory, but almost no one does it
Domestic workers in private households often do not receive sick pay despite it being a legal requirement. The CNV trade union notes that most employers are simply unaware of the rules regarding their...
Multiple major fires in nature reserves
Multiple wildfires have broken out across several nature areas and military training grounds in the Netherlands, including sites in 't Harde, Weert, and the Oirschotse Heide. Firefighters are working ...
Agricultural organizations urge EU to intervene in fertilizer crisis
Dutch and Polish agricultural organizations have called on the European Commission to intervene in the current fertilizer crisis. Prices have risen sharply across Europe following a blockade of the St...
General: No need to stop military exercises after fires
General Onno Eichelsheim stated that Dutch military exercises will not be paused despite three recent fires on training grounds during dry conditions. He emphasized that continuing drills is essential...
Budel asylum seekers center fully evacuated due to wildfire
The asylum seeker center in Budel is being fully evacuated on Thursday due to a large wildfire threatening the area. Approximately 1,500 residents and dozens of staff members are being displaced, and ...
Juicy news for bubble tea lovers: CoCo Bubble Tea opens a new location in Amsterdamse Poort
Faiza Bellai is opening a new branch of the Taiwanese chain CoCo Bubble Tea in the Amsterdamse Poort shopping center. This expansion reflects the ongoing popularity of the beverage in Amsterdam and ad...
Heemskerk coalition agreement in the works, Heerschop also acting as formateur
The political parties Heemskerk Lokaal, Hart voor Heemskerk, and the CDA have officially begun drafting a coalition agreement for the municipality of Heemskerk. Karen Heerschop, who previously served ...
Several more hours to extinguish wildfire in Kessel, Limburg
Firefighters are expected to spend several more hours extinguishing a large wildfire in Kessel, Limburg. Local authorities reported that the blaze is no longer spreading as crews continue their work t...
CNV draws red line on social security: scrap billion-euro plan before talks
CNV chairman Hans van den Heuvel has announced that the trade union will refuse to negotiate with the Dutch cabinet until planned multi-billion euro cuts to social security are scrapped. He argues tha...
Toxic mothballs placed in library children's corner, man suspected of attempted murder
A 52-year-old Amsterdam man is facing attempted murder charges for placing toxic mothballs in the children's section of the OBA library in Amsterdam-West. The suspect confessed to the act, claiming he...
Schiphol Polderbaan runway out of service for over a week for maintenance
Schiphol Airport will perform annual maintenance on the Polderbaan runway from May 4 to May 12. The runway will be closed to air traffic on weekdays during this maintenance period.
Olivia Rodrigo to perform twice at Ziggo Dome next year
Olivia Rodrigo will perform two concerts at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam on March 23 and 24 as part of her Unraveled Tour. Special guest Grace Ives will join her for these performances scheduled for ne...
Nearly 10km tailbacks on A5 towards Amsterdam after Coentunnel accident, 45-minute delay
An accident in the Coentunnel has resulted in a nearly 10-kilometer traffic jam on the A5 motorway toward Amsterdam, causing delays of approximately 45 minutes. Additional congestion is reported betwe...
European Parliament remains in Strasbourg despite energy crisis
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has rejected a request from several Dutch MEPs to temporarily halt monthly sessions in Strasbourg to save energy. The MEPs from various Dutch political pa...
Experts: Drying nature needs help to recover
Following a wildfire near 't Harde, experts emphasize that nature needs urgent assistance to recover from the effects of drought. Biologist Arnold van Vliet warns that such fires symbolize large-scale...
Major fire near Weert, Kempen Airport evacuated
A massive fire covering approximately 500,000 square meters broke out on a military training ground near Weert, leading to the evacuation of Kempen Airport. The blaze, which began around 1:15 PM, has ...
Bolstoren construction project in Nieuw-Vennep to proceed, developer granted permit: 'By acting now, we limit further delay'
The municipality of Haarlemmermeer has granted an environmental permit for the renovation of the iconic Bolstoren in Nieuw-Vennep. This allows the developer to officially proceed with the project, whi...
IJmuiden home closure extended after shooting due to risk of recurrence
A residence on Kromme Mijdrechtstraat in IJmuiden will remain closed for an additional month following a shooting incident in late March. Authorities extended the closure due to a persistent risk of r...
Juliana van Stolberg school undergoing major renovation: part of the roof removed
The Juliana van Stolberg School in Castricum is currently undergoing extensive renovations, which include the removal of a significant portion of its roof. The construction site currently features a l...
Burglar caught red-handed during overnight break-in in Nieuw-Vennep
A 25-year-old man with no fixed address was arrested red-handed during a residential burglary on IJweg in Nieuw-Vennep on Wednesday night. The suspect remains in police custody following the incident.
Entire Netherlands on highest wildfire alert level
The wildfire risk level has been raised to the highest warning stage across the entire Netherlands, including the Amsterdam-Amstelland and Zaanstreek-Waterland regions. This nationwide alert goes into...
Setting up Bevrijdingspop under a clear blue sky
Preparations for the Bevrijdingspop festival are currently underway as workers set up stages under clear blue skies. The event is a popular music and freedom celebration held annually on Liberation Da...
Court: Explanation on officers who viewed Lisa case information
The Amsterdam court has ordered the Public Prosecution Service to provide detailed information regarding the number of police officers who accessed investigation systems in the case of the murdered 17...
Previously banned queer accounts return to Instagram
Several Dutch LGBTQIA+ Instagram accounts that were recently removed without explanation have been restored to the platform. Despite the accounts being back online, administrators report they have sti...
NL-Alert is not working well. ‘It is being addressed. It used to be even worse’
The Dutch emergency notification system NL-Alert is currently experiencing technical issues, leading to instances where users receive incorrect alerts. Authorities are working to resolve the problems ...
Economic growth disappoints, but no need to fear a recession yet
Economic growth in the Netherlands was lower than expected in the first quarter, partly due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. While the economic outlook has worsened, experts believe there i...
A look inside Vishandel Tel in IJmuiden: ‘Certain fish species you should just stay away from’
The article provides a look inside Vishandel Tel, a clean and fresh fishmonger located in the harbor of IJmuiden. It contrasts the shop's interior with the gloomy appearance of the surrounding port ar...
No, it’s not that nobody wants to row with Roos de Jong anymore; Haarlem athlete switches to skiff before focus returns to home World Championships
Haarlem-based rower Roos de Jong will compete in the skiff category at the upcoming World Cup in Seville before returning to the double sculls. Her main objective for the season is the World Champions...
Large fire service response to dune fire between Noordwijk and De Zilk
Numerous fire department vehicles were dispatched on Thursday afternoon to combat a dune fire burning between Noordwijk and De Zilk. Emergency services are currently working to contain the blaze in th...
ECB leaves interest rates unchanged despite higher inflation from Middle East war
The European Central Bank decided on Thursday to leave interest rates in the eurozone unchanged despite rising inflation caused by conflict in the Middle East. Policymakers in Frankfurt determined tha...