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.
Protests in many cities, counter-protests as well
National protests took place in several cities on Saturday to demonstrate against asylum reception policies and healthcare budget cuts. While the organizers planned events across nine cities, counter-...
Many Swatch stores closed worldwide due to chaos over new watch
Swiss watchmaker Swatch temporarily closed its stores in several countries, including the Netherlands, on Saturday due to overwhelming crowds for a new watch launch. Similar closures occurred in the U...
'Life doesn't end after an amputation': Helioheroes René (48) and Roosmarijn (24) climb mountain in Austria
René Meijer and occupational therapist Roosmarijn Smit, representing the Helioheroes handbike team from the Heliomare rehabilitation center, will climb the Kaunertaler glacier in Austria on June 25. ...
Dozens of youths attack police at Purmerend fair
Police were attacked by dozens of young people at a fair in Purmerend on Friday night after intervening in a large fight. The group targeted officers with fireworks and stones as they attempted to res...
Castricum station assault suspects fail to come forward: police release footage
Dutch police will release unblurred footage of suspects involved in an assault at Castricum station after they failed to turn themselves in by the deadline. The incident took place during the night of...
Chronically ill Michelle (23) makes Haarlem station a little more colorful
Michelle van Doorn, a 23-year-old living with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME), has installed a "trinket trade box" near Haarlem Station to connect with the community. The box allows passersby to exchang...
Presenter Bas Westerweel (62) dies unexpectedly
Dutch presenter and radio maker Bas Westerweel has passed away unexpectedly at the age of 62. He was found in his apartment in Enschede on Friday, just one day before his 63rd birthday.
Another ferry to the Amsterdamse Bos faces closure: 'It would be a great shame'
The 'Ome Piet' ferry service connecting Badhoevedorp to the Amsterdamse Bos is at risk of shutting down as its volunteer skippers retire without finding successors. Coupled with potential subsidy cuts...
Castricum to redesign Smeetslaan cycle paths and roundabouts, traffic diverted
The municipality of Castricum will begin redesigning bicycle paths and roundabouts along C.F. Smeetslaan starting May 26. The project will involve road closures and traffic detours for motorists and p...
Fans in suspense: ‘Please let the Telstar fairytale become a storybook’
Telstar fans are awaiting the final match against Volendam to see if the club will secure its place in the Eredivisie. The team has become a fan favorite throughout the Netherlands, and local resident...
Political scientist Catherine de Vries on Velsen election results: If you dismiss a whole group of voters as racists, you also set aside their experience of loss
Political scientist Catherine de Vries analyzed the significant election victory of Forum voor Democratie in Velsen, noting that there were many indicators predicting this outcome. She warned that lab...
Everyone wants time off in May, payroll administrator Ronald (61) works flat out
While many employees take time off in May for holidays like Ascension Day and Pentecost, 61-year-old payroll administrator Ronald faces an increased workload. Anne-Marije Buckens, who runs a company h...
Volendam director with a Telstar heart: 'Both clubs deserve to stay in the Eredivisie'
Piet van der Pol, the current general director of FC Volendam and former director of Telstar, expressed his support for both clubs ahead of their upcoming match. He emphasized that both teams deserve ...
Netherlands beckons India: PM Modi eyes ASML, water expertise and new trade deals
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting the Netherlands this weekend to pursue new trade deals in sectors including defense, water management, and technology. During his visit, he met with Kin...
Long queues for new watch, stores closed for rest of day
Police and security cleared hundreds of people from the Mall of the Netherlands in Leidschendam on Saturday morning. The crowd had gathered for the release of a new Swatch watch, leading to the store'...
Beloved former Hillegom history teacher Ed Vellekoop finally shows everyone what he can do
Ed Vellekoop, a beloved former history teacher from Hillegom, is showcasing his artistic talents in a two-month exhibition at the local library starting May 23. Although his drawing skills were well-k...
Andreas de Graaf new interim municipal manager of Castricum: ‘De Graaf brings enthusiasm and warm professionalism’
The municipality of Castricum has appointed Andreas de Graaf as its new interim municipal secretary starting at the end of this month. De Graaf is expected to bring enthusiasm and professional experie...
Woman found dead in Helmond home, man arrested
A woman was found dead in a house in Helmond during the night from Friday to Saturday. A man present in the same residence has been arrested, though police have not yet released details regarding thei...
Supermarket smoothies are mediocre: ‘I expected to taste more banana’
Experts evaluated seven strawberry and banana smoothies from various supermarkets and found their quality to be generally mediocre. Despite being marketed as fresh, the tasters noted that the drinks o...
Breakdancer Abel and bowler Jakolien are ready for the Special Olympics
The Special Olympics, a sporting event for athletes with intellectual disabilities, will be held in Haarlem this June with nearly 3,000 participants. Local athletes Abel Geerlof, a 24-year-old breakda...
Iraqi man detained for attacks on Jewish school and Atrium on the Zuidas
An Iraqi national has been arrested for allegedly coordinating a series of attacks on Jewish institutions across Europe, including targets in Amsterdam and other Dutch cities. The suspect, linked to a...
Leiden University returns centuries-old plates to India
Leiden University is returning two centuries-old inscribed copper "Chola plates" to India. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will view the artifacts during his visit to The Hague this Saturday.
Spekkoek Queen comes to Leiden with Indonesian layered cake: 'They even visited me from Dubai and the US'
The 'Spekkoek Queen' is bringing her traditional Indonesian layer cakes to Leiden, attracting international customers from as far as Dubai and the United States. This expansion highlights Dutch baking...
Joep (24) reaches play-offs for first time with Pinoké: ‘That’s what I came back for’
The Pinoké field hockey team has qualified for the Dutch national championship play-offs for the first time since the 2022/23 season. Striker Joep Troost has played a key role in the team's success t...
Thrift store worker Francis believes both items and people deserve a second chance
In the second season of "Kringlopen met Francis," host Francis Broekhuijsen explores thrift stores and recycling projects across North Holland to highlight how both items and people receive second cha...
Bernard (81) loses thousands of euros to sophisticated new bank scam: 'I’m deeply ashamed'
An 81-year-old man named Bernard lost thousands of euros to sophisticated bank help desk fraud that utilizes AI and data leaks to impersonate bank staff. Data from ABN Amro reveals that scammers now u...
Tatjana Simic had to 'find her way' in new Flodder role: 'Now I am Ma'
Actress Tatjana Simic discusses her return to the Flodder franchise in a new spin-off series premiering this Monday on the streaming service Videoland. She told ANP that it took some adjustment to ste...
FNV warns government: don't abolish the weekend through extended opening hours
The FNV trade union has urged the Dutch cabinet to maintain existing shopping hour regulations to protect weekends, evenings, and holidays for workers. FNV official Linda Vermeulen warned that expandi...
Rare Swatch sale spirals out of control: stores in Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Leidschendam remain closed
The release of a rare Audemars Piguet x Swatch watch was canceled on Saturday morning due to extreme crowds at several store locations. Branches in Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Leidschendam remained closed...
To the Alps with the new night train: ‘A breath of fresh air compared to previous trains’
Travel journalist Hans Avontuur reviews the newly upgraded Nightjet train service connecting the Netherlands to the Alps. The updated sleeper cars provide a significantly more comfortable experience c...