Politics News in English

Velsen investigates long social support wait times: ‘It remains difficult to get a grip on the situation’

The municipality of Velsen has commissioned an external research agency to investigate why waiting times for Social Support Act (Wmo) services continue to increase. Despite previous efforts, the local...

Hoofddorp to build 400 homes in city center: Houses too close to busy road according to health regulations

The municipality of Haarlemmermeer has approved plans for 400 to 450 new homes in the center of Hoofddorp on the Binnenweg. Local politicians generally support the project despite health authorities' ...

Former Thai PM released from prison

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was released early from prison on Monday after serving part of a one-year sentence. He had been convicted of corruption and abuse of power for actions tak...

Body of missing US service member found off coast of Morocco

The body of a 27-year-old American soldier who went missing during a military exercise off the coast of Morocco over a week ago was recovered on Saturday morning. Rescue workers discovered the body ne...

Building for asylum seekers in Den Bosch damaged by explosive

An explosive device damaged a building in Den Bosch that was intended to house unaccompanied minor asylum seekers. Local authorities and media reports confirmed the blast occurred on Beverspijken stre...

British minister thanks Netherlands after repatriation of Hondius passengers

Twenty British passengers from the ship m/v Hondius were repatriated from Tenerife to Manchester and subsequently transported to a hospital near Liverpool for medical observation. The British governme...

Disappointing growth in onshore wind energy due to power grid and uncertainty

Onshore wind energy expansion in the Netherlands reached its lowest point since 2017, with only 96 megawatts added in 2025. This stagnation is primarily driven by legislative uncertainty and the chall...

Trump calls Iranian peace proposal completely unacceptable

US President Donald Trump has rejected a proposal from Iran, labeling it as "completely unacceptable" in a post on Truth Social. Trump did not provide specific details regarding why the proposal from ...

René Diekstra previously called Trump an 'idiot.' Now he wonders: is Trump too stupid to know how stupid he is?

Psychologist René Diekstra addresses reader criticism regarding his previous column that labeled Donald Trump as a 'dummy' and a 'liar.' He explores the psychological concept of whether Trump lacks t...

Netanyahu: War with Iran only over once uranium is gone

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a CBS "60 Minutes" interview that the conflict with Iran will only end once its enriched uranium stockpile is removed. He emphasized that the situat...

French Hondius evacuee shows hantavirus symptoms

A French citizen evacuated from the Dutch cruise ship Hondius has displayed symptoms of the hantavirus. Consequently, all five individuals repatriated from Tenerife have been placed in strict isolatio...

Cabinet thanks Spain for help with repatriation

The Dutch government has thanked Spain for its assistance in repatriating passengers from the cruise ship Hondius. A flight carrying eight Dutch passengers is traveling from Tenerife to Eindhoven on S...

Opinion: Scrapping morning sessions at Flevoparkbad is not about luxury; it raises the question: who is the city for?

New and larger military training grounds in North Holland due to rising global tensions; landing area for amphibious vehicles at Groote Keeten

The Dutch Ministry of Defence is expanding military training areas in the province of Noord-Holland due to rising global tensions. This plan includes designating the beach at Groote Keeten as a new la...

Another protest on Rotterdam port railway line

Activists from the group Geef Tegengas held a second day of protests in the Port of Rotterdam on Sunday. This follows a similar action on Saturday where the group blocked the port's railway line.

Iran sends response to US peace proposal to Pakistan

Iran has submitted its response to a United States peace proposal aimed at ending regional hostilities, delivering it to Pakistan as the mediator. According to the Iranian news agency IRNA, this phase...

Researcher on Vondelpark fatbike ban: Fatbikes are the scapegoats of the traffic debate

Qatar: cargo ship attacked by drone off the coast

A cargo ship off the coast of Qatar was attacked by a drone on Sunday morning, causing a small fire. The blaze was successfully extinguished and no casualties were reported following the incident.

26 arrested as asylum protest in Apeldoorn gets out of hand

Police arrested 26 people in Apeldoorn on Saturday night after a protest against emergency asylum seeker housing turned violent. Demonstrators attacked officers with fireworks, obstructed traffic, and...

German government skeptical of Putin's proposal for EU talks

The German government has expressed skepticism regarding a proposal by Russian President Vladimir Putin for former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder to mediate talks with the European Union. Government sou...

Medical checks for Dutch nationals complete, departing at 2:30 PM

Dutch passengers from the vessel m/v Hondius have completed their medical checks and are scheduled to fly from Tenerife to Eindhoven on Sunday. The flight is expected to depart at 14:30 local time fol...

53 homes on site of former Hema in Hoofddorp

The municipality of Hoofddorp plans to build 53 new homes on the site of the former HEMA and Hangar 20 in the town center. The local government intends to sign a development agreement with the firm Wo...

Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of violating ceasefire

Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of violating a temporary ceasefire that was scheduled for May 9 through May 11. The three-day truce had been established following a request from the United ...

Heemstede alderman runs with 'Banana Paul' in fight against litter

Primary school students in Heemstede organized a cleanup relay to collect litter and raise awareness about environmental waste. The initiative, proposed by the local children's municipal council, feat...

Maverick Jan fights for his waterfront palace. ‘There’s always something happening here. Who else has this in the Netherlands?’

Jan Bais, a 75-year-old resident of IJmuiden, is fighting to remain in his unique waterfront home after converting a houseboat into a structure on steel beams. The local municipality wants him to vaca...

Passengers head to the Netherlands after Spaniards leave the Hondius

A large-scale evacuation operation involving 23 countries is currently underway for passengers of the cruise ship m/v Hondius. Following the initial removal of Spanish passengers in Tenerife, other pa...

Higher profit for Saudi Aramco despite export disruptions due to Iran war

Saudi Aramco reported increased profits for the first quarter as high oil prices, driven by the conflict in Iran, offset operational challenges. Despite the financial gain, the company's exports have ...

1896 building permit insufficient: city center roof terrace must be removed

A homeowner in Amsterdam's city center must remove a roof terrace and external staircase by June 2026 or face a 10,000 euro fine. A judge rejected the owner's claim that a building permit from 1896 au...

Kleine Houtweg to become green cycle street, much to residents' dismay: 'It will be traffic chaos'

The Haarlem municipality plans to redevelop the Kleine Houtweg into a green bicycle street next year, incorporating new sewers and reduced car access. However, local residents are protesting the proje...

Beverwijk admits: court lacked crucial info in Plantage case; 22 parking spaces must be compensated

The municipality of Beverwijk has acknowledged that crucial information regarding parking was missing during a court case about a new residential tower in the Plantage neighborhood. Documents obtained...