Author: NLtimes.nl

Police in Utrecht arrested two men suspected of involvement in a rash of attempted robberies where heavy explosions were triggered at German cash machines. The pair are also suspected of torching the escape vehicles used in the crimes. The two men are both from Utrecht, and are 22 and 23 years of age. They first … Continue reading “Utrecht men arrested over string of German ATM explosions”

The tenant of a farm where a family was found concealed is suspected of depriving people of their physical freedom, and harming the health of others, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) said on Wednesday. The suspect is reportedly 58-year-old Austrian man Josef B., according to multiple published reports.Submitted by Zack Newmark on October 16, 2019 … Continue reading “Farm resident accused of keeping family captive in Ruinerwold: Prosecutor”

In the police units where the use of tasers is being tested, police officers made use of this weapon 76 times between February and August this year. In most of these incidents, the police officer did not actually have to shock anyone – threatening with the taser already had the desired effect, the police said … Continue reading “Police used tasers 76 times between February and August”

Farmers protesting in the Utrecht region who then drove their tractors on the A12 motorway rejected orders from the police to exit the A12 and park their vehicles at the Cars Jeans Stadium in Den Haag. Instead, many stormed into town, attempting to either create a disturbance in the city center, force their way near … Continue reading “Tractor drivers ignore Den Haag warnings; Heavy evening rush hour expected”

Amsterdam is stepping up the fight against drug crime with a package of measures focused on making neighborhoods and their residents more resilient, and on “actively disrupting” drug dealing. Dealers will be tackled at their hangouts and garage boxes, and young people who are in danger of entering the drug world will be better monitored, … Continue reading “Amsterdam to focus on people’s resilience in fight against drug crime”

Two political parties in the Netherlands want to force the cabinet to take up the issue of making Liberation Day a paid day off from work for as many people as possible. Currently, many people in the country take the May 5 national holiday off from work once every five years.Submitted by Zack Newmark on … Continue reading “Support swells to make Liberation Day a national day off”

Richard de Mos and Rachid Guernaoui officially handed in their resignation as aldermen in The Hague. The two politicians from Groep de Mos/Hart voor den Haag are suspected of accepting bribes for issuing permits. Despite his resignation, De Mos will not change anything about his party financing and he called on entrepreneurs to keep donating to … Continue reading “Hague aldermen resign amidst bribery allegations”

A 20-year-old man from Zwolle was sentenced to 180 days of juvenile detention, 160 of which conditionally suspended, 60 hours of community service, treatment and a fine of 750 euros for raping a then 18-year-old woman on a public bus between Zwolle and Dedemsvaart in April last year, AD reports.Submitted by Janene Pieters on October 16, … Continue reading “Short jail term, small fine for raping teen in public bus”

In the next 30 years, the Dutch government wants to limit the number of flights from Schiphol to popular tourist destinations. Instead the focus will be on increasing the airport’s international network by favoring companies who contribute to this network in the distribution of flight slots, the Volkskrant reports based on Infrastructure Minister Cora van … Continue reading “Dutch gov’t to limit vacation flights from Schiphol, promote international network: report”

Public works department Rijkswaterstaat closed the A12 highway from Utrecht to Den Haag at Nootdorp at the request of the police. The highway is overcrowded with farmers on tractors heading towards The Hague for a demonstration. Rijkswaterstaat advises motorists to avoid the highways around The Hague region.Submitted by Janene Pieters on October 16, 2019 – 12:10

A record number of over 300 thousand bachelors and masters degree students enrolled at Dutch universities and universities of applied sciences for the 2019/2020 academic year, according to preliminary figures released by the association of Dutch universities VSNU. The association calls on the government to invest more in higher education, so that universities can keep … Continue reading “Most students ever: Peak enrollment at Dutch higher education institutions”

Most tulip bulbs sold at the popular flower markets in Amsterdam and Lisse never bloom, according to a study commissioned by the municipality of Amsterdam and the general association for flower bulb culture KAVB, RTL Nieuws reports.Submitted by Janene Pieters on October 16, 2019 – 11:00

“I have never experienced anything like this”, mayor Roger de Groot of municipality De Wolden said about a family found in a farm in Ruinerwold. The family, a father and six children, lived a “withdrawn existence” in “secluded provisional spaces” in the farm for nine years, the mayor said in a press conference, NOS reportsSubmitted by … Continue reading ““I’ve never experienced anything like it”, mayor says about off-the-grid Drenthe family”

Rent increases are leveling off in the Netherlands, particularly in the large cities, according to the newest rent monitor by housing platform Pararius. Nationwide, the average rent per square meter increased by 3.6 percent in the third quarter, compared to the same quarter last year. Utrecht is the only of the four large cities where rents increased … Continue reading “Rents rise 3.6 percent across Netherlands; Prices dip in Rotterdam”

The Ministry of Defense is supporting the police and the municipality of The Hague on Wednesday in cordoning off the city center, including the Binnenhof, to large vehicles. Hundreds of farmers are expected to go to the city today to protest against nitrogen measures. Submitted by Janene Pieters on October 16, 2019 – 08:07

Hundreds of farmers have taken to the streets on their tractors in another protest against nitrogen measures. They will start their protest in De Bilt, near the national institute for public health and environment RIVM, and then move on to The Hague around midday. Traffic is already piling up, with 346 kilometers of traffic jams … Continue reading “Over 300 kilos of traffic jams as farmers go to protest in The Hague, De Bilt”

Prosecutors on Tuesday alleged that a group of seven men were at least partly responsible for the importation of approximately 1,125 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside a shipment of frozen fish. The cocaine entered the Netherlands at the Port of Rotterdam and was then tracked to a worksite in Zaandam in July 2018.Submitted by Zack … Continue reading “Prosecutors push up to 10 years for €22M cocaine bust hidden in frozen fish”

The flourishing Dutch economy has a down side, and that is that workplaces in the Netherlands are becoming less safe, according to trade union CNV. A quarter of Dutch employees in high-risk professions have fallen victim to an industrial accident at least once, according to a study Panelwizard performed among nearly 1,100 employees on behalf … Continue reading ““Dark side of flourishing economy”: Quarter of Dutch workers hurt in industrial accidents”

Far-right, anti-Islam group Pegida is calling on people to come to the national Sinterklaas arrival this year dressed as blackface Zwarte Piet. “We want to turn it into a traditional, beautiful children’s party again”, Pegida leader Edwin Wagensveld, dressed in a Sinterklaas costume, said in a video on Facebook.Submitted by Janene Pieters on October 15, … Continue reading “Far-right anti-Islamist group wants more blackface use at Sinterklaas arrival”

Minister Stef Blok of Foreign Affairs called his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavusoglu on Monday to make clear that the Dutch government condemns Turkey’s invasion of northeastern Syria, he said in a letter to parliament, NOS reports. Blok asked Minister Çavusoglu​ to stop Turkish operations in the area and called his attention “to the need to monitor camps” … Continue reading “Dutch FM asks Turkish counterpart to stop Syria invasion”

Dutch development bank FMO funded a number of projects involved in serious abuses, Trouw reports based on its own research. The newspaper identified at least seven projects that FMO funded in which the companies involved were connected to murder, intimidation, environmental damage, arbitrary arrests and land grabbing. Submitted by Janene Pieters on October 15, 2019 – … Continue reading “Dutch development bank funded projects tied to murder, land-grabs: report”

The Cornelius Haga Lyceum in Amsterdam will get no more funding from the government as of December 1st, Minister Arie Slob for Primary and Secondary Education said in a letter to parliament.Submitted by Janene Pieters on October 15, 2019 – 14:32

A Czech court sentenced Dutch brothers Armin and Arash N. to 5.5 years and 5 years in prison respectively for assaulting a waiter in Prague in April last year. The brothers were convicted of aggravated assault on appeal on Tuesday. They are also banned from visiting the Czech Republic for ten years, AD reports.Submitted by … Continue reading “Dutch brothers get up to 5.5 years for aggravated assault on Prague waiter”

The police discovered a father living with his six children in an ‘end of times’ bunker on a farm in Ruinerwold. The family, who hasn’t seen the outside world for years, was discovered after the oldest son managed to get away on Sunday and went to a local pub for help, RTV Drenthe reports.Submitted by … Continue reading “Son escapes, rescues 5 siblings trapped for 9 years by “end of times” father”

The police arrested two men on Tuesday in connection with incidents during a farmers’ protest at the Groningen provincial government on Monday. Both men are suspected of public violence, the police said in a statement. That brings the total number of suspects arrested up to three. On Monday hundreds of farmers went to protest against … Continue reading “Video: Several held in violent attacks on Groningen city hall, town square”

The conservative VVD party is willing to discuss retrieving the children of Dutch jihadists from Syria and bringing them back to the Netherlands, but only if their parents do not come with them, parliamentarian Dilan Yesilgoz said on television show Pauw. Up until now the party of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte always outright refused … Continue reading “Dutch kids can return from ISIS territory, but not parents: PM’s party”

Fatima Abouloufa, a team chief at the Leiden police who was suspended after drawing public attention to discrimination within the police, is no longer welcome at the police unit Den Haag, which covers Leiden. Paul van Musscher, police chief in The Hague, informed her that she does not have enough support from a dozen managers in … Continue reading “Racism whistleblower no longer welcome at Hague police”

Flights from Schiphol to Barcelona departed again on Tuesday morning, after many flights to the Catalan city were canceled on Monday evening due to unrest. At 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, a Transavia flight departed from Schiphol to Barcelona, followed by a Veuling flight an hour later. Other flights to the Spanish city for Tuesday are … Continue reading “Flights between Amsterdam, Barcelona restart after cancellations over Catalunya unrest”

An ATM bombing on Haarlemmermeerstraat in Amsterdam on Tuesday morning left the entire neighborhood shaken. One sleeping resident was injured when their window shattered due to the blast. “It really sounded like a bomb that went off”, another frightened local said to AT5.Submitted by Janene Pieters on October 15, 2019 – 09:38

Dutch central bank DNB currently considers the situation on the Dutch housing market the biggest threat to financial stability in the Netherlands, according to the DNB’s six-monthly Overview of Financial Stability. The “systemic risk in the housing market” increased significantly in the past years and a sudden fall in house prices could be disastrous for … Continue reading “Housing market crash a major risk says Dutch Central Bank”

Boys who fall victim to sexual abuse must receive better help. There is far too little attention for male victims, resulting in them falling off the radar and not getting the help they need, the National Rapporteur on Human Trafficking, national coordination center Comensha, WatchNL and other aid organization committed to helping victims of sexual … Continue reading “More attention needed for sexually abused boys”

The provinces of Gelderland, Overijssel and Drenthe followed Friesland’s example and announced on Monday that they are reversing the nitrogen measures they announced last week. This happened as hundreds of farmers took their tractors to protest at eight provincial governments. “This is asking for further actions”, Jan Brouwer, director of the Center for Public Order … Continue reading “Provinces reversing nitrogen measures over farmers’ protest “unwise”: Public Order expert”

A D66 proposal to allow childcare organizations to refuse children who have not been vaccinated received support from a majority of Dutch parliamentarians. This is necessary “so you as parents can see where you can safely bring your child”, D66 MP Rens Raemakers said, RTL Nieuws reports.Submitted by Janene Pieters on October 15, 2019 – 07:35

The relationship between the Netherlands and the United States has “cooled down” and “soured” according to Dutch diplomats and diplomatic experts. “There is declining confidence, I hear at the top of Dutch diplomacy”, diplomatic expert Robert van de Roer said to RTL Nieuws. “Behind the scenes you hear: America is not America anymore.”Submitted by Janene … Continue reading ““America is not America anymore” say Dutch diplomats on U.S. relations: Report”

Ton L., a 61-year-old man suspected of murdering his 79-year-old mother, told the authorities that he strangled her to death and then drove her body to a Chinese restaurant so he could buy an order of spring rolls. While he was waiting for his carry out snack, his mother’s body was hidden underneath a blanket in the … Continue reading “Man killed mother, then drove with her body to get a snack: Court hearing”

Turkey’s invasion of northern Syria last week, resulted in protests against Turkey and its president Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Netherlands over the weekend. A planned protest on the Malieveld in The Hague drew around 3 thousand protesters. A spontaneous protest at Amsterdam Central Station attracted around 75 demonstrators.  The Hague demonstrators marched through the … Continue reading “Thousands join protests against Erdogan in Amsterdam, Den Haag”

Jawed S., a 20-year-old man who stabbed two American tourists at Amsterdam Central Station last year, was sentenced to 26 years in prison by the court in Amsterdam on Monday. He was convicted to two counts of attempted murder with terrorist intent, and three counts of threatening a police officer, NOS reports.Submitted by Janene Pieters on … Continue reading “Conviction, 26-year prison term for stabbing of Americans at Amsterdam CS”

A difficult victory against Belarus on Sunday put the Dutch national team another step closer to the European Championship 2020. Oranje beat the Russians 1-2 in Minsk, thanks to two goals scored by Georginio Wijnaldum. The Dutch footballers are pleased with the victory, but critical of their performance.  The victory keeps the Netherlands in the lead … Continue reading “Dutch footballers pleased by 1-2 victory over Belarus, but critical of performance”

A special unit of the German police rescued a 22-year-old Polish woman on Saturday night, after she was abducted from a holiday park in the Netherlands. Three suspects, aged 26, 27 and 32, all from Poland, were arrested, the Dutch police said in a statement.Submitted by Janene Pieters on October 14, 2019 – 12:00

A special unit of the German police rescued a 22-year-old Polish woman on Saturday night, after she was abducted from a holiday park in the Netherlands. Three suspects, aged 26, 27 and 32, all from Poland, were arrested, the Dutch police said in a statement.Submitted by Janene Pieters on October 14, 2019 – 12:00

In the near future, violence against a police officer or other first responders will always be punished with a prison sentence. Ministers Ferdinand Grapperhaus of Justice and Security and Sander Dekker for Legal Protection will submit a bill on Monday that prohibits punishing this crime with community service or a fine.. Currently only perpetrators of … Continue reading “Justice Ministers push mandatory prison for violence against first responders”

A super expensive Lamborghini that formed part of a wedding procession was severely damaged in an accident in Maasdijk on Sunday night. The Lamborghini Haracan Spyder, with a new value of over 300 thousand euros, crashed into a delivery van at high speed and then came to a standstill against a pole, NOS reports. The … Continue reading “Rented Lamborghini crashes during wedding procession”

There are far too few spaces for bicycles on the train to keep up with the growing number of public transit users that travel with their bikes, according to cyclists’ union Fietsersbond and travelers’ association Rover. They call on NS to take measures, especially now that cycling is increasingly being encouraged, the Telegraaf reports.Submitted by … Continue reading “NS called to create more room for bikes on trains”

If nothing changes, stress and high workloads will affect a quarter of Dutch workers to such an extent that they will have to work less or not at all by 2030, according to service provider Arbo Unie. The number of employees with a burnout doubled in the past 20 years and that trend will only … Continue reading “Stress, burnout to affect quarter of Dutch workers by 2030: expert”

The number of accidents on Dutch highways increased considerably over the past five years, NRC reports based on a report from the road safety research foundation SWOV that will be published Monday. The researchers attribute the increase to more distractions, speeding and less police enforcement on the highways, according to the newspaper.Submitted by Janene Pieters on … Continue reading “Accidents on Dutch highways doubled in 5 years: report”

The Dutch government is establishing a fund next year where homeowners can borrow money to remove and replace their asbestos roof, State Secretary Stientje van Veldhoven of Infrastructure announced. She hopes that the fund will tempt homeowners to deal with this health risk in the short term, NOS reportsSubmitted by Janene Pieters on October 14, … Continue reading “New fund to help Dutch homeowners clear away asbestos roofs”

Violence was used again police officers working the party scene in Roosendaal and Doetinchem during the early hours of Sunday morning. One officer was injured and a total of eight people were arrested. “Another weekend with excessive and unacceptable violence against colleagues”, National Police chief Erik Akerboom said on Twitter. “In Roosendaal and Doetinchem, among others, … Continue reading “Cops attacked in Roosendaal, Doetinchem; “Unacceptable”, police chief says”

Three people were hurt in a shooting at a McDonald’s restaurant in Den Helder. One of those suspected in the shooting was arrested while police say a second suspect was still on the loose. The incident happened just before midnight on Friday along the Verkeerstorenweg in the quiet Noord-Holland city. Three ambulances were dispatched to … Continue reading “Three shot at McDonald’s in Den Helder; 1 at large”

The Amsterdam city council will launch a campaign against the possession of weapons in the city by the end of this year. The campaign ‘Amsterdam disarmed’ will start in Zuidoost, and then be extended to other parts of the city, the city council announced during a meeting in Zuidoost on Thursday, Het Parool reports.Submitted by … Continue reading “Amsterdam could launch disarmament campaign later this year”

Prosecutors are seeking stiff sentence against two suspects accused of detonating hand grenades at two coffeeshops in Delft. At least one person was hurt in the explosions on May 17, 2018, the Public Prosecutor’s Office (OM) said in a statement.Submitted by Janene Pieters on October 11, 2019 – 17:50