News

A code red weather alarm has been issued for large parts of the Netherlands as extreme heat and high humidity move across the country. Temperatures are expected to climb up to 40 degrees Celsius locally, triggering the activation of the National Heat Plan. Urban areas will face particularly warm nights, with temperatures staying well above 20 degrees Celsius.

The KNMI has issued a yellow weather warning for Saturday evening as severe thunderstorms are forecast to sweep across the entire Netherlands, bringing a turbulent end to a record-breaking heatwave. The weather institute warns of localized damage and disruption from torrential downpours, large hailstones up to five centimetres in size, and destructive wind gusts reaching up to 100 kilometres per hour. The sudden shift in weather follows an amber alert for extreme heat, which saw Friday officially recorded as the hottest 26 June in Dutch history.

The Amsterdam stock exchange opened lower on Friday as the benchmark AEX index fell 0.5% to 1,062.05 points, tracking a sharp tech-led sell-off in Asia fueled by surging memory chip prices. Global tech sentiment soured following news that heavy AI infrastructure investments are squeezing chip supply, forcing giants like Apple and Microsoft to hike product prices, while reports emerged that OpenAI may delay its stock market flotation until next year. On the local bourse, chip equipment maker Besi led the decliners with a 3.2% drop, contrasting with telecom firm KPN, which gained 1.3% on an analyst upgrade, while broader European markets dipped alongside falling oil prices as geopolitical anxieties in the Strait of Hormuz began to ease.

Dutch grid operators and energy suppliers are teaming up to pay households to reduce their electricity use during peak hours in an effort to ease severe congestion on the country's overloaded power grid. By using smart technology to automatically manage high-energy devices—such as delaying electric car charging or drawing power from home batteries during the busy winter window of 4pm to 9pm—the scheme aims to prevent regional blackouts and waiting lists for new connections. Following a successful pilot, the initiative is now rolling out to hundreds of thousands of homes across provinces like Utrecht and Gelderland, with the goal of freeing up enough flexible capacity to power an entire city the size of Haarlem.

Around half a million workers in Dutch nursing homes, care homes, home care, and youth health services are set to receive a 7.4 per cent pay rise over the next two years following a breakthrough collective labour agreement between trade unions and employers. Scheduled to take effect on 1 September subject to member approval, the country's largest employment deal will roll out the salary increase in four stages alongside a boost to commuting allowances. Both union and employer representatives have praised the comprehensive package, noting that it provides a crucial financial lift for the lowest-income groups while addressing vital workplace issues such as employee safety, workload management, and staff participation.

Albert Heijn will stop grocery deliveries nationwide from 3:00 PM on Friday due to the KNMI’s code red heat warning. The supermarket says employee safety comes first. Deliveries are expected to resume Saturday morning, while customers are asked to visit stores or reschedule orders.

CBR cancels driving exams in code‑red provinces due to extreme heat. Over 5,000 tests affected; rescheduling is free and prioritised. Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe, Zeeland continue.

Several parties in Parliament say the new women’s health plan lacks funding and concrete actions. While the ministry wants to improve recognition of women’s health issues without extra money, critics argue that real progress requires investment — and could save society billions.