Monday starts cloudy, with fog in the south, before more sun breaks through and temperatures reach 13 to 16 degrees. Drivers heading into Rotterdam face delays this morning, and Amsterdam’s cultural sector is worried about the cost of a night in the city.
Crash slows A29 traffic towards Rotterdam
Drivers heading towards Rotterdam on the A29 face about 50 minutes of extra travel time after an accident involving two vehicles on Monday morning. The delay runs between the Numansdorp exit and the Vaanplein junction, where two lanes are closed. If you commute into Rotterdam from the south, allow extra time or check a route planner before you set off.
Source: Rijnmond
Amsterdam culture sector says higher tourist tax is driving visitors away
In Amsterdam, the IDFA documentary festival is not the only cultural organisation feeling the effect of higher prices for overnight stays: the wider cultural sector is feeling it too. One voice from the sector warns that raising the tourist tax “also drives away the very people you want to attract.” This matters to anyone who follows the city’s cultural calendar or regularly hosts visiting friends and family.
Source: Het Parool
Wassenaar council clashes over laptop rumour
In Wassenaar, near The Hague, councillor Ben Paulides has clashed with the municipal executive after asking about an alleged incident in which an alderman threw a laptop at mayor Leendert de Lange. The executive denies the incident took place and accuses Paulides of stirring up ill feeling. Paulides now wants to know whether the executive has the authority to judge an individual councillor’s conduct as lacking integrity.
Source: Omroep West
Cybersecurity firms have quadrupled in five years
The number of cybersecurity companies in the Netherlands has quadrupled over the past five years, according to an ANP analysis of figures from the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KVK). For internationals working in tech or looking for their next role, it points to a sector that has grown quickly in a short time.
Source: NL Times
Americans in the Netherlands prepare for the midterms
Americans living in the Netherlands are getting ready to vote in the US midterm elections. The piece looks at how citizens abroad can often feel stuck on the political sidelines of their home country.
Source: DutchNews
Abroad: Alberta votes and Paris stays restless
The Canadian province of Alberta is holding a referendum on possible secession, and French ministers are holding a crisis meeting about the riots of the past weekend. There was more unrest in Paris overnight, and more young people were arrested in the early morning. NOS also publishes live updates on traffic jams, roadworks and the rail network for anyone travelling today.
Source: NOS
Netherlands Today is a curated digest: we summarise and link, the reporting belongs to the publications named. Something wrong or missing? Tell us.
Sources
- NL Times: Number of cybersecurity companies in Netherlands skyrocketed in 5 years, accessed 19 October 2026
- DutchNews: Midterm melee: Americans in the Netherlands gear up to vote, accessed 19 October 2026
- NOS: Wekdienst 19/10: Canadese provincie Alberta stemt over afsplitsing • Franse ministers bijeen na rellen, accessed 19 October 2026
- Het Parool: Niet alleen Idfa, maar brede Amsterdamse cultuursector zucht onder hogere prijs overnachtingen: ‘Verhoging van toeristenbelasting jaagt ook de mensen weg die je juist wÃlt hebben’, accessed 19 October 2026
- Rijnmond: Uur vertraging op snelweg door ongeluk, accessed 19 October 2026
- Omroep West: Raadslid botst met college na geruchten over gegooide laptop naar burgemeester, accessed 19 October 2026
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