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☆ Amsterdam’s Latest Effort to Fight Excessive Tourism: No New Hotels
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Claire Moses | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Amsterdam has been searching for any way to rein in the number of tourists that visit the city every year. The city has also long tried to control the crowds in its red-light district, where rowdy groups of tourists often cause disruptions to local residents. It has added stricter rules about smoking marijuana. It has banned new tourist shops. And still, the people keep coming.

Persons: ”, — Locations: Amsterdam

☆ Opinion | The Great Struggle for Liberalism
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( David Brooks | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In 1978, the Russian dissident Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn gave a commencement address at Harvard, warning us about the loss of American self-confidence and will. “A decline in courage may be the most striking feature that an outside observer notices in the West today,” he declared. The enemies of liberal democracy seem to be full of passionate intensity — Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Donald Trump, campus radicals. He shows how it was created by real people in real communities who wanted richer, fuller and more dynamic lives. The Dutch merchant fleet was capable of carrying more tonnage than the fleets of France, England, Scotland, the Holy Roman Empire, Spain and Portugal combined.

Persons: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, ”, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Donald Trump, Fareed Zakaria’s, Zakaria doesn’t Organizations: Harvard, Republicans, Trump Locations: Russian, West, Dutch Republic, Dutch, France, England, Scotland, Empire, Spain, Portugal, Paris

☆ Long Before Amsterdam’s Coffee Shops, There Were Hallucinogenic Seeds
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Rachel Nuwer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In 2011, archaeologists in the Netherlands discovered an ancient pit filled with 86,000 animal bones at a Roman-Era farmstead near the city of Utrecht. It fell to Martijn van Haasteren, an archaeozoologist at the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, to sort through them. Deep into the cataloging process, Mr. van Haasteren was cleaning the mud from yet another bone when something unexpected happened: Hundreds of black specks the size of poppy seeds came pouring out from one end. The specks turned out to be seeds of black henbane, a potently poisonous member of the nightshade family that can be medicinal or hallucinogenic depending on the dosage. The bone — hollowed-out and sealed with a tar plug — was an ancient stash pouch that had kept the seeds safe for some 1,900 years.

Persons: Martijn van Haasteren, van, specks Organizations: Cultural Heritage Agency of Locations: Netherlands, Utrecht

☆ ‘Teslas of the seas’ will take students to school in Sweden
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The X Shore Pro, which is meant for commercial operations or coast guards, is based on the former and shares most of its specifications. The X Shore 1 costs upwards of €109,000 (about $119,000), but the more expensive models in the lineup start at €195,000 (about $213,000). According to Keisu, the experience of riding an X Shore boat is radically different to a traditional one. “The only difference is that we [X Shore] use our batteries also for propulsion, so we have much larger battery packs,” she says. However, technological constraints may be slowing down the electrification of boats, including small leisure boats such as those manufactured by X Shore.

Persons: that’s, Tesla, ”, Maria Niläng, we’re, X Shore, Jenny Keisu, X, Keisu, Timothy McCoy, McCoy, ” Brandon Taravella, “, ” Keisu Organizations: CNN, X Shore, Värmdö Archipelago, University of Michigan, University of New, UNESCO Locations: Stockholm, Sweden, Swedish, Värmdö, X, University of New Orleans, Norway

PARIS (AP) — Planted in a field, Vincent van Gogh painted furiously, bending the thick oils, riotous yellows and sumptuous blues to his will. And it had a doctor who specialized in depression, Paul Gachet, who took Van Gogh on as a patient. The exhibit includes 11 paintings that Van Gogh painted on unusual elongated canvases, experimenting to stunning effect. Another version of the exhibition, with 10 of the elongated canvases, was first shown at Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum earlier this year. “It’s a real fireworks show.”"Van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise: The Final Months" runs at the Musée d'Orsay through Feb. 4, 2024.

Persons: —, Vincent van Gogh, Van Gogh, Van Gogh's, Paul Cézanne, Camille Pissarro, Paul Gachet, ” Emmanuel Coquery, “ He’d, ” Coquery, ”, Jimi Hendrix, Sylvia Plath, Jean, Michel Basquiat, Gogh's, Coquery, “, Musée d'Orsay Organizations: PARIS, Orsay Locations: Wheatfield, Paris, French, Auvers, Oise, Van, Amsterdam, Dutch, York, Musée

☆ Travel news: This airport has more global flight connections than anywhere else in the planet
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Get the latest news in aviation, food and drink, where to stay and other travel developments. Airports flying highSome airports rank highest for passenger volume, such as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, which served close to 94 million travelers last year. Others excel in passenger satisfaction in North America, such as those in Detroit and Minneapolis, which triumphed in a new study by J.D. However, there are three international airports that punch above their weight when it comes to their rich array of connecting flights around the world. Destination inspirationWhen planning vacation itineraries, you really can’t go wrong by checking out local UNESCO World Heritage sites: It’s the unofficial stamp of a quality day out.

Persons: Nikki Bettis, ” Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, Hartsfield, Jackson Atlanta International, London Heathrow, New, JFK, Amsterdam’s, Kuala Lumpur International, Tokyo, Heritage, Bale, Oriental Express, Orient, Disney, Magic Kingdom, United Airlines Locations: North America, Detroit, Minneapolis, ., London, Amsterdam’s Schiphol, Kuala, Tokyo Haneda, Ohio, Ethiopia, West, Jericho, Venice, UNESCO’s, Lake Como, Singapore, Malaysia, Italy, Italy’s, Magic, China, Rome

☆ ‘A Nice Bike, When It Works’: Riders Fret After E-Bike Maker Goes Bust
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Claire Moses | More About Claire Moses | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It’s easy to spot VanMoof electric bikes on Amsterdam’s streets. The riders are often young professionals who are barely pedaling as they whiz past fellow cyclists. “If I break it, or something else happens, I don’t know where to go,” said Gideon Sutaman, 28, who lives in Amsterdam and has been riding his VanMoof e-bike since December. As the e-bike market boomed, the company sold about 200,000 bikes and opened stores across Europe, the United States and Japan. In the e-bike world, VanMoof was often likened to Apple or Tesla, given its elegant designs, heavy use of custom materials and premium prices.

Persons: ”, Gideon Sutaman, VanMoof Organizations: Apple Locations: Amsterdam, Europe, United States, Japan

☆ Lizzo is ‘hurt’ by suit filed by former dancers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Lizzo is addressing a lawsuit filed against her by three of her former dancers. On Thursday, Lizzo addressed the complaint publicly for the first time in a statement on her verified social media. “These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional,” Lizzo wrote in her response. I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis, and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight,” Lizzo continued. “I am hurt, but I will not let the good work I’ve done in the world be overshadowed by this.

Persons: ”, Lizzo, ” Lizzo, “, it’s Organizations: CNN, Los Angeles Superior Court, Light Locations: Los Angeles

CNN —Beyoncé appeared to skip over Lizzo’s name as she performed “Break My Soul (Queen’s Remix)” at a concert in Boston on Tuesday, following the news that Lizzo is being sued by three former dancers alleging harassment and hostile work environment. Normally, Lizzo’s name appears in the lyrics of “Break My Soul (Queen’s Remix),” alongside the likes of Nina Simone, Lauryn Hill and Nicki Minaj, as part of Beyoncé’s song celebrating black women in the entertainment industry. Lizzo is facing a lawsuit from three former dancers. Lizzo had posted a video of herself on Instagram in June watching the same set at a previous show on Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” tour, saying, “I think of what we all mean to people and how cyclical it is. We are all so infinitesimally and maximally connected and significant.

Persons: CNN — Beyoncé, Nina Simone, Lauryn Hill, Nicki Minaj, Paras Griffin, Lizzo, “, ” Organizations: CNN, Los Angeles Superior Court, ” CNN, Lizzo Locations: Boston, Los Angeles

☆ Lizzo sued by three former dancers alleging harassment and hostile work environment
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Lizzo has been sued by three former dancers who claim they were subjected to a hostile work environment and harassment while they were members of the Grammy-winner’s dance team. The complaint, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday and obtained by CNN through an attorney for the plaintiffs, also names her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. (BGBT) and a person described as “dance cast captain” as defendants in the suit. Fearing retaliation, the suit states the plaintiff eventually “acquiesced” despite having expressed numerous times she had no desire to touch the performers. The suit alleges that this comment from the the accountant was “charged with “racial and fat-phobic animus.”Lizzo is known for her uplifting messages and advocacy for body positivity as an integral part of her work. CNN has reached out to a representative for Lizzo and Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. seeking comment on the complaint.

Persons: CNN — Lizzo, ”, “, Lizzo Organizations: CNN, Los Angeles Superior Court, Light, Lizzo, Inc Locations: Los Angeles

CNN —Amsterdam’s city council has approved a proposal banning “polluting” cruise ships as part of the city’s latest move to clamp down on overtourism. A spokesperson for Amsterdam Deputy Mayor Hester van Buren, who has responsibility for the city’s port, told CNN that the council approved a proposal on Thursday to close the city’s cruise ship terminal. The ban on "polluting" cruise ships is just one of many moves by Amsterdam to limit the effects of overtourism. D66 party chairwoman Ilana Rooderkerk emphasized in the statement that “polluting cruise ships do not fit with the sustainable ambitions” of Amsterdam. “Cruise ships in the heart of the city do not fit into Amsterdam’s goal of reducing the number of tourists,” Rooderkerk added.

Persons: Hester van Buren, van Buren’s, Ilana Rooderkerk, “, ” Rooderkerk Organizations: CNN Locations: Amsterdam’s, Amsterdam, Balance

☆ Amsterdam to Cruises: ‘Party Time Is Over’
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Isabella Kwai | More About Isabella Kwai | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Amsterdam will bar cruise ships from docking in the city center as part of a broader effort to curb pollution and reduce the large numbers of tourists who visit the Dutch capital. The City Council passed a proposal on Thursday to close a terminal where more than a hundred cruise ships dock each year not far from the central train station. “The motivation of the proposal from the City Council was to reduce the number of tourists, but also for environmental reasons,” Amsterdam’s deputy mayor, Hester van Buren, said in a statement on Friday. The cruise ship measure was the latest attempt by Amsterdam to cap the number of visitors and crack down on bad behavior as the tourism industry has rebounded, addressing residents’ longstanding grievances linked to overcrowding and rowdy tourists. Last year, the city drew about 20 million visitors and in 2021, close to nine million tourists came either for a day trip or overnight, according to city data.

Persons: ”, Hester van Buren Organizations: The City Council, City Council Locations: Amsterdam, The

☆ EV Charging Networks Prepare for Cyberattacks
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Catherine Stupp | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

Efforts to address the security of EV charging stations are in early stages. A U.S. infrastructure law passed in 2021 includes $7.5 billion in funding for states to expand EV charging stations. Newsletter Sign-up WSJ Pro Cybersecurity Cybersecurity news, analysis and insights from WSJ's global team of reporters and editors. Tesla is poised to dominate EV charging in the U.S., and auto manufacturers including General Motors, Ford, Volvo and Rivian signed on to adopt Tesla’s charging standard this year. Last year, the city of Amsterdam for the first time included cybersecurity requirements in a public tender for public EV charging stations.

Persons: ”, van, Biden, cybersecurity, Tomas Bodeklint, Anjos Nijk, ” Nijk, Jay Johnson, ” Johnson, Tesla, Rivian, Teza Mukkavilli, Mukkavilli, BING GUAN, REUTERS ChargePoint, van den, Jaap de Munnik, de Munnik, Catherine Stupp Organizations: European, Research Institutes of Sweden, EV, European Network, Cyber Security, Sandia National Laboratories, “, Nationwide, Sandia, General Motors, Ford, Volvo, Benz Group, N.M, REUTERS, Enza Locations: Europe, U.S, Netherlands, European Union, South Dakota, York, North America, Corona, ElaadNL, Amsterdam, Dutch

☆ Dutch king apologizes for Netherlands’ historic role in slavery
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Dutch King Willem-Alexander on Saturday apologized for the Netherlands’ historic involvement in slavery and the effects that it still has today. “On this day that we remember the Dutch history of slavery, I ask forgiveness for this crime against humanity,” he said. Spectators react after King Willem-Alexander apologized for the royal house's role in slavery at an event to commemorate the anniversary of the abolition of slavery by the Netherlands on Saturday. The apology comes amid a wider reconsideration of the Netherlands’ colonial past, including involvement in both the Atlantic slave trade and slavery in its former Asian colonies. Willem-Alexander apologized in Indonesia in 2020 for “excessive violence” during Dutch colonial rule.

Persons: King Willem, Alexander, ”, Koti, Peter Dejong, Willem, Mark Rutte, Rutte, Orange Organizations: CNN, Royal House, Royal Locations: Netherlands, Caribbean, Amsterdam’s Oosterpark, Indonesia, East India

☆ Russian Cyberattack Continues to Affect Europe’s Air-Traffic Control
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Bojan Pancevski | Benjamin Katz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Aircraft at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. Photo: ANP/Zuma PressA cyberattack blamed on pro-Russia hackers continued to disrupt operations at Europe’s top air-traffic agency Friday, though officials said some systems were stabilizing and air-traffic safety remained unaffected. Eurocontrol, the agency that coordinates commercial traffic between national air-traffic control entities, has suffered through days of technology disruption, including a blackout of some communications. Some smaller airlines were forced to use older technology, including a telefax-era backup system, to manage flight schedules.

☆ Why sex workers are protesting in Amsterdam
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Jessie Gretener | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The reduced hours come amid an ongoing campaign by the city council to move sex workers into an “erotic center” outside the heart of the city. She also spoke about welfare concerns for all sex workers, explaining how it could impact their ability to get home safely. A protest organized by sex workers interrupted a city council meeting on Thursday that was discussing location options for the proposed erotic center. Sex workers disagree, with Red Light United arguing that the erotic center could create an environment for more crime and “shady” behavior. Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty ImagesRestrictions for sex workers is just one bullet point on Amsterdam’s re-branding attempt.

☆ Heading to Amsterdam’s Blockbuster ‘Vermeer’ Exhibit? Don’t Skip This Day Trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Mary Tompkins Lewis | Photographs Samira Kafala For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

TRAVELERS WORLDWIDE are converging on Amsterdam for the Rijksmuseum’s “Vermeer” retrospective, arguably 2023’s hottest art ticket. I was eagerly among them, but after touring the splendid exhibit (running through June 4), I felt compelled to dive deeper. And so I undertook a day-trip to the painter’s hometown, the small Dutch city of Delft, less than an hour away by train, to explore the place that figured so memorably in his art. On a frosty morning in early February, I walked from the train station past coffee houses bustling with locals and shops to the Oude Delft, the city’s oldest canal. Along the way, a waterside restaurant, Bij Harry, looked inviting, and I made a mental note to have drinks there if the day stretched late.

☆ Lufthansa, Air France-KLM eye Flybe landing slots - report
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Reuters Staff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FILE PHOTO: A Flybe plane takes off from Manchester Airport in Manchester, Britain January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Phil NobleFRANKFURT (Reuters) - Lufthansa and Air France-KLM are circling collapsed UK regional airline Flybe to try to obtain its take-off and landing slots at London’s Heathrow Airport, Britain’s Telegraph newspaper reported on Saturday. Lufthansa and Air France-KLM declined to comment. Lufthansa and Air France-KLM are interested in Flybe’s seven pairs of take-off and landing slots at Heathrow and five pairs at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, the report said. If a buyer for Flybe cannot be found it is likely that the slots would be returned to a central pool run by the airports coordinator, it said.

☆ A Rare Reunion of Vermeers
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( J.S. Marcus | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

The Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer didn’t live long, and he didn’t paint much. By the time he died in 1675, at age 43, he may have spent more time working at other jobs, including art dealer and innkeeper, than as an artist. Scholars now believe that some three dozen of his paintings survive, about one-tenth as many as Rembrandt. On Feb. 10, Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum will make history with “Vermeer,” bringing together 28 acknowledged paintings by the Dutch master, substantially more than previous museum shows. Weber, the Rijksmuseum’s head of fine and decorative arts and the show’s co-curator.

But a new survey suggests a “disturbing” lack of awareness about the Holocaust in the Netherlands, where she and her family hid for years before being discovered and deported to a Nazi concentration camp. Equally disturbing is the trend toward Holocaust denial and distortion,” Claims Conference President Gideon Taylor said in a press release accompanying the survey. Some of them, a small part, do not even know about the Holocaust,” Dutch Holocaust survivor Max Arpels Lezer, 86, told NBC News by video call from his home in Amsterdam. A memorial at the Westerbork transit camp in the Netherlands, where Dutch Jews were kept before being sent to concentration camps. In 1961, Lezer married Sofia, now 86, who as a child had been hidden by a Dutch family during the war.

☆ This Italian icon suddenly looks different
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Julia Buckley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Plus, we’ll get you in the mood before you go with movie suggestions, reading lists and recipes from Stanley Tucci. A new lighting system has revolutionized how the famous statue looks, with small details visible for the first time in its history. “A few days ago, I noticed muscles on the body that I’d never seen before,” says Lucia Lazic, a guide who visits the Accademia Gallery most days. Michelangelo's David in the Accademia Gallery. Now they’re the same color,” Hollberg told CNN.

☆ 50 of the world’s best breads
▼ + stars: | 2019-10-15 | by ( Jen Rose Smith | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +33 min

In alphabetical order by location, here are 50 of the world’s most wonderful breads. Roti gambang, IndonesiaShutterstockPalm sugar and cinnamon lend a light, aromatic sweetness to roti gambang, a tender wheat bread that’s an old-fashioned favorite at Jakarta bakeries. This is where locals bring rounds of tender wheat dough ready to bake into khobz kesra, one of the country’s homiest breads. Gyeran-ppang, South KoreaShutterstockThere’s buried treasure within every loaf of gyeran-ppang, individually sized wheat breads with a whole egg baked inside. To make malawach, bakers roll wheat dough into a delicate sheet and fold it over a slick of melted butter.

Persons: William Rubel, ”, Afghanistan Johannes Eisele, lavash, it’s, de, whirl, Egypt Jen Rose Smith, El Salvador Lane Turner, you’ll, Joya de Cerén, injera, France Enrico Spanu, You’re, munch, Jim Chevallier, Emmanuel Macron, Pai bao, confections, snacking, Dökkt, rúgbrauð, India Stuart Freedman, Roti, Iran Behrouz Mehri, sangak –, crumb, Italy Bruce Bisping, Arnaldo Cavallari, Kare, ” Karepanman, Jordan Shutterstock, canai, sourdough, “, Mexico Lisa Cherkasky, Morocco Bartosz, Luke E, Rēwena parāoa, haven’t, Broa, South Korea Shutterstock, kisra, Balep, Lama, United States Dixie, Lily, White Lily, –, Uzbekistan Shutterstock Flatbreads, they’re, Areperos Organizations: CNN, Getty, UNESCO Intangible Heritage, Montreal bagels, Fairmount, Boston Globe, pats, UNESCO, le, swabbing, National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation, Jerusalem, Star Tribune, The Washington Post, Amsterdam’s, Vikings, Sri, Brewers, Turkey VW, Biscuits, United, Washington Post, Uzbekistan Shutterstock Locations: Germany’s Westphalia, Afghanistan, AFP, Lavash, Armenia, Australia, Luchi, Bangladesh, Dhaka, de queijo, Brazil, Montreal, Canada, Marraqueta, Chile, Chilean, el brazo, ” Shaobing, China, Sichuan, Cubano, Cuba, Cuban, Havana, Miami, Florida, Libba, Egypt, El Salvador, San Salvador, Joya, Injera, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, injera, Baguette, France, Paris, Khachapuri, Georgia, Pumpernickel, Germany, Soest that’s, Hong Kong, Dökkt rúgbrauð, Iceland, Laugarvatn, Paratha, India, Roti gambang, Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesian, Gouda, Edam, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Tel Aviv, you’ll, United States, Ciabatta, Italy, Jamaica, South America, Caribbean, Japan, panko, Amman, canai, Malaysia, Malta, Maltese, Mexico, kesra, Morocco, Moroccan medina, ferran, Navajo, Arizona, New Mexican, powwows, Netherlands, San Francisco, New Zealand, Lefse, Norway, Europe, Norwegian, Podplomyk, Poland, milho, Portugal, Americas, Karavai, Russia, Sardinia, of Piedmont, there’s, Proja, Serbia, Serbian, South Korea, Seoul, Sri Lanka, Colombo, Kisra, Sudan, South Sudan, Sweden, Sweden’s, Balep korkun, Tibet, Simit, Turkey, Istanbul, United Kingdom, British, Uzbekistan, Arepa, Venezuela, Venezuelan, Malawach, Yemen

☆ Investigators Say Putin Likely Approved Supply of Missile System That Downed Flight MH17
▼ + stars: | 2014-07-17 | by ( Matthew Luxmoore | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The reconstructed wreckage of the MH17 airplane, which was traveling from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport to Kuala Lumpur when it was hit. An international team of investigators said there were strong indications that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally approved the transfer of a missile system to Russian-backed separatists who shot down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014. All 298 passengers and crew were killed when the flight crashed after being struck by a missile supplied by Russia and launched from a field in an area held by Russian-controlled armed groups. Flight MH17 took off on July 17, 2014 from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport bound for Kuala Lumpur.

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