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DutchNews podcast – The Big Farmageddon Edition – Week 25 2022

Want to support the DutchNews podcast and keep our stocks of drop, gin and stroopwafels healthy? Click here to become a Patreon backer After a two-year ceasefire during the pandemic, farmers warn their tractors are not for turning as a new wave of protests begins against the government’s plans to cut nitrogen emissions. Coronavirus infections are rising but health minister Ernst Kuipers sees no cause for alarm, as long as everyone follows his lead and washes their hands. Mark Rutte... More >

Housing newsletter: rising interest rates

A round-up of the latest housing news, brought to you by Expat Mortgages. Interest rates Interest rates have more than doubled since the start of the year and you will now pay around 3.5% for a 10-year fixed rate mortgage. Economists expect rates will go up even more, given inflation is hovering around 8%, thanks to a wide variety of factors. ‘The real low rates of around 1% are gone and I don’t think this is something we will ever... More >

‘You have to have an opinion in NL'

Indonesian national Irene Anggreeni from Rotterdam came to the Netherlands in 2006 to do a PhD in Industrial Design, but clinical depression forced a change of direction and she retrained as a psychotherapist and mental wellness coach, drawing on her own experience to help others recover from trauma. How did you end up in the Netherlands? I came to the Netherlands for a PhD position in industrial design at the University of Twente in Enschede. I have a Bachelor’s from... More >

Dual nationality should be open to all

Last month 102-year-old Canadian resident André Hissink hit the headlines. ‘WWII veteran, 102, gets back Dutch nationality after 70 years‘, Dutch News reported at the time. But what is great news for Mr Hissink only highlights the injustice done to so many people who wish to combine being Dutch with another nationality, says Eelco Keij. Some among us might have shed a tear when we saw André Hissink’s delight at becoming Dutch again. How wonderful! Who would not be happy... More >

Let's bring back Covid queueing

With long lines everywhere this summer, our regular columnist Molly Quell thinks we should bring back the Covid-proof queues. I watched with fascination and horror on Friday night as a near-riot broke out on my plane as passengers attempted to disembark. The flight was more than an hour delayed and numerous people were late for connecting flights. Stress levels were already running high, as lines in security had been long and airport cafes shut, all due of course to personnel... More >

Podcast: The Speedy Spy Boarding Edition

Want to support the DutchNews podcast and keep our stocks of drop, gin and stroopwafels healthy? Click here to become a Patreon backer It was the week the Dutch government discovered the truth of what a famous Scotsman once said about the best laid schemes of mice and men. Schiphol airport announced thousands of flights will be cancelled this summer because it can’t recruit enough staff. Agriculture minister Christianne van der Wal was doorstepped by angry farmers and censured by... More >

Donations and when you can deduct them

It is always good to give – and in the Netherlands, there can be a tax advantage too. If you donate more than 1% of your taxable income in any given year to certain good causes, you can deduct this sum from your income before you pay tax on the rest. Sing in a church choir at the weekend, and send them an annual donation? Give money to your local mosque? Made gifts to the major Ukraine appeal Giro555 or... More >

Inburgering with Dutch News: herring

So, with summer almost with us, it is time to once again take some lessons in our very own inburgering course. To start, here’s a quick catch up on one essential subject – given today is the start of the new season. Lesson 11: The herring The new herring season starts on June 15 and this year the fish is described by experts as ‘especially fatty’, which is a change from the usual lekker, or nicely, fatty. The fat content,... More >

Overseas shipments are now a nightmare

If you’ve received a package from overseas in recent months, there’s a good chance you had to pay substantial fees on it, even if it was a gift or a personal item. You may have even found yourself in an aggravating ordeal with the customer service departments of PostNL, DHL, or another delivery service. Here’s the rundown on what’s happening…and why it’s going to continue. A birthday gift from my sister and a family heirloom for my partner Marie. These... More >

Podcast: The Boomers and Bangers Edition

The Netherlands needs to ramp up its efforts to cut nitrogen production, including measures to reduce the agriculture sector, nature minister Christianne van der Wal warned this week. Also in line for a shake-up is the police force, where racist officers will face stronger sanctions and senior officers take on the macho culture. Rotterdam city council stretches the boundaries of ‘big tent’ politics as polar opposites Leefbaar and Denk go into coalition together. And as a New Year fireworks ban... More >

How to get the top price for your property

With interests rising, there are signs that people hoping to get a foot on the property ladder are reconsidering their options. When a house does come on the market, fewer people are attending viewings. So how as a seller can you make the most of this difficult market? The first thing you need to do is ensure that you have the best possible online listing, says Mie-Lan Kok, who has been in the business for some 20 years. ‘You need... More >

Dutch destinations: Franeker in Friesland

A weekend in a peaceful village seemed like the perfect option when one of our neighbours announced plans for a party. Little did we know that the visit would coincide with Franeker’s Oldies festival. The Oldies Festival, as we soon discovered, is not an event for pensioners, but a music festival focusing on the hits of yore, from the Beatles to Led Zeppelin. It had everything you would expect from a village party – a big stage, a beer tent,... More >

How to easily watch foreign TV

How to easily watch foreign TV

Missing your favourite television programmes from back home, or worried about internet security? A VPN might be the answer. A VPN (Virtual Private Network – read more about it here) is a way of protecting your connection while you’re using the internet. It makes your browsing private, hides your IP (Internet Protocol) address and ensures your internet service provider (ISP) doesn’t track you. A VPN will encrypts your internet traffic, making your browsing more secure and private but... More >

Shifting ground: Antony Gormley exhibition

When you stand inside the end of ‘Passage’ – a 12-metre tunnel in the shape of a mechanical man – the outlook is frighteningly black. But turn around and the entrance has become a cross of stunning light, and a kind of epiphany. This tension between despair and hope is the common thread in an exhibition by the British sculptor Antony Gormley, in the stunning surroundings of the Voorlinden museum in The Hague. The show is called ‘Ground’ and... More >

What's all the fuss about nitrogen

Nitrogen-based pollution is behind delays to the building of new homes and roads, has led to plans to reduce the number of cows and pigs in the Netherlands and is causing damage to rare habitats. Here’s what you need to know. Nitrogen, or N2, constitutes 78% of the atmosphere and is harmless to life on earth. In a reactive form it is essential for life: all organisms need reactive nitrogen. It is a colourless, odorless element and is found in... More >

Walking among the Rotterdam rooftops

For one month only, visitors with a head for heights can buy tickets for the Rotterdam Rooftop Walk − an experience which offers a new perspective on some of the problems the Netherlands’ cities face. In 2017, tightrope walkers inaugurating the third edition of the Rotterdam Rooftop Days festival, made a daredevil crossing on a 130m-long slackline between the roofs of two Lijnbaan apartment blocks, sparking the idea that one day bridges at roof level might allow the public, intrepid... More >

Podcast: The Red Pencil Migration Edition

In a week dominated by queues and logjams, Schiphol airport struck a deal with ground staff to try to avoid a summer of misery for air passengers. Dutch motorists began queueing for petrol in Germany as Russia put the squeeze on fuel prices. A housing bottleneck left people sleeping on chairs at Ter Apel refugee centre, while Westland’s greenhouse industry wastes no time in exploiting Ukrainian workers. The waiting list for compensation for earthquake damage in Groningen could grow longer... More >

Child’s play: sign up for a summer camp

Time flies, and with just six weeks until the schools close for the summer break, it is time to start planning how you can make the most of the holiday season. Here are some things to think about: Looking forward to the summer holidays Now that foreign travel is an option again, many families will be heading off to visit friends and families abroad this summer. But unless you can get away for the whole summer – and if you... More >

'Dutch is a rich, enlightening language'

Frank Heyn grew up in Baltimore and became a cook after finding himself in Paris. He later came to the Netherlands to work as a private chef for the American Consulate General before he opened his own business. He’s now the owner and director of Frank’s Smoke House, a popular deli in Amsterdam. How did you end up in the Netherlands? Back in 1985, I was living in Paris and working as a cook at the American embassy in Paris.... More >

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