Today’s Volkskrant has answers for anyone who wondered why the AEX blue chip stock market index has done so well and tipped 500 points. More >

The Volkskrant publishes four graphic photos of the last moments of Saddam Hussein on its front page. The amateur video of his death is prominently displayed on the paper’s website, complete with the warning that it contains shocking images. More >

The Telegraaf this morning has a long list of all the legal changes that came into effect yesterday. We will all have to spend more this year because of increases in child, unemployment and invalidity benefit payments plus higher pensions. More >

Once again, the New Year celebrations – officially described as ‘relatively peaceful’ – have been marred by death, destruction, wanton vandalism, running battles with riot police and the stoning of fire fighters trying to put out a blaze that was deliberately started. More >

So the jolly fat Anglo-American Santa Claus is catching up with the more serious Dutch Sinterklaas in the popularity stakes in Holland is he? More >

Amsterdam’s Parool carried an intriguing story yesterday claiming that Queen Beatrix had intervened directly in the current cabinet formation process. More >

In these days of conflict and strife it’s nice to see two diametrically opposed political parties join together for the good of mankind. And that’s mankind literally – because one of the parties is the extremely orthodox Christian SGP which has very strange ideas about women. More >

Holland’s international reputation for tolerance has taken another knock, says today’s Volkskrant. The paper reports that only one Dutch company fares well in a survey to establish how gay-friendly America’s top 500 firms are. And it’s the US subsidiary of Dutch bank insurer ING that can hang out the pink flag in Atlanta. More >

Avoiding the truth is a painful business for powerful public figures, especially if they have been forced to improve their communication with the public they serve. More >

This year, Dutch employers are expected to hand out some 4.7 million Christmas boxes to their staff – it is a very Dutch way of saying thank you. Yet every year, research is published saying most people don’t really appreciate the parcel which was probably ordered way back in September. More >

So let us find out a little more about the ChristenUnie, the orthodox Christian party that now seems likely to end up in government alongside the Christian Democrats and the PvdA (Labour). More >

So the rats that announced they were leaving the sinking ship way before the general election are starting to line themselves up a few nice little earners – sorry, new jobs. Christian Democrat (CDA) transport minister Karla Peijs is one of the first to find a new employer. More >

Transport minister Karla Peijs has come up with an idea today that will strike fear and panic into the heart of most parents… Not only does she want to lower the age at which teenagers can drive a car to 17, she also wants to allow them to be taught to drive by mum or dad! More >

There is nothing like an animal for bringing out the humanity in man. The Dutch are no exception. Their reserved attitude to fellow human beings immediately melts in the presence of a dog. They become super friendly and considerate. More >

The compromise worked out by the cabinet to solve the crisis around Rita Verdonk is a textbook case of Dutch pragmatism. First you have a general election. Then the first thing the new parliament does is vote to stop deporting failed long-term asylum seekers, pending the formation of the new cabinet. More >

Earlier this week, American researchers published a claim that the North Pole would be virtually ice-free within a few decades. The very same day, a group of leading Dutch business men – including top dogs at Shell, KLM and DSM – published a letter calling on the next government to take climate change more seriously. More >

There is of course a fine line between making someone a scapegoat and making that person accept professional responsibility for his or her shortcomings. The decision by the public prosecution department to charge a senior social worker with involuntary manslaughter following the death of a three-year old child in her care (see Friday’s DutchNews.nl) falls into the latter category. More >

It was with great pride that Amsterdam yesterday announced the launch of its new Amsterdamtaxi scheme – a strangely-named quality label for the city’s taxis. More >

Tonight is the night when Sinterklaas – Saint Nicholas – delivers his presents to Dutch childern. Some will get presents left outside the door in a sack, others will find something in their shoe… More >

It’s good to see that consumers are once again getting bolshy about the crazy charges which some insurers levy over a simple savings policy. More >