<description>Those who can, plan; those who can't, plan scenarios. At any rate, that seems to be how the Dutch government is preparing for the impending crisis triggered by the war in Iran and blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. It wasn't enough to stop the king and queen's visit to the other orange king in the White House going ahead: the royal couple avoided any embarrassing mishaps, unless you count the faux pas of talking about last season's coup. Three men have appeared in court accused of organising the Drents Museum heist, while three major cyberhacks at Dutch companies have exposed the private details of millions of customers across Europe.  And we explain why tough new asylum laws could have unexpected and unpleasant consequences for international workers who lose their jobs.</description>

Those who can, plan; those who can't, plan scenar…

Those who can, plan; those who can't, plan scenarios. At any rate, that seems to be how the Dutch government is preparing for the impending crisis triggered by the war in Iran and blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. It wasn't enough to stop the king and queen's visit to the other orange king in the White House going ahead: the royal couple avoided any embarrassing mishaps, unless you count the faux pas of talking about last season's coup. Three men have appeared in court accused of organising the Drents Museum heist, while three major cyberhacks at Dutch companies have exposed the private details of millions of customers across Europe.  And we explain why tough new asylum laws could have unexpected and unpleasant consequences for international workers who lose their jobs.

The Women Take Over The Podcast (Again) Edition - Week 16 - 2026

<description>The Netherlands promises to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open, but only once the hellfire has died down. Continuing the theme of negotiating with scoundrels, curators in Assen and Bucharest breathe a sigh of relief following the safe return of the golden helmet that was stolen from the Drents Museum last year. In a victory for vested interests, the Senate is set to vote down the cabinet's plans to delay the state retirement age. Student finance agency Duo will pay €80 million in compensation for carrying out anti-fraud checks that focused disproportionately on ethnic minorities. And PSV Eindhoven finally stagger over the line to claim their third Eredivisie title in a row.</description>

The Netherlands promises to help keep the Strait …

The Netherlands promises to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open, but only once the hellfire has died down. Continuing the theme of negotiating with scoundrels, curators in Assen and Bucharest breathe a sigh of relief following the safe return of the golden helmet that was stolen from the Drents Museum last year. In a victory for vested interests, the Senate is set to vote down the cabinet's plans to delay the state retirement age. Student finance agency Duo will pay €80 million in compensation for carrying out anti-fraud checks that focused disproportionately on ethnic minorities. And PSV Eindhoven finally stagger over the line to claim their third Eredivisie title in a row.

The Crazy World of Arthur Brand Edition - Week 15 - 2026

<description>As political parties around the country come together to form council administrations, the far-right Forum voor Democratie rage against the mainstream by falling apart. The government decides the best way to conserve energy during the escalating fuel crisis is to stand still and do nothing. Motorists are inundated by fake fines in the wake of the Odido hack. Dozens of Eredivisie footballers turn out to have been playing in a legal grey area. And a collapsing floor in Maastricht reveals the remains of a legendary French hero.</description>

As political parties around the country come toge…

As political parties around the country come together to form council administrations, the far-right Forum voor Democratie rage against the mainstream by falling apart. The government decides the best way to conserve energy during the escalating fuel crisis is to stand still and do nothing. Motorists are inundated by fake fines in the wake of the Odido hack. Dozens of Eredivisie footballers turn out to have been playing in a legal grey area. And a collapsing floor in Maastricht reveals the remains of a legendary French hero.

The You Do Not Need A Token For This Podcast Edition - Week 13 - 2026

<description>All parties claim victory after this week's local elections, but the real winners were the local parties, who took more than one-third of the total vote. The losers were Rob Jetten and Carola Schouten, who recklessly promised to abseil down the Euromast tower if turnout went up. We bring you a run-down of the results and the main talking points, including a huge comeback win for Richard de Mos in The Hague and gains by the far-right Forum voor Democratie. Elsewhere, Jetten performs a dramatic U-turn in the heavily mined Strait of Hormuz to join an international coalition to protect shipping. Amsterdam remains Europe's party drug capital but loses its cocaine crown to Antwerp, according to an analysis of city sewage. And in sport, Dick Advocaat is back in business at Feyenoord and Jetta Leerdam's speed suit is not what it seems.</description>

All parties claim victory after this week's local…

All parties claim victory after this week's local elections, but the real winners were the local parties, who took more than one-third of the total vote. The losers were Rob Jetten and Carola Schouten, who recklessly promised to abseil down the Euromast tower if turnout went up. We bring you a run-down of the results and the main talking points, including a huge comeback win for Richard de Mos in The Hague and gains by the far-right Forum voor Democratie. Elsewhere, Jetten performs a dramatic U-turn in the heavily mined Strait of Hormuz to join an international coalition to protect shipping. Amsterdam remains Europe's party drug capital but loses its cocaine crown to Antwerp, according to an analysis of city sewage. And in sport, Dick Advocaat is back in business at Feyenoord and Jetta Leerdam's speed suit is not what it seems.

The Rob Jetten Takes The Plunge Edition - Week - 12 - 2026

<description>With a week to go until the local elections, we provide a Dutch News crash course in how to vote and find your way through the jungle of local parties. Rob Jetten's cabinet rules out emergency measures to cut fuel prices, while pressure grows to keep the Groningen gas fields open. Chip manufacturer ASML unveils plans to expand its campus in Eindhoven. The Council of State tells the government to think again on Schiphol flights. And in sport, Max Verstappen hopes to rally in Nuremberg after crashing out in Melbourne.</description>

With a week to go until the local elections, we p…

With a week to go until the local elections, we provide a Dutch News crash course in how to vote and find your way through the jungle of local parties. Rob Jetten's cabinet rules out emergency measures to cut fuel prices, while pressure grows to keep the Groningen gas fields open. Chip manufacturer ASML unveils plans to expand its campus in Eindhoven. The Council of State tells the government to think again on Schiphol flights. And in sport, Max Verstappen hopes to rally in Nuremberg after crashing out in Melbourne.

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