The passing of Pope Francis managed to put the king's birthday birthday celebrations and Pieter Omtzigt's dramatic departure from politics in the shade this week. The coalition leaders emerged from a marathon negotiation session with a spring budget deal designed to please everyone except the taxpayers. Intelligence services accuse Iran of planning…

week 17 by DutchNewsBy DutchNews

For this Easter, we reflect on the passage of Revelation 5:9-10. In this song, God’s creation and people worship the Lamb of God, Jesus, for his willingness to give up his life in order to ransom a people for God. We see how the passage invites us today to place God at the center of our lives, to see Jesus as the Lamb of God who redeems us, to live…

For this Easter, we reflect on the passage of Revelation 5:9-10. In this song, God’s creation and people worship the Lamb of God, Jesus, for his willingness to give up his life in order to ransom a people for God. We see how the passage invites us today to place God at the center of our lives, to see Jesus as the Lamb of God who redeems us, to live…

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In this final message of our series on Ruth, we turn to the last chapter—but to fully grasp it, we first revisit the beginning. Naomi’s journey begins in deep emptiness: socially, naturally, and personally. Yet through the steadfast love of God, that emptiness is transformed into fullness. This story ultimately points us to Jesus—the one who meets …

New York City was once just a small Dutch outpost called New Amsterdam. How did a modest trading colony become the global icon it is today? Join us for a deep dive with acclaimed historian Russell Shorto, who has spent decades uncovering the Dutch origins of America’s financial and cultural capital. From Manhattan’s first skyscrapers to Wall Street…

An Easter egg scramble begins in The Hague as ministers try to grab a morsel of the €8 billion available in his spring budget statement. The Binnenhof's history as a medieval palace turns out to be even longer and richer than we suspected. Academics at Dutch universities face extra screening to prevent them stealing scientific knowledge, while stud…

In this week's sermon, we continue our series through the book of Ruth. In this last chapter, we take a closer look at how Boaz is living out lovingkindness. What does he do in this passage, and why? And how could we apply this truth as as we navigate everyday circumstances? Finally, the sermon points to Christ, the greater Redeemer, who impersonat…

The other day I watched The Predator—not the classic one with Schwarzenegger, but the confusing 2018 sequel that somehow ended up in my Netflix queue. The film tries to tackle neurodiversity, with a young autistic boy at the heart of the story. Tries... and mostly fails. The kid is smart, often overwhelmed, and largely misunderstood by the adults a…

Once again Marjolein Faber confounds critics and partners alike with her bottomless talent for turning a storm in a teacup into a political maelstrom. Dick Schoof insists his cabinet is united behind his decision to clean up the mess caused by Faber's refusal to honour five volunteers for working with refugees. Elsewhere, a majority of MPs back a b…

How can the UN uphold its humanitarian mission in an increasingly polarized world? Has it ever truly fulfilled its purpose of protecting human rights, and what role does diplomacy play as global tensions rise? Join us for a hybrid conversation with Jan Eliasson, former UN Deputy Secretary-General and President of the General Assembly, drawing on a …

Martin Wolf is one of the most prominent voices in the world of politics and economics of our times. In an era of inequality, political polarisation, and global power shifts, he asks the uncomfortable questions: Has capitalism betrayed democracy? Is rising authoritarianism a failure of the market—or the system itself? And most importantly, can we t…

Life can leave us longing for rest—physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. In Ruth 3, Naomi seeks rest for Ruth by guiding her toward Boaz, their kinsman-redeemer. Ruth takes a bold step, asking Boaz to "spread his wings" over her, symbolizing protection and provision. Boaz, a man of integrity, responds with kindness and a promise to act…

Sermon – March 30 , 2025 The Bible is full of stories about God seeking the lost. When Adam and Eve hid in fear after committing sin, God came searching for them. Since then, God has continued to seek out His lost children. “Lost and Found” is an important theme in the Gospel of Luke. Early in the gospel, Mary and Joseph thought they had lost Jesus…

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First Revival: A Call to Personal Renewal Revival isn’t just a moment in history—it starts with you. In our First Revival series, we’re diving into the book of Acts to see how the Holy Spirit empowered ordinary people to share the extraordinary message of Jesus. Just as Pentecost ignited the early church, personal revival begins when we allow the H…

At the end of the first quarter of 2025, I'm ready to take the next step in my creative journey. For the past three months, I’ve been working hard on writing a fantasy novel – a project I’ve dreamed about for years but never dared to start. It’s been tough, but also incredibly rewarding. The truth is, writing can be a lonely process. I spend hours …

This week it was the turn of the immigration service and the justice inspectorate to take Marjolein Faber to task over her unravelling immigration plans. Amsterdam is shocked as five people are stabbed in an apparently random attack near Dam Square. Travellers to the United States are warned about Donald Trump's backward shift on LBGT rights. PSV h…

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Have you ever wondered why some of your favorite movies feel so authentic, even when you know it’s all make-believe? Take Titanic, for example. Part of what made the acting feel so real was the genuine fear of the actors and extras filming scenes in massive water tanks, with entire sections of the ship tilting and throwing them into the water. Talk…

Here on the Story Secrets podcast, I’ve reviewed movies, TV shows, books, and even video games. But this time, I’m diving into something I’ve never talked about before: a theatre play. And not just any play, but Shadowlands by William Nicholson. You might know this story from the movie adaptation starring Anthony Hopkins, but I haven’t seen the mov…

What if you could actually talk to ghosts? Not just in some spooky, fake haunted house on a Halloween night, but for real—crossing over into the world of spirits, building friendships with the dead? That’s the brilliant premise of City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab. And it’s more than just a cool ghost story; it’s a story about identity, friendship,…

Yesterday, I experienced something truly amazing. I played the first stage of a VR game on my Quest 3, based on the legendary gaming franchise Assassin’s Creed. Now, I’ve played parts of previous games, but this was something else entirely. This was the first VR version of the game, called Assassin’s Creed Nexus, and it completely blew my mind. The…

Do you want to grow deeper in knowing, loving and following the Lord? Do you want to become more like Him? Join us for a sermon by Sarah Varley, shared at the Liberty Women’s Event 2025. In this powerful message, she reveals ways to strengthen your walk with God and become more like Him.

Many claim Christianity but lack a transformed heart. James 2:19 warns that even demons believe in God—but they aren’t saved. The Kingdom of God is growing, but like wheat and weeds or a fishing net, true believers and false ones will be revealed in time. In this sermon, we tackle three statements for those claiming to be Christians: “I’m a good pe…

Sermon – March 23 , 2025 When we face difficulties, we question God. Whenever disaster strikes the world, many ask, “Where is God?” The question people seek answers to is: “Where is God when it hurts?” Such a question carries many assumptions, two of which are particularly common: 1. Is God failing in His duty to protect His people? Despite our dis…

Wow. The Season 2 finale of Severance was nothing short of brilliant. Apple TV+ has done it again, delivering a masterpiece that feels like the best thing since Lost. But unlike many mystery-box shows, Severance gives you answers while keeping you hooked with even more questions. At the heart of this show is the creepy and mysterious Lumon corporat…

Dick Schoof heads to Brussels for a defence spending summit with orders to pull the emergency brake on the Eurobonds train. Back in The Hague, the PVV holds its own prisons minister hostage over her plans to solve the overcrowding problem in jails. And the education minister wants to attract foreign talent to universities that are cutting down on i…

If you were addicted to ER back in the day like I was, you might want to check out The Pit. It’s a new medical drama starring Noah Wyle (Dr. Carter from ER), and it has that same chaotic, high-intensity energy—but with a much darker, grittier edge. Set in the emergency room of a major city hospital—nicknamed The Pit because it feels like a war zone…

Have you seen the first episode of Wheel of Time Season 3? Amazon dropped three episodes at once, and I’ve watched the first one—and wow, they have seriously stepped up their game. For those unfamiliar, Wheel of Time is one of the most famous fantasy book series out there. Robert Jordan started it, crafting an epic world where history repeats itsel…

There’s a new series on Netflix that’s suddenly blowing up, even though it wasn’t really advertised. No big promotional campaign, no flashy trailers—just word of mouth making it explode in popularity. And after watching the first episode, I totally get why. It’s called Adolescence, and at first glance, it sounds like a typical crime drama. A 15-yea…

In this message, we have a conversation between Naomi and Ruth seeing how Naomi is impacted by the lovingkindness displayed by Boaz towards Ruth. In the process of this conversation, we learn two things: Naomi’s life is being transformed from bitterness to pleasantness, and Boaz is revealed to be one of their kinsmen redeemers, i.e. someone able to…

Most of what people think they know about St. Patrick isn’t actually true. He wasn’t Irish. He probably didn’t chase snakes out of Ireland. And he definitely didn’t invent green beer (sorry, folks). But here’s something even more surprising: we have a firsthand account of his life, written by St. Patrick himself. It's called The Confessio, and it’s…

Sermon – March 16 , 2025 One of the challenges we face in our Christian journey is maintaining consistency in our walk with the Lord. For some, following Jesus is difficult, and for others, it is intensely challenging, especially when living in a hostile environment. However, this does not mean that following Jesus is easy for those who do not face…

Okay, confession time. I did not expect to get emotionally invested in a book about warrior cats. But Into the Wild pulled me in fast. At first, I thought, "Oh, this will be a fun, light read." And then suddenly, I was knee-deep in clan politics, betrayals, and existential questions about loyalty. This book is way smarter than it looks. And today, …

I was a library kid. My happy place was a quiet corner, surrounded by books, far from the constant noise of home—my dad’s bagpipes, my brother’s piano practice, and the general chaos of family life. Yet despite my love for books, there was a long period when I barely read at all. What happened? School. In the Netherlands, we were forced to read “re…

The latest crisis to engulf Dick Schoof's cabinet sees three coalition parties vote against the prime minister on Europe's rearmament plan to support Ukraine. GroenLinks-PvdA speed up plans for a merger, almost as if they expect an early election. JA21 MP Joost Eerdmans, a PVV councillor and Groningen's former mayor all get into difficulty in their…

I can’t stop talking about Severance. It’s rare for a show to capture my imagination the way this one does. Every episode is like a puzzle piece, and the internet is buzzing with speculation, theories, and analysis. It reminds me of the Lost era when fans would dissect every frame for hidden clues. What makes Severance so special? A Thriving Fan Co…

If you grew up with Star Wars, you probably had that one toy that defined your childhood. Maybe it was a lightsaber, an action figure, or a model of the Millennium Falcon. For me, those early Star Wars toys were more than just collectibles—they were how we kept the magic alive between movies. Back then, you couldn’t just rewatch Star Wars whenever …

Over the weekend, I dived into a fascinating series of lectures on The Hobbit by Joseph Pearce. If you're not familiar with his work, he's written extensively about the deeper layers of Tolkien's stories, especially their Catholic themes. But this lecture series really opened my eyes to something I hadn’t fully appreciated before: the role of grace…

We explore Ruth 2:14-17 which reminds us that God’s lovingkindness reaches those on the margins. Just as Jesus stepped into our messy world, the story of Boaz and Ruth teaches us that kindness, justice, and hospitality transform lives. When we intentionally create margins in our busy lives, we open ourselves to see and serve the poor, oppressed, an…

There's no such thing as an unqualified success in Dick Schoof's coalition of the unwilling. The prime minister steers a €3.5bn aid package to Ukraine through parliament, but faces accusations of a stitch-up from Geert Wilders. Marjolein Faber's asylum plans are finally signed off in cabinet but are likely to meet stiff resistance in the Senate. Po…

Did you know that an Irish saint from the early Middle Ages helped inspire both J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis? His name was St. Brendan the Navigator, and his legendary voyage to a mysterious land echoes through some of the greatest fantasy stories ever written. I’ve been diving deep into early medieval Irish history while writing my own fantasy no…

The idea of making a deal with the devil has been explored in countless stories, but The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by Victoria Schwab does something truly unique with it. This book surprised me—in the best way possible. The story follows Addie, a young woman in 1714 France who, in a desperate moment, makes a bargain with a mysterious figure nam…

What if there was a global reset button for time? A way to roll back history whenever humanity faced disaster—whether it be a world war, a pandemic, or some other catastrophe? That’s the premise of The Lazarus Project, a sci-fi series I recently started watching, and let me tell you—it’s fascinating. The story follows George, an ordinary guy who su…

I finally read Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb—the book that everyone on BookTok and BookTube seems to love. And I went in with high expectations. A fantasy classic? Deep characters? A compelling story? Count me in. And then… well, let’s just say my experience was very different from the glowing reviews I had read. Here’s the gist: The story fo…

The trailer for Andor Season 2 just dropped, and wow—it reminded me why this series is one of the best things to come out of Star Wars in years. And no, it’s not just because of the gritty storytelling or the fantastic cinematography. It’s because Andor is about something bigger than a galaxy far, far away. At its core, Star Wars has always been ab…

We explore Ruth 2:1-13, highlighting God's lovingkindness (hesed) through Ruth’s encounter with Boaz. Ruth, in a vulnerable position, finds herself in Boaz's field by God's providence. Boaz shows extraordinary kindness, going beyond what’s expected to protect and provide for her. His actions reflect the love and compassion Jesus shows to all of us.…