Culture News in English

Follow everything about Bevrijdingspop 2026: are people coming for the party or to truly celebrate freedom?

The 46th edition of Bevrijdingspop, the oldest and largest liberation festival in the Netherlands, is taking place today at the Haarlemmerhout in Haarlem. A live blog is tracking the event to see whet...

Police officer Curtis always stays calm, just like Janny in the dispatch center

At Ziggo Dome, Tame Impala proves studio magic also works on a grand scale live

The Foundling Podcast: Detective visit brings Lieve closer to family

In the podcast 'De Vondeling,' Lieve works with family detective Els Leijs to trace her biological parents using DNA databases like MyHeritage and Ancestry. New test results confirm Lieve's Moroccan h...

Albert Heijn starts bodycam pilot to tackle aggression and threats

Albert Heijn is launching a pilot program where employees in several stores in Amsterdam and Rotterdam will wear bodycams. The initiative aims to address the rising levels of aggression and threatenin...

Canadian violinist sues Google after AI feature labels him a sex offender

Canadian violinist Ashley MacIsaac is suing Google for $1.5 million after an AI feature falsely labeled him a sex offender. MacIsaac claims that the incorrect information led to the cancellation of a ...

Life in the city, life in a village: Books about living in the shadow of a steel mill and in a Rotterdam high-rise

This article discusses new books by Nadia de Vries, Lies Gallez, and Wilfried de Jong that explore various living environments. The stories cover themes such as growing up near a steel factory, the de...

Concert on the Amstel, festivals and soup: what to do on Liberation Day

Amsterdam celebrates Liberation Day with a variety of music festivals, communal "Freedom Soup" meals, and cultural activities across several city districts. Key highlights include the arrival of the P...

One spoonful of salmon salad per roll, no more. A well-oiled catering machine feeds Bevrijdingspop volunteers

A dedicated catering team is responsible for feeding more than 400 volunteers working behind the scenes at the Bevrijdingspop festival on May 5th. The operation ensures that the staff is well-fed whil...

Dolly Parton cancels Las Vegas concert series due to health

Country music star Dolly Parton has canceled her upcoming concert series in Las Vegas due to health concerns. She shared the news with her fans through a video update on Instagram.

A look inside on Dam Square: how the Royal Palace survived WWII (and how to see it for yourself)

The Royal Palace on Dam Square in Amsterdam is highlighting its history and survival during the Second World War. Visitors are invited to explore the building and learn about the stories hidden behind...

Fewer than 5 percent of Dutch people lived through the liberation

Fewer than 5 percent of the current Dutch population, totaling approximately 800,000 people, were alive during the liberation at the end of World War II. This data comes from an analysis by the ANP ne...

Celebrating freedom is worthless if you don't keep fighting for it every day

On Bevrijdingsdag, the article highlights the global decline of freedom due to violence and human rights threats, while asserting that celebrating liberation is still valid. It emphasizes that such ce...

Artist creates 'painting' of hole in Kinkerbuurt: 'Shows the incompetence'

An artist in Amsterdam's Kinkerbuurt neighborhood has turned a hole in a construction fence into a "painting" to protest a vacant lot that has remained empty for 15 years. The artistic intervention hi...

Video | Beyoncé returns to Met Gala after ten years with daughter Blue Ivy

Suspect thinks community service in the forest sounds fun; Judge: ‘Punishment is not meant to be fun’

A suspect appeared in court for driving with a fake license in Muiden and expressed interest in performing his community service in a forest. The judge reminded the defendant that punishment is not in...

British artist fills Oude Kerk with construction debris – a powerful symbol of Amsterdam under construction

NOS presenter Simone Weimans' bucket list: ‘In North you’ll find a secret mini-oasis’

Mayors warn of echoes of intolerance

Several mayors expressed concern over rising extremism in society and politics during local Remembrance Day ceremonies on Monday evening. They warned that current social tensions reflect growing intol...

Pulitzer Prizes for coverage of Trump policies

The Pulitzer Prizes were awarded in New York on Monday, with several honors going to reports regarding President Donald Trump's policies. During the announcement, the organizing committee expressed co...

Most Remembrance Day protesters released

Nine protesters, including activist Frank van der Linde, have been released after being arrested during the Remembrance Day ceremony on Dam Square in Amsterdam. Three other individuals remain in custo...

WWII veterans (103 and 105) light liberation flame in Wageningen

Mayor Floor Vermeulen and two World War II veterans, aged 103 and 105, lit the National Liberation Fire in Wageningen to mark the start of May 5th freedom celebrations. The ceremony took place at Hote...

Rebel Wilson and wife welcome second child: 'Incredibly grateful'

Actress Rebel Wilson and her wife Ramona Agruma have announced the birth of their second child, a daughter named Rose Estelle. The couple shared the news on Instagram, expressing that they are incredi...

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settle case over It Ends With Us movie

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni have reached a settlement in a lawsuit concerning the filming of the 2024 movie It Ends With Us. This agreement avoids a civil trial that was scheduled to take place in...

GerBen goes people-watching on the terrace and sees: every generation has its own addiction

The author, GerBen, describes his experience people-watching from a small terrace in an inner-city street. Through his observations, he reflects on the idea that every generation possesses its own uni...

Where your surname comes from and what your grandfather did in the war: how to trace your family history

More individuals are delving into their ancestry to discover the origins of their family names and the life stories of their predecessors. This search for family secrets and historical connections pro...

Bilal Wahib and fiancée expecting a boy

Actor and singer Bilal Wahib announced during an appearance on radio station SLAM! that he and his fiancée, Sophie Keizer, are expecting a baby boy. Wahib shared the news while visiting the studio to...

Naud (10) adopts airman Ronald Hawkins’ grave with his school: ‘That awareness can’t hurt’

Ten-year-old Naud and his school have adopted the grave of airman Ronald Hawkins in Heemskerk to promote historical awareness. The adoption was commemorated with a ceremony featuring the 'Last Post' a...

Birds trapped in nets at Rijksmuseum: 'Sad and stressful'

Several birds have become trapped in protective netting placed around trees near the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam to prevent nesting before upcoming construction work. While the museum states that the net...

Commemoration at the Dreef: fifteen executed men and other war victims honored in silence

On Monday, a memorial service was held at de Dreef to honor fifteen men executed there on March 7, 1945. The ceremony also paid tribute to other victims of World War II and subsequent conflicts in a m...