Trump hadn’t even taken off for The Netherlands before the real turbulence started, not in the air, but in global politics.
Between fiery statements, mid-flight phone calls, and a royal sleepover, Trump’s NATO visit is shaping up to be anything but smooth.
Trump slams Israel and Iran before boarding
Just before boarding his flight to the NATO summit, Trump accused both Iran and Israel of violating the ceasefire.
As reported by NOS, before boarding he announced that, “I am not happy with Iran and certainly not with Israel,” warning Israel to “get your pilots back” and declaring that both sides “have no idea what the f*ck they are doing.”
A high-altitude call with Netanyahu
While en route to The Hague, Trump phoned Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, urging him to halt further strikes on Iran.
Trump posted on Truth Social that “all planes will turn back,” suggesting the ceasefire was back in place.
But according to Axios, an American news outlet, Netanyahu reportedly refused to stop the attacks, claiming Iran broke the deal first.
From hotel plans to palace lockdown
As the ceasefire drama unfolded in the skies, Trump’s overnight plans quietly shifted on the ground.
As confirmed by AD, Trump ditched his Noordwijk hotel plans after King Willem-Alexander invited him to stay at Huis ten Bosch Palace.
On Wednesday, he will have a royal breakfast with the King and Queen, cameras and croissants included.
Thankfully, The Hague didn’t need to update its emergency ordinance: a lockdown was already in place. The Haagse Bos is closed to the public from 4 PM to 11 AM, and nearby roads have been blocked since Sunday — some until Friday.
So while Trump dines and dozes in royal comfort, The Hague navigates NATO traffic, closed woods, and one very high-maintenance guest.
Once meant to teach Dutch kids how to read, Ik Mik Loreland (which roughly translates to Me Mik and Loreland), aired from 1994 to 2002, however, it’s now better known for giving them nightmares.📚
What started as an educational series for children between 6 and 7, became infamous thanks to one unforgettable (and slightly terrifying) character… Karbonkel.
The story of Ik Mik Loreland
Before we get into the horrors of this character, let’s lay out the plot of the show.
Our heroine, Mik, lives in Loria, a land where reading and writing is everyone’s jam… except for Karbonkel, a one-eyed magic creature with serious spelling issues.
When Karbonkel gets frustrated about not being able to tell his story, he throws a tantrum and poof! all the letters disappear. Loria becomes Loreland: where literacy goes on vacation.
Teaching kids to fear, not spell
Karbonkel was supposed to be a misunderstood magical creature who couldn’t read or write. Instead, he became the stuff of childhood horror.
Life in the Netherlands is great, but it’s also expensive. I’m doing whatever I can to try and save money, and one important way to do that is by making sure my savings continue to grow.
So no, I’m afraid my newfound hack to saving money isn’t as simple as cancelling my HBO subscription or freezing cash. It’s by finding banks with better interest rates for my savings.
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So, I decided to try out Trade Republic
Trade Republic is an online broker based in Germany, and I first heard about it after we published an article about their interest rates.
I’m not going to lie: talking about interest rates is usually the best way to make me mentally slip out of a conversation, find a nice cosy corner in the back of my brain, and fall into a deep sleep of dissociation — *snaps fingers* — but stay with me.
I signed up for Trade Republic’s interest rates on savings. Here’s what I found. Image: Freepik
The most important thing you need to know about Trade Republic is that they offer a2% interest rate on savingsto residents in the Netherlands.
This means that if you open a savings account with Trade Republic, you can store your money in an account that accrues 2% interest per year, and this is what drew me to it.
Let’s compare that to the average rates at the big banks in the Netherlands. Here’s what your balance could be after 12 months:
Your deposit
ABN AMRO (1.25%)
Trade Republic (2%)
€5,000
€5,062.5
€5,100
€10,000
€10,125
€10,200
€20,000
€20,250
€20,400
€50,000
€50,625
€51,000
I like to think of this extra cash as the cushion that protects me from the €15 increase I’ve seen in my monthly health insurance premium this year.
My experience signing up
I’m quite a noob when it comes to banking jargon, so I was worried that once I tried to create an account, I’d be faced with options that I didn’t understand. However, I found the process was quite intuitive and entirely in English.
After downloading the app, I was asked for my details, such as my name, date of birth, and address. I then had to verify my identity by taking a picture of my government ID and sending a very unflattering video of myself for verification.
While I did have to wait until the next morning to get approved, setting up was relatively simple.
Trade Republic is a great option for people who want better interest rates on their Dutch savings. Image: Freepik
It’s worth noting that my colleague, Abuzer, also signed up for Trade Republic, and he was approved within five minutes.
The only moment where I struggled a bit was when I had to provide my ‘Belastingnummer’ or, as the app will say if you’re using it in English, “Tax number.” I had no idea which one this was.
Turns out, they meant my good ol’ BSN number. If this isn’t burned into your brain, you can likely find this in your email from when you registered at your Dutch address.
By opting for an account with Trade Republic, I now have somewhere to keep my savings without feeling like they’re gathering dust and losing value.
I am also a risk-averse girlie — especially when it comes to money. So, another big selling point for me was that since Trade Republic is based in Germany, my deposit is covered under the European Deposit Guarantee Scheme.
This means that should anything happen to Trade Republic (for example, if they were to go bust), any savings I have with them are guaranteed up to €100,000.
Additionally, when choosing a bank to open a savings account with, I found that many other banks which offered similar interest rates required me to keep my savings in that account for a fixed term.
So, while I could opt for a Swiss bank with the same interest rates, unlike Trade Republic, I wouldn’t be able to withdraw anything from that account for two years.
You should note thatwith Trade Republic, there is no minimum fixed term, and I can withdraw my money as and when I need it.
My money is easily accessible. Image: Freepik
What I also like about Trade Republic is how easy it is to use.
I open the app, type in my passcode, hit the big button that says cash, and voila, there’s my money.
If I want to know how much interest I have earned, I just scroll down, tap the interest button, and there it is. (I like to tap this particular button when I need a dopamine hit.)
The interest is also deposited into my account monthly, so I can reap the benefits as I go. No need to wait for a year!
I’d also like to point out that the app does offer other features, such as the opportunity to invest. So, while it’s simple, this app does have a lot of functions (I just haven’t tried them yet!).
👎 What could be improved
Of course, nothing is perfect. There were also a few things that I felt could be improved when using Trade Republic.
One handy feature that I came across when setting up my account was that I could put money into the account by selecting Apple Pay as the payment method, but I can’t use it.
There were, of course, some cons when it comes to using Trade Republic. Image: Freepik
When I went to select this option to send money from my Dutch card to my Trade Republic account, I was met with a message saying this card wasn’t accepted.
I’ve never had this issue before with Apple Pay and my Dutch bank card, but given that Dutch cards tend to be a bit awkward in every country other than the Netherlands, I’m not entirely sure this one’s on Trade Republic.
It’s also worth noting that unless you want to have major anxiety, you shouldn’t try to transfer your beloved savings between bank accounts on a weekend.
Trade Republic operates during the working week and working hours, so if you decide to transfer money on a Saturday morning, your money won’t show up in your account until after the weekend.
And if you’re planning on transferring money during public holidays, all I can say is good luck.
I tried to transfer some savings from my Trade Republic account to pay my rent for April. However, I forgot that Easter Friday and Easter Monday were a thing. This meant that I had to wait five days before I actually saw my transfer go through — not fun.
This was just a rookie mistake by me, but it certainly had me stressed.
I also found that the Trade Republic app sometimes glitches when I try to carry out a transfer. While travelling abroad, I wanted to transfer some money. However, the verification code I needed to complete the transaction wasn’t being sent to my number.
After a day or two, the verification code was sent again, and I could transfer money, but regardless, it was quite frustrating.
This could have been because I was in a different time zone and some extra layer of security prevented the code from being sent, but I’m not sure!
All this being said, my money has ultimately been transferred safely between my accounts, and I continue to use Trade Republic.
I want to see for myself, how can I sign up?
That’s my two cents! What you want to do with it is up to you. Interested in signing up? Nice! The process is clear and simple.
Pirate flags, motorised karts, and joyrides past the Rijksmuseum — Amsterdam has officially become a live-action Mario Kart level.
As Het Parool reports, tourists have been zipping through Amsterdam city centre in motorised go-karts since May, and let’s just say… the city isn’t exactly thrilled.
A kart too far?
The tours, offered by an arcade in Osdorp called Molly’s Arena, are inspired by Japanese pop culture and let tourists cruise the city for two hours.
For €150 per person, groups of four race past landmarks such as Dam Square and even under Amsterdam Centraal Station.
Drivers must be 21, hold a valid licence, and pass a safety quiz, but Alderman Melanie Van der Horst still isn’t buying it. “Amsterdam is busy enough as it is. Traffic is no place for crazy tours,” she tells Het Parool.
Fun for the ‘Gram, fear for the trams
In spite of what locals say, tourists appear to be loving it. Videos show karting pirates shouting “This drives so well!” and dubbing each other Max Verstappen.
The city, meanwhile, is less amused. Van der Horst points out that the karts’ low design makes them nearly invisible to trams, trucks, and basic road logic.
It’s giving big beer bike energy. Amsterdam has seen this kind of chaos before and knows how it ends. 🛑
Perfectly legal, completely unwanted
Here’s the twist: for now at least, the karts are totally legal. 😬
According to the Dutch Road Traffic Service (RDW), they’re classified as “heavy quads for road use” and allowed to drive up to 90 km/h. Why? We don’t know either.
Molly’s claims they coordinated with the city, police, and insurers, but officials strongly disagree.
Van der Horst has now appealed to Infrastructure Minister Mark Tieman, urging national regulation to keep these street racers out of busy cities. 🧑⚖️
So what’s your verdict? Should Amsterdam embrace the kart life or slam on the brakes? Let us know in the comments. 👇
The global pop icon is no stranger to messing with fame. This week he hit the streets of Amsterdam with a mission: to see if anyone would recognise him. Spoiler alert: most didn’t.
After his concert in Amsterdam, Robbie Williams decided to explore the city — in true Robbie style.
With his ever-supportive (and sneaky) wife Ayda Field behind the camera, Robbie strolled around asking strangers to take photos with him. Instead of fanfare, he got puzzled looks.
A master of low-key chaos
A few people recognised who he was, but the majority were just plain confused by the very enthusiastic man asking for selfies.
But it’s Amsterdam, right? Sometimes you just have to say yes to a crazy stranger.
This isn’t Robbie’s first undercover gig either. Last year, he plonked himself on a bench in London in a video cheekily titled “Waiting to be seen.” Spoiler again: he wasn’t.
Robbie’s outfit is anything but subtle, yet not a soul recognises him. At one point, he even says hi to a group of people, who completely ignore him — classic London.
If you were planning on travelling to Schiphol, Utrecht, or Amsterdam today, then it may be time to either find a bus, metro, or book a taxi.
It’s not a strike this time, however. Due to a power outage, no trains are running to Schiphol, Utrecht or Amsterdam.
According to the NOS, the outage was found to be caused by a fire along important cable lines — and repairing them is going to take all day.
Yep, the NS expects the outage to last until around 18:00.
There are some ways to travel still
However, if you’ve already found yourself staring at a list of cancellations in a station hall, there are some alternative travel options for a lucky few.
The NS advises that travellers can try to commute using the metro between Amsterdam Sloterdijk, Amsterdam Lelylaan, and Amsterdam Zuid.
Schiphol Airport is also still accessible from the south, which means some travellers should be able to get there on routes between The Hague and Rotterdam.
Resorting to travel by car? The good news is that the roads are remarkably quiet due to the NATO Summit. The bad news is that some roads are also closed for this same reason. 🫠
From travelling to work to grocery shopping and going to terrasjes, having a bike is essential when living in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands prides itself on having built its society on reclaimed land and bicycle paths, so it’s no surprise that Dutch people may be a bit attached to their beloved bikes.
So much so that they’re not willing to get rid of their bike, even if it’s barely holding together. 😅
What is it?
Everyone knows at least one Dutch person whose bicycle chain has fallen more times than they’ve sent Tikkies. Maybe their tyres squeak, or their bicycle doesn’t have working lights or a bell.
But no matter how old and beat up their bike looks (and sounds), they will simply refuse to get a new bike and insist that a small maintenance job will do the trick (DIY, of course).
Why do they do it?
Dutch people would rather hang on to an almost decrepit bike than spend heaps of money replacing it, especially when they could just repair it themselves.
Not to mention, Dutchies are champions of sustainability and generally prefer to consume and spend as little as possible. 🌱
Why is it quirky?
Well, when most people retire an old bike and buy a new one without hesitation, Dutchies will cling to their beloved.
No matter how old the bike is, they’d prefer to keep it around and routinely tape it together than get rid of something that could still be salvaged.
You could pry their cold, dead hands off their fiets for all they care. 😆
Should you join in?
We certainly recommend getting the most use out of your products and only buying new things when you need them.
Dutch bicycles are sturdy and will last long if you take care of them properly and have them inspected yearly.
Picture this: you’re out enjoying an ice-cold biertjewith some vrienden, it’s time to pay, and then you pause: Should you leave a tip? Well, the Dutch probably won’t.
If you’ve been an international living in the Netherlands for a few years now, you’ve most likely searched the web at least once to find out how Dutch people tip.
The result? “Ik geef geen fooi,” meaning “I don’t tip.” ❌
What is it?
Tipping is indeed a pretty rare occurrence in the Netherlands.
So, how do Dutch people really tip? Well, they usually stick to what tips were originally created for: a gesture of gratitude for the service provided.
When we talk about a service, we don’t mean simply doing one’s job. We mean the little things that add to a service, like the warm smile servers give while taking your order. 😊
If you tip at all, it normally consists of leaving behind a euro or two at a restaurant for good service, but when it comes to bars and cafés, you most likely tip a big fat wad of nothing.
Why do they do it?
Truth be told, unlike the American way, tipping culture is almost non-existent in the Netherlands.
Why? Because staff usually earn a good enough wage, they don’t have to rely on tips!
As out-of-towners, we have occasionally had the experience of getting into tiny arguments when dining out with friends because we always stand on tipping at least 10 to 15%, whereas Dutchies hardly pay more than 5%.
Why is it quirky?
Many internationals are used to coming from countries where hospitality staff are underpaid.
Sometimes it doesn’t just feel quirky; we often feel guilty for not leaving a little something behind. 😬
If you tip here, you might experience a bit of a cultural shock — the staff might even be surprised by the gesture!
Should you join in?
Tipping isn’t expected of you.
However, when waiting for the Thuisbezorgd delivery person to bring you your usual Indonesisch dinner special in the pouring rain, you might consider giving them a little compensation for their efforts (struggles). 🙏
What do you think of this Dutch quirk? Have you experienced it? Tell us in the comments below! 👇
With everything happening in the US right now, no one was certain whether US President Donald Trump would attend the NATO Summit in The Hague tomorrow.
As it turns out, the president has managed to find some time in his busy schedule, with the White House confirming that Trump will be in attendance.
And what does he have to say?
As White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt puts it: “One of the key topics of conversation there will be the 5% threshold that our NATO allies need to meet.”
This is referring to the threshold for NATO countries’ spending on defence.
“The president has been calling on our NATO allies to do more for some time. He’s pushed them to do more in his first term, and you’ll hear the president talk about that on this next historic trip to Europe. You’ll hear the president talk about that on this next historic trip to Europe.”
While we now know what Trump wants to discuss, we also know what NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte considers to be an important talking point for the summit.
During this afternoon’s press conference, Rutte also brought up the war in Ukraine and the current situation in Iran. According to the NOS, he also tells reporters that “Russia remains the greatest threat to NATO.”
With Trump now attending, this should make for some interesting discussions.
KPN and Delta are also joining the price-hike party. So yes, that Netflix binge will cost you a little more, even if it’s still technically “free” with your cousin’s password.
2. The minimum wage is going up
The minimum wage is increasing for everyone, including higher hourly rates for young workers under 21.
Combine that with January’s bump and 2025 is starting to look good (for minimum-wage workers, at least).
Age
💶 As of Jan 1, 2025
💶 As of July 1, 2025
15
€4.22
€4.32
16
€4.85
€4.97
17
€5.55
€5.69
18
€7.03
€7.20
19
€8.44
€8.64
20
€11.25
€11.52
21 and over
€14.06
€14.40
3. Rents can still go up
The rent freeze is coming to an end, and increases are back on the table:
Social housing: Rent can go up by 5% if you’re paying €350 or more. If your rent is lower, it can rise by €25.
Mid-rent segment: Rent can increase by up to 7.7%.
Do you have a child between the ages of three and 18 who needs extra care and lives at home?
If they benefit from the Long-Term Care Act (Wlz), from July 1, you may qualify for double child benefit! You can apply through the Social Insurance Bank (SVB).
6. The AOW and benefits will increase
Receiving a Dutch pension through the AOW (General Old Age pensions Act)? Then expect a little more in your bank account from July 1.
Since the AOW pension and other benefits are tied to the minimum wage, they’re getting a bump too, though not as steep.
