Lifestyle News in English

Italy investigates beauty companies for encouraging obsession in young girls

Italy has launched an investigation into beauty companies Sephora Italia and Benefit Cosmetics for allegedly using deceptive marketing strategies to target young girls with skincare products. Authorit...

Millions of Douwe Egberts points exchanged for books as savers can spend them again

The Bruna bookstore chain has experienced record-high website traffic following the announcement that customers can now redeem Douwe Egberts loyalty points for books. This new partnership allows long-...

Three days in jail and community service for machete stabbing

A 26-year-old man has been sentenced to three days in prison and 120 hours of community service for a May 2024 machete attack in Amsterdam-Zuidoost that injured two people. The court cited the defenda...

Advice from my 9-year-old teacher: ‘Don’t voice everything that’s going wrong. It only makes it worse’

Dutch performer and single mother Lottie Hellingman shares life advice from her nine-year-old daughter, who suggested that dwelling on negative situations can make them worse. Hellingman, originally f...

This is the best supermarket milk chocolate praline Easter egg: ‘I can actually taste hazelnut’

Three chocolate experts conducted a blind taste test of nine supermarket brands of milk chocolate praline Easter eggs to determine the highest quality options. The panel evaluated the products based o...

Leonie Hijne from Bonhoeffer College in Castricum named Sustainable Teacher of the Year: 'I was nervous, but it went well'

Leonie Hijne from the Bonhoeffercollege in Castricum has been named the 'Sustainable Teacher of the Year' for 2026 at a ceremony in Arnhem. She accepted the award as a significant recognition for the ...

Vacant bowling alley at Buikslotermeerplein to become youth center: "Safe space for everyone"

A long-vacant bowling alley at Buikslotermeerplein in Amsterdam-Noord will be transformed into a youth center designed by local teenagers to create a safe community space. The project, led by a commun...

Paid parking remains controversial in Haarlem, even after victory for GL-PvdA and D66: 'It will be a death blow'

Despite the local election victory of GroenLinks-PvdA and D66 in Haarlem, public opposition to the expansion of paid parking remains strong. A recent poll indicates that over two-thirds of respondents...

What to do with all those items from the parental home? 'Heirlooms represent a bloodline, but they become fragmented with each generation'

Author Gerbrand Bakker's latest book, 'Boedel,' explores the emotional and practical challenges of handling a parental estate following his mother's death. The work follows siblings as they sort throu...

A mindfulness course, a personal trainer, and an e-bike: but Ralph's dog wasn't allowed on the flexible budget

Ralph's request to use his flexible employee benefits budget to purchase a dog was rejected and met with ridicule from his HR department. Career expert Anne-Marije Buckens notes that employers typical...

Writer Erik Nieuwenhuis delves into the lives of Amsterdam tram line 1 passengers

Amsterdam writer Erik Nieuwenhuis has published a novel titled "Lijn 1," which explores the fictional lives of passengers and staff on the city's tram line 1. Drawing from thirty years of observation,...

'Many parents want to live up to the perfect image.' Overload among young parents is rising, but solutions are closer than expected

An increasing number of young parents are experiencing extreme fatigue and burnout as they struggle to balance modern societal pressures with the desire for perfection. Experts note that the combinati...

Unrest in Middle East disrupts May holiday: Extra flights to other destinations to meet demand

Geopolitical unrest in the Middle East is causing a significant shift in booking patterns for the upcoming May holidays among Dutch travelers. Major travel organizations are responding by scheduling e...

Former councilor Imane Nadif joins board of 'Progressive Netherlands'

Former Amsterdam city council member and GroenLinks faction leader Imane Nadif has joined the national board of the newly established political party Progressief Nederland. The party, formed from a me...

Former councilor Imane Nadif joins board of Progressive Netherlands

Imane Nadif, the former GroenLinks faction leader in Amsterdam, has joined the national board of the new political party Progressief Nederland. The party is a result of the merger between GroenLinks a...

Trash next to waste containers in Kloosterstraat causes major nuisance. 'Imagine living there, she said. Well, I do'

Residents near the corner of Kloosterstraat and Cronjéstraat are frustrated by the persistent accumulation of garbage around waste containers. The litter, which often includes food scraps, frequently...

An evening of training with the volunteer fire department in Castricum: 'It’s more than firefighting and camaraderie, you gain a whole family'

Aspirant firefighter Rik Hogewerf participated in a weekly training session with the voluntary fire brigade in Castricum, which involved simulating a scooter fire and a rescue operation. The session h...

Unemployed professional footballer allowed to evict tenants from his home in North

A Dutch court has ruled that an unemployed professional footballer can evict tenants from his apartment in Amsterdam-Noord so he and his family can move back in. The judge determined that the owner ha...

Evers tobacco shop closes after nearly a century: 'Fireworks ban was the final straw'

Frank Evers is closing his 98-year-old independent tobacco shop in Hillegom on March 28, marking the end of the town's last standalone cigar shop. Evers noted that the fireworks ban provided the final...

Even the biggest Verstappen haters became fans last season, but they are disappearing just as fast this way

Max Verstappen gained widespread popularity in 2025 through his racing comeback and personal milestones, even winning over long-time critics. However, recent developments are reportedly causing him to...

Fans forgive Kanye West everything at listening session in Halfweg

Anne (58) forced to live in mother’s attic: ‘I feel like a failure as a father’

Fifty-eight-year-old Anne de Jong is forced to live in his mother's attic following a divorce due to the ongoing housing crisis in the Netherlands. His situation highlights a growing problem for divor...

Master swindler or benefactor? The Canadian who promised Zandvoort the world

In 1981, Canadian businessman Michael Hordo arrived in Zandvoort with grand plans to transform the coastal town into a major tourist hub, including proposals for a theme park and international golf ch...

After 124 years, tram line 3 makes its final run today

After 124 years of service, Amsterdam's historic tram line 3 is making its final journey today before being discontinued in a major GVB timetable overhaul. The decision to cut the east-west connection...

Ed (79) must pay for dental repair after accident despite having insurance

Ed, a 79-year-old man, was forced to pay for dental repairs out of pocket following an accident despite having dental insurance. His claim was denied due to specific clauses in the insurance policy's ...

Olympic gold will always remain a dream. The unfinished life’s work of top speed skater Melissa Wijfje: ‘At that moment I realized the fire in me no longer burns. It is over’

Dutch speed skater Melissa Wijfje has announced her retirement from professional sports, stating that she no longer possesses the inner drive required to compete. Although winning Olympic gold remaine...

Daantje (24) is the clinical striker, her three sisters Isa (25), Mosa (18) and Febe (18) anchor the defense: thanks to the Molenaar family, Onze Gezellen is unbeatable this season

The Molenaar sisters—Isa, Daantje, Mosa, and Febe—have led the Onze Gezellen women's football team to an undefeated season in the Dutch fourth division. With Daantje as striker and her three siste...

Neurologist and sleep expert Raymond Vogels: Wake up early Sunday as daylight saving begins and go straight into the sun

Neurologist and sleep expert Raymond Vogels advises waking up early and seeking immediate sunlight on Sunday to help the body adjust to the transition to daylight savings time. He notes that while gen...

Wijk aan Zee beach to get smoke-free zone in 2027, signs being installed this season

The Beverwijk city council has decided to establish a smoke-free zone on the family beach of Wijk aan Zee starting in the 2027 season. Preparatory signs will be installed this year following consultat...

Is the end near for Heemskerk Festival? Funding shortage threatens to ruin plans. 'A crying shame', but organizers refuse to charge admission

The future of the free Heemskerk Festival is uncertain due to significant budget deficits resulting from the loss of major sponsors and funds. Organizer Peter Zonneveld stated that despite the financi...