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Article: I stopped wearing my headscarf
Turkish woman Semra Çelebi no longer wears her headscarf. She says she doesn't need to in order to be a good Muslim. The decision was not an easy one. Semra recently started a Facebook page called I took off my hijab.
Article: Rejection of violent jihad by Dutch terrorist not unique
Imprisoned Dutch terrorism suspect Jason Walters' decision to renounce violence is not unique. A number of radical leaders in Islamic countries have done the same. Once in jail, they repented and called on their followers to renounce...
Article: Between two worlds - Netherlands and Serbia
Daniel puts a brave face on it as the priest draws a symbolic cross on his forehead, sprinkles him with water and continues with a ritual he understands absolutely nothing of. Being baptised in a Serbian orthodox church is no sinecure...
Article: The guest worker's tale - feelgood version
A newspaper serial about a Moroccan who came to the Netherlands as a guest worker in the early 1970s has become extremely popular in the Netherlands. Driss is his name, and although the stories are presented as being autobiographical, it...
Article: French burqa ban in line with European trend
French MPs have voted to ban the burqa and niqab. The move is in line with a Europe-wide trend. The French are fully aware that a ban is risky. That is why a fierce and often principled debate has resulted in a draft law that is clear and...
Article: Does Wilders deserve the Sakharov prize?
Is anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders a champion of freedom of speech? "He deserves the Sakharov prize," says his Freedom Party, the PVV. "An insult" counters the Labour Party.
Article: Illegal alien Mustafa is bored to death
A new immigration law is intended to lead to quicker and more efficient processing of applications for asylum. Now asylum seekers will have more time to prepare themselves and a decision on their application must be taken within six months...
Article: Amsterdam's New Mayor: coffee, not tea
Eberhard van der Laan has been chosen to become mayor of Amsterdam. He will succeed Job Cohen, who stepped down abruptly in March to become the leader of the Labour Party. Mr Cohen was a highly popular mayor, praised for keeping things...
Article: Brazilians bring optimism to run-down neighbourhood
Brazilian volunteers are helping the Dutch brighten up run-down neighbourhoods in the Dutch capital Amsterdam. You would think it would be the other way around. But Amsterdam invited them over. Meanwhile, everyone has become...
Article: Immigrants doomed to failure? Not us, say the yeppies
Young and successful ethnic professionals in the Netherlands should play a more prominent role in Dutch society to disprove theories that they’re doomed to fail. This is one of the messages in a new book written about ‘Yeppies...
