Rotterdam

A far-right Dutch politician who once railed against Islam now spends his time defending it

Religion

Anti-Muslim policies are a key tenet of the Dutch far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) led by Geert Wilders. Many of those policies were devised by former lawmaker and once close confidante of Wilders, Joram van Klaveren. Today van Klaveren dedicates his life to defending Islam.

Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar is shown wearing traditional white robes while standing next to and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi wearing a suit.

China holds high-level talks with the Taliban

Top of The World
Rie van de Mueren (r) used to be a professional ballroom dancer. She's with Dieuwer Duijf at the Music Salon, which holds dance parties for the elderly in north Amsterdam.

Amsterdam is tackling loneliness one dance party at a time

Music
Police investigates a van with Spanish license plate packed with gas canisters in the vicinity of the concert venue Maassilo, after a concert was cancelled because of a terror threat, in Rotterdam.

Dutch police step up probe into terror scare after canceling a rock concert in Rotterdam

Conflict
The biggest mobile barrier in the world, the Maeslant storm surge barrier was built to protect the Dutch city of Rotterdam from a one-in-10,000-year storm. It's part of the massive investment the Dutch are making to protect themselves in a new era of risi

As sea levels rise, Rotterdam floats to the top as an example of how to live with water

Environment
The World

You might want extra life insurance before trying some of the recipes in this cookbook

Food

Since 1991, the Ig Nobel prizes have been awarded, tongue firmly in cheek, to researchers whose work “first makes you laugh, then makes you think.” The theme of this year’s Ig Nobel ceremony? Food. And with that, we have this review of the Ig Nobel Cookbook, Volume I.

New York just one of several cities facing increased risk of coastal flooding

Environment

As New Yorkers clean up from Hurricane Sandy, they’re also considering what they might do to stop such a storm surge in the future. It’s a common problem facing leaders of cities the world over.

Expert says Rotterdam art heist likely an inside job, linked to drug trade

Arts, Culture & Media

Tens of millions of dollars worth of art was stolen from a Rotterdam art museum last week and now signs are emerging that the entire thing may have been connected to illegal drugs. But a security expert says it also likely was done by someone with inside knowledge.

The World

Cities and Rising Waters

Environment

The flooding New York City experienced from Sandy could become a more common occurrence as climate change causes sea levels to rise. The World’s Rhitu Chatterjee explores how coastal cities in other countries are protecting themselves from inundation.

The World

Busy waterway

Global Politics

We’re looking for one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors for the Geo Quiz. The canal we’re looking for is in the Western hemisphere.