As one of the longest droughts on record continues, examiners are feeling the heat after an administrative meltdown leaves hundreds of students in Limburg facing a miserable summer. The government admits that new migrants have been left high and dry by the integration process, employees are being burned by the rise of casual labour and Max Verstappen is on fire in the Austrian Grand Prix. In the discussion Paul and Molly look back at how Mark Rutte hot-footed it from Brussels to Washington to the Catshuis as he attempted to fix all the world's major problems, including Donald Trump, by Tuesday lunchtime. And spare a thought for the delivery drivers who broke down in a sweltering van with no way out and a huge pile of money for company.

Own goals, defensive stalemates and an unorthodox formation – no, not the World Cup, but Rotterdam's talks to find a coalition, which finally concluded this week. This week the podcast team discuss the last week's political developments, which also saw former GroenLinks leader Femke Halsema come out of retirement to become Amsterdam's first female mayor. In another first for women, sailing came home as Carolijn Brouwers celebrated victory in the Volvo Ocean Race, which finished in Scheveningen harbour. There was also a disturbing attack on the Telegraaf's newspaper offices, the ophef that erupted when when writer Tommy Wieringa joked about it, an oil spill in Rotterdam harbour and a victory for the PVV as the burqa ban becomes law a mere 13 years after they first proposed it.

The podcast team looks back at a week of contrasts, as falling crime levels lead the government to consider closing more prisons while rising sea levels trigger a deal to set long-term climate change targets. As PSV's manager Phillip Cocu gets ready to fly out to Turkey, the Netherlands' Moroccan footballers are flying home after an early exit in Russia. And police arrest four people suspected of supplying illegal guns to terrorists in France, but terrorism is ruled out as a motive for the fatal accident at the Pinkpop music festival. In our discussion we ask if the attempt to create a legal cannabis supply chain will end the link between drugs and crime.

The podcast team looks back at a week in which the government decided that burqas were a bigger threat to society than stray fireworks, a school in Drenthe shelved plans to stage a mock shooting and Delft's porcelain image was rattled by a series of blasts and bombings. Schiphol airport vowed to get tough on passengers who pre-load during pre-boarding and the women's football team almost blew their chances of World Cup qualification. In our discussion we ask if Mark Rutte's speech to the European Parliament signals a seismic shift for the prime minister and the European Union.

This week's podcast asks if Amsterdam can hold back the rampant spread of tourism in the age of Airbnb and stag weekends. We also look back at a week in which Mark Rutte's handiness with a mop broke the internet, universities once again asked if English is taking over on campus, AD's fishy judging panels kicked up a stink and two fallen giants of world football went through the motions in Turin.

Liner notes: https://www.dutchnews.nl/features/2018/06/dutchnews-podcast-the-did-you-spill-my-coffee-edition-week-23

This week's podcast brings you up to date on the process of forming council administrations after this year's local elections. Elsewhere, torrential rain causes havoc around the country, the Dutch government gets tough on Russia over the MH17 inquiry, opposition grows to reforming the 30% tax ruling, and a court makes a groundbreaking ruling on gender neutrality. We also look at how Tom Dumoulin narrowly missed out on the Giro d'Italia title and what happened when a purloined lion-shaped pearl went under the hammer.

If you live in the Eindhoven area, you can now listen to the DutchNews podcast on Radio 4 Brainport at radio4brainport.org or on AM radio at 747 mHz.

https://www.dutchnews.nl/features/2018/06/dutchnews-podcast-the-crunching-councils-sleeping-lion-edition-week-22

This week's podcast looks at the ramifications of the latest developments in the MH17 inquiry as the Dutch government and joint investigation team point the finger of blame squarely at Russia. We also find out about the Friesland community came up with an eye-catching additional member to the European Capital of Culture programme, why a soldier is being given a ceremonial burial four centuries after he died and who won the battle of the Dicks on the football field. In the discussion we ask if the Dutch system of holiday pay is a nice little seasonal sweetener or a paternalistic anachronism.

Liner notes: https://www.dutchnews.nl/features/2018/05/dutchnews-podcast-the-8-is-the-goldilocks-zone-of-communism-edition

The podcast returns after a two-week break with a round-up of the minor outrages that have been swirling round social media, from the French family who cheated death at a safari park to Hema's protracted protractors and Thierry Baudet's unsettling ode to a baguette. Elsewhere, find out why Mark Rutte had some unlikely guests on his flight back from the Caribbean, how Amsterdam is planning to turn back the tourist tide and why universities are concerned about the growth of English-language classes. And in sport, we catch up with Tom Dumoulin's bid for a second Giro title and attempt to untangle the Byzantine permutations of the end-of-season Eredivisie play-offs.

Liner notes: https://www.dutchnews.nl/features/2018/05/dutchnews-podcast-the-shortbread-and-chill-edition-week-18

It's a special King's Day podcast this week as the team examine the Dutch tradition of donning inflatable headgear and flogging your unwanted Dire Straits CDs to unsuspecting neighbours. We also find out why the prime minister was caught out by some unmemorable memos, why Turkey was upset about Menno and why expats are up in arms about the 30% ruling. Plus how a Dutch city gave a ringing endorsement to the late Swedish DJ Avicii.

Dividend Tax Memos

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2018/04/rutte-does-u-turn-and-pledges-to-release-documents-on-dividend-tax/

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2018/04/dutch-prime-minister-faces-stormy-debate-over-dividend-tax-memos/

30% Ruling

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2018/04/government-to-cut-time-limit-for-30-rule-from-next-year/

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2018/04/no-transition-period-for-expats-hit-by-30-ruling-cuts-ministry-says/

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2018/04/opposition-parties-unit-to-censure-prime-minister-over-dividend-tax-memos/

Armenian Genocide

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2018/04/dutch-minister-attends-armenian-genocide-commemorations-for-first-time/

Bikes

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2018/04/for-the-first-time-more-cyclists-are-killed-on-the-dutch-roads-than-people-in-cars/

https://www.dutchnews.nl/features/2018/04/red-light-air-pollution-measurement-bike-shows-traffic-hotspots/

Sports

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2018/04/van-persie-ponders-future-with-feyenoord-after-scoring-in-knvb-cup-win/

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2018/04/house-where-football-legend-johan-cruijff-grew-up-is-available-for-rent/

Avicii

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2018/04/utrechts-tribute-to-dance-maestro-avicii-goes-around-the-world/