BRITAIN: Queen Elisabeth dies at age 96.

Buckingham Palace has announced that Queen Elizabeth II has died.

A statement on the royal website said the 96-year-old monarch died peacefully at Balmoral Castle on Thursday afternoon. 

Storm: Britain - Netherlands hit by powerful storm: Storm Eunice Slams Northern Europe With Dangerously High Winds - by Derrick Bryson Taylor and Amanda Holpuch

Strong winds battered parts of Britain and Northern Europe on Friday, as a severe storm led to the deaths of at least seven people in the region, damaged buildings and severely disrupted travel by air, land and sea,

Netherlands Meteorological Institute warned of “significant damage and very dangerous situations” expected from falling trees and flying objects.

Read more at: Storm Eunice Slams Northern Europe With Dangerously High Winds - The New York Times

Schengen: Austria Removes UK, the Netherlands, Denmark & Norway From List of Virus Variant Countries

The Austrian authorities have decided to abolish the list of virus variant countries, for travellers from which special stricter restrictions have applied so far.

Thus, starting from Monday, January 24, 2022, travellers from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway, which countries are currently classified as virus variant countries, will be subject to facilitated entry rules when travelling to Austria.

Read more Austria Removes UK, the Netherlands, Denmark & Norway From List of Virus Variant Countries - SchengenVisaInfo.com

Europe: Covid-19 surge: Morocco suspends flights from the UK over fears of Covid surge

Morocco is suspending until further notice all flights to and from the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands amid rising coronavirus infections in those countries.

The new restriction will come into force just before midnight Wednesday, the North African kingdom's airports authority said.

In a tweet, national carrier Royal Air Maroc said the move was due to "the pandemic situation." It did not provide further detail.

Read more at: Morocco suspends flights from the UK over fears of Covid surge

China-British-Netherlands - historical relatioms: How the British bungled relations with China during the Qing dynasty and the Dutch took advantage. Or did they?

It is a clash of empires that reads like Game of Thrones. The year is 1793. The Qianlong emperor of the Great Qing Empire grants an audience to Lord Macartney, ambassador from Britain’s King George III, at his summer resort of Rehe, now Chengde, a few days’ travel northeast from Beijing. But Macartney refuses to kowtow.

A new book on a Dutch mission in 1795 suggests that kowtowing was rewarded with the emperor’s favour, something denied to Britain’s ambassador when he refused

As a result, British requests for improvements in trade relations are denied and Macartney’s party is hurried out of China, bearing a written rebuke to the king that concludes George must, “tremblingly obey and show no negligence”.

But in 1842 and again in 1860, the British use military force to compel the Qing to surrender the same benefits Macartney had sought to negotiate. The Qing must open several Chinese ports to year-round foreign residence and allow permanent British diplomatic representation in Beijing. The British also gain possession of a certain island off the Guangdong coast with an excellent harbour.

Read more at: https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3151540/how-british-bungled-relations-china-during-qing

EU: Dutch PM Rutte to Invite Britain to Join Defence Deal With EU

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to be offered a defence and security co-operation deal with the European Union during a meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in Downing Street on Friday, the Times newspaper reported, citing a diplomatic source.

“Since Brexit, not enough European leaders have been in touch with Johnson. It is important to look at the geopolitics without being divided and there is a need to work with the UK," the source said.

It is expected that Turkey will also be approached by the EU in joinimg this new EU defence strategy

Read more at: https://eu-digest.blogspot.com/2021/09/france-recalls-ambassadors-to-us.html

GA-ASI SeaGuardian Flies From UK to the Netherlands

In cooperation with the UK and Netherlands airspace authorities, the Royal Air Force, and the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF), General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) flew a company-owned, MQ-9B SeaGuardian® Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) today from RAF Waddington across the North Sea to Leeuwarden Air Base in the Netherlands, completing a two-day series of flights between the two airspaces.

Read more at: GA-ASI SeaGuardian Flies From UK to the Netherlands

Britain-EU relations: Europe's trust in Britain has gone. We're now a problem, not a partner - by Raphael Behr

The pandemic is landing well-aimed punches on the already bruised relationship between Britain and the European Union. A dispute over vaccine supplies threatens to bring blunt instruments of trade war down on delicate national feelings. Not in the darkest hours of Brexit negotiations did either side imagine that supply-chain management would so quickly become a matter of life and death.

At a summit later this week, European leaders will discuss a possible ban on exports to the UK from an AstraZeneca plant in the Netherlands. There is frustration in Brussels that millions of vaccine doses have gone overseas (mostly Pfizer ones) and none have come over in return. The UK responds that it cannot be blamed for moving earlier, signing better contracts and generally getting its immunising act together faster.

Tory MPs say Brussels is lashing out in jealousy. Vaccination is something Boris Johnson’s government is doing well, and the EU is floundering. That has less to do with Brexit than is claimed by triumphant ministers, but as propaganda the point is irresistible: there is nothing else to trumpet as a benefit of detachment from the continent, and winning the vaccination race resonates with voters grateful for jabs.

Read more at: Europe's trust in Britain has gone. We're now a problem, not a partner | Brexit | The Guardian

EU-British:Relations: Breton: No AstraZeneca jabs exported from the Netherlands after EU export controls - by illian Deutsch

AstraZeneca subcontractor Halix has not sent any Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine doses to the U.K. after the EU implemented export controls, Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said Wednesday.

In January, the Commission introduced new export controls requiring companies to get authorization from national authorities to export vaccines outside the bloc.

Since then, "everything has stayed in the EU," Breton said, adding that AstraZeneca hasn't requested to send vaccines abroad since the authorization scheme.

Read more: Breton: No AstraZeneca jabs exported from the Netherlands after EU export controls – POLITICO

Boeing 777: UK temporarily bans Boeing 777 planes with engine that blew apart in US

The United Kingdom will temporarily ban Boeing 777 planes with the same engine that blew apart in the US over the weekend, transport secretary Grant Shapps said.

The engine, designed by Pratt and Whitney, failed shortly after United Airlines flight 328 took off from Denver, Colorado, forcing pilots to make an emergency landing on Sunday.

Read more at: UK temporarily bans Boeing 777 planes with engin

The Netherlands bans flights from UK, S-Africa, S-America, plans to introduce curfew – by Eline Schaart

The Dutch government announced Wednesday that it will ban flights from the U.K., South Africa and South America as of Saturday in an effort to prevent more virulent strains of the coronavirus from taking hold across the country.

The new restrictions also mean everyone flying to the Netherlands will need to take a rapid antigen test, on top of the already existing requirement for a PCR-test conducted within 72 hours of departure."We're getting out of this, but first we have to brace ourselves again now that more contagious variants are coming our way,” caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte said.

Rutte also announced plans to impose a curfew from 8:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. However, the government needs the support of a majority of MPs to implement the curfew given that the Cabinet is in caretaker mode after resigning last week. Opposition parties have been critical of a curfew, but local media reported that the GreenLeft and Labor parties are now leaning toward supporting the government line.

Read more at: The Netherlands bans flights from UK, plans to introduce curfew – POLITICO

British and Netherlands Relations: Meet the Brexiles who have swapped the UK for the Netherlands to escape Brexit

Britain might be out of the EU, but many Remainers have upped sticks and are now starting a new life in a member state. We meet the Brexpats in the Netherlands and find out what made them leave Brexit Britain behind.

Read more at DutchNews.nl: Meet the Brexiles who have swapped the UK for the Netherlands to escape Brexit - DutchNews.nl

The Netherlands: Dutch border police bar 10 British nationals from entering the Netherlands

Dutch border police have refused 10 British nationals entry to the Netherlands since January 1, when UK visitors were no longer covered by EU regulations, broadcaster NOS said on Sunday.

Since January 1, the UK is no longer considered an EU country and its nationals are barred from visiting the Netherlands unless their journey is essential, because of coronavirus rules.

‘They all had a negative PCR test, but had forgotten the basic rule, that they need to have an urgent reason to come, such as work or serious family issues,’ border police spokesman Robert van Kapel told NOS.

Read more at: Dutch border police bar 10 British nationals from entering the Netherlands - DutchNews.nl

EU-Britain Relations: Brexit: EU, UK finally clinch ′historic′ trade deal

he United Kingdom and the European Union have agreed to a post-Brexit free trade deal, sealing the UK's exit from the bloc, the UK government and EU announced on Thursday.

EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said at a press conference on Thursday that: "It was a long and winding road, but we have a good deal to show for it."

The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted an image of himself in front of a British flag with his thumbs up. The picture was accompanied by the text: "The deal is done."

Read more at: Brexit: EU, UK finally clinch ′historic′ trade deal | News | DW | 24.12.2020

The Netherlands: Ferries from UK banned from sailing to Netherlands

Ferry lines which transport passengers from the United Kingdom across the North Sea to the Netherlands will not be permitted from Monday as the Dutch government attempts to prevent a highly-contagious variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus from spreading through the Dutch population. After a considerable rise in infections in the UK, many parts of that country went back into a strict lockdown over the weekend.

At the very start of Sunday, Dutch Health Minister Hugo de Jonge sent a letter to Parliament announcing that the Netherlands banned passenger flights from the UK effective immediately, and for an initial duration of about ten days. Belgium followed suit with a ban that included trains, meaning Eurostar rail service from the UK could no longer reach the Netherlands.

Read more at:Ferries from UK banned from sailing to Netherlands: Reports | NL Times

The Netherlands: Ferries from UK banned from sailing to Netherlands

Ferry lines which transport passengers from the United Kingdom across the North Sea to the Netherlands will not be permitted from Monday as the Dutch government attempts to prevent a highly-contagious variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus from spreading through the Dutch population. After a considerable rise in infections in the UK, many parts of that country went back into a strict lockdown over the weekend.

At the very start of Sunday, Dutch Health Minister Hugo de Jonge sent a letter to Parliament announcing that the Netherlands banned passenger flights from the UK effective immediately, and for an initial duration of about ten days. Belgium followed suit with a ban that included trains, meaning Eurostar rail service from the UK could no longer reach the Netherlands.

Read more at:Ferries from UK banned from sailing to Netherlands: Reports | NL Times

Britain-Netherlands relations: Creatives from UK and NL discuss how to adapt to Brexit and Covid

Creatives from the UK and the Netherlands came together in a virtual session on 25 November 2020 to discuss opportunities for, and threats to, future Anglo-Dutch cultural collaboration. In less time than it takes to drive from London to Birmingham, the nearly thirty participants from all over England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Netherlands had concluded a very successful session, coming up with some excellent analyses of what is required to maintain strong international cultural connections. It shows there are positives to the 'new normal' of meeting each other online. The useful input that was gathered during this meeting helps the Dutch Embassy in the UK, organiser of the event, to focus its efforts on facilitating bilateral cultural exchange.

Read more at: Creatives from UK and NL discuss how to adapt to Brexit and Covid | News item | netherlandsandyou.nl

England lockdown: Boris Johnson issues new stay-at-home order

England will go into a new monthlong lockdown on Thursday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Saturday.

Read more at: England lockdown: Boris Johnson issues new stay-at-home order | News | DW | 31.10.2020

EU -Britain: Vaccine hopes rise as Oxford jab prompts immune response among old as well as young adults - by Guy Faulconbridge, Kate Kelland, Kate Holton

The vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford, also triggers lower adverse responses among the elderly, British drug maker AstraZeneca Plc AZN.L, which is helping manufacture the vaccine, said on Monday.

Read more at: Vaccine hopes rise as Oxford jab prompts immune response among old as well as young adults | Reuters

America's Latest Export: The Conspiracy Theorists Crazies have crossed the Atlantic and QAnon is now in Europe–by Mark Scott

If you don't know what QAnon is this is how wikileaks divines the cult - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/QAnon.

At first glance it’s not a natural fit. The U.S. conspiracy theory — now with millions of acolytes worldwide — alleges a vast deception to undermine U.S. President Donald Trump. It blends anti-government, anti-lockdown and anti-Semitic rhetoric with unfounded beliefs about a vast pedophile ring run by the global elite. Its followers adhere to a quasi-religious belief that a great savior — aided by “Q,” an anonymous government insider from whom QAnon gets its name — will protect followers from the dark forces behind the conspiracy.

In the U.S., discussion about QAnon has broken into the political mainstream. When Trump was asked to disavow the group at a recent town hall event, he first said he knew “nothing about QAnon” but then added: “I do know that they are very much against pedofiles.

Despite its digital roots, this conspiracy based, populst, ultra -right-wing QAnon has extended its reach into the real world, with attendees at protests against anti-coronavirus measures and supportive of conspiracy theories spreading its talking points across Europe, the U.S. and other parts of the world.

Read more at: QAnon goes European – POLITICO