Privacy Rights: US Spy Scandal - N.S.A. Collection of Bulk Call Data Is Ruled Illegal - C.Savage and J.Weisman

NSA is never far away

A US federal appeals court in New York on Thursday ruled that the once-secret National Security Agency program that is systematically collecting Americans’ phone records in bulk is illegal.

The decision comes as a fight in Congress is intensifying over whether to end and replace the program, or to extend it without changes.

In a 97-page ruling, a three-judge panel for the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held that a provision of the U.S.A. Patriot Act, known as Section 215, cannot be legitimately interpreted to allow the bulk collection of domestic calling records.

The provision of the act used to justify the bulk data program is to expire June 1, and the ruling is certain to increase tension that has been building in Congress.

It also comes as controversy over electronic surveillance is building in Europe, including a push in France to increase domestic spying and a decision by Germany to reduce cooperation on surveillance with the United States.

The ruling puts new pressure on Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, to make serious changes to the Patriot Act, which he has so far aggressively defended against any alteration, even as recently as Thursday on the Senate floor. Mr. McConnell has pressed to maintain the N.S.A.’s existing program against bipartisan efforts to scale it back, and has proposed simply extending the statute by the June 1 deadline.

Read more: N.S.A. Collection of Bulk Call Data Is Ruled Illegal - NYTimes.com

Britain: Conservative Party wins election, but no absolute majority - by by Sarah Joanne Taylor

Voting has closed in the UK’s tightest general election in decades. Exit polls suggest The Conservatives will come out on top, with a predicted 316 seats. Labour are expected to come out second, on 239 and the Scottish SNP third, with some 58 seats.

Read more: [LIVE] #GE2015: exit polls suggest Conservatives will win but without a majority | euronews, world news

The Netherlands: 389 years ago, on May 6, 1626, the Dutch purchased Manhattan - today's New York

Dutch purchase Manhattan, today's New York, May 6,  1626

Towards the end of the 1500's the Dutch were the first country in the world to create a Multi-National Corporation and Amsterdam became the world's leader in shipping, banking, insurance and commerce.

Rembrandt also painted his masterpieces during that time in Amsterdam.

As a result of the Reformation business and religion mixed easily and  their combined intellectual and entrepreneurial efforts brought great prosperity to the Netherlands.

When Spain and Portugal forced Sephardic Jews to flee, some went to the Netherlands, which was Europe’s center of religious toleration and also to the Ottoman Empire ( today's Turkey)

Jews migrated to Holland’s largest city of Amsterdam, which in the 1600s became the wealthiest city in the world.

The Republic of the Seven United Netherlands was in its golden age from 1568 until Napoleon, being one of the few nations not to have a king occupied the Netherlands.

From 1575 on, Holland’s University of Leiden was a center for the studies of Hebrew, Aramaic and Syriac, with a Jewish rabbi as a the leading professor.

The original Pilgrims also lived in Leiden before sailing to Massachusetts, and identified themselves with the ancient Hebrew republic.

Medieval Europe forbade paying interest – the sin of usury – but after the Reformation, Amsterdam was where some of the first corporations were started, such as the Dutch East India Company.

Individuals could invest in an expedition of ships going around the world for spices and when the ships returned, interest or “dividends” were paid to the investors from the profit.

If an individual wanted to sell his piece of ownership, he could at the first Amsterdam Stock Exchange. Individual investors had limited liability, only risking the amount they invested. In case the ships sank or were captured by Muslim Barbary pirates, as a consequence the Dutch also invented insurance companies.

On May 6, 1626, Peter Minuit, Dutch governor of the New Netherlands Province, gave 60 guilders of brass buttons, scarlet cloth and trade goods to the Manhattan Indian tribe in exchange for Manhattan Island,  today's New York

The Articles for the New Netherlands’ Colony, issued by the Chamber of Amsterdam, 1624, stated: “They shall within their territory practice no other form of divine worship than that of the Reformed religion … and thus by their Christian life and conduct seek to draw the Indians and other blind people to the knowledge of God and His word, without, however, persecuting any on account of his faith, but leaving each one the use of his conscience.”

New Netherlands’ original Charter of Freedoms and Exemptions, June 1, 1629, stated: “Patroons and colonists shall in particular, and in the speediest manner, endeavor to find out ways and means whereby they may support a Minister and Schoolmaster, that thus the service of God and zeal for religion may not grow cool and be neglected among them, and they shall, for the first, procure a Comforter of the sick there.”

The Dutch set up a New Amsterdam Stock Exchange along the wall of their fort. After a series of Anglo-Dutch Wars, the city of New Amsterdam was unfortunately taken over by the British and renamed New York City.

The New Amsterdam Stock Exchange then became the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street and the rest is history.

EU-Digest

Germany: Germans will never forget ‘unfathomable horrors’ at death camps, says Merkel

Germans will never forget the “unfathomable horrors” the Nazis inflicted at death camps.

The words of Chancellor Angela Merkel, as she addressed a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp near Munich.

In a moving speech to 120 elderly survivors from 20 nations and six US soldiers who helped liberate the camp, Merkel said Dachau and other death camps freed near the end of World War Two stand as eternal reminders of the Nazi regime’s brutality.

“These former concentration camps have come into public focus in recent weeks with the passing of the 70th anniversaries of the liberation of one camp after another,” Merkel said at Dachau, now a memorial with 800-thousand annual visitors.

“There were unfathomable horrors everywhere,” she continued.
“They all admonish us to never forget. No, we will never forget. We’ll not forget for the sake of the victims, for our own sake, and for the sake of future generations.”

Read more: Germans will never forget ‘unfathomable horrors’ at death camps, says Merkel | euronews, world news

The Netherlands:: Last MH17 Crash Remains Arrive in Netherlands - "poor performance Dutch Government"

A flight carrying the last remains of Dutch victims killed in last year's MH17 plane crash in rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine arrived in the Netherlands on Saturday.

The Dutch air force C-130 plane landed shortly before 4.00 pm (1400 GMT) at the Eindhoven air force base carrying seven coffins, live video on Dutch news website nu.nl showed.

All 298 passengers and crew on board the Malaysia Airlines jetliner -- the majority of them Dutch -- died when the plane was shot down on July 17 last year.

Note EU-Digest: this is absolutely scandalous that it took some 10 months before all the remains of the victims were recovered,  as all the official authorities kept pointing fingers at everyone exept themselves. The main culprit, however, who should receive most of the blame for this poor performance, must be the Dutch Government, who were in charge of the recovery operation and unfortunately avoided taking any kind of firm action, including military action, at all cost . Instead they blamed Ukraine, the Russian Rebel forces, red tape etc. Bad job ! 

Read more: Last MH17 Crash Remains Arrive in Netherlands

Press Cartel: Google launches digital news project in Europe

The Digital News Initiative launched on Tuesday is a partnership between Google and eight European news publishers aimed at supporting quality and innovative journalism.

The project brings together German media outlets Die Zeit and FAZ, Les Echos in France, UK's the Financial Times and The Guardian, as well as NRC Media in the Netherlands, Spain's El Pais and La Stampa in Italy.

Carlo D'Asaro Biondo, head of Google's strategic relationships in Europe, said in a statement that the partners would focus on product development, innovation as well as training and research, while setting up a working group to "increase revenue, traffic and audience engagement."

As part of the initiative, Google will spend around 150 million euros ($160 million) on various digital projects over the next three years.

Some publishers such as Germany's Axel Springer and Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, however, have stayed away from the venture.

But welcoming the initiative, Tony Danker, international director of Guardian news and media, said the test of the initiative's success was "whether it leads to meaningful change to ensure journalism flourishes in the digital age."

The move by Google follows the company's recent decision to change the way it will handle searches from mobile devices. The firm's search algorithm now gives higher priority to sites that optimize their content for small screen mobile devices.

The new partnership also comes at a time when Google finds itself in the midst of mounting criticism in Europe.

The European Commission recently announced it was probing the Mountain View-based firm for alleged anti-competitive practices and distortions in its search results. Google faces fines of up to $6.6 billion if the charges are proven. Google, however, has strongly rejected the accusations.

Read more: Google launches digital news project in Europe | Business | DW.DE | 28.04.2015

The Netherlands - Insurance Industry:Merger VMDeerenberg and KOSTER Insurances b.v

VMDeerenberg in Bodegraven and KOSTER Insurance b.v. in Alphen a/d Rijn announced they have agreed to cooperate and merge their activities. As a result of this merger, a large consulting company in the area of risk management, damage and revenue insurance, pensions and mortgages services, has been created right in the center of the Netherlands, known as the “Green Heart”. 

For Wim Koster, the CEO of Koster Insurances b.v. this merger is a logical move. After 30 years of service and having built a profitable, pro-active and solid corporation together with his spouse and business partner Jolanda of Mil, Wim says: "We have chosen for VMDeerenberg because we believe that through them we can provide continued good and reliable services and security for our clients and to our employees. VMDeerenberg seeks these same values, as we move along in the coming year, and continue our progress."

For Herman Broere, owner of VMDeerenberg, the merger with KOSTER Insurances b.v. is a welcome addition to his company: "Wim Koster, and Jolanda van Mil have built a large and reputable retirement advisory and insurance company, and besides having an excellent reputation, KOSTER insurances unique automated online support systems are able to address and communicate all administrative and retirement solutions electronically in 'real time' .This is very distinctive and unique in the market." 

To guarantee the transparency of this merger VMDeerenberg Holding B.V.'s name will be changed into VMD KOSTER Group B.V.  Consequently as a result of this merger VMD KOSTER Group B.V., including their sister companies employ 66 people. Premium income is EUR 50 million. The company presently has over 30,000 clients and services some 70,000 policies through VMDeerenberg or KOSTER in management.

Mortgage sales amount to more than EUR 47 million. Turnover from billings, subscriptions and fees are EUR 5.2 million. The locations of operation of VMD KOSTER Group B.V are in Alphen aan den Rijn and Bodegraven in the Netherlands

EU-Digest