EU Presidency: ′Turbulent times′ as Netherlands takes over EU presidency

The Netherlands has taken over the rotating presidency of the European Union, at something of a challenging time. Amid disputes about migration, austerity and strife with Russia, the bloc's solidarity appears stretched.

Europe's influx of migrants as well as the threat of terrorism and geopolitical changes in the east were all creating difficulties for the EU, a Dutch government report into the state of the EU said. The document went on to point out the "the threat of fragmentation" within the bloc.

"The EU is being severely put to the test," said the report.

The Netherlands is experienced at holding the EU's six-month-long rotating presidency, having already taken on the mantle 11 times. This time around, the pressure of organizing high-level meetings and brokering legislative deals will be all the greater.

"It is incumbent on the Netherlands to help the EU find common solutions in these turbulent times," the state of the union report reads. "Unity and resolve are needed at all levels."

Read more: ′Turbulent times′ as Netherlands takes over EU presidency | News | DW.COM | 01.01.2016

EU warns of "dangerous consequences" of Saudi cleric execution in weakly worded statement

Is the EU a toothless tiger?

The European Union's foreign policy chief warned today, Saturday January 2, that Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shi'ite Muslim cleric risked "dangerous consequences" by further inflaming sectarian tensions in the region.

The kingdom executed cleric Nimr al-Nimr on Saturday alongside dozens of al Qaeda members, signalling that it would not tolerate attacks, whether by Sunni jihadists or from its Shi'ite minority.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, reiterating the bloc's opposition to the death penalty and mass executions in particular, said Nimr's case raised serious concerns over freedom of expression and the respect of basic civil and political rights in Saudi Arabia.

"This case has also the potential of inflaming further the sectarian tensions that already bring so much damage to the entire region, with dangerous consequences," she said, urging Saudi authorities to promote reconciliation between different communities in the country.

Note EU-Digest: A very weak statement by the EU in reaction to Saudi Arabia's barbaric behavior in total disrespect of basic human rights laws. 

The weak statement condemning Saudi Arabia by the EU foreign policy chief of the EU was obviously inspired by the fear of economic reprisals by Saudi Arabia (oil deliveries and EU weapons industry sales boycott) and of course, not to anger their "big boss" the US,  who are backing the totally unreliable, so-called, "Islamic Nations Military alliance", under the leadership of the Saudi's, which supposedly will combat ISIS, but in reality have quite a different political objective.  

It is high time the EU reviews its overall global foreign policy objectives and for the short term specifically takes a critical look at the Middle East policies, which to say the least, have been a total disaster so far.

Read more: EU warns of "dangerous consequences" of Saudi cleric execution | Daily Mail Online

Saudi Arabia: EU needs immediately review diplomatic relations wiith barbaric Saudi Arabia following mass executions

Saudi Arabia: Barbaric Behavior

The executions took place in 12 cities across Saudi Arabia. Firing squads were employed in four prisons, while the others were carried out via beheadings.

The bodies were then displayed in public places, the most severe form of punishment available under Sharia Islamic law.

The four Shi’ites, including al-Nimr, were convicted of shooting and petrol bomb attacks which killed several police officers during anti-government protests in the Qatif district of Riyadh between 2011-2013.

Thousands of militant Islamists were detained after the 2003-06 al-Qaeda attacks. Hundreds have been convicted.

Hundreds of members of the Shi’ite minority were detained after the 2011-13 protests.

This is the biggest mass execution for security reasons in Saudi Arabia since 1980, when 83 jihadist rebels were executed for taking over Mecca’s Grand Mosque in 1979.

Commentators say a secondary aim is about discouraging Saudi nationals from engaging in jihadism.

Note EU-Digest: there is no excuse possible at all for this barbaric behavior of Saudi Arabia which shows complete disrespect for basic human rights. The EU should immediately review their diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia  In addition, having Saudi Arabia head-up an Islamic group of Nations to combat ISIS is like putting Dracula in charge of a blood bank. The EU can not and may not accept this barbaric behavior or participate with Saudi Arabia in any of their political schemes. Weapon deliveries from the EU to Saudi Arabia should also be halted immediately.

Read more: Europe Saudi Arabia’s biggest mass execution in 35 years | euronews, world news

The Netherlands: Drop in oil prices of 30% not reflected in Dutch gasoline prices at the pump

After the price for oil collapsed rather dramatically during the past year many people looked forward to lower feul prices at the pump.

Unfortunately the 30% drop in oil prices did not reflect in a similar drop at the pump this past year.

In the Netherlands one liter  of unleaded Euro95 today averages €1,54. A year ago the gasoline price for that same liter averaged €1,62.  A drop of only 5 % at the pump  and this while the oil price dropped 30%..

Obviously one has to also include such items as Government Taxes/VAT ,and  the oil companies profit margins.

Rgardless, however, based on all this factors, this can not amount to 25% of the 30% drop in oil prices.

Somewhere along the line the customer is being robbed and the finger seems to point to the oil companies who still seem to be making  record profits at the pump.

Almere-Digest.

Oil Price: Saudi Arabia Cuts Subsidies As Budget Deficit Soars - by Andy Tully

The price of crude oil has dropped so low that Saudi Arabia is facing a growing budget deficit, prompting the rich oil kingdom to make sharp cuts in its budget, levy new taxes and reduce government subsidies for water, electrical power and even gasoline.

This is an abrupt change in the country, OPEC’s largest oil producer, which has used its vast oil revenues to prop up the national economy to serve a population of about 30 million people. But even Saudi Arabia can’t sustain such practices when it runs a $98 billion deficit this year – about 15 percent of its gross domestic product.

As a result, Riyadh announced Monday it will cut government spending by 14 percent in the coming fiscal year as it sees no quick end to the depression in oil prices, especially now that Iran, expected to be free of Western sanctions in the near future, will return to the global oil market.

And without even waiting for 2016 to arrive, the government immediately raised the price of retail gasoline by 50 percent, from 0.60 of a riyal to 0.90 of a riyal per liter of premium gasoline – or from 16 cents to 24 cents. That may not seem a huge cost compared with even today’s lower gasoline prices in the West, but it’s crucial in a country that relies on cars because there is no public transportation.

Certainly the low price of oil isn’t the only reason Saudi Arabia is running a deficit. It’s also spending generously on military action in the Middle East. It is giving financial support to rebels opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whom Riyadh wants out. And since last spring it has waged an air war in Yemen against Houthi rebels, who are supported by Iran, a religious rival of Saudi Arabia.

But the biggest reason for the deficit is the price of oil. In June 2014, the average global price for a barrel of crude was above $110. Increased production in non-OPEC countries began to create a supply imbalance, putting downward pressure on oil prices. Now a barrel of oil costs less than $40.

Read more: Saudi Arabia Cuts Subsidies As Budget Deficit Soars | OilPrice.com

The Netherlands, US, Switzerland: The Down-to-Earth Solution to Climate Change - by Ken Roseborro

Research conducted by the Rodale Institute in the U.S., the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture in Switzerland and the Louis Bolk Institute in the Netherlands has found that organic farming methods are
effective at removing carbon dioxide (CO2)—the primary greenhouse gas responsible for climate change—from the atmosphere.

The Carbon Underground is coordinating global research to demonstrate the potential of sustainable agriculture and land management to sequester carbon and mitigate climate change.

Read more: The Down-to-Earth Solution to Climate Change

Weapons Industry: ISIS weapons sourced from Russia, China, US and EU

The terror group have used these weapons to commit gross war crimes in both Syria and Iraq and also to take control over areas across Syria and Iraq.

The report draws on expert analysis of thousands of verified videos and images and details how IS fighters are using arms, mainly looted from Iraqi military stocks, which were manufactured and designed in more than two dozen countries, including EU states.

Other weapons have been acquired during battle, through illicit trade as well as through defection of fighters across Syria and Iraq.

Patrick Wilcken, Researcher on Arms Control, Security Trade and Human Rights at Amnesty International said the vast and varied weaponry being used by militants was “a textbook case of how reckless arms trading fuels atrocities on a massive scale.”

Note EU-Digest: the solution is simple: but the implementation is nearly impossible. National governments in cooperation with the UN must register all local and international arms dealers and trace their sales and whenever possible prosecute them.The least National Governments can do is to make the life of weapons dealers more difficult. It proves once again, given the actual facts, how hypocritical governments are when it comes to curbing their profitable weapons industry.

Read more: ISIS weapons sourced from Russia, China, US and EU