The Netherlands: Amid COVID-Related Cyber Threats, the Netherlands Leads UN Efforts

In light of growing concern about malicious cyber disruption during the COVID-19 outbreak, the United Nations’ Open-Ended Working Group should play a leading role in further developing a global framework to ensure responsible behavior in cyberspace.

Read more at:
https://www.cfr.org/blog/amid-covid-related-cyber-threats-netherlands-leads-un-efforts

Netherlands lands in crossfire in US-China trade war

A Dutch semiconductor company has become the focus of international attention after the United States put pressure on The Hague to halt exports of machines to China. Like many European countries, the…

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http://www.rfi.fr/en/science-and-technology/20200504-the-netherlands-lands-in-crossfire-in-us-china-trade-war-coronavirus-asml-superconductor

France and Netherlands call for tougher EU trade conditions

Bloc urged to enforce environmental and labour standards through tariffs

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https://www.ft.com/content/e14f082c-42e1-4bd8-ad68-54714b995dff

USA: Trump's Nazification of the GOP is why there's serious discussion of killing off the 'unfit'

Under Donald Trump, the Republican Party is racing toward a  transformation that mimics the greatest evil of the 20th century. Long  before the Nazis fully engaged with genocidal murder against the Jews, there were persecutions of people deemed "unfit."

These were people whom Adolf Hitler’s extremists arbitrarily deemed  insufficiently able to contribute to the greater German society. They included the infirm, people with learning disabilities, the mentally  ill, those suffering from epilepsy, the physically disabled, and those sruggling with alcohol issues.

According to the Nazis' white supremacist ideology, those  people were not only impediments to their quest in perfecting their  master race, but were also economic burdens to society. The Nazis  started a campaign of propaganda to mock them. They were called  "unworthy of life” and labeled as "useless eaters." The propaganda even  expanded to math textbooks, which were revised to include arithmetic problems on how much it costs to care for these undesirables. This was the first stage.

Read more at: Trump's Nazification of the GOP is why there's serious discussion of killing off the 'unfit'

EU condemns attacks on press freedom during COVID-19 crisis

Ahead of World Press Freedom Day, Germany's foreign minister says independent journalism is being weakened during the coronavirus pandemic. The EU has also warned that media freedom is under threat in several countries.

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https://www.dw.com/en/eu-condemns-attacks-on-press-freedom-during-covid-19-crisis/a-53311679

Remdesivir drug: Still many unanswered questions about remdesivir's potential as a COVID-19 treatment

The preliminary highlights from a major U.S. study suggesting an experimental drug can speed up the recovery of COVID-19 patients is exciting news that needs to be tempered with a healthy dose of caution until full details are released in a published study, say Canadian infectious disease experts.

Read more at:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/remdesivir-coronavirus-canadian-researchers-await-data-1.5552254

The Netherlands: Tulip farmers in Netherlands spell out messages of support with flowers-by lsea Ritschel

Tulip farmers in the Netherlands are using their famous flower beds to share supportive messages as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

In posts shared to social media, Dutch farmers, who have closed their farms to tourists this year in accordance with social distancing guidelines, have shared a photo of their flowers spelling out the message “see you next year”.

“Due to Covid-19 travel plans have changed,” flower blog Tulips in Holland captioned a photo of the blooms. “Many of you were planning to travel to The Netherlands to see the flower fields in bloom. Unfortunately this isn’t possible this year. And many of you won’t see the flower field in full bloom.

“This week Dutch Daffodils and the Tulips in Holland family teamed up to create something for all people who [were] supposed to travel to The Netherlands. You may miss The Netherlands, but we miss you too!”

According to the blog, which describes itself as a national guide to the tulips of the Netherlands, the farmers decided to use the flower beds to spread some cheer.

Read more at: Tulip farmers in Netherlands spell out messages of support with flowers | The Independent