The Netherlands: Amsterdam's Red-Light District to Remain Closed

The red-light district is one of the main tourist attractions in Amsterdam. While coronavirus lockdown restrictions are starting to ease, sex work is not allowed to resume until September.

Read more at:
https://www.voanews.com/covid-19-pandemic/amsterdams-red-light-district-remain-closed

NATO's Jens Stoltenberg has a wet dream : "NATO must become more political and global", says alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg

NATO needs to become politically stronger in order to face the challenges of the next decade, the head of the alliance said on Monday, highlighting that the rise of China is "fundamentally shifting the global balance of power".

Note EU-Digest: Yes indeed this is a wet dream, specially given the derogatory comments  President Trump of the US has made about European members of the NATO

Read more at:
NATO must become more political and global, says alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg | Euronews

The Netherlands: Anti-racism demos continue across the Netherlands, Eindhoven next up

Thousands of demonstrators took part in anti-racism rallies in the rain in Utrecht, Nijmegen and Enschede on Friday and more gatherings are planned for the next few days.

In Utrecht some 3,500 people assembled at the Jaarbeurs square near the main railway station, but officials used social media at around 7pm to urge people to stop coming because the space was too full.

In Nijmegen, demonstrators gathered in the Goffert park, where tape had been stretched out to show people where to stand at the proper distance from each other. Some 750 people had been expected to attend, but police photos put the number at around 1,000.

In Enschede, around 500 people took part in the demonstration on the Van Heekplein – the maximum agreed between organisers and the local authorities.

‘I was positively surprised at how many people took part,’ campaigner Mitchell Esajas told NPO radio. Esajas, who helped organise the earlier protests in Rotterdam and Amsterdam.

Read more at : Anti-racism demos continue across the Netherlands, Eindhoven next up - DutchNews.nl

Netherlands Opens for Tourists from 12 EU Countries from June 15 – Britons Not Included - SchengenVisaInfo.com

The Netherlands has decided to open its borders for the nationals ofseveral European countries starting from June 15, as the country easesentry restrictions introduced amid the Coronavirus outbreak in Europeback in March.

Tourists from 12 European countries that have lowerrates of COVID-19 will be eligible to holiday in the Netherlands as of June 15. Whereas sometime between June 15 to July 5, travellers from another 16 more countries will be eligible to enter the Netherlands.

Read more at:
Netherlands Opens for Tourists from 12 EU Countries from June 15 – Britons Not Included - SchengenVisaInfo.com

The Netherlands: Dutch PM deems ′Black Pete′ tradition racist

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced on Friday that he no longerwants the Netherlands to celebrate the Saint Nicholas tradition of"Black Pete," whereby white people in blackface, afro wigs and exaggerated red lipsticks portray delinquent Moorish slaves from Spain.

Rutte described his new view point during a parliamentary debate on Thursday about anti-racism demonstrations in solidarity with US demonstrationsafter American George Floyd — an unarmed black man — died in policecustody in Minneapolis.

Rutte said his attitude towards "Black Pete," known in the Netherlands as "Zwarte Piet,"  had changed since 2013. At the time, the prime minister had said: "Black Pete is just black and I
can't do much about that." Rutte said he now hopes that the traditionwill disappear in the Netherlands.

Read more at:
Dutch PM deems ′Black Pete′ tradition racist | News | DW | 05.06.2020

Suriname: Washington, the Hague Should Not Sidestep Events in Suriname - by Even Ellis

On May 25, voters in Suriname decisively rejected the National Democratic Party (NDP) of incumbent President Desi Bouterse. Bouterse’s NDP declined from 26 seats in the 51 seat National Assembly to 16, behind the 20 won by Chandrikapersad Santokhi’s United Reform Party (VHP). Despite Bouterse’s occupation of the office since August 2010, Santokhi is now poised to replace him.

The VHP has formed an alliance with three other parties, the National Party of Suriname (NPS), the Brotherhood and Unity in Politics (ABOP) party, and Pertjajah Luhur, leaving it one seat short of the 34 to choose the president.

In a system characterized by shady deals, shifting alliances, and political intrigue, Bouterse has ample resources, and strong motivation to avoid ceding power.

A generation of business and military elites have their fates tied to him through past patronage. Leaving the presidency implies losing the immunity which has protected Bouterse 1999 narcotrafficking charges in the Netherlands, and his conviction in Suriname for the 1982 murder of 15 opponents.

Read more at:
Washington, the Hague Should Not Sidestep Events in Suriname | Newsmax.com

US Economy; Complete disconnect between Wall Street and Main Street - by RM

Question, who or what is behind the major disconnect between Wall Street and reality, with stocks going up on the Dow for the past 4 days.Today by even more than 500 points, and this while economies are tanking all around the world, and while as many as 30% of the US workforce remains 
unemployed ?

Some companies obviously are making excessive profits as a result of the present emergency situation, but in no way is Wall Street a reflection of the state of the US economy, as President Trump likes to brag about.

The above is, however another clear indication of the great disparity between "the have and have nots" in the US and has to be remedied by an aggressive and progressive new Democratic government, before it destroys the USA from within.

EU-Digest