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May 1, 2021

The Netherlands: Fitch Affirms Netherlands at 'AAA'; Outlook Stable

The Netherlands' 'AAA' rating is supported by a high value-added, flexible and open economy, a structurally strong external position and effective institutions, as reflected in the World Bank's governance indicators. The Netherlands' public debt ratio has risen further above the 'AAA' median as a result of the policy response to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Nevertheless, a strong record of sound fiscal management and the authorities' plans to narrow the deficit beginning in 2022 gives confidence that the debt ratio will decline over the medium term after the coronavirus pandemic subsides.

Read more at: Fitch Affirms Netherlands at 'AAA'; Outlook Stable

April 30, 2021

China-Netherlands Relations: Hi Speed Internet: Huawei denies spying accusation in the Netherlands

report accusing Huawei of having once had "unlimited access" to phone calls made using one of the Netherlands' leading operators, KPN, has been published by a Dutch newspaper.

The report was compiled by the CapGemini consultancy in 2010 but never released.

Those affected would have included former Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende.

Read more at: Huawei denies spying accusation in the Netherlands - BBC News

April 29, 2021

USA: Biden to the nation and world: 'America is rising anew'

President Joe Biden declared Wednesday night in his first address to a joint session of Congress that “America is rising anew,” and pointed optimistically to the nation’s emergence from the pandemic as a vital moment to rebuild the U.S. economy and fundamentally transform government roles in American life.

Biden marked his first 100 days in office as the nation pushes out of a menacing mix of crises, making his case before a pared-down gathering of mask-wearing legislators because of pandemic restrictions.

Speaking in highly personal terms while demanding massive structural changes, the president urged a $1.8 trillion investment in children, families and education to help rebuild an economy devastated by the virus and compete with rising global competitors.

He speech took place in a setting unlike any other presidential address in the familiar venue, with the U.S. Capitol still surrounded by fencing after the building was stormed in January by insurrectionists protesting his election. The nationally televised ritual of a president standing before Congress for the first time was one of the most watched moments of Biden’s presidency so far, a chance to sell his plans to voters of both parties, even if Republican lawmakers prove resistant.

“America is ready for takeoff. We are working again. Dreaming again. Discovering again. Leading the world again. We have shown each other and the world: There is no quit in America,” Biden said.

Read more at: Biden to the nation and world: 'America is rising anew'

April 28, 2021

The Netherlands: How a 94-meter superyacht is transported through narrow canals in the Netherlands

It's not every day you see a gigantic superyacht weaving through the narrow canals of the Netherlands.

Thankfully photographer Tom van Oossanen was on hand to capture the astonishing scenes as Project 817, a 94-meter (310 feet) vessel built by Dutch shipyard Feadship, was transported from its Kaag Island facility to the North Sea at Rotterdam last week.

In a series of stunning images, the vessel, one of the largest to be launched in 2021, is guided through the water with tugboats, passing by houses and churches, as crowds look on in amazement.

Resd more at: How a 94-meter superyacht is transported through narrow canals in the Netherlands | CNN Travel

April 27, 2021

India: The Netherlands Is Banning Passenger Flights from India

The Netherlands is banning passenger flights from India, where coronavirus infections are surging to record levels.

The government says the ban comes into force Monday evening and initially lasts until May 1. Flights carrying cargo and medical staff are exempt.

About seven flights a week arrive in the Netherlands from India.

Read more at: The Netherlands Is Banning Passenger Flights from India | heatlh & science , coronavirus | The National Herald

April 26, 2021

Genocide - Hypocracy: many countries have a dark page in their history: Historian Examines Native American Genocide, its Legacy, and Survivors

Genocide documents the murderous intentions that lurked beneath the idealized self-imaging of a young American nation.

“In order to have a ‘land of opportunity’ required space to expand,” Ostler notes. “Early American senses of ‘freedom’ fundamentally depended upon the taking of Native lands—which almost inevitably would lead to the taking of Native lives.”

From the beginning, he believes, US leaders understood and embraced this grim calculus. However, they obscured their true aims with a series of self-serving narratives built around the ideal of “civilization.” At first, this was held forth as a precious and necessary gift the colonizers were offering to Indigenous populations. Later, “defending civilization” would be invoked as justification to kill them.

Read more at: Historian Examines Native American Genocide, its Legacy, and Survivors | Around the O

April 25, 2021

EU mulls legal action against AstraZeneca over shortfalls - by Elena Sánchez Nicolás

aThe European Commission said on Thursday (22 April) it has not yet decided whether to take legal action against AstraZeneca for failing to meet its contractual obligations - but repeated that all options are still on the table.

"What matters is that we ensure the delivery of a sufficient number of doses, in line with the company's earlier commitments," a commission spokesperson said.

Read moreat: EU mulls legal action against AstraZeneca over shortfalls