News & Politics • May 19, 20:45 • Modified on May 19, 22:38
Satisfied Starmer: 'Britain back on the world stage'
Author : BNR Web Editors
The first summit between the EU and the UK after Brexit is a fact. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared with satisfaction that 'Great Britain is back on the world stage'. Several deals have been concluded between the EU and the UK. Among other things, a trade agreement has been concluded that according to UK correspondent Lia van Bekhoven is 'very important for the British'.

Since Brexit, it has been difficult for the British to export their products to the EU. Today's deal will remove many customs checks for products with an expiration date. According to Lia van Bekhoven, the trade agreement is very important. 'This means that it will be easier for a number of British products to be exported to the European Union. The hope is that more British people will now be interested in exporting these products to the EU', says van Bekhoven.

Fishing
There is also a deal for fishing. However, Starmer is being severely criticised for this in his own country. A headline in the Daily Mail reads: 'Starmer accused of selling out Britain with Brexit surrender deal: Furious critics say PM has been 'done up like a kipper' by EU... and how much WILL it all cost?'

The Scottish Fishermen's Federation is also completely unhappy about the fisheries agreement. They describe the deal as 'disastrous'. The Scottish Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy, Kate Forbes, spoke of a 'huge betrayal of our fishing fleet'.

Read also
Historic reset of EU-UK relations: multiple deals concluded
Starmer, however, denies this. According to him, there is a 'win-win situation'. He therefore stated emphatically that there is no question of the UK returning to the EU.

Defense pact
Furthermore, agreements have been made in the field of defense and migration. The new defense pact gives the British access to a new European defense pot of 150 billion euros.

Who was the worst SS member in the Netherlands?

Hanns Albin Rauter – The highest SS member in the Netherlands. Hanns Albin Rauter (1895-1949) was a high-ranking Austrian SS general, who held an important political position in the Netherlands during World War II, as the right-hand man of SS leader Heinrich Himmler.

[img]https://historiek.net/wp-content/uploads-phistor1/2022/10/Hanns-Albin-Rauter-1.jpg.webp[/img]

The Dutch SS was founded on September 11 , 1940. On November 1, 1942, the name was changed to Germanic SS in the Netherlands .

To arise
The importance of establishing an extension of Himmler's SS in the Netherlands was based on four considerations. Firstly, the SS, as a result of Himmler's expansionist drive, wanted to take up an important position in the conquered countries. Secondly, the SS considered the establishment of the Dutch SS to be of great importance for the recruitment of volunteers for the Waffen-SS. The Dutch SS could not only serve as a reservoir itself, but also had an important task in creating a base from which recruitment would take place in the future. Thirdly, the Dutch SS had to push Mussert in the desired Greater Germanic direction. Finally, the establishment of the Dutch SS had an important propaganda value.

In a meeting on 9 June 1940 between Anton Mussert , leader of the National Socialist Movement (NSB), and Gottlob Berger of the German SS-Führungshauptamt (SS-FHA), Mussert was informed of an order from Hitler ordering the recruitment of Dutchmen for the 'Wiking' division of the Waffen-SS . The Dutch volunteers would receive their own Standarte 'Westland'. Although Mussert did not cooperate and called on his members not to enlist in the SS, the establishment went ahead.

On 1 November 1942 the name was changed to Germaansche SS in Nederland . This name change emphasised that the Dutch aspect was no longer of greatest importance, but the 'Germanic'. It had a total of approximately 7000 members and was primarily a political formation and also a reservoir for the Waffen-SS . The Dutch SS were dressed in a black uniform, which was derived from the German SS. At the end of 1944 the Germaansche SS in Nederland only existed on paper due to the tide of war circumstances turning for the Germans and their followers.

Since the Dutch SS was supposed to be an elite corps, not everyone could become a member. Selections were made on the basis of race, attitude to life, personality and physical condition. In order to become a provisional member of the Dutch SS, the candidate had to meet the following conditions:

Aryan descent from 1800 (for officers: 1750), which must eventually be demonstrated. The candidate must declare on his word of honour that he is not aware of any non-Aryan descent.
No dishonorable criminal sentences.
At least 1.72 m body height.
Physically healthy, proven after examination.
Age between 18 and 30 years. Exception for proven National Socialists from before 9 May 1940.
Pledge of unconditional obedience to all superiors.
After this, the future SS-Maat (the lowest rank, a translation of the German 'SS-Mann') had to undergo a series of physical and genealogical examinations and investigations . Only after these had been successfully completed did the candidate officially become an SS-Mann.

Recruitment poster Dutch SS

Harvey Weinstein’s first interview in 8 years.

If Trump has a problem with the EU as a whole he could betterdeal with individual countries instead the Netherlands for example always showed we are reliable tradepartner with the USA but also India South Korea and Japan we have a substantial trading relationship, with the Netherlands being one of their most important export partners and a significant investor in the economy


Economy • 14:03 • Modified at 14:41
Trump threatens 50 percent tariffs against EU, stock markets in the red
Author : BNR Web Editors
US President Donald Trump wants to impose a 50 percent import duty on all products from the European Union. This import duty should come into effect on 1 June. Trump just announced this on his own platform Truth Social. Immediately after the news, all major European stock exchanges took a nosedive.

Follow the live blog
Trade war | Trump sets sights on EU, threatens 50 percent tariffs
In the message, he says that the negotiations with the EU are 'going nowhere'. He says that he 'recommends' those 50 percent levies against the EU. The levies should not apply to products that are produced in the US. In the message, he criticizes, among other things, the EU's trade barriers, VAT and the 'ridiculous fines' that the EU imposes on companies.

EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic does not want to comment on a possible trade war until there has been official contact between the EU and a US representative. Trump's timing is striking because a meeting between Sefcovic and his American counterpart Jamieson Greer was already scheduled for this afternoon.

Stock markets in the red
The threat immediately dented European stock market trading. The Amsterdam AEX opened higher this morning and was flat for the rest of the day. But almost immediately after Trump posted his message, the stock market indicator dropped sharply. Chip stocks in particular are having a hard time. The American stock market is not yet open, but the futures of the Dow Jones, Nasdaq and S&P 500, the three most important stock market indicators in the US, are all down more than one and a half percent.

Image
Read also
'Europe looks a little jealously at China and the UK'
The gold price seems to benefit directly from the new unrest: it peaked at the moment that Trump announced his possible tariffs. The gold price has benefited from all the stock market unrest in recent weeks. But in recent weeks the gold price has actually fallen, because the unrest had already subsided for a while.

I'm not a fan of this EU either and if you would ask anybody on the streets here most think the EU doesn't act in the interest of the common people.

Trump must have seen this about the Boers.

Haha love the comments in Afrikaans ! Domkop leader of the Domkops !
Mandela is turning in his grave for so much foolishness, Nelson had a strong bond with the Dutch people he didn't look at race.

Really? Because Trump brought receipts and owned him in the White House.

It's ridiculous the Afrikaners are a tribe for 400 years in Southern Africa it's also their land, culture and language.

PVV leader Wilders wants to close the borders to all asylum seekers within a few weeks. All Syrians in the Netherlands must also return to their country and asylum centers must close. If the government does not get this on track within a few weeks, a government crisis is looming, he made clear at a specially scheduled press conference. "If nothing or insufficient changes, the PVV is gone."

The PVV therefore wants to break open the coalition's main points agreement. With his plan entitled The limit has been reached, Wilders is increasing the pressure on the coalition. According to him, it is perfectly possible to close the borders with Germany and Belgium to asylum seekers. Germany is also currently sending many asylum seekers back at the border.]

Wilders' ten points
Borders closed for asylum seekers
More border control, with help from the army
Temporary freeze on family reunification
Status holders are being evicted from asylum centres to make room. They have to sleep with family, compatriots or others
Syrians with a temporary residence permit must return to their own country within six months at the latest, if necessary by force
No more asylum centers, but a number of them are closing
Two laws still have to be submitted to the Council of State before the summer: the withdrawal of the distribution law and the bill that will prohibit priority for status holders in social housing
Foreigners convicted of serious crimes lose their residence status and must leave the country
People with dual nationality who are convicted of a violent or sexual offence will have their Dutch nationality taken away and will be deported from the country
Police must be able to intervene more quickly in demonstrations and public disturbances

"We did not sign up for a cabinet that only adds asylum centers," he warned. "The PVV has been very reasonable and patient over the past year, but as of today, the gloves are off."

While many prisoners refused to talk to their guards, Mandela tried to analyze their situation. He realized that the Afrikaners' behavior was driven by a rabid fear. If the black population came to power, he believed this could lead to genocide. Mandela used his years of incarceration to learn the history of the Afrikaners and their language, Afrikaans . This allowed him to understand their mentality and to enter into dialogue. Unlike the ANC, which viewed the occupation of southern Africa by whites as a modern version of European colonialism, Mandela also saw the Afrikaners as rightful inhabitants of (South) Africa. He realized that he might have made the same drastic decisions in the same situation

BTW it was the British Empire who introduced apartheid not the Boers, if they had won the Boer wars history would have been different.

The Second Boer War of 1899 to 1902 (also known as the Second War of Independence , South African War or Anglo-Boer War ) was a war between the Dutch-speaking Boers of the South African Republic (Transvaal) and the Orange Free State on the one hand and the British Empire on the other .

The war was the result of years of tension between the Boers and the British. Although it began with conventional warfare, the Boers, after capturing their capitals, switched to guerrilla tactics , after which the British retaliated with scorched earth tactics and - among the first - the large-scale use of concentration camps , resulting in over twenty thousand Boer civilian casualties, mostly women and especially children, who died under miserable conditions in the British concentration camps.

The battle is sometimes described as the first modern war, with modern weapons on both sides.

Trump welcomes pace in trade talks with EU
Author : ANP
US President Donald Trump says he is pleased with the European Union's haste in trade negotiations. He said last week he wanted to impose 50 percent import duties on EU products as of June 1, but then postponed the measure.

"I have just been informed that the EU has called to quickly schedule negotiation dates. This is a positive event and I hope that they FINALLY, as I have demanded of China, will open the European nations to trade with the United States of America," Trump wrote on messaging platform Truth Social.

Trump previously accused the EU of dragging its feet in trade negotiations. The European Parliament, on the other hand, accused it of not being clear what the Americans want. After a phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Trump postponed the 50 percent levies until July 9 this weekend.

Read also
EU trade chief insists he wants deal with US
EU trade chief Maroš Šefcovic held a phone call with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Monday. Afterwards, Šefcovic said he wanted to reach a deal quickly and constructively.

In his social media post about the trade talks, Trump wrote that he "has the right to IMPOSE a DEAL on trade to the United States if we fail to reach a deal, or are treated unfairly."

Two-year prison sentence for theft of famous photo of frowning Churchill
By our news editors
May 27, 2025 at 12:31

A Canadian court has sentenced a man to two years in prison for the theft of a famous photograph of Winston Churchill. The judge told art thief Jeffrey Wood he stole a symbol of national pride "just for the money."
The Roaring Lion , a portrait of the then British Prime Minister, was taken by photographer Yousuf Karsh during the Second World War. Churchill frowns in the photo, which was taken shortly after his speech to the Canadian parliament in 1941. An edit of that photo is depicted on the £5 note.

The portrait disappeared from an Ottawa hotel sometime between Christmas 2021 and early 2022. It wasn't until August 2022 that hotel staff discovered the image had been replaced with a fake. Investigators learned the real photo had been sold to an unsuspecting man in Italy through a London auction house. The hotel has since gotten the work back, CBC News reports .

Before the theft, Wood had already contacted Sotheby's about the possible sale. He also wrote on social media that he was leaving Canada and called the hotel.

Wood was led away in handcuffs after the verdict. His lawyer called the sentence "overly harsh" and announced he would appeal. The lawyer had argued for community service, because Wood had a clean record and had pleaded guilty.

Wow G Iceland has a nice PM.

Rutte Praises Iceland's Strategic Role in NATO Despite Lacking Armed Forces

Haha well, she's certainly better looking than Golda Meir. Funny enough, they’ve actually got three women leading the administration right now. When the U.S. ambassador in Iceland heard about it, he reportedly sent a message telling Icelanders to be "less woke". Some Muslim citizens actually left the country LOL

Nothing wrong with strong and smart women in power !

Oh, I'm proud of my old country. I don’t exactly align with everything those ladies are saying, but if they can manage to steer clear of the EU, I’ll rest easy haha

Europe is a great continent why do you think the succesful Russians living here we have everything, the EU is another matter lol.

Hope for endangered Asiatic lions in India
AnimalsToday | 28 05 2025 0 4 min
There is hope for the endangered king of the beasts . In the Indian state of Gujarat, the population of Asiatic lions has increased from an estimated 674 lions in 2020 to around 891 individuals at the last count in May 2025.

According to Chief Forester Jaipal Singh, 384 lions have been counted in the Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary. Interestingly, the other 507 lions are in areas outside the park boundaries. These are other reserves such as Girnar, Pania, Barda and Mitiyala. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel tells the Press Trust of India:

The Netherlands invests in new trading partners as Trump threatens import duties: interest in China and India

Yesterday, 15:25in Domestic

The Hague - The Netherlands is investing in other trading partners now that the tense trade relationship with the US hangs like a dark cloud over our economy. The new trade policy of Minister Klever (Foreign Trade) shows that countries such as China, India, Indonesia and Brazil are being viewed with increasing interest.

Minister Klever (Foreign Trade) is looking for new trading partners for the Netherlands now that Donald Trump's import duties are hanging over our country like a thundercloud.

"International relations have rapidly become grimmer," the PVV minister observes. "The playing field is becoming rougher with striking geopolitical shocks such as the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East. But there is also unrest in other places in the world." Moreover, the relationship with the United States has 'changed dramatically' in a short time after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, the minister observes.

'New opportunities for Dutch companies'
Trade in Europe remains by far the most important for the Netherlands, the minister sees. "But the focus of world trade is shifting to middle-income countries such as China, India, Indonesia and Brazil. This creates new opportunities for Dutch companies. There are also trade opportunities in stable low- and middle-income countries in Africa."

The cabinet wants to focus on those countries. Klever will lead a trade mission to Indonesia before the summer. "Indonesia is rich in raw materials such as nickel, which can make our economy more resilient." Saudi Arabia will also be visited at the end of the year.

An increasing number of the Lower House also wants a trade agreement to be concluded with Latin American countries: the so-called Mercosur agreement. Klever says he will give an opinion on this when the European Commission submits the Mercosur for approval. "The leading factor here is whether the agreement is actually good for the Netherlands."

Not MORE EU less that is what most peole want and keep a NATIONAL identity !

International • 10:51 • Modified at 11:00
Von der Leyen sounds alarm: 'Far-right threatens EU democracy', calls for Union expansion
Author : Lotte van Coevorden
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has sounded the alarm about the rise of the far right in Europe. She did so during her acceptance speech for the Charlemagne Prize in Aachen, which is awarded annually to people who work for European unification. Von der Leyen also advocated enlarging the EU with countries such as Ukraine and Moldova, in order to strengthen the union from within.

You have to hear this
Von der Leyen sounds alarm: 'Far-right threatens EU democracy', calls for Union expansion

6 min 42 sec
In many European countries, the far right is gaining ground. 'Think of Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic', says European reporter Stefan de Vries. But he also points to the Netherlands and France, 'where the radical right has been on the rise for quite some time'. In addition, the political climate in Italy and Germany is also clearly shifting to the right. 'And she is very concerned about that. She also emphasizes that it is not temporary. In her speech yesterday, she said that this development is putting pressure on democracies and that we must be alert to the shifts in the political landscape.'

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Slovak PM Fico gets rap on the knuckles by president after flirting with Russia: 'West is the most important'
According to Von der Leyen, the concerns of citizens regarding migration and the cost of living should be listened to more. The traditional parties would be wise to understand why people more often vote for far-right parties, instead of just complaining about it. 'But how exactly she sees this is unclear. The European People's Party - the party that Von der Leyen belongs to - has adopted many elements from those far-right parties, such as language. But there are hardly any concrete solutions', says De Vries.

Reduce regulatory burden
One of the ways in which the Commission is trying to regain the trust of citizens is by reducing the regulatory burden. 'That is a kind of dumping ground for everything that would not work in the EU', says De Vries. According to him, the fact that the Commission is now tackling this is also somewhat populist. 'There are many rules and laws because citizens have asked for them.'

Read also
Commission President concerned about rise of extremist parties in Europe
Many people would also be concerned about the approach to illegal immigration and the cost of living and housing, says Von der Leyen. 'And that last point is interesting, because that is not something Europe is responsible for, but the member states themselves. And yet the European Commission wants to play a role in that.' That could help restore people's confidence, says De Vries. 'That would at least be a concrete solution to restore citizens' confidence in Europe.'

Enlargement of the European Union
Von der Leyen also advocates EU enlargement, including for Ukraine. 'The country is an official candidate, but negotiating membership takes many years. Even if peace were to come, it would still take a long time.' That is why the Commission President expressed her wish yesterday to accelerate the accession process. That is politically sensitive and is also somewhat critical of the member states, De Vries explains. 'But at the same time she says: “Ukraine shows every day what the real fight for freedom means, and we must reward that, that is why we must act more quickly.”'

De Vries points out that Von der Leyen was one of the first to say after the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022 that the country should join the EU. 'To the annoyance of most capitals, who were not at all happy about that.' Then-Prime Minister Mark Rutte also did not consider this an option at the time. 'That has changed a lot in recent years. That Ukraine is a candidate is beyond dispute, but the term; that is another story.'

International • May 30, 6:35 PM • Modified on May 30, 6:35 PM
'Top American general in Europe also leader of NATO troops'
Author : BNR Web Editors
US President Donald Trump will retain the traditional role of an American general at the head of NATO, three American officials told Reuters. The decision was reportedly passed on to Secretary General Mark Rutte by Trump himself. The Pentagon, the White House and NATO do not want to confirm the story for the time being, the announcement is expected in the coming days.

The news is notable because European NATO allies have previously been pressured by Washington to take more responsibility for their own security. Since taking office in January, the Trump administration has pressured Europe to invest more in defense.

In addition, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance have been very critical of Europe, leading analysts to fear that the US could withdraw from NATO. According to Reuters, that fear has now been tempered.

Troop reduction
US President Donald Trump will retain the traditional role of an American general at the head of NATO, three US officials told Reuters. The decision was reportedly passed on to Secretary General Mark Rutte by Trump himself.
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Officials stress that the US warnings to European countries remain serious. Although no final decisions have been made, possible troop reductions in Europe have been discussed within the administration. Some 80,000 US troops are currently stationed there.

The position of SACEUR, which oversees all NATO operations in Europe, has been held by an American general since its creation after World War II. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first in 1951.

Lieutenant General Grynkewich
The likely US candidate for both the posts of Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and the head of US European Command (EUCOM) is Air Force Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, US officials said.

Grynkewich is currently director of operations on the U.S. Army Joint Staff. He succeeds Gen. Christopher Cavoli, who has served in the role since shortly after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and has been involved in overseeing billions of dollars in U.S. security assistance to Kyiv.