Biased News: It pays to stay well informed - stay away from biased news

Tired of watching biased US news channels like CNN, Fox News etc. Get Euronews (EU) Other excellent neutral international and local news providers in the English language include ; PBS (USA), BBC (British), Aljazeera (Qatar ), France24 (France), Deutsche Welle (Germany).

You can also download all the above mentioned stations apps on your Smart Phone, Tablets or Computers. It pays to stay well informed !!

Read it at: http://www.eu-digest.blogspot.com

US Travel Restrictions: US to keep international travel restrictions for now, citing virus surge- by Aamer Madhani

The United States will keep existing COVID-19 travel restrictions on international travel in place for now due to concerns about the surging infection rate because of the delta variant, according to a White House official.

President Joe Biden earlier this month said that his administration was "in the process" of considering how soon the U.S. could lift the ban on European travel bound for the U.S. after the issue was raised by German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her visit to the White House.

The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said while the administration understands the importance of international travel, cases are rising in the U.S. — particularly among those who are unvaccinated and will likely continue to increase in the weeks ahead.

Read more at: US to keep international travel restrictions for now, citing virus surge

US election: How Donald Trump has changed global foreign policy - and the perception of America around the world

From his early days on the 2016 campaign trail, Donald Trump made clear in just two words the aims his foreign policy would pursue: "America first."

Now, after nearly four years of a Trump presidency, those words have been fleshed out with facts and events. Unilateralism and confrontation have marked Trump's foreign policy, as have personnel turnover, surprise and confusion.

Regardless of the outcome of the US election on November 3, the changes under Trump in both policy substance and delivery have shaped the arena in which other global actors conduct diplomacy, as well as their own approaches.

Read more at: US election: How Donald Trump has changed global foreign policy | Americas| North and South American news impacting on Europe | DW | 24.10.2020

USA: 2020 and the Company US Voters Keep - by Alton Frye

Guilt by association is a troublesome notion. As a matter of law, Americans learned just how troublesome in both the Mitchell Palmer raids of 1919-20, and the McCarthy era commotions over fears of communist infiltration.

No need to rehearse here the litany of dubious behaviors displayed by Mr. Trump. In the rawest and simplest sense of the terms, do Americans wish to associate with a man who has brought the nation into domestic turmoil and international disrepute?

2020 and the Company US Voters Keep - The Globalist

International Money Transfers: Ten easy and affordable options for sending money abroad

The global uncertainty created by coronavirus has implications for almost every area of life. For millions of people who live abroad or travel regularly that includes questions about the impact on exchange rates and money transfers.

But with a thriving fintech scene, the days where lack of choice made high charges inevitable are long gone. Nor do you need to leave home to get started, thanks to a wide range of innovative online solutions and apps.

Here, in alphabetical order, are ten of the best options for moving your money across borders in a prompt and cost-efficient manner

For the complete report go to:
https://feeds.thelocal.com/app/android/article.php?e=ten-easy-and-affordable-options-for-sending-money-abroad

US Government Shutdown: hurting tourist industry - travel implications

Intl. tourists starting to avoid
 visiting US following Govt, shutdown

Not only in the US, but also in bordering countries, the multi million tourist industry is starting to hurt from the Trump Administration government shutdown.

In the Bahamas local business owners warily eye the Trump U.S. government shut down and any potential impact on the tourism industry, fearing a continuation that could lead to a drop in visitor arrivals to the Bahamas, as around 800,000 federal employees await pay.

With the shutdown entering its 26th^th day and Friday marking the first missed pay period for these workers across the United States, planning future trips to The Bahamas will be the last thing on their minds.

Similar situations can be seen in Mexico and Canada, which usually attract a lot of US tourists throughout the year.

As the lock-down continues, travelers and tourists visiting the US  are also dwindling.

International Airlines around the world are advising their customers traveling to the U.S. that they arrive at airports at least three hours prior to their scheduled departure time, due to increased processing times and other delays and many tourists have cancelled plans to visit the US.

Airline pilots tell @RealDonaldTrump that the #shutdown is jeopardizing national security — air marshals, TSA, air traffic controllers and more.

The largest association of pilots in the US has also expressed concerns over the safety of the nation’s airspace which it said was being threatened due to the shutdown.

There has not been a blanket order yet to clos,  but National Parks across the US are struggling to remain open without funding to pay rangers. Without staff at the gates, parks are also losing a reported $400,000 a day in entry fees. Many campgrounds and walking trails have had to close due to a build-up of litter and other sanitation issues.

Bottom-line: at this point in time, international and local tourists probably should think twice before planning a trips to and in the US.

EU-Digest

EU Citizens under threat from populist right-wing local and foreign politicians who are endangering the EU's unity and economic stability - by RM

Right-wing populist politicians destabilizing the EU

Democratic and Cultural Fortress Europe is under attack, by devious right-wing populist politicians and their followers

These include, but not limited to, (see picture insert) from top left to right: Donald Trump (USA), Steve Bannon (USA), Marine Le Pen (France), Nigel Farage (Britain), Benjamin Netanyahu (Israel), Geert Wilders (the Netherlands), Dr.Jörg Meuthen (Germany), Jarosław Aleksander Kaczyński (Poland), Viktor Mihály Orbán (Hungary),Thierry Henri Philippe Baudet (the Netherlands) Luigi Di Maio (Italy), and Sebastian Kurz (Austria)

It is not a question anymore of how to come to terms with this threat, but how this threat can be eliminated effectively.  Tthe majority of Europesn citizens certainly do not want Europe to fall apart into a feuding group of nations, and easy prey for China, Russia and the US.

This issue certainly must, if it is not so already, become the number one objective on the agenda of the EU Commission, the EU Parliament and each individual EU Nation state.

Maybe, in this context it might help to refresh our memory as to the importance of the EU among the world of nations, with some historic background on the EU, and the benefits its citizens enjoy.

The European Union was set up with the aim of ending the frequent and bloody wars between neighbours in Europe, which culminated in the past, and more recently in the First and Second World Wars.

Europeans were determined to prevent such killing and destruction from ever happening again.

After the Second world war, Europe was split into East and West,  resulting in a 40-year-long Cold War.

To counter this political problem, West European nations created the Council of Europe in 1949.

It was a first step towards cooperation between them, but six countries even wanted to go further.

As of 1950, the European Coal and Steel Community begins to unite European countries economically and politically in order to secure lasting peace.

The six founding countries were Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

The 1950s were dominated by a cold war between east and west. Protests in Hungary against the Communist regime are put down by Soviet tanks in 1956. ’

On the 8 of May 1950 French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman presents a plan for deeper cooperation. This historic event is celebrated every 9th of May as ' Europe Day'

On 18 April 1951 based on the Schuman plan, six countries signed a treaty to run their heavy industries – coal and steel – under a common management. In this way, none can on its own make the weapons of war to turn against the other, as in the past.

In 1957, the Treaty of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC), or ‘Common Market

One thing led to another, making the EU what it is today, operating as a single market with 28 member countries, one of the major global trading powers.

EU economic policy seeks to sustain growth by investing in transport, energy and research – while minimising the impact of further economic development on the environment.

In terms of the total value of all goods and services produced (GDP), it is bigger than the US economy. EU GDP in 2017 was €15.3 trillion

Over 64 % of EU countries’ total trade is done with other countries in the EU bloc.

On January 1, 2017, the population of the European Union (EU) was estimated at 511.8 million, compared with 510.3 million on 1 January 2016. During the year 2016, as many births as deaths were recorded in the EU (5.1 million), meaning that the natural change of the EU population was neutral.

With just 6.9 % of the world’s total population, EU trade with the rest of the world accounts for some 15.6 % of global imports and exports.

Consequently, together with the United States and China, the EU is one of the 3 largest global players in international trade.

The 28 EU countries had the second largest share of global imports and exports of goods in 2016.

For individual EU citizen some of the benefits include:

    1) Eligibility to live and work everywhere within the EU without further permission.
 
    2) Eligibility to take part in local elections of the community where you are a resident. So if you       are a Frenchman living in Munich you can vote for in the election of the Munich
city council, which chooses the mayor. You can even run for a seat in that local municipality.
   
   3) Eligibility to vote in the EU parliamentary elections, and you can even run for a seat.
   
    4) Coming from another EU member country one may not be discriminated against, in relation to local citizen in your place of residence. That means: If local residents are allowed to send their children to public school for free, you are also allowed. If they receive social security payments, you may also receive them.
   
    5) Say you want to run a workshop in Germany, you may even have benefits over and above those of local German citizens. If you are a German running a car repair workshop, you either need a master certificate as a trained car mechanic, or you have to employ somebody who has such a certificate. If, however, you are coming in from another EU country, you only have to show proof that you are a car mechanic with a work experience.
   
    6) As an EU citizen you also have diplomatic protection. If you are in a country where your home country does not have its own embassy, every EU embassy of a member state is obliged to help you if you need help.
   
    7) EU citizens also have the right to communicate with every administrative office within the EU in your own language - and you have the right to receive an answer in your own language.

Bottom line - don't let these right-wing Populists mislead you with vague and confusing arguments, Ask for specifics, like how they would set up things differently, and what the benefits would be for you as a citizen.

And if this results in more garbled rhetoric, like we so often hear from those populist politicians,  make sure you tell them they are not convincing you.

There is no way EU citizens would benefit from going back to their own currency, border controls, banking regulations, and nationally protected local trade.

Probably the most remarkable success for the EU has been that, apart from its economic prominence, following the ‘Schuman Declaration’, on 9 May 1950, there have been 68 years of peace across the continent, following this declaration.

The European project, known as the EU is the best thing that ever happened for peace, economic stability and prosperity on  the European continent. Another positive is that since it is still a project under development, it can only get better.

We must therefore use all means at our disposal to protect and safeguard it from the destabilizing forces which are presently attacking its existence.

© This article can be republished only if EU=Digest is mentioned as the source

EU-Digest 

Insurance Industry: Many Americans unclear whether domestic health insurance plan works outside the US

A surprising number of Americans are unclear whether their health insurance works outside the US, according to a new InsureMyTrip survey.

 Over twenty-five percent polled were not sure whether their domestic health insurance plan would cover any doctor or hospital visits while traveling outside the USA.

Thirty-nine percent said their domestic health insurance would provide coverage, while thirty-four percent believed their insurance plan would offer no coverage.

EU-Digest

NEWS REPORTS IN ENGLISH: Tired of listening and watching sensational, bias and overrated News TV Channels?

Check out Aljazeera, BBC, Euronews, France24 for objective news reporting - watch or listen to them on your tv, computer or download their Apps for your smartphone.

EU-Digest

The Netherlands: Refreshingly Different Dutch Vocalist JO SARAH Launches "Citizens of the world"

JO SARAH

Soulful world music sung and played by a vocalist who has traveled and lived in many countries around the world.

JO SARAH is more than a vocalist; she’s a songwriter and a percussionist too. She writes songs inspired by her roots, soul, jazz and world music (Brazilian, African and Middle Eastern).

JO SARAH, a vocalist that takes you on a magical journey of ethnical sounds in the world. With her philosophical lyrics, interesting choice of harmonies and uplifting danceable rhythms, JO SARAH intrigues with her authenticity. From intimate Surinamese ballads to groovy African/Brazilian rhythms, JO SARAH will whisk you away!

Passionate and driven, she tells her story about what she’s seen and experienced in the many different cultures. With her sounds she paints a sounds cape that shows you where her roots lie; India, Ghana, Surinam and the Indian tribes of the Amazon.

After studying two years of Law JO SARAH decided to quit and fully focus on her music. She auditioned at the ArtEZ Conservatory of Zwolle and she got accepted right away.

Here she took singing lessons from Ronald Douglas, Adrienne West, Zosja El Rhazi and Izaline Calister. She partook in many master classes from artists like Gino Vanelli, Nancy Morano, Lilian Vieira, Josee Koning, David Linx, Kurt Elling and many more. During her study in Zwolle JO SARAH trained her songwriting-, piano- and percussion skills.

At the beginning of her last year at the conservatory JO SARAH decided to study at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus, Denmark. Here she got many master classes from musicians all over the world (Cuba, Brasil, Papua New Guinea, Gambia, Mali, Iceland etc.)

During this time JO SARAH had a lot of time and space to think about who she is as a singer, artist and as a person. In this time of self-reflection JO SARAH wrote songs that were dear to her and close to her heart. She realized that singing her own songs makes her the happiest, especially when it’s influenced by world music, soul & jazz.

Coming back from Denmark, she quit all her bands and started her new journey.

After a few try outs JO SARAH was happy with her fresh new band: Jesse Buitenhuis(guitar), Roel van den Nieuwenhoff(keys), Jeroen van der Ley(bass), Roman Sielert(percussion) and Tuur Moens(drums).

JO SARAH is paving her way with her amazing band.

She just graduated honor fully with a 9 at the ArtEZ Conservatory in Zwolle. Currently she has plans to release her Debut EP “Citizen of the World” in November 2014.

Read more about: JO SARAH