Economy • 13:59 • Modified at 13:59
'Firing back with tariffs is the stupidest thing the EU can do in a trade war with the US'
Author : Thijs Baas
The United States and the EU should be able to reach a mutually beneficial trade deal. As a starting point for a quick deal, eToro market analyst Jean Paul van Oudheusden sees the US national debt, which is increasing by $2 trillion each year – a strong European asset in the negotiations. 'America provides a lot of things that Europe needs, so when it comes to that, you can work it out together.'

Trump seemed to have fallen for the charms of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who visited the White House on behalf of the EU, last Thursday. Among other things, he promised that he would come to Europe soon. It points to a positive attitude, whether or not prompted by the spiraling national debt, says Van Oudheusden in BNR Beursweek . 'It is not at all strange that the US says that Europe, but also South Korea and Japan, must contribute to things in the field of defense, technology and energy.'

"If you're going to play that tit for tat game, you're on the wrong side"
Jean Paul van Oudheusden, eToro

In fact, in the area of ??defence, the EU has long since promised to significantly increase budgets. This will not immediately solve the entire trade deficit, but according to Van Oudheusden, substantial steps can certainly be taken. 'You can jointly determine how much is needed to reduce that deficit. Something has to come from Doge , and Trump discussed buying liquid gas with Meloni. He once said that you are done in one go if the EU agrees to a deal of 350 billion dollars.'

Being honest about needs
Brussels will undoubtedly not be eager to do so, but it is quite possible to scrape together quite large sums of money in a way that is attractive to both parties. But to start with, it is important to be honest about what exactly the EU needs from the Americans, says Van Oudheusden. 'You have to acknowledge that we can still use some help in the coming years in the areas of defense, technology and energy, and then you can work it out.'

Read also
Europe must improve the business climate, 'not throw around stupid levies'

What is important is to maintain the 'very large export', says Oudheusden. 'That is why it is also important that the EU does not retaliate with all kinds of import duties, because then we are on the wrong side of the equation. Duties are not useful: Trump has focused on goods, and we export many more goods to the US than the other way around. So if you are going to play that tit for tat game, you are on the wrong side, because you are the net exporter.'

Mario Draghi knows what's good
Former European Commission President Mario Draghi said in an opinion piece in the Financial Times that Europe should leave the US alone for a while and start working on stimulating internal trade first. Because the internally erected barriers translate into import duties of around 45 percent, says Van Oudheusden. 'If internal trade gets going first, with more competition in the area of ??services across the borders within the EU, you can also gain a lot.'

Read also
Meloni visits Trump in Washington: balancing on a thin line

But for the time being, the EU seems to be planning to impose export restrictions on American products on top of the levies. The big concern is that the US wants more than just money and is also interfering in European opinion formation with regard to, for example, China and in the area of ??norms and values. That is why internal European cooperation is crucial. 'Then you are in a much stronger position vis-à-vis the US than if Merz, Meloni, Macron and Dick Schoof all go to the White House separately to negotiate.'

News & Politics • 10:08 • Modified at 12:38
Pope Francis dies, shortly after Urbi et Orbi
Author : BNR Web Editors
Pope Francis has died at the age of 88. He had been in hospital for five weeks with double pneumonia and had recently been released. The Argentine, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, had been the head of the Roman Catholic Church since 2013.

The Vatican reports that the Pope died this morning, Easter Monday. A day earlier, he appeared before a large audience from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, when the blessing was pronounced, the traditional Urbi et Orbi. He did not pronounce the annual Easter blessing himself. He also had a brief meeting with US Vice President JD Vance.

Read also
How to Deal with Trump: Former Chancellor Angela Merkel Offers Advice

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima are 'deeply affected' by the death of Pope Francis. They said this in a statement. 'We remember our personal encounters with him with warmth, including during our state visit to the Holy See in 2017. Pope Francis radiated compassion in everything.'

Prime Minister Dick Schoof remembers Pope Francis with 'deep respect', he announced on X. 'With his deeply felt sobriety, service and humanity, Pope Francis was an example to many, including non-Catholics', the Prime Minister said.

The church leader who died on Easter Monday 'was in every way a man among men', says Schoof. 'The Catholic world community bids farewell to a leader who saw and named the needs of our time.'

Read also
Zelensky 'on tour' through Europe in search of support for his victory plan

With the death of Pope Francis, the world has lost 'a valued leader and source of inspiration', Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said on X. 'On the world stage, he emphasized the importance of caring for the environment and worked tirelessly to combat poverty and world peace.'

The NSC minister also praises the significance of Pope Francis for the church itself. 'Under his leadership, the Roman Catholic Church became a more inclusive community, where everyone feels welcome. He also promoted interreligious dialogue.'

Minister of Justice David van Weel met Pope Francis in Rome the day before his death, he announced on X. 'A very special moment', according to the VVD minister, who as Minister of Religious Affairs is also responsible for religious and philosophical affairs. Van Weel calls the death of the 88-year-old Francis sad news. 'My thoughts are with all those affected by his passing.'

In the radio program Sven op 1, Van Weel called the pope a world leader 'who really made his mark' in his years at the head of the church. The pope appeared in public on Sunday for the traditional Easter blessing 'urbi et orbi', and then had himself driven around St. Peter's Square. 'I think he has fully charged himself to be able to experience Easter', according to Van Weel.

Read also
Sharp drop in flights to US since Trump took office

Pope Francis was a lot less judgmental about homosexuality and transgender people than his predecessors. 'He did not pass judgment on LGBTI+, he allowed the blessing for same-sex couples, as well as baptism for transgender people. That was very much appreciated by many people in the rainbow community', said a spokesperson for the COC advocacy group on Monday in response to the death of the 88-year-old church leader.

But for many LGBTI+ people, the relatively open attitude of this pope did not yet feel like an 'unconditional welcome' by the Roman Catholic Church, according to the COC. 'We hope that the path taken by Francis will be continued by his successor, so that ultimately all LGBTI+ people who want to can feel at home in the Roman Catholic Church.'

Giorgia Meloni
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has praised the late Pope Francis on Instagram as a "great man and a great pastor." "I have had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his counsel and his teachings, which were never wrong, even in times of trial and suffering."

According to Meloni, the Pope's legacy will not be lost. She says that in his spirit, "we will pursue the common good and build a fairer and more just society."

Director Rolien Sasse of peace organization PAX calls the pope 'very special because he always used his papacy for the weaker members of society, and he even did so on Sunday'. Sasse describes the late pope as 'an example of humility and connection, and a tireless inspiration for peace'.

PAX was created by the merger of Pax Christi Netherlands and the Interchurch Peace Council (IKV). The IKV was founded in the 1960s by nine religious communities to find ways to promote peace. Sasse met the Pope in 2019 and remembers him as 'incredibly friendly and warm, with a smile and a question for everyone'. She says that warmth and inspiration were important 'in our unjust world'.

Protection of life
Cardinal Wim Eijk describes Francis as someone with 'a big heart for the weaker members of society'. 'He showed this again and again in his texts and through the visits he made to marginalized groups. He also emphasized the worthiness of protecting life, from the beginning to the end.' Francis was 'a pope of encouragement', according to Eijk, referring to two meetings the Dutch bishops had with Francis in 2013 and in 2022.

'As he often did, he put aside his prepared speech on that occasion and really entered into dialogue with us. Both times he made a powerful appeal to persevere and not to lose courage. Not to look back in nostalgia, but to focus on the future. He gave us that message and with it all Catholics in the Netherlands', says the cardinal. Bishop Hans van den Hende also mentions how Francis stood up for the poor and called for careful handling of the world.

My favorite pope! Funny how he seemed to be getting better until the antichrist arrived. I mean JD Vance

Good one G.

Our Queen visited him several times ofcourse both of them from Argentina.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.c...wS1_zhHXNqZ53mVHRV4/s595-rw/Maxima-3.jpg

Economy • Apr 21 20:25 • Modified on Apr 21 20:25
Another bloodbath on US stock markets, hundreds of billions up in smoke
Author : BNR Web Editors

Investors are pulling their money out of US stock markets en masse, as uncertainty surrounding the trade war continues to persist. The major US indices are recording heavy losses, up to 3.6 percent. Since their peak in February, the major US stocks have lost more than 16 percent of their value.

Trump's continued attacks on Powell are fueling concerns about the independence of the US central bank.

While the stock exchanges in the Netherlands and Europe are largely closed for Easter Monday, this is certainly not the case in the United States. Indices Dow Jones, Nasdaq and the S&P 500 are losing between 3.1 and 3.6 percent of their share price at the time of writing. In total, more than 750 billion dollars has gone up in smoke in the most important American shares.

The uncertainty in the American stock markets is partly due to the attacks of the American president Donald Trump on Jerome Powell, the president of the central bank in the US. Trump has repeatedly increased the pressure on Powell, including by suggesting that he wants to fire him.

Powell's Resignation
Trump reiterated his criticism of Powell, saying in a Truth Social post that the economy could slow unless interest rates are lowered immediately. That followed comments from a White House adviser on Friday that Trump and his team would explore firing Powell as an option.

Read also
China has US in a stranglehold, rare metals export restrictions could harm US defense
Trump’s continued attacks on Powell are adding to concerns about the independence of the US central bank. In principle, a president cannot fire the head of the Fed unless there is evidence of misconduct. If Trump were to go so far as to fire Powell over a policy disagreement, it would put further pressure on the US economy, while the trade war is already having a huge impact.

Unpredictability
"The market doesn't like the Fed's independence being questioned," Joe Saluzzi, co-head of trading at Themis Trading, told Reuters. "The market can at least try to predict what an independent Fed will do. If their independence is questioned, then there can be more erratic (unpredictable) decisions. And the market doesn't like unpredictability."

A Tale of divorce, betrayal, theft, and conspiracy.

He was different from the other Popes I knew in a very good way !
Of the 266 Popes, the Argentine was the first Jesuit to become pope. The Society of Jesus, as the Jesuits are officially called, are an apostolic religious order. This means that they go out into the world to commit themselves to faith and justice. They want to go where the need is greatest, often pushing the boundaries.

The First official papal visit to the Arabian Peninsula. Like the Ambassador said "He was like a Rockstar".

The idea is far from new, if the people of Flanders want it let's do it only Brussels should be neutral.
Flanders was already a part of Netherlands for a very long time.

Dutch parliament speaker has bizarre vision for the future of Flanders and Wallonia, and he is not alone

Flanders to the Netherlands and Wallonia to France. According to the chairman of the Dutch parliament Martin Bosma, that would be a good idea. The PVV member made the proposal during a meeting with the French ambassador in early February, NRC writes.
Farid El Mabrouk
Today at 16:13
Dutch journalist Petra de Koning unveiled the proposals in her weekly column in the newspaper NRC on Tuesday . Martin Bosma suggested during a dinner with the French ambassador to the Netherlands and a number of members of parliament that it would not be a bad idea to include Flanders. France could then get Wallonia. To the surprise of those present.

He is not alone
Whether Bosma was joking or meant it is not entirely clear. The Speaker of the House gives few or no interviews. "On such an evening, politics are discussed and things that could possibly happen, yes," he told the NRC .

Bosma is a radical right-wing politician from Geert Wilders' party. However, he also does not agree with the proposal. His party leader has previously made similar statements. "That is indeed a position that Wilders has already expressed when he visited Vlaams Belang in Antwerp," says Petra de Koning.

The Greater Netherlands idea – also called Dietsland in nationalist circles – is an idea that lives among right-wing parties and organisations. Vlaams Belang was once in favour of Flanders joining the Netherlands, but no longer talks about it.

Die Happier
Bart De Wever (N-VA) also spoke out in favor of it not so long ago. "I have never let go of the dream that all Dutch speakers would one day live together again in one community. If I could die as a Southern Dutchman, I would die happier than as a Belgian," he said four years ago in interviews on July 21, the Belgian national holiday. Things can change. In the meantime, De Wever is the political representative of Belgium as prime minister.

READ ALSO. Bart De Wever wants to reunite Flanders and the Netherlands: “I would die happier as a Southern Dutchman than as a Belgian”

But left-wing politicians have also expressed themselves as Orangists in the past. Such as Minister of State and former Leuven mayor Louis Tobback.

Despite Bosma's statements, few or no one in the Netherlands is concerned about the Greater Netherlands idea, Petra de Koning adds. The claim that American President Donald Trump is making on Greenland or the Panama Canal may give some people ideas.

Many in France also think it is a good idea, Brussels a status aparte.

A November 2007 poll published by French newspaper La Voix du Nord found about 54% of French respondents support unification with Wallonia. A 2008 poll found support at 60% among respondents.[7]

A 2010 Institut français d'opinion publique (IFOP) poll found that if the Belgian political crisis led to the splitting up of Belgium, 66% of the French respondents would support the unification of Wallonia with France. IFOP has reported that support for unification with France has been rising since 2007.[8]

Well G you guys don't need the Federal government anymore.

Economy • 13:27 • Modified at 13:27
California surpasses Japan to become the world's fourth largest economy
Author : BNR Web Editors
California now has the fourth largest economy in the world. The US state's economy has surpassed that of Japan and is now only trailed by the US, China and Germany.

New figures from the IMF and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) show that California's GDP is $4.1 trillion, while Japan's is $4.02 trillion. California's economy grew by 6 percent last year. Japan's GDP grew by 0.1 percent.

Governor Gavin Newsom praised his state's economic performance in a statement: "Our economy is thriving because we invest in people, prioritize sustainability and believe in the power of innovation."

Read also
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Because California is just a state within the U.S., its numbers aren't included separately in IMF reports. But because of the sheer size of California's economy, it's often included in such comparisons, as if it were a separate country.

Big tech
California is home to almost all American big tech companies such as Alphabet, Nvidia, and Apple, has the American entertainment industry within its state borders with Hollywood, and is also the largest agricultural producer in the US.

Newsom, a prominent Democratic politician, does warn of the economic consequences of the trade war that Trump has unleashed. California is now trying to reverse the trade tariffs through the courts. According to Newsom, the levies cost the US 100 billion dollars a year.

News & Politics • 07:16 • Modified at 07:16
US economy under pressure: housing market collapses, credit card companies set aside money
Author : BNR Web Editors
This week it became clear that more and more economic signals are turning red in the American economy. Now that the trade war has started, all kinds of effects are becoming visible. From plummeting stock markets to companies setting aside money because of possible defaulters. In the meantime, China also seems to be gaining the upper hand in the trade war.


In line with this, it is also striking that home sales in the US have suddenly collapsed. ( ANP / Imago Stock & People )

This week, for example, there was a lot of unrest on the American stock exchanges. Even though it was not directly related to the trade war, investors were very concerned about Donald Trump's influence on the American central bank. For example, Trump has repeatedly hinted at the dismissal of Fed boss Jerome Powell. Investors fear for the independence of the Fed as a result. The impact on the stock exchanges was therefore considerable, with declines of several percent . Within the White House, they also seemed to realize that the impact was not good, after which Trump withdrew his threats to Powell later in the week .

Credit card debts
Trump’s influence on financial markets is therefore significant. This is also reflected in credit card companies in the US. They are preparing for a possible economic downturn by building up significant reserves , while the number of payment delinquencies is increasing to pre-pandemic levels. Large institutions such as JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup are setting aside extra money and changing their strategy to focus more on wealthy customers, who are less likely to get into financial trouble. Synchrony makes credit more difficult to access, especially for people with lower incomes or credit scores, although spending in general remains high due to confidence.

Home sales
In line with this, it is also striking that home sales in the US have suddenly collapsed. In March, sales suddenly fell by 5.9 percent, the largest drop since 2022. Mortgage rates had risen that month, making the housing market less accessible to buyers. In addition, house prices also rose due to the trade war .

Chinese metals
Meanwhile, China has deployed a major lever against the U.S. in the trade war. The country has restricted exports of seven rare earth minerals, which it hopes will deal a strategic blow to the U.S. defense industry and undermine Trump’s reindustrialization ambitions. With tight control over the global production and processing of these crucial minerals, Beijing has a stranglehold on the U.S.; elements such as dysprosium, essential for the production of advanced military technologies, are produced almost exclusively in China .

William Matthews, of Chatham House, stresses that this restriction sends a clear message from China: 'The move sends a message: if the US were to try to cut China off from the most advanced chips and other cutting-edge technologies, China could go a step further by cutting off the supply chain upstream.' There is a significant risk that this will threaten not only US defence and technological capabilities, but also global supply chains for advanced military applications.

Happy 58th Birthday King Alex. Looking good in his Brioni suit and his lovely women, proud of them. Red, White and Blue.

https://images.hln.be/NDVmNjM1MWM2Y...-koninklijke-familie-trapt-koningsdag-af

I've often felt that Cali belonged on its own. While we have our problems, we also have more billionaires and millionaires than any other U.S. state and most countries on the planet. You can't even spit without hitting one of them lol

True Cali does have problems homeless people for example I haven't seen anything like that in Chicago or New York for example and their prisons are ruthless.

Not to mention the taxation and cost of living H. There's a reason people are fleeing the state to Texas, Florida, and other states.

Texas is booming. The economy of the State of Texas is the second largest by GDP in the United States after that of California.