Despite a sluggish global economy, investment from and trade with the Netherlands continue to produce solid results for both countries. The Netherlands is the third largest investor in the U.S. and one of its largest export partners.

[When presenting this study to President Obama] Dutch Prime Minister Rutte said, “I see great potential for further growth and jobs creation. Dutch business leaders look forward to an intensified dialogue with American authorities to discuss future investment plans and the mutual challenges to realize these.”

In that same spirit, Rutte showed great interest in strengthening US-EU trade and investment relations through the establishment of a deep and comprehensive free trade zone between the EU and the U.S. This could boost U.S. exports by $53 billion, add over hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs and could bring a much needed impulse for the American and European economies.

The report, Economic Ties between the USA and the Netherlands: A Partnership that Works, details the Dutch-U.S. economic relationship with a national and state-by-state analysis. It reveals:

• Close to 625,000 Americans are at work as the result of America’s economic ties with the Dutch;The Netherlands continues to be the 3rd largest foreign investor in the U.S. ($217.1 billion);
• The Netherlands continues to be the 3rd largest foreign investor in the U.S. ($217.1 billion);
• The Netherlands is the largest destination for America’s Foreign Direct Investment ($521.4 billion).

There are more than 850 Dutch companies in the United States, making the economic ties with the Netherlands highly relevant. These ties are most apparent in Texas – with over 75,000 jobs- and California – with close to 60,000 jobs- supported by Dutch-U.S. economic ties.

Texas is the top beneficiary of the Dutch-U.S. economic relationship. More than 75 Dutch companies including, Fugro, Heerema Offshore, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, SBM Offshore, Shell Oil Company and Vopak North America are based in Texas. Dutch investment by these companies along with Texas’ exports to the Netherlands supports 75,653 jobs in the Lone Star state.  Dutch foreign direct investment in Texas amounted to $11.4 billion in 2010, making the Netherlands the 4th largest investor there.  Texas exported nearly $6 billion in goods to the Netherlands last year, with petroleum and coal products being the largest category of materials.

California is home to more than 80 Dutch companies such as NXP Semiconductors, Rabobank and the Nielsen Company. Dutch investment and California’s exports to the Netherlands support 57,968 jobs in the state. In 2010, the Netherlands was the 5th largest investor in the state, where Dutch investment was $6.7 billion. California’s exports to the Netherlands totalled $4.1 billion last year.

“The Netherlands and the USA share a strong economic relationship, stronger than people may realize,” said Dutch Ambassador Renée Jones-Bos. “It is the result of our shared entrepreneurial spirit – and has great potential for further growth in the future.”

Economic Ties between the USA and the Netherlands: A Partnership that Works provides a state-by-state breakdown of the number of Americans at work as the result of the economic ties with the Dutch. It details Dutch foreign direct investment in the 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico; and the state exports to the Netherlands. It contains profiles of the CEO’s of some of the diverse Dutch companies working in the in the U.S., ranging from the experts at DSM dedicated to creating healthier foods; to the innovators at Philips helping to make American lives easier; to TenCate whose materials are used in uniforms that help protect the U.S. Marines and first responders.

For more than 400 years, the Netherlands and the United States have been joined by the values of freedom, justice and an entrepreneurial spirit. A vibrant economic force, the Netherlands is also the third largest investor in America and a reliable trade and investment partner to the U.S. The Royal Netherlands Embassy, Dutch Consulates General and Honorary Consuls in the U.S. promote strong bilateral relations between the United States and the Netherlands in the areas of peace and stability; international law; energy and climate; water management; international human rights; and creative industries. The Netherlands and the United States: a partnership that works.

SOURCE: Royal Netherlands Embassy

Photo by jerryfergusonphotography

Michael van Poppel started a Twitter feed called “BreakingNews” three years ago, from an apartment in Tilburg, the Netherlands. He aggregated news from the internet and linking to breaking headlines from around the world onto his feed.

Twitter was but a year old and Van Poppel just 17 at the time, but the novel idea drew an overnight following. BreakingNews’ first major scoop, to the astonishment of the European news establishment, was Van Poppel’s acquisition of a videotape carrying a statement from Osama bin Laden. How did a Dutch teen with a Twitter feed get hold of a Bin Laden tape? “It came to me from a source within the U.S. government,” is all Van Poppel will say.

After selling the video to Reuters, Van Poppel was deluged by social media fans in other countries eager to lend a hand tweeting news. This crowdsourcing soon paid off. In early 2008, when a small earthquake rocked the U.K. town of Grimsby, Van Poppel’s minions in the English countryside were jolted into action, pinging instant accounts. Those tweets triggered pre-set keywords on Van Poppel’s Twitter pages, which alerted him via instant messaging service GoogleTalk. Van Poppel, in turn, began posting quake bulletins, tweeting its estimated magnitude before the BBC even reported it.

By August of last year, Van Poppel had amassed 1.5 million followers–and the interest of MSNBC.

Charlie Tillinghast, president of MSNBC Digital Network sent an IM written in Dutch to the 20-year-old news mogul, asking whether he’d be interested in a deal whereby MSNBC’s digital division would manage the feed under MSNBC’s moniker. The network also contacted Twitter to get its blessing, says Tillinghast (Twitter doesn’t allow its account domains to be sold, only managed, by users). A meeting was arranged in September at MSNBC’s Rockefeller Center offices.

In a package deal, MSNBC acquired the rights to manage Van Poppel’s Twitter feed indefinitely and is paying him undisclosed fees to carry a separate headline service Van Poppel has launched, BNO News, for three years. Tillinghast now dedicates a full-time staff of three to the BreakingNews feed, aided by MSNBC reporters and editors in New York and Redmond, Wash.

This new Twitter newsfeed and new site BreakingNews.com will bring breaking news to the Web.

“This is a good start, but there is much more help necessary.” She said that during a meeting for the Haitian community in the Netherlands in the Amsterdam ArenA. Minister Bert Koenders (Development Cooperation) has announced to double the total amount.

After the devastating earthquake on Tuesday about three million Haitians need help. The United Nations have asked the international community to provide over 560 million U.S. dollars as quickly as possible for this emergency.

According to John Holmes, UN humanitarian affairs chief, one third of all buildings in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince is destroyed.

The requested amount is needed for help for the next six months. Urgently needed are food, water and tents and other temporary shelters for the many homeless.

Pathe Rotterdam Square Theater even opens the new 3D-room with the successor of Camerons global success Titanic.

With revolutionary new filming techniques Avatar took up 350 million U.S. dollars, but the adventure on the planet Pandora (with Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver and Zoe Saldana in the main roles) will undoubtedly be another huge hit.

In 145 Dutch cinemas (including 2-Imax theaters) your are able to see the brainchild of Cameron. He worked for five years. “Avatar is a next generation 3D experience,” according to the director.

While the official reviews are not out yet, selected audiences have had the opportunity for an early viewing of the 3D spectacular.

The audiences will be amazed when the movie is released on December 17.

Here are a selection of some of the previews of Avatar:

Hollywood Reporter: “A dozen years later, James Cameron has proven his point: He is king of the world … The only question is: How will Cameron ever top this?”

Screen International: “It’s an unprecedented marriage of technology and storytelling which is on the whole remarkably successful.”

Variety: “Twelve years after “Titanic,” which still stands as the all-time B.O. champ, Cameron delivers again with a film of universal appeal that just about everyone who ever goes to the movies will need to see.”

The Times: “Avatar is an overwhelming, immersive spectacle. The state-of-the-art 3D technology draws us in, but it is the vivid weirdness of Cameron’s luridly imagined tropical otherworld that keeps us fascinated.”

The Sun: “…make sure you can say you were there when the future of cinema began.”

The Guardian: ..”.it looked amazing and that the story was gripping.”

AVATAR PREVIEW: Exclusive Scenes and Interviews from Matt Campagna on Vimeo.

In the first ever detailed ranking of 60 of the world’s financial hubs, published today by the international research agency Tax Justice Network (TJN), The Netherlands ranks 15th of the 60 financial “tax havens” in the world.

Delaware in the US is officially the world’s most secret financial location. Delaware was found wanting in 11 out of 12 secrecy indicators. London was also ranked in the top five most secretive jurisdictions.

The researchers looked in particular to banking secrecy, the transparency of financial legislation and the degree of financial activities abroad. The Dutch Antilles are ranked at the 38th place in the “Financial Secrecy Index”. The most important tax haven is the U.S. state of Delaware, followed by Luxembourg, Switzerland, the Cayman Islands, the city of London, Ireland, Bermuda, Singapore, Belgium and Hong Kong.

In the fight against tax evasion Tax Justice Network calls for international regulation including the automatic exchange of financial information.

A large number of Dutch celebrities will be present during the show.

In the romantic comedy Jason (Jason Bateman) and Cynthia (Kristen Bell) are close to getting a divorce. In an effort to save their marriage they book a vacation to a couples therapy retreat, called Eden. To save money they encourage their friends to join them, and claim that their friends can enjoy the party activities and not take part in the therapy. Reluctantly their friends, Dave (Vince Vaughn) and Ronnie (Malin Akerman), Joey (Jon Favreau) and Lucy (Kristen Davis), and recently divorced Shane (Faizon Love) and his girlfriend Trudy (Kali Hawk) agree.

Upon their arrival to Eden they are sent to the west side of the island, by Sctanley (Peter Serafinowicz). Joey learns that the east side of the island hosts a singles resort, while the west is for couples, and couples are not permitted to travel to Eden East.

During their first night Sctanley informs all four couples that they will all have to engage in the therapy or return home. After eating their meal the couples decided that they will attend the therapy so they can enjoy the other benefits the island offers.

Couples Retreat will be released in the Dutch cinemas on November 19.

Distributor E1 Entertainment has received the rights to show the movie in Dutch cinemas the coming weeks. They will see if the sneak previews catches on in Europe like in America where Paranormal Activity is currently a huge hit.

Paranormal Activity, a haunted-house thriller was shot for $11,000 and has built a huge fan base after a handful of test screenings in America.

An Internet petition to bring the movie cinemas, delivered more than one million signatures in a short time. The movie trailer, which only shows how the audience reaction during a performance, has been downloaded millions of times.

Paranormal Activity tells the story about a young, middle class couple which moves into a typical suburban “starter” tract house, where they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be demonic but is certainly most active in the middle of the night.

The couple decide to document the poltergeist-like disturbances in “Paranormal Activity.” They find that, as on reality TV shows, bad behavior tends to worsen when you train a camera on it. Orin Peli’s crew-less debut feature is one of the best genre spins on the pseudo-nonfiction 1st-person-cam since “The Blair Witch Project”.

Paramount Pictures Presents A Blumhouse Production A Film by Oren Peli “Paranormal Activity” starring Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Mark Fredrichs, Amber Armstrong and Ashley Palmer. The film was directed, written and edited by Oren Peli.

The first two Dutch sneaks previews past week took place in Amsterdam and The Hague. The next few weeks to follow other big cities.

Paranormal Activity broke box office records at American cinemas the last few weeks. In two weeks time Paranormal Activity made about 40 million U.S. dollars. The movie will be released on November 26 at the Dutch cinemas.

The Dutch prince and princess were in New York last week to celebrate the 400 year anniversary of Dutch captain Henry Hudson’s discovery of New York. They brought a visit to the White House in Washington where the Royal couple was received by Michelle and Barack Obama. “The atmosphere was very relaxed and cordial,” according to the crown prince. The president, who last week announced plans for a new care system in the U.S., said Willem-Alexander to give an outline of health care in the Netherlands.

First Lady Michelle Obama met with the Prince and Princess first to have tea and exchange gifts. President Barack Obama joined later for a conversation with the Dutch royal couple.

Healthcare was an important theme of the meeting, which lasted around half an hour.

The President uses the Dutch healthcare system as an example in several occasions, said Willem-Alexander in a report on nu.nl.

He finds it “a good system, and there are certain elements he would like to take on.”

Healthcare has been a contentious issue for the US President, as opposition to an overhaul of the current system became louder over the summer. Tens of thousands of protesters marched on the U.S. Capitol against proposed his reforms Saturday.

President Obama thanked the couple for the Dutch cooperation in Afghanistan and asked Willem-Alexander as IOC member would support the candidacy of Chicago for the Olympic Games in 2016.

The Dutch prince and princess were impressed with the “Job Swap” program, an exchange between workers from New York and the Netherlands. A Dutch teacher and a Dutch fireman from the Netherlands worked along with their counterparts in the Big Apple.

The royal couple experienced “an incredible visit” in New York. “We had good relations emphasize four hundred years”, said Willem-Alexander. “All the energy we have invested in the celebration is definitely worth it.” Shared values of freedom and tolerance were key, but according to Princess Máxima of the Netherlands.