Latest news with #JEF
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 days ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Chinese Spying on Dutch Industries ‘Intensifying': Dutch Defence Minister
Terje Pedersen via REUTERS Dutch Minister of Defense Ruben Brekelmans attends a meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in Oslo, Norway May 9, 2025. SINGAPORE, May 31 (Reuters) – Chinese efforts to spy on the Dutch are intensifying, with the focus on semiconductors, Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans said on Saturday. 'The semiconductor industry, which we are technologically leading, or technology advanced, of course, to get that intellectual property – that's interesting to China,' Brekelmans said in an interview on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security meeting in Singapore. The Dutch military intelligence agency said in its annual report in April last year that Chinese spies have targeted the Dutch semiconductor, aerospace and maritime industries to try to strengthen China's armed forces. When asked if the spying had stopped, Brekelmans said: 'It's continuing. In our newest intelligence reports, our intelligence agency said that the biggest cyber threat is coming from China, and that we do see most cyber activity when it comes to us being as from China. That was the case last year, but that's still the case. So we only see this intensifying.' China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Beijing routinely denies allegations of cyber espionage and says it opposes all forms of cyberattack. Dutch intelligence agencies first publicly attributed cyber espionage to China last year, when they said state-backed cyber spies had gained access to a Dutch military network in 2023. Brekelmans said security is becoming increasingly important for the Netherlands as China is 'using their economic position for geopolitical purposes and also to pressure us'. The minister said the Netherlands has introduced instruments to protect key industries and vital interests but the country and region also need to reduce their dependency on China for critical raw materials. 'Both on the European Union level, but also on the national level, we need to make bigger steps in order to reduce those dependencies.'
Ammon
17-05-2025
- Business
- Ammon
Minister: Water shortage threatens tourism, industry, and agriculture sectors
Ammon News - Minister of Water and Irrigation, Raed Abu Soud, said Jordan faces "major" challenges in the water sector, adding that the annual per capita share does not exceed 60 cubic meters, one of the "lowest shares" globally, effectively making Jordan the world's most water-poor country. Abu Soud said the ministry is working on two parallel tracks to ensure Jordan's water security, indicating that the first is implementing the National Water Carrier Project, and the second aims to reduce losses and improve "efficiency" of networks using modern technologies. The minister's remarks came during a dialogue session held recently by the Jordan Economic Forum (JEF) to discuss challenges facing the Kingdom's water sector. According to a JEF statement issued Saturday, Abu Soud noted the National Water Carrier Project is one of the "largest strategic" enterprises in the Kingdom's history and is the cornerstone of "sustainable" water supply in the coming years. The project, he noted, will provide approximately 300 million cubic meters annually, which would make a fundamental difference in meeting needs of citizens and economic sectors. The minister indicated that water issue is "no longer simply a service, but rather a national security issue." If the per capita share falls below 30 cubic meters annually and the situation continues unchanged, it would have significant repercussions on all sectors, mainly tourism, industry, and agriculture sectors, he pointed out. During the session, moderated by JEF's Board Member Malak Oqili, the minister said tourism will be one of the most affected sectors, which would impact its "competitiveness" due to its need for more water that will then increase the operating costs in this industry. In the industrial sector, the minister stated that the increased cost of industrial water will place additional burdens on factories and lead to "higher" production costs, which could weaken exports competitiveness. As for the agricultural sector, he noted the decreasing water supply threatens to shrink agricultural areas and reduce production. Regarding challenges of outdated networks and modern technology, Abu Soud said the ministry is working to reduce the loss rate in networks that are suffering from deterioration, as some fixtures are more than fifty years old. Abu Soud stated the ministry aims to reduce water loss by 2% annually, equivalent to approximately 5 million cubic meters per year. The minister noted this goal is being fulfilled by replacing water networks, detecting leaks early, and controlling violations.
Straits Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Swedish PM says jailed reporter on his way home from Turkey
FILE PHOTO: Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson attends a meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in Oslo, Norway May 9, 2025. NTB/Terje Pedersen via REUTERS Swedish PM says jailed reporter on his way home from Turkey STOCKHOLM - Swedish journalist Joakim Medin, who was jailed in March in Turkey on terrorism and insult charges, is on his way home, Sweden's Prime Minister said on Friday. "Hard work in relative silence has paid off," Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on X on Friday evening, adding that Medin would land in Sweden in a few hours. Kristersson thanked the foreign office and European colleagues for helping secure Medin's release. Medin, who was in Turkey to cover protests against Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu's arrest, was charged with "insulting the president" and "membership of a terrorist organization and jailed pending trial. Turkish authorities said Medin was among 15 suspects identified for organizing, promoting, or being linked to a demonstration in Stockholm in 2023, where a mannequin resembling President Tayyip Erdogan was hung outside the city hall. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
UK police investigating fire at PM Starmer's house
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer attends a meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in Oslo, Norway May 9, 2025. NTB/Terje Pedersen via REUTERS LONDON - British police are investigating an overnight fire at a house belonging to Prime Minister Keir Starmer in north London in which nobody was hurt. "The Prime Minister thanks the emergency services for their work. The incident is subject to a live investigation and we will therefore not be commenting further," a spokesperson for Starmer's Downing Street office said. Police said in a statement, without mentioning the British leader, that they were called to reports of a fire at around 01:35 local time (0035 GMT). "Officers attended the scene. Damage was caused to the property's entrance, nobody was hurt," London's Metropolitan Police said. "The fire is being investigated and cordons remain in place while enquiries continue." The London Fire Brigade said it attended a "small fire". Starmer, who has a home in north London, has lived at his Downing Street office and residence since becoming prime minister last July. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Japan Today
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Starmer, under pressure from Farage, tightens UK migration rules
FILE PHOTO: Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer listens during the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Leaders' Summit in Oslo, Norway, May 9, 2025. Alastair Grant/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo By William Schomberg British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a new salvo of measures to toughen up Britain's migration system on Sunday, saying many immigrants would have to wait longer before getting the status they need to claim welfare. Starmer's government - which is due to publish plans for new legislation to reduce immigration on Monday - is under pressure to counter the rise in popularity of Nigel Farage's right-wing, anti-immigration Reform UK party. Over the weekend, interior minister Yvette Cooper announced plans to restrict skilled worker visas to graduate-level applicants, prevent care sector firms from recruiting abroad and require businesses to increase training for local workers. "Every area of the immigration system, including work, family and study, will be tightened up so we have more control," Starmer said in a statement. "Enforcement will be tougher than ever and migration numbers will fall." Under the changes, automatic settlement and citizenship for people who move to Britain will apply after 10 years, up from five years now, although highly skilled workers - such as nurses, doctors, engineers and AI experts - would be fast-tracked. Migrants who are in the UK on visas are typically ineligible for welfare benefits and social housing. The government also said it plans to raise English language requirements to include all adult dependents who will have to show a basic understanding of English. It said the change would help integration and reduce the risks of exploitation. "This is a clean break from the past and will ensure settlement in this country is a privilege that must be earned, not a right," Starmer said. "And when people come to our country, they should also commit to integration and to learning our language," he said. The number of European Union migrants to Britain fell sharply after Brexit but new visa rules, a rise in people arriving from Ukraine and Hong Kong and higher net numbers of foreign students led to an overall surge in recent years. Net migration - the number of people coming to Britain minus the number leaving - hit a record 906,000 in the year to June 2023, up from 184,000 who arrived in the same period during 2019, when Britain was still in the EU. Employers' groups are worried that tightening the rules on foreign workers will make it harder for companies to fill vacancies. "This major intervention in the labour market will leave many employers fearful that in tackling concerns about immigration, government goes after the wrong target," Neil Carberry, chief executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), said. Being open to skilled workers was essential for Britain "but so is a controlled, affordable and responsive immigration system that keeps investment flowing to the UK," Carberry said. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
