Latest news with #NOS
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Dutch launch operation Orange Shield to keep NATO summit safe
By Charlotte Van Campenhout and Bart Biesemans Dutch launch operation Orange Shield to keep NATO summit safe AMSTERDAM, - The Netherlands has launched operation Orange Shield to protect next week's NATO summit, deploying combat helicopters, sea patrols, over 10,000 military and police personnel, bomb squads and air defence systems. About 6,000 delegates and leaders from 32 countries, including U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, will attend the closed-off event at The Hague's World Forum. The Dutch navy will deploy seven frigates as part of the country's largest security operation. "The aim is to observe everything that's happening in the area, at sea, and in the air," commander of the Tromp frigate Dennis Oorburg told Reuters. Dutch counterterrorism chief Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg told Dutch broadcaster NOS that cybersecurity risks were also being closely monitored. Heads of state and ministers from NATO countries will arrive at Schiphol Airport on Monday and be escorted to The Hague via a secure highway corridor. On Tuesday, Dutch King Willem-Alexander will host a state dinner for NATO leaders. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who is set not to attend the summit, has also been invited to the dinner but has not yet confirmed his attendance. The summit officially begins on Wednesday, with NATO boss Mark Rutte aiming to get consensus from leaders on a 5% defence spending target, demanded by Trump. But Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has opposed the higher target. Protests are expected around the summit, including a planned highway blockade by Extinction Rebellion environmental activists and demonstrations against the war in Gaza and LGBTI hate speech. Police say protests will be allowed "within the limits of the law". This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Report: Amsterdam police 'overwhelmed' by 'hit-and-run' attacks on Israeli football fans
THE HAGUE: Amsterdam police trying to contain attacks on fans of Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv in November were overwhelmed by assailants' hit-and-run tactics and rapid incitement via social media, according to a report published on Monday. The violence in the early hours of Nov 8, 2024, followed two days of skirmishes that saw Maccabi fans chant anti-Arab songs, vandalise a taxi and burn a Palestinian flag. The attacks left five people briefly hospitalised. Police acted with "great commitment, flexibility and professionalism", concluded the report by an oversight body in the justice ministry. Authorities were able to deploy 1,200 officers, drones, arrest squads, horses and water cannons but were still caught off-guard by the fast-moving events. "Although the police acted decisively, they were also overtaken at times by the speed and unpredictability of developments," the report noted. "Blitz attacks by small groups of rioters, using taxis and scooters to move around quickly and target Jewish people on the streets, made different demands on the approach taken by the police." Social media was another key factor in making the violence difficult to contain, the report said. "People were able to spread messages and images at lightning speed, thereby heightening existing tensions," it noted. "Relatively minor incidents, such as the removal of a Palestinian flag by Maccabi supporters, were shared, interpreted, and magnified within minutes." The report also criticised reactions in the immediate aftermath of the violence. Israeli President Isaac Herzog talked of an "anti-Semitic pogrom" while Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema drew parallels between the violence and "memories of pogroms." She later regretted this, saying the word had been used as propaganda. "What stands out is the speed with which everyone expressed an opinion in the aftermath of the events," said the report. "Politicians, administrators and the media immediately jumped to conclusions, without having any insight into exactly what had occurred." A separate report, from the Institute for Safety and Crisis Management, criticised the lack of official information during the night of violence. There was an information black-out from around 1.40 in the morning until 9am, meaning rumours and disinformation were rife, said the report. In December, a court convicted five men for a range of crimes from kicking Maccabi fans in the street to inciting violence in chat groups. The heaviest sentence imposed was six months in prison, to a man identified as Sefa O. for public violence against several people. Public broadcaster NOS reported on Sunday that multiple charges against Maccabi fans had been dropped after police were unable to access video footage. Two women reported separate incidents in the Amsterdam metro but CCTV footage was deleted earlier than usual and was therefore not available to police. A press officer for the public prosecutors' office confirmed the accuracy of the NOS report to AFP.--AFP
News18
11-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
'Aim Is To Advance Relationship...': Jaishankar On Whether He Trusts Donald Trump
Last Updated: Replying to the query, the External Affairs Minister stated that the relationship with the US is of immense importance to India. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, while he was in Brussels this week, talked about the importance of India's relationship with the United States and answered whether he trusts US President Donald Trump or not. Replying to the query, the External Affairs Minister stated that the relationship with the US is of immense importance to India as New Delhi aims to advance relationship that serves the country's interest in the best possible way and it is not about a person. 'I take the world as I find it. Our aim is to advance every relationship that serves our interests, and the US relationship is of immense importance to us. It's not about personality X or president Y," Jaishankar said in an interview with Euractiv. Earlier, Jaishankar dismissed President Donald Trump's claims of the United States mediating between India and Pakistan clash, stressing that both sides 'directly negotiated" the ceasefire. Speaking to Dutch broadcaster NOS, Jaishankar said, 'The ceasefire was negotiated directly between India and Pakistan. We told everyone, including the US, that if Pakistan want an understanding, they have to talk to us directly. 'And that's why it happened." Le Figaro, Jaishankar said that India and United States had started their bilateral trade negotiations in February, even before the threat of Trump's reciprocal tariffs policy that was announced on April 2 and later paused for 90 days. Jaishankar also pointed out that India's relationship with the US has improved in the past quarter of a century. He stated that under five US Presidents, the relationship of India and United States has steadily improved in various structural areas such as economic, technological, educational, scientific, and even military. First Published: June 11, 2025, 14:18 IST
India Gazette
27-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
New Delhi slams Western narrative on India-Pakistan conflict
The foreign minister has dismissed speculation about a potential nuclear escalation in South Asia Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has dismissed speculation about a potential nuclear escalation with Pakistan, stating that "at no point was a nuclear level reached," calling the claims "astonishing." In a recent interview with the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Jaishankar suggested that Europe should focus on its own security concerns. He also stressed that European perspectives on conflicts often differ from those of countries in other parts of the world. "There is a narrative as if everything that happens in our part of the world leads directly to a nuclear problem. That disturbs me a lot because it encourages terrible activities like terrorism," he said. "If anything, much more is happening with the nuclear issue in your part of the world." Jaishankar, who was visiting the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany, was questioned by European outlets on the recent military standoff between India and Pakistan, which ended on May 10 after the two countries announced a ceasefire. "Anyone who is not blind can see that the terrorist organizations are openly operating from the cities and towns of Pakistan. That is no secret. The UN Security Council terror list is full of Pakistani names and places, and these are the very places we have targeted," he said. India's military action was in response to the April 22 attack in India's union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists. New Delhi stated that it only targeted nine locations which it said were linked with terrorist organizations, and not Pakistani military or civilian targets. Islamabad, however, accused India of targeting civilians. Pakistan retaliated by attacking Indian military sites, leading to further escalation by both countries. Asked whether the world should thank America for the ceasefire, in reference to US President Donald Trump's claims on the matter, Jaishankar said: "The cessation of firing was agreed between the military commanders of both sides through direct contact. The morning before, we effectively hit and incapacitated Pakistan's main airbases and air defense system. So who should I thank for the cessation of hostilities? I thank the Indian military because it was the Indian military action that made Pakistan say: We are ready to stop." Addressing the difference in views between India and Germany with regard to Russia, Jaishankar suggested that Europe and Asia do not share the same concerns. "Our perspective cannot be the same." In an interview with Dutch broadcaster NOS last week, Jaishankar said Europe is undergoing a "reality check," as it was never compelled to make a choice between security and prosperity. India's historical experience has been shaped since independence by its difficult neighbors, particularly Pakistan and China, which has forced the country to prioritize security, he stressed. "We have never had the comfort and continuity that Europe enjoyed." (
Observer
26-05-2025
- Business
- Observer
MoL launches strategy for National Occupational Standards
MUSCAT: The Ministry of Labour (MoL) on Monday launched a strategy for National Occupational Standards (NOS), an initiative aimed to establish an integrated professional system for the development of competencies and the promotion of a labour-market-oriented culture of work and productivity. The ceremony was held under the auspices of Dr Mahad bin Said Baowain, Minister of Labour. The strategy aims to align the outcomes of education and training with labour market requirements, enhance the quality of vocational training and achieve sustainable growth in various economic sectors. It also lays grounds for a free labour market to be run by skilled national manpower. The strategy's approach (to develop a highly qualified national workforce) aligns with the goals of Oman Vision 2040. - ONA
