The OSCE Presence in Albania on 24 March 2016 launched a series of workshops for the Albanian border and migration police with the aim of raising their capacity to respond to the challenges of irregular migration, particularly in light of the increased migrant flows through the Western Balkans.

The first of the workshops, which are being organized in close partnership with the Directorate of the Albanian State Police and the General Directorate of Border and Migration, took place in Korça, where 20 border and migration police were trained on measures to be taken to cope with the situation.

The subjects were based on trends as identified by Frontex and EUROPOL, and included migrant routes, the pre-screening of migrants, profiling of possible terrorist fighters, and the detection of criminal offences. The workshop was conducted by experts from the Albanian Europol National Unit and the Albanian Border and Migration Police.

The OSCE Presence, together with its Albanian partners, will organize similar workshops in the coming days with the border and migration police in Gjirokastra and in Shkodra. 

Related Stories

• Young people in Albania say NO to corruption
• OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Steinmeier visits Albania, reiterates support for Albanian institutions and its citizens
• Students launch exhibition against domestic violence as part of OSCE Presence in Albania campaign

TIRANA, 9 May 2016 - The OSCE Presence in Albania today launched a sports-based youth development programme in co-operation with Tirana Rugby Club, with the aim of promoting teamwork, sport ethics, camaraderie, and a sense of belonging among youth, helping them understand that there are always positive alternatives to anti-social behaviour and criminality.

The Presence’s youth development programme will build on the Tirana Rugby Club’s success, helping to increase participation of youth in rugby and promoting both the cross-community and cross-border aspects of sport, bringing together young people from across Albania and the region for training events and tournaments.

Currently there are very few opportunities for youth to take part in interactive activities such as sports outside schools. Tirana Rugby Club, on the other hand, has engaged with youth, including the most vulnerable such as unemployed and/or school dropouts in its activities. Despite funding challenges, the Club has supported events where teams from Albania and the region compete regularly.

“While the development of rugby as a sport in Albania is relatively new, the interest and commitment of so many in such a short period of time, is not,” said Head of the OSCE Presence Florian Raunig. “As a result, building one team has led to creating a second one. Therefore today we present both Tirana Rugby Club and the Ilirians Rugby Club, wearing their new club colours.”

The sports kits were provided by the OSCE Presence and will be on show over the next few months, as these two teams meet in Korça, Elbasan and Durrës to play a series of exhibition games, which will increase the visibility of and interest in the sport.

The Presence will support local authorities, including police, social services and the regional education directorate, to directly involve youth in the activities. The activities will be planned and co-ordinated to allow young women and girls to be equally involved.

Albanian Rugby Development Officer Adam Vernon said: “We thank the OSCE Presence for its support and are excited about the opportunity this initiative has afforded us. We have many positive examples of youth engagement outcomes in Albania and hope that we can further encourage the development of the sport in many local communities over the next few months. The future of the sport in Albania is bright. We will wear our new kit with pride, in support of the game we all love.”

Related Stories

• Albania justice reform adoption welcome, says OSCE Presence in Albania
• OSCE Presence launches nationwide ‘Justice without delays’ initiative in Albania
• OSCE Presence supports dialogue on Albania’s totalitarian past

TIRANA, 13 May 2016 – Challenges, good practices and needs in the fight against trafficking in human beings were the focus of a regional meeting of National Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinators from South-Eastern Europe hosted on Thursday by the OSCE Presence in Albania and the Albanian National Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinator, together with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development.

National Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinators from across South-Eastern Europe as well as the UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, met in Tirana to exchange views and good practices on national efforts to fight human trafficking. They paid special attention to the problem of unaccompanied minors in this region, with a view to increasing regional co-operation on the identification, assistance and referral of child victims and potential victims of trafficking.

“We must further enhance international co-ordination in addressing human trafficking, especially child trafficking,” stated Florian Raunig, the Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania. “The migration flows that have affected most of the countries represented in this meeting today show the urgency of our efforts. The transnational nature of the trafficking phenomenon can only be effectively addressed in a co-ordinated manner, based on joint planning and joint action.”

Participants stressed the need for harmonizing definitions, procedures and protocols to ensure adequate identification and protection of unaccompanied minors, highlighting the importance of adapting these procedures to potential migration flows. Strengthening the role of legal guardians and improving an early warning system that allows front-line officers to identify complex forms of human trafficking and labour exploitation, were other suggestions made by the Co-ordinators.

The Presence continues to work closely with the Albanian authorities to strengthen the multi-agency approach to identify and protect victims of all forms of trafficking.

Related Stories

• Albania justice reform adoption welcome, says OSCE Presence in Albania
• OSCE Presence launches nationwide ‘Justice without delays’ initiative in Albania
• OSCE Presence supports dialogue on Albania’s totalitarian past

ELBASAN, Albania, 17 May 2016 – The OSCE Presence in Albania, with support from the German government, yesterday in Elbasan hosted a performance of a play reflecting on Albania’s totalitarian past.

The play, “They enter without knocking”, centres on a couple waiting for the police to come to their door to take them to prison - or worse - for reasons unknown. A packed audience of around 300 people watched the performance, which evoked the atmosphere of fear and constant surveillance that reigned under the former totalitarian regime.

“Although it is never easy to talk about a painful past, society needs to engage in a conversation about the crimes of the past, and art is one way of stimulating such dialogue, because it speaks to us on so many levels,” said Ambassador Florian Raunig, Head of the OSCE Presence. “This should be entirely an Albanian process; we are only providing the framework for this dialogue to take place.”

The OSCE Presence and the German Embassy launched the project to foster a national dialogue on Albania’s totalitarian past a year ago. Under the “We start talking” motto, the Presence has so far facilitated discussions among high school students, a series of TV debates hosted by the public broadcaster and a nationwide survey about the public's knowledge, perceptions and expectations for dialogue regarding the totalitarian past in Albania.

“They enter without knocking” was previously staged in Shkodra, as part of the project, and will be performed another three times in different cities around Albania over the course of this year.  

Related Stories

• Albania justice reform adoption welcome, says OSCE Presence in Albania
• OSCE Presence launches nationwide ‘Justice without delays’ initiative in Albania
• OSCE Presence and Albanian National Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinator organize regional meeting

SHKODRA, Albania, 25 May 2016 – The OSCE Presence in Albania, USAID and the Austrian Development Co-operation launched a new phase of the ‘Justice without delays’ initiative today in Shkodra, Albania, with the aim of increasing the efficiency of court proceedings by reducing unnecessary hold ups.

Judges and support staff, with guidance from the Presence, USAID and local partners, will analyse the root causes for delays in their court and commit to improved planning and administration of cases by strengthening co-operation with trial participants, including state institutions. This will give the courts the benefit of active case management techniques and provide citizens with better access to justice.

“The courts have made remarkable progress in reducing the number of hearings and the overall length of trial proceedings, with no changes to legislation and no additional budgetary resources,” emphasized Florian Raunig, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania. “This achievement not only benefited court users in those districts, but has become an important step toward improving the quality of justice throughout Albania. It shows the clear potential for all Albanians to have efficient justice in all first instance courts throughout the country.”

Ambassador Johann Sattler of Austria stated that, “the nationwide roll-out of the ‘Justice without delays’ project ultimately aims to increase citizen’s trust in the judiciary.”

The initiative is implemented by the OSCE Presence and USAID’s Project Justice for All, with funding from the Austrian Development Co-operation. It was developed by the Presence and USAID after a study conducted by the Presence showed that almost half of the sessions in Albanian courts were non-productive – no argument was put forward, no documents circulated, no evidence taken and no requests made.

‘Justice without delays’ first started as a pilot project in Kruja court in February 2014, and was quickly embraced by courts in Korça, Puka and Tropoja. Building on the programme’s success in these four initial courts, and with the strong support of the High Council of Justice and the Ministry of Justice, over the next three years the ‘Justice without delays’ initiative will be extended successively to all 18 district courts in Albania.

Related Stories

• Albania justice reform adoption welcome, says OSCE Presence in Albania
• OSCE Presence supports dialogue on Albania’s totalitarian past
• OSCE Presence and Albanian National Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinator organize regional meeting

An exhibition of paintings, photographs, installations, poetry and writing by students of the Petro Nini Luarasi High School in Tirana on the theme of domestic violence, was unveiled by the students and the OSCE Presence in Albania on 24 May 2016 in the capital.

The exhibition, held under the slogan #MosHesht (Don’t be silent), builds on a campaign against domestic violence first launched by the OSCE Presence in Tirana four years ago, and extended to other cities such as Korça, Elbasan and Gjirokastra, to bring together the  police, civil society, citizens and youth, to discuss and react to this phenomenon.

A higher number of domestic violence cases has been reported to the police since the start of the campaign, indicating increased public awareness of the problem and trust in the authorities. According to statistics, on average 15 women die every year as a result of domestic violence; domestic violence accounts for about 60% of the reported crimes against persons in Albania.

“Civic engagement is more than just identifying issues of public concern. It is about citizens working to address them in a constructive manner. It is about action,” said Deputy Head of the OSCE Presence Robert Wilton at the launch of the exhibition. “You took on the slogan of the campaign #MosHesht. You reacted through your paintings, pictures and poetry and sent a strong message to your fellow students, to us and to the society. This is a brilliant example of the kind of citizen engagement needed for a democracy to thrive.”

General Director of the Albanian State Police, Haki Çako, commended the students saying that through the exhibition they help raise the awareness of the problems that domestic violence victims face. He said that trust in the police is an important part of the overall solution.

The event is as part of the OSCE Presence in Albania’s ongoing campaign on countering domestic violence. The Presence has also extensively worked in raising the capacities of the Albanian State Police on addressing this problem through various training programmes.

Related Stories

• Young people in Albania say NO to corruption
• OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Steinmeier visits Albania, reiterates support for Albanian institutions and its citizens
• Albania justice reform adoption welcome, says OSCE Presence in Albania

TIRANA, 22 July 2016 – The OSCE Presence in Albania welcomes the Assembly’s adoption today of the set of constitutional amendments aimed at reforming the justice sector. We commend the Assembly for this fundamental achievement, which was supported tangibly by many international experts and diplomats.

It is an important milestone, paving the way for the implementation of a meaningful justice reform. The amendments adopted today must now be cascaded down through the primary and secondary legislation, the procedures and policies of the entire judicial system. Reform is not genuine until it is felt by Albanian citizens in their daily lives, across the country.

The manner in which the reform package is implemented is essential for the sustainability and the success of the reform process. Sustainability and success also depend on a change in attitudes: establishing a culture of responsibility and accountability, countering impunity and consolidating respect for the rule of law at all levels of society. 

The OSCE Presence has been a committed contributor and partner of the reform process so far and stands ready to continue its active support at all levels.

Related Stories

• OSCE Presence launches nationwide ‘Justice without delays’ initiative in Albania
• OSCE Presence supports dialogue on Albania’s totalitarian past
• OSCE Presence and Albanian National Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinator organize regional meeting

The figures of impact were impressive during a recent medical outreach in the indigenous region of Guamote in Ecuador. But only because He showed up.

Popularly known as the Automobile City, Chennai is the fourth largest metropolitan of the country. The city accounts for over 27 per cent of India’s automobile industry and 45 per cent of the auto components industry in India....

With the positive effects of social media marketing becoming more and more apparent, most small businesses have started working on a social media marketing strategy.

One of the main aims of social media marketing is to stay relevant to your audience. This might be harder for small businesses as they have more to juggle, in terms of handling tasks. Social media tools and apps can help reduce the stress of multi-tasking and keep your social media activities consistent. Below are social media tools for small business to help make your life as a social media marketer easier.

complete article

In this introductory message on 'The Glorious Presence Of God', we look at the different 'kinds' of God's presence and how at times, God manifests His presence to us, particularly in times of revival. Then David focuses on God's relationship with Adam and Eve before sin entered humanity and how our sin impacts the presence of God in our lives. This message is available now from https://www.preachtheword.com in MP3 audio format...

The primary way 'The Glorious Presence Of God' rested among God's people in the Old Testament was in the Tabernacle and the Temple, particularly over the Ark of the Covenant. Unfortunately, the people of God came to the point in their history of taking God's presence for granted, and consequently, they lost it. Listen along as David shares some principles around reverencing the presence of God and how God's work must be done God's way to experience the power of His presence. This message is available at https://www.preachtheword.com now in MP3 audio format...

Ezekiel tells us how 'The Glorious Presence Of God' reluctantly withdrew from the Temple in stages and eventually from the whole nation. The sins of the people had driven Him from them. This is a sobering message highlighting the need for holiness but also giving us great hope in the Saviour we have in Jesus, who brings God's presence to us through His cross. This message is available at https://www.preachtheword.com now in MP3 audio format...

The greatest presentation of 'The Glorious Presence Of God' was in His Son who came to this world, Immanuel, 'God with us'. We will learn how the glory of God shone through Jesus' life and how the disciples witnessed that glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. Find out how we can experience the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. This message is available at https://www.preachtheword.com now in MP3 audio format...

We need to pursue Him passionately to experience more of 'The Glorious Presence Of God'. King David reflects this in Psalm 63, and others like Moses and Isaiah show us what it is like to hunger after and interact with God's presence. In this message, you'll hear how we must turn away from other distractions and sins to gain a greater passion for God's presence. This concluding message is available at https://www.preachtheword.com now in MP3 audio format...

The power to save, heal and set free is God's power. In this healing story from Luke 5:17, we see God's power was present with Jesus to heal. We need to practice God's healing presence rather than the presence of sickness, darkness, Satan or sin. So often, when we face such obstacles, we focus on the problem, but the answer to our problems is never in the problem. The healing presence is where we must abide. This message is available at https://www.preachtheword.com now in MP3 audio format...

Today, I start the 21-day meditation challenge with Oprah's Life Class and The Chopra Center. The centering thought for the day is: "Today I am open to the presence of miracles." And how timely is that, I just watched "The...

Let bright letters pinpoint your writing skills, refresh your heart, make you friends, and make your words sell on a professional Web business you own! Share letters and make them bright here.

Salish Excavation and Trucking LLC has launched a new website, designed by Prospect Genius, to provide customers with easy access to their full range of excavation and trucking services. The updated, mobile-friendly site includes detailed service information and allows customers in the Port Angeles area to connect easily for free estimates. [PR.com]

Fr. Stephen Freeman shares about the importance of the sacraments in our lives - particularly in light of the Bible verse that says, “There is but one mediator between God and man, the man, Christ Jesus.”

How should we fast as Orthodox Christians? Is there really a right and wrong way? What is the real intent and purpose of fasting? Join Michael as he discusses the deeper meaning of fasting and compares the various ways people fast, how we often misunderstand fasting, and how it relates to our awareness of God’s presence in our lives.

Following the feasts and fasts of the Church cannot only help us care for our own health, but it can also benefit the environment and God's creation.

Dr. Adrian Budica, ThM, ACPE, BCC, Director of Field Education, St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, Crestwood NY, and Sara Byrne-Martelli, MDiv, DMin candidate, BCC, Chaplain, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Video presentation available here.

Dn. Theodore, the Director of Community of St. John the Compassionate Mission, explains that the real work of the mission comes from sitting and talking.

Deacon Emmanuel gives the sermon on the Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple.

Bobby Maddex interviews Dr. Albert Rossi, the residential clinical psychologist at St. Vladimir’s Seminary and the author of the new AFP book Becoming a Healing Presence.

What does it mean to be constantly in the presence of God? Dr. Rossi explores the practical implications in today's episode.

Dr. Albert Rossi reflects on how we can be a healing presence during these dark times in our world.

Combined, Fr. John and Fr. Stephen have been involved with prison ministry for well over 50 years. From their experiences in this work, they speak on the important concept of "Ministry of Presence" that is truly vital for all Orthodox Christians to understand. This concept is brought to life by the stories they share from their ministries. This presentation was given in Houston as part of an Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry gathering. Fr. John Kowalczyk is the priest of St. Michael's Church in Jermyn, PA, the Chancellor of the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania, a Chaplain at S.C.I. Waymart's Forensic Treatment Center for over 27 years, teaches at St. Tikhon's Orthodox Seminary, and is the Director of their Field Education Program. Fr. John is a member of the Board of Directors of Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry. Fr. Stephen Powley is the priest of St. John the Baptist Church in Pueblo, CO, and is the Assistant Director of Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry. He served as a Prison Chaplain for almost 26 years until his retirement in August of 2010. During that time he served as a chaplain in every security level of prison from minimum to maximum.

Fr. Pat talks to us about an important theme from the Epistle to the Hebrews, namely “today”, beginning with the question: “what does it mean for a human being to “be present”?

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the angelic announcement of a conception is a special sign of some new resolve of God; a resolve of God to alter the course of history. Fr. Pat's reflections given on the Feast of the Conception of the Forerunner and Baptist John.

In 2 Corinthians 6:2 Paul says “…now is the day of salvation.” In order to be “in the now,” or fully present, one must come into the Presence. Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon considers three requirements for this.

Aim/Purpose: This paper aimed to explore the impact of compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burn-out among the general population during the pandemic. Background: The paper has attempted to explore compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burn-out among the population at large, especially during the pandemic. This area has not been explored as yet. Methodology: A simple random sample of 98 males and 88 females was collected anonymously through a Google form survey. Part A collected demographic data and Part B comprised of 15 statements with 5 each for compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burn-out, adapted from a Compassion Fatigue/Satisfaction Self-Test. ANOVA single factor was employed for the three variables of compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burn-out using a 0.05 significance level. Correlations among the variables were also analyzed. Contribution: The present paper contributes to covering the research gap of investigating the presence of compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burn-out among the population at large comprising the age group of 18 to 60+ and from different professions. Findings: The findings revealed significant differences in the levels of compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burn-out in the population at large during the pandemic. Future Research: The findings can be further strengthened by extending it to a larger sample size across different nations and, specifically, studying gender differences during such adverse pandemic situations.

MALAYSIAN carmaker Proton has taken a significant step toward international expansion with the inauguration of a new completely knocked-down (CKD) plant to assemble the Proton Saga in Cairo, Egypt. The ceremony was officiated by YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Bin Ibrahim, Malaysia’s Prime Minister, during his official visit to the country.

Prominent figures present at the event included H.E. Lieutenant General Kamel Al-Wazir, Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister, YB Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Malaysia’s Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry, and YB Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad bin Haji Hasan, Malaysia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. Egyptian and Malaysian officials, including H.E. Mr Ragai Tawfik Said Nasr, Ambassador of Egypt to Malaysia, also participated alongside business leaders from both nations.

Strategic Investment in Al Oula Industrial Park

The new CKD facility is located in the Al Oula Industrial Park, Giza, and is operated by Ezz Elarab Elsewedy Automotive Factories (ESAF)—a joint venture between Ezz Elarab and Elsewedy Capital Holding. The plant represents an investment of USD35 million and has a production capacity of 20,000 units per shift. Once fully operational, it is expected to employ up to 400 people.

Proton was represented at the inauguration by Tan Sri Syed Faisal Albar, Chairman, and Roslan Abdullah, Deputy CEO. From ESAF, Hisham Ezz Elarab, Chairman, and Ahmed Elsewedy, Board Member, attended the event.

A Milestone in Bilateral Cooperation

During his speech, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim highlighted Proton as a source of national pride and emphasised the importance of partnerships like ESAF in fostering industrial advancement. He urged Proton to leverage local facilities to strengthen its operations in the region.

The factory inauguration comes shortly after the first shipment of CKD packs was sent to Egypt on 9 September 2024. The production of left-hand drive Proton Saga models is set to begin in December 2024, with an initial production target of 1,400 units for 2024. This is projected to increase to 5,000 units in 2025, with a total of 16,000 CKD packs expected to be exported by the end of 2026.

Expanding Beyond Egypt

The vehicles assembled in Egypt will not only cater to the domestic market but also be exported to Northern and Sub-Saharan Africa and Middle Eastern markets. These efforts are part of Proton’s strategy to strengthen its presence in emerging markets where car ownership is on the rise.

The total value of exports from this initiative is estimated at RM570 million, excluding an additional RM20 million projected from parts exports.

Unlocking Global Potential

Tan Sri Syed Faisal Albar remarked that Proton, as Malaysia’s leading vehicle exporter, currently sees exports accounting for 3% of total sales volume. However, the company aims to unlock untapped potential in international markets.

“Egypt is central to our plans for the region. Moving forward, we will focus on partnerships like ESAF to maximize the sales potential for Proton vehicles in regions where car ownership is still growing,” he said.

Future Growth Prospects

The establishment of the Cairo CKD facility marks a pivotal moment in Proton’s international expansion. With plans to explore broader markets and collaborate with strategic partners, the company is poised to enhance Malaysia’s automotive footprint on the global stage.

Joel Embiid stuck around for extra work after shootaround. The 7-footer who has yet to officially step on the court for the Philadelphia 76ers this season was in no rush to finish his drills.

We continue the values conversation with Michael King and Dustin Smith.

This week, we recap the power of HIS presence, the power of his people and the power of the sound. We spend a significant amount of time on the POWER OF HIS PRESENCE, because that’s what defines us. We are really excited for you to hear this conversation. And to James, the Uber driver … thank you for the lyric contribution

Qumulex is a Fishers, Ind.-based provider of cloud-based video surveillance and access control solutions.

 Presence detection is the ability to identify or locate the existence of people in a specific area or physical space.

The acquisition of Vortex Security is said to increase Guardian Protection’s customer base primarily in its central Florida footprint.

Better Protection’s acquisition of DFS Fire Systems bolsters its national presence and enhances its fire protection services across the Southwest.

Kitchen Basics® has a portfolio of conventional and organic stocks and broths, including Chicken, Unsalted Chicken, Beef, Unsalted Beef, Vegetable, Unsalted Vegetable, Turkey, Seafood, and Creamy Bean & Vegetable.

Luxury flooring brand Riva Spain opens four new "Riva Corners" in Massachusetts, showcasing their high-quality, sustainable wood products. The expansion reflects the brand's growth in the region, with business tripling over two years.

AFS Group, the nation's fifth-largest independent flooring retailer based in Columbus, Ohio, has acquired Flooring Solutions, a Memphis, Tennessee-based flooring and tile retailer reporting more than $10 million in annual sales.

Children's Geographies; 10/01/2022
(AN 159948776); ISSN: 14733285
Academic Search Premier

Applied Psychological Measurement, Ahead of Print. Test-retest reliability is often estimated using naturally occurring data from test repeaters. In settings such as admissions testing, test takers choose if and when to retake an assessment. This self-selection can bias estimates of test-retest reliability because individuals who choose to retest are typically unrepresentative of the broader testing […]

The post Estimating Test-Retest Reliability in the Presence of Self-Selection Bias and Learning/Practice Effects was curated by information for practice.

The United States is building up its armed forces along all of Russia's borders, including on Ukraine and the Asia-Pacific region, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during his speech at the Ocean-2024 command and staff exercises, TASS reports. "Under the pretext of countering the allegedly existing Russian threat and containing the People's Republic of China, the United States and its satellites are building up their military presence near Russia's western borders — in the Arctic and in the Asia-Pacific region," Putin said. The USA is thus provoking a new arms race, the Russian president said. According to him, Washington's strategy is preventing the conflict in Ukraine from ending.