World Wide Security, Garden City, N.Y., launched its “Go Green!” program promoting energy conservation to its customers. As energy prices rise throughout the United States, the Long Island region is often impacted more dramatically because it is an island with logistics and energy challenges.

Sensitive to environmental considerations in the security and video surveillance industry, Panasonic System Networks Company of America, Secaucus, N.J., is taking leadership by offering products manufactured in energy-efficient facilities, using fewer hazardous materials and emitting less CO2, and which also consume less power than previous Panasonic comparable models.

US-based identity platform Persona has partnered with Okta to deliver an automated identity verification solution and support organisations to safeguard against phishing and deepfakes. 

Bima Sugam India Federation is working to create a digital insurance marketplace in India.

Event Begins: Thursday, November 14, 2024 1:00pm
Location:
Organized By: University Career Center

Are you looking for a summer job? Are you interested in working for one of the largest Federal Government Agencies? Well, look no further. The Intelligence and Cybersecurity Diversity Fellowship (ICDF) Program is an opportunity for current college students attending an institution of higher education, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Serving Institutes (MSIs) who are majoring in Intelligence and/or Cybersecurity-related areas of study. In this program, students may receive:• A paid fellowship• First-hand, practical experience in Intelligence and Cybersecurity disciplines• Participation in high-priority challenge projects• Training in core and technical competencies• Advice and support from mentors• Networking opportunities• Tuition assistance (if available) If you’re interested in learning more about the ICDFProgram, please join us for a recruitment roundtable on Thursday, November 14th at 1:00 pm EDT.

The main objective of this OSCE project is to create evidence including in the context of conflict/crisis  to be used in the long term for improved programming and policy-making.

The contractor will be expected to undertake all aspects of work relating to the survey and additional qualitative research, including:

• pre-test/pilot study of the new conflict module;
• development of country/area specific research tools;
• qualitative key expert interviews and focus group discussions;
• interviewer selection (female interviewers only);
• interviewer training;
• random selection of respondents;
• questionnaire finalisation and translation of fieldwork and interviewer training materials;
• all fieldwork/data collection;
• data entry and processing;
• data analysis and drafting several thematic and regional reports.

The data will be collected through the use of structured, quantitative survey interviews and additional key expert interviews and focus group discussions. The survey interviews will be carried out face-to-face in each country/area by female interviewers who have completed in-depth, in-person training dedicated to the topic of the survey.

The interviews will be conducted using a standardised questionnaire already developed. Part of the contract will be testing revisions on this questionnaire and finalizing it.

The required net sample size is a minimum of 1500 women per country/area using a strict random (probability) sample.

The Contractor will be responsible for ensuring the quality, consistency and timeliness of work carried out in each country/area selected to take part in the study. The consistency of the methods and procedures applied in the various countries/areas and strict compliance with the detailed methodology of the survey needs to be ensured by the Contractor. The foreseen total duration of the assignment is 15 months.

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KYIV, 15 July 2016 – The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine today opened a new sphere of project assistance to Ukraine – improving democratic control of defence and security sectors – with a presentation of international experience and best practices at a conference in Kyiv.

The event, co-organized with the Parliament and the Ministry of Defence, brought together more than 120 parliamentarians, military and civilian representatives of various ministries, experts, and civil society activists to learn about the basic principles in this area, as well as practical examples from other countries.

During the conference, the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security and the OSCE Security Sector Governance and Reform Guidelines were presented. Ukrainian translations of these documents can be found at www.osce.org/fsc/41355  and www.osce.org/uk/secretariat/253156, respectively.

The participants discussed in detail the national models of parliamentary and civic control over the defence sectors of Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, and Norway.

“The ability of Parliament, and of society at large, to exercise control over its security services is a true litmus test for democracy and rule of law,” said Jeffrey Erlich, Senior Project Officer at the OSCE Project Co-ordinator’s Office. “Such oversight contributes to a much more effective security sector by rooting out corruption, and by strengthening the bond between society and the armed forces.”

Igor Dolgov, Deputy Minister of Defence, said: “For me there is no question of whether it is possible to simultaneously deal with current crisis and implement reforms in defense sectors, including strengthening mechanisms of democratic control over armed forces. It is needed and it is already happening.”

Until the end of the year, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator will provide expertise in developing a concept paper and implementation plan for democratic oversight; assist in promoting dialogue between the military, parliamentarians, experts and civic activists; and contribute to raising awareness among the public by publishing relevant online resources.  Further assistance efforts will continue after 2016.

In partnering with the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of the Armed Forces (DCAF), the project will also draw on their expertise.

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VIENNA, 22 July 2016 - Violence against women and girls is one of the most serious and pervasive human rights violations. More needs to be done to eliminate this problem so that women can participate without barriers in all spheres of life, said participants of a high-level OSCE conference today in Vienna.

The conference, organized by the OSCE Gender Section and Germany’s 2016 OSCE Chairmanship, brought together representatives of governments of OSCE participating States, international organizations and civil society to discuss the progress, and to exchange good practices and lessons learned in the efforts to end violence against women..

“One in three women worldwide has experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime, perpetrated by intimate partners, family members, acquaintances and strangers,” said OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier, opening the conference. “While we should take note of past and current achievements and activities, we need to now translate our commitments into concrete action”.

 Ambassador Zannier referred to the 2004 OSCE Action Plan on the Promotion of Gender Equality and OSCE Ministerial Council Decisions of 2005 and 2014, which called on participating States to address gender-based violence through legislation, supporting victims’ access to justice, education of relevant institutions and ensuring that women and girls receive special consideration in terms of protection and assistance.

Baroness Joyce Anelay, the UK’s Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development was one of the prominent speakers of the event.

"The OSCE Action Plan on the Promotion of Gender Equality is clear that this agenda is essential to achieving comprehensive security across the OSCE region. We all have a responsibility to promote women's empowerment and their full political, social and economic participation," she said.

Baroness Anelay is also UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict. Earlier this week she addressed representatives of OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation at meetings of the Forum for Security Co-operation and the Permanent Council on the need to promote the role of women in conflict prevention and resolution.

Ambassador Eberhard Pohl, Chair of the OSCE Permanent Council and representing Germany’s OSCE Chairmanship, said: “The protection of women and girls needs our special attention. Violence against women is not only a traumatizing experience for individuals; it has an adverse impact on the stability of societies as a whole. As the OSCE Chairmanship we call for the joint political will in the OSCE to speed up combating violence against women. It is a violation of human rights and all OSCE participating States have committed to ensuring human rights for all its inhabitants equally.”

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DUSHANBE, 8 June 2016 – A one-year learning course on Border Security and Management for Senior Leadership (BSMSL) was launched with an introductory meeting that took place in Dushanbe from 6-8 June.

The course was designed and developed by the OSCE Border Management Staff College and the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), and aims to enhance the knowledge, competencies and leadership potential of mid- to senior-level professionals working in the area of border security and management.

Twenty-four participants from Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Jordan, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Portugal, Tajikistan, Tunisia and Ukraine will participate in the course, providing a comprehensive insight into the contemporary security environment, leadership and management competencies as well as mechanisms to prevent and combat existing and emerging security threats and challenges.

The course programme is divided in three modules that involve participants in fact-finding, analyzing, decision-making, and management activities. Its format provides an opportunity to draw from various international best practices and expertise, putting emphasis on co-operation between operational and academic approaches and encouraging peer-learning.

Each module is presented through a variety of training and learning methods, including e-learning, face-to-face study, follow-on discussions and follow-up activities, group exercises, and study visits.

“Borders exist to unite people and not to divide them. This course is one of the college’s long-term initiatives aiming to promote and implement the concept of open but secure borders. With the knowledge obtained here participants will not only be able to enhance their professional skills but also be capable to develop and provide analysis and recommendations to improve capacities and the situation at borders,” said Ambassador Marcel Pesko, Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre, while addressing the BSMSL participants.

Andrus Oovel, Head of the DCAF Border Security Programme added: “This course is a combination of social, political and security science, covering a wide range of academic disciplines on global governance and security, humanities, law, criminal justice and studies which include leadership and management for strategic and operational planning in managing migration, border security, and trade facilitation.”

ALMATY, Kazakhstan, 22 June 2016 – An OSCE-supported train-the-trainer regional course on document security for some 20 border guards from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan began today in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The three-day event is organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in co-operation with the EU-funded Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA).

Experts from Latvia and Slovakia will share best practices in international document security, including the identification of falsified travel documents, document control, the use of paper and polymer substrates in document security, conventional printing techniques, photo protection, secondary verification, and profiling techniques to identify potential criminals during the border crossing check-up procedure. The participants will also have an opportunity to work with genuine and falsified travel documents from different countries in order to utilize the new methods learned in the course.

“In order to protect a country’s borders, it is crucial to know what verification methods are used in all travel documents and the common features of forged documents,” said Colin McCullough, Political Officer at the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. “This is best done through consistent familiarization on relevant technology and regular exchange of information and experience with other relevant authorities,”

Gunta Laganovska, a trainer at the seminar and Chief of the Expert Service, Central Department of the State Border Service for the Republic of Latvia, said: “International co-operation between border services is a crucial part of a system to prevent illegal migration. The exchange of information and experience in identifying forged documents enables the growth of the professionalism of all participants in this seminar. The train-the-trainers approach allows for the possibility to transfer new skills to a large number of border guards where they work.”

The seminar is part of the Office’s long-standing efforts to promote the OSCE border security concept and counter transnational crime in the host country.

BISHKEK, 8 July 2016 – As part of the first phase of the two-day military Command-Staff Exercise ‘Barrier 2016’, representatives of the State Border Service (SBS), local authorities and civil society of Osh region focused on border security and management problems during a roundtable discussion and video-conference supported by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.

The discussions, held at the SBS headquarters, aimed to promote co-operation between the military, law enforcement agencies and civil society and improve the existing mechanisms of co-ordination. Participants were able to directly ask border management-related questions to the deputies of Jogorku Kenesh (the parliament), government officials and SBS representatives.

Head of the SBS Colonel Abdikarim Alimbaev detailed the complex measures taken by the Service to strengthen the Kyrgyz-Uzbek and Kyrgyz-Tajik border areas, such as improving the infrastructure of border units and setting additional border barriers and posts. “Through improved relations with neighbouring countries, the strengthening of border security and management will ensure the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the State and in this way safeguard peace and stability in the specific border areas and in the broader Central Asian region,” he said.

Daniele Rumolo, acting Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek highlighted the crucial significance of border security for Kyrgyzstan: “Effective counter-efforts to the current challenges remain the most relevant strategic priority for continuous co-operation and also an important aspect of OSCE activities in the framework of transnational threats. The OSCE Centre in Bishkek greatly values its engagement and interaction with the Kyrgyz Government and the SBS, and expresses its readiness to further develop the co-operation in this field.”

Vice Prime-Minister on border issues Jenish Razakov stressed the importance of co-operation between security and law enforcement agencies and local governments, stating that in their absence it would be impossible to resolve border crises. He also noted that in the past two years such joint exercises to enhance the combat readiness of units have demonstrated positive results.

On 8 July, following the roundtable discussion and video-conference in Bishkek, the practical phase of the ‘Barrier 2016’ simulation exercise took place in Osh with the participation of the Special Forces Unit, the SBS, Ministry of Emergency Situations, and the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The Command-Staff Exercise ‘Barrier 2016’ was held jointly by the SBS and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek as part of the Centre’s project to enhance the ability of the Kyrgyz Government to engage in regional co-operation on border security and management. 

DUSHANBE, 15 July 2016 – Twenty-four mid-rank officers from the Tajik Border Troops, the State Committee on National Security and Tajikistan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs today completed a week-long OSCE workshop in Dushanbe on verifying the authenticity of security documents.

The workshop examined how documents are falsified, how passport booklets are constructed and produced, the processes behind producing paper for such documents, security features as well as the methods for verifying passports. Participants also improved their knowledge of technical devices and modern methods for verifying document authenticity, the types of light sources used during the verification, and in working with documents with plastic pages.

The workshop was delivered by two experts from Belarus. 

“The Office in Tajikistan continues supporting the capacity building of Tajik border and security agencies, including in the areas of contemporary approaches to identifying forged travel documents and in inter-agency co-ordination and co-operation in this area,” said Vyacheslav Abramets, Border Management Adviser at the OSCE Office. “The workshop was organized as part of this year’s activities by the OSCE Office and within the framework of the successful implementation of the Tajik National Border Management Strategy.”

The workshop follows the June 2016 handover by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan of a video-spectral comparator with informational-reference system, a spectral fluorescent microscope, compact devices for express authenticity verification, a spectral luminescent magnifier and a desktop computer set, to the Border Troops. The equipment was installed at the border checkpoint in the newly-constructed terminal of Dushanbe International Airport to enable the advanced authenticity verification of passports.

BAKU, 13 April 2015 - The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Baku and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry organized a two-day conference on ensuring national security in the information age, which brought together more than 80 representatives from more than 30 government and private organizations in Azerbaijan as well as international experts on cybersecurity.

The conference aims at raising awareness within the government, private and non-profit sectors about new developments in the sphere of cybersecurity with special emphasis on legislation, policy framework, international co-operation and overall capacity development for the security of cyberspace.

“The rapid economic development that Azerbaijan is enjoying, accompanied by the modernization of infrastructure and permeation of information technologies throughout the public and private sectors, reinforces the need for developing the capacity for preventing and countering cyber-crimes in Azerbaijan,” said Ambassador Alexis Chahtahtinsky, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Baku. “In our efforts to effectively address all possible threats, we have to ensure that we do not overreact and sacrifice the benefits that a functioning cyberspace brings to society as a whole.”

During the conference, renowned experts and practitioners shared with Azerbaijani colleagues the best international practices in cybersecurity. The panel discussions provided an opportunity to develop the operational and technical knowledge of prosecutors, judges and law enforcement officers. They also opened avenues for officials to develop partnerships with the private sector in order to increase the capacity of Azerbaijan for cybersecurity.

This event is part of a project by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Baku on preventing and countering cybercrimes in Azerbaijan. The project is being implemented in co-operation with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, National Security, Justice as well as Communications and High Technologies.

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VIENNA, 17 April 2015 – In a new interactive campaign launched today, the OSCE is inviting members of the public to send in photos, videos and social media messages on how we can work together to make security a reality and promote peace through co-operation.

The campaign “Co-operation matters” aims to show that everyone, as part of a global community, has a stake in efforts to make the world a safer and more peaceful place. It is part of a series of events commemorating the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Helsinki Final Act, the key founding document that brought the OSCE into being and guides its comprehensive approach to security to this day.

The public can get involved by using the hashtags #WeCooperate and #OSCE and submitting their entries via Twitter, Instagram, or directly to the campaign webpage and/or the OSCE Facebook page. The best entries will be published on the website with prizes of a gadget reflecting different areas of security and cooperation every two weeks and a visit to an OSCE event for the best overall entry. Details of the campaign as well as the rules for taking part are available on the campaign webpage.  

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BISHKEK, 19 July 2016 – The OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the State Committee on National Security (SCNS) signed a long-term agreement with the aim of increasing co-operation to support the country's security sector.

The signing of this agreement will expand and boost co-operation between the OSCE and the Kyrgyz government in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. It will also contribute to promoting joint efforts in combating internal and external threats with the aim of protecting peace and stability in the country and the region.

“In recent years, due to the increasing threat of terrorism in the world and particularly in Central Asia, close co-operation between the OSCE and the SCNS in countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism is becoming an urgent task,” said Sergey Kapinos, Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek. “Signing of a long-term cooperation agreement is an important step towards addressing this issue. The OSCE Centre highly values co-operation with the SCNS, and expresses its great appreciation for collaboration and willingness to continue active co-operation in countering terrorist threats."

Deputy Chairperson of the SCNS and Director of Anti-terrorism Centre (ATC) of the SCNS Rustam Mamasadykov highlighted the OSCE Centre’s significant contribution to the development and strengthening of democratic institutions, the rule of law, and its efforts to enhance the capacity of state authorities in effectively preventing and responding to terrorism and extremism.

“Co-operation between SCNS and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek has resulted in significant counter-terrorism capacity building and the strengthening of the national security agencies and other relevant state agencies in responding to terrorist attacks,” said Mamasadykov.

The OSCE Centre in Bishkek is also supporting the SCNS and the Kyrgyz government to carry out comprehensive security sector reform and in ensuring the implementation of the provisions of international treaties, UN Security Council resolutions, and OSCE decisions in the areas of defence, security and counter-terrorism.

During her visit to Kosovo from 7 to 10 June 2016, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors focused on education, implementation of the framework of language rights and access to justice.

The High Commissioner continues to urge for the adoption of the Strategy for the Protection and Promotion of Language Rights, contending that it will make the implementation of legislation more efficient and improve the quality and the consistency of different language versions of legal acts. “When in place, the strategy will lead to positive results quickly,” said Thors.

The visit included Prishtinë/Priština, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, Prizren, Janjevë/Janjevo and Gračanica/Gracanicë where Thors met with ministers, local authorities, media representatives, judges, university professors and students, as well as representatives of the international community. The High Commissioner was joined in several meetings by the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Jean-Claude Schlumberger.

Thors commended the recent adoption of an administrative instruction of the Ministry of Education Science and Technology, which will make it easier for members of non-majority communities to pursue studies at universities in Kosovo as it, among others issues, improves the functioning of the existing quota system.

Whilst visiting the University of Prizren, the High Commissioner expressed concern that courses taught in Turkish and Bosnian have not yet received official accreditation for the next academic year. Such courses cater to the fundamental needs of non-majority communities in Kosovo. “I encourage relevant authorities to take urgent measures so that these options remain available also the next academic year,” said Thors.

High Commissioner Thors discussed extensively with a number of stakeholders the prospective establishment of the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities as well as ways to overcome the current stalemate in the process. She heard views on the need to respect the relevant legal framework but also to meet the expectations of concerned communities, in north Kosovo as elsewhere. Thors also noted the concerns expressed by Serbs living outside Serb majority municipalities, as well as non-Serb non-majority communities, who fear they will not benefit from the process.

In several meetings Thors pointed to the need to improve access to justice for all non-majority communities, to thoroughly follow up on crimes targeting them, as well as to fully enforce their property rights. “When such crimes are investigated and prosecuted, it sends a powerful and reassuring message to non-majority communities that their rights will be effectively protected by the authorities.”

On the last day of her visit, Thors attended a class of Serbian language instruction for Kosovo Albanian officials from the municipality of Prishtinë/Priština, part of a flagship partnership project on language acquisition by municipal officials sponsored by the Office of the Language Commissioner and the HCNM, with German funding, and implemented by the ECMI Kosovo.

The visit served to underline the importance attached by the High Commissioner to language learning as a key building block for integrated societies: “Speaking more than one language is beneficial, both for the person who speaks them and for society as a whole; it is even more important for local government officials, who regularly engage with members of public, to be able to communicate with every person in their community.”

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DUSHANBE, 15 July 2016 – Twenty-four mid-rank officers from the Tajik Border Troops, the State Committee on National Security and Tajikistan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs today completed a week-long OSCE workshop in Dushanbe on verifying the authenticity of security documents.

The workshop examined how documents are falsified, how passport booklets are constructed and produced, the processes behind producing paper for such documents, security features as well as the methods for verifying passports. Participants also improved their knowledge of technical devices and modern methods for verifying document authenticity, the types of light sources used during the verification, and in working with documents with plastic pages.

The workshop was delivered by two experts from Belarus. 

“The Office in Tajikistan continues supporting the capacity building of Tajik border and security agencies, including in the areas of contemporary approaches to identifying forged travel documents and in inter-agency co-ordination and co-operation in this area,” said Vyacheslav Abramets, Border Management Adviser at the OSCE Office. “The workshop was organized as part of this year’s activities by the OSCE Office and within the framework of the successful implementation of the Tajik National Border Management Strategy.”

The workshop follows the June 2016 handover by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan of a video-spectral comparator with informational-reference system, a spectral fluorescent microscope, compact devices for express authenticity verification, a spectral luminescent magnifier and a desktop computer set, to the Border Troops. The equipment was installed at the border checkpoint in the newly-constructed terminal of Dushanbe International Airport to enable the advanced authenticity verification of passports.

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ASHGABAT, 6 May 2016 – Some 60 students at Turkmenistan’s International University of Oil and Gas attended an OSCE-organized seminar on energy security and the role of international organizations in energy-related issues that took place in Ashgabat today.

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized the event to build the students’ capacity in the area of energy diplomacy and enhance their awareness about best international practices in energy governance and security area, as well as current trends in global energy markets.

“Energy security is an integral part of the OSCE’s comprehensive security concept and the OSCE participating States adopted a number of important documents with energy-related commitments, including in the field of sustainable energy and the protection of critical energy infrastructure,” said Daniel Kroos, Senior Energy Security Officer at the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities who was one of the speakers at the lecture..

During the lecture, OSCE experts focused on the reliable and stable transit of energy resources, the current challenges in the oil and gas sector and perspectives for the development of renewable energy. OSCE activities in the field of energy security and lessons learnt in the area of energy transition were also presented.

“As Turkmenistan is demonstrating a clear commitment to promote an international dialogue on energy security, the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat is pleased to continue and expand its successful co-operation with the country’s government on energy-related issues, by reaching out to students who represent the future generation of energy experts in Turkmenistan,” added Richard Wheeler, Political Officer of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat who was the other speaker at the event.

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ASHGABAT, 12 May 2016 – OSCE-organized practical training courses for some 43 officials from the Aviation Security Service and Aviation School of Turkmenistan Airlines, as well as the Transport Police Service of the Interior Ministry, the State Customs Service and State Border Service on X-ray for baggage and passenger screening at airports, concluded today in Ashgabat.

International experts from the United Kingdom delivered two identical training courses on international regulations addressing aviation security, state-of-the-art search techniques and the recognition of firearms, explosive devices and prohibited items.

“In our turbulent times, ensuring aviation security remains a challenging task for governments, law-enforcement bodies, aviation personnel and other involved parties,” said Richard Wheeler, Political Officer of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

“Organized as part of the Centre’s project to enhance infrastructure security, these activities acquire a special importance as Turkmenistan is actively preparing for the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, which will be held in September 2017. The Games will attract a large number of sportsmen, media, sports officials and fans. It is our strong belief that the training courses on X-ray screening will help the relevant officials manage the increased passenger flow while ensuring the observation of efficient security procedures.”

During the training courses, participants also discussed the operation and safety of modern X-ray machines, X-ray image interpretation and screening of people and baggage. Special emphasis was placed on gender-specific screening. Practical exercises focused on X-ray image interpretation techniques, item recognition and consent search techniques.

Both training courses were held in the premises of the Aviation School of Turkmenistan Airlines.

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During her visit to Kosovo from 7 to 10 June 2016, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors focused on education, implementation of the framework of language rights and access to justice.

The High Commissioner continues to urge for the adoption of the Strategy for the Protection and Promotion of Language Rights, contending that it will make the implementation of legislation more efficient and improve the quality and the consistency of different language versions of legal acts. “When in place, the strategy will lead to positive results quickly,” said Thors.

The visit included Prishtinë/Priština, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, Prizren, Janjevë/Janjevo and Gračanica/Gracanicë where Thors met with ministers, local authorities, media representatives, judges, university professors and students, as well as representatives of the international community. The High Commissioner was joined in several meetings by the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Jean-Claude Schlumberger.

Thors commended the recent adoption of an administrative instruction of the Ministry of Education Science and Technology, which will make it easier for members of non-majority communities to pursue studies at universities in Kosovo as it, among others issues, improves the functioning of the existing quota system.

Whilst visiting the University of Prizren, the High Commissioner expressed concern that courses taught in Turkish and Bosnian have not yet received official accreditation for the next academic year. Such courses cater to the fundamental needs of non-majority communities in Kosovo. “I encourage relevant authorities to take urgent measures so that these options remain available also the next academic year,” said Thors.

High Commissioner Thors discussed extensively with a number of stakeholders the prospective establishment of the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities as well as ways to overcome the current stalemate in the process. She heard views on the need to respect the relevant legal framework but also to meet the expectations of concerned communities, in north Kosovo as elsewhere. Thors also noted the concerns expressed by Serbs living outside Serb majority municipalities, as well as non-Serb non-majority communities, who fear they will not benefit from the process.

In several meetings Thors pointed to the need to improve access to justice for all non-majority communities, to thoroughly follow up on crimes targeting them, as well as to fully enforce their property rights. “When such crimes are investigated and prosecuted, it sends a powerful and reassuring message to non-majority communities that their rights will be effectively protected by the authorities.”

On the last day of her visit, Thors attended a class of Serbian language instruction for Kosovo Albanian officials from the municipality of Prishtinë/Priština, part of a flagship partnership project on language acquisition by municipal officials sponsored by the Office of the Language Commissioner and the HCNM, with German funding, and implemented by the ECMI Kosovo.

The visit served to underline the importance attached by the High Commissioner to language learning as a key building block for integrated societies: “Speaking more than one language is beneficial, both for the person who speaks them and for society as a whole; it is even more important for local government officials, who regularly engage with members of public, to be able to communicate with every person in their community.”

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ALMATY, 5 July 2016 – The annual OSCE Central Asian Youth Network (CAYN) forum and seminar began today in Almaty.

The three-day event was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana for some 35 university students and CAYN alumni from Central Asia, Afghanistan and Mongolia. Representatives of the OSCE and expert speakers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Norway and the Russian Federation are also taking part.

The topic of this year’s forum “Renewing dialogue, rebuilding trust, restoring security” was selected to reflect the priorities of Germany’s 2016 OSCE Chairmanship. The participants will discuss the key challenges for comprehensive security in Central Asia and beyond, and explore ways to address them in their communities and together with co-operation from neighbouring countries. They will also address the issue of civil society’s role in promoting fundamental freedoms and human rights, and re-examine co-operation in Central Asia on its way to integration with a special emphasis on connectivity and multilateral co-operation.

“Through CAYN we hope that when you begin to take responsibility for your communities and your countries you can say with confidence that you have learned about key security challenges in the region,” said Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana György Szabó. “Moreover, you have heard perspectives from some of the best minds in the region and experts from around the world on how to address them.”

Renate Schimkoreit, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany to Almaty presented the priorities of the German OSCE Chairmanship. Pal Dunay, Director of the OSCE Academy in Bishkek and Milena Stošić, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office on Youth and Security, will focus on engaging youth in promoting OSCE values and principles and in addressing security challenges and threats in the wider region. Special attention will be paid to youth involvement in the OSCE's 'United in Countering Violent Extremism' campaign.

The forum will be followed by training workshops focused on using technology for governance, civil society development, networking and data utilization. The event will culminate with an outdoor exercise to promote team building.

Nurlan Dulatbekov, a Member of Kazakhstan’s Parliament spoke about the role of promoting social security as part of national and regional security as well as initiatives to counter violent extremism through engaging youth at the grassroots level.

The event is part of the Office’s efforts to enhance young people’s understanding of contemporary security threats and challenges and to explain the OSCE’s role in addressing them.

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By Aaron Stillman, Head of Product Marketing at Tresorit.

Research shows that 81 per cent of UK businesses handle digitised personal data, digitised non-personal data, or both, making secure and efficient data management crucial, particularly when critical transactions and confidential processes are at play. This is where virtual data rooms (VDRs) become invaluable.

The opening comes amid a nervous reaction among some NATO members to the election of Trump, who has vowed not to defend countries that do not spend enough on defence.

The rise of SaaS and cloud-based work environments has fundamentally altered the cyber risk landscape. With more than 90% of organizational network traffic flowing through browsers and web applications, companies are facing new and serious cybersecurity threats. These include phishing attacks, data leakage, and malicious extensions. As a result, the browser also becomes a vulnerability that

President-elect Donald Trump has named Rep. Mike Waltz of Florida as his national security advisor.

A Secret Service agent assigned to Barack Obama was breaching security while leading a double life, according to a memoir by the agent's former girlfriend.

Officials in southern China ramped up security on Wednesday at the site of the country's deadliest attack in a decade, snuffing out makeshift memorials to the 35 people killed when a man drove a car into a crowd at a sports complex.

[Parliament of South Africa] The Minister of Water and Sanitation, Ms. Pemmy Majodina, has assured Parliament and the country that there is currently no threat to South Africa's water security.

The United States opened a new air defense base in northern Poland on Wednesday, an event the European nation's president said showed the country was secure as a member of NATO even as Russia wages war in neighboring Ukraine.  Situated in the town of Redzikowo near the Baltic coast, the base has been in the works since the 2000s.   At a time when Donald Trump's election victory has caused jitters among some NATO members, Warsaw says the continued work on the base by successive U.S. presidents shows Poland's military alliance with Washington remains solid whoever is in the White House.  "The United States... is the guarantor of Poland's security," President Andrzej Duda said.  He said the permanent presence of U.S. troops at the base showed that Poland, a communist state until 1989, was "not in the Russian sphere of influence."  The Kremlin on Wednesday called the base a bid to contain Russia by moving American military infrastructure nearer its borders.  The opening comes amid a nervous reaction among some NATO members to the election of Trump, who has vowed not to defend countries that do not spend enough on defense.   However, Poland says it should have nothing to fear as it is the alliance's biggest spender on defense relative to the size of its economy, and conservative Duda has stressed his warm ties with Trump.  The U.S. base at Redzikowo is part of a broader NATO missile shield, dubbed "Aegis Ashore," which the alliance says can intercept short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles.  Other key shield elements include a site in Romania, U.S. navy destroyers based in the Spanish port of Rota and an early-warning radar in Kurecik, Turkey.  Moscow had already labeled the base a threat as far back as 2007, when it was still being planned.   NATO says the shield is purely defensive.  Military sources told Reuters the system in Poland can now only be used against missiles fired from the Middle East and the radar would need a change in direction to intercept projectiles from Russia, a complex procedure entailing a change of policy.  Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Monday the scope of the shield needed to be expanded, which Warsaw would discuss with NATO and the United States.  NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will meet Duda and Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw later on Wednesday. 

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Mari­time Affairs has prepared the draft of a new shipping policy, which includes provisions aimed at providing financial sec­u­rity to the owners of registered ships.

‘Pakistan Shipping Policy 2024’ will replace Pakistan Merchant Marine Policy 2001, as well as the amended version of 2019. The ministry organised a workshop of stakeholders on Wednesday to discuss the draft of the new shipping policy.

Maritime Affairs Secretary Syed Zafar Ali Shah, chairpersons of port authorities, senior officials of the maritime affairs ministry and stakeholders from the private sector participated in the workshop.

The policy makes it possible by legislation to furnish a bond of adequate amount to owners of any registered ship if it is detained or seized for any reason within the territorial jurisdiction of Pakistan, and it should be within 24 hours after taking the surety bond.

The secretary of maritime affairs informed participants of the workshop that the Shipping Policy 2024 has been made in accordance with the standards and rules of the International Maritime Organisation.

It was noted that the government should ensure that if the case is settled, the bail bonds are returned within one month.

In this regard, a help desk should also be established within the ministry of maritime affairs and special courts related to maritime affairs should also be set up having powers equal to high courts.

The draft proposes that the newly registered Pakistani shipping company will pay $0.75 per gross registered tonnage for five years, while currently the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) is paying $1 per gross registered tonnage on its revenue.

The rebate of $0.25 to new companies is likely to encourage domestic and national investors to show interest in maritime industry.

The draft has proposed that the registered Pakistani shipping companies would be allowed to seek financing from foreign financial institutions and banks.

A proposal to grant tax exemption for 10 years to new foreign shipping companies was brought forward by the participants of the workshop, and they stressed for assistance by state authorities to Pakistan shipping companies in opening foreign currency accounts.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

QUETTA: The Balochistan government has decided to develop a provincial action plan to significantly enhance governance and security across the province.

Balochistan Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan on Wednesday briefed a high-level meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, on the proposed plan.

The chief secretary said that a comprehensive strategy is being developed to effectively counter terrorism, crime, extortion and smuggling cases with a focus on enhancing enforcement measures.

The implementation of this action plan is likely to bring substantial improvements in governance and security in Balochistan.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Bugti emphasised the importance of integrating modern technology into the plan. He also stressed the need for strengthening the professional capacity of law-enforcement agencies to combat terrorism and crime effectively.

He said profiling of criminals should be conducted for closer monitoring and all security agencies must coordinate to ensure efficient information sharing about criminals, suspects and convicts.

He said a clear and decisive strategy would be put in place to eradicate terrorism and crime without hesitation, pledging the provision of necessary resources to law enforcement agencies while expecting tangible results in return.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2024

1. Doctor stabbed by patient’s son: Demanding security, Tamil Nadu government doctors begin indefinite strike  The Hindu
2. Video | Chennai Doctors To Boycott Non-Patient Work For An Hour Amid Stabbing Incident  NDTV
3. Tamil Nadu doctors attacked: Protests erupt, no surgeries, OPDs at Coimbatore hospitals today  The Times of India
4. Video: Chennai man calmly walks away after stabbing doctor, wipes knife  India Today
5. Chennai doctor stabbing: Minister Subramanian retracts “north Indians” claim, apologises  The News Minute

Federal government departments are still allowed to advertise on TikTok despite mounting security concerns about the social media app, CBC News has learned. 

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security and its disaster agency has said people aren’t driving temperature increases and declined to accept federal climate money for disaster preparedness as governor of South Dakota

This post explores the challenges UK IT and security teams face due to legacy tech and the rise of generative AI. Results reveal a surge in security incidents and burno…

Hi sir Suppose a registered person receives Security services from a CompanyThe Company is unregistered under GST Will the RCM provisions applicable on this transaction Please adviseThanks

Thousands of police are deployed in Paris to ensure security at a France-Israel football international.

The mayor of Chilpancingo, Alejandro Arcos, was murdered just days after taking office last month.

US President-elect Donald Trump has selected South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as his next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

US President-elect Donald Trump has nominated South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as his secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, which controls immigration-related agencies.

and background of the case:

The Appellant filed an RTI application dated 09.06.2023 seeking information on following points:-

"1) A certified copy of complaint filed by Neha Kumari /Neha Verma against me between September 2022 to November 2022 addressed to the Director General CISF."

The CPIO vide letter dated 20.06.2023 replied as under:-

"02. It is to inform that under provision of Section-24 of RTI Act 2005, the information sought by you vide representation dated 09/06/2023, cannot be provided as the CISF is an Armed Force of Union and exempted from providing information except for the cases of corruption and human rights violation. The information sought by you does not fali just within the ambit of the two categories mentioned above."

Federation of Government Doctors’ Association will decide on the next course of action at an executive committee meeting to be held on November 17, 2024.