Environment Canada announced that it is moving forward with regulatory measures to limit the growth of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). It has published a Notice of Intent to Regulate Hydrofluorocarbons in the Canada Gazette outlining the scope of the proposed measures for HFCs, which are considered potent greenhouse gases.

Airtron Canada announced that it has been selected to perform HVAC and building automation systems (BAS) maintenance services for more than 600 Ontario government buildings. That translates into 21 million square feet of facilities in buildings such as office buildings, laboratories, and correctional facilities.

Panasonic Eco Solutions Canada Inc. announced that it has received a Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) Game Changer Award, the Energy Management Award, as part of the annual Game Changer Awards Gala.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that Canada has topped its international rankings of the Top 10 Countries for LEED. The list highlights countries outside of the U.S. that are making significant strides in sustainable building.

Enercare Inc. has announced the introduction of its Preferred Customer Program for multifamily buildings. The program provides property managers, landlords, and developers with cost savings and a single point-of-contact for efficient delivery of services for their building’s sub-metering, water heating, and heating and cooling needs.

Canadian home and commercial services company Enercare Inc., Toronto, is reported to have entered into an agreement to acquire Service Experts, a U.S. provider of HVAC services based in Plano, Texas. The purchase price is said to be $340.75 million.

HVAC efficiency standards have changed in the U.S., creating an opportunity for Canadians dealers. Distributors and manufacturers in the Southeast and Southwest regions of the U.S. need to sell 13 SEER inventory by July 2016. Canadian dealers can purchase this equipment at significant savings.

TMI Climate Solutions, a manufacturer of advanced air handling, hydronic systems, and custom HVAC solutions, has announced a new subsidiary, TMI Climate Solutions Canada Inc. The company also announced completion of a new 200,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Pointe-Claire (Montreal), Quebec.

Panasonic Eco Solutions Canada Inc. announced it won the 2016 Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) Game Changer Award in the “Project Finance Category,” presented at the Game Changer Awards Gala. This is Panasonic’s second CanSIA Game Changer Award.

Ameresco Inc. announced that it has partnered with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) on a new energy savings project. The $3.9 million (CAD) comprehensive energy efficiency and facility renewal project at NRC research facilities is expected to save over $330,000 annually in utility costs.

Enercare Inc. has announced the launch of the Enercare Fresh Start Program, a new corporate social responsibility program designed to help families transitioning between temporary shelters and a home of their own.

Posted by Nanog News on Nov 13

Constrafor is stepping up to support local contractors across Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia with a comprehensive Disaster Relief Effort. This initiative, in conjunction with their Early Pay Program (EPP), aims to provide immediate financial support to contractors, enabling them to overcome delays, secure materials, and ensure timely payment for their teams.

Paul Davis Restoration pledges $1 million to the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program in response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton. This proactive donation ensures the Red Cross is equipped to meet the needs of those affected by disasters across the U.S. Discover how this significant contribution, along with volunteer efforts, supports disaster relief and community resilience. 

Phoenix Restoration Equipment announces the release of its new, free iPhone application that will instantly calculate the psychometric data essential to restoration professionals. 

The ARMOR X7 compact tablet is specifically-designed for those mission-critical tasks that require connectivity, hand-held mobility, ease of use and the durability to support all-weather operations.

11/19/2024 - 12:00 PM - Venue: Assistance League of Pueblo

11/16/2024 - 9:00 PM - Venue: Patsy's

11/15/2024 - 9:00 PM - Venue: Patsy's

Craft beer has revolutionized the industry and is moving out of microbreweries and into the main market. According to the Brewers Association, there were over 3,200 brewers in the United States as of November 2014.

FSX 2025 is designed as a platform for knowledge-sharing, professional growth, and collaboration among key stakeholders in the food industry.

That makes it a congressional red sweep and the question now is just how much of a majority will they command in the House? The latest NYT projections here show Republicans do have the needed 218 seats claimed for a majority. However, there are still 9 seats yet to be called.

There are some seats such as Iowa 1 and California 45, which are toss ups, that could go to a recount and take a longer time to settle due to the current margins. For some context, here is a list of the more competitive districts as a reference.

But even if you give those two to the Democrats, Republicans will at least snag Alaska 1 to end with 219 seats. That is the bare minimum that they should win with when all is said and done.

The pullback in gold continues to play out since the post-election period. The precious metal is now down for a fifth straight day in what is already easily its worst weekly showing so far this year. It has more or less been a case of waiting for said pullback to reach some key technical levels on the charts. And we're just about there already in trading today.

The 100-day moving average (red line) is the key technical focus right now and that is seen at roughly $2,543. The last time gold actually had a brush against the key level was all the way back in February. And the last time that gold traded back below either that or its 200-day moving average (blue line) was all the way back in October last year.

That underscores the breathtaking momentum that has been in play for gold all through this year so far.

As such, this makes the 100-day moving average an even more important technical juncture now. A break there will not only signify a break in the bullish bias in gold. However, it could set off another wave of selling that leads to an even bigger pullback.

Traders love key levels like these and USD/JPY is a good example of that when it broke its own 100-day moving average back in late July as well. The drop there of course owed to a myriad of other factors but the technical consideration certainly exacerbated things. And it could also be the case for gold when we get there in the sessions ahead.

I'm still an advocate for gold in the bigger picture of things. However, I would say dip buyers will need to be patient to let this correction run its course before coming back in. From earlier this week: Gold pullback might prove to be timely for dip buyers

The US CPI report yesterday here provided some reason for a push and pull in markets but ultimately, the dollar settled higher as it continues its post-election momentum. It's tough to fight that especially with dollar bulls also seeking out key technical breaks on the charts. And the greenback is once again keeping a little firmer today:

EUR/USD is holding at its lowest levels this year after the break below the April low of 1.0601 overnight. Meanwhile, USD/JPY had a brief brush against 156.00 earlier as it eyes further gains alongside an uptick in Treasury yields.

Elsewhere, GBP/USD is closing in on its August low of 1.2665 while USD/CAD is up to its highest levels since 2020 in a push above 1.4000. It's all about the dollar as it rampages on in the post-election period.

Looking to the session ahead, there isn't anything on the agenda in Europe to shake up that sentiment. All eyes will once again fall on more US data later in the day to perhaps add to the mix. Otherwise, the euphoria from Trump trades is still very much permeating across broader markets with Bitcoin also hoping to firmly clear $90,000 since yesterday.

0800 GMT - Spain October final CPI figures1000 GMT - Eurozone Q3 GDP second estimate1000 GMT - Eurozone September industrial production

That's all for the session ahead. I wish you all the best of days to come and good luck with your trading! Stay safe out there.

And that is thanks to Beijing disappointing markets once again with a failure to live up to stimulus announcements. It was the case right after the Golden Week holiday and it was the case again on Friday last week. With the drop today, the CSI 300 index closes down by 1.7% to post its lowest close this week.

It's been a rather back and forth last few days but the feeling is that there are hints of exhaustion when it comes to Chinese equities at the moment. That especially since Beijing has not followed up on the rallying momentum prior to the Golden Week holiday.

In the bigger picture, China is a very, very attractive opportunity as valuations are cheap and price levels are low at the moment. And that provides an alluring proposition for any investor, that is if you can ride this wave out. I'm definitely keeping an eye out but I'm not entirely convinced that this is where the turning point is, especially since local authorities have not delivered in recent weeks.

The technical breakout at the end of September is a good starting point but I fear that with a lack of convincing, China stocks might slip back into old habits and slide down again in the weeks ahead. The warning signs are definitely building to say the least: It's not a pretty picture in China

Why it's important?

The ranges of estimates are important in terms of market reaction because when the actual data deviates from the expectations, it creates a surprise effect. Another important input in market's reaction is the distribution of forecasts.

In fact, although we can have a range of estimates, most forecasts might be clustered on the upper bound of the range, so even if the data comes out inside the range of estimates but on the lower bound of the range, it can still create a surprise effect.

Distribution of forecasts for PPI

PPI Y/Y

• 2.4% (11%)
• 2.3% (68%) - consensus
• 2.2% (16%)
• 2.0% (5%)

PPI M/M

• 0.4% (2%)
• 0.3% (13%)
• 0.2% (74%) - consensus
• 0.1% (7%)
• 0.0% (2%)
• -0.1% (2%)

Core PPI Y/Y

• 3.1% (12%)
• 3.0% (47%) - consensus
• 2.9% (35%)
• 2.7% (6%)

Core PPI M/M

• 0.3% (57%) - consensus
• 0.2% (40%)
• 0.1% (3%)

Analysis

We can ignore the headline PPI as the market will focus on the Core figures. We can notice that the expectations are skewed to the downside, so a higher than expected reading would be taken as more hawkish and likely give the US Dollar another boost. Conversely, a soft print could trigger a pullback.

The US Dollar remains in an uptrend as the market continues to price out the rate cuts expected in 2025. Right now we have another 25 bps cut priced for December and just two 25 bps cuts priced in 2025 which is already much lower than the Fed's projection of four.

Therefore, there's still a couple of rate cuts to price out in 2025 if the data continues to run hot, but at that point we would need a real acceleration in inflation to have the market pricing in a rate hike. For now, the bar for rate hikes is really high as the maximum the Fed is willing to do is to pause the easing cycle.

Fundamental Overview

The US CPI yesterday came in line with expectations leading to a bit of a “sell the fact” reaction in the US Dollar.

The bullish momentum picked up a bit later though as Fed’s Logan delivered a hawkish comment saying that “models show that Fed funds could be very close to neutral” basically implying a lot more cautious approach on rate cuts in 2025.

The market is viewing all of this in light of the recent US election as Trump’s policies are likely to spur growth and potentially keep inflation above target for longer, making the Fed’s job of bringing inflation back to target a bit harder.

USDJPY Technical Analysis – Daily Timeframe

On the daily chart, we can see that USDJPY finally extended the rally into new highs helped by a hawkish comment from Fed’s Logan. There’s no strong technical resistance now at least until the 160.00 handle.

If we get a pullback, the buyers will likely lean on the trendline with a defined risk below it to position for a rally into the 160.00 handle. The sellers, on the other hand, will want to see the price breaking lower to start targeting a drop back into the 152.00 support.

USDJPY Technical Analysis – 4 hour Timeframe

On the 4 hour chart, we can see that we have a minor upward trendline defining the current bullish momentum. If we get a pullback, the buyers will likely lean on it to position for new highs, while the sellers will look for a break lower to target a break below the major trendline.

USDJPY Technical Analysis – 1 hour Timeframe

On the 1 hour chart, there’s not much else we can add as from a risk management perspective, the buyers will have a better setup around the trendline, while the sellers are better to wait for a technical break lower instead of trying to catch the top. The red lines define the average daily range for today.

Upcoming Catalysts

Today we have the US PPI and the US Jobless Claims figures. Tomorrow, we conclude the week with the US Retail Sales data.

See the video below

Valhalla, Floki’s PlayToEarn Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) blockchain game is proud to announce a partnership in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

On Nov. 13, Valhalla unveiled a partnership with Dubai's Mall of the Emirates, marking a milestone in its global outreach efforts.

The partnership will see Valhalla’s branding prominently displayed across 93 screens in the mall for a four-week campaign running from November 15 to December 12.

Mall of the Emirates, located in the heart of Dubai, is one of the world’s most prestigious shopping destinations. Since opening in 2005, it has become an iconic landmark, attracting millions of visitors each year. The mall sees daily traffic of approximately 111,500 people, making it a prime venue for Valhalla’s campaign to reach a diverse and international audience.

The mall’s strategic location on Sheikh Zayed Road, a prime area in Dubai, combined with its diverse visitor base, offers Valhalla an opportunity to engage both local and international audiences.

Spanning an area of 255,489 square meters, the multi-level mall boasts over 630 retail outlets, 80 luxury stores, and 250 flagship stores. It also features some of Dubai’s most popular attractions, including the indoor ski resort Ski Dubai, the Magic Planet entertainment center, and VOX Cinemas. The mall’s dining options, with over 100 restaurants and cafés, further enhance its appeal as a top destination for both residents and tourists.

The Campaign’s Goal

Valhalla is ramping up its presence in the UAE, a key market for crypto adoption.

Despite its smaller population, the UAE ranks as the third-largest crypto economy in the MENA region, with $34 billion in crypto transactions recorded between July 2023 and June 2024. This represents an impressive 42% year-on-year growth, far outpacing the MENA average of 11.73%, according to Chainalysis.

Dubai’s rapid evolution into a crypto hub has been fueled by initiatives like the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA), which offer crypto-friendly regulatory frameworks. This has drawn major players and startups, solidifying Dubai’s status as a global crypto leader.

Valhalla’s campaign at Mall of the Emirates aligns perfectly with this momentum. By showcasing its brand in one of Dubai’s busiest and most iconic locations, Floki aims to boost awareness and adoption of its ecosystem.

This campaign follows Floki’s recent four-week marketing initiative at WAFI Mall in Dubai, running from November 8 to December 5, where its branding appears across 18 digital screens. Together, these efforts are part of Floki’s larger strategy to dominate the Dubai crypto scene.

About Valhalla

Valhalla (https://valhalla.game/) is a blockchain-based MMORPG inspired by Norse mythology, offering players the chance to discover, tame, and battle with creatures called Veras. The game features a player-driven economy and a hexagonal battlefield designed for dynamic combat. Users can learn more at Valhalla.game.

About Floki

Floki is the people’s cryptocurrency and utility token of the Floki Ecosystem. Focused on utility, community, philanthropy, and strategic marketing, Floki is working toward becoming the world’s most recognized and used cryptocurrency. With over 490,000 holders globally, Floki has already established a strong brand presence.

Fundamental Overview

The US CPI yesterday came in line with expectations leading to a bit of a “sell the fact” reaction in the US Dollar.

The bullish momentum picked up a bit later though as Fed’s Logan delivered a hawkish comment saying that “models show that Fed funds could be very close to neutral” basically implying a lot more cautious approach on rate cuts in 2025.

The market is viewing all of this in light of the recent US election as Trump’s policies are likely to spur growth and potentially keep inflation above target for longer, making the Fed’s job of bringing inflation back to target a bit harder.

AUDUSD Technical Analysis – Daily Timeframe

On the daily chart, we can see that AUDUSD broke through the recent low around the 0.6537 level and extended the drop into the 0.6460 level as the US Dollar restarted its run on stronger US data. The natural target should be around the 0.6362 level.

From a risk management perspective, the sellers will have a better risk to reward setup around the trendline. The buyers, on the other hand, will want to see the price breaking higher to start targeting a rally into the top of the yearly range around the 0.69 handle.

AUDUSD Technical Analysis – 4 hour Timeframe

On the 4 hour chart, we can see that we have another minor downward trendline defining the current bearish momentum. If we were to get a pullback, the sellers will likely lean on the trendline with a defined risk above it to position for a drop into new lows. The buyers, on the other hand, will want to see the price breaking higher to start targeting a bigger pullback into the major trendline.

AUDUSD Technical Analysis – 1 hour Timeframe

On the 1 hour chart, there’s not much more we can add although we can see that we have a minor resistance zone around the 0.65 handle. If the price gets there, we can expect the sellers to pile in for move lower, while the buyers will look for a break higher. The red lines define the average daily range for today.

Upcoming Catalysts

Today we have the US PPI and the US Jobless Claims figures. Tomorrow, we conclude the week with the US Retail Sales data.

The Bank of Canada looks likely to keep on cutting rates faster than the Federal Reserve. This is one factor in the strength of USD/CAD. I hope the yen bulls are taking note ;-)

The data is here from earlier:

• Australian October unemployment rate 4.1% (vs. 4.1% expected)
• AUD/USD little changed after the October employment report showed a steady jobless rate
  • (ps. AUD/USD has slid a little since this post, broadly stronger USD the culprit)

Westpac with the recap, in brief:

Australian labour market remains in relatively solid health

• employment growth slowing broadly in line with population growth
• average hours holding steady
• few signs that labour demand is capitulating to an extent that warrants concern
• labour market conditions remain somewhat tight ... this is not translating to stronger wage inflation pressures
• On balance, today’s update will see the RBA continue to remain focused on the dynamics around underlying inflation.

***

Speaking of the RBA, we heard from Bullock earlier, not dovish:

• RBA Bullock says rates are restrictive enough, staying there until confident on inflation

***

AUD/USD update:

• Inflation has come down quite a lot
• Recent data on prices are heading towards our 2% goal
• If inflation converges towards our goal, then monetary policy will respond accordingly

This just reaffirms their current stance and market pricing for a rate cut in December. The question now is, how much will the ECB move by? The odds of a 25 bps rate cut are at ~63% with the remainder pinned to a 50 bps move instead.

Commercial Changes / Commercial viability

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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For more details please see attached the Request for pre-qualification.

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Twenty-five lecturers from law faculties at fifteen universities from around Ukraine, during a roundtable discussion supported by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator on 13 July 2016 in Kyiv, developed recommendations on teaching human rights within Master of Law university programmes.

The discussions focused on teaching the European Convention on Human Rights and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), with international experts from the Max Planck Institute Luxembourg for International, European and Regulatory Procedural Law, the Union University and the ECtHR highlighting ways of ensuring a human rights-based approach to legal education.

Participants exchanged syllabi, research materials and teaching methodologies and agreed to set up a platform to further develop the human rights law curricula. This community of practice will function on a permanent basis with further support from the OSCE Project Co-ordinator and with the participation of leading Ukrainian law schools.

The roundtable discussion was held as part of the Second Annual Inter-University Human Rights School on 11-15 July 2016, which was organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine in co-operation with the Lviv and Kyiv Universities.

The School was held as part of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator’s project on safeguarding Human Rights through the courts. The project is being implemented with the financial support of the Government of Canada, and follows on from the First Annual Inter-University School dedicated to the Right to Life held in 2015.

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KHUJAND, Tajikistan, 13 July 2016 – A two-day workshop for civil society and police officers on improving the local referral mechanisms for the protection of domestic violence victims concluded today in Khujand.

The workshop brought together some 23 representatives of crisis centres, the police, state services for social protection and the Committee of Women and Family Affairs from the Sughd region of Tajikistan.

Participants exchanged good practices on inter-agency co-operation to assist victims of violence in the region, discuss current challenges and ways to improve the current mechanism of the multi-disciplinary approach.

“This is an opportunity for the OSCE-supported Women’s Resource Centres from the regions to share the experiences and plans for further activities on strengthening women’s rights in the region,” said Viorelia Rusu, the OSCE Office’s Gender and Anti-Trafficking Officer.

Within separate sessions, participants from the crisis centres shared experiences related to the rehabilitation and protection of domestic violence victims, and police inspectors discussed the provisions of the updated Instructions on dealing with domestic violence cases. Police officers also received copies of the new Manual on Countering Domestic Violence, published by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.

“We learned from similar meetings organized earlier in Khatlon region that such discussions, including on concrete cases, contribute to a better co-ordinated and victim-centered, multi-agency approach in protecting domestic victims at the local level, and it harmoniously compliments the Ministry’s plans on gender mainstreaming into police reform,” said Ali Bobonazarzoda, National Co-ordinator on Police Reform under the country’s Interior Ministry.

The event is part of the annual activities of the Office’s Gender and Anti-Trafficking Unit aimed at strengthening the current local protection mechanisms for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.  

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The OSCE Office in Tajikistan on 24 July 2016 organized the first regional forum for promoting women’s political participation in Khujand, with the aim of increasing community outreach, engaging women leaders in the region and supporting women’s empowerment in political and public life.

The forum brought together 40 experts from political parties, local authorities, international organizations and civil society members, and is designed as a platform for dialogue between women politicians and communities. They will work to motivate young girls who aspire to become leaders or hold decision-making positions in public life, and aim to gain support from communities and local authorities for the advancement of women in political life.

“Our project aims to build strong support for women leaders, to tackle gender stereotypes, to surface and articulate the aspirations, choices and skills of women and girls of Tajikistan, so that they can realize their full potential in public and political life,” said Vesna Ivanovikj-Castarede, Head of the Democratization Unit at the OSCE Office. 

Shanjeev Thiruchelvam, OSCE Field Officer in Khujand, said: “Both male and female community leaders, politicians and civil society representatives have expressed keen interest in the continued work of the Sughd Women's Forum, which recognizes, and aims to provide opportunities to develop female leadership in Sughd public life.”

Similar forums are to be organized across the country. 

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GARM, Tajikistan, 28 July 2016 – Some 20 representatives of civil society and state agencies working to provide direct assistance to domestic violence victims learned about good practices on local referral mechanisms in other regions of Tajikistan at a workshop held today in Garm by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.

The representatives of crisis centres, the local police department, state services for social protection and medical care, the local Ombudsman’s Office, and religious leaders enhanced their knowledge of the multi-agency Working Group and how inter-agency co-operation can further assist victims of violence. They also discussed the current challenges and ways to improve the local mechanism through the use of a victim-centered approach.

“It is encouraging to see multidisciplinary approaches being applied by governmental and non-governmental partners in other regions of the country,” said Viorelia Rusu, the OSCE Office’s Gender and Anti-Trafficking Officer. “OSCE-supported Women Resource Centres in the regions also play an important role, supplementing the efforts of local government in providing direct assistance services to domestic violence victims.”

The event was part of the OSCE support offered to the Interior Ministry in gender mainstreaming in police reform, and was aimed at institutionalizing informal mechanisms for the referral and assistance of domestic violence victims at the local level.

The OSCE Office supported similar initiatives on multi-agency working groups in the Kulyab and Djaihun regions at the end of last year and beginning of this year. 

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Awards recognizing best practices in local governance in Montenegro’s municipalities over the course of this year were presented at a ceremony organized on 28 December 2015 in Podgorica by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro in co-operation with the Union of Municipalities and the Ministry of Interior.

The annual Awards, now in their eighth year, are open to all local government units and allow them to showcase successful and innovative solutions and initiatives in providing services to their citizens.

Opening the award ceremony, Chairperson of the Executive Board of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro and Mayor of Cetinje, Aleksandar Bogdanović, said the Awards were the product of the excellent co-operation of national authorities, local government and international organizations with the aim of supporting sustainable development at the local level.

Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission Dan Redford said: “The OSCE Mission to Montenegro has always and will continue to support each and every effort of local governance units in Montenegro to enhance principles of good governance in their communities. These are of fundamental importance because local government is closest to citizens and provides them with essential services. Our goal has always been to mobilize and stimulate action by local stakeholders so that the citizens may benefit from good democratic governance at the local level, through the continuously improving quality of local public services.”

General Director of Directorate for State and Local Authorities in the Ministry of Interior Dragana Ranitović said this programme is of great importance for local governance units as it enables the sharing of best practices among municipalities and that it could be expanded further to facilitate bilateral cross-border co-operation.

The winners of this year’s Awards are:

• Žabljak Municipality for its economical financial practices;
• Budva Municipality for its effective human resources management through an electronic personnel recording system;
• Petnjica Municipality for establishing institutional models to enhance co-operation with citizens and the diaspora;
• Bijelo Polje Municipality for its work in economically empowering women;
• Berane Municipality for establishing a Secretariat for Sports, Culture, Youth and Co-operation with NGOs, and a Youth Council.

Berane Municipality also received a special award for introducing a more efficient accounting management system for budget spending, and for establishing the post of an Internal controller.

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A televised debate hosted by the Montenegrin Public Service Broadcaster and supported by the OSCE Mission on 2 May 2016, ahead of World Press Freedom Day, raised on awareness about the threats to media freedoms and specific problems facing journalism as a profession.

Taking part in the debate were Nikola Markovic, Editor-in-Chief of daily Dan; Tufik Sofitc, Acting Director of Radio Berane, journalist of daily Vijesti and weekly Monitor, and currently under police protection; Ranko Vujovic, Executive Secretary of the Media Council for Self-Regulation ; Marijana Bojanic, Executive Director of Vijesti Television; and Drasko Djuranovic, Editor-in-Chief of the daily Pobjeda.

Among the issues highlighted were problems related to the polarized media industry in Montenegro, different pressures on journalists, state-financing subsidies and the media market, the social standing of journalists, and the lack of solidarity.

Panellists agreed that the amended Code of Ethics for media professionals is a major step forward which has improved co-operation among the media but the focus now should be on its implementation.

 “In order to achieve and practice the freedom of expression, it is necessary to have a strong and independent media, and in order to have that, it is essential to ensure their sustainability,” said Bojanic. 

The TV debate is available in the Montenegrin language.

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A campaign highlighting the benefits of composting household waste, supported by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, was launched on 1 July 2016 in Pljevlja, by the Montenegrin Sustainable Development and Tourism Ministry, the Municipality of Pljevlja and the Eco-Centre Dolphin NGO.

Some 40 participants - representatives of the Sustainable Development and Tourism Ministry; the municipal authorities of Berane, Bijelo Polje and Pljevlja; local public utility companies from Pljevlja and Kotor; and NGOs as well as citizens, attended the campaign launch.

“Composting household waste is just an element of broader waste management, one of the most current issues facing Montenegrin authorities in their efforts to bring the relevant policy, strategy and legislative frameworks in line with the international standards and requirements of the advancing integration processes,” said Programme Manager at the OSCE Mission Vladimir Ragozin.

President of the Municipality of Pljevlja Mirko Đačić said: “Our municipality is actively involved in enhancing the local environment, especially regarding air quality improvements.”

State Secretary at the Sustainable Development and Tourism Ministry Daliborka Pejović stated that the primary waste separation is unquestionable and the educational campaigns are crucial bearing in mind the State’s plan of 50-70% of waste to be primary separated d until 2020.

“The waste should be perceived as a resource that can be further used through development of recycling and composting industry,” said Director of Eco-Centre Dolphin NGO Ljilja Radunović. “It is recommended, under the EU Directive on Landfills, to consider the policy of the closure of landfills starting from 2020 because they proved to be unsustainable.” 

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PODGORICA, 12 July  2016 - OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier concluded today a two-day visit to Montenegro, marking the 10th anniversary of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro. “After independence, this country entrusted the OSCE with an important responsibility: to help advance security, democracy, the rule of law and human rights for Montenegrin citizens,” Zannier said.  

During his visit, the Secretary General met with President Filip Vujanovic, Parliament Speaker Darko Pajovic, Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, Deputy Prime Minister Dusko Markovic and Minister of Interior Goran Danilovic, as well as representatives of civil society.

Zannier commended the Montenegrin authorities for their commitment to undertaking reforms and encouraged further progress, offering OSCE’s continued support in line with national priorities. “The OSCE remains one of the country’s key partners in helping to further develop independent, open and transparent institutions that enjoy wide public trust,” he stated.

Discussing preparations for the parliamentary elections on 16 October, the Secretary General commended the sense of responsibility already demonstrated by political parties in overcoming the recent political crisis through a broad political agreement adopted last April, which was important, above all, for the Montenegrin people.

“Political leaders managed to successfully bridge their differences by reaching a compromise, one that aims to serve the public interest,” said Zannier. “Now we need to see this agreement implemented in full, and in good faith.”

During his meetings, the Secretary General stated that the parliamentary elections will be an important test for the country, adding that the Mission to Montenegro is providing technical assistance to the State Election Commission until the end of 2016. “All actors involved in the preparation of elections should work together as closely as possible in line with their responsibilities as set out in the law. This is vital for having a credible election,” Zannier concluded.

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DUSHANBE, 15 July 2016 – Combating the illicit trade in cultural property and the smuggling of historical artifacts was the focus of a week-long workshop organized by the OSCE for representatives of Tajik Border Troops, Customs Service, State Committee of National Security, the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Internal Affairs, in Dushanbe from 11 to 15 July 2016.  

The workshop, organized by the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the OSCE Office in Tajikistan in co-operation with the OSCE Border Management Staff College, examined the trafficking of cultural property and smuggling of historical artefacts as an emerging trend for funding organized crime and terrorist organizations. The workshop also highlighted the roles of the responsible agencies in addressing the problem.

“Being the first workshop of its kind organized by the OSCE, we were shown that this is not only an issue of cultural protection but that it has become a serious transnational security issue as well,” said Ambassador Markus Mueller, Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan. “As such, and bearing in mind its complexity, this problem can be tackled efficiently only by increasing the knowledge of the officers from different government agencies as well as through promoting co-operation among them."

During the workshop, participants heard from experts at the OSCE, INTERPOL, the United States Department of Homeland Security, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Greek National Police’s Department Against the Smuggling of Antiquities, the UNESCO Office in Afghanistan and the Afghan Customs Service. They shared their experiences on cross-border co-operation in identifying the trafficking of cultural property cases and financial investigations into the smuggling of historical artefacts.

Holocaust education and remembrance are the main topics of a five-day study visit of Azerbaijani officials to the Netherlands, organized by OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Baku, in co-operation with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, which will take place from 15 to 20 December 2014.

The Azerbaijani delegation consists of eight representatives from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Baku International Multiculturalism Centre.

Thedelegation will meet representatives of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands, the Institute for Curriculum Development and HAN University of Applied Science - College of Education for Secondary School Teachers. They will also visit the Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the Dutch Holocaust Memorial.

The main topics of discussions will include a review of the Dutch government policy regarding primary and secondary education and Holocaust education, as well as experience on improving skills of secondary school teachers in this field. Azerbaijani and Dutch experts will also exchange views on current practices regarding Holocaust remembrance activities.

This visit is part of a wider project agreed between the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Baku and the Azerbaijani government aimed at strengthening tolerance and non-discrimination in Azerbaijan. As a first component of this project, an international conference on “Strengthening religious tolerance -Azerbaijan’s model, challenges in the OSCE area and beyond” took place in Baku on 17-18 November 2014. The PCiB will organize other events under this project during 2015. 

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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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“Inter-cultural dialogue should not only lead to a deeper understanding of the other, but also include conflict prevention and de-escalation, combating prejudices and stereotypes in the public and political discourse,” Ambassador Alexis Chahtahtinsky, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Baku, said in his remarks at the Third World Forum on Intercultural Dialogues that took place in Baku on 18-19 May 2015.

Ambassador Chahtahtinsky spoke at the plenary session titled Sharing Culture for Sharing Security which was devoted to the responsibility of international institutions and governments in building trust and understanding between cultures and civilizations and shaping common global agenda.

The rise of anti-Semitism, Christianophobia, often associated with violent extremism and radicalization leading to terrorism, as well as the rise of xenophobia, islamophobia and of the far right have a destructive potential for many societies in the OSCE area, Ambassador Chahtahtinsky said.

The Project Co-ordinator believes that international organizations need to join efforts in supporting voices of moderation, promoting dialogue and restoring trust. “One of the ways of doing is through participation in fora like this one, and I want to commend the Government of Azerbaijan for taking this initiative,” he said.

In conclusion, Ambassador Chahtahtinsky stated that the OSCE, with its comprehensive approach to security and co-operation, is uniquely equipped to address these challenges, and can provide a platform for participating states to learn from each other’s experience.

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BISHKEK, 29 July 2016 – Some 30 police officers of different ranks from seven regions of Kyrgyzstan are taking part in a summer school training programme, which closes tomorrow in Issyk-Kul, on the topical issues of police reform, conducted by the Kyrgyz Association of Women Police and the Interior Ministry, with the support of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.  

The training course, which began on 18 July 2016, aimed at enhancing the knowledge of the police on the regulatory and legal changes enacted as part of the police reform. The participants will also improve their capacity in the field of human rights and gender equality.

As part of the ‘Police reform measures’ adopted by the Kyrgyz Government in 2013, basic provisions such as the framework for comprehensive evaluation of police activities and mechanisms for the interaction between police and civil society institutions were developed with the support of OSCE experts and approved by the Government in 2015. These provisions create a legal basis for the openness and accessibility of the police, as well as co-ordination of actions by police and civil society in ensuring public safety and preventing crime.

"One of the main objectives of the police reform is to build the capacity of the police by enhancing their knowledge on the regulatory and legal changes in order to achieve sustainable results,” said Pavel Khalashnyuk, acting Head of the OSCE Centre’s Police Matters Programme. “The OSCE Centre in Bishkek is ready to provide extensive support to such training courses."

Kaana Aidarkul, Head of the Kyrgyz Association of Women Police, said: “Our Association played the main role in the development of the police reform regulatory framework. With the support of the OSCE Centre, members of our Association train police officers to apply these provisions, as well as to enhance their communicative and professional competences with respect to human rights and gender equality."

The summer school was organized as part of the OSCE Centre’s police reform project.

BISHKEK, 30 July 2016 – To mark today’s World Day against Trafficking in Persons, the OSCE Centre in Bishkek supported a public awareness-raising campaign and held a public discussion with academic representatives in Bishkek and Osh.

On 29 July, in co-operation with the State Service on Migration, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and local partners, the OSCE Centre raised public awareness about the risks of human trafficking in Bishkek and Osh.

Information material such as pocket calendars with the hotline number and contact information of the Kyrgyz Embassies in the five top migrant destination countries were distributed among the public. Illustrated silhouettes of people, symbolizing victims of trafficking, were displayed on posters in public places with stories in the Russian and Kyrgyz languages narrating their experience of human trafficking.

“Public awareness campaigns play an important role in the prevention of trafficking in human beings,” said William Leaf, OSCE Senior Field Representative in Osh. “The OSCE works to assist the government in improving its education and outreach efforts at the local and central levels in line with its commitments to prevent and combat all forms of human trafficking.”

In addition to the awareness-rising campaign, today the representatives of five local universities in Osh participated in a roundtable discussion organized by the OSCE Centre in co-operation with the Centre for Support of International Protection. The discussion focused on the ways of promoting inter-disciplinary research efforts among students and professors on the scope, tendencies and root causes of human trafficking in southern Kyrgyzstan.  

“As trafficking in human beings is a complex phenomenon, it requires a multi-disciplinary approach, covering, among others, socio-economic, legal, migration, human rights, gender and law enforcement aspects,” said Akylbek Tashbulatov, Director of the Centre for the Support of International Protection. “The academic community have the necessary research potential and tools to positively contribute to the development of such an assessment.”

The events were organized as part of the OSCE Centre’s project on addressing human trafficking in Kyrgyzstan through grassroots initiatives and multi-agency cooperation.