Latest news with #ISF
L'Orient-Le Jour
5 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Suspect arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a child in Lebanon
The General Directorate of the Internal Security Forces (ISF) announced Tuesday the arrest of a suspect accused of sexually assaulting a child. The individual is reportedly of Syrian nationality and was arrested in the Nabaa district, in the outskirts of Beirut. The victim, a child about 7 years old, was taken to the hospital the same day, and the doctor's examination revealed that the child had been raped. After receiving this information, ISF units carried out an on-site investigation and were able to identify and arrest the suspect, according to the statement. The accused admitted to all the charges during questioning and legal measures were taken against him on the instructions of the judge, the ISF said. In their statement, the ISF also called on parents to remain vigilant, reminding them of the need "to pay attention to any change in [children's] behavior, to communicate, not to blame them, and above all, not to conceal the assault."
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
How China's new Information Support Force gears military up for PLA modernisation
China's new Information Support Force (ISF) has stepped up joint training with other military branches, showcasing an integrated combat system and increased mobile and decentralised deployment capabilities, according to the official paper of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Advertisement This includes a new training approach featuring the 'embedding' of small ISF teams into the PLA's air, naval and ground forces to offer real-time information support. Established in April 2024 as part of the PLA's modernisation push, the force is tasked with coordinating the application of network information systems within the Chinese military. While official information has been limited, recent PLA Daily reports have offered a rare glimpse into the operations of the force – which also plays a pivotal role in incorporating advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) into the military's decision-making and combat systems. 02:09 China stages drone and counter-drone warfare demonstration China stages drone and counter-drone warfare demonstration In the 15 months since the force's establishment, restructuring measures such as setting up a new ISF base had been implemented down to the frontline levels, the PLA Daily said.
L'Orient-Le Jour
17-07-2025
- L'Orient-Le Jour
ISF arrests suspect in Beirut stabbing, 11 months after crime
BEIRUT — The Internal Security Forces (ISF) announced Thursday that they arrested 11 days ago a citizen who stabbed a young man in Beirut 11 months earlier before fleeing the country. "On Aug. 3, 2024 an altercation occurred in the Ras al-Nabaa area between [N. S., born in 1982, Lebanese] and [M. D. K., born in 2003], due to a financial dispute, which developed into a fistfight. During the altercation, the former stabbed the latter with a knife in his chest, after which he took him to the emergency department of a hospital and fled", the ISF statement reads. As a result of the investigations and inquiries carried out by the ISF's Information Division at the time, it turned out that N.S. fled the country, and "an arrest warrant was issued against him." On June 16, 2025, N.S. returned to Lebanon illegally through the Syrian border. According to the statement, 2o days after his return to Lebanon, the ISF managed to locate him in the village of Charoun (Aley district) where he was ambushed and arrested", "Under interrogation, he confessed to what was attributed to him, and that after the stabbing operation, he fled to Syria, then to several countries", the statement continues. "The legal requirements were carried out against him, and he was sent to the relevant authority, based on the reference of the competent judiciary", the statement concludes.
The Citizen
17-07-2025
- Science
- The Citizen
Eskom Expo empowers future scientists through regional science fairs across South Africa
The Eskom Expo for Young Scientists will soon host a series of regional science fairs in 35 regions across South Africa. Learners will have the opportunity to showcase their innovative ideas, scientific research, and problem-solving skills on a competitive platform. Participants have been pre-selected after taking part in various expo activities, including workshops designed to elevate scientific skills, as well as mandatory district expos where young scientists received expert guidance and insights into conducting impactful research investigations. This year, more than 17 500 learners presented their research projects. Mologadi Motshele, who is the acting chief executive officer for the Eskom Development Foundation, said Eskom perceives the importance of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and innovation (STEMI) as a strategic enabler of South Africa's growth, innovation capacity, and long-term sustainability. 'By cultivating interest and excellence in STEMI from an early age, the Eskom Expo not only develops individual potential but also contributes to the broader goals of economic growth, innovation, and social equity. 'These young scientists are the future problem-solvers who will address the challenges of energy, climate change, healthcare, food security, and digital transformation. 'Our ongoing support of the Eskom Expo reflects our belief that investing in young minds today ensures a sustainable, skills-driven South Africa tomorrow,' said Motshele. Learners taking part in the science fairs will enjoy the opportunity to engage with other learners, educators, and professionals from various STEMI fields. These interactions are designed to build their critical thinking and research skills while enhancing their communication and presentation abilities. In addition to showcasing their research, young scientists will stand a chance to win a range of prestigious awards, including prizes for the best female project, best innovation project, best energy project, and best development project. Eskom Expo executive director, Parthy Chetty, said: 'The Eskom Expo is South Africa's only national initiative that aims to grow future scientists and engineers for our country. 'These regional science fairs are the first step to our young scientists engaging with professionals in a meaningful way, which will further develop their research ideas and innovations. We wish them well in the judging process and urge them to continue refining their projects.' More than 6 000 projects are set to be showcased across the country this year. Young scientists will compete for the highly coveted opportunity to represent their regions and provinces at the prestigious Eskom Expo International Science Fair (ISF) at the Emperors Palace Conference Centre in Kempton Park from October 6 to 10. ISF participants will compete for prizes, bursaries, opportunities, and a chance to be selected to showcase their projects at international science fairs in the United States of America, Asia, Europe, and the rest of Africa. Prospective judges are encouraged to apply to judge at an upcoming regional science fair to gain experience in evaluating research projects at the Eskom Expo ISF. Professionals such as engineers, doctors, veterinarians, teachers, lecturers, researchers, scientists, and IT professionals are being sought. Educators can earn SACE Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points, while scientists registered with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions can earn continuing professional development points. Other professionals can obtain credit through their respective professional bodies. Visit to apply. The regional science fair will take place on July 26 at the Sasol Training Centre, Ukhozi Lodge Hall. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Indian Express
16-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Contractual hiring in Q4FY25 hit by geopolitics, new banking rules and end of festive season, says Indian Staffing Federation
Temporary hirings by Indian companies increased at the slowest pace in four years in 2024-25 (FY25) as demand for short-term staffing was hit by geopolitical uncertainty. According to the Indian Staffing Federation (ISF), the industry body for over a hundred flexi-staffing companies, new contract hires rose by 9.7 per cent in the last fiscal to 1.39 lakh, with sectors such as Global Capability Centers (GCCs), e-commerce, logistics, manufacturing, and tourism and hospitality, among others, contributing to new formal employment generation. However, the increase in temporary staffing in FY25 was down from a 15.3 per cent rise in FY24. At 9.7 per cent, contractual staffing in FY25 was the lowest since a 3.6 per cent up-turn seen in the coronavirus pandemic-hit FY21. In total, ISF members' workforce stood at 18 lakh at the end of FY25, the industry body said on Wednesday. Temporary workers have become increasingly important for companies in sectors such as e-commerce, retail, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), logistics, and hospitality, among others, as they help meet fluctuations in demand due to seasonal and other factors. According to the ISF, there are nearly 70 lakh contract workers at present in India, with the staffing industry as a whole contributing Rs 1.48 lakh crore towards salaries in FY25. The final quarter of FY25 was particularly bad for temporary workers as new jobs were 2.5 per cent lower compared to the third quarter that ended in December 2024. This was only the second time since April-June 2020 – when much of the country was forced to shut down to contain the spread of the coronavirus – that new temporary hirings fell on a quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) basis. Short-term hirings were up 8.7 per cent year-on-year in the final three months of FY25. Why companies turned cautious on hiring in Q4FY25 'The fourth quarter of FY25 saw a cautious market. Many organisations aimed to reorganise hiring to utilise better productivity, leading to a late-year lowering demand for the temporary workforce across industries,' the ISF said in a statement. 'This dip was particularly pronounced as economic conditions destabilised, prompting companies to pause expansion and headcount additions amidst trade wars.' Also adversely impacting demand for short-term workers was the end of the holiday and festival season and new banking policies, the ISF said. According to Suchita Dutta, executive director at the ISF, these new banking policies refer to directions from the Reserve Bank of India in late 2024 to banks on the use of third-party service providers for certain activities. This policy change, Dutta said, contributed to weaker demand for contract staff in the final quarter of the fiscal. Within the headline number for the fourth quarter, demand was lower for general staffing, which fell 2.6 per cent q-o-q but was up 9.8 per cent in FY25 as a whole – the lowest increase in five years. General staffing makes up for an overwhelming majority of overall temporary hirings and accounted for 1.36 lakh of the 1.39 lakh new jobs in FY25. Meanwhile, IT staffing rose 2.3 per cent q-o-q in the January-March quarter. Crucially, temporary IT hires rose 7.8 per cent in FY25 after falling by 7.7 per cent and 2.3 per cent in FY23 and FY24, respectively. 'IT staffing industry continued to witness new demands from new GCCs and also from steady growth in new employment as project ramp-ups in services sectors. The gradual new employment growth in Q4 FY25 is also aided by non–IT sectors, which significantly has started investing back with the tech adoption,' the ISF said. The contract jobs data from the ISF comes after the Statistics Ministry said on Tuesday that the all-India unemployment rate was unchanged in June at 5.6 per cent, although joblessness increased by 20 basis points (bps) in urban areas to 7.1 per cent among those aged 15 years and above. The Statistics Ministry does not make a distinction between temporary and permanent jobs, with the monthly labour market data based on the Current Weekly Status (CWS) approach. Under this approach, the activity status of a person is measured for the seven days preceding the date of survey. Monthly data from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation is not available for the final three months of FY25. Siddharth Upasani is a Deputy Associate Editor with The Indian Express. He reports primarily on data and the economy, looking for trends and changes in the former which paint a picture of the latter. Before The Indian Express, he worked at Moneycontrol and financial newswire Informist (previously called Cogencis). Outside of work, sports, fantasy football, and graphic novels keep him busy. ... Read More
