Calls for hatred and violence, and especially racism, are a persistent problem, according to the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA). Until now, there has been no way to report offensive comments related to racism to a central office. Now, with the online platform www.reportonlineracism.ch created such a possibility. On the online site, racist content from the Internet or social media can be reported directly.

The pilot project of the FCR is available to both the population and various organizations to report quickly viewed content with a few clicks. The data is then compiled and analyzed in a database. This also gives Switzerland an overview of the type and extent of racist hate speech from the Internet, the statement continues.

By definition, expressions in the form of writing, sound or images that disparage a person or a group of persons on the basis of their race, skin color, ethnicity or national origin, or that incite hatred or advocate incitement to hatred can be reported.

Source: EDI

72 percent of people with disabilities participate in working life despite severe limitations. In the case of severely impaired people according to figures from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) 47 percent of the population. 68% are women and 78% are men in employment. For people without restrictions, the figures are 83% and 91% respectively.

Overall, the satisfaction of people with disabilities is lower than that of people without disabilities, who are satisfied with both their working conditions and their income.

As a result, the satisfaction rate with regard to working conditions and income is lower compared to people without disabilities (67% compared to 81%). The satisfaction index (at 57%) is even lower for people with severe disabilities.

One in four people with a disability experience violence or discrimination

Apart from a lower satisfaction with earned income compared to the rest of the population, the disadvantaged population group states that they are often exhausted after work.

People with disabilities are also more frequently exposed to violence or discrimination in the workplace. While four to twelve percent of people with minor or severe disabilities stated in 2017 that they had been discriminated against due to their disability, 26 percent of all employees with disabilities stated in the current survey that they had been disadvantaged in some way at least once in the twelve months prior to the survey. They reported discrimination based on their age, origin, disability, verbal or physical threats, bullying, intimidation or sexual harassment.

The results are based on the indicators on equality published by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3.

Source: FSO

There are two security holes in virtually all versions of the Zoom conferencing software. As Heise reports, the higher-risk leak allows a buffer overflow, allowing attackers to crash the service or execute arbitrary code on a target machine.

The second vulnerability could be exploited to open a barn door in the process memory. Theoretically, it would be possible for attackers to gain insight into sensitive information.

However, Zoom seems to have already made improvements. On the download page of the provider you can find among the security bulletins already the updates of the different versions. Quite a few versions are affected, including the Android and macOS versions, for example.

Users can find the latest client versions as well as the controller for Zoom Rooms on the official download page.

Administrators and users are advised to update the affected versions promptly.

Source: Heise.de

In order to better meet the complex challenges in the cyber domain, the Armed Forces will be allowed to establish its own "cyber battalion" from January 2022. This will form an important part of the future Cyber Command. This has now been decided by the Federal Council in a meeting on January 24, 2021. The corresponding amendment to the Ordinance on Armed Forces Structures will come into force on January 1, 2022.

The own command from the field of cyber should consist of graduates of a computer science apprenticeship or prospective computer science students. During their RS, the trainees will have the opportunity to complete a 40-week cyber course. Together with cyber specialists of the army, these army members will be assigned to this cyber battalion in the future. However, the number of army personnel is not to change as a result, according to a statement by the federal government.

The transformation is to take place within the framework of a project organization and gradually build up the capabilities for the new tasks (SecurityForum reported). As project manager for the command base support, the Federal Council has appointed the division officer Alain Vuitel.

Source: the Federal Council 

The headlines around Covid-19 are increasing again. In view of the current situation, Save AG as the organizer of the important B2B platform of the security congress has already prepared for all eventualities: The seven half-day modules on current security topics, which will take place at the Swissbau trade fair from January 18 to 21, 2022, can now also be booked as live webinars (webstream) and followed from anywhere or from the comfort of your own home.

This means that participants are free to choose between a classroom event on site (with compulsory certification) or participation "in front of the screen". Participation is still possible individually per half-day module. While attending the congress on site in Basel, there will also be enough time to exchange ideas with professional colleagues at the trade fair, thanks to the proven concept of half-days.

Most important meeting place for security experts

For the exchange of experience and knowledge transfer between practitioners in the field of security activity, the congress has become an indispensable fixed point. Qualified experts are happy to share their knowledge with new and well-known minds in the security community. Access to the congress, which takes place as a face-to-face event in compliance with the Covid certificate obligation, is subject to a fee and only possible by registration.

The individual modules are recognized by important institutions and industry associations as continuing education units. Lectures will be given in German. In addition, modules 3 and 4 will be translated into French on Wednesday, January 19, 2022.

The seven modules of the Safety Congress:

• Module 1: Safety requirements: complex and changing
• Module 2: Healthy and safe planning, construction, assembly, maintenance ...
• Module 3: Security as a service - quo vadis?
• Module 4: Fire protection also reaches a new level thanks to BIM and digitalization
• Module 5: Building security: cleverly connected
• Module 6: Successfully avoid operational interruptions!
• Module 7: Innovative and sustainable in harmony with fire protection

Go directly to the details: https://save.ch/event/sicherheitskongress-01-2022
Registration: https://save.ch/event/sicherheitskongress-01-2022/?section=tickets

It was a Monday, and the team at the Center for Proton Therapy had gathered in the control room. "We were standing close together, looking spellbound at the monitor showing the treatment room," recalls Martin Grossmann, then as now a physicist at the Center for Proton Therapy (ZPT) at PSI. In the 1990s, as part of a 15-member team led by Hans Blattmann, Eros Pedroni and Gudrun Goitein, he developed a new technique to cure cancer patients: spot scanning, also called pencil beam scanning.

On November 25, 1996, the time had come: For the first time, a person was lying on the patient couch in the treatment room. The 62-year-old man from the canton of Lucerne had a malignant skin cancer that had already formed daughter tumors in the brain. These brain metastases were to be irradiated using the new technique.

The team was nervous - despite excellent preparation. "You can treat as many plastic dolls and water baths as you want, but when you have a real patient lying there, it's a very different experience," says medical physicist Tony Lomax, part of the development team. On the Monday in question, he helped to position the patient correctly so that the proton beams hit the exact area of the body that was to be irradiated. Because millimeters matter: "A proton beam is like a sharp tool," Martin Grossmann emphasizes. "You can't make a mistake."

Great success

The team of specialists made sure that the technology worked smoothly. And finally, on November 25, everyone could breathe a sigh of relief: The irradiation went according to plan - just as Martin Grossmann and Tony Lomax had expected. "We were rock solidly convinced that we had the technology under control. We went to great lengths to make everything one hundred percent safe for the patients," says Grossmann.

The very next year, the Center for Proton Therapy successfully treated several more patients. The experts were skeptical at first - the technique seemed too unmanageable at the time. For more than ten years, until 2008, the Paul Scherrer Institute was the only institution to use this procedure. In the meantime, however, the spot scanning technique has spread throughout the world and is considered the preferred method of proton therapy.

Erase the tumor

"Proton therapy has changed the fight against cancer from the ground up," says Damien Weber, chief physician and head of the ZPT. In proton therapy, a proton beam - that is, a focused beam of fast, charged particles - kills tumor cells by destroying the genetic material DNA within them. This is also what classical radiation therapy, which is typically used for cancer and maltreats the cells with X-rays, does.

But protons have a major advantage over high-energy radiation, Weber explains: they can be used to determine very precisely where in the body they will have their destructive effect. "Radiation-related side effects are so much rarer. That's why the method is particularly suitable for children, but also for tumors in hard-to-reach or particularly sensitive areas of the body." These include, for example, tumors in the head area or near the spine.

For a long time, the medical profession used the so-called scattering method for proton therapy. In this process, the proton beam is fanned out and filtered via metal diaphragms, which are individually manufactured for each tumor, so that it only hits the affected area of the body. For eye tumors, this procedure is still the method of choice today. Not so for deeper-lying tumors.

"We always knew that spot scanning would bring many advantages here," says Tony Lomax. The affected tissue is scanned with the proton beam - "as if you were tracing them with a pencil," says Lomax. Or rather, erasing it with an eraser. To do this, the location of the tumor is recorded beforehand using imaging methods such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, and the proton beam is programmed so that exactly the right amount of charged particles hits the desired spots.

Location advantage PSI

Anyone who takes a look behind the scenes at the Center for Proton Therapy will understand why this technology could only be developed at PSI and not, for example, in a hospital. The irradiation apparatus alone, called a gantry, is the size of a truck; to generate the proton beams and direct them to the gantry, even larger and more complicated equipment is needed.

"What we are doing here is applied accelerator physics," says Martin Grossmann. "We need measuring devices that control the path of the beam. We need fast electronics that control the magnets to do this. And most importantly, we needed the skilled personnel to build such a machine back then. You don't find that in a hospital."

The idea for spot scanning originated in Japan. But our team here was brave enough to say, "We're actually using this now," says Grossmann. And they have been doing so very successfully for the benefit of patients - for 25 years now.

The Paul Scherrer Institute PSI develops, builds and operates large and complex research facilities and makes them available to the national and international research community. The institute's own research focuses on matter and material, energy and environment, and man and health. The education of young people is a central concern of PSI. Therefore, about a quarter of our employees are postdocs, doctoral students or apprentices. In total, PSI employs 2100 people, making it the largest research institute in Switzerland. The annual budget is around CHF 400 million. PSI is part of the ETH Domain, which also includes ETH Zurich and EPF Lausanne, as well as the research institutes Eawag, Empa and WSL.

Source: Paul Scherrer Institute/Brigitte Osterath

As Federal Councillor Viola Amherd said during a presentation at the ETH a few weeks ago has emphasizedthe world has become more uncertain in recent years. In general, there has been a stronger tendency in power politics. International tensions and instability have increased. The Federal Council also takes up this initial situation in its new security policy report which was adopted by the Federal Council on November 24, 2021. Essentially, he said, it is important to focus on strengthening cyber protection and protection against disinformation. Strengthening resilience, security of supply and international cooperation are also in focus. The new security policy report is significantly shorter than previous reports. The Federal Council also intends to submit such reports at shorter intervals in the future, namely once per legislative period.

Increase in international tensions

According to the DDPS, the world has become more insecure in recent years. There is a renewed focus on power politics, and international tensions and instability have increased. In its new security policy report, the Federal Council analyzes these developments and outlines how it intends to counter the harsher environment. The report, which was adopted by the Federal Council on November 24, 2021, defines nine goals for Swiss security policy in the coming years, including increased protection against cyber threats and disinformation, but also strengthening resilience, security of supply and international cooperation.

Nine security policy goals

The use of "hybrid" means of conflict management, including cyber attacks, disinformation and influence activities, has increased. However, according to the DDPS, conventional military means are also being used again to a greater extent to pursue own interests. In addition to its positive aspects, advancing digitalization has also increased the vulnerability of the state, the economy and society. Extreme weather-related events are increasing as a result of climate change, and the dangers posed by pandemics have been drastically confirmed by the Covid 19 pandemic. In view of this starting position, the Federal Council formulates nine security policy goals:

1) a further strengthening of the early detection of threats, dangers and crises in order to identify risks to Switzerland as early as possible in the increasingly volatile situation;

2) strengthening international cooperation, stability and security by advocating a rules-based international order and contributing to the promotion of stability and security in the surrounding area through civilian and military means;

3) an increased focus on hybrid conflict management in order to increase the protection and resilience of the state, economy and society against phenomena such as cyber attacks and disinformation and, in particular, to align the means of the armed forces even more closely with the changed conflict picture;

4) free formation of opinion and undistorted information, so that public and political discussion in Switzerland can take place freely and transparently, based on facts, and without disinformation, attempts to influence and propaganda from outside;

5) Strengthening protection against cyber threats to further improve overall resilience in Switzerland to cyber risks, taking advantage of both the risks and opportunities of digitalization and new technologies;

6) Prevention of terrorism, violent extremism, organized and other transnational crime, so that no terrorist, violent extremist or serious criminal groups can establish themselves on Swiss territory;

7) Strengthening resilience and security of supply in the event of international crises so that Switzerland can maintain its ability to function and act even in the event of prolonged supply disruptions;

8) Improve disaster and emergency protection and regeneration capacity to strengthen the means to prevent and manage such hazards in the face of increasing risks (such as those posed by climate change);

9) Strengthening inter-agency and crisis management cooperation so that, given the volatility of the situation and the concatenation of threats and hazards, cooperation among all actors is further improved, both in the normal situation and during crises.

In order to achieve the goals, close cooperation between the policy areas (foreign policy, economic policy, information and communication) and the individual security policy instruments (army, civil defense, intelligence service, police, customs administration, civilian service) is required, the report concludes.

The security policy report will now be submitted to parliament.

Source: VBS

According to a joint study by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and the Social Pediatric Center (SPZ) at Winterthur Cantonal Hospital (KSW), mental stress, illnesses and disorders in children and adolescents have increased significantly in recent decades.

"By the time they reach adulthood, almost half of children and adolescents are more or less directly affected at some point," says co-study leader Kurt Albermann, head physician at the SPC.

A third of teachers feel inexperienced with psychological stress

According to the survey, only a third of teaching and support staff at schools feel experienced in dealing with such stress. For example, teaching staff do not always feel able to correctly assess the problems and deal with them, according to the conclusion of the study by the two institutions, which surveyed around 570 teaching and support staff. Almost all participants had looked after at least one pupil with mental stress in the twelve months prior to the survey.

Co-study leader Julia Dratva from the ZHAW is quoted as saying that uncertainty in dealing with the topic is evident, for example, in disorder-specific topics such as suicidal tendencies, gambling or online addiction, but also in consulting a specialist at the right time.

The final conclusion of the study authors: Schools should increasingly take an open approach to the topic of mental health and integrate it into lessons in the same way as "social learning". In addition, the range of tools, teaching aids and information material should be expanded and support, supervision and quality assurance for self-motivated activities should be provided.

About the Project website The final report of the study can be accessed at

Source: ZHAW

The headlines around Covid-19 are increasing again. In view of the current situation, Save AG as the organizer of the important B2B platform of the security congress has already prepared for all eventualities: The seven half-day modules on current security topics, which will take place at the Swissbau trade fair from January 18 to 21, 2022, can now also be booked as live webinars (webstream) and followed from anywhere or from the comfort of your own home.

This means that participants are free to choose between a classroom event on site (with compulsory certification) or participation "in front of the screen". Participation is still possible individually per half-day module. While attending the congress on site in Basel, there will also be enough time to exchange ideas with professional colleagues at the trade fair, thanks to the proven concept of half-days.

Most important meeting place for security experts

For the exchange of experience and knowledge transfer between practitioners in the field of security activity, the congress has become an indispensable fixed point. Qualified experts are happy to share their knowledge with new and well-known minds in the security community. Access to the congress, which takes place as a face-to-face event in compliance with the Covid certificate obligation, is subject to a fee and only possible by registration.

The individual modules are recognized by important institutions and industry associations as continuing education units. Lectures will be given in German. In addition, modules 3 and 4 will be translated into French on Wednesday, January 19, 2022.

The seven modules of the Safety Congress:

• Module 1: Safety requirements: complex and changing
• Module 2: Healthy and safe planning, construction, assembly, maintenance ...
• Module 3: Security as a service - quo vadis?
• Module 4: Fire protection also reaches a new level thanks to BIM and digitalization
• Module 5: Building security: cleverly connected
• Module 6: Successfully avoid operational interruptions!
• Module 7: Innovative and sustainable in harmony with fire protection

Go directly to the details: https://save.ch/event/sicherheitskongress-01-2022
Registration: https://save.ch/event/sicherheitskongress-01-2022/?section=tickets

The masks, some of which are labeled "FFP2," "KN95" or "EN149 certified," do not meet the declared protective effect of the "FFP2" class, according to a statement distributed by the Federal Consumer Affairs Bureau on Wednesday.

The masks should not be used as FFP2 respirators. Anyone wearing the masks for activities requiring FFP2 class respirators would be insufficiently protected against irreversible damage to health, the warning read.

Phone: 044 687 77 87

E-mail: info@hi-pro.ch

Source: Federal Consumer Affairs Bureau

The OECD Working Party on Security in Digital Economy (SDE) appointed Florian Schütz, delegate of the Swiss Confederation for cybersecurity, as its new chair at its virtually held meeting on November 23, 2021. This will enable Switzerland to make a significant contribution to enhancing security in the global digital space. In addition, international engagement is another important pillar in the implementation of the National Strategy for the Protection of Switzerland against Cyber Risks (NCS).

The OECD Security in Digital Economy (SDE) Working Group, established in 2019, develops policy analysis, practical guidance, and recommendations to build trust in digital transformation and promote resilience, continuity, and security of critical activities. The goal is to increase digital security; the focus is on managing digital security risks to economic and social activities and improving the digital security of products and services. The analysis reports and recommendations issued by the SDE are considered "best practices" and are widely followed.

Source: Federal Department of Finance

Bosch Building Technologies plans to acquire British security and fire alarm specialist Protec Fire and Security Group Ltd. Bosch and Protec signed contracts to this effect on October 22, 2021, according to a Bosch Group statement. Protec employs some 1,100 associates at its nine European locations in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and generated annual sales of more than 125 million British pounds (around 142 million Swiss francs) in fiscal 2021, according to preliminary figures.

Protec: a leading system integrator for fire alarm technology

With the acquisition of Protec, Bosch Building Technologies intends to expand its business and grow further in the European market. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The takeover is subject to approval by the relevant antitrust authorities. Protec is one of the leading systems integrators for security and fire alarm technology in the United Kingdom.

Bosch Building Technologies currently maintains its European systems integrator business in Germany and the Netherlands. In addition, Bosch is also active as a systems integrator with the division in the USA and Asia. In addition to the United Kingdom, the Netherlands is another important market for Protec, where the company generates the largest share of its foreign sales. There, the company is mainly active under the Hacousto Protec brand. In the UK, Protec maintains five sales locations in addition to its corporate headquarters with its affiliated development and manufacturing center in Nelson (Lancashire). In the Netherlands, the British company has three locations.

Source: Press release