‘Gambling with lives’: Private contractors pick US drone targets, says report 
RT |  30 July 2015
>An “insatiable” demand for analysts of drone intelligence is driving the US military to hire private contractors, with 1 in 10 analysts now a civilian, says a new report. Civilian analysts describe their work as “gambling,” with innocent lives at stake. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (BIJ), a UK-based nonprofit, conducted a six-month probe into the US military’s contracting of drone data analysts, using specially designed software to sift through some 8 million transaction records published by the Pentagon between 2009 to 2014. They also interviewed some of the contractors, who asked to remain anonymous.

Revealed: Private firms at heart of US drone warfare 
The Guardian |  30 July 2015
>The overstretched US military has hired hundreds of private-sector contractors to the heart of its drone operations to analyse top-secret video feeds and help track suspected terrorist leaders, an investigation has found. Contracts unearthed by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism reveal a secretive industry worth hundreds of millions of dollars, placing a corporate workforce alongside uniformed personnel analysing intelligence from areas of interest.

Russia's private military firms operate in legal grey area 
France 24 |  28 July 2015
>(Video) Kiev and the West have accused Russian troops of participating in the Ukraine conflict on a massive scale. The Kremlin denies sending professional troops into the country and insists the Russians there are "volunteers" who have signed up to help the separatists. But increasingly, analysts are noting the presence of a third category of fighters: the employees of private military companies, or PMCs.

Ghana Takes Lead in New Piracy Initiative 
The Maritime Executive |  27 July 2015
>To understand the maritime security issues afflicting Ghana, it is instructive to first look at Nigeria. Nigeria is the powerhouse of the region and a major trade corridor for neighboring, land-locked nations such as Niger and Chad. A lot of the wealth generated within Nigeria spreads across to its neighbors, and with a newly elected government, it is likely to see a boost in economic development.

Triple Canopy Achieves PSC.1 Certification 
Nasdaq GlobalNewswire |  27 July 2015
>Triple Canopy, a Constellis Group company and leading provider of security and support services worldwide, announced today that it has received its certification for Quality of Private Security Contractor Operations, known as ANSI/ASIS PSC.1-2012. With this certification, Triple Canopy becomes the third Constellis company to achieve this distinction, joining Olive Group and Edinburgh international.

Hired Guns: How Private Military Contractors Undermine 
World Order 
Foreign Affairs |  26 July 2015
>In 2008, the actress and activist Mia Farrow approached the private security company Blackwater and some human rights organizations with a proposition: Might it be possible to hire private military contractors to end the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan? Sean McFate, who had just finished working as a military contractor at DynCorp International, was asked to weigh in.

UN rights experts on use of mercenaries weigh ‘increasing activity’ of foreign fighters 
UN News Centre |  23 July 2015
>The United Nations expert group on the use of mercenaries today convened a discussion at UN Headquarters in New York to address the issue of the increasing activity of foreign fighters – particularly towards understanding their motivations – and its impact on human rights.

Murder at sea: Captured on video, but killers go free 
The New York Times |  20 July 2015
>The man bobbing in the sea raises his arms in a seeming sign of surrender before he is shot in the head. He floats face down as his blood stains the blue water. A slow-motion slaughter unfolds over the next 6 minutes and 58 seconds. Three other men floating in the ocean, some clinging to what looks like the wreckage of an overturned wooden boat, are surrounded by several large white tuna longliners.

First food, then private security 
Times Live |  20 July 2015
>Institute for Security Studies policing researcher Johan Burger said: "Security is the second basic need after food. Those that can afford it, even if it is difficult in the current financial times, will still hang onto private security. It's not much use if you have everything else but you don't feel safe." He said that this need was driven by high levels of violent crime and home robberies, and the public's lack of confidence in the police.

Somalia: Somali-Based Pirates Down but Not Out 
All Africa |  20 July 2015
>While the economic cost of Somali piracy has fallen and considerable progress has been made in deterring pirate operations, the latest attacks on Iranian fishing vessels by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean may be another signal that it is too early to cut back international counter-piracy efforts, according to a new report.

Blackwater guard who testified against others sentenced for 2007 Iraq massacre 
Stars and Stripes |  17 July 2015
>A federal judge on Thursday sentenced a former Blackwater Worldwide security guard who helped secure long prison terms for four ex-colleagues to 12 months and a day in prison for his role in shootings that killed 14 unarmed Iraqi civilians in a Baghdad traffic circle in 2007.

PMSCs linked with arms smuggling in SE Asian waters 
Splash 24/7 |  17 July 2015
>Private maritime security companies transiting Malaysian waters need to be careful. A local newspaper claimed today that a number of PMSCs are moving weapons and ammunition onboard foreign vessels through the Southeast Asian nation without prior approval. A specific incident at Port Klang on Sunday was cited where a master of a ship was caught radioing to shore that he was storing weapons before docking.

Cote d’Ivoire authorizes 67 private security bodies to operate 
Star Africa |  16 July 2015
>Some 67 security agencies published on a list issued on Wednesday have been authorized by the Ivorian government to exercise private security activities including fund transportation. In a statement made available to APA, the minister of the Interior and Security Hamed Bakayoko announced that pursuant to the 3 February 2005 Decree on the regulation of private security activities, “sixty-seven private security agencies (…) have been licensed and allowed to exercise security provision activities or the transportation of funds.”

Botswana: Private Security Services Bill for Second Reading 
All Africa |  14 July 2015
>The Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Mr Shaw Kgathi has presented the Private Security Services Bill, 2015 (No.9 of 2015) before Parliament for a second reading. Presenting the Bill, Mr Kgathi said the object of the Bill was to repeal and re-enact with amendments, the Control of Security Guard Service Act (CAP 21:07). The Bill, he said also provided for the regulation of the private security services industry.

Steps to Implement the Private Security Company Quality and Risk Management Standard 
Human Analytics |  13 July 2015
>Recently ANSI published a new management system standard formally titled Management System for Quality of Private Security Company Operations – Requirements with Guidance (PSC.1). This standard has also been the basis to develop an International Standard ISO 18788 Management system for private security operations – Requirements with guidance to be published later in 2015. Many companies ask what do I need to do to implement the standard?

GardaWorld Announces Strategic Expansion to Become the Premier Security Provider in Africa and the Middle East 
Market Watch |  13 July 2015
>GardaWorld, the world's largest privately owned security and cash services provider, announces today the strategic expansion of its protective services platform in Africa and the Middle East. Over the past decade GardaWorld has continuously expanded its operational capacity as demand for specialized and professional services to protect high profile diplomatic staff, development projects and leading oil & gas companies dramatically increased in Africa and the Middle East.

Dryad Maritime: Of PMSCs and cheap parachutes 
Splash 24/7 |  13 July 2015
>Portsmouth: What do many private maritime security companies and cheap parachutes have in common? It sounds like the start of nautical joke, but is in fact an important part of an argument put forward by Graeme Brooks in today’s Maritime CEO interview. The ceo of UK-based Dryad Maritime, a maritime risk advisory company, reckons that the role and number of PMSCs is set for a huge change in the coming months.

UN experts report uptick in flow of Tunisian militants to conflict zones, call for urgent response 
UN News Centre |  10 July 2015
>The number of Tunisian militants flocking to join the hostilities in Syria and Iraq is one of the highest among those traveling to fight alongside extremists in the Middle East's two most dogged conflicts, the United Nations Working Group on the use of mercenaries confirmed today.

G4S makes major investment in British Columbia 
Yahoo |  8 July 2015
>G4S Canada is pleased to announce a major investment in the province of British Columbia. In order to meet the demand of this growing and dynamic security market, G4S Canada is dramatically increasing our operational and service capacity. With this investment come new opportunities for public and private sector customers in BC, as well as significant employment opportunities for BC's security professionals.

Russia: X5 Retail Group to review work with private security... Russia: X5 Retail Group to review work with private security companies after attacks on customers by security guards 
LNR Media |  7 July 2015
>After several incidents with the guards of "Pyaterochka", X5 Retail Group plans to toughen rules for working with private security companies (PSCs). About it RIA Novosti reported in the press service of the retailer. "In order to guarantee unrestricted respect for the employees of security agencies of the rights of shoppers, the company will review the principles of relations with all PSCs. Next week X5 Retail Group will convene all contractors to inform them about the stricter requirements as to legal entities, and their employees," — said in X5 Retail Group.

Anglican agency: Seafarers facing trial in India after 625 days in detention 
ACNS |  6 July 2015
>The Mission to Seafarers has been informed by the crew of the Seaman Guard Ohio from India this week that they will not be released to leave, as they had eagerly anticipated. Instead, the Supreme Court Judge in Delhi has referred the case back to the Magistrate Court in Tuticorin, to go to full trial. This is grave news to the men, who have been held without trial for 625 days since 18 October 2013. The trial may take up to six months to begin.

Denmark's role in Iraq War faces new scrutiny 
The Local |  6 July 2015
>Over the weekend, Jyllands-Posten then revealed that former Defence Minister Søren Gade attempted to hide an agreement that the Danish military had with the controversial private military contractor Blackwater, whose members killed 17 Iraqi civilians and injured 20 more in what became known as the Nisour Square massacre. Jyllands-Posten published a document that it said proves that the Danish military was attempting to hide its arrangement with Blackwater, which called for the private firm to come to Danish troops’ defence in the case of emergency.

Russian 'Mercenary' Accused of Recruiting for Ukrainian Nationalist Group 
The Moscow Times |  6 July 2015
>A Russian citizen accused of having served as a recruiter for a blacklisted, far-right Ukrainian organization faces mercenary charges, the Interfax news agency quoted investigators as saying Monday.Alexander Razumov is accused of having undergone military and ideological training in Ukraine with the nationalist Right Sector group starting in March of last year, Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin told Interfax.

BIMCO Security Update on ISO and illegal PMSC’s 
Hellenic Shipping News |  4 July 2015
>BIMCO wishes to remind members how important it is to check whether any private maritime security company (PMSC) they are using is ISO 28007 certified. Each PMSC must undergo a surveillance audit each year with their auditor to remain certified. Following our recent message to members about the irregular and illegal use of firearms by some PMSCs, this is extremely important.

Migrant Workers and the US Military in the Middle East 
MERIP |  3 July 2015
>Over the past 15 years, the United States has waged two major land wars in the greater Middle East with hundreds of thousands of ground troops. Shadowing these armies and rivaling them in size has been a labor force of private contractors. The security company once called Blackwater has played an outsize role in the wide-ranging debate about the privatization of war and attendant concerns of corruption, waste and human rights abuses.

Book Talk: Back to the future with 21st century soldiers of fortune 
WHBL |  2 July 2015
>It's now clear, Sean McFate says in his new book, "The Modern Mercenary", that when nation states spent nearly 400 years officially discouraging soldiers of fortune, it was the exception rather than the rule. There were mercenaries on the battlefields of Europe long before the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, when it was agreed that military force was the preserve of governments.

General Assembly of Intl. Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers' Association (ICoCA) approves Certification Procedure 
Business and Human Rights Resource Centre |  1 July 2015
>The General Assembly of the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers' Association (ICoCA) has approved a Certification Procedure for its industry members with no dissenting votes. The Certification Procedure represents a significant milestone in the development of the ICoCA's role as the independent governance and oversight mechanism for the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers (the "Code").

PMSC Bulletin Issue number 7 – 1 Jul 2015 
Business and Human Rights Resource Centre |  1 July 2015
>We remain concerned by the increasing number of allegations being made against PMSCs providing services to asylum and immigration detention centres....At the international level, an important milestone was reached when the General Assembly of the oversight mechanism of the Intl. Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers (“ICoC Association”) voted to approve the Certification Procedure...