Don't forget to check out http://www.auda.org.au/domain-news/ for the archive of the last 3 months of the news. And see my website - http://technewsreview.com.au/ - for daily updates in between postings. *************************************************** The domain name news is supported by auDA *************************************************** Kyrgyzstan Govt Considers Draconian Changes to .KG ccTLD http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=7458 Why Web Site Security Matters to Us All http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/03/could_a_single_web_site.html US Cybersecurity Chief Resigns http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123638468860758145.html Hackers update Conficker worm, evade countermeasures http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9129239 OECD: Computer Viruses and Other Malicious Software: A Threat to the Internet Economy http://www.oecd.org/document/16/0,3343,en_2649_34223_42276816_1_1_1_37441,00.html Online brand abuse 'on the rise' http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7929360.stm WIPO the cybersquatter by Milton Mueller http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2009/3/5/4112753.html U.S. loses IPv6 leader - North American IPv6 Task Force chair Jim Bound passes away http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/030509-ipv6-leader-jim-bound-dies.html ********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** IGF: The more things change, the more they stay the same by Jeanette Hofmann Compared to other international and intergovernmental negotiations, which move at a snail?s pace, the Internet Governance Forum is still a highly dynamic process with a continuing openness towards change and experimentation. This year's most interesting area of experimentation concerns the outcomes of the Internet Governance Forum. The IGF is a space for policy dialogue; it is a non-binding process without any oversight functions. Even recommendations are permitted only in one specific area of "emerging issues". But after a year of less polarized discussions in the MAG, the original antagonism inherited from WSIS had a comeback at last week's meetings. http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2009/3/3/4111027.html ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** ICANN Board Committee Reports Published The Board Committees have published their reports for the Mexico City meeting. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-05mar09-en.htm Community Comment Invited on New GNSO Stakeholder Group Petitions and Charters As part of the comprehensive GNSO Improvements effort, the ICANN Boarddirected community members to submit Petitions and Charters for the four new GNSO Stakeholder Groups (SGs). As of today, 5 March, charter petitions for the Registry SG, the Registrar SG, the Commercial SG and the Non-Commercial SG (NCSG) have been submitted to the Board for review and approval. A total of fivecharters have beenreceived as two proposals were submitted for the NCSG. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-3-05mar09-en.htm Community Comment Invited on Petition To Form A New GNSO CyberSafety Constituency The ongoing GNSO Improvements process has created significant community interest in the formation of new GNSO constituencies and several groups have stepped forward to begin the process of forming a new GNSO constituency. The ICANN Board has now received its first formal petition - from the prospective CyberSafety Constituency. All members of the ICANN community and the public are now invited to review the petition and charter of the CyberSafety Constituency and share comments with the Board through 5 April 2009. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-05mar09-en.htm Public Comment: GNSO-Approved RAA Amendments A public comment period opens today on a range of amendments to the Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA), recently approved by the GNSO. http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-06mar09-en.htm ICANN Formalizes Relationship with ccTLD Manager for Austria (.AT) ICANN has announced today that it has signed an exchange of letters with the ccTLD manager for .AT, nic.at Internet Verwaltungs- und Betriebsgesellschaft m.b.H (NIC.AT). http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-06mar09-en.htm ICANN Formalizes Relationship with ccTLD Manager for Aruba (.AW) ICANN has announced today that it has signed an accountability framework with the ccTLD manager for .AW, Servicio Di Telecommunicacion Di Aruba (SETAR N.V.). http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-3-06mar09-en.htm ICANN Formalizes Relationship with ccTLD Manager for Bolivia (.BO) ICANN has announced today that it has signed an Accountability Framework with the ccTLD manager for .BO, Agencia para el Desarrollo de la Sociedad de la Informaci?n en Bolivia (NIC.BO). http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-4-06mar09-en.htm ICANN Formalizes Relationship with ccTLD Manager for Korea (.KR) ICANN has announced today that it has signed an exchange of letters with the ccTLD manager for .KR, the National Development Agency of Korea (NIDA). http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-5-06mar09-en.htm ICANN: Largest change to domain name system in history ICANN, the governing body for Internet addresses, today discussed global Internet address expansion at its 34th international public meeting in Mexico City, detailing ?the possibility of one of the most dramatic expansions to the global Internet addressing system since it was created.? http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=14051 Big biz slams brakes on new domains ICANN has bowed to pressure from big business to push back the launch of new internet domains over fears of wholesale cybersquatting. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/09/icann_stops_new_domains/ Paul Twomey Steps Down as ICANN CEO by Milton Mueller Dr. Paul Twomey, the Australian who was ICANN's first Governmental Advisory Committee chair and later leveraged his governmental and private sector connections to become the Chief Executive Officer of ICANN, indicated that his term as CEO would not be renewed at the opening of the ICANN meeting in Mexico. Under Twomey's leadership ICANN weathered the World Summit on the Information Society and experienced a more than 10-fold increase in the size of its budget. He has been in that position so long that some view him as the personification of ICANN. http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2009/3/2/4110418.html Goodbye Paul Twomey Paul Twomey will be stepping down at the end of 2009 after 6 years as ICANN's President and CEO. Twomey explained the reasons for his desire to leave ICANN during today's Mexico City meeting opening ceremony. http://stephane-vangelder.com/archives/209-Goodbye-Paul-Twomey.html Registration Abuse Policy The ICA is an International Member of ICANN?s Business Constituency. We recently learned that, on February 19, the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO), ICANN?s policymaking body, approved a motion (below) to establish a new Working Group on Registration Abuse Policies (WGRAP). http://www.internetcommerce.org/node/164 ICANN President and CEO To Step Down Earlier today saw the official opening of the 34th public ICANN meeting in Mexico City, Mexico. http://www.isquattedyour.eu/2009/03/02/icann-president-and-ceo-to-step-down/ ICANN Seeking Feedback on Registrar Disqualification Process ICANN is looking for public feedback and comment on a proposed policy / process for disqualifying registrars. http://www.isquattedyour.eu/2009/03/02/icann-seeking-feedback-on-registrar-disqualif/ ICANN to Allow Chinese, Arabic, Russian Domain Names [The Industry Standard] Web sites written in Russian, Korean and other non-ASCII characters soon will be able to have their addresses displayed in the same language. http://www.pcworld.com/article/160718/.html http://computerworld.com.au/article/278992/ http://techworld.com.au/article/278992/ http://pcworld.idg.com.au/article/278992/ New gTLDs to increase competition - report [sub req'd] In an independent third-party report commissioned by Icann, economics professor Dennis Carlton has said that Icann's proposed framework for introducing new TLDs is likely to improve consumer welfare by facilitating entry and ... http://www.telecompaper.com/news/ ICANN Releases Two ?Whitewash? Reports to Defend its Positions on new gTLDs When ICANN announced it was commissioning a report on the effect of price caps on new TLDs, I assume it would seek an unbiased report. Instead, ICANN used domain owner?s money to hire an economist to defend its views. http://domainnamewire.com/2009/03/05/icann-releases-two-whitewash-reports-to-defend-its-positions-on-new-gtlds/ Deeply, Deeply Flawed Economic Report and Analysis of New gTLDs Posted by ICANN by George Kirikos The reports and analysis by Dr. Dennis Carlton are deeply, deeply flawed. I will prepare a long rebuttal to it in the coming weeks, but wanted to go on the record early as to its weaknesses. The analysis appears to be based on a very limited review of the market for domain names, and utilizes little actual data. It fails to even consider how nuanced the market for domain names has become, and how registry operators can exploit those nuances, including tiered-pricing. http://www.circleid.com/posts/20090304_flawed_economic_report_gtlds_icann/ Chief of Key Internet Oversight Body Leaving Paul Twomey, chief executive of the Internet's key oversight agency since 2003, will step down later this year after a successor is named. http://www.newsfactor.com/blog_article.php?aid=2002287 Vatican Vetos ?Dot God? Domain The Pope has called on ICANN to keep religion out of the domain name system. http://www.namesmash.com/?p=240 ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** ch/li: SWITCH warns against bogus offers SWITCH, the official registry for internet addresses in Switzerland and Liechtenstein wishes to warn you against bogus offers for domain names. http://switch.ch/about/news/2009/trick-angebote.html DENIC joins ccNSO Together with the country code registries of Italy (.it), Belgium (.be), Slovenia(.si), Lithuania (.lt) and Croatia (.hr) the German domain registry DENIC eG has joined the country code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) of ICANN. The ccNSO is the forum for country code registries within the ICANN. http://www.denic.de/en/denic/news/news_91.html DENIC Applies for ccNSO Membership DENIC announced in an email to members last week that they, along with the ccTLD managers from .it, .be, .si, .lt and .hr, have applied for membership to the ccNSO - the Country Code Names Supporting Organization of ICANN. http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/03/05/denic-applies-for-ccnso-membership/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/general/denic-applies-for-ccnso-membership.html eco: Global Warming May Get Its Very Own Top Level Domain I?m deadpooling this .ECO TLD right now. Not because it?s global warming/eco related, there?s plenty of money being thrown around to support just about every crazy green idea out there. http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/04/global-warming-may-get-its-very-own-top-level-domain/ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/05/AR2009030500117.html Dot Eco Selects Minds + Machines to Provide Registry Services [news release] .ECO, a new TLD initiative for people who care about the environment, has selected Minds + Machines as their domain name registry operator. Minds + Machines will help .ECO with the ICANN application process, and handle .ECO?s domain registry services after ICANN approval. http://www.mindsandmachines.com/2009/03/press-release-dot-eco-selects-minds-machines-to-provide-registry-services/ http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/03/05/dot-eco-selects-minds-machines-to-provide-registry-services/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/general/dot-eco-selects-minds-machines-to-provide-registry-services.html Dot Eco LLC Partners with Al Gore and The Alliance for Climate Protection to Secure the .eco Top Level Domain Dot Eco LLC, the applicant for the new .eco TLD, today announced it has entered into an integrated partnership with former Vice President Al Gore and his philanthropy, the Alliance for Climate Protection (www.climateprotect.org), to secure and promote the .eco TLD. http://dotecotld.com/news.html http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/03/05/dot-eco-partners-with-al-gore-and-alliance-for-climate-protection-to-secure-the-eco-tld/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/general/dot-eco-partners-with-al-gore-and-alliance-for-climate-protection-to-secure-the-.eco-tld.html Gore group backs creation of .eco domain A group seeking the creation of a .eco internet domain to promote environmental awareness has won the backing of former US vice-president Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection (ACP). http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/06/2508933.htm Al Gore says domain .eco logical The former US vice president, Al Gore, is backing the creation of a new green .eco domain name. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7927812.stm Al Gore backs environmental top-level domain As the organization responsible for overseeing Internet domains prepares to expand the number of TLDs available, Al Gore is advocating for a special domain to promote environmental awareness. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10190119-38.html http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/internet/0,39044908,62051962,00.htm Gore group backs creation of .eco domain [AFP] Former US Vice President Al Gore testifies in January 2009 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. A group seeking the creation of a .eco Internet domain to promote environmental awareness has won the backing of Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection. http://www.todayonline.com/articles/305848.asp http://www.spacedaily.com/2006/090305180131.fapuqmdd.html Al Gore announces support for .eco domain He may or may not have "invented the internet", but now Al Gore has pledged to try and give it a refresh, throwing his weight behind a campaign to establish a new .eco domain name. http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2237967/al-gore-announces-support-eco eco: Gore applies for web domain Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection has joined a group applying for the ".eco" World Wide Web, I'm told. http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090305/pl_politico/30264_1 Al Gore Wants To Create New Domain Name Extension .ECO Former Vice President Gore, who often took barbs about his misconstrued statement about ?inventing the internet?, can now partially lay claim to inventing a new domain name. http://www.domainnamenews.com/alternate-extensions/al-gore-domain-extension-eco/4265 EURid Renews Contract to Manage .EU Namespace Rumor has it that EURid may have extended their contract with the European Commission to manage the .eu namespace for another 5 years. Although there is nothing official, Michele Neylon of ISquattedYour.EU reported the news leak and is still awaiting official confirmation, but it has informally been confirmed by several insiders. http://www.domainnamenews.com/registries/eurid-renews-contract-manage-eu-namespace/4264 Eurid To Keep .EU? According to a news alert I received last night, Eurid's contract to manage the .eu namespace has been renewed for a further 5 years. http://www.isquattedyour.eu/2009/03/04/eurid-to-keep-eu/ .eu Domain Passes the 3 Million Mark The third million .eu domain name was registered on 11 January by a German citizen. Two and a half years after its launch, this confirms the success of the .eu TLD. It is the fourth most popular internet domain among European country domains and the ninth worldwide. By promoting a distinctly European online identity .eu helps citizens and businesses to reap the full benefits of the single market. Multinational companies and SMEs, NGOs and think tanks as well as individual Europeans have all adopted .eu to mark their web presence. http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=sa&id=1572 Vatican vetos 'dot god' domain The Pope has called on ICANN to keep religion out of the domain name system. The Vatican warned the internet address-making body of the ?perils? of allowing new internet domains such as ?.catholic, .anglican, .orthodox, .hindu, .islam, .muslim, [and] .buddhist?. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/05/pope_domain_name/ Kyrgyzstan Govt Considers Draconian Changes to .KG ccTLD The Kyrgyzstan government is rushing to pass legislation that would see management of the ccTLD transferred from the current manager of the ccTLD, AsiaInfo who has managed the .kg ccTLD since 1997, to KyrgyzPatent, the government patent office. It is feared this transfer will see government interference into who can register .kg domain names. http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=7458 http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/03/06/kyrgyzstan-govt-considers-draconian-changes-to-kg-cctld/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/general/kyrgyzstan-govt-considers-draconian-changes-to-.kg-cctld.html Kyrgyzstan: No Rest For the Internet The head of the State Patent Department Ulan Melisbek told that this department will try to take control of the service registration of domain names in the .kg zone. http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/03/07/kyrgyzstan-no-rest-for-the-internet/ Nic Mexico Launches Registrations For Second Level Domains Nic Mexico has launched a pre-registration period for third level domains for holders of .COM.MX, .NET.MX, .ORG.MX, .EDU.MX and .GOB.MX domains. To be eligible, all registrants needed to have held a domain name under of the above sub-domains before March 1, 2009. https://www.nameaction.com/Public/index.asp?pagina=na-informa.asp&idioma=eng&oficina=com#faq_eng_06 http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/03/05/nic-mexico-launches-registrations-for-second-level-domains/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/general/nic-mexico-launches-registrations-for-second-level-domains.html nl: Fraud alert: WorldWideWeb Register SIDN has recently started receiving fresh complaints from registrars and registrants about a business called GT§P, whose activities previously attracted adverse comment in 2007. GT§P approaches .nl registrants and urges them to have their domain names listed in the WorldWideWeb Register, so that the register remains up to date. The cost of this listing service, which is hidden in the small print of the contract, is ?957 per edition of the register. The contract covers three editions, so the total cost amounts to ?2,871. http://www.sidn.nl/ace.php/c,728,6025,,,,Fraud_alert_WorldWideWeb_Register.html Telnic Whois Service Now Available As the Telnic (.tel) "go live" progresses, the registry operator has finally launched their WHOIS service. http://www.isquattedyour.eu/2009/03/08/telnic-whois-service-now-available/ ?.tel is the biggest innovation in the internet?, says Fabien Chalandon of Telnic Aspiring to serve the users as yellow pages for internet users, .tel domains are expected to go live within a week?s time. TelecomTiger catches up with Fabien Chalandon, Vice Chairman, Telnic who spells out the concept behind .tel and India business plans. http://www.telecomtiger.com/fullstory.aspx?passfrom=topstory&storyid=5577§ion=S176 Dot TK hopes to capitalize on new Turkish top-level domain The owners of Dot TK, a new Internet domain name registration site, are hoping to revolutionize domain names in Turkey. ... But when Turks get a load of the ingenious marketing idea of Joost Zuurbier, a Dutchman who was able to singlehandedly license the TLD name rights of three tropical atolls -- collectively known as Tokelau -- in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and then market this domain to Turks as a TLD extension that better matches the name of the country than the present ?.tr,? many Turks are going to be slapping their knees in envy. http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=168811&bolum=105 Dutchman hopes to supplant top level domain ?tr? with new ?tk? Turks have long prided themselves on their ingenuity when it comes to cooking up new and creative business ideas online. Sedat Kapano?lu, who pioneered the revolutionary Turkish interactive dictionary, Ek?is?zl?k, which has turned into a platform where some of the hottest debates in Turkish society take place and an essential reference point for journalists, artists and academics, spawning a whole new genre of similar sites in Turkey, immediately comes to mind. http://www.sundayszaman.com/sunday/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=168982 uk: Renewal email customisation Registrars are now able to customise the renewal reminder emails that we send out with their own renewals message. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=6186 uk: Changes to the domain availability checker (DAC) On 7 April at 12.00 (midday) we will launch our new domain availability checker (DAC), introducing two new domain checking tools. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=5889 uk: Standard EPP schemas - testbed available We launched our EPP service in February 2008 with an extended set of schemas relating to our data structure. http://www.nominet.org.uk/news/latest/?contentId=6187 Dot VN Begins Registration for Exclusive Industry Domains Service Dot VN, Inc., the Delaware corporation who has the exclusive rights as registrar for .VN (ccTLD for Vietnam) domain names has announced it has begun the sunrise period for registering its new "Industry Domains" exclusively managed by Dot VN. http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/03/05/dot-vn-begins-registration-for-exclusive-industry-domains-service/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/general/dot-vn-begins-registration-for-exclusive-industry-domains-service.html ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** Why Web Site Security Matters to Us All For the past several months, some of the sharpest minds in the security community have teamed up to block cyber criminals from wresting control over what may be one of the largest armies of hacked computers ever built. While those efforts are ongoing and so far appear effective, all of that work could be undone thanks to the lax security of a single Web site. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/03/could_a_single_web_site.html US Cybersecurity Chief Resigns The government's coordinator for cybersecurity programs has quit, criticizing what he described as the National Security Agency's grip on cybersecurity. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123638468860758145.html Cybersecurity official quits, blasts NSA power grab A top federal cybersecurity official resigned this week in a letter sharply critical of what he described as a power grab by the National Security Agency. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10191170-38.html Federal cybersecurity director quits, complains of NSA role In a move that highlights differences over who should be in charge of national cybersecurity efforts, the director of a federal office set up to protect civilian, military and intelligence networks has submitted his resignation after less than a year in the job. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9129218 Kaminsky embraces DNSsec, reluctantly Dan Kaminsky, director of penetration testing at IOActive, got a lot of attention last year when he discovered a flaw in the Domain Name System, which underlies the Internet, that could allow poisoning of DNS caches. Since then, he said, he has become a believer in the DNS Security Extensions (DNSsec) for digitally signing DNS servers so that queries and responses can be trusted. http://gcn.com/articles/2009/03/09/cybereye-box-dnssec.aspx Hackers update Conficker worm, evade countermeasures Computers infected with the Conficker worm are being updated with a new variant that sidesteps an industry effort to sever the link between the worm and its hacker controllers, researchers at Symantec Corp. said Friday. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9129239 http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/030909-hackers-update-conficker-worm-evade.html Afilias to Provide 1-Click DNSSEC Service to Simplify DNS Security Rollout [news release] Today Afilias announced the beta launch of 1-Click DNSSECTM , an enhancement to its Managed DNS Service, that allows organizations, corporations and government agencies to enable DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) on their domains, quickly and easily. Afilias is currently accepting ?proof of concept' testing customers and expects to officially rollout 1-Click DNSSECTM as a service available to all of the Afilias Managed DNS customers later this year. http://www.afilias.info/news/2009/03/02/afilias-provide-1-click-dnssec-service-simplify-dns-security-rollout OECD: Computer Viruses and Other Malicious Software: A Threat to the Internet Economy Malware attacks are increasing in both frequency and sophistication, thus posing a serious threat to the Internet economy and national security. This book is a first step toward addressing the threat of malware in a comprehensive, global manner. It aims to inform policy makers, to present new research into the economic incentives driving cyber-security decisions, and to make specific suggestions on how the international community can better work together to address the problem. http://www.oecd.org/document/16/0,3343,en_2649_34223_42276816_1_1_1_37441,00.html ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** Online brand abuse 'on the rise' Online abuse of the world's top brands is rising, according to a report. Cyber-squatting - in which someone registers a domain name with the aim of selling it on at a later date - remains the most common form of abuse. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7929360.stm Brand-jacking rises as top online abuse [UPI] The illegal use of trademarked brand names online, known as brand-jacking, continued to rise last year, with the great majority of abusive sites now mature e-commerce efforts with life spans of up to two years, according to a new survey. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/mar/09/brand-jacking-rises-as-top-online-abuse/ Cybsersquatting attacks surged in 2008 The act of registering a web address with the intention of selling it on to make profit - rose by 18 percent last year compared to 2008, said MarkMonitor. http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=112353 New reference for a preliminary ruling before the European Court of Justice in a .eu related case Since the launch of .eu domain names in December 2005, disputes over such names have quietly made their way in national judicial systems, and are now reaching the top of them. It is for example the case in Austria: the Oberster Gerichtshof lodged a reference for a preliminary ruling before the ECJ on December 22, 2008, in a dispute between Internetportal und Marketing GmbH and Richard S. http://domaine.blogspot.com/2009/03/new-reference-for-preliminary-ruling.html WIPO the cybersquatter by Milton Mueller The World Intellectual Property Organization, which operates the dominant domain name - trademark dispute resolution service, has ripped off someone else's trademark with a domain name registration. The discovery was made by US patent and trademark lawyer John Berryhill, known for defending domain name registrants against UDRP claims. http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2009/3/5/4112753.html WIPOsquat: U.N. Organization Caught Cybersquatting World Intellectual Property Organization, one of the providers of domain name arbitration services under UDRP, seems to have a cybersquatting problem of its own. http://domainnamewire.com/2009/03/05/wiposquat-un-organization-caught-cybersquatting/ ca: MPs not masters of domain [Sun Media] Two MPs are learning about the dangers of the Internet the hard way after their domain names were scooped up and linked to websites promoting sex and drugs. http://www.ottawasun.com/News/National/2009/03/06/8646706-sun.html http://www.timminspress.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1466015 http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1465413 Viacom Loses South Park Domain Dispute Viacom has lost another domain dispute. But this time it wasn?t trying to steal a generic domain name; it was trying to shut down a web site containing copyrighted material. http://domainnamewire.com/2009/03/05/viacom-loses-south-park-domain-dispute/ Citigroup Takes Aim at Alleged 'Cybersquatter' A bank that many economists have deemed too big to fail also has an eye for detail. Citigroup Inc., the New York-based financial services company, filed a complaint on Feb. 27 to boot an alleged "cybersquatter" its attorney says used the Citibank.org domain name illegally. http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2009/03/citigroup-takes-aim-at-alleged-cybersquatter.html ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** U.S. loses IPv6 leader - North American IPv6 Task Force chair Jim Bound passes away The United States has lost one of its most ardent proponents of IPv6, the next generation Internet protocol, with the death of Jim Bound earlier this week. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/030509-ipv6-leader-jim-bound-dies.html IPv6 fails to reach 5 percent of Internet Only a small percentage of the Internet supports the emerging protocol IPv6 despite the technology being mandated by the US government. http://www.techworld.com/news/index.cfm?NewsID=112327 ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** In Down Economy, Interest Grows in 'Internet Assets' The dot-com meltdown of a decade ago led to many questions and court disputes about the valuation of and creditors' ability to take control of so-called "Internet assets" -- from domain names, Web sites and e-mail lists to intellectual property such as trademarks, patents, copyrights and other assets. http://www.law.com/jsp/legaltechnology/pubArticleLT.jsp?id=1202428803204 The 100 oldest registered dot com, org, net, edu domains Ever wonder what the oldest registered .com domain is on the Internet? After all, they haven't always existed. In fact, it was just 24 years ago this month that the oldest domain was registered. It was www.symbolics.com, owned by the Symbolics, Inc. company who, back in the day, was a leading software development firm with software projects designed back in the 1980s which appear very much like modern software designs seen today. For example, they had developed a fully object-oriented operating system called Genera, which today still exists as Open Genera, for Alpha CPUs. Their domain was registered on March 15, 1985 -- when the Internet was brand new. http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/41643/113/ Minds + Machines Signs Exclusive Arrangement with CoCCA [news release] Minds + Machines has been granted the rights to the CoCCA registry software and the CoCCA brand for gTLDs. Minds + Machines will enhance the core code and features for new TLDs and brand the platform as ?Espresso,? which will be available in both hosted and locally-installed versions. CoCCA?s highly-praised work with country-code extensions will continue to be developed and made available to members of CoCCA to manage a ccTLD registry as a royalty-free open-source package. http://www.mindsandmachines.com/2009/03/press-release-minds-machines-licenses-cocca-registry-platform-for-gtlds/ http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/03/05/minds-machines-signs-exclusive-arrangement-with-cocca/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/general/minds-machines-signs-exclusive-arrangement-with-cocca.html Network Solutions and CentralNic Launch New Joint Venture Called Central Registry Solutions [news release] Network Solutions, LLC and CentralNic USA Ltd. announced today the creation of a new joint venture called Central Registry Solutions, LLC. This joint venture combines one of the most trusted registrars with the largest selection of domain extensions with a premiere registry that has one of the widest networks of registrar partners. Together they will provide consulting, domain registration, and other value added services to entities interested in offering new TLDs. http://about.networksolutions.com/site/network-solutions-and-centralnic-launch-new-joint-venture-called-central-registry-solutions/ Take WHOIS Mobile: Network Solutions Announces WHOIS Lookup Mobile Application for Google? Android Phones [news release] Network Solutions announces the availability of a new WHOIS mobile application for Google?s Android operating system. The applicaton allows users with Android equipped phones to look up domain, IP and contact information and is available now from Google?s Android Market. http://about.networksolutions.com/site/take-whois-mobile-network-solutions-announces-whois-lookup-mobile-application-for-google%c2%ae-android-phones/ ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** Jump Start: Domain Aftermarket Revs Up With a Trio of Six-Figure Sales Totaling More Than $700,000 The domain aftermarket seemed to be stuck in first gear for the first month and a half of the New Year, but a trio of solid six-figure sales gave the sales engine a jump start this past week. Three of the six biggest reported sales so far in 2009 were unveiled over the past seven days. Sedo.com led the high end onslaught by handling a $399,990 deal for Forums.com. Appropriately enough, the seller was DNForum.com owner Adam Dicker. http://dnjournal.com/archive/domainsales/2009/03-03-09.htm The Top 10 Most Expensive Domain Names How much is the word "toys" worth on the Internet? Hundreds? Thousands? Try millions of dollars. In a close bidding war, Toys 'R' Us last week bought the domain name Toys.com at auction for $5.1 million, placing it among the top 10 most expensive domain names on record. http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/AheadoftheCurve/story?id=7014819 Moniker Premium Auctions Releases New Guidelines for Successful Domain Sales. Domain name owners can now submit up to 250 of their very best domains for the T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Silicon Valley in April 2009. However no typos, trademarks, hyphenated or crude adult names will be accepted for the TRAFFIC Silicon Valley auction to be held in Santa Clara, California. http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/03/05/moniker-premium-auctions-releases-new-guidelines-for-successful-domain-sales/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/general/new-premium-auctions-guidelines-for-successful-domain-sales-released.html The Lowdown on Toys.com sale A new BBC News story about the recent $5.1 million auction sale of Toys.com and the domain aftermarket in general, quotes Sedo business development manager Nora Nanayakkara as saying sales prices for .co.uk domains had been halved by the current economic downturn. However the article also quotes Nora as saying small to medium sized business end users are buying more domains than ever. "Sales have tripled as businesses see the value in having a presence online," she said, according to this report. http://dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2009/dailyposts/03-04-09.htm The Lowdown on Toys.com sale The $5.1 million sale of Toys.com to Toy 'R' Us in a bankruptcy court auction last Friday continues to draw mainstream media attention to domain names. Yesterday it was The BBC, today it was ABC News. I spoke about the sale at length with ABC reporter Ki Mae Heussner for the report she published today (and was also interviewed for the BBC's report yesterday). http://dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2009/dailyposts/03-05-09.htm 35 Of The Most Desirable .ME Domains Go To Auction Today (March 2), the .ME Registry announced a partnership with Sedo to list 35 of the most desirable .ME domain names at auction. Online bidding for these names begins March 26, 2009 and remains open until April 02, 2009. http://www.domainpulse.com/2009/03/05/35-of-the-most-desirable-me-domains-go-to-auction/ http://www.domainnews.com/en/general/35-of-the-most-desirable-.me-domains-go-to-auction.html ********************** RESEARCH PAPERS ********************** OECD: Computer Viruses and Other Malicious Software: A Threat to the Internet Economy Malware attacks are increasing in both frequency and sophistication, thus posing a serious threat to the Internet economy and national security. This book is a first step toward addressing the threat of malware in a comprehensive, global manner. It aims to inform policy makers, to present new research into the economic incentives driving cyber-security decisions, and to make specific suggestions on how the international community can better work together to address the problem. http://www.oecd.org/document/16/0,3343,en_2649_34223_42276816_1_1_1_37441,00.html ********************** INTERNET USE ********************** Australians spend much more time online Australians spend most of their waking hours consuming media and are spending more time online than ever before, a study has found. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25142945-15306,00.html Internet growing weapon in Asian radicalisation Extremist groups in Southeast Asia are increasingly using the internet and social networking to radicalise the youth of the region, said a new security report released on Friday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE5250WP20090306 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-38373920090306 Oarsman at Google's helm keeps one stroke ahead of the world Last year Matt Brittin helped Google make ?1.26bn in UK ad revenues, but traditional media including ITV saw profits collapse. Is it the search engine's fault? Not at all, he tells Ian Burrell ... But, he says, Google is not the problem for traditional media but a potential saviour. "Google is a part of the internet but it is not the internet. We spend our time working on technologies that help people to get value out of the online environment, to get the right information and find people and places that are of interest to them. We think that's a good thing." http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/online/oarsman-at-googles-helm-keeps-one-stroke-ahead-of-the-world-1639967.html ********************** SOCIAL NETWORKING ********************** Facebook Plans Changes to Friend Updates In recent months, Facebook, the popular social network, has endured a user rebellion over changes to its terms of service, reports of a failed takeover of Twitter, and its founder?s somewhat awkward appearance on the Today Show. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/04/facebook-plans-changes-to-friend-updates/ Facebook turns to Twitter with redesign of homepages Facebook has unveiled a redesign to the homepages of its 175 million users in an attempt to make the service more up-to-the-minute and to provide a platform for companies and brands. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article5848227.ece Facebook launches new-look home page to compete with Twitter Facebook is incorporating users' real-time status updates into its home page in a move designed to see off the challenge posed by Twitter. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/facebook/4939640/Facebook-launches-new-look-home-page-to-compete-with-Twitter.html Facebook readies new user pages, filtering tools The social network announces two new features to its service, including a revamped way to organize and read news feeds. http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10188294-2.html Offbeat Name? Then Facebook's No Friend What Caitlin wanted did not seem that hard. She had signed up for Facebook after she married, as Caitlin Shaw. Now, to make it easier for old friends to find her, she wanted to add her maiden name. Her maiden name is Batman. Facebook's name-change procedure suddenly required superhuman effort. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/04/AR2009030404159.html The peer who's opened the debate on the internet and the mind It's not often that I get asked by a Baroness to make a public appeal on her behalf. But then Baroness Greenfield is no ordinary Life Peer. Not only is the 58-year-old scientist the Oxford Professor of Synaptic Pharmacology, the chancellor of Edinburgh's Heriot-Watt University and the director of the Royal Institution, but she is also the most notorious member of the House of Lords in cyberspace. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/online/andrew-keen-the-peer-whos-opened-the-debate-on-the-internet-and-the-mind-1639975.html ********************** NEW TECHNOLOGIES ********************** Sweden tops UN?s information technology development index [news release] The most advanced nations when it comes to information and communication technology (ICT) are found in northern Europe, with Sweden topping the list, according to a new ranking released today by the United Nations of 154 countries worldwide. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=30056 Sweden, Korea Top U.N.'s Communication Technology Rankings The targeting of consumers in developing countries for mobile phones has resulted in six of every 10 global citizens having a cell phone, according to a report from the U.N. International Telecommunication Union, or ITU. http://www.informationweek.com/news/industry/technology-telecom/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=215800537 New ITU ICT Development Index compares 154 countries [news release] ITU?s new ICT Development Index (IDI) compares developments in information and communication technologies (ICT) in 154 countries over a five-year period from 2002 to 2007. The Index combines 11 indicators into a single measure that can be used as a benchmarking tool globally, regionally and at the country level. These are related to ICT access, use and skills, such as households with a computer the number of Internet users; and literacy levels. http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2009/07.html PC shipments to recover gradually in 2010, IDC says [IDG] Expecting the recession to worsen, IDC updated its PC shipment forecast on Thursday, saying shipments would decline further in 2009 before showing a gradual recovery in 2010. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9129055 http://computerworld.com.au/article/279235/ http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/160808/.html PC shipments to decrease 4.5 percent in 2009 As bad as the second half of 2008 treated the PC industry, 2009 is shaping up to be even worse. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10189362-92.html ************************************************ CHILD PROTECTION, FILTERING & CONTENT REGULATION ************************************************ au: Research to inform cyber-safety policies [news release] A major review of Australian and international research on cyber-safety will be undertaken by Edith Cowan University. "The Rudd Government has committed to a comprehensive and evidence-based approach to cyber-safety policies and it is important that this is informed by a sound understanding of the risks facing children in the online environment," said Senator Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy. http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2009/009 au: Online safety program hung out for kids A pilot program to keep children safe online has been announced jointly by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). http://www.psnews.com.au/Page_psn15912.html us: FCC: more content-blocking gizmos needed Lovers of parental control capabilities will be pleased as punch at the Federal Communications Commission's latest Notice of Inquiry, which asks for public comment on ways to disperse "advanced blocking technologies" across the digital landscape. http://arstechnica.com/telecom/news/2009/03/fcc-more-content-blocking-gizmos-needed.ars tr: Experts warn parents of threat Internet poses to children As Turkey?s urban population grows and the threats faced by children in large cities increase in number, parents have a growing tendency to keep their children near them at all times. http://www.sundayszaman.com/sunday/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=168975 ********************** ONLINE TV & MUSIC ********************** YouTube and Universal Music Are Said to Discuss Deal Google?s YouTube and the Universal Music Group, the world?s largest music label, are in advanced discussions over a licensing agreement that could lead to the creation of a premium site for music videos, according a person briefed on the talks. http://nytimes.com/2009/03/05/technology/internet/05music.html http://iht.com/articles/2009/03/05/technology/05music.php The Music Industry's New Internet Problem Streaming music sites with freely accessible content are being used by a growing number of listeners as a substitute for buying music http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/mar2009/tc2009035_000194.htm Biggest-ever Internet piracy bust claimed in Sweden Swedish police on Friday reported making a major Internet piracy bust. Authorities said they seized computer equipment belonging to a Stockholm-area man whom they suspected of violating local copyright law. The police, who carried out the raid on February 9, only disclosed the news Friday. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10190977-93.html ********************** MOBILE/WIRELESS ********************** Australia's gen Y drop landlines: survey Telcos can expect more downward pressure on their fixed-line income as the emerging generation of adolescents start leaving the nest, new research has revealed. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25149535-15306,00.html Young Australians leaving home without the phone [news release] A new Australian Communications and Media Authority report, Australian household consumers? take-up and use of voice communication services, has confirmed that young Australians are increasingly choosing not to connect a fixed line phone when moving out of their parental home, relying instead on mobile technology. http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_311654 Gen X and Y go mobile Mobile phones are the communications device of choice for the under-35 set, according to a new consumer research report from the Australian Communications and Media Authority. http://www.digital-media.net.au/Article/Gen-160-X-and-Y-go-mobile/470859.aspx Young Australians Leaving Home Without the Landline Phone Young Australians don't even consider buying a landline phone when moving out of their parents house - finds a report commissioned by the Australian telecoms regulator. The study, presents research findings into the attitudes and behaviours of household consumers concerning their voice communications. It indicates that while 90 per cent of consumers use both mobile and fixed line phones to stay in touch, many Australians aged 18 to 24 are abandoning the traditional phone in favour of more flexible technology. http://cellular-news.com/story/36389.php Mobile telecoms in the recession When the mobile-telecoms industry recently met in Barcelona for the Mobile World Congress, its biggest global shindig, head and body seemed oddly separated. Bosses bemoaned the downturn and demanded free radio spectrum to stimulate the industry. But on the show floor it was hard to keep track of all the new ?smart? phones and services. http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13234981 The boom in mobile broadband: Mobile operators discover the dangers of being reduced to a dumb pipe As handsets turn into computers, laptops are becoming more like mobile phones. Even industry veterans have been surprised by the rapid take-up of mobile broadband?using built-in receivers or plug-in ?dongles? to provide internet access to laptops via high-speed mobile networks. The advantage of this is that it works anywhere?unlike short-range Wi-Fi technology, it is not limited to a few hotspots. In Western Europe alone, the number of mobile-broadband users will grow by 50% to 27m this year, according to IDC, an analyst firm. Worldwide, there are thought to be around 100m. http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13234973 nz: Ignore mobile phone warning, say police A hoax email purporting to be a police warning about a mobile phone scam prompted hundreds of callers to flood police phone lines last week. http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2104924/Ignore-mobile-phone-warning-say-police Mobile infrastructure consultations attract few complaints [sub req'd] Australia's Mobile Carriers Forum has welcomed the continuing decline in complaints to ACMA regarding the industry's consultation practices when establishing telecommunications facilities. ACMA received thirteen enquiries and six complaints relating... http://www.telecompaper.com/news/ ********************** DIGITAL DIVIDE ********************** Millions risk exclusion from digital economy Millions of Britons are missing out on the benefits of the digital economy such as internet shopping, online entertainment and easy access to government services because they either cannot afford or cannot use technology. http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2237959/millions-risk-exclusion-digital ************************** ONLINE CRIME, SECURITY & LEGAL ************************** Why Web Site Security Matters to Us All For the past several months, some of the sharpest minds in the security community have teamed up to block cyber criminals from wresting control over what may be one of the largest armies of hacked computers ever built. While those efforts are ongoing and so far appear effective, all of that work could be undone thanks to the lax security of a single Web site. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/03/could_a_single_web_site.html NZ plugged into secret internet A leaked American study into military actions in Afghanistan reveals New Zealand is quietly plugged into the world's most secret internet allowing access to the Pentagon's battle plans at strategic and tactical level. http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2010435/NZ-plugged-into-secret-internet Hackers update Conficker worm, evade countermeasures Computers infected with the Conficker worm are being updated with a new variant that sidesteps an industry effort to sever the link between the worm and its hacker controllers, researchers at Symantec Corp. said Friday. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9129239 http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/030909-hackers-update-conficker-worm-evade.html Police aim to cut off Craigslist's 'erotic' ads Police officials in Chicago are seeking to ban "erotic services" advertising on the online classifieds site Craiglist, and have filed a $100,000 federal lawsuit accusing it of being "the single largest source of prostitution" in the US. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/mar/06/craiglist-police-prostitution-internet Craigslist sued for being 'single largest source of prostitution in US' Craigslist, the world's most popular online classified advertisements site, is being sued by an Illinois sheriff who alleges that the site is a clearing house for prostitution. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article5856408.ece ************************** PRIVACY ************************** European Push for More Online Rights to Privacy [IDG] Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will push for a re-think of the balance between the need for security and the right to privacy on the Internet, not just in Europe but around the world, they agreed during a debate at the Parliament on Thursday. http://www.pcworld.com/article/160816/.html When Everyone?s a Friend, Is Anything Private? Facebook has a chief privacy officer, but I doubt that the position will exist 10 years from now. That?s not because Facebook is hell-bent on stripping away privacy protections, but because the popularity of Facebook and other social networking sites has promoted the sharing of all things personal, dissolving the line that separates the private from the public. http://nytimes.com/2009/03/08/business/08digi.html Google Discloses Privacy Glitch Google disclosed Saturday that it shared a very small number of online documents with users who weren't authorized to see them. http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/03/08/1214/ ********************** CENSORSHIP ********************** Chinese fight internet censors with "Grass Mud Horse" cuddly toy From unprintable curse word to cuddly children?s toy: that has been the voyage charted by an imaginary beast invented by Chinese internet users to poke fun at a new nationwide crackdown against online content deemed vulgar. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article5858267.ece Bangladesh blocks YouTube in mutiny aftermath [AP] Bangladesh blocked access to the video-sharing site YouTube after it hosted a recording of a tense meeting between the prime minister and army officials following a bloody mutiny by border guards, officials said today. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/bangladesh-blocks-youtube-in-mutiny-aftermath-1640387.html ************************** GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY ************************** US Cybersecurity Chief Resigns The government's coordinator for cybersecurity programs has quit, criticizing what he described as the National Security Agency's grip on cybersecurity. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123638468860758145.html Cybersecurity official quits, blasts NSA power grab A top federal cybersecurity official resigned this week in a letter sharply critical of what he described as a power grab by the National Security Agency. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10191170-38.html Federal cybersecurity director quits, complains of NSA role In a move that highlights differences over who should be in charge of national cybersecurity efforts, the director of a federal office set up to protect civilian, military and intelligence networks has submitted his resignation after less than a year in the job. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9129218 Fight Over Internet Filtering Has a Test Run in Europe As European lawmakers debate how to keep access to the Internet free and equal ? so-called network neutrality ? they are inundated, not unsurprisingly, by lobbyists. http://nytimes.com/2009/03/09/technology/internet/09neutral.html InternetNZ supports ISOC France in fighting termination [news release] InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) expresses its support for ISOC France against the introduction of draconian laws intended to cut people off the Internet based on mere allegations of copyright infringement. http://www.internetnz.net.nz/media/media-releases-2009/internetnz-supports-isoc-france-in-fighting-termination French gambling plan seeks to stem illegal betting [Bloomberg News] France will open its gambling market to competition and begin to grant online betting licenses in 2010 as it seeks to stem illegal gambling and safeguard the billions of euros in tax revenue provided by the industry each year, the country's budget minister said Thursday. http://iht.com/articles/2009/03/05/technology/gamble.php Why did New Zealand drop plans to cut off net users? Because the law was badly drafted, and internet service providers (ISPs), telecoms companies and copyright holders did not have a voluntary code for its use. That's what John Key, New Zealand's prime minister, said as he told a media conference that plans to introduce a law that would in part oblige ISPs to cut off "repeat copyright infringers" would be delayed until 27 March - and that if rights holders and ISPs couldn't agree on a code of practice, that part of the new law would be suspended indefinitely. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/mar/05/internet-service-providers-new-zealand EU ends full-time antitrust oversight of Microsoft Antitrust regulators in the European Union today closed the book on their 2004 case against Microsoft Corp., announcing that they are dropping full-time oversight of the company. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9128973 The Nation?s New Chief Information Officer Speaks Reforming the entire health care system may be easier than doing everything Vivek Kundra says he wants to do when it comes to reforming the government?s computer systems. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/05/the-nations-new-chief-information-officer-speaks/ ********************************* COMMENT, MICROSOFT & DEVELOPMENTS ********************************* The internet's librarian: creating a free, online collection of human knowledge For a man who has set himself a seemingly impossible mission, Brewster Kahle seems remarkably laid back. Relaxing in the black leather recliner that serves as his office chair, his stockinged feet wriggling with evident enthusiasm, the founder of the Internet Archive explains what has driven him for more than a decade. ?We are trying to build Alexandria 2.0,? says Mr Kahle with a wide-eyed, boyish grin. Sure, and plenty of people are trying to abolish hunger, too. http://www.economist.com/science/tq/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13174399 ********************** TELECOMMUNICATIONS ********************** Industry expert: Reding is the 'saviour' of EU telecoms The nascent optical fibre connection market underpinning super-fast Internet should be subject to rules aimed at avoiding the creation of new monopolies, telecoms industry chief Innocenzo Genna told EurActiv in an interview, praising Information Society Commissioner Viviane Reding as the 'saviour' of the EU telecoms sector. http://euractiv.com/en/infosociety/industry-expert-reding-saviour-eu-telecoms/article-179699 Better high-speed internet access needed to revitalise Europe's rural regions, says Commission [news release] Connecting the 30% of the EU's rural population that has no high speed internet access should be a priority for achieving 'broadband for all' by 2010, the Commission said today. Improved internet connectivity is a powerful tool to stimulate swift economic recovery. The Commission today outlines how it would use its own support programmes to boost internet networks and services in rural areas, and called on EU Member States to do the same. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/343 ********************************** ARRESTS/COURT CASES FOR CHILD PORN ********************************** au: 'Depraved' child porn mastermind gets six years A man who helped set up an international child pornography network has been jailed for six years by a District Court Judge in Townsville. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/05/2508704.htm au: Child porn case disgusts judge A MARRIED man from Goodna saved more than 200 images and videos of child pornography after accessing the material on the internet. http://www.qt.com.au/story/2009/03/08/child-porn-case-disgusts-judge/ Merkel media man quits as police probe child pornography links A senior member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's government resigned from his political posts yesterday after police said he was under investigation for possessing and distributing child pornography on his mobile phone. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/merkel-media-man-quits-as-police-probe-child-pornography-links-1639275.html German Lawmaker Resigns Over Child Porn Probe; Denies Charge [AFP] A German lawmaker under investigation for possession of child pornography said he resigned from all his political offices Friday to avoid damage to his party six months before a national election. http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20090306\ACQDJON200903060634DOWJONESDJONLINE000541.htm German legislator's office searched in child porn swoop - Summary [DPA] German prosecutors searching for child pornography said they confiscated suspicious pictorial material from the Berlin office of a Social Democrat (SPD) media spokesman on Thursday. "I can't understand it," said the 55-year-old parliamentarian, Joerg Tauss, who explained the discovery with his work as a media expert. http://earthtimes.org/articles/show/258643,german-legislators-office-searched-in-child-porn-swoop--summary.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (c) David Goldstein 2009 --------- David Goldstein address: 4/3 Abbott Street COOGEE NSW 2034 AUSTRALIA email: Goldstein_David §yahoo.com.au phone: +61 418 228 605 (mobile); +61 2 9665 5773 (home) "Every time you use fossil fuels, you're adding to the problem. Every time you forgo fossil fuels, you're being part of the solution" - Dr Tim Flannery Stay connected to the people that matter most with a smarter inbox. Take a look http://au.docs.yahoo.com/mail/smarterinboxReceived on Mon Mar 09 2009 - 04:25:34 UTC
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