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Sun, 18 Aug 2013 12:39

Apple, Google, and Microsoft are allegedly a part of PRISM. Their proprietary operating systems cannot be trusted to safeguard your personal information from the NSA. We have two free alternatives: GNU/Linux and BSD.

GNU/Linux has a much larger community to help you with the transition. It's recommended that you begin your explorations by looking for a GNU/Linux distribution that suits your needs.

Debian has a long tradition of software freedom. Contributers have to sign a social contract and adhere to the ethical manifesto. Strict inclusion guidelines make sure that only certified open source software gets packaged in the main repositories.

Gentoo describes itself as a meta-distribution. The source code is compiled to binary applications on the user's machine allowing near-unlimited adaptability and complete retraceability of the program logic.

Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) is probably the easiest-to-use distribution for people migrating from Microsoft Windows.

Both Fedora and openSUSE are community editions that serve as the stable basis for enterprise ready GNU/Linux distributions with commercial support. Companies all over the world trust Red Hat Inc. and SUSE Linux GmbH because of their transparency throughout the whole development process.

Parabola GNU/Linux is effectively 99% Arch Linux with a de-blobbed kernel and a meta-package that blocks unfree licenses. Both of these features can be installed under Arch.

Canonical's Ubuntu is not recommended by PRISM Break because it contains Amazon ads and data leaks by default. GNU/Linux distributions based on Ubuntu are also currently not recommended due to several other reasons.

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Sun, 18 Aug 2013 12:49

Even though some early studies have showed that Gmail's recent effort to put all of our marketing e-mails in one folder for us hasn't really affected response rates for the businesses that blast us with e-mails, some companies are desperate to persuade us to keep them in our inboxes. Desperate enough to walk us through changing our e-mail preferences.

Buzzfeed notes that Gap may have started it, letting customers know how to fill their inbox with promos. Now it's Newegg's turn to be needy.

''Sorry, Newegg, not interested,'' notes reader ZyphBear.

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Sun, 18 Aug 2013 13:01

Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesFor some retailers that rely on emailed promotions, Google Inc. is adding insult to injury.

When the search giant overhauled its free email service three months ago, it set up algorithms to automatically siphon the flow of airfare offers and spa deals away from users' main inboxes and into an easily bypassed "Promotions" folder.

But there is another wrinkle: For Gmail users that do visit those Promotions folders, the first items they see will often be ads sold by Google.

Gmail's overhaul that files emails into special folders streamlines your inbox but has frustrated companies offering deals to customers. WSJ's Drew FitzGerald explains on digits. Photo: Google.

The ads are different from those that already appear inside users' opened messages. Instead, they look like emails sitting in an inbox but are shaded yellow and feature informational "i" icons explaining their purpose. Marketers still complain that the ads threaten to draw attention away from the coupons and pitch emails they want their targets to read first.

"People are not very amused by those," said Tom Monaghan, product manager for the email service at marketing service HubSpot Inc.

Google shows no more than two inbox ads per user, spokeswoman Andrea Freund said. Some users' inboxes showed no ads after Google tightened its "quality thresholds" for targeting the messages.

"Our goal was to put them someplace that was more relevant, and we thought that was the promotions tab," she said. "When you're looking at promotions, you're looking for deals," she added. "We do try to clearly label them as ads."

Special DeliveryUnique visitors to top U.S. email services in June (desktop and mobile)

Google Gmail: 100 millionYahoo Mail: 88.8 millionOutlook.com: 32.5 millionAOL Email: 20.4 millionSource: comScore Inc. *Figures exclude corporate and government domain names, non-Web email 'clients' such as Outlook for Microsoft Windows and Mail for Apple iOS.

If past software updates are any indication, Google will likely tread carefully as it introduces the new inbox ads, according to Ben Chestnut, chief executive of email marketing service MailChimp. Too many ads could alienate users, he said.

The ads are compounding the concern over the changes to Gmail, which has more than 425 million active users worldwide. Though Gmail users can't see the changes when accessing their messages on iPhones, Google's Web mail application is widely used on desktops. Ms. Freund said more than half of all users have the updated Gmail layout, which the company has been gradually rolling out since May.

Prolific emailers like Delta Air Lines Inc., Gap Inc., Gilt Groupe Inc. and Groupon Inc. have sent step-by-step instructions to their mailing lists on how to move messages out of the Promotions tab and back to Gmail's "Primary" folder.

Marketers fear the new system could spread and put an unwanted kink in a tried-and-true method of driving sales, not to mention business models that rely on emailed coupons.

"We think other email providers will be adopting this as well," LivingSocial Chief Marketing Officer Barry Judge said of the new categorization system. "We don't know when and we don't know who, but we think they will."

The reason for the instructions is simple, Mr. Judge said: "We clearly just want users to see our emails."

"Let's stay together," apparel retailer Kate Spade Saturday pleaded in an email to its newsletter subscribers. Gmail's "new inbox settings may have started filing away your Saturday.com emails into the depths of something called a 'Promotions' tab."

"Ack," it added.

Google redesigned its service to help users manage email overload, Ms. Freund said. Users can reroute emails they want to land in their regular inbox with a simple drag-and-drop, or by going back to the old layout altogether.

The shift appears to have made a noticeable but small impact on the rate at which recipients open marketers' pitches. MailChimp last month found the percentage of emails that were opened by its 3 million customers fell by about 1 percentage point for Gmail, to between 12% and 13%.

Analysis from HubSpot showed the percentage of Gmail users who opened clients' emails slid slightly over the summer, though activity spiked during the weekends. Open rates have declined at the same slow rate since April, suggesting user engagement is suffering from too many emails rather than Gmail.

"There's a little bit of Chicken Little happening right now over this," Mr. Monaghan said.

Gilt, an online service that alerts members to deals on luxury goods, said it hasn't had any problems with Gmail's new layout. "Having said that, we think the best thing to do is to educate our members," said Elizabeth Francis, the company's chief marketing officer.

Groupon Chief Executive Eric Lefkofsky last week said the changes had no "material" impact on his business, because the daily-deals service has shifted away from emailed pitches to offering deals on its website. But just in case, the company sent a batch of emails to subscribers later that week explaining how to move its messages from "promotions" to "primary."

Gap and Banana Republic sent emails about the new inbox because customers "value personalized and relevant emails," spokeswoman Edie Kissko said.

Write to Drew FitzGerald at andrew.fitzgerald@dowjones.com

A version of this article appeared August 16, 2013, on page B5 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: With Gmail Overhaul, Not All Mail Is Equal.

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Sun, 18 Aug 2013 12:55

On May 29, Google began rolling out a newly designed Gmail inbox that includes five separate tabs to group emails. After the announcement on Google's official Gmail blog, users began seeing their emails sorted into three tabs '' Primary, Social and Promotions '' with the two additional tabs, Updates and Forums, available from the Configure inbox settings.

According to Google, the new inbox organizes emails in a way that lets users, '''...see what's new at a glance and decide which emails you want to read when.''

The new Gmail tabs sent a shock wave through the email marketing community. Would email marketing, still one of the most popular marketing channels, cease to be effective with Gmail users once Google began organizing their emails for them?

While the initial panic immediately following the announcement has calmed, Google's Gmail tabs still has many marketers wondering how much traction they can gain when their email messages are being automatically categorized under the Promotions tab.

Quick Overview of the New Gmail TabsThe desktop version, as well as the Android and iOS apps all include the new tabs, with personal emails going to the Primary tab, while social emails are sent to the Social tab (messages from social networks, media-sharing sites, online dating services, gaming platforms and other social sites). Promotional emails such as deals, offers, and, most any mass email sent from an email service provider are delivered to the Promotions tab.

While the Primary, Social and Promotions tabs are automatically launched in Gmail inboxes, users may choose to add the Updates and Forums tabs from the Configure inbox settings link. The Updates tab includes notifications such as confirmation emails, receipts, bills and statements; messages from online groups, discussion boards and mailing lists are sent to the Forums tab.

The Android 4.0 and iOS Gmail apps show the Primary inbox when the app is opened, with easy navigation to accompanying tabs.

Google notes that if a tab is not used, emails that would be categorized within that tab are sent to the Primary tab. Users are also given the opportunity to disable the tabs and revert to the classic inbox view, with all emails going to one list.

How Will Gmail Tabs Impact Your Email MarketingWhile many industry insiders agree it's too early to determine how the new Gmail tabs will impact email marketing response rates, many experts are hopeful.

''We don't know how people are going to use it,'' says Silverpop VP of industry relations Loren McDonald, ''It's too early to have any sense of an impact on long-term performance.''

According to a Silverpop blog post published by McDonald on June 6, he believes it will take, at least, 12 to 18 months before marketers can truly understand the impact of the new Gmail tabs. ''What we don't know yet and won't know for a long time is whether separating promotional and other marketing related messages will actually be good for marketers, because their messages won't get lost in a sea of unrelated emails,'' writes McDonald, ''It may also train users to be in ''shopping'' mode when perusing the promotions tab.''

During our phone interview, McDonald reinforced his positive outlook, saying that many Gmail users may find themselves liking the new tabs, performing new habits around the way they consume email and engaging more with the brands they like. In his blog post, McDonald also points out that users are slow to adopt new email features, ''While we lack specific numbers, history shows that user adoption of inbox innovations often is very low, perhaps only in the single digits.''

Gail Goodman, CEO of Constant Contact, said she sees no reason for major concerns. ''We've been actively monitoring our customers' open rates since the launch of Gmail tabs to see what impact the new feature has had, and found small decreases in open rates among Gmail users,'' says Goodman, ''The bottom line is that marketers shouldn't panic. Given that Gmail tabs is early in both its adoption and consumer usage patterns, we'll continue to monitor this in the coming weeks and months to see if there is any further impact.''

What Email Providers Are Seeing So FarPopular email service provider MailChimp published a blog post on July 23 offering insight into what they've seen happen around open rates with Gmail users since the new tabs were released.

''I trimmed my data to a lean six weeks around the introduction of tabs. That's about 1.5 billion emails, which is plenty of records for a good analysis,'' writes MailChimp's Matthew Grove, ''I learned from my research that the new Gmail inbox is bringing down open rates, but the change isn't dramatic at this point.''

MailChimp's Gmail open rates before & after Gmail tabs launched

According to Grove's findings, open rates for Gmail users had remained above 13 percent for 15 weeks, dipping only below the 13 percent mark during holidays. A week after Google launched the Gmail inbox tabs, open rates dropped and remained down for three consecutive weeks.

''From looking at a year and a half's worth of data, I can say that kind of behavior isn't normal,'' writes Grove, ''I'm not willing to declare an emergency just yet. After all, I don't even know what the adoption rate is on Gmail's side. However, I would say this is an early indicator, and we're definitely keeping our eye on it.''

Lyris CMO Alex Lustberg confirmed his email marketing company has also witnessed a decline in open rates, but Lustberg thinks the new tabs will prove eventually to be a good thing for marketers:

Consumers have always filtered the way they read emails into those that are useful and relevant and those that are not. The only difference with the new Gmail system is that it does this automatically. So while it's no surprise we have seen a slight decline in email open rates (by approximately .57 percentage points) and clicks (.08 percentage points), the overall browsing is net positive for email marketing and open rates.

The promotions tab grabs attention for an audience that is more receptive and the action is done with intent and in a way that is respectful to the customer. As such, the click throughs are more qualified leads, which is ultimately much more helpful for marketers.

Silverpop has conducted a simple four-question survey to gauge their client's awareness level around the new Gmail tabs. At the time of my conversation with Silverpop's VP of industry relations, they had received only 30 responses to the survey.

Of the clients who had completed Silverpop's survey, 81 percent were aware of the new Gmail tabs and functionality. From the 81 percent, McDonald says 12 percent claim to have experienced a decrease in open rates and CTRs when asked if they are monitoring performance, while 42 percent said it was too early to tell, and 46 percent responded that they were not monitoring performance.

What Email Marketers Can Do In the MeantimeMany marketers are curious if there is a way to get marketing emails into the Primary tab. MailChimp's Matthew Grove conducted his own test to see if he could get emails to show up in the Primary tab versus the Promotions tab.

''I've messed around with a ton of different content and header configurations,'' writes Grove, ''And anything that looks like it came from an ESP (has a list-unsubscribe header, unsubscribe links in the content, etc.) goes to either the Promotions tab or the Updates tab.''

MailChimp, Silverpop's McDonald and Constant Contact CEO Goodman all agree that the best way to get marketing emails from the Promotions tab into the Primary tab is by sending an email instructing list subscribers how to move emails from one tab to the other.

''Marketers should think about the things they can do to make sure their email subscribers continue to look for and read their emails. Gmail tabs make it even more important that email marketers send relevant, valuable content to the people who have opted into their list '' content that people will look for,'' says Contact CEO Gail Goodman, ''In addition, marketers should proactively ask Gmail users on their list to move their emails to the Primary tab, either by dragging and dropping their emails from the Promotions tab to the Primary tab or by clicking the star next to the email.''

Marketing Land staffers have already seen such emails surface, including a message from Delta's Skylines® Dining program with a subject line that read, ''Urgent: Your SkyMiles Dining emails need attention'' followed by a message that offered, '''...two easy steps to send our bonus offers, restaurant updates and earning opportunities to the front of your inbox.''

The email told readers to drag SkyMiles Dining emails from the Promotions to the Primary tab, then click yes so that, ''You'll never miss out on an offer or update.''

Of course, before telling readers to relocate their emails, it may be worth waiting to see how users interact with the new tabs. There's a chance brands will see higher engagement levels as users form new habits with the way they read their emails, being able to focus on their Promotion tab emails when they are in the mood to shop or browse deals.

McDonald sees the Gmail tabs as a major shift towards a more intuitive mobile experience.

''With many brands seeing around 50 percent of emails opened on mobile devices, inbox management features are ultimately going to come down to the mobile email apps consumers use,'' writes McDonald in his Silverpop blog post, ''Because our mobile devices are a bit more context-centric, consumers might want to see all of their promotional emails or social network notifications when they are at lunch or on the train home from work, not throughout the day.''

Overall, McDonald sees the new Gmail tabs as good news for the email marketing industry, ''It's important to remember that other big email providers '' Microsoft, Yahoo and AOL '' are changing their email services and features because they see email is even more relevant in the social and mobile era'...Let's be thankful that these companies continue to invest in email and are ensuring an ongoing positive and relevant experience for users.''

Correction: This article has been updated since it's original publication to correct Loren McDonald's title to VP of industry relations.

Related Topics:Channel: Email Marketing | Email Marketing | Google: Gmail | Interviews | Mobile Marketing | Top News

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Source: Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 16:24

Google expands personalized search for desktops and mobileJavascript is currently disabled in your web browser. For full site functionality, it is necessary to enable Javascript. In order to enable it, please see these instructions.1 hour ago by Brandon BaileyAre you still scrolling through your email just to locate the particulars of an airline reservation or an online purchase you made weeks ago? That's so 2012.

Google said Wednesday that most U.S.-based users of its search service soon will be able to retrieve useful information from their other Google services, such as Gmail or Calendar, by typing or speaking a conversational question such as "Is my flight on time?" or "Show me my purchases."

The Internet giant, which has been testing different aspects of the service for the past year, said it will start answering such conversational queries for most people in the United States who use the Google search app on an Apple or Android smartphone or tablet or a personal computer running Google's Chrome browser.

The move is part of a broader Google effort to develop useful services that can be operated through conversational, spoken commands - like the celebrated computer on "Star Trek." While Google may be further along than most of its competitors, Gartner analyst Whit Andrews said other tech companies, including startups and giants like Apple and Microsoft, are working on related services.

That makes it "not only necessary but strategic" for Google to expand its capabilities if it wants to keep dominating the search business, Andrews added. "Siri is the scariest thing Google has seen since Facebook," he said, referring to Apple's online personal assistant.

Google's new feature works by tapping other Google services for relevant data, including Calendar items or even photos from a Google+ account. It can retrieve airline information from a confirmation email saved in Gmail, and then get an updated flight status from the Internet. Anticipating privacy concerns, Google said a user can only get personal information from his or her own account, and only when signed in. Users can opt out of the service.

For now, the service works with five categories of information - flight information, hotel and restaurant reservations, online purchases, calendar events and photos - but Google spokeswoman Roya Soleimani said the company will add more. "We're focusing on daily tasks that make your life a little bit easier," she said.

Google already performs a similar function on mobile devices with its Google Now service, which anticipates needs and tries to show relevant information without being asked. It's offered personalized search service for desktop users who enrolled in a "field test" program last year. Google also has been improving the conversational prowess of its speech technology, available for Chrome users since May.

In a blog post, Google product manager Roy Livne said the service now can field variations on a question such as, "What are my plans for tomorrow?" and show a list of events from a person's calendar as well as email confirmations from hotels, restaurants or airlines.

Explore further:Google combines cloud storage for Gmail, Drive, Google+ services

(C)2013 San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.)Distributed by MCT Information Services

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Stephen_Crowleynot rated yet1 hour ago

Is phys.org just a commercial advertising medium for technology companies now? You don't need google to search your desktop or mobile. There is free open-source software to do that. http://www.lesbon.../recoll/More news stories

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(C) Phys.org' 2003-2013

Google expands personalized search for desktops and mobileJavascript is currently disabled in your web browser. For full site functionality, it is necessary to enable Javascript. In order to enable it, please see these instructions.1 hour ago by Brandon BaileyAre you still scrolling through your email just to locate the particulars of an airline reservation or an online purchase you made weeks ago? That's so 2012.

Google said Wednesday that most U.S.-based users of its search service soon will be able to retrieve useful information from their other Google services, such as Gmail or Calendar, by typing or speaking a conversational question such as "Is my flight on time?" or "Show me my purchases."

The Internet giant, which has been testing different aspects of the service for the past year, said it will start answering such conversational queries for most people in the United States who use the Google search app on an Apple or Android smartphone or tablet or a personal computer running Google's Chrome browser.

The move is part of a broader Google effort to develop useful services that can be operated through conversational, spoken commands - like the celebrated computer on "Star Trek." While Google may be further along than most of its competitors, Gartner analyst Whit Andrews said other tech companies, including startups and giants like Apple and Microsoft, are working on related services.

That makes it "not only necessary but strategic" for Google to expand its capabilities if it wants to keep dominating the search business, Andrews added. "Siri is the scariest thing Google has seen since Facebook," he said, referring to Apple's online personal assistant.

Google's new feature works by tapping other Google services for relevant data, including Calendar items or even photos from a Google+ account. It can retrieve airline information from a confirmation email saved in Gmail, and then get an updated flight status from the Internet. Anticipating privacy concerns, Google said a user can only get personal information from his or her own account, and only when signed in. Users can opt out of the service.

For now, the service works with five categories of information - flight information, hotel and restaurant reservations, online purchases, calendar events and photos - but Google spokeswoman Roya Soleimani said the company will add more. "We're focusing on daily tasks that make your life a little bit easier," she said.

Google already performs a similar function on mobile devices with its Google Now service, which anticipates needs and tries to show relevant information without being asked. It's offered personalized search service for desktop users who enrolled in a "field test" program last year. Google also has been improving the conversational prowess of its speech technology, available for Chrome users since May.

In a blog post, Google product manager Roy Livne said the service now can field variations on a question such as, "What are my plans for tomorrow?" and show a list of events from a person's calendar as well as email confirmations from hotels, restaurants or airlines.

Explore further:Google combines cloud storage for Gmail, Drive, Google+ services

(C)2013 San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.)Distributed by MCT Information Services

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Cloud storage for three of Google's more popular services - Gmail, Google Drive and Google+ - are being combined to give users more control over how they want to use the storage space.

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User comments : 1Adjust slider to filter visible comments by rank

Display comments: newest first

Stephen_Crowleynot rated yet1 hour ago

Is phys.org just a commercial advertising medium for technology companies now? You don't need google to search your desktop or mobile. There is free open-source software to do that.

http://www.lesbon.../recoll/More news stories

New research suggests perovskite as cheaper replacement for silicon-based solar panels(Phys.org) '--Researchers at Oxford Photovoltaics and other companies investigating the use of perovskite'--a crystalline organometal'--as a replacement for silicon in photovoltaic cells have created prototypes ...

Microsoft India team develop secure Peer-to-Peer acoustic NFC system(Phys.org) '--A team of researchers at Microsoft India has developed an alternative to standard NFC communications between hand-held devices'--a software only system that makes use of the speaker and microphone ...

New flow battery could enable cheaper, more efficient energy storageMIT researchers have engineered a new rechargeable flow battery that doesn't rely on expensive membranes to generate and store electricity. The device, they say, may one day enable cheaper, large-scale energy ...

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Drug dosing for older heart patients should differOlder heart patients present unique challenges for determining the optimal dosages of medications, so a new study from researchers at Duke Medicine offers some rare clarity about the use of drugs that are used to treat patients ...

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Archived Version

Sun, 18 Aug 2013 01:01

S

It's easy to forget that owning something digitally is way different from owning it for real. And if you do forget, it can bite you in the ass. That's what happened to Jim O'Donnell when he traveled into Singapore and found that Google Play Books app on his iPad had up and deleted all his ebooks.

You see, the Google Play Store doesn't operate in Singapore, Google Play Books aren't available in Singapore, so obviously it's not going to sell to people who are there. But apparently the DRM goes a step further, and can/will actually delete your stuff if it catches you visiting the wrong part of town the world.

O'Donnell explains on a post in the Current Liblicense Archive:

So when I got here, I noticed that several of my iPad apps had updates on offer, so I clicked and approved. One of them was Google Play. When it finished and I went to open the app, it told me that it needed to update my book files and this might take several minutes. Time passed and the screen filled in the covers of the 30 or 40 titles I keep live on the machine. Two of them were books I am actively reading for my teaching this fall.

But all of my books had un-downloaded and needed to be downloaded again. ...It turns out that because I am not in a country where Google Books is an approved enterprise (which encompasses most of the countries on the planet), I cannot download. Local wisdom among the wizards here speculates that the undownloading occurred when the update noted that I was outside the US borders and so intervened.

The helpful update didn't affect O'Donnell's ownership of the books, of course, but he found that outside of Google Play territory, re-downloading was impossible. And all this could have been avoided by refusing the update, but that's a shitty thing to have to know ahead of time.

It's unclear if the Android app behaves the same way, but the Google Play Terms of Servicedoes clearly state:

In certain cases (for example, if Google loses the relevant rights, discontinues a service or a Product is discontinued, breaches applicable terms or the law), Google may remove from your Device or cease providing you with access to certain Products that you have purchased.

Emphasis ours. Also "bleh."

But the moral of the story is that you're buying a license, not a book. And licenses can come with strings attached. Obnoxious strings. [Current Liblicense Archive via Boing Boing]

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Archived Version

Sun, 18 Aug 2013 01:04

Dotless DomainsWhereas, dotless domains consist of a single label and require the inclusion of, for example, an A, AAAA, or MX, record in the apex of a TLD zone in the DNS.

Whereas, Section 2.2.3.3 of the Applicant Guidebook (AGB) prohibits the use of dotless domain names without evaluation of the registry services and ICANN's prior approval.

Whereas, on 23 February 2012, the ICANN Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC) published SAC 053: SSAC Report on Dotless Domains [PDF, 183 KB], and recommended that the use of DNS resource records such as A, AAAA, and MX in the apex of a Top-Level Domain (TLD) should be contractually prohibited where appropriate, and strongly discouraged in all cases.

Whereas, on 23 June 2012, the ICANN Board adopted resolution 2012.06.23.09 tasking ICANN to consult with the relevant communities regarding implementation of the recommendations in SAC053.

Whereas, on 24 August 2012, ICANN staff published the SAC053 Report for public comment requesting input to consider in relation to implementing the recommendations of the SSAC report.

Whereas, in May 2013 ICANNcommissioned a study on the stability and security implications of dotless domain name functionality to help ICANN prepare an implementation plan for the SAC053 recommendations, and on 29 July 2013 Carve Systems delivered a report to ICANN identifying the security and stability issues that should be mitigated before gTLDs implement dotless domain names (the "Carve Report").

Whereas, on 10 July 2013 the Internet Architecture Board (IAB) released a statement on dotless domain names, recommending against the use of dotless domain names for TLDs.

Whereas, the NGPC has considered the risks associated with dotless domains as presented in SAC053, the IAB statement and the Carve Report, and the impracticality of mitigating these identified risks. The NGPC has also considered the comments received from the community on this issue.

Whereas, the NGPC is undertaking this action pursuant to the authority granted to it by the Board on 10 April 2012, to exercise the ICANN Board's authority for any and all issues that may arise relating to the New gTLD Program.

Resolved (2013.08.13.NG01), the NGPC acknowledges the security and stability risks associated with dotless domains as presented in SAC053, the IAB statement and the Carve Report and affirms its commitment to its security and stability mandates as the New gTLD Program is implemented.

Resolved (2013.08.13.NG02), in light of the current security and stability risks identified in SAC053, the IAB statement and the Carve Report, and the impracticality of mitigating these risks, the NGPC affirms that the use of dotless domains is prohibited.

Resolved (2013.08.13.NG03), the President, Generic Domains Division is authorized to take all necessary steps to implement these resolutions.

Rationale for Resolutions 2013.08.13.NG01 '-- 2013.08.13.NG03Why the NGPC is addressing the issue?

The SSAC issued SAC 053 to the ICANN board which requests action be taken to prevent gTLDs from being approved to operate as dotless domain names. The Board requested staff to prepare an implementation plan for SAC 053. The topic has gained attention of the community and was discussed in several forums at the ICANN Meeting 47 in Durban, South Africa.

What is the proposal being considered?

The NGPC is being asked to consider taking action to provide clarity to the community that dotless domain names continue to pose technical risks to the security and stability of the DNS and that mitigation of these risks will be very difficult to achieve.

Which stakeholders or others were consulted?

The SSAC published SAC 053 in February 2012 and have been consulted over the course of the last year on this issue. ICANN consulted with the community on the issue of dotless domains, and solicited public comment on SAC 053 in August '-- November 2012. Additionally, ICANN commissioned Carve Systems, LLC, a security consulting firm, to perform a detailed study of the potential risks that gTLDs operating as dotless domain names may pose. In July 2013, the Internet Architecture Board (IAB) issued a statement identifying concerns similar to the SSAC and Carve reports, and advising against the use of dotless domain names for gTLDs. The NGPC has considered the information provided from these stakeholders and outside experts on the issue.

What concerns or issues were raised by the community?

The SSAC expressed concern about the use of dotless domain names for gTLDs in SAC 053 and recommended against their use. During the public comment on SAC053, some members of the community supported the position of the SSAC and noted that due to the security and stability concerns posed by dotless domains, they should not be allowed. Others in the community have argued that dotless domains should be allowed for technical innovation and that the risk assessment is overly conservative as there are ways to mitigate the risks to not unduly upset the security and stability of the Internet. A report of the public comments can be reviewed at http://www.icann.org/en/news/public-comment/report-comments-sac053-dotless-domains-27nov12-en.pdf [PDF, 138 KB].

What significant materials did the NGPC review?

The NGPC considered the following significant materials:

What factors did the NGPC find to be significant?

The NGPC considered ICANN's core role as coordinator of the Internet naming system for the security, stability and resiliency of the DNS and the Internet's unique identifier system. The NGPC also found the reports presented by the SSAC and Carve Systems to be significant factors in its decision. On balance, the NGPC believes technical concerns continue to exist with the implementation of dotless domain names and the use of DNS Resource Records in the apex of a TLD zone beyond SOA, NS, and related DNSSEC records.

Are there fiscal impacts or ramifications on ICANN (strategic plan, operating plan, budget); the community; and/or the public?

There is no anticipated fiscal impact of adopting this action.

Are there any security, stability or resiliency issues relating to the DNS?

The technical experts of the SSAC, Carve Systems and the IAB believe gTLDs operated as dotless domain names will negatively impact the security, stability and resiliency of the DNS. Approval of the proposed resolution to prohibit use of dotless domains in the DNS will not negatively impact security, stability or resiliency issues relating to the DNS.

This is an Organizational Administrative Function for which public comment was received.

Reconsideration Request 13-4Whereas, DotConnectAfrica Trust's ("DCA Trust") Reconsideration Request, Request 13-4, sought reconsideration of the Board action (through the New gTLD Program Committee) on 4 June 2013, accepting advice from ICANN's Governmental Advisory Committee regarding DCA Trust's new gTLD application for .AFRICA, and determining that this particular new gTLD application will not be approved.

Whereas, the BGC considered the issues raised in Reconsideration Request 13-4.

Whereas, the BGC recommended that Reconsideration Request 13-4 be denied because DCA Trust has not stated proper grounds for reconsideration.

Resolved (2013.08.13.NG04), the New gTLD Program Committee adopts the BGC Recommendation on Reconsideration Request 13-4, which can be found at http://www.icann.org/en/groups/board/governance/reconsideration/recommendation-dca-trust-01aug13-en.pdf [PDF, 120 KB].

Rationale for Resolution 2013.08.13.NG04ICANN's Bylaws call for the Board Governance Committee to evaluate and make recommendations to the Board with respect to Reconsideration Requests. See Article IV, section 3 of the Bylaws. The New gTLD Program Committee ("NGPC"), bestowed with the powers of the Board in this instance, has reviewed and thoroughly considered the BGC Recommendation on Reconsideration Request 13-4 and finds the analysis sound.

Having a reconsideration process whereby the BGC reviews and, if it chooses, makes a recommendation to the Board/NGPC for approval positively affects ICANN's transparency and accountability. It provides an avenue for the community to ensure that staff and the Board are acting in accordance with ICANN's policies, Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation.

This Request asserted that the NGPC should have consulted with and considered the inputs of independent experts before acting on advice from the Governmental Advisory Committee ("GAC") regarding DCA Trust's new gTLD application. The Request calls into consideration: (1) whether the NGPC was required to consult with independent experts prior to making the decision on the GAC Advice on DCA Trust's application and whether consultation with independent experts would have provided additional material information to the NGPC; and (2) whether the prescribed procedure for addressing GAC Advice in the Applicant Guidebook for the New gTLD Program was not complied with because the NGPC did not consult with independent experts in considering GAC Advice.

In consideration of the first issue, the BGC reviewed the grounds stated in the Request, including the attachments, as well as the briefing materials presented to the NGPC in advance of its 4 June 2013 decision, the rationale for that decision, the minutes of that meeting, and the material information from both the GAC and DCA Trust that was available and considered prior to the NGPC's decision. The BGC concluded that DCA Trust failed to adequately state a Request for Reconsideration of Board action because they failed to identify any material information that was not considered by the NGPC. The BGC noted that DCA Trust does not suggest in the Request that the discretionary use of an independent expert would have resulted in a different outcome on their application. The BGC further concluded that, as DCA Trust had an opportunity to provide additional information in their response to the GAC Advice, but remained silent on this point, the NGPC considered all material information in making its 4 June 2013 decision.

In consideration of the second issue, the BGC determined that DCA Trust's interpretation of the Applicant Guidebook to require the Board to seek advice is not accurate. Section 3.1 of the Guidebook provides with Board the discretion to seek the input of an independent expert when considering GAC advice, but does not obligate the Board to do so. Accordingly, the BGC concluded that the plain language of the Guidebook does not support the suggestion that the NGPC violated its process, and therefore made a decision without material information, when it did not seek the input of an independent expert.

In addition to the above, the full BGC Recommendation that can be found at http://www.icann.org/en/groups/board/governance/reconsideration/recommendation-dca-trust-01aug13-en.pdf [PDF, 120 KB] and that is attached to the Reference Materials to the Board Submission supporting this resolution, shall also be deemed a part of this Rationale.

Although not detailed in DCA Trust's Request, and therefore not specifically discussed in the BGC Recommendation, the NGPC also considered DCA Trust's claim that because the designated Kenyan GAC Representative disclaimed the GAC Advice on DCA Trust's application, GAC Advice is in question. DCA Trust's communications on this topic were sent to ICANN and the GAC Chair. As the Board has not received any notice of change from the GAC regarding its advice on this application, DCA Trust's assertions on this topic do not provide any grounds for modification of the decision on Reconsideration Request 13-4.

Adopting the BGC's recommendation has no financial impact on ICANN and will not negatively impact the systemic security, stability and resiliency of the domain name system.

This decision is an Organizational Administrative Function that does not require public comment.

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Archived Version

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 15:27

By Roger Parloff, senior editor

FORTUNE -- If the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the nation's preeminent digital rights nonprofit, had disclosed last year that it received a cool $1 million gift from Google -- about 17% of its total revenue -- some eyebrows might have been raised. The group typically describes itself as "member-supported" and, like most nonprofits, it treasures its above-the-commercial-fray, public-interest-group aura and reputation for independence.

In fact, Google (GOOG) did transfer $1 million to the EFF last year, but the money did not have to be, and wasn't, reported as a corporate donation. And if, as currently planned, the EFF receives another $1 million this year from Facebook (FB), it won't have to report that as a donation either. That's because both transfers are formally court-ordered outlays being paid by those companies to settle class-action suits.

"Well, of course those aren't donations!" the reader might interject. "They're the diametric opposite: involuntary, judicially mandated payments forced upon them by an adversary!" That's not the whole story either. These payments to the EFF are being made in suits the EFF played no role in bringing, and the defendants themselves -- Google and Facebook, in these instances -- helped select EFF to be their beneficiary.

These weird, hybridized outlays -- part punitive fine, part voluntary donation -- are called cy pres awards, meaning "as close as possible" (from the old Norman, cy pres comme possible). The theory behind them goes like this: In settling, the plaintiffs lawyers and the defendants agreed that awarding damages to actual class members would be impractical, because the sums owed each would be so tiny as to not warrant the expense of distribution. Accordingly, the parties agreed to pay the class nothing, but to pay a sum instead to charities that would serve as the next best thing, because the charities would theoretically promote the interests of class members in some indirect fashion pertinent to the lawsuit.

MORE: Megaupload and the twilight of copyright

These two awards to the EFF, for instance, stem from suits that alleged that Google and Facebook each violated their customers' privacy rights -- in Google's case, by exposing users' email contacts during its botched launch of its Google Buzz social network in February 2010 and, in Facebook's, by exploiting users' (including minors') identities and likenesses without express permission in its so-called "Sponsored Stories" ads in January 2011. In these two cases 21 other nonprofits also received, or stand to receive, money, though the EFF would be the biggest winner, taking in about 12% of the total $16.1 million doled out. (While the Google Buzz settlement was approved in May 2011, the Sponsored Stories settlement was just proposed in June, and is still being challenged by dissenters.)

Giving cy pres money to the EFF makes sense, the parties in each case have argued, because digital privacy issues are one of the subjects the EFF monitors. It has not infrequently scolded (though never sued) Google and Facebook for privacy glitches and intrusions, and has advocated privacy legislation and policies that those companies oppose.

At the same time, the EFF is often an ally of Google and Facebook when it comes to staving off liability to rights holders over user-generated infringing content, like pirated movies, photos, or music. Perhaps for these reasons, for instance, Google gave EFF about $25,000 in conventional, purely voluntary donations in 2010, and about $18,000 more in 2011.

In fact, at least half of the cy pres recipients in these cases would very likely be getting at least some donations from Google or Facebook this year, whether or not any suit had ever been lodged against them. For instance, the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT), which got $500,000 from the Google Buzz cy pres award in 2011, received $340,000 in voluntary contributions from Google the year before. It's now slated to receive $1 million from the proposed Facebook award, though Facebook has been listed as one of CDT's leading e-commerce benefactors since at least 2009. Similarly, the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford (CIS), which received $500,000 from the Google Buzz award, had collected $400,000 in voluntary contributions from Google the year before (which amounted to 51% of CIS's total revenue that year). This year CIS will collect $600,000 from Facebook's Sponsored Stories settlement, if approved.

MORE: One filmmaker's fight against the cyberlockers

The EFF, CDT, and Stanford's CIS all reliably line up on the tech sector side in scrimmages with copyright holders. All three supported, for instance, the January Internet blackout protest against the Stop Online Piracy Act -- legislation opposed by both Google and Facebook. EFF and CDT also each submitted amicus briefs supporting Google in its two most important recent litigations: Viacom's suit against Google's YouTube unit for copyright infringement, and a suit by Rosetta Stone, the language course company, challenging Google's practices of auctioning off other companies' trademarks for use as paid-search keywords and allowing them to be used in ad text as well.

Now if some neutral individual had been tasked with awarding money to a charity that was single mindedly devoted to fighting precisely the sorts of wrongs alleged in the Google Buzz and Sponsored Stories class actions, his first choice would probably have been one that the settling parties in each case passed over entirely: the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).

Unlike any of the 22 cy pres recipients jointly proposed by the parties in the two cases, EPIC actually filed complaints against Google and Facebook with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over the Google Buzz launch and Facebook's use of members' identities and likenesses in ad campaigns without permission. Prompted by EPIC's complaints, the FTC brought enforcement actions against each company which culminated in consent decrees.

How, then, could the parties -- again and again -- have overlooked EPIC when doling out the cash? How, indeed, when so many of the groups that the parties did select'--like the YMCA of Greater Long Beach, Youth Radio of Oakland, the Brookings Institute (a regular Google beneficiary), and the MacArthur Foundation (a regular Facebook beneficiary) -- are hardly thought of as digital privacy watchdogs?

MORE: The quiet scandal of the HIV home test kit

Could it be that the defendants in each case blackballed EPIC precisely because it was too aggressively devoted to combatting the wrongs that allegedly harmed the class? Lead Google Buzz plaintiffs attorney Gary Mason declined to comment, explaining that settlement negotiations are confidential. Two lead plaintiffs attorneys in the Sponsored Stories case did not return calls.

In the Google Buzz case in March 2011, EPIC and seven other privacy-focused nonprofits objected to their exclusion from the cy pres funds, protesting that the plaintiffs lawyers and Google had, in effect, arranged to give the majority of those funds "to organizations that are currently paid by Google to lobby for or to consult for the company." (The EFF, CDT, and CIS all reject that characterization of their relationship to Google. They aver, rather, their complete independence, and stress that any corporate donations they accept are "unrestricted" in nature'--meaning that they come with no strings attached.)

In May 2011, Chief Judge James Ware of the federal district court in San Jose granted EPIC's request, carving out a $500,000 tranche for it. (At the same time he spontaneously'--without prompting from anyone'--sliced off another $500,000 piece for an ethics center at Santa Clara University, a school where Judge Ware serves on the law school faculty.)

Tech companies did not invent cy pres awards. The doctrine is ancient, having arisen to address a recurring problem in trusts law. For instance, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt set up the March of Dimes Foundation in 1938, he specified that it would fight polio. But once that disease was tamed, the foundation sought permission to fight other diseases. Invoking the cy pres doctrine, courts granted its request, finding that doing so would carry out Roosevelt's original intent as closely as possible.

MORE: The constitutional right to a free lunch

In the 1980s the cy pres doctrine'--"or rather something parading in its name," as federal appeals court judge Richard Posner archly put it in a 2004 ruling'--burrowed its way into the realm of class-action settlements. Critics have referred to cy pres awards as judicial "slush funds," since judges, plaintiffs lawyers, and'--as the Google Buzz and Sponsored Stories cases suggest'--even defendants can use them to further their own agendas. In the past ten months three federal appeals courts have struck down cy pres awards after concluding that they funded charities that had virtually nothing to do with the class members for whom the cases were ostensibly filed.

The key recurring concern with any class action settlement is that plaintiffs attorneys, desiring to maximize their fees, and defendant corporations, eager to minimize total payout, will collude to achieve their goals at the expense of class members. Cy pres awards can be enlisted in that abusive process, attorney Theodore H. Frank of the Center for Class Action Fairness, has written, by "disguising the true cost of a settlement to the defendant to maximize the share of the actual recovery received by the plaintiffs attorneys."

For instance, in the Google Buzz case, on the face of things the plaintiffs attorneys were receiving about one-quarter of the total award -- $2.1 million of an $8.1 million fund -- which sounds well within the normal range. Yet a critic might protest that none of this particular award went to the actual class members, while much of it went to charities the defendant probably would have funded to some degree anyway. If so, then the attorneys fees may have been excessive given how little the lawyers actually won for the class.

In the Facebook class action, the potential for fee inflation is even more palpable. If the deal is approved, the plaintiffs attorneys get $10 million, the nonprofits get $10 million, and the class members get zilch, which does not look great even on its face. To the extent that some of the nonprofits are also regular beneficiaries of Facebook's largesse, and would likely have gotten at least some of their cy pres money even without any lawsuit, the attorneys would be getting more than half the cash generated by the settlement, which looks even worse.

MORE: In defense of John Roberts

In court papers supporting the deal, the plaintiffs stress that the Facebook settlement also includes injunctive relief from which class members may benefit in the future, because Facebook has agreed to fiddle with some of the fine print in its terms-of-service agreements and to give its users opportunities to "opt-out" of the Sponsored Stories program. The plaintiffs then claim that these structural changes are effectively worth --are you sitting down? -- $103 million to the class, because class members will "now have the opportunity to control the use of what is essentially a [redacted]/month advertising asset." (The redacted figure remains under seal.)

In July, EPIC and attorneys representing other objecting class members each challenged the adequacy of the Facebook settlement. Alternatively, EPIC and three other privacy groups have asked the court to redetermine cy pres recipients using transparent, open-application procedures. These objections have not yet been ruled upon, in part because, as soon as they were lodged, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh recused herself from the case. Though she did not state her reasons, she and her husband had ties to some of the charities that stood to gain from the settlement, according to published reports

Since other cy pres awards have been upheld despite similar or worse apparent conflicts, Judge Koh's sensitivity was at least progress of a sort.

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Archived Version

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 16:51

The Hollywood Reporter weaves a tantalizing conspiracy story (sincerely, it is tantalizing) about how Facebook's cy pres settlement payments in the latest privacy class action lawsuits may, in fact, be backhanded methods of buying support of organizations that would have Facebook's back in any copyright litigation versus Hollywood. Some background:

cy pres [is] a legal doctrine born out of Norman French and old estate law that roughly means that when it's hard or impractical to award compensation in court cases, payment can be made as ''near as possible,'' including to not-for-profit organizations with similar interests.

In Facebook's case, the company has recently been trying to settle a privacy class action via $10mm to plaintiffs' lawyers, $10mm in cy pres money to various privacy non-profits, and $37,500 to the actual class plaintiffs. The judge said ''no'':

The rejection of a settlement where half of the money was to go to lawyers and half to ''charity'' and almost nothing to actual victims could bolster attention on a maneuver that allows big tech companies like Facebook and Google to funnel money to organizations that are hostile to Hollywood's pro-copyright agenda.

Interestingly'...

In a column for Forbes in late July, legal analyst Roger Parloff pointed out that a good chunk of cy pres money awarded in privacy cases is going to organizations that ''would very likely be getting at least some donations from Google or Facebook'' anyway. He notes that recipients Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Center for Democracy and Technology, and the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford collect voluntary contributions from the two big tech companies and ''all reliably line up on the tech sector side in scrimmages with copyright holders.''

This stuff may not quite rise to the level of a paperback thriller, but it certainly entertained this IP lawyer's morning.

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Archived Version

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 16:53

In a ruling on Friday, a San Francisco judge rejected a $20 million settlement in a class action lawsuit over whether Facebook violated the privacy of its users by featuring them in a "Sponsored Stories" advertisement program.

The rejection of a settlement where half of the money was to go to lawyers and half to "charity" and almost nothing to actual victims could bolster attention on a maneuver that allows big tech companies like Facebook and Google to funnel money to organizations that are hostile to Hollywood's pro-copyright agenda.

The original lawsuit itself had little to do with Hollywood. Nevertheless, it touches entertainment anyway thanks to the judge's address of cy pres, a legal doctrine born out of Norman French and old estate law that roughly means that when it's hard or impractical to award compensation in court cases, payment can be made as "near as possible," including to not-for-profit organizations with similar interests.

The plaintiffs in the "Sponsored Stories" case sued Facebook for allegedly violating their rights of publicity and California's unfair competition law by using their names and images without consent in ads that were shown to users' online friends on the social network. After two years of litigation, the dispute settled. Facebook agreed to pay $10 million to the plaintiffs' lawyers, $10 million to cy pres recipients, and $37,500 to the three class representatives who were named as plaintiffs. Facebook also agreed to make policy changes that the plaintiffs' expert economist estimated to be worth $103.2 million.

At a hearing earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg was openly skeptical about the cy pres award, wondering how lawyers arrived at that amount and how it stood to benefit Facebook's users. In a ruling rejecting the proposed settlement on Friday, the judge followed this up by saying, "Although it is not a precise science, plaintiffs must show that the cy pres payment represents a reasonable settlement of past damages claims, and that it was not merely plucked from thin air, or wholly inconsequential to them..."

Although the judge didn't rule out the possibility of a cy pres payment in the case -- and reportedly even asked at the hearing, "Why shouldn't the cy pres be $100 million?'' -- more focus on who is getting cy press money could be around the bend.

In a column for Forbes in late July, legal analyst Roger Parloff pointed out that a good chunk of cy pres money awarded in privacy cases is going to organizations that "would very likely be getting at least some donations from Google or Facebook" anyway. He notes that recipients Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Center for Democracy and Technology, and the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford collect voluntary contributions from the two big tech companies and "all reliably line up on the tech sector side in scrimmages with copyright holders."

To be fair, each of these organizations does in fact often take strong positions against tech companies on privacy issues, so in a certain regard, it's perfectly appropriate to award them money to monitor these companies going forward.

But so does the Electronic Privacy Information Center, which hasn't found it as easy to collect such money. The difference is that EPIC doesn't win friends in Silicon Valley by taking on Hollywood in legislative and policy debates. It doesn't because copyright matters are mostly outside its purview. Such a disadvantage once led EPIC to complain that one Google cy pres settlement served to divert money "to organizations that are currently paid by Google to lobby for or to consult for the company."

To avoid being shut out of a possible "sponsored stories" settlement, the EPIC along with other groups like the Center for Digital Democracy, the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, and the Institute for Public Representation at Georgetown University, have asked to the court to adopt a procedure previously proposed in privacy cases involving Google Buzz and Netflix whereby potential cy pres recipients would disclose connections and contributions from Facebook.

E-mail: eriq.gardner@thr.com; Twitter: @eriqgardner

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Archived Version

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 16:54

$8.5M Groupon MDL Deal Blocked Over Cy Pres AwardBy Maria Chutchian

Law360, New York (September 28, 2012, 10:15 PM ET) -- A California federal judge declined Friday to approve Groupon Inc.'s $8.5 million settlement with the plaintiffs in multidistrict litigation accusing the daily deals giant of selling certificates with illegal expiration dates, taking issue with the settlement's cy pres award.

U.S. District Judge Dana M. Sabraw overruled the majority of the numerous objections lodged against the deal, but found that the $75,000 reserved for cy pres recipients Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Center for Democracy and Technology was inappropriate when there could be class members who could...

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Archived Version

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 21:11

Friday, 16. August 2013

The Many Hats of Washington's Favorite Rat- A Lobbyist, A Presidential Campaign Advisor, A Snitch, An Attorney, A Civil-Rights Activist '...You Name It!

In a recentdisclosureto the Huffington Post NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden said the media have been ''misled'' by associates of his father, attorney and lobbyist Bruce Fein and his wife Mattie Fein who have been circulating ''false'' claims about his situation.

It has come to my attention that news organizations seeking information regarding my current situation have, due to the difficulty in contacting me directly, been misled by individuals associated with my father into printing false claims about my situation,'' read the text of the message purportedly sent by the younger Snowden.

Neither my father, his lawyer Bruce Fein, nor his wife Mattie Fein represent me in any way,'' the message stated. ''None of them have been or are involved in my current situation, and this will not change in the future.

'...

Bruce Fein has been representing Edward Snowden's father, Lon Snowden, while his infamous wife, Mattie Fein, has been a constantly present information (or misinformation) source for the media on Lon Snowden's status, plans, and supposed communications with his son.

Additionally, there seems to be a competitive conflictsurfacingbetween Lon Snowden's attorney Bruce Fein and Glenn Greenwald, who was among the first to publicize Edward Snowden's leaks:

Mattie Fein told the Wall Street Journal on Thursday that the father's legal team ''doesn't trust the intentions'' of Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald who broke the first of the stories on the NSA surveillance programs following contacts with Edward Snowden.

A source close to the case told RIA Novosti on Thursday that the conversation earlier this week on an encrypted internet chat service between Lon Snowden and his son had been carried out against the wishes and advice of Lon Snowden's lawyers.

'...

FeinclaimsGreenwald has been trying to shop around an exclusive interview with Snowden for seven figures (read: a deal over a million dollars). Greenwald hasn't been exactly denying this allegation but characterizing it as ''defamatory.''

Since the surfacing of these recent developments the entire mainstream media and the alternative blogs have been focusing on what is being claimed or denied, and the back and forth he-said-she-said reportage. However, no one is looking at who really are these new actors who have recently surfaced as players in the ongoing NSA whistleblower's saga. No one is investigating the backgrounds of two rats who have long been members of Washington's Rat-Pack.

Let's begin with Bruce Fein. Who is he? An initialsurface searchwould produce the following titles: A lobbyist, A Foreign Agent, An Active Neocon Member of the American Enterprise Institute, A Presidential Campaign Advisor to a Libertarian Candidate, An Attorney, A Civil-Rights Advocate, A Darling of the New York Times and Washington Post, A Known and ever-present Figure within the Israel Lobby '... and now, mysteriously connected to the biggest US whistleblower case of our time.

Okay. That's only the surface- more than enough to raise eyebrows but far less than what is needed to introduce a crusty Washington rat.

You see I beganwriting and reportingabout Bruce Fein and Mattie Fein a while ago-while it was highly unpopular to expose and criticize the couple as members of Washington's Rat-Pack. At the time Bruce Fein was posing as a Civil-Liberties advocate and had aligned himself with the Ron Paul campaign as a legal advisor.

Don't take me wrong. In my multi-part expos(C) I did not get into massive FBI investigative files on Bruce Fein and his associates involved with one of the biggest foreign criminal networks in the United States. If I had done that I'd either be in a cell next to John Kiriakou, or, in hiding somewhere in Venezuela awaiting a new citizenship.

No. I did not do that. Not that doing so would have made any difference in a nation now so inflicted with a severe case of indifference.

What I did was to write a series on Bruce Fein based on facts '' nothing but well-established facts. I also urged the Ron Paul 2012 Campaign to distance itself from the crusty weasel tasked with penetrating and corrupting his campaign from within. Short of begging I did my best.

I encourage you to visit the series to know the real Bruce Fein:Click Hereand read about this multi-hat Washington Rat with all the supporting links and documents that go with it. Allow me to provide you with a bit of an appetizer sampler- this from August 2011 (exactly two years ago):

Who 'Really' Is this Bruce Fein?

He has been a crusty foreign lobbyist making millions of dollars peddling his foreign bosses' interests and influence in Congress and government agencies. For Fein it has never mattered who the foreign client or what their agenda. He does not care whether his foreign clients are criminals or terrorists or dictators. As long as they pay him handsomely he'll sell their agenda and interest no matter what they may be. The words 'principle' or 'taking a stand' have never entered this foreign lobbyist's dictionary or comprehension: One minute, on behalf of one set of his foreign designated 'terrorist' bosses, Bruce Fein is busy selling the need for a genocide declaration by the US Congress against onenation'...

'...

The next minute, on behalf of another well-known foreign mob boss, Bruce Fein is busy peddling influence and selling Congress his foreign bosses'anti-genocide agenda:

''In 2007, Ayasli transferred $30 million in stock to fund a new endeavor, the nonprofit Turkish Coalition of America. The organization is headquartered in a Washington suite that has also been listed as the address for the Turkish Coalition USA PAC, the lobbying firm of Lydia Borland (who has represented the Turkish government), and the law firm of Bruce Fein and Associates (Fein comprises half of the Turkish American Legal Defense Fund)'...''

'...

Bruce Fein sees no problem with representing foreign groups likethis: Fein hit the jackpot in 1991 when he signed on to represent Mozambique's notorious guerrilla army, RENAMO, which was seeking to overthrow its country's leftist government. When Fein came on board, RENAMO's reputation has hit bottom'... '... Even the Reagan and Bush administrations kept their distance from RENAMO, despite their anti-Communist rhetoric'...

Fein, however, eagerly signed up to flack for Dhlakama's terror army. Like most foreign lobbyists, he bilked his client for huge sums of money while performing virtually no work.

'...

Here is another on-the-spot description of Real Bruce Fein as a crusty ''Beltway Prostitute'': ''Well, well, well. Wasn't Bruce Fein just recently condemning the Government of Sri Lanka for trying to put an end to the LTTE? But this time he's defending a sovereign government for protecting itself '' rather than slandering it using falsehoods. Now you see what I mean when I earlier referred to Mr. Fein as a ''Beltway prostitute.'' He will accept money from anyone who can pay the price '' regardless of where that money came from, or who his legal and public relations services might unjustly hurt. What an embarrassment to the US legal profession.''

'...

To read further on Bruce Fein as a Foreign Agent lobbyist for Pakistan, Sudan, Turkey, Tamil and several others, to read about Fein's overt Neocon Ties & Covert Israel Pedigree, and to find out about his ethical violations as an attorney who represented disgraced congresswoman Jean Schmidt Read:Who 'Really' Is this Bruce Fein?

To get a flavor of Bruce Fein the Lobbyist and his past clients read this brief article:Conflict of Interest? Compatible Interests? You Tell Me!

Check this out to know a bit more about Bruce Fein the attorney with ethics problems:BFP Breaking News: Court to Order Bruce Fein Removed from Schmidt vs. Krikorian Case

Edward Snowden has his eyes open enough to see and figure out some of the traps and a few of implanted Washington Rats in action. He is smart enough to go on record and disassociate himself from the Washington-Crafted scheme and operatives. I certainly hope that he not only keeps his eyes open enough, but opens them wider and bigger. Because the Fein couple is not the only pit dug for his potential fall. There are others as we speak. Washington's Rat-Pack does not operate with only one or two rat breeds. Their rats come in many forms, size and breeds- from attorneys to whistleblower NGOs, from journalists to civil-liberties advocates, from pseudo whistleblowers to phony congressmen'...

As for Bruce Fein, for the last 12 years he has been a constantly-popping up presence in my life. During my work at the FBI I became intimately familiar with him, his associates and operations-too familiar. Then, low and behold, he popped up again during myunder-oath depositionin the Krikorian case as attorney for the disgraced Congresswoman Jean Schmidt. Fast forward a couple of years and there he was: the chieflegal advisorfor Congressman Ron Paul. And now here he is again:insertinghimself into the case of NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, posing as the representative of his father. The man is like a rotten, dirty, bad penny always turning up.

Sibel Edmonds is the Publisher & Editor ofBoiling Frogs Postand the author of the MemoirClassified Woman: The Sibel Edmonds Story. She is therecipientof the 2006 PEN Newman's Own First Amendment Award for her ''commitment to preserving the free flow of information in the United States in a time of growing international isolation and increasing government secrecy'' Ms. Edmonds has a MA in Public Policy and International Commerce from George Mason University, a BA in Criminal Justice and Psychology from George Washington University.

This site depends exclusively on readers' support. Please help us continue by SUBSCRIBING, and by ordering our EXCLUSIVE BFP DVDs.

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Fri, 16 Aug 2013 21:08

Who 'Really' Is this Bruce Fein?

''A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear. The traitor is the plague.''- Marcus Tullius Cicero Last week, right after publishing myarticleon Congresswoman Schmidt and Bruce Fein's brilliant foreign lobby money rechanneling-laundering scheme, and to my shock, I found out aboutthis:

The Ron Paul 2012 Presidential Campaign announced today that constitutional and international law expert Bruce Fein will join the campaign as senior advisor on legal matters.

''Bruce Fein's participation adds to our campaign's already intellectual heft, enabling us to more broadly engage the conversation about constitutionality, civil liberties and the dangers to national security of an increasingly interventionist foreign policy,'' said Ron Paul 2012 Campaign Chairman Jesse Benton.

While some at Rep. Paul's Camp were busy celebrating and cheering the announcement as a brilliant strategic move, I was frantically gathering cases and research notes, corresponding with current and former colleagues from the intelligence community who had come to support Rep. Paul, and communicating with a few friends with Rep. Paul's Campaign who were equally troubled by this development.

I understand the 'cheering' side of Paul's camp as they have been excited and impressed by the in- writing-and-words-only side of Bruce Fein. Not so different than those who were fired up and sold on the in-words-only rhetoric and promises staged by President Obama. The Constitutional Scholar Fein and the Constitutional Expert Obama. A Great Penman Fein and the Great Orator Obama'...and of course the contradicting realities and the contradicting facts.

However, in this case, there are already too many established facts and too much history on Mr. Fein, and way too many rational and realistic people among Paul supporters to ring the alarm bells and counter this great threat before it's too late. I will go as far as calling the penetration of the Ron Paul camp by Bruce Fein 'the greatest threat to Paul's camp to date,' and will make a solid case for this characterization based on glaring and alarming facts; facts and concerns shared by several loyal Paul advisors today.

Who is the real Bruce Fein? Why there are so many different versions of Fein '' one contradicting the other? How do his real actions and intimate associations stand in stark contrast to Ron Paul? What is the most likely plot in planting Mr. Fein within Paul's campaign?

Foreign Lobby & Influence Peddling

Ron Paul has been consistent and exemplary in his strongly held principles on the Foreign lobby and influence peddling; a rarity in the US Congress. He has displayed intense disdain for foreign lobbying and foreign influence. He even considers congressional 'junkets' as another means to becompromised: stressing that he would not travel abroad on agenda-driven foreigners' dime: ''I just think it's unnecessary for congressmen to travel overseas, and the people in our district were on my side,'' he said in an interview. ''You don't need to go to Bosnia to understand we have no business there.''

With Bruce Fein you have exactly the opposite stand. He has been a crusty foreign lobbyist making millions of dollars peddling his foreign bosses' interests and influence in Congress and government agencies. For Fein it has never mattered who the foreign client or what their agenda. He does not care whether his foreign clients are criminals or terrorists or dictators. As long as they pay him handsomely he'll sell their agenda and interest no matter what they may be. The words 'principle' or 'taking a stand' have never entered this foreign lobbyist's dictionary or comprehension:

One minute, on behalf of one set of his foreign designated 'terrorist' bosses, Bruce Fein is busy selling the need for a genocide declaration by the US Congress against onenation:

''For the past year I have written about Bruce Fein in many articles that have been widely published and circulated. He is reportedly paid $100,000 per month to tell lies in Washington about the Government of Sri Lanka'... Who are the American individuals backing this group? Where are they getting their money to pay Bruce Fein? Does former US Ambassador Blake have something to do with them'...''

The next minute, on behalf of another well-knownforeign mobboss, Bruce Fein is busy peddling influence and selling Congress his foreign bosses'anti-genocideagenda:

''In 2007, Ayasli transferred $30 million in stock to fund a new endeavor, the nonprofit Turkish Coalition of America. The organization is headquartered in a Washington suite that has also been listed as the address for the Turkish Coalition USA PAC, the lobbying firm of Lydia Borland (who has represented the Turkish government), and the law firm of Bruce Fein and Associates (Fein comprises half of the Turkish American Legal Defense Fund)'...''

''materials put out by the Turkish Coalition of America and authored by a lawyer, Bruce Fein, who now represents Schmidt in the complaint, say that Congresswoman Schmidt has on numerous occasions voiced her opposition to such resolutions and maintains that the historical question is not appropriate for Congress to legislate. The congresswoman, based on her independent research, does not believe the tragic events constitute genocide'...''

Bruce Fein sees no problem with representing foreign groups likethis:

Fein hit the jackpot in 1991 when he signed on to represent Mozambique's notorious guerrilla army, RENAMO, which was seeking to overthrow its country's leftist government. When Fein came on board, RENAMO's reputation has hit bottom'...

'...

Even the Reagan and Bush administrations kept their distance from RENAMO, despite their anti-Communist rhetoric'...

'...

Fein, however, eagerly signed up to flack for Dhlakama's terror army. Like most foreign lobbyists, he bilked his client for huge sums of money while performing virtually no work.

Mr. Fine, who now fakes and preaches non-interventionism and anti-influence peddling only to echo Ron Paul, inreal lifehas been practicing the exact opposite:

''Now, Fein has returned to lobbying and is working for a client that has the dubious distinction of making RENAMO look good: The Sudan. That country's government is barred from receiving U.S. foreign aid because of its support for terrorism and because of its revolting human rights record. Amnesty International reports that the Sudanese government not only assassinates and tortures its ''enemies,'' but that paramilitary forces have kidnapped scores of children, who are believed to be held in domestic slavery by their abductors or taken to camps in remote rural areas, where they are trained for military service''

Here is another on-the-spotdescriptionof Real Bruce Fein as a crusty ''Beltway Prostitute'':

''Well, well, well. Wasn't Bruce Fein just recently condemning the Government of Sri Lanka for trying to put an end to the LTTE? But this time he's defending a sovereign government for protecting itself '' rather than slandering it using falsehoods. Now you see what I mean when I earlier referred to Mr. Fein as a ''Beltway prostitute.'' He will accept money from anyone who can pay the price '' regardless of where that money came from, or who his legal and public relations services might unjustly hurt. What an embarrassment to the US legal profession.''

You see, for Mr. Fein pimping the Congress on behalf of foreign clients is about dollars. Nothing more; nothing less. Whether it is advocating additional foreign aid for one country while our nation is being bankrupted, or dragging our Congress to get involved with domestic meddling and the affairs of another foreign country, Bruce Fein has never been about the United States' interests; just the opposite. Give Fein the dollars and he'll sign up to lobby for any one: terrorists, corrupt foreign governments, mobsters, assassins '...

Long pocketed as a 'lobbyist' byPakistan,Sudan,Turkey,Tamil, and others, Bruce Fein is the exact antithesis to Ron Paul's principled position on issues related to foreign lobby, corruption and influence peddling in government.

Overt Neocon Ties & Covert Israel Pedigree

Ron Paul has been in staunch opposition and a counter to Neocon agendas and field players. Whether on the Israel lobby and agenda driving the hawkish currents in our nation today, or the corporate war machine interests guiding our foreign policy practices, Paul has consistently stood firm and unrelenting.

Mr. Fein'spublic pedigreemakes it fairly easy to spot his overt ties and links. For example: he has been an adjunct scholar with theAmerican Enterprise Institute (AEI). By now I think the majority of Americans know about AEI's claim to fame:

''AEI is the most prominent think tank associated with American neoconservatism, in both the domestic and international policy arenas.[10] Irving Kristol, widely considered a father of neoconservatism, is a senior fellow at AEI, and many prominent neoconservatives'--including Jeane Kirkpatrick, Ben Wattenberg, and Joshua Muravchik'--spent the bulk of their careers at AEI.''

A well-known couple of facts about AEI:

1-In order to be accepted by AEI, to become one of their scholars, proven neoconservativeinklingsandtiesare the never-waivered prerequisites.

2-AEI seeks candidates who putLoyaltyandAllegianceto Israel above all.

John MearsheimerandStephen Waltstate in their controversial bestseller,The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, that the tone of the right-leaning component of the Israel lobby results from the influence of the leaders of the two top lobby groups:AIPAC, and theConference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. They go on to list, as right-leaningthink tanksassociated with the lobby, theWashington Institute for Near East Policyand theAmerican Enterprise Institute.

Acceptance to the tightly knitted and guarded AEI Neocon community also extends to family members and religious affiliations. Bruce Fein has passed both litmus tests in becoming a highly-regarded member of AEI. His wife, Mattie Fein, has been a vocal hawk,neocon propaganda distributor, and a very familiar face within theBeltwayneocon community:Read more ½

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Edward SnowdenFILE - In this handout file photo taken on Friday, July 12, 2013, and made available by Human Rights Watch shows NSA leaker Edward Snowden during his meeting with Russian activists and officials at Sheremetyevo airport, Moscow, Russia . National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden has received asylum in Russia for one year and left the transit zone of Moscow' airport, his lawyer said Thursday. Kucherena said after meeting with the fugitive at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, where he was stuck since his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23, that he handed him the papers proving his status. Kucherena said that Snowden's whereabouts will be kept secret for security reasons. (AP Photo/Tatyana Lokshina, Human Rights Watch HO, file)

Edward SnowdenFILE - In this image provided by Human Rights Watch, NSA leaker Edward Snowden, center, attends a news conference at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport with Sarah Harrison of WikiLeaks, left, Friday, July 12, 2013. The whole time Snowden has been seeking asylum, Harrison has been by his side. She has emerged as a central, if mysterious, figure in the saga that has taken Snowden across the world in an attempt to evade U.S. espionage charges. (AP Photo/Human Rights Watch, Tanya Lokshina, File)

Anatoly KucherenaThis image taken from Associated Press Television shows a copy of a temporary document to allow Edward Snowden to cross the border into Russia, held by Russian lawyer Anatoly Kucherena speaking to reporters after visiting Snowden at Sheremetyevo airport outside Moscow, Russia, on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden has received asylum in Russia for one year and left the transit zone of Moscow's airport, his lawyer said Thursday. (AP Photo/Associated Press Television)

Anatoly Kucherena, Edward SnowdenIn this still image taken on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 and released by Russia24 TV channel, shows Russian lawyer Anatoly Kucherena, second right in the center, and National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, center back to a camera, as Snowden leaves Sheremetyevo airport outside Moscow, Russia, on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. Snowden has received asylum in Russia for one year and left the transit zone of Moscow's airport, his lawyer said Thursday. Kucherena said that Snowden's whereabouts will be kept secret for security reasons. (AP Photo/Russia24 via Associated Press Television) TV OUT

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 30: Lon Snowden, father of Edward SnowdWASHINGTON, DC - JULY 30: Lon Snowden, father of Edward Snowden talks to reporters at The Washington Post via Getty Images in Washington, DC on July 30, 2013. Snowden is a former technical contractor for the NSA and CIA who leaked top secret information to the press regarding government surveillance. (Photo by Linda Davidson / The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Demonstrators Protest NSA SurveillanceBERLIN, GERMANY - JULY 27: A participant demonstrates in support of former NSA employee Edward Snowden at a protest march against the electonic surveillance tactics of the NSA on July 27, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. The NSA scandal has been especially contentious in Germany after media reports claimed the NSA had conducted wide scale gathering of electonic data, including e-mails, of German citizens. Activists are demonstrating against the NSA in cities across Germany today. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Today - Season 62TODAY -- Pictured: (l-r) Bruce Fein, Lon Snowden, father of Edward Snowden and Matt Lauer appear on NBC News' 'Today' show -- (Photo by: Peter Kramer/NBC/NBC NewsWire via Getty Images)

CARICATURE: Edward SnowdenUSA - 2013 300 dpi Chris Ware caricature of NSA leaker Edward Snowden. (MCT via Getty Images)

RUSSIA-US-DIPLOMACY-CHINA-INTELLIGENCEA man looks in Moscow on July 12, 2013, at a computer screen displaying a photo US National Security Agency (NSA) fugitive leaker Edward Snowden (C) during his today's meeting with leading Russian rights activists and lawyers at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport where he has been stuck in transit for the last three weeks. Snowden met today around a dozen Russian rights activists, lawyers and other figures in a closed-door meeting at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, an official said. AFP PHOTO / STR (Photo credit should read -/AFP/Getty Images)

RUSSIA-US-DIPLOMACY-CHINA-INTELLIGENCEPro-Kremlin lawmaker Vyacheslav Nikonov speaks with journalists before his meeting with US National Security Agency (NSA) fugitive leaker Edward Snowden inside the terminal F of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, on July 12, 2013, where Snowden reportedly remains without making any contact with the swarm of international reporters at the scene. Snowden has requested a meeting with leading Russian rights activists and lawyers at the airport in Moscow where he has been stuck in transit for the last three weeks, the campaigners invited said today. AFP PHOTO / VASILY MAXIMOV (Photo credit should read VASILY MAXIMOV/AFP/Getty Images)

RUSSIA-US-DIPLOMACY-CHINA-INTELLIGENCELawyer Genry Reznik speaks with journalists inside the terminal F of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, on July 12, 2013, where US National Security Agency (NSA) fugitive leaker Edward Snowden reportedly remains without making any contact with the swarm of international reporters at the scene. Snowden has requested a meeting with leading Russian rights activists and lawyers, including Genry Reznik, at the airport in Moscow where he has been stuck in transit for the last three weeks, the campaigners invited said today. AFP PHOTO / VASILY MAXIMOV (Photo credit should read VASILY MAXIMOV/AFP/Getty Images)

BOLIVIA-EU-US-SECURITY-INTELLIGENCE-MORALES-PROTESTProtesters burn an effigy of US President Barack Obama as well as a coffin with flags of Spain, Portugal, France and Italy, during a demonstration outside the US embassy in La Paz on July 8, 2013 a week after Bolivian President Evo Morales's plane, flying home from a trip to Moscow last week, was forced to make an unscheduled stopover in Vienna after these four European nations temporarily closed their airspace over groundless rumours that fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden was aboard the jet. Snowden won support from Cuba for his bid to seek asylum in Latin America as he began his third week in limbo at a Moscow airport on Monday. Cuba, a key transit point from Russia on the way to Latin America, supported the leaders of Bolivia, Venezuela and Nicaragua, who have offered the 30-year-old a possible lifeline as he remains marooned without documents in the transit area of a Moscow airport. AFP PHOTO / JORGE BERNAL (Photo credit should read JORGE BERNAL/AFP/Getty Images)

FRANCE-US-SECURITY-INTELLIGENCE-INTERNET-SNOWDENA demonstrator with his mouth covered sits next to a banner reading 'Let's protect Snowden' during a demonstration in support of Edward Snowden, the former technical contractor of the US Central Intelligence Agency, at the Place du Trocadero in front of the Eiffel tower in Paris on July 7, 2013. Around forty people, mostly activists from organizations defending rights and freedom on the internet, gathered in support of Snowden, who leaked information on data spying programs of the USA and Great Britain in June 2013 and has sought asylum in 21 countries, according to WikiLeaks. AFP PHOTO / KENZO TRIBOUILLARD (Photo credit should read KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP/Getty Images)

BOLIVIA-LATAM-EU-US-SECURITY-INTELLIGENCE-MORALES(L-R, front row) Presidents Rafael Correa of Ecuador, Jose Mujica of Uruguay, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner of Argentina, Evo Morales of Bolivia, Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela and Desi Bouterse of Suriname pose for pictures after a meeting called after Evo Morales' plane was rerouted amid suspicions US fugitive Edward Snowden was aboard, in the Bolivian central city of Cochabamba, on July 4, 2013. Leftist Latin American leaders gathered in Cochabamba on Thursday to back President Evo Morales, fuming after some European nations temporarily refused his plane access to their airspace amid suspicions US fugitive Edward Snowden was aboard. Snowden is seeking sanctuary in several nations to evade US espionage charges. AFP PHOTO / JORGE BERNAL (Photo credit should read JORGE BERNAL/AFP/Getty Images)

GERMANY-US-SECURITY-INTELLIGENCE-INTERNET-SNOWDEN-ASYLUMActivists of the organization Campact demonstrate in front of the German Chancellery in support of fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden , on July 4, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. Fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden has sought asylum in 21 countries, including Germany, WikiLeaks said. The banner reads 'Who fights for our freedom earns our asylum'. PHOTO / DPA/ KAY NIETFELD /GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read KAY NIETFELD/AFP/Getty Images)

BOLIVIA-US-SECURITY-INTELLIGENCE-INTERNETBolivian President Evo Morales (C) arrives at El Alto Airport on July 3, 2013 in La Paz, Bolivia, after a flight interrupted by an unscheduled stopover caused by suspicions US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden was traveling with him. His plane touched down near La Paz almost 17 hours after leaving Vienna, an AFP reporter observed. It had to land there after several European nations denied it overfly rights as Morales flew back from Moscow. AFP PHOTO/JORGE BERNAL (Photo credit should read JORGE BERNAL/AFP/Getty Images)

HONG KONG-CHINA-US-SECURITY-INTELLIGENCE-FILM-ENTERTAINMENTUS school teacher, Andrew Cromeek smiles in front of a computer screen displaying a photo of himself playing Edward Snowden in 'Verax', the first film on the fugitive US intelligence leaker, during an interview with AFP in Hong Kong on July 2, 2013. Four amateur filmmakers in Hong Kong have beaten Hollywood to the draw by producing the first film on Edward Snowden, a five-minute thriller depicting the nail-biting intrigue surrounding the intelligence leaker when he was hiding in the city. AFP PHOTO / ANTHONY WALLACE (Photo credit should read ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP/Getty Images)

BRUNEI-ASEAN-ARF-SECURITY-US-RUSSIA-DIPLOMACYUS Secretary of State John Kerry (R) deflects a question from a reporter about whether he and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (L) will discuss the fate of fugitive US secrets leaker Edward Snowden, before their meeting at the ASEAN summit in Brunei on July 2, 2013. Kerry is expected to discuss with Lavrov ways of narrowing differences on ending the Syrian bloodshed, a task complicated by the two powers' tug-of-war over Snowden . AFP PHOTO / POOL / Jacquelyn Martin (Photo credit should read JACQUELYN MARTIN/AFP/Getty Images)

UKRAINE-US-RUSSIA-SECURITY-INTELLIGENCE-SNOWDEN-PROTESTUkrainian Internet Party activists hold a 'tap the phone and internet lines' protest on June 27, 2013 outside the US Embassy in Kiev to attract public attention to the violation of rights following the United States Internet surveillance program exposed by former spy Edward Snowden. Under the so-called PRISM programme, the US National Security Agency can issue directives to Internet firms like Google or Facebook to gain access to emails, online chats, pictures, files and videos that have been uploaded by foreign users. AFP PHOTO/ SERGEI SUPINSKY (Photo credit should read SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP/Getty Images)

US-SECURITY-INTELLIGENCE-RUSSIA-CHINAPassengers look in the window as they rest in the transit zone in Sheremetyevo airport terminal F in Moscow on June 26, 2013, where US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden reportedly spent the fourth day with his onward travel. The man responsible for one of the biggest intelligence security breaches in US history has not been sighted since arriving in Moscow on a flight on June 23 from Hong Kong and according to Russia is still in a transit zone at Sheremetyevo airport. AFP PHOTO / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV (Photo credit should read KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty Images)

US-SECURITY-INTELLIGENCE-RUSSIA-CHINAA general view of a bathroom in one of the rooms in the Capsule Hotel 'Air Express' inside Moscow's Sheremetyevo terminal F in Moscow on June 26, 2013, where US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden reportedly spent the fourth day with his onward travel. The man responsible for one of the biggest intelligence security breaches in US history has not been sighted since arriving in Moscow on a flight on June 23 from Hong Kong and according to Russia is still in a transit zone at Sheremetyevo airport. AFP PHOTO / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV (Photo credit should read KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty Images)

US-SECURITY-INTELLIGENCE-RUSSIA-CHINAA general view one of the rooms in the Capsule Hotel 'Air Express' inside Moscow's Sheremetyevo terminal F in Moscow on June 26, 2013, where US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden reportedly spent the fourth day with his onward travel. The man responsible for one of the biggest intelligence security breaches in US history has not been sighted since arriving in Moscow on a flight on June 23 from Hong Kong and according to Russia is still in a transit zone at Sheremetyevo airport. AFP PHOTO / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV (Photo credit should read KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty Images)

The Aeroflot Airbus A330 plane that is to carry National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden on a flight to Havana, Cuba, arrives at the gate at Sheremetyevo airport, Moscow, Monday, June 24, 2013. Snowden arrived in Moscow on Sunday from Hong Kong, where he had been hiding for several weeks. Ecuador's foreign minister said Sunday that the country is considering his application for asylum. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Ricardo PatinoEcuador's Foreign Mister Ricardo Patino speaks to reporters at a hotel during his visit to Vietnam Monday, June 24, 2013. Patino said that his government is analyzing an asylum request from Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor wanted for revealing classified secrets. (AP Photo/Tran Van Minh)

An unidentified passenger, right, who just arrived from Hong Kong and said to waiting journalists that he had seen former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs Edward Snowden, aboard his flight from Hong Kong, as the unidentified passenger speaks to journalists at Sheremetyevo airport, just outside Moscow. Russia, Sunday, June 23, 2013. The former National Security Agency contractor Snowdon, wanted by the United States for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has been allowed to leave Hong Kong for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law, the territory's government said Sunday.(AP Photo / Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Journalists show passengers arriving from Hong Kong a tablet with a photo of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at Sheremetyevo airport, just outside Moscow, Russia, Sunday, June 23, 2013. The former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law, the territory's government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Journalists stand next to the Ecuador's Ambassador's car while waiting for the arrival of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who recently leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at Sheremetyevo airport, just outside Moscow, Russia, Sunday, June 23, 2013. The former National Security Agency contractor, Snowdon is wanted by the United States for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs, but was allowed to leave Hong Kong for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law, the territory's government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr)

A TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong Sunday, June 23, 2013. The former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law, the territory's government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

A TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong Sunday, June 23, 2013. The former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law, the territory's government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

FILE - In this June 21, 2013 file photo, a banner supporting Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, is displayed at Central, Hong Kong's business district. The Hong Kong government says Snowden wanted by the U.S. for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has left for a "third country." The South China Morning Post reported Sunday, June 23, 2013 that Snowden was on a plane for Moscow, but that Russia was not his final destination. Snowden has talked of seeking asylum in Iceland. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

RUSSIA-US-SECURITY-INTELLIGENCE-SNOWDENA journalist shows to a passenger a picture of former US spy Edward Snowden on a tablet, at the arrival gate of the Moscow Sheremetevo airport on June 23, 2013. Snowden arrived on June 23, 2013 in Russia from Hong Kong, reportedly on his way to Venezuela, escaping the clutches of US justice after leaking sensational details of cyber-espionage by Washington. Snowden, the target of a US arrest warrant issued on June 21, 2013 after he blew the lid on massive secret surveillance programmes, arrived in Moscow on a direct flight operated by Russian flag carrier Aeroflot. AFP PHOTO / VASILY MAXIMOV (Photo credit should read VASILY MAXIMOV/AFP/Getty Images)

RUSSIA-US-SECURITY-INTELLIGENCE-SNOWDENRussian journalists wait for the arrival of former US spy Edward Snowden at the Moscow Sheremetevo airport on June 23, 2013. Snowden arrived on June 23, 2013 in Russia from Hong Kong, reportedly on his way to Venezuela, escaping the clutches of US justice after leaking sensational details of cyber-espionage by Washington. Snowden, the target of a US arrest warrant issued on June 21, 2013 after he blew the lid on massive secret surveillance programmes, arrived in Moscow on a direct flight operated by Russian flag carrier Aeroflot. AFP PHOTO / VASILY MAXIMOV (Photo credit should read VASILY MAXIMOV/AFP/Getty Images)

The front cover of a local magazine shows Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, in Hong Kong Saturday, June 22, 2013. Hong Kong was silent Saturday on whether the former National Security Agency contractor should be extradited to the United States now that he has been charged with espionage, but some legislators said the decision should be up to the Chinese government. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

GERMANY-US-DIPLOMACY-OBAMA-PROTESTActivists display a photo of US President Barack Obama (L) and pictures of former US spy Edward Snowden (C) and whistleblower Bradley Manning (R) during a protest action on June 19, 2013 in Berlin on behalf of the visit of the US President in the German capital. Barack Obama will walk in John F. Kennedy's footsteps this week on his first visit to Berlin as US president, but encounter a more powerful and sceptical Germany in talks on trade and secret surveillance practices.. AFP PHOTO / RONNY HARTMANN (Photo credit should read RONNY HARTMANN/AFP/Getty Images)

A TV screen shows the news of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, in the underground train in Hong Kong Sunday, June 16, 2013. Top U.S. intelligence officials said Saturday that information gleaned from two controversial data-collection programs run by the National Security Agency thwarted potential terrorist plots in the U.S. and more than 20 other countries - and that gathered data is destroyed every five years. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A TV screen shows the news of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong Monday, June 17, 2013. Top officials from the Obama and Bush administrations say the government's newly exposed secret surveillance programs have been essential to disrupting terrorist plots and have not infringed on Americans' civil liberties. The officials justify the massive trawling for phone and Internet data as new revelations add to public disclosures about the classified operations. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A supporter holds picture of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret information about U.S. surveillance programs, and Hong Kong movie star Jackie Chan during a protest outside the Consulate General of the United States in Hong Kong Saturday, June 15, 2013. The protesters accused the U.S. government of infringing people's rights and privacy. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Supporters of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret information about U.S. surveillance programs demonstrate outside the Consulate General of the United States in Hong Kong Saturday, June 15, 2013 as they accused the U.S. government of infringing people's rights and privacy. A popular Communist Party-backed newspaper urged China's leadership to milk a former U.S. contractor for more information rather than send him home, saying his revelations about secret American surveillance programs concern China's national interest. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Hundreds of supporters of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret information about U.S. surveillance programs march to the Consulate General of the United States in Hong Kong Saturday, June 15, 2013 as they accused the U.S. government of infringing people's rights and privacy. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Hundreds of supporters of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret information about U.S. surveillance programs march to the Consulate General of the United States in Hong Kong Saturday, June 15, 2013, accussing the U.S. government of infringing people's rights and privacy. A popular Communist Party-backed newspaper urged China's leadership to milk the former U.S. contractor for more information rather than send him home, saying his revelations about secret American surveillance programs concern China's national interest. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

A TV screen shows the news report of Edward Snowden, former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong Friday, June 14, 2013. A popular Communist Party-backed newspaper urged China's leadership to milk a former U.S. contractor for more information rather than send him home, saying his revelations about secret American surveillance programs concern China's national interest.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Claudia Mo Man-chingPro-democractic legislator Claudia Mo Man-ching speaks next to a picture of U.S. President Barack Obama and Edward Snowden during a news conference in Hong Kong Friday, June 14, 2013. Two lawmakers in Hong Kong said on Friday that they had written to President Obama to try to persuade him not to bring charges against the former US intelligence contractor Snowden. Snowden revealed last weekend he was the source of a major leak of top-secret information on NSA surveillance, saying he was uncovering wrongdoing. He spoke to reporters from an undisclosed location in the semiautonomous Chinese territory of Hong Kong. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

In this photo released by Arthit Suriyawongkul, a U.K. Home Office Carrier Alert notice about NSA leaker Edward Snowden is seen at an airline check-in counter at Chiang Mai airport in Thailand, Friday, June 14, 2013. A British diplomat confirmed the British government issued the alert to airlines around the world, urging them not to allow Snowden to board flights to the United Kingdom. (AP Photo/Arthit Suriyawongkul)

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Fri, 16 Aug 2013 20:56

WASHINGTON, August 16 (RIA Novosti) '' Fugitive intelligence leaker Edward Snowden contacted a popular US news website, The Huffington Post, and said media have been ''misled'' by associates of his father, Lon Snowden, and have published ''false'' claims about his situation, the website said Friday.

''It has come to my attention that news organizations seeking information regarding my current situation have, due to the difficulty in contacting me directly, been misled by individuals associated with my father into printing false claims about my situation,'' read the text of the message purportedly sent by the younger Snowden.

''Neither my father, his lawyer Bruce Fein, nor his wife Mattie Fein represent me in any way,'' the message stated. ''None of them have been or are involved in my current situation, and this will not change in the future.''

Lon Snowden has made numerous television appearances in recent weeks accompanied by Bruce Fein, presented as his attorney. In that time, Fein's wife, Mattie Fein, has been a steady source of information for journalists about Lon Snowden's plans to travel to Russia to visit his son.

The younger Snowden, a former contractor for the US National Security Agency (NSA), is wanted by the United States on espionage and other charges after he gave journalists classified documents detailing the NSA's far-reaching electronic and telephone surveillance programs. He was granted temporary asylum in Russia last month.

The Huffington Post said the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was helping coordinate Edward Snowden's legal defense in the United States and had confirmed that the email received by the website had indeed been sent by Snowden.

Mattie Fein told the Wall Street Journal on Thursday that the father's legal team ''doesn't trust the intentions'' of Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald who broke the first of the stories on the NSA surveillance programs following contacts with Edward Snowden.

A source close to the case told RIA Novosti on Thursday that the conversation earlier this week on an encrypted internet chat service between Lon Snowden and his son had been carried out against the wishes and advice of Lon Snowden's lawyers.

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Fri, 16 Aug 2013 15:38

This is the full executive summary, with names redacted by The Post, of a classified internal report on breaches of NSA privacy rules and legal restrictions.

The report covers the period from January through March 2012 and includes comparative data for the full preceding year. Its author is director of oversight and compliance for the NSA's Signals Intelligence Directorate, but the scope of the report is narrower. Incidents are counted only if they took place within ''NSA-Washington,'' a term encompassing the Ft. Meade headquarters and nearby facilities. The NSA declined to provide comparable figures for its operations as a whole. A senior intelligence official said only that if all offices and directorates were included, the number of violations would ''not double.''

>> NSA broke privacy rules thousands of times per year, audit finds

Click to see the related section of the document.

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]]> GRAPHIC: Barton Gellman and Matt DeLong - The Washington Post. Published Aug. 15, 2013.

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Sat, 17 Aug 2013 03:32

WASHINGTON '-- The top National Security Agency official charged with making sure analysts comply with rules protecting the privacy of Americans pushed back on Friday against reports that the N.S.A. had frequently violated privacy rules, after the publication of a leaked internal audit showing that there had been 2,776 such ''incidents'' in a one-year period.

The official, John DeLong, the N.S.A. director of compliance, said that the number of mistakes by the agency was extremely low compared with its overall activities. The report showed about 100 errors by analysts in making queries of databases of already-collected communications data; by comparison, he said, the agency performs about 20 million such queries each month.

Mr. DeLong, speaking to reporters on a conference call, also argued that the overwhelming majority of the violations were unintentional human or technical errors and that the existence of the report showed that the agency's efforts to detect and correct violations of the rules were robust. He said the number of willful errors was ''minuscule,'' involving a ''couple over the past decade.''

''No one at N.S.A. thinks a mistake is O.K.,'' he said.

The agency convened the conference call on Friday afternoon after the publication of an article by The Washington Post on Thursday night based on documents leaked by Edward J. Snowden, the former agency contractor. Mr. Snowden's leaks to The Post and The Guardian about the scope of N.S.A. spying have set off a crisis for the usually secretive agency, which says it is trying to be more open in explaining to the public what it does.

Mr. DeLong emphasized that the majority of the 2,776 incidents '-- 1,904 of them, according to the audit '-- were in a category that did not involve Americans, but rather foreigners abroad whose cellphones were being wiretapped. When they traveled to the United States, where individual warrants are required, the system did not immediately stop recording the calls.

With such ''roamers,'' he said, the agency would try to detect the change ''as soon as we can,'' and then stop recording the calls and remove the information from its databases, ''such that analysts may never see information collected while that person was in the United States.''

Mr. DeLong also sought to clarify a newly disclosed document urging analysts, when recording the reason for eavesdropping on foreigners abroad, to use only a short sentence and not to give ''extraneous information'' to its overseers.

Rather than a sign of obfuscation, Mr. DeLong said, that procedure was established to allow overseers like the Department of Justice and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to be able to scan a long list of targets quickly. The N.S.A. separately provides them with a fuller set of information about each person singled out, he said.

In addition, The Post reported that the audit report had not been given to the Senate Intelligence Committee. Mr. DeLong said it was an internal agency document that was used to generate other reports for outside overseers that contained much of the same data.

In a statement, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California and the Intelligence Committee's chairwoman, said the panel regularly received information about ''compliance incidents'' involving surveillance by the N.S.A. on domestic networks, though she said it did not get the same level of information about problems with surveillance conducted overseas.

''As I have said previously, the committee has never identified an instance in which the N.S.A. has intentionally abused its authority to conduct surveillance for inappropriate purposes,'' she said. ''I believe, however, that the committee can and should do more to independently verify that N.S.A.'s operations are appropriate, and its reports of compliance incidents are accurate.''

[----

WH.Gov: Presidential Memorandum -- Reviewing Our Global Signals Intelligence Collection and Communications Technologies

Nat Reg: Reviewing Our Global Signals Intelligence Collection and Communications Technologies

-----]

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Sun, 18 Aug 2013 14:16

BAKU, August 18 (Itar-Tass) - There has been a fire outbreak in a well at the Bulla-Deniz gas condensate field on the Caspian Sea shelf. According to a report posted on the website of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), which is the operator of the field, the fire has engulfed exploration well No 90 in the northeast wing of Bulla-Deniz.

According to SOCAR, the fire broke out on Saturday night during drilling at a depth of more than 5.8 thousand meters. ''At 23:30 local time (22:30 MSK) a wild gas blowout occurred after which the fire started,'' the statement says. It says that all the workers who were on the platform were evacuated to the shore.

''At present, fire-fighting vessels that have surrounded the platform control the situation. The fire extinguishing operation will begin after the plan for shutting down the well is prepared,'' SOCAR stated.

The causes of the fire outbreak are being investigated.

The Bulla-Deniz field is located in the open sea at a distance of 80 kilometres from Baku. It was discovered in the mid-1970s. The sea depth at the field is about 26 metres.

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Sun, 18 Aug 2013 14:02

Republic of AlbaniaRepublika e Shqipris

Motto: (official)"You, Albania, give me honor, give me the name Albanian"Anthem: Location of Albania (green)in Europe (dark grey) '-- [Legend]

Capitaland largest cityTirana41°20'²N19°48'²E>> / >>41.333°N 19.800°E>> / 41.333; 19.800Official languagesAlbanianaEthnic groupsGovernmentUnitaryparliamentary republic - PresidentBujar Nishani - Prime MinisterSali BerishaLegislatureParliamentFormation - Principality of Arbr1190 - League of Lezh2 March 1444 - Independent Albania28 November 1912 - Principality of Albania29 July 1913 - Current constitution28 November 1998 Area - Total28,748 km2 (143rd)11,100 sq mi - Water (%)4.7Population - 2011 census2,821,977[7] - Density98.16/km2 (63rd)254/sq miGDP (PPP)2012 estimate - Total$26.110 billion[8] - Per capita$9,231[8]GDP (nominal)2012 estimate - Total$13.12 billion[8] - Per capita$4,634[8]Gini (2005)26.7[9]lowHDI (2013) 0.749[10]high ·70thCurrencyLek (ALL)Time zoneCET(UTC+1) - Summer (DST)CEST (UTC+2)Date formatdd.mm.yyyyDrives on therightCalling code355ISO 3166 codeALInternet TLD.ala.Greek, Vlach, Macedonian and other regional languages are government-recognized minority languages.Albania (i//al-BAY-nee-É, Albanian: Shqipri/Shqipria; Gheg Albanian: Shqipni/Shqipnia), officially known as the Republic of Albania (Albanian: Republika e Shqipris; Albanian pronunciation: [ɾɛpuËblika É› ʃcipÉËɾiːs]), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the west, and on the Ionian Sea to the southwest. It is less than 72 km (45 mi) from Italy, across the Strait of Otranto which links the Adriatic Sea to the Ionian Sea.

Albania is a member of the UN, NATO, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Council of Europe, World Trade Organisation and one of the founding members of the Union for the Mediterranean. Albania has been a potential candidate for accession to the European Union since January 2003, and it formally applied for EU membership on 28 April 2009.[11]

The modern-day territory of Albania was at various points in history part of the Roman provinces of Dalmatia (southern Illyricum), Macedonia (particularly Epirus Nova), and Moesia Superior. The modern Republic became independent after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in Europe following the Balkan Wars.[2] Albania declared independence in 1912 (to be recognised in 1913), becoming a Principality, Republic, and Kingdom until being invaded by Italy in 1939, which formed Greater Albania, which in turn became a Nazi protectorate in 1943.[12] In 1944, a socialistPeople's Republic was established under the leadership of Enver Hoxha and the Party of Labour. In 1991, the Socialist republic was dissolved and the Republic of Albania was established.

Albania is a parliamentary democracy with a transition economy. The Albanian capital, Tirana, is home to 600.000 of the country's 2,831,741 people.[13] and it is also the financial capital of the country. Free-market reforms have opened the country to foreign investment, especially in the development of energy and transportation infrastructure.[14][15][16] Albania was chosen as the No.1 Destination in Lonely Planet's list of ten top countries to visit for 2011.[17]

Etymology and terminologyAlbania is the Medieval Latin name of the country which is called Shqipri by its people. In Medieval Greek, the country's name is Albania besides variants Albanitia, Arbanitia.

The name may be derived from the Illyrian tribe of the Albani recorded by Ptolemy, the geographer and astronomer from Alexandria who drafted a map in 150 AD[18] that shows the city of Albanopolis[19] (located northeast of Durrs).

The name may have a continuation in the name of a medieval settlement called Albanon and Arbanon, although it is not certain this was the same place.[20] In his History written in 1079''1080, the Byzantine historian Michael Attaliates was the first to refer to Albanoi as having taken part in a revolt against Constantinople in 1043 and to the Arbanitai as subjects of the Duke of Dyrrachium.[21] During the Middle Ages, the Albanians called their country Arbr or Arbn and referred to themselves as Arbresh or Arbnesh.[22][23]

As early as the 17th century the placename Shqipria and the ethnic demonym Shqiptar gradually replaced Arbria and Arbresh. While the two terms are popularly interpreted as "Land of the Eagles" and "Children of the Eagles", they derive from the adverb shqip, which means "understanding each other".[24][25] Under the Ottoman Empire Albania was referred to officially as Arnavutluk and its inhabitants as Arnauts (Turkic Arnavutlar). These terms remain the same officially and in common usage in the current Republic of Turkey.[26] The word is considered to be a metathesis from the word Arvanite, which was the Medieval Greek name for the Albanians.[27]

HistoryThe history of Albania emerged from the prehistoric stage from the 4th century BC, with early records of Illyria in Greco-Roman historiography. The modern territory of Albania has no counterpart in antiquity, comprising parts of the Roman provinces of Dalmatia (southern Illyricum) and Macedonia (particularly Epirus Nova).

The territory remained under Roman (Byzantine) control until the Slavic migrations of the 7th century, and was integrated into the Bulgarian Empire in the 9th century. After the weakening of the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarian Empire in the middle and late 13th century, most of the territory of modern-day Albania became part of Serbia. Initially, as a part of the Serbian Grand Principality and in 14th century as a part of the Serbian Empire. The territorial nucleus of the Albanian state formed in the Middle Ages, as the Principality of Arbr and the Kingdom of Albania. The first records of the Albanian people as a distinct ethnicity also date to this period.

Ottoman PeriodAt the dawn of the establishment of the Ottoman Empire in Southeast Europe, the geopolitical landscape was marked by scattered kingdoms of small principalities. The Ottomans erected their garrisons throughout southern Albania by 1415 and established formal jurisdiction over most of Albania by 1431.[28] Along with the Bosniaks, Muslim Albanians occupied an outstanding position in the empire, and were the main pillars of Ottoman policy in the Balkans.[29] However, on 1443 a great and longstanding revolt broke under the lead of the Albanian national hero Skanderbeg, which lasted until 1468, many times defeating major Ottoman armies led by sultans Murad II and Mehmed II.

Enjoying this privileged position in the empire, Muslim Albanians held various administrative positions, with over two dozen Grand Viziers of Albanian origin, such as Gen. K¶pr¼l¼ Mehmed Pasha, who commanded the Ottoman forces during the Ottoman-Persian Wars; Gen. K¶pr¼l¼ Fazıl Ahmed, who led the Ottoman army during the Austro-Turkish War (1663''1664); and, later, Muhammad Ali Pasha of Egypt.[31]

In the 15th century, when the Ottomans were gaining a firm foothold in the region, Albanian towns were organised into four principal sanjaks. The government fostered trade by settling a sizeable Jewish colony of refugees fleeing persecution in Spain (at end of the 15th century). Vlor saw passing through its ports imported merchandise from Europe such as velvets, cotton goods, mohairs, carpets, spices and leather from Bursa and Istanbul. Some citizens of Vlor even had business associates in Europe.[31]

Albanians could also be found throughout the empire, in Iraq, Egypt, Algeria and across the Maghreb as vital military and administrative retainers.[32] This owed largely to their early use as part of the DevÅŸirme system. The process of Islamization was an incremental one, commencing from the arrival of the Ottomans in the 14th century (to this day, a minority of Albanians are Catholic or Orthodox Christians, though the vast majority became Muslim). Timar holders, the bedrock of early Ottoman control in Southeast Europe, were not necessarily converts to Islam, and occasionally rebelled; the most famous of these rebels is Skanderbeg (his figure would be used later in the 19th century as a central component of Albanian national identity). The most significant impact on the Albanians was the gradual Islamisation process of a large majority of the population, although such a process became widespread only in the 17th century.[33]

Mainly Catholics converted in the 17th century, while the Orthodox Albanians followed suit mainly in the following century. Initially confined to the main city centres of Elbasan and Shkoder, by this period the countryside was also embracing the new religion.[33] The motives for conversion according to scholars were diverse, depending on the context. The lack of source material does not help when investigating such issues.[34]

Albania remained under Ottoman control as part of the Rumelia province until 1912, when the first independent Albanian state was declared. The formation of an Albanian national consciousness dates to the latter 19th century and is part of the larger phenomenon of the rise of nationalism under the Ottoman Empire.

Era of Nationalism & League of PrizrenThe first organization that opposed the partition of Albania and pushed for greater autonomy was the League of Prizren, formed on 1 June 1878, in Prizren, Kosovo. The League used military force to prevent the annexing of northern Albanian areas assigned to Montenegro and Serbia, and southern Albanian areas assigned to Greece by the Congress of Berlin. After several battles with Montenegrin troops, the league was forced to give up Ulcinj to Montenegro and then was defeated by the Ottoman army sent by the Sultan in order to prevent the league from achieving autonomy for Albania.[35] The uprisings of 1910''1912, the Ottoman defeat in the Balkan Wars and the advancing Montenegrin, Serbian and Greek armies into the territories where Albanians were majority, led to the proclamation of independence by Ismail Qemali in Vlora, on 28 November 1912.

IndependenceAlbania's independence was recognized by the Conference of London on 29 July 1913, but the drawing of the borders of Albania ignored the demographic realities of the time.[36] The short-lived monarchy (1914''1925) was succeeded by an even shorter-lived first Albanian Republic (1925''1928), to be replaced by another monarchy (1928''1939). Albania was occupied by Fascist Italy and then by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Communist Albania (1944''1992)After the liberation of Albania from Nazi occupation, the country became a Communist state, the People's Republic of Albania (renamed "the People's Socialist Republic of Albania" in 1976), which was led by Enver Hoxha and the Party of Labour of Albania.

The socialist reconstruction of Albania was launched immediately after the annulling of the monarchy and the establishment of a "People's Republic". In 1947, Albania's first railway line was completed, with the second completed eight months later. New land reform laws were passed granting the land to the workers and peasants who tilled it. Agriculture began to become cooperative, and production increased significantly, leading to Albania becoming agriculturally self-sufficient. By 1955, illiteracy was eliminated among Albania's adult population.[37]

During this period Albania became industrialized and saw rapid economic growth, as well as unprecedented progress in the areas of education and health. The average annual rate of increase of Albania's national income was 29% higher than the world average and 56% higher than the European average. Also during this period, because of the monopolized socialist economy, Albania was the only country in the world that did not impose any tax on its people.[38]

Religious freedoms were severely curtailed during the Communist period, with many forms of worship being outlawed. In August 1945, the Agrarian Reform Law meant that large swaths of property owned by religious groups (mostly Islamic waqfs) were nationalized, along with the estates of monasteries and dioceses. Many believers, with the ulema, and many priests were arrested, tortured and executed. In 1949, a new Decree on Religious Communities required that they and all their activities be sanctioned by the state alone.[39]

In 1967 Hoxha proclaimed Albania the world's first 'atheist state'. Hundreds of mosques and dozens of Islamic libraries '-- containing priceless manuscripts '-- were destroyed.[40] Churches were not spared either, and many were converted into cultural centers for young people. The new law banned all "fascist, religious, warmongerish, antisocialist activity and propaganda." Preaching religion carried a three- to ten-year prison sentence. Nonetheless, many Albanians continued to practice in secret.

Hoxha's political successor Ramiz Alia oversaw the dismemberment of the "Hoxhaist" state during the wider collapse of the Eastern Bloc in the later 1980s.

Contemporary AlbaniaThe People's Republic was dissolved in 1991-92 after protests beginning in 1989 and reforms made by the communist government in 1990, and the Republic of Albania was founded. The Communists retained a stronghold in parliament after popular support in the elections of 1991. However, in March 1992, amid liberalisation policies resulting in economic collapse and social unrest, a new front led by the new Democratic Party took power. The economic crisis spread in late 1996 following the failure of some Ponzi schemes operating in the country, peaking in 1997 in an armed rebellion that led to another mass emigration of Albanians, mostly to Italy, Greece, Switzerland, Germany and North America. In 1999, the country was affected by the Kosovo War, when a great number of Albanians from Kosovo found refuge in Albania. Albania became a full member of NATO in 2009, and is applying to join the European Union.

Albanian state flagGovernanceAlbania

This article is part of the series:Politics and government ofAlbaniaParliamentary:2001, 2005, 2009,2013Local:2000, 2003, 2007,2011, 2015Referendums:1994, 1997, 1998Presidents (indirect):2002, 2007,2012, 2017Political partiesThe Albanian republic is a parliamentary democracy established under a constitution renewed in 1998. Elections are held every four years to a unicameral 140-seat chamber, the People's Assembly. In June 2002, a compromise candidate, Alfred Moisiu, former Army General, was elected to succeed President Rexhep Meidani. Parliamentary elections in July 2005 brought Sali Berisha, the leader of the Democratic Party, while on 20 July 2007 Bamir Topi became president. The current Albanian president Bujar Nishani was elected by Parliament in July 2012.

The Euro-Atlantic integration of Albania has been the ultimate goal of the post-communist governments. Albania's EU membership bid has been set as a priority by the European Commission.

Albania, along with Croatia, joined NATO on 1 April 2009, becoming the 27th and 28th members of the alliance.[41]

Executive branchThe head of state in Albania is the President of the Republic. The President is elected to a 5-year term by the Assembly of the Republic of Albania by secret ballot, requiring a 50%+1 majority of the votes of all deputies. The current President of the Republic is Bujar Nishani elected in July 2012.

The President has the power to guarantee observation of the constitution and all laws, act as commander in chief of the armed forces, exercise the duties of the Assembly of the Republic of Albania when the Assembly is not in session, and appoint the Chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister).

Executive power rests with the Council of Ministers (cabinet). The Chairman of the Council (prime minister) is appointed by the president; ministers are nominated by the president on the basis of the prime minister's recommendation. The People's Assembly must give final approval of the composition of the Council. The Council is responsible for carrying out both foreign and domestic policies. It directs and controls the activities of the ministries and other state organs.

Legislative branchThe Assembly of the Republic of Albania (Kuvendi i Republiks s Shqipris) is the lawmaking body in Albania. There are 140 deputies in the Assembly, which are elected through a party-list proportional representation system. The President of the Assembly (or Speaker), who has two deputies, chairs the Assembly. There are 15 permanent commissions, or committees. Parliamentary elections are held at least every four years.

The Assembly has the power to decide the direction of domestic and foreign policy; approve or amend the constitution; declare war on another state; ratify or annul international treaties; elect the President of the Republic, the Supreme Court, and the Attorney General and his or her deputies; and control the activity of state radio and television, state news agency and other official information media.

Armed forcesThe Albanian Armed Forces (Forcat e Armatosura t Shqipris) were first formed after independence in 1912. Albania reduced the number of active troops from 65,000 in 1988[42] to 14,500 in 2009[43] and the military now consists mainly of a small fleet of aircraft and sea vessels. In the 1990s, the country scrapped enormous amounts of obsolete hardware, such as tanks and SAM systems from China.[citation needed]

Today it consists of: the General Staff, the Albanian Land Force, the Albanian Air Force and the Albanian Naval Force. Increasing the military budget was one of the most important conditions for NATO integration. Military spending has generally been lower than 1.5% since 1996 only to peak in 2009 at 2% and fall again to 1.5%.[44] Since February 2008, Albania participates officially in NATO's Operation Active Endeavor in the Mediterranean Sea.[45] It received a NATO membership invitation on 3 April 2008.[46] Albania became a full member of NATO on 2 April 2009.

Administrative divisionsAlbania is divided into 12 administrative counties (Albanian: qark or prefektur). These counties include 36 districts (Albanian: rreth) and 373 municipalities (Albanian: bashki or komun). 72 municipalities have city status (Albanian: qytet). There are overall 2980 villages/communities (Albanian: fshat) in all Albania. Each district has its council which is composed of a number of municipalities. The municipalities are the first level of local governance, responsible for local needs and law enforcement.[47]

GeographyAlbania has a total area of 28,748 square kilometers. It lies between latitudes 39° and 43° N, and mostly between longitudes 19° and 21° E (a small area lies east of 21°). Albania's coastline length is 611 km (380 mi)[48]:240 and extends along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. The lowlands of the west face the Adriatic Sea.

The 70% of the country that is mountainous is rugged and often inaccessible from the outside. The highest mountain is Korab situated in the district of Dibr, reaching up to 2,764 metres (9,068 ft). The climate on the coast is typically Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and warm, sunny, and rather dry summers.

Inland conditions vary depending on elevation, but the higher areas above 1,500 m/5,000 ft are rather cold and frequently snowy in winter; here cold conditions with snow may linger into spring. Besides the capital city of Tirana, which has 420,000 inhabitants, the principal cities are Durrs, Kor§, Elbasan, Shkodr, Gjirokastr, Vlor and Kuks. In Albanian grammar, a word can have indefinite and definite forms, and this also applies to city names: both Tiran and Tirana, Shkodr and Shkodra are used.

The three largest and deepest tectonic lakes of the Balkan Peninsula are partly located in Albania. Lake Shkodr in the country's northwest has a surface which can vary between 370 km2 (140 sq mi) and 530 km2, out of which one third belongs to Albania and rest to Montenegro. The Albanian shoreline of the lake is 57 km (35 mi). Ohrid Lake is situated in the country's southeast and is shared between Albania and Republic of Macedonia. It has a maximal depth of 289 meters and a variety of unique flora and fauna can be found there, including "living fossils" and many endemic species. Because of its natural and historical value, Ohrid Lake is under the protection of UNESCO. There is also Butrinti Lake which is a small tectonic lake. It is located in the national park of Butrint.

ClimateWith its coastline facing the Adriatic and Ionian seas, its highlands backed upon the elevated Balkan landmass, and the entire country lying at a latitude subject to a variety of weather patterns during the winter and summer seasons, Albania has a high number of climatic regions relative to its landmass. The coastal lowlands have typically Mediterranean weather; the highlands have a Mediterranean continental climate. In both the lowlands and the interior, the weather varies markedly from north to south.

The lowlands have mild winters, averaging about 7 °C(45 °F). Summer temperatures average 24 °C(75 °F). In the southern lowlands, temperatures average about 5 °C(9 °F) higher throughout the year. The difference is greater than 5 °C(9 °F) during the summer and somewhat less during the winter.

Inland temperatures are affected more by differences in elevation than by latitude or any other factor. Low winter temperatures in the mountains are caused by the continental air mass that dominates the weather in Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Northerly and northeasterly winds blow much of the time. Average summer temperatures are lower than in the coastal areas and much lower at higher elevations, but daily fluctuations are greater. Daytime maximum temperatures in the interior basins and river valleys are very high, but the nights are almost always cool.

Average precipitation is heavy, a result of the convergence of the prevailing airflow from the Mediterranean Sea and the continental air mass. Because they usually meet at the point where the terrain rises, the heaviest rain falls in the central uplands. Vertical currents initiated when the Mediterranean air is uplifted also cause frequent thunderstorms. Many of these storms are accompanied by high local winds and torrential downpours.

When the continental air mass is weak, Mediterranean winds drop their moisture farther inland. When there is a dominant continental air mass, cold air spills onto the lowland areas, which occurs most frequently in the winter. Because the season's lower temperatures damage olive trees and citrus fruits, groves and orchards are restricted to sheltered places with southern and western exposures, even in areas with high average winter temperatures.

Lowland rainfall averages from 1,000 millimeters (39.4 in) to more than 1,500 millimeters (59.1 in) annually, with the higher levels in the north. Nearly 95% of the rain falls in the winter.

Rainfall in the upland mountain ranges is heavier. Adequate records are not available, and estimates vary widely, but annual averages are probably about 1,800 millimeters (70.9 in) and are as high as 2,550 millimeters (100.4 in) in some northern areas. The western Albanian Alps (valley of Boga) are among the wettest areas in Europe, receiving some 3,100 mm (122.0 in) of rain annually.[49] The seasonal variation is not quite as great in the coastal area.

The higher inland mountains receive less precipitation than the intermediate uplands. Terrain differences cause wide local variations, but the seasonal distribution is the most consistent of any area.

In 2009 an expedition from University of Colorado discovered four small glaciers in the 'Cursed' mountains in North Albania. The glaciers are at the relatively low level of 2,000 meters '' almost unique for such a southerly latitude.[50]

Flora and faunaAlthough a small country, Albania is distinguished for its rich biological diversity. The variation of geomorphology, climate and terrain create favorable conditions for a number of endemic and sub-endemic species with 27 endemic and 160 subendemic vascular plants present in the country. The total number of plants is over 3250 species, approximately 30% of the entire flora species found in Europe.

Over a third of the territory of Albania '' about 10,000 square kilometers (2.5 million acres) '' is forested and the country is very rich in flora. About 3,000 different species of plants grow in Albania, many of which are used for medicinal purposes.Phytogeographically, Albania belongs to the Boreal Kingdom and is shared between the Adriatic and East Mediterraneanprovinces of the Mediterranean Region and the Illyrian province of the Circumboreal Region. Coastal regions and lowlands have typical Mediterranean macchia vegetation, whereas oak forests and vegetation are found on higher elevations. Vast forests of black pine, beech and fir are found on higher mountains and alpine grasslands grow at elevations above 1800 meters.[52]

According to the World Wide Fund for Nature and Digital Map of European Ecological Regions by the European Environment Agency, the territory of Albania can be subdivided into three ecoregions: the Illyrian deciduous forests, Pindus Mountains mixed forests and Dinaric Alpine mixed forests. The forests are home to a wide range of mammals, including wolves, bears, wild boars and chamois. Lynx, wildcats, pine martens and polecats are rare, but survive in some parts of the country.

There are around 760 vertebrate species found so far in Albania. Among these there are over 350 bird species, 330 freshwater and marine fish and 80 mammal species. There are some 91 globally threatened species found within the country, among which the Dalmatian pelican, Pygmy cormorant, and the European sea sturgeon. Rocky coastal regions in the south provide good habitats for the endangered Mediterranean monk seal.

Some of the most significant bird species found in the country include the golden eagle '' known as the national symbol of Albania[53] '' vulture species, capercaillie and numerous waterfowl. The Albanian forests still maintain significant communities of large mammals such as the brown bear, gray wolf, chamois and wild boar.[52] The north and eastern mountains of the country are home to the last remaining Balkan Lynx '' a critically endangered population of the Eurasian lynx.[54]

EconomyAlbania's troubled transition from communist to free-market capitalism has been largely successful. There are signs of increasing investments, and power cuts are reduced to the extent that Albania is now exporting energy.[55] Its GDP per capita (expressed in PPS'--Purchasing Power Standards) stood at 35 percent of the EU average in 2012.[56] Still, Albania has shown potential for economic growth, as more and more businesses relocate there and consumer goods are becoming available from emerging market traders as part of the current massive global cost-cutting exercise. Albania, Cyprus, and Poland are the only countries in Europe that recorded economic growth in the first quarter of 2010.[57][58]International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted 2.6% growth for Albania in 2010 and 3.2% in 2011.[59]

Albania and Croatia have discussed the possibility of jointly building a nuclear power plant at Lake Shkoder, close to the border with Montenegro, a plan that has gathered criticism from Montenegro due to seismicity in the area.[60] In addition, there is some doubt whether Albania would be able to finance a project of such a scale with a total national budget of less than $5 billion.[2] However, in February 2009 Italian company Enel announced plans to build an 800 MW coal-fired power plant in Albania, to diversify electricity sources.[61] Nearly 100% of the electricity is generated by ageing hydroelectric power plants, which are becoming more ineffective due to increasing droughts.[61]

The country has some deposits of petroleum and natural gas, but only produced 6,438 barrels of oil per day in 2009 (BNK-TC).[62][63] Natural gas production, estimated at about 30 million cubic meters, is sufficient to meet consumer demands.[2] Other natural resources include coal, bauxite, copper and iron ore.

Agriculture is the most significant sector, employing a significant proportion of the labor force and generating about 21% of GDP. Albania produces significant amounts of wheat, corn, tobacco, figs (13th largest producer in the world)[64] and olives.

Tourism is gaining a fair share of Albania's GDP with visitors growing every year.

TourismAn important percentage of Albania's national income comes from tourism. Tourism - as of 2013 - funds 10% of the gross domestical product, and this number is expected to increase dramatically within the next decade. Albania welcomed around 4,2 million visitors in 2012, mostly from neighbouring countries and the European Union. In 2011 Albania was listed as the top travel destination worldwide, by lonely planet.[17]

Albania despite its relatively small size offers a great variety of touristical attractions. There are plenty of things to do in Albania. For those, who prefer a relaxing way of spending their holidays, Albanian seaside is perfect. The beautiful beaches of the Ionian and Adriatic seas combined with great Mediterranean climate and delicious freshly caught seafood would make up for a great holiday. For those, who are interested in the World History, Albania is the place to come. Historical tours around the towns of Butrint, Gjirokastr, Berat, Durrs and many others would not leave you disappointed. For the travelers, which prefer active holidays, Albania has a lot to share as well.

The bulk of the tourist industry is concentrated along the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea coast. The latter has the most beautiful and pristine beaches, and is often called as the Albanian Riviera. The increase in foreign visitors is dramatic, Albania had only 500,000 visitors in 2005, while in 2012 had an estimated 4,2 milion tourists. An increase of 840% in only 7 years.

Crime and Law EnforcementLaw Enforcement in Albania is primarily the responsibility of the Albanian Police. Albania also has a counter-terrorism unit called RENEA. On a list of 75 countries, Albania listed at 17th lowest crime rate ahead of many western nations such as Denmark, the United Kingdom, Sweden and France.[65] However, homicide is still a problem in the country, especially blood feuds in rural areas of the north and domestic crime.[66]

Science and technologyFrom 1993 human resources in sciences and technology have drastically decreased. Various surveys show that during 1991''2005, approximately 50% of the professors and research scientists of the universities and science institutions in the country have emigrated.[67]

However in 2009 the government approved the "National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation in Albania"[68] covering the period 2009''2015. It aims to triple public spending on research and development (R&D) to 0.6% of GDP and augment the share of gross domestic expenditure on R&D from foreign sources, including via the European Union's Framework Programmes for Research, to the point where it covers 40% of research spending, among others.

TransportHighwaysCurrently there are three main motorways in Albania: the dual carriageway connecting Durrs with Vlor, the Albania-Kosovo Highway, and the Tirana-Elbasan Highway.

The Albania-Kosovo Highway links Kosovo to Albania's Adriatic coast: the Albanian side was completed in June 2009,[69] and now it takes only two hours and a half to go from the Kosovo border to Durrs. Overall the highway will be around 250 km (155 mi) when it reaches Pristina. The project was the biggest and most expensive infrastructure project ever undertaken in Albania. The cost of the highway appears to have breached '‚¬800 million, although the exact cost for the total highway has yet to be confirmed by the government.

Two additional highways will be built in Albania in the near future: Corridor VIII, which will link Albania with the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria, and the north-south highway, which corresponds to the Albanian side of the Adriatic''Ionian motorway, a larger regional highway connecting Croatia with Greece along the Adriatic and Ionian coasts. When all three corridors are completed Albania will have an estimated 759 kilometers of highway linking it with all its neighboring countries: Serbia/Kosovo, the Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, and Greece.

AviationThe civil air transport in Albania marked its beginnings in November 1924, when the Republic of Albania signed a governmental agreement with German Air Company Lufthansa. On the basis of a ten-year concession agreement, the Albanian Airlines Company Adria Aero Lloyd was established.[citation needed] In the spring of 1925, the first domestic flights from Tirana to Shkoder and Vlora began.[citation needed]

In August 1927, the office of Civil Aviation of Air Traffic Ministry of Italy purchased Adria Aero Lloyd. The company, now in Italian hands, expanded its flights to other cities, such as Elbasan, Kor§a, Kuksi, Peshkopia and Gjirokastra, and opened up international lines to Rome, Milan, Thessaloniki, Sofia, Belgrade, and Podgorica.

The construction of a more modern airport in Lapraka started in 1934 and was completed by the end of 1935. This new airport, which was later officially named "Airport of Tirana", was constructed in conformity with optimal technological parameters of that time, with a reinforced concrete runway of 2,700 m (8,858 ft), and complemented with technical equipment and appropriate buildings.

During 1955''1957, the Rinasi Airport was constructed for military purposes. Later, its administration was shifted to the Ministry of Transport. On 25 January 1957 the State-owned Enterprise of International Air Transport (Albtransport) established its headquarters in Tirana. Aeroflot, Jat Airways, Malev, Tarom and Interflug were the air companies that started to have flights with Albania until 1960.[70]

During 1960''1978, several airlines ceased to operate in Albania due to the impact of the politics, resulting in a decrease of influx of flights and passengers. In 1977 Albania's government signed an agreement with Greece to open the country's first air links with non-communist Europe. As a result, Olympic Airways was the first non-communist airline to commercially fly into Albania after World War II. By 1991 Albania had air links with many major European cities, including Paris, Rome, Zurich, Vienna and Budapest, but no regular domestic air service.[70]

A French-Albanian joint venture Ada Air, was launched in Albania as the first private airline, in 1991. The company offered flights in a thirty-six-passenger airplane four days a week between Tirana and Bari, Italy and a charter service for domestic and international destinations.[70]

From 1989 to 1991, because of political changes in the Eastern European countries, Albania adhered to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), opened its air space to international flights, and had its duties of Air Traffic Control defined. As a result of these developments, conditions were created to separate the activities of air traffic control from Albtransport. Instead, the National Agency of Air Traffic (NATA) was established as an independent enterprise. In addition, during these years, governmental agreements of civil air transport were established with countries such as Bulgaria, Germany, Slovenia, Italy, Russia, Austria, the UK and Macedonia.

The Directory General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was established on 3 February 1991, to cope with the development required by the time. Albania has one international airport, Tirana International Airport Nn Tereza, which is linked to 29 destinations by 14 airlines. It has seen a dramatic rise in passenger numbers and aircraft movements since the early 1990s. The data for 2009 is 1.3 million passengers served and an average of 44 landings and takeoffs per day.[citation needed]

RailwaysThe railways in Albania are administered by the national railway company Hekurudha Shqiptare (HSH) (which means Albanian Railways). It operates a 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1'2 in) gauge (standard gauge) rail system in Albania. All trains are hauled by Czech-built ÄŒKDdiesel-electric locomotives.

The railway system was extensively promoted by the totalitarian regime of Enver Hoxha, during which time the use of private transport was effectively prohibited. Since the collapse of the former regime, there has been a considerable increase in car ownership and bus usage. Whilst some of the country's roads are still in very poor condition, there have been other developments (such as the construction of a motorway between Tirana and Durrs) which have taken much traffic away from the railways.[citation needed]

DemographicsPopulation in Albania[71]YearMillion19712.219903.320083.120112.8Source: OECD/World BankAccording to the 2011 Census results, the total population of Albania is 2,821,977. Its population is relatively young by European standards, with a median age of 28.9 years.[72] The fall of the Communist regime in 1990 Albania was accompanied with massive migration. External migration was prohibited in Communist Albania while internal one was quite limited, hence this was a new phenomenon. Between 1991 and 2004, roughly 900,000 people have migrated out of Albania, about 600,000 of them settling in Greece.[73] Migration greatly affected Albania's internal population distribution. Population decreased mainly in the North and South of the country while increased in Tirana and Durrs center districts.[citation needed]

Issues of ethnicity are a delicate topic and subject to debate. "Although official statistics have suggested that Albania is one of the most homogenous countries in the region (with an over 97 per cent Albanian majority) minority groups (such as Greeks, Macedonians, Montenegrins, Roma and Vlachs/Aromanians) have often questioned the official data, claiming a larger share in the country's population."[74] The last census that contained ethnographic data (before the 2011 one) was conducted in 1989.[75]

Albania recognizes three national minorities, Greeks, Macedonians and Montenegrins, and two cultural minorities, Aromanians and Romani people.[76] Other Albanian minorities are Bulgarians, Gorani, Serbs, Balkan Egyptians, Bosniaks and Jews. Regarding the Greeks, "it is difficult to know how many Greeks there are in Albania. The Greek government, it is typically claimed, says that there are around 300,000 ethnic Greeks in Albania, but most western estimates are around 200,000 mark (although EEN puts the number at a probable 100,000). The Albanian government puts the number at only 60,000."[77] The CIA World Factbook estimates the Greek minority at 3% of the total population and the US State Department uses 1.17% for Greeks and 0.23% for other minorities.[78]

According to the 2011 census the population of Albania declared the following ethnic affiliation: Albanians 2,312,356 (82.6% of the total), Greeks 24,243 (0.9%), Macedonians 5,512 (0.2%), Montenegrins 366 (0.01%), Aromanians 8,266 (0.30%), Romani 8,301 (0.3%), Balkan Egyptians 3,368 (0.1%), other ethnicities 2,644 (0.1%), no declared ethnicity 390,938 (14.0%), and not relevant 44,144 (1.6%).[7]

Macedonian and some Greek minority groups have sharply criticized Article 20 of the Census law, according to which a $1,000 fine will be imposed on anyone who will declare an ethnicity other than what is stated on his or her birth certificate. This is claimed to be an attempt to intimidate minorities into declaring Albanian ethnicity, according to them the Albanian government has stated that it will jail anyone who does not participate in the census or refuse to declare his or her ethnicity.[79] Genc Pollo, the minister in charge has declared that: "Albanian citizens will be able to freely express their ethnic and religious affiliation and mother tongue. However, they are not forced to answer these sensitive questions".[80] The amendments criticized do not include jailing or forced declaration of ethnicity or religion, only a fine is envisioned which can be overthrown by court.[81][82]

Greek representatives form part of the Albanian parliament and the government has invited Albanian Greeks to register, as the only way to improve their status.[74] On the other hand, nationalists,as well as intellectuals, various organizations and, political parties in Albania have expressed their concern that the census might artificially increase the number of Greek minority, which might be then exploited by Greece to threaten Albania's territorial integrity.[74][83][84][85] Large parts of Albanians, similarly fear irredentist claims on northern Epirus following Albanians changing their nationality to Greek due to monetary and other benefits.[74][83][86][87][88]

LanguageAlbanian is the official language of Albania. Its standard spoken and written form is revised and merged from the two main dialects, Gheg and Tosk; though, it is notably based more on the Tosk dialect. Shkumbin River is the rough dividing line between the two dialects. Also a dialect of Greek that preserves features now lost in standard modern Greek is spoken in areas inhabited by the Greek minority. Other languages spoken by ethnic minorities in Albania include Vlach, Serbian, Macedonian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Gorani, and Roma.[89] Macedonian is official in Pustec Municipality in East Albania.

According to the 2011 population census, 2,765,610 or 98.767% of the population declared Albanian as their mother tongue ("mother tongue is defined as the first or main language spoken at home during childhood").[7]

ReligionAlbanian census 2011Sunni Islam '‰

56.70%Catholicism '‰

10.03%Eastern Orthodoxy '‰

6.75%Bektashis '‰

2.09%Other Christian '‰

0.14%Others '‰

5.49%Undeclared '‰

13.79%Atheism '‰

2.5%According to 2011 census, 58.79% of Albania adheres to Islam, making it the largest Religion in the country. Majority of Albanian Muslims are Secular Sunni with a significant Bektashi Shia minority. Christianity is practiced by 16.99% of the population, making it the 2nd largest religion in the country. Remaining population is either Irreligious or belongs to other Religious groups.[90] Before World War II, there was given a distribution of 70% Muslims, 20% Eastern Orthodox, and 10% Roman Catholics.[2] Today, Gallup Global Reports 2010 shows that religion plays a role in the lives of only 39% of Albanians, and ranks Albania the thirteenth least religious country in the world.[91]

The Albanians first appear in the historical record in Byzantine sources of the late-11th century. At this point, they were already fully Christianised. Islam later emerged as the majority religion during the centuries of Ottoman rule, though a significant Christian minority remained. After independence (1912) from the Ottoman Empire, the Albanian republican, monarchic and later Communist regimes followed a systematic policy of separating religion from official functions and cultural life. Albania never had an official state religion either as a republic or as a kingdom. In the 20th century, the clergy of all faiths was weakened under the monarchy, and ultimately eradicated during the 1940s and 1950s, under the state policy of obliterating all organized religion from Albanian territories.

The Communist regime that took control of Albania after World War II persecuted and suppressed religious observance and institutions and entirely banned religion to the point where Albania was officially declared to be the world's first atheist state. Religious freedom has returned to Albania since the regime's change in 1992. Albanian Muslim populations (mainly secular and of the Sunni branch) are found throughout the country whereas Orthodox Christians are concentrated in the south and Roman Catholics are found in the north of the country. No reliable data are available on active participation in formal religious services, but estimates range from 25% to 40%.[92]

The first recorded Albanian Protestant was Said Toptani, who traveled around Europe, and in 1853 returned to Tirana and preached Protestantism. He was arrested and imprisoned by the Ottoman authorities in 1864. Mainline evangelical Protestants date back to the work of Congregational and later Methodist missionaries and the work of the British and Foreign Bible Society in the 19th century. The Evangelical Alliance, which is known as VUSh, was founded in 1892. Today VUSh has about 160 member congregations from different Protestant denominations. VUSh organizes marches in Tirana including one against blood feuds in 2010. Bibles are provided by the Interconfessional Bible Society of Albania. The first full Albanian Bible to be printed was the Filipaj translation printed in 1990.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church sent its first missionaries into Albanian territory as early as 1909. Following decades of communist repression, the Albanian Mission of Seventh-day Adventists was re-established in Tirana in 1992 and has now over 10 churches and groups throughout the country.[93] Its humanitarian wing, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is renowned for being the first humanitarian organization to enter post-communist Albania.[94]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or 'Mormons') involvement in Albania began with humanitarian aid during the 1990s. The first missionaries were sent in 1992 with the Albania Tirana Mission being opened in 1996. In 2008, there were nearly 2,000 members of the LDS church in Albania, spread throughout ten branches with two purpose-built chapels and one Family History Center.[95]

There are about 4,000 active Jehovah's Witnesses in Albania.[96]

CultureMusic and folkloreAlbanian folk music falls into three stylistic groups, with other important music areas around Shkodr and Tirana; the major groupings are the Ghegs of the north and southern Labs and Tosks. The northern and southern traditions are contrasted by the "rugged and heroic" tone of the north and the "relaxed" form of the south.

These disparate styles are unified by "the intensity that both performers and listeners give to their music as a medium for patriotic expression and as a vehicle carrying the narrative of oral history", as well as certain characteristics like the use of rhythms such as 3/8, 5/8 and 10/8.[97] The first compilation of Albanian folk music was made by Pjetr Dungu in 1940.

Albanian folk songs can be divided into major groups, the heroic epics of the north, and the sweetly melodic lullabies, love songs, wedding music, work songs and other kinds of song. The music of various festivals and holidays is also an important part of Albanian folk song, especially those that celebrate St. Lazarus Day, which inaugurates the springtime. Lullabies and vajtims are very important kinds of Albanian folk song, and are generally performed by solo women.[98]

Albanian language and literatureAlbanian was proved to be an Indo-European language in 1854 by the German philologistFranz Bopp. The Albanian language comprises its own branch of the Indo-European language family.

Some scholars believe that Albanian derives from Illyrian[99] while others[100] claim that it derives from Daco-Thracian. (Illyrian and Daco-Thracian, however, might have been closely related languages; see Thraco-Illyrian.)

Establishing longer relations, Albanian is often compared to Balto-Slavic on the one hand and Germanic on the other, both of which share a number of isoglosses with Albanian. Moreover, Albanian has undergone a vowel shift in which stressed, long o has fallen to a, much like in the former and opposite the latter. Likewise, Albanian has taken the old relative jos and innovatively used it exclusively to qualify adjectives, much in the way Balto-Slavic has used this word to provide the definite ending of adjectives.

The cultural renaissance was first of all expressed through the development of the Albanian language in the area of church texts and publications, mainly of the Catholic region in the North, but also of the Orthodox in the South. The Protestant reforms invigorated hopes for the development of the local language and literary tradition when cleric Gjon Buzuku brought into the Albanian language the Catholic liturgy, trying to do for the Albanian language what Luther did for German.

Meshari (The Missal) by Gjon Buzuku, published in 1555, is considered the first literary work of written Albanian. The refined level of the language and the stabilised orthography must be the result of an earlier tradition of written Albanian, a tradition that is not well understood. However, there is some fragmented evidence, pre-dating Buzuku, which indicates that Albanian was written from at least the 14th century.

The earliest evidence dates from 1332 AD with a Latin report from the French Dominican Guillelmus Adae, Archbishop of Antivari, who wrote that Albanians used Latin letters in their books although their language was quite different from Latin. Other significant examples include: a baptism formula (Unte paghesont premenit Atit et Birit et spertit senit) from 1462, written in Albanian within a Latin text by the Bishop of Durrs, Pal Engjlli; a glossary of Albanian words of 1497 by Arnold von Harff, a German who had travelled through Albania, and a 15th-century fragment of the Bible from the Gospel of Matthew, also in Albanian, but written in Greek letters.

Albanian writings from these centuries must not have been religious texts only, but historical chronicles too. They are mentioned by the humanist Marin Barleti, who, in his book Rrethimi i Shkodrs (The Siege of Shkodr) (1504), confirms that he leafed through such chronicles written in the language of the people (in vernacula lingua).

During the 16th to 17th centuries, the catechismE mbsuame krishter (Christian Teachings) (1592) by Lek Matrnga, Doktrina e krishter (The Christian Doctrine) (1618) and Rituale romanum (1621) by Pjetr Budi, the first writer of original Albanian prose and poetry, an apology for George Castriot (1636) by Frang Bardhi, who also published a dictionary and folklore creations, the theological-philosophical treaty Cuneus Prophetarum (The Band of Prophets) (1685) by Pjetr Bogdani, the most universal personality of Albanian Middle Ages, were published in Albanian. The most famous Albanian writer is probably Ismail Kadare.

EducationBefore the establishment of the People's Republic, Albania's illiteracy rate was as high as 85%. Schools were scarce between World War I and World War II. When the People's Republic was established in 1945, the Party gave high priority to wiping out illiteracy. As part of a vast social campaign, anyone between the ages of 12 and 40 who could not read or write was mandated to attend classes to learn. By 1955, illiteracy was virtually eliminated among Albania's adult population.[101]

Today the overall literacy rate in Albania is 98.7%; the male literacy rate is 99.2% and female literacy rate is 98.3%.[2] With large population movements in the 1990s to urban areas, the provision of education has undergone transformation as well. The University of Tirana is the oldest university in Albania, having been founded in October 1957.

SportFootball is the most popular sport in Albania, both at a participatory and spectator level. The sport is governed by the Football Association of Albania (Albanian: Federata Shqiptare e Futbollit, F.SH.F.), created in 1930, member of FIFA and a founding member of UEFA. Other sports played include basketball, volleyball, tennis, swimming, rugby union, and gymnastics.

EntertainmentRadio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH) is the public radio and TV broadcaster of Albania, founded in 1938 in Tirana. RTSH runs three television stations named Televizioni Shqiptar (TVSH, TVSH 2, and TVSH Sat), and three radio stations, using the name Radio Tirana, in addition to 4 regional radio stations. The international service broadcasts radio programmes in Albanian and seven other languages via medium wave (AM) and short wave (SW).[102] The international service has used the theme from the song "Keputa nj gjethe dafine" as its signature tune. The international television service via satellite was launched since 1993 and aims at Albanian communities in Kosovo, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro and northern Greece, plus the Albanian diaspora in the rest of Europe. RTSH has a past of being heavily influenced by the ruling party in its reporting, whether that party be left or right wing.

According the National Council of Radio and Television (KKRT), Albania has an estimated 257 media outlets, including 66 radio stations and 67 television stations, with three national, 62 local and more than 50 cable TV stations. Last years Albania has organized several shows as a part of worldwide series like Dancing with the Stars, Big Brother Albania, Albanians Got Talent, The Voice of Albania, and X-Factor Albania.

HealthHealth care has been in a steep decline since the collapse of socialism in the country, but a process of modernization has been taking place since 2000.[103] In the 2000s, there were 51 hospitals in the country, including a military hospital and specialist facilities.[103] Albania has successfully eradicated diseases such as malaria.

Life expectancy is estimated at 77.59 years, ranking 51st worldwide, and outperforming a number of European Union countries, such as Hungary and the Czech Republic.[104] The most common causes of death are circulatory disease followed by cancerous illnesses. Demographic and Health Surveys completed a survey in April 2009, detailing various health statistics in Albania, including male circumcision, abortion and more.[105]

The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Tirana is the main medical school in the country. There are also nursing schools in other cities. Newsweek ranked Albania 57 out of 100 Best Countries in the World in 2010.[106]

The general improvement of health conditions in the country is reflected in the lower mortality rate, down to an estimated 6.49 deaths per 1,000 in 2000, as compared with 17.8 per 1,000 in 1938. In 2000, average life expectancy was estimated at 74 years, compared to 38 years at the end of World War II. Albania's infant mortality rate, estimated at 20 per 1,000 live births in 2000, has also declined over the years since the high rate of 151 per 1,000 live births in 1960. There were 69,802 births in 1999 and the fertility rate in 1999 was 2.5 while the maternal mortality rate was 65 per 100,000 live births in 1993. In addition, in 1997, Albania had high immunization rates for children up to one year old: tuberculosis at 94%; diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus, 99%; measles, 95%; and polio, 99.5%. In 1996, the incidence of tuberculosis was 23 in 100,000 people. In 1995 there were two reported cases of AIDS and seven cases in 1996. In 2000 the number of people living with HIV/AIDS was estimated at less than 100. The leading causes of death are cardiovascular disease, trauma, cancer, and respiratory disease.[citation needed]

CuisineThe cuisine of Albania '' as with most Mediterranean and Balkan nations '' is strongly influenced by its long history. At different times, the territory which is now Albania has been claimed or occupied by Greece, Serbia, Italy and the Ottoman Turks and each group has left its mark on Albanian cuisine. The main meal of Albanians is the midday meal, which is usually accompanied by a salad of fresh vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers and olives with olive oil, vinegar and salt. It also includes a main dish of vegetables and meat. Seafood specialties are also common in the coastal cities of Durrs, Sarand and Vlor. In high elevation localities, smoked meat and pickled preserves are common.

See alsoNotesReferences^"File:Ligji 8926 22.07.2002.pdf '-- Wikimedia Commons". Commons.wikimedia.org. Retrieved 2013-03-25. ^ abcdefg"The World Factbook: Albania". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 21 June 2013. ^Europa Publications (24 June 2008). The Europa World Year Book 2008. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-85743-452-1. Retrieved 22 December 2012. "...and Greece formally annulled claims to North Epirus (southern Albania), where there is a sizeable Greek minority. ... strained by concerns relating to the treatment of ethnic Greeks residing in Albania (numbering an estimated 300,000) ..." ^Author No; Europa Publications Staff (6 September 2007). The Europa World Year Book: 2007. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-85743-413-2. Retrieved 22 December 2012. "During the early 1990s, however, bilateral relations were severely strained by concerns relating to the treatment of ethnic Greeks residing in Albania (numbering an estimated 300,000) and to ..." ^RFE/RL Research Report: Weekly Analyses from the RFE/RL Research Institute. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Incorporated. 1993. Retrieved 22 December 2012. "Albanian officials alleged that the priest was promoting irredentist sentiments among Albania's Greek minority '' estimated at between 60,000 and 300,000." ^United States, Committee on Armed Services, General Accounting Office, Congress, National Security and International Affairs Division, House. Balkans security : current and projected factors affecting regional stability : briefing report to the Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives. DIANE Publishing. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-4289-7030-4. Retrieved 22 December 2012. ^ abc"Population and Housing Census 2011". INSTAT (Albanian Institute of Statistics). ^ abcd"Albania". The World Bank. Retrieved 17 April 2013. ^"Distribution of family income '' Gini index". The World Factbook. CIA. Archived from the original on 23 July 2010. Retrieved 1 September 2009. ^"Human Development Report 2010". United Nations. 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010. ^"Albania applies for EU membership". BBC News. 28 April 2009. Archived from the original on 30 April 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2009. ^Zolo, D. Invoking Humanity: War, Law and Global Order, Continuum International Publishing Group, 27 Aug 2002, 224 pages. p. 180 [1]^"Population and Housing Census in Albania". Institute of Statistics of Albania. 2011. ^Reports: Poverty Decreases In Albania After Years Of Growth.Dow Jones Newswires, 201-938-5500 201-938-5500 201-938-5500.Nasdaq.com^Albania plans to build three hydropower plants.People's Daily^Strong GDP growth reduces poverty in Albania-study. Reuters.Forbes.com^ ab"Lonely Planet's top 10 countries for 2011 '' travel tips and articles '' Lonely Planet". Archived from the original on 4 November 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2013. ^Madrugearu A, Gordon M. The wars of the Balkan Peninsula. Rowman & Littlefield, 2007. p. 146.^Richard Talbert, Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World, (ISBN 0-691-03169-X), Map 49 & notes.^The Illyrians by J. J. Wilkes, 1992, ISBN 978-0-631-19807-9, page 279,"We cannot be certain that the Arbanon of Anna Comnena is the same as Albanopolis of the Albani, a place located on the map of Ptolemy (3.12)"^Robert Elsei. The Albanian lexicon of Dion Von Kirkman. Earliest reference to the existence of the Albanian language, pp. 113''122.^Pinocacozza.it (Italian)(Albanian)^Radio-Arberesh.eu (Italian)^Kristo Frasheri. History of Albania (A Brief Overview). Tirana, 1964.^Lloshi, Xhevat. "The Albanian Language". United Nations Development Programme. Retrieved 9 November 2010. ^Arnaut at the Free Dictionary^Akademia e Shkencave e RPSH. Instituti Gjuhseis dhe i Letersis (1982). "Studime filologjike". Studime filologjike (in Albanian) (Tirana) (36): 44. ^Licursi, Emiddio Pietro (2011). Empire of Nations: The Consolidation of Albanian and Turkish National Identities in theLate Ottoman Empire, 1878''1913. New York: Columbia University. p. 19. "By 1415, after a chaotic interregnum, Sultan Mehmet I sent the military to erect the first Ottoman garrisons throughout southern Albania, establishing direct military authority in the region...l jurisdiction over most of Albania..." ^Clayer, Nathalie. " Albania ." Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE. Edited by: Gudrun Kr¤mer, Denis Matringe, John Nawas, Everett Rowson. Brill Online , 2012. Reference. 18 December 2012^Conflict and Conquest in the Islamic World: A Historical Encyclopedia. Google Books.au. 31 July 2011. ISBN 9781598843378. Retrieved 2013-03-25. ^ ab" Arnawutluá¸"." Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Brill Online , 2012. Reference. 2 January 2009.[2]^H. T. Norris, Islam in the Balkans: Religion and Society Between Europe and the Arab World, p. 196.^ abClayer, Nathalie. " Albania ." Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE. Edited by: Gudrun Kr¤mer, Denis Matringe, John Nawas, Everett Rowson. Brill Online , 2012. 2 April 2012^Clayer, Nathalie. " Albania ." Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE. Edited by: Gudrun Kr¤mer, Denis Matringe, John Nawas, Everett Rowson. Brill Online , 2012. Reference. 17 April 2012 ^"Albanian League". Encyclop...dia Britannica. Retrieved 5 January 2012. ^"Albania:History". Retrieved 9 January 2012. ^40 Years of Socialist Albania, Dhimiter Picani^Pano, Aristotel. "Panorama of the Economic-Social Development of Socialist Albania". Retrieved 11 April 2012. ^Library of Congress Country Studies, Albania: Hoxha's Antireligious Campaign^Kombsia dhe feja n Shqipri, 1920-1944 / Roberto Moroco dela Roka ; e prktheu nga origjinali Luan Omari.^"Nato welcomes Albania and Croatia". BBC News. 1 April 2009. Archived from the original on 4 April 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2009. ^"Albania sells off its military hardware". BBC News. 17 April 2002. ^"Albania to abolish conscription by 2010". SETimes.com. 21 August 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2009. ^"Albanian military expenditure as % of GDP". World Bank. ^[3][dead link]^"Albania membership Nato". NATO. ^"On the Organization and Functioning of the Local Government, Republic of Albania, 2000" (PDF). Archived from the original on 20 September 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2010. ^R. Eftimi. "SOME CONSIDERATIONS ON SEAWATER-FRESHWATER RELATIONSHIP IN ALBANIAN COASTAL AREA". ITA Consult. ^"Tiparet e pergjithshme te klimes". Qendrim.forumotion.net. 2009-12-20. Retrieved 2013-05-05. ^"Twenty-first Century Glaciers and Climate in the Prokletije Mountains, Albania Journal Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research Publisher Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado ISSN 1523-0430 (Print) 1938''4246 (Online) Issue Volume 41, Number 4 / November 2009 DOI 10.1657/1938-4246-41.4.455 Pages 455''459 Online Date: 30 November 2009". Instaar.metapress.com. 30 November 2009. Retrieved 27 August 2010. [dead link]^"Conservation of the Critically Endangered Balkan Lynx". Catsg.org. Retrieved 5 January 2011. ^ abhttp://www.cbd.int/doc/world/al/al-nbsap-01-p1-en.pdf^ abStreissguth, Thomas (2010). Albania in Pictures. Twenty-First Century Books. ISBN 978-0-7613-4629-6. ^"The Balkan Lynx Conservation Compendium". Catsg.org. Retrieved 29 December 2009. ^"Albania's strides to EU accession". BBC News. 11 December 2009. ^"Albania's GDP per capita in PPS (2008)" (PDF). Eurostat. Retrieved 13 December 2011. ^Business: Albania, Cyprus register economic growth SEtimes.com^Strong economic growth potential puts Albania and Panama top of long term investment list,Propertywire.com^International Monetary Fund (IMF), 9 October 2010. Albania and the IMF^"Albania, Croatia plan nuclear power plant". Balkaninsight.com. Retrieved 27 August 2010. [dead link]^ abEnel Albanian Joint Venture Introduces Coal In Albania's Power Mix, Business Monitor Online, 24 February 2009^"Download SEDAR Filings - Code Verification and Accept Terms of Use". Sedar.com. Retrieved 2013-05-05. ^"CIA The World Factbook: Oil producers". Retrieved 23 June 2013. ^Albania Country Profile, Food and Agriculture Organization^"Crime Index by Country 2013". Numbeo.com. Retrieved 2013-03-25. ^"Gendercide Watch: "Honour" Killings and Blood Feuds". Gendercide.org. Retrieved 2013-03-25. ^Research for Development Highly Skilled Migration from Albania^"Strategy of Science, Technology and Innovation 2009''2015" (PDF). Retrieved 27 August 2010. ^Wynne, Alexandra. "Albania highway: Making the first move , Features , New Civil Engineer". Nce.co.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2009. ^ abc"History of the Airport". Tirana International Airport Website. Retrieved 15 January 2011. ^CO2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion Population 1971''2009 IEA pdf pages 87''89^Women, Men and shefit's in Albania 2006, Instat, Tirana, 2007^"Albania: Looking Beyond Borders". Migration Policy Institute.^ abcd"The politics of numbers and identity in Albania". EUDO Observatory on Citizenship. ^Kosta Barjarba. "Migration and Ethnicity in Albania: Synergies and Interdependencies" (PDF). ^United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2005-05-11). "World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples '-- Albania : Overview". Unhcr.org. Retrieved 2013-05-05. ^',Eastern Europe at the end of the 20th century',, Ian Jeffries, p. 69. Google Books. 25 June 1993. ISBN 978-0-415-23671-3. Retrieved 27 August 2010. ^Albania, U.S. Department of State Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Background Note November 2008. Retrieved 14 May 2009^"Macedonians and Greeks Join Forces against Albanian Census". balkanchronicle. Retrieved 24 September 2011. ^"Albania passes census law". MINA. ^"Census Legislation". ^"¾Microsoft Word '-- Law Nr 10442 date 07.07.2011.doc" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-03-25. ^ abMaria Karathanos , Constantine Callaghan. "Ethnic tensions in Albania". Athensnews. Retrieved 7 January 2013. "...in line with Albanian nationalist sentiment alleging that the census poses a threat to Albanian territorial integrity" ^Likmeta, Besar. "Albania Nationalist Leader Resigns from Top Justice Job". Balkannsight. Retrieved 7 January 2013. ^"Census stirs Balkan melting pot". 20 October 2011. "... nationalist critics are up in arms at efforts to provide an accurate picture of Albania's ethnic breakdown, seeing a plot to weaken the state...The group has denounced the ethnicity section of the national census, and Spahiu warns the results could upset Albania's "good model" of ethnic and religious tolerance..." ^"Some Albanians consider changing nationality for profit". SETimes. ^"Courts in Albania suspend changing nationality to Greek". SETimes. ^"Greek Consul Statement Angers Albanian MPs". BalkanInsight. ^"Languages of Albania". Retrieved 31 October 2010. ^http://www.instat.gov.al/media/177358/njoftim_per_media_-_fjala_e_drejtorit_te_instat_ines_nurja_per_rezultatet_finale_te_census_2011.pdf^"Gallup Global Reports". Gallup.com. Retrieved 2013-03-25. ^"Albania: International Religious Freedom Report 2007". State.gov. 14 September 2007. Archived from the original on 28 August 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2010. ^"Albania". TED Adventist. Retrieved 2013-03-25. ^"Famous British celebrity visits ADRA Albania". ^"LDS Newsroom-Country Profile-Albania". The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ^"2008 Jehovah's Witnesses Worldwide Status Report". Watch Tower. Archived from the original on 19 October 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2009. ^Arbatsky, Yuri, cited in Koco with the footnote Translated and published by Filip Fishta in Shkolla Kombtare (The National School; No.1, May 1939), 19, and quoted from his Preface to Pjetr Dungu's Lyra Shqiptare (see note 2).^"Albanian Music". Eno Koco at the University of Leeds. Archived from the original on 28 August 2005. Retrieved 28 August 2005. ^Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture By J. P. Mallory, Douglas Q. Adams Edition: illustrated Published by Taylor & Francis, 1997 ISBN 978-1-884964-98-5, ISBN 978-1-884964-98-5 ("Although there are some lexical items that appear to be shared between Romanian (and by extension Dacian) and Albanian, by far the strongest connections can be argued between Albanian and Illyrian." page 11) Concise Encyclopedia of Languages of the World By Keith Brown, Sarah Ogilvie Contributor Keith Brown, Sarah Ogilvie Edition: illustrated Published by Elsevier, 2008 ISBN 978-0-08-087774-7, ISBN 978-0-08-087774-7 ("Albanian constitutes a single branch of the Indo-European family of languages. It is often held to be related to Illyrian, a poorly attested language spoken in the Western Balkans in classical times" page 22)^"The Thracian language". The Linguist List. Archived from the original on 3 February 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2008. "An ancient language of Southern Balkans, belonging to the Satem group of Indo-European. This language is the most likely ancestor of modern Albanian (which is also a Satem language), though the evidence is scanty. 1st Millennium BC '' 500 AD." ^Zickel, Iwaskiw, 1994^"Radio Tirana's Broadcasting Schedule as of 2007 '' RadioTirana.org". Picasaweb.google.es. 2008-10-25. Retrieved 2013-05-05. ^ ab"Albania-prel.pmd" (PDF). Archived from the original on 27 December 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2009. ^CIA '' The World Factbook, Life Expectancy ranks^Albania DHS Surveys .^"The World's Best Countries". Newsweek. 16 August 2010. Archived from the original on 16 August 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2010. This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the CIA World Factbook. (Article on Albania)

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Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to the Azerbaijani capital of Baku last week, this time accompanied by Russian businessman Alexei Miller, the CEO of Gazprom, Russia's largest company and the biggest gas company in the world, was part of efforts to secure Baku's gas. The gas is also coveted by the EU-backed $11 billion Nabucco project, a gas pipeline project that is envisioned to transport primarily Caspian Sea gas to Europe through Turkey, bypassing Russia. Gazprom's CEO Miller and R¶vnaq Abdullayev, the head of SOCAR, signed an agreement to transfer 500 million cubic meters of gas from the rich Shah Deniz gas field starting in January of next year. Russian President Medvedev and Azerbaijani President Ä°lham Aliyev labeled the agreement a huge step forward in energy policy and bilateral relations.

There is speculation that the deal is part of Russia's effort to control all of Europe's energy routes and make the Nabucco project redundant when considering the gas oversupply of South Stream, a Russian-orchestrated gas pipeline aiming to transfer Caspian gas via the Black Sea to Eastern Europe. However, President Medvedev said their motives are solely based on economic, not political, interest. Miller said they are looking forward to getting special privileges in the second phase of the Shah Deniz gas field, which will be inevitable unless other companies offer more attractive deals to Azerbaijan. Although the current deal only allows 500 million cubic meters of gas to be sold to Gazprom, the company foresees annual increases in supplies to Russia in the future.

Although the Nabucco pipeline's sources of gas are still to be decided, the project has been seen as one of the primary actions to counter the difficulties raised by Russia's harsh and strict energy policies. The EU is not a partner in the Nabucco project, but it has great interest in keeping it safe and out of Russia's control. In the meantime, Russia is planning to establish the rival South Stream gas pipeline.

Commenting on the rivalry between Nabucco and South Stream, Shirvani Abdullayev, Russia's Alfa Bank's top oil and gas analyst, told The Associated Press that giving Gazprom priority for the Shah Deniz gas field would spell the end for Europe's Nabucco project. ''Nabucco was designed to use Shah Deniz gas,'' he said. ''Now it is left without the source of gas.'' Abdullayev said it was ''unrealistic to think'' that South Stream and Nabucco could coexist. ''The market does not need so much gas,'' he said.

Ferruh Demirmen, an independent energy analyst based in Texas, told Today's Zaman that ''Azerbaijan sent a message to Turkey and to the West by signing a contract with Russia.'' He continued, saying, ''The first gas supply for Nabucco will be from Shah Deniz-2. Nabucco's future is in question as Shah Deniz-2's gas went to Russia.''

Also speculating on the aftermath of the agreement on the Nabucco project, Demirmen said, ''It is undeniable that with Shah Deniz-2's gas stream to Russia, Nabucco will be adversely influenced.'' Demirmen also claimed that this agreement would ''force'' the other partners in the Shah Deniz Consortium to act the same way as SOCAR. ''Although as a partner country, SOCAR has only a 10 percent share of the gas consortium, according to the Production Sharing Agreement,'' Demirmen said, ''SOCAR will get the rights for a significant portion of the gas and sell it to Russia. This situation will also push other partners to sell their shares of gas to Russia.''

Azerbaijan, undoubtedly, also plans to use the agreement in its foreign policy. The long protracted conflict over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, an Azerbaijani territory currently controlled by Armenian military forces, has been Azerbaijan's primary foreign policy challenge for nearly two decades. In his interview with Today's Zaman, Demirmen said: ''Azerbaijan plans to use its gas reserves in its foreign policy with this agreement, too. Russia, throughout the history of gas trade with Europe, has also used its gas policy as a geopolitical tool. This agreement shows that Azerbaijan has allied itself with Russia. Azerbaijan's primary message to the West is about its Nagorno-Karabakh problem.''

Sami Sevin§, a member of the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association's (T'SÄ°AD) Energy Working Group, told Today's Zaman that ''Turkey still produces 60 percent of its electricity from gas. If Turkey gets gas through Gazprom and not directly from Azerbaijan, it will be a losing situation for Turkey.'' At a Strategic Cooperation Conference in Baku in September of last year there was great support for the Nabucco project. "Azerbaijan is not giving up on the Nabucco project," Azerbaijani Industry and Energy Minister Natiq Aliyev had said, "This is a project that has a future."

Sohbet Karbuz, the head of the oil and natural gas department at the Union of Mediterranean Energy Companies (OME), told Today's Zaman that ''the details of Azerbaijan's agreement with Gazprom are not yet clear. An annual 500 million cubic meters of gas does not really have importance. What's important is Shah Deniz's second phase. There was a short 'gas crisis' between Russia and Turkmenistan, and thus Russia's agreement with Azerbaijan also sends a warning alarm to Turkmenistan. However, Russia cannot give up Turkmenistan. For the South Stream [pipeline] Russia needs Turkmen gas.'' Speaking optimistically about Azerbaijan's intention not to cooperate with Nabucco, Karbuz said: ''Right now, the most reasonable deal is to send gas to Russia as there is a real gas pipeline. However, as the fate of Nabucco is not clear, Azerbaijan, I believe, will not become involved in large-scale agreements with Russia''.

In his interview with Today's Zaman, Mert Bilgin, a professor at Bah§eÅŸehir University, said: ''Azerbaijan's political goal is about Nagorno-Karabakh and the limits of compromise in Turkey-Armenia talks. If Russia supports Azerbaijan's cause to keep the Nagorno-Karabakh region within Azerbaijan's territory with a largely autonomous nature, then Azerbaijan may increase the gas supply to Russia. If Turkey makes solving this problem a priority, the normalization of relations with Armenia, for whatever goals and real intentions, will not be welcomed in Azerbaijan, and Russia's regional influence will increase.''

To end the discussions on the issue, Azerbaijani President Ä°lham Aliyev, in a Monday speech at Chatham House in London, said they have enough oil to sell to various parties.

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BAKU, June 21 (Itar-Tass) - The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) will acquire a 66 percent stake in Greece's natural gas grid operator DESFA.

The agreement in principle was reached with Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF), SOCAR said in its statement on Friday.

''At present, advisory groups of SOCAR and HRADF are finalizing technicalities,'' the statement read.

SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev said his company's decision to buy DESFA ''proves a high level of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Greece and their leading energy companies.''

''SOCAR that has accumulated good experience in operating gas pipelines in the Caspian Sea region is ready to start work in the first such project in the EU member-states, namely in Greece. The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic looks optimistically into future cooperation with Greece,'' he said.

The deal's sum has not been disclosed, but several sources say SOCAR offered 400 million euro for the stake.

At present, Greece's top oil refiner Hellenic Petroleum owns a 35 percent stake in DESFA and the Greek government - a 31 percent stake. It is expected that the latter will get around 188 million euro for its stake.

On the list of contenders in the bidding contest were also Russia's Sintez Group and Greek-Czech group PPF-Terna. However, in June 2013 both companies abandoned their plans.

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Offshore staff

BAAR, Switzerland '' The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) consortium and shareholders Axpo, Statoil, and E.ON have struck an agreement with three of the partners in the Shah Deniz field in the Caspian Sea.

This stipulates how the TAP joint venture will be governed by an enlarged shareholder group comprising Statoil, E.ON, Axpo, and Shah Deniz co-owners SOCAR, BP, and Total. The field trio could take a combined stake of up to 50%.

TAP is one of three planned offshore/onshore pipelines in the running to take gas to Europe from the Shah Deniz II project in the offshore Azeri sector. The others are the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) and the South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP).

The Shah Deniz consortium expects to make a final decision on the preferred European gas transportation solution by mid-2013.

TAP would transport gas from the Caspian region via Greece and Albania and across the Adriatic Sea to southern Italy and onto western Europe.

The project could provide 10-20 bcm/yr (373-706 bcf/yr) of transportation capacity, with options for physical reverse flow of up to 80%, and development of natural gas storage facilities in Albania, strengthening supply security should gas deliveries be interrupted.

TAP's shareholders are Axpo of Switzerland (42.5%), Statoil (42.5%), and E.ON Ruhrgas of Germany (15%). Statoil is also a partner in Shah Deniz.

Last week the Albanian Ministry of Economy, Trade and Energy and the TAP partners signed a host government agreement, setting out their terms of engagement within Albania.

These include TAP's land easement and acquisition and permitting processes, and implementation of technical, environmental and safety standards. Additionally, TAP agreed to provide technical support for development of the local Albanian gas market.

The Albanian section of the TAP pipeline would start at Bilisht Qendr in Korça region at the border with Greece. The offshore Albania section in the Adriatic Sea would be about 60 km (37 mi) long.

1/23/2013

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BAKU, Azerbaijan '' The Shah Deniz Consortium (SDC) has selected the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) to transport gas from the Shah Deniz II offshore project in the Caspian Sea to Europe.

The partners decided that TAP was economically and technically the best option.

Gas from the Shah Deniz field in the Azeri offshore sector will head west through the new 20 bcm/yr (706 bcf/yr) capacity TAP pipeline. This will connect with another new overland system, the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), near the Turkish/Greek border at Kipoi. TAP will traverse Greece and Albania and a 115-km (71-mi) section of the Adriatic Sea, finally making landfall in Sana Foca, southern Italy.

The route will facilitate gas supplies to southeast Europe countries such as Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Croatia, and the landfall in Italy will provide further openings for gas deliveries to Germany, France, the UK, Switzerland and Austria.

TAP's shareholders are Axpo of Switzerland (42.5%), Norway's Statoil (42.5%) and E.ON of Germany (15%). Shah Deniz Consortium members BP, SOCAR, and Total are co-funding the development and have options to purchase shares in TAP up to a total of 50%.

Shah Deniz Stage 2 is expected to produce up to 16 bcm/yr (565 bcf/yr), in addition to the 9 bcm/yr (318 bcf/yr) already delivered by Shah Deniz Stage 1. TANAP construction is scheduled to start next year and is expected to be completed in 2018.

Last month Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR agreed to acquire a 66% stake in DESFA, the Greek gas transmission network operator, for $609 million. Nearly half will be allocated to reviving the ailing Greek economy.

Analysts Wood Mackenzie claimed the BP-led Shah Deniz consortium favored TAP's greater commercial attractions over the strategic benefits of the rival Nabucco West project.

Massimo Di-Odoardo, senior European Gas & Power research analyst, said: ''The shorter TAP option will have been able to propose a more attractive tariff, overcoming long-held strategic support for the Nabucco project. Nabucco West is a downsized version of the original Nabucco pipeline, and a means of diversifying supply to southeast Europe, which is dominated by Russian gas. The decision has been driven by commercial considerations, including the financial robustness of the pipeline consortia and expected prices in target markets.''

Nick Gellatly, lead analyst '' Caspian Upstream research, added: ''A final investment decision on Shah Deniz Phase 2 is expected to be taken before the end of the year, with gas sales agreements finalized before then. First gas could be achieved in late 2018, with first volumes reaching Europe in 2019.

''The initial 10 bcm capacity of TAP is strategically significant but represents only a small percentage of current European gas demand. SOCAR has consistently emphasized the importance of scalability as it seeks to become an influential supplier to Europe in future. To this end, future TAP expansion to greater than 20 bcm will be important.''

However, the costs of constructing the connecting TANAP overland line remain to be confirmed. ''The pipeline's construction has major political support, but will be expensive,'' Gellatly said. ''If progress is delayed, Shah Deniz Phase 2 gas could reach western Turkey via expansion of the existing BOTAS network. This would be a lower cost, albeit less scalable, option.

''The future ramp-up in Azerbaijan's gas exports will still depend on development constraints in the country, such as a lack of rigs and the high cost and complexity of many of the offshore projects.''

Di-Odoardo added: ''Gas may still flow along parts of the proposed Nabucco West route via the incremental construction of interconnectors and spur lines. That said, the wider ambitions of the original Nabucco project are now unlikely to be realized.''

7/02/2013

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Offshore staff

BAKU, Azerbaijan '' The Shah Deniz field partners have started to evaluate final bids received for transportation of Shah Deniz Stage 2 gas in the Caspian Sea to Europe.

These came from the Nabucco Gas Pipeline International and Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) consortia, and include detailed information on the technical, regulatory, financial, and other aspects of both projects.

According to Shah Deniz operator BP, the partners will assess both offers for commerciality, project deliverability, financial deliverability, engineering design, alignment and transparency, operability, scalability, and public policy considerations.

A decision on the preferred export route to Europe is expected by end-June.

The transportation offers should become legally binding by the end of April. Over the next few weeks the Shah Deniz partners also expect to receive binding gas sales offers from buyers in Europe.

Shah Deniz Stage 2 should add a further 16 bcm/yr (565 bcf/yr) of gas production to the 9 bcm/yr (318 bef/yr) currently flowing from Shah Deniz Stage 1.

New facilities will likely include two new bridge-linked production platforms; 26 subsea wells to be drilled by two semisubmersible rigs; 500 km (310 mi) of subsea pipelines in water depths of up to 550 m (1,804 ft); a 16 bcm/yr upgrade for the overland South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP); and expansion of the Sangachal terminal.

Further pipelines will be built and expanded to transport Shah Deniz gas through Turkey and Europe.

4/5/2013

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Sat, 17 Aug 2013 00:01

BAGHDAD | Fri Aug 16, 2013 4:17pm EDT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A bomb attack halted the flow of crude oil through a pipeline running from Iraq's Kirkuk oil fields to the Mediterranean port of Ceyhan in Turkey, two Iraqi oil officials said on Friday.

The attack took place at around 0100 GMT on Friday near the al-Shura area 60 km (40 miles) to the south of the city of Mosul. The officials said repair work would be complete in around 48 hours.

"Attackers planted a roadside bomb near a section of the pipeline," one official said. The 900 km pipeline has been bombed by militants around 30 times since the start of the year, according to the oil ministry.

(Reporting by Ziad al-Sanjary in Mosul; Writing by Sylvia Westall; Editing by Anthony Barker)

Adam:

I hope you are doing well and having a phenomenal weekend.

On episode 536, while wearing a man dress, you shared your analysis of, what is commonly referred to as, the Russian Anti-Gay law. Prior to hearing your take, I did find the mainstream coverage of this law to be curious; mainly because in the coverage by English-speaking media there was an almost universal omission of the word ³children². That being said, I generally accepted that what was reported by English-language mainstream, alternative and LGBT-specific media to be accurate. With that in mind, after hearing your analysis, as a gay man I began extensively researching and analyzing Russian Federation law N 135 - FZ in hopes of debunking your analysis.

This research project has not been easy; even with an extensive background in both journalism and politics, obtaining accurately translated versions of the essential information was difficult to say the least because no English-language news media outlet or NGO made these documents available to the viewer/reader. Because of my yearning to debunk your analysis, I was able to obtain a plethora of Russian-language documents from Kremlin, the State Duma (lower legislative body), the Russian Federation Council (upper legislative body) and the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. I utilized best-in-class translation tools in order to compile accurate versions of these documents in English.

I anticipate my final analysis to be complete by Tuesday 20 August, but given the increased coverage of this topic, I am sharing with you the following translated documents: A complete English translation of N 135 - FZ (the legislation contains five Articles) and an English translation of the newly revised areas of both the Russian Federation Federal Law and the Russian Federation Code of Administrative Offenses as dictated by each Article of N 135 - FZ. I have put these documents on my Google Drive for you and you can access that folder here:

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B_qUME4dV8P8OW9EQm5Mdi01THM&usp=sharing

Following an extensive review of: the text of the legislation, the changes the legislation has made to both Russian Federation Federal Law and Code of Administrative Offences, prior Russian Federation Supreme Court decisions and LGBT rights granted to Russian Federations citizens that the United States doesn't grant LGBT citizens; I have unequivocally concluded that the comments by English-speaking non-Russian public figures and the global English speaking media are absolutely false and, frankly, lies. Your analysis is completely accurate.

The Russian law analysis is something I'm struggling to finalize as I understand the importance of writing it in such a bulletproof manner so that I won't lose my gay card...

I will share the final with you on Tuesday, but I can share with you now that it is absolutely horrific that so many have become so passionately outraged and anti-Russian solely based on propaganda and lies that they have been told about this Russian Federation law and the purported impact it will have on both LGBT Russian citizens and LGBT individuals visiting the Russian Federation.

Thanks, in advance, for your thoughtful feedback.

All my best,

Brian

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Sun, 18 Aug 2013 13:33

Jacques Rogge visits Sochi in June 2010. Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has insisted the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi must remain open to all despite the Russian government's controversial anti-gay laws.

Jacques Rogge (left) with Vladimir Putin in Sochi in February this year. "The International Olympic Committee is aware that sport is a human right and must be accessible to all, regardless of ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation," the 71-year-old told Sunday's edition of German newspaper Tagesspiegel.

AFP - Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has insisted the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi must remain open to all despite the Russian government's controversial anti-gay laws.

"The International Olympic Committee is aware that sport is a human right and must be accessible to all, regardless of ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation," the 71-year-old told Sunday's edition of German newspaper Tagesspiegel.

"The Games themselves must be open to all, this applies to spectators, officials, journalists and, of course, the athletes."

After 12 years in office, Rogge will be replaced as IOC president next month when elections are held at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

But the Belgian said there can be no place for discrimination at any Olympic Games.

"The IOC will continue to work to ensure that the Games take place without discrimination," Rogge added.

"We would oppose, with all our might, any movement that threatens this principle."

In June, Russian president Vladimir Putin signed a law against "gay propaganda" which punishes the dissemination of information about homosexuality to minors.

Activists say the law can be used for a broad crackdown against gays and there are fears it could be used against participants at the Sochi Olympics.

It has sparked calls for a boycott in some quarters and Russian officials have said all athletes will have to obey the law at the Games.

But Rogge has said he has reassurances from "the highest level" that the Sochi games, which run from February 7-23, will take place without discrimination against homosexuals.

"The IOC has commitments from the highest authorities in Russia that this legislation will not affect anyone who attends the Games or takes part in them," added Rogge.

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Sun, 18 Aug 2013 13:30

Isinbayeva Claims She Was 'Misunderstood' on Anti-Gay Comments15:08 16/08/2013 Russian pole vault great Yelena Isinbayeva on Friday claimed she "may have been misunderstood" over anti-gay remarks she made in defense of controversial legislation in her home country that forbids the promotion of homosexuality to minors.

Gay UK Choreographer Rejects Work in Russia, Slams 'Prejudice'12:23 16/08/2013 A prominent British choreographer has rejected an invitation to work in Russia because of the Kremlin's stance on gay rights and what he called Russia's ''lethal legitimization of prejudice,'' according to an open letter published in a contemporary dance magazine this week.

Gay US TV Personality Skips on 'Miss Universe' in Russia over Safety Fears00:33 16/08/2013 A gay United States talk show host and executive producer of the hit reality TV shows ''Real Housewives'' and ''Top Chef'' has turned down the post of co-host for the upcoming ''Miss Universe'' beauty pageant in Moscow, over fears he will be ''unsafe,'' an entertainment website has reported.

Senators Seek California Freeze on Russia Investment Over Gay Law21:57 12/08/2013 Three California state senators were set Monday to submit a resolution calling on the state's two largest public retirement plans to halt investment in Russia in protest at Russia's new law on homosexuality, a lawmaker and business media said.

US Lawmaker Calls for Olympic Gay Rainbow Flag Parade to 'Embarrass' Putin21:37 12/08/2013 A week after senior US lawmaker Sen. Chuck Schumer called Russian President Vladimir Putin a ''schoolyard bully,'' on Monday he urged athletes marching in the opening ceremonies at the Winter Olympics in Sochi next year to wave the rainbow flag to show support for gay rights and embarrass the Russian leader.

Q&A on Russia's Anti-Gay Law20:32 12/08/2013 The bill on ''propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations among minors'' was signed into law by President Vladimir Putin on July 29. Originally titled the bill on''homosexual propaganda,'' the law criminalizes the public expression of support for ''nontraditional'' relationships.

Russia Confirms Anti-Gay Law Will Be Enforced at Olympics19:41 12/08/2013 Originally posted at 18:34Russia's Interior Ministry, which controls the police force, confirmed Monday that the country's controversial anti-gay law will be enforced during the Sochi 2014 Olympics.

Hurdles Champion Ed Moses Slams Calls for Sochi Boycott18:31 12/08/2013 Two-time Olympic 400-meter hurdles champion Edwin Moses on Monday slammed calls for the United States to boycott an Olympic Games in Russia for a second time.

Russian Ex-Deputy PM Questioned over 'Gay & Oral Phobias'09:34 10/08/2013 A former government official-turned-popular blogger reported Friday being questioned over a complaint by the lawmaker behind Russia's notorious anti-gay legislation.

Russia's Anti-Gay-Promotion Law Must Be Respected - IAAF President23:23 08/08/2013 IAAF president Lamine Diack said Thursday that Russia's controversial legislation banning the promotion of homosexuality to minors "has to be respected" but will have no impact on the upcoming world athletics championships in Moscow.

Moscow Dismisses Western Criticism of Gay Propaganda Law23:34 07/08/2013 A senior Russian Foreign Ministry official on Wednesday deflected Western criticism of the so-called anti-gay law, saying the recently adopted legislation did not violate the rights of sexual minorities in the country but was aimed at protecting minors.

Lady Gaga Fires Back at Russia in Twitter Rant19:46 06/08/2013 The American pop star known the world over as Lady Gaga is all but taunting Russian authorities in response to reports they may prosecute her for violating the terms of her visa by giving a performance in Russia last year.

Congressmen Ask Kerry to Ensure Gays Safe at Sochi19:53 05/08/2013 More than 80 members of Congress have called on US Secretary of State John Kerry to take steps to ensure the safety of gay American athletes, staff and spectators at the winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia next year, a US congressman said Monday .

Russia Gay Laws Cheered by US Conservatives01:50 03/08/2013 Politics, it has been said, makes strange bedfellows. Now, as US gay rights groups protest against Russia's new laws on homosexuality, conservatives across America have quietly begun to align themselves with the Russian government in a rare union that defies a long history of animosity.

US Senator Condemns Russia's Gay Laws as Calls for Boycott Grow01:28 02/08/2013 The newest US senator on Capitol Hill took aim at the Russian government this week, condemning what he called the country's ''hateful'' new law on homosexuality, and asking Russia's Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak for assurances that American athletes and tourists at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games will be safe.

Same-Sex Couple Demands Marriage Registration in Russian Court21:53 01/08/2013 A same-sex couple on Thursday asked a Moscow court to overturn as illegal a refusal by St. Petersburg authorities to register them as married, a court spokeswoman told the RAPSI legal news agency.

IOC Unmoved by Russian Minister's Comments on Anti-Gay Law20:00 01/08/2013 The International Olympic Committee told R-Sport on Thursday that it was unmoved by comments from a Russian minister that athletes at next year's Winter Olympics in Sochi would be subject to the country's law banning so-called gay propaganda.

Madonna, Lady Gaga Violated Russian Law '' Prosecutors19:37 01/08/2013 US pop divas Madonna and Lady Gaga, who championed gay rights during their shows in Russia, had cultural exchange visas that ''did not provide for'' performing for profit, Russian prosecutors said Thursday.

US Gay Activists Emboldened as Russian Vodka, Sochi Protests Spread01:17 31/07/2013 As boycotts of Russian vodka spread across the globe in protest over new Russian laws on homosexuality, US gay rights activists warn the campaign could be the first stage in a broader drive targeting Russia's economy and image with the Sochi Winter Olympics six months away.

Trendwatcher: Mizulina, Gay Activists '' And Fame01:03 30/07/2013 Weekly column by Natalia AntonovaIn Russia, it is illegal to insult a government official '' though this law doesn't make headlines very often.

Russian MPs Seek Probe Into Gay Activist's Twitter Remarks07:36 29/07/2013 Two Russian lawmakers requested prosecutors to launch a criminal case against a prominent Russian gay rights activist over his Twitter remarks, the Izvestia daily said on Monday.

US Visa Ban Sought for Russian Lawmakers 'Responsible' for Anti-Gay Laws21:48 28/07/2013 Signatures are being gathered for a petition to the White House to impose US visa bans on two Russian lawmakers who, the plea says, were personally responsible for anti-gay legislation.

Amid Gay Boycott, Stolichnaya Downplays Russian Identity02:19 27/07/2013 It is perhaps the single best-known Russian brand. But as US gay groups call for boycott of Stolichnaya vodka to protest new Russian laws on homosexuality, the beverage's owner is racing to convince them that ''Stoli,'' as it is popularly known, is not Russian at all.

6 Gay-Rights Activists Briefly Detained Over Rally in Moscow19:53 24/07/2013 Originally published at 17:33Six gay-rights activists who were detained on Wednesday for holding an unauthorized rally in central Moscow have been released, police told RIA Novosti.

Russia Issues Travel Ban for Dutch Gay Propaganda Suspects21:33 23/07/2013 Russian migration authorities on Tuesday banned four Dutch nations from entering Russia for three years after the group was implicated in promoting homosexual relations among minors.

US City Mulls Breaking Up with Russian 'Sister City' Over Anti-Gay Law01:09 23/07/2013 ''Sister city relations with St. Petersburg are listed as the first item on the agenda'' at a city council committee meeting Monday evening, city clerk Chris Swope told RIA Novosti by phone.

4 Dutch Citizens Suspected of Gay Propaganda Crime in Russia18:06 22/07/2013 Four Dutch citizens detained by police during a gay rights seminar outside the northern Russian city of Murmansk appeared in a local court Monday suspected of promoting homosexual relationships among minors, according to human rights activists and local media reports.

Russian Lawmaker to Create Defense From Gays Group15:21 09/07/2013 A Siberian regional lawmaker who has advocated the flogging of gay people in public said Tuesday that he intends to set up a group to protect Russians from homosexuals.

British Actress Flies LGBT Rainbow Flag at Kremlin21:59 05/07/2013 British actress Tilda Swinton raised a rainbow flag in front of the Kremlin to show solidarity with the LGBT community, media reports said Friday, citing her publicist.

Police Detain 4 Gay-Rights Activists in Central Moscow18:52 02/07/2013 Four gay-rights activists were detained on Tuesday afternoon for staging an unsanctioned rally in downtown Moscow, the city's police press service said.

Dozens Held at LGBT Rally in Russia's St.Petersburg17:52 29/06/2013 A sanctioned gay pride gathering in St. Petersburg on Saturday ended in the detention of demonstrators and violent scuffles between police and anti-gay campaigners.

Gay Activist Ordered to Pay Costs to Anti-Gay Lawmaker11:42 28/06/2013 A St. Petersburg court has ordered a gay rights activist to pay compensation to the lawmaker responsible for the city's controversial law banning ''gay propaganda.''

Gay Rights Not Violated in Russia '' Putin20:37 25/06/2013 Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated on Tuesday that the rights of sexual minorities in Russia were not being violated in any way.

Russia to Push 'Anti-Gay' Law Despite German Concerns - MP21:30 12/06/2013 Russia will not abandon plans to enact a law banning homosexual "propaganda," despite concerns raised by the German chancellor, a senior Russian lawmaker said Wednesday.

Russian 'Anti-Gay' Bill Passes With Overwhelming Majority20:17 11/06/2013 Russia's lower house of parliament on Tuesday gave its final approval for a controversial ''anti-gay'' bill, with only one of the 436 lawmakers present abstaining and no votes against, after a day of clashes outside the building and dozens of arrests by police.

Moscow Protest Over 'Anti-Gay', 'Religious Offense' Bills Turns Violent17:01 11/06/2013 Protests outside the Russian parliament building turned violent on Tuesday as clashes broke out between activists for and against two proposed bills '' one restricting the "promotion" of homosexuality, the other ''to protect religious believers' feelings.''

Elton John's Clothing 'Gay Propaganda,' Communist Group Says19:46 06/06/2013 A Communist group in southern Russia wants openly gay British pop star Elton John to wear a traditional Cossack uniform at an upcoming concert because his usual flamboyant clothing is ''homosexual propaganda,'' the group's leader told RIA Novosti on Thursday.

EU Appeals to Russia Not to Introduce Gay Propaganda Law17:58 19/05/2013 The European Union appealed to Russia on Sunday not to introduce a law banning so-called ''gay propaganda,'' the EU said.

Moscow Authorities Refuse to Sanction LGBT 'Rainbow Rally'15:44 17/05/2013 Moscow City Hall has refused a request by LGBT activists to hold a ''Rainbow Rally'' in Moscow's Gorky Park on May 25, citing last day of school festivities scheduled for the same day.

Gay Pride Event Organizers Appeal Ban in Court15:44 16/05/2013 The organizers of several planned gay pride events have appealed to a local court over Moscow City Hall's refusal to authorize their events, activists said in a press release published on the Gayrussia.eu website on Thursday.

Moscow Says No to May 25 Gay Pride Parade19:13 15/05/2013 The Moscow mayor's office has refused to authorize a gay pride parade planned for May 25, and will thwart any unsanctioned action, the city's top security official Alexei Mayorov said on Wednesday.

Gay Rights Not Violated in Russia - Putin01:13 09/04/2013 Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday denied that the rights of gay people are being violated in Russia.

Ashton Concerned about Russia's 'Gay Propaganda' Ban02:45 31/01/2013 EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Wednesday expressed her concern about a Russian bill making ''homosexual propaganda'' among minors an administrative offense.

Moscow Police Release Gay 'Propaganda' Bill Protesters09:30 26/01/2013 All those detained during an unsanctioned rally over the ''gay propaganda'' bill have been released, Moscow's Interior Ministry confirmed on Saturday.

Duma Approves Gay "Propaganda" Bill20:43 25/01/2013 The State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, overwhelmingly approved in its first reading on Friday a vaguely defined bill that would ban the promotion of ''homosexual propaganda.''

As New Ban Looms, Gays in Russia Face Uphill Battle20:10 24/01/2013 Pavel Samburov exudes confidence when he recalls the night in October, on International Coming Out Day, when a group of masked hoodlums stormed and ransacked a Moscow gay club.

Activists Clash Over Gay Propaganda Bill Outside Parliament17:04 22/01/2013 Supporters and opponents of a proposed federal law banning gay propaganda clashed on Tuesday outside the State Duma, the lower chamber of the Russian parliament, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported from the scene.

Gay Activists Beaten During Picket in Southwest Russia15:25 20/01/2013 Updated 11:50Gay activists were beaten by an angry crowd during an authorized picket in the city of Voronezh in southwest Russia on Sunday.

Russian Pop Stars Chime in on 'Sodomite Propaganda'21:24 20/12/2012 They are the people whom many Russians blame for ''gay propaganda,'' but at least they are not afraid to speak out on the issue.

Lady Gaga to Medvedev: ''Thank You!''11:26 08/12/2012 American pop diva Lady Gaga expressed her gratitude to Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev for what she perceives to be his lack of support for legislation barring ''homosexual propaganda'' in Russia.

St. Petersburg 'Gay Propaganda' Law Author Defiant after Milan Snub18:40 28/11/2012 The author of a controversial law banning ''homosexual propaganda'' in St. Petersburg sounded a defiant note on Wednesday after Milan suspended its sister city status with Russia's northern capital in protest at the controversial legislation.

Madonna 'Gay Propaganda' Suit Thrown Out by Russian Court20:01 22/11/2012 US pop star Madonna did not break city laws on the promotion of a homosexual lifestyle among minors during a concert in St. Petersburg earlier this year, a court ruled on Thursday.

Madonna 'Gay Propaganda' Lawsuits Go to Court15:20 11/10/2012 MOSCOW, October 11 (RIA Novosti)A St. Petersburg city court will hold a preliminary hearing on Thursday into multi-million-dollar lawsuits against US pop diva Madonna and the organizers of her recent St. Petersburg concert over an alleged violation of the city's law against "gay propaganda."

Supreme Court Rejects Complaint on Gay Propaganda15:39 03/10/2012 MOSCOW, October 3 (RIA Novosti)Russia's Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a complaint from a human rights organization over St. Petersburg's controversial law prohibiting propaganda of homosexuality among minors.

Russian Supreme Court Defines 'Gay Propaganda'19:27 13/09/2012 MOSCOW, September 13 (RIA Novosti)Russia's Supreme Court upheld a controversial regional ban on ''gay propaganda,'' but said it only covers the direct promotion of homosexual relations among minors, LGBT activists said on Thursday.

Gay Propaganda Lawsuit Against Madonna Advances18:33 13/09/2012 ST. PETERSBURG, September 13 (RIA Novosti)A group of Russian activists resubmitted on Thursday lawsuits against U.S. pop diva Madonna and organizers of her St. Petersburg concert seeking $10.5 million in compensation for ''moral damages,'' a lawyer for the plaintiffs, Alexander Pochuyev, told RIA Novosti.

Madonna Breaks 'Gay Propaganda' Law - St. Petersburg Lawmaker19:54 10/08/2012 MOSCOW, August 10 (RIA Novosti)A city councilor in St. Petersburg has accused U.S. pop star Madonna of violating a controversial local law banning "homosexual propaganda" during her concert there.

St. Petersburg Gay Activists Appeal to Strasbourg Court18:38 14/07/2012 MOSCOW, July 14 (RIA Novosti)An organization of St. Petersburg gay rights activists has filed a complaint against the city's authorities with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, local media reported on Saturday.

St. Petersburg Gays to Rally despite Ban16:17 06/07/2012 ST. PETERSBURG, July 6 (RIA Novosti)The St. Petersburg gay and transsexual community will stage a parade despite the city council's ban on the event, organizer Yury Gavrikov said on Friday.

LGBT Rally Approved by St. Petersburg Authorities20:40 04/07/2012 ST. PETERSBURG, July 4 (RIA Novosti)St. Petersburg authorities have approved for the first time an event in support of civil rights for Russia's gay and transsexual community, an organizer said on Wednesday.

Russian Lawmaker Threatens 'Harsh Laws' if Madonna Strips14:56 04/07/2012 MOSCOW, July 4 (RIA Novosti)A Russian lawmaker who authored a controversial law banning "homosexual propaganda" has threatened to fine U.S. pop star Madonna if she undresses at her upcoming performance in St. Petersburg, the tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets reported.

St. Pete Police to Look for Gay Propaganda in Recent Campaign18:41 23/05/2012 ST. PETERSBURG, May 23 (RIA Novosti)St. Petersburg police on Wednesday said they will investigate whether the actions of the recent sanctioned gay parade in one of the city parks involved elements of gay propaganda.

Attack on Gays in St. Petersburg Spreads to Migrant Workers14:39 18/05/2012 MOSCOW, May 18 (RIA Novosti)Several dozen masked individuals attacked the first sanctioned gay demonstration in St. Petersburg and vented their anger on migrant workers after police drove the gays from the scene, Fontanka.ru said.

Masked Individuals Hurl Stones at Buses After Gay-Rights Rally in St. Petersburg13:04 18/05/2012 A group of unknown masked individuals hurled rocks at buses at a gay-rights rally in St. Petersburg, dedicated to the International Day Against Homophobia.

Half of Russians Believe Media Makes People Gay '' Poll17:24 17/05/2012 MOSCOW, May 17 (RIA Novosti)Almost half of Russians believe homosexuality is a human behavior acquired under the influence of the media, according to a poll taken by state-run pollster VTsIOM earlier this month.

First 'Gay Propaganda' Fine Handed out in St. Petersburg13:53 04/05/2012 ST. PETERSBURG, May 4 (RIA Novosti)Russia's most vocal gay rights campaigner has become the first person to be fined under a new law banning homosexual "propaganda" in St. Petersburg, the country's second city.

Church Activists Picket Gay Film Festival12:19 27/04/2012 MOSCOW, April 27 (RIA Novosti)Activists from a fundamentalists Russian Orthodox organization held a protest before the opening ceremony of an international gay and lesbian film festival in Moscow, the Ridus information agency reported on Thursday.

Gay Teen Put into Rehab After Coming Out15:11 25/04/2012 MOSCOW, April 25 (RIA Novosti, Alexey Eremenko)In a coming-out story to discourage many adolescent Russians from leaving the closet, a gay teenager in the Moscow region was put away in a drug clinic by his irate traditionalist father.

Activists Set Date for Gay Pride Parade18:53 24/04/2012 MOSCOW, 24 April (RIA Novosti)Gay activists plan to hold a gay pride parade in Moscow on May 27, where the main theme of the event will be bans on "gay propaganda" in Russia, the leader of the Russian LGBT movement, Nikolai Alekseyev, said.

Rights Activists Protest 'Gay Propaganda' Law18:55 23/04/2012 MOSCOW, April 23 (RIA Novosti)Gay rights activists protested at the Moscow City Duma on Monday afternoon against a law banning "gay propaganda" among minors that could be imposed by the Moscow authorities.

Majority of Russians Oppose 'Gay Propaganda'18:35 19/04/2012 MOSCOW, April 19 (RIA Novosti)Most Russians have never faced ''gay propaganda'' but still support a ban on it, according to a poll published on Thursday.

Russian Gay Rights Leader Detained in St. Petersburg18:13 12/04/2012 MOSCOW, April 12 (RIA Novosti)A leader of the Russian LGBT movement, Nikolai Alekseyev, has been detained in a one-man picket in St. Petersburg protesting against a new local law that bans "gay propaganda" among minors, GayRussia.ru website reported on Thursday.

Gay Rights Activists Detained for 'Gay Propaganda' Released18:43 07/04/2012 ST. PETERSBURG, April 7 (RIA Novosti)Two gay rights activists detained by police on Saturday for picketing against the law that bans "gay propaganda" among minors have been released after police compiled a report of administrative offence, a representative of St. Petersburg's LGBT group said.

Gay Rights Activists Arrested Under New St. Pete Law14:54 06/04/2012 ST. PETERSBURG, April 6 (RIA Novosti)Police in St. Petersburg arrested two gay rights activists on Thursday for violating a new local law that bans "gay propaganda" among minors, police said.

Gay Propaganda Bill Challenged in Court21:11 02/04/2012 ST. PETERSBURG, April 2 (RIA Novosti)Gay rights activists on Monday asked a court to strike down a controversial bill passed by St. Petersburg legislature and prohibiting ''propaganda'' of homosexuality and pedophilia among minors.

Russia to Consider Nationwide 'Gay Propaganda' Ban16:02 29/03/2012 MOSCOW, March 29 (RIA Novosti)A Siberian regional legislature submitted to the Russian parliament a bill to make promotion of homosexuality among minors an administrative offense, the State Duma said on its website on Thursday.

Madonna to Support Russia's Gays at St. Petersburg Show12:26 22/03/2012 MOSCOW, March 22 (RIA Novosti)Madonna will "speak up" at her upcoming St. Petersburg show in support of Russia's gay community, following a ban on gay propaganda imposed by the city authorities.

Gay Activists Seek Travel Ban for Propaganda Law Backers16:53 19/03/2012 ST. PETERSBURG, March 19 (RIA Novosti)Gay rights activists in St. Petersburg have sent letters to governments of U.S., EU, Australia and Canada asking them to ban entry for city officials behind the controversial gay propaganda ban.

Canada Warns St. Petersburg Gay Travellers11:23 17/03/2012 MOSCOW, March 17 (RIA Novosti)Canada's foreign ministry has warned gay travellers to "tread carefully" in St. Petersburg as the city's law banning homosexual "propaganda" comes into force, the National Post newspaper reports.

Sochi Court Denies Registration to Gay Group21:30 14/03/2012 MOSCOW, March 14 (RIA Novosti)A Sochi appeals court has upheld a lower court ruling denying registration to Pride House, a local gay movement, saying it constitutes a threat to Russia's sovereignty, the Yugopolis news portal said on Wednesday.

Church Official Urges Nationwide 'Gay Propaganda' Law16:34 12/03/2012 MOSCOW, March 12 (Alexei Korolyov, RIA Novosti)A new law in Russia's second city, St. Petersburg, that imposes fines for spreading "gay propaganda" among minors should be implemented nationwide, an Orthodox Church official said on Monday, a day after the legislation was signed by the city's governor.

'Gay Propaganda' Ban Comes into Force in St Petersburg18:32 11/03/2012 ST. PETERSBURG, March 11 (RIA Novosti)St. Petersburg's Governor Georgy Poltavchenko on Sunday signed off a law penalizing "the propaganda of homosexuality and pedophilia among minors."

St. Petersburg Approves Fines for 'Gay Promotion'17:18 08/02/2012 MOSCOW, February 8 (RIA Novosti)St. Petersburg's city legislature approved on Wednesday a bill imposing fines up to $16,700 for the promotion of homosexuality.

Russia Lawmakers Back Fines for 'Gay Promotion'18:07 02/02/2012 MOSCOW, February 2 (Alexei Korolyov, RIA Novosti)The city legislature in the central Russian town of Kostroma approved a bill on Thursday which would see fines for the promotion of homosexuality.

Gays Detained After Unsanctioned Rally on Red Square10:40 20/01/2012 MOSCOW, January 20 (RIA Novosti)Three people who took part in an unsanctioned gay rally on Moscow's Red Square were detained on Thursday night, police said.

Protests over Russian 'gay propaganda' bill18:22 26/12/2011 MOSCOW, December 26 (RIA Novosti, Alexei Korolyov)Gay rights activists staged protests in the central Russian city of Kostroma on Monday against plans to impose fines for the promotion of homosexuality.

Russian gays plead for letup in Kremlin crackdown16:04 02/12/2011 MOSCOW, December 2 (RIA Novosti)Russia's LGBT community on Friday called for an end to what they see as an ongoing crackdown spearheaded by the ruling United Russia party.

Moscow mayor pledges no gay pride parades on his watch23:27 24/11/2011 MOSCOW, November 24 (RIA Novosti)Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reiterated on Thursday his opposition to the holding of gay pride events in the Russian capital.

St.Petersburg gay bill violates minorities' rights - U.S.05:56 24/11/2011 WASHINGTON, November 24 (RIA Novosti)The United States is concerned about a bill by St. Petersburg's city legislature imposing fines for the promotion of homosexuality, a Department of State spokeswoman said.

St. Petersburg lawmakers shelve gay 'propaganda' bill vote15:20 23/11/2011 MOSCOW, November 23 (RIA Novosti, Alexei Korolyov)St. Petersburg's city legislature has postponed debate on a bill imposing fines for the promotion of homosexuality after lawmakers failed to agree on its ''legal definitions.''

Russia's gays under attack as MPs back fines for 'gay promotion'17:07 18/11/2011 RIA Novosti correspondent Alexei KorolyovRussia's gay rights activists have come under intense fire after the city legislature in St. Petersburg approved a bill to impose fines for the "promotion" of homosexuality.

Police detain 40 gay parade opponents in downtown Moscow18:41 01/10/2011 MOSCOW, October 1 (RIA Novosti)About 40 gay parade opponents were detained during an authorized gay rally on Saturday in downtown Moscow, the city's police said.

EU Council 'regrets' Moscow's gay parade clashes21:12 30/05/2011 The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjorn Jagland expressed regret on Monday over the crackdown on gay activists during an unsanctioned parade in Moscow at the weekend.

France urges Moscow to respect human rights after gay parade ban17:18 30/05/2011 The French Foreign Ministry called on Russia on Monday to respect the right to freedom of expression and assembly, two days after gay activists were dispersed in the center of Moscow.

Over 30 gay parade supporters, opponents arrested in central Moscow20:37 28/05/2011 Over 30 gay parade supporters and opponents were arrested on Saturday, the city's police representative said.

Amnesty International urges Moscow to permit gay parade14:36 19/05/2011 Amnesty International is urging authorities in Moscow to reverse their decision to ban a gay parade.

Moscow bans gay parade21:06 17/05/2011 Moscow's city government has officially rejected an application to hold a gay pride parade, the mayor's press service said on Tuesday.

Moscow allows first ever gay parade16:04 26/04/2011 The Moscow city authorities gave official permission on Tuesday to hold the first ever gay pride march in the capital, in an important victory for the country's gay community, the parade's organizer said.

No gay parades in Moscow - Mayor Sobyanin19:54 16/02/2011 Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Wednesday that gay parades in Moscow are inadmissible, ruining hopes of the Russian gay community for holding sanctioned sexual minority events.

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Source: VK: Home

Sat, 17 Aug 2013 03:24

Bewerkt door: redactie '' 17/08/13, 01:42 '' bron: AFP

(C) afp. Een van de Spanjaarden die hopen op een rolletje.

Duizenden Spanjaarden hebben de afgelopen dagen urenlang in de rij gestaan in de hoop een figurantenrolletje te krijgen in 'Exodus', de nieuwe film van Ridley Scott. Het aanbod van 80 euro per dag lokte 15.000 mensen naar de audities in de provincie Almeria. Daar is het werkloosheidscijfer tijdens de crisis opgelopen tot 35 procent.

De maanlandschappen rond Almeria vormden reeds het decor voor menig spaghettiwestern. Regisseur Ridley Scott wil er nu zijn nieuwe film draaien, ge¯nspireerd op het verhaal van Mozes en de exodus van de joden naar het beloofde land.

'Half Almeria is komen opdagen', aldus een verbaasde Nerea Herrero, die de castings organiseert. 'Tienduizend mensen zijn naar Almeria gekomen, vijfduizend naar Pechina.'

De makers van de nieuwe film zijn op zoek naar zo'n 3.000 4.000 magere figuranten: ze moeten slaven voorstellen.

De opnames beginnen in oktober.

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Sun, 18 Aug 2013 13:41

An Egyptian army M1 Abrams tank placed near Tahrir Square during the 2011 Egyptian protests. (Credit: Sherif9282 GNU license)UNITED NATIONS- The United States, which has refused to cut off its hefty 1.3 billion dollars in annual military aid to Egypt, continues to argue that depriving arms to the 438,500-strong security forces will only ''destabilise'' the crisis-ridden country.

There is perhaps a more significant '' but undisclosed '' reason for sustaining military aid flows to Egypt: protecting U.S. defence contractors.

Virtually all '' or an overwhelming proportion '' of the 1.3 billion dollars granted under Foreign Military Financing (FMF) is plowed back into the U.S. economy, specifically into the U.S. defence industry.

William Hartung, director of the Arms and Security Project at the Centre for International Policy (CIP), told IPS U.S. President Barack Obama's refusal to cut-off military aid to Egypt while U.S. weapons are being used to murder protesters is ''unconscionable''.

''The reasons given for continuing this aid no longer hold up to scrutiny. It is not a source of stability, as the Obama administration claims,'' he said.

And it has certainly not given the United States any leverage to moderate the behaviour of the regime, said Hartung, who has written extensively on the politics and economics of the U.S. defence industry.

''One thing the aid has done and continues to do is to enrich U.S. defence contractors like Lockheed and General Dynamics,'' he added.

With the exception of a tank factory built with U.S. assistance, he pointed out, the vast bulk of the roughly 40 billion dollars in U.S. military aid to Egypt over the past 30 years has gone straight into the coffers of U.S. weapons makers.

The sophisticated weapons systems already purchased by Egypt '' with much more still in the pipeline '' include F-16 fighter planes, E2-C Hawkeye reconnaissance aircraft, Apache and Sikorsky helicopters, C-130 transports, Sidewinder, Sparrow, Improved-Hawk and Hellfire missiles, M-1A1 Abrams and M60A1 battle tanks, and M113A2 armoured personnel carriers.

All of these weapons have either been delivered '' or are in the process of being delivered '' by some of the major U.S. defence contractors, including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, General Electric, Boeing, Sikorsky, General Dynamics, United Defence and Raytheon, among others.

Besides the 1.3 billion dollars in FMF outright grants, Egypt also receives 1.9 million dollars annually for International Military Education and Training (IMET) and about 250,000 dollars in Economic Support Funds (ESF).

Egypt also receives, at minimum cost as delivery charges, second-hand U.S. equipment under Excess Defence Articles (EDA) worth hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

The U.S. defence contractor General Dynamics is involved in helping Egypt co-produce the M1A1 Abrams battle tank, described as ''one of the cornerstones of U.S. military assistance to Egypt''.

Additionally, there is an ongoing programme to continue upgrading equipment in the Egyptian arsenal and follow-on support and maintenance contracts for the upkeep of U.S. equipment.

In a piece published in Common Dreams online, Jacob Chamberlain, a staff writer, quotes a report from National Public Radio (NPR) as saying that every year, the U.S. Congress appropriates more than one billion dollars in military aid to Egypt.

''But that money never gets to Egypt. It goes to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, then to a trust fund at the Treasury and, finally, out to U.S. military contractors that make the tanks and fighter jets that ultimately get sent to Egypt.''

So far, the Obama administration has penalised Egypt by suspending the delivery of four F-16 fighter planes (the Egyptian air force already has 143 F-16s, with the last order of 20 dating back to March 2010 still in the pipeline) and the cancellation of joint military exercises with Egypt scheduled for September.

The Obama administration has also refused to describe the military takeover of a civilian government as a ''coup'' because under U.S. legislation such a designation would automatically generate a cut off of U.S. aid.

As of Friday, the death toll from the military crackdown has been estimated at between 500 and 1,000, with nearly 4,000 injured.

Pieter Wezeman, a senior researcher with the Arms Transfers Programme at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), told IPS, ''It is correct that the U.S. military industry benefits from U.S. military aid to Egypt.

''And it is correct that if the United States would stop altogether with supplying such aid to Egypt, that would have some effect on the turnover of the U.S. arms industry,'' he added.

However, he said, ''I am doubtful if arms industry lobbying [or] concern for the arms industry is a reason of any significance for the U.S. to not halt all FMF aid to Egypt.''

There are several reasons, he said, including a temporary stop which would have only a minor effect.

''After all, some of the equipment that has been contracted for can be produced and stored by the U.S. government '' which is, after all, the entity that signed the contracts with the U.S. industry '' until the situation in Egypt changes.''

Presumably, funding not earmarked can be withheld and would benefit the industry later, he added.

Moreover, said Wezeman, the U.S. has embargoed major buyers of U.S. arms and cut military aid before, despite the obvious costs for the industry.

The best examples are Iran in 1979 '' although that was arguably as well a decision by Iran at that time '' Pakistan in early 1990s and India in 1963.

Citing other examples, he said, in the case of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the U.S. has foregone some major deals due to the fact they did want to supply certain advanced equipment. For example, it is generally assumed that France clinched a major deal for combat aircraft in the late 1990s because it included 300 km range cruise missiles which the U.S. had refused.

Military aid to countries like Greece has diminished from high in the 1980 and '90s to a very low level now.

Wezeman said although 1.3 billion dollars a year is a lot of money, it is relatively small compared to the current cutbacks in U.S. military spending and the sequestration issue, which will have a much bigger effect on the U.S. arms industry.

(C) 2013 IPS North America

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Sun, 18 Aug 2013 13:47

Sunday, 18 August 2013 12:03

Why would Israel want $1.3 billion in annual US military aid to the Egyptian Army to continue when a civil war is unfolding just across their border? Because the whole idea is to play the factions off against each other - triggered by the US-owned Egyptian army - just as they have done in Libya and Syria.

Lieberman, McCain and Graham: See All Evil, Speak All Evil, Seek All Evil.

'In early July, John McCain went on CBS's Face the Nation saying that the U.S. should cut off aid to Egypt, which is a principled stand. McCain had good company: Libertarian Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and South Carolina's Lindsey Graham too.McCain and Graham made clear that this was a matter of principle. They wrote a long op-ed in calling for a cut-off of aid to Egypt in the Washington Post last month.

But then former Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman said that he disagreed with McCain. And then AIPAC, the leading Israel lobby group, said in a letter that they opposed cutting off aid to Egypt.

Abracadabra. Just like that McCain and Graham completely changed their opinion and started spouting the AIPAC position. Both McCain and Graham even cited the letter from AIPAC opposing cutting off aid to Egypt in Senate debate. Just who runs Congress?? AIPAC or the American people?'

The question answers itself.

Read more: McCain and Graham flipflop on aid to Egypt '' after AIPAC speaks up

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Obama and the Egyptian Massacre

'Wednesday's massacre of hundreds of unarmed protesters by the US-backed Egyptian military junta shatters Washington's hypocritical claims that its Middle East policy is based on democracy and human rights.

Obama faced a dilemma as he spoke on Egypt yesterday, from his vacation spot in the multi-million-dollar mansion of a corporate finance manager on Martha's Vineyard. Washington would have preferred to arrange a compromise between the army and the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) of deposed President Mohamed Mursi. However, amid rising mass protests in July, it ultimately gave its blessing to a military coup, removing Mursi in order to preempt renewed revolutionary struggles by the working class.

Washington apparently failed to fully foresee the implications of allowing the military and its supporters in the liberal bourgeoisie to settle accounts with the MB. It now fears that with the latest massacre, the army has overreached itself, irretrievably destabilizing Egypt and undermining US Middle East policy.'

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Massacre on the Streets of EgyptJavaScript is disabled!To display this content, you need a JavaScript capable browser.

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Egypt expert: 'The old guard is back in power''Riots in the streets, state of emergency, curfew: Egypt descends into chaos. The military has taken over power. It is the return of the old Mubarak guard, Egypt expert Cilja Harders told DW.'

Read more ...

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Source: aangirfan

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 02:31

Video footage from army helicopters show men behind palm trees firing Kalashnikov assault rifles at police lines. 1.The Egyptian police are quite capable of peacefully dispersing demonstrators, so long as there are no mysterious provocateurs shooting at them.

In Egypt, on 14 August 2013, "state television announced that a second demonstration site at Nadha Square, near Cairo University, had been cleared with relative ease before midday...

"ONTV news showed firearms and rounds of ammunition allegedly seized in the raid.

"The demonstrators fled while some skirmished with anti-Morsi mobs.

"Witnesses said the police held back as the two sides shot at each other with pistols."

Egypt: Rifles at dawn, and the bloodshed began - Telegraph

Nahda square, near Cairo University (EPA)2.Someone is trying to start a civil war, so that Egypt can be broken up, just like Yugoslavia.

"Mohamed Ibrahim, the interior minister, said that 43 police had been killed in the day's violence...

"At least half a dozen churches were burnt in Sohag, Minya and other locations in Upper Egypt...

"A deep well of support for the military appeared undiminished by the bloodshed. Residents gathered behind military lines outside Rabaa al-Adawiya, shouting 'the army and the people are one hand'.

3.Most ordinary Egyptians do not like the Muslim Brotherhood.

"The encampments had grown increasingly unpopular among local people and the broader public.

"Amnesty International has documented cases of torture within the sit-in and Egyptian media outlets routinely portray the Brotherhood as terrorists..."

Egypt: Rifles at dawn, and the bloodshed began - Telegraph

Mysterious agents provocateurs shoot at police in Cairo

4.The Muslim Brotherhood, or provocateurs, are targeting Christians.A. Peasant comments:

"The Coptic Orthodox Church has condemned the continued attacks on churches and Christian properties on Wednesday.

"Angry mobs attacked and torched tens of Christian properties including churches, monasteries, schools and shops, in a number of locations in Egypt including Alexandria, Suez, and a number of cities in Upper Egypt."

Egyptian president declares state of emergency amid deadly violence

5.The US government and its friends are behind the destabilisation of Egypt.

The US ambassador in Egypt, Robert S. Ford, trained under death squad ambassador John Negroponte (a London-born Cypriot Jew).

Robert S. Ford appointed US ambassador in Cairo

"It is very likely that the UK, the US and Qatar, and to a certain extent also Saudi Arabia, are behind this violence." - Christof LehmannForeign interests in Egypt: 'UK, US, and Qatar might be behind the violent clashes' '' expert6.Israel trains mercenaries and provocateurs?

"Three former soldiers of the Irish military elite" have been Training Death Squads

7.Weapons are flowing into Egypt.

CAIRO, April 4 2013 (Reuters) '' "Egyptian navy forces seized a ship carrying heavy weapons as it entered Egyptian territorial waters...

"Inside they found a number of weapons and quantities of ammunition of various types...

"The boat belongs to a private maritime security company..."

Egyptian Navy Seizes Private Security Ship in Territorial Waters ...

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Source: WT news feed

Sat, 17 Aug 2013 00:00

16 Aug 2013 00:00Security has been beefed up after intelligence al-Qaeda is plotting attacks on airlines flying out of London

Getty Images

Heathrow Airport is on high terror alert amid fears women suicide bombers are ready to strike with ­explosives concealed in breast implants.

Security checks have been beefed up after ''credible'' intelligence that al-Qaeda is plotting attacks on airlines flying out of London.

One staff member said: ''There are genuine fears over this.

"We have been told to pay particular attention to females who may have concealed hidden explosives in their breasts.

''This is particularly difficult for us to pick up but we are on a very high state of alert.

''It's led to long queues here at Heathrow '' much longer than usual at this time of the year.

''But because it's the summer holiday season, no one has complained.''

Al-Qaeda's chief bomb-maker Ibrahim al-Asiri is understood to have developed the method of foiling airport scanners by concealing ­explosives in an implant or bodily cavity.

It is also feared there is no shortage of ­volunteers willing to take part in an atrocity after hundreds of extremists recently escaped from prison in Pakistan.

Explosives expert Andy Oppenheimer said: ''There is a great fear that al-Qaeda are planning on using internal devices to try and get through airport scanners.

"These explosives could be in breast implants.''

Device: Silicon breast implants

Getty Images

Another specialist, who asked not to be named, said breast implant bombs could be set off by injecting another liquid.

The expert added: ''Both are very difficult to pick up with current technology and they are petrified al-Qaeda are a step ahead here.

''It's pretty top secret and potentially very grisly and ghastly.''

Independent security analyst Paul Beaver said: ''There are currently deeply serious concerns over body cavities and implants of all kinds '' including breast implants '' being used to hide explosives.

"It is taking longer to get through Heathrow and other airports in Europe and North America because of these fears.

''They are taking longer to screen people and there is definitely some sort of profiling going on.

''The general alert state remains the same in the UK but overseas, the recent Pakistan prison breakouts and foiled attacks in Yemen are raising fears of a new jihadist wave of violence.''

Terrorists are believed to be plotting attacks with the explosive pentaerythritol tetranitrate, or PETN.

Limited: Airport bodyscanners

Getty Images

It is also feared they may have ­developed an undetectable liquid explosive that could be soaked into clothing.

For a suicide bomber sat in a window seat it would take only a relatively small blast to blow a lethal hole in a plane's fuselage.

Mr Beaver added: ''The terrorist is getting clever, but so are detection methods.

''The fact we know about the new methods suggests there are detection and counter-measure options.

''Implant bombs are a one-way ticket anyway so the suicide bomber won't care what the trigger might be.

"It would have to be simple and straightforward '' perhaps electrical.''

A Heathrow Airport spokesman said: ''We don't comment on specific security measures.''

Scans won't detect them: Expert view by Philip Baum, Editor of Security InternationalThe possibility of medically implanted explosives is a concern to the industry.

There are two main ways of initiating a detonation '' by chemical reaction or radio controlled detonators.

The problem is another reason why we should be using behavioural analysis as the primary detection method to screen people at airports.

Body scanners are good at identifying things outside the body but not inside.

Whether or not implants would make effective explosive devices in passenger planes is also questionable.

The examples we have seen haven't quite had the impact those behind them might have hoped for.

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Source: cryptogon.com

Sun, 18 Aug 2013 13:10

August 18th, 2013 Attending to multiple streams of information and entertainment while studying, doing homework, or even sitting in class has become common behavior among young people'--so common that many of them rarely write a paper or complete a problem set any other way.

'--Students can't resist multitasking, and it's impairing their memory

And now'...

Via: Bloomberg:

Online training technology company Mindflash on Tuesday announced a new feature called FocusAssist for iPad that uses the tablet's camera to track a user's eye movements. When it senses that you've been looking away for more than a few seconds (because you were sending e-mails, or just fell asleep), it pauses the course, forcing you to pay attention'--or at least look like you are'--in order to complete it.

Sound kind of creepy, even Big Brother-y? Mindflash doesn't think so. Donna Wells, the company's chief executive officer, writes in an e-mail: ''Our focus is making sure trainees get all the information they need to do their jobs well, not penalizing learners.'' Trainers do not receive any reporting on individual users' attention spans, but they are supplied with information on which content isn't engaging trainees.

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Source: VK: Home

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 16:23

Bewerkt door: redactie '' 16/08/13, 16:50 '' bron: ANP/BuzzT

(C) ANP.

DigiD is vrijdag sinds 16.15 uur weer beschikbaar. Door een zogenoemde DDoS-aanval was inloggen sinds 08.00 uur niet mogelijk.

(C) ANP.

DigiD is nodig ter identificatie op bepaalde sites van de overheid, zoals van de Belastingdienst en andere organisaties met een publieke taak. De storing werd om 8.00 uur gesignaleerd. Aanvankelijk werd gemeld dat het om een technische storing ging. Later bleek het te gaan om een DDoS-aanval.

Bij een DDoS-aanval wordt een server van buitenaf zo bestookt met communicatieverzoeken, dat die onbereikbaar wordt. Er komen bij zo'n aanval geen gegevens van gebruikers op straat te liggen, zegt een woordvoerder.

Het is niet de eerste keer dat DigiD (gedeeltelijk) platligt. Volgens de woordvoerder is het ook niet uitgesloten dat DigiD later opnieuw moeilijker bereikbaar is door nieuwe aanvallen.

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Source: euronews

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 19:45

Lebanon has once again suffered bloodshed on the streets of Beirut.

The most powerful military force in the country, Hezbollah, was the target for the attack in the southern suburbs of the city.

The area is a stronghold for the Shia Muslim militia and political movement, which has been backing troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.

It is a reminder that the Syrian conflict is also having an effect on its neighbour.

A Sunni Islamist group '' calling itself the 'Brigades of Aisha' has claimed responsibility for the massive car bomb.

It gave a clear warning to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah that this was not the first attack or the last. A bombing in July in a nearby Beirut neighbourhood wounded 53 people.

Despite supporting several uprisings during the Arab Spring, Nasrallah has chosen to back the al-Assad regime in Syria.

Explaining his decision, the Hezbollah leader said that ''it was after only after much thought that he decided to join the conflict in Syria''.

Hezbollah has been fighting alongside the Syrian army. They helped loyalist troops to retake the city of Al-Qusayr early in the summer as part of the effort to keep the Syrian regime in power.

Syrian Free Army rebels have clearly identified their enemies. In a video posted on the internet in June, they showed the identify papers of four Lebanese nationals killed as they attempted to enter Syria. However, the rebels deny they are behind the attacks on Lebanese soil.

For several months now tension has been high with almost daily clashes in Lebanon between Sunni Islamist groups.

They say their enemies are the Syrian regime and Hezbollah, as well as the Lebanese army.

But overshadowing these attacks against Hezbollah '' linked to its support to Assad '' is the presence of Israel, which is key to political alliances in Lebanon.

Israel is particularly focused on the Shia group, as Hezbollah is a close ally of Iran.

Israel has also been accused of involvement in the attacks, an allegation it strongly denies.

More about:Attack, Hezbollah, Lebanon, SyriaCopyright (C) 2013 euronews

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Source: BBC News - Home

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 19:46

16 August 2013Last updated at11:30 ETThe UN has warned of a severe outbreak of polio in Somalia, days after a medical charity pulled out of the country, citing insecurity.

At least 105 cases of polio have been recorded in Somalia this year - almost half the number of cases around the world in 2012.

The World Health Organization is trying to eradicate polio and the number of cases has fallen dramatically.

Most of the Somali cases are in areas controlled by Islamist group al-Shabab.

Polio is now only considered endemic in three countries - Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan.

Somalia was declared polio-free six years ago and some four million people have been vaccinated.

"It's very worrying because it's an explosive outbreak and of course polio is a disease that is slated for eradication," said WHO spokesman Oliver Rosenbauer, according to the AP news agency.

Another 10 cases have been recorded in north-eastern Kenya, where about half a million Somalis have fled.

Just 223 cases of polio were recorded globally in 2012 - down from 350,000 in 1988.

The UN humanitarian agency (Ocha) notes that it is "extremely challenging" to carry out vaccination work in Somalia.

During the 2011 famine al-Shabab banned most international aid agencies from operating in areas they controlled in southern Somalia.

Polio is highly infectious and is exacerbated by poor sanitation and a lack of clean water.

It invades the nervous system, and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours.

On Wednesday, medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said it was closing all its programmes in Somalia after 22 years working in the war-torn country.

It said in a statement that the decision had been taken because of "extreme attacks on its staff".

The BBC's international development correspondent Mark Doyle says in many parts of Somalia the charity is the only provider of health care ranging from basic medical supplies to major surgery.

Some 18,000 African Union troops are in the country supporting the UN-backed government - the first one in more than two decades to be recognised by the US and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The Islamist al-Shabab militant group no longer has bases in Mogadishu and has also been pushed out of other cities.

But it remains in control of smaller towns and large swathes of the countryside in central and southern Somalia and continues to launch occasional suicide attacks.

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Source: aangirfan

Sun, 18 Aug 2013 13:22

The Sunday People reports that UK police are investigating the claim that Princess Diana was murdered by the SAS, the UK military's special forces regiment.

"The allegation emerged at the second court martial of Sergeant Danny Nightingale, who was found guilty of illegally possessing a gun and ammunition."Princess Diana: Police probe sensational claim she was killed by SAS

The allegation came in a letter to the SAS's commanding officer.

The letter is from the parents-in-law of a special forces sniper, Soldier N.Soldier N. was Sgt Nightingale's former housemate and a key witness for the prosecution.The letter says Solider N boasted the SAS 'was behind Princess Diana's death'.

The UK authorities have known about the allegation since the letter was sent in September 2011.

The SAS passed the letter to the Service Prosecuting Authority prior to the start of the Sgt Nightingale trial.

The Service Prosecuting Authority removed all references to the SAS before it released the letter to the court.The letter says:

"He (Soldier N) also told her (his wife) that it was the XXX who arranged Princess Diana's death and that has been covered up."It was a tip-off from Soldier N's estranged wife that led to a Glock 17 pistol being found in Nightingale's room at a Hereford house the SAS colleagues shared.

mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/princess-diana-death-cops-probe

Soldier N.

"The sergeant is the subject of a new inquiry into ''historic'' claims of abuses by British soldiers.

"The case is the first murder inquiry involving a member of the special forces to form part of the wider Iraq Historical Allegations Team (Ihat) inquiry."The sergeant, a trained sniper known only as Soldier N, was the key prosecution witness in the court martial of Sgt Danny Nightingale, the SAS sniper found guilty last week of illegally possessing a Glock pistol and ammunition in his civilian quarters."

SAS sniper in inquiry over Iraq 'murder' - Telegraph

Britain's SAS (Special Air Services)trained the Khmer Rouge.The British Special Air Services (SAS) firm Keenie Meenie Services reportedly trained the Tamil Tigers.

In the early 1970s Rafael Eitan, head of the Mossad hit-squad known as the 'Kidon', toured Northern Ireland and the Special Air Services (SAS) base in Hereford, England.Shortly after his visit there were big changes in UK security policy, including the setting up of what was to become the Force Reconnaissance Unit (FRU) .

The FRU may have been involved in the de Menezes killing.

aangirfan: IRA RUN BY THE SPOOKS

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Source: TheBlaze.com - Blog

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 16:21

Below is the full text of the Republican National Committee Resolution (to be voted on Friday) to bar CNN and NBC from participating in the 2016 GOP primary debates:

WHEREAS, former Secretary Hillary Clinton is likely to run for President in 2016, and CNN and NBC have both announced programming that amounts to little more than extended commercials promoting former Secretary Clinton; and

WHEREAS, these programming decisions are an attempt to show political favoritism and put a thumb on the scales for the next presidential election; and

WHEREAS, airing this programming will jeopardize will the credibility of CNN and NBC as supposedly unbiased news networks and undermine the perceived objectivity of the coverage of the 2016 presidential campaign by these networks; and

WHEREAS, Robert Greenblatt, Chairman of NBC Entertainment, contributed the maximum amount to Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign committee, contributed $25,000 to Obama's 2012 Victory Fund, and this year contributed $10,000 to the Democratic National Committee; therefore be it ''

RESOLVED, that the Republican National Committee calls on CNN and NBC to cancel the airing of these political ads masked as unbiased entertainment; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that if CNN and NBC continue to move forward with this and other such programming, the Republican National Committee will neither partner with these networks in the 2016 presidential primary debates nor sanction any primary debates they sponsor, and, be it finally

RESOLVED, that the Republican National Committee shall endeavor to bring more order to the primary debates and ensure a reasonable number of debates, appropriate moderators and debate partners are chosen, and that other issues pertaining to the general nature of such debates are addressed.

h/t TIME

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Source: Federal Register Latest Entries

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 12:00

Ms. B. English, DSCA/DBO/CFM, (703) 601-3740.

The following is a copy of a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Transmittals 12-67 with attached transmittal, policy justification, and Sensitivity of Technology.

Dated: August 13, 2013.

Aaron Siegel,

Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.

BILLING CODE 5001-06-P

BILLING CODE 5001-06-C

Transmittal No. 12-67Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended(i) Prospective Purchaser: Government of Iraq

(ii) Total Estimated Value:

Major Defense Equipment *$ 1.133 billionOther$ 1.270 billionTotal$ 2.403 billion(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or Services under Consideration for Purchase: 40 AVENGER Fire Units, 681 STINGER Reprogrammable Micro-Processor (RMP) Block I 92H Missiles, 13 AN/MPQ-64F1 SENTINEL Radars, 7 AN/YSQ-184D Forward Area Air Defense Command, Control, and Intelligence (FAAD C2I) Systems, 75 AN/VRC-92E SINCGARS Radios, 3 HAWK XXI Batteries (6 Fire Units) which include 6 Battery Fire Direction Centers, 6 High Powered Illuminator Radars, 216 MIM-23P HAWK Tactical Missiles, 2 Mobile Battalion Operation Centers (BOC), 3 HAWK XXI BOC Air Defense Consoles (ADCs), 1DS/GS Shop 20, 1 DS/GS Shop 21, 1 Mini-Certified Round Assembly Facility (MCRAF), Air Command and Control (C2) systems and surveillance radars for the Integrated Air Defense Systems that includes TPS-77 Long-Range Radars (LRR) and Omnyx-I0 Air Command and Control System, and 10 Medium Range Radars. Also included: Ground Air Transmit Receive Ultra High Frequency/Very High Frequency radio capability, facilities and construction for one (1) underground Air Defense Operations Center and two (2) Air Defense Sector Operations Centers, spare and repair parts, repair and return, software support, systems integration, long haul communication technical integration, communications equipment, support equipment and sustainment, tools and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor representative engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support.

(iv) Military Department: Army (UFU, UEO); Air Force (QBF)

(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: None

(vi) Sales Commission, Fee, etc., Paid, Offered, or Agreed to be Paid: None

(vii) Sensitivity of Technology Contained in the Defense Article or Defense Services Proposed to be Sold: See Attached Annex

(viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: 5 August 2013

* as defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.

POLICY JUSTIFICATIONIraq'--Integrated Air Defense SystemThe Government of Iraq has requested a possible sale of 40 AVENGER Fire Units, 681 STINGER Reprogrammable Micro-Processor (RMP) Block I 92H Missiles, 13 AN/MPQ-64F1 SENTINEL Radars, 7 AN/YSQ-184D Forward Area Air Defense Command, Control, and Intelligence (FAAD C2I) Systems, 75 AN/VRC-92E SINCGARS Radios, 3 HAWK XXI Batteries (6 Fire Units) which include 6 Battery Fire Direction Centers, 6 High Powered Illuminator Radars, 216 MIM-23P HAWK Tactical Missiles, 2 Mobile Battalion Operation Centers (BOC), 3 HAWK XXI BOC Air Defense Consoles (ADCs), 1DS/GS Shop 20, 1 DS/GS Shop 21, 1 Mini-Certified Round Assembly Facility (MCRAF), Air Command and Control (C2) systems and surveillance radars for the Integrated Air Defense Systems that includes TPS-77 Long-Range Radars (LRR) and Omnyx-I0 Air Command and Control System, and 10 Medium Range Radars. Also included: Ground Air Transmit Receive Ultra High Frequency/Very High Frequency radio capability, facilities and construction for one (1) underground Air Defense Operations Center and two (2) Air Defense Sector Operations Centers, spare and repair parts, repair and return, software support, systems integration, long haul communication technical integration, communications equipment, support equipment and sustainment, tools and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor representative engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $2.403 billion.

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country. This proposed sale directly supports the Iraqi government and serves the interests of the Iraqi people and the United States.

This proposed sale of Ground Based Air Defense Systems will help the Government of Iraq to modernize its armed forces. The proposed air defense system will provide the Iraqi Air Defense Command situational awareness of the country's airspace and a baseline tactical radar and threat intercept capability. This capability will provide Iraq with the ability to contribute to regional air defenses and reduce its vulnerability to air attacks and also enhance interoperability between the Government of Iraq, the U.S., and other allies.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The principal contractors involved in this program are: Lockheed Martin Corporation, San Diego, California; Thales Raytheon Systems, Fullerton, California; Boeing Company and American General, Letterkenny Army Depot, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Andover, Massachusetts; Northrop Grumman, Rolling Meadows, Illinois; and Kratos Defense and Aerospace, Huntsville, Alabama. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require 20-25 U.S. Government or contractor representatives to travel to Iraq for a period of 8-10 weeks for equipment checkout and training.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

[FR Doc. 2013-19986 Filed 8-15-13; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 5001-06-P

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Sat, 17 Aug 2013 03:27

Rupert Murdoch has hinted at being an admirer of the Vice brand in the past, declaring it a 'global success' on Twitter last year. Photograph: Rick Wilking/Reuters

Vice Media, the multi-platform purveyor of music, fashion and quixotic journalism from international trouble spots, has sold a 5% stake to Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox.

Fox, which was spun off from News Corp earlier this year, confirmed the $70m (£45m) deal, which marks the latest stage in the evolution of Vice from an off-beat Canadian magazine into a global brand frequently dubbed the hipsters' bible.

Murdoch has hinted at being an admirer of the Vice brand in the past, tweeting after a visit last year to Brooklyn, where Vice is based: "Who's heard of VICE media? Wild, interesting effort to interest millennials who don't read or watch established media. Global success."

The link-up allows Vice to expand into Europe and India with the help of 21st Century Fox's assets, which include stakes in Sky television channels and chimes with the declared aims of Vice's co-founder, Shane Smith, for his company to become "MTV, ESPN and CNN rolled into one".

Minority shareholders, which include the marketing group WPP, hold around 25% of Vice. Vice's founders will continue to have majority control of the board in a structure that Smith said "gives us the freedom to do what we want to do".

He told the Financial Times: "The reality is that MTV was bought by Viacom and CNN went to Time Warner. We have set ourselves up to build a global platform but we have maintained control."

Vice, which is involved in magazine publishing, film production, music recording and operates a range of online channels, has gained attention in recent times with a number of initiatives and stories that have trumped the established media.

One included the re-appearance in Guatemala of the on-the-run internet millionaire John McAfee in the company of a couple of young reporters from Vice. In February, a Vice film crew accompanied the flamboyant former NBA star Dennis Rodman on a trip to North Korea in an unlikely act of sports diplomacy.

Smith and some friends established Vice as a free and underground music magazine in his native Montreal 20 years ago after taking over a community title called the Voice.

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Sun, 18 Aug 2013 02:15

Back in January, President Obama signed an executive order directing the Centers on Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to start studying ''the causes of gun violence.'' The idea was to restart federal research into the topic after a longtime freeze.

Hard to study. (AP)

But that still left a key question unanswered: What would the CDC actually study, if it could? What more is there to know about gun violence that we don't already know?

Quite a bit, it seems. Earlier this week, a panel at the Institutes of Medicine released a big new report outlining a research agenda for the CDC over the next three to five years. Topics would include the effects of media portrayals of violence and a look at whether ''smart guns'' that only fire for registered users could decrease accidents.

An accompanying brief (pdf) outlines a number of things that researchers still don't know '-- and should study. Here are some highlights:

'' ''[The] exact number and location of guns and gun types is unknown.''

'' ''What characteristics differentiate mass shootings that were prevented from those that were carried out?''

'' Researchers should try to ''identify factors associated with juveniles and youths having access to, possessing, and carrying guns.'' In other words, it's still not entirely clear what types of guns kids get, or how they get them.

'' Researchers should also ''improve understanding of whether reducing criminal access to legally purchased guns reduces firearm violence.'' For instance, would universal background checks actually work?

'' Another key question: ''Do programs to alter physical environments in high-crime areas result in a decrease in firearm violence?'' Do restrictions on alcohol sales, for instance, have any effect on gun violence?

'' ''Identify the effects of different technological approaches to reduce firearm-related injury and death.'' Are there realistic ways to make guns child-proof, for instance?

'' ''Examine the relationship between exposure to media violence and real-life violence.''

The report also argues that researchers should try to conduct more studies that involve controlled trials that can actually show causation. At the moment, a big chunk of what we know about gun violence is based on studies that simply look at correlations between different laws in different states '-- which isn't terribly conclusive.

So there's a lot to find out. That said, it's still not clear that the CDC will actually move ahead. Congress, after all, has long barred the CDC from funding any research that could be used to ''advocate or promote gun control.'' Technically, that's not a ban on all gun research, but the law is hazy enough that the centers have shied away from the topic altogether.

''Now scientists will have one interpretation of the law from the executive branch and another from Congress,'' Andrew Rosenberg of the Union of Concerned Scientists back said in January. And lawmakers still control the funding. So until Congress gives its explicit blessing to the CDC, federal gun research is likely to proceed only haltingly.

Related: A closer look at why federal gun research has wilted since the 1990s.

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Sun, 18 Aug 2013 02:23

In January, following the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, President Obama issued a ''Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control to research the causes and prevention of gun violence,'' along with 22 other ''initiatives.'' That study, subcontracted out to the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, was completed in June and contained some surprises for the president.

Obama had announced at the beginning of the year his push for three major gun control initiatives '-- universal background checks, a ban on ''assault weapons,'' and a ban on ''high-capacity'' magazines '-- to prevent future mass shootings, no doubt hoping that the CDC study would oblige him by providing evidence that additional gun control measures were justified to reduce gun violence. On the contrary, that study refuted nearly all the standard anti-gun narrative and instead supported many of the positions taken by gun ownership supporters.

For example, the majority of gun-related deaths between 2000 and 2010 were due to suicide and not criminal violence:

Between the years 2000-2010 firearm-related suicides significantly outnumbered homicides for all age groups, annually accounting for 61 percent of the more than 335,600 people who died from firearms related violence in the United States.

In addition, defensive use of guns ''is a common occurrence,'' according to the study:

Almost all national survey estimates indicate that defensive gun uses by victims are at least as common as offensive uses by criminals, with estimates of annual uses ranging from about 500,000 to more than 3 million per year, in the context of about 300,000 violent crimes involving firearms in 2008.

Accidental deaths due to firearms has continued to fall as well, with ''the number of unintentional deaths due to firearm-related incidents account[ing] for less than 1 percent of all unintentional fatalities in 2010.''

Furthermore, the key finding the president was no doubt seeking '-- that more laws would result in less crime '-- was missing. The study said that ''interventions,'' such as background checks and restrictions on firearms and increased penalties for illegal gun use, showed ''mixed'' results, while ''turn-in'' programs ''are ineffective'' in reducing crime. The study noted that most criminals obtained their guns in the underground economy '-- from friends, family members, or gang members '-- well outside any influence from gun controls on legitimate gun owners.

Also, the report noted that mass shootings such as the one in Newtown, Connecticut, have declined and ''account for a very small fraction of all firearm-related deaths.''

There was one startling conclusion which, taken at face value, seemed to give the president what he was looking for. The study reported that ''the U.S. rate of firearm-related homicide is higher than that of any other industrialized country: 19.5 times higher than the rates in other high-income countries.'' However, Zara Matheson of the Martin Prosperity Institute, produced a map that compared gun violence rates in the major metropolitan areas of the country to rates of foreign countries. As Graham Noble of Guardian Expressnoted, ''If one were to exclude figures for Illinois, California, New Jersey and Washington, DC, the homicide rate in the United States would be in line with any other country.'' These areas, of course, are noted for the most restrictive gun laws in the country, thus negating any opportunity for the president to celebrate the report's findings.

The current report from the CDC echoed findings the CDC published back in 2003 that showed that suicides were responsible for 58 percent of all firearms-related deaths in 2000. Also noted is that back in 2003 Americans owned an estimated 192 million firearms, while today that number is estimated to be closer to 300 million, an increase of more than 55 percent.

Said the CDC back in 2003, ''Evidence was insufficient to determine the effectiveness of any of these laws" (Emphasis added.):

Bans on specified firearms or ammunition,

Restrictions on firearm acquisition,

Waiting periods for firearm acquisition,

Firearm registration and licensing of owners, and

Zero tolerance for firearms in schools.

If the president was looking to the CDC report for support on how to reduce the threat of firearm-related violence through legislation restricting the rights of American citizens, he was sorely disappointed. Perhaps that's why so few of the media have publicized the report. In fact, the only establishment media even to mention the report was theWashington Post, which criticized it for not answering questions that it wasn't asked to answer!

A graduate of Cornell University and a former investment advisor, Bob is a regular contributor to The New American magazine and blogs frequently at www.LightFromTheRight.com, primarily on economics and politics. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Sat, 17 Aug 2013 21:49

Photo: Matthias Lambrecht/cc/flickrAs the disaster at Fukushima plant continues to unfold, one nuclear expert is warning that "this is an accident that's shockingly not stopping."

Arjun Makhijani, President of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER), sounds particular alarm around radioactive strontium that is being released from the trouble-stricken plant:

Fukushima continues to be an emergency without end '' vast amounts of radioactivity, including strontium-90 in the groundwater, evidence of leaks into the sea, the prospect of contaminated seafood. Strontium-90, being a calcium analog, bioaccumulates in the food chain. It is likely to be a seaside nightmare for decades.

Speaking with PBS Newshour this week, the Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free author said that strontium is "much more dangerous" than the cesium 137 and 134 being released from Fukushima, and was found "at levels that are 30 times more than cesium." He continued:

So to give you an idea of the level of contamination, if somebody drank that water for a year, they would almost certainly get cancer. So it's very contaminated.

So that's one problem. The other is the defenses to hold back this water from the sea seem to be overcome. So now the contaminated waters, 70,000, 80,000 gallons is flowing into the sea every day.

Dr. Makhijani speaking on PBS Newshour this week. (Sreenshot)When asked what happens when this radioactive strontium reaches the sea, Makhijani replied:

Well, when it goes into the sea, of course, some of it will disperse and dilute. Some of it goes into the sediment and some of it is taken up by the life in the sea.

And the unfortunate thing about strontium especially is that it bioaccumulates in algae, it bioaccumulates in fish. It targets the bone, because it's like calcium. And so this is a problem. We don't have measurements far out to sea. The Woods Hole Institute has done some surveys. And they were surprised by how much continuing radioactivity they found, but no clear explanation yet.

But it's not just fish that will take in the radiation.

When Living on Earth asked Makhijani about how the radioactivity could affect human health, he said:

Well, the strontium-90 and the cesium would both be perilous, and since the strontium-90 is more mobile and also more dangerous biologically, strontium behaves like calcium, so it goes to the bone. It also bioaccumulates in the base of the food chain and algae. Ultimately because it does bioaccumulate and there is quite a lot of strontium, you could have a large part of the food chain near Fukushima being contaminated.

If pregnant women eat the contaminated fish or drink the contaminated water, he said

the outcomes could be worse than cancer because then you're talking about a much more compromised child in the sense of having a compromised immune system - it makes you more vulnerable to all kinds of diseases.

Just how TEPCO or other authorities will be able to deal with this "radioactivity that's essentially forever" is uncertain, he continued.

It's very, very unclear to me how they are going to be able to get at this molten fuel, extract it from the bottoms of these highly damaged buildings and package it for safer or less dangerous storage or disposal.

"This is an accident that's shockingly not stopping," he warned.

There is one certainty among the many unknowns, writes long-time anti-nuke activist Harvey Wasserman:

[W]hat we now know all too well at Fukushima is that the world's worst atomic catastrophe is very far from over.

The only thing predictable is that worse news will come.

And when it does, our increasingly fragile planet will be further irradiated, at immeasurable cost to us all.

* * *

Watch the PBS Newshour discussion between Makhijani, Kenji Kushida of Stanford University and host Jeffrey Brown below:

Watch Fukushima Reinforces Worst Fears for Japanese on PBS. See more from PBS NewsHour.

_______________________

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License

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Sat, 17 Aug 2013 21:48

This evening I had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Arjun Makhijani, the President and Senior Engineer at the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER) of Takoma Park, MD. The conversation is available at Atomic Show #183 '' Arjun Makhijani Explains Carbon Free, Nuclear Free Strategy

Dr. Makhijani is the author of Carbon Free, Nuclear Free (PDF download copy). That book is dedicated to Helen Caldicott and S. David Freeman. Makhijani claims that they were the inspiration for the effort.

Our conversation abruptly ended when Dr. Makhijani realized that I was not accepting his answers. He seemed disturbed that I wanted to ask more probing questions than he was ready to answer.

Categories: Antinuclear activist, Fossil fuel competition

About Rod Adams

Pro-nuclear advocate with small nuclear plant operating and design experience. Former submarine Engineer Officer. Founder, Adams Atomic Engines, Inc. Host and producer, The Atomic Show Podcast. Resume available here. Please subscribe to the Atomic Show RSS feed.

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Sat, 17 Aug 2013 21:47

Arjun Makhijani is an electrical and nuclear engineer who is President of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research. Makhijani has written many books and reports analyzing the safety, economics, and efficiency of various energy sources. He has testified before Congress and has served as an expert witness in Nuclear Regulatory Commission proceedings.

Arjun Makhijani is an electrical and nuclear engineer with 37 years experience in energy and nuclear issues. He is President of the anti-nuclear Institute for Energy and Environmental Research. IEER has been doing nuclear-related studies for twenty years and is an independent non-profit organization located in Takoma Park, Maryland. Makhijani has a Ph.D. (Engineering), from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences of the University of California, Berkeley, where he specialized in the application of plasma physics to controlled nuclear fusion.[1]

Makhijani has extensive professional experience and is qualified in radioactive waste disposal, standards for protection of human health from radiation, and the relative costs and benefits of nuclear energy and other energy sources. He has testified before Congress and has served as a consultant on energy issues to utilities and other organizations, including the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Lower Colorado River Authority, the Edison Electric Institute, the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment, and several agencies of the United Nations. He has also served as an expert witness in Nuclear Regulatory Commission proceedings on nuclear facilities and in numerous lawsuits and has testified on a variety of issues including releases of radioactivity from nuclear facilities. He has testified before Congress on several occasions regarding issues related to nuclear waste, reprocessing, environmental releases of radioactivity, and regulation of nuclear weapons plants.

Makhijani has studied the French reprocessing and nuclear energy system and was the director of a team that analyzed ANDRA's plans for a geological repository for high level radioactive waste in France on behalf of a French government-sponsored stakeholder committee (2004).

Arjun Makhijani has written a number of books and other publications analyzing the safety, economics, and efficiency of various energy sources, including nuclear power and renewable energy sources such as wind power and solar energy. He was the principal author of the first evaluation of energy end-uses and energy efficiency potential in the U.S. economy (published by the Electronics Research Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley in 1971). He was also the principal author of the first overview study on Energy and Agriculture in the Third World[2] (Ballinger 1975). He was one of the principal technical staff of the Ford Foundation Energy Policy Project, and a co-author of its final report, A Time to Choose,[3] which helped shape U.S. energy policy during the mid-to-late 1970s. He is a co-author of Investment Planning in the Electricity Sector, published by the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in 1976. He is also the principal author of Nuclear Power Deception[4] (Apex Books 1999), an analysis of the costs of nuclear power in the United States and a co-author and principal editor of the first global assessment of the health and environmental effects of nuclear weapons production (Nuclear Wastelands,[5] 1995 and 2000), which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize by MIT Press. Most recently, Makhijani has authored Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free[6] (RDR Books and IEER Press 2007), the first analysis of a transition to a U.S. economy based completely on renewable energy, without any use of fossil fuels or nuclear power. He has many published articles in journals such as The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and The Progressive, as well as in newspapers, including the Washington Post. Arjun Makhijani has appeared on ABC World News Tonight, the CBS Evening News, 60 Minutes, NPR, CNN, and BBC, among others.[7]

In 1989, Dr Makhijani received The John Bartlow Martin Award for Public Interest Magazine Journalism[8] of the Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University, with Robert Alvarez; was awarded the Josephine Butler Nuclear Free Future Award in 2001;[9] the 2007/2008 Jane Bagley Lehman Award for Excellence in Public Advocacy[10] by the Tides Foundation; and was named a Ploughshares Hero, by the Ploughshares Fund (2006). In 2007, he was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society.[7]

^IEER Program Staff Profiles^"Energy and Agriculture in the Third World"^"A Time to Choose"^"Nuclear Power Deception"^"Nuclear Wastelands"^''Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free''^ abShort Biography of Arjun Makhijani^John Bartlow Martin Award^DC Hiroshima-Nagasaki Peace Committee^2007/2008 JBL AwardPersondataNameMakhijani, ArjunAlternative namesShort descriptionDate of birthPlace of birthDate of deathPlace of death

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Sat, 17 Aug 2013 21:58

Dr. Arjun Makhijani has been fighting against the use of nuclear fission energy since his college days in the late 1960s. He was influenced by Professor Thomas Pigford at the University of California, Berkeley who lectured on the need to build 1000 nuclear reactors because using fission was better than depending on coal.

After hearing that lecture, Makhijani questioned the need for using so much power in the first place. He spent the next year developing what he called one of the first papers on energy efficiency. Makhijani earned his PhD in 1972. That PhD was awarded in Electrical Engineering. Here is the description of his PhD from his CV:

''Area of specialization: plasma physics as applied to controlled nuclear fusion. Dissertation topic: multiple mirror confinement of plasmas. Minor fields of doctoral study: statistics and physics.''

After earning his PhD, Makhijani spent the next two years working on the Ford Foundation Energy Policy Project. He was one of the principle authors of the report. He held a variety of academic positions during the period from 1979-1988

In 1987 Makhijani started working part time for the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER) which is located in Takoma Park, MD. In 1988 he became the President and Senior Engineer at IEER.

Takoma Park is also the home of NIRS and Beyond Nuclear. Robert Alvarez lived there at the time that he served in the Department of Energy.

It is a place where antinuclear activism is commonplace.

Dr. Makhijani abruptly ended the call, but I think you will enjoy the conversation anyway.

Links to documents mentioned during the discussion:

Carbon Free Nuclear Free (PDF download version)

NUREG 1738

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Sat, 17 Aug 2013 21:57

Welcome to our new website! We are still uploading our content, so please bear with us during this process. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions. '' IEER Staff

IEER provides activists, policy-makers, journalists, and the public with understandable and accurate scientific and technical information on energy and environmental issues.

Your contribution supports IEER efforts to achieve a carbon-free and nuclear-free energy system, prevent nuclear proliferation, and protect environmental and human health.

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Source: CNET News

Sat, 17 Aug 2013 03:19

Most Google services, including search, were down for a few minutes Friday, prompting much of the Internet to start the weekend early ... and then quickly change its mind.

For a very brief few minutes on Friday you may have noticed some Google services, most notably search, appeared to be down. If not, maybe you noticed the ensuing freak-out across Twitter and the rest of the Internet.

At first glance the flash outage was little more than an opportunity for a few good one-liners and a chance to actually stand up from the keyboard and walk around for a few minutes. If we had connected nanobots floating around in our bloodstreams, certainly they would have registered a worldwide uptick in caffeine intake during those few moments.

As it turns out though, Google's downtime did appear to have global, measurable repercussions according to analytics firm GoSquared, which estimates that it caused a 40 percent drop in global traffic during a five-minute window:

Google.com was down for a few minutes between 23:52 and 23:57 BST on 16th August 2013. This had a huge effect in the number of pageviews coming into GoSquared's real-time tracking - around a 40% drop, as this graph of our global pageviews per minute shows. That's huge. As internet users, our reliance on google.com being up is huge. It's also of note that pageviews spiked shortly afterwards, as users managed to get to their destination.

Google has acknowledged the outage, which it says has been resolved. The official downtime according to a Google status page was between 1 and 5 minutes.

In related news, Bing and Yahoo still exist, but apparently failed to find a way to target their marketing to Google users during the outage.

Updated at 8:05 pm to correct the duration of the outage reported by Google.

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Sun, 18 Aug 2013 00:53

ANDREW KELLY/REUTERSGoogle went black for five minutes on Friday night, causing panic on Twitter and massive dips in internet traffic.

The world almost ended on Friday night.

At least one would surmise that from the panicked messages on Twitter saying that Google, along with several of its wildly-popular services like YouTube and Gmail, were all down.

PHOTOS: GOOGLE EARTH DISCOVERIES

And reports show that the internet search giant did have issues Friday accounting for up to a 40% drop in global web traffic from 11:52pm to 11:57pm British Summer Time.

Web analytics company GoSquared showed a massive dip in internet traffic during the brief blackout as users struggled to find what it was they were looking for on the worldwide web.

PHOTOS: BIZARRE IMAGES CAPTURED BY GOOGLE'S STREET VIEW CAMERAS

GoSquared developer Simon Tabor told Sky News that the blackout was "huge."

"As internet users, our reliance on Google.com being up is huge."

PHOTOS: 2011'S MOST RIDICULOUS INTERNET MEMES

The company did not immediately return the Daily News' request for comment. In fact, Google's only conspicuous acknowledgement to the blackout lies in its Apps Status Dashboard, showing everything from Gmail to Google Drive and everything in between being down on Aug. 16.

When Google when down, the tweets went up.

PHOTOS: GOOGLE CHROME COMIC BOOK

According to Topsy analytics, tweets per minute skyrocketed around the point that Google went black, from an average of 200 tweets per minute about Google to more than 1,000.

"For five freakin' minutes!" one Twitter user complained. Another wrote, "Google was down for five minutes'... Is it a sign that the END OF THE WORLD has started?"

It is unclear how much revenue was lost by the short-lived but intense outage, though some experts are putting it in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

This isn't the first time Google has gone dark. The services went down in May 2009 and was later blamed on a massive server failure.

bstebner@nydailynews.com

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Sun, 18 Aug 2013 00:52

Google.com was down for a few minutes between 23:52 and 23:57 BST on 16th August 2013. This had a huge effect in the number of pageviews coming into GoSquared's real-time tracking '' around a 40% drop, as this graph of our global pageviews per minute shows.

That's huge. As internet users, our reliance on google.com being up is huge. It's also of note that pageviews spiked shortly afterwards, as users managed to get to their destination.

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Fri, 16 Aug 2013 01:43

Contributed by Linx TechnologiesOnce your wireless widget is ready for market, how do you get FCC Part 15 approval? Knowing the process and starting it from the beginning helps shorten and smooth out the road ahead.

Many manufacturers have avoided making their products wireless because of uncertainty over the approval and certification process. While it is true that RF increases the effort and cost of bringing a product to market, it also can add significantly to the function and salability of a completed product. Thanks to a growing number of easily applied radio frequency (RF) devices such as those offered by Linx, manufacturers are now able to quickly and reliably add wireless functionality to their products. The issue of legal compliance for the finished product is straightforward when approached in logical steps.

Purpose of this article

This article gives a brief overview of the legal issues governing the manufacture and sale of RF products intended for unlicensed operation in the United States under CFR 47 Part 15. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is responsible for the regulation of all RF devices. The FCC requires any device that radiates RF energy to be tested for compliance with FCC rules. These rules are contained in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 47. Part 15 is the section of the code that deals with devices that emit RF energy and are to be operated without an individual license.

While this article will provide you with a basic understanding of the steps involved in certification, it is strongly recommended that you obtain a full copy of the code from your local government bookstore, the Government Printing office, or the FCC website.

What is ''Unlicensed'' operation?

Certain bands within the RF spectrum are available for ''unlicensed'' operation. The term ''unlicensed'' is often misunderstood. The manufacturer of a product designed for ''unlicensed'' operation is not exempt from testing and/or certification. Indeed, both the transmitter and receiver must be tested by a qualified testing laboratory. However, once the necessary approvals are received, the end user can then operate the product without further obligation or licensing.

Steps to Part 15 certification

Choose the optimum operating frequency

Part 15 governs a broad range of the radio spectrum ranging from below 1 MHz to in excess of 32 GHz. It is broken into individual sections that govern the use of specific frequencies and bands. For example, section 15.249 covers the 902-928 MHz band. In this frequency range a user is allowed to transmit any analog or digital signal they desire so long as the stipulations governing allowed output power, harmonics, and occupied bandwidth are met. Other sections are not so accommodating. For example, in the 260-470 MHz band, the FCC considers not only RF factors but also the intended function and application.

In order to determine which operational frequency is best for your product, it is necessary to weigh both technical and legal issues. First, you will want to have a clear understanding of which frequencies are legally available, and then choose a specific frequency based on technical issues such as range, propagation, antenna length, power consumption, and potential interference. (If you are not familiar with these technical issues, consult with a Linx application engineer or read Linx Application Notes focusing on those issues.)

Component selection

Once a frequency of operation has been selected, the RF section and antenna must be carefully designed and optimized to comply with the allowed power and harmonic limitations imposed by Part 15. This process is greatly simplified if you are using a Linx module, but it is still important to recognize that the antenna and layout play key roles in the product's legal operation.

Many modular RF transmitter products, including those manufactured by Linx, have the potential to output RF power in excess of Part 15 limits. This extra power helps designers overcome inefficient antenna styles and take advantage of the FCC's averaging allowance when modulation techniques such as ASK/OOK are employed. If necessary, output power may be reduced using the module's level adjust or an external attenuation pad.

Another consideration in antenna selection is that Part 15.203 requires the antenna to be permanently attached or coupled with a unique or proprietary connector. While this requirement leaves room for interpretation, the FCC's intention is that a user not be able to change the radiated characteristics of the device by easily interchanging the antenna with a higher performance model.

Build production-ready prototypes

After choosing a frequency for operation and a suitable RF stage, you will want to move from concept breadboard prototypes to a production-ready model as rapidly as possible.

Prescreen and optimize

Once a wireless product is finished, its output power and harmonics should be checked to ensure that the RF stage is both optimized and Part 15 compliant. This testing requires a spectrum analyzer and calibrated antennas. If you do not have access to these instruments, consider prescreening services such as those offered by Linx. The prescreening process can result in a cost savings over formal testing and provides an opportunity to maximize product performance.

Send the production-ready product to an FCC authorized testing facility

Once your product is in its finished form, exactly as it will be produced, testing should be conducted by a properly approved laboratory. In most cases, it is not necessary to be present for testing and the laboratory will prepare the filing paperwork.

The FCC has greatly streamlined the approval process by allowing independent laboratories to issue certifications though the Telecommunication Certification Body (TCB) program.

Unless specifically requested pursuant to Section 2.1076, receivers no longer require certification. They just require a quick test and issuance of a Declaration of Conformity (DoC) which should be maintained in the applicant's files. Transmitter certification is also relatively painless since many labs that are TCB certified are now allowed to issue certifications on behalf of the FCC. Full transmitter and receiver testing can cost around $5,000, transmitter only around $3,500, and the receiver about $1,500. The entire process can now be rapidly completed and many labs can perform other testing at the same time, such as Class A/B.

Label the product and market it

Following successful completion of the approval process, products should be labeled as required by Part 2.925 and 2.926 as well as Part 15.19 or otherwise prescribed by the FCC.

Summary

Bringing a product through the approval process (summarized in Figure 1) involves cost, effort, and in some cases frustration, but in the end your product will have an exciting new dimension of functionality and market appeal. By following the steps outlined in this application note and reviewing a copy of CFR 47 you will be well on your way to RF success. While complying with applicable provisions may seem unnecessarily restrictive, such regulations serve to ensure the availability of usable RF spectrum for every product.

The approval process

Introduction

Here in the United States the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is responsible for the regulation of all RF devices. The FCC requires any device that radiates RF energy to be tested for compliance with FCC rules. These rules are contained in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 47. The first volume of CFR 47 contains parts 0-19. The sections you will be dealing with throughout the approval process are primarily Part 2 and Part 15. Part 2 deals with issues of marking and authorization. Part 15 deals with the operational aspects and requirements for devices that emit RF energy and are to be operated without the end user needing a license. It is strongly recommended that you obtain a full copy of the code from your local government bookstore, the Government Printing office, or the FCC website.

Issues such as frequency selection, antenna compliance, and output power are covered elsewhere, therefore this section moves past those issues to the specific steps involved in the approval process.

Step one: lab selection

The FCC requires that final product testing be conducted by a registered testing facility. Labs that have indicated they are available to perform Part 15 testing for the public are listed on the Domestic Testing Facilities list.

The quality and competence of labs varies widely. Labs appearing on the list are independent. Linx is pleased to make recommendations of test facilities believed to be competent; however, it is the sole responsibility of applicants to select a test lab capable of measuring their specific device.

To pay or not to pay

Once you have chosen a lab, you must decide the extent of the services they will provide. Lab services range from basic testing, to full compliance testing and filing.

Our advice? Have the lab do as much as possible. Taking time to understand the subtleties of the filing process in the middle of trying to get a product to market is a bad idea. Saving a little money doing things yourself can end up costing far more than you save and in some cases might jeopardize your ability to receive approval.

Step two: registering

When your product is completed and ready for testing a Federal Registration Number (FRN) must be obtained. This is free and can be obtained online.

Next, request a grantee code from the FCC. This can also be done online. The grantee code costs $60 and must be paid within thirty days of the application. Form 159 is used for this and can be done online or printed and mailed.

Step three: testing

As previously mentioned, the FCC requires that final product testing be done in a registered test facility. Here, such items as output power, harmonics, and spurious emissions will be tested. This facility will perform separate measurements on the transmitter and receiver as the transmitter and receiver require different types of authorizations from the FCC. The testing will usually take less than two weeks, but the actual time will depend on the test lab's backlog and schedule. It is a good idea to contact the lab well in advance to make them aware of your project and secure a spot in their testing schedule.

In order to have the best chance at approval it is important to explain the intended function of the product and any special operating characteristics to test lab personnel. If you are using a module that uses a keyed modulation method such as ASK/OOK, be sure your lab remembers to measure or calculate average power, not peak.

The test lab will require a number of items to complete the filing. These items will often include:

A letter appointing the test lab as your technical agent for certification. The labs will provide a sample letter.The FCC ID Number of the unit. The first three digits are the grantee code obtained earlier. The last 14 digits are up to the applicant.A sketch of the location of the FCC label on your unit as well as a sketch (with dimensions) of the label itself.A block diagram of the unit showing all clock oscillators and their frequencies of operation. The signal path and frequency should be shown at each block.Full schematic diagram.The user's manual.A brief, non-technical description of the product and its operation.A product sample for testing and photos.Transmitter testingA product containing a Linx transmitter is considered by the FCC to be an intentional radiator because it intentionally emits RF energy into free space. Thus, it must be tested and certified before it may be marketed.

Certified transmitters are required to have two labels attached: an FCC ID label and a compliance label. The FCC ID label identifies the FCC equipment authorization file associated with the transmitter, while the compliance label indicates to the consumer that the transmitter may not cause, nor is it protected from, harmful interference. These labels may be combined for convenience.

Receiver declaration of conformity

A receiver is considered an unintentional radiator because, while not specifically designed to radiate RF energy, RF radiation may occur. For this reason the receiver must be tested and authorized by a Declaration of Conformity (DoC). In this simple process an accredited laboratory tests the product to ensure compliance with FCC standards. An FCC filing or submittal is not required unless specifically requested pursuant to Section 2.1076. The test results should be maintained within the applicant's files.

Conforming products are also required to have a compliance label attached to all items subsequently manufactured or marketed by the responsible party.

Filing confidentiality

Filing for confidentiality is an important and often overlooked issue. Unless otherwise requested the entire contents of your filing will become public information. You may request confidentiality pursuant to 47 CFR 0.459, which can prevent such proprietary items as schematic diagrams from falling into the hands of competitors. When confidentiality is requested, please label all items that are to be kept confidential from the general public ''CONFIDENTIAL.'' Items that cannot be given confidentiality are: (1) photos of a device (anyone who purchases a device will know what it looks like), (2) test results (the public has a right to review a test report showing compliance with the FCC regulations) and (3) the user's manual. In general, the only information that is granted confidentiality is patented trade-secret information that if given out could harm a company financially.

Step four: The filing process

The FCC greatly streamlined the approval process. Certifications were once issued by the FCC directly, but independent testing laboratories are now allowed to issue certification though the Telecommunication Certification Body (TCB) program. They can also issue certifications for other countries with which the US has a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA). TCB's must be accredited and comply with Section 2.962.

The filing process is usually done by the test lab as a part of their service. The lab will compile the test report, photographs, and other items listed above. The TCB will review all application materials and, if the device conforms to the requirements, they will upload this information to the FCC. After the FCC receives the report they will add the product and the ID number to their database and their website and issue a Grant of Certification. At this point, the device can be legally marketed and sold. After certification, the FCC or the TCB may request a sample of the product to confirm ongoing FCC compliance.

Consideration for operation within the 260-470 MHz band

Introduction

This section is designed to give the reader a basic understanding of the legal and technical considerations for operation of RF devices in the 260-470 MHz band within the United States. The use of these frequency bands varies considerably worldwide, so it should be recognized that this application note is intended for designers utilizing Linx RF modules and planning to operate in the United States.

When working with RF, a clear distinction should always be made between what is technically possible and what is legally acceptable. Achieving a solution that meets technical objectives but cannot be legally sold or operated serves little use. As such, issues of legality should be given high priority.

Legal considerations

In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is responsible for the regulation of all RF devices. These regulations are contained in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 47. Title 47 is made up of numerous volumes; however, all regulations applicable to operation in the 260-470 MHz band are contained in volume 0-19. It is strongly recommended that a copy be obtained and reviewed in its entirety. You can get a full copy of the code from your local government bookstore, the Government Printing office in Washington, or the FCC website.

What is unlicensed operation?

Certain bands within the RF spectrum are available for ''unlicensed'' operation. The term ''unlicensed'' is often misunderstood. The manufacturer of a product designed for ''unlicensed'' operation is not exempt from testing and/or certification. Indeed, both the transmitter and receiver must be tested by a qualified testing laboratory. However, once this has been done and any necessary approvals received, the end user of the product can then operate it without obtaining a license for its use.

Receiver procedure

The approval procedures for transmitters and receivers are quite different. The receiver is considered an unintentional radiator and is subject to authorization under the Declaration of Conformity process. This is a simple process in which an accredited laboratory tests the product to ensure that the equipment complies with FCC standards. The test results should be maintained within your files but an FCC filing or submittal is not required unless specifically requested pursuant to Section 2.1076.

Following successful completion of this process, the end product should be labeled as prescribed by the FCC.

Transmitter procedure

The transmitter is an intentional radiator and subject to certification. Certification testing should be performed by properly approved laboratory. In most cases you do not need to be present for testing and your chosen laboratory will prepare the filing paperwork. Certifications were once issued by the FCC directly, but now independent laboratories are allowed to issue certification though the Telecommunication Certification Body (TCB) program which has streamlined the process.

Following successful testing, a report will be produced showing information about the testing and your device. A label displaying your FCC ID number along with FCC prescribed information will need to be placed on your certified product.

The rules for transmitters operating in the 260-470 MHz band are governed by Part 15.231. In some bands the FCC specifies only fundamental power, harmonic levels, and allowed bandwidth. However, in the case of the 260-470 MHz band, the FCC also considers factors such as the intended application and transmission duration.

You will want to review the text of 15.231 in its entirety. When reviewing this section, it is critical to read paragraphs (A)-(D) as a unit, and recognize that paragraph (E) only applies if the rules of paragraph (A) cannot be met. Given the rules' complexity and application-dependent nature, they are best illustrated in Figure 1.

Functional Requirements

Once you are certain your application is allowed in principle, you will want to focus on understanding the specific functional requirements that must be met in order for your product to receive certification.

Determine and comply with allowed output power

Figure 2 shows the relationship between the fundamental frequency of operation and the allowed output power. Since the output power is allowed to climb as the frequency increases, it might appear that selecting the highest frequency would give the best range performance. This is not the case, however, since free space attenuation increases proportional to frequency. Thus, the regulations equalize the bands propagation characteristics. Antenna size and efficiency should also be considered. Compact or reduced sized antennas will generally not be as efficient at the lower parts of the band.

It is always important to note that the RF level radiated into free space is dependent not only on raw output power, but also factors such as the type of antenna employed, circuit layout and ground plane. Most transmitter modules, including those manufactured by Linx, are capable of producing non-compliant output levels. This extra power helps designers overcome inefficient antenna styles and allows them to take advantage of the FCC's averaging allowance when modulation techniques such as ASK/OOK are employed. If the module is matched to an efficient antenna, the output power may need to be reduced using the module's level adjust or an external attenuation pad. For further details, review Linx Application Note #00150.

Figure 1: The Part 15 approval process.

Figure 2: Frequency of operation versus output power.

In addition to fundamental output power restrictions, the FCC also regulates allowed harmonic levels and occupied bandwidth.

Since this article is oriented toward users of Linx products, little detail is needed on these points as Linx modules are designed to meet these requirements. It is important, however, to note that there are ways in which a user can adversely affect harmonic content, including the use of a poorly matched or tuned antenna, supply/system noise, or layout or bypass issues.

While these considerations of legality may appear formidable, they generally are not. By choosing a correct operational frequency and using a pre-made RF module, a product designer's burden is greatly reduced. With proper attention to such basics as good layout, clean supply lines, and a properly matched antenna, RF success can be a nearly painless process.

Now that your application has hopefully survived the legal considerations outlined above, let's consider the actual technical issues of operation in these frequencies.

Benefits of operation in the 260-470 MHz band

First, it should be recognized that the unusual restrictions placed on the band by the FCC do more than just make a designer's life miserable. The random periodic nature of transmissions resulting from these restrictions helps to keep this set of frequencies clear of sustained interference. Other Part 15 bands are potentially crowded with continuous transmissions of voice, data, video, and even microwave ovens.

Second, longer transmission distances are achieved with less power. The free space propagation of frequencies in this range is significantly better than at higher frequencies such as 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz. Therefore, lower output power is needed to attain any particular distance and power consumption is significantly reduced.

Third is cost effectiveness. The components used at these frequencies are lower in cost than those designed for higher frequencies.

Fourth is international regulatory compatibility. If your product will be sold abroad, you will want to plan for international compatibility. Band allocation and regulations vary from country to country. For additional information you may wish to refer to Linx Application Note #129.

Common frequencies within the band and their uses

As you review Linx product offerings, you will notice three standard frequencies within the 260-470 MHz band. These frequencies are 315, 418, and 433.92 MHz.

315 MHz is commonly used for gate/garage door openers, security, and keyless entry systems.418 MHz is a very clean frequency here in the US and also appropriate for operation in Canada.433.92 MHz is used throughout all of Europe. While it is allowable for use here in the US and Canada, interference from amateur radio, the nearby pager band and active RFID tags may sometimes pose a problem.SummaryThe 260-470 MHz band is ideal for transmitting control, command, or status signals. It should also be given consideration for control signals accompanied by data such as time, temperature, or pressure.

Considerations for operation within the 902-928 MHz band

Introduction

This section is designed to give the reader a basic understanding of the legal and technical considerations for operation of RF devices in the 902-928 MHz band. The use of these frequency bands varies considerably worldwide, so it should be recognized that this application note is intended for designers utilizing Linx RF modules and planning for operation within the United States.

When working with RF, a clear distinction should always be made between what is technically possible and what is legally acceptable. Achieving a solution that meets technical objectives but cannot be legally sold or operated serves little use. As such, issues of legality should be given high priority.

Legal considerations

In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is responsible for the regulation of all RF devices. These regulations are contained in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 47. Title 47 is made up of numerous volumes; however, all regulations applicable to operation in the 902-928 MHz band are contained in volume 0-19. It is strongly recommended that a full copy of the code be obtained from your local government bookstore, the Government Printing office, or the FCC website.

What is unlicensed operation?

Certain bands within the RF spectrum are available for ''unlicensed'' operation. The term ''unlicensed'' is often misunderstood. The manufacturer of a product designed for ''unlicensed'' operation is not exempt from testing and/or certification. Indeed, both the transmitter and receiver must be tested by a qualified testing laboratory. However, once the necessary approvals are received, the end user can then operate the product without further obligation or licensing.

The frequencies from 902-928MHz are allocated for a wide variety of unlicensed applications. These include unlicensed products operating under Part 15 as well as Part 18 Industrial/Scientific/Medical (ISM) devices.

What must I do to be unlicensed?

Part 15 requirements for many bands are somewhat obscure and difficult to interpret. Thankfully, the regulations of Part 15 for the 902-928 MHz band are very straightforward. There are no restrictions on the application, content or duration of transmissions, only on factors such as power output, bandwidth, harmonic and spurious emissions.

While Linx modules are inherently designed to meet these requirements, it is important to note that external factors such as layout, antenna type, and output power can affect both the module's performance and compliance. While these issues may appear formidable, they are generally not. By choosing the correct operational frequency and using a pre-made RF module, a product designer's burden is greatly reduced. Since the approval procedures for transmitters and receivers are quite different, let's look at each separately.

Receiver procedure

The receiver is considered an unintentional radiator and is subject to authorization under the Declaration of Conformity process. This is a simple process in which an accredited laboratory tests the product to ensure that the equipment complies with all applicable FCC standards. An FCC filing or submittal is not required unless specifically requested pursuant to Section 2.1076. The test results should be maintained within the applicant's files.

Following successful completion of this process, the end product should be labeled as prescribed by the FCC.

Transmitter procedure

The transmitter is an intentional radiator and subject to certification. In most instances, users of modules manufactured by Linx will seek certification under part 15.247 for Spread Spectrum modules or under 15.249 for narrowband modules. An exception to this is RF modules which have been pre-certified by Linx under the modular approval process. In instances where certification is required, testing will need to be performed by a properly approved laboratory. In most cases it is not necessary to be present for testing and the laboratory will prepare the filing paperwork. Certifications were once issued by the FCC directly, but now independent laboratories are allowed to issue certification though the Telecommunication Certification Body (TCB) program which has greatly streamlined the process.

Following successful testing, a report will be produced showing information about the testing and the device. A label displaying the applicant's FCC ID number along with FCC prescribed information will need to be placed on the certified product.

Now that a basic overview of legal issues has been covered, it is time to consider the technical issues of operation in these frequencies.

Benefits of operation within the 902-928 MHz band

The first benefit of the 902-928 MHz band is freedom from the tight limitations and application restrictions the FCC places on some other bands. In this band virtually any analog or digital signal can be sent without restrictions on content or duration.

Second, higher legal output power allows the potential for much longer transmission distances.

Third, the propagation of frequencies in the 900 MHz range is better than at higher frequencies such as 2.4 GHz. Therefore, lower output power is needed to attain any particular distance, reducing transmitter power consumption.

Fourth is antenna size and compactness. A useful byproduct of higher frequency is shorter wavelength. This allows a 1/4-wave antenna in the 900 MHz range to typically be less than 3.25 inches in length. In fact, Linx's Antenna Factor division offers tiny surface mount antennas that are less than 0.65 inches in length, allowing for easy concealment in compact portable products.

Drawbacks to the 902-928 MHz band

The first drawback is the band's popularity (good in rock and roll, bad in RF). Products such as cordless phones have migrated to higher frequencies, but the growth of wireless and the benefits of the band make it likely to remain crowded.

Second is the potential for higher level interferers. In addition to its allocation for narrow-band devices, the 902-928 MHz frequency range is also allocated for higher power devices. While Linx employs a variety of techniques to minimize the possible impact of such interference, it should be considered.

Third is export. Allowed uses of the 900 MHz band vary outside the US and a products operation may not be legally allowable in other areas. Fortunately, nearby frequencies are standardized in the large European market. Linx offers a selection of footprint compatible products which accommodate domestic and export requirements with just a change of modules and antennas. For additional information you may wish to refer to Linx Application Note #129. Check the regulations for each country to which export is desired in order to assure the product will be legal.

Summary

The 902-928 MHz band is highly favorable due to minimal legal restrictions and excellent propagation characteristics. It is an ideal choice for analog or digital links, especially those that require reliability over long distances or which might be prohibited in other bands.

For additional information on FCC regulations you may wish to contact the FCC directly.

Federal Communications CommissionOffice of Engineering and Technology7435 Oakland Mills RoadColumbia, MD 21046Phone: (301) 362-3000Fax: (301) 344-2050E-mail: labhelp@fcc.govYou may also wish to visit the Linx Technologies website at www.linxtechnologies.com. where a list of testing facilities and applicable sections of FCC regulations are available for review and download.Frequently asked questions

How can I obtain more information on the approval process?

You may wish to obtain additional literature and application notes from Linx by visiting our website at www.linxtechnologies.com. You may also visit the FCC's website at www.fcc.gov, email them at fccinfo@fcc.gov or call them at 1-888-CALL-FCC.

Where can I obtain a copy of the FCC Rules and Regulations?

The Rules and Regulations can be found online at:

http://www.fcc.gov/searchtools.html#rulesCFR Title 47, Parts 2 and 15 cover the use of Linx products. Excerpts from these parts are contained in this document. For a paper copy, you should go to the Government Printing Office's website at:http://bookstore.gpo.gov/

and indicate that you need a copy of Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations (47CFR). If your need is for equipment authorization, you will require Volume 1, which contains Parts 0-19. Their telephone number is 866-512-1800 and email is ContactCenter@gpo.gov. You can also contact the Government Printing Office (GPO) in your local area for a copy of the rules. The telephone number for the GPO in your local area can be obtained from your telephone directory or operator, listed under the Federal Government.

I wish to locate a test laboratory in my area. Is there a list of laboratories in my area?

The FCC Laboratory makes available such a listing and it is updated monthly. This information is online.

How long will it take to receive an approval?

The testing will depend on the current backlog of the test facility that you choose. If your product passes the testing, the TCB will generally issue a Grant of Certification within a few days.

What does testing and certification cost?

This depends largely on the test lab and how many of their services you choose to utilize. Full transmitter and receiver testing can cost around $5,000, transmitter only around $3,500, and the receiver about $1,500. The entire process can now be rapidly completed and many labs can perform other testing at the same time.

What if my application is denied and I don't think the FCC correctly understood my product?

The FCC sees thousands of applications a year. Depending on your presentation, an inspector may misinterpret information. It is possible. If you feel you have fairly complied with the regulations, you will want to exercise your rights in accordance with CFR 47 2.923 and petition for reconsideration and review.

What happens if I change my design? Like a case, board or antenna?

For certified equipment (generally your transmitter), the holder of the grant of certification, or the holder's agent, can make minor modifications to the circuitry, appearance, or other design aspects of the transmitter. Minor modifications are divided into two categories: Class I Permissive Changes and Class II Permissive Changes. Major changes are not permitted.

Minor changes that do not increase the radio frequency emissions from the transmitter do not require the grantee to file any information with the FCC. These are called Class I Permissive Changes (Note: if a Class I Permissive Change causes your product to look different from the one that was certified, it is strongly suggested that photos of the modified transmitter be filed with the FCC).

Minor changes that increase the radio frequency emissions from the transmitter require the grantee to file complete information about the change along with results of tests showing that the equipment continues to comply with FCC technical standards. In this case, the modified equipment may not be marketed under the existing grant of certification prior to acknowledgement by the Commission that the change is acceptable. These are called Class II Permissive Changes.

Major changes require that a new grant be obtained by submitting a new application with complete test results. Some examples of major changes include changes to the basic frequency determining and stabilizing circuitry; changes to the frequency multiplication stages or basic modulator circuit; and major changes to the size, shape, or shielding properties of the case.

No changes are permitted to certified equipment by anyone other than the grantee or the grantee's designated agent except that changes to the FCC ID without any other changes to the equipment may be performed by anyone.

The receiver is covered by a Declaration of Conformity (DoC), which states that the product was tested by the Grantee and found to comply with the applicable technical standards. The test data should be kept on file by the responsible party as defined in CFR 47 2.209, but nothing is actually filed with the FCC. This means that you will just need to have data on your product on file that shows that the modified product still complies with the regulations. Nothing needs to be filed with the FCC for changes in products covered by a DoC.

Where can I look up information on equipment if I know the FCC ID number?

The FCC maintains a database that can be searched on the Internet. The database contains information on all equipment that was granted through the Equipment Authorization process.

What happens if one sells or uses noncompliant low-power transmitters?

Bad idea. The FCC rules are designed to control the marketing of low-power transmitters and, to a lesser extent, their use. The act of selling or leasing, offering to sell or lease, or importing a low-power transmitter that has not gone through the appropriate FCC equipment authorization procedure is a violation of the Commission's rules and federal law. Violators may be subject to an enforcement action by the Commission's Field Operations Bureau that could result in:

Forfeiture of all non-compliant equipment.A $100,000/$200,000 criminal penalty for an individual or organization.A criminal fine totaling twice the gross gain obtained from sales of the non-compliant equipment.An administrative fine totaling $10,000/day per violation, up to a maximum of $75,000.What if my intended use or application does not seem to have been clearly addressed by the FCC?Recognizing that new uses of low-power transmitters often generate questions that are not directly addressed in the regulations, the FCC generally welcomes inquiries or requests for specific interpretations. Occasionally, the FCC proposes changes to its regulations, generally to address industry concerns and/or as new uses of low-power transmission equipment appear. Any questions can be directed to the FCC at fccinfo@fcc.gov or 1-888-CALL-FCC.

How close to the products tested are production units required to be?

In the FCC's own word: identical. However, ''identical'' is further defined as identical within the variations that can be expected to arise as a result of quantity-production techniques. One of the advantages of using Linx modules is the tight production control and testing procedures to which the modules are subjected. Similar controls over the rest of your product's production will make compliance with these requirements straightforward.

Does the receiver need to be certified?

The receivers must be issued a Declaration of Conformity (DoC) by an accredited test lab. This is far less complicated and expensive than a transmitter certification. There is not an actual filing with the FCC. Just keep these documents in your company files.

This document is not endorsed nor approved by the FCC and no affiliation between Linx and the FCC is meant to be inferred.

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Source: EconomicPolicyJournal.com

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 19:40

A partial list of the Founding Fathers' ages on July 4, 1776:Marquis de Lafayette, 18

Aaron Burr, 20

Alexander Hamilton, 21

James Madison, 25

John Jay, 30

Thomas Jefferson, 33

Thomas Paine, 39

John Adams, 40

George Washington, 44

Samuel Adams, 53

Benjamin Franklin, 70

Historian David McCullough explained the phenomenon of picturing our Founding Fathers as older than they actually were:

We tend to see them as much older than they were. Because we're seeing them in portraits by Gilbert Stuart and others when they were truly the Founding Fathers '-- when they were president or chief justice of the Supreme Court and their hair, if it hadn't turned white, was powdered white. We see the awkward teeth. We see the elder statesmen. At the time of the Revolution, they were all young. It was a young man's''young woman's cause.

(Via AEI)

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Fri, 16 Aug 2013 19:42

''Now [Edward Snowden] has provided The Internet Chronicle with top-secret Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) documents outlining just how terrible the solar flares' results will be. In just two months, ''the killshot'' is set to disable all electronic food and water delivery systems.'' Not to mention the Internet and all our computerized systems! This may be a cover-story in advance for the NSA to detonate a massive EMP, create communication chaos and impose a fascistic, military-police state.

I would be surprised if a solar phenomenon of this kind would be predictable with such specificity, which raises serious questions about whether Snowden is out there to put out this story. It may also be the reason why DHS is gearing up for a civil war with the citizens of the US and why Barack Obama is going crazy promoting gun control and trying to defend the NSA surveillance program, in violation of his oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. For me, his defense of NSA spying has been the last straw. The man should be impeached.

MOSCOW, Russia '' Edward Snowden, hacker-fugitive and former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor, revealed Tuesday that a series of solar flares is set to occur in September, killing hundreds of millions of people. Documents provided by Snowden prove that, as of 14 years ago, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) remote viewers knew that the event was inevitable. Ever since, the world's governments have quietly been trying to prepare for the sweeping global famine to result.

Speaking from his room at Sheremetyevo Airport's Hotel Novotel, Snowden revealed that government preparations for September's catastrophic solar flares have been ''to only limited avail.'' The flares' results, he said, are known casually throughout the global intelligence community as ''the killshot.''

Remote viewers employed by the CIA's Project Stargate use their ability to perceive geographically and chronologically distant events to protect America. Since 1999 they have known about the solar-flare event but have been threatened into silence by enforcers on the secret government's payroll.

As a part of hiring Snowden as a contractor, the NSA granted the 30-year-old access to all communications on earth. Now he has provided The Internet Chronicle with top-secret Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) documents outlining just how terrible the solar flares' results will be. In just two months, ''the killshot'' is set to disable all electronic food and water delivery systems.

Ever since the late 20th century, hundreds of millions of people have begun to rely on technological automation to enable their very lives. Solar flares release electromagnetic pulses, hazardous to electronic circuits. The smallest electronic circuits, such as those in computers' central processing units, will be the most vulnerable.

Snowden said FEMA and the National Disaster Reduction Center of China have been taking steps for 14 years in light of the findings of Project Stargate. FEMA's own documents, provided by Snowden, lay out how the organization plans to round up tens of millions of the poorest Americans for housing at secure locations ''to better facilitate feeding and provision of consumer goods.''

YouTube - Veterans Today -

Snowden, for years a CIA contractor, released testimonials from hundreds of remote viewers. Many of those remote viewers are still on the payroll of the governments of the United States and the Russian Federation. Those testimonials, though written independently by the analysts, are comprised of 4,472 pages, every single one of which, alarmingly, evince Snowden's account.

''The massive electromagnetic pulse from the solar flares, or 'the killshot,' will shutter most of the world's electrical systems,'' said Snowden. ''The Americans whose lives are most at risk are the elderly and the infirmed, those who depend on technology to enable their receiving home care or life-sustaining medical treatment.''

Throughout the 1970s and the 1990s, Russia and the United States were desperate to track and monitor the construction and maintenance of each other's nuclear silos. The nations' governments openly admitted having poured billions of dollars into the training of elite teams of remote viewers. With their powers, the remote viewers were able to deter nuclear launches and, ultimately, bring an end to the Cold War. In the mid-'90s, the CIA simply pretended to close its remote-viewing program, so that it could operate more effectively.

Snowden said he hopes that his coming forward will allow Project Stargate's participants to be able to live normal, open lives again, ''instead of as circus animals, instead of as freaks.'' He added, ''[Significant others of Project Stargate employees] have to get Q clearances just to cohabitate with, without even marrying, their loved ones. That's tantamount to slavery.''

Humanity is about to pay a most dire price for its technological dependence. That price, said Snowden, proved a leading factor in his decision to come forward to the press '' about both the global Holocaust to ensue, as well as NSA analysts' power, on the slightest whim, to listen to the phone calls of any person on earth.

Snowden said, with regard to CIA remote viewers, ''I have seen too many brave whistleblowers become subjects of smear and ridicule for using their talents to expose the truth.'' Added Snowden, bitterly, ''Well, we'll see who's Mr. Chuckles when 'the killshot' goes down.''

WikiLeaks attorneys; and Anatoly Kucherena, Snowden's own counsel, together produced a video calling for calm and global preparedness. Monday, Snowden sent the video, below, to the Russian Federal Migration Service as part of his call for asylum.

This article may be found at ''Edward Snowden Solar-Flare ''Killshot'' Cataclysm Imminent''.

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Source: Federal Register Latest Entries

Sat, 17 Aug 2013 12:51

This is notice, in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR Part 404, that the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, is contemplating the grant of an exclusive patent license to practice the inventions embodied in the following U.S. Patents and Patent Applications to Bavarian Nordic Immunotherapeutics (''BNIT'') located in Mountain View, CA, USA.

Intellectual Property: U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/701,528 [HHS Ref. No. E-054-2011/0-US-01] filed September 17, 2012, entitled ''Methods and Compositions for the Treatment of Cancer,'' as well as all international applications, continuation applications and divisional applications.

The patent rights in these inventions have been assigned to the government of the United States of America.

The prospective exclusive license territory may be worldwide and the field of use will be limited to the use of Licensed Patent Rights for development of pox virus-based immunotherapeutics for colorectal cancer.

Only written comments and/or applications for a license which are received by the NIH Office of Technology Transfer on or before September 18, 2013 will be considered.

Requests for copies of the patent application, inquiries, and comments relating to the contemplated exclusive license should be directed to: Sabarni K. Chatterjee, Ph.D., M.B.A. Licensing and Patenting Manager, Cancer Branch, Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health, 6011 Executive Boulevard, Suite 325, Rockville, MD 20852-3804; Telephone: (301) 435-5587; Facsimile: (301) 435-4013; Email: chatterjeesa@od.nih.gov.

Cancer immunotherapy is a recent approach where tumor associated antigens (TAAs), which are primarily expressed in human tumor cells and not expressed or minimally expressed in normal tissues, are employed to generate a tumor-specific immune response. Specifically, these antigens serve as targets for the host immune system and elicit responses that result in tumor destruction.

The technology relates to the development of cancer vaccines utilizing pox virus vectors encoding proteins involved in regulating the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) during vertebrate development, as a cancer antigen. Dr. Jeffrey Schlom et al. at NCI have demonstrated for the first time that a T-box transcription factor and a molecule implicated in EMT, namely the Brachyury protein, appears to be highly expressed in metastasizing tumor cells, and could be a potential target for human T-cell mediated cancer immunotherapy, such as for tumors of the lung, intestine, stomach, kidney, bladder, uterus, ovary, testis, colon and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

The prospective exclusive license will be royalty bearing and will comply with the terms and conditions of 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR 404.7. The prospective exclusive license may be granted unless within thirty (30) days from the date of this published notice, the NIH receives written evidence and argument that establishes that the grant of the license would not be consistent with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR 404.7.

Applications for a license in the field of use filed in response to this notice will be treated as objections to the grant of the contemplated exclusive license. Comments and objections submitted to this notice will not be made available for public inspection and, to the extent permitted by law, will not be released under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552.

Dated: August 13, 2013.

Richard U. Rodriguez,

Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health.

[FR Doc. 2013-20057 Filed 8-16-13; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4140-01-P

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Fri, 16 Aug 2013 15:52

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Source: MRCTV - News & Politics

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 16:29

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State Dep't Asked If Obama's Egypt Policy Is 'Worthy' of a Nobel Peace Prize Winner - See more at: http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/state-dept-asked-if-obamas-egypt-policy-worthy-nobel-peace-prize-winner#sthash.k96VEKgq.dpuf

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Sun, 18 Aug 2013 01:23

In the digital world, almost everything you do to communicate leaves a trace. Often, emails are stored on servers even after they're deleted. Phone calls create logs detailing which numbers connected, when and for how long. Your mobile phone can create a record of where you are.

If you're a journalist trying to protect a confidential source, this is a very difficult world to work in.

"I have been running around in my newsroom, screaming about this ... for years," says Julia Angwin, who covers computer security and privacy at The Wall Street Journal. "There's so much evidence now that journalists are being targeted, that our communications are vulnerable and, mostly, that our sources are being put in jail."

It's in this context that The New York Times decided to outsource its email to Google. This summer, the paper moved all of its reporters onto corporate Gmail accounts. Before the switch, Times emails were stored on servers it owned; now those messages are in Google's digital filing cabinet.

'A Sense Of Nervousness'

Unlike the free Gmail used by millions of consumers, corporate Gmail accounts cost money and offer greater privacy protections. But that protection is not complete, and the move could leave Times reporters and their sources with fewer legal protections if they are the subject of a government investigation.

Angwin says one of the reasons that so many journalists have been unable to protect their sources is that records about whom they are talking to are collected by third parties. Last year, when the Department of Justice was investigating a leak about a foiled terrorism plot in Yemen, it didn't subpoena reporters at the Associated Press. Instead, it went to Verizon and asked for the records of calls going into and out of the AP's bureaus.

Prosecutors also go after journalists' private email accounts. And often investigative requests to companies like Google and Verizon come with gag orders.

"I find that all of this, including the AP revelations, contributed to a sense of nervousness among sources," says Jennifer Valentino-DeVries, also of The Wall Street Journal. "Even people who are not discussing particularly sensitive information with me will comment about the possibility of my emails and phone calls being tapped. And I think that's been disconcerting."

"I worry a lot about the outsourcing of email at a news organization. We only have two layers of protection, right? One is technological and one is legal," Angwin says. "So certainly our lawyers at a news organization are gonna fight to protect our emails. But, if they don't fully control them technically, they can't mount a very good argument.

"If Gmail is handling our emails, then we have to rely on them to mount our legal arguments," she adds. "And that's not a situation that news organizations have been in, in the past."

Investigations And Gag Orders

The New York Times isn't the only media organization to outsource its email. In a statement, it said it had discussed the legal issues involved in detail and the company is confident that its deal with Google, combined with precautions its journalists are now taking, has enhanced the protection of sensitive information. Right now, the Times believes hackers are a bigger security threat than government investigations or gag orders.

Fred Cate, the director of the Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research at Indiana University, says a large email service provider like Google may very well offer better security. Still, Cate says, when it comes to mounting a legal defense against a leak investigation, the Times is making itself vulnerable.

"There will be a gap. There is no question that there's going to be a gap," Cate says. "Because previously you would have had to serve that piece of paper on The New York Times."

Now, an investigator would serve Google. And if the request comes with a gag order, the Times might never know.

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Sat, 17 Aug 2013 21:43

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Sun, 18 Aug 2013 00:44

Posted Friday, August 16th 2013 @ 2pm

Comments Mayor Bloomberg made on WOR 710's "The John Gambling Show" Friday is causing an uproar among the mayoral candidates. Bloomberg told John Gambling, "what we really should have is fingerprinting to get in," when talking about ways to improve safety in NYC's public housing.

Since making those comments numerous mayoral candidates have come out blasting Bloomberg's suggestion.

Bill Thompson: "Just like stop-and-frisk, this is another direct act of treating minorities like criminals,'' Thompson said in a statement. "Mayor Bloomberg wants to make New Yorkers feel like prisoners in their own homes."

Bill de Blasio: "The mayor's comments that New Yorkers who enter public housing should be fingerprinted is outrageous and insulting, and shows just how out of touch this administration has become," de Blasio said in a statement. "Mayor Bloomberg needs to apologize for these remarks."

According to the Wall Street Journal, both Thompson and de Blasio have suggested installing security cameras in public housing to try and improve safety.

Listen to Bloomberg's comments on WOR 710 below.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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Sat, 17 Aug 2013 00:05

BY:Washington Free Beacon StaffAugust 16, 2013 5:00 pm

CNN anchor Jake Tapper called out State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki for dodging his question about whether the Egyptian military was using U.S.-supplied weapons to kill citizens during the recent crisis there, saying he didn't want to waste the viewers' time.

During an interview on The Lead, Psaki repeated her talking points that the violence was ''deplorable'' and the administration was reviewing the situation day by day, but she would not answer the question, despite Tapper's follow-up for a direct response.

TAPPER: The U.S. has provided tens of billions in aid to the Egyptian military over the years, mostly in the form of assets, weapons and ammunition and the like. I guess the big question right now, as the world watches, is for the Americans. Are supplies that the U.S. has given Egypt now being used to kill civilians in the street?

PSAKI: Well, Jake, first let me say that what's happening on the ground in Egypt, what we've seen over the past couple of days, is deplorable, is horrific. There are not enough adjectives to describe it. You've heard the president and the secretary describe it in that way as well. We're obviously looking very closely at our broad relationship with Egypt. You can't have business as usual when hundreds of civilians are being killed in the street. But we have a broad, enduring partnership and strategic relationship with Egypt that's been going on for decades, so that's why we're doing this review very carefully. We've taken some steps to cut off certain forms of aid but we're continuing to review day by day.

TAPPER: But are American munitions that were given by the U.S. to Egypt, are they actually tools of slaughter? Do we know that one way or the other?

PSAKI: Well, Jake, obviously we're watching every event happening on the ground very closely. Regardless of where these tools are from, this is horrific what is happening to civilians on the ground. It certainly is not acceptable to the president, to the Secretary of State, to anybody in the administration, and we are evaluating and reviewing the events that are happening on the ground and the steps being taken by the interim government every single day.

TAPPER: I don't want to waste your time or our viewers', but I'll respectfully note you're not answering that question.

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Sat, 17 Aug 2013 21:50

And we're joined by Arjun Makhijani, an engineer -- engineer specializing in nuclear fusion. He's the president of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research. And Kenji Kushida, research associate in Japanese studies at Stanford University.

Well, Arjun Makhijani, let me start with you. Translate for us first to bring us up to date. What exactly is the problem now and how serious is it?

ARJUN MAKHIJANI, Institute for Energy and Environmental Research: So there are a couple of different problems. One of the problems is what they have found in the groundwater and what actually is there.

So, so far, we have been concerned about an element called cesium, cesium 137 and 134, which is radioactive. But now they have found strontium-90, which is much more dangerous, at levels that are 30 times more than cesium. So to give you an idea of the level of contamination, if somebody drank that water for a year, they would almost certainly get cancer. So it's very contaminated.

So that's one problem. The other is the defenses to hold back this water from the sea seem to be overcome. So now the contaminated waters, 70,000, 80,000 gallons is flowing into the sea every day.

JEFFREY BROWN: And do we know how far out to sea this contaminated water is going and what happens to it when it goes into the sea?

ARJUN MAKHIJANI: Well, when it goes into the sea, of course, some of it will disperse and dilute. Some of it goes into the sediment and some of it is taken up by the life in the sea.

And the unfortunate thing about strontium especially is that it bioaccumulates in algae, it bioaccumulates in fish. It targets the bone, because it's like calcium. And so this is a problem. We don't have measurements far out to sea. The Woods Hole Institute has done some surveys. And they were surprised by how much continuing radioactivity they found, but no clear explanation yet.

JEFFREY BROWN: All right.

Well, Kenji Kushida, how has this news been received in Japan and what is the level of trust at this point in both the company and the government?

KENJI KUSHIDA, Stanford University: Well, clearly, trust in the company has gone down quite seriously, even from a low point after the accident.

And the government does need to -- basically, they don't have to call an election for about three years, so the government is trying to shore up its decision to support restarting nuclear reactors by showing some kind of commitment to preventing this disaster from getting too much worse.

JEFFREY BROWN: Well, what kind of steps is it taking and how much has it -- we just heard the clips in the setup talking about action. What kinds of things are they proposing and how energized, how seriously are they taking this?

KENJI KUSHIDA: Well, it seems to be fairly serious, because the budget that they're asking for is for the following year, for the fiscal year of 2014, to help shore up the defenses against this.

And TEPCO itself, it's been de facto nationalized. So, in essence, it's basically the government's problem. The buck stops with the government. So how to deal with this 400 tons a day of water pouring from the underground passageways into the reactor buildings, that's a problem that the government has to deal with.

And about 50 percent of the population in a recent poll was against restarting nuclear reactors after certifying their safety, and about 40 percent were supporting the restarting. And the government, as a strong supporter of restarting reactors, do feel it's quite a bit of their responsibility to deal with it.

JEFFREY BROWN: All right, well, I want to come back to that subject, but first, Arjun Makhijani, what about these measures that they're taking to try to stop the contamination, the leaking water, building tanks, walls, freezing the ground?

ARJUN MAKHIJANI: Yes.

Well, you know, they already built this chemical-reinforced wall, and what happened, of course, it's like a dam, so you have water coming in from upstream, above the plant. And then at a certain point, it's going to get -- overtop the dam. It's like constant rain coming into a reservoir.

And so that has been the problem, is those defenses have been breached because there's too much water and not enough wall. And at a certain point that's always going to be the case. It seems to me that there's a risk the same thing will happen with this new wall, because they already had a wall and it didn't work. So, building a new and longer wall would work for some time.

The other problem is, of course, you need a massive amount of water to freeze that much soil. It would be a mile-long, apparently. If you have a power failure, another major earthquake -- they had a power failure a few months ago when a rat ate through a wire -- and that would then be very, very problematic, because now you have got so much water behind.

We actually sent a proposal to Japan two years ago, some colleagues of mine and I, saying you should park a supertanker or a large tanker offshore, and put the water in it, and send it off someplace else so that the water treatment and the water management is not such a huge, constant issue. But...

JEFFREY BROWN: It sounds like still an ongoing experiment.

ARJUN MAKHIJANI: Yes.

JEFFREY BROWN: Well, Kenji Kushida, come back to this question you were raising about the politics of this and the culture of nuclear power there.

There are still a lot of people that want to -- that feel it's necessary for Japan. Right? So, where does all that stand?

KENJI KUSHIDA: Well, the funny thing about the recent Japanese politics is that the nuclear issue didn't -- wasn't part of the main issues that were debated.

It was mostly about the economy. And there was partly a reason for that. As I just mentioned, the public is pretty deeply divided over this. But, interestingly, in Tokyo, the local candidate from Tokyo metropolitan area was running on an anti-nuclear power platform, and he got elected pretty safely.

So what we see here is the anti-nuclear power public, I mean, this is reinforces all their worst fears. You have the operator that doesn't seem to be in control, the government that says it's going to back it up, but the technological hurdles are just very high to doing that.

And, on the other hand, you have a fairly silent majority -- minority of about 40 percent who do think that some of the other reactors are necessary for maintaining Japan's economic competitiveness, because Japan doesn't have any natural resources. So, in the absence of nuclear power, they have to import very large amounts of liquid natural gas to basically generate the power that they need.

So there's this economic constraint that they see. And that's sort of where the public stands in its divisions.

JEFFREY BROWN: And very briefly...

(CROSSTALK)

JEFFREY BROWN: Oh, I'm sorry.

I was going to ask very briefly, Arjun Makhijani, is -- those kinds of debates, is what happened still rattling the whole industry worldwide?

ARJUN MAKHIJANI: Well, I think it is different in different places. It rattled Germany, and they decided to shut down. I don't think it's rattled the U.S. industry very much.

The French are somewhere in between. They, of course, get 75 percent of their power from nuclear, and they have decided or at least the president has said that they will decrease their nuclear to 50 percent. They're having a big energy debate, much more serious than we have had.

JEFFREY BROWN: All right, Arjun Makhijani and Kenji Kushida, thank you both very much.

KENJI KUSHIDA: Thank you.