Among the news highlighted in this issue of the Newsletter, European counterterrorism efforts are prominent in several areas. This isn't surprising, since 7 July marked the first anniversary of the London transport bombings. Reports about the UK, EU, and Australian response are in the relevant sections, while portraits of both victims and attackers are featured in Recommended Reading. We have also compiled three government reports about the attacks on a CD, for easy reference. New this week is a section in Emerging Threat Monitor that targets Natural Resources, covering such topics as economic risk, environmental harm and the paradox of the "oil curse".

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3. AML/CFT Monitor

The AML/CFT Monitor is a monthly 16-page print publication. News highlights from the past week are provided in this free email update, but detailed analysis, background information and source documents are only available to subscribers. Purchase a subscription at our online store:
TAMNI Publications

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AML/CFT Incidents/Cases
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Belgium's second largest financial services company, KBC Group NV, is being investigated for possible money laundering involving mortgage loans granted to one customer that passed its own internal investigation.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=as9Q__voUkJI

British police have returned about $1.8 million pounds cash seized from impeached Bayelsa State governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who had illegally acquired the money through public corruption. Alamieyeseigha's anti-money laundering trial continues.
http://cms.met.police.uk/news/policy_organisational_news_and_general_information/mps_hands_over_funds_to_nigeria
http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=52476

The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) has increased extortion demands, most recently against a regional director of the Reserve Bank of India.
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/8080.html

Israel Discount Bank has explained procedural weaknesses at the US subsidiary Israel Discount Bank of New York that led to laundering of $2.2 billion. These include failure to conduct appropriate due diligence audits, inadequate accounting  or compliance skill, and ineffective policies and procedures.
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/DocView.asp?did=1000109397&fid=1725

A Sierra Leone minister's son and a second suspect have been charged with money laundering in connection with failing to report cash and diamonds being brought into the country.
http://www.diamonds.net/news/newsitem.asp?num=15218

Global Witness documents "entrenched patterns of illicit exports of copper and cobalt across the DRC-Zambia border, with government and security officials either turning a blind eye to false or inaccurate export certificates, or actively colluding with trading companies to circumvent control procedures". The new report, "Digging in Corruption" finds undeclared mineral exports are causing a huge loss for DRC's economy, but huge gains for the political elite, encouraged by the influx of foreign countries. Elections scheduled for 30 July 2006 provide an opportunity for fundamental reforms that could improve DRC's development prospects.
http://www.globalwitness.org/reports/show.php/en.00095.html
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AML/CFT Legislation and Regulation
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The Egmont Group that represents more than 100 international financial investigation units will be housed and financed in Canada.
http://www.fin.gc.ca/news06/06-033e.html

The European Parliament has agreed on new measures to control money transfers, requiring that the name, address and account number of the sender of the transfer must always be transmitted together with the funds.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/957&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Bahrain's Shura Council amended its new money laundering law to ensure that supporting armed struggle against foreign tyrants, oppression, or colonization remains legal. Having done this, agreed to increase AML/CFT fines and sentences, whether associated with domestic organizations or abroad, and to give the finance ministry the ability to adjust the amount of money allowed to be transferred in or out of the country.

Bulgaria's parliament has amended anti-money laundering laws in accordance with international best practices and specific issues raised by the EU, in particular issues related to organized crime, beneficial holders, offshore transfers, and suspicious activity reporting. The ministries of Prosecution, Finance and the Interior have signed a cooperation agreement

Fred Mukinda, writing in the Daily Nation (Kenya), describes increased law enforcement efforts in Kenya, one of the major global drug trafficking transit points.
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=39&newsid=76504

The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has approved Yasaar Limited as the first advisory firm to offer compliance advice, including international regulations and Sharia compliance.
http://www.difc.ae/press_centre/archive/2006/272.html

The UK Financial Services Authority (FSA) released its first Annual Performance Account, including cases FSA investigated and their outcomes.
http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/annual/Enforcement_apa_%202005_06.pdf
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AML/CFT Modalities
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The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee completed six months of investigation into Organized Crime in Northern Ireland and has now released its report. They find both loyalist and republicans involved in organized crime, sometimes collaborating. They are involved in excise and tax frauds (including oils fraud and cigarette smuggling); intellectual property crime; extortion (intimidation and blackmail); drugs; armed robbery and cash in transit attacks; money laundering; illegal dumping; and, increasingly, human trafficking.
http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/northern_ireland_affairs/niorganised_crime.cfm

Liberia, International Alert, and the UN Development Program held the "Diamonds for Development" conference. There are as many as 500,000 small-scale diamond miners in West Africa. These diamonds have been used to fuel conflict, but with support can aid poor mining communities as well as national development.
http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/june-2006/diamonds-development-20060630.en
http://www.international-alert.org/

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4. Emerging Threat Monitor

For detailed analysis, background information and source documents consider subscribing. Subscriptions to Emerging Threat Monitor can be purchased at our online store:
TAMNI Publications

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ETM Corruption and Transnational Crime
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Transparency International's 2006 Progress Report: Enforcement of the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials has been published. It finds that only a third of OECD member states have taken significant enforcement action. Of particular concern are countries that play a major role in international trade but lack enforcement: Canada, Italy , Japan, the Netherlands, and the UK.
http://www.transparency.org/news_room/in_focus/oecd_progress

A French court has convicted 38 people in a bribery scandal, sentencing them to suspended prison terms of up to two years and fines of up to EU60,000. Many of those involved in the housing fraud case were friends of President Jacques Chirac, who was once the mayor of Paris. Some of the fraudulent payments went to Chirac's Rally for the Republic (RPR) party, but no prominent politicians were involved in the trial.

Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi, Lawyer David Mills (husband of the UK Culture Secretary), and 13 others have been charged in Italy with false accounting, tax fraud and embezzlement. The trial is scheduled to begin 21 November.

Kenyan security officers raided premises associated with a large fraud involving the fabrication of smart cards and tickets to the Kenyan Wildlife Service (KWS). More than 60 suspects working inside the KWS have been arrested for a conspiracy involving losses to KWS of some @2.8 million per year. Nature tourism is a major source of revenue in Kenya.
http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/&articleid=276183
http://www.kws.org/

Kenya's Kiruki Commission continues to investigate the case of two Armenian brothers, Artur Margaryan and Artur Sargsyn, who were involved in an airport security incident and are associated with questionable immigration practices and other suspicious activities.
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ETM Economies and Financial Systems
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The World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial meeting ended with no agreement. The issue of agricultural subsidies remains intractable. WTO director Pascal Lamy has warned of the crisis situation this represents. Trade ministers will meet again later this month.
http://www.wto.org

The stalled global trade agreement has broad implications. The status quo will force the world's poorest countries to be more dependent on global markets for cereals and meat and will be vulnerable to market fluctuations.
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000349/index.html

The Economic and Social Council held its annual policy session to review progress on the Millennium Development Goals. Meeting the main objective cut in half the proportion of people in the developing world living on $1 per day or less is on track by 2015. Large gains in South and East Asia have helped this, but there is slow progress in Latin America, and extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa persists. Coordinated macroeconomic policies are needed for world trade in order to address these imbalances.
http://www.un.org/docs/ecosoc/

The meeting also tackled the decent work deficit, and adopted a ministerial statement on full and productive employment as the key to sustainable development.
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/pr/2006/36.htm
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ETM Environment and Climate Change
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The European Parliament has approved proposals that airlines pay tax on aviation fuel (previously exempt) and join the EU carbon emissions trading scheme.

The Carbon Trust has called for urgent change to UK renewable energy policy after finding that official policies and high costs were limiting the renewables sector growth, and that it would only meet half the government target of 20 percent renewables by 2020.
http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/about/presscentre/070606_renewables_policy_framework.htm

Nils Christian Stenseth and other European researchers report that global climate change has changed migratory patterns in unexpected ways. "Rapid Advance of Spring Arrival Dates in Long-Distance Migratory Birds" was published in the 30 June issue of Science.
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/312/5782/1959
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/science/nature/5130538.stm

The Scripps Institution of Oceanography finds that rising seasonal temperatures and earlier arrival of spring are connected with the dramatic increase of large wildfires in the western US.
http://scrippsnews.ucsd.edu/article_detail.cfm?article_num=739

The US Department of Defense on 30 June gave the navy a first ever 6-month exemption from the Marine Mammal Protection Act to allow it to use powerful sonar equipment in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercise this week. Environmental groups applied for a restraining order, which was granted by a US federal judge in California. Sonar equipment potentially can harm whales and other sea mammals. The case will be heard 18 July.
http://www.nrdc.org/media/default.asp#0630a
http://www.c3f.navy.mil/RIMPAC_2006/

The UK breached a sea wall at Wallasea Island in Essex to create the country's largest man-made marine wetland.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2006/060704a.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/essex/5143802.stm
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ETM Human Rights
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The European Parliament has adopted an interim report that finds the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was in some cases directly responsible for illegal renditions in Europe.
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/019-9478-187-07-27-902-20060628IPR09342-06-07-2006-2006-true/default_en.htm (article)
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/019-9477-186-07-27-902-20060628IPR09341-05-07-2006-2006-false/default_en.htm (debate)

Note the film "Outlawed", which tells the stories of two victims of extraordinary rendition: Khaled El-Masri and Binyam Mohamed.
http://www.witness.org/index.php?option=com_rightsalert&Itemid=178&task=view&alert_id=49

Chinese rural activist Chen Guangcheng faces trial in connection with his actions to disclose forced sterilization or abortions by authorities strictly enforcing a 1-child policy.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/07/AR2006070701510.html
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA170372005?open&of=ENG-CHN

In preparation for the Khmer-Rouge genocide trials some time next year, the trial judges have been sworn in, and are beginning the lengthy process of investigation. About 1.7 million people were killed during Pol Pot's reign of terror.
http://www.cambodia.gov.kh/krt/
http://www.yale.edu/cgp/
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ETM Infectious Diseases
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Indonesian has confirmed its 40th human fatality from avian influenza H5N1.

Spain has confirmed its first case of H5N1, in a great crested grebe found in the northern province of Alava.

The World Bank estimates that a severe avian flu pandemic among humans could cost the global economy US $1.25 trillion to $2 trillion -- about 3.1 percent of world gross domestic product.
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:20979352~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html

The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has set up the first regional center for animal health in Africa.
http://www.oie.int/eng/press/en_060623.htm

The Conference Board reports that a significant majority of global corporations surveyed have a pandemic flu readiness plan in place or are in the process of developing one, particularly in large companies. Companies are most concerned about health and welfare of employees, operational continuity, and telecommuting capabilities.
http://www.conference-board.org/utilities/pressDetail.cfm?press_ID=2917

The European Commission has taken a number of measures to address avian influenza protection. These include controls on captive and pet birds; extension of the Dutch vaccination program and Hungary's prevention and control measures; restrictions on imports from China, Croatia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Turkey; a ban on untreated feathers; and an investigation into measures to combat the bird flu crisis in Italy.
http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/diseases/controlmeasures/avian/index_en.htm
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/929&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/928&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

The UK Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) launched a consultation on options for veterinary regulation of avian quarantine of captive birds and options to recover costs.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/avian-quarantine/index.htm
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/control/avianquarantine
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ETM Legal Systems
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The Indian government has introduced the idea of plea bargaining. By allowing an accused criminal to plead guilty in exchange for a reduced sentence, this measure could reduce pressure on the courts and help some 50,000 prisoners.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1711757.cms

Pakistan's President Musharraf has released more than a thousand female prisoners on bail as a step to improve justice for women. He has also asked for amending discriminatory Islamic laws.

A report in The Lancet warns that recently released prisoners are at much greater risk of suicide than the general population, and calls for the prison, probation, health and social services to collaborate in addressing the needs of this high-risk group.
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673606690028/abstractprinter

"Maggots usually digest the bodies of the dead. In Benin's cramped and decaying prison of Abormey they infest the flesh of the living." Read the rest of the article here:
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=54415
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ETM Natural Resources
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Natural resources as the key to African prosperity is discussed in this article:
http://allafrica.com/stories/200607051362.html

The Australian Bureau of Statistics found that more than 90 percent of farmers are involved in some form of natural resource management.
http://finance.news.com.au/story/0,10166,19702462-31037,00.html

In Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and the Anishinabek Nation indigenous community has agreed on a joint process to resolve concerns related to managing natural resources.
http://www.sootoday.com/content/news/full_story.asp?StoryNumber=18349

Japan's International Cooperation Agency is assisting Vietnam's development of a national network to measure and manage natural resources in a sustainable manner.
http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=04SOC010706

Uganda's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development reports indications of uranium deposits that could be exploited, in addition to recent oil discoveries. Survey work will continue, but in the meantime the Atomic Energy Bill has been drafted to regulate its application.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/news/news07041.php
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ETM Populations
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Half of all OECD countries have immigrant populations of ten percent or higher. This is among the findings published in" International Migration Outlook 2006".
http://www.oecd.org/document/6/0,2340,en_2649_33931_36770438_1_1_1_1,00.html
http://www.monitor.co.ug/news/news07041.php

The otherwise aging populations in most OECD countries are creating financing problems for public services. Last week, Germany's governing coalition has agreed to reform health service costs. The current levy charges to employers and employees will increase slightly, but the overall burden will be shifted to general taxation. The changes have been widely criticized, and many details remain unresolved.
http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=52&story_id=31276&name=German+health%2C+tax+reforms+come+under+fire
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,425036,00.html
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2078339,00.html

British Prime Minister Tony Blair appeared before the Commons Liaison Committee, where he explained that the government has a policy on migration, but no policy on controlling the size of the population, which has exceeded 60 million for the first time last year, and is expected to continue significant increases.
http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/liaison_committee.cfm
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ETM Social Responsibility
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Watson Wyatt reports that 90 percent of institutional investors and nearly two-thirds of directors believe that most executives are overpaid.
http://www.watsonwyatt.com/news/press.asp?ID=16180

Corporate social responsibility in Nigeria is discussed in this article:
http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=52217
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ETM Technology
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The Food and Agriculture Organization released "The role of biotechnology in exploring and protecting agricultural genetic resources", edited by J. Ruane and A. Sonnino. The collection of papers from an international workshop covers the role of biotechnology for the characterization and conservation of crop, forest, animal and fishery genetic resources, and other material.
http://www.fao.org/biotech/index.asp
ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/009/a0399e/a0399e00.pdf

The UK Department of Trade and Industry has announced a review of nanotechnology policy.
http://www.cst.gov.uk/cst/business/nanoreview.shtml

Nanotechnology at the University of Maryland has received a boost from a US National Institute of Standards and Technology grant.
http://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/scitech/release.cfm?ArticleID=1302
http://www.nist.gov/srm

In the aftermath of a disastrous clinical trial that left six men critically ill, the pharmaceutical company that produced the drug, TeGenero, has filed for insolvency.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2255875,00.html
http://www.tegenero.com/
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ETM Weapons (WMD, Proliferation)
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North Korea chose US Independence Day (4 July) to launch seven test missiles. However, the purportedly long-range Taepodong-2 missile failed, demonstrating that North Korea's long-range missile capability remains theoretical. Nonetheless, the tests did garner international attention - almost unanimously negative .
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5153786.stm

Burma has reportedly attempted to buy nuclear weapons technology from North Korea.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,19689418-401,00.html

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator says he feels positive about the proposed incentives package and will resume talks on the nuclear program with EU representatives later this month.

The UN Conference on small arms drew attention to the problems of the massive illegal trade, but closed without a final declaration.
http://www.un.org/events/smallarms2006/

"Biting the Bullet" is a 5-year review of the UN Program of Action on Small Arms.
http://www.international-alert.org/publications/getdata.php?doctype=Pdf&id=249&docs=757
http://www.international-alert.org/our_work/themes/biting_the_bullet.php

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5. Critical Infrastructure Monitor

Critical Infrastructure Monitor gives you the background and analysis missing from these news briefings. Subscriptions can be purchased from our online store:
TAMNI Publications

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CIM Agriculture and Food
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The World Wildlife Fund has called for the immediate closure of the East Atlantic and Mediterranean fishery, where illegal fishing has stripped bare stocks of bluefin tuna.
http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/index.cfm?uNewsID=74320
http://www.iccat.es/
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CIM Banking and Finance
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The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has approved Yasaar Limited as the first advisory firm to offer compliance advice, including international regulations and Sharia compliance.
http://www.difc.ae/press_centre/archive/2006/272.html

The UN Commission on International Trade Law has agreed on key principles of an international legislative guide for loans guaranteed buy collateral that will help improve access to low-cost credit.
http://www.unis.unvienna.org/unis/pressrels/2006/unisl102.html

The Nairobi Stock Exchange will launch electronic trading in September.
http://www.nationmedia.com/eastafrican/current/Business/Business0307200653.htm
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CIM Chemical
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The UK Health and Safety Executive issued a safety alert for hazardous substances storage where large tanks use level gauges.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2006/e06071.htm
http://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/alerts/sa0106.htm
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CIM Cybersecurity
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Three major South African banks have been hacked multiple times in the past month. Internet banking customers of First National Bank, Standard, and Absa have found personal and business accounts compromised and millions in funds transferred to cellphone or prepaid accounts. Investigations are underway, as are measures to strengthen security, however keylogging compromises on the customer side are suspected as the likely source of the breaches.
http://www.capetimes.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=269&fArticleId=3322199

OpenOffice.org has released a security update addressing three security flaws, which also affect StarOffice.
http://www.openoffice.org/security/bulletin-20060629.html
http://secunia.com/advisories/20911

The Cuebot-K worm poses as Microsoft's anti-piracy program, Windows Genuine Advantage, to install malicious code that opens remote access.
http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/w32cuebotk.html

A StreamShield Networks survey of UK Internet Service Providers find that 96 of 100 respondents cite potential service disruption from spam zombie machines as their greatest concern. Other concerns included service differentiation, new revenue sources and subscriber worries regarding security of service.
http://www.streamshield.com/news/press.php?articleid=50

Sophos Security's latest Security Threat Management Report says the number of new viruses and worms has fallen significantly but this fall is more than compensated for by large increases in other types of malicious software, in particular Trojans used to steal information and money. Trojans not outweigh viruses and worms by 4 to 1 compared to 2 to 1 last year. All of the dominant attacks affect Windows PCs, and none the Macintosh. This has prompted Sophos to urge home users to switch to Apple Macintosh to shield themselves from the onslaught of these very dangerous cyber threats.
http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/news/articles/2006/07/securityreportmid2006.html

The US Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General released "Enhanced Security Controls Needed for US-VISIT's System Using RFID Technology (Redacted)".
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interweb/assetlibrary/OIG_06-39_Jun06.pdf

The UK Home Secretary has signed an extradition order to send Gary McKinnon to the US, where he is accused of hacking military computers.
http://www.itv.com/news/britain_1cf31a7551f1fc0b534b04afaa0f025f.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/september11/story/0,,1771775,00.html
http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/cybercrime/mckinnonIndict.htm

David Appleyard, a former mortgage broker, and Andrew Mantovani, a part-time student at a community college, ran ShadowCrew.com. The site eventually had some 4,000 contributors to what became a multinational clearinghouse for identity theft and financial fraud. Another page has closed in this cybercrime saga with Mantovani's sentencing this week. His was jailed for 32 months, the longest of five sentences imposed.
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1151647081208030.xml&coll=1
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nj/publicaffairs/NJ_Press/files/pdffiles/firewallindct1028.pdf
http://www.cybercrime.gov/mantovaniPlea.htm

The UK Information Commissioner issued its first enforcement order for a website, citing B4U for breaches of the Data Protection Act.
http://www.ico.gov.uk/cms/DocumentUploads/information_commissioner_finds_website_in_data_protection_breach_4_July_06.pdf
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CIM Defense Industrial Base
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Pending cabinet approval, India will purchase $1 billion of stealth warships and cruise missiles from Russia.

22 of 25 EU member countries have signed a common code on arms procurement, operated by the European Defense Agency.
http://www.eda.europa.eu/

UK defense acquisitions plans to improve efficiency and performance by merging the Defense Procurement Agency (DPA) and the Defense Logistics Organization (DLO) into one body.
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/DloAndDpaToMergeInAcquisitionShakeUp.htm

The US Government Accountability Office released "Defense Acquisitions: Further Management and Oversight Changes Needed for Efforts to Modernize Cheyenne Mountain Attack Warning Systems". The report finds programs consistently over cost, behind schedule, and that some capabilities for the air, missile, and space tracking system were deferred.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-666
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CIM Emergency Services
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Washington DC police have faced persistent problems with their new radio systems, raising concerns about emergency response capabilities.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/06/AR2006070601715.html
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CIM Energy
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Russia's lower house of parliament, the Duma, has passed a law confirming state-owned Gazprom's monopoly of gas exports. The bill now moves to the upper house, the Federation Council, prior to final approval from President Putin.

Colombia and Venezuela have begun construction of a strategic oil pipeline that will link the Caribbean basin to the Pacific Ocean.

Oil prices reached record highs following North Korea's missile test and the ongoing dispute over Iran's nuclear program.
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CIM Government Facilities
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"Homeland Security: Guidance and Standards Are Needed for Measuring the Effectiveness of Agencies' Facility Protection Efforts" is a new report from the US Government Accountability Office. It calls for guidance and standards to measure performance in federal government facility protection.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-612
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CIM Information Technology
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Belgium has mandated that all federal agencies must adopt Open Document Format (ODF) standard by September 2007. Denmark is launching an ODF pilot program this autumn. Microsoft is planning to support ODF within the Office software suite.
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CIM Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste
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UK nuclear plant inspectors reported on cracks in the aging facilities. The Guardian released details of the potential safety concerns, from documents obtained by Greenpeace, at a time that the UK is considering expanding nuclear power. More frequent tests have been ordered.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5149650.stm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/nuclear/article/0,,1813608,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/nuclear/article/0,,1812795,00.html
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/climate/climate.cfm?UCIDParam=20060705083925
http://www.guardian.co.uk/nuclear/article/0,,1812870,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/nuclear/article/0,,1812840,00.html

The US House Committee on International Relations, Subcommittee on International Terrorism and Nonproliferation, held hearings on Border Vulnerabilities and International Terrorism. Among the testimony were reports from Government Accountability Office (GAO) officials who were able to transport radioactive sources across borders in Texas and California.
http://wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/itnhear.htm
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-940T
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-939T

The Dominican Republic has agreed to join the US Megaports and Container Security Initiatives against nuclear smuggling.
http://www.nnsa.doe.gov/docs/newsreleases/2006/PR_2006-07-07_NA-06-22.htm
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CIM Public Health and Healthcare
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Malaria is one of the world's major killers, but the use of DDT to control mosquitoes can harm childhood development when the pesticide crosses the placenta. Researchers at the University of California Berkeley suggest that measures need to be taken to better protect women and children from the serious consequences of both conditions.
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2006/07/05_ddt.shtml

South Africa's University of Cape Town has suspended Professor Girish Kotwal from research duties after a report that he had endorsed an untested herbal tonic, Secomet V, as a treatment for HIV/AIDS. South Africa has five million HIV-positive people, and appropriate medication is a serious and sensitive issue.
http://www.sabcnews.com/south_africa/social/0,2172,130482,00.html
http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060626/full/nm0706-723.html
http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/iidmm/gkotwal/index.htm
http://www.nyas.org/annals/annalsExtra.asp?annalID=31

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has reviewed a case of salmonella contamination in chocolate, and warns that other manufacturers may also have inadequate and outdated product testing and risk assessment processes in place.
http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2006/jul/cadbury

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) monitoring of post-marketing study commitments has many flaws, including lack of useful monitoring information or effective management information systems, according to a recent review by its Inspector General.
http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-01-04-00390.pdf
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CIM Telecommunications
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The state-owned Nigeria Telecommunication Limited (NITEL) was acquired by Transcorp, a private company. A day later, eight senior managers resigned and a multi-billion Naira fraud was uncovered, involving the pension fund.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/north/nt105072006.html
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=3&article_id=73673

South Africa's new Electronic Communications Act has raised concerns of jurisdictional disputes and other matters.
http://www.mybroadband.co.za/nephp/?m=show&id=3445

The Zambia Telecommunications Company (ZAMTEL) has completed installation of optic fiber that will provide a digital network throughout the country.
http://www.zamtel.zm/
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CIM Transportation
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The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) completed its investigation of the 2004 crash of an MK Airlines freighter plane. They recommend installation of better systems to monitor adequate take-off performance. The crew of the fatal flight was misled by old data that led to incorrect take-off calculations.
http://www.tsb.gc.ca/en/media/communiques/air/2006/comm_a04h0004.asp

Kansas State University researchers investigated possible chemical or biological contamination aboard airliners.
http://www.mediarelations.k-state.edu/WEB/News/Webzine/Safetyandsecurity/airquality.html

The UK Commons Transport Committee released "Piracy", a report that warned the government is failing to addressed increased piracy threats to ships. Piracy has increased by 168 percent in the past ten years, although reporting is limited. Little is known of the source or nature of attacks, and crews may be poorly trained or overworked, increasing their vulnerability.
http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/transport_committee/trans05_06_press_notice56.cfm
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmtran/1026/1026.pdf

Intercargo has released the 2006 Benchmarking Bulk Carriers through port State control data". The report provides statistical information; detention and deficiency information; benchmarking data; and tentative recommendations. They would like to improve data acquisition, analysis and reporting from flag states.
http://www.intercargo.org/news/pages/273.htm

The Transport Committee has also launched an inquiry into the UK ports industry. It will look into ownership, the general policy framework, demand forecasting and capacity, regional development, environmental impact, worker protection, and other matters.
http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/transport_committee/trans05_06_press_notice58.cfm

After a period of quiescence the Malacca Strait was the scene of two pirate attacks in the same area, just a day apart. The first incident was an attack on two World Food Program-chartered ships, from which the pirates stole cash and construction materials. Later, a Japanese cargo carrier repulsed another attack. These incidents have threatened efforts to remove the area's designation as a war risk.
http://www.icc-ccs.org/prc/piracyreport.php

The anniversary of the London bombings was the occasion for a look at progress in securing public transportation:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/07/08/subways_are_safe_us_security_official_says_after_riding_t/
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.grants07jul07,0,1016431.story?coll=bal-local-headlines
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/am-fund0706,0,6522743.story?coll=ny-leadnationalnews-headlines
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=34468&dcn=todaysnews
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=5724
http://www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2006/press_release_0706.shtm
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CIM Water
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Marking Nigeria's first National Sanitation Day, guest speaker and former government official Dr Ahmed Salami attributed increasing incidents of water-related diseases to limited access to clear water. Across the country, he said that less than 39 percent of the population has access to potable water. Lack of sanitation also contributes to poor water quality.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/nationalx/nr202072006.html

As Angola's cholera epidemic has peaked, the country is calling for assistance to address water and sanitation issues to prevent another outbreak. Water delivery systems in the capital, Luanda, were designed to accommodate 200,000 people. The population, including many displaced during the civil war, now numbers between 4 and 7 million.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=54476

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) released "Clean Water: Better Information and Targeted Prevention Efforts Could Enhance Spill Management in the St. Clair-Detroit River Corridor". The report addresses the threat posed to drinking water supplies posed by spills of oil and other hazardous substances.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-639

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6. Disaster Reduction Monitor

News highlights from the past week are provided in this free email update, but detailed analysis, background information and source documents are only available to subscribers. Disaster Reduction Monitor subscriptions and other titles can be purchased here:
TAMNI Publications

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DRM Incidents
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A Russian plane crashed and caught fire while landing in Siberia. All eight crew and at least 147 passengers were killed, and 55 passengers were injured. Many of the passengers were children, en route to the popular holiday destination of Lake Baikal. Brake failure, a fire, or a wet runway may have contributed to the crash. One major question is the lack of evacuation.

Heavy monsoon rains in South Asia have led to flooding, landslides, collapsed structures, and transportation disruption. In the Indian states of Orissa and Jharkhand, at least 30 people have died, and dozens more are missing. Mumbai (Bombay), the financial hub, has been severely disrupted. In Pakistan's northeastern district of Swat a river burst its banks, killing 17. Flash floods in northern Afghanistan killed seven.

Torrential rain in eastern China has affected 13 million people. The cost of the flooding is estimated at $2.5 billion. Most seriously, at least 27 people died, nearly 100 are missing, 8,400 homes have collapsed, and nearly 40,000 people have been evacuated in Jiangsu province. In Anhui province, three people have died.

Two underground train carriages derailed and crashed in the Spanish city of Valencia. At least 41 people were killed, and dozens injured, some seriously. The train was travelling at twice the normal speed when it came off the tracks on a curve. Investigations will determine whether something happened to the driver to explain the breach of the speed limit, and whether deterioration of the line or the trains contributed to the accident.
http://www.eitb24.com/portal/eitb24/noticia/en/life/derailment-in-eastern-spain-death-toll-in-valencia-subway-train-c?itemId=D41404

Improperly stored explosives at a villager's house in the northern Shanzi province exploded, killing 49 and injuring 30.
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DRM Response and Recovery
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Indonesian police have questioned senior executives of Lapindo Brantas regarding the devastating 29 May gas drilling accident that continues to inundate surrounding communities with toxic mud.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Weather Service released an internal evaluation of its operations during last year's Hurricane Katrina. The service was praised for its accuracy and early warnings. They "consistently projected for more than two days in advance that Katrina would strike southeast Louisiana as a 'major' hurricane and later issued hurricane watches and warnings with lead times of 44 and 32 hours, respectively -- an extra eight hours beyond when such alerts are typically issued". The report also reviews several best practices as well as recommendations for improvement.
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2006/s2656.htm
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DRM Risks
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Indonesia's Geophysics and Meteorology Agency (BMG) forecasts heavy rainfall of more than 50 millimeters a day that could trigger flooding and landslides in some northern areas. Lack of rain and seasonal reversals of wind direction could lead to drought in some southern areas.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20060707.H05

Flooding and the excavation of soil for sale have exposed sections of an underground gas pipeline in Thailand. The exposure, in Pathum Thani's Nong Sua district, raises the threat of a gas explosion. Digging to depths as far as 20 meters put some areas level with an irrigation canal.

China's State Council held a national meeting to urge local governments to examine the hidden vulnerabilities that could turn an incident into a disaster, and ensure that local emergency plans, in conjunction with the national framework, are in place. They ranked natural disasters, accidents, public health incidents and social safety incidents in four categories of character, degree of harm, ability to control, and scale of impact.
http://english.people.com.cn/200607/09/eng20060709_281343.html
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DRM Mitigation
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Thailand's caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Suchai Charoenratanakul has launched a "Mr. Warning" plan. Villages will choose a volunteer to work with officials to "wake up" villagers in areas prone to floods and landfalls. The local contact is necessary because many did not receive or failed to hear warnings issued by the state.

The Famine Early Warning System says large parts of the Horn of Africa experienced a normal rainy season. Although it will take several years and more aid to recover from the severe drought last year, the rains offer a chance that recovery is possible.
http://www.fews.net/

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7. Recommended Reading

Last week Recommended Reading focused on the political and security aspects of the 7 July attacks in London. This week, the first anniversary of the attacks, we focus on the human element.


A 300-page Book of Tributes to those killed on 7 July 2005 has gone on permanent display at the Museum of London, and a copy at St. Ethelburga's Centre for Peace and Reconciliation. A second edition is planned for next year, for those who have not yet felt ready to participate.

For those not in London, this is an online tribute:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/attackonlondon/tributes/0,,1526247,00.html


Here are interviews with survivors and emergency responders:
Martin Bailey
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5107044.stm
Paul Dadge
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5105750.stm
Guardian Interviews of people whose lives were changed
http://www.guardian.co.uk/flash/0,,1795996,00.html
Michael Henning
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/07/08/nbomb408.xml
Gill Hicks
http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/sixtyminutes/stories/2006_07_02/story_1696.asp
Sally Pook, Catriona Davies and Duncan Gardham
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/07/08/nbomb108.xml
Hazel Russell
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5120112.stm
Adam Stacey
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5102860.stm


One survivor, John Tulloch, has written a book "One Day in July: Experiencing 7/7" published by Little Brown. Mr. Tulloch is a sociologist and risk analyst, but on 7 July 2005 he was the face of the attacks.  Sitting just three feet from Mohammad Sidique Khan en route to Paddington, he was seriously injured in the explosion that killed six fellow passengers.
* Extract:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/attackonlondon/story/0,,1789796,00.html
* Reviews:
http://living.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=887622006
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060628/LIFE08/606280302/1031/ENT
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/london-bombings-memoir-lands-australian-survivor-in-new-battleground/2006/06/30/1151174396158.html
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2102-2223148,00.html
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7,00.html
* Interviews/Articles:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5118048.stm
http://www.govinfo.bnet-newmedia.co.uk/news_Articles.php?IDVal=42

Here are profiles of the four suicide bombers, some with videos:
* Hasib Hussain
http://cms.met.police.uk/news/major_operational_announcements/terrorist_attacks/press_conference_pictures_of_hasib_hussain_released
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8,00.html
http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1032
http://www.guardian.co.uk/attackonlondon/story/0,16132,1528199,00.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/07/14/nbomb114.xml
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/07/14/london.attacks/index.html
* Mohammed Sidique Khan
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/attackonlondon/story/0,16132,1528112,00.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4207648.stm
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article10079.htm
* Germaine Lindsay
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4762591.stm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/07/17/nbomb17.xml
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20050717T170000-0500_84340_OBS_GERMAINE_LINDSAY_S_FAMILY_STILL_IN_SHOCK_.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamal_Lindsay
* Shehzad Tanweer
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/07/world/europe/07britain.html?hp&ex=1152331200&en=7568a56b9f74cd0e&ei=5094&partner=homepage
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4762313.stm
http://www.newstatesman.com/200607030030
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2258854,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/attackonlondon/story/0,16132,1528124,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/attackonlondon/story/0,16132,1527912,00.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=355677&in_page_id=1770
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2005/07/17/do1703.xml&sSheet=/opinion/2005/07/17/ixopinion.html


Other books about the attacks include:
* Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed, "The London Bombings: An Independent Inquiry", Gerald Duckworth and Co
* Crispin Black, "7-7: The London Bombings: What Went Wrong, Gibson Square Books
* Michael Gove, "Celsius 7/7: How the West's Policy of Appeasement Has Provoked Yet More Fundamentalist Terror - And What Has To Be Done NOW", Weidenfeld and Nicolson
* Sean O'Neill, "The Suicide Factory: Abu Hamza and the Finsbury Mosque", Harper Perennial
* Melanie Phillips, "Londonistan: How Britain is Creating a Terror State Within", Weidenfeld and Nicolson
* Milan Rai, "7-7: The London Bombings and the Iraq War", Pluto Press

The government reports are also of great value. "Report of the Official Account of the Bombings in London on 7 July" provides a chronological report. Parliament's "Intelligence and Security Committee Report into the London Terrorist Attacks on 7 July 1005" considered evidence from the security services to conclude that lack of resources was more to blame in not preventing the attacks, rather than any failure of individuals. Also note the government response to that report.

These three reports can be downloaded at the links below, or are available on a CD from TerrorismCentral (Email http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/7-july-report.pdf
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/publications/reports/intelligence/isc_7july_report.pdf
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/publications/reports/intelligence/govres_7july.pdf

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8. Asset Management Network News

We have added a new section on Natural Resources to the Emerging Threat Monitor (ETM). Many countries rely on their natural resources as the main source of wealth. This reliance leads to both opportunities, such as opening opportunities for prosperity in Africa, and challenges such as environmental harm and the paradox of the "oil curse".

For the first anniversary of the 7 July London bombings, we compiled "Report of the Official Account of the Bombings in London on 7 July", "Intelligence and Security Committee Report into the London Terrorist Attacks on 7 July 2005", and the government response to that report, on a single CD. Email info@tamni.com if you're interested in this, or if you'd like more information about out publications and services.

Visit our online store to purchase subscriptions to the Monitor series as well as our Special Reports, including our new Special Report "Trends in Terrorism: 2005".

Email info@tamni.com for details about the new products, publications, and information about services, including custom research.