This week highlights the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks against the United States. Coverage includes the commemoration in the US, evaluations of the "war on terror", US policies following the attacks, implications in various regions and industries, and a range of recent reports and books related to these events. Another anniversary marked this week is the tenth anniversary, on 10 September, when UN member states overwhelmingly endorsed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) to control nuclear arms (See ETM/Weapons). Global news coverage ranges from a new mechanism to treat malnutrition to the World Bank's evaluation of regulatory relief.

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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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Western Union has reached a $3 million settlement with Arizona regulators after allegations that it failed to comply with reporting and documentation requirements on money transfers.
http://www.abc15.com/news/morenews/index.asp?did=29509
http://azdfi.gov/Final/Forms/Western%20Union%20Consent%20Order.pdf

Peter Shoniker has been sentenced in Canadian court to 15 months n prison for money laundering. The former Crown counsel and Conservative Party power broker once bragged that his connections made him "untouchable". Following sentencing, he apologized and expressed shame and embarrassment.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060907.SHONIKER07/TPStory/TPNational/Ontario/
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1157580610225

UK police arrested seven people in South Tyneside and Wearside on suspicion of money laundering, in connection with an ongoing investigation.
http://www.southtynesidetoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=1111&ArticleID=1751177

Jeffrey A. Meranto pleaded guilty in Arizona court to one count of Subscribing to a False Return and one count of Engaging in Monetary Transactions in Property Derived from Specified Unlawful Activities in connection with misstating his income to disguise proceeds from marijuana sales.
http://lawfuel.com/show-release.asp?ID=7834
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AML/CFT Legislation and Regulation
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Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) finance ministers called for renewed free trade talks and promised to increase efforts against terrorist financing, although this did not extend to a reference the US wanted to include regarding North Korea's overseas accounts.
http://www.apec.org/apec/ministerial_statements/sectoral_ministerial/finance/2006_finance.html
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=112780

In Australia's state of New South Wales, police say that although there is evidence of using poker machines to launder money, there is no suggestion of terrorist financing. Either crime will be addressed by police action, including keeping abreast of such new modalities.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20350043-29277,00.html

The Central Bank of Kuwait is including surprise inspections in its efforts to prevent money laundering.
http://www.arabtimesonline.com/arabtimes/kuwait/Viewdet.asp?ID=8762&cat=a

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka has frozen assets of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization, which is says is providing financial assistance to the Tamil Tiger rebels. Death threats against central bank officials have followed.
http://www.centralbanklanka.org/press_040906a.doc
http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/1828
http://www.trousa.org/

Member of Parliament and Chair of the UK Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) Paul Goggins describes the new Suspicious Activity Reports (SAR) regime introduced in Northern Ireland as a vital tool in stopping, deterring, frustrating and apprehending those who attempt to profit from crime. SARs must be submitted by banks, estate agents, accountants, lawyers and businesses when they suspect money laundering or terrorist financing have been or may be taking place. The effectiveness of SARs is illustrated in these examples:
* Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs Service (HMRC) indicates that around a fifth of SARs received identify a new subject of interest and a quarter lead to new inquiries in relation to direct taxation matters;
* about 20 to 30 per cent of SARs disseminated to the National Terrorist Financial Investigation Unit either led to a longer-term investigation, or added substantially to an existing investigation;
* a SAR identified hundreds of thousands of pounds of serious fraud and indicated that the criminal property was being laundered. Several hundred thousand pounds were restrained as a result of an investigation initiated following development of single SAR;
* a five figure cash sum was identified as the realizable assets of drug trafficking as a result of a SAR;
* two arrests and substantial quantities of drugs were seized as a result of a drug trafficking investigation, which was given direction by a SAR;
* three arrests in two separate cases were made following investigation of SARs, which indicated the proceeds of fraud;
* a five figure cash seizure resulted from a SAR which alerted law enforcement to the latest intentions of an individual previously suspected of money laundering; and
* a number of SARs enabled law enforcement to link a subject responsible for suspicious cash placement into a wider criminal network. The law enforcement agency reported that without the SAR it would not have been able to take the investigation further
http://www.nio.gov.uk/media-detail.htm?newsID=13490
http://www.soca.gov.uk/financialIntel/index.html
http://www.soca.gov.uk/downloads/SOCAtheSARsReview_FINAL_Web.pdf

Scotland's Civil Recovery Unit, formed under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, has recovered a record GBP600,000 in the first five months of this year - more than in all of 2005.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2006/09/08101858

The US Department of Justice issued a fact sheet regarding its efforts in the "war on terror" including establishing the Terrorism Financing Operation Section inside the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which centralizes the department's efforts to counter terrorist financing.
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2006/September/06_opa_590.html

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has released " Automated Clearing House Activities: Risk Management Guidance". The bulletin provides information for national banks and examiners to manage ACH activity risks.
http://www.occ.gov/ftp/bulletin/2006-39.txt

Treasury has designated as terrorist financiers two companies and one individual alleged to provide financial support to Hezbollah through Iran. These are Bayt al-Mal
("Bayt al-Mal Lil Muslimeen"), Yousser Company for Finance and Investment, and Husayn al-Shami.
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp83.htm

Treasury has also used a terrorist designation to cut Iran's Bank Saderat from the US financial system, direct or indirect.
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp87.htm

Undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence Stuart Levey spoke to the American Enterprise Institute regarding the financial war on terror since 9/11.
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp86.htm
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AML/CFT Modalities
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John Christensen, of the Tax Justice Network argues that if the definition of corruption was expanded to include other forms of criminal cash transfers and illicit transactions, Switzerland, the UK and US and other countries providing tax havens, would rise to the top of the corruption list. Corruption in developing countries is estimated at $20 billion per year, which increases to $539 billion if corrupt transnational transactions are included.
http://www.taxjustice.net/cms/upload/pdf/Follow_the_Money_-_RGS-IBG__final_31-AUG-2006.pdf

New South Wales, Australia, is launching a task force working with the federal government to investigate a possible new money laundering tactic, using poker machines, known as pokies.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,2038,00.html
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20347488-2,00.html

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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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Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission investigator Suparman has been sentenced to eight years in prison and a fine for corruption and blackmail.

Israel's state comptroller and ombudsman has called for a criminal investigation into Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's appointments when he was Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor in the last government. This is only the latest of recent charges against several senior political and military figures, and another investigation against Olmert regarding his apartment in Jerusalem.

Kenya has announced faster turnaround for identity cards, birth and death certificates to help eliminate graft and corruption.
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=1&newsid=80866

Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar denied the findings of an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigation that implicates him in bribery, wire fraud and conspiracy in transactions involving NDTV of Nigeria, a US company iGate, and US congressman William Jefferson.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/cover/september06/08092006/f308092006.html
http://www.efccnigeria.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1019

EFCC reports that a government-owned building in Zamfara state was deliberately burned to get rid of documents that provided evidence of fraud in connection with an agricultural project.
http://www.efccnigeria.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1016

John Christensen, of the Tax Justice Network spoke at the Royal Geographical Society's annual meeting. He put Switzerland, the UK, and US high on the list of corrupt countries because of the refuges they offer to dirty money in tax havens. He argued that if the definition of corruption was expanded to include other forms of criminal cash transfers and illicit transactions, they and other countries providing tax havens, would rise to the top of the corruption list. Corruption in developing countries is estimated at $20 billion per year. Adding corrupt transnational transactions raises this to $539 billion.
http://www.taxjustice.net/cms/upload/pdf/Follow_the_Money_-_RGS-IBG__final_31-AUG-2006.pdf

South Africa's Deputy President Jacob Zuma's corruption trial has opened. He is charged, along with the French arms company Thint ,of bribery. The prosecution has requested a delay to accommodate further time for investigation.

Taiwan's, President Chen Shui-bian survived corruption scandals involving his associates and his family, but now that charges have been laid directly against him, mass protests are calling for him to step down, with his popularity rating at only ten percent.

Following recent scandals and enforcement measures, the US Senate Banking Committee held a hearing on Stock Options Backdating.
http://banking.senate.gov/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.Detail&HearingID=233

Former governor of Illinois George Ryan has been sentenced to 6.5 years n prison on racketeering and fraud charges.

Zimbabwe Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa has been found not guilty of charges that he had tried to pervert the course of justice by pressuring a man to drop accusations of political violence. The case had been a test of judicial independence.
http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/chinamasa10.14661.html
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ETM Economies and Financial Systems
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The World Bank and International Finance Corporation released "Doing Business 2007". The report finds that 213 regulatory reforms in 112 economies reduced time, cost, and hassles, making it easier for businesses to comply with legal and administrative requirements. They list the top ten reformers in order of the ease of doing business are Georgia, Romania, Mexico, China, Peru, France, Croatia, Guatemala, Ghana, and Tanzania. The report also ranks 175 economies on the ease of doing business. The top 30 in order are: Singapore, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Hong Kong/China, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Australia, Norway, Ireland, Japan, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Lithuania, Estonia, Thailand, Puerto Rico, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Korea, Latvia, Malaysia, Israel, St. Lucia, Chile, South Africa and Austria.
http://www.doingbusiness.org/

The Royal African Society and International Monetary Fund (IMF) held a forum on "Scaling Up Aid - Can aid be more effective?" Participants discussed how countries can absorb and make the best use of aid, improve transparency and accountability, and how donors can make aid less volatile and more predictable, with the overall goal of attaining the Millennium Development Goals. They agreed that scaling up of resources is essential to step up efforts to fight poverty and to increase spending on health and education, as well as infrastructure and productive investment, but more resources will only have the desired impact if managed well.
http://www.imf.org/external/np/tr/2006/tr060704.htm

Asia-Pacific sovereigns will face tougher global conditions ahead, according to a Standard & Poor's Ratings Services' report published today, titled
"Asia-Pacific Sovereign Report Card"  is a new report from Standard and Poor's that explains, "Current global conditions, although still supportive, are becoming less accommodative to economies in the region. The rating outlook on Asia-Pacific sovereigns remains upbeat, with a ratio of positive outlooks to negative of three to one. Further upgrade momentum, however, could slow when compared to the past 30 months," Strong credit fundamentals should provide a cushion against the cyclical slowdown and most shocks. For those sovereigns that are export-oriented, a slowdown in the U.S. economy is posing a genuine concern, although this is somewhat mitigated by the benefits of strong intra-Asia trade thanks to a booming China.
http://www.standardandpoors.com

Namibia will benefit from a black economic empowerment transaction in which South Africa's Old Mutual bank is offering black stakeholders $42.8 million worth of assets.
http://www.oldmutual.com/page/pressreleases/pressrelease/index.jsp?pressItem_id=7749

South Africa hosted the first visit of a Russian president. Vladimir Putin has promised to improve economic ties, including leveraging the vast diamond and mineral resources in both countries.
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ETM Environment and Climate Change
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The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will adopt a key opinion on "Climate change – the role of civil society" next week, which addresses the crucial role of civil society actors in order raise awareness and prepare concrete steps to fight climate change.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=CES/06/84&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

EU climate change awareness efforts have been taken into schools:
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1149&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

The European Commission has proposed a long-term environmental strategy for cleaning and protecting the Mediterranean ecosystem, particularly following the impact of the pollution following the recent conflict in Lebanon.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1155&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Lebanon's Environment Minister Yacoub Sarraf, in an exclusive interview to The Independent (UK), said that more people will die as the result of the environmental damage and pollution wrought during the month-long Israeli invasion than during the war itself. He says that the deliberate bombing of a fuel tank released some four million gallons of oil into the eastern Mediterranean, its largest ever spill, and the 12-day fire has created a poisonous cloud over a third of the country, affecting half the population.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article1433338.ece

Peru has ended helicopter tours over the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu to ensure that rare plants and animals, as well as the ruins will not be irreparably damaged.

The UK has appointed John Ashton as the new climate ambassador. Note this article regarding his first interview since taking the position:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5325714.stm

The US Endangered Species Act of 1973 requires the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service to administer and implement provisions to protect endangered or threatened species. As amendments to the Act are under review, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report that provided high-level information regarding recovery plans. This week, "Endangered Species: Many Factors Affect the Length of Time to Recover Select Species" updates the April report with more detailed information on the factors involved n species recovery and the importance of having recovery plans.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-730

In the Potomac River, which runs through Virginia, Washington DC, and West Virginia, male smallmouth and largemouth bass have been found bearing eggs and with other female characteristics, increasing alarm that the water is polluted with chemicals that affect hormones, and could pose a threat to drinking water.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/05/AR2006090501384.html
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ETM Human Rights
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EPIC and Privacy International release the annual "Privacy and Human Rights Report", which provides an overview of key privacy topics and reviews the state of privacy in over 70 countries around the world. It documents the continued expansion of government surveillance authority, from the pursuit of new identification schemes in certain countries, and the expanded monitoring of communications, to weakened data protection laws, and intensified data transfers between the public and private sectors. The report also finds continuing public
opposition to identification systems, secret video surveillance, DNA
databases, and radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies.
http://www.epic.org/bookstore/phr2005/phr2005.html
http://ejp.icj.org/hearing.php3?id_rubrique=10

Note the New Statesman's special coverage of the world's top ten dictators.
http://www.newstatesman.com/200609040067

In Armenia, results of two studies regarding human trafficking were released. They provided detail of different social groups and vulnerabilities, to help better target prevention efforts.
http://www.osce.org/item/20417.html

"A High Price to Pay: " is a new report from Human Rights Watch that finds hospitals in Burundi are forcibly detaining patients unable to pay their hospital bills for weeks or months, in abysmal conditions.
http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/09/07/burund14126.htm

South Africa is investigating 137 women among its delegation to the recent International AIRS Conference held in Canada, who are now requesting asylum because they face severe discrimination at home. Another 14 delegates from El Salvador, Eritrea, Uganda, and Zimbabwe have also applied.
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=282973

A Ugandan newspaper decided to publish names of homosexuals, leading Human Rights Watch to warn of escalating homophobia and a government crackdown in a country where such activities can be punished by death.
http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/09/08/uganda14154.htm

The European Court of Justice has ruled that the UK is breaching the Working Time Directive by telling but not forcing employers to require staff rest breaks between shifts.
http://www.curia.europa.eu/en/actu/communiques/cp06/aff/cp060067en.pdf

Vietnam and the UK have signed an information sharing agreement to combat human trafficking.
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ETM Infectious Diseases
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Extensive Drug Resistant TB (XDR-TB) is resistant to not only the two main first-line TB drugs isoniazid and rifampicin, but also to three or more of the six classes of second-line drugs, making it virtually untreatable. This presents a grave threat to public health, particularly in areas with high levels of HIV infection and poor healthcare resources. Cases have been identified around the world but XDR-TB is most frequently found in the countries of the former Soviet Union and in Asia. A recent outbreak in South Africa killed 52 of 53 patients in an average of 25 days. The World Health Organization has noted that its recommendations for managing drug-resistant strains of TB include strengthening basic TB care, ensuring prompt diagnosis and treatment of drug resistant cases, increasing collaboration between HIV and TB control programs, and boosting investment in laboratory infrastructure. It is joining other global experts to assess a response to this critical problem.
http://www.who.int/tb/dots/dotsplus/en/index.html

Indonesia has confirmed its 48th fatality attributed to human avian influenza H5N1 infection.
http://www.who.int/csr/don/2006_09_08a/en/index.html

The government is launching a controversial vaccination plan in which more than 300 million poultry will be vaccinated with H5N2 medication, despite lack of clarity whether this will help fight the more deadly H5N1 strain. Indonesia's Ministry of Agriculture is concerned of even greater infection during the upcoming rainy season. In West Java alone, there has been a threefold increase in the number of poultry deaths. Avian influenza now affects 29 of 33 provinces.

Cumulative H5N1 human infections stand at 244 through 8 September, of which 143 have been fatal.

Finland's HIV infection rate has jumped significantly, and if current trends persist will double those infected since 2001. The twofold increase is blamed in part on heterosexual men aged about 40 who acquire the infection through trade in Finland, Thailand, Estonia, and Russia.
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Sexually-transmitted+HIV+infections+on+the+rise/1135221426248
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ETM Legal Systems
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The European Commission has adopted a green paper on detection technologies for law enforcement authorities.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1145&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/06/317&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Amnesty International gave Indonesia detailed comments on its criminal code (KUHAP) to help revise its provision in line with international conventions previously ratified by the country.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/document.do?id=ENGASA210142006

A UN human rights expert has called for amendments to Jordan's anti-terrorism legislation, passed at the end of June. He cites concerns over fairness and protection in powers given to law enforcement, security forces, and public prosecutors regarding detention, search and arrest, and other areas.
http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/041D0E59DCC89EBBC12571E2004BE357?opendocument

UK Home Office Inspectorates  for prisons, probation, and the constabulary have found that the public risk posed by offenders has not been analyzed after release in 40 percent of cases.
http://inspectorates.homeoffice.gov.uk/hmiprobation/inspect_reports/thematic-inspections1.html/public-protection-report.pdf

Scotland's courts have replaced its traditional system of fingerprint evidence with a new standard that discusses all features, not only the 16 points of matching previously used, and which contributed to a false identification case.
http://www.sfs.police.uk/news
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/nmCentre/news/news-comm-06/cj106-003.htm

Syracuse University's Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) completed a comprehensive analysis of Justice Department records regarding criminal cases in the US against individuals identified as international terrorists during the five years since the 9/11 attacks. They found that in the first year, prosecutions soared, but has returned to what they were prior to the attacks, calling into question persistent government claims of an increased threat of terrorism. Data also shows that nine of ten terrorism investigations do not result in prosecutions, most are charges with crimes not related to terrorism, and those few who are prosecuted serve little or no prison time.
http://trac.syr.edu/tracreports/terrorism/169/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/03/AR2006090300768.html
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ETM Natural Resources
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Malaysia's International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz has called for Sabah state to leverage palm oil, cocoa, forestry, marine and aquaculture,  dairy food and livestock, oil and gas, and silica as natural resources that could provide investment for processing industries.
http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news_business.php?id=217919

Uganda believes that protecting natural resources is an essential component in protecting the economic base, including eco-tourism. One component of this effort is an export ban on coal, timber and bricks, to help avoid depletion.
http://www.aboutuganda.com/wordpress/2006/09/07/protection-of-natural-resources-in-uganda-has-been-emphasised/

Biologists in the US state of Pennsylvania have begun a biological inventory of Venango County to identify its natural resources.
http://www.thederrick.com/stories/09092006-6102.shtml
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ETM Populations
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The state of the World Population 2006 has been released by the UN Population Fund. "A Passage to Hope: Women and International Migration" examines the scope and breadth of female migration, the impact of the funds they send home to support families and communities, and their disproportionate vulnerability to trafficking, exploitation and abuse. It reports that half of all of today's 95 million international migrants are women and girls, but despite their substantial contributions to both their families at home and communities abroad, their needs continue to be overlooked and ignored. A companion report, "Moving Youth" highlights the social, economic and demographic aspects of youth migration, using personal stories of young migrants and the reasons that compel them to leave homes and countries. The report highlights the need to create opportunities for young people in their own countries and calls for governments need to fully use the resourcefulness and vitality of young migrants rather than consider them as burdens or risks.
http://www.unfpa.org/swp/swpmain.htm
http://www.unfpa.org/news/news.cfm?ID=859
http://www.unfpa.org/news/news.cfm?ID=860
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ETM Social Responsibility
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Guatemala coffee farmers have been disappointed in the small market premiums fetched by environmentally crops.
http://www.csrwire.com/PressRelease.php?id=6286

Malaysia's stock exchange has launched a corporate social responsibility framework focusing on corporate interaction with the community, environment, workplace, and marketplace, which are now required in public company disclosures.
http://www.klse.com.my/website/bm/about_us/investor_relations/media_releases.html

Microtune, a Texas-based tuner company, announced full compliance with the EU Directive for the Restriction of Hazardous Substances.
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=121862&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=903033&highlight
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ETM Technology
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The UK Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority has launched a consultation on donor eggs for scientific research.
http://www.hfea.gov.uk/cps/rde/xchg/SID-3F57D79B-0FD09157/hfea/hs.xsl/1417.html

Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Seagate Research Center, and Hitachi Global Storage Technologies have found out how nanoscale microwave transmitters gain greater signal power than the sum of their parts. This will help in the design of nano-oscillator arrays for possible use as transmitters and receivers in cell phones, radar systems, or computer chips. See "Electrical measurement of spin-wave interactions of proximate spin transfer nano-oscillators" in the 25 August issue of Physical Review Letters.
http://link.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v97/e087206

Cambridge University has developed a new method of growing carbon nanotudes at temperatures that permit integration into complementary metal-oxide semiconductor technology.
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/news/press/dpp/2006080901

Cambridge University researcher David Klenerman has created nano-doodling, using scanning ion conductance microscopy.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolpda/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_5318000/5318028.stm

Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory are getting promising results from experiments using "T rays", the terahertz part of the electromagnetic spectrum, to identify explosives and poison gas precursors.
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2006/114-9/innovations.html
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ETM Weapons (WMD, Proliferation)
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Ten years ago today, UN member states overwhelmingly endorsed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). A decade later, 176 states have signed the CTBT and 135 have ratified it. Among those failing to ratify are Angola, Bosnia, Burma, Cuba, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United States, Yemen, Zimbabwe, and a number of impoverished Caribbean, Pacific and African countries. Given the persistent failures of the        and the current debate over whether the Nuclear Suppliers Group should allow India to be eligible for full civilian nuclear trade without observing the nonproliferation requirements, the time is ripe for reviving the CTBT, gaining US ratification, and reviving other control efforts.
http://www.ctbto.org/
http://www.armscontrol.org/subject/ctbt/
http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2006_07-08/focus.asp
http://www.nti.org/e_research/e3_9a.html
https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2005/050805.html#FeatureArticle
https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2005/052905.html#FeatureArticle

The International Atomic Energy Agency reports that Iran has neither suspended its nuclear enrichment-related activities nor complied with all of its obligations under international non-proliferation agreements. Iran has supplied the IAEA with access to nuclear material and facilities, as well as the required reports, but continues to refuse access to some operating records at an enrichment plant. The UN Security Council has threatened sanctions if Iran does not suspend uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities, including research and development, and take steps to assure the world that its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful.
http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2006/702
http://www.iaea.org

Talks between EU negotiators and Iran were described as constructive and have reportedly led to a temporary suspension of uranium enrichment.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1154526044293&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

The Center for Nonproliferation Studies describes a US effort to block Central Asia's nuclear-weapons-free-zone among Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
http://cns.miis.edu/pubs/week/pdf/060905.pdf

Russia's military will complete security upgrades of its nuclear arsenal by late 2009 to further guard it against terrorists.
http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=18771

The US National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) provided a fact sheet on efforts since 9/11 to prevent nuclear terrorism, including doubling spending on nuclear nonproliferation programs.
http://www.nnsa.doe.gov/docs/factsheets/2006/NA-06-FS07.pdf

The current issue of Arms Control addresses verification and the biological and toxin weapons convention and a code of conduct for biodefense scientists.
http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2006_09/bwcverification.asp?print
http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2006_09/BWCconduct.asp?print

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)  and the Government of Indonesia hosted the Fourth Regional Meeting of National Authorities of States Parties in Asia,. The meeting served as a forum in which members could share their needs for assistance and indicated what assistance they could offer to others, as well as discussing reporting and compliance issues.
http://www.opcw.org/pressreleases/2006/PR52_2006.html
http://www.opcw.org/pressreleases/2006/PR51_2006.html
http://www.opcw.org/pressreleases/2006/PR56_2006.html

Bhutan, Nauru and Sierra Leone have established the OPCW National Authority required under the Chemical Weapons Convention.
http://www.opcw.org/pressreleases/2006/PR53_2006.html
http://www.opcw.org/pressreleases/2006/PR54_2006.html
http://www.opcw.org/pressreleases/2006/PR55_2006.html

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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 Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released "The State of World Aquaculture 2006". The report explains that in 1980 only nine percent of fish consumed by humans came from aquaculture, but today 43 percent does. As consumer demand continues to climb, captures of fish in the wild have remained roughly stable and there is little chance of significant increases beyond this. Of nearly 600 species monitored, 52 percent are fully exploited, 25 percent overexploited, and 17 percent depleted.
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000383/index.html
ftp://ftp.fao.org/FI/DOCUMENT/t500_advanced/advanced_t500e.pdf

Guyana's Agricultural Workers Union has called for legislation requiring use of locally produced rice in public institutions to help keep farmers in business. Escalating food imports have harmed the local agriculture industry, especially rice.
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=110227

Kenya and Japan have signed an agricultural cooperation agreement in which Japan will help Kenya's export of horticultural crops. They will also identify other areas of collaboration.
http://www.statehousekenya.go.ke/news/sept06/2006040901.htm

The US Department of Agriculture is seeking public comment on deregulation of genetically engineered rice.
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2006/09/0345.xml

This article addresses agri-terrorism preparation in the US state of Oklahoma.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/BusinessStory.asp?ID=060910_Bu_E1_Agrit12009
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CIM Banking and Finance
--------------------------------------------------
The Federal Reserve Board (Board), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) first adopted risk-based capital standards in 1989. Those standards were based on the Basel Capital Accord that the BCBS originally issued in 1988 (Basel I). For banking organizations that meet qualifying criteria, the Basel II NPR would replace U.S. rules implementing Basel I. The proposed framework would be mandatory for large, internationally active banking organizations and optional for others. Public comment is being requested on a notice of proposed rulemaking  that would implement new risk-based capital requirements in the US for large, internationally active banking organizations. Statement from the Comptroller
http://www.occ.gov/ftp/release/2006-94a.pdf
Risk-Based Capital Standards: Market Risk
http://www.occ.gov/ftp/release/2006-94b.pdf
Template
http://www.occ.gov/ftp/release/2006-94e.pdf
Risk-Based Capital Standards: Advanced Capital Adequacy Framework
http://www.occ.gov/tp/release/2006-94c.pdf
Template
http://www.occ.gov/ftp/release/2006-94d.pdf

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) released a draft for public comment of Banking Disclosure Rules that together with Banking Capital Rules comprise Basel II implementing rules.
http://www.info.gov.hk/hkma/eng/basel2/index.htm

This article describes security threats against India's technology-driven financial infrastructure.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/ew/2006/09/11/stories/2006091100160300.htm
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CIM Chemical
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"Chemical Plants Remain Vulnerable to Terrorists: A Call to Action" describes potentially catastrophic vulnerabilities in US chemical plants. The report finds that voluntary efforts have been unsuccessful. The authors describe these recommended policies:
a) specify detailed requirements for chemical site assessment and security ; b) mandate audit inspections supported by significant penalties for cases of noncompliance ; c) require progress toward achieving inherently safer processes, including the minimizing of storage of highly hazardous chemicals ; d) examine and require additional effective actions in prevention, emergency preparedness, and response and remediation ; e) mandate and fund the upgrading of emergency communication systems ; and f) involve workers and community members in plan creation and equip and prepare them to prevent and respond effectively to an incident.
http://dx.doi.org/
Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 114, Number 9, September 2006
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2006/8762/8762.html

The American Chemistry Society has released a report on how far member companies have progressed in securing the industry since 9/11.
http://www.americanchemistry.com/s_acc/sec_news_article.asp?CID=206&DID=3463
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CIM Commercial Facilities
--------------------------------------------------
A series of workshops from the US National Institute of Technology and Standards (NIST) is studying progressive collapse, in which the spread of an initial local failure in a structure until it results in the collapse of the entire building or a disproportionately large part of it. In conjunction with the seminars, NIST its report, "Best Practices for Reducing the Potential for Progressive Collapse in Buildings".
http://www.seinstitute.org/

NIST has also posted a fact sheet on the World Trade Center investigation to address alternative/conspiracy theories that factors other than those described in its October 2005 final report brought the twin towers down no 9/11.
http://wtc.nist.gov
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CIM Cybersecurity
--------------------------------------------------
MessageLabs reports that online criminals are developing sophisticated phishing attacks and Trojans to exploit known vulnerabilities, instant messaging, social networks, and ecommerce sites, continuing the shift from broad virus attacks to more targeted. Phishing represented nearly a third of all virus and Trojan activity in August, compared to a fifth in July.
http://www.messagelabs.com/threat_watch/intelligence_reports

SANS Internet Storm Center reports that Pmwiki and Tiwiki vulnerabilities are being actively exploited to create botnets.
http://isc.sans.org/diary.php?storyid=1672

Sophos reports a new spam tactic in which they offer to help companies artificially increase stock prices in exchange for a payment. These are "pump and dump" scams.
http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/news/articles/2006/09/stockpromo.html
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/06/landmine_company_explodes/

An unpatched Microsoft Word 2000 vulnerability allows malicious software to be downloaded by opening a document. Such attacks are dangerous but not yet widespread.
http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2003-080521-2111-99
http://www.symantec.com/enterprise/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2006-090219-2855-99

The Eliles-A worm uses an SMS text message to launch a phishing attack that leads users to download malicious software. It is active in Spain.
http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_140535.htm
http://www.avertlabs.com/research/blog/?p=74
http://hiptools.net/sms

The Bank of Ireland issued a statement reiterating the policy "that it does not refund customers that are the victims of 'phishing' attacks. Personal log on information is the responsibility of the customer, to whom the personal log on information was issued and it is vital to the integrity of the system and the security of the individual's account that this remains so at all times." However, after discovering last month that a number of customers had lost large sums, they will in exceptional cases provide compensation.
http://applications.boi.com/updates/Article?PR_ID=1430
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/06/boi_refunds_phishing_victims/
http://wallstreetandtech.com/blog/archives/2006/09/bank_of_ireland.html

Identity theft in order to commit property title fraud has become an increasing problem in Canada:
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1156542610726

The University of Minnesota is notifying more than 13,000 past and present students that two computers containing personal data have been stolen.
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/666542.html

California's Attorney General Bill Lockyer has launched a criminal investigation into whether Hewlett-Packard broke personal data protection and identity theft laws by spying on directors to identify responsible for media leaks.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hp7sep07,0,2087741.story
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/07/AR2006090701543.html

Credit card fraud-watch organization Early Warning has provided 2006 UK fraud map, whose latest numbers for card not present transactions indicate that London has the largest number of fraudulent transactions, followed by Manchester and Kilmarnock.
http://www.early-warning.org/viewnews.php4?id=179

Phoenix Technologies commissioned Trusted Strategies LLC to analyze US Department of Justice data. The resulting report, "Network Attacks: Analysis of Department of Justice Prosecutions 1999-2006", finds that of the cases investigated, 84 percent of serious network attacks could have been prevented by verifying the identity of the computers in addition to that of the user.
http://www.net-security.org/dl/articles/Report-DOJ_Computer_Crime_Prosecutions.pdf

"Guidelines for Media Sanitization" from the US National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) explains how best to remove data from storage media prior to discarding or donating a used computer.
http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-88/SP800-88_Aug2006.pdf

IBM announced data encryption within storage drives, a measure that would help reduce the threat posed by stolen computers, but there are management and performance concerns associated with this approach.
http://www-03.ibm.com/servers/storage/enewscast/data_encryption/
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CIM Dams and Bridges
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Security at India's Krishnaraja Saga reservoir is being increased, including additional personnel, physical access controls, and metal detectors.
http://www.hindu.com/2006/09/11/stories/2006091107800100.htm

A terrorist threat was sent to the Bhakra Dam Project, sparking increased security.
http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=321207&sid=REG

Physical security at a North Dakota (US) dam is commented on in this blog posting:
http://www.kxma.com/getARticle.asp?ArticleId=40754
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CIM Defense Industrial Base
--------------------------------------------------
The US Government Accountability Office issued three reports that address issues of managing and implementing critical defense systems in collaboration with private industry. These are:
"Defense Infrastructure: Actions Taken to Improve the Management of Utility Privatization, but Some Concerns Remain",
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-914
"Defense Logistics: Changes to Stryker Vehicle Maintenance Support Should Identify Strategies for Addressing Implementation Challenges"
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-928R
"Army Corps of Engineers: Improved Monitoring and Clear Guidance Would Contribute to More Effective Use of Continuing Contracts"
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-966
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CIM Emergency Services
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Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia has a new directory that provides detailed maps and other information to help emergency services and land managers better prepare for bushfires, floods, and rescue operations.
http://avonvalleyadvocate.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=general&story_id=507949&category=General&m=9&y=2006

The Mount Sinai Medical Center released the findings from the World Trade Center Worker and Volunteer Medical Screening Program, the largest multi-center clinical program providing medical screening exams for the workers and volunteers at Ground Zero and other sites following the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. The report found that a high proportion of those examined became sick as a result of their World Trade Center work. It found also that illnesses have persisted in the years since September 11 in a high proportion of the workers. In one area alone - pulmonary function tests - the study found WTC responders had abnormalities at a rate twice that expected in the comparable U.S. population and that these abnormalities persisted for many months and, in some cases, years after exposure.
http://www.mountsinai.org/hso/hso_frame.jsp?hosp=msh&nav=interwoven&url=/msh_news/msh_wtc_health_study.html

The House Committee on Government Reform, Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, held a field hearing in New York City on the health of responders and residents following 9/11.
http://reform.house.gov/NSETIR/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=49462

Hospitals stepped up preparedness after 9/11:
http://www.downtownhospital.org/pages/3150/index.htm

Response to a simulated bioterrorist on Los Angeles, California, is described in this article:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-terror4sep04,0,6093768.story

The state of emergency care in the rural US is discussed in this article:
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,645199785,00.html

Emergency responders are still poorly prepared for a WMD attack:
http://www.nationalledger.com/artman/publish/printer_8083.shtml

Wisconsin's emergency services are equipped with oxygen masks for animals.
http://emsresponder.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=4016
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CIM Energy
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Chevron (US), Statoil (Norway) and Devon Energy (US) announced a large oil field under the Gulf of Mexico that could rival the Prudhoe Bay field. The find was made possible by technological changes that supported investigations much deeper into the ocean. This will present challenges to development of the field, whose size remains undetermined.
http://www.chevron.com/news/press/2006/2006-09-05.asp
http://www.statoil.com/STATOILCOM/SVG00990.nsf?opendatabase&lang=en&artid=41256A3A0055DD32C12571DA003AA917
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=67097&p=irol-newsArticle&t=Regular&id=901621

Bulgaria, Greece and Russia have agreed to develop an oil pipeline linking the three countries. Bypassing Turkey, this 175-mile new route would give Russia a direct path to the Mediterranean for the first time.

Indonesia's drought has led to reduced water flows, affecting power turbines, and leading to blackouts in cities in Sulawesi and Sumatra.

Iraq plans to spend $800 million on imported oil to address severe shortages of gas, kerosene, and cooking fuel.

Russian gas monopoly Gazprom has agreed to increase from $65 to $100 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas provided by Turkmenistan.

The US House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing on BP's pipeline spills at Prudhoe Bay. The hearing accused officials of unacceptable neglect. Richard Woollam, the chief pipeline inspection expert, took the fifth amendment, to invoke protection against self-incrimination rather than testify what he knew about corrosion.
http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Hearings/09072006hearing2019/hearing.htm
http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/News/09072006_2021.htm
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/15469337.htm

Natural Gas Pipeline Safety is addressed in two US Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports. In "Integrity Management Benefits Public Safety, but Consistency of Performance Measures Should Be Improved", GAO recommends revisions to Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) performance measures.  "Risk-Based Standards Should Allow Operators to Better Tailor Reassessments to Pipeline Threats" calls on Congress to consider allowing gas transmission pipeline operators to reassess pipelines using risk-based standards rather than industry consensus and other regulations and prevention measures.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-946
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-945
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CIM Government Facilities
--------------------------------------------------
The Alfred P Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City and the World Trade Center both suffered progressive collapse during terrorist incidents. The US National Institute of Technology and Standards (NIST) is holding a series of seminars on this topic, and providing its report, "Best Practices for Reducing the Potential for Progressive Collapse in Buildings".
http://www.seinstitute.org/
--------------------------------------------------
CIM Information Technology
--------------------------------------------------
IBM will use a hybrid of conventional supercomputer processors and the new cell chip designed for Sony's PlayStation 3 to build the world's most powerful supercomputer at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico. Codenamed Roadrunner, the new machine will be able to achieve petaflop speeds (1,000 trillion calculations per second) and at peak speed will be able to perform 1.6 thousand trillion calculations per second.
http://www.top500.org
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/20210.wss http://www.research.ibm.com/bluegene

The world's largest computer chip manufacturer, Intel, announced a restructuring plan that includes cutting ten percent of its worldwide staff by the middle of next year, following a 56 percent drop in quarterly profits amid competition from Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).
http://www.intel.com/pressroom/archive/releases/20060905corp.htm
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CIM Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste
--------------------------------------------------
Japan and South Korea have agreed to undertake a joint survey of radioactive waste near the disputed Dokdo (Korean)/Takeshima (Japanese) islands.

Keeping nuclear materials off the black market is discussed in these articles:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20387457-31477,00.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2006/09/10/ING3EKVI863.DTL
http://peacejournalism.com/ReadArticle.asp?ArticleID=10617

Cleanup of the Hanford nuclear weapons plant in the US state of Washington has been deeply troubled with safety problems, cost increases, and schedule delays. This is addressed in this article as well as a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, "Nuclear Waste: DOE's Efforts to Protect the Columbia River from Contamination Could Be Further Strengthened".
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-hanford4sep04,0,1374371.story
http://www.hanford.gov/
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-1018
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CIM Public Health and Healthcare
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Emergence of Extensive Drug Resistant TB (XDR-TB), a virulent and highly resistant strain, poses a major public health threat. (See ETM/Infections Diseases, above)

The Plumpy'nut bar, comprised of peanuts, dry milk, sugar, sale and minerals, has a 90 percent success rate in treating malnourished children, compared to about 30 percent with traditional therapeutic feeding units in hospitals or health centers.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55386

The European Commission launched a public consultation on how to ensure legal certainty regarding cross-border health services under Community law, and to support cooperation between the health systems of the Member States. An initial consultation will consider authorization and payment of cross-border health, provision of information to patients about treatments available in other Member States; which health authority is responsible for supervision in different circumstances; responsibility for harm caused by healthcare and compensation; patient rights; and cooperative support of health systems. Based on responses to the consultation, any formal Commission proposals will follow in 2007.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1150&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/06/319&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

This is Don't Lose the Music Week, which involved a public campaign to make young music fans aware of the need to look after their hearing when listening to music on portable players or at gigs and clubs. The Royal National Institute for Deaf People has called for warnings on portable players. Both the volume and the length of time listening can lead to premature hearing loss.
http://www.dontlosethemusic.com/
http://www.rnid.org.uk/mediacentre/press/2006/?ciid=293661

University of Rochester researchers gave hearing tests to 124 post-menopausal women, finding a possible link between hearing loss and hormone replacement therapy.
http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/smd/story.cfm?id=1216

The Lebanese Ministry of Health and World Health Organization surveyed the damage left after the cessation of hostilities in Lebanon. A quarter of all health facilities surveyed across the country are not functioning due to physical damage, lack of staff or lack of accessibility caused by the recent fighting. Lack of drinking water, fuel, and other supplies remain serious concerns. Only a third of health facilities have potable water. Just one in four remain linked to the general sewerage system or to a power supply. 31 percent use generators but less than one in five has enough fuel to run them. There are shortages of health workers, including general practitioners as well as specialists in obstetrics and surgery, and nursing staff levels are just a quarter of what they should be.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2006/pr48/en/index.html

South African President Thabo Mbeki has received a letter from more than 60 international HIV/AIDS experts that calls the government's health policy "disastrous and pseudo-scientific" and calls for health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who recommends traditional remedies such as garlic and beets, to step down. The increasing pressure has worked in part: although Tshabalala-Msimang retains her ministerial portfolio, she has been relieved of the responsibility of leading the government efforts to prevent HIV transmission.
http://www.aidstruth.org/letter-to-mbeki.php
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/africa/article1431071.ece

The Swiss model of heroin-assisted drug treatment was adopted in 1994. Similar treatments have been tested or introduced in Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Spain, and the UK, and now several studies have found the model effective, attracting even more attention.
http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/detail/Swiss_heroin_model_reporting_benefits.html?siteSect=105&sid=7032610&cKey=1157399723000

Children of men aged 40 and over have a significantly increased risk of autism compared to those with fathers under 30, helping to explain increased numbers of cases and offering further evidence that men also have a biological clock.
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/phpnews/wmview.php?ArtID=1343

The US House of Representatives, Committee on Government Reform, Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and International Relations, held a hearing on the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. It included witnesses from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and USAID to discuss that extent that spending requirement affect the ability of country teams to effectively implement prevention initiatives.
http://reform.house.gov/NSETIR/Hearings/EventSingle.aspx?EventID=49616
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-1089T

GAO released another healthcare related report, "Consumer-Directed Health Plans: Early Enrollee Experiences with Health Savings Accounts and Eligible Health Plans". In it, GAO explained that health savings accounts (HSA) and the high-deductible health insurance plans that are eligible to be coupled with them are a new type of consumer-directed health plan attracting interest among employers and consumers. This report reviewed the experiences of current enrollees, who generally reported positive experiences, but most would not recommend plans to consumers with maintenance medication, a chronic condition, children, or insufficient funds to meet the high deductible.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-798

Another GAO report, "Privacy: Domestic and Offshore Outsourcing of Personal Information in Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE", reveals widespread privacy breaches of healthcare information, involving more than 40 percent of private contractors and state agencies.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-676
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CIM Telecommunications
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Kenya has refused to join the 23-nation East African Submarine Cable System (EASSY) following disagreement over project cost and management. Instead, they plan to build an undersea fiber optic cable linking Mombasa to Fujairah, in the Gulf of Oman.
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=3&newsid=80922
http://www.mybroadband.co.za/nephp/?m=show&id=4160
http://eassy.org/

California's legislature have passed a law requiring warning labels on all equipment capable of receiving WI-Fi signals, to include guidance on data security for wireless connections.
http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_2401-2450/ab_2415_bill_20060821_amended_sen.html
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1035_22-6110897.html
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CIM Transportation
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The US Department of Transportation's Inspector General completed their investigation of a referral made by 9/11 Commission staff regarding inaccurate statements made by Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) officials regarding notifications to the Department of Defense during the hijackings. They did not find cases of knowingly making false or misleading statements, but recommended that FAA take disciplinary action against two current executives who had failed to correct an erroneous response.
http://www.oig.dot.gov/StreamFile?file=/data/pdfdocs/cc2006085.pdf

Airline security after 9/11 is discussed here:
http://www.tsa.gov/press/where_we_stand/accomplishments.shtm
http://www.usatoday.com/money/biztravel/2006-09-06-accepting-intrusions_x.htm

Korean Air has banned laptops with batteries subject to a recall for fear they could start a fire.
http://www.koreanair.com/local/na/gd/eng/ft/ne/global_eng_ft_ne_060418615.htm

British Airways reports that 1,280 flight cancellations during the 10-17 August terror alert cost GBP40 million. Airport operator BAA reported security costs of more than GBP 20 million.
http://www.britishairways.com/travel/bapress/public/en_gb
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5331944.stm

With the 30 September deadline imposed by the European Court of Justice for the EU to end passenger data transfers to the US rapidly approaching, the European Parliament adopted a report calling on the US to ensure adequate protection of European passenger data and sufficient safeguards. It asks the European Council to negotiate an interim agreement, valid until November 2007 only, with members of the European parliament observing the negotiations.
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/019-10306-247-09-36-902-20060901IPR10254-04-09-2006-2006-false/default_en.htm

Greece and South Korea have signed a maritime cooperation agreement.

In 2004, over 5,000 people died on US roads in crashes involving large trucks. The Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration operates truck safety programs, including Share the Road Safely, whose goal is to improve driving behavior around large trucks. "Truck Safety: Share the Road Safely Pilot Initiative Showed Promise, but the Program's Future Success is Uncertain" is a report from the Government Accountability Office that reviewed the initiative ahead of an authorization bill. GAO recommends the Secretary of Transportation develop a strategy to expanding certain initiatives and determining the best method for using DOT resources and expertise to modify driver behavior.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-916
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CIM Water
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UNICEF reports that it is working with the Lebanese authorities to try to rehabilitate the water system that used to serve up to 750,000 people in the south. UNICEF is also fixing labels to the bottled water it is distributing, to better inform families and children about the threat of unexploded ordnance,
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/news/opendoc.htm?tbl=NEWS&id=44fd53e92"

After cost overruns and a delay of nearly a year, the US city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,  announced today an agreement in principle with Oracle Corp. to complete a suspended computerized water-billing system initiative called Project Ocean.
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/states/pennsylvania/15465368.htm
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9003059

The Potomac River supplies drinking water in Washington DC and areas of eastern Virginia. The discovery of fish possessing both male and female characteristics in the river has raised alarms that polluted water affecting hormone systems could pose a threat to the drinking water supply.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/05/AR2006090501384.html

---

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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The government of Ivory Coast has fallen following a toxic waste leak, possibly involving hydrogen sulfide, that killed at least three and harmed more than 2,000 people in the capital Abidjan. Illegal waste dumping is tied to both problems of waste control and to government corruption. If the substance is confirmed to be hydrogen sulfide, the acute toxin could enter the ground water and soil, causing long-term pollution and serious damage.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=55488
http://www.greenpeace.org/france/news/400-tonnes-de-dechets-toxiques (in French)

More than 50 coal miners in the Indian state of Jharkhand are trapped and believed dead from poisonous gases following an explosion.

In northwestern and central Mexico landslides have killed at least 16 people.

A gold mine in Russia caught fire, killing 12 miners, and leaving 20 trapped and presumed dead.

An overloaded boat in poor repair sank in bad weather on Lake Kivu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Ten people are dead and 30 missing.

In Egypt's capital Cairo, a passenger train and cargo train collided, killing five and injuring 30. An investigation has been launched. Only two weeks earlier, a collision in the same area killed 58. A bus accident in eastern Egypt killed nine pilgrims en route to Saudi Arabia, and injured more than 40/

Mexico has confirmed that Hurricane John left three people dead when it swept through the Baja California peninsula last weekend. Three people were reported missing.

In Indian-administered Kashmir, heavy rains breached the banks of the Jhelum River, causing flash floods and landslides that have killed one and affected 200,000.

A fire in Spain's Galicia region has released highly toxic chemicals into the Umia River, killing fish and plants as it spreads downstream. Water supplies to some 80,000 people have been cut off, fishing areas have been closed, and a series of dams are being built to try to stop it.

Three scavengers were killed in Indonesia's capital Jakarta when a garbage dump collapsed. Several people were injured and up to 20 may still be buried under the pile.

In Yemen's southern port city of Aden, heat and friction led to a series of explosions in old munitions stored at an arms depot. Two people were killed and several injured.
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DRM Response and Recovery
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Chinese officials have been penalized for failures in recent disasters, including a plane crash and a flood.
http://english.people.com.cn//200609/07/eng20060907_300584.html

As the Lapindo Brantas gas well in East Java continues to spew hot toxic mud, thousands of meters of soil are shifting, making explosions from volatile underground gases highly likely. The area has now been sealed off to prevent a repeat of the 29 August explosion that led to the death of one man, and has caused severe skin and respiratory problems among thousands. Lapindo Brantas is beginning to dump water from the mudflow into the Porong River. Another mud source has erupted. The government has formed a national team to try to address the seemingly invincible flow, which could get worse during the rainy season.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-javamud9sep09,0,5424952.story

Conditions in disaster-ravaged areas of Aceh and Nias in Indonesia are leading to stunted growth among children.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=19731&Cr=Indonesia&Cr1=

"Disaster Relief: Governmentwide Framework Needed to Collect and Consolidate Information to Report on Billions in Federal Funding for the 2005 Gulf Coast Hurricanes" is a new report from GAO. It explains that Hurricane Katrina devastated the US Gulf Coast region, further exacerbated by Hurricanes Rita and Wilma. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had the primary response role in federal relief and recovery efforts. This study was undertaken to understand if emergency funding was adequately tracked and reported. They found there are no frameworks or mechanisms in place to support an effort that involves 23 different federal agencies through four emergency supplemental appropriations acts, and makes recommendations to improve the situation.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-834

The GAO's "National Emergency Grants: Labor Has Improved Its Grant Award Timeliness and Data Collection, but Further Steps Can Improve Process" found significant problems in grant awards.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-870

The US Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee issued a critical report of Supplemental Terrorist Activity Relief (STAR). The 9/11 loans subsidized banks that made loans clearly showing adverse effects of the attacks, but the committee's research showed that three of four loans lacked adequate documentation. The report blames this on vague government guidelines. A bill proposing the Small Business Administration work with private disaster loans has followed.
http://sbc.senate.gov/HTML/news/STAR%20Loan.htm
http://sbc.senate.gov/HTML/news/Committee%20Report%20on%20STAR-%20FINAL%20VERSION.pdf
--------------------------------------------------
DRM Risks
--------------------------------------------------
Five years after 9/11 companies are thinking more about catastrophic risk, but there aren't many new tools to help cope with it.
http://www.treasuryandrisk.com/issues/2006_07/coverstory/542-1.html

Indonesian geologists warn that a deadly earthquake in North Sumatra is likely to occur in the next few years, following a pattern of major tremors in the area.

Switzerland is using a conference to drive home the threat of earthquakes there and in surrounding regions.
http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/detail/Conference_highlights_earthquake_threat.html?siteSect=105&sid=7026220&cKey=1157359680000
--------------------------------------------------
DRM Mitigation
--------------------------------------------------
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) launched the International Network on Financial Management of Large-Scale Catastrophes. OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria called for world governments o be better prepared for large-scale catastrophes and take a more proactive role in working with the insurance industry and other players. In a global economy, the domino effect of disasters goes beyond their economic and social impact on the countries directly affected. Recent years have seen a dramatic rise in the frequency and severity of catastrophes and the trend is towards greater vulnerability and larger losses. Insured losses are only the tip of the iceberg given that numbers of people with insurance cover are very limited in emerging economies. More than 1,800 people died in Hurricane Katrina in the southern United States last year, with an estimated $135 billion of damage and insured losses of around $35 billion to $45 billion. By comparison, the floods in China in 1996 and 1998 inflicted $24 billion and $30 billion dollars in economic damages respectively but only between one percent and three percent of these losses were covered by insurance. The Network, which is open to non-member countries, will focus on the financial management of different types of large scale risks, including natural catastrophes, accidental disasters caused by human intervention, terrorist acts and pandemics. It will also assess the extent to which financial sector institutions are prepared to withstand disasters from a financial and operational perspective.
http://www.oecd.org/daf/insurance

The European Parliament adopted a resolution reflecting concern over the growing numbers of fires, floods and other disasters related to climate change. They call for member states to attain Kyoto goals and commitments, and emphasize the need to mitigate the threat rather than waiting to respond to its aftermath.
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/059-10287-247-09-36-910-20060901IPR10227-04-09-2006-2006-false/default_en.htm

Philippines Senator Ramon Bong Revilla acknowledged that relief efforts following the eruption of the Mayon volcano were effective but warns that such events occur every two years. Instead of relying on temporary disaster response, he suggests institutionalizing permanent evacuation plans. He did not recommend a ban on residence in the area.

Approaching the fifth anniversary of 9/11, many papers across the US asked if the country is better prepared:
"Not yet" (California)
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/terror/20060903-9999-1n3secure.html
"Are we safer?" (Florida)
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15480347.htm
"State officials say we're safer but gaps remain" (Indiana and Kentucky)
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060910/NEWS01/60910006/1008
"Despite millions spent, Boston is vulnerable" (Massachusetts)
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/09/10/despite_millions_spent_boston_is_vulnerable/
"Security questions linger" (New York)
http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060907/SPECIAL01/609070303/1019/NEWS03
"Five years later, we're still not safe" (Pennsylvania)
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/special_packages/sept11/15399574.htm
"Is Utah Safer" (Utah)
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,645199896,00.html
"A Fight Against Terrorism - and Disorganization" (Washington DC)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/08/AR2006080800964.html

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released "Catastrophic Disasters: Enhanced Leadership, Capabilities, and Accountability Controls Will Improve the Effectiveness of the Nation's Preparedness, Response, and Recovery System". This report summarizes the findings of congressional, White House, Homeland Security, and other investigations into Hurricane Katrina response.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-618

Hurricane Katrina: Strategic Planning Needed to Guide Future Enhancements Beyond Interim Levee Repairs" reports that levee and floodwall breached during Hurricane Katrina caused billions of property damage and more than 1,300 deaths. This GAO report recommends that the Army Corps of Engineers develop a comprehensive strategy and implementation plan that incorporates all elements for rebuilding and strengthening the system to ensure that specified levels of protection are constructed in a cost-effective manner, within reasonable time frames. It also recommends establishing an independent task force to help support and guide ongoing and future repairs.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-934

The US city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Emergency Preparedness Review Committee issued its final report:
http://www.phila.gov/ready/pdfs/EPRC_Full_Report_Updated_7_14.pdf

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7. Recommended Reading

This section cites recent books, reports, news specials, and prior Newsletter coverage related to 9/11 and its five anniversaries.


Books
-------------------
David Friend, "Watching the World Change: The Stores Behind the Images of 9/11", (Farar, Straus and Giroux).
http://davidfriend.net/about.php
Reviews:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/03/books/review/Keillor.t.html?ex=1158033600&en=efd1c55aaca6b6d0&ei=5070
http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0609/wtwc.html

Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon, "The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation" (Hill and Wang).
Reviews:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5287968.stm
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/books/reviews/4155666.html
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6365955.html?display=current&industry=Sara+Nelson&verticalid=792
Author Interview:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5690970

Thomas Kean and Lee Hamilton, "Without Precedent: The Inside Story of the 9/11 Commission" (Knopf)
https://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307263773
Reviews:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06232/714598-148.stm
http://www.bookreporter.com/reviews2/0307263770.asp
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060909.BKTWIN09/TPStory/Entertainment/Books

Joel Meyerowitz, "Aftermath: World Trade Center Archive" (Phaidon)
Reviews:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/03/books/review/Mahler.t.html?ex=1158033600&en=c3886155c59b77d1&ei=5070
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/books/reviews/4155665.html
Author Interviews:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/faith/interviews/meyerowitz.html
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1490523

Lawrence Wright, "The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11" (Knopf)
http://www.lawrencewright.com/books.html
Reviews:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/06/books/review/06filkins.html?ex=1158033600&en=19d3e37152a4672e&ei=5070
http://www.slate.com/id/2146654/entry/2146655/
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0905/p14s03-bogn.html
Author interview:
http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2006/09/20060905_a_main.asp

Additional books are mentioned here:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0907/p13s02-bogn.html
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6364855.html?pubdate=8%2F21%2F2006&display=archive


Items addressing 9/11 conspiracy theories:
-------------------
NIST World Trade Center fact sheet.
http://wtc.nist.gov

Popular Mechanics, "Debunking 9/11 Myths: Why Conspiracy Theories Can't Stand Up to the Facts" (Hearst)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/09/03/INGR0KRCBA1.DTL
http://www.macleans.ca/culture/books/article.jsp?content=20060904_132517_132517

State Department, " The Top September 11 Conspiracy Theories"
http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=pubs-english&y=2006&m=August&x=20060828133846esnamfuaK0.2676355


Reports
-------------------
Brookings Institution, "Five Years After 9/11 "
http://www.brookings.org/comm/infocus/911.htm

Chatham House, "The War on Terror: Do the Rules Need Changing?"
http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/index.php?id=189&pid=316
http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/pdf/research/il/BPwaronterror.pdf

Chatham House, " Al-Qaeda Five Years On: Threats and Challenges"
http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/index.php?id=189&pid=318
http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/pdf/research/mep/AlQaeda0806.pdf"

Foreign Policy "What 9/11 Didn't Change"
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=220


News Specials:
-------------------
BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/5321414.stm
Boston Globe
http://www.boston.com/news/specials/the_long_war_sept_11
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2006/09/03/911__5/
CBS
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/september11/main500249.shtml
Christian Science Monitor
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0911/p01s02-usgn.html
CNN
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2002/america.remembers/
Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/september11/0,,597544,00.html
Los Angeles Times
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-091106-sept11coverage,0,7725462.special?coll=la-home-headlines
Miami Herald
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/special_packages/sept11/
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/nyregion/nyregionspecial3/index.html
Newsweek
http://www.time.com/time/2006/september11/
Philadelphia Inquirer
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/special_packages/sept11/
Sydney Morning Herald
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/911-five-years-on/2006/09/10/1157826815886.html
Time
http://www.time.com/time/2006/september11/
Times
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,31229,00.html
USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/9-11-index.htm
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/911/

Prior TerrorismCentral coverage:
-------------------
"Voices of 9/11"
https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2005/091105.html#FeatureArticle
"Losing the 'War on Terrorism'"
https://terrorismcentral.com/Newsletters/2004/091204.html#FeatureArticle

---

8. Asset Management Network News

Haven't heard of botnets? Not sure if nanotechnology is an idea or a threat? Heard about disaster plans but don't have one? Want to educate your own staff about insider threats? Need a list of companies that provide biometric identification products?  Have you read a news topic where we didn't provide enough background, or missed a major issue on your radar screen? Contact us with questions, or consider our custom research and report services, for internal use or customized information distribution.

We will be attending "Connected Health -Empowering Care through Communications Technologies" on 18-19 September, where we will provide information on lessons learned and experiences shared between the financial services and healthcare industries, such as payment systems, security, identity management, data normalization, and outsourcing. The symposium "is bringing together thought leaders from each aspect of healthcare and technology, to discuss the innovative applications of new healthcare communications technologies. Interactive sessions, workshops and panel discussions will focus on the application of these technologies and the impact on providing quality patient care, the management of telemedicine programs in healthcare settings and strategies for integrating connected health throughout the healthcare system". The Connected Health Initiative is a project involving Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Partners Telemedicine.
http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?i=f72fe396-bcfc-4e8b-bd21-15f2e83d5673

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".

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