This week you'll find several reports on political risk, energy, the environment, and economies. Many of these issues intersect, as most clearly seen in the UN's Human Development Report and the International Energy Agency's World Energy Outlook. There were also many elections this week, and Recommended Reading focuses on the US, including the full text of a preliminary election observer report.

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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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The International Monetary Fund estimates that more than $700 million of Equatorial Guinea's oil revenues are still held offshore. Teodoro Nguema Obiang, son of the President of Equatorial Guinea has apparently dipped into these funds to purchase a $25 million California mansion.
http://www.globalwitness.org/press_releases/display2.php?id=389

Italian police broke up a major drug trafficking in coordinated raids involving two major operations.

Global Witness has called for the Kimberley Process to take urgent action over Ivory Coast's diamond trade.
http://www.globalwitness.org/press_releases/display2.php?id=387

Malaysian fruit exporter Mohamad Tahir Fazal Mohamad has provided evidence to the Anti-Corruption Agency claiming that a deputy minister was involved in money laundering.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/11/8/nation/15952236&sec=nation

More details are emerging of a Macau bank tied to North Korea's WMD projects, and implicating Japanese companies.
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20061104TDY01004.htm

Five UK police officers have been arrested in a series of dawn raids connected with a money laundering investigation.
http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1665342006
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,1944571,00.html

Athif Sarwar, son of a Scottish member of parliament, has been scheduled to stand trial for money laundering later this month, before Scottish elections. He and his co-defendant Mansoor Khan are accused of laundering nearly GBP 850,000 through a front business called United Wholesale (Scotland) Ltd.
http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/73890.html

Trevor Chandler, Augustine Quinn, and Bridget Quinn have been charged with money laundering in connection with stealing the life savings of a Manchester, England 89-year old woman.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/227/227788_third_charged_over_moneylaundering.html

Northern Ireland second hand car salesman has been found guilty of money laundering by having vehicles representing another individual's drug proceeds.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breaking/story.asp?j=231595290&p=z3y596yx5

A human trafficking ring in Arizona has been broken up. The ringleaders are charged with alien smuggling and money laundering.
http://www.ice.gov/pi/news/newsreleases/articles/061030tucson.htm
http://nyjtimes.com/cover/11-07-06/MassiveIllegalAlienSmugglingNetPierced.htm

Florida drug trafficker Yoel Tirado's forfeited home is being auctioned. Other forfeitures have included eight properties valued at over $3.5 million, three Hummers, and more than $620,000 cash.
http://www.ice.gov/pi/news/newsreleases/articles/061108homestead.htm
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AML/CFT Legislation and Regulation
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The EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council adopted a new regulation to ensure traceability in payments by imposing identification requirements on payers and verification requirements on payment services. The regulation comes into force across the EU on 1 January 2007.

Kenya's anti-money laundering bill is intended to address asset recovery and end corruption.
http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143960908
http://www.timesnews.co.ke/12nov06/nwsstory/opinion1.html

Malta is concerned over the economic impact of a rush to launder money ahead of switching to the Euro.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2006/11/05/t1.html

Moldova's parliament approved a comprehensive bill on financial crimes that conforms to EU AML/CFT standards.
http://www.tiraspoltimes.com/node/326
http://pridnestrovie.net/banking.html

Bank of Namibia Governor Thomas Alweendo delivered an annual address in which he described changes to the AML framework that will make anyone planning to launder money think twice.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200611100525.html

In Nigeria, money laundering charges that had been laid against Andy Uba and Loretta Mabinton are being deemed politically motivated.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200611100361.html
http://allafrica.com/stories/200611070682.html
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AML/CFT Modalities
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The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has published new method reports on payments and misuse of corporate vehicles.
http://www.fatf-gafi.org/LongAbstract/0,2546,en_32250379_32235720_37627409_1_1_1_1,00.html
http://www.fatf-gafi.org/LongAbstract/0,2546,en_32250379_32235720_37627462_1_1_1_1,00.html

FATF is developing recommendations to combat financial cybercrime.
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/nov2006/tc20061106_986949.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_technology

The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) called on Afghanistan's neighboring countries to crack down on the apparent smuggling of acetic anhydride, which is used to manufacture heroin. There has been a huge rise in opium cultivation, but sources of acetic anhydride have not been identified or controlled.
http://www.unis.unvienna.org/unis/pressrels/2006/unisnar979.html
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/news_and_publications.html

A report commissioned by the UK warns that online gambling could facilitate international money laundering, and even turn into a race between more and more sophisticated ways for both criminals and law enforcement to hide and trace illegal monies.
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/viewstory.asp?Page=/ForeignBureaus/archive/200611/INT20061106d.html

The US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issues reports on the potential AML/CFT risks of shell companies and mortgage loan frauds.
http://www.fincen.gov/ShellCompaniesRelease.html
http://www.fincen.gov/mortage_fraud.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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Transparency International has released the 2006 Corruption Perceptions Index. The findings reinforce the link between poverty and corruption. Nearly three quarters of the 163 countries surveyed suffer from a perception of serious corruption, which is seen as rampant in nearly half. Finland, Iceland and New Zealand were tied for first place with rankings of 9.6. The other top ten were Denmark, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Australia, and the Netherlands. The UK was 11th with 8.6; Germany 16th at 8.0; France and Ireland both at 7.4, in 18th place; the US 20th with 7.3, a drop from 7.6 the year before; and Italy 45th with 4.9. Only Botswana and Mauritius scored more than five. Haiti was at the bottom, with a rating of 1.8. Burma, Guinea, and Iraq tied for second last with 1.9. Afghanistan, North Korea, and Somalia, were among those not rated for lack of data.
http://www.transparency.org/news_room/in_focus/cpi_2006

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched an initiative to fight corruption in medicines procurement. Up to $50 billion is spent every year on pharmaceutical products, and recent estimates showing that as much as 25 per cent of procured medicines can be lost to fraud, bribery and other corrupt practices. Medicines change hands several times in the complex production and distribution chain, providing ample opportunity for corruption. Transparency International recently reported that in one country, the value of two out of three medicines supplied through procurement was lost to corruption and fraud in hospitals.
http://www.who.int/en/

The European Commission published the latest Customs statistics on seizures of counterfeit goods.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1541&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Teodoro Nguema Obiang, son of the President of Equatorial Guinea earns $60,000 a year. How then has he purchased a $35 million home in Malibu, California?
http://www.globalwitness.org/press_releases/display2.php?id=389

The International Advisory and Monitoring Board that oversees the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI) received follow-up special audits looking into single-sourced contracts in Iraq. They concluded that settlements between Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR) and the US Government over non-competitive contracting were "reasonable", but the company's transportation costs when providing humanitarian fuel supplies were "very high".
http://www.iamb.info/pr/pr110606.htm

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Working Group on Bribery completed a review of New Zealand's enforcement of the OECD Convention on Combating the Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions. They call on New Zealand to:
* amend the law to expand corporate liability for foreign bribery. Currently, prosecution and thus conviction of companies that engage in bribery is unlikely because the law sets very high barriers to any corporate criminal liability. The laws should be changed to make companies more accountable;
* clarify and expand the role of the Serious Fraud Office in the investigation and prosecution of foreign bribery cases;
* allow for the sharing of information about suspected criminal offences between the tax and law enforcement authorities;
* ensure that the foreign bribery offence in New Zealand does not require the interpretation of any foreign law for its application and clarify the scope of the facilitation payments exception so that it complies with the Convention;
* increase efforts to raise awareness in the public and private sector regarding the foreign bribery offence and its legal consequences.
http://www.oecd.org/document/50/0,2340,en_2649_37447_37653426_1_1_1_37447,00.html

The African National Congress (ANC) has reportedly established the Chancellor House group of companies as a front through which to acquire "empowerment" stakes in a range of businesses, which often depend on the government's discretion, thereby making the ruling ANC both player and referee.
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?area=/insight/insight__national/&articleId=289527
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ETM Economies and Financial Systems
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The World Bank has launched the Political Risk Insurance Center. Managed by the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, it offers a web-based service, FDI.net, to provide information and analysis to mitigate the risks of investing in developing countries.
http://www.pri-center.com/
http://www.fdi.net/

The World Trade Organization (WTO) released International Trade Statistics 2006. The report says that 2005 saw a deceleration of world trade caused by lower economic activity. Rising fuel prices lifted the shares of oil exporters, while the US trade deficit reached a record level.
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/pres06_e/pr457_e.htm

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board released a paper on exchange rate issues. Key findings of the paper were:
* Exchange rate surveillance was considered for all but a few of the economies surveyed, broadly adequate in three of the four dimensions reviewed in the paper: description of the regime, assessment of the regime, and consistency of policies with external stability. Identified areas of improvement include better assessment of the exchange rate level.
* In the fourth dimension?assessment of exchange rate levels?weaknesses were found in about one third of the cases. They mostly relate to the limited scope of the discussion: while an assessment on the exchange rate level is provided in all but a few cases, the depth of the analysis could be improved. However, even in this area the overall quality of the assessment seems, at least for the countries surveyed, to be stronger than suggested by the 2004 Biennial Surveillance Review.
*  In some cases, a more comprehensive description of intervention policies in floating regimes was needed.
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pn/2006/pn06131.htm

"Challenges of African Growth: Opportunities, Constraints and Strategic Directions" calls for the four big "I"s to achieve growth across the continent: infrastructure, investment, innovation, and institutional capacity. The World Bank report notes that inequalities have a major influence on the efficacy of growth in reducing poverty. Uncharacteristically high levels of age dependency have also created fiscal and household pressures to care for overwhelming number of young at a time when few countries have enhanced the employability of youth through job creation and vocational training. The study calls for greater attention to these dimensions of poverty reduction to complement the impact of accelerating growth, particularly by enhancing the income-earning opportunities for the poor more than for other income-earning segments, or by enabling their greater participation in the growth process. Africa hosts only 10 percent of global population, yet it is home to 30 percent of the world's poor.
http://www.worldbank.org/afr

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) calls for southeastern European countries to step up their fight against corruption, while encouraging competition and regional cooperation to attract more an better foreign direct investment.
http://www.oecd.org/document/50/0,2340,en_2649_201185_37656498_1_1_1_1,00.html

The World Trade Organization's (WTO) General Council has approved Vietnam's membership.
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/pres06_e/pr455_e.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6125374.stm
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ETM Environment and Climate Change
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The World Meteorological Organization reports that globally averaged concentrations of human-caused carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, the second most important greenhouse gas blamed for global warming, reached their highest levels ever recorded last year, measured at 379.1 parts per million (ppm) for 2005, up 0.53 per cent from 377.1 ppm in 2004. Concentrations of nitrous oxide (N2O) also reached record highs in 2005, up 0.19 per cent from 318.6 parts per billion (ppb) to 319.2 ppb while methane remained stable at 1783 ppb. Around one third of N2O discharged into the air is a result of human activities such as fuel combustion, biomass burning, fertilizer use and some industrial processes. Human activity such as fossil fuel exploitation, rice agriculture, biomass burning, landfills and ruminant farm animals account for some 60 per cent of atmospheric methane (CH4), with natural processes including those produced by wetlands and termites responsible for the rest.
http://www.wmo.int/web/arep/gaw/ghg/ghgbull06.htm
http://unfccc.int/2860.php
http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php

The UN Climate Change Conference in Nairobi heard dire warnings that climate change could endanger whatever gains have been made against poverty. The two-week meeting opened on Monday. It will focus on adaptation to climate change, developing market mechanisms to reduce carbon emissions, and the future of post Kyoto cooperation.
http://unfccc.int/files/press/news_room/press_releases_and_advisories/application/pdf/20060111_6_november_release_english_kk.pdf
http://unfccc.int/2860.php

Africa lags behind Asia and Latin America in the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism, because it lacks the capacity and projects to attract investment from richer countries. British diplomats are working on a plan to help sub-Sahara Africa and other poor countries adapt to climate change.
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__business/&articleId=288984
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/&articleId=289661

The Food and Agriculture Organization told the Climate Change Conference that with the right technologies, converting biomass such as wood and crop residues, grass, straw and brushwood into fuel could provide an abundant supply of clean, low-cost energy while helping spur economic development in rural communities, raise farmers' incomes and improve food security. Crops like sugarcane, corn and soybean are already being used to produce ethanol or bio-diesel. Better forest management also can play a key role in global efforts to deal with climate change. When over-harvested and burned, forests become sources of the greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, forests and the wood they produce capture and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, playing a major role in mitigating climate change.
http://www.fao.org

Nearly two-thirds of Australians are willing to pay more in the cost of goods and taxes to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/voters-verdict-on-climate-crisis/2006/11/06/1162661615851.html

A flotilla of about 100 icebergs have floated to within about 300 kilometers of New Zealand, part of a larger piece of ice that broke off the Ronne Ice Shelf, located south-east of the Falkland Islands, six years ago.
http://www.niwascience.co.nz/pubs/mr/archive/2006-11-07-1/

The Times (London) reports on a survey showing the gap between how green people say they are - and reality.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2442948,00.html
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ETM Human Rights
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The UN Development Program released the 2006 Human Development Report, "Beyond Scarcity: Power, Poverty and the Global Water Crisis. The report explains that water is a basic human need and a fundamental human right. Access to water, a simple resource that many in rich countries take for granted, has implications for improving life chances, expanding choice, and the exercise of basic human freedoms. Water for life in the household and water for livelihoods through production are two of the foundations for human development. The crisis in water for life is the widespread violation of the basic human right to water. One in every six people in the world is denied the right to clean, accessible and affordable water. 2.6 billion people do not have even rudimentary forms of sanitation. That deprivation causes nearly two million avoidable child deaths each year.
http://hdr.undp.org/hdr2006/

The UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations reports that peacekeeping deployment reached a historic high at the end of October, with nearly 81,000 military and police personnel and some 15,000 civilians serving in peace operations around the world in 18 different missions, and a budget that could reach $7 billion.
http://intranet.dpko.un.org/dpko/pages/Home.aspx

Doudou Diene, Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, warned the UN General Assembly that a sharp spike in racism, xenophobia and intolerance poses the most serious threat to democratic progress.
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/gashc3867.doc.htm

Speaking before the Ibero-American Summit in Uruguay, UN Secretary General Annan highlighted the consequences of entrenched inequality in the region, and stressed the links between development and international migration. 200 million people in Latin America live in poverty.
http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2283
http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/454b23962.html

The International Labor Organization (ILO) discusses efforts to combat child labor, using lessons learned from their inspections in Turkey.
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/features/06/childlabour_turkey.htm

US Army intelligence has developed a new method to standardize information classifications.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/07/AR2006110701337.html

Reporters without Borders has released their list of 13 "enemies of the internet": Belarus, Burma, China, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
http://www.rsf.org/
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ETM Infectious Diseases
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A report in last week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences finds that a new H5N1 virus sublineage in poultry, called Fujian virus, has become the dominant strain of bird flu in parts of Asia. Although not surprising, this finding underscores the need regularly to assess vaccines currently in use for poultry.
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000438/index.html
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0608157103v1

The US Department of Agriculture has approved the use of firefighting foam to quickly cull birds in the case of an avian influenza outbreak in commercial poultry.
http://www.startribune.com/484/story/791352.html

Two articles in the New England Journal of Medicine discuss malaria:
"Malaria - Time to Act"
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/355/19/1956?query=TOC
"Return of Chloroquine Antimalarial Efficacy in Malawi"
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/355/19/1959?query=TOC-

University of Buffalo's New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences is developing radically new drugs designed to cure viruses ranging from the deadly Ebola virus to the common cold.
http://www.buffalo.edu/news/fast-execute.cgi/article-page.html?article=82500009
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ETM Legal Systems
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The BBC's coverage of children in prisons continues with Pakistan:
"Tragedy of Pakistan's prison children"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6111162.stm
The children of Colorado's jails
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6089702.stm
Call That Justice
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/documentary_archive/6090608.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/documentary_archive/6120378.stm

China's head of legislative affairs, Luo Gan, has said that security authorities will pay better attention to human rights during criminal investigations.
http://english.people.com.cn//200611/08/eng20061108_319322.html

Sri Lanka established a commission of inquiry into recent extrajudicial killings and disappearances, but the country lacks any legal tradition of establishing command responsibility for human rights violations, and many recommendations of past commissions of inquiry, including those into disappearances, have not been fully implemented. Such shortcomings in the national legal system could hamper effectiveness of the current inquiry. A broader international mechanism is recommended.
http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/67DAEA0611B7C3D0C125721E005F3EA4?opendocument

Two-thirds of British offenders re-offend within two years.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2446666,00.html
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ETM Natural Resources
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A Bloomberg report links slave labor in the iron, timber and gold industries to firms including Aisin Seiki, Andersen, Cosipar, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, John Deere, Kohler, National Material, Nissan, Nucor, Simasa/Queiroz Galvao, TBM Hardwoods, ThyssenKrupp, Toyota, and Whirlpool.
http://www.prensa.com/hoy/mundo/788341.html (in Spanish)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=aMwWoD6G0Z9w&refer=latin_america
http://www.business-humanrights.org/Documents/Modern%20Slavery%20Bloomberg%20report%20Dec%2006.pdf

"From Resource War to 'Violent Peace': Transition in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)" is a new paper from the Bonn International Center for Conversion. It focuses on the continuing impact of natural resources and corruption, which fuel instability. The paper says that the peace accord was successful because of external pressures, but the exploitative structures of the war economy have not disappeared and the country faces structural constraints that pose a serious risk that it could fall into the 'conflict trap'. To prevent this, good government and resource management is essential. Other policy recommendations include reform of the security sector, including demobilization, disarmament and reintegration, policies of donor nations, and deployment of the multinational EU force.
http://www.bicc.de/publications/papers/paper50/content.php
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ETM Populations
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Life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa is lower now than 30 years ago, mainly due to HIV/AIDS.
http://hdr.undp.org/hdr2006/

In Canada, the Special Federal Representative on the development of a sustainable solution for the community of Kashechewan has delivered his report. The idea of relocating the Kashechewan community has far-reaching ramifications both for aboriginal leaders and for regional governments.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1163112609976
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1163069646717
http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/nr/prs/s-d2006/2-02807_e.html

"Sickness, Disability and Work: Breaking the Barriers" is a new report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that analyzes sickness and disability policies in Norway, Poland , and Switzerland, and recommends replacing unemployment benefits with efforts to help people back into the labor market.
http://www.oecd.org/document/32/0,2340,en_2649_201185_37635040_1_1_1_1,00.html

Swiss academics, government, and economists are discussing the challenges presented by the ticking bomb of an aging society.
http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/detail/Ageing_population_taxes_minds_in_Geneva.html?siteSect=105&sid=7215118&cKey=1162747172000
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ETM Social Responsibility
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The International Business Leaders Forum met to discuss the key contribution businesses can provide to encourage development, peace, and human rights in Colombia.
http://www.iblf.org/media_room/general.jsp?id=123845

A new report by Global Labor Strategies details how US-based corporations are opposing China?s Draft Labor Contract Law which would provide minimal standards that are commonplace in many other countries, such as enforceable labor contracts, severance pay regulations, and negotiations over workplace policies and procedures.
http://community.eldis.org/[email protected]@.ee9593d!discloc=.eed30b0

Alcan launched a global indigenous peoples policy.
http://www.alcan.com/web/publishing.nsf/Content/Alcan+Launches+Global+Indigenous+Peoples+Policy
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ETM Technology
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British stem cell researchers have requested permission to produce chimeras: human/animal hybrids, in an effort to avoid using human eggs.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2440721,00.html

Stem cell patents are discussed in these articles:
http://www.the-scientist.com/article/daily/25142/
http://www.the-scientist.com/article/daily/25131/
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ETM Weapons (WMD, Proliferation)
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The Protocol on Explosive Remnants of War, which requires the parties to an armed conflict to clear all unexploded munitions, comes into force today, 12 November.
http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/section_ihl_explosive_remnants_of_war?opendocument

UN Security Council members continued to work on draft resolutions regarding Iran's nuclear programs. Russia is unwilling to support a European draft that would suspend its construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant. However, Iran has not met its financial obligations for this project.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/08/europe/EU_GEN_Nuclear_Iran_UN.php
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4321771.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/world/middleeast/08nations.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/04/AR2006110400959.html

The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) calls for withdrawal of the August report from the US House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on Iran's nuclear program, citing numerous inaccuracies and unnecessary embellishments.
http://www.isis-online.org/publications/iran/reportintelcommittee.pdf

Chinese and US officials continue discussions to resolve the nuclear weapons standoff with North Korea. The US is also preparing for a potential strike against North Korea.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-11-03-nkorea-progress_x.htm
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2442750.html
http://www.washtimes.com/national/200-4895r.htm

Complete coverage of North Korea's nuclear test is in this month's issue of Arms Control Today.
http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2006_11/

The November issue of Current History focuses on The New Nuclear Era, with nine articles related to deterrence and nonproliferation.
http://www.currenthistory.com/currentissue.html

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) members met with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to discuss how they will meet commitments to prevent proliferation of WMD, particularly efforts to avoid having nuclear or radiological materials fall into the hands of terrorists.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-security-arms-osce.html
http://www.osce.org/item/22001.html

IAEA also worked with Japan's foreign ministry, to hold a Seminar on Strengthening Nuclear Security in Asian Countries.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/08/asia/AS_GEN_Japan_Asia_Nuclear_Terrorism.php

London's School of Oriental and African Studies sponsored a meeting of representatives from the Middle East, UN, and others to discuss a WMD-free region.
http://www.kuna.net.kw/home/Story.aspx?Language=en&DSNO=919581

The US is deploying sensors on global positioning satellites that will be able to detect nuclear explosions from space.
http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.mhtml?d=108093

Bosnia-Herzegovina has ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
http://pws.ctbto.org/press_centre/press_release.dhtml?item=287

Interpol warns that legal loopholes could threaten bioterrorism prevention.
http://www.interpol.int/Public/ICPO/PressReleases/PR2006/PR200635.asp

Members of the US Congress have expressed concern that five years after the anthrax letters killed five and affected 17, the case may have grown cold. Meanwhile, a federal judge has upheld a ruling that the New York Times must disclose the source used in columns written on the mailings.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-anthrax3nov03,1,3134637.story
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/03/us/03ruling.html

Ukraine's interior minister Yuriy Lutsenko has called for stepping up the fight against biological terrorism.
http://www.interfax.kiev.ua/eng/go.cgi?31,20061106004

British military sources report that attacks in Iraq are supported by weapons trafficked from Iran. This report from Telegraph correspondent Thomas Harding includes audio.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/11/11/wirq11.xml&DCMP=EMC-new_11112006

The Review Conference of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons heard serious calls for immediate action to address the disastrous impact of cluster munitions. The US also urged restrictions on anti-vehicle mines.
http://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B9C2E/(httpNewsByYear_en)/50BC47BEC5B98674C125721F004BE1DA?OpenDocument
http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/cluster-munition-statement-061106?opendocument
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2006/75546.htm
http://www.unog.ch/80256EE600585943/(httpPages)/4F0DEF093B4860B4C1257180004B1B30?OpenDocument
http://www.unog.ch/80256EE600585943/(httpPages)/2D415EE45C5FAE07C12571800055232B?OpenDocument
http://www.maccsl.org/War%202006.htm
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/EVOD-6VBKJK?OpenDocument
http://allafrica.com/stories/200611080058.html

Russia has joined Operation Black Sea Harmony. Led by the Turkish navy, it patrols the Black sea to uncover WMD or terrorism.
http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=10959034&PageNum=0

Note this article on small arms in Sri Lanka:
http://www.saferworld.co.uk/publications.php?id=188

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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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This report offers expert papers providing best practices in agricultural water management.
http://www.oecd.org/document/24/0,2340,en_2649_33727_37619288_1_1_1_1,00.html

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund for International Development has loaned Burma's edible oil sector $12.3 million to increase the productivity and value of oil crops and their derivatives, while ensuring low cost edible oil supplies for consumers and assuring that sound policies are implemented and institutions are strengthened to develop a sustainable and competitive oil crop sector.
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000437/index.html

Ethiopia and India have signed a bilateral agricultural cooperation agreement.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200611060803.html

This article discusses control of foodborne infections:
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/355/19/1952?query=TOC

And this one discusses agricultural bioterrorism.
http://www.directionsmag.com/article.php?article_id=2333&trv=1
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CIM Banking and Finance
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Danske Bank, the largest in Denmark, purchased Finland's third largest, Sampo Bank. This surprise takeover gives Danske a 20 percent regional market share.
http://denmark.dk/portal/page?_pageid=374,502337&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&ic_itemid=933603

UK payments association APACS reports that card fraud losses fell by 5 percent in first six months of 2006, from GBP 219.5m to GBP 209.3m. APACS attributes to the decline to the introduction of chip and PIN. However, card-not-present (CNP) fraud (internet, phone and mail order) fraud increased over the period, but at a slower rate of five percent, to GBP 95.3m (46 per cent of all losses), compared to a 29 percent increase 2004-2005.
http://www.apacs.org.uk/media_centre/press/06_07_11.html

US Comptroller of the Currency John C. Dugan told the New York Bankers Association annual convention that ensuring effective management of the large credit risks that have accumulated in the derivatives portfolios of the major trading banks is a matter of concern for all banks, even those not active in derivatives markets.
http://www.occ.gov/ftp/release/2006-121a.pdf
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CIM Chemical
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The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) voted to approve the final report from a two-year investigation of the hazards of combustible dust in industry, including new national safety recommendations for avoiding combustible dust explosions and fires.
http://www.csb.gov
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CIM Cybersecurity
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Microsoft has made available a freeware rootkit systems tool to help fight hacking.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/default.mspx

The Malware Incident Reporting and Termination Squad (MIRT) has been launched to encourage users to submit code samples for analysis by MIRT, which adds to their database and publishes their research to security companies and government authorities.
http://www.castlecops.com/c55-MIRT.html

Phishtank reports that PayPal and eBay were the most targeted organizations in phishing attacks in October, followed by Barclays bank. The US hosts the most phishing sites (24 percents), with South Korea coming in second (14 percent). Among telecommunications companies, Hanaro Telecom has hosted 469 verified phishing sites, National Internet Backbone 333, and TELESC Telecomunicacoes de Santa Catarina SA, Brazil 224.
http://www.phishtank.com/stats/2006/10

Security researchers discuss the vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer that arise from its dependence on other Windows components.
http://www.securityfocus.com/news/11422

Wired magazine obtained records under the Freedom of Information Act that describes the US Department of Homeland Security's ineffective response to a computer virus that infected computers connecting the US-VISIT border screening system last year, after first passing through the backbone network of US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). http://www.wired.com/news/technology/1,72051-0.html

Unsolicited email company Yesmail Inc. has agreed to pay a $50,717 civil penalty to settle US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges that it continued to send unsolicited commercial e-mail even after recipients asked it to stop.
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2006/11/yesmail.htm

The Newport Group of two brothers and their companies have settled FTC charges related to advance fee frauds using fake international lotteries.
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2006/11/newportgroup.htm

Privacy International has ranked the leading surveillance societies in the world. Using 13 different criteria, the US was ranked in the second-worst category overall in defending privacy, and at the very bottom when it came to enforcement of privacy regulations, communications interception, and workplace monitoring. It ranked only slightly better than "black holes" such as the UK, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, and China.
http://www.privacyinternational.org/article.shtml?cmd[347]=x-347-545269

Information Commissioners from the UK, France, Germany and New Zealand met at the annual Conference of Data Protection and Information Commissioners, where they adopted a joint set of objectives to tackle the growing international issue of constant citizen surveillance.
http://ico.crl.uk.com/files/Communicating%20data%20protection%20and%20making%20it%20more%20effective%20-%2020%20October%202006%20(E).pdf

Starbucks lost four laptops with personal data of nearly 60,000 current and former employees.
http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/pressdesc.asp?id=716&cookie%5Ftest=1&fav%5Ftest=1

A laptop computer stolen from an insurance brokerage firm contained personal information of more than 1,200 Villanova University students and staff members.
http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/east/2006/11/08/74090.htm

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has released "Information Security Handbook: A Guide for Managers" to help managers at federal agencies better understand how to establish and implement an information security program.
http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/index.html
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CIM Emergency Services
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This article describes the risks false alarms present to firefighters.
http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061103/OPINION/611030335/1015/OPINION01

An Australian paramedic has designed a new ambulance that increases visibility and could greatly reduce collisions.
http://www.jems.com/products/articles/241598/

The Healthcare Emergency Response Coalition released a national model to improve healthcare emergency response.
http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/news.html?d=108452

Los Angeles, California, community activists and hospital employees demonstrated against the closure of another emergency room.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-er3nov03,1,4804002.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california

In other cases, hospitals and physicians are addressing long emergency room waiting times.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/04/ap/national/mainD8L6GE6G3.shtml

A black Los Angeles firefighter who was served dog food in his spaghetti has settled a racial harassment lawsuit for more than $2.7 million.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-dogfood9nov09,0,3717174.story

In Massachusetts, the Boston EMT union charged that a top supervisor had a mechanic work on his personal SUV instead of ambulances needing repair.
http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=165608
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CIM Energy
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The International Energy Agency released World Energy Outlook. It says that cleaner and more efficient energy both helps the environment and makes economic sense. The report includes special coverage of alternative energy policies, energy prices, energy investment, prospects for nuclear power, energy for cooking in developing countries, biofuels, and Brazil.
http://www.worldenergyoutlook.org/

Australia's Lake Macquarie power station was the scene of a major transformer explosion. There were no casualties. The plant has suffered from poor maintenance and serious emissions for some time.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/i-thought-a-plane-had-come-down/2006/11/08/1162661726102.html

China and Egypt have agreed to cooperate on the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

A British Gas survey found that timber frame and wattle and daub homes built 500 years ago are more energy efficient than those built in the 1970s.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Environment/climatechange/story/0,,1941934,00.html

Scotland has begun construction of a massive hydroelectric project next to Loch Ness.
http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1662362006
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CIM Government Facilities
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US Embassy construction is discussed in these Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports. GAO also addresses improvements in control centers for the federal protective service.
"State Department Contract for Security Installation at Embassies Awarded to 8(a) Joint Venture"
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-33R
"Department of State Contract for Security Installation at Embassies"
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-34R
"Homeland Security: Federal Protective Service Could Better Measure the Performance of Its Control Centers"
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-1076
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CIM Information Technology
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The number of internet users in Burma has reached nearly 300,000.
http://english.people.com.cn//200611/08/eng20061108_319507.html

Nearly half of individuals in the EU25 use the internet at least once a week.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=STAT/06/146&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Startup Panta Systems has beaten both IBM and HP for clustered database performance, running on Linux clusters. http://www.tpc.org/tpch/results/tpch_perf_results.asp?resulttype=cluster
http://www.tpc.org/tpch/results/tpch_perf_results.asp

Indian business leaders and IT industry association NASSCOM warn of a severe shortage of highly skilled personnel.
http://www.nasscom.in/
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CIM Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste
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China and Egypt have signed a joint communique to strengthen cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
http://english.people.com.cn//200611/08/eng20061108_319318.html

Ethiopia has signed an agreement with Dutch company Lundin East Africa BV under which the latter will carry out exploration and development in eastern Ethiopia.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200611080453.html

Russian Security Council Deputy Secretary Valentin Sobolev described the threat of cyber attacks against nuclear power plants at the "Terrorism and Electronic Media" conference.
http://www.interfax.com/3/210623/news.aspx

The US National Nuclear Security Administration announced its intention to accept bids to produce low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel from stocks of highly-enriched uranium (HEU) no longer needed for nuclear weapons.
http://www.nnsa.doe.gov/docs/newsreleases/2006/PR_2006-11-07_NA-06-42.htm

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering whether to add new security requirements to nuclear reactor designs, including strengthening them against an airplane strike.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/09/us/09nuke.html

NRC is again proposing new secrecy rules to expand the definition of sensitive but unclassified information.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/06-8900.pdf
http://www.ombwatch.org/info/pdfs/NRC_SGI_Comments.pdf
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part073/part073-0021.html
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CIM Public Health and Healthcare
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"Securing Health: Lessons from Nation-Building Missions" is a new report from Rand that assesses seven cases. They identify planning and coordination are the essential factors increasing likelihood of success. Rebuilding healthcare is a key contributor to rebuilding the nation.
http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG321/

Iraq's decrepit health system adds to the country's death toll.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-health11nov11,0,3477207.story

UK Treasurer Gordon Brown launched the International Finance Facility for Immunization, a bond to fund immunization for 500 million children over the next decade.
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/newsroom_and_speeches/press/2006/press_87_06.cfm

The US Food and Drug Administration has launched a nationwide recall of acetaminophen caplets following the discovery of small metal particles in a small number.
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01507.html
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CIM Telecommunications
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Following high demand, Australia increased the size of its share offering in Telstra.

The European Commission has urged mobile phone users to turn off their phones while abroad to protest high roaming charges.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1515&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

The United Arab Emirates has signed an agreement with Aeromobile to make it the first airline to allow passengers to use mobile phones on board.
http://www.aeromobile.net/news.asp?ID=37
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CIM Transportation
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Russia's interior ministry says it has technologies that guarantee aviation security.
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20061111/55542585.html

Following its third aviation fuel lead since last July, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) is likely to be charged with criminal neglect for the resultant environmental disaster.
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__business/&articleId=289298

Nigeria is investing $148 million to overhaul the aviation infrastructure to help prevent air crashes.

Air cargo security is in the news:
http://www.aircargonews.com/061109/IATAcargosecurity.html
http://www.govtech.net/news/news.php?id=102203

Iraqi marines are being trained in maritime security.
http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/Nov2006/a110706dg2.html

The International Maritime Bureau issued a piracy alert for Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
http://www.icc-ccs.org/main/all_piracy_al.php

A railway version of the ancient Silk Road is set to move forward with an agreement for a trans-continental network linking national systems from Armenia to Viet Nam.
http://www.unescap.org/unis/mct2006/press%20releases/g_49_mct04.pdf
http://www.mct2006.or.kr/00main/main.htm

India's rail police have begun checking every passenger boarding in Bombay (Mumbai).
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200611121510.htm

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) released highlights of their report on Freight Rail Industry Performance, Competition, and Capacity.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-207R

Speaking to the US Chamber of Commerce, Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner W. Ralph Basham reported a 17 percent increase in the value of imports into the US, to $1.7 trillion. He said that cargo security and business vitality are complementary, and that companies have realized collateral benefits from improved security in areas such as inventory control, reduced theft, and faster distribution.
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/commissioner/speeches_statements/10112006_basham.xml
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CIM Water
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Productivity losses associated with water delivery and management cost the developing world billions of dollars of losses every year. By undermining economic growth, deficits in water and sanitation trap households in cycles of poverty and reinforce inequalities within and between countries. These are among the key findings of the UN Development Program's 2006 Human Development Report, "Beyond Scarcity: Power, Poverty and the Global Water Crisis.
http://hdr.undp.org/hdr2006/

"Water and Agriculture: Sustainability, Markets and Policies", is a new report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). It finds that government policies to support farm production often discourage efficient water use, and aggravate pollution. This report offers expert papers providing best practices in agricultural water management. These include:
* Increase coordination and consistency of agricultural, environmental and water policies.
* Expand scientific research and data collection to improve knowledge of the impact of agriculture on water resources and to measure how efficiently water is being used.
* Identify the property rights allowing water withdrawal and discharge.
* Establish clear lines of responsibility in the management of water.
* Develop an institutional structure to allow for more market-based solutions to increase resource efficiency and reduce pollution. These solutions include water pricing and trading, while nutrient trading is an option for cutting the level of nutrient pollutants in water.
* Increase the participation of farmers, industry and community groups in designing and delivering integrated water management policies and actions.
http://www.oecd.org/document/24/0,2340,en_2649_33727_37619288_1_1_1_1,00.html

OECD's "Environment, Water Resources and Agricultural Policies: Lessons from China and OECD Countries" offers a set of expert papers on how to improve water management in China?s agricultural sector.
http://www.oecd.org/document/48/0,2340,en_2649_33727_37655600_1_1_1_1,00.html

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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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29 people died and 40 were injured when a truck carrying farm workers plunged into a river in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The driver lost control while avoiding a head-on collision with another vehicle on the bridge.

In a mountainous district of Thailand, a bus overturned and fell into a ravine, killing 18 garment factory workers and seriously injuring more than 20.

Nine people died and more than 15 were injured by a tornado on the Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Three people died during record rainfalls in the Pacific Northwest of the US, in the states of Oregon and Washington.

Typhoon Chebi hit the northeastern Philippines, where it injured two people and forced more than 8,000 to evacuate. It is strengthening en route to Vietnam.
--------------------------------------------------
DRM Response and Recovery
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A US law firm filed a class action lawsuit for families of victims on a commercial jet in Brazil's worst airplane accident. Defendants include business jet operator ExcelAire Service and Honeywell International, the maker transponder system of the small jet that hit the larger passenger plane.
http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/airlines/garciaexl110606cmp.html

The World Food Program is airdropping food supplies to Ethiopia, where flooding has killed more than 60 and affected hundreds of thousands.
http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2283

Humanitarian agencies are rushing to prepare tented camps for winter in the rugged mountains of northern Pakistan, where more than 2 million survivors are still living after the deadly 2005 earthquake that killed 80,000 and left 2.5 million homeless.
http://ochaonline.un.org/webpage.asp?Page=873&Lang=en
http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31

Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont set a 3-month deadline to restore 47 provinces seriously affected by flooding. Waters are moving from the north to the south, and efforts are underway to try to divert more water, which is not draining quickly enough to prevent river banks from bursting. Meanwhile, villagers in two areas were sent high electricity bills for the two months their homes were under water.

BP settled a lawsuit with Eva Rowe, whose parents were killed in the March 2005 Texas City oil refinery explosion. They will pay at least $32 million and up to $38 million to schools, hospitals, and workers training, as well as an undisclosed amount of compensation. The explosion killed 15 and injured 170.
http://today.reuters.com/news/articleinvesting.aspx?view=CN&storyID=2006-11-09T173507Z_01_N09190136_RTRIDST_0_ENERGY-BP-SETTLEMENT-URGENT.XML
http://blogs.chron.com/bluebayou/2006/10/bp_texas_city_and_the_nature_o_1.html

Babcock and Wilcox will appeal a $387 million jury verdict against it for manufacturing pipe fittings that allegedly caused a massive 2001 fire at a Chicago-area Citgo Petroleum refinery.
http://www.corporate-ir.net/ireye/ir_site.zhtml?ticker=mdr&script=410&layout=-6&item_id=928071

The US Army Corps of Engineers expects to have a recommendation on the alignment of a new hurricane protection levee stretching from Louisiana's Bayou Lafourche to Davis Pond in about three months. Forensic experts warn against building levees and floodwalls without armoring their sides with rock and concrete.
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/metro/index.ssf?/base/news-18/1162886628233420.xml
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1163319378112270.xml
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DRM Risks
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The Association of British Insurers (ABI) issued a new report warning of increased flooding in eastern England. Key findings include:
* A 40 cm rise in sea levels will put an extra 130,000 properties at risk of flooding. In total 400,000 properties will be at risk, up nearly 50 percent on the current number.
* Without improvements to existing flood defenses, the cost of a major coastal flood could soar by 400 percent to as much as GBP 16 billion.
* 15 percent of fire and ambulance stations and 12 percent of hospitals and schools are in flood-risk areas, posing a threat to essential services and lives.
*The elderly will be particularly affected as more live in coastal areas
http://www.abi.org.uk/climatechange.

UK Health and Safety Statistics report progress in safety targets to reduce work-related illness and accidents.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2006/c06026.htm

Lloyd's 360 Risk Project has prepared a follow-up report on climate change.
http://www.lloyds.com/NR/rdonlyres/6498A184-F610-449F-9AA9-91C205622BC8/0/WhatNextforClimateChange.pdf

RiskMeter lists the top ten tornado-prone cities in the US, led by Aurora, Colorado. The others are St. Petersburg, Florida; Houston, Texas; Hollywood, Florida; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Little Rock, Arkansas; Dallas, Texas; Ames, Iowa; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Bloomington, Illinois.
http://www.riskmeter.com/RiskMeter/press%20releases/Tornado%20Release%20November06.pdf

Italian authorities are preparing for the next eruption of the most dangerous volcano in the world: Vesuvius, which has been quiet for the last 62 years.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,445941,00.html
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DRM Mitigation
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Swiss aid, disaster relief, and environmental experts held talks to discuss how to ensure that reconstruction efforts do more good than harm, by ensuring that environmental considerations are taken into account.
http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/detail/Disaster_relief_efforts_impact_environment.html?siteSect=105&sid=7220337&cKey=1162537818000

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) new report on flooding in eastern England recommends investing in improved coastal defenses to reduce the number of properties at risk, and undertaking a long-term flood management strategy.
http://www.abi.org.uk/climatechange.

ProtectingAmerica.org has called for federal emergency services to take steps to better prepare New York from a natural catastrophe, in particular the threat presented today by hurricane exposure.
http://www.protectingamerica.org/?PFID=21&PID=110

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7. Recommended Reading

The Organization for Security and Economic Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) was among the organizations that monitored the US mid-term elections. They released the following statement:

The electoral environment in the United States is characterized by a high level of transparency and professionalism of election officials. The electoral reforms, initiated by the 2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) appear to have been fully or largely implemented in most States. However, the introduction of new electronic voting systems has sparked nationwide debate regarding their reliability and voter confidence in the process.

Those are the main preliminary conclusions of an Election Assessment Mission, deployed by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) to follow the 7 November mid-term congressional elections at the invitation of the U.S. authorities.

"The overall election administration, including the processing of voters on election day, seemed professional and efficiently organized in most polling stations we visited," said Giovanni Kessler, who headed the mission.

"However, the swift introduction of Direct Recording Equipment (DREs), at times without a voter verifiable audit paper trail, appeared to negatively impact on voter confidence. This remains a challenge for the future."

Commenting on the campaign, Kessler raised his concern that a large number of political advertisements consisted of personalized attacks on opponents.

The OSCE/ODIHR assessment mission focused on the administration of the process, in particular on specific issues related to the 2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) including new voting technologies, voter registration, and absentee and provisional balloting. The analysts examined the long-standing issue of drawing district boundaries in conjunction with that of unopposed candidacies, which in recent years have impacted on the competitiveness of congressional races. Additionally campaign finance regulations and aspects of the media coverage of the election were reviewed.

The implementation of key HAVA requirements including the introduction of State-wide voter register data bases highlights the determination of election stakeholders to continue the electoral reform process. The recent renewal of specific provisions of the 1965 Voter Rights Act underscores the willingness of the US to further uphold voter rights. No provisions have, however, been made to address the long-standing issue of representation of those residents of Washington DC who are not eligible to vote in another State.

The broad range of activities of the Election Assistance Commission and the Federal Election Commission under their respective mandates form an integral part of reform efforts in the United States of America. Meanwhile the 2005 Carter-Baker report outlines a number of areas for further reform, including uniform system of voter identification combined with enhanced responsibilities of States to register citizens, as well as full access of all legitimate domestic and international observers to the process.

In a decentralized system of government, where elections for federal office are conducted under State law and additionally regulated by individual county, a variety of electoral practices coexist. Although most of the State?s laws still do not provide for the presence of international observers invited by the US government, which is contrary to OSCE commitments, members of the OSCE/ODIHR mission were granted access to all levels of election administration in most cases, including polling stations on election day.

The mission consisted of 18 international election analysts from 15 OSCE participating States who were deployed to 14 States to assess the electoral environment and procedures, meet representatives of State and local election administration, political parties and candidates, and civil society.

A limited number of polling stations in California, Connecticut, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, Tennessee, Ohio, Virginia and Washington were visited by OSCE/ODIHR, but no systematic observation of polling and counting procedures was conducted.

The OSCE/ODIHR will continue to follow the election process and will prepare its Final Report, including recommendations, approximately two months after its completion.

For further information contact Urdur Gunnarsdottir, OSCE/ODIHR Spokesperson, mobile +48 603 683 122, + 1 202 344 7458,
[email protected]
Information about previous OSCE/ODIHR election observations in the US, is available on
http://www.osce.org/odihr-elections/14676.html


SOURCE:
http://www.osce.org/item/22010.html


RELATED ARTICLES:

Electronic Voting Machine Headaches Shut Out Citizens
http://www.eff.org/news/archives/2006_11.php#004991

Electronic Voting in the US: Widespread Computer Problems Hit Election
http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,447181,00.html

Is 'vote flipping' an e-voting problem or user error?
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9004858

Common Cause Preliminary Election Report
http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/{FB3C17E2-CDD1-4DF6-92BE-BD4429893665}/PRELIMINARYELECTIONSREPORT2006%20FINAL.PDF

Common Cause State Law on Elections
http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/{FB3C17E2-CDD1-4DF6-92BE-BD4429893665}/STATE%20LAW%20ON%20ELECTION.DOC

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8. Asset Management Network News

Check out our new and improved Avian Influenza Special report. It provides details of past pandemics, and the emerging threat now posed by H5N1. It has advice on prevention, preparedness, and response, and includes a preparedness checklist for businesses, another for families, and one for emergency supplies, as well as guidelines for infectious disease control and food preparation. Purchase a copy here:
http://secure.netsolhost.com/573566.585211/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=TP&Category_Code=SPRT0001

While you're there,  take a look at our online store for subscriptions to the Monitor series and to find out about our other Special Reports.
http://secure.netsolhost.com/573566.585211/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=TP

Email [email protected] for details about the new products, publications, and information about services, including custom research.