AUTHOR:
TerrorismCentral Editorial Staff

TITLE:
TerrorismCentral Newsletter - October 21, 2007

SOURCE:
TerrorismCentral, October 21, 2007

TEXT:

This week's Newsletter features extensive coverage of the bombings in Pakistan as former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto returned from self-imposed exile to meet a rapturous crowd - and a deadly suicide attack. The consequences of this are uncertain, but we will record events as they unfold. You will also read about meetings (G7, IMF, Pacific Islands Forum), elections (Australia, China, Poland, Thailand, Togo, Ukraine), the latest research from Hackbunny, Asian investments in AML, and efforts to combat blood rubies. You'll also be able to contemplate the deaths of famous French mercenary Bob Denard - a colonialist par excellence - and compare it to the commemorations in Burkina Faso on the 20th anniversary of Denard's opposite, Thomas Sankara, who is affectionately known as Africa's Chez. Do contact us at any time with questions or for subscription information.

3. AML/CFT Monitor

Anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism is not simply an issue of compliance with local regulations. It is a global crime that can only be understood by crossing national or regional boundaries. Subscribers to the monthly AML/CFT Monitor receive information and analysis of worldwide incidents, trends, legal and regulatory issues, modalities, and related topics such as financial fraud and narcoterrorism.
http://secure.netsolhost.com/573566.585211/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=TP
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AML/CFT Incidents/Cases
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Australian federal police have laid money laundering charges against Tony Vuong, Tony Lu, and Sitong Zhou in connection with illegal international transfers intended to cover up the proceeds of crime.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22570009-12377,00.html

Grenada police have charged Rosline Conway, a Guyanese national residing in Antigua and Ann Mary Yusuf, a Nigerian national residing in Ontario Canada, with several counts of fraud by false pretense, and money laundering. They believe they have identified an international money laundering scheme.
http://www.klassicgrenada.com/index.pl/article?id=4694580

Swiss investigative Judge Vincent Fournier completed a long-running probe into alleged money laundering by former Pakistani premier Benazir Bhutto and her husband, but said that the case would be harder to prove under Swiss law after President Pervez Musharraf granted an amnesty to protect Bhutto from corruption charges at home. Some #13 million remains frozen in Swiss accounts, pending prosecutor's determination of the next steps to take.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\10\19\story_19-10-2007_pg7_1
http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/detail/Amnesty_spells_trouble_for_Swiss_Bhutto_case.html?siteSect=105&sid=8298245&cKey=1192019890000&ty=st
http://globalpolitician.com/articledes.asp?ID=3625&cid=6&sid=20

British police have charged Adam Mohamed and Imad Shoubaki of conspiring to possess money for terrorist purposes.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-7001061,00.html

US prosecutors filed a $130 million civil suit against Lloyds TSB and the Bank of Cyprus, accusing them of knowingly helping Lycourgos Kyprianou, the former CEO of AremisSoft, to launder tens of millions of dollars following a securities fraud at the Nasdaq-listed software company.
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nys/pressreleases/October07/Lloyds, Bank of Cyprus PR.pdf
http://www.bankofcyprus.co.uk/newsshow.asp?id=684
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article2669279.ece

In California, Shiu Chau Wang ("Alex Wang") has pleaded guilty to laundering money in connection with a financial fraud related to an inheritance.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/418268/san_jose_california_man_pleads_guilty.html
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_7194837

A grand jury in Waco, Texas has indicted Luis Eduardo Rendon, his wife Monica Trevino Cervantes, Clayton Sharpless, Mark Ellis Johnson and Olando King for money laundering in connection with a drug distribution conspiracy.
http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/10657401.html

US District Judge T. S. Ellis III, in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia threw out a lawsuit against the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), which the government uses to track terrorist financing, because he found no proof that money transfers by two Americans were targeted. This allows the two men, Ian Walker of Washington and Stephen Kruse of Chicago, to file an amended, stronger case. In the first case neither man named their bank and therefore transactions could not be tracked.

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AML/CFT Legislation and Regulation
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G7 finance ministers and central bankers for the first time in at least two decades rebuked Iran, calling on banks worldwide to be wary of risks associated with doing business with the Islamic republic.
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp625.htm
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=axeyWtoLggHM

In Australia, India and ASEAN 18 risk and compliance executives were surveyed regarding AML. Financial Insights reports:
* AML spending will rise 39 percent year over year in 2008
* 6 in 10 respondents felt that there were still areas for improvement within their AML regime
* 83 percent of respondents use some form of vendor application to counter financial crimes
http://www.bobsguide.com/guide/news/22029.html

Bahamas Attorney General Claire Hepburn has called for a collaborative framework to produce efficient, effective, and robust AML/CFT throughout the country, despite its small size and limited resources.
http://freeport.nassauguardian.net/national_local/290070898423504.php

Estonia has presented a draft AML/CFT law to parliament.
http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/19091/

The Reserve Bank of India has bowed to concerns expressed by the Money Changers Association to increase the limit of cash payments from $2,000 to $3,000. It will also accept the PAN card (a Taxpayer ID) for identification.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200710172026.htm

The Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) issued an exposure draft of new guidance for the accountancy sector in Ireland and the UK on the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing.
http://www.ccab.org.uk/PDFs/Money Laundering Guidance October 2007.pdf

The UN Group of Experts monitoring the Ivory Coast arms embargo reports that the military is thwarting the surveillance of the arms embargo, aided with a lack of understanding on the part of certain Ivorian political authorities that believe the embargo at odds with the Ouagadougou Political Agreement. Efforts to disarm and disband militias have been only partially effective, and there remains concern over illicit trafficking in firearms, particularly given porous borders and easy availability of weapons. They note that there is a lack of transparency in the coffee, cocoa and hydrocarbons sectors. Most of the diamonds mined in Ivory Coast are sent to Mali, but the experts did not provide details as to the exporters or buyers.
http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/611

The Bank of Namibia continues consultation within the banking industry and with relevant stakeholders, but the new Financial Intelligence Bill, which was passed in June, is not yet operational.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200710190441.html

New Zealand is preparing additional AML/CFT legislation that would involve more government agencies.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10469855

On 24 October 2007, responsibility for the administration of financial sanctions in the UK transfers from the Bank of England to HM Treasury. The new URLs for the Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets are:.
http://documents.treasury.gov.uk/financialsanctions/sanctionsconlist.xls
http://documents.treasury.gov.uk/financialsanctions/sanctionsconlist.csv
http://documents.treasury.gov.uk/financialsanctions/sanctionsconlist.txt
http://documents.treasury.gov.uk/financialsanctions/sanctionsconlist.htm
http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/financialsanctions/index.htm

Individuals Adam Mohamed and Imad Yacoub Shoubaki, and entities FMS International Ltd, FMS Trading (UK) Ltd, Racab Enterprise Ltd, and Squirel Ltd have been added to UK and UN terrorist financing sanction lists.
http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/news/2007/107.htm

The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to decide whether hiding the proceeds of an illegal activity, like a drug transaction, can be prosecuted as money laundering under federal law. The question arose in a dissenting opinion in Cuellar v. United States, No. 06-1456, regarding whether hiding the proceeds of an illegal activity can be prosecuted under federal law as money laundering.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/16/washington/16scotus.html
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/orders/courtorders/101507pzor.pdf

US President Bush issued an Executive Order expanding sanctions on Burma.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/10/20071019-12.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/10/10192007burma.pdf

Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Tom Lantos announced that he will introduce sanctions designed to pressure the military junta currently ruling Burma. The Block Burmese JADE (Junta’s Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act, will crack down on the Burmese practice of avoiding US sanctions by laundering gemstones through third countries before they are sold. More than 90 percent of the world’s rubies and fine-quality jade comes from Burma.
http://www.internationalrelations.house.gov/press_display.asp?id=433
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AML/CFT Modalities
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This year, Burma’s rulers will pocket more than $300 million from the sale of gems, with rubies and imperial jade being the biggest money-makers. In the last year, Burma’s income from gem exports increased 45 percent. Despite sanctions, only three percent of the Burmese rubies entering the US market indicate their true country of origin, while the rest are imported via Burma’s neighbors, China, Thailand and India
http://www.internationalrelations.house.gov/press_display.asp?id=433

Shanaka Jayasekara, of the Centre for Policing, Intelligence & Counter Terrorism at Australia's Macquarie University, told a conference in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, that the Tamil Tigers are present in 44 countries. They have a sophisticated fundraising and money transfer operation, and raises funds through drug trafficking, distribution of Tamil movies, retailing international phone cards and managing Hindu temples.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=axizEwcwjhHY

4. Emerging Threat Monitor

Climate change, pandemics, and global economic imbalances are just a few of the threats emerging in this 21st century. Subscribers to the Emerging Threat Monitor stay a step ahead with monthly analysis of trends and responses worldwide. It offers executives a heads-up of new risks, and details of the policies and best practices gleaned from every country around the globe.
http://secure.netsolhost.com/573566.585211/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=TP
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ETM Corruption and Transnational Crime
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PriceWaterhouseCoopers released the Global Economic Crime Survey 2007. Its key findings include:
* Over 43 percent of the companies interviewed reported suffering one or more significant economic crimes.
* The average loss from fraud per company increased nearly 40 percent in two years from roughly $1.7 million in 2005 to approximately $2.4 million in 2007.
* Over 80 percent of our respondents who suffered fraud also stated that this had caused damage — or significant damage — to their business.
* No industry is immune from the threat posed by economic crime although different sectors are impacted by different types of fraud.
* The level of collateral damage is directly proportional to the seniority of the perpetrator. In 29 percent of the occasions where senior managers were involved, the collateral damage to the brand was very significant.
* Internal controls are not enough. An ethical corporate culture plays an equally important role in deterring fraud.
* Companies with both ethical guidelines and compliance programs report suffering fewer economic crimes.
In emerging markets:
* Over 43 percent of the companies interviewed reported suffering one or more significant economic crimes in the past two years.
* Companies in which parent and subsidiaries employed different accounting systems where more susceptible to fraud (61 percent of cases) that those operating a unilateral system (52 percent).
* E7 'experts' perceive significant risk associated with levels of corruption, staff integrity and legal environment in the emerging markets.
* Actual levels of reported fraud in the E7 countries are consistently high in the area of asset misappropriation.
* 44 percent of IP infringement cases (worldwide) that involved a perpetrator overseas involved a perpetrator from China.
http://www.pwc.com/extweb/home.nsf/docid/29CAE5B1F1D40EE38525736A007123FD

The US federal government is accountable for how its agencies and grantees spend more than $2 trillion of taxpayer dollars and is responsible for safeguarding those funds against improper payments as well as for recouping those funds when improper payments occur. The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviewed how the Department of Homeland Security has performed the requirements of Performance and Accountability Reports, for which only limited information has been provided in the past three years. In "Department of Homeland Security: Challenges in Implementing the Improper Payments Information Act and Recovering Improper Payments" GAO makes four recommendations to improve compliance, reporting, improper payment recovery, and risk assessment.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-913
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ETM Economies and Financial Systems
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The latest World Development Report calls for greater investment in agriculture in developing countries and warns that the sector must be placed at the center of the development agenda if the goals of halving extreme poverty and hunger by 2015 are to be realized.
http://www.worldbank.org/wdr2008

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released the World Economic Outlook Global Forecast Chapters. They say that "The principal risk going forward is that prolonged disruptions in financial markets and a possible weakening of asset prices, including but not limited to housing prices, and confidence could have a more severe impact on economic activity than anticipated in our baseline projections. Financial market developments have raised risk spreads from unusually low levels, and this new pricing of risk is likely to persist. At this stage, we still do not know precisely how the losses from the U.S. subprime mortgage market will be distributed nor whether credit conditions will tighten further as expectations of losses affect bank behavior."
http://www.imf.org/external/np/tr/2007/tr071017.htm

The G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors concluded their meeting, in which they discussed global economic developments, financial market turmoil, and other issues. The IMF and other international institutions have also drawn lessons from continued global market turmoil.
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp625.htm
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp624.htm
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp626.htm
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2007/POL1020A.htm

Cotton industry officials in West Africa's largest cotton producing nation are celebrating a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling that US government subsidies to cotton farmers there undermine free trade.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=74810

Canadians disposed of a record $7.4 billion worth of foreign securities in August, liquidating a sizable share of their holdings of foreign money market instruments. Non-residents disposed of $3.8 billion worth of Canadian securities in August.
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/071018/d071018a.htm

"Poverty and Inequality in Latin America: How the US Can Really Help" is a recent report from the Inter-American Dialogue It says that the US has focused mainly of promoting free trade and opposing narcotics trafficking and security threats for the past two decades, and calls for attention to be brought on the political risks that poverty and inequality pose for the region and the hemisphere. It recommends that the US:
* Buttress free trade agreements with aid programs that compensate the losers (such as farmers competing with subsidized U.S. agriculture) in the short run and help to increase their ability to compete or adjust in the long run
* Include redistribution of land and investments in alternative employment programs in the so-called "war against drugs"
* Push U.S. banks to lead the way in making banking in Latin America accessible to the poor
* In Brazil, Mexico and other middle-income countries, fund small aid programs aimed at engaging those countries' poorest -- often minority and indigenous groups
* Use aid for education to support reform of hidebound school systems
* Help Latin America confront its surge of crime and violence by stemming illegal small arms sales in the region and supporting police reform
http://www.thedialogue.org/PublicationFiles/LatinAmerica.pdf

Jamaica's Minister of Labor Pearnel Charles has given foreign workers employed without a work permit 10 days to be registered or face deportation,
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20071018/lead/lead4.html

Besides education, health and good infrastructure, access to credit ranks high among the priorities of millions of Kenyans living in informal settlements in urban and rural areas, where credit is key to breaking the cycle of poverty.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=74830

A new briefing paper from Chatham House assesses the prospects for an India-EU Free Trade Area.
http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/papers/view/-/id/551/

In response to calls from the US Treasury, Bank of America, Citigroup, and JP Morgan Chase took the lead in establishing a fund that will purchase bonds and other debt from structured investment vehicles (SIVs) as a last resort. The Master Liquidity Enhancement Conduit could wind up holding a substantial portion of the $320 billion outstanding debt currently held by SIVs; but its presence is likely to comfort investors, and the market could be repaired without it ever being used. Coupled with the Federal Reserve's recent interest-rate cut and increased lending to banks, these measures will help cushion the capital market from the subprime mortgage fallout.
http://www.citigroup.com/citigroup/press/2007/071015f.htm
http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/hp609.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/17/business/17credit1.html
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119283647044065499.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
http://online.barrons.com/article/SB118641816712389361.html
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-78R
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ETM Environment and Climate Change
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UN General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim said that concerns of the world's most vulnerable countries, including climate change, will top the agenda of the current session.
http://www.un.org/ga/president/62/statements/ldc191007.shtml

Hundreds of new insurance initiatives, including 'green' building credits, drought-protection in developing countries and incentives for investing in renewable energy and carbon emissions trading are being offered to tackle climate change and rising weather-related losses in the US and globally, according to a major new report from Ceres released at the annual conference of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors. "From Risk to Opportunity 2007: Insurer Responses to Climate Change,", follows billions of losses this year, and highlights the insurance industry’s unique, powerful role historically in helping society grapple with and manage emerging risks.
http://www.ceres.org/pub/docs/Risk-to-Opportunity-2007.pdf

The United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reports that although the ozone layer over the Antarctic this year is relatively small, this is due to mild temperatures over the region's stratosphere, and not a sign of recovery.
http://www.wmo.ch/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/PR_796_en.html

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued an updated Report Card tracking the state of the Arctic. It finds that some changes are larger and occurring faster than those previously predicted by climate models, while other indicators show some stabilizing.
http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/reportcard/

In the Brazilian Amazon on Wednesday hundreds of loggers and townspeople besieged eight Greenpeace activists who intended to use a dead Brazil nut tree as part of a public exhibition exposing Amazon destruction and its contribution to global warming. They had government permission, but the public land itself has been illegally cleared and burnt by the same loggers. The government acquiesced to the loggers and police escorted the activists away from the town.
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/greenpeace-activists-trapped-b
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/10/17/brazil.greenpeace.ap/index.html#cnnSTCText

Canada's air quality is getting worse, and many of its waterways are so polluted they don't meet minimum standards for supporting aquatic life.
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/071015/d071015b.htm
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=4792f77c-b776-4321-83e9-ac300e89bfbc&k=24003

Costa Rica, its Central Bank, and the US have reached agreement to reduce debt in exchange for supporting grants to conserve and restore tropical forests.
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp616.htm

The Eco-Design Consultation Forum discussed concrete action to use the EU's Directive to drastically reduce standby electricity consumption. A new study shows that mandatory requirements on standby power consumption applicable to household and office equipment products could save about 30 TWh - roughly equivalent to the yearly electricity consumption of Hungary - in the EU each year. T
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/demand/legislation/eco_design_en.htm.

The proposed Soil Directive is one of seven Thematic Strategies that the European Commission has presented. The others cover air pollution, the marine environment, waste prevention and recycling, natural resources, the urban environment and pesticides. Consultation on the proposed Soil Directive received scanty attention, and closed on 19 October. Aon Europe has warned that companies do not believe that they will be affected by environmental risks and liabilities, too often believing these are only a concern of "dirty industries".
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/soil/index.htm
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/soil-directive/
http://www.aon.com/uk/en/about/media-centre/soil-directive.jsp

In "Grist: A Strategic Approach to Climate", Harvard Business Review invited business and academic leaders to address climate issues by framing strategy, strengthening security, shaping policy, protecting reputation, and engaging customers, employees, and markets.
http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/hbsp/hbr/articles/article.jsp?ml_action=get-article&articleID=F0710A&ml_issueid=null&ml_subscriber=true&pageNumber=1&_requestid=8214
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ETM Human Rights
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Afghan President Hamid Karzai is expected to sign in the near future the death warrants of about 30 prisoners indicted for various crimes by the Supreme Court, despite calls for a moratorium.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=74819

Reporters Without Borders released the 2007 Worldwide Press Freedom Index. Iceland and Norway are ranked best in press freedom, followed by Estonia, Slovakia, Belgium, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Switzerland, Latvia, Netherlands, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Austria, Hungary, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, and Germany. Eritrea has replaced North Korea in last place - 169th. Of the 20 countries at the bottom of the index, seven are Asian (Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Laos, Vietnam, China, Burma, and North Korea), five are African (Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Somalia and Eritrea), four are in the Middle East (Syria, Iraq, Palestinian Territories and Iran), three are former Soviet republics (Belarus, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan) and one is in the Americas (Cuba). The former bastion of human rights - the United States - rates 48th, between Nicaragua and Togo., and lower than Bosnia, South Africa or Israel.
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=24025

The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) declared that there are serious obstacles to press freedom in the Americas, particularly in Venezuela.
http://english.eluniversal.com/2007/10/16/en_pol_art_iapa-denounces-serio_16A1133267.shtml
http://www.sipiapa.com/pressreleases/chronologicaldetail.cfm?PressReleaseID=1995

Radio Cadena Voces is often fiercely critical of Honduran President Manual Zelaya's government. This week satirical journalist Carlos Salgado was shot six times as he left the station. Those responsible have not been identified.
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=24085
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSN1844294620071019

Guatemala officials are investigating cases of public hospital staff stealing babies toddlers and used for fraudulent adoptions.
http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID={94B3CA7D-708C-48BC-B10A-94BB7A1EF96C}&language=EN

In "No Room to Breathe", Human Rights Watch documents the restrictions imposed on human rights activists by examining the legal environment in which they operate and the government practices to which they are subject. It also charts the development of Syria’s human rights community and the challenges it faces today. It is based on extensive interviews with representatives of all of Syria’s major human rights groups, independent lawyers, and members of the international diplomatic community in Damascus
http://hrw.org/reports/2007/syria1007/

Interpol launched an unprecedented global public appeal for the capture of a Canadian pedophile. Just ten after the broadcast appeal, the suspect was detained in Thailand. Software to reveal his image helped in the discovery of as the suspect in serial abuse cases of Cambodian and Vietnamese youths.
http://www.interpol.int/Public/ICPO/PressReleases/PR2007/PR200751.asp
http://www.interpol.int/Public/THB/vico/Default.asp
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=60fcba6f-2f95-47e4-9caa-0b3e21bbff27&k=99050
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=8438c265-5e1f-4894-b812-d98122ee5350&k=32035

A US Commission on International Religious Freedom delegation released their report on Saudi Arabia to Saudi representatives this week, finding no substantial steps taken nearly a year after the US and Saudi Arabia negotiated a set of Saudi policies intended to improve the climate for freedom of religion and related human rights:
* Halting the dissemination of intolerant literature and extremist ideology;
* Reviewing and revising textbooks;
* Protecting the right of private worship and the right to possess personal religious materials;
* Curbing harassment of religious practice by the Commission to Promote Virtue and to Prevent Vice (the CPVPV, or religious police); and
* Empowering the newly established Human Rights Commission.
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=179367&version=1&template_id=37&parent_id=17 http://www.uscirf.gov/countries/region/middleast/saudi/saudi.html
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ETM Infectious Diseases
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Anthrax vaccine must be safe and clean. Current versions are effective but associated with dangerous side effects. University of Central Florida researchers have turned to plants to produce safe and inexpensive vaccine production systems that offer less contamination of human pathogens and toxins, which is much safer for human health.
http://www.checkbiotech.org/green_News_Genetics.aspx?infoId=15912

In mid-September, the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) Ministry of Health confirmed an outbreak of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in some remote communities in the province of Kasai Occidental. A team of experts from the ministry, the World Health Organization, and partner organizations, launched a disease control campaign illustrated in this photo story.
http://www.who.int/features/2007/ebola_cod/en/index.html

The Ministry of Health of Indonesia has announced the death of a previously confirmed case of H5N1 infection. The 12-year-old male from Tangerang District in Banten Province died on 13 October. Of the 109 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 88 have been fatal.
http://www.who.int/csr/don/2007_10_17/en/index.html

The British Colombia Center for Disease Control is testing whether a cat has died of bubonic plague.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=20a2b00f-167b-4644-9819-c1c5f51ff5ae&k=45251

A sharp drop in life expectancy, with HIV/AIDS the primary driver, has sent Namibia's human development indicators plummeting. Gains in other areas will continue to be undermined by the epidemic unless treatment and prevention programs are stepped up.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=74834

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) researchers found that a staph bacterium immune to antibiotics is responsible for about 94,000 infections and 19,000 deaths annually. These methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureaus (MRSA) infections are not alone in showing signs of immunity to common antibiotics. Further antibiotic development is needed, as well as an end to using common antibiotics when they are not needed. CDC Medical Epidemiologist Scott Fridkin said the infection rates are higher than those of AIDS patients, with 94,360 infection cases across the nation. Hospitals are urged to step up their hygiene policies and procedures to reduce the spread of these infections.
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/298/15/1763
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2003955661_bug17.html
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ETM Legal Systems
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The International Criminal Court (ICC) has entered a protocol agreement with the Central African Republic (CAR) setting out the cooperation and protection that the Government will provide to court officials investigating whether war crimes have taken place in the impoverished country since 2002.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=24344&Cr=central&Cr1=african

In 2004, the police asked a court in Prague for permission to tap the phone of Jaroslav Capek, a restitution lawyer based in East Bohemia. The police were trying to prove that he committed frauds while representing aristocrat Frantisek Oldrich Kinsky in his disputes with the state over confiscated family property. On Wednesday, the Czech Constitutional Court ruled that the interception was unsubstantiated and illegal.
http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/index_view.php?id=277356
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/96586

The Indian state of Chhattisgarh has long attempted to end the Maoist separatist insurgency in it and neighboring states. A civilian militia, the Salwa Judum ("peace mission") was formed in 2005 to back this effort, but it suffered from a lack of accountability and was associated with serious human rights violations. Now, local civilians are employed as Special Police Officers to provide local intelligence and assistance to police teams. They are required to return arms at night, although they are common rebel targets. Recognizing this risk, death compensation has been increased by 300 percent, to match compensation paid police.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/PoliticsNation/SPOs_in_Naxalite_belts_get_300_hike_in_wages/articleshow/2472007.cms
http://www.pucl.org/Topics/Human-rights/2006/slawajudum.htm

The new government of the most populous Indian state, Uttar Pradesh, has fired 18,000 police officers in recent weeks, charging widespread corruption in the recruitment process, but there are accusations that this is as much a political vendetta as a crackdown on corruption.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/10/16/asia/india.php

The US Senate Committee on the Judiciary held hearings on the nomination of Michael B. Mukasey to be Attorney General. Although the first day of hearings was positive, the second day took a very different turn when the nominee refused to provide any details on controversial surveillance programs, limitations - if any - on presidential powers, or the definition of torture.
http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearing.cfm?id=2994
http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearing.cfm?id=3001
http://leahy.senate.gov/press/200710/101807a.html
http://specter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=NewsRoom.NewsReleases&ContentRecord_id=aff6ad32-1321-0e36-ba06-0001a0f43a60
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15436558
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/10/18/usdom17134.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/18/AR2007101801120.html
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/michael_b_mukasey/index.html
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ETM Natural Resources
--------------------------------------------------
With the Arctic already under siege by nations attempting to claim it as their own, fresh claims are emerging in the Antarctic.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=cd01bd36-dfc7-4a22-a704-f32508d851a4&k=18467

One of the goals of the First Northern Watch Conference at Dalhousie University in Canada is to understand the requirements needed for Arctic surveillance.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=7d2535f5-d24b-4c7d-ae65-0f495d143970&k=21793

Within Canada, the newly elected premier of the Northwest Territory, Floyd Roland, plans to negotiate control of the region's rich resources, to win investments in infrastructure that will support sustainable population growth.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=3de58927-7e07-43b2-af12-297dec13ae54&k=51460
--------------------------------------------------
ETM Populations
--------------------------------------------------
Several hundred First Nations demonstrators marched to the B.C. legislature Monday morning, where the fall session was expected to open with ratification of the province's first modern urban aboriginal treaty.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/10/15/bc-legislaturetreaty.html
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=aa5bebca-0671-42e5-8f47-445affe7b22f&k=75610

The Migrant Integration Policy Index reviews how Europe integrates its 21 million migrants, using 140 different indicators. Only Sweden was classified as a nation entirely favorable to promoting integration. Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands and Finland were also among the top five. France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK have the largest immigrant populations, and were in the top half of the ranking, while Latvia came in last.
http://www.integrationindex.eu/

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that the rate of smuggling boats reaching the shores of Yemen after crossing the Gulf of Aden has increased during the first half of October, along with the appalling death toll. More than three smuggling boats a day have been recorded arriving along Yemen's coast the first two weeks of October, carrying nearly 3,800 people. The Somali and Ethiopian migrants tell harrowing stories of beatings and murder. 18,757 people have crossed the Gulf of Aden by boat this year. An estimated 404 were known to have died while 393 remain missing. The exodus eased off in the summer due to rough seas but resumed again at the beginning of September.
http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/47149e7f2.html
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ETM Social Responsibility
--------------------------------------------------
Kenexa Institute report that employees value corporate social responsibility efforts.
http://www.kenexa.com/en/AboutUs/Press/2007/09OCT17.aspx

The Australian Center for Corporate Responsibility has published its debut Sustainability Report.
http://www.accsr.com.au/html/sustreport.htm

It's a growth area in Australia.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/social-responsibility-rising-at-work/2007/10/17/1192300859882.html

US clothing company Gap has ordered a Bangalore supplier to revamp its practices following deaths in the textile factory.
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1128195
http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2191398,00.html
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ETM Technology
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China has become the third major country in the world next to Japan and the United States in handling patent applications. In 2006 they received 122,318 patent applications from within China and 88,172 applications from foreigners. The number of domestic and foreign applications rose 30.8 percent and 10.4 percent respectively over those in 2005. In the past five years China received about 1.964 million patent applications from both domestic and overseas applicants, with average annual growth of 22.7 percent.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-10/18/content_6902673.htm

The European Commission has launched new research projects for greener, more competitive air transport.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/1549

One of the topics addressed at the 2007 Forum of the Federation of European Risk Management Associations was liability associated with nanotechnology.
http://www.ferma.eu/
http://www.bestweek.com/

More than ten million people in the US suffer from jaw joint and muscle disorders. Artificial temporomandibular joint (TMJ) implants have been used to replace the jaw joint n some patients, in an effort to decrease pain and increase function. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees the safety and effectiveness of these implants. Two implants in the 1970s and 1980s were later removed from the market after causing severe side effects, and in 1998 FDA began to require certain TMJ implant manufacturers to demonstrate safety and effectiveness before approval. In "Medical Devices: FDA's Approval of Four Temporomandibular Joint Implants", the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that FDA monitored compliance by evaluating information from annual reports, which GAO found inadequate. Additional information, monitoring, and reporting are necessary.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-996
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ETM Weapons (WMD, Proliferation)
--------------------------------------------------
North Korea may be able to begin disabling its nuclear facilities in three weeks or so.

http://www.kois.go.kr/news/news/newsView.asp?serial_no=20071018006

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denied a state media report that Russian President Vladimir Putin had made a secret proposal to Iran’s supreme leader to resolve Tehran’s nuclear confrontation with the West. Meanwhile, US President Bush continued to ratchet up the pressure by saying that a nuclear Iran could trigger World War III.



http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/18/washington/18prexy.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/17/AR2007101702211.html

Further nuclear negotiations with Iran will be complicated by the sudden retirement of their chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani. His replacement is the deputy foreign minister for European and American affairs, Saeed Jalili, a confident of President Ahmadinejad. Iran insists there will be no change in its policy. It is reported that both men will attend EU talks next week.
http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=155337
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/20/africa/ME-GEN-Iran-Nuclear.php
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSBLA12481620071021

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it is unaware of any undeclared nuclear facilities in Syria, and asked Damascus for relevant information. The inquiry follows reports that an Israeli strike inside Syria was based on Israeli and US intelligence that a nuclear facility was under construction. IAEA also said that had such a facility been found, they should have been informed so they could investigate appropriately. Syria is known to have a small research reactor. The controversy may have occurred in part due to an interpreter error.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/14/washington/14weapons.html

http://www.arabtimesonline.com/client/pagesdetails.asp?nid=6706&ccid=11
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/18/AR2007101802549.html

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/20071019_Olmert_to_Putin__Back_Iran_penalty.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-7004356,00.html

Indian Prime Minster Manmohan Singh has mentioned domestic problems that have delayed the nuclear cooperation agreement with the US, but they continue to pursue the endeavor. This could prove moot should the Nuclear Suppliers Group refuse to modify nuclear trade rules.
http://pmindia.nic.in/prelease/pcontent.asp?id=669
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2007/oct/93550.htm
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/South_Africa_Brazil_to_bat_for_India_in_NSG/articleshow/2212282.cms
http://www.ptinews.com/pti/ptisite.nsf/All/0F89B1552644A585652573770015696B

Canada and France are also considering nuclear cooperation with India.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=a312ea1a-c192-403f-93bf-6f61791979db&k=68583
http://www.ptinews.com/pti/ptisite.nsf/$all/1F8C0D6175DFE5616525737500522F8D

This opinion piece explains the need to counter nuclear terrorism.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/17/AR2007101702114.html

Also note these related public service ads:
http://www.saferworld.org/site/c.luLVJaMQKpH/b.2039131/k.DCCD/PSA_Page.htm?auid=3107109

TOPOFF 4 simulated the effect of a dirty bomb exploding in downtown Portland, along with other attacks in Phoenix, Arizona, and Guam.
http://news.opb.org/article/homeland-security-chief-portland-topoff-exercises/

Investigators launched raids this week on Japanese companies accused of corruption in projects to remove chemical weapons abandoned in China during World War II. China is concerned that this could delay disposal.


Russia's largest plant for destroying chemical weapons is using proprietary technology to get rid of bombs and warheads that were made in the USSR years ago. The Maradykovsky plant has destroyed 21,806 chemical weapons since it began operation last year.
http://russiatoday.ru/features/news/15661
http://russiatoday.ru/features/news/15661

Police in San Jose, California, have arrested two teenagers for allegedly throwing homemade chlorine gas bombs into a high school dance and a girl’s birthday party last Saturday, injuring three girls.
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_7191000?nclick_check=1

Russian military chief of staff Army General Yuri Baluyevsky warned that breaking its Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with the US could promote WMD proliferation.
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20071017/84306019.html

The idea of an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) with principles based in international law was initiated by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and then Nobel Peace Laureates in the 1990s and has gained significant ground in recent years. In "A Global Arms Trade Treaty: What States Want", Amnesty International the global political will that now exists to address the irresponsible and poorly regulated trade in arms, a trade which fuels conflict, results in gross human rights abuses and serious violations of international humanitarian law (IHL), destabilizes countries and regions and undermines sustainable development.
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGPOL340042007

5. Critical Infrastructure Monitor

The 21st century is the interdependent century. Understanding the implicit and explicit networks on which we rely, and the interdependencies among the sectors of the critical infrastructure is essential for business continuity, economic success, and our very survival. The Critical Infrastructure Monitor, published monthly, analyzes these sectors, regulatory frameworks, and issues of enterprise risk management in global supply chains.
http://secure.netsolhost.com/573566.585211/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=TP
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CIM Agriculture and Food
--------------------------------------------------
World Food Day was marked on 16 October.
http://www.fao.org/wfd2007/index_wfd2007.html

"Agriculture for Development" is a new World Bank report that says the agricultural and rural sectors have suffered from neglect and underinvestment over the past 20 years. While 75 percent of the world's poor live in rural areas, a mere 4 percent of official development assistance goes to agriculture in developing countries. In Sub-Saharan Africa, a region heavily reliant on agriculture for overall growth, public spending for farming is also only 4 percent of total government spending and the sector is still taxed at relatively high levels. The World Bank Group advocates a new agriculture for development agenda.
http://www.worldbank.org/wdr2008

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for a renewed commitment to stamp out chronic hunger and make the right to food a reality for all in a world where nearly 855 million people still do not have enough to eat. The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food noted that despite real advances in different countries, the number of people suffering from hunger has increased every year since 1996. The world already produces enough food to feed every child, woman and man and could feed 12 billion people, double the current world population. To end hunger, we must address issues such as the exclusion and discrimination of the most vulnerable, the increasing uncontrolled power of transnational corporations over the food system, desertification, armed conflict and agrofuels.
http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2668
http://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B9C2E/(httpNewsByYear_en)/6173E6CDDA0EBBECC1257376002FB352?OpenDocument

The US Senate Agriculture Committee raised the question of the importance of classical breeding particularly as agricultural producers seek to meet changing environmental conditions and consumer demand. The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to look into several related issues. In "USDA: Information on Classical Plant and Animal Breeding Activities" they use 2005 Department of Agriculture data, the most recent available, to report:
* The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) spent a total of about $145 million and 557 scientist-years on classical plant and animal breeding activities.
* CSREES provided $31.7 million to fund classical breeding research projects and $26.2 million to fund classical animal breeding research projects.
* There was insufficient data to track the budget trends
* CSREES does not track the number of new varieties released, but ARS released 12 to 52 new plant varieties a year between 1988 and 2006. n 2005 and 2006 ARS released 37 to 311 plant germplasm lines per year, allowing other US classical plant breeders to incorporate improved traits into their locally adapted varieties. ARS also released two new catfish varieties.
* The USDA does not collect information on the varieties of non-genetically engineered or non-patented corn, canola, soy, and cotton, but the National Agricultural Statistics Service conduct an annual national survey of 125,000 farmers on crops planted. This shows a downward trend in non-genetically engineered crops since 2000.
* USDA does not collect information on breeding lines imported from other countries.
* The public has only limited access to plant and animal germplasm, which is collected for conservation and not regularly prepared for framer use. There are also related issues of intellectual property laws and information sharing.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1171R

In "Beginning Farmers: Additional Steps Needed to Demonstrate the Effectiveness of USDA Assistance" GAO recommends that USDA adopt a crosscutting, departmental strategic beginning farmer goal that identifies the desired outcomes for its beginning farmer assistance and links to related agency performance goals. GAO also recommended that USDA track progress toward implementing these goals.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1130
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CIM Banking and Finance
--------------------------------------------------
European firms must comply with the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) by the end of the month, but most are struggling with record-keeping requirements.
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2006/l_241/l_24120060902en00260058.pdf
http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/policy/article51_mifid.pdf
http://www.itpro.co.uk/news/131219/storage-expo-mifid-creates-data-retention-challenges.html
http://www.ifrmarketintelligence.com/Whos_Ready_for_MiFID.aspx

As Indian share prices hit an all-time high, the two key stock exchanges, NSE and BSE, received bomb threats.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/subcontinent/2007/October/subcontinent_October550.xml&section=subcontinent&col=

A recent Swiss Re study finds that bancassurance - the provision of insurance services by banks - is on the rise, particularly in emerging markets. Worldwide, insurers have been successfully leveraging bancassurance to gain a foothold in markets with low insurance penetration and a limited variety of distribution channels.
http://www.swissre.com/pws/research%20publications/sigma%20ins.%20research/sigma%20no.%205_2007.html

The Market Reform Group's Insurers Market Repository is behind its target for electronic claims, and businesses too slow to adopt electronic processing will face consequences.
http://www.lloyds.com/News_Centre/Briefings_and_speeches/Electronic_Claims_Files_an_update.htm

The UK Treasury announced that the Government would allow people who during the recent financial market disruption withdrew cash from Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) held at Northern Rock - and in the process lost their tax advantages - to re-deposit that money into a cash ISA with Northern Rock or any other provider, restoring their tax advantages.
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/newsroom_and_speeches/press/2007/press_110_07.cfm

The US branch of Grant Thornton conducted a survey, finding that a majority of Chief Financial Officers believes there are too few accounting firms to ensure competition and most think more competition in the accounting procession would increase quality and decrease price.
http://www.grantthornton.com/portal/site/gtcom/menuitem.550794734a67d883a5f2ba40633841ca/indexbf5dd30d3413c68e1990547cbe70df39.html

Congress established the Export-Import Bank of the US (Ex-Im) to encourage US exports. Congress has directed Ex-Im to consider the economic impact of its work and not to fund activities that will adversely affect US industry. In "Export-Import Bank: Improvements Needed in Assessment of Economic Impact", GAO recommends that to improve the identification and analysis of applications for economic impact, Ex-Im should review the $10 million threshold, create better methodological guidelines, and strengthen its internal controls. To improve transparency, GAO recommends that Ex-Im clarify its procedures for conducting economic impact analysis.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1071

In a move towards principles-based regulation, the New York State Insurance Department has taken steps to establish a level playing field for all reinsurers. Under the plan all without the highest credit ratings would post collateral based on a sliding slide, whether domestic or international. Lloyds has welcomed this step. but looks for a common playing field across the US.
http://www.ins.state.ny.us/press/2007/p0710181.htm
http://www.lloyds.com/News_Centre/Features_from_Lloyds/Disappointing_failure_by_US_to_devise_serious_reform_of_reinsurance_regime.htm
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CIM Chemical
--------------------------------------------------
Austria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden have failed to draw up emergency plans to prepare for industrial accidents near plants that deal with hazardous materials.
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL17293632

This article addresses the economic calculation behind chemical plant security investments.
http://www.wired.com/politics/security/commentary/securitymatters/2007/10/securitymatters_1018

US Homeland Security Chertoff addressed a symposium on improvised explosive devices, including the need to secure the chemicals.
http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/speeches/sp_1192831792023.shtm

Initial chemical security rules are being modified, and will likely no longer affect chicken farmers.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/18/america/NA-GEN-US-Terror-Chemicals.php
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CIM Commercial Facilities
--------------------------------------------------
Fireman's Fund Insurance Company says that green buildings under construction and existing buildings undergoing green renovations have unique exposures regarding loss of income and extra expenses not covered under traditional policies. Therefore, they have amended politics to accommodate this, including:
* Loss of earnings: broadened to include coverage for the loss of income arising from the inability to feed surplus power and receive credits, reimbursement or rebates from the utility due to a covered loss to alternative power generating equipment.
* Soft costs: broadened to cover additional reasonable commissioning expense, flush out expense, recycling expense and re-registration, recertification expense.
* Rental value: broadened to include the additional time needed to comply with the extra procedures and process necessary to meet the level of green certification incorporated into the building design prior to the loss.
http://www.firemansfund.com/

Re/Max South Africa reports that:
* 52 percent of all hijackings in South Africa take place in front of private residential properties.
* 10 percent while sitting in parked cars
* 7 percent at traffic lights
* 6 percent at stop streets and yield signs
* 5 percent at business premises
* 4 percent victims forced off road by decoys
* 4 percent while taxis are loading passengers
* 3 percent at shops, phone booths, etc
* 2 percent while offloading goods
* 2 percent of victims were hijacked while working at the roadside
http://www.remax.co.za/News/RE-MAX-Survey-finds-most-hijackings-happen-at-home/193/

They offer ten tips for home security:
RE/MAX top ten home security tip list
1. Make sure that any person leaving a home can get into their car, start it, lock the doors and be ready to drive off before any gates are opened.
2. Visitors that have to park in the street must be escorted. Home-owners with dogs can do well to take the dog along when venturing out of the house, especially late at night.
3. When a friend rings your front door bell, let them enter as quickly as possible.
4. Do not leave your property if you spot a suspicious looking person in the area.
5. Try and ensure that nobody has to reverse into an empty road from a home, because this focuses the attention on the driving rather than any potential danger lurking in the vicinity.
6. Make sure that the area of your main gate and driveway are very well lit at all times.
7. Be aware that living in a cul-de-sac gives hijackers opportunities to attack. Try and engage your town council or relevant authority to close off a cul-de-sac.
8. It is important that the number of your home is visible from a distance.
9. Wherever possible, it is advised that security gates are installed.
10. If you have electric gates and a buzzer system, ensure that visitors can reach the buzzer
http://www.remax.co.za/News/RE-MAX-top-ten-home-security-tip-list/192/

A Pretoria suburb hit with a violent crime wave decided not to wait for the town council or police, and have installed their own barriers and security guards.
http://www.pretorianews.co.za/?fSectionId=&fArticleId=vn20071019044012535C256429
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CIM Cybersecurity
--------------------------------------------------
Security researcher Hyperion ("Hackbunny") has released an unofficial patch for an Internet Explorer 7 bug involving a Universal Resource Identifier (URI) vulnerability that presents significant risk. Investigators are looking at whether Mac or Linux systems may be susceptible to similar flaws.
http://spacebunny.xepher.net/hack/shellexecutefiasco/
http://blogs.technet.com/msrc/archive/2007/10/10/msrc-blog-additional-details-and-background-on-security-advisory-943521.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/943521.mspx
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,138428-c,softwarebugs/article.html

Information Risk Management (IRM) researchers have identified multiple unpatched vulnerabilities in Tibco's SmartPGM FX multicasting software.
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/26092/exploit

Skype Defender is a new Trojan that poses as a security plug-in that instead steals login credentials.



Cafe Latte attacks break into Wi-Fi networks protected by Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) by retrieving mobile keys.
http://toorcon.org/2007/event.php?id=25

UK web hosting company Fasthosts sent emergency emails telling customers to change all their passwords after police were called in to investigate a major data breach.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/18/fasthost_police_hack_investigation/
http://community.zdnet.co.uk/blog/0,1000000567,10006196o-2000331761b,00.htm

Storm Worm Trojan writers changed to a 40-byte key to encrypt traffic sent through Overnet, a peer-to-peer protocol that helps individual bots connect to other infected machines. This segmentation could provide alternatives besides blocking all P2P traffic to contain the malware.
http://www.bleedingthreats.net/index.php/2007/10/15/encrypted-storm-traffic/

A new pump and dump scam is using an audio file for spam.
http://www.sophos.com/images/sounds/stock-spam.mp3

Finnish hackers have posted thousands of account and login details online, trolled from web forums where users are using weak passwords.
http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/00001293.html

Reports have resurfaced that China is hijacking web traffic from Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo!.
http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/10/18/baidu-hijacking-google-traffic-in-china/
http://www.wired.com/politics/law/news/2002/09/55030

Canada's Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart has released the Annual Report on the Privacy Act, which finds that Canadians continue to believe that their personal information is not well protected. There are particular concerns about the number of travel-related programs and personal information that is being exchanged with law enforcement and security agencies in other countries. The increased collection of personal information under these programs increases the risk that Canadians will be the victims of inappropriate data matching, intrusive data mining, or the unintended consequences of the disclosure of personal information. This increases the risk of surveillance, rendition and unwarranted attention from law and security enforcement both at home and abroad. The report calls for such concerns to be addressed in part by review and modernization of the Privacy Act, which is not equipped to deal with the pressures imposed by tremendous technology change. The private sector's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act provides stronger protection. Research conducted for Privacy Commissioner shows that:
* Seven in ten Canadians expect to be informed if a security breach leads to the disclosure of information, whether that information is sensitive or not.
* Seven in ten feel their personal information is less protected than it was ten years ago.
* A bare majority of Canadians agree that they have enough information to know how new technologies might affect their personal privacy.
* About seven in ten Canadians believe that they are doing a relatively good job of protecting their own personal information.
* Despite this, almost half of Canadians (46 per cent) carry a Social Insurance Number (SIN) card in their wallet, although this number is a key piece of information used by identity thieves.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=0e5da21d-677a-400a-b399-56b6e6837e92&k=47665

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation that would have required retailers to implement data protection policies that go above and beyond what is required under the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0751-0800/ab_779_vt_20071013.html
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0751-0800/ab_779_bill_20070914_enrolled.html
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2197107,00.asp
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CIM Dams and Bridges
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During Australia's election season, dams and water are major issues. The Traveston Crossing Dam is particularly controversial.
http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/21/2065189.htm
http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=54555
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/18/2063180.htm?site=queensland
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22607263-3102,00.html
http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2007/oct/18/traveston-best-site-dam-report-says/
http://www.savethemaryriver.com/

The Quebec government will create an autonomous agency to build, maintain and repair bridges and overpasses throughout the Canadian province.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=6e8d2144-9487-4342-ac9d-211703a0fad5&k=94305

Turkey plans to build a $1.7 billion dam to generate power from the Tigris River, which flows through Hasankeyf en route to Iraq. Archaeologists are fighting the project so they don't have to choose between moving fragile structures like Hasankeyf's Silk Road bridge or seeing them submerged under 100 feet (30 meters) of water.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=avg9WRGc9gDg

After 9/11, Massachusetts' Quabbin Reservoir was secured to protect the water supply, but a new bridge has restored access to popular public trails.
http://www.masslive.com/chicopeeholyoke/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1192865007116350.xml&coll=1
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CIM Defense Industrial Base
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Amid ongoing controversy over the role of mass numbers of private security contractors in Iraq, another civilian shooting has occurred. This incident involved British company Erinys, hired by the US, who fired on a taxi on Thursday, injuring three civilians.
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=179439&version=1&template_id=57&parent_id=56

Families of the Iraqi civilians shot by Blackwater USA filed suite against the contractor.
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/10/11/1340205
http://www.workers.org/2007/world/blackwater-1025/

This article argues that modern warfare will outstrip the capabilities of the US's declining defense industrial base.
http://www.americaneconomicalert.org/view_art.asp?Prod_ID=2866

In support of Department of Defense (DOD) activities, US defense companies may export defense items. The Department of State controls such exports through its International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), which provides for some exemptions from export licensing requirements. For a limited number of these exemptions, DOD may confirm or certify that the export activity qualifies for the use of an ITAR exemption. As part of an initiative, DOD is to make more effective use of ITAR exemptions, but little is known about the extent to which this id done. In "Defense Trade: Clarification and More Comprehensive Oversight of Export Exemptions Certified by DOD Are Needed" the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommends that State and DOD resolve disagreements on exemption use and guidelines, and strengthen  oversight through data collection.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1103

The Senate Homeland Security Committee held a hearing on "Improving Financial and Business Management at the Department of Defense (DOD)". Three DOD representatives testified, but much hinged on Comptroller General David Walker's testimony, "Defense Business Transformation: A Full-time Chief Management Officer with a Term Appointment Is Needed at DOD to Maintain Continuity of Effort and Achieve Sustainable Success".
http://hsgac.senate.gov/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.Detail&HearingID=492
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-132T
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CIM Emergency Services
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India is developing plans to provide emergency services to the mentally ill.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/20/stories/2007102061320400.htm

Huntsville, Alabama emergency planners will use abandoned mines, college dormitories, and churches as fallout shelters in the event of a nuclear attack.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007710170328

In Massachusetts, waits for beds and emergency services pose a constant challenge.
http://www.boston.com/business/healthcare/articles/2007/10/21/daily_battle_for_beds_strands_mgh_patients/

A 19-year-old Washington state man is due in court on Monday to face accusations he hacked into emergency 911 systems and faked a call that a sent SWAT team to the home of a sleeping family 750 miles away.

Randall Ellis, a 19-year-old man from Mukilteo, Washington, is accused of illegally accessing a phone system in Orange County, California. He chose a residence at random then placed a bogus emergency call claiming an imminent threat that led to a massive - and unnecessary - emergency response.
http://www.ocregister.com/news/home-emami-county-1894171-ellis-system
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CIM Energy
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Belarus has requested increased natural gas and coal shipments from Russia. The two countries are coordinating specific terms and conditions, but deputy Russian industry and energy minister Ivan Matyorov suggested that the 2008 price of Russian natural gas for Belarus could be around $125 per 1,000 cubic meters, 25 percent more than the current rate.
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20071019/84612861.html

Prices for four energy commodities - crude oil, heating oil, unleaded gasoline, and natural gas, - have risen substantially since 2002. Some observers believe that higher energy prices are the result of changes in supply and demand. Others believe that increased futures trading activity has also contributed to higher prices. "Commodity Futures Trading Commission: Trends in Energy Derivatives Markets Raise Questions about CFTC's Oversight" reports that CFTC conducts daily surveillance of trading on NYMEX that is designed to detect and deter fraudulent or abusive trading practices involving energy futures contracts. To detect abusive practices, such as potential manipulation, CFTC uses various information sources and relies heavily on trading activity data for large market participants. Using this information, CFTC staff may pursue alleged abuse or manipulation. However, because the agency does not maintain complete records of all such allegations, this lack of information makes it difficult to determine the usefulness and extent of these activities. In addition, CFTC's performance measures for enforcement do not fully reflect the program's goals and purposes, which could be addressed by developing additional outcome-based performance measures that more fully reflect progress in meeting the program's overall goals. GAO recommends that as part of CFTC's reauthorization process, Congress should consider further exploring the scope of the agency's authority over energy derivatives trading, in particular for trading n exempt commercial markets. GAO also recommends that CFTC improve the usefulness of the information provided to the public, better document its monitoring activities, and other measures.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-25

The House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology, held a hearing on "The Cyber Threat to Control Systems: Stronger Regulations are Necessary to Secure the Electric Grid". It featured a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, " Critical Infrastructure Protection: Multiple Efforts to Secure Control Systems Are Under Way, but Challenges Remain". In this report, GAO recommends that the Department of Homeland Security develop a strategy to guide efforts for securing control systems, including agencies responsibilities, as well as overall goals, milestones, and performance measures. It also recommends that DHS establish a rapid and secure process for sharing sensitive control system vulnerability information with critical infrastructure control system stakeholders, including vendors, owners, and operators.
http://homeland.house.gov/hearings/index.asp?ID=95
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1036
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-119T

Southern California Edison has installed a 5-mile circuit in San Bernardino County designed to minimize the size and duration of power failures.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/16/business/16electric.html
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CIM Government Facilities
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UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has proposed a revised strategy to expedite the renovation of the headquarters complex in New York, which is currently planned to take seven-years and $1.9 billion - and is already behind schedule.
http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/62/364
http://www.un.org/cmp/uncmp/english/index.asp"

Los Alamos National Laboratory - a US nuclear research facility - is hoping to reduce the risk of a security lapse with a $1.6 million super vault.
http://www.kdbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=7243658&nav=menu608_1
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CIM Information Technology
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China's intellectual property rights head Tian Lipu said that the battle against intellectual property rights piracy will take generations, but the main victims are Chinese and other countries should stop politicizing the issue.
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSPEK36239520071018

Note this GAO report, " Critical Infrastructure Protection: Multiple Efforts to Secure Control Systems Are Under Way, but Challenges Remain".
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1036
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CIM Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste
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Australia's Green Party has called for a nuclear free Australia in the newly released "Greens Plan for a Nuclear Free Australia".
http://greensblog.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/make-australia-nuclear-free.pdf
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/10/21/18455035.php

The US Air Force has disciplined 70 service personnel after the accidental shipment across the US of nuclear warheads. The results of a 6-week investigation, released this week, lists a series of major errors.
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123072687
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=47859
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/21/wnuke221.xml

No refurbished nuclear reactor had been taken online since 1996, but Brown's Ferry in Texas was restarted six months ago, and CPS Energy plans to build many more.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/stories/MYSA102107.01K.NuclearExpansion.18cefff62.html

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has published its transition plan for assuming regulatory authority over certain radioactive materials under provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2007/07-135.html

NRC staff has issued a letter to Exelon confirming the company’s plans to address concerns related to the security program for the Peach Bottom nuclear power plant.  Exelon operates the two-reactor plant, which is located in Delta (York County), Pennsylvania.
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2007/07-053.i.html
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CIM Public Health and Healthcare
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One woman dies every single minute from complications during pregnancy or childbirth. UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro called for greater investment to improve women's health, including reducing maternal deaths. Meeting the Millennium Development Goals will require an annual decline of 5.5 percent in maternal mortality ratios between 1990 and 2015. But the current annual decline is less than one percent.
http://www.womendeliver.org

Human Rights Watch reports that Israel is arbitrarily blocking, delaying and harassing people with emergency medical problems who need to leave the Gaza Strip for urgent care. At least three patients denied exit permits have died since June, and others have lost limbs or sight due to injuries and disease that have gone without proper treatment.
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/10/20/isrlpa17139.htm

Kalifan Keita is a peasant farmer with no medical education, salary or transport other than a wobbly bicycle, yet he is achieving in Mali what the government and decades of Western aid have largely failed to do: saving the lives of hundreds of children infected with malaria by taking treatment to the home.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=74816

In Pakistan's Balochistan province, about 16 out of 100 children dying before their fifth birthday. In the rest of Pakistan the figure is nearly 10 out of 100 children.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=74825

The Us Government Accountability Office released "Questions for the Record Related to the Benefits and Medical Care for Federal Civilian Employees Deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq". It addresses such issues as congressional requirements for medical tracking of deployed military service members and civilians, prior GAO investigations that have highlighted multiple shortcomings in the Department of Defense's ability to assess the medical condition of service members both before and after deployments.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-155R
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CIM Telecommunications
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Turkey's banking, healthcare, transport and other services have been disrupted by a strike at Turk Telekom.
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=86135

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, held a hearing on State of the DTV Transition. In "Digital Television Transition: Preliminary Information on Progress of the DTV Transition" the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) discussed transition issues related to the requirement for all full-power televisions in the US to replace analog with digital broadcasting by 17 February 2009.
http://energycommerce.house.gov/cmte_mtgs/110-ti-hrg.101707.DTV.Part2.shtml
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-191T

The Securities and Exchange Commission today filed civil fraud charges against
Nortel Networks Corporation and its principal operating subsidiary Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel) have agreed to pay a $35 million civil penalty and other provisions to settle US Securities and Exchange Commission charges of accounting fraud from 2000 through 2003 to close gaps between its true performance, its internal targets and Wall Street expectations.
http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2007/2007-217.htm
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CIM Transportation
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Bolivian air force troops seized control of Santa Cruz's Viru Viru international airport after a landing fees dispute that involved other underlying issues between the federal government and wealthy residents. Thousands of local residents stormed the airport and took control back from the troops.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5227242.html
http://www.redbolivia.com/noticias/News%20in%20English/Bolivia/59159.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2007/oct/19/bolivia.theairlineindustry
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7052499.stm

UK communications regulator Ofcom published a proposal making it possible for passengers to make calls above an altitude of 3,000 meters. This addresses only spectrum and electronic communications services, not safety or aviation regulatory issues.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/mca/mobilecomms.pdf

In January 2007 the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) completed a study of its cost and the replacement of excise taxes with cost-based fees. In "Assigning Air Traffic Control Costs to Users: Elements of FAA's Methodology Are Generally Consistent with Standards but Certain Assumptions and Methods Need Additional Support the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) assessed the methodology, assumptions, and impacts. They recommend that FAA provide additional analysis and documentation of the basis on which it assigns costs to users. It also recommends that FAA monitor any difference between the original and actual cost assignments for facilities and equipment.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-76

The US House Committee on Homeland Security held a hearing on "Aviation Security: Are We Truly Protected?" Although there was some progress, much remains to be done.
http://homeland.house.gov/hearings/index.asp?ID=94
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-139T

That hearing coincided with reports of a classified document in which security screeners at Chicago O'Hare and San Francisco International missed more than 60 percent of fake bombs hidden on undercover agents posing as passengers.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-10-17-airport-security_N.htm?csp=
http://www.tampabays10.com/news/national/article.aspx?storyid=65683

The Senate Committee on Transportation held an oversight hearing on the Transportation Security Administration's progress in implementing recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007. GAO Homeland Security Director Cathleen Berrick testified that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) mission is to protect the US transportation network. It has developed and implemented a variety of programs and procedures to secure commercial aviation and surface modes of transportation, including passenger and freight rail, mass transit, highways, commercial vehicles, and pipelines. Other Department of Homeland Security components, federal agencies, state and local governments and the private security also play a role in transportation security. Much work remains to be done.
http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=1907
http://www.tsa.gov/press/speeches/101607_hawley.shtm
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-140T

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security held a hearing examining the implementation of the SAFE Port Act a year after the bill came into force. The committee applauded progress in port security, while recognizing numerous areas in which challenges remain.
http://hsgac.senate.gov/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.Detail&HearingID=490
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-171T
http://hsgac.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&Affiliation=C&PressRelease_id=1565&Month=10&Year=2007

On 16 October the first port workers, longshoremen, truckers and others at the Port of Wilmington, Delaware, become the first in the US to enroll in the Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program.
http://www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2007/press_release_10152007.shtm

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has issued a new Piracy Alert:
Shatt Al Arab river - Iran -16 October 2007
Pirates armed with AK-47 automatic rifles, boarded a container ship underway. Master, C/E, 2/O and pilot taken as hostage. The C/O discovered the incident and raised the alarm. The pirates fired at the C/O. Luckily the C/O escaped. The pirates robbed the crew of cash and property before escaping in their speedboat.
http://www.icc-ccs.org/main/all_piracy_al.php

IMB has also released its latest piracy report. Key findings include:
* Piracy and armed robbery attacks against ships rose 14 percent in the first nine months of 2007 compared to the same period in 2006, the second consecutive quarterly increase.
* 198 attacks were reported versus 174 attacks reported in 2006 during the same timeframe
* 15 vessels were hijacked, 172 crewmembers were taken hostage, 63 were kidnapped, and 21 were assaulted.
* Somalia is a hotspot of great concern, with 26 incidents reported so far this year against eight the year before. n.
* Attacks have also risen sharply in Nigerian waters, with 26 incidents reported to the IMB compared to nine during the corresponding period in 2006.
* Tanzania also reported a steep increase in incidents, nine versus four the year before, as pirates boarded vessels well out to sea and broke open containers on deck.
* The Malacca Straits continues to report a decline in attacks, due in large measure to cooperation among littoral states..
http://www.icc-ccs.org/main/news.php?newsid=95

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada issued a Board Concern regarding cannabis use by crewmembers in British Columbia Ferries' Northern Fleet. BC Ferries President and CEO David L. Hahn has called for mandatory drug and alcohol testing.
http://www.tsb.gc.ca/en/media/communiques/marine/2007/comm_m06w0052.asp
http://www.bcferries.com/news/files/07-070mandatorydrugalcoholtesting.pdf

In the Canadian province of Quebec, Transport Minister Julie Boulet has responded to findings of the Johnson Commission report this week by creating an autonomous agency to maintain and repair bridges and overpasses. This addresses the Commission finding of a culture of negligence as one factor in the September 2006 collapse of the Concorde overpass in Laval that killed five people and injured six.
http://communiques.gouv.qc.ca/gouvqc/communiques/GPQE/Octobre2007/19/c6101.html
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=6e8d2144-9487-4342-ac9d-211703a0fad5&k=94305
http://www.cevc.gouv.qc.ca/
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CIM Water
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Australia's National Water Commission says that Adelaide residents will be drinking recycled stormwater as traditional water supplies continue to dwindle.
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22624468-910,00.html

Eritrean residents in Gerbet are renovating a water reservoir to ensure water security.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200710170101.html

The Indian city of Bombay (Mumbai) is hiring 600 people to improve security along water pipelines.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/BMC-to-recruit-600-for-security-of-water-pipelines/230190/

The Philippines is looking to improve small water impounding systems in the countryside to ensure their long-term sustainability.
http://www.theboholchronicle.com/mevents.php?issue=291&s1=3860&s2=3869&s3=&s4=&s5=3864&s6=&s7=&s9=&s10=

Sierra Leone's capital Freetown is one of the wettest cities in the world and yet even in the midst of heavy downpours its taps are often dry.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=74805

In the US state of Colorado, Pueblo water board officials plan to secure the Bessemer Ditch to improve water security.
http://www.chieftain.com/metro/1192861604/2

In Minnesota, the Lakewood Water Treatment Plant is investing in fencing, security cameras, and other security measures, even though no DHS security grants have been forthcoming.
http://www.wdio.com/article/stories/S231742.shtml?cat=10349

6. Disaster Reduction Monitor

Natural and manmade events are inevitable, but they need not become disasters. Subscribers to the monthly Disaster Reduction Monitor learn from past incidents to prevent future disasters. It includes analysis of historical events, emerging risks and risk mitigation, and features new techniques to address disaster reduction, ranging from technical advances to regulatory best practices and micro-finance.
http://secure.netsolhost.com/573566.585211/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=TP
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DRM Incidents
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The crowded Acita III passenger boat capsized in eastern Indonesia, killing at least 29, while others remain missing.

26 Malawi opposition supporters died Friday night when the vehicle they were traveling in to a party conference overturned.

Central Vietnam, still recovering from Typhoon Lekima, was hit by flooding that has killed at least 13 people. Several are still missing.

Costa Rica has declared a national emergency after weeks of heavy rains and landslides that have damaged about 75 percent of the country, displaced 1,800 people, damaged thousands of homes, as well as roads and bridges across the country, including a stretch of the Inter-American highway.
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DRM Response and Recovery
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In an effort to facilitate coordination of humanitarian aid delivery to tens of thousands of people in areas of eastern and northern Ugandan ravaged by severe flooding, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has provided government and humanitarian agencies with 25 satellite telephones.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=74799
http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2007/29.html

In the US state of Louisiana, there were two more Katrina fraud convictions, and a federal judge dismissed an $8 billion lawsuit that accused insurers of defrauding the National Flood Insurance Program by improperly moving Katrina claims onto the federal program. This dismissal may be appealed.
http://neworleans.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/2007/no101807.htm
http://neworleans.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/2007/no101707.htm
http://blog.nola.com/tpmoney/2007/10/whistleblower_lawsuit_alleging.html
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DRM Risks
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A spate of deadly tornadoes has struck parts of Bangladesh following this year's annual monsoon season. On 15 October three tornadoes tore through the southern districts of Barisal, Gopalganj and Bhola, killing seven people and destroying over 500 houses, leaving at least 3,000 people homeless.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=74817

Risk Management Solutions (RMS) released a retrospective discussing the impacts of a 2007 recurrence of the Great Storm of 1987, which hit southern England and northern France on 15-16 October 1987. Detailed analysis reveals that a repeat of the event would result in insured losses ranging between $8 billion and $14.5 billion across Europe, with over 70 percent of loss occurring in the UK.
http://www.rms.com/Publications/Great_Storm_of_1987.pdf

Indian police in the capital Delhi undertook a series of checks on Blueline buses responsible for nearly a hundred fatalities this year. The drivers held a one-day strike to protest the police action, but commuters are demanding the private buses be removed from the roads. The most recent incidents have led to mob violence.
http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=402319&sid=REG&sname=&news=Killer%20Blueline%20continue%20rampage,%201%20killed%20in%20S%20Delhi
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7035826.stm

Despite an apparent slowdown of seismic activity, Indonesian scientists have warned that an eruption is imminent at Mount Kelut in East Java. About 116,000 people were provided with masks and told to evacuate, but most refused to leave their crops and possessions. Armed police has forced tens of thousands to move farther away from the seemingly imminent eruption. The same volcano erupted in 1919, killing 5,000 and in 1990 dozens were killed. The latest readings far exceed those prior to 1990.
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/s2063598.htm

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/SHES-785SQW?OpenDocument

The Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) warns that North Korea's floods this August are likely to lead to famine next year.
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/northkorea/2007/10/18/25/0401000000AEN20071018002500320F.HTML

While aid agencies and the Swazi government scramble to keep a major catastrophe at bay, the mounting food crisis means more and more Swazis can only cope by drastically scaling down food intake and scouring the fields for edible weeds.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=74804

The US Bureau of Labor statistics report that nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses among private industry employers in 2006 declined to a record low of f 4.4 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers—a decline from 4.6 cases in 2005. The number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses reported in 2006 declined to 4.1 million cases, compared to 4.2 million cases in 2005. Total case injury and illness incidents were highest at employer sites with 50 to 249 workers and lowest among small employers with fewer than 11 workers.
http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshsum.htm#06Summary%20News%20Release

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that new crash tests show that some midsize SUVs perform worse than many cars, and there are significant differences even in vehicles equipped with standard side airbags.
http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr101107.html

A new US Geological Survey map suggests that California's Hayward Fault is ready to rupture, and steps to reduce the loss of life and property should be addressed.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/1868/shakemap/
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/1868/.
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DRM Mitigation
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The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has established the world's most up-to-date tsunami early warning system.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/PoliticsNation/India_unveils_tsunami_warning_system/articleshow/2459804.cms
http://www.incois.gov.in/

US Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison told Associated Press that FEMA is quietly drawing up base plans for a handful of disasters: devastating earthquakes beneath San Francisco and St. Louis and catastrophic storms in South Florida and Hawaii, This is a  departure from its traditional expectation that states develop such responses.


Note these Government Accountability Office reports:
"State Department: Evacuation Planning and Preparations for Overseas Posts Can Be Improved"
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-23
"State Department: Survey of Overseas Posts' Emergency Action Committees on Planning, Preparing for, and Conducting Evacuations"
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-24SP

The US Senate Banking Committee voted 20-1 to extend the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA). Last month, the House passed a 15-year extension of the program. Differences between the two versions will move to reconciliation.
http://banking.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=255&Month=10&Year=2007
http://thehill.com/business--lobby/bush-will-not-veto-tria-bill-2007-10-17.html

7. Recommended Reading

On Thursday night Pakistan suffered its worst terrorist attack. As millions celebrated the return of Pakistan People's Party leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's from self-imposed exile, a Russian-made hand grenade breached the security cordon around her procession. Seconds later a suicide bomber struck. In the two explosions, more than 140 people have died, and more than 500 were injured.

Below are statements from Pakistan, the UK and US, following the bombings, and links to further press reports and analysis. Watch for additional coverage in this Newsletter as events unfold.


FORMER PRIME MINISTER AND CHAIRPERSON OF THE PAKISTAN PEOPLES PARTY MOHTARMA BENAZIR BHUTTO PRESS CONFERENCE Address:

The PPP strongly condemns the attack on its peaceful procession last night near the Karsaz Bridge in Karachi that resulted in the killing of nearly 140 innocent people and injury to several hundreds more.

Our thoughts, prayers and sympathies are with those who laid down their lives, or were wounded and to their families.  They made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of democracy and the fundamental rights of the people. May Allah rest their souls in eternal peace. Their sacrifices will not go in vain.

I am also pained to learn that a TV camera man Mr. Arif and a number of police personnel on duty were also killed and injured. They all died in the line of duty. May their souls rest in peace. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families.

The cowardly people who planned the assassination attack on me are not Muslims. No Muslim can attack a woman. I am thankful to Almighty Allah for protecting me through the Benazir Jaanisars and the police who all lost their lives in defending me and the top leadership of the PPP including Vice President MAF, former Speaker Yousuf Raza Gillani, Secretary General Jehangir Badr, Deputy Parliamentary Leader Raja Pervez Ashraf, Qasim Zia Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly, Leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly Nisar Khuhro, Information Secretary Sherry Rehman, Political Secretary Naheed Khan, Security Advisor Dr Rehman Malik, Senator Safdar Abbasi, Ambassador Abida Hussain, and many others.

Three people on our truck lost their lives. There was blood and gore all over our clothes and street was littered with dead bodies and blood.

The police bravely did their duty. Our young boys, the flower of our youth and the best of our future wrote a new chapter in courage and sacrifice by defending their sister and leadership. We remember and honor them. We honor their parents, who gave birth to such noble sons, who with their brave hands defended us against armed militants, who want to destroy Pakistan, damage the name of Islam and hurt the rights of the Muslims. I salute them and their families. Their supreme sacrifice will be written in golden letters.

I wish to thank all the Party cadres, workers, and all those who trekked long distances to welcome me back to the country. Their support and solidarity is unforgettable.

I also wish to thank all those who traveled with me or ahead me from far off lands. They showed great courage in accompanying me despite knowing the hazards of doing so. To them also I say thank you.

I have received a large number of telephone calls and messages of sympathy from all over the world. I wish to thank them all.

What does the attack last night signify? The attack was more an attack on the unity and integrity of the country than on any individual or any one political party. It was an attack on Pakistan itself. It was an attack on their political rights, on the political process and on democracy itself.

The attack last night was a message sent by the enemies of democracy to all the political parties of the country. It was intended to intimidate and black-mail all the political forces and elements working for democracy and human rights in the country. It was a warning not only to me and the PPP but to all political parties- indeed to the entire civil society- in the country.

Dictatorship fuels the forces of extremism and narcotics trade. Fearing democracy, these cowards attacked a woman and unarmed innocent men and children.

The attack was intended to warn the people against exercising their right to participate in the political process for the attainment of their social, economic and political rights.

But let it be known to the perpetrators of the crime that the PPP will not be deterred. The Party would never allow its voice in support of the peoples' political and democratic rights stifled. We will continue to raise voice and fight for the peoples' rights, come what may.

It is imperative for all of us to fight to save Pakistan by saving democracy. Democracy brings development and marginalizes the anti-people forces.

We must save Pakistan, save democracy and save the fundamental rights of the people.

The PPP will offer ghaaibana janaza prayers day after tomorrow on October 21 in all district headquarters for all those who lost their lives and also prayers for the speedy recovery of those injured. We invite all the democratic parties and forces and members of civil society to join us on the occasion.

I thank all the people who called to condole the deaths of the PPP workers and wished an early recovery to those injured. These include General Pervez Musharraf, President Hamid Karzai, L. K. Advani, Mian Nawaz Sharif, Altaf Hussain, Indian High Commission, the US Ambassador, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, the Italian Ambassador, Senator Asfandyar Wali, and many others.

I also want to thank the 3 million people, who came from far and wide to greet me on my return from the exile from all over Pakistan. They came from Korakarum Pass, AJK, Northern Areas, Tribal Areas, plains of Punjab, deserts of Sindh, and Balochistan, singing, dancing, full of joy in celebration to mark a return that could be a catalyst to change, to democracy. We will not let the militants destroy the hopes of our people for freedom and prosperity despite the tragedy that followed the triumph."
http://www.ppp.org.pk/news_events/oct/19-10-2007.html


PRESIDENT, PRIME MINISTER CONDEMN BOMB BLASTS IN CEREMONY TO WELCOME BENAZIR BHUTTO ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN

ISLAMABAD, Oct 19 (APP): President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat have strongly condemned two bomb blasts that occurred near Karsaz Roundabout in Karachi on Thursday night in the procession being taken out to welcome Benazir Bhutto, Chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party. The President and the Prime Minister in their separate messages said they had been deeply shocked by the dastardly act.

President Musharraf said he condemned this attack in the strongest possible words.

He said this was a conspiracy against democracy. He prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls and grant of courage to the bereaved families.

The president appealed to the nation and especially the people of Karachi to exercise patience and calm in this hour.

The president said the government would take every step to trace the culprits and award them exemplary punishment.

The President expressed deep sympathy with the wounded and prayed for their early recovery.

He said the government would bear all the expenses for the medical treatment of the injured.

The president directed the Sindh government to hold inquiry into the tragic incident.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in his message said the bomb blasts in Karachi was a dastardly act, as these had caused the loss of many innocent lives.

He said this was a severe tragedy and he felt deeply shocked over it.

He said the government was determined to trace the culprits and award them most exemplary punishment.

He appealed to the people to remain calm and show patience to face this tragedy.

The Prime Minister prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls and early recovery of the injured.

The prime minister said the perpetrators of this criminal act were conspirators against the interest of the country and the people of Pakistan. They had done this to harm the efforts being made to strengthen democracy in the country.
http://www.presidentofpakistan.gov.pk/PRPresidentDirectiveDetail.aspx?nPRPresidentDirectiveId=162&nYear=2007&nMonth=10


PRESIDENT PERVEZ MUSHARRAF TELEPHONED LEADER OF PPPP, MS. BENAZIR BHUTTO ON FRIDAY TO CONDOLE AND STRONGLY CONDEMN THE ACT OF TERRORISM IN KARACHI ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN 19 OCT, 2007

President Pervez Musharraf telephoned leader of PPPP, Ms. Benazir Bhutto on Friday to condole and strongly condemn the act of terrorism in Karachi last night, which resulted in the death of over one hundred innocent people and injuries to hundreds of others.

During his telephonic conversation, the President expressed his shock and profound grief over the incident and prayed for the safety and security of Ms. Bhutto.

The President expressed his firm resolve that all possible steps would be taken and a thorough investigation would be carried out in order to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice. He said that extensive security measures had been taken in consultation with PPPP leaders for ensuring the safety of Ms. Bhutto’s procession. He also lauded the devotion to duty and sacrifice of the scores of police officials who lost their lives and received injuries in the tragic incident. He hoped that maturity and restraint would be displayed in this hour of tragedy by all and they would refrain from unnecessary blame throwing. He appealed to all segments of society to facilitate police and the administration in the conduct of their investigation.

Ms. Bhutto thanked the President for his concern. President Musharraf and Ms. Bhutto expressed their unflinching resolve to fight the scourge of extremism and terrorism. They agreed that there was a need for the entire nation to unite in order to rid the country of the menace of suicide bombings, terrorism and extremism.
http://www.presidentofpakistan.gov.pk/PRPressReleaseDetail.aspx?nPRPressReleaseId=1931&nYear=2007&nMonth=10


HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF PAKISTAN CALLS FOR UNITY AGAINST TERROR

Lahore, October 19: No words are too strong to condemn the dastardly attack on Ms. Benazir Bhutto's convoy in Karachi on Thursday night, one of the most horrible and certainly the costliest incident of terrorism in the country's history. Not only the PPP chairperson but the party's entire high command was the target of the perpetrators of the outrage. That they have had a miraculous escape has caused a sigh of relief but the grief and shock at the loss of over 130 innocent lives will weigh heavy on each conscious Pakistani's conscience for a long, long time. Those who plotted this massacre most foul are not the enemies of Benazir Bhutto, or PPP, or democracy alone, they are the worst enemies of Pakistan and whatever precious has been left of its tradition of tolerance and openness. Their crime is much too grave to be treated with the security establishment's customary perfunctoriness.

Attempts to dismiss the blasts as the work of suicide bomber(s) will only inflame passions among the aggrieved. A high-level probe is a must. Apart from the hands involved in planting / detonating explosives close to Ms. Benazir Bhutto's vehicle, the investigators must expose the elements whose traditional hostility to democracy is known and who could not bear even a rare sight of democratic festivity. Above all the gravity of the situation calls for all Pakistanis of goodwill to ponder the national agenda. The present regime's incapacity to deal with terrorism needs no further proof and while there is no need to avoid elections the present demands the greatest possible unity among the people and immediate formation of a national government capable of fighting terrorism without depriving the people of democratic governance and the enjoyment of human rights.
Iqbal Haider
Secretary General
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
http://www.ppp.org.pk/Human%20Rights/19-10-2007.html
http://www.hrcp-web.org/i


UK PRIME MINISTER GORDON BROWN STATEMENT

I was deeply shocked to learn of the bomb blasts in Karachi that have killed over a hundred people and injured so many others. I am appalled by this horrific use of violence against entirely innocent people. I join in condemning utterly this attack on Pakistanis exercising their right to express their democratic voice as the country prepares for free and fair elections in January.

On behalf of the British Government please accept my sincerest condolences for those Pakistanis who have lost their lives. You can be assured of the United Kingdom's continuing support to work with all those committed to building a peaceful and democratic Pakistan.
http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/Page13561.asp


UK FOREIGN SECRETARY DAVID MILIBAND STATEMENT AND INTERVIEWS

I am appalled by the attacks in Karachi that have killed at least 100 people and injured many others. I condemn utterly the use of violence against entirely innocent people and the attempt to suppress the right of Pakistanis to express their democratic voice. I share the shock of the Pakistani community in the United Kingdom at these horrific attacks. And I commit the government of the United Kingdom to work with all those committed to building a peaceful and democratic Pakistan.

Foreign Secretary comments on Radio 4 Today programme: Fri 19 Oct 07

Well I've just spoken this morning to the Political Counsellor at the Embassy in Islamabad, the scenes that people will see on their televisions are absolutely horrific, over a hundred and thirty people have been killed, over five hundred injured.  There were threats from extremists, Taliban related forces before Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan and actually when I met her last month, we talked about the se, the security situation and she obviously had fears for her own safety.

I think it's, this is a massive issue in Britain because eight hundred thousand British people have got Pakistani origin, seventy per cent of the terrorist plots that our security forces are, are chasing have Pakistani links.  Our, our message is the forces of moderation must rally around the world and in Pakistan to, to help Pakistan on a road to stability and democracy.

Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, on Sky: Fri 19 Oct 07

David Miliband : Well good morning Mark, I'm glad to get the chance to say that I have just spoken to the Political Counsellor at the British Embassy in Islamabad, the figures are as terrible as you've been reporting, over a hundred and thirty dead, over five hundred injured. Obviously big British links, and many British people will be very concerned, we're also concerned about the stability and democracy that needs to develop in Pakistan and I think this is a very sad and bad day for Pakistan obviously but we all need to make sure that we work together to rally the forces of moderation in Pakistan.

Question: And in terms of who may have carried out this attack, certainly suggestions are that she's been targeted because she is pro Western, because she's a woman and because she's pro democracy.

David Miliband : Well I think all of those rumours are around. I met Mrs Bhutto last month in London, obviously we discussed the security situation and I think even in the days before she went to Pakistan and she talked about the threat to her own security, she's been proved tragically prescient, but I think it's important that the Army, the authorities, but also the political parties all dedicate themselves to a political process to build a more stable Pakistan. Because after all the world's terrorist plots, many of them link back to Pakistan and we need a strong Government in Pakistan but also one that commands the democratic confidence of the people.
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029391638&a=KArticle&aid=1188504015558


US DEPARTMENT OF STATE PRESS BRIEFING

QUESTION: Mr. Casey, any reaction to the brutal and barbaric explosions in Pakistan, earlier today against the great and democratic politician lady Benazir Bhutto.

MR. CASEY: Well, Mr. Lambros, I hope you did see our statement last night with respect to that. But just to repeat some of our basic views on this, the United States condemns this terrorist attack that was conducted during a peaceful rally for former Prime Minister Bhutto and her party members. And we do send our condolences to the victims of that attack. At this point I understand there's been approximately 130 people who have been identified as killed or wounded in this. I would note that former Prime Minister Bhutto has spoken and commended the courage of the security personnel who were protecting her. And I understand that many security personnel were in fact victims of this as well.

Our Ambassador Anne Patterson has spoken with the government officials from Pakistan to convey our condolences and also to offer U.S. assistance, should the Government of Pakistan need it in response to this event. And she has also called former Prime Minister Bhutto just to convey our sympathy and the sympathy of the United States Government for those individuals whose lives were lost and also to express our concern for her well-being as well.

And we hope to see that a thorough investigation is conducted of this. We do not know who is responsible for this terrible attack. But we hope that the individuals who are found and brought to justice, we do not wish to see any actions take place that would undermine the democratic process in Pakistan or make it harder for the Pakistani people to have an opportunity to express their views in free and fair elections.

QUESTION: Any communication between Department of State and Pakistan officials on this tragedy?

MR. CASEY: Well, as I said, Anne Patterson, our Ambassador, has made calls both to former Prime Minister Bhutto and to Pakistani Government officials. At this point, I know the Secretary is traveling and I'm not aware of any other calls that might have occurred from this building here, but certainly we are all very concerned about this and we do hope that this will be something that we will not see repeated in the future.

QUESTION: And the last one. Anything to say about the claim of the (inaudible) from Dubai that behind this -- those explosions were the intelligence service of General and President Pervez Musharraf?

MR. CASEY: Again, Mr. Lambros, as far as I know, no one has claimed responsibility for this. The Pakistani Government has promised a full investigation. I have seen reports that the Prime Minister -- sorry, that President Musharraf in fact called former Prime Minister Bhutto about this, to express his concerns as well. And I note that former Prime Minister Bhutto in fact did commend the work being done by the security personnel that were with her -- many of whom, again, were victims of this as well. So I think at this point, we will let the investigation move forward. I do know that there, unfortunately as we all know, are many extremist elements in Pakistan who do not want to see Pakistan develop as a peaceful, moderate and modern Islamic nation. This is something that unfortunately has occurred in the past in Pakistan, including attempts on President Musharraf's life by those affiliated with al-Qaida.

QUESTION: Thank you.

QUESTION: Oh --

MR. CASEY: Please go ahead.

QUESTION: Just for clarification, who was providing security for the former Prime Minister? Since we have this whole issue of contractors and what not and --

MR. CASEY: Pakistani Security Services.

QUESTION: It is?

MR. CASEY: Yeah.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. CASEY: There was no U.S. involvement in it, no.

QUESTION: Okay. No private security --

MR. CASEY: My understand -- you can check with her or with the Pakistani Government. My understanding is the Pakistani Government.

Yeah.

QUESTION: I know you obviously haven't -- as you said, haven't made any conclusions about who's responsible and you're obviously working with the Pakistanis on trying to help them find out. But before Bhutto had come to the country, she said and the Pakistanis have said that there were some al-Qaida-related groups that were threatening to do something upon her return. And do you think that this attack in any way kind of highlights the critical threat that al-Qaida poses in the country?

MR. CASEY: Well, as I've just said, we know that al-Qaida and the Taliban and those associated with them have tried to undermine the Pakistani Government and efforts at Pakistani democracy. That includes through attempts to assassinate President Musharraf because of his willingness to confront extremism in his own country. I don't know at this point whether those same kinds of extremist elements were responsible for this attack, but certainly we are all aware of the threat that is posed by extremism in Pakistan as well as in Afghanistan and elsewhere. And it's another reason why we all need to be able to work together to confront it, because certainly I don't think the people of Pakistan wish to see people try and express political views through bombs and bullets. We are working with them and I know that part of the efforts of many of the political parties in Pakistan is to be able to help themselves have a free and open and transparent electoral system. That's the way you choose leaders, not through political assassinations.

QUESTION: Musharraf and Bhutto obviously were working on some kind of power-sharing agreement, but not necessarily -- it wasn't necessarily a true alliance in the sense that they had a kind of common set of goals and objectives for the country. Do you think that this attack will devolve into kind of political recriminations or are you hoping -- on either side, or are you hoping that this kind of focuses them or crystallizes the need for them to work together towards fighting terrorism in Pakistan?

MR. CASEY: Well, we certainly respect that there are a lot of political differences in the Pakistani system and that there are different parties with distinct and unique viewpoints. We certainly want all of those legitimate political parties and political movements to be able to participate in the life of the country.

We would hope, however, that whoever the Pakistani people elect, that there would be a common cause among all the parties in terms of recognizing the threat posed by extremism and being willing to work with the United States and others in the international community to confront it. So I would hope that not only as a result of this but just based on the interests of the Pakistani people and all the political parties in Pakistan that people would decide that whatever differences they might have over other issues, there should be a coming together to work with the United States, to work with the international community and to work with each other to be able to confront what's a serious problem for Pakistan as well as for the rest of us.

QUESTION: So I mean, in terms of this particular attack, are you afraid that this will be a kind of political -- you know, as whoever was -- do you think that this was an attempt to kind of make Pakistan more politically divisive?

MR. CASEY: Well, without knowing who is responsible for this or what their motivations were, it's really hard to say. I do again take as positive the fact that the Pakistani Government has promised a full investigation, that the former Prime Minister again has praised the efforts of the Pakistani security forces who were protecting her. I think that at least says -- that at least says to me that if there was any attempt through this to divide some of the political forces in Pakistan, that it hasn't succeeded. And in fact, it appears to me based on the statements that you've seen, a general rallying to the desire to have everyone be able to function and campaign and work effectively and openly in the country without threat of violence or intimidation.

Yeah, Joel?

QUESTION: Tom, several months ago, I guess it must have been Secretary Rice or Richard Boucher that perhaps persuaded Pervez Musharraf to -- he was contemplating at the time putting Pakistan into military rule or military law. And of course, it didn't.

Now, when you speak of the people of Pakistan repeatedly, are you basically sending the wrong message because they're moderates versus extremists, as you just enunciated here, and is this sending a lukewarm message and thus creating or giving a green light for further violence?

MR. CASEY: Joel, I would think it's frankly an insult to the people of Pakistan to assume that those that would practice politics by car bomb or bullet represent anything but a small and very distinct minority of the country. When I speak of the people of Pakistan, I speak of the folks who are represented by political parties, like President Musharraf's, like Benazir Bhutto's, like others who are there.

And again, what we're talking about as our goal is the development of Pakistan as a moderate Islamic state that is a democracy. And one of the first real tests of that democracy and its advance forward is going to be these elections. But that is our focus. There is no support that I can see outside of this very small minority for the kinds of actions that are represented by yesterday's attack.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2007/oct/93742.htm#pakistan


PRESS COVERAGE
"Amnesty International condemns bomb attacks on political rally in Karachi"
http://news.amnesty.org/index/ENGASA330232007
"Backstage, U.S. nurtured Pakistan rivals' deal"
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/10/20/asia/20bhutto.php
"BB wants IB chief Ijaz Shah sacked"
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\10\19\story_19-10-2007_pg1_3
"Benazir Bhutto and tales of Corruption"
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/295
"Benazir had been warned of suicide attack, says Azeem"
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C10%5C20%5Cstory_20-10-2007_pg7_34
"Benazir says her arrival begins a new journey"
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\10\19\story_19-10-2007_pg7_13
"Benazir blames three for carnage"
http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=10695
"Benazir's husband blames Pak govt, spy agencies"
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/benazirs-husband-blames-pak-govt-spy-agencies/50775-2.html
"Benazir's second homecoming"
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/IJ20Df03.html
"Bhutto blames old regime for bombs"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/19/wpak419.xml
"Bhutto determined to contest poll"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7053861.stm
"Bhutto says she warned of plotting days before attack"
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/10/20/asia/20pakistan.php
"The bloody homecoming"
http://www.timesnow.tv/Newsdtls.aspx?NewsID=3631
"Defiant Bhutto says blasts were 'attack on democracy'"

"Facial reconstruction of Karachi suicide bomber undertaken"
http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/World/20071020/798855.html
"Govt unlikely to remove DG IB"
http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=10697
"In quotes: Bhutto blast reaction
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7051953.stm
"Karachi Blasts"
http://www.geo.tv/important_events/benazir_return/pages/english_news.asp
http://www.geo.tv/important_events/benazir_return/pages/urdu_news.asp (in Urdu)
"Karachi Blasts: Peoples Party announces three-day mourning"
http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=30792
"New law to nab terrorists on anvil. President orders for report on blasts within 48 hours"
http://www.pakobserver.net/news/topstories02.asp
"Pakistani police release photo of Karachi bomber"
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSISL92049
"Some election, some democracy!"
http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2007/10/18/news0643.htm
"Spy agencies in the eye of storm"
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=76375
"Suicide-bomber seen running through crowd"
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article3078917.ece
"United we stand, divided we fall"
http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=76383
"Who Is Behind the Attack on Bhutto?"
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1673935,00.html
"'Zia remnants' blamed for Karachi carnage"
http://www.dawn.com/2007/10/20/top1.htm

8. Asset Management Network News

For those of you in or around Boston on 1 November, we are sponsoring a unique program that may be of interest. Here are the details:

Anything, Anytime, Anywhere: 21st Century Interactions
1 November 2007
7:30 am registration; 8 am-12 am Keynote Speech and Panel Discussion; 12am-1 pm networking lunch buffet
Location: British Consulate, 1 Memorial Drive, 15th floor, Cambridge MA (Photo ID required)

The future is here in a world of video, voice, data, and services delivered in any format and on any device you designate, anywhere in the world. Over the course of the past year, this new reality has been addressed across MTLC clusters. Technology companies offering SOA and SAAS demonstrated how these highly distributed applications offer the foundation for delivering services. CSID/RFID looked at remote sensors and their application for identifying the counterfeit drugs that so concern Life Sciences. Financial Services held a series of meetings in which managing a highly regulated investment portfolio via mobile phone was at one end, and providing peer-to-peer payments in social networking environments at the other. Robots in the battlefield met telemedicine to solve some of the most serious healthcare problems in their most challenging environments.

This session brings all of these experiences and best practices together with a combination of peer-to-peer discussion and interactive demonstrations. It features a Keynote Address by Sharon Gillett, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable, and will look to the future of global communications and services in a world without boundaries or borders.

We will then return to the here and now with a panel discussion among industry and technology experts responsible for implementing current and future Anytime Anywhere solutions:
Moderator:
* Mike Barrett, Managing Partner, Critical Mass
Panelists:
* Joe Barboza, CEO, Cyphermint
* David Kopans, Director of Regulatory Affairs, Fat Spaniel
* Walter Kuketz, CTO, Collaborative Consulting
* Doug McClure, Corporate Manager for Technology Services, Partners Telemedicine
* Carol Rose, Executive Director, ACLU-Mass
* Others to be confirmed

The panel will address such questions as:
* Thinking both globally and locally, where does your industry and your company fall in the anything, anytime, anywhere space?
* Is anytime anywhere an operational necessity or a strategic advantage?
* What approaches are you taking to address regulatory, privacy, and security issues?
* Are there established or emerging best practices in business or technology?
* How do you define and meet customer and employee expectations, a generation at a time?
* Where are the opportunities for Massachusetts in the global market?
* What is your favorite wireless toy? What do you think will be your future favorite?

Register online at
http://www.masstlc.org
Cost: Members and TAMNI subscribers $50.00; Non-members $100.00

If you have any questions, send along an email, and it will be forwarded to the appropriate party.

And, if you can't join us on the day, don't despair! The event will be available via podcast.

HOW TO CONTACT US:

Please contact us with your questions or comments by sending email to .

If you want to be removed from this list, please reply to the message with REMOVE in the subject line.
Editorial Team
TerrorismCentral

All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2007 by The Asset Management Network Inc.

DISCLAIMER: This publication is made available with the understanding that it does not provide legal or other professional services. Although we have used sources we believe to be reliable and every effort has been taken to ensure accuracy of information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy, completeness, or usefulness. The opinions expressed in articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of The Asset Management Network Inc. The Asset Management Network Inc. is not responsible for the content of external websites. Mention of such websites does not imply endorsement. The Asset Management Network Inc. specifically disclaims any liability or loss which is incurred as a consequence, direct or indirect, of the use or application of this publication.

This Newsletter, "Global Terrorism Monitor", "Political Risk Monitor", "AML/CFT Monitor", "Emerging Threat Monitor", "Critical Infrastructure Monitor", and associated databases are published by The Asset Management Network, Inc., P.O. Box 380313, Cambridge MA 02238-0313. Tel + 1 , Fax + 1 . Email