AUTHOR:
TerrorismCentral Editorial Staff

TITLE:
TerrorismCentral Newsletter - November 25, 2007

SOURCE:
TerrorismCentral, November 25, 2007

TEXT:

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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In the Greek island of Crete, officials believe that some 40 individuals have been involved in an international money laundering scheme linked to drug trafficking funds sent through expensive properties and luxury cars.
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100012_20/11/2007_90280

Huge quantities of counterfeit cash are implicated in this Friday's coordinated attacks in three Indian cities in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/UP_blasts_Sleuths_suspect_ISI_mischief_again/articleshow/2566286.cms

Nigeria has charged senior officers in the administration of former Zamfara State Governor Alhaji Ahmed Sani Yerima, for allegedly laundering funds belonging to the state treasury, through the IAA Motors bank. Former Plateau state governor Joshua Dariye's trial has been adjourned after he retained a new attorney.
http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=96012
http://www.vanguardngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2074&Itemid=47
http://www.tribune.com.ng/21112007/news/news10.html

Philippines Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said the management of the Bank of Commerce might be covering up its involvement in the Palace cash gift controversy to prevent the senators from uncovering the source of the money and the personalities involved. The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLAC) has not investigated the suspect transactions because bribery or indirect bribery are not among the predicate crimes covered by the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/man/2007/11/23/news/bank.accused.of.covering.up.source.of.cash.gifts.html
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=politics4_nov22_2007

Russian Deputy Prosecutor General Ivan Sydoruk said that unknown financial backers have provided more than $1.5 million to terrorist organizations in the North Caucasus.
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20071119/88724165.html

In Sri Lanka, a money laundering investigation continues regarding $3 million sent to a Sri Lankan private bank at the direction of parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake.
http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2007/11/25/new15.asp

Sudan rebels in the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) say that oil sold to China funds government operations in Darfur.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7111206.stm

British police discovered a large heroin operation in May. This week the mastermind of the gang, Shoukat Ali Yaqoob, was jailed for 11 years. He was convicted on money laundering and drug charges.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7110204.stm
http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/latest-east-midlands-news/Gang-faces-jail-over-10m.3517143.jp

Northern Ireland businessman Dennis Ernest Clarke was convicted of a transatlantic fraud and money laundering, and has forfeited GBP500,000 .
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/article3184926.ece

Palestinian professor Abdelhaleem Ashqar was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison and a $5,000 fine for refusing to testify before a US federal grand jury in connection with allegedly funding Hamas.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/926786.html

In the US state of Michigan, "Black Mafia Family" (BMF) leader Demetrius Flenory pleaded guilty to large-scale laundering of drug funds.
http://www.dea.gov/pubs/states/newsrel/detroit112007.html
http://www.sohh.com/articles/article.php/13055

Michael Fry and Shannon Fry were found guilty in Oklahoma court to laundering money and conspiracy in methamphetamine distribution.
http://www.kten.com/Global/story.asp?S=7383959&nav=menu410_3
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AML/CFT Legislation and Regulation
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In Brazil, suspected money laundering cases in among insurance companies reached 92,258 through October, compared to 3,101 in all of last year.
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7009234580
http://www.bnamericas.com/story.jsp?sector=11&noticia=414548&idioma=I
http://www.susep.gov.br/ (in Portuguese)

Human Rights Watch has called on the UN Security Council to prohibit any new investment in Burma’s (Myanmar) oil and gas fields, and block company payments that help sustain Burma’s brutal military rule,
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/11/16/burma17356.htm

Over 99 percent of the world's supply of diamonds now comes from sources free of conflict, according to the World Diamond Council. However, many of the blood diamonds that remain find their way to Europe.
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,2902231,00.html?maca=en-bulletin-433-html

Partnership Africa Canada (PAC) released "Angolan Diamond Industry Annual Review". Key findings include:
* Diamond production nearly doubled, from 5 million carats in 2002 to 9.5 million in 2006.
* Gross revenue from diamond sales has effectively doubled, while the annual diamond contribution to government coffers has more than tripled, from $45 million to $165 million over the five years since conflict ended.
* So far there have been few positive results for ordinary people living in Angola’s diamond mining areas, and life is even tougher for those who work as artisanal miners.  
* Angola’s implementation of the Kimberley Process is based on a misguided attempt to criminalize artisanal diamond diggers on the one hand, and a slipshod, half-hearted chain of warranties system on the other. As a result Angola’s application of Kimberley Process regulations in the crucial informal sector fails to meet international standards.
* In Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul, where diamonds are mined, investigators found few schools, little treated drinking water, roads un-repaired since colonial days, and little public investment geared to solving these problems.
* One of the richest areas in Angola appears also to be one of the most backward. Five years after the end of the war, the people of those provinces are beginning to grow impatient.
http://www.pacweb.org/f/images/stories/documents/angola-ar2007-eng.pdf

Larger Caribbean financial institutions are heavily investing in AML/CFT, but smaller institutions are finding it more costly.
http://www.cbc.bb/content/view/13382/10/

China has warned that illegal capital flows could destabilize financial systems there and in Hong Kong, and must be stopped. This warning follows a report in the Economic Observer that units of China's two largest petrochemical companies, Sinopec and CNPC, used an illegal banking operation to settle bills with Hong Kong companies.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/1d0f8752-96ee-11dc-b2da-0000779fd2ac.html
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8T0RMHG0.htm
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/11/23/business/23flows.php

China and UAE have agreed to cooperate in AML initiatives.
http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093174863

Reporters Without Borders reports that Guinea-Bissau is a putative narco-state where news of the drug trade is a national taboo.
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=24330

International auditors found no proof of Saderat Bank of Iran's alleged money laundering within 2001-2006 despite the United States accusations, the bank's manager, Hamid Borhani said on Wednesday.
http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news_world.php?id=297699

Jamaican banks have apparently decided to report all funds from alternative financial services, such as check cashers, wire transfers, and convenience services. This is having an adverse impact on these businesses. National Commercial Bank denies conspiring against these companies.
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20071123/lead/lead1.html
http://www.jncb.com/corp_info/news.asp?Story=246

The Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission has traced assets of Sh620 million frozen and mostly un-recovered in overseas accounts.
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=1&newsid=111103
http://www.kacc.go.ke/

Sierra Leone has banned all exports of mineral samples, to prevent illegal shipments of diamonds, gold and other commodities.
http://www.diamondintelligence.com/magazine/magazine.asp?id=5728

Sri Lanka has banned the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) because it claims the leading charity finances Tamil Tiger rebels.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7107846.stm

Nedbank Swaziland has intensified AML/CFT efforts starting with Know Your Customer.
http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=39893&section=Business

Thailand's election commission is working with the  Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) and Bank of Thailand to monitor transactions of certain politicians and parties for money laundering. Vote buying could lead to asset confiscation.
http://nationmultimedia.com/2007/11/13/headlines/headlines_30055844.php
http://www.amlo.go.th/

Thai prosecutors have dropped charges filed by AMLO against The Nation, Krungthep Turakij and Kom Chad Luek newspapers for alleged disclosure of state secrets.
http://nationmultimedia.com/2007/11/25/national/national_30057325.php

UK Home Office research based on prison interviews reveals that there are 300 major importers of illicit drugs; 3,000 wholesalers; and 70,000 street dealers. The average dealer has an annual turnover of GBP 100,000 a year, and the total trade turns over up to GBP 8 billion a year.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/nov/21/drugsandalcohol.homeaffairs

Britain's money laundering rules for Money Service Businesses (MSBs); Trust or Company Service Providers (TCSPs); High Value Dealers (HVDs); and Accountancy Service Providers (ASPs) come into force on 15 December.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/mlr/index.htm

The US and North Korea held two days of talks in which Washington provided information on international banking practices, including AML/CFT and counterfeiting issues that affect North Korea's access to international financial systems.
http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-30581720071119
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1119/p09s02-coop.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNewsAndPR/idUSN2063784320071120
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200711/200711200018.html
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AML/CFT Modalities
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Brazil estimates tax evasion done through money laundering at $588 million (1 billion reais) in foregone taxes the past 18 months.
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7009234580

Guyana President Jagdeo denies that the economy is tainted by dirty money, but economist Clive Thomas took up the president's challenge to demonstrate the extent of economic wealth derived from organized crime and drugs.
http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article_general_news?id=56533470

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.
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ETM Corruption and Transnational Crime
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The tenth anniversary of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's Anti-Bribery Convention was marked on 21 November, with calls to do more.
http://www.oecd.org/document/17/0,3343,en_2649_201185_39657425_1_1_1_1,00.html

Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney faces a public inquiry into his dealings with German businessman Karlheinz Schreiber.
http://www.thestar.com/article/276355 http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=e1ae3baa-1367-4139-804d-5ee2000bd5e3&k=3206

Former French President Jacques Chirac has been accused of embezzling public funds. M. Chirac, making him the first former president to face criminal proceedings after leaving office.
http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article3182325.ece

Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission and the parliament's ethics council are investigating campaign funding, and where the money went.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1120/p06s01-woap.html

Nigeria's two Communications committees of the Senate and House are launching a joint probe of the allegations of bribery leveled against four former Nigerian ministers and public officials by a German telecoms firm, Siemens. The Nigerian Bar Association called on the Attorney General, Minister of Justice, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to prosecute those implicated in the Wilbros and Siemens scandals.
http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=95752
http://www.vanguardngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1938&Itemid=0
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/engineering/article2903543.ece

South Korea's parliament has voted for an independent investigation into alleged corruption at Samsung.
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200711/200711230026.html
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2007/11/116_14323.html

The UK National Audit Office (NAO) released its report on The Privatization of QinetiQ. They explain that he Ministry of Defense’s (MoD) privatization of the defense technology business QinetiQ safeguarded the viability of a business of national strategic importance and generated significant proceeds for the taxpayer. However, NAO believes the taxpayer could have received more money from the deal. Ten top civil servants negotiated multi-million pound pay deals with private equity group Carlyle before it was named preferred bidder in the flotation.
http://www.nao.org.uk/pn/07-08/070852.htm
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5a1fb5dc-9927-11dc-bb45-0000779fd2ac.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianpolitics/story/0,,2215706,00.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/11/23/cnqinetiq123.xml
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7108248.stm
http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10186040

In "Investigative Operations: Use of Covert Testing to Identify Security Vulnerabilities and Fraud, Waste, and Abuse" the US Government Accountability Office's (GAO) describes the activities of its Forensic Audits and Special Investigations (FSI) team, explains its strict internal procedures for planning, execution, and reporting of covert activities, then provides summaries of recent operations that provide irrefutable evidence of the actual ability of federal agencies under live conditions to deal with security threats and to protect government assets from fraud.  For example:
* Using counterfeit documents and posing as employees of a company with a Nuclear Regulatory Commission license, FSI investigators successfully crossed the US northern and southern borders with the type of radioactive materials that could be used to make a dirty bomb.
* Posing as private citizens, FSI investigators purchased sensitive military equipment - including ceramic body armor inserts, guided missile radar test sets, and microcircuits used in F-14 fighter aircraft - on the internet from the Department of Defense's liquidation sales contractor.
* Using bogus drivers' licenses, FSI investigators successfully gained entry to all 24 Department of Transportation regulated urine collection sites that FSI testes, which are responsible for providing drug testing of commercial truck drivers in safety sensitive transportation positions.
* Using false documents and an erroneous IRS taxpayer identification number, FSI pretended to be a charity and successfully applied to three of the Combined Financial Campaign's local 2006 campaigns.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-286T
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ETM Economies and Financial Systems
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The Aid For Trade Global Review is under way. It will evaluate what is happening, what should happen next, and how better to deliver and ensure accountability.
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel_e/a4t_e/global_review_e.htm
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:21557396~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is no longer the measure of wellbeing. Measuring progress, true wealth and the wellbeing of nations are the topics discussed this week at a "Beyond GDP" conference. Participants from the European Commission, European Parliament, OECD, Club of Rome and WWF plan to move towards a better appreciation of what progress, wealth and well-being actually are, decide how they should be measured, and highlight the benefits of integrating them into decision-making.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/1718
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/07/472

The All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) reported that at the end of June, more than 5.5 million private enterprises were operating in China: about 80 percent of the country's corporations.
http://www.asianewsnet.net/biz.php?aid=13465
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ETM Environment and Climate Change
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The final communique of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting has produced the Lake Victoria Climatic Change Action Plan, which will form the basis of negotiations at the upcoming environmental conference in Bali, 3-14 December.
https://www.chogm2007.ug/

The Working Group on Climate Change and Development released "Up In Smoke? Asia and the Pacific". This fifth report warns that climate change will reverse decades of social and economic progress across Asia.
http://www.iied.org/pubs/display.php?o=10020IIED
http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/asiaupinsmoke191107.aspx
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Global_warming_will_push_India_back/articleshow/2553605.cms

Sellers of carbon offsets are introducing a uniform standard to gauge the impact of emission cuts, by way of a voluntary standard.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119543213120697394.html

An increasingly isolated Canada is facing pressure at the Commonwealth summit for blocking a climate change resolution that would require developed countries to adopt a binding commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=58891727-564c-4437-ad9b-b9a6794fc12e&k=53719

The average carbon dioxide emission level in new German cars has increased, making them the dirtiest in Europe. The European Federation for Transport and Environment says that fondness for big, heavy cars is responsible for the increase. Germany is planning to implement a tax exemption for car-buyers who select low emission vehicles.
http://www.transportenvironment.org/docs/Publications/2007/2007-11_car_company_co2_press_release.pdf
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,2912535,00.html?maca=en-bulletin-433-html

Despite an international moratorium, Japan has sent a whaling fleet to the Antarctic to catch a quota of 50 humpbacks under the guise of "scientific research".
http://environment.independent.co.uk/nature/article3174371.ece
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article2896712.ece

In a bid to confront growing concern over climate change, US governors are entering regional contracts to impose ceilings on greenhouse gases and are pooling their influence to persuade Congress to pass similar legislation. T
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/15/washington/15climate.html

Satellite imagery of the Gulf Coast reveals that Hurricane Katrina destroyed about 320 million trees in Louisiana and Mississippi. As the trees die they are injecting some 367 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, about the same amount absorbed in a year by all US forests.
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-sci-trees16nov16,0,685072.story
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ETM Human Rights
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Last week, the UN General Assembly's third committee, which deals with human rights issues, voted 99 to 52 with 33 abstentions in favor of a global moratorium on executions, with a view eventually to abolish the death penalty entirely. This resolution will go before the full Assembly for a vote next month. Assembly resolutions are non-binding.
http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/c.3/62/l.29
http://web.amnesty.org/pages/deathpenalty-un-151107-eng

In China, the number of suspended death sentences handed down this year surpassed that of immediate executions for the first time, reflecting the new policy of applying the death penalty to only a small number of extremely serious offenders.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-11/23/content_7135015.htm

Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davies accuses Canada's Harper administration effectively of subcontracting executions to the US, just as Pontius Pilate "washed his hands" of the mob's decision to crucify Christ. This harsh criticism follows Harper's decision to stop seeking clemency for Canadians on death row in US jails.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=5d85e96d-c8bf-404e-8668-d9a271e74b1b&k=16364

In a landmark verdict, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the Czech Republic violated the rights of Roma children by placing them in so-called special schools for children with learning difficulties. The state has been ordered to pay the 18 families who took the case 4,000 euros each in compensation. Roma rights campaigners are calling for the Czech Republic to adopt positive measures to address the segregation that still exists, despite changes to the law.
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/97667

Egyptian bloggers are planning an online festival of torture videos to run alongside the 31st Cairo Film Festival. They have long been at the forefront of exposing rights abuses.
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=325466

Despite laws forbidding the use of child labor, which is often viewed as the norm and an important source of income, enforcement has been anything but strict in Malawi, but attitudes are changing.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=75384

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation released the 2006 Hate Crime Statistics, which show a greater than seven percent increase in incidents last year. Key findings include:
*  7,722 incidents and 9,080 offenses were reported by participating agencies in 2006
* Nationwide, 5,449 offenses were classified as crimes against persons, with intimidation (46 percent) and simple assaults (31.9 percent) accounting for most crimes. There were three murders during the year. Of the 3,593 crimes against property, the overwhelming majority (81 percent) were acts of vandalism or destruction.
* Of the 7,330 known offenders, 58.6 percent were white and 20.6 percent were black.
* A total of 9,652 victims were identified. 52 percent were targeted because of their race.
* Most incidents, 31 percent, took place near or at homes and residences. Another 18 percent occurred on highways or streets.
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/civilrights/hate.htm

The UN Committee Against Torture concluded that torture and ill-treatment remain widespread in Uzbekistan and continue to occur with impunity.
http://www.unog.ch/unog/website/news_media.nsf/(httpNewsByYear_en)/DA6103BE1C3449E7C125738E0044D041?OpenDocument
http://www.unog.ch/unog/website/news_media.nsf/(httpNewsByYear_en)/5758341BD3D7CBDAC1257391004BCF1D?OpenDocument
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/11/23/uzbeki17406.htm
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ETM Infectious Diseases
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The percentage of people living with HIV has leveled off and the number of new infections has fallen. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) released new data, supported by more accurate surveillance, that indicate HIV prevalence of 33.2 million people. Although the figures released on Tuesday suggest the global AIDS pandemic may be waning in many countries, earlier estimates were based on higher-risk populations, leading to a higher estimate.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=75413
http://www.guardian.co.uk/aids/story/0,,2214425,00.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7103163.stm
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2007/pr61/en/index.html

A four-day intergovernmental meeting on pandemic influenza preparedness was held in Geneva 20-24 November. Topics discussed ranged from progress in strengthening procedures for sharing influenza virus samples, to increased access to vaccines.
http://www.who.int/gb/pip/
http://www.who.int/dg/speeches/2007/20071120_pip/en/index.html

PATH reports that about 13 billion vaccine doses would be needed in an influenza pandemic, but its best-case scenario only 2.4 billion doses would be available within a six-month period." Influenza Vaccine Strategies for Broad Global Access" addresses the next influenza pandemic, which could result in more than 100 million deaths worldwide, and calls for developing a global distribution framework and increasing supply of vaccines.
http://www.path.org/news/pr071120_flu_vaccine_study.php
http://www.path.org/files/VAC_infl_publ_rpt_10-07.pdf

UK Health Secretary Alan Johnson has laid out emergency plans to tackle an influenza pandemic that could kill 650,000 people. The new plan includes additional measures such as:
* Double the stock of antivirals to cover at least 50 per cent of the population
* Buy 14.7 million courses of antibiotics to cover at risk groups
* Purchase 350 million surgical masks and 34m respirators for NHS and social care staff on the frontline.
http://www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=332808&NewsAreaID=2
http://www.hpa.org.uk/hpa/news/articles/press_releases/2007/071122_flu.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/nov/22/health

Annual vaccination is the main method for preventing seasonal influenza. Manufacturers produce vaccine through a lengthy and complex process. In addition, ensuring vaccine supplies are affected by production capacity, demand, distribution and other factors. In "Influenza Vaccine: Issues Related to Production, Distribution, and Public Health Messages" the Government Accountability Office describes these issues, and the need for clear and consistent public health messages, even as circumstances change.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-27

A multinational team of researchers has shown for the first time that the immune system can stop the growth of a cancerous tumor without actually killing it.
http://www.petermac-research.org/news.php?news_id=94&doc_id=34&title=Cancer+immunology+developments+published+in+Nature&PHPSESSID=9be995105aa8d694370352b8cd0ad39d

The cowpox virus - much milder than its smallpox cousin - can keep infected host cells from warning the immune system that they have been compromised, an ability likely found in more virulent poxviruses as well. Washington University School of Medicine researchers say this finding will help design the next generation of poxvirus vaccines.
http://mednews.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/10574.html

In Angola, the mystery disease that has left four dead and nearly 400 hospitalizes, most children, appears to be associated with extremely high levels of Bromide, possibly associated with contaminated salt.
http://www.who.int/csr/don/2007_11_21/en/index.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/africa/7110405.stm

Migration to the UK from countries where hepatitis B is endemic, have led to the number of infections in the UK to nearly double in the past five years, leading to calls for widespread vaccinations.
http://www.hepb.org.uk/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/nov/21/health.publicservices

UK Environment Secretary Hilary Benn reported that a probable new lead of food and mouth disease at the Merial Animal Health facility at Pirbright has been identified, but was not released into the environment.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2215279,00.html
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ETM Legal Systems
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Philip Alston, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, provided his preliminary observations after a visit to Brazil. He reported that Brazil's police engage frequently in extrajudicial executions and many moonlight in death squads or militias involved in racketeering. Further, prisons are severely overcrowded, leading to riots and numerous killings by both guards and inmates. He called for wholesale reform of the country's culture of policing. His message garnered further support following a case in which a young woman was left in a police cell with more than 20 men for a month, where she was repeatedly abused.
http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/7F0F08340A31AC6FC1257394003B5D47?opendocument
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7108676.stm

Canada is considering new legislation that would impose mandatory jail sentences for drug crimes.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=54adc972-fb95-4600-820c-5433577bc34d&k=41732

"'Deradicalization' and Indonesian Prisons" is a new report from the International Crisis Group. It warns that Indonesia's modest gains in persuading some convicted terrorists to reject violence could be undermined by the sorry state of its prisons. Indonesia currently has some 170 men (no women) incarcerated for involvement in jihadi crimes. While many are members of Jemaah Islamiah, the country's largest jihadi organisation, more than half belong to other groups. About 150 men and one woman have been released since 1999 after serving sentences for crimes related to terrorist acts, more than 60 in 2006-2007 alone. Indonesian police have had some success in using economic aid to persuade jihadi prisoners to reject deeply-held tenets, but this could be undercut by a lax and corrupt prison administration.
http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=5170&l=1

Human Rights Watch calls for Nigeria’s government to launch an independent public inquiry in light of official statistics indicating that police have shot and killed more than 8,000 Nigerians since 2000. The figures show 785 killed in just three months this year, while the true number of people killed by the police since 2000 may exceed 10,000.
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/11/16/nigeri17361.htm

Pakistan Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, his family and other deposed Supreme Court judges have been held under house arrest since 3 November.
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/11/21/pakist17402.htm

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP analyzed the latest UK judicial statistics. They found that the number of civil cases launched in the High Court jumped 25 percent, the first increase this century. They attribute the rise to challenging economic conditions and lower barriers to litigation through new third party funding products.
http://www.rpc.co.uk/Default.aspx?sID=754&cID=303&ctID=43&lID=0
http://www.justice.gov.uk/

Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa granted amnesty to almost 400 convicts in an effort to reduce congestion in the disease-ridden prison system.
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=32545
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ETM Natural Resources
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China Metallurgical Group will invest nearly $3 billion in Afghanistan's mine at Aynak in the province of Logar, south of Kabul. It will be the largest foreign investment in Afghan history and will employ 10,000 people.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7104103.stm

Israel has signed an agreement with Liberia to help search for diamonds.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7104465.stm

The global mining industry is enjoying an unprecedented boom period, with many companies posting record profits as a result of soaring commodity prices. The UK is doing particularly well: the three largest mining companies in the world are all British, while London provides much of the finance for the industry as well as hosting a major share of global metals trading. War on Want released a new report, "Fanning the Flames" that finds mining companies making huge profits in situations of conflict and human rights violations, exposes the companies that are complicit in these abuses, and calls on the UK government to take action to bring them to account.
http://www.waronwant.org/mining

Zimbabwe has published legislation forcing foreign mining companies to give majority stakes to local owners, and 25 percent to the government.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7102460.stm
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ETM Populations
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In Bangladesh, participants in a seminar on "Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh: Issues and concerns" called for international efforts to link this problem to democracy in Burma (Myanmar) lest the unresolved issues lead to increased militancy.
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=11853
http://www.mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/News/2007/Nov/38-nov-2007.html

Canada's indigenous Inuit population may face cultural genocide as their way of life melts with the sea ice.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=886e1d36-01c8-4ef6-8d60-a9460b815f62&k=34394
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ETM Social Responsibility
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Last week's Summit on the Future of the Corporation addressed the growing tension between the emergence of the corporation as the world's most powerful and innovative social institution and the growing severity of social and environmental problems that plague billions of people. Note the new report, "Corporate Design" that "challenges conventional views regarding the purpose and structure of corporations, and proposes 'corporate design' as a new framework for shaping 21st century business".
http://www.summit2020.org/index.htm
http://www.summit2020.org/CorporateDesign.pdf
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ETM Technology
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Dr Shinya Yamanaka at Kyoto University, Japan, and Professor Jamie Thomson at the University of Wisconsin, separately demonstrated the ability to turn ordinary skin cells into embryonic stem cells, without cloning.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071120095400.htm
http://www.news.wisc.edu/14474
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/nov/21/stemcells

The Colossus - the computer that deciphered German codes during World War II - has been reconstructed. In a match against current computers, it is no longer the fastest.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7094881.stm
http://www.tnmoc.org/cipher1.htm

As robotic bugs interacted with live cockroaches, larger ethical questions arise.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/11/16/with_robotic_bugs_larger_ethical_questions/
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ETM Weapons (WMD, Proliferation)
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International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Mohamed ElBaradei told the board that despite increased cooperation from Iran, it is unable to confirm that Iran's nuclear drive is entirely peaceful. Key questions related to centrifuge enrichment and other activities that could have military applications remain.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/96A00033-D8C5-49B4-9DDD-56D2E940C8DA.htm

Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili said on Thursday that in the event of a US attack it is able to protect itself and the region as a whole.
http://en.rian.ru/world/20071122/89181289.html

German customs authorities are investigating 50 German companies that sold nuclear equipment to Iran to complete its Bushehr nuclear reactor. This investigation appears to have uncovered another nuclear supermarket.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/927002.html

A record number of low-level radioactive materials went missing from Canada this year: 26, compared to 15 last year, and a dozen in recent prior years.  The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission attributes the rise to better reporting.
http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/pubs_catalogue/uploads/CNS_4th_report_e.pdf
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=2a3ec995-c874-41dd-9a11-cff1da02f126&k=79929

Aviation Week reports that the Israeli Air force knocked out a Syrian radar post on 6 September, knocking out the entire system before striking the suspected nuclear reactor.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/927089.html
http://www.aviationweek.com/

Hosting many of southern Africa's liberation movements left Zambia with a legacy of landmines that is hampering development.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=75377

Get further information on landmine clearance in the International Campaign to Ban Landmine's recently released "Landmine Monitor Report 2007: Toward a Mine-Free World".
http://www.icbl.org/news/07_release

Russian President Putin says that Russia will not tolerate a NATO military build-up. A written US proposal regarding the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty does not meet prior undertakings regarding the missile shield in Europe.
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20071120/88831563.html
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20071123/89356224.html

Czech President Vaclav Klaus has said that he expects a radar base proposed by the US will one day be a reality on Czech territory, but not tomorrow or in the nearest future.
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/97517

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
--------------------------------------------------
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns that Africa's rural poor are facing a perfect storm of climate change, rising food prices, and population growth.  Recent violence in several West African nations points to fresh trouble on the continent.
http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2689
http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=africa&item=071123151114.1hwjv4n9.php

FAO has proposed offering cash payments as an incentive to encourage farmers to use eco-friendly practices, in a bid to protect the environment and address concerns associated with climate change. In "The State of Food and Agriculture 2007", FAO notes that hundreds of payment programs for environmental services are currently being implemented around the world, mainly as part of forest conservation initiative, but relatively few have targeted farmers and agricultural lands in developing countries, even though agriculture employs more people and uses more land and water than any other human activity.
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000698/index.html
http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a1200e/a1200e00.htm

FAO says that fish farming under controlled conditions is the only way to meet an additional 37 million tons of fish to maintain current levels of discretion after the population grows by another two billion people by 2030.
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000701/index.html

The European Commission adopted a report and a proposal on the introduction of mandatory electronic tagging for sheep and goats throughout the EU.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/1704
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/07/468

Poland is ready for talks to end Russia's 2-year ban on Polish meat.
http://en.rian.ru/world/20071122/89200507.html

Hurricane Sidr has devastated the Bangladesh shrimp industry.
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=12740

The UK fishing industry warns that EU quotas that result in thousands of dead fish being dumped back into the sea could destroy the industry, as well as continuing to harm the environment and the species. The EU estimates that up to 60 percent of fish caught by trawlers in the North Sea is dumped back Changes in practice are needed
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7102241.stm

The open system of agriculture in the US makes it vulnerable to terrorist or other attacks.
http://www.govtech.com/gt/206169?topic=117677
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CIM Banking and Finance
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The Institute of International Finance based in Washington, D.C., is establishing a Committee on International Insurance Regulatory Issues headed by industry leaders to support the development of global industry perspectives in discussions with regulators on critical issues affecting insurance, reinsurance, and bancassurance.
http://www.iif.com/press/press+50.php

European Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hubner presented an initiative which seeks to improve access to finance for small businesses and for socially excluded people, also ethnic minorities, who want to become self-employed. This initiative, in line with the Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs, aims to make small loans, or micro-credit, more widely available in Europe to satisfy unmet demand. The initiative includes:
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/1713
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/1713

South Africa cash-in-transit robberies involve both locals and foreign nationals, many with military training.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=vn20071124090042244C732384

South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service warns of internet banking vulnerabilities associated with Microsoft Windows, and steps to move away from it.
http://www.zdnet.co.kr/etc/eyeon/enterprise/0,39036961,39163551,00.htm

British banks and building societies are braced for a sharp rise in customer inquiries regarding the threat of identity theft following HM Revenue and Customs loss of discs containing personal information, including financial and other details, of 7.35 million families that receive child benefits.  
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/economics/story/0,,2214497,00.html
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,,2214459,00.html

The US Securities and Exchange Commission no longer requires reconciliation to US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) for foreign companies using IFRS as published by the International Accounting Standards.
http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2007/2007-235.htm
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/1705
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CIM Chemical
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The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has uncovered a series of chemical shipment scams that rely on false documents. They allegedly originate from Russian ports, with spurious shipments intended for the Far East and North Africa, presenting a serious threat to legitimate chemicals trade in the region.
http://www.icc-ccs.org/main/news.php?newsid=99

Canada has no chemical security program similar to that recently launches by the US Department of Homeland Security. Although some pesticides are registered, there is no record of their manufacturing or storage.
http://www.dundasstarnews.com/news/article/107119
http://www.newsdemocratleader.com/articles/2007/11/23/news/farm_news/fnews01.txt

Health Canada is currently assessing the safety of bisphenol A, and Ontario could become the first jurisdiction in Canada to place restrictions on the controversial chemical that is found in hundreds of consumer products, ranging from plastic baby bottles to sports helmets and the resin linings on the insides of most tin cans.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071121.BOTTLES21/TPStory/TPNational/Ontario/
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071120.TOXIC20/TPStory/National

In the US commonwealth of Massachusetts, fire services, environmental protection, and other officials, continue to inspect small chemical and hazardous waste plants under the Safe Neighborhoods Chemical Initiative. So far, two plants have been identified as posing a significant danger to their neighborhoods: a Worcester plant is leaking anhydrous ammonia, and one in Lawrence is covered in combustible dust. Remedial actions are under way. Two other plants were referred to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for review.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/11/21/state_review_finds_chemical_plant_hazards/
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2007/11/report_on_danve.html

A year after the massive explosion in Danvers, Massachusetts that sparked the measures described above, the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) announced that laboratory testing of chemicals involved at the printing ink manufacturing company is complete, and confirms that the mixture in the tank was sufficiently volatile to cause the explosion.
http://www.csb.gov/index.cfm?folder=news_releases&page=news&NEWS_ID=399

Vietnam's National Assembly passed the Law on Hazardous Chemicals that enforces security in transportation, storage, production, and trade.
http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=03POL211107
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CIM Commercial Facilities
--------------------------------------------------
This article describes how to terror-proof major public buildings.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7095884.stm

The UK Renewable Energy Association (REA) is the trade association for the domestic renewable and energy efficient generators industry. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) reports that REA has successfully completed the first stage of the Consumer Codes Approval Scheme (CCAS) for its REAL Assurance Scheme. The code will cover activities in the sale, installation and servicing of micro-renewable energy products such as solar paneling, micro-wind turbines, ground source heat pumps and wood stove burners usually sold for the home.
http://www.oft.gov.uk/news/press/2007/160-07

Last week, the US Green Building Council hosted 22,000 attendees at its annual Greenbuild conference, while offsetting the carbon emissions associated with it through a grant.
http://www.greenbuild365.org/
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=287
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/11/prweb568577.htm
http://www.costar.com/News/Article.aspx?id=F5D504540666D77695382610F1E3727F
http://www.latimes.com/features/home/la-hm-greenbuild15nov15,1,6669994.story

Los Angeles, California, plans to increase environmental compliance regulations for new, large buildings, to be 15 percent more energy efficient and compliant with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) regulations. More than 25 US cities already require LEED certification for publicly funded buildings such as schools, fire stations and libraries. Other cities already have extended green building standards to the private sector, including Boston, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-green16nov16,0,4107275.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california

Investments in home energy efficiency can be recouped through lower fuel bills.
http://www.alliance-leicester-group.co.uk/upload/pdf/PR2011073.pdf
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CIM Cybersecurity
--------------------------------------------------
A massive loss of personal data has occurred in the UK, where HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) lost discs containing details of 7.35 million families - 25 million individuals, nearly half the total population - that receive child benefits.  The Home Office insists that biometric data is secure, but the families should assume the worst.  Although the National Audit Office (NAO) had asked for only the identification numbers, HMRC told NAO that it was too expensive to remove the personal details. An independent security check has been ordered.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,,2214459,00.html
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article3179626.ece
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,,2214515,00.html
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm071120/debtext/71120-0004.htm#07112058000002
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/economics/story/0,,2215529,00.html
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politicss/article3182301.ece
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/nov/23/childprotection.privacy
http://cms.met.police.uk/news/policy_organisational_news_and_general_information/hmrc_data_loss_investigation
http://www.aon.com/uk/en/about/media-centre/hmrc.jsp

UK Parliament Lords Constitution Committee is undertaking an inquiry into the Impact of Surveillance and Data Collection upon the Privacy of Citizens and their relationship with the State. In the first oral evidence session, the Committee heard from Information Commissioner Richard Thomas details of current data collection issues, and the need for significant changes, including enforcement practices and punishments with meaningful remedies.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld/lduncorr/const141107_ev1.pdf

The European Court of First Instance has ruled that documents containing personal data cannot be withheld under EU freedom of information laws if such disclosure does not undermine the privacy of the named individuals. This overturns an earlier European Commission ruling that such disclosure required establishment of an express and legitimate purpose.
http://curia.europa.eu/jurisp/cgi-bin/form.pl?lang=EN&Submit=rechercher&numaff=T-194/04
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2001/l_008/l_00820010112en00010022.pdf
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/register/pdf/r1049_en.pdf

Canada has introduced legislation making it illegal to collect personal documents belonging to others in order to commit fraud. This closes a gap in current legislation that makes it illegal to commit fraud with another person's credit card or other personal information, but does not address organized criminal cases of large-scale data collection, often perpetrated electronically.
http://www.privcom.gc.ca/media/nr-c/2007/nr-c_071122_e.asp
http://www.cba.ca/en/viewDocument.asp?fl=5&sl=13&tl=364&docid=790&pg=1
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=cfeb0e0b-d456-4ee5-aba5-cd702aa8c24a&k=99524

Two-thirds of Canadians say health information is one of the most sensitive, important types of personal data that must be protected, making it a top concern for the application of electronic medical records.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=7a253d52-e834-484f-8a66-ffafe4ca213e&k=52768
http://www.infoway-inforoute.ca/en/ValueToCanadians/PrivacySecurity.aspx

ISS security researcher Gunter Ollmann reports that standard identification information is worth more than credit card numbers.
http://blogs.iss.net/archive/PasswordValue.html

Failing to destroy all information on old corporate computers and other devices could lead to stolen data and other security breaches. This article provides some tips for data destruction.
http://searchsmb.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid44_gci1280673,00.html

Top cryptographer Bruce Schneier has expressed concern about a possible backdoor in a standard for random-number generators approved by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) earlier this year. Approval to use one of four "Deterministic Random Bit Generators" for random number generation was released in March. Schneier says that while the use of existing cryptographic primitives is generally a good idea, NIST's elliptic curve method is slow and flawed, and contains a weakness described as a backdoor.
http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-90/SP800-90revised_March2007.pdf
http://rump2007.cr.yp.to/15-shumow.pdf
http://www.wired.com/politics/security/commentary/securitymatters/2007/11/securitymatters_1115

Hushmail has updated its terms of service to clarify that encrypted emails sent through the service can still be turned over to law enforcement officials, providing they obtain a court order in Canada.
http://www.hushmail.com/about-security?PHPSESSID=92beb14b59dcb705af04d63f7980d2de
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/files/steroids.source.prod_affiliate.25.pdf
http://www.philzimmermann.com/EN/faq/index.html

Cambridge University researcher Steven Murdoch used Google to find the password an attacker used to compromise the University's security blog.
http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/2007/11/16/google-as-a-password-cracker
http://utilitymill.com/utility/Goog_Your_Hash

A new spear-phishing tactic uses phony "official communications" from the US Department of Justice to trick people into installing a malicious Trojan.
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2007/June/07_crm_465.html
http://www.fbi.gov/page2/nov05/emailscam112205.htm

This article provides details of a US Department of Veterans Affairs computer failure in September, in which a small, undocumented change took down key applications in 17 medical facilities for a day.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9047898

The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) says China is preparing cyber network attacks which could cause "disruption and chaos" with the "magnitude of a weapon of mass destruction".
http://www.uscc.gov/annual_report/2007/annual_report_full_07.pdf)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7097296.stm

California Secretary of State Debra Bowen has sued electronic voting systems supplier Election Systems and Software for repeatedly violating state laws that require certification for a ballot-marking device before selling it to county voting officials, including equipment that has simply been modified. The company argues that the modifications were too minor to require recertification.
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/complaint_for_civil_penalty.pdf
http://www.sos.ca.gov/executive/press_releases/2007/DB07_086.pdf
http://www.essvote.com/HTML/news_room/nr_11192007.html
http://www.essvote.com/HTML/news_room/nr_10152007a.html
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CIM Dams and Bridges
--------------------------------------------------
China's Three Gorges Dam continues to court controversy following a landslide that killed more than 30 people.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/22/world/asia/22gorges.html
http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1845562007
http://www.news.com/Chinese-dam-projects-criticized-for-their-human-costs/2100-13840_3-6219740.html
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2007/11/23/255.html
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119557173464899248.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

In India, the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala continue to disagree over the Mullaperiyar dam, and what safety precautions are necessary.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/14/stories/2007111455450100.htm
http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=127891

Carlsbad, California, is repairing the 65-year-old Lake Calavera dam to prevent a repeat of the 2005 reservoir overflow and near catastrophe. They are spending more than $6 million to restore flood controls.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20071124-9999-1mi24dam.html

Colorado dam safety officials are addressing safety of Bear Creek Canyon's new Genesee Dam, including emergency plans, hazard evaluations, and inundation mapping, as well as the downstream Evergreen Dam.
http://denver.yourhub.com/Evergreen/Stories/News/General-News/Story~394530.aspx

Although Georgia is in the midst of a drought, when lots of rain does arrive dams are increasingly likely to fail.
http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=4930516&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

A recent report on the levels of water entering the Big Dig tunnels in Boston, Massachusetts, revealed the levels are over 5 million gallons lower than the 8.4-million gallon standard used in assessing tunnel safety across the US. With about 3 million gallons leaking through fissures in the tunnels, engineers report the leaks will continue to be a maintenance issue for the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority.
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1045926

The November issue of Roads and Bridges focuses on Minnesota's efforts to rebuild the I-35W bridge span, which collapsed in August.
http://www.roadsbridges.com/currentIssue1

New Hampshire's Pillsbury Lake was refilled last week after the district completed the second round of dam repairs in less than a year.
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071117/NEWS01/711170347/1043/NEWS01
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CIM Defense Industrial Base
--------------------------------------------------
After a civilian was shot in central Baghdad on Monday, Iraqi soldiers arrested more than 40 people, mostly foreigners, as a message that security firms are not above the law. Meanwhile, US federal prosecutors have issued grand jury subpoenas to some of the Blackwater employees present at the 16 September shooting.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/20/world/middleeast/20iraq.html
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/BCD517FD-B1F3-41EB-8CFA-B28ABC40AAFC.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/20/washington/20blackwater.html

More than 16,000 Japanese workers at US military bases in Japan held a half-day national strike on Wednesday, protesting Tokyo's plan to cut their benefits as it tightens its budget supporting the 50,000 US troops in Japan.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/21/asia/AS-GEN-Japan-US-Bases.php

A British coroner has ruled that four Royal Marines who died on 12 November 2006 were unlawfully killed by Basra insurgents. He also found that the deaths were entirely avoidable, as there were plenty of electronic counter measure devices that prevent detonation, but the boat attacked as it passed under a bridge was not so equipped.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-7092549,00.html

The Center for Public Integrity released "Windfalls of War II". This investigative report profiles US contractors in Afghanistan and Iraq, and exposes details about the contracts. They report that US government contracts for work in Iraq and Afghanistan have grown more than 50 percent annually, from $11 billion in 2004 to almost $17 billion in 2005 and more than $25 billion in 2006. While the dollar amounts and complexity of war-related contracting has been going up, oversight has been going down. The Government Accountability Office has many examples, including the finding that the Federal Procurement Data System does not include any of the millions of dollars in contracts originating in Baghdad. The Center first reported on war contracting in 2003, and was the first to show that Halliburton was the largest single contractor in Iraq. That is still true today. Former Halliburton subsidiary, KBR, Inc. (formerly Kellogg, Brown and Root) earned the top spot among individual companies and subsidiaries. KBR’s $16 billion is overshadowed by $20.4 billion in contracts that went to unidentifiable "foreign contractors" that representing about 45 percent of the money awarded to the top 100 contractors.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/WOWII/
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CIM Emergency Services
--------------------------------------------------
Canadian officials are calling for a review of border security after ambulance workers were delayed while transporting a heart attack patient to a US hospital across the border to Detroit, Michigan.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071118/border_security_071118/20071118?hub=TopStories

The UK National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) charity report that more than half of trauma patients receive poor care in hospital, often due to inexperienced junior staff left to manage patients admitted at night.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2214385,00.html
http://213.198.120.192/2007.htm

Welsh inventors have developed an emergency shelter that can be set up within 40 minutes, by simply adding water.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7107940.stm

NCCI Holdings' analysis of claims filed between 1996 and 2003 revealed workers between ages 20 and 34 were 17 percent more likely to visit a hospital emergency room if they were injured at work than their older counterparts. It is unclear from the claims data why younger workers seek assistance from emergency rooms after a workplace injury, but NCCI postulates that younger workers may be uninsured or lack a primary care physician.
https://www.ncci.com/NCCI/article.aspx?cat=ii&id=rao&articleUrl=/NCCI/Web/News/research/research-emergency-room-fall07.htm

New Jersey's Bergen County First Responder Identification Card is being provided to participating municipalities as part of improved emergency management at the scene.
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk0NSZmZ2JlbDdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5NzIyMzMyNiZ5cmlyeTdmNzE3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTM=

New York firefighters are being trained in a pilot program with the Department of Homeland Security to notice potential terrorism planning and other suspicious behavior.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/11242007/news/regionalnews/terror_probers_playing_with_fire_348256.htm
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/24/america/NA-GEN-US-Firefighters-Terrorists.php

New York first responders and police are also getting training to identify autism.
http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/wednesday/news/ny-liauti215470136nov21,0,398762.story
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CIM Energy
--------------------------------------------------
Yvo de Boer, the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change told a high-level seminar hosted by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Saudi Arabia, that the international battle against the effects of global warming represents a war against emissions rather than oil, and that this fight offers economic opportunities for OPEC members.
http://unfccc.int/files/press/news_room/statements/application/pdf/20071115_statement_riyadh_opec_update.pdf

In Bangladesh only about a third of the total population can use electricity from the national grid, making solar power an interesting nearer-term alternative.
http://www.thedailystar.net/view.php

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) analyzed Bangladesh's power sector. They found that mismanagement, corruption and irregularities caused losses of Tk 10,626 crore in 2005-06 fiscal year alone. In addition, between 1994-2005, Tk 18,930 crore was lost through distribution leakage and pilferage and Tk 4,000 crore went down the drain through purchase of six overpriced power plants between 1996 and 2006.
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=12406
http://www.ti-bangladesh.org/

China is amending its Law on Conserving Energy to add energy efficiency and emission requirements for construction, transportation, and government. It also plans to begin monitoring local progress on energy consumption and emissions.
http://english.people.com.cn/200706/24/text20070624_387207.html
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-11/24/content_7135503.htm

Energy technologies will be crucial to successfully fighting against climate change and securing world and European energy supply. Achieving Europe's 2020 and 2050 targets on greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy and energy efficiency will require action on energy efficiency, standards, support mechanisms and putting a price on carbon emissions. It will also require the deployment of more efficient and new technologies. So a significant research effort is necessary. Europe's potential to develop a new generation of decarbonized energy technologies, such as off-shore wind, solar technology, or 2nd generation biomass, is enormous. However EU energy research is often under-funded, dispersed and badly coordinated. If the opportunity facing the EU is to be seized, actions to develop new energy technologies, lower their costs and bring them to the market must be better organized and carried out more efficiently. This is why the European Commission is proposing the Strategic Energy Technology Plan, a comprehensive plan to establish a new energy research agenda for Europe. The Commission believes that Europe should lower the costs of clean energy and put EU industry at the forefront of the rapidly growing low carbon technology sector. This Plan is to be accompanied by better use of and increases in resources, both financial and human, to accelerate the development and deployment of low-carbon technologies of the future.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/1750
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/07/494
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/07/469

India’s increasing power shortage can be attributed to factors such as the lack of an energy audit; inadequate transparency in meter reading and billing; energy intensive manufacturing and industrial use, and the lack of adequate investment for the modernization of electricity distribution system.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Opinion/Editorials/IT_innovation_for_energy_security/articleshow/2566645.cms

Ecomoz's biodiesel plant, surrounded by the decrepit remnants of an out-of-use oil refinery in the dusty industrial zone of Matola, just north of the Mozambican capital, Maputo, does not inspire much confidence, but Africa has high hopes for the future of biofuels.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=75382

Energy giants Eni S.p.A. (Italy) and Russia's Gazprom signed a deal on Thursday to build a gas pipeline that will run under the Black Sea from Russia to the European Union.
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20071122/89196595.html

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has increased the required energy efficiency for non-weatherized gas-fired furnaces, most often used for home heating, to rise from 78 percent to 80 percent. Since 99 percent of furnaces sold are already at this level, it will have no discernable effect on energy consumption or emissions.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1123/p02s01-wogi.html
http://www.energy.gov/news/5743.htm

In "Department of Energy: Oil and Natural Gas Research and Development Activities", the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports that DOE oil and natural gas research and development appropriations have generally declined from approximately $162.5 million in fiscal year 1997 to about 14.3 million this year. There were similar reductions in other sectors..
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-190R

Xcel Energy has come under fire by Colorado regulators that say the utility has overestimated their ability to meet public energy demands through renewable resources, rejecting bids from coal power plants.
http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7454966
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CIM Government Facilities
--------------------------------------------------
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities report, "Danger Ahead: The Coming Collapse of Canada's Municipal Infrastructure" warns that the physical foundations of Canada’s cities and communities are near collapse, as Canada has used up 79 percent of the service life of its public infrastructure. The report sets the price for eliminating the municipal infrastructure deficit at $123 billion. Finance Minister Flaherty dismissed the report as whining, and said that the government is not in the pothole business, a response that drew strong criticism.
http://www.fcm.ca/english/advocacy/deficit.html
http://www.thestar.com/article/278880
http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Alberta/2007/11/23/4678401-sun.html
http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/993782.html
http://www.fcm.ca/english/media/press/nov232007.html

Philippines legislator Representative Roilo Golez, one of three tasked to submit security recommendations, says that in-house security personnel were not accountably for the 13 November bombing at the parliamentary complex, in which one representative and three others died. He cited conflicting jurisdictions between security outside versus inside the facility.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/net/2007/11/24/house.security.cleared.of.batasan.blast.liability.html

In "Capitol Visitor Center: Update on Status of Project's Schedule and Cost as of October 31, 2007", the Government Accountability Office (GAO) says that the Architect of the Capitol's current $621 million estimate to complete construction is reasonable, provided there are no unusual delays, such as the continued delays in procuring fire alarm testing assistance and completing the testing. A November 20087 opening date is still planned.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-227T
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CIM Information Technology
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The Nemertes Research Group analyzed internet and IP infrastructure and current and projected traffic, and predicts that although the core fiber and switching/routing resources will scale up to support user demand, the internet access infrastructure, will not be adequate for supporting demand within the next three to five years. They estimate the investment required by access providers to bridge the gap between demand and capacity could be as much as $55 billion - 70 percent more than current investment plans.
http://www.nemertes.com/internet_singularity_delayed_why_limits_internet_capacity_will_stifle_innovation_web?#

A parliamentary committee in India wants to raise the liability of internet service providers for third party content, an action that could make it very difficult to stay in business.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Recipe_for_killing_internet_in_India/articleshow/2464971.cms
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CIM National Monuments and Icons
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Indonesian officials report that five ancient statues stolen from Surakarta, Java, were returned to Jakarta. Three members of museum staff have been charged with the thefts. Four other items are still missing.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7107406.stm

The International Coordination Committee for the Safeguarding of Iraqi Cultural Heritage, met last week at UNESCO headquarters in Paris where they have called for a series of measures to discourage the widespread trade in Iraqi artifacts. They recommended the introduction of a formal global prohibition on the trade in or transfer of ancient Iraqi cultural property, and measures to encourage all countries to keep any recovered items in safe havens with a view to returning them to Iraq when the adequate conditions for their protection are met, and for related awareness and education programs.
http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=29008&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

Namibia is working to establish a National Heritage Register to serve as a national inventory.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200711230527.html

As Ukraine marked the first Year of Memory of the Victims of Famine, President Victor Yushchenko called for the removal of all Soviet-era monuments.

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=12106719&PageNum=0
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CIM Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste
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Bulgaria's Kosloduj nuclear power station on the River Danube was shut down following a steam release, although radiation levels did not rise.
http://english.bna.bh/?ID=64500

Turkish President Abdullah Gul has approved a bill setting the legal framework for the country's first nuclear power plants.
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=89206

The US Department of Energy (DOE) maintains emergency response capabilities and assets to quickly respond to potential nuclear and radiological threats in the US, primarily through the Remote Sensing Laboratories and Andrews Air Force Base. The Department of Homeland Security shares responsibility for preparing the US to prevent and respond to a potential nuclear or radiological attack. In "Combating Nuclear Terrorism: Federal Efforts to Respond to Nuclear and Radiological Threats and to Protect Key Emergency Response Facilities Could Be Strengthened" the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) discusses the benefits of using aerial background radiation surveys to enhance emergency response capabilities, and physical security measures at the DOE's two key emergency response facilities and whether they are consistent with DOE guidance.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-285T

Exelon's Three Mile Island reactor in Pennsylvania was back at full power on Friday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNewsAndPR/idUSN2329708220071123

Cleaning up the Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Paducah, Kentucky; and Portsmouth, Ohio uranium enrichment plants will cost billions and could span decades. In "Uranium Enrichment: Extension of Decontamination and Decommissioning Fund May Be Needed to Cover Projected Cleanup Costs", the Government Accountability reiterates the need to reassess the Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning Fund, and take other measures to identify the most probable timeframes and costs.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-277T
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CIM Public Health and Healthcare
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The MAC AIDS Fund released a survey of interviews conducted in Brazil, China, France, India, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, the UK and US. They found that more than 40 percent of respondents did not know that HIV/AIDS is always fatal.
http://www.macaidsfund.org/news/pr_rl_global_study.html

Soaring prices of medicine raw materials in the international market are taking a toll on the local drugs production in Bangladesh, leading to demands for once again fixing drug prices.
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=11809

India is working quickly to ensure that details of its traditional Ayurveda medical practices are not lost, and that the valuable information is protected from theft or abuse.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article3187089.ece

Trinidad and Tobago are implementing new security systems following a board meeting that identified serious failures of monitoring, security, and management that led to a baby's abduction.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161240635
http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,68420.html

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control released "HIV/AIDS Surveillance in Europe". The report finds that the rate of new HIV/AIDS cases in the EU has nearly doubled since 1999. Estonia has the highest rate, followed by Portugal and the UK.
http://www.ecdc.eu.int/Press/press_releases/071123_pr.html

The UK Health Protection Agency (HPA) warned that a growing HIV epidemic among gay men and in the black African community has lead to the UK having an HIV prevalence rate nearly twice that of Europe, and also faces a worrying rise in rates of other sexually transmitted diseases, particularly among young adults.
http://www.hpa.org.uk/hpa/news/articles/press_releases/2007/071123_hiv_sti.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/aids/story/0,,2215956,00.html

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics said that the time has come to introduce tougher public health methods, including "lifestyle" interventions to help control the crises of alcohol, obesity, smoking, and environmental factors.
http://www.nuffieldbioethics.org/go/ourwork/publichealth/introduction
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CIM Transportation
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India's defense ministry has called the Civil Aviation Ministry's refusal to exempt three chiefs an insult, but security rules should apply to all.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200711222033.htm
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C11%5C23%5Cstory_23-11-2007_pg7_14
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/22/asia/AS-GEN-India-Frisking-Generals.php

The European Parliament and European Council have not yet reached agreement on civil aviation security due to financing and other issues.
http://www.neurope.eu/articles/80115.php

Increased aviation security in New Zealand is leading to increased passenger fees.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0711/S00394.htm

Last week, The US House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform heard from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that their investigators succeeded in passing through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security screening checkpoints undetected with components for several improvised explosive devices and an improvised incendiary device concealed in their carry-on luggage and on their persons. This exercise was undertaken to test TSA passenger screening policies based on an alleged transatlantic bomb plot uncovered by British authorities. "Aviation Security: Vulnerabilities Exposed Through Covert Testing of TSA's Passenger Screening Process" has led GAO and Congress to press for improvements, including aspects of human capital, processes, and technology. A comprehensive public report with recommendations is planned for early next year. TSA has responded by saying that it uses other methods in addition to screening, but recognizes that the most effective way to prevent terrorists from sneaking liquid explosives onto aircraft has not been determined.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-48T
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-screen16nov16,1,6495315.story?coll=la-news-a_section&ctrack=1&cset=true

Recently, concerns have arisen as to whether top management at the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) were negatively impacting the results of red team operations by leaking information to security screeners at US airports in advance of covert testing operations, and undertaken by the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) Forensic Audits and Special Investigations (FSI) team. In "Investigative Operations: Use of Covert Testing to Identify Security Vulnerabilities and Fraud, Waste, and Abuse" GAO explains its strict internal procedures for planning, execution, and reporting of covert activities, then provides summaries of recent operations that provide irrefutable evidence of the actual ability of federal agencies under live conditions to deal with security threats and other areas under their purview.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-286T

90 percent of today's global transportation is being served by the maritime industry. In parallel the expansion of international organized crime coupled with the emergence of terrorist networks has reminded once again the all-timely issue of piracy and its negative side effects for the maritime sector.
http://www.analyst-network.com/article.php?art_id=1195

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has uncovered a series of chemical shipment scams relying of false documents.
http://www.icc-ccs.org/main/news.php?newsid=99

Australia has launched new visa requirements for non-Australian maritime crew on non-military vessels.
http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=54502

To deter pirate attacks off the Somali coast, the French navy has escorted two ships carrying food aid.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7102295.stm

Ian Bron, a former chief of Canada's marine security regulatory affairs w has filed a $4-million lawsuit against the federal government because he claims he was persecuted by managers of his department for pointing out regulatory and operational gaps in security.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/993518.html

Ad hoc security measures at Sri Lanka's Port of Colombo have put millions in business revenues at risk.
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/071125/FinancialTimes/ft340.html

The Presidents of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey launched the construction of a railroad that will link ex-Soviet republics in the Caucasus and Central Asia with Europe, bypassing Russia.
http://www.thenewanatolian.com/tna-29694.html

Transport Canada and the Railway Association of Canada (RAC) have signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen rail security.
http://www.progressiverailroading.com/freightnews/article.asp?id=11748

The safety of European registered trucks and tourist coaches will be greatly improved as a result of an agreement reached at a United Nations meeting in Geneva to equip new vehicles with electronic stability control systems. Electronic stability control (ESC) avoids accidents by helping the driver maintain control of the vehicle in critical situations. It is estimated that equipping these vehicles with ESC system could ultimately save over 500 deaths and 2500 serious injuries per year in the European Union.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/1710
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CIM Water
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Water investments are increasingly popular.
http://business.brisbanetimes.com.au/water-the-great-untapped-liquid-asset/20071123-1ch5.html

Note this feature on The Myth of Canada' Water Abundance.
http://thetyee.ca/Books/2007/11/22/NoWater/

Rooftops of western Sydney warehouses could form part of a national catchment area to secure Australia's capital city water supplies.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22794694-30417,00.html

The siege of Gaza is putting public health at risk as water and sanitation services begin to collapse.
http://www.oxfam.org/en/news/2007/pr071121_gaza_public_health

Sewage in Baghdad is rising.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2214959,00.html

In the US state of Iowa, the city of Council Bluffs is planning a second water treatment plant, which will provide more security.  They are also using a new water treatment method that will greatly reduce the use of chemicals.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19055534&BRD=2703&PAG=461&dept_id=555106&rfi=6

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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Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh left 3,032 people confirmed dead, with many others still missing.

Flooding in eastern Papua New Guinea has killed at least 150 people, left many missing, and displaced hundreds more.

At least 90 miners died when a Ukraine coalmine suffered a methane explosion. IT is the worst mining accident in the country's history.

A landslide in China's central Hubei province buried a bus, leaving 31 dead.

An explosion at a natural gas pipeline in Saudi Arabia killed 28 and left 12 missing. Saudi authorities report that it was an accident.

The Philippines has been hit by a series of typhoons. Ahead of Typhoon Mitag, more than a million people were evacuated, but heavy rains caused flooding that killed at least seven people. Typhoon Mitag is following close behind, with the country on high alert. To focus on the emergency, the government has declared a unilateral truce with rebels.

An Antarctic cruise ship struck an iceberg, forcing all 154 passengers and crew to evacuate to a rescue vessel.
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DRM Response and Recovery
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Poor coordination and other problems have hindered relief to Bangladesh, where millions are displaced; basic food, water and shelter inaccessible; and people still recovering from more than 3,000 deaths and other casualties amid widespread devastation. More foreign aid is en route, but more is needed.
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=12836

A court in India's capital, Delhi, has sentenced brothers Gopah and Sushil Ansal to two years rigorous imprisonment (the maximum prescribed penalty). Several officials were sentenced to up to seven years. These sentences followed convictions of negligence that caused the deaths of 59 people, in connection with the 1997 fire at the Uphaar Cinema that left 59 people dead. Victims' families are appealing for longer terms.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Court_gives_2_years_RI_to_Ansals/articleshow/2566257.cms
http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14565726

Over 400 Bhutanese refugees in eastern Nepal whose homes were ravaged by fire last week are receiving aid, and materials to rebuild their homes.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=75375

The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution that the emergency phase of the Chernobyl disaster is over. They will now shift assistance efforts to focus on ending the "culture of dependency" that had emerged among people living near the site and promote greater economic self-reliance and prosperity.
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/ga10661.doc.htm
http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2007/071119_UNDP.doc.htm

The leader of an independent team of researchers investigating the New Orleans levee failures - University of California-Berkeley civil engineering Professor Raymond Seed - has filed an ethics complaint with the American Society of Civil Engineers, claiming executives of that trade organization and the Army Corps of Engineers have systematically attempted to undermine his group's investigation, whose conclusions have at times sharply contrasted with the others.
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-9/1195539854294760.xml&coll=1

Hurricane Katrina destroyed or damaged 134,000 homes and 10,000 rental units in Mississippi alone. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in part responded by providing displaced individuals with temporary housing in the form of mobile homes and travel trailers, placed on both private property and at FEMA-constructed group sites. In "Hurricane Katrina: Ineffective FEMA Oversight of Housing Maintenance Contracts in Mississippi Resulted in Millions of Dollars of Waste and Potential Fraud", the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviewed whether there were indications of fraud, waste, and abuse related to FEMA's oversight of 15 contracts awarded for maintenance and deactivation of the housing units.  The GAO review found that ineffective oversight resulted in an estimated $30 million in wasteful and improper or potentially fraudulent payments to the contractors, and millions more in unnecessary spending thereafter. Excess expenses continue to rise.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-106

This week representatives of the US Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) presented the Utah Mine Safety Commission current findings regarding the Crandall Canyon disaster, including evidence of the mine bounce that blew out supporting pillars. This event occurred the March before the fatal 6 August collapse, and was not reported to MSHA, nor were subsequent mining plans adjusted to take this event into account. Investigations continue. The mine, where the six workers were entombed, was sealed in early October. Utah had not previously been informed of this, and MSHA emphasized this did not mean the bodies could not be recovered in the future.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_7521656
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/11/21/america/NA-GEN-US-Utah-Mine-Collapse.php
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_7531136
http://www.newsnet5.com/news/14658074/detail.html
http://minesafetycommission.utah.gov/
http://www.msha.gov/Genwal/CrandallCanyon.asp
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DRM Risks
--------------------------------------------------
Standard and Poors earlier this month released a Request for Comment on Enterprise Risk Management Analysis For Credit Ratings Of Nonfinancial Companies. This week TowersPerrin says it expects a broad range of companies will now make ERM a standard part of business or risk rating downgrade.
http://www.towersperrin.com/tp/jsp/masterbrand_webcache_html.jsp?webc=Master_Brand/News/Spotlights/2007/2007_11_19_Spotlight_SandP_ERM.htm

Aon Global Risk Consulting issued a report that said companies are slow to make use of enterprise risk management (ERM) techniques, with only one in 10 companies in the Americas and Europe having fully integrated an ERM strategy, even though government regulators and corporate stakeholders are demanding they address and mitigate enterprise-wide risks.
http://www.aon.com/uk/en/about/media-centre/erm.jsp

Another survey from the Conference Board found that among companies it surveyed that 55 percent said their corporate boards are a top driver of ERM programs, up from 49 percent two years ago, but ERM is not being integrated in corporate cultures.
http://www.conference-board.org/utilities/pressDetail.cfm?press_ID=3259

The judge in the Uphaar Cinema case (above) called for further investigation of government officials that collude with businesses to bypass legal requirements. Public corruption in permitting and failure to uphold safety requirements, presents a risk to the public. Although fire safety measures have been improved, the threat persists. Evacuation plans without fire drills, lack regulations, and other dangers remain.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200711232222.htm
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi/Delhi_cinema_halls_still_not_safe/articleshow/2560262.cms

UK Prime Minister Brown promised in July to increase funding for flood prevention from GBP600 million to GBP800 million. However, this money will not be available until 2010/11. In an official submission to the Pitt Review into the summer floods, the Local Government Association has warned a three-year delay in this investment could lead to a repeat of this summer's floods, and consequently higher costs for the taxpayer.
http://www.lga.gov.uk/PressRelease.asp?lsection=344&id=SXCAF2-A784A6F7&ccat=344
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/floodingreview.aspx

Risk Management Solutions (RMS) has confirmed its modeled hurricane activity rates for 2008 to 2012 - the medium-term view.  Their findings suggest that the average risk of hurricanes landfalling in the Atlantic Basin for the next five years is approximately the same level as predicted for the past two years, which is significantly above the risk averaged over the long term. Although the US has had the good luck to escape hurricanes for the past two years, it faces a high risk of major storms over the next five years.
http://www.rms.com/NewsPress/PR_112007_HU_2008_2012.asp
http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNewsAndPR/idUSL2051210020071120

The US Labor Department's Inspector General released "Mine Safety and Health Administration: Underground Coal Mine Inspection Mandate Not Fulfilled Due to Resource Limitations and Lack of Management Emphasis".  The report found that the Office of Coal Mine Safety and Health (CMSH) did not perform all required inspections at 107 of the 731 underground coal mines across the US last year: 15 percent of the total. Significant inspection and supervisory deficiencies must be addressed by such steps as ensuring that inspection resources are commensurate with mining activity; that all critical inspection activities are documented as performed or not applicable; that field office supervisors certify inspections are thorough and complete; that inspection documentation and supervisory oversight are reviewed under the Accountability Program, and other measures. Agency officials disputed the report, placing all blame on funding rather than personnel, a situation that mining states affected by disasters find unacceptable.
http://www.oig.dol.gov/FInal_MSHA_Inspections_Program_11_16_07.pdf
http://www.msha.gov/OIGResponse/InspectionsResponse.pdf
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/us/18labor.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/16/AR2007111602257.html

http://www.news-register.net/page/content.detail/id/502650.html

The Army Corps of Engineers released flood risk maps on a block-by-block basis on June 20, but didn't include some technical data, preventing independent assessments of the accuracy of the maps. In a report released 7 November, Corps scientists estimated that the actual benefit the system would provide would be just 6 inches. This week the Corps corrected its corrections. Meanwhile, The Federal Emergency Management Agency's draft flood plain maps for Las Cruces, New Mexico, contain significant errors that could affect insurance payments.

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-9/1195453383141410.xml&coll=1
http://kob.com/article/stories/S256524.shtml?cat=519
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DRM Mitigation
--------------------------------------------------
In January a Save the Children UK report criticized the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for being "clumsy and inefficient" in its distribution of funds to NGOs. More recent reports see positive developments, but speed and transparency remain key problems.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=75404
http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/en/54_3852.htm

Rising numbers of data/identity theft incidents has led to increased availability of identity theft insurance.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7107243.stm

BSI British Standards' "Business Barometer" reports that UK businesses are better prepared to cope with a major business interruption or disaster. They found:
* 71 percent of FTSE 250 companies recognized the importance of business continuity management, 10 percent higher than in 2006.
* 47 percent of companies were prepared for failure in the supply chain compared with 45 percent in 2006 and 18 percent in 2005
* 63 percent were prepared for a catastrophic information technology failure, compared with 51 percent in 2006 and 27 percent in 2005.
* 58 percent of companies believed they would be seriously affected by a disruption in under a day, compared with 46 percent in 2006.
http://www.bsi-global.com/en/Standards-and-Publications/Industry-Sectors/Risk/

BSI British Standards has released the BSI business continuity standard, "BS 25999-2, Specification for Business Continuity Management", which enables companies to verify their plans through independent certification.
http://www.25999.info/bs25999-2.htm

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a final rule on Employer Payment for Personal Protective Equipment. In summary:
"Many Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) health, safety, maritime, and construction standards require employers to provide their employees with protective equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPE), when such equipment is necessary to protect employees from job-related injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. These requirements address PPE of many kinds: hard hats, gloves, goggles, safety shoes, safety glasses, welding helmets and goggles, faceshields, chemical protective equipment, fall protection equipment, and so forth. The provisions in OSHA standards that require PPE generally state that the employer is to provide such PPE. However, some of these provisions do not specify that the employer is to provide such PPE at no cost to the employee. In this rulemaking, OSHA is requiring employers to pay for the PPE provided, with exceptions for specific items. The rule does not require employers to provide PPE where none has been required before. Instead, the rule merely stipulates that the employer must pay for required PPE, except in the limited cases specified in the standard."
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=20094

The US Senate approved legislation extending federal support for terrorism insurance. Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (TRIPRA) of 2007 will next be reconciled with a version previously passed in the House.  Insurance groups reacted positively to the news, and look forward to final passage. Quick action is necessary as the current legislation expires at the end of December.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c110:5:./temp/~c110LplrOY::
http://www.rims.org//Template.cfm?Section=PressReleases&template=/PressRelease/PressReleaseDisplay.cfm&PressReleaseID=82208
http://www.aiadc.org/AIAdotNET/docHandler.aspx?DocID=309034
http://www.namic.org/newsreleases07/071017nr2.asp

7. Recommended Reading

As the holiday season approaches, we wanted to share with you some consumer advice recently released to help ensure safe shopping.

SHOPPING ONLINE

* Australia ScamWatch

Online auction and shopping scams

It is possible to buy almost anything over the internet these days. Unfortunately, scammers can use the anonymous nature of the internet to rip off unsuspecting shoppers.

Scammers can pretend to be selling a product—often very cheaply—just so they can steal your credit card or bank account details. Similarly, they may take your money but send you a faulty or worthless product instead—or even nothing at all.

Most online auction sites put a lot of effort into spotting scammers, which is why scammers will often try to get people to make a deal outside the auction site. They may claim that the winner of an auction that you were bidding in has pulled out, and then offer the item for sale to you. Once they have your money, you will never hear from them again and the auction site will not be able to help you.

Another common trick is for an online auction to be rigged by the scammers. If you are selling a product, the scammer can enter a low bid followed by a very high bid under another name. Just before the auction closes, the high bid will be withdrawn and the scammer’s low bid will win. If you are buying a product, the scammer can arrange for 'dummy bidders' to boost the price up.

Other online shopping scams involve the sale of a product —such as a miracle cure or weight loss product—that does not live up to its claims. It can be very difficult to get your money back in these situations, especially if the other party is based overseas.

If you buy or sell online, you should also be aware of check overpayment scams.

Top Warning signs:
* A product is advertised at a very low price.
* The seller and any initial bidders have a very poor rating on an auction site.
* The other party wants to complete the sale outside of the auction site (if you do this, you lose any protections that the site operator offer to their users).
* The other party insists on immediate payment, or payment by electronic funds transfer or a wire service.
* The online shopping website does not provide adequate information about privacy, terms and conditions of use, dispute resolution or contact details.
http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index.phtml/tag/OnlineAuctionShoppingScams


* UK Office of Fair Trading (OFT):

The OFT is working with Local Authority Trading Standards Services (TSS) to carry out a web sweep of the UK's top 600 retail websites to ensure that they comply with key requirements of online shopping laws.

The exercise will involve around half of UK Local Authority Trading Standards Services checking whether the most popular shopping websites are meeting key requirements of the Distance Selling Regulations, which provide additional protection for shoppers when buying at a distance, including online.

It is estimated that UK consumers will spend GBP14 billion online this Christmas. However, OFT research has shown that most online shoppers do not know that they have additional protection, and many websites may be breaching regulations by not fully respecting consumers' rights.

In June the OFT published the findings of its internet shopping market study, which found that:

* 28 per cent of the online traders it surveyed were unaware or only slightly aware of the laws applying to internet shopping, and 66 per cent had never sought advice on them
* more than 20 per cent of sites did not provide an email address as required by regulations
* 16 per cent of sites checked did not tell shoppers that they had a an unconditional right to cancel without giving a reason, provided they did so within seven working days of receiving their purchase
* most sites (59 per cent) appeared to impose conditions that could prevent or at least deter consumers from exercising their cancellation rights.
http://www.oft.gov.uk/news/press/2007/161-07


* US Federal Bureau of Investigation

Happy "Cyber Monday!"

We hear the Monday after Thanksgiving is now one of the busiest days—if not the busiest day—of the year for online shopping. That's why some retailers are calling it "Cyber Monday" or even "Black Monday."

And that’s why we’d like to start your online shopping off right with some words to the wise.

Here's our specific advice for shopping safely on the Internet:
* Do your homework on the web retailer. Make sure you're buying items from a reputable and legitimate company. Don't judge the business by its website. Make sure the site has a physical address and a working phone number. Check consumer websites for information about the company.
* When using your credit card for purchases, make sure the website is secure. Look for the tiny padlock icon that symbolizes (but doesn’t necessarily guarantee) a higher level of security. Also, check out the site’s security or encryption software.
* Be very cautious when responding to special offers (especially those that come via unsolicited e-mail) and when dealing with companies or persons outside the country.
* If you’re participating in an Internet auction, read the fine print. Before you bid, learn as much as you can about how the auction works, what your responsibilities are as a buyer, what the seller’s obligations are, and what actions the website takes if a problem occurs. Learn as much as you can about the seller. And don’t give out your social security number or driver’s license number to the seller.
http://www.fbi.gov/page2/nov05/onlineshoppingtips112805.htm


AFTER YOUR PURCHASE


* Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America

As the holiday shopping season unofficially kicks off this week, about 42 million American households plan to give or receive high-tech electronic products this year.  However, about seven out of eight households don’t fully understand key aspects of their insurance coverage for these purchases, according to a new national survey by Trusted Choice(R) and the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big "I").

For the survey, respondents were asked if they were going to purchase or receive electronics, including iPods and iPhones, video gaming systems, computers and plasma televisions, during this holiday season.  In addition, when asked, only about one fifth of survey respondents reported ever contacting their insurance agent with questions on coverage for high-tech electronic products when they purchased them in the past.

“With so many people giving and receiving electronics this holiday season, it is important for consumers to understand how to protect these gifts,” says Big “I” President & CEO Robert A. Rusbuldt.  “In fact, any time people acquire an expensive or unusual item, we advise they consult with their Trusted Choice® independent insurance agent. This new research shows us not enough consumers are doing that.”

The survey also presented respondents with five questions about insurance coverage for high-tech home electronics.  An overwhelming seven out of eight households (96 million) answered at least one of these questions incorrectly.

“As our research shows so frequently, most consumers don’t fully understand their insurance policies,” says Madelyn Flannagan, Big “I” vice president for education and research.  “Making matters worse, with the ever-changing technology of these types of electronics, consumers need to keep in mind that policies may not always reflect the latest features.”

The good news for consumers is that most electronic gadgets are typically covered under the standard homeowners or renters policy.  However, there are some common and important exceptions that many consumers don’t understand.  Look out for coverage limitations and exclusions in these situations:

Digitally- downloaded data:  These are not generally covered under the usual homeowners or renters policy.  Consumers need to think about the value of their iTunes, downloads, and other data, as well as the time it would take to recover that material.  Even in cases of fire, windstorms, and theft, when your computer is covered, downloads are not usually included.  Although a few companies now offer some coverage for digital data, that coverage is limited and may not allow for full replacement or re-creation of digital material.  Consumers should consult an independent agent to find out what insurance options and protection they have.  Trusted Choice® independent agents suggest backing up information to multiple locations or to a portable storage device to secure and safeguard that material against any disaster.

Electrical power surges: According to the new survey, more than half (55%) of Americans mistakenly believe that their insurance coverage would protect their electronics in the event of an electrical power surge.  However, the vast majority of renters and homeowners policies exclude sudden loss or damage to electronics from changes in artificially generated electrical current.  Ask your Trusted Choice® independent agent about insurance options including specialty electronics policy and whenever possible, use a surge protector or invest in an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to protect against power surges or outages resulting from them.

Know your deductible:  For most standard homeowners and renters policies, the usual deductible is higher than the cost of many single electronic gadgets.  For example, if your iPod, cell phone, or portable gaming system is stolen, the replacement cost might not meet your deductible.  About 52% of survey respondents were incorrect by thinking they could usually rely on their insurance policy to recoup this type of loss.  Talk to your agent and discuss the proper deductible for your individual circumstances. A Trusted Choice® agent can help you understand how changing your deductible affects your insurance premium and what the best choice is for you.

Examine your exclusions and know your perils:  Although electronics gear is typically covered under a homeowners or renters policy, the same exclusions apply to these items as to the rest of your policy.  Your electronics will not be covered in cases of flood, earthquake, mudslides, and some other specific disasters or circumstances.  For example, if your new plasma TV falls off the wall because you hung it improperly, or if you drop your new computer while carrying it into your home, you are probably not covered.    In addition, before making a particularly large electronics purchase, consult your independent insurance agent to determine if you need a special policy.

Business use: Homeowners and renters polices were designed for just that-- homeowners and renters use.  Coverage for computers and other electronic items used for business in the home is often very limited (usually $2500 on premises and $250 for items outside of the home).  Discuss purchasing an in-home business policy with your Trusted Choice® agent to make sure that you have the protection you need for any electronics you use for business purposes.

Gift cards:  Holiday shoppers nervous about giving electronics that could be an insurance risk may choose gift cards instead for their friends and loved ones.  They should be aware, though, that most homeowners and renters policies treat gift cards the same as cash, reimbursing just $200 in total, no matter how many cards you may have had lost or stolen.   Be sure and save all receipts and find out the store's own policy for lost or stolen cards at the time of purchase.

http://www.iiaba.net/na/02_News/02_PressRelease/NA20071120150650?ContentPreference=NA&ActiveState=0&ContentLevel1=NEWS&ContentLevel2=NEWSPRESS&ContentLevel3=&ActiveTab=NA&StartRow=0

8. Asset Management Network News

On 5 December we are sponsoring an event on "Cooling the Data Center". TAMNI Monitor subscribers are entitled to attend this thought-provoking program at the Mass Technology Leadership Council's member rate. If you are traveling from out of town, email [email protected] to inquire about guest admission.
http://function.masstlc.org/programs_new/event_single.cfm?eventid=803

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TerrorismCentral

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