Terrorism re-emerged in the Maghreb with a vengeance this week, with major incidents in Algeria and Morocco carried out by Islamic militants whose regional connections extend south to Nigeria and north to Europe. France, the former colonial power, has gone on high alert, fearing that the low level of attacks reported in the EU's first Terrorism Situation and Trend Report may begin to expand. This week's news also addresses many of the underlying issues, including political violence, corruption, poverty, unemployment, and environmental degradation. Meanwhile, Recommended Reading features selections from Afghan and Iraqi claims for civilian casualties in those ongoing conflicts.

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 Australia, Sydney cleric Sheik Taj el-Din al Hilaly claimed that he donated A$10,000 to Lebanese politician Bilal Shaaban, who is linked to Hezbollah, for victims of the Lebanon war.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/sheik-denies-receving-cash-from-al-hilaly/2007/04/11/1175971128039.html?sssdmh=dm16.254791

Costa Rica Drug Control Police arrested Cabrera Torres and Leon Matta for money laundering. They seized more than $2 million, the largest ever. The cash was wrapped in carbon paper to avoid X-ray detection.
http://english.people.com.cn/200704/14/eng20070414_366489.html

French police arrested 17 members of Tamil Tigers, based in Sri Lanka. The subsequent investigation has revealed details of their fundraising activities, including violent extortion, and the use of cash couriers.
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20070411_03

James "The Iceman" Stevenson, one of the UK's top crime lords, has been sentenced to 12 years and nine months in prison. This sets a record as the longest money laundering sentence ever handed down by a Scottish judge.
http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.1319452.0.0.php
http://www.sdea.police.uk/default.aspx.locid-04bnew039.Lang-EN.htm

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has brought its first case under Patriot Act suspicious reporting requirements. They have instituted administrative and cease-and-desist proceedings against Park Financial Group. and its principal, Gordon Cantley. They are suspected of aiding and abetting a pump-and-dump scheme involving the securities of Spear and Jackson, Inc. SEC also claims that Park failed to file Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) s, in violation of record-keeping obligations.
http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2007/2007-64.htm

In the state of Arizona, former Roland city manager David Dawn Redden was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $224,983 restitution to the city. He would submit vouchers for office supplies to a grocery store, receive cash, then submit invoices to the city that were paid with city funds.
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/oke/press0407.html#redden
http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/local/local_story_101003204.html

In Florida, investment marketer Clarke T. Blizzard was indicted on a money laundering charge related to a prior charge of conspiracy to bribe a state official.
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070414/NEWS02/704140425/-1/NEWS

Olympic gold medal track stars Tim Montgomery and Steve Riddick, and their colleague Nathaniel Alexander, are standing trial in New York on charges they participated in a $5 million money laundering scheme.
http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=122551&ran=203367&tref=po
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AML/CFT Legislation and Regulation
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This article, from the 12 April Economist, describes the use of financial sanctions and the Banco Delta Asia case.
http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9006616

The G-7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors met this week. As well as addressing economic activities, their final statement included these remarks:
"We commit to continue the fight against money laundering, terrorist financing, and other illicit finance that risks the stability and integrity of the global financial system. We call for the effective and timely implementation of UN Resolutions 1540, 1718, 1737 and 1747. We commend the Financial Action Task Force on its commitment to examine the risks of weapons of mass destruction proliferation finance. We urge that as it reviews its strategic direction, the FATF consider expanding its mandate, enhancing global implementation of its standards, improving its strategic surveillance, and examining ways to bolster accountability and outreach activities."
http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/hp350.htm

Austrian bank BAWAG was recently purchased by a US-led consortium. Following this transaction, the bank told their customer Maria Cajigal-Ramirez that her accounts would be closed because she had been born in Cuba, prior to acquiring Austrian citizenship.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4712957.html

Fiji's Financial Transactions Reporting Regulation will come into force from 1 May, and the full act from January 2008.
http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_37314.shtml

Guyana's Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorism Bill 2007 will be tabled before the National Assembly this month.
http://www.gina.gov.gy/archive/daily/b070413.html

India is bringing all international payment gateways, including remittances and credit cards, under AML/CFT laws.
http://www.indianexpress.com/sunday/story/28414.html

Among the provisions of Pakistan's proposed anti-money laundering bill are penalties including prison sentences, seizures, and fines.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=51178

The Monetary Authority of Macau and the US Department of State stated that authorized account holders could now withdraw funds from North Korean accounts that were previously frozen. However, North Korea has yet to withdraw funds, and says it has not been able to confirm they were released.
http://www.amcm.gov.mo/Press_Release/BDA2007/BDA_20070410_En.htm
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2007/apr/82831.htm
http://www.state.gov/p/eap/rls/rm/2007/83039.htm
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp344.htm
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/T315603.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6551039.stm
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/13/world/asia/13macao.html

UAE Minister of Finance and Industry Dr Mohammed Khalfan bin Kharbash said $5 billion worth of laundered money can lead to losses in Arab nations of more than $11 billion in GDP and can cost up to 250,000 jobs. He considers money laundering the number one challenge facing Arab banks.
http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2007/april/10/economy/money_laundering_no_1_challenge_facing_arab_banks.html

UK financial group Barclays PLC plans to purchase Dutch bank ABN Amro Holding. However, the US Department of Justice is investigating ABN's past money transfers, and failure to resolve the matter could threaten the deal.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=257787
http://ftalphaville.ft.com/blog/2007/04/10/3696/abn-amro-and-barclays-the-plot-thickens/

The US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCen) issued its annual report.
http://www.fincen.gov/YEreport/AnnualReportFY2006.html

US Assistant Secretary, Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes, Pat O'Brien delivered this speech to the US-Latin America Private Sector Dialog on Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing.
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp346.htm

The Governor of the Central Bank of Yemen says that the country is not financially safe and has not improved its money laundering position, but it has a transparent financial system and legislative system to combat AML/CFT.
http://www.yobserver.com/article-12082.php
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AML/CFT Modalities
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The EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report 2007 describes financing of terrorist attacks and funding of terrorist networks.:
"Funding is procured by establishing and managing small companies as sources of legal income, which is then used to support radical groups inside and outside the EU. Another very significant source originates form private donations and from the misuse of zakat payments by Muslims. The funds are mostly collected by charitable organizations or associations and individuals." In addition to charitable contributions, illegal sources for terrorism funding cover most criminal activities. Since funds are mostly in cash, cash couriers, alternative remittance systems, and legal cash transmitters are commonly used, but transfers within the banking system have also been identified.
http://www.europol.europa.eu/publications/TESAT/TESAT2007.pdf

This article describes possible AML/CFT risks in new mobile payment systems.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/04/terrorist_funding_in_real_time.html

This article describes several cases in which mortgage fraud arrests have been tied to terrorism investigations in the US.
http://www.aina.org/news/2007041194958.htm

4. Emerging Threat Monitor

Climate change, pandemics, and global economic imbalances are just a few of the threats emerging in this 21st century. Subscribers to the Emerging Threat Monitor stay a step ahead with monthly analysis of trends and responses worldwide. It offers executives a heads-up of new risks, and details of the policies and best practices gleaned from every country around the globe.
http://secure.netsolhost.com/573566.585211/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=TP
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ETM Corruption and Transnational Crime
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Institutional Shareholder Services reports that shareholders in 42 companies will vote this year on resolutions tied to political donation disclosures. General Electric, Pfizer, and Chevron are among the 10 companies that have already said they would enhance disclosures.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/d1e7f818-e081-11db-8b48-000b5df10621.html

The Center for Political Accountability (CPA) released "Open Windows: How Company Codes of Conduct Regulate Political Spending and a Model Code to Protect Company Interests and Shareholder Value". The report finds that that of the companies listed on the Standard and Poor's 100 index, just 17 disclosed their political spending online or in yearly reports. Board oversight of political contributions is not required at three-quarters of companies.
http://www.politicalaccountability.net/

World Bank President and Bush appointee Paul Wolfowitz has apologized for mistakes over the promotion and huge pay rise given his girlfriend, but has rejected calls for his resignation. His focus at the World Bank has been to counter corruption. Discussions over any Board disciplinary measures are on hold pending the conclusion of the World Bank's spring meeting.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article1652885.ece
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/13/AR2007041300788.html

The Canadian government has appointed former Ontario Securities Commission head David Brown to investigate alleged corruption in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police pension plan.
http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/media/nr/2007/nr20070413-en.asp

Israeli police questioned Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for four hours in connection with alleged Tax Authority bribery incidents. He is not a suspect in this case, but his personal secretary, who was suspended in February, is. Several other corruption investigations involving Olmert continue.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?c=JPArticle&cid=1176152763165&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Nigerian President Obasanjo has promoted Economic and Financial Crimes Commission head from police commissioner to assistant inspector general of police, and has renewed his 4-year office.
http://www.efccnigeria.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1383

Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, in exile in England, has been charged with misappropriating Aeroflot funds. The fraud charges are separate from criminal charges related to his calls to overthrow the Russian government.
http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/politics/28.html?id_issue=11713366

A series of high-profile corporate corruption cases are being tried in Taiwan, many involving senior political figures.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/news/archives/editorial/2007414/107071.htm
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117632193135466733.htm

Royal Dutch Shell has agreed to pay $352.6 million to settle non-US investors' claims related to the revelation that it had overbooked oil and gas reserves by 20 percent. Following a US-style model, and assuming the US court overseeing the case approves, Shell will acknowledge no wrong-doing, and will pay:
* $340.1 million to be distributed to investors who both resided and purchased shares outside the US from April 8, 1999 until March 18, 2004, with the oversight of the Foundation;
* $12.5 million to be divided equally among all shareholders who submit a valid claim for relief, and
* $6.25 million to VEB and other similar organizations to assist individual shareholders in preparing and submitting claims.
* On Shell's behalf, the US Securities and Exchange Commission will distribute to shareholders the $120 million paid by Shell in 2004 under a consent agreement resolving the SEC?s investigation into Shell?s reserves re-categorization.
http://www.shell.com/home/Framework?siteId=media-en&FC3=/media-en/html/iwgen/news_and_library/press_releases/2007/shell_claims_non_us_investors_11042007.html
http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2054430,00.html
http://blogs.wsj.com/energy/2007/04/11/shell-settles-investor-lawsuit/

Dow Chemical Senior Advisor and Former Chief Financial Officer Pedro Reinhard and Executive Vice President Romeo Kreinberg were dismissed for allegedly having secret takeover discussions.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070413/BUSINESS06/704130324

Allied World Assurance Co. Holdings Ltd. has agreed to pay $2.1 million to settle charges by the Texas Attorney General that it illegally coordinated bids on excess casualty placements with principal shareholder American International Group Inc.
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ETM Economies and Financial Systems
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The G24 meeting reached agreement on three major topics: reform of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World bank to increase developing country representation; review the IMF's role following new surveillance policies; and coordinating international efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
http://www.imf.org/external/np/tr/2007/tr070413c.htm
http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=businessNews&storyID=2007-04-14T052521Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-294157-1.xml

The Global Monitoring Report 2007 reviews progress towards the MDGs, focusing on gender equality and fragile states.
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTDEC/EXTGLOBALMONITOR/EXTGLOMONREP2007/0,,menuPK:3413296~pagePK:64218926~piPK:64218953~theSitePK:3413261,00.html
http://www.imf.org/external/np/tr/2007/tr070413b.htm
http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSSP214857._CH_.2400

In the World Economic Outlook, the IMF predicts a fifth year of global economic expansion, despite slower US growth. Sustained productivity and balancing interest rates are two of the significant challenges.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2007/01/index.htm
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/04/12/business/imf.php
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/b1551fa0-e891-11db-b2c3-000b5df10621.html

IMF also released Regional Economic Outlooks. Asia Pacific grew strongly last year, with only a slight moderation expected this year, from 7.6 percent to 7 percent. This reflects lower US demand and tightening policies in China and India. In the Western Hemisphere, last year showed the most vigorous period of growth in Latin America and the Caribbean, and was robust throughout the hemisphere. The external environment remains favorable, but average growth this year is expected to decline moderately. Sub-Saharan Africa grew 5.4 percent last year, lower than the 6 percent growth in 2005 because of temporary oil production constraints. Such rates of growth are good, but need to increase another one or two percent to meet MDGs.
http://www.imf.org/external/np/tr/2007/tr070413.htm
http://www.imf.org/external/np/tr/2007/tr070413a.htm
http://www.imf.org/external/np/tr/2007/tr070413b.htm
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2007/pr0768.htm
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2007/pr0770.htm
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2007/pr0769.htm

The World Trade Organization released World Trade 2006, Prospects for 2007. It warns that risks in financial and property markets and large trade imbalances in goods and services mean increased uncertainty in 2007 and raise the prospect of weaker economic and trade expansion in the coming yea.
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/pres07_e/pr472_e.htm

The IMF Global Financial Stability Report also warns of increased risks.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/gfsr/2007/01/index.htm
http://www.imf.org/external/np/tr/2007/tr070410.htm
http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9009170
http://www.thestatesmanonline.com/pages/news_detail.php?newsid=3070

China has condemned the US decision to file a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization over copyright piracy and counterfeiting.
http://english.people.com.cn/200704/11/eng20070411_365417.html
http://english.gov.cn/chinatoday/ft/060208.htm
http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2007/April/United_States_Files_WTO_Cases_Against_China_Over_Deficiencies_in_Chinas_Intellectual_Property_Rights_Laws_Market_Access_Barr.html
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ETM Environment and Climate Change
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Researchers reporting in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences say that only tropical forests cool earth by absorbing carbon dioxide, while in snowy areas the canopies absorb sunlight that would otherwise be reflected by the snow. These findings suggest new planting strategies.
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0608998104v1

The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) warns that some of the worlds most renowned natural and cultural sites, from the Great Barrier Reef to Kilimanjaro National Park to the city of Venice, are at serious threat from climate change. Rising sea levels, melting glaciers, increased risks of flooding and reduced marine and land biodiversity could all have potentially disastrous effects on the 830 sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=37390&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

China and Japan will participate in negotiations on a framework to limit global warming.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/T231974.htm

Kazakhstan has secured a $126 million loan from the World Bank to implement the second stage of a project to save the northern part of the disappearing sea.
http://www.inform.kz/showarticle.php?lang=eng&id=150151
http://www.nature.com/news/2007/070409/full/070409-8.html

An outbreak of predatory crown-of-thorns starfish is being blamed for coral reef destruction throughout the Philippines.
http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/index.cfm?uNewsID=98780

UK International Development Secretary Hilary Benn has called on the World Bank to set bold targets to tackle climate change and provide extra funds to help poor nations adapt.
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/news/files/Speeches/world-bank-april07.asp

The US military is warning that climate change presents a threat to national security.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/14/AR2007041401209.html

Peter Fusaro writes that "2007 has become the breakthrough year in U.S. carbon consciousness. The realization that U.S. multinational companies fall under the Kyoto Protocol in 169 nations, coupled with state lead initiatives on both the East and West Coasts, have now crystallized Congressional attention on the issue of global warming. The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on greenhouse gases adds a further impetus for the United States to take action on climate change this year. While there are almost as many bills as people running for president, the stark realization is that both the House and Senate do not understand how to craft legislation that shares economic burdens. Sharing the burden is only one issue. Legislation must also create economic incentives to deploy carbon reduction technologies in the markets, and create long-term federal standards on cap and trade that achieve significant carbon dioxide reductions without a price cap."
http://www.utilipoint.com/issuealert/article.asp?ID=2832

At least six bills pending before the US Congress attempt to set a threshold through "cap-and-trade" systems for carbon emissions, but setting the price remains problematic.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0412/p03s01-uspo.html
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ETM Human Rights
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Australian Prime Minister John Howard said on Friday that Australia should ban immigrants with HIV, with few exceptions. There is already a ban on people with tuberculosis. AIDS activists were in an uproar over a suggestion that the law would change to refuse HIV-positive immigrants.
http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2007/s1897025.htm
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21554701-2,00.html

India's federal Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions issues requirements for civil servants that include annual appraisals and health exams. This year, the new rules included a provision requiring women to provide details of their menstrual cycles and when they last sought maternity leave. The response to this ranged from embarrassment to rage, and the government was forced to negate the provision.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/DEL71887.htm
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/Order_seeking_intimate_details_nixed/articleshow/1895013.cms

The Danish-based RoboBraille Consortium has released a free service to automatically convert Braille into plain text, rich text, html or Word documents, and vice versa.
http://www1.robobraille.org/websites/acj/robobraille.nsf
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ETM Infectious Diseases
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Swiss Re reports," While mortality has generally been improving for many decades, pandemic influenza is a material risk that has the potential to affect all life insurance markets around the world. Because pandemics are relatively rare, with only three in the last century, the pool of historical data is limited. Further, since the catastrophic pandemic in 1918, there have been various medical developments ? in particular antibiotics, vaccines and antivirals ? along with changes in the way that individuals and authorities respond to a pandemic threat. This makes it difficult for life insurers to quantify the potential loss value arising from the risk and therefore difficult to manage their capital efficiently for the benefit of both policyholders and shareholders." Their focus report, "Influenza pandemics: Time for a reality check?" summarizes the working of a new epidemiological model and provides examples of the types of results that can be derived from it. for example, for a pandemic with a level of severity expected only once every 200 years, Swiss Re estimates excess mortality within an insurance portfolio to be between 1 and 1.5 deaths per 1 000 lives in most developed countries.
http://www.swissre.com/

Through 11 April there have been 291 laboratory confirmed cases of H5N1 human infections, of which 172 have proven fatal. This includes the death in Egypt of a 15-year-old girl and in Cambodia, of a 13-year-old girl.
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/country/cases_table_2007_04_11/en/index.html

At this time, there are H5N1 outbreaks in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Saudi Arabia, and a low pathogenic strain in the US.

University of Rochester researchers working to develop an influenza vaccine that does not use eggs, and can therefore be produced more quickly and in volume, shows promise in the latest experiment, using insect cells.
http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/pr/news/story.cfm?id=1431
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/297/14/1577

Six human-to-human infections of bovine tuberculosis underscore the need to maintain control measures in modern urban settings.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6547973.stm
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673607605984/abstract

Liberia's almost non-existent health and sanitation infrastructure was again brought into sharp focus this week as officials confirmed that Lassa fever, a virus transmitted by rats usually found in areas with poor sanitation, is endemic for the second time in six months in three Liberian counties.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=71584
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ETM Legal Systems
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Cameroon human rights advocates complain that the country is far from upholding democratic principles, and this is evident by looking at the country's prisons.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=71606

In the largest demonstration so far, 2,000 Pakistani judges gathered to protest the suspension of Supreme Court Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, whom President Musharraf removed from office. Hearings have been adjourned until 18 April.
http://www.pakistantimes.net/2007/04/14/top1.htm
http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?175056

The UK Institute for Public Policy Research reports that 12,000 people in prison would be better dealt with outside, including:
* 2,000 female prisoners serving less than six months should be given community, and not custodial, sentences.
* 5,000 prisoners should be treated in mental health accommodation.
* 5,000 prisoners should be rehabilitated in drug treatment centers.
http://www.ippr.org.uk/pressreleases/?id=2648

University of Aberdeen researcher Dr. Gabriele Maranci's research, drawn from more than 170 interviews, challenged the claim that Imams radicalize Muslims during incarceration.
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mediareleases/release.php?id=889

The investigation into dismissal of eight US Attorneys continues with requests for additional testimony and documents. In addition, there are demands for emails that were sent through the Republican National Committee to bypass White House archival procedures.
http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1244
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/04/13/blogtalk-the-case-of-the-missing-e-mails/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/12/AR2007041202408.html

Under political pressure, the US Election Assistance Commission altered findings that voter fraud was scarce.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/12/washington/12fraud.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/11/washington/11voters.html
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ETM Natural Resources
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This blog describes ways in which natural resources and government corruption are at the heart of wars and civil strife.
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/jeanroger_kaseki/2007/04/the_darkness_of_natural_resour.html

Rising global demand for copper has spurred both ways to increase supply, and theft of existing sources.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/e8545c8e-e790-11db-8098-000b5df10621,_i_rssPage=9ff9d7a4-506d-11da-bbd7-0000779e2340.html
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=aMTOLcCVnl8c
http://www.bbj.hu/main/news_25192_global+minerals+signs+agreement+to+re-activate+slovakian+strieborna+silver+copper+antimony+mine.html
http://www.insidebayarea.com/trivalleyherald/localnews/ci_5667491
http://www.savannahnow.com/node/262168
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/crime/stories/041407dnmetcopper.5f5276f.html

The Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) blames expansion of agricultural lands for decreased forest cover, while the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) points to large-scale mining as the major cause of forest destruction. Forest fires, natural removals, and illegal mining also contribute to the problem, which causes irreversible effects on land, people, and their livelihood.
http://www.bulatlat.com/news/7-10/7-10-mining.htm
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ETM Populations
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The UN Population Commission opened its annual meeting, calling for countries to seize the unique window of opportunity offered by current changes in the structure of global populations. Many countries are at a stage where high fertility levels have fallen, and the number of people in the prime working-age category increases compared with that of children and older persons. If wise measures are taken now, this provides a window of opportunity in which the number of potential workers rises in relation to dependents, which could benefit economic growth and transformation, particularly in support of young people.
http://www.un.org/esa/population/cpd/cpd2007/comm2007.htm
http://www.unfpa.org/news/news.cfm?ID=956

The number of elderly people will triple in the next 25 years, and a large majority of them will soon be living in the developing world. Policymakers in rich and poor countries must grapple with the challenges posed by this long-term demographic change.
http://www.un.org/esa/population/cpd/cpd2007/comm2007.htm
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ETM Social Responsibility
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The Investor Environmental Health Network released a report of companies facing shareholder resolutions on chemical risks in products.
http://www.iehn.org/
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ETM Technology
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In a groundbreaking trial, 15 young patients with newly diagnosed type-1 diabetes were given drugs to suppress their immune systems followed by transfusions of stem cells drawn from their own blood. Three years on, all but two of the volunteers do not need daily insulin injections.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article1637528.ece
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/leading_article/article1637235.ece
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-stemcells11apr11,0,971736.story

"Exploiting Similarity for Multi-Source Downloads using File Handprints" outlines research into a system that could enable faster multimedia sharing, without limitations based on the number of users.
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dga/papers/nsdi2007-set-abstract.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6544919.stm

IBM has announced a chip-stacking manufacturing technology that paves the way for three-dimensional chips.
http://www.ibm.com/news/us/en/2007/04/2007_04_12.html
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ETM Weapons (WMD, Proliferation)
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Iran has announced that it is enriching uranium on an industrial scale. The move would breach three UN resolutions, but neither the International Atomic Energy Agency nor Russia believe they have this capability, and insist enrichment is still in the early stages. The claim has, however, reinforced fears that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. Russia has ruled out a military scenario.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/04/10/wiran10.xml
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iran11apr11,0,563666.story
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070413/63607726.html
http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Focus/IaeaIran/index.shtml

North Korea has not yet accessed its frozen funds (see AML/CFT above), and it has missed the Saturday deadline to shut down the Yongbyon nuclear reactor.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2007/April/theworld_April315.xml&section=theworld
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0412/p01s03-woap.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/14/AR2007041400964.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6556417.stm
http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Focus/IaeaDprk/index.shtml

This article, from the 12 April Economist, describes the use of financial sanctions to thwart nuclear proliferation.
http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9006616

The India-US nuclear cooperation agreement is jeopardized by India's desire to continue nuclear testing, plutonium separation, and so on.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-04-11-india-nuclear-deal_N.htm

Britain's Ministry of Defense predicts that nuclear proliferation, increased numbers of nuclear-armed nations, and increasing capabilities for WMD delivery are on the horizon.
http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/5CB29DC4-9B4A-4DFD-B363-3282BE255CE7/0/strat_trends_23jan07.pdf

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) released "Combating Nuclear Smuggling: DNDO Has Not Yet Collected Most of the National Laboratories' Test Results on Radiation Portal Monitors in Support of DNDO's Testing and Development Program". The correspondence to congressional requesters explains that the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has focused most of its radiation detection equipment work on large-scale border screening of vehicles, people and cargo. Testing has been limited, and reliant on state and local officials. A comprehensive inventory of testing information must be developed to determine monitor performance and thereby assist decisions regarding future purposes.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-347R

A new study from the Danish Health Ministry's Statens Serum Institute (SSI)finds that biological laboratories offer an open invitation to bioterrorists.
http://www.cphpost.dk/get/101195.html

Researchers warn that bubonic plague could become a new weapon for terrorists, if engineered for aerosol dispersion.
http://www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?story=LJ635966D&news_headline=bubonic_plague_could_be_new_terror_weapon

A Yemeni court on Monday acquitted a Dane of Somali origin, Abdi Osman Soni, of attempting to traffic arms to the Islamist that which controlled central and southern Somalia until December. His Yemeni co-defendant, Abdullah Awadh Abdullah al-Masri, was sentenced to three years in prison.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=81288

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
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The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released its annual report on the State of Agricultural Commodity Markets 2006. Negotiations to liberalize international trade are intended to help poor countries, but unless those nations are given the necessary leeway t protect food security and essential development needs, they will be harmed rather than helped.
http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0950e/a0950e00.htm

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns that wheat stem rust could destroy harvests around the globe, and has launched a partnership to fight the spread of the deadly strain.
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000537/index.html

The six ministers of Cambodia, China?s Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, met to discuss an agricultural cooperation program to support food security issues.
http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=03ECO100407

The UK Ministry of Defense DSC Claims Annual Report 2005-06 was released this week, including compensation for low-flying aircraft affecting livestock and bees.
http://www.mod.uk /NR/rdonlyres/5A077EA5-2E36-415B-9F1A-15EC0BEC094B/0/claims_annual_report_0506.pdf
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/6541047.stm

Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Company has been identified as the source of contaminated wheat gluten that was shipped to a major US pet food supplier. They are looking into whether the contamination, which occurred in China, was deliberate. Meanwhile, the recall has expanded to include cat food and Canada.
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01605.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/12/business/worldbusiness/12gluten.html

The US Centers for Disease Control's annual report on foodborne illnesses cites the deadly strain of E. coli responsible for hundreds of illnesses and at least three deaths last year as a leading culprit.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-04-12-ecoli-leafy-greens_N.htm

The US meat supply will fall by 1.7 pounds per person this year as demand for ethanol pushed corn prices up, increasing livestock feed costs.
http://www.cattlenetwork.com/meatingplace_content.asp?ContentID=121491

To address the strain placed on the agricultural sector by increased ethanol demand, Ohio State University researchers suggest several options, while reminding readers that each involves trade-offs.
* Increase the number of acres planted to corn. Growers are already responding with the highest acreage intended for planting since World War II.
* Shift land from other uses into crop production. Potential candidates include pastureland, conservation reserve land and forests.
* Import more ethanol. Because of import tariffs and a drive for energy independence, imports likely will have a limited role.
* Ration corn demand in response to higher prices.
* Increase yields.
http://www.ofbf.org/page/STER-727P94/?OpenDocument
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CIM Banking and Finance
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The European Commission has adopted a report to the European Parliament and Council on the continued appropriateness of the requirements for professional indemnity insurance (PII) imposed on certain financial services intermediaries under EU law.
http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/securities/isd/mifid_reports_en.htm

Google Checkout has been launched in the UK.
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2007/04/google-checkout-open-in-uk.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6549643.stm

The US Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on "Filing Your Taxes: An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure". Testimony included evidence from Evangelos Dimitros Soukas, who made tens of thousands by using stolen identities to obtain fraudulent tax refunds. The Bush administration had attempted to prevent his testimony.
http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/hearing041207.htm
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=3035074
http://www.internetnews.com/security/article.php/3671081

In the state of Washington, Seattle reports a decline in bank robberies that may be attributed to a new program that relies on being extremely nice and friendly. The non-confrontational strategy is called Safecatch, and is being credited to nearly halving the number of robberies.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003661713_safecatch11m.html
http://www.fbi.gov/page2/april07/negotiation041307.htm
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CIM Chemical
--------------------------------------------------
The Center for American Progress released "Toxic Trains by the Numbers", addressing rail shipments of chlorine gas, despite affordable, practical, and less hazardous alternatives. Their recent survey identified the risk and how to eliminate it with conversion to safer water treatment options:
* 300,000: Miles of freight railways traversed by trains that carry highly toxic chlorine gas, passing through almost all major American cities and towns.
* 37: Drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities that still receive chlorine gas by rail.
* 25 million: Number of Americans who live near these facilities. Millions more live in cities and towns along rail delivery routes.
* 7: Number of water utilities still using chlorine gas railcars in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metropolitan area, the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the nation and home to nearly 6 million people.
* 160: Number of mostly-minor spill reports involving railroads and chlorine that have occurred since 1990.
* 14 to 25: Miles downwind a dense, lethal plume of chlorine gas can travel from a single ruptured railcar.
* 17,500: Number of people who could be killed by a major chlorine railcar spill.
* 100,000: Serious injuries or deaths such a spill could cause in a scenario involving large holiday crowds.
* 250: Number of terrorist attacks against rail targets between 1995 and 2005.
* 25: Number of water utilities that used to receive chlorine gas by rail but since 1999 have switched to safer and more secure water treatment options.
* 26 million: Number of Americans who are safer and more secure as a result.
* $1.50: Cost per person served each year of converting facilities from chlorine gas to safer disinfectants.
* $1.50: Cost of a bag of potato chips
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2007/04/trains_numbers.html

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to revise the Explosives and Blasting Agents standard in the 13 April Federal Register. The proposed rule aims to enhance the protections provided to employees working in the manufacturing, storage, sale, transportation, handling, and use of explosives. Public comments will be accepted until June 13, 2007.
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=19509

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont have formed a regional pact apply pressure for federal regulations to curtail mercury emissions that drift in from other parts of the country where coal-fired power plants are predominant energy sources.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/12/nyregion/12mercury.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

In Bellwood, Illinois, an explosion and fire killed a delivery driver and injured two Universal Form Clamp (UFC) employees. The Chemical Safety Board released a Case Study of the disaster, which occurred when a flammable liquid in an open-top tank overheated, and hazardous vapors ignited. OSHA and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) fire safety standards, which require engineered safety controls such as local exhaust and floor-level ventilation systems, would have avoided the accident and the casualties. It is unlikely that any casualties would have occurred had the company installed an employee alarm system, put adequate emergency action plans in place, or conducted regular emergency drills. In addition, mechanical design plans that should have illustrated ventilation and other safety systems were not reviewed by a registered design professional before being submitted to the Village of Bellwood, and Bellwood did not ensure compliance with required codes and standards. As a result of these flaws and omissions, they propose changes to work safety standards to require greater oversight.
http://www.csb.gov/index.cfm?folder=news_releases&page=news&NEWS_ID=367

The House Education and Labor Committee launched a series of hearing on workplace safety, beginning with examination of the British Petroleum Texas City refinery explosion and related matters.
http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_3028
http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/workersafety.shtml
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CIM Commercial Facilities
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Greece is increasing security measures at its stadiums, including a new surveillance system and the use of electronic tickets that can be tracked. Hooliganism at sporting events has presented a significant public safety threat, including a deadly fight last month. Following that incident, supporter clubs were banned.
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100002_13/04/2007_82287

The attack on Iraq's parliament this week is a reminder that even the most secure locations in the world are not always safe.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=3035555&page=1

The US is considering gated communities for Baghdad.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/fisk/article2439530.ece )
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CIM Cybersecurity
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Several problems have been identified with the critical emergency patch Microsoft released for the Windows animated cursor file (ANI) bug.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925902
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=74AD4188-3131-429C-8FCB-F7B3B0FD3D86&displaylang=en

This vulnerability is being delivered on the hacked Taiwanese web site of computer parts manufacturer ASUStek Computer.
http://www.dynamoo.com/blog/2007/04/asuscom-web-site-infected-with-ani.html
http://www.viruslist.com/en/weblog?weblogid=208187358

Microsoft released five patches for its monthly security update, including four rated critical. There are already reports of fresh zero-day exploits.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms07-apr.mspx
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA07-100A.html\ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925330/en-us
http://research.eeye.com/html/alerts/zeroday/index.html
http://www.avertlabs.com/research/blog/?p=253

Another new flaw affects Microsoft DNS server products.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/935964.mspx

Storm Trojan has reached record proportions, in the largest spam attack in the past year.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9016420
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/021207-storm-trojan-ignites-worm.html
http://www.symantec.com/enterprise/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2007-041219-5638-99&tabid=1
http://www.symantec.com/outbreak/storm_trojan.html

China's National Citizen Identity Information Center (NCIIC) hosts the world's biggest ID database, with over 1.3 billion entries. Police reported that 90 percent of premeditated crimes involved false ID cards, but the NCIIC has been using its database to cut the losses dramatically.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=20070412&articleId=5371

The US Federal Depository Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has issued a "Supervisory Policy on Identity Theft", which describes the characteristics of identity theft and sets forth the FDIC's expectations that institutions under its supervision take steps to detect and prevent identity theft and mitigate its effects in order to protect consumers and help ensure institutions' safe and sound operations.
http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2007/fil07032.html

Authentify reports their survey found that nine of ten web users are willing to sacrifice convenience for stronger online financial security. This is a significant shift in consumer preference.
http://www.authentify.com/news/releases/070402JavelinSurvey.html

Darwin Professional Underwriters' Tech/404 Data Loss Cost Calculator provides an interactive tool to assess the impact of a data breach or identity theft loss.
http://www.tech-404.com/calculator.html

A stolen Bank of America laptop has resulted in lost personal information of an unspecified number of current, former and retired employees.
http://charlotte.com/123/story/83747.html

The Georgia Department of Community Health reports that a CD containing personal data of 2.9 Medicaid recipients went missing during transportation.
http://dch.georgia.gov/vgn/images/portal/cit_1210/19/38/80010015Public_Notice-Missing_Personal_Data.pdf

The US state of Washington has passed unanimously an identity theft protection law that provides for a credit freeze.
http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2007-08/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5826-S.pdf
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2003655830_creditfreeze07.html

The final cost of the theft of credit- and debit-card records from TJX Cos. could add up to more than $1 billion, although the cost to TJX itself is may be lower.
http://www.boston.com/business/personalfinance/articles/2007/04/12/analysts_tjx_case_may_cost_over_1b

The US House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released new grades on information security efforts. The overall grade was C-. The Department of Homeland Security received a D instead of an F for the first time.
http://republicans.oversight.house.gov/News/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=128
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CIM Dams and Bridges
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A hydropower project in Burma and Thailand could displace tens of thousands of people and cause serious harm to the environment. The Salween River is the longest un-dammed waterway in southeast Asia,, and the only free-flowing river linking the Himalayan glaciers to the coastline of the Andaman Sea.
http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/index.cfm?uNewsID=98920

India's Mapithel dam was approved in 1980, but mass protests are calling for an impact review prior to construction.
http://www.e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=9..130407.apr07

In the US state of Kentucky, communities around Wolf Creek Dam now have an emergency warning system and online maps of potential flooding.
http://www.wkrn.com/nashville/news/wolf-creek-dam-emergency-warning-system-put-in-place/88868.htm
http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/WolfCreek/
http://www.wbko.com/news/headlines/7000882.html
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CIM Defense Industrial Base
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The US Congress is planning to use defense funding bills to launch a dialog between government, military and defense industry officials to address urgent battlefield needs and longer-term procurement.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=36572&dcn=todaysnews

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released "Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs".
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-406SP

The conservative Heritage Foundation calls for commitment to national security spending to meet military modernization and other needs that the Foundation believes have been chronically underfunded.
http://www.heritage.org/Research/NationalSecurity/em1023.cfm
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CIM Emergency Services
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UK Department of Health planning guidance calls for hospitals to be guarded in the wake of a mass casualty incident.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/04/08/nhealth108.xml

An inquest is underway into the death of a Northern Ireland policeman. Evidence indicates that breathing apparatus had prevented the injured firefighter from calling for help. He did not have a radio.
http://www.4ni.co.uk/northern_ireland_news.asp?id=60969

The US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation held a hearing on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and the Future of 9-1-1 Services. The National Emergency Number Association and VoIP providers support the 911 bill and point out that other phone services may also lack automated emergency identification functions. The Government Accountability Office reports that "Current Emergency Alert System Has Limitations, and Development of a New Integrated System Will Be Challenging".
http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=1842
http://www.nena9-1-1.org/
http://www.cio.com/article/103300/Vonage_Emergency_Responders_Support_Bill
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-411

In the state of Alabama, emergency officials are rebuilding a public fallout shelter program for WMD emergencies.
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55106

Florida firemen are testing GPS to replace lights on fire trucks and ambulances, which they hope will improve emergency response times by up to 30 percent.
http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readarticle.asp?articleid=12030&z=3&p=
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CIM Energy
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Increased demands for ethanol and other biofuels are straining the agricultural sector. Malaysia alone has approved 90 biofuel plant licenses, and has six operational plants.
http://www.ofbf.org/page/STER-727P94/?OpenDocument
http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=256399
http://jurnalo.com/jurnalo/storyPage.do?story_id=28729
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/resources/PDFs/LastStand/full_orangutanreport.pdf

Denmark is working on second generation biofuels that do not require carbon emissions for production.
http://biomass.novozymes.com/

Iran is providing significant funding for a Malaysian oil pipeline that would avoid the Malacca Strait and Singapore.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/e3305922-e891-11db-b2c3-000b5df10621,dwp_uuid=34c8a8a6-2f7b-11da-8b51-00000e2511c8.html

Russian energy giant Gazprom is concerned that Ukraine's political crisis could have a negative impact on trouble-free gas transportation, as the Ukraine is a major transit country for sending gas to Europe.
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070413/63605277.html

AIG Global Marine and Energy announced the formation of the AIG Global Alternative Energy Practice, which will service the insurance, risk management and loss control needs of US-based alternative energy clients, including organizations engaged in biofuel, hydroelectric, geothermal, solar and wind operations.
http://investing.reuters.co.uk/news/articleinvesting.aspx?view=PR&symbol=AIG.N&storyID=151142+11-Apr-2007+BW&type=qcna

Last weekend, Qatar hosted a meeting of major gas exporting countries. The Forum, which includes Algeria, Iran, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Russia, Qatar, Venezuela and eight others. Collectively the group controls 72 percent of world reserves and 42 percent of production. Although they say they do not plan to establish a cartel, the possibility is increasingly attractive to several countries.
http://www.wadi.ae/test.php?news&pag=1&id=3352
http://allafrica.com/stories/200704110032.html
http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20070413/63609379.html
http://www.oxfordenergy.org/pdfs/NG13.pdf

"Oil and Gas Royalties: Royalty Relief Will Cost the Government Billions of Dollars but Uncertainty Over Future Energy Prices and Production Levels Make Precise Estimates Impossible at this Time" is a new correspondence report from the Government Accountability Office.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-590R
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CIM Government Facilities
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Iraq's parliament was bombed this week, despite being in the highly secured Green Zone in Baghdad, where admission requires passing multiple checkpoints, searches, metal detectors, and sniffer dogs. A bridge was blown up earlier the same day.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/article2445105.ece
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6552229.stm
http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/2326/Parliament_Bombing_--_How_Could_it_Happen
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=32799
http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=3035555&page=1
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/World/The_United_States/Iraq_parliament_attack_US_focus_on_security/articleshow/1900928.cms
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CIM Information Technology
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Publisher Tim O'Reilly released a draft code of conduct for blogging. Following death threats against blogger Kathy Sierra, he proposes an end to anonymous comments and a commitment to civility.
http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2007/04/draft_bloggers_1.html

More than 2.5 million people have taken up a .eu address on the web.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/483

The US Department of Defense announced the Iris Project, to put an internet router in space by the beginning of 2009.
http://www.intelsatgeneral.com/pdf/en/aboutus/releases/2007-4-11-IRIS.pdf
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CIM Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste
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Russia and Iran made no progress in settling their dispute over financing of the Bushehr nuclear plant in southern Iran. Russia was surprised by military exercises being conducted near the plant.
http://en.rian.ru/world/20070413/63610026.html
http://www.kommersant.com/p757664/r_542/Iran,_Russia,_Bushehr_plant/

Russia and Mongolia will jointly prospect, produce, and process uranium.
http://en.rian.ru/world/20070413/63620611.html

Russia and the US have agreed to a plan that will help sustain and maintain security upgrades at Russian nuclear facilities.
http://www.nnsa.doe.gov/docs/newsreleases/2007/PR_2007-04-11_NA-07-11.htm

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued revisions to proposed regulations dealing with licensing new nuclear power plants, taking into account prior reviews and stakeholder comments. The final rule now clarifies environmental reviews and includes additional criteria for amendments to certified designs.
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2007/07-046.html

The Indian Point nuclear reactor, just north of New York City, caught fire this week, leading to the second outage within a week. The fourth unplanned shutdown since July, this has led NRC to downgrade its safety assessment. NRC has also refused a request from Entergy for a second extension to the requirement for siren backup power. Siren tests failed again this Thursday.
http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/plant-specific-items/indian-point-issues.html
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--indianpoint0412apr12,0,4806250.story
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/07/nyregion/07power.html

The Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant in Wisconsin has been given a yellow flag after the NRC found that the failure of the plant to promptly take corrective action for a diesel generator fuel leak in June 2006 was of "substantial importance to safety."
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2007/07-015iii.html
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CIM Public Health and Healthcare
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Recent assessments suggest that few countries are on track to achieve health-related Millennium Development Goals by the target date of 2015. The World Health Organization (WHO) is issuing a series of papers on the costs of attaining these goals.
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/85/4/07-041467/en/index.html
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/85/4/06-032037-ab/en/index.html
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/85/4/06-032052-ab/en/index.html

In "Paying for People", Oxfam urges governments and other major donors to provide more aid to solve chronic shortage of health workers and teachers in poor countries. The report estimates that $13.7 billion must be invested very year to fund the additional 2.1 million teachers and 4.2 million health care workers - half of them in Africa - urgently needed to break the cycle of poverty.
http://www.oxfam.org/en/news/2007/pr070413_more_aid_for_doctors_and_teachers

Ethiopia has launched a national strategy on adolescent and reproductive health that aims to tackle the problems of early marriages and pregnancies, female circumcision, abduction and rape, and poor access to healthcare for 10- to 24-year-olds.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=71575

Mali is one of the deadliest places to live in the world as thousands of mostly children and young mothers die every week from diseases and complications that could be prevented with minimal investment. A 1990 plan to decentralize access to healthcare has foundered, and now teams of mobile health workers are the next hope for keeping the country alive.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=71569

Drug resistance has led the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to change treatment recommendations for gonorrhea infections. Fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and levofloxacin) are no longer effective, limiting effective treatment to a single class of cephalosporin antibiotics.
http://www.cdc.gov/STD/Media/GonTreatmentPressRelease4-11-07.pdf

An independent panel assessing poor treatment of injured veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Center has blamed bureaucracy, failures of leadership, inadequate training, lack of investment, and staffing shortages. The Pentagon was held responsible, and the panel recommended that Walter Reed be closed as soon as possible.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/12/washington/12medical.html
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=3035263
http://armed-services.senate.gov/e_witnesslist.cfm?id=2690
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CIM Telecommunications
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Cisco is reporting multiple vulnerabilities in the Wireless Control System, Wireless LAN Controller, and Lightweight Access Points.
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/products_security_advisory09186a008081e18d.shtml
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/products_security_advisory09186a008081e189.shtml

The Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) Committee of the European Parliament will vote on the European Commission's proposal to reduce international mobile roaming charges by 70 percent as from this summer.
http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/07/132

UK financial regulator Ofcom published proposals to allow for more license exemptions to promote new wireless services. For example:
* making certain low-power devices, such as those that could potentially be used to transfer data between handheld devices - like digital cameras and personal audio players, license-exempt;
* removing the need to hold a license to use the largely unused higher frequency bands (particularly above 100 GHz); and
* providing more flexible regulation that will allow many more license-exempt users to share spectrum and additional capacity for new and existing applications.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/lefr/

The US Trade Representative released the results of the annual review of the operation and effectiveness of telecommunications trade agreements under Section 1377 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (?1377 Review?), which addresses barriers to competition. It focused on these areas of concern:
* Egypt with respect to ensuring an open licensing regime for new operators and the public availability of Telecom Egypt?s interconnection arrangements
* Thailand with respect to submitting a revised GATS schedule to bind its recent market-liberalizing telecom reforms, which it has so far failed to do
* Jamaica with respect to its universal service program that disproportionately applies to US operators and raises questions as to its transparency
* Mexico with respect to ensuring cost-based interconnection rates, as well as providing market access for telecommunications equipment tested by U.S. testing laboratories
* Guatemala with respect to delays in ensuring interconnection between carriers.
* Barriers to the provision of satellite capacity
* Barriers to the provision of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services
* Limitations on access to and use of public telecommunications services (including leased lines)
* Issues related to regulatory independence, transparency, and excessive market entry requirements.
http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2007/April/USTR_Issues_2007_Review_of_Telecommunications_Trade_Agreements.html
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CIM Transportation
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The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) released preliminary safety and security statistics for air carrier operations in 2006.
http://www.icao.int/cgi/goto_m.pl?icao/en/nr/2007/pio200702_e.pdf

A Transport Canada internal audit finds that the plan to eliminate regular safety audits of Canadian airlines could increase risks and undermine the Canadian aviation industry.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=1a70a2e3-8401-4cc6-850e-ff973d9b0739&k=83029

The European Parliament Transport Committee heavily amended a draft regulation for common aviation security rules. For example, they call for strict regulation of "Sky Marshals", especially if it involves the carriage of weapons on board aircraft.
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/062-5101-100-04-15-910-20070410IPR05066-10-04-2007-2007-false/default_es.htm

The US Coast Guard said that it met the 1 April deadline for tracking all large commercial vessels in US waters.
https://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/786/153131/

The Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) for port workers is behind schedule.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-bz.port13apr13,0,6391492.story?coll=bal-business-headlines
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-681T

The US Departments of Homeland Security and Energy are testing radiation scanning of shipping containers in Honduras and Pakistan. Previous tests in the US have had little success.
http://www.nnsa.doe.gov/docs/newsreleases/2007/PR_2007-04-11_NA-07-12.htm
http://www.silive.com/news/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/1176377403177810.xml
http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates/2007/04/questions_raised_about_new_sec.html

National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Mark V. Rosenker says that the US is entering a period in which technology lessons learned in aviation can be applied to improve the safety of a highway system that sees more than 90 percent of all transportation fatalities every year in the US.
http://www.ntsb.gov/Speeches/rosenker/mvr070411.htm
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CIM Water
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Australia's drought is not only raising concerns among residents, but is beginning to affect a range of industries. States are concerned that federal proposals, particularly piping water across the country, are insufficient and poorly thought out.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Crossborder-water-plan-full-of-holes/2007/04/12/1175971220721.html
http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2007/s1895820.htm
http://www.gcbulletin.com.au/article/2007/04/14/4497_editorial.html
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/env/2007/pubs/mr13apr07.pdf
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/env/2007pubs/mr12apr207.pdf
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/env/2007pubs/mr12apr07.pdf
http://www.snowyhydro.com.au/

The North American Future 2025 Project includes an effort for Canada, Mexico, and the US to discuss water transfers and diversions. Canada has abundant water resources, while Mexico and the US face serious shortages.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=af081d95-0da4-4c7a-bbcd-a5dd5beb7954&k=29260

A water treatment plant in La Verne, California, is among the dozens nationwide susceptible to terrorist attack because it uses deadly chlorine gas and transports it by unprotected rail cars. Richmond, Virginia, is nearing completion of its conversion from chlorine to liquid sodium hypochlorite.
http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_5647597
http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173350696922&path=!news&s=1045855934842
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2007/04/chemical_security_report.html

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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Flash floods in Thailand have killed at least 35.

In southern Sri Lanka a passenger bus collided with a beer truck, and both caught on fire. At least 25 people were killed and more than 50 were injured, several in critical condition.

A passenger bus in Mexico collided with a cargo truck and caught fire. The fiery crash left 24 dead and 18 injured.

The MV Bourbon Dolphin capsized in the North Sea at 5.20 p.m. on 12 April while involved in an anchor laying operation at an offshore installation west of the Shetlands. Three crewman are confirmed dead, and five are still missing, including a 15-year-old boy, but a salvage operation is in progress. Scottish Police are leading the investigation and the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency is coordinating the salvage operation.

Wildfires are threatening homes in Los Angeles and San Diego, California. Driven by the wind, the fires are knocking out power and forcing scores to people to evacuate.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/13/national/main2679813.shtml
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=16344

A magnitude 6 earthquake struck the Pacific Coast of Mexico, north of Acapulco, but caused no serious damage or casualties.
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DRM Response and Recovery
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Oxfam reports that Britain's foreign policy, which has harmed its image in many Islamic and developing countries, is damaging the ability of charities to help with disaster relief and reconstruction in war zones.
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_we_do/issues/conflict_disasters/ogbbp_ehicalfp.htm

Greek authorities are taking steps to prevent oil leaks and cleaning up the Sea Diamond cruise ship, that struck a coral reef and slowly sank off Santorini last Friday. Two people are missing and presumed dead. The captain and five crewmembers were charged with negligence. Louis Cruise Lines and the Merchant Marine Minister Manolis Kefaloyannis agree that human error was the cause of the incident.
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100002_13/04/2007_82286
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1609299,00.html

In Mozambique, an official report finds that high temperatures, poor storage, and lack of inspections led to the massive 22 March explosion of the armory that killed more than 100 people and injured hundreds more.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L12298524.htm

The Solomon Islands have begun reconstruction efforts that will likely include relocation, following the tsunami earlier this month, which left at least 39 dead and 7,000 homeless. The western province, particularly the island of Gizo, was devastated, and several villages in the area will be moved to higher ground. Water-borne diseases, including diarrhea and malaria, continue to present a significant risk.
http://www.ifrc.org/Docs/News/07/07041001/index.asp
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc108?OpenForm&rc=5&emid=TS-2007-000042-SLB
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DRM Risks
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Lloyd's latest research on climate change indicates that the insurance industry should start planning now for potentially higher losses due to global warming's impact on the severity and frequency of weather events.
http://www.lloyds.com/News_Centre/Features_from_Lloyds/UK_scientists_issue_a_global_warning.htm

In Canada, a survey of those affected by Peterborough, Ontario's 2004 heavy rainfall flooding illustrates the problems associated with lack of personal and family disaster preparedness. Overland and sewer backup flooding, which contributed to the Peterborough flooding, are likely to increase under global warming. People usually underestimate risk, and rely too heavily on government protection. This was not the case in Peterborough, where 61 percent of respondents said that they were still at risk for flooding; 59 percent said that they would be threatened by sewer backup at some time in the future; and a majority indicated they were taking action to reduce further flood damages
http://www.cdnunderwriter.com/Issues/ISarticle.asp?id=185351&story_id=13103160021&issue=03012007&PC=

The Insurance Information Institute warns that storms costlier than Hurricane Katrina are possible. If a category 5 hurricane, such as Katrina, hits parts of the eastern US coast, insured losses could exceed $100 billion.
http://www.iii.org/media/updates/press.769972/

A failure of Kentucky's Wolf Creek Dam would flood cities along the Cumberland river in Kentucky and Tennessee. Repairs are underway to stop leaking, and a new emergency notification system is being installed. Insurance is currently unavailable.
http://www.wbko.com/news/headlines/7000882.html
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DRM Mitigation
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Allianz Global Corporate and Specialty has successfully closed an innovative catastrophe bond to transfer the risk of severe river floods in Great Britain and earthquakes in Canada and the US excluding California in an amount of $150 million, the first part in a $1 billion program that can be expanded to cover other risks. RMS's second-generation parametric index trigger provides the innovative modeling and operation, and Swiss Re placed the funds.
http://www.allianz.com/en/allianz_group/press_center/news/financial_news/allianz_stock_und_bonds/news_2007-04-10.html
http://www.rms.com/NewsPress/PR_041007_GB_RiverFlood.asp
http://www.swissre.com/
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007160630,00.html

China will fine subway companies that do not have emergency response plans.
http://english.people.com.cn/200704/13/eng20070413_366059.html

The US Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs held a hearing on An Examination of the Availability and Affordability of Property and Casualty Insurance in the Gulf Coast and Other Coastal Regions. Industry and affected government officials pointed to rising costs and loss of coverage and called for a national catastrophe fund. This concept has been rejected by the Bush administration, including testimony from White House Council of Economic Advisors Chairman Edward Lazear, who insisted that private insurance could handle the risk but wasn't doing a good job.
http://banking.senate.gov/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.Detail&HearingID=253
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070413/OPINION01/704130314

As people age, physical, visual and cognitive abilities may decline. Older drivers may find it more difficult to drive safely, and are more likely to suffer injuries or die in crashes. With older adults representing the fastest-growing segment of the US population, it is increasingly important that steps are taken to promote practices to improve driver safety, and to monitor the success of the efforts.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-413
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-517SP

7. Recommended Reading

This week, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) made public hundreds of claims for damages by family members of civilians killed or injured by Coalition Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The records were obtained in response to a June 2006 Freedom of Information Act request.

The US Department of Defense has taken a number of measures to control information regarding civilian deaths. This includes banning photographers on US military bases from covering arriving caskets containing soldiers' remains, paying for positive press accounts, requiring embedded journalists submit stories for prepublication review, destroying footage of civilian deaths in Afghanistan, and refusing to disclose statistics on civilian casualties.

The US Foreign Claims Settlement Commission (FCSC) is a quasi-judicial, independent agency within the Department of Justice, which adjudicates claims of US nationals against foreign governments, either under specific jurisdiction conferred by Congress or pursuant to international claims settlement agreements. The Department of Justice derives funds for payment of the Commission's awards from congressional appropriations, international claims settlements, or liquidation of foreign assets in the US. In Iraq, claims are filed at the Civil-Military Operations Centers, under the US Foreign Claims Act, while the Department of State handles other international claims and disputed. Other forms of compensation are also available under defense administrative procedures.
http://www.usdoj.gov/fcsc/
http://electroniciraq.net/news/1358.shtml
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode10/usc_sec_10_00002734----000-.html
http://www.state.gov/s/l/c3433.htm
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/TJAG_1.html

The newly released claims records provide significant details of the circumstances around numerous civilian deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq. The ACLU has compiled 479 files from Iraq and 17 from Afghanistan, and these are available in a searchable online database at:
http://www.aclu.org/civiliancasualties

Most of the Iraq claims range from early 2003 to late 2006; the majority is from 2005. Most claims from Afghanistan are from May 2006, with one dating back to 2001. Based on the number of deaths represented and the variation in number and location of claims per year, the ACLU believes there are additional documents and is pressing the Defense Department to disclose them all.

Of the 496 files:
* 198 were denied under "combat exclusion", in which the military found that the incidents arose "from action by an enemy or resulted directly or indirectly from an act of the armed forces of the United States in combat."
* 92 of the claims relate to deaths at checkpoints or near US convoys
* 164 incidents resulted in cash payments to family members.
* In approximately half of the cash payment cases, the US accepted responsibility for the death of the civilian and offered a "compensation payment."
* In the other half, U.S. authorities issued "condolence" payments, which are an expression of sympathy without reference to fault that permit discretionary payments capped at $2,500.
* Claims based on incidents that were not reported in the military's "SIGACT" ("significant act") database, despite eyewitness corroborations, are generally denied for compensation although a condolence payment may be issued.
http://www.aclu.org/natsec/foia/29316prs20070412.html

Here are four examples from the redacted files, which illustrate the human cost of war - not just the statistics:

In Iraq's eastern Salah Ad Din province US forces opened fire with more than 100 hundred rounds on the claimant's sleeping family, killing his mother, father and brother. The firepower was of such magnitude that 32 of the family's sheep were also killed. The Army acknowledged responsibility and provided a compensation payment of $11,200 and a $2,500 condolence payment.
http://www.aclu.org/natsec/foia/pdf/Army0612_0617.pdf

A Baghdad civilian stated that his only son, aged nine, was playing outside when a stray bullet hit and killed him. The Army acknowledged responsibility and paid compensation of $4,000.
http://www.aclu.org/natsec/foia/pdf/Army0867_0873.pdf

In Kirkuk, a civilian's son drove up to a checkpoint, where he was shot at through the roof of the car and hit in the abdomen. He later died from his wounds. An Army sergeant's email states: "How was he supposed to know to get out of the vehicle when they fired warning shots? If I was in his place I would have stayed put too." The claim was denied although the sergeant suggested that the civilian might seek a condolence payment.
http://www.aclu.org/natsec/foia/pdf/Army0430_0438.pdf

In another case, a civilian states that his mother was killed, his four-year-old brother suffered shrapnel wounds to the head, and his sister was shot in the leg after the taxi they were riding in ran through a checkpoint in the eastern Iraq town of Baqubah. An Army memorandum states: "[T]here is evidence to suggest that the warning cones and printed checkpoint signs had not yet been displayed in front of the checkpoint, which may be the reason why the driver of the Taxi did not believe he was required to stop." The Army suggested a condolence payment of $7,500. It is not known whether it was granted.
http://www.aclu.org/natsec/foia/pdf/Army0762.pdf

OTHER KEY SOURCES ON CIVILIAN DEATHS INCLUDE:
Antiwar
http://www.antiwar.com/casualties/
Iraq Body Count
http://www.iraqbodycount.org/
Iraq Coalition Casualty Count
http://icasualties.org/oif/
The Lancet (definitive report)
http://www.thelancet.com/webfiles/images/journals/lancet/s0140673606694919.pdf
Unknown News
http://www.unknownnews.net/casualties.html

8. Asset Management Network News

We've seen very high demand for "Islamic Finance: An Introduction". This was developed for our seminar series on this topic, and includes dozens of documents that introduce the opportunities presented in this rapidly emerging market (growing at 15-20 percent a year). In addition, it covers basic concepts and terminology, applications, international regulations and interpretations, and has an extensive listing of additional resources. You can purchase this by going to www.tamni.com, clicking on SEMINARS, and selecting the Seminar Documents Only item, at the end of the list.

We will be publishing the full seminar schedule soon.

Some forms of Islamic Finance have been associated with money laundering and terrorist financing typologies. The monthly AML/CFT monitor addresses these issues, and how to handle them. Subscribers get discounts to the seminar series and other events. Consider subscribing to this or one of our other monthly Monitors. They're available with a click of the TAMNI PUBLICATIONS button at www.tamni.com.

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

This Newsletter, "Global Terrorism Monitor", "Political Risk Monitor", "AML/CFT Monitor", "Emerging Threat Monitor", "Critical Infrastructure Monitor", and associated databases are published by The Asset Management Network, Inc., P.O. Box 380313, Cambridge MA 02238-0313. Tel + 1 (617) 489-6155, Fax + 1 (617) 489-6145. Email editor@terrorismcentral.com