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Promoting Internet Growth and Innovation Through Multistakeholder Internet Governance by Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Lawrence E. Strickling
<http://www.ntia.doc.gov/blog/2014/promoting-internet-growth-and-innovation-through-multistakeholder-internet-governance>

UN officials applaud United States intent to transition oversight of key web domains
<http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=47378>

VeriSign Drops on U.S. Plan to Give Up Web-Address Control
<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-17/verisign-drops-on-u-s-plan-to-give-up-internet-address-control.html>

Australia endorses US withdrawal from internet control
<http://www.zdnet.com/au/australia-endorses-us-withdrawal-from-internet-control-7000027368/>

Registration numbers not the only success measure for new TLDs by Adrian Kinderis
<http://www.ariservices.com/blog/registration-numbers-not-the-only-success-measure-for-new-tlds/>

.BERLIN Off To Flying Start With Record gTLD Registration Numbers On First Day Of GA
<http://www.domainpulse.com/2014/03/19/berlin-off-to-flying-start/>

Rush opens for .kiwi domain names
<http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/rush-opens-kiwi-domain-names-5867685>

All Kiwis can apply for a .kiwi domain name now
<http://www.computerworld.co.nz/article/540809/all_kiwis_can_apply_kiwi_domain_name_now/>
<http://www.reseller.co.nz/article/540809/all_kiwis_can_apply_kiwi_domain_name_now/>

Registrars screwing up new gTLD launches?
<http://domainincite.com/16133-registrars-screwing-up-new-gtld-launches>

Dot Kiwi domain names go live after two years of planning
<http://techday.com/start-up/news/dot-kiwi-domain-names-go-live-after-two-years-of-planning/180855/>

.KIWI And .BERLIN Commence Registrations On 18 March
<http://www.domainpulse.com/2014/03/18/kiwi-and-berlin-commence-registrations-on-18-march/>
<http://www.domainnews.com/kiwi-and-berlin-commence-registrations-on-18-march.html>


**********************
 - ICANN
**********************
Promoting Internet Growth and Innovation Through Multistakeholder Internet Governance by Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Lawrence E. Strickling
This past Friday, NTIA asked ICANN to convene global stakeholders to develop a proposal to transition the U.S. government?s stewardship of the Internet?s DNS. This marks a major milestone toward the final phase of the privatization of the DNS, which was first outlined by the U.S. Government in 1997.
<http://www.ntia.doc.gov/blog/2014/promoting-internet-growth-and-innovation-through-multistakeholder-internet-governance>

Auction Operations Commence ? Schedule Published
ICANN is publishing the schedule of the upcoming Auctions for unresolved contention sets. The first Auction Event is scheduled for 4 June 2014.
<http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/announcements-and-media/announcement-19mar14-en>

ICANN Seeks Comments on Requests for Exemption to the Registry Operator Code of Conduct
Today, ICANN posted requests for exemption to the Registry Operator Code of Conduct that it has received for review and comment by the community. The Registry Operator Code of Conduct is a set of guidelines for the Registry Operator relating to certain and limited operations of a registry. All Registry Operators are subjected to the Code of Conduct unless an exemption is granted to the Registry Operator by ICANN.
<http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/announcements-and-media/announcement-18mar14-en>

First Community Priority Evaluation (CPE) Results Released
Today, ICANN is publishing the first four results of the Community Priority Evaluation (CPE) process. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), CPE evaluation panel, performed the evaluations using the criteria defined in section 4.2 of the Applicant Guidebook (AGB).
<http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/announcements-and-media/announcement-2-18mar14-en>

Annual Independent Audit RFP
ICANN is issuing today a Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify audit firms interested in performing ICANN's annual independent audit.
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-18mar14-en.htm>

Countdown to ICANN 49! by Kuek Yu-Chuang
It?s one week before ICANN 49 in Singapore and the APAC hub office is buzzing with preparation to welcome the world that will descend upon us!
<http://blog.icann.org/2014/03/countdown-to-icann-49/>

Gunther Eysenbach, Editor and Publisher | Journal of Medical Internet Research, to Stephen Crocker, Fadi Chehad?, and Cherine Chalaby
Safeguards for Health-Related TLDs 	 
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/correspondence/eysenbach-to-crocker-et-al-11mar14-en>

Dr. Otmar Kloiber, World Medical Association, to Dr. Stephen Crocker, Mr. Fadi Chehad?, and Mr. Cherine Chalaby
Public Interest Concerns for .HEALTH TLD 	 
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/correspondence/kloiber-to-chehade-et-al-11mar14-en>

Prof. S. Yunkap Kwankam, Executive Director | International Society for Telemedicine & eHealth, to Dr. Stephen Crocker, Mr. Fadi Chehad?, and Mr. Cherine Chalaby
Public Interest Concerns for .HEALTH TLD
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/correspondence/kwankam-to-crocker-et-al-11mar14-en>

Akram Atallah, President, Global Domains Division | ICANN, to Stefano Monguzzi and Pierfrancesco Fasano
Questions Regarding the Proposal for Accrediation as URS, SDRP, Trademark PDDRP, RRDRP Provider
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/correspondence/atallah-to-monguzzi-fasano-18mar14-en>

Stefano Monguzzi, IP Mediation and Arbirtration Center, and Pierfrancesco Fasano to Fadi Chehad?
Questions Regarding the Proposal for Accrediation as URS, SDRP, Trademark PDDRP, RRDRP Provider
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/correspondence/monguzzi-fasano-to-chehade-12mar14-en>

R. Shawn Gunnarson, Kirton McConkie, to Christine Willett
Comments by DOT Registry
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/correspondence/gunnarson-to-willett-11mar14-en>

Rabbi Moshe Elefant, Dr. Avrom Pollak, Rabbi Sholem Fishbane, Rabbi Ari Senter, and Rabbi S. Adler to the ICANN New gTLD Program Committee
GAC Category 2 Advice and .kosher Application
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/correspondence/elefant-et-al-to-ngpc-06mar14-en>

UN officials applaud United States intent to transition oversight of key web domains
United Nations officials have welcomed the recent announcement the United States plans to transition key oversight of domain names and other aspects of the Internet?s architecture to the global community, as a major step towards the multilateral Internet governance that the UN has been advocating for many years.
<http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=47378>

Statement from ITU Secretary-General, Dr Hamadoun I. Tour?
I welcome the announcement from the National Telecommunication and Information Administration of the United States Department of Commerce, of 14 March, 2014, regarding its intent to transition IANA functions to the global community, including full support for a multistakeholder model of Internet governance free from regulation by any one government or inter-governmental organization.
<http://www.itu.int/en/osg/Pages/statement-march2014.aspx>

America's Internet Surrender: By unilaterally retreating from online oversight, the White House pleased regimes that want to control the Web.
The Internet is often described as a miracle of self-regulation, which is almost true. The exception is that the United States government has had ultimate control from the beginning. Washington has used this oversight only to ensure that the Internet runs efficiently and openly, without political pressure from any country.
<http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303563304579447362610955656>

Editorial: Updating Internet Governance
The technical business of managing Internet addresses and domain names has often taken on geopolitical overtones. About a year ago, some countries including Russia and China tried to pressure the United States into relinquishing management and coordination of web addresses to the telecommunications arm of the United Nations.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/19/opinion/updating-internet-governance.html>

The U.S. Is Trying to Do the Right Thing About Internet Freedom, but It Could Backfire
The Internet seems pretty stable. No snow days, no blackouts (at least in the West). But in reality the Internet has governing bodies, or at least maintenance groups, just like anything else. And ICANN?which manages things like computer, server, and website communication?is about to go through a major change.
<http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2014/03/18/the_u_s_isn_t_going_to_run_icann_anymore.html>

Thoughts About U.S. Government's Decision on IANA Transition by Byron Holland
Last week the government of the United States made an announcement that sent shockwaves through the Internet governance world. The National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA), a division of the Department of Commerce, publicly stated that it will not be renewing its contract with the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) past its September 2015 expiry date. The importance of this announcement cannot be underestimated.
<http://www.circleid.com/posts/20140318_thoughts_on_us_governments_decision_on_iana_transition/>

Yes, we ICANN, but maybe not for much longer
A huge announcement was buried in last week?s Friday night news dump, which leads one to suspect the Obama Administration wanted to catch critics off-guard. The announcement concerned the impending transfer of authority over Internet domains to a global body? which doesn?t actually exist yet.
<http://www.humanevents.com/2014/03/18/yes-we-icann-but-maybe-not-for-much-longer/>

If the Stakeholders Already Control the Internet, Why NETmundial and the IANA Transition? by Philip S. Corwin
Last weekend C-Span, the public service network that broadcasts proceedings of the U.S. Congress and other U.S. government functions, aired a segment of its series "the Communicators" featuring ICANN CEO Fadi Chehade; C-Span describes the show as "Half-hour conversations with the leaders who shape our digital future". While the interview is actually just 28 minutes long, and appears to have been recorded on January 28th, it contains some surprising statements that raise some intriguing questions.
<http://www.circleid.com/posts/20140316_if_the_stakeholders_already_control_the_internet_netmundial_iana/>

NTIA: U.S. won?t abandon its role in the internet until it?s satisfied with the alternative
Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information Lawrence E. Strickling penned a blog post today to try to clarify some of the misinformation coming out of last week?s announcement of transitioning the IANA functions.
<http://domainnamewire.com/2014/03/19/ntia-u-s-wont-abandon-its-role-in-the-internet-until-its-satisfied-with-the-alternative/>

Internet Governance - Joint statement by Laurent Fabius and Fleur Pellerin (March 18, 2014)
Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Fleur Pellerin, Minister Delegate for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Innovation and the Digital Economy, welcome the American authorities? announcement that they would relinquish their control over domain names on September 20, 2015. This announcement makes it possible to imagine, for example, that any request to change the ?.fr? extension could be made in the future without the approval of U.S. officials.
<http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/french-foreign-policy-1/digital-diplomacy/events-7821/article/internet-governance-joint>

Verisign Statement on National Telecommunications and Information Administration's Announcement of Its Intent to Transition Key Internet Domain Name Functions
VeriSign, Inc. today (17/3) provided a statement on the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) announcement of its intent to transition key Internet domain name functions.
<http://www.verisigninc.com/en_US/internet-technology-news/verisign-press-releases/articles/index.xhtml?artLink=aHR0cDovL2ZlZWRzLm13bmV3c3Jvb20uY29tL2FydGljbGUvcnNzP2lkPTE4MTg1OTE%3D>

VeriSign Drops on U.S. Plan to Give Up Web-Address Control
VeriSign Inc, which manages a directory of Internet addresses, fell the most since November 2012 amid concern that its business may be hurt by a U.S. plan to shift control of the system for assigning website addresses.
<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-17/verisign-drops-on-u-s-plan-to-give-up-internet-address-control.html>

Verisign stock punished after US move from root control
Verisign?s share price is down around 8% in early trading today, after analysts speculated that the US government?s planned move away from control of the DNS root put .com at risk.
<http://domainincite.com/16115-verisign-stock-punished-after-us-move-from-root-control>

Verisign tells markets NTIA news doesn?t affect its .com contract while stock drops
Verisign issued a press release this morning reminding investors that Friday?s big news about the U.S. government transitioning internet responsibilities does not affect its lucrative contract to run the .com domain name registry.
<http://domainnamewire.com/2014/03/17/verisign-tells-markets-ntia-news-doesnt-affect-its-com-contract-while-stock-drops/>

Cable Ops, Others Say 'We Can' To ICANN Transition Process
Cable operators and other media company stakeholders in the Internet Governance Coalition say they welcome the National Telecommunications & Information Administration's announcement last week that it will work on transitioning U.S. oversight functions over ICANN, the domain naming system (DNS) body, to a nongovermental, multistakeholder model.
<http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/cable-ops-others-say-we-can-icann-transition-process/129908>

U.S. Pulls Out Of ICANN ? What Does That Spell For Internet Users?
The U.S. plans to give up oversight of the nonprofit that manages Internet names and addresses. Technology reporter Gauthem Nagesh of The Wall Street Journal explains what this means for the Internet.
<http://www.npr.org/2014/03/19/291475122/u-s-pulls-out-of-icann-what-does-that-spell-for-internet-users>

Leaks lead to handover of web control
The web may be thought of as being worldwide, but from its inception the internet was created, controlled and overseen largely by a single country: the United States.
<http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11222689>

America's Internet Surrender
The Internet is often described as a miracle of self-regulation, which is almost true. The exception is that the United States government has had ultimate control from the beginning. Washington has used this oversight only to ensure that the Internet runs efficiently and openly, without political pressure from any country.
<http://nation.foxnews.com/2014/03/19/americas-internet-surrender>

What's in a name: Is the US really giving up control of the Internet?
Is our created-in-America communications revolution about to go the way of IBM PCs and our Nokia cellphones? Is the U.S. really going to hand authority over the Internet to....someone else?
<http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2014/03/19/what-in-name-is-us-really-giving-up-control-internet/>

Sarah Palin pans ICANN plan
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on Wednesday slammed the administration?s decision to withdraw its oversight of an Internet governance board, calling it a ?colossal? error.
<http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/sarah-palin-internet-icann-104821.html>

ICANN sends registrars and domain owners into panic with 2013 RAA
The 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement includes new requirements for preserving the accuracy of WHOIS records that run afoul of EU privacy protections, and introduce potential security vulnerabilities.
<http://www.techrepublic.com/article/icann-sends-registrars-and-domain-owners-into-panic-with-2013-raa/>

The U.S. is relinquishing control of domain names. Here's why.
The United States has long planned to give up its unique role as steward of the Internet's domain name system, but it's unclear what kind of entity will replace it.
<http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2014/03/17/us-internet-domain-names/>

Rockefeller Statement on Global Internet Governance
"... NTIA?s announcement today that it is beginning the process of transferring additional domain name functions to ICANN is the next phase in this transition. It is also consistent with other efforts the U.S. and our allies are making to promote a free and open Internet, and to preserve and advance the current multi-stakeholder model of global Internet governance.? 
<http://www.commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=b0a9b496-2c09-4712-972a-80638efe6a16>

Thune (R-SD) Statement on NTIA?s Internet Governance Announcement
... ?The U.S. helped create the Internet, and we want to see it grow and stand on its own. It doesn't need a nanny state, or a collection of nanny states, trying to stifle it. It needs ? and deserves ? a strong multi-stakeholder system free from the control of any government or governmental entity and which keeps the critical Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions insulated from the politics of Internet governance.
<http://www.commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=94f39a92-55d9-4e5f-b363-a005b15ebec3>

The GOP Freak Out Over the U.S. 'Losing the Internet' Has Begun
Republicans are seeing red following the Obama administration's decision to relinquish control of the Internet to the "international community." The move is "red meat for the base," former Republican California congresswoman Mary Bono told Politico, another club the party can use to hammer President Obama on foreign policy.
<http://www.thewire.com/politics/2014/03/gop-freak-out-over-us-losing-internet-has-begun/359249/>

Towards further Globalisation of the Internet
Vice President Neelie Kroes today warmly welcomed the announcement of the United States Government to "transition out of the IANA function", which will allow a more global multi-stakeholder basis for an important element of governance of the Internet.
<http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-14-70_en.htm>

The Internet Is About to Take Its Next Giant Evolutionary Leap
The U.S. plan to relinquish stewardship of key technical functions that ensure the Internet runs properly drew praise and criticism over the weekend. If the process goes smoothly, it shouldn?t affect the day-to-day Internet experience for users, but the shift, which was announced Friday by U.S. officials, represents an important development in the evolution of the Internet.
<http://time.com/25931/us-internet-oversight-plan/>

Is NTIA's Transition Decision the Right Dose of Chemotherapy to Repair Trust in Multistakeholderism by Khaled Fattal
Proper, transparent, accountable U.S. NTIA's Transition of its oversight of the Internet to something other than a single country oversight is something I have always believed in and spoke and written about repeatedly for years and is long overdue. But NTIA's March 14th declared intent to transfer "Key" Internet roles is not only very ambiguous but leads to new questions and concerns that must be answered before anything starts taking place.
<http://www.circleid.com/posts/20140317_is_ntias_transition_decision_right_doze_of_chemotherapy_to_repair/>

Australia endorses US withdrawal from internet control
Australian Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has welcomed the US' move to relinquish control of administration of domain names to a more global body.
<http://www.zdnet.com/au/australia-endorses-us-withdrawal-from-internet-control-7000027368/>

Registrar suspends all domain names transferred from terminated registrar
ICANN terminated the accreditation of domain name registrar ABSYSTEMS INC (dba yournamemonkey.com) in December for multiple contract breaches.
<http://domainnamewire.com/2014/03/19/registrar-suspends-all-domain-names-transferred-from-terminated-registrar/>

**********************
 - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS
**********************
DRC minister calls for use of .cd rather than foreign TLDs
The Democratic Republic of Congo's ICT minister, Tryphon Kin-Kiey Mulumba, has officially received the management charter for the .cd TLD, Agence Ecofin reports.
<http://www.telecompaper.com/news/drc-minister-calls-for-use-of-cd-rather-than-foreign-tlds--1002995>

**********************
 - NEW TLDS
**********************
Registration numbers not the only success measure for new TLDs by Adrian Kinderis
... New TLD operators should be judged on their whole-of-business operational performance to take account of stakeholder engagement, customer satisfaction, strategy planning and financial modeling. Don?t get me wrong, domain name registration numbers matter. It?s just that you can?t determine the success or failure of a new TLD by comparing it to other TLDs. You can only judge a TLD against its intended purpose and strategy.
<http://www.ariservices.com/blog/registration-numbers-not-the-only-success-measure-for-new-tlds/>

.BERLIN Off To Flying Start With Record gTLD Registration Numbers On First Day Of GA
The new gTLD for the German capital of Berlin got off to a flying start Tuesday with 31,757 registrations on its first day of General Availability according to nTLDstats.com. This made it easily the gTLD with the most registrations on day one of General Availability since new gTLDs began hitting the market this year.
<http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=22028>
<http://www.domainpulse.com/2014/03/19/berlin-off-to-flying-start/>
<http://www.domainnews.com/berlin-off-to-flying-start.html>

Berlin launches first city web domain name
Berlin has become the world's first city to have its own internet domain name.
<http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/18/dot-berlin-internet-domain-name>

Rush opens for .kiwi domain names
New Zealanders around the world are now able to apply for .kiwi domain names after Dot Kiwi's landrush period opened today.
<http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/rush-opens-kiwi-domain-names-5867685>

All Kiwis can apply for a .kiwi domain name now
Dot Kiwi's Landrush Period, which started yesterday, will run till April 30, and will see the company take in applications for .kiwi domain names.
<http://www.computerworld.co.nz/article/540809/all_kiwis_can_apply_kiwi_domain_name_now/>
<http://www.reseller.co.nz/article/540809/all_kiwis_can_apply_kiwi_domain_name_now/>

Registrars screwing up new gTLD launches?
Some of the largest domain name registrars are failing to support new gTLDs properly, leading to would-be registrants being told unregistered names are unavailable.
<http://domainincite.com/16133-registrars-screwing-up-new-gtld-launches>

Weirdest new gTLD launch yet? .wed launches with a single registrar
The new gTLD .wed went into sunrise yesterday with the strangest pricing model yet and a stringent Registry-Registrar Agreement that seems to have scared off all but one registrar.
<http://domainincite.com/16144-weirdest-new-gtld-launch-yet-wed-launches-with-a-single-registrar>

First 4 Community Priority Evaluations Fail: .Taxi, Tennis, .MLS, .Immo
ICANN has published the results of the first four decided Community Priority Evaluations (CPE) for new TLDs. All four failed to pass.
<http://domainnamewire.com/2014/03/18/first-4-community-priority-evaluations-fail-taxi-tennis-mls-immo/>

55 new TLDs request exemption from Registry Code of Conduct
Today ICANN posted 55 requests made by new TLD applicants for an exemption from the Registry Code of Conduct.
<http://domainnamewire.com/2014/03/18/55-new-tlds-request-exemption-from-registry-code-of-conduct/>

New gTLD Registrations Pass Quarter Million As .GURU Tops The Chart
The new gTLD .guru is to date by far the most successful new gTLD when it comes to domains under management, with 44,800 of the 253,808, or 17.66 percent of all new gTLD registrations according to figures provided by nTLDstats.com.
<http://goldsteinreport.com/article.php?article=22021>
<http://www.domainpulse.com/2014/03/17/new-gtld-registrations-pass-quarter-million/>

6 new TLDs have eclipsed the 10,000 registration milestone
Of the dozens of new TLDs to enter general availability so far, six have now topped 10,000 registrations based on zone file records. .Directory is the most recent entrant in this club after hitting the milestone within the past few days.
<http://domainnamewire.com/2014/03/17/6-new-tlds-have-eclipsed-the-10000-registration-milestone/>

Full TMCH database published by registry?
DotBerlin seems to have published the full list of trademarks and other strings protected by the Trademark Clearinghouse.
<http://domainincite.com/16123-full-tmch-database-published-by-registry>

Expansion of Domain Name Space May Shift Trademark Protection Strategies
The unprecedented expansion of the Internet domain name space, until now dominated by .com and a handful of other gTLDs, is likely to disrupt existing strategies for trademark protection on the web.
<http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2014/article_0003.html>

Web domain name revolution a threat: UN [AAP]
The mass expansion of internet domain names could cause havoc for the defence of trademarks in cyberspace, the UN's intellectual property body warns.
<http://money.msn.co.nz/businessnews/world/8815502/web-domain-name-revolution-a-threat-un>
<http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/03/17/web-domain-name-revolution-threat-un>

Community gTLD applicants flunk on ?nexus?
The first four Community Priority Evaluation results are in, and all four applicants flunked by failing to prove a ?nexus? between the new gTLD string and the community they purport to represent.
<http://domainincite.com/16158-community-gtld-applicants-flunk-on-nexus>

Donuts plays the genericide card in showdown with Belgian government over .spa
Donuts has asked ICANN to approved its .spa new gTLD application over the objections of the Belgian government, saying the town of Spa no longer has exclusive rights to the string.
<http://domainincite.com/16154-donuts-plays-the-genericide-card-in-showdown-with-belgian-government-over-spa>

TLD Registry sells 20k+ IDN gTLD names to Chinese gov
TLD Registry has sold 20,452 new gTLD domain names to the Chinese government as it prepares to launch .??? (?.chinesewebsite?) and .?? (?.online?) tomorrow.
<http://domainincite.com/16151-tld-registry-sells-20k-idn-gtld-names-to-chinese-gov>

Chinese government buys 20,000 new IDN domain names
TLD Registry Ltd, which is launching the new TLDs Dot Chinese Online (.??) and Dot Chinese Website (.???), has inked a deal with the Chinese central government?s own registrar for 10,226 domain names in each of the new internationalized TLDs.
<http://domainnamewire.com/2014/03/19/chinese-government-buys-20000-new-idn-domain-names/>

Dot Kiwi domain names go live after two years of planning
Dot Kiwi?s Landrush Period opens today allowing all Kiwis across the globe to apply for .kiwi domain names.
<http://techday.com/start-up/news/dot-kiwi-domain-names-go-live-after-two-years-of-planning/180855/>

.KIWI And .BERLIN Commence Registrations On 18 March
If you live in Berlin or New Zealand you have a choice of a .berlin or .kiwi domain as of 18 March.
<http://www.domainpulse.com/2014/03/18/kiwi-and-berlin-commence-registrations-on-18-march/>
<http://www.domainnews.com/kiwi-and-berlin-commence-registrations-on-18-march.html>

The Birth Pangs of new TLDs
Confusion. Frustration. Incompetence. That?s how I?d sum up the launch of new TLDs so far. I?ve already written about some of the challenges of new TLD launches to date. How they?re coming out with a whimper. How domain name registrars are making it difficult to register these new domain names.
<http://domainnamewire.com/2014/03/18/the-birth-pangs-of-new-top-level-domain-names/>

.menu domain names now available for registration
Restaurant owners and foodies around the world are prepping themselves for a digital degustation in the form of .menu domain names, which launched live for public registrations this week.
<http://www.ariservices.com/news-.menu-domain-names-now-available-for-registration.php>

.Menu picks up over 1,500 registrations in first day
The .menu domain name entered general availability yesterday and got over 1,500 new registrations shortly after GA started, according to zone file data. Here are some of the types of domain names that were registered.
<http://domainnamewire.com/2014/03/18/menu-picks-up-over-1500-registrations-in-first-day/>

**********************
 - DNS SECURITY
**********************
uk: Revealed: the MoD's secret cyberwarfare programme
The Ministry of Defence is developing a secret, multimillion-pound research programme into the future of cyberwarfare, including how emerging technologies such as social media and psychological techniques can be harnessed by the military to influence people's beliefs.
<http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/mar/16/mod-secret-cyberwarfare-programme>

Joining Forces to Advance Protection Against the Growing Diversity of DDoS Attacks
You may have seen the news this morning that we have joined forces with Juniper Networks to provide a comprehensive, always on, DDoS solution.  At Verisign, we focus on protecting companies from increasingly complex cyber threats, and this relationship should only raise the bar higher, as it will provide a different, more integrated approach than what?s used today, to help ensure faster and more efficient detection and mitigation.
<http://blogs.verisigninc.com/blog/entry/joining_forces_to_advance_protection>

Banks to be hit with Microsoft costs for running outdated ATMs
Banks around the world, consumed with meeting more stringent capital regulations, will miss a deadline to upgrade outdated software for automated teller machines (ATMs) and face additional costs to Microsoft to keep them secure.
<http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/03/14/banks-atms-idINDEEA2D0BA20140314>

Japan holds first broad cybersecurity drill, frets over Olympics risks
Japan faced a full-on cyber attack across government departments on Tuesday in a drill aimed at bolstering national security as the country gears up to host the 2020 Olympics.
<http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/18/uk-japan-cybercrime-idUKBREA2G1OY20140318>

DDoS Attacks Hit NATO, Ukrainian Media Outlets
Multiple NATO and Ukrainian media websites were hit with distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks over the weekend by a pro-Russia group calling itself Cyber Berkut (KiberBerkut). "DDoS attack on some #NATO sites ongoing but most services restored," NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu tweeted Sunday. "Integrity of NATO data & systems not affected. We continue working on it."
<http://www.darkreading.com/applications/ddos-attacks-hit-nato-ukrainian-media-ou/240166678>

NATO websites hit in cyber attack linked to Crimea tension
Hackers brought down several public NATO websites, the alliance said on Sunday, in what appeared to be the latest escalation in cyberspace over growing tensions over Crimea.
<http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/03/17/ukraine-crisis-nato-cyber-idINDEEA2G02V20140317>

UK holds cyberwar game in WW2 bunker [AP]
Under London's streets in Winston Churchill's World War 2 bunker, young techies are fighting a new kind of war.
<http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/30025223/uk-holds-cyberwar-game-in-ww2-bunker>

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 - DOMAIN DISPUTES & SEIZURES
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Panel doesn?t consider TLD in the first-ever new gTLD UDRP case
The famous German bike maker Canyon Bicycles won canyon.bike from a registrant who said he?d bought the name ? and others ? in order to protect the company from cybersquatters.
<http://domainincite.com/16113-panel-doesnt-consider-tld-in-the-first-ever-new-gtld-udrp-case>

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 - MISCELLANEOUS
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The Spamhaus Policy Block List now covers One Billion IP addresses
As we always try keep tabs on what spammers do, we couldn't help to overhear this at an Evil Botnet Spam Gang's headquarters:
<http://www.spamhaus.org/news/article/711/the-spamhaus-policy-block-list-now-covers-one-billion-ip-addresses>

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES
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Pew: Digital Life in 2025: Experts predict the Internet will become 'like electricity' ? less visible, yet more deeply embedded in people's lives for good and ill
This report is the latest research report in a sustained effort throughout 2014 by the Pew Research Center to mark the 25th anniversary of the creation of the World Wide Web by Sir Tim Berners-Lee. He wrote a paper on March 12, 1989 proposing an ?information management? system that became the conceptual and architectural structure for the Web.  He eventually released the code for his system  ? for free ? to the world on Christmas Day in 1990. It became a milestone in easing the way for ordinary people to access documents and interact over the Internet ? a system that linked computers and that had been around for years.
<http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/03/11/digital-life-in-2025/>

Tomorrow's Internet starts now: get ready! [news release]
With some 2.5 billion users world-wide, today?s Internet is an established part of our lives. But new challenges are arising all the time and Europe needs to think ahead so that Internet can continue to offer new services, applications and business opportunities. From 18th to 20th March, more than 400 European scientists, researchers, business people, users, service and content providers will attend the Future Internet Assembly (FIA) in Athens &#167;FIAAthens2014 to discuss tomorrow?s Internet.
<http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-14-197_en.htm>

Rise of the machines will drive telcos' new growth
Planes, trains and other machines connected to the internet via mobile networks will be the next vital source of revenue growth for telecommunications companies such as Telstra and SingTel-Optus, new research by Bank of America Merrill Lynch shows.
<http://www.afr.com/p/business/companies/rise_of_the_machines_will_drive_UZNihSlj8scerDHR6ZYvJL>

Internet of Things highlights investment need on a 'vulnerability that people don't want to talk about'
Investment is needed into securing the fundamental stability of the internet to prevent massive breakdowns in communication and services, according to founder and CEO of Evrythng Andy Hobsbawm.
<http://www.thedrum.com/news/2014/03/19/internet-things-highlights-investment-need-vulnerability-people-dont-want-talk-about>

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ONLINE TV, MUSIC & PIRACY
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Global music sales fell in 2013 despite strong growth for streaming services
Global recorded music revenues fell by 3.9% to $15bn in 2013, despite income from subscription streaming services like Spotify and Deezer rising sharply.
<http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/18/music-sales-ifpi-2013-spotify-streaming>

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PRIVACY & SURVEILLANCE
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Privacy in the War Without End
How should we think about balancing civil liberties and national security? It may depend on what a speech later this year tells us about how a modern war really ends.
<http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/17/privacy-in-the-war-without-end/>

NSA surveillance program reaches ?into the past? to retrieve, replay phone calls
The National Security Agency has built a surveillance system capable of recording ?100 percent? of a foreign country?s telephone calls, enabling the agency to rewind and review conversations as long as a month after they take place, according to people with direct knowledge of the effort and documents supplied by former contractor Edward Snowden.
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/nsa-surveillance-program-reaches-into-the-past-to-retrieve-replay-phone-calls/2014/03/18/226d2646-ade9-11e3-a49e-76adc9210f19_story.html>

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CENSORSHIP
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Pew study points to support for internet freedom in emerging countries
A survey covering 24 emerging countries by the US-based Pew Research Center has concluded that the populations in the majority of them strongly support internet freedom.
<http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/19/internet-censorship-emerging-countries-pew>

Emerging Nations Want Uncensored Internet Access, Pew Survey Shows
A study released today by the Pew Research Center shows that majorities in 22 of 24 developing nations surveyed want their access to the Internet to be free of government censorship, including 70%+ majorities in half of the countries that were included.
<http://www.networkworld.com/news/2014/031914-pew-uncensored-279862.html>
<http://www.cio.com/article/749988/Emerging_Nations_Want_Uncensored_Internet_Access_Pew_Survey_Shows>

Emerging and Developing Nations Want Freedom on the Internet
There is widespread opposition to internet censorship in emerging and developing nations. Majorities in 22 of 24 countries surveyed say it is important that people have access to the internet without government censorship. In 12 nations, at least seven-in-ten hold this view.
<http://www.pewglobal.org/2014/03/19/emerging-and-developing-nations-want-freedom-on-the-internet/>

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ONLINE CHILD ABUSE ARRESTS/COURT CASES
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Seven Australian boys among 251 victims of exploitation website
Seven Australian boys are among the 251 victims of an exploitation website based in the US, whose members groomed and abused children from around the world to create explicit child sexual abuse material, police say.
<http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/19/australian-children-among-251-victims-of-exploitation-website>

----------------------------
David Goldstein

 email: david at goldsteinreport.com

 web:   http://goldsteinreport.com / http://davidgoldstein.tel/
 phone: +61 418 228 605 ? mobile / +61 2 9663 3430 - office/home

"Every time you use fossil fuels, you're adding to the problem. Every time you forgo fossil fuels, you're being part of the solution" - Dr Tim Flannery