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Kevin Murphy, January 19, 2022, Domain Registries
Altanovo Domains' fight with Verisign and ICANN for the .web gTLD is not over, despite an adverse ruling late last month, according to a top lawyer for the company.
Altanovo, the company previously known as Afilias Domains No 3, has not thrown in the towel and left the path clear for Verisign to launch .web, Arif Ali of the law firm Dechert told DI last night.
"Bottom line: this matter is far from over and no, Verisign doesn't 'get to run .web after all;' certainly if the Board does its job objectively and fairly," he said in an email.
He said this just hours before ICANN published its latest, but by no means final, board resolution on the .web case.
Ali represented Afilias in its Independent Review Process complaint against ICANN's decision to award .web to Verisign following a 2016 auction, which was won by a company called Nu Dot Co, secretly backed by $135 million of Verisign's money.
Afilias technically won its IRP, with the panel ruling last May that ICANN broke its bylaws by shirking its duty to address Afilias' claim that NDC broke new gTLD program rules. Afilias said ICANN should have forced NDC to disclose itself a Verisign pawn before the auction went ahead.
ICANN got close to signing a registry agreement for .web with NDC, despite it being an open question as to whether the auction was legit, the panel ruled. It ordered ICANN to pay Afilias its $450,000 in legal fees and $479,458 of IRP costs.
What the IRP did not do was void the Verisign/NDC bid, nor give Afilias rights to .web.
Instead, it instructed ICANN to stay the .web contract-signing until its board has formally "considered and pronounced upon the question of whether the [Verisign-NDC Domain Acquisition Agreement] complied with the New gTLD Program Rules".
The board had held a secret, undocumented discussion about the case in November 2016 and decided to keep its mouth shut and just let the IRP play out, according to the IRP ruling, which essentially told the board to stop avoiding difficult questions and to actually make a call on the legitimacy of the Verisign play.
Before the board could do so, Afilias/Altanovo filed an unprecedented appeal with the IRP panel. Technically an "application for an additional decision and interpretation", Afilias asked the IRP panel to definitively answer the question of whether Verisign broke the rules rather than merely passing the hot potato back to ICANN's board.
But in a December 21 decision (pdf), the IRP panel denied Afilias' request as "frivolous" in its entirely, writing:
The Panel has dismissed the [Afilias] Application in its entirety. In the opinion of the Panel, under the guise of seeking an additional decision, the Application is seeking reconsideration of core elements of the Final Decision. Likewise, under the guise of seeking interpretation, the Application is requesting additional declarations and advisory opinions on a number of questions, some of which had not been discussed in the proceedings leading to the Final Decision.
In such circumstances, the Panel cannot escape the conclusion that the Application is "frivolous" in the sense of it "having no sound basis (as in fact or law)". This finding suffices to entitle the Respondent [ICANN] to the cost shifting decision it is seeking and obviates the necessity of determining whether the Application is also "abusive".
The panel told Afilias to pay ICANN's $236,884 legal fees and the panel's costs of $140,335, leaving Afilias out of pocket and back to square one in terms of getting clarity on whether Verisign's actions were kosher.
Afilias had basically accused the panel of shirking its duties and punting its decision on Verisign's auction bid in much the same way as the panel decided that ICANN had shirked its duties and punted its decision on Verisign's auction bid.
Nobody seems to want to make a call on whether the successful Verisign-NDC ploy to win the .web auction with a secretly bankrolled bid was legit.
On Sunday, the full ICANN board met to discuss the outcome of the IRP and — surprise surprise — it punted again, instructing a subcommittee to look more closely at the matter:
the Board asks the Board Accountability Mechanisms Committee (BAMC) to review, consider, and evaluate the IRP Panel's Final Declaration and recommendation, and to provide the Board with its findings to consider and act upon before the organization takes any further action toward the processing of the .WEB application(s).
There's not yet a publicly announced date for the next BAMC meeting. It tends to meet as and when needed, so we might not have too long to wait.
Once the committee has made a decision, it would be referred back to the full board for a final rubber stamp, and it seems that only after that would Afilias make its next move.
Ali, in an email sent to DI just a few hours before ICANN published its Sunday board resolution last night, said:
The [IRP] Panel also made it clear that the Board can't just punt on the matter as it did previously, but must decide it, and that its decision is subject to review by a future IRP panel.
There's nothing preventing Afilias filing another IRP to challenge the board's ultimate decision, should it favor Verisign. Likewise, if it favors Afilias, Verisign could use IRP to appeal.
Verisign has been pursuing a counter-claim against Afilias, albeit so far only in the court of public opinion, accusing the company of breaking ICANN's rules by trying to secretly "rig" the .web auction during a communications blackout period.
Ali calls this a "red herring", among other things.
In my view, whichever way ICANN's board goes, it's going to wind up back in an IRP.
With IRP proceedings typically measured in years, and no indication that Afilias or Verisign are ready to back down, it seems the .web saga may still have some considerable time left on the clock.
If you're desperate to register a .web domain, don't hold your breath.
Note: most of Afilias was acquired by Donuts a year ago, but the .web application was not part of the deal. The IRP proceedings have continued to refer to "Afilias" interchangeably with "Altanovo", and I'm doing the same in my coverage.
Kevin Murphy, December 8, 2021, Domain Registries
The industry's most lucrative back-end registry services contract will be rebid, Public Interest Registry said today.
The deal, which sees PIR pay Afilias $18.3 million a year to run .org, according to tax records, will see a request for proposals issued in the back half of 2023, according to PIR.
Given that's two years away, it's strange timing for the announcement, which came at the bottom of a press release and blog post announcing that the company is acquiring four new gTLDs, three of which belong to Afilias' new owner, Donuts.
PIR said Donuts is to transfer control of .charity, .foundation and .gives, which will be "reintroduced" to the market. .foundation currently has about 20,000 registered domains; the other two have a few thousand each.
It's also acquiring the unlaunched gTLD .giving from a company called Giving Ltd.
All four are on-message for PIR's not-for-profit portfolio, which also includes the barely-used .ngo and .ong for non-governmental organizations.
Those two gTLDs are getting decoupled, allowing registrants to register one without having to buy the other, PIR also said today.
The last time the PIR back-end contract came up for renewal, in 2015, Afilias was also the incumbent but increased competition — it was up against 20 rivals — meant that its slice of .org revenue was cut in half.
Kevin Murphy, October 29, 2021, Domain Registries
Verisign hasn't fully won .web yet, but it expects to soon and is talking in general terms about what the it might look like live.
CEO Jim Bidzos yesterday told analysts that he expects the Independent Review Process panel currently considering an appeal by rival applicant Afilias to deliver its final verdict before the end of the year. No hearings are scheduled.
Afilias claims Verisign and its secret proxy, Nu Dot Co, cheated, and that ICANN broke its own rules, in the 2016 auction that saw Verisign promise to pay $135 million for .web. Verisign thinks the claims are rubbish.
Bidzos told analysts, wanting to known when they can put .web revenue into the models, that it while it's a "bit early to speculate" when the company will launch .web, it will likely happen a "couple of quarters from delegation".
On pricing, he noted that .web does not have the same price controls as .com and .net:
.web is, of course, different from .com and net and that it's not a price controlled TLD… We do have flexibility with it that we don't have with other TLDs, and premiums are available. Other sorts of options are available.
But will the company put its marketing muscle behind .web? Many people, myself included, have said that Verisign's interest in the gTLD is more about keeping it out of its rivals hands. Bidzos said:
There certainly will be some sort of marketing launch that will occur, but I just think it's too early to really talk about what that would look like and what the expense impact will be. But we certainly intend to market and promote .web. Our plan, our desire, as we've stated — and I'll say again — is to offer our customers more choice and to make .web a very successful TLD.
His comments came as Verisign reported its third-quarter financial results.
The company reported revenue up 5.1% at $334 million and net income of $157 million compared to $171 million a year ago.
It had 172.1 million .com and .net domains in its registry at the end of the quarter, up 1.48 million sequentially and a 5.1% increase on the year-ago number.
Kevin Murphy, September 27, 2021, Domain Registries
Afilias has filed an unusual and unprecedented appeal against the May ruling that found ICANN broke its bylaws by awarding the .web gTLD to a Verisign affiliate.
The company is arguing that the Independent Review Process panel that decided the .web case shirked its duties, by not actually resolving the major disputes placed before it.
Verisign, in response, has accused Afilias of asking for a "do-over", which it said is against the rules, and published information it said showed the company had tried to "rig" the .web auction.
The IRP followed the 2015 ICANN last-resort auction, which saw Verisign secretly fund a shell applicant called Nu Dot Co to win with a $135 million bid, on the basis .web would later be transferred to its custody.
Afilias was the runner-up, and argued that ICANN should have voided the NDC bid because Verisign's involvement was not disclosed.
But the IRP panel merely found that ICANN had breached its bylaws by failing to have the courage to actually rule on the legitimacy of Verisign's tactics, and threw it back to ICANN to make a decision.
ICANN has yet to make that decision. Instead, Afilias has filed an appeal (pdf) with the in the form of an "application for an additional decision and interpretation".
IRP cases are handled by the International Center for Dispute Resolution, and Afilias is invoking the ICDR Arbitration Rules that allow a claimant to request an "interpretation" or "additional award" from the original decision:
By failing to resolve all of the claims and issues Afilias presented to the Panel for decision, the Panel has not only failed to satisfy its mandate; it has also undermined the very Purposes of the IRP (as set out in Section 4.3(a) of the Bylaws)—especially, but not exclusively, by its decision to refer Afilias# claim arising from Nu Dot Co's ("NDC") violation of the New gTLD Program Rules back to the ICANN Board and Staff to "pronounce" upon "in the first instance."
The lengthy request is, I believe, an unprecedented attempt at an appeal of an IRP ruling. It's also heavy on the legal arguments and does not really shed much light on the facts of the case.
The gist of it is that Afilias wants the panel to rule that ICANN breached its bylaws, new gTLD program rules and international law by failing to disqualify NDC and awarding .web to Afilias instead.
Verisign, in response, said in a blog post that Afilas' application is "not permitted by the arbitration rules – which expressly prohibit such requests for 'do overs.'"
It also published a letter (pdf) from NDC to ICANN in which it argues that Afilias tried to engage in a "collusive scheme" to "rig" the .web auction.
The letter contains many pages of private correspondence — emails and phone text messages — in which rival .web applicants, before Verisign's involvement had been confirmed, fruitlessly attempted to persuade NDC to join them in a private auction in which the winning bid would have been shared among the losers rather than all going to ICANN.
While this kind of private settlement was envisaged, and indeed encouraged, by new gTLD program rules, Verisign reckons its smoking gun is messages sent by Afilias during the so-called "blackout period" before the last-resort auction, during which communications between applicants were forbidden.
As far as I can tell, all or almost all of the documents provided by NDC to ICANN had already been submitted to the public record during the IRP.
Note — the "Afilias" referred to throughout this post is the portion of the company, now known as Altanovo Domains, left behind after most of its operating businesses were acquired by Donuts late last year.
Kevin Murphy, September 8, 2021, Domain Registrars
TurnCommerce, the company behind DropCatch.com and hundreds of accredited domain name registrars, reckons Donuts' proposed Dropzone service would be anticompetitive.
Company co-founder Jeff Reberry has written to ICANN to complain that Dropzone would introduce new fees to the dropping domains market, raising the costs involved in the aftermarket.
He also writes that Donuts' ownership of Name.com, a registrar that DropCatch competes with in the drop market, would have an "unfair competitive advantage" if Dropzone is allowed to go ahead:
Donuts is effectively asking every entity in the ICANN ecosystem to bear the costs of introducing a new service with no benefit outside of a financial benefit to itself, while forcing all registrars to spend more money and resources to register available domain names.
Donuts is proposing Dropzone across its whole portfolio of 200+ gTLDs. It's a parallel registry infrastructure that would exist just to handle dropping domains in more orderly fashion.
Today, companies such as TurnCommerce own huge collections of shell registrars that are used to ping registries with EPP Create commands around the time valuable domains are going to delete.
Under Dropzone, they'd instead submit create requests with the Dropzone service, and Donuts would give out the rights to register the domains in question on a first-come, first-served basis.
While ICANN had approved a similar request from Afilias before it was acquired by Donuts, the Dropzone proposed by Donuts has one major difference — it proposes a new fee for accessing the system.
No details about this fee have been revealed, which has TurnCommerce nervous.
Donuts is asking for Dropzone via the Registry Services Evaluation Process and ICANN has not yet approved it.
Reberry says ICANN should consult with the relevant governmental competition authorities before it approves the proposal.
You can read Reberry's letter here (pdf) and our original article about Dropzone here.
Kevin Murphy, August 23, 2021, Domain Registries
Donuts is planning to change the way its registry handles dropping domains and may charge additional fees for access.
According to a service request filed with ICANN, Donuts wants to migrate its hundreds of gTLDs to the "Dropzone" system originally deployed by Afilias, which the company acquired at the end of 2020.
Instead of domains separately dropping according to their expiry time, Dropzone sees them pooled together into daily batches for a more orderly release.
Registrars are still awarded dropping domains on a first-come, first-served basis, according to when they submit their EPP create requests to the Dropzone environment, according to Donuts.
Donuts reckons this system will allow it to better manage traffic load on its registry. Presumably, registrars won't need to send so many creates, as the drop time is synchronized for all deleting domains.
It also thinks the process will help level the playing field for registrars trying to register expired domains.
But the ICANN request (pdf) also suggests that, unlike Afilias, it might add additional fees for registrars to access Dropzone:
In addition to the standard or premium registration prices of a given domain name, The Dropzone service can support additional application fees to be configured on a per TLD basis. Applications fees where applicable will be charged in addition to the standard registration price of a domain name.
Such charges would presumably be passed on to registrants.
Afilias' original request for Dropzone approval stated that the fee to catch a drop would be the same as a standard registration fee.
Registrars will have to reconfigure their systems to use Dropzone, which exists on a separate host.
Afilias' 21 gTLDs have been using Dropzone since ICANN approved the service last year.
Kevin Murphy, August 4, 2021, Domain Registries
Donuts subsidiary Afilias has been accused of participating in "crimes against humanity" and imperialist "apartheid", due to its management of the contested .io ccTLD.
A London-based lawyer has filed a complaint with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, seeking either the redelegation of .io or a big chunk of its profits.
The complaint was filed on behalf of Crypto Currency Resolution Trust (CCRT), representing people allegedly ripped off by cryptocurrency scams on .io domains, and the Chagos Refugees Group UK (CRG UK).
The latter group represents some of the people forcibly deported from the Chagos Islands in the 1970s, when the British government evicted the entire native population to make way for a US military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island.
The islands were renamed the British Indian Ocean Territory and, in the early days of the DNS, became eligible for the ccTLD .io
The TLD was delegated by IANA to Paul Kane's London-based outfit Internet Computer Bureau in 1997, in the pre-ICANN days when such decisions were made without very much oversight.
ICB was quietly bought by Afilias for $70 million in 2017, as I broke the following year.
In 2019, the International Court of Justice ruled that the UK's continued administration of BIOT is unlawful, and that the territory should be returned to the Chagossians, but the current Conservative UK government has shown no indication that it plans to abide by that ruling.
The lawyer for the Chagossians, Jonathan Levy, now claims in his OECD complaint that for Afilias to continue to run .io — which he reckons brings in over €10 million a year — amounts to a human rights abuse in violation of OECD guidelines.
The complaint states:
The British military occupation of the Chagos Archipelago has been severe and resulted in the Chagossians wandering the globe as a displaced people deported from their homeland in a forcible exile reminiscent of British tactics also used on Irish home rule advocates in the 19th Century. It is just simply an outrage that an Irish multinational company is deliberately complicit in crimes against humanity and apartheid on behalf of one of last vestiges of British imperialism and apartheid.
While Levy recognizes on his blog that Afilias has been acquired by US-based Donuts, only Afilias and its subsidiaries in the UK and Ireland are named as respondents.
In a second prong of the attack, Levy claims that Afilias is somehow complicit in cryptocurrency frauds carried out using .io domains.
Blaming a registry for the actions of its registrants is pretty tenuous. Imagine if Verisign got blamed for every nefarious action carried out with a .com domain — there would not be enough lawyers in the world to handle that workload.
But Levy reckons .io is a special case because BIOT lacks law enforcement and because Afilias promotes .io as the best TLD for tech companies "knowing full well" it is often used for crypto fraud. The complaint reads:
Complaina[n]ts submit that while other general purpose domains like GLTD .com may have as much or even more crypto fraud, ccTLD .io is an exception because it represents a political entity with no permanent population and no companies law and no law enforcement. Consequently, unlike ccTLD .com or .net where US authorities may seize websites; .io criminals have little to fear as BIOT has no civil police force nor financial intelligence unit. ICB has promoted ccTLD .io to the tech community knowing full well it will be misused by a significant criminal element specializing in crypto assets.
This still feels pretty tenuous to me. You cannot evade the long arm of the law simply by registering on offshore domain.
Still, Levy's asking for restitution in the form of a percentage of the ICB acquisition price, ongoing and backdated royalties from the sale of .io domains and, failing that, redelegation of the ccTLD to the Chagossian people.
While I think the notion of Donuts/Afilias actively abusing human rights is pretty weak, there's no denying it's the beneficiary of an historical wrong. Imagine how many credibility points it could earn by voluntarily negotiating a profit-share with the displaced Chagossians.
Afilias hints at more legal action over .web
Kevin Murphy, June 1, 2021, Domain Registries
As Verisign does everything but declare outright victory in last week's Independent Review Process result, .web rival Afilias is now strongly hinting that its lawyers are not quite ready to retire.
John Kane, VP of Afilias (now Altanovo) said in a statement that Afilias is prepared to "take all actions necessary to protect our rights in this matter".
This matter is of course the contested 2015 auction for the new gTLD .web, which was won by Nu Dot Co with $135 million of Verisign's money.
Afilias thinks the winning bid should be voided because Verisign's involvement had been kept a secret. The IRP panel stopped short of doing that, instead forcing ICANN's board of directors to make a decision.
The earliest they're likely to do this is at ICANN 71 later this month.
But with one IRP down, Afilias is now reminding ICANN that the board's ultimate decision will also be "subject to review by an IRP Panel."
So if ICANN decides to award .web to Verisign, Afilias could challenge it with another IRP, adding another two years to the go-live runway and another couple million dollars to the lawyers' petty cash jar.
None of which should overly bother Verisign, of course, if one subscribes to the notion that its interest in .web is not in owning it but rather in preventing its competitors from owning it and aggressively marketing it against .com.
But Verisign also put out a statement reviewing the IRP panel's decision last week, reiterating that it believes Afilias should be banned from the .web contest and banned from making any further complaints about Verisign's bid.
While Afilias spent its press release focusing on trashing ICANN, Verisign instead focused its blog post on trashing Afilias.
According to Verisign, Afilias is no longer competent to run a registry (having sold those assets to Donuts) and is just looking for a payday by losing a private auction.
"Afilias no longer operates a registry business, and has neither the platform, organization, nor necessary consents from ICANN, to support one," Verisign claims.
Afilias could of course outsource its would-be .web registry, as is fairly standard industry practice, either to Donuts or any other back-end operator.
Afilias leftovers rebrand as Altanovo
Kevin Murphy, May 28, 2021, Domain Registrars
The non-registry bits of Afilias that were not acquired by Donuts in the acquisition deal announced last December have been rebranded as Altanovo Inc.
The new Delaware company owns the registrar 101domain, the mobile device software company DeviceAtlas, and the Irish new gTLD application vehicle Afilias Domains No. 3 Ltd, now renamed Altanovo Domains Ltd.
Altanovo Domains is the entity currently fighting ICANN and Verisign for the right to run the .web gTLD.
Afilias' registry business, including .info, its portfolio of new gTLDs and its .org-running registry back-end business, joined Donuts earlier this year.
Altanovo means "new height", the company says on its new web site.
.web ruling hands Afilias a chance, Verisign a problem, and ICANN its own ass on a plate
Kevin Murphy, May 26, 2021, Domain Policy
ICANN has lost yet another Independent Review Process case, and been handed a huge legal bill, after being found to have violated its own rules on transparency and fairness.
The decision in Afilias v ICANN has failed to definitively resolve the issue of whether the auction of the .web gTLD in 2016, won by a shell applicant called Nu Dot Co backed by $135 million of Verisign's money, was legit.
ICANN's now urging NDC, Afilias and other members of the .web contention set to resolve their beefs privately, which could lead to big-money pay-days for the losing auction bidders at Verisign's expense.
For ICANN board and staff, the unanimous, three-person IRP panel decision is pretty damning, with the ruling saying the org "violated its commitment to make decisions by applying documented policies objectively and fairly".
It finds that ICANN's board shirked its duty to consider the propriety of the Verisign/NDC bid, allowing ICANN staff to get perilously close to signing a registry contract with an applicant that they knew may well have been in violation of the new gTLD program rules.
Despite being named the prevailing party, it's not even close to a full win for Afilias.
The company had wanted the IRP panel to void the NDC/Verisign winning bid and award .web to itself, the second-highest bidder. But the panel did not do that, referring the decision instead back to ICANN.
As the loser, ICANN has been hit with a $1,198,493 bill to cover the cost of the case, which includes Afilias' share of $479,458, along with another $450,000 to cover Afilas' legal fees connected to an earlier emergency IRP request that ICANN "abusively" forced Afilias into.
The case came about due to a dispute about the .web auction, which was run by ICANN in July 2016.
Six of the seven .web applicants had been keen for the contention set to be settled privately, in an auction that would have seen the winning bid distributed evenly among the losing bidders.
But NDC, an application vehicle not known to be particularly well-funded, held out for a "last resort" auction, in which the winning bid would be deposited directly into ICANN's coffers.
This raised suspicions that NDC had a secret sugar daddy, likely Verisign, that was covertly bankrolling its bid.
It was not known until after NDC won, with a $135 million bid, that these suspicions were correct. NDC and Verisign had a "Domain Acquisition Agreement" or DAA that would see NDC transfer its .web contract to Verisign in exchange for the money needed to win the auction (and presumably other considerations, though almost all references to the terms of the DAA have been redacted by ICANN throughout the IRP).
Afilias and fellow .web applicant Donuts both approached ICANN before and after the auction, complaining that the NDC/Verisign bid was bogus, in violation of program rules requiring applicants to notify ICANN if there's any change of control of their applications, including agreements to transfer the gTLD post-contracting.
ICANN has never decided at the board level whether these claims have merit, the IRP panel found.
The board did hold a secret, off-the-books discussion about the complaints at its retreat November 3, 2016, and concluded, without any type of formal vote, that it should just keep its mouth shut, because Afilias and Donuts had already set the ball rolling on the accountability mechanisms that would ultimately lead to the IRP.
More than half the board was in attendance at this meeting, and discussions were led by ICANN's top two lawyers, but the fact that it had even taken place was not disclosed until June last year, well over three and a half years after the fact.
Despite the fact that the board had made a conscious, if informal, choice not to decide whether the NDC/Verisign bid was legit, ICANN staff nevertheless went ahead and started contracting with NDC in June 2018, taking the .web contention set off its "on-hold" status.
Talks progressed to the point where, on June 14, ICANN had sent the .web contract to NDC, which immediately returned a signed copy, and all that remained was for ICANN to counter-sign the document for it to become binding.
ICANN VP Christine Willett approved the countersigning, but four days later Afilias initiated the Cooperative Engagement Process accountability mechanism, the contract was ripped up, and the contention set was placed back on hold.
"Thus, clearly, a registry agreement with NDC for .WEB could have been executed by ICANN's Staff and come into force without the Board having pronounced on the propriety of the DAA under the Guidebook and Auction Rules," the IRP panel wrote.
This disconnect between the board and the legal staff is at the core of the panel's criticism of ICANN.
The board had decided that Afilias' claim that NDC had violated new gTLD program rules was worthy of consideration and had informally agreed to defer making a decision, but the staff had nevertheless gone ahead with contracting with a potentially bogus applicant, the panel found.
In the opinion of the Panel, there is an inherent contradiction between proceeding with the delegation of .WEB to NDC, as the Respondent [ICANN] was prepared to do in June 2018, and recognizing that issues raised in connection with NDC's arrangements with Verisign are serious, deserving of the Respondent's consideration, and remain to be addressed by the Respondent and its Board, as was determined by the Board in November 2016. A necessary implication of the Respondent's decision to proceed with the delegation of .WEB to NDC in June 2018 was some implicit finding that NDC was not in breach of the New gTLD Program Rules and, by way of consequence, the implicit rejection of the Claimant's [Afilias'] allegations of non-compliance with the Guidebook and Auction Rules. This is difficult to reconcile with the submission that "ICANN has taken no position onw hether NDC violated the Guidebook".
The upshot of the panel's ruling is to throw the issue back to ICANN, requiring the board to decide once and for all whether Verisign's auction gambit was kosher.
If you'll excuse the crude metaphor, ICANN's board has been told to shit or get off the pot:
The evidence in the present case shows that the Respondent, to this day, while acknowledging that the questions raised as to the propriety of NDC's and Verisign's conduct are legitimate, serious, and deserving of its careful attention, has nevertheless failed to address them. Moreover, the Respondent has adopted contradictory positions, including in these proceedings, that at least in appearance undermine the impartiality of its processes.
[The panel r]ecommends that the Respondent stay any and all action or decision that would further the delegation of the .WEB gTLD until such time as the Respondent's Board has considered the opinion of the Panel in this Final Decision, and, in particular (a) considered and pronounced upon the question of whether the DAA complied with the New gTLD Program Rules following the Claimant's complaints that it violated the Guidebook and Auction Rules and, as the case may be, (b) determined whether by reason of any violation of the Guidebook and Auction Rules, NDC's application for .WEB should be rejected and its bids at the auction disqualified;
At the same time as the decision was published last night — shortly after midnight UTC and therefore helpfully too late to make it into today's edition of ICANN's godawful new email subscriptions feature — ICANN issued a statement on the outcome.
"In its Final Declaration, the IRP panel ruled that the ICANN Board, and not an IRP panel, should decide which applicant should become the registry operator for .WEB," CEO Göran Marby said.
"The ICANN Board will consider the Final Declaration as soon as feasible, within the timeframe prescribed in the Bylaws, and remains hopeful that the relevant .WEB applicants will continue to seek alternatives to resolve the dispute between them raised during the IRP," the statement concludes.
That should be of concern to Verisign, as any non-ICANN resolution of the .web battle is inevitably going to involve Verisign money flowing to its competitors.
But my first instinct strikes me that this a is a low-probability outcome.
It seems to me much more likely at first glance that ICANN will rule the NDC/Verisign ploy legitimate and proceed to contracting again.
For it to declare that using a front organization to bid for a gTLD is against the rules would raise questions about other applications that employed more or less the same tactic, such as Automattic's successful bid, via an intermediary, for .blog, and possibly the 100-ish applications Donuts and Rightside cooperated on.
The ICANN bylaws say the board has to consider the IRP's findings at its next meeting, for which there's currently no published date, where feasible.
I should note that, while Donuts acquired Afilias last December, the deal did not include its .web application, which is why both the panel's decision and this article refer to "Afilias" throughout.


For the past several decades, NCEA has produced separate biennial reports: Dollars and Sense (Secondary Schools) and Financing the Mission (Elementary Schools) that contain data about key aspects of school governance, finances, enrollment, tuition, and staffing from all Catholic schools in the United States. Since 2005, CARA (Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University) has collected this information for NCEA in an online survey sent to all schools.
This year the survey has been streamlined and will collect information from both elementary and secondary schools in the same instrument so that we may produce a report that reflects real-time data for all Catholic schools in the nation. Schools will soon be receiving the survey.
Catholic school leaders, we ask that you encourage all of your schools to participate so we may obtain a robust data set with high quality information and resources to share with all of our schools and dioceses.
If you have any questions, please contact Sr. Dale McDonald at mcdonald@ncea.org.
We understand many demands compete for your time and we thank you for whatever efforts you can undertake to enhance the success of this project so we may better serve you and the Catholic educational community.


If you are looking to improve your weld quality and reduce cycle times even more, than Motoman's new laser-based seam finder, AccuFast II, is the solution. This economical, enhanced software offers increased performance with improved sensor capabilities for Motoman's Arc Welding robots; the MA- and VA- series and other standard 6 axis robots. AccuFast II is unique; rather than "touch" sensing with the weld wire, it uses a non-contact commercial point laser enabling quick and accurate location of welding seams.
AccuFast II is able to provide readings on a variety of materials at angles of measurement that were not before possible and has built-in jobs for different joint types. It provides more reliable and repeatable feedback to the robot controller regarding part position. Furthermore, installation into existing robot installations should be simple as the input and output signals that the sensor uses are the same as touch sense. Cycle times are greatly reduced by eliminating the need to cut the weld wire; it can also search at faster speeds due to elimination of wire deflection.
The sensor is compact and mounted in-line with the welding torch; it is compatible with Motoman's industry-leading thru-arm torch design robots. The laser sensor is protected from the harsh welding environment in an enclosure with a pneumatic shutter and positive air pressure. There is also an optional laser target available that aids in maintaining the sensor TCP and adjusts the points if the sensor is serviced.
Programming is simplified with macro job routines as AccuFast II provides a single instruction in the robot job for detecting a seam or feature. Macro jobs and the auto-teach function can automatically find the taught part location and orientation.
Motoman is proud of they innovative software and technologies that they offer to their customer's; a wide range of cost-effective thru-wire touch sensors to cutting-edge laser and vision systems. RobotWorx representatives are ready to help discuss all of these options with you and ultimately bring better weld quality to your production line.
Contact representatives online or at 740-251-4312 to get started with your AccuFastII integration today.


The club wants to develop the Riverside Stand and other improvements to the ground, which has been the Barclays Premier League club's home since 1896. The application also outlines plans to open up the Thames River path walk from Hammersmith to Putney.
Fulham F.C. will hold exhibitions on January 25th and 28th to showcase the final design that has been submitted, but the club does not yet at this stage have more details about the exhibitions.
There is no date yet for when it is due to come before the council's planning application committee and the documents are due to be published on the council's website www.lbhf.gov.uk/planning in the next week, when the application is officially validated by the council.
Residents will be able to view the plans online, at Fulham F.C.'s own exhibitions or by visiting Hammersmith Town Hall. A statutory public consultation will last for 21 working days and allow residents and local businesses to make their views known to the council.
H&F Council held a planning forum on December 7th, 2011 followed by a design review panel on December 13th on the scheme.
Greg Hands M.P. said: "I met the Club before Christmas to discuss these plans, and there are clearly some advantages for local residents in the proposals, especially reconnecting the river walk. However, I also look forward to the Club consulting widely on the plans, and any of my constituents with a view should contact the Council and me."


The VTB United League have published this season's fixture list and we start away to Lokomotiv Kuban in Krasnodar.
Point guard with 580 NBA games behind him strengthens Zenit backcourt.
Zenit will start the Eurocup season with a home game with Turk Telecom. Check out the full fixture calendar below.
The Zenit coach will stay in St. Petersburg after signing a one year extension to his contract with the option of a further year.
Vasily Karasev: "All the conditions are there for us to have a good training camp"
2017-12-20 Sergey Karasev: "Now everything is in our hands"


If you're planning to apply for a West Virginia commercial driver's license (CDL), you're going to want to make sure that you're completely prepared for the Division of Motor Vehicles' (DMV) CDL exams. The DMV's commercial driver testing is meant to verify your knowledge of the driving and safety skills that are necessary and specific to operating a commercial vehicle in WV.
In preparation for the DMV's commercial driver license tests, you are not state-required to enroll in commercial Driver's Ed. After receiving your CDL, you could be required to complete training that is specific to the commercial vehicle you'll be driving.
Read on for more information about state-required occupational training and optional CDL test prep in West Virginia.
The WV Division of Motor Vehicles does not require you to enroll in CDL test prep courses before taking your commercial driver exams.
HOWEVER, West Virginia school bus drivers are state-required to complete specialized trainings after receiving your CDL so that you can begin to work.
WV commercial driver's license with passenger (P) and school bus (S) endorsements.
Includes 2 hours of nighttime driving.
Once you've received your school bus operator certification, you'll need to complete at least 12 hours of annual training to remain certified.
For more information about school bus driver training in West Virginia, call the Department of Education's Office of School Facilities and School Transportation at (304) 558-2711.
As mentioned earlier, taking preparatory commercial Driver's Ed classes is optional in West Virginia. Despite this, you should still consider enrolling in some sort of CDL test prep course since it'll probably improve your chances of being able to pass the Division of Motor Vehicles' required CDL exams in a single attempt.
CDL road skills test—behind-the-wheel/practical exam.
In addition, you will have to pass exams applicable to the classification and endorsement(s) on your desired commercial driver's license. To avoid any surprises on testing day, make sure that you know exactly which classification and endorsement(s) apply to your CDL, and be sure to study all of the relevant information.
A majority of West Virginia employers will require that you've already completed some formal commercial driver training before considering you for a job.
Legitimate commercial Driver's Ed courses are tailored specifically to ensure that you'll pass the DMV's testing without a problem.
A classroom course will acquaint you with the topics and format to expect on the DMV's written tests.
Behind-the-wheel training programs will help you get comfortable with the vehicle and skills you'll need to be familiar with for the DMV's CDL road skills test.
Does the pricing and course length of a CDL test prep course fit reasonably into your personal budget and schedule?
Are all of the classes taught by certified instructors who hold valid West Virginia commercial driver's licenses?
What's included on the curriculum? Does it cover all of the topics that are relevant to your particular CDL's written and road testing requirements?
Designated speed limits in West Virginia.
The dangers and penalties for impaired driving.
Required precautionary steps at railroad crossings.
Laws against texting and driving.
When you're ready to take your written CDL exams, simply contact your local DMV office to schedule a testing appointment.
The WV Division of Motor Vehicles will give you a CDL instruction permit after you've passed all of their required written tests. Your CDL permit is valid for 180 days and can be renewed once within 2 years from the issuance date. Keep in mind that you must hold a valid (i.e. not expired) CDL permit to take your road skills test.
While you have a West Virginia CDL instruction permit, you can legally practice driving a commercial vehicle with a licensed supervisor in preparation for the DMV's CDL road skills exam. If you have the means to, consider enrolling in a behind-the-wheel training program as a way to practice driving your commercial vehicle. The instructors are professionally trained and will teach you all of the skills you need to master for the DMV's CDL road skills test.
Knowledge of emergency equipment function.
Backing up and parking (e.g. parallel parking and docking).
Correct use of the brakes.
Like the DMV's written testing process, to earn the proper endorsements, you'll have to demonstrate additional behind-the-wheel skills if you plan on driving a transit, coach, or school bus.
When you feel prepared, you can take your CDL road skills exam through an approved West Virginia third-party examiner.
Keep in mind that in West Virginia, taking CDL test prep classes is not state-required,* and you always have the option of studying for the WV DMV's exams on your own time. This could be your best option if the tuition or duration of a commercial Driver's Ed course is going to be too stressful on your personal finances or schedule.
If you decide to go this route, you'll want to get a copy of the West Virginia Commercial Driver's License Manual. The manual outlines the West Virginia laws and regulations surrounding commercial driver's licenses that you should be familiar with before taking the DMV's tests.
Another great way to study is by taking some practice tests. Doing so will help you to understand what CDL content you've mastered and which parts of the manual you may need to study a bit more. Practice tests will also give you an idea of what sort of format and difficulty to expect on the DMV's written CDL exams.
If you need additional information that this guide and/or the CDL manual doesn't cover, you can call the West Virginia DMV's commercial driver's license information number at (304) 926-3801.
* NOTE: If you're planning on becoming a school bus driver, you cannot complete certification training on your own and are required to complete it with your school district or employing institution.


Enhancing working environments with stunning plants and floral displays.
Our corporate horticulture brand, Provincial Planters, offers a huge range of options to incorporate greenery, plants and floral displays into working environments. Plants bring many benefits to offices, and we able to offer bespoke interior and exterior plating schemes on maintenance-inclusive contracts. We also offer a range of artificial plants for both interior and exterior areas, as well as our yearly Festive Collection of Christmas Trees, Garlands and Wreaths. You can learn more on how we can bring plants to your working space here.
There are many creative ways plants can become integral to your workspace, such as Terrariums, Moss Walls or Living Pictures. As well as working directly with clients, we are able to work with interior architects and office fit-out companies to include planting schemes at initial fit-out stages.
The first impression is the one that is remembered, and a vibrant flower display in a reception area makes a great initial impression on staff and visitors. Our corporate flower displays are prepared by professional in-house florists and delivered before the working day starts every Monday morning. They are always full and impressive, and can be appropriately themed throughout the year to reflect occasions such as Christmas, Halloween, Wimbledon Tennis and many more.
We provide greenery, plants and floral displays for corporate offices, meeting rooms, events, showrooms, hotels, healthcare facilities, educational facilities and all other commercial organisations.


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Why artificial intelligence is needed to prevent cyber attacks
05/11/2016 Administrator Articles, Home
As Halloween approaches, the usual spate of horror movies will intrigue audiences across the US, replete with slashers named Jason or Freddie running amuck in the corridors of all-too-easily accessible hospitals. They grab a hospital gown and the zombies fit right in. While this is just a movie you can turn off, the real horror of patient data theft can follow you.
Unfortunately, this scenario is similar to how data thefts often occur at medical facilities. In 2015, the healthcare industry was one of the top three industries hit with serious data breaches and major attacks, along with government and manufacturers. Healthcare organizations are packed with a wealth of exploitable information, such as credit card data, email addresses, Social Security numbers, employment information and medical history records, much of which will remain valid for years, if not decades and fetch a high price on the black market.
It is commonly believed attacks are from outside intruders looking to steal valuable patient data, and 45 percent of the hacks are external. However, "phantom" hackers are also often your colleagues, employees and business associates who are unwittingly careless in the use of passwords or lured by phishing schemes that open the door for data thieves. Not only is data stolen, but privacy violations are insidious.
The problem is not only high-tech, but also low-tech, requiring that providers across the continuum simply become smarter about data protection and privacy issues. Medical facilities are finding they must teach doctors and nurses not to click on suspicious links.
To thwart accidental and purposeful hackers, organizations should implement physical security procedures to secure network hardware and storage media through measures like maintaining a visitor log and installing security cameras. Also limiting physical access to server rooms and restricting the ability to remove devices from secure areas. Yes, humans are the weakest link.
Medical data theft is a growing national concern. IDC's Health Insights group predicts that 1 in 3 healthcare recipients will be the victim of a medical data breach in 2016. Other surveys found that in the last two years, 89 percent of healthcare organizations reported at least one data breach, with 79 percent reporting two or more breaches. The most commonly compromised data are medical records, followed by billing and insurance records. The average cost of a healthcare data breach is about $2.2 million.
At health insurer Anthem, Inc., foreign hackers stole up to 80 million records using social engineering to dig their way into the company's network using the credentials of five tech workers. The hackers stole names, Social Security numbers and other sensitive information, but were thwarted when an Anthem computer system administrator discovered outsiders were using his own security credentials to log into the company system and to hack databases.
Investigators believe the hackers somehow compromised the tech worker's security through a phishing scheme that tricked the employee into unknowingly revealing a password or downloading malicious software. Using this login information, they were able to access the company's database and steal files.
Not only is current patient data security an issue, but thieves can also drain the electronic economic blood from hospitals—its IT systems. Hospitals increasingly rely on cloud delivery of big enterprise data from start-ups like iCare that can predict epidemics, cure disease and avoid preventable deaths. They also add personal health record apps to the system from fitness apps like FitBit and Jawbone.
Banner Health, operating 29 hospitals in Arizona, had to notify millions of individuals that their data was exposed. The breach began when hackers gained access to payment card processing systems at some of its food and beverage outlets. That apparently also opened the door to the attackers accessing a variety of healthcare-related information.
Because Banner Health says its breach began with an attack on payment systems, it's different than other recent breaches. While payment system attacks have plagued the retail sector, they are almost unheard of by healthcare entities.
What also makes this breach more concerning is the question of how did hackers access healthcare systems after breaching payment systems at food/beverage facilities, when these networks should be completely separated from one another? Healthcare system networks are very complex and become more complicated as other business functions are added to the infrastructure – even those that don't necessarily have anything to do with systems handling and protected health information.
Is the data theft at MedStar Health, a major healthcare system in the DC region, a foreboding sign that an industry racing to digitize and interoperate EHRs is facing a new kind of security threat that it is ill-equipped to handle? Hospitals are focused on keeping patient data from falling into the wrong hands, but attacks at MedStar and other hospitals highlight an even more frightening downside of security breaches—as hospitals strive for IT interoperability. Is this goal now a concern?
As hospitals increasingly depend on EHRs and other IT systems to coordinate care, communicate critical health data and avoid medication errors, they could also be risking patients' well-being when hackers strike. While chasing the latest medical innovations, healthcare facilities are rapidly learning that caring for patients also means protecting their medical records and technology systems against theft and privacy violations.
Healthcare is an easy target. Its security systems tend to be less mature than those of other industries, such as finance and tech. Its doctors and nurses depend on data to perform time-sensitive and life-saving work.
Where a financial-services firm might spend a third of its budget on information technology, hospitals spend only about 2 percent to 3 percent. Healthcare providers are averaging less than 6 percent of their information technology budget expenditures on security, according to a recent HIMSS survey. In contrast, the federal government spends 16 percent of its IT budget on security, while financial and banking institutions spend 12 percent to 15 percent.
Meanwhile, the number of healthcare attacks over the last five years has increased 125 percent, as the industry has become an easy target. Personal health information is 50 times more valuable on the black market than financial information. Stolen patient health records can fetch as much as $363 per record.
"If you're a hacker… would you go to Fidelity or an underfunded hospital?" says John Halamka, the chief information officer of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. "You're going to go where the money is and the safe is the easiest to open."
Many healthcare executives believe that the healthcare industry is at greater risk of breaches than other industries. Despite these concerns, many organizations have either decreased their cyber security budgets or kept them the same. While the healthcare industry has traditionally spent a small fraction of its budget on cyber defense, it has also not shored up its technical systems against hackers.
Common defenses in trying to keep patient data safe have included firewalls and keeping the organization's operating systems, software, anti-virus packages and other protective solutions up-to-date. This task of constantly updating and patching security gaps or holes is ongoing and will invariably be less than 100 percent functional at any given time. However, with only about 10 percent of healthcare organizations not having experienced a data breach, sophisticated hackers are clearly penetrating through these perimeter defenses and winning the healthcare data security war. So it's time for a disruption.
Many organizations employ network surveillance tactics to prevent the misuse of login credentials. These involve the use of behavior analysis, a technique that the financial industry uses to detect credit card fraud. By adding some leading innovation, behavior analysis can offer C-suite healthcare executives a cutting-edge, game-changing innovation.
The technology relies on the proven power of cloud technology to combine artificial intelligence with machine learning algorithms to create and deploy "digital fingerprints" using ambient cognitive cyber surveillance to cast a net over EHRs and other hospital data sanctuaries. It exposes user behavior deviations while accessing EHRs and other applications with PHI that humans would miss and can not only augment current defenses against outside hackers and malicious insiders, but also flag problem employees who continually violate cyber security policy.
"Hospitals have been hit hard by data theft," said Doug Brown, CEO, Black Book Research. "It is time for them to consider new IT security initiatives. Harnessing machine learning artificial intelligence is a smart way to sort through large amounts of data. When you unleash that technology collaboration, combined with existing cloud resources, the security parameters you build for detecting user pattern anomalies will be difficult to defeat."
While the technology is advanced, the concept is simple. A pattern of user behavior is established and any actions that deviate from that behavior, such as logging in from a new location or accessing a part of the system the user normally doesn't access are flagged. Depending on the deviation, the user may be required to provide further authentication to continue or may be forbidden from proceeding until a system administrator can investigate the issue.
Some of those leading this effort include Cognetyx which delivers 'Ambient Cognitive Cyber Surveillance' to protect healthcare information assets against cyber security threats, data breaches & privacy violations. The Houston-based firm provides a Virtual Intelligent Eye that combines artificial intelligence with advanced machine learning algorithms to provide real-time behavior analysis and anomalous user access monitoring.
While not a healthcare security player, Hindsait also uses artificial intelligence and predictive analytics in a software-as-a-service platform, enabling payers and accountable care organizations to identify potentially unnecessary services during the review process and improve quality of care.
The cost of this technology will be positively impacted by the continuing decline in the cost of storage and processing power from cloud computing giants such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft and Alphabet.
The healthcare data security war can be won, but it will require action and commitment from the industry. In addition to allocating adequate human and monetary resources to information security and training employees on best practices, the industry would do well to implement network surveillance that includes behavior analysis. It is the single best technological defense against the misuse of medical facility systems and the most powerful weapon the healthcare industry has in its war against cyber criminals.
by Donald Voltz, MD, is in the Department of Anesthesiology at Aultman Hospital, where he serves as Medical Director of the Main Operating Room
Tagged Artificial Intelligence data hack healthcare
UK – IP EXPO – ExCel London
Digital Transformation Forecast: 40% of Initiatives to Include Artificial Intelligence by 2019

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Savannah River Productions, Inc. is a regional theatre troupe that performs in Hartwell, Royston, and Lavonia, Georgia. Savannah River Productions strives to offer high-quality theatre productions to the Northeast Georgia region.
This wonderful USO-style show will feature comedy routines, fantastic singing, dancing and more.A fun-filled show for the whole family.
Help Savannah River Productions, Inc. renovate the Savannah River Little Theatre!
The Warren Foundations generously donated $30,000. Our goal is to match these funds. Any donation is greatly appreciated. All donations are tax-deductible.
Fill out the form to the right or click on the wishlist page to donate toward a specific item.
SRP is also accepting donations toward the seat campaign.
If you have additional questions please call (706) 376-7397.
This intimate venue is limited to 120 patrons. This is where our first two shows of the season will be performed, so purchase your tickets early. We expect a sold out audience!
Bernard is planning a romantic weekend with his chic Parisian mistress in his charming converted farmhouse, whilst his wife, Jacqueline, is away. He has arranged for a cordon bleu cook to prepare gourmet delights, and has invited his best friend, Robert, along too to provide the alibi. It's foolproof; what could possibly go wrong? Well.... suppose Robert turns up not realizing quite why he has been invited. Suppose Robert and Jacqueline are secret lovers, and consequently determined that Jacqueline will NOT leave for the weekend. Suppose the cook has to pretend to be the mistress and the mistress is unable to cook. Suppose everyone's alibi gets confused with everyone else's. An evening of hilarious confusion ensues as Bernard and Robert improvise at breakneck speed.
ABBA's hits tell a hilarious story of a young woman's search for her birth father. This sunny and funny tale unfolds on a Greek island paradise.On the eve of her wedding, a daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother's past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago.
July 12 at 7:30 p.m.
July 13 at 2:30 p.m.
July 19 at 7:30 p.m.
July 20 at 7:30 p.m.


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See how people have described working with Linda and her team
Former Partner of a leading Law Practice
"Linda sees and understands the big picture. Her wealth of experience enables her to embrace the vision and 'tune in' to business strategy quickly. Her insights and practical advice reflect her appreciation of how people work, and the suitability of operating models to deliver that vision."
Partner, Head of Practice
"…she quickly got to the heart of our issues identifying the value she and her team could bring to our business. To her credit, she earnt my trust and confidence proving she could successfully lead many of our strategic people activities. Reassuringly, this allowed me to focus on leading the business through a tough economic climate."
"Linda is a truly strategic leader and thinker. She skilfully connects a whole range of issues to build a vision and flexible service model to deliver competitive advantage. She is candid and transparent with the team, ensuring we play an active role shaping the ideas and are inspired to positively implement change."
"Linda is a great sounding-board for my ideas. As my mentor, she shows a genuine interest in my development and success. She is generous with her insights enabling me to see the bigger picture and offering different perspectives to help me work out my priorities."
Executive Coach and Organisational Change Consultant
"…a person of integrity, perceptiveness and positivity. Working with her to implement a complex cultural change programme she demonstrated not only much needed commercial focus but a great capacity for openness, curiosity and innovative thinking."
Organisation Development Consultant
"I've been inspired by her ability to seamlessly balance being tough and resilient yet emotionally connected and compassionate to those around her. I use the term "work along-side" deliberately as that is Linda's true style. She always seeks to work in a very collaborative and inclusive way, putting engagement at the heart of everything she does."
"Linda sees opportunity where others see a problem. For me that meant working with her in an environment where I could learn and grow beyond my own expectations."
Explore these testimonials in full below
Linda sees and understands the big picture. Her wealth of experience enables her to embrace the vision and 'tune in' to business strategy quickly. Her insights and practical advice reflect her appreciation of how people work, and the suitability of operating models to deliver that vision. Her professionalism and effective listening skills help to ensure that her recommendations hit their mark.
She is realistic about what can be delivered, how and when, recognising that timescales and priorities can shift and flexibility in business must be a given. She understands the balance to be struck between managing risk and securing results.
As Head of the Corporate Practice Group comprising approximately a third of the firm, people management was an important and often time-consuming part of my role. When Linda joined as the HR lead for our Practice Group, she quickly got to the heart of our issues identifying the value she and her team could bring to our business. To her credit, she earnt my trust and confidence proving she could successfully lead many of our strategic people activities. Reassuringly, this allowed me to focus on leading the business through a tough economic climate. Her approachable and pragmatic style combined with astute and commercial advice, overcame our most sceptical of Partners, who actively sought her counsel. She was openly recognised and respected as an integral member of my leadership team.
Whatever the problem or situation, Linda always remained calm and positive. She expertly guided us through some significant people issues and was praised for implementing some tough business decisions in a way that did not detract from her empathy and support for our people. Her expertise helped us avoid a number of issues which had the potential to negatively impact our Brand. She is one of the few HR leaders I consider as a "Trusted Advisor".
Linda is a truly strategic leader and thinker. She skilfully connects a whole range of issues to build a vision and flexible service model to deliver competitive advantage. She is candid and transparent with the team, ensuring we play an active role shaping the ideas and are inspired to positively implement change. Linda is impressive at juggling many priorities, delivering the operations of today and at the same time shaping the strategy for tomorrow.
Linda is a great sounding-board for my ideas. As my mentor, she shows a genuine interest in my development and success. She is generous with her insights enabling me to see the bigger picture and offering different perspectives to help me work out my priorities. Her advice is practical and she always gives me something to reflect and ponder which I really enjoy. Working together is a true partnership, with Linda openly listening to my feedback too!
I have known Linda for several years and regard her as a person of integrity, perceptiveness and positivity. Working with her to implement a complex cultural change programme she demonstrated not only much needed commercial focus but a great capacity for openness, curiosity and innovative thinking. You have to be resilient to thrive in uncertainty and complexity and this is one of Linda's strengths. She is also highly self-aware and continues to be excited by learning for herself and for others. Even when things are tough we can find things to laugh about and her energy is infectious!
I've had the fortunate opportunity to work along-side Linda on a couple of very important and challenging business change projects. Throughout each of these, I've been inspired by her ability to seamlessly balance being tough and resilient yet emotionally connected and compassionate to those around her. I use the term "work along-side" deliberately as that is Linda's true style. She always seeks to work in a very collaborative and inclusive way, putting engagement at the heart of everything she does.
Through establishing the clarity of purpose, Linda is able to steer the change journey in accordance with the desired outcome. And at every step of the way will check her understanding to make sure she's on track with stakeholders, irrespective of their position. I always look forward to any opportunity of working with Linda, not least because of her fantastic work ethic, and commitment to put the customer first; but also because she is absolutely great fun to be around, with a fantastic sense of humour and real spirit for life.
Interim Marketing Director
Linda is an incredibly talented and focussed HR professional at the top of her game! Partnering with her to support a transformational change programme, I saw first-hand how she works with others to drive the best outcome for the business. A rare talent and a pleasure to work with.
I think the thing that has always stuck with me is that Linda sees opportunity where others see a problem. For me that meant working with her in an environment where I could learn and grow beyond my own expectations. Working as part of her team she enabled me to act as an 'intrapreneur' within the organisation. This was perfect for me and when the time was right to go out on my own and start my business, I had the skills and focus to make it a success. I don't think I would have grown the company to where it is now, almost seven years later, had it not been for the three years I worked with her.


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'Was Donald Trump right?': Turnbull questioned over death on Manus Island
Refugee advocates say the death of Iranian asylum seeker Hamed Shamshiripour on Manus Island was avoidable, and on Tuesday prime minister Malcolm Turnbull called it 'regrettable'.
"We all regret the death the honourable member referred to (of) the person detained in PNG," Mr Turnbull said in question time.
Hamed Shamshiripour reportedly had a history of mental illness, and refugee advocates and other asylum seekers say they had been calling for extra support prior to his death.
It's believed the 31-year-old had spent the last four years in detention.
Mr Turnbull told parliament: "We stand for the integrity of Australia's borders."
"We are not going to outsource our borders to people smugglers ever again."
The prime minister was quizzed about Mr Shamshiripour's death and Mr Trump's praise of Australia's tough border policies by Greens MP Adam Bandt.
"People's lives have been broken in immigration detention and yesterday another asylum seeker died on Manus Island," he put to the prime minister.
"Was Donald Trump right when he said that you are worse than he is?"
The question referenced the recently leaked transcript of Mr Turnbull and Mr Trump discussing a refugee swap deal in January.
A photograph of a protest at Manus Island in wake of the death of Hamed Shamshiripour. (Amir Taghinia on Twitter)Amir Taghinia Twitter
The prime minister assured the new president the US was not obliged to accept a single refugee, needing only to go through the vetting process for those held in detention to honour the bargain.
Greens senator Nick McKim also disrupted parliament on Tuesday to demand the immediate evacuation of all of those held in detention on Manus Island and Nauru.
"The overwhelming majority of people that Australia has detained on Manus Island and Nauru have been found to be genuine refugees, that is, they have a well-founded fear of persecution, which means they cannot, without being placed in danger, in some cases danger of death, arbitrary imprisonment and torture, be returned to their home countries," Senator McKim said.
"There are now eight people who have died on Manus Island and Nauru whilst being Australia's responsibility. They have effectively died at Australian hands."
Dear Australian friends. Please tell to every other Australian to join and follow me because with solidarity we can be like an army .
— shahriar hatami (@Shahriarhatami1) August 8, 2017
Senator McKim read aloud the names of eight people who have died while in offshore detention since 2013, before pausing for a minute's silence.
Cabinet minister Michaelia Cash labelled his move "way worse than disgusting".
Iranian journalist and asylum seeker Behrouz Boochani on Manus Island accused the prime minister of being more concerned with politics than people.
"The PM is more concern with his political party than the Australian people. People are dying in Manus and Nauru in Australia's name, (sic)" he wrote on Twitter.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees says it is gravely concerned by deteriorating conditions at the Manus Island regional processing centre as authorities shuffle detainees around ahead of its October closure.
"The UNHCR is deeply saddened by the tragic death of a young refugee yesterday, which also highlights the precarious situation for vulnerable people on Manus Island," the agency said.
The day that we walked and sat silent.#ManusProtest #SOS #auspol #[email protected] do not let us die in PNG, let us live again pic.twitter苏州美甲培训学校按摩论坛,/gucJqwaUAM
— Amir Taghinia (@TaghiniaAmir) August 8, 2017
The UN believes the looming closure of the processing centre, along with the withdrawal of medical care, torture and trauma support and security services, is exacerbating a highly stressful situation for those on the island.
The agency says many of the nearly 800 refugees on Manus Island fear for their safety outside the centre following violent incidents in recent years.
The UN insists critical services on Manus Island must continue, warning any further reduction of fundamental supports for refugees and asylum-seekers would add to the serious health and security risks of detainees.
Hamed Shamshiripour's death is being investigated by PNG authorities.
The refugees in #Manus are calling for an independent investigation into Hamed's death. The refugees argue that its suspicious.
— Behrouz Boochani (@BehrouzBoochani) August 8, 2017
Following news of the death on Monday, asylum seekers in immigration detention on Nauru posted images and video of a protest calling for the shutdown of offshore immigration centres. There has also been a vigil held on Manus Island.
A protest was held on Nauru calling to shutdown offshore detention centres following the death of a refugee. (@Shahriarhatami1 on Twitter)Twitter
On Tuesday afternoon Mr Boochani said on Twitter he was concerned about the well-being of another asylum seeker he said was "in critical condition" with "a fractured skull".
He called for the man who was receiving treatment in hospital to be transferred to Australia.
The refugee in critical condition must be taken to Australia now. He has been vomiting blood for two days. Why wasn't he sent urgently?
SBS World News has sought comment and further information from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection who are yet to confirm the claims.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467. MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78.
– With AAP
Anti-migrant boat stuck off Tunisia
"To all staff and (security) agents we say: do not let this racist ship soil Tunisia's ports.
Keep them out as our brothers in (the ports of) Zarzis and Sfax have already done," the UGTT union said in Facebook post.
The UGTT, the Tunisian General Labour Union, is best known as a joint winner of the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize.
Any plans the C-Star had to dock at Zarzis in southeastern Tunisia on Sunday were scuppered when local fishermen warned they would block access to a refuelling channel.
Chartered by extremist group Generation Identity and crewed by activists from France, Germany and Italy, the C-Star's declared aim is to disrupt the flow of migrant boats from north Africa to Europe.
They have dubbed their mission "Defend Europe" and say they want to expose what they see as a taxi service for illegal immigrants being operated by privately-funded boats helping to patrol waters off Libya.
Humanitarian organisations operating the rescue boats have branded Defend Europe a potentially dangerous stunt. Two of the NGO vessels were contacted by the C-Star when it passed through waters off Libya on Saturday.
"We start our operation off the Libyan coast and we advise you to leave the SAR (Search and Rescue) area because you're acting as a pull factor for human traffickers, making them millions," the crew was recorded as telling their counterparts on the Aquarius, a boat operated by SOS Mediterranee and Doctors without Borders.
"We will watch you and the days of your unwatched doings here are over."
A similar, apparently intimidatory, message was delivered to the crew of the Golfo Azzurro, operated by Spain's Pro-Active Open Arms, who responded by telling C-Star's staff to stop using a radio channel reserved for emergency communications.
If the C-Star cannot dock in Tunisia it is unclear where else it could go.
Tentative plans to refuel in either Greece or Sicily on the way down to Libya were scuppered by opposition to their mission in both places.
The mission has been dogged by setbacks since the boat was chartered in Djibouti in mid-May with funds raised by crowd-funding.
The boat was held up for a week in the Suez Canal by Egyptian authorities looking for weapons then delayed further in Cyprus, where some of the Sri Lankan crew got off and claimed refugee status, embarrassingly adding to the list of asylum-seekers the mission is supposed to help cut.
The mission did not respond to a request for comment from AFP.
'Uncontrollable' North Korea could unleash a nuclear war in next 18 months: analyst
The US, South Korea, China, Japan and Australia are trying to reach a peaceful solution with North Korea, according to Australian Strategic Policy Institute analyst Dr Malcolm Davis, but adds that diplomacy has little prospect of working.
"We've tried since 1994 and North Korea has only accelerated its nuclear weapons and missile programs in return," the senior analyst in defence strategy and capability tells SBS World News.
He says the country could launch a nuclear strike as early as next year.
"We have been rushed towards a precipice with a war in the next 12 to 18 months in the Korean peninsula, and I can't see any way out of it.
"We're going to continue placing pressure on North Korea to step back from the brink, but North Korea will probably not do that."
Pyongyang responded defiantly after being slapped on Saturday with UN sanctions drafted by the US for testing intercontinental ballistic missiles last month.
The tests are the latest in a series conducted by North Korea this year, including a medium-range ballistic missile in April, a ballistic missile in May and four anti-ship missiles off its east coast in June.
North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho told an annual meeting of foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Manila on Monday that the country's possession of missiles and nuclear weapons "is a legitimate option for self-defence in the face of clear and real nuclear threat posed by the US against the DPRK."
In a recent statement in the official Korea Central News Agency, Pyongyang said the sanctions were a "violent violation of our sovereignty", adding the US would "pay the price for its crime… thousands of times."
Dr Davis says, "if we get to the point where North Korea is about to, or can, mount a nuclear warhead on an ICBM [intercontinental ballistic missile] and demonstrate an operational nuclear-tipped ICBM capability… the US and its allies in Asia have some difficult decisions to make in not a great deal of time."
One decision could be to ramp up deterrence measures against North Korea's use of nuclear weapons, through threatening to retaliate against the regime.
This could see forward deployment of US tactical nuclear forces to the Korean Peninsula. It could also involve enhancing missile defence options.
Pre-emptive measures
The other option would be to consider preventative war or pre-emptive strikes, using conventional (non-nuclear) forces, against the North's nuclear weapons capabilities and its ability to retaliate against South Korea and Japan.
0:00 Australia welcomes new UN North Korea sanctions Share Australia welcomes new UN North Korea sanctions
'No win situation'
Dr Davis believes the Trump administration will most likely choose the route of deterrence against "an uncontrollable regime, determined to threaten its neighbours."
But he adds that using deterrence to prevent North Korea from conducting a nuclear strike will unlikely be effective.
"[The US] would know that the risk then is that North Korea can continue to develop their nuclear weapons capabilities such that their coercive capability increases over time, and thus deterrence becomes more challenging over time."
He cites North Korea's submarine-launched ballistic missiles as an example – the US is only able to target land-based missiles.
And if the US and its allies chose to take the pre-emptive route, then they'd have to be prepared for North Korea to respond with weapons of mass destruction against South Korea and Japan, he says.
"But we'd know that chances were very high that North Korea would retaliate against South Korea and Japan in a devastating manner."
North Korea may use artillery against Seoul, or conduct chemical or nuclear strikes against South Korea and Japan, he says.
"It's a no win situation for US, South Korea and China."
0:00 North Korea claims ICBM missile launch successful Share North Korea claims ICBM missile launch successful
Does China hold the key?
While it's "entirely possible" for conflict to break out, it is likely there will be "some sort of negotiated outcome," says Dr Ben Zala, a research fellow at the Australian National University's Department of International Relations.
Dr Zala tells SBS World News while China likely doesn't want a denuclearised Korean peninsula, he believes it "might be able to lower tensions."
China could leverage its economic power over North Korea – which relies on its major trading partner – to compel Pyongyang to freeze its nuclear and missile testing.
But China will only do this if the US is rational and gives it incentives, Dr Zala says.
"At present I don't see any signs at all that the US is able and willing to think [carefully about negotiating with China]."
He believes China may negotiate with North Korea if the US reduces its 28,000 troops deployed to the Korean peninsula and its joint military exercises with South Korea.
It may also negotiate if the US less frequently condemns China's involvement in the South China Sea dispute.
RELATEDThe role of rationality
Mr Zala believes North Korea's threats may deescalate if the US is willing to accept a nuclear-armed North Korea.
"And that comes down to whether they think Kim Jong-un is rational."
He believes the North Korean leader is more likely a rational character, saying it's feasible that Kim Jong-un has amped up his country's nuclear threat based on the US' track record of toppling regimes.
"They say, look what happened to Gaddafi – that's not what's going to happen to us.
"If Kim Jong-un is rational, therefore seeing that nuclear war would be suicidal, then he won't do it."
0:00 North Korea top diplomat faced stern talks from other top diplomats Share North Korea top diplomat faced stern talks from other top diplomats
Trump launches 'real news' with help of former CNN commentator
Kayleigh McEnany, 29, quit her role with CNN as a pro-Trump contributor, announcing the move on August 5.
Only a day later she appeared as the face of Trump's 'News of the Week' video posted on Facebook.
She was also named the spokeswoman for the Republican Party.
The promotional video, filmed at Trump Tower in New York, was billed as the "realnews".
The 90 second video shows Ms McEnany speaking about the US president's accomplishments, prompting criticism Ms McEnany has become his "chief propagandist".
Republican National Committee (RNC) chairperson Ronna McDaniel said that as spokesperson Ms McEnany "will be an integral part of our party's ongoing commitment to promoting the Republican message to Americans across the country".
"Her wealth of experience will be invaluable to the RNC as we continue to support President Trump and build on our majorities in Congress," Ms McDaniel said in a statement.
While I have enjoyed my time at CNN, I will be moving to a new role. Stay tuned next week!
— Kayleigh McEnany (@kayleighmcenany) August 5, 2017Join @kayleighmcenany as she provides you the news of the week from Trump Tower in New York! #MAGA #TeamTrump pic.twitter苏州美甲培训学校按摩论坛,/CTi7l6j5Ub
— Official Team Trump (@TeamTrump) August 6, 2017
Ms McEnany said she was "excited to be joining the RNC at such an important and historic time in our country".
"I'm eager to talk about Republican ideas and values and have important discussions about issues affecting Americans across this country," she said.
Ms McEnany is a graduate of Georgetown University and Harvard Law School.
– With AFP
Lawyer reveals UK model's kidnap ordeal
A British model who was allegedly kidnapped in Milan was too terrified to try to get away from her captor when he took her shoe shopping and to buy groceries, her lawyer said.
Italian police said Chloe Ayling was snatched last month by a group calling itself Black Death and is believed to have been drugged and transported in a bag to an isolated village near Turin, where she was held for six days as her captors tried to auction her online.
The 20-year-old was told people were watching her and she would be killed if she tried to flee, meaning she complied with what her captor asked her to do, her lawyer Francesco Pesce said.
"She was told that she was going to be sold to somebody in the Middle East for sex," he told Radio 4 .
"She was told that people were there watching her and ready to kill her if she tried anything.
"So she thought that the best idea was to go along with it and to be nice in a way to her captor because he told her that he wanted to release her somehow and sometime and she thought that the best thing to do was not to go in conflict with him.
"So she abided to his request, 'let's go and buy groceries' and 'you need shoes, let's go buy shoes' and she didn't try to flee.
"But I believe she was terrified at the moment and even if she could've asked for help she didn't because she was subjugated to this person, or people as she was given to understand."
The Sun reported she told police she had developed a trusting relationship and even shared a bed with her kidnapper, who gave her chocolate and underwear, but she said he had not sexually assaulted her.
There was no sign of Ayling at her terraced home in Coulsdon, south London, on Monday.
"I've been through a terrifying experience. I feared for my life, second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour," she said.
"I am incredibly grateful to the Italian and UK authorities for all they have done to secure my safe release."
A Polish man who lives in Britain was arrested on July 18 on suspicion of kidnap and extortion, state police said.
Officials released a mugshot of the suspect, named as 30-year-old Lukasz Pawel Herba.
The UK's National Crime Agency said it has been assisting with the investigation.
It's alleged the men tried to sell Ayling online for more than $US300,000 ($A378,780) and demanded the model's agent pay to secure her release.
She was kept handcuffed to furniture in the village of Borgial but was freed after six days and taken to the British Consulate in Milan, despite the ransom not being paid, police said.


text:
Sempra Infrastructure Contributes $50,000 To Enhance Memorial Park Landscape
Over 900 native plants placed by employees during Environmental Champions event honoring Earth Day
HOUSTON, April 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sempra Infrastructure, a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE) (BMV: SRE), announced today a $50,000 contribution to Memorial Park Conservancy in support of the organization's ongoing efforts to enhance environmental infrastructure, stormwater management and establishment of resilient ecologies in Houston's largest urban wilderness and recreation park.
"We are excited to continue supporting Memorial Park Conservancy in its beautification and restoration activities for the second year," said Brian Lloyd, regional vice president of external affairs and communications for Sempra Infrastructure. "We are proud to be a part of Memorial Park Conservancy's transformational efforts to restore and build a resilient ecosystem within the park so that everyone can enjoy it for years to come."
Additionally, more than 50 employees and their families contributed approximately 100 hours of volunteer service and joined the Park's staff to plant over 900 native grasses and plants to help preserve, restore and enhance the Park during the Environmental Champions event in honor of Earth Day.
"Memorial Park Conservancy is proud to work with Sempra Infrastructure, a founding member of our Corporate Partners Program. Its commitment to community and sustainability strengthens our mission of preserving, restoring and enhancing Memorial Park for all Houstonians," said Shellye Arnold, Memorial Park Conservancy President and CEO. "Sempra Infrastructure's dedicated volunteers and financial support make a real and immediate impact."
Sempra Infrastructure's participation in this event and the company's contribution are an extension of the ongoing relationship announced last year. In 2021, Sempra and Sempra Infrastructure contributed a total of $150,000 to Memorial Park Conservancy.
Located in the heart of Houston and less than five miles from Sempra Infrastructure's new Houston headquarters, Memorial Park spans 1,500 acres. Memorial Park Conservancy's mission is to preserve, restore and enhance the park for the enjoyment of all Houstonians, today and tomorrow.
About Memorial Park Conservancy
Memorial Park Conservancy is a non-profit organization created to restore, preserve, and enhance Memorial Park for the enjoyment of all Houstonians, today and tomorrow. Now celebrating its 22nd year, the Conservancy's vision is to implement the principles of world-class park management and stewardship in partnership with the Houston community. Memorial Park Conservancy is responsible for managing 1,100 of the Park's 1,500 acres.
Paty O. Mitchell, Sempra Infrastructure, [email protected]


text:
Gradius Collection
The Classic Konami Code Now Has Its Own Store In Akihabara
The pop-up includes merch from Gradius, Policenauts, and other classic Konami properties.
Updated: 8 Nov 2021 11:20 pm
Posted: 8 Nov 2021 11:05 pm
A pop-up store selling exclusive merchandise themed around the Konami Code has opened at the Akihabara Container in Tokyo's Akihabara district.
The Konami Code – a combination of button presses that unlocked special goodies in various Konami games from the 1980s onwards – was first used in Gradius in 1986. By entering up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, players could unlock a more powerful ship to play with. The hidden command went on to be used in Gradius II and other Konami titles.
The pop-up shop sells various exclusive items based on classic Konami titles such as Gradius, Goemon, Snatcher and Tokimeki Memorial. The full lineup can be seen in the gallery below or on the official website.
Konami Code Store - Merch Gallery
In addition, the store features a photo spot with a massive wall panel of Chichibinta Rika from the Parodius series, where visitors are invited to pose for selfies.
Have you played Gradius Collection?
Konami has even released a theme song based on the Konami Code, produced by Japanese artist TOMOSUKE, sung by meiyo, and illustrated by Kaneko Shake. The video for the song, which features lyrics in Japanese extolling the virtues of the button command in detail, is available on Konami's Japanese YouTube account.
Konami has come under fire in recent years for moving away from game development following the departure of Hideo Kojima, but that hasn't stopped the publisher from cashing in on its various classic properties. In September, Konami released the Castlevania Advance Collection, which contains several Game Boy Advance games as well as Dracula X for the Super NES.
The Konami Code 35th anniversary celebration began on October 28 and will continue to November 16. If you're able to make it to Japan in that time and you have even a little love for classic games, it's worth a visit for the nostalgia hit alone.
Ryuichi Kataoka is a writer for IGN Japan
Was this article informative?
Gradius Collection is a collected revival of one of the great classics in side-scrolling blast-em-ups. This compilation features five Gradius titles: Gradius I, II, III, IV and Gradius Gaiden.
ESRB: Everyone
Mild Fantasy Violence
Ingram Entertainment, Konami
Number Of Players, Memory Card
Shooter, SHMUP
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