October 19, 2005

World Media Watch

by Gloria R. Lalumia

BuzzFlash Note: WMW provides BuzzFlash readers foreign views and perspectives that are not usually available from the media here in the U.S. The presentation of these articles from these international publications is not an endorsement of their viewpoints.

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WORLD MEDIA WATCH FOR OCTOBER 19, 2005

1//The Scotsman, UK-- ID CARDS WILL LEAD TO 'MASSIVE FRAUD' (The government's case for identity cards has been dealt a serious blow on the day of a crucial Commons vote after the software giant Microsoft warned that the proposals could generate "massive identity fraud" on a scale as yet unseen. In an article for The Scotsman today, Jerry Fishenden, the national technology officer for Microsoft, says the proposal to place "biometrics" - or personal identifiers such as fingerprints - on a central database could perpetuate the "very problem the system was intended to prevent". He says ministers "should not be building systems that allow hackers to mine information so easily". The timing of the warning could not have been worse for the government; ministers have been arm-twisting behind the scenes to stave off a Commons rebellion tonight over whether the bill should get a third reading. … . The fact that Microsoft - which has bid as part of various consortia for numerous government contracts - has outlined its concerns about the security risks will alarm ministers. Opposition politicians last night branded the scheme "farcical" after Tony McNulty, the Home Office minister in charge of ID cards, conceded that people might be identified inaccurately by the biometric checks.)

RELATED UPDATE: ID CARDS VOTE: LABOUR MAJORITY CUT (The Government's majority slumped to 32 in the Commons as it suffered another backbench revolt over identity cards. Labour rebels, backed by the Opposition, tried to block moves to force people applying for passports to submit personal details to the ID card database. But the bid failed by 310 votes to 278 after a short but bitter debate, in which Government backbenchers warned of "creeping compulsion". … . A further rebellion was expected when the Bill received its third reading, despite conciliatory moves recently by Home Secretary Charles Clarke.)

2//Inter Press Service News Agency, Italy--RAFSANJANI OFFERS HOPE ON NUCLEAR, OIL ISSUES (The fact that it was former president Hashemi Rafsanjani who announced Iran's readiness to talk on the ''country's nuclear dossier without any pre-condition'' rather than his hardline successor, Mahmud Ahmadinejad, offers a glimmer of hope for reconciliation with the West on the key nuclear and oil issues. When Rafsanjani, who now wears the hat of chairman of the shadowy but powerful State Expedience Council [SEC], announced on Saturday that ''Tehran is ready to begin dialogues for transparency on the nuclear dossier,'' it was a sign that the reformists were once again calling the shots in Iran despite their shock defeat in the June presidential elections. … . But the unexpected intervention by Rafsanjani, regarded as a pro-Western politician who also has the ear of the 'Supreme Leader' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a sign that the days ahead may see a softening of Tehran's approach and a dilution of President Ahmadinejad's authority. Much would depend on what exactly are the powers of the SEC to which Rafsanjani was appointed on October 3, and who in turn, appointed another former pro-West president, Mohammad Khatami to the body's decision-making High Council.)

3//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong--STAKES RISE IN JAPAN, CHINA GAS DISPUTE (Japan and China appear headed for a showdown over natural gas exploration and drilling in the East China Sea. Up until Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Monday visited a controversial shrine to his country's war dead, it was hoped the showdown might occur at the negotiating table. But the visit, his fifth since 2001, once again infuriated China, as well as other Asian nations, putting the status of a wide range of talks between the two countries in jeopardy. Among them was this week's hoped-for decisive round on East China Sea gas. … . The East China Sea situation is becoming increasingly volatile. Tensions have been high since last month when a Chinese Navy destroyer aimed its guns at a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force P3-C surveillance plane near the disputed waters of the Chunxiao gas field in the East China Sea. Five Chinese Navy warships have also recently been observed prowling in the same area. And the Japanese news agency Kyodo this week reported that China last month sent a spy plane, the third in two months, to the disputed East China Sea area to collect data on Japanese military vessels operating there. A senior Japanese diplomat, who did not wish to be identified said: "It will be difficult for either Japan or China to compromise in this dispute, but failure to do so could create a very dangerous situation.)

4//The Daily Times, Pakistan--ORPHANS FACE PERIL OF TRAFFICKERS (Since the October 8 magnitude-7.6 quake hit, some 1,000 children have been evacuated from the stricken region of Kashmir for medical care. Amid the chaos, child welfare groups and Pakistani authorities worry that the separated or orphaned children might make good targets for child traffickers or even childless couples. The issue also surfaced in the aftermath of the December 26 tsunami disaster that hit 11 nations around the Indian Ocean. In the best-known case, an infant tsunami survivor nicknamed "Baby 81" was claimed by nine different couples until DNA tests proved his identity, and the four-month-old was given back to his true parents. The US State Department has labelled Pakistan "a source, transit, and destination country for trafficked persons" while the International Labour Organisation estimates that close to 100,000 people are trafficked internally each year. … . In order to stave off fears, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Sunday announced that all children orphaned by the earthquake will be taken care of by the government and nobody will be allowed to adopt any of them.)

5//The Toronto Star, Canada--CANADA FLUNKS ENVIRONMENT TEST: SUZUKI (David Suzuki called on voters to push the environment up the election campaign agenda after a new study ranked Canada among the worst performers in the industrialized world. The Simon Fraser University study, released today by the David Suzuki Foundation, rates Canada's environmental performance 28th among 30 countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The analysis looked at 29 key environmental areas. It put Canada dead last among the 30 countries in the production of nuclear waste, carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds. It was 29th in per capita water consumption, sulphur oxide emissions and energy use. … . On Monday, the Conference Board of Canada ranked Canada's environmental performance eighth among OECD countries. Previous reports by World Economic Forum and the Environmental Performance Index ranked Canada sixth; Keeping Score placed Canada second; the Ecosystem Well-Being Index put Canada third.)

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1//The Scotsman, UK Tuesday, 18th October 2005
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=2103982005

ID CARDS WILL LEAD TO 'MASSIVE FRAUD'
Gerri Peev, Political Correspondent

The government's case for identity cards has been dealt a serious blow on the day of a crucial Commons vote after the software giant Microsoft warned that the proposals could generate "massive identity fraud" on a scale as yet unseen.

In an article for The Scotsman today, Jerry Fishenden, the national technology officer for Microsoft, says the proposal to place "biometrics" - or personal identifiers such as fingerprints - on a central database could perpetuate the "very problem the system was intended to prevent". He says ministers "should not be building systems that allow hackers to mine information so easily".

The timing of the warning could not have been worse for the government; ministers have been arm-twisting behind the scenes to stave off a Commons rebellion tonight over whether the bill should get a third reading.

Many Labour MPs have concerns about the scheme and some have vowed to side with the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives in opposing identity cards. The bill is expected to scrape through today, but the House of Lords is set to give it a tougher time.

Mr Fishenden says that, as no computer system is ever 100 per cent secure, "putting a comprehensive set of personal data in one place produces a honeypot effect - a highly attractive and richly rewarding target for criminals".

Ministers propose putting 13 personal identifiers, such as iris scans, fingerprints and facial imprints, on to a central database, along with personal details such as names and addresses. But the technology expert warns that holding these details in one place "is something that no technologist would ever recommend" and could leave individuals helpless if their details were compromised.

"Unlike other forms of information, such as credit card details, if core biometric details such as your fingerprints are compromised, it is not going to be possible to provide you with new ones," Mr Fishenden says. Using the same "identifiers" every time the ID card is presented is a "highly risky technical design" and could inadvertently broadcast personal information to fraudsters or private companies. Having to produce this much information for every service is "unnecessary" as systems could be designed to ensure that only the relevant data is revealed each time.

"Would you be happy if online auction sites, casinos or car rental company employees are given the same identity information that provides you with access to your medical records?" Mr Fishenden writes.

The fact that Microsoft - which has bid as part of various consortia for numerous government contracts - has outlined its concerns about the security risks will alarm ministers.

Opposition politicians last night branded the scheme "farcical" after Tony McNulty, the Home Office minister in charge of ID cards, conceded that people might be identified inaccurately by the biometric checks.

Internal documents at the Home Office highlighting the failures of the biometric technology - including the revelation that those who are bald or have brown eyes might have trouble being identified - have further emboldened rebels.

An earlier trial involving 10,000 volunteers showed ethnic minorities, the elderly and disabled were at risk of being wrongly identified. Studies have found being scanned in shadow could also lead to an inaccurate identification.

More "defects" were uncovered in the proposals every week, said Edward Garnier, the Tory home affairs spokesman and chairman of the public accounts committee. "The sooner Gordon Brown pulls the plug on this scheme, the better," he said, branding identity cards an "expensive waste of money".

(MORE)

RELATED UPDATE:

//The Scotsman, UK Tue 18 Oct 2005 8:38pm (UK)
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2108712005

ID CARDS VOTE: LABOUR MAJORITY CUT

The Government's majority slumped to 32 in the Commons as it suffered another backbench revolt over identity cards.

Labour rebels, backed by the Opposition, tried to block moves to force people applying for passports to submit personal details to the ID card database.

But the bid failed by 310 votes to 278 after a short but bitter debate, in which Government backbenchers warned of "creeping compulsion".

The Government's notional 66-strong majority was cut to 31 on the Identity Cards Bill's second reading in June, with 20 Labour MPs rebelling in the biggest revolt since the May election.

A further rebellion was expected when the Bill received its third reading, despite conciliatory moves recently by Home Secretary Charles Clarke.

(MORE)

2//Inter Press Service News Agency, Italy Oct 17, 2005
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=30650

RAFSANJANI OFFERS HOPE ON NUCLEAR, OIL ISSUES
Analysis by Saloumeh Peyman

TEHRAN, Oct 17 (IPS) - The fact that it was former president Hashemi Rafsanjani who announced Iran's readiness to talk on the ''country's nuclear dossier without any pre-condition'' rather than his hardline successor, Mahmud Ahmadinejad, offers a glimmer of hope for reconciliation with the West on the key nuclear and oil issues.

When Rafsanjani, who now wears the hat of chairman of the shadowy but powerful State Expedience Council (SEC), announced on Saturday that ''Tehran is ready to begin dialogues for transparency on the nuclear dossier,'' it was a sign that the reformists were once again calling the shots in Iran despite their shock defeat in the June presidential elections.

It is another matter that foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said on Sunday that Tehran would not comply with a demand by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that it stop uranium conversion at its Isfahan facility and fall in line with a key European Union condition for resumption of talks.

Asefi told reporters that the freeze on uranium conversion was made voluntarily and that Iran reserved the right to make fuel for its reactors as signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Talks between Iran and the EU-3 (Britain, France and Germany) broke down in August, when Iran rejected a deal that offered trade and other incentives for a full cessation of fuel cycle work, the focus of fears that Iran could acquire nuclear weapons.

But the unexpected intervention by Rafsanjani, regarded as a pro-Western politician who also has the ear of the 'Supreme Leader' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a sign that the days ahead may see a softening of Tehran's approach and a dilution of President Ahmadinejad's authority.

Much would depend on what exactly are the powers of the SEC to which Rafsanjani was appointed on October 3, and who in turn, appointed another former pro-West president, Mohammad Khatami to the body's decision-making High Council.

After his election in 1997, Khatami had begun a process of reform and reconciliation aimed undoing the isolation of Iran after the 1979 ouster of the Shah of Iran and the installation of an Islamic republic.

Curiously enough, the powers of the SEC were recently expanded with Speaker Gholamali Haddad-Adel mounting a defence of it in parliament saying it was in the interests of greater discipline.

According to Haddad-Adel all macro-level policies could only be made after consultations with the SEC which is also now charged with supervising the execution of those polices.

In other words, say critics, this was virtually amounted to the creation of parallel authority.

(MORE)

3//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong Oct 19, 2005
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/GJ19Dh01.html

STAKES RISE IN JAPAN, CHINA GAS DISPUTE

By J Sean Curtin

Japan and China appear headed for a showdown over natural gas exploration and drilling in the East China Sea.

Up until Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Monday visited a controversial shrine to his country's war dead, it was hoped the showdown might occur at the negotiating table. But the visit, his fifth since 2001, once again infuriated China, as well as other Asian nations, putting the status of a wide range of talks between the two countries in jeopardy. Among them was this week's hoped-for decisive round on East China Sea gas.

Japan had hoped that a final make-or-break round of negotiations on the gas-deposit issue would commence on Wednesday in Beijing, but that looks increasing unlikely in the wake of the shrine visit. "No date and time have been set yet," Japan's Vice Trade Minister Hideji Sugiyama said. China has already canceled Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura's scheduled Sunday visit to Beijing.

The East China Sea situation is becoming increasingly volatile. Tensions have been high since last month when a Chinese Navy destroyer aimed its guns at a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force P3-C surveillance plane near the disputed waters of the Chunxiao gas field in the East China Sea. Five Chinese Navy warships have also recently been observed prowling in the same area.

And the Japanese news agency Kyodo this week reported that China last month sent a spy plane, the third in two months, to the disputed East China Sea area to collect data on Japanese military vessels operating there.

A senior Japanese diplomat, who did not wish to be identified said: "It will be difficult for either Japan or China to compromise in this dispute, but failure to do so could create a very dangerous situation. We issued China an ultimatum at the previous talks [at the beginning of October], and made it clear that the issue must be resolved in the next and final round of negotiations scheduled for October 19. If we do not reach a satisfactory settlement, the Japanese public's patience is likely to reach breaking point."

(SNIP)

What's at stake in the East China Sea is 200 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserves. The sides have had three rounds of talks without a solution. Meantime, Japan wants China to cease drilling it claims could siphon gas from Japanese territory. China is in no apparent hurry to comply.

Beijing has declared that it wants to make the East China Sea a "sea of cooperation", but in the light of recent comments many in Tokyo now fear it could soon become a "sea of confrontation".

(MORE)

4//The Daily Times, Pakistan Wednesday, October 19, 2005
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?...

ORPHANS FACE PERIL OF TRAFFICKERS

RAWALPINDI: Before Mohamed Sajid was bundled alone onto a helicopter in Muzaffarabad in the centre of the area stricken by South Asia's massive earthquake, his father scrawled his son's name - and his own - on a piece of paper and stuffed it into the 13-year-old boy's shirt pocket.

Five days later, Mohamed hung tightly onto that piece of paper at the Rawalpindi General Hospital; a small sense of security in his unsettled life. "Only my father can take me," said Mohamed, showing the piece of paper. "I will wait for him."

Since the October 8 magnitude-7.6 quake hit, some 1,000 children have been evacuated from the stricken region of Kashmir for medical care. Amid the chaos, child welfare groups and Pakistani authorities worry that the separated or orphaned children might make good targets for child traffickers or even childless couples.

The issue also surfaced in the aftermath of the December 26 tsunami disaster that hit 11 nations around the Indian Ocean. In the best-known case, an infant tsunami survivor nicknamed "Baby 81" was claimed by nine different couples until DNA tests proved his identity, and the four-month-old was given back to his true parents.

The US State Department has labelled Pakistan "a source, transit, and destination country for trafficked persons" while the International Labour Organisation estimates that close to 100,000 people are trafficked internally each year.

Children have been a particular target, smuggled out of the country for use in oil-rich Middle Eastern countries to ride camels in races, preferred for the dangerous job because they are light. They are generally smuggled from poor countries by people posing as their parents or close relatives, and over the past several months, about 400 children have been repatriated to Pakistan from the United Arab Emirates as the countries work to combat the problem. Trafficked children are also used as labourers and forced into the sex industry.

In order to stave off fears, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Sunday announced that all children orphaned by the earthquake will be taken care of by the government and nobody will be allowed to adopt any of them. "The government is concerned," said Dr Anjum Javed, director of the children's ward at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad. "There was chaos first, with many people running about but now we are checking everyone." Dr Javed said that the seven orphans in his ward were all placed in a separate wing of the building that is filled with wounded children. The hospital has 925 children patients, but most are accompanied by parents or other relatives. Guards have been placed outside the wing. All children arriving alone have been photographed, and are quickly whisked away to the section, Dr Javed said. "If you don't have the proper identification, you cannot have your child," said Dr Javed. "We will do our utmost to keep them off the hands of kidnappers."

(MORE)

5//The Toronto Star, Canada Oct. 18, 2005. 07:52 PM
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?page...

CANADA FLUNKS ENVIRONMENT TEST: SUZUKI
Canadian Press

OTTAWA - David Suzuki called on voters to push the environment up the election campaign agenda after a new study ranked Canada among the worst performers in the industrialized world.

The Simon Fraser University study, released today by the David Suzuki Foundation, rates Canada's environmental performance 28th among 30 countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The analysis looked at 29 key environmental areas.

It put Canada dead last among the 30 countries in the production of nuclear waste, carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds. It was 29th in per capita water consumption, sulphur oxide emissions and energy use.

"It's time we stopped ignoring the environment," Suzuki said. ``Let's not let another election go by without making this a high priority."

Suzuki, who's made a career of defending and explaining the natural world, called on Ottawa to pass a national sustainability act. He said Canadians should vote based on their representatives' environmental beliefs.

Environment Minister Stephane Dion acknowledged Canada has a long way to go on environmental issues but he said the Suzuki report misses the mark.

On Monday, the Conference Board of Canada ranked Canada's environmental performance eighth among OECD countries.

Previous reports by World Economic Forum and the Environmental Performance Index ranked Canada sixth; Keeping Score placed Canada second; the Ecosystem Well-Being Index put Canada third.

The Suzuki report placed Turkey No. 1 and Mexico 13th, Dion noted.

"Who can put a lot of confidence in a study that said that the best performer regarding environment is Turkey?" Dion asked outside the Commons.

"Mexico is 13th. Would you drink Mexico City water from the tap?"

European countries such as Switzerland, Denmark and Germany dominated the top of Suzuki's environmental list, while only Belgium and the United States ranked worse than Canada.

(MORE)

Copyright 2005, Gloria R. Lalumia