WebProNews

Egypt Applies For First International Domain Name

Egypt said Monday it is applying to use Arabic characters for the first time in its entire Internet domain name. The move by Egypt comes as the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) formally opens the process allowing countries to apply for "internationalized" domain names or IDNs, where scripts such as Arabic or Chinese will be used in the last part of an address name.

ICANN Approves International Domains

The first Internet addresses with non-Latin characters will soon be online after today's approval of the new Internationalized Domain Name Fast Track Process by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). "The coming introduction of non-Latin characters represents the biggest technical change to the Internet since it was created four decades ago," said ICANN chairman Peter Dengate Thrush.

ICANN To Become a More Independent Company

After 11 years, the not-for-profit group Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers–which we all know as ICANN–is becoming more independent.

ICANN Becomes More Independent

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the body responsible for managing Internet domain names, has announced it will no longer be controlled by the U.S. government. ICANN and the U.S. Department of Commerce signed an agreement today supporting the model of international multi-stakeholder governance of the global Internet addressing system. ICANN was created in 1998 to manage the Internet's addressing system such as top-level domain-names and IP address space. The group has been criticized for being too influenced by the U.S. government.

Domain Registrars Lose Accreditation

Three South American domain registrars have lost their accreditation according to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). The reason for this is that they have failed to comply with the requirements of the Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA). The registrars involved include South American Domains, which does business under NameFrog.com, Simply Named (SimplyNamed.com), and Tahoe Domains.

Test Indicates Domain Front Running a Non-Issue

Domain front running is when "insider information" is gathered by a party from monitoring attempts by an Internet user to check the availability of a domain name, and then that info is used to by that party to register that domain name.

Respected Security Expert Becomes ICANN CEO

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) announced that it has selected security expert Rod Beckstrom as its new president and CEO. The announcement took place at ICANN's 35th international meeting in Sydney, Australia. "The importance of the Internet as a free flowing source of information is being underscored right now by the events in Iran," said Beckstrom. "It shows the power of human expression through a free and open Net."

EU Commissioner Pushes For Independent ICANN

In about five months' time, the current agreement between ICANN and the U.S. government will expire.  At that point, Viviane Reding, the European Union's Commissioner for Information Society and Media, is hoping ICANN will become a fully independent organization with a more international support network. 

WIPO: Cybersquatters Set Record Pace In 2008

Cybersquatters stayed busy last year, according to a new report from the World Intellectual Property Organization.  Indeed, they set a record, and it looks like they're on track to do so again in 2009.

ICANN Head To Step Down

Paul Twomey, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), announced today he will step down from his position at the end of 2009.