4 countries cleared hurdle for non-Latin Web names

Egypt, Russia, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates is the first country to win approval for the initial Internet address is written entirely in their native script.

Since their creation in the 1980s, the Internet domain names have been limited to 26 characters in the Latin alphabet used in English, and 10 numbers and dashes. Technical tricks have been used to allow parts of the Internet address to use other scripts, but until now, must use the suffix-37 characters.

Announcement from Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Number, known as ICANN, opening the way for the entire domain name that will appear in Cyrillic or Arabic in the middle of this year. Applications to string in another language which delayed.

That means Internet users with little or no knowledge of English no longer need to type Latin characters to access the Web sites targeting Russian or Arabic speakers. Although search engines can sometimes help people achieve this, the company still need to enter Latin characters in the ad.

Users may still need to Latin characters e-mail address, however, as engineers merampungkan Internet standards for e-mail application that can understand all of the domain name in Cyrillic or Arabic.

ICANN gave initial approval to the country after four years of debate and trial non-Latin name. Demand for them has increased throughout the world as the expanding Internet use among people from different languages.

Some countries have issued some non-Latin domain name script - just use the suffix latin characters. But Egypt, Russia, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates did not, said Tina Dam, senior director for ICANN Domain Name internationalization program.

For three Arabic-speaking countries, there will be too much confusion because their language is written right to left, while the Latin useful left to right. Russian, is a concern that Latin and Cyrillic characters look too similar and will create confusion if mixed in a single Internet address.

Four countries have now formally requested the suffix, ICANN and the hall must be signed. Is now expected that the ICANN staff has cleared the proposed suffix to ensure they will not cause technical problems or confusion with the Latin language is the domain name.

Their endings are:

• The equivalent of "Egyptian" in Arabic.

• "RF" for the Russian Federation, which is written in Cyrillic.

• The Arabic equivalent to "AlSaudiah," short for Saudi Arabia.

• "Emirates" written in Arabic for the UAE.

All four countries will maintain their current two-letter Latin suffix - ". For example" to Egypt, ". Ru" for Russia, ". Sa" and to Saudi Arabia. "Ae" for Emirates.

ICANN received applications from 16 countries in eight languages since mid of last November. Office will not release details about those who are still being studied.

Clinton plans to stump Net global freedom

Foreign Minister Hillary Rodham Clinton was preparing to deliver a major speech on Saturday raised the importance of Internet freedom and place influence from the United States' diplomacy behind the effort to protect it, according to many who have given explanations about the content of speech.

Clinton's speech at the Newseum in Washington, DC, intended to announce that support for independence and freedom of the press line will be the priority and the Department of Foreign Affairs will address the importance of CyberSecurity, who said the explanation was given. For example, the United States be prepared to ask for support countries to state the basic principles of freedom around the Internet as part of the conditions to receive foreign aid, sources told CNET News.

Speech will come just nine days after Google's blunt declaration about illegal Chinese sensors and electronic interference, including charges of theft of intellectual property. A total of 30 other companies may have been targeted, including Yahoo, Symantec, Juniper Networks, Dow Chemical, and Northrop Grumman.

One question answered for directing the Assistant Foreign Minister Michael Posner, which took place Tuesday morning, is whether the Department of Foreign Affairs will risk offending the Chinese government last week to discuss the proposed cost by Google. "We do not have the impact that will have particular reference Chinese Google incident," said Robert Mahoney, deputy director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, one of those given an explanation.

But State Department officials, speaking on background, told CNET that the incidents in the future will be included in Google's Chinese speech.

Speech came at a dangerous time in Washington-Beijing relations, which have been emphasized by the dispute at the Copenhagen summit carbon emissions and the controversy over China's currency valuation, yuan.

"If people find the putting out of 1-through-10 Internet agenda, they will be disappointed," said Leslie Harris, president of the Center for Democracy and Technology, who is also an explanation. "But if they find the United States to place the power of diplomacy on the line for Internet freedoms, it will become a very important speech."

Google believes blunt recognition that the Chinese government is behind penyusupan in the internal network, and possible theft of source code, has been among the turbulent political and technology since last week. Has led the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to show that it will lodge an official protest in a letter - called demarche - with Beijing.

In the last few days, State Department officials have been meeting with several partners and China say they plan to continue the discussion.