There’s a new law on data protection in Russia, and under its provisions, information for web site owners should not be accessible online. The . database has almost three years to fulfill the law requirements (until January 1, 2010), but -Center, (largest registrar for .), says they have discussed the issue with RIPN (the technical contact for .) may be ready to implement it in the coming months.

You can read unofficial translation of the law here (PDF), or the original – here (in Russian, html).

Read more on ICANN Blog


During previous drawing lots has seen an increasing tendency of some people trying to abuse the system in order to get the names they want. The problem has been discussed with The Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority (NPTA) as supervisory body for .. NPTA and have decided that a stricter regime is necessary when opening for numeric domain names.

would like to draw your attention to the following:

The drawing of lots mechanism has been chosen in order to give all applicants an equal opportunity to register the domain names they want. Organisations cooperating with other organisations in applying for the same domain names, thus increasing their chances to get the names at the expense of other applicants, violate the basic principle of the drawing.

If we discover obvious abuse of the drawing mechanism we reserve the right to

close/reject all applications from the organisations, and withdraw the right to participate in the drawing
suspend the registrar who submits the applications
The suspension of the registrar will occur if considers the registrar to be either an obvious accomplice to the abuse or that the registrar should have understood that his system was being abused.

The NPTA will be kept informed about the development in any possible cases involving obvious abuse of the drawing mechanism.

At the same time we wish to emphasise that the applicant has, as with other domain names, the responsibility to make sure that the name does not violate Norwegian law or the rights of third parties.

Source : Norid.no