CALENDAR.

* Evaluating the "indecs"An evaluation conference on the European Commissions "indecs" project will be held in London on July 7-8. This event will present the "indecs" metadata model and discuss its use in both a commercial and operational context. Indecs is an international collaborative project, supported by the European Commission under the INFO 2000 programme. It seeks to develop a framework of standards and service specifications to support network commerce based on intellectual property. Information: http://www.indecs.org/news/conference.htmInternet Gateways A workshop entitled "Building National and Large Scale Internet Information Gateways" is being organised on September 14-15 in The Hague, Netherlands. It is being run by the DESIRE (Development of a European Service for Information on Research and Education) project, funded by the European Commission. The workshop aims to consider the implications of building gateways using international Web and library standards. Information: http://desire.org/html/subjectgateways/workshops/work1-booking.html* Technology helps Telematics-supported learning The fifth International Conference on Technology-Supported Learning "Online Educa Berlin 1999" will take place in Berlin on November 24-26. This years main topics will include: - Designing and re-designing content and methodology for online delivery; - Management of knowledge within the industrial sector; - The flexible and virtual university; - Innovation and excellence in the provision of open and flexible learning; - Small and medium-sized enterprises and telematics-based learning; - Telemedia language learning; - Telelearning in developing countries and countries in transition. Information: ICEF Berlin, Ms Sylke Sedelies, Niebuhrstrasse. 69a, D-10629 Berlin; Tel: +49-30-3276140; fax: +49-30-3249833. E-mail: ICEFBerlin@aol.com..MM:TECE..II:0149..DD:19990603..AA:309..TT:RESEARCH/TELECOMMUNICATIONS: IS THERE A GAP IN PROTECTION AGAINST MOBILE PHONES?..SS:People are being exposed to potentially lethal radiation from mobile telephones because health regulations do not go far enough, a report published on May 27 said. The report, by Gerard Hyland, senior lecturer in Physics at Warwick University (England), said regulations only give protection against radiation intensity. Hyland told a news conference that current regulations ignore the impact of low frequency electromagnetic pulses which can interfere with the body's natural electrical systems. This reaction varies with individuals and can harm immune systems. Hyland was presenting the report at a news conference sponsored by Tecno AO (UK) Ltd, which makes and sells devices which can be clipped on to telephones...XX:Tecno AO claims their devices negate the impact of very low frequency (VLF) and extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic radiation. Britain's National Radiological Protection Board, which is responsible for mobile phone safety, stood by its rules. "Our regulations are based on international standards for devices based on evidence published in scientific, medical and epidemiological journals", said Mike Clark, NRPB spokesman. "We can only base standards on generally established scientific and medical facts" Clark said. The British Mobile telephone company Vodafone Group Plc said it was happy to follow regulations put in place by the NRPD, but also supported continuing research. "The whole industry supports research in properly authorised channels like the World Health Organisation (WHO), and we have a commitment to be as open as possible. We will take note of any new evidence, but the science at the moment indicates there isn't cause for concern" Vodafone said.Warwick University's Hyland disagrees. "Current safety guidelines are fundamentally flawed and in need of a complete rethink" Hyland said. Hyland said the current regulations only address the problem of excess heat generated by microwave radiation in mobile phones. "Living organisms have the ability to sense and react to aspects of electromagnetic radiation more than its intensity. The wave motion can interfere with fundamental human processes at way below intensity levels addressed by regulations. The NRPD regulations ignore this", Hyland said.Scare stories about health and mobile phones proliferate almost as fast as the sales of the ubiquitous devices. Last year global mobile phone sales zoomed ahead by 51 percent to 163 million, according to Dataquest of the US. And this despite worrying news about safety. Recent reports have linked their use to fatigue, headaches, tingling and heat sensations on the ear and skin. Another study said mobile phones caused blood pressure to increase. Yet another warned of short-term memory loss. One study of chicken embryos exposed to computers showed foetal loss. Recently, a British Broadcasting Company (BBC) programme suggested microwave radiation from handsets could increase brain tumour chances. Finland's Nokia, which sold more mobile phones last year than anyone, was quick to deny that report...MM:TECE..II:0149..DD:19990603..AA:310..TT:TELEPHONESUK TO AUCTION FIVE MOBILE TELECOMS LICENCES..XX:The UK Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on May 6 that it has decided to offer five third generation mobile telecommunications licences through an auction. It said that the auction would take place in the second half of the financial year 1999-2000. Following an extensive consultation period, the DTI statement confirms an expected delay of the complex, GBP1. 0 billion (USD1.63 billion) plus auction for high frequency radio spectrum that will turn mobile telecommunications products such as cellphones into high performance micro computers. The so-called UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) licences are expected to allow cellphone, mobile terminal and laptop users to surf the Internet, download electronic mail, music and pictures and hold videoconferences on the move. Britain's four mobile telephone companies - Vodafone Group Plc, Cellnet, Orange Plc and One2One - have expressed an interest, as well as the country's dominant phone group British Telecommunications Plc.The fifth licence will offer the greatest amount of spectrum and is reserved for a new entrant, which will have to overcome the obstacles of not owning a second generation, or GSM (Global Standard for Mobile Communications), network, the DTI said. It also confirmed that UK telecoms watchdog Oftel would shortly issue draft amendments to existing cellphone operators' licences so that any new entrant has the right to roam onto at least...