Massive Ordnance Penetrator

The GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) is a U.S. Air Force, precision-guided, 30,000-pound (13,608 kg) “bunker buster” bomb.[2] This is substantially larger than the deepest penetrating bunker busters previously available, the 5,000-pound (2,268 kg) GBU-28 and GBU-37.

In 2002, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin were working on the development of a 30,000-lb (13,600 kg) earth-penetrating weapon, said to be known as “Big BLU”. But funding and technical difficulties resulted in the development work being abandoned. Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, analysis of sites that had been targeted with bunker-buster bombs revealed poor penetration and inadequate levels of destruction.[citation needed] This renewed interest in the development of a super-large bunker-buster, and the MOP project was initiated by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency to fulfill a long-standing Air Force requirement.[3]

The U.S. Air Force has not officially recognized specific military requirement for an ultra-large bomb, but it does have a concept for a collection of massively sized penetrator and blast weapons, the so-called “Big BLU” collection, which includes the MOAB (Massive Ordnance Air Burst) bomb. Development of the MOP was performed at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Munitions Directorate, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida with design and testing work performed by Boeing. It is intended that the bomb will be deployed on the B-2 bomber, and will be guided by the use of GPS.[4][5]

Northrop Grumman announced a $2.5-million stealth-bomber refit contract on 19 July 2007. Each of the U.S. Air Force’s B-2s is to be able to carry two 14-ton MOPs.[6][7]

The initial explosive test of MOP took place on 14 March 2007 in a tunnel belonging to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

On 6 October 2009, ABC News reported that the Pentagon had requested and obtained permission from the U.S. Congress to shift funding in order to accelerate the project.[8][9] It was later announced by the U.S. military that “funding delays and enhancements to the planned test schedule” meant the bomb would not be deployable until December 2010, six months later than the original availability date.[10]

The project has had at least one successful Flight Test MOP launch.[11] The final testing will be completed in 2012.[3]

The Air Force took delivery of 20 bombs, designed to be delivered by the B-2 bomber, in September 2011. In February 2012, Congress approved $81.6 million to further develop and improve the weapon.[12]

On 7 April 2011, the USAF ordered eight MOPs plus supporting equipment for $28 million.[13]

On 14 November 2011, Bloomberg reported that the Air Force Global Strike Command started receiving the Massive Ordnance Penetrator and that the deliveries “will meet requirements for the current operational need”.[14] The Air Force now has received delivery of 16 MOPs as of November 2011.[15] And as of March 2012, there is an “operational stockpile” at Whiteman Air Force Base.[16]

In 2012, the Pentagon requested $82 million to develop greater penetration power for the existing weapon.[1] A 2013 report stated that the development had been a success,[17] and B-2 integration testing began that year.[18]

MOP being offloaded in preparation for its first explosive test, 2007.

MOP underground at White Sands Missile Range before its first explosive test, 2007.

Mock up of MOP inside a bomb bay of a B-2 simulator, 2007.[6]

B-52 releases a MOP during a weapons test, 2009.

On 25 June 2010, USAF Lt. Gen. Phillip Breedlove said that the Next-generation Penetrator Munition should be about a third the size of the Massive Ordnance Penetrator so it could be carried by affordable aircraft.[19] In December 2010, the USAF had a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for the Next Generation Penetrator (NGP).[20]

Global Strike Command has indicated that one of the objectives for the Next-Generation Bomber is for it to carry a weapon with the effects of the Massive Ordnance Penetrator. This would either be with the same weapon or a smaller weapon that uses rocket power to reach sufficient speed to match the penetrating power of the larger weapon.[21]

One of the current limitations of the MOP is that it lacks a void-sensing fuze and will therefore detonate after it has come to a stop, even if it passed by the target area.[22]

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Mesa Arizona Homes For Sale

Submitted by: Jelly Odan

Prior to now, the human being population have often preferred green. The reason behind this particular move in direction of waterways and lakes always has been as a result of the water source it gives. This h2o source can be an excellent source of the requirements of daily life. These are a number of the major causes that it normally takes a while for people to transfer directly into areas of significantly less waters. Initially it is people who find themselves made to live in such dry environments, but now, using enhancements and better technology, cities take place in even the very desert areas and also change all those areas in to oasis meant for homes. Mesa Arizona homes for sale.

Arizona has become one of those locations. The particular towns are generally flourishing through trade and also overly suitable living circumstances. You can adore sunshine and relish the inside of your home of this particular wasteland state. Because of this the housing industry is actually thriving much within Arizona and particularly within the Mesa Arizona vicinity. There are hardly any sites having this kind of gorgeous homes as well as structures as compared to the Mesa vicinity.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1FEKtnk0lI[/youtube]

Mesa Arizona homes for sale surely have always exhibited probably the most guarantee from the real estate market. You can’t maintain a house available for purchase very long within this region not having an offer upon it. It really just can’t occur. The houses right now there throughout Mesa are a fantastic pleasure trip to drive around and have a look at all of the assorted architecture which can be found. You may have the classic homes and also victorian houses pretty much all mixed in with the one story Spanish style homes and wilderness garden homes. Mesa s variety can rarely get met by any other region.

Another thing you will see while looking for Mesa Arizona homes for sale may be the variety of homes which were constructed with private pools. The reason for the pools outside is easy. These types of pools are available for that exact same explanation why it required a very long time for people to go elsewhere onto the wilderness. This particular location can get very hot in the daytime. However luckily, these kinds of scorching temperatures may be placed at bane with the reliability of those house as well as neighborhood pools. Just think about, one day you will get bored to tears out of your mind at your residence and wish to go outside to obtain some oxygen. Unless you want to burn your own self down to a crisp, you’re going to have to go straight into the cold pit of a pool area that you have in your yard.

The actual homes within the mesa area really are beautiful sites of majesty and also impressive construction. The actual problem it’s important to consider nevertheless is if you’ll be able to accept the Arizona local climate. Is it possible to stay unnaturally inside desert in opposition to exactly what the all-natural would like and requirements of mankind are. Could you tackle the particular living conditions on the Mesa Arizona homes for sale? Only time will tell how suitable you actually are with regard to such an atmosphere. Make Mesa Arizona your house and check out the particular limitless options ready. Right here is the opportunity I bet you have always desired for the perfect home you ve constantly desired.

About the Author: Mesa Arizona’s variety of homes available is non-exhaustive as you search through all the homes for sale in the area. Check out our website

viewmesahouses.com/

to know more about mesa arizona homes for sale today.

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Pay Per Click: The Instant Online Promotion Marketing Tool

Submitted by: Mr Awapal

Pay per management service is the paid modern service for an advertisement. It has gain popularity because of its simple and efficient process to getting the instant traffic or profit of the product. Pay per click is also known as cost per click. Through the PPC visitors directly visit to your online business. This service system depends upon the utilization of keywords and key phrases, by victimization these keywords ads through the search engine; you ll be able to drive traffic to your website, whenever a visitant clicks the ad. You ll be able to get the foremost favorable keywords by bidding for them, and therefore the highest bidder can get that keyword for his website.

The foremost vital issue regarding PPC is that the choice of keywords ought to be created rigorously, that should be in accordance with your business, so the targeted audience might simply be drive to your website. The position of your ad depends upon the biding; you ll be able to rank your ad extremely by biding higher for the keywords, which can eventually lead your increase a high status in PPC service.

PPC is often the only advantage that has pushed the recognition of this paid selling technique. Invest a minimum amount and gain the maximum profit. Now the question: what is the procedure of the pay per click?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7XPzWbrPu0[/youtube]

The following procedure will be done for your online business:

1. Very first thing to choose is what you wish to accomplish. Most advertisers wish to sell any product or service or something. Some are specific; others wish traffic to their website and a few wish to draw awareness of their product or service. Pay per click will short cut search engine optimization to a high up position in search result.

2. Before you begin your PPC campaign, you ll need to think about your budget otherwise you ll be able to lose plenty of cash, if you are doing not have a correct budget. What is more one ought to have some quantity of dedication for this type of work. A PPC campaign needs to be monitored closely, thus you can’t simply begin the campaign, and leave the work to continue. Alongside observation the location, you’ll need to strategize, maintain and analyze so the system will work for your advantages. And you’re able to take the system to higher levels.

3. Choosing the right keywords will help you to get the attention of the right customers. The bidding of keywords is directly related to the success of the campaign. If you bid well, you can leave your competitors far behind. You should go for neither high bidding, nor low bidding. In both ways, you can face problems. What you can do, is analyze the situation and bid accordingly.

PPC on-line advertising isn’t very costly; however it’s one thing that ought to be thought-about once promoting on-line. If you want to get this service for your online business Awapal Solutions Pvt Ltd is the one of the best ppc company in India.

About the Author: This Article is written by Mr. Awapal for the Online Marketing services.You may get more information by

awapalsolutions.com/pay-per-click.aspx

,

awapalsolutions.com/seo.aspx

,

awapalsolutions.com/sm-marketing.aspx

and

awapalsolutions.com/online-marketing.aspx

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It Management Planning

Submitted by: Erika Chitty

It s not just large businesses that need to develop an effective and comprehensive IT strategy. For SMEs, having the right software and support in place can improve operations and provide a distinct edge in today s competitive markets.

Calculating the cost of new technology and working out IT budgets can often be difficult when there is no specialist IT advisor on the payroll. Start-ups may not have IT provision at the top of their list while they try to make their core business work and more mature organisations might have ingrained habits that mean the they don t explore new avenues of IT management and support.

Planning Your IT Budget over the Next 5 Years

It pays to think ahead particularly when you are developing your IT strategy. Skimping on the costs and downgrading your budget in the short term may seem like a good idea but it could be doing more harm than good to your business in the long run.

Particularly if you are now looking to grow your business, you need to align your IT provision with your future goals and, without a qualified professional to lean on, that can often be a daunting process.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiWi6A-cvcU[/youtube]

You will need to develop a strategy for systems maintenance and support as well as decide what new technology you are going to introduce to help with your expansion strategy.

Cloud Vs Server Technology

Many businesses are starting to move away from expensive and labour intensive in-house hardware to cloud based servers. Particularly for small to medium size businesses it has a number of advantages:

* It incorporates more flexibility with lower running costs.

* It can grow as your business grows.

* Contracts are often shorter.

* You can access your data on the move on laptops, mobiles and PCs.

* It comes with inbuilt security that you can be confident will protect you.

Buying a new server or replacing an old one might seem like a more cost effective way of updating your IT infrastructure but, particularly in the long run, cloud technology will offer you a greater degree of flexibility.

More Businesses are Outsourcing

It s all very well to employ an IT planning specialist in-house and have your server on site, but it is a costly way of running this aspect of your business. Outsourcing has a number of advantages for small businesses, the main one being that you can access affordable high level expertise that is tailor-made to your needs.

A virtual IT director can help you manage your IT infrastructure more effectively, developing a coherent and meaningful long term plan that takes into account how you want to grow your business whilst also providing a secure environment to operate in.

With M2 Computing s Virtual IT Director you will have access to a range of experts who can identify the right solutions for your business and help you develop for the future.

For further information please visit http://www.m2computing.co.uk/

About the Author: I am Erika Chitty. I work for M2Computing in Operations & Sales support. M2 Computing is the best IT support service provider in South East, United Kingdom.For further information please visit

m2computing.co.uk/

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Residential Voip

Submitted by: Chris Hopes

The telephone system was discovery in 1870 and it revolutionized communications that is known to the world today. Now telecommunications has become part of world evolution and as humanity advances, so does our way of communicating which makes it a part of our life. In the business sector, telecommunications became the mouth and ears of the enterprise.

In the United States, almost everyone is still using the traditional telephone. But it is known that traditional phones are very costly. So, normally seem to get used to paying the same average amount of monthly phone bills but in times of recession it is best to cut expenses, utilize the minimal resources you have and produce maximum productive output. Businesses spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars in their average monthly phone bill. That is no longer advisable if you aim to cut costs but you can’t sacrifice your communications just to cut expenses. Communications is the life line of the business but there are smarter alternatives compared to using traditional phones and this is where the power of Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP is needed. Other popular names for VoIP are Internet Phone, IP Phone, or simply VoIP phone. Residential Voip, Business Voip, Mobile Voip or Visual PBX is part this service.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br_ehLp8VRw[/youtube]

For this communication system You only need to have a computer and a broadband internet connection to make calls. There are two kinds of VoIP phones, the VoIP phone with the handset known as a hardphone which looks like the traditional phone and the second one is the software-based VoIP phone which is commonly known as a softphone. If you choose to use a hardphone you need to connect it to your computer with a LAN cable or RJ-45 socket unlike the traditional phone which uses the RJ-11 in the wall jack. If you choose the VoIP softphone, you only need to install the VoIP software and you setup your account then you start making calls using the software. Some VoIP softphones such has 3CXPhone from 3CX have a graphical user interface that is similar to smart phones which also have wide range of functionalities and flexibility.

A smart businessman would want to cut expenses during recession and using VoIP as an alternative is one way to do that. VoIP for businesses are commonly known as Residential VoIP or business VoIP. Through softphones, you can make calls using your laptop as long as you’re online, this saves a lot of money. Some VoIP providers only charge a very small amount for international calls. This is the most cost-effective telecommunications technology. Shifting from traditional phone to VoIP phone saves you 40%-75% of your phone bills and for businesses this means you save thousands of dollars.

VoIP phones have the same features or have even greater features as compared to that of traditional phones. You can still have features such as Call Waiting, Caller ID, Call Transfer, Repeat Dial, 3-way calling, some can even handle more people in call conferences depending on the subscription plan and also you can forward the call to a particular number, send the call directly to voice mail, give the caller a busy signal, play a “not-in-service” message, send the caller to a funny rejection hotline and many others great features. For security issues, VoIP technology supports security standards such as Transport Layer Security (TLS), Virtual Private Network (VPN) and Secure-Real Time Protocol (SRTP) and many other secure encryptions to make your VoIP call experience free from wire or wireless tapping.

If you or your business would like to cut your communications expenses then you can contact with VoIP service company, like NATHTEL VoIP Service Provider. they can help you with that goal by providing you with cost-effective VoIP solutions with hardware and software service. I hope this allow you to save thousands of dollars for communications purpose.

About the Author: If you want to know other information or service about VoIP, visit

nathtel.com/

.I am assuring you that i’ll help you out..

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New Zealand prisoners do nothing says National party

Sunday, November 5, 2006 

Figures released by Simon Power, law and order spokesman for the National party, show that the New Zealand Labour led government lets 81% of all prisoners not do any work while in prison. Newspaper, Sunday News says that some Christchurch prisoners have been given a barbecue for good behavior.

Simon Power’s figures show that of the 7,612 prisoners only 19% (1,470) of them took part in Corrections Inmate Employment during 2006. But in 2005 it was at 23% and in 2004 it was at 26%. He says that the prisons with the least amount of inmates working are: Rolleston with 8.6%, Mount Eden with 8.7%, Rimutaka with 11%, Christchurch Women’s with 13.5% and Dunedin with 13.8%. Mr Power said: “These figures are an appalling indictment on this Government’s approach to prisoner rehabilitation and preparing them for release.”

“In May, Corrections Minister Damien O’Connor announced a strategy that he said would help in ‘significantly increasing the number of prisoners in work and training. But a week later this was shown to be nothing more than window dressing when the Budget increased funding for prisoner employment by a measly $336,000 – up 1%.”

“They have cut funding [on the Corrections Department] by 27% since 2001/02, from $46.5 million to $34 million.”

Mr Power blames the low work rate on the big prison construction budget of $490 million. “There would have been more than a miserable $336,000 extra to spend on effective rehabilitation and work schemes,” he said.

“[Mr O’Conner] seems happier to spend $11 million on landscaping four new prisons and allow prisoners to sit around playing Playstations and Xboxes on their flat-screen TVs than he is about helping them get better prepared for when they are released.”

“Prisoners should be doing meaningful work, training or study while they are in prisons, and I imagine the public would agree,” Mr Power added.

Mr Power, commenting on the barbecue, said: “These people are in prison because they were found to be in serious breach of the law. The victims of their crimes will be grossly offended by the idea that they are being rewarded for anything. This is the just the latest in a long line of incredibly bad decisions made by the Corrections Department over the past year and taxpayers have had enough.”

Bevan Hanlon, president for the Corrections Officers Association, said: “The Mobsters getting a BBQ was a “joke”. (Christchurch Prison) staff are reporting the smell of dope every day. Mobsters are threatening staff on a daily basis and there appears to be high cellphone use (mobile phones are banned in jail). So what happens? They are given a BBQ.”

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How To Make Your Cellphone Cooler Than Your Friends

By Adam Thompson

The time when cell phones were used just for making calls and keeping in touch seems like another era altogether. For the new-age cell phone user, a cell phone is more than just another phone or a techno-gadget. Its a whole new way of life! Cell phones can be used for e-mailing friends, touch-to-talk communication, playing games and even managing personal information.

Owing a cell phone that does nothing but helps you make calls, is pass. To be considered hip and happening, cell phone users are continuously upgrading their phones and enhancing them with gizmos and accessories just so that they can be one-up on the other cell phone users.

Cell phones can also be used to make a style statement. There are plenty of accessories available with which cell phones can be dressed up and made to look sleek and stylish or snazzy and glitzy. Faceplates and keypads are available that add personality and flair to any cell phone with jewel-like keys and flashing lights. You can even buy tattoos and jewelry for your cell phone and or if you have a tiny model, you can use it as a pendant hanging from a chain.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1u37L5AB_o[/youtube]

Looking for ways to make your cell phone cooler than your friends? Here are just two of many ways you can do that.

If your phone supports custom ring tones and plays MP3, it is fairly easy to turn your favorite MP3 into your own personal ring tone. If you do a search on the internet, you will find quite a few good sites that show how to do this. So go ahead and impress your friends with a new ring tone every day.

Use your cell phone camera to click those unforgettable moments such as the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction. Then upload the video on to your computer and share it with the world. Itll make all your friends wish they had a camera cell phone too.

About the Author: Get

Ringback Tones

for your cell phone at http://www.geckotales.com/ringback-tones.htm

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Tabletop fusion may lead to neutron source

Sunday, May 1, 2005 

A UCLA team, headed by Brian Naranjo, has observed the nuclear fusion of deuterium nuclei in a tabletop device. The device uses a lithium tantalate (LiTaO3) pyroelectric crystal to ionize deuterium atoms and accelerate the ions towards a stationary erbium deuteride (ErD) target. Fusion of two deuterium nuclei results in the emission of helium nuclei (alpha particles), neutrons and gamma rays. The team anticipates applications of the device as a tabletop neutron generator, or in “microthrusters” for space propulsion. It is possible that there may be applications related to nuclear weapons, although this possibility is not discussed in the research paper.

This development is not related to earlier claims of tabletop fusion or “cold fusion” having been observed during sonoluminescence. In fact, the leader of the team behind this development was one of the main critics of earlier low-temperature fusion claims.

This device is not the first reliable tabletop fusion device; the Farnsworth-Hirsch fusor, developed in the early 1960s in the laboratory of Philo T. Farnsworth who was instrumental in developing television, is sold commercially as a neutron source. Research by Dr. Todd Rider of MIT suggests that the kind of non-equilibrium fusion produced in these sources will never be usable as an energy source (see his PhD thesis).

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Portal:Football/Fixtures/2007/February

Chelsea v Arsenal – Kickoff: 7:45 pm

Wigan v Newcastle United – Kickoff: 1 pmBlackburn Rovers v Portsmouth – Kickoff: 3 pmTottenham Hotspur v Bolton Wanderers – Kickoff: 3 pm

No Games Today

Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao – Kickoff: 8 pmGimnastic v Valencia – Kickoff: 6 pmVillarreal v Mallorca – Kickoff: 4 pmReal Betis v Recreativo – Kickoff: 4 pmOsasuna v Espanyol – Kickoff: 4 pmLevante v Real Zaragoza – Kickoff: 4 pmGetafe v Sevilla – Kickoff: 4 pmCelta Vigo v Racing Santander – Kickoff: 4 pm

Cagliari v Lazio – Kickoff: 2 pmCatania Calcio v Internazionale – Kickoff: 2 pmFiorentina v Empoli – Kickoff: 2 pmLivorno v Ascoli – Kickoff: 2 pmMessina v Siena – Kickoff: 2 pmRoma v Reggina – Kickoff: 2 pmUdinese v Parma – Kickoff: 2 pmAC Milan v Sampdoria – Kickoff: 7:30 pm

Lens v Nancy – Kickoff: 5 pmBordeaux v Valenciennes – Kickoff: 6 pmParis St. Germain v St. Etienne – Kickoff: 8 pm

Borisia Monchenchengladbach v Werder Bremen – Kickoff: 4 pmShalke v Bayern Leverkusen – Kickoff: 4 pm

ADO Den Haag v Feyenoord – Kickoff: 11:30 amAZ Alkmaar v Ajax – Kickoff: 11:30 amExcelsior v NAC Breda – Kickoff: 2:30 pmRKC Waalwijk v Vitesse – Kickoff: 2:30 pm

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Islamic Republic News Agency

The Islamic Republic News Agency (Persian: ???????? ?????? ?????? ??????), or IRNA, is the official news agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is government-funded and controlled under the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. The agency also publishes the newspaper Iran. As of 2010, the Managing Director of IRNA is Mohammad Khodaddi. IRNA has 60 offices in Iran and 30 more in various countries around the world.[1]

In 1934, Pars Agency was established by the Foreign Ministry of Iran (Persia) as the country’s official national news outlet.[2] For the next six years it operated under the Iranian Foreign Ministry working to disseminate national and international news. Pars Agency published a bulletin twice daily in French and Persian, which it circulated among government officials, international news agencies in Tehran and the local press. In May 1940, the General Tablighat Department was founded and the agency then became an affiliate of the department. Agence France Press (AFP) was the first international news agency whose reports Pars Agency used. Gradually, the Iranian news agency expanded its sources of news stories to include those of Reuters, the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). An agreement with the Anatolia News Agency of Turkey further expanded the agency’s news outlets to countries worldwide. The link-up also enabled it to provide classified bulletins to a limited number of high-ranking public officials.

In 1954, following a coup the reforms of the White Revolution helped to modernize the Pars Agency, leading to expanded news coverage, improved professional services and a better-educated staff. It went on air with radio broadcasts of international news translated into Persian, which it offered to local subscribers. Under the new regime, it operated under the supervision of various state offices and ministries such as the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Post, Telegraph and Telephones, Office of the Prime Minister and the Labor Ministry until 1947. In 1957, the General Department of Tablighat fell under the supervision of the Publications Department of Tehran Radio as an independent department. In 1963 the activities of Pars Agency were brought under the newly created Information Ministry. Its name was changed to Pars News Agency, or PANA, and it began operating around the clock. In July 1975 the Iranian legislature passed a bill establishing the Ministry of Information and Tourism and changing the status of Pars News Agency to a joint public stock with capital assets of about 300 million rials. It then became an affiliate of the new ministry. Its Articles of Association in 23 paragraphs and notes were adopted by the then National Consultative Assembly of Iran.

After the Iranian Revolution in February 1979, the Revolutionary Council (Shawra-ye-Enqelab), in June 1979, renamed the Ministry of Information and Tourism to the National Guidance Ministry (or Ministry of National Guidance). The same year Pars News Agency was renamed as the Islamic Republic News Agency.[2]

IRNA’s professional activities are aimed at securing Iranian national interests. Efforts of management and professional personnel of IRNA are thus focused on achieving higher ground each day in fulfillment of its stated goal. The organization functions as the “mother source of information dissemination” within the country, feeding its authorities, nationals and various publications with various types of news, bulletins, research works, opinion polls and stories of general interest through its various telex lines. It also provides channels for online foreign dispatches and photographs around the clock. IRNA’s external services include those rendered to leading international news agencies in accordance with contracts signed with them, active membership in international news clubs, up-to-date news stories on the country supplied internationally through its International News Line, and an active presence in the Internet through its Persian, English and Arabic websites. For its services, IRNA is aided by a professional core of executive and administrative staff who work inside and outside the country in its various local, regional and overseas branches. It also takes full advantage of stringers around the globe and has an organizational set-up that allows all its facilities to be used inside or outside the country on contractual arrangement. To effectively carry out its responsibilities it has set up the following guidelines:

IRNA’s administrative efforts are focused on an expansion of its international news branches around the globe. Branches ostensibly are given the task of producing news items or selecting from those produced by various news agencies, translating and disseminating them through its various news lines. Its management is also constantly on the look-out for possible new ways of expanding its level of news dissemination in qualitative and quantitative terms. It also seeks to expand its level of cooperation with various foreign news agencies and corporations. Personnel of IRNA branches abroad are currently in charge of monitoring their respective countries’ radio, television, satellite and Internet networks to bring out news items not already found in news dispatches. The offices also organize regional news dissemination corporationswith IRNA as a member, as well as monitor and program activities of its branches.

IRNA’s editorial board is made up of eight main news desks:

IRNA has divided its activities into four news regions around the world manned by four head offices:[citation needed]

IRNA cooperates with leading international and regional news agencies. This cooperation at the professional level started decades ago. IRNA’s cooperation with regional and international agencies takes any of the following forms:

IRNA has spent tremendous efforts to convince news agencies of Third World countries to actively work within the framework of regional news agencies. The establishment of pools of news agencies, many of which have already gained international prestige, is thus indebted to the pioneering efforts of IRNA. Multinational and regional news pools therefore have the right to vote in international gatherings of news agencies and thus play the essential and critical role of safeguarding Third World interests in such venues. IRNA is currently a member of the following news pools:

IRNA has played an active role as a member of the newly established regional news pools mentioned above. Its varied activities in cooperation with these various organizations may be summarized as follows:

IRNA is one of the first to join the Internet in Iran. It joined the web on 16 December 1996, starting at the speed of 19,200 kbit/s. On 23 March 1997, IRNA opened its own website, which reached the speed of 512,512 kbit/s a year later. Due to interest shown on the wide range of information available in the Internet IRNA decided to offer lines for lease and dial-up services for its clients. IRNA has also increased the bandwidth of its satellite band up to 2MEG/2MEG to meet the ever-increasing demand for this medium. To provide services to all interested parties wishing to gain access to Internet information, IRNA has established an Internet cafe (Coffeenet) on the ground floor of its Tehran headquarters.

Information on the high-quality goods and services available in the Iranian market produced by leading producers and manufacturers in the various production and technical fields may now be obtained through IRNA’s online IRNANET. IRNANET accepts advertisements and aims to be an effective global marketing tool for interested subscribers. The IRNA website on the Internet[4] has over 20,000,000 viewers all over the globe with the exact number of people who use it in each country available at any moment on the site.

IRNA has a photo archive established 40 years ago simultaneous with the birth of this news agency. It is one of the richest in Iran and relies on the expert work of its professional photographers. The photo archive now has over 3,000,000 frames in the various political, social, sports and cultural fields. Some of the best shots in its files depict the acts of bravery of Iranians during the eight-year sacred defense.[clarification needed]

IRNA currently publishes seven dailies and periodicals. Among these periodicals is the Persian-language Iran newspaper, which is vastly popular among middle class Iranians.

After conducting a series of research work on the country’s need for a high-level academic institution to provide training in news reporting and various fields of news dissemination, and after obtaining a permit from the Ministry of Sciences, Research and Technology, IRNA established the School of Media Studies (News College). Studies in the School of Media Studies offer two sections: long-term or short-term courses.

These courses lead to a university degree major in any one of the four now offered by the college:

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