The move comes as part of an ongoing Google initiative to increase the diversity among existing types of domain names.

Google said:

“We hope that .みんな will make it easier for Japanese people and companies to create more recognizable website names that better suit their businesses or personalities and are easier to understand and remember in Japanese.”みんな” means ‘everyone’ in Japanese and suggests multiple people doing things together.

Our vision is for .みんな to be a collaborative space, where folks can build online communities — something along the lines of ‘Cook, everybody!’ or ‘Run, everybody!’ But that’s just a thought. We can’t wait to see what new ideas the new domain will help make possible.”

Users can go through any one of Google’s partner registrars to register for a .みんな domain name. Applications are only open to trademark holders at the moment, but they will open to everyone mid-February.

You can email us at info@qumsieh.com for more information.

According to the gTLD announcements published by ICANN, the South African Central Registry will begin taking applications to reserve the TLD .AFRICA starting from mid-September.

There are no special requirements to register the extension domain .AFRICA.COM. The registration process is open to anyone on a first-come first-serve basis.

The Registry Operator will be using an automated system, the Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP), and only accredited registrars will be able to use the system.

There are various protection mechanisms and policies, which the Registry Operator needs to adhere to, such as:

• Rights Protection Policies
• Dispute Resolutions
• Sunrise Policy
• Landrush Policies

For more information please contact info@qumsieh.com.

In order to submit your application you will have to use the TLD Application System (TAS) ,in which you will have to answer 50 questions.

The new gTLD website is found at http://newgtlds.icann.org.

More information on how to submit your application you can find here.

During a special meeting, the Board approved a plan to dramatically increase the number of Internet domain name endings — called generic top-level domains (gTLDs) — from the current 22, which includes such familiar domains as .com, .org and .net.

“ICANN has opened the Internet’s naming system to unleash the global human imagination. Today’s decision respects the rights of groups to create new Top Level Domains in any language or script. We hope this allows the domain name system to better serve all of mankind.” said Rod Beckstrom, President and Chief Executive Officer of ICANN.

New gTLDs will change the way people find information on the Internet and how businesses plan and structure their online presence. Internet address names will be able to end with almost any word in any language, offering organizations around the world the opportunity to market their brand, products, community or cause in new and innovative ways.

“Today’s decision will usher in a new Internet age,” said Peter Dengate Thrush, Chairman of ICANN’s Board of Directors. “We have provided a platform for the next generation of creativity and inspiration.”

The decision to proceed with the gTLD program follows many years of discussion, debate and deliberation with the Internet community, business groups and governments. The Applicant Guidebook, a rulebook explaining how to apply for a new gTLD, went through seven significant revisions to incorporate more than 1,000 comments from the public. Strong efforts were made to address the concerns of all interested parties, and to ensure that the security, stability and resiliency of the Internet are not compromised.

ICANN will soon begin a global campaign to tell the world about this dramatic change in Internet names and to raise awareness of the opportunities afforded by new gTLDs. Applications for new gTLDs will be accepted from 12 January 2012 to 12 April 2012.

Proprietors of local and foreign brand names can now have their own trademarks be registered as domain names in Arabic without the need to have them translated into English.

Registration can be made online through the NITC website www.idn.jo.

It worth mentioning that Jordan has earlier obtained approval from ICANN to register domain names in non Latin Language (Arabic Language).

The registration of domain names in Arabic for companies names or their own trademarks is expected to encourage these corporations to have their trademarks registered and will pave the way for Arabic language to be a global business language.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has taken the necessary procedures which allow these countries to use non Latin characters for domain names registrations.

The table below illustrates the Top-level domain names for these countries and the documents required for registration:

For more information please send your inquiries to jordan@qumsieh.com.

Within the coming few months it will be possible to Register Arabic Jordanian domain names like الاردن.com and others. This will break the monopoly of Latin language for registering domain names and will open the world’s eyes on the Arabic language and it variations.

To read more go to http://www.icann.org/ to get latest updates regarding domain name registrations in various countries.

Three Arab countries namely Egypt, UAE, and Saudi Arabia are becoming technically qualified by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to allow for non-Latin characters in web extensions. This means that the said countries are allowed to use and register the domain names in Arabic characters.

Even though this new progress will break the monopoly of the Latin language in all web sites, the necessity to protect these Arabic domain names from online piracy (cyber-crimes) would be necessary. Trademarks owners are highly recommended to do so.

Please note that it is possible to register “name.pk”. Domains are “.PK” domain names without the suffix, e.g. “.com.pk” or “.net.pk”.

Duration of registration and renewal terms:
Minimum registration of .PK is for 2 years, renewable every year after that, or it is possible to register the .PK domain for 10 years at one time.

Requirements for registering a domain with the extension .pk are as follows:

1. The ccTLD domain with (.pk) extension to be registered.
2. Full name, address, nationality and the nature of business of the applicant.
3. Full name, address of the technical contact.
4. Following particulars of the name servers:
   • Primary Server Hostname.
   • Primary Server Net Address (IP).
   • Secondary Server Hostname.
   • Secondary Server Net Address (IP).