US cuts cord on internet oversight

The US government on Saturday ended its formal oversight role over the internet, handing over management of the online address system to a global non-profit entity. US and ICANN officials have said the contract had given Washington a symbolic role as overseer or the internet's "root zone" where new online domains and addresses are created. Lawrence Strickling, who heads the Commerce Department unit which has managed these functions, issued a brief statement early Saturday confirming the transiti