diff --git a/.classpath b/.classpath
index a567bf8..44c5f88 100644
--- a/.classpath
+++ b/.classpath
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <classpath>
-	<classpathentry kind="src" output="target/news-feed-1.4.1-SNAPSHOT/WEB-INF/classes" path="src/main/java">
+	<classpathentry kind="src" output="target/news-feed-1.5.0-SNAPSHOT/WEB-INF/classes" path="src/main/java">
 		<attributes>
 			<attribute name="optional" value="true"/>
 			<attribute name="maven.pomderived" value="true"/>
@@ -20,16 +20,16 @@
 			<attribute name="org.eclipse.jst.component.dependency" value="/WEB-INF/lib"/>
 		</attributes>
 	</classpathentry>
-	<classpathentry kind="con" path="org.eclipse.jdt.launching.JRE_CONTAINER/org.eclipse.jdt.internal.debug.ui.launcher.StandardVMType/JavaSE-1.6">
-		<attributes>
-			<attribute name="maven.pomderived" value="true"/>
-		</attributes>
-	</classpathentry>
 	<classpathentry kind="con" path="org.eclipse.m2e.MAVEN2_CLASSPATH_CONTAINER">
 		<attributes>
 			<attribute name="maven.pomderived" value="true"/>
 			<attribute name="org.eclipse.jst.component.dependency" value="/WEB-INF/lib"/>
 		</attributes>
 	</classpathentry>
-	<classpathentry kind="output" path="target/news-feed-1.4.1-SNAPSHOT/WEB-INF/classes"/>
+	<classpathentry kind="con" path="org.eclipse.jdt.launching.JRE_CONTAINER/org.eclipse.jdt.internal.debug.ui.launcher.StandardVMType/JavaSE-1.7">
+		<attributes>
+			<attribute name="owner.project.facets" value="java"/>
+		</attributes>
+	</classpathentry>
+	<classpathentry kind="output" path="target/news-feed-1.5.0-SNAPSHOT/WEB-INF/classes"/>
 </classpath>
diff --git a/.settings/com.google.gdt.eclipse.core.prefs b/.settings/com.google.gdt.eclipse.core.prefs
index ab4c8c2..100e945 100644
--- a/.settings/com.google.gdt.eclipse.core.prefs
+++ b/.settings/com.google.gdt.eclipse.core.prefs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 eclipse.preferences.version=1
 jarsExcludedFromWebInfLib=
-lastWarOutDir=/Users/massi/Documents/workspace/news-feed/target/news-feed-1.4.1-SNAPSHOT
+lastWarOutDir=/Users/massi/Documents/workspace/news-feed/target/news-feed-1.5.0-SNAPSHOT
 warSrcDir=src/main/webapp
 warSrcDirIsOutput=false
diff --git a/.settings/org.eclipse.jdt.core.prefs b/.settings/org.eclipse.jdt.core.prefs
index e5019e4..6249222 100644
--- a/.settings/org.eclipse.jdt.core.prefs
+++ b/.settings/org.eclipse.jdt.core.prefs
@@ -1,13 +1,12 @@
-#Tue Apr 09 11:48:39 CEST 2013
 eclipse.preferences.version=1
 org.eclipse.jdt.core.compiler.codegen.inlineJsrBytecode=enabled
-org.eclipse.jdt.core.compiler.codegen.targetPlatform=1.6
+org.eclipse.jdt.core.compiler.codegen.targetPlatform=1.7
 org.eclipse.jdt.core.compiler.codegen.unusedLocal=preserve
-org.eclipse.jdt.core.compiler.compliance=1.6
+org.eclipse.jdt.core.compiler.compliance=1.7
 org.eclipse.jdt.core.compiler.debug.lineNumber=generate
 org.eclipse.jdt.core.compiler.debug.localVariable=generate
 org.eclipse.jdt.core.compiler.debug.sourceFile=generate
 org.eclipse.jdt.core.compiler.problem.assertIdentifier=error
 org.eclipse.jdt.core.compiler.problem.enumIdentifier=error
 org.eclipse.jdt.core.compiler.problem.forbiddenReference=warning
-org.eclipse.jdt.core.compiler.source=1.6
+org.eclipse.jdt.core.compiler.source=1.7
diff --git a/.settings/org.eclipse.wst.common.project.facet.core.xml b/.settings/org.eclipse.wst.common.project.facet.core.xml
index d215cd0..c24712e 100644
--- a/.settings/org.eclipse.wst.common.project.facet.core.xml
+++ b/.settings/org.eclipse.wst.common.project.facet.core.xml
@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@
   <fixed facet="wst.jsdt.web"/>
   <installed facet="wst.jsdt.web" version="1.0"/>
   <installed facet="jst.web" version="2.5"/>
-  <installed facet="java" version="1.6"/>
+  <installed facet="java" version="1.7"/>
 </faceted-project>
diff --git a/distro/changelog.xml b/distro/changelog.xml
index 195b536..aa76a76 100644
--- a/distro/changelog.xml
+++ b/distro/changelog.xml
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
 <ReleaseNotes>
+	<Changeset component="org.gcube.portlets.user.NewsFeed.1-5-0"
+		date="2014-02-13">
+		<Change>Moved to Java7</Change>
+		<Change>Added configuration file for VRE Labels</Change>
+	</Changeset>
 	<Changeset component="org.gcube.portlets.user.NewsFeed.1-4-0"
 		date="2013-10-21">
 		<Change>Moved to GWT 2.5.1</Change>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 020d1ed..2096ee0 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 	<groupId>org.gcube.portlets.user</groupId>
 	<artifactId>news-feed</artifactId>
 	<packaging>war</packaging>
-	<version>1.4.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
+	<version>1.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
 
 	<name>gCube News Feed Portlet</name>
 	<description>
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@
 		<gwtVersion>2.5.1</gwtVersion>
 		<distroDirectory>distro</distroDirectory>
 		<!-- GWT needs at least java 1.6 -->
-		<maven.compiler.source>1.6</maven.compiler.source>
-		<maven.compiler.target>1.6</maven.compiler.target>
+		<maven.compiler.source>1.7</maven.compiler.source>
+		<maven.compiler.target>1.7</maven.compiler.target>
 		<webappDirectory>${project.build.directory}/${project.build.finalName}</webappDirectory>
 
 		<project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
@@ -209,8 +209,8 @@
 				<artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
 				<version>2.3.2</version>
 				<configuration>
-					<source>1.6</source>
-					<target>1.6</target>
+					<source>1.7</source>
+					<target>1.7</target>
 				</configuration>
 			</plugin>
 			<!-- SA Plugin -->
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/newsfeed/client/panels/NewsFeedPanel.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/newsfeed/client/panels/NewsFeedPanel.java
index 8b26351..132d2d6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/newsfeed/client/panels/NewsFeedPanel.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/newsfeed/client/panels/NewsFeedPanel.java
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ public class NewsFeedPanel extends Composite {
 	public static final String LIKED_LABEL = "Favorited";
 	public static final String COMMENT_LABEL = "Reply";
 	public static final String MESSAGE_LABEL =  "Message";
+	
+	private String vreLabel;
 
 	private int delayMillis = 300000; //5 minutes by default (is read from a configuration file in the first async callback)
 
@@ -222,7 +224,8 @@ public class NewsFeedPanel extends Composite {
 			@Override
 			public void onSuccess(UserSettings result) {
 				myUserInfo = result.getUserInfo();	
-				delayMillis = result.getRefreshingTimeInMillis();				
+				delayMillis = result.getRefreshingTimeInMillis();	
+				vreLabel = result.getChannelName();
 				if (result.getUserInfo().getUsername().equals("test.user")) {
 					Window.alert("Your session has expired, please log out and login again");
 				} 
@@ -426,7 +429,7 @@ public class NewsFeedPanel extends Composite {
 						newsPanel.add(new HTML("<div class=\"nofeed-message\">" +
 								"Looks like we've got nothing for you at the moment. <br> " +
 								"You may begin by <a class=\"vrelink\" href=\"/group/data-e-infrastructure-gateway/join-new/\"><span class=\"important\">joining</span></a> some of the available " +
-								"<br>Virtual Research Environments.</div>"));
+								"<br>"+vreLabel+"s.</div>"));
 						isFirstTweet = true;
 					}
 					else {
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/newsfeed/server/NewsServiceImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/newsfeed/server/NewsServiceImpl.java
index 9394192..5b6e77a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/newsfeed/server/NewsServiceImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/newsfeed/server/NewsServiceImpl.java
@@ -129,14 +129,14 @@ public class NewsServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements NewsService
 				String accountURL = themeDisplay.getURLMyAccount().toString();
 
 				UserInfo userInfo = new UserInfo(username, fullName, thumbnailURL, user.getEmailAddress(), accountURL, true, false, null);
-				UserSettings toReturn = new UserSettings(userInfo, getFeedsRefreshTimeInMillis(), session.getScopeName(), isInfrastructureScope());
+				UserSettings toReturn = new UserSettings(userInfo, getFeedsRefreshTimeInMillis(), session.getScopeName(), getVRELabel(), isInfrastructureScope());
 				setUserSettingsInSession(toReturn);
 				return toReturn;
 			}
 			else {
 				_log.info("Returning test USER");
 				UserInfo user = new UserInfo(getASLSession().getUsername(), fullName, thumbnailURL, email, "fakeAccountUrl", true, false, null);
-				return new UserSettings(user, getFeedsRefreshTimeInMillis(), session.getScopeName(), isInfrastructureScope());
+				return new UserSettings(user, getFeedsRefreshTimeInMillis(), session.getScopeName(), getVRELabel(), isInfrastructureScope());
 			}
 
 		} catch (Exception e) {
@@ -732,6 +732,36 @@ public class NewsServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements NewsService
 		return sb.toString();
 
 	}
+	/**
+	 * read from the property the name of the label to use for VREs/Channels
+	 * @return the refreshingTime in milliseconds
+	 */
+	private String getVRELabel() {
+		String toReturn = "Area";
+		if (withinPortal) {
+			_log.info("Trying to read custom VRE Label");
+			Properties props = new Properties();
+			String propertyfile = "";		
+			try {
+				ServletContext servletContext = getServletContext();
+				String contextPath = servletContext.getRealPath(File.separator);
+				propertyfile = contextPath + "conf" +  File.separator + "settings.properties";			
+				File propsFile = new File(propertyfile);
+				FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream(propsFile);
+				props.load( fis);
+
+				toReturn = (String) props.getProperty("CHANNEL_NAME");
+
+			}
+			//catch exception in case properties file does not exist
+			catch(IOException e) {
+				toReturn = "Area"; 
+				_log.error("settings.properties file not found under " + propertyfile +", returning Area");
+				return toReturn;
+			}		
+		}
+		return toReturn;
+	}
 	/**
 	 * read from the property the refreshing time
 	 * @return the refreshingTime in milliseconds
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/newsfeed/shared/UserSettings.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/newsfeed/shared/UserSettings.java
index 377de3a..13e80ab 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/newsfeed/shared/UserSettings.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/newsfeed/shared/UserSettings.java
@@ -9,18 +9,22 @@ public class UserSettings implements Serializable {
 	private UserInfo userInfo;
 	private int refreshingTimeInMillis;
 	private String currentScope;
+	private String channelName;
 	boolean isInfrastructure;
 	public UserSettings() { 
 		super();
 	}
+
 	public UserSettings(UserInfo userInfo, int refreshingTimeInMillis,
-			String currentScope, boolean isInfrastructure) {
+			String currentScope, String channelName, boolean isInfrastructure) {
 		super();
 		this.userInfo = userInfo;
 		this.refreshingTimeInMillis = refreshingTimeInMillis;
 		this.currentScope = currentScope;
+		this.channelName = channelName;
 		this.isInfrastructure = isInfrastructure;
 	}
+
 	public UserInfo getUserInfo() {
 		return userInfo;
 	}
@@ -45,6 +49,15 @@ public class UserSettings implements Serializable {
 	public void setInfrastructure(boolean isInfrastructure) {
 		this.isInfrastructure = isInfrastructure;
 	}
+	
+	public String getChannelName() {
+		return channelName;
+	}
+
+	public void setChannelName(String channelName) {
+		this.channelName = channelName;
+	}
+
 	@Override
 	public String toString() {
 		return "UserSettings [userInfo=" + userInfo
diff --git a/src/main/webapp/conf/settings.properties b/src/main/webapp/conf/settings.properties
index c22719c..d8ee383 100644
--- a/src/main/webapp/conf/settings.properties
+++ b/src/main/webapp/conf/settings.properties
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 # Defines the News Feed refreshing time in minutes
-REFRESH_TIME = 3
\ No newline at end of file
+REFRESH_TIME = 3
+CHANNEL_NAME = Virtual Research Environment
\ No newline at end of file