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U.K. approves new reactor designs
U.K. regulators have given interim approval to two new nuclear reactor designs — the EDF and Areva’s UK EPRTM and Westinghouse’s AP1000; the regulators say that there are still some issues to be addressed, and that neither reactor can be built in the United Kingdom until these issues are resolved
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Spending cuts force contractors to alter strategy
Projected federal spending cuts are upsetting the status quo in the world of government contracting, forcing firms to reevaluate their business strategies or determine whether they can do business at all
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Innovative molecular detection system spots foodborne pathogens
3M introduced the 3M Molecular Detection System, a method of detecting dangerous pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli O157, and Listeria, that can shut down businesses and threaten public health
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Companies urged to limit sale of surveillance tech to repressive regimes
The European Commission is urging private companies to limit the sale of surveillance technology to foreign countries that “repress” their people
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Shell fears cyberattack on oil infrastructure
Oil executives fear that a cyberattack on critical infrastructure could wreak havoc by destroying facilities or disrupting production
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DSIT in $12.3 million order for underwater security systems
DSIT Solutions receives its largest order ever for underwater security systems; the contract calls for the delivery of a large number of AquaShield Diver Detection Sonar (DDS) and PointShield Portable Diver Detection Sonar (PDDS) systems to protect offshore oil platforms, coastal energy terminals, and high value vessels against underwater intrusion and sabotage
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Right degree helps grads compete in DHS hiring boom
Even amid the economic downturn, students who graduate with degrees in homeland security can breathe a bit easier knowing that they are more likely to find jobs than their fellow graduates; the agency’s hiring boom is expected to continue over the next several years as more and more baby boomers in their 50s begin to retire
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Senate stalls on easing visa restrictions for highly skilled immigrants
A bill meant to allow more high-skill immigrants from India and China to obtain green cards has been placed on hold by Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) over concerns that it should do more to “protect Americans at home”
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Court rules in favor of American Airlines in $30 million dispute with TSA
On Tuesday a U.S. Court of Appeals ruled against DHS ordering the agency to review its decision to deny reimbursing American Airlines $30 million for the additional security procedures it had been asked to put in place by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) following the 9/11 attacks
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U.S. 2011 billion-dollar disasters
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has recalculated the number of weather disasters in the United States which passed the billion dollar mark; NOAA added two disasters, pushing the 2011 tally to twelve billion-dollars-or-more disasters; these disasters caused more than 1,000 deaths and inflicted damaged estimated at $52 billion
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Iridium offers emergency response service on satellite phone
Iridium offers free SOS service on its Iridium Extreme satellite phone; individuals who need emergency help can now maintain contact with an operator during the emergency rather than rely on one-way SOS alerting
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New severe-weather alert service launched
Reddaway has announced a new Service Alert process that will inform customers about situations that may impact their supply chain
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CBP buys new risk management tool
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Technology Innovation and Acquisition (OTIA) is replacing existing risk management systems with a product from a U.K. company to bolster the department’s risk and opportunity management capabilities
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Safer fertilizer technology
Honeywell will build a facility in California to produce a fertilizer with the agronomic benefits of traditional nitrate-based fertilizers, but with significantly lower explosive potential; the new fertilizer was independently tested, with guidance from the DHS and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and demonstrated significantly less or no explosive power
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Lockheed Martin UK opens its U.K. cybersecurity center
Lockheed Martin UK has officially opened its first Security Intelligence Center (SIC) at Farnborough; the role of the SIC will be detection, identification, and response to information security incidents; this is accomplished by bringing together three primary capabilities: pervasive sensors, data management, and analyst collaboration
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More headlines
The long view
Need for National Information Clearinghouse for Cybercrime Data, Categorization of Cybercrimes: Report
There is an acute need for the U.S. to address its lack of overall governance and coordination of cybercrime statistics. A new report recommends that relevant federal agencies create or designate a national information clearinghouse to draw information from multiple sources of cybercrime data and establish connections to assist in criminal investigations.
Trying to “Bring Back” Manufacturing Jobs Is a Fool’s Errand
Advocates of recent populist policies like to focus on the supposed demise of manufacturing that occurred after the 1970s, but that focus is misleading. The populists’ bleak economic narrative ignores the truth that the service sector has always been a major driver of America’s success, for decades, even more so than manufacturing. Trying to “bring back” manufacturing jobs, through harmful tariffs or other industrial policies, is destined to end badly for Americans. It makes about as much sense as trying to “bring back” all those farm jobs we had before the 1870s.
The Potential Impact of Seabed Mining on Critical Mineral Supply Chains and Global Geopolitics
The potential emergence of a seabed mining industry has important ramifications for the diversification of critical mineral supply chains, revenues for developing nations with substantial terrestrial mining sectors, and global geopolitics.
Are We Ready for a ‘DeepSeek for Bioweapons’?
Anthropic’s Claude 4 is a warning sign: AI that can help build bioweapons is coming, and could be widely available soon. Steven Adler writes that we need to be prepared for the consequences: “like a freely downloadable ‘DeepSeek for bioweapons,’ available across the internet, loadable to the computer of any amateur scientist who wishes to cause mass harm. With Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4 having finally triggered this level of safety risk, the clock is now ticking.”