• U.S. to increase Earth observation capabilities

    In 2006 the administration cut the budget for several planned sensors which would have sustained key, long-standing climate measurements; the new Bush budget proposal shows that funding for these sensors has been restored — even enhanced

  • Sri Lanka blocks SMS as an Independence Day protection measure

    Sri Lankan mobile phone operators ordered to block SMS on mobile phones during the country’s Independence Day celebrations, marking the country’s sixty years of independence; telecom regulator had ordered the suspension of SMS messages, fearing Tamil Tiger rebels could use them to scare people into staying away from celebrations

  • Wind farms "a threat to [U.K.] national security"

    The U.K. has an ambitious plan calling for producing a third of Britain’s energy needs from offshore wind farms; there is a problem, though: The Ministry of Defense says that both onshore and offshore wind turbines create gaps in radar coverage of the coast line, allowing a sneak aerial attack on the country

  • Hamburg’s Deutsche Bahn selects Verint solution

    Verint’s networked video solution aims to enhance security across Germany’s second city’s urban railway network

  • March Networks to acquire Cieffe

    Canadian provider of intelligent IP video acquires innovative designer of award-winning IP video surveillance solutions; acquisition will expand March Networks’ European presence

  • PSA issues Secure America Challenge to candidates

    Top Democrats and Republicans issue bipartisan agenda for next president; Senator Warren Rudman: “Republicans and Democrats can agree that securing global nuclear stockpiles to prevent terrorists from buying or stealing materials for a nuclear weapon is at the top of the agenda”

  • FERC adopts critical infrastructure protection standards

    Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approves eight new mandatory critical infrastructure protection reliability standards; move taken against the backdrop of growing worries in the U.S. intelligence community about attacks on U.S. critical infrastructure

  • EDI to use Xyratex to manage Beijing Airport security

    EDI Technology, a Chinese storage integrator, will use Xyratex F5412E RAID system from Xyratex, a U.K.-based enterprise data storage subsystems and storage process technology provider, for online and archive storage of video surveillance at Beijing Capital International Airport

  • Under certain assumptions, ANWR drilling helps U.S. energy independence

    Depending on the assumption we bring to the issue, additional 36 billion barrels of oil and 137 trillion cubic feet of natural gas would be added over current reserve estimates; this would result in limiting oil imports and increase America’s energy security; but — and this is an important “but” — many assumptions must hold for this to be the case

  • Companies, government responses to war game draw mixed reviews

    Details emerge of a $3 million, invitation-only war game — Cyber Storm —which simulated what DHS described as plausible attacks over five days in February 2006 against the technology industry, transportation lines, and energy utilities by anti-globalization hackers

  • CSX to give Maryland real-time information on hazardous cargo

    Baltimore no longer uses chlorine in their water treatment facilities, yet their citizens are exposed to the toxic substance as trains carrying the hazardous material to facilities elsewhere go through the city; Maryland, rail company reach an agreement on the issue

  • One way to fight criminals, terrorists: Register pre-paid cell phones

    Texas state senator offers legislation, with the support of state police chiefs, which would help in fighting crimes — and terrorism: Legislation would require prepaid cellphone customers to present ID and limit purchases to three phones at a time; it also would require prepaid cellphone service providers to make phone records accessible to police

  • 2007 record year for wind energy

    The sum of the world’s total wind energy installations has increased by 27 percent to reach over 94 GW by the end of 2007; the global wind market is estimated to be worth about €25 billion or $36 billion per year in new generating equipment

  • Swedish bank stops sophisticated digital theft

    Forget ski masks and machine guns: Savvy Swedish bank robbers stealthily placed an electronic device under the desk of a bank employee; the device gave instructions to the computer atop the desk to transfer millions of dollars from bank deposits to an account the robbers had set up

  • E.coli to serve as a future source of energy

    Aggies researchers shows that a strain of E. coli produces 140 times more hydrogen than is created in a naturally occurring process; finding may prove to be a significant stepping stone on the path to a hydrogen-based economy