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Rio Grande levees offered as alternative to border fence
Rebuilding the Rio Grande levee system would cost about $200 million; building a 700-mile fence on parts of the U.S.-Mexico border would cost from $3 billion to $30 billion; Texans say restoring the levees would be more effective, too
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U.S. government to scrutinize 3Com deal
Bain Capital and Chinese company Huawei Technologies are set to acquire 3Com for $2.2 billion; Huawei is close to the Chinese government, and Chinese military hackers broke into Pentagon computers this summer; mitigation clauses may be imposed
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Bain's 3Com deal: More questions than answers
Bain is paying a premium for 3Com, hoping that its Chinese acquisition partner would help the 3Com make money in the Chinese market; here we hope that Huaweis’ 20% stake would give it enough of an incentive to help Bain do so — provided the U.S. government approves the deal
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Cyber attack exercise reveals power-grid vulnerability
A staged cyber attack on a power plant causes generator to self-destruct; experts fear that bigger, coordinated attacks could inflict widespread damage to U.S. electric infrastructure which may take months to fix; economic price tag price tag may reach $700 billion
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Climate change burdens insurance industry
Climate changes cause ever-more-severe fires, hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters; these disasters accounted for 88 percent of all property losses paid by insurers from 1980 through 2005; it is only going to get worse, and insurance companies had better prepare
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Barrier offers protection against maritime attacks
California company develops sturdy protective barrier to protect navy ships and critical infrastructure assets such as liquid natural gas facilities, bridges, water intakes for desalinization plants, and more
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Shadowy Marxist groups poses threat to Mexican economy, state
The EPR has committed at least eighty-eight kidnappings in Mexico since 1999, collecting millions of dollars in ransom; the group is now using these funds in a terror campaign aimed to undermine the Mexcian economy and state
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October is national cybersecurity month
A consortium of government agencies and private industry sponsors have designated October 2007 as National Cyber Security Awareness Month
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Militants again threaten Nigeria's oil industry
Niger delta militants call off four-month cease fire after one of their leaders is arrested; bombings of oil facilities and abductions of foreigner workers have cut Nigeria’s oil production by 25 percent compared to two years ago
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First application for a new U.S. nuclear reactor in thirty years
NRG yesterday filed application to build two new nuclear reactors in Texas — first such application since 1979; with rising oil and gas prices, and worries about climate change, nuclear power appears attractive
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NRC outsources part of nuclear power plant permitting process
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission expects a flood of applications for new nuclear power plants in the United States; to cope with the extra work, agency outsources portions of application review process
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Live demonstration of satellite-based intelligence surveillance
Two companies join hands in live demonstration of satellite-based intelligence surveillance system; system sutiable for monitoring remote, difficult-to-access locations
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Israel's Ashdod port begins CSI operations
DHS makes the port of Ashdod, Israel, the 54th Container Security Initiative-certified port
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PDF files put Windows XP at risk
Cybersecurity researcher says vulnerabilities in popular Adobe file format allows hackers to seize control of computers; Adobe, Symantec work on solution
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DHS funds nuclear training
One-third of the current U.S. nuclear workforce will reach retirement in the next ten years; DHS joins with NSF to foster the training of the next generation of nuclear workers
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The long view
Helping Strengthen America’s Critical Infrastructure
Everyday life depends on a robust infrastructure network that provides access to running water, communications technology and electricity, among other basic necessities. The experts who keep our national infrastructure secure and resilient also need a strong network to share their knowledge and train the next generation of professionals capable of solving complex infrastructure challenges.
AI and the Future of the U.S. Electric Grid
Despite its age, the U.S. electric grid remains one of the great workhorses of modern life. Whether it can maintain that performance over the next few years may determine how well the U.S. competes in an AI-driven world.
Using Liquid Air for Grid-Scale Energy Storage
New research finds liquid air energy storage could be the lowest-cost option for ensuring a continuous power supply on a future grid dominated by carbon-free but intermittent sources of electricity.
Enhanced Geothermal Systems: A Promising Source of Round-the-Clock Energy
With its capacity to provide 24/7 power, many are warming up to the prospect of geothermal energy. Scientists are currently working to advance human-made reservoirs in Earth’s deep subsurface to stimulate the activity that exists within natural geothermal systems.
Experts Discuss Geothermal Potential
Geothermal energy harnesses the heat from within Earth—the term comes from the Greek words geo (earth) and therme (heat). It is an energy source that has the potential to power all our energy needs for billions of years.