Transportation

Smiths Detection to deploy chemical detectors at New York's Penn Station
$4 million deal follows 2004 installation at Grand Central; planners say reliability problems concerning dust and cleaning chemicals have been overcome; MTA considers further deployment at other heavily-trafficked stations
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U.S.-E.U. relations under strain over visa waiver program
U.S. refuses to allow new E.U. countries to participate citing security concerns; in response, the European Commission says it will recommend imposing visa requirements on U.S. diplomats
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MIT researchers model automated UAV deployment
The market for UAVs is exploding, but critical issues remain about reliability and tactics; a team at MIT uses model helicopters to simulate a constant surveillance system that automatically switches UAVs in and out of the swarm for refueling and maintenace
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European court deadline for data sharing agreement passes
Negotiations will continue while the U.S. defers imposing $6,000 fines; privacy rights at issue, but U.S. will not budge on refusal to allow passengers to inspect shared information
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Border overgrowth threatens SBInet planning
International Boundary Commission reports severe problems with vegetation obstructing the northern border line; officials will meet in Washington this week to lobby Congress for more funding
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Congress passes border and port security bills
Last-minute vote provides funding for 700 miles of fence; port security bill requires radiation detectors at twenty-two American ports and implements pilot program for those abroad
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Joke at Tim Hawley's expense leads to unfunny security delay
Screeners at Milwaukee airport find nothing to laugh at when passenger writes “Tim Hawley is an idiot” on plastic bag
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Saudi government moves forward with border fence plans
Nervous about terrorism and drug smuggling, Saudi Arabia plans a $12 billion border protection initiative; electronic sensors, ultraviolet cameras, and a massive fingerprinting program are on the agenda; no contracts have been awarded so far
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San Diego shows promise as homeland security incubator
Local companies take advantage of proximity to high education; Daylight Solutions offers a hand held trace explosive detector that relies on lasers; Seacoast Science “volitaile organic chemical detector” identifies sarin, acetone, and other deadly chemicals
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Airport screening system under strain says TSA
A dearth of screeners and cumbersome explosive detectors contribute to problem; fix to cost $5 billion; selling federal tax credits one possible way to get more efficient machines on line
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NYC trains test laser system
Train and subway tunnels are long, dark, and empty — all conditions which make it easier for a terrorist to plant a bomb or otherwise do damage to passenger trains; one way to guard against this is to install detection systems at tunnel entrances to monitor the comings and goings there; the New York City subway is already testing a laser0base system, and this week said it would install a second one
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WHTI '08 deadline back on
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GE signs deal with Dubai for luggage screening systems
CTX 900s to be deployed at Dubai International Airport; Arab Middle East market is booming as states deal with economic growth and homegown terrorism; airport, one of the largest in region, is a prime business opportunity for the security-minded
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Congress acts to delay Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
Land-crossing PASS card requirements delayed until June 2009; border security bill, awaiting reconciliation, includes funds for a border fence and nuclear detectors; FEMA overhaul may cause personnel changes; chemical industry loses on federal shut-down authority but prevents rule requiring a shift to safer chemicals
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TSA considers shifting money from puffers to X-rays
Criticism of explosive trace detection system reliability compunded by fear of liquid explosives; TSA believes newer X-rays will better detect liquid containers, though not the explosives themselves
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