Transportation

EU drops border security controls with 9 more countries
Nine more countries enter the Schengen area as of Sunday; air border checks will no longer be necessary for European passengers to go to of from these new area members
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U.S. hi-tech companies brace for new squeeze on high-tech visas
U.S. companies can apply for H1-B visa for a skilled foreign employee beginning 1 April for the fiscal year which begins 1 October; last year, all 65,000 H1-B visas were filled on the first day of application; tomorrow will be no different
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Sunday protest against rail tunnel through Italian Alps
Protesters in the thousands continue to oppose a super-fast rail link between Turin and Lyon; plan calls for digging a new tunnel through the Italian Alps
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As Real ID kicks in 11 May, some states may be left in limbo
Beginning 11 May, individuals who want to enter federal buildings or board a plane will have to show a state driver’s license complying with the Real ID Act — unless their state has been granted an extension by DHS (the extension is until 11 October 2009); Maine and South Carolina do not have Real ID-compliant licenses, and they are yet to apply for an extension (the deadline is today)
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Egypt installs CCTVs along Suez Canal
A small motor boat approached an American cargo ship, chartered by the U.S. Navy, sailing through the Suez Canal; after the small boat refused to turn away and kept approaching, warning shots were fired, killing one Egyptian; the canal authorities now install CCTVs along the waterway
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Security concerns over U.S. decision to outsource e-passport production
The U.S. Government Printing Office’s (GPO) decision to outsource the production of the new e-passports to companies in Europe and Thailand makes legislators, security experts worry; Thailand is an unstable country with a tradition of corruption and rising Islamic terrorism problem; the Dutch company which operates the Thai e-passport production facilities filed court papers in October 2007 charging that China had stolen the company’s patented technology for e-passport chips
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JFK now requires 10 fingerprints from visitors
New York’s JFK joins a list of other U.S. airports now requiring non-U.S. citizens to submit ten fingerprints; on a typical day, JFK sees almost 14,400 international visitors complete US‑VISIT biometric procedures
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Florida port deploys Coda Octopus's Underwater Inspection System
Coda Octopus UIS uses Coda Echoscope, a real time 3D sonar technology; port’s public safety and bomb squad divers will be using the system on their small patrol vessels
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Company profile: Brijot Imaging Systems
One of the promised benefits of millimeter wave technology is its ability to scan from distance making it particularly attractive in areas where human traffic is a problem for traditional screening methods
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Israel begins outfitting airliners with flare anti-missile systems
After fits and starts, Israel will outfit passengers planes with home-made flare-based defensive systems; new flares consume themselves in the air so there is less of a risk of igniting fires on the ground
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Suspicious behavior at Jacksonville airport would get more attention
TSA and other aviation security agencies put more emphasis on detecting suspicious behavior at airports as the first line of defense against terrorism; a Florida airport deploys behavioral observation officers
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DHS insists on states' complaince with Real ID
DHS wants all states to incorporate biometric and RFID technologies into the driver licenses they issue — or risk having citizens of states which fail to do so being barred from flights and federal buildings; the states argue that they do not have the funds to implement this mandate; DHS says it may be willing to be flexible, but at the end states would have to comply
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Texas to revive "neighborhood watch" border protection scheme
Texas will invest $2 million to place 200 video cameras along its border with Mexico; Texas citizens could watch the videos on their computers at home, and alert the authorities if they see something suspicious
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Pencilbeam X-ray technology for more effective luggage inspection
New luggage screening technology investigates suspicious material by penetrating the luggage with a pencilbeam X-ray; new approach reduces instances of false alarms
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Three more EU members on way to visa waver status
The United States, continuing to defy the EU, grants pre-visa waiver status to Slovakia, Hungary, and Lithuania; EU wants to negotiate a package deal on behalf of the twelve new EU members, while U.S. prefers to deal with each country on its security merits
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