Travel documents

DHS publicizing passport alternatives
Visits to the United States by Canadians have dropped since 1 June, when the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative began requiring new documentation for cross-border land travel; DHS agrees to advertise alternatives to passports as valid border-crossing documents.
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Piracy boosts maritime security business
In London, the business capital of the world’s maritime industry, firms shape decisions on arming ships and negotiating with pirates
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U.K. ID and Passport Service brings in ad men
The debate in the United Kingdom about the merit of a national biometric ID continues, but the Identity and Passport Service is not waiting
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Not yet ready for prime time: RFID technology
RFID technology is incorporated into more and more documents (e-passports, enhanced driver’s licenses); trouble is, the technology still suffers from privacy and security vulnerabilities
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TSA, American Airlines launch paperless boarding
Paperless boarding pass will allow passengers to receive boarding passes electronically on their cell phones or PDAs
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TSA to assume responsibility for watch list matching responsibilities
There have been many — many, many — complaints about the accuracy and effectiveness of DHS no-fly watch list; TSA takes responsibility from individual airlines for matching names on the list with passengers
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Verified Identity Pass gets back to RT business
TSA suspended company from the Registered Traveler program after one of its computer, containing the personal details of 33,000 customers who had registered for the program, was lost; lap top was recovered and handed over to TSA for forensic review; company now allowed to register passengers
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TSA keeps list of people who forgot driver's licnese, passport at home
TSA began storing the information in late June, tracking many people who said they had forgotten their driver’s license or passport at home; the database has 16,500 records; agency says it is changing its policy on the list
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ACLU: Terrorist Watch List hits one million names
ACLU claims terrorist watch list reached one million names; launches online watch list complaint form
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TSA: ACLU’s terrorist watch list facts and figures are a myth
The Transportation Security Administration refutes the facts and figures used by the ACLU in the latter’s claim that the list is now 1-million strong
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State Department: Robust security for U.S. e-passport
Popular misconception notwithstanding, the new U.S. e-passprt are safe, says the State Department. One example: The card’s photograph cannot be removed with solvent; a laser engraving process embeds the photograph into the polycarbonate card stock, meaning that attempts to remove your picture will visibly mar the card
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Italian minister wants to bring back border checks
The new conservative governing coalition in Italy wants to re-impose border checks in order to stem illegal immigration into the country; measure would violate the strictures of passport-free Schengen zone agreement
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DHS delays TWIC compliance date
DHS pushes (the department says “realigns”) TWIC compliance date from 15 October 2008 to 15 April 2009; industry, port wanted more time; some ports will have to comply with original deadline
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Heathrow's Terminal 5 will open in two weeks
The new, beautiful terminal — it also has an impressive view of the airport and its surroundings — will open on 14 March, and begin operations on 27 March; the mixing — and fingerprinting — of both international and domestic travelers; transfers to other airlines; and tight security checks pose problems
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Mounties smash massive identity-theft ring
Royal Canadian Mounted Police discover thousands of stolen and forged credit cards, licences, passports, personal records — and printing and embossing machines to manufacture IDs, passports, and print forged money; largest such ring in Canadian history
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