• U.K. government in £100 million scheme to promote new ideas, products

    U.K. government launches a new 100 million scheme — the Small Business Research Initiative — to encourage public-sector organizations to invite British companies to submit ideas and develop technologies, which the public-sector organization could then buy to help improve public services

  • U.K. science community welcomes Rose Review of primary curriculum

    The body representing the U.K.’s foremost science education organizations said it welcomed the publication the other day of the Rose Review which suggested reforms of of the entire primary science curriculum

  • U.K. government's budget proposal attracts lukewarm reaction

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling’s budget — described by the chancellor as “the world’s first carbon budget” — offers support to U.K.’s fast-growth technology sector, but some say it is not enough; EFF’s Gilbert Toppin: “The measures are helpful though he should have gone further to make a real difference”

  • DHS announces ARRA funding of Coast Guard improvement projects

    DHS directs $240 of the stimulus package funds to make improvements to Coast Guard cutters and shoring up of bridges

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  • U.K. technology, industry groups call on government to act

    A coalition of U.K. technology and industry groups call on the U.K. government to use the forthcoming budget as an opportunity to reshape the economy by investing in key growth technology sectors

  • Obama administration slashes ballistic missile defense funds

    In early January, the outgoing Bush administration awarded Boeing a $400 million contract for Ground-based Midcourse Defense interceptors; we wrote at the time that it was “probably the last large ballistic missile defense contract, as both Obama and the Democratic majority in Congress have shown little interest in the program”; we were right: the Obama administrations proposes deep cuts in funding for the more esoteric BMD technologies

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  • Obama names Aneesh Chopra first U.S. chief technology officer

    President Barack Obama fulfills a campaign pledge to appoint chief technology officer for the United States; Chopra will work closely with Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra, who is responsible for setting technology policy and federal technology spending, which amounts to more than $70 billion a year

  • DHS highlights successes in fight against trafficking and illegal immigration

    On a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border, DHS secretary Napolitano highlights the department’s success in efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and contraband trafficking

  • Lieberman wants U.S.-Mexico border security funding in supplemental

    President Obama has submitted a $83.4 billion supplemental request to Congress which contains $66 million in additional aid to Mexico’s anti-drug efforts (Congress has already allocated about $700 million to Mexico — including $300 million in the recently enacted fiscal 2009 omnibus spending bill); leading senators say more should be done to shore-up border protection, and they propose an amendment to the supplemental which would add $550 million in border security funding

  • DHS adds $100 million to emergency food bank

    DHS secretary Napolitano announces $100 million in stimulus package funds for Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP); EFSP, created twenty-six years ago, has so far distributed more than $3.4 billion in federal funds for food and shelter

  • Protection from terrorism affects far reaches of Montana

    When you think of terrorism and preparations for terrorist attacks, you think of big cities; the remote precincts of Montana, however, are not exempt; the local inhabitants, who foot the bill for local homeland security, want to know whether rural dams are really terrorist targets

  • CBP unveils plan to modernize U.S. land ports of entry

    Funds from the stimulus package — $720 million to be exact — will be directed toward address infrastructure needs at ports of entry

  • Aussie government in $43 billion fast Internet scheme

    The economic slowdown found private Australian telecommunication companies unwilling to fund a high-speed national broadband network, a network which Kevin Rudd’s government believes is essential for the country’s economic competitiveness; the government is stepping in, saying it would invest at least $21.9 billion of taxpayers’ money to get the project going

  • SBAC to U.K. government: don't starve successful sectors

    The Society of British Aerospace Companies tells government investment in defense and aerospace should be increased; more investment should go to science, technology, engineering, and maths education

  • Napolitano unveils DHS efficiency review initiative

    DHS secretary Janet Napolitano unveils an efficiency review initiative that will examine ways to make the department more efficient in six areas: acquisition management, asset management, real property management, employee vetting/credentialing, hiring/on-boarding, and information technology