• The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced US$91.8 million in direct assistance grants to 860 fire departments and first responder organizations through its FY2006 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program.

• The DHS Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) has awarded US$22 million to GE, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Smiths Detection for the development of pocket-sized radiation detectors.

• Smiths Detection has introduced the Hi-SCAN 6040aTiX handheld x-ray explosives detection system.

• iMove Inc. has announced the inView Fly-Away transportable wide-area surveillance system.

• Sago Systems has unveiled the iPat portable whole body imager, for the detection of metallic and non-metallic guns, knives, suicide bombs, liquids in containers and other potential threats.

• The National Biometric Security Project has released new biometric standards, which it says will help to make watchlist applications such as border control and U.S. Visit more robust.