Security Briefs - April 10 - April 16
The Latest Headlines:
U.S. Drops Terror Alert Back to Yellow
The federal government said that it was lowering the nation’s terror threat alert level from Code Orange, or "high," back down to Code Yellow or "elevated," the Associated Press reported Wednesday.The alert level had been raised before the war in Iraq started because of fears that terrorist elements would strike the U.S. or U.S. interests in retaliation.
Many of the extra security measures, dubbed Operation Liberty Shield by the Department of Homeland Security, would end with the lowering of the terror alert, AP said.
Bush Signs War Funding Bill
President Bush signed a bill Wednesday providing emergency funding for the war in Iraq, homeland security and aid to the airline industry, the Associated Press reported.The $80 billion spending package includes $3 billion for the struggling airline industry, as well as some funding for homeland security to cover the costs of the recently rescinded high terror alert, AP said.
A provision of the bill may also block the proposed purchase of Airborne Inc.’s trucking unit by DHL Worldwide Express, a division of German Deutsche Post AG. Transport Topics
Va. Cities Looking at Truck Safety
Police from a growing number of Virginia cities are trying to improve safety on local roads through stricter enforcement of regulations for commercial trucks, the Daily Press of Hampton, Va., reported Tuesday.Although the Virginia State Police usually enforces truck safety regulations, it focuses mainly on highways and interstates. The Virginia General Assembly passed a bill last year that gave all localities the authority to enforce truck-safety regulations, the article said.
Police in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Chesapeake and Portsmouth are among 22 localities that enforce truck safety regulations using their own police or sheriff's personnel. The Newport News Police Department is planning to join the ranks this year, the Daily Press reported.
Many of these localities use the money generated from truck violations to repair or rebuild the damaged bridges and roads. Transport Topics
