Researchers in Hong Kong have miniaturized technology needed to perform the versatile polymerase chain reaction (PCR) — widely used in criminal investigations, disease diagnosis, and a range of other key applications.

Although the SF Bay area oil spill is no where near the size of what has happened in the Black Sea, 58,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil that is currently floating around the Bay Area is causing unconscionable damage to the sea life of the region.

Police and security services will benefit from new research aimed at improving the investigation of criminal and terrorist activity. Scientists at The University of Nottingham are collaborating with experts at four other universities to develop techniques that combine technologies for location based games and analysing communication signals with forensic psychology techniques for detecting deception during interviews with suspects.

Madeleine McCann’s father says he and his wife are totally confident of their innocence as they wait to learn whether they will face criminal charges in Portugal.

Reports from Russia say one environmental activist was killed and several others injured when their tent camp was attacked early this morning outside a power plant in Siberia.

Scientists in the United States and China are reporting development of a new type of fluorescent sensing material that could lead to innovative devices for rapid detection of explosives in security screening, criminal investigations, and other applications. Their report is scheduled for the June 20 issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society, a weekly publication.

The Ukrainian Prosecutor-General's Office has opened a criminal investigation into allegations that officials have illegally pressured Constitutional Court justices, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reported.

Earlier today, NBC News headquarters in New York received correspondence believed to be from Cho Seung-Hui, the gunman responsible for the fatal shootings at Norris Hall. The correspondence includes multiple photographs, video, and writings.