A new mathematical model developed at Upstate Medical University in New York will help guide researchers to make monthly predictions on when populations are at greatest risk of contracting mosquito-borne diseases, like Zika virus and dengue fever, The model was … Read More
A bill that would require states that receive federal funds for law enforcement programs to properly document all relevant details surrounding an officer-related shooting that result in the death of a civilian was recently introduced to the Senate by U.S. … Read More
The Edgewood Chemical Biological Laboratory (ECBC) recently acquired a new machine that improves the efficiency and safety in processing orders of dilute chemical agents used for research and testing. Brandon Bruey, chemist at ECBC’s Chemical Transfer Facility (CTF), said the … Read More
A bill that reauthorizes the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its agencies for the first time since its inception in 2002 recently advanced the U.S. House of Representatives in a bipartisan vote of 386-41. The legislation’s introduction stems … Read More
More than 300 public safety professionals representing 20 African nations convened in Khartoum, Sudan for an educational event hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), where participants trained in various aspects of response operations, radiological hazards, and emergency public … Read More
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) does not have valid evidence to support the effectiveness of its list of behavioral indicators for individuals who may post a threat to aviation security, according to a recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability … Read More
The Epidemiology Unit of Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health (MoH) recently reported a total of 80,732 cases of dengue fever throughout the first six months of 2017, a figure that is 4.3 times higher than the average number of cases … Read More
Battelle recently received a Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) Homeland Defense and Security Technical Area Task (HD TAT) award with a total value of $13,781,575 to support the National Guard Bureau’s (NGB) Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Division initiative. … Read More
The House Foreign Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade recently advanced legislation that aims to establish international border security standards to close security gaps that could potentially allow foreign terrorist fighters to travel internationally. Authored by U.S. Rep. … Read More
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently announced that Christopher R. Hetner will remain as senior advisor for cybersecurity policy to SEC Chairman Jay Clayton. Hetner, who served under previous SEC Chairman Mary Jo White and Acting Chairman Michael Piwowar, … Read More
During a recent hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) questioned Ret. Brigadier General Stephen Cheney on how much the United States needed to be thinking about upgrading the security of critical energy … Read More
Emergent BioSolutions said on Wednesday it plans to acquire GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) raxibacumab, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved monoclonal antibody used for the treatment of inhalation anthrax, in an all-cash transaction valued at up to $96 million. Raxibacumab is … Read More
By a unanimous voice vote, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence last week sent the FY2018 Intelligence Authorization Act to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration. While funding for the bill was slightly lower than in the Trump … Read More
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) recently participated in the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) workshop in Karlsruhe, Germany, where DHS personnel delivered a presentation on preparing U.S. scientists to serve as expert … Read More
Two Zika virus vaccine candidates were shown to protect the developing fetus of female mice from infection and associated birth defects, according to a recent study conducted by the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB). The findings, which … Read More
A recent discovery made by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) Schools of the Health Sciences revealed a loophole in which the influenza virus packages its genetic material to give rise to new strains of the flu. The research, … Read More
More than 135 researchers, representing 10 medical centers designated by the U.S. government as a Regional Ebola and other Special Pathogen Treatment Center (RESPTC), recently convened at the National Ebola Treatment and Education Center (NETEC) at Emory University in Atlanta … Read More
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) on Tuesday requested information from three federal agencies on the tools the federal government has available, and the tools that might be necessary, to prevent cybercrime affecting consumer products such as Internet of Things (IoT) … Read More
The Atlantic City Police Department (ACPD) recently deployed a new interoperability response and preparedness system to provide a secure communication channel for officers working in the field during crowded events and emergencies. The system, called Mutualink, allows law enforcement personnel … Read More
Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy last week appointed Art House to the newly created position as Connecticut’s chief cyber risk officer, where he will work to strengthen the state’s cybersecurity prevention systems. “As technology expands into every segment of our lives … Read More
Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) was recently awarded a contract from the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific to provide cyberspace operations systems for military personnel and other government agencies. SAIC is one of seven companies awarded the contract, … Read More
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed at the Orlando International Airport recently seized a shipment of raw beef and pork that potentially carried classical swine fever disease. The incident began as agents referred a passenger arriving from Mexico … Read More
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) recently hosted a series of six medical countermeasure summits across the nation. Topics of the summits included tribal planning and preparedness, access … Read More
A coalition of House Democrats recently urged the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to examine the Donald Trump campaign’s claim that they knew about the cyber hack into John Podesta’s emails before they were publicly released. The group included U.S. … Read More
The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) recently conducted its Operational Response Project in Amman, Jordan, to identify best practices related to command and control, hazard risk assessment, and evidence exploitation. The project brought together 45 Jordanian law enforcement specialists, armed … Read More
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Interagency Security Committee (ISC) recently certified Alion Science and Technology’s CounterMeasures as the first Department of Defense-sponsored tool for risk assessment and analysis for federal facilities. CounterMeasures software, designated for federal facilities not … Read More
Honeywell released plans on Thursday for a next-generation wireless, transportable GPS-enabled multi-threat monitor called the AreaRAE Pro. The AreaRAE Pro collects information based on meteorological conditions and simultaneously detects a wide-range of threats, including toxic and combustible gasses, volatile organic … Read More
U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) recently hosted the first-ever Emergency Management Summit to help first responders in his district prepare for natural disasters that require federal assistance. The summit featured testimony and potential response plans from local emergency managers, country … Read More
According to a recent clinical trial conducted by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), ZMapp was found to be a safe and effective treatment for Ebola virus disease, but more study remains. The trial, known as Partnership … Read More
A bipartisan coalition of U.S. senators recently urged the Obama administration in a letter to clarify their position on the growing cholera epidemic in Haiti. The group includes U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Edward Markey (D-MA) and … Read More
A group of international vaccine experts recently shared a series of requirements for the development of a safe and effective Zika virus vaccine. The research group features experts from the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston, the Walter … Read More
The Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) recently demonstrated its new augmented reality technology at the Association of the U.S. Army Annual Meeting and Exposition. ECBC’s augmented reality technology utilizes a head-mounted display to enable users to see virtual images for … Read More
The National Association of Fleet Administrator’s (NAFA) Fleet Management Association recently released a cybersecurity-related white paper regarding internet-connected vehicles and the ways a possible cyber hacker could exploit those systems. The white paper, titled “Fleet Management and the Connected Vehicle,” … Read More
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) recently held a training seminar for customs officials in Eastern Europe to strengthen their ability to uphold the global ban on chemical weapon. The seminar, held in Krakow, Poland on Sept. … Read More
A Sandia National Laboratory research team recently used high-speed cameras, imaging techniques and advanced computer modeling to study fragmenting explosives. The Sandia research team wanted to study how improvised explosive devices (IEDs) come apart in explosions in order to lessen … Read More
