The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report assessing U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) fleet of radiation portal monitors (RPMs), concluding that the fleet is lasting longer than expected and that future acquisitions should focus on operational … Read More
FLIR Systems Inc. recently acquired Prox Dynamics AS, a company that develops and manufactures nano-class unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for military and para-military intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance applications, for $134 million. Norway-based Prox Dynamics develops, manufactures and distributes small aerial … Read More
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) recently said his amendment to elevate the U.S. Cyber Command (CYBERCOM) to a Combatant Command has been included in the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). U.S. Cyber Command is currently a subordinate unit to … Read More
The European Commission (EC) recently proposed a European Defense Fund, which would support more efficient spending by Member States in joint defense capabilities and strengthen European citizens’ security. “To guarantee our collective security, we must invest in the common development … Read More
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed legislation introduced by U.S. Reps. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) and Jim Langevin (D-RI) that aims to strengthen collaborative cybersecurity research and development efforts between the United States and Israel. The bills, the United States-Israel … Read More
The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), along with 40 international and national scientific societies from Africa, Europe, the Middle East and North America, recently condemned the use of chlorine as a weapon. The scientific societies, in letters … Read More
U.S. Sen. Angus King (I-ME) recently participated in a classified briefing held before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security to discuss security along the northern U.S. border with Canada. King, along with senators from other states along the northern … Read More
Leidos recently received a $66 million delivery order from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to supply mobile scanning systems for vehicles and cargo to help officers identify illegal materials when facilitating international trade. … Read More
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was recently informed that a resident of Brownsville, Texas, was diagnosed with the Zika virus without any other known risk factors, which suggests the virus may have been locally transmitted. The … Read More
The U.S. House of Representatives recently unanimously passed a bipartisan bill aimed at supporting first responders by making sure they have the resources they need to handle hazardous events, including crude oil train derailments. The Railroad Emergency Services Preparedness, Operational … Read More
Legislation to protect first responders from anthrax exposure in the event of a biological attack passed the House on Tuesday and will now go to President Barack Obama to be signed into law. The First Responder Anthrax Preparedness Act would … Read More
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü recently met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan H.E. Hekmat Kahlil Karzai to discuss advancing the goals of the Chemical Weapons Convention. While … Read More
Raytheon Co. recently demonstrated its electronic warfare planning and management tool (EWPMT) with third party interoperability, called the Cyber and Electromagnetic Battle Management (CEMBM) Tool, for the U.S. Army. The demonstration integrated CEMBM with the Marine Corps’ electronic warfare asset … Read More
According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, the Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) recently called upon the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) to address security issues related to major developments in gene drive systems at its upcoming review conference. Gene … Read More
U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Chris Coons (D-DE) continue to push for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to substantively answer questions from 23 Congress members about a new expanded mass hacking authority that is set to go into … Read More
U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter recently honored Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz with the Department of Defense’s Distinguished Public Service Award, the department’s highest civilian honor. Moniz was honored in recognition of his leadership in strengthening the partnership between … Read More
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), recently resumed the removal of Haitian nationals who are present in the country illegally. Removals were previously scheduled to begin on Oct. 4, however, DHS decided to … Read More
The European Union’s (EU) Civil Liberties Committee recently approved the framework of new data protection standards for law enforcement in the EU and the United States to exchange information, including to prevent terrorism. The so-called Umbrella Agreement seeks to ensure … Read More
Bavarian Nordic A/S recently completed its enrollment of a Phase 3 clinical study designed to demonstrate non-inferiority between the company’s investigational, non-replicating smallpox vaccine called Imvamune and ACAM2000, the current U.S.-licensed and replicating smallpox vaccine. The U.S. Food and Drug … Read More
Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to immigration checkpoints recently discovered five Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States over two separate incidents on Nov. 22. The first incident began when agents stopped a 2009 Hyundai sedan for routine … Read More
The U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) is collaborating with renowned researcher Anthony Atala, director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, on a project to help combat the effects of chemical and biological agents. The project, called … Read More
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in a recently passed resolution have called for greater cooperation between countries in Europe to strengthen security and defense to combat an increase in terrorism, cyber threats and energy insecurity. “Our union is not … Read More
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) recently decried actions by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that resulted in the mishandling of thousands of green cards over the past three years. According to a DHS … Read More
The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), in conjunction with the Southwest University in Chongqing, China and the University of Lueven in Belgium, recently developed a way to replicate the basic structure of the Zika virus without the genes that … Read More
The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) recently held a two-day workshop in Manila, Philippines on simplifying visa procedures for both Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and non-ASEAN nationals. The workshop featured presentations from government, law enforcement, industry, academia and … Read More
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently opened a new temporary holding facility in Tornillo-Guadalupe, Texas in response to a recent surge in illegal border crossings by migrants along the southwest border of the United States. The facility, housed at … Read More
United Nations (UN) member states recently adopted a resolution by consensus to further strengthen collaboration between the UN and Interpol against transnational crime and terrorism. Member states discussed issues related to counterterrorism during the 71st session of the UN General … Read More
The Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) recently conducted a demonstration for U.S. senators on the latest defense technology: a state-of-the art head-mounted, augmented reality (AR) display. ECBC initially developed the AR headset to be used for military training, however, the … Read More
According to a recent study by the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, a particular malaria parasite affecting children in Africa is evading rapid diagnostic tests (RDT), threatening malaria eradication efforts. Most RDTs rely on the detection of … Read More
A coalition of state parties from Africa recently voiced their support for adopting provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) into their national legislations during a stakeholders forum. The forum in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania earlier this month included more … Read More
The U.S. Senate has passed the Northern Border Security Review Act, which requires the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to update its threat assessment by conducting a comprehensive examination of current resources and to fully evaluate challenges with protecting … Read More
A coalition of local and national agencies recently took part in a four-day, full-scale exercise in Omaha, Nebraska to evaluate and test the ability to provide international medical transport for multiple patients with a highly infectious disease. The drill was … Read More
According to a new study conducted by the Stanford University School of Medicine, approximately 25 percent of individuals in a Sierra Leone village were infected with Ebola virus disease but showed no symptoms, which suggests a broader transmission of the … Read More
As advancements are made in biotechnology and the treatment of diseases, the U.S. government must strengthen its security to combat the threat of states or individuals potentially launching a biological attack, argues the president’s Council of Advisors on Science and … Read More
The U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Sens. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Chris Coons (D-DE) that makes anthrax vaccines available to first responders. The First Responder Anthrax Preparedness Act has been endorsed by the … Read More
