Government
Representatives of customs agencies from member states to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) recently convened at the headquarters of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to consider improvements to the CWC’s transfer regime during a three-day training seminar.
In... Read More »
The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is set to host 10 hazardous materials response teams from Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Nebraska for the 21st annual Hazmat Challenge, pitting each team against one another in a series of graded, timed exercises from July 10 to 14.
The event, held... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers stationed at ports of entry along the California border with Mexico recently seized more than 700 pounds of illicit narcotics, captured 13 fugitives from justice, and apprehended two would-be illegal undocumented immigrants over a series of... Read More »
California-based Border Patrol agents recently seized more than 40 pounds of heroin and 34 pounds of fentanyl over separate incidents.
The first event occurred as agents encountered a 46-year old man driving a 2014 Nissan Versa sedan near the Border Patrol checkpoint along Interstate 5 in San... Read More »
A bill that aims to strengthen the nation’s preparedness of its food, agriculture, and veterinary systems against terrorism and other high-risk events through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was recently signed into law by President Trump.
The bill was introduced by U.S. Rep.... Read More »
In the wake of mounting reports that actors within the Russian government worked to compromise the 2016 President election, a group of Democratic House leaders recently announced a new task force that aims to ensure the health and security of the nation’s election systems.
Developed by House... Read More »
Following the international WannaCry ransomware attack, which has reportedly infected approximately 300,000 computer systems in more than 150 nations, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a bill that aims to combat cyberattacks and cybercrime against U.S. computer networks.
The Promoting... Read More »
The United States Secret Service and the Bankers Electronic Task Force, a group of state bank regulators, recently issued a series of industry best practices for managing risks related to cyber threats.
The recommendations were made after recent reports of a new international ransomware... Read More »
In the wake of reports that a new ransomware attack has affected computer systems in multiple countries, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, called for strengthening cybersecurity for the nation’s energy systems before a major... Read More »
In the wake of a massive cyberattack that led to the closure of the largest terminal at the Port of Los Angeles, U.S. Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA) said she would be reintroducing a bill that aims to improve coordination between port landlords and tenants to address various cyber-related threats.
... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers stationed at the San Ysidro Port of Entry recently seized more than $3.2 million in illicit narcotics during a single traffic stop.
The incident began as officers encountered a 50-year old male Mexican citizen, who was also a B1/B2 Visa holder,... Read More »
Currently, Dr. Jeffrey Laskin, director of the Rutgers University CounterACT Research Center of Excellence, leads a team conducting research on the exposure and health effects of chemical warfare agents used by terrorists. The researchers are determined to develop medical... Read More »
In the wake of the international WannaCry ransomware attacks, reports have recently surfaced that another attack, potentially related to an existing strain of malware called Petya, has been infecting computer systems throughout Europe and the United States.
While little is currently known about... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed at the Port of Nogales in Arizona recently made a series of narcotics seizures and arrested four Mexican nationals over separate incidents.
The first incident occurred on Sunday as officers assigned to the Dennis DeConcini crossing... Read More »
A bill that seeks to enhance Congressional oversight of future Guantanamo Bay (Gitmo) detainee transfers by closing a loophole that allowed the executive branch to keep secret the terms under which terrorist detainees were released was recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) recently sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions requesting that he reenact Operation Streamline’s zero-tolerance approach to illegal border crossings and reverse actions from the Obama Administration that undermined the program’s intent.
Flake’s... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents stationed at the San Ysidro Port of Entry and the PedWest facility in southern California recently seized more than $1 million in cocaine and apprehended a U.S. fugitive wanted for homicide in separate incidents.
The first incident began as San... Read More »
Democratic members of the House Homeland Security Committee recently sent a public letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly requesting information regarding plans to work with states to secure election infrastructure in the wake of intelligence officials confirming that... Read More »
Joint efforts from university and federal researchers have prepared a checklist designed to help strengthen communities against infectious disease outbreaks – and what they’ve learned is it’s a messy web to navigate.
The report was prepared against the backdrop of the 2014 Ebola crisis,... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced 26 awards totaling $10 million for the Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Grant Program, which seeks to address the issue of violent extremism in the United States through a series of community-led initiatives.
DHS said the... Read More »
In a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang and its role in proliferating illegal immigration along the country’s southern border, U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) addressed the fact that lawmakers need to tune out both the far left and far right of the... Read More »
A group of Democratic members of the U.S. Senate recently sent a public letter to President Trump, urging the U.S. Department of Energy to conduct a thorough analysis of Russian cyber capabilities on the nation’s energy infrastructure.
The letter specifically called for directing the... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed at various ports of entry along the California border with Mexico recently made a series of narcotics seizures that resulted in the interception of more than 230 pounds of illicit substances, valued at more than $1.4 million.
In total,... Read More »
Ahmet Üzümcü, Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), recently gave a speech to key U.S. State Department officials in a commemorative event to mark the Chemical Weapons Convention’s (CWC) 20th anniversary during his visit to the United States.
... Read More »
Efforts to protect the nation’s agriculture sector and food supply against terrorist attacks and high-risk events would be ratched up under a bill that the House approved on Monday.
The Securing Our Agriculture and Food Act, H.R. 1238, would direct the U.S. Department of Homeland Security... Read More »
A Pandemic Influenza Plan released last week outlines areas of focus over the next decade and concludes that seasonal flu preparedness efforts must be stepped up in response to “the continually changing nature” of influenza viruses.
The Pandemic Influenza Plan was first undertaken in 2005,... Read More »
Legislation from U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY) that supports the nation’s efforts to prepare for and respond to terror attacks and emergencies cleared the House Homeland Security Committee last week as part of the Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act.
Donovan, who serves as... Read More »
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Hungary conducted a 36-hour, international exercise this week to test the global emergency response to a nuclear power plant accident, such as Chernobyl and Three Mile Island.
The exercise involved 82 IAEA Member States and 11 international... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations agents stationed at the El Paso Port of Entry in Texas recently made a seizure of 36.7 pounds of crystal methamphetamine during a single traffic stop.
The incident began as agents encountered a 1998 Ford pickup truck at the... Read More »
As the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) locks in its budget priorities, on the potential chopping block is the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC)—a potentially devastating public health concern, one expert says.
That center, which aided governmental response... Read More »
Three amendments, authored by U.S. Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), were included in the recently-passed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Authorization Act of 2017 by the U.S. House of Representatives, each of which addresses a specific challenge in disaster response, oversight and... Read More »
U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to a checkpoint inspection site along Interstate 15 in Temecula, California recently seized more than 100 pounds of alleged cocaine in a single incident.
The situation began as officers encountered a 2000 Infinity QX4 SUV driven by an unnamed 46-year old man.... Read More »
During a meeting of the Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Program, various scientists and experts from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) partner countries recently examined opportunities for cooperation to address emerging security-related challenges.
Organized in conjunction with... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed along various ports of entry in southern California recently seized more than 540 pounds of illicit narcotics over a series of incidents throughout the weekend.
In total, agents seized more than 372 pounds of methamphetamine, 120 pounds... Read More »
Beginning this week, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will be assessing new checkpoint screening technology at a designated TSA PreCheck lane at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta.
The assessment is part of a proof-of-concept demonstration to evaluate both... Read More »
