Countermeasures
Members of the House Homeland Security Committee from both parties expressed opposition to the Trump administration’s proposed budget that would cut funding for training and deployment for local security programs by as much as 30 percent next year, even while the overall funding for the... Read More »
A resolution that reaffirms the airline industry’s commitment to keep air travel secure and promote greater public-private collaboration was recently adopted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) at its 73rd Annual General Meeting.
The resolution was used to highlight the... Read More »
A training course on strengthening toxic chemical response capabilities for first responders from Latin America and the Caribbean was recently co-hosted by Uruguay’s National Authority and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
The course featured experts in the... Read More »
A vaccine based on the Zika virus NS1 protein was shown to give single-dose protection against the virus in an immunocompetent lethal mouse challenge model, according to a recent study presented by Farshad Guirakhoo, chief scientific officer of GeoVax, Inc.
Guirakhoo presented his findings at... Read More »
A new facial recognition biometric exit system was recently deployed to the Washington-Dulles International Airport to be used for one daily flight from the United States to Dubai, according to officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The biometric technology uses flight... Read More »
Persistent resource challenges combined with new and evolving cyber threats have limited various organization’s ability to defend themselves against cyber threats, according to a second installment of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association’s (ISACA) 2017 State of Cyber Security... Read More »
A five-year, $7.7 million grant to study the effects of Zika and West Nile virus on the human central nervous system was recently awarded to researchers at Georgia State University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Florida State University.
The three-part study will aim to develop... Read More »
At a commemoration ceremony celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), more than 40 participants gathered from 29 Asian States Parties to offer robust cooperation practices to implement provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).
... Read More »
In the wake of the introduction of the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act, which gives local police officers the ability to enforce federal immigration laws on undocumented immigrants, the National League of Cities (NLC) released a public statement coming out strongly against the legislation.
... Read More »
A team of scientists led by Katherine Hastie and Erica Ollmann Saphire from the Scripps Research Institute recently discovered the means in which the Lassa virus uses to enter human cells, which they believe provides a blueprint to design a potential vaccine for the virus.
Lassa virus, which... Read More »
A training exercise designed to teach participants on the use of individual protective equipment, chemical containment, rescue operations, forensic techniques, and decontamination procedures was recently held in Buenos Aires, Argentina and hosted by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical... Read More »
The Zika virus may have circulated undetected for up to a year in certain regions before public health officials could identify it, according to a recent study conducted by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
NIH... Read More »
Researchers at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) are taking a leading role in the development of vaccines to combat some of the world’s most-infectious diseases, including Zika virus, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), malaria, and chikungunya virus.
After the... Read More »
Over the Memorial Day weekend, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed at various ports of entry in California intercepted a total of 270 pounds of narcotics and apprehended 14 fugitives with outstanding felony warrants.
From May 27-29, CBP officers seized approximately 120... Read More »
A manganese-based peptide antioxidant of Deinococcus combined with radiation was shown to be a promising step in developing a vaccine to counter both the Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (VEEV) and Chikungunya virus, according to a recent study conducted by the Uniformed Services University... Read More »
Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes are significantly worse vectors for transmitting dengue fever, however, the means in which spread is established and continued among urban mosquito populations remains unclear, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of California at Davis... Read More »
A former member of the U.S. Air Force, Tairod Nathan Webster Pugh, was recently sentenced to 35 years in prison after being found guilty of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and obstruction of justice.
Pugh first traveled from Egypt to Turkey... Read More »
A bill to establish a bounty program where white hats, also known as ethical hackers, identify bugs in computer systems at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in order to strengthen cyber defenses was recently introduced in the Senate by U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Maggie Hassan... Read More »
The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), in conjunction with the Moscow-based Center for Energy and Security Studies (CENESS), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the Government of Kazakhstan, recently sponsored a workshop on radiological security and safety procedures.
The event... Read More »
Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge is scheduled to deliver a keynote address on cybersecurity issues to 700 financial services professionals at the 2017 American Bankers Association (ABA) Stonier Graduate School of Banking program in Philadelphia on June 3.
The program will take place June 1-8... Read More »
In response to the President’s recently-proposed fiscal year 2018 budget, which includes zeroing out funding for and closing the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC) in Frederick, Maryland, U.S. Rep. John K. Delaney (D-MD) used a public letter to come out strongly... Read More »
A new mask that provides individual respiratory, eye, and skin protection from various chemical and biological warfare agents, including radiological particulates, for pilots and aircrew recently underwent testing at Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) facilities at Maryland's Aberdeen... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) must address various management challenges, including aligning budgets with plans to modernize its nuclear weapons systems, according to a recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
GAO said its report was based on 13 different reports... Read More »
According to a thesis published recently by Lund University in Sweden, it may be possible to analyze mobile phones and other objects that come into close contact with the body to determine if an individual has been exposed to a radioactive substance.
The thesis stems from concerns that a large... Read More »
A bill that would expand the ability of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to collect information under geographic targeting orders (GTOs) to prevent money laundering for terrorist groups was recently introduced in the House by U.S. Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA).
The bill, titled... Read More »
A bill that would establish a process for federal, state and local governments to work together to manage the use of recreational and commercial drones was recently introduced in the Senate by U.S. Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
... Read More »
A leadership spot at the highest level in the United States government would be best positioned to harness and focus available resources and influence governors and the private sector on a common biodefense vision, a Texas A&M University (TAMU) international affairs expert said this... Read More »
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee recently approved a series of bills that would provide authorizations for the Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Federal Maritime Commission, among other provisions.
The first of six bills passed by the committee,... Read More »
A bill that seeks to address the rising costs of disaster recovery, provide additional support for first responders, and reauthorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the first time ever was recently advanced by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
The... Read More »
As the third anniversary passes of the deadly Isla Vista, California shootings, which killed six people and injured 14 others, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced a bill that would allow family members to keep guns away from those who have a severe mental illness.
The Gun Violence... Read More »
The Ebola virus harms the body’s natural defenses by binding directly to white blood cells, which expedites the virus’ lethal effects, according to a recent study by researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB), the University of Washington, and the National... Read More »
A bipartisan bill that aims to strengthen the nation’s homeland missile defense reliability and capacity was recently introduced in the Senate.
The Advancing America’s Missile Defense Act was introduced by U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ted Cruz... Read More »
In the wake of the deadly bombing in Manchester, United Kingdom, which killed 22 people, U.S. Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) introduced two separate bills that aim to prevent would-be terrorists from traveling in and out of Western countries undetected.
The first bill, the Strong Visa Integrity Secures... Read More »
During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing this week, U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) questioned intelligence officials on countering threats from North Korean chemical weapons and potential homegrown terrorists in the United States.
In speaking with Director of National Intelligence... Read More »
In the wake of the international WannaCry ransomware attack, the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) recently hosted a virtual conference with officials from affected countries to discuss mitigating actions to be taken.
The malicious software has reportedly infected more than... Read More »
