Regional meeting held to discuss implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention among African State Parties
Representatives of National Authorities from African State Parties recently convened at a regional meeting of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in Banjul, Gambia to discuss successes and challenges related to the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention... Read More »Bill to deploy new technology to help secure southern US border introduced in House
A bill that mandates the deployment of practical and effective security technologies in order to achieve full situational awareness of the southern U.S. border with Mexico was recently introduced in the House by U.S. Reps. Will Hurd (R-TX), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), David Valadao (R-CA), Steve Knight... Read More »
West Virginia to become seventh state to opt-in to FirstNet’s nationwide public safety broadband network
Gov. Jim Justice (D-WV) recently announced that West Virginia will become the seventh state in the country to opt-in to the nationwide public safety broadband network that is currently being developed by the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and AT&T. As part of the agreement,... Read More »
Researchers seek participants for Zika virus tracking mobile app
Researchers at the University of Arizona (UA) are seeking more users of Kidenga, a community-based participatory science mobile app created by the researchers that tracks potential instances of the Zika virus. The app encourages users to report symptoms such as the sudden onset of fever, joint... Read More »
Bolster U.S. missile defense system, ‘massively retaliate’ if needed, Sen. Sullivan says
An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch on Friday by North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un that landed roughly 200 miles from Japan’s coast, and reports this week that North Korea was threatening an ICBM strike against the United States, are fresh warnings that the country continues to... Read More »
OPCW director calls for ethics in science during Australia visit
Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, the director-general of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), recently visited Australia to meet with leaders of various agencies to discuss continued efforts to prevent the use of chemical weapons. “Every science holds the potential for... Read More »
House Homeland Security Committee advances bill to aid first responder terrorism preparations
The Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series Act of 2017 was advanced by the House Homeland Security Committee this week in effort to coordinate preparations for terrorist attacks between first responders. The bill targets first responders at all levels--federal, state and local--by... Read More »
Rep. McSally introduces bill to require DHS threat assessment for southwest border
A bill that directs the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct a full mile-by-mile analysis of threats to the nation’s southern international border with Mexico was recently introduced in the House by U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ). The bill, titled the Southwest Border... Read More »
Reps. Pallone, Engel call for Trump Administration to fully staff CDC
U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Eliot Engel (D-NY) recently called upon the Trump Administration to immediately staff up the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cautioning that neglecting the agency presented a grave risk to both global health and the nation’s... Read More »
New Sandia National Lab Fellowship named after first female nuclear security lab director
Sandia National Laboratories established this week a new fellowship program, which it named after Jill Hruby, its immediate past director and the first woman to direct a National Nuclear Security Administration laboratory. The Jill Hruby Fellowship Program will provide postdoctoral candidates... Read More »
Customs agents seize 74 pounds of narcotics at Laredo Port of Entry
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers made a huge bust in Laredo, Texas this week after seizing more than $1 million worth of narcotics. In total, two captures on the Lincoln-Juarez International Bridge netted officers 48 pounds of methamphetamine, 25 pounds of cocaine, and one pound... Read More »Emergent Biosolutions secures Valneva’s Zika virus vaccine technology
Emergent Biosolutions said on Wednesday it has entered into a licensing agreement with Valneva SE for the global exclusive rights to the company’s Zika vaccine technology, ZIKV. “Emergent is focused on providing preparedness solutions to public health threats and emerging infectious... Read More »
Additional actions needed by CBP to assess effectiveness of land-based surveillance technology, according to GAO report
Additional actions are needed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to strengthen management and assess the effectiveness of land-based surveillance technologies for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations, according to a recent report published by the U.S. Government... Read More »
FirstNet’s nationwide project gains another state amid ongoing challenges
FirstNet’s deployment of an interoperable National Public Safety Broadband Network for first responders is an unprecedented undertaking, CEO Michael Poth testified last week on Capitol Hill. “Every step forward presents new challenges and requires identification of innovative solutions,”... Read More »