International research study warns public awareness critical in infectious disease fight
Using rabies as a case study, researchers from across the world joined together to assess and promote the effectiveness of public awareness campaigns in spotting and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. The study--published in the journal Epidemiology and Infection--focused on the... Read More »
Automated Passport Control implemented on first Puerto Rico-Dominican Republic ferry
The first Automated Passport Control (APC) kiosk will be installed aboard a ferry operating between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic to expedite the processing of travelers, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced on Monday. U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, Canadian... Read More »
Homeland Security Department announces new security procedures for Refugee Admissions Program
Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen announced Monday additional security procedures and recommendations for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). The additions include additional screening for certain nationals of countries identified as high-risk, a periodic review and... Read More »
Government-wide personnel security clearance process lands on GAO’s “High Risk List”
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) added government-wide personnel security clearance to its “High Risk List” on Thursday, which designates programs in need of transformational changes to reduce the risk of waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement. GAO typically updates the High Risk... Read More »
ICE arrests 86 criminal aliens, immigration violators in North Texas and Oklahoma
Federal officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 86 criminal aliens and immigration fugitives in North Texas and Oklahoma during a three-day enforcement action that occurred last week. The operation targeted mostly aliens... Read More »
Customs and Border Protection to supplement Super Bowl security efforts
A total of seven Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers are headed to Minneapolis to provide x-ray inspections of all vehicles headed into the U.S. Bank Stadium, where Super Bowl LII will be held on Feb. 4. While the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots face off, the CBP will... Read More »
International public-private cybersecurity partnership launched at World Economic Forum
An international public-private partnership called the Global Centre for Cybersecurity was launched last week during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to assess and tackle global cybersecurity challenges. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen highlighted U.S. efforts to... Read More »
Air Force requests additional funding for A-10C Thunderbolt squadrons in fiscal year 2019
After warning last year that lack of funding could force three of nine A-10C Thunderbolt squadrons to be grounded, the United States Air Force said that it would include funding for additional wings in its fiscal year 2019 budget request on Friday. To maintain current levels, Congress included... Read More »
TSA introduces stricter carry-on screening procedures at St. Louis Lambert International Airport
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently announced the implementation of stronger screening procedures for carry-on items at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL), which were announced last year and have been rolling out across the country. The new procedures require... Read More »
Helicopter being used to take background radiation measurements ahead of Super Bowl LII
Ahead of Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis on Sunday, the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is conducting measurements of naturally occurring background radiation using a low-flying helicopter. Naturally occurring radiation measurements are a standard security... Read More »
DSI event: Joint Civil & DoD CBRN Symposium on March 5-6 in Alexandria, Va.
The 2018 Joint Civil & DoD CBRN Symposium presented by the Defense Strategies Institute will take place on March 5-6 at the Mary M. Gates Learning Center in Alexandria, Virginia. The event will provide a forum for members of the Department of Defense, federal government, private industry, academia,... Read More »
Treasury Department sanctions six individuals for providing support to terrorist groups
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) recently sanctioned six individuals, designating them as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. OFAC designated four of the individuals -- Abdul Samad Sani, Abdul... Read More »
Birth defects on the rise in parts of US due to local Zika spread
A report released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that birth defects linked to Zika virus infection during pregnancy saw a 21 percent rise over the second half of 2016 in parts of Florida, Texas, and Puerto Rico. Over a broader spectrum, about three out of... Read More »
Rep. Royce calls for blacklisting, countermeasures to protect international financial systems from Iran
In order to shield international financial markets from Iranian money laundering and terrorist financing, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) said last week that the Financial Action Task Force must continue to blacklist Iran and re-impose countermeasures. Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs... Read More »