Hackers charged in connection with alleged computer intrusion campaign
Federal authorities recently said two members of a Chinese hacking group have been charged with conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The charges against Zhu Hua and Zhang Shilong were announced this week by Rod J. Rosenstein,... Read More »
US Air Force gathers experts to counter physiological episodes
A collection of data scientists, engineers, human physiologists, pilots, and other experts gathered under the guidance of the Air Force Physiological Episodes Action Team (AF PEAT) this week with the goal of reducing physiological episodes. “Hackathons,” as it was called, are sprint-like... Read More »
Contract awarded for construction of California border wall
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently awarded a $287 million contract to SLSCO Ltd. to construct up to 15 miles of primary pedestrian replacement wall and up to 14 miles of secondary wall within the U.S. Border Patrol’s (USBP) San Diego, Yuma, and El... Read More »
Lockheed Martin garners $1.8B missile contract
Lockheed Martin has secured a $1.8 billion contract to produce and deliver Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) and PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) interceptors. “PAC-3 and PAC-3 MSE give our customers unmatched, combat-proven hit-to-kill technology to address growing and... Read More »
IAEA holds largest-ever training surrounding radiation management labs
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held the largest training course on the creation and management of dosimetry labs last week, preparing more than ever in the measuring of radiation doses. "In scope and reach, this training represents a milestone in our efforts to boost dosimetry... Read More »
First third-party canine team begins work
The first certified third-party canine team began screening air cargo for explosive devices last week, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said. The development of standards for the use of third-party canines for air cargo screening fulfills a requirement in the TSA Modernization... Read More »
Sen. Rubio urges defense secretary to headquarter US Space Command in Florida
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) sent a letter to outgoing U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis asking him to consider establishing the headquarters for the U.S. Space Command in Florida. Rubio supports the reestablishment of the U.S. Space Command under the auspices of the U.S. Air Force. Rubio... Read More »
New policy will return some immigrants to Mexico during processing
The United States has invoked Section 235 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen announced last week, which states that anyone entering the United States from Mexico, either illegally or without proper documentation, can be returned to Mexico... Read More »
Blue Ribbon panel lauds Congress for passage of farm bill with provisions to protect food supply
The Farm Bill, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump last week, includes recommendations proposed by the Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense to protect the nation’s food and agriculture sector from biological attacks and outbreaks. Among the provisions in the Agricultural... Read More »
Congress passes cyber defense bills
A pair of cyber security bills introduced by U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) advanced the Senate last week and will now head to the president’s desk for signature. Both bills aim to strengthen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) cyber defenses, establishing both... Read More »
Energy Department warns against Chinese hackers
A group of Chinese cyber actors, known publicly as APT 10, is conducting a campaign of cyber-enabled theft targeting global managed service providers, cloud service providers, and their clients, the U.S. Government reported. The Department of Energy (DOE) recently said APT 10, which is... Read More »
University of Hawaii Zika vaccine candidate holds promise for pregnant women
A vaccine candidate for the Zika virus shows that it is effective in guarding against the infection in non-human primates and is a promising candidate to protect pregnant women as well, scientists at the University of Hawaii announced this month. Since the Zika outbreak of 2015 and 2016 in... Read More »
Belgian researchers develop Zika vaccine
Scientists at Belgium’s KU Leuven Rega Institute recently developed a new vaccine that should prevent Zika virus from causing microcephaly and other serious conditions in unborn babies. The new research and subsequent vaccine are based on the yellow fever vaccine, a closely related virus... Read More »
Vehicular Terrorism Prevention Act garners Senate approval
The Vehicular Terrorism Prevention Act has garnered Senate approval with lawmakers asserting the measure bolsters efforts to prevent terrorists from using vehicles to execute attacks. The measure directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide a report to Congress regarding efforts... Read More »