News
HSI New York hosts inaugural Cyber Crime Symposium
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York last week gathered prosecutors’ offices and law enforcement agencies together to promote greater cooperation in cybercrime cases at the first Cyber Crime Symposium. HSI would like the event to mark the first of an annual series. They are trying... Read More »
Two airports set passenger TSA records
LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport both set records Thursday for the number of passengers screened at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints. At LaGuardia, 59,698 people passed through the checkpoints and onto their departing gates. Newark saw 78,811... Read More »
FDA approves first generic naloxone nasal spray to treat opioid addiction
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted last week its final approval of Narcan, a medication designed to stop or reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Narcan, developed by Teva Pharmaceuticals, is the first generic naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray. “In the wake of the... Read More »
Solicitation begins for implementation feedback on National Biodefense Strategy
As the U.S. government seeks to build its National Biodefense Strategy, more than 200 heavy hitters from federal, state and local agencies, national stakeholder organizations, academia and the private sector informed its future implementation during the April 17 Biodefense Summit held in... Read More »
Counter-drone firm secures government contract
The Department of Defense's Defense Logistics Agency has awarded a contract to Citadel Defense Company to counter drones increasingly threatening to U.S. forces around the world. The over $1 million contract is supportive of USSOCOM requirements and represents the company's sixth government... Read More »
Marine Corps planning transition to Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle
The Marine Corps has initiated plans to replace its Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) with the more mobile, networked, transportable and lethal Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) late in the next decade. “The ARV will be an advanced combat vehicle system, capable of fighting for information that... Read More »Coalition launched to create AI aerospace systems
Sandia National Laboratories recently launched Autonomy New Mexico, an academic research coalition tasked with creating artificially intelligent aerospace systems. The coalition held its first meeting last week at the University of New Mexico to propose new ideas and discuss shared... Read More »
Canadian man given life sentence for attack on Bishop Airport police officer
A Canadian man was sentenced to life in prison last week a June 21, 2017, attack on a Bishop Airport police officer from Flint, Michigan. Amor Ftouhi of Quebec, Canada was charged with committing an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries and with two other offenses linked to his... Read More »
NIH calls for renewed focus on measles vaccinations following outbreaks
Due to declines in measles vaccinations in recent years, there have been outbreaks of the disease all over the world, and medical experts say it could rebound in full force if not addressed. Experts at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National... Read More »
Air Force seeking greater technology breakthroughs
Air Force officials maintain the recently unveiled Science and Technology Strategy places concentration on maximizing and expanding technological advantages in the era of the peer-to-peer threat. “This strategy isn’t just a list of technologies,” Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson... Read More »
Sen. Hoeven details North Dakota Guardsmen, Reservists initiatives
Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) recently met with North Dakota National Guard and North Dakota State University (NDSU) Air Force and Army ROTC personnel to outline missions and benefits strengthening efforts. Hoeven, a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, provided specifics on securing... Read More »
Two reports address mental health, safety of law enforcement officers
The Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) published two reports this week focused on federal, state, local and tribal police officers’ mental health and safety. The Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act: Report to Congress includes 22... Read More »
New study suggests mass drug administrations to protect against malaria
A new study published in eLife concludes that the path to fighting malaria at a community level could be through widespread deployment of antimalarial drugs. Importantly, researchers theorize this would not only protect those who take the drugs but even those untreated, as the drugs would help... Read More »
Sen. Collins meets with Portsmouth Naval Shipyard leaders over funding
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins met with leaders from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) Metal Trades Council (MTC) to discuss the Trump Administration’s proposal to divert funds, appropriated by Congress, from military construction projects. The PNSY was among the military installations that were... Read More »
Air Force refocusing electromagnetic spectrum concentration
Findings from the Air Force's Enterprise Capability Collaboration Team (ECCT) assembled last year to explore approaches ensuring electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) superiority have yielded three recommendations. In January 2018, the Air Force formed the cross-functional group, which was led by... Read More »Report examines pandemic-fighting divides
EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit organization focused on global animal, environmental and human health, has generated a report maintaining there are gaps in pandemics related events readiness. The organization presented Building Resilience to Biothreats at an event earlier this month featuring... Read More »
Florida International University researchers create broad-spectrum antibiotic
Researchers from Florida International University's Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine have created a novel, broad-spectrum antibiotic containing arsenic to combat the rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. "The antibiotic, arsinothricin or AST, is a natural product made by soil bacteria and... Read More »
Task force will work to enhance safety of religious communities
Former Department of Homeland Security Secretaries Michael Chertoff and Jeh Johnson have been named co-chairmen of the new Community Safety and Security Task Force designed to enhance the safety and resilience of religious communities. The task force will make recommendations on how to... Read More »
Emergent BioSolutions sees promising results in study phase of chikungunya virus vaccine
A vaccine being developed by Emergent BioSolutions Inc. to treat the chikungunya virus showed strong results in an analysis of a Phase 2 clinical study, the company said on Tuesday. The chikungunya virus virus-like particle (CHIKV-VLP) vaccine candidatewas well-tolerated and no... Read More »
OPCW officials visit United States
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) officials recently visited the United States, touring Colorado's Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP). The group included the OPCW Director-General H.E. Fernando Arias, Chairperson of the Executive Council H.E.... Read More »
LAX conducts AirEx initiative
Los Angeles International Airport’s (LAX’s) 2019 Air Exercise (AirEx) attracted nearly 200 first responders, who participated in the simulation designed to test the airport's airfield accident readiness. “The safety and security of our guests is paramount and this exercise allows... Read More »
Research team develops promising Nipah virus vaccine
Research members from the Jefferson Vaccine Center of the Philadelphia University and Thomas Jefferson University have created a new drug to combat Nipah virus, which currently has no approved vaccines. Nipah is an RNA virus transmissible from animals such as bats and pigs to humans. It’s a... Read More »
Legislation would require FBI to inform Congress when it investigates a candidate
Legislation introduced in the House this week would close a loophole in current law and require the FBI director to notify the House and Senate Intelligence Committee when a counterintelligence investigation is opened about a candidate for federal office. The requirement also would apply into... Read More »
BARDA to collaborate with Johnson & Johnson for innovation zone
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will collaborate with Johnson & Johnson Innovation and the Children’s National Health System to launch an innovation zone. The innovation zone will... Read More »
Virginia Tech researchers awarded $1.4M grant for malaria control strategy
Researchers from Virginia Tech were awarded a $1.4 million grant from Unitaid to perform economic and environmental impact assessments of a four-year project in Africa aimed at reducing malaria cases. That project is called the Board One Health Endectocide-based Malaria Intervention in Africa... Read More »
Funds target additional sensor system development
ENSCO, Inc. has secured an 18-month, $2.9 million Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) contract to continue sensor system development initiatives. ENSCO's work would focus on SenseNet, an endeavor devoted to developing a low-cost integrated sensor... Read More »
San Antonio secures terrorism preparedness grant
The City of San Antonio has secured a $3.25 million grant through the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to address terrorism preparedness efforts. The $1.75 million funding increase from FEMA’s Urban Area Security Initiative would bolster initiatives... Read More »
GAO reviews workload increases at nuclear facility
In 2012, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) completed its Kansas City facility and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found workload projections have increased significantly from earlier forecasts. The facility produces or procures more than 80 percent of... Read More »
DHS to award $1.7B in grants for emergency preparedness
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will award eight preparedness grant programs totaling more than $1.7 billion in fiscal year 2019. The grants will provide funding to states and local governments, as well as transportation authorities, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector,... Read More »
Laredo CBP personnel prepping for holiday travel
With Holy Week (Semana Santa) soon approaching, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officials said Laredo Field Office (LFO) holiday preparation is continuing. “Our CBP officers and agriculture specialists are the nation’s frontline of defense against all... Read More »
Social media protection plan inquiry launched
Homeland Security Subcommittee lawmakers are seeking insight regarding investments Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism members are making to prevent terrorists and extremists platform exploitation. Rep. Max Rose (D-NY), chair of the Homeland Subcommittee on Intelligence and... Read More »
CDDEP researchers label lack of antibiotics access major health hurdle worldwide
A recent report from the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy (CDDEP) lays out present problems in global access to antibiotics. The majority of the world’s annual 5.7 million antibiotic-treatable deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. The mortality burden from... Read More »
Maine National Guard battalion deploys
The 286th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion of the Maine Army National Guard, which will be taking part in Operation Atlantic Resolve, deployed Saturday. As part of the operation, U.S. forces have been rotating through Europe since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014. American forces train with... Read More »
Zeteo Tech wins $1.5M award from DHS
Zeteo Tech was awarded $1.5 million from the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) to develop a new sensor technology to detect biological threat agents. The sensor technology combines trigger and detector functions and will enable real-time detection... Read More »