News
Rutgers toxicology chief understands urgency to develop chemical warfare antidotes
Currently, Dr. Jeffrey Laskin, director of the Rutgers University CounterACT Research Center of Excellence, leads a team conducting research on the exposure and health effects of chemical warfare agents used by terrorists. The researchers are determined to develop medical... Read More »
Funding cuts seen compromising America’s ability to fight global infectious disease threats
To advance U.S. leadership in fighting threats against human health – potentially deadly threats that can be transmitted between people like HIV, malaria, tuberculosis and the Ebola and Zika viruses – requires Congress to “resolutely reject” the Trump administration’s proposed FY 2018... Read More »
Sen. Peters introduces three amendments to FAA Reauthorization Act
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) recently introduced a series of amendments to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2017 that will help enhance the safety of airline passengers at local airports and ensure that relevant stakeholders are consulted when the FAA forms its new... Read More »National Cyber Security Alliance releases statement on potential ransomware attack on international financial, transportation computer systems
In the wake of the international WannaCry ransomware attacks, reports have recently surfaced that another attack, potentially related to an existing strain of malware called Petya, has been infecting computer systems throughout Europe and the United States. While little is currently known about... Read More »
Estes appointed to House Homeland Security Committee
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) recently announced that U.S. Rep. Ron Estes (R-KS) would be the newest addition to the House Homeland Security Committee. “Ron has a proven record of streamlining operations and increasing efficiency—and the... Read More »
Port of Nogales CBP officers seize more than $1.1 million in narcotics, arrest four in one day
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed at the Port of Nogales in Arizona recently made a series of narcotics seizures and arrested four Mexican nationals over separate incidents. The first incident occurred on Sunday as officers assigned to the Dennis DeConcini crossing... Read More »
Rep. Walorski introduces bill to provide Congressional oversight of Gitmo detainee transfers
A bill that seeks to enhance Congressional oversight of future Guantanamo Bay (Gitmo) detainee transfers by closing a loophole that allowed the executive branch to keep secret the terms under which terrorist detainees were released was recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by... Read More »
Sen. Flake requests that Sessions restore zero-tolerance approach to first time illegal border crossers
U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) recently sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions requesting that he reenact Operation Streamline’s zero-tolerance approach to illegal border crossings and reverse actions from the Obama Administration that undermined the program’s intent. Flake’s... Read More »
ECBC researchers receive patent for chemical warfare agent destruction system
Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) researchers recently received a patent for their field deployable hydrolysis system (FDHS), which was used to destroy approximately 600 tons of Syrian chemical warfare material aboard a maritime vessel in international waters back in 2014. According to... Read More »
California CBP agents seize $1 million in cocaine, apprehend wanted fugitive for homicide in separate incidents
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents stationed at the San Ysidro Port of Entry and the PedWest facility in southern California recently seized more than $1 million in cocaine and apprehended a U.S. fugitive wanted for homicide in separate incidents. The first incident began as San... Read More »
House Democrats urge DHS Secretary Kelly to not back down on critical infrastructure designation for election systems
Democratic members of the House Homeland Security Committee recently sent a public letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly requesting information regarding plans to work with states to secure election infrastructure in the wake of intelligence officials confirming that... Read More »
Denmark’s Permanent Under Secretary of State visits OPCW headquarters to discuss Chemical Weapons Convention implementation
The Kingdom of Denmark’s Permanent Under-Secretary of State Michael Starbæk Christensen recently visited the headquarters of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague to discuss ways to strengthen international cooperation against chemical weapons use.... Read More »
Joint Johns Hopkins, CDC checklist for disease response reveals diverse, complex involvement needed to ready public health sector
Joint efforts from university and federal researchers have prepared a checklist designed to help strengthen communities against infectious disease outbreaks – and what they’ve learned is it’s a messy web to navigate. The report was prepared against the backdrop of the 2014 Ebola crisis,... Read More »
Homeland Security awards $10 million for community-led counter terrorism initiatives
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced 26 awards totaling $10 million for the Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Grant Program, which seeks to address the issue of violent extremism in the United States through a series of community-led initiatives. DHS said the... Read More »
Global macroecologists call attention to lack of shared information on disease-causing organisms
A group of scientists from the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, the University of Copenhagen, and North Carolina State University recently published a joint statement that called attention to the lack of information regarding worldwide distribution of disease-causing organisms.... Read More »
FCC issues proposal for new alert system intended to protect law enforcement officers, public
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently released a proposal to add an alert option to the nation’s Emergency Alert System (EAS) that aims to protect law enforcement officers by allowing them to notify the public of various threats to officers and provide information on wanted... Read More »
Sen. Tillis addresses border concerns regarding MS-13 gang, illegal immigration
In a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang and its role in proliferating illegal immigration along the country’s southern border, U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) addressed the fact that lawmakers need to tune out both the far left and far right of the... Read More »
First Chikungunya-infected Aedes aegypti species mosquito identified in Brazil
According to a report published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Brazilian researchers recently identified for the first time an Aedes aegypti species mosquito that was naturally infected with the East-Central-South-African (ECSA) genotype of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in Brazil. Aedes... Read More »Democratic senators send letter demanding analysis of Russian cyber capabilities on US energy infrastructure
A group of Democratic members of the U.S. Senate recently sent a public letter to President Trump, urging the U.S. Department of Energy to conduct a thorough analysis of Russian cyber capabilities on the nation’s energy infrastructure. The letter specifically called for directing the... Read More »
Infectious Disease Society of America urges Congress to retain funding levels for NIH, Fogarty Center
In preparation for National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis Collins’ testimony before the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Appropriations, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) released a public statement urging... Read More »
NIAID awards grant to GeoVax Labs, Inc. to support novel Zika virus vaccine development program
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) recently announced a grant of $600,000 to GeoVax Labs, Inc. to support its novel Zika virus (ZIKV) vaccine development program. The company is in the process of developing two novel Zika virus vaccine candidates, one that... Read More »
New study examines body’s immune response to Lassa virus
A new report from the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) recently described for the first time a patient’s immune response at the cellular level in response to infection with the Lassa virus. The patient involved with the study is a male American nurse who was working in Togo, West... Read More »
California CBP agents seize more than 230 pounds of narcotics over series of incidents
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed at various ports of entry along the California border with Mexico recently made a series of narcotics seizures that resulted in the interception of more than 230 pounds of illicit substances, valued at more than $1.4 million. In total,... Read More »
NIAID increase funding for Soligenix’s ricin toxin vaccine
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) recently exercised an operation for the evaluation of Soligenix, Inc.’s ricin toxin vaccine, called RiVax, to fund additional animal efficacy studies. RiVax is a recombinant heat-stable subunit vaccine that contains a... Read More »House Armed Services Committee subcommittee passes FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act mark
Members of the House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities (ETC) recently passed their subcommittee mark for the FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes provisions for cybersecurity, counterterrorism initiatives, and defense... Read More »
OPCW Director-General addresses US defense officials during visit to United States
Ahmet Üzümcü, Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), recently gave a speech to key U.S. State Department officials in a commemorative event to mark the Chemical Weapons Convention’s (CWC) 20th anniversary during his visit to the United States. ... Read More »President will consider bill to protect nation’s food supply, agriculture sector from agroterrorism
Efforts to protect the nation’s agriculture sector and food supply against terrorist attacks and high-risk events would be ratched up under a bill that the House approved on Monday. The Securing Our Agriculture and Food Act, H.R. 1238, would direct the U.S. Department of Homeland Security... Read More »
Updated Pandemic Influenza Plan highlights need for seasonal flu preparedness
A Pandemic Influenza Plan released last week outlines areas of focus over the next decade and concludes that seasonal flu preparedness efforts must be stepped up in response to “the continually changing nature” of influenza viruses. The Pandemic Influenza Plan was first undertaken in 2005,... Read More »
Raytheon’s advanced SM-6 interceptor aces land-based test, moves to sea
Raytheon Company’s advanced Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) Block IA, an offensive and defensive missile system, aced its final land-based test this week after engaging and destroying a subsonic target from a test site in southern New Mexico. With this success, the SM-6 Block IA will now move to... Read More »Rep. Donovan’s PREPARE Act passes House Homeland Security Committee
Legislation from U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY) that supports the nation’s efforts to prepare for and respond to terror attacks and emergencies cleared the House Homeland Security Committee last week as part of the Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act. Donovan, who serves as... Read More »
IAEA, Hungary conduct exercise to gauge global response to a nuclear emergency
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Hungary conducted a 36-hour, international exercise this week to test the global emergency response to a nuclear power plant accident, such as Chernobyl and Three Mile Island. The exercise involved 82 IAEA Member States and 11 international... Read More »
AT&T, FirstNet release state plans for dedicated emergency responder network buildout
The first nationwide high-speed network for first responders edged closer to launching this week with the release of individual state plans by AT&T and the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) to help expedite the network’s buildout. Officials will have up to 45 days to review plans... Read More »
El Paso CBP agents seize more than 36 pounds of methamphetamine in single incident
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations agents stationed at the El Paso Port of Entry in Texas recently made a seizure of 36.7 pounds of crystal methamphetamine during a single traffic stop. The incident began as agents encountered a 1998 Ford pickup truck at the... Read More »
Bavarian Nordic receives request for proposal notification for procurement of lyophilized smallpox vaccine
Bavarian Nordic recently announced that a request for proposal from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) will be issued for the procurement of lyophilized Imvamune, a freeze dried version of the company’s smallpox vaccine. The vaccine is currently stockpiled for... Read More »