News
Mosquito-borne viruses may be spread at cooler temperatures than previously believed
Mosquito-borne viruses, such as Zika, dengue, and chikungunya, are being transmitted at lower temperatures than previously believed, according to a recent study published by researchers at the University of South Florida (USF) and Stanford University. The study, which was published in a recent... Read More »Sen. Corker responds to Syrian chemical attack aftermath footage
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-TN) recently appeared on CNN to respond to a video that showed the aftermath of the reported chemical weapons attack in southern Idlib, Syria by Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The attack provided the impetus for a missile strike response... Read More »
Joint discussion encourages US-Chinese collaboration in a potential nuclear crisis
A scenario-based discussion, centering around how the United States and the People’s Republic of China could better cooperate to address nuclear threats, was recently conducted amongst representatives from the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and the China Institutes of Contemporary International... Read More »
New Jersey man charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS
A 20-year old New Jersey man, Gregory Lepsky, recently appeared in federal court to face allegations that he planned to construct and detonate a pressure cooker-style explosive in support of the extremist group the Islamic State and Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Lepsky is charged with one count of... Read More »
Trump Administration authorizes non-nuclear bomb operation against ISIS, according to May Terror Threat Snapshot
The United States is continuing its fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria’s (ISIS) Afghanistan branch by recently deploying its most-powerful, non-nuclear bomb on a network of underground tunnels which killed 36 members of the extremist group, according to the House Homeland... Read More »
Infectious Diseases Society of America applauds increases in public health funding
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) issued a statement of public support last week for the recent congressional passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which helps support a variety of infectious disease programs for public health benefit in the United States and... Read More »
U.S. Senate should create separate cybersecurity combat command, experts testify
America’s cybersecurity efforts could be strengthened posthaste if operations were overseen by a separate nationwide combat command, witnesses on Wednesday told members of the powerful U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “The government and military need to move... Read More »
Dated technology, procedures hindering ICE’s mission to track visa overstays, according to OIG report
The fragmented, ineffective set of information technology (IT) systems stifles efforts by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to track visa overstays, according to a recent report published by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG).... Read More »
House advances legislation to enhance FEMA disaster response, recovery programs
Three bills to strengthen the federal government’s disaster response and recovery programs of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) were unanimously approved last week by the U.S. House of Representatives. Each piece of legislation ensures that the federal government fairly considers... Read More »
CDC issues health alert for women living in, traveling to areas with Zika travel notice
A health alert notice was issued last week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which provides guidance for healthcare professionals for interpreting Zika virus test results for women to who live in, or travel to, areas with a CDC Zika travel notice. The CDC said the... Read More »
CRISPR enzymes show promise for disease diagnostics
Researchers at the University of California at Berkeley (UC Berkeley) recently described 10 clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) enzymes that have “Pac-Man-like” behaviors that chew up RNA, which could be used to detect infectious viruses. Each enzyme is a... Read More »
Electromagnetic pulse threats don’t outrank cyberattacks on America’s grid, U.S. senators learn
Naturally occurring or man-made risks from electromagnetic pulse (EMP) are a threat to national defense, witnesses testified during a recent U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing. And although the electric sector and the U.S. government are regularly working together and... Read More »
Emergent Biosolutions unveils new Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing
Emergent Biosolutions unveiled its new Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing (CIADM) on Tuesday, which is designed to enable manufacturing of various medical countermeasures to address urgent public health threats. The 112,000-sq. ft. facility was supported through a... Read More »
Nation’s visa security remains work in progress, feds tell U.S. House task force
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has made progress during the past few years but faces numerous challenges strengthening America’s visa security, members of the House Committee on Homeland Security learned during a task force hearing last week. “This is a critical time for our... Read More »
PNNL researchers test biodetection products for first responders
Independent testing of approximately three dozen biodetection products was recently conducted by researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in order to evaluate their effectiveness in detecting biothreat agents like anthrax and ricin for first responders. The independent... Read More »
Workshop on radiological, “dirty bomb” risks held in California
The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), in conjunction with the California Department of Public Health and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, recently held a radiological security workshop May 2-3 to discuss radiological materials and ways to reduce the risks they pose. The... Read More »Sens. Johnson, McCaskill request information regarding assaults on law enforcement personnel
U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Claire McCaskill (D-MO), the committee’s ranking member, recently sent a public letter to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Inspector General John Roth, regarding assaults... Read More »
DHS’ efforts to interdict high-risk travelers showing progress, obstacles remain, according to GAO report
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) efforts to address high risk travelers and strengthen visa security programs have experienced progress in some areas and challenges in others, according to a recently-published report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). GAO... Read More »
University of Texas at Austin researchers develop computer model to assess risk of Zika epidemic in real-time
A computer model to assess the impact of a Zika virus epidemic in the United States, taking into account important data such as population dynamics, historical infection rates, socioeconomic status and mosquito density, was recently developed by researchers from the University of Texas (UT) at... Read More »
International group of scientists create 3-D protein structures to be used for vaccine, drug research
An international team scientists recently determined the three-dimensional (3-D) atomic structure of more than 1,000 proteins that are viewed as potential drug and vaccine targets, helping researchers develop new treatments to combat some of the world’s most dangerous infectious diseases. Each... Read More »
Chamber of Commerce report provides recommendations for US-EU cybersecurity cooperation
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently released a report, which includes policy recommendations that would help align the United States and the European Union (EU), regarding frameworks, standards, and best practices for cybersecurity. The report, titled Transatlantic Cybersecurity: Forging a... Read More »
New computation model estimates cost of Zika outbreak in the United States
A recent computational analysis revealed that even a mild outbreak of Zika virus in the United States could cost more than $183 million in medical expenses and productivity losses, according to a study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Results of the study were published... Read More »
Defense Threat Reduction Agency awards $35 million contract to Engility Holdings for nuclear consulting
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) recently awarded a $35 million contract to Engility Holdings, Inc. to provide specialized advisory services to the organization’s Nuclear Enterprise Support Directorate. The Cost Plus Fixed Fee contract has a one year base period and four one-year... Read More »
McSally bill to address staffing shortages along border approved by Committee
A bill authored by U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) to address staffing shortages among U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and Border Patrol agents by getting rid of duplicative mandated polygraph tests was recently approved by the House Committee on Homeland Security. McSally’s... Read More »Amendment to include mass-gathering venues in emergency preparedness plans added to counterterrorism bill
An amendment that requires mass-gathering venue operators to be included in law enforcement and first responder exercises to inform response plans was unanimously approved to be added to the Community Counterterrorism Preparedness Act by the House Committee on Homeland Security. Venues included... Read More »
Novel compound shows promise against inhibiting viral replication of three flaviviruses
Drugs that activate a cell’s pathways to inhibit the replication of pathogens were revealed in a recent study to be a promising approach to treating dangerous infections caused by Zika virus, dengue fever, and chikungunya. The study was conducted by researchers at Oregon Health and Science... Read More »
Raytheon Patriot Defense System saves lives by downing more than 100 tactical ballistic missiles in combat
The Patriot Integrated Air and Missile Defense System has reportedly shot down more than 100 tactical ballistic missiles in combat operations throughout the world, according to a recent release by Patriot manufacturer, Raytheon Company. The Patriot system utilizes multiple interceptor missiles... Read More »
CBP officers seize more than 700 pounds of narcotics, arrest 13 fugitives over weekend
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers assigned to the port of entries in San Diego and Imperial Valley counties in California recently intercepted more than 700 pounds of narcotics and apprehended 13 fugitives with outstanding felony warrants over the past weekend. In total,... Read More »
US announces more than $1 million pledge towards IAEA laboratory modernization
Officials from the United States recently announced a pledge of $1.091 million (€1 million) to modernize the laboratories of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Siebersdorf, Austria, which provide key nuclear research in various areas of human and animal health, food security, and... Read More »
House Science, Space and Technology Committee unanimously approves NIST cybersecurity bill for small businesses
The U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on Tuesday unanimously approved the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Small Business Cybersecurity Act of 2017, which aims to provide small businesses with guidance to help them manage various cybersecurity risks.... Read More »
DHS could strengthen efforts to curb subterranean, aerial, and maritime smuggling, according to GAO report
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) efforts into curbing subterranean, aerial, and maritime drug smuggling, stating that while the number of incidents have declined over the past five years, the department could... Read More »
New director discusses future of Sandia National Laboratories in introductory speech to lab workforce
On his first day as the new director of Sandia National Laboratories, Steve Younger stated in a speech to the lab’s workforce that it would maintain its strong missions in nuclear deterrence, nuclear nonproliferation, energy, and national security. “I see those continuing. However, are in... Read More »
C-Path, TGen North collaborate for tuberculosis research initiative
The Critical Path to TB Drug Regimens (CPTR), a division of the Critical Path Institute (C-Path), was recently awarded a $1.1 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to enhance its Relational Sequencing TB Data Platform (ReSeqTB), which seeks to improve global tuberculosis (TB)... Read More »
Department of Defense lab experts seek ease on hiring restrictions
Former top executives at various Department of Defense research facilities called on Congress Wednesday to ease hiring restrictions and contracting rules to facilitate the Pentagon’s work on cutting-edge weapons and other technology. The ongoing federal budget freeze and strict regulations... Read More »