News
Superbugs threaten global malaria control, new study says
According to a study recently published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, a lineage of multidrug resistant P. falciparum malaria superbugs has spread through parts of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, resulting in high treatment failure rates for artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs). The... Read More »GAO evaluates National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center on function effectiveness
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report that examined the efficiency and effectiveness of the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) of the Department of Homeland Security, finding that NCCIC needs a clearer evaluation process of its... Read More »CBP agents seize more than $1 mln of narcotics in separate incidents
Over the course of six incidents, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents at the Laredo Port of Entry in Texas and the Port of Nogales’ DeConcini crossing in Arizona seized $1,378,000 in cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine. The events at the Laredo Port of Entry began on Jan. 30, when a... Read More »
Johnson reports looks at cost, effectiveness of homeland protection measures in Israel
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released a report detailing the steps Israel has taken to secure its homeland, including the construction of a fence on the Egyptian border. The report, entitled “Securing Israel: Lessons Learned... Read More »University of Miami earns $13 mln in Zika Virus research grants
Investigators at the University Of Miami Miller School Of Medicine and the University of Miami Health System were awarded 12 grants totaling $13,170,784 from the Florida Department of Health’s 2016-17 Zika Research Grant Initiative. “I am proud to announce the recipients of these important... Read More »Global partnership to combat spread of infectious diseases launched
The governments of Germany, Japan, and Norway, along with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Wellcome Trust, recently pledged $460 million to launch the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to combat the spread of epidemics by developing effective vaccines against known... Read More »
PharmAthene, Altimmune merger to create immunotherapeutics company
PharmAthene, Inc. recently entered into a definitive agreement to merge with Altimmune, Inc. in an all-stock transaction to create an immunotherapeutics company, which will target infectious diseases. The merged company will be a fully-integrated and diversified immunotherapeutics company with... Read More »
Coast Guard repatriates more than 70 migrants to the Dominican Republic
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) recently repatriated a group of 74 migrants to the Dominican Republic. The repatriated migrants were part of a group of 105 individuals, consisting of 100 Dominicans, three Haitians and two Cubans, that were interdicted over three separate incidents in the... Read More »Council on Foreign Relations’ Segal offers policy recommendations to build trust between Silicon Valley, federal government
Adam Segal, chair of the Council on Foreign Relations in emerging technologies and national security, recently released a report that examined the divide between the federal government and the U.S. technology sector. “In addition to rising cybersecurity threats, the Trump Administration will... Read More »
El Centro Sector border agents discover more than 40 individuals hiding in train boxcars
Border Patrol agents assigned to the El Centro Sector discovered 46 people in several train boxcars early on the morning of Jan. 24. Agents received a tip regarding possible undocumented immigrants hiding in train boxcars located near 8th Street and Cruikshank Drive in El Centro, California.... Read More »
Daines urges FAA to accept non-REAL ID compliant licenses
Sen. Steve Daines publicly urged last week the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to accept non-REAL ID compliant licenses when implementing third class medical reform. Passed by Congress and signed into law in 2005, the REAL ID Act set specific requirements for state driver’s licenses and... Read More »
CBP intercepts four vessels carrying more than 100 undocumented migrants
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), along with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the Puerto Rican Police Department (PRPD), intercepted vessels carrying 126 undocumented migrants from the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Haiti over four separate incidents. The first incident occurred on Jan. 20... Read More »Emergent Biosolutions initiates Phase 1b study for dengue viral infection treatment
Emergent Biosolutions Inc. recently initiated a Phase 1b multiple ascending dose study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of UV-4B, the company’s novel antiviral candidate for the treatment of dengue viral infection. Dengue is the leading cause of illness and death in the tropics and... Read More »House advances bill to ease process for first responders to purchase life-saving innovative technologies
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed legislation make sure that first responders can acquire new equipment and innovative technologies needed to respond to evolving threats. The First Responder Access to Innovative Technologies Act of 2017, authored by Rep. Donald Payne, Jr.... Read More »
House advances bill for first responder grant funding
The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously advanced the Medical Preparedness Allowable Act, which aims to secure reliable grant funding for the stockpiling of medical kits and equipment for first responders. The bill, authored by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), would make funding available for... Read More »Donovan national security bills advance the House
The U.S. House of Representatives recently advanced three homeland security bills to address issues related to the nation’s nuclear, transit and cybersecurity defenses. All three bills were authored by Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY) and advanced with bipartisan support. The Securing Cities Act... Read More »
Better coordination, screening procedures needed for TSA to improve security, passenger experience at airports
Greater coordination is needed between the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), transportation security officers, and private security technology stakeholders to combat long wait times for travelers at the nation’s airports, a group of industry experts said on Thursday. The House... Read More »
McSally national security bills advance the House
Three national security-related bills authored by U.S. Rep. Martha McSally recently advanced the U.S. House of Representatives. The first bill, the CBRN Intelligence and Information Sharing Act, aims to improve information sharing practices between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)... Read More »US-Israeli cybersecurity cooperation bill advances the House
The United States-Israel Cybersecurity Cooperation Enhancement Act, which aims to create a cybersecurity grant program for joint research and development initiatives between American and Israeli organizations, advanced the U.S House of Representatives earlier this week. The bill was introduced... Read More »
Katko’s counterterrorism bill advances the House
The U.S. House of Representatives recently advanced the Counterterrorism Advisory Board Act, which aims to coordinate and integrate intelligence activities and policy related to counterterrorism within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The bill was authored by Rep. John Katko... Read More »Bill to improve communication between DHS, local law enforcement agencies advances the House
The U.S. House of Representatives recently advanced the Fusion Center Enhancement Act, which aims to improve communication between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies when detecting and responding to terrorist threats. The bill... Read More »New bill to streamline first responder request processes for new technologies
U.S. Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ) recently introduced legislation to make it easier for first responders to acquire new equipment and technologies they need to respond to potential threats. The First Responder Access to Innovative Technologies Act of 2017 would require the Federal Emergency... Read More »
Barletta introduces bill to improve DHS coordination with local law enforcement in responding to terrorist-type threats
U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA) recently reintroduced a bill aimed at improving cooperation amongst federal, state, and local agencies in detecting, preventing and responding to terrorist-type threats. The Fusion Center Enhancement Act would strengthen partnerships between the U.S. Department of... Read More »Elusys Therapeutics receives more than $16 mln for completing second delivery of ANTHIM injection to SNS
Elusys Therapeutics, Inc. recently received $16.35 million for completing the second delivery of ANTHIM injection for the treatment of anthrax exposure. The funds are part of a $45 million procurement contract to provide the treatment for the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). Elusys... Read More »McCaskill calls for suspension of electronic immigration system
U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) recently called for answers regarding a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General (IG) report that stated U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is planning to continue the use of a computer program that allowed 175 individuals to receive U.S.... Read More »Emergent BioSolutions receives German approval for major manufacturing of BioThrax anthrax vaccine
Emergent BioSolutions Inc. recently received approval by a regulatory agency under the German Federal Ministry of Health for its large-scale manufacturing facility in Michigan, paving the way for the company to market its anthrax vaccine BioThrax in Germany and other countries. Emergent said its... Read More »ECBC teaming up to develop contaminant-destroying material for use in military uniforms
The Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC), the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, and North Carolina State University recently teamed up to develop a uniform that destroys chemical agents on contact using a type of... Read More »
Battelle names Sharon Hardie as director of congressional affairs
Battelle recently appointed Sharon Hardie as the company’s new director of congressional affairs, where she will work with members of Congress on important policy issues related to research and development in national security, cybersecurity, and infrastructure initiatives. “We’re pleased... Read More »
IAEA convenes experts to discuss radiation use in non-medical human imaging at security checkpoints
Experts from 29 countries recently convened at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to prepare a safety guide for radiation exposure at security checkpoints in airports and other locations. While ionizing radiation for human imaging has been a common practice in medicine for decades,... Read More »
Better federal coordination needed to protect nation’s food supply from biological attacks
Greater coordination between the Department of Agriculture and other federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security is needed to help prevent a biological attack on the U.S. agriculture industry that threatens the nation’s food supply, a panel of experts on agrodefense said last... Read More »
Coons, Gardner introduce bill to create Cybersecurity Select Committee
U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced last week a bill to establish a Senate Select Committee on Cybersecurity that would focus exclusively on cybersecurity and cyberspace issues. Currently, more than 20 committees claim jurisdiction over cybersecurity issues between... Read More »
Border Patrol agents receive state police authority in Coos County, New Hampshire
After the implementation of New Hampshire House Bill 1298 earlier this month, U.S. Border Patrol officers stationed in Coos County now have state police authority after a training period. The bill now gives Border Patrol agents the authority to provide immediate assistance to a person who has... Read More »
NATO’s Stoltenberg formally opens NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Regional Centre
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday led the North Atlantic Council in formally opening the NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) Regional Centre. Stoltenberg highlighted the centre’s potential in strengthening the partnership between... Read More »
ICE HSI Detroit office selects two Michigan State University students for new internship
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit recently selected two undergraduate students from Michigan State University (MSU) to support active criminal investigations in a new internship program. Madeline MacLean, a junior criminal justice... Read More »