News
Reps. Chaffetz, DeSantis request information on 2013 chemical weapons agreement with Syria
U.S. Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) and Ron DeSantis (R-FL) recently sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, requesting communications related to a 2013 chemical weapons agreement by the Obama Administration, the Russian Federation, and the Syrian government. The letter comes in... Read More »
Energy Department, National Nuclear Security Administration need to address nuclear security reporting issues, according to report
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released analysis of nuclear security reporting by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which stated the department could improve its reporting practices regarding its highly-enriched uranium housing facilities. Highly-enriched uranium is... Read More »
OPCW’s Üzümcü provides update to Organization of American States’ Committee Against Terrorism
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü recently addressed the 17th Regular Session of the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE), part of the Organization of American States (OAS), to discuss OPCW’s goals for the full... Read More »
CBP releases data on total electronic device searches for international travelers
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released this week its electronic device search statistics for FY2017, which details the number of electronic devices the agency searched from international travelers as they passed through its various checkpoints. In total, the agency searched 14,993... Read More »
First live, attenuated vaccine completely protects mice subjects against Zika virus infection
According to a recent study conducted by the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston and the Instituto Evandro Chagas at the Ministry of Health in Brazil, the first live, attenuated Zika virus vaccine protected mice subjects against infection after just a single dose. "We chose to... Read More »
Flight Safety Foundation urges caution over new personal electronic device restrictions on certain international commercial flights
In the wake of a recent decision to ban personal electronic devices (PEDs) larger than a cell phone in passenger cabins of select international commercial flights, the Flight Safety Foundation urged caution to United States legal authorities regarding the risks associated with lithium ion batteries... Read More »
Justice Department begins process to dismantle international Kelihos botnet
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently began the extensive process to dismantle the international Kelihos botnet, which has facilitated thousands of malicious attacks and cybercrimes throughout the world. DOJ officials said the botnet played a part in harvesting thousands of login... Read More »
El Centro CBP agents arrest drug smugglers, convicted sex offender
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents assigned to the El Centro Sector in California recently apprehended two individuals suspected of drug smuggling and a previously-deported sex offender later that same day. The first incident began as agents assigned to the Highway 86 checkpoint... Read More »
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons delegates visit chemical weapons destruction facility in Kentucky
A delegation from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) recently visited the Blue Grass Chemical Weapons Destruction Facility (CWDF) in Kentucky after receiving an invitation from U.S. officials. The visit comes in the wake of a deadly chemical weapons attack in the... Read More »New radiation detection system begins operations at Port of Los Angeles
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced that a new radiation detection system recently began operations at the Trans Pacific Container Service Corporation (TraPac) terminal at the Port of Los Angeles. While all incoming cargo into the port is scanned by radiation... Read More »
DHS opens new testing, evaluation lab for explosives detection systems
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently opened a new building at the Transportation Security Laboratory (TSL) to provide independent testing, evaluation, and certification of explosives detection equipment for use in checkpoint areas. The... Read More »Democratic senators urge Homeland Security secretary to reconsider proposed cuts to security programs
A group of 21 Democratic U.S. Senate members recently sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, requesting he reconsider the proposed budget cuts to mass transit security programs in order to fund President Trump’s border wall with Mexico. On Jan. 25, President Trump signed... Read More »
Bill introduced to restrict the use, export of dangerous cluster munitions
U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) recently introduced a bill called the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act, which aims to restrict the use and export of dangerous cluster munitions to protect civilians during and after wartime. Cluster munitions are defined as... Read More »New Ebola trial in West Africa to evaluate three different vaccine strategies
A coalition of international health institutes and organizations will soon be launching a large clinical trial of Ebola vaccine candidates to identify proper regimens that could prevent a future outbreak of the deadly disease. The French National Institute of Health and Medicine Research... Read More »
Public health group calls for increased resources to combat the spread of Zika virus
The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) recently called for continued resources to support a long-term public health response against Zika virus. The group’s request includes increased laboratory, epidemiological, and surveillance capacity, along with enhanced vector... Read More »
Rutgers research team discovers new class of anti-tuberculosis drugs
A research team at Rutgers University recently determined the three-dimensional structure of the target of the anti-tuberculosis drug rifampin and discovered a new class of drugs that could potentially kill multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) bacteria. Rifampin has been used as an anti-TB... Read More »
MAIN STREET Cybersecurity Act advanced by Senate commerce committee
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation recently advanced legislation that seeks to provide protections and resources for digital assets of small businesses at risk of falling victim to a cyberattack. The Making Available Information Now to Strengthen Trust and Resilience... Read More »
Battelle, Nanotherapeutics enter into partnership to develop CBRN medical countermeasures
Battelle recently announced it has entered into a research and development agreement with Nanotherapeutics Inc. to expedite the creation of new medical countermeasures for deployed military forces facing a variety of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats. The agreement... Read More »
Monoclonal antibody treatment shown to provide protection against Marburg, Ravn viruses in nonhuman primates
According to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health, a monoclonal antibody treatment, MR191-N, successfully protected nonhuman primates against both the Marburg and Ravn viruses even when administered five days after infection. The study was conducted by the University of Texas... Read More »
Senators introduce bipartisan bill to fight the spread of Zika, mosquito-borne viruses
In the wake of a report published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that stated one in ten women infected with Zika virus gave birth to a child with virus-related effects, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators recently introduced a bill to provide local communities with resources... Read More »
Congressional leaders support missile strike against Syrian regime after chemical attack
Congressional leaders said they supported President Donald Trump’s authorization of a missile strike against Syria on Thursday in response to a deadly chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of civilians. Trump authorized the launch of 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian air base suspected of... Read More »
Formation of new extremist group strengthens Al Qaeda faction, according to terror report
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) released the April terror threat snapshot, which found that Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) had merged with Al-Mourabitoun and Ansar Dine to form a new extremist group called Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal... Read More »
Study reveals individuals previously infected with dengue, West Nile may carry increased risk of Zika virus complications
According to a recent study conducted by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, individuals previously infected with West Nile virus or dengue fever may carry an increased risk of complications should they become infected with Zika virus. In recent years, Zika virus has spread... Read More »
New GAO report examines DHS progress in resource allocation, collaboration mechanisms
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently conducted a report assessing how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its agencies have allocated resources and established collaborative mechanisms for effective border control operations. In recent years, GAO was tasked with... Read More »
Rep. Lynch introduces bill to provide congressional oversight into the use of confidential informants
U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) introduced this week the Confidential Informant Accountability Act (H.R. 1857), a bill to require extensive congressional oversight over the selection and use of confidential informants by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,... Read More »
House members request funding for Nonprofit Security Grant Program
A bipartisan group of U.S. House members urged the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security this week to fund the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NGSP), valued at $50 million, as part of the fiscal year 2018 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. The group was led by U.S.... Read More »
ECBC to reduce costs, increase efficiencies in the nation’s chemical-biological defense sector
Officials from the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense (JPEO-CBD) and the Army Material Command (AMC) recently called on the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) to provide assistance to increase efficiencies and reduce costs in the nation’s... Read More »
Reps. Roskam, Meng formally request more than $600 million for cooperative US-Israel missile defense programs
A pair of U.S. House members recently called upon the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense to continue its funding of key U.S.-Israel defense cooperation programs. U.S. Reps. Peter Roskam (R-IL) and Grace Meng (D-NY) sent letters to both Subcommittee Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-TX) and... Read More »
House Homeland Security subcommittee examines effectiveness of border security task forces
In a House Homeland Security subcommittee hearing this week, representatives from the three Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Joint Task Force sectors testified to the effectiveness of their current border security practices against foreign operations. The hearing sought to examine the... Read More »
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons condemns reported use of chemical weapons in Syria
In response to recent reports of a chemical weapons attack in the Khan Shaykhun area of southern Idlib in Syria, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) condemned the reported use of chemical weapons and provided updates of its fact-finding mission in the country. The... Read More »U.S. Homeland Security secretary has ‘elbow room’ on building border wall
With laws and federal personnel in place, additional resources should be dedicated to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to enforce the nation’s border security challenges, particularly along the southern border, said DHS Secretary John F. Kelly. “We face diverse challenges and... Read More »
Military emergency responders participate in Vigilant Guard 17 exercise in Georgia
The Georgia Department of Defense and the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency recently co-hosted the Vigilant Guard 17 emergency-response exercise to test emergency first response capabilities during a potential disaster scenario. The exercise was conducted in response to... Read More »
FLIR announces new video management solution, three new cameras
FLIR Systems, Inc. released this week the latest version of its flagship video management solution, FLIR United VMS 8.0, along with three new high-performance security cameras. The FLIR United VMS 8.0 is described as an enterprise-level video management system for managing video security... Read More »