News
DARPA conducts largest test of SIGMA program in National Mall
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently conducted the largest-ever test of its SIGMA program, a network of lower-cost radiation detectors with spectroscopic gamma and neutron-sensing capabilities. The sensors are networked via smartphones to provide first responders and... Read More »
HHS announces Bright selected as director of BARDA
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) on Friday announced the selection of Rick Bright for the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, and Director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). “BARDA succeeds through... Read More »
Dept. of Treasury takes aim at key al-Nusrah Front leaders
The United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) recently took proactive steps to disrupt al-Nusrah Front’s military, recruitment and financing operations. OFAC blocked all property and interests in property of four key al-Nusrah Front leaders —... Read More »
FirstNet opens innovative lab to test public safety devices, apps
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) marked the opening of a new test lab this week that will specialize in testing public safety features, devices and apps before network deployment. The FirstNet Innovation and Test Lab, operating at FirstNet’s technical headquarters in... Read More »
ASM identifies three key public health initiatives for incoming presidential administration
The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) on Wednesday identified three specific areas the the incoming Trump Administration should address to benefit public health -- combatting drug-resistant infectious diseases, dedicating federal funding for rapid response to microbial outbreaks and promoting... Read More »
Interpol says lack of biometric data on terrorists remains weak link
A lack of biometric data sharing regarding terrorist groups at the international level creates a security gap that could be exploited by returning foreign fighters, Interpol said on Wednesday. The Interpol General Assembly has said the threat needs to be addressed quickly, especially given that... Read More »
Emergent BioSolutions appoints Dr. Kathryn Zoon to board of directors
Global specialty biopharmaceutical company Emergent Biosolutions Inc. has appointed Dr. Kathryn Zoon to its board of directors. Zoon is currently a Scientist Emeritus of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Zoon’s connection... Read More »
Border Patrol apprehends double homicide suspect at San Ysidro, Calif. crossing
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers apprehended a double homicide suspect at the San Ysidro PedWest crossing in San Diego this week. Pete Flores, the director of field operations for CBP in San Diego said, "CBP officers perform the crucial job of inspecting every person that enters... Read More »
U.S. Border Patrol rescues 16 undocumented immigrants in Rio Grande Valley
U.S Border Patrol agents at the Falfurrias Checkpoint in Texas rescued several undocumented immigrants last weekend as smugglers attempted to bring them into the United States illegally. Agents managing inspections at the checkpoint referred several drivers over to a secondary inspection station... Read More »New study provides information on how mosquito-borne illnesses spread
New research analyzing the 2012 chikungunya outbreak in a Bangladeshi village may provide insight on how mosquito-borne illnesses like Zika are spread. The study, recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and... Read More »
Treasury toughens restrictions on North Korea’s access to US financial institutions
The U.S. Treasury Department finalized tough restrictions against North Korea, further preventing it from accessing U.S. financial institutions due to increasing concerns over its illegal money laundering and risk of terrorist financing. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network enacted... Read More »
Rep. Payne’s new first responders working group to strengthen emergency response
A first responders working group established by U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ) aims to learn lessons from recent bombings in New York and New Jersey. The 10th Congressional District’s First Responders Working Group also brings together first responders and law enforcers at the local, state... Read More »
McCaul praises DHS’s efforts to expand air preclearance to 11 foreign airports
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) said efforts by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to possibly expand preclearance operations to 11 new foreign airports would bolster border security. Last week’s preclearance announcement by DHS aims to support the... Read More »Pallone, Schakowsky urge FTC action on IoT device security in wake of DDoS attack
U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) recently urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to take action regarding consumer protections and Internet of Things (IoT) devices following a massive distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack last month that caused outages of many... Read More »
NSA, DHS name eight new National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense
The National Security Agency (NSA), along with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), recently designated eight academic institutions as NSA/DHS National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense. The designation is part of the president’s Cybersecurity National Action Plan... Read More »
Del Rio Border Patrol Sector honors LiDrazzah for act of bravery in line of duty
The Del Rio Border Patrol Sector recently honored one of its agents, Julian LiDrazzah, for an act of heroism. LiDrazzah was presented with the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery at a ceremony at the Del Rio Sector headquarters. South Texas Regional Director Ana Maria Garcia, from the... Read More »
GAO: USAID reimbursements did not comply with legislative requirements
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report on reimbursements for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for Ebola virus disease response efforts, particularly how those reimbursements did not comply with legislative requirements and needed to be... Read More »
TSA approves Smiths Detection X-ray scanner for air cargo screening technology list
Smiths Detection’s dual-view X-ray cargo scanner HI-SCAN 180180-2is recently became the latest system to be accepted into the qualified section of the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) air cargo screening technology list (ACSTL). “Dual-View technology has long been a part of... Read More »
Kansas State holds panel discussion on bioterrorist threats to crops and biosecurity
Kansas State University co-hosted a discussion at the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington D.C. last month that focused on potential bioterrorist threats against agriculture and ways to ensure biosecurity. Included in the panel discussion was Interim President of Kansas State University Gen.... Read More »
United Kingdom launches public health response team for global disease outbreaks
The United Kingdom recently created a UK Public Health Rapid Response Team to respond to outbreaks and public health emergencies anywhere in the world within 48 hours. The team’s development comes in response to the deadly Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa, which claimed more than... Read More »House Democrats request hearing on recent DDoS attack
Democratic members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce recently urged Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Tim Murphy (R-PA) to call for a hearing on the recent cyber attack that caused outages on many popular U.S. websites. The... Read More »
CBP appoints Ferrara as new director of field operations in Boston
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently sworn in William Ferrara as the new director of field operations in Boston, Massachusetts. CBP Field Operations Executive Assistant Commissioner Todd Owen led Ferrera in his reaffirmation. “Bill brings a wealth of knowledge and experience... Read More »
CBP AMO breaks ground on new Air and Maritime Operations Center in Riverside
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) broke ground on its expansion of the Air and Marine Operations Center (AMOC) at the March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, California on Wednesday. “AMOC’s mission to secure America is much more complex than ever given... Read More »
Warner seeks information on cybersecurity vulnerabilities in IoT devices
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) on Tuesday requested information from three federal agencies on the tools the federal government has available, and the tools that might be necessary, to prevent cybercrime affecting consumer products such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Warner, founder of the... Read More »
Erbelding appointed as new director of the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at NIAID
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has appointed Dr. Emily Erbelding as the new director of the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID). The division provides monetary and other resources for global... Read More »
GAO report: government agencies could improve nuclear material inventory monitoring
According to a recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), government agencies have sound procedures for managing nuclear material exchanges but an improvement in inventory monitoring is needed. The GAO report found that from Oct. 1, 2003 to Nov. 30, 2015, there were a total... Read More »
Saltysiak appointed as new ECBC military deputy director
The Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) recently appointed Army Col. Thomas Saltysiak as the new military deputy director at ECBC. Prior to his new appointment, Saltysiak served as a product manager for Battlespace Management Integration (BMI) under the Integrated Air and Missile Defense... Read More »
Leidos awarded DHS CBP contract for technology and equipment maintenance support
Leidos was recently awarded a contract by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to provide systems administration and maintenance services for X-ray and imaging technology. The hybrid firm, fixed-price time and materials contract covers a one-year... Read More »INTERPOL secretary warns concerted effort needed to combat threat of foreign fighters
International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) Secretary Jürgen Stock recently warned that greater coordination is needed for the global community to respond to the threat of foreign terrorist fighters.sWhile speaking at a G6 interior ministers meeting in Rome, Stock said the ongoing... Read More »Connecticut governor appoints House for role as state’s chief cybersecurity risk officer
Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy last week appointed Art House to the newly created position as Connecticut’s chief cyber risk officer, where he will work to strengthen the state’s cybersecurity prevention systems. “As technology expands into every segment of our lives and creates greater... Read More »ASPR holds six medical countermeasure summits across the country
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) recently hosted a series of six medical countermeasure summits across the nation. Topics of the summits included tribal planning and preparedness, access and functional... Read More »