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Threats
Over the Memorial Day weekend, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed at various ports of entry in California intercepted a total of 270 pounds of narcotics and apprehended 14 fugitives with outstanding felony warrants.
From May 27-29, CBP officers seized approximately 120... Read More »
In the wake of reports that the Russian Federation interfered with recent elections in the United States and Europe, a Congressional delegation of members from the House Homeland Security Committee recently visited France, Poland, Estonia, and Ukraine to examine cybersecurity issues and discuss how... Read More »
A manganese-based peptide antioxidant of Deinococcus combined with radiation was shown to be a promising step in developing a vaccine to counter both the Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (VEEV) and Chikungunya virus, according to a recent study conducted by the Uniformed Services University... Read More »
Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes are significantly worse vectors for transmitting dengue fever, however, the means in which spread is established and continued among urban mosquito populations remains unclear, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of California at Davis... Read More »
A former member of the U.S. Air Force, Tairod Nathan Webster Pugh, was recently sentenced to 35 years in prison after being found guilty of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and obstruction of justice.
Pugh first traveled from Egypt to Turkey... Read More »
A bill to establish a bounty program where white hats, also known as ethical hackers, identify bugs in computer systems at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in order to strengthen cyber defenses was recently introduced in the Senate by U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-OH) and Maggie Hassan... Read More »
During a recent hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Homeland Security, U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) discussed the importance of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for securing the nation’s international borders.
In speaking to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently approved an application from the Reno-Tahoe Airport to participate in the agency’s Reimbursable Services Program (RSP), which allows the airport to hire additional CBP personnel to help process international travelers.
CBP’s approval also... Read More »
Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge is scheduled to deliver a keynote address on cybersecurity issues to 700 financial services professionals at the 2017 American Bankers Association (ABA) Stonier Graduate School of Banking program in Philadelphia on June 3.
The program will take place June 1-8... Read More »
According to a thesis published recently by Lund University in Sweden, it may be possible to analyze mobile phones and other objects that come into close contact with the body to determine if an individual has been exposed to a radioactive substance.
The thesis stems from concerns that a large... Read More »
A bill that would expand the ability of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to collect information under geographic targeting orders (GTOs) to prevent money laundering for terrorist groups was recently introduced in the House by U.S. Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA).
The bill, titled... Read More »
A bill that would extend temporary protective status (TPS) for a period of eighteen months to individuals from Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea as their home nations continue to recover from the West African Ebola epidemic of 2014-2016 was recently introduced in the U.S. House of... Read More »
A leadership spot at the highest level in the United States government would be best positioned to harness and focus available resources and influence governors and the private sector on a common biodefense vision, a Texas A&M University (TAMU) international affairs expert said this... Read More »
A bill that seeks to address the rising costs of disaster recovery, provide additional support for first responders, and reauthorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the first time ever was recently advanced by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
The... Read More »
In the wake of the deadly bombing in Manchester, England, which killed 22 people and injured dozens more, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) strongly warned against President Trump’s proposed FY2018 budget cuts to critical Transportation Security Administration (TSA) programs that safeguard... Read More »
As the third anniversary passes of the deadly Isla Vista, California shootings, which killed six people and injured 14 others, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced a bill that would allow family members to keep guns away from those who have a severe mental illness.
The Gun Violence... Read More »
The Ebola virus harms the body’s natural defenses by binding directly to white blood cells, which expedites the virus’ lethal effects, according to a recent study by researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB), the University of Washington, and the National... Read More »
A bipartisan bill that aims to strengthen the nation’s homeland missile defense reliability and capacity was recently introduced in the Senate.
The Advancing America’s Missile Defense Act was introduced by U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ted Cruz... Read More »
In the wake of the deadly bombing in Manchester, United Kingdom, which killed 22 people, U.S. Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) introduced two separate bills that aim to prevent would-be terrorists from traveling in and out of Western countries undetected.
The first bill, the Strong Visa Integrity Secures... Read More »
During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing this week, U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) questioned intelligence officials on countering threats from North Korean chemical weapons and potential homegrown terrorists in the United States.
In speaking with Director of National Intelligence... Read More »
In the wake of the international WannaCry ransomware attack, the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) recently hosted a virtual conference with officials from affected countries to discuss mitigating actions to be taken.
The malicious software has reportedly infected more than... Read More »
Two bills that seek to improve law enforcement training and enhance information sharing in combating cyber terror threats were recently advanced by the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act of 2017, authored by U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe... Read More »
A report that details the entry and exit data among nonimmigrant visitors into the United States for FY2016 was recently released by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The report specifically provides information on immigrant departures and overstays from each country for... Read More »
Officials with the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recently signed an agreement to establish a joint Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC), which seeks to address new and evolving threats related to extremist financing.
U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin said the... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stationed at the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa Ports of Entry in California recently seized three separate shipments of illicit narcotics, totaling 370 pounds.
The narcotics, which included 316 pounds of methamphetamine and 55 pounds of cocaine,... Read More »
The Security Industry Association (SIA), a trade group representing thousands of security industry leaders and companies, recently established a new Public Safety Working Group, which aims to develop plans and recommendations to improve the overall safety, security and sustainability of cities... Read More »
In the weeks since AT&T was awarded a contract to develop the first nationwide broadband network for first responders, FirstNet has since been begun the process of providing each state governor with a notice of completion for the request for proposal process.
While AT&T was awarded with the... Read More »
Democratic members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee recently requested information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on its efforts in preparing for and responding to a potential Zika virus outbreak over the summer, when mosquito populations will be at their... Read More »
The United States appears ill-prepared to deal with a Zika virus outbreak although the nation’s federal public health agencies have learned valuable information during the last few years about the disease, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) says in a new report released on Tuesday to... Read More »
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes may also transmit other flaviviruses like Zika virus, chikungunya, and dengue fever within the course of one bite in a process called coinfection, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at Colorado State University (CSU).
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are known... Read More »
U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and John Cornyn (R-TX) recently sent a public letter to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Acting Director Anne Schuchat, regarding the agency’s coordination efforts with Texas public health agencies to prepare for the heightened risk of Zika virus... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers stationed at the Hidalgo International Bridge in Texas recently intercepted a large shipment of liquid methamphetamine valued at approximately $3.7 million.
The incident occurred May 14 when a 20-year old female U.S. citizen approached the bridge... Read More »
The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Communications and Technology Subcommittee recently held a hearing discussing the nation’s emergency alert systems and how technological advancements could alter their future.
“Outfitting first responders with the robust capabilities of broadband... Read More »
A group of scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) were recently recognized with the Secretary of Energy’s Appreciation Award for their contributions in the response efforts to the West African Ebola epidemic of 2014-2015.
Katrina Waters, Mary Lancaster, Mike Spradling,... Read More »
In the wake of the recent WannaCry ransomware attacks, U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) introduced the Protecting Our Ability to Counter Hacking (PATCH) Act, which adds a layer of transparency and accountability to government procedures for retaining or disclosing... Read More »
