• The Israeli military prepares for a new type of war

    The Israel Defense Force (IDF) has created a new military command – the Strategic Depth Command; this new command, and the new, commando-heavy, look of the IDF’s higher echelon, should tell us that Israel is preparing for a new type of war; adversaries of Israel who have been entertaining the thought that sheer distance from Israel would offer them some protection, may want to think again

  • Lawmakers make steep cuts to DHS research budget

    Over the weekend the Senate approved an omnibus spending bill that would result in deep cuts to DHS’ research and development arm

  • ACLU questions police tracking of cell phones

    Civil rights advocates are increasingly uneasy with law enforcement agencies increasing use of cell phone triangulation to pinpoint an individual’s location; earlier this year, thirty-four ACLU affiliates from across the country filed open records requests from local law enforcement agencies requesting information on how authorities are tracking cell phones

  • Atlanta debuts new emergency communications systems

    Last week first responders in Atlanta, Georgia gained a valuable new tool in helping to reduce 911 response times and improve communication during a disaster

  • New York moves swiftly to spend Hurricane disaster funds

    Less than a week after Hurricane Irene blasted New York with wind and rain, state emergency officials had authorized disaster relief funds and were swiftly distributing them to hard hit farmers and residents

  • Twelve Chinese hacker groups responsible for attacks on U.S.

    U.S. cybersecurity experts say as few as twelve different Chinese hacker collectives, working at the behest of the government, are responsible for the majority of cyberattacks on U.S. businesses and government agencies; the bulk of the attacks are stealthy in nature and have resulted in the loss of billions of dollars’ worth of intellectual property and state secrets from the private and public sector

  • Another foreign executive arrested in Alabama on immigration charges

    For the second time in recent weeks, Alabama law enforcement officials arrested a foreign car manufacturing executive under the state’s strict new immigration law

  • Supreme Court to hear Arizona immigration law

    On Monday the Supreme Court announced that it would weigh in on the controversial debate surrounding Arizona’s hotly contested immigration law

  • Spending cuts force contractors to alter strategy

    Projected federal spending cuts are upsetting the status quo in the world of government contracting, forcing firms to reevaluate their business strategies or determine whether they can do business at all

  • Terrorists using sophisticated uni-directional bombs

    Terrorists have learned to develop increasingly sophisticated explosives as evidenced by the uni-directional bombs detonated last week in Karachi, Pakistan that killed three Pakistan Rangers and injured several others

  • Minnesota banks to stop money transfers to Somalia

    In an effort to cut off funds to Somali terrorists, banks in Minnesota will no longer support money transfers via local businesses called “hawalas”; Minnesota has the largest concentration of Somalis in the United States and officials fear that money sent from relatives living in the United States could be funding terrorist groups like al Shabaab

  • Grant helps Kentucky dive team operate without sight

    Rescue and recovery divers often struggle to perform their duties in murky, muddy waters, but thanks to a $21,000 grant from Kentucky’s Homeland Security department, the city of Grayson was able to purchase a side-scan sonar and an underwater metal detector to help rescue divers complete their mission in low visibility conditions

  • Officials say D.C. prepared for disasters following earthquake and snowstorm

    This year a massive snowstorm and earthquake left D.C. residents stuck in traffic for hours as they attempted to leave the city, but emergency officials say they are better prepared for future disasters because of those incidents

  • White House offers details of plans to fight homegrown terrorism

    The White House yesterday unveiled a broad, new strategy to battle homegrown terrorism in the United States. The program empowers communities by teaching local officials to recognize violent extremism and see the threat as a public safety issue, like the battle against gangs and drugs. The 20-page White House strategy, entitled “Strategic Implementation Plan for Empowering Local Partners to Prevent Violent Extremism in the United States,” adds details to the outline the administration released four months ago.

  • EU wants tech firm to stop selling surveillance gear to despots

    Following the revelations in the Wikileaks “Spy Files” last week, the EU digital agenda commissioner Neelie Kroes will urge European technology firms to develop a strategy to avoid “selling despots the tools of their repression,” a practice she describes as “to say the least, bad PR.”