• Obama administration slashes ballistic missile defense funds

    In early January, the outgoing Bush administration awarded Boeing a $400 million contract for Ground-based Midcourse Defense interceptors; we wrote at the time that it was “probably the last large ballistic missile defense contract, as both Obama and the Democratic majority in Congress have shown little interest in the program”; we were right: the Obama administrations proposes deep cuts in funding for the more esoteric BMD technologies

  • Outsourcing Winter Olympic security increases costs to RCMP

    The Canadian government says the security budget for the 2010 Winter Olympics, to be held in Vancouver, is $900 million; it is five-times greater than the original $175 million budget; many Canadian and American security companies stand to benefit

  • U.S. 100% screening law in doubt

    In 2007, Congress passed a law requiring 100% screening of U.S.-bound air cargo; in February, TSA reached the 50% screening milestone, but the agency says 100% screening is not likely anytime soon; other countries do not mind, saying unilateral U.S. moves on screening violate their sovereignty

  • DHS highlights successes in fight against trafficking and illegal immigration

    On a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border, DHS secretary Napolitano highlights the department’s success in efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and contraband trafficking

  • The security of the U.S. communications network, II

    A few vandals, equipped with pliers, last Thursday cut fiber-optics cables in the San Francisco Bay area, paralyzing wireless, Internet, phone, and emergency communication for more than twelve hours; what does this tell us about the vulnerability to disruption of the .S. communication network?

  • Taliban renews opposition to polio vaccination

    Taliban in Pakistan’s northwest territories and Afghanistan renew their campaign against vaccination of children against polio; clerics describe vaccination as “Western plot”; Taliban fighters have attacked vaccination teams in Pakistan’s Swat valley; Islamic clerics in northern Nigeria have embarked on similar campaign

  • Piracy boosts maritime security business

    In London, the business capital of the world’s maritime industry, firms shape decisions on arming ships and negotiating with pirates

  • The security of the U.S. communications network, I

    A few vandals, equipped with pliers, last Thursday cut fiber-optics cables in the San Francisco Bay area, paralyzing wireless, Internet, phone, and emergency communication for more than twelve hours; what does this tell us about the vulnerability to disruption of the U.S. communication network?

  • Hackers made off with more than 285 million records in 2008

    Hackers managed to steal 285 million private records in 2008; 93 percent of all compromised records in its study came from the financial sector

  • DHS seeks nuclear detection research

    DHS is looking to award $3 million this summer for nuclear detection technology exploratory research that could lead to a dramatic improvement in the U.S. nuclear detection capabilities

  • AT&T increases reward in cable vandalism to $250,000

    Late last eek vandals cut fiber optic cables in three California counties, disrupting communication and commerce; AT&T increases reward for information which will lead to capturing the vandals

  • Lieberman wants U.S.-Mexico border security funding in supplemental

    President Obama has submitted a $83.4 billion supplemental request to Congress which contains $66 million in additional aid to Mexico’s anti-drug efforts (Congress has already allocated about $700 million to Mexico — including $300 million in the recently enacted fiscal 2009 omnibus spending bill); leading senators say more should be done to shore-up border protection, and they propose an amendment to the supplemental which would add $550 million in border security funding

  • Officials ponder the lessons of Columbine

    Next week will mark ten years to the Columbine High shooting; hundreds of millions have been invested in school security, but money is drying up, and emphasis on campus security is weakening; some say say simpler, cheaper measure would be best in any event

  • Protection from terrorism affects far reaches of Montana

    When you think of terrorism and preparations for terrorist attacks, you think of big cities; the remote precincts of Montana, however, are not exempt; the local inhabitants, who foot the bill for local homeland security, want to know whether rural dams are really terrorist targets

  • DHS adds $100 million to emergency food bank

    DHS secretary Napolitano announces $100 million in stimulus package funds for Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP); EFSP, created twenty-six years ago, has so far distributed more than $3.4 billion in federal funds for food and shelter