By John Fanning

As the Zika virus continues to grow to pandemic proportions, it’s time for us to learn what we need to know about this contagion, and devise a plan for what to do about it.

The word Pandemic comes from the Greek words, “pan” which means all, and “demos,” which means people. It is the word we use to describe an illness or disease that suddenly spreads over a vast region affecting many people and/or animals. In modern times there have been several pandemics that reached America’s shores; two are recognized as especially devastating: the Spanish flu of 1918, which was brought to America by returning World War I soldiers, and HIV/AIDS, which originated in Cameroon and was, according to a study published in The American Journal of Medicine, brought to America by a Canadian flight attendant. Continue reading →

WASHINGTON — In 2015, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers intercepted 2,653 firearms in carry-on bags at airport security checkpoints across the United States. This is nearly 20 percent more than in the previous record-setting year. In 2014, TSA officers discovered 2,212 firearms in carry-on bags.

“The transport of firearms by commercial air in carry-on bags represents a threat to the safety and security of air travelers. Through increased training in detection methods, our officers are becoming more adept at intercepting these prohibited items,” said TSA Administrator Peter V. Neffenger. “I am proud of the men and women who serve in the TSA and grateful for their hard work in the past year.” Continue reading →

Tony Schiena is a survivor. Well before entering the private sector as head of his company, MOSAIC (Multi Operational Security Agency Intelligence Company), his dynamic record of intelligence and paramilitary work established him as an expert in the field — one who was fortunate enough to take part in world-shaping operations, from working with U.S. Special Forces in Kabul and Afghanistan, with Cambodian Special Forces as they struggled in their border conflict with Thailand, and possibly most notably working as an operative in South Africa, where his work helped to avert an imminent and bloody civil war, and bring about the smooth transition to a new and anti-apartheid government. Most recently, he and MOSAIC offered training and support to the Kurdish Peshmerga in their fight against ISIS in Iraq. Continue reading →

By Deb Riechmann

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia poses the world’s greatest threat to U.S. national security, President Barack Obama’s nominee to lead the military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff declared on July 9. The White House quickly distanced the president from that blunt assessment.

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As the war on our nation’s financial services and retail sectors intensifies, and private citizens’ personal information comes under attack from ever-new and insidious directions, it’s gratifying to know when the white hat contingent draws the teeth of any of the major threat actors out there. To wit, on June 24, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh C. Johnson issued a statement regarding the capture, extradition and arraignment of a particularly notorious international cybercriminal, illustrating the advancing effectiveness of cybersecurity efforts on a worldwide scale. Continue reading →

By Susane DeGrane

“Trust, but verify” became President Ronald Reagan’s signature phrase in the mid-1980s when referring to U.S.-Russia relations. A spinoff from a Russian proverb, the phrase suggests that even when working with seemingly trustworthy and reliable parties, one should always check things out. Continue reading →

WASHINGTON — Twenty-seven criminal foreign fugitives with active Interpol alerts were arrested across the United States in early June by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), and the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS). Continue reading →

Phase II Will Build on Momentum of Highly Effective Phase I to Further Enhance Interagency Anti-Trafficking Efforts

WASHINGTON — The Departments of Justice, Labor (DOL) and Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced the launch of Phase II of the Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team (ACTeam) Initiative aimed at streamlining federal criminal investigations and prosecutions of human trafficking offenses. Continue reading →