Category: IA News

Scientists at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research are making progress on a Zika virus vaccine, and plan to start human testing later this year. Efforts to produce the vaccine and prepare for the spread of the virus have included components of the Department of Defense, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the […]

In May, the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) released their Joint Strategy on Countering Violent Extremism (CVE). The joint strategy builds on the foundation of the 2015 White House CVE Summit and provides a “roadmap” for U.S. CVE efforts. In his opening message for the strategy, Secretary of State John […]

Earlier this month, U.S. Southern Command (Southcom) commander Navy Admiral Kurt W. Tidd spoke on the region’s greatest security challenge during a media roundtable at the Pentagon – illicit networks. According to Tidd, while Southcom’s area of responsibility has not seen ongoing conflict in some time, “it’s not a region that is without challenges … [and] […]

The State Department recently released the 2015 Country Reports on Terrorism. The reports assesses global terrorist threats, including terrorist groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the use of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons. Many of the country reports also appraise U.S. involvement and interagency cooperation, calling for better coordinated […]

On May 23 and 24, 9,000 government, private sector, and civil society representatives gathered in Istanbul, Turkey, for the World Humanitarian Summit. Participants included representatives from 173 United Nations (UN) member states and 55 heads of state and government, as well as thousands from the private sector, civil society, and non-governmental organizations. With an estimated […]

Last week, the U.S. Army Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute (PKSOI) published Impunity: Countering Illicit Power in War and Transition. The work contains a collection of case studies and analyses on the dynamics associated with illicit power and state weaknesses relating to preventing or resolving armed conflict. Impunity addresses how to effectively respond to the illicit […]

On May 18 the White House released an Executive Order that presents a comprehensive approach to atrocity prevention and response. The Executive Order continues the interagency Atrocities Prevention Board that was established via Presidential Study Directive-10 in 2012; lays out support from executive departments, agencies, and offices; and updates and memorializes the terms on which […]

In April the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report suggesting the Department of Defense (DoD) clarify its roles and responsibilities for Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) during cyber incidents. The report, GAO-16-332, comes as the scale, frequency, and impact of cyber incidents grow. Cyber threats loom over U.S. national and economic security, requiring DoD […]

Earlier this month Defense Secretary Ash Carter spoke on the Department of Defense’s ongoing rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region. While speaking to the sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis, Carter said that “the Department of Defense is operationalizing the next phase of the rebalance and rebalancing it for the long term. We’re bringing […]

On April 13, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced their partnership with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation (CoECI) to develop new technology solutions to advance homeland security. DHS and NASA’s endeavor seeks innovation through publicly crowdsourced prize competitions.  “We’re creating opportunities for everyone from companies to college […]