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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: Department of Homeland Security

Department of Homeland Security stories: 80 news summaries

1 - 20 of 80 Stories | 1 2 3 4 Next >>

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 Kerik Pleads 
 Guilty in 
 Corruption 
 Case 

Plea bargain carries suggested sentence of 2-3 years

Nov 5, 09 11:43 AM CST
(AP) - Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik pleaded guilty today to lying to the White House and said he would also admit to tax crimes. The plea bargain, which applies to an anticipated eight charges, includes the prosecution's suggestion that the sentence be between 27 to 33 months in... More »

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Bernard Kerik • New York City • federal courts • Department of Homeland Security • guilty plea • plea bargain • police commissioner

 Swine Flu-Wary 
 Telecommuters 
 Could Floor Internet 

Report finds surge in demand might make telecommuting unfeasible

Oct 28, 09 6:06 AM CDT
(Newser) - Telecommuters hunkering down at home because of swine flu could overwhelm Internet networks in the coming weeks, a federal watchdog reports. The report earlier this week found that no guidelines are in place to deal with any surge in demand caused by a spike in workers telecommuting and students going... More »

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Internet • Department of Homeland Security • Government Accountability Office • telecommunications • Internet service providers • pandemic • telecommuting • swine flu • H1N1 virus

US Fails to Make Sure Foreign Visitors Leave

Dallas bomb plot highlights thousands who overstay visas

Oct 12, 09 8:38 AM CDT
(Newser) - Hosam Maher Husein Smadi came to the US legally on a tourism visa. But the 19-year-old Jordanian stayed after it had expired and then, allegedly, tried to blow up a Dallas skyscraper. That case has sparked calls from both parties for a better system for tracking foreign visitors, the More »

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immigration • Department of Homeland Security • illegal immigration • visas • Hosam Maher Husein Smadi

 Help Wanted: 
 Fed Govt. 
 Needs 600K 
 New Workers 

270K new hires deemed critical to make up for retirement

Sep 3, 09 11:30 AM CDT
(Newser) - The federal government must hire 600,000 people over the next 4 years to balance a wave of retirement and keep pace with President Obama’s ambitions, the Washington Post reports. Nearly half of those positions are considered absolutely essential for agencies to provide their services, a new report states,... More »

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Barack Obama • government spending • employment • bureaucracy • Department of Homeland Security • Federal government • job • Obama administration • President Obama • hiring

Ridge: Bush Wanted Terror Threat Raised for Election

Ridge tell-all dangles shocking revelation

Aug 20, 09 3:32 PM CDT
(Newser) - The publisher of Tom Ridge's forthcoming book has dropped a potential bombshell: It says the Bush White House pressured the Homeland Security chief to arbitrarily raise the terror threat alert level on the eve of the 2004 election, ostensibly to boost its chances, reports US News and World Report. Ridge... More »

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Bush administration • Dick Cheney • terrorism • Department of Homeland Security • George W. Bush • Tom Ridge • terror alert system

(Newser) - A Homeland Security plan to build a $700 million lab handling highly infectious animal diseases in Kansas' 'Tornado Alley' probably isn't the best idea it's had, the Washington Post reports. A withering report from the Government Accountability Office found that the DHS based its decision on a flawed, hastily done... More »

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tornado • Kansas • Department of Homeland Security • foot and mouth disease • GAO • Government Accountability Office

 FEMA Too Slow 
 on Katrina Trailer  
 Toxins: Federal Report  

Agency didn't announce toxin find until 2 years after people moved in

Jul 24, 09 9:42 AM CDT
(Newser) - FEMA was too slow to deal with reports of toxins in trailers used to house Hurricane Katrina victims, potentially posing a “significant health risk” to thousands along the Gulf Coast, a Homeland Security report says. Residents of the trailers had reported bloody noses, headaches, and worse as a result... More »

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Hurricane Katrina • Department of Homeland Security • FEMA • toxin • formaldehyde • Gulf Coast • FEMA trailers • report • Homeland Security

(AP) - The Homeland Security Department will review the multicolored terror alert system created in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has created a task force to determine in 60 days how effective the current system is. The system could get an overhaul—or could be... More »

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terrorism • United States • September 11 • Department of Homeland Security • Janet Napolitano • Obama administration • alert level • terror alert system • William Webster • Fran Townsend

Grave Lack of Security at Fed Buildings: GAO

Agents snuck in bomb parts, assembled them in restrooms

Jul 8, 09 3:05 PM CDT
(Newser) - A covert investigation shows the nation’s federal buildings are woefully under-protected from potential terrorist attacks, CNN reports. Undercover agents were able to sneak bomb components through security into each of the 10 federal buildings—occupied by the Homeland Security, Justice, and State departments—they tested, assemble explosive devices in... More »

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Congress • terrorism • IED • bomb • Department of Homeland Security • GAO • Government Accountability Office • federal building • Federal Protective Service • improvised explosive device

(Newser) - The Supreme Court has refused to hear a challenge to the completion of the border fence between the US and Mexico, Fox News reports. Environmental groups, an Indian tribe, and the city of El Paso brought the challenge, contending that a fence will cut off access to the Rio Grande... More »

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Texas • Mexico • Department of Homeland Security • Michael Chertoff • El Paso • border fence • US Supreme Court • American Indian • Ysleta del Sur Pueblo tribe

 Pentagon's Cybercommand 
 Raises Privacy Fears 

Militarization of cybersecurity fuels debate on rules of engagement

Jun 13, 09 8:04 AM CDT
(Newser) - Plans to put America's cybersecurity under the control of the Pentagon are raising some thorny privacy and diplomacy issues, the New York Times reports. President Obama has insisted that the military, under the cybercommand being developed, will not be monitoring private sector networks and Internet traffic—but Pentagon officials say... More »

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Pentagon • cyberwarfare • cyberterrorism • Department of Homeland Security • National Security Agency

Right Rips Smith for Warning on Right-Wing Violence

Conservatives call for head of Fox anchor

Jun 12, 09 2:15 AM CDT
(Newser) - Conservatives are calling for the head of Shepard Smith after the Fox anchor suggested that the Holocaust Museum shooting backs up a Homeland Security report warning of a rise in right-wing extremism, Gawker reports. Right-wing bloggers labeled Smith a "pompous elitist" and said he should be fired, while Rush... More »

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Rush Limbaugh • Holocaust Museum • Department of Homeland Security • Fox News • news anchor • Shepard Smith • right-wing extremism

(Newser) - Today's shooting at the Holocaust museum, on the heels of the murder of an abortion provider, is bringing renewed attention to a Homeland Security report issued in April that warned of a rise in exactly these kinds of attacks, Politico reports. At the time, critics including Rush Limbaugh blasted the... More »

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Holocaust Museum • Department of Homeland Security • Janet Napolitano • domestic terrorism • anti-abortion activists

Intelligence Pick Bows Out Over CIA Tactic Ties

Obama wanted Mudd for top Homeland Security post

Jun 5, 09 5:32 PM CDT
(AP) - President Barack Obama's pick for intelligence chief at the Homeland Security Department withdrew from consideration today amid questions about his role in the CIA's interrogations of suspected terrorists. Philip Mudd was scheduled to appear next week before senators, but notified the White House today that he was withdrawing his name... More »

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Barack Obama • torture • Department of Homeland Security • interrogation • nominee

Ridge Won't Challenge Specter for Seat

Former Pa. gov was encouraged to run for Senate by GOP brass

May 7, 09 1:00 PM CDT
(Newser) - Former Pennsylvania governor and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge will not seek the Republican nomination for senator from that state, the Hill reports. Party leaders had urged him to run against newly minted Democrat Arlen Specter. Ridge was in a good position to run, polling just 3 points behind Specter.... More »

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Congress • Senate • Arlen Specter • Pennsylvania • Department of Homeland Security • governor • senator • Tom Ridge • Election 2010

Officials Fear Flu Drug Resistance

Misuse of antivirals
by panicked public could breed stronger strains of disease

Apr 28, 09 6:40 AM CDT
(Newser) - Pharmacies are stocking up on Tamiflu and other anti-influenza drugs as fears grow of a swine flu outbreak, but health officials warn that the antivirals could do more harm than good if administered incorrectly. Taking the drugs in the wrong dose or for too short a time can lead to... More »

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public health • Department of Homeland Security • outbreak • influenza • Tamiflu • Relenza • Janet Napolitano • pharmacy • antiviral drugs • swine flu

(Newser) - A new federal study may be music to the ears of stressed firefighters and bomb squads, the New Scientist reports. The Department of Homeland Security is trying to record their brain activity when alert or calm, translate it into music, and play it back to soothe their frayed nerves. But... More »

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brain • Department of Homeland Security • Federal government • music therapy

Iris Cards Let Travelers Skip Customs

US signs deal with Holland, and more
are on the way

Apr 24, 09 8:56 AM CDT
(Newser) - A new digital card will allow Americans to skip customs lines at a foreign airport for the first time, reports USA Today. In a deal between Homeland Security officials and the Netherlands, US travelers approved for the ID card will be able to speed through Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, while... More »

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travel • JFK Airport • Netherlands • Department of Homeland Security • air travel • LAX • Customs and Border Protection • iris recognition • customs • Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

OPINION

 Let's Help Vets 
 Avoid Extremist Urge 


Apr 18, 09 1:00 PM CDT
(Newser) - The recent Homeland Security report detailing right-wing extremist recruitment of veterans is “true, true, true,” Charles M. Blow writes in the New York Times. But “conservatives reacted by throwing a knee-jerk hissy fit,” suggesting that vets “were being vilified by a partisan document.”... More »

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veterans • US military • recruitment • Department of Homeland Security • white supremacism • PTSD • right-wing extremism

(Newser) - To combat the rising threat of attack on the nation’s computer networks, the US government is turning to the dark side for help, the AP reports. A call has gone out for so-called “ethical hackers” who “think like the bad guy” to work with Homeland Security to... More »

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power grid • hacker • Department of Homeland Security • hackers • computer security • computer network • computer • Obama administration

1 - 20 of 80 Stories | 1 2 3 4 Next >>


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