News You Can Use: 12/07/17

National Security

Okay, Say Someone Hacks into the US Power Grid. Then What?, Defense One

DHS Launches New Office to Combat Threat of Terrorists Acquiring WMDs, The Washington Free Beacon

US Must Bolster Its Presence In MidEast As ISIS Falls, Breaking Defense

North Korea says U.S. threats make war unavoidable, China urges calm, Reuters

FBI lacks ‘technical ability’ to crack most smartphone encryption, Washington Examiner

Pentagon’s Ambitious Goal: Launch a Weapons Program in Just 12 Months, Defense One

Whistleblower: At inauguration, Flynn texted on nuclear reactor plan, The Associated Press

Hundreds more National Guard troops activated to fight California wildfires, Defense News

Marine units standing by to reinforce embassy security after Trump’s announcement, Marine Corps Times

Disaster Responses Brought Out Federal Agencies’ Best, Leaders Say, Government Executive

Cybersecurity

Senior leadership taking aim at cybersecurity in weapon systems, Defense News

The Pentagon’s new tech focus: micro-electronics, hypersonics, and cyber, C4ISR Net

Protecting secret networks means being more open about threats, Fifth Domain

Public Health

It’s time for a national plan to address Parkinson’s disease, The Hill

In The Fight Against HIV, Women Still Face Many Barriers, Huffington Post

To Strengthen Public Health, Look to Prisons, Route Fifty

Tricare contractor sending ‘corrected letters’ to retirees about payments, Military Times

Human Rights & Humanitarian Efforts

Human Rights Day, Human Rights Watch

Japan Should Help Rohingya Rape Survivors, Yahoo

Prison Conditions Worsen in Brazil, Human Rights Watch

Government & Military Personnel

Congress Passes Two-Week Spending Bill, but Shutdown Fears Mount, Government Executive

DHS Needs to Better Protect Employees’ Sensitive Info, IG Says, Nextgov

3 Steps to Navigating Open Season, Government Executive

US Averts Government Shutdown, For Now. But the Potential Harm and Waste Is Growing., Defense One

Senators Press State Dept. to Drop Hiring Freeze and Shine Light on Reorg Plan, Government Executive

Pentagon prepares to accept transgender recruits by Jan. 1, Military Times

Good and not so good news from the 2017 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government(R), ChiefHRO.com