News You Can Use: 12/29/17

National Security

U.S. imposes sanctions on two key figures in North Korea’s weapons program, The Washington Post

Trump’s National Security Strategy Is Nothing Like the British Empire’s ‘Blue Water’ Policy, Foreign Policy

2018 in defense: 5 major issues the Trump administration needs to tackle, The Hill

How Trump could kill the Iran nuclear deal in January, Politico

ISIS By the Numbers in 2017, U.S. News

Documents shed light on North Korea’s startling gains in sea-based missile technology, The Washington Post

What Trump’s First Nuclear Posture Review Should Do, Breaking Defense

Will there be a war on the Korean Peninsula in 2018?, Nikkei Asian Review

ISIS fighter with American accent urges supporters to take advantage of U.S. gun laws, The Washington Post

Virtual shooter training program shows how to survive, The Associated Press

Loose talk about war with North Korea is irresponsible, The Washington Post

Was pre-Trump U.S. policy towards China based on “false” premises?: China in Trump’s National Security Strategy, Brookings

Cities sue DOD over gun-check system failures, The Associated Press

Cybersecurity

3 Predictions for Government Tech in 2018, Nextgov

North Korea UN ambassador demands US prove ransomware claim, Fifth Domain

China lashes out at German ambassador over cyber security, The Associated Press

Public Health

Tricare addressing ‘isolated’ problems with retiree allotments, Military Times

The Foster Care System Is Flooded With Children Of The Opioid Epidemic, NPR

How CDC’s Forbidden Words Will Harm Public Health And Research, Forbes

The Crime of Gender Inequality in Global Health, Foreign Policy

Human Rights & Humanitarian Efforts

Iraq: Yezidi Fighters Allegedly Execute Civilians, Human Rights Watch

Myanmar, accused of crackdown, invited to U.S.-Thai military exercise, Reuters

Syria child evacuees may be used as bargaining chips, UN warns, BBC

At least 109 civilians killed by Saudi coalition’s raids, U.N. says, Reuters

U.N. human rights experts appalled by pardon of Peru’s Fujimori, Reuters

Government & Military Personnel

What the 2018 Pay Raise Means for You, Government Executive

New in 2018: ‘Forever GI Bill’ changes take effect, Military Times

Pentagon expects on-time budget for 2019 but Trump’s ‘masterpiece’ will be in 2020, Defense News

OPM Tells Agencies to Stop Working Collaboratively with Unions, Government Executive

Upgrading the Thrift Savings Plan, Government Executive

New in 2018: Army decision coming on return of ‘pinks and greens’ uniform, Army Times