May 2, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

National Homeland Defense Foundation Symposium VI (October 27; Colorado Springs, CO) The theme of Symposium VI is “Securing Our Homelands Through International Collaboration; Neighbors Helping Neighbors.” Submissions must be emailed in PDF format by August 1 to librarian@nhdf.org. [View conference website]

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May 2, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

(October 29-31; Chicago) The Justice, Homeland Security, and Defense departments will highlight the technology and training tools available and being developed for emergency responders and elicit responders’ technology requirements. The conference will bring together responders, business and industry, academia, and federal, state, tribal, and local stakeholders to network, exchange ideas, and collaboratively address critical incident technology and preparedness needs, protocols, and solutions. [View conference website]

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May 2, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

(July 8-10; Colorado Springs, CO) This interactive conference is designed to assist homeland security professionals—including emergency management planners, public health officials, medical personnel, first responders, and behavioral health specialists—to improve care provided to those affected by catastrophes. Major speakers are leading civilian and military behavioral health experts. The conference addresses disaster planning, response, and recovery and includes a daylong tabletop exercise. It is cosponsored by the University of Colorado, U.S. Northern Command, and the Colorado Division of Mental Health. [View conference website]

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May 2, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

(June 23-25; Alexandria, VA) The program will focus on emerging trends, such as expansion of regional information sharing and collaboration and the latest technological innovations. With presentations and representation from a broad cross-section of federal and state agencies, delegates will develop a thorough understanding of the solutions and best practices employed to meet operational requirements. The program will also review the status of current systems such as the DHS Secure Border Initiative and the Justice Department’s Interconnect Wireless Network. [View conference website]

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May 2, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

“The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday upheld a tough state law requiring voters to show photo identification,” reports Reuters. “… The decision could have broad national significance because more than 20 states have adopted voter identification laws and other states are considering similar legislation. The law requires a photo ID such as a driver’s license to vote in federal, state and local elections.” [View article]

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May 2, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

(New York Times) Last September, the Khalil Gibran International Academy, a public school, opened with “grades 6 through 12,” and “half of its classes in Arabic,” reports the New York Times. The city was assisted by “a nonprofit organization, New Visions for Public Schools,” which had “a $400,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,” and by “a secular Arab-American social services agency.” But “the school’s creation provoked a controversy so incendiary that Ms. [Debbie] Almontaser stepped down as the founding principal just weeks before classes began.” The Stop the Madrassa Coalition “sued the [city] Department of Education in October, requesting detailed information about the school’s creation, faculty and curriculum,” and Almontaser has sued “the Education Department and the mayor. She claimed that … she was forced to resign.” [View article]

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May 2, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

The District of Columbia will “tie together thousands of city-owned video cameras” and provide “round-the-clock monitoring of the closed-circuit video systems run by nine city agencies,” reports the Washington Post. “… about 4,500 cameras trained on schools, public housing, traffic and government buildings will feed into a central office at the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency. Hundreds more will be added this year.” [View article]

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May 2, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

“Federal agencies, including the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the National Counter Terrorism Center, are telling their people not to describe Islamic extremists as jihadists or mujahedeen,” reports the Associated Press. “… The reason: Such words may actually boost support for radicals among Arab and Muslim audiences by giving them a veneer of religious credibility or by causing offense to moderates.” [View article]

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May 2, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

Iran has “released 48 photographs” of its Natanz uranium-processing facility, being toured by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on April 8, reports the New York Times. “Iran is separating U-235 from U-238. Rare in nature, U-235 easily splits in two to produce bursts of atomic energy.” To do this, the fragile centrifuges “must work day and night for months or years on end.” [View article]

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May 2, 2008 by Tim McDowell.

“The Bush administration wants to enlist America’s 80 million recreational boaters to help reduce the chances that a small boat could deliver a nuclear or radiological bomb somewhere along the 95,000 miles … of U.S. coastline and inland waterways,” reports the Associated Press. “… terrorists have used small boats to attack in other countries.… the plan … asks states to develop and enforce safety standards for recreational boaters and asks them to look for and report suspicious behavior on the water.” [View article] [View strategy]

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