PICKS are stories from many sources, selected by our editors or recommended by our readers because they are important, surprising, troubling, enlightening, inspiring, or amusing. They appear on our site and in our daily newsletter. Please send suggested articles, videos, podcasts, etc. to picks@whowhatwhy.org.
Fukushima Reactor’s Radiation Levels Can Kill in 2 Minutes (Jeff C.)
That’s according to data collected by a TEPCO robot at the disabled nuclear plant site. For now, the decommissioning project appears at a standstill due to the readings, as well as radioactive debris blocking access.
La Pen’s Party HQ Raided a Second Time (Jeff C.)
French investigators, probing a “fake jobs” scandal, raided the far-right National Front (FN) headquarters outside Paris. The move “confirms that the first raid amounted to nothing,” the party said in a statement.
Audiences Becoming Increasingly Hostile at GOP Town Halls (Trevin)
Recurring themes are the rubber stamping of Trump Cabinet appointees, and support for the Affordable Care Act.
New WaPo Slogan: ‘Democracy Dies in Darkness’ (Trevin)
Members of competing media organizations had a bit of fun mocking the line on Twitter.
Global Arms Trade Reaches Highest Point Since Cold War Era (Jimmy)
According to The Guardian, “The US’s main three customers were Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. Saudi Arabia was particularly a lucrative market for the UK, which sold almost half of its total weapons to the monarchy.”
18 Afghani Women & Children Killed in US Airstrikes (Jimmy)
US airstrikes against Taliban targets have led to the first civilian casualties in the country under the Trump administration.
