Trump-Bush Connection/Lead Poisoning Worse Than Flint/More
Spain’s Innovative Way to Feed the Poor ; The Elderly and Student Loans ; Saudi Arabia to Stop Using Cluster Bombs in Yemen ...and More Picks
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.
Smashingly Great, Innovative Way to Feed the Poor (Russ)
In Spain, a priest has started four new restaurants with an innovative approach: Charge for breakfast and lunch, and use the proceeds to provide free meals at dinner to homeless and poor people. Soon coming to Miami, perhaps.
Saudi Arabia Will Stop Using Cluster Bombs in Yemen (Dan)
The admitting of using UK-made “cluster bombs” is a first and violates international law. They are also illegal to sell, which the UK bypasses by saying the bombs were delivered before the treaty was signed.
For 1000s of Locales, Lead Poisoning Worse Than Flint (Jeff C.)
A Reuters examination of lead testing results across the country found almost 3,000 areas with poisoning rates far higher than in the tainted Michigan city. Yet many of these lead hotspots are receiving little attention or funding.
Why Is it Normal for Doctors to Work Sleep Deprived? (Jimmy)
Every day the decisions and actions of medical doctors mean the difference between life and death. So why are 120-hour work weeks and constant sleep deprivation par for the course?
Pope Orders Priest in ‘Vatileaks’ Case Freed from Jail (Trevin)
Monsignor Angel Lucio Vallejo Balda already served over half of his 18-month sentence in a Vatican jail for leaking documents to journalists claiming corruption. He had been investigating as part of a financial commission.
Till Debt Do Us Part: Student Loans and the Elderly (Jimmy)
In 2015, over 110,000 senior citizens had their social security checks garnished to pay off student loans. A full 68% of older borrowers living in poverty were seeing their social security checks garnished only to pay off the interest and fees, not the principal of the loan.
