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The Boston Bombing Trial Starts, But Answers Aren’t on the Docket by Russ Baker
The trial of accused Boston Marathon Bombing co-conspirator Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is starting, but answers about what really happened aren’t likely to be on the docket.
Our Boston Marathon Bombing Trial News Feed by The WhoWhatWhy Team
Stay updated with the latest from the trial of Boston Marathon Bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, reported by WhoWhatWhy’s team in and out of the courtroom.
WHO
Louis Freeh’s Latest Investigation: Billionaire Businessman Accused of Bribing African Government
The Intercept examines former FBI Director Louis Freeh’s profitable new job as an investigator helping corporate and government clients scrutinize their internal affairs. His latest client is an Israeli billionaire currently in hot water on three continents for allegedly bribing his way to a major “mining stake in one of the world’s poorest countries.”
WHAT
New IRS Rules on Dark Money Likely Won’t Be Ready Before 2016 Election
Dark money groups may get a pass through yet another election cycle. That’s because the IRS has yet to issue new rules governing this growing force in U.S. elections. These social welfare non-profits are called “dark money groups” because they can run ads and engage in politics, yet don’t have to disclose their donors. According to one estimate, dark money paid for “almost half the TV ads aired in the 2014 Senate races.” The IRS hasn’t issued new rules clarifying the extent to which such groups have to engage in actual social welfare programs, versus how much time and money they spend on political activity.
U.S. Drone Fleet at ‘Breaking Point,’ Air Force Says
According to an internal memo obtained by The Daily Beast, “the U.S. Air Force’s fleet of drones is being strained to the ‘breaking point.’” Apparently, there isn’t enough manpower to operate the remote-control fleet, which is in heavy rotation over foreign skies.
The Pentagon’s $1.5 Trillion Mistake
In this video explainer by The Atlantic, James Fallows explores the incredible boondoggle that is the F-35 fighter jet. It was “supposed to do a bit of everything.” So far, that all-inclusive list includes problems flying at night, exploding engines and structural cracks.
WHY
New York Police Work Slowdown Backfires, Revealing Time Wasted on Petty Violations
As part of an ongoing protest against perceived slights by NY Mayor Bill de Blasio, many NYPD officers have “slowed down” their work. But what that’s demonstrating is how working-class people are disproportionately targeted by the stream of petty violations police ordinarily hand out. That’s bolstering the argument that tickets are little more than a way to fatten the municipal coffers, and officers the revenue collectors.
Feeling Old? Could Be the Heavy Metal.
No, this isn’t about the generational difference between Black Sabbath and Metallica. It’s about cadmium, a naturally occurring but toxic element used to make batteries and to coat iron and steel. A new study says cadmium can “prematurely age cells, potentially triggering a number of diseases as people age.” And it is not just iron workers who should worry. “People are exposed to cadmium through contaminated food, tobacco smoke and polluted air near industrial areas,” according to Environmental Health News.
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