China Strengthens Censors

Ex-Marines Working on Behalf of Foreign Governments ; Gulf Dispute Worsens ...and More Picks

Ex-Marines Working on Behalf of Foreign Governments ; Gulf Dispute Worsens ...and More Picks for 8/4

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.

Micro Breweries Supporting Bill That Takes Away Songwriter Rights (Trevin)

For a second time the Brewers Association is backing a piece regulation stripping songwriters of key legal rights (by way of a bizarre catch-22) that doesn’t obviously have an impact on independent brewers.

Italy Sells Warships to Qatar (Dan)

Think the dispute amongst Gulf nations is improving? Think again.

Ex-Marine Officers Sought Permission to Work for Foreign Governments (Celia)

The author writes, “Documents obtained by the Project On Government Oversight name seven retired Marine Corps officers—including the Secretary of Defense and the President’s new Chief of Staff—who sought and obtained permission from the Marine Corps to be paid to work on behalf of foreign governments and companies after they retired.”