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.
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Out of This World: Private Lunar Lander Aces Touchdown (Maria)
The author writes, “A private lunar lander carrying a drill, vacuum and other experiments for NASA touched down on the moon Sunday, the latest in a string of companies looking to kickstart business on Earth’s celestial neighbor ahead of astronaut missions. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander descended from lunar orbit on autopilot. … Confirmation of successful touchdown came from the company’s Mission Control outside Austin, Texas, following the action some 225,000 miles away. ‘You all stuck the landing. We’re on the moon,’ Firefly’s Will Coogan, chief engineer for the lander, reported.”
Europe’s Nightmare Is Here: They Have to Fight Putin Without the US (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “European leaders are confronting their worst-case scenario: maybe they really are going to be dealing with a bellicose Russia alone. When the US lined up alongside Russia and North Korea earlier this week to oppose a UN motion condemning Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, some European officials knew that the transatlantic relationship was in deep trouble. Then they watched in horror as Donald Trump gave Volodymyr Zelenskiy a public dressing down in the Oval Office and something broke.”
Former Defense Chiefs Call for Congressional Hearings on Trump’s Firing of Senior Military Leaders (Reader Jim)
From The Associated Press: “Five former secretaries of defense are calling on Congress to hold immediate hearings on President Donald Trump’s recent firings of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and several other senior military leaders, according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press. The five men — who represented Republican and Democratic administrations over the past three decades — said the dismissals were alarming, raised ‘troubling questions about the administration’s desire to politicize the military’ and removed legal constraints on the president’s power.”
USAID Memos Detail Human Costs of Cuts to Foreign Aid (Dana)
The author writes, “The Trump administration’s decision to withdraw foreign aid and dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development is likely to cause enormous human suffering, according to estimates by the agency itself. Among them: up to 18 million additional cases of malaria per year, and as many as 166,000 additional deaths; 200,000 children paralyzed with polio annually, and hundreds of millions of infections; one million children not treated for severe acute malnutrition, which is often fatal, each year; more than 28,000 new cases of such infectious diseases as Ebola and Marburg every year.”
These US Companies Are Not Ditching DEI Amid Trump’s Crackdown (Laura)
From Time: “As the Trump Administration sets out to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across the federal government and private sector, a number of major companies have joined in the effort. Some others, however, have decidedly not. … Here are some of the major companies that are resisting attacks on their DEI initiatives.”
When We Forget Political Moderates (Al)
From The Dispatch: “Margaret Heckler is not a name many Americans would recognize today, which is a shame. Political heroes are scant. Politicians who prioritize bipartisan collaboration rather than power and prestige have disappeared. And politicians who have broad appeal to Republicans, Democrats, independents, feminists, immigrants, veterans, Christians, and minorities are seemingly nonexistent.”
Scientists Create World’s 1st Chip That Can Protect Data in the Age of Quantum Computing Attacks (Sean)
The author writes, “Scientists in Switzerland have developed a new method to improve internet security against quantum computing attacks, using quantum-resistant encryption and a new type of hardware.”
