Trump Probe Expands and Showdown Looms With Mueller
Bloomberg, New York Times, Washington Post
Robert Mueller, investigating ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, is examining a broad range of transactions by Trump businesses and the President's associates, according to a person familiar with the probe. Meanwhile, Trump aides are digging for information to get investigators recused, or to justify firing Mueller. And lawyers are exploring whether the President can pardon himself, family members and aides. Cameroonians Used U.S. Drone Base for Torture
The Intercept
Troops in the West African nation of Cameroon have tortured prisoners at a remote military base that is also used for U.S. drone surveillance and training, a new investigation finds. No evidence has emerged that U.S. personnel were involved in torture, but detainees testified to seeing and hearing Americans in uniform during their imprisonment. Inside Saudi Royal-Court Drama
Wall Street Journal
One month after palace intrigues catapulted Mohammed bin Salman, 31, into the role of successor to the king, the Wall Street Journal has inside details on how the self-styled reformer's bloodless coup went down. He sealed it with a kneel before his adversary and a kiss of his hand. Mohammed bin Nayef, 57, was denied the crown literally overnight.
Pentagon Poisons Land by Burning Munitions
ProPublica
Congress allows the Pentagon to dispose of bullets and bombs by burning them in the open air even though pollution laws would otherwise ban the practice. Detonating explosives and other munitions in bonfires releases toxins into the air and soil, even beyond the permitted limits. The EPA estimates that Pentagon burn sites across the U.S. have contaminated 40 million acres of land.
McCain, Cell Phones and Brain Cancer
The Atlantic
After Arizona Senator John McCain's diagnosis with aggressive brain cancer, The Atlantic reviews research into the connection between cellphones and brain tumors. The results? Mixed. Some studies suggest higher likelihoods of cancer after heavy phone usage, but complicating the issue is the fact that cellphones are relatively new and rapidly evolving. Veterans of CIA Secret War Seek Honorable Burial
Star Tribune
Laws governing classified documents prevent the government from even saying whether records exist. That's a problem for many affected -- like the men recruited by the CIA to fight communists in Laos during the Vietnam War. Without official discharge papers, these veterans are being refused military honors for their funerals. Human Vision Versus Doctored Photos
Los Angeles Times
Researchers in England found that people could identify manipulated photographs barely more frequently than if they had been guessing at random. They did worse with higher-resolution photos. With fake news a growing concern, the study offers scant hope that people can improve their ability to detect manipulations. Life and Death of a Basketball Vagabond
New York Times
Jackson Vroman went from playing college basketball to the NBA, but after shattering his wrist in a dunk attempt, Vroman went to play ball overseas. Not only did he play basketball in Lithuania, Iran, Lebanon and China, but Vroman became a fixture of the late-night party scene and events like Burning Man in the Nevada desert. He died in a friend's pool in Hollywood, age 34, with a cocktail of drugs in his system. | 
