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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.
Keystone Pipeline Shut in US After 14,000-Barrel Oil Spill in Kansas (Maria)
The authors write, “Canada’s TC Energy shut its Keystone pipeline in the United States after more than 14,000 barrels of crude oil spilled into a creek in Kansas, making it one of the largest crude spills in the United States in nearly a decade. The cause of the leak, which occurred in Kansas about 20 miles (32 km) south of a key junction in Steele City, Nebraska, is unknown. It is the third spill of several thousand barrels of crude on the pipeline since it first opened in 2010. … There have been no effects on drinking water wells or the public, the US Environmental Protection Agency said in a statement, though surface water of Mill Creek was affected.”
Cawthorn Broke Rules Over ‘Meme’ Crypto, Told to Pay $14K (Sean)
The author writes, “Departing U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn, of North Carolina, has been told to pay over $14,000 to charity after the House Ethics Committee found he financially benefited while purchasing a cryptocurrency that he was promoting and violated conflict of interest rules. The investigation examined the one-term Republican’s purchase of LGB Coin, named for the chant “Let’s Go Brandon” mocking Democratic President Joe Biden. The committee found Cawthorn, who lost his reelection bid in May’s primary, ‘acted in a manner that did not reflect creditably upon the House’ based on his total conduct, according to the panel’s report.”
St. Louis Can Banish People From Entire Neighborhoods. Police Can Arrest Them if They Come Back. (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “A St. Louis ordinance lets courts banish people from huge swaths of the city as a punishment for petty crimes. These neighborhood orders of protection often prevent people from accessing the services they need and raise constitutional questions.”
Heat Waves in India Could Soon Break Human Survivability Limit, Says World Bank Analysis (Sean)
From Down to Earth: “A new report by the World Bank suggests India could soon become one of the first places in the world to experience heat waves that break the human survivability limit. Climate Investment Opportunities in India’s Cooling Sector said the country is experiencing higher temperatures that arrive earlier and stay far longer. India has witnessed a concurrent increase in meteorological droughts and heatwaves over the last 60 years, past studies have found.”
US Adds Wagner Mercenaries to Blacklist for Religious Persecution (Mili)
The author writes, “The United States has added Latin American adversaries Cuba and Nicaragua as well as Russia’s Wagner Group to a blacklist on international religious freedom, opening the path to potential sanctions. … The Wagner Group was being designated for alleged involvement in abuses in the Central African Republic, where nearly 10 years of bloodshed has had religious overtones. The Russian mercenary group has also been involved in Mali and has been accused of rights violations in Libya, Syria and Ukraine.”
Dying to Compete (Russ)
From The Washington Post: “Bodybuilders around the world are risking their lives and sometimes dying for the sport they love because of extreme measures that are encouraged by coaches, rewarded by judges and ignored by leaders of the industry, according to interviews with dozens of bodybuilders, coaches, judges, promoters, medical professionals and relatives of deceased athletes. The Washington Post investigated the deaths of more than two dozen bodybuilders, focusing mostly on those who died leading up to or in the aftermath of competitions.”
The Tortoise, the Myth, the Legend: Jonathan Turns 190 (Dana)
From Popular Science: “Over the weekend, a three-day long birthday celebration for the ages began for a very special reptile. Jonathan the tortoise turned 190 yesterday, with a tortoise-friendly birthday cake and an animated video about his life. Jonathan has lived through multiple human milestones, including the first photograph of a person (1838), the invention of the first incandescent lightbulb (1878), the Wright Brother’s first flight (1903), and more, according to Guinness World Records.”
