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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.
TikTok Inching Toward US Security Deal to Avoid Sale: NYT (Maria)
The author writes, “US lawmakers and TikTok are hammering out a plan under which the short-form video app would make changes to its data security and governance without requiring its parent firm, China’s ByteDance, to sell it, the New York Times reported on Monday. … TikTok is one of the world’s most popular social media apps, with more than 1 billion active users globally, and counts the US as its largest market.”
Are Trump Presidential Records Still Missing? The Answer Could Take Years — Or May Never Come (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “As questions continue to swirl about the 11,000 records the FBI recovered during its raid of former President Donald Trump’s Florida home, Congress has asked the National Archives to provide it with a preliminary report by Tuesday detailing what Trump presidential records might still be missing. The National Archives and Records Administration hasn’t formally responded. But given the realities of what goes into processing presidential records, and questions about the quality of record-keeping in the Trump White House, experts told the Los Angeles Times the archives might not have a firm grasp of what is missing for years — if ever.”
Judge: January 6 Committee Can See State GOP Leader’s Phone Records (Reader Steve)
From the Arizona Daily Star: “The House committee investigating the events around the Jan. 6 riot is entitled to get the phone records of the head of the Arizona Republican Party, a federal judge has ruled. U.S. District Court Judge Diane Humetewa rejected the arguments by Kelli Ward that the subpoena lacks a valid legislative purpose. It is clear that the House, in setting up the panel, empowered it to look into not only the events of that day but also make recommendations for changes in laws, policies and procedures as the committee ‘may deem necessary,’ she said.”
Investors Pulling Out Millions and Abandoning Trump’s Truth Social SPAC: Report (Sean)
The author writes, “According to a report from Reuters, investors who had planned to be a part of the new business entity behind Donald Trump’s Truth Social media platform are bailing and taking their millions in their investment capital elsewhere. The SPAC that would tie Truth Social to Digital World Acquisition Corp. has been buffeted with nothing but bad news for months after an FEC probe of the deal was announced, the Truth Social app was banned from Google Play and the enrollment on the site has stalled out despite Trump being the main attraction since he is banned on Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites. According to the new report, an FEC filing reveals that an estimated $139 million in proposed financing has been withdrawn.”
The Story Behind Arizona’s Antiabortion Law (Gerry)
The author writes, “In Arizona, Pima County Superior Court Judge Kellie Johnson has restored a law put into effect by Arizona’s Territorial legislature in 1864 and then reworked in 1901 that has been widely interpreted as a ban on all abortions except to save a woman’s life. Oddly, I know quite a bit about the 1864 Arizona Territorial legislature, and its story matters as we think about the attempt to impose its will in modern America.”
Revealed: The ‘Shocking’ Levels of Toxic Lead in Chicago Tap Water (Laura)
From The Guardian: “One in 20 tap water tests performed for thousands of Chicago residents found lead, a neurotoxic metal, at or above US government limits, according to a Guardian analysis of a City of Chicago data trove. And one-third had more lead than is permitted in bottled water. This means that out of the 24,000 tests, approximately 1,000 homes had lead exceeding federal standards. Experts and locals say these results raise broader concerns, because there are an estimated 400,000 lead pipes supplying water to homes in the city, and the vast majority were not tested as part of the program.”
This Miracle Plant Was Eaten Into Extinction 2,000 Years Ago — Or Was It? (Mili)
From National Geographic: “Silphion cured diseases and made food tasty, but Emperor Nero allegedly consumed the last stalk. Now, a Turkish researcher thinks he’s found a botanical survivor.”
