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The Medical Secrets We Can Learn From Apes, Birds, and Butterflies (Maria)
The author writes, “Primates eat bitter bark to kill parasites, while sparrows use cigarette butts to keep ticks off their chicks. Could the wisdom of wildlife be the next frontier in medicine? … Dr. Jaap de Roode of Emory University points out that our knowledge of medicine probably began as mimicry — by observing and copying animal teachers. And today, a greater understanding of how other animals use natural medicines may in turn help us to find new cures for human diseases.”
‘You’re Here Because of Your Tattoos’(Dana)
From Mother Jones: “Mother Jones has spoken with friends, family members, and lawyers of ten men sent to El Salvador by the Trump administration based on allegations that they are members of the Venezuelan organized crime group Tren de Aragua. All of them say their relatives have tattoos and believe that is why their loved ones were targeted. But they vigorously reject the idea that their sons, brothers, and husbands have anything to do with Tren de Aragua, which the Trump administration recently labeled a foreign terrorist organization. The families have substantiated those assertions to Mother Jones, including — in many cases — by providing official documents attesting to their relatives’ lack of criminal histories in Venezuela. Such evidence might have persuaded US judges that the men were not part of any criminal organization had the Trump administration not deliberately deprived them of due process.”
Trump Order Could Disenfranchise Millions of Voters (Sean)
From Democracy Docket: “President Donald Trump signed a sweeping order Tuesday that, if it stands, would vastly expand the executive branch’s power over federal elections and could potentially disenfranchise millions. The move is certain to be swiftly challenged in court. The order attempts to wrest control from the states, which are primarily responsible for regulating and administering elections for federal office, while punishing states that do not comply. It also attempts to make registering to vote more difficult.”
Government for Sale (Al)
The author writes, “Donald Trump has wasted no time smashing the foundation of America’s non-partisan civil service. Working hand-in-hand with Elon Musk and other loyalists, Trump is dismantling the professional expertise that once defined federal agencies. His goal? A return to political patronage — a 21st-century spoils system where loyalty trumps competence and government serves the few rather than the many.”
‘Our People Are Hungry’: What Federal Food Aid Cuts Mean in a Warming World (Laura)
From Grist: “The USDA’s decision to cut $1 billion worth of food aid is causing layoffs, supply shortfalls, and the end of donations at charitable groups across the country — all as hunger continues to climb.”
Canadians Sign Up for 1,461-Pack of Beer to Get Through Trump’s Term (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “The country has been on edge since November, when United States President Donald Trump began threatening to impose tariffs on Canadian goods and started calling for Canada to become the 51st state — through ‘economic force’ if necessary. These pressures prompted Moosehead Breweries Ltd., the country’s oldest independent beermaker, to unveil a specialty product: a pack of 1,461 beer cans, one for each day of Trump’s presidency. The first one sold within 11 minutes of the product’s launch, and more than 400 prospective buyers are now on a wait list.”
