Good morning. This is Shades of the Day, bringing you different shades of perspective in news and culture so that you can see the big picture quickly.

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It’s Thursday, April 25 — here’s what you’ll find in today’s newsletter:

• The TikTok ban

• A new high-speed rail line from LA to Vegas

• 4 quick hits of news from the last 24 hours

- Jeff (co-founder of Shades)

📱 The TikTok ban

📱 The Verge: Biden signed a bill that bans Tiktok or forces ByteDance to sell it within nine months. ByteDance has nine months to sell, but it'll probably sue.

📱 What would a Tiktok ban look like for users? AP News says India banned Tiktok in 2020 — and users pivoted to using Youtube Shorts and Instagram Reels.

📱 Hot Air thinks the legislation is for the best: It's a strategic move against CCP control. Legal battles may delay the ban, but the move marks start of pushback against Chinese influence.

📱 Still, Time Magazine notes that the ban faces many legal hurdles: Some say it's unconstitutional, and TikTok has promised to push back.

🚄 New high-speed rail

🚄 New Scientist: A high speed rail line from LA to Vegas broke ground. It's called Brightline West, and it could create a precedent for high speed rail in the US.

🚄 Scientific American says no way. High-speed rail isn't viable in the US due to outdated infrastructure and policy hurdles.

🚄 Forbes: Well, it's possible, but costs could derail progress. These projects are so expensive.

🚄 GovTech thinks the costs are worth it — it's a huge investment in our future.

🚄 Smartcitiesdive.com agrees. High speed rail is the future — it'll connect us all so much better!

4️⃣ Quick hits

📚 UK edition of Rebel Wilson's memoir redacts allegations against Sacha Baron Cohen for legal reasons.

🇮🇱 Video of Israeli-American captive in Gaza ignites protests against Netanyahu's efforts to secure releases.

🌍 Biden administration finalizes rules to significantly reduce pollution from power plants, marking a major climate action.

🏈 The first round of the 2024 NFL draft kicks off tonight, with speculation on top picks and potential surprises.