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Incredible Wildlife Highlighted to Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday (Maria)

The author writes, “To celebrate America’s 250th birthday, we at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are highlighting the incredible wildlife that calls this beautiful country home. From American icons to subtle specialists, join us as we highlight seven species each week.”

The Murky Plan That Ensures a Future War (Dana)

From The Atlantic: “The 28-point peace plan that the United States and Russia want to impose on Ukraine and Europe is misnamed. It is not a peace plan. It is a proposal that weakens Ukraine and divides America from Europe, preparing the way for a larger war in the future. In the meantime, it benefits unnamed Russian and American investors, at the expense of everyone else.”

Why Isn’t Anyone Stopping ICE? (Gerry)

The author writes, “‘Why is no one doing anything about ICE?’ is the question I’m most frequently asked when people find out I’m a constitutional law professor. They’re not wrong to ask. In the 10 months of President Donald Trump’s administration running roughshod over the Constitution and federal law, nothing has been more upsetting to our collective understanding of how America works than masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers roaming the streets and grabbing people on suspicion that they are undocumented. Operating without warrants or identification and prepared to arrest bystanders whom they deem to be interfering, ICE personnel have brought into reality a scenario that until now would have been dismissed as fantasy — or at least as something that could never happen here.”

Rights ‘Undone’: North Idaho City Repeals Ban on Discrimination (Reader Steve)

From the Idaho Statesman: “After hours of heated testimony and debate, Sandpoint’s City Council voted to repeal the city’s rules protecting residents and visitors from discrimination. The city was the first of 13 in Idaho to pass an ordinance barring discrimination, said Nicole Erwin, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates. Its decision Wednesday marked the first time an Idaho city has dialed back such an ordinance, she said.”

National Parks in Retrograde: Will NPS Rewrite US History Under Trump? (Laura)

From  E&E News: “President Donald Trump earlier this year ordered that museums and national parks should search out and eliminate depictions of U.S. history that emphasize too much the sins of the past. It’s sparked a fresh debate about what kind of narratives about the United States should be told by the agency that tends the most treasured landscapes in the country. And it raised the possibility that once again much of U.S. history will not be found at national parks.”

Cocoa Supplements Show Surprising Anti-Aging Potential (Mili)

The author writes, “Could cocoa extract supplements rich in cocoa flavanols reduce inflammation and, in turn, prevent age-related chronic diseases? In a new study from the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS), investigators from Mass General Brigham and their colleagues looked at changes in five age-related markers of inflammation among participants who received daily cocoa supplements over several years. They found that hsCRP — an inflammatory marker that can signal increased risk of cardiovascular disease — decreased in participants taking the cocoa extract supplement, suggesting its anti-inflammatory potential may help explain its heart-protective effects.”

Our Solar System Is Moving Faster Than Expected (Sean)

The authors write, “How fast and in which direction is our solar system moving through the universe? This seemingly simple question is one of the key tests of our cosmological understanding. A research team led by astrophysicist Lukas Böhme at Bielefeld University has now found new answers, ones that challenge the established standard model of cosmology.”