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What a Hoot! Owl Sightings Take Off in London (Maria)
The author writes, “It is dusk, a short walk from the big Ikea [not far from London], and a barn owl is emerging from its nest to hunt. In the fading light, the male owl sits on a fence post to survey the rough grass below. He has a busy evening ahead: he is responsible for feeding a roosting female for the next few weeks while she cares for their chicks. … Owl sightings have risen sharply in London, monitoring data shows, with residents increasingly seeing the birds in green areas and gardens. There were just 25 barn owl sightings in 2010, but 347 a decade later.”
The ICE Policy That Set Off Chaos in LA (Dana)
From Mother Jones: “The chaos that unfolded in Los Angeles over the weekend was sparked by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids at workplaces, a controversial policy that seems designed to appease the Trump administration’s desire to increase the number of deportations at all costs. The policy to raid workplaces, reportedly pushed by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and other top Trump administration officials, comes as ICE has tried to increase its deportation numbers. ‘Stephen Miller wants everybody arrested. “Why aren’t you at Home Depot? Why aren’t you at 7-Eleven?”’ one ICE official told the Washington Examiner last month. White House Border Czar Tom Homan has also told reporters: ‘You’re going to see more work site enforcement than you’ve ever seen in the history of this nation. We’re going to flood the zone.’”
Carbon Footprint of Israel’s War on Gaza Exceeds That of Many Entire Countries (Laura)
The author writes, “The carbon footprint of the first 15 months of Israel’s war on Gaza will be greater than the annual planet-warming emissions of a hundred individual countries, exacerbating the global climate emergency on top of the huge civilian death toll, new research reveals. A study shared exclusively with the Guardian found the long-term climate cost of destroying, clearing, and rebuilding Gaza could top 31m tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e). This is more than the combined 2023 annual greenhouse gases emitted by Costa Rica and Estonia, yet there is no obligation for states to report military emissions to the UN climate body. Israel’s relentless bombardment, blockade, and refusal to comply with international court rulings has underscored the asymmetry of each side’s war machine.”
Trump Once Opened the Door to the LGBTQ+ Community. Now Activists Say He’s Their Top Threat (Reader Steve)
From the AP: “When he first ran for office, Donald Trump appeared to be a new kind of Republican when it came to gay rights. Years earlier, he overturned the rules of his own Miss Universe pageant to allow a transgender contestant to compete. He said Caitlyn Jenner could use any bathroom at Trump Tower that she wanted. And he was the first president to name an openly gay person to a Cabinet-level position. But since returning to office this year, Trump has engaged in what activists say is an unprecedented assault on the LGBTQ+ community. The threat from the White House contrasts with World Pride celebrations taking place just blocks away in Washington, including a parade and rally this weekend.”
The Great MAGA Crack-Up (Bethany)
The author writes, “Light a candle, melt it in a spoon, inject it directly into my veins. Finally — finally — this fragile, doomed alliance is splitting apart. I don’t just mean the one between Musk and Trump. The MAGA movement itself is splintering, and has been for quite some time. They’ve presented a united front in the face of the hated Liberal enemy, but they’ve won a lot of battles and the urgency is fading. With (tenuous) control over all three branches of government, MAGA can do (almost) whatever it wants, which in some ways is the worst thing that could happen to them. The factions within MAGA have incompatible worldviews and want VERY different things, they’ve all convinced themselves that Trump is secretly on their side, and — surprise! — this is almost universally not the case. The cracks began to show weeks ago, and now the foundation is crumbling before our eyes.”
Ancient DNA Reveals Mysterious Indigenous Group From Colombia That Disappeared 2,000 Years Ago (Sean)
From LiveScience: “A new analysis of ancient DNA from hunter-gatherers who lived millennia to centuries ago has revealed a previously unknown genetic lineage of humans who lived in what is now Colombia. People of this lineage lived near present-day Bogotá around 6,000 years ago but disappeared around 4,000 years later, according to a study published May 28 in the journal Science Advances. The findings could shed light on major cultural changes that occurred during that time. It’s thought that the first Americans journeyed along the Bering Land Bridge from Asia during the last ice age and arrived in North America at least 23,000 years ago, according to trackways found at White Sands National Park in New Mexico. It’s still debated when the first people arrived in South America.”
