SUMMARY: A rainbow-painted crosswalk at the Pulse nightclub memorial in Orlando was removed overnight following a directive from the Trump administration. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urged governors to eliminate political messages from public roads, emphasizing taxpayer funds should focus on safety. Installed in 2017 to honor the 49 victims of the 2016 shooting and symbolize LGBTQ pride, the crosswalk’s removal sparked criticism. Orlando officials, including Mayor Buddy Dyer and Commissioner Patty Sheehan, called the action political and insensitive, highlighting the crosswalk’s role in safety and remembrance. The permanent Pulse memorial recently received $400,000 in state funding.

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SUMMARY: A new scientific analysis by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has identified four distinct giraffe species across Africa: Northern, reticulated, Masai, and Southern giraffes. Previously considered a single species, genetic and anatomical research now reveals key differences, including skull shape. This reclassification is crucial for tailored conservation, as each species faces unique threats such as poaching, habitat loss, and political instability. Northern giraffes, the most endangered, number about 7,000, while Southern giraffes are the most populous with around 69,000. Advanced genetic sequencing has facilitated this research, emphasizing the need to protect giraffes individually.

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SUMMARY: A federal appeals court has temporarily halted a lower court’s order protecting 60,000 migrants from Central America and Nepal under Temporary Protected Status (TPS), allowing the Trump administration to proceed with removing about 7,000 Nepalis and tens of thousands from Honduras and Nicaragua as their TPS expires. The 9th Circuit granted an emergency stay amid legal challenges claiming the administration unlawfully ended TPS without proper review of country conditions. TPS shields migrants from deportation due to unsafe conditions in their homelands. Critics argue the administration’s actions target long-term residents and violate legal standards, while officials maintain TPS was misused as de facto asylum.

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