It’s official: the Stonewall Inn is the first national monument dedicated to the LGBT movement in the United States.

President Obama officially declared the bar a monument of the National Park Service today. It’s especially significant for it to happen this week, just days before the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and of the marriage equality ruling, as well as during our continued mourning of those lost in Orlando and reflection on the importance of LGBTQ+ spaces. 

The monument covers nearly 8 acres in New York’s Greenwich Village including a landmark gay bar, the Stonewall Inn. In June of 1969, gay patrons at the bar fought back against police persecution — an event that’s widely seen as a watershed in the campaign for LGBT rights.

“Raids like these were nothing new, but this time the patrons had had enough,” Obama said in a White House video announcing the new monument. “So they stood up and spoke out. The riots became protests. The protests became a movement. The movement ultimately became an integral part of America.”

Humpback whales use a special hunting technique known as bubble net feeding. Whales, either individually or in a group, swim in a shrinking circle, blowing bubbles below a school of prey. The shrinking ring of bubbles encircles the school and confines it in an ever-smaller cylinder. The fish trapped in the middle of the bubble net are then eaten in one go as whales rise from below with an open mouth.

Monkey Adopts A Puppy, Defends It From Stray Dogs, And Lets It Eat First

Earlier this month, a rhesus macaque monkey adopted a puppy in Rode, India. After watching the monkey defend the little dog from strays, the locals were so impressed that they set out food for the two unusual companions. To everyone’s surprise, the monkey was so compassionate that it even let the dog eat first!

“People who have seen them spoke of their strong mutual affection and described their bond as the most caring thing in the world — to take care of a puppy in danger and protect him like a parent,” reports Zee News. “Their undying affection gives us a valuable lesson about relationships.” (Source)