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Most people celebrating their 40th anniversary might opt for a cruise or a beach getaway \u2014 but for South African couple Marius and Michelle Nortje, nothing beats a trip to the wild.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Their love story, already four decades strong, was about to take an unforgettable turn deep inside Kruger National Park.<\/strong><\/p>\n What started as a routine drive turned into a moment the couple \u2014 and soon the internet \u2014 would never forget.<\/p>\n \u201cWe go at least once a year, but sometimes as much as four times,\u201d Marius said in an interview with The Citizen.<\/p>\n But during their anniversary trip this past December, something extraordinary emerged from the bush: three giraffes. And one of them was unlike anything Marius, a seasoned wildlife photographer, had ever seen.<\/p>\n \u201cWe couldn\u2019t find [the lions] on the tar road and turned off on a gravel road when we first saw one and then two giraffes emerging from the bush. When the third of the herd became visible, we saw strange growths all over her body,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n Acting fast, Marius captured the giraffe on camera and later shared the images on Facebook, where they quickly stirred both curiosity and concern.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople wondered if she was in pain,\u201d he said. \u201cHowever, she was grazing peacefully, and it didn\u2019t seem to bother her, although it appeared painful.\u201d<\/p>\n He also tagged the South African National Parks (SANParks) in his post to raise awareness, but as of the time of the interview, hadn\u2019t yet received a response.<\/p>\n The giraffe\u2019s photos gained even more traction after being picked up by WorldWide Vets, an international animal welfare organization. According to Dr. Gemna Campling, founder and director of the organization, the giraffe is suffering from a condition caused by papillomavirus.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are many types of papillomavirus, each affecting a specific species. However, the cow variation (Bovine Papillomavirus or BPV) is believed to affect this giraffe,\u201d Dr. Campling explained.<\/p>\n She said the virus is spread through direct contact \u2014 in this case, likely via oxpecker birds.<\/p>\n \u201cIn this instance, it is assumed that oxpecker birds, landing on the giraffe and pecking at their naturally occurring parasites, spread the disease from one animal to the other. In this case, the whole herd is normal apart from this one animal, as was the case when this disease had been spotted previously.\u201d<\/p>\n While the disease may look shocking, it isn\u2019t deadly.<\/p>\n \u201cMany cases of BPV are self-limiting and can heal with the animal recovering completely,\u201d Dr. Campling said. \u201cThere is no treatment for this disease in giraffes, and wildlife vets closely monitor the situation. Thankfully, this version cannot be passed on to people, although the Human Papilloma Virus occurs in humans.\u201d<\/p>\n However, Gemma Camping says: \u201dWhilst it is not a life threatening disease, it no doubt causes discomfort when the lumps become as advanced as this.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to say exactly how much pain the giraffe was in, but it\u2019s heartbreaking to think she has to live with this. Despite the noticeable lumps, she was calmly grazing \u2014 seemingly unaffected by her condition. Still, the photos touched many hearts online, sparking a wave of empathy, wonder, and curiosity from thousands of viewers.<\/p>\n For Marius and Michelle, it was a powerful reminder of why they keep returning to the wild.<\/p>\n Sometimes, the most unforgettable moments come when you\u2019re not looking for them. And sometimes, it takes the lens of one devoted nature lover to remind the world just how resilient \u2014 and vulnerable \u2014 wildlife can be.<\/p>\n The atmosphere at the Congressional Black Caucus\u2019s 54th anniversary was charged,<\/span>\u00a0and Don Lemon wasted no time in diving into the \u201celephant in the room\u201d with Representative Ilhan Omar.<\/p>\n <\/span>\u00a0Their conversation was a raw,<\/span>\u00a0wide-ranging discussion that spanned from the perceived threats against Democrats to the thorny issue of U.<\/span>S.<\/span>\u00a0foreign policy and domestic political violence.<\/span><\/p>\n The interview began with a discussion of the indictment against former FBI Director James Comey,<\/span>\u00a0which Omar immediately characterized as an act of political\u00a0<\/span>\u201crevenge\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0by Donald Trump.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt is a dangerous moment in our country,<\/p>\n <\/span>\u201d Omar stated,<\/span>\u00a0warning that a president ordering the persecution of his adversaries is a \u201cdangerous territory.<\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n When asked if she fears being a target herself\u2014given her outspoken position as a member of \u201cThe Squad\u201d\u2014Omar acknowledged the threat but remained defiant.<\/p>\n <\/span>\u00a0She recounted a list of adversaries,<\/span>\u00a0including herself,<\/span>\u00a0that Trump has previously targeted,<\/span>\u00a0and noted that many members of Congress had immediately thought about getting\u00a0<\/span>legal protection<\/strong>\u00a0the moment Trump was sworn in.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Omar attributed Trump\u2019s particular\u00a0<\/span>\u201cbug up his ass\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0to a deeper prejudice:<\/span>\u00a0\u201cI think he has that for\u00a0<\/span>Black people<\/strong>,<\/span>\u201d she asserted,<\/span>\u00a0pointing to his attacks on her colleague,<\/span>\u00a0Jasmine Crockett.<\/span>\u00a0She characterized Trump\u2019s vitriol as a reaction to seeing an intelligent Black woman command respect,<\/span>\u00a0but concluded with a powerful counterpoint:<\/span>\u00a0\u201cHe doesn\u2019t understand that you can\u2019t really like bully a Black woman,<\/span>\u00a0right?<\/span>\u00a0We\u2019re built different<\/strong>.<\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n She then laughed off Trump\u2019s recent false claim that the President of Somalia wanted to take her \u201cback\u201d to Somalia,<\/span>\u00a0calling it \u201chilarious\u201d and \u201cdisrespectful,<\/span>\u201d and firmly reminding the former President that she is a\u00a0<\/span>\u201ccitizen of the United States\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0and a\u00a0<\/span>\u201cmember of Congress.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n The conversation shifted to the contentious issue of political violence,<\/span>\u00a0where Omar vehemently rejected the right\u2019s narrative that it\u2019s a left-wing problem.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe know\u00a0<\/span>statistically<\/strong>\u2026<\/span>\u00a0it is\u00a0<\/span>overwhelmingly on the right<\/strong>,<\/span>\u201d Omar said,<\/span>\u00a0citing non-partisan organizations.<\/span>\u00a0She pointed out that mass shootings and attacks on churches,<\/span>\u00a0mosques,<\/span>\u00a0and synagogues have been a \u201cvery like\u00a0<\/span>white supremist concentrated<\/strong>\u00a0effort.<\/span>\u201d She argued that the right pushes the left-wing violence narrative to justify going after progressive organizations.<\/span><\/p>\n When asked why Republicans are so hesitant to \u201cface the facts\u201d about the domestic terror threat from white men,<\/span>\u00a0Omar suggested it\u2019s an effort to avoid addressing a fundamental problem within their own base.<\/span>\u00a0She referenced a comment by the Governor of Utah who had prayed for the perpetrator of a tragedy to be a non-local or a person of color,<\/span>\u00a0emphasizing that it\u2019s \u201chard for them to face the fact that there is something wrong\u2026<\/span>\u00a0They rather focus on you.<\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n Omar was uncompromising in her stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict,<\/span>\u00a0declaring it a\u00a0<\/span>genocide<\/strong>\u2014a word she said she used early on based on the statements and actions of Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s cabinet.<\/span><\/p>\n She reiterated her long-held belief that the U.<\/span>S.<\/span>\u00a0should\u00a0<\/span>stop using tax dollars to send weapons<\/strong>\u00a0that are used to \u201ckill innocent people\u201d and commit \u201cwar crimes.<\/span>\u201d Furthermore,<\/span>\u00a0she slammed the U.<\/span>S.<\/span>\u00a0for providing Israel with\u00a0<\/span>\u201cimpunity\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0on the international stage by blocking accountability from the ICC,<\/span>\u00a0ICJ,<\/span>\u00a0and the UN Security Council.<\/span><\/p>\n Omar revealed a\u00a0<\/span>\u201chuge huge difference\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0between what her colleagues say in public and what they admit privately.<\/span>\u00a0Many express fear of\u00a0<\/span>AIPAC<\/strong>\u00a0(American Israel Public Affairs Committee),<\/span>\u00a0worried about being stripped of funding or being primaried with AIPAC-backed resources.<\/span>\u00a0She argued that members should trust their constituents,<\/span>\u00a0reminding them that she herself was outspent 4-to-1 in her 2020 primary\u2014the most expensive in Congressional history\u2014but still won by 20 points because her constituents preferred domestic spending on healthcare and education over foreign military aid.<\/span><\/p>\n Regarding the inevitable accusation of\u00a0<\/span>anti-Semitism<\/strong>\u00a0for her criticism,<\/span>\u00a0Omar strongly denied it,<\/span>\u00a0clarifying:<\/span>\u00a0\u201cMy problem is with the Israeli government and the\u2026 occupation, the Nakba, the apartheid, the genocide.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n On the topic of the First Amendment,<\/span>\u00a0Omar expressed concern that it is \u201cclearly being threatened,<\/span>\u201d but also noted that the public lacks a full understanding of what those freedoms mean.<\/span>\u00a0She emphasized that the First Amendment protects citizens\u00a0<\/span>from the government<\/strong>,<\/span>\u00a0not from public pressure.<\/span><\/p>\n She voiced her frustration with the government itself overstepping this boundary,<\/span>\u00a0citing an instance where the FCC Chair,<\/span>\u00a0with direction from the president,<\/span>\u00a0threatened to not renew a license unless a broadcaster was taken off the air\u2014a clear First Amendment violation.<\/span>\u00a0This concern led her to vote for the creation of a subcommittee to fight the\u00a0<\/span>weaponization of government<\/strong>,<\/span>\u00a0an idea she fundamentally agreed with.<\/span><\/p>\n Play video:<\/p>\n Looking ahead to the potential for a second Trump term,<\/span>\u00a0Omar believes he is\u00a0<\/span>\u201cmuch more unhinged\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0this time,<\/span>\u00a0and is surrounded by more\u00a0<\/span>\u201csick fans\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0willing to carry out his will.<\/span>\u00a0When asked if Trump\u2019s behavior is political,<\/span>\u00a0she scoffed:<\/span>\u00a0\u201cOh god no\u2026<\/span>\u00a0he should have had therapy long ago.<\/span>\u00a0Obviously, he\u2019s struggling with a lot of things.\u201d<\/p>\n She ended the interview by affirming her commitment to speaking her truth, a right that is part of the First Amendment, and her refusal to be bullied into\u00a0\u201ccomplacency\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0or to\u00a0\u201cdishonor who I am and what I stand for\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0just to make her adversaries comfortable.<\/p>\n The exchange highlights the immense pressure and the moral dilemmas facing progressive members of Congress today. How effective do you think this kind of public pressure and political risk-taking is in shaping U.S. foreign policy over the long term?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Most people celebrating their 40th anniversary might opt for a cruise or a beach getaway \u2014 but for South African couple Marius and Michelle Nortje, nothing beats a trip to the wild….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11669,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11670","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n