The official story is that northern Iraq is at peace. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) has largely been defeated; the Iraqi Army and its allies are in charge. But for Christians, the persecution continues.
Those who can are getting out. Those who stay are preparing themselves for more violence. "Things are bad more than any other time," Fr Behnam Benoka tells me at his church in Bartella, a ghost town protected, if that’s the right word, by soldiers with Kalashnikovs. "It’s harder even than before Isil."
Isil was a nightmare, the worst one can possibly imagine. But Christians say that having left their homes to escape Sunni fundamentalism, they’ve returned to find their lands are…
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A Indian former bartender was sentenced on Friday to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting and killing British teenager Scarlett Keeling on a beach in Goa in 2008.
Scarlett’s mother, Fiona MacKeown, 55, said she felt “relieved” and it was a “kind of closure” after waiting 11 years for justice.
The Bombay High Court at Goa sentenced Samson D’Souza, 39, after convicting him on Wednesday of administering drugs to 15-year-old Scarlett, sexual assault, culpable homicide and destruction of evidence.
He had previously been acquitted of the crime along another man.
Scarlett’s body was found on Anjuna beach in Goa in February 2008. At the time D’Souza was a 28-year-old bartender at Luis’ Shack, but he has since become a scuba diving instructor.
Local police initially said Scarlett Keeling had drowned accidentally after taking drugs but her mother pushed for a second autopsy which revealed she had been raped and murderedCredit:
Reuters
“It is rigorous imprisonment which is what I really wanted. I think it means he has to do eight hours’ hard labour a day. He should have been given life because he took her life,” Miss Mackeown told The Telegraph from her home near Bideford in Devon.
“I don’t know if he will stay in prison that long. I am aware he can appeal.”
On Wednesday night she celebrated D’Souza’s conviction with two bottles of champagne surrounded by her seven children. Her eldest son killed himself with an overdose in 2016. “He never got over Scarlett dying,” she said.
“I am starting to feel relieved this could be the end of it. I never knew anything would come of it. To have a result is good. I am glad he is going to suffer a bit as we have done,” she said.
Police initially dismissed the teenager’s death as an accidental drowning but opened a murder investigation after her mother pushed for a second autopsy which proved she had been drugged and raped.
The case was taken over by federal police who accused D’Souza and the second man of plying Scarlett with a cocktail of drink and illegal drugs, including cocaine, before leaving her to die by dumping her unconscious in shallow water where she drowned.
Samson D'Souza had previously been acquitted of the crime along with another manCredit:
Indranil Mukherjee/AFP
Scarlett’s mother still wants to know the full truth about her death. “He gave her LSD, cocaine and ecstasy and tried to have sex with her, then pushed her face in the water. But I don’t know exactly what happened and my final request is to know: why did he end up killing her?”
Miss MacKeown, who milks cows for a living, has racked up thousands of pounds in credit card debt travelling back and forth to India for the court cases.
“I wanted to go for the sentencing but I did not have enough notice. There are only two buses a day where I live. Whilst this is good news, it does not take away the fact the Goa police are so corrupt and are not investigating these crimes properly. There are many other families whose relatives have been killed on holiday in Goa still fighting for justice.”
Several other foreigners have been murdered in Goa over the past decade.
In March 2017, the naked body of a 28-year-old Irish woman was found dumped near a tourist hotspot, and a local guide was later arrested for her rape and murder.
The crown prince of Saudi Arabia is planning a futuristic £400 billion desert city where residents can visit glow-in-the-dark beaches, watch cage fighting robots, and drink alcohol – unlike in the rest of the conservative Muslim country.
Leaked documents reveal the vast, and some may say unrealistic, ambitions of Mohammed bin Salman for Neom, a city larger than Wales and spread across the northwest desert of Saudi Arabia.
US consultants drew up 2,300 pages of plans to try to satisfy Crown Prince Mohammed’s vision, sometimes filling in the gaps with technologies that have not yet been invented, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Alcohol may be allowed in Neom, a stark contrast to the rest of the conservative kingdom where alcohol is forbidden and women are unable to travel without permission from a male guardian.
The planning documents, which may not represent the final plan, imagines bringing rain to the desert through “cloud seeding”, the process of firing dust particles into the air to encourage precipitation.
It suggests that residents may pay pass the time by watching “robo-cage fights”, where humanoids would fight each other for the amusement of the crowd. Meanwhile, other robots would tidy houses.
Neom is the ambition of Mohammed bin SalmanCredit:
Victoria Jones/PA Wire
Crown Prince Mohammed has reportedly taken a special interest in a proposal for “Silver Beach”, where the sand would glow like the face of a watch. Engineers are said to be uncertain how to carry out the prince’s wishes without endangering beachgoers’ safety.
Other features, or follies, reportedly include a Jurassic Park-style island of animatronic dinosaurs and an enormous artificial moon that would light up every night.
Security in the city will be maintained by a vast surveillance network of cameras, drones and facial recognition technology.
The plans acknowledge that local bedouin tribes would likely have to be forced off their land to make the project work.
A US law firm was reportedly tasked with creating a courts system that would be separate from the rest of Saudi Arabia but whose judges would still report directly to the king.
The Saudi government did not respond to requests for comment about the plans.
After years of being pilfered by tourists from the silky strands of Sardinia, a small mountain of sand has been returned to the island’s beaches.
Sardinia has suffered for years from the pillaging of its sand, with visitors filling plastic bottles and bags and trying to sneak them home.
The island has got wise to the phenomenon in recent years and airport officials are constantly on the lookout for shifty-looking travellers who have helped themselves to sand and pretty pebbles as a souvenir rather than plumping for the more traditional t-shirt, fridge magnet or novelty bottle of liqueur.
Seizures have been frequent and a recent tally found that no less than 10 tons of sand and pebbles were languishing in store rooms at Olbia airport on the famed Emerald Coast or Costa Smeralda, in the north of the island.
The sand has now been returned to two locations – the beach of Porto San Paolo near Olbia and the picturesque island of Tavolara, both in the north of Sardinia.
The theft of sand from Sardinia's beaches has been a problem for yearsCredit:
Luca Picciau/Getty
“A few months ago we got a call from Olbia airport to say that in their storerooms they had a large quantity of sand, pebbles and shells which had been found in tourists’ luggage over the years,” said Augusto Navone, the head of a marine reserve around the island of Tavolara.
“We were amazed to find there was 10 tons of the stuff. It gives you an idea of how much sand is being stolen by people who don’t think about the impact on the environment,” he told Corriere della Sera newspaper.
Six tons of the sand were sent to the beach of Porto San Paolo and the rest to a beach on Tavolara.
Sardinia has launched information campaigns to dissuade tourists from pillaging its beaches. It also has heavy penalties in place – tourists can be fined between €500 and €3,000.
WWF, the conservation organisation, has also weighed in, distributing posters showing a woman lifting a handful of sand under the slogan “Beach thieves – taking sand is theft”.
WWF ran a campaign against the theft of sand from Sardinia's pristine beaches
There is a Facebook page dedicated to the phenomenon called “Sardegna Rubata e Depredata” or Sardinia – Stolen and Plundered from.
Ferry companies, which bring around six million visitors to Sardinia each year, are being urged to tell passengers not to swipe the island’s sand and shells.
There are also plans to install plastic boxes in airport arrival halls where tourists can deposit their sand voluntarily before having it forcibly confiscated.
It is the variety of sand that appears to tempt tourists – while some beaches in Sardinia boast white sand reminiscent of the South Pacific, others have grains of a distinctive pink hue.
The message is still not getting through to some visitors, however.
Just last week a Spanish family were found to have filled eight half-litre plastic bottles with sand filched from a beach at Cala Mariolu in the north of the island.
When challenged by the boatman who had taken them to the remote beach, the family said they wanted the sand for their fish aquarium at home. They eventually handed it over.
Paolo Manca, the president of Sardinia’s hoteliers’ association, said the island’s beaches and natural beauty were its “calling card” and needed to be protected.
“We need to make visitors aware that the natural habitat of the coast has been formed over thousands of years and needs to be preserved for future generations,” he said.
ACROSS AMERICA — Activist Greta Thunberg spoke in Battery Park in New York City around 5 p.m. to cap off a day of worldwide protests calling for climate justice. The 16 year old Swedish environmentalist was one of the main organizers of the massive event.
In an effort to draw greater attention to the global climate crisis, Americans across the nation are walking out of their schools and places of work to demand an end to fossil fuels and reductions in corporate pollution and environmental destruction.
The climate protests are scheduled to take place from today until Sept. 27, and the multi-day event is expected to be one of the largest environmental protests ever.
The international protest comes days before the United Nations Climate Action Summit taking place on Sept. 23 in New York City, where leaders from government, business, and civil society are expected to address the global climate emergency.
Millions of people walked out of their schools, workplaces, and homes in solidarity, and gathered together in hundreds of events across the U.S.
The protests in Silver Spring, Maryland, got a holy addition this morning, as a group of nuns from The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas joined in on the local walkout, before heading into Washington D.C. “Caring for Earth is one of our 5 Critical Concerns and we have been inspired as youth around the world have been standing up to take action,” a spokesperson said.
The climate strike in New York City was one of the largest, with students leading the charge through the Big Apple streets. The city’s 1.1 million students were allowed to skip school today to join the strike without being penalized.
Along with New York City, Washington D.C. had one of the biggest turnouts in the country, as young activists descended on John Marshall Park before marching to Capitol Hill.
Here’s a roundup of what the protests across the U.S. looked like.
WWE Superstar Lacey Evans was recently interviewed by The Peoria Journal Star on a number of topics related to her transition to The WWE. During the interview, Evans was asked about how her time with The US Marine Corps prepared her for the stress of being a sports entertainer with WWE. She had this to say:
“It takes a lot of nerves to be a sports entertainer and to be in front of those big crowds. The military and the Marine Corps prepared me to be numb to the stress,” said Evans, who was a military police officer and a special response officer with the Corps.
Evans then talked about her experience in The 30-Woman Royal Rumble Match and she called it nerve wracking. She said, “It was nerve wracking. I was the first one out, and even had a promo,” Evans said of the experience. “It was so much fun. It had a huge crowd, and what an experience.”
Evans will be facing Nikki Cross at Saturday’s Live Event in Peoria, IL. When asked about Cross, Evans said that she is the classiest Superstar ever in WWE. She said, “She’s (Cross) is full of chaos and has no discipline. She’s insane. There’s no telling what she will do. We are such polar opposites. I’m the classiest superstar ever in the WWE.”
The article also revealed that Evans brings her 6 year old daughter Summer on the road with her. Evans, who is married, says that WWE is terrific family entertainment, as seen in her comments below:
“She travels to almost every show with me and my husband,” Evans said. “She tells everyone who will listen that her mother is in the WWE. They are my biggest supporters.”
Now that fall has officially arrived, it’s starting to look like it with foliage at or near the peak of beauty in many parts of the United States. And it’s going to feel like it, too, with weather forecasters calling for temperatures to plunge in many areas of the country in October.
Trees in much of the northern United States are ablaze with stunning scarlet, vibrant orange and sunny yellow leaves. Colorado’s ash trees appear touched in gold. And if you’re planning a trip anywhere in New Mexico, Wyoming or Montana, be prepared to be amazed, according to an interactive tool that helps travelers time their fall foliage tours with accuracy and precision.
That’s according to the an interactive tool developed by Smokymountains.com, a cabin rental site, to help visitors plan their trips to the Great Smoky Mountains. The tool uses using hundreds of thousands of data points from private and government sources, including historical and forecasted temperatures and precipitation data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, historical leaf peak trends and peak observation trends.
Fall Foliage Prediction Map
In some parts of the country, grab your winter gear if you’re planning to ogle autumn’s glory. But in other parts of the country, pack shorts and tees.
Montanans in the northwest part of the state are already digging out from a fierce early fall snowstorm that dropped several feet of snow. The eastern half of the country isn’t expected to be similarly walloped anytime soon, but AccuWeather expects October temperatures to plunge.
Some areas in upstate New York and northern New England have already seen frost and freezing temperatures and could see overnight lows in the teens by the weekend, AccuWeather said.
Paul Pastelok, the site’s top long-range forecaster, said much of the interior Northeast is expected to see the lowest temperatures of the season “and the likelihood of widespread frost” this weekend after a September that ranged about 2 to 6 degrees above normal.
The valleys of the central Appalacians could see overnight lows in the 20s and suburbs in the region could experience lows in the mid-30s to the lower 40s, according to AccuWeather.
AccuWeather predicts above-normal temperatures in much of the western United States, but said temperatures are expected to be much colder in an area from Minnesota and Iowa to the Eastern Seaboard and as far south as Kentucky and Virginia.
The Fall Foliage Prediction Map helps leaf lovers pinpoint the best dates for a visit.
“The predictive fall leaf map helps potential travelers, photographers and leaf peepers determine the precise future date that the leaves will peak in each area of the continental United States. By utilizing the date selector at the bottom of the map, the user can visually understand how fall will progress over a region,” data scientist Wes Melton, the website’s chief technical officer, said in a statement.
“We believe this interactive tool will enable travelers to take more meaningful fall vacations, capture beautiful fall photos and enjoy the natural beauty of autumn,” he said. “Our nationwide fall foliage prediction map is unique — it is one of the only fall leaf tools that provides accurate predictions for the entire continental United States.”
On last week’s episode of Monday Night Raw, Kurt Angle announced that he will be competing in his last ever match at WrestleMania 35. Several wrestlers have made it clear that they would love to take on the WWE Hall of Famer during the event this year, and one of those individuals is Shelton Benjamin. Angle and Benjamin, along with former WWE Superstar Charlie Haas, made up the Team Angle stable back in the day, so there is a lot of history between these two men. For what it’s worth, Angle informed Benjamin on Twitter that he would have no problem with him being his final opponent. It has already been confirmed that Kurt Angle will announce his WrestleMania 35 opponent during Raw tomorrow night.
Wrestlmania , guaranteed instant classic, and WRRRRESTLING!!!! I’m Game. It’s true. Let’s make it happen. #TEAMANGLE exclusive!! https://t.co/mBxziEJPjp
— Shelton J. Benjamin (@Sheltyb803) March 16, 2019
I’m game!!!!
— Kurt Angle (@RealKurtAngle) March 17, 2019
It may seem strange, but steel chairs, kendo sticks, and trashcans are common weapons that are used in pro wrestling matches. However, there have been some truly strange objects that have been used in matches over the years. WWE has decided to shine a spotlight on some of the weirdest objects that have been used as weapons by uploading a top ten list on the matter. Whether it’s John Cena using duct tape or Al Snow hurting his opponent with a bowling ball, there is a diverse list of options for the company to choose from for this list. WWE ended up narrowing it down to just ten choices though. For those interested in seeing what the company chose, the full YouTube video has been posted down below:
The WWE Network has always got new programs and additions on the way. What will be added to the network this week? According to PWInsider, a new episode of Photo Shoot will premiere as soon as Raw goes off the air tomorrow night, and it will feature Natalya discussing moments in her career. Tuesday will see a new episode of 205 Live premiere, then NXT UK and NXT will air on Wednesday. On Friday, a new episode of This Week in WWE will be airing on the network. Finally, some classic content will be shown next Sunday when WWF Superstars from August 29th, 1992 airs. This episode includes Bret Hart, Ric Flair, Tatanka, Rick Martel, and more all in action. It begins with tomorrow’s episode of Photo Shoot.
NEW YORK — Manhattan prosecutors revealed a dozen new sex-abuse allegations against Cuba Gooding Jr. as the actor pleaded not guilty to groping two women at New York City bars.
The 12 women have accused Gooding of groping and sexually harassing them in five states from 2001 to August of last year, according to a Monday court filing. Gooding touched women’s breasts and buttocks, bit their shoulders and told one to “sit on my face (and) pee in my mouth,” prosecutors said.
Prosecutors want the accusers to testify against Gooding if he faces a trial on four sexual abuse and forcible touching charges stemming from the two groping incidents in October 2018 and June of this year. Gooding pleaded not guilty to the charges Tuesday.
The “Selma” actor’s defense team reportedly has two witnesses who say the touching never happened. Gooding’s lawyer told the Associated Press he’s “absolutely dumbfounded.”
The bevy of new accusations largely took place at bars, restaurants and hotels in California, New York, Las Vegas, New Mexico and Texas, according to Assistant District Attorney Jenna Long’s court filing outlining the incidents.
JAMESTOWN, N.D. — The Cobbers began their season by having 11 wrestlers place in the Top 6 at the Jamestown Open. Concordia was led by freshman Adam Jaeger who won the first-place title in the 157-pound weight class. Jaeger was one of five CC athletes to finish in the Top 3 at the meet.
Jaeger started the day with a workman-like major decision victory in the opening match against a wrestler from Wayne State College. He then came from behind to topple opponents from the University of Mary and Jamestown by scores of 9-4 and 9-7. In the championship match, Jaeger built an early lead over his opponent from Dakota Wesleyan University, only to see the lead disappear as the DWU wrestler used a late takedown to force overtime. Demonstrating the poise of a seasoned wrestler, Jaeger calmly scored a takedown of his own in the sudden victory overtime period to come away with the 7-5 victory.
Also making the finals in his first tournament as a Cobber was freshman heavyweight Noah Carter. Carter exhibited superb patience and mat awareness throughout the day. He earned several takedowns near the out of bounds line and wore down opponents with key ride-outs from the top position. Carter lost in the championship match to a Divison I opponent from North Dakota State but will have gained loads of confidence heading into the second meet of the season.
Senior Ty Johnson, who is a human highlight reel, matched Carter’s runner-up finish by storming into the finals at 149 pounds with several high-flying throws and other upper body attacks. Johnson’s bid for the title came up just short as he fell to a DII opponent from the University of Mary. Johnson finished the day with a 3-1 record and had a pin fall and a major decision.
Joining Jaeger, Carter, and Johnson as place winners were sophomore Alex Skaare and freshman Austin Baker. Both athletes battled hard through grueling five-match days in the 157-pound weight class to reach the fifth-place match. The two shared the fifth spot in the day’s rankings.
Benjamin Bogart and Jacob Prunty both earned a spot on the podium in the 133-pound weight class. Bogart and Prunty both used stingy defense strategies and timely takedowns throughout the tournament. In a testament to the Cobber wrestling team’s philosophy of outworking and out-hustling opponents, Bogart overcame a 4-2 deficit in his opening match and wore down his opponent down with a punishing ride from the top position. Bogart earned two critical stalling points and an additional point for accumulating more than a minute of riding time to secure the 5-4 victory.
Junior Travis Deegan and freshman Kaden Spindler, both wrestling at 165 pounds, earned sixth-place and third-place finishes. Both athletes showed off a tremendous ability to score points in bunches, as Deegan earned all three of his victories by technical fall. Spindler scored in double digits in two victories. He won one match by a major decision and pinned another opponent within the first minute of the match.
Nick Gravdahl fought back from a loss in his first match to overpower his next two opponents on his way to a fifth-place finish in the 174-lb weight class. He went 2-1 on the day.
Rounding out the Top 6 finishers for the Cobbers was freshman Jacob Arends. Arends started his day with a gritty overtime victory. He then overcame a tough loss in the next round to fight back for third place.
Jimmie Open Results
UP NEXT: Concordia will look to build on their solid season debut when they travel to Aberdeen, S.D. to take on Northern State in a dual meet on Thursday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. in the Barnett Center.
Check out Cobber Wrestling at concordiamn.prestosports.com and on Twitter.