Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), called on followers to keep fighting in his first purported message in a year.
In an audio recording released by ISIL’s media outlet al-Furqan Foundation on Wednesday, Baghdadi referred to events that took place this month in the Middle East and elsewhere, including Turkey’s dispute with the United States over its detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson.
The audio was titled Give Glad Tidings to the Patient.
“You have no choice. If you want to live in dignity, then you return to your religion and fighting your enemy,” the Iraqi said, addressing followers in Syria.
“It is not only about carrying weapons, but also … do not accept anything but sharia law and die in order to achieve this,” he added in a 55-minute long message.
“Supporters of the caliphate everywhere, in the media or in the field, we tell you the state is fine,” Baghdadi said, telling supporters not to worry about losing the cities they controlled in Syria and Iraq.
“America is going through the worst time in its entire existence,” he said, adding Russia is competing with the US over regional influence and clout.
Al Jazeera could not independently verify the authenticity of the message.
He also criticised the surrenders of rebels in southern Syria to President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, calling them traitors.
Baghdadi’s last speech was released in September 2017.
In 2014, he proclaimed a “caliphate” in Syria and neighbouring Iraq after his fighters rapidly routed government forces.
‘Absolutely eradicated’
In recent months, ISIL has suffered military setbacks and lost most of its territory in Syria and Iraq, though fighters continue to control pockets in both countries.
Baghdadi’s whereabouts and actual fate remain unknown, with occasional reports suggesting he had been killed. He is believed to be hiding somewhere in the desert that stretches across the Syrian-Iraqi border region.
His son was reportedly killed while fighting Syrian and Russian troops in central Homs province in July.
US President Donald Trump recently said ISIL had been “absolutely eradicated”, but several reports suggest otherwise.
“Despite the damage to bureaucratic structures of the so-called ‘caliphate’, the collective discipline of ISIL is intact,” said a July 27 report commissioned by the UN Security Council. “The general security and finance bureaus of ISIL are intact.”
The Pentagon said in a recent report as many as 17,100 ISIL fighters remain in Iraq and 14,000 in Syria.
The UN estimated of 20,000 to 30,000 ISIL cadres are still in both countries.
There’s no doubt we all love a good binge session.
But with all this amazing content floating around, how do we sift between shows that might illicit a slight chuckle or an intrigued raised eyebrow, from the series we simply can’t tear ourselves away from?
Well, we’ve done the hard research for you (someone’s gotta do it) and it’s safe to say you’ll be back to living on the lounge with corn chip dust in your hair in no time.
All you need to do is sit back, relax, and grab the remote.
1. Bosch
Based on the best-selling books by Michael Connelly – Bosch follows Los Angeles police detective, Harry Bosch (played by Titus Welliver), as he cracks the toughest homicide cases within the department’s ‘Hollywood’ division.
Tackling the seedy underbelly of L.A. isn’t new to Bosch – the poor guy is used to the darker side of life. His mother (a former prostitute) was murdered when he was just a kid, leaving Bosch to spend most of his childhood alone in an orphanage… Annie this ain’t.
Highly bingeable and now well and truly into its fourth season (with a fifth already commissioned and on its way), this is one book-to-screen series that has struck a chord with audiences and crime-lovers throughout the world.
2. Goliath
Created by famed writers and producers David E. Kelley (Ally McBeal and The Practice) and Jonathan Shapiro (Boston Legal), this court-room drama series follows the life of Billy McBridge (Billy Bob Thornton).
A former high-flying professional who was once known as the best trial lawyer in America, a forlorn Billy spends his time chasing ambulances to find work. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
After Billy agrees to follow up and investigate a wrongful death suit by the majorly powerful firm he used to work for (and basically created), things take a turn for the serious. Billy is suddenly faced with the option of exacting revenge or seeking redemption from those who have the power to bring him back up, or slam him back down.
It’s pretty much the biggest on-screen David and Goliath battle since Erin Brockovich.
3. Jack Ryan
Feel like an adrenaline-pumping thriller that will leave you clinging to the edge of your seat during each episode? Well, the universe has provided small-screen action and drama junkies with the ultimate hit.
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan will shake you awake with twists and turns, intrigue and a fast-paced narrative that never seems to slow down.
Ryan (played by the one and only John Krasinski) is living life as your average CIA analyst – that is until he’s recruited for a life-or-death field assignment. You see, Ryan has uncovered a pattern in terrorist communications that could take down America and it’s up to him to find the bad guy and save the world. What follows is Jack’s attempt to capture the extremely dangerous lone figure.
While the show won’t be released until Aug. 31, it gives us just enough time to wrap our head around the fact that Jim Halpert from The Office is now a butt-kicking, action hero spy. The show has already been renewed for a second season, and what’s more, it stars Australian actress, Abbie Cornish, as the female lead.
Feel like you’ve heard the name Jack Ryan before? That’s because you have. Created by famed author Tom Clancy back in 1984, Jack Ryan has since popped up in 20 books and five different movies. Guys, there’s a reason it’s so popular.
4. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
If you haven’t caught an episode of this Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated comedy series yet it’s about time someone slapped you across the arm with their purse.
Set in New York during the 1950s, Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) is your quintessential stay-at-home wife – a lively spirit trapped behind the apron springs of a repressed society that still believes it’s a woman’s duty to stay at home and a man’s responsibility to go out and earn a living.
Midge is a strong Jewish woman with a fondness for voicing her opinions – and unfortunately for her (or fortunately depending on how you look at it), Midge’s failing stand-up comic husband decides he’s ditching her for another dame. Incensed by his decision, a frustrated Midge decides to give the mic a try and whaddya know – she’s a laugh riot!
This is the tale of a complicated and hilarious women, and her stand-up routines couldn’t be more reflective of what many women still feel today. Now in its second season, this show is both entertaining and on-point.
5. The Man in the High Castle
This jaw-dropping series based on the award-winning novel by Philip K. Dick is a terrifyingly compelling look at what the world would have been like had America lost World War II to the Germans and Japanese.
In this instance, the US is ruled by both countries – and times are dire. When Juliana Crain (Alexa Davalos) is handed a movie cannister containing film footage that appears to depict a world where America did in fact win the war, she starts believing the recording is actually linked to an alternate reality.
Executive produced by Ridley Scott, this nail-biting series will premiere its third season on Oct. 5 this year, and you’d better believe it’s taking the hypothetical and truly running with it.
To catch up on these shows, you’ll need to grab an subscription. This service, as part of your Amazon Prime membership, will get you the whole package. It includes action, drama, comedy and more – available to stream now.
On Monday, the Justice League star was photographed receiving an alcohol delivery outside of his Brentwood, Calif. home.
Affleck was seen outside of his house wearing a dark gray T-shirt and light gray sweatpants as he picked up a Pacifico beer-branded box filled with what appeared to be Johnnie Walker Blue Label scotch whisky in a blue case and some other unidentifiable bottles.
While the actor, 46, has been in ongoing treatment and attending meetings for alcohol addiction, his new flame, Playboy’s May 2018 Playmate, 22, told the magazine her go-to drink is “whiskey all day.”
“Bourbon, for sure,” she added. “I like whiskey and soda, which makes people cringe, but I like it.”
Just before his 46th birthday on Aug. 15, a friend of the actor told PEOPLE that “Ben is doing well. He is in a good place mentally and has worked really hard to get there.”
“He continues to focus on himself and the health of his relationships,” the friend added. “He attends meetings, many meetings, and he also does meditation and yoga.”
“While he still has his moments — and let’s be honest, everyone struggles — he continues to work hard on himself.”
His first time in rehab was in 2001. In March 2017, Affleck announced that he had completed treatment for alcohol addiction.
“I have completed treatment for alcohol addiction; something I’ve dealt with in the past and will continue to confront,” he wrote on Facebook. “I want to live life to the fullest and be the best father I can be. I want my kids to know there is no shame in getting help when you need it, and to be a source of strength for anyone out there who needs help but is afraid to take the first step. I’m lucky to have the love of my family and friends, including my co-parent, Jen, who has supported me and cared for our kids as I’ve done the work I set out to do. This was the first of many steps being taken towards a positive recovery.”
20-year-old Kylie Jenner is on a magazine cover, which is normally nothing new, except she’s on Forbes! Veuer’s Nathan Rousseau Smith explains why. Buzz60
George Clooney may be taking a hiatus from the big screen, but he’s still cashing in.
Clooney took in $239 million in pretax earnings, thanks to a lucrative business venture, endorsements and older movies. The extra money should come in handy taking care of his one-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander, with wife Amal Alamuddin Clooney.
The new dad claimed the top spot despite not starring in a hit movie during the 12-month period (June 1, 2017 to June 1, 2018) covered in the Forbes study. The annual ranking tallies on-screen and off-screen earnings.
Clooney sold his Casamigos Tequila company to British liquor giant Diageo last June for $700 million upfront with a potential to earn $300 million in the next decade, Forbes reported. Clooney, who founded the company in 2013 with Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman, took home $233 million during the sale.
Trailing closely behind at No. 2 is Dwayne Johnson. The 46-year-old raked in $124 million pretax, “the largest ever acting take-home from front-of-camera roles in Celebrity 100 history,” Forbes said.
During that time, Johnson played a soldier turned primatologist in “Rampage” and an archaeologist explorer in “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” which proved to be his biggest salary bump.
“Social media has become the most critical element of marketing a movie for me,” Johnson told Forbes.“I have established a social media equity with an audience around the world that there’s a value in what I’m delivering to them.”
After the top two, the other highest earning actors are:
3. Robert Downey Jr., 53, scored $81 million from his portrayal of snarky Iron Man in “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and “Avengers: Infinity War.”
4. Chris Hemsworth, 36, pocketed $64.5 million as Thor in Marvel movies, including “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Avengers: Infinity War.”
5. Jackie Chan, 64, earned $45.5 million after starring in six movies in 2017, including “The Lego Ninjago Movie.” His earnings also included money from endorsements and his own chain of movie theaters in China.
The top-ten highest paid actors made $748.5 million combined last year.
Despite equal pay becoming a pressing issue in Hollywood, Forbes’ 10 top-paid actresses only made $186 million in the same period, a whopping $562.5 million gap from their male counterparts.
SportsPulse: Urban Meyer’s suspension can be debated, one thing cannot: Ohio State and Meyer botched their reaction and explanation of the decision. USA TODAY Sports
Urban Meyer was alerted to “a bad article” by Ohio State’s director of football operations Brian Voltolini during a practice on Aug. 1.
That story by college football reporter Brett McMurphy, claiming that Meyer was aware of 2015 domestic abuse allegations involving previously fired receivers coach Zach Smith, led to a weeks-long investigation that resulted in Wednesday’s three-game suspension for Meyer and a suspension for athletic director Gene Smith.
But it’s the conversation on the practice field that day between Meyer and Voltolini that investigators tapped by OSU’s Board of Trustees found troublesome.
“The two discussed at that time whether the media could get access to Coach Meyer’s phone, and specifically discussed how to adjust the settings on Meyer’s phone so that text messages older than one year would be deleted,” according to the summary of findings made public late Wednesday night.
More Meyer:
Open-records requests have been a staple of reporting on college scandals and news organizations regularly seek text messages of coaches and other members of the athletic departments. In fact, one news organization – OSU’s school paper, The Lantern – had already made such requests nearly a week prior.
Those requests for the text messages – including one between Oct. 25 and Dec. 1, 2015, a time period that covered an alleged incident where Zach Smith allegedly physically abused his then-wife – were known to Gene Smith and others within the athletic department on July 25, the day The Lantern made the request.
“Although all of these individuals were aware of the requests – and indeed both AD Smith and (Senior Associate Athletics Director Diana) Sabau responded that they had no documents on their end – no one appears to have actually checked Coach Meyer’s phone or even approached him about the requests,” the report found.
The school didn’t take possession of Meyer’s phone until Aug. 2 and the “phone was set to retain text messages only for that period (one year),” according to the report.
“We cannot determine, however, whether Coach Meyer’s phone was set to retain messages only for one year in response to the August 1st media report or at some earlier time,” the report stated. “It is nonetheless concerning that his first reaction to a negative media piece exposing his knowledge of the 2015-2016 law enforcement investigation was to worry about the media getting access to information and discussing how to delete messages older than a year.”
In a strange way, dick pics have defined this weird, at times beautiful, but mostly horrifying place we call the world wide web.
I mean is there any online experience more universal than encountering a penis you never expected nor wanted to see? It’s perhaps only surpassed in its pervasiveness by trolling.
A 2017 market research survey by YouGov, an online polling company, found that 53 percent of millennial women have received one. (The online survey was weighted to represent U.S. adults over 18.) Dick pics are such an embedded aspect of our online experience, in fact, that there’s even a blockchain for that.
Dick pics weren’t even a possibility before widespread internet and cellphone access. Sure, really committed folks could snail mail penis photos. But the distinct experience of suddenly receiving digital schlong in the palm of your hand is pretty much exclusive to the smartphone age.
You don’t even have to be a heterosexual woman, a gay man, bi, or romantically interested or involved with someone who owns male genitalia in order to encounter dick pics. Spend any amount of time on services like Chatroulette or OKCupid, and there they are: dicks. Everywhere.
We’re in the golden age of penis portraiture.
We’re in the golden age of penis portraiture. But unfortunately, we only get to talk about the negative side of it, when dick pic culture can actually be very intricate, multilayered, sex-positive, and feminist (more on that later).
So, we’ve helpfully put together a complete guide to getting a handle on dick pics, both of the solicited and unsolicited variety. Without further ado, some rules:
1. No, it is never OK to send an unsolicited dick pic
Let’s get this one out of the way. There is never ANY reason to send an unsolicited dick pic. We don’t care if you’re just doing it for laughs. It doesn’t matter if you think you can reasonably assume the other person is willing.
Even if it’s with someone who’s already given prior consent or has expressed interest in receiving a dick pic, you still can’t know where in the world they are at the moment you decide to surprise them with some unrequested wang.
Remember: You’re inherently dealing with a digital interaction when it comes to dick pics. That means consent is even harder to establish without an explicit and enthusiastic, “Yes!” Lots of communication can be lost without visual body language cues, and tone is easily misinterpreted.
Always make sure your schlong shot is desired before proceeding. And for parties who want the D pic: Don’t be afraid to respectfully ask (as long as you’re clear that “no” is absolutely an OK response.)
2. When it’s OK to send a dick pic it can be fantastic
Now that we’ve established the basic concept of consent, let’s dig into the less talked about phenomenon: Lots of people (yes, including lots of women) actually love receiving solicited dick pics!
Don’t believe us? Well, Bustle recently wrote an article about the growing phenomenon of dick appreciation threads. One redditor from r/LadyBoner, Kate, explained that, “I don’t like porn because I have to see the men’s stupid faces, whereas with a dick pic, I can imagine whatever I want or even find a dick pic that looks like my boyfriend’s.”
“I don’t like porn because I have to see the men’s stupid faces.”
For her, it’s even empowering. It feels like a reclamation, she said. “It’s an act of choice and agency, unlike when unsolicited dick pics are sent to me … Dicks are fantastic when I’ve consented to interact with them.”
Here’s why dick pics can be an awesomely sex positive and feminist experience: In a world where sending nudes via Snapchat is practically considered a formal “next step” in a millennial relationship, it can feel really weird if it’s only one-sided. Uneven distribution of exposure between the two parties can lead to a sense of uneven vulnerability.
Nudes should be a mutually agreed upon, enjoyable, and equal experience. It’s an opportunity to appreciate and explore each other from a distance (if you protect yourself properly, which we’ll get into later). If you’re sexting with visual aids, dick pics are integral to that balance.
There’s an art to a good dick pic.
Image: vicky leta / mashable
However, not all dick pics are created equally. Which brings us to …
3. There’s definitely an art to taking a great dick pic
I’m not gonna lie: Having never possessed a dick myself, there’s a limit to my advice on the mechanics of taking a good dick pic. For that, check out this great guide from the creator of the blog Critique My Dick Pic (NSFW, obvs), Madeleine Holden. To summarize: Stop freaking out about size, no “log shots,” and setting/production value is important.
However, as a receiver of many D pics (both solicited and unsolicited), I do consider myself something of a connoisseur of the art form. Here’s what to know about creating a masterpiece:
One of the sexiest aspects of a dick pic is the sheer thrill of receiving one. It’s a naughty digital secret you now share together. Like the appeal of getting your own private striptease or sexting, it’s personal, just for you, and a pretty high level of intimacy for a bunch of pixels on a screen. Really makes a lady feel special, you know?
Confidence in your dick pic is super sexy — but arrogance makes us want to gag (and, no, not like the porn stars). Do not use dick pics as a platform to boast and showboat. Which goes hand-in-hand with …
When it comes to pics, size truly doesn’t matter. For one, you can’t even accurately judge in a photo. And if you’re throwing in an object for scale in a dick pic (like a banana — yes, I swear to god men do this), you’re already failing.
What matters is making your dick pic personal. No two dicks are alike, and your partner asked to see yours for a reason. It’s because they already like you, which means they probably already like your dick.
That segues perfectly into our next hot tip: NEVER REPURPOSE A DICK PIC YOU ALREADY SENT SOMEONE ELSE. It is painfully obvious when you’re using a stock photo equivalent of a dick pic. Don’t think we won’t notice, either. Like, damn, Easter’s coming up but there’s a Christmas tree in your photo …
I know the phrase “dick pic” rolls off the tongue (get it?!), but if you’re comfortable, you might want to try a dick vid. That invites all sorts of new possibilities for creativity and intimacy, that you should always discuss with your partner first.
Have fun. Sending nudes should be about making each other feel wanted, so only dick pic when both of you feel great about what’s happening.
There’s a lot of trust that goes into sending a nude. And don’t underestimate the need to protect yourself, your data, and your schlong. Check out these safety tips.
It’s ludicrous that, while we have laws prohibiting flashers IRL, virtually assaulting people on the internet has no real consequence (besides perhaps getting kicked off a platform). So we recommend shaking off the heebie jeebies of this experience by reclaiming that unwanted penis.
Artist and activist Whitney Bell reclaimed the experience of receiving unsolicited dick pics by turning them into an art gallery called I Didn’t Ask for This: A Lifetime of Dick Pics, and calling attention to harassment in the digital space. “Professional penis photographer” Soraya Doolbaz took a different artistic approach, with her high-end dicture gallery advocating for better solicited dick pics, while also stripping this symbol of patriarchal power through humor.
So do whatever feels cathartic and right for you, and grab that horrifying unwanted dick by the literal balls. Go wild. Get MS Paint involved. Photoshop a “This Is What A Feminist Looks Like” t-shirt onto it, and send it right back.
Because some fool just sent you their genitals. Abuse the hell outta that power.
5. But most importantly: Protect yourself first
We’ve had some fun, but the hard truth (no pun intended this time), is that clapping back can lead to even more harassment. That’s a risk you don’t have to take if you don’t want to. And there’s other, safer forms of recourse.
Like we said, there’s little to no legal consequences for it in America (though officials are trying to change that in places like Australia, Canada, and Britain).
But the best options is to block the person immediately: Whether barring a phone number, Instagram or Snapchat account, un-matching on Tinder, disabling open DMs on Twitter, or changing your Airdrop settings to “Contacts Only.”
On most platforms, you can and should report them too (though the results are not always stellar.) Many dating websites even removed the ability to exchange photos altogether to fix the issue. But the following apps explicitly classify harassment like unsolicited dick pics as a reportable offense: Twitter, Facebook, Tinder, Instagram, Reddit, and Snapchat.
So when it comes to dick pics, practice safe sexting. And above all, make sure your virtual junk is only sliding into those DMs who want them.
Well, here we are again — though already it’s obvious that season 2 of Mr. Mercedes will be significantly different from the first. Last season began explosively when Brady Hartsfield ran over a dozen people at a post-recession job fair. The crime went unsolved for years but turned into an object of obsession for retired detective Bill Hodges. The cat-and-mouse game between the cop and the killer ended climatically at an art gala, where Bill suffered a heart attack and Brady was beaten within an inch of his life by Bill’s young friend Holly.
Season 2 picks up right after that, with the two men being ushered into a hospital. Bill is revived from his heart attack, while Brady undergoes brain surgery. The operation is enough to keep him alive, but not enough to bring him back to consciousness — for now, that is. We’re soon introduced to two new characters who want to change his condition: Felix Babineau (Jack Huston), a renowned neurosurgeon, and his beautiful wife Cora (Tessa Ferrer). Cora has access to an experimental new drug cocktail that she urges Felix to use on Brady. After all, successfully bringing a patient back from such a catatonic state would make history. The downside, of course, is that they’d be resurrecting a psychopathic genius who loves nothing more than destroying people’s lives, but Cora doesn’t seem too concerned about that.
For a while, Bill makes it a habit to regularly visit Brady in the hospital. Seasons come and go outside, but the Mercedes killer doesn’t leave his bed. Eventually, some life changes begin to distract Bill from this routine.
He’s started a new private detective agency, for one. Holly works as his receptionist fielding calls, which gets her away from her toxic mother. As an example of the work they’re doing, we see Bill track down a man who used a false ID and a fake check to steal a private plane, but when airport security intervenes in their confrontation the man gets away.
Later, after a fallen tree destroys Ida’s yard, Bill recruits Pete to help him rebuild. The two old friends share some laughs, and Pete says it’ll soon be his turn to retire and live a more relaxed life. Alas, anyone who’s ever seen a cop show before knows where that kind of line leads. Pete runs into the house to get some more beer and doesn’t come back. When Bill goes in to check on him, he finds his old partner laying on the kitchen floor. Bill recovered from his heart attack, but Pete will never get the chance.
And that’s when things really start getting weird.
prayer service in honor of Mollie Tibbetts at St. Patrick Church in Brooklyn Zachary Boyden-Holmes, DesMoines
BROOKLYN, Ia. — As soon as Mary Jo Seaton got word, she knew her church had to come together and pray.
“That’s how I grew up,” she said. “When something like this happens, you pray.”
Her priest informed her Tuesday that authorities had found a body they believed to be that of Mollie Tibbetts, who had been missing since July. Tibbetts was confirmed into the Catholic Church in 2015 and was public about the influence of faith in her life. By Wednesday evening, Seaton and others at St. Patrick Catholic Church had rallied together and organized a prayer vigil.
Mainly, people didn’t know what else to do, she said.
For weeks, locals hung posters and banners in efforts to locate Tibbetts. They talked about a hopeful return of the 20-year-old University of Iowa student. Now, the young woman appears to have been found, but not returned.
“We think it’s important for people to come together,” Seaton said. “People want answers.”
More than 250 people packed into the sanctuary of the church Wednesday evening, as the setting sun cast a deep shadow over the shiny gold crosses and imposing stained glass windows that decorate the red brick building.
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” a small choir sung from high up in the balcony to the overpowering tune of an organ .
Rev. Corey Close, the pastor of the church, told the assembly he barely had words for the occasion.
“I’m sure many of us would give in a heartbeat our life for Mollie’s,” he said.
He said we constantly see stories of tragedy in the news.
“But then we move on because it didn’t affect us. And we always think that it never will,” Close continued.
But evil is in this world, he said. And the people of Brooklyn have experienced it firsthand.
“We can sit here and wonder what was the point of it, a person who had so much purpose,” he said. But “evil is irrational. So we can’t really wrap our minds around it fully.”
The pastor went on to call for a spirit of reconciliation. It may not come easily or quickly, he said, but the faithful must find a way to forgive.
Authorities charged Cristhian Bahena Rivera, 24, an immigrant living in rural Poweshiek County, with first-degree murder Tuesday after he took investigators to the corn field where the body was found.
“We need to pray for a spirit of forgiveness for the one who did this,” the priest said. “Faith teaches us that Christ came to forgive us. We’re all in need of forgiveness. We’re all sinners. None of us are exempt.”
‘At least there’s an end’
Few in Brooklyn seemed ready to think about forgiveness on Wednesday.
“I’m just really angry,” said Dan Brady, who has known Tibbetts for years. His son ran cross country with her in high school. He remembers buying her lunch at a meet not that long ago.
“She didn’t have any money,” he said with a smile.
He was among several to wear a purple T-shirt in her honor. On the front, it had Tibbetts’ favorite Bible verse, Matthew 17:20. It’s the one that tells how faith as small as a mustard seed is strong enough to move a mountain. On the back of the shirt, it reads: “Keep the faith. Keep Mollie’s faith.”
Brady said the alleged murder of Tibbetts has made him doubt this small community.
“I understand things happen,” he said. “But it ain’t supposed to happen in small-town, rural Iowa.”
People carried hope for weeks, he said. But many feared this outcome in the back of their minds.
“At least there’s an end,” he said. “You wish it wasn’t, but it is an end.”
‘Make sure you tell your people you love them’
Outside the church, a swarm of TV trucks and crews descended upon the heart of the town of about 1,500 people. National correspondents asked locals whether the tragedy had shaken their faith in their small community.
It has, of course.
But the discovery of the body on Tuesday did put an end to much of the search and speculation.
After the short prayer service, a few friends of Tibbetts met at the front of the sanctuary to tell stories — stories of how talented she was at singing and running, and funny stories of how bad she was at dancing and driving.
Adults in the back hugged each other on the way out. Some held hands as they fought back tears.
“Now, we can grieve,” said Charity Kenyon, who works with Tibbetts’ mother in Grinnell. “That’s not just for the family, but for the whole community.”
Kenyon said many were trying to respect the family’s privacy in their grief. But she said the whole community was deeply affected by the loss.
“Make sure you tell your people you love them,” she said.
‘Our Lord is not unfamiliar with tragedy’
Earlier in the day, life went on at the Catholic parish: Volunteers handed out nonperishable food items in the food pantry in the back alley. And church members filed into the church basement to have family portraits taken by LifeTouch photographers.
A sign on the church door still advertised Tibbetts as missing, even as another sign next to it announced the time of the prayer vigil.
In an interview with the Des Moines Register, the priest said Tibbetts was well known in this church community. She regularly attended Mass at St. Patrick with her grandmother and was active in the local youth group before leaving Brooklyn for college.
“She was a good Catholic,” he said.
Tibbetts’ disappearance captured national headlines in the weeks she was missing. And the revelation that her suspected killer is believed to be an undocumented immigrant has already thrown fuel on the nation’s debate over immigration.
But Close cautioned against making sweeping generalizations about all migrants based on one act.
“You can’t judge a whole group by the actions of one individual,” he told the Register.
At the service, the pastor urged the crowd to lean on faith. He mentioned heaven and the redemptive power of Jesus’ death and the promise of the resurrection.
“This is what we have to cling to, that our lord is not unfamiliar with suffering,” Close said. “Our Lord is not unfamiliar with tragedy.”
During the service, Close read from the Bible’s gospel according to Luke.
It was the story of Jesus’ crucifixion.
The account in Luke says it was about noon, and darkness had come over the land from an eclipse. A crucified Jesus cried out: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”
“And when he had said this,” the priest said, “he breathed his last.”
What may shape up to be one of the largest prison strikes in modern U.S. history began Tuesday, with inmates across the country protesting what they call “modern day slavery.” Time
A nationwide prison strike is in its third day, and while there’s no official count of the number of inmates who have acted thus far, solidarity rallies have popped up across the USin an attempt to pressure the nation’s criminal justice system.
Created in response to a brutal prison brawl that left at least seven inmates dead earlier this year in South Carolina, the 19-day protest involves prisoners conducting labor and hunger strikes, sit-ins and commissary boycotts in at least 17 states, giving it the potential to become one of the largest such rallies in US history.
The goal of protesters is to put an end to what organizers refer to as “modern-day slavery,” a practice where inmates are paid slave wages for labor. Such is the case in California, where prisoners are assisting in efforts to fight wildfires and being paid as little as $2 per day.
“I think the outcome is likely to be greater public awareness about the difficult and inhumane conditions that many prisoners face across the country — an elevated public attention to the broad issues as well as some of the more specific concerns that prisoners themselves have raised,” said Toussaint Losier, assistant professor of Afro-American Studies at the University of Massachusetts and author of “Rethinking the American Prison Movement.”
He added, “One of the difficult problems is that many of the issues that they [inmates] are looking to address are issues of legislation and policies enacted at a federal level. It’s difficult for prison officials to make headway on that level.”
While inmates inside detention centers peacefully protest, activists outside of the penal system are working to raise awareness by holding rallies in various city squares and outside correctional facilities.
One such rally took place on Tuesday in South Carolina, where former prisoners, prison experts and family members of those involved in the Lee County prison incident delivered a list of demands to Gov. Henry McMaster and Department of Corrections Director Bryan Sterling.
“Prisoners have been organizing themselves for years in anticipation of this very moment,” said Efia Nwangaza who attended the rally. She is the director of the Malcolm X Center for Self Determination, an organization that provides prisoner support services.
The 79-year-old activist said some prisons in South Carolina do not meet federally-ordered standards for mental health and rehabilitation programs, which has outraged the local community. “We want them to recognize the humanity, dignity and worth for the people for whom they are responsible,” Nwangaza said.
The demands, a total of 10, were arranged by the inmate-based organization Jailhouse Lawyers Speak. The demands include the immediate improvement of prison policies, an increase in prisoner wages and rescinding laws that prevent imprisoned persons from having a chance at parole.
The inmates also are calling for more rehabilitation services and voting rights.
“You can’t just treat people like animals. Yes, we need the prisons. But we need some way of actually rehabilitating these people,” Kelvin Gadson, 40, a former inmate who faced 15 years in a South Carolina prison, told USA TODAY. “Services like that can stop people from being repeat offenders.”
“We continue to expect rolling participation at varying degrees throughout the state of South Carolina,” Nwangaza said, referring to the number of prisoners engaged in the strike. “Based on last night’s participation, we estimate that at least two-thirds of the prisons in the state are involved.”
A secondary protest in planned outside the S.C. State House in the coming weeks.
Video of one Tuesday night protest outside Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center appeared to show people inside the facility flashing cell phone lights in response to protesters on the street.
The list of participating cities is also set to include Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Antonio, Chicago, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Boston, among others.
The strike was timed to begin on the anniversary of the killing of jailed African American activist George Jackson. The Black Panther Party member was killed by a guard in 1971 after taking guards and two inmates hostage in an attempt to escape from San Quentin State Prison in California.
The final day of the strike — Sept. 9 — also carries symbolism. That’s the day in 1971 that the Attica Prison riots began in New York, eventually leaving more than 40 people dead when police stormed in to re-take the facility.
“I suspect these inmates are not necessarily attempting to get prisoners to sit down at the bargaining table, but to make headway by capturing the general public’s attention,” Losier said.
Chinese tech giants Huawei and ZTE have effectively been banned from providing equipment to Australia’s 5G mobile network, due to national security concerns.
Last year, Australia’s government brought in rules requiring telecommunications companies to ensure they protect networks from unauthorised interference or access that might threaten national security.
On Thursday, Australia’s Home Affairs office sought to enforce those rules, citing the increased complexity of 5G’s network architecture compared to current technologies.
The government said that 5G’s network architecture “provides a way to circumvent traditional security controls,” and that it hadn’t found a method which could sufficiently protect users from those risks.
It singled out companies who might be subject to government meddling as a national security concern, but didn’t name ZTE or Huawei explicitly — although Huawei confirmed their inclusion in the ban on Twitter.
“The Government considers that the involvement of vendors who are likely to be subject to extrajudicial directions from a foreign government that conflict with Australian law, may risk failure by the carrier to adequately protect a 5G network from unauthorised access or interference,” the statement reads.
The U.S. government last week officially banned agencies from purchasing or using certain telecommunications and surveillance products from Chinese tech companies, like Huawei and ZTE.
It followed warnings from heads of the FBI and CIA, who expressed concern about the threat of espionage from its phones earlier this year.
In a statement via Twitter, Huawei said it was “an extremely disappointing result for consumers.” The chairman of Huawei’s Australian arm, John Lord, responded to claims the company was a risk to national security.
“We believe that companies like Huawei are privately owned, not owned by any committee or any government, and should be looked at and put into a competitive tendering,” he told ABC News.
“We’re happy to have our equipment tested, we’re happy to have it analysed.”
We have been informed by the Govt that Huawei & ZTE have been banned from providing 5G technology to Australia. This is a extremely disappointing result for consumers. Huawei is a world leader in 5G. Has safely & securely delivered wireless technology in Aust for close to 15 yrs
Telecommunications company Vodafone Australia said in a statement via email that while it agrees national security “is paramount,” the sudden decision is of concern.
“This decision, which has been dropped on the eve of the 5G auction, creates uncertainty for carriers’ investment plans,” the statement added.
“This decision is a significant change which fundamentally undermines Australia’s 5G future, and we will consider what it means for our business.”
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