Southpaw Gervonta “Tank” Davis has a different opponent on Dec. 5, but his goal is unchanged.
The man nicknamed “Tank” means to steamroll his opponent.
“Everyone knows what I do,” said Davis, 26. “I come in looking for the knockout, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do in this fight.”
A three-division champion, Davis (25–0, 24 KOs) will pursue his 17th straight knockout victory against replacement Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz (22–1–1, 15 KOs) in defense of his WBA 135-pound title at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in a Premier Boxing Champions event on Showtime Pay-Per-View.
“Kudos to Isaac Cruz for stepping in as a replacement opponent in a high-pressure, pay-per-view fight against one of the brightest stars in boxing in Gervonta Davis,” said Tom Brown, president of TGB Promotions. “Cruz presents a different and some would argue a more difficult challenge to Tank Davis. Cruz won’t back down, and he’ll bring the fight to Davis from the opening bell.”
Cruz, who is 17–0–1 (12 KOs) since falling by eight-round unanimous decision to Luis Miguel Montano in February 2016, will be fighting for the third time this year.
“This is going to be a tremendous fight. Isaac Cruz was ready for this big opportunity,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “I expect [Cruz] to come ready to deliver the fight of his life.”
But Davis’ past three victories were knockouts in the 12th round over three-division champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (December 2019), the sixth over four-division title winner Leo Santa Cruz (October 2020) and the 11th to dethrone previously unbeaten WBA 140-pound champion Mario Barrios (June 2021).
Gamboa was floored three times as Davis won the WBA’s vacant lightweight crown, Santa Cruz was flattened and knocked out for the first time in his career and Barrios was dropped three times to fall to 26–1 (17 KOs).
“Gervonta Davis is a generational talent who’s only getting better,” said Ellerbe. “This fight is going to end in spectacular fashion on Dec. 5.”
Three-division champion Gervonta Davis (right) scored three knockdowns and won via an 11th-round knockout in June to dethrone previously unbeaten WBA 140-pound champion Mario Barrios (left). Davis, a southpaw, pursues his 17th straight knockout on Dec. 5 in defense of his WBA 135-pound title against Isaac Cruz. (Sean Michael Ham/Mayweather Promotions)
Davis won his first crown via seventh-round TKO of previously unbeaten IBF 130-pound champion Jose Pedraza in January 2017. He then traveled to London that May for his initial defense, dropping and stopping previously undefeated southpaw Liam Walsh in the third round before the English fighter’s partisan fans.
But Davis lost his crown on the scales before his second defense that August, an eighth-round knockout victory over previously unbeaten Francisco Fonseca.
Davis regained the WBA’s 130-pound version of the belt in April 2018 with a two-knockdown, third-round TKO of former champion Jesus Cuellar, a southpaw.
Davis also made a pair of defenses by knockout in 2019, when he stopped former titleholder Hugo Ruiz (February) in the first round and Ricardo Nunez (July) in the second before facing Gamboa.
“We’ve all seen Gervonta’s blend of superb boxing skills and explosive power, and we know what he’s capable of,” Brown said. “It will be the irresistible force versus the immovable object, which means fireworks at Staples Center on Sunday, Dec. 5.”
“The Pitbull’s” past four bouts are his most impressive, starting in February 2020 with a 10-round majority decision over Thomas Mattice, who entered at 15–1–1 (11 KOs).
Cruz then scored a two-knockdown, 53-second stoppage of two-time world title challenger Diego Magdaleno in October 2020 in advance of consecutive one-sided decisions over Jose Romero and Francisco Vargas in March and June.
Romero entered at 24–0 (8 KOs) and Vargas at 27–2–2 (19 KOs).
“I want to thank Gervonta Davis and his team for this opportunity — an opportunity I won’t let get past me,’’ Cruz said. “God willing, I’ll be world champion on Dec. 5. This fight is a very big motivation for me as a professional and as a personal goal. I’m sure after Dec. 5 everyone in boxing will know the name Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz.”
But Davis has other plans for Cruz.
“I respect Isaac Cruz for stepping up and taking the fight,” Davis said. “I’m back in Los Angeles where the stars shine, and I’m going to light it up against Isaac Cruz.”
Vienna’s Natural History Museum has discovered 33 new species of snails that lived millions of years ago after unboxing them from their 150-year storage.
The museum named one of the newly discovered species after the Austrian capital, christening the small snail Mitrella viennensis.
The snails lived in the seagrass meadows of Vienna and Baden, which were covered by the Paratethys Sea millions of years ago.
New names have to be created for all 33 species and nine genera, a third of which have not yet been studied.
The snails, around 15 million years old, were kept in storage at the museum for 150 years with researchers only now identifying them as undiscovered species.
They were discovered thanks to a new project to learn more about the snails that lived in the sea covering eastern Austria at the time. The tropical Paratethys Sea stretched from Vienna to the Caucasus, and coral reefs grew in the eastern region of Burgenland. Hundreds of different shells, corals and fish populated the area, the remains of which have mostly been lost forever under modern towns and cities.
Reconstruction of the Paratethys Sea of 15 million years ago. (Vienna Natural History Museum/Zenger)
The Paratethys Sea became gradually shallower from the Pliocene era, around 5 million to 2.5 million years ago. Today, remnants of the sea include the Black Sea, the Aral Sea, the Caspian Sea, Lake Urmia and other bodies of water.
Most of the snails were collected during the 19th century when hundreds of quarries and sandpits were being operated in the region by the Habsburg monarchy, which ruled certain regions of Europe from the 13th century until 1918. From 1438 to 1806, a member of the Habsburg monarchy also served as Holy Roman emperor. The empire is not considered to be part of what is today called the Habsburg monarchy or Habsburg Empire.
New research shows that many of the snails were found off the coast of West Africa. Due to rising water temperatures, they are believed to have migrated and replaced the native fauna. They are therefore an example of the possible consequences of today’s climate change.
The pigeon snail Mitrella viennensis , a new species named after Vienna. (Vienna Natural History Musem, Alice Schumacher/Zenger)
“Our study clearly demonstrates the importance of scientific collections for recording past and modern biodiversity. The treasures of the museums are by no means all discovered, but specialists are needed to be able to recognize them at all,” said Mathias Harzhauser, the head of Studies and head of the Geological-Paleontological Department at the museum.
Emperor Franz Joseph I commissioned Vienna’s Natural History Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, which face each other and have the same exteriors. Both were designed by architects Carl Hasenauer and Gottfried Semper.
The emperor opened the Natural History Museum in August 1889.
After receiving harsh criticism from fans and even ESPN commentator Tim Bradley following what was deemed a “safe” performance in his unanimous decision win over Jeremia Nakathila in June, Shakur Stevenson entered his WBO title shot against Jamel Herring with a chip on his shoulder and a point to prove. Stevenson, the 2016 silver medalist in boxing at the Olympic Games, erased all doubts, stopping Herring, a durable veteran, with a 10th-round TKO in their super featherweight title bout in October.
Stevenson controlled the range and dictated the pace from the outset of that fight. The budding star earned his boxing stripes and the WBO title with his performance, and now looks to fight the best the division has to offer. Promotional stablemate Oscar Valdez tops the list of opponents with whom Stevenson hopes to share the ring when he returns next year. Although Stevenson feels his promoter, Top Rank Promotions, and Valdez are trying to delay the fight, he feels pressure from the boxing community will eventually lead to the fight happening.
Zenger caught up with the Newark, New Jersey, native to discuss his title-winning performance, his future and much more.
Percy Crawford interviewed Shakur Stevenson for Zenger.
Zenger: Congratulations on the win and the performance against Herring. You seemed to be extra dialed-in for that one.
Percy Crawford interviewed Shakur Stevenson for Zenger. (Heidi Malone/Zenger)
Stevenson: Yeah, I definitely was because I had a lot of criticism going into that fight. They had a lot of people out there who thought I wasn’t who I claim to be, who I train to be, and who I am in my boxing career. I had a lot of people going against a lot of the things I stand for, so I had to prove myself, I guess.
Zenger: You were obviously working hard in the gym. How was your training camp for this fight?
Stevenson: I put a lot of work in, in the gym. This was a big moment for me, and I had to lock in and work extra hard.
Zenger: Did you feel slighted or disrespected going into this fight?
Stevenson: A little bit. I think I had a bad night in my last fight [vs. Jeremia Nakathila], and a lot of fans went off of that, and I don’t think they should have.
Zenger: You took control of the Herring bout right away. At what point during the fight did you feel it would be your night?
Stevenson: I ain’t gonna lie, I knew it was going my way before the bell even rung. I knew what it was. I was so confident going into this fight. When I saw him walk out with Jada [Kiss], and the crowd went crazy, I knew he had fully prepared himself. But even in the locker room, I just knew it would be my night. I knew I would have a hell of a night. I felt good. It felt like a boxing gym day. I was telling my team, it felt like another day in the office. It felt like it and I showed that.
Zenger: You looked really comfortable in there. Did you do anything different in camp or was it just one of those nights for you?
Stevenson: I felt like I had to redeem myself. Something in training felt different. I feel like my fight before this one … people don’t understand, I feel like I overtrained, like I overworked. People don’t really know that you can overwork yourself. They think if you do all this crazy training, you going to go in there and be a beast, it’s cool to train hard. But sometimes you can overwork yourself, and that’s what I feel I did for the Nakathila fight.
Even fight week for that one, I was still working out hard, still doing things that I shouldn’t have been doing, and I feel like that played out in the ring. This fight was a lot different. I feel like I trained the way I was supposed to train; I did everything I was supposed to do, and that’s why this fight just felt like a regular day in the gym. I was fresh. My body was fresh. I didn’t feel like I killed myself in the gym.
Zenger: I am sure you will be sticking to the regimen you used for the Herring fight.
Stevenson: Yeah definitely! I’m definitely going to stick with what I’ve been doing. You gotta understand, for my other fights, I was training the same way that I did for this fight. I was sharp, I felt good, and I was able to be myself. I’m going to stick with what I’ve been doing that got me here.
That Nakathila fight, we kind of switched things up and did a different type of training camp, and we’re not going to do that again. That’s overdoing it. We’re boxers at the end of the day; we’re not track stars or long-distance runners, or any of that. We gotta focus on our boxing, and I feel that we did that for this camp.
Shakur Stevenson is 17-0 with nine knockouts. (Mikey Williams/Top Rank)
Zenger: Anything about Jamel surprised you?
Stevenson: His punching power — he’s definitely got it. He got some crack.
Zenger: What did you think of the stoppage?
Stevenson: It was a good stoppage. I feel like it was only going to get worse and worse. His eye was swollen, his other eye was bleeding. I was about to keep putting some hot shit on him. I feel like it was going to get bad. I think the ref did the right thing in that situation.
Zenger: Obviously, you have history with his camp and team, he is familiar with yours, I thought the camps coming together at the end was a good deal, considering some of the pre-fight build up. What did that moment mean to you?
Stevenson: I thought about the moment before it happened. I knew what I was going to be doing after the fight. I told my team, this all fight stuff at the end of the day, but when the fight is over I’m going to dap him up and after I beat him, I’m going to show love. I knew I was already going to do that.
You have to realize, me and them are cool people. I do a lot of training camps with them. I’m close with, Bud [Terence Crawford], BoMac, Red, Jamie… that whole team is like family to me. They helped me out a lot. At the end of the day, it’s all business. After the fight, it was all good. I was trying to get them to come out and party with me afterwards, but I guess they were all a little bit busy.
Zenger: You are becoming one of the stars of boxing. To see, Ye [Kanye West], Michael B. Jordan and celebrities like that come out and support your fight, how did that feel?
Stevenson: It felt great, especially, Kanye West [Ye] because he don’t really go to fights like that. So, just to have him come watch, he came to my locker room before the fight and showed some support. That felt good. It felt real good knowing that I can bring somebody like that out. Even with Michael B. Jordan, he from North New Jersey, too, so you know he was there supporting me. He always hit me up and show a lot of love, so at the end of the day, it feels good bringing out those types of celebrities. We gotta bring out more people. We gotta get people like Michael Jordan or somebody there. We gotta do bigger numbers than that, so I gotta stay focused.
Zenger: Did you enjoy fighting in the South, in Atlanta?
Stevenson: It felt good. It felt like home. The crowd was amped up, we walked out, everybody was going crazy, and after the fight, they showed a lot of love. Atlanta felt like another home. It felt like a lot of my people were there supporting, so it was a good night, and a great crowd.
Zenger: You are now the WBO champion, coming off the biggest night of your career, but I must ask about your future plans and a potential fight with WBC champion Oscar Valdez. Two-part, are you done for the year, and is Valdez on the 2022 radar?
Stevenson: I’m definitely done for the year. They can’t get me to fight this year again. I got my daughter on the way. She’s coming in December. I just want to stay home and be with my family and meet my daughter. But next year, we’re looking for the big fights. Oscar Valdez is a big fight. That’s a fight I have wanted for a long time. I’m definitely looking to get in the ring with him next year.
I know Top Rank trying to save as much money as they can with Oscar Valdez, but… I don’t know what’s going on. It seems like they’re trying to save Oscar Valdez from fighting me. But at the end of the day, it’s gotta happen. Fans are going to demand it. They’re going to go crazy, and they can’t avoid it. I don’t know how much longer they gonna try, but they can’t avoid it. Next year, we are definitely looking to get in the ring with Oscar Valdez, then the other champions, and then take over the whole 130-pound weight class.
Zenger: Congratulations on the baby girl coming in December — she will definitely change your life. Do you feel like fatherhood will change your approach to boxing? How long do you want to be in the sport and things of that nature?
Stevenson: Not at all. I got my mind already set. I love boxing at the end of the day. I’m not just doing it for the money; I really love the sport. I plan on being in the sport as long as I love it. Once I stop loving it, I’ll be done, but I don’t plan on stopping when I’m 30. Some fighters say, “I wanna be done at this age,” and I respect that because this is a dangerous sport. But I don’t plan on taking any punishment, so I feel like I could last a long time in the sport, and I plan on doing that.
Zenger: Congratulations on the win, I look forward to seeing you back in the ring in 2022. Is there anything else you would like to add?
Stevenson: I appreciate that most definitely. Everybody can follow me on Instagram and on Twitter @ShakurStevenson. Keep tuning in. We should be back in March or April, and I will be ready to put on another great performance.
NASHVILLE, TN – Waste Management (WM), a leading provider of environmental services in Middle Tennessee, today announced a three-year, $300,000 commitment to Tennessee State University (TSU). The pledge, first unveiled by Dr. Glenda Glover, President of TSU, and Don Gentilcore, Mid-South Area Director of Disposal Operations for WM, during halftime of TSU’s homecoming football game this evening will focus on environmental sustainability research, and providing scholarships and internships for students attending TSU.
“We appreciate the support from Waste Management and the opportunities this partnership will create for the University and our students,” said Dr. Glover. “Scholarships, internships and research will be the main focus of our collaboration as we work for the continued success of TSU students.”
WM owns and operates Southern Services Construction and Demolition (C&D) Landfill & Eco Park (Southern Services), a 183-acre, more than 30-year-old site located off of Briley Parkway in Nashville. Southern Services is home to both the only C&D landfill and C&D recycling facility in Davidson County. The volume of C&D waste, which includes materials like concrete, brick, metal, and asphalt, has nearly doubled in the last decade as Nashville’s growth and development has accelerated, while the recycling rate has decreased.
To help explore alternative solutions and strategies to address this growing problem, $150,000 of WM’s $300,000 commitment will be directed towards research conducted by students and faculty from TSU’s Colleges of Agriculture and Engineering in conjunction with the company’s Middle Tennessee staff focused on diversion and recovery of C&D materials to reduce landfill waste. For example, projects may examine the ability of source separation, incorporation of recovered materials for use in new builds and methods and procedures for handling debris generated during catastrophic events in Middle Tennessee.
“We are proud to work with TSU to undertake innovative research and explore new approaches to sustainability,” said Gentilcore. “WM collaborates with Metro Nashville on multiple solid waste management initiatives, and we are committed to supporting the region’s sustainability goals. But those goals are ambitious. TSU, with its outstanding track record in the environmental sciences, is an ideal partner as we seek to identify long-term solutions to sustainably manage the region’s C&D waste stream.”
The remaining $150,000 from WM will be directed towards primarily need-based scholarships for up to 10 students each year attending TSU from the Nashville area. Beginning in fall 2022, TSU will select eligible students to receive the scholarships and administer the program. Additionally, WM will provide up to four paid summer internship opportunities for TSU students per year across the company’s service functions in the southeast.
Crude oil prices posted wide swings on Thursday after OPEC and its allies stood firm on production levels, one day after analysts noted U.S. crude oil production was on the rise.
Members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies, a group known as OPEC+, sustained their planned output increase of 400,000 barrels per day, starting in December, ignoring pressure from the White House to put more barrels on the market to cool commodity prices trading at multi-year highs.
Tamas Varga, an analyst at London oil broker PVM, told Zenger OPEC would stick to its plan.
“Anything more than that would be a profound shock,” he said of the stated production levels.
A research note from Swiss investment bank UBS said the OPEC decision was likely due to concerns that pandemic-related issues could curb demand. Forecasts point to an oversupplied market next year, and OPEC may be erring on the side of caution.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries ignored outside pressure and stood pat on its production plans. (Courtesy of OPEC)
However, any resultant uptick in commodity prices could undermine economic growth. Central bankers and federal policymakers are concerned with inflation.
Inflation for most goods and services was up 5.4 percent for the 12-month period ending in September. But for energy products, that level is closer to 40 percent.
Ann-Louise Hittle, vice president for macro oils at energy consultant group Wood Mackenzie, said in a statement the decision to stick to the 400,000 barrel-per-day plan was a disappointment for the White House, though she suggested there could be some price moderation.
“As it becomes clearer the world is going to survive the winter with enough oil to meet demand, we expect prices to fall from the recent highs of $87 to $85 per barrel for Brent,” she said. “This process may be already underway.”
Brent crude oil, the global benchmark for the price of oil, closed trading on Wednesday at $81.99 per barrel, down some 3.2 percent from the previous session. West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark, ended the trading day Wednesday down 3.6 percent to trade at $80.86 per barrel.
While still elevated, both benchmarks are down from recent highs. West Texas Intermediate was flirting with $85 per barrel in late October, the highest price in seven years.
Phil Flynn, a senior energy analyst at The PRICE Futures Group in Chicago, said he also felt there may be a cooling-off period for crude oil prices.
“If we look at the oil market right now, we’re definitely in a correction phase,” he told Zenger.
Crude oil prices are at multi-year highs, though some analysts think a reversal is coming. (Graph courtesy of the U.S. Energy Information Administration)
On Wednesday, the U.S. Energy Information Administration published weekly data on commercial storage levels of crude oil and refined petroleum products, such as gasoline. A drain in inventory levels is usually synonymous with demand strength, while the opposite holds for increases.
The federal agency reported that commercial crude oil inventories, not counting what’s stored in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, increased by 3.3 million barrels from the prior week. Motor gasoline inventories decreased by 1.5 million barrels. Both remain below the five-year average for this time of year.
Edward Moya, a senior market analyst at trader OANDA, said the decline in gasoline inventories was not just about demand, but refinery maintenance. When those are down for regular work, they don’t produce gasoline.
“The EIA report was mostly bearish as the headline build was larger-than-expected, production rose to pre-Hurricane Ida levels, and gasoline inventories declined on maintenance season and improved demand,” he said, referring to the Energy Information Administration.
Domestic crude oil production over the four-week average for the week ending Oct. 29 was 11.3 million barrels per day, an 8.3 percent improvement over year-ago levels.
NASHVILLE – Gospel legend and former Black Entertainment Television (BET) host Dr. Bobby Jones will soon be heard on WeGo Public Transit buses. The legendary performer will welcome passengers aboard, remind them of safety precautions, and more.
“As we continue to advance inclusivity and diversity in our city, let’s remember the vital role public transit plays in serving the community,” stated Jones. “WeGo provides opportunities and services to so many populations for access and connectivity.”
WeGo has been diligent in following stringent safety protocols throughout the pandemic and recently kicked off expanded service hours, improved weekend service, and enhanced bus stops and shelters to better serve the community. Residents will soon be able to enjoy improved access and connection with two new transit centers as well as board faster with QuickTicket, a new fare payment system available via app or a reloadable card.
“We are honored to have the voice of the iconic Dr. Jones to keep our riders safe and comfortable,” stated Gail Carr Williams, Nashville MTA board chair. “We are grateful for his partnership and his continued gifts to Nashville.”
The hit show Bobby Jones Gospel ran for a solid 35 years until Jones decided to retire. He now has two radio shows on the Sheridan Gospel Network.
Here is an example of Dr. Jones voice promoting WeGo below:
A badly burnt cat had its whiskers frazzled and paws charred before being rescued. The injuries were caused by the animal wandering the Spanish island of La Palma under a volcanic ash cloud.
The cat, called Magma, was hurt, but survived the ordeal. Its whiskers were partially burnt off by the high temperatures on the Canary Island of La Palma, where the Cumbre Vieja volcano has been spewing ash and lava since Sept. 19.
In footage shared on Nov. 4 by the local animal-rights organization Leales.org, the white cat is seen undergoing a check-up after it was rescued by two local men, Carles Rabada and David Melero. The two rescuers named the cat Magma, according to Leales.org.
The cat’s white fur has been dirtied by the steady stream of ash gushing from the volcano. The feline wandered aimlessly on the island for several weeks, covered in ash and inhaling the toxic fumes from the eruption, according to Leales.org.
The charity said cats are ignored by the local government and are essentially “invisible,” despite the large number of them struggling to survive on the island.
Magma the cat survived several weeks in the ashes and lava on La Palma. Its paws were treated and bandaged to aid recovery. (Leales.org/Zenger)
The video shows Magma treated by vets. The cat had several examinations, including one on its eyes, which had been affected by the ash and fumes.
In addition, the cat’s paws, burned from walking on the hot ground, were wrapped by the vet to aid recovery. Magma was fed before being put in a cage with a thick blanket to rest and recover.
Leales.org has been advocating for better protection of pets on the island since the eruption began. It is calling on local government to dispatch drones to monitor the location and status of abandoned pets while prepping plans to rescue distressed animals.
Lava flows after a partial cone collapsed near the Cumbre Vieja volcano’s emission vent. The church of Tajuya is illuminated on October 10, 2021, in La Palma, Spain. The fvolcano erupted on Sept. 19, shutting down the airport twice, due to the volcanic ash. The lava flows destroyed hundreds of acres. (Marcos del Mazo/Getty Images)
Leales.org has launched a GoFundMe page to cover the vet bills of the animals rescued from the island. Donations can be made here. The organization is also looking for a loving family to adopt Magma.
The volcanic eruption caused thousands of people to be evacuated in the last seven weeks. Thousands of homes were also destroyed.
Ash clouds have also been disrupting flights, and authorities have urged locals to stay indoors as the fumes from the volcano blanket parts of the island.
More than 100 small earthquakes have been recorded daily by the authorities in the last few days.
An artist painted a portrait of his dream woman a year before he met his wife — who looks exactly like the woman in the painting.
Ahad Saadi said in an interview that his mother had been pressuring him to get married, so in 2008, he decided to paint his ideal woman.
The successful artist created a branch of art known as Azarnegari, which involves burning fabrics with fire.
He completed the portrait of his future wife and then displayed it at the Huner-Mukaddes Gallery, which means “holy art,” in Tabriz, Iran, at the end of 2009.
During the exhibition, fellow artist Parisa Karamnezhad was shocked to discover the work. She felt as if she was looking in a mirror. Little did she know it had been painted by her future husband.
Iranian artist Ahad Saadi painted the woman of his dreams, and when Parisa Karamnezhad (pictured) saw it in a gellaery, she said she felt like she was looking in a mirror. (Ahad Saadi/Zenger)
Ahad said: “When I saw Parisa in my exhibition for the first time, both the excitement and the flutter of my heart gave me a feeling I had never experienced before. It was an indescribable feeling.”
Parisa said: “One evening, my boyfriend Kave called and said there was an extraordinary exhibition, and we should go. At first, I didn’t want to go. When Kave insisted, I accepted.
“When we walked into the exhibition, Ahad was drawing attention because he was the artist. At that moment, I realized a woman next to Ahad was looking at me and touching his arm. She said something to him, and Ahad looked at us with searching eyes.”
Iranian artist Ahad Saadi (right) proposed to Parisa Karamnezhad on their first date. (Ahad Saadi/Zenger)
Parisa and Kave began to look at Ahad’s work, which she described as “truly impressive.
“After passing in front of a few paintings, we arrived at the portrait that changed my life. A portrait of a smiling woman with curly hair.
“We froze in front of the portrait for a few seconds. I felt a strange closeness. I turned to my boyfriend and asked: ‘Does this portrait look like me?’”
He replied “kind of” and walked off, but Parisa could not move. She fixated on what looked like a near-perfect reflection of her face, eyes and long curly hair.
Parisa left the exhibition unable to stop thinking about Ahad and his painting, and spoke to a friend about it shortly after. “She was more excited than me, and she wanted to know what was going on,” she said.
Iranian artist Ahad Saadi (left) painted his ideal woman — then met Parisa Karamnezhad (right) at the exhibition of his work. He proposed on their first date. (Ahad Saadi/Zenger)
The following day, Parisa went back to the exhibition along with her friend and met Ahad, who greeted them as they walked through the door. Parisa took her friend to see the painting while Ahad attended to his other guests.
Her friend said: “I don’t know what the story of this painting is, but this man is madly in love with you.”
Parisa and her friend left the exhibition — did not see Ahad again for 18 months. But Ahad eventually found her on Facebook and reached out. By this time, Parisa had left her boyfriend and she agreed to have dinner with Ahad.
Iranian artist Ahad Saadi (left) and Parisa Karamnezhad (right) were married soon after their first date. They had met, briefly, 18 months earlier. He found her again on Facebook. (Ahad Saadi/Zenger)
Parisa said when he saw her, they hugged tightly, and he whispered in her ear: “You don’t know how much I love you.” Ahad, who had only seen Parisa twice in his life, proposed to her during the dinner date.
Parisa was taken aback by the proposal and said she needed time to think about it. But the next day, she contacted Ahad and said yes.
Her mother could not believe Parisa was marrying someone on such short notice, but after hearing the events that led to the decision, her mom “sighed in relief and was deeply touched by the story.” Ahad’s mother was also pleased.
Both Parisa and Ahad say meeting each other was one of the greatest moments in their lives, and they have never been happier since getting married.
An overstuffed anaconda was rescued from a river in southwestern Brazil after it got trapped due to the unidentified large prey it had ingested.
Video shows an officer from the Environmental Military Police of Mundo Novo on a boat using a spade to prod and free the giant anaconda that was trapped in some riverside branches.
The nearly 16.5-foot anaconda was spotted in the Iguatemi River as the officer and his team were on an inspection patrol to prevent fishing in the city on Nov. 2, according to a statement from the Military Police of Mato Grosso do Sul state.
The video shows the anaconda with a huge bulge in its middle after having consumed a large animal.
“Anacondas feed on large rodents, deer, fish, peccaries, capybaras, tapirs, turtles, birds, dogs, sheep, aquatic reptiles like caiman, and even jaguars,” according to the nonprofit Rainforest Alliance. “After asphyxiating their prey, they are able to unhinge their jaws to swallow their prey head-first and whole, regardless of size,” the alliance says on its website.
The military police said a branch had to be cut to release the snake. It is not clear which of the four species of anaconda is seen in the latest video. However, it appears that it may be a green anaconda.
The overstuffed anaconda floats in the river after it was freed from being trapped by branches. (PMMS/Zenger)
It is not clear what animal the anaconda had eaten, but in another incident in September, an anaconda was found to have ingested a whole capybara, the largest living rodent.
In August, a tour guide in Brazil filmed another anaconda shedding its scales.
Experts recommend that people keep their distance from anacondas.
The non-venomous green anaconda is listed as a species of “least concern” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.
They live in the forests, savannas and wetlands of Colombia and Brazil, and in the Amazon Basin.
“One of the largest snakes in the world, the green anaconda can reach impressive proportions — over 30 feet in length, 12 inches in diameter and more than 550 pounds,” according to the Rainforest Alliance.
“Unlike many animals, female anacondas are considerably larger than their male counterparts. Green anacondas are a dark olive-brown with large alternating black spots running down their backs and smaller oval spots with yellow centers along their sides. Their eyes and noses are perched on top of their large heads, allowing them to breathe and see their prey even when submerged in water.”
