Personal background.

Abu Izzadeen is a British citizen born on 18 April 1975 in Hackney, east London, to a Christian family originally from Jamaica. Brooks converted to Islam the day before he turned 18, on 17 April 1993, changing his name to Omar, but preferring to be called Abu Izzadeen. He is fluent in Arabic.  He trained and worked for a while as an electrician. He has three children with his wife, Mokhtaria, whom he married in 1998.

Political activities.

Abu Izzadeen met Omar Bakri Muhammed and Abu Hamza al-Masri at Finsbury Park Mosque in the 1990s; this is when he is thought to have been radicalised. He visited Pakistan in 2001, before the 11 September attacks, as part of Al-Muhajiroun; he said he went there to give a series of lectures. He also said he had attended terror training camps in Afghanistan.  He described the 7/7 suicide bombers in London as "completely praiseworthy". On the eve of the anniversary of the 7/7 attacks in London, he was filmed preaching to a group of Muslims in Birmingham mocking and laughing at those who believe in the war on terror and who feel a need to resist Islamic terrorism. He also mocked the courage of journalists who were captured by insurgents. He has openly stated that he wishes to die as a suicide bomber.  On 20 September 2006, Abu Izzadeen and Anjem Choudary disrupted Home Secretary John Reid's first public meeting with Muslims since his appointment. He called Reid an "enemy" of Islam. John Humphrys interviewed Izzadeen on the edition of 22 September 2006 of BBC Radio 4's "Today" programme. In a heated discussion Abu Izzadeen stated that his aim was to bring about Sharia law in the UK and that this should be achieved without following the democratic process but rather "in accordance to the Islamic methodology".  On 22 March 2017, Izzadeen was incorrectly identified as the perpetrator of the 2017 Westminster attack by a number of news sources, including "Channel 4 News" and "The Independent", until it emerged that he was still in prison. This incorrect information was subsequently added to Izzadeen's Wikipedia page, sparking a conflict among editors over whether it should be included. It was removed once and for all eight hours after the attack, after Channel 4 apologized for incorrectly naming Izzadeen as the attack's perpetrator.

Arrests and convictions (2007–15).

British police arrested Abu Izadeen on charges of inciting terrorism on 2 August 2007. A spokesman for Scotland Yard said the arrest is related to an "on-going inquiry," involving a speech Abu Izadeen gave in the West Midlands area in 2006, which predates 20 September 2006 incident.  Izzadeen was arrested again in a pre-dawn police raid on 24 April 2007 under the Terrorism Act 2000 "in connection with inciting others to commit acts of terrorism overseas and terrorist fundraising". On 17 April 2008, Izzadeen was among six men convicted at Kingston Crown Court of supporting terrorism, while the jury failed to reach a verdict on a third charge of encouraging terrorism. He was subsequently jailed for three and a half years.  On 14 November 2015, Izzadeen and Sulayman Keeler were detained by police in Lőkösháza, Hungary, on a train heading to Bucharest, Romania, because they were not able to identify themselves. During the time of their detention, on 17 November 2015, a European Arrest Warrant appeared in the Schengen Information System against both individuals. The two men did not inform the British authorities about leaving the UK despite the court decision ordering them to do so.

Abu Izzadeen (, "Abū ‘Izz ad-Dīn", born Trevor Richard Brooks, (born 18 April 1975), is a British spokesman for Al Ghurabaa, a British Muslim organisation banned under the Terrorism Act 2006 for the glorification of terrorism. He was convicted on charges of terrorist fund-raising and inciting terrorism overseas on 17 April 2008, and sentenced to four and a half years in jail. He was released in May 2009, after serving three and a half years, including time on remand. In January 2016, he was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment for breaching the Terrorism Act by leaving the UK illegally.

Abu Izzadeen (), né Trevor Richard Brooks le à Londres (Royaume-Uni), devenu en 1993 Omar Brooks, est un porte-parole britannique affilié à, une organisation musulmane britannique interdite sur le territoire national en vertu du "Terrorism Act" de 2006.


History.

Kellogg was laid out in 1865 in anticipation of the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad being built through that territory. The railroad reached the town in 1866 and it was designated a station on the line. The terminus of the railroad remained in Kellogg for some time, fueling the early growth of the town.  Today, one of Kellogg's most notable features is the five-building Kellogg Museum complex. Its main building is the former Simpson Hotel, constructed in 1909. The museum complex also boasts an original one-room schoolhouse and a country church.

Geography.

Kellogg is located at (41.716641, -92.907563).  According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, all land.  Highway 224 forms Kellogg's eastern boundary. The North Skunk River runs southeasterly along the town's southern edge.

ZIP codes.

All addresses within Kellogg fall under the 50135 ZIP code. Most individuals receive mail at a post office box rather than at their residence.

Streets and addresses.

Kellogg's streets are labeled only by name, for example, "Adair St." House numbers originate at the southeast corner of the town and increase as one moves west or north. Kellogg's business district, including the Kellogg Museum complex, is located on High St.

Demographics.

2010 census.

As of the census of 2010, there were 599 people, 261 households, and 160 families living in the city. The population density was. There were 299 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the city was 98.2% White, 0.2% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 0.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population.  There were 261 households of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 1.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.7% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.91.  The median age in the city was 40.6 years. 20.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.8% were from 25 to 44; 31.7% were from 45 to 64; and 12.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.4% male and 49.6% female.

2000 census.

As of the census of 2000, there were 606 people, 248 households, and 169 families living in the city. The population density was 1,663.0 people per square mile (649.9/km2). There were 282 housing units at an average density of 773.9 per square mile (302.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.35% White, 0.17% African American, 0.50% Asian, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.  There were 248 households out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.96.  26.1% are under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.  The median income for a household in the city was $37,000, and the median income for a family was $44,083. Males had a median income of $34,722 versus $23,125 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,161. About 2.7% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.8% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.

Kellogg is a city in Jasper County, Iowa, United States. The population was 599 at the 2010 census. It was named for a pioneer settler.

Kellogg est une ville du comté de Jasper, en Iowa, aux États-Unis. Elle est fondée en 1865 et incorporée le.


Development.

Joseph "Joe" Gatto, James "Murr" Murray, Brian "Q" Quinn, and Salvatore "Sal" Vulcano, four friends from Staten Island, New York, who attended Monsignor Farrell High School, formed the live improv and sketch comedy troupe The Tenderloins in 1999.  After a long and successful history, including winning the $100,000 grand prize in NBC's "It's Your Show" competition, the group went into television. In 2008, they filmed a pilot episode for a scripted sitcom for Spike TV, but the show did not go to series. TruTV announced "Impractical Jokers", originally slated to be named "Mission: Uncomfortable", on April 12, 2011, eight months before the show's debut. Murray explained how the hidden camera format made sense based on the jokesters' skills. "We needed to find the right format... thing is, we've been doing this for years, but when it's on camera, the embarrassment is amplified." Quinn and Vulcano have said when they gave their pilot episode to TruTV, it was recorded on their iPhones. At the time that they pitched the idea to TruTV, Murray was VP of Development for NorthSouth Productions, the company that has produced the series since its inception.

Episodes.

Prior to every challenge, the Jokers explain where they are, what the challenge is, and what will happen if they fail. Often (but not always) the cast member(s) performing the prank wears an earpiece, while the others have a mic in a covert location. Cameras are hidden near the area to capture the action. The challenge location is usually a public area in or around New York City such as a city park, or store. The criteria of each challenge are the same for each of the Jokers competing in the round. If the Joker cannot complete their task, they get a thumbs-down. At the end of the episode, the Joker(s) with the most thumbs down receives a punishment. Punishments are usually more embarrassing, humiliating, disgusting, painful, scary, or dangerous than any of the other challenges. Punishments cannot be refused or the Joker will be kicked off the show.  As of the 2017–18 television season, the series is syndicated to American broadcast stations by Trifecta Entertainment & Media, with a clearance rate of 85% of television homes.

Cast.

The cast consists of four long-time friends, collectively on the show referred to as "Jokers".

Critical reception.

"Impractical Jokers" has been well received by most critics, with Linda Stasi of the "New York Post" calling it "possibly the funniest, most ridiculous show I've seen in years."  While it has been compared to earlier hit prank shows such as "Candid Camera" and "Jackass", critics have offered praise for its unique twist on the genre, wherein the stars' reactions to the pranks are often equally as humorous as those of the innocent bystanders. Neil Genzlinger of "The New York Times" stated that "the gag pays off twice: once in the reaction of the unsuspecting passer-by, once in the discomfort of the fellow doing the asking." He later wrote that the cast-members' occasional integrity [kept] these four clowns a little bit lovable." Dean Robbins of "The Daily Page" echoed this sentiment, stating that "the friends are jovial rather than Jackass-obnoxious, even rejecting some dares as too offensive."  The series has been generally well received, garnering 1.5 million viewers during its December 15, 2011, premiere.  The review of the show by "Variety"<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Brian Lowry was less positive, ending with this statement: "Nobody will ever confuse "Impractical Jokers" with high art, certainly, but as low-brow, micro-cost comedy in the context of TruTV's programming resources, it's actually quite practical—and occasionally funny."

Promotions.

Live performances are available for fans of the Impractical Jokers television show to experience their performances live. The cast of Impractical Jokers offers tour dates and an Impractical Jokers Cruise starring The Tenderloins comedy troupe. The Impractical Jokers Cruise is ready for its 4th comical adventure. 2,300 Impractical Jokers fans will board a cruise ship from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas. The cruise is 4 days of hilarious activities hosted by Impractical Jokers Joe, Sal, Q, and Murr along with theme nights every night. In addition, fans will have access to an exclusive Tenderloins performance, 2 never before seen Tenderloins activities, and multiple comedy showcases with a lineup of comedians.

Spin-offs.

"Jokers Wild".

Jokers Wild was a spin-off of the original series in which the guys filmed a different style of skits that differ from ones that they normally film for the show. These skits are story type as opposed to live interaction with people. The first episode of "Jokers Wild" aired on September 25, 2014. Only four episodes of the six that were filmed for this series ever aired on truTV as the show did not do well in the ratings and was cancelled after the 4 episodes aired.

"Impractical Jokers: Inside Jokes".

Impractical Jokers: Inside Jokes is a spin-off of "Impractical Jokers" in which episodes that have already aired are shown again with pop-up facts throughout, including behind-the-scenes stories and facts directly from the Jokers. The first episode of "Impractical Jokers: Inside Jokes" aired on July 14, 2016, following the mid-season British special.

"Impractical Jokers: After Party".

Impractical Jokers: After Party is a spin-off hosted by Joey Fatone, in which the Jokers and surprise guests go through a deep dive of challenges, special play-by-play punishment analysis from the latest episode, and bonus content from the latest episode or the whole show. The first episode of the series aired on August 3, 2017, after the episode "The Q-Pay" had aired. "After Party" is filmed at The Flagship Brewing Company bar in Staten Island. When the series came back on August 2, 2018, the series moved to The Mailroom Bar in Lower Manhattan.

"Impractical Jokers: Dinner Party".

Impractical Jokers: Dinner Party is a spin-off of "Impractical Jokers", in which the Jokers do a video group chat while having dinner and having guests visit their group chat. The first episode of the series aired on May 21, 2020.

Film.

On March 7, 2018, truTV announced that "Impractical Jokers" was renewed for an eighth season and a feature-length film to begin development in spring 2018, directed by Chris Henchy and produced by Funny or Die. Production on the film began at the end of April 2018. A trailer was released on December 17, 2019, and the movie was released on February 21, 2020.

Impractical Jokers is an American hidden camera reality game show with improvisational elements. Produced by NorthSouth Productions, "Impractical Jokers" premiered on truTV on December 15, 2011 starring the four members of The Tenderloins: Joseph "Joe" Gatto, James "Murr" Murray, Brian "Q" Quinn and Salvatore "Sal" Vulcano.

Les Jokers est une émission de télévision américaine de téléréalité et caméra-cachée diffusée aux États-Unis depuis le sur truTV et également sur MTV, en France sur MTV France (pendant un temps) et au Royaume-Uni sur Comedy Central UK.


Biography.

Born March 25, 1897 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her father was Capt. William B. Barrett, whom she said fought for the North in the Civil War. At the age of 7 she began to play the piano. In the early 1920s, Barrett joined Oscar Celestin's Original Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra. In 1928, when the Celestin's band split, she intermittently played music with Bebe Ridgeley's Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra for the next 10 years.  In 1947, she accepted a steady job at Happy Landing, a local club in Pecaniere, Louisiana, but it was her recording debut in 1961, with her own album in the Riverside Records "New Orleans: The Living Legends" series, that brought her recognition. Although most of the songs on the album were instrumentals, others featured vocals by Barrett that the liner notes described as her first recordings as a vocalist.  She was nicknamed "Bell Gal" because she wore a red skull cap and garters with Christmas bells that jingled in time with her music. She was featured on the cover of "Glamour" magazine and written about in publications in the U.S. and Europe. She toured with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band domestically and internationally, including a stint at Disneyland in 1963.  Despite the popular exposure she received at concerts and overseas appearances, Barrett continued to feel most comfortable in her native New Orleans, especially the French Quarter. In 1963, on her album "The Bell Gal and Her Dixieland Boys Music", Barrett sings on four of the eight songs and heads two overlapping groups. She is joined throughout by banjoist Emanuel Sayles, bassist Placide Adams, and drummer Paul Barbarin, and four songs feature trumpeter Alvin Alcorn, trombonist Jim Robinson and clarinetist Louis Cottrell, Jr.; the remaining four numbers have trumpeter Don Albert, trombonist Frog Joseph and clarinetist Raymond Burke.  Overall, this set gives listeners a good sampling of the sound of New Orleans jazz circa 1963 and is one of the few recordings of Barrett mostly without the regular members of what would become the Preservation Hall Jazz Band (Robinson and Sayles excepted). The ensemble-oriented renditions of such numbers as "Big Butter and Egg Man", "Bogalusa Strut", and "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"' are rendered with fun and joy.  The Preservation Hall Jazz Band made a brief appearance in the 1965 film "The Cincinnati Kid", which featured Barrett as vocalist and pianist for the band and included a close-up of her.  In 1967, she suffered a stroke that paralyzed her left side, but she continued to work, and occasionally to record. She played music until her death in 1983 at the age of 85, she died at Metairie's Bonnabel Hospital.

"Sweet Emma" Barrett (March 25, 1897, New Orleans, Louisiana – January 28, 1983) was an American, self-taught jazz pianist and singer who worked with the Original Tuxedo Orchestra between 1923 and 1936, first under Papa Celestin, then William Ridgely. She also worked with Armand Piron, John Robichaux, Sidney Desvigne, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

Sweet Emma Barrett, née le et morte le à la Nouvelle-Orléans, Louisiane, était une pianiste et chanteuse de jazz autodidacte américaine. Elle connut la célébrité avec le Preservation Hall Jazz Band des années 1960 et devient une des figures emblématique du jazz traditionnel de la Nouvelle-Orléans.


The offensive.

Tahrir al-Sham-led offensive south and east of Halfaya.

On 21 March 2017, the rebel offensive code-named the "Battle of Tell Them to Work" was launched when two Tahrir al-Sham suicide bombers detonated two large car bombs against government positions in the town of Suran. Rebel forces led by Tahrir al-Sham then proceeded to attack Suran and the nearby villages of Maardis and Ma'an. The rebels captured the three villages by 22 March, but this was denied by Hezbollah. The pro-opposition activist group the SOHR confirmed the rebel capture of Suran and parts of Maardis. The village of Khitab was also captured. According an SAA Tiger Force commander, there were about 6,000 HTS and allied militants involved in the offensive. In response to the rebel offensive, the Syrian Army sent reinforcements to the northern Hama frontline. The rebels aimed to capture Jabal Zayn al-Abidin and attack the Hama Military Airport, and reportedly advanced to within 7 kilometers of Hama city.  On 23 March, rebels captured the villages of Kawkab and Iskandariyah, stormed Maardis, and cut off the road linking Mahardah to Hama. The advances that day brought HTS-led forces within 5 kilometers of Hama city. Pro-government al-Masdar News claimed that the rebels carried out a massacre of Alawites in the village of al-Majdal, killing up to 30 of them. According to an opposition source, Sham FM radio reported that this was denied by Mohaled Hazzouri, the governor of Hama. Later that day, the Syrian Army recaptured Kawkab. Al-Masdar News also reported that Khattab and one other village were recaptured amid an ongoing counter-offensive.

Syrian Army repels Ahrar al-Sham-led offensive on Kernaz.

On 24 March, six rebel factions led by Ahrar al-Sham launched a separate offensive, code-named the "Echo of the Levant", on the northwestern front of Hama, with the goal to surround and capture Karnaz. However, after managing to initially capture three villages, the rebels were forced to retreat due to heavy artillery shelling.

Rebel attack on Qomhana and Syrian Army advance near Mahardah.

On 24 March, the rebels attacked the town of Qomhana, north of Hama. Following an attack by three suicide car-bombers, the rebels managed to penetrate the town's defenses and heavy fighting ensued inside it. However, the rebel attack was eventually repelled after the Army encircled the rebels inside Qomhana and cleared them out. The same day, the Syrian Army recaptured the village of Shayzar, near Mahardah.  On 25 March, on the Maarzaf front, fighters of the Army of Glory used a BGM-71 TOW missile against a group of Syrian Army soldiers, scoring a direct hit. They claimed to had killed over 150 soldiers; however, sources on the ground gave a count of between 14 and 20 casualties. Elsewhere, the rebels started a new attack on Qomhana, which also involved a suicide bombing. Kawkab was once again captured by the rebels for several hours, before the Army retook it once again, as well as Tall al Abadi hill south of Maardes.  On 26 March, after a new morning rebel attack was repelled on Qomhana's western flank, the HTS rebels withdrew their forces to the cemetery area outside the town. The Syrian Army then attacked the cemetery area, overrunning HTS positions that afternoon. Subsequently, the Army captured the nearby hilltop of Tal Al-Sammam and its three checkpoints. They then started preparing to enter Khitab, which was reportedly empty but still not safe due to the large presence of rebels around the village. In the evening, HTS-led forces launched another three-hour rebel assault on Qomhana. Despite the rebels initially managing to penetrate the Syrian Army's first defense line on the town's northern flank, Army reinforcements from the east and the west reportedly managed to besiege the rebel forces in Qomhana's north, killing a large number of them, and forcing the rest to retreat.  On 27 March, the Army recaptured a village south of Mahardah. The military also reportedly seized the Mahardah bridge, reaching the outskirts of the village of Arzeh.

Second Ahrar al-Sham-led attack repelled.

On 28 March, the rebels launched a new assault on two flanks north of Mahardah, capturing the Al-Qaramitah area. They also seized Tall Al-Sakhr hill, Al-Sakhir village and the nearby grain silos near Kernaz. However, the attack was eventually repelled later in the day, as the Syrian Army regained all the lost positions at Al-Qaramitah and Sakhir. Three Syrian Army tanks were destroyed or damaged by BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missiles during the day's fighting.

Syrian Army counterattack and rebels pushed back.

On 29 March, HTS-led forces captured Tal Shihah hill, south of Khitab, bringing HTS-led jihadists within 3 kilometers of Hama city. Concurrently, the Army counter-attacked north of Qomhana and recaptured several positions, including Saman hill. Later in the day, the military also recaptured Tal Shihah. Subsequently, the Syrian army captured the strategic hilltop of Tal Bizam, north of Suran. The next day, the Syrian Army captured six locations, including the town of Arzah and Point 50, to the south west of Qomhana and south of Khitab. Meanwhile, another rebel attack on the northwestern front was repelled. On 30 March, a government airstrike hit al-Lataminah. More than 70 people in the area were then exposed to an unidentified chemical agent and showed symptoms of nausea, agitation, foaming, muscle spasm, and miosis (constriction of the pupil of the eye); cardiac arrest occurred in two of the victims and an orthopedic doctor died.  On 31 March, the Syrian army recaptured Khitab and five other villages along with several hills and checkpoints. They also reopened the Hama-Mhardheh highway and pushed back the rebels to positions 11 kilometers from Hama Military Airport.

Back-and-forth fighting and the Syrian Army reaches Suran.

On 3 April, the Syrian Army recaptured the town of Maardis, along with the nearby silos and hills. Subsequently, they shifted their assault and reclaimed the village of Iskanderiyah and Maardis bridge. A government aircraft was reported to carry out a chlorine gas attack on Al-Habit, injuring dozens and killing two children. The next day, the rebels counter-attacked against Maardis and recaptured it after more than nine hours of heavy fighting. The initial rebel assault involved three suicide car-bombers, according to pro-government sources. The town of Khan Shaykoun was reported to have been struck by an airstrike by government forces followed by massive civilian chemical poisoning. The release of a toxic gas, which included sarin, or a similar substance, killed at least 89 people and injured more than 541, according to the opposition Idlib Health Directorate. The attack was the deadliest use of chemical weapons in the Syrian civil war since the Ghouta chemical attack in 2013.  On 5 April, Maardis was once again contested, although by the afternoon the rebels managed to push back government forces and retain control of the town. Subsequently, a rebel suicide car-bomber attacked the government-held hill of Tall Abadah, 1,500 meters southeast of Maardis, reportedly immobilizing a tank. At the same time, the Army captured a checkpoint near Halfaya and managed to penetrate the town from the west. However, the rebels regained the lost ground at Halfaya later in the day, while also recapturing Iskandariyah.  On 7 April, around noon, the rebels advanced and captured several positions south of Maardis. However, this turned out to be a trap set up by the Army with dozens of rebel reported killed. After several hours of clashes, the military recaptured the positions they had lost, in addition to Iskandariyah which they attacked from two flanks. Three days later, government troops recaptured Maardis as well. Fighting continued on 11 April, as the Army seized the “Russian Regiment” base, south of Suran.

All rebel gains reversed.

On 14 April, the military launched an attack toward Halfaya, capturing several checkpoints south of the town. At the same time, the Army shelled rebel positions around Suran and Taybat al-Imam. However, despite these initial advances, the Army was eventually pushed back from Halfaya after suffering heavy casualties. Two tanks were also captured by the rebels.  On 16 April, following over 40 air-strikes against rebel supply lines the previous night, the Syrian Army recaptured Suran after 10 hours of intense fighting, thus reversing all rebel gains during the offensive. Several hours later, the rebels fired more than 40 Grad rockets towards Hama Military Airport, destroying a MIG-23 fighter jet and several large ammo depots.

Army push into rebel territory; Taybat al-Imam and Halfaya captured.

On 17 April, the military launched an attack on Taybat al-Imam and reportedly captured a checkpoint at the eastern entrance to the town.  On 20 April, heavy fighting erupted in the areas of Taybat al-Imam and Halfaya, as government forces tried to capture both towns. Over the previous 48 hours, more than 400 air-strikes were conducted in the northern Hama countryside. Eventually, government troops managed to capture Taybat al-Imam and pushed further west towards Halfaya, taking a checkpoint. Subsequently, the rebels launched a counter-attack and managed to recapture large parts of Taybat al-Imam. However, after intense clashes that lasted several hours during the night, the military managed to push back the rebels and retain control of the town.  On 22 April, the Army expanded the buffer zone around Taybat al-Imam with new advances. The next morning, the Syrian Army captured Halfaya and began operations to capture Morek. These advances left government forces once again in control of all areas they had lost during the rebel's previous offensive in late 2016.  On 24 April, the Army continued its advance north towards Al-Lataminah and Morek. In the process, the SAA captured two or four more villages and a checkpoint, thus reaching the outskirts of Lataminah. The next day, the rebels partially recaptured Al-Massasnah in a counter-attack, before the Syrian Army regained their positions in the town the following morning, while also capturing the village of Zullaqiat, north of Halfaya. On 28 April, rebel forces again assaulted Al-Massasnah, but their attack was eventually repelled.

Aftermath.

On 19 September 2017, Tahrir al-Sham, the Turkistan Islamic Party, and their allies launched a new offensive in northern Hama under the codename "Oh Servants of God, Be Steadfast". The rebels initially captured four villages, but after back-and-forth fighting during which the villages changed hands several times, government forces recaptured all of the villages by 22 September. 66 rebels and 38 soldiers were killed during the offensive, while more than 40 civilians were killed in nearly 500 air-strikes on about 40 towns and villages in retaliation for the rebel offensive.

The Hama offensive (March–April 2017) was a military offensive launched by Syrian rebel groups led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) north of the city of Hama, as part of the Syrian Civil War. The offensive began on 21 March 2017, and the rebels aimed to recapture areas recaptured by the Syrian Armed Forces in the 2016 Hama offensive, as well as pushing into Hama city. The offensive was coordinated with rebel forces in Damascus' eastern suburbs, who launched their own operation in March 2017.

L'offensive de Hama de mars 2017 a lieu pendant la guerre civile syrienne. Elle est lancée le par les rebelles, au nord de la ville de Hama, tenue par le régime syrien. Après des gains territoriaux initiaux pour les rebelles, une contre-offensive permet aux forces loyalistes de reprendre le contrôle du terrain perdu, ainsi que d'autres villages précédemment sous contrôle rebelle.


Club career.

Stoke City.

Lund started his career at Crewe Alexandra's Academy. He joined Stoke City in the summer of 2009 along with fellow Crewe teammate Ben Marshall. Unlike Marshall who went out on loan Lund stayed at Stoke and played in the reserve team. He had a number of impressive displays in the reserve squad most notably against Portsmouth where Lund scored three times and created two. His first appearance on the Stoke bench came in a Premier League game against Burnley in February 2010.  Lund joined Jamie Pitman at Hereford United on a months loan on 23 November 2010 where he will make his professional debut. He made his debut in a 2–2 draw with Lincoln City in the FA Cup. He made his league debut in a 1–0 loss to Bradford City on 11 December 2010.  In July 2011 Lund joined League One side Oldham Athletic on loan until 21 November 2011. Lund made his debut for the club with an assist in a 1–0 pre season victory against Fleetwood Town and his competitive club debut on the first day of the 2011–12 season, starting the Football League match against Sheffield United. He was recalled by Stoke from his loan at Oldham on 9 September as Lund was not getting played in the first team.  On 30 January 2012 Lund joined Bristol Rovers on a months loan, scoring his first two senior goals for his final loan appearance for the club. In July 2012 he re-joined Bristol Rovers on loan following a successful spell. He scored on his final appearance of his second loan spell in a 2–1 win over Plymouth Argyle. He joined Southend United on loan in February 2013. He played 13 games for the Shrimpers scoring once against Northampton Town. He was released by Stoke at the end of the 2012–13 season.

Rochdale.

Lund joined Rochdale on 21 June 2013 signing a two-year contract.  On 31 October 2014, Lund signed a contract extension tying him to the club until summer 2016.  On 17 December 2016, Lund scored his first career hat-trick, scoring all three of Rochdale's goals in a 3–2 win against Northampton Town.

Burton Albion.

On 19 May 2017, Lund joined Burton Albion signing a two-year contract after his four-year spell at Rochdale. He scored his first goal for Burton in a 3–2 EFL Cup win against Oldham Athletic on 9 August 2017.  On 26 January 2018, Matty joined Bradford City on loan for the rest of the season.

Scunthorpe United.

On 3 August 2018, Matty joined Scunthorpe United for an undisclosed fee, signing a two-year deal with the club.

Rochdale Return.

On 31 January 2020, Lund returned to Rochdale for an undisclosed fee, signing a 18-month contract.

International career.

Lund was called up to the Northern Ireland Under 21 side for the first time in February 2011. He was called up to the senior Northern Ireland squad for a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier against Romania in November 2014. He was called up again in August 2016 for a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic.

Matthew Charles Lund (born 21 November 1990) is an English-born Northern Irish professional footballer who plays for English club Rochdale.

Matthew Charles Lund, né le à Manchester (Angleterre), est un footballeur international nord-irlandais, qui évolue au poste de milieu de terrain à Rochdale.


History.

The Church in the name of the Holy Ascension in Chaltyr village was founded in 1790 by Armenians who resettled in Don from Crimea on the decree of Empress Catherine II issued on November 14, 1779.  This stone church had a wooden bell tower. Over time, it became dilapidated. The parishioners of Chaltyr village applied to the Novo-Nakhichevan and Bessarabian diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church for permission to build a new church.  The permission was granted and in 1860 construction of a new church began. It was built on the project of Taganrog architect N. Muratov in Classicist style. The old church was demolished and at its site the building of parish school was constructed.  In 1883, the church was renovated. 12 new pedestals with saints' faces were built and three new doors with multi-colored stained-glass windows were installed. The church territory was surrounded with a forged fence.  During World War II, the church was closed and the building itself was used in different ways. In 1944 the church was reopened. In 1990 there was installed a khachkar, a copy of the khachkar of 1279, which is located in Holy Etchmiadzin in Armenia. The inscription on the pedestal khachkar says that it was installed in memory of the Turkish Genocide of Armenians in 1915.

Architecture.

The building was constructed in the form of a cross. It has slender proportions and architectural elements typical for churches in Nakhichevan. The high four-tier bell tower is similar to those of St. John the Baptist Church in the village of Nesvetay, and its side premises were constructed in the form of small rooms with exedra.

The Church of the Ascension (, ) is an Armenian Apostolic church in Chaltyr village, Myasnikovsky District, Rostov Oblast, Russia.

L’église de l’Ascension (en, en ou Церковь Сурб Амбарцум) est une église arménienne de Tchaltyr (oblast de Rostov) construite de 1864 à 1867.


Early life.

Henry Howard was born on February 8, 1818 in Cork, Ireland. He emigrated to the United States in 1836, first living in New York City. Within a year, he joined his brother in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Career.

Howard first worked as a builder/carpenter in New Orleans, where he built residential stairs. He was employed by architects James H. Dakin and Henry Molhausen. A few years later, he completed the Pontalba Buildings, started by James Gallier.  By 1848, he designed the Madewood Plantation House near Napoleonville. He went on to design several other plantation mansions, such as Nottoway (1859, the largest surviving plantation house in the South), Belle Alliance, Indian Camp Plantation (1859), Belmont Plantation in St. James Parish, and Edgewood (1859) in Natchez, Mississippi.  Howard also designed town houses like the Samuel W. Logan House, the Robert H. Short House and the Goldsmith-Godchaux House (1859). The Goldsmith-Godchaux House is "significant for its painted interiors. Has more fresco wall decoration and stenciling than probably any other mid-nineteenth century residence in the South."  In at least a few of these projects, Howard worked with a partner, Albert Diettel, including Edgewood and possibly Indian Camp Plantation.  During the American Civil War of 1861-1865, Howard joined the Confederate States Navy and worked at the Confederate Naval Iron Works in Columbus, Georgia.  After the war, Howard resumed designing houses. Over the course of his career, he designed over 280 buildings, some of which were wrongly attributed to James Gallier.

Personal life and death.

Howard married Miss Richards of New York; they had 11 children. He died of paralysis on November 25, 1884, in New Orleans.

Henry Howard (1818–1884) was an Irish-born American architect. Over the course of four decades, he designed over 280 buildings in Louisiana, including several plantation houses during the antebellum era. After the Civil War, he designed many town houses in New Orleans.

Henry Howard (né le à Cork et mort le à La Nouvelle-Orléans) est un architecte américain né en Irlande. Au travers de quatre décennies, il est l'auteur de plus de 280 édifices en Louisiane, notamment des maisons de plantation avant la Guerre de Sécession. Après la guerre, il est l'auteur de nombreuses maisons de ville à La Nouvelle-Orléans.


Content.

A departure from their previous two albums, "Pygmalion" incorporated a more experimental sound tilted towards ambient electronic music, with sparse, atmospheric arrangements. All compositions were by Neil Halstead. Lyrics on tracks "Miranda" and "Visions of LA" were by Rachel Goswell.  The cover illustration features imagery from Rainer Wehinger's graphic notation for György Ligeti's work "Artikulation" (1958).

Reissue.

The album was remastered and reissued on Cherry Red in 2010, with a bonus disc consisting of demo versions of "Pygmalion"-era tracks.

Reception.

"Pygmalion" has been well-received by critics. AllMusic called it "a stylistic masterpiece", while BBC Music echoed similar sentiments, writing that "Pygmalion" "remains Halstead and Goswell's masterpiece" and comparing it to the ambient work of Brian Eno. "Head Heritage" wrote that with the album, "Slowdive distilled the expansive aural atmospheres of "Souvlaki" to perfection."  "Pitchfork" noted the change in style, describing the album's tracks as "ambient pop dreams that have more in common with post-rock like Disco Inferno than shoegazers like Ride".  A negative review came from "Trouser Press", which wrote that the album "completely lacks all the tension, songwriting, sounds and power of the band's work, leaving only the spatial dimensions", calling it "essentially a solo ambient recording by singer/guitarist Neil Halstead that should have been released under his own name".

Legacy.

The song "Blue Skied an' Clear" was featured on the soundtrack of the 1995 film "The Doom Generation".  In 1999, critic Ned Raggett ranked "Pygmalion" at number 122 on his list of "The Top 136 or So Albums of the Nineties" for "Freaky Trigger". In 2016, "Pitchfork" placed it at number 12 on its list of "The 50 Best Shoegaze Albums of All Time".

Personnel.

Slowdive  Additional personnel

Pygmalion is the third studio album by English rock band Slowdive, released on 6 February 1995 by record label Creation. It was the final Slowdive album to be released before the band disbanded in 1995.

Pygmalion est le troisième album du groupe anglais Slowdive publié le par le label Creation Records. Il s'agit du dernier album du groupe avant leur split la même année et sa reformation en 2014.


History.

The magic system in tabletop role-playing games such as "Dungeons & Dragons" is largely based on patterns established in the "Dying Earth" novels of author Jack Vance. In this system, the player character can only memorize a fixed number of spells from a list of spells. Once this spell is used once, the character forgets it and becomes unable to use it again.  "Mana" is a word that comes from Polynesian languages meaning something along the lines of "supernatural power". The concept of mana was introduced in Europe by missionary Robert Henry Codrington in 1891 and was popularized by Mircea Eliade in the 1950s. It was first introduced as a magical fuel used to cast spells in the 1969 short story, "Not Long Before the End", by Larry Niven, which is part of and later popularized by his "The Magic Goes Away" setting. It has since become a common staple in both role-playing and video games.

Mechanisms.

Because skills and abilities are not usually lost, a game designer might decide to limit the use of such an ability by linking its use to magic points. This way, after using an ability, the player is required to rest or use an item to replenish their character's MP. This is done for balancing, so that each skill does not have an infinite casting ability with equal results every time.  "Magic" may be substituted with psychic powers, spiritual power, advanced technology or other concepts that would allow a character to influence the world around them that is not available in real life. Magic is often restricted to a specific class of character, such as a "mage" or "spellcaster", while other character classes have to rely on melee combat or physical projectiles. Other character classes, such as those that rely on melee attacks, may also have a "magic" bar that limits their special abilities, although they are usually called something different, such as the Barbarian's "Fury" in "Diablo 3".  In video games, MP can often be restored by consuming magic potions or it may regenerate over time. Status effects are temporary modification to a game character's original set of stats. A character may cast a spell that inflicts a positive or negative status effect on another character.

In role-playing games.

In both tabletop role-playing games and role-playing video games, magic is most usually used to cast spells during battles. However, in tabletop RPGs, unlike in video games, magic has many uses outside of combat situations, such as using love spells on NPCs to gain information. Some games base the strength and amount of a character's magic on stats such as "wisdom" or "intelligence". These stats are used because they are easy to keep track of and develop in pen-and-paper RPGs.  Some games introduce a separate point system per skill. For example, in the "Pokémon" games, each skill of each fighting character has its own "Power Points" (PP). If the PP of only one of its skills are depleted, that specific Pokémon still has three other skills to choose from.

In god games.

In god games, the player's power is usually called mana and grows along with the number and prosperity of the player's worshipers. Here, the population size influences the maximum amount of mana the player has and the rate at which their mana restores itself when it is below that maximum. Using "godly powers" consumes mana, but such actions are necessary to increase the number and prosperity of the population.

Magic or mana is an attribute assigned to characters within a role-playing or video game that indicates their power to use special magical abilities or "spells". Magic is usually measured in magic points or mana points, shortened as MP. Different abilities will use up different amounts of MP. When the MP of a character reaches zero, the character will not be able to use special abilities until some of their MP is recovered.

La magie, ou mana, est un élément de "" d'un jeu vidéo très fréquemment présent dans les jeux de rôles. Elle est utilisée par différents archétypes de personnages ou objets et prend donc différentes formes. Elle peut être introduite sous la forme de caractéristiques ou capacités à acquérir ou faire progresser, ou sous forme d'objet à utiliser. La magie se mesure généralement en points de magie, abrégé en MP, ou en points de mana ; Elle est souvent affichée sous forme du rapport par exemple 50/60 MP, ou sous forme de jauge que le joueur doit alimenter. Ces magies octroient différentes capacités aux personnages joueurs, comme la possibilité d'attaquer, de se défendre, de réaliser diverses actions spécifiques ou de régénérer la santé des personnages.


Convener.

In 2013, UN-Water and the "Thematic Priority Area (TPA) on Drinking Water and Basic Sanitation" received the mandate to oversee World Toilet Day each year. This mandate is described in the United Nations Resolution A/67/L.75.  In consultation with the UN-Water World Toilet Day Task Force, made up of UN-Water member organizations, UN-Water selects the theme based on that year's World Water Development Report and develops content for World Toilet Day communications campaigns.  UN-Water manages the World Toilet Day website which promotes key issues and stories, provides communications and campaigns resources, and announces events and opportunities to participate.  The overall World Toilet Day campaign mobilizes civil society, think tanks, non-governmental organizations, academics, corporations and the general public to participate in the associated social media and communications campaigns. Ultimately, the aim is to encourage organizations and governments to plan activities and action on sanitation issues to make progress on Sustainable Development Goal 6.

Annual themes.

Starting in 2012, World Toilet Day themes were selected for each year and form the basis of the related communications campaigns. Since 2016, the same overall annual theme has been used for both World Toilet Day and World Water Day, based on the World Water Development Report.

Examples of activities and events.

Launch of reports.

Some organizations launch toilet-related (or sanitation-related) reports on World Toilet Day. For example:

Impacts.

Social media impacts.

The World Toilet Day campaign and related publications reach millions of people through social media, dedicated websites and other channels. Over 100 events in 40 countries were registered on the World Toilet Day website in both 2016 and in 2017. In 2017, the hashtag #WorldToiletDay had a maximum potential reach of over 750 million people on social media. In 2018, the maximum potential reach increased by 15%,compared to 2017; the online activity and authors also increased by 12% and 22% compared to 2017, respectively.

History.

On 19 November 2001, the NGO World Toilet Organization (WTO) was founded by Jack Sim, a philanthropist from Singapore. He subsequently declared 19 November as World Toilet Day. The name "World Toilet Day" and not "World Sanitation Day" was chosen for ease of public messaging, even though toilets are only the first stage of sanitation systems.  World Toilet Day events and public awareness campaigns increase public awareness of the broader sanitation systems that include wastewater treatment, fecal sludge management, municipal solid waste management, stormwater management, hygiene, and handwashing. Also, the UN Sustainable Development Goals call for more than just toilets. Goal 6 calls for adequate sanitation, which includes the whole system for assuring that waste is safely processed.  The WTO began pushing for global recognition for World Toilet Day and, in 2007, the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA) began to actively support World Toilet Day, too. Their efforts to raise attention for the sanitation crisis were bolstered in 2010 when the human right to water and sanitation was officially declared a human right by the UN.  In 2013, a joint initiative between the Government of Singapore and the World Toilet Organization led to Singapore's first ever UN resolution, named "Sanitation for All". The resolution calls for collective action to end the world's sanitation crisis. World Toilet Day was declared an official UN day in 2013. That resolution was adopted by 122 countries at the 67th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.  The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) replaced the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2016. On World Toilet Day on 19 November 2015, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged broad action to renew efforts to provide access to adequate sanitation for all. He reminded everyone of the "Call to Action on Sanitation" which was launched in 2013, and the aim to end open defecation by 2025. He also said: “By many accounts, sanitation is the most-missed target of the Millennium Development Goals."  The UN Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, was honored on World Toilet Day in 2016 in New York for his deep commitment to breaking the sanitation taboo. For example, he had delivered a video message to attendees of a WaterAid and Unilever joint event in the European Parliament on World Toilet Day 2014. In 2016, UN-Water supported “A Toast for Toilets” in New York with the United Nations Mission of Singapore.

Background.

Worldwide, 4.2 billion people live without "safely managed sanitation" and around 673 million people worldwide practise open defecation. Having to defecate in the open is especially difficult for women and girls. Women tend to resort to the cover of darkness to give them more privacy, but then risk being attacked when alone at night.  It has been estimated that 58% of all cases of diarrhea worldwide in 2015 were caused by unsafe water, poor sanitation and poor hygiene practices, such as inadequate handwashing. This resulted in half a million children under the age of five dying from diarrhea per year. Providing sanitation has been estimated to lower the odds of children suffering diarrhea by 7–17%, and under-five mortality by 5–20%.  The Human Right to Water and Sanitation was recognized as a human right by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on 28 July 2010. Lack of access to sanitation (toilets) has an impact on public health, dignity, and safety. The spread of many diseases (e.g. soil-transmitted helminthiasis, diarrhea, schistosomiasis) and stunted growth in children is directly related to people being exposed to human feces because toilets are either not available or not used.  Sustainable Development Goal 6 aims to provide sanitation for all.

World Toilet Day (WTD) is an official United Nations international observance day on 19 November to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis. Worldwide, 4.2 billion people live without "safely managed sanitation" and around 673 million people practise open defecation. Sustainable Development Goal 6 aims to achieve sanitation for all and end open defecation. World Toilet Day exists to inform, engage and inspire people to take action toward achieving this goal.

La Journée mondiale des toilettes (JMT) est un événement annuel célébré le 19 novembre. La journée met l'accent sur l'importance de l'assainissement et défend l'accès à la propreté et la sécurité des toilettes pour tous. Créée à l'origine par l'Organisation mondiale des toilettes, en 2001, la journée est réservée pour attirer l'attention sur la crise mondiale de l'assainissement. Depuis, la Journée mondiale des toilettes a pris de l'ampleur chez les partenaires internationaux et en 2013, l'Organisation des Nations unies (ONU) a adopté une résolution reconnaissant la JMT comme une journée internationale de l'ONU (Résolution des nations UNIES A/67/L. 75).


History.

Plans put forward in early 2006 by the National Assembly for Wales have led to a subsidised weekday air service between the airport and Cardiff Airport, 12 miles west of the Welsh capital in the hope of improving the economy of Anglesey and North Wales in general. The twice daily service began in May 2007.  For residents of Anglesey, the air service is significantly quicker than surface transport. Gate-to-gate travel time to Cardiff is around 1 hour.  The passenger terminal is a single storey building consisting of a check-in desk, departure lounge and baggage handling areas as well as other visitor information areas. The terminal, completed in 2007, was designed by MAP architects and cost £1,000,000. The publicly funded building contract was given to the construction company Yorkon. The building was built off site and brought to the airport when finished.  The airport's principal stakeholders are RAF Valley, The Senedd, the Isle of Anglesey County Council and Cardiff Airport.  In March 2018, flights between Anglesey Airport and Cardiff Airport were suspended due to a Hawk aircraft from the Red Arrows crashing onto the runway. Domestic flights were being diverted to Hawarden Airport in Flintshire with coaches transporting passengers between Valley and Hawarden.

Airline and destinations.

On 13 March 2017 the service was taken over by Eastern Airways operating under their Flybe franchise. Using a Jetstream 41 Welsh Government announced in February 2019 that it had awarded the new 4-year Public Services Obligation (PSO) air service contract to Eastern Airways. After Flybe went into administration, Eastern Airways continued on independently with its current routes.

Ground transport.

The airport is located less than two miles from the A55 North Wales Expressway linking Holyhead and Chester. The airport has a car park for passengers on the airport's only scheduled flights to Cardiff. The nearest railway station is. Arriva Bus services link the airport to both and Holyhead.

Anglesey Airport (Maes Awyr Ynys Môn) is an airport owned by the Isle of Anglesey County Council on land leased from the Defence Infrastructure Organisation. The airport is situated at Llanfair-yn-Neubwll in Anglesey, Wales. The leased site is part of RAF Valley, an RAF station teaching RAF pilots using BAE Hawks.

L'aérodrome dAnglesey est un petit aéroport situé sur l'île d'Anglesey. L'aéroport est situé à Llanfair yn Neubwll, au Pays de Galles.


Han dynasty.

There were a total of fifteen instances of "heqin" marriage alliances during the Han dynasty.

Xiongnu.

The Xiongnu practiced marriage alliances with Han dynasty officers and officials who defected to their side. The older sister of the Chanyu (the Xiongnu ruler) was married to the Xiongnu General Zhao Xin, the Marquis of Xi who was serving the Han dynasty. The daughter of the Chanyu was married to the Han Chinese General Li Ling after he surrendered and defected. The Yenisei Kirghiz Khagans claimed descent from Li Ling. Another Han Chinese General who defected to the Xiongnu was Li Guangli who also married a daughter of the Chanyu.

Kingdom of Khotan.

The Chinese Cao family ruling Guiyi Circuit established marriage alliances with the Saka Kingdom of Khotan, with both the Cao rulers marrying Khotanese princesses and with Cao princesses marrying Khotanese rulers. A Khotanese princess who was the daughter of the King of Khotan married Cao Yanlu.

Sixteen Kingdoms.

During the Sixteen Kingdoms period, there were a total of six recorded instances of "heqin" marriage. "Heqin" marriage alliances during the Sixteen Kingdoms period differed from those practiced during the Han dynasty in two main ways. First, they involved "real" princesses (i.e. daughters of emperors or rulers). Second, unlike during the Han dynasty, when most "heqin" marriages were aimed at establishing peace with foreign nations, "heqin" marriages during the Sixteen Kingdoms period were made primarily to settle rivalries and maintain a balance of power between the various states in China at the time.

Northern and Southern dynasties.

During the Northern and Southern dynasties period, China was divided into many rival states. A complicated system of rivalries and vassalage existed. "Heqin" marriage was employed as a method to maintain a balance of power or to solidify alliances between states.  During the Northern and Southern dynasties, there were five instances of "heqin" marriage.

Northern Wei.

The Xianbei Tuoba royal family of Northern Wei started to arrange for Han Chinese elites to marry daughters of the royal family in the 480s. More than fifty percent of Tuoba Xianbei princesses of the Northern Wei were married to southern Han Chinese men from the imperial families and aristocrats from southern China of the Southern dynasties who defected and moved north to join the Northern Wei. Some Han Chinese exiled royalty fled from southern China and defected to the Xianbei. Several daughters of the Xianbei Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei were married to Han Chinese elites, the Han Chinese Liu Song royal Liu Hui 刘辉, married Princess Lanling 蘭陵公主 of the Northern Wei, Princess Huayang 華陽公主 to Sima Fei 司馬<unk>, a descendant of Jin dynasty (265–420) royalty, Princess Jinan 濟南公主 to Lu Daoqian 盧道虔, Princess Nanyang 南阳长公主 to Xiao Baoyin 萧宝夤, a member of Southern Qi royalty. Emperor Xiaozhuang of Northern Wei's sister the Shouyang Princess was wedded to The Liang dynasty ruler Emperor Wu of Liang's son Xiao Zong 蕭綜.  When the Eastern Jin dynasty ended Northern Wei received the Jin prince Sima Chuzhi 司馬楚之 as a refugee. A Northern Wei Princess married Sima Chuzhi, giving birth to Sima Jinlong 司馬金龍. Northern Liang Xiongnu King Juqu Mujian's daughter married Sima Jinlong.

Rouran.

The Rouran Khaganate arranged for one of their princesses, Khagan Yujiulü Anagui's daughter Princess Ruru 蠕蠕公主 to be married to the Han Chinese ruler Gao Huan of the Eastern Wei.

Turkic Khaganate.

The Kingdom of Gaochang was made out of Han Chinese colonists and ruled by the Han Chinese Qu family which originated from Gansu. Jincheng commandery 金城 (Lanzhou), district of Yuzhong 榆中 was the home of the Qu Jia. The Qu family was linked by marriage alliances to the Turks, with a Turk being the grandmother of King Qu Boya's.

Sui dynasty.

With the establishment of the Sui dynasty in 581, China was once again unified under one dynasty. "Heqin" marriage during the Sui dynasty therefore returned to its original purpose of trying to appease barbarian tribes on China's borders.  There were a total of seven instances of "heqin" marriage during the Sui dynasty.

Tang dynasty.

During the Tang dynasty, "heqin" marriage alliances were aimed primarily at five major states that bordered Tang China: Tuyuhun, the Tibetan Empire, the Khitans and the allied Kumo Xi, the Uyghur Khaganate, and Nanzhao.  There were a total of twenty-one instances of "heqin" marriage alliances during the Tang dynasty, including:

Liao, Song, Jin dynasties.

The Khitan Liao dynasty asked for a Song princess to marry the Liao emperor in the negotiations leading up to the Chanyuan Treaty but the Song dynasty refused to give a princess. The Jurchen Jin dynasty later rebelled against the Liao dynasty, sacked and destroyed the Liao supreme capital and burned the ancestral tombs of the Liao emperors. The Emperor Tianzuo of Liao was executed by the Jurchens during a polo match. Liao imperial princesses from the Yelü family and Xiao family were also distributed to Jin princes as concubine. Wanyan Liang married the Khitan women Lady Xiao (蕭氏), Consort Chen (宸妃)Lady Yelü (耶律氏), Consort Li (麗妃) Lady Yelü (耶律氏), Consort Rou (柔妃) and Lady Yelü (耶律氏), Zhaoyuan (昭媛). The Jurchens then attacked the Northern Song dynasty in the Jingkang incident and seized a large number of the Song imperial family. Song princesses were married off to Jurchen princes such as Emperor Xizong of Jin. The Song male Chinese princes who were captured were given Khitan women to marry from the Liao dynasty palace by the Jurchens, who had also defeated and conquered the Khitan. The original Chinese wives of the Song princes were confiscated and replaced with Khitan ones. One of the Emperor Huizong of Song's sons was given a Khitan consort from the Liao palace and another one of his sons was given a Khitan princess by the Jin at the Jin supreme capital. The Jurchens continued to give new wives to the captured Song royals, the grandsons and sons of the Emperor Huizong of Song after they took away their original Chinese wives. The Jin told the Song royals that they were fortunate because the Liao royals were being treated much worse by the Jurchen than the Song Chinese royals, Jurchen soldiers were given the children of the Emperor Tianzuo of Liao as gifts while the Song Emperor was allowed to keep his children while he was in captivity.

Liao dynasty.

The Khitan Liao dynasty arranged for women from the Khitan royal consort Xiao clan to marry members of the Han Chinese Han 韓 clan, which originated in Jizhou 冀州 before being abducted by the Khitan and becoming part of the Han Chinese elite of the Liao.  Han Chinese Geng family intermarried with the Khitan and the Han 韓 clan provided two of their women as wives to Geng Yanyi and the second one was the mother of Geng Zhixin. Empress Rende's sister, a member of the Xiao clan, was the mother of Han Chinese General Geng Yanyi.  Han Durang (Yelu Longyun) was the father of Queen dowager of State Chen, who was the wife of General Geng Yanyi and buried with him in his tomb in Zhaoyang in Liaoning. His wife was also known as "Madame Han". The Geng's tomb is located in Liaoning at Guyingzi in Chaoying.

Ganzhou Uyghur Kingdom.

The Chinese Cao family ruling Guiyi Circuit established marriage alliances with the Uighurs of the Ganzhou Kingdom, with both the Cao rulers marrying Uighur princesses and with Cao princesses marrying Uighur rulers. The Ganzhou Uighur Khagan's daughter was married to Cao Yijin in 916.

Yuan dynasty.

The Jin emperor Wanyan Yongji's daughter Princess Qiguo was married to Genghis Khan in exchange for relieving the Mongol siege upon Zhongdu (Beijing) in the Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty.  The Emperor Gong of Song surrendered to the Yuan dynasty in 1276 and was married off to a Mongol princess of the royal Borjigin family of the Yuan dynasty. Zhao Xian had one son with the Borjigin Mongol woman, Zhao Wanpu. Zhao Xian's son Zhao Wanpu was kept alive by the Mongols because of his mother's royal Mongolian Borjigin ancestry even after Zhao Xian was ordered killed by the Mongol Emperor Yingzong. Instead Zhao Wanpu was only moved and exiled. The outbreak of the Song loyalist Red Turban Rebellion in Henan led to a recommendation that Zhao Wanpu should be transferred somewhere else by an Imperial Censor in 1352. The Yuan did not want the Chinese rebels to get their hands on Zhao Wanpu so no one was permitted to see him and Zhao Wanpu's family and himself were exiled to Shazhou near the border by the Yuan Emperor. Paul Pelliot and John Andrew Boyle commented on Rashid-al-Din Hamadani's chapter "The Successors of Genghis Khan" in his work "Jami' al-tawarikh", identified references by Rashid al-Din to Zhao Xian in his book where he mentions a Chinese ruler who was an "emir" and son-in-law to the Qan (Khan) after being removed from his throne by the Mongols and he is also called "Monarch of Song", or ""Suju"" (宋主; Songzhu) in the book.  The King of Dali Duan Gong was married to the Mongol Borjigin princess Agai, daughter of the Yuan dynasty Mongol Prince of Liang, Basalawarmi. They had a son and a daughter, Duan Sengnu. their children were also called Duan Qiangna amd Duan Bao. Duan Sengnu raised Duan Bao to take revenge against Basalawarmi for the killing of Duan Gong. A play was made based on these events. According to Yuan documents, the Duan family were originally Han Chinese from Wuwei commamdery, Gansu. Other Duan families also originated from Wuwei.

Ming dynasty.

The Oirat leader Esen Taishi captured the Zhengtong Emperor of the Ming dynasty. Esen Taishi tried to force the Zhengtong Emperor to marry Esen's sister in a "heqin" marriage and then placing him back in Beijing with his new wife. The emperor rejected the marriage proposal.  A Mongol account in the "Altan Tobchi" said that Zhengtong Emperor had a son with a Mongol woman he married while he was prisoner.  A Mongol girl was given in marriage by the Gün-bilig-mergen Mongol Ordos leader Rinong (Jinong) to a Han Chinese, Datong Army officer Wang Duo's (Wang To) 王鐸 son Wang San 王三 because Rinong wanted to hold on to Wang San and make him stay with the Mongols. The Ming arrested and executed Wang San in 1544 because Mongol soldiers were being guided by Wang San. Builders, carpenters, officers, and important prisoners such as the Ming Zhengtong Emperor often received Mongol wives.

Qing dynasty.

The preferred marriage partners for imperial daughters in the Qing dynasty were Mongols rather than Chinese. More than 58 percent of imperial sons-in-law were Mongols. The Manchus considered Mongols as their "brother state" since they shared similar values. In early period of Qing, a large amount of intermarriage between the two groups happened, and the Manchu rulers used this tie to gain the military support of Mongolia. The marriage also benefited the Qing Dynasty in expanding its empire to the best during the first decades. The marriage between Manchu princesses and Mongol princes continued to the end of Qing Dynasty, although becoming less prominent after the 18th century due to the decline of Mongolia's political and military influence.  Han Chinese Generals who defected to the Manchu in early Qing were sometimes married to imperial daughters, although this is much less frequent than the case where Aisin Giroro women married to Mongolian aristocrats or other Manchu elite. Unlike the marriage between Manchu and Mongolians that lasted throughout the Qing Dynasty, the marriages between Emperor's daughters and Han Generals ceased before 1750.  The Manchu Imperial Aisin Gioro clan practiced marriage alliances with Han Chinese Ming Generals and Mongol princes. Aisin Gioro women were married to Han Chinese Generals who defected to the Manchu side during the Manchu conquest of China. The Manchu leader Nurhaci married one of his granddaughters, a daughter of Abatai, to the Ming General Li Yongfang 李永芳, the ancestor of Li Shiyao 李侍堯. The offspring of Li received the "Third Class Viscount" () title after he surrendered Fushun in Liaoning to the Manchu in 1618 and a mass marriage of Han Chinese officers and officials to Manchu women numbering 1,000 couples was arranged by Prince Yoto 岳托 (Prince Keqin) and Hongtaiji in 1632 to promote harmony between the two ethnic groups. Aisin Gioro women were married to the sons of the Han Chinese Generals Sun Sike (Sun Ssu-k'o) 孫思克, Geng Jimao (Keng Chi-mao), Shang Kexi (Shang K'o-hsi), and Wu Sangui (Wu San-kuei).  The "Dolo efu" 和碩額<unk> rank was given to husbands of Qing princesses. Geng Zhongming, a Han bannerman, was awarded the title of Prince Jingnan, and his son Geng Jingmao managed to have both his sons Geng Jingzhong and Geng Zhaozhong 耿昭忠 become court attendants under the Shunzhi Emperor and marry Aisin Gioro women, with Prince Abatai's granddaughter marrying Geng Zhaozhong 耿昭忠 and Haoge's (a son of Hong Taiji) daughter marrying Geng Jingzhong. A daughter 和硕柔嘉公主 of the Manchu Aisin Gioro Prince Yolo 岳樂 (Prince An) was wedded to Geng Juzhong who was another son of Geng Jingmao.  The 4th daughter of Kangxi (和硕<unk>靖公主) was wedded to the son (孫承恩) of the Han Chinese Sun Sike (Sun Ssu-k'o) 孫思克.  Imperial Duke Who Assists the State (宗室輔國公) Aisin Gioro Suyan's (蘇燕) daughter was married to Han Chinese Banner General Nian Gengyao. She was Manchu Prince Ajige's great-great-granddaughter.  Manchu Prince Aisin Gioro Yuntang's fourth daughter married Han Chinese Bannerman Zhao Shiyang (趙世揚) in 1721. Manchu Prince Aisin Gioro Yunsi's first daughter married Han Chinese Bannerman Sun Wufu (孫五福) in July/August 1724. Manchu Prince Aisin Gioro Yunzhi, Prince Zhi's second daughter married Han Chinese Bannerman Li Shu'ao (李淑鰲) in September/October 1707 and his fourth daughter married Han Chinese Bannerman Sun Cheng'en (孫承恩) in February/March 1710.

Lý dynasty.

The Lý dynasty which ruled Dai Viet (Vietnam) married its princesses off to regional rivals to establish alliances with them. One of these marriages was between a Lý princess (Lý Chiêu Hoàng) and a member of the Chinese Trần (Chen) clan (Trần Thái Tông), which enabled the Trần to then topple the Lý and established their own Trần dynasty.  A Lý princess also married into the Hồ family, which was also of Chinese origin and later established the Hồ dynasty which also took power after having a Tran princess marry one of their members, Hồ Quý Ly.

Nguyen lords.

The Cambodian King Chey Chettha II married the Vietnamese Nguyễn lord Princess Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Vạn, a daughter of Lord Nguyễn Phúc Nguyên, in 1618. In return, the king granted the Vietnamese the right to establish settlements in Mô Xoài (now Bà Rịa), in the region of Prey Nokor—which they colloquially referred to as "Sài Gòn", and which later became Ho Chi Minh City.

Joseon.

After the Qing invasion of Joseon, Joseon Korea was forced to give several of their royal princesses as concubines to the Qing Manchu regent Prince Dorgon. In 1650, Dorgon married the Korean Princess Uisun (義順). She was a collateral branches of the Korean royal family, and daughter of Yi Gae-yun (李愷胤). Dorgon married two Korean princesses at Lianshan.

Heqin, also known as marriage alliance, refers to the historical practice of Chinese emperors marrying princesses—usually members of minor branches of the ruling family—to rulers of neighboring states. It was often adopted as an appeasement strategy with an enemy state that was too powerful to defeat on the battlefield. The policy was not always effective. It implied an equal diplomatic status between the Chinese emperor and the foreign ruler. As a result, it was controversial and had many critics.

Heqin (), ou mariage d'alliance, se réfère à la pratique mise en place par certains empereurs chinois qui consiste à donner comme épouses des princesses, qui font généralement partie des branches secondaires de la famille royale, aux dirigeants des États voisins. Ce système est souvent adopté comme stratégie d’apaisement avec un État ennemi trop puissant pour être vaincu sur le champ de bataille. Cette politique n’est pas toujours efficace et implique une égalité de statut diplomatique entre l’empereur de Chine et le chef d'État bénéficiaire du mariage. Ces deux limites font que cette politique est très controversée en Chine et soulève beaucoup de critiques.


Plot.

In modern-day Russia, Dominika Egorova is a famous ballerina who supports her ill mother. Following a career-ending injury, Dominika is approached by her uncle Ivan, the Deputy Director of SVR. She is tasked with seducing Dimitry Ustinov, a Russian gangster, in exchange for her mother's continued medical care. Meeting at a bar, the two go to Ustinov's private room, where he rapes her. During this act, he is killed by Sergei Matorin, an SVR operative authorized by Ivan. Ivan offers Dominika a choice: become an SVR operative, or be executed for witnessing Ustinov's assassination.  Nate Nash is a CIA operative working in Moscow. While meeting with an asset in Gorky Park, they are confronted by the police. Nash creates a diversion to ensure his asset, a mole in Russian ranks code-named Marble, escapes unidentified. Nash is reassigned back to the U.S. but insists he is the only person with whom Marble will work. Since he cannot return to Russia, he is assigned to Budapest to reestablish contact with Marble, which the SVR also deduce.  Dominika is sent to State School 4, a brutal specialist training school for "Sparrows"—SVR operatives capable of seducing their targets with sexpionage. Dominika excels in her training, despite some friction with her trainer, known only as the Matron. Against the Matron's recommendation, Ivan and General Korchnoi decide that Dominika is ready for an assignment in Budapest—to gain Nash's trust and expose Marble's identity.  In Budapest, Dominika lives with another sparrow named Marta Yelenova, and is supervised by SVR station chief Maxim Volontov. Dominika makes contact with Nash, who quickly determines she is a Russian intelligence operative and attempts to convince her to defect.  Dominika inspects Marta's room and realizes that Marta has been assigned to buy classified intelligence from Stephanie Boucher, the chief of staff to a U.S. Senator. When Ivan pressures Dominika about her slow progress with Nash, Dominika claims to be helping Marta with Boucher as well. Marta is brutally killed by the SVR for apparently sharing her classified mission with Dominika and to warn Dominika what will happen to her if she fails. Dominika contacts Nash, agrees to become a double agent in exchange for protection for her and her mother, and has sex with him. Under Russian orders, Dominika travels to London with Volontov to meet Boucher and complete the trade, but covertly switches out the intelligence Boucher supplies with CIA-supplied disinformation.  When she leaves the meeting Boucher realizes that she is being observed by American intelligence agents; she panics, backs into traffic, and is struck and killed. Russian agents observing Boucher realize their mission has been compromised. Suspected of tipping off the Americans, Dominika and Volontov are recalled to Moscow where they are tortured and interrogated for days. Volontov is executed, but Dominika's claims of innocence are eventually believed by Ivan, and she is allowed to return to Budapest to continue her original mission of extracting Marble's identity from Nash. Instead, she convinces Nash to relocate her and her mother to America.  After spending the night with Nash, Dominika awakes to find him being tortured by Matorin for Marble's identity. She initially assists Matorin with torturing Nash until Matorin lowers his guard and she kills him, but is badly injured while doing so. She wakes in a hospital where General Vladimir Korchnoi, a high-ranking official working with Ivan, reveals himself as Marble. He explains that he was initially patriotic, but became disillusioned by Russia's corruption. He fears he will be caught soon and, instead of dying in vain, instructs Dominika to expose his identity to Ivan. Doing so would make her a national hero, and allow her to replace him as a mole passing critical intelligence to the CIA. But when Dominika contacts her superiors, she frames Ivan as the mole instead, using evidence she had been fabricating since she first arrived in Hungary, and blaming him for the botched exchange in London. Ivan is killed and Dominika is honored in a Russian military ceremony attended by Korchnoi.  Back in Russia, Dominika lives with her mother, and receives a phone call from an unknown person who plays Grieg's piano concerto, which she previously had told Nash was the piece to which she danced her first solo performance.

Production.

Development.

After Jason Matthews' book "Red Sparrow" was published in 2013, 20th Century Fox purchased the film rights, and signed Francis Lawrence to direct. Matthews said the idea of "sparrows" and a "sparrow school" was based on State School 4 in the Soviet Union, though Russian "sexpionage" is now done by women contracted outside of spy agencies. The Russian concept of kompromat was also influential. Francis worked on adapting Matthews' book in 2015, and has said that at the time, he had reservations about the timeliness of a Cold War story.  Screenwriter Justin Haythe reduced the number of narrators and shifting perspectives in the novel, concentrating on Dominika. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who appears in the novel, was also cut from the adaptation, due to Francis Lawrence's belief that it would be a distraction to have an actor play the highly public figure.  Matthews, who said he based his book on his experiences in the CIA, was also hired as technical advisor, to supervise the accuracy of the depiction of espionage. He had the Gorky Park scene rewritten to depict espionage methods more accurately.

Casting.

Francis Lawrence presented the screenplay to Jennifer Lawrence, who accepted the part. She stated she admired the character and his direction, with her sole point of hesitation being the "really sexual" nature of the character. They met personally to discuss the nude scenes. In 2014, Jennifer Lawrence had private nude photos stolen in the iCloud leaks. However, she drew a distinction between the film and the leak based on her consent to the film, as opposed to the leak. Lawrence explained: "The insecurity and fear of being judged for getting nude, what I went through, should that dictate decisions I make for the rest of my life?"  Matthews advised Lawrence that double agents from Russia feel "a dread of discovery, a dread of being arrested, a dread of going to prison." Lawrence also studied ballet for four months. Kurt Froman of the New York City Ballet coached her, as she had never studied ballet before, and spent four hours with her each day for five days per week. American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Isabella Boylston acted as Lawrence’s dance double.  As a former member of the CIA, Matthews coached actor Joel Edgerton. Edgerton said it was difficult to consider having "an interpersonal dating-style relationship... [and] That fact that you would have to report any of those kinds of interactions with your bosses." Matthias Schoenaerts and Jeremy Irons joined the cast by December 2016.

Filming.

Principal photography started in Budapest and Dunaújváros in Hungary on January 5, 2017. Other filming locations include Festetics Mansion in Dég, Hungary; Bratislava, Slovakia and Vienna, Austria.

Post-production.

In post-production, Francis Lawrence offered Jennifer Lawrence the opportunity to view a cut of the film ahead of the studio and producers, so that she might request the deletion of any nude or sexual scenes. She declined to request any deletions. However, the film was edited for the United Kingdom release to remove a garroting and secure a 15 certificate from the British Board of Film Classification. For the soundtrack, the 1868 Piano Concerto by Edvard Grieg was used. James Newton Howard wrote the score, recorded in October 2017, citing Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Requiem" and Igor Stravinsky's "The Firebird" as influences. He commenced work before seeing a cut of the film.

Release.

The film was originally scheduled to be released by 20th Century Fox on November 10, 2017, but in April 2017 it was announced that the film's release would be pushed back to March 2, 2018, because it was seen as a less competitive one. The studio's adaptation of "Murder on the Orient Express" was moved into "Red Sparrow"s November slot. The first trailer for the film was released on September 14, 2017. The film premiered on February 15, 2018 at the Newseum, and began a U.S. theatrical release on March 2.  Overseas, "Red Sparrow" screened at FEST in Belgrade on February 28, 2018. It was released in the United Kingdom on March 1, 2018.

Home media.

"Red Sparrow" was released on digital streaming platforms on May 15, 2018. It was released on 4K UHD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD on May 22, 2018.

Reception.

Box office.

"Red Sparrow" grossed $46.8 million in the United States and Canada, and $104.7 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $151.5 million, against a production budget of $69 million.  In the United States and Canada, "Red Sparrow" was released alongside "Death Wish", and was projected to gross $20–24 million from 3,056 theaters in its opening weekend. It made $6 million on its first day (including $1.2 million from Thursday night previews) and $17 million over the weekend, finishing second, behind holdover "Black Panther". "Deadline Hollywood" noted the opening was underwhelming given the film's $69 million budget, and that Lawrence's salary of $15–20 million was too much to spend on one star. It fell 51% in its second weekend to $8.15 million, finishing fourth.

Critical response.

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 45%, based on 283 reviews, and an average rating of 5.51/10. The website's critical consensus reads, ""Red Sparrow" aims for smart, sexy spy thriller territory, but Jennifer Lawrence's committed performance isn't enough to compensate for thin characters and a convoluted story." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 53 out of 100, based on 51 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.  Manohla Dargis of "The New York Times" found the film to be "preposterously entertaining" and credited its success to Lawrence's performance, writing that "like all great stars, [Lawrence] can slip into a role as if sliding into another skin, unburdened by hesitation or self-doubt." IndieWire's Eric Kohn, who graded the film a B, noted the performances of Lawrence and Rampling, stating that "the considerable talent on display is [the film's] constant saving grace." However, he also found that the film "doesn't know when to stop, sagging into bland torture scenes and an underwhelming final showdown." Giving the film a B−, "The A.V. Club"s Jesse Hassenger noted its methodical nature, with its minimal action and character exploration, and remarked that Francis Lawrence "brings to this material what he brought to "The Hunger Games": a sense of style that feels constrained by obligations to hit a certain number of plot points."  Alonso Duralde of "TheWrap" criticized the derivative story and the lack of chemistry between Lawrence and Edgerton, calling the film "neither intelligent enough to be involving nor fun enough to be trashy." Michael Phillips of the "Chicago Tribune" gave the film 1.5 out of 4 stars and said, "Half of the "Red Sparrow" audience will spend at least part of the running time fighting off memories of "Salt" and "Atomic Blonde" and the Black Widow storyline from "". The other half, meantime, will wonder when spy movies became quite so punishing." Simran Hans of "The Guardian" found the film to be sexist, writing that "it busies itself with the grim surface pleasures of ogling its central character as she is degraded in every way possible."  The average estimate of Russian publications was lower than the global average. According to Megacritic, the average score was 4.7 out of 10 based on more than 30 reviews.

Historical accuracy.

According to "The Daily Telegraph", "The espionage historian Nigel West — whose "Historical Dictionary of Sexspionage (Scarecrow Press)" was originally written as a handbook for the Intelligence community — questions the existence of such training schools".

Proposed sequel.

Director Francis Lawrence and actor Joel Edgerton have been open to the possibility of a sequel based on either "Palace of Treason" or "The Kremlin's Candidate".

Red Sparrow is a 2018 American spy thriller film directed by Francis Lawrence and written by Justin Haythe, based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Jason Matthews. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Charlotte Rampling, Mary-Louise Parker, and Jeremy Irons. It tells the story of a Russian intelligence officer, who is sent to make contact with a CIA officer in the hope of discovering the identity of a mole.

Red Sparrow, ou Le Moineau rouge au Québec, est un film américain réalisé par Francis Lawrence, sorti en 2018. Il s'agit d'une adaptation du roman du même nom de Jason Matthews.


Early life.

Mike Varney grew up in Novato, California, located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to forming Shrapnel Records, Varney played extensively with the pre-punk San Francisco band, The Nuns. The Nuns were one of the most successful bands in the Bay Area at that time, regularly selling out at the local venues and clubs. He co-wrote and performed "Rock Justice" along with Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship's Marty Balin, released by EMI in 1980. Varney also led his own band, Cinema, which received wide recognition in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was known for searing lead guitar runs performed on his collection of Gibson SG guitars. He also began his collection of one of the world's most extensive LP-record collections of hard rock and heavy metal music, which now includes over 40,000 LPs and CDs.

Shrapnel records.

Shrapnel Records was founded in 1980 by Mike Varney at the age of 22. It was the first record company in the USA strictly dedicated to heavy metal. As other labels followed suit, Shrapnel set itself apart from the pack by focusing on bands featuring guitarists of extraordinary ability and was at the forefront of the neo-classical electric guitar and shred movements. Shrapnel Records was the first label to bring renowned guitarists to world attention such as Yngwie Malmsteen (Steeler), Marty Friedman, Jason Becker, Paul Gilbert, Racer X, Tony MacAlpine, Vinnie Moore, Greg Howe, Richie Kotzen, John5 and many others. Today Shrapnel continues to record guitarists of extraordinary ability and has also returned, in part, to its metal roots in releasing some classic metal and hard rock records due to a resurgent market interest.

Guitar Player Magazine's Spotlight column.

Mike Varney began his "Spotlight" column in "Guitar Player" magazine in 1982 as a vehicle for discovering preeminent talent among the magazine's readership. His monthly column featured many so-called hometown heroes who sent in demos to showcase their abilities. Several players who were featured received opportunities to record with Shrapnel Records.

Blues Bureau International.

Blues Bureau International, founded in 1991, is a label that has focused its attention on the blues rock genre. Through the years the label has recorded many artists including twelve Pat Travers records, six Rick Derringer records, as well as records by other rock blues artists such as Eric Gales, five records, Scott Henderson, solo records and with his group "Tribal Tech", Glenn Hughes, two records with Black Crowes guitarist Marc Ford, five records with Chris Duarte, Neal Schon, The Outlaws, Joe Louis Walker, etc. The label continues to record artists in the electric blues style.

Tone Center.

Tone Center Records, founded in 1997, is an independent record company owned by music industry veteran Mike Varney, dedicated to recording high level, jazz, jazz/rock and fusion music. The roster is made up of some the most well known names in the instrumental jazz/rock/fusion world. This labels records include performances by legendary musicians such as Eric Johnson, Warren Haynes, Steve Morse, Victor Wooten, Mike Stern, to name a few (see artist list below).

Music collection and archive.

Mike Varney began collecting recordings prior to the beginning of his career in 1980. His current collection includes over 40,000 LPs and CDs, extensively covering the hard rock, metal, progressive rock, blues-rock and jazz-fusion genres and subgenres.

Partial list of artists who have appeared on releases on Mike Varney's record labels.

Shrapnel Records.

Source:

Tone Center Records.

Source:

Blues Bureau Records.

Source:

Magna Carta Records.

Source:

Mike Varney is an American musician, record producer, music publisher and impresario. He is the founder of the Shrapnel Label Group, which includes Shrapnel Records, Tone Center Records and Blues Bureau International. He also has a 50% stake in Magna Carta Records, a New York-based label. Amazon.com currently lists over 790 albums as being released by record labels founded or owned by Mike Varney. He is often credited with being the individual most responsible for popularizing the mid-1980s shred guitar boom, and has continuously specialized in producing highly acclaimed musicians within the genres of instrumental rock, hard rock, jazz, jazz fusion, blues, blues-rock, progressive metal and speed metal.

Mike Varney est un producteur de musique américain. Il est connu pour avoir créé le label Shrapnel Records qui a eu une influence importante sur le heavy metal dans les années 1980. Il a notamment lancé des musiciens comme Yngwie Malmsteen et Ron Thal.


Early life.

The identity of John's mother is not known, nor is his date of birth. However, since Katherine, Richard III's other illegitimate child, was old enough to be wedded in 1484 and John was old enough to be knighted in September 1483 in York Minster (when his half brother Edward, Richard's only legitimate heir, was invested Prince of Wales) and to be made Captain of Calais in March 1485, most historians agree these 2 children were fathered during Richard's teen years. There is no trace of infidelity on Richard's part after his marriage in 1472, when he was around 20.  Dr Ashdown-Hill suggests that John was conceived during Richard's first solo expedition to the eastern counties in the summer of 1467 at the invitation of John Howard and that the boy was born in 1468 and named after his friend and supporter. Richard himself noted John was still a minor (not being yet 21) when he issued the royal patent appointing him Captain of Calais on 11 March 1485, possibly on his seventeenth birthday.  An order referring to his appointment as Captain of Calais calls him "John de Pountfreit Bastard." Because of this, it has been suggested that he was born at Pontefract. Michael Hicks has suggested that John's mother was Alice Burgh, who was granted an annuity of 20 pounds when Richard was at Pontefract on 1 March 1474; the grant states that it was made for "certain special causes and considerations." Another candidate is Katherine Haute, who Rosemary Horrox has suggested was a mistress of Richard and possibly the mother of Richard's illegitimate daughter Katherine, who married William Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke. Horrox notes that Richard granted Katherine Haute an annuity of five pounds in 1477. It is unknown, however, whether Katherine and John had the same mother. They were both half-siblings of Edward of Middleham, Prince of Wales.

Career.

John was one of two persons knighted on 8 September 1483 in York during the celebrations which invested his half-brother Edward of Middleham as Prince of Wales.  John is known to have been in Calais by November 1484 and was officially appointed Captain of Calais by his father on 11 March 1485. His letter of appointment has Richard referring to him as "our dear bastard son". The patent appointing John gave him all of the necessary powers of his position, except of appointing officers, which it reserved until he turned twenty-one; it does not indicate how close to turning twenty-one he was. A warrant dated 9 March 1485 to deliver clothing to "the Lord Bastard" probably refers to John.

Under Henry VII.

After Richard was killed in the Battle of Bosworth Field (22 August 1485), Henry VII removed John from the position of Captain of Calais, but did not further persecute him and, on 1 March 1486, granted him an annual income of 20 pounds sterling.  In his confession, Perkin Warbeck stated that when he began his impersonation of Richard, Duke of York, in 1491, "King Richard's bastard son was in the hands of the king of England." In the seventeenth century, an early defender of Richard III, George Buck, claimed that around the time of the executions of Warbeck and Edward, Earl of Warwick, in 1499, "there was a base son of King Richard III made away, and secretly, having been kept long before in prison." Buck, who does not identify John by name, claims that he was executed to prevent him from falling into the hands of certain Irishmen who wished to make him their chief or prince. There are no other sources for John's execution.

John of Gloucester (or John of Pontefract) (1468–1499 (based on historical hypothesis)) was a son of King Richard III of England. John is so called because his father was Duke of Gloucester at the time of his birth. His father appointed him Captain of Calais, a position he lost after his father's death. He seems to have been held in custody at some point during the reign of Henry VII and may have been executed around 1499.

John de Gloucester, appelé aussi John de Pontefract, né vers 1467 et mort après 1491, est un fils illégitime de Richard III, roi d'Angleterre de 1483 à 1485.


Biography.

Purkayev was conscripted into the Imperial Russian Army in 1915, and reached the rank of praporshchik before joining the Red Army in 1918. He became a member of the Communist Party in 1919. During the Russian Civil War he served in the capacity of a company and battalion commander, and after completing the Vystrel officer training course in 1923, he served as a regimental commander (24th Rifle Division, staff officer and commander of a division until 1936 when he commenced studies at the Frunze Military Academy.  From 1938 Purkayev served as the Chief of Staff of the Belorussian Military District, as the Soviet military attaché in Berlin at the start of the Second World War in 1939, and participated in planning of the Soviet invasion of Poland. From July 1940, Purkayev served as the Chief of Staff of the Kiev Special Military District, and from the start of the Soviet-German War serving as the Chief of Staff of the Southwestern Front (June–July 1941), and later the 60th Army and 3rd Shock Army. In 1942–43 he served as commander of the Kalinin Front and from April 1943, the Far Eastern Front (from 1945 2nd Far Eastern Front). From September 1945 to January 1947 Purkayev served as the commanding officer of the Far Eastern Military District during which time he was nominated to the Highest Soviet of USSR (1946–1950).  From June 1947 Purkayev was the Chief of Staff and 1st Deputy of Chief Commander of the Far Eastern Forces. From July 1952 to his death Purkayev served as the Head of Higher Education Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of USSR.

Honours and awards.

Maksim Purkayev was decorated with two Orders of Lenin (incl. 14 November 1943; "For exemplary fulfillment of the leadership of the Red Army mobilization, formation, acquisition and training of units and formations"), four Orders of the Red Banner, Order of Suvorov (1st class), Order of Kutuzov (1st class), and numerous medals.

Maksim Alexeyevich Purkayev (; August 14 (26), 1894, in the village of Nalitovo, Russian Empire – January 1, 1953, Moscow) was a Soviet military leader, reaching service rank of Army General.

Maksim Alexeïevitch Pourkaïev (en ), né le à Nalitovo (Gouvernement de Simbirsk, Russie impériale) et décédé le à Moscou (Union soviétique) est un militaire soviétique et un chef militaire de la Seconde Guerre mondiale.


Background.

Situated in the Andes, the department of Putumayo is notorious for deadly landslides. The region's mountainous terrain and frequent rainfall makes it prone to such disasters. Much the same as the Himalayas, the Andean mountains in this region have ultra steep drops, from over 5,000 meters to 500 meters within 50–100 km, with that kind of drop, heavy rains tend to take boulders at high speeds along with them (locally called "huaycos"), not just water. Throughout much of the first three months of 2017, the northwestern coast of South America saw above-average rainfall, leading to deadly floods in Peru and Ecuador. The rainy season in Colombia typically begins in mid-March and continues through mid-June. March 2017 proved unusually wet, with areas around Mocoa receiving 150 percent the average monthly rainfall.

Disaster.

On 31 March 2017, moist tropical air from the Atlantic Ocean flowed west across the Amazon toward the Andes. A broad swath of ample precipitable water, or atmospheric moisture, extended across this region. During the evening hours, a slow-moving mesoscale convective complex developed within this region and produced heavy rainfall in southern Colombia. Infrared satellite imagery from GOES-13 depicted cloud tops of, indicating the storms were capable of producing torrential rain. With the system moving perpendicular to tall mountains, orographic influence likely enhanced rainfall and further contributed to the subsequent disaster. According to residents, the rain became particularly intense between 11:00 p.m. and 1 a.m. local time. A total of of rain fell during the event, largely within a few hours. This caused the Mocoa, Sangoyaco and Mulato rivers to overflow and send mudflows towards residences and infrastructure in the city of Mocoa by 3:00 a.m.  Neighborhoods built along the banks of the aforementioned rivers were completely devastated. Numerous poorly constructed homes were leveled, and large portions of the city were left buried in several feet of mud. The disaster adversely affected 17 of the city's neighborhoods, with the mayor of Mocoa, José Antonio Castro, stating some areas "[had] basically been erased". The Independencia neighborhood was entirely destroyed. Approximately 45,000 people were directly affected throughout the city.  At least 329 people are known to have died in the disaster. An additional 332 were injured and a further 70 were missing. At least 22 of the injured were in a "delicate health situation" and transferred to Neiva. Another 21 victims were flown to Popayán.

Aftermath.

President Juan Manuel Santos declared a state of emergency and stated that his "heart and the hearts of all Colombians are with the victims of this tragedy." More than 1,100 soldiers and police officers deployed to assist in search and rescue efforts. Santos labeled the incident "a disaster caused by nature, by climate change." A temporary morgue was established to handle the large number of deceased. The Colombian Red Cross activated its National Crisis Room in response to the disaster and deployed a team of 47 people to assist in recovery. Hospitals in the city were overwhelmed with the influx of patients, and much of the area was left without power and water.  By 2 April, more than 2,500 personnel — including 1,400 soldiers and 800 police officers — were scouring debris for survivors. The army provided 63 vehicles, 10 helicopters, 7 boats, and 6 planes for the rescue operation. Médecins Sans Frontières deployed an assessment team to the affected area on 2 April.  FARC rebels offered to help rebuild town.

The Mocoa landslide was a natural disaster that took place in 2017. During the pre-dawn hours of 1 April 2017, locally heavy rain triggered flash flooding and landslides in the city of Mocoa, Putumayo, Colombia, killing at least 336 people, injuring 400, and leaving 200 others missing. It is the third-deadliest weather-related disaster in Colombian history, and is regarded as the worst catastrophe in the history of Mocoa.

La tragédie de Mocoa est une coulée de boue qui a eu lieu le à Mocoa, dans le sud de la Colombie. C'est l'une des pires catastrophes naturelles de l'histoire du pays. Au, le bilan des victimes s'élève à, et 103 disparus.