Shi Chonggui

Shi Chonggui (Chinese: 石重貴) (914–974), known in traditional Chinese historical sources as Emperor Chu of Later Jin (後晉出帝, "the exiled emperor") or Emperor Shao of Later Jin (後晉少帝, "the young emperor"), posthumously known in Liao as the Prince of Jin (), was the second and last emperor of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period state Later Jin.
The Later Jin had often been criticized for being a puppet of the emerging Khitan state Liao. The help of their powerful northern neighbors was vital in the formation of the Later Jin, and the cession of the Sixteen Prefectures led to their derision as being the servants of the Khitan. However, after the death of his biological uncle/adoptive father Shi Jingtang (Later Jin's founding emperor) in 942, Shi Chonggui defied Liao's Emperor Taizong, which led to the latter invading the territory of the Later Jin in 946 and 947, resulting in the destruction of the Later Jin.
Background.
Shi Chonggui was born in 914, at the Fenyang Neighborhood () of Taiyuan, during the rule of Li Cunxu the Prince of Jin. His father was Shi Jingru (), and his mother was Lady An, likely Shi Jingru's wife. Shi Jingru served as a cavalry officer under Li Cunxu, but died early, so Shi Jingru's brother Shi Jingtang, a son-in-law of Li Cunxu's adoptive brother and major general Li Siyuan, adopted Shi Chonggui as a son. During later times when Shi Jingtang served as a military governor ("Jiedushi") of a number of circuits during the time of Jin's successor state Later Tang, Shi Jingtang took him to the various circuits and gave him responsibilities. It was said that his appearance was similar to Shi Jingtang, but he was shorter in stature. Other than Shi Chonggui, Shi Jingtang had six other sons, five of whom were biological.
After Shi Jingtang received the command of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered at Taiyuan) in 932, late in the reign of Li Siyuan as Later Tang's emperor, he had one Wang Zhen () teach Shi Chonggui about the "Book of Rites", but Shi Chonggui was unable to understand it, stating to Wang, "This is not relevant to my family's business." While Shi Jingtang held the Hedong command, he had Shi Chonggui marry the oldest daughter of the general Zhang Congxun (). (Lady Zhang would pass away sometime before Shi Chonggui eventually became emperor, but it is not otherwise clear when.)
In 936, Shi Jingtang rose in rebellion against then-Later Tang emperor Li Congke (Li Siyuan's adoptive son and Shi Jingtang's brother-in-law). As a result, a number of Shi Jingtang's relatives, including two sons, were executed by Li Congke. (The two sons were recorded in the "New History of the Five Dynasties" as Shi Chongying () and Shi Chongyin (), and in the "Zizhi Tongjian" as Shi Chongyin () and Shi Chongyi ().) During the subsequent siege of Taiyuan by the Later Tang general Zhang Jingda, Shi Chonggui personally helped to guard Shi Jingtang. Subsequently, a relief army from Khitan Empire's Emperor Taizong came to Shi Jingtang's aid and crushed Zhang's army, allowing the siege on Taiyuan to be lifted. Emperor Taizong subsequently declared Shi Jingtang to be the emperor of central China (as the founder of a new state of Later Jin).
During Shi Jingtang's reign.
Shortly after Shi Jingtang's being proclaimed emperor, the Later Tang army, trapped by the Khitan/Later Jin forces, surrendered after Zhang Jingda's deputy Yang Guangyuan assassinated Zhang. Emperor Taizong and Shi Jingtang prepared to advance south, toward the Later Tang capital Luoyang. Shi Jingtang was prepared to leave one son at Taiyuan to serve as the titular defender, and he called out all of his sons for Emperor Taizong to choose. Emperor Taizong chose Shi Chonggui, stating, "This large-eyed child can be it." Shi Jingtang thereafter left Shi Chonggui in charge at Taiyuan, giving him the titles of defender of the northern capital (i.e., Taiyuan), mayor of Taiyuan, and military governor of Hedong. Subsequently, as the joint Khitan/Later Jin forces approached Luoyang, Li Congke, finding the situation hopeless, committed suicide with his family, ending Later Tang. Shi JIngtang then entered Luoyang unopposed. Still, the realm was not calmed, and in one of the rebellions against Shi Jingtang in 937, the general Zhang Congbin () killed two more sons of Shi Jingtang's, Shi Chongxin () and Shi Chong'ai (). As another son of Shi Jingtang's, Shi Chonggao (), had died in childhood, all that were left of Shi Jingtang's sons at this point, other than Shi Chonggui, was Shi Chongrui (). Later in 937, Shi Jingtang summoned Shi Chonggui to then-capital Kaifeng, and made him an imperial guard general. In 938, he made Shi Chonggui the mayor of Kaifeng and created him the Prince of Zheng.
In late 941, Shi Jingtang, in anticipation of a possible rebellion by An Chongrong the military governor of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei), decided to head to Yedu (鄴都, in modern Handan, Hebei), so that he could better coordinate the operations against An Chongrong if the rebellion occurred. He left Shi Chonggui in charge of Kaifeng as its defender. However, he was also apprehensive that An Congjin the military governor of Shannan East Circuit (山南東道, headquartered in modern Xiangyang, Hubei), would rebel as well. At the advice of the chancellor He Ning, Shi Jingtang left a number of signed, blank edicts, so that Shi Chonggui could react quickly if An Congjin did rebel. When An Congjin did rebel after Shi Jingtang left Kaifeng, Shi Chonggui was thus able to commission the necessary generals, with Gao Xingzhou in overall command, to attack An Congjin. Shortly after, Shi Jingtang summoned Shi Chonggui to Yedu and made the defender of Yedu, Li Dechong (), the defender of Kaifeng. After Shi Chonggui arrived at Yedu, Shi Jingtang made him the defender of Yedu and changed his princely title to Prince of Qi. Both An Chongrong and An Congjin were subsequently defeated; An Chongrong was killed by his subordinates, while An Congjin committed suicide.
In summer 942, Shi Jingtang fell seriously ill. He summoned the senior chancellor Feng Dao, and then had Shi Chongrui come out to bow to Feng, and then put Shi Chongrui into Feng's lap, intending to show that he wanted Shi Chongrui to inherit the throne with Feng guiding the young emperor. However, after Shi Jingtang subsequently died, Feng, in consultation with the imperial guard general Jing Yanguang, concluded that as the realm was not calm yet, an older emperor was needed, so they supported Shi Chonggui, who then took the throne.
Reign.
Shi Chonggui honored his adoptive mother Empress Li as empress dowager, and his biological mother Lady An as consort dowager. It was said that he served both of them with filial piety. However, he displeased Empress Dowager Li when he, even while observing a mourning period for Shi Jingtang, married his deceased biological uncle/adoptive brother Shi Chongyin ()'s widow, Lady Feng, as his wife. He subsequently created Lady Feng empress.
As Jing Yanguang was considered instrumental in Shi Chonggui's ascending to the throne, Jing, who was made a chancellor, became highly influential early in his administration. Under Jing's advocacy, Shi Chonggui abandoned Shi Jingtang's respectful subservience to the Khitan (whose state had since been renamed Liao) and took a more defiant stance. As an initial sign of that defiance, Shi Chonggui's did not submit a "report" to Emperor Taizong of his succession, but instead wrote a "letter" (indicating equal status and not subservience) in which he referred to himself as "grandson" (as Shi Jingtang had earlier honored Emperor Taizong as "father") but not as "your subject." This angered Emperor Taizong, who sent emissaries to rebuke Shi Chonggui, but to whom Jing responded insolently. The major Khitan general Zhao Yanshou, who had previously been a major Later Tang general and who wanted to replace the Later Jin emperor as the emperor of the Central Plains, thus advocated to Emperor Taizong that he consider a campaign against Later Jin. The situation was further aggravated when Jing persuaded Shi Chonggui to arrest the Liao trade liaison Qiao Rong (), execute Khitan merchants, and confiscate their properties, causing Emperor Taizong to be resolved to act against Later Jin.
In early 944, Emperor Taizong led a major invasion into Later Jin territory, and quickly reached Yedu. When Shi sent emissaries to the Liao camp to try to sue for peace, Emperor Taizong rejected the overture. Yang Guangyuan, then the military governor of Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Weifang, Shandong), subsequently rebelled in coordination with Liao. Shi commissioned a number of generals to resist the Liao attack, and himself also commanded troops, and, when the generals Gao Xingzhou, Fu Yanqing, and Shi Gongba () were put under siege by Liao troops at Qicheng (戚城, in modern Puyang, Henan) and Jing, overseeing the operations against Liao, refused to launch a relief army, it was Shi Chonggui himself who led his army to the three generals' rescue. Because of the other generals' hatred of Jing's control of authority, Shi Chonggui used this incident as an opportunity to remove him from his chancellorship, and the senior official Sang Weihan was put in charge of the army overall operations, as his chief of staff ("Shumishi"). After the Liao forces were repelled and withdrew, Shi Chonggui sent the general Li Shouzhen against Yang, and subsequently, faced with certain defeat but with Yang unwilling to surrender, Yang's son Yang Chengxun () forcibly put Yang Guangyuan under arrest and surrendered. (Yang Guangyuan was subsequently secretly killed on Shi Chonggui's orders.)
In late 944, Liao again made a major invasion, advancing all the way to the Yedu region, but soon withdrew again. Shi decided to have his uncle by marriage, Du Wei (husband of Shi Jingtang's and Shi Jingru's sister), then the military governor of Shunguo Circuit (順國, i.e., formerly Chengde), lead a punitive counterattack, with Li Shouzhen as Du's deputy. They crossed into Liao territory and captured Qi () and Tai () (both in modern Baoding), but soon received news that the Liao army had turned around and was heading for them. They tried to withdraw, but became surrounded near Yangcheng (陽城, in modern Baoding). Du panicked and was reluctant to engage the Liao army, but at Fu's advocacy, Fu, Zhang Yanze, Yao Yuanfu (), and Huangfu Yu (), attacked the Liao army fiercely, causing the Liao army to panic and flee.
Later in 945, there was an incident where Du, fearing a mutiny, left Shunguo against imperial orders and headed for Kaifeng, initially causing much apprehension in the capital. Sang advocated forcing Du into retirement in light of this incident, but Shi Chonggui, citing the fact that Du was an uncle, declined, and was much displeased at Sang for suggesting it. Indeed, at the request of Du's wife the Princess of Song (Shi's aunt), Shi then made Du the military governor of Tianxiong (天雄, headquartered at Yedu). It was said that Sang did not dare to make major policy suggestions after this point and requested retirement, citing a foot injury. However, it was also said that shortly thereafter, at Sang's suggestion, Shi sent the emissary Zhang Hui () to the Liao court, apologizing and requesting peaceful relations again. Emperor Taizong responded that he wanted to have Sang and Jing Yanguang sent to see him (under the rationale that it was Sang who initially negotiated the alliance, and that it was Jing who broke it) and that Shunguo and Yiwu (義武, headquartered in modern Baoding, Hebei) Circuits be ceded to Liao, and then a peace could be reentered. Shi found the demand insulting, and cut off further negotiations. Believing that the victory at Yangcheng affirmed his empire's military strength, he became increasingly arrogant and extravagant in collecting expensive items and building palace halls, as well as awarding his favored actors, despite Sang's attempts to discourage him.
At one point in 945, Shi fell seriously ill. During that time, there happened to be an occasion where Sang had sent a maidservant to greet Shi Jingtang's wife Empress Dowager Li, and part of the greeting stated, "Has the Emperor's younger brother, Chongrui, been studying well?" Shi Chonggui heard of this and discussed this with Empress Feng's brother Feng Yu (who was also a chief of staff), and Feng Yu thereafter accused Sang of considering deposing Shi Chonggui and replacing him with Shi Chongrui. As Li Shouzhen also disliked Sang, he, Feng Yu, and Li Yantao () thereafter suggested that Shi Chonggui remove Sang. Shi Chonggui agreed, and not long after, Sang was removed from his posts as chancellor and chief of staff, and made the mayor of Kaifeng. Zhao Ying, who was then the mayor of Kaifeng, was made chancellor, and Li Song was made chief of staff, to replace him.
In 946, there were rumors that Zhao Yanshou was planning on defecting to Later Jin. This rumor was believed by Li Song and Feng. They had Du write a letter to Zhao, encouraging him to do so, with the officer Zhao Xingshi (), who had previously served under Zhao Yanshou, delivering the letter. Zhao Yanshou wrote back (to try to lead Later Jin forces into a trap), stating, "I have long been in a foreign land, and I want to return to China. Please launch a major army to support me, so that I can pull myself out and return with it." Subsequently, under Emperor Taizong's orders, Liao's prefect of Ying Prefecture (瀛州, in modern Cangzhou), Liu Yanzuo (), also offered to defect to Later Jin. Shi thus put Du and Li Shouzhen in command of an army to attack north, with the stated objectives being to first recapture the prefectures Shi Jingtang previously ceded to Liao (the Sixteen Prefectures), and then to destroy Liao. (Zhao Ying, however, had reservations, pointing out that Du, despite his honored position, was still often dissatisfied with his station, and therefore suggested to Li Song and Feng that Li Shouzhen be put in command by himself; Zhao Ying's suggestions were not listened to, however.) When Du and Li Shouzhen advanced, though, they were met by a large army that Emperor Taizong personally commanded. The Liao army eventually surrounded the Later Jin army at Zhongdu Bridge (中度橋, in modern Baoding). After Emperor Taizong made the promise to Du to make "him" emperor if he surrendered, Du and Li Shouzhen surrendered their army. Emperor Taizong then prepared to advance south. With virtually the entire Later Jin army having been given to Du and Li Shouzhen for this northern campaign, Kaifeng was left essentially defenseless, and Shi Chonggui, after initially considering suicide by fire but was stopped by the general Xue Chao (), felt compelled to surrender, ending Later Jin. Emperor Taizong subsequently entered Daliang. Shi's surrender petition, as drafted by the imperial scholar Fan Zhi, stated:
After surrender to Liao.
Emperor Taizong created Shi Chonggui the Marquess of Fuyi (負義侯, i.e., "the marquess who turned against righteousness"), and prepared to have him and his family exiled deep into Liao territory, to Huanglong (黃龍, in modern Changchun, Jilin). (He offered Empress Dowager Li the choice of not going into exile with Shi Chonggui, but she declined, pointing out that he was filially pious to her, and that as his adoptive mother, she should accompany him.) The group included him, Empress Dowager Li, Consort Dowager An, Empress Feng, Shi Chongrui, Shi Yanxu, and Shi Yanbao. It was said that on the way, his train was poorly supplied, and sometimes even he and Empress Dowager Li would run out of food. The only Later Jin regional governor who dared to meet him on the way was Li Gu the prefect of Ci Prefecture (磁州, in modern Handan) and provide him with whatever Li Gu himself had on hand. When he reached Zhongdu Bridge and saw the remnants of camps that Du Wei had left, he bitterly wept and stated, "O Heaven! What has my clan done to him, that this bandit destroyed it!"
Once Shi Chonggui's train entered into Liao proper, they received no further supplies from the Liao army escorting them, such that their attendants and ladies in waiting had to forage fruits and leaves for food. When they reached Jin Prefecture (錦州, in modern Jinzhou, Liaoning), they were forced to bow at the tomb of Emperor Taizong's father Emperor Taizu. Shi Chonggui was so humiliated that he stated in tears, "Xue Chao ruined me!" Empress Feng tried to obtain poison so that they could commit suicide together, but was unable to.
However, after Emperor Taizong's death shortly after and succession by his nephew Emperor Shizong, Shi Chonggui's fortune changed somewhat, as, after Emperor Shizong then defeated his grandmother (Emperor Taizu's wife) Empress Dowager Shulü, who opposed his claim to the throne, Emperor Shizong had Shi's train redirected to Liaoyang (遼陽, in modern Liaoyang, Liaoning) to be settled there. When Shi then submitted a petition to him to congratulate him on his victory, his household again began to be supplied again.
In 948, Emperor Shizong visited Liaoyang, on the way up the mountains for the summer. Shi Chonggui and his household went to pay homage to him. Emperor Shizong comforted Shi Chonggui, but, as Emperor Shizong was leaving Liaoyang, took 15 of Shi Chonggui's eunuchs and 15 of his attending officials, as well as his adoptive son Shi Yanxu (). When Emperor Shizong's brother-in-law Xiao Channu () indicated that he wanted Shi Chonggui's daughter but Shi Chonggui did not want to surrender her, Emperor Shizong seized her and gave her to Xiao. In the fall, as Emperor Shizong was returning to his capital Linhuang (臨潢, in modern Chifeng, Inner Mongolia), Empress Dowager Li decided to intercept him before he went back to Linhuang, and requested that he resettle their household near a Han city and give them land for agriculture. Emperor Shizong agreed, and sent her back to Chaoyang with Shi Yanxu. He later resettled them at Jian Prefecture (建州, in modern Chaoyang, Liaoning). (Consort Dowager An died on the way from Chaoyang to Jian Prefecture.) The military governor at Jian Prefecture, Zhao Yanhui (), yielded his headquarters for them to live in. Shi Chonggui had his followers till the land and establish an agricultural settlement. Soon thereafter, though, Emperor Shizong's cousin Yelü Jing seized Shi Chonggui's favorite concubines Consorts Zhao and Nie and made them his own.
Empress Dowager Li fell ill in 950. There was no physician or medication available at Jian Prefecture, and her conditions grew worse. As she fell extremely ill, she held Shi Chonggui's hands and cursed Du Wei and Du's deputy Li Shouzhen, stating, "Even after I die I will not spare you!" She died shortly after. That was last traditional Chinese historical reference to Shi Chonggui, other than a reference that during Later Zhou's "Xiande" era (954-962), there were people coming from Liao lands who reported that Shi and Empress Feng were still living in fairly good condition, but that over half of his attendants had escaped or died.
The only things known about the remainder of Shi Chonggui's life came from the discoveries of the tombstones of himself and of Shi Yanxu, which were received by the Chaoyang City Museum in 2000 and 1998 respectively. According to his tombstone, he died in 974, during the reign of Emperor Muzong's successor (Emperor Shizong's son) Emperor JIngzong. The tombstone mentioned that he was buried with Empress Feng, implying that she was no longer alive at the time of his death. Apparently, by the time of his death, he was much honored by the Liao court, with the title of Prince of Jin, and there was official mourning held for him at the court at the time of his death.


Ulick de Burgh, Lord Dunkellin

Ulick Canning de Burgh, Lord Dunkellin (12 July 1827 – 16 August 1867) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and politician. A statue was erected to him in Eyre Square, Galway in 1873 in honour of his military career, and political career as MP for Galway Borough and County Galway. However, the statue was torn down after Irish independence in 1922, partly on account of his brother Hubert de Burgh-Canning who was a notoriously unpopular landlord in County Galway.
Background.
Dunkellin was the eldest son of Ulick de Burgh, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde, and the Hon. Harriet, daughter of George Canning. He was educated at Eton
Military career.
Dunkellin was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Coldstream Guards. He was Aide-de-Camp to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (Lord Bessborough and then Lord Clarendon) between 1846 and 1852 and State Steward to the Lord Lieutenant (Lord St Germans) between 1852 and 1854. He then served in the Crimean War and was taken prisoner during the Siege of Sevastopol. In 1856 Dunkellin was Military Secretary to the Viceroy of India, his uncle Lord Canning.
Political career.
Dunkellin also sat as Member of Parliament for Galway Borough between 1857 and 1865 and County Galway between 1865 and 1867.
Personal life.
Lord Dunkellin died in London in August 1867, aged 40, predeceasing his father by seven years. He never married. His younger brother Hubert later succeeded in the marquessate.


Kievnauchfilm

Kievnauchfilm (, "Kyïvnaukfil′m", sometimes translated as Kyiv Science Film) was a film studio in the former Soviet Union located in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, established in 1941. Although it was created to produce popular science films, it eventually became best known for its animated films.
Description.
Kyivnaukfilm, an abbreviation for "Kyiv Science Films", was created as a studio for non-fiction films. Its main task was production of popular science films and documentaries covering a broad range of topics. In addition, it released 342 animated films, a large number of which are still popular today, such as a series about "Zaporizhian Cossacks" (directed by Volodymyr Dakhno), "Adventures of Captain Wrongel" series, "Doctor Aybolit", and a version of "Treasure Island" (all three directed by David Cherkassky). The studio's films received numerous awards at international and national film festivals.
Film director Feliks Sobolev ("Animals' Tongue, I and Others, Can Animals Think?") and studio Editor-in-Chief Yevheniy Zahdanskyi are considered to be trailblazers and figures of major influence in the documentary field in the former Soviet Union. Every year the studio released over 400 films.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Kyivnauchfilm went into decline and was renamed National Cinematheque of Ukraine.


Usman Saeed

Usman Saeed (born 8 October 1986) is a Pakistani cricketer who last played for Rawalpindi cricket team. He played in 124 first-class and 70 List A matches from 2004 to 2018.


Taxation in Kazakhstan

The main legal act establishing and regulating taxation in Kazakhstan is the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan On Taxes and Other Obligatory Payments to the Budget (the “Tax Code”). The Tax Code was adopted on 10 December 2008 and came into effect as of 1 January 2009.
Historical Development.
Kazakhstan declared its sovereignty as a member of the USSR in October 1990, and following the dissolution of the Soviet Union the country declared independence in December 1991. The first piece of Tax Legislation of the sovereign republic was the 1991 decree “On Taxes from Enterprises, Associations and Organizations”.
In 1995 the President issued a Decree “On Taxes and Other Obligatory Payments to the Budget" (the “Decree”), which regulated the tax system in Kazakhstan. The Decree only provided for general information on taxes and referred to several instructions which provided for specific information on each of the taxes.
In 2002 the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan On Taxes and Other Obligatory Payments to the Budget (the “2002 Tax Code”) came into force. The 2002 Tax Code was a more comprehensive legal act than the Decree. In fact, the 2002 Tax Code regulated the relationships between the state and the taxpayer and provided for procedures on calculation and payment of taxes.
In 2008 the President announced that the Republic of Kazakhstan requires a new tax code, which should provide for lower tax rates and simplified tax administration procedures. As a result, the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan On Taxes and Other Obligatory Payments to the Budget (the “Tax Code”) was adopted on 10 December 2008 and came into force as of 1 January 2009.


Institute for International Development

The Institute for International Development (IID) is an Australian company limited by guarantee, which provides professional services in support of equitable international development. It does this through consultancies to major international agencies and its own development, publication, exchange, and related cultural activities. IID is based in Adelaide and operates globally.
The founders of IID, who had previously built up the group MPW Australia in the 1980s, considered that international aid should change to reflect development needs. In the face of this change proceeding slowly, the organization operates within its mandate to further objectives of international understanding while it conducts selected professional assignments for such agencies as UN, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, NGOs and AusAID.
Sector expertise encompasses most disciplines related to rural development, including agriculture, social, economic, health and education development. Geographic experience includes most Asian countries, particularly Central, South and Southeast Asia.


Algemeen nut beogende instelling

Since 2008 the Dutch Tax Administration can designate an institution to be a "Public Benefit Organisation" (Dutch: Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling, ANBI). At least 90% of the efforts of an ANBI has to be focused on the general good. And since 2012 the 'culturele ANBI' can profit (until at least 2018) from even more Dutch tax advantages.
Conditions.
The ANBI does not have to be a Dutch legal personality. But often the ANBI is a Dutch foundation ('stichting'), though not every foundation qualifies. It can also be a Dutch "vereniging" (voluntary association). It cannot be an organisation that is for the benefit of its members or shareholders only: a sport club, association of personnel, or a commercial institution. The ANBI does not have to have registered offices in the Netherlands nor in the EU.
The most important conditions are:
More conditions apply to ANBIs as of January 1, 2014. The Dutch Tax Administration can revoke an ANBI designation anytime. Special regulations apply in that case. The database of registered ANBIs is online and searchable.
Institutions without an office inside the Netherlands can start the application for designation as ANBI or Culturele ANBI by submitting a written request for an application form (in Dutch) to the Belastingdienst/Oost-Brabant in Eindhoven (formerly in 's-Hertogenbosch).
Institutions that have an office inside the Netherlands can download an application form.
Advantages.
If in a calendar year the sum of someone's gifts to ANBIs exceeds 1% of the Dutch threshold income, the excess, with a maximum of 10% of that income, is deductible income. Also the ANBI itself is exempted from inheritance tax and gift tax on inheritances and gifts it receives, except on those made under a condition such that it is not for public benefit.
Examples.
ANBI examples:
'Culturele ANBI' examples:
Non-Dutch ANBI examples:
Non-Dutch 'culturele ANBI' examples:
Revoked designation example:
Non-ANBI examples:


Taxation in Afghanistan

This article refers to taxation in Afghanistan.
In the early 1980s, direct taxes accounted for about 15% of government revenues. The share provided by indirect taxes declined from 42% to 30%, as revenues from natural gas and state enterprises played an increasing role in government finance. Tax collection, never an effective source of revenue in rural areas, was essentially disabled by the disruption caused by fighting and mass flight. Under the Taliban, arbitrary taxes, including those on humanitarian goods, were imposed.
In 2005 the government introduced an income (or wage) tax. Employers with two or more employees were required to pay 10% on annual income over about $3,500 and 20% on income over about $27,000.
Corporate taxes.
No matter what kind of legal form the company has, all of them are required to pay a corporate tax of 20 percent. That, you can find in the 4th article of the Afghan Income Tax law.
Value-added tax (VAT).
In 2014 the parliament of Afghanistan worked close to International Monetary Fund to raise the domestic revenues and therefore added a value-added tax (VAT) of 10 percent. Although, the existing law does not include all goods and services (hotels are affected for example), the government is planning to broaden this tax. VAT affects both domestic business people and their trade partners. The domestic tax payer is obliged to pay the VAT on the taxable supply and the importer is obliged to pay the VAT on the taxable imports.
VAT will replace the business receipts tax for all imports once implemented.
Business receipt tax (BRT).
Afghanistan has many different tax rates of business receipt tax on their goods and services. The size of the business receipt tax depends on which kind of company and how large the company is. Lowest BRT has travel agents, culture, smaller restaurants and commodities with a tax rate of 4 percent. The lager restaurants, hotels and club halls have to pay 5 percent in business receipt tax. That tax rate was increased during 2015, from 2 percent to 4 percent, when the government wanted to increase the state revenues to finance the increased need for aid and foreign arms.
Income taxes.
Individuals are subject to tax at progressive rates, calculated monthly.
The development of the fiscal situation in Afghanistan during 21st century.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, governmental revenues have aggregately increased. One of the reasons for this improvement is a more efficient tax system. However, revenues have been less than what they planned for due to situations such as tax evasion and the large drug market, tightening constraints on the budget. In 2015, the government made some improvements of both the tax administration and the customs and that made the revenues increase during 2015.
Customs and fees.
Except from the regular taxes on income and corporations, there are a number of other different customs and fees that have increased in Afghanistan after the creation of NUG (National Unity Government), resulting in increasing revenues for the state. To begin with, there are general increases of customs fees on certain items and air space fees. There is also a tax on fuel import and a 10 percent fee on cellphone top-up cards.
The national budget and its allocation of 2018.
The national budget for 2018 consists of AFN 327 billion and represents a 17 percent decrease from that of the previous year (2017: AFN 429 billion). The Cabinet of Ministers and Mesherano Jirga voted for the budget in the end of November 2017, and the expected tax revenues for Afghanistan was by then AFN 157 billion. There is not a clear reason why the budget has decreased that much but possible explanations have been that the earlier budget was false or that the government found a way to use the development budget money more efficiently.
The government spends the most money on is security, accounting for 41 percent of the national budget. 13 percent goes to education, 11 percent to infrastructure, 9 percent to agriculture and rural development, 7 percent to governance, 7 percent to social security, 5 percent to contingency codes, 4 percent to health and 2 percent to economic governance.
References.
The tax calculation of Afghanistan are as below. Currency used AFN according to Afghanistan Tax law.
Salary Tax calculation of Afghanistan.
From 0 to 5000 AFN Exempted.
From 5001 to 12500 2% Tax will be deducted,
From 12501 to 100000 10% Tax will be deducted and,
From 100000 and Above 20% Tax will be deducted or imposed


Axa Bank Belgium

Axa Bank Belgium, located in Antwerp, is Axa Group’s banking arm that provides retail banking to individuals and small companies in Belgium. The bank works in close cooperation with Axa’s local insurance company to complement their financial product offering with a range of retail banking products and services.
History.
In June 2007, Axa Group’s management board decided to adopt a common European banking strategy. The deployment of this strategy led to the creation in Brussels of a European banking head-office, Axa Bank Europe, using the former Axa Bank Belgium’s legal structure.
In 2008, Axa Life Europe Hedging Services joined AXA Bank Europe to provide financial engineering competencies to insurance companies of the group and Axa Bank Europe.
In 2009, the Hungarian Ella Bank becomes a branch of AXA Bank Europe. The same year, a branch is launched in Switzerland and one year later, in Czech Republic. In 2011, a branch is launched in Slovakia. As of January 1, 2012, activities in Switzerland have been transferred to ZweiPlus Bank.
In 2014, a transformation plan was launched to re-focus on the Belgian retail market. Since summer 2015 all teams of Axa Bank Europe are working from the former Anhyp building in Berchem, Antwerp (Grotesteenweg 214).
In June 2017, Axa Bank Europe changed its name back to Axa Bank Belgium.
In October 2019, the Axa Group sold Axa Bank Belgium to Crelan for €620 million (US$688.51 million).
Governance.
Axa Bank Belgium's strategic decisions are taken by its board of directors, headed by Jef Van In and managed through its management board, headed by Peter Devlies.
Axa’s banking presence across Europe.
Belgium.
Axa Bank in Belgium offers banking products and services to retail and small business customers, serviced through a network of independent bank agents.
Hungary (past).
Axa Bank in Hungary focused on mortgage lending since July 2009. Products were marketed through nationwide mortgage centers, 300 tied insurance agents and over the Internet. Since January 1, 2012, Hungarian commercial activities had been put in run-off.
In February 2016, Axa announced that it had entered into an agreement with OTP Bank to sell its Hungarian banking operations.
France and Germany.
Axa Group also owns banking activities in France (Axa Banque France) and in Germany (Axa Bank AG). Those two entities are not part of Axa Bank Belgium's legal structure, even though they have developed some operational links and synergies, notably in sharing banking know-how.


Grigori Marchenko

Grigory Alexandrovich Marchenko (or Grigori Alexandrovich Marchenko; born December 26 1959) is a Kazakh financier, banker and politician.
Marchenko was the Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Halyk Bank. He served as the First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan in 2004. He is the Honorary Consul of the Singaporean Government to the Kazakh government since November 3, 2006 as well as the Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of Spain in Almaty.
He won Euromoney's 2003 Central Bank Governor of the year award. He also was chosen as the best financier of the year ("the Choice of 2000 of the Republic of Kazakhstan", "the Choice of 2005 of the Republic of Kazakhstan"). He was awarded with a breastplate "Honored Employee of the National Bank of Kazakhstan" in 2012.
He was twice the chairman of the National Bank of the Republic Kazakhstan: from 1999 to 2004 and from 2009 to 2013.
Education and career.
He graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 1984. He studied at Georgetown University in Washington D.C., United States in 1994.
Marchenko served as a Deputy Governor from 1994 to 1996 at Kazakhstan's National Bank, the country's central bank. After that he worked as a Head of the National Commission on Securities from 1996–1997, then as a CEO of the Deutsche Bank Securities (Kazakhstan) from May 1998 until October 1999. He was the non-staff advisor of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan from October 1997 until October 1999. Thereafter he returned as a Governor to the National Bank of Kazakhstan, the position he held from October 1999 till January 2004. He worked as the first deputy Prime minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan from January 2004 till April 2004. He was elected as a Chairman of board at a joint-stock company "Halyk bank of Kazakhstan", the position he held from January 2005 until January 2009 before being appointed a second time as the Governor of the National Bank of Kazakhstan on January, 22nd of 2009. He resigned from the position of the Governor of the National Bank on October, 1st 2013.
Development.
Marchenko gave a speech on "The development of Kazakhstan in the period of Globalization and the growth of financial markets" on 15 March 2006 at the Hong Kong Theater, Clement House, Aldwych, for the London School of Economics.
In 2011 Grigori Marchenko was put forward as a possible head of the International Monetary Fund by the leaders of governments of the Commonwealth of Independent States association of former Soviet republics. He first heard of his candidacy by text message on the day it was agreed at a meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States. However, later he has pulled out of the race to run the International Monetary Fund.
OSI/CSIS Conference.
On 12 May 2003 Marchenko held a speech entitled "Caspian Oil Windfall: Who Will Benefit?" at a conference in Washington D.C. that the Open Society Institute and the Center for Strategic and International Studies sponsored. In his speech, he defended the National Fund of Kazakhstan's management of revenues from Kazakhstan's petroleum production and he criticised a book published by the OSI with the same title as his speech referring, in particular, to 40 factual "mistakes" found by him in said book.
Marchenko specifically took issue with the allegations that the Kazakhstan Government established the fund on a questionable legal basis, citing 30 amendments to several laws passed by the Parliament regarding financial accountability, the fact that President Nursultan Nazarbayev has complete control over the fund, calling it "simply wrong" that the book refers to "the Russian Black Sea port of Ceyhan" which is in fact a Turkish port, but not, as asserted in the book, a Russian port. In conclusion, Marchenko proposed "that the book be recalled, and the chapter on Kazakhstan be rewritten." George Soros invited Marchenko to point out the mistakes he had found and undertook that these mistakes would be corrected.
Marchenko met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Putin's economic advisor Andrei Ilarianov, in May 2003. After the meeting there were rumors in the media that Putin had offered Marchenko a job in the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.


Lahash International

Lahash International is a Christian organization working in East Africa. Lahash works to help vulnerable children in communities affected by war, disease, and corruption. The work is accomplished through partnerships with existing East African churches and ministries that have a vision for serving vulnerable kids in a holistic manner. Lahash currently sponsors 450 children in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda.
Child Sponsorship is the primary method of securing long-term international support for the work in East Africa. An office in Portland, Oregon is the headquarters of the organization. The ministry has also created a month-long experiential event called Rice & Beans Month. This month offers an opportunity to the international community to pare back meal budgets for a month in order to share savings with people in East Africa who are facing nutritional shortages.
A book was written in 2011 by Lyla Peterson about the journey of the organization and the partnership with Susan Tabia and her ministry in South Sudan and Uganda to the Sudanese.
History.
Lahash was founded by Daniel Holcomb and several friends in 2005. A few years earlier, in 2002, Daniel had visited Northern Uganda and encountered the Amazing Grace Children's Home. The South Sudanese at the home asked Daniel if he would partner with them in their work of serving vulnerable refugee children. He agreed and began to partner with several additional ministries across East Africa.
Over the years Lahash has served many disadvantaged communities. For several years the organization partnered with Mama Margaret Nyabuto at the Tenderfeet School.
Servant Team Program.
Lahash facilitates a discipleship and service program each year called Servant Teams. While participating in the program, several young adults enter into a time of classroom learning, serving Portland, Oregon neighborhoods and churches, and serving in East Africa with the ministries that Lahash partners with.


Berita Film Indonesia

Berita Film Indonesia (abbreviated BFI; "Indonesian News Films") was the first government-owned film production company of Indonesia. BFI was formally established on 6 October 1945, after the Japanese occupation army surrendered, using the same equipment and studio as the Japanese studio Nippon Eigasha. The company, under RM Soetarto and Rd Ariffien, was soon forced to leave Jakarta for Surakarta and later Yogyakarta owing to the ongoing revolution against the former Dutch colonists. After the Netherlands recognised Indonesia's independence in December 1949, BFI was merged with the Dutch-owned Regerings Film Bedrijf.
The newsreels and documentaries produced by BFI covered numerous events in Indonesian history and have been reused for further works. In 1985 the company's history was dramaticised as "Film dan Peristiwa" ("Film and Events") by Usman Effendy.
History.
During the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies, the Japanese appropriated the Dutch-owned Multi Film to establish the film production company Nippon Eigasha in Jakarta, the colony's capital. This included all of Multi Film's equipment, with which Nippon Eigasha produced one featured film – "Berdjoang" (1943) – six short films, and several newsreels. All were of propagandic nature.
The day after President Sukarno proclaimed Indonesia's independence on 17 August 1945, a number of native Indonesian employees of Nippon Eigasha formed Berita Film Indonesia (BFI), taking an Evemo-brand camera and several rolls of film. The control of Nippon Eigasha was formally transferred to the Information Ministry of the Indonesian government, under Information Minister Amir Syarifuddin on 6 October 1945, preceding a Japanese withdrawal. The venture retained the name BFI and was headed by R. M. Soetarto and Rd Ariffien. Soetarto had been a deputy director of Nippon Eigasha during the occupation, while Ariffien had directed five feature films before and during the occupation, including "Berdjoang".
BFI soon began producing newsreels and documentaries. However, when the allied Dutch and British forces occupied Jakarta in November 1945, BFI and its crew began working out of a hospital; the studios were occupied by the Dutch and housed two production companies: the state-owned Regerings Film Bedrijf (RFB) and the privately held South Pacific Film Corp. By December, however, the situation had grown unsafe and BFI was moved to Surakarta, Central Java, and later Yogyakarta. BFI was one of numerous corporations, including the national government, which evacuated Jakarta and moved to Yogyakarta during this period.
In Yogyakarta, Soetarto, Ariffien, and their crew, which included Soetarto's brother Soeharto and the cameraman Sutan Nazar, continued their efforts to record historic events. Owing to the ongoing national revolution, supplies were scarce, including film stock.
After the Dutch recognised Indonesia's independence in December 1949, the Indonesian government acquired RFB. RFB and BFI were then combined into the Perusahaan Pilem Negara, later renamed Perusahaan Film Negara (State Film Company; PFN). The BFI employees stationed in Yogyakarta returned to Jakarta to work at PFN. The company, since renamed Perum Produksi Film Negara, remains incorporated but has become inactive and may face liquidation.
Legacy.
During its existence BFI produced 13 newsreels and documentaries on events including the Madiun Affair, Operation Product, Operation Kraai, and the Linggadjati and Renville Agreements. These works were the basis of several later ones, produced during the early 1950s, following Indonesia's actions during the national revolution. They were also compiled in the 1951 documentary "Indonesia Fights for Freedom", distributed to the United Nations. A semi-fictional account of BFI was presented in Usman Effendy's 1985 movie "Film dan Peristiwa" ("Film and Events").


Raymond de Montmorency

The Honourable Raymond Harvey Lodge Joseph de Montmorency VC (5 February 1867 – 23 February 1900) was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. (Also considered a Canadian recipient due to his place of birth).
Early life career.
De Montmorency was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the eldest son and heir of Major-General Reymond de Montmorency, 3rd Viscount Frankfort de Montmorency, Representative Peer of Ireland, who served in the Crimean War, the Indian Rebellion, Abyssinia and the Mahdist War, and his wife Rachel Mary Lumley Godolphin Michel, daughter of Field Marshal Sir John Michel.
He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Lincolnshire Regiment on 14 September 1887, and transferred to the 21st Lancers as he was promoted to lieutenant on 6 November 1889.
Details of Victoria Cross.
De Montmorency was 31 years old, and a lieutenant in the 21st Lancers (Empress of India's), British Army during the Sudan Campaign when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC:
On 2 September 1898 at the Battle of Omdurman, Sudan, after the charge, Lieutenant de Montmorency returned to help an officer who was lying surrounded by a great many Dervishes. He drove the Dervishes off and finding that the officer was dead, put the body on his horse which then broke away. Captain Paul Aloysius Kenna and a corporal then came to his assistance and he was able to rejoin his regiment. His citation read:
Later military career.
De Montmorency was promoted to the rank of captain on 2 August 1899, having in the previous October been despatched on special service to South Africa, where he raised and commanded a special body of scouts, Montmorency's Scouts. Following the outbreak of the Second Boer War in October 1899, the Scouts were involved in fighting in Cape Colony. He was killed in action at the Battle of Stormberg, Dordrecht, Cape Colony, on 23 February 1900.


Nikola IV Frankopan

Nikola IV Frankopan (; c.1360 – 26 June 1432) was a Croatian nobleman and the Ban of Croatia and Dalmatia from 1426 to 1432.
He began as a lord of most of northern Croatia as count of Senj and Modruš, and later acquired much of the country through loans to king Sigismund totalling around 46,000 ducats. Thus, Nikola Frankopan came into possession of most of Croatia, including Bihać and Knin, with the rest being in the hands of the Nelipić and Kurjaković noble families.
During his visit to the Papal States, he received recognition for being a descendant of the old Roman patrician family Frangipani, after whom he took their name and symbol.
Nikola Frankopan is also regarded as the founder of the town of Crikvenica in 1412.
Biography.
He was born around 1360 as the only son of Ivan V Frankopan and his wife Anna, daughter of count Meinhard of Gorizia. After the death of his father in 1393, he inherited all of his estates and administered them together with his mother. During this time he is mentioned as duke of Krk and Modruš, and was also later confirmed as the duke of Rab. His dominion was further extended with the purchase of Ribnik, near the town of Ozalj, for 9000 ducats, from the nobleman Mikac Prodavić.
During the dynastic struggle for the Hungarian-Croatian kingship, he was initially supportive of Ladislaus of Naples, but from 1403, he sided with Sigismund. Two years later, he married his first wife Dorothea of Gara, who was the daughter of the Palatine of Hungary Nicholas Garay. In 1411, he made a pact with nobleman Ivaniš Nelipić against Ladislaus of Naples. In this pact, he bethrothed his eldest son Ivan VI Frankopan to Ivaniš's daughter Catherine.
In the subsequent year, he initiated the reconstruction of the church of Saint Mary in today's Crikvenica and built the adjacent monastery. There he brought the members of the Pauline Order and granted them the monastery in a charter dated August 14, 1412 which is the oldest record of the towns name. The monastery was the center which connected the surrounding villages and from which today's town grew into.
His lands and estates were ravaged during the second war between the king and the Republic of Venice which took place between 1418 and 1420. He soon also came into conflict with the Counts of Celje, who took parts of Nikola's lands by claiming dowry. This was eventually settled at the court of king Sigismund in Buda.
His domains included the Island of Krk, the districts of Vinodol, Modruš, Senj, Gacka, and Lika in Croatia. His properties also extended to the towns of Cetin, Slunj and Ozalj in Slavonia, bought from king Sigismund for 17,000 ducats in 1397. Upon his appointment as Ban of Croatia and Dalmatia in 1426, king Sigismund pawned him in return for a loan of 28,000 ducats, the town of Bihać on Una river, Knin, Lapacgrad, Vrlika, Ostrovica (near Bribir), Skradin, the county of Luk between Zrmanja and Krka rivers and the district of Poljice.
He subsequently confirmed this in 1431, for another loan of 14,000 ducats. These acts brought the majority of the territories of the Kingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia into Nikola Frankopan's ownership, with the rest being the possession of the Nelipić and Kurjaković noble families.
In 1428, he took the surname Frankopan, which is what all his successors henceforth called themselves. Two years later he visited Rome to have pope Martin V confirm him as a legal descendant of the old Roman patrician family Frangipani, who in turn claimed to have descended from the ancient gentis Anici. At this point, Nikola also had his family coat of arms altered for this purpose.
In Slavonia, the authority of Ban was held by count Hermann of Celje (Cilli) (1423–1435), father-in-law of king Sigismund. Hermann was the master of a large part of Slavonia. The two powerful clans clashed because of family quarrels. Each of them had partisans among the powerful barons. Thus two factions were formed ready to start a bloody feud. Those who sided with the Counts of Celje (Cilli) strove to extend their sway also over Croatia and to annihilate the Frangipani family members as a way to over take their lands, titles and to shift the balance of power towards their favor.
The outbreak of civil war was prevented by Sigismund's return from abroad. Peace was further consolidated when Nikola died on June 26, 1432. Some rumors were that he was murdered by opposing Barons loyal to Hermann II of Celje.
He was survived by nine sons and daughters. The founder of this branch of the Frangipani family supplied great leaders and Generals of Croatian history. Nikola Frankopan was very politically skillful. He arranged special marriages for his children and permanently set his family members in positions to look after the vast number of properties that he acquired. Their political opponents used propaganda to create strife for the family. Some of the accusations included that some family members had converted to Islam.


Asher P. Nichols

Asher P. Nichols (1815 – May 30, 1880) was an American lawyer and politician.
Life.
Nichols was born in Whiting. His family moved to Rushville, New York, when he was still at a young age. He graduated from Springville Academy at the age of about 18. He then went to Canandaigua to be a clerk in the law office of Judge George W. Clinton, son of Governor DeWitt Clinton. In 1836, they both went to Buffalo, being among the first lawyers in that city. Nichols completed his legal studies, was admitted to the bar and became Clinton's partner.
Though a staunch Democrat, he was not active in politics until 1867, when he accepted the nomination for State Senator and won the election by a large majority. He was a member of the New York State Senate (31st D.) in 1868 and 1869.
He was appointed New York State Comptroller in June 1870 to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of William F. Allen who had been elected to the New York Court of Appeals. In November 1870, he was elected to succeed himself for the remaining year of Allen's term, but in 1871, he was defeated for re-election by Republican Nelson K. Hopkins.
Nichols died of apoplexy at a friend's home in Clinton, and was buried at Rochester, New York.


Jumla rebellion

The Jumla rebellion () was a revolt in the Kingdom of Nepal against the Gorkha conquest of Jumla. The people of Jumla did not accept Gorkhas as their rulers which sparked recurring rebellions.
Aftermath.
In October 1794 the Government of Nepal sent a letter to the people which read:
In 1794, Ranajit Kunwar was replaced by Subba of Jumla. Kunwar was given a royal order which said to cancel all fines, restore all slaves, horses, and other things that were unjustly taken. Later, Subba Ranjit Kanwar, Subedar Dhanjit Rana, and other military officials deputed to Jumla, were given another royal order which read: We have now received reports that even then you have enslaved members of the families of the rebels. We had then ordered you to restore such slaves to freedom, but none of you have obeyed the order. You shall be punished if you do not do so even after receiving this order".


Belvidere and Delaware River Railway

The Belvidere & Delaware River Railway Company also known as Delaware River Railroad is a class III railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1995 when the Conrail Delaware Secondary line was purchased by the Black River Railroad System, which operates several railroad services in western New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. The Black River Railroad System also owns and operates the Black River & Western Railroad (BR&W). BR&W leases 10 miles of track to BDRV since 2004. Trackage purchased was a segment of the original Belvidere Delaware Railroad, later controlled by the Pennsylvania Railroad and ultimately Penn Central.
The main operation of BDRV is freight service south along the Delaware River from Phillipsburg to Carpentersville, a distance of 7 miles along the scenic Delaware River in New Jersey. Much of the industry is lumber, stone, chemicals and raw materials. Service is provided thrice weekly. BDRV originally served the James River Paper plant in Milford, New Jersey, assuming the task from Conrail: service to the plant ended in July 2003 when the plant closed. The paper plant is currently designated as a Superfund site. Aside from retrieving remaining freight cars from the plant, train service to Milford officially ceased in early 2004. Freight service to Congregated Paper in nearby Riegelsville, Pennsylvania was also terminated in early 2004 when the firm switched from railroad to trucking for product shipment.
BDRV interchanges with Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) in Phillipsburg, which provides connections to the national rail network. Commercial agreements also provide a connection with the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) at Allentown, Pennsylvania. BDRV is a NS handling carrier, meaning NS haulage rates include delivery to BDRV customers by BDRV.
Passenger Excursions.
In 2004, the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway (NYS&W) Technical & Historical Society, in partnership with BDRV, began operating Phillipsburg–Carpentersville steam-powered excursions. Service was extended as far as Riegelsville, Pennsylvania in 2016, utilizing former NYS&W locomotive No. 142. No. 142 is a China Railways SY type 2-8-2 Mikado steam locomotive built by the Tangshan locomotive works in 1989 for the Valley Railroad in Essex, Connecticut in Valley No. 1647, and sold to NYS&W in 1992. The locomotive was renumbered No. 142, and operated mainline excursions on NYS&W. The locomotive was brought out of storage by BDRV in 2004 for use on the excursions. NYS&W Technical & Historical Society operates their trains under the banner name "Delaware River Railroad Excursions".
Out of service.
NYS&W Technical & Historical Society began clearing the line of vegetation south of Carpentersville, eventually reaching Milford in late 2010. The line south of Carpentersville sees limited service though track gangs frequent the trackage on rail speeders. The borough of Milford has a yearly event called "Milford Alive" which includes rail speeder rides on the line. There are future plans to restore regular train service to the Riegelsville and Milford when track conditions have been further upgraded.


Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe

The Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) is a government-owned development bank in Zimbabwe, mandated to fund long and medium term funding for key infrastructure projects, including in the areas of transportation, housing, energy, ICT, water and sanitation.
Location.
The headquarters of the bank are located at IDBZ House, 99 Rotten Row, in Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe. The geographical coordinates of the bank's headquarters are: 17°49'59.0"S, 31°02'23.0"E (Latitude:-17.833056; Longitude:31.039722).
The bank maintains a branch office on the 5th Floor of First Mutual House, at the corner of 9th Avenue and Main Street, in the city of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second largest city, approximately , south-west of Harare.
Overview.
The IDBZ was established 31 August 2005, taking over the assets and liabilities of the former "Zimbabwe Development Bank" (“ZDB”). It was founded, primarily as a vehicle for the promotion of economic development, economic growth and improvement of the living standards of Zimbabweans, through the development of infrastructure. Infrastructure includes energy, housing, transport, information communication technology (ICT), water and sanitation, among other projects. The bank serves as an infrastructure development finance institution.
As of 31 December 2017, the bank's total assets were valued at US$188,983,280 with US$54,780,479 in shareholders' equity. In late August 2018, the Government of Zimbabwe increased the shareholding and capitalization of the bank by US$150 million, increasing the bank's total assets to over US$330 million and shareholding to over US$200 million.
Board of directors.
As of September 2018, IDBZ's board of directors consisted of:
Management.
As of September 2018, IDBZ's management team was:


Taizi

Taizi (Chinese: , "tàizǐ", "Supreme Son") was the title of the crown prince of imperial China.
Succession.
Traditional Confucian political theory favored strict agnatic primogeniture, with younger sons displaying filial obedience to the eldest upon the passing of the father. This rather straightforward system was somewhat complicated by polygamy: since later wives were subordinated to the first, their children even when born first were likewise subordinated to hers.
Following Lu Gu's conversion of Liu Bang to Confucianism in the early 1st century BC, Chinese dynasties observed it in theory though not always in practice. Liu Bang himself began to favor Concubine Qi, a later concubine, to his primary empress, Lü Zhi,
and doubted the competence of his heir Liu Ying. Even worse conflicts could occur when invaders previously observing their own rules of inheritance began to sinicize, as happened to the 10th-century Liao dynasty.
Under the Ming Dynasty, the traditional Confucian principles of succession were upheld by the Hongwu Emperor's "Instructions of the Ancestor of the August Ming". These presented a grave problem when his eldest son died early, leaving a power struggle between a sheltered teenage grandson and his many experienced and well-armed uncles. One of these, the Prince of Yan, eventually overthrew his nephew under the pretense of saving him from ill counsel. His own legitimacy was precariously established: a charred body was procured from the ruins of Nanjing and proclaimed to be the accidentally-killed emperor; the nephew's reign was then condemned and delegitimized and the surviving son kept imprisoned and single; and imperial records were falsified to establish the Prince of Yan as his father's favorite and as a son of the primary wife, giving him primacy over his other brothers.
Names.
As "taizi", the crown prince would possess a name separate both from his personal name and from his later era name, temple name and posthumous name.


Hellenic Petroleum

Hellenic Petroleum S.A. is one of the largest oil companies in the Balkans and with its roots dating to 1958 with the establishment of the first oil refinery in Greece (Aspropyrgos).
It adopted its current name in 1998, changing from the Public Petroleum Corporation S.A. (), as the result of a corporate reorganization. It is a consortium of 6 subsidiaries and a number of additional companies of which it has varying degrees of management control.
Activities.
Refineries and gas stations.
Hellenic Petroleum operates three refineries in Greece, in Thessaloniki, Elefsina and Aspropyrgos, which account for 57% of the refining capacity of the country (the remaining 43% belongs to Motor Oil Hellas). Also owns OKTA facilities in Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia for transportation and marketing of petroleum products. Crude oil for the refineries is supplied from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Libya and Russia. The company also operates over 1700 gas stations in Greece under the BP and EKO brands, and about 300 gas stations in Serbia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Montenegro and the Republic of North Macedonia. It also has a network which sells LPG, jet fuel, naval fuels and lubricants.
Petrochemicals.
Being the most important company that produces petrochemicals in Greece, Hellenic Petroleum has a very significant (over 50% in most cases) share of the market. Their basic products are plastics, PVC and polypropylene, aliphatic solvents and inorganic chemicals, such as chlorine and sodium hydroxide. The petrochemicals department is a part of the Thessaloniki refinery.
Electricity.
Hellenic Petroleum operates a 390 MW natural gas power station in Thessaloniki. It opened in 2005 and it is operated through a subsidiary, T-Power. The fixed investment for this plant amounted to 250 million Euros.
Oil exploration.
The Group has established partnerships with leading companies in the sector, been awarded exploration and production rights for hydrocarbons in a portfolio of areas in Western Greece, both offshore and onshore in various development steps.
Other.
Hellenic Petroleum subsidiaries include the engineering company Asprofos and the polypropylene film production company, DIAXON, whose factory is situated in the industrial area of Komotini. The company also controls two shipping companies and has 35% shares in DEPA, the Greek natural gas company, and VPI, which produces PET resin.
Ownership.
The company is transitioning from a government-owned enterprise to a privately held enterprise. 21.8% of its shares are available to the public through a float on the Athens Stock Exchange, with the Greek government retaining 35.5% and Paneuropean Oil and Industrial Holdings S.A. (a Latsis family holding company) owning the remaining 45.5% of outstanding shares.
The chairman of the board of directors is Mr. Yannis Papathanasiou and the Chief Executive Officer of the company is Mr. Andreas Shiamishis.


Pierre de Bocosel de Chastelard

Pierre de Bocosel de Chastelard (1540–1563), French poet, was born in Dauphiné; a scion of the house of Bayard, grandson of Chevalier de Bayard. His name is inseparably connected with Mary, Queen of Scots, for whom he conceived an insane passion.
Career.
From the service of the Constable Montmorency, Chastelard, then a page, passed to the household of Marshal Damville, whom he accompanied in his journey to Scotland in escort of Mary (1561). He returned to Paris in the marshal's train, but left for Scotland again shortly afterwards, bearing letters of recommendation to Mary from his old protector, Montmorency, and the Regrets addressed to the Queen Dowager of France by Pierre de Ronsard, his master in the art of song. He undertook to transmit to the poet the service of plate with which Mary rewarded him. But he had fallen in love with the queen, who is said to have encouraged his passion.
Copies of verse passed between them; she lost no occasion of showing herself partial to his person and conversation. The young man was welcomed in her cabinet room. One day he hid himself under her bed at Holyrood Palace, where he was discovered by her maids of honour, or two male grooms of the chamber. Mary pardoned the offence, and the old familiar terms between them were resumed. Chastelard was so rash as again to violate her privacy. He was discovered a second time under her bed at Burntisland, seized, sentenced and beheaded the next morning at St Andrews on 22 February 1563. He met his fate valiantly and consistently, reading, on his way to the scaffold, his master's noble ", and turning at the instant of doom towards the palace of Holyrood, to address to his unseen mistress the famous farewell " ("farewell to you, so beautiful and so cruel, who kill me and whom I cannot cease to love"). This at least is the version of the "Memoirs of Brantôme", who is, however, notoriously untrustworthy. But for his madness of love, it is possible that Chastelard would have left no shadow or shred of himself behind. As it is, his life and death are of interest as illustrating the wild days in which his lot was cast.
Randolph's account.
The English diplomat Thomas Randolph described the arrest of Chastelard in his letters to William Cecil. He notes Chastelard as a servant of Monsieur D'Anville. When he arrived in Scotland in November 1561, Mary showed him her favour by letting him ride a horse that was a present from her half-brother Lord Robert Stewart. He gave her a book of his own poems. On 14 February 1563, St Valentine's day, Chastelard was discovered in the Queen's chamber under her Great Bed at Rossend Castle at Burntisland. Mary ordered her half brother the Earl of Moray to execute him on the spot. But instead the unfortunate poet was taken to St Andrews. Randolph wrote that Chastelard had made a similar attempt at Holyroodhouse. In his defence, Chastelard claimed he had been caught in the Queen's privy but witnesses insisted he was under the bed. He was beheaded a week later at the Market Cross of St Andrews on market day. Mary was consoled by the company of Mary Fleming.


Leyla Aliyeva

Leyla Aliyeva (, born 3 July 1984) is the first daughter of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. She is editor-in-chief of style magazine "Baku", launched in London in 2011.
Early life.
According to her personal website, Aliyeva was born in Moscow on 3 July 1985. British company records, however, give her date of birth one year earlier, 3 July 1984, noting that the individual's details have been authenticated.
From 2006 to 2008, Leyla Aliyeva pursued a master's degree at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO-MSIIR; also the alma mater of her father). She was the Chairwoman of the Azerbaijan Club at MGIMO until 2010.
In July 2011, the "Taraggi" (Progress) Medal was conferred upon Leyla Aliyeva for her contributions to the development of Azerbaijan–Russia relations.
Leyla Aliyeva is the mother of three children: Ali, Mikail and Amina.
In 2010 "The Washington Post" reported that Leyla along with her sister Arzu and brother Heydar own real estate in Dubai that is worth about $75 million. However, her husband at the time, Emin Agalarov, is the son of Russian billionaire Aras Agalarov. It is stated that those properties were bought by her father-in-law.
In May 2015 Aliyeva announced through Instagram that she had divorced Agalarov. Agalarov wrote: "We remain friends and continue to raise our children together".
Business interests.
Banking.
Leyla together with her sister own number of banks in Azerbaijan. She is listed as ultimate owner of Pasha Bank, Kapital Bank, Xalq Bank as per their IFRS reporting and ExpressBank according to records collected by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).
Professional career.
Heydar Aliyev Foundation.
Aliyeva is Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, a non-commercial organisation that carries out a mixture of charitable, cultural and political ambassadorial projects, presided over by her mother Mehriban Aliyeva, the country's First Lady and vice-president.
Since 10 May 2007, Aliyeva has headed the representative office of the Foundation in Russia. As part of these programmes, she drives charitable initiatives, often with an emphasis on supporting underprivileged young people.
On 1 November 2011, Aliyeva was presented with a "Key to Life" award at the annual benefit ball of the US charity Children's Cancer & Blood Foundation.
Environmentalism.
The initiative International Dialogue for Environmental Action (IDEA), announced by Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva on 12 July 2011 will serve as a platform for active involvement of the youth with the global movement on sustainable development.
According to her, environmental problems associated with climate change, increased carbon emissions, increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, processes in the oceans, drought and humanitarian crisis in different parts of the world cannot leave the younger generation indifferent.
The vision of the campaign is: "Releasing the power of youth to create greater harmony with our global environment." The IDEA campaign entails a number of actions aimed at raising awareness of environmental issues and the need to protect the environment among young people and the international community.
In 2012 as a founder of IDEA (International Dialogue for Environmental Action), Leyla Aliyeva initiated The Children’s Eyes On Earth project with Reza, one of the best-known photojournalists in the world. Later, within the framework of that project The Children's Eyes On Earth International Youth Photography Contest was launched, becoming a great opportunity for youth to raise awareness about important environmental issues, with photographs on the themes "I Love Nature and I Fear Pollution." The main idea behind the contest was to create an opportunity to share experiences and to help promote an understanding of some of the challenges facing our planet and to establish one of the main platforms to inspire families, business people, decision-makers, politicians and others around the world to take action.
Political activity.
Aliyeva promotes Azerbaĳani culture in Russia. She has long been active in working with young Azerbaĳanis who study and live in Russia and Europe. Leyla Aliyeva is guided in her public work by the slogan, "We must stick together and cooperate"
Aliyeva initiated and leads the International Awareness Campaign "Justice for Khojaly, Freedom for Karabakh" and on 18 April 2009. On 24 February 2012 Leyla Aliyeva attended opening ceremony of "Park of Friendship" and unveiled a monument to victims of Khojaly Massacre in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Leyla Aliyeva was elected Chairwoman of the Azerbaijani Youth Organization of Russia (AYOR). For example, one particular project by the Azerbaijani Youth Organization of Russia, called "Blood Has No Nationality", involves young Azerbaijanis donating blood for sick children.
On 30 June 2012 Leyla Aliyeva attended a special meeting called "New leaders for tomorrow" of Crans Montana Forum and delivered speech about environmental issues and importance of the young generation in this sphere.
Other activities.
Leyla Aliyeva has implemented various projects - films, charity events, campaigns for the rights of animals, youth actions.
Since 10 May 2007, Leyla heads the representative office of the Foundation in Russia. As part of these programmes, Leyla drives charitable initiatives, often with a focus on supporting underprivileged youths.
"Ali and Nino".
Leyla Aliyeva was the executive producer of "Ali and Nino", while it was written by British screenwriter Christopher Hampton and directed by British filmmaker Asif Kapadia. Based on the novel of the same name by an Azerbaijani writer, the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2016.
Awards.
On 22 November 2011, she was awarded with a UN certificate and an unspecified commendation.
On 5 April 2013, Leyla Aliyeva was honoured with the “For Protecting the Environment” Prize by the Board of the Organizing Committee of the 7th International Project Olympiad for Protection of the Environment.
On 20 December 2013, she was decorated with Order of St. Olga 3rd Grade of the Russian Orthodox Church, and was awarded the “For Services to Volgograd Region” Prize.
In May 2015, Leyla Aliyeva was conferred on the title of a Goodwill Ambassador of UN Food and Agriculture Organization for her contributions.
On 20 October 2015, Leyla Aliyeva was awarded the Pushkin Medal of the Russian Federation. On 4 November 2015, at a reception in honour of the People’s Unity Day, Russian President Vladimir Putin presented the "Pushkin" Medal to Leyla Aliyeva.
On 28 September 2016, by a decision of the Moscow State International Relations Institute's Scientific Council, she was conferred on "Medal of Merit".


Fogartach mac Cummascaig

Fogartach mac Cummascaig (died 786) was King of South Brega of the Uí Chernaig sept of Lagore of the Síl nÁedo Sláine branch of the southern Ui Neill. He was the grandson of the high-king Fogartach mac Néill (died 724). He ruled from 785 to 786.
Fogartach participated in 781 in the Battle of the Rig fought between the Síl nÁedo Sláine and the Uí Garrchon branch of the Laigin with his cousin Máel Dúin mac Fergusa (died 785), who was King of Loch gabor at that time. The campaign was significant in that both septs of the Síl nÁedo Sláine, both the Uí Chernaig and the Uí Chonaing of north Brega, participated together. These two septs had been fighting for much of the eighth century.
In 786 Febordaith, the abbot of Tuilén was killed apparently by the Síl nÁedo Sláine. The high king Donnchad Midi (died 797) avenged this by attacking and defeating the forces of the Síl nÁedo Sláine at the Battle of Lia Finn or Tuilén and Fogartach was slain along with his kinsmen. Both septs, the Uí Chernaig and the Uí Chonaing, again participated.
Fogartach is titled King of Loch Gabor at his death obit in the annals. His son Cummascach mac Fogartaig (died 797) was also King of South Brega.


George Macaulay Booth

George Macaulay Booth (22 September 1877 - 10 March 1971) was a British businessman, and a director of the Bank of England.
George Macaulay Booth was born on 22 September 1877 in London, the son of the social reformer Charles Booth and his wife Mary Catherine Macaulay.
From 1936 to 1937, he was High Sheriff of the County of London, and living at 28 Chester Street, Belgravia. He declined Lloyd George's offer of a barony.
On 6 October 1906, he married Margaret Meinertzhagen (1880-1959), daughter of Daniel Meinertzhagen VI and Georgina Potter. Her brother was the naturalist Richard Meinertzhagen (1878-1967).


Christopher Nugent, Lord Delvin

Christopher Nugent, Lord Delvin (died before 1680) was the eldest son of Richard Nugent, 2nd Earl of Westmeath and his wife and cousin Mary Nugent, daughter of
sir Thomas Nugent and widow of Christopher Plunkett. His brother was Thomas Nugent, 1st Baron Nugent of Riverston.
By his wife, Mary Butler (daughter of Colonel Richard Butler, grandson of Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormonde and Lady Frances Tuchet, daughter of Mervyn Tuchet, 2nd Earl of Castlehaven), he had issue:


Great Moments in Aviation

Great Moments in Aviation is a 1994 British romantic drama film set on a 1950s passenger liner. The film follows Gabriel Angel (Rakie Ayola), a young Caribbean aviator who falls in love with the forger Duncan Stewart (Jonathan Pryce) on her journey to England. Stewart is pursued by his nemesis Rex Goodyear (John Hurt), and the group are supported by Dr Angela Bead (Vanessa Redgrave) and Miss Gwendolyn Quim (Dorothy Tutin), retired missionaries who become lovers during the voyage.
The film was written by Jeanette Winterson, directed by Beeban Kidron and produced by Phillippa Gregory, the same creative team that collaborated on Winterson's "Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit" in 1990. Winterson intended the screenplay to be reminiscent of a fairy tale, and was unhappy at being asked to write a new ending for its American release.
The film was shown at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival and broadcast on British television in 1995. Although originally intended for theatrical release, it failed to find a theatrical distributor, and was released straight to video in the United States in 1997 under the title Shades of Fear. The film received mixed to negative reviews from critics, and while the lesbian sub-plot in particular was generally well received, Winterson's scripting was a focal point of criticism.
Plot.
Set in 1957, "Great Moments in Aviation" follows Gabriel Angel (Rakie Ayola), a young Caribbean woman from Grenada who embarks on a cruise to England with the intention of becoming an aviator. Upon boarding the ship, Gabriel finds herself assigned shared sleeping quarters with fellow passenger Duncan Stewart (Jonathan Pryce). The rest of the ship's passengers, including missionaries Angela Bead (Vanessa Redgrave) and Gwendolyne Quim (Dorothy Tutin) assume the two are married, and when Professor Rex Goodyear (John Hurt) appears to recognise Duncan as his old acquaintance Alasdair Birch, Duncan fosters the assumption to maintain his cover. It transpires that Duncan is a forger, who many years ago stole a Titian painting from Goodyear and had an affair with his wife. Goodyear believes that his painting is on board the ship, and leads Gabriel to believe that Duncan was responsible for his wife's death. She is furious with Duncan for lying to her, but the two go on to reconcile and later make love. Their romance is complicated by the fact Gabriel professes to have a husband waiting for her in England. She explains that he has been there for two years working, and she is joining him so that she can fulfil her lifelong dream of becoming a pilot — inspired by her grandfather Thomas (Oliver Samuels) who flew off into a storm and never came home. They begin a relationship nonetheless, supported by Angela and Gwendolyne, who also come to realise that they have feelings for one another. They each confess to having secretly been in love with the other for years, and become lovers, vowing to live together in their retirement. It comes to light that the death of Goodyear's wife was an accident, caused as he and Duncan fought over her. Duncan returns his painting, and goes on to burn all his forged documents and papers in front of Gabriel. She confesses that her marriage to Michael is over, and she and Duncan resolve to begin a life together. The film ends with Gabriel's grandmother Vesuvia (Carmen Munroe) reading her family a letter from England, informing them that Gabriel and Duncan are happy together, and are expecting a child. As the family express their delight, Gabriel flies overhead, having finally attained her pilot licence and become an aviator.
Production.
"Great Moments in Aviation" was written by Jeanette Winterson, directed by Beeban Kidron and produced by Phillippa Giles, the same creative team who, in 1990, adapted Winterson's novel "Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit" for television. Giles, for whom "Great Moments" was her first feature film, believes that it was the success of "Oranges" which lead the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) to approve the film so easily. The screenplay is inspired by the emigration story of the mother of actress Vicky Licorish, a close friend of Winterson. It is adapted from a short story Winterson wrote entitled "Atlantic Crossing", published in 1999 in her anthology "The World and Other Places". The central themes of the story are "race, Hemingway, colonialism, love, lust, the [and the] '50s", adapted into the screenplay in a manner Winterson intended to be reminiscent of a fairytale. She ascribes the roles of hero and heroine to Duncan and Gabriel, fairy godmothers to Miss Quim and Dr Bead, and non-archetypal villain to Rex Goodyear. Setting the film on a passenger liner, with brief scenes in Gabriel's native Grenada were intended to contribute towards this fairytale atmosphere, with Winterson explaining that the opening sequence in the Caribbean is "designed to draw the audience out of the world of their own concerns and into a world whose customs are strange. In the new world, objects are unfamiliar and events do not follow the usual rules. The coincidence of colour and language, each more vivid than normal, pull the viewer forward with fairytale immediacy." Of the passenger liner aspect, she explains that it provides the film with: "a sealed and contained world with its own identity and rituals, at once both recognisable and odd. Fairytale never leaves the reader in a familiar spot, we are whisked away to a wood or a lake or a castle or an island, each a law unto itself made all the more uncomfortable because it isn't as weird as, say, planet Mars. We think we will be able to cope just by using out usual tool kit, how disconcerting it is when we can't."
The film originally had a different ending to the one later released in America under the title "Shades of Fear". Miramax co-founder Harvey Weinstein requested that the ending be reworked prior to distribution, and Winterson was highly unhappy at being asked to write an additional conclusionary scene. Winterson's preferred ending sees Rex Goodyear burn the painting he believes to be fraudulent, only to discover he actually had the genuine item in his possession all along, and has now destroyed it. This ties in with the major theme of the film in Winterson's eyes, whereby "Duncan, Gabriel, Miss Bead and Miss Quim all find something valuable where they least expected it, Rex Goodyear finds that the things we value are very often worthless." Winterson has called Weinstein "a bully who knows the gentle touch", referring to the new ending as "the most expensive words I will ever write". While she believes that the new ending is satisfying, she feels the film has lost some dimensions which were important to her and concludes: "It is a good movie but it is not the movie I thought we could make. [...] I do like "Great Moments" but there is another film in there somewhere that has got lost."
Of the starring cast, Pryce, Hurt, Redgrave and Tutin were already established screen actors, while Ayola had previously only acted theatrically. She appraised of her screen debut: "it was a wonderful experience for me to be appearing alongside so many established names. It was very exciting although I must admit at first I was a bit daunted by the prospect." The film featured several minor black characters, either as members of Gabriel's family, or as workers aboard the ship. When these roles were cast, complaints were made by black members of the British actors' union to the BBC and the Department of Employment at having been "passed over" in favour of overseas artists. The film was shot from 23 September to 6 November 1992. It was funded in the most part by the BBC, though a quarter of the budget came from the American Miramax. While Kidron had previously come to dislike directing for major studios when filming "My Cousin Vinny" for Fox, she found the low budget of "Great Moments in Aviation" "just as horrendous a compromise". Though originally intended for theatrical release, the film failed to find theatrical distribution. It was first screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 1994, then broadcast in Britain on BBC Two on 11 November 1995. It was released on video in the United States under the alternative title "Shades of Fear" two years later, on 11 November 1997.
Reception.
The film received mixed to negative reviews from critics. Thomas Sutcliffe for "The Independent" writes that: "while flight is the sustaining theme, the film never soars. The characterisation is Cluedo with pretensions, and the dialogue suspends the actors in that ungainly, undignified dangle which you associate with stage flying, the wires robbing them of all powers of independent movement." While he describes the scene which culminates the lesbian storyline as "radiant" and "beautifully acted by Vanessa Redgrave and Dorothy Tutin", he opines of the acting in general that "for the most part, these people are simply Winterson's puppets, jerked around by the symbolic demands of the plot." He deems Kidron's directing "a kind of surrender, dutifully supplying visual equivalents for Winterson's sterile symmetries but despairing of any greater vivacity", and is particularly critical of Winterson's screenplay, noting that: "everything unrolls at the same stately pace, a religious procession bearing the reliquaries of Winterson's prose. It's as though the author thinks every word is infinitely precious. She's right, though perhaps not in the way she imagines." "Variety"′s David Rooney agrees the film's coming-out scene is a "potential jewel" and "captivatingly played", however, in line with Sutcliffe's criticisms, opines that the film's pacing means that "the scene is lobbed in and robbed of its impact". He summarises the film as "a willfully theatrical, sporadically magical romantic comedy embracing three barely compatible narrative strands, not one of which ever gets full flight clearance". Rooney deems the film "Damaged beyond repair by a mannered scripting style and evident recutting", and opines that "Jeanette Winterson's preposterous dialogue and comic mistiming serves up more misses than hits". Of the film's major themes, he writes that: "Questions about the line between truth and falsehood, genuine and fake, are too flimsily voiced to mean much. Likewise, the intro of race issues in the closing voiceover only makes the haphazard mix even more lumpy".
More positively, Rooney praise Remi Adefarasin's cinematography and Rachel Portman's soundtrack, as well as Ayola's acting, writing: "In the film's most naturalistic turn, Ayola is a constant pleasure to watch. Unforced and appealing, she often succeeds in pulling the fanciful fireworks momentarily back down to Earth." The "Boston Herald"'s Paul Sherman agrees that Ayola gives "a winning performance", and deems the film "generally charming", though is critical of Miramax's decision to hold the film's release back until 1997, change its title, and market it as a mystery rather than a romantic comedy-drama. Lorien Haynes, writing for the "Radio Times", also praises the acting in the film, however is critical of the cross-genre approach, opining: "Unfortunately, the mixture of romance and mystery doesn't work and even the combined acting talents of Vanessa Redgrave, Jonathan Pryce, John Hurt and Dorothy Tutin can't save it." She deems the film "disappointing", and writes that it fails to match the success of "Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit". Gilbert Gerard for "The Independent" selected the film as recommended viewing upon its BBC Two television debut, giving the mixed review: "So much acting talent, so little substance to play with - but the 1950s are authentically enough evoked."
David Bleiler is more positive about the film, writing in his "TLA Video & DVD Guide" that it "isn't some third-rate, quick-paycheck hack job mystery which the advertising suggests." He calls it "an unusual, rewarding drama [...] Well-written by Jeanette Winterson and directed with just the right amount of sensitivity and humor by Kidron". Bleiler states that the cast are "stellar", Ayola is "radiant", and the revelatory scene between Angela and Gwendolyne is "wonderful", asserting: "Although slight, this is a perfect film for a nice, quiet evening at home". Alison Darren in her "Lesbian Film Guide" is also positive, asserting that: ""Great Moments in Aviation" is a little gem of a British film". She describes the resolution of the lesbian storyline as "a golden scene, beautifully photographed and exceptionally well paced", and asserts that "For women of a certain age, this may be the most heart-rending (not to say, inspirational) depiction of a coming-out moment ever seen on screen. Whimsical, comic, dramatic and gentle."
Soundtrack.
While the soundtrack to "Great Moments in Aviation" was not released independently, nine tracks from the film appear on the album "A Pyromaniac's Love Story", which also features music from the film of the same name and "Ethan Frome". "Variety" magazine's David Rooney praised Rachel Portman's composition as "stirring".


Secretary of State for International Cooperation

The Secretary State for International Cooperation (SECI) is a senior minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of the Spanish government. The SECIPIC is appointed by the King with the advise of the Foreign Minister.
The Secretary State for International Cooperation is responsible for the Spanish international cooperation for development policies (especially focused on Latin America and Africa).
As the highest official in charge of the Spanish international cooperation, the SECIPIC is also the President of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).
History.
The international cooperation and development policy of Spain exists since the Francoist Spain and the relations with Latin America since the independence of their current states.
During the first years of democracy, the competences over this matters were attached to bodies with the rank of directorate-general or less, however, the socialist government of Felipe Gonzalez decided in 1985 to create the current Secretariat of State with the aim to get an "effective cooperation with all the peoples of the Earth", a mandate collected in the preamble of the Spanish Constitution ( § Preamble).
Although international cooperation for development is destined for countries around the world, due to historical and cultural ties most of this Spanish cooperation goes to Latin America and the former Spanish territories of Africa like Equatorial Guinea, Morocco or Western Sahara, and also to Asian countries such as the Philippines, also former Spanish territories.
The most significant change since its creation was in 2004, when the competencies of the foreign policy of Spain in Ibero-American were transferred to the Secretariat of State for Foreign Affairs, competences that were recovered in very late 2011.
In 2017 the name was extended to include the Caribbean in the denomination in order to target the objective of at-that-time Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis to impulse the relations with that geographical area. In 2020, the Secretariat of State lost is responsibilities over Ibero-American affairs.
Structure.
The Secretariat of State is divided in two departments:
The Director-General for Sustainable Development Policies is the Vice-President of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation.
Although they are not departments and act with autonomy, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, the Cervantes Institute and the Royal Academy of Spain in Rome depend from the Secretariat of State.