2020 Iranian legislative election

# 2020 Iranian legislative election

## Abstract

Legislative elections were held in Iran on 21 February 2020, four years after the previous legislative election in 2016. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran, the second round, to elect eleven seats, was postponed until 11 September 2020.

Candidates had to be approved by the Guardian Council, and of the 14,000 applying to run for the Islamic Consultative Assembly legislature, 6,850 were rejected, including 90 current members of the Assembly (who were approved to run in the last election). "Moderates and conservatives" were mostly rejected by the Council and "hardliners" approved (according to Parisa Hefzi); while another observer believed some of the rejected were corrupt and others lacking sufficient loyalty to the regime.

## Electoral system

The 290-seat Islamic Consultative Assembly consists of 285 directly elected members and five seats reserved for the Zoroastrians, Jews, Assyrian and Chaldean Christians and Armenians (one for Armenians in the north of Iran and one for Armenians in the south). The 285 directly elected seats were elected from 196 single and multi-member constituencies. In single-member constituencies candidates had to receive at least 25% of the vote in the first round to be elected; in cases where no candidate passed the threshold, a second round is held between the top two candidates. In multi-member constituencies, voters cast as many votes as there are seats available; if not all seats are filled by candidates with at least 25% of the vote, a second round is held with twice the number of candidates as there are seats to be filled (or all the original candidates if there are fewer than double the number of seats).

### Qualifications

According to Iranian law, in order to qualify as a candidate one must:

- Be an Iranian citizen;

- Be a supporter of the Islamic Republic, pledging loyalty to constitution;

- Be a practicing Muslim (unless running to represent one of the religious minorities in Iran);

- Not have a "notorious reputation;"

- Be in good health, and between the ages of 30 and 75.

A candidate will be disqualified if he/she is found to be mentally impaired, actively supporting the Shah or supporting political parties and organizations deemed illegal or been charged with anti-government activity, converted to another faith or has otherwise renounced the Islamic faith, have been found guilty of corruption, treason, fraud, bribery, is an addict or trafficker or have been found guilty of violating Sharia law. Also, candidates must be literate; candidates cannot have played a role in the pre-1979 government, be large landowners, drug addicts or have convictions relating to actions against the state or apostasy. Government ministers, members of the Guardian Council and High Judicial Council are banned from running for office, as is the Head of the Administrative Court of Justice, the Head of General Inspection, some civil servants and religious leaders and any member of the armed forces.

## Contesting groups

A total of 14,444 people applied to be candidates in the election and were vetted by the Guardian Council. Of these, 7,296 (51%) were disqualified, including 75% of the members of the outgoing assembly who had applied to stand again. As a result, the election was considered to be a contest between conservatives such as former Tehran mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who describes himself as a "technocrat," and ultra-conservatives opposed to the nuclear deal. Reformists were described as having no compromise for their strategy.

### Boycott

The Iranian opposition urged their fellow citizens not to vote in the elections, which they describe as a "sham", calling on them to instead work to overthrow the regime. A prominent human rights activist, Narges Mohammadi, has made an appeal to voters from Evin prison to boycott the elections. In Tehran and some other areas, the moderate bloc boycotted in protest over the disqualifications.

A poll by the Iranian Students Polling Agency (ISPA) indicated that over 44 percent of the respondents across Tehran province say they will definitely not take part in elections, with only 21 percent saying they definitely will.

The exiled communist Tudeh Party of Iran called for boycott of the election.

## Conduct

On 27 January 2020, Mahmoud Sadeghi, a former member of Iran's parliament and a candidate for this year's elections, has announced in a tweet that middlemen have asked him for up to $300,000 to have him pass inspection by the Guardian Council.

On 2 February 2020, Iranian news agency ILNA quoted Ali Hashemi, former Iran's chief of the Drug Control Agency, saying that investigations from a wealthy drug smuggler showed he has spent a lot of his dirty money on Iran's parliamentary elections. In some small cities, Hashemi stated, parliamentary seats can be bought for about US$300,000.

## Results

The Conservatives won a landslide and swept all 30 seats in the constituency including Tehran and its suburbs.

Fars News Agency published unofficial preliminary tallies, reporting that out of 183 decided seats the conservatives won 135 while the independents were at 28 and the reformists only had 20. It updated the numbers for 241 decided seats as 191 won by conservatives, plus 34 and 16 for independents and reformists respectively. Anadolu Agency reported that out of 253 seats that were counted, 195 went to the conservatives and the reformists had 20. The rest of 40 winners were independents.

Fatemeh Rahbar and Mohammad Ali Ramazani Dastak died due to COVID-19 before they could take office.

### First round

Out of 57,918,159 registered voters, 24,512,404 voted, resulting in a turnout of 42.57%. 167,809 votes were invalid.

#### Turnout

The national turnout was 42%, the lowest since the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

### Second round

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran, the second round, to elect ten seats (eleven minus one seat which was invalidated), was postponed until 11 September 2020.

## Intermediate election

On 18 June 2021, elections for deceased parliamentarians and revoked districts and those whose credentials had not been approved, were held concurrently with the presidential and local elections. Conservatives won all six seats.

## Aftermath

The new speaker of Iran's Parliament will likely be former Tehran Mayor and former police chief Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who will replace the current holder of the position Ali Larijani. Initial estimates said over 220 out of the 290 seats will be held by hardliners. Reasons for the hardliner victory included a continuing poor domestic economic situation under the reformists, the withdrawal of the US from the JCPOA nuclear deal and the re-imposition of US sanctions thereafter (also partially contributing to the poor economic situation), the absence of a unified reformist strategy and low number of reformist candidates due to disqualification by the Guardian Council, public disillusionment as a result of the 2019–20 protests and the downing of a Ukrainian airliner as well as a lack of government transparency, and the recent killing of general Qasem Soleimani. Turnout was estimated to be the lowest since the 1979 revolution, hovering only slightly over 42% nationally. Turnout in cities, which previously helped the reformists to victory in 2016, fell to as low as 25%. In comparison, national turnout in 2016 was 62%. Khamenei stated the low turnout was due to "negative propaganda" about the coronavirus, spread by Iran's enemies.


2024 Copa Perú

# 2024 Copa Perú

## Abstract

The 2024 Peru Cup season (Spanish: Copa Perú 2024), the largest amateur tournament of Peruvian football. The District Stage (Spanish: Ligas Distritales) started in February - March, and the National Stage (Spanish: Etapa Nacional) started in November. The winner and runner-up will be promoted to the Liga 2 and the 24 Departmental champions will be promoted to Liga 3.

## Departmental stage

Departmental Stage: 2024 Ligas Departamentales del Perú

The following list shows the teams that qualified for the National Stage.

## National Stage

In 2024 the National Stage has grown to 50 teams, and the new National Stage, designed by matchVision, is played under Regional using the POT System, with all the Regions of Peru represented. The National Stage starts in the second week of October.

This phase features the 50 teams that qualified from the Departmental Stage. Each team plays 3 games at home and 3 games away, for a total of 6 games against 3 different geographical rivals. The departmental stage winners only play against departmental runners-up, and vice versa. All the teams are positioned in one general table. After 6 matches, the team in places 1 to 32 are qualified directly to the Round of 32. The teams in places 33 to 50 are eliminated.

The winner and runner-up of the National Stage will be promoted to the Liga 2.

### League table

## Final Rounds

### Quarterfinals

### Semifinals

### Final


List of sports anime and manga

# List of sports anime and manga

## Abstract

This is a list of sports anime, manga, OVAs, ONAs, and films.


HMD Motorsports

# HMD Motorsports

## Abstract

HMD Motorsports is an American racing team in the Indy NXT series. The team is owned by Henry Malukas.

## Indy Lights (2019–present)

### Background

HMD Motorsports was formed from the Indy Lights operations of BN Racing. In August of 2019, BN Racing sold off their Indy Lights operation to Henry Malukas. Henry Malukas then formed HMD Motorsports as a result.

### 2019

Toby Sowery won the Sunday race at Portland for HMD Motorsports/ Team Pelfrey. HMD was to run the 2020 Indy Lights series, but the season was cancelled due to COVID-19.

### 2021

HMD Motorsports, together with Global Racing Group fielded four cars to start the 2021 Indy Lights series season. Drivers included Benjamin Pedersen, Linus Lundqvist, Nikita Lastochkin, and David Malukas. Exclusive Autosport, due to delaying its planned Indy Lights entry, sold their two cars to HMD/GRG. Linus Lundqvist won Race 1 from pole at the Indy Lights Grand Prix of Alabama with teammate David Malukas winning Race 2 from pole. Malukas won Race 2 from pole at the Indy Lights Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Lundqvist won the Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis Race 1 from pole with teammate Malukas winning Race 2 from pole. Malukas won Race 2 at Road America, both races at Gateway, and Portland Race 1. Lundqvist would use another car at Gateway due to a crash before the races. Manuel Sulaimán joined the team at Portland, replacing Lastochkin. Lundqvist won the season finale at Mid-Ohio.

### 2022

HMD partnered with Dale Coyne Racing for the 2022 Indy Lights series season. Drivers included Christian Bogle, Danial Frost, Linus Lundqvist, and Manuel Sulaimán. The teams partnership continued with Global Racing Group, fielding driver Benjamin Pedersen. Lundqvist won several races throughout the season, while teammate Frost won at the Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis Race 1. Sulaimán would leave the team and be replaced by Antonio Serravalle starting at Indianapolis. Kyffin Simpson would join the team starting at Iowa, moving over from TJ Speed. Serravalle would leave and be replaced by James Roe starting at Nashville, who also moved over from TJ Speed. Pedersen would win at Portland. Nolan Siegel joined the team for the season finale at Laguna Seca Lundqvist would win the series championship at Race 1 of Laguna Seca.

### 2023

HMD Motorsports fielded an entry for Force Indy driver Ernie Francis Jr.. HMD also took over the teams equipment and personal. The team started 2023 with nine cars in the Indy NXT field. Christian Rasmussen won the championship racing for HMD. Rasmussen almost ran out of funding three times during the season.

### 2024

Myles Rowe joined Force Indy/HMD for 2024. HMD started 2024 with ten cars in the Indy NXT field.

## IndyCar (2022–2023)

HMD Motorsports partnered with Dale Coyne Racing to run David Malukas in the 2022 IndyCar Series and 2023 IndyCar Series. The partnership would end after 2023.

## Formula Regional Americas Championship (2020)

### 2020

HMD Motorsports entered the 2020 Formula Regional Americas Championship series with drivers David Malukas and Santiago Urrutia after the cancellation of the 2020 Indy Lights series. Logan Cusson joined the team starting at Barber Motorsports Park. Kyffin Simpson joined the team starting at Sebring International Raceway. David Malukas would win the Saturday race at Sebring. Marco Kacic joined the team for Circuit of the Americas.

## Current series results

### Indy Lights / Indy NXT

† Shared results with other teams.

## Former series results

### Formula Regional Americas Championship

† Shared results with other teams.


1968 in Germany

# 1968 in Germany

## Abstract

Events in the year 1968 in Germany.

## Incumbents

- President – Heinrich Lübke

- Chancellor – Kurt Georg Kiesinger

## Events

- Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 1968

- May 30 - German Emergency Acts

- June 21 - July 2 - 18th Berlin International Film Festival

- June 27-October 4 - 4. documenta

- Neue Nationalgalerie opened in Berlin.

## Births

- January 2 – Matthias Berger, German politician

- January 11 – Benjamin List, German organic chemist, recipient of Nobel Prize in Chemistry

- February 27 - Samuel Kummer, German organist (died 2024)

- March 6 - Smudo, German singer

- April 6 - Oliver Korittke, German actor

- April 8 - Gabriele Fähnrich, German gymnast

- April 20 - Jens Weidmann, German economist, president of the Deutsche Bundesbank, and Chairman of the Board of the Bank for International Settlements

- April 21 - Tita von Hardenberg, German journalist and television presenter

- April 25 - Thomas Strunz, German football player

- April 29 - Michael Herbig, German film actor and director

- April 29 - Jürgen Vogel, German actor

- May 1 - Oliver Bierhoff, German football player

- May 2 - August François von Finck, German businessman

- May 5 - Peter Frank, German lawyer

- May 9 - Hardy Krüger Jr., German actor

- May 19 - Sonja Zietlow, German television presenter

- June 8 - Torsten Gutsche, German canoeist

- August 2 - Stefan Effenberg, German football player

- August 17 - Anja Fichtel, German fencer

- September 11 - Andreas Tews, German boxer

- September 23 - Gabriele Reinsch, German athlete

- September 29 - Svenja Schulze, German politician

- October 13 - Kay Bluhm, German canoeist

- October 18 - Michael Stich, German tennis player

- November 19 Katarina Barley, German politician Anja Vanrobaeys, Belgian politician

- Katarina Barley, German politician

- Anja Vanrobaeys, Belgian politician

- November 21 - Inka Bause, German actress, singer and television presenter

- November 24 - Martin Schneider, German footballer

- December 18 - Mario Basler, German footballer

- December 30 - Thomas D, German singer

## Deaths

- January 2 - Cuno Hoffmeister, German astronomer (born 1892)

- February 23 - Emil Hirschfeld, German athlete (born 1903)

- February 28 - Hans Lohmeyer, German politician and jurist (born 1881)

- April 16 — Albert Betz, German physicist and a pioneer of wind turbine technology (born 1885)

- May 25 - Georg von Küchler, German field marshal (born 1881)

- May 30 - Louis, Prince of Hesse and by Rhine (born 1908)

- June 18 - Nikolaus von Falkenhorst, German general (born 1885)

- June 23 — Andreas von Aulock, Imperial Army officer and Wehrmacht general (born 1893)

- July 1 - Fritz Bauer, German judge (born 1903)

- July 19 - Käthe Kruse notable pioneer of German doll-making (born 1883)

- July 20 - Joseph Keilberth, German conductor (born 1908)

- July 28 - Otto Hahn, German chemist (born 1879)

- December 16 - Jürgen Moll, German football player (born 1939)


Harry Handelsman

# Harry Handelsman

## Abstract

Harry Handelsman (born September 1949) is the founder and CEO of Manhattan Loft Corporation, a London-based property development company.

## Early life

Harry Handelsman was born in September 1949, the son of a "well-off Polish financier", Handelsman was born in Munich. He was educated in Germany, Paris and Canada, and has a master's degree in economics from York University in Toronto.

His father died in 1982, and he then took over running the business, and moved to London in 1983.

## Career

Handelsman established London-based Manhattan Loft Corporation in 1992. Since then, he has gone on to re-develop "some of London’s most admired buildings", including the Chiltern Firehouse and St. Pancras Renaissance London Hotel

## Manhattan Loft Corporation developments

### Chiltern Firehouse

A collaboration with Andre Balazs, Manhattan Loft Corporation redeveloped the Grade II 19th-century Manchester Square Fire Station into a 26-suite hotel and 200 capacity restaurant. Chiltern Firehouse opened in 2014 after nearly five years of re-development

Chiltern Firehouse was designed in conjunction with Studio KO, and, in addition to its 26 suites, includes bar areas and a restaurant run by former Viajante chef Nuno Mendes – whose cuisine has been described as "unique" and "stylish".

### Hackney Fashion Hub

Launched in Spring 2016, Manhattan Loft Corporation collaborated with architect David Adjaye to create a designer fashion outlet district in London's Hackney E9.

### St Pancras Renaissance Hotel

Designed by George Gilbert Scott in the 19th century, the former Grand Midland Hotel became derelict in the late 20th-century. Planning permission to re-develop the derelict building was granted to Manhattan Loft Corporation in 2004. The upper levels of the gothic structure were developed into 67 apartments, and a 245-room hotel was opened in 2011 after the ten-year restoration work. The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel remains under Handelsman's ownership

### Ealing Studios

Ealing Studios, built in 1902, is Britain's oldest film studio. In the mid-2000s, Handelsman purchased the site along with Fragile Films' Uri Fruchtmann and Barnaby Thompson; all of whom are directors. Manhattan Loft Corporation went on to re-develop the site to include the existing Grade II listed sound stages. Manhattan Loft Corporation remains linked to Ealing Studios as the company is working on the second phase of its restoration and expansion.

### Manhattan Loft Gardens

Manhattan Loft Gardens is a 42-storey skyscraper in Stratford, East London. It has been designed by architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The double-cantilevered, 135 m tower includes 248 flats, a hotel, a restaurant, and three sky gardens. It was completed in 2019.

## Awards and recognition

In 2012, it was announced that Handelsman had received an honorary fellowship from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Handelsman was listed in the Evening Standard's "Progress 1000" in both 2015 and 2016; a list of London's 1000 most influential people.

## Other

Handelsman sits on the board of Artangel, the Southbank Centre and The South London Gallery.

## Personal life

His "long-term partner" is Elizabeth Crompton-Batt, the former wife of the late restaurant PR Alan Crompton-Batt, and they have a daughter together. They live in Bayswater, London, with Handelsman's flat tailored by Sarah Featherstone. Handelsman also has a daughter from a previous marriage.


Dušan Veškovac

# Dušan Veškovac

## Abstract

Dušan Veškovac (Serbian Cyrillic: Душан Вешковац; born 16 March 1986) is a retired Serbian professional footballer who played as a defender.

## Career

Veškovac started out at Napredak Kruševac, making his senior debuts in the 2003–04 First League of Serbia and Montenegro. He also played for Obilić and Borac Čačak, before moving abroad to Swiss Challenge League side Wohlen in the 2007 winter transfer window. While in Switzerland, Veškovac also represented two Super League clubs, namely Luzern and Young Boys, collecting 150 appearances in the top flight.

In January 2014, Veškovac was transferred to French club Toulouse on a three-and-a-half-year contract. He was loaned to newly promoted Ligue 1 side Troyes in August 2015.

In August 2017, Veškovac returned to his homeland and joined his parent club Napredak Kruševac on a free transfer. He retired at the end of 2019.


Bill Bright

# Bill Bright

## Abstract

William R. Bright (October 19, 1921 – July 19, 2003) was an American evangelist. In 1951 at the University of California, Los Angeles, he founded Campus Crusade for Christ as a ministry for university students. In 1952 he wrote The Four Spiritual Laws. In 1979 he produced the film Jesus.

In 1996 Bill Bright was awarded the $1.1 million Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion, and donated the money to promote the spiritual benefits of fasting and prayer. In 2001 he stepped down as leader of the organization and Steve Douglass became president. He died in 2003.

## Early life and education

Bill Bright was born in Coweta, Oklahoma, on October 19, 1921. He was the sixth child and fifth son of Forrest Dale and Mary Lee Rohl Bright. His father Forrest Dale was a cattle rancher while his mother Mary Lee was a school teacher prior to marrying Forrest. Bill's father Forrest was actively involved in the Oklahoma Republican Party with Bill remaining a staunch Republican throughout his life. Bill studied economics at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. As a student at Northeastern State University, he was initiated into the Zeta chapter of the Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity, and has subsequently been granted honorable alumnus status to the Alpha Gamma Omega Christ-Centered Fraternity. In 1942, Bill enlisted in the United States Navy Reserve but did not see combat service due to a burst eardrum from playing football during high school.

While in his early 20s he moved to Los Angeles, California, and founded a company called "Bright's California Confections." During the 1940s, Bill attended the First Presbyterian Church, Hollywood where he became an evangelical Christian. Bright was influenced by Henrietta Mears, who served as the Director of Christian Education at First Presbyterian Church, and Billy Graham, who later became a prominent American evangelical leader.

In 1946, Bill Bright quit his candy business to pursue Biblical studies and theology at Princeton Theological Seminary and Fuller Theological Seminary. According to the historian John G. Turner, Bright struggled with his academic studies and did not complete his degree at either institution. While studying at Fuller seminary, Bright felt what he regarded as the call of God to reach out to university students and abandoned his academic studies. Before starting his campus ministry, Bright sold off his confections company and settled a financial dispute with his former business partners, the Taylor family.

## Family

Bill Bright married Vonette Bright on December 30, 1948. The two had been engaged to marry since the spring of 1946. However, Bill at the prompting of Zachary's parents agreed to delay the wedding until her impending 1948 graduation from Texas State College for Women. During the 1950s, Bill and Vonette adopted two boys named Brad and Zachary Bright.

## Ministry career

### Writings

In 1965, Bright wrote The Four Spiritual Laws, an evangelistic Christian tract. In the booklet he outlines his view of the essentials of the Christian faith concerning salvation. It is summarized as four spiritual laws or principles that govern what he sees as human beings' relationship with God. The booklet ends with a prayer of repentance.

### Creation of Campus Crusade for Christ, early 1950s

Bright had initially planned to produce an evangelical film called "The Great Adventure" but abandoned the project due to a lack of funding.

Though Bright had initially considered partnering with other churches, his disenchantment with their ability to mentor new Christian converts led him to start Campus Crusade for Christ as a parachurch organization. In 1951, after recruiting several volunteers from Fuller Seminary and Hollywood Presbyterian, Bright started Campus Crusade's first chapter at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). According to Turner, Campus Crusade was also inspired by Bright's desire to combat Communist influence in US universities including UCLA, which was then regarded as a hotbed of student radicalism.

By 1952, Bright's Campus Crusade had reportedly converted 250 students at UCLA including the student body president, campus newspaper editor, and several athletes including African American decathlete and future Olympian Rafer Johnson. While Bill and his colleagues focused on the male students, Vonette focused on reaching out to the female students.

In 1953, Campus Crusade established its headquarters in Los Angeles' Westwood Boulevard. Bright's campus outreach was also aided by his Hollywood Presbyterian mentor Henrietta Mears, who allowed the Brights to share her Bel Air home and spoke at several Crusade functions.

### Expansion of Campus Crusade beyond UCLA

Bright's success at UCLA led him to establish Campus Crusade branches at several other US universities.

Campus Crusade's expansion across several US campuses created friction with other Christian campus groups including InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and liberal campus chaplains, who disagreed with the evangelistic tone of Bright's ministry. In 1956, Bright wrote a 20 – minute evangelistic presentation called "God's Plan for Your Life", which set the tone for Campus Crusade's evangelism and discipleship program. Bright also initially partnered with the fundamentalist Bob Jones University. However, the relationship deteriorated after Bright sided with Billy Graham, who had accepted the sponsorship of liberal Protestants for his 1957 New York crusade. In response, Bob Jones Sr. and his son Bob Jones Jr. severed relations with Bright's ministry. According to Turner, this split with Bob Jones University led Bright to gravitate towards the "new evangelical" wing of the Protestant movement, which was associated with Billy Graham's cooperative evangelism.

In 2011 Campus Crusade for Christ had 25,000 missionaries in 191 countries.

## Later life

Bright held five honorary doctorate degrees: a Doctor of Laws from the Jeonbuk National University of Korea, a Doctor of Divinity from John Brown University, a Doctor of Letters from Houghton Seminary, a Doctor of Divinity from the Los Angeles Bible College and Seminary, and a Doctor of Laws from Pepperdine University.

In 1975, along with fellow evangelist Loren Cunningham (founder of Youth With a Mission) and theologian Francis Schaeffer, Bright was one of the founders of what would later be termed the Seven Mountain Mandate. The idea would later go on to be popularized by Bethel Church pastor Bill Johnson and Lance Wallnau, among others. The concept centers around Christians taking dominion of seven societal spheres of influence: "family, religion, education, media, art, economics, and government."

In 1983, he chaired the National Committee for the National Year of the Bible. He was named the 1996 recipient of the $1.1 million Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion.

He wrote more than 100 books and booklets, and thousands of articles and pamphlets. He endorsed the document Evangelicals and Catholics Together.

Bright was a co-founder of the Alliance Defense Fund, which funds high-profile litigation cases on behalf of Christians' First Amendment rights. He was a co-signatory of the Land letter of 2002 which outlined a just war rationale for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, providing a theological underpinning for the invasion being planned by President George W. Bush.

He produced the film Jesus in 1979, which was released by Warner Bros. in the United States. It was not a financial success, losing approximately $2 million.

In 1988 he led the protest against the Martin Scorsese film The Last Temptation of Christ and he called the film "blasphemous". He offered to buy the film's negative from Universal in order to destroy it.

## Death

Bright died on July 19, 2003, in Orlando, Florida. His wife died in 2015.

## Politics

Bill Bright's father Dale Bright was a staunch Republican who served as the chairman of the Wagoner Country Republican Party. Like his father, Bill remained a staunch Republican supporter and voter throughout his life. As an evangelical Christian, Bright was also anti-Communist and stated that one of his reasons for starting Campus Crusade was to combat Communist influence in US universities. During the 1970s, Bright defended the South Korean President Park Chung Hee, who imposed martial law and assumed dictatorial powers. He claimed that Park was fighting against Communism and supported religious freedom.


Aleksandar Kocić

# Aleksandar Kocić

## Abstract

Aleksandar Kocić (Serbian Cyrillic: Александар Коцић; born 18 March 1969) is a Serbian former football goalkeeper.

## Playing career

### Club career

Kocić played in many teams such as Vlasina, Dubočica, Vojvodina, Levante, Perugia, Empoli, Red Star Belgrade and Ethnikos Achna.

### International career

He was capped 22 times with the FR Yugoslavia national team.

Kocić was set to be a participant at the 2000 UEFA European Championship but broke a toe while showering after the last practice prior to the tournament. His replacement was FK Obilić goalkeeper Milorad Korać.

## Coaching career

Kocić coached Srem from 2009 to 2010 and ČSK Čelarevo from 2011 to 2012.

### Serbia national football team

Kocić served as the goalkeeping coach of the Serbia national team from 2012 to 2015, having worked with Siniša Mihajlović (19 matches), Radovan Ćurčić (9 matches), Dick Advocaat (4 matches) and Ljubinko Drulović (4 matches).

### Tianjin Teda

As Dragomir Okuka became the head coach of Tianjin Teda in 2016, Kocić was invited to join his coaching team as a goalkeeper coach. They showed up together in the welcome ceremony held by the club. Unfortunately, the staff left Tianjin Teda after 22 matches that didn't satisfy the club.

### Changchun Yatai

When Lee Jang-soo began his second season in Changchun as the head coach, Changchun Yatai hired Kocić as the goalkeeper coach. His predecessor was Yang Jingdong, who is now the vice president of Changchun Yatai.


2024 State Opening of Parliament

# 2024 State Opening of Parliament

## Abstract

A State Opening of the Parliament of the United Kingdom took place on 17 July 2024 when King Charles III opened the first session of the Parliament elected in 2024, which was the first after the 2024 general election. Charles III delivered the King's Speech, his second as monarch, and the first since returning to his public duties after receiving treatment for cancer earlier in the year. The King set out the UK government 's legislative programme for the following parliamentary session.

Along with Queen Camilla, Charles III travelled to Westminster in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach and was accompanied by the Household Cavalry. At Westminster, the King read the 1,421 word speech from the throne in the House of Lords. The speech was then debated by both Houses of Parliament. July 2024 marked Keir Starmer 's first State Opening of Parliament since becoming UK Prime Minister after the Labour Party won the election earlier that month.

The speech outlined 39 pieces of legislation that Labour intends to introduce in the months ahead, including bills to renationalise the railways, to strengthen the rights of workers, tackle illegal immigration, reform the House of Lords, and undertake a programme to speed up the delivery of "high quality infrastructure" and housing.

## Background

On 30 May 2024, and following the announcement of the 2024 general election, it was announced that there would be a State Opening of Parliament on 17 July. The election, held on 4 July, was won by the Labour Party, which defeated the incumbent Conservative government after 14 years in office, securing a landslide victory, with Sir Keir Starmer becoming prime minister. The preceding government's tenure had seen high inflation, political scandals and an economic crisis, and Starmer's election campaign had focussed on improving the UK's economy and infrastructure while not raising personal taxes. He was keen to change the direction of the country with a raft of new legislation.

It was Charles III's second State Opening of Parliament since his accession to the throne in September 2022, and his first since returning to his public duties after being diagnosed with cancer in February 2024, and subsequently receiving treatment for the illness. Although the King had stepped back from his public duties for a time, he had continued with his constitutional role, such as private meetings, including those with the prime minister, and paperwork.

On the morning of the State Opening, the Metropolitan Police arrested 10 members of the protest group Youth Demand after the organisation stated its intention to disrupt proceedings over Keir Starmer's handling of the Israel–Hamas war. The individuals were detained on suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance.

## Ceremony

On the morning of 17 July, Samantha Dixon MP, as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household, was " taken hostage " at Buckingham Palace to ensure the King's safe return from Parliament. Charles III and Queen Camilla then travelled from Buckingham Palace to Westminster in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach, escorted by the Household Cavalry. The route was lined with military personnel, including members of the Grenadier Guards, Irish Guards and Coldstream Guards, as well as members of the RAF and Royal Navy. The King and Queen entered the Palace of Westminster through the Sovereign's Entrance, reserved exclusively for the monarch, and changed into the Robes of State, before proceeding to the House of Lords, where the King would read the speech from the throne. MPs from the House of Commons were summoned to attend the Lords by Sarah Clarke, who holds the office of Black Rod. As a symbol of the House of Commons' independence from the reigning monarch, the doors to the chamber were closed upon Clarke's approach, requiring her to knock three times for it to be opened. Once MPs had assembled in the Lords, Charles III then read the King's Speech. The speech, prepared by the UK government, set out its planned programme of legislation for the next session of parliament, and was read by the King in a neutral tone so as not to show any appearance of political support. MPs listened to the speech in silence, before returning to the Commons, where a debate on the speech began two hours or so later.

At 1,421 words, it was the longest monarch's speech to be delivered to Parliament since 2003. The occasion also coincided with the Queen's 77th birthday.

## Legislative programme

The twelve minute speech included 39 pieces of legislation that Labour hoped to pass during the forthcoming parliamentary session, with a focus on helping to improve economic growth. Chief among these were plans to change planning rules in order to facilitate the building of housing and infrastructure. Plans were also announced to renationalise the railways, strengthen the rights of employees, devolve powers to regional mayors, tackle illegal immigration and reform the House of Lords. In addition, a number of bills proposed by the previous Conservative administration were also included, notably the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which had appeared in the 2023 King's Speech, but had been abandoned after the election was called.

However, Labour's election manifesto pledges to reduce the UK voting age from 18 to 16 was absent from the programme. Speaking about the voting age, Lucy Powell, the Leader of the House of Commons, told the BBC it remained a government commitment and that she hoped the age would be lowered by the time of the next general election. Starmer had also faced pressure from some of his own MPs, as well as the Scottish National Party, to scrap the two-child benefit cap, but this was also not included.

### Bills

- The Passenger Railway Services Bill enabling the government to renationalise the railways.

- The Railways Bill to establish Great British Railways, a body overseeing the rail network.

- The Better Buses Bill allowing greater scope for local government to take over the running of bus services.

- The High Speed Rail Bill to enable powers to improve rail services in northern England.

- The English Devolution Bill to facilitate the devolvement of power to elected mayors of combined authorities.

- Reform of the House of Lords: Two separate bills to phase out the remaining hereditary peers in the House of Lords, and to increase the number of female bishops in the House.

- The Budget Responsibility Bill requiring an official budget forecast to take place ahead of a government budget.

- The Pension Schemes Bill introducing new rules and requirements for private sector pension schemes.

- The Planning and Infrastructure Bill to simplify the approval process for critical infrastructure, and update compulsory purchase rules.

- The Renters' Rights Bill banning no-fault evictions and extending building safety requirements to the private sector.

- The Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill curbing ground rent costs and banning forfeiture.

- The Great British Energy Bill to establish GB Energy, a state owned energy investment and generation company.

- The National Wealth Fund Bill establishing a £7.3bn fund to be invested over five years in infrastructure and green industry.

- The Water (Special Measures) Bill giving the water regulator Ofwat greater powers to prevent water company bosses from receiving bonuses, and to make water company bosses liable for any illegal activity.

- The Crime and Policing Bill to give police greater powers to deal with antisocial behaviour. The bill will also make assaulting retail workers a specific offence.

- The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill to require venues to establish procedures for dealing with terrorist threats, enacting Martyn's Law.

- The Victims, Courts and Public Protection Bill requiring offenders to attend sentencing hearings and removing parental rights from convicted sex offenders.

- The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill enabling police to use anti-terrorism laws to tackle gangs who smuggle asylum seekers to the UK.

- The Employment Rights Bill introducing a number new rights for workers, and banning the "exploitative" use of zero hour contracts.

- The Race Equality Bill extending the right to make a claim for equal pay under the Equality Act to people from ethnic minorities and people with disabilities.

- The Tobacco and Vapes Bill to bring in a phased ban on smoking.

- The Mental Health Bill to tighten rules on sectioning people, and change the rules on care for people with learning difficulties.

- The Children's Wellbeing Bill requiring local authorities to keep a register of children not in full time education at school, and establish breakfast clubs for all primary schools in England.

- The Skills England Bill to establish a public body to improve and devolve skills training.

- The Conversion Practices Bill restricting "abusive" practices designed to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.

- The Digital Information and Smart Data Bill enabling people to use a digital ID to buy age-restricted content and for pre-employment checks.

- The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill establishing new rules to protect critical infrastructure from cyber attacks.

- Hillsborough law: A piece of legislation requiring public servants to be truthful during public inquiries.

- A bill allowing the Crown Estate to borrow from the government in order to invest in new infrastructure projects.

- The Football Governance Bill to establish a regulator for the top five tiers of English football.

- A bill to establish an Armed Forces Commissioner with powers to inspect faulty kit and equipment.

## Response

Responding to the speech, Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party Rishi Sunak said his party would not oppose the government "for the sake of it", but would hold them to account on their election promises. On proposals to change planning laws, he said that though such changes were needed "a system that does not allow local people to have a say will damage public consent for more housing in the long term". Daisy Cooper, the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, welcomed the proposals on Mental Health Act but called for greater ambition on health and social care. Stephen Gethins of the Scottish National Party, called for the government to reverse the "hard Tory Brexit" arguing it was "the biggest thing pulling back growth", and criticised the government for not removing the two-child benefit cap. Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK, argued Labour's plans would increase tax and lead to greater regulation. Green Party MP Ellie Chowns called for "bolder action" on building regulations and rent controls.

Writing in The Guardian, Martin Kettle argued that in his first King's Speech, Starmer was taking a long term approach: "trying to balance impatience for change with the inevitability that the process will be gradual". BBC economics editor Faisal Islam suggested that it would "take well into next year before we see any impact on economic growth from these plans". The BBC's Ben Chu observed that a number of challenges inherited from the previous government had not been addressed in the speech, including public sector pay, which would need to be addressed by the end of July when the public sector pay review for the 2024–25 financial year must be concluded. Failure to do so, he argued, could make government plans to recruit more nurses and teachers more difficult, and even risk further strikes.

Plans to renationalise the railways were welcomed by rail unions, who said the industry would be "run as a public service, not for private profit", with Mick Whelan, the general secretary of ASLEF, describing it as "the right decision, at the right time". However, the plans were viewed less favourably by the UK's 14 train operators. Andy Bagnall, chief executive of their umbrella organisation, Rail Partners, described the establishment of Great British Railways as "an important milestone", but said "Full nationalisation is a political not a practical solution, which will increase costs over time".

## Subsequent events

On the same day the King's Speech was delivered, Starmer announced the establishment of a child poverty task force to investigate how best to support the estimated four million children living in poverty, a figure which was said to have increased by 700,000 since 2010. Skills England, a body whose objective will be to reduce the need for overseas employees by improving skills training for people in England, was launched on 22 July.

Former prime minister Liz Truss wrote a letter of complaint to Cabinet Secretary Simon Case over a reference to her September 2022 mini-budget as being "disastrous". The term was removed after she described it as untrue, and a "flagrant breach" of the civil service code.


Miss USA 2019

# Miss USA 2019

## Abstract

Miss USA 2019 was the 68th Miss USA pageant, held at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada on May 2, 2019. The 2019 competition served as the second consecutive time that the pageant has been held concurrently with the Miss Teen USA competition. This was also the final pageant where it was televised on Fox.

The contest was won by Cheslie Kryst of North Carolina, who was crowned by Sarah Rose Summers of Nebraska. This was North Carolina's third time winning the Miss USA title, and its first in ten years. Kryst was the first non-consecutive African American to win the title and the third one in four years. Kryst represented the United States at Miss Universe 2019, placing in the top ten.

Contestants from fifty states and the District of Columbia competed in this edition. Nick Lachey and Vanessa Lachey served as hosts, while Lu Sierra served as commentator. T-Pain and Nick Lachey performed in this edition.

## Background

### Location and date

On March 28, 2019, the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) confirmed that the pageant would be held on May 2 at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. Shortly afterwards, it was confirmed that Miss USA 2018 hosts Nick Lachey and Vanessa Lachey would be returning to host the 2019 competition.

Following the announcement of Reno being selected as the competition's host city, it emerged that the MUO were originally planning on holding the competition in Honolulu, Hawaii. The plan was rejected by Hawaiian officials and relocated to Reno by the MUO after the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) reported that they would be unable to secure the funds to host the competition that the MUO had requested, adding that they would be interested in hosting in the future.

### Selection of participants

Delegates from 50 states and the District of Columbia were selected in state pageants that began in August 2018 and ended in January 2019. The first state pageant was Alaska, held on August 4, 2018, and the final pageants were California, Kentucky and New Mexico, both held on January 27, 2019. Seven of them were former Miss Teen USA state winners, three of them were former Miss America state winners and two of them were former Miss America's Outstanding Teen state winners.

## Results

## Pageant

### Format

Same as the previous year, during the final competition, the results of the preliminary competition — which consisted of the swimsuit competition, the evening gown competition, and the closed-door interview determined the fifteen semi-finalists who advanced at the first cut. The fifteen semi-finalists competed in the swimsuit competition, while 10 competed in the evening gown competition. Five finalists were chosen to competed in a question round regarding current affairs, while three finalists competed in the final question round and final walk.

### Judges

- Nicole Feld – businesswoman, producer, and vice president for Feld Entertainment, Inc.

- Kim Kaupe – businesswoman and co-founder of The Superfan Company

- Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters – Miss Universe 2017 from South Africa

- Ukonwa Ojo – marketing executive for CoverGirl, Rimmel, and Vera Wang

- Amy Palmer – journalist and media entrepreneur

- Denise Quiñones – Miss Universe 2001 from Puerto Rico

- Hillary Schieve – politician and Mayor of Reno, Nevada

- Patricia Southall – philanthropist and Miss Virginia USA 1994

## Contestants

Fifty-one contestants competed for the title.


Sheriff of Crail

# Sheriff of Crail

## Abstract

The Sheriff of Crail was historically the royal official responsible for enforcing law and order in Crail, Scotland.

The sheriffdom of Crail appears to have been created in the mid 12th century and seems to have been dissolved and incorporated into the sheriffdom of Fife in the 13th century.

## Sheriffs of Crail

- William (1163)

- Geoffrey de Inverkunglas (1223)


William P. Kozlovsky

# William P. Kozlovsky

## Abstract

## Biography

William P. Kozlovsky is a former rear admiral in the United States Coast Guard. Kozlovsky is a native of Wausau, Wisconsin.

## Career

Kozlovsky graduated first in his class from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1954. He then served aboard the USCGC Gresham (WAVP-387) until 1956.

From 1960 to 1962, Kozlovsky was a search and rescue pilot based out of Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco. Later, he was stationed at Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point. Additionally, he graduated from the Air War College.

He graduated first in his class from Purdue University in 1963.

Kozlovsky's later assignments included Chief of the Budge Division of the Coast Guard from 1973 to 1976, Comptroller of the Coast Guard from 1980 to 1986 and Chief of the Office of Acquisition of the Coast Guard from 1986 to 1987.

Awards he received during his career include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Coast Guard Commendation Medal and the Coast Guard Achievement Medal.


Hasbro Entertainment

# Hasbro Entertainment

## Abstract

Hasbro Entertainment is a production and distribution company owned and operated by American toy and multimedia company Hasbro and launched on August 16, 2023. It succeeds Allspark, previously known as Hasbro Studios, as Hasbro's primary media production and distribution company and Entertainment One (or eOne for short). Hasbro acquired the latter in 2019, had its family brands division absorbed into this division and sold it to Lionsgate on December 27, 2023. Lionsgate then rebranded Entertainment One as Lionsgate Canada on June 7, 2024 according to the Canadian publication, Playback.

## History

### Background

Under the leadership of Brian Goldner as the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO), American toy company Hasbro was expanding into the audiovisual media industry, especially theatrical feature film productions. On August 22, 2019, Hasbro announced its purchase of the Canadian company Entertainment One (eOne) for about US$4 billion; Goldner led the acquisition. The deal was completed on December 30, 2019. Following the acquisition of eOne, Hasbro's own media production and distribution company Allspark (formerly known as Hasbro Studios) was folded into the acquired Canadian subsidiary, which was under the leadership of Darren Throop, president of family brands Olivier Dumont, and former HBO head of programming Michael Lombardo.

However, following the death of Goldner on October 12, 2021, the subsequent promotion of Chris Cocks (who was previously with another Hasbro division, Wizards of the Coast) as the CEO in early-2022, and after defeating a board challenge from a hedge fund company in June 2022 over the management of WotC, Hasbro announced in late-2022 their intent to sell most eOne assets with companies such as Fremantle (who dropped out of the bid), Lionsgate, Legendary, CVC Capital Partners and GoDigital Media Group bidding for the acquisition, a transaction that would place the distribution rights to the Hasbro Studios/Allspark library and newer Hasbro-related content back to Hasbro. It was ultimately decided that on August 3, 2023, Lionsgate would acquire the eOne assets for $500 million. The deal closed on December 27, 2023.

### Development

During its 2023 Q2 Earnings Conference Call in August 2023, Hasbro announced a new banner titled Hasbro Entertainment. The studio is being overseen by former Entertainment One executives Olivier Dumont as president, Zev Foreman as head of film, and Gabriel Marano as head of television. Dumont was quoted as saying, "We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter, building upon our rich heritage of storytelling to continue delighting audiences across generations. Gabe, Zev, and I look forward to working with the industry's best creative talent, studios, and distribution platforms to push the envelope with innovative storytelling that will let fans engage with their favorite brands like never before, while also building exciting new worlds and the next wave of Hasbro franchises for a growing audience."

Additionally, Tim Kilpin, President of Toy Licensing and Entertainment for Hasbro, was quoted as saying, "Entertainment is core to Hasbro's strategy and its mission to entertain and connect generations of fans through the wonder of storytelling and exhilaration of play. Audiences can count on Hasbro to keep creating compelling and fun entertainment that brings to life our wide array of iconic brands, including Peppa Pig, My Little Pony, and Transformers, reaching audiences through varied platforms in ways that resonate in today's fast-paced world."

## Staff

- Olivier Dumont (president)

- Zev Foreman (head of film)

- Gabriel Marano (head of television) Cort Lane (kids' television VP)

- Cort Lane (kids' television VP)

## Subsidiaries

- Astley Baker Davies (70%, from Lionsgate Canada)

- Discovery Family Channel (40% with Warner Bros. Discovery)

- Left Foot Blue

- Cake Mix Studios

- SCG Characters LLC (from Saban Capital Group) SCG Power Rangers LLC SCG Luna Petunia LLC Treehouse Detectives LLC Saban Brands Voyagers LLC

- SCG Power Rangers LLC

- SCG Luna Petunia LLC

- Treehouse Detectives LLC

- Saban Brands Voyagers LLC

## Television

## Films


Grand Order of Water Rats

# Grand Order of Water Rats

## Abstract

The Grand Order of Water Rats is a British entertainment industry fraternity and charitable organisation based in London. Founded in 1889 by the music hall comedians Joe Elvin and Jack Lotto, the order is known for its high-profile membership and benevolent works (primarily within the performing industries). Its sister organisation is The Grand Order of Lady Ratlings, which includes female performers and family members.

## History

In 1889, two British music hall performers, Joe Elvin, and Jack Lotto, owned a trotting pony called "Magpie". As the pony was a regular race winner, its owners decided that they would use the profits to help performers who were less fortunate than themselves.

One day, as Elvin was driving the pony back to its stables in the pouring rain, a passing bus driver called out, "Wot yer got there, mate?" "Our trotting pony!" replied Elvin. Observing the bedraggled, soaked condition of the pony, the driver shouted back, "Trotting pony? Looks more like a bleedin' water rat !" As Rats spelled backward is Star, and vole, another name for a water rat, is an anagram of love, the name was deemed appropriate for the Order's agenda of Brotherly Love.

The Water Rats originally held meetings in Sunbury-on-Thames in a public house called The Magpie. Their headquarters is now at The Water Rats pub in Gray's Inn Road in Kings Cross, London. The order "is the most famous show business brotherhood and charity organisation in the world".

## Symbols

The name Water Rats was selected bacause "rats" spelled backward is "star", and vole, another name for a water rat, is an anagram of love, the name was deemed appropriate for the Order's agenda of brotherly love. its motto Is "Philanthropy, conviviality, and social intercourse".

Members are called Rats. They wear a small gold emblem shaped like a water rat on the left lapel of their jackets, and if one Water Rat meets another who is not wearing his emblem he is fined, with the money going to charity. Magician David Nixon wore his while appearing on television, explaining that as current King Rat, he could be fined by any other member who saw him on screen without it.

The head of the organization is called the King Rat. The official publication of the Grand Order of Water Rats publication is The Trap.

## Activities

The order raises money by organising shows, lunches, dinners, and other events. Its objectives of the charity are "to assist members of the theatrical profession, or their dependents, who, due to illness or old age are in need." When possible additional funds raised go to a diverse range of charities and good causes including hospitals, health charities, and benevolent funds.

## Membership

Membership is limited to 180 male members of the entertainment industry plus 20 Companion Rats. Some Water Rats are household names but many are not, but all must be respected and trusted by their peers. Joining the Order is a complicated process that involves finding a proposer and seconder within the Order, consideration by the Order's Grand Council, and finally a vote which needs a large majority for success.

A member of the public can become a Friend of the Water Rats. There is also a small number of Companion Rats, distinguished men from various fields of business and influence who are not performers but who have achieved recognition for their support and friendship of the Order. These include Bob Potter OBE, the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, King Charles III and Prince Michael of Kent.

## King Rats

The first King Rat, who is the head of the charity, was the music hall singer Harry Freeman. The comedian Dan Leno joined in 1890 and was King Rat in 1891, 1892 and 1897. The post is usually held for one year.

Previous King Rats include:

- 1890 Harry Freeman

- 1891 Dan Leno

- 1892 Dan Leno

- 1893 Wal Pink

- 1894 Joe Elvin

- 1895 J. W. Cragg

- 1896 Eugene Stratton

- 1897 Dan Leno

- 1898 Joe O'Gorman (senior)

- 1899 Paul Martinetti

- 1900 Eugene Stratton

- 1901 Joe O'Gorman

- 1902 Wal Pink

- 1903 Fred Russell

- 1904 Tom McNaughton

- 1905 Arthur Reece

- 1906 Little Tich

- 1907 J. Allison

- 1908 W. H. Clemart

- 1909 Fred Ginnett

- 1910 C. Warren

- 1911 Harry Tate

- 1912 Charles Austin

- 1913 Charles Austin

- 1914 Fred Russell

- 1915 William Bankier

- 1916 Lew Lake

- 1917 Lew Lake

- 1918 Charles Austin

- 1919 William Bankier

- 1920 Deane Tribune

- 1921 George D'Albert

World Upheaval – Lodge suspended until 1927

- 1927 Charles Austin

- 1928 Charles Austin

- 1929 Fred Russell

- 1930 Talbot O'Farrell

- 1931 Will Hay

- 1932 Charles Austin

- 1933 Joe Morrison

- 1934 Will Fyffe

- 1935 Marriott Edgar

- 1936 George Wood

- 1937 Stanley Damerell

- 1938 Fred Miller

- 1939 Fred Russell

- 1940 Will Hay

- 1941 John Sharman

- 1942 George Jackley

- 1943 Tom Moss

- 1944 George Doonan

- 1945 Bud Flanagan

- 1946 Teddy Brown (died) / Bud Flanagan

- 1947 Robb Wilton

- 1948 Albert Whelan

- 1949 Ted Ray

- 1950 Ted Ray

- 1951 Bud Flanagan

- 1952 Charlie Chester

- 1953 Ben Warriss

- 1954 George Elrick

- 1955 Tommy Trinder

- 1956 Dave O'Gorman

- 1957 Cyril Dowler

- 1958 Clarkson Rose

- 1959 Johnny Riscoe

- 1960 Arthur Scott

- 1961 Ben Warriss

- 1962 Ben Warriss

- 1963 Tommy Trinder

- 1964 Ted Ray

- 1965 Tommy Trinder

- 1966 Arthur Haynes

- 1967 Terry Cantor

- 1968 Frankie Vaughan

- 1969 Harry Seltzer

- 1970 Phil Hindin

- 1971 George Martin

- 1972 Albert Stevenson

- 1973 George Elrick

- 1974 Cyril Dowler

- 1975 Joe Church

- 1976 David Nixon

- 1977 David Nixon

- 1978 Donald Ross

- 1979 David Berglas

- 1980 Henry Cooper

- 1981 Declan Cluskey

- 1982 Charlie Smithers

- 1983 Len Lowe

- 1984 Davy Kaye

- 1985 Les Dawson

- 1986 Alan Freeman

- 1987 Danny La Rue

- 1988 Bernard Bresslaw

- 1989 Roy Hudd

- 1990 David Lodge

- 1991 Wyn Calvin

- 1992 Bert Weedon

- 1993 John Inman

- 1994 Roger De Courcey

- 1995 Paul Daniels

- 1996 Paul Daniels

- 1997 Alf Pearson

- 1998 Frankie Vaughan

- 1999 Gorden Kaye

- 2000 Roy Hudd

- 2001 Don Smoothey

- 2002 Keith Simmons

- 2003 Chas McDevitt

- 2004 Chas McDevitt

- 2005 Melvyn Hayes

- 2006 Kaplan Kaye

- 2007 Kaplan Kaye

- 2008 Kaplan Kaye

- 2009 Graham Cole

- 2010 Derek Martin

- 2011 Keith Simmons

- 2012 Joe Pasquale

- 2013 Jess Conrad

- 2014 Rick Wakeman

- 2015 Rick Wakeman

- 2016 Ian Richards

- 2017 Ian Richards

- 2018 Adger Brown

- 2019 Nicholas Parsons

- 2020 Duggie Brown

- 2021 Duggie Brown

- 2022 Duggie Brown

- 2023 Chris Emmett

- 2024 Richard Gauntlett

## Grand Order of Lady Ratlings

The Grand Order of Lady Ratlings (GOLR), a sister organisation for female performers and wives, sisters, and daughters of male performers, was established in 1929, when Fred Russell was King Rat of the GOWR. His wife, Lillian Russell, was installed as the first Queen Ratling. From 1965, membership was restricted to "recognised performers, those directly connected with the theatrical profession, wives of Water Rats and Companion Rats." In 1931, Minnie O'Farrell, the wife of Talbot O'Farrell, initiated the Cup of Kindness, which subsequently became a recognised charity.


Alex Verdugo

# Alex Verdugo

## Abstract

Alexander Brady Verdugo (born May 15, 1996) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox.

The Dodgers selected Verdugo in the second round of the 2014 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 2017, was traded to the Red Sox after the 2019 season, and was traded to the Yankees prior to the 2024 season. In 2017, Verdugo committed to represent the Mexican national team and was later called up for the 2017 and 2023 World Baseball Classics.

## Early life

Verdugo's father, Joe, is from Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. His mother, Shelly, is from Minnesota. Verdugo attended Sahuaro High School in Tucson, Arizona.

## Professional career

### Minor leagues

The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Verdugo in the second round of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft. He signed with the Dodgers, forgoing his commitment to play college baseball at Arizona State University. In 49 games for the Arizona League Dodgers, he hit.347 and was awarded with post-season Arizona League All-Star honors and Baseball America Rookie league all-star honors. He was assigned to the Class-A Great Lakes Loons of the Midwest League to start 2015. He was selected to the post-season all-star team after he hit.295 in 101 games. Verdugo also received a late season promotion to the Advanced-Class A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League where he played in 23 games and hit.385. He also hit for the cycle in a game against the Lancaster JetHawks on August 27. He was named the organization's minor league player of the year.

To start the 2016 season, Verdugo was promoted to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers of the Texas League, where he was selected as a starter for the mid-season all-star game and named to the post-season all-star team. He had a.273 batting average in 126 games for the Drillers and hit 13 home runs with 63 RBIs. He was assigned to the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League at the conclusion of the season, and batted.140/.213/.233. Verdugo also played for the Mexico national baseball team in an exhibition series in Japan in November and in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He began 2017 with the Oklahoma City Dodgers and was named as a starter for the mid-season Pacific Coast League all-star team and chosen to represent the world team at the All-Star Futures Game. In 117 games for Oklahoma City, he hit.314.

### Los Angeles Dodgers

Verdugo was promoted to the majors for the first time on September 1, 2017. He made his MLB debut as the starting center fielder that night against the San Diego Padres and was hitless in three at-bats with one walk. His first MLB hit was a single off of Clayton Richard of the Padres on September 2. He hit his first major league home run on September 10 off of Adam Ottavino of the Colorado Rockies. He played in 15 games for the Dodgers in 2017 and had four hits in 23 at-bats, batting.174/.240/.304.

In 2018, he was selected to represent the Pacific Coast League at the Triple-A All-Star Game and was also selected to the post-season all-star team. He appeared in 37 games for the Dodgers, hitting.260 while spending most of the season with Oklahoma City, where he hit.329.

On March 23, 2019, Verdugo was announced as a member of the 2019 Dodgers opening day roster. He appeared in 106 games for the Dodgers, with a.294 batting average, 12 home runs and 44 RBIs. He played center field while A. J. Pollock was out with an injury but lost playing time when Pollock returned. Verdugo went on the injured list on August 6 with an oblique strain and later came down with a back injury during a rehab assignment. The injury kept him out the rest of the season and the playoffs.

### Boston Red Sox

On February 10, 2020, the Dodgers traded Verdugo, Jeter Downs, and Connor Wong to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Mookie Betts, David Price, and cash considerations. During the start-delayed 2020 season, he was a regular corner outfielder for Boston, appearing in 22 games in left field and 31 games in right field. Overall with the 2020 Red Sox, Verdugo batted.308 with six home runs and 15 RBIs in 53 games. Of all qualified major league outfielders, Verdugo had the lowest fielding percentage, at.959.

Verdugo began the 2021 season as a regular member of Boston's outfield, playing all three positions. He was placed on the paternity list on August 8, and returned to the team on August 13. He played in 146 regular-season games for Boston, batting.289 with 13 home runs and 63 RBIs. He also played in 11 postseason games, batting 13-for-42 (.310) as the Red Sox advanced to the American League Championship Series. Late in the season, Verdugo expressed his desire to become a two-way player, saying that he wanted to not be " Shohei Ohtani where he is starting and all that" but that he wanted to be a two-way player by the 2023 season. Beginning in 2021, Verdugo started experiencing blistering, bleeding, scabbing and pain in his hands.

Verdugo returned as a corner outfielder for Boston during 2022, appearing in 150 games in the outfield and two at designated hitter. He batted.280 with 11 home runs and 74 RBIs. At the end of the regular season, Red Sox manager Alex Cora highlighted Verdugo as a player who could improve for 2023, stating, “Yeah, he hit for average, but he can be a lot better baserunning, defensively."

On January 13, 2023, the Red Sox and Verdugo reached agreement on a one-year contract, avoiding salary arbitration. He batted.303 with five home runs and 31 RBIs through June 22, when he was placed on the bereavement list. He returned to the team on June 27.

### New York Yankees

On December 5, 2023, the Red Sox traded Verdugo to the New York Yankees for Richard Fitts, Greg Weissert, and Nicholas Judice.

After struggling to start the 2024 season and continuing to experience the skin issues and pain which had been present in his hands since 2021, Verdugo submitted to an allergy test during the All-Star break. It was determined that he was allergic to the cobalt and chromate in his batting gloves.

## Personal life

Verdugo has a son who was born in Los Angeles in August 2021. He also has a daughter who was born in spring 2024.


Kagurabachi

# Kagurabachi

## Abstract

Kagurabachi (カグラバチ) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Takeru Hokazono. It has been serialized in Shueisha 's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since September 2023, with its chapters collected in three tankōbon volumes as of July 2024.

## Plot

Chihiro Rokuhira is the son of Kunishige Rokuhira, a renowned blacksmith who forged six enchanted blades that were instrumental in ending the Seitei War. After living in hiding, the Rokuhiras are discovered and attacked by a criminal gang of sorcerers called the Hishaku. The Hishaku murder Kunishige and then steal the enchanted blades. Armed with a seventh enchanted blade called Enten, Chihiro embarks on a bloody path of vengeance and justice to destroy the Hishaku and reclaim the stolen enchanted blades.

## Characters

### Chihiro's group

### Kamunabi

The Kamunabi (神奈備, Kamunabi) is a government-affiliated organization of sorcerers with a mission established during the Seitei War to eliminate threats to the nation as a whole, notably different to civilian sorcerers who generally deal with more person-specific matters such as corporations or the yakuza.

#### Anti-Cloud Gouger Special Forces

The Anti-Cloud Gouger Special Forces (対クラウドガウガー特殊部隊, Tai Kuraudo Gaugā Tokushu Bbutai) was a squadron of six elite sorcerers within the Kamunabi who were tasked with opposing Sojo and the Enchanted Blade Cloud Gouger he wielded.

### Antagonists

#### Hishaku

The Hishaku (毘灼, Hishaku) is a small group of elite sorcerers who murdered Kunishige and stole his six Enchanted Blades three years ago, and are as such the targets of Chihiro's revenge. Their expertise in sorcery is so great that they are compared to monsters.

#### Sazanami Clan

The Sazanami Clan (漣家, Sazanami-ke) is a powerful criminal clan of sorcerers who are the proprietors of the Rakuzaichi, an annual auction which serves as a highly popular fixture in the Japanese underworld, and have administered this auction for over 200 years.

#### Others

### Other characters

## Publication

Written and illustrated by Takeru Hokazono, Kagurabachi began serialization in Shueisha 's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine on September 19, 2023. The first tankōbon volume was released on February 2, 2024. As of July 4, 2024, three volumes have been released.

Viz Media and Shueisha's Manga Plus platform are publishing the series in English. In March 2024, Viz Media announced the print release of the manga. The first volume is set to be released on November 5, 2024.

### Chapters not yet in tankōbon format

These chapters have yet to be published in a tankōbon volume.

- "Breach" (突破口, Toppakō)

- "Selection" (取捨, Shusha)

- "Intruders" (乱入者, Rannyūsha)

- "Greeting" (挨拶, Aisatsu)

- "Selection" (選別, Senbetsu)

- "Defend to the Death" (死守, Shishu)

- "Duty" (役目, Yakume)

- "Cage" (檻, Ori)

- "Geniuses" (天才達, Tensai-tachi)

- "Equal" (対等, Taitō)

- "Race" (競合, Kyōgō)

- "Surpass!" (超えろ!!, Koero!!)

- "The Tip" (一端, Ippashi)

- "Fervent" (熱狂, Nekkyō)

- "Everything" (全部, Zenbu)

- "Fulfill" (全う, Mattō)

- "The Curtain Falls" (閉幕, Heimaku)

- "What Comes Next" (これからの話く, Korekara no hanashi)

- "Unruly Punk" (勝手な野郎, Kattena Yarō)

- "Uruha" (漆羽, Uruha)

- "The Kokugoku Steam Squad" (国獄 湯煙スクワッド, Kokugoku Yukemuri Sukuwaddo)

- "Deadlock" (均衡, Kinkō)

## Reception

By July 2024, the manga had over 350,000 copies in circulation (including digital copies). Upon release, Kagurabachi surpassed series such as Spy × Family, Dragon Ball Super, and Boruto on Manga Plus ' s popularity ranking. Its sudden popularity amongst global readers was partially the result of numerous Internet memes, with many ironically considering it to be the inheritor of Weekly Shōnen Jump ' s "Big Three" (One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach). Its first chapter was the world's most viewed in its first week of publication on Manga Plus, and the series has received over 99 million page views on the platform by April 2024. The series has been recommended by manga creators Kōhei Horikoshi and Masashi Kishimoto, and the musician Vaundy.

It ranked seventh on AnimeJapan 's "Most Wanted Anime Adaptation" poll in 2024. The manga won the 10th Next Manga Award in the print category in 2024.


Dušan Živković

# Dušan Živković

## Abstract

Dušan Živković (Serbian Cyrillic: Душан Живковић; born 31 July 1996) is a Serbian football player who plays as a midfielder for Rudar Pljevlja in the Montenegrin First League.

## Career

### Red Star Belgrade

Dušan was licensed for the first team of Red Star under coach Ricardo Sá Pinto in 2013, before the last fixture of the 2012–13 against Vojvodina, but he was not in protocol. He stayed with youth team until summer 2015, when he impressed coach Božović on the summer preparations, before the 2015–16, who decided to send him on loan to get more experience. In summer 2016, he terminated contract and left the club.

"The Star should take ten million on this guy."

Nikola Mijailović, 2015

#### Loans

Živković and Marinković was loaned to Spartak Subotica at the beginning of season 2015–16. Dušan made his official debut for Spartak Subotica in the 1st fixture of Serbian SuperLiga, against Radnik Surdulica, played on 18 July 2015. After only several matches for Spartak, he returned to Belgrade. Živković spent the rest of 2015–16 on loan at Bežanija.

### Radnički Niš

On 21 July 2016, Živković signed a three-year contract with Radnički Niš.

### Rudar Pljevlja

On 8 February 2021, he signed with Rudar Pljevlja in Montenegro.

## Career statistics


List of spits of Ukraine

# List of spits of Ukraine

## Abstract

Spits (Ukrainian: Коса, romanized: Kosa), also called sandspits, are long, narrow coastal landforms that resemble sandbars or embankments and protrude into a body of water from a headland. Spits are formed by the process of longshore drift, in which waves impact the headland at a sharp angle, depositing sediment and causing the water's currents to transport the sediment down the beach, allowing it to accumulate in the area of the spit. Through the process of wave shoaling, this accumulated sediment becomes increasingly curved, resembling the appearance of a fish hook as the waves refract around the spit's end. Often lagoons and salt marshes will form behind spits. There are numerous spits across the territory of Ukraine and, amongst the country's nine most geographically prominent spits, seven are located along the shores of the Sea of Azov. The remaining two prominent spits, Kinburn Spit and Bili Kuchuhury, are located in the northwestern Black Sea, with the Kinburn Spit located close to the Dnipro–Buh estuary at the far western end of the Kinburn Peninsula and Bili Kuchuhury, located in the Gulf of Tendra, between the mainland Yahorlyk Kut peninsula and the far western half of the Tendra Spit. Although called a spit, the Tendra Spit (Ukrainian: Тендрівська Коса, romanized: Tendrivska Kosa) in western Kherson Oblast is separated from the mainland by a narrow strait, thus making it geographically an island. In classical antiquity, Tendra Spit and the nearby island of Dzharylhach to the east both connected to the mainland coast to form a single, continuous spit called Achilles' Run. Based on the combined current land areas of Tendra Spit and Dzharylhach, Achilles' Run would have had a total area of approximately 68.89 km (26.60 sq mi), making it one of the largest spits in Ukraine at that time.

The largest spit in Ukraine currently, and one of the largest spits in the world, is the Arabat Spit, which separates the western parts of the Sea of Azov from the Syvash, a large area of salty, shallow lagoons in Crimea. Following the Russian occupation and annexation of Crimea in 2014, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea -portion of the Arabat Spit, as well as additional smaller spits located on the Crimean peninsula, came under the control of Russian forces, who de facto administered the territory as part of the unrecognized Russian Republic of Crimea. Parts of the small, northern segment of the spit administratively located in Kherson Oblast, including the village of Strilkove, were also briefly occupied by unmarked Russian soldiers beginning from 15 March before their withdrawal on 9 December 2014. After the Donbas war, the Kryva Spit located in Donetsk Oblast was also occupied in 2014, with pro-Russian militants taking the spit's area and neighboring settlement of Siedove.

From the withdrawal of the Russian troops in December until the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the northern parts of the Arabat Spit were amongst the few areas geographically part of the Crimean peninsula that stayed under the control of Ukrainian authorities, while the Kryva Spit remained under the control of separatist forces as part of the Russian-backed Donetsk People's Republic. After the start of the full-scale invasion, the remaining northern segment of the Arabat Spit as well as the rest of Ukraine's Azov Sea coastline (including the five spits still under the control of Ukrainian authorities before 2022), were occupied by Russian forces. In addition, following their offensive into and occupation of Kherson Oblast, Russian troops also occupied the Kinburn and Bili Kuchuhury spits. The occupied spits were all integrated into Russia following its unilateral annexation of separatist-controlled and other Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine on 30 September 2022. Since 2022, many of Ukraine's spits, including all of its Azov Sea spits, have been under Russian de facto control while the United Nations and most of the international community continue to recognize the territories as de jure part of Ukraine.


La Amistad

# La Amistad

## Abstract

La Amistad (pronounced; Spanish for Friendship) was a 19th-century two-masted schooner owned by a Spaniard living in Cuba. It became renowned in July 1839 for a slave revolt by Mende captives who had been captured and sold to European slave traders and illegally transported by a Portuguese ship from West Africa to Cuba, in violation of European treaties against the Atlantic slave trade. Spanish plantation owners Don José Ruiz and Don Pedro Montes bought 53 captives in Havana, Cuba, including four children, and were transporting them on the ship to their plantations near Puerto Príncipe (modern Camagüey, Cuba). The revolt began after the schooner's cook jokingly told the slaves that they were to be "killed, salted, and cooked." Sengbe Pieh (also known as Joseph Cinqué) unshackled himself and the others on the third day and started the revolt. They took control of the ship, killing the captain and the cook. Two Africans were also killed in the melee.

Pieh ordered Ruiz and Montes to sail to Africa. Instead, they sailed north up the east coast of the United States, sure that the ship would be intercepted and the Africans returned to Cuba as slaves. The revenue cutter Washington seized La Amistad off Montauk Point on Long Island, New York. Pieh and his group escaped the ship but were caught offshore by citizens. They were incarcerated in New Haven, Connecticut on charges of murder and piracy. The man who captured Pieh and his group claimed them as property. La Amistad was towed to New London, Connecticut, and those remaining onboard were arrested. None of the 43 survivors on the ship spoke English, so they could not explain what had taken place. Eventually, language professor Josiah Gibbs found James Covey to act as interpreter, and they learned of the abduction.

Two lawsuits were filed. The first case was brought by the Washington ship officers over salvage property claims, and the second case charged the Spanish with enslaving Africans. Spain requested President Martin Van Buren to return the African captives to Cuba under international treaty.

Because of issues of ownership and jurisdiction, the case gained international attention as United States v. The Amistad (1841). The case was finally decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in favor of the Mende people, restoring their freedom. It became a symbol in the United States in the movement to abolish slavery.

## Description

La Amistad was a 19th-century two- masted schooner of about 120 feet (37 m). In 1839 it was owned by Ramón Ferrer, a Spanish national. Strictly speaking, La Amistad was not a typical slave ship, as it was not designed like others to traffic massive numbers of enslaved Africans, nor did it engage in the Middle Passage of Africans to the Americas. The ship engaged in the shorter, domestic coastwise trade around Cuba and islands and coastal nations in the Caribbean. The primary cargo carried by La Amistad was sugar-industry products. It carried a limited number of passengers and enslaved Africans being trafficked for delivery or sale around the island.

## History

### 1839 slave revolt

Captained by Ferrer, La Amistad left Havana on June 28, 1839, for the small port of Guanaja, near Puerto Príncipe, Cuba, with some general cargo and 53 African slaves bound for the sugar plantation where they were to be delivered. These 53 Mende captives (49 adults and four children) had been captured by African slave catchers or otherwise enslaved in Mendiland (in modern-day Sierra Leone), sold to European slave traders and illegally transported from Africa to Havana, mostly aboard the Portuguese slave ship Teçora, to be sold in Cuba. Although the United States and Britain had banned the Atlantic slave trade, Spain had not abolished slavery in its colonies. The crew of La Amistad, lacking purpose-built slave quarters, placed half the captives in the main hold and the other half on deck. The captives were relatively free to move about, which aided their revolt and commandeering of the vessel. In the main hold below decks, the captives found a rusty file and sawed through their manacles.

On about July 1, once free, the men below quickly went up on deck. Armed with machete-like cane knives, they attacked the crew, successfully gaining control of the ship, under the leadership of Sengbe Pieh (later known in the United States as Joseph Cinqué). They killed the captain Ferrer as well as the ship's cook Celestino; two slaves also died, two sailors Manuel Pagilla and Jacinto escaped in a small boat. Ferrer's slave/mulatto cabin boy Antonio was spared as were José Ruiz and Pedro Montes, the two owners of the slaves, so that they could guide the ship back to Africa. While the Mende demanded to be returned home, the navigator Montes deceived them about the course, maneuvering the ship north along the North American coast until they reached the eastern tip of Long Island, New York.

Several New York pilot boats came across La Amistad as on 21 August 1839, when she was discovered thirty miles southeast of Sandy Hook by the pilot-boat Blossom who supplied the men with water and bread. When they attempted to board the pilot-boat to escape, the pilot-boat cut the rope that was attached to La Amistad. The pilots then communicated what they felt was a Slave ship to the Collector of the Port of New York. Two days later, the Gratitude pilot boat came across La Amistad when she was twenty-five miles east of Fire Island. When Captain Seaman of the Gratitude wanted to put a pilot aboard, one of the ringleaders of La Amistad ordered the men to fire on the Gratitude. Gun shots hit the pilot boat but she was able to escape.

Discovered by the naval brig USS Washington while on surveying duties, La Amistad was taken into United States custody. By the time of their trial, six of the captives had died.

#### Court case

The Washington officers brought the first case to federal district court over salvage claims, while the second case began in a Connecticut court after the state arrested the Spanish traders on charges of enslaving free Africans. The Spanish foreign minister, however, demanded that La Amistad and its cargo be released from custody and the slaves sent to Cuba for punishment by Spanish authorities. The Van Buren administration accepted the Spanish crown's argument, but Secretary of State John Forsyth explained that the President could not order the release of La Amistad and its cargo because the executive could not interfere with the judiciary under American law. He also could not release the Spanish traders from imprisonment in Connecticut because that would constitute federal intervention in a matter of state jurisdiction. Abolitionists Joshua Leavitt, Lewis Tappan, and Simeon Jocelyn formed the Amistad Committee to raise funds for the defense of La Amistad' s captives. Roger Sherman Baldwin, grandson of Roger Sherman and a prominent abolitionist, represented the captives in the New Haven court to decide the fate of the slaves. Baldwin and former President John Quincy Adams argued the case before the Supreme Court which ruled in favor of the Africans.

A widely publicized court case ensued in New Haven to settle legal issues about the ship and the status of the Mende captives. They were at risk of execution if convicted of mutiny, and they became a popular cause among abolitionists in the United States. Since 1808, the United States and Britain had prohibited the international slave trade. In order to avoid the international prohibition on the African slave trade, the ship's owners fraudulently described the Mende as having been born in Cuba and said that they were being sold in the Spanish domestic slave trade. The court had to determine if the Mende were to be considered salvage and thus the property of naval officers who had taken custody of the ship (as was legal in such cases), the property of the Cuban buyers, or the property of Spain, as Queen Isabella II claimed. A question was whether the circumstances of the capture and transport of the Mende meant that they were legally free and had acted as free men rather than slaves.

Judges ruled in favor of the Africans in the district and circuit courts, and the United States v. The Amistad case reached the US Supreme Court on appeal. In 1841, it ruled that the Mende people had been illegally transported and held as slaves, and they had rebelled in self-defense. It ordered them freed. The US government did not provide any aid, but 35 survivors returned to Africa in 1842, aided by funds raised by the United Missionary Society, a black group founded by James W.C. Pennington. He was a Congregational minister and fugitive slave in Brooklyn, New York who was active in the abolitionist movement. The Spanish government claimed that the slaves were Spanish citizens not of African origin. This created tension among the U.S. government, the Spanish crown, and the British government, which had outlawed the slave trade in the British Empire with the Slave Trade Act of 1807 and had recently abolished slavery in the British Empire with the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833.

### Later years

La Amistad had been moored at the wharf behind the US Custom House in New London, Connecticut for a year and a half, and it was auctioned off by the U.S. Marshal in October 1840. Captain George Hawford of Newport, Rhode Island purchased the vessel and then needed an act of Congress passed to register it. He renamed it Ion. In late 1841, he sailed Ion to Bermuda and Saint Thomas with a typical New England cargo of onions, apples, live poultry, and cheese.

Hawford sold Ion in Guadeloupe in 1844. There is no record of what became of it under the new French owners in the Caribbean.

## Legacy

The Amistad Memorial stands in front of New Haven City Hall and County Courthouse in New Haven, Connecticut, where many of the events occurred related to the affair in the United States.

The Amistad Research Center at Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana is devoted to research about slavery, abolition, civil rights, and African Americans; it commemorates the revolt of slaves on the ship by the same name. A collection of portraits of La Amistad survivors is held in the collection of Yale University, drawn by William H. Townsend during the survivors' trial.

### Replica

Between 1998 and 2000, artisans at Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut built a replica of La Amistad using traditional tools and construction techniques common to wooden schooners built in the 19th century, but using modern materials and engines, officially named Amistad. It was promoted as "Freedom Schooner Amistad ". The modern-day ship is not an exact replica of La Amistad, as it is slightly longer and has higher freeboard. There were no old blueprints of the original.

The new schooner was built using a general knowledge of the Baltimore Clippers and art drawings from the era. Some of the tools used in the project were the same as those that might have been used by a 19th-century shipwright, while others were powered. Tri-Coastal Marine, designers of "Freedom Schooner Amistad ", used modern computer technology to develop plans for the vessel. Bronze bolts are used as fastenings throughout the ship. Freedom Schooner Amistad has an external ballast keel made of lead and two Caterpillar diesel engines. None of this technology was available to 19th-century builders.

"Freedom Schooner Amistad " was operated by Amistad America, Inc. based in New Haven, Connecticut. The ship's mission was to educate the public on the history of slavery, abolition, discrimination, and civil rights. The homeport is New Haven, where the Amistad trial took place. It has also traveled to port cities for educational opportunities. It was also the State Flagship and Tall ship Ambassador of Connecticut. The ship made several commemorative voyages: one in 2007 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the Atlantic slave trade in Britain (1807) and the United States (1808), and one in 2010 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its 2000 launching at Mystic Seaport. It undertook a two-year refit at Mystic Seaport from 2010 and was subsequently mainly used for sea training in Maine and for film work.

In 2013, Amistad America lost its non-profit organization status after failing to file tax returns for three years and amid concern of the accountability for public funding from the state of Connecticut. The company was later put into liquidation, and the non-profit Discovering Amistad Inc. purchased the ship from the receiver in November 2015. Amistad then returned to educational and promotional activity in New Haven, Connecticut.

## In popular culture

- On 2 September 1839, a play entitled The Long, Low Black Schooner, based on the revolt, opened in New York City and played to full houses. (La Amistad was painted black at the time of the revolt.)

- The slave revolt aboard La Amistad, the background of the slave trade, and its subsequent trial are retold in a poem by Robert Hayden entitled " Middle Passage ", first published in 1962.

- In Robert Skimin 's novel Gray Victory (1988), depicting an alternate history in which the South won the American Civil War, a group of abolitionist conspirators infiltrating Richmond, Virginia calls itself "Amistad".

- The film Amistad (1997), directed by Steven Spielberg, dramatized the historical incidents. Major actors were Morgan Freeman, as a freed slave-turned-abolitionist in New Haven; Anthony Hopkins, as John Quincy Adams; Matthew McConaughey, as Roger Sherman Baldwin, an unorthodox, but influential lawyer; and Djimon Hounsou, as Cinque (Sengbe Peah).

- The opera Amistad (1997), composed by Anthony Davis with libretto by Thulani Davis, was commissioned and premiered by Lyric Opera of Chicago in 1997. The opera underwent a major revision and was then presented at the Spoleto Festival USA in 2008.

- The 1999 hit single " My Love Is Your Love ", performed by Whitney Houston, references the "chains of Amistad".

- In January 2011, Random House published Ardency, a collection of poems written over 20 years by American poet Kevin Young which "gathers here a chorus of voices that tells the story of the Africans who mutinied on board the slave ship Amistad ".