Career.

"San José" was designed by Francisco Antonio Garrote and built by Pedro de Aróstegui at the shipyard at Mapil, Usurbil, Spain. Construction started in 1697 and ended in 1698. They built twin ships simultaneously and named them "San José" and "San Joaquín".  "San José" and "San Joaquín" were part of the Spanish treasure fleet during the War of the Spanish Succession, under General José Fernández de Santillán, the Count of Casa Alegre. On its final voyage, "San José" sailed as the flagship of a treasure fleet composed of three Spanish warships and 14 merchant vessels sailing from Portobelo, Panama, to Cartagena, Colombia. On 8 June 1708, the fleet encountered a British squadron near Barú, leading to a battle known as Wager's Action. During the battle, the powder magazines of "San José" detonated, destroying the ship with most of her crew and the gold, silver, emeralds and jewellery collected in the South American colonies to finance the Spanish king's war effort. Of the 600 people aboard, only eleven survived.

Search and discovery.

"San José", is estimated to be worth about $1 billion (£662m) as of 2012, based on the speculation that it had up to 11 million 4-doubloons (11 million "8 escudos" gold coins; 11 million coins of 27g of 92% gold totaling 8.8 million troy ounces AGW or $11.5 billion) and many silver coins on board at the time of its sinking, similar to its surviving sister ship, "San Joaquín". The silver and gold are from the mines of Potosí, Bolivia. "San José" is called the "Holy Grail of Shipwrecks".  A group of investors from the United States called Glocca Mora Co. operating under the name 'Sea Search Armada' (SSA) claim to have found the ship off the coast of Colombia in 1981, but Colombia refused to sign a 65%/35% share offer and refused SSA permission to conduct full salvage operations at the shipwreck site. The Colombian parliament then passed a law giving the state the right to all of the treasure, leaving SSA with a 5% finder's fee, which was to be taxed at 45%. SSA sued Colombia in its own courts in 1989. In July 2007 the Supreme Court of Colombia concluded that any treasure recovered would be split equally between the Colombian government and the explorers. Sea Search Armada subsequently sued in United States courts, but the case was dismissed twice, in 2011 and 2015 on technical grounds, and the galleon declared the property of the Colombian state. The Colombian government declined to verify that the galleon was at the coordinates stated in the case.  On 27 November 2015, the galleon "San José" was found by the Colombian Navy though the discovery was not announced by the President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, until 5 December. The discovery was made using a REMUS 6000 autonomous underwater vehicle. From the dive photographs, Colombian marine archaeologists have identified "San José" by her bronze guns engraved with dolphins. Colombia has claimed the galleon as part of its submerged patrimony, thus it is constitutionally obliged to protect and preserve the ship and all its sunken contents. The Government of Colombia has classified the information regarding the location of the galleon as a state secret.

Conservation.

The Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History, a government agency ascribed to the Ministry of Culture, is in charge of overseeing all archeological sites in Colombia. The director of the ICANH, Ernesto Montenegro, has stated that soil, and sea depth studies are being carried out in order to examine the methods of extraction of the ship's contents. Then Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos, has also stated that a museum will be constructed in Cartagena to host some of the contents of the galleon.  On 16 December 2015, the Office of the Inspector General of Colombia requested that the State, and the rest of the parties involved, be responsible for keeping thorough archives regarding the exploration and intervention of the galleon, requesting that the archives be turned in to the Ministry of Culture which is the governmental entity responsible of the underwater cultural heritage. The Inspector General also requested that a representative sum of the coins, ingots, and gemstones, which are not considered to be cultural patrimony under the concept of repetition, must be given to the central bank, Banco de la República, for preservation.  The Minister of Culture, Mariana Garcés Córdoba, stated that 2016 will be "a year of exploration, not extraction". According to the Minister, Colombia sees the discovery as a project of investigation that implies the creation of laboratories that will include the entailment of specialists from different work areas, in order to properly study the shipwreck and its contents.

San José was a 64-gun, 3-masted galleon of the Spanish Navy. It was launched in 1698, and sank in battle off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia, in 1708 while laden with gold, silver and emeralds worth about US$17 billion as of 2018. The sunken ship was located by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in November 2015.


History.

Historically, most women gave birth at home without emergency medical care available. The "natural" rate of maternal mortality—meaning without surgical or pharmaceutical intervention—has been estimated at 1,500 per 100,000 births. In the United States circa 1900, before the introduction and improvement of modern medical technologies, there were about 700 maternal deaths per 100,000 births (.7%).  At the onset of the Industrial Revolution, giving birth at home became more difficult due to congested living spaces and dirty living conditions. This drove urban and lower class women to newly available hospitals, while wealthy and middle-class women continued to labor at home. In the early 1900s there was an increasing availability of hospitals, and more women began going into the hospital for labor and delivery. In the United States, the middle classes were especially receptive to the medicalization of childbirth, which promised a safer and less painful labor. The ability to birth without pain was part of the early feminist movement. The use of childbirth drugs began in 1847 when Scottish obstetrician James Young Simpson introduced chloroform as an anesthetic during labor, but only the most rich and powerful women (such as Queen Victoria) had access. In the late 1800s, feminists in the United States and United Kingdom began to demand drugs for pain relief during childbirth. However, well into the first decades of the 20th century, unmedicated birth assisted by midwives was still commonplace in rural areas and some urban centers as well.  The term "natural childbirth" was coined by obstetrician Grantly Dick-Read upon publication of his book "Natural Childbirth" in 1933. In the book, Dick-Read defined the term as the absence of any intervention that would otherwise disturb the sequence of labor. The book argued that because of "civilized" British women fear birth the birthrate was dropping, and if women were not to fear birth, birthing would be easier since fear creates tension which, in turn, causes pain. In 1942, Dick-Read published "Revelation of Childbirth" (which was later retitled "Childbirth without Fear"), advocating natural childbirth, which became an international bestseller. In the late 1940s, he brought his ideas to America, but saw similar ideas with differing names – “pain-free birth” and “prepared childbirth” – were already gaining traction. The appeal of natural childbirth rested in the idea that merging physiological, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of reproduction would create the best comprehensive care.  The Lamaze method gained popularity in the United States after Marjorie Karmel wrote about her experiences in her 1959 book "Thank You, Dr. Lamaze", and with the formation of the American Society for Psychoprophylaxis in Obstetrics (currently Lamaze International) by Karmel and Elisabeth Bing. The Bradley method of natural childbirth (also known as "husband-coached childbirth"), a method of natural childbirth developed in 1947 by Robert A. Bradley, M.D., was popularized by his book "Husband-Coached Childbirth", first published in 1965.  In the 1970s, natural childbirth became a movement associated with feminism and consumerism, stressing obstetrics' lack of concern for the whole person and technology a method for controlling women's bodies. Michel Odent and midwives such as Ina May Gaskin promoted birthing centers, water birth, and homebirth as alternatives to the hospital model. Frédérick Leboyer is often mistakenly believed to have advocated for water births, but he actually rejected the alternative as he felt it was not beneficial to the health of the baby. In 1976, Gaskin wrote the book "Spiritual Midwifery", which described the beauty and power of unmedicated home births.

Psychological aspects.

Many women consider natural birth empowering and gives women more control in the birth process, pushing against the paternalistic medical establishment. Studies show that skin-to-skin contact between a mother and her newborn immediately after birth is beneficial for both mother and baby. A review done by the World Health Organization found that skin-to-skin contact between mothers and babies after birth reduces crying, improves mother-infant interaction, and helps mothers to breastfeed successfully. They recommend that neonates be allowed to bond with the mother during their first two hours after birth, the period that they tend to be more alert than in the following hours of early life.

Alternatives to intervention.

Instead of medical interventions, a variety of non-invasive methods are employed during natural childbirth to ease the mother's pain. Many of these techniques stress the importance of "a mind-body connection," which the techno-medical model of birth does not. These techniques include hydrotherapy, massage, relaxation therapy, hypnosis, breathing exercises, acupressure for labor, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), vocalization, visualization, mindfulness and water birth. Other approaches include movement, walking, and different positions (for example, using a birthing ball), hot and cold therapy (for example, using hot compresses and/or cold packs), and receiving one-on-one labor support like that provided by a midwife or doula. However, natural childbirth proponents maintain that pain is a natural and necessary part of the labor process, and should not automatically be regarded as entirely negative. In contrast to the pain of injury and disease, they believe that the pain of childbirth is a sign that the female body is functioning as it is meant to.  Birth positions favored in natural childbirth—including squatting, hands and knees, or suspension in water—contrast with the lithotomy position (woman in hospital bed on her back with legs in stirrups), which has consistently been shown to slow and complicate labor.  Methods to reduce tearing during natural childbirth (instead of an episiotomy) include managing the perineum with counter-pressure, hot compresses, and pushing the baby out slowly.

Preparation.

Some women take birth education classes such as Lamaze or the Bradley Method to prepare for a natural childbirth. Several books are also available with information to help women prepare. A midwife or doula may include preparation for a natural birth as part of the prenatal care services. However, a study published in 2009 suggests that preparation alone is not enough to ensure an intervention-free outcome.

Prevalence of medical intervention in the U.S..

In the U.S in 2007: 93% of mothers used electronic fetal monitoring; 63% used epidurals; 55% had their membranes ruptured; 53% received oxytocin to stimulate labor progress; and 52% received episiotomies.

Criticisms.

Some studies argue that the push towards 'natural childbirth' in Western countries is exaggerated, and can harm women. Some women also express shame when not able to have a “natural birth,” feeling that their bodies may be defective or lessen the experiences of individuals using assisted reproductive technologies, or who are adoptive parents and parents who use surrogates.

Natural childbirth is childbirth without routine medical interventions, particularly anesthesia. Natural childbirth arose in opposition to the techno-medical model of childbirth that has recently gained popularity in industrialized societies. Natural childbirth attempts to minimize medical intervention, particularly the use of anesthetic medications and surgical interventions such as episiotomies, forceps and ventouse deliveries and caesarean sections. Natural childbirth may occur during a physician or midwife attended hospital birth, a midwife attended homebirth, or an unassisted birth. The term "natural childbirth" was coined by obstetrician Grantly Dick-Read upon publication of his book "Natural Childbirth" in the 1930s, which was followed by the 1942 "Childbirth Without Fear".


Background.

KOD was formed after Law and Justice won parliament election. In opposition to several actions taken by the governing party, Law and Justice (, PiS), which in October 2015 became the first party in post-communist Polish history to control an absolute majority of the seats in the Polish Parliament, with a PiS-backed candidate, Andrzej Duda, winning the presidential elections just a few months earlier. The primary impetus for the formation of KOD was the Parliament’s enactment of a law on 26 November 2015 purporting to invalidate the prior Government’s appointment of five judges to the Polish Constitutional Court and the nomination of new PiS-affiliated judges to replace them. Since then the organisation has opposed and reacted to any actions taken by the government or President Andrzej Duda which were deemed unlawful, undermining democracy, limiting civil liberties or going against European principles.

Activity.

On November 26, 2015, the members of KOD wrote an open letter entitled “A Letter of the Citizens of the Constitutional State to Andrzej Duda, the President of Poland” asking him to swear in three of the five judges to the Constitutional Court. KOD argued that those three, although not the other two, were duly elected by the previous parliament.  As the disagreements between the governing party and the Constitutional Court continued, KOD called for protests against what it perceives as a breach of the Constitution in violation of democratic norms and the constitutional separation of powers between the legislature, executive branch, and judiciary.  The former leader, Mateusz Kijowski, left the organisation in 2017 after being accused of appropriating 121 thousand złoty..  Most of the protests in Poland are accompanied by smaller protests by KOD cells in most European capitals and around the world, notably in Brussels, London, Paris, Berlin and the USA.  In December 2019, the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights and the Committee for the Defence of Democracy organized protests throughout Poland against the Polish judicial disciplinary panel law.

The Committee for the Defence of Democracy, CDD(, "KOD") is a Polish-born civic organization and NGO promoting European values, especially democracy, rule of law and human rights, founded in November 2015 by a group of citizens including Mateusz Kijowski, as a result of, and triggered by, the Polish constitutional crisis, 2015. The organization is independent of any political parties and has declared that it has no intention to transform into one, but according to the World Socialist Web Site, its events and actions are supported by the liberal opposition including the Modern (.N) and Civic Platform (PO) parties. It is opposed to the actions of the government led by the Law and Justice (PiS) party.


Early life and education.

A product of the Florida Junior Panthers program, Gostisbehere grew up in Florida, attending Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School for two years before transferring to South Kent School in South Kent, Connecticut, where he played two seasons as a junior in 2009–10 and as a senior in 2010–11. His father, Regis, is a native of French Basque Country who moved to Florida to pursue a career as a professional jai alai player. Gostisbehere holds dual French-American citizenship, though he does not speak French. He was influenced to pursue hockey by his French-Canadian maternal grandfather Denis Brodeur (no relation to Martin).  Gostisbehere played college hockey with the Union Dutchmen in the NCAA Men's Division I ECAC Hockey conference. In his junior year, Gostisbehere's outstanding play was rewarded with a selection to the 2013–14 ECAC Hockey All-Conference First Team. The Dutchmen won the national title in 2014 and Gostisbehere earned great praise for his three points and plus-7 performance in a 7–4 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Playing career.

Gostisbehere was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the third round (78th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.  On April 15, 2014, Gostisbehere was signed by the Flyers to an entry-level contract. However, Gostisbehere suffered a torn ACL in November that kept him out of the lineup for the rest of the 2014–15 season in which he was slated to play for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.  Gostisbehere impressed in training camp preceding the 2015–16 season, but was ultimately sent down to the Phantoms. A month into the season, on November 14, 2015, Gostisbehere was called up by the Flyers, and recorded his first career NHL point in his opening appearance with the Flyers on a game-tying assist against the Carolina Hurricanes. Three days later he scored his first NHL goal against Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings and followed it up with two overtime winners which were described as "absolutely identical", making him the first Flyers rookie to score multiple overtime winners in a season. Gostisbehere later added a third overtime goal against the Carolina Hurricanes, marking the second time that he'd scored the overtime winner against Carolina.  On February 13, 2016, he broke Barry Beck's point streak record for a rookie defenseman with a goal against the New Jersey Devils, extending his streak to 11 games. On February 20, 2016, he extended his point streak to 15 games with an overtime goal against Toronto. Gostisbehere became the first rookie in NHL history to record 4 OT goals in a season. On February 23, 2016, his point streak ended at 15 games in a loss against the Carolina Hurricanes.  Gostisbehere finished his rookie season having been voted onto the 2015–16 NHL All Rookie Team and finished second place in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy.  On June 9, 2017, Gostisbehere signed a six-year, $27 million deal with the Flyers, worth $4.5 million a season.  Following a 4-1 defeat to the Florida Panthers on March 4, 2018, Gostisbehere invited the hockey team of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School to a meet and greet. This was weeks after the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.

Personal life.

His older sister Felicia was a figure skater who suffered a career-ending hip injury as a teenager. Gostisbehere's cousin Ugo Gostisbehere is a professional soccer player in France. He currently lives with his three French bulldogs, Cooper, Pippa, and Louie.

Shayne Gostisbehere (born April 20, 1993) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is known by his nickname, "Ghost" or "Ghost Bear."


Project.

Construction and operation of the bridge was awarded to a joint venture (NOMAYG JV) formed by five Turkish companies (Nurol, Özaltın, Makyol, Yüksel and Gocay) and one Italian construction company Astaldi following the international Build–operate–transfer tender that took place in April 2009. In 2010, a contract was signed for the project that was estimated to cost ₺11 billion for the entire highway from Gebze to Bursa.  On 30 March 2013 Prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan laid the ground stone for the bridge.  After the completion of the bridge, the distance between Istanbul and İzmir shortened by about, bypassing the long-stretched Gulf of İzmit. The highway and bridge reduced the travel time between the two major cities from six-and-half hours to three-and-half hours. The bridge and the connecting highway provide three lanes of traffic in each direction. The construction was completed on 30 June 2016.

EPC Bridge Contractor.

The US$1 billion privately financed bridge was awarded to the Japanese firm IHI Infrastructure System Co. on 16 July 2011 as EPC basis with FIDIC Silverbook contract. IHI, which was one of the contractors of second Bosphorus bridge, also completed the seismic reinforcement projects for Halic and Mecidiyekoy viaducts. IHI subcontracted the design works to Danish engineering design firm COWI A/S, which collaborated for the aesthetic design with Dissing+Weitling. Notice to proceed was given by NOMAYG JV to IHI on 1 January 2013 and the expected total project duration was 37 months.  The dimensions are:  The 34,000 tons of steel used to build the bridge was brought from ArcelorMittal Galaţi, Romania.  The bridge is fourth longest suspension bridge in the world.

Accident at construction site.

On 21 March 2015 a catwalk broke away from its bolted joint cable on the south tower during the construction at the bridge and fell into the water. Added in February 2015, the catwalk was needed to allow workers access to the other side of the bay. No one was harmed by the accident as work was interrupted at this section due to windy weather. Marine traffic to and from İzmit Bay was suspended following the accident for security reasons and resumed after recovering the cable in the morning of 23 March.  Kishi Ryoichi, the 51-year-old Japanese engineer of the IHI-Itochu Consortium, who was in charge of the construction at site, committed suicide after the accident. He was found dead at the entrance of a cemetery near his lodging in Altınova. He left a note saying that "...this failure ends my private and professional life. This project was mine and my country's pride. No one else is responsible for this failure."

Tolls.

As of 1 January 2019 the bridge tolls are:

In popular culture.

The five-time Supersport World champion Kenan Sofuoğlu from Turkey made a show of motorcycle speed trial in the early hours of 30 June 2016, right before the official opening of the bridge. He traversed the distance in 26 seconds reaching a top speed of on his Kawasaki Ninja H2R track-only motorcycle.

The Osmangazi Bridge () is a suspension bridge spanning the Gulf of İzmit at its narrowest point,. The bridge links the Turkish city of Gebze to the Yalova Province and carries the O-5 motorway across the gulf. The bridge was opened on 1 July 2016 and surpassed the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge to become the longest bridge in Turkey and the sixth-longest suspension bridge in the world by the length of its central span.


Early life and education.

Orešković was born in Zagreb on 1 January 1966 to Đurđa and Dane Orešković. While he was still an infant, he moved with his parents to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. In 1989, he graduated with a degree in chemistry from McMaster University in Canada. In 1991, he graduated with an MBA in finance and information systems from the same university. Orešković is married to Sanja Orešković (née Dujmović), also from Zagreb, with whom he has two daughters and two sons.

Professional career.

His professional career began in 1992 in the production of American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly where he held various functions in the field of finance and international business. His last position in the company was the position of Director for relations with the state administration and economic affairs.  After leaving Eli Lilly in August 2005, he continued his career in the Canadian pharmaceutical company Novopharm (now: Teva Canada), as VP of Business Development, Specialty Products and CFO. Orešković started working for Pliva in 2009 as chief financial officer for Eastern Europe, and in 2010 was appointed to the position of Chief Financial Officer for Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, Israel and Africa. Orešković holds dual Croatian and Canadian citizenship.

Political career.

Orešković was contacted by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) several months before the 2015 parliamentary elections over a possible minister position in the new government. Following the parliamentary elections held on 8 November and the ensuring 76 days of negotiations during which a new Prime Minister could not be named, finally on 23 December 2015 it was announced that HDZ and Bridge of Independent Lists (Most) would name him as their compromise candidate for Prime Minister. On the same day President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović handed him the mandate to try and form a government in the next 30 days. Orešković, a self-described fiscal conservative and a centrist, started forming his cabinet with the two parties in January. He named his cabinet on 21 January 2016 and the Orešković Cabinet was approved through a vote of confidence from Parliament on 22 January, constitutionally the last possible date of Orešković's 30-day mandate during which he was to name a government.

Prime Minister (2016).

The 13th Government of Croatia was approved by 83 MPs, 61 voted against and 5 abstained during the confirmation vote. Orešković's government included two Deputy Prime Ministers: Tomislav Karamarko, president of HDZ, who is the first deputy, and Božo Petrov, president of Most. Orešković's main tasks were to cut the public debt and bring investors to Croatia that had just emerged from a six-year recession. Orešković said that his government will achieve a GDP growth of above 3%, reduce the public debt below 80%, cut the unemployment rate to 14% and raise the country's credit rating. His plan included the privatization of non-strategic assets, more investments in tourism, energy and infrastructure, taxation of unused property and increased use of EU funds.  His government faced its first political challenge with the resignation of the Minister of Veterans Affairs Mijo Crnoja, only 6 days into his term, on 28 January 2016. His replacement, Tomo Medved was appointed as minister on 21 March 2016.  On 13 March, the Parliament adopted the 2016 state budget. The budget projected a deficit below 3% in 2016, GDP growth of 2% and the reduction of public debt from 86.9% to 86.8% of GDP. In mid April, the IMF increased the Croatian GDP growth forecast for 2016 from 1% to 1.9%. In the first quarter of 2016, revenues to the budget increased for 3.7%, and expenditures decreased by 6.5%. GDP growth was 2.7%.  On 22 April, representatives of the Jewish and Serb minorities and an anti-fascist group boycotted the official commemoration for the victims of the Jasenovac concentration camp, in protest to what they said was an inadequate reaction by the authorities to events that "downplayed and revitalized" the crimes of the Ustashe regime.  In June, Orešković and Economy Minister Tomislav Panenić signed contracts for onshore hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation with oil companies including INA and Vermilion Energy, worth €88 million. In case gas and oil is found in the exploration fields, located in Slavonia, it is estimated that revenues to the state budget would be between around €600 million (3,4 billion HRK) and €900 million (6,8 billion HRK) yearly. Orešković announced the first stage implementation of the Adria LNG terminal on Krk, the Križevci-Dugo Selo railway project worth €200 million, and the Pelješac Bridge worth €430 million. A new public procurement bill was adopted by the government, that replaced the lowest price criterion with the economically most favourable offer.  At the end of June, public debt was 3.9 billion HRK lower than at the end of 2015. June was also the fourth consecutive month of an annual decline of public debt. Budget deficit fell by 5.1 billion HRK in the first six months of 2016, making up 0.7% of GDP. GDP growth reached 2.8% in the second quarter.

Government crisis.

Orešković's cabinet had been plagued by tensions between the two governing parties, HDZ and Most, particularly over the INA, Croatia's national oil company, and the Ministry of the Interior., which culminated in the conflict of interest affair labeled "The Consultant Affair", when it was revealed that Tomislav Karamarko's wife had business contacts with a consultant of the Hungarian oil company MOL which was a party in an arbitration processes with Croatia over INA. As a result, a vote of no confidence against Karamarko was initiated by the Parliamentary opposition, asking for Karamarko to step down, which he refused to do.  On 3 June 2016, in an attempt to find a compromise solution for the growing crisis, Orešković called on both Karamarko and Petrov to resign their positions for the sake of stability of the country. Petrov was ready to do so, while Karamarko was not. Afterwards, HDZ initiated a vote of no confidence against the Prime Minister and started forming a new majority in the Parliament. Most continued to support Orešković and asked for Karamarko's resignation.  On 15 June 2016, the "Commission for Conflict of Interest" determined that Karamarko had been in a conflict of interest in "The Consultant Affair", so Karamarko offered his resignation as Deputy Prime Minister while vowing to challenge the ruling at the Constitutional court. On the following day, the confidence vote in Parliament took place and resulted in the fall of Orešković's government by a vote of 125 MPs in favor, 15 against and 2 abstentions. Both the HDZ and most of the opposition voted in favor, while Most voted against. The fall of Orešković's government led to the Parliament's self-dissolution on 15 July 2016, and early elections in the second half of 2016.  Orešković was Croatia's first prime minister not to be a member of a political party while in office and is also the wealthiest person to have held the position, with a reported net worth of around 22,2 million kuna (3,2 million US dollars) in late February 2016. Having held office for a little under eight months, he was the shortest-serving Prime Minister of Croatia since Hrvoje Šarinić in 1993 and his term was also the briefest since the replacement of a semi-presidential system with an incomplete parliamentary system in 2000. Orešković was the first, and to date only, Prime Minister to have been forced out of office by a parliamentary motion of no confidence.

Tihomir "Tim" Orešković (; born 1 January 1966) is a Croatian Canadian businessman who was Prime Minister of Croatia from January to October 2016.


Strategy.

The structure of the strategic operations from the Soviet planning point of view was:

Soviet preparations.

In October 1943, several of Vatutin's armies were having serious trouble trying to break out of the rugged terrain of the Bukrin bend, the southern bridgehead. The 24th Panzer Corps of Walther Nehring, in an effective defensive position, had the opposing Soviet forces squeezed in. As a result, Vatutin decided to concentrate his strength at the northern bridgehead at Lyutezh.  The 3rd Guards Tank Army, commanded by Pavel Rybalko, moved northwards toward the Lyutezh bridgehead under cover of darkness and diversionary attacks out of the Bukrin bend. The Soviet preparations were considerable, including the installation of 26 bridges and 87 ferries. Many of the Soviet bridges were built underwater, making them difficult to detect. Feint attacks and the construction of fake bridges may have fooled the Germans for a short while. Fire support was provided by 7,000 guns and mortars and 700 combat aircraft. The 27th and 40th Armies launched the Soviet diversionary attack at Bukrin on 1 November, two days ahead of schedule, but advanced only 1.5 kilometers before being driven back.  Soviet historians claimed complete success for the Red Army deception measures but the Germans correctly identified the Soviet assault sector and sent armored reinforcements to the area. The 4th Panzer Army war diary referred to the main Soviet push north of Kiev on 3 November as "the offensive we have been expecting". The Germans were uncertain whether the anticipated Soviet assault had far-reaching objectives from the outset or was merely for the capture of an initial bridgehead to be exploited later.

Initial stage.

Early on the morning of 3 November 1943, the 4th Panzer Army was subjected to a massive Soviet bombardment. The Soviet 38th and 60th Armies attacked in the first wave but failed to break through the positions of the German VII Army Corps. On 4 November, the 3rd Guards Armored Army and I Guard Cavalry Corps were added to the assault, compelling VII Army Corps to retreat and evacuate Kiev. The Soviets captured Kiev on 6 November. The second phase of the Soviet offensive now began, with the 1st Ukrainian Front's objective consisting of the capture of the towns of Zhitomir, Korosten, Berdichev and Fastov and the cutting of the rail link to Army Group Center; the ultimate objective being the encirclement of Army Group South. By 7 November, the Soviet spearheads had already reached the important railway node at Fastov 50 kilometers south-west of Kiev.  The plan went well at first for Vatutin; Manstein, however, became worried. As Rybalko's tanks moved through the streets of Kiev on 6 November, Manstein pleaded with Adolf Hitler to release the 48th and 40th Panzer Corps in order to have sufficient forces to retake Kiev. The 48th Panzer Corps was committed to Manstein. Hitler refused to divert the 40th Panzer Corps, and replaced Hoth with Erhard Raus, who was ordered to blunt the Soviet attack and secure the Army Group South's northern flank and communications with Army Group Centre. A number of sources give 6 November as the date for the fall of Kiev. The 1st Czechoslovak Independent Brigade seems to have started the assault earlier, at 12.30 on 5 November, reaching the Dniepr at 02:00 on the 6th, after sweeping through the western suburbs of the city and were the first unit in the city center, with Kiev finally being captured at 06:50 on the 6th.

Raus counterattacks.

Raus had some difficulty with his units suffering heavy casualties in the initial stages of Vatutin's offensive. The 4th Panzer Army was reinforced, especially with artillery and rockets. The German divisions were bolstered on 7 November by the arrival of the newly formed 25th Panzer Division commanded by "General der Panzertruppen" Georg Jauer. Its drive on Fastov was halted by the 7th Guards Tank Corps. The half-formed 25th Panzer Division had only emergency individual training, lacked entire equipment categories and was committed against the protests of Heinz Guderian, the Inspector of Panzer Troops. It became the first committed Panzer Division that failed to achieve at least initial offensive success on the Eastern Front. The failed German offensive stopped the advance of the Soviet 3rd Guards Armored Army.  The rest of the Soviet forces continued their attacks. Rybalko was soon just from Berdichev. Zhitomir was taken by the 38th Army on 12 November but the Soviet advance came to a halt as the I Guards Cavalry Corps troopers looted the German 4th Army's alcohol stocks. The 60th Army took Korosten on 17 November and the 40th Army was moving south from Kiev. The only respite for the Germans came when the 27th Army exhausted itself and went over to the defensive in the Bukrin bend. In 10 days the Soviets had advanced 150 kilometers and opened up a 100 kilometer-wide gap between Army Group Center and Army Group South.  The 4th Panzer Army was in deep trouble. However, the situation changed with the arrival of Hermann Balck's XLVIII Panzer Corps, comprising the SS Division Leibstandarte, 1st Panzer Division and 7th Panzer Division. Balck drove his forces north to Brusyliv and then west to retake Zhitomir. Rybalko sent the 7th Guards Tank Corps to counter the German assault. A huge tank battle ensued, which continued until the latter part of November, when the autumn mud halted all operations.  With the recapture of Zhitomir and Korosten, the 4th Panzer had gained some breathing room. With Vatutin halted, Stavka released substantial reserves to his First Ukrainian Front to regain momentum.

Final stage.

By 5 December, the mud had frozen. 48th Panzer Corps conducted a wide sweeping attack north of Zhitomir. Catching the Red Army by surprise, the German forces sought to encircle the Soviet 60th Army and the 13th Corps. Reinforced with the 2nd Parachute Division, the Germans drove eastward, putting the Soviets on the defensive. With Fastov also being threatened, the 60th Army withdrew from Korosten.  Vatutin was forced to ask Stavka for more reserves, and was allocated the 1st Tank Army and the 18th Army. These new units, along with additional Corps from other sectors, were hastily rushed westward. Thus, the Red Army stopped the German advance, went back on the offensive, and retook Brusilov. Both sides were exhausted by late December and the battle for Kiev was over.

Aftermath.

Although the Soviets had failed to break the rail link with Army Group Center or envelop Army Group South, they had broken the Dnieper line, taken Kiev, the third biggest city in the Soviet Union, and inflicted significant casualties on the 4th Panzer Army. The Germans, for their part, had bloodied several sizable Soviet formations and kept the vital rail link open, but failed in its attempt to encircle and destroy the Soviet spearheads. A few days after XLVIII Panzer Corps was pulled out to rest and refit, the Soviets launched Dnieper–Carpathian Offensive on Christmas Eve. The renamed Voronezh Front Offensive pushed the Germans back to the 1939 Polish border by 3 January 1944.

The Second Battle of Kiev was a part of a much wider Soviet offensive in Ukraine known as the Battle of the Dnieper involving three strategic operations by the Soviet Red Army and one operational counterattack by the Wehrmacht, which took place between 3 November and 22 December 1943.


Early life.

He was born at Leith, Midlothian to Robert Middleton, a customs collector of Bo'ness, Linlithgowshire, and Helen, daughter of Captain Charles Dundas RN and granddaughter of Sir James Dundas of Arniston. He was a nephew of Brigadier-General John Middleton (1678–1739), a grandson of George Middleton DD, and a great-grandson of Alexander Middleton (younger brother of John Middleton, 1st Earl of Middleton), the last two having served as Principal of King's College, Aberdeen.

Naval career.

Middleton entered the Royal Navy in 1741 as captain's servant aboard and HMS "Duke", and later served aboard HMS "Flamborough" as midshipman and master's mate. He became lieutenant in 1745, serving aboard the frigate HMS "Chesterfield", after 1748 on the west Africa station.  During the Seven Years' War, from 1754, Middleton was stationed aboard during her apprehension and capture of two French ships at Louisbourg, after which he was stationed in the Leeward Islands. In January 1757, an incident over rum rations, during which Middleton lost his temper and physically attacked a sailor ended with the sailor being court martialled and Middleton being transferred and promoted to command of the sloop HMS "Speaker".  Promoted to post-captain on 22 May 1758, Middleton was given command of the frigate HMS "Arundel". In 1761, while in command of, he distinguished himself in the West Indies, taking sixteen French ships and several privateers, and received the gratitude of the merchants in the British colony of Barbados. From March 1762 Middleton took command of the frigate "Adventure", patrolling the coast of Normandy.  In December 1761 Middleton married Margaret Gambier, niece of Captain Mead, who he had encountered aboard HMS "Sandwich" some twenty years earlier. Margaret moved to Teston in Kent, to be close to her friend Elizabeth Bouverie. In 1763, after service aboard the "Adventure", he moved to join Margaret at Teston, and for the next twelve years he farmed the land belonging to Mrs Bouverie, taking on the role of a country gentleman.  In 1775, at the outbreak of the American War of Independence, Middleton was given a guardship at the Nore, a Royal Navy anchorage in the Thames Estuary, and was subsequently appointed Comptroller of the Navy in 1778, a post he held for twelve years. In 1781 was created a baronet, with a special remainder, failing any male issue, to his son in law, Gerard Noel. In 1784, Sir Charles Middleton was elected Tory Member of Parliament (MP) for Rochester, a seat he held for six years, and on 24 September 1787 he was promoted rear admiral. By 1786 he had become disillusioned with his role as Comptroller of the Navy, seeing it as beset by internal politics between the Admiralty and the Navy Board. In 1786 he prepared a letter to the First Lord of the Admiralty indicating he would "contend no more for the public," and urging the appointment of a successor who could "have more weight than I have had, and influence ministers to correct these evils." The letter was never sent, but Middleton resigned his position in 1790 and effectively retired from naval affairs.  Promotions based on seniority continued to be received, despite Middleton's retirement from active service. On 1 February 1793 he was promoted to vice admiral, and in May 1794 he was appointed to the Board of Admiralty. He became First Naval Lord in March 1795 and was promoted to full admiral on 1 June 1795. He was finally, in May 1805 (at the age of 80), appointed First Lord of the Admiralty. He was also created Baron Barham, of Barham Court and Teston in the County of Kent, with a special remainder, failing male issue, to his only child, his daughter, Diana Noel, 2nd Baroness Barham, and her male heirs. He resigned office in 1806 and died seven years later, aged 86, at his home of Barham Court.

Abolitionist.

In addition to his service in the Royal Navy, Middleton played a crucial role in the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire. He had been influenced by a pamphlet written by Rev. James Ramsay, who served as a surgeon under Middleton aboard HMS "Arundel" in the West Indies, but later took holy orders and served on the Caribbean island of St Christopher (now St Kitts), where he observed first-hand the treatment of slaves. On his return in 1777, exhausted by the continuing conflict with influential planters and businessmen, Ramsay returned to Britain and briefly lived with Sir Charles and Lady Middleton at Teston. He later became vicar of Teston and rector of Nettlestead, Kent, the livings being in the gift of Middleton.  Ramsay's pamphlet "Essay on the Treatment and Conversion of African Slaves in the British Sugar Colonies", published in 1784, especially affected Lady Middleton. Feeling inadequate to take up the issue of the slave trade in Parliament himself, and knowing that it would be a long, hard battle, Sir Charles Middleton suggested the young Member of Parliament William Wilberforce as the one who might be persuaded to take up the cause. (Whether this was the first time that the issue had been suggested to Wilberforce is debatable). In 1787 Wilberforce was introduced to James Ramsay and Thomas Clarkson at Teston, as well as meeting the growing group of supporters of abolition, which also included Edward Eliot, Hannah More, the evangelical writer and philanthropist, and Beilby Porteus, Bishop of London.  Clarkson had first made public his desire to spend his life fighting for emancipation at Middleton's home, Barham Court, overlooking the River Medway at Teston, Kent. In order to make a case for abolishing the slave trade, Clarkson did much research over many years, gathering evidence by interviewing thousands of sailors who had been involved in the slave trade.  Barham Court was effectively used for planning the campaign by Lord and Lady Barham, with numerous meetings and strategy sessions attended by Wilberforce, Clarkson, Eliot and Porteus before presenting legislation to Parliament. While Middleton never played a direct role in the effort to abolish the slave trade (finally accomplished in 1807) and slavery itself (in 1833) he played a very important part as a behind the scenes facilitator. His efforts were motivated by his evangelical faith.

Legacy.

Three warships of the Royal Navy have been named "Barham" in honour of Middleton including the battleship "Barham" launched in 1914.

Fictional portrayals.

Barham is a character in "Treason's Tide" by Robert Wilton, set during the summer of 1805. He is also portrayed by the simple moniker of Admiral Barham in Naomi Novik's alternative history fiction series, Temeraire, in the second novel, "Throne of Jade", (published with Del Rey in 2006) in which he is depicted as arbitrating a dispute between the Chinese delegation and the British government over the possible return of Captain William Laurence's dragon Temeraire to China. His political relationship with William Wilberforce and the Abolitionist movement in Britain is also referenced in the work.

Admiral Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham PC (14 October 172617 June 1813) was a Royal Navy officer and politician. As a junior officer he saw action during the Seven Years' War. Middleton was given command of a guardship at the Nore, a Royal Navy anchorage in the Thames Estuary, at the start of the American War of Independence, and was subsequently appointed Comptroller of the Navy. He went on to be First Naval Lord and then First Lord of the Admiralty. Middleton also played a crucial role in the abolition of the slave trade.


Aircraft and crew.

The aircraft was built in 1993 and was operated by Lufthansa CityLine as D‐ACLE until the end of 2006. It had a manufacturer's serial number (MSN) of 7010 and had two General Electric CF34-3B1 engines. The aircraft then underwent a cargo conversion re‐designating it as a CRJ200-PF (Package Freighter). The aircraft had been operated by West Air Sweden since 2007 as SE‐DUX. At the time of the crash, it had accumulated more than 38,600 flight‐hours in more than 31,000 cycles.  The 42‐year‐old Spanish captain had around 3,200 flying‐hours, of which 2,016 were on this aircraft type; the 33‐year‐old French first officer had 3,050 flying‐hours, of which 900 were on this aircraft type.

Flight.

The aircraft departed Oslo-Gardermoen Airport at 23:11 hours local time for a flight to Tromsø Airport. The aircraft carried 4.5 tonnes (; ) of mail. While in cruise at Flight Level 330 and at approximately 23:31, the aircraft transmitted a Mayday call before communication and radar tracking were lost by air traffic control.  Aircraft tracking service Flightradar24 reported that the aircraft lost 6,485 metres (21,275 ft) in altitude over a period of 60seconds (; ) at 00:18, based upon data transmitted by the aircraft's transponder.

Search.

Both Norwegian and Swedish authorities searched for the aircraft, discovering the wreckage at 03:10 in the morning. The crash site was located at an elevation of in a remote area near Lake Akkajaure, approximately from the Norwegian border. The aircraft remains were spread in a circle approximately in diameter, which was said to suggest a high‐energy impact.

Investigation.

The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority (, or "SHK") opened an investigation into the crash. On 9 January 2016, the flight data recorder (FDR) was found severely damaged as well as parts of the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR). The unit was, however, not intact, and the part containing the memory functions was missing. The following day, the missing parts of the CVR were found, alongside human remains. On 12 January, SHK reported that the distress call from the pilots contained the word "Mayday" repeated, with no further information. On 26 January, Statens Haverikommission reported that they had managed to read both CVR and FDR, and were analysing and validating the recordings.  On 19 March, in their interim report, SHK revealed:  After 17 seconds from the start of the event, the maximum speed (VMO) of 315 knots was exceeded. The overspeed warning was activated and the vertical acceleration turned to positive values.  Another 16 seconds later, the first officer transmitted a "MAYDAY" message that was confirmed by air traffic control. The indicated airspeed then exceeded 400 knots and the stabilizer trim was reactivated and reduced to 0.3 degrees nose down. The Pilot in Command called "Mach trim" after which engine power was reduced to idle.  During the further event, the last valid FDR value shows that the speed continued to increase up to 508 knots while the vertical acceleration values were positive, with maximum values of approximately +3G. FDR data shows that the aircraft's ailerons and spoilerons mainly were deflected to the left during the event. The final report was published by SHK on 12 December 2016. The inquiry reached the following conclusion: The accident was caused by insufficient operational prerequisites for the management of a failure in a redundant system. Contributing factors were:

In popular culture.

The accident is featured in the second episode of Season 20 of "Mayday," also known as "Air Crash Investigation." The episode is titled "Impossible Pitch".

West Air Sweden Flight 294 was a cargo flight of a Canadair CRJ200 from Oslo to Tromsø, Norway that crashed on 8 January 2016. A malfunction in one of the inertial reference units had produced erroneous attitude indications on one of the instrument displays. The crew's subsequent response resulted in spatial disorientation, leading to the loss of control of the aircraft.


Causes.

According to activists, the campaign began as a response to a series of economic wars launched by Russia against Ukraine, including the "Meat War", the "Cheese War", and the "Chocolate War." On August 14, 2013, the Federal Customs Service of Russia listed all Ukrainian exporters as companies "at risk", resulting in a blockade of Ukrainian products imported to Russia. A backup developed at customs involving hundreds of truckloads and railcars of Ukrainian goods.

Boycotts.

In Ukraine.

On August 22, 2013, activists held a protest near the Presidential Administration of Ukraine. The campaign continued with a mass distribution of leaflets, posters and stickers in more than 45 cities and towns in Ukraine. Caricatures of Russian Matryoshka dolls have been used in the campaign. The campaign began to decline with the beginning of Euromaidan.  On March 2, 2014, activists used social networks to announce the renewal of the boycott on any goods and services that benefit Russian companies. The intention was to keep Ukrainian money from going to Russia where it may be used to support the Russian military. The boycott was launched in response to the Crimean crisis and the Russian military intervention in Ukraine.  In March 2014, activists began organizing flash mobs in supermarkets to urge customers not to buy Russian goods and to boycott Russian gas stations, banks, and concerts. In April 2014, some movie theaters in Kiev, Lviv, and Odessa began shunning Russian films.  In summer of 2014, activists in Kiev began organizing flash mobs and actions in Russian restaurants and coffeehouses.  In the end of August 2014 activists have started a campaign "Boycott Russian Films" against Russian movies and serials on Ukrainian media space.  By April 2014, some Russian manufacturers changed their barcodes from Russian to Ukrainian. Titled "Boycott Invaders", an Android app was developed to identify products from Russia, including those disguising their origin.

International spread.

Beginning in March 2014, the boycott spread to Poland and Lithuania.

Results.

Sales of Russian goods in Ukraine decreased by 35-50% in the spring of 2014. In May 2014, Ukrainian supermarkets began to abandon the procurement of Russian goods. Delivery of goods from Russia fell by a third.  In April 2014 it was reported that producers from Russian Federation are changing Russian barcodes with barcodes of other countries. Moreover, there are revealed facts of illegal masking of Russian products in some Ukrainian supermarkets.  From January to May 2014, according to Standard & Poor's ratings, banks with Russian capital in Ukraine lost more than 50% of deposits.  According to comparison test of Russian TV series watching ratings in Ukraine for 2013 (sample by GfK) and for 2014 (sample by Nielsen), total ratings dropped by a third.  As of mid of May 2014 it is known that Ukrainian supermarkets have started to massively abandon purchases of Russian goods. Supply amounts from Russian Federation decreased by a third.

Public opinion.

According to "Taylor Nelson Sofres" (TNS) Internet research in Ukraine, in March–April 2014 — 52% of Ukrainians are positive or "rather positive" about the boycott of Russian products. According to the survey, 39% of Ukrainians are involved into the boycott. Further survey campaign revealed that from July to August 2014, support of Russian products boycott increased from 52% to 57%. The number of people who are personally taking part in boycott of Russian products increased from 40% to 46%. According to data reported by TSN, in September 2014, 50% of Ukrainians joined Russian products boycott.

Criticism.

The idea of a boycott was supported by Fozzy Group, a Ukrainian group of companies that owns and manages retail stores, but was not supported by Ukrainian representative offices of "Auchan Ukraine" and "Metro Cash and Carry" retail groups. The reason was explained as a part of their apolitical vision.  Andriy Dlihach, "Advanter Group" CEO, urged not to ban Russian products and to concentrate on buying Ukrainian ones instead.  Ukrainian and Russian-speaking blogger Danylo Vakhovskyi said that he is consciously using Russian internet services and will continue to do so, because it is a way to support "the creation of a favorable environment for entrepreneurship" in Russia. Although it is "not patriotic, but to support entrepreneurs "with ruble", it is to give opportunity for the development of new projects, that is changing world for the better". The blogger also presented some examples of such projects, including these websites: QIWI, Ostrovok.ru and Kaspersky Anti-Virus.

"Do not buy Russian goods!" ( [ne kupuy ros'iys'ke]) or "Boycott Russian goods!" ( [boykotuy ros'iys'ke]) is a nonviolent resistance campaign to boycott Russian commerce in Ukraine. The protest started on August 14, 2013 as a reaction to a Russian Federation trade embargo against Ukraine. It was organized by Vidsich on social media. The campaign expanded to mass distribution of leaflets, posters, and stickers in over 45 cities and towns. Having faded by the beginning of the Euromaidan demonstrations in November 2013, it was renewed on March 2, 2014, during the Crimean crisis and the Russian military intervention in Ukraine.


Early life and education.

Staples was born in Compton, but grew up in North Long Beach, after his mother decided she wanted to move away from Compton due to the high crime rates. Staples is the youngest of five siblings, two brothers and three sisters. Staples grew up in poverty.  Staples attended Optimal Christian Academy from 4th to 8th grade, which he said was an influential and positive experience. During high school, Staples' mom sent him to Atlanta to stay with one of his sisters. He attended high school there for six months. After returning to Southern California, Staples attended other high schools: Jordan High School in Long Beach, Mayfair High School in Lakewood, Opportunity High School home schooling, Esperanza High School in Anaheim, and Kennedy High School, among others.  Staples has been upfront regarding his involvement with gangs during his childhood, and is involved with speaking to the youth in his community about the dangers of the gang lifestyle.  Growing up, Staples participated in sports when given the opportunity. Most notably, he played in well-known rapper Snoop Dogg's, Snoop Youth Football League (SYFL). When interviewed by Sean Evans on the YouTube show “Hot Ones”, Staples' participation in the SYFL was the first topic spoken of. Staples recalls playing against the “Carson Colts” and “Mission Viejo Cowboys” who he claimed had “grown ass men on the field.” Staples then went on to state, “Snoop really did it big, we got our names on our jerseys, we had the best cleats, the best helmets, you know Snoop Dogg really loved football.”  The introduction to Netflix's Original Series, “Coach Snoop," appears to show a young Vince Staples, however it has not been confirmed whether it is Staples.

Career.

2009–2013: Beginnings and "Stolen Youth".

Staples was discovered by Dijon "LaVish" Samo, and Chuck Wun, alongside his cousin Campbell Emerson. LaVish took Staples on a trip to Los Angeles, where he befriended the Odd Future collective's members Syd tha Kyd, Mike G, and Earl Sweatshirt. Although he had not intended to be a rapper, he made some guest appearances on their songs, most notably "epaR" that was taken from Earl Sweatshirt's debut mixtape "Earl". After featuring on some other tracks, he decided to pursue a career in rap. He released his official debut mixtape, called "Shyne Coldchain Vol. 1" on December 30, 2011, via applebird.com. In October 2012, he released a mixtape, titled "Winter In Prague", which was produced entirely by Michael Uzowuru.  In 2012, Vince reconnected with Earl Sweatshirt, when he returned from Samoa and was introduced by him to a fellow American rapper Mac Miller, who later produced his mixtape "Stolen Youth" (2013) under the alias Larry Fisherman. The mixtape features guest appearances from Mac Miller, Ab-Soul, Schoolboy Q, Da$H, Hardo, and Staples' Cutthroat Boyz co-member, Joey Fatts. Following "Stolen Youth"s release, he toured as a supporting act on Mac Miller's The Space Migration Tour. After making three appearances on Earl Sweatshirt's debut studio album "Doris", including the single "Hive", the liner notes revealed Staples had recently signed to the hip hop record label Def Jam Recordings.

2014–2015: "Shyne Coldchain Vol. 2", "Hell Can Wait", and "Summertime '06".

On March 13, 2014, he released his fourth mixtape, called "Shyne Coldchain Vol. 2". The mixtape features the production from Earl Sweatshirt, Michael Uzowuru, Childish Major, No ID, Evidence, DJ Babu, and Scoop DeVille; as well as guest appearances from singer-songwriters Jhené Aiko and James Fauntleroy. On March 2, 2014, Staples began touring in the United States with a fellow American rappers Schoolboy Q and Isaiah Rashad on the "Oxymoron World Tour", to support the release of Schoolboy Q's album "Oxymoron".  On August 15, 2014, Staples released a music video for "Blue Suede". The track was also made available on iTunes. On September 9, 2014, Vince released another new song titled "Hands Up" via iTunes. He released the EP "Hell Can Wait" on October 7, 2014. Prior to the EP's release Staples' revealed during an interview with XXL Magazine that it would include guest appearances from A$ton Matthews and Teyana Taylor, along with productions from No I.D., Infamous, and Hagler.  On May 4, 2015, Staples released as the first single from his debut album, called "Señorita". He later announced it that his debut album would be titled "Summertime '06", which was released on June 30, 2015. On June 15, Staples released the second single from his debut album, "Get Paid" featuring Desi Mo. On June 22, he released the album's third and final single, "Norf Norf". The track reached viral prominence after a video referencing a mom tearfully complaining about the song became popular on social media

2016–present: "Prima Donna" and "Big Fish Theory".

On February 23, 2016, Staples was announced as part of the line up for the 2016 Osheaga Music Festival. On August 25, 2016, Staples released the seven-track EP "Prima Donna", featuring guest appearances from A$AP Rocky and Kilo Kish; as well as it accompanied by a short film. On January 31, 2017, he announced a single, "BagBak", would be released on February 3, 2017. "BagBak" was later featured in the trailer for the Marvel Studios film "Black Panther". On March 23, 2017, he was featured on the Gorillaz track, called "Ascension" from their album, "Humanz". In an interview on Zane Lowe's show Beats 1, he announced his upcoming album would be called "Big Fish Theory" and released an accompanying single, "Big Fish", which was followed by a third single, "Rain Come Down" on June 8, 2017, which featured vocals from Ty Dolla Sign. The album was released on June 23, 2017 and received with widespread critical acclaim. He and rapper Tyler, The Creator announced on November 15, 2017, that they would be doing a tour around North America from January 26 to March 4. Staples then collaborated with film composer Hans Zimmer on a remix of the UEFA Champions League Anthem for the "FIFA 19" reveal trailer.  In 2017, Staples was featured on the remix of Billie Eilish's song watch, entitled &burn.  In 2018, Staples set up a GoFundMe page seeking $2 million as a response to people criticizing his work; they could pay to have him retire early. However, it taken down given the low response. Simultaneously, the GoFundMe's title was also the same title of his upcoming single.

Corporate sponsorship.

Since 2015, Staples has appeared in advertising campaigns for Sprite and promoted the brand through his Twitter feed.

Philanthropy.

On June 14, 2016, Staples announced his assistance in a YMCA program that will benefit young people in North Long Beach. The Youth Institute would teach graphic design, 3D printing, product design, music production and film making to 20 eighth and ninth graders at Hamilton Middle School. Staples donated an undisclosed amount to the program.

Personal life.

Staples has stated that he has never drank alcohol or used illicit drugs, and that he follows a straight edge lifestyle. He lives in Southern California.

Vincent Jamal Staples (born July 2, 1993) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and actor. He is a member of the hip hop trio Cutthroat Boyz alongside fellow Californian rappers Aston Matthews and Joey Fatts. Staples was once a close associate of Odd Future, in particular Mike G and Earl Sweatshirt. He is currently signed to Motown Records and Blacksmith Records.


Team allocation.

A total of 48 teams from different European first-tier leagues participated in the 2016–17 Champions Hockey League.

Team license.

The teams were selected based on different licenses for the founding teams, leagues and wildcards.

Teams.

Notes:

Group stage.

The format remained the same as in the previous season. The group stage began on 16 August and finished on 11 September 2016. The 48 teams were divided into 16 groups of three teams each. Each team played a double round-robin in their group, facing each team at home and on the road, giving 4 games per team. The 16 group winners and the 16 runners-up qualified for the playoffs.

Group stage draw.

The 16 groups were determined by a draw taking place on 3 May 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland. The 48 teams had been ranked and placed into three pots of 16 teams each. Following the draw, each group consisted of one team from each pot. The seedings were as follows:

Tiebreakers.

The teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win in regular time, 2 points for an overtime win or shootout win, 1 point for an overtime loss or shootout loss, 0 points for a loss in regular time). If two or more teams were equal on points on completion of the group matches, the following criteria were applied in the order given to determine the rankings:

Playoffs.

In the playoffs, the teams play against each other over two legs on a home-and-away basis with the team with the better standing after the group stage having the second game at home, except for the one-match final played at the venue of the team with the best competition track record leading up to the final.  The mechanism of the draw for playoffs was as follows:

Bracket.

Note:

Round of 32.

The draw for the entire playoff (round of 32, round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final) was held on 12 September 2016. The first legs were played on 4 October, and the second legs on 11 October 2016. The seeded teams (group winners) played the last match at home.

Round of 16.

The first legs were played on 1 November, and the second legs were played on 8 and 9 November 2016.

Quarter-finals.

The first legs were played on 6 December, and the second legs were played on 13 December 2016.

Semi-finals.

The first legs were played on 10 January, and the second legs were played on 17 January 2017.

Final.

The final was played on 7 February 2017.

The 2016–17 Champions Hockey League is the third season of the Champions Hockey League, a European ice hockey tournament launched by 26 founding clubs, six leagues and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The season started on 16 August 2016 with the group stage and ended with the final game on 7 February 2017 with Frölunda defeating HC Sparta Praha, 4–3 in overtime.


Biography.

Family background.

Ælfgifu was born into an important noble family based in the Midlands (Mercia). She was a daughter of Ælfhelm, ealdorman of southern Northumbria, and his wife Wulfrune. Ælfhelm was killed in 1006, probably at the command of King Æthelred the Unready, and Ælfgifu's brothers, Ufegeat and Wulfheah, were blinded. Wulfric Spot, a wealthy nobleman and patron of Burton Abbey, was the brother of Ælfhelm or Wulfrune. The family again came under suspicion during the invasion of England by Swein Forkbeard, King of Denmark, in 1013–14, and further members were charged with treachery and killed.

Marriage to Cnut.

When Swein invaded, northern peoples, many of them of Scandinavian descent, immediately submitted to him. He then married his young son Cnut to Ælfgifu to seal their loyalty. Swein went on to conquer the whole of England and was accepted as King, but he died in February 1014 after a reign of only five weeks. Æthelred then sent an army which forced Cnut to flee back to Denmark, and in the opinion of historian Ian Howard, he left his wife and their baby son, Svein, the future King of Norway, behind with her family. They were anxious to make their peace with Æthelred, but unwilling to hand Ælfgifu and her son over to Æthelred to be killed, so they sent the mother and child with King Swein's body to Denmark. There she became pregnant again and in 1015 or 1016 she gave birth to Harold Harefoot.  In the period immediately following, she may have been given authority over some region of Denmark, perhaps that of a Danish controlled area of the Baltic coastline.  Her two sons were to figure prominently in the empire which their father built in northern Europe, though not without opposition. After his conquest of England in 1016, Cnut married Emma of Normandy, the widow of King Æthelred. It was then regarded as acceptable to put aside one wife and take another if the first wife was acquired through the non-Christian pagan ceremony of "handfasting" and nearly always for reasons of political advantage, a practice which might be described as "serial monogamy"; this was the case with the marriage of Ælfgifu to Cnut. The status of Cnut's two'marriages' and their social context in England and Scandinavia has been discussed recently by Timothy Bolton. Emma's sons, Edward and Ælfred by Æthelred and Harthacnut by Cnut, were also claimants to the throne of her husband. Exactly how the second marriage affected Ælfgifu's status as Cnut's first consort is unknown, but there is no evidence to suggest that she was repudiated.

Regent in Norway (1030–35).

After the defeat and death of Olaf II of Norway by forces loyal to Cnut, Cnut sent Ælfgifu with their eldest son Svein to rule Norway, in 1030. Their rule was, however, so harsh that the Norwegians rebelled against them. They were driven out, in 1034 or 1035, while Svein died of wounds in Denmark shortly after, probably in 1036. In Norway, where she was known as "Álfífa" in Old Norse, this period entered history as 'Álfífa's time'("Álfífuǫld"), remembered for her severe rule and heavy taxation. In the Norwegian "Ágrip", for instance, the following verse is attributed to her contemporary, the skald Sigvatr:

Succession crisis after the death of Cnut (1035).

Cnut died at Shaftesbury in 1035. Symeon of Durham and Adam of Bremen suggest that Cnut had reserved the English throne for Harold, while the "Encomium Emmae Reginae", written to defend Harthacnut's mother, Emma, claims that he had done so for Harthacnut. Ælfgifu was determined that her second son Harold should be the next English king. She had returned to England (at least) by 1036, while Emma's son Harthacnut was away in Denmark, at war with the Norwegian king Magnus I, and the Swedes under their king Anund Jacob. Emma's other sons, Ælfred and Edward, stayed in Normandy. With help from her supporters, Ælfgifu was able to secure the throne for her son. In the view of Frank Stenton, she was probably the real ruler of England for part, if not the whole, of his reign.  The "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" (versions C, D and E) describes how Harold and his men forcefully laid claim on the treasury housed in Winchester, where Cnut was buried and Emma (whom the Anglo-Saxons also referred to as "Ælfgifu" the queen) had taken up residence:  Manuscript E, which is known for its Godwinist sympathies, adds a number of details, including the assembly at Oxford in 1037 at which Harold was elected king of England and the mustering of support north of the Thames, where the power base of Ælfgifu's family was concentrated.  During 1036 opinion in England moved towards Harold. By August a report had reached Emma's daughter, Gunnhild, at the German court that her "unhappy and unjust step-mother" (i.e. Ælfgifu) was working to deprive Gunnhild's brother, Harthacnut, of the kingdom by holding great feasts, and trying by argument and gifts to persuade the leading nobles to give their fealty to Harold. Emma's encomiast attributes to her even more seriously dishonest methods. She makes Ælfgifu an accomplice in the murder of Emma's youngest son, Alfred, by suggesting that she was responsible for sending a forged letter to Normandy inviting Alfred to England. The "Encomium Emmae Reginae" also claimed that Ælfgifu's son Harold was a servant's son.  Ælfgifu is not recorded after 1036, apart from a possible reference to her as the "lady", and it is not known when she died.

Ælfgifu of Northampton ( 990 – after 1036) was the first wife of Cnut the Great, King of England and Denmark, and mother of Harold Harefoot, King of England. She was regent of Norway from 1030 to 1035.


Series overview.

Season 1 (2016).

Luna Valente lives with her family in Cancún, Mexico. She goes to school, has her own group of friends, has a job, and loves to skate. However, her life changes when her parents are given a job offer that moves them to Buenos Aires, Argentina. There she finds a skating rink named "Jam & Roller" where she learns free styling. She makes new friends and falls in love with Matteo Balsano. Also she sees interesting dreams about her childhood. She wants to learn her past.

Season 2 (2017).

The holidays are over and everyone returns home. Luna walks to a revealing truth, with illusion, in her reunion with Matteo. No one knows the secret that Matteo hides, but Luna is willing to fight with the wind and the air to find out. Over time, Luna helps Matteo to discover his true passion and he must cope with the pressure of his demanding father. In the Benson mansion is a tense atmosphere after the arrival of Alfredo, father of Mrs. Sharon, changes the routine and brings back memories of the past. Luna feels a strong sympathy for this funny man who looks so much alike. Their relationship, with the help of Nina, marks a new personal path for Luna and helps investigate the mysteries of her past. Holiday conflicts affect the group of others. Amber, Jasmine, Delfi, Gastón, Ramiro and Matteo who are finishing their studies, must decide which way to go.

Season 3 (2018).

Luna/Sol, has returned with her adoptive parents and her grandfather to the Benson mansion in Argentina. The mansion is now theirs. Amber has changed her clothing style to gothic. A new boy named Erik has fallen in love with Nina and becomes a couple. Sharon wants to take revenge on her father and the Valentes and decides to go back to Buenos Aires in disguise. Later in the season, Amber regained her normal clothing style and became a couple with Simon. During the big season finals, the Roller team started performing with the song "Todo Puede Cambiar" and Luna and Matteo are back together again. Amber, Delfi and Jazmin have made up for it and are friends again. At the end Luna celebrates her 18th birthday, concluding the series.

Ratings.

Note: The ratings for the first season are only from Argentina. Those of the second season are from all countries from Latin America.

Broadcast.

The first season originally aired from March 14, 2016 to August 26, 2016 in Latin America. The series premiered on Disney Channel in Scandinavia on October 10, 2016. In the United States, the Spanish-language UniMás channel was set to air the series from April 17, 2017. However, the show was quietly taken off schedule. Eventually, the first season aired on February 20, 2018 on UniMás, and then later on Galavisión. After having a dormant entry for the series at launch, the first season was made available on Disney+ in the United States with English subtitles in December 2019.

Soy Luna (English: "I am Luna") is an Argentine telenovela produced by Disney Channel Latin America. The first episode of Soy Luna premiered with over 2.3 million views in Argentina alone. Developed by Disney Channel Latin America and produced by Disney Channel Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), the series stars Karol Sevilla along with Ruggero Pasquarelli. It premiered on March 14, 2016, and concluded on 17 August 2018.


Plot summary.

The story is set on Werel, the third planet of the Gamma Draconis system. The planet has an orbital period of 60 Earth years, and is approaching its correspondingly long winter. The main characters belong to one of two major groups: Wold and his daughter Rolery are members of the Tevarans, a tribe of humanoid extraterrestrial indigenous to the planet. Jakob Agat is a young man from a dwindling colony of Earth humans that have been effectively marooned on the planet. Although both populations share a common genetic heritage in the Hainish people, the difference is significant enough to prevent interbreeding.  The relationship between the two groups has long been tense and characterized by limited interaction. However, with the approaching dangers of winter and marauders, the visit of curious young Rolery to the colony becomes a sign of coming changes.

Role in the Hainish Cycle.

The peoples of the various worlds in Le Guin's space fiction are descendants of an ancient settlement from Hain. For example, the Gethenians of "The Left Hand of Darkness" are believed to have been genetically engineered, as are several other peoples in the League of All Worlds. No such mention of genetic engineering of the Alterrans’ Hainish-derived predecessors is made in the story.  In "City of Illusions" the descendants of the mixed Terrans and Tevarians described in this story rescue Earth (Terra) from alien conquerors who have the unexpected ability to mind-lie – which they used to telepathically conquer planets in the League of All Worlds, so this story is the backstory to "City of Illusions". The reunification of the League as the Ecumen is mentioned in "The Left Hand of Darkness", but no story so-far published has given any details of the climax of the conflict.  A different planet, also called "Werel" in "Four Ways to Forgiveness", is a completely different world from the planet of the Alterrans described in this story. The common word for "world" in the languages of both planets is "werel", hence their common names just mean "The World".

Literary significance and criticism.

One science fiction scholar points out that "Planet of Exile," along with "Rocannon's World" and "City of Illusions" exhibits Le Guin's struggle as an emerging writer to arrive at a plausible, uniquely memorable and straightforward locale for her stories.

Publication history.

"Planet of Exile" was initially published with no introduction, but Le Guin wrote an introduction for Harper & Row's 1978 hardcover edition. "Planet of Exile" was also reissued in 1978 along with "Rocannon's World" and "City of Illusions" in a volume called "Three Hainish Novels" and in 1996 with the same novels in a volume called "Worlds of Exile and Illusion."  <br

Planet of Exile is a 1966 science fiction novel by American writer Ursula K. Le Guin, part of her Hainish Cycle. It was first published as an Ace Double following the tête-bêche format, bundled with "Mankind Under the Leash" by Thomas M. Disch. In 2017, the rights for a movie were acquired by Los Angeles Media Fund.


Background.

In October 2015, a bombing at a peace rally in Ankara against a crackdown on Kurds in the country amidst the renewed PKK rebellion following a breakdown of the ceasefire killed over 100 people. On 13 February, Turkish shelling of Kurdish positions in response to "incoming Kurdish fire" and against the backdrop of YPG territorial gains in northern Syria led, at the request of Russia, to a UN briefing in which the president of the United Nations Security Council Rafael Carreno said that all members during the closed-door meeting expressed their concern at Turkey's actions and called on the country to "comply with international law".  Following the UNSC vote and just hours before the bombing, Turkey's President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, referred to PYD as a "terrorist organisation" akin to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), DHKP-C and Al-Nusra Front and stressed that the attacks against PYD's armed wing, YPG, will continue until it stops alleged threats against Turkey's national security.

Bombings.

A car bomb detonated at 18:31 local time, while army buses carrying military personnel were waiting at traffic lights. The attack site was next to a residential block for high-ranking military personnel. Some Turkish news channels showed images of a raging fire that engulfed military vehicles after the explosion, heard several kilometres away.

Casualties.

At least 30 people, including the perpetrator, died and 60 were injured as a result of the blast. The initial dead included the perpetrator, 12 soldiers, 16 civilian employees of the military and a journalist. Another civilian died from his wounds in hospital on 23 February 2016. A list of the first dead was published on 18 February.

Assailant.

Initially, Turkish government declared the name of assailant as Salih Necar, a Syrian Kurd who was trained by YPG, PKK and Syrian government. Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK) claimed responsibility and named the suicide bomber as Abdülbaki Sönmez and released a photo of him, which was later claimed to be an edited image of a Turkish blogger.  Later, DNA reports confirmed that perpetrator was Turkish-born Abdulbaki Sönmez, not Syrian-born Salih Necar who was shown as perpetrator to the world by Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu. Also, Syrian Kurdish authorities announced that a person named Salih Necar from Hasakah doesn't exist.  After DNA reports Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey Numan Kurtulmuş said that "the name of the perpetrator may be different but it does not change the reality of this matter. This person has entered Turkey from the PYD region and there is record of him assuming the given identity.". Turkish government is claiming that YPG, taking orders from PKK, is responsible from the massacre, and TAK is used as a way to "exonerate" the YPG. Turkish government is also worried about NATO allies of support of YPG, prime minister Davutoğlu said “We cannot excuse any NATO ally, including the US, of having links with a terrorist organisation [YPG] that strikes us in the heart of Turkey”.  Turkish authorities claimed that the perpetrator was trained as a suicide bomber in Syrian Rojava by YPG and entered Turkey as a refugee. Turkey claims that the attack was planned by the YPG, PKK, PYD and the Syrian government.  The suicide bomber was eventually confirmed as Abdülbaki Sönmez, a citizen of Turkey.

Reactions.

Domestic.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a statement. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu cancelled planned trips to Belgium and Azerbaijan following the attack. Spokesman for the ruling Justice and Development Party Ömer Çelik said he condemned the attacks. Erdogan vowed retaliation against the perpetrators of the attack while Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş called it an attack on the "nation as a whole".  Oppositional Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) co-leader Selahattin Demirtaş condemned the bombing as a "merciless attack" and wished "God’s mercy upon those who lost their lives". The Turkish Parliament failed to make a unanimous declaration. The pro-Kurdish and pro-minority HDP party condemned the bombing, with parliamentary chair İdris Baluken referring to it as a "loathsome attack"; the party disagreed with the unilaterally drafted text. The declaration was finally released by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), and opposition CHP and MHP parties.

International.

An EU summit in Brussels that was to focus on the issues of migrants was cancelled following the bombing. World leaders, including those from Germany, the United Kingdom and United States condemned the attack. In a joint statement, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini and European Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn, termed the bombing "a terrible attack". NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg condemned the attack.

On 17 February 2016, in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, at least 30 people died and 60 were injured in a bombing. According to Turkish authorities, the attack targeted a convoy of shuttles carrying both civilian and military personnel working at the military headquarters during the evening rush hour as the vehicles were stopped at traffic lights at an intersection with İsmet İnönü Boulevard close to Kızılay neighborhood. Several ministries, the headquarters of the army and the Turkish Parliament are located in the neighbourhood where the attack occurred. The Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK) took responsibility for the attack and said they targeted security forces. Censorship monitoring organization Turkey Blocks reported nationwide internet restrictions beginning approximately one hour after the blast pursuant to an administrative order.


Life.

On 9 August 1431 was signed the marriage contract between Anne and Amadeus, Prince of Piamonte and titular Prince of Achaea, eldest surviving son and heir of Amadeus VIII, Duke of Savoy (who later became Antipope Felix V); however, the Prince died only twenty days later, on 29 August.  Five months later, on 1 January 1432, was signed a second marriage contract for Anne, this time with Louis of Savoy, Amadeus' younger brother and new heir of the Duchy of Savoy. The wedding took place two years later, on 12 February 1434. in Chambéry. A few months later, on 7 November, Duke Amadeus VIII resigned the government in the hands of his son Louis, although he officially abdicated in his favor only when he was elected as Antipope, in 1440.  Anne's husband, who was more interested in poetry than his duchy, but very much in love with his wife, gradually left her to manage affairs of state. She, due to nostalgia for her own country, organized many receptions on behalf of the most powerful Cypriot lords. To impress the visitors, she decorated the castles, organized festivals, and offered gifts to the guests, the expense of which caused much protest from the peasants and nobles of the county of Vaud.  To relieve some of her debts, Anne organized a match for one of her daughters, which was an advantageous alliance for the house of Savoy. In 1451, at the age of ten years, her daughter Charlotte married the dauphin of France, the future King Louis XI. He later would claim default of the promised dowry, new strongholds, and seized several castles in Bresse and several chief towns of Vaud.  In 1452, Anne bought the Shroud of Turin from Jeanne de Charny in exchange for the castle of Varambon. Years later Pope Paul II authorised Yolande of France to deposit the relic of the Holy Shroud in the vault of the castle of Chambéry from which she raised a tower above the sacristy, as a religious symbol.

Death.

Anne died on 11 November 1462 in Geneva, Switzerland at the age of 44.

Anne of Cyprus (or Anne de Lusignan) (24 September 1418 – 11 November 1462) was a Duchess of Savoy by marriage to Louis, Duke of Savoy. She was the daughter of King Janus of Cyprus and Charlotte of Bourbon; and a member of the Poitiers-Lusignan crusader dynasty.


Organization.

The museum has three sections, all located in the town's central square. It was officially dedicated to Stalin in 1957. With the downfall of the Soviet Union and independence movement of Georgia, the museum was closed in 1989, but has since been reopened, and is a popular tourist attraction.

Stalin's house.

Enshrined within a Greco-Italianate pavilion is a small wooden hut, in which Stalin was born in 1878 and spent his first four years. The small hut has two rooms on the ground floor. Stalin's father Vissarion Jughashvili, a local shoemaker, rented the one room on the left hand side of the building and maintained a workshop in the basement. The landlord lived in the other room. The hut originally formed part of a line of similar dwellings, but the others have been demolished.

Stalin Museum.

The main corpus of the complex is a large palazzo in Stalinist Gothic style, begun in 1951 ostensibly as a museum of the history of socialism, but clearly intended to become a memorial to Stalin, who died in 1953. The exhibits are divided into six halls in roughly chronological order, and contain many items actually or allegedly owned by Stalin, including some of his office furniture, his personal effects and gifts made to him over the years. There is also much illustration by way of documentation, photographs, paintings and newspaper articles. The display concludes with one of twelve copies of the death mask of Stalin taken shortly after his death.  The overall impression is that of a shrine to a secular saint.

Stalin's railway carriage.

To one side of the museum is Stalin's personal railway carriage. The green Pullman carriage, which is armour plated and weighs 83 tons, was used by Stalin from 1941 onwards, including his attendances at the Yalta Conference and the Tehran Conference. It was sent to the museum on being recovered from the railway yards at Rostov-on-Don in 1985.

Planned reorganization.

In the aftermath of the 2008 South Ossetia war, on 24 September 2008, Georgia’s Minister of Culture Nikoloz Vacheishvili announced the Stalin museum would be reorganized into the Museum of Russian Aggression in the nearest future. In recent years a banner was placed at the entrance stating: "This museum is a falsification of history. It is a typical example of Soviet propaganda and it attempts to legitimise the bloodiest regime in history." However, as of 2017 the banner has been removed. On 20 December 2012, the municipal assembly of Gori voted to put an end to plans to change the museum's content.

The Joseph Stalin Museum is a museum in Gori, Georgia dedicated to the life of Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, who was born in Gori. The Museum retains its Soviet-era characteristics.


Life.

Rihard Jakopič was born in Krakovo, a suburb of Ljubljana, the capital of Carniola in the Austria–Hungary, now Slovenia. His father, Franc Jakopič, was a well-situated tradesman with agricultural goods. His mother was Neža, née Dolžan. Rihard was the youngest of eight children.  Jakopič studied at the intermediate secondary school from 1879–1887. After passing an entry exam, he attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, for a short time returned home due to an illness, and then resumed his studies in 1888. In 1889, he entered the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich and in 1890, the Ažbe Art School in Munich. Then he lived in Ljubljana, where he participated in the establishment of the Slovene Art Society, and after 1902 in Škofja Loka. In 1903, he continued his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. Jakopič returned to Ljubljana in 1906. He was one of the early members of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, founded in 1938.  Jakopič died at his home in Ljubljana at 1:45 pm on 21 April 1943 after a long and difficult illness. A wake was held at his residence at New Square () no. 2, and he was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery (now Žale Cemetery) on 23 April 1943 after a ceremony at 3:30 pm at Saint Joseph's Chapel.

Legacy.

Over 1200 paintings and 650 drawings by Jakopič have been preserved.  In Ljubljana, Jakopič established the Slovene School of Impressionist Drawing and Painting, the predecessor of the Academy of Fine Arts at the University of Ljubljana. He was an initiator for the foundation of the National Gallery of Slovenia. In 1908, he built a pavilion in Tivoli Park, based on plans by the architect Max Fabiani. The Jakopič Pavilion became the central venue for art exhibitions in the Slovene Lands at the time. In 1962, due to the relocation of a railway line, it was demolished.

Commemoration.

In 1965 a primary school in Šiška was named after him. Since 1969, the Jakopič Award, the highest Slovenian award in fine arts, is presented annually. In 1970–72, a statue of Jakopič by Bojan Kunaver was erected on the original site of the pavilion. In 1979, a new Jakopič Gallery () opened at Slovene Street () in Ljubljana. After Slovenia declared independence from Yugoslavia, Jakopič was portrayed by Rudi Španzel on the 100 Slovenian tolar banknote, in circulation from October 1991 until the introduction of euro in January 2007.

Rihard Jakopič (12 April 1869 – 21 April 1943) was a Slovene painter. He was the leading Slovene Impressionist painter, patron of arts and theoretician. Together with Matej Sternen, Matija Jama and Ivan Grohar, he is considered the pioneer of Slovene Impressionist painting.


Early life.

Susana Jamaladinova was born in Osh, Kirghiz SSR, to a Crimean Tatar father and an Armenian mother. Her Crimean Tatar ancestors were forcibly resettled from Crimea to the central Asian republic under Joseph Stalin during World War II, although her own relatives fought on the Soviet side. In 1989 her family returned to Crimea. Her maternal ancestors are Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. They were well-to-do peasants until her great-grandfather's land was confiscated and he was exiled to Osh where he changed his Armenian name to make it sound more Russian.  Jamala speaks Russian as her mother tongue, and she is also fluent in Ukrainian and English which she learned as an adolescent. Though she wrote some songs in Crimean Tatar, she is not fluent in the language.  Her parents divorced for about four years so that her mother could purchase a house in Crimea for the family under her maiden name. During this period, Soviet authorities did not allow ethnic Crimean Tatars, like her father, to purchase property in Crimea.

Career.

2010–15: Early work.

Jamala has been fond of music since her early childhood. She made her first professional recording at the age of nine, singing 12 folk and children's Crimean Tatar songs. She entered the Simferopol Music College and later graduated from Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine as an opera singer, but preferred a career in pop music. On 14 February 2010, she released her first single "You Are Made of Love" from her debut studio album "For Every Heart". She released "It's Me, Jamala" as the second single on 18 October 2010. On 23 November 2010, she released "Smile" as the third single from the album. Early in 2011, she participated on the national selection show in an attempt to represent at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Smile". The song was a crowd favorite and Jamala herself managed to land a spot in the finals of the competition. However, she later decided to withdraw from the competition. On 12 April 2011, she released her debut studio album "For Every Heart" through Moon Records Ukraine. On 8 November 2012, she released "Ya Lyublyu Tebya" (, ) as the lead single from her second studio album "All or Nothing".  She released "Hurt" as the second single, and "Kaktus" (, ) was released on 6 March 2013, as the third and final single from the album. She released "All or Nothing" on 19 March 2013, through Moon Records Ukraine. On 25 September 2014, she released "Zaplutalas" (, ) as the lead single from her debut EP "Thank You". The EP was released on 1 October 2014, through Enjoy Records. On 26 March 2015, "Ochyma" was released as the lead single from her third studio album. "Shlyakh dodomu" (, ) was released as the second single on 18 May 2015. On 15 June 2015, "Podykh" (, ) was released as the third single. She released her album "Podykh" on 12 October 2015, through Enjoy Records.

2016: Breakthrough.

Jamala successfully represented in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with the song "1944". The song is about the deportation of the Crimean Tatars in 1944 and particularly about her great-grandmother, who lost her daughter while being deported to Central Asia. Jamala wrote the song's lyrics in 2014. In the second semi-final of the contest, Jamala performed 14th and was one of ten participants who qualified for the grand final. It was announced later that she placed second, scoring 287 points, and won the televoting with 152 points On 14 May 2016, Jamala won the competition with 534 points. Jamala's song was considered by Russian media and lawmakers to be critical of the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the "ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine" in Donbass. For this reason it has been announced that no other flags than the official country-participant are allowed in the arena for the Eurovision Song Contest. This included a ban for flags like Crimean Tatars' flags to be in audience, and only the Ukrainian flags was allowed for her Crimean Tatars' supporters.  After her win in the Eurovision Song Contest, she was awarded the title People's Artist of Ukraine by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.  After winning Eurovision 2016, she has gone on to publish many songs, including "I Believe in U", which she performed at Eurovision 2017 as an interval act, along with "Zamanyly".  On 17 May 2016, Poroshenko announced that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry would be nominating Jamala as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.  On 12 October 2018, Jamala released her fifth studio album, "Kryla". The title track was released as the first single on 21 March 2018. She had previously performed the track as the interval act for the 2018 Ukrainian National Selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, Vidbir.

Personal life.

On 26 April 2017, Jamala married Bekir Suleimanov. Their relationship became known in September 2016, when she appeared with him at the Manhattan Short Film Festival. The couple married in the Islamic Cultural Center of Kyiv using the traditional wedding ceremony Nikah. Suleimanov had recently graduated from the Physics and Mathematics Department of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and is an activist of the Muslim Crimean Tatar community.  In November 2017, Jamala announced that she and Suleimanov were expecting their first child together. On 27 March 2018 their son Emir-Rahman Seit-Bekir ogly Suleimanov was born.

Susana Alimivna Jamaladinova (born 27 August 1983), better known by her stage name Jamala, is a Ukrainian singer, actress and songwriter. She represented and won the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm, Sweden with her song "1944".