title: B. Jeyamohan

text: Jeyamohan had been an active participant in Tamil internet discussion groups like Mayyam, Forumhub and Thinnai.com during the early years of the medium in India. As part of the debates, Jeyamohan produced some of his best essays on literary standards and criticism during this period. Recognizing the possibility of losing some of these important works, Jeyamohan's friend and writer Cyril Alex created the author's website for consolidating the author's works. Over the decade, the website has become an important repository of the author's essays running into thousands.


title: B. Jeyamohan

text: Jeyamohan gravitated towards Gandhian philosophy and political principles through debates with many intellectuals of the era. His considerable writing resulted in the corpus of essays published in 2009 as Indraya Gandhi, a collection that examined the continuing relevance of Gandhi's methods and ideals in modern India. Indraya Gandhi explored new dimensions on Gandhi's life including his relationship with Nehru, Ambedkar and Dalit politics and the topic of Lust. Jeyamohan has continued to highlight many Gandhians who represent the philosophy.


title: B. Jeyamohan

text: As a part of the series, he sought to explain how the next generation of Gandhian leaders like Anna Hazare were continuing to inspire the nation towards achieving true democracy and equality. Jeyamohan had been one of the first Indian ideologues to write about Anna Hazare many years before Anna Hazare's popular anti-graft movement. Jeyamohan had personally visited Ralegaon Siddhi to see Hazare's social movements in action, and he also wrote about Hazare's tireless struggle to get the Right to Information Act passed in the Indian parliament.


title: B. Jeyamohan

text: Throughout 2011, Jeyamohan continued to write about and support Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement and the Jan Lokpal bill. Rather than focus on the minutiae of the bill itself, Jeyamohan focused readers' attention on the ideology behind Hazare's actions – how he appealed directly to the sense of justice in the common man, his symbolism, and the Gandhian method of achieving the ultimate goal through civil non-violent mass movement without letting up any opportunity to discuss and negotiate with political opponents. Amidst widespread scepticism and slander flamed up by the national and regional media across the political spectrum, Jeyamohan remained rock solid in support of Anna Hazare's movement. By the end of the summer of 2011, Jeyamohan had written close to 60 essays on the topic, many of them in answer to readers who had written in expressing their own doubts and questions. In 2016, on the occasion of state elections in Tamil Nadu, Jeyamohan wrote a series of essays on Democracy in the newspaper Dinamalar which was published as a book.


title: B. Jeyamohan

text: Jeyamohan's works like 'Kaadu' and 'Mathagam' feature elephants in central roles, while his biographical and travel essays capture the centrality of nature, ecology and conservation to the Indian way of life. One such true-life story on the conservationist Dr.V. Krishnamurthy (veterinarian) ('Dr K, the Elephant Doctor') sparked huge interest and discussion among readers on the impact of humans on forest life. Told in semi-fictional form as through the eyes of a forest ranger, the story follows Dr K as, despite having a giant reputation in the naturalist circles, he eschews human accolades and seeks a much more rewarding life in the company of animals in the Indian Forest Department's elephant camps. 'The Elephant Doctor' has been included in the Tamil textbook published by the Department of School Education, Tamil Nadu as part of the revised syllabus for the year 2018.


title: B. Jeyamohan

text: In early 2008, Jeyamohan reportedly made crude remarks on Tamil movie icons M G Ramachandran and Sivaji Ganesan which was published by popular print weekly, "Ananda Vikatan". The South Indian Cine Artistes' Association passed a resolution demanding that both the publication and the writer apologize for publishing the derogatory article. Later, Ananda Vikatan apologized for posting the article. All segments of society strongly opposed these statements. Fans and followers of MGR fasted on March 1, 2008, in defiance of the remarks made. The Nadigar Sangam has also published a statement saying that the author should be reprimanded.


title: B. Jeyamohan

text: Jeyamohan claimed in 2014 that many female writers received credit not for their literary talent but rather due to their gender as women. He was criticized for his statements. Women authors and campaigners stated his views reflected his "misogynist" attitude toward women.


title: B. Jeyamohan

text: Jeyamohan was assaulted by a shop keeper in 2019 in Kanyakumari district for a dispute over spoilt idli batter. According to The Hindu, the police reported that a female store staff refused to take the batter back from Jeyamohan after Jeyamohan claimed it to be spoilt. Following this, Jeyamohan allegedly threw the batter packets at the shop. The escalation led the grocer, a DMK functionary, allegedly assaulting the writer. The grocer was arrested. Jeyamohan stated that the case was delayed due to political pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), not the DMK, because the grocers's brother was a BJP functionary.


title: B. Jeyamohan

text: Jeyamohan has collaborated with filmmakers in Tamil and Malayalam and shares credits for story, screenplay and dialogues.


title: Scholarship

text: A scholarship is a form of financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, and financial need.


title: Scholarship

text: Scholarship criteria usually reflect the values and goals of the donor of the award, and while scholarship recipients are not required to repay scholarships, the awards may require that the recipient continue to meet certain requirements during their period of support, such maintaining a minimum grade point average or engaging in a certain activity (e.g., playing on a school sports team for athletic scholarship holders).


title: Scholarship

text: Scholarships also range in generosity; some range from covering partial tuition ranging all the way to a 'full-ride', covering all tuition, accommodation, housing and others.


title: Scholarship

text: Some prestigious, highly competitive scholarships are well-known even outside the academic community, such as Fulbright Scholarship and the Rhodes Scholarships at the graduate level, and the Robertson, Morehead-Cain and Jefferson Scholarships at the undergraduate level.


title: Scholarship

text: While the terms "scholarship" and "grant" are frequently used interchangeably, they are distinctly different. Where grants are offered based exclusively on financial need, scholarships may have a financial need component but rely on other criteria as well.


title: Scholarship

text: A federal Pell Grant can be awarded to someone planning to receive their undergraduate degree and is solely based on their financial needs.


title: Child sex tourism

text: Child sex tourism (CST) is tourism for the purpose of engaging in the prostitution of children, which is commercially facilitated child sexual abuse. The definition of "child" in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is "every human being below the age of 18 years". Child sex tourism results in both mental and physical consequences for the exploited children, which may include sexually transmitted infections (including HIV/AIDS), "drug addiction, pregnancy, malnutrition, social ostracism, and death", according to the State Department of the United States. Child sex tourism, part of the multibillion-dollar global sex tourism industry, is a form of child prostitution within the wider issue of commercial sexual exploitation of children. Child sex tourism victimizes approximately 2 million children around the world. The children who perform as prostitutes in the child sex tourism trade often have been lured or abducted into sexual slavery.


title: Child sex tourism

text: Users of children for commercial and sexual purposes can be categorized by motive. Although pedophiles are popularly associated with child sex tourism, they are not the majority of users. There are two types of offenders: preferential abusers who specifically prefer children, because they seek to build a relationship with a child or because they perceive the risk of sexually transmitted infections to be lower; and situational users, which are abusers who do not actively seek out children but for whom the actual act is opportunistic. For situational users, there may be a lack of concern to check the age of a prostitute before engaging in sexual activity.


title: Child sex tourism

text: Travelling child sex offenders can use the Internet to plan their trips by seeking out and trading information about opportunities for child sex tourism and where the most vulnerable children can be found, generally in areas of low income. Multiple governments have enacted laws to allow prosecution of its citizens for child sexual abuse committed outside of their home country. However, while laws against child sex tourism may deter situational offenders who may act impulsively, pedophiles who travel specifically for the purpose of exploiting children are not easily deterred.


title: Child sex tourism

text: Child sex tourism has been closely linked to poverty, armed conflicts, rapid industrialization, and exploding population growth. In Latin America and Southeast Asia, for instance, street children often turn to prostitution as a last resort. Additionally, vulnerable children are easy targets for exploitation by traffickers. South Africa, United States, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Brazil, and Mexico have been identified as leading hotspots of child sexual exploitation. Also, child victim ages have been found in Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand to range from 6 to 11 years old, followed by 12 to 15 years old, and 15 to 17. Child sex tourism has also been complicated by varying ages of consent laws where, for example, the age of consent is 13 in Japan while it is 21 in Bahrain (see ages of consent in Asia).


title: Child sex tourism

text: In 2012, the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography reported: "Countries of origin of international child sex tourists vary depending on the regions, but the demand is usually recognized as coming from the industrialized countries, including the richer countries of Europe, North America, the Russian Federation, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Australians, for instance, have been identified as the largest group of sex tourists prosecuted in Thailand (31 percent of the total). Of the 146 cases investigated by Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE) in Cambodia between 2003 and April 2012, 32 were American, 24 French and 20 Vietnamese. In the coastal regions of Kenya, for example, 30 percent were residents and 70 percent of the abusers were foreign: Italians (18 percent), Germans (14 percent), Swiss (12 percent), with tourists coming from Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania fifth and sixth on the list. In Costa Rica, according to available information, between the 1999 and 2005, the Child Exploitation Unit had arrested a total of 74 persons on suspicion of commercial sexual exploitation of children. Of those arrested, 56 were Costa Rican nationals and 18 foreign nationals".


title: Child sex tourism

text: In Thailand, the exact number of child-prostitutes is not known, but Thailand's Health System Research Institute reports that children in prostitution make up 40% of prostitutes in Thailand. In Cambodia, it has been estimated that about a third of all prostitutes are under 18. In India, the federal police say that around 1.2 million children are believed to be involved in prostitution. Up until recently, Brazil has been considered to have the worst child sex trafficking record after Thailand. As per Chris Rogers report on BBC World "Now Brazil is overtaking Thailand as the world's most popular sex-tourist destination". DLN reports that "Brazil at the moment is on a high trend of child sex tourism and is all geared to take up the first spot beating out Thailand."


title: Child sex tourism

text: Sex tourism targeting children creates huge monetary incentives for traffickers. Human trafficking impacts an estimated 1.2 million child victims. The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) recently stated that 79% of all global trafficking is for sexual exploitation, which is one of the fastest growing criminal activities in the world.


title: Child sex tourism

text: UNICEF notes that sexual activity is often seen as a private matter, making communities reluctant to act and intervene in cases of sexual exploitation. These attitudes make children far more vulnerable to sexual exploitation. Most exploitation of children takes place as a result of their absorption into the adult sex trade where they are exploited by local people and sex tourists. The Internet provides an efficient global networking tool for individuals to share information on destinations and procurement.


title: Child sex tourism

text: In cases involving children, the U.S. has relatively strict domestic laws that hold accountable any American citizen or permanent resident of the U.S. who travels abroad for the purpose of engaging in illicit conduct with a minor. However, child pornography, sex tourism and human trafficking remain fast-growing industries. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J. recently introduced H.R. 1623, the international Megan's Law. Similar to the domestic Megan's Law (named after Megan Kanka of New Jersey), which provides for community notification when a sex offender is living in the area, H.R. 1623 would alert officials abroad when U.S. sex offenders intend to travel, and likewise encourage other countries to keep sex offender lists and to notify the U.S. when a known sex offender may be coming to the United States for sex tourism. While there are serious problems with the sex offender registries in the United States, human rights organizations such as ECPAT and UNICEF believe this would be a step in the right direction.


title: Child sex tourism

text: One of the factors pushing Brazil to the top of this list of destination countries is the extensive use of the Sport Fishing industry in the Brazilian Amazon as a front. The 2008 U.S. State Department Report states "At midyear Federal Police in Manaus began investigating allegations that a foreign-owned travel company arranged fishing expeditions to the Amazon region that were in reality sex tours for U.S. and European child predators. At year's end the investigation was continuing in coordination with foreign law enforcement officials." Another US State Department report states (page 85) "In a newer trend, some arranged fishing expeditions to the Amazon were organized for the purpose of child sex tourism for European and American exploiters." Recent Reports on Fox Atlanta and ABC World News Tonight have helped shine the light on this. ECPAT-USA has recently posted a Brazilian National News story with English subtitles.


title: Child sex tourism

text: According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation estimate, there are 750,000 predators online at any given time in 40,000 public chat rooms. Offers from 20,000 internet users to pay for webcam sex performances were found in a 10-week investigation conducted from a warehouse in Amsterdam, in the "Terre des hommes" Dutch action against WCST, using "Sweetie", a 3D computer model. Out of 21,000 perpetrators, 1,000 were identified from Australia, Canada, Germany, Ghana, India, Italy, Mauritius, the Netherlands, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and United States. 110 of the alleged online abusers were based in the UK and another 254 were traced to computers in the US. Together with Avaaz.org, "Terre des Hommes" Netherlands has created an online petition to pressure governments to adopt proactive investigation policies in order to protect children against webcam child sex tourism.


title: Child sex tourism

text: In recent years there has been an increase in the prosecution of child sex tourism offenses. At least 38 countries have extraterritorial laws that allow their citizens to be prosecuted specifically for child sexual abuse crimes committed while abroad, and another 31 nations have more general extraterritorial laws that could be used to prosecute their citizens for crimes committed during child sex tourism trips. As of May 2016, 173 countries have signed and ratified the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography which is "Deeply concerned at the widespread and continuing practice of sex tourism, to which children are especially vulnerable". It also obliges parties to pass laws within their own territories against these practices "punishable by appropriate penalties that take into account their grave nature". In response to CST, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the tourism industry, and governments have begun to address the issue. The World Tourism Organization (WTO) established a task force to combat CST. The WTO, ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) and Nordic tour operators created a global Code of Conduct for the Sexual Exploitation of Children in Travel and Tourism in Travel and Tourism in 1996. As of April 2013, over 1200 travel companies from 40 countries had signed the code.


title: Child sex tourism

text: The United States' Homeland Security Investigations participates in investigating and capturing child sex tourists. In 2003 ICE launched "Operation Predator", leading to the arrest of over 11,000 child sexual abusers, including more than 1,100 outside the United States. While ICE agents refuse to comment on their means and methods of operation, media reports have suggested the use of undercover agents, internet sting operations, and sophisticated technologies. ICE agents in Bangkok did say however that they often receive information from local NGOs about foreigners in Thailand whom they suspect of engaging in child sexual abuse. Sometimes U.S. based law enforcement, such as local sheriffs' departments and parole officers, inform them of known sex offenders who are traveling to the region. In both cases, local ICE agents work with their Royal Thai Police counterparts to monitor the suspects’ movements while in Thailand. The UK police and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) are actively involved in monitoring child sex tourists and do prosecute.


title: Child sex tourism

text: A growing number of countries have specific extraterritorial legislation that prosecutes their citizens in their homeland should they engage in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign country with children. In 2008, ECPAT reported that 44 countries had extraterritorial child sex legislation. The following list includes specific citations:


title: Child sex tourism

text: Australia was one of the first countries to introduce laws that provide for jail terms for its citizens and residents who engage in sexual activity with children in foreign countries. The laws are contained in the Crimes (Child Sex Tourism) Amendment Act 1994 that came into force on 5 July 1994. The law also makes it an offence to encourage, benefit or profit from any activity that promotes sexual activity with children.


title: Child sex tourism

text: It is a crime for Australian citizens, permanent residents or bodies corporate to engage in, facilitate or benefit from sexual activity with children (under 16 years of age) while overseas. These offences carry penalties of up to 25 years imprisonment for individuals and up to $500,000 in fines for companies


title: Child sex tourism

text: Canada has included in its Criminal Code provisions that allow for the arrest and prosecution of Canadians in Canada for offences committed in foreign countries related to child sex tourism, such as child prostitution, as well as for child sexual exploitation offences, such as indecent acts, child pornography and incest (Bills C-27 and C-15A that came into force on May 26, 1997, and July 23, 2002, respectively). Convictions carry a penalty of up to 14 years imprisonment.


title: Child sex tourism

text: In Hong Kong, the Prevention of Child Pornography Ordinance (Cap. 579) of December 2003 introduced offences in regard to child sex tourism, giving extraterritorial effect to 24 sexual offences listed in a new Schedule 2 to the Crime Ordinance (Cap. 200). This makes illegal an act committed against a child outside Hong Kong if the defendant or the child has connections with Hong Kong. It is also an offence to make any arrangement relating to the commission of such acts against children and to advertise any such arrangement.


title: Child sex tourism

text: Israeli Penal Code, Chapter 1, Section 15 states that Israeli penal law shall apply to foreign offenses, felony or misdemeanor which were committed by an Israeli citizen or resident of Israel, without exception, in cases relating to Chapter VIII, Article X (Prostitution and Obscenity) regarding minors.


title: Child sex tourism

text: Section 203B under Article X are penal laws to the exploitation of minors for prostitution by way of pimping and trafficking.


title: Child sex tourism

text: Section 203C under the same article is a penal law specific to the client: "A person served by an act of prostitution of a minor, shall be liable to three years imprisonment."


title: Child sex tourism

text: As of February 2016, section 203C is in the process of amendment to an increase of imprisonment from three to five years.


title: Child sex tourism

text: The 1999 "Law for Punishing Acts Related to Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, and for Protection of Children" stipulates "that a person who is involved in child prostitution, who sells child pornographic products or who transports foreign children to another country for the purpose of forcing them into prostitution shall be punished with imprisonment with labor or a fine. Japanese nationals who commit such crimes abroad shall be punished with the same penalty".


title: Child sex tourism

text: Under "The Crimes Amendment Act 2005" "...it is an offence: For New Zealand citizens and residents to engage in sexual conduct or activities with a child in another country".


title: Child sex tourism

text: Criminal Code of Russia, Article 12 states "The Operation of Criminal Law in Respect of Persons Who Have Committed Offences Outside the Boundaries of the Russian Federation[:] 1. Citizens of the Russian Federation and stateless persons permanently residing in the Russian Federation who have committed outside the Russian Federation a crime against the interests guarded by the present Code shall be subject to criminal liability in accordance with the present Code, unless a decision of a foreign state's court exists concerning this crime in respect of these persons".


title: Child sex tourism

text: "Federal Act No. 380-FZ of 28 December 2013" amended the Criminal Code by also adding laws regarding the receiving of sexual services from a minor. Under the amended article 240.1 of the Criminal Code, "The receipt of sexual services from a minor aged from 16 to 18 by a person who has reached the age of 18 is punishable by up to 240 hours of compulsory work, or restriction of freedom for up to 2 years, or forced labour for up to 4 years, or deprivation of liberty for the same period. In this article, sexual services are understood to mean sexual intercourse, sodomy, lesbianism or other acts of a sexual nature, a condition of the performance of which is monetary or any other remuneration of a minor or third party or the promise of remuneration of a minor or third party".


title: Child sex tourism

text: Article 240.3 (amended by "Federal Act No. 14-FZ of February 29, 2012") states "The deeds provided for by Parts One and Two of this Article which are committed with the involvement in prostitution of persons who are to be under 14 years old - Shall be punishable by deprivation of liberty for a term of three to 10 years with or without deprivation of the right to hold definite offices or to engage in definite activities for a term of up to fifteen years and with restriction of liberty for a term of from one year to two years or without such".


title: Child sex tourism

text: Singapore Penal Code, Section 376C (Commercial sex with minor under 18 outside Singapore) states: "(1) Any person, being a citizen or a permanent resident of Singapore, who does, outside Singapore, any act that would, if done in Singapore, constitute an offence under section 376B, shall be guilty of an offence".


title: Child sex tourism

text: Swiss Federal Office of Police state "Swiss federal authorities have stepped up their efforts in fighting child sex tourism in recent years. A special fedpol unit dealing with child pornography and pedocriminality offences co-operates closely with numerous partner services both at home and abroad. Since June 2008, an online form has been available to the general public to report cases of child sex tourism to the appropriate judicial authorities".


title: Child sex tourism

text: Swiss Criminal Code Article 5 3. (Territorial scope of application / Offences against minors abroad) states: "1 This Code also applies to any person who is in Switzerland, is not being extradited and has committed any of the following offences abroad: abis.3 sexual acts with dependent persons (Art. 188) and sexual acts with minors against payment (Art. 196); b. sexual acts with children (Art. 187) if the victim was less than 14 years of age;".


title: Child sex tourism

text: Article 296 3. (Exploitation of sexual acts / Sexual acts with minors against payment) Amended 27 September 2013, states: "Any person who carries out sexual acts with a minor or induces a minor to carry out such acts and who makes or promises payment in return is liable to a custodial sentence not exceeding three years or to a monetary penalty".


title: Child sex tourism

text: Article 187 1. (Endangering the development of minors / Sexual acts with children) states: "1. Any person who engages in a sexual act with a child under 16 years of age, or, incites a child to commit such an activity, or involves a child in a sexual act, is liable to a custodial sentence not exceeding five years or to a monetary penalty. 2. The act is not an offence if the difference in age between the persons involved is not more than three years."


title: Child sex tourism

text: Under "The Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse", Article 33 (Punishment of Korean Citizens who Commit Offenses Overseas) states: "Where criminally prosecuting a Korean citizen who commits a sex offense against a child or juvenile outside the territory of the Republic of Korea, pursuant to Article 3 of the Criminal Act, the State shall endeavor to obtain criminal information swiftly from the relevant foreign country and punish such offender". According to a 2012 ECPAT report "progress is needed with regard to the enforcement of extraterritorial jurisdiction concerning nationals who have sex with children abroad... depending on which South Korean law is being applied, the definition of "child" varies...These varying definitions create uncertainty as to how the various laws will be applied and invite a lack of cooperation or lack of uniformity in enforcement by multiple agencies"


title: Child sex tourism

text: The Sexual Offences Act 2003 enables British citizens and residents who commit sexual offences against children overseas to be prosecuted in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Similar provisions are in force in Scotland under the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995. Some of the offences carry penalties of up to life imprisonment and anyone found guilty will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register. As of 2013, two British citizens are in jail following trials based on this legislation: Barry McCloud and David Graham.


title: Child sex tourism

text: Under the PROTECT Act of April 2003, it is a federal crime, prosecutable in the United States, for a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien, to engage in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign country with a person under the age of 18, whether or not the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident alien intended to engage in such illicit sexual conduct prior to going abroad. For purposes of the PROTECT Act, illicit sexual conduct includes any commercial sex act in a foreign country with a person under the age of 18. The law defines a commercial sex act as any sex act, on account of which anything of value is given to or received by a person under the age of 18. Before congressional passage of the Protect Act of 2003, prosecutors had to prove that sex tourists went abroad with the intent of molesting children—something almost impossible to demonstrate. The Protect Act shifted the burden, making predators liable for the act itself. Penalties were doubled from up to 15 years in prison to up to 30 years in prison.


title: Child sex tourism

text: Under the 2011 "Directive on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography", Article 17 (Jurisdiction and coordination of prosecution) "1.Member States shall take the necessary measures to establish their jurisdiction over the offences referred to in Articles 3 to 7 where: (a) the offence is committed in whole or in part within their territory; or (b) the offender is one of their nationals. Meaning EU member states should prosecute their citizens for child sex offences committed abroad. By 2015, most member states have transposed this article.


title: Verónica Falcón

text: Verónica Falcón (born August 8, 1966), credited as Veronica Falcon and occasionally Veronica Falcón, is a Mexican actress and choreographer. When it comes to her English-speaking roles, she is best known for playing Camila Vargas in three seasons of "Queen of the South" and Lupe Gibbs in the 2020 HBO reboot of "Perry Mason". In 2022, Falcón played Camila Elizondo (sister of cartel boss Omar Navarro), for Season 4 of "Ozark".


title: Verónica Falcón

text: Falcón was born August 8, 1966, in Mexico City, Mexico. Ignoring stigma perpetuated by her family, Falcón went into the entertainment industry, finding success over three decades working as an actress and choreographer in Mexico's National Opera Company, on Mexican television, and in Mexican film. In 2014, Falcón was nominated by PECIME — the Asociación de Periodistas Cinematográficos de México — for the Diosas de Plata award for best supporting film actress for her role as La Diabla in the 2013 film "Besos de Azúcar".


title: Verónica Falcón

text: In 2016, at the age of 50, she made the decision to risk forgoing an established career in Mexico to further her career in the U.S., strongly believing such opportunities should be taken. She is purported to be the first Mexico-born actress to secure a second lead role in a U.S. TV drama, thanks to her role as Camila Vargas in 39 episodes of "Queen of the South". In 2019, Falcón was awarded the Outstanding Performance in a Television Series Impact Award for her portrayal of Camila Vargas in "Queen of the South" at the 22nd annual National Hispanic Media Coalition Impact Awards Gala.


title: Verónica Falcón

text: In 2019, Falcón took the recurring role of Clara in eight episodes of the Steven Conrad neo-noir thriller television series "Perpetual Grace, LTD" alongside Sir Ben Kingsley and Luis Guzmán. In 2020, she starred as Marianne Sancar in the film "Voyagers" alongside Colin Farrell and Lily-Rose Depp. She also began starring in the HBO reboot of "Perry Mason", where she's the love interest of private investigator Perry Mason, played by Matthew Rhys. Falcón also appeared in the 2021 Disney film "Jungle Cruise" with Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.


title: Verónica Falcón

text: In 2021, Falcón joined the cast of "Ozark" as Camila Elizondo, sister of cartel boss Omar Navarro (played by Felix Solis) for 9 episodes of Season 4 alongside Jason Bateman and Laura Linney.


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: Claudio Paul Caniggia (; born 9 January 1967) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as forward or winger. Caniggia played 50 times for the Argentina national team. He appeared in three World Cups, and was a member of both rival clubs River Plate and Boca Juniors.


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: At the 1990 FIFA World Cup, Caniggia scored two goals to help Argentina reach the final but was suspended for the final against West Germany.


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: As well as appearing for River Plate and Boca Juniors, his other clubs include Atalanta, Benfica, Dundee and Rangers. Throughout his playing career, he played for clubs in Argentina, Italy, Portugal, Scotland, Qatar and England.


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: At club level, Caniggia played for River Plate (1985–88), Hellas Verona (1988–89), Atalanta (1989–92 and 1999–2000), Roma (1992–93), S.L. Benfica (1994–95), Boca Juniors (1995–98), Dundee (2000–01) and Rangers (2001–03). He has become a club legend and cult-hero at many of the clubs he has played at, for instance when scoring against Dunfermline in 2003 to help Rangers win the title.


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: In 1988, Caniggia moved to Serie A club Hellas Verona after accumulating 53 appearances and 8 goals for River Plate. He then moved to Atalanta in 1989, where he would remain for three years and score 26 goals in 85 league games. With Atalanta, he competed twice in the UEFA Cup, helping the club reach the quarter-finals in the 1990–91 edition. Despite not winning any silverware, Caniggia later described his experience with Atalanta as "the best years in his career".


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: Caniggia moved to Roma in 1992, a move both parties believed would help the club aim for the "Scudetto", though Roma lost its momentum mid-season with only 15 points from 17 games. After a 1–1 draw against Napoli on 21 March 1993, following a surprise doping test, Caniggia was handed a 13-month ban for taking cocaine; he has a history of enjoying the high life. After his ban expired, he joined Benfica on a year-long loan financed by the Parmalat dairy company. During his Benfica run, Valencia contacted him. He played with the white kit during a friendly match where Valencia faced Brazil in Mestalla. He played as a guest player in a team where Tenerife player Diego Latorre was also included in the squad. Valencia had to pay 80 million pesetas for the inclusion of both players for that friendly, receiving only 66 million in ticket sales.


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: Argentine media mogul Eduardo Eurnekian then acquired the rights to Caniggia from Roma and Diego Maradona from Racing Club de Avellaneda, loaning them to Boca Juniors in exchange for matches played on his television stations. At the completion of his one-year contract, Caniggia's outspoken wife refused to return to Argentina and he was heavily linked with clubs in England. In September 1996 his mother committed suicide by jumping from the fifth floor of her building and Caniggia did not play in the 1996–97 season. He returned to play for Boca in 1997–98 but his appearances were sporadic as he missed out on the 1998 World Cup squad. After another season of inactivity he re-joined Atalanta in Serie B, helping the club achieve promotion to Serie A, but left after one season following a dispute with coach Giovanni Vavassori. He then signed for Scottish club Dundee, managed by Ivano Bonnetti whom he knew well from their time together in Italy. Quickly becoming Dundee's star player, he was then transferred to Rangers, becoming a fans favourite at Ibrox, after scoring against arch rivals Celtic in a cup final.


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: In June 2012, he was one of several former professional footballers who agreed to join Wembley to play in their FA Cup campaign for the new season. Caniggia and fellow former-internationals Ray Parlour, Martin Keown, Graeme Le Saux, Jaime Moreno, Danny Dichio and Brian McBride, plus David Seaman (goalkeeping coach) and former England manager Terry Venables (technical advisor), came out of retirement to play for Wembley who were featured in a television documentary as they endeavoured to help the club play at Wembley Stadium. On 12 August 2012, he appeared in a preliminary round of the FA Cup. Aged 45, he scored the first goal in a 3–2 win against Langford.


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: Caniggia was a key player in both the 1990 and 1994 World Cups, but was not picked under the strict regime of coach Daniel Passarella for France '98.


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: Caniggia was capped 50 times for Argentina, scoring 16 goals. He played at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups, scoring four goals in eight matches. In Argentina, Caniggia was renowned for excelling for the national team despite not having a high-profile club career nor ever playing for big European teams. Contrary to popular belief and largely due to loose interpretation, Caniggia was not a pure striker, but rather a playmaker or creative forward.


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: Caniggia was great friends with Argentine legend and former international teammate Diego Maradona; the duo once celebrated a goal with a kiss on the lips. Claudio's wife at that time, model Mariana Nannis, said: "At times I believe Diego is in love with my husband. It must be the long hair and big muscles."


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: At the 1990 World Cup, Caniggia scored two key goals to help Argentina reach the final. He came off the bench in the inaugural match against Cameroon in Milan, memorably being fouled three times in a single dribble as he carried the ball forward, the last, by Benjamin Massing earning the Cameroonian a straight red card (Massing kicked Caniggia so hard his own shoe came off). In the subsequent matches, Caniggia was in the starting lineup. In the second round, Argentina faced Brazil in Turin, and with the score 0–0 after 80 minutes, a pass by Diego Maradona left Caniggia one on one against Brazilian goalkeeper Taffarel; Caniggia dribbled past him and scored on the empty goal, giving Argentina the victory and eliminating Brazil from the tournament in what was seen as a huge upset. The goal gave him legendary status among the Argentine fans for knocking out their chief rivals.


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: Argentina then beat Yugoslavia in Florence on penalty kicks, advancing to the semi-finals, where they played against Italy in Naples. The Italians had not conceded any goals in five matches, and were up 1–0 at half-time. In the second half, Caniggia headed a cross into the net of goalkeeper Walter Zenga, ending his record streak at 517 minutes without conceding a goal, and sending the match into extra time. After no change in the score, penalty kicks were taken, and Argentina won again through this method, advancing to the final. Caniggia had been cautioned in the team's second first round match against the Soviet Union, and then received another yellow card against Italy for deliberately handling the ball, which earned him a suspension. He had to watch the final between his team and West Germany from the stands in Rome, which Argentina lost 1–0.


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: Throughout the 1991 Copa América, Caniggia asserted his dominance and was arguably the most dynamic player; he scored two goals and made four assists in the tournament as Argentina won the title. He also helped Argentina win the 1992 Confederations Cup, in which he scored a goal in the final itself. In February 1993, he scored the goal of the 1–1 tie between Argentina and Denmark in the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions, held in Mar del Plata. Argentina finally won by penalties and was declared intercontinental champion.


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: Caniggia scored two goals in the 1994 World Cup, both of them in the first round match against Nigeria, the first from a Gabriel Batistuta free kick rebound and second one from a free kick by Diego Maradona, which he finished, putting the ball in top right hand corner. He was taken out of Argentina's third game against Bulgaria 26 minutes into the match in the boiling heat of Dallas, an Argentine team who were also without Maradona. He was left out of the Argentine squad for the team's Round of 16 match against Romania in Los Angeles; Argentina lost 3–2 and were out of the tournament.


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: After refusing to cut his long hair despite the rules of national coach Daniel Passarella, he was frozen out of the national team for a number of years. He made a brief comeback to the Marcelo Bielsa-coached squad for the 2002 World Cup, but did not play. He received a red card for cursing at the referee from the bench in Argentina's last match against Sweden, becoming the first player to be sent off from the bench in a World Cup.


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: A quick and physically strong striker, with good technique and dribbling skills, Caniggia was known in particular for his exceptional speed as a player; he competed in athletics before his football career, taking part in athletic tournaments at the provincial level, running the 100 meters. In addition to his ability to score goals consistently, he was also equally capable of playing off other forwards, and of creating chances for teammates; as such, he was often deployed in deeper roles as an advanced playmaker or creative forward, or even more frequently out wide as a winger. Due to his explosive running, which enabled him to get past opponents consistently, throughout his career, he was nicknamed "El Hijo del Viento" ("Son of the Wind") and "El Pájaro" ("The Bird"). Despite his reputation as one of Argentina's greatest players ever, he was also known to be a controversial player. In addition to his playing ability and goalscoring, Caniggia stood out for his recogniseable long blonde hair.


title: Claudio Caniggia

text: Caniggia was married to Mariana Nannis. They had three children: son Kevin Axel, son Alexander Dimitri, and daughter Charlotte Chantal. In September 2019, Caniggia asked his wife for a divorce and started dating Sofia Bonelli, a 26-year-old Argentine model. In November 2019 he and Bonelli got married in Tulum, Mexico.


The 2018 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, concurrently with the election of Pennsylvania's Class I U.S. Senate seat, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various local elections. Incumbent Democratic Governor Tom Wolf won re-election to a second term by a double-digit margin, defeating Republican challenger Scott Wagner and two third-party candidates from the Green Party, Paul Glover and Libertarian Party, Ken Krawchuk. The primary elections were held on May 15. This was the first time since Bob Casey Jr.'s landslide State Treasurer win in 2004 that Cumberland County voted for the Democrat in a statewide election.


title: Singham Returns

text: Singham Returns is a 2014 Indian Hindi-language action film directed by Rohit Shetty as the second installment of his Cop Universe. Produced jointly by Reliance Entertainment, Rohit Shetty Picturez and Ajay Devgn FFilms, it is inspired by the Malayalam film "Ekalavyan" (1993) and serves as a sequel to "Singham" (2011). Ajay Devgn reprises his role as DCP Bajirao Singham, while Kareena Kapoor portrays the female lead replacing Kajal Aggarwal. It is written by Yunus Sajawal and Sajid-Farhad.


title: Singham Returns

text: Released worldwide on Indian Independence Day 2014, "Singham Returns" broke various opening day records and was a widespread success with domestic collection of 1.4 billion and worldwide earnings of more than 2.19 billion. Devgn reprised his role through a cameo appearance in the next films of Shetty's Cop Universe: Ranveer Singh's "Simmba" (2018) and Akshay Kumar's "Sooryavanshi" (2021).


title: Singham Returns

text: Bajirao Singham, who is now a DCP, gets transferred to Mumbai and discovers that one of his team members, Mahesh Jadhav, is found dead inside an ambulance with massive bags of money. Singham decides to unearth the truth behind it and in this process, he collides with a powerful and fraudulent religious leader, Satyaraj "Babaji" Chander, who has high-profile connections with corrupt politicians, including the ruling party's secretary minister Prakash Rao. During this period, Gurukant "Guruji" Acharya, the veteran leader of the ruling party who has been a teacher to Chief Minister Vikram Adhikari and Singham, is killed by Babaji's henchmen due to Guruji's opposition to Rao's scheme, even though Singham was present at the scene, making him vow vengeance. Because of this, he has to pretend that he has resigned in front of his family. Due to this, his father Manikrao asks him and his childhood friend, Avni Kamat, to come to their home town, Shivgarh.


title: Singham Returns

text: After some time, Singham and Avni fall in love with each other. However, it is then revealed that Singham hasn't resigned and came to Shivgarh on an undercover mission to find evidence against Babaji. When they get back to Mumbai, Babaji starts threatening Singham's family. On the other hand, Rao harms all of Guruji's candidates, including Avni, because her in-hiding brother Kishore is one of the candidates. Singham manages to save everyone but before they resign, one of Babaji's henchmen, Altaf Khan, wakes up from a coma and testifies against him. Singham arrests Babaji and Rao. However, some party workers execute an attack outside the court, killing the witnesses. This causes Babaji and Rao to go scot-free. Singham and his team reach their house without wearing their police uniforms, joined in by police from all around Mumbai.


title: Singham Returns

text: They successfully fight Babaji and Rao's men. Singham's team storm inside Babaji's house, and comically torture Babaji and Rao by firing a live round into both of their buttocks each. The wounded and humiliated Rao and Baba tell the truth, their confessions secretly being filmed and broadcast on live television and radio. A few weeks later, Guruji's party wins the elections. While being transported to jail in a van, Rao and Baba once again threaten and taunt Singham. Suddenly, the van stops and the driver walks away. A water tanker crashes into the van, sending it into a power station, killing both of them. One of Singham's allies, Inspector Dev Phadnis tells the media that there was a brake failure, and the incident is deemed as an accident (a plan that was fabricated by Singham which resembled the way Mahesh was killed).


title: Singham Returns

text: Director Rohit Shetty announced his thoughts on making a sequel to one of his finest movies "Singham" (2011). After filming "Chennai Express" with Shah Rukh Khan, Shetty reportedly has begun filming for "Singham 2" with the lead star Ajay Devgn. Filming was expected to go on floors by December 2013 after Shetty's "Chennai Express" was released, starting the work of Singham 2's pre-production along with that of his another film which incidentally is a sequel too, "Golmaal 4".


title: Singham Returns

text: However, Devgn, the lead of the film, canned 20 days of photography for his other film "Action Jackson", directed by Prabhu Deva and start another leg of the shoot from 10 November 2013. After several delays owing to Devgn's shooting of Action Jackson concurrently the principal photography for a 15-day schedule of the film started from 15 May 2014 in Goa. The shoot was held in few places like streets of Siolim, a village located at a distance of about 25 Kilometres from Panaji. The ones which were held in Panaji were mostly indoor ones.


title: Singham Returns

text: The soundtrack for the film was composed by Jeet Gannguli, Meet Bros Anjjan, Ankit Tiwari and Yo Yo Honey Singh. All the composers composed one song each. The soundtrack album contains four songs and one remix. The first single track ""Kuch Toh Hua Hai"" sung by Ankit Tiwari and Tulsi Kumar was released on 25 July 2014. Another single ""Aata Majhi Satakli"" sung and composed by Yo Yo Honey Singh was released on 1 August 2014. The soundtrack album was released by T-Series on 7 August 2014.


title: Singham Returns

text: Before its release on the eve of Independence Day on 15 August, a right-wing Hindu organisation, HJS wrote to the CBFC asking that the film be banned on grounds of the depiction of Hindu saints in a bad light thereby hurting the religious sentiments. Shetty denied the allegation stating that he has never made anything controversial in his career.


title: Singham Returns

text: "Singham Returns" received mixed reviews from Indian critics. It holds a rating of 27% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes Taran Adarsh of "Bollywood Hungama" gave it 4 stars and said "The film is a complete mass entertainer with power-packed drama, hi-intensity dialogue and towering performances as its aces. The brand value attached to it coupled with a long weekend will help the film reap a harvest and rule the box office in days to come." Rohit Khilnani of "India Today" gave 3 stars and said "Singham Returns is strictly for fans". Anupama Chopra of Hindustan Times gave the film 2.5 out of 5 stars and said, "This is one of Shetty's least cartoonish films. Which doesn't mean he's going for Ardh Satya-style realism. We’ve still got the signature cars blowing up and some terrific action sequences on the streets of Mumbai. But these sequences have a gritty texture." Shweta Kaushal of "Hindustan Times" gave two stars and said "Watch Singham Returns for the action, not comedy". Mohar Basu of "Koimoi" gave 2.5 stars and said "Ajay Devgan and the thrills his punches manage to evoke but the wafer thin plotline, hammy acting, predictable narrative and the lack of fun and excitement that drives a Rohit Shetty film". Shubra Gupta of the "Indian Express" gave 1.5 stars and said "The sequel to 'Singham' is chock full of the usual car on jeep action. Explosions go off at regular intervals. Shootouts – one really well shot – occur frequently." Rajeev Masand of "CNN-IBN" gave 2.5 stars and said "The predictable story tires you out eventually". Raja Sen of Rediff gave the film 2.5 out of 5 stars and said, "The problem with Singham (and, for that matter, any of these uninteresting modern day star-vehicles) is that the hero roams about unchallenged, unopposed, unexciting. The hero himself ain't bad – for whatever that's worth. Ajay Devgn wears his scowl like a wrestler would wear a championship belt, proud and unsmiling. He's got a fine, old-school swagger and his ass-kicking looks relatively authentic."


title: Singham Returns

text: Singham Returns nett. collection over on the first day of its release in India. Domestic nett of Singham Returns was .


title: Singham Returns

text: An official game based on this film has been released by Zapak Mobile Games Pvt. Ltd, for Android mobile phone users.


title: Singham Returns

text: Director Rohit Shetty has confirmed that there will be a third "Singham" film after the release of "Sooryavanshi", with Devgn reprising his role.


title: Singham Returns

text: The 2018 film "Simmba", a Hindi adaptation of the Telugu film, "Temper", is a spin-off of "Singham". "Simmba" stars Ranveer Singh in the titular role as Inspector Sangram Bhalerao aka Simmba, a corrupt cop who after the murder of a girl, changes to honesty, and is directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions. It also stars Sara Ali Khan and Sonu Sood in its lead roles while Devgn reprises his role of DCP Bajirao Singham from the previous films.


title: Singham Returns

text: The 2021-film, "Sooryavanshi", is another spin-off of this film. This film stars Akshay Kumar as another DCP named Veer Sooryavanshi who joins hands with Simmba and Singham to stop a terrorist attack on Mumbai. This film was again directed by Shetty, produced by Johar, Shetty and Reliance Entertainment. Unlike the three previous films, this film had an original story.


title: Elite

text: In political and sociological theory, the elite (, from , to select or to sort out) are a small group of powerful people who hold a disproportionate amount of wealth, privilege, political power, or skill in a group. Defined by the "Cambridge Dictionary", the "elite" are "those people or organizations that are considered the best or most powerful compared to others of a similar type."


title: Elite

text: American sociologist C. Wright Mills states that members of the elite accept their fellows' position of importance in society. "As a rule, 'they accept one another, understand one another, marry one another, tend to work, and to think, if not together at least alike'." It is a well-regulated existence where education plays a critical role.


title: Elite

text: Youthful upper-class members attend prominent preparatory schools, which not only open doors to such elite universities as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and the University of Pennsylvania, but also to the universities' highly exclusive clubs. These memberships in turn pave the way to the prominent social clubs located in all major cities and serve as sites for important business contacts.


title: Elite

text: According to Mills, men receive the education necessary for elitist privilege to obtain their background and contacts, allowing them to enter three branches of the power elite, which are;


title: Elite

text: According to Mills, the governing elite in the United States primarily draws its members from political leaders, including the president, and a handful of key cabinet members, as well as close advisers, major corporate owners and directors, and high-ranking military officers. These groups overlap and elites tend to circulate from one sector to another, consolidating power in the process.


title: Elite

text: Unlike the ruling class, a social formation based on heritage and social ties, the power elite is characterized by the organizational structures through which its wealth is acquired. According to Mills, the power elite rose from "the managerial reorganization of the propertied classes into the more or less unified stratum of the corporate rich". Domhoff further clarified the differences in the two terms: "The upper class as a whole does not do the ruling. Instead, class rule is manifested through the activities of a wide variety of organizations and institutions...Leaders within the upper class join with high-level employees in the organizations they control to make up what will be called the power elite".


title: Elite

text: The Marxist theoretician Nikolai Bukharin anticipated the elite theory in his 1929 work, "Imperialism and World Economy": "present-day state power is nothing but an entrepreneurs' company of tremendous power, headed even by the same persons that occupy the leading positions in the banking and syndicate offices".


title: Elite

text: The "power elite" is a term used by Mills to describe a relatively small, loosely connected group of individuals who dominate American policymaking. This group includes bureaucratic, corporate, intellectual, military, media, and government elites who control the principal institutions in the United States and whose opinions and actions influence the decisions of the policymakers. The basis for membership of a power elite is institutional power, namely an influential position within a prominent private or public organization. A study of the French corporate elite has shown that social class continues to hold sway in determining who joins this elite group, with those from the upper-middle class tending to dominate. Another study (published in 2002) of power elites in the United States during the administration of President George W. Bush (in office 2001-2009) identified 7,314 institutional positions of power encompassing 5,778 individuals. A later study of U.S. society noted demographic characteristics of this elite group as follows:


title: Elite

text: In the 1970s an organized set of policies promoted reduced taxes, especially for the wealthy, and a steady erosion of the welfare safety net. Starting with legislation in the 1980s, the wealthy banking community successfully lobbied for reduced regulation. The wide range of financial and social capital accessible to the power elite gives their members heavy influence in economic and political decision making, allowing them to move toward attaining desired outcomes. Sociologist Christopher Doob gives a hypothetical alternative, stating that these elite individuals would consider themselves the overseers of the national economy. Also appreciating that it is not only a moral, but a practical necessity to focus beyond their group interests. Doing so would hopefully alleviate various destructive conditions affecting large numbers of less affluent citizens.


title: Elite

text: Mills determined that there is an "inner core" of the power elite involving individuals that are able to move from one seat of institutional power to another. They, therefore, have a wide range of knowledge and interests in many influential organizations, and are, as Mills describes, "professional go-betweens of economic, political, and military affairs". Relentless expansion of capitalism and the globalizing of economic and military power, binds leaders of the power elite into complex relationships with nation states that generate global-scale class divisions. Sociologist Manuel Castells writes in "The Rise of the Network Society" that contemporary globalization does not mean that "everything in the global economy is global". So, a global economy becomes characterized by fundamental social inequalities with respect to the "level of integration, competitive potential and share of the benefits from economic growth". Castells cites a kind of "double movement" where on one hand, "valuable segments of territories and people" become "linked in the global networks of value making and wealth appropriation", while, on the other, "everything and everyone" that is not valued by established networks gets "switched off...and ultimately discarded". These evolutions have also led many social scientists to explore empirically the possible emergence of a new transnational and cohesive social class at the top of the social ladder: a global elite But, the wide-ranging effects of global capitalism ultimately affect everyone on the planet, as economies around the world come to depend on the functioning of global financial markets, technologies, trade and labor.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: The Air Corps () is the air component of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Through a fleet of fixed and rotary wing aircraft, it provides military support to the Army and Naval Service, together with non-military air services such as Garda air support, air ambulance, fisheries protection and the Ministerial Air Transport Service. Its headquarters and airfield is Casement Aerodrome located at Baldonnel, County Dublin. Unlike the Irish Army and Irish Naval Service, the Irish Air Corps does not maintain a reserve component and thus consists entirely of active service personnel.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: The National Army Air Service was independent Ireland's first air force. During the Anglo-Irish Treaty talks of 1921, a Martinsyde Type A Mark II biplane was purchased and put on 24-hour standby at Croydon Airport to allow Michael Collins to escape back to Ireland if the talks failed. The plane was not needed for this mission, and it became the first aircraft of the new National Army Air Service arriving in June 1922. The National Army Air Service was established in July 1922 and was gradually equipped with various aircraft types acquired from the R.A.F. and the Aircraft Disposal Company. This company had been formed in 1919 to dispose of surplus aircraft and aero-engines from World War I for the British Government. By the end of 1922, the National Army Air Service comprised ten aircraft, consisting of six Bristol F2B fighters from the First World War and four Martinsyde F4 Fighters, and about 400 men. Its successor, the Irish Army Air Corps was established in 1924 following a re-organisation of the National Army at the end of the Civil War.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: With the establishment of the Defence Forces in 1924, the Air Service became the new Army's Air Corps and remained part of the Army until the 1990s.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: In 1938 four Gloster Gladiator biplane fighters were delivered – a further eight were ordered but were embargoed by the outbreak of the Second World War. Other aircraft purchased from the United Kingdom before the outbreak of war included 16 Avro Anson Mark I maritime patrol bombers, 3 Supermarine Walrus amphibians, 6 Westland Lysander Mark II army co-operation aircraft and a number of trainers.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: During World War II (or The Emergency) there are no records of Air Corps planes engaging any belligerent aircraft, although dozens of escaped barrage balloons were shot down. Requests for more aircraft from Britain resulted in 13 obsolete Hawker Hector biplane light bombers being supplied during 1941. Twelve Hawker Hurricane Mk. Is were initially ordered for the Irish Army Air Corps in 1940 but were not delivered due to a wartime embargo imposed by the British Government. Eleven Hurricane Mk. Is were eventually delivered to the Air Corps, from surplus R.A.F. stocks, between July 1943 and March 1944, and the Hurricane Mk. I (no.93), that crash-landed in Co. Wexford in 1940, was the twelfth aircraft. These were supplemented by 6 Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIcs that were delivered to the Irish Army Air Corps in March 1945, to eventually replace the Hurricane Mk. Is of No. 1 Fighter Squadron. Supplied from surplus R.A.F. stocks, the Hurricane Mk. IIcs were the last batch of aircraft to be delivered to the Air Corps before the end of World War II. The Hurricanes were the first monoplane fighter aircraft to enter service with the Air Corps and were also the first aircraft capable of reaching 300 m.p.h. in level flight. The Hurricane gave the Air Corps a proven modern fighter, and – at peak – 20 flew in Irish colours.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: 163 belligerent aircraft force-landed in Ireland during the war, and in this way, the Air Corps acquired a Lockheed Hudson, a Fairey Battle, and three Hawker Hurricanes.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: After the war, the Hurricanes were replaced by Supermarine Seafires and a few two-seat Spitfire trainers. Avro Anson light transports were operated as communications aircraft between 1946 and retirement in 1962. The Percival Provost was introduced in the mid-1950s as the Air Corps initial training aircraft.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: The de Havilland Dove became the Corps' transport aircraft. The jet age arrived on 30 June 1956 when the Corps took delivery of de Havilland Vampire T.55 trainers. In November 1963 the Air Corps took delivery of its first helicopters, SA.316B Alouette IIIs, of which seven remained in service until 2007. During their operational lifetime, 3,300 people were assisted by the Alouette helicopters in their Search and Rescue and air ambulance roles.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: During the mid-sixties and early seventies, the Corps played a part in expanding Ireland's film industry. Pilots and engineering staff participated in a 1965 box office success, "The Blue Max". The fleet of World War I replicas, owned by ex-RCAF fighter pilot Lynn Garrison's "Blue Max Aviation", was based at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel – before being moved to Weston Aerodrome at Leixlip. Here the Corps continued its involvement, providing aircrew and engineering staff to support films such as "Darling Lili", "Von Richthofen and Brown", "Zeppelin" and a number of television commercials. Lynn Garrison was also responsible for coordinating the first demonstration of the Marchetti SF-260 Warrior at Baldonnel. As a result of this presentation, the Corps acquired a number of Warriors.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: In the mid-1970s the expansion of the "Ministerial Air Transport Service" (MATS) following Ireland's accession to the European Economic Community (now the European Union) led to the acquisition of the Corps' first business jet, a BAe 125-700.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: In 1975 several Fouga Magister CM-170 jet aircraft were purchased secondhand from France. They were used for training, for the Light Strike Squadron and for the Silver Swallows display team. They were withdrawn from service in 1998 and not replaced, leaving the Irish Air Corps without any jet combat aircraft.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: In 1977 ten SIAI-Marchetti SF.260WE Warriors were delivered for light training and ground attack roles. Four were lost in crashes. In 1986 five SA 365Fi Dauphin II were acquired for the SAR role. Two of these were modified for operation from the Naval Service Helicopter Patrol vessel LÉ Eithne, and equipped with crashproof fuel tanks and harpoon deck arrester gear.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: As part of Ireland's obligations to the European Union, the Irish Air Corps patrols 132,000 square miles (342,000 km²) of the sea. The Air Corps previously employed two of its three Beechcraft 200 Super King Airs for this duty. However, the Super King Airs used for Maritime patrol were disposed of in the 1990s, and the third was allocated to transport duties. 102 Squadron operated one Beech King Air (#BB-672 with tail-number 240), but (as of 2010) it is out of service and hangared. Two previously operated aircraft (#BB-376 and #BB-208, with tail-numbers 232 and 234) were sold in 1991 and 1992 respectively.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: In its MATS role, following Ireland's assumption of the EU Presidency the Corps leased a Grumman Gulfstream III – which in 1990 became the first Irish military aircraft to circumnavigate the world. A Grumman Gulfstream IV was later acquired, as was a Learjet 45. The average cost per hour in 2012 of operating the Gulfstream IV was €3,790.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: In 2004 eight Pilatus PC-9M trainers were delivered to the Air Corps. The Pilatus aircraft were the first Air Corps aircraft to break with an Air Corps tradition of using consecutive tail-numbers. The General Officer Commanding started the new Pilatus tail-numbers in the 260 series – jumping from tail-number 258 (a Learjet 45) to 260 (the first Pilatus) – skipping tail-number 259. The Pilatus is the first Air Corps aircraft to have ejection seats since the Vampire. The PC-9M has six underwing hardpoints and has the capability to be armed with FN HMP250 gun pods, each carrying one M3P machine gun, and FN LAU-7 rocket pods, each carrying seven Folding-Fin Aerial Rockets, for the close air support role. Aircrews have an annual live firing exercise, flying out of Casement Aerodrome at Baldonnel to the coastal range at Gormanston Camp.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: Two Eurocopter EC135P2 light utility helicopters were delivered to the Air Corps in November 2005. The first of four AgustaWestland AW139s were handed over to the Air Corps at Agusta's facility in Milan in November 2006. Two of the AW139 remained in Milan to provide training for Irish pilots before being flown to Ireland in December 2006. These helicopters are another first for the Air Corps as they are delivered with the capability to carry cabin mounted 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Guns.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: On 12 October 2009 an Air Corps instructor, Captain Derek Furniss, and Cadet David Jevens were killed when their Pilatus PC-9 crashed during a training exercise in Connemara, County Galway.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: During the 2011 Libyan civil war, the Air Corps was tasked with evacuating approximately forty Irish citizens from the troubled country. The operation involved two Air Corps aircraft (the Learjet and one CN-235), and nine personnel, using Malta as a temporary base.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: In February 2022, the Commission on the Defence Forces published a report. For the Air Corps, the report recommended that the service be renamed to the Irish Air Force and advocated for the establishment of a Chief of the Air Force. The report also recommended three levels of ambition (LOAs) with each level having different recommendations. LOA 1 proposes to maintain the current size of the Air Corps, while bringing active personnel numbers back up to the current establishment.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: Under LOA 3, the new Air Force would also be capable of deploying combat pilots, aircraft and support personnel overseas. LOA 2 recommends a budget of €1.5 billion with LOA 3 recommending a budget of €3 billion. The commission compared Ireland to other nations of similar GDP and population size, and determined these budgetary increases would be commensurate with those nations.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: The Irish Air Corps is the air branch of the Irish Defence Forces. Headed up by Brigadier General Rory O'Connor, General Officer Commanding, Air Corps (GOCAC), the Air Corps comprises a staff headquarters, two air wings, two ground support wings, one independent squadron and the Air Corps College. The Air Corps' principal base of operations is out of Casement Aerodrome in Dublin.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: 1 Operations Wing is the main formation responsible for operational fixed-wing flying. This is sub-divided into four individual flying squadrons and two non-flying squadrons, each of which has a dedicated role:


title: Irish Air Corps

text: 3 Operations Wing is the formation responsible for operational rotary wing flying, and is divided into three flying squadrons and one non-flying squadron. It provides pilots for the Emergency Aeromedical Service, the air ambulance service which is jointly operated by the Air Corps and the HSE National Ambulance Service.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: 4 Support Wing is primarily concerned with second-line aircraft maintenance (front line maintenance is done by the engineering squadrons in each operational wing). This formation has two squadrons.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: Communication & Information Services Squadron (CIS) is responsible for the supply and maintenance of ground-based communications, navigation, radar and IT systems for the Air Corps. The CIS Squadron comprises a headquarters and four flights.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: The Air Corps College is the principal training unit of the Irish Air Corps, where all entrants into the service undertake their training. The College is divided into three distinct schools:


title: Irish Air Corps

text: Replaced by the PC-9Ms, several SF-260WE Marchetti Warriors (the previous fixed-wing mainstay of the Air Corps College) were sold to a private reseller in the United States – with one example retained for the Air Corps museum collection. Several other aircraft (including four Dauphins and one Gazelle) have retired from service, struck off the Air Corps aircraft register and sold to foreign buyers.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: The Sikorsky S-61N operated by the Air Corps for Search and Rescue operations was returned to CHC Helicopter. As part of this consolidation to a number of supported types, and following the exercise of two further options on AW139 Utility Helicopters, the previous army support and SAR Alouette fleet, the Alouette IIIs, were "stood down" at a ceremony at Casement aerodrome on 21 September 2007. This aircraft and unit provided the first SAR helicopter service in Ireland and one of the first dedicated national air ambulance services in the world when founded in 1964.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: The Eurocopter Twin Squirrel helicopter of the Garda Air Support Unit was replaced by a second Eurocopter EC135 in January 2008.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: A Gulfstream IV operated by the Irish Air Corps on behalf of the Irish Ministerial Air Transport Service was removed from service after corrosion was detected in the undercarriage in July 2014. The government sold the jet in December 2014 for $500,000, and (as of March 2015) the government were considering whether to acquire a replacement. The 2022 Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces suggested that a replacement aircraft for the Gulfstream IV would be essential if LOA 2 or 3 were to be met.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: On 4 October 2019, after 47 years of service to the state, the 5 remaining (of 9 total) Reims Rocket FR172H (Cessna) aircraft were stood down from service after amassing 63,578 flight hours total. The Cessnas were replaced with several Pilatus PC-12 NG utility aircraft during 2020. The first of four Pilatus PC-12 aircraft was delivered in April 2020, with three further aircraft delivered in September 2020.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: The Air Corps military roles and the functions it carries out are those of an army air corps rather than that of a conventional military air force. The Air Corps air space control and ground attack capacity is limited to low-level and limited weather.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: Helicopter tactical troop transport is available on a 24-hour basis through the introduction of Night Vision Goggles. The Air Corps non-military capabilities in aid to the civil power and other Government departments include ministerial transport, fishery protection, 24-hour maritime patrolling, Garda air support, search and rescue over both land and sea, an air ambulance service, aerial firefighting, drugs surveillance and non-combatant evacuation. The Air Corps provides the State with the capacity to meet security and contingent roles but only receives 12% of Defence Forces funding (see Dáil Defence Vote 2014).


title: Irish Air Corps

text: In July 2015, the Irish government revealed plans to purchase a ground-based long-range air surveillance radar system for the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) and Defence Forces to keep track of covert aircraft flying in Irish-controlled airspace, including military aircraft that do not file a flight plan and have their transponders switched off. Minister for Defence Simon Coveney said the increased capability would give better coverage of the Atlantic airspace over which the IAA has responsibility. The long-range surveillance radar is reported to cost €10 million and is seen as a priority purchase to provide the civilian and military authorities with an improved competency in monitoring aerial incursions. Ireland is not a member of NATO, and thus does not benefit from integrated European military radar systems or NATO equipment. The Irish Air Corps lacks a dedicated air intercept capability, and previous air incursions have seen the Royal Air Force respond to and escort unwelcome aircraft out of Irish controlled airspace.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: The Pilatus PC9s are planned for replacement by 2025. The two CASA CN-235s are due to be replaced in 2023 by two Airbus C295 maritime patrol aircraft which will also be used for search and rescue, transport, special forces operations, MEDEVAC and other utility roles.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: In June 2020, the "Irish Times" reported that a five-year investment strategy document, published by the Irish government, included the potential for "air combat interceptors". The speculated purchase of fighter/interceptor jets would represent a change from the use of British jets to intercept unknown airplanes encroaching Irish airspace. A submission to the commission on defence, looked at the Aermacchi M-346, the KAI FA-50 and the Saab Gripen as candidates for replacing the current PC-9 inventory, with a minimum of 8 aircraft recommended for peace-time air policing capability and 40 aircraft for "full" air defence.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: In February 2022, the Commission on the Defence Forces report was published. It recommended that the Air Corps be renamed to the Air Force and made further recommendations under two Levels of Ambition (LOAs). Under LOA 2, the proposed new Air Force would establish a primary radar capability to develop a Recognised Air Picture, strategic airlift aircraft such as the C-130 and additional medium-lift helicopters. Under LOA 3, the Air Force would acquire between 12 to 24 air combat/interceptor aircraft, including the ability to deploy both pilots and support personnel overseas in contribution to international operations. Some favoured aircraft types include the Saab JAS 39 Gripen and Lockheed Martin F-16. This would transform Ireland's air defence capabilities to the level of comparable European nations of similar population and economic size, such as Denmark, Belgium, Austria and Norway. At the 2022 Slándáil Irish Defence and Security summit, Lockheed Martin made a number of proposals involving the possible sales of F-16 Block 70 or FA-50 light-fighter aircraft (should the Irish government select LOA 2 of the Commission on the Defence Forces report), or 12 new F-16 Block 70s (if LOA 3 was selected), or a proposal to acquire second-hand F-16s from European countries switching to the manufacturer's F-35 platform.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: The Air Corps provides an air ambulance service (for emergency rapid transfer of patients between hospitals, to hospitals from offshore islands and transferring patients for treatment overseas. The service also transports emergency organ retrieval teams. The aircraft used are the AW139, EC135, CASA and Learjet.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: An Air Corps AW139 also provides an Emergency Aeromedical Service for the National Ambulance Service based out of Custume Barracks in Athlone, providing an emergency patient airlift service from scenes of accidents to hospitals.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: The Air Corps operates two CASA CN235 Maritime Patrol aircraft in support of the fishery protection. These long-range aircraft patrol throughout the Irish exclusive fishery limits. These are intended to be replaced in time with more capable maritime patrol aircraft, as stated in the White Paper on Defence.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: The Air Corps provide a Ministerial Air Transport Service (MATS) to assist the President and members of the Government in official engagements at both home and abroad. The Learjet 45 is used specifically for this purpose. The Gulfstream IV was previously used in this capacity.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: The Garda Air Support Unit is a unit of the Garda Síochána that provides specialist air support for Ireland's national police force. The Air Corps, in conjunction with the Department of Justice and Equality, operates three aircraft for the Garda Air Support role: two Eurocopter EC135 T2 helicopters and a Britten-Norman Defender aircraft.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: Operational control of the aircraft remains with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, whereas the Air Corps provide pilots and aircraft technicians to the Garda Air Support Unit that fly and maintain the aircraft.


title: Irish Air Corps

text: The Air Corps' ranks are similar to those of the Irish Army. As of 2020, the strength was 752 all ranks.


title: Kids See Ghosts

text: Kids See Ghosts (stylized in all-caps) was an American hip hop duo composed of musicians Kanye West and Kid Cudi. Formed in 2018 during West’s , the duo released their eponymous debut album in June of that year, through their respective label imprints, GOOD Music and Wicked Awesome Records. The duo disbanded in 2022.


title: Kids See Ghosts

text: In 2006, then-aspiring artist Kid Cudi first met rapper-producer Kanye West in a Virgin Megastore, as Cudi recounted in a 2009 "SPIN" interview: “I was looking at CDs, saw the gleam of a Jesus piece in the right side of my eye, looked up, and it was Kanye West,” Cudi said, adding that he introduced himself and offered West some of his music. Cudi would later run into West again, while Cudi was working at the BAPE store in NYC: "I remember Kanye coming in one time and I was helping him get a couple things," Cudi said. "I forgot to take a sensor off of one of the jackets he bought and I had to run out the store to catch him before he left. Pretty funny me chasing after him in SoHo."


title: Kids See Ghosts

text: In 2008, Kid Cudi caught the attention of Kanye West's A&R at the time, Plain Pat, who had initially met Cudi at a Def Jam meeting and picked up a copy of his demo. Plain Pat went on to introduce Cudi's music to West, subsequently leading West to sign Cudi to his GOOD Music imprint later that year. Following Cudi's signing to GOOD, he began heavily working with West. West first called upon Cudi to reference hooks for American rapper and mogul Jay-Z, and while in the studio Cudi and West went from working on "The Blueprint 3" (2009) to West's R&B-esque fourth solo album, "808s & Heartbreak" (2008). Cudi's assistance on the latter includes co-writing credits and/or vocals on "Heartless," "Welcome to Heartbreak," "Paranoid" and "RoboCop." Kid Cudi proved to be a prominent songwriter and featured artist on "808s & Heartbreak", with "Paranoid" and "Heartless" being released as singles respectively, while "Welcome to Heartbreak" charted as an album cut and peaked at number 87 on the Pop 100.


title: Kids See Ghosts

text: The two continued to work on Cudi's debut album "" (2009), with West serving as an executive producer. West had also produced two songs, namely "Sky Might Fall" and the Common-assisted third single "Make Her Say", which West is also featured on. As of 2018, Cudi had contributed to every West album since 2008's "808s & Heartbreak", with their 2016 effort "Father Stretch My Hands", reaching the Top 40 of the US "Billboard" Hot 100 chart.


title: Kids See Ghosts

text: After a brief fallout, the two reconnected in late 2016, around the dissolution of West's Saint Pablo Tour, which ended in him being hospitalized. West abruptly canceled his Saint Pablo Tour and sought hospitalization for exhaustion in November 2016. At that time, West's only two live appearances since had both been with Cudi, who also sought mental health treatment in the fall of 2016, for performances of “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” in November 2017 and February. As of 2018, West, however, had not appeared on one of Cudi's songs, or worked on any of his albums, since 2010's "".


title: Kids See Ghosts

text: On April 19, 2018, West announced via Twitter that a collaborative album with Kid Cudi would be released in June. He followed the tweet revealing the name of the group, which also serves as title of their debut album, "Kids See Ghosts". On April 22, again via Twitter, West unveiled the album artwork, which was composed by Tokyo-based artist Takashi Murakami. The duo were originally photographed with Murakami in July 2017. On April 25, West revealed the album would be accompanied by a short film, directed by Dexter Navy, a music video director notable for his collaborations with The Neighbourhood and ASAP Rocky.


title: Kids See Ghosts

text: On June 8, their eponymous debut album was released following a live listening party in Santa Clarita, California. "Kids See Ghosts" debuted at number two on the US "Billboard" 200 chart with 142,000 album-equivalent units, of which 79,000 were pure album sales. It serves as West's tenth top-five album and Cudi's sixth top-five album in the United States. All seven tracks on the album debuted in the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart. The track "Reborn" managed to chart in the Top 40 of the US Hot 100, at number 39.


title: Kids See Ghosts

text: Cudi revealed in July 2018, that he and West will continue to release music as Kids See Ghosts. "There are some songs that we didn't use that I’m hopeful we can put out later," Cudi explained in an interview with "Billboard." "But the plan is to do more Kids See Ghosts albums... We just have this chemistry that's undeniable, especially when we have to fight for it with each other."


title: Kids See Ghosts

text: The duo made their live debut under the moniker at Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival on November 11, 2018. They performed their album in entirety as well as Cudi featured Kanye songs "Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1", "Welcome to Heartbreak", "Paranoid", and "Ghost Town", and Cudi's single "Pursuit of Happiness." At Cudi's 2019 Coachella set, West joined him onstage for performances of "Feel the Love", "Reborn", "Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1", "Ghost Town", and "Ghost Town Pt. 2". 070 Shake and Ty Dolla $ign, frequent collaborators of the duo, came onstage for their features on the latter two songs.


title: Kids See Ghosts

text: In a September 2019 interview with "Complex," Kid Cudi assured fans that more material from him and Kanye West would be coming. "There will be more Kids See Ghosts albums. Kanye already told me he wants to start working on the second one," he said. "With the first album, I didn't know how serious he was about making a collab album with me," he continued. "He had mentioned it, but I thought it was just a good idea he had in the moment. But then he kept bringing it up and kept having me come to his house, listen to music, and work on beats, so I was like, 'Wow, he's really into this.' We had a discussion where he said he wanted to make a spiritual album and I told him, 'Great. That's what I do. I would love to do that, something I can sink my teeth into.' So there will definitely be more."


title: Kids See Ghosts

text: On June 26, 2020, a computer-animated series directed by artist Takashi Murakami was announced via social media. The series chronicles the adventures of Kanye Bear, the character portrayed on West's first three album covers, and Kid Fox, a character created exclusively for the show, both of whom acting as cartoon personae for the artists. The show currently has no scheduled release date and is unlikely to air due to the group's split.


title: Kids See Ghosts

text: On April 19, 2022, exactly four years after the announcement of the group, Kid Cudi announced that "Rock n Roll", on Pusha T's fourth album "It's Almost Dry", would be his final collaboration with West due to the latter artist's recent behaviour, therefore dissolving the duo's partnership. Cudi stated on Twitter that "I did this song a year ago when I was still cool [with] Kanye. I am not cool [with] that man. He's not my friend and I only cleared the song for Pusha cuz thats my guy. This is the last song [you] will hear me on [with] Kanye."


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: The Panathenaic Stadium (, ) or Kallimarmaro (Καλλιμάρμαρο, , lit. "beautiful marble") is a multi-purpose stadium in Athens, Greece. One of the main historic attractions of Athens, it is the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble.


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: A stadium was built on the site of a simple racecourse by the Athenian statesman Lykourgos (Lycurgus) BC, primarily for the Panathenaic Games. It was rebuilt in marble by Herodes Atticus, an Athenian Roman senator, by 144 AD it had a capacity of 50,000 seats. After the rise of Christianity in the 4th century it was largely abandoned. The stadium was excavated in 1869 and hosted the Zappas Olympics in 1870 and 1875. After being refurbished, it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern Olympics in 1896 and was the venue for 4 of the 9 contested sports. It was used for various purposes in the 20th century and was once again used as an Olympic venue in 2004. It is the finishing point for the annual Athens Classic Marathon. It is also the last venue in Greece from where the Olympic flame handover ceremony to the host nation takes place.


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: The stadium is built in what was originally a natural ravine between the two hills of Agra and Ardettos, south of the Ilissos river. It is now located in the central Athens district of Pangrati, to the east of the National Gardens and the Zappeion Exhibition Hall, to the west of the Pangrati residential district, and between the twin pine-covered hills of Ardettos and Agra. Until the 1950s, the Ilissos River (which is now covered by (and flowing underneath) Vasileos Konstantinou Avenue) ran in front of the stadium's entrance, with the spring of Kallirrhoe, the sanctuary of Pankrates (a local hero), and the Cynosarges public gymnasium nearby.


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: Originally, since the 6th century BC, a racecourse stood at the site. It hosted the Panathenaic Games (also known as the Great Panathenaea), a religious and athletic festival celebrated every 4 years in honour of the goddess Athena. The racecourse had no formal seating and the spectators sat on the natural slopes on the side of the ravine.


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: In the 4th century BC the Athenian statesman Lykourgos (Lycurgus) built an long stadium of Poros limestone. Tiers of stone benches were arranged around the track. The track was long and wide. In the "Lives of the Ten Orators" Pseudo-Plutarch writes that a certain Deinas, the owner of the property where the stadium was built was persuaded by Lykourgos to donate the land to the city and Lykourgos leveled a ravine. IG II² 351 (dated 329 BC), records that Eudemus of Plataea gave 1000 yoke of oxen for the construction of the stadium and theater. According to Romano the "reference to the large number of oxen, indicating a vast undertaking, and the use of the word "charadra" have suggested the kind of building activity that would have been needed to prepare the natural valley between the two hills near the Ilissos." The stadium of Lykourgos is believed to have been completed for the Panathenaic Games of 330/329 BC. Donald Kyle suggests that it is possible that Lykourgos did not build but "renovated or embellished a pre-existing facility to give it monumental stature." According to Richard Ernest Wycherley the stadium probably had stone seating "only for a privileged few."


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: Herodes Atticus, an Athenian who rose to the highest echelons of power in Rome, was responsible for numerous structures in Greece. In Athens he is best known for the reconstruction of the Panathenaic Stadium. Tobin suggests that "Herodes built the stadium soon after [his father] Atticus's death, which occurred around A.D. 138. The first Greater Panathenaia following his father's demise was 139/40, and it is probable that at that time Herodes promised the refurbishment of the stadium. According to Philostratus, it was completed four years later, which would have been in 143/4." These dates (139/140-143-144 AD) are now widely cited as construction dates of the stadium of Herodes Atticus. Welch writes that the stadium was completed by 143, in time for Panathenaic festival.


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: The new stadium was built completely of ashlar masonry in Pentelic marble, using minimal concrete. The stadium was built at a time of resurgence of Greek culture in the mid-2nd century. Although the stadium was a "quintessentially Greek architectural type", it was "Roman in scale" with a massive capacity of 50,000, which is roughly the same as that of the Stadium of Domitian in Rome. Stadia of the Classical and Hellenistic periods were smaller. According to Welch there is a possibility that criminals were executed in the stadium, however, no evidence exists.


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: A Roman marble throne from the "prohedria" of the stadium is kept in the British Museum. One side of the throne includes a relief showing an olive tree and a table on which rests a Panathenaic amphora with the front leg in the form of an owl.


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: Herodes Atticus built it as "an architectural means of self-representation, and it did something analogous. The architecture of the building makes allusions to the Classical past while remaining unmistakably modern. It is Roman in scale, but it self-consciously rejects the distinguishingly Roman features of monumental facade and extensive vaulting." Its cavea was decorated with owls in relief, which symbolize Athena. Katherine Welch wrote in a 1998 article "Greek stadia and Roman spectacles":


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: After Hellenistic festivals and bloody spectacles were banned by Roman Emperor Theodosius I in the late 4th century, the stadium was abandoned and fell into ruin. Gradually, its significance was forgotten and a field of wheat covered the site. During the Latin rule of Athens, Crusader knights held feats of arms at the stadium. A 15th century traveler saw "not only several rows of white marble benches, but also the portico at the entrance of the Stadion, which he calls the North entrance, and the Stoa round the koilon, which he calls the South entrance." The derelict stadium's marbles were incorporated into other buildings. European travelers wrote of "magical rites enacted by young Athenian maidens in the ruined vaulted passage, aimed at finding a good husband."


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: Following Greece's independence, archaeological excavation as early as 1836 uncovered traces of the stadium of Herodes Atticus. Further, more thorough, excavation was conducted by the German-born architect Ernst Ziller in 1869–70. Some marbles of the stadium and four Hermai were found. The Zappas Olympics, an early attempt to revive the ancient Olympic Games, were held at the stadium in 1870 and 1875. They were sponsored by the Greek benefactor Evangelis Zappas. The games had an audience of 30,000 people.


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: The Greek government, through crown prince Constantine, requested the Egypt-based Greek businessman George Averoff, to sponsor the second refurbishment of the stadium prior to the 1896 Olympics. Based on the findings of Ziller, a reconstruction plan was prepared by the architect Anastasios Metaxas in the mid-1890s. Darling writes that "He duplicated the dimensions and design of the second-century structure, arranging the tiers of seats around the U-shaped track." It was rebuilt in Pentelic marble and is "distinguished by its high degree of fidelity to the ancient monument of Herodes." Averoff donated 920,000 drachmas to this project. As a tribute to his generosity, a statue of Averoff was constructed and unveiled on 5 April 1896 outside the stadium. It stands there to this day.


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: The stadium held the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1896 Olympics. On 6 April (25 March according to the Julian calendar then in use in Greece), the games of the First Olympiad were officially opened; it was Easter Monday for both the Western and Eastern Christian Churches and the anniversary of Greece's independence. The stadium was filled with an estimated 80,000 spectators, including King George I of Greece, his wife Olga, and their sons. Most of the competing athletes were aligned on the infield, grouped by nation. After a speech by the president of the organizing committee, Crown Prince Constantine, his father officially opened the games. The stadium also served as the venue for Athletics, Gymnastics, Weightlifting and Wrestling.


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: From the mid- to late 1960s, the stadium was used by AEK Basketball Club. On 4 April 1968, the 1967–68 FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup final was hosted in the stadium where A.E.K. defeated Slavia VŠ Praha in front of around 80,000 seated spectators inside the arena and another 40,000 standing spectators. It is believed that since that game the Panathenaic Stadium holds the world record attendance for any basketball game as of 2021.


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: During the Regime of the Colonels (1967–74), large annual events were held at the stadium, particularly the "Festival of the Military Virtues of the Greeks" (in late August-early September) and the "Revolution of 21 April 1967", the date of the coup that brought the right-wing regime to power. In these festivals, the stadium, "with its aura of antiquity stood as a monument to Greek rebirth, national pride, and international interest." The dictators exploited its setting to showcase their supposed popularity and propagate their new, "revolutionary" political culture.


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: The stadium "needed no major refurbishing" prior to the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. During the games the stadium hosted the archery competition (15–21 August) and was the finish of the Marathon for both women (22 August) and men (29 August).


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: The opening ceremony of the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games were held here which featured special appearances such as Stevie Wonder, Vanessa Williams and Zhang Ziyi. The games ran from 25 June to 5 July.


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: Other concerts include those of Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo (27 June 2007) and a dance performance by Joaquín Cortés (14 September 2009).


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: The stadium hosted the opening ceremony of the 1997 World Championships in Athletics on a concept by composer Vangelis and along with the performance of soprano Montserrat Caballé.


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: In more recent years, the stadium has been often used to honour the homecoming of victorious Greek athletes, most notably the Greece national football team after its victory at the UEFA Euro 2004 on 5 July 2004 as well as Greek medalists in recent Olympic Games.


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: The stadium was the venue for the Dior Cruise 2022 show. The collection drew inspiration from Ancient Greek art and Greek folk culture as well as Christian Dior's Fall 1951 campaign photoshoot on the Acropolis. The show was attended by many A-listers, such as Anya Taylor-Joy, Cara Delevingne, Catherine Deneuve and many other global and Greek stars.


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: Katherine Welch described the stadium as a "great marble flight of steps terraced into the contours of a U-shaped ravine — splendid in materials but ostentatiously simple in construction technique."


title: Panathenaic Stadium

text: The Panathenaic Stadium influenced the stadium architecture in the West in the 20th century. Harvard Stadium in Boston, built in 1903, was modeled after the Panathenaic Stadium. Designated as a National Historic Landmark, it is the first collegiate athletic stadium in the United States. Deutsches Stadion in Nuremberg, designed by Albert Speer, was also modeled on the Panathenaic Stadium. Speer was inspired by the stadium when he visited Athens in 1935. The stadium was designed for some 400,000 spectators and was one of the monumental structures of the Nazi regime. Its construction began in 1937, but was never completed.