title: 7th millennium BC

text: The Ubaid period (c. 6500–3800 BC) began in Mesopotamia, its name derived from Tell al-'Ubaid where the first significant excavation took place.


title: 7th millennium BC

text: By the end of this millennium, Tell es-Sultan (Jericho) had become a large agricultural settlement with some eight to ten acres within its walls. Kathleen Kenyon reckoned that it was home to about three thousand people. Construction was done using stone implements to mould clay into bricks. The main crop was wheat.


title: 7th millennium BC

text: “Sheep and goats, were domesticated in South West Asia, probably in the region of eastern Anatolia and northern Syria between 8000 and 7500 BC, and were part of the agricultural package that was transmitted to Greece and the Balkans during the pioneering movements in the seventh millennium. From there the herding of domesticated sheep and goats was gradually taken up by foraging communities in the Pontic-Caspian steppe during the sixth and fifth millennia and became an essential part of the herder economy.”


title: 7th millennium BC

text: In the geologic time scale, the "Northgrippian" succeeded the "Greenlandian" c. 6236 BC (to c. 2250 BC). The starting point for the Northgrippian is the so-called 8.2 kiloyear event, which was an abrupt climate change lasting some four centuries in which there was a marked decrease in global temperatures, possibly caused by an influx of glacial meltwater into the North Atlantic Ocean.


title: 7th millennium BC

text: The influx is believed to be one factor in the creation of Great Britain and Ireland as islands separate from the European continent. After the Last Ice Age ended c. 9700 BC, increasing sea levels gradually inundated Doggerland, a land bridge which linked Great Britain to Denmark and the Netherlands. This process began the formation of the North Sea and the English Channel. Further west, another low-lying land area was being flooded to form the Irish Sea and create Ireland. Sometime in the second half of the 7th millennium, the Storegga Slides occurred off Norway to generate a huge tsunami which completely overwhelmed Doggerland and its Mesolithic community of an estimated 5,000 hunter-gatherers. By about 6100 BC, Great Britain had become an island.


title: 7th millennium BC

text: Jupiter occulted Saturn in 6857 B.C.E. This is one of the rarest events known, with the next occurrence on February 10, 7541.


title: Bill Travers

text: William Inglis Lindon Travers (3 January 1922 – 29 March 1994) was a British actor, screenwriter, director and animal rights activist. Prior to his show business career, he served in the British army with Gurkha and special forces units.


title: Bill Travers

text: Travers was born in the suburb of Jesmond in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, the son of Florence (née Wheatley) and William Halton Lindon Travers, a theatre manager. His sister Linden (1913–2001) and her daughter Susan became actresses.


title: Bill Travers

text: Travers enlisted as a private in the British Army at the age of 18, a few months after the outbreak of the Second World War, and was sent to India then under British Raj rule. He was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the British Indian Army on 9 July 1942.


title: Bill Travers

text: He served in the Long Range Penetration Brigade 4th Battalion 9th Gorkha Rifles in Burma, attached to Orde Wingate's staff, during which he came to know John Masters, his brigade major. (Travers later acted in the film "Bhowani Junction", written by Masters.) While deep behind enemy lines, he contracted malaria and volunteered to be left behind in a native Burmese village. To avoid capture, he disguised himself as a Chinese national and walked hundreds of miles through jungle territory until he reached an Allied position.


title: Bill Travers

text: In 1945, Travers was promoted to the rank of major, and he joined Force 136 Special Operations Executive and was parachuted into Malaya. He was responsible for training and tactical decisions with the main resistance movement, the communist-led Malayan People’s Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA).


title: Bill Travers

text: Travers was one of the first allied operatives to enter the Japanese city of Hiroshima after the dropping of the atomic bomb. He wrote about his experience in his diary, registering profound horror at the destruction and loss of life. He left the armed forces in 1947.


title: Bill Travers

text: On 7 November 1946 Travers was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) "in recognition of gallant and distinguished service whilst engaged in Special Operations in South East Asia".


title: Bill Travers

text: After leaving the army, Travers decided to become an actor. He began working on stage in 1949 appearing in John Van Druten's "The Damask Cheek", and a year later made his film debut in "Conspirator" (1949). He had unbilled parts in "Trio" (1950) and "The Wooden Horse" (1950). He had a slightly bigger part in "The Browning Version" (1951) and a good role on TV in "Albert" (later filmed as "Albert R.N.") for "BBC Sunday-Night Theatre" (1951).


title: Bill Travers

text: Travers appeared in "Hindle Wakes" (1952), "The Planter's Wife" (1952), "The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men" (1952), "It Started in Paradise" (1952), "Mantrap" (1953), "Street of Shadows" (1953), and "The Square Ring" (1953). He was in "The Heel" for "Douglas Fairbanks Presents".


title: Bill Travers

text: He was a supporting player in "Counterspy" (1953), and appeared in "Romeo and Juliet" (1954) as Benvolio, and in "Footsteps in the Fog" (1955) starring Stewart Granger and Jean Simmons.


title: Bill Travers

text: Travers breakthrough came when he was cast in the title role of "Geordie" (1955), directed by Frank Launder. This was popular in Britain and the US and saw him contracted by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which thought he was going to be a big star and brought him to Hollywood.


title: Bill Travers

text: MGM cast him in the expensive epic "Bhowani Junction" (1956), with Granger and Ava Gardner. He followed this as the romantic lead in a remake of "The Barretts of Wimpole Street" (1957), opposite Jennifer Jones. Powell and Pressburger wanted him to star in the lead of "Ill Met by Moonlight (film)" but the role went to Dirk Bogarde. Travers briefly returned to Britain to make a comedy, "The Smallest Show on Earth" (1957), with his second wife Virginia McKenna, whom he had married in 1957.


title: Bill Travers

text: Back in Hollywood, he was Eleanor Parker's character's love interest in "The Seventh Sin" (1957), a remake of a Greta Garbo film. MGM tested him for the lead in "Ben-Hur" (1959) and he wrote a swashbuckler to star himself, "The Falcon". However his MGM films all performed disappointingly at the box office – "Barretts" and "Seventh Sign" were notable flops – and enthusiasm for Travers in Hollywood cooled.


title: Bill Travers

text: Travers and McKenna starred in a melodrama for the Rank Organisation, "Passionate Summer" (1958). He tried to get up a war film set in Greenland, "The Sledge Patrol", but it does not appear to have been made. He and Launder tried to repeat the success of "Geordie" with "The Bridal Path" (1960), but the film was not a success.


title: Bill Travers

text: Travers did "Born a Giant" for "Our American Heritage" (1960) on TV, then returned to Britain where he made a British monster film, "Gorgo" (1961). Travers and McKenna reteamed on a thriller, "Two Living, One Dead" (1961). He then starred in a race car drama for MGM, "The Green Helmet" (1961), and a comedy with Spike Milligan, "Invasion Quartet" (1961).


title: Bill Travers

text: Travers starred in a TV adaptation of "Lorna Doone" (1963). He returned to Hollywood to do some episodes of "The Everglades", "Rawhide" ("Incident at Two Graves") and "Espionage" ("A Camel to Ride"). Back on Broadway he played the title role in "Abraham Cochrane" which had a short run.


title: Bill Travers

text: Travers' most famous film role came when he played game warden George Adamson in the highly successful 1966 film "Born Free", about which experience the two co-wrote the book "On Playing with Lions". He co-starred with McKenna and the experience made him and his wife conscious of the many abuses of wild animals in captivity that had been taken from Africa and other natural environments around the world.


title: Bill Travers

text: Travers received an offer to play a support role in "Duel at Diablo" (1967); during filming he broke a leg and dislocated a shoulder. He played the title role in a British TV version of "The Admirable Crichton" (1968), alongside his wife, and had a small part in Peter Hall's adaptation of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1968).


title: Bill Travers

text: Travers teamed up with James Hill, the director of "Born Free", to make the documentary, "The Lions Are Free" (1969), which both men directed.


title: Bill Travers

text: Travers and McKenna made another "animal movie", "Ring of Bright Water" (1969) for which he also wrote the script. They followed this with "An Elephant Called Slowly" (1970), which Travers helped write and produce with James Hill, who directed. In 1969, he played Captain Hook on a stage production of "Peter Pan".


title: Bill Travers

text: Travers worked as an actor only on "Rum Runners" (1971) with Brigitte Bardot and Lino Ventura. He directed and appeared in a documentary, "The Lion at World's End" (1971), about Christian the lion, an animal bought in "Harrods" and then returned to Africa.


title: Bill Travers

text: He was reunited with James Hill on "The Belstone Fox" (1973) and co-wrote a documentary, "The Wild Dogs of Africa", for "The World About Us" (1973). He later produced "The Baboons of Gombe" (1975) for the same show.


title: Bill Travers

text: He and Hill wrote and produced "The Queen's Garden" (1977) together, and Travers helped produce "Bloody Ivory" (1980).


title: Bill Travers

text: Travers appeared in "Tramps and Poachers", an episode of "To the Manor Born" (1980). In "" (1984) he and McKenna played the parents of Edwin Flack.


title: Bill Travers

text: The importance of animal rights led to Travers and his wife becoming involved in the "Zoo Check Campaign" in 1984 that evolved to their establishing the Born Free Foundation in 1991.


title: Bill Travers

text: Travers spent his last three years travelling around Europe's slum zoos and a TV documentary that he made exposed the appalling suffering of thousands of animals.


title: Bill Travers

text: Travers died from a coronary thrombosis in his sleep at his home in the village of South Holmwood, near Dorking, Surrey, aged 72. He was survived by his wife and children. His widow, Virginia McKenna, carries on his work to help suffering animals, as does their son, Will Travers, who is president of the Born Free Foundation.


title: Quinndary Weatherspoon

text: Quinndary Sammy Weatherspoon (born September 10, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Tianjin Pioneers of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played four seasons of college basketball for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Weatherspoon was selected 49th overall by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2019 NBA draft. After two seasons with the team, he joined the Warriors in 2021. During his first season with the Warriors, he won an NBA championship.


title: Quinndary Weatherspoon

text: Born in Canton, Mississippi, Weatherspoon is the son of Sharon and Tommie Weatherspoon and has two younger brothers, Nick and Brandon, who are also basketball players. He began playing basketball in middle school. He starred at Velma Jackson High School, where he was coached by Anthony Carlyle. Velma Jackson won three straight state titles in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Towards the end of his high school career, he was considered a three-star recruit, ranked no. 116 in his class by Rivals.com and later committed to Mississippi State under Ben Howland.


title: Quinndary Weatherspoon

text: Weatherspoon was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team. He averaged 12.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game playing alongside Malik Newman.


title: Quinndary Weatherspoon

text: He injured his wrist against Boise State on November 21, 2016 and was initially ruled out for the season. After missing several games, Weatherspoon came back. As a sophomore, Weatherspoon averaged 16.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Weatherspoon was named to the Second Team All-SEC as a sophomore.


title: Quinndary Weatherspoon

text: As a junior, Weatherspoon averaged 14.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game and started every game. He earned the Howell Trophy as the best player in Mississippi. Weatherspoon was named second-team All-SEC. On April 6, 2018, Weatherspoon joined his brother Nick Weatherspoon and Lamar Peters among Mississippi State players to declare for the 2018 NBA draft. He later opted to withdraw from the draft and return to Mississippi State.


title: Quinndary Weatherspoon

text: In his senior season, Weatherspoon was named first-team All-SEC. He became the program’s third player to score 2,000 career points on March 22, 2019 in an upset loss to Liberty on the 2019 NCAA tournament.


title: Quinndary Weatherspoon

text: On June 20, 2019, Weatherspoon was selected with the 49th overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2019 NBA draft. Weatherspoon was later listed in the roster of Spurs for the 2019 NBA Summer League hosted at Vivint Arena.


title: Quinndary Weatherspoon

text: On July 8, 2019, Weatherspoon signed a two-way contract with the Spurs. He had a career-high 30 points for the Austin Spurs in a 126-123 overtime win over the Greensboro Swarm on January 4, 2020. On February 8, 2020, Weatherspoon had his debut in the NBA, coming off from bench in a 102–122 loss to the Sacramento Kings.


title: Quinndary Weatherspoon

text: On November 24, 2020, the Spurs announced that they had re-signed Weatherspoon to another two-way contract.


title: Quinndary Weatherspoon

text: On October 11, 2021, the Golden State Warriors signed Weatherspoon, but waived him two days later. In October 2021, Weatherspoon joined the Santa Cruz Warriors as an affiliate player where in nine games, he averaged 16.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.22 steals in 27.4 minutes per contest.


title: Quinndary Weatherspoon

text: On December 23, 2021, Weatherspoon signed a 10-day contract with the Golden State Warriors. On January 3, 2022, he signed a two-way contract with the Warriors.


title: Quinndary Weatherspoon

text: Weatherspoon majored in interdisciplinary studies during college. He is the son of Sharon and Tommie Weatherspoon and has a brother named Nick, who also played college basketball at Mississippi State.


title: Lamman Rucker

text: Lamman Rucker (born October 6, 1971) is an American actor. Rucker began his career on the daytime soap operas "As the World Turns" and "All My Children", before roles in "The Temptations", Tyler Perry's films "Why Did I Get Married?", "Why Did I Get Married Too?", and "Meet the Browns", and its television adaptation. In 2016, he began starring as Jacob Greenleaf in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, "Greenleaf". Rucker is married to Kelly Davis Rucker, a graduate of Hampton University. Rucker also had a recurring guest spot on the 4th and final season of the hit UPN sitcom, Half & Half. He currently stars in BET+ drama The Black Hamptons


title: Lamman Rucker

text: Rucker was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Malaya (née Ray) and Eric Rucker. He has partial ancestry from Barbados. Rucker spent his formative years in the greater Washington, DC, Maryland area. He first had an interest in acting after he was placed in many child pageants. His first acting role was as Martin Luther King in the 4th grade. He was in the drama club in 7th grade and then attended high school at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C. Rucker studied at Carnegie-Mellon University and Duquesne University.


title: Lamman Rucker

text: On August 29, 2019, he shared personal life experiences that he credits for his success with the Hampton University football team.


title: Lamman Rucker

text: His major role came in 2002 when he assumed the role of attorney T. Marshall Travers on the CBS daytime soap opera "As the World Turns" opposite Tamara Tunie. He left the series the following year and portrayed Garret Williams on ABC soap opera "All My Children" in 2005. He also had the recurring roles on the UPN sitcoms "All of Us" and "Half & Half".


title: Lamman Rucker

text: Rucker is best known for his roles in the Tyler Perry's films. He co-starred in "Why Did I Get Married?" (2007) and "Why Did I Get Married Too?" (2010). He played Will Brown in 2008 film "Meet The Browns". He later had a starring role on Perry's sitcom "Meet the Browns" reprising his role as Will from 2009 to 2011. The following year after "Meet the Browns", Rucker was cast in the male lead role opposite Anne Heche in the NBC comedy series "Save Me", but left after pilot episode. He later had roles in a number of small movies and TV movies. Rucker also had regular role opposite Mena Suvari in the short-lived WE tv drama series, "South of Hell".


title: Lamman Rucker

text: In 2015, Rucker was cast as one of leads in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, "Greenleaf". He plays Jacob Greenleaf, the eldest son of Lynn Whitfield' and Keith David's characters.


title: Aditi Shankar

text: Aditi Shankar (born 6 July 1997) is an Indian actress and singer who works in the Indian cinema prominently in Tamil films. Aditi debuted as an actress in director M. Muthaiah's blockbuster Tamil film "Viruman" (2022) with actor Karthi.


title: Aditi Shankar

text: Aditi was born on 6 July 1997 at Chennai, Tamil Nadu in India. She is the daughter of Indian filmmaker S. Shankar. She also has an elder sister, Aishwarya Shankar and a younger brother, Arjith Shankar. Aditi completed her medical degree at Sri Ramachandra University. After graduation she confessed to her parents about her long term passion for acting, following which she make her debut in Viruman.


title: Aditi Shankar

text: Aditi debuted as a playback singer for the song "Romeo and Juliet" from the Telugu film "Ghani " starring Varun Tej which received positive feedback from critics. The music video and song was ranked at number 1 position for a whole one month in India alone. She also sang the song "Madura Veeran" in her debut film in 2022 as well.


title: Aditi Shankar

text: In 2021, She was approached by film director M. Muthaiah offering Aditi the lead role in the masala film "Viruman" playing the lead female character in the film. It was released on August 12, 2022. "The Outlook India" wrote "Karthi-Aditi Shankar Win You Over With An Engrossing Family Entertainer". The Hindu wrote, "Aditi Shankar is definitely an upgrade from Muthaiya’s previous films". The Times Of India wrote, "Take the initial scenes with the female lead, Thaenu (Aditi Shankar, making a confident debut). She is shown as someone who is affectionate towards Muthupandi, even though he is a man who is hard to like. We think this equation between them would pose a challenge to Viruman, who has fallen for her and wants to marry her, but in just a couple of scenes, we see the character shifting her allegiance, thanks to a convenient plot development".


title: Aditi Shankar

text: She also started filming for her a new film, which is directed by Director Madonne Ashwin officially roped her in, along with Sivakarthikeyan, for his next film, "Maaveeran".


title: Aditi Shankar

text: Just before her debut film "Viruman" was released in 2022. Actress and model Aathmika targeted Aditi on social media and stirred up controversy considering Aditi to be the main reason for Nepotism in south Indian films stating "It’s good to see privileged getting easy way through the ladder while the rest". Aathmika also stated saying "Aditi is privileged to be able to enter the film industry just because of her father". However Aditi later back lashed at Aathmika for her words and later removing her social media status.


title: Zola Taylor

text: Zoletta Lynn Taylor (March 17, 1938 – April 30, 2007) was an American singer. She was the original female member of The Platters from 1954 to 1962, when the group produced most of their popular singles.


title: Zola Taylor

text: Zola Taylor was a member of The Platters until 1962, when she was replaced by singer Barbara Randolph. Taylor was the second of Frankie Lymon's three wives. In 1984, on behalf of Emira Lymon, a lawyer and artists' agent sued to wrest the copyright of Frankie's hit song "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" away from the current owner. The case became confused when it looked like Lymon had a second and possibly a third widow. Elizabeth Waters claimed to have married Lymon in 1964 in Virginia. However, it turned out she had been married to someone else at the time. As Waters' claim went to court, Taylor claimed that she had been sexually active with Lymon as early as the "Biggest Rock "n" Roll Show of 1956" tour. She claimed to have married Lymon in Mexicali, Mexico around 1965, but could not produce a marriage license. The first hearing, held in Philadelphia, was decided in favor of Waters being Lymon's first wife. Emira Eagle, his third wife, appealed and won a reversal based on her claim that she was Lymon's first wife.


title: Zola Taylor

text: Taylor appeared with The Platters in the first rock'n'roll film, "Rock Around the Clock". In 1990, Taylor was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Platters. Zola Taylor died in Riverside, California at age 69, from pneumonia, following a series of strokes. Zola Taylor was portrayed by Halle Berry in the 1998 film "Why Do Fools Fall in Love".


title: Dravidar Kazhagam

text: Dravidar Kazhagam is a social movement founded by Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, also called Thanthai Periyar. Its original goals were to eradicate the ills of the existing caste system including untouchability and on a grander scale to obtain a "Dravida Nadu" (Dravidian nation) from the Madras Presidency. Dravidar Kazhagam would in turn give birth to many other political parties including Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and later the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.


title: Dravidar Kazhagam

text: Founded by Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, the roots of the Dravidar Kazhagam lie in the Self-Respect Movement and Justice Party. Periyar formed the Self-Respect Movement in 1925, breaking in the process from the Indian National Congress party, of which he had been a member until then. The Justice Party, formed in 1917, also claimed to promote similar interests. The two entities merged in 1938 under Periyar's leadership. The name was changed to Dravidar Kazhagam in 1944.


title: Dravidar Kazhagam

text: Being completely opposed to Brahminical social, political and ritual dominance of southern India, the primary purpose of the Dravida Kazhagam was to secure the complete independence of a Dravidian Republic (Dravida Nadu). The party at its inception retained similar values to the Justice Party which had the views of a traditional type of balance signifying the idea of equality. Being heavily influenced by Periyar's Self-Respect Movement, it also adopted many of its goals and objectives. A few of these similarities were to eliminate the caste, class, and creed divide amongst people to foster a balanced society, working towards the elimination of inequality and ensuring that men and women have equal opportunities towards all aspects of life, and pushing for the eradication of superstitious beliefs based on religion.


title: Dravidar Kazhagam

text: As the party gained prominence, many in the party wanted to contest in the elections including C. N. Annadurai. However, Periyar argued that politics would force ideology to the background. With a straining relationship in the organization and Periyar marrying Maniyammai, who was more than 40 years younger than him, some members of the party broke apart and formed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Periyar marrying a girl of younger age caused strains within organization and outside it. The organization was headed by Maniammai and later by K.Veeramani after her demise.


title: Dravidar Kazhagam

text: Periyar's protests were largely symbolic and did not call for the destruction of private property or physically harming anyone. It based its interests on anti-Hindi and anti-Brahmin agitations and never became a full-fledged political party.


title: Dravidar Kazhagam

text: The flag of Dravidar Kazhagam can trace its origins back to 1937. During that year, Hindi was made into a compulsory subject in South India. In reaction to this, E.V. Ramaswamy organised anti-Hindi protests in which a plain black flag was flown. From these protests, Periyar gained a large amount of popularity and went onto be elected as the president of the Justice Party a year later. When the Justice Party was rebranded as the Dravida Kazhagam in 1944, the party adopted its official flag. The design features red circle with a black background with the color black representing "the deprivations and the indignities that the Dravidians had to face under the strict Hindu religion" while red represented "the tireless efforts taken to eliminate the ignorance and blind faith among the people and to free them from any kind of mental and materialistic exploitation".


title: Dravidar Kazhagam

text: The party often adopted a hard line approach and was often involved in mass attempts to change the system outright. One such incident involved bringing Adi Dravidas into the inner sanctum sanctorum of temples and threatening Brahmin priests to recite hymns in Tamil instead of Sanskrit. During Indian independence in 1947, the party did not accept the same as Periyar viewed Independence as the transfer of power from British to the Brahmin-Bania combine who occupied all important positions. With a firm belief that caste-based reservations are the only way to empower the under-represented, they supported reservations in education and employment right from 1919. Periyar was instrumental in introducing reservation to the non-brahmins in Tamil Nadu from 1921 even before independence .


title: Dravidar Kazhagam

text: The organization laid the foundation for further Tamil people involvement into politics. It enthused a new Tamil spirit that later on led to the formation of many parties that would eventually challenge the Indian National Congress stranglehold. Though it failed to achieve its grandiose idea of an independent Dravidian nation, it fostered a spirit of unity amongst the Dravidians, especially in opposing Hindi language in the seventies.


title: Dravidar Kazhagam

text: Dravida Kazhagam strongly rooted for the implementation of Mandal Commission report, which was later adopted by the V.P. Singh led government in 1990. It has also involved itself in the Srilankan Tamils issue and has been vocal in the support of LTTE.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) people in Vietnam face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. From 2000, both male and female same-sex sexual activity are legal and are believed to never have been criminalized in Vietnamese history. However, same-sex couples and households headed by same-sex couples are ineligible for the legal protections available to opposite-sex couples. Vietnam provides limited anti-discrimination protections for transgender people. The right to change gender was officially legalized in Vietnam after the National Assembly passed an amendment to the Civil Code in 2015. In August 2022, the Ministry of Health formally adopted the Global LGBT Health Standard, affirming that same-sex attraction and being transgender are not mental health conditions. It also established guidelines against procedures to "cure" homosexuality.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: Vietnam's first gay pride parade peacefully took place in Hanoi on 5 August 2012. In 2017, pride parades were held in around 35 other cities and provinces.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: While the majority of Vietnamese historical accounts up to the modern era are concerned with the patriarchal ideas of Confucianism, the presence of homosexual activities in Vietnam has been recorded for a long time. A supplemental text to the 15th-century Code of Hồng Đức mentioned the trial of two women who lived in the same house and had sex with one another while the husband of one of the women was away. However, there was no mention of their sexual act during the trial, and they were only charged with adultery. This absence of criticism agrees with the belief of many historians that same-sex sexual acts have never been criminalized in Vietnam, not even in the current Criminal Code. The Penal Code indicates that the age of consent is 16 years regardless of gender or sexual orientation.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: In July 2012, the Minister of Justice announced that the Government of Vietnam had started a consultation on whether to legalize same-sex marriage. In June 2013, the Ministry of Justice submitted a bill that would remove the ban on same-sex marriage from the "Law on Marriage and Family" () and provide some rights to cohabiting same-sex couples. The National Assembly debated it in October 2013.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: On 24 September 2013, the Government issued a decree abolishing the fines on same-sex marriages. The decree took effect on 11 November 2013.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: In November 2013, the National Assembly approved a new constitution. Article 64 was repealed and replaced by article 36 which reads: "Men and women have the right to marry and divorce. Marriage must adhere to the principles of voluntariness, progressiveness, monogamy, equality and mutual respect between husband and wife".


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: On 27 May 2014, the National Assembly's Committee for Social Affairs removed provisions giving legal status and some rights to cohabiting same-sex couples from the bill submitted by the Ministry of Justice. The bill was approved by the National Assembly on 19 June 2014, and took effect on 1 January 2015. It states that while Vietnam allows symbolic same-sex weddings, same-sex couples are neither recognized nor protected under the law. It does not allow same-sex partnership either, although the issue has been open for discussion during many house meetings. Although Vietnam abolished its ban on same-sex marriage, the law has a very limited effect in practice. If not recognized by the state, such marriages will not be protected by law for matters such as personal and property rights. Jamie Gillen, a National University of Singapore sociology researcher, stated that Vietnam's relaxation of stance contrasts with Vietnam's neighbors such as Singapore. It is estimated that such relaxed policies will attract tourism revenue as Vietnam attempts to promote themselves as a tolerant and friendly society.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: In 2017, the Ministry of Health estimated that Vietnam's transgender population was at 270,000-300,000 people. In March 2019, a survey conducted by local transgender associations found there were nearly 500,000 transgender people in the country.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: A 2018 study revealed that 67.5% of surveyed transgender people suffered psychological issues and that around 60% had attempted suicide, 23% of were "forced to have sex with others", 16% had suffered sexual violence, and 83% had experienced humiliation.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: On November 24, 2015, Vietnam passed a landmark law by a vote of 282–84, enshrining rights for transgender people in a move, advocacy groups say, paves the way for sex reassignment surgery. Such operations were previously illegal, forcing people to travel to nearby Thailand for the surgery. The legislation allows those who have undergone sex reassignment to register under their preferred sex. The law went into effect in January 2017. However, for that law to be fully enforced, a further bill needs to be passed. This bill covers the requirements for gender change applicants and the requirements for those performing it. In November 2018, speaking at a transgender rights event, the Việt Nam Union of Science and Technology Associations and Nguyễn Huy Quang, head of the Department of Legislation at the Ministry of Health, announced that the National Assembly is expected to discuss the bill in 2020.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: In Vietnam, individuals can voluntarily serve within the Armed Forces when 18 years old and above, regardless of sex or sexual orientation.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: In 2007, Ho Chi Minh City Pedagogical University conducted a poll of 300 pupils at three junior high and high schools and discovered that 80% of pupils answered "no" when asked, "Is homosexuality bad?"


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: A March 2014 poll indicated that 33.7% of Vietnamese supported same-sex marriage, whereas 53% were opposed.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: An online survey carried out in December 2016 found that 45% of respondents supported the legalization of same-sex marriage, while 25% opposed it and 30% answered "don't know".


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: In 2000, crime journalist Bui Anh Tan's novel "A World Without Women" () was the first fictional Vietnamese book to deal extensively with gay people. In 2007, the story was turned into a television series.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: In 2002, the government-run media declared homosexuality to be a "social evil" comparable to prostitution, gambling and illegal drug use and promised that legislation would be forthcoming to allow the government to combat homosexuality and arrest same-sex couples. Publications such as and spoke of homosexuality as a disease and "deviant behavior that is incompatible with the good morals and time-honored customs of Vietnam." In November 2002, the Communist Youth Newspaper carried a story about homosexuality that stated "some people are born gay, just as some people are born left-handed".


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: On 29 November 2007, the first foreign same-sex wedding was held in Hanoi between a Japanese and an Irish national. The wedding raised much attention in the gay and lesbian community in Vietnam.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: In 2009, Pham Le Quynh Tram became the first transgender woman to be legally recognized by Vietnamese authorities as a woman. As such, she was allowed to redefine her sex from male to female and to legally change her name to Pham Le Quynh Tram. However, according to a report from the "Huffington Post", her official recognition was apparently withdrawn in late January 2013.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: In September 2010, "Tuoi Tre Online", the internet edition of the "Tuoi Tre" newspaper, published a letter from an 18-year-old reader describing his hard time dealing with family after they found out he was gay. The letter received hundreds of supportive responses from other readers that led the website to conclude it with an interview with Dr. Huynh Van Son, Dean of Psychology, at the Ho Chi Minh City Pedagogical University. For the first time, a major state media agreed that "homosexuality is normal".


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: Another ceremonial same-sex wedding between two Vietnamese citizens, Quốc Khánh and Thành Lợi, was held in Haiphong in northern Vietnam in June 2018.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: On 5 August 2012, Vietnam's first gay pride parade took place in Hanoi, with participants expressing support for equal marriage rights for LGBT individuals.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: In 2013, Vietnamese filmer Dang Khoa, produced a sitcom entitled "My Best Gay Friends". The series is published on YouTube as Vietnamese broadcasters were reluctant to air the episodes. Khoa wanted to create the show to debunk the caricature stereotypes of homosexuality.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: A 2015 study revealed that around 44% of Vietnamese LGBT students aged 14–22 faced stigma, discrimination and violence because of their identities. Another 2015 study conducted by UNESCO found that 19% of students perceived bullying against LGBT students as "harmless". 70% of Hanoi parents said they would not allow their children to talk to gay students, and some believed that conversion therapy could help "cure" LGBT children. A 2014 USAID report showed that 54% of LGBT students said their school was not safe, with many dropping out. Of those who experienced violence, one third said they thought about committing suicide, with half of those attempting it. 85% of transgender students stated they dropped out because of assault and bullying.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: Former American Ambassador to Vietnam, Ted Osius, was openly gay and known for his support of LGBT rights in Vietnam, and attended several pride events with his husband.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: From 18 September 2017 to 24 September 2017, Vietnam's Hanoi Pride took place for a fifth consecutive year. The event hosted thousands of people, compared to only about a hundred at the first pride parade. Irish drag queen Panti Bliss attended the event. The sixth Hanoi Pride took place in November 2018, and saw the participation of more than a 1,000 people. The parade uniquely involves supporters and participants peddling on their bikes to campaign for transgender rights and same-sex marriage in the country. Over 35 similar events are held each year throughout Vietnam, including in the cities of Haiphong, Thanh Hóa, Da Nang, Qui Nhơn, Nha Trang, Vũng Tàu, Ho Chi Minh City and Cần Thơ. The events were aired by several Vietnamese television channels, namely VTV4, VTV6 and VTV9.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: In 2006, the Government enacted legislation to protect citizens infected with HIV and people living with AIDS from discrimination, and health care is provided free to all Vietnamese citizens.


title: LGBT rights in Vietnam

text: In August 2022, it was reported that within Vietnam - conversion therapy became legally banned as well as LGBT individuals "are not diseased" and should never be treated as such according to the Health Ministry.


title: Dreamscape (1984 film)

text: Dreamscape is a 1984 American dark science-fiction adventure film directed by Joseph Ruben and written by David Loughery, with Chuck Russell and Ruben co-writing. It stars Dennis Quaid, Kate Capshaw, Max von Sydow, and Christopher Plummer.


title: Dreamscape (1984 film)

text: Alex Gardner (Dennis Quaid) is a psychic who has been using his talents solely for personal gain, which mainly consists of gambling and womanizing. When he was 19 years old, Alex had been the prime subject of a scientific research project documenting his psychic ability but, in the midst of the study, he disappeared. After running afoul of a local gangster/extortionist named Snead (Redmond Gleeson), Alex evades two of Snead's thugs by allowing himself to be taken by two men: Finch (Chris Mulkey) and Babcock (Peter Jason), who identify themselves as being from an academic institution.


title: Dreamscape (1984 film)

text: At the institution, Alex is reunited with his former mentor Dr. Paul Novotny (Max von Sydow) who is now involved in government-funded psychic research. Novotny, aided by fellow scientist Dr. Jane DeVries (Kate Capshaw), has developed a technique that allows psychics to voluntarily link with the minds of others by projecting themselves into the subconscious during REM sleep. Novotny equates the original idea for the dreamscape project to the practice of the Senoi natives of Malaysia, who believe the dream world is just as real as reality.


title: Dreamscape (1984 film)

text: The project was intended for clinical use to diagnose and treat sleep disorders, particularly nightmares, but it has been hijacked by Bob Blair (Christopher Plummer), a powerful government agent. Novotny convinces Alex to join the program in order to investigate Blair's intentions. Alex gains experience with the technique by helping a man who is worried about his wife's infidelity and by treating a young boy named Buddy (Cory Yothers), who is plagued with nightmares so terrible that a previous psychic lost his sanity trying to help him. Buddy's nightmare involves a large sinister "snake-man.”


title: Dreamscape (1984 film)

text: A subplot involving Alex and Jane's growing infatuation culminates with him sneaking into Jane's dream to have sex with her. He does this without technological aid—something no one else has been able to achieve. With the help of novelist Charlie Prince (George Wendt), who has been covertly investigating the project for a new book, Alex learns that Blair intends to use the dream-linking technique for assassination.


title: Dreamscape (1984 film)

text: Blair murders Prince and Novotny to silence them. The president of the United States (Eddie Albert) is admitted as a patient due to recurring nightmares. Blair assigns Tommy Ray Glatman (David Patrick Kelly), a mentally unstable psychic who murdered his own father, to enter the president's nightmare and assassinate him—people who die in their dreams also die in the real world. Blair considers the president's nightmares about nuclear holocaust as a sign of political weakness, which he deems a liability in the upcoming negotiations for nuclear disarmament.


title: Dreamscape (1984 film)

text: Alex projects himself into the president's dream—a nightmare of a post nuclear war wasteland—to try and protect him. After a fight in which Tommy rips out a police officer's heart, Tommy attempts to incite a mutant-mob against the president, and he battles Alex in the form of the snake-man from Buddy's dream. Alex assumes the appearance of Tommy's murdered father (Eric Gold) in order to distract him, allowing the president to impale him with a spear. The president is grateful to Alex but reluctant to confront Blair, who wields considerable political power. To protect himself and Jane, Alex enters Blair's dream and kills him before Blair can retaliate.


title: Dreamscape (1984 film)

text: The film ends with Jane and Alex boarding a train to Louisville, Kentucky, intent on making their previous dream encounter a reality. They are surprised to meet the ticket collector from Jane's dream, but they decide to ignore it and keep on.


title: Dreamscape (1984 film)

text: According to author Roger Zelazny, the film developed from an initial outline that he wrote in 1981, based in part upon his novella "He Who Shapes" and 1966 novel "The Dream Master". He was not involved in the project after 20th Century Fox bought his outline. Because he did not write the film treatment or the script, his name does not appear in the credits; assertions that he removed his name from the credits are unfounded. The music score is by French composer Maurice Jarre.


title: Dreamscape (1984 film)

text: Principal photography began 3rd February 1983 in Los Angeles, CA. Locations included Union Station, Los Angeles, Los Alamitos Race Course, Los Alamitos, CA, and the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA.


title: Dreamscape (1984 film)

text: "Dreamscape" was released on August 15, 1984. The film was a box office success grossing 12.1 million dollars on a 6 million dollar budget. This was the second film released to movie theaters that was rated PG-13 under then-new MPAA ratings guidelines, following "Red Dawn", which had come out five days prior. The film was released on DVD on June 6, 2000, January 4, 2005, and April 7, 2015.


title: Dreamscape (1984 film)

text: "Dreamscape" has a 79% 'Fresh' rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 33 critics, with an average rating of 6.4/10. The critics consensus reads, ""Dreamscape" mixes several genres—horror, sci-fi, action—and always maintains a sense of adventure and humor." On Metacritic — which assigns a weighted mean score — the film has a score of 63 out of 100 based on 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".


title: Shivanasamudra Falls

text: Shivanasamudra Falls is a waterfall on the border of Malavalli taluk, Mandya district and Kollegala taluk, Chamarajanagara district of the state of Karnataka, India. It is situated along the river Kaveri, which forms here the boundary to the Chamarajanagara district and Mandya district. Bharachukki Falls in Kollegala taluk of Chamarajanagara district and Gaganachukki Falls in Malavalli taluk of Mandya district and is the location of the first hydro-electric power stations in Asia, which were set up in 1902. The project was designed by Diwan Sheshadri Iyer and Diwan Sir M. Visvesvaraya of the Kingdom of Mysuru.Gaganachukki has a height of 90 metre and Bharachukki has a height of 69 metre.


title: Shivanasamudra Falls

text: The Shivanasamudra Falls is on the Kaveri River after the river has found its way through the rocks and ravines of the Deccan Plateau and drops off to form waterfalls. The island town of Shivanasamudra divides the river into twin waterfalls. This creates the fourth largest island in the course of the river. A group of ancient temples is located here and there likely was a village.


title: Shivanasamudra Falls

text: This is a segmented waterfall. Segmented waterfalls occur where the water flow is broken into two or more channels before dropping over a cliff, resulting in multiple sides by side waterfalls. It has an average width of , a height of , and an average volume of . The maximum recorded volume is .


title: Shivanasamudra Falls

text: A common misconception about these waterfalls is that the left segment is called Gaganachukki and the right segment is called Bharachukki. In reality the Bharachukki falls are a few kilometers to the south-west of the Gaganachukki falls. This is due to the Kaveri river itself splitting a few kilometers to the south into western and eastern branches. The western branch results in the twin waterfalls of Gaganachukki, whereas the eastern branch results in the Bharachukki falls. The Gaganachukki waterfalls are best viewed from the Shivanasamudra watch tower. Most of the pictures showing the twin waterfalls are taken from that location. There is another approach to the Gaganachukki falls from the Darga Hazrath Mardane Gaib (Imam Ali). Despite warnings being posted, people climb down the rocks and attempt to view the waterfalls from behind/top, resulting in many fatal accidents. It is from the city of Bangalore.


title: Shivanasamudra Falls

text: Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple located here is built in the Dravidian style of architecture. Sri Ranganathaswamy here is also referred to as "Madhya Ranga", who is highly revered by Sri Vaishnava devotees among others. Among all the three Rangas, the deity here is believed to represent the youth form of God and hence is also fondly referred to as 'Mohana Ranga' and 'Jaganmohana Ranga'. Madhya Ranga is an ancient temple housing a beautiful idol, yet being located remotely sees few visitors. The temple often remains closed to visitors as the local priest is not punctual, and the Karnataka government temple authority has done little to maintain and promote this place. The Shivanasamudra temple is one of the three temples of the God Ranganatha (Madhya Ranga) that are situated in the natural islands formed in the Kaveri river. They are:


title: Shivanasamudra Falls

text: The ancient Sri Someshwara Temple, is another famous temple here at Shivanasamudra. Adi guru Sri Shankaracharya is said to have visited this place and established a "Sri Chakra". It is unusually believed that the Someshwara Linga here has existed much before the Ranganantha idol and that the Saptarshis was performing pooja and worshipping this Linga.


title: Shivanasamudra Falls

text: India's first hydro-electric power station is located at the waterfall and is still functional. This station was commissioned by the Diwan of Mysore, Sir K. Seshadri Iyer. The power generated here was initially used in Kolar Gold Fields.


title: Shivanasamudra Falls

text: One can visit the power station by obtaining special permission through Karnataka Power Corporation. Travelling in British built winch lift is an experience.


title: Shivanasamudra Falls

text: There are several buses available from Bangalore KR Market and Malavalli to Milega. It is recommended to board off at Satya Gala Hand Post; the distance being .


title: Shivanasamudra Falls

text: Many three-wheelers are available between the falls and the hand post. Recently many eco-friendly resorts, like Chukkimane, have emerged near to these waterfalls which offer a night stay for the travelers who would wish to spend another day at the falls.


title: Shivanasamudra Falls

text: There is a small restaurant run by Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation at Gaganachukki Falls. Apart from this, tourists have to come to the highway where there are a few dhabas.


title: Moana Pasifika

text: Moana Pasifika is a rugby union team made up of players from various Pacific island nations as well as New Zealand or Australian born players of Pasifika heritage, including Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands.


title: Moana Pasifika

text: The team was originally created for a one-off match against the Māori All Blacks in December 2020, with the future intention of trying to join the Super Rugby competition.


title: Moana Pasifika

text: On 14 April 2021, New Zealand Rugby confirmed the side had been granted a conditional licence to join the Super Rugby competition.


title: Moana Pasifika

text: On 12 July 2021, the team was granted an unconditional licence, confirming them for the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season.


title: Moana Pasifika

text: On 24 November 2020, Moana Pasifika coach Tana Umaga named a 26-man squad for the match against the Māori All Blacks on 5 December 2020. The team was made up of New Zealand-based players who were international or sevens capped by a Pacific team or identified with a Pacific region. On 5 December 2020, the team played their first match, against the Māori All Blacks at Waikato Stadium. Captained by Sydney born Samoan international Michael Ala'alatoa the side lost to the Māori 28–21.


title: Moana Pasifika

text: Following the conclusion of the 2020 Super Rugby season, the licences for the South African Super Rugby sides; the , the , the and the , the Argentine and the Japanese all expired. The 2021 Super Rugby season, still affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, was played in two regionalised tournaments featuring the five New Zealand Super Rugby sides and the four Australian Super Rugby sides, plus the Western Force who had returned to the tournament having lost their licence at the end of the 2017 Super Rugby season. However, from 2022 onwards a new 12-team tournament had been mooted, and on 13 November 2020, the New Zealand Rugby Union announced Moana Pasifika, along with the Fijian Drua as its preferred partners to join the competition. Further steps were made in March 2021, when the New Zealand Rugby Union agreed to a sharing of broadcast revenue with both Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua, and this was followed later in the same month by World Rugby announcing financial, high performance and administrative support for both potential new sides, in order to boost the performances of Pacific Islands at international level, while also being able to stay local instead of heading overseas.


title: Moana Pasifika

text: On 14 April 2021, both sides were granted conditional licenses to join Super Rugby in 2022 by the New Zealand Rugby Union.


title: Moana Pasifika

text: On 12 July 2021, the team were granted an unconditional licence, confirming them for the 2022 Super Rugby season.


title: Moana Pasifika

text: On 30 August 2021, the side was confirmed in Super Rugby for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, beginning with the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season.


title: Moana Pasifika

text: Moana Pasifika will be based in South Auckland, Auckland Region, and will play their fixtures at Mt Smart Stadium until 2028. On the following day, Dynasty Sport was announced as the supplier for the team's on-field kit. Aaron Mauger was then announced as the first coach of the team on 30 September 2021.


title: Moana Pasifika

text: On 15 November 2021, the schedule for the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season was announced, with Moana Pasifika's inaugural match against the in Auckland.


title: Moana Pasifika

text: Moana Pasifika played its inaugural Super Rugby game on 4 March 2022, a 12–33 loss to the . In that historic game, loose forward Solomone Funaki scored the franchise's first ever try. 3 weeks later, Moana Pasifika won its first Super Rugby game against the at Mt Smart Stadium, winning 24-19.


The Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation (abbreviated: CPI(ML)L or CPI-ML(L) or CPIML Liberation) also referred to as the Liberation Group, is a Communist political party in India.


title: Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation

text: In 1973 the original Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) split, with one group led by Sharma and another by Mahadev Mukherjee. Vinod Mishra initially belonged to Mukherjee's party, but he and the Burdwan Regional Committee broke with Mukherjee in September 1973. Mishra sought contact with the Sharma group, but the Burdwan Regional Committee was later divided and Mishra denounced the political line of Sharma (a critique, which amongst other things, called for the formation of open mass organizations, a move that almost constituted a heresy in the CPI (ML) movement at the time).


text: In 1974 Mishra came into contact with Subrata Dutta (Jauhar), a leader of armed struggle in the plain areas of Bihar. On 28 July 1974 (the second death anniversary of Charu Majumdar) a new party Central Committee was formed with Jauhar as General Secretary and Mishra and Swadesh Bhattacharya (Raghu) as members. The reorganized party became known as the 'anti-Lin Biao' group (whilst the faction of Mahadev Mukherjee constituted the 'pro-Lin Biao' group). The anti-Lin Biao group became known as the CPIML Liberation.


text: Mishra served as West Bengal secretary of the new party organization. Under Mishra's leadership new "dalams" (guerilla squads) were formed.


text: In November 1975 Jauhar was killed in the midst of Lal Sena activities. Mishra became the new party General Secretary in a reorganized five-member Central Committee. Mishra organized a second party congress, held clandestinely in the rural areas of Gaya district in February 1976. The congress unanimously re-elected Mishra as General Secretary.


text: Mishra was the political architect of the process of re-orientation of CPIML Liberation. By 1976 the party had adopted a position that armed struggle would be combined with building a broad anti-Congress democratic front movement. The process further elaborated through an internal rectification process initiated in late 1977. Party study circles and party schools were started from central to block level of the party structure. The theory of two line tactics started to develop.


text: In 1981 party tried to unify the other splintered ML factions. The party organised a unity meet with 13 ML factions to form a unified leading core . But the initiative was a failure.


text: In the early 1980s CPIML Liberation began building an open non-party mass movement (in direct to the original policy of CPI (ML)), the Indian People's Front (founded in April 1982). Nagbhushan Patnaik became the president of IPF. The construction of IPF, through which the underground party could develop links to other democratic forces on the basis of a popular, democratic and patriotic programme, was based on interventions by Mishra. However although Mishra broke with the dogmas of the early CPI (ML), he never renounced Charu Majumdar's legacy.


text: In the third party congress it was decided that IPF will participate in parliamentary elections. In 1989 IPF's Rameshwar Prasad won the loksabha seat from Ara (Bhojpur). In 1990, IPF won 7 seats from Bihar Legislative Assembly. Special initiatives taken for restructuring the party and open up. IPF hold its first rally on 8 October 1990 in Delhi.


text: In 1985, the party launched People's democratic Front (PDF) in Karbi Anglong district of Assam which won a seat in state assembly. In 1987 PDF was transformed to Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC). A sustained mass movement by ASDC help it to sweep district council elections in 1989. In 1981, ASDC's Jayanta Rongpi became an MP in Parliament. In 1996, ASDC was able to send its five-member group in Assam assembly as MLA.


text: In 1992, after the Fifth party congress (Held in Kolkata), the party comes out in the open from its underground status. Mishra was re-elected General Secretary of the party at the sixth congress of CPIML Liberation in Varanasi in October 1997.


text: The Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) (Liberation), led by Dipankar Bhattacharya is a surviving faction of the CPI (M-L). Liberation has established legal overground structures (trade unions, student groups, peasant organisations etc.) and participates in elections. In the Lok Sabha elections in 1999 the party won 0.3% of the votes and one seat (the former ASDC-seat from Assam). In the 2004 elections the seat was lost, mainly due to a split within ASDC. As of 2016, the party has been able to send its representatives to the state legislative assemblies of Bihar and Jharkhand as well as the panchayats of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Punjab.


text: The English-language publication of the party is "Liberation", and thus the party is called CPIML Liberation. Apart from "Liberation", the party publishes a central Hindi weekly organ, "Samkaleen Lokyuddh". Some state party committees publish their own organs, like the weekly "Ajker Deshabrati" in West Bengal, "Nabasphulinga" in Tripura, "Teeppori" in Tamil Nadu, "Telugu Liberation" in Andhra Pradesh, "Kannada Liberation" in Karnataka, "Samkali Lok Morcha" in Punjab, etc.


text: The party has a longstanding conflict with the feudal landlords since the beginning of CPI (ML). Siwan, Bhojpur, Arrah are the strongholds of CPI (ML) movement. The communist movement in Bihar was founded by the comrade Jagdish Mahto, Rameshwar Ahir and Ramnaresh Ram in the Ekwaari village of Bhojpur.


text: CPIML Liberation emerged as the third largest party in Bihar Legislative Assembly Election 2015. The party contested jointly along with CPI, CPI(M), RSP, Forward block, and SUCI(C) as a third alternative to the National Democratic Alliance and the Mahagathbandhan of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar. The party won the seats of Darauli, Balrampur and Tarari) each. The party has a vote percentage of 1.5% in the state. All the left parties together have a vote percentage of 3.59%.


text: CPI(ML) Liberation contested the 2020 Bihar Legislative Assembly election as part of the Mahagathbandhan, an alliance of the UPA and the leftist parties led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal. The party secured 12 seats with a vote percentage of 3.16%, making it the fifth largest party in the Bihar Legislative Assembly. However, the Mahagathbandhan lost the election to the rival National Democratic Alliance.


text: As a result of the election, the CPI(ML)L was recognised as a state party by the Election Commission of India.


text: Since the separation of Jharkhand from Bihar important places like Ranchi, Dhanbad, Giridih, Koderma, Jamtada and others have been field of work of the party. In Jharkhand the party is the representative of regional adivasis who have conflicts with corporates and government against improper land seizure without proper rehabilitation. The party also has conflicts with the local coal mafias.


text: The party contested in cooperation with state left parties like Marxist Coordination Centre(MCC), CPI, and CPI(M) as an alternative to the BJP and INC led alliances. The party won the Dhanwar seat.


text: The current general secretary of CPIML Liberation is Dipankar Bhattacharya. The 10th party congress of CPIML Liberation, held in Mansa, Punjab, 28 th March 2018 elected a Central Committee with 77 members. The Central Committee later elected a 17 numbers of Politburo members Committee.


title: Craig Carton

text: Craig Harris Carton (born January 31, 1969) is an American radio and television personality. He is the co-host of the "Carton and Roberts" sports radio program on WFAN (AM) in New York City, and is seen nationally on Fox Sports 1 as host of "The Carton Show" weekday mornings. He previously co-hosted "Boomer and Carton" on WFAN and later CBS Sports Network from 2007 to 2017.


title: Craig Carton

text: During its 10-year run, "Boomer and Carton" became the most listened to show in WFAN history, placing first among men ages 25–54. In September 2017, Carton resigned from the program and WFAN after his arrest for securities and wire fraud. He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, and after serving 12 months, he was released in 2020. That year, he was rehired by WFAN, for which he currently hosts the #1 rated afternoon-drive program with Evan Roberts. Carton also hosts a podcast and public service show called "Hello, My Name Is Craig" in which attempts to help listeners work through their gambling addiction and other issues. The show recently celebrated its 100th episode.


title: Craig Carton

text: Craig Harris Carton was born on January 31, 1969, in New Rochelle, New York. In March 2019, Carton revealed that he was a victim of child sexual abuse while at a summer camp. He graduated from New Rochelle High School and the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University with a degree in broadcast journalism in 1991.


title: Craig Carton

text: While in high school, Carton performed play-by-play duties for a variety of Westchester County high-school sporting events and was enrolled in a sports broadcasting class taught by legendary announcer Bob Wolff. As a college student, he worked as a DJ at several Syracuse nightclubs.


title: Craig Carton

text: Carton's first book, "Loudmouth: Tales (and Fantasies) of Sports, Sex, and Salvation from Behind the Microphone", was released on June 4, 2013.


title: Craig Carton

text: Carton launched the Tic Toc Stop Foundation in 2013, which raises funds to combat Tourette syndrome and provide a camp for youths with Tourette named Camp Carton. Fundraising has included an annual golf tournament and a bowling event known as "Strike Out ."


title: Craig Carton

text: Carton began his broadcasting career in 1991 at WGR Radio in Buffalo. He went on to work at WWWE in Cleveland in 1992 and WIP in Philadelphia in April 1993.< On WIP, Carton was a brash weekend host nicknamed "The Kid" and filled in on the station's morning-drive show.


title: Craig Carton

text: Carton left the East Coast for Denver, working mostly at KKFN 950 AM, "The Fan." His morning show took off immediately and he became the highest-rated host in the station's history. He next took the morning slot on KBPI, where he hosted the market's top-rated local morning show. Carton left Denver to care for his wife Kim, who was pregnant with their first child.


title: Craig Carton

text: In late 2000, Carton replaced Scott Kaplan on WNEW-FM's "Sports Guys" morning radio program in New York City, a job that he held for one year. He took the show in a new direction, adding stunts such as an on-the-air cockfight and "Pastapalooza." Carton was broadcasting live with Blain Ensley on WNEW during the September 11, 2001 attacks.


title: Craig Carton

text: In July 2002, Carton began cohosting the "Jersey Guys" show on WKXW. The show was nominated for a Marconi Award as the top mid-market talk show in the country.


title: Craig Carton

text: Carton left WKXW in August 2007 for a morning opening at New York's WFAN as Boomer Esiason's cohost, replacing "Imus in the Morning". The "Boomer and Carton" show reached number one (men 25–54) in the Arbitron ratings within a year, a ranking that Imus had not achieved since 1993. The show was simulcast on MSG Network from 2010 to 2013 and also on the CBS Sports Network starting in 2014. "Boomer and Carton" became the top-ranked show in New York, was nominated for multiple Marconi Awards and won several Cynopsis Media awards as the nation's top major-market sports-talk show.


title: Craig Carton

text: In 2012, Carton hosted Spike's "MMA Uncensored Live". Carton and Esiason announced a 2013 NBA game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Washington Wizards.


title: Craig Carton

text: On May 9, 2022, It was reported that Carton is expected to host a national TV morning show in Fall 2022 for Fox Sports 1. He will continue on his WFAN afternoon drive time radio program with Evan Roberts.


title: Craig Carton

text: On September 6, 2017, Carton was arrested by federal agents at his home in New York City on criminal charges of securities fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit those offenses. Carton, Michael Wright, Dean Heiser and Joseph Meli were alleged to have defrauded $4.8 million from investors by falsely claiming that the group had access to millions of dollars of face-value concert tickets through nonexistent agreements with concert promoters. Although Carton proved in court via witness testimony and the Government also confirmed that he had bought the tickets in question, he allegedly used some of the funds from a ticket investor for gambling and only purchased the tickets at a later date, according to a parallel civil complaint filed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Trial testimony further proved that Carton had no existing gambling debt at the time when the alleged fraud was perpetrated. The question became whether his credit-card purchase of the tickets five weeks after he had allegedly misappropriated the funds that he had received for ticket purchases constituted fraud. Carton's lawyers argued that money is fungible and, as such, the manner in which Carton had purchased the tickets was not significant as long as he actually purchased them as he claimed. The jury disagreed with their position.


title: Craig Carton

text: After receiving an indefinite suspension from WFAN, Carton resigned from the station on September 13, 2017, ending his ten-year stint as cohost of "Boomer and Carton" and leaving Esiason as the sole host. Carton made the decision to give his former show "the best opportunity to succeed without further disruption." On March 29, 2018, Carton returned to radio as host of "Carton & Friends" on FNTSY Sports Network. In May 2018, Sports Byline USA acquired rights to syndicate the program on terrestrial radio.


title: Craig Carton

text: Carton was convicted of fraud on November 7, 2018, in Manhattan federal court after a week-long trial. Sentencing was scheduled for February 27, 2019 before being delayed until March 15. Carton was sentenced on April 5 to three and a half years in prison and ordered to make restitution of $4.8 million. He reported to the United States Penitentiary, Lewisburg minimum-security satellite camp on June 17, 2019, to begin serving a minimum of 36 months of a maximum 42-month sentence.


title: Craig Carton

text: Carton was released from prison to a halfway house on June 23, 2020, and ultimately to home confinement. While in federal prison, he completed a 500-hour cognitive behavioral therapy course that made him eligible for release. Carton served his entire sentence and was released from federal custody on June 8, 2021.


title: Craig Carton

text: On October 29, 2020, it was announced that Carton would return to WFAN, hosting the afternoon drive "Carton & Roberts" with Evan Roberts (replacing the retiring Joe Benigno) beginning November 9. On December 10, 2020, it was also announced that Carton would host a weekly program airing Saturday mornings beginning January 9 called "Hello, My Name Is Craig" on which he would discuss problem gambling.


title: Craig Carton

text: In its first full ratings-book period, the new show was the highest-rated afternoon-drive sports-talk show in New York City.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) was the Indian military contingent performing a peacekeeping operation in Sri Lanka between 1987 and 1990. It was formed under the mandate of the 1987 Indo-Sri Lankan Accord that aimed to end the Sri Lankan Civil War between Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups such as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lankan military.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: The main task of the IPKF was to disarm the different militant groups, not just the LTTE. It was to be quickly followed by the formation of an Interim Administrative Council. These were the tasks as per the terms of the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord, signed at the behest of Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Given the escalation of the conflict in Sri Lanka, and with the pouring of refugees into India, Rajiv Gandhi took the decisive step to push this accord through. The IPKF was inducted into Sri Lanka on the request of Sri Lankan President J. R. Jayewardene under the terms of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: The force was initially not expected to be involved in any significant combat by the Indian High Command. However, within a few months, the IPKF became embroiled in battle with the LTTE to enforce peace. The war erupted following the death of 17 LTTE prisoners, including two areas commanders in the custody of the Sri Lankan Army, which the LTTE blamed the IPKF for allowing to happen. Soon, these differences led to the LTTE attacking the Sinhalese, at which point the IPKF decided to disarm the LTTE militants, by force if required. In the two years it was in northern Sri Lanka, the IPKF launched a number of combat operations aimed at destroying the LTTE-led insurgency. It soon escalated into repeated skirmishes between the IPKF and LTTE. Numerous civilian massacres and rapes were committed by the IPKF during the conflict. Numerous soldiers of IPKF were killed by LTTE.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: The IPKF began withdrawing from Sri Lanka in 1989, on the orders of the newly elected Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa and following the election of the V. P. Singh government in India. The last IPKF contingents left Sri Lanka in March 1990.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: India's battle in Sri Lanka is often called 'India's Vietnam' by international media, by way of comparison to American military involvement in the Vietnam War.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: Sri Lanka, from the early 1980s, was facing increasingly violent ethnic strife in the Sri Lankan Civil War. The origins of the Sri Lankan Civil War can be traced to the independence of Sri Lanka in 1948, after the end of British rule. At the time, a Sinhalese majority government was instituted. This government, which included the Tamil Congress, passed legislation deemed discriminatory by some against the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: In the 1970s, two major Tamil parties, the Tamil Congress and a split, the Federal Party united to form the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), a separatist Tamil nationalist group that agitated for a separate state of Tamil Eelam in north and eastern Sri Lanka that would grant the Tamils greater autonomy within the federal structure.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: However, the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka, enacted in August 1983, classified all separatist movements as unconstitutional, Outside the TULF, Tamil factions advocating more militant courses of action soon emerged, and the ethnic divisions eventually led to violent civil war.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: Initially, under Indira Gandhi and later under Rajiv Gandhi, the Indian Government sympathised with the Tamil insurrection in Sri Lanka because of the strong support for the Tamil cause within the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Emboldened by this support, supporters in Tamil Nadu provided a sanctuary for the separatists and helped the LTTE smuggle arms and ammunition into Sri Lanka, making them the strongest force on the island. In fact in 1982, the LTTE supremo Prabhakran was arrested by the police in Tamil Nadu, for a shoot-out with his rival Uma Maheswaran, in the middle of the city. Both of them were arrested and later released by the police. This activity was left unchecked as India's regional and domestic interests wanted to limit foreign intervention on what was deemed as an ethnic issue between the Tamils and the Sinhalese. To this end, the Indira Gandhi government sought to make it clear to Sri Lankan president Junius Richard Jayewardene that armed intervention in support of the Tamil movement was an option India would consider if diplomatic solutions should fail.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: The first round of civil violence flared in 1983 when the killing of 13 soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army, sparked anti-Tamil pogroms—the Black July riots—in which approximately 3000 Tamils were killed. The riots only aided in the deterioration of the ethnic relations. Militant factions, including the LTTE, at this time recruited in large numbers and continued building on popular Tamil dissent and stepped up the guerrilla war. By May 1985, the guerrillas were strong enough to launch an attack on Anuradhapura, attacking the Bodhi Tree shrine–a sacred site for Buddhist Sinhalese–followed by a rampage through the town. At least 150 civilians died in the hour-long attack.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: Rajiv Gandhi's government attempted to re-establish friendly relations with the various factions in Sri Lanka while maintaining diplomatic efforts to find a solution to the conflict as well as limiting overt aid to the Tamil militants.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: The Sri Lankan government, deducing a decline in support for the Tamil rebels from India, began rearming itself extensively for its anti-insurgent role with support from Pakistan, Israel, Singapore, and South Africa. In 1986, the campaign against the insurgency was stepped up. In 1987, retaliating against an increasingly bloody insurgent movement, the Vadamarachchi Operation (Operation Liberation) was launched against LTTE strongholds in Jaffna Peninsula. The operation involved nearly 10,000 troops, supported by helicopter gunships as well as ground-attack aircraft. In June 1987, the Sri Lankan Army laid siege on the town of Jaffna. This resulted in large-scale civilian casualties and created a condition of humanitarian crisis. India, which had a substantial Tamil population in South India faced the prospect of a Tamil backlash at home, called on the Sri Lankan government to halt the offensive in an attempt to negotiate a political settlement. However, the Indian efforts were unheeded. Added to this, in the growing involvement of Pakistani advisers, it was necessary for Indian interest to mount a show of force. Failing to negotiate an end to the crisis with Sri Lanka, India announced on 2 June 1987 that it wound send a convoy of unarmed ships to northern Sri Lanka to provide humanitarian assistance but this was intercepted by the Sri Lankan Navy and forced to turned back.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: Following the failure of the naval mission the decision was made by the Indian government to mount an airdrop of relief supplies in aid of the beleaguered civilians over the besieged city of Jaffna. On 4 June 1987, in a bid to provide relief, the Indian Air Force mounted Operation Poomalai. Five Antonov An-32s under fighter cover flew over Jaffna to airdrop 25 tons of supplies, all the time keeping well within the range of Sri Lankan radar coverage. At the same time the Sri Lankan Ambassador to New Delhi, Bernard Tilakaratna, was summoned to the Foreign Office to be informed by the Minister of State, External Affairs, K. Natwar Singh, of the ongoing operation and also indicated that the operation was expected not to be hindered by the Sri Lankan Air Force. The ultimate aim of the operation was both to demonstrate the seriousness of the domestic Tamil concern for the civilian Tamil population and reaffirming the Indian option of active intervention to the Sri Lankan government.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: Following Operation Poomalai, faced with the possibility of an active Indian intervention and lacking any possible ally, the President, J. R. Jayewardene, offered to hold talks with the Rajiv Gandhi government on future moves. The siege of Jaffna was soon lifted, followed by a round of negotiations that led to the signing of the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord on 29 July 1987 that brought a temporary truce. Crucially however, the negotiations did not include the LTTE as a party to the talks.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: The signing of the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord on 29 July 1987 brought a temporary truce to the Sri Lankan Civil War. Under the terms of the agreement,


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: Colombo agreed to a devolution of power to the provinces, the Sri Lankan troops were withdrawn to their barracks in the north, the Tamil rebels were to disarm.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: Amongst the provisions undersigned by the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord was the commitment of Indian military assistance should this be requested for by the Sri Lankan Government, as well as the provision of an Indian Peace Keeping Force that would "guarantee and enforce the cessation of hostilities". It was on these grounds, and on the request of President J. R. Jayewardene, that Indian troops were inducted to Northern Sri Lanka. J N Dixit, the then Indian ambassador to Colombo, in an interview to rediff.com in 2000 described that ostensibly, Jayawardene's decision to request Indian assistance came in the face of increasing civil riots and violence within the southern Sinhalese majority areas, including the capital Colombo that were initiated by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party that necessitated the withdrawal of the Sri Lankan Army from the Tamil areas of northern Sri Lanka to maintain order.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: Originally a reinforced division with small naval and air elements, the IPKF at its peak deployed four divisions and nearly 80,000 men with one mountain (4th) and three Infantry Divisions (36th, 54th, 57th) as well as supporting arms and services. At the peak of its operational deployment, IPKF operations also included a large Indian Paramilitary Force and Indian Special Forces elements. Indeed, Sri Lanka was first theatre of active operation for the Indian Navy Commandos. The main deployment of the IPKF was in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. Upon its withdrawal from Sri Lanka the IPKF was renamed the 21st Corps and was headquartered near Bhopal and became a quick reaction force for the Indian Army.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: The first Indian Army troops to be deployed to Sri Lanka were a ten thousand strong force from the 54th Infantry Division commanded by Major General Harkirat Singh, which flew into Palali Airbase from 30 July onwards. This was followed later by the 36th Infantry Division.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: Soon after its intervention in Sri Lanka and especially after the confrontation with the LTTE, the IPKF received a substantial


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: commitment from the Indian Air Force, mainly transport and helicopter squadrons under the command of Gp.Capt. M.P Premi, including:


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: The Indian Navy regularly rotated naval vessels through Sri Lanka waters, mostly smaller vessels such as patrol boats.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: In December 1999, Defence Minister George Fernandes disclosed the IPKF had suffered 1,165 personnel killed in action with 3,009 others wounded. The LTTE casualties are not known.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: The Indian intelligence agencies failed to consistently provide accurate information to Indian forces. One example is the Jaffna football ground massacre. The LTTE's disinformation machinery leaked fake information to the Indian army that the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was hiding in a building near the Jaffna university football ground. A major operational plan was chalked out by the Indian generals to capture him alive. The plan involved airdropping commandos on the ground, while tank formations would move to surround the area, to prevent anyone from the stadium and its surrounding buildings to escape.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: However, when the plan was executed, the Indian troops came under heavy attack from hidden LTTE sharpshooters. the tanks moving on the ground were ensnared by anti-tank mines placed by the LTTE militants. This resulted in heavy losses for the Indian side. According to later accounts, the LTTE leader, Prabhakaran was not in the area at the time of the operation.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: The IPKF complained that accurate maps of the operational theaters were not made available to them by the various intelligence agencies.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: There was also a case where an agent of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) was killed in an ambush set up by the IPKF. He had been acting on orders to carry out back channel diplomacy and peace talks with the LTTE.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: The IPKF mission while having gained tactical successes, did not succeed in its intended goals. The primary impact of the IPKF, has been that it shaped India's counterinsurgency techniques and military doctrine. The political fallout, the IPKF casualties, as well as the deterioration of international relations has shaped India's foreign policy towards the Sri Lankan conflict.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: The decision to send the IPKF in Sri Lanka was taken by then Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi, who held office until 1989. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated at a rally at Sriperumbudur on 21 May 1991, while he was campaigning for re-election during the 1991 Indian General Election, by a LTTE suicide bomber named Dhanu.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: The IPKF intervention in Sri Lanka is raised at times in Indian political discourse whenever the situation in Sri Lanka shows signs of deterioration or, more broadly, when other foreign nations, ought to have a role in promoting peace on the island nation. India has never been directly involved in the peace talks between the LTTE and Sri Lanka but has supported Norway's efforts. As a result, relations between India and Sri Lanka became extremely sour. No defence pact has been signed between India and Sri Lanka even though India reaffirmed its strong defence cooperation with Sri Lanka.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: The IPKF role in the Sri Lankan conflict was criticised in both Sri Lanka and India. It perpetrated a number of human rights violations, including rapes and massacres of civilians. Several neutral organisations pointed out that the Indian Army acted with scant regard for civilian safety and violated human rights. This led to considerable outcry and public resentment within Sri Lanka as well as India, especially in Tamil Nadu, where the IPKF was viewed as an invading and oppressing force.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: Indian forces indulged in a number of civilian massacres, involuntary disappearances and rapes during their time in the Northeastern province of Sri Lanka. These include complicity in the incidents such as Valvettithurai massacre in which on


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: 2, 3, and 4 August 1989 over 50 Tamils were massacred by the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Valvettithurai, Jaffna. In addition to the killings over 100 homes, shops and other property were also burnt and destroyed.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: Another notable incident was the Jaffna teaching hospital massacre on 22 October 1987. Following a confrontation with Tamil militants near the hospital, IPKF forces quickly entered the hospital premises and massacred over 70 civilians. These civilians included patients, two doctors, three nurses and a paediatric consultant who were all in uniform. The hospital never completely recovered after this massacre.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: The IPKF was also accused of complicity in murder of Sinhalese civilians. The then Sri Lankan government accused the Madras Regiment posted in the Trincomalee district of complicity, although the Indian officials denied responsibility, they withdrew the Madras Regiment from Trincomalee district.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: From October 1987, the IPKF commenced war on the LTTE in order to disarm them. During this conflict, the IPKF raped thousands of Tamil women. One IPKF official excused these rapes by stating the following: "I agree that rape is a heinous crime. But my dear, all wars have them. There are psychological reasons for them such as battle fatigue."


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: The Sri Lankan government had mooted the idea of a war memorial to those soldiers of the IPKF who lost their lives during the peacekeeping mission, in the early Nineties during President Premadasa's rule. The memorial was finally constructed in Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte on the outskirts of Colombo in 2008. The names of the 1200 soldiers who died are inscribed on black marble. The first official memorial service was held on 15 August 2010 when the Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Ashok Kantha, laid a wreath to honour the dead. The absence of a representative of the Sri Lankan government has been criticised by Indian ex-servicemen who had served in the conflict. Later in 2014, India constructed a war memorial at Bhopal to honour the IPKF.


title: Indian Peace Keeping Force

text: A renovated memorial for IPKF soldiers in Palaly, Jaffna, has been declared open in June 2015. The names of 33 who died in the operations in the Northern Province during 1987–1990 have been inscribed on a wall at the memorial site.


title: The Lady of Shalott (painting)

text: The Lady of Shalott is a painting of 1888 by the English painter John William Waterhouse. It is a representation of the ending of Alfred, Lord Tennyson's 1832 poem of the same name. Waterhouse painted three versions of this character, in 1888, 1894 and 1915. It is one of his most famous works, which adopted much of the style of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, though Waterhouse was painting several decades after the Brotherhood split up during his early childhood.


title: The Lady of Shalott (painting)

text: "The Lady of Shalott" was donated to the public by Sir Henry Tate in 1894 and is usually on display in Tate Britain, London, in room 1840.


title: The Lady of Shalott (painting)

text: "The Lady of Shalott" an 1888 oil-on-canvas painting, is one of John William Waterhouse's most famous works. It depicts a scene from Tennyson's poem in which the poet describes the plight and the predicament of a young woman, loosely based on the figure of Elaine of Astolat from medieval Arthurian legend, who yearned with an unrequited love for the knight Sir Lancelot, isolated under an undisclosed curse in a tower near King Arthur's Camelot. Waterhouse painted three versions of this character, in 1888, 1894 and 1915.


title: The Lady of Shalott (painting)

text: The painting has the precisely painted detail and bright colours associated with the Pre-Raphaelites. It pictures the titular character of Tennyson's poem, also titled "The Lady of Shalott" (1842). In the poem, the Lady had been confined to her quarters, under a curse that forbade her to go outside or even look directly out of a window; her only view of the world was through a mirror. She sat below the mirror and wove a tapestry of scenes she could see by the reflection. After defying the curse by looking out the window at Camelot, the Lady has made her way to a small boat. This is the moment that is pictured in Waterhouse's painting, as the Lady is leaving to face her destiny. She is pictured sitting on the tapestry she has woven.


title: The Lady of Shalott (painting)

text: The Lady has a lantern at the front of her boat and a crucifix is positioned near the bow. Next to the crucifix are three candles. Candles were a representation of life – two of the candles are already blown out, signifying that her death is soon to come. Aside from the metaphoric details, this painting is valued for Waterhouse's realistic painting abilities. The Lady's dress is stark white against the much darker hues of the background. Waterhouse's close attention to detail and colour, the accentuation of the beauty of nature, realist quality, and his interpretation of her vulnerable, wistful face are further demonstration of his artistic skill. Naturalistic details include two swallows and the water plants that would be found in a river in England at this time.


title: The Lady of Shalott (painting)

text: According to Tennyson's version of the legend, the Lady of Shalott was forbidden to look directly at reality or the outside world; instead she was doomed to view the world through a mirror, and weave what she saw into tapestry. Her despair was heightened when she saw loving couples entwined in the far distance and she spent her days and nights aching for a return to normal. One day the Lady's mirror revealed Sir Lancelot passing by on his horse. When she impetuously took three paces across the room and looked at him, the mirror cracked and she realised that the curse had befallen her. The lady escaped by boat during an autumn storm, inscribing 'The Lady of Shalott' on the prow. As she sailed towards Camelot and certain death, she sang a lament. Her frozen body was found shortly afterwards by the knights and ladies of Camelot, one of whom is Lancelot, who prayed to God to have mercy on her soul.


title: The Lady of Shalott (painting)

text: Tennyson also reworked the story in "Elaine", part of his Arthurian epic "Idylls of the King", published in 1859, though in this version the Lady is rowed by a retainer in her final voyage.


title: The Lady of Shalott (painting)

text: Tennyson's verse was popular with many of the Pre-Raphaelite poets and painters and was illustrated by such artists as Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Maw Egley, and William Holman Hunt. Throughout his career, Waterhouse was preoccupied with the poetry of both Tennyson and John Keats. Between 1886 and 1915 Waterhouse painted three episodes from the poem, as well as "La Belle Dame sans Merci" (1893) from the poem by John Keats.


title: New York Life Insurance Company

text: New York Life Insurance Company (NYLIC) is the third-largest life insurance company in the United States, the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States and is ranked #67 on the 2021 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by total revenue. NYLIC has about $593 billion in total assets under management, and more than $25 billion in surplus and AVR. In 2019, NYLIC achieved the best possible ratings by the four independent rating companies (Standard & Poor's, AM Best, Moody's and Fitch). Other New York Life affiliates provide an array of securities products and services, as well as institutional and retail mutual funds.


title: New York Life Insurance Company

text: New York Life Insurance Company first opened in Manhattan's Financial District as "Nautilus Mutual Life" in 1841, 10 years after the first life insurance charter was granted in the United States. Originally chartered in 1841, the company also sold fire and marine insurance. The company's first president, James De Peyster Ogden, was appointed in 1845. Nautilus renamed itself New York Life Insurance Company in 1845 to concentrate on its life insurance business.


title: New York Life Insurance Company

text: In its early years (1846–1848) the company, along with other insurance companies of the day including Aetna and US Life, insured the lives of slaves for their owners. By 1847 these accounted for onethird of New York Life's policies. The board of trustees voted to end the sale of insurance policies on slaves in 1848. The company also sold policies to soldiers and civilians involved in combat during the American Civil War and paid claims under a flag of truce during that time. In the late 1800s, the company began employing female agents.


title: New York Life Insurance Company

text: New York Life continued to grow throughout its first 100 years as the national population and the market for life insurance increased. New York Life's growth was in part fueled by its introduction of a system by which the company used agents to find new business. In 1892, company President John A. McCall introduced the branch office system: offices that served as liaisons between New York and field agents.


title: New York Life Insurance Company

text: In 1894, the company became the first US-based insurance provider to offer life insurance to women at the same cost as men; social reformer Susan B. Anthony was one of the company's first female policyholders. In 1896, New York Life became the first company to insure people with disabilities or in hazardous occupations.


title: New York Life Insurance Company

text: The New York Life Building at 51 Madison Avenue in Manhattan, designed by American architect Cass Gilbert, opened in December 1928. The company moved into the 34-story skyscraper in 1929. Later that year, New York Life's assets survived the stock market crash; state regulation and company investing policy had led New York Life to invest in government bonds and real estate, not common stocks.


title: New York Life Insurance Company

text: Following World War II, New York Life further diversified; it invested in real estate development in the late 1940s and launched a mortgage-loan program for veterans in 1946. In 1957, New York Life hired one of the industry's first black agents, Cirilo McSween. In the 1970s, New York Life began selling annuities and mutual funds. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, as other mutual life insurance companies became publicly traded corporations, New York Life remained a mutual company. New York Life entered the Mexican market in 1999 when it acquired Seguros Monterrey from Aetna.


title: New York Life Insurance Company

text: New York Life, along with other insurance companies, relaxed the claims process for missing persons in the wake of the September 11 attacks. Fearful of the stability of the market during the two years prior to the financial crisis of 2007–2008, New York Life moved its cash into other investments such as treasury bonds. In the ensuing financial crisis, New York Life Insurance Company rejected assistance from the U.S. Treasury Department.


title: New York Life Insurance Company

text: Following the 2013 acquisition of Dexia Asset Management, later renamed Candriam Investors Group, New York Life Investments became one of the largest asset managers worldwide, with access to markets in Europe, Asia and Australia, in addition to the United States.


title: New York Life Insurance Company

text: In November 2021, the company announced that company president Craig DeSanto was replacing CEO Ted Mathas, The transition was finalized in April 2022, and Mathas stayed with the company as a non-executive chairman.


title: New York Life Insurance Company

text: As of 2016, New York Life Insurance Company was the country's third-largest life insurance company. A mutual insurance company, New York Life is owned by its policyholders and has no outside shareholders. As a mutual, New York Life distributes a portion of its earnings to eligible policyholders as annual dividends. As of 2016, the company has paid a dividend every year since 1854. Through Seguros Monterrey New York Life, the company offers insurance in Mexico.


title: New York Life Insurance Company

text: New York Life's core product is whole life insurance, a type of life insurance offering lifelong protection that builds cash value over time. New York Life also sells term life insurance, universal life insurance, variable universal life insurance, long-term care insurance and annuities. The company operates New York Life Direct, selling direct-to-consumer policies, and is the exclusive life insurance partner of the AARP.


title: New York Life Insurance Company

text: New York Life Investments is a subsidiary global asset management business which serves both institutional and retail clients. It ranks No. 26 by total worldwide institutional assets under management, according to "Pensions & Investments"' Largest Money Managers Survey 2017.


title: New York Life Insurance Company

text: New York Life Foundation is the insurance company's philanthropic arm. Its areas of focus include childhood bereavement. New York Life Foundation first became involved in childhood bereavement programs when it supported the Comfort Zone Camp in 2007. Its partners and programs include the National Alliance of Grieving Children, Grief Reach, Coalition to Support Grieving Students, Camp Erin/Moyer Foundation, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and Boys and Girls Clubs of America. It sponsored the HBO documentary "One Last Hug".


title: New York Life Insurance Company

text: The company also emphasizes giving to various cultural communities, including the African-American community. The company also funded a $10 million endowment to the Colin Powell Center for Policy Studies at the City College of New York called the New York Life Endowment for Emerging African-American Issues in 2006.


title: New York Life Insurance Company

text: In June 2018, New York Life ranks No. 69 on the Fortune 500. In 2017 "Fortune" named New York Life among its Most Admired Companies in the life insurance industry. "Forbes" ranked New York Life #364 among America's Best Employers for 2017. As of 2019, New york Life ranks No. 71 on the Fortune 500.


title: New York Life Insurance Company

text: By the end of 2019, New York Life had earned the highest financial strength ratings from major four rating agencies: A++ from A.M.Best, AAA from Fitch Ratings, Aaa from Moody and AA+ from Standard & Poor's.


title: Idolish7

text: The player assumes the role of Tsumugi Takanashi, an inexperienced manager for a new idol group under her father's small agency. The idol group is named "Idolish7," and consists of seven male members, each with their own unique personality and background. She must train and turn all of them into famous idols, all while struggling against the hardships of the entertainment industry.


title: Idolish7

text: A new idol group belonging to Takanashi Production Company. Their names contain numbers 1~7 in kanji. Their music symbols mainly consist of accidentals and dynamics.


title: Idolish7

text: The rival group of Idolish7 that belongs to the Yaotome Production Company. Their names contain numbers 8~10 in kanji. Their music symbols mainly consist of clefs.