title: Plains Indians

text: The people of the Great Plains have been found to be the tallest people in the world during the late 19th century, based on 21st century analysis of data collected by Franz Boas for the World Columbian Exposition. This information is significant to anthropometric historians, who usually equate the height of populations with their overall health and standard of living.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is a concentrated solar thermal plant in the Mojave Desert. It is located at the base of Clark Mountain in California, across the state line from Primm, Nevada. The plant has a gross capacity of 392 megawatts (MW). It deploys 173,500 heliostats, each with two mirrors focusing solar energy on boilers located on three tall solar power towers. The first unit of the system was connected to the electrical grid in September 2013 for an initial synchronisation test. The facility formally opened on February 13, 2014. In 2014, it was the world's largest solar thermal power station.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: The $2.2 billion facility was developed by BrightSource Energy and Bechtel. The largest investor in the project was NRG Energy which contributed $300 million. Google contributed $168 million. The United States government provided a $1.6 billion loan guarantee and the plant is built on public land. In 2010, the project was scaled back from its original 440 MW design to avoid disturbing the habitat of the desert tortoise.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: The Ivanpah system consists of three solar thermal power plants on of public land near the California–Nevada border in the Southwestern United States. Initially it was planned with 440 MW gross on of land, but then downgraded by 12%. It is near Interstate 15 and north of Ivanpah, California. The facility is visible from the adjacent Mojave National Preserve, the Mesquite Wilderness, and the Stateline Wilderness. It is also very visible from the Primm Valley resort area to the northeast.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: Fields of heliostat mirrors focus sunlight on receivers located on centralized solar power towers. The receivers generate steam to drive specially adapted steam turbines.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: For the first plant, the largest-ever fully solar-powered steam turbine generator set was ordered, with a 123 MW Siemens SST-900 single-casing reheat turbine. Siemens also supplied instrumentation and control systems. The plants use BrightSource Energy's "Luz Power Tower 550" (LPT 550) technology which heats the steam to 550 °C directly in the receivers. The plants have no storage.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: Final approval for the project was granted in October 2010. On October 27, 2010, Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, and other dignitaries gathered in the Mojave Desert to break the ground for the construction.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: The project, which had a total cost of about $2.18 billion, received a $1.6 billion loan guarantee from the United States Department of Energy. The facility developed contracts to sell about two-thirds of the power it generated to the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), and the rest to Southern California Edison (SCE).


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: The largest investor in the project was NRG Energy, a generating company based in Princeton, New Jersey. It contributed $300 million. The project also received an investment of $168 million from Google. However, in November 2011, Google announced that it would no longer invest in the facility due to the rapid decline of the price of photovoltaic systems. $90,000,000 in financing was provided through the EB-5 Investor Immigration program, managed in this case by CMB Regional Centers.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: The plant burns natural gas each morning to commence the operation. "The Wall Street Journal" reported, "Instead of ramping up the plant each day before sunrise by burning one hour's worth of natural gas to generate steam, Ivanpah needs more than four times that much." On August 27, 2014, the State of California approved Ivanpah to increase its annual natural gas consumption from of natural gas, as previously approved, to . In 2014, the plant burned of natural gas emitting 46,084 metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is nearly twice the pollution threshold at which power plants and factories in California are required to participate in the state's cap and trade program to reduce carbon emissions. If that fuel had been used in a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant, it would have generated about 124 GWh of electrical energy. The facility used that gas plus solar energy to produce 419 GWh of electrical energy (more than three times that of the referenced CCGT plant), all the while operating at well below its expected output. In 2015, the facility showed higher production numbers, with Q1 increases of 170% over the same time period in 2014.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: The facility uses three Rentech Type-D water tube boilers and three night time preservation boilers. The California Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission approved for each a stack " high and in diameter" and consumption of of fuel.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: BrightSource estimated that the Ivanpah facility would provide 1,000 jobs at the peak of construction, 86 permanent jobs, and total economic benefits of $3 billion. Elected San Bernardino County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt, who represents most of the California Mojave Desert, stated that the "project would create jobs for mostly Las Vegas and electricity for mostly San Francisco".


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: The project received a $1.6 billion loan guarantee from the United States Department of Energy. According to Synapse Energy Economics, the estimated construction cost for the facility of $5,561.00 per kW fell between that of coal and nuclear power plants. but this does not account for the less favorable capacity factor of solar power.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: In November 2014, the facility's investors applied for a $539 million federal grant to finance their federal loan.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: Contracted power-delivery performance of 640 GWh/year from Units 1 and 3 and 336 GWh from Unit 2 was met by 2017, following sharply reduced production in the first few years of operation, particularly in the start-up year of 2014.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: In November 2014, the Associated Press reported that the facility was producing only "about half of its expected annual output". The California Energy Commission issued a statement blaming this on "clouds, jet contrails and weather". Performance improved in 2015 to about 650 GWh. However, NRG Energy said in its November quarterly report that Ivanpah would likely not meet its contractual obligations to provide power to PG&E during the year, raising the risk of default on its Power Purchase Agreement. PG&E had a contract to receive 640 GWh/year from Units 1 and 3, while SCE was supposed to receive 336 GWh from Unit 2, at a price of about $200/MWh (20¢/kWh). In March 2016, PG&E agreed not to declare the plant in default for at least four months in return for an undisclosed sum from the owners.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: In June 2015, "The Wall Street Journal" reported, "15 months after starting up, the plant is producing just 40% of [its expected more than a million megawatt-hours of electricity each year], according to data from the U.S. Energy Department." Performance improved dramatically in the second year. CleanTechnica reported with respect to units 1 and 3 that "in 2015, PG&E customers received about 97% of Ivanpah's contracted electrons, which is a massive improvement over its first year".


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: The steam plant was designed for 28.72% gross efficiency. The local irradiance near the area is about 7.4 kWh/m/day (annual average) for a total solar energy flow in the visible spectrum of 2.717 MWh/m yearly.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: One heliostat mirror is a reflecting surface, giving a total of per heliostat. The total plant heliostat reflecting surface results in 173,500 heliostats × 14.05 m/heliostat = 2,437,144 m. If the mirrors could always be perpendicular to Sun's ray, based on irradiance, the intercepted solar energy flow is 2.717 MWh/m/year × 2,437,144 m = 6,621,720 MWh yearly.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: On May 19, 2016, a small fire was reported when misaligned mirrors reflected sunlight into a level of Unit 3 tower not designed to collect power, requiring the tower to shut down for repairs. As another of the three power-generating units was already offline for scheduled maintenance, the plant was left with only one third of its installation functional. Unit 3 resumed operation on June 8, 2016. All three units were back in operation by June 20, 2016. Solar thermal electricity production in California peaked at 703 MW on that day, up from 452 MW on June 7 when two units were offline.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: In August 2014, Ivanpah was awarded the "Plant of the Year" award from "Power" magazine. In February 2012, Ivanpah was awarded the CSP (Concentrating Solar Power) Project of the Year by Solar Power Generation USA.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: The project generated controversy because of the decision to build it on ecologically intact desert habitat. The Ivanpah installation was estimated, before operations started, to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 400,000 tons annually. It was designed to minimize impacts on the natural environment compared to some photovoltaic solar facilities because the use of heliostats does not require as much grading of the land. The facility was fenced off to keep out some terrestrial wildlife. However, birds faced the risk of collision with the heliostat mirrors or from burning in solar flux created by the mirror field.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: In 2012, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) issued a report on the project, citing water concerns, damage to visual resources, and impacts on important desert species. To conserve scarce desert water, LPT 550 uses air-cooling to convert steam back into water. Compared to conventional wet-cooling, this results in a 90 percent reduction in water usage. The water is then returned to the boiler in a closed process.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: Another potential issue is the effect of mirror glare on airplane pilots. Additionally, "the power towers have 'receiver units' at their top on which the mirror fields focus their reflected light. During operation, these receiver units become extremely hot, such that they glow and appear brightly lit. ... Because they are high above the ground, these glowing receiver units will be a visible distraction to persons at many of the KOPs [Key Observation Points], including travelers utilizing I-15."


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: According to the State of California Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission Opening Briefs regarding this project, "the project itself is visually imposing. It would cover roughly , most of which would be covered with mirror fields. The panoramic expanse of mirror arrays would present strong textural contrast with the intact, natural character of the desert floor [and] would rise to a height of roughly ; an additional above that height would consist of lighting to meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements."


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: The Ivanpah Solar power project was built on of public land in the south central Mojave Desert. Project construction was temporarily halted in the spring of 2011 due to the suspected impacts on desert tortoises. Construction resumed when the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) found the project was not likely to jeopardize the endangered desert tortoise. BrightSource also installed fencing to keep wildlife out of the area. In 2010, the project was scaled back from the original 440 MW design, to avoid building on the habitat of the desert tortoise.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: Many desert tortoises found on the site were relocated to other parts of the Mojave Desert. However, environmentalists raised concerns that relocated tortoises were more likely to die due to the stresses involved.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: During the trial of the plant in September 2013, thirty-four dead birds were found at the plant. Fifteen had heavily burned feathers, which staff at the plant referred to as "streamers" because they were burned in flight by the intense radiation from the heliostat mirrors. From February through June 2014, a team of biologists monitoring the number of bird deaths reported a total of 290.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: In April 2014, the USFWS reported that 141 dead birds, including peregrine falcon, barn owl and yellow-rumped warbler had been collected at Ivanpah in October 2013. Forty-seven of the birds' deaths were attributed to solar flux. According to a report by the Associated Press, "Ivanpah might act as a 'mega-trap' for wildlife, with the bright light of the plant attracting insects, which in turn attract insect-eating birds that fly to their death in the intensely focused light rays." Bird kill mitigation strategies were considered, including proven, environmentally safe technologies such as avian radars and LRADs to keep birds away from the site, covering ponds to discourage waterbirds from loitering, and clearing additional land around the plant to make it less attractive and more visible to birds in flight. Some of the bird deaths occurred when the plant was in standby-mode, and the mirrors were focused above the tower. This issue was resolved by spreading the focus wider, below damaging intensity.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: In April 2015 "The Wall Street Journal" reported that "biologists working for the state estimated that 3,500 birds died at Ivanpah in the span of a year, many of them burned alive while flying through a part of the solar installment where air temperatures can reach 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit [540 °C]".


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: In late 2015, Brightsource released the results of the first full year monitoring bird and bat deaths at the Ivanpah solar plant. The company reported that during a year of study supervised by the California Division of Wildlife, the number of observed bird deaths, adjusted upward to account for inefficiencies of the carcass-counting, were around 3,500 bird deaths per year caused by the Ivanpah solar plant. The Ivanpah plant took steps to further reduce bird deaths.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: The initial reports of high avian casualties have been disputed ever since initial reports surfaced. In September 2014, for example, Renewable Energy World suggested "With its claim of 28,000 dead birds from Ivanpah, the Associated Press syndicated a story on every front page in America, spreading alarm about concentrated solar power (CSP) plants, which was not grounded in facts, but on one opponent's speculation."


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: In September 2016, federal biologists said about 6,000 birds die from collisions or immolation annually while chasing flying insects around the facility's towers.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: Ivanpah was advertised as designed to produce 940,000 MWh of electricity per year, based on its nameplate capacity and assumed capacity factor. In its second year of operation, Ivanpah's production of 653,122 MWh of net electricity was 69.5 percent of this value, ramping up from 44.6 percent in the first year. The commissioning of a new thermal plants requires up to four years to achieve 100% operating level, from the first grid connection to full production. In its seventh year (2020), the annual production was 91.1% of its advertised value.


title: Ivanpah Solar Power Facility

text: Ivanpah Solar's use of gas is as follows, expressed in million British thermal units (Btu) as reported. For comparison to the above charts, 1 MWh is about 3.4 million Btu.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Mohammad Amir (; born 13 April 1992) is a Pakistani cricketer and bowler for the Pakistan national cricket team.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Amir made his first-class debut in November 2008, and his first One-Day International and Test appearances in July 2009 in Sri Lanka at the age of 17. He played his first international match during the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, where he played in every game, helping the national side win the tournament.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: On 29 August 2010, he was arrested for spot-fixing and was given a five-year ban for bowling two deliberate no-balls. Amir pleaded guilty on the verdict handed out by his prosecutor in the International Cricket Council, and publicly asked for forgiveness. In November 2011, Amir was convicted at Southwark Crown Court, along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, of conspiracy charges relating to spot-fixing and spent 3 months in prison. He was given a five-year ban which was considered lenient, due to his juvenile age and confession, as compared to the other two conspirators who were given 7 and 10 years' suspensions, effectively ending their careers.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: On 29 January 2015, it was announced that Amir would be allowed an early return to domestic cricket despite his original ban being due to expire on 2 September 2015. Mohammad Amir signed with Chittagong Vikings to play in the 2015 Bangladesh Premier League . He returned to play for Pakistan on their tour of New Zealand in 2016.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: In August 2018, he was one of thirty-three players to be awarded a central contract for the 2018–19 season by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). On 26 July 2019, he announced his retirement from Test cricket in order to focus on limited overs cricket. On 17 December 2020, he announced his retirement from international cricket.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Amir was born on 13 April 1992 in Changa Bangial, Gujar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan. He is the son of Raja Muhammad Fayyaz. He was the second youngest of seven children. "Wasim Akram is my favourite bowler, he's my idol. When I used to watch him on TV, I would try to see what exactly he was doing with the ball. Then I would go outside and imitate his actions and bowling."


title: Mohammad Amir

text: In 2003, at the age of 11, Amir was spotted at a local tournament and was invited to join the sports academy set up by Asif Bajwa, who is the chairman of Bajwa Cricket Academy, in Rawalpindi.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: After joining the national team, Amir moved to Lahore with his family to be closer to top-flight cricket facilities.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Amir married British citizen Narjis Khan in September 2016. Together they have two daughters, Minsa Amir and Zoya Amir.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Amir was first selected as a fast bowler by the former Pakistani fast bowler Wasim Akram at a fast bowling camp in 2007. Amir, then 15 years old, went on a tour of England with the Pakistan U-19 cricket team and was one of the leading bowlers. He took 8 wickets at an average of 16.37. In 2008, he took 4 wickets in successive matches against Sri Lanka and England. In this tri-nation tournament played in Sri Lanka he again excelled with his speed and swing bowling taking 9 wickets at an average of 11.22 in three matches. Due to injury he played only a limited part in the 2008 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup held in Malaysia.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: In March 2008, he made his domestic debut for the Rawalpindi Rams whilst concurrently representing the National Bank of Pakistan. His debut domestic season resulted in him taking 55 first-class wickets for NBP. He took a lot of top order wickets including those of players in the national side. This strong domestic form resulted in him making his international breakthrough in the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: In July 2019, he was selected to play for the Dublin Chiefs in the inaugural edition of the Euro T20 Slam cricket tournament. However, the following month the tournament was cancelled. In November 2019, he was selected to play for the Khulna Tigers in the 2019–20 Bangladesh Premier League. In October 2020, he was drafted by the Galle Gladiators for the inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League. In November 2021, he was selected to play for the Galle Gladiators following the players' draft for the 2021 Lanka Premier League. In December 2021, he was signed by the Karachi Kings following the players' draft for the 2022 Pakistan Super League.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: He was signed by Bangla Tigers for the 2021–22 T10 League but made himself unavailable after testing positive for covid-19.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Amir made his international debut against England in the group stages of the 2009 ICC World Twenty20. He took the wicket of Ravi Bopara with only his second ball, with Shoaib Malik taking a fine catch, and conceded only one run in his debut international over. Amir made his One Day International match debut against Sri Lanka taking 3 wickets at an economy rate of 4.50 and also scoring 23 runs.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: After his successful 2009 T20 World Cup tournament, Amir was selected in the test squad for Pakistan for the series in Sri Lanka. He was chosen alongside fast bowler Umar Gul and Abdur Rauf, ahead of more notable and experienced names such as Sohail Tanvir. He started his Test career well, taking six wickets in the match, which included the wicket of Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara in both innings, as well as the Sri Lankan batsman, Mahela Jayawardene's wicket in the 2nd innings. However he did not get any wickets in his next two Test matches. His next test wickets came in New Zealand where he managed to take four wickets in the first Test match, during a losing game. He won his first Test match with the Pakistan team during his 5th Test match, as Pakistan won comprehensively by 141 runs, he managed to take three wickets in the match including the wicket of Taylor, who scored 97 runs in the second innings. He shone brightly with the bat as well and showed a solid technique for a lower order batsman.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Amir continued to impress as the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 tournament continued, taking a wicket in his opening spell in 6 of the 7 games he played, including the final. He was particularly effective at using the short ball, with his skiddy bouncers rushing onto the batsmen, often causing them to mishit the ball for a catch. Amir consistently clocked speeds of above 145 kilometres per hour (90 miles per hour) and bowled his quickest delivery in the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 final against Sri Lanka, at 152 kilometres per hour (94.4 miles per hour). His most important moment arguably came in the opening over of the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup final against Sri Lanka. He bowled with speed and with consecutive short deliveries to the tournament's top scorer Tillakaratne Dilshan, obtained his wicket on the fifth delivery, and managed to end the over with a wicket maiden.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: In the initial stages of the 2010 World Cup Amir took three wickets in a five wicket-maiden over in a Twenty20 International match against Australia. The other two men were run out in the same over. This set a world record of three wickets for a bowler in Twenty20 and 5 wickets for a team in one over.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Amir was ignored by the Pakistan Cricket Board when they awarded cricket contracts to Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Yousuf, even after his exceptional performance in the 2009 ICC World Twenty20. Later on the Pakistan Cricket Board awarded Amir a 'C' category contract.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: On 9 November 2009 he scored 73 runs against New Zealand which was a record for a number 10 batsman in ODI history until Ravi Rampaul surpassed that record with scoring 86* when batting at number 10 position in 2011. In that innings, with his batting partner Saeed Ajmal, Amir added 103 runs to Pakistan's chase, only to fall short by 7 runs.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: He impressed the Pakistan cricket team, including Wasim Akram, who took credit for discovering Amir, although Akram later commented that Amir needed to gain more weight to aid his development.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Later in 2009, Pakistan toured Sri Lanka and in the first One Day International match, he shared a 62 run partnership with fast bowler Umar Gul for the tenth wicket but Pakistan lost by 36 runs. He also played a game against New Zealand in 2009–2010. During a match in the third One Day International match, when Pakistan was reduced to 8 wickets for 86 runs, he scored 73 runs not out, making the highest score by a number 10 batsman in One Day International cricket and putting on a 103 runs, 10th wicket partnership with Saeed Ajmal. He was unable to get his side to their victory target of 212 runs, as Ajmal was declared out in the last over and Pakistan lost by just 7 runs.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: During the Test match series against Australia in 2010, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, he took his first five wicket haul, taking the wickets of Australian batsmen Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey and Michael Clarke. On 24 July 2010 he was influential in helping Pakistan win the 2nd Test match against Australia; the first Test match Pakistan had won against them in 15 years, which also drew the series 1–1. During this match he took 7 wickets overall, and was declared man of the match. Overall, in the second series, he was the leading wicket taker of both teams with his 11 scalps.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: In the summer of 2010, Amir was awarded the man of the match award for becoming the youngest player to ever take a five-wicket haul in England. He also became the youngest player to take 50 test wickets earning praise from several former international cricketers. In that eventful series against England, he took 19 wickets, the highest of the Pakistanis and third highest overall at an outstanding average of 18.3. He also took 2 five-wicket hauls.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: After five years, on 13 March 2015, Amir made his domestic comeback playing for Omar Associates in the grade II patron's trophy. He took a wicket in his first comeback over.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: On 19 August 2015, Mohammad Amir was declared completely free to play all forms of cricket from 2 September 2015. On 15 January 2016, he made his return to international cricket in a T20I match against New Zealand. In February 2016, Amir took a hat-trick in a Pakistan Super League match for Karachi Kings. He also participated to the first T20I edition of Asia Cup in 2016 and also for the 2016 ICC World Twenty20. He later made his international comeback against England, where he was taunted by English fans chanting "No Ball!" at him.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: On 30 August 2016, against England at Nottingham Amir scored 58 after coming at no.11 and became the first cricketer to score a half century in ODIs after coming last in the batting order. He was dropped for the next match against England two days later.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: He along with Sarfraz Ahmed set the record for the highest 8th wicket partnership in ICC Champions Trophy history(75*)


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Following his return to international cricket, Amir participated in the 2016 Asia Cup. In the fourth match of the tournament, Amir produced one of his best spells against arch rival India. Batting first Pakistan were bowled out for 83 . Amir took 2 wickets in the first over itself, thus putting the Indian team under pressure. However, as the target was low, India chased the target with 4 overs to spare, Amir finished with 3/18 in that match. He continued his fine performance throughout the tournament and finished with 7 wickets with an economy under 6.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Amir played his second ICC ODI tournament in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. During the first two games against arch rivals India and South Africa, Amir failed to pick up wickets but was economical with the figures of 0/32 (8.1) and 0/50 (10) respectively. It was in the Sri Lanka game where he picked up his first wickets. He picked important wickets of Angelo Mathews and Niroshan Dickwella and ended with figures of 2/53 (10). But his important contribution came from bat where he scored 28 from 63. Chasing Sri Lanka's target of 237, Pakistan was struggling at 162/7 before he arrived and, along with skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, shared an unbeaten stand of 75 to guide his team to their fourth semi final of their Champions Trophy.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Amir missed the semi final against England due to back spasms. But his absence was barely noticeable as his replacement, Rumman Raees bowled well on debut with 2/44. Pakistan won that match by 8 wickets.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Amir was pivotal in helping Pakistan win the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy by claiming top three wickets against arch-rivals India in the Final. Amir entered his second ICC final. It was against India, who were in a comfortable position. After Pakistan posted a challenging total of 338, it was the Indian batsmen that needed to be taken care of. Their top three batsmen, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli scored 70% of India's runs in the tournament. Amir got them all out. He trapped Sharma in front for LBW where he was given a three ball duck. Then he took the Indian skipper for 5. Kohli, at first, was dropped by Azhar Ali at first slip. However, he didn't have to wait much to take the wicket, making him edge the next ball to point where Shadab Khan took a good catch. Amir got his third after he bowled a cross seamer to Dhawan, which he edged to the wicket-keeper, Sarfaraz Ahmed for 21. Amir finished with the figures of 3/16 (6). It was Amir's dream spell as his side bowled out the defending champions for 158, winning by 180 runs.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Amir has rated Indian cricketer Virat Kohli as the best batsman in the world. Kohli also rated Amir as one of the ‘toughest’ bowlers to face in the world cricket. Amir's brother said that this was what he wanted to do. After that spot fixing scandal at the same city, he wanted to make up for his wrongdoings and the spell in the final was something that brought his family relief.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Amir's performance in the Asia Cup was mediocre. During the 3 games Amir played, he was unable to pick up a single wicket. Hence, for the last match he was dropped. In his final Asia Cup game against India, Amir was trounced for 41 runs in his 5 overs without picking up a single wicket. His performance was criticised by both his countrymen and the cricketing world.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: In May 2019, he was named in Pakistan's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup, after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) named their final fifteen-man squad for the tournament. On 12 June 2019, in the match against Australia, Amir took his first five-wicket haul in ODIs. He finished the tournament as the leading wicket-taker for Pakistan, with 17 dismissals in eight matches.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Mohammad Amir announced his retirement from Test Cricket in July 2019. He finished his test career with an average of 30.47 and taking 144 wickets. He played a total of 36 tests since his debut in 2009.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Alleging ill-treatment from the Pakistan Cricket Board, Amir announced on 17 December 2020 that he will not be available for selection in international cricket anymore. He had cited ‘mental torture’ by the management as the reason behind his decision and he openly criticised Pakistan team management and coaching staff including Waqar Younis and Misbah-ul-Haq on more than one occasion. He also said that they have tried to spoil his image and it takes a lot of hard work to build your image.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: In August 2010, the English newspaper "News of the World" published allegations that Amir and fellow bowler Mohammad Asif deliberately bowled no-balls during Pakistan's 2010 tour of England in return for payment from a betting syndicate.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: The "News of the World" alleged that an agent affiliated with some of the Pakistani players, later identified as Mazhar Majeed, had accepted a £150,000 (US$232,665) bribe from undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood for information that Amir and Asif would deliberately deliver no-balls at specific points during the match, information which could be used by gamblers to make wagers with inside information (a process known as spot-fixing, compared with match fixing to predetermine a match result).


title: Mohammad Amir

text: In the video posted by "News of the World", Majeed, counting out the bribe money, promised that Amir would be Pakistan's bowler for the first over, and that the third ball of the over would be a no-ball delivery. Amir did bowl the first over, and on his third delivery from the over, bowled a no-ball delivery. Commentary described the delivery as a "massive overstep", a good half-metre beyond the popping crease. Majeed also predicted that the sixth delivery of the tenth over would be a no-ball, and the ball, delivered by Asif, was also a no-ball delivery.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: As a result of the allegations and video posted by "News of the World", Scotland Yard announced during the evening that they had arrested Majeed on charges of suspicion of conspiracy to defraud bookmakers.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: The allegations also affected the Mohammad Amir brand as the official Pakistani kit supplier BoomBoom Cricket announced that they had temporarily suspended their ties with Amir until further details on the allegations had emerged. BoomBoom stated that they will "make a complete decision once his [Amir] fate had been decided by the authorities"


title: Mohammad Amir

text: The Pakistani selector Yawar Saeed announced that Amir and the two other accused Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif had withdrawn from the Pakistani tour of England due to the mental torture suffered by the allegations. Amir also continued to protest his innocence in the allegations.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: On 2 September 2010, after the warm-up List A game between Pakistan and Somerset, the International Cricket Council announced that they had suspended Amir under the provisions of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Code. The statement from the ICC stated that the three players (Asif, Amir and Salman Butt) were charged "under various offences under Article 2 of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code for Players and Player Support Personnel relating to alleged irregular behaviour during, and in relation to, the fourth Test between England and Pakistan at Lord's last month".


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Amir has got the sympathy of several ex-cricketers, including that of former England captain Michael Atherton. In an article for the "News of the World", Atherton asserted that Amir is an asset to the game and must not be given a harsh punishment, considering his immense talent and young age. Atherton, now a journalist and broadcaster, recalled how Nasser Hussain, also an ex-England skipper, had summed up the mood at Lord's the previous Sunday:


title: Mohammad Amir

text: "Nasser Hussain, who I once saw walking around the team hotel in Sri Lanka in the early hours of the morning before a Test match unable to sleep, so worried was he about his form, spoke for us all when he said, 'Please don't let it be the kid'."


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Atherton added: "The 'kid' in question was Mohammad Aamer, the young, good-looking and prodigiously-talented Pakistan bowler who had blown England away on the second morning at Lord's with a mesmeric spell of left-arm bowling and who now, we had been told, had overstepped the front line twice for a few dollars more."


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Former South Africa bowler Henry Williams has called for Mohammad Amir to be treated with compassion if found guilty of spot fixing.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: The ICC announced that Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt had filed appeals to their ICC. suspensions and set their hearing on 30 and 31 October 2010 in Qatar. The Pakistan Interior Ministry also gave the three players their passports back so that they could travel to the hearing being held in Qatar


title: Mohammad Amir

text: The Pakistan Cricket Board barred Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt from using the National Cricket Academy in Gaddafi Stadium. They have been barred until their names have been cleared of Spot-fixing The board said that Butt had used the facilities before the notices were sent and Asif and Amir haven't used them.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Amir and Butt's appeals were heard by the ICC on 30 and 31 October 2010. They were however rejected and the players remained provisionally suspended. The case did not decide whether Amir is guilty but only if his suspension should be lifted. Both Butt and Amir hit out at the ICC stating they hadn't been given any evidence as to why their suspensions were rejected. Because the players couldn't participate in international cricket all three had their contracts also provisionally suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Mohammad Amir stated that he was desperate to return to international cricket. He stated that he had been keeping his fitness levels high and that he had been participating in club cricket.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Reports also emerged by Geo News that stated that Scotland Yard might call Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt back into the UK to complete the spot-fixing investigation Amir's teammate Butt who was also implicated in the Spot-fixing scandal announced that he wanted a delay in his hearing because he wanted the Scotland Yard investigation to be completed first. However Amir and Asif announced they were to go ahead with their trials as planned because they wanted a decision to be reached quickly so that they could be selected for the World Cup squad.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: Amir, Butt, and Asif had a tribunal in front of a three-man panel of members of the ICC from 6–11 January 2011. Amir's lawyers requested that the tribunal not announce its findings at the conclusion of the tribunal, wanting the tribunal to have the time necessary to fully review the evidence. The tribunal announced at its conclusion that they would announce their findings and any possible restrictions about a month later (the fifth of February 2011). The tribunal did announce that while additional charges against Salman Butt were filed over statements Majeed had made about the Third Test, that Amir and Asif would not face any charges over that test.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: On 5 February 2011, the ICC tribunal handed Amir a five-year ban, his teammate Mohammad Asif was handed a seven-year ban and Salman Butt was given a 10-year ban from participating in any cricketing related activities which are governed by the ICC or any of its members. Shortly after the decision Amir announced his intent to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration Amir also stated that he hoped to return to International Cricket soon, stating he had "received confidence and support from Pakistani fans supporting him outside the Qatar Financial Centre". Some former players around the world such as Michael Vaughan, Andrew Flintoff & Ian Healy called for Amir to be banned for life.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: On 15 September 2011 Amir has reportedly admitted to his involvement in last year's spot-fixing scandal before a court in England.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: On 4 June 2011, Amir played an innings of cricket for Addington 1743 Cricket Club in a Surrey Cricket League match against St Luke's Cricket Club in breach of Article 6.5 of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. Amir stated that he made enquiries with respect to the status of the match, and was informed that it was a friendly match and playing would not be in contravention of his ban. Addington 1743 claimed that they had asked whether or not Amir could play for them, and were told that he could. As of 10 June 2011, the ICC were investigating the incident.


title: Mohammad Amir

text: On 1 November 2011, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif were convicted at Southwark Crown Court, along with Amir who had previously pleaded guilty, of conspiracy to cheat at gambling and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments. He was sentenced to 6 months in Feltham Young Offenders Institution on 3 November, whilst Butt and Asif were sentenced to 30 months and 12 months in prison respectively. Mazhar Majeed was sentenced to two years and eight months. Amir, along with Butt, appealed against the length of their sentences, however this was dismissed by Lord Judge, the Lord Chief Justice on 23 November. Amir was later transferred to Portland Young Offenders Institute in Dorset, from which he was released on 1 February 2012, having served half of his six-month sentence.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: The National Liberation Army (Spanish: "Ejército de Liberación Nacional", ELN) is a Marxist–Leninist guerrilla group involved in the continuing Colombian conflict, which has existed in Colombia since 1964. The ELN advocate a composite communist ideology of Marxism-Leninism and liberation theology. In 2013, it was estimated that the ELN forces consisted of between 1,380 and 3,000 guerrillas. According to former ELN national directorate member Felipe Torres, one fifth of ELN supporters have taken up arms. The ELN has been classified as a terrorist organization by the governments of Colombia, the United States, Canada, the European Union and Venezuela's National Assembly.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: The National Liberation Army of Colombia ("Ejército de Liberación Nacional", ELN) was founded in 1964, by Fabio Vásquez Castaño and other Colombian rebels trained in Cuba. Later, the ELN was headed by a series of Roman Catholic priests, exponents of Liberation Theology. Most notable was Camilo Torres Restrepo (1929–66), a well-known university professor (egalitarian and Marxist–Leninist) who was openly critical of the what he considered grossly unequal income among the social classes of Colombia. His attraction to the radical ideas of Liberation Theology led him to join the ELN, a guerrilla army intent upon effecting the revolutionary praxis of liberation theology among the poor people of Colombia. Father Camilo was killed in his first combat as an ELN guerrilla, and so became the exemplar ELN soldier, to be emulated by ELN guerrillas and other liberation-theology priests from the lower ranks of the Roman Catholic priesthood.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: In the years following its foundation, it brought together more students and young activists from cities than peasants, a social composition that distinguishes it from the FARC guerrillas, who are essentially peasants.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: In the 1970s, after suffering military defeat and internal crises, the ELN was commanded by the Spanish priest Father Manuel Pérez Martínez (1943–98), alias "El Cura Pérez", who shared leadership with Nicolás Rodríguez Bautista, alias "Gabino". "El Cura Pérez" presided over the National Liberation Army as one of its most recognized figures until he died of hepatitis B in 1998. He was instrumental in establishing the ideology of the ELN, a composite of Cuban revolutionary theory and liberation theology that proposes the establishment in Colombia of a Christian and communist regime to resolve the socioeconomic problems of chronic political corruption, poverty, and the exclusion of most Colombians from their country's government.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: The ELN guerrillas survived the heavy fighting in the Colombian Army's Operation Anorí (1973–74), and then reconstituted their forces, with partial assistance from the Colombian Government of President Alfonso López Michelsen (1974–78), who allowed the ELN to break from and escape encirclement by the Colombian National Army. President López Michelsen helped the ELN in the hope of initiating peace negotiations with them in order to end the civil war. After this, the National Liberation Army of Colombia resumed financing its military operations by means of kidnap for ransom and the extortion of money from Colombian and foreign petroleum companies and by taxation of the private Illegal drug trade of Colombia.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: The ELN did not participate in the peace negotiations conducted between the Colombian government of President Andrés Pastrana Arango (1998–2002) and the FARC, yet did participate in an exploratory conference about possibly participating in peace negotiations. A Colombian government initiative towards granting the ELN a demilitarized zone in the southern region of the Bolívar Department was thwarted by right-wing political pressure from the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) whose paramilitary mercenaries conduct anti-guerrilla operations in that part of the Bolívar Department.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: The U.S. State Department has listed the ELN as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, ostensibly because of its reputation for ransom kidnappings and armed attacks on Colombia's infrastructure. In April 2004, the European Union added the ELN to its list of terrorist organizations for those actions and its breaches of humanitarian law.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: The ELN has also occasionally operated with the FARC-EP and like FARC it has targeted civilians, according to a February 2005 report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: "During 2004, the FARC-EP and the ELN carried out a series of attacks against the civilian population, including several massacres of civilians and kidnappings by the FARC-EP. There were occasional joint actions by the FARC-EP and the ELN."


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: In mid-2006, mutual rivalries between local FARC and ELN forces escalated into hostilities in Arauca, along the border with Venezuela. According to the BBC, "the FARC have for some years moved to take over ELN territory near the Venezuelan border, and the smaller rebel army reacted by killing several FARC militants". A statement posted on FARC's homepage accused the ELN of "attacks that we only expected from the enemy".


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: The ELN's main source of income are businesses and middle class civilians in its areas of operation. To enforce these "taxes", they frequently take civilians captive to use as leverage. While the ELN uses the terms "war taxes" and "retentions" for these actions, critics insist they constitute "extortion" and "kidnapping".


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: According to Claudia Calle, spokesperson for País Libre, a Colombian foundation for victims of abductions, the ELN is responsible for the death of 153 hostages between 2000 and 2007. According to País Libre, ELN abducted over 3,000 people between 2000 and 2007 and currently still holds 240 people captive.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: On December 7, 2008 18 ELN guerillas surrendered to the Colombian army in the northwestern province of Chocó.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: Previous contacts continued during the early days of the Álvaro Uribe Vélez government but eventually were severed, neither party being fully trusting of the other. Only in mid-2004 the ELN and the government began to make a series of moves that, with the announced mediation of the Vicente Fox government of Mexico, lead to another round of exploratory talks.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: On July 24, 2004 the ELN apparently abducted Misael Vacca Ramírez, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Yopal, though their reasons were not clarified. The kidnappers said that Ramírez would be released with a message, but "Francisco Galán", a senior jailed ELN commander who has often acted as an intermediary between the government and the ELN's high command, said he did not know whether the group was responsible. The Bishop was subsequently released by ELN members, in good health, on July 27, after his kidnapping had been condemned by Amnesty International and Pope John Paul II, among others. As far as is publicly known, he did not have any message to announce on behalf of the ELN.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: Eventually, the ELN questioned Mexico's participation in the talks, arguing that it did not have confidence in the actions of a government which voted against Fidel Castro's Cuba during a United Nations vote. This led the Mexican government to end its participation.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: In December 2005, the ELN and the Colombian government began a new round of exploratory talks in Havana, Cuba, with the presence of the ELN's military commander "Antonio García", as well as "Francisco Galán" and "Ramiro Vargas". This was considered the direct result of three months of previous consultations with representatives of different sectors of public society through the figure of a "House of Peace" ("Casa de Paz" in Spanish).


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: The talks ended by December 22 and both parties agreed to meet again in January 2006. After a series of preliminary encounters, the next round of talks was later rescheduled for early-mid February.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: During the February talks, which moved at a slow pace, the government decided to formally suspend capture orders for "Antonio García" and "Ramiro Vargas", recognizing them as negotiators and, implicitly, as political actors. The move was also joined by the creation of what was termed an alternative and complementary mechanism that could be used to deal with difficult issues and matters that concerned both parties, outside the main negotiating table. A formal negotiation process has yet to begin.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: On March 23, the ELN freed a Colombian soldier that it had kidnapped on February 25, delivering him to the International Committee of the Red Cross, saying that it was a unilateral sign of good will.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: The ELN's "Antonio García" expected to visit Cuba from April 17 to April 28, participating in different meetings with representatives of several political, economic and social sectors. The third round of the exploratory talks would have originally taken place in La Habana, Cuba from May 2 to May 12.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: Both parties reiterated their respect for the content and spirit of all previous agreements, and that they would continue working towards the design of a future peace process. The Colombian government and the ELN intend to study documents previously elaborated during the "House of Peace" stage, as well as documents from other participants and observers. Both parties expected to meet again after Colombia's May 28 presidential elections.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: On August 30, 2007 the ELN said that in the statement the dialogues in Havana ended without agreement because of "two different conceptions of peace and methods to get to it".


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: Colombian President Álvaro Uribe invited ELN Spokesman Francisco Galán for new talks about peace on April 3, 2008. The two spoke in the presidential palace. After the meeting Galán says the ELN will return to the negotiation table. The ELN released a press note shortly after that saying the rebel group "does not share the views" of Galán and dismissed him as their spokesman. The Marxist rebels did say they will continue to let Galán negotiate between the Colombian government and the rebels.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: In March 2016 the resumption of peace talks between the parties were announced, but were put on hold until the release of all hostages still kept by the ELN. The last hostages were finally released in February 2017 and the talks commenced in the same month, with Pablo Beltrán and Juan Camilo Restrepo heading the delegations of the ELN and the Colombian government, respectively.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: On September 4, 2017, the ELN and President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia announced a truce to begin on October 1 and to last at least until January 12, 2018.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: From May 25 to May 29 the group had a ceasefire in order to allow for "favourable conditions" during the 2018 Colombian Presidential Election. The ELN said it hoped "that this spirit of conciliation of the ELN is answered with a similar behaviour" from the government.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: On 17 January 2019, the ELN performed a car bombing at the General Santander National Police Academy in Bogotá, Colombia. The truck detonated and killed 21 people, including the perpetrator, and injured 68 others. It was the deadliest attack on the Colombian capital since the 2003 El Nogal Club bombing and the first attack on the capital since the 2017 Centro Andino bombing. The ELN accepted responsibility for the attack and justified it as a response to the bombings made by the Colombian government during the unilateral ceasefire.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: As a result of the bombing, President Iván Duque Márquez announced on 18 January that peace dialogue between the Government of Colombia and the ELN was officially suspended. Duque also demanded that Cuba extradite the ten ELN leaders that found refuge on the island nation during peace talks and the reactivation of their Interpol Red Notices, and he criticized Venezuela for providing refuge for the ELN on the Colombia-Venezuela border. In response to the request, Cuba's Foreign Minister announced that Cuba would abide by the protocols of ongoing negotiations between both parties.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: The "Redes" Foundation denounced in the Colombian Public Ministry that armed groups made up of National Liberation Army members and FARC dissidents, supported by the Bolivarian National Police and FAES officials, murdered two Venezuelan protesters, Eduardo José Marrero and Luigi Ángel Guerrero, during a protest in the frontier city of San Cristóbal, on Táchira state. Other protesters were injured during the shooting.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: In March 2020, the National Liberation Army (ELN) declared a unilateral ceasefire during the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: General Luis Fernando Navarro asserted on January 5, 2021 that the ELN lost 700 members through targeted attacks in 2020, and that it still had 2,500 armed combatants.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: On 21 November 2022, after the election of Gustavo Petro breathed new life into the peace process, delegates of the ELN and the new Colombian government met in Venezuela to resume the peace talks that faltered in January 2019, after the Bogota car bombing. The negotiations continued into the first week of December 2022, with representatives of the ELN and the Colombian government meeting for the continuation of peace talks in the El Ávila National Park in Caracas. On the occasion, ELN chief negotiator Pablo Beltrán stated that Colombians have to work towards reconcilliation and recreate a new nation in peace and equity and in a similar spirit Danilo Rueda, the High Commissioner for Peace in Colombia, stated that peace is not only a question of laying down arms, but a process linked to the need for change.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: After Mexico agreed to be an official guarantor to the peace process, it was chosen as the host country for the second round of talks, expected to begin in January 2023.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: On 26 May 2008 the ELN wrote a letter to the FARC secretariat, seeking cooperation with Colombia's largest rebel group to overcome "the difficulties we are experiencing in today's Colombian insurgent movement". The letter was published on the ELN website. On 27 June 2017, FARC ceased to be an armed group, disarming itself and handing over its weapons to the United Nations.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: According to InSight Crime, the ELN and FARC dissidents allegedly met together in Venezuela to form a potential alliance in October 2018. Sources based in the Arauca department in Colombia provided the information, with reports that the groups would participate in illicit activity together. It was also alleged that former FARC commander Iván Márquez participated in the talks with the ELN.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: Since the 1990s, the ELN began to establish positions in the western border states of Venezuela. The ELN grew close to Venezuelan officials during the tenure of Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, with Chávez approving relationships with the group.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: InSight Crime also states that Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro was tolerant of the ELN, explaining that "ELN’s expansion in Venezuela has been marked by the Maduro administration’s inaction and even encouragement towards the group"; according to the group, the ELN operates in at least 12 of the 23 states of Venezuela. The Venezuelan NGO Fundación Redes has reported that the Venezuelan military had possibly armed ELN members. In 2019, ELN supported Maduro during the Venezuelan presidential crisis and said they "will fight" US troops if they invade Venezuela.


title: National Liberation Army (Colombia)

text: The ELN has received support from the Tupamaro movement in Venezuela, a Venezuelan colectivo and political party. The Tupamaro movement supported the ELN's dialogue with the Colombian government, stating, "The Tupamaro Revolutionary Movement, now more than ever, stands in solidarity with this sister organization in the historic struggle against the neo-Granadian oligarchy and Yankee imperialism. We strongly ratify all of our support for the guerrillas and the ELN High Command, in the process that is developed with the participation of the Colombian people in the resolution of the armed conflict and the construction of peace with social justice".


title: Atchisson AA-12

text: The AA-12 (Auto Assault-12), originally designed and known as the Atchisson Assault Shotgun, is an automatic combat shotgun developed in 1972 by Maxwell Atchisson (however, the original development by Atchisson seems to have produced only a few guns at prototype-level, with the development that ultimately lead to the gun entering the market being done later by Military Police Systems, Inc.). The most prominent feature is reduced recoil. The current 2005 version has been developed over 18 years since the patent was sold to Military Police Systems, Inc. The original design was the basis of several later weapons, including the USAS-12 combat shotgun. The shotgun fires in fully automatic mode only. However, the relatively low cyclic rate of fire of around 300 rounds per minute enables the shooter to fire semi-automatically de facto with brief trigger pulls. It is fed from either an 8-shell box magazine, or a 20- or 32-shell drum magazine.


title: Atchisson AA-12

text: In 1987, Max Atchisson sold the rights of the AA-12 to Jerry Baber of Military Police Systems, Inc., Piney Flats, Tennessee. MPS in turn developed the successor simply known as Auto Assault-12, which was redesigned over a period of 18 years with 188 changes and improvements to the original blueprint, modifications included changing the AA-12 from blowback- to gas-operated with a locked breech. "When the bolt flies back after firing to cycle another round, around 80% of what would normally be felt as recoil is absorbed by a proprietary gas system. A recoil spring grabs another 10%, leaving the final recoil a remarkable 10% of the normal recoil for a 12-gauge round—so you can point the AA-12 at a target and unload the full magazine without significant loss of accuracy". MPS also teamed up with Action Manufacturing Company, and Special Cartridge Company to combine the gun with FRAG-12 High-Explosive ammunition into a multifunction weapon system.


title: Atchisson AA-12

text: The weapon was lightened to and shortened to but retained the same barrel length. The CQB model has a 13-inch barrel, and is half a pound lighter than the regular model. Uncommon in other automatic shotguns, the AA-12 fires from an open bolt, a feature more commonly found in submachine guns, as well as heavy and squad-level machine guns. It uses 8-round box, 20-round drum, or 32-round drum magazines, as opposed to the original 5-round box magazine. Due to the abundant use of stainless steel and the designed clearance for fouling, MPS has stated that the weapon requires little to no cleaning or lubrication. The designer states that cleaning is required after 10,000 rounds. A rail system is also available for modern sighting options. Because of an open bolt design, the AA-12 can reportedly operate after being submerged in water.


title: Atchisson AA-12

text: By 2004, ten firing models of the AA-12 had been produced and were demonstrated to the United States Marine Corps, who did not adopt the weapon.


title: Atchisson AA-12

text: The HAMMER unmanned defense system by More Industries proposed to use dual-mounted AA-12s on the H2X-40 turret. Neural Robotics also wanted to mount the weapon on their AutoCopter unmanned aerial vehicle.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: The Jeep Gladiator is a midsize pickup truck manufactured by the Jeep division of Stellantis North America (formerly FCA US). It was introduced at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show on November 28, 2018, and went on sale in the spring of 2019. Based on the same platform as the Wrangler JL, the Gladiator is Jeep's first pickup truck since the Comanche was discontinued in 1992.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: The vehicle's name harkens back to the original Jeep Gladiator, made from 1962 through 1988 and known as the J-Series after 1971. Jeep considered reviving the Gladiator name alongside Comanche and most commonly , as well as simply using a new name, before deciding on Gladiator, feeling it fits the truck the best.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: A two-door version of a Jeep Scrambler pickup based on a lengthened Wrangler was shown in 2003 at the National Automobile Dealers Association meeting.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: In late-2004 the Jeep Gladiator concept was introduced. The 2005 Gladiator Concept did not feature a removable roof, but had removable doors and a pickup bed. It also previewed the design of the upcoming Jeep Wrangler (JK). The Gladiator concept was powered by a 3.0 L Common-Rail Diesel (CRD) engine produced by VM Motori (similar to the one used in some models of the Jeep Grand Cherokee), mated to a manual transmission, and four-wheel-drive. It featured functional rear mini-doors, and rear seating. The Gladiator concept featured a green-on-gray color scheme for both the exterior and interior.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: The four-door, five-passenger mid-size Gladiator features exterior and interior styling cues from the Wrangler JL. Taylor Langhals was the lead exterior designer on Gladiator. Because a truck is frequently used for both hauling and towing, the front grille slots were enlarged to allow for increased airflow and heavier-duty engine cooling. A full-sized spare tire, normally mounted on the Wrangler's rear tailgate, is mounted underneath the cargo bed of the Gladiator.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: Four different roof options are available, similar to those on the Wrangler JL, including a black vinyl "Sun-Rider" soft top and a premium black fabric "Sun-Rider" soft top (both of which can be fully retracted), a black "Freedom-Top" three-piece hard top, and a color-keyed "Freedom-Top" three-piece hard top, both of which have removable aluminum roof panels.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: The truck has front and rear doors that can be fully removed, as well as a windshield that can be lowered (like the Wrangler JL, Jeep includes a tool kit with the tools necessary to remove the doors and lower the windshield). The Gladiator is unique in that it is the only truck available with a convertible folding soft top.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: A front-facing trail cam, mounted in one of the front grille slots, is also available that displays an image on the touchscreen of what is directly in front of the vehicle (this feature requires one of the two larger U Connect touchscreen displays), and will assist in off-road maneuverability, such as water fording, as well as climbing over objects like logs and rocks. The "Off Road Pages" application, displayed in the instrument cluster, allows a Gladiator driver to view approach and departure angles, steering angles, and more.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: The Gladiator is available in base "Sport", mid-level "Sport S", luxurious "Overland", desert racing ready "Mojave", and off-road ready "Rubicon" (a limited-edition "Rubicon Launch Edition" model, limited to 4,190 units, is also available.) The Gladiator and Wrangler JL diverge when it comes to their luxury trim levels. The luxury Wrangler is named "Sahara", while the luxury trim on the Gladiator is known as the "Overland" model. When equipped with leather upholstery, the Overland receives a stitched soft-touch dashboard surface and hand-stitched dashboard, similar to that of the Wrangler Sahara.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: At launch, the sole engine on the Jeep Gladiator was the 3.6L Pentastar gasoline V6 engine with Variable Valve Timing, producing 285 horsepower, and 260 lb. ft. of torque. However, starting with the 2021 model year, the 3.0L EcoDiesel Turbocharged diesel V6 engine became available as an option, producing 260 horsepower, and 442 lb. ft. of torque. The EcoDiesel engine is available on all trim levels of the Gladiator with the exception of the Mojave trim. Gasoline-powered Gladiators offer the option of either the six-speed manual Aisin AL6 (D478), or the Chrysler-manufactured version of the ZF 8HP transmission automatic transmission. Diesel-powered Gladiators offer only the 8HP75 automatic version of the ZF 8HP transmission. All powertrain options are derived from the Jeep Wrangler (JL), however, unlike the Wrangler JL, the Gladiator does not offer the turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine as an option.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: Like the Jeep Wrangler (JL) on which it shares a platform, all Gladiator models come standard with four wheel drive. There are four systems available: the Command-Trac part-time system, available on all models except for the off-road oriented Rubicon, Selec-Trac full-time system, also available on all models except for the Rubicon, and two versions of the Rock-Trac system on the Rubicon (both with 4.10 gear ratios): either a standard part-time version, or an optional full-time version.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: Payload capacity varies by trim. The minimum is and the maximum payload is for the Sport S with 3.6 L V6 engine, 6-speed manual transmission.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: The bed of the truck can be optionally equipped with a rear folding tonneau cover, which features a "Weekend Warrior Mode" that allows for the tailgate to be closed and 2x4-inch lumber to be hauled in the pickup bed. Only one section of the tonneau cover can be open and the cover can also be fully retracted or removed if required. The tailgate is hinged and can be locked in a partially-open position if the tailgate does not need to be fully down.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: Towing capacity also varies. The standard Gladiator features a towing capacity of . A heavy-duty towing package is available on select Gladiator Sport models increasing the towing capacity to and includes a 4.10 rear axle ratio.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: The diesel-powered Gladiator will feature a lower towing capacity rating than the gasoline-powered variant.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: The Gladiator features an approach angle of 43.6 degrees, a breakover angle of 20.3 degrees, and a departure angle of 26 degrees. The Rubicon comes with front- and rear-axle electric lockers and an electronic disconnecting front sway-bar.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: A front camera system is available on the Gladiator that allows the driver to see obstacles in front and to the sides of the vehicle while off-road. Information to help with monitoring the vehicle during off-roading can be found in the Off-road Pages, which is contained in the Apps section of the Uconnect infotainment system.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: Unique features on the Gladiator include a flat rear load floor for carrying longer and taller items inside the truck's interior, secure and lockable storage underneath the rear bench seat, and a removable Bluetooth wireless speaker that charges when the vehicle is running, and the speaker is in its docking station located behind the rear bench seat. From the front seats forward, the Gladiator features an interior design that is nearly identical to that of the Jeep Wrangler JL. The Gladiator has the same dash layout, and same positioning of the gear selector, 4WD mode selector, and manual parking brake. The only difference is that the gear selector, if in a vehicle with an automatic gearbox, has a depiction of the Gladiator, instead of a Willys Jeep like the one found on the Wrangler automatic gearbox selector.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: Like the Wrangler JL, three different touchscreen infotainment systems are available on the Gladiator, each integrating the rearview camera into the touchscreen:


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: The standard audio system in all models of the Gladiator except for the 80th Anniversary Edition and High Altitude models is an eight-speaker system featuring four four-inch speakers, and four 3.5-inch speakers. Optional on all models except for the base Sport and Willys Sport models, and standard on the 80th Anniversary Edition and Altitude models, is the Alpine premium audio system featuring an amplifier, a dashboard-mounted 3.5-inch center-channel speaker, and a subwoofer mounted under the rear split-bench seat. The system is automatically included when the U Connect 4C 8.4 infotainment system with GPS navigation is ordered, or when the 8.4 Radio and Premium Audio Group is selected. For the 2022 model year, the Overland, Mojave, and Rubicon models gained the Alpine premium audio system as standard equipment. In addition, all models equipped with the Alpine system also have the option of a portable wireless Bluetooth speaker that recharges behind the split-bench seat, which is an option not offered on the related Jeep Wrangler (JL).


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: The Gladiator has the most safety features that are also in the Wrangler JL including forward-collision warning with active braking and adaptive cruise control. The Jeep Active Safety Group and Jeep Advanced Active Safety Group are both available on all models except for the base Sport, and included on the Rubicon Launch Edition.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: Safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicate for the 2020 model of the Gladiator, the Front Drivers Side received a 4 / 5 stars, and the Front Passenger Side received 5 / 5 stars. The technical crash test report for those ratings was prepared by Calspan Corporation and was released on December 10, 2019.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), has not released their ratings for the 2020 Jeep Gladiator as of December 2019.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: The introduction video at the Los Angeles Auto Show used a sound clip from the 2000 film "Gladiator", showing the original Jeep Gladiator telling the new model that it "needed to win the crowd", just before the formal introduction of the new model. During Super Bowl LIV, Jeep premiered a commercial for the Gladiator starring Bill Murray, reprising his starring role from the film "Groundhog Day" (the game itself also fell on Groundhog Day). It was named the best commercial of Super Bowl LIV on "USA Today"'s Super Bowl Ad Meter survey.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: Jeep celebrated the launch of the Gladiator with the limited-edition Rubicon Launch Edition model. Available by preorder through a special website, and only on April 4, 2019 (Jeep 4X4 Day), the Rubicon Launch Edition is based on the top-of-the-line Rubicon trim level and includes all available options on that trim level with no additional options available. Available for an MSRP of $62,310, only 4,190 limited-edition Rubicon Launch Edition Gladiators were produced (the number "4,190" pays homage to the 419 area code of Toledo, Ohio, the home of Toledo Complex where the Gladiator is assembled). Special features that distinguish the Rubicon Launch Edition from other Gladiator models include special badging, special wheels, and a leather-wrapped instrument panel with red stitching. The Launch Edition was available in five colors: Black, Bright White, Firecracker Red, Granite Crystal Metallic, and Billet Silver Metallic.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: In late 2019, Jeep introduced the Gladiator North Edition. Based on the luxury-oriented Overland model, the North Edition is marketed toward Gladiator buyers living in colder climates. In addition to the standard equipment offered on the Overland, the Gladiator North Edition model adds features such as the U Connect 4C 8.4 touchscreen infotainment system with SiriusXM Guardian, satellite radio, and Travel Link services and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, the nine-speaker Alpine premium amplified audio system with subwoofer, the Cold Weather Group (which includes dual heated front bucket seats, a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a remote vehicle starter system), a unique "North" emblem on the rear tailgate, and rubberized all-weather front and rear floor mats. The North Edition is the first special-edition Gladiator trim level to be released, and will be followed by the Gladiator Mojave model.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: At the 2020 Chicago Auto Show, Jeep introduced the Gladiator Mojave. The Mojave is the first "Desert-Rated" Jeep model. Features on the Mojave trim include 33-inch Falken Wildpeak all-terrain tires (mud-terrain tires are also available as an option), unique seventeen-inch painted aluminum-alloy wheels, FOX brand 2.5-inch internal bypass shocks with external reservoirs, a unique "Desert Rated 4X4" emblem in place of the "Trail Rated 4X4" emblem on both front fenders, unique "Mojave" decals on both sides of the hood, orange tow hooks, an "Off Road Plus" button on the center console for increased off-road capabilities, and the ability to lock the Gladiator's rear axles at high speeds when in 4WD High mode (a feature exclusive to the Mojave). The interior, when equipped with the optional leather-trimmed seats, features special heat-reflective seating material that is engineered to withstand the hottest climates (all interiors on the Mojave feature unique orange stitching on the seats, steering wheel, dashboard, and door trim panels).


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: At the 2020 Chicago Auto Show, Jeep introduced the Gladiator High Altitude Edition as the new "up-level" Gladiator trim level. The High Altitude Edition features a unique emblem on the rear tailgate, and also features twenty-inch all-season tires and black-painted aluminum-alloy wheels, color-keyed front and rear fender flares, color-keyed front and rear door handles and side mirrors, color-keyed front and rear bumpers, LED front and rear lighting, a color-keyed three-piece hardtop roof, a standard 8.4-inch U Connect 4C touchscreen infotainment system with SiriusXM Guardian, satellite radio, and Travel Link services and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, an Alpine Electronics|Alpine nine-speaker premium amplified audio system with subwoofer, leather-trimmed seating surfaces with heating for both front bucket seats and the leather-wrapped steering wheel, and black "Trail Rated 4X4" emblems on both front fenders.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: Also introduced in 2020, the Gladiator Altitude is based on the Sport S model. The Altitude features a body-color grille and fender flares, 18-inch Granite Crystal aluminum wheels, and a black hardtop along with blacked-out interior accents.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: Introduced in the 2021 lineup, the Gladiator Willys is based on the Sport S model. The Willys sport with a base price of $39260 features many of the same options as the higher-spec Rubicon, however, including standard Rock Rails, and beefy-looking 32-inch BF Goodrich KM2 mud-terrain tires. It also gets a locking rear differential and Jeep's Command-Trac 4x4 part-time, two-speed transfer case with a 2.72:1 low-range gear ratio is also standard fare. The Willys Edition a hood decal, retro-looking 4WD tailgate decal, 17-inch black aluminum wheels with gray pad print, and a gloss black grille.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: On April 12th, 2021, Jeep introduced the Gladiator Texas Trail, a special edition of the Jeep Gladiator that will only be available in Texas. Based on the Gladiator Sport S trim, the Gladiator Texas Trail has unique 1836 decals to celebrate the state’s Declaration of Independence. Standard exterior features include 17-inch Mid-Gloss Black Aluminum wheels, black side steps and hardtop, and Jeep’s exclusive “Trail Rated” badge. Jeep also announced that both the Pentastar and EcoDiesel V6 engines will be available for the Gladiator Texas Trail. Starting MSRP is $40,535.


title: Jeep Gladiator (JT)

text: On September 13, 2019, Chrysler announced a recall for the 2020 Jeep Gladiator JT, with approximately 3,427 total Gladiators affected. The Dana Corporation, which manufactures the rear driveshaft for the Gladiator, may have assembled the rear axle monoblocks without grease, which could lead to the potential fracture of the rear driveshaft, leading to a sudden loss in power. Jeep dealers will replace the rear driveshaft on the affected 2020 Gladiator models. The recall covers vehicles built between December 15, 2018, and June 25, 2019. There was a Stop-Sale Order issued for all affected Jeep Gladiator JT models still on dealership lots.


title: Rain Pryor

text: Rain Pryor is an American actress and comedian. Her television credits include sitcoms "Head of the Class" and "Rude Awakening". She is the daughter of comedian Richard Pryor.


title: Rain Pryor

text: Pryor was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Shelley R. (née Bonus) and comedian Richard Pryor. Rain Pryor's mother was a Jewish go-go dancer and Rain was largely raised with her Jewish maternal grandparents, who taught her about Jewish culture. Her award-winning solo show "Fried Chicken and Latkes" explores racism in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In regard to her background, Pryor has joked that while growing up she felt "proud, but guilty about it."


title: Rain Pryor

text: She went on to star in the ABC series "Head of the Class" in the role of Theola June 'T.J.' Jones. Pryor's role was created from a series of characters she performed at her audition for the producers. Pryor starred for several years as Jackie, the lipstick-lesbian drug addict on the Showtime series "Rude Awakening", and has guest-starred on network television series such as "The Division" and "Chicago Hope". She has appeared numerous times on both "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" and "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno", as well as "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson", and "The Tavis Smiley Show".


title: Rain Pryor

text: Pryor's stage credits include playing the title role of Billie Holiday in the UK tour of the "Billie Holiday Story" and the title role of Ella Fitzgerald in the UK premiere of "Ella, Meet Marilyn". She performed in the Los Angeles productions of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues" with Nora Dunn (of "Saturday Night Live" fame) and Charlene Tilton; "Joan" by Linda Chambers, in which she portrayed Joan of Arc; "Cookin' With Gas," with the Groundlings improvisation troupe; "The Exonerated" with critically acclaimed actor Aidan Quinn; and "The Who's Tommy" at the La Jolla Playhouse.


title: Rain Pryor

text: Pryor has also performed as a jazz/blues vocalist since 1993, having played to sold-out crowds in Los Angeles, DC, Hong Kong, Scotland and London, where she released a performance CD, "Rain Pryor Live in London". Her live cabaret show received four stars and was critically acclaimed "not to be missed."


title: Rain Pryor

text: Pryor created and toured in the award-winning show based on her life, "Fried Chicken and Latkes", in 2004 and 2005. She appeared in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2006.


title: Rain Pryor

text: In 2015, Pryor received the inaugural British Urban Film Festival honorary award from Ellen Thomas on behalf of her father for his outstanding contribution to film and television. The festival also screened the UK premiere of "That Daughter's Crazy", a documentary about her life living in the spotlight of her famous father.


title: Rain Pryor

text: In 2007, she began dating Yale Partlow, a Baltimore nursing student/meditation teacher who later became a police officer.


title: Rain Pryor

text: After many miscarriages, she gave birth to their daughter Lotus Marie on April 1, 2008. Partlow and Pryor divorced in 2014. Pryor currently resides in Baltimore with daughter Lotus and husband, Dave Vane.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Tel Megiddo (; , Tell el-Mutesellim, "lit." "Mound of the Governor"; , Megiddo) is the site of the ancient city of Megiddo, the remains of which form a tell (archaeological mound), situated in northern Israel near Kibbutz Megiddo, about 30 km south-east of Haifa. Megiddo is known for its historical, geographical, and theological importance, especially under its Greek name Armageddon. During the Bronze Age, Megiddo was an important Canaanite city-state and during the Iron Age, a royal city in the Kingdom of Israel.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Megiddo drew much of its importance from its strategic location at the northern end of the Wadi Ara defile, which acts as a pass through the Carmel Ridge, and from its position overlooking the rich Jezreel Valley from the west.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Excavations have unearthed 20 strata of ruins since the Neolithic phase, indicating a long period of settlement. The site is now protected as Megiddo National Park and is a World Heritage Site.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Megiddo was known in the Akkadian language used in Assyria as Magiddu, Magaddu; in Egyptian as Maketi, Makitu, and Makedo; in the Canaanite-influenced Akkadian used in the Amarna tablets, as Magidda and Makida; , Megiddó/Mageddón in the Septuagint; in the Vulgate.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: The Book of Revelation describes an apocalyptic battle at Armageddon (): (Har¦magedōn), a Koine Greek transliteration of the Hebrew "Har Megiddo" (Mount Megiddo). From this surreal appearance in a well-known eschatological text, the term "Armaggeddon" has come to signify any world-ending catastrophe.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Megiddo was important in the ancient world. It guarded the western branch of a narrow pass on the most important trade route of the ancient Fertile Crescent, linking Egypt with Mesopotamia and Asia Minor and known today as Via Maris. Because of its strategic location, Megiddo was the site of several battles. It was inhabited approximately from 5000 to 350 BCE, or even, as Megiddo Expedition archaeologists suggest, since around 7000 BCE.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Archaeological Stratum XX in Tel Megiddo began around 5000 BCE belonging to Neolithic period. The first Yarmukian culture remains were found at this level in the 1930's excavations, but they were not recognized as such then. These remains, found in Area BB, were pottery, a figurine, and flint items. Chalcolithic period came next, with significant content around 4500-3500 BCE, as part of the Wadi Rabah culture, at the following base level of Tel Megiddo, which as other large tell sites in the region, was located near a spring.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Megiddo's Early Bronze Age I (3500–2950 BCE) was originally worked in 1933–1938 by the Oriental Institute. Decades later, a temple from the end of this period was found and dated to Early Bronze Age IB (ca. 3000 BCE) and described by its excavators, Adams, Finkelstein, and Ussishkin, as "the most monumental single edifice so far uncovered" in the early Bronze Age Levant and among the largest structures of its time in the Near East. Samples, obtained by Israel Finkelstein's Megiddo Expedition, at the temple-hall in year 2000, provided calibrated dates from the 31st and 30th century BCE, the temple is the most monumental Early Bronze I structure known in the Levant, if not the entire Ancient Near East. Archaeologists' view is that "taking into account the manpower and administrative work required for its construction, it provides the best manifestation for the first wave of urban life and, probably, city-state formation in the Levant". To the South of this temple there is an unparalleled monumental compound which was excavated by the Megiddo Expedition in 1996 and 1998, and belongs to the later phase of Early Bronze IB, ca. 3090-2950 BCE. It consists of several long, parallel stone walls, each of which is 4 meters wide. Between the walls were narrow corridors, filled hip-deep with the remains of animal sacrifice. These walls lie immediately below the huge ‘megaron’ temples of the Early Bronze III (2700-2300 BCE). The megaron temples remained in use through the Intermediate Bronze period.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Magnetometer research, before 2006 excavations, had found the entire Tel Megiddo settlement covered an area of ca. 50 hectares, being the largest Early Bronze Age I site known in the Levant. However, Pierre de Miroschedji, in 2014, stated that Tel Megiddo had around 25 hectares in Early Bronze IA and IB periods, when most of settlements in the region only covered a maximum area of 5 hectares, but that excavations suggest large sites like Tel Megiddo were "sparsely built, with dwellings disorderly distributed and separated by open spaces."


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Tel Megiddo was still among the large fortified sites, between 5 and 12 hectares, during Early Bronze II-III period, when its palace testifies that it was a real city-state "characterized by a strong social hierarchy, a hereditary centralized power, and the functioning of a palatial economy."


title: Tel Megiddo

text: The town declined in the Early Bronze Age IV period (2300–2000 BCE) as the Early Bronze Age political systems collapsed at the last quarter of the third millennium BCE.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Early in the second millennium BCE, at the beginning of Middle Bronze Age, urbanism once again took hold throughout of the southern Levant and large urban centers served as political power in city-states. By the later Middle Bronze Age, the inland valleys were dominated by regional centers such as Megiddo which reached a size of more than 20 hectares (including the upper and lower cities).


title: Tel Megiddo

text: A royal burial was found in Tel Megiddo, dating to the later phase of the Middle Bronze Age, around 1700-1600 BCE, when the power of Canaanite Megiddo was at its peak and before the ruling dynasty collapsed under the might of Thutmose's army.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: At the Battle of Megiddo the city was subjugated by Thutmose III (r. 1479–1425 BCE), and became part of the Egyptian Empire. However, the city still prospered, and a massive and elaborate government palace was constructed in the Late Bronze Age.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: In the Amarna Period (c. 1353–1336 BCE), Megiddo was a vassalage of the Egyptian Empire. The Amarna Letter E245 mentions local ruler Biridiya of Megiddo. Other contemporary rulers mentioned were Labaya of Shechem and Surata of Akka, nearby cities. This ruler is also mentioned in the corpus from the city of 'Kumidu', the Kamid al lawz. This indicates that there was relations between Megiddo and Kumidu.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Megiddo's Stratum VIIB lasted until slightly before or in the reign of Ramesses III (c. 1184-1143 BCE), as Egypt's control of this Canaanite region ended around 1140 BCE, and the beginning of Philistine Bichrome pottery at Megiddo was after 1124 BCE, or in the period (c. 1128-1079 BCE). These dates are based on radiocarbon dating with a confidence of 95.4%.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: The Canaanite city came to an end in the Early Iron Age I, around the middle of 11th century BCE, not earlier than 1073 BCE, as destruction of Stratum VIIA in the palace and adjacent Level H-11 building took place. The city represented by Stratum VI seems to have been of mixed Israelite and Philistine character, and fell victim to fire, when the earliest fragmentary Gate 3165 from Stratum VIA in the Late Iron Age I, around 1037-913 BCE, was destroyed along with the whole city. This destruction can be attributed to the Egyptian Pharaoh Shoshenq I, who took Megiddo sometime around 943-922 BCE, which is attested in a stele placed at the site and in his inscriptions at the Temple of Karnak.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Rulers of the Israelite Northern Kingdom improved the fortress from around 900 to 750 BCE as the palaces, water systems and fortifications of the site at this period were among the most elaborate Iron Age constructions found in Levant. There is also a "Solomonic gate" (Gate 2156), which belongs to Stratum VA-IVB and is dated by some archaeologist to the 10th century BCE, but latest excavations and new radiocarbon analysis by Megiddo Expedition, led by Israel Finkelstein, date it during the time of Omride dynasty in the Late Iron Age IIA (around 886-760 BCE).


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Tel Megiddo became an important city, before being destroyed, possibly by Aramaean raiders, and rebuilt, this time as an administrative center for Tiglath-Pileser III's occupation of Samaria. Tiglath-Pileser III had conquered Megiddo in 732 BCE becoming it the capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire province Magiddu.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: In 609 BCE, Megiddo was conquered by Egyptians under Necho II during the Battle of Megiddo. Its importance soon dwindled, and it was thought as finally abandoned around 586 BCE. Since that time it would have remained uninhabited, preserving ruins pre-dating 586 BCE without settlements ever disturbing them. But archaeologist Eric Cline considers Tel Megiddo came to an end later, around 350 BCE, during Achaemenid times. Then, the town of al-Lajjun (not to be confused with the al-Lajjun archaeological site in Jordan) was built up near to the site, but without inhabiting or disturbing its remains.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Megiddo is south of Kibbutz Megiddo by . Today, Megiddo Junction is on the main road connecting the center of Israel with lower Galilee and the north. It lies at the northern entrance to Wadi Ara, an important mountain pass connecting the Jezreel Valley within Israel's coastal plain.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: In 1964, during Pope Paul VI's visit to the Holy Land, Megiddo was the site where he met with Israeli dignitaries, including President Zalman Shazar and the Prime Minister Levi Eshkol.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Megiddo has been excavated three times and is currently being excavated yet again. The first excavations were carried out between 1903 and 1905 by Gottlieb Schumacher for the German Society for the Study of Palestine. Techniques used were rudimentary by later standards and Schumacher's field notes and records were destroyed in World War I before being published. After the war, Carl Watzinger published the remaining available data from the dig.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: In 1925, digging was resumed by the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, financed by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., continuing until the outbreak of the Second World War. The work was led initially by Clarence S. Fisher, and later by P. L. O. Guy, Robert Lamon, and Gordon Loud.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Yigael Yadin conducted excavations in 1960, 1966, 1967, and 1971 for the Hebrew University. The formal results of those digs were published by Anabel Zarzecki-Peleg in Hebrew University's monograph 2016 "Qedem" 56.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Megiddo has most recently (since 1994) been the subject of biannual excavation campaigns conducted by the Megiddo Expedition of Tel Aviv University, currently co-directed by Israel Finkelstein, David Ussishkin, and Baruch Halpern with Eric H. Cline of The George Washington University serving as associate director (USA), together with a consortium of international universities. One notable feature of the dig is close on-site co-operation between archaeologists and specialist scientists, with detailed chemical analysis being performed at the dig itself using a field infrared spectrometer.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: In 2010, the Jezreel Valley Regional Project, directed by Matthew J. Adams of Bucknell University in cooperation with the Megiddo Expedition, undertook excavations of the eastern extension of the Early Bronze Age town of Megiddo, at the site known as Tel Megiddo (East).


title: Tel Megiddo

text: A path leads up through a six-chambered gate, previously believed to be built by Solomon, but that actually belongs to the Omride dynasty days, found in Stratum VA-IVB, late Iron IIA period, overlooking the excavations of the Oriental Institute. A solid circular stone structure has been interpreted as an altar or a high place from the Canaanite period. Further on is a grain pit from the Israelite period for storing provisions in case of siege; the stables, originally thought to date from the time of Solomon but now dated a century and a half later to the time of Ahab; and a water system consisting of a square shaft deep, the bottom of which opens into a tunnel bored through rock for to a pool of water.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: Megiddo's 5,000 year old "Great Temple", dated to the Early Bronze Age IB (ca. 3000 BCE), has been described by its excavators as "the most monumental single edifice so far uncovered in the EB I Levant and ranks among the largest structures of its time in the Near East." The structure includes an immense, 47.5 by 22 meters sanctuary. The temple was more than ten times larger than the typical temple of that era and was determined to be the site of ritual animal sacrifice. Corridors were used as "favissae" (deposits of cultic artifacts) to store bones after ritual sacrifice. More than 80% of the animal remains were of young sheep and goats; the rest were cattle.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: In 2010, a collection of jewelry pieces was found in a ceramic jug. The jewelry dates to around 1100 BCE. The collection includes beads made of carnelian stone, a ring and earrings. The jug was subjected to molecular analysis to determine the contents. The collection was probably owned by a wealthy Canaanite family, likely belonging to the ruling elite.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: The Megiddo ivories are thin carvings in ivory found at Tel Megiddo, the majority excavated by Gordon Loud. The ivories are on display at the Oriental Institute of Chicago and the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem. They were found in the stratum VIIA, or Late Bronze Age layer of the site. Carved from hippopotamus incisors from the Nile, they show Egyptian stylistic influence. An ivory pen case was found inscribed with the cartouche of Ramses III.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: At Megiddo two stable complexes were excavated from Stratum IVA, one in the north and one in the south. Stratum VA-IVB has also been proposed for this area. The southern complex contained five structures built around a lime paved courtyard. The buildings themselves were divided into three sections. Two long stone paved aisles were built adjacent to a main corridor paved with lime. The buildings were about twenty-one meters long by eleven meters wide. Separating the main corridor from outside aisles was a series of stone pillars. Holes were bored into many of these pillars so that horses could be tied to them. Also, the remains of stone mangers were found in the buildings. These mangers were placed between the pillars to feed the horses. It is suggested that each side could hold fifteen horses, giving each building an overall capacity of thirty horses. The buildings on the northern side of the city were similar in their construction. However, there was no central courtyard. The capacity of the northern buildings was about three hundred horses altogether. Both complexes could hold from 450 to 480 horses combined.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: The buildings were found during excavations between 1927 and 1934. The head excavator originally interpreted the buildings as stables. Since then his conclusions have been challenged by James Pritchard, Dr Adrian Curtis of Manchester University Ze'ev Herzog, and Yohanan Aharoni, who suggest they were storehouses, marketplaces or barracks.


title: Tel Megiddo

text: The Megiddo church is not on the tell of Megiddo, but nearby next to Megiddo Junction inside the precinct of the Megiddo Prison. It was built within the ancient city of Legio and is believed to date to the 3rd century, which would make it one of the oldest churches in the world. It was situated a few hundreds yards from the base camp of Legio VI Ferrata and one of the mosaics found in the church was donated by a centurion.


title: Isaiah Berlin

text: Sir Isaiah Berlin (6 June 1909 – 5 November 1997) was a Russian-British social and political theorist, philosopher, and historian of ideas. Although he became increasingly averse to writing for publication, his improvised lectures and talks were sometimes recorded and transcribed, and many of his spoken words were converted into published essays and books, both by himself and by others, especially his principal editor from 1974, Henry Hardy.