title: 221B Baker Street

text: The Sherlock Holmes Museum is situated within an 1815 townhouse very similar to the 221B described in the stories and is located between 237 and 241 Baker Street. It displays exhibits in period rooms, wax figures and Holmes memorabilia, with the famous study overlooking Baker Street the highlight of the museum. The description of the house can be found throughout the stories, including the 17 steps leading from the ground-floor hallway to the first-floor study.


title: 221B Baker Street

text: According to the published stories, "221B Baker Street" was a suite of rooms on the first floor of a lodging house above a flight of 17 steps. The main study overlooked Baker Street, and Holmes's bedroom was adjacent to this room at the rear of the house, with Dr. Watson's bedroom being on the floor above, overlooking a rear yard that had a plane tree in it.


title: 221B Baker Street

text: The street number 221B was assigned to the Sherlock Holmes Museum on 27 March 1990 (replacing the logical address 239 Baker Street) when the Leader of Westminster City Council, Shirley Porter, unveiled a blue plaque signifying the address of 221B Baker Street. She was invited to renumber the museum's building to coincide with its official opening (and because the number 221B had not been included in the original planning consent for the museum granted in October 1989).


title: 221B Baker Street

text: A long-running dispute over the number arose between the Sherlock Holmes Museum, the building society Abbey National (which had previously answered the mail addressed to Sherlock Holmes) and subsequently the local Westminster City Council. The main objection to the Museum's role in answering the letters was that the number 221B bestowed on the Museum by the Council was out of sequence with the other numbers in the street: an issue that has since vexed local bureaucrats, who have striven for years to keep street numbers in sequence. In 2005, Abbey National vacated their headquarters in Baker Street, which left the museum to battle with Westminster City Council to end the dispute over the number, which had created negative publicity. Eventually the museum was granted special permission by the City of Westminster to bear the address of 221B Baker Street.


title: 221B Baker Street

text: In 2018 "Quartz" revealed that, according to court documents and the Panama Papers, the property was owned at least partially by relatives of Nursultan Nazarbayev, then Kazakhstani president.


title: 221B Baker Street

text: In 2020, "The Times" confirmed that in addition to various other properties between 215 and 237 Baker Street totalling around £140 million, the current property is jointly owned by the daughter of the former Kazakhstani president, Dariga Nazarbayeva and her son Nurali Aliyev. Ownership was transferred from Nazarbayeva's ex-husband Rakhat Aliyev after his death in 2015.


title: Billy Van Zandt

text: William Van Zandt (born December 13, 1957) is an American playwright and actor, and the author of the best-selling TV memoir "Get in the Car, Jane (Adventures in the TV Wasteland)."


title: Billy Van Zandt

text: Van Zandt was born in Red Bank, New Jersey, to Mary H. Lento and William Brewster Van Zandt. He is of Italian and Dutch descent. He grew up in Middletown Township, New Jersey.


title: Billy Van Zandt

text: Van Zandt is the co-author and star of the Off-Broadway plays "You've Got Hate Mail", "Silent Laughter", "Drop Dead!", "The Boomer Boys Musical," and 21 other theatrical plays written with Jane Milmore, including "A Night at the Nutcracker", "Wrong Window," and summer stock perennial "Love, Sex, and the I.R.S." Billy also wrote "The Property Known as Garland" for Adrienne Barbeau, which ran Off-Broadway at the Actor's Playhouse in 2006.


title: Billy Van Zandt

text: Van Zandt was nominated for an Emmy Award for his television special "I Love Lucy: The Very First Show", and won People's Choice and NAACP Image Awards for his work on the Martin Lawrence comedy "Martin" and a Prism Multi-Cultural Award for his work on TV's "The Hughleys".


title: Billy Van Zandt

text: Along with partner Jane Milmore, he created and/or developed television's "The Wayans Bros." for Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans, "Suddenly Susan" for Brooke Shields, "Bless This House" for Andrew Dice Clay, and "Daddy Dearest" for Don Rickles and Richard Lewis.


title: Billy Van Zandt

text: In addition to starring in his own plays, he has had roles as Bob, one of the sailing teenagers, in "Jaws 2" (1978), an alien Starfleet ensign in "" (1979), a military school cadet in the 1981 film "Taps", and a mobster wannabe in the 1999 film "A Wake in Providence", which he also co-wrote.


title: Billy Van Zandt

text: On television, he was a regular cast member on the second season of ABC's "Anything but Love". He was writer and guest star in the 1990 Valerie Bertinelli series "Sydney".


title: Billy Van Zandt

text: He toured in the Off-Broadway hit "You've Got Hate Mail" which ran at the Triad Theater from 2010 to 2015 and currently tours in his newest play "The Boomer Boys Musical".


title: Billy Van Zandt

text: Van Zandt is the half-brother of musician-actor Steven Van Zandt and brother-in-law of his wife, actress Maureen Van Zandt.


title: Billy Van Zandt

text: Billy married actress Adrienne Barbeau on December 31, 1992. The couple met in 1991 during the West Coast premiere of Billy's play "Drop Dead!". They separated in 2012 and divorced in 2018. They have twin sons, William and Walker (born March 17, 1997).


title: Billy Van Zandt

text: Two years after his marriage ended, Billy and actress Teresa Ganzel met during his Off-Broadway play "You've Got Hate Mail" and have been together ever since. They announced their engagement over Christmas 2020 and married September 12, 2021.


title: Marisa Miller

text: Marisa Lee Miller (née Bertetta; born August 6, 1978) is an American model and occasional film actress best known for her appearances in the "Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue" and her work for Victoria's Secret. After a stint shooting with photographer Mario Testino for fashion magazines such as "Vogue", Miller began working for both companies in 2002. In 2007, she became a Victoria's Secret Angel, and appeared on the cover of the 2008 "Sports Illustrated" Swimsuit Issue to record-setting numbers. Her accomplishments have led to her being dubbed the "return of the great American supermodel."


title: Marisa Miller

text: She is known for contracts with companies such as Harley-Davidson, for whom she is the first spokesperson in the history of the company, and the NFL, for whom she became a spokesperson in 2010. Miller is considered a sex symbol; she ranked No. 1 on "Maxim" magazine's 2008 "Hot 100" list and in "FHM"'s global 2010 "Sexiest Women in the World" poll. Aside from modeling, she was an ambassador for both the American Cancer Society and the USO. Miller made her film debut in "R.I.P.D." (2013).


title: Marisa Miller

text: Miller was born as Marisa Lee Bertetta in Santa Cruz, California, to Krista (née Useldinger) and Marc Bertetta. She has two younger sisters. Miller attended high school at Aptos High and Monte Vista Christian School. She considered herself a tomboy growing up, with mostly male friends and little awareness of anything girly.


title: Marisa Miller

text: Out of shyness, she often wore large t-shirts to hide her body and would get fully dressed just to go to the trash-can while at the beach.


title: Marisa Miller

text: Miller was first "discovered" at age sixteen walking through a San Francisco café by two Italian modeling agents.


title: Marisa Miller

text: After talking to her mother, she was on a plane to Italy with her mother a few months later, despite her "shy and conservative" personality. During the 1990s, fashion modelling was going through a phase of the androgynous look, and Marisa thought herself too curvy and too short to fit that trend. Miller gained attention in 1997 when she appeared nude in the first issue of "Perfect 10" magazine. Although she came in third behind Ashley Degenford and Monica Hansen in "Perfect 10" magazine's first annual model search, she was repeatedly showcased in following issues, including the covers of the Winter 1998 and August/September 1999 editions,


title: Marisa Miller

text: In 2001 Miller moved from a start as an amateur magazine model to high-profile mainstream work, after being introduced to fashion photographer Mario Testino, leading to editorials for both the American and Italian editions of "Vogue". By 2002 Miller was working for Victoria's Secret and appearing in the "Sports Illustrated" Swimsuit Issue, in which she appeared in every issue from 2002 to 2008. In particular, she famously posed wearing only an iPod in the 2007 issue. She has appeared in a diverse range of magazines, many of them international editions, such as "GQ", "Maxim", "Glamour", "Cosmopolitan", "Marie Claire", "Elle", and "Vanity Fair". She has appeared in advertisements for Marc Jacobs, Tommy Hilfiger, Andrew Marc, Victoria's Secret, J.Crew, Guess?, Nordstrom, Bath & Body Works, and True Religion jeans.


title: Marisa Miller

text: It was not until 2007 that she filmed her first television commercial for Victoria's Secret, appearing alongside Heidi Klum for the "It" bra.


title: Marisa Miller

text: On December 4, 2007, Miller made her debut in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, and opened a segment in the following year's edition. Other runway work include 2007's "Fashion for Relief" show, benefiting victims of Hurricane Katrina, as well as MTV's "Fashionably Loud", Imitation of Christ, Inca, and Amir Slama's Rosa Cha, for which she was one of the most anticipated models.


title: Marisa Miller

text: In the February 12, 2008, episode of the "Late Show with David Letterman", it was revealed via a three-story billboard in New York City that Miller would occupy the cover of that year's "Sports Illustrated" Swimsuit Issue. The tandem online launch of the issue drew record page views to the SI website: 228 million, a 41% increase over 2007. In September 2008, Sports Illustrated released a "Best of Marisa Miller" swimsuit calendar for the 2009 year.


title: Marisa Miller

text: Victoria's Secret put her to work in 2008, with a five-city tour to promote the 2008 "Swim" collection's release in stores; the April–May tour included stops in New York City, Miami, Chicago (where she threw the opening pitch at a Chicago Cubs baseball game), Boston, and Minneapolis. The relaunch of Victoria's Secret sports line, "VSX", soon followed, along with her first official campaign as an Angel: promoting the company's fragrance "Very Sexy Dare".


title: Marisa Miller

text: For the 2009 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Miller was chosen to wear the year's "Fantasy Bra," a harlequin design featuring 2,300 white, champagne, and cognac diamonds, and a 16-carat heart-shaped brown-yellow diamond pendant for a $3-million value and 150 total carats.


title: Marisa Miller

text: In response to claims that Miller had parted with Victoria's Secret in January 2010, the Chief Marketing Officer for Limited Brands responded, saying the claims were "unfounded and untrue" while adding "we adore Marisa and we will continue to work with her in the future." In late 2010, Miller confirmed she had moved on to other projects.


title: Marisa Miller

text: In a July 2010 interview with "Forbes", Miller explained her shift in focus from modelling to becoming a celebrity brand herself. For that reason, she moved to promoting consumer products in line with her own brand and personality. In July 2008, Miller launched a line of shoes she had developed with skateboarder/surfer-oriented company Vans . Miller starred in a 2008 viral video on YouTube with All Star baseball player Ryan Braun for Remington's ShortCut hair clippers.


title: Marisa Miller

text: In 2008, Miller became the first spokesperson in motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson's one-hundred-year history. She first partnered with Harley to launch the VRSCF V-Rod Muscle motorcycle and rejoined the company in November 2009 to act as the face of their first "Military Appreciation Month" campaign, featuring Miller as a classic pin-up in military-themed advertisements and online content. 2010 found her again working for the company, this time for their "Start Something" campaign, encouraging dreamers to become new riders.


title: Marisa Miller

text: Miller represented the rum brand Captain Morgan as the company's "Official First Mate" in advertising, social responsibility communication, and event appearances, starting in 2010.


title: Marisa Miller

text: In October 2010, the NFL announced Miller had been hired as a spokesperson for the 2010-2011 season, with duties including hosting the NFL International Series game between the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos in London. The announcement drew accusations toward the league of sending a "mixed message" in hiring a well-known lingerie and swimsuit model on the heels of controversies over reporter Ines Sainz's treatment at the New York Jets' facilities and the messages and photos Brett Favre allegedly sent Jenn Sterger. "New York Times" columnist William C. Rhoden noted that "Miller reveals a lot of flesh in the N.F.L. advertisements featuring her. This is Miller’s business, but it shouldn’t be the N.F.L.’s."


title: Marisa Miller

text: In 2010, she designed and released a paddle board line with Surftech aimed at female riders and in 2012 she appeared in a beach-theme commercial for Buick.


title: Marisa Miller

text: Miller's first work in television was as a judge on the Bravo reality series "Manhunt: The Search for America's Most Gorgeous Male Model" in 2004, the same year she appeared in Puddle of Mudd's "Spin You Around" music video. 2007 brought appearances in the pilot episode and finale of the VH1 reality show "The Shot" and cameos in HBO's "Entourage" and the CBS comedy "How I Met Your Mother", the latter with her fellow Victoria's Secret Angels. In 2009, she had a guest judge role on an episode of "America's Next Top Model" and a minor role in an episode of "Gary Unmarried"; in 2010, she co-hosted an episode of "GameTrailers TV with Geoff Keighley".


title: Marisa Miller

text: She has appeared in commercials for the NFL Network and the California Travel and Tourism Commission's "Visit California" campaign. Miller's 2008 commercial for Activision's "", was deemed too sexy to air. The advert was part of a campaign featuring various celebrities, and was based on the famous scene from "Risky Business" where Tom Cruise dances to Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll" in a shirt and underwear.


title: Marisa Miller

text: The swell in publicity resulting from her 2008 work served to land Miller in the number one spot on "Maxim" magazine's "Hot 100" rankings for 2008, beating out list regulars such as Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Biel, and Eva Longoria. This marked the first time anyone has debuted on the list in the number one position.


title: Marisa Miller

text: In her subsequent cover story for the July issue, "Maxim" proclaimed her as the "return of the great American supermodel." Of such acclaim, Miller admits, "I get a kick out of it, but it would be stupid to let it go to my head. It’s modeling—I didn’t find the cure for cancer." Miller continued to be highly rated and appeared on the list in 2009 in 18th place, and in 2010 in 10th place.


title: Marisa Miller

text: She also finished first place in "The Best Damn Sports Show Period" "Smokin' Sixteen" competition in 2008, repeating her 2007 win over competitors such as Gisele Bündchen and Adriana Lima. Miller ranked second in AskMen.com's "Top 99" for 2010, after ranking third in 2009, ninth in 2008, twelfth in 2007, and fourteenth in 2006. She added to her popular accolades with the "Hot N' Fresh" award at the second annual Spike Guys' Choice Awards.


title: Marisa Miller

text: In 2010, Miller came in third in "FHM" magazine's UK edition of the 16th annual "Sexiest Women in the World" poll, placing behind actress Megan Fox and winner, British singer Cheryl Cole.


title: Marisa Miller

text: Miller topped the poll in the US edition of "FHM" and was declared the global winner of the poll, receiving the most combined votes from "FHM"'s 24 international editions.


title: Marisa Miller

text: She married Jim Miller, a Los Angeles surfing contest promoter and lifeguard from California, in 2000. The couple separated in 2002; they divorced soon after. Following the divorce, Marisa continued using the surname Miller. She married music producer Griffin Guess on April 15, 2006. Miller gave birth to the couple's son, Gavin Lee Guess, on December 13, 2012. She gave birth to the couple's second son, Grayson Lee Bazyl Guess, on May 29, 2015.


title: Marisa Miller

text: From an early age she loved surfing, and her aunt was on the pro tour. In 2004, she placed second in the celebrity division of the Kelly Slater Surf Invitational and says of the sport, "I feel my absolute best—physically, mentally and spiritually—when I'm surfing every day." She also won the most valuable player award at the 4th annual Celebrity Beach Bowl. She was a standout volleyball player in high school and has taken up boxing. After signing with Harley-Davidson, Miller received her motorcycle license and rides a Harley Nightster. She has said that she would like to be a sportscaster. Miller comes from a family of nurses. Her mother returned to college to become a pediatrics nurse and her sisters are also nurses. She has expressed an interest in following the same career path if she stops modeling.


title: Marisa Miller

text: As of 2009, Miller is an ambassador for the American Cancer Society. Proceeds from her online store are donated to the charity. She also supports the Young Survival Coalition, which raises awareness of breast cancer in women under 40, as well as environmental organization the Surfrider Foundation, which aims to preserve the world's oceans and beaches. In 2014 she was honored with the inaugural Paul Walker Ocean Leadership Award.


title: Marisa Miller

text: In October 2009, Miller hosted the Monte Foundation music festival, an annual fundraiser for schools in the Aptos area, where she and Guess own a home.


title: Marisa Miller

text: She is also an ambassador for the USO; she visits military bases and receives frequent fan mail from American troops worldwide.


title: Marisa Miller

text: In May 2015, Miller posed while pregnant with her second child as part of a PETA campaign against SeaWorld's practice of separating baby orcas from their mothers.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: The People's Defence Force (; abbreviated: PDF) is the armed wing of the National Unity Government (NUG). The armed wing was formed by the NUG from youths and pro-democracy activists on 5 May 2021 in response to the coup d'état that occurred on 1 February 2021 that put the military junta and their armed wing the Tatmadaw in power. Despite its support from the people of Myanmar, the military junta designated it as a terrorist organisation on 8 May 2021. In October 2021, NUG's Ministry of Defence announced that it had formed a central committee to coordinate military operations across the country.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: According to the NUG statement, the PDF is divided into five regional commands (Northern, Southern, Central, Eastern and Western commands), each mounting at least three brigades. Each brigade consists of five battalions, which divide into four companies. On 13 July 2021, NUG's minister of defence Yee Mon stated that the strength of the newly-formed militia was expected to reach 8,000 by the end of the month. Estimates by The Irrawadday put the PDF's numbers at 65,000 in November 2022. PDF believe in the usage of guerrilla warfare tactics to achieve their aims.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: Minister of Defence Yee Mon announced on 16 April 2021 that NUG would establish an armed wing that would cooperate with various ethnic armed organisations to launch an armed revolution against the junta. On 5 May 2021, NUG announced the formation of the PDF as a "forerunner of the federal armed forces". It also stated that the PDF formed in response to the violence happening throughout the country. On 28 May 2021, NUG released a video of the PDF's graduation ceremony, announcing that the armed wing was ready to challenge the junta's forces. On 7 September 2021, the NUG announced the launch of the "People's Defensive War" against the military junta, and urged the citizens to revolt against the junta in every corner of the country.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: On 7 September 2022, NUG acting president Duwa Lashi La gave a speech on the one-year anniversary of the defensive war. He stated that the PDF suffered from 1,500 casualties within one year after the declaration, and that the junta was losing their territorial control. The NUG also stated that 2023 would be an important year as they would "successfully end the revolution in 2023 and six battlefronts would be opened to do so".


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: On 14 August 2021, the PDF ambushed six heavily armed policemen who were travelling along the Yangon Circular Railway. Five were killed. A sixth was injured but survived. Four automatic rifles were seized.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: The PDF clashed with the Tatmadaw in Muse on 23 May 2021, killing at least 13 members of Myanmar's security forces. Another clash happened in the town of Moebyel, in which 20 members of the police force were killed.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: Chin State saw some of the earliest armed resistance. Clashes were reported initially in late March 2021. Armed with traditional tumi guns, ethnic Chin inflicted casualties on the Tatmadaw. In early April 2021, Chinland Defense Force (CDF) was established. Tatmadaw saw heavy casualties in clashes with Mindat branch of the CDF in late April and May 2021. CDF Mindat briefly occupied the town, but was forced to withdraw when the Tatmadaw used civilians as shields.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: Chin National Army, the existing Chin armed organisation, various township branches of the CDF and Chin National Defence Force (an armed Chin organization formed after the coup) came together to form a joint defence coordination body called Chinland Joint Defense Committee (CJDC). The total strength of active personnel under the command of CJDC was approximated to be around 13,000. From August to October 2021, it was reported that at least 40 clashes occurred between junta troops and CDF. CJDC claimed that at least 1,029 Tatmadaw soldiers were killed in the clashes and lost 58 of their own in 2021.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: Karenni PDF launched attacks in Demoso and Bawlakhe townships, killing at least twenty Tatmadaw soldiers and police and burning down three outposts on 26 May 2021. Tatmadaw retaliated by shelling residential areas.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: On 31 May 2021, Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF) was formed as a merger of scattered PDF groups in the Karenni state and some local Ethnic Armed Organisations. The main organisation was Karenni National Progressive Party.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: The PDF, along with the Kachin Independence Army, began assaults on Tatmadaw positions in Katha, Sagaing around the end of May 2021, killing eight regime soldiers and injuring thirteen. On 24 and 26 June 2021, combined PDF and KIA forces clashed with the Tatmadaw, reportedly killing at least 44 regime troops.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: On 15 January 2022, a combined force of PDF and All Burma Students' Democratic Front attacked two Tatmadaw ships approaching Katha from Shwegu using rocket-propelled grenades. This confrontation marks the first time ABSDF had engaged the Tatmadaw since the beginning of the coup, entering a war against the regime and openly siding with the PDF.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: In early June 2021, PDF activities increased significantly across the Mandalay District, with multiple violent clashes with pro-junta security forces reported in Mandalay City and surrounding townships.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: On 1 June, a PDF fighter shot two soldiers, killing one, outside of a high school that had been forced to re-open by junta authorities despite a nationwide boycott of government-run schools. The leader of the PDF in Mandalay, Bo Nat Khat, also claimed responsibility for recent bombings in five townships. The military junta called the PDF attacks acts of terrorism.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: In Patheingyi Township on 8 June, three PDF fighters in a vehicle rammed two police officers on motorbikes before shooting and killing them. The PDF claimed responsibility for the attack, which was confirmed by a pro-democracy police officer.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: On 22 June, Tatmadaw forces in armoured vehicles raided a PDF base in Chanmyathazi Township, resulting in the deaths of two fighters and six arrests, according to the PDF. Tatmadaw-owned media sources claimed that four PDF fighters were killed and eight arrested, while some security forces were injured. Later that day, the Mandalay PDF spokesperson announced that the group had "declared war" on the junta.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: In early June 2021, a combined force of five armed groups; the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) splinter group, PDF, KNU/KNLA Peace Council (KPC), Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO) and a Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) splinter group clashed with Tatmadaw and Karen BGF in Phlu village, Karen state. Brigadier General Saw Kyaw Thet, commander-in-chief of the DKBA splinter group stated that the five armed groups are cooperating throughout Karen.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: A villager of Kin Ma, Magway, reported on 15 June 2021 that PDF forces had clashed with security forces in the village. Following this incident, Tatmadaw forces burned down the village, killing at least two. Ye PDF, allied with Thanbyuzayat PDF together destroyed military junta owned business Mytel's telecom tower, located in Thanbyuzayat Township, on 1 October.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: On March 15, in an interview published by Irrawaddy Media, "If the last six months of the people's resistance were to be considered as the first stage of the revolution, at this stage the PDF comrades will be involved in guerrilla warfare," he said. "They have been able to carry out effective war operations. They were able to destroy the enemy force on a daily basis. Now our PDFs have taken control of many rural areas."


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: The Burmese military has experienced increased defections to the civil disobedience movement and the PDF since the coup. NUG and PDF groups launched propaganda and psychological warfare campaigns. Army defectors generally face death sentences, which are then commuted to life in prison.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: By September 2021, the number of defectors had risen to 1,500 soldiers and 500 police officers, most of whom were privates and sergeants. Notable among them was Brigadier-General Phyo Thant, who led the Northwest Command until October 2021 when he was detained by the military after his plans to defect were exposed. Sagaing Region and Chin State, which are part of the Northwest Command, saw armed resistance from the PDF.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: As of 15 February 2022, the number of defectors had risen to over 16,000 soldiers and police officers who had joined Myanmar’s Civil Disobedience Movement. 75% of defectors expressed their willingness to join the PDF earlier that month.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: The PDF operates using a mixture of makeshift, locally-manufactured, and foreign-manufactured small arms. Many PDF subgroups initially used makeshift bolt-action rifles. Some subgroups used homemade hunting rifles as of 2022. Many PDF battalions used assault rifles seized from military troops in ambushes and joint-operations with local ethnic armed organizations. Seized weapons are often domestically manufactured by the military and use a 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge, including the MK-II (locally-manufactured Galil variant) and the MK-III bullpup (locally-manufactured QBZ-97 variant) versions of the MA-1 assault rifle, the MA-4 assault rifle, and the MA-11 assault rifle (locally-manufactured HK-33 variant). PDF may use arms identical to those used by ethnic armed organizations such as the Karen National Liberation Army and the Kachin Independence Army, which include variants of the M-16 and the Kachin-manufactured variant of the Chinese Type 81 assault rifle known as the K-09.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: In January 2022, the PDF launched its own small arms manufacturing operations. It began to mass-produce the FGC-9 PCC through 3-D printing, a semiautomatic carbine that operates on 9mm cartridges. An organization of military defectors known as the People's Soldiers Production Team (PSPT) began an arms manufacturing operation called Project A-1. PSPT aimed to economically produce variants of the M-16 and the AK-47 as well as ammunition, such as the 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge, the 7.62x39mm cartridge, the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge, the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge, the .22 caliber cartridge, the RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade, the 60mm Lightweight Mortar round, the 40×46mm grenade, and the M67 grenade.


title: People's Defence Force (Myanmar)

text: Video footage and reports of an Air Force jet shot down in Kayah State on 20 February 2022 led to speculation that the PDF possessed man-portable air-defense systems.


title: OTs-14 Groza

text: The OTs-14 Groza () is a Russian selective fire bullpup assault rifle chambered for the 7.62×39 round and the 9×39mm subsonic round. It was developed in the 1990s at the TsKIB SOO (Central Design and Research Bureau of Sporting and Hunting Arms) in Tula, Russia.


title: OTs-14 Groza

text: The weapon is colloquially known as OC-14 or OTs-14 "Groza". The OTs-14-4A "Groza-4" has one derivative, the TKB-0239 (ТКБ-0239), also known as OTs-14-1A "Groza-1", chambered for the 7.62×39mm round.


title: OTs-14 Groza

text: The Groza saw limited use in 1999 in the Second Chechen War, however they quickly fell out of favor and are no longer produced.


title: OTs-14 Groza

text: Work on the OTs-14-4A project began in December 1992. The weapon's chief designers were Valery Telesh, responsible for the GP-25 and GP-30 under-barrel grenade launchers, and Yuri Lebedev. The team set out to design an integrated and modular system that would incorporate all the best features of a close-combat long gun into a single weapon based on the AKS-74U. Prototypes were ready for testing in less than a year and the weapon was ready for production by early 1994.


title: OTs-14 Groza

text: It was first presented to the public at the MILIPOL Moscow trade show in April 1994 and adopted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) shortly thereafter. The success of the OTs-14-4A in the hands of MVD personnel brought it to the attention of the Ministry of Defence (MO), who also had a requirement for such a weapon. After a period of testing, the weapon was adopted for Spetsnaz forces and some airborne and specialist front-line combat units such as combat engineers.


title: OTs-14 Groza

text: The Groza was originally intended to have used any one of four cartridges: 5.45×39mm, 5.56×45mm NATO, 7.62×39mm or 9×39mm. That idea was dropped and the assault rifle was originally chambered in 9×39mm to meet the MVD's requirement for a close combat weapon for deployment in Chechnya, for situations when the user needs to take on hostiles silently. This is why they used the subsonic ammo: 9×39mm, 5.45×39mm would later be used in minor cases.


title: OTs-14 Groza

text: Internally the OTs-14 "Groza" is an exact copy of AKS-74U but in a bullpup configuration and chambered for 9x39 SP-6 subsonic ammunition. The trigger-pistol grip unit could be removed and replaced with an alternative unit integral with 40 mm grenade launcher. In that configuration, a single trigger controls with a separate barrel selector both the 40 mm grenade launcher and the rifle itself. The grenade launcher can use the same grenades used in the GP-25/GP-30.


title: OTs-14 Groza

text: The safety/firing mode selector of AKS-74U pattern is retained. The barrel itself can be fitted with a specially designed quick-detachable suppressor.


title: OTs-14 Groza

text: The OTs-14's carrying handle has provisions for mounting long-range optical sights, red dot sights or night vision devices. As it was meant to replace the AKS-74U in the battalions of Spetsnaz MVD as a standard service firearm there are also variants chambered for 7.62×39mm. The idea behind this design was to have an easily modified basic version which would be used in different combat scenarios as a carbine, assault rifle with a foregrip, silenced assault rifle with detachable suppressor and assault rifle with an integrated under-barrel grenade launcher.


title: OTs-14 Groza

text: The OTs-14-4A is a small arms weapon system based on the 5.45×39mm AKS-74U carbine. It is a selective fire, air-cooled magazine-fed rifle with a gas-actuated piston operating system and a rotary bolt locking mechanism.


title: OTs-14 Groza

text: The OTs-14-4A shares 75% of its components with the AKS-74U. The basic components of the weapon are borrowed directly from the AKS-74U assault rifle and slightly modified, simplifying the design as a whole and making the weapon considerably cheaper. The weapon has modular design allowing for assembly of one of four weapon versions depending on the assigned mission. It is configured in a bullpup layout for increased portability and balance. The grip is displaced forward, making the assault rifle compact, suitable for concealed carrying and so well balanced that it can be fired using just one hand, like a pistol. There has been mention that the bullpup configuration has been hard to carry due to the weight on occasions with the Kalashikov action positioned close to the user's face when fired, making it sometime hard to use.


title: OTs-14 Groza

text: The weapon fires from a closed bolt and has a hammer-type firing mechanism. It has a unitary trigger; a three-position combination fire mode selector switch / manual safety on the left side of the receiver sets whether it fires either the rifle or the grenade launcher or places it in "safe". The assault rifle is equipped with iron sights contained in the carrying handle that consist of an adjustable rear aperture sight on a tangent leaf with range graduations from 50 to 200 m, and a forward post. The grenade launcher is aimed using a folding leaf sight.


title: OTs-14 Groza

text: The weapon will also accept several optical sights, including the PSO telescopic sights which mount directly onto the carrying handle or, as on early models, onto a bracket on the left side of the receiver housing. The OTs-14-4A also has a night sight dovetail rail that will accept all standard night vision optics.


title: OTs-14 Groza

text: It is issued in an aluminium transport case with equipment and accessories for a wide array of tactical situations. Included in the case are two different grip and trigger assemblies, one for use with the modified GP-25/30 grenade launcher and another for use when the launcher is detached. When the grenade launcher is installed, the combined rifle and grenade launcher is operated with a single trigger.


title: OTs-14 Groza

text: A selector switch on left side of the grip near the trigger guard allows the user to select between rifle or grenade barrels. When the grenade launcher is detached, it is replaced by a vertical grip. A suppressor is also included in the standard kit, as is a quick-change short barrel for use with the suppressor or for when maximum compactness is desired.


title: Caelus

text: Caelus or Coelus was a primal god of the sky in Roman myth and theology, iconography, and literature (compare "caelum", the Latin word for "sky" or "the heaven", hence English "celestial"). The deity's name usually appears in masculine grammatical form when he is conceived of as a male generative force.


title: Caelus

text: The name of Caelus indicates that he was the Roman counterpart of the Greek god Uranus ((Οὐρανός, "Ouranos"), who was of major importance in the theogonies of the Greeks) and the Jewish god Yahweh. Varro couples him with Terra (Earth) as "pater et mater" (father and mother), and says that they are "great deities" ("dei magni") in the theology of the mysteries at Samothrace. Although Caelus is not known to have had a cult at Rome, not all scholars consider him a Greek import given a Latin name; he has been associated with Summanus, the god of nocturnal thunder, as "purely Roman."


title: Caelus

text: Caelus begins to appear regularly in Augustan art and in connection with the cult of Mithras during the Imperial era. Vitruvius includes him among celestial gods whose temple-buildings "(aedes)" should be built open to the sky. As a sky god, he became identified with Jupiter, as indicated by an inscription that reads "Optimus Maximus Caelus Aeternus Iup<pi>ter".


title: Caelus

text: According to Cicero and Hyginus, Caelus was the son of Aether and Dies ("Day" or "Daylight"). Caelus and Dies were in this tradition the parents of Mercury. With Trivia, Caelus was the father of the distinctively Roman god Janus, as well as of Saturn and Ops. Caelus was also the father of one of the three forms of Jupiter, the other two fathers being Aether and Saturn. In one tradition, Caelus was the father with Tellus of the Muses, though this was probably a mere translation of "Ouranos" from a Greek source.


title: Caelus

text: Caelus substituted for Uranus in Latin versions of the myth of Saturn (Cronus) castrating his heavenly father, from whose severed genitals, cast upon the sea, the goddess Venus (Aphrodite) was born. In his work "On the Nature of the Gods", Cicero presents a Stoic allegory of the myth in which the castration signifies "that the highest heavenly aether, that seed-fire which generates all things, did not require the equivalent of human genitals to proceed in its generative work." For Macrobius, the severing marks off Chaos from fixed and measured Time (Saturn) as determined by the revolving Heavens (Caelum). The "semina rerum" ("seeds" of things that exist physically) come from Caelum and are the elements which create the world.


title: Caelus

text: The divine spatial abstraction "Caelum" is a synonym for Olympus as a metaphorical heavenly abode of the divine, both identified with and distinguished from the mountain in ancient Greece named as the home of the gods. Varro says that the Greeks call Caelum (or Caelus) "Olympus." As a representation of space, Caelum is one of the components of the "mundus", the "world" or "cosmos", along with "terra" (earth), "mare" (sea), and "aer" (air). In his work on the cosmological systems of antiquity, the Dutch Renaissance humanist Gerardus Vossius deals extensively with Caelus and his duality as both a god and a place that the other gods inhabit.


title: Caelus

text: The ante-Nicene Christian writer Lactantius routinely uses the Latin theonyms Caelus, Saturn, and Jupiter to refer to the three divine hypostases of the Neoplatonic school of Plotinus: the First God (Caelus), Intellect (Saturn), and Soul, son of the Intelligible (Jupiter).


title: Caelus

text: It is generally though not universally agreed that Caelus is depicted on the cuirass of the "Augustus of Prima Porta", at the very top above the four horses of the Sun god's "quadriga". He is a mature, bearded man who holds a cloak over his head so that it billows in the form of an arch, a conventional sign of deity "(velificatio)" that "recalls the vault of the firmament." He is balanced and paired with the personification of Earth at the bottom of the cuirass. (These two figures have also been identified as Saturn and the Magna Mater, to represent the new Saturnian "Golden Age" of Augustan ideology.) On an altar of the Lares now held by the Vatican, Caelus in his chariot appears along with Apollo-Sol above the figure of Augustus.


title: Caelus

text: As "Caelus Nocturnus", he was the god of the night-time, starry sky. In a passage from Plautus, Nocturnus is regarded as the opposite of Sol, the Sun god. Nocturnus appears in several inscriptions found in Dalmatia and Italy, in the company of other deities who are found also in the cosmological schema of Martianus Capella, based on the Etruscan tradition. In the Etruscan discipline of divination, Caelus Nocturnus was placed in the sunless north opposite Sol to represent the polar extremities of the axis (see "cardo"). This alignment was fundamental to the drawing of a "templum" (sacred space) for the practice of augury.


title: Caelus

text: The name "Caelus" occurs in dedicatory inscriptions in connection to the cult of Mithras. The Mithraic Caelus is sometimes depicted allegorically as an eagle bending over the sphere of heaven marked with symbols of the planets or the zodiac. In a Mithraic context he is associated with Cautes and can appear as "Caelus Aeternus" ("Eternal Sky"). A form of Ahura-Mazda is invoked in Latin as "Caelus Aeternus Iupiter". The walls of some mithrea feature allegorical depictions of the cosmos with Oceanus and Caelus. The mithraeum of Dieburg represents the tripartite world with Caelus, Oceanus, and Tellus below Phaeton-Heliodromus.


title: Caelus

text: Some Roman writers used Caelus or Caelum as a way to express the monotheistic god of Judaism (Yahweh). Juvenal identifies the Jewish God with Caelus as the highest heaven "(summum caelum)", saying that Jews worship the "numen" of Caelus; Petronius uses similar language. Florus has a passage describing the Holy of Holies in the Temple of Jerusalem as housing a "sky" "(caelum)" under a golden vine. A golden vine, perhaps the one mentioned, was sent by the Hasmonean king Aristobulus to Pompeius Magnus after his defeat of Jerusalem, and was later displayed in the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus.


title: Imelda May

text: Imelda Mary Higham (born Imelda Mary Clabby, 10 July 1974), professionally known as Imelda May, is an Irish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Known primarily as a singer, she also plays the bodhrán, guitar, bass guitar and tambourine. She is known for her musical style of rockabilly revival and has also been compared to female jazz musicians such as Billie Holiday.


title: Imelda May

text: Born and raised in The Liberties area of Dublin, May began her career in music at 16 by performing with a number of local bands and musicians. She formed her own band in 2002, and released her debut studio album, "No Turning Back". After the release, May relocated to London with her then-husband, guitarist Darrel Higham.


title: Imelda May

text: Following an appearance on the BBC music programme "Later... with Jools Holland" in 2008, she released her second studio album, "Love Tattoo" (2009). She collaborated and toured with a number of artists following its release. Her third studio album, "Mayhem", was released in 2010 and earned her a nomination for the Choice Music Prize. Her fourth studio album, "Tribal", came out in 2014, and her fifth, "Life Love Flesh Blood", in 2017. "11 Past the Hour", her sixth album, was released on 16 April 2021.


title: Imelda May

text: May was born in Dublin on 10 July 1974 in The Liberties in the south inner city. She is the youngest of five siblings, with sisters Edel Foy and Maria O'Reilly and brothers Brendan Clabby and Fintan Clabby. In 1991, she attended Senior College Ballyfermot, where she studied art, graphics and printmaking.


title: Imelda May

text: Her career began at age 16 when she began touring the Dublin club circuit and she was occasionally barred from her own shows at Dublin's Bruxelles club for being under-aged. She moved to Great Britain in 1998 and shortly after toured with Mike Sanchez.


title: Imelda May

text: In 2003, May released "No Turning Back". In 2007 she signed a recording contract with Ambassador Records, and recorded her second album, "Love Tattoo", which reached No.1 in Ireland and received wide critical acclaim. She caught the attention of Jools Holland, whom she later supported on tour, which led him to request she appear on his music show "Later... with Jools Holland". She won Female Artist of the Year at the 2009 Meteor Awards.


title: Imelda May

text: On 31 January 2010, she performed at the 52nd Grammy Awards with Jeff Beck in tribute to Les Paul and Mary Ford. She released her third studio album, "Mayhem", in Ireland on 3 September 2010, again reaching No. 1 in the Irish Album Charts, and in the United Kingdom on 4 October 2010.


title: Imelda May

text: May soon after appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno", "Conan" and "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson". In 2016, May performed at RTÉ's Centenary Concert to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising. In the UK May appeared on "Never Mind the Buzzcocks" with the late Terry Wogan and "Graham Norton Show" and sang live on "Strictly Come Dancing". May worked with BIMM music college in Dublin to provide a scholarship (which they named after her) for up-and-coming artists.


title: Imelda May

text: May's fifth album, "Life Love Flesh Blood", was released on 7 April 2017. She collaborated with American musician T Bone Burnett on the record, who produced the album. Throughout the creative process, May received guidance from U2 vocalist Bono. "Life Love Flesh Blood" won critical acclaim and reached no. 4 in the UK charts. On 18 May 2017 May performed "Life Love Flesh Blood" at a special concert in the prestigious London Palladium.


title: Imelda May

text: In Ireland, she also had her own music TV show, "The Imelda May Show", showcasing the best of Irish and international talent. May performed the Irish national anthem on 26 August 2017 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, prior to the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor fight. In June 2020, she released the original composition "You Don’t Get To Be Racist And Irish" which was used by the Irish government for the nationwide billboard campaign Rethink Ireland. In 2020 she also published a new album, "Slip of the Tongue", whose style shifts from rock to spoken word.


title: Imelda May

text: Her second solo album apart from her former husband, "11 Past the Hour" was released on 16 April 2021 on the Decca label. Also in 2021, May contributed a cover of the Metallica song "The God That Failed" to the charity tribute album "The Metallica Blacklist".


title: Imelda May

text: May has recorded and performed with a variety of artists. She has worked with producers Mike Crossey, Tony Visconti, Peter Asher and T Bone Burnett.


title: Imelda May

text: She performed at a tribute concert for Bill Wyman's 80th birthday, a live recorded concert for Jacques Dutronc, and a live recorded concert with and for Tony Biscontu for Sky Arts. In 2010 she (and others) performed with Jeff Beck to honour the late guitarist Les Paul at Iridium Jazz Club in New York City, where the session was recorded for DVD and HBO and subsequently toured the US with Jeff Beck for five weeks. In December 2011 she sold out two nights at O2 Dublin, with Bono making a surprise appearance as her guest. May was the surprise guest in Dublin for U2's homecoming show on the band's 2015 Innocence + Experience tour: Bono called her "the other queen of Ireland" as she came on stage to perform "Desire", streamed live online to millions of viewers.


title: Imelda May

text: In 2020, May was part of an Irish collective of female singers and musicians called Irish Women in Harmony that recorded a version of "Dreams" in aid of the charity SafeIreland, which deals with domestic abuse, which had reportedly risen significantly during the COVID-19 lockdown.


title: Imelda May

text: In 2021, she dueted with Noel Gallagher and Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones in the single "Just One Kiss" from the album "11 Past the Hour", and, together with The Waterboys and the Joanna Eden Band, she joined the line-up for Van Morrison's outdoor show at Audley End House and Gardens expected for 14 August 2021 in Saffron Walden.


title: Imelda May

text: May performed at Night for Ukraine, a fundraising benefit held at the Roundhouse in north London on the evening of March 9, 2022, with the funds raised being donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal, to provide aid to people fleeing Ukraine following the Russian invasion. The event was organized by Fabien Riggall in collaboration with the Ukrainian pop duo Bloom Twins.


title: Imelda May

text: May married her guitarist and band member, Darrel Higham, in 2002. She gave birth to a daughter in August 2012. On 17 July 2015, May announced the couple's decision to separate after 13 years of marriage.


title: George Mountbatten, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven

text: Captain George Louis Victor Henry Serge Mountbatten, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven, (6 November 1892 – 8 April 1938), born Prince George of Battenberg, styled Earl of Medina between 1917 and 1921, was a Royal Navy officer and the elder son of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Milford Haven (Prince Louis of Battenberg), and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine.


text: Prince George of Battenberg, as he then was, was born at Darmstadt in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, then ruled by his maternal uncle Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse. From birth, he was a prince of the Hessian royal family, albeit of a morganatic branch. His siblings were Princess Alice (mother of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, to whom he was a mentor in Philip's adolescence), Queen Louise of Sweden and Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (who assumed the role of Philip's mentor after George's death).


text: George followed his father into the Royal Navy, and after passing out from the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth, was promoted to sub-lieutenant on 15 January 1913. He was promoted to lieutenant on 15 February 1914, and served in the First World War. In 1917, his father and several of his relations relinquished their German names, styles and titles in exchange for British peerages at the behest of George V. Accordingly, Prince George dropped the style of "Serene Highness" and his surname was anglicised to "Mountbatten." When his father was created Marquess of Milford Haven in late 1917, George received the courtesy title of "Earl of Medina", succeeding to his father's peerage after his death in September 1921. During the war, George's aunt Empress Alexandra of Russia along with his uncle by marriage Nicholas II of Russia, five cousins and another aunt Elisabeth were killed by communist revolutionaries.


text: Lord Milford Haven, as George was now known, remained in the Royal Navy after the war; he was promoted to lieutenant-commander on 15 February 1922 and to commander on 31 December 1926. In 1932, he retired from active service at his own request, with effect from 9 December of that year. On 6 November 1937, shortly before his death, he was promoted to the rank of captain on the retired list.


text: An accomplished mathematician, the Marquess "could work out complicated gunnery problems in his head" and "read books on calculus casually on trains". Queen Elizabeth II, his niece-in-law, considered him "one of the most intelligent and brilliant of people".


text: Prince George of Battenberg, as he then was known, married Countess Nadejda Mikhailovna de Torby (daughter of Russian Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich Romanov and his morganatic wife, Countess Sophie von Merenberg) on 15 November 1916 at the Russian Embassy, Welbeck Street, London. They lived at Lynden Manor at Holyport in Berkshire and had two children:


text: Lord Milford Haven died of bone marrow cancer, aged 45, and was buried in Bray Cemetery, Bray, Berkshire.


title: Soppressata

text: Soppressata is an Italian dry salami. Although there are many variations, two principal types are made: a cured dry sausage typical of Basilicata, Apulia, and Calabria, and a very different uncured salame, made in Tuscany and Liguria.


title: Soppressata

text: It is still part of southern Italian cultural heritage that local people (especially in the smaller rural towns) slaughter the pig themselves and use it all, with nothing going to waste, using some parts to make cured meats including soppressata. Soppressata is sometimes prepared using ham.


title: Soppressata

text: "Soppressata di Calabria" enjoys Protected designation of origin status; the one produced in Acri and Decollatura is especially renowned.


title: Soppressata

text: "Soppressata Toscana", soppressata from Tuscany, is made from the leftover parts of the pig. First, the head is boiled for a few hours. When it is done, it is picked of meat and skin. All of the meat and skin, including the tongue, are chopped, seasoned, and then stuffed into a large casing. The cooking liquid is poured in to cover the mixture and it is then hung and the cooking liquid (high in gelatin) thickens to bind everything together. It is similar to the English brawn, Polish salceson and the German "presskopf" (Austrian "Presswurst").


title: Soppressata

text: "Sopressa Veneta" got its name from the practice of pressing the salami between planks of wood resulting in a straight, flattened shape. The northern Italian version from Vicenza, in the Veneto region, did away with the pressed shape and has become an international favorite.


title: Baahubali: Before the Beginning

text: Baahubali: Before the Beginning is an unreleased Indian streaming television series based on Anand Neelakantan's 2017 and 2020 novels "The Rise of Sivagami", "Chaturanga" and "Queen of Mahishmathi." A Netflix original and a part of the "Bahubali franchise", the series is produced by S. S. Rajamouli and Arka Media Works. The first season consists of nine episodes and acts as a prequel to "", following the journey of Sivagami's rise to power in the Mahishmati kingdom.


title: Baahubali: Before the Beginning

text: "Before the Beginning" was officially announced by Netflix in August 2018. Production began in September 2018 with Deva Katta and Praveen Sattaru as its directors. Mrunal Thakur was cast as Sivagami, who was later replaced by Wamiqa Gabbi. Rahul Bose and Atul Kulkarni play pivotal roles. In March 2021, it is reported that Netflix has revamped the project with a new creative team, scrapping the previously shot version.


title: Baahubali: Before the Beginning

text: The series follows Sivagami as she matures from a defiant and resentful girl into a wise queen, around the same time when the kingdom of Mahishmati rises from being a city-state to an influential empire.


title: Baahubali: Before the Beginning

text: Snigdha Akolkar, Vaquar Shaikh, Jameel Khan, Anup Soni and Sonali Khare have been cast in undisclosed roles.


title: Baahubali: Before the Beginning

text: In March 2017, after the release of "The Rise of Sivagami" written by Anand Neelakantan, S. S. Rajamouli, the director of the two-part "Baahubali" films, confirmed that a television series will be made on the novel, comprising 13 episodes. In November 2017, "The Hans India" reported that Deva Katta would direct a web series based on the world of Mahishmati. In July 2018, Katta confirmed that he will co-direct a three-season Netflix original series, tentatively titled "Shivagami". The series, titled "Baahubali: Before the Beginning", was announced in a public statement released by Netflix on 1 August 2018. It was to be directed by Katta and Praveen Sattaru; Rajamouli will serve as a producer alongside Prasad Devineni under the Arka Media Works banner. The announcement also revealed that the series was planned to have two seasons.


title: Baahubali: Before the Beginning

text: "Baahubali: Before the Beginning" was the third Netflix original series announced from India after the crime thriller "Sacred Games" and horror miniseries "Ghoul". Erik Barmack, Vice-President of Netflix International Originals, felt that the theme of "Baahubali" "resonates globally", one of the reasons for considering the series. On 2 August 2018, a teaser announcing the series was released online by Netflix both on their website and other social media platforms, including YouTube. Rajamouli expressed his enthusiasm for the series, saying, "With Netflix as our partner, we have the opportunity to create a rich and riveting series and take this quintessential Indian epic to the world, which is very gratifying to me as a story-teller". Neelakantan serves as the series' screenwriter. According to the author, it is "the biggest thing Netflix has done in India so far", and is made along the likes of "Game of Thrones". He reasoned adapting the novel as a series, stating, "[G]iven the story's dark and violent tone, the current censorship rules won't allow for it to be made as a film". Neelakantan said that part of the series is shot in Kerala and would feature something akin to the now obsolete Mamankam festival. Sattaru stated that unlike the two "Baahubali" films, the series would not be limited to "a south or north... It's a pan-India series[...]".


title: Baahubali: Before the Beginning

text: In September 2018, filming for the series began, with television actress Mrunal Thakur was confirmed to play the role of Sivagami in the series, with Rahul Bose and Atul Kulkarni in pivotal roles. Three sets were erected at locations where the two "Baahubali" films were filmed. Principal photography was completed in February 2019. In April 2021, Thakur walked out of the project due to scheduling conflicts and was replaced by Wamiqa Gabbi.


title: Baahubali: Before the Beginning

text: In March 2021, "Bollywood Hungama" reported that Netflix has scrapped the previously shot version after investing 100 crore, and new version with a budget of 200 crore is planned. "The Hans India" stated that the revamped version would have a new director and production team. Kunal Deshmukh was reportedly signed as a director but he later opted out.


title: Baahubali: Before the Beginning

text: In January 2022, "Variety" reported that Netflix was reevaluating the series, and has been "struggling with the project for some time now."


title: Charmander

text: Charmander (), known as in Japan, is a Pokémon species in Nintendo's and Game Freak's "Pokémon" franchise. Created by Atsuko Nishida, Charmander first appeared in the video games "Pokémon Red" and "Blue" and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles, and various movies, animated and printed adaptations of the franchise. The end of a Charmander's tail is alight with a flame, and the flame's size reflects both the physical health and the emotions of the individual. It is known as the Lizard Pokemon.


title: Charmander

text: Charmander is one of three 'starter' Pokémon that can be selected at the beginning of "Pokémon Red" and "Blue", and their remakes, "Pokémon FireRed" and "LeafGreen". In the anime, Ash acquires a Charmander early in the series, and it became one of his most used Pokémon. In the "Pokémon Adventures" manga, Blue receives a Charmander from his grandfather Professor Oak. Since it appeared in the "Pokémon" series, Charmander has received generally positive reception. Charmander first appeared in episode 11 of ("Charmander – The Stray Pokémon" (The Stray Pokémon – Hitokage)). In the episode, Charmander is left by its owner, Damian, and is rescued by Ash and Brock. When Damian sees how powerful Charmander is, he calls Charmander back. However, because of Damian's abuse, Charmander chooses to follow the group that saved its life, and becomes Ash's Pokémon. In the series, the narrator stated that if a Charmander's tail flame goes out, it dies. Charmander is used by Ash throughout his adventures and is seen in special episodes in the future.


title: Charmander

text: Charmander evolves into Charmeleon at level 16, who then evolves into Charizard at level 36, which was originally its last form. Since the release of "Pokémon X" and "Y", Charizard can mega evolve into 2 different types of Mega Charizard, which are Mega Charizard X or Mega Charizard Y, for the duration of a battle. This gives it temporary upgraded stats and a major damage bonus. Charmander was one of the Pokémon that survived the National Pokédex cuts introduced in Pokémon Sword and Shield in 2019.


title: Charmander

text: Charmander was designed as a fire Pokémon for the first generation of "Pocket Monsters" games "Red" and "Green" (which were localized outside Japan as "Pokémon Red" and "Blue") by Atsuko Nishida, who based its design on Charizard in such a way that it was difficult to tell it would have evolved into the latter Pokémon. Originally called "Hitokage" in Japanese, Nintendo decided to give the various Pokémon species "clever and descriptive names" related to their appearance or features when translating the game for western audiences as a means to make the characters more relatable to American children. As a result, the species was renamed "Charmander", a portmanteau of "char", meaning burnt, and "salamander".


title: Charmander

text: Charmander are small, bipedal lizard-like Pokémon native to Kanto. They have blue eyes, orange skin, three-toed clawed feet, yellow bellies, and a single yellow pad covering most of the soles of their feet. While the "Pokémon Red and Green" sprites made by Atsuko Nishida featured only three fingers on each hand, like Charmeleon and Charizard, the artwork drawn by Ken Sugimori for those games depicted Charmander as having an additional thumb on each hand. Since "Pokémon Black and White", a new updated artwork was released in which Charmander has just three fingers on each hand. Said updated design has since been used consistently in the anime, including the movies and specials like "Pokémon Origins", as well as in official artwork used in merchandise and in plushies, dolls and figurines, accompanying the artwork by Ken Sugimori as well as the 3D CG models and the artwork derived from those that still feature the four-fingered hand. Noticeably, the Charmander artwork made by Nishida for the Trading Card Game in 2018 showed Charmander as having just three fingers on each hand.


title: Charmander

text: The end of a Charmander's tail is alight with a flame, and the flame's size reflects both the physical health and the emotions of the individual. When it rains, steam is said to spout from the tip of its tail. If the flame were to ever go out, the Charmander would die. When Charmander receives enough experience from battles, it evolves into Charmeleon (at level 16 in the video games), and later Charizard. With the help of the Mega Stone, it can further Mega Evolve into Mega Charizard X/Mega Charizard Y. The idea to feature Charmander and the other "Red" and "Blue" starters in a significant role in "Pokémon X" and "Y" came about a year and a half into the development of the games. The Mega Evolutions for the three Pokémon's final forms were created, and the designers decided that they should give players an opportunity to find one of these Pokémon in order to see their Mega Evolved form.


title: Charmander

text: Charmander is a starter Pokémon the player can choose from at the beginning of "Pokémon Red" and "Blue", and their remakes, "Pokémon FireRed" and "LeafGreen". Charmander and the other starters from "Red" and "Blue" are replaced by Pikachu in "Pokémon Yellow", the only starter available in it. Instead, they are each obtained from certain NPCs. In "Pokémon HeartGold" and "SoulSilver", as a reward from Professor Oak after defeating the final boss, Red, the player can choose from Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. In "Pokémon X" and "Y", players can also choose between Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle near the start of the game shortly after having chosen the games' new starter Pokémon. It also appeared in "Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire", "" and "Pokémon Sword and Shield". Outside of the main series, Charmander has appeared in "Pokémon Go", "Hey You, Pikachu!", "Pokémon Snap", "Pokémon Puzzle League", the "Pokémon Mystery Dungeon" games, the "Pokémon Ranger" games, Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, "", "Pokémon UNITE", "New Pokémon Snap", and other "Pokémon" games. A Pokémon stage in Super Smash Bros. called "Saffron City" features an area where various Pokémon pop out to try to attack players; one such Pokémon is a Charmander that sometimes uses Flamethrower.


title: Charmander

text: In anime, Ash acquires a Charmander early in the series. Ash's Charmander originally belonged to a trainer named Damian, who believed it was weak and cruelly abandoned it, telling it to stay on a rocky outcrop until he "returned." The Pokémon was very loyal to its trainer and risked its life sitting in the rain, waiting for a trainer who'd never come back to it. Ash, Brock, and Misty had to rush it to a Pokémon Center to keep it alive. Upon seeing Damian's true colors, Charmander joined Ash. It was immediately one of Ash's most used Pokémon, defeating such opponents as Koga's Golbat, Erika's Weepinbell, and helped capture Ash's Primeape. Charmander evolved into Charmeleon after a battle against an army of Exeggutor. His personality changed drastically, disobeying Ash and fighting only when and how he pleased.


title: Charmander

text: In an anime adaption of , a Charmander and a female Chikorita work alongside a young boy who transformed into a Squirtle in helping fellow Pokémon.


title: Charmander

text: In "" Charmander's behavior and personality are different compared to what was seen in the anime. In it, Charmander, when evolved into Charmeleon, leaps into Ash's arms for a hug and subsequently he recognizes Ash's authority, even when battling his former trainer, Cross. When he evolves into a Charizard, near the end of the film, he stays obedient to Ash and even saves Cross from the attacks of his Lycanroc.


title: Charmander

text: In the Electric Tale of Pikachu manga, the circumstances in which Ash captures a Charmander appear to be different. While Damian appears, he was separated from his Charmander because he was injured, not because he abandoned it. At the end of the chapter, the two reunite. Despite this difference, Ash is still seen owning a Charmander, whose capture is not shown. Later in the manga, Ash's Charmander reappears as a Charizard.


title: Charmander

text: In the "Pokémon Adventures" manga, Blue receives a Charmander from his grandfather Professor Oak. The blue team tried using it against Mew but failed and withdrew his Pokémon. It is later shown to have evolved into a Charmeleon. then a Charizard. Later, in the "Gold, Silver & Crystal" chapter, Blue team decides to trade his Charizard with Red team for a Gyarados. Nearing the end of the chapter, the Charizard is returned to him for a big battle. In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga series, Isamu Akai's rival Kai Midorikawa, chose Charmander as his starter Pokémon. Kai's Charmander is mischievous and has a rivalry with Isamu Akai's Clefairy.


title: Charmander

text: In the online phenomenon known as Twitch Plays Pokemon, the stream chose Charmander as Red's starter and named it "ABBBBBBK(", or "Abby" as it was commonly referred to. Abby was vital in defeating Brock and obtaining the Boulder Badge. Along its journey to Cerulean City, Abby evolved into a Charmeleon in the depths of Mt. Moon, securing it as Red's early-game muscle. Abby continued to prove itself by helping Red obtain the Cascade, Thunder, and Rainbow Badges. Unfortunately, during an unfortunate visit Saffron City's Pokemon Center, Abby was released into the wild and NEVER seen again.


title: Charmander

text: Since it appeared in the "Pokémon" series, Charmander has received generally positive reception. It has appeared in several pieces of merchandise, including figures, plush toys, and the "Pokémon Trading Card Game". It has been noted as a popular Halloween costume for the year of 1999. Also in 1999, it was speculated by analysts that Pokémon species, in particular Charmander and others, would become sought-after toys.


title: Charmander

text: "IGN" readers ranked Charmander at #37 among the best Pokémon ever. "Game Informer"s O'Dell Harmon ranked Charmander - along with Bulbasaur and Squirtle - as the "third best" Pokémon. He noted that the choice between the three was "one of the most important decisions to ever be made in "Pokémon" history." Lyra Hale of "The Mary Sue" claimed that "it got absolutely wild when Charmander was a healthy dinosaur." "GamesTM" noted that Charmander was the "worst starting Pokémon" in "Red" and "Blue". In the book "Dragonlore: From the Archives of the Grey School of Wizardry", author Ash Dekirk described Charmander as a "fire-breathing dragon". Author Loredana Lipperini cited Charmander as a "popular Pokémon", suggesting that its popularity comes from its fiery tail. Author Mark Jacobson found the transition from Charmander to Charizard to be "odd", questioning how a "baby" Pokémon can grow into a "two-hundred-pound monster whose breath can melt boulders." "GamesRadar+" commented that while Charmander seems "pitiful" due to its flame tail, which "burn more brightly depending on his mood/health", it grows into the "cool-looking Charizard". GamesRadar editor Brett Elston stated that while it "lacks the nuances" of later similar starting Pokémon, it has "cutesy appeal" to it. "The Escapist" editor John Funk described Charmander as "cute", using its evolution into Charizard as an example of "an extreme evolutionary change" in the series. "Chicago Tribune" editor Darryl E. Owens described Charmander as "adorable". "San Antonio-Express News" editor Susan Yerkes described Charmander as "disgustingly cute". "Teen Ink" editor Kathryn J. called Charmander her "favorite Pokémon". Allegra Frank of Polygon said that Charmander is the best Pokémon of all time. Michael Derosa of "Screen Rant" ranked Charmander as ninth of the most iconic Pokémon from Generation I. Sam Loveridge of "Digital Spy" claimed that Charmander is one of the best Pokémon starters, and further stated that not only is Charmander an adorable starter Pokémon, he's also ridiculously powerful.


title: The Most Interesting Man in the World

text: The Most Interesting Man in the World was an advertising campaign for Dos Equis beer featuring actor Jonathan Goldsmith as a bearded, debonair older gentleman with voiceovers that were both humorous and outrageous. The advertisements first began appearing in the United States in 2006 and became a popular Internet meme. The campaign ended in 2018.


title: The Most Interesting Man in the World

text: The advertisements first began appearing in the United States in 2006, with The Most Interesting Man in the World portrayed by American actor Jonathan Goldsmith, and "Frontline" narrator Will Lyman providing voiceovers. They were produced by the marketing firm Euro RSCG (now Havas Worldwide) for Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma Brewery.


title: The Most Interesting Man in the World

text: Goldsmith landed the Dos Equis gig by auditioning for the role. Auditioners were given the ending line "...and that's how I arm wrestled Fidel Castro" and asked to improvise. Goldsmith began his audition by removing one sock and then improvised for 30 minutes before reaching the concluding line. The character was inspired by his deceased sailing partner and friend Fernando Lamas.


title: The Most Interesting Man in the World

text: In March 2016, Dos Equis announced Goldsmith's retirement from the role, with a commercial sending him on a one-way journey to Mars amid much acclaim, and the narration: "His only regret is not knowing what regret feels like". In September, they introduced French actor Augustin Legrand as Goldsmith's replacement.


title: The Most Interesting Man in the World

text: The Goldsmith advertisements feature an older bearded, debonair gentleman. They also feature a montage (mostly in black and white) of daring exploits involving "the most interesting man" when he was younger, in which the character is played by actor Claudio Marangone.


title: The Most Interesting Man in the World

text: The precise settings are never revealed, but he performs feats such as freeing an angry bear from a painful-looking bear trap, shooting a pool trick shot before an audience (by shooting the cue ball out of the mouth of a man lying on the pool table), catching a marlin while cavorting in a Hemingway-esque scene with a beautiful young woman, winning an arm-wrestling match in a South American setting, surfing a killer wave, and bench pressing two young women, each seated in a chair, in a casino setting. The voiceovers themselves are intended to be both humorous and outrageous, and include humorous undertones such as his giving his own father "the talk", experiencing an awkward moment just to know how it felt, and finding the Fountain of Youth but not drinking from it, "because he wasn't thirsty". Other feats are more centered on his physical abilities and personality. These include his small talk changing foreign policies, parallel-parking a train, and slamming a revolving door.


title: The Most Interesting Man in the World

text: At the end of the advertisement, the most interesting man, usually shown sitting in a night club or other social setting surrounded by several beautiful young women, says, "I don't always drink beer. But when I do, I prefer Dos Equis." Each commercial ends with him stating the signature sign-off: "Stay thirsty, my friends."


title: The Most Interesting Man in the World

text: There are secondary advertisements that are similar to the final part of the original advertisements. They feature the man sitting in a social setting, surrounded by beautiful young women, conveying a short opinion to the viewer on certain subjects, such as bar nuts, the two-party system, self-defense, trophy wives, and "bromance". He then finishes the advertisement by holding a Dos Equis beer and saying, "Stay thirsty, my friends."


title: The Most Interesting Man in the World

text: The advertisements featuring Legrand end with a slightly different sign-off: "Stay thirsty, "mis amigos"" (Spanish for "my friends").


title: The Most Interesting Man in the World

text: The agency's rationale for the brand strategy was defined as: "He is a man rich in stories and experiences, much the way the audience hopes to be in the future. Rather than an embodiment of the brand, The Most Interesting Man is a voluntary brand spokesperson: he and Dos Equis share a point of view on life that it should be lived interestingly." According to the company, U.S. sales increased each year between 2006–2010 and tripled in Canada in 2008, although exact figures were not provided. Sales of Dos Equis are said to have increased by 22% at a time when sale of other imported beer fell 4% in the U.S.


title: The Most Interesting Man in the World

text: Goldsmith said in an interview that he realized how successful the campaign had been when a man came up to him in a restaurant, telling Goldsmith that the man had asked his young son what he wanted to be when he grew up, and the son replied: "I want to be The Most Interesting Man In The World." He also said he had been approached on the street because of his role by such figures as Michael Jordan, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, and he was invited to meet former US President Barack Obama on several occasions.


title: The Most Interesting Man in the World

text: The Most Interesting Man in the World has become an Internet meme, with a picture of The Most Interesting Man accompanying the phrasal template "I don't always [X], but when I do, [Y]".


title: The Most Interesting Man in the World

text: On the September 22, 2012 airing of "Saturday Night Live", guest host Joseph Gordon-Levitt played the unimpressive son of The Most Interesting Man in the World in a pair of sketches, with Jason Sudeikis appearing as his father in the second.


title: The Most Interesting Man in the World

text: Goldsmith briefly reprised his role as The Most Interesting Man in the World during an advertisement for Stella Artois. The commercial was first aired on February 4, 2019 during Super Bowl LIII.


title: The Most Interesting Man in the World

text: Goldsmith also reprised the character in a series of commercials for Astral Tequila in 2019. In these commercials, Goldsmith’s character is informed by his young assistant that he has won some sort of argument or competition. Goldsmith’s character is usually interrupted while finishing some incredible task in his office. Upon hearing the good news, Goldsmith’s character then drops what he is doing, saying “this calls for Tequila”. His young assistant adds “the best tequila”. Goldsmith’s character then sets down the bottle of tequila and looks at the camera, saying “Astral… tequila,” elongating the word “tequila”.


title: Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance

text: The Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance is a Formula One racing car designed and constructed by the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team under the direction of James Allison, John Owen, Mike Elliott, Loïc Serra, Ashley Way, Emiliano Giangiulio, Jarrod Murphy and Eric Blandin to compete in the 2020 Formula One World Championship. The car was driven by Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, who remained with the team for an eighth and a fourth season, respectively. 2020 Williams Racing driver and Mercedes protégé George Russell also drove for the team at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix after Hamilton was forced to miss that event having tested positive for SARS-2-coronavirus. The car was planned to make its competitive debut at the 2020 Australian Grand Prix, but this was delayed when the race was cancelled and at least seven upcoming events on the calendar were postponed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The F1 W11 made its competitive debut at the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix. The delay to the start of the season allowed the team to address concerns they had about the car's reliability.


title: Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance

text: The W11 took thirteen wins (eleven for Hamilton and two for Bottas), fifteen pole positions (ten for Hamilton and five for Bottas), nine fastest laps (six for Hamilton, two for Bottas and one for Russell), twelve front-row lockouts and five 1–2 finishes across 17 races. With it, Mercedes secured a seventh consecutive Formula One World Constructor's Championship, breaking a record for consecutive championships previously held by Ferrari. Due to its setting numerous track records (the outright fastest lap ever) at various Formula One circuits, the W11 is considered to be one of the greatest race cars of all time.


title: Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance

text: The W11 has a system which Mercedes had developed called Dual Axis Steering (DAS) which allowed the driver to adjust the toe of the front wheels to optimise mechanical grip by pulling or pushing on the steering wheel. DAS allowed the drivers to warm the car's tyres more efficiently by having a zero toe but allows for better cornering ability by using a positive toe, a feature which was of particular significance on circuits with long straights. DAS was removed from the car after the 2020 championship as the system was banned for 2021. The design of the rear suspension was changed from that used in the previous car with the goal of reducing understeer.


title: Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance

text: Following the postponement of the season and the growing worldwide support for the Black Lives Matter movement, it was announced in late June the W11 would feature black as the primary colour instead of the traditional silver that was present on its predecessors. Driver Lewis Hamilton prompted the livery change, saying he wanted the team to show its support for the cause through more than just social media posts, which led to the idea to adopt a new livery and launch a drive to improve diversity within the team.


title: Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance

text: At the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix, Bottas qualified on pole position. Hamilton initially qualified in second place but prior to the race, he received a three-place grid penalty for failing to slow down sufficiently for yellow flags at the end of qualifying, dropping him to fifth. Despite both drivers having to deal with gearbox issues which developed during the race, Bottas went on the win the race, the eighth of his career. Hamilton quickly recovered to second place but in the closing laps of the race received a five-second time penalty for causing a collision with Alexander Albon. Hamilton crossed the finish line in second but the penalty demoted him to fourth place. Hamilton took pole position at the rain-affected qualifying session for the , over 1.2 seconds clear of nearest rival Max Verstappen. Hamilton led most of the race and took the W11's second consecutive victory, whilst Bottas overtook Verstappen in the closing laps to finish second, having started fourth on the grid.


title: Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance

text: At the Hungarian Grand Prix, the pace of the W11 was apparent when Mercedes easily took a 1–2 in qualifying, with Hamilton and Bottas outqualifying their nearest competitor, third-placed Lance Stroll, by 0.8 seconds. Hamilton took pole, 0.1 seconds ahead of Bottas. Hamilton would go on to win the race for his second consecutive win and eighth overall at the Hungaroring equalling the record for most wins at one venue. Bottas made a mistake at the start when he moved slightly just before the lights went out and then stopped his car and got away slowly, falling to sixth by turn one. He avoided a penalty for a jump start and managed to recover to third place, finishing just behind second-placed Max Verstappen. At the British Grand Prix, Hamilton led Mercedes to another front-row lockout by taking his third consecutive pole position over Bottas by over 0.3 seconds. Bottas took second by 0.7 seconds over Verstappen who qualified in third. Lewis Hamilton led from pole position at the race start, building up a large lead throughout the race. In the dying stages of the Grand Prix, Bottas and Hamilton both suffered tyre delaminations on laps 50 and 52 respectively, which caused Bottas to come into the pits which made him drop to 11th place. Hamilton was forced to limp home with his delaminated tyre over the entire final lap, and the gap to second place shrank from 30 to about 6 seconds as Hamilton crossed the line.


title: Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance

text: At the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, Mercedes were once again unchallenged in qualifying as Bottas led Mercedes to another front-row lockout by edging Hamilton for pole position by only .063 seconds with Hülkenberg a further 0.8 seconds back. Mercedes struggled with race pace due to high temperatures causing excessive tyre wear and blistering. As a result, Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen was able to take the lead of the race and win. This was the first time in 2020 that Mercedes failed to win a race.


title: Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance

text: At the Spanish Grand Prix, Mercedes continued their dominance in qualifying with Hamilton leading a fourth consecutive front-row lockout, qualifying 0.059 seconds faster than Bottas who was over 0.7 seconds faster than third-placed Verstappen. Hamilton took the win in the race itself, leading every lap and coming home over 24 seconds clear of Verstappen in second. Furthermore, Hamilton also set a new Formula One record as he scored his 156th career podium finish, surpassing Michael Schumacher for most all-time. Bottas started poorly and dropped to fourth at the first corner. Although he was able to recover to regain third place, he was not able to overtake Verstappen and lost more ground to him in the drivers' championship. At the Belgian Grand Prix, Hamilton set a new track record at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps with a time of 1:41.252, qualifying half a second clear of teammate Bottas in second. The race saw the pair take a 1-2 finish, the team's second of the season, with Hamilton leading from lights to flag and Bottas holding second ahead of Red Bull's Verstappen. Hamilton extended his lead in the Drivers' Championship to forty-seven points over Verstappen in second and fifty points to Bottas in third. Likewise, Mercedes increased their lead in the Constructors' Championship to eighty-six points over second-paced Red Bull Racing heading into middle phase of the season.


title: Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance

text: It was another front row lockout in Bahrain for Hamilton and Bottas. Hamilton won from pole at the Bahrain Grand Prix for the third time in his career but Bottas finished eighth after a puncture under the safety car. Hamilton was forced to miss the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix following a positive test for coronavirus and was replaced by Williams driver and Mercedes young driver George Russell for that event. Russell started second and led most of the race having overtaken Bottas, who had taken pole, at the start. At the second pit stop, Mercedes made an error and Russell was fitted with Bottas' tyres, forcing Russell to make another pit stop on the following lap, effectively ending his chances of winning the race. A late puncture then cost Russell a potential podium and he finished ninth with the fastest lap. Bottas finished the race in eighth, having poor performance and old tyres at the end of the race. Hamilton returned for the season finale having performed a series of negative coronavirus tests ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix alongside Bottas, meaning Russell returned to Williams. The Mercedes drivers took second and third on the grid behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen and held those positions during the race.


title: Palladian architecture

text: Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and the principles of formal classical architecture from ancient Greek and Roman traditions. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Palladio's interpretation of this classical architecture developed into the style known as Palladianism.


title: Palladian architecture

text: Palladianism emerged in England in the early 17th century, led by Inigo Jones, whose Queen's House at Greenwich has been described as the first English Palladian building. Its development faltered at the onset of the English Civil War. After the Stuart Restoration, the architectural landscape was dominated by the more flamboyant English Baroque. Palladianism returned to fashion after a reaction against the Baroque in the early 18th century, fuelled by the publication of a number of architectural books, including Palladio's own "I quattro libri dell'architettura" ("The Four Books of Architecture") and Colen Campbell's "Vitruvius Britannicus". Campbell's book included illustrations of Wanstead House, a building he designed on the outskirts of London and one of the largest and most influential of the early neo-Palladian houses. The movement's resurgence was championed by Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington, whose buildings for himself, such as Chiswick House and Burlington House, became celebrated. Burlington sponsored the career of the artist, architect and landscaper William Kent, and their joint creation, Holkham Hall in Norfolk, has been described as "the most splendid Palladian house in England". By the middle of the century Palladianism had become almost the national architectural style, epitomised by Kent's Horse Guards at the centre of the nation's capital.


title: Palladian architecture

text: The Palladian style was also widely utilised throughout Europe, often in response to English influences. In Prussia the critic and courtier Francesco Algarotti corresponded with Burlington about his efforts to persuade Frederick the Great of the merits of the style, while Knobelsdorff's opera house in Berlin on the Unter den Linden, begun in 1741, was based on Campbell's Wanstead House. Later in the century, when the style was losing favour in Europe, Palladianism had a surge in popularity throughout the British colonies in North America. Thomas Jefferson sought out Palladian examples, which themselves drew on buildings from the time of the Roman Republic, to develop a new architectural style for the American Republic. Examples include the Hammond–Harwood House in Maryland and Jefferson's own house, Monticello, in Virginia. The Palladian style was also adopted in other British colonies, including those in the Indian subcontinent.


title: Palladian architecture

text: In the 19th century, Palladianism was overtaken in popularity by Neoclassical architecture in both Europe and in North America. By the middle of that century, both were challenged and then superseded by the Gothic Revival in the English-speaking world, whose champions such as Augustus Pugin, remembering the origins of Palladianism in ancient temples, deemed the style too pagan for true Christian worship. In the 20th and 21st centuries, Palladianism has continued to evolve as an architectural style; its pediments, symmetry and proportions are evident in the design of many modern buildings, while its inspirer is regularly cited as having been among the world's most influential architects.


title: Palladian architecture

text: Andrea Palladio was born in Padua in 1508, the son of a stonemason. He was inspired by Roman buildings, the writings of Vitruvius (80 BC), and his immediate predecessors Donato Bramante and Raphael. Palladio aspired to an architectural style that utilised symmetry and proportion to emulate the grandeur of classical buildings. His surviving buildings are in Venice, Veneto region, and Vicenza, and include villas and churches such as the Basilica del Redentore in Venice. Palladio's architectural treatises follow the approach defined by Vitruvius and his 15th-century disciple Leon Battista Alberti, who adhered to principles of classical Roman architecture based on mathematical proportions rather than the ornamental style of the Renaissance. Palladio recorded and publicised his work in the 1570 four-volume illustrated study, "I quattro libri dell'architettura" (The Four Books of Architecture).


title: Palladian architecture

text: Palladio's villas are designed to fit with their setting. If on a hill, such as Villa Almerico Capra Valmarana (Villa Capra, or La Rotonda), façades were of equal value so that occupants could enjoy views in all directions. Porticos were built on all sides to enable the residents to appreciate the countryside while remaining protected from the sun. Palladio sometimes used a loggia as an alternative to the portico. This is most simply described as a recessed portico, or an internal single storey room with pierced walls that are open to the elements. Occasionally a loggia would be placed at second floor level over the top of another loggia, creating what was known as a double loggia. Loggias were sometimes given significance in a façade by being surmounted by a pediment. Villa Godi's focal point is a loggia rather than a portico, with loggias terminating each end of the main building.


title: Palladian architecture

text: Palladio would often model his villa elevations on Roman temple façades. The temple influence, often in a cruciform design, later became a trademark of his work. Palladian villas are usually built with three floors: a rusticated basement or ground floor, containing the service and minor rooms; above this, the "piano nobile" (noble level), accessed through a portico reached by a flight of external steps, containing the principal reception and bedrooms; and lastly a low mezzanine floor with secondary bedrooms and accommodation. The proportions of each room (for example, height and width) within the villa were calculated on simple mathematical ratios like 3:4 and 4:5. The arrangement of the different rooms within the house, and the external façades, were similarly determined. Earlier architects had used these formulas for balancing a single symmetrical façade; however, Palladio's designs related to the entire structure. Palladio set out his views in "I quattro libri dell'architettura": "beauty will result from the form and correspondence of the whole, with respect to the several parts, of the parts with regard to each other, and of these again to the whole; that the structure may appear an entire and complete body, wherein each member agrees with the other, and all necessary to compose what you intend to form."


title: Palladian architecture

text: Palladio considered the dual purpose of his villas as the centres of farming estates and weekend retreats. These symmetrical temple-like houses often have equally symmetrical, but low, wings sweeping away from them to accommodate horses, farm animals, and agricultural stores. The wings, sometimes detached and connected to the villa by colonnades, were designed not only to be functional but also to complement and accentuate the villa. Palladio did not intend them to be part of the main house, but the development of the wings to become integral parts of the main building – undertaken by Palladio's followers in the 18th century – became one of the defining characteristics of Palladianism.


title: Palladian architecture

text: Palladian, Serlian, or Venetian windows are a trademark of Palladio's early career. There are two different versions of the motif: the simpler one is called a Venetian window, and the more elaborate a Palladian window or "Palladian motif", although this distinction is not always observed.


title: Palladian architecture

text: The Venetian window has three parts: a central high round-arched opening, and two smaller rectangular openings to the sides. The side windows are topped by lintels and supported by columns. This is derived from the ancient Roman triumphal arch, and was first used outside Venice by Donato Bramante and later mentioned by Sebastiano Serlio (1475–1554) in his seven-volume architectural book "Tutte l'opere d'architettura et prospetiva" ("All the Works of Architecture and Perspective") expounding the ideals of Vitruvius and Roman architecture. It can be used in series, but is often only used once in a façade, as at New Wardour Castle, or once at each end, as on the inner façade of Burlington House (true Palladian windows).


title: Palladian architecture

text: Palladio's elaboration of this, normally used in a series, places a larger or giant order in between each window, and doubles the small columns supporting the side lintels, placing the second column behind rather than beside the first. This was introduced in the Biblioteca Marciana in Venice by Jacopo Sansovino (1537), and heavily adopted by Palladio in the Basilica Palladiana in Vicenza, where it is used on both storeys; this feature was less often copied. The openings in this elaboration are not strictly windows, as they enclose a loggia. Pilasters might replace columns, as in other contexts. Sir John Summerson suggests that the omission of the doubled columns may be allowed, but the term "Palladian motif" should be confined to cases where the larger order is present.


title: Palladian architecture

text: Palladio used these elements extensively, for example in very simple form in his entrance to Villa Forni Cerato. It is perhaps this extensive use of the motif in the Veneto that has given the window its alternative name of the Venetian window. Whatever the name or the origin, this form of window has become one of the most enduring features of Palladio's work seen in the later architectural styles evolved from Palladianism. According to James Lees-Milne, its first appearance in Britain was in the remodelled wings of Burlington House, London, where the immediate source was in the English court architect Inigo Jones's designs for Whitehall Palace rather than drawn from Palladio himself. Lees-Milne describes the Burlington window as "the earliest example of the revived Venetian window in England".


title: Palladian architecture

text: A variant, in which the motif is enclosed within a relieving blind arch that unifies the motif, is not Palladian, though Richard Boyle seems to have assumed it was so, in using a drawing in his possession showing three such features in a plain wall. Modern scholarship attributes the drawing to Vincenzo Scamozzi. Burlington employed the motif in 1721 for an elevation of Tottenham Park in Savernake Forest for his brother-in-law Lord Bruce (since remodelled). William Kent picked it up in his designs for the Houses of Parliament, and it appears in his executed designs for the north front of Holkham Hall. Another example is Claydon House, in Buckinghamshire; the remaining fragment is one wing of what was intended to be one of two flanking wings to a vast Palladian house. The scheme was never completed and parts of what was built have since been demolished.


title: Palladian architecture

text: During the 17th century, many architects studying in Italy learned of Palladio's work, and on returning home adopted his style, leading to its widespread use across Europe and North America. Isolated forms of Palladianism throughout the world were brought about in this way, although the style did not reach the zenith of its popularity until the 18th century. An early reaction to the excesses of Baroque architecture in Venice manifested itself as a return to Palladian principles. The earliest neo-Palladians there were the exact contemporaries Domenico Rossi (1657–1737) and Andrea Tirali (1657–1737). Their biographer, Tommaso Temanza, proved to be the movement's most able proponent; in his writings, Palladio's visual inheritance became increasingly codified and moved towards neoclassicism.


title: Palladian architecture

text: The most influential follower of Palladio was Inigo Jones, who travelled throughout Italy with the art collector Earl of Arundel in 1613–1614, annotating his copy of Palladio's treatise. The "Palladianism" of Jones and his contemporaries and later followers was a style largely of façades, with the mathematical formulae dictating layout not strictly applied. A handful of country houses in England built between 1640 and 1680 are in this style. These follow the success of Jones's Palladian designs for the Queen's House at Greenwich, the first English Palladian house, and the Banqueting House at Whitehall, the uncompleted royal palace in London of Charles I.


title: Palladian architecture

text: Palladian designs advocated by Jones were too closely associated with the court of Charles I to survive the turmoil of the English Civil War. Following the Stuart restoration, Jones's Palladianism was eclipsed by the Baroque designs of such architects as William Talman, Sir John Vanbrugh, Nicholas Hawksmoor, and Jones's pupil John Webb.