title: Islam in Sweden

text: The Diyanet director of the Swedish branch is Fatih Mehmet Karaca. In November 2016 Karaca forced the finance officer (Swedish: kassör) of "Muslimska församlingen i Malmö" mosque (listed above) to resign as the finance officer had expressed views critical of the AKP party which is intolerable according to Diyanet ideology.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: The Swedish Muslims for Peace and Justice is a self-described peace organization. It was founded in 2008 by a group including the Swedish Parliamentarian Mehmet Kaplan. Kaplan was forced to resign from the Swedish Cabinet due to his association with advocates of violent attacks on Armenians and connections to Islamist militants in Turkey. In 2018 it was headed by former Green Party politician Yasri Khan. Khan was forced to leave the Green Party after he was nominated to the party committee while refusing to shake hands with women on religious grounds.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In 2012, investigating magazine Expo wrote that the anti-democratic and antisemitic Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir had started to establish itself in Sweden. In October 2012 Hizb ut-Tahrir situated its annual "calpiphate conference" in Stockholm. The group at the time had a section for all of Scandinavia which was primarily active in Denmark. The group does not recognize the caliphate as established by ISIL.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In the 2014 and 2018 Swedish general elections, the group campaigned in the Stockholm area for Muslims not to vote.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: According to Sayed Jalabi in 2018, the organisation aims to organise a not necessarily violent coup d'état to overthrow the Government of Sweden and instead create a caliphate.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: According to a Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesperson for Scandinavia, the organization does not strive to change the political system in Western countries. The Quilliam Foundation, composed of defectors from extremist organizations, HIzb ut-Tahrir does not believe in democratic and open societies and that they hide their intention to abolish democracy in the West.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: Ibn rushd is an educational organization (Swedish: studieförbund) financed by state subsidies from "Folkbildningsrådet", a government agency. Principal of the organization (Swedish: förbundsrektor) is Omar Mustafa. The organization gives courses in Dawah (Islamic missionary work). Together with Muslim Youth of Sweden, Ibn Rushd organizes the annual event "Muslimska Familjedagarna" "(MFD)" where proponents of sharia law have been invited to seminars.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In 2017, "Ibn rushd" received 27 million Swedish crowns in state aid for its activities and a further 4.7 million for education of asylum seekers.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: "Al-Salamskolan" is a charter school in Örebro. It receives about 150-200 thousand Swedish crowns every month from a Saudi foundation connected to the al-Haramain Foundation. The school is run by a foundation controlled by Saudi nationals. Music is banned at the school. Boys and girls are segregated into groups along gender lines for several subjects due to religious reasons. Beyond the national curriculum, the pupils receive ten hours of tuition in Islam and Arabic, which according to the former headmaster at the school was mandatory. In 2017, the school received a 500 000 SEK fine from the Swedish Schools Inspectorate due to deficiencies in its teaching practises. In 2017 the school wanted to fire the chairman of Al-Risalah Scandinavian Foundation, the foundation that funds the school, due to him not being able to be present for meetings.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: El Dagve was a Muslim charter school in Jönköping. Headmaster Hassan Meri immatriculated children to the school and received funding from the Jönköping Municipality but sent the pupils to school in their home countries instead, keeping the difference. In 2004 the school was closed by Swedish Work Environment Authority (Swedish: "Yrkesinspektionen").


title: Islam in Sweden

text: Al-Azharskolan is a foundation which runs charter schools with a Muslim profile. In 2019, four of members of the board of directors were convicted of aggravated fraud for having funneled school funds towards a banking project, which would have become the first Islamic bank (which would not have charged interest) in Sweden. Starting a bank would have required around 100-150 million SEK, but existing Swedish banks did not want to facilitate the transfer of funds from investors in the Middle East to Sweden. The Al-Azhar school also caused controversy in 2016 when its school in Vällingby had gender segregated gym classes for children. The Swedish Schools Inspectorate also criticized the school for holding prayers during lesson hours, which violates educational law in Sweden. Of the seven accused, two were acquitted. The verdict was upheld in the appeals court.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: As several of the accused also were involved in collecting funds for the construction of a mosque in Rinkeby, the construction company NCC withdrew from the project.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: As religion a few decades earlier was viewed as receding phenomenon, during the decade leading up to 2016 religion was again in the mainstream discourse due to international conflicts being interpreted in religious terms. In the last SOM survey in 2016 by Gothenburg University, the perception of Islam among the public had become more negative.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In 2006, a survey by the SOM Institute showed that half the Swedish population was negative towards Islam, where 7% expressed a positive attitude, 40% were undecided and 53% were negative. The poll showed that 48% were positive towards Christianity, the most positively rated religion.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In 2007, a study by the "Integrationsverket" government agency showed that 55% of respondents among the population of Sweden expressed reservations about moving to districts where many Muslims live. This was the same as for 2005.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In 2014, a poll by Gävle University College found that when asked about their attitudes towards veils, in the case of the niqab and the burqa, 84% responded that the niqab was unacceptable and 81% saw the burqa in the same light, a compact resistance to these. The chador was deemed unacceptable by 37% and a "clear majority" found the hijab and the shayla acceptable, 65.0 and 65.2 percent respectively. The report stated that "The question seems to arouse strong feelings against oppression versus the right to wear the clothes you want." The poll showed a slight increase in acceptance for the public wearing of veils. It also stated that "a clear majority (64.4%) of the Swedish population consider Muslim women to be more oppressed than other women in Sweden.". Of the respondents, 26% expressed resistance to all kinds of Islamic veils.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In 2017, the Swedish National Board of Student Aid (CSN) eased its longtime grants and loans to students going to Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia, a religious school for missionaries proselytising the wahhabist variant of Islam. An investigation by Dagens Nyheter found that 71 students had travelled from Sweden with CSN funding since year 2000. The ban of grants was due to that neither women nor non-Muslims in general are allowed to study at Madinah and the ban encompassed all studies at all institutions being hostile to democracy.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: According to a 2018 poll by Sifo, 60% of the 1000 participants wanted to ban the Islamic call to prayer using loudspeakers, while 21% responded they should be allowed and 19% were undecided.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: The Swedish Defence University estimated that there may be up to 2,000 Swedish adherents of the puritanical Salafist movement within Sunni Islam. The Salafi movement is split between inward-looking purists and passivists, versus those who are militant. This last group is further divided into those who advocate militant defensive jihad in defense of Muslims, and those who advocate an offensive jihad along the lines of Al-Qaeda or ISIS. The majority of Salafists are passive and inward-oriented, while a small minority are oriented towards offensive jihadism - as opposed a so-called defensive jihad against outside aggression. Unlike in other parts of Europe, there are no Salafi organizations which openly preach jihad in Sweden - Salafi thought is instead spread by informal networks.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In Salafist circles, while topics in the main are uncontroversial, derogatory views towards women, homosexuals, non-believers, and Western governments are frequently expressed. Also it is stressed that Muslims should not integrate into wider Swedish society. The Swedish Defence University concluded in its 2018 report on Salafism in Sweden that since according to Salafi doctrine only following the religious laws is allowed, Salafism is an anti-democratic movement. In contrast to non-Salafis, Salafist preach in Swedish.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In the Stockholm area, non-militant Salafists are predominant in the Tensta and Rinkeby areas among Salafists, while a militant and al-Qaeda supporting movement was predominant in Skärholmen, Alby and Norsborg.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: According to the Swedish Defence University, since the 1970s, a number of residents of Sweden have been implicated in providing logistical and financial support to or joining various foreign-based transnational Islamic militant groups. Among these organizations are Hezbollah, Hamas, the GIA, Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State, Al-Shabaab, Ansar al-Sunna and Ansar al-Islam.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In the 2000s, according to Europol, Islamists in Sweden were not primarily seeking to commit attacks in Sweden, but were rather using Sweden as a base of operations against other countries and for providing logistical support for groups abroad.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In 2010, the Swedish Security Service estimated that a total of 200 individuals were involved in the Swedish violent Islamist extremist milieu. According to the Swedish Defence University, most of these militants were affiliated with the Islamic State, with around 300 people traveling to Syria and Iraq to join the group and Al-Qaeda associated outfits like Jabhat al-Nusra in the 2012-2017 period.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In the Stockholm area, all networks involving jihadists are also involved in ordinary crime such as theft, burglary, and blackmail whereby they acquire income. Income received from illegal narcotics trading are also used finance jihadist activity as sympathizers with an ideology which uses violence to reach a higher goal will automatically be drawn into crime. In the Stockholm area, individuals who have joined jihadists in Syria and Iraq have predominantly been male, whereas in Gothenburg they have been both male and female.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In 2017, Swedish Security Service director Anders Thornberg stated that the number of violent Islamic extremists residing in Sweden to number was estimated to be "thousands". The Danish Security and Intelligence Service judged the number of jihadis in Sweden to be a threat against Denmark since two terrorists arriving from Sweden had already been sentenced in the 2010 Copenhagen terror plot.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In March 2018, Kurdish authorities reported they had captured 41 IS supporters with either Swedish citizenship or residence permit in Sweden, of which 5 had key positions in the organization and one was the head of the ISIL propaganda efforts.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: According to interviews with authorities in November 2018, about half of those who joined the Islamic State and other groups in the Syrian Civil War had returned to Sweden. Some of the returnees are still radicalized and constitute a security threat.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: Under the alias "Abu Bakr al Janabi", an individual located in Sweden translated Islamic State material. As such, he was interviewed by Vice News and The Guardian. In December 2017, 30-year-old Alftaf Yasin Tarid, a KTH Royal Institute of Technology alumn who was born in Iraq, travelled on a flight from Stockholm to Schiphol and he was later arrested when travelling in a car in Rotterdam after meeting other individuals. US authorities had tipped of their Dutch colleagues that Altaf had spread Islamic State propaganda from Sweden under the alias "Abu Bakr Al-Janabi". In December 2018, the trial began which went unreported in Swedish media. In January 2019 he was sentenced to three years in jail for disseminating IS propaganda.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In June 2019, two imams, Abo Raad active at Gävle mosque and another active in Umeå were deported due to them promoting violent extremism. The son of Raad was also to be deported along with other individuals involved in the Islamist scene in Sweden bringing the total to five.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: Some Muslims have been victims of violence because of their religion. In October 1991, Shahram Khosravi, a 25-year-old student of Iranian origin, was shot in the face outside the Stockholm University by John Ausonius. In 1993, two young Somali immigrants were stabbed and a local mosque in the city was burned down. The perpetrators of the stabbing were said by police to have been motivated by racial hatred.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: The Imam Ali Islamic Centre in Järfälla, the largest Shia mosque in Sweden, was burned down in May 2017 in what police suspect was arson.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: An arson attack on the Malmö Mosque took place in 2003, which damaged the mosque and totally destroyed other buildings at the Islamic Center. Another attack took place in October 2005.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: A series of arson attacks took place during one week at the end of 2014 on three mosques in Sweden. In addition to being struck by Molotov cocktails, some mosques were vandalized with racist graffiti.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: A government study in 2006 estimated that 5% of the total adult population and 39% of adult Muslims "harbour systematic antisemitic views". The former prime minister Göran Persson described these results as "surprising and terrifying". However, the rabbi of Stockholm's Orthodox Jewish community, Meir Horden, said, "It's not true to say that the Swedes are antisemitic. Some of them are hostile to Israel because they support the weak side, which they perceive the Palestinians to be."


title: Islam in Sweden

text: Investigating journalists at TV4 reported that self-appointed morality police in migrant areas such as Rinkeby, Tensta, Husby and Hjulsta harass women for wearing skirts, owning dogs or going out alone without the company of a male. The phenomenon has also been reported in the Brandkärr district of Nyköping according to a report by the municipality.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: Swedish social anthropologist Aje Carlbom and parliamentarian Abderisak Aden, who has founded the Islamic Democratic Institute (Islamiska demokratiska institutet), have both stated that they believe that at least part of the leading members of SMR support Islamist ideologies and are influenced by the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: The Muslim Council of Sweden (SMR), an umbrella organization for Swedish Muslim organizations, has been involved in several controversies. In 2006 Mahmoud Aldebe, one of the Board members of SMR, sent letters to each of the major political parties in Sweden demanding special legislation for Muslims in Sweden, including the right to specific Islamic holidays, special public financing for the building of Mosques, that all divorces between Muslim couples be approved by an Imam, and that Imams should be allowed to teach Islam to Muslim children in public schools. The request was condemned by all political parties and the government and the Swedish Liberal Party requested that an investigation be started by the Office of the Exchequer into the use of public funding of SMR. The Chairman of the Board of SMR subsequently stated that it supported the demands made by Aldebe but that it did not think that the letter had been a good idea to communicate them in a list of demands.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: Although the Board of SMR did not condemn Aldebe the letter has caused conflict within the organization. SMR has also been accused of being closely allied to the Swedish Social Democratic Party, which has been criticised both inside and outside the party.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: The Brandbergen Mosque has been described by the FBI terrorism consultant Evan Kohlmann as a propaganda central for the Armed Islamic Group (GIA). According to Kohlmann, people connected to the mosque also participated in the financing of GIA's bombing campaign in France in 1995.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In 2004 an Arabic-language manual, which carried the logo and address of the Brandbergen Mosque, was spread on the internet. The manual described the construction of simple chemical weapons, including how to build a chemical munition from an ordinary artillery round. On December 7, 2006, the Swedish citizen Mohamed Moumou, who is described by the United States Department of the Treasury as an "uncontested leader of an extremist group centered around the Brandbergen Mosque in Stockholm", was put on the United Nations Security Council Committee 1267 list of foreign terrorists.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In 2012, the SVT program "Uppdrag granskning" visited 10 mosques once with a hidden camera and once with a visible camera. When the representatives were aware of being filmed, they stated that they supported values such as gender equality; however, when two undercover journalists posed as Muslim women with difficulties in their marriage, the answers from the majority of the visited imams were different. The imams told the women that they were expected to sleep with their husbands even if they did not want to and that they were to accept being beaten, and strongly discouraged them from going to the police. Since about half of the visited mosques receive state or local funding, they are expected to promote basic values of Swedish society, such as equal rights between genders and to counteract discrimination and violence.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In March 2014 Malmö Municipality withdrew financial support to a local association because they invited a Syrian lecturer who says that homosexuality should be punished by death to a charity event. The organisers said that the lecturer would not attend and hold no speeches, but after a video recording showed him holding a lecture, the sum of money was recalled.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In January 2015, Sigtuna council stopped radical Islamic preacher Haitham al-Haddad from holding a lecture at their premises. He had been invited by Märsta Unga Muslimer "(tr: Muslim Youth of Märsta)" but when the council was informed of the preacher's homophobic and antisemitic views, the council cancelled the rental contract.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: According to criticism by British think-tank Quilliam in May 2015, Sweden is more likely than other countries to allow preachers with radical views to enter the country and spread their views.


title: Islam in Sweden

text: In May 2015, radical preacher Said Rageahs was invited to the mosque in Gävle where he promoted the views that whomever insults Mohammed should be killed along with apostates and advocated segregation between Muslims and non-Muslims. The local imams at Gävle mosque ran the webpage muslim.se which espoused similar views (with the death penalty for homosexuality added) and according to islamologist Jan Hjärpe at Lund University their views are typical of the Wahhabi.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: "Nel blu, dipinto di blu" (; 'In the blue [sky] [as I was] painted blue' or 'In the blue-painted blue [sky]'), popularly known as "Volare" (; 'To fly'), is a song originally recorded by Italian singer-songwriter Domenico Modugno. Written by Modugno and Franco Migliacci, it was released as a single on 1 February 1958.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: The song spent five non-consecutive weeks atop the "Billboard" Hot 100 in August and September 1958, and subsequently became "Billboard"<nowiki>'</nowiki>s number-one single for the year. In 1959, at the 1st Annual Grammy Awards, Modugno's recording became the first ever Grammy winner for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: Winning the eighth Sanremo Music Festival, the song was chosen as the Italian entry to the Eurovision Song Contest in 1958, where it came in third place out of ten songs in total. The combined sales of all the versions of the song exceed 18 million copies worldwide, making it one of the all-time most popular songs to come out of Sanremo and Eurovision.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: The song was later translated into several languages and recorded by a wide range of performers. The song is also used as the basis for numerous football chants.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: Franco Migliacci began working on the lyrics of the song in June 1957, inspired by two paintings by Marc Chagall. He had planned to go to the sea with Domenico Modugno, but while waiting for Modugno to show up, Migliacci started drinking wine and eventually fell asleep. He had vivid dreams, and when he woke up, he looked at the Chagall paintings (reproductions) on the wall. In "Le coq rouge" was a yellow man suspended in midair, while in "Le peintre et la modelle", half the painter's face was coloured blue. So he began penning a song about a man who dreams of painting himself blue, and being able to fly.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: Later that same night, Migliacci discussed his lyrics with Modugno, and for several days they worked on the song, tentatively entitled ""Sogno in blu"" ('Dream in blue').


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: In 2008, Modugno's widow, Franca Gandolfi, recalled that her husband, after a storm forced open his window, had the idea of modifying the chorus of the song, introducing the word "Volare", which is now the popular title of the song.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: The song is a ballad in a dramatic chanson style, in which Modugno describes the feeling he has when with his lover; a feeling that resembles flying. The song opens with a surreal prelude, which the cover versions often left out:


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: The English lyrics were written by Mitchell Parish. Alternative English lyrics were written in 1958 by Gracie Fields, and were used from then in most concerts she performed in until her death in 1979; she often changed the words to suit her performance and age.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: In 1958, the song participated in the selection process for the eighth Sanremo Music Festival. The jury charged with selecting the entries to the competition was going to reject "Nel blu dipinto di blu"; however, in the end, it was one of the 20 admitted songs.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: On 31 January 1958, the song was performed for the first time, during the second night of the Festival, by Domenico Modugno and Johnny Dorelli.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: It was Dorelli's first appearance at the Festival, and according to his team-partner, Dorelli was so nervous that he had to be punched by Modugno to be persuaded to perform on stage.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: After being admitted to the final, held at the Sanremo Casino on 1 February 1958, the song was performed again, winning the contest, beating the song "L'edera" by Nilla Pizzi and Tonina Torrielli, which came in second place.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: While Dorelli's performance had little impact on the audience, Modugno's is now considered to be the event that changed the history of Italian music. During his performance, Modugno opened his arms as if he was going to fly, which would contribute to making it the most successful Sanremo Music Festival song. It would also mark a change in the way of performing, as Italian singers were used to standing with their arms on their chest, without moving on the stage.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: Following its first-place victory at the Sanremo Music Festival, the song was chosen to represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest 1958, which took place on 12 March in Hilversum, Netherlands. Domenico Modugno was chosen as the singer.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: Modugno was set to open the show and perform in position 1, preceding the entry from Netherlands. However, he would have to perform again at the end as well—before the voting took place—due to a transmission fault during the first performance that caused the song to not be heard in all countries broadcasting the event. At the end of the voting, the song had received 13 points, placing 3rd in a field of 10. Despite this, it became one of the most successful songs ever performed in Eurovision Song Contest history.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: It was succeeded as Italian entry at the 1959 contest by "Piove (Ciao, ciao bambina)", also performed by Modugno.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: The song became an instant success in Italy, selling more than 20,000 copies in its first 12 days. As of February 2013, according to RAI's estimates, the single had sold 800,000 copies in its domestic market.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: Following the results obtained in Italy, the song was also released in the United States and in the rest of Europe. In the United Kingdom, Modugno's single was released on 23 August 1958, together with eight other versions recorded by international artists. The single obtained global acclaim, becoming an international hit.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: In the United States, the single debuted at number 54 on the very first "Billboard" Hot 100, on 4 August 1958, and the next week it climbed at number two, marking the biggest jump to the runner-up spot in the chart's history. On 18 August 1958, it topped the Hot 100, becoming the second song to reach the top spot on the chart, after Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool". The song later completed a run of five non-consecutive weeks at the top of the chart, selling 2 million copies in the United States during 1958 and becoming "Billboard"<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Song of the Year. "Nel blu dipinto di blu" was the first non-American, -Canadian or -British single to achieve this honor in the rock era, and it would be the only one to do so until 1994's "The Sign" by Swedish group Ace of Base. It is also one of the only two songs by Modugno charting on the Hot 100, together with "Piove (Ciao, ciao bambina)", which peaked at number 97.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: In the United Kingdom, the single debuted at number 15 on 6 September 1958, and the following week it rose and peaked at number ten on the UK Singles Chart. It also peaked at number two on the Norwegian VG-lista Topp 20 Singles and on the Dutch Mega Single Top 100.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: The song's popularity endures, and in 2004, according to the Italian Society of Authors and Publishers, it was the most played Italian song in Italy as well as in the whole world. Moreover, the combined sales of all the recorded versions of the song exceed 18 million units.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: During the 1st Grammy Awards, held on 4 May 1959 at Hollywood's Beverly Hilton Hotel, "Nel blu dipinto di blu" received two awards: for Record of the Year and for Song of the Year. The song is the only foreign-language recording to achieve this honor, and it is the only song competing in the Eurovision Song Contest to receive a Grammy Award.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: In 2001, seven years after his death, Modugno was awarded with the Sanremo Music Festival Special Award, "given to the one who...in 1958, with 'Nel blu dipinto di blu', turned the Sanremo Music Festival in a stage of worldwide relevance." During 2008's Sanremo Music Festival, lyricist Franco Migliacci and Modugno's widow, Franca Gandolfi, received the special Award for Creativity for the song, presented by Italian Society of Authors and Publishers' chairman Giorgio Assumma.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: In 2005, a concert was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, to celebrate the . During the event, "Nel blu dipinto di blu" was ranked second on the list of the "all time favourite songs of the Eurovision Song Contest," behind ABBA's "Waterloo". ABBA member Benny Andersson, while receiving the prize, commented:


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: In 2008, the 50th anniversary of the song was celebrated in Italy by releasing a postage stamp showing a man who is flying on a blue background.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: During the 2010 Viña del Mar International Song Festival, the song, performed by Italian singer Simona Galeandro, was also declared the most popular song of the 20th century, winning the international competition of the contest.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: Immediately after the release of "Nel blu dipinto di blu", Antonio De Marco accused Domenico Modugno and lyricist Franco Migliacci of plagiarising his 1956 song "Il castello dei sogni". Though the song was not released, it had been played during some concerts in the previous years. During the trial for plagiarism, De Marco claimed that he lost his sheet music in Rome while registering his song with the Italian Society of Authors and Publishers, suggesting that Modugno somehow found it and plagiarised both the lyrics and the music of his composition. However, the Rome court of justice absolved Modugno and Migliacci, following the opinion of an expert who claimed that the two songs don't have any relevant similarity.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: As a response, Modugno sued De Marco for defamation, and in July 1958 De Marco was convicted by the Milan court of justice.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: Dean Martin recorded a version which alternates between the original Italian lyrics (Martin spoke fluent Italian) and English lyrics adapted by Mitchell Parish. Martin's version appeared on his LP "This Is Dean Martin!" (1958). Martin's song, titled "Volare (Nel blu dipinto di blu)", was also released as a single, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number three in Norway, number fifteen on the "Billboard" Hot 100, and number 27 in Canada. A version by Umberto Marcato also made a brief appearance on the Canadian charts at number 20 on August 4, 1958.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: In the United Kingdom, Italian musician Marino Marini's cover peaked at number thirteen in October, and Charlie Drake's version reached number 28. The McGuire Sisters' version, also released as a single, peaked at number 80 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, and entered the Norwegian Singles Chart at number seven.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: In 1960, the song was recorded by Italian-American singer Bobby Rydell, reaching number four on the Hot 100 during the summer of 1960, number 22 in the UK, and number three in Canada.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: Another charting version of the song was released in 1975 by American jazz singer Al Martino, and included in his album "To the Door of the Sun". His single peaked at number 33 in the US, reached number 3 on the Dutch Single Top 100, and reached number 31 in the Canadian AC charts in December 1975, being certified gold by the Canadian Recording Industry Association.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: In 1989, Gipsy Kings recorded an up-tempo rumba flamenca version of the song, with lyrics partly in Italian and partly in Spanish. Their version topped the "Billboard" Hot Latin Songs chart in April 1990 and reached number 86 in the UK chart. It also charted in France and the Netherlands, peaking at number 16 and at number 26 respectively.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: In February 2010, a cover of the song performed by Italian singer Simona Galeandro won the international competition of the 2010 Viña del Mar International Song Festival.


title: Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song)

text: One year later, a version of the song performed by Emma Marrone was included in the soundtrack of the Italian movie "Benvenuti al Nord", directed by Luca Miniero. Marrone's cover reached number 70 on the Italian Singles Chart.


title: Dry cell

text: A dry cell is a type of electric battery, commonly used for portable electrical devices. Unlike wet cell batteries, which have a liquid electrolyte, dry cells use an electrolyte in the form of a paste, and are thus less susceptible to leakage.


title: Dry cell

text: The dry cell was developed in 1886 by the German scientist Carl Gassner, after development of wet zinc–carbon batteries by Georges Leclanché in 1866. A type of dry cell was also developed by the Japanese Sakizō Yai in 1887.


title: Dry cell

text: Many experimenters tried to immobilize the electrolyte of an electrochemical cell to make it more convenient to use. The Zamboni pile of 1812 is a high-voltage dry battery but capable of delivering only minute currents. Various experiments were made with cellulose, sawdust, spun glass, asbestos fibers, and gelatine.


title: Dry cell

text: In 1886, Carl Gassner obtained a German patent (No. 37,758) on a variant of the (wet) Leclanché cell, which came to be known as the dry cell because it did not have a free liquid electrolyte. Instead, the ammonium chloride was mixed with Plaster of Paris to create a paste, with a small amount of zinc chloride added in to extend the shell life. The manganese dioxide cathode was dipped in this paste, and both were sealed in a zinc shell, which also acts as the anode. In November 1887, he obtained for the same device. A dry-battery was invented in Japan during the Meiji Era in 1887. The inventor was Sakizō Yai. However, Yai didn't have enough money to file the patent, the first patent holder of a battery in Japan was not Yai, but Takahashi Ichisaburo. Wilhelm Hellesen also invented a dry-battery and obtained in 1890.


title: Dry cell

text: Unlike previous wet cells, Gassner's dry cell is more solid, does not require maintenance, does not spill, and can be used in any orientation. It provides a potential of 1.5 volts. The first mass-produced model was the Columbia dry cell, first marketed by the National Carbon Company in 1896. The NCC improved Gassner's model by replacing the plaster of Paris with coiled cardboard, an innovation that leaves more space for the cathode and makes the battery easier to assemble. It was the first convenient battery for the masses and made portable electrical devices practical.


title: Dry cell

text: A dry cell uses a paste electrolyte, with only enough moisture to allow current to flow. Unlike a wet cell, a dry cell can operate in any orientation without spilling, as it contains no free liquid, making it suitable for portable equipment. By comparison, the first wet cells were typically fragile glass containers with lead rods hanging from the open top and needed careful handling to avoid spillage. Lead–acid batteries did not achieve the safety and portability of the dry cell until the development of the gel battery. Wet cells have continued to be used for high-drain applications, such as starting internal combustion engines, because inhibiting the electrolyte flow tends to reduce the current capability.


title: Dry cell

text: A common dry cell is the zinc–carbon cell, sometimes called the dry Leclanché cell, with a nominal voltage of 1.5 volts, the same as the alkaline cell (since both use the same zinc–manganese dioxide combination).


title: Dry cell

text: A standard dry cell comprises a zinc anode, usually in the form of a cylindrical pot, with a carbon cathode in the form of a central rod. The electrolyte is ammonium chloride in the form of a paste next to the zinc anode. The remaining space between the electrolyte and carbon cathode is taken up by a second paste consisting of ammonium chloride and manganese dioxide, the latter acting as a depolariser. In some designs, often marketed as "heavy duty", the ammonium chloride is replaced with zinc chloride.


title: Dry cell

text: Primary cells are not rechargeable and are generally disposed of after the cell's internal reaction has consumed the reactive starting chemicals.


title: Ashoka University

text: Ashoka University is a philanthropy-driven private university located in the National Capital Region (NCR), India, focusing on a liberal education in the Humanities, the Social Sciences, and the Sciences. The university is on a mission to build an inclusive institution of excellence in teaching and research, to nurture responsible leaders for India and the world, and to be a pioneering force for interdisciplinary higher education. The university campus is 100 per cent accessible to meet the needs of specially-abled students. Its "philosophy of creating by giving" has been replicated by other eminent institutions.


title: Ashoka University

text: Ashoka University has enabled thousands of students to become well rounded individuals who can think critically about issues from multiple perspectives, communicate effectively and become leaders with a commitment to public service. At Ashoka, education carries a strong emphasis on foundational knowledge, thorough academic research and hands-on experience with real-world challenges.


title: Ashoka University

text: Ashoka University derives its name from Emperor Ashoka. The idea was generated when Sanjeev Bikhchandani and Ashish Dhawan approached the former Indian School of Business dean Pramath Raj Sinha for his help in setting up the university. The project was code-named Project Nobel, referring to the founders' aspiration to produce future Nobel Prize laureates.


title: Ashoka University

text: Initial discussions leaned towards setting up an institute of engineering and technology that could match the reputation of leading institutions in the field such as MIT, the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University. Ashoka's founders signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science. The founders' list named 22 people, including Ashok Trivedi, Dilip Shanghvi, Nirmal Jain, Sanjeev Bikhchandani and Jerry Rao. The list later grew to 46 and today it stands at 160 founders.


title: Ashoka University

text: Ashoka expanded its focus to a liberal arts approach, providing instruction in the core sciences, social sciences, and the humanities. The decision was a result of both the industry demand as well as the desire to change the mindset of Indian students and parents to see education as an end in itself, rather than merely a stepping stone to securing a job. Trivedi fortified this decision by setting up the Trivedi Centre for Political Data (TCPD) in partnership with the University of Michigan. In 2020, Ashoka university established the Trivedi School of Biosciences with virologist Shahid Jameel as the first director of the centre.


title: Ashoka University

text: Ashoka University's main campus is in the Rajiv Gandhi Education City in Sonepat, Haryana. It was designed by the American design firm Perkins Eastman led by architect Aaron Schwarz. In September 2021, the foundation stone was laid for a new 27-acre campus in Sonipat, expected to be operational by 2027, which will double the university's student capacity.


title: Ashoka University

text: Ashoka University is funded entirely by donations, with no hierarchies present in the founding group in terms of decision-making. The founders were drawn to the idea of a university where no single individual held sway but whose administration would be driven by the potential for social change based on critical inquiry, free from political pressure. In addition to the chancellor, vice-chancellor and deans, Ashoka is guided by an academic council of academics and scholars from around the world. The council sets the university's academic standard, advising on matters of curriculum, faculty hiring, and research.


title: Ashoka University

text: The first chancellor was Andre Beteille, who served from 2014. The first vice-chancellor was Rudrangshu Mukherjee. In 2017 Beteille resigned, to be replaced by Mukherjee, and Pratap Bhanu Mehta was appointed vice-chancellor from July 2017. Mehta resigned in July 2019 and was replaced by Malabika Sarkar. Sarkar stepped down on 10 November 2022 and was replaced by Somak Raychaudhury.


title: Ashoka University

text: The university offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in disciplines including the Arts and Humanities, Economics, and Mathematical and Natural Sciences.


title: Ashoka University

text: The admission procedure includes an application form, an on-spot essay, an interview, and an aptitude objective test. During the admission of students into Ashoka's UG programme, students are not required to declare their major and may experiment with their course preferences. Only after the third semester does the school require students to declare a major.


title: Ashoka University

text: The Young India Fellowship (YIF), offered as a Postgraduate Diploma in Liberal Studies, is the signature programme at Ashoka University. The cohort of 200 Fellows comes from diverse academic, professional, socio-economic, and geographical backgrounds. Within a year, they engage with diverse areas of study, research and practice. Since 2011, the YIF has had over 1700 participants. Its first graduating class included 57 Fellows, all of whom were provided a full scholarship. The programme comprises eight terms of six weeks each, with up to four courses in each term. The Fellowship emphasizes writing, research, and experiential learning—in the form of an 8-month part-time Experiential Learning Module. The application for the fellowship has an age restriction and it only allows students with maximum 28 years of age to apply for the program.


title: Ashoka University

text: Ashoka University offers graduate programmes in the form of master's degree and Ph.D. programmes. Right now the master's degree programmes are offered in Economics, English, and Liberal Studies as well as Ashoka Scholars Programme. While a Ph.D. degree is offered in Biology; Chemistry, Computer Sciences; Economics; English; History; Physics; Psychology; Sociology and Anthropology. Other short term programmes offered are the Young Scholars Programme, Summer Programmes and Ashoka X (Ashoka's virtual education initiative).


title: Ashoka University

text: Ashoka University promotes interdisciplinary research and partnerships with industry and policy-makers. Students can register for PhD programmes in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, English, History, Physics, Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology.


title: Ashoka University

text: The CMGGA programme is a collaboration between the Government of Haryana and Ashoka University. The associates are trained, after which they are posted in each of the 22 districts of Haryana for 12 months. During their tenure, they represent the Chief Minister's Office and work closely with the Deputy Commissioner and district officials to drive changes at the highest and grassroots levels of the Government.


title: Ashoka University

text: Ashoka has its own admissions test, called the Ashoka Aptitude Test. It also accepts the SAT from domestic applicants, one of the first universities in India to do so. Students are welcome to take either test without prejudice. Ashoka University is a Founding Member institution of the India Global Higher Education Alliance, which addresses how admissions policies among Indian and non-Indian institutions influence access and equity in higher education.


title: Ashoka University

text: Ashoka University has raised the profile of Indian scholarship in the international community. In 2017, the university was awarded 'University of the Year' (in existence for less than 10 years) and recognised for 'Excellence in Internationalization,' at the 4th Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Higher Education Excellence Awards 2017.


title: Ashoka University

text: In 2019, EducationWorld ranked Ashoka University 2nd in top 100 private universities in India. In September 2020, the Department of Economics was ranked number 1 in India out of 239 Institutions (and 31st in Asia out of 1539 institutions) according to Research Papers in Economics (RePEc) - the international database of economics research which covers 8198 institutions and 60355 registered authors worldwide. Further in 2020, the World Digital Awards 2020 was awarded to Ashoka for Organisational Excellence in Education. The university was also among 12 universities to get E-Learning Excellence for Academic Digitisation (E-LEAD) certification from QS IAUGE. In the same year, the Economics Department of the university ranked at number 1 (#1 of 239 institutions) in India, and in the top 12.5% in Asia (at #31 of 1539 institutions), according to the international database RePEc, which covers 8198 institutions and 60355 registered authors worldwide. In the QS World University Rankings 2022, Ashoka was ranked in the Top 30 universities in India and the Top 250 universities in Asia.


title: Ashoka University

text: Ashoka University's Centres of Excellence are established to encourage research-oriented collaborations and create an exciting interdisciplinary environment at the university.


title: Ashoka University

text: The Ashoka Centre for Translation (ACT) functions under the guidance of professors Rita Kothari and Arunava Sinha. The vision of the centre is to foster, nurture, and foreground India's multilingual ethos. The Ashoka Centre for Translation aims to engage in knowledge production and distribution through the vehicle of translation. Going beyond the conventional mode of translation, the centre is actively undertaking projects that translate to and from other Indian languages. The Ashoka Centre for Translation does not restrict itself to only English.


title: Ashoka University

text: Ashoka Centre for Well-Being (ACWB) was established in 2016 as a one-of-a-kind, non-aligned entity. It provides a safe space where students, staff, as well as faculty members of the university can access free and confidential counselling and psychological support. The Centre consists of professionally qualified queer affirmative counsellors, ushered by Arvinder J Singh, Founder-Director of the centre. The centre also aims to encourage good mental health by devising effective coping mechanisms through skill-building and awareness programmes so that individuals are well-equipped to deal with any turmoil that they face.


title: Ashoka University

text: The Ashoka Centre for China Studies (ACCS) has been created with the vision of establishing China Studies as an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary area studies program with a strong commitment to disciplinary depth and language learning. It is spearheaded by Ambassador Shivshankar Menon while Professor Srinath Raghavan serves as the Faculty Advisor. One of the primary aims of the centre is to promote the growth of China studies and research in reputed Indian institutions. This is done through an in-depth course design, and programs such as the China India Visiting Scholars Fellowship, China Studies Postdoctoral Fellowship, Mandarin Language Scholars Program, and Mandarin Language Teaching Program.


title: Ashoka University

text: Established in 2020 as the brainchild of the Vice Chancellor Professor Malabika Sarkar, the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability (3CS) is an interdisciplinary centre that brings together members with a shared interest in studying, communicating, and mitigating the effects of future climate change on our society, health, and environment. As of now, the Centre leverages the expertise of 28 faculty members from across 9 departments, including Gautam Menon, Iain Stewart, Srinath Raghvan, Sumana Roy, L.S. Shashidhara among many other notable names. It aims to not only spread awareness but also foster research and advocacy on pertinent issues of climate change and sustainability.


title: Ashoka University

text: One of the key programs of the centre is the coveted 3CS Media Fellowship. It has been designed to support climate journalism from marginalized members of the society, geographically or otherwise, who are most affected by climate change.


title: Ashoka University

text: The Centre for Economic Data and Analysis (CEDA) at Ashoka University is established by the Economics Department with Ashwini Deshpande serving as its Director. CEDA works to facilitate informed debate about economic and social developments in India. The centre also generates content in the form of blogs, research papers, policy briefs, and social and economic commentaries among other things. One of the primary aims of CEDA is to make data accessible to the concerned stakeholders. For this purpose, CEDA has created a public data repository along with an interactive visualization toolkit. This is extensively used by researchers, journalists, policymakers, students, and others.


title: Ashoka University

text: Ashoka University has always been proactive in encouraging its entrepreneurial minds. To this end, the InfoEdge Centre for Entrepreneurship with support from the founders and under the leadership of Priyank Narayan functions as the creative hub that nurtures entrepreneurial endeavours. It has a set of experts who provide relevant mentorship. The centre is multidisciplinary in its approach, existing at the cusp of Liberal Arts and Entrepreneurship, the result of which is a vibrant community of Entrepreneurs working in a wide range of sectors spanning from the mainstream to the niche sectors. It holds prestigious events like StartUp Ashoka, Ashoka Pillar Award, AIM Smart City Accelerator among others.


title: Ashoka University

text: The Centre for Interdisciplinary Archaeological Research (CIAR) at Ashoka University, is the first of its kind in India. The faculty membership is spread across departments with names such as Nayanjot Lahiri, Kritika M. Garg, Shibani Bose, Alok Bhattacharya and Upinder Singh. The Centre aims to bridge the gap between the sciences and archaeology and use that interdisciplinarity to facilitate novel opinions that will deepen the study of the Indian past. This would also aid the Centre in designing course pedagogy and initiate research that utilizes perspectives from both sciences and humanities. To achieve this, the centre has also launched fellowships in ancient and medieval Indian history/archaeology.


title: Ashoka University

text: Founded by thought-leaders at Ashoka University and supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the Centre for Social and Behaviour Change (CSBC) is on its path to becoming a globally recognized Indian institution that drives behavioural change measures for people and communities in need. The centre is led by Dr Pavan Mamidi and Dr Sharon Barnhardt. It aims to advance the science and practice of behaviour changes, harnessing cross-disciplinary expertise in the areas of nutrition, sanitation, maternal health, family planning, and financial services. In 2019, the NITI Aayog partnered with CSBC and BMGF to institute an embedded Behavioural Insights Unit for India and introduce a novel paradigm of behaviourally-informed policy design and implementation in the country. Since then, CSBC has partnered with the state governments of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to set up Behavioural Insights Units in UP and Bihar.


title: Ashoka University

text: The Centre for Social Impact and Philanthropy (CSIP) was instituted in 2016, through the efforts of Ingrid Srinath, who serves as the centre's Director. It is the country's first academic centre that aims to drive increased social impact through a strategic and robust model of philanthropy. Through its research and knowledge products, convening and facilitation opportunities, and leadership development programs, CSIP is cultivating a stronger civil society for a vibrant and equitable India. The Mother Teresa Fellowship, inaugurated in 2012, is now an integral part of the centre. It is a values-based early career fellowship for Ashoka University graduates who want to develop their footing in the field of social impact.


title: Ashoka University

text: Established in the formative years of Ashoka University in 2015, the Centre for Studies in Gender and Sexuality (CSGS) is one of the Centres of Excellence and is the first of its kind in India. With Professor Madhavi Menon as its Director, the primary aim of the centre is to broaden the discourse that currently exists around gender and sexuality, through scholarship and activism. This spectrum includes issues of inequality, fantasy, desire, pleasure, identity, and politics that are key realities of our everyday lives. The Centre organizes several events such as a speaker series, student seminars, workshops, performances, and film screenings to initiate discussions around topics that are considered taboo.


title: Ashoka University

text: The Centre for Writing and Communication (CWC) is the largest centre at Ashoka University working closely with the vibrant academic community to develop critical thinking, writing, and communication skills. Kanika Singh is the Director of the centre with Jyotirmoy Talukdar as the Acting Director, Neerav Dwivedi and Naincy as Senior Writing Fellows and Senjuti Chakraborti, Archishman Sarker and Vrinda Chopra as Senior Writing Tutors, Ipsita Herlekar, Anagha Gopal, Vinky Mittal, Sampurna Dutta among others as Writing Tutors. It works with not only the entire student body but also with the faculty, staff, and other centres. The Centre itself is very academically diverse with a spirited team consisting of scholars, professionals, writers, and researchers whose combined expertise actively contributes to the interdisciplinary engagement at Ashoka University.


title: Ashoka University

text: The Centre’s purpose is to provide a forum in which to raise and address questions to do with both creative practice and critical argument. In bringing together novelists, poets, translators, artists, scholars, filmmakers, journalists and publishers with different traditions and histories from all over the world, the Centre will foster intercultural and ‘extra-disciplinary’ discussions about creative practice in ways that have become impossible in professionalised settings, such as the academic conference, or in market-driven ones, such as the literary festival. The highly-regarded symposia in the 'literary activism' series and the website, literaryactivism.com, will continue to be an important part of the Centre’s activities. So will new courses, talks, and events, including 'Is There a Modern Indian Literature?', co-hosted by The Oxford Research Centre for the Humanities. The Director of the Centre is Amit Chaudhuri, and its team includes Saikat Majumdar and Sumana Roy.


title: Ashoka University

text: Established in 2019, the Science Policy Initiative (SPI) at Ashoka University aims to expedite the framing of evidence-based policies to address societal problems. Under the guidance of L.S. Shashidhara and Anjali Taneja, the centre is involved in creating the right environment for policy research and capability building through active support and expert leadership. One of the larger goals of SPI is to augment scientific research and innovation and to serve as a knowledge hub, initiating discussions on issues and defining the roadmap for the future with the help of evidence-based white papers and policy briefs along with partnerships and collaborations.


title: Ashoka University

text: The Trivedi Centre for Political Data (TCPD) is a joint venture between the departments of Political Science and Computer Science at Ashoka University, with professors Gilles Verniers and Sudheendra Hangal serving as its co-directors. TCPD aims at promoting data-driven research, policy work, and journalism on India's political life by producing and disseminating in open access scientifically collected and treated political data and also refining the quality of existing public data by developing web-based tools adapted to Indian data. The larger goal of TCPD is to become a reference source of political data and contribute to more empirical research, news coverage, and opinions about Indian politics.


title: Ashoka University

text: Ashoka University has a number of international institutional collaborations with global university partners including UPenn, UMIchigan, Yale, Duke, King's College London, HEC Paris, SciencesPo Paris and many others. Faculty exchange, student exchange, and plans for collaborative programmes with international partners are a recognition of Ashoka's position as a leading Liberal Arts and Sciences University in India.


title: Ashoka University

text: The university has accelerated its growth story and has signed MoUs with leading institutions around the globe. The University of Cambridge and Ashoka University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in recognition of their mutual interest in promoting and furthering academic links between the two institutions. The Office of Global Education and Strategic Programmes (GESP) at Ashoka University signed a MoU with National University of Singapore (NUS) in January 2022.


title: Ashoka University

text: Ashoka University has also joined a consortium of five Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, IIT Bombay, IIT Jodhpur and IIT BHU, Varanasi) to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with University at Buffalo, The State University of New York. The objective of this partnership is to establish a multiparty collaborative framework for long-term multi-institutional and international collaboration in educational and research fields. The research focus will be nanomaterials and nanotechnology, biotechnology, advanced sensors, photonics and cyber-physical systems including artificial intelligence. Ashoka University has further entered into a MoU with Max Healthcare Institute to initiate long-term, high-quality research collaborations. The collaboration aims to build a joint research program on genome analysis and data analysis that will include AI, ML and deep learning of various genetic and life-style diseases.


title: Ashoka University

text: In October 2016, a faculty member, Rajendran Narayanan, and two other employees resigned; it was alleged by the Faculty Council that they were asked to resign because they signed a petition on Kashmir, something the university denies. Narayanan believes he was targeted because he was also organising a Workers' Welfare Committee for all campus staff.


title: Ashoka University

text: In March 2021, two faculty members, Pratap Bhanu Mehta (formerly the VC of the university) and Arvind Subramanian, resigned within days of each other, alleging a curbing of academic freedom in the university. Mehta has been an open advocate of liberalism, speaking openly about the 'Death of liberalism' under the Narendra Modi Government. He resigned from Ashoka University in March 2021, when trustees Pramath Raj Sinha and Ashish Dhawan are said to have told him that his "intellectual interventions were something they could no longer protect." This was followed by protests from students and faculty, who alleged that Mehta's views on the Modi administration might have drawn pressure internally, leading him to resign. But the Vice Chancellor denied that


title: Des'ree

text: Desirée Annette Weekes (born 30 November 1968), known by her stage name Des'ree (), is an English pop recording artist who rose to popularity during the 1990s. She is best known for her hits "Feel So High", "You Gotta Be", "Life", and "Kissing You" (from the soundtrack of the film "Romeo + Juliet"). At the 1999 Brit Awards she received the Brit Award for Best British female solo artist.


title: Des'ree

text: Des'ree was born in Croydon, South East London, England, on 30 November 1968. Her mother is from British Guiana (now Guyana), and her father is from Barbados. She was introduced to reggae, calypso and jazz music by her parents. At the age of 22, and with no connections in the music industry, she was signed in 1991 to Sony 550 when she asked her boyfriend to send a demo to the label, and they quickly contacted her.


title: Des'ree

text: Des'ree's debut single, "Feel So High", was released in August 1991, a mere 12 weeks after her signing. The single did not initially reach the UK top 40, but hit #13 when it was re-released in January 1992. Her debut album "Mind Adventures" was released in February 1992. It received good reviews and hit the top 30 in the UK. She spent in 1992 touring as the opening act to Simply Red. In 1993, Des'ree collaborated with Terence Trent D'Arby on the song "Delicate", which was released as a single and hit the UK top 20 and the US top 100. She ended the year singing with a host of other artists at the first concert of secular music at the Vatican City, on 23 December 1993, which was aired on Italian TV. The concert, named Concerto di Natale, has been held with different artists every Christmas in the years since.


title: Des'ree

text: In 1994, her single "You Gotta Be" hit the "Billboard" Hot 100 Top 5, peaking at number 5, and was a hit in the UK three times. "You Gotta Be" became the most played music video on VH1 and remained on the "Billboard" Recurrent Airplay Chart for 80 weeks. Following the single's success, Des'ree's second album, "I Ain't Movin'", sold in excess of 2.5 million copies worldwide. Her success led to an American tour with Seal in 1995. The following year, she contributed the song "Kissing You" to the soundtrack of the film "William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet". She appears in the film singing the song. In 1997, her song "Crazy Maze" was featured on the soundtrack of the movie "Nothing to Lose" with Martin Lawrence and Tim Robbins. In the same year she provided vocals on "Plenty Lovin"'"" on Steve Winwood's album "Junction Seven".


title: Des'ree

text: In 1998, her single "Life" became a hit in Europe, reaching number 1 in many countries, as well as in Japan. In 1999, she won a Brit Award for the British Female Solo Artist category. The album from which the single was taken, "Supernatural", was also released in 1998 to mostly positive reviews. It was somewhat successful in the UK, but was a commercial flop in the United States. In 2007, Des'ree also notably won a BBC poll for the "worst lyrics ever" for the single, the offending lyrics being "I don't want to see a ghost/it's the sight that I fear most/I'd rather have a piece of toast/watch the evening news". In 1999, she sang The Beatles' song "Blackbird" at a concert in honour of Linda McCartney. At the concert, she met the group Ladysmith Black Mambazo and she collaborated with them on a cover of "Ain't No Sunshine", which was released in late 1999. After that, Des'ree put her music career on hold to focus on her private life and disappeared from the public eye.


title: Des'ree

text: A compilation of rare songs and live tracks, "Endangered Species", was released in 2000. In 2001 she contributed vocals to the charity single "Wake Up The Morning", which was released in honour of the death of Damilola Taylor. Billed as Together As One, other contributors to the song were Gabrielle, Andrew Roachford and Courtney Pine. In 2002, she contributed a sung sonnet from William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice to the various artists album "When Love Speaks". Sony released "Dream Soldier" in 2003. Only one track from the album was released as a single, "It's Okay", which peaked in the UK at number 69. The single did not chart in the US. The video, directed by Jake Nava, was shot in London's Notting Hill. "Dream Soldier" was not a critical or commercial success. Des'ree was subsequently dropped by her label, Sony/550 Music, following the release of the album in March 2003.


title: Des'ree

text: Shortly afterwards, she took a hiatus from music to focus on her interest in naturopathy, also training as a nutritionist. In 2008 she came out of her hiatus to perform at the O2 Arena for Young Voices' "The Big Sing" charity concert. She helped break the record for "most people simultaneously singing the same song" by leading 600,000 schoolchildren across the United Kingdom in singing "You Gotta Be". In 2011, she performed "You Gotta Be" at the wedding for George Medal recipient Paul Jacobs. That same year, she sung a lullaby on naturopath Julie Langton-Smith's sleep therapy CD "Sleep Talk Lullaby".


title: Des'ree

text: Her first album in sixteen years, titled "A Love Story"was released by her own label Stargazer Records on 11 October 2019. She had begun work on the album in 2012, but took a break to care for her mother.


title: Des'ree

text: "Silent Hero", written by Des'ree and Prince Sampson, featured in Spike Lee's 1995 film "Clockers", "Feel So High", written by Des'ree and Michael Graves, featured in the 1996 film "Set It Off", and "You Gotta Be" featured in "The Object of My Affection" and "The Next Karate Kid". In 1997, Des'ree's hit "Feel So High" was interpolated into the Janet Jackson song "Got 'Til It's Gone" from Jackson's CD "The Velvet Rope" without due credit to Des'ree as a contributor. The maxi single, however, lists Des'ree and Michael Graves as two of the song's writers, after winning a lawsuit against Jackson. She also considered suing Robyn and Cleopatra due to the similarities between their songs ("Show Me Love" and "Life Ain't Easy" respectively) and "Feel So High"; however, nothing came of it. In 1999 she recorded a duet with Ladysmith Black Mambazo on a cover of the Bill Withers song "Ain't No Sunshine".


title: Des'ree

text: Des'ree has won several awards, including a Brit Award, an Ivor Novello Award, World Music Award, Urban Music Award and a BMI Award for over five million plays of "You Gotta Be" in America alone. Des'ree also won a BBC poll for "Worst Pop Lyricist" for the 1998 single "Life", though it went to number 1 in Japan, Spain and several other European countries.


title: Des'ree

text: Des'ree is a vegetarian. In 2002, she did short courses in photography and ceramics at the Camberwell College of Arts.


title: David Sanborn

text: David William Sanborn (born July 30, 1945) is an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He released his first solo album "Taking Off" in 1975, but has been playing the saxophone since before he was in high school.


title: David Sanborn

text: One of the most commercially successful American saxophonists to earn prominence since the 1980s, Sanborn is described by critic Scott Yannow as "the most influential saxophonist on pop, R&B, and crossover players of the past 20 years." He is often identified with radio-friendly smooth jazz, but he has expressed a disinclination for the genre and his association with it.


title: David Sanborn

text: Sanborn was born in Tampa, Florida, and grew up in Kirkwood, Missouri. He suffered from polio for eight years in his youth. He began playing saxophone on a physician's advice to strengthen his weakened chest muscles and improve his breathing, instead of studying piano. Alto saxophonist Hank Crawford, at the time a member of Ray Charles's band, was an early and lasting influence on Sanborn.


title: David Sanborn

text: Sanborn attended college at Northwestern University and studied music. But he transferred to the University of Iowa where he played and studied with saxophonist J.R. Monterose.


title: David Sanborn

text: Sanborn performed with blues musicians Albert King and Little Milton at the age of 14. He continued playing blues when he joined Paul Butterfield blues band in 1967. Sanborn recorded on four Butterfield albums as a horn section member and soloist from 1967 to 1971. In the early morning of Monday, August 18, 1969 Sanborn appeared as a member of the band at the Woodstock Music Festival at Bethel, NY.


title: David Sanborn

text: In the mid-70s Sanborn became prominent in the newly popular jazz/funk scene by joining the Brecker Brothers band where he became influenced by Michael Brecker, and it was with the brothers that he recorded his first solo album, Taking Off, nowadays regarded as something of a jazz/funk classic.


title: David Sanborn

text: Although Sanborn is most associated with smooth jazz, he studied free jazz in his youth with saxophonists Roscoe Mitchell and Julius Hemphill. In 1993, he revisited this genre when he appeared on Tim Berne's "Diminutive Mysteries", dedicated to Hemphill. Sanborn's album "Another Hand" featured avant-garde musicians.


title: David Sanborn

text: He has been a highly regarded session player since the late 1960s, playing with an array of well-known artists, such as James Brown, Bryan Ferry, Michael Stanley, Eric Clapton, Bobby Charles, Cat Stevens, Roger Daltrey, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Jaco Pastorius, the Brecker Brothers, Michael Franks, Kenny Loggins, Casiopea, Players Association, David Bowie, Todd Rundgren, Bruce Springsteen, Little Feat, Tommy Bolin, Bob James, James Taylor, Al Jarreau, Pure Prairie League, Kenny G, Loudon Wainwright III, George Benson, Joe Beck, Donny Hathaway, Elton John, Gil Evans, Carly Simon, Guru, Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joel, Kenny Garrett, Roger Waters, Steely Dan, Ween, the Eagles, The Grateful Dead, Nena, Hikaru Utada, The Rolling Stones, Ian Hunter, and Toto.


title: David Sanborn

text: Many of his solo recordings were collaborations with the bassist/multi-instrumentalist/composer and producer Marcus Miller, who he met in the Saturday Night Live band in the late 1970s.


title: David Sanborn

text: Sanborn performed with Eric Clapton on film soundtracks such as "Lethal Weapon" (and its sequels) and "Scrooged".


title: David Sanborn

text: In 1991 Sanborn recorded "Another Hand", which the "All Music Guide to Jazz" described as a "return by Sanborn to his real, true love: unadorned (or only partly adorned) jazz" that "balanced the scales" against his smooth jazz material. The album, produced by Hal Willner, featured musicians from outside the smooth jazz scene, such as Charlie Haden, Jack DeJohnette, Bill Frisell, and Marc Ribot.


title: David Sanborn

text: In 1994 Sanborn appeared in "", also known as "Daltrey Sings Townshend". This was a two-night concert at Carnegie Hall produced by Roger Daltrey of English rock band The Who in celebration of his fiftieth birthday. In 1994 a CD and a VHS video were issued, and in 1998 a DVD was released. In 1995 he performed in "" a musical performance of the popular story at Lincoln Center to benefit the Children's Defense Fund. The performance was broadcast on Turner Network Television (TNT) and issued on CD and video in 1996.


title: David Sanborn

text: In 2006, he was featured in Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band's album "The Phat Pack" on the track "Play That Funky Music", a remake of the Wild Cherry hit in a big band style. Sanborn often performs at Japan's Blue Note venues in Nagoya, Osaka, and Tokyo. He plays on the song "Your Party" on Ween's 2007 release "La Cucaracha". On April 8, 2007, Sanborn sat in with the Allman Brothers Band during their annual run at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.


title: David Sanborn

text: In 2010, Sanborn toured primarily with a trio featuring jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco and Steve Gadd where they played the combination of blues and jazz from his album "Only Everything". In 2011, Sanborn toured with keyboardist George Duke and bassist Marcus Miller as the group DMS. In 2013, Sanborn toured with keyboardist Brian Culbertson on "The Dream Tour" celebrating the 25th anniversary of the song "The Dream."


title: David Sanborn

text: Sanborn has performed on both radio and television broadcasts; he has also acted as a host. He was a member of the Saturday Night Live Band in 1980. From the late 1980s he was a regular guest member of Paul Shaffer's band on "Late Night with David Letterman". He also appeared a few times on the "Late Show with David Letterman" in the 90s.


title: David Sanborn

text: From 1988 to 1989, he co-hosted "Night Music", a late-night music show on NBC television with Jools Holland. Following producer Hal Willner's eclectic approach, the show positioned Sanborn with many famed musicians, such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Pharoah Sanders, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Lou Reed, Elliott Sharp, Jean-Luc Ponty, Santana, Todd Rundgren, Youssou N'dour, Pere Ubu, Loudon Wainwright III, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Leonard Cohen, Was (Not Was), Anson Funderburgh, John Zorn, and Curtis Mayfield.


title: David Sanborn

text: During the 1980s and 1990s, Sanborn hosted a syndicated radio program, "The Jazz Show with David Sanborn".


title: David Sanborn

text: Sanborn has recorded many shows' theme songs (most notably the one for "L.A. Law") as well as several other songs for "The Late Late Show with Tom Snyder".


title: David Sanborn

text: Sanborn plays a Selmer Mark VI Alto Saxophone and is currently playing a mouthpiece designed by Aaron Drake. He was endorsed by Yamaha and played their saxophones on As We Speak and Backstreet.


title: David Sanborn

text: Sanborn won Grammy Awards for "Voyeur" (1981), "Double Vision" (1986), and the instrumental album "Close Up" (1988).


title: 1995 NFL season

text: The 1995 NFL season was the 76th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 30 teams with the addition of the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars. The two expansion teams were slotted into the two remaining divisions that previously had only four teams (while the other four had five teams): the AFC Central (Jaguars) and the NFC West (Panthers).


title: 1995 NFL season

text: Meanwhile, the two teams in Los Angeles relocated to other cities: the Rams transferred to St. Louis and the Raiders moved back to Oakland; this would be the start of a 20-year absence for the NFL in Los Angeles. During the course of the season it emerged that the Cleveland Browns would relocate to Baltimore for the 1996 season. The Raiders’ move was not announced until after the schedule had been announced, which resulted in a problem in the third week of the season when both the Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers had games scheduled to air on NBC which ended up overlapping each other. The Raiders game was rescheduled for 10:00 AM PDT in case they were to relocate and NBC was given the doubleheader so that both Bay Area teams had their games televised locally.


title: 1995 NFL season

text: The season ended with Super Bowl XXX, when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 27–17 at Sun Devil Stadium. They became the first team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in four years. This season was Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula’s last season as coach.


title: 1995 NFL season

text: The 1995 NFL draft was held from April 22 to 23, 1995 at New York City's Theater at Madison Square Garden. With the first pick, the Cincinnati Bengals selected running back Ki-Jana Carter from Penn State University.


title: 1995 NFL season

text: The 1995 NFL expansion draft was held on February 15, 1995. The Jacksonville Jaguars held the first pick overall, while the Carolina Panthers were second, alternating picks as the existing teams made six players available for selection. The Panthers ultimately picked 35 players, while the Jaguars picked 31. With the first selection in the Expansion Draft, the Jaguars selected quarterback Steve Beuerlein from the Arizona Cardinals. Selecting second, the Panthers obtained cornerback Rod Smith from the New England Patriots.


title: 1995 NFL season

text: Mike Carey and Walt Coleman were promoted to referee; Carey became the second African-American referee in NFL history following Johnny Grier, who was promoted in 1988. Dale Hamer had to sit out the 1995 season to recover from open heart surgery, while league expansion from 28 to 30 teams required an additional officiating crew.


title: 1995 NFL season

text: A series of National Football League pre-season exhibition games that were held at sites outside the United States. Two games were contested in 1995.


title: 1995 NFL season

text: The Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, featured the NFL's newest expansions teams, as the Carolina Panthers defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 20-14, was played on July 29, and held at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, the same city where the league was founded. The 1995 Hall of Fame Class included Jim Finks, Henry Jordan, Steve Largent, Lee Roy Selmon and Kellen Winslow


title: 1995 NFL season

text: The 1995 season produced four of the top twenty highest single-season totals for receiving yards. Two of the top five teams receiving yard totals of all time – Jerry Rice's 1,848 & Isaac Bruce's 1,781 – were recorded in 1995. Detroit Lions receiver Herman Moore gained 1,686 yards (6th highest all time) and Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin gained 1,603 yards (11th most in NFL history).


title: 1995 NFL season

text: This was the second year under the league's four-year broadcast contracts with ABC, Fox, NBC, TNT, and ESPN. ABC, Fox, and NBC continued to televise "Monday Night Football", the NFC package, the AFC package, respectively. Sunday night games aired on TNT during the first half of the season, and ESPN during the second half of the season.


title: 1995 NFL season

text: NBC renamed its pregame show as simply "The NFL on NBC". The then-recently retired quarterback Joe Montana joined the show as an analyst, alongside Greg Gumbel, Mike Ditka, and Joe Gibbs. Phil Simms and Paul Maguire joined Dick Enberg as NBC's lead broadcast team, replacing Bob Trumpy.


title: 1995 NFL season

text: Verne Lundquist replaced Gary Bender as TNT's play-by-play announcer. TNT also renamed its pregame show as "Pro Football Tonight", with Vince Cellini as its host.


title: Kirti Azad

text: Kirtivardhan Bhagwat Jha Azad (; born 2 January 1959) is an Indian politician and former cricketer and who played seven Test matches and 25 One Day International for the India national cricket team between 1980 and 1986.


title: Kirti Azad

text: Azad was born in Darbhanga, Bihar, the son of former Chief Minister of Bihar Bhagwat Jha Azad. He was an aggressive right-hand batsman and a quickish offspinner. A surprise choice for the tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1980–81, he made his Test debut at Wellington. He was part of the Indian team that won the 1983 Cricket World Cup.


title: Kirti Azad

text: He won the 2014 Lok Sabha election for Darbhanga, Bihar. In February 2019, Kirti Azad joined Indian National Congress. He joined Trinamool Congress (TMC) after meeting TMC chief Mamta Banerjee in Delhi on Nov 23, 2021.


title: Kirti Azad

text: He attended Modern School in Delhi where he was part of the school cricket team. Azad, a nonconformist in many ways, was a stalwart allrounder for Delhi for many years, and in 95 Ranji Trophy matches he scored 4867 runs at an average of 47.72 and took 162 wickets at and average of 28.91. His highest score was 215 against Himachal Pradesh in 1985–86.


title: Kirti Azad

text: He was a surprise choice for the tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1980–81, making his Test debut at Wellington. He then played three Tests without much success against England in 1981-82 and was later picked for the 1983 World Cup.


title: Kirti Azad

text: In his international career Azad played 7 test matches (1981–83) and 25 one-day-internationals (1980–86). Though full of potential, he couldn't take his domestic performance to the international level, scoring only 135 test runs and 269 in one-days. He picked 3 and 7 wickets in the two forms, respectively.


title: Kirti Azad

text: He followed his father Bhagwat Jha Azad, former Chief Minister of Bihar, into politics and was elected to Parliament on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket from Darbhanga, Bihar. He served his second term in the Lok Sabha representing Darbhanga. He was previously an MLA from Delhi's Gole Market constituency. He won the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections from Darbhanga. On 23 December 2015 he was suspended from BJP for openly targeting Union finance minister Arun Jaitley over alleged irregularities and corruption in Delhi's cricket body Delhi and District Cricket Association. Azad joined the Indian National Congress on 18 February 2019.


title: Kirti Azad

text: He fought General Election from Dhanbad Lok Sabha constituency for 2019 representing Indian National Congress, against BJP candidate Pashupati Nath Singh and lost it with a margin of 4.8 lakhs. In November 2021, Azad joined the All India Trinamool Congress ahead of the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election and said that he will work under Mamata Banerjee till retirement from politics.


title: Kirti Azad

text: Azad is married to Poonam and has two sons. His elder son Suryavardhan has played for Delhi Under-17s, Under-19s and Under-22s, while his younger son Somyavardhan has played for Delhi Under-15s and Delhi Under-17s.


title: Kirti Azad

text: His wife Poonam joined Aam Aadmi Party on 13 Nov 2016, which she then quit on 11 Apr 2017 to join the Indian National Congress.


title: Kirti Azad

text: Following a 2012 sting operation on players of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Azad came out in opposition of the tournament and demanded that it be banned.


title: Kirti Azad

text: Speaking about the Indian T20 team, he reportedly alleged that the players played for self rather than the country. He further said that he felt agitated and ashamed to be associated with the BCCI in the wake of the IPL controversy.


title: Kirti Azad

text: Azad played himself in the lead role of the 2019 Indian film "Kirket". The 2021 Indian film "83", which is based on India's World Cup win, featured Dinker Sharma portraying Azad's character.


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: Mo' Better Blues is a 1990 American musical comedy-drama film starring Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes, and Spike Lee, who also wrote, produced, and directed. It follows a period in the life of fictional jazz trumpeter Bleek Gilliam (played by Washington) as a series of bad decisions result in his jeopardizing both his relationships and his playing career. The film focuses on themes of friendship, loyalty, honesty, cause-and-effect, and ultimately salvation. It features the music of the Branford Marsalis quartet and Terence Blanchard on trumpet. The film was released five months after the death of Robin Harris and is dedicated to his memory, being his penultimate acting role.


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: In Brooklyn, New York in 1969, a group of four boys walk up to Bleek Gilliam's Brownstone apartment and ask him to play baseball with them. Bleek's mother insists that he continue his trumpet lesson. His father becomes concerned that Bleek will grow up to be a sissy, and a family argument ensues. Bleek continues playing his trumpet, and his friends depart.


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: Over twenty years later, an adult Bleek performs on the trumpet at a busy nightclub with his successful jazz band, The Bleek Quintet. Giant, childhood friend and the band's manager, advises Bleek to stop allowing his saxophone player Shadow Henderson to grandstand with long solos.


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: The next morning Bleek wakes up with his girlfriend, Indigo Downes. She leaves to go to class, while he meets his father for a game of catch, telling him that while he likes Indigo, he likes other women too and is not ready to make a commitment. Later in the day while he is practicing, another woman named Clarke Bentancourt visits him. She suggests that he fire Giant as manager; he suggests that they make love (which he refers to as "mo' better"). He becomes upset when she bites his lip, saying, "I make my living with my lips."


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: Giant meets with his bookie to place bets. He meets Bleek at the club with the rest of the band, except for the pianist, Left Hand Lacey, who arrives late with his French girlfriend and is scolded by Giant. Later Giant goes to the club owners’ office, points out how busy the club has been since Bleek and his band began playing there, and unsuccessfully attempts to renegotiate their contract.


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: Giant meets his bookie the next morning, who is concerned that Giant is going too deep into debt. Giant shrugs it off, and places several new bets. He then stops at Shadow's home to drop off a record. Shadow confides in him that he is cheating on his girlfriend. This leads to the next scene where Bleek is in bed with Clarke, and she asks him to let her sing a number at the club with his band. He declines her request.


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: Bleek and Giant fend off requests from the other band members for a raise due to the band's success. Bleek goes to the club owners to ask for more money, which they refuse, reminding him that Giant locked him into the current deal.


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: That night, both Clarke and Indigo arrive at the club to see Bleek. They are wearing the same style dress, which Bleek had purchased for them both. Bleek attempts to work it out with each girl, but they are both upset with him, and though he sleeps with them each again, they leave him (after he calls each of them by the other's name). However, tension rises with Shadow who has feelings for Clarke.


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: During a bike ride together, Bleek insists that Giant should try to do a better job managing the band. Giant promises to do so, and then asks Bleek for a loan to pay his gambling debts. Bleek declines, and later Giant is apprehended by two loan sharks who demand payment. Giant can't pay and gets his fingers broken. Later Giant tells Bleek that he injured himself during a cookout, but Bleek doesn't believe him. Giant asks the other band members for money, and Left loans him five hundred dollars. When loan sharks stake out Giant's home, he goes to Bleek for a place to stay who agrees to help him raise the money but fires him as manager.


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: Bleek misses both his girlfriends and leaves messages for each, but Clarke has begun a new relationship with Shadow. Bleek finds out about it and fires Shadow. The loan sharks find Giant at the club, take him outside, and beat him while Bleek plays, but before Bleek can raise the money. Bleek goes outside to intervene and gets beaten as well with one loan shark taking Bleek's own trumpet and smacking him across the face with it, permanently injuring his lip and making him unable to continue playing the trumpet.


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: Over a year later following his recovery and slump, Bleek reunites with Giant, who has become a doorman and stopped gambling. He drops in to see Shadow and Clarke, who got out of the former club's contract and are now performing together with the rest of Bleek's former band. Shadow invites him on stage, and they play together. Still with scars on his lips and unable to play well, Bleek walks off the stage, gives his trumpet to a supportive Giant, and goes directly to Indigo's house. Angry with him because he hasn't contacted her in over a year, she tries to reject him but agrees to take him back when he begs her to save his life.


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: A montage flashes through their wedding, the birth of their son Miles, and their happy family with Bleek teaching his son to play the trumpet. In the final scene, a ten-year-old Miles wants to go outside to play with his friends. Indigo wants him to finish his trumpet lessons. However, unlike in the opening scene, Bleek relents and allows his son to play with friends.


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: The soundtrack to the film was composed and played by Branford Marsalis Quartet and Terence Blanchard. In 1991, the soundtrack was nominated for a Soul Train Music Award for Best Jazz Album.


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: "Mo' Better Blues" received mixed to positive reviews from critics, as the film holds a 72% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 36 reviews. The consenus states: ""Mo' Better Blues" is rich with vibrant hues and Denzel Washington's impassioned performance, although its straightforward telling lacks the political punch fans expect from a Spike Lee joint."


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: For his portrayal of Jewish nightclub owners Moe and Josh Flatbush, Lee drew the ire of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), B'nai B'rith, and other such Jewish organizations. The ADL claimed that the characterizations of the nightclub owners "dredge up an age-old and highly dangerous form of anti-Semitic stereotyping", and the ADL was "disappointed that Spike Lee – whose success is largely due to his efforts to break down racial stereotypes and prejudice – has employed the same kind of tactics that he supposedly deplores."


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: Lee eventually responded in an editorial in "The New York Times", alleging "a double standard at work in the accusations of anti-Semitism" given the long history of negative portrayals of African-Americans in film: "Not every black person is a pimp, murderer, prostitute, convict, rapist or drug addict, but that hasn't stopped Hollywood from writing these roles for African-Americans". Lee argues that even if the Flatbush brothers are stereotyped figures, their "10 minutes of screen time" is insignificant when compared to "100 years of Hollywood cinema... [and] a slew of really racist, anti-Semitic filmmakers". According to Lee, his status as a successful African-American artist has led to hostility and unfair treatment: "Don't hold me to a higher moral standard than the rest of my filmmaking colleagues... Now that young black filmmakers have arisen in the film industry, all of a sudden stereotypes are a big issue... I think it's reaching the point where "I'm" getting reviewed, not my films."


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: Lee refused to apologize for his portrayal of the Flatbush brothers: "I stand behind all my work, including my characters, Moe and Josh Flatbush... if critics are telling me that to avoid charges of anti-Semitism, all Jewish characters I write have to be model citizens, and not one can be a villain, cheat or a crook, and that no Jewish people have ever exploited black artists in the history of the entertainment industry, that's unrealistic and unfair."


title: Mo' Better Blues

text: Cynda Williams complained about the behavior of some of the actors on the set. "Many of the men were method actors. A couple of them had spent time together on previous Spike films, and their characters in “Mo’ Better Blues” were kind of chauvinistic. So being method, they were kind of chauvinistic all the time on set," said Williams. "Some actors feel they have to stay in character to help play their roles. I didn’t know about any chauvinistic behavior" responded Spike Lee.


title: Max Planck Society

text: The Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science (; abbreviated MPG) is a formally independent non-governmental and non-profit association of German research institutes. Founded in 1911 as the Kaiser Wilhelm Society, it was renamed to the Max Planck Society in 1948 in honor of its former president, theoretical physicist Max Planck. The society is funded by the federal and state governments of Germany.


title: Max Planck Society

text: According to its primary goal, the Max Planck Society supports fundamental research in the natural, life and social sciences, the arts and humanities in its 86 (as of December 2018) Max Planck Institutes. The society has a total staff of approximately 17,000 permanent employees, including 5,470 scientists, plus around 4,600 non-tenured scientists and guests. The society's budget for 2018 was about €1.8 billion. As of December 31, 2018, the Max Planck Society employed a total of 23,767 staff, of whom 15,650 were scientists. 44.4% were female employees and 31.5% of all of the employees were foreign nationals.


title: Max Planck Society

text: The Max Planck Society has a world-leading reputation as a science and technology research organization, with 38 Nobel Prizes awarded to their scientists, and is widely regarded as one of the foremost basic research organizations in the world. In 2020, the Nature Index placed the Max Planck Institutes third worldwide in terms of research published in "Nature" journals (after the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Harvard University). In terms of total research volume (unweighted by citations or impact), the Max Planck Society is only outranked by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Russian Academy of Sciences and Harvard University in the Times Higher Education institutional rankings. The Thomson Reuters-Science Watch website placed the Max Planck Society as the second leading research organization worldwide following Harvard University in terms of the impact of the produced research over science fields.


title: Max Planck Society

text: The Max Planck Society and its predecessor Kaiser Wilhelm Society hosted several renowned scientists in their fields, including Otto Hahn, Werner Heisenberg, and Albert Einstein.


title: Max Planck Society

text: The organization was established in 1911 as the Kaiser Wilhelm Society, or "Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gesellschaft" (KWG), a non-governmental research organization named for the then German emperor. The KWG was one of the world's leading research organizations; its board of directors included scientists like Walther Bothe, Peter Debye, Albert Einstein, and Fritz Haber. In 1946, Otto Hahn assumed the position of president of KWG, and in 1948, the society was renamed the Max Planck Society (MPG) after its former president (1930–37) Max Planck, who died in 1947.


title: Max Planck Society

text: The Max Planck Society has a world-leading reputation as a science and technology research organization. In 2006, the Times Higher Education Supplement rankings of non-university research institutions (based on international peer review by academics) placed the Max Planck Society as No.1 in the world for science research, and No.3 in technology research (behind AT&T Corporation and the Argonne National Laboratory in the United States).


title: Max Planck Society

text: The domain "mpg.de" attracted at least 1.7 million visitors annually by 2008 according to a Compete.com study.


title: Max Planck Society

text: From 1990 to 2004, the "Max Planck Research Award for International Cooperation" was presented to several researchers from a wide range of disciplines each year.


title: Max Planck Society

text: From 2004 to 2017, the "Max Planck Research Award" was conferred annually to two internationally renowned scientists, one of whom was working in Germany and one in another country. Calls for nominations for the award were invited on an annually rotating basis in specific sub-areas of the natural sciences and engineering, the life sciences, and the human and social sciences. The objective of the Max Planck Society and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in presenting this joint research award was to give added momentum to specialist fields that were either not yet established in Germany or that deserved to be expanded.


title: Max Planck Society

text: Since 2018, the award has been succeeded by the "Max Planck-Humboldt Research Award", annually awarded to an internationally renowned mid-career researcher with outstanding future potential from outside Germany but having a strong interest in a research residency in Germany for limited time periods, alternately in the fields of natural and engineering sciences, human sciences, and life sciences, as well as the "Max Planck-Humboldt Medal" awarded to other two finalists.


title: Max Planck Society

text: The Max Planck Society is formally an "eingetragener Verein", a registered association with the institute directors as scientific members having equal voting rights. The society has its registered seat in Berlin, while the administrative headquarters are located in Munich. Since June 2014, materials scientist Martin Stratmann has been the President of the Max Planck Society.


title: Max Planck Society

text: Funding is provided predominantly from federal and state sources, but also from research and license fees and donations. One of the larger donations was the castle Schloss Ringberg near Kreuth in Bavaria, which was pledged by Luitpold Emanuel in Bayern (Duke in Bavaria). It passed to the Society after the duke died in 1973, and is now used for conferences.


title: Max Planck Society

text: The Max Planck Society consists of over 80 research institutes. In addition, the society funds a number of Max Planck Research Groups (MPRG) and International Max Planck Research Schools (IMPRS). The purpose of establishing independent research groups at various universities is to strengthen the required networking between universities and institutes of the Max Planck Society.


title: Max Planck Society

text: The research units are primarily located across Europe with a few in South Korea and the U.S. In 2007, the Society established its first non-European centre, with an institute on the Jupiter campus of Florida Atlantic University focusing on neuroscience.


title: Max Planck Society

text: The Max Planck Institutes operate independently from, though in close cooperation with, the universities, and focus on innovative research which does not fit into the university structure due to their interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary nature or which require resources that cannot be met by the state universities.


title: Max Planck Society

text: Internally, Max Planck Institutes are organized into research departments headed by directors such that each MPI has several directors, a position roughly comparable to anything from full professor to department head at a university. Other core members include Junior and Senior Research Fellows.


title: Max Planck Society

text: Max Planck Society also has a collaborative center with Princeton University—Max Planck Princeton Research Center for Plasma Physics—located in Princeton, New Jersey, in the U.S. The latest Max Planck Research Center has been established at Harvard University in 2016 as the Max Planck Harvard Research Center for the Archaeoscience of the Ancient Mediterranean.


title: Max Planck Society

text: Together with the Association of Universities and other Education Institutions in Germany, the Max Planck Society established numerous International Max Planck Research Schools (IMPRS) to promote junior scientists: