British Columbia British Columbia ( BC ) is the westernmost province of Canada , with a population of more than four million people located between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains .  British Columbia is also a component of the Pacific Northwest and the Cascadia bioregion , along with the U.S. states of Idaho , Oregon , Washington , Alaska , and western Montana .   The first British settlement in the area was Fort Victoria , established in 1843 , which gave rise to the city of Victoria , at first the capital of the separate Colony of Vancouver Island . Subsequently , on the mainland , the Colony of British Columbia ( 1858 -- 66 ) was founded by Richard Clement Moody and the Royal Engineers , Columbia Detachment , in response to the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush . Moody was Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works for the Colony and the first Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia : he was hand-picked by the Colonial Office in London to transform British Columbia into the British Empire 's `` bulwark in the farthest west '' , and `` to found a second England on the shores of the Pacific '' . Moody selected the site for and founded the original capital of British Columbia , New Westminster , established the Cariboo Road and Stanley Park , and designed the first version of the Coat of arms of British Columbia . Port Moody is named after him .   In 1866 , Vancouver Island became part of the colony of British Columbia , and Victoria became the united colony 's capital . In 1871 , British Columbia became the sixth province of Canada . Its Latin motto is Splendor sine occasu ( `` Splendour without Diminishment '' ) .   The capital of British Columbia remains Victoria , the fifteenth-largest metropolitan region in Canada , named for the Queen who created the original European colonies . The largest city is Vancouver , the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada , the largest in Western Canada , and the third-largest in the Pacific Northwest . In October 2013 , British Columbia had an estimated population of 4,606,371 ( about 2.5 million of whom were in Greater Vancouver ) . The province is currently governed by the BC Liberal Party , led by Premier Christy Clark , who became leader as a result of a leadership convention vote on February 26 , 2011 , and who led her party to an election victory on May 14 , 2013 .   British Columbia evolved from British possessions that were established in what is now British Columbia by 1871 . First Nations , the original inhabitants of the land , have a history of at least 10,000 years in the area . Today there are few treaties and the question of Aboriginal Title , long ignored , has become a legal and political question of frequent debate as a result of recent court actions . Notably , the Tsilhqot ` in Nation has established Aboriginal title to a portion of their territory , as a result of the recent Supreme Court of Canada decision ( William -LSB- Tsilhqot ` in Nation -RSB- v. British Columbia ) .   BC 's economy is diverse , with service producing industries accounting for the largest portion of the province 's GDP . It is the endpoint of transcontinental railways , and the site of major Pacific ports that enable international trade . Though less than 5 % of its vast 944735 km2 land is arable , the province is agriculturally rich ( particularly in the Fraser and Okanagan valleys ) , because of milder weather near the coast and in certain sheltered southern valleys . Its climate encourages outdoor recreation and tourism , though its economic mainstay has long been resource extraction , principally logging , farming , and mining . Vancouver , the province 's largest city and metropolitan area , also serves as the headquarters of many western-based natural resource companies . It also benefits from a strong housing market and a per capita income well above the national average . While the coast of British Columbia and certain valleys in the south-central part of the province have mild weather , the majority of its land mass experiences a cold-winter-temperate climate similar to that of the rest of Canada . The Northern Interior region has a subarctic climate with very cold winters . The climate of Vancouver is by far the mildest winter climate of the major Canadian cities , with nighttime January temperatures averaging above the freezing point .


Alan Menken Alan Irwin Menken ( born July 22 , 1949 ) is an American musical theatre and film score composer and pianist . Menken is best known for his scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios . His scores for The Little Mermaid , Beauty and the Beast , Aladdin , and Pocahontas have each won him two Academy Awards . He also composed the scores for Little Shop of Horrors ( 1986 ) , Newsies ( 1992 ) , The Hunchback of Notre Dame ( 1996 ) , Hercules ( 1997 ) , Enchanted ( 2007 ) , Tangled ( 2010 ) and Sausage Party ( 2016 ) , among others . He is also known for his work on musical theatre works for Broadway and elsewhere . Some of these are based on his Disney films , but other stage hits include Little Shop of Horrors ( 1982 ) , A Christmas Carol ( 1994 ) and Sister Act ( 2009 ) .   Menken has collaborated with such lyricists as Howard Ashman , Tim Rice , Glenn Slater , Stephen Schwartz and David Zippel . With eight Academy Award wins ( four each for Best Score and Best Song ) , Menken is the second most prolific Oscar winner in the music categories after Alfred Newman , who has nine Oscars . He has also won eleven Grammy Awards , a Tony Award and other honors .


Tim Rice Sir Timothy Miles Bindon `` Tim '' Rice ( born 10 November 1944 ) is an English author and Academy Award , Golden Globe Award , Tony Award , and Grammy Award-winning lyricist . He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber , with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat , Jesus Christ Superstar , and Evita ; with Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA , with whom he wrote Chess ; for additional songs for the 2011 West End revival of The Wizard of Oz ; and for his work for Walt Disney Studios with Alan Menken ( Aladdin , Beauty and the Beast , King David ) , Elton John ( The Lion King , Aida , The Road to El Dorado ) and Ennio Morricone .   One of the most celebrated lyricists in British popular culture , Rice was knighted by Elizabeth II for services to music in 1994 . He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , is an inductee into the Songwriter 's Hall of Fame , is a Disney Legend recipient , and is a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters , Composers and Authors . The 2016 Sunday Times Rich List values Rice at # 150m ; the 15th richest music millionaire in the UK .


Boyz II Men is from the United States of America.

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania -LSB- pɛnsᵻlˈveɪnjə -RSB- ( Pennsylvania German : Pennsylvaani or Pennsilfaani ) , officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , is a state located in the northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States . The Appalachian Mountains run through its middle . The commonwealth borders Delaware to the southeast , Maryland to the south , West Virginia to the southwest , Ohio to the west , Lake Erie and the Canadian province of Ontario to the northwest , New York to the north , and New Jersey to the east .   Pennsylvania is the 33rd largest , the 5th most populous , and the 9th most densely populated of the 50 United States . The state 's five most populous cities are Philadelphia ( 1,560,297 ) , Pittsburgh ( 305,801 ) , Allentown ( 118,577 ) , Erie ( 100,671 ) , and Reading ( 89,893 ) . The state capital , and its ninth-largest city , is Harrisburg . Pennsylvania has 140 mi of shoreline along Lake Erie and the Delaware Estuary .   The state is one of the 13 original founding states of the United States ; it came into being in 1681 as a result of a royal land grant to William Penn , the son of the state 's namesake . Part of Pennsylvania ( along the Delaware River ) , together with the present State of Delaware , had earlier been organized as the Colony of New Sweden . It was the second state to ratify the United States Constitution , on December 12 , 1787 . Independence Hall , where the United States Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution were drafted , is located in the state 's largest city of Philadelphia . During the American Civil War , the Battle of Gettysburg , was fought in the south central region of the state . Valley Forge near Philadelphia was General Washington 's headquarters during the bitter winter of 1777 -- 78 .


Boyz II Men Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group from Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , best known for emotional ballads and acappella harmonies . Formerly a quartet including bass Michael McCary , they are currently a trio composed of baritone Nathan Morris alongside tenors Wanya Morris and Shawn Stockman . During the 1990s , Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet . McCary left the group in 2003 due to health issues and contractual agreements .   During the 1990s , Boyz II Men gained international success . This began with the release of the number one single `` End of the Road '' in 1992 , which reached the top of charts worldwide . `` End of the Road '' would set a new record for longevity , staying at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for thirteen weeks , breaking the decades-old record held by Elvis Presley . Boyz II Men proceeded to break this record with the subsequent releases of `` I 'll Make Love to You '' and `` One Sweet Day '' ( with Mariah Carey ) , which , at fourteen and sixteen weeks respectively , each set new records for the total number of weeks at number one . `` I 'll Make Love to You '' also topped the charts in Australia ( for four weeks ) and garnered international success . As of 2016 , `` One Sweet Day '' still holds the all-time record with sixteen weeks at the top of the Hot 100 .   Consequently , Boyz II Men are top ranking members with regard to time spent at number one in Billboard history , ranking in the fourth spot with 50 weeks ( as of 2014 ) . Furthermore , when `` On Bended Knee '' took the number one spot away from `` I 'll Make Love to You '' , Boyz II Men became only the third artists ever ( after The Beatles and Presley ) to replace themselves at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 . Boyz II Men are among a select group of artists that have held at the number-one spot for at least 50 weeks cumulatively , placing them just fourth on that list behind Elvis Presley , The Beatles , and Mariah Carey . These achievements were enough to earn Boyz II Men recognition as Billboard magazine 's fourth most successful musical group of the 1990s .   Boyz II Men continue to perform worldwide , as a trio . Their most recent studio album , Collide , was released in 2014 .


The Dark Half is an American horror film released in 1993.

The Dark Half (film) The Dark Half is a 1993 American horror film adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name . The film was directed by George A. Romero and stars Timothy Hutton as Thad Beaumont and George Stark , Amy Madigan as Liz Beaumont , Michael Rooker as Sheriff Alan Pangborn and Royal Dano in his final film .


The Greenland shark is in the Somniosidae family.

Greenland shark The Greenland shark ( Somniosus microcephalus ) , also known as the gurry shark , or grey shark , or by the Inuit name eqalussuaq , is a large shark of the family Somniosidae ( `` sleeper sharks '' ) , closely related to the Pacific and southern sleeper sharks . The distribution of this species is mostly restricted to the waters of the North Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean .   It has the longest known lifespan of all vertebrate species ( 392 ± 120 years ) , and is among the largest extant species of shark . As an adaptation to living at depth , it has a high concentration of trimethylamine N-oxide in its tissues , which causes the meat to be toxic . Greenland shark flesh treated to reduce toxin levels is eaten in Iceland as a delicacy known as kæstur hákarl .


Until Dawn was published by Sony Computer Entertainment.

Until Dawn Until Dawn is an interactive drama survival horror adventure video game developed by Supermassive Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 4 . It was originally scheduled to be released on the PlayStation 3 and feature PlayStation Move support , but in August 2014 the game was reintroduced as a PlayStation 4 exclusive , and was released worldwide in August 2015 .   Set in Western Canada , Until Dawn centers around a group of eight teenagers who decide to vacation for a night in a cabin on the fictional Blackwood Mountain , exactly one year after the disappearance of two girls , the twin sisters of a member of their group . Shortly after arriving , the gang find themselves under attack by a psychopath , and must attempt to survive until sunrise . Throughout the adventure , players alternate between all eight characters , making critical decisions as the story advances which drastically affects the game 's outcome , leading to hundreds of different scenarios .   Until Dawn was met with a positive critical response upon release , with praise directed at the visuals , ` choice ' mechanic , horror elements , music , characters , voice acting , and gameplay design . Most of the criticism the game drew concerned the second half of the story , the camera angles , character movement , and the game 's partially linear plot .


The Vampire Diaries premiered on television.

The CW The CW Television Network ( commonly referred to as just The CW ) is an American English language broadcast television network that is operated by The CW Network , LLC , a limited liability joint venture between CBS Corporation , the former owners of the United Paramount Network ( UPN ) , and the Warner Bros. . Entertainment division of Time Warner , former majority owner of The WB Television Network . The `` CW '' name is an acronym derived from the first letters of the names of its two parent corporations ( CBS and Warner Bros. ) .   The network made its debut on September 18 , 2006 , after its two predecessors , UPN and The WB , respectively ceased independent operations on September 15 and 17 of that year . The CW 's first two nights of programming -- on September 18 and 19 , 2006 -- consisted of reruns and launch-related specials . The CW marked its formal launch date on September 20 , 2006 , with the two-hour premiere of the seventh cycle of America 's Next Top Model . As of 2008 , the network 's programming lineup was intended to appeal mainly to women between the ages of 18 and 34 , although starting in 2011 the network increased in programming that appeal to men . The network currently runs programming six days a week : airing Monday through Fridays in the afternoon and in prime time , along with a Saturday morning live-action educational programming block produced by Litton Entertainment called One Magnificent Morning .   The CW is also available in Canada on cable , satellite and IPTV providers through stations owned-and-operated by CBS Corporation and affiliates that are located within proximity to the Canada -- United States border ( whose broadcasts of CW shows are subject to simultaneous substitution laws imposed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission , if a Canadian network holds the broadcast rights ) ; it is also available through two affiliates owned by Tribune Media that are classified in that country as superstations -- New York City affiliate WPIX and Los Angeles affiliate KTLA .   The CW is also available in Mexico through affiliates located near the Mexico -- U.S. border ( such as XETV-TDT/Tijuana-San Diego , KECY-DT3 in El Centro , California , KVIA-DT2 in El Paso , and KCWT-CD and simulcasters KFXV-LD2 and KNVO-DT4 in McAllen -- Brownsville , Texas ) on pay television providers . In both countries , some CW affiliates are receivable over-the-air in border areas depending on the station 's signal coverage .


The Vampire Diaries The Vampire Diaries is an American supernatural drama television series developed by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec , based on the popular book series of the same name written by L. J. Smith . The series premiered on The CW on September 10 , 2009 and concluded on March 10 , 2017 , airing 171 episodes over eight seasons .   The pilot episode attracted the largest audience for The CW of any series premiere since the network began in 2006 . The first season averaged 3.60 million viewers . It was the most-watched series on the network before being supplanted by Arrow . The show has received numerous award nominations , winning four People 's Choice Award and many Teen Choice Awards .   On April 26 , 2013 , The CW officially announced that the spin-off The Originals , which focuses on the Original family of vampires , had been ordered to series , and the show began airing during the 2013 -- 14 American television season .   On April 6 , 2015 , lead actress Nina Dobrev confirmed via Instagram that she and co-star Michael Trevino ( who plays Tyler Lockwood ) would be leaving the show after its sixth season . Dobrev returned to record a voiceover for the seventh-season finale . Trevino appeared as a guest star in season seven and returned for season 8 . On March 11 , 2016 , The CW renewed the series for an eighth season , but on July 23 , 2016 , announced that the eighth season , which would have 16 episodes , would be the show 's last . The final season began airing on October 21 , 2016 .


Teen Wolf (2011 TV series) Teen Wolf is an American television series developed by Jeff Davis for MTV . It is loosely based on the 1985 film of the same name , and stars Tyler Posey as a teenager named Scott McCall , who is bitten by a werewolf and must cope with how it affects his life and the lives of those closest to him , and Dylan O'Brien as `` Stiles '' Stilinski , Scott 's best friend . The series has received generally positive reviews from critics and is a fan favorite on social media .   Teen Wolf premiered on June 5 , 2011 , following the 2011 MTV Movie Awards . On July 9 , 2015 , Teen Wolf was renewed for a sixth season of 20 episodes , which premiered on November 15 , 2016 . On July 21 , 2016 , the cast announced at Comic Con that the sixth season would be the series ' final .


Dylan O'Brien Dylan O'Brien ( born August 26 , 1991 ) is an American actor . He first received attention as `` Stiles '' Stilinski in the MTV series Teen Wolf , and transitioned to film in projects such as The First Time , The Internship and Deepwater Horizon , and as the lead in the dystopian science-fiction adventure series The Maze Runner , consisting of The Maze Runner and its sequel , Maze Runner : The Scorch Trials . He is set to reprise his role in the final installment , Maze Runner : The Death Cure , which , after some re-scheduling due to a serious on-set accident concerning O'Brien , is scheduled for a February 9 , 2018 release .


Donald Sutherland is in The Hunger Games as an actor.

Donald Sutherland Donald McNichol Sutherland , ( born 17 July 1935 ) is a Canadian actor whose film career spans five decades .   Sutherland rose to fame after starring in series of successful films including The Dirty Dozen ( 1967 ) , M * A * S * H ( 1970 ) , Kelly 's Heroes ( 1970 ) , Klute ( 1971 ) , Do n't Look Now ( 1973 ) , Fellini 's Casanova ( 1976 ) , 1900 ( 1976 ) , Animal House ( 1978 ) , Invasion of the Body Snatchers ( 1978 ) , Ordinary People ( 1980 ) and Eye of the Needle ( 1981 ) . Since then , he established himself as one of the most respected , prolific and versatile character actors of Canada .   He later went on to star in many other successful films where he appeared either in leading or supporting roles such as A Dry White Season ( 1989 ) , JFK ( 1991 ) , A Time to Kill ( 1996 ) , Without Limits ( 1998 ) , The Italian Job ( 2003 ) , Cold Mountain ( 2003 ) , Pride & Prejudice ( 2005 ) , Aurora Borealis ( 2006 ) and The Hunger Games franchise ( 2012 -- 2015 ) .   Sutherland has been nominated for eight Golden Globe Awards , winning two for his performances in the television films Citizen X ( 1995 ) and Path to War ( 2002 ) ; the former also brought him a Primetime Emmy Award . Inductee of Hollywood Walk of Fame and Canadian Walk of Fame , Sutherland has also received a Canadian Academy Award for the drama film Threshold ( 1981 ) . Several media outlets and movie critics describe him as one of the best actors who has never been nominated for an Oscar . He is father of actors Rossif Sutherland , Angus Sutherland , and Kiefer Sutherland .


Christian Bale did not act in multiple superhero films.

The Dark Knight Rises The Dark Knight Rises is a 2012 British-American superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan , who co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Jonathan Nolan , and the story with David S. Goyer . Featuring the DC Comics character Batman , the film is the final installment in Nolan 's Batman film trilogy , and the sequel to Batman Begins ( 2005 ) and The Dark Knight ( 2008 ) . Christian Bale reprises the lead role of Bruce Wayne/Batman , with a returning cast of allies : Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth , Gary Oldman as James Gordon , and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox . The film introduces Selina Kyle ( Anne Hathaway ) , and Bane ( Tom Hardy ) . Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight , merciless revolutionary Bane forces an older Bruce Wayne to resume his role as Batman and save Gotham City from nuclear destruction .   Christopher Nolan was hesitant about returning to the series for a second time , but agreed after developing a story with his brother and Goyer that he felt would conclude the series on a satisfactory note . Nolan drew inspiration from Bane 's comic book debut in the 1993 `` Knightfall '' storyline , the 1986 series The Dark Knight Returns , and the 1999 storyline `` No Man 's Land '' . Filming took place in locations including Jodhpur , London , Nottingham , Glasgow , Los Angeles , New York City , Newark , and Pittsburgh . Nolan used IMAX 70 mm film cameras for much of the filming , including the first six minutes of the film , to optimize the quality of the picture . A vehicle variation of the Batplane and Batcopter termed the `` Bat '' , an underground prison set , and a new Batcave set were created specifically for the film . As with The Dark Knight , viral marketing campaigns began early during production . When filming concluded , Warner Bros. refocused its campaign : developing promotional websites , releasing the first six minutes of the film , screening theatrical trailers , and sending out information regarding the film 's plot .   The Dark Knight Rises premiered in New York City on July 16 , 2012 . The film was released in the United States and the United Kingdom on July 20 , 2012 . It received positive reviews from critics , many of whom named it one of the best films of 2012 . Like its predecessor , the film grossed over $ 1 billion worldwide at the box office , making it the second film in the Batman film series to earn $ 1 billion . It is currently the 17th-highest-grossing film of all time , the third-highest-grossing film of 2012 , and the fourth-highest-grossing superhero film of all time .


Christian Bale Christian Charles Philip Bale ( born 30 January 1974 ) is an English actor . He has starred both in blockbuster films and smaller projects from independent producers and art houses .   Bale first caught the public eye at the age of 13 , when he was cast in the starring role of Steven Spielberg 's Empire of the Sun ( 1987 ) . Based on the original story by J. G. Ballard , Bale played an English boy who is separated from his parents and subsequently finds himself lost in a Japanese internment camp during World War II . In 2000 , he garnered critical acclaim for his portrayal of serial killer Patrick Bateman in American Psycho . He is known for going to great lengths to portray characters in films , notably for the psychological thriller The Machinist ( 2004 ) , where he lost 63 pounds ( 28.5 kg ) to play the role of Trevor Reznik .   Bale went on to receive greater commercial recognition for his starring role as Batman in Christopher Nolan 's Batman Begins ( 2005 ) , The Dark Knight ( 2008 ) and The Dark Knight Rises ( 2012 ) . His portrayal of Dicky Eklund in the David O. Russell-directed biographical film The Fighter ( 2010 ) , earned him critical acclaim and a number of awards , including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . He has since gained further acclaim as well as subsequent Academy Award , Screen Actors Guild Award and Golden Globe nominations for his roles in Russell 's American Hustle ( 2013 ) and Adam McKay 's The Big Short ( 2015 ) .


Batman Begins Batman Begins is a 2005 British-American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman , co-written and directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Christian Bale , Michael Caine , Liam Neeson , Katie Holmes , Gary Oldman , Cillian Murphy , Tom Wilkinson , Rutger Hauer , Ken Watanabe , and Morgan Freeman . The film reboots the Batman film series , telling the origin story of the title character ( Bale ) , from his alter ego Bruce Wayne 's initial fear of bats , the death of his parents , his journey to become Batman , and his fight to stop Ra 's al Ghul ( Neeson ) and the Scarecrow ( Murphy ) from plunging Gotham City into chaos . Comic book storylines such as The Man Who Falls , Batman : Year One , and Batman : The Long Halloween served as inspiration .   After a series of unsuccessful projects to resurrect Batman on screen following the critical failure and box office disappointment of Batman & Robin ( 1997 ) , Nolan and David S. Goyer began to work on the film in early 2003 and aimed for a darker and more realistic tone , with humanity and realism being the basis of the film . The goal was to get the audience to care for both Batman and Bruce Wayne . The film , which was primarily shot in Iceland and Chicago , relied on traditional stunts and miniatures , while computer-generated imagery was used minimally .   Batman Begins opened on June 15 , 2005 , in the United States and Canada in 3,858 theaters . It grossed over $ 48 million in its opening weekend in North America , eventually grossing over $ 374 million worldwide . The film received positive reviews and is considered by many to be one of the best superhero films of the 2000s . The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography and three BAFTA awards . It is followed by The Dark Knight ( 2008 ) and The Dark Knight Rises ( 2012 ) in a continual story-arc , which has later been referred to as The Dark Knight Trilogy .


Richmond, Virginia is a village of a commonwealth.

Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( -LSB- ˈrɪtʃmənd -RSB- ) is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States . It is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ) and the Greater Richmond Region . It was incorporated in 1742 , and has been an independent city since 1871 .   As of the 2010 census , the population was 204,214 ; in 2016 , the population was estimated to be 223,170 , the fourth-most populous city in Virginia . The Richmond Metropolitan Area has a population of 1,260,029 , the third-most populous metro in the state .   Richmond is located at the fall line of the James River , 44 mi west of Williamsburg , 66 mi east of Charlottesville , and 98 mi south of Washington , D.C. Surrounded by Henrico and Chesterfield counties , the city is located at the intersections of Interstate 95 and Interstate 64 , and encircled by Interstate 295 and Virginia State Route 288 . Major suburbs include Midlothian to the southwest , Glen Allen to the north and west , Short Pump to the west and Mechanicsville to the northeast .   The site of Richmond had been an important village of the Powhatan Confederacy , and was briefly settled by English colonists from Jamestown in 1609 , and in 1610 -- 1611 . The present city of Richmond was founded in 1737 . It became the capital of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia in 1780 . During the Revolutionary War period , several notable events occurred in the city , including Patrick Henry 's `` Give me liberty or give me death '' speech in 1775 at St. John 's Church , and the passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom written by Thomas Jefferson . During the American Civil War , Richmond served as the capital of the Confederate States of America . The city entered the 20th century with one of the world 's first successful electric streetcar systems . The Jackson Ward neighborhood is a national hub of African-American commerce and culture .   Richmond 's economy is primarily driven by law , finance , and government , with federal , state , and local governmental agencies , as well as notable legal and banking firms , located in the downtown area . The city is home to both the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit , one of 13 United States courts of appeals , and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond , one of 12 Federal Reserve Banks . Dominion Resources and MeadWestvaco , Fortune 500 companies , are headquartered in the city , with others in the metropolitan area .


The American Broadcasting Company is one of the Big Three television networks.

American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC ) is an American English language commercial broadcast television network that is owned by the Disney -- ABC Television Group , a subsidiary of the Disney Media Networks division of The Walt Disney Company . The network is headquartered on Columbus Avenue and West 66th Street in Manhattan , New York City . There are additional major offices and production facilities elsewhere in New York City , as well as in Los Angeles and Burbank , California .   Since 2007 , when ABC Radio ( also known as Cumulus Media Networks ) was sold to Citadel Broadcasting , ABC has reduced its broadcasting operations almost exclusively to television . The fifth-oldest major broadcasting network in the world and the youngest of the Big Three television networks , ABC is often nicknamed as `` The Alphabet Network '' , as its initialism also represents the first three letters of the English alphabet , in order .   ABC originally launched on October 12 , 1943 , as a radio network , separated from and serving as the successor to the NBC Blue Network , which had been purchased by Edward J. Noble . It extended its operations to television in 1948 , following in the footsteps of established broadcast networks CBS and NBC . In the mid-1950s , ABC merged with United Paramount Theatres , a chain of movie theaters that formerly operated as a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures . Leonard Goldenson , who had been the head of UPT , made the new television network profitable by helping develop and greenlight many successful series . In the 1980s , after purchasing an 80 % interest in cable sports channel ESPN , the network 's corporate parent , American Broadcasting Companies , Inc. , merged with Capital Cities Communications , owner of several print publications , and television and radio stations . In 1996 , most of Capital Cities/ABC 's assets were purchased by The Walt Disney Company .   The television network has eight owned-and-operated and over 232 affiliated television stations throughout the United States and its territories . Most Canadians have access to at least one U.S.-based ABC affiliate , either over-the-air ( in areas located within proximity to the Canada -- United States border ) or through a cable , satellite or IPTV provider , although most ABC programs are subject to simultaneous substitution regulations imposed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission that allow pay television providers to replace an American station 's signal with the feed of a Canadian broadcaster to protect domestic programming rights and advertising revenue . ABC News provides news and features content for select radio stations owned by Citadel Broadcasting , which purchased the ABC Radio properties in 2007 .


Steffi Graf refused to ever be a tennis player.

Steffi Graf Stefanie Maria `` Steffi '' Graf ( -LSB- ˈʃtɛfiː ˈgʁa : f -RSB- ; born 14 June 1969 ) is a German former tennis player , who was ranked world No. 1 during her career . Graf won 22 Grand Slam singles titles . Her 22 singles titles put her second on the list of Major wins by a tennis player ( male or female ) since the introduction of the Open Era in 1968 and is third all-time behind Margaret Court ( 24 ) and Serena Williams ( 23 ) . In 1988 , she became the first and only tennis player ( male or female ) to achieve the Golden Slam by winning all four Grand Slam singles titles and the Olympic gold medal in the same calendar year . Furthermore , she is the only tennis player to have won each Grand Slam event at least four times .   Graf was ranked world No. 1 by the Women 's Tennis Association ( WTA ) for a record 377 total weeks -- the longest period for which any player , male or female , has held the number-one ranking since the WTA and the Association of Tennis Professionals began issuing rankings . She won 107 singles titles , which ranks her third on the WTA 's all-time list after Martina Navratilova ( 167 titles ) and Chris Evert ( 157 titles ) . She and Margaret Court are the only players , male or female , to win three grand slams in a calendar year five times ( 1988 , 1989 , 1993 , 1995 and 1996 ) .   Notable features of Graf 's game were her versatility across all playing surfaces , footwork and her powerful forehand drive . Graf won six French Open singles titles ( second to Evert ) , seven Wimbledon singles titles , four Australian Open titles , and five U.S. Open singles titles . She is the only singles player ( male or female ) to have achieved a Grand Slam since hard court was introduced as a surface at the US Open in 1978 . Consequently , Graf 's Grand Slam was achieved on grass , clay , and hard court while the previous five Grand Slams were decided on only grass and clay . Graf reached thirteen consecutive Grand Slam singles finals , from the 1987 French Open through to the 1990 French Open , winning nine of them . She won 5 consecutive Majors ( 1988 Australian Open to 1989 Australian Open ) , and seven Majors out of eight , in two calendar years ( 1988 Australian Open to 1989 US Open , except 1989 French Open ) . She reached a total of 31 Grand Slam singles finals .   Graf is regarded by some to be the greatest female tennis player of all time . Navratilova included Graf on her list of great players . In 1999 Billie Jean King said `` Steffi is definitely the greatest women 's tennis player of all time '' . In December 1999 , Graf was named the greatest female tennis player of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by the Associated Press . Tennis writer Steve Flink , in his book The Greatest Tennis Matches of the Twentieth Century , named her as the best female player of the 20th century . In March 2012 , Tennis Channel picked Graf as the greatest female tennis player ever in their list of 100 greatest tennis players of all time .   Graf retired in 1999 while she was ranked World No. 3 . She married former World No. 1 men 's tennis player Andre Agassi in October 2001 . The couple has two children -- Jaden Gil and Jaz Elle . Graf was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004 .


There is a Christian state called Monaco.

Christian state A Christian state is a country that recognizes a form of Christianity as its official religion and often has a state church , which is a Christian denomination that supports the government and is supported by the government . Historically , the nations of Armenia , Aksum , Georgia , as well as the Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire declared themselves as Christian states . Today , several nations officially identify themselves as Christian states and/or have state churches , including Costa Rica , Denmark , England , Greece , Iceland , Liechtenstein , Monaco , Tonga , Tuvalu , Vatican City , and Zambia . A Christian state stands in contrast to a secular state , an atheist state , or another religious state , such as a Jewish state , or an Islamic state .


David Carradine David Carradine ( born John Arthur Carradine ; December 8 , 1936 -- June 3 , 2009 ) was an American actor and martial artist . He was known for his leading role as a peace-loving Shaolin monk , Kwai Chang Caine , in the 1970s television series Kung Fu . He was also known for playing Frankenstein in the original Death Race movie and Bill in both Kill Bill films .   He was a member of an acting family that began with his father , John Carradine . Carradine 's acting career , which included major and minor roles on stage and television , and in cinema , spanned over four decades . A prolific `` B '' movie actor , he appeared in more than 100 feature films in career spanning over sixty years . He was nominated for four Golden Globe Awards , for projects such as the television series Kung Fu ( 1972 -- 1975 ) , the Woody Guthrie biopic Bound for Glory ( 1976 ) and the miniseries North and South ( 1985 ) . His final nomination came in the category of Best Supporting Actor for portraying the titular character in Quentin Tarantino 's Kill Bill : Volume 2 ( 2004 ) .   Films that featured Carradine continued to be released after his death . These posthumous credits were from a variety of genres including action , documentaries , drama , horror , martial arts , science fiction , and westerns . In addition to his acting career , Carradine was a director and musician . Moreover , influenced by his most popular acting role , he studied martial arts .   He was sometimes arrested and prosecuted for a variety of offenses , which often involved substance abuse . He died on June 3 , 2009 , in a hotel room in Bangkok , Thailand from auto-erotic asphyxiation .


J. K. Rowling Joanne Rowling , ( -LSB- ˈrəʊlɪŋ -RSB- born 31 July 1965 ) , pen names J. K. Rowling and Robert Galbraith , is a British novelist , screenwriter and film producer best known as the author of the Harry Potter fantasy series . The books have gained worldwide attention , won multiple awards , and sold more than 400 million copies . They have become the best-selling book series in history and been the basis for a series of films over which Rowling had overall approval on the scripts and maintained creative control by serving as a producer on the final instalment .   Born in Yate , Gloucestershire , England , Rowling was working as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International when she conceived the idea for the Harry Potter series while on a delayed train from Manchester to London in 1990 . The seven-year period that followed saw the death of her mother , birth of her first child , divorce from her first husband and relative poverty until she finished the first novel in the series , Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone , in 1997 . There were six sequels , the last , Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , in 2007 . Since then , Rowling has written four books for adult readers : The Casual Vacancy ( 2012 ) and -- under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith -- the crime fiction novels The Cuckoo 's Calling ( 2013 ) , The Silkworm ( 2014 ) and Career of Evil ( 2015 ) .   Rowling has lived a `` rags to riches '' life story , in which she progressed from living on state benefits to multi-millionaire status within five years . She is the United Kingdom 's best-selling living author , with sales in excess of # 238M . The 2016 Sunday Times Rich List estimated Rowling 's fortune at # 600 million , ranking her as the joint 197th richest person in the UK . Time magazine named her as a runner-up for its 2007 Person of the Year , noting the social , moral , and political inspiration she has given her fans . In October 2010 , Rowling was named the `` Most Influential Woman in Britain '' by leading magazine editors . She has supported charities including Comic Relief , One Parent Families , Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain and Lumos ( formerly the Children 's High Level Group ) .


Mexico has a population of over 100 million.

Mexico Mexico ( México , -LSB- ˈme.xi.ko -RSB- , modern Nahuatl ) , officially the United Mexican States ( -LSB- Estados Unidos Mexicanos , links = no -RSB- , ) , is a federal republic in the southern portion of North America . It is bordered to the north by the United States ; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean ; to the southeast by Guatemala , Belize , and the Caribbean Sea ; and to the east by the Gulf of Mexico . Covering almost two million square kilometers ( over 760,000 sq mi ) , Mexico is the sixth largest country in the Americas by total area and the 13th largest independent nation in the world . With an estimated population of over 120 million , it is the eleventh most populous country and the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world while being the second most populous country in Latin America . Mexico is a federation comprising 31 states and a federal district that is also its capital and most populous city . Other metropolises include Guadalajara , Monterrey , Puebla , Toluca , Tijuana and León .   Pre-Columbian Mexico was home to many advanced Mesoamerican civilizations , such as the Olmec , Toltec , Teotihuacan , Zapotec , Maya and Aztec before first contact with Europeans . In 1521 , the Spanish Empire conquered and colonized the territory from its base in Mexico-Tenochtitlan , which was administered as the viceroyalty of New Spain . Three centuries later , this territory became Mexico following recognition in 1821 after the colony 's Mexican War of Independence . The tumultuous post-independence period was characterized by economic instability and many political changes . The Mexican -- American War ( 1846 -- 48 ) led to the territorial cession of the extensive northern territories to the United States . The Pastry War , the Franco-Mexican War , a civil war , two empires and a domestic dictatorship occurred through the 19th century . The dictatorship was overthrown in the Mexican Revolution of 1910 , which culminated with the promulgation of the 1917 Constitution and the emergence of the country 's current political system .   Mexico has the fifteenth largest nominal GDP and the eleventh largest by purchasing power parity . The Mexican economy is strongly linked to those of its North American Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA ) partners , especially the United States . Mexico was the first Latin American member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) , joining in 1994 . It is classified as an upper-middle income country by the World Bank and a newly industrialized country by several analysts . By 2050 , Mexico could become the world 's fifth or seventh largest economy . The country is considered both a regional power and middle power , and is often identified as an emerging global power . Due to its rich culture and history , Mexico ranks first in the Americas and seventh in the world by number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites . Mexico is a megadiverse country , ranking fourth in the world by biodiversity . In 2016 it was the eighth most visited country in the world , with 35 million international arrivals . Mexico is a member of the United Nations , the World Trade Organization , the G8 +5 , the G20 , the Uniting for Consensus and the Pacific Alliance .


Katrina Kaif Katrina Kaif ( -LSB- kəˈʈriːnaː ˈkɛːf -RSB- , born Katrina Turquotte , 16 July 1983 ) is a British film actress and model known for her work in Indian films . She has appeared primarily in Hindi films , as well as Telugu and Malayalam films . In addition to being one of Bollywood 's highest-paid actresses , she is considered one of India 's most attractive celebrities by media .   Born in Hong Kong , Kaif and her family lived in several countries before she moved to London . She received her first modelling assignment as a teenager and later pursued a career as a fashion model . At a fashion show in London , filmmaker Kaizad Gustad spotted Kaif and decided to cast her in Boom ( 2003 ) , a critical and commercial failure . While filming in India , Kaif received modelling assignments and established a successful modelling career . However , filmmakers were hesitant to cast her due to her poor command of Hindi . After appearing in the Telugu film , Malliswari ( 2004 ) , Kaif earned commercial success in Bollywood with the romantic comedies Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya ? ( 2005 ) and Namastey London ( 2007 ) . She followed with a series of box-office hits , but was criticised for her acting , repetitive roles and inclination to male-dominated films .   Kaif 's performance in the 2009 terrorism drama New York was better received , earning her a Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination . After roles in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani ( 2009 ) , Raajneeti ( 2010 ) and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara ( 2011 ) , she received her second Filmfare nomination for her performance in Mere Brother Ki Dulhan ( 2011 ) . Kaif featured in the thrillers Ek Tha Tiger ( 2012 ) and Dhoom 3 ( 2013 ) , both of which rank among the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time . Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics for her acting prowess , she has established herself as a commercially successful actress of Hindi cinema .   In addition to acting , Kaif is involved with her mother 's charity and participates in stage shows . She is guarded about her personal life , which is a subject of media scrutiny , as is her background .


Crime fiction Crime fiction is the literary genre that fictionalises crimes , their detection , criminals , and their motives . It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as historical fiction or science fiction , but the boundaries are indistinct . Crime fiction has multiple subgenres , including detective fiction ( such as the whodunit ) , courtroom drama , hard-boiled fiction and legal thrillers . Suspense and mystery are key elements that are nearly ubiquitous to the genre .


Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie , Lady Mallowan , DBE ( née Miller ; 15 September 1890 -- 12 January 1976 ) was an English crime novelist , short story writer and playwright . She is best known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , particularly those revolving around her fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple . She also wrote the world 's longest-running play , a murder mystery , The Mousetrap , and six romances under the name Mary Westmacott . In 1971 she was made a Dame for her contribution to literature .   Christie was born into a wealthy upper-middle-class family in Torquay , Devon . She served in a Devon hospital during the First World War , tending to troops coming back from the trenches , before marrying and starting a family in London . She was initially an unsuccessful writer , but this all changed for the better when The Mysterious Affair at Styles was published in 1920 featuring Hercule Poirot . During the Second World War she worked as a pharmacy assistant at University College Hospital , London during the Blitz and acquired a good knowledge of poisons which featured in many of her novels .   Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling novelist of all time . Her novels have sold roughly 2 billion copies , and her estate claims that her works come third in the rankings of the world 's most-widely published books , behind only Shakespeare 's works and the Bible . According to Index Translationum , she remains the most-translated individual author -- having been translated into at least 103 languages . And Then There Were None is Christie 's best-selling novel , with 100 million sales to date , making it the world 's best-selling mystery ever , and one of the best-selling books of all time .  Christie 's stage play The Mousetrap holds the world record for longest initial run . It opened at the Ambassadors Theatre in the West End on 25 November 1952 and is still running after more than 25,000 performances .   In 1955 , Christie was the first recipient of the Mystery Writers of America 's highest honour , the Grand Master Award . Later the same year , Witness for the Prosecution received an Edgar Award by the MWA for Best Play .  In 2013 , The Murder of Roger Ackroyd was voted the best crime novel ever by 600 fellow writers of the Crime Writers ' Association . On 15 September 2015 , coinciding with her 125th birthday , And Then There Were None was named the `` World 's Favourite Christie '' in a vote sponsored by the author 's estate . Most of her books and short stories have been adapted for television , radio , video games and comics , and more than thirty feature films have been based on her work .


And Then There Were None And Then There Were None is a mystery novel by English writer Agatha Christie , widely considered her masterpiece and described by her as the most difficult of her books to write . It was first published in the United Kingdom by the Collins Crime Club on 6 November 1939 , as Ten Little Niggers , after the British blackface song , which serves as a major plot point . The US edition was not released until December 1939 ; its American reprints and adaptations were all retitled And Then There Were None , after the last five words in the nursery rhyme `` Ten Little Indians '' .   It is Christie 's best-selling novel ; with more than 100 million copies sold , it is also the world 's best-selling mystery and one of the best-selling books of all time . Publications International lists the novel as the seventh best-selling title .


Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards ( popularly called the Edgars ) , named after Edgar Allan Poe , are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America , based in New York City . They honor the best in mystery fiction , non-fiction , television , film , and theater published or produced in the previous year .


The Mousetrap The Mousetrap is a murder mystery play by Agatha Christie . The Mousetrap opened in London 's West End in 1952 , and has been running continuously since then . The longest running West End show , it has by far the longest initial run of any play in history , with its 25,000 th performance taking place on 18 November 2012 . The play is known for its twist ending , which the audience are traditionally asked not to reveal after leaving the theatre .


The Mysterious Affair at Styles The Mysterious Affair at Styles is a detective novel by Agatha Christie . It was written in the middle of the First World War , in 1916 , and first published by John Lane in the United States in October 1920 and in the United Kingdom by The Bodley Head ( John Lane 's UK company ) on 21 January 1921 . The US edition retailed at $ 2.00 and the UK edition at seven shillings and sixpence ( 7/6 ) .   Styles was Christie 's first published novel . It introduced Hercule Poirot , Inspector ( later , Chief Inspector ) Japp , and Arthur Hastings . Poirot , a Belgian refugee of the Great War , is settling in England near the home of Emily Inglethorp , who helped him to his new life . His friend Hastings arrives as a guest at her home . When the woman is killed , Poirot uses his detective skills to solve the mystery . This is also the setting of Curtain , Poirot 's last case .   The book includes maps of the house , the murder scene , and a drawing of a fragment of a will . The true first publication of the novel was as a weekly serial in the The Times , including the maps of the house and other illustrations included in the book . This novel was one of the first ten books published by Penguin Books when it began in 1935 .   This first mystery novel by Agatha Christie was well received by reviewers . An analysis in 1990 was positive about the plot , considered the novel one of the few by Christie that is well-anchored in time and place , a story that knows it describes the end of an era , and mentions that the plot is clever . Christie had not mastered cleverness in her first novel , as `` too many clues tend to cancel each other out '' ; this was judged a difficulty `` which Conan Doyle never satisfactorily overcame , but which Christie would . ''


Harry Potter is based on the books of the same name.

Harry Potter (film series) Harry Potter is a British-American film series based on the Harry Potter novels by author J. K. Rowling . The series is distributed by Warner Bros. and consists of eight fantasy films , beginning with Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone ( 2001 ) and culminating with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2 ( 2011 ) . A spin-off prequel series will consist of five films , starting with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them ( 2016 ) . The Fantastic Beasts films mark the beginning of a shared media franchise known as J. K. Rowling 's Wizarding World .   The series was mainly produced by David Heyman , and stars Daniel Radcliffe , Rupert Grint , and Emma Watson as the three leading characters : Harry Potter , Ron Weasley , and Hermione Granger . Four directors worked on the series : Chris Columbus , Alfonso Cuarón , Mike Newell , and David Yates . The screenplays were written by Steve Kloves , with the exception of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ( 2007 ) , which was written by Michael Goldenberg . Production took over ten years to complete , with the main story arc following Harry Potter 's quest to overcome his arch-enemy Lord Voldemort .   Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , the seventh and final novel in the series , was adapted into two feature-length parts . Part 1 was released in November 2010 , and Part 2 was released in July 2011 .   Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ( 2004 ) is the only film in the series not among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time , with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2 , the highest-grossing film in the series and one of 30 films to gross over $ 1 billion , ranking at number 8 . Without inflation adjustment , it is the second highest-grossing film series with $ 8.5 billion in worldwide receipts .


Scarlett Johansson directed Girl with a Pearl Earring.

Girl with a Pearl Earring (film) Girl with a Pearl Earring is a 2003 drama film directed by Peter Webber . The screenplay was adapted by screenwriter Olivia Hetreed , based on the novel of the same name by Tracy Chevalier . Scarlett Johansson stars as Griet , a young 17th-century servant in the household of the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer ( played by Colin Firth ) at the time he painted Girl with a Pearl Earring ( 1665 ) in the city of Delft in Holland . Other cast members include Tom Wilkinson , Cillian Murphy , and Judy Parfitt .   Hetreed read the novel before its publication , and her husband 's production company convinced Chevalier to sell the film rights . Initially , the production was to feature Kate Hudson as Griet with Mike Newell directing . Hudson withdrew shortly before filming began , however , and the film was placed in hiatus until the hire of Webber , who re-initiated the casting process . In this , which was his feature film debut , Webber sought to avoid employing traditional characteristics of the period film drama . Cinematographer Eduardo Serra used distinctive lighting and colour schemes similar to Vermeer 's paintings .   Released on 12 December 2003 in North America and on 16 January 2004 in the United Kingdom , Girl with a Pearl Earring earned a worldwide gross of $ 31,466,789 . It garnered a mostly positive critical reception , with a 72 % approval rating from Rotten Tomatoes . Critics generally applauded the film 's visuals and performances while questioning elements of its story . The film was subsequently nominated for ten British Academy Film Awards , three Academy Awards , and two Golden Globe Awards .


Blackhat stars Tang Wei who is a Chinese actor.

Tang Wei Tang Wei ( ; born October 7 , 1979 ) is a Chinese actress . She rose to prominence for her appearance in Lust , Caution ( 2007 ) .


Blackhat (film) Blackhat is a 2015 American action thriller mystery film co-written , co-produced and directed by Michael Mann . The film stars Chris Hemsworth , Tang Wei , Viola Davis , Holt McCallany , and Wang Leehom . The film premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on January 8 , 2015 , and was released in theaters on January 16 . Blackhat was a box office bomb , earning only $ 19.7 million at the box office against a budget of $ 70 million . While the movie received generally mixed-to-negative reviews , with criticisms focused on casting and pace , some critics found brilliance in the film , enough to place the film in some critics ' year-end lists .


Norway has large reserves of fresh water.

Norway Norway ( -LSB- Norgehelp = no -RSB- ( Bokmål ) or ( Nynorsk ) ) , officially the Kingdom of Norway , is a sovereign state and unitary monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula plus the island Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard . The Antarctic Peter I Island and the sub-Antarctic Bouvet Island are dependent territories and thus not considered part of the Kingdom . Norway also lays claim to a section of Antarctica known as Queen Maud Land . Until 1814 , the kingdom included the Faroe Islands , Greenland and Iceland . It also included Bohuslän until 1658 , Jämtland and Härjedalen until 1645 , Shetland and Orkney until 1468 , and the Hebrides and Isle of Man until 1266 .   Norway has a total area of 385252 km2 and a population of 5,258,317 ( as of January 2017 ) . The country shares a long eastern border with Sweden ( 1,619 km or 1,006 mi long ) . Norway is bordered by Finland and Russia to the north-east , and the Skagerrak Strait to the south , with Denmark on the other side . Norway has an extensive coastline , facing the North Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea .   King Harald V of the Dano-German House of Glücksburg is the current King of Norway . Erna Solberg became Prime Minister in 2013 , replacing Jens Stoltenberg . A constitutional monarchy , Norway divides state power between the Parliament , the Cabinet and the Supreme Court , as determined by the 1814 Constitution . The kingdom is established as a merger of several petty kingdoms . By the traditional count from the year 872 , the kingdom has existed continuously for 1,144 years and the list of Norwegian monarchs includes over sixty kings and earls .   Norway has both administrative and political subdivisions on two levels : counties and municipalities . The Sámi people have a certain amount of self-determination and influence over traditional territories through the Sámi Parliament and the Finnmark Act . Norway maintains close ties with the European Union and the United States . Norway is a founding member of the United Nations , NATO , the Council of Europe , the Antarctic Treaty and the Nordic Council ; a member of the European Economic Area , the WTO and the OECD ; and is also a part of the Schengen Area .   The country maintains a combination of market economy and a Nordic welfare model with universal health care and a comprehensive social security system . Norway has extensive reserves of petroleum , natural gas , minerals , lumber , seafood , fresh water and hydropower . The petroleum industry accounts for around a quarter of the country 's gross domestic product ( GDP ) . On a per-capita basis , Norway is the world 's largest producer of oil and natural gas outside the Middle East .   The country has the fourth-highest per capita income in the world on the World Bank and IMF lists . On the CIA 's GDP ( PPP ) per capita list ( 2015 estimate ) which includes territories and some regions , Norway ranks as number eleven . From 2001 to 2006 , and then again from 2009 to 2017 , Norway had the highest Human Development Index ranking in the world . It also has the highest inequality-adjusted ranking . Norway ranks first on the World Happiness Report , the OECD Better Life Index , the Index of Public Integrity and the Democracy Index .


The Jackson family are American citizens

Jackson family The Jackson family is an American family of singers who originated in Gary , Indiana . Performing as members of The Jackson 5 and as solo artists , the children of Joseph Walter and Katherine Esther Jackson were very successful in the field of popular music from the late 1960s onwards . As a group , the eldest sons Jackie , Tito , Jermaine , Marlon , Randy and Michael , made the family 's reputation , facilitating the subsequent success of siblings Rebbie , La Toya , and Janet . The Jackson 5 became known as the `` First Family of Soul '' ( a title first held by the Five Stairsteps ) . The continued success of Michael and Janet 's careers as solo artists led the Jacksons to become known as the `` Royal Family of Pop '' . All nine of the Jackson siblings have gold records to their credits with La Toya holding the distinction of being the first Jackson sister to attain one ( awarded by France 's SNEP for `` Reggae Night '' , a song she co-wrote for Jimmy Cliff ) .   In recent years , certain members of the family have been honored for their work ; in 1997 The Jackson 5 was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . Michael would follow the group to the hall in 2001 . The Jacksons , Michael and Janet all received stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980 , 1984 and 1990 respectively . In 2009 a new series from A&E entitled The Jacksons : A Family Dynasty premiered documenting the Jackson brothers dealing with the sudden loss of Michael and preparing for a Jackson 5 Reunion tour .


Sandra Bullock Sandra Annette Bullock ( -LSB- 's ændrə_ˈbʊlək -RSB- born July 26 , 1964 ) is an American actress , producer , and philanthropist .   Bullock made her acting debut with a minor role in the 1987 thriller Hangmen , and made her television debut in the film Bionic Showdown : The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman ( 1989 ) , and played the lead role in the short-lived NBC sitcom Working Girl . Her breakthrough role was in the film Demolition Man ( 1993 ) . She subsequently starred in several successful films including Speed ( 1994 ) , While You Were Sleeping ( 1995 ) , The Net ( 1995 ) , A Time to Kill ( 1996 ) , Hope Floats ( 1998 ) , and Practical Magic ( 1998 ) .   Bullock achieved further success in the following decades in Miss Congeniality ( 2000 ) , Two Weeks Notice ( 2002 ) , Crash ( 2004 ) , The Proposal ( 2009 ) , and The Heat ( 2013 ) . She was awarded the Academy Award for Best Actress and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama for playing Leigh Anne Tuohy in The Blind Side ( 2009 ) , and was nominated in the same categories for her performance in Gravity ( 2013 ) . Bullock 's greatest commercial success is the animated comedy film Minions ( 2015 ) , which grossed over US$ 1 billion at the box office . In 2007 , she was one of Hollywood 's highest-paid actresses . She was also named `` Most Beautiful Woman '' by People magazine in 2015 .   In addition to her acting career , Bullock is the founder of the production company Fortis Films . She has produced some of the films in which she starred , including Two Weeks Notice , Miss Congeniality 2 : Armed and Fabulous , and All About Steve . She was an executive producer of the ABC sitcom , George Lopez , and made several appearances during its run .


Jennifer Esposito Jennifer Esposito ( born April 11 , 1973 ) is an American actress , author , baker , and health advocate . Esposito is most known for her appearances in the feature films Crash , Summer of Sam , Do n't Say a Word , and Welcome to Collinwood , and she is known for roles in several television series including , Spin City , Related , Samantha Who ? , Blue Bloods , and Mistresses among others . She currently appears as a regular cast member on the CBS hit television series NCIS in the role of Special Agent Alexandra `` Alex '' Quinn .


Matt Dillon Matthew Raymond Dillon ( born February 18 , 1964 ) is an American actor and film director . He made his feature film debut in Over the Edge ( 1979 ) and established himself as a teen idol by starring in films such as My Bodyguard ( 1980 ) , Little Darlings ( 1980 ) , Tex ( 1982 ) , Rumble Fish ( 1983 ) The Outsiders ( 1983 ) and The Flamingo Kid ( 1984 ) . From the late 1980s onward , Dillon achieved further success , starring in such films as Drugstore Cowboy ( 1989 ) , Singles ( 1992 ) , The Saint of Fort Washington ( 1993 ) , To Die For ( 1995 ) , Beautiful Girls ( 1996 ) , In & Out ( 1997 ) , There 's Something About Mary ( 1998 ) , and Wild Things ( 1998 ) . In a 1991 article , famed movie critic Roger Ebert referred to him as the best actor within his age group , along with Sean Penn. .   In the 2000s , he made his directing debut with City of Ghosts ( 2002 ) and went on to star in the films Factotum ( 2005 ) , You , Me and Dupree ( 2006 ) , Nothing but the Truth ( 2008 ) , Sunlight Jr. ( 2013 ) and Going in Style ( 2017 ) . For Crash ( 2004 ) , he won an Independent Spirit Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . He had earlier been nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for narrating Jack Kerouac 's On the Road . Since 2015 , he has starred in the FOX television series Wayward Pines , for which he was nominated for a Saturn Award in 2016 .


Don Cheadle Donald Frank Cheadle Jr. ( -LSB- ˈtʃiːdəl -RSB- born November 29 , 1964 ) is an American actor , writer , producer , and director . He had an early role in Hamburger Hill ( 1987 ) , before building his career in the 1990s with performances in Devil in a Blue Dress ( 1995 ) , Rosewood ( 1997 ) and Boogie Nights ( 1997 ) . He started a collaboration with director Steven Soderbergh that resulted in the films Out of Sight ( 1998 ) , Traffic ( 2000 ) and Ocean 's Eleven ( 2001 ) . Other films include Volcano ( 1997 ) , The Rat Pack ( 1998 ) , Things Behind the Sun ( 2001 ) , Swordfish ( 2001 ) , Crash ( 2004 ) , Ocean 's Twelve ( 2004 ) , Ocean 's Thirteen ( 2007 ) , Reign Over Me ( 2007 ) , Talk to Me ( 2007 ) , Traitor ( 2008 ) and The Guard . Cheadle co-wrote , directed and starred in Miles Ahead ( 2015 ) , based on the life of jazz musician Miles Davis .  He plays the superhero Colonel James ` Rhodey ' Rhodes / War Machine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and has appeared in Iron Man 2 ( 2010 ) , Iron Man 3 ( 2013 ) , Avengers : Age of Ultron ( 2015 ) and Captain America : Civil War ( 2016 ) .   In 2004 , Cheadle earned critical acclaim for his lead role as Rwandan hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina in the genocide drama film Hotel Rwanda , which was set during the Rwandan Genocide , and which earned him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actor . He stars as Marty Kaan on the Showtime sitcom House of Lies , for which he won a Golden Globe Award in 2013 .   Cheadle has campaigned to end the genocide in Darfur , Sudan , and co-authored , with John Prendergast , a book about this issue , Not On Our Watch : The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond . With George Clooney , Brad Pitt , Matt Damon , David Pressman , and Jerry Weintraub , Cheadle co-founded the Not On Our Watch Project , an organization focusing global attention and resources to stop and prevent mass atrocities . In 2010 , Cheadle was named U.N. Environment Program Goodwill Ambassador .


Ryan Phillippe Matthew Ryan Phillippe ( -LSB- ˈfɪlᵻpi -RSB- born September 10 , 1974 ) is an American actor , director , and writer . After appearing as Billy Douglas on the soap opera One Life to Live , he came to fame in the late 1990s with starring roles in a string of films , including I Know What You Did Last Summer , Cruel Intentions , and 54 . In the 2000s , he appeared in several films , including Gosford Park ( 2001 ) , Crash ( 2004 ) , and war drama Flags of Our Fathers ( 2006 ) , Breach ( 2007 ) , and Stop-Loss ( 2008 ) . In 2010 , Phillippe starred as Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Greg Marinovich in The Bang-Bang Club . Currently , he stars in the lead role of Bob Lee Swagger in the USA Network thriller drama Shooter .   He was married to actress Reese Witherspoon from 1999 to 2007 ; together , they have a daughter and a son . He also has a daughter from a relationship with actress Alexis Knapp .


Crash (2004 film) Crash is a 2004 American ensemble drama film co-written , produced , and directed by Paul Haggis . The film is about racial and social tensions in Los Angeles . A self-described `` passion piece '' for Haggis , Crash was inspired by a real-life incident , in which his Porsche was carjacked in 1991 outside a video store on Wilshire Boulevard .   Several characters ' stories interweave during two days in Los Angeles : a black detective estranged from his mother ; his criminal younger brother and gang associate ; the white district attorney and his irritated , pampered wife ; a racist white police officer who disgusts his more idealistic younger partner ; an African-American Hollywood director whose wife must deal with the officer ; a Persian-immigrant father who is wary of others ; and a hard-working Hispanic locksmith family man .   The film deals with racism in a rather impartial approach ; rather than separating the characters into victims and offenders , victims of racism are often shown to be prejudiced themselves in different contexts and situations ; racist remarks and actions are often shown to stem from ignorance and misconception rather than malice .   The film features an ensemble cast including , Sandra Bullock , Don Cheadle , Matt Dillon , Jennifer Esposito , William Fichtner , Brendan Fraser , Terrence Howard , Chris `` Ludacris '' Bridges , Thandie Newton , Michael Peña , and Ryan Phillippe . Matt Dillon was particularly praised for his performance and received Academy Award , BAFTA , Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor . Additionally , the cast won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture . The film received six Academy Award nominations , including Best Picture and Best Director for Paul Haggis , and won three for Best Picture , Best Original Screenplay , and Best Film Editing at the 78th Academy Awards . It was also nominated for nine BAFTA awards , and won two , for Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress for Thandie Newton .


Bradley Cooper portrayed a rookie police officer in the crime drama The Place Beyond the Pines.

Bradley Cooper Bradley Charles Cooper ( born January 5 , 1975 ) is an American actor and producer . He was one of the world 's highest-paid actors for three years , and has been nominated for various accolades , including four Academy Awards , two BAFTA Awards and two Golden Globe Awards . Cooper appeared in Forbes Celebrity 100 on two occasions and Time list of 100 most influential people in the world in 2015 .   Cooper enrolled in the MFA program at the Actors Studio , New York City in 2000 . His career began with a guest role in the television series Sex and the City in 1999 and his film debut came two years later in Wet Hot American Summer . He first gained recognition as Will Tippin in the spy-action television show Alias ( 2001 -- 2006 ) , and achieved minor success with a supporting part in the comedy film Wedding Crashers ( 2005 ) . His breakthrough role came in 2009 with  The Hangover , a commercially successful comedy which spawned two sequels in 2011 and 2013 .   Cooper 's portrayal of a struggling writer in the thriller Limitless ( 2011 ) and a rookie police officer in the crime drama The Place Beyond the Pines ( 2012 ) drew praise from critics . He found greater success with the romantic comedy-drama Silver Linings Playbook ( 2012 ) , the black comedy crime film American Hustle ( 2013 ) , and the biopic American Sniper ( 2014 ) . For his work in these films , Cooper was nominated for Academy Awards -- two Best Actor , one Best Supporting Actor , and one Best Picture . Cooper became the tenth actor to receive an Academy Award nomination in three consecutive years . In 2014 , he portrayed Joseph Merrick in a Broadway revival of The Elephant Man , garnering a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play .


Janet Jackson was signed to the American record label A&M Records.

A&M Records A&M Records was an American record label founded as an independent label by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962 . Due to the success of the discography A&M released , the label garnered interest and was eventually acquired by PolyGram in 1989 and began distributing releases from Polydor Ltd. from the UK . Throughout its operations , A&M housed well-known acts such as Procol Harum , Captain & Tennille , Sting , Supertramp , Bryan Adams , Burt Bacharach , Liza Minnelli , The Carpenters , Paul Williams , Janet Jackson , Cat Stevens , Peter Frampton , Elkie Brooks , Carole King , Amy Grant , Joan Baez , The Police , CeCe Peniston , Soundgarden , and Sheryl Crow .   PolyGram was acquired by Seagram and dissolved into Universal Music Group in 1998 , and A&M 's operations were ceased in January 1999 when it was merged with Geffen Records and Interscope Records to form the record company Interscope Geffen A&M Records . In 2007 , Interscope Geffen A&M announced that A&M was revived as trademark and brand and was to be merged with Octone Records to form A&M Octone Records , which operated until 2013 , when A&M Octone was folded into Interscope . Today , A&M 's catalog releases are managed by Verve Records , Universal Music Enterprises and Interscope .


Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson ( born May 16 , 1966 ) is an American singer , songwriter , dancer and actress . Known for sonically innovative , socially conscious , and sexually provocative records , elaborate stage shows , and high-profile television and film roles , she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 30 years .   The youngest child of the Jackson family , she began her career with the variety television series The Jacksons in 1976 and went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s , including Good Times and Fame . After signing a recording contract with A&M Records in 1982 , she became a pop icon following the release of her third studio album Control ( 1986 ) . Her collaborations with record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis incorporated elements of rhythm and blues , funk , disco , rap , and industrial beats , which led to crossover success in popular music .   In 1991 Jackson signed the first of two record-breaking multimillion-dollar contracts with Virgin Records , establishing her as one of the highest paid artists in the industry . Her debut album under the label , Janet ( 1993 ) , saw her develop a public image as a sex symbol as she began to explore sexuality in her work . That same year , she appeared in her first starring film role in Poetic Justice ; she has continued to act in feature films . By the end of the 1990s , she was the second most successful recording artist of the decade . The release of her seventh studio album All for You ( 2001 ) coincided with a celebration of her impact on popular music as the inaugural MTV Icon . After parting ways with Virgin she released her tenth studio album , Discipline ( 2008 ) , her first and only album with Island Records . In 2015 she partnered with BMG Rights Management to launch her own record label , Rhythm Nation , and released her eleventh studio album Unbreakable the same year .   Having sold over 100 million records , Jackson is one of the best-selling artists in the history of contemporary music . She has amassed an extensive catalog , with singles such as `` Nasty '' , `` Rhythm Nation '' , `` That 's the Way Love Goes '' , `` Together Again '' and `` All for You '' ; she holds the record for the most consecutive top 10 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart by a female artist with 18 . In 2016 , Billboard placed her number seven on its list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists , and in 2010 ranked her fifth among the `` Top 50 R&B / Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years '' . In December 2016 , the magazine named her the second most successful dance club artist of all-time . One of the world 's most awarded artists , her longevity , records and achievements reflect her influence in shaping and redefining the scope of popular music . She has been cited as an inspiration among numerous performers .


Oliver Reed Robert Oliver Reed ( 13 February 1938 -- 2 May 1999 ) was an English actor known for his upper-class , macho image , hellraiser lifestyle , and `` tough guy '' roles . Notable films include The Trap ( 1966 ) , Oliver ! ( 1968 ) , Women in Love ( 1969 ) , Hannibal Brooks ( 1969 ) , The Devils ( 1971 ) , The Three Musketeers ( 1973 ) , Tommy ( 1975 ) , Lion of the Desert ( 1981 ) , Castaway ( 1986 ) , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen ( 1988 ) and Funny Bones ( 1995 ) . For Gladiator ( 2000 ) , his final film , Reed was posthumously nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role .   At the peak of his career , in 1971 , British exhibitors voted Reed 5th most popular star at the box office .


The Devils (film) The Devils is a 1971 British historical drama horror film directed by Ken Russell and starring Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave . Russell 's screenplay is based partly on the 1952 book The Devils of Loudun by Aldous Huxley , and partly on the 1960 play The Devils by John Whiting , also based on Huxley 's book .   The film is a dramatised historical account of the rise and fall of Urbain Grandier , a 17th-century Roman Catholic priest executed for witchcraft following the supposed possessions in Loudun , France . Reed plays Grandier in the film and Vanessa Redgrave plays a hunchbacked sexually repressed nun who finds herself inadvertently responsible for the accusations .   The film faced harsh reaction from national film rating systems due to its disturbingly violent , sexual , and religious content , and originally received an X rating in both the United Kingdom and the United States . It was banned in several countries , and eventually heavily edited for release in others . The film has never received a release in its original , uncut form in various countries , and is largely unavailable in the home video market .


Saswata Chatterjee refuses to work in film.

Saswata Chatterjee Saswata Chatterjee ( শাশ্বত চ্যাটার্জী ; also known as Apu ) is an Indian actor of television and films based in Kolkata . Born to actor Subhendu Chatterjee , Saswata Chatterjee began his career with a Hindi serial directed by Saibal Mitra , based on Samaresh Majumdar 's Kaalpurush . He gained popularity by portraying the character of Topshe in a Feluda-based television series directed by Sandip Ray . His acting in many Bengali films has been praised by the critics , including his portrayal of a Ritwik Ghatak-inspired character in the 2013 film Meghe Dhaka Tara . He enjoyed success at the national level in Sujoy Ghosh 's 2012 blockbuster Hindi film , Kahaani , where he played an assassin .


Ballet Shoes premiered on American television.

Ballet Shoes (film) Ballet Shoes is a 2007 British television film , adapted by Heidi Thomas from Noel Streatfeild 's 1936 novel Ballet Shoes . It was produced by Granada Productions ( formerly Granada Television ) and premiered on BBC One on 26 December 2007 . It is directed by Sandra Goldbacher .   A previous adaptation of Ballet Shoes was produced in serial  format by the BBC in 1975 and directed by Timothy Combe . `` Ballet Shoes '' co-stars former Harry Potter stars Emma Watson as Pauline Fossil , Gemma Jones as Dr. Jakes , and the late Richard Griffiths as Gum .


BBC One BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom , Isle of Man and Channel Islands . It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service , and was the world 's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution . It was renamed BBC TV in 1960 , using this name until the launch of sister channel BBC2 in 1964 , whereupon the BBC TV channel became known as BBC1 , with the current spelling adopted in 1997 .   The channel 's annual budget for 2012 -- 13 is # 1.14 billion . The channel is funded by the television licence fee together with the BBC 's other domestic television stations , and therefore shows uninterrupted programming without commercial advertising . It is currently the most watched television channel in the United Kingdom , ahead of its traditional rival for ratings leadership , ITV .   the channel controller for BBC One is Charlotte Moore , who succeeded Danny Cohen initially as an Acting Controller from May 2013 .


Advertising Advertising is an audio or visual form of marketing communication that employs an openly sponsored , nonpersonal message to promote or sell a product , service or idea . Sponsors of advertising are often businesses who wish to promote their products or services . Advertising is differentiated from public relations in that an advertiser usually pays for and has control over the message . It is differentiated from personal selling in that the message is nonpersonal , i.e. , not directed to a particular individual .  Advertising is communicated through various mass media , including old media such as newspapers , magazines , Television , Radio , outdoor advertising or direct mail ; or new media such as search results , blogs , websites or text messages . The actual presentation of the message in a medium is referred to as an advertisement or `` ad '' .   Commercial ads often seek to generate increased consumption of their products or services through `` branding , '' which associates a product name or image with certain qualities in the minds of consumers . On the other hand , ads that intend to elicit an immediate sale are known as direct response advertising . Non-commercial advertisers who spend money to advertise items other than a consumer product or service include political parties , interest groups , religious organizations and governmental agencies . Non-profit organizations may use free modes of persuasion , such as a public service announcement . Advertising may also be used to reassure employees or shareholders that a company is viable or successful .   Modern advertising was created with the techniques introduced with tobacco advertising in the 1920s , most significantly with the campaigns of Edward Bernays , considered the founder of modern , `` Madison Avenue '' advertising .   In 2015 , the world spent an estimate of on advertising . Its projected distribution for 2017 is 40.4 % on TV , 33.3 % on digital , 9 % on newspapers , 6.9 % on magazines , 5.8 % on outdoor and 4.3 % on radio . Internationally , the largest ( `` big four '' ) advertising conglomerates are Interpublic , Omnicom , Publicis , and WPP .   In Latin , ad vertere means `` to turn toward '' .


Jingle A jingle is a short song or tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses . The jingle contains one or more hooks and meaning that explicitly promote the product or service being advertised , usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans . Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television commercials ; they can also be used in non-advertising contexts to establish or maintain a brand image . Jingles are a form of sound branding . Many jingles are also created using snippets of popular songs , in which lyrics are modified to appropriately advertise the product or service .


Dirt (TV Series) was made by Johnny Depp.

Dirt (TV series) Dirt ( styled d!rt for logos ) is an American television serial broadcast on the FX network . It premiered on January 2 , 2007 and starred Courteney Cox as Lucy Spiller , the editor-in-chief of the first-of-its-kind `` glossy tabloid '' magazine DirtNow , which was previously two separate publications : dirt ( a tabloid ) and Now ( a glossy magazine with a more respectable reputation ) .   A 13-episode second and final season was announced on May 8 , 2007 . Only seven episodes were produced prior to the 2007 WGA strike shut down production . The shortened second season began airing on March 2 , 2008 .   The show was created by Matthew Carnahan and produced by Coquette Productions and ABC Studios .   On June 8 , 2008 , FX canceled the series after two seasons .


Indonesia's wilderness supports a variety of computers.

Indonesia Indonesia ( -LSB- ɪndəˈniːʒə -RSB- or -LSB- ˌɪndoʊˈniːziə -RSB- ; Indonesian : -LSB- ɪndonesia -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Indonesia ( -LSB- rɛpublik ɪndonesia -RSB- ) , is a unitary sovereign state and transcontinental country located mainly in Southeast Asia with some territories in Oceania . Situated between the Indian and Pacific oceans , it is the world 's largest island country , with more than seventeen thousand islands . At 1,904,569 km2 , Indonesia is the world 's 14th-largest country in terms of land area and world 's 7th-largest country in terms of combined sea and land area . It has an estimated population of over 260 million people and is the world 's fourth most populous country , the most populous Austronesian nation , as well as the most populous Muslim-majority country . The world 's most populous island , Java , contains more than half of the country 's population .   Indonesia 's republican form of government includes an elected legislature and president . Indonesia has 34 provinces , of which five have Special Administrative status . Its capital and country 's most populous city is Jakarta , which is also the most populous city in Southeast Asia and the second in Asia . The country shares land borders with Papua New Guinea , East Timor , and the eastern part of Malaysia . Other neighbouring countries include Singapore , Vietnam , the Philippines , Australia , Palau , and the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands . Despite its large population and densely populated regions , Indonesia has vast areas of wilderness that support the world 's second highest level of biodiversity . The country has abundant natural resources like oil and natural gas , tin , copper and gold . Agriculture mainly produces rice , palm oil , tea , coffee , cacao , medicinal plants , spices and rubber . Indonesia 's major trading partners are Japan , United States , China and the surrounding countries of Singapore , Malaysia and Australia .   The Indonesian archipelago has been an important region for trade since at least the 7th century , when Srivijaya and then later Majapahit traded with China and India . Local rulers gradually absorbed foreign cultural , religious and political models from the early centuries CE , and Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms flourished . Indonesian history has been influenced by foreign powers drawn to its natural resources . Muslim traders and Sufi scholars brought the now-dominant Islam , while European powers brought Christianity and fought one another to monopolise trade in the Spice Islands of Maluku during the Age of Discovery . Following three and a half centuries of Dutch colonialism starting from Amboina and Batavia , and eventually all of the archipelago including Timor and Western New Guinea , at times interrupted by Portuguese , French and British rule , Indonesia secured its independence after World War II .   Indonesia consists of hundreds of distinct native ethnic and linguistic groups , with the largest -- and politically dominant -- ethnic group being the Javanese . The population is unevenly spread throughout the islands within a variety of habitats and levels of development , ranging from the megalopolis of Jakarta to uncontacted tribes in the east . A shared identity has developed , defined by a national language , ethnic diversity , religious pluralism within a Muslim-majority population , and a history of colonialism and rebellion against it . Indonesia 's national motto , `` Bhinneka Tunggal Ika '' ( `` Unity in Diversity '' literally , `` many , yet one '' ) , articulates the diversity that shapes the country . Indonesia 's economy is the world 's 16th largest by nominal GDP and the 8th largest by GDP at PPP , the largest in Southeast Asia , and is considered an emerging market and newly industrialised country . Indonesia has been a member of the United Nations since 1950 . Indonesia was an organizer of the Bandung Conference and was the founder of Non-Aligned Movement ; and also the founding member of Association of Southeast Asian Nations , Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation , East Asia Summit , and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation . Indonesia is a member of the G20 major economies and World Trade Organization .


Buckingham Palace is the residence of the reigning monarch.

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace ( -LSB- ˈbʌkɪŋəm_ˈpælɪs -RSB- ) is the London residence and administrative headquarters of the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom . Located in the City of Westminster , the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality . It has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning .   Originally known as Buckingham House , the building at the core of today 's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 on a site that had been in private ownership for at least 150 years . It was acquired by King George III in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte and became known as The Queen 's House . During the 19th century it was enlarged , principally by architects John Nash and Edward Blore , who constructed three wings around a central courtyard . Buckingham Palace became the London residence of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837 .   The last major structural additions were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries , including the East front , which contains the well-known balcony on which the royal family traditionally congregates to greet crowds . The palace chapel was destroyed by a German bomb during World War II ; the Queen 's Gallery was built on the site and opened to the public in 1962 to exhibit works of art from the Royal Collection .   The original early 19th-century interior designs , many of which survive , include widespread use of brightly coloured scagliola and blue and pink lapis , on the advice of Sir Charles Long . King Edward VII oversaw a partial redecoration in a Belle Époque cream and gold colour scheme . Many smaller reception rooms are furnished in the Chinese regency style with furniture and fittings brought from the Royal Pavilion at Brighton and from Carlton House . The palace has 775 rooms , and the garden is the largest private garden in London . The state rooms , used for official and state entertaining , are open to the public each year for most of August and September and on some days in winter and spring .


Kathy Bates received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress.

Kathy Bates Kathleen Doyle Bates ( born June 28 , 1948 ) is an American actress . Bates began her career on the stage , and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Play in 1983 for her performance in ` night , Mother . She rose to prominence with her performance in Misery ( 1990 ) , for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress . She followed this with major roles in Fried Green Tomatoes ( 1991 ) and Dolores Claiborne ( 1995 ) , before playing a featured role as Molly Brown in Titanic ( 1997 ) , which was at the time the highest grossing film of all time .   Bates ' television work has resulted in 14 Emmy Award nominations , two of which were for her starring role on the television series Harry 's Law , and most recently a win for her highly praised appearance in the third season of FX horror-thriller series American Horror Story , where she portrayed the real life socialite Madame Marie Delphine LaLaurie . She won another Emmy Award in 2012 for her portrayal as the ghost of Charlie Harper on CBS comedy series Two and a Half Men , a role formerly portrayed by Charlie Sheen .


The Great Buck Howard The Great Buck Howard is a 2008 American comedy-drama film directed by Sean McGinly that stars Colin Hanks and John Malkovich . Tom Hanks also appears as the father of his real-life son 's character . The character Buck Howard is inspired by the mentalist The Amazing Kreskin , whose popularity was at its height in the 1970s . The film premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival on January 18 , 2008 . It is the first Walden Media film to be distributed by Magnolia Pictures .


Schindler's List premiered on November 12, 1993.

Schindler's List Schindler 's List is a 1993 American epic historical period drama film directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg and scripted by Steven Zaillian . It is based on the novel Schindler 's Ark by Australian novelist Thomas Keneally . The film relates a period in the life of Oskar Schindler , an ethnic German businessman , during which he saved the lives of more than a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees from the Holocaust by employing them in his factories during World War II . It stars Liam Neeson as Schindler , Ralph Fiennes as SS officer Amon Göth , and Ben Kingsley as Schindler 's Jewish accountant Itzhak Stern .   Ideas for a film about the Schindlerjuden ( Schindler Jews ) were proposed as early as 1963 . Poldek Pfefferberg , one of the Schindlerjuden , made it his life 's mission to tell the story of Schindler . Spielberg became interested in the story when executive Sidney Sheinberg sent him a book review of Schindler 's Ark. . Universal Pictures bought the rights to the novel , but Spielberg , unsure if he was ready to make a film about the Holocaust , tried to pass the project to several other directors before finally deciding to direct the film himself .   Principal photography took place in Kraków , Poland , over the course of 72 days in 1993 . Spielberg shot the film in black and white and approached it as a documentary . Cinematographer Janusz Kamiński wanted to give the film a sense of timelessness . John Williams composed the score , and violinist Itzhak Perlman performs the film 's main theme .   Schindler 's List premiered on November 30 , 1993 , in Washington , D.C. and it was released on December 15 , 1993 , in the United States . Often listed among the greatest films ever made , it was also a box office success , earning $ 321.2 million worldwide on a $ 22 million budget . It was the recipient of seven Academy Awards ( out of twelve nominations ) , including Best Picture , Best Director , Best Adapted Screenplay , and Best Original Score , as well as numerous other awards ( including seven BAFTAs and three Golden Globes ) . In 2007 , the American Film Institute ranked the film 8th on its list of the 100 best American films of all time . The Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2004 .


Saratoga (film) Saratoga is a 1937 American romantic comedy film written by Anita Loos and directed by Jack Conway . The film stars Clark Gable and Jean Harlow in their sixth and final film collaboration , and features Lionel Barrymore , Frank Morgan , Walter Pidgeon , Hattie McDaniel , and Margaret Hamilton .   Jean Harlow died before filming was finished , and it was completed using stand-ins . Saratoga was MGM 's biggest moneymaker of 1937 .


At the 1989 Emmy Awards Lonesome Dove (miniseries) had 18 nominations.

Lonesome Dove (miniseries) Lonesome Dove is an American epic Western adventure television miniseries directed by Simon Wincer . It is a four-part adaptation of the 1985 novel of the same name by Larry McMurtry and is the first installment in the Lonesome Dove series . The series stars Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones . The series was originally broadcast by CBS from February 5 to 8 , 1989 , drawing a huge viewing audience , earning numerous awards , and reviving both the television western and the miniseries .   An estimated 26 million homes tuned in to watch Lonesome Dove , unusually high numbers for a Western at that time . The western genre was considered dead by most people , as was the miniseries . By the show 's end , it had earned huge ratings and virtually revamped the entire 1989 -- 1990 television season . A favorite with audiences , as well as critics , Lonesome Dove garnered many honors and awards . At the 1989 Emmy Awards , the miniseries had 18 nominations and seven wins , including one for director Simon Wincer . Lonesome Dove also won two Golden Globes , for Best Miniseries and Best Actor in a Miniseries ( Robert Duvall ) .


Mike Pence lost a US congressional election in the state of Indiana.

Mike Pence Michael Richard Pence ( born June 7 , 1959 ) is an American politician , lawyer , and the 48th and current Vice President of the United States . He previously served as the 50th Governor of Indiana from 2013 to 2017 .   Born and raised in Columbus , Indiana , Pence graduated from Hanover College and earned a law degree from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law before entering private practice . After losing two bids for a U.S. congressional seat in 1988 and 1990 , he became a conservative radio and television talk show host from 1994 to 1999 . Pence was elected to the United States Congress in 2000 and represented and in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013 . He served as the chairman of the House Republican Conference from 2009 to 2011 . Pence positioned himself as a principled ideologue and supporter of the Tea Party movement , noting he was `` a Christian , a conservative , and a Republican , in that order . ''   Upon becoming Governor of Indiana in January 2013 , Pence initiated the largest tax cut in Indiana 's history , pushed for more funding for education initiatives , and continued to increase the state 's budget surplus . Pence signed bills intended to restrict abortions , including one that prohibited abortions if the reason for the procedure was the fetus 's race , gender , or disability . Pence stirred several high-profile controversies , including with his signature of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act , for which he encountered fierce resistance from moderate members of his party , the business community , and LGBT advocates . He later signed an additional bill acting as an amendment intended to protect LGBT people .   On November 8 , 2016 , Pence was elected as Vice President , after he dropped out of his gubernatorial re-election campaign in July to become the vice presidential running mate for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump , who went on to win the presidential election .