Virtual Console , sometimes abbreviated as VC , is a specialized section of the Wii Shop Channel and Nintendo eShop online services that allows players to purchase and download retro games ( mostly unaltered ) for Nintendo 's Wii and Wii U home gaming consoles and the Nintendo 3DS portable gaming console .   The Virtual Console lineup consists of titles originally released on past home and handheld consoles . These titles are run in their original forms through software emulation ( excluding GBA titles on 3DS ) , and can be purchased for between 500 and 1200 Wii Points ( Wii ) , US$ 2.99 and US$ 6.99 ( 3DS ) and US$ 4.99 and US$ 9.99 ( Wii U ) depending on system , rarity , and/or demand . Virtual Console 's library of past games currently consists of titles originating from the Nintendo Entertainment System , Super NES , Game Boy , Game Boy Color , Nintendo 64 , Game Boy Advance , Nintendo DS , and Wii , as well as Sega 's Master System and Genesis/Mega Drive , NEC 's TurboGrafx-16 , and SNK 's Neo Geo AES . The service for the Wii also includes games for platforms that were known only in select regions , such as the Commodore 64 ( Europe and North America ) and MSX ( Japan ) , as well as Virtual Console Arcade , which allows players to download video arcade games . Virtual Console titles have been downloaded over ten million times . The distribution of past games through the Virtual Console is one of Nintendo 's attempts at preventing software piracy .


One America News Network is abbreviated as OANN.

One America News Network One America News Network ( abbreviated as OANN ) , commonly referred to as One America News ( abbreviated as OAN ) , is an American cable news television channel that is owned by Herring Networks , Inc. . The network is headquartered in San Diego , California , and operates a news bureau in Washington , D.C. and New York City .   Originally envisioned as a conservative-oriented news network , OAN 's stated focus is delivering a credible source of national and international news 24/7 . OAN features news programming and political talk shows , along with network special documentary-style reports . OAN states a goal of delivering objective news coverage and political talk shows that illustrate a strong conservative view .   The channel was launched on July 4 , 2013 . One America has national carriage on DirecTV , Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-verse , along with a number of regional cable providers , including Frontier Communications , CenturyLink PRISM TV , Consolidated Communications , Buckeye Broadband , and GCI . On April 5 , 2017 , DirecTV started carrying OAN on channel 347 . As of April 2017 , One America News Network is available in 35 million homes .


Jennifer Garner is a board member of Save the Children.

Jennifer Garner Jennifer Anne Garner ( born April 17 , 1972 ) is an American actress . Her breakthrough film debut was in the comedy Dude , Where 's My Car ( 2000 ) . Following a supporting role in Pearl Harbor , Garner gained recognition for her performance as CIA officer Sydney Bristow in the ABC spy-action thriller Alias , which aired from 2001 to 2006 . For her work on the series , she won a Golden Globe Award and a SAG Award and received four Emmy Award nominations .   While working on Alias , Garner gained a cameo role in Catch Me if You Can ( 2002 ) , followed by a praised leading performance in the romantic comedy film 13 Going on 30 ( 2004 ) . Garner has appeared in supporting as well as lead film roles including the superhero films Daredevil ( 2003 ) and Elektra ( 2005 ) , the comedy-drama Juno ( 2007 ) , and the fantasy romantic comedy The Invention of Lying ( 2009 ) . In the 2010s , she appeared in the romantic-comedy film Valentine 's Day , the fantasy comedy-drama film The Odd Life of Timothy Green ( 2012 ) , the biographical drama Dallas Buyers Club ( 2013 ) , and the comedy Alexander and the Terrible , Horrible , No Good , Very Bad Day ( 2014 ) .   Garner works frequently as an activist for early childhood education and is a board member of Save the Children . She is also an advocate for anti-paparazzi campaigns among children of celebrities . Garner had a five-year relationship with Scott Foley from 1998 to 2003 , during which they married . Garner married Ben Affleck in 2005 , with whom she has three children ; they separated in 2015 and filed for divorce in April 2017 .


The Portuguese Empire existed during the Renaissance.

Portuguese Empire The Portuguese Empire ( Império Português ) , also known as the Portuguese Overseas ( Ultramar Português ) , was one of the largest and longest-lived empires in world history and the first colonial empire of the Renaissance . It existed for almost six centuries from the capture of Ceuta in 1415 to the grant of sovereignty to East Timor in 2002 .   The first era of the Portuguese empire originated at the beginning of the Age of Discovery . Initiated by the Kingdom of Portugal , it would eventually expand across the globe . Portuguese sailors began exploring the coast of Africa and the Atlantic archipelagos in 1418 -- 19 , using recent developments in navigation , cartography and maritime technology such as the caravel , in order that they might find a sea route to the source of the lucrative spice trade . In 1488 , Bartolomeu Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope , and in 1498 , Vasco da Gama reached India . In 1500 , either by an accidental landfall or by the crown 's secret design , Pedro Álvares Cabral discovered Brazil on the South American coast .   Over the following decades , Portuguese sailors continued to explore the coasts and islands of East Asia , establishing forts and factories as they went . By 1571 , a string of naval outposts connected Lisbon to Nagasaki along the coasts of Africa , the Middle East , India and South Asia . This commercial network and the colonial trade had a substantial positive impact on Portuguese economic growth ( 1500-1800 ) , when it accounted for about a fifth of Portugal 's per capita income .   When Philip II of Spain , I of Portugal , inherited the Portuguese crown in 1580 , this began a 60-year union between Spain and Portugal that has since been given the historiographic term of the Iberian Union . Though the realms continued to be administered separately , the Council of Portugal ruled the country and its empire from Madrid . As the King of Spain was also King of Portugal , Portuguese colonies became the subject of attacks by three rival European powers hostile to Spain : the Dutch Republic , England , and France . With its smaller population , Portugal was unable to effectively defend its overstretched network of trading posts , and the empire began a long and gradual decline . Eventually , Brazil became the most valuable colony of the second era until , as part of the wave of independence movements that swept the Americas during the early 19th century , it broke away in 1822 .   The third era represents the final stage of Portuguese colonialism after the decolonization of the Americas of the 1820s . The colonial possessions had been reduced to the African coastline ( expanded inland during the Scramble for Africa in the late 19th century ) , Portuguese Timor , and enclaves in India ( Goa ) and China ( Macau ) . The disastrous 1890 British Ultimatum led to the contraction of Portuguese ambitions in Africa .   Under António Salazar , the Second Portuguese Republic made some ill-fated attempts to hold on to its last remaining colonies and overseas provinces after the 1961 Indian annexation of Goa , embarking on the Portuguese Colonial War in Africa which lasted until the final overthrow of the regime in the Carnation Revolution of 1974 . Macau was returned to China in 1999 .


Scott Eastwood Scott Eastwood ( born Scott Clinton Reeves ; March 21 , 1986 ) is an American actor , model , and professional skydiver . He has appeared in the films Flags of Our Fathers ( 2006 ) , Gran Torino ( 2008 ) , Invictus ( 2009 ) , The Forger ( 2012 ) , Trouble with the Curve ( 2012 ) , Texas Chainsaw ( 2013 ) , Fury ( 2014 ) , The Perfect Wave ( 2014 ) , The Longest Ride ( 2015 ) , Mercury Plains ( 2016 ) , Suicide Squad ( 2016 ) , Snowden ( 2016 ) and The Fate of the Furious ( 2017 ) . He has also been the model for the fragrance Cool Water by Davidoff . He is the youngest son of Academy Award-winning actor-director Clint Eastwood and second youngest of Jacelyn Reeves .


Tall Story Tall Story is a 1960 American romantic comedy film made by Warner Bros. , directed by Joshua Logan and starring Anthony Perkins with Jane Fonda , in her first screen role , at the age of 22 . It is based on the 1957 novel `` The Homecoming Game '' by Howard Nemerov , which was the basis of a successful 1959 Broadway play , called Tall Story , by the writing team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse . The film was a considerable departure from Logan 's previous two projects , the drama Sayonara , which won multiple Academy Awards , and the blockbuster South Pacific and was Robert Redford 's first film ever , where he played an uncredited basketball player .   Tall Story is a farcical social satire of American campus life , making fun of the way college life can become a marriage market for some students . Fonda portrays a character who is the complete opposite of the independent liberated woman she later personified .


X-Men: Days of Future Past is a novel based on X-Men characters in comics.

X-Men: Days of Future Past X-Men : Days of Future Past is a 2014 American superhero film based on the fictional X-Men characters that appear in Marvel Comics . Directed by Bryan Singer , it is the seventh installment of the X-Men film series and acts as a sequel to both 2006 's X-Men : The Last Stand and 2011 's X-Men : First Class . The story , inspired by the 1981 Uncanny X-Men storyline `` Days of Future Past '' by Chris Claremont and John Byrne , focuses on two time periods , with Wolverine traveling back in time to 1973 to change history and prevent an event that results in doom for both humans and mutants . The film features an ensemble cast , including Hugh Jackman , James McAvoy , Michael Fassbender , Jennifer Lawrence , Halle Berry , Anna Paquin , Ellen Page , Peter Dinklage , Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart . Simon Kinberg wrote the screenplay from a story conceived by Jane Goldman , himself , and Matthew Vaughn .   Vaughn had directed First Class and was set to return in Days of Future Past before leaving for Kingsman : The Secret Service . Thus Singer , who had directed the first two X-Men films , made his return as a director , and brought along most of the crew from those productions . With a budget of $ 200 million , principal photography began in Montreal , Quebec in April 2013 and concluded in August the same year , with additional filming and pick-ups taking place in November 2013 and February 2014 . Twelve companies handled the visual effects .   X-Men : Days of Future Past premiered in New York City on May 10 , 2014 , and was theatrically released on May 23 . It became the best-reviewed film in the X-Men film series released thus far ( surpassed only by Logan in 2017 ) , being praised for its story , visual effects , action scenes , acting and thematic elements . During its theatrical run , the film earned over $ 747 million worldwide , making it the 6th highest grossing film of 2014 , as well as the second highest-grossing film in the series behind Deadpool . The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects , making it the first X-Men film to be nominated for an Oscar . A sequel , X-Men : Apocalypse , was released on May 27 , 2016 .


Richard Eyre Sir Richard Charles Hastings Eyre ( born 28 March 1943 ) is an English film , theatre , television and opera director .


Furious 7 began principal photography in the summer of 2013.

Furious 7 Furious 7 ( alternatively known as Fast & Furious 7 and Fast 7 ) is a 2015 American action film directed by James Wan and written by Chris Morgan . It is the seventh installment in The Fast and the Furious franchise . The film stars Vin Diesel , Paul Walker , Dwayne Johnson , Michelle Rodriguez , Tyrese Gibson , Chris ` Ludacris ' Bridges , Jordana Brewster , Djimon Hounsou , Kurt Russell , and Jason Statham . Furious 7 follows Dominic Toretto ( Diesel ) , Brian O'Conner ( Walker ) , and the rest of their team , who have returned to the United States to live normal lives after securing amnesty for their past crimes in Fast & Furious 6 ( 2013 ) , until Deckard Shaw ( Statham ) , a rogue special forces assassin seeking to avenge his comatose younger brother , puts the team in danger once again .   With the previous three installments set between 2 Fast 2 Furious ( 2003 ) and The Fast and the Furious : Tokyo Drift ( 2006 ) , Furious 7 is the first installment in the franchise to take place after Tokyo Drift . The film also marks the final film appearance of Walker , who died in a single-vehicle crash on November 30 , 2013 with filming only half-completed . Following Walker 's death , filming was delayed for script rewrites , and his brothers , Caleb and Cody , were used as stand-ins to complete his remaining scenes . These script rewrites completed the story arcs for both Walker and Brewster 's characters ( Brian O'Conner and Mia Toretto , respectively ) , causing both to be retired . As a result , it is also the final installment in the franchise to star Brewster .   Plans for a seventh installment were first announced in February 2012 when Johnson stated that production on the film would begin after the completion of Fast & Furious 6 . In April 2013 , Wan , predominantly known for horror films , was announced to direct the film in place of Justin Lin , who left the franchise after directing the previous four installments . Casting began in the same month with the re-signing of Diesel and Walker , and an initial release date was set . Principal photography began in Atlanta , Georgia , in September 2013 , resumed in April 2014 and ended in July 2014 , with other filming locations including Los Angeles , Colorado , Abu Dhabi , and Tokyo .   Furious 7 premiered in Los Angeles on April 1 , 2015 , and was theatrically released in the United States on April 3 , 2015 , playing in 3D , IMAX 3D , and 4DX internationally . Upon release , the film became a critical and commercial success , with praise being aimed at the film 's action sequences and its tribute to Walker . The film grossed $ 397.6 million worldwide during its opening weekend , which is the sixth highest-grossing opening of all time . The film has grossed over $ 1.5 billion worldwide -- more than the franchise 's first five installments combined -- making it the highest-grossing film of the franchise after just twelve days , the third highest-grossing film of 2015 and the sixth highest-grossing film of all time . A sequel , The Fate of the Furious , was released on April 14 , 2017 .


Prakash Jha Prakash Jha ( born 27 February 1952 ) is an Indian film producer , actor , director and screenwriter , mostly known for his political and socio-political films such as Damul ( 1984 ) , Mrityudand ( 1997 ) , Gangaajal ( 2003 ) , Apaharan ( 2005 ) , including multistarrer hit movies Raajneeti ( 2010 ) , Aarakshan ( 2011 ) Chakravyuh ( 2012 ) , and Satyagraha ( 2013 ) . He is also the maker of National Film Award winning documentaries like , Faces After The Storm ( 1984 ) and Sonal ( 2002 ) .   Jha runs a production company , Prakash Jha Productions . Jha also owns the P&M Mall in Patna .


Splatoon 2 is the only game in its franchise.

Splatoon 2 Splatoon 2 is an upcoming third-person shooter video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch . It is the sequel to the 2015 Wii U title , Splatoon , and is a team-based third-person shooter which is playable by up to eight players in online four-versus-four matches . The game was announced in January 2017 , and will be released worldwide in July 2017 .


Nepal was ruled by the Shah dynasty until 2008.

Shah dynasty The Shah dynasty was the ruling dynasty of the Kingdom of Gorkha until 1768 and of the Kingdom of Nepal from 1768 to 28 May 2008 .


Nepal fi     Nepal ( -LSB- Nepālhelp = no -RSB- -RCB- -RCB- -LSB- neˈpal -RSB- ) , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal , is a landlocked central Himalayan country in South Asia . Nepal is divided into 7 provinces and 75 districts and 744 local units including 4 metropolises , 13 sub-metropolises , 246 municipal councils and 481 villages . It has a population of 26.4 million and is the 93rd largest country by area . Bordering China in the north and India in the south , east , and west , it is the largest sovereign Himalayan state . Nepal does not border Bangladesh , which is located within only 27 km ( 17 mi ) of its southeastern tip . Neither does it border Bhutan due to the Indian state of Sikkim being located in between . Nepal has a diverse geography , including fertile plains , subalpine forested hills , and eight of the world 's ten tallest mountains , including Mount Everest , the highest point on Earth . Kathmandu is the nation 's capital and largest city . It is a multiethnic nation with Nepali as the official language .   The territory of Nepal has a recorded history since the Neolithic age . The name `` Nepal '' is first recorded in texts from the Vedic Age , the era which founded Hinduism , the predominant religion of the country . In the middle of the first millennium BCE , Gautama Buddha , the founder of Buddhism , was born in southern Nepal . Parts of northern Nepal were intertwined with the culture of Tibet . The Kathmandu Valley in central Nepal became known as Nepal proper because of its complex urban civilisation . It was the seat of the prosperous Newar confederacy known as Nepal Mandala . The Himalayan branch of the ancient Silk Road was dominated by the valley 's traders . The cosmopolitan region developed distinct traditional art and architecture . By the 18th century , the Gorkha Kingdom achieved the unification of Nepal . The Shah dynasty established the Kingdom of Nepal and later formed an alliance with the British Empire , under its Rana dynasty of premiers . The country was never colonised but served as a buffer state between Imperial China and Colonial India . In the 20th century , Nepal ended its isolation and forged strong ties with regional powers . Parliamentary democracy was introduced in 1951 , but was twice suspended by Nepalese monarchs in 1960 and 2005 . The Nepalese Civil War resulted in the proclamation of a republic in 2008 , ending the reign of the world 's last Hindu monarchy .   Modern Nepal is a federal secular parliamentary republic . It has seven states . Nepal is a developing nation , ranking 144th on the Human Development Index ( HDI ) in 2016 . The country struggles with the transition from a monarchy to a republic . It also suffers from high levels of hunger and poverty . Despite these challenges , Nepal is making steady progress , with the government declaring its commitment to elevate the nation from least developed country status by 2022 . Nepal also has a vast potential to generate hydropower for export .   Nepal 's foreign relations expanded after the Anglo-Nepal Treaty of 1923 , which was recognised by the League of Nations . After a Soviet veto in 1949 , Nepal was admitted to the United Nations in 1955 . Friendship treaties were signed with the Dominion of India in 1950 and the People 's Republic of China in 1960 . Nepal hosts the permanent secretariat of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation ( SAARC ) , of which it is a founding member . Nepal is also a member of the Non Aligned Movement and the Bay of Bengal Initiative . The military of Nepal is the fifth largest in South Asia and is notable for its Gurkha history , particularly during the world wars , and has been a significant contributor to United Nations peacekeeping operations .


The interior of Uranus is only composed of gas.

Uranus Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun . It has the third-largest planetary radius and fourth-largest planetary mass in the Solar System . Uranus is similar in composition to Neptune , and both have different bulk chemical composition from that of the larger gas giants Jupiter and Saturn . For this reason , scientists often classify Uranus and Neptune as `` ice giants '' to distinguish them from the gas giants . Uranus 's atmosphere is similar to Jupiter 's and Saturn 's in its primary composition of hydrogen and helium , but it contains more `` ices '' such as water , ammonia , and methane , along with traces of other hydrocarbons . It is the coldest planetary atmosphere in the Solar System , with a minimum temperature of 49 K , and has a complex , layered cloud structure with water thought to make up the lowest clouds and methane the uppermost layer of clouds . The interior of Uranus is mainly composed of ices and rock .   Uranus is the only planet whose name is derived from a figure from Greek mythology , from the Latinised version of the Greek god of the sky Ouranos . Like the other giant planets , Uranus has a ring system , a magnetosphere , and numerous moons . The Uranian system has a unique configuration among those of the planets because its axis of rotation is tilted sideways , nearly into the plane of its solar orbit . Its north and south poles , therefore , lie where most other planets have their equators . In 1986 , images from Voyager 2 showed Uranus as an almost featureless planet in visible light , without the cloud bands or storms associated with the other giant planets . Observations from Earth have shown seasonal change and increased weather activity as Uranus approached its equinox in 2007 . Wind speeds can reach 250 m/s .


Sriti Jha plays the lead role in a TV show.

Sriti Jha Sriti Jha ( born February 26 , 1986 ) is an Indian television actress , who appears in the Indian soap opera . She made her debut with the role of Malini Sharma in the Disney India 's teen drama Dhoom Machaao Dhoom . Jha rose to prominence with the serial Jyoti on NDTV Imagine as Sudha Sharma . She is a currently playing the lead role of Pragya in Zee TV 's show Kumkum Bhagya .


There is a film called Absolute Beginners.

Absolute Beginners (film) Absolute Beginners is a 1986 British rock musical film adapted from Colin MacInnes ' book of the same name about life in late 1950s London . The film was directed by Julien Temple , featured David Bowie and Sade , and Patsy Kensit in one of her first mainstream roles . The film was screened out of competition at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival .   Upon release , Absolute Beginners received immense coverage in the British media . At the time , the British film industry was perceived as being on the point of collapse ( with the recent failure of the film Revolution ) . However , the film was panned by critics and became a box office bomb . Some of the criticisms included stylistic anachronisms , such as the mini-skirt and decidedly 1980s music from the likes of The Style Council and Sade , the bowdlerisation of Kensit 's character ( Crepe Suzette had been depicted as a promiscuous `` negrophile '' in the book ) , and the casting of Bowie , who made it a condition of his musical contribution . Although the film was not a success , Bowie 's theme song was very popular in the UK and reached number two in the charts .   The commercial failure of Absolute Beginners and another film released about the same time , The Mission , led to the collapse of Goldcrest , a major British film studio .


Qatar Qatar ( -LSB- ˈkætɑːr -RSB- , -LSB- kəˈtɑːr -RSB- قطر -LSB- ˈqɑtˤɑr -RSB- Local vernacular pronunciation : -LSB- ˈɡɪtˤɑr -RSB- ) , officially the State of Qatar , is a sovereign country located in Western Asia , occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula . Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south , with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf . A strait in the Persian Gulf separates Qatar from the nearby island country of Bahrain , as well as sharing maritime borders with the United Arab Emirates and Iran .   Following Ottoman rule , Qatar became a British protectorate in the early 20th century until gaining independence in 1971 . Qatar has been ruled by the House of Thani since the early 19th century . Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani was the founder of the State of Qatar . Qatar is a hereditary monarchy and its head of state is Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani . Whether it should be regarded as a constitutional or an absolute monarchy is a matter of opinion . In 2003 , the constitution was overwhelmingly approved in a referendum , with almost 98 % in favour . In early 2017 , Qatar 's total population was 2.6 million : 313,000 Qatari citizens and 2.3 million expatriates .   Qatar is a high income economy , backed by the world 's third largest natural gas reserves and oil reserves . The country has the highest per capita income in the world . Qatar is classified by the UN as a country of very high human development and is the most advanced Arab state for human development . Qatar is a significant power in the Arab world , supporting several rebel groups during the Arab Spring both financially and through its globally expanding media group , Al Jazeera Media Network . For its size , Qatar wields disproportionate influence in the world , and has been identified as a middle power . Qatar will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup , becoming the first Arab country to do so .


London London -LSB- ˈlʌndən -RSB- is the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdom . Standing on the River Thames in the south east of the island of Great Britain , London has been a major settlement for two millennia . It was founded by the Romans , who named it Londinium . London 's ancient core , the City of London , largely retains its 1.12 sqmi medieval boundaries . Since at least the 19th century , `` London '' has also referred to the metropolis around this core , historically split between Middlesex , Essex , Surrey , Kent , and Hertfordshire , which today largely makes up Greater London , See also : Independent city § National capitals . governed by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.The London Mayor is not to be confused with the Lord Mayor of London who heads the City of London Corporation , which administers the City of London .   London is a leading global city in the arts , commerce , education , entertainment , fashion , finance , healthcare , media , professional services , research and development , tourism , and transportation . It is crowned as the world 's largest financial centre and has the fifth - or sixth-largest metropolitan area GDP in the world.Rankings of cities by metropolitan area GDP can vary as a result of differences in the definition of the boundaries and population sizes of the areas compared , exchange rate fluctuations and the method used to calculate output . London and Paris are of broadly similar size in terms of total economic output which can result in third party sources varying as to which is the fifth-largest city GDP in the world . A report by the McKinsey Global Institute published in 2012 estimated that London had a city GDP of US$ 751.8 billion in 2010 , compared to US$ 764.2 billion for Paris , making them respectively the sixth - and fifth-largest in the world . A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers published in November 2009 estimated that London had a city GDP measured in purchasing power parity of US$ 565 billion in 2008 , compared to US$ 564 billion for Paris , making them respectively the fifth - and sixth-largest in the world . The McKinsey Global Institute study used a metropolitan area with a population of 14.9 million for London compared to 11.8 million for Paris , whilst the PricewaterhouseCoopers study used a metropolitan area with a population of 8.59 million for London compared to 9.92 million for Paris . London is a world cultural capital . It is the world 's most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has the world 's largest city airport system measured by passenger traffic . London is the world 's leading investment destination , hosting more international retailers and ultra high-net-worth individuals than any other city . London 's universities form the largest concentration of higher education institutes in Europe . In 2012 , London became the first city to have hosted the modern Summer Olympic Games three times .   London has a diverse range of people and cultures , and more than 300 languages are spoken in the region . Its estimated mid-2015 municipal population ( corresponding to Greater London ) was 8,673,713 , the largest of any city in the European Union , and accounting for 12.5 % of the UK population . London 's urban area is the second most populous in the EU , after Paris , with 9,787,426 inhabitants at the 2011 census . The city 's metropolitan area is the most populous in the EU with 13,879,757 inhabitants , while the Greater London Authority states the population of the city-region ( covering a large part of the south east ) as 22.7 million .  London was the world 's most populous city from around 1831 to 1925 .   London contains four World Heritage Sites : the Tower of London ; Kew Gardens ; the site comprising the Palace of Westminster , Westminster Abbey , and St Margaret 's Church ; and the historic settlement of Greenwich ( in which the Royal Observatory , Greenwich marks the Prime Meridian , 0 ° longitude , and GMT ) . Other famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace , the London Eye , Piccadilly Circus , St Paul 's Cathedral , Tower Bridge , Trafalgar Square , and The Shard . London is home to numerous museums , galleries , libraries , sporting events , and other cultural institutions , including the British Museum , National Gallery , Natural History Museum , Tate Modern , British Library , and West End theatres . The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world .


United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , commonly known as the United Kingdom ( UK ) or Britain , is a sovereign country in western Europe . Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland , the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain , the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands . Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with another sovereign statethe Republic of Ireland.Although Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another sovereign state , two of its Overseas Territories also share land borders with other sovereign countries . Gibraltar shares a border with Spain , while the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia share borders with the Republic of Cyprus , the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the UN buffer zone separating the two Cypriot polities . Apart from this land border , the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , with the North Sea to its east , the English Channel to its south and the Celtic Sea to its south-south-west , giving it the 12th-longest coastline in the world . The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland . With an area of 242500 km2 , the United Kingdom is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe . It is also the 21st-most populous country , with an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants . Together , this makes it the fourth-most densely populated country in the European Union ( EU ) .   The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance . The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II , who has reigned since 6 February 1952 . The capital of the United Kingdom and its largest city is London , a global city and financial centre with an urban area population of 10.3 million , the fourth-largest in Europe and second-largest in the European Union . Other major urban areas in the United Kingdom include the conurbations centred on Birmingham , Leeds , Glasgow , Liverpool and Manchester . The United Kingdom consists of four countries -- England , Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland . The last three have devolved administrations , each with varying powers , based in their capitals , Edinburgh , Cardiff and Belfast , respectively . The nearby Isle of Man , Bailiwick of Guernsey and Bailiwick of Jersey are not part of the United Kingdom , being Crown dependencies with the British Government responsible for defence and international representation .   The relationships among the countries of the UK have changed over time . Wales was annexed by the Kingdom of England under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 . A treaty between England and Scotland resulted in 1707 in a unified Kingdom of Great Britain , which merged in 1801 with the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922 , leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed on 6 December 1921 to resolve the Irish War of Independence . When it took effect one year later , it established the Irish Free State as a separate dominion within the Commonwealth . The UK 's current name was adopted to reflect the change . There are fourteen British Overseas Territories . These are the remnants of the British Empire which , at its height in the 1920s , encompassed almost a quarter of the world 's land mass and was the largest empire in history . British influence can be observed in the language , culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies .   The United Kingdom is a developed country and has the world 's fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP and ninth-largest economy by purchasing power parity . The UK is considered to have a high-income economy and is categorised as very high in the Human Development Index , ranking 16th in the world . It was the world 's first industrialised country and the world 's foremost power during the 19th and early 20th centuries . The UK remains a great power with considerable economic , cultural , military , scientific and political influence internationally . It is a recognised nuclear weapons state and is seventh in military expenditure in the world . The UK has been a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council since its first session in 1946 . It has been a leading member state of the EU and its predecessor , the European Economic Community ( EEC ) , since 1973 . However , on 23 June 2016 , a national referendum on the UK 's membership of the EU resulted in a decision to leave , and its exit from the EU is currently being negotiated . The UK is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations , the Council of Europe , the G7 finance ministers , the G7 forum , the G20 , NATO , the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) , and the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) .


England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom . It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west . The Irish Sea lies northwest of England and the Celtic Sea lies to the southwest . England is separated from continental Europe by the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south . The country covers five-eighths of the island of Great Britain ( which lies in the North Atlantic ) in its centre and south ; and includes over 100 smaller islands such as the Isles of Scilly , and the Isle of Wight .   The area now called England was first inhabited by modern humans during the Upper Palaeolithic period , but takes its name from the Angles , one of the Germanic tribes who settled during the 5th and 6th centuries . England became a unified state in the 10th century , and since the Age of Discovery , which began during the 15th century , has had a significant cultural and legal impact on the wider world . The English language , the Anglican Church , and English law -- the basis for the common law legal systems of many other countries around the world -- developed in England , and the country 's parliamentary system of government has been widely adopted by other nations . The Industrial Revolution began in 18th-century England , transforming its society into the world 's first industrialised nation .   England 's terrain mostly comprises low hills and plains , especially in central and southern England . However , there are uplands in the north ( for example , the mountainous Lake District , and the Pennines ) and in the southwest ( for example , Dartmoor and the Cotswolds ) . The capital is London , which is the largest metropolitan area in both the United Kingdom and the European Union.According to the European Statistical Agency , London is the largest Larger Urban Zone in the EU , a measure of metropolitan area which comprises a city 's urban core as well as its surrounding commuting zone . London 's municipal population is also the largest in the EU . England 's population of over 53 million comprises 84 % of the population of the United Kingdom , largely concentrated around London , the South East , and conurbations in the Midlands , the North West , the North East , and Yorkshire , which each developed as major industrial regions during the 19th century .   The Kingdom of England -- which after 1535 included Wales -- ceased being a separate sovereign state on 1 May 1707 , when the Acts of Union put into effect the terms agreed in the Treaty of Union the previous year , resulting in a political union with the Kingdom of Scotland to create the Kingdom of Great Britain . In 1801 , Great Britain was united with the Kingdom of Ireland through another Act of Union to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . In 1922 the Irish Free State seceded from the United Kingdom , leading to the latter being renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland .


The Amanda Show aired from 1999 to 2002.

The Amanda Show The Amanda Show is an American live action sketch comedy and variety show created by Dan Schneider that aired on Nickelodeon in April 4 , 1999 as a pilot , then as a regular series from October 16 , 1999 to September 21 , 2002 . It starred Amanda Bynes , Drake Bell and Nancy Sullivan , and featured John Kassir , Raquel Lee , and Josh Peck . The show was a spin-off from All That , in which Bynes had co-starred for several years . The show was cancelled at the end of 2002 . Writers for the show included Schneider , John Hoberg , Steven Molaro , and Andrew Hill Newman .   Two years after the end of The Amanda Show , Dan Schneider created a new series , called Drake & Josh , featuring Drake Bell , Josh Peck and Nancy Sullivan .


Brock Lesnar is signed to a Japanese mixed martial arts promotion.

Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC ) is an American mixed martial arts-focused company , based in Las Vegas , Nevada , owned and operated by parent company William Morris Endeavor . It is the largest MMA promotion in the world and features the top-ranked fighters of the sport . Based in the United States , the UFC produces events worldwide that showcase ten weight divisions and abide by the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts . As of 2017 , the UFC has held over 300 events . Dana White serves as the president of the UFC . He has held that position since 2001 ; under White 's leadership the UFC has grown into a globally popular multibillion-dollar enterprise .   The first event was held on November 12 , 1993 at the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver , Colorado . The purpose of the early Ultimate Fighting Championship competitions was to identify the most effective martial art in a fight , with minimal rules , between competitors of different fighting disciplines , including boxing , Brazilian jiu-jitsu , Sambo , wrestling , Muay Thai , karate , judo , and other styles . In subsequent competitions , fighters began adopting effective techniques from more than one discipline , which indirectly helped create an entirely separate style of fighting known as present-day mixed martial arts . In 2016 , it was sold to William Morris Endeavor ( WME-IMG ) for $ 4 billion .   With a TV deal and expansion in Europe , Australia , the Middle East , Asia , and new markets within the United States , the UFC has gained in popularity , along with greater mainstream media coverage . As of 2017 , viewers can access live UFC fights and fight replays on their subscription network UFC Fight Pass at a cost of $ 7.99 -- $ 9.99 USD per month via devices like Apple TV , iPhone , Android , Xbox , Roku , and Google Chromecast as well as on pay-per-view in the U.S. , Brazil , Australia , Canada , New Zealand , and Italy . On network TV , UFC content is available on Fox , Fox Sports 1 , and Fox Sports 2 in the U.S. , on ESPN in the Caribbean , on BT Sport in the United Kingdom and Ireland , as well as in 150 countries and 22 different languages worldwide .   MMA journalists and fans have criticized the UFC for putting on too many shows and thus diluting the quality of their product .


Brock Lesnar Brock Edward Lesnar ( -LSB- ˈlɛznər -RSB- born July 12 , 1977 ) is an American professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist , amateur wrestler , and professional American football player . He is signed with WWE , where he performs on the Raw brand and is the current WWE Universal Champion in his first reign .   After his successful amateur wrestling career at Bismarck State College and the University of Minnesota , Lesnar signed with WWE ( then the World Wrestling Federation ) in 2000 . He was assigned to its developmental promotion Ohio Valley Wrestling ( OVW ) , where he was a three-time OVW Southern Tag Team Champion with Shelton Benjamin . After debuting on WWE 's main roster in 2002 , he won the WWE Championship on three separate occasions with victories over The Rock and Kurt Angle ( twice ) . Lesnar won the then WWE Undisputed Championship five months after his main roster debut at the age of 25 , becoming the youngest champion in the title 's history . He was also the 2002 King of the Ring and the 2003 Royal Rumble winner , making him the youngest King of the Ring and Royal Rumble winner as well . Following his match with Goldberg at WrestleMania XX , Lesnar left the WWE and pursued a career in the National Football League ( NFL ) . He was named a defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings , but was cut prior to the start of the 2004 -- 2005 season . In 2005 , Lesnar returned to professional wrestling and signed with New Japan Pro-Wrestling ( NJPW ) , where he won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in his first match . After a contractual dispute with NJPW , he also wrestled as IWGP Heavyweight Champion in the Inoki Genome Federation ( IGF ) .   In 2006 , Lesnar pursued a career in mixed martial arts ( MMA ) , as he signed with Hero 's and won his first fight , against Min-Soo Kim , in June 2007 . He then signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC ) the following October . Lesnar lost in his UFC debut against Frank Mir and then won his second fight against Heath Herring . In November 2008 , Lesnar defeated Randy Couture to become the UFC Heavyweight Champion . Shortly after a successful title defense in a rematch with Mir , Lesnar was sidelined due to diverticulitis . He would return at UFC 116 to defeat Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Shane Carwin and unify the heavyweight championships , becoming the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion in the process . Lesnar then lost the championship to Cain Velasquez at UFC 121 . In 2011 , he was once again sidelined due to diverticulitis and underwent surgery . Lesnar returned at UFC 141 in December , losing to Alistair Overeem and promptly retiring from MMA . Lesnar was a box office sensation in UFC , as he took part in a some of the best selling pay-per-view events in UFC history , including UFC 100 and UFC 116 .   In April 2012 , Lesnar once again returned to professional wrestling , rejoining WWE after an eight-year hiatus . Two years later , at WrestleMania XXX , Lesnar defeated The Undertaker to end his undefeated streak at WrestleMania . He achieved world champion status twice since his return , having won the then WWE World Heavyweight Championship in 2014 and the WWE Universal Championship in 2017 . Lesnar has been managed by Paul Heyman throughout the majority of his professional wrestling career .   In June 2016 at UFC 199 , the UFC announced that Lesnar would return to MMA to fight at UFC 200 . His opponent was later revealed to be Mark Hunt . Lesnar would defeat Hunt via unanimous decision . However , after Lesnar tested positive for clomiphene , a banned substance on the UFC 's anti-doping policy , he was suspended from competing in the UFC by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for one year , fined $ 250,000 and his victory over Hunt was overturned to a no-contest . Lesnar then retired from MMA for a second time in 2017 .   Lesnar is a five-time world champion in WWE , a one-time heavyweight champion in the UFC , a one-time heavyweight champion in NJPW , and a one-time heavyweight wrestling champion in the NCAA , the only person in history to win a championship in each of those organizations . He has headlined numerous pay-per-view events for both the WWE and UFC , including WrestleMania XIX , WrestleMania 31 , UFC 100 and UFC 116 . In 2015 , an ESPN.com article referred to Lesnar as `` the most accomplished athlete in professional wrestling history '' .


The Hangover Part III includes Justin Bartha.

The Hangover Part III The Hangover Part III is a 2013 American comedy film produced by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Warner Bros. . Pictures . It is the third and final installment in The Hangover trilogy . The film stars Bradley Cooper , Ed Helms , Zach Galifianakis , Justin Bartha , and Ken Jeong . The supporting cast includes Jeffrey Tambor , Heather Graham , Mike Epps , Melissa McCarthy and John Goodman with Todd Phillips directing a screenplay written by himself and Craig Mazin . The film follows the `` Wolfpack '' ( Phil , Stu , Doug , and Alan ) as they try to get Alan the help he needs after facing a personal crisis . However , things go awry when an incident from the original film comes back to haunt them .   The Hangover Part III was announced days before the release of The Hangover Part II and Mazin , who co-wrote Part II , was brought on board . In January 2012 , the principal actors re-signed to star . In March 2012 , Warner Bros. announced a U.S. Memorial Weekend release . The supporting roles were cast between June and September 2012 . Principal photography began in September 2012 in Los Angeles , California before moving to Nogales , Arizona and Las Vegas , Nevada . The film was released on May 23 , 2013 .


Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated the 35th President of the United States.

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald `` Jack '' Kennedy ( May 29 , 1917 -- November 22 , 1963 ) , commonly referred to by his initials JFK , was an American politician who served as the 35th President of the United States from January 1961 until his assassination in November 1963 . Kennedy served at the height of the Cold War , and much of his presidency focused on managing relations with the Soviet Union . He was a member of the Democratic Party who represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate prior to becoming president .   Kennedy was born in Brookline , Massachusetts to Joseph P. Kennedy , Sr. and Rose Kennedy . A scion of the Kennedy family , he graduated from Harvard University in 1940 before joining the United States Naval Reserve the following year . During World War II , Kennedy commanded a series of PT boats in the Pacific theater and earned the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his service . After the war , Kennedy represented Massachusetts 's 11th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1947 until 1953 . He was subsequently elected to the U.S. Senate and served as the junior Senator from Massachusetts from 1953 until 1960 . While serving in the Senate , he published Profiles in Courage , which won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography . In the 1960 presidential election , Kennedy narrowly defeated Republican opponent Richard Nixon , who was the incumbent Vice President .   Kennedy 's time in office was marked by high tensions with Communist states in the Cold War . He increased the number of American military advisers in South Vietnam by a factor of 18 over President Dwight D. Eisenhower . In April 1961 , he authorized a failed joint-CIA attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro in the Bay of Pigs Invasion . He subsequently rejected plans by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to orchestrate false-flag attacks on American soil in order to gain public approval for a war against Cuba . In October 1962 , U.S. spy planes discovered that Soviet missile bases had been deployed in Cuba ; the resulting period of tensions , termed the Cuban Missile Crisis , nearly resulted in the breakout of a global thermonuclear conflict . Domestically , Kennedy presided over the establishment of the Peace Corps and supported the Civil Rights Movement , but he was largely unsuccessful in passing his New Frontier domestic policies . Kennedy continues to rank highly in historians ' polls of U.S. presidents and with the general public . His average approval rating of 70 % is the highest of any president in Gallup 's history of systematically measuring job approval .   On November 22 , 1963 , Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas , Texas . Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for the crime , but he was never prosecuted due to his murder by Jack Ruby two days later . Pursuant to the Presidential Succession Act , Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as president later that day . The FBI and the Warren Commission officially concluded that Oswald was the lone assassin , but various groups believed that Kennedy was the victim of a conspiracy . After Kennedy 's death , many of his proposals were enacted , including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Revenue Act of 1964 .


Lee Harvey Oswald Lee Harvey Oswald ( October 18 , 1939 -- November 24 , 1963 ) was an American former U.S. Marine who was arrested for the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy on November 22 , 1963 . According to four federal government investigations and one municipal investigation , These were investigations by : the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( 1963 ) , the Warren Commission ( 1964 ) , the House Select Committee on Assassinations ( 1979 ) , the Secret Service , and the Dallas Police Department . Oswald shot and killed Kennedy as the President traveled by motorcade through Dealey Plaza in the city of Dallas , Texas .   Oswald was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps and defected to the Soviet Union in October 1959 . He lived in the Belarusian city of Minsk until June 1962 , at which time he returned to the United States with Marina , his Russian-born wife , eventually settling in Dallas .   Following Kennedy 's assassination , Oswald was initially arrested for the murder of police officer J. D. Tippit , who was killed on a Dallas street about 45 minutes after Kennedy was shot . Oswald was later charged with the murder of Kennedy . He denied shooting anybody , saying that he was a `` patsy '' . Two days later , while being transferred from the city jail to the county jail , Oswald was fatally shot by Dallas nightclub owner Jack Ruby in full view of television cameras broadcasting live .   In September 1964 , the Warren Commission concluded that Oswald acted alone in assassinating Kennedy by firing three shots from the Texas School Book Depository . This conclusion was supported by previous investigations carried out by the FBI , the Secret Service , and the Dallas Police Department . Despite forensic , ballistic , and eyewitness evidence supporting the lone gunman theory , public opinion polls taken over the years have shown that most Americans believe that Oswald did not act alone , but conspired with others to kill the president . The assassination has spawned numerous conspiracy theories .


In & Out (film) In & Out is a 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Oz and starring Kevin Kline , Tom Selleck , Joan Cusack , Matt Dillon , Debbie Reynolds , and Wilford Brimley . It is an original story by screenwriter Paul Rudnick . Joan Cusack was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance .   The film was inspired by Tom Hanks 's tearful speech when he accepted his 1994 Oscar ( for his role in Philadelphia ) , in which he mentioned his high-school drama coach Rawley Farnsworth , and his former classmate John Gilkerson , `` two of the finest gay Americans , two wonderful men that I had the good fortune to be associated with . '' The film became one of mainstream Hollywood 's few attempts at a comedic `` gay movie '' of its era , and was widely noted at the time for a 12-second kiss between Kevin Kline and Tom Selleck .


Tom Felton Thomas Andrew `` Tom '' Felton ( born 22 September 1987 ) is an English actor . Felton began appearing in commercials when he was eight years old for companies such as Commercial Union and Barclaycard . He made his screen debut in the role of Peagreen Clock in The Borrowers ( 1997 ) and he portrayed Louis T. Leonowens in Anna and the King ( 1999 ) . He rose to prominence for his role as Draco Malfoy in the film adaptions of the best-selling Harry Potter fantasy novels by J.K. Rowling . His performances in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 1 won him two consecutive MTV Movie Awards for Best Villain in 2010 and 2011 .   Following the conclusion of the series in 2011 , Felton appeared in the 2011 film Rise of the Planet of the Apes , a reboot of the Planet of the Apes series . He had roles in the minor films From the Rough ( 2011 ) and The Apparition ( 2012 ) , starred as James Ashford in the critically acclaimed period drama film Belle ( 2013 ) , followed by roles in In Secret ( 2014 ) and Against the Sun ( 2014 ) . Felton 's 2016 films include the epic biblical drama Risen , alongside Joseph Fiennes , and the period biopic A United Kingdom , alongside David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike . He portrays Julian Albert / Doctor Alchemy on The Flash .


If I Had You (TV drama) If I Had You is a one-off British television crime drama , starring Sarah Parish , Poppy Miller , and Paul McGann . Parish stars as police detective Sharon Myers , who moves from the big city back to her small hometown to investigate a murder . If I Had You was first broadcast on May 7 , 2006 on ITV . It was also broadcast in the United States on BBC America on July 25 , 2006 . Future member of One Direction , Louis Tomlinson , makes a blink-and-you 'll - miss-it cameo appearance as a member of a group of boys who discover a body in the river .


Fat Friends Fat Friends is a British drama that aired on ITV from 12 October , 2000 to 24 March , 2005 , consisting of 25 episodes over four seasons . Set in Leeds , the series explores the lives of several slimming club members , with a focus on the various ways their weight has impacted them .   The series was created by Kay Mellor and made by Rollem Productions in association with Tiger Aspect Productions and Yorkshire Television . Four of the cast -- Ruth Jones , James Corden , Sheridan Smith and Alison Steadman -- went on to appear in the sitcom Gavin & Stacey .


ITV (TV network) ITV is a commercial TV network in the United Kingdom . Launched in 1955 as Independent Television under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority ( ITA , then after the Sound Broadcasting Act 1972 , Independent Broadcasting Authority , now Ofcom ) to provide competition to the long established BBC , it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK . Since the passing of the Broadcasting Act 1990 its legal name has been Channel 3 , to distinguish it from the other analogue channels at the time , namely BBC 1 , BBC 2 and Channel 4 . In part , the number 3 was assigned as television sets would usually be tuned so that the regional ITV station would be on the third button , with the other stations being allocated to the number within their name .   ITV is a network of television channels that operate regional television services as well as sharing programmes between each other to be displayed on the entire network . In recent years , several of these companies have merged so currently the fifteen franchises are in the hands of two companies .   The ITV network is to be distinguished from ITV plc , the company that resulted from the merger of Granada plc and Carlton Communications in 2004 and which holds the Channel 3 broadcasting licences in England , Wales , southern Scotland , the Isle of Man , the Channel Islands and Northern Ireland . With the exception of Northern Ireland , the ITV brand is the brand used by ITV plc for the Channel 3 service in these areas . In Northern Ireland , ITV plc uses the brand name UTV . STV Group plc , uses the STV brand for its two franchises of central and northern Scotland .


Louis Tomlinson Louis William Tomlinson ( born Louis Troy Austin ; 24 December 1991 ) is an English singer-songwriter and actor . He is known as a member of the pop boy band One Direction .   Tomlinson began his career as an actor , initially appearing in ITV drama Fat Friends as an extra . He also went on to appear in another ITV drama film If I Had You and the BBC drama Waterloo Road . In 2010 , he became a founding member of One Direction after auditioning as a solo artist on The X Factor . Following the band 's hiatus , Tomlinson released the single `` Just Hold On '' with Steve Aoki in December 2016 .   In 2013 , he was signed as a footballer by Doncaster Rovers of the Football League Championship on a non-contract basis . The same year he also formed his own record label , Triple Strings Ltd. . He appeared on Debrett 's 2017 list of the most influential people in the UK .


Kalpana Raghavendar Kalpana Raghavendar is an Indian playback singer , dubbing voice-actor , songwriter and actor . She started her career as a playback singer at the age of five , and as of 2013 had recorded 1,500 tracks and performed in 3,000 shows in India and abroad .   In 2010 she was the winner of the south Indian singing show Star Singer season 5 , conducted by the Malayalam TV channel Asianet .


Luke Evans had his Hollywood breakthrough role starring in a play.

Clash of the Titans (2010 film) Clash of the Titans is a 2010 British-American fantasy adventure film and remake of the 1981 film of the same name produced by MGM ( the rights to which had been acquired by Warner Bros. in 1996 ) . The story is very loosely based on the Greek myth of Perseus . Directed by Louis Leterrier and starring Sam Worthington , the film was originally set for standard release on March 26 , 2010 . However , it was later announced that the film would be converted to 3D and was released on April 2 , 2010 .   Clash of the Titans grossed $ 493 million worldwide , though it received generally negative reviews from critics and received two Golden Raspberry Awards nominations . The film 's success led to a sequel , Wrath of the Titans , released in March 2012 . A third film titled Revenge of the Titans was in development but then later cancelled due to Wrath disappointing box office performance .


Luke Evans (actor) Luke Evans ( born 15 April 1979 ) is a Welsh actor . Evans began his career on the stage , performing in many of London 's West End productions such as Rent , Miss Saigon , and Piaf before getting his Hollywood breakthrough role starring in the Clash of the Titans 2010 remake . Following his debut , Evans was cast in such action and thriller films as Immortals ( 2011 ) , The Raven ( 2012 ) , and the re-imagined The Three Musketeers ( 2011 ) .   In 2013 , Evans starred as the main antagonist Owen Shaw in the blockbuster Fast & Furious 6 , and also played Bard the Bowman in Peter Jackson 's three-part adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien 's The Hobbit . Evans also portrayed the vampire Dracula in the character 's film origin story , Dracula Untold . In 2017 , Evans starred as Gaston in Disney 's live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast .


Emily Ratajkowski was visible in the "Blurred Lines" music video.

Emily Ratajkowski Emily O'Hara Ratajkowski ( -LSB- ˌrɑːtaɪˈkɒfski -RSB- born June 7 , 1991 ) is an American actress and model . Born to American parents in London and raised primarily in California , she rose to prominence in 2013 after appearing in the music video for Robin Thicke 's `` Blurred Lines '' , which became the number one song of the year in several countries and attracted controversy over its purportedly sexist content .   Ratajkowski 's modeling career has progressed from retail ad work to art house erotica and high fashion . She appeared on the cover of the March 2012 issue of the erotic magazine treats ! , which led to her being asked to appear in two music videos -- `` Blurred Lines '' and Maroon 5 's `` Love Somebody '' . She appeared in the 2014 and 2015 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues . Ratajkowski made her professional runway modeling debut for Marc Jacobs at New York Fashion Week in 2015 and has since walked on the Paris Fashion Week runway for Miu Miu . She appeared in a Buick Super Bowl commercial during Super Bowl 50 .   Ratajkowski began acting as a child in the San Diego area before she gained a recurring role on iCarly and later roles in major films . Her feature film debut was as the mistress of Ben Affleck 's character in the 2014 film Gone Girl . Ratajkowski 's 2015 roles included the films Entourage and We Are Your Friends ( her first leading role ) as well as the miniseries The Spoils Before Dying .   Ratajkowski is an advocate for women 's health issues as a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood and supports the right of women to express their sexuality . Her claim to being a feminist has been both supported and disputed .


10 Cloverfield Lane stars the actor John Gallagher, Jr.

John Gallagher Jr. John Howard Gallagher Jr. ( born June 17 , 1984 ) is an American actor and musician known for originating the role of Moritz Stiefel in Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater 's rock musical Spring Awakening , which earned him a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical . He also played Johnny in Green Day 's Broadway musical , American Idiot , Lee in the 2011 Broadway production of Jerusalem , and Edmund in the 2016 Broadway revival of Long Day 's Journey Into Night . He portrayed Jim Harper in Aaron Sorkin 's drama series The Newsroom , starred in the HBO mini-series Olive Kitteridge , and played Emmett DeWitt in 10 Cloverfield Lane .


10 Cloverfield Lane 10 Cloverfield Lane is a 2016 American science fiction psychological thriller film directed by Dan Trachtenberg , produced by J. J. Abrams and Lindsey Weber and written by Josh Campbell , Matthew Stucken and Damien Chazelle . The film stars John Goodman , Mary Elizabeth Winstead , and John Gallagher , Jr. , and is the second film in the Cloverfield franchise . The film was developed from a script titled The Cellar , but under production by Bad Robot , it was turned into a spiritual successor of the 2008 film Cloverfield . The film follows a young woman who , after a car crash , wakes up in an underground bunker with two men who insist that an event has left the surface of Earth uninhabitable .   The film is presented in a third-person narrative , in contrast to its predecessor 's found-footage style . It was released in the United States on March 11 , 2016 , in conventional and IMAX format . The film received positive reviews from critics , with many praising the performances of the cast , as well as the film 's tense and suspenseful atmosphere , and grossed $ 110 million worldwide .


Chris Froome rides under a British license.

Chris Froome Christopher Clive Froome , ( born 20 May 1985 ) is a British professional road racing cyclist for UCI ProTeam , who competed for Kenya until 2008 . A three-time winner of the Tour de France , and three-time runner-up in the Vuelta a España , he is seen as one of the most successful stage-racing riders of the recent era . Froome , who was brought up in Kenya and South Africa , has ridden under a British licence since 2008 on the basis that both his parents are British .   In 2007 , at the age of 22 , Froome turned professional with Team Konica Minolta . He moved to Europe to further his career , joining team . In 2010 , he moved to and has become one of the team 's key cyclists . Froome made his breakthrough as a Grand Tour contender during the 2011 Vuelta a España where he finished second overall .   At the 2012 Tour de France , riding as a super-domestique for Bradley Wiggins , Froome won stage seven and finished second overall , behind only Wiggins in the same race as the best British performance in the race 's history . In the same year , he also won the bronze medal in the time trial event at the Olympic Games and finished fourth in the Vuelta a España . His first multi-stage race win came in 2013 , in the Tour of Oman , followed by wins in the Critérium International , the Tour de Romandie , the Critérium du Dauphiné , and the Tour de France .   As a defending champion , he began 2014 by again winning the Tour of Oman , followed by a repeat victory in the Tour de Romandie . After retiring from the 2014 Tour de France , he came back to place second in the Vuelta a España . In 2015 , he won his second Critérium du Dauphiné and his second Tour de France . In 2016 , he won a third Tour title , and became the first man since Miguel Indurain in 1995 to defend his title .


Olivia Munn failed to be credited as Lisa Munn.

Olivia Munn Lisa Olivia Munn ( born July 3 , 1980 ) is an American actress and model . She was credited as Lisa Munn in her early career , but since 2006 , she has used the name Olivia Munn .   Munn began her professional career in television journalism before becoming an actress . In 2006 , Munn starred as Mily Acuna on the series Beyond the Break . She co-hosted Attack of the Show ! from 2006 to 2010 and was a correspondent on The Daily Show from 2010 to 2011 . Munn has also had supporting roles in various films and television series since 2004 . She played the character Sloan Sabbith on the television series The Newsroom from 2012 to 2014 and appeared in the film X-Men : Apocalypse ( 2016 ) as Psylocke .


Batman (1966 film) Batman ( often promoted as Batman : The Movie ) is a 1966 American superhero film based on the Batman television series , and the first full-length theatrical adaptation of the DC Comics character Batman . Released by 20th Century Fox , the film starred Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin . The film hit theaters two months after the last episode of the first season of the television series . The film includes most members of the original TV cast , with the exception of Lee Meriwether as Catwoman , the character previously played by Julie Newmar in two episodes of the series ' first season .


Marlon Brando is an actor who was in Mutiny on the Bounty.

Marlon Brando Marlon Brando , Jr. ( April 3 , 1924 -- July 1 , 2004 ) was an American actor , film director and political activist . He is credited with bringing realism to film acting . He helped to popularize the Stanislavski system of acting , studying with Stella Adler in the 1940s . Brando is widely known for his Academy Award-winning performances as Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront ( 1954 ) and Vito Corleone in The Godfather ( 1972 ) , as well as his performances in A Streetcar Named Desire ( 1951 ) , Viva Zapata ! ( 1952 ) , Julius Caesar ( 1953 ) , The Wild One ( 1953 ) , Guys and Dolls ( 1955 ) , Sayonara ( 1957 ) , Reflections in a Golden Eye ( 1967 ) , Last Tango in Paris ( 1972 ) , and Apocalypse Now ( 1979 ) . Brando was also an activist for many causes , notably the Civil Rights Movement and various Native American movements .   He initially gained acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for reprising the role of Stanley Kowalski in the 1951 film adaptation of Tennessee Williams ' play A Streetcar Named Desire , a role that he had originated successfully on Broadway . He received further praise for his performance as Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront , and his portrayal of the rebel motorcycle gang leader Johnny Strabler in The Wild One proved to be a lasting image in popular culture . Brando received Academy Award nominations for playing Emiliano Zapata in Viva Zapata ! ; Mark Antony in Joseph L. Mankiewicz 's 1953 film adaptation of Shakespeare 's Julius Caesar ; and Air Force Major Lloyd Gruver in Sayonara ( 1957 ) , an adaption of James Michener 's 1954 novel . Brando was included in a list of Top Ten Money Making Stars three times in the 1950s , coming in at number 10 in 1954 , number 6 in 1955 , and number 4 in 1958 .   The 1960s proved to be a fallow decade for Brando . He directed and starred in the cult western film One-Eyed Jacks , a critical and commercial flop , after which he delivered a series of box-office failures , beginning with the 1962 film adaptation of the novel Mutiny on the Bounty . After 10 years , during which he did not appear in a successful film , he won his second Academy Award for playing Vito Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola 's The Godfather , a role critics consider among his greatest . The Godfather was then one of the most commercially successful films of all time . With that and his Oscar-nominated performance in Last Tango in Paris , Brando re-established himself in the ranks of top box-office stars , placing sixth and tenth in the Money Making Stars poll in 1972 and 1973 , respectively . Brando took a four-year hiatus before appearing in The Missouri Breaks ( 1976 ) . After this , he was content with being a highly paid character actor in cameo roles , such as in Superman ( 1978 ) and The Formula ( 1980 ) , before taking a nine-year break from motion pictures . According to the Guinness Book of World Records , Brando was paid a record $ 3.7 million ( $ million in inflation-adjusted dollars ) and 11.75 % of the gross profits for 13 days ' work on Superman . He finished out the 1970s with his controversial performance as Colonel Kurtz in another Coppola film , Apocalypse Now , a box-office hit for which he was highly paid and which helped finance his career layoff during the 1980s .   Brando was ranked by the American Film Institute as the fourth-greatest movie star among male movie stars whose screen debuts occurred in or before 1950 . He was one of only three professional actors , along with Charlie Chaplin and Marilyn Monroe , named in 1999 by Time magazine as one of its 100 Most Important People of the Century . He died of respiratory failure on July 1 , 2004 , at age 80 .


None of lung cancer's symptoms is chest pains.

Lung cancer Lung cancer , also known as lung carcinoma , is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung . This growth can spread beyond the lung by the process of metastasis into nearby tissue or other parts of the body . Most cancers that start in the lung , known as primary lung cancers , are carcinomas . The two main types are small-cell lung carcinoma ( SCLC ) and non-small-cell lung carcinoma ( NSCLC ) . The most common symptoms are coughing ( including coughing up blood ) , weight loss , shortness of breath , and chest pains .   The vast majority ( 85 % ) of cases of lung cancer are due to long-term tobacco smoking . About 10 -- 15 % of cases occur in people who have never smoked . These cases are often caused by a combination of genetic factors and exposure to radon gas , asbestos , second-hand smoke , or other forms of air pollution . Lung cancer may be seen on chest radiographs and computed tomography ( CT ) scans . The diagnosis is confirmed by biopsy which is usually performed by bronchoscopy or CT-guidance .   Avoidance of risk factors , including smoking and air pollution , is the primary method of prevention . Treatment and long-term outcomes depend on the type of cancer , the stage ( degree of spread ) , and the person 's overall health . Most cases are not curable . Common treatments include surgery , chemotherapy , and radiotherapy . NSCLC is sometimes treated with surgery , whereas SCLC usually responds better to chemotherapy and radiotherapy .   Worldwide in 2012 , lung cancer occurred in 1.8 million people and resulted in 1.6 million deaths . This makes it the most common cause of cancer-related death in men and second most common in women after breast cancer . The most common age at diagnosis is 70 years . Overall , 17.4 % of people in the United States diagnosed with lung cancer survive five years after the diagnosis , while outcomes on average are worse in the developing world .


Iran has 21 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Iran Iran ( ɪ , also ɪ ) , formerly known as Persia , is a sovereign state in Western Asia . It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia , the de facto Republic of Artsakh and Azerbaijan ; to the north by the Caspian Sea ; to the northeast by Turkmenistan ; to the east by Afghanistan and Pakistan ; to the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman ; and to the west by Turkey and Iraq . Comprising a land area of 1648195 km2 , it is the second-largest country in the Middle East and the 18th-largest in the world . Officially with 79.93 million inhabitants ( Nov 2016 ) , Iran is the world 's 18th-most-populous country . It is the only country with both a Caspian Sea and an Indian Ocean coastline . The country 's central location in Eurasia and Western Asia , and its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz , make it of great geostrategic importance . Iran has diverse landscapes and geographical conditions . Tehran is the country 's capital and largest city , as well as its leading economic and cultural center .   Iran is home to one of the world 's oldest civilizations , beginning with the formation of the Elamite kingdoms in the 4th millennium BC . The area was first unified and dominated by the Iranian Medes in the 7th century BC . Iran reached its greatest extent during the Achaemenid Empire ( First Persian Empire ) founded by Cyrus the Great in 6th century BC , the largest empire the world had yet seen , stretching from Eastern Europe to the Indus Valley . Persia fell to Alexander the Great in 4th century BC , but reemerged shortly after as the Parthian Empire . Under the Sassanians , Persia became a leading world power for the next four centuries .   In 7th century AD , Arabs conquered Persia and largely displaced the indigenous faiths of Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism with the new religion of Islam . Iranians became major contributors to the Islamic Golden Age that followed , producing many influential scientists , scholars , artists and thinkers . After two centuries , a period of various Iranian dynasties began , although these dynasties were later conquered by Turks and then the Mongols . An Iranian national identity was always reasserted however , developing a distinct cultural entity . The rise of the Safavids in 15th century led to the establishment of Twelver Shia Islam as the official religion , marking a turning point in Muslim history . In the 18th century , Iran arguably possessed briefly the most powerful military at the time under Nader Shah . Conflicts with the Russian Empire in 19th century led to significant territorial losses . Popular unrest culminated in the Persian Constitutional Revolution , which established a constitutional monarchy and the country 's first legislative body , the Majles . Following a coup d'état instigated by the UK and the US in 1953 , Iran gradually became closely aligned with the West and grew increasingly autocratic . Growing dissent against foreign influence and political repression led to the 1979 Revolution and the establishment of an Islamic republic , a political system which combines elements of a parliamentary democracy with a theocracy governed by Islamic jurists under the concept of a `` Supreme Leadership '' . According to international observers , the current Iranian government is oppressive , with human rights abuses commonplace .   A multicultural country comprising numerous ethnic and linguistic groups , most inhabitants of Iran are Shia Muslims and Persian is the official language . The largest ethnic groups in Iran are the Persians , Azeris , Kurds and Lurs .   Iran is a founding member of the UN , ECO , NAM , OIC , and OPEC . Iran is a major regional and middle power , and its large reserves of fossil fuels -- which include the largest natural gas supply in the world and the fourth-largest proven oil reserves -- exert considerable influence in international energy security and the world economy . Iran 's rich cultural legacy is reflected in part by its 21 UNESCO World Heritage Sites , the third-largest number in Asia and 11th-largest in the world .


The Taj Mahal attracts significantly less than 7-8 million visitors a year.

Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal ( -LSB- ˌtɑːdʒ_məˈhɑːl -RSB- , more often -LSB- ˈtɑːʒ -RSB- meaning Crown of the Palace ) is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian city of Agra . It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor , Shah Jahan ( reigned 1628 -- 1658 ) , to house the tomb of his favourite wife , Mumtaz Mahal . The tomb is the centrepiece of a 42 acre complex , which includes a mosque and a guest house , and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall .   Construction of the mausoleum was essentially completed in 1643 but work continued on other phases of the project for another 10 years . The Taj Mahal complex is believed to have been completed in its entirety in 1653 at a cost estimated at the time to be around 32 million rupees , which in 2015 would be approximately 52.8 billion rupees ( US$ 827 million ) . The construction project employed some 20,000 artisans under the guidance of a board of architects led by the court architect to the emperor , Ustad Ahmad Lahauri .   The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being `` the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world 's heritage '' . Described by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore as `` the tear-drop on the cheek of time '' , it is regarded by many as the best example of Mughal architecture and a symbol of India 's rich history . The Taj Mahal attracts 7 -- 8 million visitors a year . In 2007 , it was declared a winner of the New7Wonders of the World ( 2000 -- 2007 ) initiative .


Lisbon Lisbon ( -LSB- ˈlɪzbən -RSB- Lisboa , -LSB- liʒˈβoɐ -RSB- ) is the capital and the largest city of Portugal , with a population of 552,700 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km ² . Its urban area extends beyond the city 's administrative limits with a population of around 2.7 million people , being the 11th-most populous urban area in the European Union . About 2.8 million people live in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area ( which represents approximately 27 % of the country 's population ) . It is continental Europe 's westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast . Lisbon lies in the western Iberian Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and the River Tagus . The westernmost areas of its metro area is the westernmost point of Continental Europe .   Lisbon is recognised as a global city because of its importance in finance , commerce , media , entertainment , arts , international trade , education and tourism . It is one of the major economic centres on the continent , with a growing financial sector and one of the largest container ports on Europe 's Atlantic coast . Humberto Delgado Airport serves over 20 million passengers annually , as of 2015 , and the motorway network and the high-speed rail system of Alfa Pendular link the main cities of Portugal . The city is the 7th-most-visited city in Southern Europe , after Istanbul , Rome , Barcelona , Madrid , Athens and Milan , with 1,740,000 tourists in 2009 . The Lisbon region contributes with a higher GDP PPP per capita than any other region in Portugal . It 's GDP amounts to 96.3 billion USD and thus $ 32,434 per capita , 40 % higher than the average European Union 's GDP per capita . The city occupies 32nd place of highest gross earnings in the world . Most of the headquarters of multinationals in the country are located in the Lisbon area . It is also the political centre of the country , as its seat of Government and residence of the Head of State .   Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world , and the oldest in Western Europe , predating other modern European capitals such as London , Paris and Rome by centuries . Julius Caesar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia , adding to the name Olissipo . Ruled by a series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century , it was captured by the Moors in the 8th century . In 1147 , the Crusaders under Afonso Henriques reconquered the city and since then it has been a major political , economic and cultural centre of Portugal . Unlike most capital cities , Lisbon 's status as the capital of Portugal has never been granted or confirmed officially -- by statute or in written form . Its position as the capital has formed through constitutional convention , making its position as de facto capital a part of the Constitution of Portugal .   Lisbon enjoys a Mediterranean climate . It has one of the warmest winters of any metropolis in Europe , with average temperatures 15 ° C during the day and 8 ° C at night from December to February . The typical summer season lasts about four months , from June to September , although also in April temperatures sometimes reach around 25 ° C.


Arya Stark is the daughter of Lady Catelyn Stark.

Arya Stark Arya Stark is a fictional character created by American author George R. R. Martin . She is a prominent point of view character in Martin 's award-winning A Song of Ice and Fire series , and also a main character in HBO 's adaptation of the series , Game of Thrones .   Introduced in 1996 's A Game of Thrones , Arya is the younger daughter of Lord Eddard Stark and his wife Lady Catelyn Stark . She is headstrong , independent , disdains traditional female pursuits , and is often mistaken for a boy . She wields a sword named Needle , a gift from her half-brother , Jon Snow , and is trained in the Braavosi style of sword fighting .   Arya is portrayed by Maisie Williams on the HBO series Game of Thrones . Her performance has garnered critical acclaim , particularly in the second season for her work opposite veteran actor Charles Dance ( Tywin Lannister ) when she served as his cupbearer . She is among the most popular characters in either version of the story . Williams was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for the role in 2016 . She and the rest of the cast were nominated for Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2012 , 2014 , 2015 and 2016 .


Selene serves as the central character in a film written by Danny McBride in 2001.

Selene (Underworld) Selene , portrayed by British actress Kate Beckinsale , is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the Underworld film series . More specifically , she serves as the central character in the films Underworld ( 2003 ) , Underworld : Evolution ( 2006 ) , Underworld : Awakening ( 2012 ) , and Underworld : Blood Wars ( 2016 ) .   Beckinsale 's daughter , Lily Mo Sheen , plays the character as a child in a flashback in Underworld : Evolution . In Underworld : Endless War , Selene is voiced by Canadian voice actress Laura Harris .


Underworld (2003 film) Underworld is a 2003 action horror film directed by Len Wiseman and written by Danny McBride , based on a story by McBride , Kevin Grevioux , and Wiseman . The film centers on the secret history of vampires and lycans ( an abbreviated form of lycanthrope , which means werewolf ) . It is the first installment in the Underworld franchise . The main plot revolves around Selene ( Kate Beckinsale ) , a vampire Death Dealer hunting Lycans . She finds herself attracted to a human , Michael Corvin ( Scott Speedman ) , who is being targeted by the Lycans . After Michael is bitten by a Lycan , Selene must decide whether to do her duty and kill him or go against her clan and save him . Alongside Beckinsale and Speedman , the film stars Michael Sheen , Shane Brolly , and Bill Nighy .   An international co-production between companies from the United Kingdom , Germany , Hungary , and the United States , the film was released on September 19 , 2003 . Upon its release , the film received generally negative reviews from critics , but a smaller number of reviewers praised elements such as the film 's stylish Gothic visuals , the `` icy English composure '' in Kate Beckinsale 's performance , and the extensively worked-out vampire -- werewolf mythology that serves as the film 's backstory . A surprise hit , the film grossed $ 95 million against a production budget of $ 22 million . The film was followed by Underworld : Evolution , released three years later , and by three other films .


Pulp Fiction is an American black comedy neo-noir film released in 1994.

Pulp Fiction Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American black comedy neo-noir crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino , from a story by Tarantino and Roger Avary . Directed in a highly stylized manner , Pulp Fiction connects the intersecting storylines of Los Angeles mobsters , fringe players , small-time criminals , and a mysterious briefcase . The film 's title refers to the pulp magazines and hardboiled crime novels popular during the mid-20th century , known for their graphic violence and punchy dialogue .   The screenplay of Pulp Fiction was written in 1992 and 1993 , and incorporated some scenes originally written by Avary for True Romance . Its plot , as in many of Tarantino 's other works , is presented out of chronological order . The film is also self-referential from its opening moments , beginning with a title card that gives two dictionary definitions of `` pulp '' . Considerable screen time is devoted to monologues and casual conversations with eclectic dialogue revealing each character 's perspectives on several subjects , and the film features an ironic combination of humor and strong violence . Its script was reportedly turned down by Columbia TriStar as `` too demented '' . Miramax co-chairman Harvey Weinstein was instantly enthralled with it , however , and the film became the first that Miramax fully financed .   Pulp Fiction won the Palme d'Or at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival , and was a major critical and commercial success upon its U.S. release . It revitalized the careers of John Travolta ( who received an Academy Award nomination ) , Samuel L. Jackson , and Uma Thurman . It was also nominated for seven Oscars , including Best Picture ; Tarantino and Avary won for Best Original Screenplay . The nature of its development , marketing , and distribution -- and its consequent profitability -- had a sweeping effect on the field of independent cinema .   Since its release , Pulp Fiction has been widely regarded as Tarantino 's masterpiece , with particular praise singled out for its screenwriting . The film 's self-reflexivity , unconventional structure , and extensive use of homage and pastiche have led critics to describe it as a touchstone of postmodern film . It is often considered a cultural watershed , with a strong influence felt not only in later movies that adopted various elements of its style , but in several other media as well . A 2008 Entertainment Weekly poll named it the best film since 1983 , and the work has appeared on many critics ' lists of the greatest films ever made . In 2013 , Pulp Fiction was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' .


Dan Aykroyd has received zero Academy Award nominations.

Dan Aykroyd Daniel Edward `` Dan '' Aykroyd ( born July 1 , 1952 ) is a Canadian-American actor , comedian , producer , voice artist , screenwriter , musician and businessman . He was an original member of the `` Not Ready for Prime Time Players '' on Saturday Night Live ( 1975 -- 1979 ) . A musical sketch he performed with John Belushi on SNL , The Blues Brothers , turned into an actual performing band and then a highly successful 1980 film , also called The Blues Brothers . He conceived and starred in Ghostbusters ( 1984 ) , which spawned a sequel ( Ghostbusters II ) and eventually an entire media franchise . In 1990 , he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work in the 1989 film Driving Miss Daisy . He starred in his own sitcom , Soul Man , from 1997 -- 98 . Aykroyd is also a successful businessman , having co-founded the House of Blues chain of music venues and the Crystal Head Vodka brand .


Dhool Dhool ( Super ) is a 2003 Indian Tamil-language action masala film directed by Dharani . The film featured Jyothika , Vikram and Reemma Sen in the lead roles , while Vivek , Sayaji Shinde , Telangana Sakunthala and Pasupathy among others play supporting roles . The film , produced by A. M. Rathnam at a cost of 7 crore , had music composed by Vidyasagar and released in January 2003 . The film was a commercial success . It was dubbed into Malayalam while being remade in Telugu , Sinhalese , Punjabi , and Bengali.This film is still now considered as cult masala entertainer .


Watchmen was number 91 on The Comics Journals list of the top 100 comics of the 20th century that was published in 2001.

Time's List of the 100 Best Novels Time 's List of the 100 Best Novels '' ' is an unranked list of the 100 best novels -- and ten best graphic novels -- published in the English language between 1923 and 2005 . The list was compiled by Time Magazine critics Lev Grossman and Richard Lacayo .   The list only includes works between 1923 ( when Time was first published ) and 2005 ( when the list was compiled ) . As a result , notable books such as Ulysses by James Joyce -- published before 1923 -- were ineligible for inclusion.Watchmen '' ( 1986 ) by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons appears on both the 100 Best Novels and 10 Best Graphic Novels lists , giving the combined lists 109 entries .


Watchmen Watchmen is an American comic-book limited series published by DC Comics in 1986 and 1987 , and collected in 1987 . The series was created by a British collaboration consisting of writer Alan Moore , artist Dave Gibbons , and colorist John Higgins . Watchmen originated from a story proposal Moore submitted to DC featuring superhero characters that the company had acquired from Charlton Comics . As Moore 's proposed story would have left many of the characters unusable for future stories , managing editor Dick Giordano convinced Moore to create original characters instead .   Moore used the story as a means to reflect contemporary anxieties and to deconstruct and parody the superhero concept . Watchmen depicts an alternate history where superheroes emerged in the 1940s and 1960s and their presence changed history so that the United States won the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal was never exposed . In 1985 , the country is edging toward World War III with the Soviet Union , freelance costumed vigilantes have been outlawed and most former superheroes are in retirement or working for the government . The story focuses on the personal development and moral struggles of the protagonists as an investigation into the murder of a government-sponsored superhero pulls them out of retirement .   Creatively , the focus of Watchmen is on its structure . Gibbons used a nine-panel grid layout throughout the series and added recurring symbols such as a blood-stained smiley face . All but the last issue feature supplemental fictional documents that add to the series ' backstory , and the narrative is intertwined with that of another story , an in-story pirate comic titled Tales of the Black Freighter , which one of the characters reads . Structured , at times , as a nonlinear narrative , the story skips through space , time and plot . In the same manner , entire scenes and dialogue have parallels with others through synchronicity , coincidence and repeated imagery .   A commercial success , Watchmen has received critical acclaim both in the comics and mainstream press , and is considered by several critics and reviewers to be one of the most significant works of 20th-century literature . Watchmen was recognized in Times List of the 100 Best Novels as one of the best English language novels published since 1923 , and placed # 91 on The Comics Journals list of the top 100 comics of the 20th century . The BBC described it as `` The moment comic books grew up . ''   After a number of attempts to adapt the series into a feature film , director Zack Snyder 's Watchmen was released in 2009 . A video game series , Watchmen : The End Is Nigh , was released in the same year to coincide with the film 's release . In 2012 , DC Comics published Before Watchmen , a comic-book series acting as a prequel to the original Watchmen series , without Moore and Gibbons ' involvement .


Android (operating system) Android is a mobile operating system developed by Google , based on the Linux kernel and designed primarily for touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets . Android 's user interface is mainly based on direct manipulation , using touch gestures that loosely correspond to real-world actions , such as swiping , tapping and pinching , to manipulate on-screen objects , along with a virtual keyboard for text input . In addition to touchscreen devices , Google has further developed Android TV for televisions , Android Auto for cars , and Android Wear for wrist watches , each with a specialized user interface . Variants of Android are also used on notebooks , game consoles , digital cameras , and other electronics .   Initially developed by Android Inc. , which Google bought in 2005 , Android was unveiled in 2007 , along with the founding of the Open Handset Alliancea consortium of hardware , software , and telecommunication companies devoted to advancing open standards for mobile devices . Beginning with the first commercial Android device in September 2008 , the operating system has gone through multiple major releases , with the current version being 7.0 `` Nougat '' , released in August 2016 . Android applications ( `` apps '' ) can be downloaded from the Google Play store , which features over 2.7 million apps as of February 2017 . Android has been the best-selling OS on tablets since 2013 , and runs on the vast majority of smartphones . , Android has two billion monthly active users , and it has the largest installed base of any operating system .   Android 's source code is released by Google under an open source license , although most Android devices ultimately ship with a combination of free and open source and proprietary software , including proprietary software required for accessing Google services . Android is popular with technology companies that require a ready-made , low-cost and customizable operating system for high-tech devices . Its open nature has encouraged a large community of developers and enthusiasts to use the open-source code as a foundation for community-driven projects , which deliver updates to older devices , add new features for advanced users or bring Android to devices originally shipped with other operating systems . The extensive variation of hardware in Android devices causes significant delays for software upgrades , with new versions of the operating system and security patches typically taking months before reaching consumers , or sometimes not at all . The success of Android has made it a target for patent and copyright litigation as part of the so-called `` smartphone wars '' between technology companies .


Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti ( Arabic : صدام حسين عبد المجيد التكريتي ; 28 April 1937 -- 30 December 2006 ) was the fifth President of Iraq , serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003 . A leading member of the revolutionary Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party , and later , the Baghdad-based Ba'ath Party and its regional organization the Iraqi Ba'ath Party -- which espoused Ba'athism , a mix of Arab nationalism and socialism -- Saddam played a key role in the 1968 coup ( later referred to as the 17 July Revolution ) that brought the party to power in Iraq .   As vice president under the ailing General Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr , and at a time when many groups were considered capable of overthrowing the government , Saddam created security forces through which he tightly controlled conflict between the government and the armed forces . In the early 1970s , Saddam nationalized oil and other industries . The state-owned banks were put under his control , leaving the system eventually insolvent mostly due to the Iran -- Iraq War , the Gulf War , and UN sanctions . Through the 1970s , Saddam cemented his authority over the apparatuses of government as oil money helped Iraq 's economy to grow at a rapid pace . Positions of power in the country were mostly filled with Sunni Arabs , a minority that made up only a fifth of the population .   Saddam formally rose to power in 1979 , although he had been the de facto head of Iraq for several years prior . He suppressed several movements , particularly Shi'a and Kurdish movements , seeking to overthrow the government or gain independence , and maintained power during the Iran -- Iraq War and the Gulf War . Whereas some in the Arab world lauded Saddam for his opposition to the United States and for attacking Israel -- he was widely condemned for the brutality of his dictatorship . The total number of Iraqis killed by the security services of Saddam 's government in various purges and genocides is conservatively estimated at 250,000 .   In 2003 , a coalition led by the U.S. invaded Iraq to depose Saddam , in which U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair accused him of possessing weapons of mass destruction and having ties to al-Qaeda . Saddam 's Ba'ath party was disbanded and elections were held . Following his capture on 13 December 2003 , the trial of Saddam took place under the Iraqi Interim Government . On 5 November 2006 , Saddam was convicted of charges of crimes against humanity related to the 1982 killing of 148 Iraqi Shi'ites , and was sentenced to death by hanging . His execution was carried out on 30 December 2006 .