2008 was the year John Cena won Royal Rumble.

John Cena John Felix Anthony Cena Jr. ( -LSB- ˈsiːnə -RSB- born April 23 , 1977 ) is an American professional wrestler , rapper , actor , and reality television show host . He is signed to WWE , where he performs on the SmackDown brand . Cena started his professional wrestling career in 1999 with Ultimate Pro Wrestling ( UPW ) and won the UPW Heavyweight Championship the following year . Cena signed a developmental contract with the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF , later renamed to World Wrestling Entertainment , or simply WWE ) in 2001 , debuting on the WWE main roster in 2002 .   From a generic character in 2002 , Cena morphed into a rapper for the time period of 2002 -- 2004 , which earned him fame within the audience on SmackDown ! . Cena later transitioned to his current character , which he describes as a `` goody-two shoes Superman '' . However , Cena has been labeled as the `` most polarizing professional wrestler ever '' as his character has many supporters and many detractors , according to Jim Ross of Fox Sports , who also noted that Cena has been WWE 's franchise player for a long-time . In 2012 , IGN described Cena as WWE 's franchise player since 2005 and WWE credited Cena as being the `` face of WWE '' in 2015 since 2004 . Industry veterans John Layfield , Paul Heyman , and Kurt Angle have called Cena the greatest WWE star of all time .   Throughout his WWE career , Cena has won 25 championships , with 16 reigns as a world champion ( 13 times as WWE Champion and three times as WWE 's World Heavyweight Champion ) , an accomplishment only previously achieved by WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair . He is also a five-time United States Champion , and four-time world tag team champion ( two World Tag Team and two WWE Tag Team ) . Furthermore , he is a Money in the Bank ladder match winner ( 2012 ) , a two-time Royal Rumble winner ( 2008 , 2013 ) , and a three-time Superstar of the Year Slammy Award winner ( 2009 , 2010 , 2012 ) . Cena has the fourth-highest number of combined days as WWE Champion , behind Bruno Sammartino , Bob Backlund , and Hulk Hogan . He has also headlined WWE 's flagship event , WrestleMania , on five different occasions ( WrestleManias 22 , 23 , XXVII , XXVIII , and 29 ) over the course of his career , as well as many others pay-per-view events . As of 2016 , John Cena is WWE 's highest-paid wrestler .   Outside of wrestling , Cena has released the rap album You Ca n't See Me , which debuted at No. 15 on the US Billboard 200 chart , and starred in the feature films The Marine ( 2006 ) , 12 Rounds ( 2009 ) , Legendary ( 2010 ) , The Reunion ( 2011 ) , Trainwreck ( 2015 ) , and Sisters ( 2015 ) . Cena has also made appearances on television shows including Manhunt , Deal or No Deal , MADtv , Saturday Night Live , Punk 'd , Psych , and Parks and Recreation . He was also a contestant on Fast Cars and Superstars : The Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race , where he made it to the final round before being eliminated , placing third in the overall competition . Cena is also the host of American Grit on Fox . Cena is involved in numerous philanthropic causes ; most notably with the Make-A-Wish Foundation . He has granted the most wishes in Make-A-Wish history .


Alec Sokolow Alec Sokolow is an American film writer who has worked on such projects as the movies Cheaper by the Dozen , Toy Story , Money Talks , and Garfield : The Movie . He frequently works with Joel Cohen .   Along with Joss Whedon , Andrew Stanton , John Lasseter , Pete Docter , Joe Ranft , and Cohen , Sokolow was nominated in 1995 for the Academy Award for Best Writing ( Original Screenplay ) for his work on Toy Story .   Beyond writing , Sokolow and Cohen jointly directed Monster Mash : The Movie and executive produced Gnomes and Trolls : The Secret Chamber ( 2008 ) .


Anonymous (group) Anonymous is a loosely associated international network of activist and hacktivist entities . A website nominally associated with the group describes it as `` an Internet gathering '' with `` a very loose and decentralized command structure that operates on ideas rather than directives '' . The group became known for a series of well-publicized publicity stunts and distributed denial-of-service ( DDoS ) attacks on government , religious , and corporate websites .   Anonymous originated in 2003 on the imageboard 4chan , representing the concept of many online and offline community users simultaneously existing as an anarchic , digitized global brain . Anonymous members ( known as `` Anons '' ) can be distinguished in public by the wearing of Guy Fawkes masks in the style portrayed in the graphic novel and film V for Vendetta .   In its early form , the concept was adopted by a decentralized online community acting anonymously in a coordinated manner , usually toward a loosely self-agreed goal , and primarily focused on entertainment , or `` lulz '' . Beginning with 2008 's Project Chanology -- a series of protests , pranks , and hacks targeting the Church of Scientology -- the Anonymous collective became increasingly associated with collaborative hacktivism on a number of issues internationally . Individuals claiming to align themselves with Anonymous undertook protests and other actions ( including direct action ) in retaliation against copyright-focused campaigns by motion picture and recording industry trade associations . Later targets of Anonymous hacktivism included government agencies of the U.S. , Israel , Tunisia , Uganda , and others ; the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ; child pornography sites ; copyright protection agencies ; the Westboro Baptist Church ; and corporations such as PayPal , MasterCard , Visa , and Sony . Anons have publicly supported WikiLeaks and the Occupy movement . Related groups LulzSec and Operation AntiSec carried out cyberattacks on U.S. government agencies , media , video game companies , military contractors , military personnel , and police officers , resulting in the attention of law enforcement to the groups ' activities . Some actions by members of the group have been described as being anti-Zionist . It has threatened to cyber-attack Israel and engaged in the '' #OpIsrael '' cyber-attacks of Israeli websites on Yom HaShoah ( Holocaust Remembrance Day ) in 2013 .   Dozens of people have been arrested for involvement in Anonymous cyberattacks , in countries including the U.S. , UK , Australia , the Netherlands , Spain , India and Turkey . Evaluations of the group 's actions and effectiveness vary widely . Supporters have called the group `` freedom fighters '' and digital Robin Hoods while critics have described them as `` a cyber lynch-mob '' or `` cyber terrorists '' . In 2012 , Time called Anonymous one of the `` 100 most influential people '' in the world .


Church of Scientology The Church of Scientology is a multinational network and hierarchy of numerous ostensibly independent but interconnected corporate entities and other organizations devoted to the practice , administration and dissemination of Scientology , a new religious movement . The Church of Scientology International ( CSI ) is officially the Church of Scientology 's parent organization , and is responsible for guiding local Scientology churches . At a local level , every church is a separate corporate entity set up as a licensed franchise and has its own board of directors and executives . The first Scientology church was incorporated in December 1953 in Camden , New Jersey by L. Ron Hubbard . Its international headquarters are located at the Gold Base , in an unincorporated area of Riverside County , California . The location at Gilman Hotsprings is kept secret from most Scientologists . Scientology Missions International is under CSI and overseers Scientology missions , which are local Scientology organizations smaller than churches . The Church of Spiritual Technology ( CST ) is the organization which owns all the copyrights of the estate of L. Ron Hubbard .   The highest authority in the Church of Scientology is the Religious Technology Center ( RTC ) . The RTC claims to only be the `` holder of Scientology and Dianetics trademarks '' , but is in fact the main Scientology executive organization . RTC chairman David Miscavige is widely seen as the effective head of Scientology .   All Scientology management organizations are controlled exclusively by members of the Sea Org , which is a legally nonexistent paramilitary organization for the `` elite , innermost dedicated core of Scientologists '' . David Miscavige is the highest-ranking Sea Org officer , holding the rank of captain .   Although in some countries it has attained legal recognition as a religion , the movement has been the subject of a number of controversies , and has been accused by critics of being both a cult and a commercial enterprise .


Travis Scott Jacques Webster , Jr. ( born April 30 , 1992 ) , better known by his stage name Travis Scott ( formerly stylized as Travi $ Scott ) , is an American rapper , singer , songwriter and record producer from Houston , Texas . In 2012 , Scott signed a record deal with Epic Records . In November of the same year , Scott signed a deal with Very GOOD Beats , as an in-house producer , after appearing on the label 's debut compilation album Cruel Summer ( 2012 ) . In April 2013 , it was announced he signed with T.I. 's Grand Hustle imprint . He released his first full-length project , a mixtape titled Owl Pharaoh , in May 2013 . He then released his second mixtape Days Before Rodeo in August 2014 . His debut album Rodeo , was released on September 4 , 2015 . His sophomore album , Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight , was released on September 2 , 2016 .


The Flash aired on a Canadian francophone network.

The Flash (1990 TV series) The Flash is a 1990 American television series developed by the writing team of Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo that aired on CBS . It is based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen / Flash , a costumed superhero crime-fighter with the power to move at superhuman speeds . The Flash starred John Wesley Shipp as Allen , along with Amanda Pays , Alex Désert , and Paula Marshall . It was the first-ever live-action portrayal of the DC superhero .


Observer Media is an American media company.

Observer Media Observer Media is an American print and online media company . The company was formed through several acquisitions , including acquisition of the New York Observer in 2007 . Observer Media is based in lower Manhattan , New York City , and is owned by businessman Jared Kushner . It currently publishes the Commercial Observer , observer.com and Commercialobserver.com . As of November 2016 , Observer Media announced it would no longer print the New York Observer . The observer.com site is a consolidation of several notable online properties including The Gallerist , BetaBeat , NY Politicker , and PolitickerNJ .


Russell Crowe refused to portray John F. Nash in the film A Beautiful Mind.

Russell Crowe Russell Ira Crowe ( born 7 April 1964 ) is an actor , film producer and musician . Although a New Zealand citizen , he has lived most of his life in Australia . He came to international attention for his role as the Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator , directed by Ridley Scott , for which Crowe won an Academy Award for Best Actor , a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor , an Empire Award for Best Actor and a London Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor and 10 further nominations for best actor .   Crowe appeared as the tobacco firm whistle blower Jeffrey Wigand in the 1999 film The Insider , for which he received five awards as best actor and seven nominations in the same category . In 2001 , Crowe 's portrayal of mathematician and Nobel Prize winner John F. Nash in the biopic A Beautiful Mind brought him numerous awards , including a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role , a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role .   Crowe 's other films include Romper Stomper ( 1992 ) , L.A. Confidential ( 1997 ) , Master and Commander : The Far Side of the World ( 2003 ) , Cinderella Man ( 2005 ) , American Gangster ( 2007 ) , State of Play ( 2009 ) , Robin Hood ( 2010 ) , Les Misérables ( 2012 ) , Man of Steel ( 2013 ) and Noah ( 2014 ) . Crowe 's work has earned him several accolades during his career and including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , three consecutive Academy Award nominations ( 1999 -- 2001 ) , one Golden Globe Award for Best Actor , one BAFTA , and an Academy Award . Crowe is also the co-owner of the South Sydney Rabbitohs , an Australian National Rugby League team .


Doug Ducey Douglas Anthony Ducey -LSB- ˈduːsi -RSB- ( born April 9 , 1964 ) is an American businessman and politician who is the 23rd and current governor of the U.S. State of Arizona . He is a member of the Republican Party , and was sworn in as governor on January 5 , 2015 . Prior to his governorship , he served as the state 's 42nd treasurer . He is also the first man to serve as Arizona Governor in over 17 years .   Prior to serving in elected office , Ducey served as the CEO of Cold Stone Creamery before he and his business partner sold the company in 2007 . On November 4 , 2014 , Ducey won the election to become governor of the State of Arizona , the first open seat for governor in 12 years , succeeding Jan Brewer .   Born in Toledo , Ohio , Ducey moved to Tempe , Arizona in 1982 where he attended Arizona State University . In addition to his involvement with Cold Stone Creamery , he also worked at a local Anheuser-Busch distributor during his time in college , and Procter & Gamble following his graduation with a degree in finance .


Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe ( born Norma Jeane Mortenson ; June 1 , 1926 -- August 5 , 1962 ) was an American actress and model . Famous for playing comic `` dumb blonde '' characters , she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s , emblematic of the era 's attitudes towards sexuality . Although she was a top-billed actress for only a decade , her films grossed $ 200 million by the time of her unexpected death in 1962 . She continues to be considered a major popular culture icon .   Born and raised in Los Angeles , Monroe spent most of her childhood in foster homes and an orphanage and married at the age of sixteen . While working in a factory in 1944 as part of the war effort , she was introduced to a photographer from the First Motion Picture Unit and began a successful pin-up modeling career . The work led to short-lived film contracts with Twentieth Century-Fox ( 1946 -- 1947 ) and Columbia Pictures ( 1948 ) . After a series of minor film roles , she signed a new contract with Fox in 1951 . Over the next two years , she became a popular actress with roles in several comedies , including As Young as You Feel and Monkey Business , and in the dramas Clash by Night and Do n't Bother to Knock . Monroe faced a scandal when it was revealed that she had posed for nude photos before becoming a star , but rather than damaging her career , the story resulted in increased interest in her films .   By 1953 , Monroe was one of the most marketable Hollywood stars , with leading roles in three films : the noir Niagara , which focused on her sex appeal , and the comedies Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire , which established her star image as a `` dumb blonde '' . Although she played a significant role in the creation and management of her public image throughout her career , she was disappointed at being typecast and underpaid by the studio . She was briefly suspended in early 1954 for refusing a film project , but returned to star in one of the biggest box office successes of her career , The Seven Year Itch ( 1955 ) .   When the studio was still reluctant to change her contract , Monroe founded a film production company in late 1954 ; she named it Marilyn Monroe Productions ( MMP ) . She dedicated 1955 to building her company and began studying method acting at the Actors Studio . In late 1955 , Fox awarded her a new contract , which gave her more control and a larger salary . After a critically acclaimed performance in Bus Stop ( 1956 ) and acting in the first independent production of MMP , The Prince and the Showgirl ( 1957 ) , she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress for Some Like It Hot ( 1959 ) . Her last completed film was the drama The Misfits ( 1961 ) .   Monroe 's troubled private life received much attention . She struggled with substance abuse , depression , and anxiety . She had two highly publicized marriages , to retired baseball star Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller , both of which ended in divorce . On August 5 , 1962 , she died at age 36 from an overdose of barbiturates at her home in Los Angeles . Although Monroe 's death was ruled a probable suicide , several conspiracy theories have been proposed in the decades following her death .


Rob Lowe was in the cast of at least one television series.

Rob Lowe Robert Hepler Lowe ( -LSB- ˈloʊ -RSB- born March 17 , 1964 ) is an American actor . He came to prominence in the 1980s , playing teen and young adult roles in films such as The Outsiders ( 1983 ) , Oxford Blues ( 1984 ) , St. Elmo 's Fire ( 1985 ) , and About Last Night ... ( 1986 ) . However , he continued acting in less prominent film roles , and went on to high-profile roles in television series such as The West Wing ( 1999 -- 2003 ) , Brothers & Sisters ( 2006 -- 2010 ) , and Parks and Recreation ( 2010 -- 2014 ) .   In addition to receiving an Emmy Award nomination in 2001 for his work on The West Wing , Lowe has been nominated for six Golden Globe Awards ; his nominations span four of the seven categories for male actors .


David Bowie David Robert Jones ( 8 January 1947 -- 10 January 2016 ) , known professionally as David Bowie ( -LSB- ˈboʊi -RSB- ) , was an English singer , songwriter and actor . He was a figure in popular music for over five decades , becoming acclaimed by critics and other musicians for his innovative work . His career was marked by reinvention and visual presentation , his music and stagecraft significantly influencing popular music . During his lifetime , his record sales , estimated at 140 million worldwide , made him one of the world 's best-selling music artists . In the UK , he was awarded nine platinum album certifications , eleven gold and eight silver , releasing eleven number-one albums . In the US , he received five platinum and seven gold certifications . He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 .   Born in Brixton , South London , Bowie developed an interest in music as a child , eventually studying art , music and design before embarking on a professional career as a musician in 1963 . `` Space Oddity '' became his first top-five entry on the UK Singles Chart after its release in July 1969 . After a period of experimentation , he re-emerged in 1972 during the glam rock era with his flamboyant and androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust . The character was spearheaded by the success of his single `` Starman '' and album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars , which won him widespread popularity . In 1975 , Bowie 's style shifted radically towards a sound he characterised as `` plastic soul '' , initially alienating many of his UK devotees but garnering him his first major US crossover success with the number-one single `` Fame '' and the album Young Americans . In 1976 , Bowie starred in the cult film The Man Who Fell to Earth and released Station to Station . The following year , he further confounded musical expectations with the electronic-inflected album Low ( 1977 ) , the first of three collaborations with Brian Eno that would come to be known as the `` Berlin Trilogy '' . `` Heroes '' ( 1977 ) and Lodger ( 1979 ) followed ; each album reached the UK top five and received lasting critical praise .   After uneven commercial success in the late 1970s , Bowie had UK number ones with the 1980 single `` Ashes to Ashes '' , its parent album Scary Monsters and Super Creeps , and `` Under Pressure '' , a 1981 collaboration with Queen . He then reached his commercial peak in 1983 with Let 's Dance , with its title track topping both UK and US charts . Throughout the 1990s and 2000s , Bowie continued to experiment with musical styles , including industrial and jungle . He also continued acting ; his roles included Major Celliers in Merry Christmas , Mr. Lawrence ( 1983 ) , the Goblin King Jareth in Labyrinth ( 1986 ) , Pontius Pilate in The Last Temptation of Christ ( 1988 ) , and Nikola Tesla in The Prestige ( 2006 ) , among other film and television appearances and cameos . He stopped concert touring after 2004 , and his last live performance was at a charity event in 2006 . In 2013 , Bowie returned from a decade-long recording hiatus with the release of The Next Day . He remained musically active until he died of liver cancer two days after the release of his final album , Blackstar ( 2016 ) .


David Chase was involved in The Sopranos.

The Sopranos The Sopranos is an American crime drama television series created by David Chase . The story revolves around the fictional character , New Jersey-based Italian American mobster Tony Soprano ( James Gandolfini ) . The series portrays the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the conflicting requirements of his home life and his criminal organization . These are often highlighted during his therapy sessions with psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi ( Lorraine Bracco ) . The series features Tony 's family members , mafia colleagues and rivals , in prominent roles and story arcs , most notably his wife Carmela ( Edie Falco ) and protégé Christopher Moltisanti ( Michael Imperioli ) .   After the pilot was ordered in 1997 , the show premiered on the premium cable network HBO in the United States on January 10 , 1999 , and ran its six seasons with 86 episodes to June 10 , 2007 . The series then went through syndication and has been broadcast on A&E in the United States and internationally . The Sopranos was produced by HBO , Chase Films , and Brad Grey Television . It was primarily filmed at Silvercup Studios , New York City , and on location in New Jersey . The executive producers throughout the show 's run were David Chase , Brad Grey , Robin Green , Mitchell Burgess , Ilene S. Landress , Terence Winter , and Matthew Weiner .   The Sopranos is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time . The series also won a multitude of awards , including Peabody Awards for its first two seasons , 21 Primetime Emmy Awards and five Golden Globe Awards . A staple of 2000s American popular culture , the series has been the subject of critical analysis , controversy , and parody . It has spawned books , a video game , high-charting soundtrack albums , and a large amount of assorted merchandise . Several members of the show 's cast and crew who were previously largely unknown to the public have had successful careers after The Sopranos . In 2013 , the Writers Guild of America named The Sopranos the best-written TV series of all time , while TV Guide ranked it the best television series of all time .


Katie Price was married to Peter Andre from 2005 to 2015.

Katie Price Katie Price ( born Katrina Amy Alexandra Alexis Infield , 22 May 1978 ) , previously known by the pseudonym Jordan , is an English television personality and glamour model .   Her time as topless female glamour model in a pictorial Page 3 in British tabloid newspaper The Sun shot Price into the limelight . Her placement in the public spotlight allowed Price to expand into a variety of different industries including television , books , fashion and music .   Price has had many highly publicised relationships and has been married three times , to singer Peter Andre ( 2005 -- 2009 ) , to professional fighter Alex Reid ( 2010 -- 2011 ) and to builder and part-time stripper Kieran Hayler ( 2013 -- ) . In April 2012 , Price 's net worth was estimated at # 45 million .


Pablo Fenjves Pablo F. Fenjves ( born 16 August 1953 ) is an American screenwriter and ghostwriter based in Los Angeles , California . His screenwriting credits include the 1995 film The Affair , Man on a Ledge , released in January , 2012 , and a string of television movies .   Born in Caracas , Venezuela to Hungarian survivors of the Holocaust , Fenjves went to college in Illinois . His first journalism job was in Canada . He joined the National Enquirer in Florida in the late 1970s , where he befriended Judith Regan .   Fenjves has ghostwritten more than a dozen books , including two number one New York Times Best-Sellers ( Witness and Blood Brother ) . Fenjves also ghostwrote the autobiographies and memoirs of Bernie Mac , Janice Dickinson , and music producer David Foster . He collaborated with O.J. Simpson to ghostwrite If I Did It , an account of the Simpson murder case . That book was pulled by the publisher just weeks before its release date , but it was subsequently revived by Fred Goldman , father of murder victim Ron Goldman , and spent five weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list . Fenjves had a personal connection to the Simpson case : Fenjves lived a few doors down from the Brentwood murder scene , and had testified against Simpson regarding the time at which he heard Nicole Simpson 's dog barking .   His current film projects include an original action script , Undertow , which is being produced by Michael De Luca ; and an original comedy , Mother , to which Halle Berry is attached .


Felicity Huffman Felicity Kendall Huffman ( born December 9 , 1962 ) is an American film , stage , and television actress .   Huffman began her acting career in theatre and in the 1990s also had many supporting roles in film and television . She starred as executive producer Dana Whitaker in the critically acclaimed ABC comedy-drama Sports Night from 1998 to 2000 , which earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination . She is best known for her role as Lynette Scavo in the long-running ABC comedy-drama Desperate Housewives ( 2004 -- 2012 ) , for which she earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the debut season of the series and three Screen Actors Guild Awards overall .   Huffman drew critical praise for her performance as a transgender woman in the independent film Transamerica ( 2005 ) . The role earned her a Golden Globe Award , Independent Spirit Award , National Board of Review , and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress . Huffman has also starred in such films as Reversal of Fortune ( 1990 ) , The Spanish Prisoner ( 1997 ) , Magnolia ( 1999 ) , Path to War ( 2002 ) , Georgia Rule ( 2007 ) , Phoebe in Wonderland ( 2008 ) , Rudderless ( 2014 ) and Cake ( 2014 ) . Since 2015 , she has started in a third ABC series , the anthology crime drama American Crime , for which she has received critical acclaim including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie nomination . Additionally , she has been nominated on three more occasions for a Golden Globe Award , and has also won an Obie .


Charles II of England had a Catholic brother named James.

Charles II of England Charles II ( 29 May 1630 -- 6 February 1685 ) was king of England , Scotland and Ireland . He was king of Scotland from 1649 until his deposition in 1651 , and king of England , Scotland and Ireland from the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 until his death .   Charles II 's father , Charles I , was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649 , at the climax of the English Civil War . Although the Parliament of Scotland proclaimed Charles II king on 5 February 1649 , England entered the period known as the English Interregnum or the English Commonwealth , and the country was a de facto republic , led by Oliver Cromwell . Cromwell defeated Charles II at the Battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651 , and Charles fled to mainland Europe . Cromwell became virtual dictator of England , Scotland and Ireland , and Charles spent the next nine years in exile in France , the Dutch Republic and the Spanish Netherlands . A political crisis that followed the death of Cromwell in 1658 resulted in the restoration of the monarchy , and Charles was invited to return to Britain . On 29 May 1660 , his 30th birthday , he was received in London to public acclaim . After 1660 , all legal documents were dated as if he had succeeded his father as king in 1649 .   Charles 's English parliament enacted laws known as the Clarendon Code , designed to shore up the position of the re-established Church of England . Charles acquiesced to the Clarendon Code even though he favoured a policy of religious tolerance . The major foreign policy issue of his early reign was the Second Anglo-Dutch War . In 1670 , he entered into the secret treaty of Dover , an alliance with his first cousin King Louis XIV of France . Louis agreed to aid him in the Third Anglo-Dutch War and pay him a pension , and Charles secretly promised to convert to Catholicism at an unspecified future date . Charles attempted to introduce religious freedom for Catholics and Protestant dissenters with his 1672 Royal Declaration of Indulgence , but the English Parliament forced him to withdraw it . In 1679 , Titus Oates 's revelations of a supposed `` Popish Plot '' sparked the Exclusion Crisis when it was revealed that Charles 's brother and heir ( James , Duke of York ) was a Catholic . The crisis saw the birth of the pro-exclusion Whig and anti-exclusion Tory parties . Charles sided with the Tories , and , following the discovery of the Rye House Plot to murder Charles and James in 1683 , some Whig leaders were executed or forced into exile . Charles dissolved the English Parliament in 1681 , and ruled alone until his death on 6 February 1685 . He was received into the Roman Catholic Church on his deathbed .   Charles was popularly known as the Merry Monarch , in reference to both the liveliness and hedonism of his court and the general relief at the return to normality after over a decade of rule by Cromwell and the Puritans . Charles 's wife , Catherine of Braganza , bore no live children , but Charles acknowledged at least twelve illegitimate children by various mistresses . He was succeeded by his brother James .


The 2016 Summer Olympics ended on August 21st.

2016 Summer Olympics The 2016 Summer Olympics ( Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2016 ) , officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad and commonly known as Rio 2016 , was a major international multi-sport event held in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , from 5 August to 21 August 2016 .   More than 11,000 athletes from 205 National Olympic Committees , including first time entrants Kosovo , South Sudan , and the Refugee Olympic Team , took part . With 306 sets of medals , the games featured 28 Olympic sports , including rugby sevens and golf , which were added to the Olympic program in 2009 . These sporting events took place at 33 venues in the host city , and at five in São Paulo , Belo Horizonte , Salvador , Brasília , and Manaus .   These were the first Summer Olympic Games under the International Olympic Committee ( IOC ) presidency of Thomas Bach . The host city Rio de Janeiro was announced at the 121st IOC Session in Copenhagen , Denmark , on 2 October 2009 . Rio became the first South American city to host the Summer Olympics . These were the first games to be held in a Portuguese-speaking country , the first to be held entirely in the host country 's winter , the first since 1968 to be held in Latin America , and the first since 2000 to be held in the Southern Hemisphere .   The lead-up to these Games was marked by controversies , including the instability of the country 's federal government ; the countries ' problems with inequality ; health and safety concerns surrounding the Zika virus and significant pollution in the Guanabara Bay ; and a doping scandal involving Russia , which affected the participation of its athletes in the Games .   The United States topped the medal table for the fifth time in the past six Summer Olympics , winning the most golds ( 46 ) and most medals overall ( 121 ) , as well as its 1,000 th Olympic gold medal overall . Great Britain finished second and became the first country in the history of the modern Olympics to increase its tally of medals in the subsequent games after being the host nation . China finished third . Host country Brazil won seven gold medals , its most at any single Summer Olympics , finishing in thirteenth place . Bahrain , Fiji , Jordan , Kosovo , Puerto Rico , Singapore , Tajikistan , Ivory Coast and Vietnam each won their first gold medals , as did the group of Independent Olympic Athletes ( from Kuwait ) .


Destiny was released for the console Xbox 360.

Destiny (video game) Destiny is an online-only multiplayer first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Activision . It was released worldwide on September 9 , 2014 , for the PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , Xbox 360 , and Xbox One consoles . Destiny marked Bungie 's first new console franchise since the Halo series , and it is the first game in a ten-year agreement between Bungie and Activision . Set in a `` mythic science fiction '' world , the game features a multiplayer `` shared-world '' environment with elements of role-playing games . Activities in Destiny are divided among player versus environment ( PvE ) and player versus player ( PvP ) game types . In addition to normal story missions , PvE features three-player `` strikes '' and six-player raids . A free roam patrol mode is also available for each planet and features public events . PvP features objective-based modes , as well as traditional deathmatch game modes .   Players take on the role of a Guardian , protectors of Earth 's last safe city as they wield a power called Light to protect the City from different alien races . Guardians are tasked with reviving a celestial being called the Traveler , while journeying to different planets to investigate and destroy the alien threats before humanity is completely wiped out . Bungie released four expansion packs , furthering the story , and adding new content , missions , and new PvP modes . Year One of Destiny featured two small expansions , The Dark Below in December 2014 and House of Wolves in May 2015 . A third , larger expansion , The Taken King , was released in September 2015 and marked the beginning of Year Two , changing much of the core gameplay . In December 2015 , Destiny shifted to an event-based model , featuring more limited-time events . A new , large expansion called Rise of Iron was released in September 2016 , beginning Year Three . Rise of Iron was only released for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One ; PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 clients subsequently stopped receiving updates . A full sequel , Destiny 2 , is scheduled for September 2017 .   Upon its release , Destiny received mixed to positive reviews with criticism centered mostly around the game 's storyline and post-campaign content . The game was praised for maintaining lineage from the Halo franchise , particularly in regards to its competitive experiences . On day one of its release , it sold over US$ 500 million at retail , making it the biggest new franchise launch of all time . It was GamesRadar 's 2014 Game of the Year and it received the BAFTA Award for Best Game at the 2014 British Academy Video Games Awards .


One of the best-selling music artists of all time is Usher.

Usher (musician) Usher Raymond IV ( born October 14 , 1978 ) is an American singer , songwriter , dancer , and actor . Born in Dallas , Texas but raised and lived in Chattanooga , Tennessee until moving to Atlanta , Georgia . At the age of 12 , his mother put him in local singing competitions , before catching the attention of a music A&R from LaFace Records . In 1994 , he released his self-titled debut album , Usher . He rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his sophomore album My Way ( 1997 ) , which spawned his first U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one single , `` Nice & Slow '' , amongst top-two singles `` You Make Me Wan na ... '' and `` My Way '' . 8701 ( 2001 ) produced the number-one singles `` U Remind Me '' and `` U Got It Bad '' , and top-three single `` U Do n't Have to Call '' . It sold 8 million copies worldwide and won his first two Grammy Awards as Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 2002 and 2003 .   Confessions ( 2004 ) established him as one of the best-selling musical artists of the 2000s decade , selling 20 million copies worldwide . Bolstered by its four consecutive Billboard Hot 100 number one singles ; `` Yeah ! '' , `` Burn '' , `` Confessions Part II '' , and `` My Boo '' , it has been certified Diamond by the RIAA . Here I Stand ( 2008 ) and Raymond v. Raymond ( 2010 ) , debuted atop of the Billboard 200 , and produced the Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles `` Love in This Club '' and `` OMG '' . The EP , Versus , also produced the Hot 100 top-five single `` DJ Got Us Fallin ' in Love '' . Looking 4 Myself ( 2012 ) , also debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart and produced the Hot 100 top-ten single `` Scream '' . Raymond v. Raymond and Looking 4 Myself received Grammy Awards for R&B singles `` There Goes My Baby '' and `` Climax '' . Hard II Love ( 2016 ) peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 albums chart .   Usher has sold 23.8 million albums and 38.2 million digital songs in the United States . To date , his worldwide sales stand at 43 million albums and 75 million records overall , making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time . Usher has won numerous awards and accolades including 18 Billboard Music Awards and 8 Grammy Awards . At the end of 2009 , Billboard named him the second most successful artist of the 2000s decade , the number-one Hot 100 artist of the 2000s decade , and ranked Confessions as the top solo album of the 2000s decade . Billboard also placed him at number 6 on their list of `` Top 50 R&B / Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years '' . Usher has attained 9 US Hot 100 number-one singles . Considered an icon and sex symbol , he was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and Hollywood Walk of Fame . In 2008 , he started his own record label Raymond-Braun Media Group ( RBMG ) ; a joint venture with talent manager Scooter Braun that includes Canadian singer Justin Bieber .


Linda Schuyler is a Canadian but was born in London.

Linda Schuyler Linda Schuyler , ( née Bawcutt ; born in 1948 in London , England ) is a Canadian television producer involved in the creation and production of the Degrassi series and Instant Star series of teen programs .


Morrissey was birthed into a working-class family.

Morrissey Steven Patrick Morrissey ( born 22 May 1959 ) , professionally known as Morrissey , is an English singer , songwriter and author . He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the indie rock band the Smiths , which was active from 1982 to 1987 . Since then , Morrissey has had a solo career , making the top ten of the UK Singles Chart on ten occasions .   Born in Davyhulme , Lancashire , to a working-class Irish migrant family , Morrissey grew up in Manchester . As a child he developed a love of literature , kitchen sink realism and popular music . Involved in Manchester 's punk rock scene during the late 1970s , he fronted the Nosebleeds , with little success . Beginning a career in music journalism , he authored a number of books on music and film in the early 1980s . With Johnny Marr he established the Smiths in 1982 , soon attracting national recognition for their self-titled debut album . As the band 's frontman , Morrissey attracted attention both for his witty and sardonic lyrics and his idiosyncratic appearance ; deliberately avoiding rock machismo , he cultivated the aesthetic of a social outsider who eschewed drugs and embraced celibacy . He was also noted for his unusual baritone vocal style ( though he sometimes uses falsetto ) , The Smiths released five further albums -- including the critically acclaimed Meat is Murder and The Queen is Dead -- and had a string of hit singles . Personal differences between Morrissey and Marr resulted in The Smiths ' separation in 1987 .   In 1988 , Morrissey launched his solo career with the album Viva Hate . This and its follow-up albums -- Bona Drag , Kill Uncle , Your Arsenal , and Vauxhall and I -- all did well in the UK Albums Chart and spawned a number of hit singles . Having left Britain and moved to Los Angeles , during the mid-1990s Morrissey 's image began to shift into that of a burlier figure , who toyed with patriotic imagery and working-class masculinity . In the mid-to-late 1990s , his subsequent albums , Southpaw Grammar and Maladjusted , also charted but were less well received . After a hiatus between 1998 and 2003 , Morrissey released a successful comeback album , You Are the Quarry , in 2004 . Relocating to Italy , ensuing years saw the release of albums Ringleader of the Tormentors , Years of Refusal , and World Peace Is None of Your Business . In 2013 Morrissey released his autobiography , followed by his first novel in 2015 .   Highly influential , Morrissey is widely credited as being a seminal figure in the emergence of indie rock and Britpop . He has been acclaimed as one of the greatest lyricists in British history , with his lyrics having become the subject of academic study . He has courted controversy with his forthright opinions -- endorsing vegetarianism and animal rights , condemning royalty and prominent politicians , and questioning issues of British national and cultural identity . In a 2006 poll held by the BBC 's Culture Show , Morrissey was voted the second greatest living British cultural icon .


John Heard acted in a movie directed by a man.

John Heard (actor) John Matthew Heard , Jr. ( born March 7 , 1945 ) is an American film and television actor . He is probably best known for his lead roles in several films , including Chilly Scenes of Winter , Heart Beat , Cutter 's Way , Cat People , and C.H.U.D. , as well as supporting roles in After Hours , Big , Beaches , Awakenings , Rambling Rose , The Pelican Brief , My Fellow Americans , Snake Eyes , and Animal Factory . He also played Peter McCallister in Home Alone and Home Alone 2 : Lost in New York , as well as appearing in Sharknado . Heard won an Emmy Award for guest starring on The Sopranos .


Cat People (1982 film) Cat People is a 1982 American erotic horror film directed by Paul Schrader and starring Nastassja Kinski and Malcolm McDowell . Jerry Bruckheimer served as executive producer . Alan Ormsby wrote the screenplay , basing it loosely on the story by DeWitt Bodeen , the screenwriter for the acclaimed original Cat People ( 1942 ) . Giorgio Moroder composed the film 's score , including the theme song which features lyrics and vocals by David Bowie .


Heart Beat (film) Heart Beat is a 1980 American drama film written and directed by John Byrum , based on the autobiography by Carolyn Cassady . The film is about seminal figures in the Beat Generation . The character of Ira , played by Ray Sharkey , is based on Allen Ginsberg . The film stars Nick Nolte , Sissy Spacek and John Heard .   The movie received generally mixed reviews , although the soundtrack was met with critical acclaim , as well as being a large box office success .


Home Alone Home Alone is a 1990 American Christmas comedy film written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus . The film stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister , a boy who is mistakenly left behind when his family flies to Paris for their Christmas vacation . Kevin initially relishes being home alone , but soon has to contend with two would-be burglars played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern . The film also features Catherine O'Hara and John Heard as Kevin 's parents .   Culkin was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Musical or Comedy . After its release , Home Alone became the highest-grossing live action comedy film of all time in the United States , and also held the record worldwide until it was overtaken by The Hangover Part II in 2011 . It is the highest grossing Christmas movie of all time at the North American box office ( when adjusted for inflation ) . Home Alone has spawned a successful film franchise with four sequels , including the 1992 film Home Alone 2 : Lost in New York , the only Home Alone sequel to have the original cast reprising their roles .


After Hours (film) After Hours is a 1985 American black comedy film directed by Martin Scorsese , written by Joseph Minion , and starring Griffin Dunne with an ensemble cast . The film follows Paul Hackett , portrayed by Dunne , as he experiences a series of misadventures while making his way home from New York City 's SoHo district during the night .   Warner Home Video released the film on VHS in 1991 for both widescreen and pan-and-scan NTSC laserdiscs . It has also been released on DVD .


Snake Eyes (film) Snake Eyes is a 1998 American conspiracy thriller film directed by Brian De Palma , featuring his trademark use of long tracking shots and split screens . It starred Nicolas Cage , Gary Sinise and Carla Gugino . The film was written by David Koepp and De Palma , and was released to theaters on August 7 , 1998 . It costed an estimated $ 73 million to produce and returned $ 103 million worldwide , but received mixed to negative reviews from critics .


Beaches (film) Beaches ( also known as Forever Friends ) is a 1988 American comedy-drama film adapted by Mary Agnes Donoghue from the Iris Rainer Dart novel of the same name . It was directed by Garry Marshall , and stars Bette Midler , Barbara Hershey , Mayim Bialik , Skyler Blask , John Heard , James Read , Spalding Gray , and Lainie Kazan .   Despite generally negative reviews from critics , the film was a commercial success , grossing $ 59 million in the box office , and gained a cult following .   A sequel , based on the novel Beaches II : I 'll Be There was planned with Barbara Eden but never filmed .


Animal Factory Animal Factory is a 2000 crime drama film about life in prison , set in San Quentin . The film was directed by Steve Buscemi , and stars Willem Dafoe , Edward Furlong , Danny Trejo , John Heard , Mickey Rourke , Tom Arnold , Seymour Cassel , and Mark Boone , Jr. . Animal Factory is based on the novel of the same name by Eddie Bunker who plays the part of Buzzard in the film .


Unforgettable was written by Christina Hodson and David Leslie Johnson.

Unforgettable (2017 film) Unforgettable is a 2017 American erotic thriller film directed by Denise Di Novi ( in her directorial debut ) and written by Christina Hodson and David Leslie Johnson . The film stars Katherine Heigl , Rosario Dawson , Geoff Stults , Isabella Rice and Cheryl Ladd , and follows a divorcée who begins to torment the new fiancé of her ex-husband .   Principal photography began on August 17 , 2015 in Los Angeles . The film was released on April 21 , 2017 by Warner Bros. and has grossed $ 15 million against its $ 12 million budget .


Her was distributed as a wide screening on January 10, 2014.

Her (film) Her is a 2013 American romantic science-fiction drama film written , directed , and produced by Spike Jonze . It marks Jonze 's solo screenwriting debut . The film follows Theodore Twombly ( Joaquin Phoenix ) , a man who develops a relationship with Samantha ( Scarlett Johansson ) , an intelligent computer operating system personified through a female voice . The film also stars Amy Adams , Rooney Mara , and Olivia Wilde .   Jonze conceived the idea in the early 2000s after reading an article about a website that allowed for instant messaging with an artificial intelligence program . After making I 'm Here ( 2010 ) , a short film sharing similar themes , Jonze returned to the idea . He wrote the first draft of the script in five months . Principal photography took place in Los Angeles and Shanghai in mid-2012 . The role of Samantha was recast in post-production , with Samantha Morton being replaced with Johansson . Additional scenes were filmed in August 2013 following the casting change .   Her premiered at the 2013 New York Film Festival on October 12 , 2013 . Warner Bros. initially provided a limited release for Her at six theaters on December 18 . It was later given a wide release at over 1,700 theaters in the United States and Canada on January 10 , 2014 . Her received widespread critical acclaim upon its release , and grossed over $ 47 million worldwide on a production budget of $ 23 million . The film received numerous awards and nominations , primarily for Jonze 's screenplay . At the 86th Academy Awards , Her received five nominations , including Best Picture , and won the award for Best Original Screenplay . Jonze also won awards for his screenplay at the 71st Golden Globe Awards , the 66th Writers Guild of America Awards , the 19th Critics ' Choice Awards , and the 40th Saturn Awards .


Brigitte Macron is married to a president.

Brigitte Macron Brigitte Marie-Claude Macron ( -LSB- bri.ʒit ma.ʁi klodə ma.kʁɔ -RSB- ; née Trogneux , -LSB- tʁɔ.ɲø -RSB- , previously Auzière , -LSB- o.zjɛːʁ -RSB- ; born 13 April 1953 ) is a high-school teacher and the wife of Emmanuel Macron , the President of the French Republic . , Brigitte Macron teaches literature at the élite lycée Saint-Louis de Gonzague in Paris .


Minions (film) Minions is a 2015 American computer-animated comedy film , serving as a spin-off/prequel to the Despicable Me franchise . Produced by Illumination Entertainment for Universal Pictures , it was directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda , written by Brian Lynch , and produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy . The film stars the voices of Coffin ( as the Minions , including : Kevin , Stuart and Bob ) , Sandra Bullock , Jon Hamm , Michael Keaton , Allison Janney , Steve Coogan and Jennifer Saunders with the narration provided by Geoffrey Rush . It was first foreshadowed in the end credits of Despicable Me 2 ( 2013 ) , where Kevin , Stuart and Bob , three of the Minions , are seen auditioning for the film .   Minions had its premiere on June 11 , 2015 , in Leicester Square , London , and went into general release in the United States on July 10 , 2015 . Critical response was mixed : some critics praised the comedic aspects of the film and the performances of Bullock and Hamm , while also felt that the title characters were not able to carry the film on their own , and that the villains were flatly characterized . The film has grossed over $ 1.1 billion worldwide ( outgrossing each of the Despicable Me films ) , making it the thirteenth highest-grossing film of all time , the second highest-grossing animated film and the highest-grossing non-Disney animated film . A sequel is scheduled to be released on July 3 , 2020 .


Get Out (film) Get Out is a 2017 American horror film written , co-produced and directed by Jordan Peele , in his directorial debut . The film stars Daniel Kaluuya , Allison Williams , Lil Rel Howery , Bradley Whitford , Caleb Landry Jones , Stephen Root and Catherine Keener , and follows a young interracial couple who visit the mysterious estate of the woman 's parents .   Get Out premiered at Sundance Film Festival on January 24 , 2017 , and was theatrically released in the United States on February 24 by Universal Pictures . The film has grossed $ 241 million worldwide against its $ 4.5 million budget and received universal acclaim from critics and audiences alike .


The Connaught Tunnel was lined with reinforced concrete in 1988.

Connaught Tunnel For the Connaught tunnel in East London , England , see Eastern Counties and Thames Junction Railway  The Connaught Tunnel is a railway tunnel under the Selkirk Mountains in southeastern British Columbia , Canada , near the city of Revelstoke . The 5.022 mi tunnel carries the Canadian Pacific Railway main line under Mount Macdonald and replaced the railway 's previous routing over Rogers Pass , which had been struck by several deadly avalanches since its completion in 1885 . At the time it was built , the Connaught Tunnel was the longest railway tunnel in North America . It was named for the Governor General of Canada -- the Prince Arthur , Duke of Connaught -- who in turn was named after the province of Connaught in Ireland .   Announced in February 1913 , the contract was awarded on July 1 , 1913 , to Foley Bros. . Welch and Stewart . The tunnel was designed by John G. Sullivan who joined the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1900 and eventually became Chief Engineer for Canada . A small tunnel was built , from which cross cuts were made to the main tunnel so work could carry on at a number of headings . The sub-contractor guaranteed to drill 900 ft of tunnel per month and started on April 2 , 1914 . Compressed air equipment and narrow gauge locomotives were used inside the tunnel . The company town housed some 300 workers . The tunnel was completed before the original deadline , with operation beginning December 16 , 1916 . It had a grade of only 0.95 per cent westward , and was tangent ; light at one end can be seen at the other , more than five miles away .   It cost $ 5.5 million , while a further $ 3 million were spent on track revision , which saw 14.5 mi abandoned including the Loops and over 4 mi of snow sheds . In all , the route was shortened by 4.3 mi .   Problems were encountered with ventilation , loose rocks and wet rails , which caused trains to stall . The tunnel was later lined with reinforced concrete and equipped with a better ventilation system . Originally double tracked , it was realigned with a single track in 1959 to accommodate higher freight cars .   In the late 1980s , the Mount Macdonald Tunnel was built to supplement the Connaught Tunnel and to lessen the grade on the eastern approach to the pass . Trains now predominantly travel east through the Connaught Tunnel and west through the Mount Macdonald Tunnel .   In 2001 , the Connaught Tunnel was inducted into the North America Railway Hall of Fame . The Hall of Fame recognizes and establishes an enduring tribute to the people and things that have made significant contribution relating to railway industry in North America . The Connaught Tunnel was inducted in the `` Facilities and Structures '' category with `` National '' significance .


Portugal Portugal ( Portuguese : -LSB- puɾtuˈɣaɫ -RSB- ) , officially the Portuguese Republic ( -LSB- República Portuguesa , links = no -RSB- ) ( Portuguese : -LSB- ʁɨ ` publikɐ puɾtu ' ɣezɐ -RSB- ) In recognized minority languages of Portugal :  República Pertuesa is a sovereign state located on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe . It is the westernmost country of mainland Europe . To the west and south it is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and to the east and north by Spain . The Portugal -- Spain border is 1214 km long and considered the longest uninterrupted border within the European Union . The republic also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira , both autonomous regions with their own regional governments .   The territory of modern Portugal has been continuously settled , invaded and fought over since prehistoric times . The Pre-Celts , Celts , Carthaginians and Romans were followed by the invasions of the Visigothic and the Suebi Germanic peoples . Portugal as a country was born in the aftermath of the Christian Reconquista against the Moors who had invaded the Iberian Peninsula in 711 AD and occupied most of it ever since . Precipitated by the seminal event for its foundation , the Battle of São Mamede , where Portuguese forces led by Afonso Henriques defeated forces led by his mother Theresa of Portugal and her lover Fernão Peres de Trava , which established the nation 's sovereignty against rival neighbor kingdoms . Following São Mamede , the future king styled himself Prince of Portugal . He would be proclaimed King of Portugal in the Battle of Ourique in 1139 and was recognised as such by neighbouring kingdoms in 1143 .   In the 15th and 16th centuries , Portugal established the first global empire , becoming one of the world 's major economic , political and military powers . During this time , Portuguese explorers pioneered maritime exploration in the Age of Discovery , notably under royal patronage of Prince Henry the Navigator and King João II , with such notable discoveries as Bartolomeu Dias 's reach of the Cape of Good Hope ( 1488 ) , the Vasco da Gama 's sea route to India ( 1497 -- 98 ) and the discovery of Brazil ( 1500 ) . Portugal monopolized the spice trade during this time , and the Portuguese Empire expanded with military campaigns led in Asia . But the destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake , the country 's occupation during the Napoleonic Wars , the independence of Brazil ( 1822 ) , and the Liberal Wars ( 1828 -- 34 ) , all left Portugal crippled from war and diminished in its world power .   After the 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy , the democratic but unstable Portuguese First Republic was established , later being superseded by the Estado Novo right-wing authoritarian regime . Democracy was restored after the Portuguese Colonial War and the Carnation Revolution in 1974 . Shortly after , independence was granted to almost all its overseas territories . The handover of Macau to China in 1999 marked the end of the longest-lived colonial empire . Portugal has left a profound cultural and architectural influence across the globe and a legacy of over 250 million Portuguese speakers today .   Portugal is a developed country with a high-income advanced economy and a high living standard . It is the 5th most peaceful country in the world , maintaining a unitary semi-presidential republican form of government . It has the 18th highest Social Progress in the world , putting it ahead of other Western European countries like France , Spain and Italy . A founding member of NATO and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries , it is also a member of numerous other international organizations , including the United Nations , the European Union , the eurozone , and the OECD .   Portugal is a pioneer when it comes to drug decriminalization , as the nation decriminalized the possession of all drugs for personal use in 2001 .   LGBT rights in Portugal have improved substantially in the past two decades and are now among the best in the world . Moreover , after years of investment and cooperation , Portugal marked a climax on renewable energy worldwide in 2016 , when it was powered for 107 consecutive hours exclusively by wind , sun , and water , which advocates say further shows fossil fuels are indeed replaceable .


The Fosters (2013 TV series) The Fosters is an American family drama television series created by Peter Paige and Bradley Bredeweg which first premiered in the United States on June 3 , 2013 on the Freeform ( previously named ABC Family ) television network . It follows the lives of the Foster family led by lesbian couple Stef and Lena , a cop and a school vice principal respectively , who raise a multi-ethnic blended family that consists of one biological and four adopted children in San Diego , California .   The first season of The Fosters received generally favorable reviews from critics and also garnered particular acclaim for its portrayal of LGBT themes . It also earned two GLAAD Media Awards and one Teen Choice Award .


My Everything is the 2nd studio album of Ariana Grande.

My Everything (Ariana Grande album) My Everything is the second studio album by American singer Ariana Grande , released on August 25 , 2014 by Republic Records . Grande wanted My Everything to sound as `` an evolution '' from her debut album , Yours Truly ( 2013 ) ; it explores more mature themes and genres . In the album 's production , Ariana worked with a host of producers -- including Max Martin , Shellback , Benny Blanco , Ryan Tedder , Darkchild , Ilya Salmanzadeh , Zedd , and David Guetta . Upon its release , the album debuted atop the Billboard 200 , selling 169,000 copies in its first week . It debuted at number one in Australia and Canada as well , and peaked in the top ten of twenty countries worldwide . As of March 2016 , the album has sold 692,000 copies in the United States .   My Everything was preceded by the lead single `` Problem '' , which features Australian rapper Iggy Azalea . After its release on April 28 , 2014 , the single debuted at number three the week of May 17 , selling over 400,000 copies in its first week and eventually peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 . `` Break Free '' , featuring German-Russian musician and producer Zedd , was released as the second single on July 2 , and peaked at the fourth position on the Hot 100 . The fourth single , `` Love Me Harder '' , featuring The Weeknd , was released on September 30 , 2014 and peaked at number seven . At the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in 2015 , My Everything was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album .


Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( born June 26 , 1993 ) , known as Ariana Grande ( -LSB- ˌɑriˈɑːnə_ˈɡrɑːndeɪ -RSB- ) , is an American singer and actress . She began her career in the Broadway musical 13 , before landing the role of Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon television series Victorious in 2009 . The show ended after four seasons , and Grande starred in the spinoff , Sam & Cat , which ended in 2014 . She has also appeared in other theatre and television roles , and has lent her voice to animated television and films .   Grande 's music career began with the soundtrack Music from Victorious ( 2011 ) . She signed a recording contract with Republic Records and released her debut studio album , Yours Truly , in 2013 , which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 . The album 's lead single , `` The Way '' , debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 , with critics comparing her wide vocal range to that of Mariah Carey .   Grande 's second studio album , My Everything ( 2014 ) , debuted at number one in the US and charted in the top 10 in 24 other countries . With the lead single `` Problem '' and several others from that album , she was continuously in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 for 34 weeks and had the most top 10 singles of any artist in 2014 . In 2015 , Grande promoted My Everything with her first world tour , The Honeymoon Tour , guest-starred in the Fox comedy horror television series , Scream Queens and released a holiday EP , Christmas & Chill . In 2016 , she released her third studio album , Dangerous Woman , and several songs from the album . The title track debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 , making Grande the first person in the history of that chart to have the lead single from each of her first three albums debut in the top 10 . The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 . As of January 2017 , Grande 's music videos had been viewed a total of more than seven billion times online .   Grande 's accolades include three American Music Awards , an MTV Video Music Award , three MTV Europe Music Awards and four Grammy Award nominations . All three of her albums have been certified platinum by the RIAA . She has actively supported a range of charities , and has a large following on social media ; she is the second most followed person on Instagram . In 2016 , Time named Grande one of the 100 most influential people in the world on the annual Time 100 list .


Halle Berry is a spokesmodel for beauty products.

Revlon Revlon , Inc. is an American multinational cosmetics , skin care , fragrance , and personal care company founded in 1932 and based in New York City .


Halle Berry Halle Maria Berry ( born Maria Halle Berry ; August 14 , 1966 ) is an American actress . She won the 2002 Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the romantic drama Monster 's Ball ( 2001 ) . As of 2017 , she is the only black woman to have won a Best Actress Academy Award .   Berry was one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood during the 2000s and has been involved in the production of several of the films in which she performed . She is also a Revlon spokesmodel . Before becoming an actress , she started modeling and entered several beauty contests , finishing as the 1st runner-up in the Miss USA Pageant and coming in 6th place in the Miss World Pageant in 1986 . Her breakthrough film role was in the romantic comedy Boomerang ( 1992 ) , alongside Eddie Murphy , which led to roles in films such as the comedy The Flintstones ( 1994 ) , the political comedy-drama Bulworth ( 1998 ) and the television film Introducing Dorothy Dandridge ( 1999 ) , for which she won the Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress , among many other awards .   In addition to her Academy Award win , Berry garnered high-profile roles in the 2000s such as Storm in the X-Men film series ( beginning in 2000 ) , the action crime thriller Swordfish ( 2001 ) , and the spy film Die Another Day ( 2002 ) , where she played Bond Girl Jinx . She then appeared in the X-Men sequels , X2 ( 2003 ) and X-Men : The Last Stand ( 2006 ) . In the 2010s , she appeared in movies such as the science fiction film Cloud Atlas ( 2012 ) , the crime thriller The Call ( 2013 ) and X-Men : Days of Future Past ( 2014 ) .   Berry was formerly married to baseball player David Justice , and singer-songwriter Eric Benét . She has a daughter by model Gabriel Aubry , and a son by actor Olivier Martinez .


Dhoom 3 Dhoom 3 ( -LSB- - hnsˈd̪ʱuːm 3 -RSB- , English : Blast 3 or Boom 3 , also abbreviated and known as D :3 and D3 ) is a 2013 Indian action thriller film written and directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya and produced by Aditya Chopra . The third installment of the Dhoom series , it features Aamir Khan as the antagonist and Katrina Kaif , with Abhishek Bachchan in the lead role reprising his role of ACP Jai Dixit and Uday Chopra reprising his role as Ali Akbar , as in the previous films of the franchise . Made on a budget of , it was the most expensive Indian film , until it was beaten by Baahubali : The Beginning . Dhoom 3 was released on 20 December 2013 , marking itself as the first Indian film to be released in the IMAX motion picture film format with Dolby Atmos surround sound .   The film went on to gross worldwide in just ten days , to become the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time in international markets at the time and as of May 2017 is the sixth highest-grossing Indian film of all time . It was the 77th highest grossing film of 2013 worldwide . The film was screened during the 2014 International Film Festival of India in the Celebrating Dance in Indian cinema section .


Priyanka Chopra Priyanka Chopra ( -LSB- prɪˈjaːŋkaː ˈtʃoːpɽaː -RSB- ; born 18 July 1982 ) is an Indian actress , singer , film producer , philanthropist , and the winner of the Miss World 2000 pageant . One of India 's highest-paid and most popular celebrities , Chopra has received numerous awards , including a National Film Award and five Filmfare Awards . In 2016 , the Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri , the fourth highest civilian award , and Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world . In 2017 , she has been honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Award - India 's highest award in cinema , becoming the first actress to win in the category `` International Acclaimed Actress Award '' .   Although Chopra initially aspired to study aeronautical engineering , she accepted offers to join the Indian film industry , which came as a result of her pageant wins , making her Bollywood debut in The Hero ( 2003 ) . She played the leading lady in the box-office hits Andaaz ( 2003 ) and Mujhse Shaadi Karogi ( 2004 ) , and earned praise for her breakout role in the 2004 thriller Aitraaz . In 2006 , Chopra established herself as a leading actress of Indian cinema with starring roles in the top-grossing productions Krrish and Don .   Following a brief setback , she received critical acclaim for playing a troubled model in the drama Fashion ( 2008 ) , which won her the Filmfare and National Film Award for Best Actress . Chopra subsequently gained wider recognition for portraying a range of characters in the films Kaminey ( 2009 ) , 7 Khoon Maaf ( 2011 ) , Barfi ! ( 2012 ) , Mary Kom ( 2014 ) , Dil Dhadakne Do ( 2015 ) and Bajirao Mastani ( 2015 ) , all of which garnered her several awards and nominations . In 2015 , she began starring as Alex Parrish on the ABC thriller series Quantico , becoming the first South Asian to headline an American network series .   In addition to her acting career , Chopra is noted for her philanthropic work . She has worked with UNICEF for the last ten years and was appointed as the national and global UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Child Rights in 2010 and 2016 respectively . She promotes various causes such as environment , health and education , and women 's rights and is particularly vocal about gender equality and feminism . Chopra 's off-screen life is the subject of substantial media coverage . As a recording artist , she has released three singles . She is also the founder of the production company Purple Pebble Pictures , which released the acclaimed Marathi comedy-drama Ventilator ( 2016 ) .


Mel Gibson directed and produced a long drama film.

Mel Gibson Mel Colmcille Gerard Gibson ( born January 3 , 1956 ) is an American actor and filmmaker . He was born in Peekskill , New York , and moved with his parents to Sydney , Australia , when he was 12 years old .   Gibson is best known as an action hero , for roles such as Martin Riggs in the Lethal Weapon buddy cop film series , and Max Rockatansky in the first three films in the Mad Max post-apocalyptic action series .   He studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art . During the 1980s , he founded Icon Entertainment , a production company which independent film director Atom Egoyan has called , `` an alternative to the studio system '' . Director Peter Weir cast him as one of the leads in the critically acclaimed World War I drama Gallipoli ( 1981 ) , which earned Gibson a Best Actor Award from the Australian Film Institute . The film also helped to earn Gibson the reputation of a serious , versatile actor .   Gibson produced , directed , and starred in the epic historical drama film Braveheart ( 1995 ) , for which he won the Golden Globe Award and Academy Award for Best Director , along with the Academy Award for Best Picture . He later directed and produced the financially successful and controversial , biblical drama film The Passion of the Christ ( 2004 ) . He received further critical notice for his directorial work of the action-adventure film Apocalypto ( 2006 ) , which is set in Mesoamerica during the early 16th century . After a 10-year hiatus from directing , Gibson returned with the critically praised and financially successful Hacksaw Ridge ( 2016 ) , which won the Academy Awards for Best Sound Mixing and Best Film Editing and earned Gibson his second nomination for Best Director .


Johnny Mnemonic (film) Johnny Mnemonic is a 1995 Canadian-American cyberpunk action thriller film directed by Robert Longo in his directorial debut . The film stars Keanu Reeves and Dolph Lundgren . The film is based on the story of the same name by William Gibson . Keanu Reeves plays the title character , a man with a cybernetic brain implant designed to store information . The film portrays Gibson 's dystopian view of the future with the world dominated by megacorporations and with strong East Asian influences . This was Dolph Lundgren 's last theatrically released film until 2010 's The Expendables .   The film was shot on location in Canada , with Toronto and Montreal filling in for the film 's Newark and Beijing settings . A number of local sites , including Toronto 's Union Station and Montreal 's skyline and Jacques Cartier Bridge , feature prominently .   The film premiered in Japan on April 15 , 1995 , in a longer version ( 103 mins ) that is closer to the director 's cut , featuring a score by Mychael Danna and different editing . The film was released in the United States on May 26 , 1995 .


Cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body . Not all tumors are cancerous ; benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body . Possible signs and symptoms include a lump , abnormal bleeding , prolonged cough , unexplained weight loss and a change in bowel movements . While these symptoms may indicate cancer , they may have other causes . Over 100 types of cancers affect humans .   Tobacco use is the cause of about 22 % of cancer deaths . Another 10 % is due to obesity , poor diet , lack of physical activity , and excessive drinking of alcohol . Other factors include certain infections , exposure to ionizing radiation and environmental pollutants . In the developing world nearly 20 % of cancers are due to infections such as hepatitis B , hepatitis C and human papillomavirus ( HPV ) . These factors act , at least partly , by changing the genes of a cell . Typically many genetic changes are required before cancer develops . Approximately 5 -- 10 % of cancers are due to inherited genetic defects from a person 's parents . Cancer can be detected by certain signs and symptoms or screening tests . It is then typically further investigated by medical imaging and confirmed by biopsy .   Many cancers can be prevented by not smoking , maintaining a healthy weight , not drinking too much alcohol , eating plenty of vegetables , fruits and whole grains , vaccination against certain infectious diseases , not eating too much processed and red meat , and avoiding too much sunlight exposure . Early detection through screening is useful for cervical and colorectal cancer . The benefits of screening in breast cancer are controversial . Cancer is often treated with some combination of radiation therapy , surgery , chemotherapy , and targeted therapy . Pain and symptom management are an important part of care . Palliative care is particularly important in people with advanced disease . The chance of survival depends on the type of cancer and extent of disease at the start of treatment . In children under 15 at diagnosis the five-year survival rate in the developed world is on average 80 % . For cancer in the United States the average five-year survival rate is 66 % .   In 2015 about 90.5 million people had cancer . About 14.1 million new cases occur a year ( not including skin cancer other than melanoma ) . It caused about 8.8 million deaths ( 15.7 % ) of human deaths . The most common types of cancer in males are lung cancer , prostate cancer , colorectal cancer and stomach cancer . In females , the most common types are breast cancer , colorectal cancer , lung cancer and cervical cancer . If skin cancer other than melanoma were included in total new cancers each year it would account for around 40 % of cases . In children , acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and brain tumors are most common except in Africa where non-Hodgkin lymphoma occurs more often . In 2012 , about 165,000 children under 15 years of age were diagnosed with cancer . The risk of cancer increases significantly with age and many cancers occur more commonly in developed countries . Rates are increasing as more people live to an old age and as lifestyle changes occur in the developing world . The financial costs of cancer were estimated at $ 1.16 trillion US dollars per year as of 2010 .


Fergie released the debut solo album The Dutchess in 2005.

Fergie (singer) Fergie Duhamel ( -LSB- ˈfɜːrɡi_dəˈmɛl -RSB- ) ( born Stacy Ann Ferguson ; March 27 , 1975 ) is an American singer , songwriter and actress . She was the female vocalist for the hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas from 2002 until 2017 , with whom she had achieved chart success worldwide . Her debut solo album The Dutchess ( 2006 ) was a major commercial success on the charts and spawned three Billboard Hot 100 number one singles ; `` London Bridge '' , `` Glamorous '' and `` Big Girls Do n't Cry '' .   Ferguson was a member of the children 's television series Kids Incorporated and the girl group Wild Orchid . In 2001 , she left the group and in the subsequent year began to team up with The Black Eyed Peas . With The Black Eyed Peas , she enjoyed a series of hits and albums before she released her solo debut album in September 2006 to success . The Black Eyed Peas enjoyed further success with the release of their third album with Ferguson , The E.N.D. ( 2009 ) ; they attained their first string of Billboard Hot 100 number one songs . She began touring in 2009/2010 with her group and she launched her debut fragrance , Outspoken , under Avon in May 2010 and has since released three more fragrances .   She continued success with The Black Eyed Peas and they released the album The Beginning ( 2010 ) , which featured three singles , including two number one songs . As Ferguson 's five solo singles and six singles with The Black Eyed Peas have reached two million downloads in the United States , Ferguson was the artist with the most two-million sellers by the beginning of 2011 .


By population, The United States is the third largest country.

United States The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. ) or America , is a constitutional federal republic composed of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions .  Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico . The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America , bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west . The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean . The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea . Nine time zones are covered . The geography , climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse .   At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) and with over 324 million people , the United States is the world 's third - or fourth-largest country by total area , third-largest by land area , and the third-most populous . It is one of the world 's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations , and is home to the world 's largest immigrant population . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the largest city is New York City ; nine other major metropolitan areas -- each with at least 4.5 million inhabitants and the largest having more than 13 million people -- are Los Angeles , Chicago , Dallas , Houston , Philadelphia , Miami , Atlanta , Boston , and San Francisco .   Paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies following the Seven Years ' War led to the American Revolution , which began in 1775 . On July 4 , 1776 , during the course of the American Revolutionary War , the colonies unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence . The war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain , representing the first successful war of independence against a European power . The current constitution was adopted in 1788 , after the Articles of Confederation , adopted in 1781 , were felt to have provided inadequate federal powers . The first ten amendments , collectively named the Bill of Rights , were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties .   The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century , displacing Native American tribes , acquiring new territories , and gradually admitting new states until it spanned the continent by 1848 . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the end of legal slavery in the country . By the end of that century , the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean , and its economy , driven in large part by the Industrial Revolution , began to soar . The Spanish -- American War and confirmed the country 's status as a global military power . The United States emerged from as a global superpower , the first country to develop nuclear weapons , the only country to use them in warfare , and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world 's sole superpower . The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations , World Bank , International Monetary Fund , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , and other international organizations .   The United States is a highly developed country , with the world 's largest economy by nominal GDP and second-largest economy by PPP . Though its population is only 4.3 % of the world total , Americans hold nearly 40 % of the total wealth in the world . The United States ranks among the highest in several measures of socioeconomic performance , including average wage , human development , per capita GDP , and productivity per person . While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial , characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy , the manufacturing sector remains the second-largest in the world . Accounting for approximately a quarter of global GDP and a third of global military spending , the United States is the world 's foremost economic and military power . The United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally , and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations .


The Formula (1980 film) The Formula is a 1980 American mystery film directed by John G. Avildsen and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer . It features a preeminent cast including Marlon Brando , George C. Scott , John Gielgud , and Marthe Keller . Craig T. Nelson also makes a brief appearance as a geologist .


Kobe Bryant was awarded the regular season's MVP Award in the 21st century.

Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant ( born August 23 , 1978 ) is an American retired professional basketball player and businessman . He played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . He entered the NBA directly from high school and won five NBA championships with the Lakers . Bryant is an 18-time All-Star , 15-time member of the All-NBA Team , and 12-time member of the All-Defensive team . He led the NBA in scoring during two seasons , and ranks third on the league 's all-time regular season scoring and fourth on the all-time postseason scoring list . He holds the NBA record for the most seasons playing with one franchise for an entire career .   The son of former NBA player Joe Bryant , Kobe Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania , where he was recognized as the top high school basketball player in the country . He declared for the NBA draft upon graduation , and was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets , who traded him to the Lakers . As a rookie , Bryant earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer and a fan favorite by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest , and he was named an All-Star by his second season . Despite a feud between them , Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers to three consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002 .   In 2003 , Bryant was accused of sexual assault in Colorado , but the charges were eventually dropped , and a civil suit was settled out of court . After the Lakers lost the 2004 NBA Finals , O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat . Bryant became the cornerstone of the Lakers , and he led the NBA in scoring during the 2005 -- 06 and 2006 -- 07 seasons . In 2006 , he scored a career-high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors , the second most points scored in a single game in league history behind Wilt Chamberlain 's 100-point game in 1962 . Bryant was awarded the regular season 's Most Valuable Player Award ( MVP ) in 2008 . After losing in the 2008 NBA Finals , he led the Lakers to two consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010 , earning the Finals MVP Award on both occasions . He continued to be among the top players in the league through 2013 , when the 34-year-old Bryant suffered a torn Achilles tendon . Although he recovered , his play was limited the following two years by season-ending injuries to his knee and shoulder , respectively . Citing his physical decline , he announced that he would be retiring after the 2015 -- 16 season .   At 34 years and 104 days of age , Bryant became the youngest player in league history to reach 30,000 career points . He became the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history on February 1 , 2010 , when he surpassed Jerry West . Following his second year in the league , Bryant was chosen to start every All-Star Game until his retirement for a record 18 consecutive appearances , and his four All-Star MVP Awards are tied for the most in NBA history . At the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics , he won gold medals as a member of the U.S. national team . Sporting News and TNT named Bryant the top NBA player of the 2000s .


Dan Martin (cyclist) Daniel `` Dan '' Martin ( born 20 August 1986 ) is an Irish professional road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTeam . Born and raised in England , Martin has competed for Ireland since 2006 .   Martin 's accomplishments since turning professional in 2008 include winning a stage at the 2011 Vuelta a España , winning a stage at the 2013 Tour de France , and winning the overall classification at the 2010 Tour de Pologne and the 2013 Volta a Catalunya . In one-day races , he won the 2010 Japan Cup , the 2010 Tre Valli Varesine , the 2011 Giro di Toscana , the 2013 Liège -- Bastogne -- Liège , and the 2014 Giro di Lombardia .


Rabat Rabat ( الرِّبَاط , ; Eṛṛbaṭ , ⴻⵕⵕⴱⴰⵟ ) is the capital city of Morocco and its second largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 ( 2014 ) and a metropolitan population of over 1.2 million . It is also the capital city of the Eṛṛbaṭ-Sla-Qniṭra administrative region .   The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the river Bou Regreg . On the facing shore of the river lies Salé , the city 's main commuter town . Rabat , Temara , and Salé form a conurbation of over 1.8 million people . Silt-related problems have diminished Rabat 's role as a port ; however , Rabat and Salé still maintain important textile , food processing and construction industries . In addition , tourism and the presence of all foreign embassies in Morocco serve to make Rabat one of the most important cities in the country .   Once a reputed corsair haven , Rabat served as one of the many ports in North Africa for the Barbary pirates , who were particularly active from the 16th through the 18th centuries .   Rabat is accessible by train through the ONCF system and by plane through the nearby Rabat -- Salé Airport .   The Moroccan capital was ranked at second place by CNN in its `` Top Travel Destinations of 2013 '' . It is one of four Imperial cities of Morocco , and the medina of Rabat is listed as a World Heritage Site .


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 '' .


NSYNC was a vocal group consisting of young male singers.

Boy band A boy band ( or boyband ) is loosely defined as a vocal group consisting of young male singers , usually in their teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation , singing love songs marketed towards young females . Being vocal groups , most boy band members do not play musical instruments , either in recording sessions or on stage , making the term something of a misnomer . However , exceptions do exist . Many boy bands dance as well as sing , usually giving highly choreographed performances .   Some such bands form on their own . They can evolve out of church choral or gospel music groups , but are often created by talent managers or record producers who hold auditions . Due to this and their general commercial orientation towards a female audience of preteens , teenyboppers , or teens , the term may be used with negative connotations in music journalism . Boy bands are similar in concept to their counterparts , girl groups . Boy bands ' popularity peaked thrice : in the 1960s ( e.g. , the Monkees and the Four Seasons ) , in the 1990s and early 2000s when acts such as the Backstreet Boys , * NSYNC , and Westlife , among others , dominated the top of the Billboard and pop charts , and in the early 2010s with the emergence of new boy bands such as JLS , Big Time Rush and One Direction .


NSYNC NSYNC ( sometimes stylized as * NSYNC or 'N Sync ) was an American boy band formed in Orlando , Florida in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich . NSYNC consisted of Justin Timberlake , JC Chasez , Chris Kirkpatrick , Joey Fatone , and Lance Bass . After heavily publicized legal battles with their former manager Lou Pearlman and former record label Bertelsmann Music Group , the group 's second album , No Strings Attached , sold over one million copies in one day and 2.42 million copies in one week , which was a record for over fifteen years . In addition to a host of Grammy Award nominations , NSYNC has performed at the World Series , the Super Bowl and the Olympic Games , and sang or recorded with Elton John , Stevie Wonder , Michael Jackson , Phil Collins , Celine Dion , Aerosmith , Britney Spears , Nelly , Left Eye , Mary J. Blige , country music supergroup Alabama , and Gloria Estefan .   Although NSYNC announced the start of a `` temporary hiatus '' in early 2002 , the band has not recorded new material since then . Justin Timberlake went on to become a very successful solo artist with several multi-platinum albums . In 2007 , Lance Bass confirmed that the group had `` definitely broken up . '' They have sold over 70 million albums during their career , becoming the eighth-best-selling boy band in history . Rolling Stone recognized their instant success as one of the Top 25 Teen Idol Breakout Moments of all time .


Brian Wilson had tension with his band due to his behavior.

Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson ( born June 20 , 1942 ) is an American musician , singer , songwriter , and record producer best known for being the multi-tasking leader and co-founder of the rock band the Beach Boys . After signing with Capitol Records in 1962 , Wilson wrote or co-wrote more than two dozen Top 40 hits for the group . Because of his unorthodox approaches to song composition and arrangement and mastery of recording techniques , he is widely acknowledged , by critics and musicians alike , as one of the most innovative and influential creative forces in popular music .   In the mid-1960s , Wilson composed , arranged and produced Pet Sounds ( 1966 ) , considered one of the greatest albums ever made . The intended follow-up to Pet Sounds , Smile , was canceled for various reasons , which included Wilson 's deteriorating mental health . As he suffered repeated nervous breakdowns , Wilson 's contributions to the Beach Boys diminished , and his erratic behavior led to tensions with the band . Following a court-ordered removal from the care of psychologist Eugene Landy , Wilson started receiving conventional medical treatment , and in the late 1990s , he began performing and recording consistently as a solo artist . He remains a member of the Beach Boys ' corporation , Brother Records Incorporated .   Wilson is considered a major innovator in the field of music production , the principal originator of the California Sound , one of the first music producer auteurs , and one of the most famous examples of the outsider musician . Only 21 years old when he received the freedom to produce his own records with total creative autonomy , he ignited an explosion of like-minded California producers , supplanting New York as the center of popular records , and becoming the first rock producer to use the studio as its own instrument . Wilson effectively set a precedent that allowed bands and artists to enter a recording studio and act as their own producers or co-producers . His songs became inextricably tied with the zeitgeist of the early 1960s , and he helped develop the sound of the wistful Flower Power era that proceeded . In later years , Wilson was regarded as a `` godfather '' to an era of indie musicians who were inspired by his melodic sensibilities , chamber pop orchestrations , and recording explorations .   His honors include being inducted into the 1988 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and winning Grammy Awards for Brian Wilson Presents Smile ( 2004 ) and The Smile Sessions ( 2011 ) . In lists published by Rolling Stone , Wilson ranked 52 for the `` 100 Greatest Singers of All Time '' in 2008 and 12 for the `` 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time '' in 2015 . In 2012 , music publication NME ranked Wilson number 8 in its `` 50 Greatest Producers Ever '' list , elaborating `` few consider quite how groundbreaking Brian Wilson 's studio techniques were in the mid-60s '' . He is an occasional actor and voice actor , having appeared in television shows , films , and other artists ' music videos . His life was portrayed in the 2014 biopic Love & Mercy , which received a wide release in 2015 .