Rescue Me (U.S. TV series) Rescue Me is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on the FX on July 21 , 2004 and concluded on September 7 , 2011 . The series focuses on the professional and personal lives of a group of New York City firefighters , post 9/11 .   The protagonist and focal point of the series is veteran New York City Firefighter Tommy Gavin ( Denis Leary ) . The series follows Tommy 's troubled family and co-workers as they deal with real life issues , either with post 9/11 trauma or their own domestic problems . Tommy struggles with the loss of his cousin and best friend , Firefighter Jimmy Keefe ( James McCaffrey ) , as well as fifty-nine other firefighters whom he knew , who died in the World Trade Center on September 11 , 2001 . Jimmy frequently visits Tommy in ghostly dreams . Tommy is an impatient , self-loathing , hypocritical , manipulative , relapsed alcoholic who suffers with severe survivor guilt and posttraumatic stress disorder as a result of 9/11 . In the pilot episode , Tommy and his wife Janet ( Andrea Roth ) have already separated , although they are technically still married , and Tommy has moved across the street . Although he has a poor grasp on his personal life , most of Tommy 's actions as a firefighter are heroic and brave , but despite his passion and concern for others ( and for the job ) , he is viewed by his various family members and his fellow firefighters as selfish .   Rescue Me was created by Denis Leary and Peter Tolan , who also serve as executive producers and head writers , and is produced by Cloudland Company , Apostle , DreamWorks Television , and Sony Pictures Television .


Austria Austria ( listen ) , is a federal republic and a landlocked country of over 8.7 million people in Central Europe . It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north , Hungary and Slovakia to the east , Slovenia and Italy to the south , and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west . The territory of Austria covers 83879 km2 . The terrain is highly mountainous , lying within the Alps ; only 32 % of the country is below 500 m , and its highest point is 3798 m . The majority of the population speaks local Bavarian dialects of German as their native language , and Austrian German in its standard form is the country 's official language . Other local official languages are Hungarian , Burgenland Croatian , and Slovene .   The origins of modern-day Austria date back to the time of the Habsburg dynasty , when the vast majority of the country was a part of the Holy Roman Empire . From the time of the Reformation , many northern German princes , resenting the authority of the Emperor , used Protestantism as a flag of rebellion . The Thirty Years War , the influence of the Kingdom of Sweden and Kingdom of France , the rise of the Kingdom of Prussia , and the Napoleonic invasions all weakened the power of the Emperor in the north of Germany , but in the south , and in non-German areas of the Empire , the Emperor and Catholicism maintained control . During the 17th and 18th centuries , Austria retained its position as one of the great powers of Europe and , in response to the coronation of Napoleon as the Emperor of the French , the Austrian Empire was officially proclaimed in 1804 . Following Napoleon 's defeat , Prussia emerged as Austria 's chief competitor for rule of a greater Germany . Austria 's defeat by Prussia at the Battle of Königgrätz , during the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 , cleared the way for Prussia to assert control over the rest of Germany . In 1867 , the empire was reformed into Austria-Hungary . After the defeat of France in the 1870-1 Franco-Prussian War , Austria was excluded from the new German Empire , although in the following decades , its politics , and its foreign policy , increasingly converged with those of the Prussian-led Empire . During the 1914 July Crisis that followed the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on June 28 , Austria-Hungary , emboldened by a pledge of German support , on July 28 declared war on Serbia because that country had not fully complied with an Austrian ultimatum . Austria was thus the first to go to war in the July Crisis , which would ultimately escalate into World War I.   After the collapse of the Habsburg ( Austro-Hungarian ) Empire in 1918 at the end of World War I , Austria adopted and used the name the Republic of German-Austria ( Deutschösterreich ) , later changed to Österreich , in an attempt at union with Germany , but this was forbidden under the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye ( 1919 ) . The First Austrian Republic was established in 1919 . In 1938 Nazi Germany annexed Austria in the Anschluss . This lasted until the end of World War II in 1945 , after which Germany was occupied by the Allies and Austria 's former democratic constitution was restored . In 1955 , the Austrian State Treaty re-established Austria as a sovereign state , ending the occupation . In the same year , the Austrian Parliament created the Declaration of Neutrality which declared that the Second Austrian Republic would become permanently neutral .   Today , Austria is a parliamentary representative democracy comprising nine federal states . The capital and largest city , with a population exceeding 1.7 million , is Vienna . Other major urban areas of Austria include Graz , Linz , Salzburg and Innsbruck . Austria is one of the richest countries in the world , with a nominal per capita GDP of $ 43,724 . The country has developed a high standard of living and in 2014 was ranked 21st in the world for its Human Development Index . Austria has been a member of the United Nations since 1955 , joined the European Union in 1995 , and is a founder of the OECD . Austria also signed the Schengen Agreement in 1995 , and adopted the euro currency in 1999 .


Programmer A programmer , computer programmer , developer , dev , coder , or software engineer is a person who creates computer software . The term computer programmer can refer to a specialist in one area of computer programming or to a generalist who writes code for many kinds of software . One who practices or professes a formal approach to programming may also be known as a programmer analyst .   A programmer 's primary computer language ( Assembly , COBOL , C , C++ , C# , Java , Lisp , Python , etc. ) is often prefixed to these titles , and those who work in a web environment often prefix their titles with web .   A range of occupations , including : software developer , web developer , mobile applications developer , embedded firmware developer , software engineer , computer scientist , or software analyst , while they do involve programming , also require a range of other skills . The use of the simple term programmer for these positions is sometimes considered an insulting or derogatory oversimplification .


John Fante John Fante ( April 8 , 1909 -- May 8 , 1983 ) was an Italian-American novelist , short story writer and screenwriter . He is best known for his semi-autobiographical novel Ask the Dust ( 1939 ) about the life of a struggling writer , Arturo Bandini , in Depression-era Los Angeles . It is widely considered the great Los Angeles novel and is one in a series of four novels , published between 1938 and 1985 , that are now collectively called `` The Bandini Quartet '' . A movie of the same name was made in 2006 , starring Colin Farrell . Fante published five novels , one novella , and a short story collection . Additional works , including two novels , two novellas , and two short story collections , were published posthumously . His screen credits include , most notably , Full of Life ( 1956 ) , based on his 1952 novel by that name , Jeanne Eagels ( 1957 ) , and the 1962 films Walk on the Wild Side and The Reluctant Saint .


The Reluctant Saint The Reluctant Saint is a 1962 film which tells a somewhat fictionalized version of the story of Joseph of Cupertino , a 17th-century Italian Conventual Franciscan friar and mystic who is honored as a saint by the Catholic Church . It stars Maximilian Schell as Joseph , as well as Ricardo Montalban , Lea Padovani , Akim Tamiroff , and Harold Goldblatt . The movie was written by John Fante and Joseph Petracca and directed by Edward Dmytryk .   Joseph of Cupertino was said to have been remarkably unclever , but was recorded by many witness during his life as prone to miraculous levitation and intense ecstasies . This movie follows Joseph ( Maximilian Schell ) from his final days living at home with his mother ( Lea Padovani ) . Because of his slow wits , she has kept him in school despite his being a grown man , older than the other students . He is seen bearing patiently and good-heartedly the ridicule of his fellow villagers , and enduring failed attempts at work as a laborer . At the insistence of his mother ( who saw no viable alternatives ) , we see him joining a Franciscan friary through the influence of his uncle ( Harold Goldblatt ) , an authority in the religious order . But trouble follows Joseph wherever he goes , including the friary , because of his slow wits . Eventually his good heart is noticed by a visiting bishop , ( Akim Tamiroff ) , who orders that he be trained to be a priest .   Despite Joseph 's incapacity for the necessary scholarly studies , and preference for just managing the sheep and other animals in the friary 's stable , Joseph does become a priest . Although he learns little from the tutoring by the friars , Joseph passes the necessary examinations for the priesthood through a series of unlikely or possibly miraculous events . Soon after , when Joseph is seen levitating at the time of his ecstatic prayers to the Virgin Mary , one of the superiors in the community , ( Ricardo Montalban ) , claims that Joseph suffers from demonic possession . Joseph is therefore exorcised , but his levitations continue , persuading everyone -- including his former critic -- of the divine origins of his levitations .   Most of the key events in the movie are based on historical events or reports about the life of St. Joseph of Cupertino .


Jeanne Eagels (film) Jeanne Eagels ( also titled The Jeanne Eagels Story ) is a 1957 American biographical film loosely based on the life of stage star Jeanne Eagels . Distributed by Columbia Pictures , the film was produced and directed by George Sidney from a screenplay by John Fante , Daniel Fuchs and Sonya Levien , based on a story by Fuchs .   The film stars Kim Novak in the title role . Jeff Chandler , Charles Drake , Agnes Moorehead , Larry Gates , Virginia Grey , Gene Lockhart and Murray Hamilton co-star .   Many aspects of Eagels ' real life were omitted or largely fictionalized . Eagels ' family later sued Columbia Pictures over the way Eagels was depicted in the film .


Walk on the Wild Side (film) Walk on the Wild Side is a 1962 film directed by Edward Dmytryk , adapted from the 1956 novel A Walk on the Wild Side by American author Nelson Algren . The film had a star-studded cast , including Laurence Harvey , Capucine , Jane Fonda , Anne Baxter , and Barbara Stanwyck , and was scripted by John Fante .   It was not well received at the time ; Bosley Crowther of the New York Times described it as a `` lurid , tawdry , and sleazy melodrama . '' While it passed its censors , it was an adult film noir with quite explicit overtones and subject matter . It walks its audience through the lives and relationships between adults ( mostly women ) engaged in the `` business '' of commercial prostitution at a stylish New Orleans brothel . The `` boss '' is a beautiful , stylish Madam ( Stanwyck ) whose combination of toughness and , a motherly ( or sisterly ? ) intimate tenderness toward her `` girls ' '' real lives is as disturbing as it is entertaining to watch .


Andrew Jackson was the 7th President of the United States.

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson ( March 15 , 1767 -- June 8 , 1845 ) was an American soldier and statesman who served as the seventh President of the United States from 1829 to 1837 and was the founder of the Democratic Party . Before being elected to the presidency , Jackson served in Congress and gained fame as a general in the United States Army . As president , Jackson sought to advance the rights of the `` common man '' against a `` corrupt aristocracy '' and to preserve the Union .   He became a practicing lawyer in Tennessee and in 1791 he married Rachel Donelson Robards . Jackson served briefly in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate . Upon returning to Tennessee , he was appointed a justice on the Tennessee Supreme Court , serving from 1798 until 1804 . In 1801 , Jackson was appointed colonel in the Tennessee militia , and was elected its commander the following year . He led Tennessee militia and U.S. Army regulars during the Creek War of 1813 -- 1814 , winning a major victory at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend . The subsequent Treaty of Fort Jackson required the Creek surrender of vast lands in present-day Alabama and Georgia . Jackson won a decisive victory in the War of 1812 over the British army at the Battle of New Orleans , making him a national hero . Following the conclusion of the War of 1812 , Jackson led U.S. forces in the First Seminole War , which helped produce the Adams -- Onís Treaty of 1819 and the transfer of Florida from Spain to the United States . Following the ratification of the treaty , Jackson briefly served as Florida 's first territorial governor before winning election as a U.S. Senator from Tennessee .   Jackson was a candidate for president in 1824 but , lacking a majority of electoral votes , lost the election in the House of Representatives to John Quincy Adams . In reaction to a `` corrupt bargain '' between opponents Adams and Henry Clay , Jackson 's supporters founded the Democratic Party . He ran again for president in 1828 against Adams and won in a landslide . As president , Jackson faced a threat of secession by South Carolina over the `` Tariff of Abominations '' enacted under Adams . The Nullification Crisis was defused when the tariff was amended and Jackson threatened the use of military force if South Carolina attempted to secede . Congress , led by Clay , attempted to reauthorize the Second Bank of the United States ; Jackson regarded the Bank as a corrupt institution and vetoed the renewal of its charter . After a lengthy struggle , Jackson and the congressional Democrats thoroughly dismantled the Bank . In 1835 , Jackson became the only president to completely pay off the national debt , fulfilling a longtime goal .   In foreign affairs , Jackson 's administration concluded a `` most favored nation '' treaty with Great Britain , settled U.S. claims of damages by France from the Napoleonic Wars , and recognized the Republic of Texas . His presidency marked the beginning of the ascendancy of the `` spoils system '' in American politics . In 1830 , Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act , which relocated most members of the Native American tribes in the South to Indian Territory ( now Oklahoma ) . The relocation process dispossessed the Indians and resulted in widespread death and sickness . In his retirement , Jackson remained active in Democratic Party politics , supporting the presidencies of Martin Van Buren and James K. Polk .   Jackson was widely revered in the United States , but his reputation has declined since the mid-20th century , largely due to his role in Indian removal and support for slavery . Surveys of historians and scholars have ranked Jackson between 6th and 18th most successful among United States presidents .


The Hellenic goddess of virginity was called Artemis.

Artemis Artemis ( -LSB- ˈɑːrtᵻmᵻs -RSB- Ἄρτεμις , Modern Greek : Άρτεμις , Ártemis , -LSB- ár.te.mis -RSB- ) was one of the most widely venerated of the Ancient Greek deities . Her Roman equivalent is Diana . Some scholars believe that the name , and indeed the goddess herself , was originally pre-Greek . Homer refers to her as Artemis Agrotera , Potnia Theron : `` Artemis of the wildland , Mistress of Animals '' . The Arcadians believed she was the daughter of Demeter .   In the classical period of Greek mythology , Artemis was often described as the daughter of Zeus and Leto , and the twin sister of Apollo . She was the Hellenic goddess of the hunt , wild animals , wilderness , childbirth , virginity and protector of young girls , bringing and relieving disease in women ; she often was depicted as a huntress carrying a bow and arrows . The deer and the cypress were sacred to her . In later Hellenistic times , she even assumed the ancient role of Eileithyia in aiding childbirth .


Jenna Dewan was killed on December 1, 1980.

Jenna Dewan Jenna Dewan Tatum ( -LSB- də ` wɑːn _ ` teɪtəm -RSB- born Jenna Lee Dewan ; December 3 , 1980 ) is an American actress and dancer . She began her career as a backup dancer for Janet Jackson , and later worked with artists including Pink , Missy Elliott , and Christina Aguilera . She is known for her role as Nora in the 2006 film Step Up . She has also starred on the short-lived NBC series The Playboy Club and had a recurring role on the FX series American Horror Story : Asylum . She was Freya Beauchamp on the Lifetime series Witches of East End and as of 2016 was playing the recurring role of Lucy Lane in Supergirl .


Slash (musician) Saul Hudson ( born July 23 , 1965 ) , better known by his stage name Slash , is a British-American musician and songwriter . He is best known as the lead guitarist of the American rock band Guns N ' Roses , with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s . During his later years with Guns N ' Roses , Slash formed the side project Slash 's Snakepit . After leaving Guns N ' Roses in 1996 , he co-founded the supergroup Velvet Revolver , which re-established him as a mainstream performer in the mid to late 2000s . Slash has since released three solo albums : Slash ( 2010 ) , featuring an array of famous guest musicians , and Apocalyptic Love ( 2012 ) and World on Fire ( 2014 ) , recorded with his band , Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators . He returned to Guns N ' Roses in 2016 , nearly 20 years after he had left .   Slash has received critical acclaim and is considered as one of the greatest rock guitarists . Time Magazine named him runner-up on their list of `` The 10 Best Electric Guitar Players '' in 2009 , while Rolling Stone Magazine placed him at No. 65 on their list of `` The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time '' in 2011 . Guitar World ranked his guitar solo in `` November Rain '' No. 6 on their list of `` The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos '' in 2008 , and Total Guitar placed his riff in `` Sweet Child o ' Mine '' at No. 1 on their list of `` The 100 Greatest Riffs '' in 2004 . During 2010 Gibson Guitar Corporation ranked Slash as No. 34 on their `` Top 50 Guitarists of All Time '' , while their readers landed him No. 9 on Gibson 's `` Top 25 Guitarists of All Time '' . In 2012 , he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Guns N ' Roses ' classic line-up .


Malala Yousafzai advocates for the education of women in Pakistan.

Malala Yousafzai Malala Yousafzai ( Malālah Yūsafzay : -LSB- ; ملاله یوسفزۍ -LSB- məˈlaːlə jusəf ˈzəj -RSB- born 12 July 1997 ) is a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate . She is known for human rights advocacy , especially education of women in her native Swat Valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , northwest Pakistan , where the local Taliban had at times banned girls from attending school . Her advocacy has since grown into an international movement .   Yousafzai was born in Mingora , Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , Pakistan . Her family came to run a chain of schools in the region . Considering Jinnah and Benazir Bhutto as her role-models , she was particularly inspired by her father 's thoughts and humanitarian work . In early 2009 , when she was 11 -- 12 , she wrote a blog under a pseudonym for the BBC Urdu detailing her life during the Taliban occupation of Swat . The following summer , journalist Adam B. Ellick made a New York Times documentary about her life as the Pakistani military intervened in the region . She rose in prominence , giving interviews in print and on television , and she was nominated for the International Children 's Peace Prize by activist Desmond Tutu .   On the afternoon of 9 October 2012 , Yousafzai was injured after a Taliban gunman attempted to murder her . Yousafzai remained unconscious , in critical condition at the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology , but later her condition improved enough for her to be sent to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham , UK . The murder attempt sparked a national and international outpouring of support for Yousafzai . Deutsche Welle wrote in January 2013 that she may have become `` the most famous teenager in the world . '' Weeks after her murder attempt , a group of fifty leading Muslim clerics in Pakistan issued a fatwā against those who tried to kill her .   Since recovering , Yousafzai became a prominent education activist . Based out of Birmingham , she founded the Malala Fund , a non-profit , and in 2013 co-authored I am Malala , an international bestseller . In 2015 , Yousafzai was a subject of the Oscar-shortlisted documentary He Named Me Malala . The 2013 , 2014 and 2015 issues of Time magazine featured her as one of the most Influential people globally . In 2012 , she was the recipient of Pakistan 's first National Youth Peace Prize and the 2013 Sakharov Prize . In 2014 , she was announced as the co-recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize , along with Kailash Satyarthi , for her struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education . Aged 17 at the time , she became the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate . Since March 2013 , she has been a pupil at the all-girls ' Edgbaston High School in Birmingham . In 2017 , she was awarded honorary Canadian citizenship and became the youngest person to address the House of Commons of Canada .


Betty Buckley has received a Tony Award nomination in 1997.

Betty Buckley Betty Lynn Buckley ( born July 3 , 1947 ) is an American stage , film and television actress , and singer . She starred from 1977 to 1981 on the ABC series Eight is Enough , before going on to win the 1983 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Grizabella in the original Broadway production of Cats . Her other musical roles include playing Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard from 1994 to 1996 , in both London and New York , receiving an Olivier Award nomination . She is a 2012 American Theater Hall of Fame inductee .   Buckley made her Broadway debut in 1969 playing Martha Jefferson in the original production of the musical 1776 . Other Broadway musical credits include Pippin ( 1973 ) and Drood ( 1985 ) . She played gym teacher Ms. Collins in the 1976 Brian de Palma film Carrie and went on to star in the short-lived Broadway musical version of Carrie in 1988 , this time playing Carrie 's mother , Margaret White . She received a Tony Award nomination for the 1997 musical Triumph of Love , Grammy Award nominations for The Diaries of Adam and Eve ( 1999 ) and Stars and the Moon : Live at the Donmar ( 2001 ) , and a Drama Desk Award nomination for the 2013 play The Old Friends . Her other film roles include Dixie Scott in Tender Mercies ( 1983 ) , Sondra Walker in Frantic ( 1988 ) , Kathy in Another Woman ( 1988 ) and Mrs. Jones in The Happening ( 2008 ) . She also had a recurring role in the HBO series Oz ( 2001 -- 03 ) . In 2017 , she received a Saturn Award nomination for her role as Dr. Karen Fletcher in the film Split .


Beijing Beijing ( formerly romanised as Peking ) is the capital of the People 's Republic of China and the world 's third most populous city proper . It is also one of the world 's most populous capital cities . The city , located in northern China , is governed as a direct-controlled municipality under the national government with 16 urban , suburban , and rural districts . Beijing Municipality is surrounded by Hebei Province with the exception of neighbouring Tianjin Municipality to the southeast ; together the three divisions form the Jingjinji metropolitan region and the national capital region of China .   As a city combining both modern and traditional architecture , Beijing is an ever-changing megacity rich in history but also truly modern , exemplified in its global influence in politics , business & economy , education , history , culture , language , music , sporting , architecture , civilization , fashion , art , entertainment , innovation and technology . Beijing is the second largest Chinese city by urban population after Shanghai and is the nation 's political , cultural , and educational centre . It is home to the headquarters of most of China 's largest state-owned companies , and is a major hub for the national highway , expressway , railway , and high-speed rail networks . The Beijing Capital International Airport has been the second busiest in the world by passenger traffic since 2010 , and , , the city 's subway network is the busiest and second longest in the world , after Shanghai 's subway system .   The city 's history dates back three millennia . As the last of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China , Beijing has been the political centre of the country for much of the past eight centuries . With mountains surrounding the inland city on three sides , in addition to the old inner and outer city walls , Beijing was strategically poised and developed to be the residence of the emperor and thus was the perfect location for the imperial capital . Beijing was the largest city in the world by population for much of the second millennium A.D. . The city is renowned for its opulent palaces , temples , parks , gardens , tombs , walls and gates . Its art treasures and universities have made it centre of culture and art in China . Encyclopædia Britannica notes that `` few cities in the world have served for so long as the political headquarters and cultural centre of an area as immense as China . '' Beijing has seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites -- the Forbidden City , Temple of Heaven , Summer Palace , Ming Tombs , Zhoukoudian , as well as parts of the Great Wall and the Grand Canal , all popular locations for tourism . siheyuans , the city 's traditional housing style , and hutongs , the narrow alleys between siheyuans , are major tourist attractions and are common in urban Beijing . The city hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics and was chosen to host the 2022 Winter Olympics , making it the first city to ever host both Winter and Summer Olympics .   Many of Beijing 's 91 universities consistently rank among the best in China , of which Peking University and Tsinghua University are ranked in the top 60 universities of the world . In 2015 , 52 companies of the Fortune Global 500 company headquarters were located in Beijing , more than any other city in the world , including state-owned enterprises State Grid , China National Petroleum , and Sinopec Group , ranked 2nd , 3rd , and 4th , respectively . Beijing CBD is quickly becoming the center for Beijing 's economic expansion , rapid modernization , and radically changing skyline , with the ongoing or recently completed construction of multiple skyscrapers . Beijing 's Zhongguancun area is also known as China 's Silicon Valley and China 's center of innovation and technology entrepreneurship . According to the 2016 InterNations Expat Insider Survey , Beijing ranked first in Asia in the subcategory `` Personal Finance Index , '' a measure of expats ' salaries versus cost of living in the city . Expats live primarily in urban districts such as Dongcheng and Chaoyang in the east , or in suburban districts such as Shunyi .


Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was accused of enslaving an American citizen.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi ( أبو بكر البغدادي born 28 July 1971 as Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim al-Badri إبراهيم عواد إبراهيم علي محمد البدري السامرائي ) is the leader of the Sunni militant jihadist organisation known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ( ISIL ) , which controls territory in western Iraq , Syria , Libya and Afghanistan . The group has been designated a terrorist organisation by the United Nations , as well as by the European Union and many individual states . In June 2014 he was elected by the majlis al-shura ( consultative council or Shura council ) , representing the ahl al-hall wal-aqd of the Islamic State , to be their caliph , which he claims to be .   On October 4 , 2011 , the U.S. State Department added al-Baghdadi to the Specially Designated Nationals List and announced a reward of up to US$ 10 million for information or intelligence leading to his capture or death .  On December 16 , 2016 , the U.S. increased the reward to $ 25 million equal to the reward being offered for the leader of al-Qaeda , Ayman al-Zawahiri . Authorities within the United States have also accused al-Baghdadi of kidnapping , enslaving , and repeatedly raping an American citizen , Kayla Mueller , who was later killed . Over time , there have been a number of reports of al-Baghdadi 's death or injury ; however , none have been verified .


The United States Army is the primary ground-based offensive force of the United States.

United States Army The United States Army ( USA ) is the largest branch of the United States Armed Forces and performs land-based military operations . It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States and is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution , Article 2 , Section 2 , Clause 1 and United States Code , Title 10 , Subtitle B , Chapter 301 , Section 3001 . As the largest and senior branch of the U.S. military , the modern U.S. Army has its roots in the Continental Army , which was formed ( 14 June 1775 ) to fight the American Revolutionary War ( 1775 -- 1783 ) -- before the U.S. was established as a country . After the Revolutionary War , the Congress of the Confederation created the United States Army on 3 June 1784 , to replace the disbanded Continental Army . The United States Army considers itself descended from the Continental Army , and dates its institutional inception from the origin of that armed force in 1775 .   As a uniformed military service , the Army is part of the Department of the Army , which is one of the three military departments of the Department of Defense . The U.S. Army is headed by a civilian senior appointed civil servant , the Secretary of the Army ( SECARMY ) , and by a chief military officer , the Chief of Staff of the Army ( CSA ) who is also a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . In the fiscal year 2017 , the projected end strength for the Regular Army ( USA ) was 460,000 soldiers ; the Army National Guard ( ARNG ) had 335,000 soldiers , and the United States Army Reserve ( USAR ) had 195,000 soldiers ; the combined-component strength of the U.S. Army was 990,000 soldiers . As a branch of the armed forces , the mission of the U.S. Army is `` to fight and win our Nation 's wars , by providing prompt , sustained , land dominance , across the full range of military operations and the spectrum of conflict , in support of combatant commanders . '' The branch participates in conflicts worldwide and is the major ground-based offensive and defensive force of the United States .


Sophie Turner Sophie Turner ( born 21 February 1996 ) is an English actress . Turner made her professional acting debut as Sansa Stark on the HBO fantasy television series Game of Thrones ( 2011 -- present ) , which brought her international recognition and critical praise . For her performance , she has received four nominations for Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series , as well as a Young Artist Award nomination for Best Supporting Young Actress in a TV Series .   Turner has also starred in the television film The Thirteenth Tale ( 2013 ) and she made her feature film debut in Another Me ( 2013 ) . She has also starred in the action comedy Barely Lethal ( 2015 ) and played Jean Grey / Phoenix in the X-Men film series .


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


Liverpool F.C. was the ninth lowest-earning football club in the world for 2014-2015.

Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club ( -LSB- ˈlɪvərpuːl -RSB- ) is a professional association football club based in Liverpool , Merseyside , England . They compete in the Premier League , the top tier of English football . The club has won 5 European Cups , 3 UEFA Cups , 3 UEFA Super Cups , 18 League titles , 7 FA Cups , a record 8 League Cups , and 15 FA Community Shields .   The club was founded in 1892 and joined the Football League the following year . The club has played at Anfield since its formation . Liverpool established itself as a major force in both English and European football during the 1970s and 1980s when Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley led the club to 11 League titles and seven European trophies . Under the management of Rafa Benítez and captained by Steven Gerrard Liverpool became European champion for the fifth time , winning the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final against Milan in spite of being 3 -- 0 down at half time .   Liverpool was the ninth highest-earning football club in the world for 2014 -- 15 , with an annual revenue of $ 391 million , and the world 's eighth most valuable football club in 2016 , valued at $ 1.55 billion . The club holds many long-standing rivalries , most notably the North West Derby against Manchester United and the Merseyside derby with Everton .   The club 's supporters have been involved in two major tragedies . The first was the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985 , where escaping fans were pressed against a collapsing wall in the Heysel Stadium , with 39 people -- mostly Italians and Juventus fans -- dying , after which English clubs were given a five-year ban from European competition . The second was the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 , where 96 Liverpool supporters died in a crush against perimeter fencing . The team changed from red shirts and white shorts to an all-red home strip in 1964 which has been used ever since . The club 's anthem is `` You 'll Never Walk Alone '' .


Quartet (2012 film) Quartet is a 2012 British comedy-drama film based on the play Quartet by Ronald Harwood , which ran in London 's West End from September 1999 until January 2000 . It was filmed late in 2011 at Hedsor House , Buckinghamshire . The film is actor Dustin Hoffman 's directorial debut .


Annie Parisse Anne Marie Cancelmi ( born July 31 , 1975 ) , known professionally as Annie Parisse , is an American actress . She portrayed Alexandra Borgia on the drama series Law & Order . Parisse has also starred as Julia Snyder on the soap opera As the World Turns , for which she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award , and as FBI specialist Debra Parker on the thriller series The Following .


2002 Academy Award for Best Actress was claimed by Halle Berry.

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 .


Based on a T.R.U. Story was a candidate for an award.

Based on a T.R.U. Story Based on a T.R.U. Story is the debut studio album by American rapper 2 Chainz . It was released on August 14 , 2012 , by Def Jam Recordings . The album features guest appearances from fellow rappers Lil Wayne , Drake , Kanye West , Nicki Minaj and Playaz Circle cohort Dolla Boy , along with singer-songwriters The-Dream , Mike Posner , The Weeknd and Chris Brown . The album 's production was handled by Brick Squad Monopoly 's Southside , Mike Will Made It , Sonny Digital , Kanye West , Hit-Boy , Drumma Boy , DJ Mustard , Mr. Bangladesh and DJ Spinz , among others .   The album has sold 623,000 copies as of August 2013 . The album was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 55th Grammy Awards , but lost to Take Care by Drake .


Angela Lansbury contributed to animated films.

Angela Lansbury Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury , ( born 16 October 1925 ) is a British-American-Irish actress who has appeared in theatre , television and film , as well as a producer , voice actress , singer , and songwriter . Her career has spanned seven decades , much of it in the United States , and her work has attracted international attention .   Lansbury was born to an upper-middle-class family in central London , the daughter of actress Moyna Macgill and politician Edgar Lansbury . To escape the Blitz , in 1940 she moved to the United States with her mother and two younger brothers , and studied acting in New York City . Proceeding to Hollywood in 1942 , she signed to MGM and obtained her first film roles , in Gaslight ( 1944 ) and The Picture of Dorian Gray ( 1945 ) , earning her two Oscar nominations and a Golden Globe Award . She appeared in eleven further MGM films , mostly in minor roles , and after her contract ended in 1952 she began supplementing her cinematic work with theatrical appearances . Although largely seen as a B-list star during this period , her appearance in the film The Manchurian Candidate ( 1962 ) received widespread acclaim and is cited as being one of her finest performances . Moving into musical theatre , Lansbury finally gained stardom for playing the leading role in the Broadway musical Mame ( 1966 ) , which earned her a range of awards and established her as a gay icon .   Amid difficulties in her personal life , Lansbury moved from California to County Cork , Ireland , in 1970 , and continued with a variety of theatrical and cinematic appearances throughout that decade . These included leading roles in the stage musicals Gypsy , Sweeney Todd , and The King and I , as well as in the hit Disney film Bedknobs and Broomsticks ( 1971 ) . Moving into television , she achieved worldwide fame as fictional writer and sleuth Jessica Fletcher in the American whodunit series Murder , She Wrote , which ran for twelve seasons from 1984 until 1996 , becoming one of the longest-running and most popular detective drama series in television history . Through Corymore Productions , a company that she co-owned with her husband Peter Shaw , Lansbury assumed ownership of the series and was its executive producer for the final four seasons . She also moved into voice work , thereby contributing to animated films such as Disney 's Beauty and the Beast ( 1991 ) . Since then , she has toured in a variety of international theatrical productions and continued to make occasional film appearances .   In 2014 , Lansbury was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II in a ceremony at Windsor Castle for `` services to drama , charitable work , and philanthropy . '' Lansbury has received an Honorary Oscar and has won five Tony Awards , six Golden Globes , an Olivier Award , and one Grammy Award . She has also been nominated for numerous other industry awards , including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress on three occasions , and various Primetime Emmy Awards on eighteen occasions . She has been the subject of three biographies .


Russia Russia ( -LSB- ˈrʌʃə -RSB- -LSB- Россия , Rossiya , rɐˈsʲijə -RSB- ) , also officially the Russian Federation ( -LSB- Российская Федерация , r = Rossiyskaya Federatsiya , p = rɐˈsʲijskəjə fʲɪdʲɪˈratsɨjə -RSB- ) , is a country in Eurasia . At 17075200 km2 , Russia is the largest country in the world by surface area , covering more than one-eighth of the Earth 's inhabited land area , and the ninth most populous , with over 144 million people at the end of March 2016 . The European western part of the country is much more populated and urbanised than the eastern ; about 77 % of the population live in European Russia . Russia 's capital Moscow is one of the largest cities in the world ; other major urban centers include Saint Petersburg , Novosibirsk , Yekaterinburg , Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan .   Extending across the entirety of Northern Asia and much of Eastern Europe , Russia spans eleven time zones and incorporates a wide range of environments and landforms . From northwest to southeast , Russia shares land borders with Norway , Finland , Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania and Poland ( both with Kaliningrad Oblast ) , Belarus , Ukraine , Georgia , Azerbaijan , Kazakhstan , China , Mongolia , and North Korea . It shares maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk and the U.S. state of Alaska across the Bering Strait .   The East Slavs emerged as a recognizable group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD . Founded and ruled by a Varangian warrior elite and their descendants , the medieval state of Rus arose in the 9th century . In 988 it adopted Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire , beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium . Rus ' ultimately disintegrated into a number of smaller states ; most of the Rus ' lands were overrun by the Mongol invasion and became tributaries of the nomadic Golden Horde in the 13th century . The Grand Duchy of Moscow gradually reunified the surrounding Russian principalities , achieved independence from the Golden Horde , and came to dominate the cultural and political legacy of Kievan Rus ' . By the 18th century , the nation had greatly expanded through conquest , annexation , and exploration to become the Russian Empire , which was the third largest empire in history , stretching from Poland on the west to Alaska on the east .   Following the Russian Revolution , the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic became the largest and leading constituent of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , the world 's first constitutionally socialist state . The Soviet Union played a decisive role in the Allied victory in World War II , and emerged as a recognized superpower and rival to the United States during the Cold War . The Soviet era saw some of the most significant technological achievements of the 20th century , including the world 's first human-made satellite and the launching of the first humans in space . By the end of 1990 , the Soviet Union had the world 's second largest economy , largest standing military in the world and the largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction . Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 , fifteen independent republics emerged from the USSR : Russia , Ukraine , Belarus , Kazakhstan , Uzbekistan , Armenia , Azerbaijan , Estonia , Georgia , Kyrgyzstan , Latvia , Lithuania , Moldova , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan ; the Russian SFSR reconstituted itself as the Russian Federation and is recognized as the continuing legal personality and sole successor state of the Soviet Union . It is governed as a federal semi-presidential republic .   The Russian economy ranks as the twelfth largest by nominal GDP and sixth largest by purchasing power parity in 2015 . Russia 's extensive mineral and energy resources are the largest such reserves in the world , making it one of the leading producers of oil and natural gas globally . The country is one of the five recognized nuclear weapons states and possesses the largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction . Russia is a great power as well as a regional power and has been characterised as a potential superpower . It is permanent member of the United Nations Security Council , as well as a member of the G20 , the Council of Europe , the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC ) , the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ( SCO ) , the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe ( OSCE ) , and the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) , as well as being the leading member of the Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ) , the Collective Security Treaty Organization ( CSTO ) and one of the five members of the Eurasian Economic Union ( EEU ) , along with Armenia , Belarus , Kazakhstan , and Kyrgyzstan .


Harry Potter Harry Potter is a series of fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling . The novels chronicle the life of a young wizard , Harry Potter , and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley , all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . The main story arc concerns Harry 's struggle against Lord Voldemort , a dark wizard who intends to become immortal , overthrow the wizard governing body known as the Ministry of Magic , and subjugate all wizards and Muggles , a reference term that means non-magical people .   Since the release of the first novel , Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone , on 26 June 1997 , the books have found immense popularity , critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide . The series has now been translated into multiple languages including French , Irish , Spanish , German and Swedish to name a few . They have attracted a wide adult audience as well as younger readers , and are often considered cornerstones of modern young adult literature . The series has also had its share of criticism , including concern about the increasingly dark tone as the series progressed , as well as the often gruesome and graphic violence it depicts . , the books have sold more than 500 million copies worldwide , making them the best-selling book series in history , and have been translated into seventy-three languages . The last four books consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history , with the final instalment selling roughly eleven million copies in the United States within twenty-four hours of its release .   The series was originally published in English by two major publishers , Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom and Scholastic Press in the United States . A play , Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , based on a story co-written by Rowling , premiered in London on 30 July 2016 at the Palace Theatre , and its script was published by Little , Brown as the eighth book in the series . The original seven books were adapted into an eight-part film series by Warner Bros. . Pictures , which has become the second highest-grossing film series of all time . In 2016 , the total value of the Harry Potter franchise was estimated at $ 25 billion , making Harry Potter one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time .   A series of many genres , including fantasy , drama , coming of age , friendship , and the British school story ( which includes elements of mystery , thriller , adventure , horror and romance ) , the world of Harry Potter explores numerous themes and includes many cultural meanings and references . According to Rowling , the main theme is death . Other major themes in the series include prejudice , corruption , and madness .   The success of the books and films has ensured that the Harry Potter franchise continues to expand , with numerous derivative works , a travelling exhibition that premiered in Chicago in 2009 , a studio tour in London that opened in 2012 , a digital platform on which J.K. Rowling updates the series with new information and insight , and a pentalogy of spin-off films premiering in November 2016 , among many other developments . Most recently , themed attractions , collectively known as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter , have been built at several Universal Parks & Resorts amusement parks around the world .


Illumination Entertainment Illumination Entertainment is an American animation film production company , founded by Chris Meledandri in 2007 . It is owned by Meledandri and Universal Studios , a division of NBCUniversal , with Universal fully financing and owning all the films . The company is best known for being the creators of the Despicable Me franchise , its spin-off/prequel Minions and the films The Secret Life of Pets and Sing . The Minions , characters from the Despicable Me films , are the studio 's official mascots . Its films are co-produced and/or distributed by Universal Pictures .   The studio 's highest-grossing films are Minions ( 2015 ) , which has grossed $ 1.159 billion worldwide ; Despicable Me 2 ( 2013 ) , which has grossed $ 970.8 million worldwide ; and The Secret Life of Pets ( 2016 ) , which grossed $ 875.5 million worldwide .


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 .


Donald Trump campaigned for the 2016 presidential election.

Donald Trump Donald John Trump ( born June 14 , 1946 ) is the 45th and current President of the United States . Before entering politics , he was a businessman and television personality .   Trump was born and raised in Queens , New York City , and earned an economics degree from the Wharton School . He then took charge of The Trump Organization , the real estate and construction firm founded by his paternal grandmother , which he ran for 45 years until 2016 . During his real estate career , Trump built , renovated , and managed numerous office towers , hotels , casinos , and golf courses . Besides real estate , he started several side ventures and has licensed the use of his name for the branding of various products and properties , including Trump Entertainment Resorts , Trump Steaks , and Trump Vodka . He was the founder of Trump University . He owned the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants from 1996 to 2015 , and he produced and hosted The Apprentice , a reality television series on NBC , from 2004 to 2015 . His net worth was estimated to be $ 3.5 billion , making him the 544th richest person in the world .   Trump first publicly expressed interest in running for political office in 1987 . He won two Reform Party presidential primaries in 2000 , but withdrew his candidacy early on . In June 2015 , he launched his campaign for the 2016 presidential election and quickly emerged as the front-runner among seventeen candidates in the Republican primaries . His remaining opponents all suspended their campaigns by the end of May 2016 , and in July he was formally nominated at the Republican National Convention along with Indiana governor Mike Pence as his running mate . Many of his campaign statements were controversial or false , generating much free media coverage .   Trump won the general election on November 8 , 2016 , in a surprise victory against Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton and commenced his presidency on January 20 , 2017 . He became the oldest and wealthiest person ever to assume the presidency , the first without prior military or government service , and the fifth to have won the election while losing the popular vote . His political positions have been described by scholars and commentators as populist , protectionist , and nationalist .


Billy Bob Thornton Billy Bob Thornton ( born August 4 , 1955 ) is an American actor , filmmaker , singer , songwriter , and musician .   Thornton had his first break when he co-wrote and starred in the 1992 thriller One False Move , and came to international attention after writing , directing , and starring in the independent drama film Sling Blade ( 1996 ) , for which he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor . He appeared in several major film roles in the 1990s following Sling Blade , including Oliver Stone 's neo-noir U Turn ( 1997 ) , political drama Primary Colors ( 1998 ) , science fiction disaster film Armageddon ( 1998 ) , which was the highest-grossing film of that year , and the crime drama A Simple Plan ( 1998 ) , which earned him his third Academy Awards nomination .   In the 2000s , Thornton achieved further success in starring dramas Monster 's Ball ( 2001 ) , The Man Who Was n't There ( 2001 ) , and Friday Night Lights ( 2004 ) ; comedies Bandits ( 2001 ) , Intolerable Cruelty ( 2003 ) , and Bad Santa ( 2003 ) ; and action films Eagle Eye ( 2008 ) and Faster ( 2010 ) . In 2014 , Thornton starred as Lorne Malvo in the first season of the anthology series Fargo , earning a nomination for the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie at the Emmy Awards and won Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Film at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards . In 2016 , he starred in an Amazon original series , Goliath about a washed up attorney with a great new case .   Thornton has been vocal about his disrespect for celebrity culture , choosing to keep his life out of the public eye . However , the attention of the media has proven unavoidable in certain cases , his marriage to Angelina Jolie being a notable example . Thornton has appeared in at least one film per year nearly every year since 1991 . Thornton has written a variety of films , usually set in the Southern United States and mainly co-written with Tom Epperson , including A Family Thing ( 1996 ) and The Gift ( 2000 ) . After Sling Blade , he directed several other films , including Daddy and Them ( 2001 ) , All the Pretty Horses ( 2000 ) , and Jayne Mansfield 's Car ( 2012 ) .   Thornton has received the President 's Award from the Academy of Science Fiction , Fantasy & Horror Films , a Special Achievement Award from the National Board of Review , and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . He has also been nominated for an Emmy Award , four Golden Globes , and three Screen Actors Guild Awards . In addition to film work , Thornton began a career as a singer-songwriter . He has released four solo albums and is the vocalist of the blues rock band The Boxmasters .


Jacinda Barrett Jacinda Barrett ( born August 2 , 1972 ) , an Australian-American actress and former model , first became known to audiences as a cast member on The Real World : London ( 1995 ) before appearing in films such as The Human Stain ( 2003 ) , Bridget Jones : The Edge of Reason ( 2004 ) , Ladder 49 ( 2004 ) , The Namesake ( 2006 ) , Poseidon ( 2006 ) , and The Last Kiss ( 2006 ) .   She appeared in the series The Following in 2013 and joined the main cast of the Netflix series Bloodline , which launched in 2015 .


Netherlands The Netherlands , ( -LSB- ˈnɛðərləndz -RSB- Nederland -LSB- ˈneːdərˌlɑnt -RSB- ; Nederlân ) also known informally as Holland , is the main constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands . It is a densely populated country located in Western Europe with three island territories in the Caribbean.designated Bonaire , Sint Eustatius and Saba within ISO ISO 3166-1 . The European part of the Netherlands borders Germany to the east , Belgium to the south , and the North Sea to the northwest , sharing maritime borders with Belgium , the United Kingdom , and Germany .   The four largest cities in the Netherlands are Amsterdam , Rotterdam , The Hague and Utrecht ( collectively known as G4 ) . Amsterdam is the country 's capital , while The Hague holds the Dutch seat of parliament and government . The port of Rotterdam is the world 's largest port outside East-Asia , and the largest port in Europe . The name Holland is used informally to refer to the whole of the country of the Netherlands.Formally ` Holland ' refers only to two of the country 's twelve provinces : North Holland and South Holland .   `` Netherlands '' literally means `` lower countries '' , influenced by its low land and flat geography , with only about 50 % of its land exceeding one metre above sea level . Most of the areas below sea level are artificial . Since the late 16th century , large areas ( polders ) have been reclaimed from the sea and lakes , amounting to nearly 17 % of the country 's current land mass . With a population density of 412 people per km2 -- 507 ( January 2017 ) if water is excluded -- the Netherlands is classified as a very densely populated country . Only Bangladesh , South Korea , and Taiwan have both a larger population and higher population density . Nevertheless , the Netherlands is the world 's second-largest exporter of food and agricultural products , after the United States . This is partly due to the fertility of the soil and the mild climate . The Netherlands was the third country in the world to have an elected parliament , and since 1848 it has been governed as a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy , organised as a unitary state . The Netherlands has a long history of social tolerance and is generally regarded as a liberal country , having legalised abortion , prostitution and euthanasia , while maintaining a progressive drugs policy . In 2001 , it became the world 's first country to legalise same-sex marriage .   The Netherlands is a founding member of the EU , Eurozone , G-10 , NATO , OECD and WTO ; as well as being a part of the Schengen Area and the trilateral Benelux Union . The country is host to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and five international courts : the Permanent Court of Arbitration , the International Court of Justice , the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia , the International Criminal Court and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon . The first four are situated in The Hague , as is the EU 's criminal intelligence agency Europol and judicial co-operation agency Eurojust . This has led to the city being dubbed `` the world 's legal capital . '' The country also ranks second highest in the world 's 2016 Press Freedom Index , as published by Reporters Without Borders .   The Netherlands has a market-based mixed economy , ranking 17th of 177 countries according to the Index of Economic Freedom . It had the thirteenth-highest per capita income in the world in 2013 according to the International Monetary Fund . In 2013 , the United Nations World Happiness Report ranked the Netherlands as the seventh-happiest country in the world , reflecting its high quality of life . The Netherlands also ranks joint third highest in the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index , along with Australia .


The Who have never performed a song beginning with the letter "H".

The Who The Who are an English rock band that formed in 1964 . Their classic line-up consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey , guitarist and singer Pete Townshend , bass guitarist John Entwistle , and drummer Keith Moon . They are considered one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century , selling over 100 million records worldwide and holding a reputation for their live shows and studio work .   The Who developed from an earlier group , the Detours , and established themselves as part of the pop art and mod movements , featuring auto-destructive art by destroying guitars and drums on stage . Their first single as the Who , `` I Ca n't Explain '' , reached the UK top ten , followed by a string of singles including `` My Generation '' , `` Substitute '' and `` Happy Jack '' . In 1967 , they performed at the Monterey Pop Festival and released the US top ten single `` I Can See for Miles '' , while touring extensively . The group 's fourth album , 1969 's rock opera Tommy , included the single `` Pinball Wizard '' and was a critical and commercial success . Live appearances at Woodstock and the Isle of Wight Festival , along with the live album Live at Leeds , cemented their reputation as a respected rock act . With their success came increased pressure on lead songwriter and visionary Townshend , and the follow-up to Tommy , Lifehouse , was abandoned . Songs from the project made up 1971 's Who 's Next , which included the hit `` Wo n't Get Fooled Again '' . The group released the album Quadrophenia in 1973 as a celebration of their mod roots , and oversaw the film adaptation of Tommy in 1975 . They continued to tour to large audiences before semi-retiring from live performances at the end of 1976 . The release of Who Are You in 1978 was overshadowed by the death of Moon shortly after .   Kenney Jones replaced Moon and the group resumed activity , releasing a film adaptation of Quadrophenia and the retrospective documentary The Kids Are Alright . After Townshend became weary of touring , the group split in 1982 . The Who occasionally re-formed for live appearances such as Live Aid in 1985 , a 25th anniversary tour in 1989 and a tour of Quadrophenia in 1996 -- 1997 . They resumed regular touring in 1999 , with drummer Zak Starkey . After Entwistle 's death in 2002 , plans for a new album were delayed . Townshend and Daltrey continued as the Who , releasing Endless Wire in 2006 , and continued to play live regularly .   The Who 's major contributions to rock music include the development of the Marshall stack , large PA systems , use of the synthesizer , Entwistle and Moon 's lead playing styles , Townshend 's feedback and power chord guitar technique , and the development of the rock opera . They are cited as an influence by hard rock , punk rock and mod bands , and their songs still receive regular exposure .


Angelina Jolie has been married to three different actors.

Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie Pitt ( -LSB- dʒoʊˈliː -RSB- ; née Voight ; born June 4 , 1975 ) is an American actress , filmmaker , philanthropist and humanitarian . She has received an Academy Award , two Screen Actors Guild Awards , and three Golden Globe Awards , and has been cited as Hollywood 's highest-paid actress . Jolie made her screen debut as a child alongside her father , Jon Voight , in Lookin ' to Get Out ( 1982 ) . Her film career began in earnest a decade later with the low-budget production Cyborg 2 ( 1993 ) , followed by her first leading role in a major film , Hackers ( 1995 ) . She starred in the critically acclaimed biographical cable films George Wallace ( 1997 ) and Gia ( 1998 ) , and won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the drama Girl , Interrupted ( 1999 ) .   Jolie 's starring role as the video game heroine Lara Croft in Lara Croft : Tomb Raider ( 2001 ) established her as a leading Hollywood actress . She continued her successful action-star career with Mr. & Mrs. Smith ( 2005 ) , Wanted ( 2008 ) , and Salt ( 2010 ) , and received critical acclaim for her performances in the dramas A Mighty Heart ( 2007 ) and Changeling ( 2008 ) , which earned her a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actress . Beginning in the 2010s , she expanded her career into directing , screenwriting , and producing , starting with the wartime dramas In the Land of Blood and Honey ( 2011 ) and Unbroken ( 2014 ) . Her biggest commercial success came with the fantasy picture Maleficent ( 2014 ) .   In addition to her film career , Jolie is noted for her humanitarian efforts , for which she has received a Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and an honorary damehood of the Order of St Michael and St George ( DCMG ) , among other honors . She promotes various causes , including conservation , education , and women 's rights , and is most noted for her advocacy on behalf of refugees as a Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR ) . As a public figure , Jolie has been cited as one of the most influential and powerful people in the American entertainment industry , as well as the world 's most beautiful woman , by various media outlets . Her personal life is the subject of wide publicity . Divorced from actors Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton , she separated from her third husband , actor Brad Pitt , in September 2016 . They have six children together , three of whom were adopted internationally .


Ella Purnell is in the American film drama film called Maleficent.

Ella Purnell Ella Purnell ( born 17 September 1996 ) is an English actress , who has appeared in the films Never Let Me Go ( 2010 ) , Maleficent ( 2014 ) and Miss Peregrine 's Home for Peculiar Children ( 2016 ) .


Middle power In international relations , a middle power is a sovereign state that is not a superpower nor a great power , but still has large or moderate influence and international recognition . The concept of the `` middle power '' dates back to the origins of the European state system . In the late 16th century , Italian political thinker Giovanni Botero divided the world into three types of states -- grandissime ( empires ) , mezano ( middle powers ) and piccoli ( small powers ) . According to Botero , a mezano or middle power '' ... has sufficient strength and authority to stand on its own without the need of help from others . ''


List of countries by Human Development Index This is a list of all the countries by the Human Development Index as included in a United Nations Development Programme 's Human Development Report . The latest report was released on 21 March 2017 and compiled on the basis of estimates for 2015 .   In the 2010 Human Development Report a further Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index ( IHDI ) was introduced . While the simple HDI remains useful , it stated that `` the IHDI is the actual level of human development ( accounting for inequality ) '' and `` the HDI can be viewed as an index of `` potential '' human development ( or the maximum IHDI that could be achieved if there were no inequality ) '' .


Hungary Hungary ( -LSB- ˈhʌŋɡəri -RSB- Magyarország -LSB- ˈmɒɟɒrorsaːɡ -RSB- ) is a unitary parliamentary republic in Central Europe . It covers an area of 93,030 km2 , situated in the Carpathian Basin , and is bordered by Slovakia to the north , Romania to the east , Serbia to the south , Croatia to the southwest , Slovenia to the west , Austria to the northwest , and Ukraine to the northeast . With about 10 million inhabitants , Hungary is a medium-sized member state of the European Union . The official language is Hungarian , which is the most widely spoken non-Indo-European language in Europe . Hungary 's capital and largest metropolis is Budapest , a significant economic hub , classified as a global city . Major urban areas include Debrecen , Szeged , Miskolc , Pécs and Győr .   Following centuries of successive habitation by Celts , Romans , Slavs , Gepids and Avars , the foundation of Hungary was laid in the late 9th century by the Hungarian grand prince Árpád in the conquest of the Carpathian Basin . His great-grandson Stephen I ascended to the throne in 1000 , converting the country to a Christian kingdom . By the 12th century , Hungary became a middle power within the Western world , reaching a golden age by the 15th century . Following the Battle of Mohács in 1526 and about 150 years of partial Ottoman occupation ( 1541 -- 1699 ) , Hungary came under Habsburg rule , and later formed the great power Austro -- Hungarian Empire together with Austria .   Hungary 's current borders were established in 1920 by the Treaty of Trianon after World War I , when the country lost 71 % of its territory , 58 % of its population , and 32 % of ethnic Hungarians . Following the interwar period , Hungary joined the Axis Powers in World War II , suffering significant damage and casualties . Hungary became a satellite state of the Soviet Union , which contributed to the establishment of a four-decade-long communist dictatorship ( 1947 -- 1989 ) . The country gained widespread international attention regarding the Revolution of 1956 and the seminal opening of its previously-restricted border with Austria in 1989 , which accelerated the collapse of the Eastern Bloc . On 23 October 1989 , Hungary again became a democratic parliamentary republic .   In the 21st century , Hungary is a middle power and has the world 's 57th largest economy by nominal GDP , as well as the 58th largest by PPP , out of 188 countries measured by the IMF . As a substantial actor in several industrial and technological sectors , it is both the world 's 36th largest exporter and importer of goods . Hungary is a high-income economy with a very high standard of living . It keeps up a social security and universal health care system , and a tuition-free university education . Hungary performs well in international rankings : it is 20th in quality of life , 25th in inequality-adjusted human development , 32nd in the Social Progress Index , and ranks as the 19th safest country in the world .   Hungary joined the European Union in 2004 and has been part of the Schengen Area since 2007 . Hungary is a member of the United Nations , NATO , WTO , World Bank , the AIIB , the Council of Europe and Visegrád Group . Well known for its rich cultural history , Hungary has contributed significantly to arts , music , literature , sports and science and technology . Hungary is the 11th most popular country as a tourist destination in Europe , attracting 14.3 million international tourists in 2015 . It is home to the largest thermal water cave system , the second largest thermal lake in the world , the largest lake in Central Europe , and the largest natural grasslands in Europe .


European Union The European Union ( EU ) is a political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe . It has an area of 4,475,757 km2 , and an estimated population of over 510 million . The EU has developed an internal single market through a standardised system of laws that apply in all member states . EU policies aim to ensure the free movement of people , goods , services , and capital within the internal market , enact legislation in justice and home affairs , and maintain common policies on trade , agriculture , fisheries , and regional development . Within the Schengen Area , passport controls have been abolished . A monetary union was established in 1999 and came into full force in 2002 , and is composed of 19 EU member states which use the euro currency .   The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community ( ECSC ) and the European Economic Community ( EEC ) , formed by the Inner Six countries in 1951 and 1958 , respectively . Next the treaty of Rome of 1957 created the European Community made up of the six core countries of Belgium , France , Italy , Luxembourg , the Netherlands and West Germany . The decades following many new members joined them while at the same time integration of economic , cultural , judicial and so forth would then deepen the relationships distinct European entity . The community and its successors have grown in size by the accession of new member states and in power by the addition of policy areas to its remit . While no member state has left the EU or its antecedent organisations , the United Kingdom enacted the result of a membership referendum in June 2016 and is currently negotiating its withdrawal . The Maastricht Treaty established the European Union in 1993 and introduced European citizenship . The latest major amendment to the constitutional basis of the EU , the Treaty of Lisbon , came into force in 2009 .   The European Union accumulated a high portion of GDP as a form of foreign aid than any other economic union . Covering 7.3 % of the world population , the EU in 2016 generated a nominal gross domestic product ( GDP ) of 16.477 trillion US dollars , constituting approximately 22.2 % of global nominal GDP and 16.9 % when measured in terms of purchasing power parity . Additionally , 27 out of 28 EU countries have a very high Human Development Index , according to the United Nations Development Programme . In 2012 , the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize . Through the Common Foreign and Security Policy , the EU has developed a role in external relations and defence . The union maintains permanent diplomatic missions throughout the world and represents itself at the United Nations , the World Trade Organization , the G7 , and the G20 . Because of its global influence , the European Union has been described as an emerging superpower .


List of countries by exports This is a list of countries by merchandise exports , based on The World Factbook of the CIA .   World Bank 's World Integrated Trade Solution now provides list of countries and their share Top exporting countries


Axis powers The Axis powers ( Achsenmächte , 枢軸国 Sūjikukoku , Potenze dell ` Asse ) , also known as the Rome -- Berlin -- Tokyo Axis , were the nations that fought in World War II against the Allied Powers . The Axis agreed on their opposition to the Allies , but did not completely coordinate their activity .   The Axis grew out of the diplomatic efforts of Germany , Italy and Japan to secure their own specific expansionist interests in the mid-1930s . The first step was the treaty signed by Germany and Italy in October 1936 . Mussolini declared on 1 November that all other European countries would from then on rotate on the Rome -- Berlin axis , thus creating the term `` Axis '' . The almost simultaneous second step was the signing in November 1936 of the Anti-Comintern Pact , an anti-communist treaty between Germany and Japan . Italy joined the Pact in 1937 . The `` Rome -- Berlin Axis '' became a military alliance in 1939 under the so-called `` Pact of Steel '' , with the Tripartite Pact of 1940 leading to the integration of the military aims of Germany and its two treaty-bound allies .   At its zenith during World War II , the Axis presided over territories that occupied large parts of Europe , North Africa , and East Asia . There were no three-way summit meetings and cooperation and coordination was minimal , with a bit more between Germany and Italy . The war ended in 1945 with the defeat of the Axis powers and the dissolution of their alliance . As in the case of the Allies , membership of the Axis was fluid , with some nations switching sides or changing their degree of military involvement over the course of the war .


NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO -LSB- ˈneɪtoʊ -RSB- Organisation du Traité de l'Atlantique Nord OTAN ) , also called the North Atlantic Alliance , is an intergovernmental military alliance between several North American and European states based on the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on 4 April 1949 .   NATO constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party . Three NATO members ( the United States , France and the United Kingdom ) are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council with the power to veto and are officially nuclear-weapon states . NATO Headquarters are located in Haren , Brussels , Belgium , while the headquarters of Allied Command Operations is near Mons , Belgium .   NATO is an alliance that consists of 28 independent member countries across North America and Europe . An additional 22 countries participate in NATO 's Partnership for Peace program , with 15 other countries involved in institutionalized dialogue programs . The combined military spending of all NATO members constitutes over 70 % of the global total . Members ' defense spending is supposed to amount to at least 2 % of GDP .   NATO was little more than a political association until the Korean War galvanized the organization 's member states , and an integrated military structure was built up under the direction of two US Supreme Commanders . The course of the Cold War led to a rivalry with nations of the Warsaw Pact , that formed in 1955 . Doubts over the strength of the relationship between the European states and the United States ebbed and flowed , along with doubts over the credibility of the NATO defense against a prospective Soviet invasion -- doubts that led to the development of the independent French nuclear deterrent and the withdrawal of France from NATO 's military structure in 1966 for 30 years . After the fall of the Berlin Wall in Germany in 1989 , the organization became involved in the breakup of Yugoslavia , and conducted its first military interventions in Bosnia from 1992 to 1995 and later Yugoslavia in 1999 . Politically , the organization sought better relations with former Warsaw Pact countries , several of which joined the alliance in 1999 and 2004 .   Article 5 of the North Atlantic treaty , requiring member states to come to the aid of any member state subject to an armed attack , was invoked for the first and only time after the September 11 attacks , after which troops were deployed to Afghanistan under the NATO-led ISAF . The organization has operated a range of additional roles since then , including sending trainers to Iraq , assisting in counter-piracy operations and in 2011 enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya in accordance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973 . The less potent Article 4 , which merely invokes consultation among NATO members , has been invoked five times : by Turkey in 2003 over the Iraq War ; twice in 2012 by Turkey over the Syrian Civil War , after the downing of an unarmed Turkish F-4 reconnaissance jet , and after a mortar was fired at Turkey from Syria ; in 2014 by Poland , following the Russian intervention in Crimea ; and again by Turkey in 2015 after threats by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant to its territorial integrity .


Cracks (film) Cracks is a 2009 independent drama psychological thriller film starring Eva Green , James McGovern , Juno Temple , María Valverde , and Imogen Poots , which was released theatrically in the UK and Ireland on 4 December 2009 . In the United States it was released by IFC Films on 18 March 2011 , and premiered on Showtime in late 2011 .   The film was produced in May 2008 , written for the screen by Caroline Ip , Ben Court and Jordan Scott , based on the 1999 novel written by Sheila Kohler , directed by Jordan Scott and produced by Kwesi Dickson , Andrew Lowe , Julie Payne , Rosalie Swedlin and Christine Vachon . Ridley and Tony Scott serve as executive producers . The film was mostly filmed in County Wicklow , Ireland .


Divisions of Davis Entertainment develop and produce projects for independent distributors.

Davis Entertainment Davis Entertainment is an American independent film production company , founded by John Davis in 1984 .   Davis 's three divisions -- - feature film , independent film , and television - -- develop and produce film and television projects for the major studios , independent distributors , networks and cable broadcasters . The Company has enjoyed a long-standing first-look production deal at 20th Century Fox , though also produces projects for all studios and mini-majors .


Independent film An independent film or indie film is a feature film that is produced outside of the major film studio system , in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment agencies . Independent films are sometimes distinguishable by their content and style and the way in which the filmmakers ' personal artistic vision is realized . Usually , but not always , independent films are made with considerably lower budgets than major studio movies .   Generally , the marketing of independent films is characterized by limited release , but can also have major marketing campaigns and a wide release . Independent films are often screened at local , national , or international film festivals before distribution ( theatrical or retail release ) . An independent film production can rival a mainstream film production if it has the necessary funding and distribution .


Water Water is a transparent and nearly colorless chemical substance that is the main constituent of Earth 's streams , lakes , and oceans , and the fluids of most living organisms . Its chemical formula is H2O , meaning that its molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms , that are connected by covalent bonds . Water strictly refers to the liquid state of that substance , that prevails at standard ambient temperature and pressure ; but it often refers also to its solid state ( ice ) or its gaseous state ( steam or water vapor ) . It also occurs in nature as snow , glaciers , ice packs and icebergs , clouds , fog , dew , aquifers , and atmospheric humidity .   Water covers 71 % of the Earth 's surface . It is vital for all known forms of life . On Earth , 96.5 % of the planet 's crust water is found in seas and oceans , 1.7 % in groundwater , 1.7 % in glaciers and the ice caps of Antarctica and Greenland , a small fraction in other large water bodies , and 0.001 % in the air as vapor , clouds ( formed of ice and liquid water suspended in air ) , and precipitation . Only 2.5 % of this water is freshwater , and 98.8 % of that water is in ice ( excepting ice in clouds ) and groundwater . Less than 0.3 % of all freshwater is in rivers , lakes , and the atmosphere , and an even smaller amount of the Earth 's freshwater ( 0.003 % ) is contained within biological bodies and manufactured products . A greater quantity of water is found in the earth 's interior .   Water on Earth moves continually through the water cycle of evaporation and transpiration ( evapotranspiration ) , condensation , precipitation , and runoff , usually reaching the sea . Evaporation and transpiration contribute to the precipitation over land . Large amounts of water are also chemically combined or adsorbed in hydrated minerals .   Safe drinking water is essential to humans and other lifeforms even though it provides no calories or organic nutrients . Access to safe drinking water has improved over the last decades in almost every part of the world , but approximately one billion people still lack access to safe water and over 2.5 billion lack access to adequate sanitation . There is a clear correlation between access to safe water and gross domestic product per capita . However , some observers have estimated that by 2025 more than half of the world population will be facing water-based vulnerability . A report , issued in November 2009 , suggests that by 2030 , in some developing regions of the world , water demand will exceed supply by 50 % .   Water plays an important role in the world economy . Approximately 70 % of the freshwater used by humans goes to agriculture . Fishing in salt and fresh water bodies is a major source of food for many parts of the world . Much of long-distance trade of commodities ( such as oil and natural gas ) and manufactured products is transported by boats through seas , rivers , lakes , and canals . Large quantities of water , ice , and steam are used for cooling and heating , in industry and homes . Water is an excellent solvent for a wide variety of chemical substances ; as such it is widely used in industrial processes , and in cooking and washing . Water is also central to many sports and other forms of entertainment , such as swimming , pleasure boating , boat racing , surfing , sport fishing , and diving .


Iran comprises a ocean area of 1,648,195 square kilometers.

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


David Beckham has been married to Victoria Beckham since 1999.

David Beckham David Robert Joseph Beckham , ( -LSB- ˈbɛkəm -RSB- born 2 May 1975 ) is an English former professional footballer . He played for Manchester United , Preston North End , Real Madrid , Milan , LA Galaxy , Paris Saint-Germain , and the England national team for which he held the appearance record for an outfield player until 2016 when Wayne Rooney surpassed his total . He is the first English player to win league titles in four countries : England , Spain , the United States and France . He announced his retirement in May 2013 after a 20-year career , during which he won 19 major trophies .   Known for his range of passing , crossing ability and bending free-kicks as a right winger , Beckham was runner up in the Ballon d'Or , twice runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year and in 2004 he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world 's greatest living players . He was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2008 . A global ambassador for the sport , Beckham is regarded as a British cultural icon .   Beckham 's professional club career began with Manchester United , where he made his first-team debut in 1992 aged 17 . With United , he won the Premier League title six times , the FA Cup twice , and the UEFA Champions League in 1999 . He then played four seasons with Real Madrid , winning the La Liga championship in his final season with the club . In July 2007 Beckham signed a five-year contract with Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy . While a Galaxy player , he spent two loan spells in Italy with Milan in 2009 and 2010 . He was the first British footballer to play 100 UEFA Champions League games .   In international football , Beckham made his England debut on 1 September 1996 at the age of 21 . He was captain for six years , earning 58 caps during his tenure . He made 115 career appearances in total , appearing at three FIFA World Cup tournaments , in 1998 , 2002 and 2006 , and two UEFA European Championship tournaments , in 2000 and 2004 .   Beckham has consistently ranked among the highest earners in football , and in 2013 he was listed as the highest-paid player in the world , earning over $ 50 million in the previous 12 months . He has been married to Victoria Beckham since 1999 and they have four children . He has been a UNICEF UK ambassador since 2005 , and in 2015 he launched 7 : The David Beckham UNICEF Fund . In 2014 , MLS announced Beckham and a group of investors would own an expansion team in Miami , which would begin in 2016 or 2017 .


Kapil Sharma (comedian) Kapil Sharma ( real name Kapil Punj Singh ) ( born 2 April 1981 ) is an Indian stand-up comedian , television presenter , actor and producer . He hosted a television comedy show Comedy Nights with Kapil from June 2013 to January 2016 . Currently , he is hosting another comedy show on Sony Entertainment Television named The Kapil Sharma Show . He first appeared in the Forbes India Celebrity list in 2012 , ranked 96th .   Ormax Media rated Sharma the most popular Indian television personality in April 2016 . Forbes India ranked him 27th on their Celebrity-100 list in 2015 .  Forbes India ranked him at 7th position in terms of fame and at 11th position in terms of income on their Celebrity - 100 list in 2016 .  He was awarded the CNN-IBN Indian of the Year 2013 , in the Entertainment category and was ranked third in the Most Admired Indian Personality List by The Economic Times in 2015 . Sharma was nominated for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was invited to the Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Pranab Mukherjee in September 2015 to acknowledge his contribution for the same .


Broadchurch Broadchurch is a British television crime drama broadcast on ITV . It was created and written by Chris Chibnall and produced by Kudos Film and Television , Shine America , and Imaginary Friends . The first series , which premiered on 4 March 2013 , focused on the death of an 11-year-old boy and the impact of grief , mutual suspicion and media attention on the town . Filming for series two began in late May 2014 and concluded on 12 October 2014 and the series premiered on 5 January 2015 . Series three was confirmed on 23 February 2015 , immediately following the series two finale , and premiered on 27 February 2017 .   Broadchurch series one focused on the search for the boy 's murderer by detectives Alec Hardy ( played by David Tennant ) and Ellie Miller ( played by Olivia Colman ) . Chibnall was inspired by the Jurassic Coast of Britain to set his crime drama in a fictional , close-knit small town in Dorset . Much of the tone of the series was inspired by the music of Ólafur Arnalds , who also composed the soundtrack for the programme . Writing on spec , Chibnall persuaded ITV to green-light the series in the autumn of 2011 . Auditions soon followed , although some actors were offered roles directly . Principal photography began in August 2012 , with location shooting occurring primarily in towns and villages in Dorset , North Somerset , South Gloucestershire and Bristol . The production went to great lengths to keep the identity of the murderer secret . Cast and crew were nominated for many awards for series one ; they won several British Academy Television ( BAFTA ) Awards and a BAFTA Craft Award .   Series two was announced when the first series ended . The second series primarily focuses on two plot strands : the trial of the murderer and the reopening of the Sandbrook case . Tennant , Colman and most of the cast of series one returned for series two . New series two cast members include Marianne Jean-Baptiste , James D'Arcy , Eve Myles , Charlotte Rampling , Meera Syal and Phoebe Waller-Bridge and location shooting again occurred primarily in North Somerset , Devon , Dorset and Berkshire . A U.S. remake in one season , Gracepoint , also created by Chris Chibnall and starring Tennant , aired on 2014 on Fox . The French channel France 2 also announced an adaptation , to be titled Malaterra .


Modern Family started on September 2009.

Modern Family Modern Family ( stylized as modern family ) is an American television mockumentary sitcom that premiered on ABC on September 23 , 2009 , which follows the lives of Jay Pritchett and his family , all of whom live in suburban Los Angeles . Pritchett 's family includes his second wife , her son and his stepson , as well as his two adult children and their spouses and children . Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan conceived the series while sharing stories of their own `` modern families '' . Modern Family employs an ensemble cast . The series is presented in mockumentary style , with the fictional characters frequently talking directly into the camera . The series premiered on September 23 , 2009 , and the eighth season premiered on September 21 , 2016 . The series was renewed for a ninth and tenth season on May 10 , 2017 .   Modern Family was acclaimed by critics throughout its first season , although reception has become more mixed as the series has progressed . The show won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in each of its first five years and the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series four times , twice for Eric Stonestreet and twice for Ty Burrell , as well as the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series twice for Julie Bowen . It has so far won a total of 22 Emmy awards from 75 nominations . It also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Musical or Comedy in 2011 .   The broadcast syndication rights to the series were sold to USA Network and 10 Fox affiliates and CW affiliate WLVI for a fall 2013 premiere . The success of the series led to it being the tenth-highest revenue-generating show for 2012 , earning $ 2.13 million an episode .