Ulysses S. Grant fought for the Union Army in the American Civil War.

Battle of Shiloh The Battle of Shiloh , also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing , was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War , fought April 6 -- 7 , 1862 , in southwestern Tennessee . A Union force known as the Army of the Tennessee under Major General Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and was encamped principally at Pittsburg Landing , Tennessee on the west bank of that river , where the Confederate Army of Mississippi , under General Albert Sidney Johnston and second-in-command P. G. T. Beauregard , launched a surprise attack on Grant 's army from its base in Corinth , Mississippi . Johnston was mortally wounded during the fighting ; Beauregard , who thus succeeded to command of the army , decided against pressing the attack late in the evening . Overnight Grant was reinforced by one of his own divisions stationed further north and was joined by three divisions from another Union army under Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell . This allowed them to launch an unexpected counterattack the next morning which completely reversed the Confederate gains of the previous day .   On April 6 , the first day of the battle , the Confederates struck with the intention of driving the Union defenders away from the river and into the swamps of Owl Creek to the west . Johnston hoped to defeat Grant 's army before the anticipated arrival of General Buell 's Army of the Ohio . The Confederate battle lines became confused during the fierce fighting , and Grant 's men instead fell back to the northeast , in the direction of Pittsburg Landing . A Union position on a slightly sunken road , nicknamed the `` Hornet 's Nest , '' defended by the men of Brig. Gens . Benjamin Prentiss 's and William H. L. Wallace 's divisions , provided critical time for the remainder of the Union line to stabilize under the protection of numerous artillery batteries . Wallace was mortally wounded when the position collapsed , while several regiments from the two divisions were eventually surrounded and surrendered . General Johnston was shot in the leg and bled to death while personally leading an attack . Beauregard , his second in command , acknowledged how tired the army was from the day 's exertions and decided against assaulting the final Union position that night .   Tired but unfought and well-organized men from Buell 's army and a division of Grant 's army arrived in the evening of April 6 and helped turn the tide the next morning , when the Union commanders launched a counterattack along the entire line . Confederate forces were forced to retreat from the area , ending their hopes of blocking the Union advance into northern Mississippi . The Battle of Shiloh was the bloodiest battle in American history up to that time , although it was superseded the next year by the Battle of Chancellorsville and , soon after , the three-day Battle of Gettysburg , which would prove to be the bloodiest of the war .


Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant ( born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27 , 1822 -- July 23 , 1885 ) was the 18th President of the United States ( 1869 -- 77 ) . As Commanding General ( 1864 -- 69 ) , Grant worked closely with President Abraham Lincoln to lead the Union Army to victory over the Confederacy in the American Civil War . Supported by Congress , Grant implemented Reconstruction , often at odds with President Andrew Johnson . Twice elected president , Grant led the Republicans in their effort to remove the vestiges of Confederate nationalism and slavery , protect African-American citizenship , and support economic prosperity . His presidency has often been criticized for tolerating corruption and for the economic depression in his second term .   Grant graduated in 1843 from the United States Military Academy at West Point , then served in the Mexican -- American War . After the war he married Julia Boggs Dent in 1848 , their marriage producing four children . Grant initially retired from the Army in 1854 . He struggled financially in civilian life . When the Civil War began in 1861 , he rejoined the U.S. Army . In 1862 , Grant took control of Kentucky and most of Tennessee , and led Union forces to victory in the Battle of Shiloh , earning a reputation as an aggressive commander . In July 1863 , after a series of coordinated battles , Grant defeated Confederate armies and seized Vicksburg , giving the Union control of the Mississippi River and dividing the Confederacy in two . After his victories in the Chattanooga Campaign , Lincoln promoted him to lieutenant general and Commanding General of the Army in March 1864 . Grant confronted Robert E. Lee in a series of bloody battles , trapping Lee 's army in their defense of Richmond . Grant coordinated a series of devastating campaigns in other theaters , as well . In April 1865 , Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox , effectively ending the war . Historians have hailed Grant 's military genius , and his strategies are featured in military history textbooks , but a minority contend that he won by brute force rather than superior strategy .   After the Civil War , Grant led the army 's supervision of Reconstruction in the former Confederate states . Elected president in 1868 , he stabilized the nation during that turbulent period , prosecuted the Ku Klux Klan , and enforced civil rights and voting rights laws using the army and the newly created Department of Justice . He also used the army to build the Republican Party in the South . After the disenfranchisement of some former Confederates , Republicans gained majorities , and African Americans were elected to Congress and high state offices . The Democrats and Liberal Republicans united behind Grant 's opponent in the presidential election of 1872 , but were unable to defeat his reelection . In his second term , the Republican coalitions in the South splintered and were defeated one by one as redeemers ( conservative whites ) regained control using coercion and violence . In response , Grant signed the Civil Rights Act of 1875 into law . In May 1875 , Grant authorized his Secretary of Treasury Benjamin Bristow to prosecute the corrupt Whiskey Ring . Grant 's Indian Peace Policy , incorporating Christian missionaries , initially reduced frontier violence , but it is best known for the Great Sioux War of 1876 . Grant 's administration faced charges of corruption more than that of any other 19th Century president . He appointed the first Civil Service Commission and signed legislation ending the corrupt moiety system .   In foreign policy , Grant was uneven , having sought to increase trade and influence while remaining at peace with the world . When Grant relied on his Secretary of State Hamilton Fish , his administration successfully resolved the Alabama claims by the Treaty of Washington with Great Britain , ending wartime tensions . Additionally , Grant and Fish avoided war with Spain over the Virginius Affair negotiating a peaceful resolution . Congress rejected Grant 's own attempted annexation of the Dominican Republic initiative , creating a rift among Republicans . His administration implemented a gold standard and sought to strengthen the dollar . Corruption charges escalated during his second term , while his response to the Panic of 1873 proved ineffective nationally in halting the five-year industrial depression that produced high unemployment , low prices , low profits , and bankruptcies . Grant left office in 1877 and embarked on a two-year diplomatic world tour that captured the nation 's attention .   In 1880 , Grant was unsuccessful in obtaining the Republican presidential nomination for a third term . Facing severe investment reversals and dying of throat cancer , he wrote his memoirs , which proved to be a major literary work and financial success . His death in 1885 prompted an outpouring in support of national unity . Historical assessment of Grant 's legacy has varied considerably over the years . Early historical evaluations were negative about Grant 's presidency , often focusing on the corruption charges against his associates . This trend began to change in the later 20th century . Scholars in general rank his presidency below the average , but modern research , in part focusing on civil rights , evaluates his administration more positively .


Joey Graceffa is anything but a YouTube celebrity.

Joey Graceffa Joseph Michael `` Joey '' Graceffa ( -LSB- grəˈsɛfə -RSB- born May 16 , 1991 ) is an American YouTube personality , actor , author , producer , and singer . He has two active YouTube channels , both of which are named after him . One of them is for vlogging and the other is used for video gaming content . They both have a combined total of more than 1.6 billion views . His other YouTube channel , which he no longer uses , called WinterSpringPro , has 60 million views ( as of May 2017 ) . He was a contestant on 22nd and 24th seasons of The Amazing Race and has appeared in short films ( as web films ) and short web television series on YouTube and its subscription-only service YouTube Red .


List of YouTubers YouTubers , sometimes called YouTube personalities or YouTube celebrities , are a class of Internet celebrity and videographer who have gained popularity from their videos on the video-sharing website YouTube . Some YouTube personalities have corporate sponsors , such as Polaris , who pay for product placement in their clips or production of online ads . Networks sometimes support YouTube celebrities . The following is a list of famous YouTubers , organized alphabetically by first name .


Ethiopia is the third-most populous nation on the African continent after Nigeria.

Ethiopia Ethiopia ( -LSB- ˌiːθiˈoʊpiə -RSB- ኢትዮጵያ , , ) , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia ( የኢትዮጵያ ፌዴራላዊ ዲሞክራሲያዊ ሪፐብሊክ , yeʾĪtiyoṗṗya Fēdēralawī Dēmokirasīyawī Rīpebilīk ) , is a country located in the Horn of Africa . It shares borders with Eritrea to the north and northeast , Djibouti and Somalia to the east , Sudan and South Sudan to the west , and Kenya to the south . With over 100 million inhabitants , Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world , as well as the second-most populous nation on the African continent after Nigeria . It occupies a total area of 1,100,000 km2 , and its capital and largest city is Addis Ababa .   Some of the oldest evidence for anatomically modern humans has been found in Ethiopia . It is widely considered as the region from which modern humans first set out for the Middle East and places beyond . According to linguists , the first Afroasiatic-speaking populations settled in the Horn region during the ensuing Neolithic era . Tracing its roots to the 2nd millennium BC , Ethiopia was a monarchy for most of its history . During the first centuries AD , the Kingdom of Aksum maintained a unified civilization in the region , followed by the Ethiopian Empire circa 1137 . Ethiopia derived prestige with its uniquely successful military resistance during the late 19th-century Scramble for Africa , becoming the only African country to defeat a European colonial power and retain its sovereignty . Subsequently , many African nations adopted the colors of Ethiopia 's flag following their independence . It was the first independent African member of the 20th-century League of Nations and the United Nations . In 1974 , at the end of Haile Selassie 's reign , power fell to a communist military dictatorship known as the Derg , backed by the Soviet Union , until it was defeated by the Ethiopian People 's Revolutionary Democratic Front , which has ruled since about the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 .   Ethiopia 's ancient Ge'ez script , also known as Ethiopic , is one of the oldest alphabets still in use in the world . The Ethiopian calendar , which is approximately seven years and three months behind the Gregorian calendar , co-exists alongside the Borana calendar . A majority of the population adheres to Christianity ( mainly the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and P'ent ` ay ) , while around a third follows Islam ( primarily Sunni Islam ) . The country is the site of the Migration to Abyssinia and the oldest Muslim settlement in Africa at Negash . A substantial population of Ethiopian Jews , known as Bete Israel , resided in Ethiopia until the 1980s , but most of them have since emigrated to Israel . Ethiopia is a multilingual nation with around 80 ethnolinguistic groups , the four largest of which are the Oromiffa , Amhara , Somali , and Tigrayans . Most people in the country speak Afroasiatic languages of the Cushitic or Semitic branches . Additionally , Omotic languages are spoken by ethnic minority groups inhabiting the southern regions . Nilo-Saharan languages are also spoken by the nation 's Nilotic ethnic minorities .   Ethiopia is the place of origin for the coffee bean which originated from the place called Kefa ( which was one of the 14 provinces in the old Ethiopian administration ) . It is a land of natural contrasts , with its vast fertile West , jungles , and numerous rivers , and the world 's hottest settlement of Dallol in its north . The Ethiopian Highlands are Africa 's largest continuous mountain ranges , and Sof Omar Caves contain Africa 's largest cave . Ethiopia has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Africa .   Ethiopia is one of the founding members of the UN , the Group of 24 ( G-24 ) , the Non-Aligned Movement , G-77 and the Organisation of African Unity . Ethiopia 's capital city Addis Ababa serves as the headquarters of the African Union , the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry , the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa , African Aviation Training HQ , the African Standby Force , and many of the global NGOs focused on Africa . In the 1970s and 1980s , Ethiopia suffered from civil wars and communist purges which devastated its economy . The country has begun to recover recently however , and now has the largest economy ( by GDP ) in East Africa and Central Africa . According to Global Fire Power , Ethiopia has the 42nd most powerful military in the world , and the third most powerful in Africa .


Hilary Swank Hilary Swank ( born July 30 , 1974 ) is an American actress and producer . She has won two Academy Awards for Best Actress and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007 .   Swank made her film debut in a minor role for Buffy the Vampire Slayer , before she made her breakout lead role in the fourth installment of the The Karate Kid franchise , The Next Karate Kid in 1994 . On television , she was cast as part of the main cast in the eighth season of the drama series Beverly Hills 90210 as single mother Carly Reynolds from 1997 to 1998 . Swank garnered critical acclaim for her portrayal of Brandon Teena in the 1999 biographical independent film Boys Do n't Cry , which earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture -- Drama . She starred in Clint Eastwood 's 2004 sports drama film Million Dollar Baby as struggling-waitress-turned-boxer Maggie Fitzgerald , which won her a second Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Actress .   She starred in other films , such as The Gift ( 2000 ) , Insomnia ( 2002 ) , Iron Jawed Angels ( 2004 ) , Red Dust ( 2004 ) The Reaping ( 2007 ) , P.S. I Love You ( 2007 ) , Freedom Writers ( 2007 ) and The Homesman ( 2014 ) .


Streptococcus belongs to an order that is coccus-shaped.

Streptococcus Streptococcus is a genus of coccus ( spherical ) Gram-positive bacteria belonging to the phylum Firmicutes and the order Lactobacillales ( lactic acid bacteria ) . Cell division in this genus occurs along a single axis in these bacteria , thus they grow in chains or pairs , hence the name -- from Greek στρεπτός streptos , meaning easily bent or twisted , like a chain ( twisted chain ) . ( Contrast this with staphylococci , which divide along multiple axes and generate grape-like clusters of cells . )   Most are oxidase-negative and catalase-negative , and many are facultative anaerobes .   In 1984 , many bacteria formerly considered Streptococcus were separated out into the genera Enterococcus and Lactococcus . Currently , over 50 species are recognised in this genus . This genus has been found to be part of the salivary microbiome .


Emilio Estevez Emilio Estevez ( -LSB- ɛˈmiljoʊ_ɛstˈɛbɛs -RSB- born May 12 , 1962 ) is an American actor , director , and writer . He started his career as an actor and is well known for being a member of the acting Brat Pack of the 1980s , starring in The Breakfast Club , St. Elmo 's Fire , and also acting in the 1983 hit movie The Outsiders . He is also known for Repo Man , The Mighty Ducks and its sequels , Stakeout , Maximum Overdrive , Bobby ( which he also wrote and directed ) , and his performances in Western films such as Young Guns and its sequel .


John F. Kennedy never authorized a military invasion.

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


Action film Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist or protagonists end up in a series of challenges that typically include violence , extended fighting , physical feats , and frantic chases . Action films tend to feature a resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds , which include life-threatening situations , a villain , or a pursuit which generally concludes in victory for the hero .   Advancements in CGI have made it cheaper and easier to create action sequences and other visual effects that required the efforts of professional stunt crews in the past . However , reactions to action films containing significant amounts of CGI have been mixed as films that use computer animations to create unrealistic , highly unbelievable events are often met with criticism . While action has long been a recurring component in films , the `` action film '' genre began to develop in the 1970s along with the increase of stunts and special effects .   The genre is closely associated with the thriller and adventure film genres , and it may also contain elements of spy fiction and espionage .


Pineapple Express (film) Pineapple Express is a 2008 American stoner action comedy film directed by David Gordon Green , written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and starring Rogen and James Franco . The plot concerns a process server and his marijuana dealer friend forced to flee from hitmen and a corrupt police officer after witnessing them commit a murder . Producer Judd Apatow , who previously worked with Rogen and Goldberg on Knocked Up and Superbad , assisted in developing the story , which was partially inspired by the bromantic comedy subgenre .   Columbia Pictures released the film on August 6 , 2008 , and it grossed $ 101.6 million worldwide . Franco was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his performance in the film .


Archimedes )  | death_place = Syracuse , SicilyMagna Graecia  | field =  | known_for =  -RCB- -RCB-  Archimedes of Syracuse ( -LSB- ˌɑːkɪˈmiːdiːz -RSB- Ἀρχιμήδης ) was a Greek mathematician , physicist , engineer , inventor , and astronomer . Although few details of his life are known , he is regarded as one of the leading scientists in classical antiquity . Generally considered the greatest mathematician of antiquity and one of the greatest of all time , Archimedes anticipated modern calculus and analysis by applying concepts of infinitesimals and the method of exhaustion to derive and rigorously prove a range of geometrical theorems , including the area of a circle , the surface area and volume of a sphere , and the area under a parabola .   Other mathematical achievements include deriving an accurate approximation of pi , defining and investigating the spiral bearing his name , and creating a system using exponentiation for expressing very large numbers . He was also one of the first to apply mathematics to physical phenomena , founding hydrostatics and statics , including an explanation of the principle of the lever . He is credited with designing innovative machines , such as his screw pump , compound pulleys , and defensive war machines to protect his native Syracuse from invasion .   Archimedes died during the Siege of Syracuse when he was killed by a Roman soldier despite orders that he should not be harmed . Cicero describes visiting the tomb of Archimedes , which was surmounted by a sphere and a cylinder , which Archimedes had requested to be placed on his tomb , representing his mathematical discoveries .   Unlike his inventions , the mathematical writings of Archimedes were little known in antiquity . Mathematicians from Alexandria read and quoted him , but the first comprehensive compilation was not made until by Isidore of Miletus in Byzantine Constantinople , while commentaries on the works of Archimedes written by Eutocius in the sixth century AD opened them to wider readership for the first time . The relatively few copies of Archimedes ' written work that survived through the Middle Ages were an influential source of ideas for scientists during the Renaissance , while the discovery in 1906 of previously unknown works by Archimedes in the Archimedes Palimpsest has provided new insights into how he obtained mathematical results .


Labor Pains Labor Pains ( also known as Almost Pregnant in Mexico ) is a 2009 romantic comedy film written by Stacy Kramer . Originally the film was released in theatres on July 9 , 2009 , only in Europe , Latin America and United Arab Emirates . In United States , the film received a television premiere on ABC Family on July 19 , 2009 . The film drew 2.1 million viewers , a better-than-average prime-time audience for ABC Family , and per the network , was the week 's top cable film among coveted female demographic groups .   Labor Pains was directed by Lara Shapiro and was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on August 4 and 31 in the United States and United Kingdom , respectively . It was starring Lindsay Lohan , Bridgit Mendler , Luke Kirby , Chris Parnell , Cheryl Hines and Kevin Covais .


Three Ringz Three Ringz ( stylized as Thr33 Ringz ) is the third studio album by American hip hop recording artist and producer T-Pain . It was released on November 11 , 2008 , by his label Nappy Boy Entertainment ( under the distribution of Akon 's label Konvict Muzik , Jive Records , and Zomba Label Group ) . It was supported by three singles : `` Ca n't Believe It '' featuring Lil Wayne , `` Chopped 'n' Skrewed '' featuring Ludacris , and `` Freeze '' featuring Chris Brown .   The album debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 . The album received mixed to favorable reviews from music critics . The album was nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 52nd Grammy Awards , but lost to Beyoncé 's I Am ... Sasha Fierce .


T-Pain Faheem Rashad Najm ( born September 30 , 1985 ) , better known by his stage name T-Pain , is an American rapper , singer , songwriter and record producer from Tallahassee , Florida . His debut album , Rappa Ternt Sanga , was released in 2005 . In 2007 , T-Pain released his second album Epiphany , which reached number one on the US Billboard 200 chart . His third album , Thr33 Ringz , was released in 2008 . T-Pain has also released a string of hit singles , including `` I 'm Sprung '' , `` I 'm 'n Luv ( Wit a Stripper ) '' , `` Buy U a Drank ( Shawty Snappin ' ) '' , `` Bartender '' , `` Ca n't Believe It '' , `` 5 O'Clock '' and more . T-Pain has earned two Grammy Awards , alongside artists Kanye West and Jamie Foxx respectively .   T-Pain is the founder of the record label imprint Nappy Boy Entertainment , established in 2005 . Throughout his career as a singer , T-Pain is best known for using and popularizing the creative use of the Auto-Tune pitch correction effect , used with extreme parameter settings to create distinctive vocal sounds . From 2006 to 2010 , T-Pain was featured on more than 50 chart topping singles , his most successful feature to date was on Flo Rida 's debut single `` Low '' , which has since been certified 6x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) .


Rappa Ternt Sanga Rappa Ternt Sanga is the debut studio album by American rapper , singer-songwriter and record producer T-Pain ; it was released on December 6 , 2005 . The title is a dialectal pronunciation of the phrase `` rapper turned singer . ''   One of the leftover tracks from the album was , titled `` You and Me '' ; which is the original version of `` I Ca n't Wait '' by Akon . The remix to `` Studio Love '' was made featuring Lil Wayne . The remix to `` Dance Floor '' was made featuring Pitbull .


Epiphany (T-Pain album) Epiphany is the second studio album by American record producer and recording artist T-Pain . It was released on June 5 , 2007 , by his record label Nappy Boy Entertainment , distributed by Akon 's label Konvict Muzik and Jive Records . The album marks as a first for T-Pain ; who launched his own record label Nappy Boy Entertainment . Critics gave the album positive reviews for T-Pain 's production and his use of various characters throughout its track listing . Epiphany debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and spawned three singles : `` Buy U a Drank ( Shawty Snappin ' ) '' , `` Bartender '' and `` Church '' .


Big Brother 18 (UK) is hosted by Claudia Winkleman.

Big Brother 18 (UK) Big Brother 2017 , also known as Big Brother 18 , is the upcoming eighteenth series of the British reality television series Big Brother , hosted by Emma Willis and narrated by Marcus Bentley . The series will launch on 5 June 2017 on Channel 5 in the United Kingdom . Rylan Clark-Neal will continue to present the spin-off show Big Brother 's Bit on the Side .   It will be the seventh regular series and the nineteenth series of Big Brother in total to air on Channel 5 to date .


Kevin Durant Kevin Wayne Durant ( born September 29 , 1988 ) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . Durant has won an NBA Most Valuable Player Award , four NBA scoring titles , the NBA Rookie of the Year Award , and two Olympic gold medals . He has also been selected to seven All-NBA teams and eight All-Star teams .   Durant was a heavily recruited high school prospect . He played one season of college basketball for the University of Texas , where he won numerous year-end awards and became the first freshman to be named Naismith College Player of the Year . In the 2007 NBA draft , he was selected with the second overall pick by the Seattle SuperSonics . After his rookie season , the team relocated to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder . Durant helped lead Oklahoma City to the 2012 NBA Finals , losing to the Miami Heat in five games . He played nine seasons for the Thunder organization before joining the Warriors in 2016 .   Off the court , Durant often ranks as one of the highest-earning basketball players in the world , due in part to endorsement deals with companies such as Foot Locker and Nike . He has developed a reputation for his philanthropy and regularly leads the league in All-Star votes and jersey sales . In recent years , he has contributed to The Players ' Tribune as both a photographer and writer . In 2012 , he tried his hand at acting , appearing in the film Thunderstruck .


Wyoming is the least Republican state in the country.

Wyoming Wyoming -LSB- waɪˈoʊmɪŋ -RSB- is a state in the mountain region of the western United States . The state is the tenth largest by area , the least populous and the second least densely populated state in the country . Wyoming is bordered on the north by Montana , on the east by South Dakota and Nebraska , on the south by Colorado , on the southwest by Utah , and on the west by Idaho . Cheyenne is the capital and the most populous city in Wyoming , with a population estimate of 63,335 in 2015 . The state population was estimated at 586,107 in 2015 , which is less than the population of 31 of the largest U.S. cities .   The western two-thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the Rocky Mountains , while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High Plains . Almost half of the land in Wyoming is owned by the U.S. government , leading Wyoming to rank sixth in the United States in total acres and fifth in percentage of a state 's land owned by the federal government . The federal lands include two national parksGrand Teton and Yellowstonetwo national recreation areas and two national monuments , as well as several national forests , historic sites , fish hatcheries , and wildlife refuges .   The Crow , Arapaho , Lakota , and Shoshone were some of the original inhabitants of the region . Southwestern Wyoming was included in the Spanish Empire and then Mexican territory until it was ceded to the United States in 1848 at the end of the Mexican -- American War . The region acquired the name Wyoming when a bill was introduced to Congress in 1865 to provide a `` temporary government for the territory of Wyoming . '' The territory was named after the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania , with the name ultimately being derived from the Munsee word xwé : wamənk , meaning `` at the big river flat . ''   The mineral-extraction industryespecially coal , oil , natural gas , and tronaalong with the travel and tourism sector , are the main drivers behind Wyoming 's economy . Agriculture has historically been an important component of the state economy with the main commodities being livestock ( beef ) , hay , sugar beets , grain ( wheat and barley ) , and wool . The climate is generally semi-arid and continental , being drier and windier in comparison to the rest of the United States , with greater temperature extremes .   Except for the 1964 election , Wyoming has been a politically conservative state since the 1950s , with the Republican party winning every presidential election .


Tanzania's smallest city is Dar es Salaam.

Dar es Salaam Dar es Salaam ( from دار السلام , literally `` the abode of peace '' ; or simply Dar , formerly Mzizima ) is the largest city of Tanzania and one of the largest cities in eastern Africa by population , as well as a regionally important economic centre .  Located at the Indian Ocean , the city is one fastest growing in the world .   Until 1974 Dar es Salaam served as Tanzania 's capital city which is since the completed move in 1996 Dodoma . Nevertheless , it remains focus of the permanent central government bureaucracy and is Tanzania 's most prominent city in arts , fashion , media , music , film and television . It is Tanzania 's leading financial center with the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange ( DSE ) being the country 's first and most important stock exchange market . The city is the leading arrival and departure point for most tourists who visit tourism areas in Tanzania like the national parks for safaris and the islands of Zanzibar . Dar es Salaam is also the largest and most populous Swahili-speaking city in the world .   It is the capital of the coextensive Dar es Salaam Region administrative province and consists of five districts : northern Kinondoni , central Ilala , Ubungo , southern Temeke and Kigamboni . The region had a population of 4,364,541 as of the official 2012 census .


Tanzania Tanzania -LSB- ˌtænzəˈniːə -RSB- , officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania ) , is a country in Eastern Africa within the African Great Lakes region . Parts of the country are in Southern Africa . It is bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north ; Rwanda , Burundi , and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west ; Zambia , Malawi , and Mozambique to the south ; and by the Indian Ocean to the east . Mount Kilimanjaro , Africa 's highest mountain , is in northeastern Tanzania .   Tanzania 's population of 51.82 million ( 2014 ) is diverse , composed of several ethnic , linguistic , and religious groups . Tanzania is a presidential constitutional republic , and since 1996 , its official capital city has been Dodoma , where the President 's Office , the National Assembly , and some government ministries are located . Dar es Salaam , the former capital , retains most government offices and is the country 's largest city , principal port , and leading commercial centre . Tanzania is a one party dominant state with the socialist-progressive Chama Cha Mapinduzi ( CCM ) party in power . From its formation until 1992 , it was the only legally permitted party in the country . This changed on 1 July 1992 , when amendments to the Constitution and a number of laws permitting and regulating the formation and operations of more than one political party were enacted by the National Assembly . Elections for president and all National Assembly seats were last held in October 2015 . The CCM holds approximately 75 % of the seats in the assembly .   Prehistoric population migrations include Southern Cushitic speakers , who are ancestral to the Iraqw , Gorowa , and Burunge and who moved south from Ethiopia into Tanzania . Based on linguistic evidence , there may also have been two movements into Tanzania of Eastern Cushitic people at about 4,000 and 2,000 years ago , originating from north of Lake Turkana . Archaeological evidence supports the conclusion that Southern Nilotes , including the Datoog , moved south from the present-day South Sudan-Ethiopia border region into central northern Tanzania between 2,900 and 2,400 years ago . These movements took place at about the same time as the settlement of the iron-making Mashariki Bantu from West Africa in the Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika areas . They brought with them the west African planting tradition and the primary staple of yams . They subsequently migrated out of these regions across the rest of Tanzania , between 2,300 and 1,700 years ago . European colonialism began in mainland Tanzania during the late 19th century when Germany formed German East Africa , which gave way to British rule following World War I . The mainland was governed as Tanganyika , with the Zanzibar Archipelago remaining a separate colonial jurisdiction . Following their respective independence in 1961 and 1963 , the two entities merged in April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania .   Tanzania is mountainous and densely forested in the northeast , where Mount Kilimanjaro is located . Three of Africa 's Great Lakes are partly within Tanzania . To the north and west lie Lake Victoria , Africa 's largest lake , and Lake Tanganyika , the continent 's deepest lake , known for its unique species of fish . The eastern shore is hot and humid , with the Zanzibar Archipelago just offshore . The Kalambo water falls in the southwestern region of Rukwa are the second highest uninterrupted fall in Africa and are located near the southeastern shore of Lake Tanganyika on the border with Zambia . The Menai Bay Conservation Area is Zanzibar 's largest marine protected area .   Over 100 different languages are spoken in Tanzania , making it the most linguistically diverse country in East Africa . Among the languages spoken in Tanzania are all four of Africa 's language families : Bantu , Cushitic , Nilotic , and Khoisan . Swahili and English are Tanzania 's official languages . A highly multilingual country , Swahili is used in parliamentary debate , in the lower courts , and as a medium of instruction in primary school ; and English is used in foreign trade , in diplomacy , in higher courts , and as a medium of instruction in secondary and higher education , although the Tanzanian government plans to discontinue English as a language of instruction altogether . In connection with his Ujamaa social policies , President Nyerere encouraged the use of Swahili ; as a means of unifying the country 's many ethnic groups . Approximately 10 % of Tanzanians speak Swahili as a first language , and up to 90 % speak it as a second language . Most Tanzanians thus speak both Swahili and a local language ; many educated Tanzanians are trilingual ; also speaking English . The widespread use and promotion of Swahili is contributing to the decline of smaller languages in the country . Young children increasingly speak Swahili as a first language , mostly in urban areas .   Tanzania-Malawi relations have been tense because of a dispute over the countries ' Lake Nyasa ( Lake Malawi ) border . An unsuccessful mediation regarding this issue happened in March 2014 . The two countries agreed in 2013 to ask the International Court of Justice ( ICJ ) to resolve the dispute should mediation be unsuccessful . Malawi , but not Tanzania , has accepted the compulsory jurisdiction of the ICJ .


The Trap (1966 film) The Trap is an adventure/romance film released in 1966 , written by David D. Osborn and directed by Sidney Hayers . Shot in the wilderness of the Canadian province of British Columbia , Oliver Reed and Rita Tushingham star in this unusual love story about a rough trapper and a mute orphan girl . The soundtrack was composed by Ron Goodwin and the main theme ( Main Titles to The Trap ) is familiar as the title music used by the BBC for London Marathon coverage .   The film had its World Premiere on 15 September 1966 at the Leicester Square Theatre in the West End of London .


Castaway (film) Castaway is a 1986 adventure-drama film starring Amanda Donohoe and Oliver Reed , and directed by Nicolas Roeg . It was adapted from its namesake 1984 book by Lucy Irvine , telling of her experiences of staying for a year with writer Gerald Kingsland on the isolated island of Tuin , between New Guinea and Australia .


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


Gladiator (2000 film) Gladiator is a 2000 epic historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Franzoni , John Logan , and William Nicholson . It stars Russell Crowe , Joaquin Phoenix , Connie Nielsen , Ralf Möller , Oliver Reed ( in his final role ) , Djimon Hounsou , Derek Jacobi , John Shrapnel , and Richard Harris . Crowe portrays Hispano-Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius , who is betrayed when Commodus , the ambitious son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius , murders his father and seizes the throne . Reduced to slavery , Maximus rises through the ranks of the gladiatorial arena to avenge the murders of his family and his emperor .   The film was released in the United States on May 5 , 2000 , and grossed $ 457 million worldwide . The film won multiple awards , including Best Picture , Best Actor for Crowe and three other Oscars at the 73rd Academy Awards . It has also been credited with rekindling interest in entertainment centered around ancient Greek and Roman culture , such as Rome .


Father of the Bride includes Kimberly Williams in a starring role.

Father of the Bride (1991 film) Father of the Bride is a 1991 American comedy film starring Steve Martin , Diane Keaton , Kimberly Williams ( in her film debut ) , George Newbern , Martin Short , B. D. Wong , and Kieran Culkin . It is a remake of the 1950 film of the same name .   The film inspired a series of Hallmark commercials that featured the smiling faces of the happy couple and sneak-peeks at the backs of numerous greeting cards . It is number 92 on Bravo 's `` 100 Funniest Movies '' .   Martin portrays George Banks , a businessman and owner of an athletic shoe company ( called Side Kicks ) , who , when he finds out his daughter is getting married , does not want to give her away . He eventually learns to live with his new son-in-law and realizes that as long as his daughter is happy , he is happy .   The film opened to positive reviews , and became a major box office success , earning more than four times its budget . With its success , a sequel , Father of the Bride Part II was released in 1995 .   This was Nancy Meyers and Diane Keaton 's second film together , the first being Baby Boom ( 1987 ) ; the others were Father of the Bride Part II ( 1995 ) and Something 's Got ta Give ( 2003 ) .


Dallol, Ethiopia has been called a ghost town.

Dallol, Ethiopia Dallol ( Amharic : ዳሎል ) is a ghost town in the Dallol woreda of northern Ethiopia . Located in Administrative Zone 2 of the Afar Region in the Afar Depression , it has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of about 130 m below sea level . The Central Statistical Agency has not published an estimate for this settlement 's 2005 population ; it has been described as a ghost town .   Dallol currently holds the official record for record high average temperature for an inhabited location on Earth , where an average annual temperature of 35 ° C ( 95 ° F ) was recorded between the years 1960 and 1966 . Dallol is also one of the most remote places on Earth , although paved roads to the village of Hamedela , which is close , are being built . Still , the most important mode of transport besides jeeps are the camel caravans which travel to the area to collect salt .   Nearby is the Dallol volcano , which last erupted in 1926 .


Afghanistan Afghanistan ( -LSB- æfˈɡænᵻstæn -RSB- Pashto/Dari : , Afġānistān ) , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan , is a landlocked country located within South Asia and Central Asia . It has a population of 33 million , making it the 42nd most populous country in the world . It is bordered by Pakistan in the south and east ; Iran in the west ; Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan , and Tajikistan in the north ; and China in the far northeast . Its territory covers 652,000 km2 , making it the 41st largest country in the world .   Human habitation in Afghanistan dates back to the Middle Paleolithic Era , and the country 's strategic location along the Silk Road connected it to the cultures of the Middle East and other parts of Asia . Through the ages the land has been home to various peoples and witnessed numerous military campaigns , notably by Alexander the Great , Mauryas , Muslim Arabs , Mongols , British , Soviet , and in the modern era by Western powers . The land also served as the source from which the Kushans , Hephthalites , Samanids , Saffarids , Ghaznavids , Ghorids , Khiljis , Mughals , Hotaks , Durranis , and others have risen to form major empires .   The political history of the modern state of Afghanistan began with the Hotak and Durrani dynasties in the 18th century . In the late 19th century , Afghanistan became a buffer state in the `` Great Game '' between British India and the Russian Empire . Following the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919 , King Amanullah unsuccessfully attempted to modernize the country . It remained peaceful during Zahir Shah 's forty years of monarchy . A series of coups in the 1970s was followed by a series of civil wars that devastated much of Afghanistan and continues to this day .   Afghanistan is a unitary presidential Islamic republic with Islam as an official state religion . It is a member of the United Nations , the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , the Group of 77 , the Economic Cooperation Organization , and the Non-Aligned Movement . The country 's economy is ranked 108th in the world with the GDP of $ 64.08 billion .


Microsoft Microsoft Corporation ( -LSB- ˈmaɪkrəˌsɒft , _ - roʊ - , _ - ˌsɔːft -RSB- , abbreviated as MS ) is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Redmond , Washington , that develops , manufactures , licenses , supports and sells computer software , consumer electronics and personal computers and services . Its best known software products are the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems , Microsoft Office office suite , and Internet Explorer and Edge web browsers . Its flagship hardware products are the Xbox video game consoles and the Microsoft Surface tablet lineup . As of 2016 , it is the world 's largest software maker by revenue , and one of the world 's most valuable companies .   Microsoft was founded by Paul Allen and Bill Gates on April 4 , 1975 , to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800 . It rose to dominate the personal computer operating system market with MS-DOS in the mid-1980s , followed by Microsoft Windows . The company 's 1986 initial public offering ( IPO ) , and subsequent rise in its share price , created three billionaires and an estimated 12,000 millionaires among Microsoft employees . Since the 1990s , it has increasingly diversified from the operating system market and has made a number of corporate acquisitions . In May 2011 , Microsoft acquired Skype Technologies for $ 8.5 billion , and in December 2016 bought LinkedIn for $ 26.2 billion .   , Microsoft is market-dominant in the IBM PC-compatible operating system market and the office software suite market , although it has lost the majority of the overall operating system market to Android . The company also produces a wide range of other software for desktops and servers , and is active in areas including Internet search ( with Bing ) , the video game industry ( with the Xbox , Xbox 360 and Xbox One consoles ) , the digital services market ( through MSN ) , and mobile phones ( via the operating systems of Nokia 's former phones and Windows Phone OS ) . In June 2012 , Microsoft entered the personal computer production market for the first time , with the launch of the Microsoft Surface , a line of tablet computers . With the acquisition of Nokia 's devices and services division to form Microsoft Mobile , the company re-entered the smartphone hardware market , after its previous attempt , Microsoft Kin , which resulted from their acquisition of Danger Inc. .   The word `` Microsoft '' is a portmanteau of `` microcomputer '' and `` software '' .


Xbox One Xbox One is a line of home video game consoles developed by Microsoft . Announced in May 2013 , it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third console in the Xbox family . It was first released in North America , parts of Europe , Australia , and Brazil in November 2013 , and in Japan , China , and other European countries in September 2014 . It is the first Xbox game console to be released in China , specifically in the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone . Microsoft marketed the device as an `` all-in-one entertainment system '' . The Xbox One line mainly competes against consoles such as Sony 's PlayStation 4 and Nintendo 's Wii U as part of the eighth generation of video game consoles .   Moving away from its predecessor 's PowerPC-based architecture , Xbox One marks a shift back to the x86 architecture used in the original Xbox ; it features an AMD Accelerated Processing Unit ( APU ) built around the x86-64 instruction set . Xbox One 's controller was redesigned over the Xbox 360 's , with a redesigned body , D-pad and triggers capable of delivering directional haptic feedback . The console places an increased emphasis on cloud computing , as well as social networking features , and the ability to record and share video clips or screenshots from gameplay , or live-stream directly to streaming services such as Mixer and Twitch . Games can also be played off-console via a local area network on supported Windows 10 devices . The console can play Blu-ray Disc , and overlay live television programming from an existing set-top box or a digital tuner for digital terrestrial television with an enhanced program guide . The console optionally included a redesigned Kinect sensor , marketed as the `` Kinect 2.0 '' , providing improved motion tracking and voice recognition for use in its graphical user interface ( GUI ) and games .   Xbox One received mostly positive reception for its refined controller design , multimedia features , and voice navigation . Its quieter and cooler design was praised for making the console more reliable than its predecessor on-launch , but the console was generally criticized for running games at a technically lower graphical level than the PlayStation 4 . Its original user interface was panned for being nonintuitive , although changes made to it and other aspects of the console 's software post-launch received positive reception . Its Kinect received praise for its improved motion-tracking accuracy , its face recognition logins , and its voice commands .   In August 2016 , Microsoft released a refreshed Xbox One model known as Xbox One S ; it has a streamlined design , native support for 4K video playback and upscaling , and HDR10 high-dynamic-range color . It was praised for its smaller size , its on-screen visual improvements , and its lack of an external power supply , but its regressions such as the lack of a native Kinect port were noted . A future hardware revision codenamed `` Project Scorpio '' is scheduled for late-2017 ; it will feature major hardware upgrades focused on enabling 4K gameplay and support for virtual reality hardware , and will be backward compatible with all existing Xbox One software and hardware .


Keanu Reeves is often cast as one who is saving the world.

Keanu Reeves Keanu Charles Reeves ( -LSB- kiːˈɑːnuː -RSB- ; born September 2 , 1964 ) is a Canadian actor , director , producer , and musician .   Reeves is best known for his acting career , beginning in 1985 and spanning more than three decades . He gained fame for his starring role performances in several blockbuster films including comedies from the Bill and Ted franchise ( 1989 -- 1991 ) ; action thrillers Point Break ( 1991 ) , Speed ( 1994 ) , and the John Wick franchise ; psychological thriller The Devil 's Advocate ( 1997 ) ; supernatural thriller Constantine ( 2005 ) ; and science fiction/action series The Matrix ( 1999 -- 2003 ) . He has also appeared in dramatic films such as Dangerous Liaisons ( 1988 ) , My Own Private Idaho ( 1991 ) , and Little Buddha ( 1993 ) , as well as the romantic horror Bram Stoker 's Dracula ( 1992 ) .   Since becoming active in the film industry , Reeves has earned critical acclaim . One New York Times critic praised Reeves ' versatility , saying that he `` displays considerable discipline and range ... he moves easily between the buttoned-down demeanor that suits a police procedural story and the loose-jointed manner of his comic roles '' . However , Reeves has spent much of his later career being typecast . A recurring character arc in many roles he has portrayed is one of saving the world , as can be seen in the characters of Ted Logan , Buddha , Neo , Johnny Mnemonic , John Constantine , and Klaatu . His acting has garnered several awards , including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame .   During his film career , Reeves has engaged in several forms of artistic expression . Active as a musician for over a decade , he played bass guitar for the bands Dogstar and Becky . Acting onstage , he performed as Prince Hamlet for the Manitoba Theatre Centre 's production of Hamlet . He wrote the text for a picture book , Ode to Happiness , illustrated by Alexandra Grant . He has also produced a documentary , Side by Side , and directed the martial arts film Man of Tai Chi .


Bill Gates William Henry Gates III ( born October 28 , 1955 ) is the co-founder of Microsoft and is an American business magnate , investor , author and philanthropist .   In 1975 , Gates and Paul Allen co-founded Microsoft , which became the world 's largest PC software company . During his career at Microsoft , Gates held the positions of chairman , CEO and chief software architect , while also being the largest individual shareholder until May 2014 . Gates stepped down as chief executive officer of Microsoft in January 2000 , but he remained as chairman and created the position of chief software architect for himself . In June 2006 , Gates announced that he would be transitioning from full-time work at Microsoft to part-time work and full-time work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation . He gradually transferred his duties to Ray Ozzie and Craig Mundie . He stepped down as chairman of Microsoft in February 2014 , taking on a new post as technology adviser to support the then newly appointed CEO Satya Nadella .   Gates is one of the best-known entrepreneurs of the personal computer revolution . He has been criticized for his business tactics , which have been considered anti-competitive , an opinion that has in some cases been upheld by numerous court rulings . Later in his career , Gates pursued a number of philanthropic endeavors , donating large amounts of money to various charitable organizations and scientific research programs through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation , established in 2000 .   Since 1987 , Gates has been included in the Forbes list of the world 's wealthiest people . Gates is the richest person in the world , with an estimated net worth of US$ 88.5 billion . In 2009 , Gates and Warren Buffett founded The Giving Pledge , whereby they and other billionaires pledge to give at least half of their wealth to philanthropy .


Chinese people can be associated with Japan through nationality.

Chinese people Chinese people are the various individuals or groups of people associated with China , either through ancestry , ethnicity , nationality , citizenship , or other affiliation .


The Night Of The Night Of is an American eight-part crime drama television miniseries based on Criminal Justice , a 2008 -- 09 British television series . The miniseries was written by Richard Price and Steven Zaillian and directed by Zaillian and James Marsh . Broadcast on HBO , The Night Of premiered on July 10 , 2016 to critical acclaim . The first episode premiered on June 24 , 2016 , via HBO on-demand .


Central America Central America ( América Central or Centroamérica ) is the southernmost , isthmian portion of the North American continent , which connects with South America on the southeast . Central America is bordered by Mexico to the north , Colombia to the southeast , the Caribbean Sea to the east , and the Pacific Ocean to the west . Central America consists of seven countries : Belize , Costa Rica , El Salvador , Guatemala , Honduras , Nicaragua , and Panama . The combined population of Central America is between 41,739,000 ( 2009 estimate ) and 42,688,190 ( 2012 estimate ) .   Central America is a part of the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot , which extends from northern Guatemala through to central Panama . Due to the presence of several active geologic faults and the Central America Volcanic Arc , there is a great deal of seismic activity in the region . Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur frequently ; these natural disasters have resulted in the loss of many lives and much property .   In the Pre-Columbian era , Central America was inhabited by the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica to the north and west and the Isthmo-Colombian peoples to the south and east . Soon after Christopher Columbus 's voyages to the Americas , the Spanish began to colonize the Americas . From 1609 until 1821 , most of the territory within Central America -- except for the lands that would become Belize and Panama -- was governed by the Viceroyalty of New Spain from Mexico City as the Captaincy General of Guatemala . After New Spain achieved independence from Spain in 1821 , some of its provinces were annexed to the First Mexican Empire , but soon seceded from Mexico to form the Federal Republic of Central America , which lasted from 1823 to 1838 . The seven states finally became independent autonomous states : beginning with Nicaragua , Honduras , Costa Rica , and Guatemala ( 1838 ) ; followed by El Salvador ( 1841 ) ; then Panama ( 1903 ) ; and finally Belize ( 1981 ) .


Grace Jones and Arnold Schwarzenegger acted alongside each other.

Grace Jones Grace Jones ( born 19 May 1948 ) is a Jamaican born singer , songwriter , lyricist , supermodel , record producer , and actress . Born in Jamaica , at age 13 she moved with her siblings to their parents ' home in Syracuse , New York . Jones began her modelling career in New York state , then in Paris , working for fashion houses such as Yves St. Laurent and Kenzo , and appearing on the covers of Elle and Vogue . She worked with photographers such as Helmut Newton , Guy Bourdin , and Hans Feurer , and became known for her distinctive androgynous appearance and bold features .   In 1977 Jones secured a record deal with Island Records , initially becoming a star of New York City 's Studio 54-centered disco scene . In the early 1980s she moved toward a new wave style that drew on reggae , funk , post-punk , and pop music , frequently collaborating with both the graphic designer Jean-Paul Goude and the musical duo Sly & Robbie . Her most popular albums include Warm Leatherette ( 1980 ) , Nightclubbing ( 1981 ) , and Slave to the Rhythm ( 1985 ) . She scored Top 40 entries on the UK Singles Chart with `` Pull Up to the Bumper '' , `` I 've Seen That Face Before '' , `` Private Life '' , and `` Slave to the Rhythm '' . In 1982 , she released the music video collection A One Man Show , directed by Goude .   Jones appeared in some low-budget films in the US during the 1970s and early 1980s . In 1984 she made her first mainstream appearance as Zula in the fantasy-action film Conan the Destroyer alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sarah Douglas , and subsequently appeared in the 1985 James Bond movie A View to a Kill as May Day . In 1986 she played a vampire in Vamp , and acted in and contributed a song to the 1992 Eddie Murphy film Boomerang . She appeared alongside Tim Curry in the 2001 film Wolf Girl . For her work in Conan the Destroyer , A View to a Kill , and Vamp , she was nominated for Saturn Awards for Best Supporting Actress .   In 1999 , Jones ranked 82nd on VH1 's 100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll , and in 2008 , she was honored with a Q Idol Award . Jones influenced the cross-dressing movement of the 1980s and has been an inspiration for artists including Annie Lennox , Lady Gaga , Rihanna , Lorde , Róisín Murphy , Brazilian Girls , Nile Rodgers , Santigold , Basement Jaxx and Stanka Brljevic . In December 2016 , Billboard magazine ranked her as the 40th most successful dance artist of all time .


Aishwarya Rai's first acting role was in a Tamil film.

Aishwarya Rai Aishwarya Rai ( born 1 November 1973 ) , also known by her married name Aishwarya Rai Bachchan , is an Indian actress , model and the winner of the Miss World 1994 pageant . Through her successful acting career , she has established herself as one of the most popular and influential celebrities in India . Rai has received numerous awards and accolades , including two Filmfare Awards from eleven nominations , and she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2009 . She has often been called `` the most beautiful woman in the world '' .   While in college , Rai did a few modelling jobs . Following appearances in several television commercials , she entered the Miss India pageant , in which she placed second . She was then crowned Miss World 1994 , after which she began receiving offers to act in film . She made her acting debut in Mani Ratnam 's 1997 Tamil film Iruvar and had her first Hindi film release in Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya that same year . Her first commercial success was the Tamil romantic drama Jeans ( 1998 ) , following which she achieved wider success and won two Best Actress awards at Filmfare for her performances in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam ( 1999 ) and Devdas ( 2002 ) .   Rai garnered critical appreciation for portraying a passionate artist in the Tamil romance Kandukondain Kandukondain ( 2000 ) , Tagore 's heroine , Binodini , in the Bengali film Chokher Bali ( 2003 ) , a depressed woman in the drama Raincoat ( 2004 ) , Kiranjit Ahluwalia in the British drama film Provoked ( 2006 ) , as a nurse in the drama Guzaarish ( 2010 ) and as a justise-seeking sister in the biographical drama Sarbjit ( 2015 ) . Rai 's greatest commercial successes have been the romance Mohabbatein ( 2000 ) , the adventure film Dhoom 2 ( 2006 ) , the historical romance Jodhaa Akbar ( 2008 ) , the science fiction film Enthiran ( 2010 ) , and the romantic drama Ae Dil Hai Mushkil ( 2016 ) .   Rai married actor Abhishek Bachchan in 2007 with whom she has one daughter . Her off-screen roles include duties as a brand ambassador for several charity organisations and campaigns . She is a Goodwill Ambassador for the Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS ( UNAIDS ) . In 2003 , she was the first Indian actress to be a jury member at the Cannes Film Festival .


Murder on the Orient Express starred zero actors or actresses.

Penélope Cruz Penélope Cruz Sánchez (; Spanish: [peˈnelope ˈkɾuθ ˈsantʃeθ]; born 28 April 1974) is a Spanish actress and model. Signed by an agent at the age of 15, she made her acting debut at 16 on television, and her feature film debut the following year in Jamón Jamón (1992). Her subsequent roles in the 1990s and 2000s included Belle Époque (1992), Open Your Eyes (1997), The Hi-Lo Country (1999), The Girl of Your Dreams (2000), and Woman on Top (2000). Cruz achieved recognition for her lead roles in the 2001 films Vanilla Sky, All the Pretty Horses, Captain Corelli's Mandolin, and Blow. She has garnered numerous awards, including an Academy Award from three nominations.She has since appeared in a wide variety of films, including the comedy Waking Up in Reno (2002), the thriller Gothika (2003), the Christmas film Noel (2004), the action-adventure films Sahara (2005) and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), the romantic comedy To Rome with Love (2012), the crime drama The Counselor (2013), and the mystery film Murder on the Orient Express (2017). She was praised for her roles in Volver (2006) and Nine (2009), receiving Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for each. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2008 for playing volatile painter María Elena in Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona. She is the first Spanish actress to win an Academy Award, as well as the first Spanish actress to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2018, Cruz made her American television debut as Italian fashion designer Donatella Versace in the FX series The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, for which she was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie.Cruz has modelled for Mango, Ralph Lauren, Chanel and L'Oréal, and along with her younger sister Mónica Cruz, has designed clothing for Mango. Cruz has volunteered in Uganda and India, where she spent one week working with Mother Teresa; she donated her salary from The Hi-Lo Country to help fund the late nun's mission.


Murder on the Orient Express (2017 film) Murder on the Orient Express is an upcoming British-American mystery film directed by Kenneth Branagh . The screenplay by Michael Green is based on the 1934 novel of the same name by Agatha Christie . The film stars Branagh , Tom Bateman , Lucy Boynton , Olivia Colman , Penélope Cruz , Willem Dafoe , Judi Dench , Johnny Depp , Josh Gad , Manuel Garcia-Rulfo , Derek Jacobi , Marwan Kenzari , Leslie Odom Jr. , Michelle Pfeiffer , Sergei Polunin , and Daisy Ridley . Scheduled to be released on November 10 , 2017 , by 20th Century Fox , the film is the third motion picture adaptation of Christie 's novel , following Sidney Lumet 's 1974 version and Carl Schenkel 's 2001 version .


Lucy Boynton Lucy Boynton ( born 17 January 1994 ) is an English actress .


Manuel Garcia-Rulfo Manuel García-Rulfo ( born February 25 , 1981 ) is a Mexican actor . He is best known for roles in films such as Bless Me , Ultima and Cake , as well as the television program From Dusk till Dawn : The Series . He headlined as one of the titular characters in the 2016 remake The Magnificent Seven .


Olivia Colman Sarah Caroline Olivia Colman ( born 30 January 1974 ) is an English actress . She has won three BAFTA Awards , three BIFA Awards , one Golden Globe Award , and has been nominated twice for an Emmy Award .   Colman first came to prominence for her supporting role as Sophie Chapman in the Channel 4 comedy series Peep Show ( 2003 -- 2015 ) . Her other TV comedy roles include Green Wing ( 2004 -- 2006 ) , Beautiful People ( 2008 -- 2009 ) , Rev. ( 2010 -- 2014 ) and Twenty Twelve ( 2011 -- 2012 ) . She also played various roles in That Mitchell and Webb Look ( 2006 -- 2008 ) , alongside her Peep Show co-stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb .   Colman 's move to drama saw her receive critical acclaim for her performance in Paddy Considine 's film Tyrannosaur ( 2011 ) . Her other film roles include PC Doris Thatcher in Hot Fuzz ( 2007 ) , Carol Thatcher in The Iron Lady ( 2011 ) , Queen Elizabeth in Hyde Park on Hudson ( 2012 ) , Bethan Maguire in Locke ( 2013 ) , Margaret Lea in The Thirteenth Tale ( 2013 ) , and the Hotel Manager in The Lobster ( 2015 ) .   A three-time BAFTA TV Award winner , she won Best Female Comedy Performance for Twenty Twelve and Best Supporting Actress for Accused in 2013 , before winning Best Actress in 2014 for her role as DS Ellie Miller in the ITV crime series Broadchurch . Colman was also nominated for the International Emmy Award for Best Actress for Broadchurch .   For her performance in the AMC/BBC miniseries The Night Manager , she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress -- Series , Miniseries or Television Film and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie .


Willem Dafoe William J. `` Willem '' Dafoe ( born July 22 , 1955 ) is an American actor . A member of the experimental theatre company the Wooster Group , he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his roles as Elias in Oliver Stone 's Platoon ( 1986 ) and Max Schreck in the comedy-horror film Shadow of the Vampire ( 2000 ) . His other film appearances include The Last Temptation of Christ ( 1988 ) , Mississippi Burning ( 1988 ) , The English Patient ( 1996 ) , American Psycho ( 2000 ) , the Spider-Man trilogy ( 2002 -- 2007 ) , John Wick ( 2014 ) and Justice League ( 2017 ) . He has also had voice roles in Finding Nemo ( 2003 ) and its sequel Finding Dory ( 2016 ) , Fantastic Mr. Fox ( 2009 ) and the forthcoming adaptation of Death Note ( 2017 ) .


Sergei Polunin Sergei Vladimirovich Polunin ( Сергій Володи́мирович Полу́нін , Serhiy Volodymyrovych Polunin ; Серге́й Влади́мирович Полу́нин , Sergey Vladimirovich Polunin born 20 November 1989 ) is an Ukrainian ballet dancer , actor and model .  As a freelance principal dancer , Polunin is guest artist at various theaters worldwide such as Royal Ballet , Sadler 's Wells Theatre , Bolshoi Theatre , Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre , La Scala Theatre , Teatro San Carlo and is currently permanent guest artist for the Bayerisches Staatsballet .


Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench ( born 9 December 1934 ) , known as Judi Dench , is an English actress and author . Dench made her professional debut in 1957 with the Old Vic Company . Over the following few years , she performed in several of Shakespeare 's plays in such roles as Ophelia in Hamlet , Juliet in Romeo and Juliet , and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth . Although most of her work during this period was in theatre , she also branched into film work and won a BAFTA Award as Most Promising Newcomer . She drew strong reviews for her leading role in the musical Cabaret in 1968 .   Over the next two decades , Dench established herself as one of the most significant British theatre performers , working for the National Theatre Company and the Royal Shakespeare Company . She achieved success in television during this period , in the series A Fine Romance from 1981 until 1984 , and in 1992 with a starring role in the romantic comedy series As Time Goes By . Her film appearances were infrequent and included supporting roles in major films such as A Room with a View ( 1986 ) supporting Maggie Smith , before she rose to international fame as M in GoldenEye ( 1995 ) , a role she continued to play in James Bond films until Skyfall ( 2012 ) .   A seven-time Oscar nominee , Dench won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love and has received nominations for her roles in Mrs Brown ( 1997 ) , Chocolat ( 2000 ) , Iris ( 2001 ) , Mrs Henderson Presents ( 2005 ) , Notes on a Scandal ( 2006 ) , and Philomena ( 2013 ) . She has also received many award nominations for her acting in theatre , film and television ; her competitive awards include six British Academy Film Awards , four BAFTA TV Awards , seven Olivier Awards , two Screen Actors Guild Awards , two Golden Globes , and a Tony Award . She has also received the BAFTA Fellowship ( 2001 ) and the Special Olivier Award ( 2004 ) . In June 2011 , she received a fellowship from the British Film Institute ( BFI ) . Dench is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts ( FRSA ) .


Marwan Kenzari Marwan Kenzari ( born 16 January 1983 ) is a Dutch-Tunisian actor . He has played in Dutch and English language films . He won a Golden Calf for Best Actor in 2013 .


Tom Bateman (actor) Tom Bateman ( b. 1989 ) is an actor , known for his work in Da Vinci 's Demons and the 2017 remake of Murder on the Orient Express . He also starred in Jekyll and Hyde on British television in 2015 .


Johnny Depp John Christopher Depp II ( born June 9 , 1963 ) is an American actor , producer , and musician . He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor . He rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street , becoming a teen idol .   Depp has taken on the task of challenging himself to portray `` larger-than-life '' roles , starting with a supporting role in Oliver Stone 's Vietnam War film Platoon in 1986 , then playing the title character in the romantic dark fantasy Edward Scissorhands ( 1990 ) . He later found box office success in the fantasy adventure film Sleepy Hollow ( 1999 ) , the fantasy swashbuckler film Pirates of the Caribbean : The Curse of the Black Pearl ( 2003 ) and its sequels , the fantasy film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ( 2005 ) , the fantasy film Alice in Wonderland ( 2010 ) and voicing the title character in the animated action comedy western Rango ( 2011 ) . He has collaborated on nine films with director , producer and friend Tim Burton .   Depp is regarded as one of the world 's biggest film stars . He has gained worldwide critical acclaim for his portrayals of such people as screenwriter-director Ed Wood in Ed Wood , undercover FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone in Donnie Brasco , `` gonzo '' journalist Raoul Duke in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas , cocaine kingpin George Jung in Blow , author J. M. Barrie in Finding Neverland , the Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger in Michael Mann 's Public Enemies , and the Boston gangster Whitey Bulger in Black Mass. . Films featuring Depp have grossed over $ 3.2 billion at the United States box office and over $ 8 billion worldwide . His most commercially successful films are the Pirates of the Caribbean films , which have grossed $ 3 billion , Alice in Wonderland , which grossed $ 1 billion , Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , which grossed $ 474 million , and The Tourist , which grossed $ 278 million .   Depp has been nominated for major acting awards , including three nominations for Academy Award for Best Actor . Depp won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for The Curse of the Black Pearl . He has been listed in the 2012 Guinness World Records as the highest paid actor , with earnings of $ 75 million . Depp was inducted as a Disney Legend in 2015 .


Michelle Pfeiffer Michelle Marie Pfeiffer ( -LSB- ˈfaɪfər -RSB- born April 29 , 1958 ) is an American actress , singer and producer . Described by the media as a character actress , Pfeiffer is known for her versatility , period roles , ability to mask her true feelings while in character , and portraying funny , intelligent female characters with strong sex appeal throughout the 1980s and 1990s . She began her acting career in 1978 and had her first starring film role in Grease 2 ( 1982 ) , before receiving mainstream attention for her breakout performance in Scarface ( 1983 ) . Her greatest commercial successes include Batman Returns ( 1992 ) , Dangerous Minds ( 1995 ) , What Lies Beneath ( 2000 ) and Hairspray ( 2007 ) .   Pfeiffer was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Dangerous Liaisons ( 1988 ) , and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Motion Picture Drama for The Fabulous Baker Boys ( 1989 ) . She received a third Oscar nomination for Love Field ( 1992 ) . Her other notable film roles include The Witches of Eastwick ( 1987 ) , Married to the Mob ( 1988 ) , Frankie and Johnny ( 1991 ) , The Age of Innocence ( 1993 ) , Wolf ( 1994 ) and White Oleander ( 2002 ) .


Josh Gad Joshua Ilan Gad ( born February 23 , 1981 ) is an American actor , comedian and singer . He is known for voicing Olaf in Frozen and playing Elder Arnold Cunningham in the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon .   He has also appeared in ER , The Daily Show , Modern Family , New Girl , Bored to Death , and Numb3rs . Gad played Skip Gilchrist in the political sitcom 1600 Penn on NBC , and a fictionalized version of himself on FX 's The Comedians , alongside Billy Crystal . His film roles include The Rocker , The Internship , 21 , Love & Other Drugs , Frozen , Jobs , Pixels , The Wedding Ringer , The Angry Birds Movie , A Dog 's Purpose , and the live-action adaptation of Disney 's Beauty and the Beast .


Daisy Ridley Daisy Jazz Isobel Ridley ( born 10 April 1992 ) is an English actress and film producer . She began her acting career by appearing in minor television roles and short films before being cast in the lead role of Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy , appearing in Star Wars : The Force Awakens ( 2015 ) and Star Wars : The Last Jedi ( 2017 ) .


Derek Jacobi Sir Derek George Jacobi ( -LSB- ˈdʒækəbi -RSB- born 22 October 1938 ) is an English actor and stage director .   A `` forceful , commanding stage presence '' , Jacobi has enjoyed a successful stage career , appearing in such stage productions as Hamlet , Uncle Vanya , and Oedipus the King . He has twice been awarded a Laurence Olivier Award , first for his performance of the eponymous hero in Cyrano de Bergerac in 1983 and the second for his Malvolio in Twelfth Night in 2009 . He also received a Tony Award for his performance in Much Ado About Nothing in 1984 and a Primetime Emmy Award in 1988 for The Tenth Man . His stage work includes playing Octavius Caesar , Edward II , Richard III and Thomas Becket .   In addition to being a founder member of the Royal National Theatre and winning several prestigious theatre awards , Jacobi has also enjoyed a successful television career , starring in the critically praised adaptation of Robert Graves 's I , Claudius ( 1976 ) , for which he won a BAFTA ; in the titular role in the medieval drama series Cadfael ( 1994 -- 1998 ) , as Stanley Baldwin in The Gathering Storm ( 2002 ) , as Stuart Bixby in the ITV comedy Vicious ( 2013 -- 2016 ) and as Alan Buttershaw in Last Tango in Halifax ( 2012 -- present ) .   Though principally a stage actor , Jacobi has appeared in a number of films , including The Day of the Jackal ( 1973 ) , Henry V ( 1989 ) , Dead Again ( 1991 ) , Gladiator ( 2000 ) , Gosford Park ( 2001 ) , The Riddle ( 2007 ) , The King 's Speech ( 2010 ) , My Week with Marilyn ( 2011 ) , and Cinderella ( 2015 ) .   He has been honoured with a Knight Bachelor and the Order of the Dannebrog from Denmark .


Carrie Fisher did not write Wishful Drinking.

Carrie Fisher Carrie Frances Fisher ( October 21 , 1956 -- December 27 , 2016 ) was an American actress , writer and humorist who first became known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars film series . Her other film roles included Shampoo ( 1975 ) , The Blues Brothers ( 1980 ) , Hannah and Her Sisters ( 1986 ) , The ` Burbs ( 1989 ) , and When Harry Met Sally ... ( 1989 ) .   Fisher wrote several semi-autobiographical novels , including Postcards from the Edge and the screenplay for the film of the book , as well as an autobiographical one-woman play , and its non-fiction book , Wishful Drinking , based on the play . She worked on other writers ' screenplays as a script doctor . In later years , she earned praise for speaking publicly about her experiences with bipolar disorder and drug addiction .   The daughter of the singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds , Fisher and her mother appear in Bright Lights : Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds , a 2016 documentary about their relationship . It premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival . Fisher died of cardiac arrest on December 27 , 2016 , at age 60 , four days after experiencing a medical emergency during a transatlantic flight from London to Los Angeles . Her final film , Star Wars : The Last Jedi , is scheduled to be released on December 15 , 2017 .


Jamie Foxx Eric Marlon Bishop ( born December 13 , 1967 ) , known professionally by his stage name Jamie Foxx , is an American actor , singer , songwriter , record producer and comedian . He won an Academy Award for Best Actor , BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy , for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the 2004 biographical film Ray . The same year , he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the crime film Collateral .   Other prominent acting roles include Staff Sergeant Sykes in Jarhead ( 2005 ) , Detective Ricardo Tubbs in the 2006 film adaptation of TV series Miami Vice , the title role in the film Django Unchained ( 2012 ) , and the supervillain Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ( 2014 ) . Foxx also starred in the 1990-1994 sketch comedy show In Living Color and his own television show from 1996 to 2001 , the sitcom The Jamie Foxx Show , in which he played Jamie King , Jr. . Foxx also starred in the 2014 film Annie , in which he played Will Stacks .   Foxx is also a Grammy Award-winning musician , producing four albums which have charted in the top ten of the US Billboard 200 : Unpredictable ( 2005 ) , which topped the chart , Intuition ( 2008 ) , Best Night of My Life ( 2010 ) , and Hollywood : A Story of a Dozen Roses ( 2015 ) .


Sweden Sweden ( Konungariket Sverige ) , is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe . It borders Norway to the west and Finland to the east , and is connected to Denmark in the southwest by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund . At 450295 km2 , Sweden is the third-largest country in the European Union by area , with a total population of 10.0 million . Sweden consequently has a low population density of 22 PD/km2 , with the highest concentration in the southern half of the country . Approximately 85 % of the population lives in urban areas .   Germanic peoples have inhabited Sweden since prehistoric times , emerging into history as the Geats/G ötar and Swedes/Svear and constituting the sea peoples known as the Norsemen . Southern Sweden is predominantly agricultural , while the north is heavily forested . Sweden is part of the geographical area of Fennoscandia . The climate is in general very mild for its northerly latitude due to significant maritime influence , that in spite of this still retains warm continental summers . Today , Sweden is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy , with a monarch as head of state . The capital city is Stockholm , which is also the most populous city in the country . Legislative power is vested in the 349-member unicameral Riksdag . Executive power is exercised by the government chaired by the prime minister . Sweden is a unitary state , currently divided into 21 counties and 290 municipalities .   Sweden emerged as an independent and unified country during the Middle Ages . In the 17th century , it expanded its territories to form the Swedish Empire , which became one of the great powers of Europe until the early 18th century . Swedish territories outside the Scandinavian Peninsula were gradually lost during the 18th and 19th centuries , ending with the annexation of present-day Finland by Russia in 1809 . The last war in which Sweden was directly involved was in 1814 , when Norway was militarily forced into personal union . Since then , Sweden has been at peace , maintaining an official policy of neutrality in foreign affairs . The union with Norway was peacefully dissolved in 1905 , leading to Sweden 's current borders . Though Sweden was formally neutral through both world wars , Sweden engaged in humanitarian efforts , such as taking in refugees from German-occupied Europe .   After the end of the Cold War , Sweden joined the European Union on 1 January 1995 , but declined NATO membership , as well as Eurozone membership following a referendum . It is also a member of the United Nations , the Nordic Council , Council of Europe , the World Trade Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) . Sweden maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal health care and tertiary education for its citizens . It has the world 's eighth-highest per capita income and ranks highly in numerous metrics of national performance , including quality of life , health , education , protection of civil liberties , economic competitiveness , equality , prosperity and human development .


The Adjustment Bureau The Adjustment Bureau is a 2011 American science fiction thriller film loosely based on the Philip K. Dick short story , `` Adjustment Team '' . The film was written and directed by George Nolfi , produced by Chris Moore and stars Matt Damon and Emily Blunt . The cast also includes Anthony Mackie , John Slattery , Michael Kelly , and Terence Stamp . The film tells the story of a young man who discovers that what appear to be chance events in his life are controlled by a technologically advanced intelligence network . After an event not planned by these controllers occurs -- a romantic encounter with a young dancer -- he struggles against their manipulation despite their promise of a great future for him .   The film was released on April 3 , 2011 . It was premiered at the Ziegfeld Theatre on February 14 , 2011 , and received positive reviews from critics , who praised Damon 's performance and his chemistry with Blunt . It grossed $ 127 million against a production budget of $ 50 million .


A friend of Adele's posted her demo on Myspace.

Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins ( -LSB- əˈdɛl -RSB- born 5 May 1988 ) is an English singer-songwriter . After graduating from the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in 2006 , Adele was given a recording contract by XL Recordings after a friend posted her demo on Myspace the same year . In 2007 , she received the Brit Awards `` Critics ' Choice '' award and won the BBC Sound of 2008 poll . Her debut album , 19 , was released in 2008 to commercial and critical success . It is certified seven times platinum in the UK , and three times platinum in the US . The album contains her first song , `` Hometown Glory '' , written when she was 16 , which is based on her home suburb of West Norwood in London . An appearance she made on Saturday Night Live in late 2008 boosted her career in the US . At the 51st Grammy Awards in 2009 , Adele received the awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance .   She released her second studio album , 21 , in early 2011 . The album was critically well received and surpassed the success of her debut , earning the singer numerous awards in 2012 , among them a record-tying six Grammy Awards , including Album of the Year ; two Brit Awards , including British Album of the Year , and three American Music Awards . The album has been certified 16 times platinum in the UK , and is the fourth best-selling album in the UK of all time . In the US , it has held the top position longer than any album since 1985 , and is certified diamond . The album has sold over 31 million copies worldwide . The success of 21 earned Adele numerous mentions in the Guinness Book of World Records . She is the first woman in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 to have three simultaneous top 10 singles as a lead artist , and the first female artist to simultaneously have two albums in the top five of the Billboard 200 and two singles in the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 . 21 is the longest-running number one album by a female solo artist in the history of the UK and US Album Charts .   In 2012 , Adele released `` Skyfall '' , which she co-wrote and recorded for the James Bond film of the same name . The song won an Academy Award , a Grammy Award , and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song , as well as the Brit Award for British Single of the Year . After taking a three-year break , Adele released her third studio album , 25 , in 2015 . It became the year 's best-selling album and broke first week sales records in the UK and US . 25 was her second album to be certified diamond in the US and earned her five Grammy Awards , including her second Grammy Award for Album of the Year , and four Brit Awards . The lead single , `` Hello '' , became the first song in the US to sell over one million digital copies within a week of its release . Her third concert tour , Adele Live 2016 , visited Europe , North America and Oceania , and will conclude with four finale concerts at Wembley Stadium in mid-2017 .   In 2011 , 2012 and 2016 , Billboard named Adele Artist of the Year . In 2012 , she was listed at number five on VH1 's 100 Greatest Women in Music . Time magazine named her one of the most influential people in the world in 2012 and 2016 . With sales of more than 100 million records , Adele is one of the best-selling recording artists in the world .


Macaulay Culkin Macaulay Carson Culkin ( born August 26 , 1980 ) is an American actor . He became famous as a child actor for his role as Kevin McCallister in the family comedy Home Alone ( 1990 ) and its sequel Home Alone 2 : Lost in New York ( 1992 ) . He is also known for his roles in Uncle Buck ( 1989 ) , My Girl ( 1991 ) , The Good Son ( 1993 ) , The Pagemaster ( 1994 ) , Richie Rich ( 1994 ) , Party Monster ( 2003 ) , and the music video for Michael Jackson 's `` Black or White '' . At the height of his fame , he was regarded as the most successful child actor since Shirley Temple . Culkin ranked at number two on VH1 's list of the `` 100 Greatest Kid-Stars '' and E! 's list of the `` 50 Greatest Child Stars '' .


Galaxy Quest Galaxy Quest is a 1999 American comedy science fiction film directed by Dean Parisot and written by David Howard and Robert Gordon . Mark Johnson and Charles Newirth produced the film for DreamWorks Pictures .   Parodying television series such as Star Trek and its fandom , the film stars Tim Allen , Sigourney Weaver , Alan Rickman , Tony Shalhoub , Sam Rockwell , and Daryl Mitchell as the cast of a defunct television series called Galaxy Quest , in which the crew of a spaceship embarked on intergalactic adventures . Enrico Colantoni stars as the leader of an alien race who ask the actors for help , believing the show 's adventures were real . The film 's supporting cast features Robin Sachs as an alien warlord and Patrick Breen as another alien . Justin Long makes his feature film debut as an obsessed fan of the television show .   The film received critical praise and reached cult status through the years , becoming popular with Star Trek fans , staff , and cast members for its affectionate parody . It won the prestigious Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation , the Nebula Award for Best Script , 26th Hochi Film Award for Best International Picture and was also nominated for ten Saturn Awards including Best Science Fiction Film , Best Director for Parisot , Best Actress for Weaver and Best Supporting Actor for Rickman , winning Best Actor for Allen . The film was included in Reader 's Digests list of The Top 100 + Funniest Movies of All Time .


Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John , ( born Reginald Kenneth Dwight ; 25 March 1947 ) is an English singer , pianist , and composer . He has worked with lyricist Bernie Taupin as his songwriting partner since 1967 ; they have collaborated on more than 30 albums to date . In his five-decade career Elton John has sold more than 300million records , making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world . He has more than fifty Top 40 hits , including seven consecutive No. 1 US albums , 58 Billboard Top 40 singles , 27 Top 10 , four No. 2 and nine No. 1 . For 31 consecutive years ( 1970 -- 2000 ) he had at least one song in the Billboard Hot 100 . His tribute single , re-penned in dedication to the late Princess Diana , `` Candle in the Wind 1997 '' sold over 33million copies worldwide and is the best-selling single in the history of the UK and US singles charts . He has also composed music , produced records , and has occasionally acted in films . John owned Watford Football Club from 1976 to 1987 , and 1997 to 2002 . He is an honorary Life President of the club , and in 2014 had a stand named after him at the club 's home stadium .   Raised in the Pinner area of London , John learned to play piano at an early age , and by 1962 had formed Bluesology . John met his songwriting partner , Bernie Taupin , in 1967 , after they had both answered an advert for songwriters . For two years they wrote songs for other artists , including Lulu , and John also worked as a session musician for artists such as the Hollies and the Scaffold . In 1969 his debut album , Empty Sky , was released . In 1970 a single , `` Your Song '' , from his second album , Elton John , reached the top ten in the UK and the US , his first hit single . After decades of commercial chart success , John has also achieved success in musical theatre , both in the West End and on Broadway , composing the music for The Lion King ( film and musical ) , Aida and Billy Elliot the Musical .   He has received five Grammy Awards , five Brit Awards -- winning two awards for Outstanding Contribution to Music and the first Brits Icon in 2013 for his `` lasting impact on British culture '' , an Academy Award , a Golden Globe Award , a Tony Award , a Disney Legends award , and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2004 . In 2004 , Rolling Stone ranked him Number 49 on its list of 100 influential musicians of the rock and roll era . In 2013 , Billboard ranked him the most successful male solo artist on the Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists ( third overall behind the Beatles and Madonna ) . He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 , is an inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame , and is a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters , Composers and Authors . Having been named a Order of the British Empire in 1996 , John was made a Knight Bachelor by Elizabeth II for `` services to music and charitable services '' in 1998 . John has performed at a number of royal events , such as the funeral of Princess Diana at Westminster Abbey in 1997 , the Party at the Palace in 2002 and the Queen 's Diamond Jubilee Concert outside Buckingham Palace in 2012 .   He has been heavily involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s . In 1992 , he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation and a year later began hosting the annual Academy Award Party , which has since become one of the highest-profile Oscar parties in the Hollywood film industry . Since its inception , the foundation has raised over . John , who announced he was bisexual in 1976 and has been openly gay since 1988 , entered into a civil partnership with David Furnish on 21 December 2005 , and after same-sex marriage became legal in England and Wales in 2014 , wed Furnish on 21 December 2014 . He continues to be a champion for LGBT social movements worldwide .


Syria Syria ( -LSB- ˈsɪ.riə -RSB- سوريا ) , officially known as the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia , bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west , Turkey to the north , Iraq to the east , Jordan to the south , and Israel to the southwest . Syria 's capital and largest city is Damascus .   A country of fertile plains , high mountains , and deserts , Syria is home to diverse ethnic and religious groups , including Syrian Arabs , Greeks , Armenians , Assyrians , Kurds , Circassians , Mandeans and Turks . Religious groups include Sunnis , Christians , Alawites , Druze , Mandeans , Shiites , Salafis , and Yazidis . Sunni Arabs make up the largest religious group in Syria .   In English , the name `` Syria '' was formerly synonymous with the Levant ( known in Arabic as al-Sham ) , while the modern state encompasses the sites of several ancient kingdoms and empires , including the Eblan civilization of the 3rd millennium BC . Its capital Damascus and largest city Aleppo are among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world . In the Islamic era , Damascus was the seat of the Umayyad Caliphate and a provincial capital of the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt .   The modern Syrian state was established after the end of centuries of Ottoman control in World War I as a French mandate , and represented the largest Arab state to emerge from the formerly Ottoman-ruled Arab Levant . It gained independence as a parliamentary republic on 24 October 1945 when Syria became a founding member of the United Nations , an act which legally ended the former French Mandate -- although French troops did not leave the country until April 1946 . The post-independence period was tumultuous , and a large number of military coups and coup attempts shook the country in the period 1949 -- 71 . In 1958 , Syria entered a brief union with Egypt called the United Arab Republic , which was terminated by the 1961 Syrian coup d'état . The Arab Republic of Syria came into being in late 1961 after December 1 constitutional referendum , and was increasingly unstable until the Ba'athist coup d'état , since which the Ba'ath Party has maintained its power . Syria was under Emergency Law from 1963 to 2011 , effectively suspending most constitutional protections for citizens . Bashar al-Assad has been president since 2000 and was preceded by his father Hafez al-Assad , who was in office from 1970 to 2000 .   Syria is a member of one international organization other than the United Nations , the Non-Aligned Movement ; it has become suspended from the Arab League on November 2011 and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , and self-suspended from the Union for the Mediterranean . Since March 2011 , Syria has been embroiled in an uprising against Assad and the Ba'athist government as part of the Arab Spring , a crackdown that contributed to the Syrian Civil War and to Syria 's becoming one of the most violent countries in the world . Since the start of the war in 2011 , a number of self-proclaimed state entities have since emerged on Syrian territories , including the Syrian Opposition , the Federation of Northern Syria and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant .