title: Operation Big Bird

abstract: "Operation Big Bird" was the attempt of the Philippine Government during the presidency of Corazon Aquino to recover an alleged US$7.5 billion of hidden accounts and assets of President Ferdinand Marcos and his family in Swiss banks. Conceived by Philippine banker Michael de Guzman, it commenced shortly after Marcos was forced into exile in the United States. Initially, Operation Big Bird did not recover any money, with two differing reports by Representative Victorio Chaves and Senator Jovito Salonga. Chaves laid the blame upon Salonga, Solicitor-General Sedfrey Ordoñez and the Swiss bank lawyers. Salonga countered that Ordoñez had prevented the Philippine government from losing a large sum of money. Evidence suggests that de Guzman acted in good faith on behalf of the new government but that a double cross may have been involved.

text:
# Operation Big Bird

"**Operation Big Bird**" (Filipino: *Oplan Big Bird*) was the attempt of the Philippine Government during the presidency of Corazon Aquino to recover an alleged US$7.5 billion of hidden accounts and assets of President Ferdinand Marcos and his family in Swiss banks. Conceived by Philippine banker Michael de Guzman, it commenced shortly after Marcos was forced into exile in the United States. Initially, Operation Big Bird did not recover any money, with two differing reports by Representative Victorio Chaves and Senator Jovito Salonga. Chaves laid the blame upon Salonga, Solicitor-General Sedfrey Ordoñez and the Swiss bank lawyers. Salonga countered that Ordoñez had prevented the Philippine government from losing a large sum of money. Evidence suggests that de Guzman acted in good faith on behalf of the new government but that a double cross may have been involved.

## Background

After Ferdinand Marcos and his family were sent to exile in Hawaii, President Aquino's Executive Order No. 1 on February 28, 1986, created the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG). The mandate of the PCGG was to recover all the ill-gotten wealth of Ferdinand Marcos, his family, relatives, associates, and cronies. Salonga was called to head the PCGG.

Operation Big Bird began when Filipino banker and Chairman of Credit Manila, de Guzman, contacted the Aquino administration and offered his services to recover the Marcos' wealth in the various banks in Switzerland and other countries. De Guzman then was put in touch with Brigadier General Jose T. Almonte and Charlie Avila.

The banks, financial institutions and other companies that dealt with the Marcos wealth and assets were held in various countries, namely:

## Events of Operation Big Bird

### Pre-EDSA Revolution

On March 21, 1968, Marcos opened his first bank account in Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City and deposited US$215,000.00. In March 1968, an official of Credit Suisse in Zurich, Walter Fessler, was brought to Manila on the request of Malacañang. Forms were filled out and signatures appended. Marcos, on his signature verification form, wrote "*William Saunders*," an alias he had used in his World War II days, and underneath that name he wrote his real name. Imelda Marcos did the same, choosing "*Jane Ryan*" as her pseudonym. Four bank accounts were opened and four checks, totaling US$950,000.00 were deposited. In 1982 Credit Manila established its operations in Vienna with the incorporation of Exportfinanzierungsbank GmbH. In 1985 Mike De Guzman made acquaintance with Victor Bou Dagher, a Lebanese national residing in Austria who had some connections and acquaintances in the European banking network. De Guzman later introduced Dagher to Gen. Almonte in Manila in view of the news of Marcos hiding and moving their wealth in Swiss banks. The group outlined their plans to capture Marcos' money. On February 25, 1986, the People Power Revolution brought about the downfall of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos. Marcos, his family, and retinue were taken by U.S. Air Force helicopters from the PSG Compound across the Pasig River from Malacañan Palace, and were brought to Clark Air Base. The next day they were flown to Guam.

### Post-EDSA events and the Lebanese connection

On February 26, 1986, the Marcos party arrived in Honolulu, Hawaii, beginning their exile. U.S. Customs officers spent five hours going over the 278 crates that the group had brought with them. Twenty-two crates contained more than Php27.7 million in newly minted currency, mostly hundred-peso denominations worth approximately US$1,270,000.00 There were other certificates of deposit from Philippine banks worth about US$1 million, five handguns, 154 videotapes, seventeen cassette tapes, and 2,068 pages of documents - all of which were impounded by Customs. The Marcos party was allowed to keep only US$300,000.00 in gold and $150,000.00 in bearer bonds that they brought in with their personal luggage, because they declared them and broke no US customs laws. There were 24 one-kilo gold bars fitted into a $17,000 hand-tooled Gucci briefcase with a solid gold buckle and a plaque on it that read, "*To Ferdinand Marcos, from Imelda, on the Occasion of our 24th Wedding Anniversary*." On March 1, 1986, De Guzman returned to Vienna and met with Dagher who updated him on the various reactions within the Swiss banking community regarding the recent developments in Manila. De Guzman began to take action on how to transfer the money from the Swiss Banks to Austria. On March 2, 1986, De Guzman and Dagher flew to Lebanon via Cyprus to meet with some contacts in the European banking industry -- Beirut being the banking capital of the Mediterranean basin. After arriving in Jounieh, De Guzman and Dagher met with fellow bankers who informed them how Iran was able to recover the frozen assets of Shāh Mohammad-Rezā Pahlavi, in Switzerland. De Guzman was told by the contacts that the Swiss banks would be moving the Marcos money to various financial institutions to safeguard the deposits and avoid a massive withdrawal, which the bankers alleged was a practice of the Swiss banking system. This resulted in the suggestion that De Guzman should go to Hawaii and meet with the Marcoses to get power of attorney to withdraw the money on their behalf before the banks closed-in on the accounts. De Guzman claimed he had no intimate association with the Marcoses, but that his only contact would be Col. Irwin Ver, former Commanding Officer of the Presidential Security Group, and son of General Fabian Ver. It was then that De Guzman and his associates started calling the plan "Operation Big Bird." On March 12, 1986, President Aquino passes Executive Order No. 2, freezing all Marcos assets in the Philippines.

### The power of attorney from the Marcoses

On March 18, 1986, De Guzman and Dagher arrived in Honolulu and met Col. Ver and Gen. Ver. On March 20, 1986, De Guzman received a call from Irwin Ver who confirmed that a meeting had been arranged with the Marcoses - Ferdinand, Imelda and Bongbong \- at their temporary lodging in base housing inside Hickam AFB. At the meeting De Guzman shared the news that the Swiss banks would make a move on their account. Marcos wanted to confirm this information and sent Bongbong and De Guzman at around 10:00 pm to Honolulu International Airport to call their personal banker in Credit Suisse, Ernst Scheller. The off-base call was made to avoid possible wire taps or listening devices. Upon their return to base housing, the Marcoses hold a family meeting where Bongbong updated the family through a teleconference. An hour later, Bongbong left with De Guzman for the airport once more, but this time the telephone operator refused to give Bongbong the international connection. They returned to base housing where De Guzman received a note from Imelda stating "Palmy Foundation" and a plastic bag containing traveler's cheques worth US$300,000.00. Imelda produced a Power of Attorney and tasked Bongbong with handing this to De Guzman back at the hotel. Bongbong informed De Guzman Ernst Scheller at Credit Suisse, and told him to get in touch with Scheller once they entered Switzerland.

### Initial attempt in Switzerland

On March 24, 1986, De Guzman flew with Dagher to Zurich to meet with Scheller and present the Power of Attorney to transfer the Marcos money to the Exportfinanzierungsbank in Vienna. They were initially informed by Scheller that the Swiss authorities have put a "freeze order" on all the accounts linked to the Marcoses, but failed to produce any formal documentation on this. Scheller also mentioned that he re-documented the records already and moved the accounts as instructed by Ms. Fe Gimenez, Marcos' personal secretary, three weeks before after their evacuation of Malacañan Palace. Without the formal notice of the freeze order, De Guzman suspects Scheller of stalling the transfer in protection of the interest of Credit Suisse and not the Marcoses. After the meeting, Scheller calls on the Swiss Federal Banking Commission that De Guzman was trying to transfer US$213 Million to Vienna. That very same evening the Banking Commission, in an unprecedented move, imposed an emergency freeze order on all the accounts of the Marcoses. This act was questioned later since the Banking Commission does not have the authority to freeze bank accounts. The Swiss Federal Council taking note of the confusion created by the Banking Commission's "freeze order" made a follow through act, and formalized the freeze order in anticipation of the new Philippine government's claim on the said accounts. The Aquino government welcomed the freeze order, and the PCGG hired three prominent Swiss lawyers Messr. Sergio Salvioni, Guy Fontanet, and Moritz Leuenberger, to handle its case. The said lawyers were recommended by Chief Justice of the Federal Supreme Court Otto Konstantin Kaufmann, who was the classmate of Salonga in Yale University. On April 18, 1986, the Philippine government submitted an informal request to the Swiss authorities for mutual assistance in the recovery of the Marcos wealth. On April 25, 1986, the Government of the Philippines submitted a follow-through formal request for mutual assistance to investigate and retrieve the ill-gotten wealth. The Swiss Federal Office of Police then issued a freeze order in substitution for the exceptional freezing order of the Federal Council.

### Operation Big Bird under the Philippine government

On May 7, 1986, Mike de Guzman attempted once more to retrieve the Marcos money in the Swiss accounts, by making Scheller acknowledge their personal meeting and the Power of Attorney. Scheller replied by telex from Credit Suisse, but informed De Guzman that the freeze order was still in place. De Guzman finally called Gen. Almonte and updated him of his recent activities. Almonte, for his part, informed De Guzman that there were some parties in the new government who had serious doubts about him, as he had a reputation for being an associate of Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., a Marcos crony. This prompted De Guzman to head to Manila to present his plans for Operation Big Bird to the new Philippine Government. On June 16, 1986, in Manila, Gen. Almonte arranged a meeting between De Guzman and the brother of Pres. Aquino, Congressman Jose Cojuangco Jr. (Tarlac, 1st District). De Guzman offered to help the Aquino government retrieve the Marcos wealth in return for a 20% commission on the initial tranche of funds. De Guzman asserted that they had identified accounts in Credit Suisse amounting to US$213 million, and eleven foundations that held a total of US$4.5 billion in deposits in nine different banks, with an additional US$3 billion in precious metals and securities on deposit -- a tentative total of US$7.5 billion. And most importantly, they had the Power of Attorney from the Marcoses. Cojuangco instructed Dr. Fernando Carrascoso, who was present at the meeting, to arrange for De Guzman's introduction to PCCG Chairman Jovito Salonga. On June 18, 1986, Dr. Carrascoso informed De Guzman that Chairman Salonga was not available, and thus he was instead referred to Commissioner Raul Daza. The meeting was also attended by Mayor Charlie Avila. De Guzman briefed the other men on the plans of Operation Big Bird. Daza committed that he would get approval from Salonga. On June 26, 1986, De Guzman, Dagher and Almonte flew to Bern where the group, through the arrangements made by Amb. Ascalon, met with PCCG lawyer Dr. Salvioni, who advised them that any request made by the Philippine Government must be signed by the Solicitor-General of the Philippines. On July 1, 1986, After conferring with his older brother, Congressman Cojuangco presented the options to President Aquino and a meeting was arranged for General Almonte and De Guzman to orient the President on Operation Big Bird. Aquino approved the plan, and Operation Big Bird finally commenced with De Guzman and Almonte being joined by Solicitor-General Sedfrey Ordoñez. De Guzman makes Ordoñez and Almonte members of the Board of Exportfinanzierungsbank, along with Almonte's former mentor and former Marcos Executive Secretary, Amb. Alejandro Melchor Jr.

### Second attempt with the Philippine Government

On July 4, 1986, De Guzman, Almonte and Ordoñez arrived in Bern, and were met by Ascalon. Ascalon informed the new Philippine government's recovery team that the three Swiss lawyers of the PCGG and a man by the name of Pieter Hoets were waiting at the Philippine Embassy. Upon arrival at the Embassy, Hoets and the lawyers insisted that the scheduled meeting with the Swiss bankers should only be attended by Ordoñez, and that De Guzman and Almonte should not be included. Almonte defended his group's attending and restated that they had all been appointed by the President to work as a team on Operation Big Bird. A long argument ensued between the Swiss lawyers and the Philippine representatives. A meeting with the Federal Department of Justice and Police only took 20 minutes, when the Swiss authorities unanimously decided to approve in principle the selective defreezing of only those identified Marcos accounts and foundations, amounting to US$213 million. The Swiss authorities advised the Philippine representatives to formalize the request, and told them to finish this before the day's end. Upon returning to the Philippine Embassy the group called Chairman Salonga and Congressman Cojuangco on the success of the Operation, and rushed to complete the required formal documents. Dr. Salvioni questioned the urgency of the Filipino team, but was ignored and Ordoñez signed the request accordingly. The letter arrived at the FDJP with 15 minutes to spare before the 6:00 pm deadline. FDJP was to act on the request and by Monday, July 7, have the Zurich Court execute a transfer instruction to the Swiss banks. On July 6, 1986, De Guzman received additional information on the newly identified Marcos accounts in Switzerland amounting to US$3 billion in six different banks. The breakdown of the deposits were US$700 million in money placements, US$1.3 billion in securities and bonds, and US$1 billion in Gold certificates. It was suggested that the team should prepare the same request as those of July 4, and that Almonte should fly to Switzerland first thing the next day to endorse the documents to Ambassador Ascalon for a formal communication to the FDJP. On July 7, 1986, Almonte flew alone to Zurich at 6:00am with the signed documents, but Ascalon refused to affix the official communication of the Embassy without the approval of Dr. Salvioni. De Guzman, who was in Vienna, frantically tried to track down Dr. Salvioni, but to no avail. Almonte returned to Vienna that night and briefly updated Ordoñez on what has transpired in Bern. Ordoñez postponed the meeting until the next day. The FDJP meanwhile acted on the request and lifted the freeze order on the US$213 Million identified by the Philippine representatives.

On July 8, 1986, The Judge of Instructions in Zurich ordered Credit Suisse to release and transfer the unfrozen Marcos deposits to the account of the Philippine Government in Exportfinanzierungsbank in Vienna. Ordoñez, however, made a turn-around in fear of the money being diverted from Vienna to a Marcos-favored destination. The Swiss lawyers hired by the PCGG tipped Ordoñez on the credibility of De Guzman and his bank in Vienna. Ordoñez instructed the Swiss lawyers, without informing Almonte and De Guzman, to request the FDJP and Credit Suisse to direct the transfer of the monies to a new destination, the newly opened account of the Philippine Government within the said bank. Ordoñez secretly left Vienna for Zurich, then to Manila on the orders of PCGG Chairman Salonga. Almonte and De Guzman were left in Vienna without an idea as to what happened to the Solicitor-General, and frantically searched Vienna for the Philippine official, until confirming on July 10 that Ordoñez was already in Manila. Meanwhile, before the transfer was made, the Credit Suisse official, Ernst Scheller, contacted the son of the former president, Bongbong Marcos, and informed him of the Philippine Government's actions. This gave Ferdinand Marcos notice to execute a revocation of his Power of Attorney to De Guzman. On July 11, 1986, De Guzman and Almonte returned to Manila to debrief Congressman Cojuangco on the events that took place in Bern and Vienna. Marcos' revocation of the Power of Attorney was sent by facsimile to his Swiss lawyer, Bruno de Preux of the law firm Tavernier, Gillioz, de Preux, Dorsaz in Geneva. On July 13, 1986, The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Ordoñez that they were able to retrieve the initial US$213 million of Marcos' plundered money in Switzerland, and that the said fund would be in the government's hands soon. Marcos' Swiss lawyers submitted copies of the revocation to the Swiss authorities. On July 20, 1986, The FDJP rescinded the unfreezing order reference to the Revocation Letter received from Marcos on the Power of Attorney given to De Guzman.

## Aftermath

Almonte received a call from Malacañang on December 24, 1986, and was called for a meeting with the President to debrief her on what actually happened in Switzerland and Austria. The meeting was confirmed by Ms. Ching Escaler, Aquino's Appointments Secretary (and later Philippine Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva and New York City) on December 29, 1986. Almonte arrived with De Guzman in Malacañang, and was met first by Executive Secretary Joker Arroyo who stalled the two, along with Justice Secretary Ordoñez, from meeting the President.

Meanwhile, on October 21, 1988, a US federal grand jury in New York indicted Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos for a US$268 million racketeering scheme, siphoning the Philippine Treasury of US$103 million, and defrauding US banks of US$165 million. By November 3, Imelda returned to Hawaii after Doris Duke posted a US$5 million bail.

The Philippine Government thus lost its chance to recover the money in the Marcos Swiss accounts through Operation Big Bird. The whole fiasco was then brought into light by the Philippine House of Representatives' Committee on Public Accountability in mid-1989, under the Chairmanship of Cong. Victorico "Concoy" Chaves (2nd District, Misamis Oriental).

The Chaves Report suggested that the Philippine Government would have immediately recovered the $213 million in July 1986 from Credit Suisse and its affiliates had the operation not been stopped by PCGG Chairman Salonga and Solicitor-General Ordoñez, and that this would have "paved the way to the recovery of the other deposits of the Marcoses with the Swiss banks" which was estimated by the Chaves Report to be at least $3 billion.

However, De Guzman and Gen. Almonte lay the blame on Executive Secretary Joker Arroyo, and Philippine Ambassador to Bern, Luis Ascalon, aside from Ordoñez and Salonga. Jovito Salonga, who by 1989 was already the Senate President, and Ordoñez who became Justice Secretary, have fully denied these accusations.

The Chaves Report also rejected the view of the Swiss attorneys and PCGG Chairman Jovito R. Salonga that they had saved the Philippine Government from a massive theft. It concluded that if the funds had been remitted to the Vienna bank to the account of Philippine government, whose authorized joint signatories were Solicitor-General Ordoñez and Gen. Almonte, there was no risk that De Guzman would have stolen the money. In addition to this the Exportfinanzierungsbank in Vienna was also strictly regulated by the Austrian Federal Market Authority (FMA), and that the bank's board even had Almonte, Ordoñez, and Amb. Alejandro Melchor - ensuring the Philippine government's interest in the bank protected. And finally, De Guzman expected to receive a commission of $40 million (i.e. a 20% commission on the $213 million) if the monies were recovered, and thus had an interest in ensuring that recovery took place.

On December 20, 1990, the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland decided that the US$213 Million along with other banking documents should be transferred to the Philippine government, with conditions however.

On August 10, 1995, the PCGG filed an additional request with the District Attorney in Zurich for the immediate transfer of the deposits to an escrow account in the Philippine National Bank (PNB). The request was granted. On appeal by the Marcoses, the Swiss Federal Supreme Court, in a decision dated December 10, 1997, upheld the ruling of the District Attorney of Zurich granting the request for the transfer of the funds. In 1998, the funds were remitted to the Philippines in escrow.

On December 10, 1997, under the Swiss Federal Act of International Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (IMAC), the Swiss Federal Supreme Court, issued the final decision to transfer the fund to the Sandiganbayan which by then had grown to US$540 Million due to interest.

Also in 1997 the Philippine Senate's Blue Ribbon Committee and the House of Representatives' Committee on Good Government, again reviewed the saga of Operation Big Bird, with the same conclusion. Aquino's Vice President, Salvador Laurel would reflect that this was their administration's greatest failure.

Starting in April 1998, and up to July of that year, the Swiss authorities began transferring the identified Marcos money in Swiss banks to an escrow account in the PNB.

On July 29, 1999, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Francis E. Garchitorena denied the motion to release US$150 million from the funds to pay Marcos human rights victims.

On October 27, 1999, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee held a special hearing in the Philippine Consulate in Honolulu. In the hearing, businessman Enrique Zobel testified that in early 1989, he met with Marcos who asked for a US$250 million loan from him. Zobel refused unless Marcos could provide collateral. Marcos later produced documents of a Vatican trust in gold accounts to pay off the loan.

On February 4, 2004, the retrieved Marcos money which by then had grown to US$683 million, was finally transferred by PNB to the Bureau of the Treasury.

According to the **Agrarian Reform Law**, part of the retrieved Marcos wealth was to be utilized for the government's agrarian reform program, and the remaining part for the compensation of the victims of the Marcos dictatorship. Once all pending legalities were settled regarding the US$683 Million in escrow, the fund was finally transferred to the Department of Agrarian Reform and Department of Agriculture.

However, in 2005 the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) reported that a portion of the money was diverted by the Arroyo administration for the President's campaign during the 2004 elections. This led to Senate Blue Ribbon Committee inquiry concluding that Pres. Arroyo mismanaged the fund, which then became known as the Fertilizer Fund scam.


abstract: The judo competition at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games was held in Veracruz, Mexico. The tournament was scheduled to be held from 20 to 23 November at the World Trade Center Veracruz.

text:
# Judo at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games

The **judo** competition at the **2014 Central American and Caribbean Games** was held in Veracruz, Mexico.

The tournament was scheduled to be held from 20 to 23 November at the World Trade Center Veracruz.

## Medal summary

### Men's events

| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| −55 kg | Leonardo Merino (CUB) | Enrique Martinez (PUR) | David Garcia (MEX)
Jesus Aguero (VEN) |
| −60 kg | Janier Pena (CUB) | Abel Montero (DOM) | Nabor Castillo (MEX)
John Fittinico (COL) |
| −66 kg | Sergio Mattey (VEN) | Wander Mateo (DOM) | Jesus Chaparro (MEX)
Gilberto Solar (CUB) |
| −73 kg | Magdiel Estrada (CUB) | Augusto Miranda (PUR) | David Tavera (MEX)
Wlunkis Herrera (VEN) |
| −81 kg | Pedro Castro (COL) | Iván Silva (CUB) | Gadiel Miranda (PUR)
Marcos Fiquereo (DOM) |
| −90 kg | Isao Cardenas (MEX) | Andy Granda (CUB) | Alexis Chiclana (PUR)
Mervin Rodriguez (VEN) |
| −100 kg | José Armenteros (CUB) | Sergio García (MEX) | Christopher George (TRI)
Nelson Lopez (VEN) |
| +100 kg | Pedro Pineda (VEN) | Óscar Brayson (CUB) | Ramón Pileta (HON)
Rafael Ferrer (PUR) |
| Team | Cuba (CUB)
Janier Pena
Magdiel Estrada
Iván Silva
Andy Granda
José Armenteros
Gilberto Solar
Óscar Brayson | Venezuela (VEN)
Javier Guédez
Elias Pinero
Mervin Rodriguez
Nelson Lopez
Sergio Mattey
Pedro Pineda
Wlunkis Herrera
Jesus Aguero | Puerto Rico (PUR)
Jeffrey Ruiz
Augusto Miranda
Gadiel Miranda
Alexis Chiclana
Rafael Ferrer
Angel Dones
Dominican Republic (DOM)
Wander Mateo
Lwilli Santana
Marcos Fiquereo
Cristhian Gomera
Jesse de Leon
Abel Montero
José Vásquez |

### Women's events

| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| −44 kg | Dayaris Mestre (CUB) | Sandra Sánchez (MEX) | Naibet Chirinos (VEN)
Evelyn Solis (GUA) |
| −48 kg | Maria Laborde (CUB) | Edna Carrillo (MEX) | Diana Ortiz (VEN)
Luz Álvarez (COL) |
| −52 kg | Yanet Bermoy (CUB) | María García (DOM) | Mónica Hernández (MEX)
Linouse Desravine (HAI) |
| −57 kg | Aliuska Ojeda (CUB) | Luisa Jiménez (DOM) | Sayra Laguna (NCA)
Anriquelis Barrios (VEN) |
| −63 kg | Maricet Espinosa (CUB) | Andrea Gutiérrez (MEX) | Diana Velasco (COL)
Juana Villanueva (DOM) |
| −70 kg | Yuri Alvear (COL) | Onix Cortés (CUB) | Elvismar Rodríguez (VEN)
Andrea Poo (MEX) |
| −78 kg | Yalennis Castillo (CUB) | Karen León (VEN) | Eliveri Villanueva (DOM)
Miriam Gonzalez (MEX) |
| +78 kg | Idalys Ortíz (CUB) | Melissa Mojica (PUR) | Vanessa Zambotti (MEX)
Emileidys López (VEN) |
| Team | Cuba (CUB)
Dayaris Mestre
Yanet Bermoy
Aliuska Ojeda
Maricet Espinosa
Onix Cortés
Yalennis Castillo
Idalys Ortiz | Mexico (MEX)
Edna Carrillo
Mónica Hernández
Karla Tapia
Andrea Gutiérrez
Andrea Poo
Miriam González
Vanessa Zambotti | Venezuela (VEN)
Diana Ortíz
Anriquelis Barrios
Wisneybi Machado
Karen León
Jormary Palma
Naibet Chirinos
Emileidys López
Dominican Republic (DOM)
María García
Luisa Jiménez
Juana Villanueva
Katherine Otaño
Leidi Germán
Eliveri Villanueva
Isandrina Sánchez |

## Medal table

*   Host nation (Mexico)

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Cuba (CUB) | 13 | 4 | 1 | 18 |
| 2 | Venezuela (VEN) | 2 | 2 | 10 | 14 |
| 3 | Colombia (COL) | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| 4 | Mexico (MEX)* | 1 | 5 | 8 | 14 |
| 5 | Dominican Republic (DOM) | 0 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| 6 | Puerto Rico (PUR) | 0 | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| 7 | Guatemala (GUA) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| | Haiti (HAI) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| | Honduras (HON) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| | Nicaragua (NCA) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| | Trinidad and Tobago (TRI) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (11 entries) | | 18 | 18 | 36 | 72 |

## InfoBox

| Judo at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games | |
| --- | --- |
| Venue | World Trade Center Veracruz |
| Location | Veracruz, Mexico |
| Dates | 20–23 November |
|


title: Israel–Somaliland relations

abstract: Israel–Somaliland relations refers to the relationship between the Republic of Somaliland and the State of Israel. The two countries have no formal diplomatic relations.

text:
# Israel–Somaliland relations

**Israel–Somaliland relations** refers to the relationship between the Republic of Somaliland and the State of Israel. The two countries have no formal diplomatic relations.

## History

Israel was one of 35 countries that recognised Somaliland's brief independence in 1960. In February 2010, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yigal Palmor was quoted in the Haaretz Daily that his government was ready to recognise Somaliland again. Although, he stated that the Somaliland government has not contacted the Israeli government to seek ties.

In 1995, former President Egal of Somaliland also wrote a letter to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin seeking to establish diplomatic ties between the two countries. In September 2001, it was also reported Somaliland was looking towards Jerusalem after Saudi Arabia banned imports of livestock from the country due to Rift Valley fever. During this time several Israeli businessmen were also in the nation's capital Hargeisa. However, President Kahin who succeeded Egal is reported to have avoided approaching Israel to prevent straining fragile relations with the Arabs and Muslim world, which it heavily relies on its livestock trade. In August 2020, Somaliland expressed its support for the Israel–United Arab Emirates normalization agreement.

## InfoBox

Israel-Somaliland relations
|  | |
| --- | --- |
|  | |
|  |  |
|
Somaliland |
Israel |
|  | |


title: Weeville

abstract: Weeville is an album by New Zealand band Tall Dwarfs, released in 1990. It was the band's first album, after almost a decade of EP-only releases. The album was reissued, along with Fork Songs, in 2005 by Cloud Recordings. The band toured the United States to promote the reissue.

text:
# Weeville

***Weeville*** is an album by New Zealand band Tall Dwarfs, released in 1990. It was the band's first album, after almost a decade of EP-only releases.

The album was reissued, along with *Fork Songs*, in 2005 by Cloud Recordings. The band toured the United States to promote the reissue.

## Production

The album was made possible by a grant from the New Zealand Arts Council.

## Critical reception

Professional ratings
| Review scores | |
| --- | --- |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  |
| *The Encyclopedia of Popular Music* |  |
| *MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide* |  |
| *Philadelphia Weekly* | A |
| *Pitchfork* | 7.0/10 |
| *Spin Alternative Record Guide* | 9/10 |
| *Winnipeg Sun* |  |

*Trouser Press* called the album "unpretentious but insidiously great." *Exclaim!* wrote that "the songs that endure are acoustically strummed with simple arrangements." The *Chicago Tribune* labeled it "a *Sgt. Pepper* of low-tech innovation." *Philadelphia Weekly* noted that "*Weeville* also underscores just how profoundly the Kiwi scene affected America's Elephant 6 collective, which took that affinity for pretty/ugly experimentation to dizzying heights." The *Winnipeg Sun* deemed the band "lo-fi psych-pop pioneers."

## Track listing

1. "Lag"
2. "What More"
3. "Breath"
4. "Skin of My Teeth"
5. "Crawl"
6. "Sign the Dotted Line"
7. "Pirouette"
8. "Lucky"
9. "Bodies"
10. "Mr. Broccoli"
11. "Lie"
12. "The Winner"
13. "Rorschach"
14. "Tip of My Tongue"
15. "Ozone"
16. "Hallelujah Boy"

## InfoBox

| Weeville | |
| --- | --- |
|  | |
| Studio album by Tall Dwarfs | |
| Released | 1990 |
| Genre | Indie pop, indie rock, lo-fi |
| Length | 46:14 |
| Label | Flying Nun
Homestead Records |
| Tall Dwarfs chronology | |
| *Hello Cruel World*
(1986) ***Weeville***
(1990) *Fork Songs*
(1991) | |


title: Thomas Haycraft

abstract: Sir Thomas Wagstaffe Haycraft was an English barrister of the British Colonial Service. Haycraft served as Chief Justice of Grenada from 1916 to 1921 and Chief Justice of Palestine from 1921 to 1927. In the latter role, he headed the Haycraft Commission of Inquiry which looked into the causes of the Jaffa Riots.

text:
# Thomas Haycraft

**Sir Thomas Wagstaffe Haycraft** (5 October 1858 – 16 July 1936) was an English barrister of the British Colonial Service. Haycraft served as Chief Justice of Grenada from 1916 to 1921 and Chief Justice of Palestine from 1921 to 1927. In the latter role, he headed the Haycraft Commission of Inquiry which looked into the causes of the Jaffa Riots.

## Life and career

Haycraft was born in Islington, London, the son of actuary John Berry Haycraft (1832–1862) and his wife, Mary Wyatt Candler. John Berry Haycraft was his older brother. He was educated at St. John's College, Oxford, and in 1885 was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple.

He practised on the South Eastern Circuit and served as an arbitrator on the London Chamber of Arbitration and as an examiner of the High Court. In 1899, he was appointed President of the District Court of Larnaca. After 12 years in Cyprus, he was transferred as Police Magistrate to Gibraltar, before being transferred again in 1913 to be a Puisne Judge in Mauritius. In 1916, he was promoted to Chief Justice of Grenada. In 1921, he went to Palestine to serve as the first British Chief Justice of Palestine. He retired in 1927 and died in Surrey in 1936.

In 1891, he married Pauline Richard, daughter of Captain Paul Richard of the French Imperial Guard. They had one son, Brigadier Thomas Wagstaffe Richard Haycraft.

## InfoBox

| Sir Thomas Haycraft | |
| --- | --- |
|  | |
| Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Palestine | |
| **In office**
1921 (1921)–1927 (1927) | |
| Succeeded by | Michael McDonnell |
| Chief Justice of Grenada | |
| **In office**
1916 (1916)–1921 (1921) | |
| Preceded by | F. Hardyman Parker |
| Succeeded by | George O'Donnell Walton |
|  | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Thomas Wagstaffe Haycraft
(1858-10-05)5 October 1858
Islington, London, England |
| Died | 16 July 1936(1936-07-16) (aged 77)
Surrey, England |
| Spouse | Pauline Richard (m. 1891) |
| Relations | John Berry Haycraft (brother) |
| Children | 1 |
| Occupation | Barrister |
|  | |


title: Italy–Sri Lanka relations

abstract: Italy-Sri Lanka relations are the bilateral relations between Italy and Sri Lanka. Italy has an embassy in Colombo. Sri Lanka has an embassy in Rome.

text:
# Italy–Sri Lanka relations

**Italy-Sri Lanka relations** are the bilateral relations between Italy and Sri Lanka. Italy has an embassy in Colombo. Sri Lanka has an embassy in Rome.

## Economic relations

Italy is the fifth most important export market for Sri Lanka. In 2024, the value of Italian imported goods from Sri Lanka was 623 million euros.

## Diaspora

There are about 100,000 Sri Lankans in Italy, making them the second largest Sri Lankan community in Europe, while there are about 5,000 Italians in Sri Lanka, making them the largest European community in Sri Lanka.

## InfoBox

Italian–Sri Lankan relations
|  | |
| --- | --- |
|  | |
|  |  |
|
Italy |
Sri Lanka |
|  | |


title: Walter Holscher

abstract: Walter Holscher was a German-born American art director. He was nominated for two Academy Awards in the category Best Art Direction.

text:
# Walter Holscher

**Walter Holscher** (January 23, 1901  August 7, 1973) was a German-born American art director. He was nominated for two Academy Awards in the category Best Art Direction.

## Selected filmography

## Awards

Holscher was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Art Direction:

## InfoBox

| Walter Holscher | |
| --- | --- |
| Born | (1901-01-23)January 23, 1901 |
| Died | August 7, 1973(1973-08-07) (aged 72)<br>Los Angeles, California |
| Occupation | Art director |
| Years active | 1942-1965 |


title: Operation Big

abstract: Operation Big was an operation of the Alsos Mission, the Allied seizure of facilities, materiel, and personnel related to the German nuclear weapon project during World War II. It was tasked with sweeping several targeted towns in the area of southwest Germany designated to the French First Army, including Hechingen, Bisingen, Haigerloch, and Tailfingen. Operating behind German lines the U.S. task force successfully carried out its mission of seizing or destroying all project related assets and capturing its top scientists in the last week of April and first week of May, 1945.

text:
# Operation Big

**Operation Big** was an operation of the Alsos Mission, the Allied seizure of facilities, materiel, and personnel related to the German nuclear weapon project during World War II. It was tasked with sweeping several targeted towns in the area of southwest Germany designated to the French First Army, including Hechingen, Bisingen, Haigerloch, and Tailfingen.

Operating behind German lines the U.S. task force successfully carried out its mission of seizing or destroying all project related assets and capturing its top scientists in the last week of April and first week of May, 1945.

## History

Shortly after the liberation of Paris it was decided to bomb German nuclear facilities wherever they lay in order to deprive the Soviet Union of their technology and personnel, unless American troops could get to them first. Worried that French forces might beat the US to Werner Heisenberg's laboratory in Hechingen, Alsos chief Lt-Col Boris Pash hastily organized a flying column of combat engineers from the 1269th Engineer Combat Battalion, the U.S. Sixth Army Group's T-Force intelligence assault force ("Task Force A"). His team reached Horb three days later and headed for Haigerloch while the French forward troops occupied themselves with looking for members of the Vichy Government twenty miles deeper into Württemberg in the Sigmaringen enclave.

Pash and his engineers, accompanied by the Sixth Army Group's Chief of Intelligence, General Eugene Harrison, overran Haigerloch on 23 April 1945.

> Here the elated scientists made their first big discovery. As the engineer troops consolidated the group’s position in the town, the ALSOS team shot open a bolted door sealing the entrance to a cave in the side of a cliff. Inside, the team found a large chamber and several smaller rooms crammed with instruments, control boxes, and an array of cylinders described by a frightened German technician as a uranium machine. Though missing its uranium element, the device was an operating atomic pile, captured undamaged.

With help from engineers, the scientists spent two days dismantling the equipment. Three large drums of heavy water, used to control the reaction in the pile, were later found in the laboratory's main chamber and a German scientist told Pash that the reactor's uranium cubes had been concealed beneath hay in a nearby barn.

The task force then proceeded to Hechingen where they found and detained Erich Bagge, Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker, Max von Laue, and Karl Wirtz, then went on to Tailfingen where they arrested Otto Hahn. Heisenberg, who had left Hechingen on 19 April, was captured by Pash and a small force at his home in Urfeld am Walchensee, on 3 May 1945.

**Footnotes**

1. There appears to be some overlap or confusion with Operation Harborage, as the same cities are targeted and same basic narratives attached
2. Note there are detailed alternative accounts of what and whom was found where, including: Beck, Alfred M, et al, *United States Army in World War II: The Technical Services – The Corps of Engineers: The War Against Germany*, 1985 Chapter 24, *Into the Heart of Germany*, p. 556-559 and Atomic Heritage Foundation:The Alsos Mission


title: Night Sports

abstract: Night Sports is the fifth studio album by American electronic music duo 3OH!3. The album is their first album released under Fueled By Ramen, where the band signed in February 2016. The album was released on May 13, 2016.

text:
# Night Sports

Professional ratings
| Review scores | |
| --- | --- |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |  |
| *Renowned for Sound* |  |
| Sound Fiction |  |

***Night Sports*** is the fifth studio album by American electronic music duo 3OH!3. The album is their first album released under Fueled By Ramen, where the band signed in February 2016. The album was released on May 13, 2016.

## Singles

The first single released from the album was "My Dick", which was surprise released on December 4, 2015. The music video for the single was premiered on the same day, and it was directed by Tony Yacenda. "Mad at You" was released on March 4, 2016 to iTunes, alongside the pre-order for the album. The music video, directed by Isaac Ravishankara, was released the same day. On March 17, 3OH!3 announced a remix contest for the song where the winner would have their remix reposted on Fueled by Ramen's SoundCloud account, shared on the band's Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well as it being uploaded to the band's YouTube channel. The contest ended on April 20, with Wagner Koop being announced as the winner.

"BASMF" was released as single on March 18, 2016. The music video was released the same day. "Hear Me Now", which was released on April 15, 2016. The music video for the song was released on May 12, 2016. The fifth and final single for the album was "Freak Your Mind", which was released on May 6, 2016.

## Track listing

All songs produced by 3OH!3.

*Night Sports*
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1. | "Fire in the Heavens" | 3OH!3 | 2:22 |
| 2. | "Hear Me Now" | * 3OH!3 * Khris Lorenz * Marshall Gallagher | 3:22 |
| 3. | "Mad at You" |  | 3:23 |
| 4. | "Freak Your Mind" | 3OH!3 | 3:48 |
| 5. | "Give Me Something to Remember" | 3OH!3 | 3:38 |
| 6. | "7-11" | 3OH!3 | 3:18 |
| 7. | "BASMF" | 3OH!3 | 2:55 |
| 8. | "My Dick" |  | 3:23 |
| 9. | "Inside Boy (Yep)" | 3OH!3 | 3:07 |
| 10. | "Claustrophobia" | 3OH!3 | 3:26 |
| 11. | "Hologram" | 3OH!3 | 5:16 |
| Total length: | | | 37:58 |

## Charts

| Chart (2016) | Peak
position |
| --- | --- |
| US *Billboard* 200 | 170 |
|

## InfoBox

| Night Sports | |
| --- | --- |
|  | |
| Studio album by 3OH!3 | |
| Released | May 13, 2016 (2016-05-13) |
| Genre |  |
| Length | 37:58 |
| Label |  |
| Producer | 3OH!3 |
| 3OH!3 chronology | |
| *Omens*
(2013) ***Night Sports***
(2016) *Need*
(2021) | |
|  | |
| Singles from  *Night Sports* | |
| 1. "My Dick"
Released: December 4, 2015 2. "Mad at You"
Released: March 4, 2016 3. "BASMF"
Released: March 18, 2016 4. "Hear Me Now"
Released: April 15, 2016 5. "Freak Your Mind"
Released: May 6, 2016 | |
|  | |


title: Gordon O'Connor

abstract: Gordon James O'Connor, is a retired brigadier-general, businessman, and lobbyist, who served as Conservative Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2015. He served as Minister of National Defence (2006-2007) and then Minister of National Revenue (2007-2008) in the cabinet of Stephen Harper. O'Connor was one of the few defence ministers to have served in the military, the most recent prior to O'Connor being Gilles Lamontagne. In 2008 he was demoted to Minister of State and Chief Government Whip and then dropped from cabinet entirely in 2013 and did not run for re-election in 2015.

text:
# Gordon O'Connor

**Gordon James O'Connor**, PC OMM CD (born May 18, 1939) is a retired brigadier-general, businessman, and lobbyist, who served as Conservative Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2015.

He served as Minister of National Defence (2006-2007) and then Minister of National Revenue (2007-2008) in the cabinet of Stephen Harper. O'Connor was one of the few defence ministers to have served in the military, the most recent prior to O'Connor being Gilles Lamontagne. In 2008 he was demoted to Minister of State and Chief Government Whip and then dropped from cabinet entirely in 2013 and did not run for re-election in 2015.

## Early life and family

Born in Toronto, Ontario, he has a B.Sc. in Mathematics and Physics from Concordia University (Montreal) and a BA in Philosophy from York University.

O'Connor is married and has two children. He resides in the Ottawa suburb of Kanata, Ontario, where he has lived for over 25 years.

## Military career

He served over 30 years in the Canadian Army, starting as a second lieutenant in the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps and retired at the rank of brigadier-general.

O'Connor then entered the private sector as Vice-President of Business Development for a large facility management firm, and Vice-President of Operations for a vehicle testing centre. He was a Senior Associate with Hill & Knowlton Canada, a worldwide public relations, public affairs and strategic communications company. O'Connor has also been a lobbyist for several defence companies. These companies include: BAE Systems (1996 to 2004), General Dynamics (1996 to 2001), Atlas Elektronik GmbH (1999 to 2004), and Airbus Military (2001 to 2004).

## Parliamentary career

He was elected in the 2004 elections as a Conservative candidate in the Ottawa riding of Carleton—Mississippi Mills with slightly more than 50% of the vote. After winning he became Defence Critic for the Official Opposition. His vote share increased in the 2006 election and again in the 2008 election. He is an honorary member of the Royal Military College of Canada Club, S157.

O'Connor was initially expected to contest Kanata—Carleton, essentially the Ottawa portion of his old riding, in the 2015 election. However, on May 20, 2014, O'Connor announced he would retire after the next election. According to his office manager, John Aris, O'Connor simply decided it was time to leave politics.

### Cabinet selection

Though somewhat muted by the higher profile issues in the naming of David Emerson and Michael Fortier to the cabinet, the posting of O'Connor to the position of Minister of National Defence by Prime Minister Harper was met with controversy. Harkening back to ethics and accountability issues including a promised crackdown on lobbying and reforms to lobbying legislation that Harper raised during the 2006 federal election, O'Connor's employment as a lobbyist for several major defence industry companies including some of the world's largest military contractors, such as General Dynamics, BAE Systems and Airbus as recently as 2004 was seen by many as peculiar. Some feared that with the posting the minister would often be dealing with the very companies for whom he advised and assisted in soliciting defence contracts; seemingly putting him in constant peril of conflict-of-interest issues. However, the aim of the Accountability Act is to prevent people from moving from government to lobbying, and not the opposite as was the case with O'Connor (at least not this time, although in the past he went from Brigadier General in the Canadian Forces to lobbyist).

There were potential conflict-of-interest issues early in his term, as one of the first major issues the Conservatives pledged they would sort out was the replacement of the Forces' 'tactical airlift' fleet. One of the most prominent companies bidding for the contract to replace the present fleet of C-130 Hercules Turboprops is Airbus S.A.S. for whom O'Connor worked as a lobbyist until February 2004, lobbying the former Liberal government to purchase the airplane that would become the Airbus A400M for its tactical airlift fleet.

### Minister of National Defence

Within months of Gordon O'Connor becoming Minister of National Defence, the Canadian Government announced the purchase of 4 C-17 Globemaster IIIs, manufactured by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems for $3.4 billion, 16 CH-47 Chinook medium lift helicopters, also from Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, for $4.7 billion, 17 C-130Js from Lockheed Martin for $4.9 billion, 2300 Medium-Sized Logistics Trucks for $1.1 billion, and $2.9 billion for 3 Joint Support Ships, for a total of $17 billion.

O'Connor announced on May 30, 2006, that the Canadian Forces would be restricting usage of the Mercedes G-Wagon to on-base operations only, after a number of Canadian soldiers were killed while travelling in the lightly armoured vehicle. However, three months later it was revealed that no such order was ever given, and the controversial vehicles were still being used in combat operations.

In a major cabinet shuffle on August 14, 2007, Prime Minister Harper moved O'Connor to the position of Minister of National Revenue, replacing him in the defence portfolio with former Foreign Minister Peter MacKay.

## Controversies

### Afghanistan

In May 2005, Canada's practice of transferring persons detained by the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan to units of the Afghan police came under question when some prisoners said they were beaten and abused. O'Connor told Parliament that the International Committee of the Red Cross: "The Red Cross or the Red Crescent is responsible to supervise their treatment once the prisoners are in the hands of the Afghan authorities. If there is something wrong with their treatment, the Red Cross or Red Crescent would inform us and we would take action."

This statement was later denied by the ICRC, which stated that it was "informed of the agreement, but ... not a party to it and ... not monitoring the implementation of it." The ICRC also advised that, in accordance with its normal operating procedure, it would not notify any foreign government (Canada included) of abuse found in Afghan prisons.

On March 13, O'Connor travelled to Kandahar to meet with Abdul Noorzai of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, "look the man in the eyes", and gain assurances that detainees were being supervised.

O'Connor subsequently acknowledged in an official release that his statement in Parliament was not true, and that the ICRC was not monitoring detainees and not informing Canada as he claimed.

Additional controversy was generated in the week of April 23 when *The Globe and Mail* reported that 30 Afghan men formerly under Canadian custody alleged they had been tortured by their Afghan captors. Two days later, another *Globe* story ran on a government report from which "negative references to acts such as torture, abuse, and extra judicial killings were blacked out without an explanation." The difficulties faced by O'Connor were exacerbated after various government ministers and Stephen Harper himself gave apparently conflicting testimony on the existence and nature of the agreement with Afghan forces to supervise detainees.

Following these revelations, the opposition parties unanimously demanded O'Connor's resignation; a demand echoed by some press commentators such as Andrew Coyne. Stephen Harper resisted calls for O'Connor's dismissal.

O'Connor also faced criticism for remarks that Canada was in Afghanistan as an act of retribution for 9/11.

### Letter to Donald Rumsfeld

In December 2006, O'Connor wrote to outgoing United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld praising his "vision", "many achievements", and "significant contribution", adding: "Here we have been privileged to benefit from your leadership" in "the campaign against terror." Some critics argued the letter was excessively flattering and went beyond the demands of courtesy.

### Forgiving tax bills

As Minister of National Revenue, O'Connor issued a remission order forgiving the tax bills of 35 former SDL Optics Inc. employees. The employees had used stock options to buy shares in their company for a fraction of their market value. The options were taxable and the shareholders owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes.

O'Connor's order was made against the advice of Canada Revenue Agency commissioner William Baker. Tax professionals called it favouritism and "purely political." Most of the affected employees lived in the riding of fellow Conservative Cabinet Minister Gary Lunn.

## InfoBox

| Brigadier-General the HonourableGordon O'ConnorPC OMM CD | |
| --- | --- |
|  | |
|  | |
| Minister of State
Chief Government Whip | |
| **In office**
October 30, 2008  July 15, 2013 | |
| Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
| Preceded by | Jay Hill |
| Succeeded by | John Duncan |
| Minister of National Revenue | |
| **In office**
August 14, 2007  October 29, 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
| Preceded by | Carol Skelton |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Pierre Blackburn |
| Minister of National Defence | |
| **In office**
February 6, 2006  August 14, 2007 | |
| Prime Minister | Stephen Harper |
| Preceded by | Bill Graham |
| Succeeded by | Peter MacKay |
| Member of Parliament
for Carleton—Mississippi Mills | |
| **In office**
June 28, 2004  August 4, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Scott Reid |
| Succeeded by | Karen McCrimmon |
|  | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1939-05-18) May 18, 1939
Toronto, Ontario |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Carol O'Connor |
| Residence(s) | Ottawa, Ontario |
| Profession | Soldier, defence consultant |
| Portfolio | Minister of State
Chief Government Whip |
| Awards |  |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | Canadian Army |
| Years of service | 1964-1994 |
| Rank | Brigadier general |
| Unit | Royal Canadian Dragoons |
|  | |


title: Rare Disease Day

abstract: Rare Disease Day is an observance held on the last day of February to raise awareness for rare diseases and improve access to treatment and medical representation for individuals with rare diseases and their families. The date is chosen because in leap years it is February 29, the rarest date. The European Organisation for Rare Diseases established the day in 2008 to raise awareness for unknown or overlooked illnesses. According to that organization, treatment for many rare diseases is insufficient, as are the social networks to support individuals with rare diseases and their families; furthermore, while there were already numerous days dedicated to individuals with specific diseases, there had previously not been a day for representing those affected by rare diseases. In 2009, Rare Disease Day went global as the National Organization for Rare Disorders mobilized 200 rare disease patient advocacy organizations in the United States while organizations in China, Australia, Taiwan, and Latin America also lead efforts in their respective countries to coordinate activities and promote the day.

text:
# Rare Disease Day

**Rare Disease Day** is an observance held on the last day of February to raise awareness for rare diseases and improve access to treatment and medical representation for individuals with rare diseases and their families. The date is chosen because in leap years it is February 29, the rarest date. The European Organisation for Rare Diseases established the day in 2008 to raise awareness for unknown or overlooked illnesses. According to that organization, treatment for many rare diseases is insufficient, as are the social networks to support individuals with rare diseases and their families; furthermore, while there were already numerous days dedicated to individuals with specific diseases (such as AIDS, cancer, etc.), there had previously not been a day for representing those affected by rare diseases. In 2009, Rare Disease Day went global as the National Organization for Rare Disorders mobilized 200 rare disease patient advocacy organizations in the United States while organizations in China, Australia, Taiwan, and Latin America also lead efforts in their respective countries to coordinate activities and promote the day.

## History

The first Rare Disease Day was coordinated by the European Organisation for Rare Diseases (EURORDIS) and held on February 29, 2008, in numerous European nations and in Canada through the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders. The date was chosen because February 29 is a "rare day," and 2008 was the 25th anniversary of the passing of the Orphan Drug Act in the United States.

Individuals observing Rare Disease Day took part in walks and press conferences to raise public awareness of rare diseases, organized fundraisers, and wrote en masse to government representatives; health-related non-profit organizations across numerous countries also held events, gatherings, and campaigns. The day also included an open session of the European Parliament specifically dedicated to discussing policy issues relating to rare diseases. The days leading up to Rare Disease Day included other policy-related events in numerous locations, such as a reception in the British Parliament where policymakers met with individuals with rare diseases to discuss issues such as "equal access and availability of prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation."

In 2009, Rare Disease Day was observed for the first time in Panama, Colombia, Argentina, Australia, Serbia, Russia, the People's Republic of China, and the United States. In the United States, the National Organization for Rare Disorders signed on to coordinate Rare Disease Day and collaborated with The Discovery Channel and the show *Mystery Diagnosis*, as well about 180 other partners, to organize activities across the country for the observance of Rare Disease Day. Several United States state governments issued proclamations regarding Rare Disease Day. In Europe, over 600 patient advocacy and support organizations, again coordinated by EURORDIS, also planned events.

In 2010, 46 countries participated. Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Georgia, and three African countries joined the event for the first time. In 2011, 46 countries participated in the event. By 2012, thousands of patient advocacy organizations had gotten involved, including more than 600 partners working with NORD in the US to promote Rare Disease Day.

By 2014, 84 countries were participating, with over four hundred events worldwide. Nine new countries participated in 2014; Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, Guinea, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Oman, and Paraguay. In 2018, Cape Verde, Ghana, Syria, Togo, and Trinidad and Tobago participated for the first time, with 80 nations participating in that year's events.

## InfoBox

| Rare Disease Day | |
| --- | --- |
|  | |
| Observances | Awareness of rare diseases |
| Date | Last day of February |
| 2023 date | February 28 |
| 2024 date | February 29 |
| 2025 date | February 28 |
| 2026 date | February 28 |
| Frequency | Annual |


title: It Goes Like This (song)

abstract: "It Goes Like This" is a song recorded by American country music singer Thomas Rhett. It was released in May 2013 as the third single from his debut album, It Goes Like This. The song was written by Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, and Jimmy Robbins.

text:
# It Goes Like This (song)

"**It Goes Like This**" is a song recorded by American country music singer Thomas Rhett. It was released in May 2013 as the third single from his debut album, *It Goes Like This*. The song was written by Rhett Akins (Thomas' father), Ben Hayslip, and Jimmy Robbins.

## Critical reception

Billy Dukes of *Taste of Country* gave the song three and a half stars out of five, writing that "the charismatic songwriter is a natural storyteller, and his lyrics bounce to life with each verse and chorus." Giving it 4 out of 5 stars, Bobby Peacock of *Roughstock* described the song's premise as "interesting" and said that "Rhett's lightly grained, casual, friendly delivery brings to mind the rough-edged charm of Kip Moore."

## Music video

The music video was directed by TK McKamy and premiered in June 2013.

## Chart and sales performance

"It Goes Like This" debuted at number 43 on the U.S. *Billboard* Country Airplay chart for the week of May 11, 2013. It also debuted at number 28 on the U.S. *Billboard* Hot Country Songs chart for the week of June 1, 2013. It also debuted at number 96 on the U.S. *Billboard* Hot 100 chart for the week of June 29, 2013. It also debuted at number 92 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart for the week of July 27, 2013. The song has sold 1,287,000 copies in the United States as of April 2014.

## Charts and certifications

## InfoBox

| "It Goes Like This" | |
| --- | --- |
|  | |
| Single by Thomas Rhett | |
| from the album  *It Goes Like This* | |
| Released | May 6, 2013 (2013-05-06) |
| Recorded | 2013 |
| Genre | Country |
| Length | 3:06 |
| Label | Valory |
| Songwriter(s) |  |
| Producer(s) | Michael Knox |
| Thomas Rhett singles chronology | |
| "Beer with Jesus"
(2012) "**It Goes Like This**"
(2013) "Get Me Some of That"
(2013) | |


abstract: The National Institute of Technology was a Norwegian government agency and research institute that existed from 1917 to 1988, and that was active in technological research and innovation. It was established by the Storting (Parliament) on 6 May 1916, aimed at helping smaller industry and enterprises, and was headquartered in Oslo. In 1988 the government agency was dissolved and its activities were partially transferred to a private foundation, Teknologisk Institutt (TI). The foundation became a limited company in 2002, and was sold to Kiwa NV in 2015. The institute had around 250 employees. It should not be confused with the Norwegian Institute of Technology.

text:
# National Institute of Technology (Norway)

The **National Institute of Technology** (Norwegian: *Statens teknologiske institutt*; STI) was a Norwegian government agency and research institute that existed from 1917 to 1988, and that was active in technological research and innovation. It was established by the Storting (Parliament) on 6 May 1916, aimed at helping smaller industry and enterprises, and was headquartered in Oslo. In 1988 the government agency was dissolved and its activities were partially transferred to a private foundation, *Teknologisk Institutt* (TI). The foundation became a limited company in 2002, and was sold to Kiwa NV in 2015. The institute had around 250 employees.

It should not be confused with the Norwegian Institute of Technology.


title: Walter Hook

abstract: Walter Farquhar Hook, known to his contemporaries as Dr Hook, was an eminent Victorian churchman. He was the Vicar of Leeds responsible for the construction of the current Leeds Minster and for many ecclesiastical and social improvements to the city in the mid-nineteenth century. His achievements, as a High Churchman and Tractarian in a non-conformist city are remarkable. Later in life, he became Dean of Chichester.

text:
# Walter Hook

**Walter Farquhar Hook** (13 March 1798 – 20 October 1875), known to his contemporaries as **Dr Hook**, was an eminent Victorian churchman.

He was the Vicar of Leeds responsible for the construction of the current Leeds Minster and for many ecclesiastical and social improvements to the city in the mid-nineteenth century. His achievements, as a High Churchman and Tractarian in a non-conformist city are remarkable. Later in life, he became Dean of Chichester.

## Biography

### Early life

Hook was born the son of James Hook, FRS and his wife Anne Farquhar, daughter of Sir Walter Farquhar MD, in London on 13 March 1798, and educated first at Blundell's School in Tiverton, Devon, then Winchester College, and Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated in 1821. He obtained his MA in 1824, and his BD and DD in 1837. On taking Holy Orders in 1822, he served first as a curate at his father's church, St Mildred's Church, Whippingham on the Isle of Wight, later as vicar at St Mary's Church, Moseley, Birmingham, and, in 1828, vicar of the Holy Trinity Church, Coventry. He married Anna Delicia, (1811  5 April 1871) daughter of Dr John Johnstone of Birmingham on 4 June 1829 and they had several children. One daughter, Charlotte Jane Hook, married William Stephens, who went on to be Dean on Winchester from 1895 to 1902.

### Leeds

His support for the ideals of the Tractarians exposed him to considerable criticism, but his "simple manly character and zealous devotion to parochial work gained him the support of widely divergent classes", according to the 1911 *Encyclopædia Britannica*.

Leeds invited him to be its Vicar in 1837. The city was expanding as one of the seats of the early Industrial Revolution, in which non-conformists played a large part. The established church in the city was a minority denomination and dissenters were even elected as churchwardens. In 1842 the elections produced a slate of Chartist churchwardens.

Hook rebuilt his church, using the church rate levied by the city authorities; this was in the face of objections from non-conformists. He went on to drive through the division of Leeds into 21 parishes, each with its own church. He accepted a reduction in his income and moved to a smaller parsonage, under a deal meaning that ground-floor seats of parish churches in Leeds were bought by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, rather than allowing pew rentals

Hook fostered the building and support of some 30 schools. His interest in the education of children was contentious at the time, before the Education Acts of the late nineteenth century. His insistence on the necessity of education, and the duty of society to provide it, to some extent, was not what some of his richest parishioners believed.

The minster remains as a physical legacy of Hook's work, being a significant early High Church Gothic revival design.

### Chichester

Hook left Leeds to take up the Deanery of Chichester in 1859. He was appointed honorary chaplain of the Chichester-based 1st Administrative Battalion, Sussex Rifle Volunteer Corps, on 13 August 1864. He died 20 October 1875 and was buried in Mid Lavant, a small village near Chichester.

## Honours

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1862 as someone "Eminent as a Divine. Author of the Lives of the Archbishops of Canterbury, of The Ecclesiastical Biography, Church Dictionary & several other works."

A memorial to Hook was built in the Leeds Parish Church, and in 1903 a statue was erected to him in City Square, in the company of a select few other leading fathers of the city. What is now All Souls' Church, Blackman Lane in Leeds was built by public subscription as the Hook Memorial.

His son in law William Stephens dedicated his 1896 book *Memorials of the South Saxon See and Cathedral Church of Winchester* to his memory.

## Writings

* 1842: *Church Dictionary* (often reprinted)
* 1845: *Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Biography*. 8 vols. 1845–1852
* 1860: *Lives of the Archbishops of Canterbury*. 12 vols. 1860–1876

## Sources

* *Leodis: Leeds*
* Stephens, W. R. W. (1878) *The Life and Letters of Walter Farquhar Hook*. 2 vols. London: Richard Bentley & Son
* Obituary of Dean Hook, *The Times*, Thursday, 21 October 1875; p. 8; Issue 28452; col F

## Further reading

* Stranks, C. J. (1954) *Dean Hook*. London: A. R. Mowbray
* Harry Dalton Anglican Resurgence under W.F.Hook in Early Victorian Leeds ISBN 0-900741-60-0


title: Orbit (horse)

abstract: Orbit was a Thoroughbred racehorse. He was trained at Kingsclere by John Porter for the 1st Duke of Westminster. As a three-year-old he won the Eclipse Stakes.

text:
# Orbit (horse)

**Orbit** (foaled 1885) was a Thoroughbred racehorse. He was trained at Kingsclere by John Porter for the 1st Duke of Westminster. As a three-year-old he won the Eclipse Stakes.

## Breeding

Orbit was the son of Epsom Derby and Champion Stakes winner Bend Or. His dam was Fair Alice, a daughter of July Stakes winner Cambuscan.

## Racing career

Orbit won three races as a two-year-old; the Criterion Nursery Handicap at Newmarket, the Kempton Park Champion Nursery Handicap and the Daveridge Stakes. Orbit started his three-year-old career by winning the Craven Stakes at Newmarket by ¾ length from Cotillon. His next race came in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. Friar's Balsam started as the 1/3 favourite for the race, with Ayrshire at 100/12 and Orbit at 100/8. Orbit ran on well in the closing stages to finish in third place. Ayrshire won the race by two lengths from Johnny Morgan, who was a head in front of Orbit. After winning the 2000 Guineas win Ayrshire started as the 5/6 favourite for The Derby and Orbit was second favourite at 11/2. Orbit could only finish in fifth place, over seven lengths behind winner Ayrshire. He then finished second in the Triennial Stakes at Ascot. Orbit started as the 9/4 favourite for the Eclipse Stakes and in the final 100 yards of the race Orbit gradually edged away from stablemate Ossory and beat him by a length.

## Stud career

After retiring from racing Orbit was exported to Argentina to stand at stud. He was a successful stallion there and his progeny included Olascoaga and Old Man, who won 18 of his 19 races. Such was his success at stud he was given the nickname "Stockwell Sudamericano" meaning "South American Stockwell" and referring to the British sire Stockwell.

## Pedigree

Pedigree of Orbit, chestnut stallion, 1885
| Sire
Bend Or
ch. 1877 | Doncaster
ch. 1870 | Stockwell
ch. 1849 | The Baron |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | | Pocahontas |
| | Marigold
ch. 1860 | Teddington |
| | *Ratan mare* |
| | Rouge Rose
ch. 1865 | Thormanby
ch. 1857 | Windhound |
| | | Alice Hawthorn\* |
| | Ellen Horne
br. 1844 | Redshank |
| | Delhi |
| Dam
Fair Alice
br. 1873 | Cambuscan
ch. 1861 | Newminster
b. 1848 | Touchstone |
| | | Beeswing |
| | The Arrow
b. 1850 | Slane |
| | Southdown |
| | Young Alice
b. 1865 | Young Melbourne
br. 1855 | Melbourne |
| | | Clarissa |
| | Sweet Hawthorn
br. 1858 | Sweetmeat |
| | Alice Hawthorn\* |

*Note: b. = Bay, br. = Brown, ch. = Chestnut*

* Orbit was inbred 4x4 to Alice Hawthorn. This means that the mare appears twice in the fourth generation of his pedigree.

## InfoBox

| Orbit | |
| --- | --- |
| Racing silks of the Duke of Westminster | |
| Sire | Bend Or |
| Grandsire | Doncaster |
| Dam | Fair Alice |
| Damsire | Cambuscan |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1885 |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Owner | 1st Duke of Westminster |
| Trainer | John Porter |
| Record | 6 wins |
| Earnings | £12,679 |
| Major wins | |
| Craven Stakes (1888)
Eclipse Stakes (1888) | |


title: Gordon Olive

abstract: Charles Gordon Chaloner Olive, was an Australian air force officer and company manager.

text:
# Gordon Olive

**Charles Gordon Chaloner Olive**, CBE, DFC (3 July 1916 – 20 October 1987) was an Australian air force officer and company manager.

## Early life and career

Olive was born at Paddington in Brisbane to New Zealand-born clerk Hugh Chaloner Olive and Lucinda Maud, *née* Exley. After attending Brisbane Grammar School and, briefly, the University of Queensland, he enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force as a cadet in January 1936, studying at Point Cook in Victoria. He became a pilot in December 1936 and in January 1937 went to England on a commission with the Royal Air Force. He served as a pilot officer with the No. 2 Flying Training School, and on 22 May 1937 was transferred to the No. 65 Squadron's Hornchurch Wing. Promoted flying officer on 19 August 1938, he became a flight commander at the outbreak of the Second World War.

## Second World War

Olive piloted a Spitfire on 193 sorties over three tours of duty between September 1939 and March 1941, and was slightly wounded while patrolling during the Dunkirk evacuation. He destroyed at least five enemy aircraft during the Battle of Britain and on 19 August 1940 was promoted flight lieutenant, winning the Distinguished Flying Cross on 24 September.

He married Helen Mary Thomas on 22 June 1940 at Kensington in London; she went to Australia in 1943, one of the first English war brides to do so, but died in 1946.

Olive shot down his sixth enemy aircraft in December 1940, and in June 1941 was appointed to command the No. 456 Squadron, Australia's first and only night-fighter squadron. He was promoted squadron leader on 18 January 1942 but was forced off active service due to ill health in March. In June 1943 he joined the Royal Australian Air Force officially, but he remained attached to the RAF.

In October 1943 he returned to Australia and in February 1944 joined RAAF Command, becoming acting wing commander on 1 April. On 29 December he took over command of No. 101 Fighter Control Unit, moving to Air Defence Headquarters in Sydney in January 1944.

From 16 July 1945 he was posted to Air Defence Headquarters in Morotai, Indonesia, and he was demobilised and transferred to the Reserve on 7 March 1946. He was state commandant of the Air Training Corps from 1948.

## Business executive and politics

Olive became an executive with Rheem Australia Ltd and later Boral, and also completed several wartime paintings. After the death of his first wife, he married Beryl Gwendoline North on 17 April 1948. He ran for the seat of Brisbane as a Services Party candidate in the 1946 federal election, without success. He was honorary aide-de-camp to the Queen in 1961 and stood for the seat of Petrie as a Country Party candidate in 1972. He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1967 and Commander in 1978, before retiring in 1981.

He died at Boonah in 1987 and was survived by his wife and three of his four children.

## Posthumous book

Olive had written notes for a book about his wartime service, but did not finish it. Several years after his death, his estate arranged for writer Dennis Newton to edit these notes into a book, which was published in 2015 under the title *Spitfire Ace*.

## InfoBox

| Charles Gordon Chaloner Olive | |
| --- | --- |
| Born | (1916-07-03)3 July 1916
Paddington, Queensland |
| Died | 20 October 1987(1987-10-20) (aged 71)
Boonah, Queensland |
| Allegiance | Australia
United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1936–1946 |
| Rank | Wing Commander |
| Commands | No. 101 Fighter Control Unit (1944–45)
No. 456 Squadron RAAF (1941–42) |
| Battles/wars |  |
| Awards | Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Flying Cross |
| Other work | Business executive |


title: Preprophase band

abstract: The preprophase band is a microtubule array found in plant cells that are about to undergo cell division and enter the preprophase stage of the plant cell cycle. Besides the phragmosome, it is the first microscopically visible sign that a plant cell is about to enter mitosis. The preprophase band was first observed and described by Jeremy Pickett-Heaps and Donald Northcote at Cambridge University in 1966. Just before mitosis starts, the preprophase band forms as a dense band of microtubules around the phragmosome and the future division plane just below the plasma membrane. It encircles the nucleus at the equatorial plane of the future mitotic spindle when dividing cells enter the G2 phase of the cell cycle after DNA replication is complete. The preprophase band consists mainly of microtubules and microfilaments (actin) and is generally 2-3 μm wide. When stained with fluorescent markers, it can be seen as two bright spots close to the cell wall on either side of the nucleus. Plant cells lack centrosomes as microtubule organizing centers. Instead, the microtubules of the mitotic spindle aggregate on the nuclear surface and are reoriented to form the spindle at the end of prophase. The preprophase band also functions in properly orienting the mitotic spindle, and contributes to efficient spindle formation during prometaphase The preprophase band disappears as soon as the nuclear envelope breaks down and the mitotic spindle forms, leaving behind an actin-depleted zone. However, its position marks the future fusion sites for the new cell plate with the existing cell wall during telophase. When mitosis is completed, the cell plate and new cell wall form starting from the center along the plane occupied by the phragmosome. The cell plate grows outwards until it fuses with the cell wall of the dividing cell at exactly the spots predicted by the position of the preprophase band.

text:
# Preprophase band

The **preprophase band** is a microtubule array found in plant cells that are about to undergo cell division and enter the preprophase stage of the plant cell cycle. Besides the phragmosome, it is the first microscopically visible sign that a plant cell is about to enter mitosis. The preprophase band was first observed and described by Jeremy Pickett-Heaps and Donald Northcote at Cambridge University in 1966.

Just before mitosis starts, the preprophase band forms as a dense band of microtubules around the phragmosome and the future division plane just below the plasma membrane. It encircles the nucleus at the equatorial plane of the future mitotic spindle when dividing cells enter the G2 phase of the cell cycle after DNA replication is complete. The preprophase band consists mainly of microtubules and microfilaments (actin) and is generally 2-3 μm wide. When stained with fluorescent markers, it can be seen as two bright spots close to the cell wall on either side of the nucleus.

Plant cells lack centrosomes as microtubule organizing centers. Instead, the microtubules of the mitotic spindle aggregate on the nuclear surface and are reoriented to form the spindle at the end of prophase. The preprophase band also functions in properly orienting the mitotic spindle, and contributes to efficient spindle formation during prometaphase

The preprophase band disappears as soon as the nuclear envelope breaks down and the mitotic spindle forms, leaving behind an actin-depleted zone. However, its position marks the future fusion sites for the new cell plate with the existing cell wall during telophase. When mitosis is completed, the cell plate and new cell wall form starting from the center along the plane occupied by the phragmosome. The cell plate grows outwards until it fuses with the cell wall of the dividing cell at exactly the spots predicted by the position of the preprophase band.

## Bibliography

* P.H. Raven, R.F. Evert, S.E. Eichhorn (2005): *Biology of Plants*, 7th Edition, W.H. Freeman and Company Publishers, New York, NY, ISBN 0-7167-1007-2
* L. Taiz, E. Zeiger (2006): *Plant Physiology*, 4th Edition, Sinauer Associates, Inc., Publishers, Sunderland, MA, ISBN 0-87893-856-7

## Notes and references

1. Pickett-Heaps JD, Northcote DH (1966). "Organization of microtubules and endoplasmic reticulum during mitosis and cytokinesis in wheat meristems". *Journal of Cell Science*. **1** (1): 109–120. PMID 5929804.
2. Ambrose JC, Cyr RJ (2008). "Mitotic spindle organization by the preprophase band". *Molecular Plant*. **1** (6): 950–960. doi:10.1093/mp/ssn054. PMID 19825595.


title: Rattlesnake River

abstract: The Rattlesnake River is a 3.6-mile-long (5.8 km) river in eastern New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Cocheco River, part of the Piscataqua River watershed leading to the Atlantic Ocean. The river is located entirely in the town of Farmington. It rises north of Hussey Mountain and Chesley Mountain and flows east to the Cocheco, dropping nearly 500 feet (150 m) in elevation over its length.

text:
# Rattlesnake River

The **Rattlesnake River** is a 3.6-mile-long (5.8 km) river in eastern New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Cocheco River, part of the Piscataqua River watershed leading to the Atlantic Ocean.

The river is located entirely in the town of Farmington. It rises north of Hussey Mountain and Chesley Mountain and flows east to the Cocheco, dropping nearly 500 feet (150 m) in elevation over its length.

## InfoBox

| Rattlesnake River | |
| --- | --- |
|  | |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Strafford |
| Towns | Farmington |
| Physical characteristics | |
|  | |
| Source |  |
| location | Farmington |
| coordinates | 43°21′25″N 71°4′50″W / 43.35694°N 71.08056°W / 43.35694; -71.08056 |
| elevation | 710 ft (220 m) |
|  | |
| Mouth | Cocheco River |
| location | Farmington |
| coordinates | 43°21′59″N 71°2′10″W / 43.36639°N 71.03611°W / 43.36639; -71.03611 |
| elevation | 238 ft (73 m) |
| Length | 3.6 mi (5.8 km) |


title: This Is Orson Welles

abstract: This Is Orson Welles is a 1992 book by Orson Welles and Peter Bogdanovich that comprises conversations between the two filmmakers recorded over several years, beginning in 1969. The wide-ranging volume encompasses Welles's life and his own stage, radio, and film work as well as his insights on the work of others. The book was edited after Welles's death, at the request of Welles's longtime companion and professional collaborator, Oja Kodar. Jonathan Rosenbaum drew from several incomplete drafts of the manuscript and many reel-to-reel tapes, most of which had already been transcribed. Much of the dialogue, however, had been rewritten by Welles, often in several drafts. In addition to more than 300 pages of interviews, the book includes an annotated chronology of Welles's career, a summary of the alterations made to Welles's 1942 masterpiece The Magnificent Ambersons and notes on each chapter by Rosenbaum. A second edition of This Is Orson Welles was published in paperback in 1998, with a new introduction by Bogdanovich and excerpts of a 58-page memo Welles wrote Universal Pictures about the editing of his 1958 film Touch of Evil, in which he made close to fifty practical suggestions. The studio disregarded Welles's memo, but in 1998 editor Walter Murch reedited the film according to Welles's specifications. The 1992 audiobook version of This Is Orson Welles was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word or Non-Musical Album.

text:
# This Is Orson Welles

***This Is Orson Welles*** is a 1992 book by Orson Welles and Peter Bogdanovich that comprises conversations between the two filmmakers recorded over several years, beginning in 1969. The wide-ranging volume encompasses Welles's life and his own stage, radio, and film work as well as his insights on the work of others. The book was edited after Welles's death, at the request of Welles's longtime companion and professional collaborator, Oja Kodar. Jonathan Rosenbaum drew from several incomplete drafts of the manuscript and many reel-to-reel tapes, most of which had already been transcribed. Much of the dialogue, however, had been rewritten by Welles, often in several drafts.

In addition to more than 300 pages of interviews, the book includes an annotated chronology of Welles's career, a summary of the alterations made to Welles's 1942 masterpiece *The Magnificent Ambersons* and notes on each chapter by Rosenbaum.

A second edition of *This Is Orson Welles* was published in paperback in 1998, with a new introduction by Bogdanovich and excerpts of a 58-page memo Welles wrote Universal Pictures about the editing of his 1958 film *Touch of Evil,* in which he made close to fifty practical suggestions. The studio disregarded Welles's memo, but in 1998 editor Walter Murch reedited the film according to Welles's specifications.

The 1992 audiobook version of *This Is Orson Welles* was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word or Non-Musical Album.

## Origin

In 1961 Peter Bogdanovich organized a retrospective of Orson Welles's films, the first in the United States, for the Museum of Modern Art. Welles was not able to attend — he was in Europe, preparing a film — but he did read the monograph Bogdanovich had written to accompany the screening and was favorably impressed by it. In 1968 Welles phoned Bogdanovich to invite him for coffee at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Over the space of two hours the two filmmakers found themselves completely at ease with each other. As they left the restaurant, Welles flipped through the pages of a book Bogdanovich had just written about John Ford, Welles's favorite director; Bogdanovich had brought a copy as a gift, since Welles was quoted in its pages. "Isn't it too bad," Welles said, "that you can't do a nice little book like this about me." They decided to do a book of interviews together.

"Of course it was Welles who suggested the shape of 'the book,' as we called it — we never did arrive at a title we both liked," Bogdanovich wrote. Recorded at intervals in the United States, Mexico and Europe, the interviews were not to be forced into the chronological order of Welles's life. Welles felt they should be more loosely organized, like their conversations. Bogdanovich transcribed the reel-to-reel tapes, organized the interviews into a chapter, and mailed the typed copy to Welles. Months later, Bogdanovich would get the chapter back from Welles, revised and sometimes rewritten. Some chapters were revised two or three times in this manner.

In 1974, Orson Welles cast Bogdanovich in the role of Brooks Otterlake, a successful director, in the unreleased film *The Other Side of the Wind*. Welles filmed partly in Bogdanovich's Bel Air home, where Welles and actress Oja Kodar lived off and on for two years. Work on the book continued intermittently through 1975; later in the 1970s the two directors "drifted apart a bit," Bogdanovich later wrote.

For a time, the book was put on hold by Welles when he received a separate offer of $250,000 to write his memoirs. "He had no choice but to agree," Bogdanovich wrote. "This was OK with me; it was *his* life and one of the few ways he had of getting money to pay not only for his family's expenses, but also for the real work he was doing — his many directing projects." Then, Bogdanovich wrote, the book was literally lost for five years:

Orson never did write his memoirs. Eventually, when he asked what had become of our book, it was lost somewhere in the depths of a storage facility while I was going through a personal and financial crisis (leading to bankruptcy and a kind of general breakdown in the summer of 1985, just a few months before Orson died). During one phone conversation he had said he hoped I wouldn't "just publish" the book after he was dead — implying that I knew where it was and was just hanging on to it. That upset me and so when we finally could get back into storage, and the boxes turned up, I sent all of them over to Orson — not keeping copies of anything — with a note saying, in effect, it was his life, and here it was for him to do as he saw fit. Orson called me as soon as he got it —he was very touched, he said, and thanked me profusely. He went on to explain that there wasn't much he could leave to Oja, and if anything happened to him, he was planning to will the book to her."

After Welles died in October 1985, Oja Kodar asked Bogdanovich to help prepare the book for publication. He transcribed the materials, resulting in 1,400 pages that were then edited by Jonathan Rosenbaum into the 300 pages of interviews in the book. The revised edition contains a new introduction by Bogdanovich ("My Orson") and excerpts from Welles's memo to Universal about the editing of *Touch of Evil.*

Welles opines on a number of topics. He says "There are only a few artists in all the arts who can be called the best without any argument. I can only think of two—Mozart and Shakespeare. . . . Velazquez, for my money, but there you can get arguments. " Among directors, Welles says his favorites are John Ford and Jean Renoir. He also praises Buster Keaton ("a very great artist, and one of the most beautiful men I ever saw on the screen") and Kenji Mizoguchi, who "can't be praised enough, really."

## Reception

### Reviews and commentary

* Todd McCarthy, *Variety* — The book in question, which is based on hours of conversation between Welles and Peter Bogdanovich, is one I have been eagerly awaiting for fully 20 years, since Bogdanovich first told me about it on the set of *Paper Moon*. … The extravagantly rich result represents as detailed a reading of Welles' view of his own screen career as I could ever hope for. … The publisher, HarperCollins, has simultaneously released a four-pack volume of audio cassettes under the same title that includes four hours of the Welles–Bogdanovich interview. Some of the material overlaps, but much of it is different from what can be found in the book. And, in any event, it is great just to hear Welles telling these revealing stories himself, in his deep voice and with his infectious laugh.
* Michael Dwyer, *The Irish Times* — A lively, entertaining and fascinating collection of conversations between Welles and the critic turned director, Peter Bogdanovich, who initiated the project partly to redress the balance after "three very damaging books" about Welles appeared in the late 1960s. … This is the best book of its kind since François Truffaut's classic book of interviews with Alfred Hitchcock.
* *The Observer* — The creation of this book was itself uncannily like a Welles film: created in fragments, abandoned, then lost, then finally restored by another hand. Welles was always his own shrewdest, most lacerating analyst, as well as his most grandiloquent yarn spinner, and this is a wonderfully eloquent, elegiac book, a meditation on a 'failed' career worth dozens of orthodox successes.
* David Thomson named it one of his five favorite books on film, calling it "Endlessly fascinating, a book of record that is bursting to be a novel."
* *Filmink* magazine called it "one of Bogdanovich’s two stone-cold classics as a writer (the other one is *Who the Devil Made It?*, with an honourable mention for *Pieces of Time*)."

### Awards

## InfoBox

This is Orson Welles
|  | |
| --- | --- |
| Editor | Jonathan Rosenbaum |
| Author | Orson Welles
Peter Bogdanovich |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Biography
Filmmaking |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
| Publication date | September 1992 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover), Audiobook |
| Pages | 533 pp. (first edition) |
| ISBN | 0-06-016616-9 |


title: Ivan Shahriar

abstract: Ivan Shahriar is a Bangladeshi choreographer. He won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Dance Director for the film Dhat Teri Ki (2017).

text:
# Ivan Shahriar

**Ivan Shahriar** is a Bangladeshi choreographer. He won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Dance Director for the film *Dhat Teri Ki* (2017).

## Career

Shahriar leads a dance troupe called *Sohag Dance Group* and is the chairman of an advertising agency *Exposure BD*.

On 12 September 2020, Shahriar was arrested in the Niketon area of Dhaka for his alleged involvement in sex trafficking to Dubai. According to the CID officials, Shahriar and two other members of a human trafficking ring that forced young women into prostitution in Dubai after trafficking them as tourists.

## Award

Shahriar won the National Film Award for Best Choreography for *Dhat Teri Ki* (2017).

## InfoBox

| Ivan Shahriar | |
| --- | --- |
| ইভান শাহরিয়ার | |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Occupation(s) | Choreographer, dancer |
| Awards | National Film Award |