Chalermchai Sitthisart

Chalermchai Sitthisart () is a Thai military officer and general within the Royal Thai Army. In September 2016, he was chosen to serve as the Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army, and was endorsed by then-King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Sitthisart was appointed to replace the retiring Teerachai Narkvanich, with his appointment taking effect on October 1. Chalermchai start working after graduated from the military school at Royal Thai Army Special Warfare Command as a special operations force officer so that Chalermchai's appointment marked a departure from the Burapha Payak royalist military faction - known as the "Eastern Tigers", as he is considered to not have ties with the dominant faction. Almost immediately following his retirement, he was appointed to the Privy Council.
Education and careers.
Chalermchai study in primary and secondary at Benjamaratrangsarit school at Chachoengsao Province and then attending the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School as a pre-cadet as a prerequisite for attending Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy (CRMA). After graduated in Military school, he studies at Command and General Staff College and National Defence College.
Chalermchai previously held a position of Chief of Staff of the Special Warfare Command and then become Commander of the 1st Special Forces Division, Commander of the Special Warfare Command, Assistant Commander-in-Chief and finally serve at the position of Commander-in-Chief.


Battle of Sittimungulum

The Battle of Sittimungulum (variant spellings include Sattiamungulum, Sathinungulum, Satyamanagalam) was a series of battles and skirmishes fought between 13 and 15 September 1790, during the Third Anglo-Mysore War, in and near the town now known as Sathyamangalam in the southern part of the Sultanate of Mysore. Forces of Mysore's ruler Tipu Sultan very nearly overwhelmed a British East India Company force under the command of Captain John Floyd.
Tipu "descended the Gajalhatti Pass on 9th September", attacked Floyd and forcing Floyd to retreat to Coimbatore after suffering 500 casualties. However, Tipu lost Burhar-ud-din, "one of his able commanders." Tipu left this front under the command of Kamar-ud Khan, while he dealt with British attacks elsewhere.


Wajid Ali Khan Panni

Wajid Ali Khan Panni, also known as Wajed Ali Khan Panni II, was a Jatiya Party (Ershad) politician and the former Member of Parliament of Tangail-7.
Early life.
Panni was born in Mirzapur Upazila, Tangail District, to a wealthy Bengali Muslim zamindari family known as the Karatia Zamindari. His father was Khurram Khan Panni who was the Chief Whip of the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly and the grandson of Wajed Ali Khan Panni I. His brother is Morshed Ali Khan Panni.
Career.
Panni was elected to parliament from Tangail-7 as a Jatiya Party candidate in 1986 and 1988.


Thray Sithu of Myinsaing

Thray Sithu of Myinsaing (, ; – 1426) was a Burmese royal who served as a senior minister at the court of Ava from 1400 to 1426. A grandson of two kings, the prince was governor of Myinsaing, the ancestral home of the Pinya–Sagaing–Ava dynasties, from to 1426. He was also Ava's wartime Viceroy of Arakan for a few months in 1408–1409.
His role was most prominent during the reign of his half-uncle King Minkhaung I (r. 1400–1421). The prince twice led the peace negotiations with the southern Hanthawaddy Kingdom in 1403 and 1408 during the Forty Years' War. During the Ava succession crisis of 1425–1426, he supported his cousin King Min Nyo (r. 1425–1426), and commanded a depleted royal army against the forces of Governor Thado of Mohnyin. He suffered two consecutive defeats in battle in 1426, and is not mentioned again in the chronicles.
Early life.
Probably born in the early 1370s, Thray Sithu was the second child of Prince Sithu Min Oo of Pinya and Princess Minkhaung Medaw of Ava. His father was a son of King Uzana I of Pinya (r. 1325–1340) and his mother was a daughter of King Swa Saw Ke of Ava (r. 1367–1400). The prince apparently was held in high regard by King Swa who appointed his grandson to be governor of Myinsaing, the ancestral home of Pinya–Sagaing–Ava dynasties, . He had one older brother Sithu Thanbawa, who held the "Five Irrigated Districts" (ရေလွှဲ ငါးခရိုင်; present-day Yamethin District and surrounding regions) in fief.
Career.
Forty Years' War.
His career was shaped by Ava's Forty Years' War (1385–1423) against the southern Hanthawaddy Kingdom. Like senior princes of the day, he (and his brother) started out in the royal army, as regimental commanders, and saw action in the third campaign (1390–1391) of the war. When the war was renewed in 1401, he had moved into the Ava high command, as a senior adviser to the then new king Minkhaung I. In January 1403, he led the Ava delegation that negotiated the initial ceasefire with the Hanthawaddy delegation led by Gen. Byat Za at the border. (The eventual peace treaty was negotiated by Chief Minister Min Yaza five months later.)
His second, certainly more famous, ceasefire negotiation came in August 1408. The peace treaty of 1403 had been broken by King Razadarit of Hanthawaddy in March/April 1408 when a Hanthawaddy army overthrew the Ava-installed king Anawrahta from Arakan (present-day Rakhine State). Furious, King Minkhaung, despite his advisers' strenuous objections, launched an invasion of the southern country in May 1408 right before the rainy season. When the invasion predictably got bogged down in the Irrawaddy delta three months into the campaign, the king sent a delegation led by Thray Sithu to negotiate a ceasefire. The first and only meeting of the negotiation was famous in Burmese history for the Hanthawaddy commander Lagun Ein's honest response to a routine question by the Ava commander Thado if Pegu was negotiating in good faith. Lagun Ein is said to have answered with brutal honesty: "Fool, this is war. You'll kill me if you can. I'll kill you if I can. How can you trust anyone?" Thray Sithu promptly broke off the negotiations. The Ava forces withdrew in total disarray with great loss of life.
After the disastrous invasion, Thray Sithu was sent to retake Arakan. According to the Arakanese chronicle "Rakhine Razawin Thit", the Ava army led by the lord of Myinsaing briefly retook the Arakanese capital Launggyet in 1408. But he could not hold Launggyet when a Hanthawaddy army returned later in the dry season. The Ava forces fell back to a border fort near Nga Khwe-Thin Taung. Thray Sithu did not remain in Arakan; the Ava fort was commanded by Letya of Phaunglin for the next three years. It was Thray Sithu's last known campaign in the Forty Years' War, which ended in 1423. He is not mentioned in the subsequent campaigns of the war in any capacity in the chronicles.
Succession crisis (1425–1426).
The prince's last military campaign came during the Ava succession crisis of 1425–1426. He supported his cousin Prince Min Nyo of Kale who seized the throne in November 1425, after his allies had assassinated kings Thihathu and Min Hla within a three-month span. When Governor Thado of Mohnyin formally revolted in February 1426, Thray Sithu along with Governor Le Than Bwa of Onbaung agreed to lead the fight for Nyo. Thray Sithu set up camp with 2000 troops on the west bank at Thissein (modern Shwebo Township) about north of Ava (Inwa), while Le Than Bwa guarded the east bank with another 2000 men.
Despite the preparations, Thissein fell quickly after a daring surprise attack from the river side by Thado's sons. The fort's defenses, which included 50 war boats, had not expected an attack by the Mohnyin navy as the main Mohnyin army had not yet shown up. Indeed, after the capture of Thissein, the sons had to wait for their father's army to arrive for another ten days. At Thissein, Thado paused, and recruited more troops from the region. Then the enlarged forces of Mohnyin attacked Wetchet, where Thray Sithu and his deputy Sokkate were waiting with 3000 troops. Ava troops put up a fight but the town eventually fell. Thray Sithu and Sokkate either fell in action or were captured as they are not mentioned in the chronicles afterwards.
Ancestry.
Prince Thray Sithu was descended from the Ava–Pinya–Myinsaing royal lines, and ultimately the Pagan royalty from both sides.


Parakramabahu V of Gampola

Parakkamabahu V (born 1311) was King of Gampola who ruled from 1344 or 1345 to 1359. He was the Second King of Gampola co-ruling with his brother Bhuvanaikabahu IV, and was succeeded by his nephew Vikramabahu III.


Saw Yun of Pagan

Saw Yun (, ) was the only son of King Saw Lu of Pagan, and the father of King Sithu I. He was married to Princess Shwe Einthi, daughter of King Kyansittha.


Taiseikai

The Taiseikai (, lit. "Great Achievement Society") was a political party in Japan. It was active from 1890 to 1891.
History.
Following the July 1890 elections the Taiseikai was established by a group of 79 newly elected and pro-government National Diet members who were largely former civil servants. The second-largest party after the Rikken Jiyūtō, it was a largely pragmatic group rather than adhering to certain principles.
The party split in November 1891 over its support for the government, with a group breaking away to form the Tomoe Club, and it ceased to exist by the time of the February 1892 elections.


Zaravand

Zaravand was a region of the old Armenia 300–800, in the area of Khoy (present-day Iran), it is also the name of a modern-day city in Iran.


Mahinda IV of Anuradhapura

Mahinda IV was King of Anuradhapura in the 10th century, whose reign lasted from 975 to 991. He succeeded his brother Sena IV as King of Anuradhapura and was succeeded by his son Sena V.


Mughal Minar

Mughal Minar is an archaeological site in Gilgit, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. It previously served as a Stupa.


Pasig Cathedral

Pasig Cathedral, canonically recognized as the Immaculate Conception Cathedral-Parish, is the Catholic church located in Plaza Rizal, Barangay Malinao, Pasig in Metro Manila, Philippines. It is the mother church, and the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Pasig and one of the oldest structures in the city.
It was founded as a parish by the Augustinian missionaries on July 2, 1573, coinciding with the foundation of the town of Pasig. Initially, the parish was consecrated to the Visitation of Our Lady, but on April 25, 1587, was changed to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the patroness of the Augustinian priests during that time.
The parish was administered by the CICM Fathers from 1910 to 1979, after which the Filipino clergy took over the pastoral leadership of the parish. Until 2003, the parish was a part of the Archdiocese of Manila. During the time of Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, the parish belonged to the Ecclesiastical District of Makati until October 2001, when it became part of the newly created Ecclesiastical District of Pasig. On August 21, 2003, the district was elevated as a separate and independent diocese, with the elevation of the parish into the status of a cathedral. The present parish priest and rector of the cathedral is Joselito I. Jopson.
History.
The Immaculate Conception Parish was initially established as a mission-parish by an Augustinian friar, Alonso de Alvarado, on January 20, 1572 in the village of Pinagbuhatan. However, frequent flooding in the original site prompted the Augustinian priests to relocate it to higher ground, where the cathedral now currently stands.
On July 2, 1573, coinciding with the establishment of the town (now city) of Pasig, the church was consecrated to the Our Lady of the Visitation, which served as the first patroness of Pasig. The town patroness was eventually changed into the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception on April 25, 1587.
During the brief British occupation of Manila in 1762 to 1764, the church served as the British military headquarters, its belfry used as a watchtower against the Spanish defenders.
After the Augustinians, the CICM missionaries arrived and began the administration of the parish in 1910. Three years later, the congregation founded the first parochial school for boys (present-day Pasig Catholic College). In 1979, the diocesan clergy from the Archdiocese of Manila took over the supervision of the parish, and Manuel Sobreviñas, then auxiliary bishop of Manila, became the first Filipino parish priest. Assisting him as parochial administrator was Andres Desmet.
In 1993, Sobreviñas became the bishop of the Diocese of Imus. Emmanuel Sunga became the new pastor, and was transferred to Santo Niño Parish in Tondo, Manila four years later. Manuel Gabriel came to Pasig in 1997 from the Most Holy Trinity Parish in Balic-balic, Sampaloc, Manila, and it was during his term that the parish had electronic chromatically-tuned carillon bells installed in its belfry. The Immaculate Conception Parish was declared one of the Jubilee churches in the Archdiocese of Manila in the year 2000.
In October 2001, the Ecclesiastical District of Pasig was created, covering the Vicariate of the Immaculate Conception, along with the parishes of Pateros and Taguig. Nestor Cariño served as the first district bishop.
Two years later, Pope John Paul II signed his Papal Bull, "Deus Caritas", decreeing the establishment of a new diocese comprising Pasig, Pateros, and Taguig. The parish was designated to be the cathedral and seat of the Bishop of Pasig. Francisco San Diego became the founding bishop of the diocese on August 21, 2003. Gabriel became its first rector. After Gabriel resigned some weeks after, San Diego named the Vicar-General, Rodolfo Gallardo, as the new rector of the cathedral. Gallardo was installed rector. During his short stint as rector, he mobilized the church's PPCRV awareness campaign for the May 2004 national presidential elections and started the "Simbamahalaan" encounter between parish lay leaders and LGU leaders and workers of Pasig Hall. Upon his retirement in February 2005, San Diego took over as acting parish priest and rector.
In June 2005, Roy Rosales was named fourth rector of the cathedral. He spearheaded the restoration of most of the cathedral's artifacts, like the image of Our Lady of the Apocalypse, the Baptistery, the Cathedral Facade, the processional image of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the "retablos" and the original image of the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, patroness of Pasig. It was also through the efforts of Rosales that the Immaculate Conception Cathedral-Parish witnessed the Solemn Canonical Coronation of its patron as Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of Pasig last December 7, 2008. The celebration was led by the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Edward Joseph Adams, the Bishop of Pasig, and the entire faithful in the diocese.
In May 2010, Orlando Cantillon was named fifth rector of the cathedral. In February 2015, Bishop Mylo Vergara named Joselito I. Jopson, parish priest of Santo Rosario de Pasig Parish, as the sixth rector and eighth Filipino parish priest of the cathedral. Jopson also serves as Vicar-Forane of the Immaculate Conception and the social communications minister in the diocese.
Ecclesiastical territory.
Previously, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral belonged to the Archdiocese of Manila. It became the seat of the Diocese of Pasig in 2003
The Immaculate Conception Cathedral comprises the 9 barangays in Pasig and are divided according to the patron of the chapel in the community:
Jurisdiction.
The Immaculate Conception Cathedral comprises the following barangays in Pasig:
Pastors.
Below is the list of Filipino parish priests.


Monarchism in Georgia

Georgia has a monarchic tradition that traces its origins to the Hellenistic period. The medieval Kingdom of Georgia ruled by the Bagrationi dynasty has left behind a legacy that lasts in Georgia even in modern times. The qualities and symbols associated with the Bagrationi monarchy have been crucial in the making of the Georgian nation and the subsequent construction of national history. Their rule ended with the annexation of Georgian lands by the Russian Empire early in the 19th century, although several branches of the dynasty survive to this day. The monarchic restoration was considered by various royalist groups throughout the 20th century. Although Georgia's politics has been taking place in the framework of a semi-presidential republic since the nation regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the debate on monarchy, particularly its constitutional form, has never actually ceased. The issue came up most recently amid a political crisis in late 2007.
Imperial Russian rule and Revolution.
The Russian Empire absorbed the two principal Georgian kingdoms, those of Kartli-Kakheti and Imereti in 1801 and 1810, respectively. The members of the dispossessed royal dynasty fomented a series of rebellions against Russian rule, but all of them failed. The Russian administration, using a combination of military pacification and diplomatic persuasion, succeeded in winning a degree of loyalty of local elites. The Bagrationi princes themselves subsequently bowed to the inevitable and reconciled with a fait accompli.
Shortly after the Decembrist revolt of 1825, royalist Georgians in St. Petersburg and Moscow, urged on by the grandsons of the penultimate king of Georgia Erekle II, the princes Okropir and Dimitri, tried to convince Georgian students in the two Russian cities that Georgia should be independent under the Bagrationi dynasty. Okropir visited Tiflis in 1829 and helped found a secret society with the aim of restoring the Georgian monarchy. Inspired by the French revolution of 1830 and the Polish insurrection of 1830-1831, the conspirators were united in their anti-Russian sentiment but divided in their program although the majority favored a restoration of the Bagrationi to the Georgian throne. The planned coup was prevented by the police in 1832.
The loyalty of Georgian nobility to the Russian Tsar, won by liberal politics of the Imperial viceroy Prince Vorontsov (1844–1854), began to fade in the 1860s. Yet, after the Georgian royalist-led conspiracy in 1832, no Georgian movement or political party called for an outright independence until World War I.
During the World War I years, Georgian émigrés, under the guidance of Prince Matchabelli established a National Committee in Berlin which considered a reinstatement of a monarchy in Georgia under the German protectorate. An influential lobby of the idea was Otto von Lossow, who suggested putting the German prince Joachim of Prussia on the Georgian throne. However, following the Russian Revolution of 1917, Georgians restored their independent state in the form of a democratic republic (May 26, 1918), the result of a long-time domination of Georgian political scene by Social Democrats. Georgian nobility, including the scions of the former royal dynasty, lent their support to a new republic. As a contemporary Western observer noted: "Like that of France, the Georgian nobility has a social rather than a political significance. The people are democratic in spirit; there is not the least chance of a revival of monarchy in Georgia, and the nobles will hardly have more political weight than their individual merit entitles."
Soviet era and post-Soviet independence.
The Democratic Republic of Georgia fell to Soviet Russia’s Red Army invasion in 1921. The subsequent political repressions, especially during the abortive August Uprising in 1924, forced many of the Bagrationi family members to flee the Soviet Union; some of them died in purges.
One of the émigrés, Prince Irakli of the House of Mukhrani (a collateral branch of the Bagrationi dynasty) (1909–1977), tried to enlist the support of European powers for a Georgian monarchist cause. After settling in Spain before World War II, Prince Irakli founded what he called the Royal House of Georgia and sought support from European governments for a Georgian monarchy independent from Stalin's Soviet Union. When Prince Irakli died in Spain in 1977, his son George became first in line to the royal house of Georgia and was recognised as such, albeit as a formality, by the government and parliament of the new independent republic in 1991, despite rival claims from others. The legitimate rights of the Mukhrani branch, albeit senior genealogically, to the throne have frequently been questioned, however, due to the fact that the patrilineal descendants of the last king of Georgia to reign – the Bagration-Gruzinsky – still survive in Georgia, although close to extinction. This line is represented by Prince Nugzar Bagration-Gruzinsky (born 1950), the heir male of Georgia's last reigning king, George XII.
However, the two branches acted to resolve this conflict by uniting through the marriage of Prince David Bagrationi-Mukhraneli with Nugzar's eldest daughter, Anna Bagration-Gruzinsky, in February 2009. Prince David and Princess Anna became the parents of a baby boy on September 27, 2011, Prince Giorgi Bagration Bagrationi who, in his person, potentially unites the Mukhraneli and Gruzinsky claims. If no other Bagrationi prince is born in either the Gruzinsky or Mukhraneli branch who is of senior descent by primogeniture, and he survives those now living, Prince Giorgi will become both the "heir male" of the House of Bagrationi and the "heir general" of George XIII of Georgia.
Nonetheless, speculation about the candidacy for a restored throne of other Bagrationis has occurred. Some monarchists have floated the name of "Don" Lelio Nicolò Orsini, a son of "Don" Raimondo Orsini and Princess Khétévane Bagration de Moukhrani, but Princess Khétévane herself rejected the idea as impossible.
As Georgia was moving towards independence from the Soviet Union early in the 1990s, monarchical restoration was an issue on the fringes of politics, but without actual candidates to a throne and popular support for monarchy. Various Georgian political groups tried to negotiate a return of Jorge de Bagration, Head of the Royal House of Georgia, and even sent a delegation to Madrid to persuade the reluctant prince. Some political activists, especially those associated with the National Democratic Party, speculated that a constitutional monarchy in Georgia would help abort any efforts by Moscow to keep Georgia inside the Soviet Union. After Georgia's declaration of independence on April 9, 1991, weak and fractious opposition groups again raised the issue of restoration hoping to neutralize Zviad Gamsakhurdia, the first popularly elected President of Georgia, and his authoritarian tendencies.
During the rule of Eduard Shevardnadze (1992–2003), no serious consideration was given to monarchist ideas although several minor political parties, including the Union of Georgian Traditionalists led by the former parliamentary chairman Akaki Asatiani, continued to advocate constitutional monarchy as a viable alternative for Georgia's government.
Recent debate.
The debate on a constitutional monarchy was revitalized with the political crisis that emerged in Georgia late in 2007. The October 7, 2007 a sermon of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, the popular head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, gave an impetus to a renewed political debate. The patriarch, who has always sympathized with the idea of constitutional monarchy, said, during his Sunday service at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, that the restoration of the royal dynasty was a "desirable dream of the Georgian people". He also emphasized that if the people of Georgia chose this model of governance, "a candidate to the crown should be selected among representatives of the royal dynasty, and he should be suitably raised to be King from childhood."
The Patriarch's sermon gave an unexpected continuation to the political crisis in Georgia. Although the Patriarch's sympathies towards the monarchy are not something new for the regular parish to hear, several opposition parties immediately seized on the opportunity to advance their slogan "Georgia without a President", a reference to the model of parliamentary rule advocated by the Georgian opposition. Many politicians expressed their support to a constitutional monarchy, with a transitional stage in the form of a parliamentary republic.
The authorities' response to the calls for a monarchy was restrained. Nino Burjanadze, a co-speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, has expressed skepticism about the idea and stated that Georgia will not be able to decide on such an important issue until its territorial integrity is restored, referring to the secession in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. President Mikheil Saakashvili, having jokingly remarked on his remote Bagratid ancestry, said that "serious consideration is necessary to this issue so that we do not add new problems to the already existing ones." Giga Bokeria, an influential member of the parliament from Saakashvili's United National Movement, tried to soft-pedal the Patriarch's statement: "The patriarch didn’t suggest establishing monarchy today. He meant this may happen after Georgia resolves its fundamental problems." He later alleged that the opposition's call for a constitutional monarchy was merely a populist move: "they speak about constitutional monarchy here and do not say anything about it abroad. This is their double-standard policy." Ilia II himself has avoided further comment on the topic.
Meanwhile, the opposition New Rights party, which stood aside from the anti-government demonstrations staged by a coalition of ten opposition parties in October and November 2007, became the only major political group to add a more nuanced view on the establishment of a constitutional monarchy to their agenda. They issued a special declaration supporting the idea and proposing to hold a referendum on the issue, a suggestion which was also included in the pre-election campaign of David Gamkrelidze, a candidate from the New Rights/Industrialists bloc for the early presidential elections held on January 5, 2008.
A monarchy option has always caused an ambiguous resonance in Georgia. On the one hand, the monarchy is considered a symbol of Georgian unity and independence, and on the other hand it belongs to a remote past, with a significant gap of more than 200 years in monarchic tradition. Thus, according to one survey conducted in 1998, only 16.3% of 828 respondents believed that a monarchy would be a good or very good form of government for Georgia when asked how suitable they think various types of government were or would be for Georgia.
The skeptics say the restoration of the monarchy is technically impossible due to several reasons including the number of candidates and an unsettled question of succession to the Georgian throne. Additionally, they believe that the criteria for selecting the king will lead to major disagreements. The birth of Prince Giorgi Bagration Bagrationi in September 2011 who in his person potentially will unite the two principal surviving branches of the family, may help diminish such skepticism.
The supporters of constitutional monarchy continue to argue that this form of state would best protect the interests of citizens of Georgia; a monarch "would reign not rule", and act as a safeguard of stability and national unity. They see the return to monarchy as a "historical justice", referring to the fact that the native royal dynasty has never been rejected or overthrown by the Georgian people, but was dispossessed by a foreign power (i.e., Russia).
On 16 December 2018, Prince David Bagrationi Mukhrani was invited to the inauguration at a former royal residence of Georgia's first female president, Salome Zourabichvili.
Public opinion.
Public opinions about the restoration of monarchy in Georgia.


Kedah

Kedah (; Jawi: قدح), also known by its honorific Darul Aman or "Abode of Peace" is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and the Langkawi islands. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice, while Langkawi is an archipelago, most of which are uninhabited islands.
Kedah was previously known as Kadaram (; ') by the ancient and medieval Tamils, Kataha or Kalahbar (; ' or ; "") by the Arabs, and "Syburi" (; ) by the Siamese when it was under their influence.
To the north, Kedah borders the state of Perlis and shares an international boundary with the Songkhla and Yala provinces of Thailand. It borders the states of Perak to the south and Penang to the southwest.
The state's capital is Alor Setar and the royal seat is in Anak Bukit. Other major towns include Sungai Petani, and Kulim on the mainland, and Kuah on Langkawi.
History.
Early history.
Around 788 BCE, a systematic government of a large settlement of Oghang Utagha of Kedah had already established around the northern bank of Merbok River. The state consisted a large area of Bujang Valley, covering Merbok and Muda River branches about 1000 square miles area. The capital of the settlement was built at the estuary of a branch of Merbok River, now known as Sungai Batu. Archaeological evidence found in Bujang Valley (Malay: "Lembah Bujang") reveals that a Hindu–Buddhist kingdom ruled ancient Kedah possibly as early as 110 A.D. The discovery of temples, jetty remains, iron smelting sites, and clay brick monuments dating back to 110 A.D shows that a maritime trading route with south Indian Tamil kingdoms was already established since that time. The discoveries in Bujang Valley also made the ancient Kedah as the oldest civilisation in Malaysia.
Reference to ancient Kedah was first mentioned in a Tamil poem Paṭṭiṉappālai written at the end of the 2nd century A.D. It described goods from "Kadaram" "heaped together in the broad streets" of Chola capital. Other than "Kadaram", Kedah was known with different names at varying times in Indian literature; "Kataha-Nagara" (in Kaumudi Mahotsava drama), "Anda-Kataha" (in Agni Purana), "Kataha-Dvipa" (in Samarāiccakahā), and "Kataha" (in Kathasaritsagara). In the middle eastern literature, ancient Kedah was referred as "Qilah" by Ibn Khordadbeh in Kitāb al Masālik w'al Mamālik, "Kalah-Bar" by Soleiman Siraf & Abu Zaid al Hassan in "Silsilat-al-Tawarikh" (travels in Asia), and "Kalah" by Abu-Dulaf Misa'r Ibn Muhalhil in "Al-Risalah al-thaniyah". The famous Tang dynasty Buddhist monk, Yi Jing who visited Malay archipelago between 688–695, also mentioned about a kingdom known as "Ka-Cha" in the northern part of Malay peninsular, which according to him was 30 days sail from Bogha (Palembang), the capital of Sribogha (Srivijaya).
In the 7th and 8th centuries, Kedah was under the loose control of Srivijaya. Indian and Arab sources consider Kedah to be one of the two important sites during the Srivijaya period, often calling the king of the straits "the ruler of Srivijaya and Kataha". In 1025, Rajendra Chola, the Chola king from Coromandel Coast in South India, captured Kedah in his Chola invasion of Srivijaya and occupied it for some time. A second invasion was led by Virarajendra Chola of the Chola dynasty who conquered Kedah in the late 11th century. During the reign of Kulothunga Chola I Chola overlordship was established over the Srivijayan province of Kedah in the late 11th century.
Kedah Sultanate.
According to "Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa" or the "Kedah Annals", Kedah was founded by a Hindu king named Merong Mahawangsa. According to the text further, the Sultanate of Kedah started in year 1136 when King Phra Ong Mahawangsa converted to Islam and adopted the name Sultan Mudzafar Shah. However, an Acehnese account gave a date of 1474 for the year of conversion to Islam by the ruler of Kedah. This later date accords with an account in the "Malay Annals" where a raja of Kedah visited Malacca during the reign of its last sultan seeking the honour of the royal band that marks the sovereignty of a Muslim ruler.
It was later under Siam, until it was conquered by the Malay sultanate of Malacca in the 15th century. In the 17th century, Kedah was attacked by the Portuguese after their conquest of Malacca, and by Aceh. In the hope that Great Britain would protect what remained of Kedah from Siam, the sultan handed over Penang and then Province Wellesley to the British at the end of the 18th century. The Siamese nevertheless invaded Kedah in 1821, and it remained under Siamese control under the name of Syburi. In 1896, Kedah along with Perlis and Setul was combined into the Siamese province of Monthon Syburi which lasted until transferred to the British by the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909.
Incorporation into Malaya.
In World War II, Kedah (along with Kelantan) was the first part of Malaya to be invaded by Japan. The Japanese returned Kedah to their Thai allies who had it renamed Syburi, but it returned to British rule after the end of the war. Kedah became one of the states of the Federation of Malaya in 1948, which then achieved independence in 1957. Malaya was then enlarged to become Malaysia in 1963.
Since 2017, the hereditary Sultan of Kedah has been Sultan Sallehuddin. The Kedah Sultanate began when the 9th Kedah Maharaja Derbar Raja or Phra Ong Mahawangsa, converted to Islam and changed his name to Sultan Mudzafar Shah I. Since then there have been 27 Sultans who ruled Kedah.
Geography.
Kedah is the 8th largest state by land area and 8th most populated state in Malaysia, with a total land area of , and a population of 1,890,098.
The Pedu Lake is the largest man-made lake in the state.
Demographics.
Kedah has a relatively heterogeneous populace constituted by three major ethnic groups; the Malays, Chinese and Indians as well as some Malaysian Siamese ethnic groups, similar to most of the other Malaysian states. Prior to the formation of the Federation of Malaya, there was an ethnic group known as the Sam Sam people. They are culturally Malay Muslim but speak Siamese language. Most of these communities are almost extinct due to assimilation with the Malays. In some places in Kedah, the Sam Sam people still retain their Siamese language as their mother tongue. These communities can be found in Pendang District, Kuala Nerang District and Kubang Pasu District (Changlun, Kodiang, Jitra, Wang Tepus, Guar Napai, Malau, Ason and Napoh). Kedah has a very small Orang Asli community. Orang Asli only can be found in the Baling district.
Language.
Like most parts of Malaysia, Kedah is home to various languages and dialects. The majority language of Kedah is Kedah Malay, known natively by locals as "Pelat Utagha" (Northern dialect), it is a distinct variety of Malay which also serves as the state's main lingua franca and is used by almost all Kedahans regardless of race. Kedah Malay has many sub-dialects which differs from district to district and is also spoken outside of its boundaries such as Penang, Perlis, northern Perak and even as far as Satun in Thailand and Tanintharyi in Myanmar. Besides Kedah Malay, another distinct variety of Malay known as Baling Malay ("Cakak Baling") is mainly spoken in Baling district as well as some parts of Sik and Yan districts. Baling, along with Grik Malay is part of Reman Malay, an offshoot of Kelantan-Pattani Malay of which it was descended from the people of the Kingdom of Reman of which once ruled the Baling and Grik regions before it was dissolved and became part of three distinct political entities namely Kedah, Perak and Yala (Thailand).
Besides Malay, there are also various minority languages spoken throughout Kedah, Aslian languages such as Jahai, Kensiu and Kintaq are spoken by the small Orang Asli populations mostly in the inland region. The Chinese in Kedah also speaks various varieties of Chinese such as Mandarin, Hokkien (majority), Teochew, Cantonese and so on. There are also a small but well established Indian community mostly of ethnic Tamil and also smaller number of Telugus, Malayalees and Punjabis who speak Telugu, Malayalam and Punjabi. Kedah is also home to a large community of ethnic Siamese of which it has its own distinct dialect of the Thai language which is different from ones spoken in Kelantan (which also has a large Siamese population) and Standard Thai.
Ethnicity.
The population of Kedah in 2015 was 2,071,900. It was made up of 76% Bumiputra (Malays and others), 12.7% Chinese, 6.9% Indian, 0.9% others and 3.4% non-Malaysian.
The following is based on 2015 figures from the Department of Statistics Malaysia.
Religion.
As of 2010 the population of Kedah is 77.2% Muslim, 14.2% Buddhist, 6.7% Hindu, 0.8% Christian, 0.6% unknown / none, 0.3% Taoist or Chinese religion followers, 0.1% followers of other religions, and 0.1% non-religious.
Statistics from the 2010 Census indicate that 94.3% of the Chinese population are identified as Buddhists, with significant minorities of adherents identifying as Christians (2.4%), Chinese folk religions (2.4%) and Muslims (0.4%). The majority of the Indian population are Hindus (91.7%), with a significant minorities of numbers identifying as Christians (3.7%), Muslims (2.4%) and Buddhists (1.3%). The non-Malay "bumiputera" community are predominantly Christians (39.7%), with significant minorities identifying as Muslims (26.9%) and Buddhists (26.3%). All Malays are Muslims.
Governance.
Kedah's Constitution was promulgated by its Ruler in July 1950. The various provisions laid down in the Constitution include the role and powers of the Monarch, the State Parliament and the State's Civil Service.
The Sultan of Kedah is the constitutional ruler of the State. His position is hereditary and he holds office for life. The Ruler is the head of the religion of Islam in the State and the executive power of the state government is vested in him. The current Sultan is Tunku Mahmud Sallehuddin, who has reigned on 12 September 2017 after his elder brother Abdul Halim of Kedah died on 11 September 2017.
The State Executive Council, which along with the Sultan is Kedah's executive branch of government. It is composed of the Menteri Besar, who is its chairman and Kedah's head of government, and ten other members. The Menteri Besar and other members of the council are appointed by the Sultan of Kedah from members of the Kedah State Legislative Assembly (Dewan Undangan Negeri Kedah).
Kedah State Assembly.
The state also has a State assembly, called the Kedah State Legislative Assembly. It is similar to the Parliament but is limited to making laws relating to the state. Its members are elected in elections which are usually held simultaneously with federal elections. The term of each state assembly member is limited to five years. The state assembly must be dissolved before or once it expires its term for a fresh election to elect its members.
Administrative divisions.
Modern Kedah is divided into 12 administrative districts. These 12 districts, are further divided into administrative Municipal councils ("Majlis Bandaraya/Perbandaran and Daerah"):
Economy.
Kedah is considered the "rice bowl" () of Malaysia, accounting for about half of Malaysia's total production of rice. In 2008, the state government banned the conversion of paddy fields to housing and industrial lots to protect the rice industry.
Tourism, particularly on the island of Langkawi is of growing importance.
More recently, Kedah has forged its economy towards the automotive and aerospace industries with Modenas and Asian Composites setting up bases here. One of the main advantages is the low labour costs and the infrastructure in place with the North–South Expressway and the Penang International Airport close by. In 1996, the Kulim Hi-Tech Park was officially opened as the first high technology industrial park in Malaysia. The Park comprises a total land area of approximately 14.5 square kilometres (5.6 mi²).
According to the Ninth Malaysia Plan, this economic area is part of the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER). The Northern Corridor Economic Region is one of three development regions formed in Peninsular Malaysia; other development regions being the Iskandar Malaysia (or South Johor Economic Region) and the East Coast Development Region.
Education.
Public universities and colleges.
The state has a campus of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), which is located in Bandar Baru Sintok. It was formally incorporated on 16 February 1984. The University was established with the specific mission of providing a leadership role for management education in the country. The academic establishments in UUM include College of Business (COB), College of Law, Government and International Studies (COLGIS) and College of Arts and Sciences (CAS).
Kedah also has several public universities and colleges such as Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) in Merbok, the Malaysian Spanish Institute of Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL MSI) and the Polytechnic Institute of Sultanah Bahiyah (PSB) in Kulim, the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST University) in Bedong, Kolej Universiti Insaniah (KUIN) a.k.a. UNISHAMS (Kuala Ketil, Baling Kedah) in Mergong and the Polytechnic Institute of Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah (POLIMAS) in Jitra.
There are 2 teacher training institution in Kedah, Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Sultan Abdul Halim (IPGKSAH) in Sungai Petani and Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Darul Aman (IPGKDA) in Bandar Darulaman that are set up by the government to provide teaching courses for trainee teachers.
Private universities and colleges.
Private universities and colleges that are located in Kedah include the Open University of Malaysia (OUM) Regional Learning Center for the state of Kedah and Perlis at Sungai Petani, the Albukhary International University in Alor Setar, Pusat Bahasa Titian Jaya the PTPL College and the Cosmopoint College.
Technical institutes.
Kedah houses three technical institutes that are affiliated with MARA, that is Institut Kemahiran MARA Sungai Petani, Institut Kemahiran MARA Alor Setar and Institut Kemahiran MARA Sik.
Boarding schools.
This state also has several boarding schools such as Sekolah Berasrama Penuh and MARA Junior Science College or MRSM.
National islamic schools.
This state also has several secondary islamic schools (Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama) such as Tahfiz Model Ulul Albab or TMUA.
Boarding school.
Private and public schools.
Consists of several private and public primary school or secondary school. Public secondary school such as , Keat Hwa Secondary School, Convent Secondary School (Formerly known as St. Nicholas Convent Secondary School), Kolej Sultan Abdul Hamid, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Badlishah, Sin Min Secondary School, Chio Min Secondary School, SMK Sultanah Asma, SMK Convent Father Barre, SMK Khir Johari, SMK Kota Kuala Muda, SMK Tunku Ismail, SMK Aman Jaya, SMK Bedong, SMK Bakar Arang, SMK Darulaman, SMK Ibrahim, K Jit, SMK Mahsuri, SMK Tunku Panglima Besar, Keat Hwa Secondary School, SMK Guar Chempedak, SMK Yan etc. Private secondary school such as Keat Hwa High School, Sin Min High School and SM Sin Min.
Tourism.
Tourism is mainly concentrated on Langkawi Island, the largest island in the archipelago. There are some places of interest on the mainland as well.
Langkawi.
The Langkawi International Airport is located at Padang Matsirat and it is also considered a tourist attraction as the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition takes place every 2 years near the airport. The airport handled almost 1.2 million passengers and over 41,000 aircraft movements in 2008. It serves as the primary gateway into Langkawi.
In 2007, Langkawi Island was given a World Geopark status by UNESCO.
Places of interest
Sports.
In 2006, Kedah hosted the 11th Sukma Games. The opening and closing ceremonies were held at the Darul Aman Stadium in Alor Setar.
Football is the most favorite sport in kedah as well as sepak raga. Kedah FA is a professional football team in Malaysian that represent the state of Kedah and under the supervision of Kedah Football Association. Kedah FA currently play in the Malaysia Super League, and they are the only team in the history of Malaysian football to ever achieved a double treble titles in 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons.


List of palaces in India

This is a list of palaces in India.


2003 Phnom Penh riots

In January 2003, a Cambodian newspaper article falsely alleged that a Thai actress Suvanant Kongying claimed that Angkor Wat belonged to Thailand. Other Cambodian print and radio media picked up the report and furthered the nationalistic sentiment which resulted in riots in Phnom Penh on 29 January where the Thai Embassy was burned and commercial properties of Thai businesses were vandalized. The riots reflect the fluid historical relationship between Thailand and Cambodia, as well as the economic, cultural and political factors involving the two countries.
Background.
Historical.
Historically, the relationship between Siam (modern Thailand) and Cambodia has been extremely fluid, reflecting the region's division into city states rather than nation states. These city states were bound together into empires by more or less strong political, military and tributary ties. In the 14th century, the centre of Thai power passed from Sukhothai to the more southerly Ayutthaya, in territory which had formed part of the Khmer empire. The threat posed by Ayutthaya to Angkor increased as its power grew, and in the 15th century Angkor itself was besieged and sacked, plunging Cambodia into a dark age.
The ensuing centuries saw numerous further incursions by the Siamese. For much of the 19th century, northern Cambodia, including Angkor, was ruled by Siam. The degree of independence enjoyed by Cambodia fluctuated according to the relative fortunes of Siam, Cambodia, Vietnam and the French colonists.
In 1907, Siam ceded northern Cambodia to France. In the 1930s, this loss became the basis of the nationalist government's claim that the area was a "lost territory" which rightfully belonged to Thailand. In 1941, following a war with Vichy France, Thailand briefly regained the territories ceded to France in 1907. This claim was not abandoned until the 1950s.
Economic.
Thailand's rapid economic progress during the 1980s and 1990s made its economy one of the strongest in Southeast Asia. Conversely, the Cambodian Civil War, the Khmer Rouge government and the subsequent government of the People's Republic of Kampuchea, which failed to secure United Nations recognition, kept Cambodia economically weak. As a result, Thai businesses dominate part of the Cambodian economy, fuelling resentment.
Cultural.
Compared to Cambodia, Thailand has a far greater population and is more open to western influences. These factors have given Thailand a substantial cultural influence on Cambodian music and television. This is coupled with a perception on the part of many Cambodians that Thais are arrogant and racist towards their neighbors.
There has been a long history of dispute and misunderstanding between the Khmer and Thais. Conflicts and claims from both sides led to great deal of resentment; this, despite the fact that Thailand's and Cambodia's cultures are almost identical. No other country in Southeast Asia is as culturally similar to Thailand as Cambodia. The reason behind Khmer resentment for the Thais stem from the feeling of decline since the days of the Khmer empire, while the Thais have remained dominant in the region. There have also been different interpretations in the history of the two countries and the era of the Khmer empire. "This lack of understanding is reflected in the thinking of a considerable number of educated Thais and member of the ruling class, who distinguish between the Khom and the Khmer, considering them to be two separate ethnic group". They further go on to assert that "it was the Khom, not the Khmer, who built the majestic temple complexes at Ankor Wat and Angkor Thom and founded one of the world's truly magnificent ancient empires". The Khmer resentment towards this attitude of Thai-centric view of historical accounts—true or not, was not newly founded in 2003. Despite the world consensus that the culture and the empire that rule the region originated from the Khmer; the fact that there are Thais that claim otherwise could be seen as an insult by some Khmer. In the 19th century the Khmer kingdom narrowly escaped being swallowed by two stronger neighbors, Thailand on the west and Vietnam on the east. This created a fear in many Khmer that the neighboring country was out to conquer and erase Khmer identity.
Cause of the riots.
The riots were prompted by a 18 January article in the Cambodian newspaper "Rasmei Angkor" ("Light of Angkor"). The article alleged that Thai actress Suvanant Kongying said Cambodia had "stolen" Angkor Wat, and that she would not appear in Cambodia until it was returned to Thailand. The newspaper's editor gave the source for the story as a group of Khmer nationalists who said they had seen the actress on television. No evidence to support the newspaper's claim has ever emerged, and it seems that the report was either fabricated or arose from a misunderstanding of what Suvanant's character had said. It has also been suggested that the report was an attempt by a rival firm to discredit the actress, who was also the "face" of a cosmetics company.
The report was picked up by Khmer radio and print media, and copies of the "Rasmei Angkor" article were distributed in schools. On 27 January, Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen repeated the allegations, and said that Suvanant was "not worth a few blades of grass near the temple". On 28 January, the Cambodian government then banned all Thai television programs in the country.
Strong nationalistic sentiments were also present during the build up to the riot. "Nationalism has over the years been exploited by the two countries' political leaders to fulfil [sic] a myriad of their own political interests". Some have argued that the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) had a political incentive to orchestrate the riots. After the arrest of Mam Sonando, "Phnom Penh's then Governor Chea Sophara, an increasingly popular CPP politician (who had been tipped by some to challenge Hun Sen as a PM candidate) was sacked". Coincidental or not the events that followed the 2003 riot, was beneficial to the Prime Minister of Cambodia.
The riots.
On 29 January, rioters attacked the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh, destroying the building. Mobs also attacked the premises of Thai-owned businesses, including Thai Airways International and Shin Corp, owned by the family of then Thai prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. A photograph of a Cambodian man holding a burning portrait of the revered King of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej enraged many Thai people.
The Thai government sent military aircraft to Cambodia to evacuate Thai nationals, while Thais demonstrated outside the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok.
Responsibility for the riots was disputed: Hun Sen attributed the government’s failure to prevent the attacks to "incompetence", and said that the riots were stirred up by "extremists". The chairman of the National Assembly, Prince Norodom Ranariddh claimed that opposition leader Sam Rainsy had directed the attacks. Rainsy said that he had attempted to prevent the violence.
Some, including the Thai ambassador to Cambodia at the time, argue that the 29 January 2003 riot was orchestrated. Cambodians and Thais alike, in online discussions, asserted that "Hun Sen and elements of the CPP were behind the demonstration". The Cambodian prime minister made a speech, just two days prior to the riot, which further reinforced the allegation that was made about the Thai actress's comment. Also "despite desperate calls from the frantic Thai ambassador to the Cambodian Foreign Minister, police and Defence Ministry, Cambodian official and police did little to discourage the crowd". The Thai embassy was within very close proximity to the Ministry of Interior and the headquarters of the CPP.
The aftermath.
The Thai government closed the country's border with Cambodia following the riots, but only to Thai and Cambodian nationals. The border was re-opened on 21 March 2003, following the Cambodian government's payment of US$6 million compensation for the destruction of the Thai embassy. In a 2006 rally against Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, several influential Thai diplomats, including former ambassador to the UN Asda Jayanama and former ambassador to Vietnam Supapong Jayanama, alleged that only half of the compensation was actually paid. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied this accusation. The Cambodian government also agreed to compensate individual Thai businesses for the losses which they had suffered, to be negotiated separately.
Shortly after the riots, a wave of arrests—more than 150 persons—was criticized by human rights groups, highlighting irregularities in the procedures and denial by the authorities to monitor their detention conditions. The owner of Beehive Radio, Mam Sonando, and Chan Sivutha, Editor-in-Chief of "Reaksmei Angkor", were both arrested without warrants, charged with incitement to commit a crime, incitement to discrimination and announcement of false information. They were later on released on bail and no trial was ever held.
See also.
Philippines, 23 August 2010


Farah-Chakansur Province

Farah-Chakansur Province is a defunct province of Afghanistan, which in 1964 was divided into Farah Province and Nimroz Province. The former province's capital was Farah.


Santo Domingo Church (Quezon City)

Santo Domingo Church, formally known as the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of La Naval de Manila (Spanish: "Santuario Nacional de Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario de La Naval de Manila"; Filipino: "Pambansang Dambana ng Mahal na Ina ng Santo Rosaryo ng La Naval de Manila"), is the largest church in Metro Manila and one of the biggest churches in Asia. It is dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus under her title Our Lady of La Naval de Manila.
This is the sixth church complex that has served as the motherhouse or headquarters of the Dominican Order of the Philippines. The Dominicans were one of the "pioneering missionaries" of the Philippines. The motherhouse was transferred to the Quezon City location after the Manila location was destroyed during World War II in the Philippines.
Previous church buildings.
Prior to its current location, the Dominican Order in the Philippines were headquartered in the city of Manila. They had five church buildings, each destroyed by fire, earthquakes, and lastly a Japanese bomb during World War II.
Early church (1587).
The first Catholic missionaries to arrive in Manila were Spanish Augustinians who came in 1571 with Miguel López de Legazpi. The Franciscans came a few years later, in 1578. It was in 1587 that the first Dominicans arrived in Manila from Cádiz in Spain. They were welcomed by Domingo Salazar OP, the first Bishop of Manila. The order temporarily stayed at the Franciscan convent in Manila while some of them were sent north to Pangasinan and west to Bataan to begin missionary work. Salazar sponsored 3,000 pesos for the construction of the church and 300 pesos for the purchase of land. On January 1, 1588, the church (made of light materials) was inaugurated and it enshrined an image of Our Lady of the Rosary from Mexico.
Second church (1592).
In 1589, the church was partially destroyed by an earthquake. As the roof had collapsed, the Dominicans decided to build a larger church made of stronger material. Through the direction of Father Alonzo Jiménez, the second church was made from stone. Contributions were given by María Pérez, Captain Domingo Mendiola, and a certain Captain Castillo. The church was inaugurated on April 9, 1592.
Third church (early 17th century).
A fire on April 30, 1603 destroyed a third of a city, including the church and its convent. Almost immediately after the blaze, a bigger and costlier third church was built. It contained a stone vault as precaution against fire and earthquake; and donations were used to fund construction. Though made of stone, it was destroyed by another earthquake on November 30, 1645, leaving only the high altar standing.
Fourth church (1862).
A fourth church of stone and hardwood was built. It had wooden arches and wooden posts supporting the roof, thus dividing it into three naves. The artistic interior designs were executed under the direction of Father Francisco Gainza. The church took two years to build, and its structural soundness made it last for 250 years. Initiated by Father Castro, a new façade was planned. Flanked by two towers, it was patterned after London’s St Paul's Cathedral, designed by Christopher Wren. Work on the façade alone lasted almost a year. The church was inaugurated on June 15, 1862 with great festivity. On June 3, 1863, the Philippines experienced one of the strongest earthquakes in its history, the church ruined by quake of the same intensity as that which hit Manila in 1645.
Fifth church (1868).
A few months after the 1863 earthquake, Félix Róxas presented a plan for the church’s reconstruction, partly following the plan of the previous church and utilizing some of its salvageable parts. On August 30, 1864, the cornerstone of the present church was laid. In it was placed a lead box, containing art objects, gold coins, medals of saints and other things belonging to the “Orden de Predicadores”. Construction occurred from 1864 to 1887 in the gotico fingido (neo-Gothic) style, using Philippine building materials. The immense columns resembling spreading tree branches, were of acle, molave and ipil. The vault was of zinc or galvanized iron. The stained glass windows were ordered from Europe. The four retablos were made under the direction of Father Joaquín Sabater, a professor of drawing at the University of Santo Tomás. Alberoni directed the painting of the main altar.
The church measured at the central aisles, and high at the lateral aisles. Its towers rose to . Although Fr. Sixto and Fr. Ristoro would supervise construction of the church, the Dominicans contracted the services of the European-trained architect Félix Roxas. Sr. Roxas, adapting the seismic realities, designed a church with story of stone an upper story of wood. He worked closely with Isabelo Tampinco who decorated the interior with carving imitating the fan vault reminiscent of the English Gothic; the walls and ceiling of the sacristy were similarly treated. Even the furniture in the sacristy was treated in the Gothic manner. The chapel of the Nuestra Señora de Rosario had an altar with lancet arches and Gothic-inspired ornamented pinnacles. Its floor was made of native molave and narra and the pulpit was of fine carving, with the images representing the different saints of the Order. A dove was attached to the sounding board of the pulpit, above which, there was an angel. The choir-loft was spacious and was protected by wrought from railing manufactured in the Philippines. Over the central doorway, on the roof was enclosed in a glass case original Virgin of the Rosary, which had been there for many centuries. The central altar had three saints. In the center was Saint Dominic, at the left was Saint Francis and at the right was Saint Theresa of Jesus. Above Saint Dominic was the statue of Saint Mary Magdalene. The cupola above had many colored glass windows. Inside, was a balcony surrounded by iron railing.
Our Lady of the Rosary had a separate chapel at the right of the high altar. This image was donated by the Governor-General Luis Perez Dasmarinas and carved by a Chinese, under competent direction. Many persons claim to have secured much help from this marvelous image especially from women, who placed the skirt of the image over their abdomen during their difficult delivery. It was recorded that this image saved the island during the Dutch invasions of 1646 and that on October 5, 1907, it was canonically crowned. Its ivory hands and face, costly garments and crown were very artistic. Saint Dominic was at the left of the image, kneeling and receiving a rosary, while at the right was Saint Catalina de Siena. In the same chapel, there were two more lofty altars. The one at the right, was dedicated to Saint Vincent Ferrer, and the other on the left, to the Holy Family. In this chapel, the interesting historical canvas, painted in Rome in 1909, represented the priest, Saint Dominic, baptizing a Chinese while the two other natives stand watching him. Near this chapel was the sacristy in which were the chests of camagon with their fine carvings. These chests contained the costly vestments of the priests. A big crucifix was at one end of the hall near a stairway leading to the monastery. Below this image there was a half-length portrait of the Virgin Dolores. On the walls of sacristy, there were canvases of interest and value from a religious standpoint. There were four more altars in the main church. The two on the left were dedicated to the Immaculate Conception and in Saint Thomas respectively: the two on the right, to Our Savior and to Saint Joseph. Below the Crucifix was the “Santo Sepulcro” which could be seen thru the glass cover. From the lofty ceiling of the church, there were costly and heavy chandeliers, and on the lateral walls, there were images carved in wood, showing the different stages of the life of Christ.
The church incurred damage over time and was repaired. In 1887, the vault and the rose windows of batikuling were restored. The main altar was almost totally renovated, and the columns repaired. The roof of the bell towers was renovated to assume a crown-like form. In 1941, the Gothic church of Santo Domingo in Intramuros was destroyed at the advent of the Second World War. On December 27, 1941 the church and the Dominican monastery beside it were hit by Japanese bombs. This was the first church to be ruined during the Pacific War. The friars, archives, the image of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of La Naval and other movable property like ivory statues, gala vestments of the Virgin; jewelry, and sacred vessels were the only survivors of the war. The image was transferred to Santísimo Rosario Church at the University of Santo Tomás (UST) in España, Manila. The ruins was subsequently demolished, and the church transferred. The site is now a financial hub with occupants including Bank of the Philippine Islands, with a historical marker reminding visitors of what used to stand on the site.
Current building (1954).
After the Second World War, the Dominicans constructed the sixth church in a new location. They built it on a portion of land they had purchased in Quezon City. The Dominicans commissioned José Ma. Zaragoza to design the building while he was still a student of architecture at UST.
Architecture.
The new Santo Domingo church was built in the Art Deco combined with Spanish Modern style, which was unlike the Baroque churches built during Spanish period. The church employed the latest technique in reinforced-concrete building. The Mission-style architecture includes Romanesque and Gothic designs that accommodate more space. Measuring with a height of , there is a total floor area of . It is the biggest church in Metro Manila and one of the biggest churches in Asia. The Santo Domingo church complex was inaugurated on October 12, 1954. They icon of Our Lady of La Naval was brought to the new church in 1957 in a spectacular procession.
The church façade has receding planes with leaves designed in corbel arches. Over the triple portals of the church is a high-relief frieze depicting the story of the La Naval. The giant bas-relief of Santo Domingo was designed by the Italian sculptor and expatriate Francesco Monti.
In the nave of the church there are eight colorful murals by National Artist Carlos Francisco depicting the life and times of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, the Spaniard who founded the Order of Preachers. Francisco’s murals are just below the equally brilliant murals of the Four Evangelists in vivid brown tones by Vicente García Llamas.
Curved windows of the church frame masterful stained-glass designs by Galo Ocampo whose bases show different ecclesiastical seals. The windows depict the original 15 Stations of the Holy Rosary as well as the Battle of Lepanto and La Naval de Manila; and the martyrdoms of San Vicente Liem de la Paz and San Francisco Capillas, Dominican protomartyrs of Vietnam and China, respectively. Right behind Sto. Domingo Church’s facade is an intricately carved panels and stained glass windows lie a treasure trove of the Philippines’ rich cultural heritage and the object of centuries-old devotion, the image of Our Lady of the Rosary of La Naval, the oldest Marian icon in the country.
Treasures.
Aside from being an architectural jewel, the Santo Domingo Church houses artistic treasures. The second to sixth Santo Domingos were bound by a common symbol, the image of the Nuestra Señora del Santísmo Rosario or La Naval de Manila. The image of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of La Naval is kept on the left side altar all year round, except during the October fiesta when a special canopy and platforms are built for it behind the main altar. The La Naval image has been the object of Filipino devotion that dates back to the 16th century, and the icon’s shrine in Quezon City is host to an annual feast that culminates in a procession that draws tens of thousands of devotees. Opposite in the left, a side altar dedicated to Saint Martín de Porres.
Devotees of Our Lady of La Naval would offer her jewelry. In the church’s jewellery collection, the La Naval image has a brooch described as “studded with small diamonds, seed pearls and colored gems.” It is believed to have been offered to the Virgin by a certain Josefa Roxas Manio, a native of Calumpit, Bulacan, in the 19th century, after having received it as a courtship gift from Norodom I of Cambodia.
Somewhere in the vast church complex is a secret vault holding centuries-old ivory icons and wooden images of saints made by Filipino craftsmen; exquisite, gem-studded, age-old crowns; golden Marian robes; and fine jewelry for the Virgin presented by fervent devotees. The secrecy about the vault makes sense: In October 1762, thieves broke into the Sto. Domingo Church in Intramuros and took some of its rare treasures, prompting security of the church's treasures since then. Other treasures that are deemed fit for public viewing can be found in the church's museum, to the left of the church.
Another notable gift is the National Artist medallion, which ardent devotee Nick Joaquin instructed his heirs to donate to the La Naval Virgin before he died in 2004. The medallion has been affixed to the statue’s foot since then.
Stored in the vault, according to the book, are prewar ivory heads and hands for statues of several saints, including St. Dominic, St. Vincent Ferrer, St. Catherine de Ricci, St. Agnes of Montepulciano and St. Antoninus of Florence.
Pipe organ.
In the giant choir loft is almost a century-old pipe organ made by Fray Gregorio Hontomin, OP made in Rosaryhill in Hong Kong. The Dominicans transferred the pipe organ from Hong Kong to the Sto. Domingo Church in 1954 after the Chapel of St. Albert the Great’s Priory, the center of religious formation and studies of the Dominican Province of the Holy Rosary, closed. The inauguration of the pipe organ was June 9, 1959. It was restored to its grandeur by Diego Cera Organbuilders Inc., custodians of the world-famous Las Piñas bamboo organ. The restoration involved repositioning of the pipe organs from the edges to slightly forward, reconstruction and modernization of the organ console from scratch, and most likely a reworked wind pump system.
Museo de Santo Domingo.
The Santo Domingo Museum ("also Museo de Santo Domingo") houses other valuable objects—such as centuries-old crucifixes made of gold and silver, rosaries and a tabernacle, all of which had been used in the old Santo. Domingo Church in Intramuros.
Columbary and Mortuary.
The church has two mortuary facilities located at the right side of the church where wakes can be held for the deceased. One is located below the belfry of the church, and the other, at the right side beside the altar and the entrance to their columbary. In addition, the former idle area and storage area of the church, at the rear part of the church adjacent to the altar has been developed to be a columbary, and an interment area. Called the Santuario de Santo Domingo, the facility offers columbary valuts for urns, with sections named after Dominican Saints. The central part of the Santuario is exclusively dedicated to the Order of Preachers, housing urns, bones and interred remains of Dominican clergymen.
Declaration as a National Cultural Treasure.
The Dominicans endorsed the designation of the Santo Domingo Church and the Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of La Naval de Manila as a National Culture Treasure to the National Museum in 2011. It has been listed as a National Cultural Treasure following the signing of Museum Declaration no. 4 on October 4, 2012 during the enthronement rites for theOur Lady of the Rosary of La Naval and unveiling o the official marker on December 8, 2012. The declaration is the highest distinction the government can confer on a cultural property. The declaration follows Republic Act No. 4846, otherwise known as the Cultural Properties Preservation and Protection Act. It is the first national cultural treasure listed in Quezon City.


Royal flags of Thailand

The Royal Flags of Thailand () are flags that are usually flown in Thailand along with the National flag to honor the King as well as the Royal Family of Thailand. Unlike the Royal Standards that are only displayed in special ceremonies and in particular locations, the royal flags are a ubiquitous sight all over Thailand. They are not commonly seen, however, outside of the country.
Description.
The main royal flags are that of the King of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn, known as the "Tenth king" (Rama X), and his consort Queen Suthida. The flag of the previous monarch King Bhumibol Adulyadej and the flag for Queen Dowager Sirikit is still widely used. These flags are in plain colors with their respective royal cyphers. Other members of the royal family, like Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and Princess Chulabhorn Walailak also have their own plain-color flags, but these are not seen very often, except at ceremonies personally led by them.
The royal flags are not only used officially, but also unofficially. They are displayed by Thai citizens of any social class or background at any location, usually beside the Thai flag, as a homage to their King. Honoring the royal family is a characteristic feature of Thai culture.
These flags are sold at most small stores and grocery stores in every town and village of Thailand. They come in many different sizes. Usually the symbol is printed only on one side of the flag.
Flag of the King.
The King's flag is in yellow, the color of Monday, the day of his birth. It always has a symbol in the middle. There are a variety of symbols, but recently most king's flags have different symbols, such as the symbol marking King Bhumibol's 80th birthday or the one commemorating the 60th anniversary of King Bhumibol's accession to the throne.
Both emblems in the center of the flag are quite complex, involving Buddhist iconography and ancient royal symbols of authority as well, such as the multi-tiered white umbrella. The king's symbols are always topped by the royal crown. Sometimes light rays are emanating from the top of the crown, these are also an element of royal symbology. In simplified versions of the flag the central symbol may come simply outlined in red.
Yellow is the color identified with the king in Thailand (as well as the previous king, both were born on a Monday). Many Thais like to wear yellow shirts as an informal homage to their king, especially on Mondays, the day of his birth.
Flag of the Queen.
The Queen’s flag is purple, the color of Saturday, the day of her birth. Unlike the flag of the king, her flag has always the same symbol in the middle. The symbol is her acronym (ส.ท.: สุทิดา : Suthida) below a yellow or golden crown of the great lady, sometimes with a pink scroll with Thai writing underneath. In simplified versions of the flag this symbol may come simply outlined in white on the purple ground. This flag was first displayed in June 2019, less than a month after her coronation.


Laotong

Laotong () is a type of relationship in Chinese culture formerly practised in Hunan that bonded two girls together for eternity as kindred sisters.
There two cultural practises in Hunan in past centuries, Laotong and Laotang, acknowledged women's social bonds.
Chinese women commonly refer to each other as "Sisters". This is a recognition of the importance of women's supportive relationships, which help them endure hardships over their lives. Preparation for marriage might involve a Laotang relationship between several young women; the sisterhood would be dissolved upon marriage. After marriage, new sisterhoods could be formed later between married or widowed women.
For Chinese women, the Laotong or "old-sames" relationship was the strongest and most precious bond of female friendship. This was a more rare and formal relationship between women. A woman could only have one Laotong, and the intensely unbreakable bond was for life.
Often a Laotong relationship would be formed when a marriage was contracted between families who were expecting babies. This was done before the babies were born. If both children turned out female against the hopes of their families, the daughters could be brought together as Laotong. An intermediary, in some places a matchmaker, would form a Laotong relationship between two girls, similar to an arranged marriage. The Chinese astrological profiles of the girls were considered during the matching process. It was unusual for a Laotong relationship to be broken.
The relationship was made formal by the signing of a contract, which would be done much like a legal contract, using a seal. Laotong would frequently develop a language to use to communicate between them that only they could understand (a type of Nu shu), allowing them to send messages back and forth to one another.
These elements of the Laotong practise are shown in Lisa See's novel "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan", which was made into a 2011 movie directed by Wayne Wang.


Paku Alam IX

KGPAA Paku Alam IX (7 May 1938 – 21 November 2015) was the ruler of Pakualaman, in central Java, Indonesia. His court name before he became "Paku Alam IX" was "Bendara Raden Mas Ambarkusumo". He succeeded as "Paku Alam" upon the death of the last ruler, his father Paku Alam VIII, on 11 September 1998, and was formally installed as "Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Adipati Arya Paku Alam IX" on 26 May 1999.
Like his predecessor, he was also the vice-governor of the Yogyakarta Special Region, serving under Sultan Hamengkubuwana X.
Paku Alam IX resided in Paku Alaman palace in Yogyakarta. He died on 21 November 2015 after being admitted to a hospital five days earlier.
He is buried in the family cemetery in Girigondo in the nearby Kulon Progo district.
On January 7, 2016, his eldest son Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Haryo (KGPH) Suryodilogo succeeded him as Paku Alam X.


Osaka City Museum

 is a former museum dedicated to the history of Ōsaka, Japan. Located in the former headquarters of the 4th Division of the Imperial Japanese Army in Osaka Castle Park, the ground floor opened to the public in December 1960, with the special exhibition "Momoyama Culture". After completion of the second stage of works, the entire museum opened in November 1962, with the special exhibition "Famous Treasures of Osaka". In March 1989, the museum welcomed its 3,200,000th paying visitor. At the end of March 2001, Osaka City Museum permanently closed. Later the same year, the new Osaka Museum of History opened a short distance away.
The former headquarters building itself dates to 1931, the year reconstruction of the Osaka Castle tenshu in ferroconcrete was completed and Osaka Castle Park opened to the public. After World War II, the building was used as the headquarters in turn of the Osaka City Police and Osaka Prefectural Police. After remodelling, it served as Osaka City Museum. Transformed again, the former army headquarters building now functions as a dining and shopping space, under the moniker MIRAIZA Osaka-jo.


Jauhar ul-Alam

Sultan Jauhar ul-Alam Amauddin Syah (died 1726) was the twenty-first sultan of Aceh. He ruled very briefly in 1726. Some sources date his reign in 1723.
Under the name Panglima Maharaja he was originally the local maharaja of Kampong Pahang. He was also a counselor to his overlord, Sultan Jamal ul-Alam Badr ul-Munir. The latter was badly cornered by a rebellion by one of the "sagis" (regions) in 1726 and had to take refuge in a fortress. As the other "sagis" joined the uprising, Jamal ul-Alam fled to Pidië on the advice of Panglima Maharaja. After some political chaos Panglima Maharaja stepped forward and was enthroned, although he had previously sworn not to betray Jamal ul-Alam. He took the regnal title Sultan Jauhar ul-Alam Amauddin Syah but died after only seven (or twenty) days. In his place the chiefs chose Wandi Tebing alias Syamsul Alam as sultan.


Khwaja Khairuddin

Syed Khwaja Khairuddin (, ) was a Bengali Pakistani politician. He was the mayor of Dhaka and was known for having opposed the Independence of Bangladesh. Following the country's liberation, he migrated to live in Pakistan.
Early life.
Khairuddin was born in Dhaka into the Muslim zamindari Nawab family on 4 July 1921. His father was Syed Khwaja Alauddin and mother was Shahzadi Begum. He studied at the Government Muslim High School in Dhaka and graduated from the University of Dhaka in 1943.
Career.
He became the President of East Pakistan Council Muslim League. He served as the mayor of Dhaka. He was elected MPA in the year 1962–65 and was also elected MNA in the year 1965. He was a polling agent of Fatima Jinnah in Dhaka for the 1965 Pakistani presidential election which she contested for against President Ayub Khan. He was accused in the National Assembly of Pakistan for political bias in appointing personnel during his tenure as mayor. He was the convenor and chairman of East Pakistan Central Peace Committee. The committee faced accusations of war crimes, and one of its founders, Ghulam Azam, was convicted of war crimes. Khairuddin moved to Pakistan after the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. After migrating to Pakistan, he served as Secretary General of the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD) which was an alliance of eight parties against President Zia-ul-Haq. Khairuddin was also a Senior Vice President of the Pakistan Muslim League. He was deported by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto for campaigning against the Unification of Pakistan. He was awarded a Sitara-e-Khidmat by Ayub Khan in 1963 and also awarded a gold medal by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his role during the Pakistan Movement.
Legacy.
He died 3 October 1993 in Karachi, Pakistan. Dr. Syed Khawaja Alqama, Khairuddin's son and the former vice chancellor of Bahauddin Zakariya University, was nominated to be Pakistan's High Commissioner to Bangladesh. The Government of Bangladesh declined to accept his nomination.


Dai-Ichi Kangyo


JD (film)

JD () is a Hindi feature film written, directed and produced by Shailendra Pandey and Anju Pandey. This Bollywood film is based on the life of an Indian journalist. The news portal "First Post" compared the story to Tarun Tejpal, editor-in-chief, involved in a "Tehelka Magazine" sexual assault case. The film was released on 22 September 2017.
Real life people.
Several actors in the film play roles that mimic their real-life jobs, including:
The film includes a song in which real Nautanki dancers, musicians, and singers from Kanpur perform.
Actress Jasveer Kaur performs an item number in the film.
There are six songs in the film. The lyrics were written by Kumar Vijay and Sahil Fatehpuri. Sandip Soparrkar choreographed two songs.
Soundtrack.
The music was composed by Ganesh Pandey and Jaan Nissar Lone, and was released by Zee Music Company.


Lal Masjid, Islamabad

The Lal Masjid (; translated: Red Mosque) is a mosque located in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
History.
The Red Mosque located on Masjid (mosque) Road is one of the oldest mosques within the capital. Before the construction of Faisal Mosque, the Red Mosque was the largest in the capital. Located in a very central position, it lies in close proximity to the two busy commercial centres, Aabparah market in the east and Melody market in the north. It was built according to Capital Development Authority (CDA) records. Maulana Muhammad Abdullah was appointed its first imam. Abdullah was critical of all governments except Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq's. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq had a close relationship with Maulana Muhammad Abdullah, the former head of the mosque. During the Soviet–Afghan War (1979–1989), the Red Mosque played a role in recruiting and training mujahideen /to fight with or alongside Afghan mujahideen. Throughout its existence several thousand male and female students have lived in adjacent seminaries.
After Maulana Muhammad Abdullah was assassinated in 1998, his sons Abdul Aziz and Abdul Rashid took over the mosque, Abdul Aziz remains the official khateeb (sermon giver) of the Mosque.
Siege.
On 3 July 2007, the stand-off between the students barricaded inside the mosque and the government resulted in bloody gun battles in which over twenty people, including students of the mosque, members of the media, paramilitary personnel, and a businessman were reportedly killed, and over one hundred others were injured. An FIR was later registered against Aziz and Rashid with charges ranging from kidnapping and murder to treason, as well as terrorism. People who supported the activities of Lal Masjid said they were only attacking "Chinese girls who were prostitutes and they [were] destroying CD shops which sold pornography." Lal Masjid held on to what many people call "pure and true Muslim ethic" and what the opposing parties called "fundamental and dogmatic".
Aziz and Rashid were negotiating the conflict with then Senior Minister for Religious Affairs, Ijaz-ul-Haq in consultation with Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, President Pakistan Muslim League (Q). Till last minute reports, the negotiations were deemed successful. Reportedly, after the minister left the Mosque, he changed his stance and could not defend the commitments he made at the mosque.
Government and Security officials had repeatedly asked Maulana Abdul Rashid to surrender but he refused. He proposed that if government would give him and his students safe passage to allow him to live a silent life in his home village, he would hand over Lal Masjid to government, Jamia Hafsa and Faridia University to Wafaqul Madaris (a federation of Madaris). This agreement was made between Ulmai Karam and Government including Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain but at the final moment President Pervez Musharraf canceled the agreement and ordered to attack the mosque where hundreds of female students were present
Mosque stormed.
On 8 July 2007, most of the private media outlets (such as Geo and Aaj, among others) became convinced from the movements of the security forces on the ground that they were preparing to storm the building. At dawn on Tuesday, 10 July, after attempts at negotiation failed, government troops stormed the mosque, taking control of most of the complex.
Many conflicting reports swirled around the incident and it is difficult to determine the truth of these given the very sensitive political nature of the event; the actual number of casualties still cannot be verified independently. Many believe the casualties were between 300 and 400.
When asked about the alleged foreigners the government was unable to prove the presence of any foreigners in the mosque and many believe that some locals as were dubbed as foreigners.
Aftermath.
Following the week-long siege, the country entered a three-day mourning period. The bodies of those killed were buried in temporary graves, awaiting collection from family members. Hundreds of Abdul Rashid's supporters attended his funeral in his Punjabi village, amid calls for Holy War. This gave rise to fears of a violent backlash from fundamentalist quarters; the police and military were placed on high alert. Ayman al-Zawahiri, Al-Qaeda's second in command, released a message which included the sentence: "Your salvation is only through jihad", heightening tensions in the region.
July 2008 bombing near Lal Masjid.
On 6 July 2008, at 7:50 PM local time, a bomb exploded near Lal Masjid, killing 18 policemen and 1 civilian. A Pakistani official claimed the bombing occurred on the first anniversary of the siege and was a revenge attack. The attack occurred even amidst tight security in Islamabad, where thousands of Islamic students in Pakistan came to mark the day when Pakistani troops stormed Lal Masjid. The blast was the work of a suicide bomber around 30 years of age. Advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik, who visited the blast site, said about 12,000 students attended the rally and the attack was directed at the police.
Current.
The Mosque was opened to public 3 weeks after the seige, Bahria Town took responsibility of renovating the mosque, and by 2010 renovation was completed, upon his release, Maulana Abdul Aziz resumed his post as cleric.


Thawisan Ladawan

Thawisan Ladawan (; 26 January 1923 – 7 April 2006) was husband of Busba Kitiyakara (younger sister of Queen Sirikit), a member of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's Privy Council, and for 26 years, Principal Private Secretary to King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Education.
Thawisan attended Vajiravudh College and graduated from the inaugural class of Faculty of Law, Thammasat University in 1938.
Careers.
After graduated, he worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He worked in several capitals, including Paris and Brussels, and earned a Diplome d'Etudes Superieures de Droit International Public from Paris University in 1954. He became Deputy Director-General of the Protocol Department before departing in 1968 to serve as Deputy Principal Private Secretary to King Bhumibol. A year later he became King Bhumibol's Principal Private Secretary, and was later appointed to the Privy Council.
Family.
Thawisan was the son of Phra Phum Phichai (Mom Ratchawong Bung Ladawan) and Nueang Bunnag. His father was the ruler of Chaiyaphum Province, Lamphun Province, Mae Hong Son Province, and Kamphaeng Phet Province.
Thawisan married Busba Kitiyakara in 1958. They had a daughter, Suthawan Ladawan Sathirathai on 24 September 1958. He divorced her soon afterwards and never remarried. Suthawan married Surakiart Sathirathai.
Died.
He died at the age of 83 due to chronic liver disease.


Inanch Bilge khan

Inanch khan () or Inanch Bilge Bogü khan () or Inat khan was a khan of Naimans. According to Gumilev, his Christian name was John.
Reign.
He was from the Güčügüt clan of Naimans which followed the Betegin clan. He conquered Yenisei Kyrgyz with his elder brother Naershi Tayang (納兒黑失太陽) and succeeded him later sometime. After Yelü Dashi's death 1143, he became independent. He supported Kerait ruler Toghril's brother Erke Qara against him in 1174.
After his death Naiman khanate were divided into two factions ruled by his sons.
Family.
He was married to Juerbiesu (古兒別速) and several other wives with whom he had at least two sons:
Juerbiesu later married to his step-son Taibuqa in a levirate marriage.
Character.
He was reported be a man of honor among Naimans according to "The Secret History of the Mongols".


Rusa II

Rusa II was king of Urartu between around 680 BC and 639 BC. It was during his reign that the massive fortress complex, Karmir-Blur, was constructed.
Rusa II was known to Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, as Yaya or Iaya.
A cuneiform inscription has been found commemorating the king building a canal to channel water to the city of Quarlini from the Ildaruni (Hrazdan River).


Aleppo Vilayet

The Vilayet of Aleppo (; ) was a first-level administrative division (vilayet) of the Ottoman Empire, centered on the city of Aleppo.
History.
The vilayet was established in March 1866. The new boundaries of Aleppo were stretched northward to include the largely Turkish-speaking cities of Maraş and Antep giving the province a roughly equal number of Arabic- and Turkish-speakers, as well as a large Armenian-speaking minority.
Thanks to its strategic geographic location on the trade route between Anatolia and the east, Aleppo rose to high prominence in the Ottoman era, at one point being second only to Constantinople in the empire. However, the economy of Aleppo was badly hit by the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, and since then Damascus rose as a serious competitor with Aleppo over the title of the capital of Syria.
Historically, Aleppo was more united in economy and culture with its sister Anatolian cities than with Damascus. This fact still shows today with the distinctive cultural differences between Aleppo and Damascus.
At the end of World War I, the Treaty of Sèvres made most of the Province of Aleppo part of the newly established nation of Syria, while Cilicia was promised by France to become an Armenian state. However, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk annexed most of the Province of Aleppo as well as Cilicia to Turkey in his War of Independence. The Arab residents in the province (as well as the Kurds) supported the Turks in this war against the French, a notable example being Ibrahim Hanano who directly coordinated with Atatürk and received weaponry from him. The outcome, however, was disastrous for Aleppo, because as per the Treaty of Lausanne, most of the Province of Aleppo was made part of Turkey with the exception of Aleppo and Alexandretta; thus, Aleppo was cut from its northern satellites and from the Anatolian cities beyond on which Aleppo depended heavily in commerce. Moreover, the Sykes-Picot division of the Near East separated Aleppo from most of Mesopotamia, which also harmed the economy of Aleppo. The situation exacerbated further in 1939 when Alexandretta was annexed to Turkey, thus depriving Aleppo from its main port of İskenderun and leaving it in total isolation within Syria.
Demographics.
At the beginning of the 20th century it reportedly had an area of , while the preliminary results of the first Ottoman census of 1885 (published in 1908) gave the population as 1,500,000. The accuracy of the population figures ranges from "approximate" to "merely conjectural" depending on the region from which they were gathered.
Administrative divisions.
Sanjaks of the vilayet, circa 1876


Grakliani Hill

Grakliani Hill (, "Grakliani Gora") is an archaeological excavation site in eastern Georgia near Kaspi, showing evidence of human presence possibly going back 300,000 years.
The site was discovered in 2007, during work to widen the Tbilisi-Senaki-Leselidze highway. Research is being done by students and faculty from Tbilisi State University. In 2015, a supposed script was discovered on the altar of a fertility goddess's temple, predating those previously known in the area by at least a thousand years.
Layout.
The site contains a temple to a fertility goddess from the seventh century BCE, a pit-type burial cemetery from the early Bronze Age, and the remains of a building from around 450-350 BCE; the building consists of three rooms with three storage rooms.
The site had been occupied between the Chalcolithic and the Late Hellenistic periods.
Discoveries.
The excavation of layers yielded artifacts including children's toys, weapons, icons, and pharmacological devices. Within the first two months of digging, archaeologists had excavated over 35,000 pieces from hundreds of graves and ruins of settlements that date back to the eighth century BCE.
Several golden and bronze discs from the sixth century were discovered. These findings attest that this society possessed the technology of gilding and engraving.
Among the most significant artifacts may be a fourth century BCE printing device. These were extremely rare seals used to stamp judicial documents; supposedly they originated from Uruk in Mesopotamia. Another notable find is that of a large and decorated ritual oven, an unprecedented find in archaeology.
Script.
A previously unknown script was discovered just below a temple's collapsed altar to a fertility goddess from the seventh century BCE. These inscriptions differ from those at other temples at Grakliani, which show animals, people, or decorative elements. The script bears no resemblance to any alphabet currently known, although its letters are conjectured to be related to ancient Greek and Aramaic. The inscription appears to be the oldest native alphabet to be discovered in the whole Caucasus region, a thousand years older than any indigenous writing previously discovered in the region. In comparison, the earliest Armenian and Georgian scripts date from the fifth century AD, just after the respective cultures converted to Christianity. By September 2015, an area of 31 by 3 inches of the inscription had been excavated.
According to Vakhtang Licheli, head of the Institute of Archaeology of the State University, "The writings on the two altars of the temple are really well preserved. On the one altar several letters are carved in clay while the second altar’s pedestal is wholly covered with writings." The finding was made by unpaid students. After the revelation stipends became available and the government doubled the site's research budget.
Significance to Georgia.
According to Licheli, who headed the archaeological expedition, the collective findings affirm the 3000-year-old existence of a Georgian statehood. The Ministry of Culture plans to turn the site into an open-air museum by the end of 2015.


Republican Reliance Party

Republican Reliance Party () was a former party in Turkey.
Background.
The Republican People's Party (CHP) which is usually credited as the founder of the Turkish Republic in 1923 was the oldest party in Turkey. The ideology of the party was Kemalism with strong emphasis on secularism. Bülent Ecevit, the secretary general of CHP after 1966 however, began introducing newer ideas. Although he didn't exclude Kemalism, he tried to transform the party into a social-democratic party avoiding using the word "social-democrat". He announced that the party was situated at the left of center in political spectrum (). But even this announcement caused a rift in the party.
Political history.
A group of the CHP MPs under the leadership of Turhan Feyzioğlu broke away from the CHP and founded the Reliance Party on 12 May 1967. Prominent names such as Nermin Neftçi, Coşkun Kırca, Orhan Öztrak, Ali İhsan Göğüş were among the other charter members. In 1969 elections the Reliance Party received 6,6% of votes and became the third party in the parliament. On 29 January 1971, the party was renamed as the National Reliance Party. In the same year the party participated in the Technocracy government and the next year Ferit Melen, a member of the party became the prime minister. On 4 May 1973, the Republican Party, another party also issued from the CHP, merged to the National Reliance Party. After merging, the party was renamed as the Republican Reliance Party.
Later years.
In 1973 elections, the Republican Reliance Party received 5,3% and participated in the coalition government of 1975 led by the Justice Party. The party further lost support in 1977 elections and after the coup’d etat in 1980, like all other parties in the country, the party was banned by the military rule on 16 October 1981.


Kham Souk of Champasak

Kham Souk was king of the southern Laotian Kingdom of Champasak from 1863 to 1899. He was preceded by Kham Nay, who reigned from 1856 to 1858, and a period of interregnum from 1858 to 1863.


Timeline of Chinese texts

This is a timeline of important Chinese texts including their final primary author and character count when available.


Koun Wick

Koun Wick (10 November 1917 – 27 December 1999) was a Cambodian statesman and diplomat who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1970 to 1972 and from 1964 to 1965. He was a cousin of former prime minister Chau Sen Cocsal Chhum.


Indra Varma

Indra Varma was an Indian monarch who is considered to be the first ruler of the Vishnukundin dynasty. He might have carved out a small principality for himself probably as a subordinate of the Vakatakas sometime about the last quarter of the fourth century CE. Not much information is known about the next two kings, Madhav Varma I and his son Govinda Varma. They might have kept intact the inheritance or extended their sway to some extent.