title: Closeted

paragraphs: Closeted and in the closet are metaphors used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and intersex (LGBTQI) people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex characteristics. After disclosure, they are said to have "come out of the closet."


title: Iolanta

paragraphs: Iolanta (sometimes Iolanthe) () is a one-act opera. The libretto was written by Modest Tchaikovsky. It is based on the Danish play "Kong Renés Datter" ("King René’s Daughter") by Henrik Hertz. The story is a account of the life of Yolande de Bar. The play was translated by Fyodor Miller and adapted by Vladimir Zotov. The music was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The opera received its premiere in St. Petersburg on 18 December 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre on a double-bill with the ballet "The Nutcracker".


title: Hrithik Roshan

paragraphs: Hrithik Roshan (born 10 January 1974) is an Indian Bollywood actor. Roshan had appeared as a child actor in many movies in the 1980s. He made his movie debut in "Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai" in 2000. His performance in the movie was widely appreciated and earned him a Filmfare Awards for Best Actor and Best Male Debut. He followed it with leading roles in "Fiza" and "Mission Kashmir" and had a male supporting role in the blockbuster movie "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham..." (2001), which was India's highest-grossing movie in the overseas market at that time.


title: Stephen Root

paragraphs: Stephen Root (born November 17, 1951) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, voice artist, and comedian. He is best known for doing many voices in movies and TV shows. He voiced Bill Dauterive and Buck Strickland in "King of the Hill", Zeb Zoober in "The Country Bears" and Junjie in "".


title: Goose step

paragraphs: The goose step is a kind of marching done by the military. It is usually done in formal parades and other ceremonies. While marching together, the troops swing their legs high off the ground, while keeping their knees unbended (so that their legs are straight). It resembles the walking style of a goose.

paragraphs: The march comes from the Prussian army in the mid-18th century. It was called the Stechschritt (meaning, "piercing step") or Stechmarsch. It is still used today by the armed forces of the nearly 30 countries.


title: James Hong

paragraphs: James Hong (traditional Chinese: 吳漢章, Wú Hànzhāng; born February 22, 1929) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, voice artist, and comedian. He is best known as the voice of Mr. Ping in the "Kung Fu Panda" franchise.

paragraphs: Hong and his family came out in an around-the-world mountain biking travel adventure called . The Hong family rode their mountain bikes on a trail near the Hollywood sign. James' daughter named April was born in 1975.


title: Kung Fu Panda Holiday

paragraphs: Kung Fu Panda Holiday, also known as Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special, is a 2010 American television special, based on the "Kung Fu Panda" franchise. It premiered on NBC on November 24, 2010.

paragraphs: It features the voices of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, and Jack McBrayer. The special's premiere broadcast drew 5.925 million viewers.

paragraphs: "Kung Fu Panda Holiday" got mostly positive reviews.

paragraphs: One day, Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) assigns Master Po (Jack Black) to host the upcoming annual Winter Feast that's to be held at the Jade Palace with every single Kung Fu master. But Po declines because he's gonna spend Christmas with Mr. Ping (James Hong) instead.


title: Mike Wallace (journalist)

paragraphs: Myron Leon "Mike" Wallace (born in Brookline, Massachusetts, May 9, 1918 – died in New Haven, Connecticut, April 7, 2012) was an American journalist, actor, game show host and television personality. He presented the CBS television program "60 Minutes".


title: Lockheed C-130 Hercules

paragraphs: The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a military transport aircraft. The aircraft was first introduced (made available) in 1957. It is still used today by over 60 countries worldwide in active service. There are over 40 models and types of the C-130.


title: Mazar-i-Sharif

paragraphs: Mazār-i-Sharīf or Mazār-e Sharīf (Persian/Pashto: مزارِ شریف, ) is the fourth-largest city of Afghanistan. The population was about 375,000 as of 2006. It is the capital of Balkh province. It is linked by roads to Kunduz in the east, Kabul in the south-east, Herat to the west and Uzbekistan to the north. The city is a major tourist attraction in Afghanistan because of its famous shrines as well as the Muslim and Hellenistic archeological sites. In 2006, the discovery of new Hellenistic remains was announced.

paragraphs: The region around Mazar-e-Sharif has been historically part of Greater Khorasan and was controlled by the Tahirids followed by the Saffarids, Samanids, Ghaznavids, Ghurids, Ilkhanates, Timurids, and Khanate of Bukhara.

paragraphs: The name Mazar-e-Sharif means "Noble Shrine". This name represents the Blue Mosque which is widely known to be the grave of Hazrat Ali (prophet Mohammad's son-in-law).

paragraphs: The city and region became part of the Afghan Durrani Empire around 1750.

paragraphs: Mazar-e Sharif remained peaceful for the next one hundred years. In 1979 then neighboring Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. During the 1980s Soviet war, Mazari Sharif was a strategic base for the Soviet Army.

paragraphs: Between May and July 1997, the Taliban unsuccessfully attempted to take Mazar. About 3,000 Taliban soldiers were killed by Abdul Malik and his Shia followers. The Taliban returned on August 8, 1998 and led a six-day killing frenzy of Hazaras. Soon after, the city was occupied and taken over by the Taliban.

paragraphs: Following 9/11, Mazar Sharif was the first Afghan city to fall to the Northern Alliance (United Front). The Taliban's defeat in Mazar quickly turned into defeat from the rest of the north and west of Afghanistan. On November 9, 2001 the city was captured by the Afghan Northern Alliance forces after the Battle of Mazar e Sharif with help from the United States Special Operations Forces and bombing by U.S. Air Force aircraft. As many as 2,000 Taliban fighters who surrendered were reportedly massacred by the Northern Alliance after the battle. Reports also place U.S. ground troops at the scene of the massacre.

paragraphs: There are also NATO peacekeeping forces in and around the city providing assistance to the Afghan government.

paragraphs: On April 1, 2011, as many as ten foreign employees working for United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) were killed by angry demonstrators in the city. The demonstration was organized in retaliation to the March 21 Qur'an-burning in Florida, United States.

paragraphs: The climate in Mazari Sharif is very hot during the summer. Daily temperatures are over 40°C or 104 degree Fahrenheit in June and July. The winters are cold with temperatures falling below freezing.

paragraphs: The population of Mazari Sharif is around 375,000. It is a multiethnic and multilingual society.

paragraphs: The main language in Mazari Sharif is Dari (Persian) followed by Pashto. Both are the official languages of Afghanistan.

paragraphs: The city is a centre for the traditional buzkashi sport, and the Blue Mosque is the focus of Afghanistan's Nawroz celebration.

paragraphs: Mazar-e Sharif serves as the major trading center in northern Afghanistan. It was the first city to connect itself by rail with a neighboring country. The rail service from Mazar-e Sharif to Uzbekistan began in 2011 and is expected to rapidly boost the economy of the city. Cargo on freight trains arrives to the last station near Mazar-i-Sharif Airport, where the goods are reloaded onto trucks or airplanes and sent to their last destinations across Afghanistan.

paragraphs: The local economy is mainly trade, agriculture and karakul production. Some oil and gas have also boosted the city's economy.

paragraphs: The modern city of Mazar-i Sharif is centered around the Shrine of Hazrat Ali. Much restored, it is one of Afghanistan's most glorious monuments. Outside Mazar-i Sharif lies the ancient city of Balkh.


title: Badakhshan Province

paragraphs: Badakhshan (Persian: بدخشان - "Badakhshān") is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It has 28 Districts. The capital is Feyzabad. It is located in the north-east of the country, between the Hindu Kush and the Amu Darya.

paragraphs: Badakhshan is bordered by Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province and Khatlon Province in Tajikistan to the north and east. In the east is the Wakhan Corridor. The province has a total area of 44,059 km². Much of the land is the Hindu Kush and Pamir mountain ranges.

paragraphs: Badakhshan is one of the poorest areas in the world. Opium poppy growing is the only real source of income in the province.

paragraphs: Lapis lazuli has been mined in the Sar-e-Sang mines for over 6,000 years. The mines were the largest and most well-known source in ancient times.

paragraphs: The population of the province is estimated at 889,700 people. The majority of them are Persian-speaking Tajiks.

paragraphs: The residents of the province are largely Sunni.

paragraphs: The province is represented in Afghan domestic cricket competitions by the Badakhshan Province cricket team.


title: Fayzabad, Badakhshan

paragraphs: Fayzabad (also spelled Feyzabad, Fazelabad or Faizabad) () is the provincial capital and largest city in Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan. There are around 50,000 people. It is the main commercial and administrative center of the Pamir region.

paragraphs: Fayzabad is in northeast Afghanistan. The city is located on the right bank of the Kokcha River.

paragraphs: Fayzabad has been separate from other parts of the country because of the lack of paved roads. There are two active bazaars in the city where items as different as cotton, cotton cloth and goods, salt, sugar, tea, indigo, and cutlery are traded.

paragraphs: The majority of the people are Tajiks. There also are some Pashtun, Uzbek and Turkmen.

paragraphs: There are a number of mosques and shrines of historical importance in the city.

paragraphs: The city has several schools including an all-girls school. There is also a hospital which is considered the best in the province, and a police station. There is a guest house called Lapis Lazuli for expatriates.


title: Bactria–Margiana Archaeological Complex

paragraphs: The Bactria–Margiana Archaeological Complex (or BMAC, also known as the Oxus civilization) is the modern archaeological name for a Bronze Age culture of Central Asia, dated to ca. 2300–1700 BCE. It was in present-day Turkmenistan, northern Afghanistan and northeastern Iran, southern Uzbekistan and western Tajikistan. Its sites were discovered and named by the Soviet archaeologist Viktor Sarianidi (1976). "Bactria" was the Greek name for the area of "Bactra" (modern Balkh), in what is now northern Afghanistan. "Margiana" was the Greek name for the Persian satrapy of Margu, in today's Turkmenistan.

paragraphs: Sarianidi's excavations from the late 1970s onward many buildings in many sites. Reports on the BMAC were mostly in Soviet journals, until the last years of the Soviet Union. The findings were unknown to the West until Sarianidi's work was translated in the 1990s.


title: Uzbek language

paragraphs: Uzbek ("O'zbek tili" or "O'zbekcha" in Latin script, Ўзбек тили or Ўзбекча in Cyrillic script, أۇزبېك تیلی in Arabic script) is a Turkic language. It is the official language of Uzbekistan. It has about 40 million native speakers. It is spoken by the Uzbeks in Uzbekistan and elsewhere in Central Asia. Uzbek belongs to the southeastern Turkic or Uyghur family of Turkic languages.


title: Turkmen language

paragraphs: Turkmen (, Cyrillic: , Persian: ) is the national language of Turkmenistan. It is spoken by about 7,000,000 people in Turkmenistan and by an about 380,000 more people in Northwestern Afghanistan and 500,000 in Northeastern Iran.

paragraphs: The leading Turkmen poet is Magtymguly Pyragy, who wrote in the 1700's.


title: Nuristani languages

paragraphs: The Nuristani (Nurestani) languages () are one of the three groups in the Indo-Iranian language family. The other two languages are Indo-Aryan and Iranian. They are spoken primarily in eastern Afghanistan.


title: Telephone numbers in Afghanistan

paragraphs: Area codes in Afghanistan are two digits long. It is common to write phone numbers as (0xx) yyy-yyyy, where xx is the area code. The 0 prefix is for long-distance dialing from within the country. International callers should dial +93 xx yyyyyyy.


title: Helmand Province

paragraphs: Helmand (Pashto/Dari: هلمند) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation.

paragraphs: Helmand is the world's largest opium-producing region. It makes 75% of the world's total production. This is more than all of Burma, which is the second largest producing nation after Afghanistan. Afghan opium accounts for more than 90% of the global supply.

paragraphs: The current governor is Mohammad Golab Mangal (since March 2008).

paragraphs: Much of the fighting between NATO and Taliban forces is taking place in this province. Helmand is said to be a Taliban stronghold.

paragraphs: Helmand has a southern border with the Balochistan province of Pakistan. Many domestic and international observers have criticized Pakistan's efforts towards securing the border against Taliban insurgents.

paragraphs: The population is 1,441,769. The area is 58,584 square kilometres. Pashtuns are the majority estimated at 92% of the population. There are also Balochs who are in the south. Also there are small numbers of Hazara, Brahui and Tajik.


title: Ghazni Province

paragraphs: Ghazni () () is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the east of the country. Its capital is Ghazni City.

paragraphs: The major ethnic groups in the province are Hazaras, Pashtuns and Tajiks. There are also some Burki, and Uzbeks. Ghazni is made up of 19 districts.

paragraphs: Some Sikhs and Hindus also live in Ghazni province. During the Taliban regime they fled the country. With the current administration they have returned to Ghazni city.

paragraphs: Band E Sardeh Dam is located in Andar District near the border with Paktika Province. It creates a large water reservoir that is important to the irrigation of the Kahnjoor farming zone.


title: Ghazni

paragraphs: Ghazni (Persian/Pashto: غزنی - "Ġaznī"; historically known as غزنین / "Ġaznīn" and غزنه / "Ġazna") is a city in central-east Afghanistan. It is the capital of Ghazni Province.

paragraphs: Just like other cities of Afghanistan, Ghazni is very old and has seen many military invasions.

paragraphs: The city has a number of public schools.

paragraphs: Ghazni City is located in an area of extreme drought. In 2007, one of the gates on a fifty-year-old dam on the Jikhai River broke. This worried the people of Ghazni city about the water supply. The dam serves as a good source of irrigation water to Ghazni City and the surrounding agricultural areas. Nearby rivers have a history of flooding and causing severe damage and death, though efforts have begun to fix this.


title: Pashayi language

paragraphs: Pashayi - also known as Pashai - is a language (or a group of languages) spoken by the Pashai people in parts of Kapisa, Laghman, Nuristan, Kunar, and Nangarhar Provinces in northeastern Afghanistan.

paragraphs: It is spoken by over 216,842 people who are mostly Muslim. Most of them are bilingual in Pashto. Only 25% are able to read. The Pashai language was not written prior to 2003.


title: Kushan Empire

paragraphs: The Kushan Empire ( ("Kuṣāṇ Rājavaṃśa"), BHS: "", Parthian: "Kušanxšaθr") was first formed in the early 1st century AD. It was in eastern and northern Afghanistan and the north-west of India.

paragraphs: The Kushan were a branch of the Yuezhi confederation. Previously a nomadic people living in eastern Central Asia, the Yuezhi moved southwest and settled in ancient Bactria.


title: Jennifer Lawrence

paragraphs: Jennifer Maroney (born August 15, 1990) is an American actress. She has acted in films for the "X-Men" series and "The Hunger Games" series.

paragraphs: In 2010, Lawrence played Ree Dolly in "Winter's Bone". In 2012, she played Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games" franchise. In 2013, she won an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role. That year, she also won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy.

paragraphs: Lawrence is of English, Scottish, Irish and German descent. As of August 2013, Lawrence is dating "" and "" co-star Nicholas Hoult. The couple started dating in 2011 after filming "X-Men: First Class", but ended their relationship in January 2013, after 2 years of dating. They reconnected 6 months later in July 2013, after filming "X-Men: Days of Future Past" together.

paragraphs: Lawrence has been the recipient of an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Award, four Critic's Choice Movie Awards, a Independent Spirit Award, a Venice Film Festival Award, a Palm Springs International Film Festival Award, a Saturn Award, a Satellite Award and several other awards. She was named the Associated Press' Entertainer of the Year for 2013.


title: Buddhas of Bamiyan

paragraphs: The Buddhas of Bamiyan ( – "but hay-e bamiyan") were two 6th century monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff. They are in the Bamyan valley in the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan.

paragraphs: They were dynamited and destroyed in March 2001 by the Taliban. Japan and Switzerland, among others, have said they would help rebuild the statues.


title: Tahirid dynasty

paragraphs: The Tahirid dynasty () was a Persian dynasty that ruled the Abbasid province of Khorasan from 821 to 873. It also ruled the city of Baghdad from 820 until 891. The capital in Khorasan was first located at Merv. Later it moved to Nishapur.


title: History of Azerbaijan

paragraphs: The history of democrate Azerbaijan goes back to the 1918 when USSR was formed. The population of Azerbaijan comes from nomad tribes from that area, which are of turk descent.

paragraphs: The name Azerbaijan has existed for years, although its spelling often changed throughout its history. Historical sources show the former names of Azerbaijan as Andirpatian, Atropatena, Adirbijan and Azirbijan. The most ancient archaeological and paleontological materials found recently on the territory of Azerbaijan prove that Stone Age people settled here 1.7-1.8 million years ago. The early civilizations such as Mana, Scythia, Atropatena and Caucasian Albania appeared on the lands of Azerbaijan from the 1st millennium BC. Caucasian Albania was relatively independent under Roman and (Persian) control.

paragraphs: In the 7th century, Islam was introduced with the Arab conquest, which was important in the formation of a single nation and language in Azerbaijan, when the population became Muslim. A common religion for both Turkic and non-Turkic ethnic groups brought about the formation of common traditions, and the integration between the different ethnic groups living on the territory of Azerbaijan. By the middle of the 9th century, the Turkic ethnic group, the Azerbaijani people became the major ethnic group.

paragraphs: The establishment of a single state in Azerbaijan happened between the 15th century and the 18th century. This period is very important in the history of Azerbaijan. The ruler Shah Ismail Khatai (1501-1524) who was of Azerbaijani origin, united all the territories of Azerbaijan under his control. He founded the Safavid dynasty with Tabriz as its capital. During the rule of the Safavis, the Azerbaijani language also became the only official language. After the Safavid dynasty ended, Nadir Shah Afshar (1736-1747), an Azerbaijani commander founded the Afsharid dynasty (1736-1796) named after himself, and continued to rule over Azerbaijan's territories. He strengthened the borders and in 1739 invaded North India including Delhi. After Nadir Shah's death, his dynasty weakened and in the second part of the 18th century resulted in the formations of new smaller states.

paragraphs: In the late 18th century, then, the government of Iran passed to the Qajar dynasty (1796-1925), who were also of Azerbaijani origin. Their main policy was to unite all the territories once ruled by their ancestors. This gave the start to several long wars between the Qajars and Russia, with both parties aiming to occupy the South Caucasus which Azerbaijan is a part of. Azerbaijan was divided between the two empires. The northern part of Azerbaijan was annexed to Russia, while the south went to Iran. This is the origin of today's political division between "North Azerbaijan" which today has become the Republic of Azerbaijan, and "South Azerbaijan", which today is a part of Iran.

paragraphs: Azerbaijan came under Russian rule after the Persian-Russian wars of 1804-1813. The country gained independence for a short period, however, towards the end of the First World War. After the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917, Azerbaijan, together with Armenia and Georgia formed the short-lived Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic. When this republic ended in May 1918, Azerbaijan declared independence as the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan on May 28, 1920, as the first modern and secular parliamentary republic in the Muslim World. However, the Red Army occupied the territory and annexed it to the newly formed Soviet Union and the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic was founded on April 28, 1920.

paragraphs: During the Second World War and after, the Azerbaijan SSR, as a petroleum producer, was important in the energy policy of the Soviet Union. Following the politics of reforms called "glasnost", started by the leader of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev, riots and ethnic fighting grew in various regions of the Soviet Union, including Nagorno-Karabakh, a region of the Azerbaijan SSR. The disturbances in Azerbaijan, in response to the Soviet government's lack of response to the already tense conflict between the Azerbaijanis and Armenians, resulted in calls for independence and secession, which resulted in the massacre known as "Black January" in the capital Baku in January 1990. Azerbaijan eventually declared independence on October 18, 1991. The Soviet Union was ended on December 25, 1991.

paragraphs: When Azerbaijan became independent, the conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh turned into the Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1991-1994.

paragraphs: The politician Heydar Aliyev became the President of Azerbaijan in 1993 and successfully stabilized the country and a ceasefire between Azerbaijan and Armenia was signed in 1994, which ended the war. However, 20 % of Azerbaijan is still occupied by the Armenian military and the two countries are in a state of war. Nevertheless, representatives of the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan have since been holding peace talks organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) "Minsk Group" to solve the conflict and restore the territory to Azerbaijan. When Heydar Aliyev died in 2003, his son Ilham Aliyev became the President of Azerbaijan and is continuing his father's policies today. As an important producer of petroleum and natural gas, Azerbaijan's economy is increasing very rapidly every year, and has become rich as a result.


title: Marilyn Chambers

paragraphs: Marilyn Ann Chambers (April 22, 1952 - April 12, 2009) was an American pornographic actress, exotic dancer and fashion model. She was born Marilyn Ann Briggs in Providence, Rhode Island. She was raised in Westport, Connecticut. She was notable for performing in many pornographic movies, including "Behind the Green Door" and mainstream movies, including "Rabid". Chambers died in Santa Clarita, California due to cerebral hemorrhage and aneurysm cause by heart disease.


title: Sistan

paragraphs: Sīstān () is a border region in eastern Iran (Sistan and Baluchestan Province) and southern Afghanistan (Nimroz, Kandahar and Zabul provinces).

paragraphs: Sistan was once the homeland of Sakas, a Scythian tribe of Iranic origin. The Saffarids, one of the early Iranian dynasties of the Islamic era, were first from Sistan.


title: Saffarid dynasty

paragraphs: The Saffarids or the Saffarid dynasty () was a Persian empire. They ruled in Sistan from 861–1002. Sistan was a historical region in southeastern Iran, southwestern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. Their capital was Zaranj, located in present-day Afghanistan.


title: Bukhara

paragraphs: Bukhara (; ; ) is the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan. It is the nation's fifth-largest city. It had about 263,400 people at the 2009 census. People have lived in the area for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time. The city is on the Silk Road. That made it a center of trade, scholarship, culture, and religion. The historic center of Bukhara, which has many mosques and madrassas, is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. There are many Uzbeks and Tajiks. The city has Jews and other ethnic minorities.

paragraphs: Bukhara was called "Bokhara" in 19th and early 20th century English publications and as "Buhe/Puhe"（捕喝） in Tang Chinese.

paragraphs: The M37 highway connects the city to most of the major cities in Turkmenistan including Ashgabat.

paragraphs: Many important people lived in Bukhara in the past. Most famous of them are:


title: Lashkar Gah

paragraphs: Lashkar Gah () (), also called Bost, is a city in southern Afghanistan and the capital of Helmand Province. It is located in Lashkar Gah district, and is between the Helmand and Arghandab rivers. The city has a population of 201,546 as of 2006.

paragraphs: Lashkar Gah is linked by major roads with Kandahar to the east, Zaranj to the west, and Herat to the north-west.

paragraphs: Football is the popular sport in Lashkar Gah. The Lashkar Gah Football Stadium was rebuilt in 2006. It can hold around 10,000 spectators. Currently, 13 registered cricket teams play at the new Karzai Stadium in Lashkar Gah.


title: Greater Khorasan

paragraphs: Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan () (also written "Khurasan") is a historical region of Greater Iran. It also included parts of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikstan


title: Al-Farabi

paragraphs: Al-Farabi (persian: ابو نصر محمد بن محمد فارابي, / ;) known in the West as Alpharabius (c. 872 in Fārāb – between 14 December, 950 and 12 January, 951 in Damascus), was a persian scientist and philosopher of the Islamic world. He was also a cosmologist, logician, and musician.


title: Abū Rayḥān al-Bīrūnī

paragraphs: Abū al-Rayḥān Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad al-Bīrūnī (born 5 September 973 in Kath, Khwarezm, died in the year 13 December 1048 in Ghazni), known as Alberonius in Latin and Al-Biruni in English, was a Persian-Chorasmian Muslim scholar and polymath of the 11th century.

paragraphs: Al-Biruni is one of the greatest scholars of the medieval Islamic era and was well versed in physics, mathematics, astronomy, and natural sciences. He also did well as a historian, chronologist and linguist.


title: Timurid dynasty

paragraphs: The Timurid dynasty () or the Timurids, who called themselves "Gurkānī" (), were a Central Asian Sunni Muslim dynasty of Turco-Mongol lineage. Members of the dynasty were strongly influenced by the culture of Iran and had established two well-known empires in history, the Timurid Empire in Iran and Central Asia and the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent. The Mughal dynasty was a branch of the Timurid dynasty.


title: Satrap

paragraphs: Satrap was the name given to the governors of the provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid (Persian) Empires.


title: Hotaki dynasty

paragraphs: The Hotaki dynasty was founded in 1709 by Mirwais Hotak at Kandahar, Afghanistan. It was made up of Pashtuns (ethnic Afghans) who belonged to the Hotak tribe of Pashtuns. They revolted and made their land independent from foreign ruler, but later they invaded Persia and defeated the great Persian Empire of the Shi'a Safavids.

paragraphs: Mahmud Hotaki, son of Mirwais, ruled Persia until he died in 1725 and then his cousin Ashraf ruled until 1729 when Nader Shah Afshar defeated him.

paragraphs: The last king was Hussain Hotaki in Kandahar until he was defeated by Nader Shah in 1738.


title: Himni i Flamurit

paragraphs: "Himni i Flamurit" (in English: 'Hymn to the Flag') is the national anthem of Albania. The words were written by the Albanian poet Asdreni ("Aleksandër Stavre Drenova"). The hymn was first published as a poem in "Liri e Shqipërisë" (in English: "Freedom of Albania"), an Albanian newspaper in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 21 April 1912. It was later printed in a volume of poems by Drenova titled "Ëndra e lotë" (in English: "Dreams and tears"), which was published in Bucharest. The music of the anthem was composed by the Romanian composer Ciprian Porumbescu. It's based on the song "Pe-al nostru steag e scris Unire".

paragraphs: The first part (stanza or verse) is always sung, the second part is sung on occasion, and the third part is never sung.

paragraphs: Albanian has historically been written in a number of different alphabets.


title: Telephone numbers in Albania

paragraphs: The country calling code for Albania is +355

paragraphs: For domestic calls (within Albania), 0 must be dialed before the area code. The prefix for international calls from Albania is 00 (for example for an United States number 00 1 ... should be dialed). Below is an explanation when dialing a Tirana number:

paragraphs: Albania has the lowest rate of telephone use in Europe. In 2008 there were about 10 lines per 100 people. Cellular phone use is very common throughout the country.

paragraphs: This is a list of area codes in Albania.


title: Zayyanid dynasty

paragraphs: Zayyanids (, "Ziyānyūn") or Abd al-Wadids (), or Banu Zayan, is the name of a Berber Zenata dynasty in North Africa. The Zayyanids, whose capital was Tlemcen(in modern day Algeria) existed from 1235 to 1556. They were also known as Abdalwadid.


title: Catholic University of the North

paragraphs: The Catholic University of the North () is a Catholic university located in Antofagasta, Chile. It is one of the universities in the north of Chile.


title: Gennady Zyuganov

paragraphs: Gennady Andreyevich Zyuganov (born 1944 in Mymrino) is a Russian politician. He has led the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) since 1993. He has campaigned for the Russian presidency four times. He has finished second each time.


title: Isfana

paragraphs: Isfana is a small town in Kyrgyzstan. It is the administrative center of Leilek District. Over 27 thousand people live in Isfana.


title: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

paragraphs: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol () is the Netherlands' main international airport, It is 20 minutes southwest of Amsterdam. The airport's English name is Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The airport had an IATA name of SPL, but is now AMS.

paragraphs: The airport is the main airport for KLM, Arkefly, Corendon Dutch Airlines, Martinair and Transavia. The airport is also the main European airport for Delta Air Lines. It is the 4th busiest airport in Europe and the 12th busiest in the world.

paragraphs: Trains run by Nederlandse Spoorwegen connect Amsterdam Schipol railway station to places around the Netherlands.


title: Flybe

paragraphs: Flybe Group PLC (Known as flybe) was a low-cost regional airline group in Exeter, Devon, England. It had over 180 routes to 65 European airports and was Europe's biggest regional airline. Over 6.7 million passengers travelled with them during 2010. The airline was on the London Stock Exchange (), and payed around 2,800 people.


title: Aurigny Air Services

paragraphs: Aurigny Air Services Limited, known as aurigny.com is an airline with its head office at Guernsey Airport in the Channel Islands, and is owned by the States of Guernsey. It operates passenger and freight services between the Channel Islands, northern France and the United Kingdom. Its main base is Guernsey Airport, with other aircraft and crew based at Jersey Airport and Alderney Airport. Aurigny is one of the longest operating regional airlines in the world, and is one of the oldest airlines in Britain except for Loganair and Monarch Airlines. The name means Alderney.

paragraphs: Aurigny Air Services runs to the following destinations (at February 2010):

paragraphs: The airline used to run to the following destinations:


title: Blue Islands

paragraphs: Blue Islands Limited is an airline of the Channel Islands. Its main office is in Saint Peter Port, Guernsey, and its registered office is in Saint Anne, Alderney. It runs timetabled services from and within the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, the United Kingdom and Switzerland. Its main base is Jersey Airport.


title: British Midland Airways Limited

paragraphs: British Midland Airways Limited known as BMI was an airline based at Donington Hall in Castle Donington in the United Kingdom, close to East Midlands Airport. The airline flew to places in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia from its base at London Heathrow Airport, where it held 11% of all take off and landing slots and runs over 2,000 flights a week.

paragraphs: BMI was owned by Lufthansa, who announced an agreement in December 2011 to sell the airline to the owner of British Airways, International Airlines Group. The deal does not include Bmibaby and BMI Regional.. BMI Regional was sold to Sector Aviation Holdings for £8 million in May 2012. In April 2012 it was announced that bmi (excluding bmibaby) was to be fully merged into British Airways by the end of October 2012.

paragraphs: British Midland Airways Limited had a Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence, which allowed it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats, and was a 3-star airline by Skytrax.


title: Bmibaby

paragraphs: Bmibaby Limited known as bmibaby.com was a British low-cost airline. It flew to places in the UK and Europe from its bases at Belfast City, Birmingham and East Midlands airports. It was owned by British Midland International, which itself is owned was Lufthansa. In April 2012, BMI was bought by the International Airlines Group and the airline, along with bmibaby, stopped flying.

paragraphs: Bmibaby had a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence. It was allowed to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats.


Tōkaidō


title: BMI Regional

paragraphs: British Midland Regional Limited known as bmi regional was a British regional airline that runs timetabled passenger services mostly within the UK. Its head office is in Aberdeen Airport East in Dyce, Aberdeen, Scotland. Its main base is Aberdeen Airport. BMI Regional was owned by British Midland International until 2012. Sector Aviation Holdings Limited bought BMI Regional in May 2012.


title: Belfast City Airport

paragraphs: George Best Belfast City Airport is a single-runway airport in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland next to the Port of Belfast it is from Belfast City Centre. It shares the site with the Short Brothers/Bombardier aircraft making area. The airport began commercial operations in 1983.

paragraphs: The airport was known as "Belfast City Airport" until it was renamed in 2006 in memory of George Best, the professional footballer from Belfast, best known for his time with Manchester United.

paragraphs: The airport gets over 2.7 million passengers in 2010, a record total for the airport, though the total fell by 12.5% to 2.4 million in 2011.

paragraphs: The airport is a major base for Flybe, which began services at the airport in 1993 and is now the largest operator at Belfast City.

paragraphs: Belfast City has a CAA public use aerodrome licence (number P862) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction.


title: Ipswich Airport

paragraphs: Ipswich Airport is a former airfield on the outskirts of Ipswich, Suffolk England.


title: Amānullāh Khān

paragraphs: Amanullah Khan (Pashto, Persian, Urdu, Arabic: ) (June 1, 1892 – April 25, 1960) was the Sovereign of Afghanistan from 1919 to 1929. He was first an Emir and after 1926 the King. He led Afghanistan to freedom from the United Kingdom. He was the first Afghan ruler to make the country more modern. Habibullah Kalakani and his followers fought against Khan. On 14 January 1929, Amanullah went to then neighboring British India. Afghanistan fell into a civil war. From British India he went to Europe where he died in Zürich, Switzerland, in 1960.


title: Badghis Province

paragraphs: Bādghīs (Persian/Pashto: بادغیس) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in northwestern Afghanistan, between the Murghab and Hari rivers. It goes as far northward as the edge of the desert of Sarakhs.

paragraphs: The province was one of the last captured by the Taliban in their military offensive before the American invasion in 2001. TheTajik people of the province never welcomed the Pashtun Taliban. The province was quickly retaken by Northern Alliance forces.

paragraphs: Badghis Province is in the isolated hills of northwestern Afghanistan. Its borders are Herat, Ghor, and Faryab provinces as well as Turkmenistan.

paragraphs: The current Governor of the province is Delbar Jan Arman.

paragraphs: Agriculture is the main source of people's income. The Murghab and Hari rivers makes the land suitable for farming. The province had a bad drought in the late 1990s and early 2000s. This has gotten better. Badghis is the biggest in pistachio production in Afghanistan. It is also one of the carpet-making capitals of the country.

paragraphs: Badghis Province has little transportation. Qala i Naw Airport (QAQN) is the only airport.


title: Qala i Naw, Afghanistan

paragraphs: Qala i Naw (قلعه نو) is a town in Qala i Naw District and the capital of Badghis Province, of north-west Afghanistan. Its population is estimated 9,000 in 2006.

paragraphs: It has a small airport, Qala i Naw Airport.


title: Tōkaidō (road)

paragraphs: The a major road in ancient Japan. It was one of five main roads during the Edo period. The route connected Edo (modern-day Tokyo) and Kyoto along the sea coast of eastern Honshū.

paragraphs: There were fifty-three shogunate-maintained waystations ("shuku-eki") along the road which connected Edo and Kyoto.

paragraphs: The typical method of travel was by foot.


title: Tōkaidō (region)

paragraphs: The is a Japanese term for both an ancient division of the country and the main road running through the region.

paragraphs: "Tōkaidō" was one of the main circuits of the "Gokishichidō" system. It was first established during the Asuka period. Over centuries, the government functions of the "Gokishichido" became less important. However, the traditional eight regions, including "Tōkaidō", remained cultural markers.

paragraphs: The ancient Tōkaidō road was improved and widened in 1604.

paragraphs: It is a geographic region which has 15 ancient provinces, including

paragraphs: The lands of five prefectures are in the region of "Tōkaidō": Chiba, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Saitama and Tokyo.

paragraphs: Today, Route 1 is a major national highway that mirrors the route of the old Tōkaidō except in the Tōkyō-Yokohama section.

paragraphs: Route 15 follows the route of the old Tōkaidō between Tōkyō and Yokohama


title: Romantic poetry

paragraphs: Romantic Poetry was one branch of the Romantic movement. The first generation of Romantic poets (1798) were primarily Coleridge, William Blake and Wordsworth. The second generation was at its culmination in the 1820s, with poets such as Shelley, Byron and Keats. The movement showed an interest in the Gothic, Medieval art, and nature. The ballad form was re-introduced, and the poems often took their form from fairy tales and folk songs. Poets were enjoying writing for themselves rather than senior nobility, and later they were the source of inspiration for the Pre-Raphaelite painters.


UTC+04:30


title: Baghlan Province

paragraphs: Baghlan (Persian/Pashto: بغلان "Baġlān") is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country. Its capital is Puli Khumri. The name comes from a major town in the province, Baghlan.

paragraphs: Hazaras, Pashtuns, Tajiks and Uzbeks are living in this Province.

paragraphs: Baghlan's primary crops (as of 1974) were cotton and sugar beets. The area also produced grapes, pistachios, and pommegranates. The primary livestock are Karakul sheep.

paragraphs: The province also produces silk. Coal is mined in the Karkar Valley.

paragraphs: The current Governor of Baghlan is Mohammad Akbar Barakzai, appointed 2009.


title: Puli Khumri

paragraphs: Puli Khumri (or Pul-i-Kumri) () is a city in northern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Baghlan Province and has a population of 60,000 (2002 official estimate).


title: Antonietta Di Martino

paragraphs: Antonietta Di Martino (born 1 June 1978) is an Italian high jumper. She was born in Cava de'Tirreni.

paragraphs: Piuza won the silver medal at the 2007 IAAF World Championships in Athletics and 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships. She competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics.


title: Bamyan Province

paragraphs: Bamyan Province () is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the centre of the country. Its capital city is also called Bamyan. Most of the people are Hazaras, with fewer Tajiks, and Pashtuns. Bamyan is the largest province in the Hazarajat region of Afghanistan.

paragraphs: The former governor of the province is Habiba Sarabi. She is Afghanistan's first and, so far, only female governor.

paragraphs: Bamyan Province has the only university, Bamiyan University in the area.


title: Hakucho

paragraphs: The launch was a project of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science of the University of Tokyo.

paragraphs: "Hakucho" was sent into orbit on February 21, 1979. It reentered the atmosphere and melted on April 15, 1985.

paragraphs: This was Japan's first x-ray astronomy satellite.


title: Languages of Afghanistan

paragraphs: Dari and Pashto are the official languages of Afghanistan, but other important regional languages include Uzbeki, Turkmeni, Baluchi, Pashai, Nuristani, Pamiri (alsana), Arab and possibly a few other.


title: Bamyan

paragraphs: Bamyan (), also spelled Bamiyan and Bamian, is the capital city of Bamyan Province, Afghanistan. It has about 61,863 people. It is the largest town in the Hazarajat region in central Afghanistan. It is 240 kilometres north-west of Kabul, the national capital.

paragraphs: Bamyan has the region's only university, Bamiyan University.


title: Daykundi Province

paragraphs: Daykundi "(Persian: دایکندی)" also spelled "Daikondi", "Dāykondī" or "Daikundi" or "Daykundi, is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. Day Kundi's capital is Nili. It is about 310 kilometres from Kabul. It is in the Hazarajat region.

paragraphs: On 15 April 2011, Mr. Qurban Ali Oruzgani became Governor of Daikundi province.


title: Lauren Ambrose

paragraphs: Lauren Ambrose (born February 20 1978) is an American motion picture and stage actress. She is best known for acting in the series "Six Feet Under". She also acted in many motion pictures and other television programs.


title: Nili, Afghanistan

paragraphs: Nili () is the capital city of Daykundi Province, Afghanistan. It is located in Nili District. The town is at 2,022 m altitude.


title: Farah Province

paragraphs: Farah (Pashto/Persian: فراه) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Farah. Farah is large with few people living in it. It is the fourth largest province in Afghanistan. It is on the Iranian border. Most of the people are Pashtun.


title: Tenma

paragraphs: "Tenma" was sent into orbit on February 20, 1983.

paragraphs: This was Japan's second x-ray astronomy satellite.


title: Farah, Afghanistan

paragraphs: Farah (Pashto/Persian: فراه) is a city in western Afghanistan. It is the capital of Farah Province. There are about 109,409 people living here. It is at 650 m altitude. It is on the Farah River.

paragraphs: The city is a major trading and farming center in the area. There is an airport with a paved runway.


title: Faryab Province

paragraphs: Fāryāb () is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country. The capital is Maymana. Most of the people are Uzbek.

paragraphs: The Governor of the province is Abdul Haq Shafaq.


title: Alain Lefebvre

paragraphs: Alain Lefebvre, born the 1st of April 1947, is a French journalist. Graduate from the "École nationale de l'aviation civile" (French civil aviation university), he founded the ephemeral "Magazine hebdo" while managing the "groupe Media" and "L'Histoire magazine".

paragraphs: Lefebvre is also interested in advertising in collaboration with journalist Christian Blachas, also host of the show "Culture-Pub".


title: Sakigake

paragraphs: The launch was a project of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science of the University of Tokyo.

paragraphs: The satellite was launched on January 7, 1985.


title: Southern

paragraphs: Southern is the adjective form of south. It may refer to:


title: Maymana

paragraphs: Maymana, Meymaneh or Maimana (Persian: میمنه) is the capital of Faryab Province, northern Afghanistan. It is near the Turkmenistan border. It is about 400 km northwest of the Afghan capital Kabul.


title: Ghōr Province

paragraphs: Ghōr (, (), also spelled Ghowr or Ghur, is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in central Afghanistan, towards the northwest. The capital of Ghor is Chaghcharan.

paragraphs: About 635,302 people live in Ghor Province.

paragraphs: The current governor of Ghor is Sayyed Mohammad Eqbal Munib.


title: Chaghcharan

paragraphs: Chaghcharan () also known as Firouzkoh () is a town and the capital of Ghor Province in central Afghanistan. It is located on the southern side of the Hari River.

paragraphs: There are about 15,000 people, mostly Persian speaking. Chaghcharan Airport is about 1 mile to the northeast of the town.


title: Paula Zahn

paragraphs: Paula Ann Zahn (born February 24, 1956 in Omaha, Nebraska) is an American journalist and news anchor. She worked for the news divisions on Columbia Broadcasting System(CBS)-Television and American Broadcasting Company(ABC)-Television, and on the cable television news channels Fox News Network and Cable News Network (CNN). On Fox News Channel she hosted "The Edge with Paula Zahn". On CNN she hosted "Paula Zahn Now" and "People in the News", a show jointly produced by CNN and "People", a magazine.


title: Herat Province

paragraphs: Herat (Persian/Pashto: هرات) is one the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the south-western region of the country. The main city and capital is named Herat.

paragraphs: The region of Herat used to be part of Greater Khorasan. It was ruled by the Tahirids followed by the Saffarids, Samanids, Ghaznavids, Ghurids, Ilkhanates, Timurids, and Saffavids. In the early-18th century it became part of the Afghan Hotaki dynasty followed by the Durrani Empire.

paragraphs: There are about 1,762,157 people living in Herat Province.

paragraphs: There are 16 districts within the province. These are listed in the table below.

paragraphs: Football (soccer) is the popular sport in Herat Province. Cricket is also getting popular.


title: Fred Flintstone

paragraphs: Fred Flintstone is the main protagonist of The Flintstones franchise. He is an everyday caveman and caring father.

paragraphs: His iconic phrase is "Yabba-dabba-doo". Alan Reed came up with it.

paragraphs: Alan Reed, Henry Corden, James Arnold Taylor and Jeff Bergman have voiced him in various media. John Goodman played him in the 1994 movie.


title: Cookie Monster

paragraphs: Cookie Monster is a Muppet that appears in Sesame Street. He is a blue monster that is known for eating lots of food, especially cookies. He is also known for some of his famous eating phrases. His favorite food is cookies, as his name implies. He especially enjoys chocolate chip cookies. Throughout the years of his presence, he has gained increasing awareness of children's food habits. In 2007, Cookie Monster had told his philosophy (way of thinking) that "Cookies are a sometimes food."


title: Modest Tchaikovsky

paragraphs: Modest Ilyich Tchaikovsky (13 May 1850 – 15 January 1916) was a Russian dramatist, opera librettist and translator. Like his famous composer brother Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, he was a homosexual. In 1876, Modest tutored a deaf-mute boy and eventually helped him to talk, write, and read. Modest wrote three plays and the libretti for several operas, including his brother's "The Queen of Spades" and "Iolanta". He translated Shakespeare's Sonnets, and wrote his brother's biography. He died in Moscow in 1916.


title: Antonietta Dell'Era

paragraphs: Antonietta Dell'Era (16 February 1861 Milan 22 June 1945 Berlin) was an Italian "prima ballerina" in Berlin, best remembered for creating the Sugar Plum Fairy in "The Nutcracker" (1892). Her first performance was sold out, and she received good reviews. Modest Tchaikovsky described her as "pudgy and unattractive".


title: Jowzjan Province

paragraphs: Jowzjān or Jōzjān or Jawzjan () is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the northern area of the country. The capital is Sheberghan.

paragraphs: There are around 485,300 people in the province.

paragraphs: Jowzjan's current governor is Mohammed Aleem Sayee.


title: Sheberghan

paragraphs: Sheberghān or Shaburghān (), also spelled "Shebirghan" and "Shibarghan", is the capital city of the Jowzjan Province in northern Afghanistan.

paragraphs: Sheberghan is on the Safid River banks, about west of Mazari Sharif.


title: Kabul Province

paragraphs: Kābul (, ) situated in the east of the country, is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. The capital of the province is Kabul City, which is also Afghanistan's capital. There are about 3.5 million people living in the province as of 2009.

paragraphs: Kabul is the center of annual buzkashi and football tournaments.


title: Suisei

paragraphs: The launch was a project of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science of the University of Tokyo.

paragraphs: The unmanned space probe was sent into space on August 18, 1985. It was designed to study Halley's Comet when it passed through the inner solar system in 1986.


title: Kandahar Province

paragraphs: Kandahar or Qandahar () () is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar. There are about 913,000 people who live in the province. The United States is currently fighting the Taliban in this area.

paragraphs: The following is a list of the districts of Kandahar Province:


title: Ginga (satellite)

paragraphs: The satellite was sent into orbit on February 5, 1987.


title: Temuco Catholic University

paragraphs: The Temuco Catholic University () is a Chilean university in Temuco. This university is part of the Chilean Traditional Universities.


title: Kapisa Province

paragraphs: Kapisa (Pashto/Persian: کاپيسا) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north-east of the country. The capital is Mahmud-i-Raqi. There are about 364,900 people living in the province.

paragraphs: Kapisa province is 80 km north east of Kabul.


title: Mahmud-i-Raqi

paragraphs: The town of Mahmud Raqi (also: Mahmud-i-Raqi, Mahmood-e Raqi) is the capital of Kapisa Province. It is the center of Mahmud Raqi District in Afghanistan.


title: Khost Province

paragraphs: Khost () is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the east of the country. Khost province used to be part of Paktia Province in the past. Its capital is Khost City.

paragraphs: The current Governor of the Province is Abdul Jabbar Naeemi.

paragraphs: There are 638,849 living in the Province. They are mostly Pashtun.


title: Khost

paragraphs: Khost () is a city in eastern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Khost Province. There are about 160,000 people in the city. Khost is located about 150 kilometers south of Kabul.


title: Kunar Province

paragraphs: Kunar () is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan It is in the northeastern part of the country. Its capital is Asadabad. About 413,008 people live in the province. Most of them are Pashtuns.

paragraphs: The districts in Kunar Province as of March 2004 are:


title: Asadabad, Afghanistan

paragraphs: Asadabad or Asad Abad ( - Asadābād) is the capital city of Kunar Province in Afghanistan. It is in the eastern part of the country next to Pakistan. There are a lot of mountains around Asadabad.


title: Kunduz Province

paragraphs: Kunduz or Qunduz (, ) is one of the provinces of Afghanistan. It is in northern Afghanistan. There are about 820,000 people who live in the Province.

paragraphs: The Kunduz River valley is the main feature of the Kunduz Province.


title: Kunduz

paragraphs: Kunduz (; ) also known as Kundûz, Qonduz, Qondûz, Konduz, Kondûz, Kondoz, or Qhunduz is a city in northern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Kunduz Province. It is linked by highways with Mazari Sharif to the west, Kabul to the south and Tajikistan's border to the north. There are about 250,000 living in the city.


title: Laghman Province

paragraphs: Laghman (Persian/) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the eastern part of Afghanistan. The capital is Mehtar Lam.


title: Mehtar Lam

paragraphs: Mihtarlam (), also spelled Mehtar Lam, is a town in Afghanistan. It is the capital of Laghman Province. It is the only large urban settlement in the province. The town is in the valley formed by the Alishing and Alingar rivers. It is 47 km northwest of the city of Jalalabad.


title: Logar Province

paragraphs: Logar (, ) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the eastern part of the country. Most of the peoople are Pashtun.


title: Pul-i-Alam

paragraphs: Pul-i-Alam (Persian/Pashto: پل علم) is the capital of Logar Province, Afghanistan. There are about 108,000 people in the city. They mostly Pashtuns and Tajiks.


title: Nangarhar Province

paragraphs: Nangarhar ( "") is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the east of the country. Jalalabad is the capital. There are 1,383,900 people in the province.

paragraphs: Nangarhar province is divided into 22 districts, these are:


title: Annette Funicello

paragraphs: Annette Joanne Funicello (October 22, 1942 – April 8, 2013) was an American singer, movie and television series actress. Funicello was one of the most popular "Mouseketeers" on the "Mickey Mouse Club" in the 1950s.

paragraphs: She was born in Utica, New York to Italian American parents and moved to Southern California when she was four. She went public with her multiple sclerosis in 1992. She died from the disease on April 8, 2013.


title: Nimruz Province

paragraphs: Nimruz (Balochi/Pashto/Persian: نیمروز ) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country on the borders of Iran and Pakistan. There are about 170,00 people in the Province. A lot of the Provice is covered by the desert area of Dashti Margo.


title: Zaranj

paragraphs: Zaranj or Zarang ( ) is the capital of Nimruz Province in south-western Afghanistan. There are about 49,851 people in the city. It is next to Milak, Iran. It is linked by highways with Lashkar Gah to the east, Farah to the north and Zabol in Iran to the west.


title: Nuristan Province

paragraphs: Nuristān (Persian:نورستان), also spelled Nurestān or Nooristan, is a region in Afghanistan. It is in the south of the Hindu Kush valleys. The capital is Parun.


title: Parun

paragraphs: Parun (پارون) is a small town in Afghanistan. It is the capital of the Nuristan Province.


title: Urozgan Province

paragraphs: Urōzgān (), also spelled Uruzgan, Oruzgan, is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. Its capital is Tarinkot. Most of the province is mountains.


title: Tarinkot

paragraphs: Tarinkot or Tarin Kowt () is the capital of Orūzgān Province in southern Afghanistan. It is a town of about 10,000 people. Its population is mostly of Pashtun ethnic origin, including a sizable number of Tarins, whose ancestors were the original founders and settlers here some 500 years ago.


title: Yohkoh

paragraphs: , is the name of a Japanese artificial satellite which was put into orbit.

paragraphs: The launch was a project of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science of the University of Tokyo.

paragraphs: The satellite was sent into orbit on August 30, 1991. Its mission was to study the sun.

paragraphs: On September 12, 2005 the spacecraft burned up during reentry.


title: Gardēz

paragraphs: Gardēz (, Persian: گردیز) is the capital of the Paktiā province of Afghanistan. There are about 70,000 people who live in the Province. Most of the people are Pashtun.


title: Sanitary epidemiological reconnaissance

paragraphs: Sanitary epidemiological reconnaissance is a diagnostic method in epidemiology. It has been used in the Soviet Japanese campaign in WWII immediately behind the first echelon of tanks and mechanized vehicles of advancing Soviet army should they encounter any particular contagious disease as withdrawing enemy forces had poisoned many wells and water sources.

paragraphs: The use of sanitary epidemiological reconnaissance or similar practices in the armed forces is mentioned elsewhere. The Polish contingents serving under the UN auspices focused their tasks among others on … sanitary-epidemiological reconnaissance …

paragraphs: Sanitary epidemiological reconnaissance is a collection and transfer of all data available on sanitary and epidemiological situation of the area of possible deployment and action of armed forces, the same data for the neighbouring and enemy armed forces. The aim for the reconnaissance is to clear up the reasons of the specific disease origin- sources of the infection in extreme situations, including local wars and armed conflicts, the ways of the infection transfer and all factors promoting to the infestation. It should result in revealing of the patients and persons, suspected to the specific disease, their isolation and hospitalization. Mobile equipped group for sanitary epidemiological reconnaissance includes: epidemiologist, specialist on infections, assistant of epidemiologist (bacteriologist- lab assistant), medical orderly (if necessary, the group will include zoologist or parasitologist). After the armed forces have become stationary during wartime and emergency of peace time the sanitary epidemiological reconnaissance turns into sanitary and epidemiological surveillance of vital and communal activity of the armed forces.

paragraphs: In 2010 at The Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and Their Destruction in Geneva

paragraphs: the sanitary epidemiological reconnaissance was suggested as means for monitoring of infections and parasitic agents and for practical implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005). The aim was to prevent and minimize the consequences of natural outbreaks of dangerous infectious diseases, the treat of alleged use of biological weapons. The sanitary epidemiological reconnaissance will be important in assessing the sanitary-epidemiological situation, organizing and conducting preventive activities, indicating and identifying pathogenic biological agents, suppressing hotbeds of infectious diseases, providing advisory and practical assistance to local health authorities.

paragraphs: Sanitary epidemiological reconnaissance (inspection) or a similar practice and specific indication in the hotbed should be performed immediately after the receiving of the information about bio-terrorism attack.


title: Cambridge Airport

paragraphs: Cambridge Airport (previously Marshall Airport Cambridge UK) is a small regional airport in South Cambridgeshire, England. It is on the eastern edges of Cambridge, south of Newmarket Road and west of the village of Teversham, from the centre of Cambridge and about from London.

paragraphs: The airport opened in 1938. It replaced the old airfield at Fen Ditton. The airport is owned and run by Marshall Aerospace. This is a Cambridge-based company with many years' history servicing civilian and military contracts. The main building was designed by the architect Harold Tomlinson of the University of Cambridge. It was constructed in 1936–37. For many years it was the base for the Cambridge University Air Squadron.

paragraphs: Marshall of Cambridge Aerospace Limited has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (Number P433). This is a special license that allows it to have public passenger flights and flights for flying training. It has four flying schools. It is also used for corporate and private flights.

paragraphs: In October 2008, the airport's name was changed from Cambridge City Airport to Marshall Airport Cambridge UK. This happened at the same time as the new Marshall Business Aviation Centre was opened. In 2011, Cambridge Airport officially broke off from Marshall. It hired a new director and changed its name back to Cambridge Airport. Its aim is to become a "hub" (important airport) for the east of England. The Passenger Terminal will be refurbished.

paragraphs: Land in Cambridge is expensive. Around the city are large areas of green belt land. Building new houses on this land is not allowed. Because of this, a proposal was made in 2000 to move the airport to a new site away from the city. It would have freed up of land so that several thousand new homes could be built there instead. Cambridgeshire County Council did a study for a new airport. The council asked for permission to plan the new airport, but they withdrew the request later.

paragraphs: Since then, Marshall Aerospace has continued to develop the site. In autumn 2008 new facilities for aviation companies were opened. These included a new hangar, which added to the of hangar space already on the site.

paragraphs: In April 2010, Marshall Aerospace said it would not be moving Cambridge Airport to make way for new housing. RAF Mildenhall, Waterbeach Barracks and RAF Wyton were though of as alternative sites, but Marshall decided that there were "no suitable relocation options" (none of the options were good enough).

paragraphs: In January 2011, Cambridge Airport broke off from Marshall, and released plans for the airport's future. Its plans are to have international flights for the London 2012 Olympic Games. For 2012 the airport has introduced new international holiday charter flights to Europe as well as new regular (on a timetable) air links to the Channel Islands. Passenger terminal facilities are being fully upgraded to improve services and convenience for passengers. The airport is planning to add flights to more places that are important for business and leisure.


title: Fortune-telling

paragraphs: Fortune-telling is the practice of predicting information about a person's life. It is in principle identical with the practice of divination. The difference is that divination is the term used for predictions considered part of a religious ritual, invoking deities or spirits, while the term fortune-telling implies a less serious or informal setting.


title: Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

paragraphs: "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" is the reply "The New York Sun" editor Francis Pharcellus Church gave eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon (1889–1971) in his September 21, 1897 editorial after she wrote the newspaper asking "Is There a Santa Claus?" Virginia had first asked the question of her father, Dr. Philip O'Hanlon, who suggested she write "The Sun". He assured her that "If you see it in "The Sun", it's so." The editorial is one of the most reprinted editorials in the world.


title: Dan Rather

paragraphs: Dan Rather (born October 31, 1931 in Wharton, Texas) is an American journalist and reporter. He worked with the CBS network until 2006. Controversy over documents Rather reported on that he claimed indicated President George W. Bush avoided military service during Vietnam caused him to leave "CBS Evening News" in 2005, his last broadcast on that program was March 9, 2005 and the whole network altogether two years later. He is now reporting for HDNet.

paragraphs: He has received many Emmy Awards, several Peabody Awards, and various honorary degrees from universities.


title: Lycée Edgar-Poe

paragraphs: The Lycée Edgar-Poe is a private secondary school in Paris. It is named after the American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849).

paragraphs: Its motto is "" ('"The interest for the student develops the student's interest"). It director is Mrs Evelyne Clinet. In 2011, its is the first secondary school of Paris and of the Île-de-France region considering the results at the "Baccalauréat".

paragraphs: The Lycée Edgar-Poe has been created in 1965 under the name "Cours Edgar-Poe" and has been recognized by the French State the 26th of February 1980.


title: Bias (textile)

paragraphs: The bias of a piece of woven fabric is at 45 degrees to its warp and weft threads. Every piece of woven fabric has two biases, at right angles to each other. Fabrics which are not woven, such as felt, do not have a bias.

paragraphs: When cut on the bias, woven fabric is more elastic as well as more fluid in movement, compared to the on-grain direction. This helps many types of garment, such as skirts, dresses and neckties.

paragraphs: The "bias-cut" is a technique used by tailors and dress-makers for cutting cloth. The greater stretch in the bias (diagonal) direction of the fabric, helps it accentuate body lines and curves and drape softly. For example, a full-skirted dress cut on the bias will hang more gracefully or a narrow dress will cling to the figure.

paragraphs: Bias-cut garments were prominent in haute couture clothes designed by Madeleine Vionnet in the 1920s. It is still used often in both haute couture and high street clothing. In the Middle Ages, before the development of knitting, hose leggings were cut on the bias in order to make them fit better.


title: Madeleine Vionnet

paragraphs: Madeleine Vionnet (22 June 1876 – 2 March 1975) was a French fashion designer. She used the bias cut, made Grecian-style dresses and introduced haute couture design to high street shops.

paragraphs: Born into a poor family in Chilleurs-aux-Bois, Loiret, Vionnet began her apprenticeship as a seamstress at age 11. After a brief marriage at age 18, she left her husband and went to London to work making clothes in a hospital. While in London, Vionnet worked as a fitter for Kate Reily (or Reilly). Reily bought original French designer dresses and brought them to her London workshop. There she had them copied, and sold the copies to her London clients for half the price of the originals. Vionnet was head of her workshop ("atelier"), cutting, fitting and directing the seamstresses.

paragraphs: Vionnet eventually returned to Paris and trained with well known fashion houses. In 1912 she founded her own fashion house, "Vionnet". In the 1920s she created a stir by re-introducing the bias cut, an old technique for cutting cloth diagonal to the grain of the fabric. She developed techniques for managing the problems the bias cut caused. Bias cuts cling to the body and move with the wearer. Vionnet's use of the bias cut to create a sleek, flattering, body-skimming look would change women's clothing and carry her to the top of the fashion world.

paragraphs: Madeleine's clothes were famous for accentuating the natural female form. Influenced by the modern dances of Isadora Duncan, Vionnet created designs that showed off a woman's natural shape. Like Duncan, Vionnet was inspired by ancient Greek art, in which garments appear to float freely around the body rather than distort its shape.

paragraphs: Vionnet's simple-looking styles were not simple to produce. She cutt, draped, and pinned fabric designs on to miniature dolls, before recreating them in chiffon, silk, or Moroccan crepe on life-size models. Vionnet used materials such as crêpe de chine, gabardine, and satin to make her clothes; fabrics which were unusual in women's fashion of the 1920s and 30s. She would order fabrics two yards wider than necessary in order to accommodate draping, creating clothes – particularly dresses – that were luxurious and sensual but also simple and modern. Characteristic Vionnet styles included the handkerchief dress, cowl neck, and halter top.

paragraphs: Vionnet influenced the design of mass production "prét à porter" (ready to wear) clothing. She had worked in mass production as a hospital seamstress, and could simplify her designs for the retail market. High fashion was too expensive for working people, and (unlike today) was not copied in the high street. Vionnet's ability to take her designs off the cat walk and into the high street revolutionised the fashion industry and popular culture.

paragraphs: In 1930, Suzanna Laneil was caught with 48 copies of Chanel and Vionnet designs. Vionnet sued her, in a French landmark case. The Court found that the design originals by Vionnet were "real works of art" and that they were "entitled to the same protection accorded authors and copyright holders". That protection has been written into the statute and ratified by European treaties on copyright law. Vionnet began as a style copiest with Kate Reilly, but became a strong supporter of intellectual property protection for designers.


title: Seve Ballesteros

paragraphs: Severiano Ballesteros Sota (9 April 1957 - 7 May 2011) was a Spanish golfer.

paragraphs: Ballesteros won The Open Championship in 1979, 1984 and 1988. He won the Masters Tournament in 1980 and 1983. He was ranked number one golfer in the world for parts of the 1980s.

paragraphs: He was born in Pedrena, Cantabria and died there, of brain cancer.


title: Katsuō-ji

paragraphs: , also known as "Katsuo-dera", is a Japanese Buddhist temple in Minō, which is in the mountains of northern Osaka Prefecture.

paragraphs: Katsuō-ji is one in a grouping of Buddhist temples which are pilgrimage sites in the Kansai region.

paragraphs: The temple site was first named Miroku-ji in 765.

paragraphs: The name "Katsuō-ji" was given by the Emperor Seiwa.

paragraphs: In 1184, the temple was destroyed by fire, but it was re-built.

paragraphs: Daruma dolls are often returned to the temple and left somewhere on the grounds.


title: Paktika Province

paragraphs: Paktika () is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the south-east of the country. Most of the people are Pashtun. Its capital is Sharana.


title: Sharana, Afghanistan

paragraphs: Sharana (), or Sharan (), is the capital of Paktika Province, Afghanistan. There are about 2,200 people who live in the town.


title: Alexander Glazunov

paragraphs: Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov (10 August 186521 March 1936) was a Russian composer, music teacher, and conductor. He was the director of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory between 1905 and 1928. He left the Soviet Union in 1928 and did not return. Glazunov successfully reconciled nationalism and cosmopolitanism in Russian music.


title: Paul Oswald Ahnert

paragraphs: Paul Oswald Ahnert (November 22, 1897 - February 27, 1989) was a German astronomer. He worked at the Sonneberg Observatory. He made an annual astronomical calendar called the "Kalender für Sternfreunde", which translates as the calendar for star friends. He included items in space which could easily be seen by amateur astronomers using small telescopes, or even just by eyesight. The calendar was first published in 1948 and was one of the few books from the German Democratic Republic which was highly regarded by people in other countries. After Ahnert's death the calendar continued to be published by astrophysicist Rainer Luthardt. An asteroid, 3181 Ahnert, was named after him.


title: Jason Dolley

paragraphs: Jason Scott Dolley (born July 5, 1991) is an American actor who was in "Hatching Pete" and "Good Luck Charlie".


title: Panjshir Province

paragraphs: Panjshir (, meaning "Five Lions", also spelled as Panjsher) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. Panjshir province is known for not being taken by the Soviets during their occupation in the 1980s. There has not been as much violence here as the rest of the country.


title: Bazarak, Panjshir

paragraphs: Bazarak () is a town in the Panjshir Valley, in northern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Panjshir Province. It has six villages: Khanez, Jangalak, Malaspa, Parandeh, Rahmankhil. The tomb of Ahmad Shah Massoud, known as the "Lion of Panjshir", is in Bazarak.


title: Parwan Province

paragraphs: Parwān (Persian/Pashto: پروان), also spelled Parvān, is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. There are about 560,000 people. The capital is Charikar.

paragraphs: In 329 BC, Alexander the Great formed the settlement of Parwan. It was conquered by the Arabs in 792.


title: Charikar

paragraphs: Charikar () is the capital of Parwan Province in northern Afghanistan. The city is on the road 69 km from Kabul. Charikar is known for its pottery and high-quality grapes.


title: Treaty of Rawalpindi

paragraphs: The Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1919, also known as the Treaty of Rawalpindi, was a treaty which brought the Third Anglo-Afghan War to an end. It was signed on 8 August 1919 in Rawalpindi by Great Britain and Afghanistan. Britain recognised Afghanistan's independence (as per Article 5 of the treaty), agreed that British India would not extend past the Khyber Pass and stopped British subsidies to Afghanistan. Afghanistan also accepted all previously agreed border arrangements with British India as per Article 5 of the Anglo-Afghan treaty of 1919. Thus, Afghanistan as an independent country agreed to recognise Durand Line as international border between the two countries.


title: Demography of Afghanistan

paragraphs: Afghanistan has around 29.8 million people as of the year 2011. About 2.7 million Afghan refugees are living in Pakistan and Iran.

paragraphs: The country is multi-ethnic and multi-lingual. Most of Afghanistan's people are of the Iranic peoples. The Pashtun is the largest group followed by Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Aimak, Turkmen, Baloch and others.

paragraphs: Dari (Persian) and Pashto are both the official languages of the country.

paragraphs: Islam is the religion of more than 99% of Afghanistan.


title: Samangan Province

paragraphs: Samangan () is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. About 313,211 people live in the Province, as of 2006. The capital is Samangan.


title: Samangan

paragraphs: Samangan (previous: Eukratidia; then Aybak or Aibak) is the capital of Samangan Province in the northern part of Afghanistan. It was a major Buddhist centre during the 4th and 5th centuries.

paragraphs: The town is on the banks of the Khulm River valley below the Hindu Kush Mountains.


title: Sar-e Pol Province

paragraphs: Sar-e Pol, also spelled Sari Pul (), is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country. The capital is the city of Sar-e Pol. Dari (Persian) is the main language. About 442,261 people live in the Province. There are many mountains, especially in the south part.

paragraphs: The province is divided into 7 Districts.


title: Sar-e Pol city

paragraphs: Sar-e Pol or Sari Pul () is the capital city of the province of Sar-e Pol in northern Afghanistan. It is in Sari Pul District. About 115,463 people live in the city.


title: To each according to his contribution

paragraphs: According to the principle of 'To each according to his contribution', during the transition of a society from capitalism to socialism and then to communism, individuals should be rewarded for the amount they contribute to society. Economists such as David Ricardo (1772-1823) had this idea. Ricardo founded a movement that is known as Ricardian socialism today. Many people in the labour movement had this idea too. Ferdinand Lassalle (1825–1864) and Eugen Dühring (1833-1921) expressed such ideas towards Leon Trotsky. Despite this, Vladimir Lenin was the first person to say that this element is fundamental to Marxist theory.

paragraphs: According to Libertarian socialist thinkers, such as American anarchist Benjamin Tucker, socialism is a system in which the laborer receives the full product of his labor. This eliminates exploitation and unearned income accrued to the capitalist.

paragraphs: The term "To each according to his contribution" simply means that each worker in a socialist society receives "wages" and benefits according to the quantity and value of the labor that he or she contributed. That way, highly productive workers will receive more wages and benefits than workers of average productivity, and substantially more than workers of low productivity. What is more, the more difficult the job is, the more one is rewarded for the labor contributed. Difficulty can result from factors such as greater training requirement, job intensity or safety hazards. According to Trotsky, the idea is to promote productivity. This is done by creating incentives to work harder, longer, and more productively. In the end, the principle comes from capitalism, but will vanish, according to Marx, as work becomes more automated and enjoyable, and as goods become available in greater quantities.

paragraphs: In capitalism, the means of production are owned by a few people; these people are also known as the bourgeoisie. These people do not produce, but they live off the work others do for them. Socialism can fix this issue, because with socialism, the means of production are owned by all people, they are a common good.


title: Takhar Province

paragraphs: Takhār () is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. The capital is Taloqan. Its salt mines are one of Afghanistan's major mineral resources.


title: Taloqan

paragraphs: Tāloqān (, also Tāleqān or Tāluqān) is the capital of Takhar Province, in northern Afghanistan. It is in the Taluqan District. About 196,400 people live in the city.


title: Maidan Wardak Province

paragraphs: Maidan Wardak Province (also spelled Maidan Wardag, or Maidan Vardak, , ) is one of thirty four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the central east part of Afghanistan. About 540,100 people live in the province. The capital is Maidan Shar.


title: Maidan Shar

paragraphs: Maidan Shar ( - Maidān Šhār; ; also "Maydan", "Meydan", "Maidan") is the capital of Wardak Province, Afghanistan. About 35,008 people live in the town as of 2003.

paragraphs: On 21 January 2019, over 100 people were killed in a terrorist attack.

paragraphs: Most of the people in Maidan Shar do agriculture, livestock, gardening and trade. Many of the people are poor.

paragraphs: By the end of 2008, there were a total of 14 schools with about 9268 students. There were about 275 teachers teaching in these schools.


title: Zabul Province

paragraphs: Zabul () is a historic province in southern Afghanistan. Qalat is the capital. About 275,100 people live in the province. The major ethnic group is Pashtun.

paragraphs: Zabul is surrounded by Paktika and Ghzani provinces in the east, Urozgan province in the north, Kandahar province in west and south west, and Balochistan state of Pakistan in south.

paragraphs: Around 800,000 people live in Zabul with majority of them in Shahjoi, Arghandab and Kalat city.

paragraphs: Almond, grapes, apricots, wheat, and vigitables are the main agricultural products of Zabul, where around 80% people are farmers.

paragraphs: the current governor of Zabul province is Mr. Bissmillah Afghanmal son of Haji Mauladad Momand, borne in Kandahar in 1976.

paragraphs: In 2006, the province's first airstrip was opened near Qalat. It was for the Afghan National Army. The airstrip is not paved.


title: Qalat, Zabul Province

paragraphs: Qalat () is a town in southern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Zabul Province. It is linked by a highway with Kandahar to the west and Ghazni to the east. In 2006, Zabul's first airstrip was built near Qalat.


title: Afghan afghani

paragraphs: The afghani is the type of money used in Afghanistan. 100 pul make 1 afghani. Pul coins are not used any longer. In 2005, coins with a value of 1, 2 and 5 Afghani were made.


title: Pamir languages

paragraphs: The Pamir languages are a group of the Eastern Iranian languages. Many people in the Pamir Mountains, mostly along the Panj River speak the language. This includes the Badakhshan Province of northeastern Afghanistan and the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province of eastern Tajikistan. Smaller communities can be found in areas of Pakistan. The only other living member of the Southeastern Iranian languages is Pashto.


title: Durrës

paragraphs: Durrës is the second largest city of Albania. It is on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durrës is at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea. It is opposite the Italian ports of Bari ( away) and Brindisi ( away). Durrës is home to Albania's main port, the Port of Durrës. The Aleksandër Moisiu University is here. The town has about 115,550 people. Durrës was the national capital from 7 March 1914 until 11 February 1920 .

paragraphs: Durrës has a typical Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cool winters. The average of water temperature in Durrës is from in February to in August. The summer in Durrës starts from May to middle of October .


title: Settlements in Albania

paragraphs: This is a list of municipalities () of Albania. They are sorted by county and by district.


title: Elbasan

paragraphs: Elbasan is a city in central Albania. It is on the Shkumbin River in the District of Elbasan and the County of Elbasan. It is one of the largest cities in Albania. There are about 79,810 people.


title: Vlorë

paragraphs: Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania. There are 79,948 people who live here. It is on the Adriatic Sea, almost surrounded by mountains.

paragraphs: Vlorë is where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912. The city was for a short time the capital of Albania.

paragraphs: Vlora is one of the oldest cities of Albania. It was formed by Ancient Greeks in the 6th century BC.

paragraphs: The University of Vlora is the second largest in Albania.


title: Districts of Albania

paragraphs: Albania is divided into 36 districts. Districts are grouped into counties or prefectures, of which there are 12. The districts are:


title: Flag of Albania

paragraphs: The flag of Albania () is a red flag, with a silhouetted black double-headed eagle in the centre.


title: Coat of arms of Albania

paragraphs: The coat of arms of Albania is similar to the flag of Albania. It is based on the seal of Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg. The picture above the head of the two-headed eagle is the helmet of Skanderbeg. The helmet also has billy goats' horns.


title: Bamir Topi

paragraphs: Bamir Myrteza Topi (born 24 April 1957 in Tirana) is an Albanian diplomat and politician. He served as President of Albania from 2007 to 2012.


title: Sali Berisha

paragraphs: Sali Berisha (born 15 October 1944) is an Albanian politician. He was the Prime Minister from 2005 to 2013. He was the President of Albania from 1992 to 1997.


title: The Godfather Part III

paragraphs: The Godfather Part III is a 1990 American crime drama movie that stars Al Pacino and Diane Keaton. The movie is set in 1979 and 1980. It is the sequel to "The Godfather" and "The Godfather Part II". It received mixed to positive reviews and did well the box office. This movie was released December 25, 1990 in the United States.


title: Architecture of Singapore

paragraphs: The architecture of Singapore shows influences and styles from different places and periods. Singapore architecture may be divided into two periods: the more traditional pre-World War II colonial period, and the modern post-war and post-colonial period.

paragraphs: Malay houses built in the 'kampong' style were common before the British came.

paragraphs: After the British established a settlement near the mouth of the Singapore River in 1819, building construction in Singapore changed. The new settlement was small but very urban. Merchants built warehouses right next to each other along Boat Quay. Risk of fire became a problem because the buildings were so close together and had many valuable goods inside. Builders switched to brick masonry with clay tiled roofs, to reduce the fire hazard. Bricks and tiles were made at kilns on the island, and the mortar and plaster was made by grinding up corals from sea around Singapore.

paragraphs: Shophouses are common style of building in Southeast Asia. They are usually two or three storeys high. Each shophouse is usually very narrow and part of a long row of terraced buildings. But, shophouses may be very deep front to back. The first floor is usually for business and the upper floors are for living.

paragraphs: The front of the building usually has a covered area called the ""five foot ways"". An 1822 law in Singapore said that all houses made of brick or tiles should be similar in the front. They should have an open arcade making an open passage on each side of the street. This style of building shophouses soon spread to other states in British Malaya. More rules said that the verandah ways should be .at least seven feet from the edge of the road and the walkway must be at least five feet wide.

paragraphs: A bungalow is usually a small one or one-and-half storey home with deep verandahs. In Singapore, Many Europeans lived in bungalows from the 19th century until World War II. They are called Black and Whites for their white paint and dark wood.

paragraphs: These homes were similar to the UK's Arts and Crafts and Art Deco movements. They were built large enough to give rich families homes with light, air, and space. Black-and-Whites were built by wealthy families, successful businesses, the Public Works Department, and the British Armed Forces. Many are still homes today, but some have become shops, restaurants, or bars.

paragraphs: Singapore has many Art Deco buildings from the 1920s and 1930s. The style was especially popular in commercial architecture, like factories and offices. Sometimes the style was only on the surface. Often, Art Deco style ornaments were added to typical shophouses or bungalows. The Art Deco period was important as a style, but also for bringing modern construction technologies like reinforced concrete to Singapore.

paragraphs: Singaporean architecture moved to a modern direction after the war. The need to save money meant less spending on ornaments or features that only looked good. Simple forms and surfaces became more common. Modern architecture was also better for building many public buildings with the same or similar designs such as schools, clinics, factories, and especially public housing.

paragraphs: Public housing started in Singapore in the 1930s. The Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) carried out a building programme because there was not enough housing in the city. The SIT mainly built housing for middle and lower-middle class Asians at first. The Tiong Bahru estate is a typical example. It is a group of four-storey Art Deco style apartment blocks, shops, and markets outside the city center. After the war, the style changed from Art Deco to a simple, modern style.

paragraphs: Modern architecture was most important during the 1970s and 1980s. Brutalist architecture was common. Some older commercial buildings, such as the OCBC Centre by I. M. Pei, and many government office buildings are examples of this style.


title: Berat County

paragraphs: The County of Berat is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It has the districts Berat, Kuçovë, and Skrapar. Its capital is Berat. It is 123 km south of Tirana, the capital of Albania.


title: Dibër County

paragraphs: The County of Dibër is one of the 12 counties of Albania. The districts are Bulqizë, Dibër, and Mat. Its capital is Peshkopi.


title: Durrës County

paragraphs: The County of Durrës is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It has the districts Durrës and Krujë. Its capital is Durrës.


title: Elbasan County

paragraphs: The County of Elbasan is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It has districts Elbasan, Gramsh, Librazhd and Peqin. Its capital is Elbasan.


title: Diarchy

paragraphs: Diarchy (or dyarchy) is a form of government where two people are usually the heads of state. The word comes from the Greek "δι-" "twice" and "αρχια", "rule". Most commonly, the leaders of these diarchys, called diarchs, have the job for life with the position being hereditary. This means the position is given to children or family after the death of the diarch.

paragraphs: Modern examples of Diarchys are Andorra, the Republic of San Marino and the Kingdom of Eswatini.

paragraphs: Historical examples Diarchys are Sparta, The Roman Republic and at one point India

paragraphs: Not all Diarchys have the diarchs as the head of state nor do they necessarily rule for their life. In Andorra for example, the Diarchs are the President of France, an elected, temporary position not passed down to children, as well as the Catholic Bishop of Urgell who is appointed to the position by the Catholic Church. Ancient Sparta had Diarchs who were given the hereditary job for life, but only had roles in the military and religion, not politics. There are numbers of countries in world claiming democratic country / states but in reality are under diarchs.


title: Co-Princes of Andorra

paragraphs: The Co-Princes of Andorra are the two rulers of the Principality of Andorra. Andorra is a tiny landlocked nation in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain. Currently, the Bishop of Urgell and the President of France are Andorra's co-princes.


title: Juan Luis Vives

paragraphs: Juan Luis Vives (), also Joan Lluís Vives i March () (6 March 1493 – 6 May 1540), was a Valencian Spanish scholar and humanist. He lived during the reign of Charles I of Spain (technically under Philip II of Spain, as Charles was more preoccupied with the Holy Roman Empire). He caused great upset during this period of time, as the Church wanted religious unity and his beliefs caused more religious contradications to what the Inquisition and Philip wanted.

paragraphs: He descended from "conversos" (converts)- his parents had practiced the Jewish faith. He was offered a position at Alcala University but after the burning of his father, he could not take up this post. Vives had to leave Spain.


title: Alexey Arhipovsky

paragraphs: Alexey Arhipovsky (; May 15, 1967) – is a Russian balalaika player.

paragraphs: He was born in the town of Tuapse, Krasnodar Territory, Russia on May 15, 1967. His father played the garmon and accordion. At the age of 9, Arhipovsky started at musical school to study the balalaika. Later he entered Gnessin State Musical College, the department of folk instruments, class – balalaika.

paragraphs: In 1985 he became a laureate of the Contest of Folk Instrument Performers in Russia. From 1998 he toured around Russia and abroad with the State Academic Folk Ensemble "Rossiya" Russia directed by Lyudmila Zykina. He cooperated with Stas Namin, the musician, composer, and record producer. Arhipovsky took part in festivals of Russian culture in the United States, China, South Korea, Germany, France, Spain and Bulgaria. He participated in jazz festivals in Russia and abroad, in radio and TV programmes.

paragraphs: During his tours, fans compared his performance with Paganini and Jimi Hendrix.

paragraphs: He recorded a DVD album "Alexey Arhipovsky" in 2009.


title: Kate

paragraphs: The name Kate is a girl's name. It's a variant of the name Katherine. There are many famous people who have the name Kate (e.g. Kate Hudson, Kate Winslet).


title: Fier County

paragraphs: The County of Fier is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It has the districts of Fier, Lushnjë and Mallakastër. The capital is Fier. Fier's western edge is the shoreline of the Adriatic Sea.


title: Gjirokastër County

paragraphs: Gjirokastër County is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It has the districts Gjirokastër, Përmet, and Tepelenë. The capital is Gjirokastër. There are some Greek people who live here. To the southeast, Gjirokastër shares a border with Greece.


title: Korçë County

paragraphs: The County of Korçë is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It is in the eastern part of the country. It is the largest county of Albania. The districts are Devoll, Kolonjë, Korçë and Pogradec. The capital is Korçë.

paragraphs: The county borders North Macedonia to the northeast and Greece to the southeast.


title: Kukës County

paragraphs: The County of Kukës is one of the 12 counties of Albania. The districts are Has, Kukës and Tropojë. The capital is Kukës. To the east, Kukës borders Kosovo.The northwest borders Montenegro. The southeast borders North Macedonia.


title: Lezhë County

paragraphs: Lezhë County is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It has the districts Kurbin, Lezhë and Mirditë. The capital is Lezhë.

paragraphs: Lezhë has a small western shoreline on the Adriatic Sea.


title: Shkodër County

paragraphs: Shkodër County is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It has the districts Malësi e Madhe, Pukë and Shkodër. The capital is the city of Shkodër.

paragraphs: In its southwest, Shkodër County has a small shoreline on the Adriatic Sea. The northern border is Montenegro.


title: Tirana County

paragraphs: The County of Tirana is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It has the districts Kavajë and Tirana. The capital is Tirana. There are 800,347 people. It has the most people of the Counties of Albania.

paragraphs: Ishëm River and the Tiranë River both flow through the city.

paragraphs: Dajti National Park is 26 km east of the capital of Tirana.


title: Vlorë County

paragraphs: The County of Vlorë is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It has the districts Delvinë, Sarandë and Vlorë. The capital is Vlorë. There are about 211,773 people who live here.

paragraphs: Vlorë's western and southern edges are the shorelines of the Strait of Otranto. It also has a small border with Greece. There are some Greek people who live here.


title: Berat

paragraphs: Berat is a town in south-central Albania. It is the capital of both the District of Berat and the larger County of Berat. About 71,000 people live here. Berat is on the right bank of the river Osum.


title: Peshkopi

paragraphs: Peshkopi is a city in Dibër District, Dibër County, northeastern Albania. It is the capital of both.

paragraphs: It is away from Tirana, the capital of Albania, and from North Macedonia. About 14,100 people live here.

paragraphs: Peshkopi is east of the Black Drin river.

paragraphs: There is a branch of Aleksandër Moisiu University.


title: Fier

paragraphs: Fieri is a city in southwest Albania. It is the capital of the district and county of the same name. About 82,297 people live in Fier. Fier is from the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Apollonia.


title: Gjirokastër

paragraphs: Gjirokastër is a city in southern Albania. There are about 43,000 people who live here. It is the capital of both the Gjirokastër District and the larger Gjirokastër County. Gjirokastër is between the Gjerë mountains and the Drino River. The Eqerem Çabej University is in the city.


title: Korçë

paragraphs: Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania. It is the capital of the Korçë District. About 105,000 people live here. It is the sixth largest city in Albania.


title: Kukës

paragraphs: Kukës is a town in Albania. It the capital of Kukës District and Kukës County. About 16,000 people live here. The town is in the mountains of northern Albania. It is famous because during the Kosovo conflict they took 450,000 refugees from Kosovo(Serbia). This led, in 2000, to a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. It was the first time a town was nominated for the prize.


title: Lezhë

paragraphs: Lezhë is a city in northwest Albania. It is the capital of Lezhë District and Lezhë County. About 27,500 people live here.

paragraphs: The city was formed around 385 BC as a Greek colony by the name of Lissos.


title: Tap dance

paragraphs: Tap dancing is a type of dance. Its main feature is the sound made by tap shoes hitting the floor. Tap dancers wear special shoes with metal pieces on the bottom. There is one metal piece at the toe, and another at the heel.

paragraphs: There are two main types of tap dance: rhythm (Jazz) tap and Broadway tap. Broadway tap is more about the dance. It is often done in musical theater. Rhythm tap is more about the sound of the tapping.

paragraphs: In tap dancing dancers use their shoes to tap the floor like drummers. Tap shoes have metal taps on the bottom of the shoe to make a sound. The sound you get from the tap shoe depends on how hard you hit the floor, and what part of your foot you use.


title: Mishima, Shizuoka

paragraphs: In the Edo period, "Mishima-juku" was the 11th of the 53 shogunate-maintained waystations ("shuku-eki") along the Tōkaidō road which connected Edo and Kyoto.


title: Shkodër

paragraphs: Shkodër is a city in northwestern Albania. It is the capital of Shkodër District. It is one of the oldest towns in Albania. There are about 74,876 people in the city. It is near the Lake of Shkodër.

paragraphs: Luigj Gurakuqi University of Shkodër is in the city. It is an important school in Albania. Shkodër is also the home of Loro-Boriçi Stadium, the second biggest stadium in Albania.