title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan was made president of the school's chemistry club, and at home he set up his own laboratory. He taught himself about molecules by making cardboard cutouts to help him visualize how molecules were formed: "I found that about as interesting as doing [chemical] experiments," he said. Sagan remained mostly interested in astronomy as a hobby and in his junior year made it a career goal after he learned that astronomers were paid for doing what he always enjoyed: "That was a splendid day—when I began to suspect that if I tried hard I could do astronomy full-time, not just part-time."


title: Carl Sagan

text: Before the end of high school, he entered an essay contest in which he posed the question of whether human contact with advanced life forms from another planet might be as disastrous for people on Earth as it was for Native Americans when they first had contact with Europeans. The subject was considered controversial, but his rhetorical skill won over the judges, and they awarded him first prize. By graduation, his classmates had voted him "most likely to succeed" and put him in line to be valedictorian.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan attended the University of Chicago, which was one of the few colleges he applied to that would, despite his excellent high-school grades, consider admitting a 16-year-old. Its chancellor, Robert Maynard Hutchins, had recently retooled the undergraduate College of the University of Chicago into an "ideal meritocracy" built on Great Books, Socratic dialogue, comprehensive examinations and early entrance to college with no age requirement. The school also employed a number of the nation's leading scientists, including Enrico Fermi and Edward Teller, and operated the famous Yerkes Observatory.


title: Carl Sagan

text: During his time as an honors program undergraduate, Sagan worked in the laboratory of the geneticist H. J. Muller and wrote a thesis on the origins of life with physical chemist Harold Urey. Sagan joined the Ryerson Astronomical Society, received a B.A. degree in laughingly self-proclaimed "nothing" with general and special honors in 1954, and a B.S. degree in physics in 1955. He went on to earn a M.S. degree in physics in 1956, before earning a PhD degree in 1960 with his thesis "Physical Studies of the Planets" submitted to the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics.


title: Carl Sagan

text: He used the summer months of his graduate studies to work with his dissertation director, planetary scientist Gerard Kuiper, as well as physicist George Gamow and chemist Melvin Calvin. The title of Sagan's dissertation reflects his shared interests with Kuiper, who throughout the 1950s had been president of the International Astronomical Union's commission on "Physical Studies of Planets and Satellites". In 1958, the two worked on the classified military Project A119, the secret Air Force plan to detonate a nuclear warhead on the Moon.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan had a Top Secret clearance at the U.S. Air Force and a Secret clearance with NASA. While working on his doctoral dissertation, Sagan revealed US Government classified titles of two Project A119 papers when he applied for a University of California, Berkeley scholarship in 1959. The leak was not publicly revealed until 1999, when it was published in the journal "Nature". A follow-up letter to the journal by project leader Leonard Reiffel confirmed Sagan's security leak.


title: Carl Sagan

text: From 1960 to 1962 Sagan was a Miller Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley. Meanwhile, he published an article in 1961 in the journal "Science" on the atmosphere of Venus, while also working with NASA's Mariner 2 team, and served as a "Planetary Sciences Consultant" to the RAND Corporation.


title: Carl Sagan

text: After the publication of Sagan's "Science" article, in 1961 Harvard University astronomers Fred Whipple and Donald Menzel offered Sagan the opportunity to give a colloquium at Harvard and subsequently offered him a lecturer position at the institution. Sagan instead asked to be made an assistant professor, and eventually Whipple and Menzel were able to convince Harvard to offer Sagan the assistant professor position he requested. Sagan lectured, performed research, and advised graduate students at the institution from 1963 until 1968, as well as working at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, also located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.


title: Carl Sagan

text: In 1968, Sagan was denied tenure at Harvard. He later indicated that the decision was very much unexpected. The tenure denial has been blamed on several factors, including that he focused his interests too broadly across a number of areas (while the norm in academia is to become a renowned expert in a narrow specialty), and perhaps because of his well-publicized scientific advocacy, which some scientists perceived as borrowing the ideas of others for little more than self-promotion. An advisor from his years as an undergraduate student, Harold Urey, wrote a letter to the tenure committee recommending strongly against tenure for Sagan.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Long before the ill-fated tenure process, Cornell University astronomer Thomas Gold had courted Sagan to move to Ithaca, New York, and join the faculty at Cornell. Following the denial of tenure from Harvard, Sagan accepted Gold's offer and remained a faculty member at Cornell for nearly 30 years until his death in 1996. Unlike Harvard, the smaller and more laid-back astronomy department at Cornell welcomed Sagan's growing celebrity status. Following two years as an associate professor, Sagan became a full professor at Cornell in 1970 and directed the Laboratory for Planetary Studies there. From 1972 to 1981, he was associate director of the Center for Radiophysics and Space Research (CRSR) at Cornell. In 1976, he became the David Duncan Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences, a position he held for the remainder of his life.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan was associated with the U.S. space program from its inception. From the 1950s onward, he worked as an advisor to NASA, where one of his duties included briefing the Apollo astronauts before their flights to the Moon. Sagan contributed to many of the robotic spacecraft missions that explored the Solar System, arranging experiments on many of the expeditions. Sagan assembled the first physical message that was sent into space: a gold-plated plaque, attached to the space probe "Pioneer 10", launched in 1972. "Pioneer 11", also carrying another copy of the plaque, was launched the following year. He continued to refine his designs; the most elaborate message he helped to develop and assemble was the Voyager Golden Record, which was sent out with the Voyager space probes in 1977. Sagan often challenged the decisions to fund the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station at the expense of further robotic missions.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Former student David Morrison described Sagan as "an 'idea person' and a master of intuitive physical arguments and 'back of the envelope' calculations", and Gerard Kuiper said that "Some persons work best in specializing on a major program in the laboratory; others are best in liaison between sciences. Dr. Sagan belongs in the latter group."


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan's contributions were central to the discovery of the high surface temperatures of the planet Venus. In the early 1960s no one knew for certain the basic conditions of Venus' surface, and Sagan listed the possibilities in a report later depicted for popularization in a Time Life book "Planets". His own view was that Venus was dry and very hot as opposed to the balmy paradise others had imagined. He had investigated radio waves from Venus and concluded that there was a surface temperature of . As a visiting scientist to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, he contributed to the first Mariner missions to Venus, working on the design and management of the project. Mariner 2 confirmed his conclusions on the surface conditions of Venus in 1962.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan was among the first to hypothesize that Saturn's moon Titan might possess oceans of liquid compounds on its surface and that Jupiter's moon Europa might possess subsurface oceans of water. This would make Europa potentially habitable. Europa's subsurface ocean of water was later indirectly confirmed by the spacecraft "Galileo". The mystery of Titan's reddish haze was also solved with Sagan's help. The reddish haze was revealed to be due to complex organic molecules constantly raining down onto Titan's surface.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan further contributed insights regarding the atmospheres of Venus and Jupiter, as well as seasonal changes on Mars. He also perceived global warming as a growing, man-made danger and likened it to the natural development of Venus into a hot, life-hostile planet through a kind of runaway greenhouse effect. He testified to the US Congress in 1985 that the greenhouse effect would change the earth's climate system. Sagan and his Cornell colleague Edwin Ernest Salpeter speculated about life in Jupiter's clouds, given the planet's dense atmospheric composition rich in organic molecules. He studied the observed color variations on Mars' surface and concluded that they were not seasonal or vegetational changes as most believed, but shifts in surface dust caused by windstorms.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan is also known for his research on the possibilities of extraterrestrial life, including experimental demonstration of the production of amino acids from basic chemicals by radiation.


title: Carl Sagan

text: He is also the 1994 recipient of the Public Welfare Medal, the highest award of the National Academy of Sciences for "distinguished contributions in the application of science to the public welfare". He was denied membership in the academy, reportedly because his media activities made him unpopular with many other scientists.


title: Carl Sagan

text: In 1980 Sagan co-wrote and narrated the award-winning 13-part PBS television series "", which became the most widely watched series in the history of American public television until 1990. The show has been seen by at least 500 million people across 60 countries. The book, "Cosmos", written by Sagan, was published to accompany the series.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Because of his earlier popularity as a science writer from his best-selling books, including "The Dragons of Eden", which won him a Pulitzer Prize in 1977, he was asked to write and narrate the show. It was targeted to a general audience of viewers, whom Sagan felt had lost interest in science, partly due to a stifled educational system.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Each of the 13 episodes was created to focus on a particular subject or person, thereby demonstrating the synergy of the universe. They covered a wide range of scientific subjects including the origin of life and a perspective of humans' place on Earth.


title: Carl Sagan

text: The show won an Emmy, along with a Peabody Award, and transformed Sagan from an obscure astronomer into a pop-culture icon. "Time" magazine ran a cover story about Sagan soon after the show broadcast, referring to him as "creator, chief writer and host-narrator of the show". In 2000, "Cosmos" was released on a remastered set of DVDs.


title: Carl Sagan

text: After "Cosmos" aired, Sagan became associated with the catchphrase "billions and billions," although he never actually used the phrase in the "Cosmos" series. He rather used the term "billions "upon" billions."


title: Carl Sagan

text: Richard Feynman, a precursor to Sagan, was observed to have used the phrase "billions and billions" many times in his "red books". However, Sagan's frequent use of the word "billions" and distinctive delivery emphasizing the "b" (which he did intentionally, in place of more cumbersome alternatives such as "billions with a 'b, in order to distinguish the word from "millions") made him a favorite target of comic performers, including Johnny Carson, Gary Kroeger, Mike Myers, Bronson Pinchot, Penn Jillette, Harry Shearer, and others. Frank Zappa satirized the line in the song "Be in My Video", noting as well "atomic light". Sagan took this all in good humor, and his final book was entitled "Billions and Billions", which opened with a tongue-in-cheek discussion of this catchphrase, observing that Carson was an amateur astronomer and that Carson's comic caricature often included real science.


title: Carl Sagan

text: As a humorous tribute to Sagan and his association with the catchphrase "billions and billions", a "sagan" has been defined as a unit of measurement equivalent to a very large number – technically at least four billion (two billion plus two billion) – of anything.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan's number is the number of stars in the observable universe. This number is reasonably well defined, because it is known what stars are and what the observable universe is, but its value is highly uncertain.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan's ability to convey his ideas allowed many people to understand the cosmos better—simultaneously emphasizing the value and worthiness of the human race, and the relative insignificance of the Earth in comparison to the Universe. He delivered the 1977 series of Royal Institution Christmas Lectures in London.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan was a proponent of the search for extraterrestrial life. He urged the scientific community to listen with radio telescopes for signals from potential intelligent extraterrestrial life-forms. Sagan was so persuasive that by 1982 he was able to get a petition advocating SETI published in the journal "Science", signed by 70 scientists, including seven Nobel Prize winners. This signaled a tremendous increase in the respectability of a then-controversial field. Sagan also helped Frank Drake write the Arecibo message, a radio message beamed into space from the Arecibo radio telescope on November 16, 1974, aimed at informing potential extraterrestrials about Earth.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan was chief technology officer of the professional planetary research journal "Icarus" for 12 years. He co-founded The Planetary Society and was a member of the SETI Institute Board of Trustees. Sagan served as Chairman of the Division for Planetary Science of the American Astronomical Society, as President of the Planetology Section of the American Geophysical Union, and as Chairman of the Astronomy Section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).


title: Carl Sagan

text: At the height of the Cold War, Sagan became involved in nuclear disarmament efforts by promoting hypotheses on the effects of nuclear war, when Paul Crutzen's "Twilight at Noon" concept suggested that a substantial nuclear exchange could trigger a nuclear twilight and upset the delicate balance of life on Earth by cooling the surface. In 1983 he was one of five authors—the "S"—in the follow-up "TTAPS" model (as the research article came to be known), which contained the first use of the term "nuclear winter", which his colleague Richard P. Turco had coined. In 1984 he co-authored the book "" and in 1990 the book "A Path Where No Man Thought: Nuclear Winter and the End of the Arms Race", which explains the nuclear-winter hypothesis and advocates nuclear disarmament. Sagan received a great deal of skepticism and disdain for the use of media to disseminate a very uncertain hypothesis. A personal correspondence with nuclear physicist Edward Teller around 1983 began amicably, with Teller expressing support for continued research to ascertain the credibility of the winter hypothesis. However, Sagan and Teller's correspondence would ultimately result in Teller writing: "A propagandist is one who uses incomplete information to produce maximum persuasion. I can compliment you on being, indeed, an excellent propagandist, remembering that a propagandist is the better the less he appears to be one". Biographers of Sagan would also comment that from a scientific viewpoint, nuclear winter was a low point for Sagan, although, politically speaking, it popularized his image amongst the public.


title: Carl Sagan

text: The adult Sagan remained a fan of science fiction, although disliking stories that were not realistic (such as ignoring the inverse-square law) or, he said, did not include "thoughtful pursuit of alternative futures". He wrote books to popularize science, such as "Cosmos", which reflected and expanded upon some of the themes of "A Personal Voyage" and became the best-selling science book ever published in English; "The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence", which won a Pulitzer Prize; and "Broca's Brain: Reflections on the Romance of Science". Sagan also wrote the best-selling science fiction novel "Contact" in 1985, based on a film treatment he wrote with his wife, Ann Druyan, in 1979, but he did not live to see the book's 1997 motion-picture adaptation, which starred Jodie Foster and won the 1998 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan wrote a sequel to "Cosmos", "Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space", which was selected as a notable book of 1995 by "The New York Times". He appeared on PBS's "Charlie Rose" program in January 1995. Sagan also wrote the introduction for Stephen Hawking's bestseller "A Brief History of Time". Sagan was also known for his popularization of science, his efforts to increase scientific understanding among the general public, and his positions in favor of scientific skepticism and against pseudoscience, such as his debunking of the Betty and Barney Hill abduction. To mark the tenth anniversary of Sagan's death, David Morrison, a former student of Sagan, recalled "Sagan's immense contributions to planetary research, the public understanding of science, and the skeptical movement" in "Skeptical Inquirer".


title: Carl Sagan

text: Following Saddam Hussein's threats to light Kuwait's oil wells on fire in response to any physical challenge to Iraqi control of the oil assets, Sagan together with his "TTAPS" colleagues and Paul Crutzen, warned in January 1991 in "The Baltimore Sun" and "Wilmington Morning Star" newspapers that if the fires were left to burn over a period of several months, enough smoke from the 600 or so 1991 Kuwaiti oil fires "might get so high as to disrupt agriculture in much of South Asia ..." and that this possibility should "affect the war plans"; these claims were also the subject of a televised debate between Sagan and physicist Fred Singer on January 22, aired on the ABC News program "Nightline". In the televised debate, Sagan argued that the effects of the smoke would be similar to the effects of a nuclear winter, with Singer arguing to the contrary. After the debate, the fires burnt for many months before extinguishing efforts were complete. The results of the smoke did not produce continental-sized cooling. Sagan later conceded in "The Demon-Haunted World" that the prediction did not turn out to be correct: "it "was" pitch black at noon and temperatures dropped 4–6 °C over the Persian Gulf, but not much smoke reached stratospheric altitudes and Asia was spared".


title: Carl Sagan

text: In his later years Sagan advocated the creation of an organized search for asteroids/near-Earth objects (NEOs) that might impact the Earth but to forestall or postpone developing the technological methods that would be needed to defend against them. He argued that all of the numerous methods proposed to alter the orbit of an asteroid, including the employment of nuclear detonations, created a deflection dilemma: if the ability to deflect an asteroid away from the Earth exists, then one would also have the ability to divert a non-threatening object towards Earth, creating an immensely destructive weapon. In a 1994 paper he co-authored, he ridiculed a 3-day long "Near-Earth Object Interception Workshop" held by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in 1993 that did not, "even in passing" state that such interception and deflection technologies could have these "ancillary dangers".


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan remained hopeful that the natural NEO impact threat and the intrinsically double-edged essence of the methods to prevent these threats would serve as a "new and potent motivation to maturing international relations". Later acknowledging that, with sufficient international oversight, in the future a "work our way up" approach to implementing nuclear explosive deflection methods could be fielded, and when sufficient knowledge was gained, to use them to aid in mining asteroids. His interest in the use of nuclear detonations in space grew out of his work in 1958 for the Armour Research Foundation's Project A119, concerning the possibility of detonating a nuclear device on the lunar surface.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan was a critic of Plato, having said of the ancient Greek philosopher: "Science and mathematics were to be removed from the hands of the merchants and the artisans. This tendency found its most effective advocate in a follower of Pythagoras named Plato" and


title: Carl Sagan

text: In 1995 (as part of his book "The Demon-Haunted World") Sagan popularized a set of tools for skeptical thinking called the "baloney detection kit", a phrase first coined by Arthur Felberbaum, a friend of his wife Ann Druyan.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Speaking about his activities in popularizing science, Sagan said that there were at least two reasons for scientists to share the purposes of science and its contemporary state. Simple self-interest was one: much of the funding for science came from the public, and the public therefore had the right to know how the money was being spent. If scientists increased public admiration for science, there was a good chance of having more public supporters. The other reason was the excitement of communicating one's own excitement about science to others.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Following the success of "Cosmos", Sagan set up his own publishing firm, Cosmos Store, to publish science books for the general public. It was not successful.


title: Carl Sagan

text: While Sagan was widely adored by the general public, his reputation in the scientific community was more polarized. Critics sometimes characterized his work as fanciful, non-rigorous, and self-aggrandizing, and others complained in his later years that he neglected his role as a faculty member to foster his celebrity status.


title: Carl Sagan

text: One of Sagan's harshest critics, Harold Urey, felt that Sagan was getting too much publicity for a scientist and was treating some scientific theories too casually. Urey and Sagan were said to have different philosophies of science, according to Davidson. While Urey was an "old-time empiricist" who avoided theorizing about the unknown, Sagan was by contrast willing to speculate openly about such matters. Fred Whipple wanted Harvard to keep Sagan there, but learned that because Urey was a Nobel laureate, his opinion was an important factor in Harvard denying Sagan tenure.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan's Harvard friend Lester Grinspoon also stated: "I know Harvard well enough to know there are people there who certainly do not like people who are outspoken." Grinspoon added:


title: Carl Sagan

text: Some, like Urey, later came to realize that Sagan's popular brand of scientific advocacy was beneficial to the science as a whole. Urey especially liked Sagan's 1977 book "The Dragons of Eden" and wrote Sagan with his opinion: "I like it very much and am amazed that someone like you has such an intimate knowledge of the various features of the problem... I congratulate you... You are a man of many talents."


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan was accused of borrowing some ideas of others for his own benefit and countered these claims by explaining that the misappropriation was an unfortunate side effect of his role as a science communicator and explainer, and that he attempted to give proper credit whenever possible.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan believed that the Drake equation, on substitution of reasonable estimates, suggested that a large number of extraterrestrial civilizations would form, but that the lack of evidence of such civilizations highlighted by the Fermi paradox suggests technological civilizations tend to self-destruct. This stimulated his interest in identifying and publicizing ways that humanity could destroy itself, with the hope of avoiding such a cataclysm and eventually becoming a spacefaring species. Sagan's deep concern regarding the potential destruction of human civilization in a nuclear holocaust was conveyed in a memorable cinematic sequence in the final episode of "Cosmos", called "Who Speaks for Earth?" Sagan had already resigned from the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board's UFO investigating Condon Committee and voluntarily surrendered his top-secret clearance in protest over the Vietnam War. Following his marriage to his third wife (novelist Ann Druyan) in June 1981, Sagan became more politically active—particularly in opposing escalation of the nuclear arms race under President Ronald Reagan.


title: Carl Sagan

text: In March 1983, Reagan announced the Strategic Defense Initiative—a multibillion-dollar project to develop a comprehensive defense against attack by nuclear missiles, which was quickly dubbed the "Star Wars" program. Sagan spoke out against the project, arguing that it was technically impossible to develop a system with the level of perfection required, and far more expensive to build such a system than it would be for an enemy to defeat it through decoys and other means—and that its construction would seriously destabilize the "nuclear balance" between the United States and the Soviet Union, making further progress toward nuclear disarmament impossible.


title: Carl Sagan

text: When Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev declared a unilateral moratorium on the testing of nuclear weapons, which would begin on August 6, 1985—the 40th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima—the Reagan administration dismissed the dramatic move as nothing more than propaganda and refused to follow suit. In response, US anti-nuclear and peace activists staged a series of protest actions at the Nevada Test Site, beginning on Easter Sunday in 1986 and continuing through 1987. Hundreds of people in the "Nevada Desert Experience" group were arrested, including Sagan, who was arrested on two separate occasions as he climbed over a chain-link fence at the test site during the underground Operation Charioteer and United States's Musketeer nuclear test series of detonations.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan was also a vocal advocate of the controversial notion of testosterone poisoning, arguing in 1992 that human males could become gripped by an "unusually severe [case of] testosterone poisoning" and this could compel them to become genocidal. In his review of Moondance magazine writer Daniela Gioseffi's 1990 book "Women on War", he argues that females are the only half of humanity "untainted by testosterone poisoning". One chapter of his 1993 book "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" is dedicated to testosterone and its alleged poisonous effects.


title: Carl Sagan

text: In 1989, Carl Sagan was interviewed by Ted Turner whether he believed in socialism and responded that: "I'm not sure what a socialist is. But I believe the government has a responsibility to care for the people... I'm talking about making the people self-reliant."


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan was married three times. In 1957, he married biologist Lynn Margulis. The couple had two children, Jeremy and Dorion Sagan; their marriage ended in 1964. Sagan married artist Linda Salzman in 1968 and they had a child together, Nick Sagan, and divorced in 1981. During these marriages, Carl Sagan focused heavily on his career, a factor which may have contributed to Sagan's first divorce. In 1981, Sagan married author Ann Druyan and they later had two children, Alexandra (known as Sasha) and Samuel Sagan. Carl Sagan and Druyan remained married until his death in 1996.


title: Carl Sagan

text: While teaching at Cornell, he lived in an Egyptian revival house in Ithaca perched on the edge of a cliff that had formerly been the headquarters of a Cornell secret society. While there he drove a red Porsche 911 Targa and an orange 1970 Porsche 914 with the license plate PHOBOS.


title: Carl Sagan

text: In 1994, engineers at Apple Computer code-named the Power Macintosh 7100 "Carl Sagan" in the hope that Apple would make "billions and billions" with the sale of the PowerMac 7100. The name was only used internally, but Sagan was concerned that it would become a product endorsement and sent Apple a cease-and-desist letter. Apple complied, but engineers retaliated by changing the internal codename to "BHA" for "Butt-Head Astronomer". Sagan then sued Apple for libel in federal court. The court granted Apple's motion to dismiss Sagan's claims and opined in dicta that a reader aware of the context would understand Apple was "clearly attempting to retaliate in a humorous and satirical way", and that "It strains reason to conclude that Defendant was attempting to criticize Plaintiff's reputation or competency as an astronomer. One does not seriously attack the expertise of a scientist using the undefined phrase 'butt-head'." Sagan then sued for Apple's original use of his name and likeness, but again lost. Sagan appealed the ruling. In November 1995, an out-of-court settlement was reached and Apple's office of trademarks and patents released a conciliatory statement that "Apple has always had great respect for Dr. Sagan. It was never Apple's intention to cause Dr. Sagan or his family any embarrassment or concern." Apple's third and final code name for the project was "LAW", short for "Lawyers are Wimps".


title: Carl Sagan

text: In 2019, Carl Sagan's daughter Sasha Sagan released "For Small Creatures Such as We: Rituals for Finding Meaning in our Unlikely World", which depicts life with her parents and her father's death when she was fourteen. Building on a theme in her father's work, Sasha Sagan argues in "For Small Creatures Such as We" that skepticism does not imply pessimism.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan was acquainted with the science fiction fandom through his friendship with Isaac Asimov, and he spoke at the Nebula Awards ceremony in 1969. Asimov described Sagan as one of only two people he ever met whose intellect surpassed his own, the other being computer scientist and artificial intelligence expert Marvin Minsky.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan wrote frequently about religion and the relationship between religion and science, expressing his skepticism about the conventional conceptualization of God as a sapient being. For example:


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan also commented on Christianity and the Jefferson Bible, stating "My long-time view about Christianity is that it represents an amalgam of two seemingly immiscible parts, the religion of Jesus and the religion of Paul. Thomas Jefferson attempted to excise the Pauline parts of the New Testament. There wasn't much left when he was done, but it was an inspiring document."


title: Carl Sagan

text: An environmental appeal, "Preserving and Cherishing the Earth", primarily written and signed by Sagan, with other noted scientists and religious leaders in January 1990, stated that "The historical record makes clear that religious teaching, example, and leadership are powerfully able to influence personal conduct and commitment... Thus, there is a vital role for religion and science."


title: Carl Sagan

text: In reply to a question in 1996 about his religious beliefs, Sagan answered, "I'm agnostic." Sagan maintained that the idea of a creator God of the Universe was difficult to prove or disprove and that the only conceivable scientific discovery that could challenge it would be an infinitely old universe. Sagan's views on religion have been interpreted as a form of pantheism comparable to Einstein's belief in Spinoza's God. His son, Dorion Sagan said, "My father believed in the God of Spinoza and Einstein, God not behind nature but as nature, equivalent to it." His last wife, Ann Druyan, stated:


title: Carl Sagan

text: In 2006, Ann Druyan edited Sagan's 1985 Glasgow "Gifford Lectures in Natural Theology" into a book, "", in which he elaborates on his views of divinity in the natural world.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan is also widely regarded as a freethinker or skeptic; one of his most famous quotations, in "Cosmos", was, "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" (called the "Sagan standard" by some). This was based on a nearly identical statement by fellow founder of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, Marcello Truzzi, "An extraordinary claim requires extraordinary proof." This idea had been earlier aphorized in Théodore Flournoy's work "From India to the Planet Mars" (1899) from a longer quote by Pierre-Simon Laplace (1749–1827), a French mathematician and astronomer, as the Principle of Laplace: "The weight of the evidence should be proportioned to the strangeness of the facts."


title: Carl Sagan

text: Late in his life, Sagan's books elaborated on his naturalistic view of the world. In "The Demon-Haunted World", he presented tools for testing arguments and detecting fallacious or fraudulent ones, essentially advocating wide use of critical thinking and the scientific method. The compilation "Billions and Billions: Thoughts on Life and Death at the Brink of the Millennium", published in 1997 after Sagan's death, contains essays written by Sagan, such as his views on abortion, as well as an account by his widow, Ann Druyan, of his death in relation to his having been an agnostic and freethinker.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan warned against humans' tendency towards anthropocentrism. He was the faculty adviser for the Cornell Students for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. In the "Cosmos" chapter "Blues For a Red Planet", Sagan wrote, "If there is life on Mars, I believe we should do nothing with Mars. Mars then belongs to the Martians, even if the Martians are only microbes."


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan was a user and advocate of marijuana. Under the pseudonym "Mr. X", he contributed an essay about smoking cannabis to the 1971 book "Marihuana Reconsidered". The essay explained that marijuana use had helped to inspire some of Sagan's works and enhance sensual and intellectual experiences. After Sagan's death, his friend Lester Grinspoon disclosed this information to Sagan's biographer, Keay Davidson. The publishing of the biography, "Carl Sagan: A Life", in 1999 brought media attention to this aspect of Sagan's life. Not long after his death, his widow Ann Druyan went on to preside over the board of directors of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), a non-profit organization dedicated to reforming cannabis laws.


title: Carl Sagan

text: In 1947, the year that inaugurated the "flying saucer" craze, the young Sagan suspected the "discs" might be alien spaceships.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan's interest in UFO reports prompted him on August 3, 1952, to write a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Dean Acheson to ask how the United States would respond if flying saucers turned out to be extraterrestrial. He later had several conversations on the subject in 1964 with Jacques Vallée. Though quite skeptical of any extraordinary answer to the UFO question, Sagan thought scientists should study the phenomenon, at least because there was widespread public interest in UFO reports.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Stuart Appelle notes that Sagan "wrote frequently on what he perceived as the logical and empirical fallacies regarding UFOs and the abduction experience. Sagan rejected an extraterrestrial explanation for the phenomenon but felt there were both empirical and pedagogical benefits for examining UFO reports and that the subject was, therefore, a legitimate topic of study."


title: Carl Sagan

text: In 1966 Sagan was a member of the Ad Hoc Committee to Review Project Blue Book, the U.S. Air Force's UFO investigation project. The committee concluded Blue Book had been lacking as a scientific study, and recommended a university-based project to give the UFO phenomenon closer scientific scrutiny. The result was the Condon Committee (1966–68), led by physicist Edward Condon, and in their final report they formally concluded that UFOs, regardless of what any of them actually were, did not behave in a manner consistent with a threat to national security.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sociologist Ron Westrum writes that "The high point of Sagan's treatment of the UFO question was the AAAS' symposium in 1969. A wide range of educated opinions on the subject were offered by participants, including not only proponents such as James McDonald and J. Allen Hynek but also skeptics like astronomers William Hartmann and Donald Menzel. The roster of speakers was balanced, and it is to Sagan's credit that this event was presented in spite of pressure from Edward Condon." With physicist Thornton Page, Sagan edited the lectures and discussions given at the symposium; these were published in 1972 as "UFO's: A Scientific Debate". Some of Sagan's many books examine UFOs (as did one episode of "Cosmos") and he claimed a religious undercurrent to the phenomenon.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan again revealed his views on interstellar travel in his 1980 "Cosmos" series. In one of his last written works, Sagan argued that the chances of extraterrestrial spacecraft visiting Earth are vanishingly small. However, Sagan did think it plausible that Cold War concerns contributed to governments misleading their citizens about UFOs, and wrote that "some UFO reports and analyses, and perhaps voluminous files, have been made inaccessible to the public which pays the bills ... It's time for the files to be declassified and made generally available." He cautioned against jumping to conclusions about suppressed UFO data and stressed that there was no strong evidence that aliens were visiting the Earth either in the past or present.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan briefly served as an adviser on Stanley Kubrick's film "". Sagan proposed that the film suggest, rather than depict, extraterrestrial superintelligence.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan's contribution to the 1969 AAAS symposium was an attack on the belief that UFOs are piloted by extraterrestrial beings. Applying several logical assumptions (see Drake equation), Sagan calculated the possible number of advanced civilizations capable of interstellar travel to be about one million. He projected that any civilization wishing to check on all the others on a regular basis of, say, once a year would have to launch 10,000 spacecraft annually. Not only does that seem like an unreasonable number of launchings, but it would take all the material in one percent of the universe's stars to produce all the spaceships needed for all the civilizations to seek each other out.


title: Carl Sagan

text: To argue that the Earth was being chosen for regular visitations, Sagan said, one would have to assume that the planet is somehow unique, and that assumption "goes exactly against the idea that there are lots of civilizations around. Because if there are then our sort of civilization must be pretty common. And if we're not pretty common then there aren't going to be many civilizations advanced enough to send visitors".


title: Carl Sagan

text: This argument, which some called Sagan's paradox, helped to establish a new school of thought, namely the belief that extraterrestrial life exists, but it has nothing to do with UFOs. The new belief had a salutary effect on UFO studies. It helped separate researchers who wanted to distinguish UFOs from those who wanted to identify their pilots and it gave scientists opportunities to search the universe for intelligent life unencumbered by the stigma associated with UFOs.


title: Carl Sagan

text: After having myelodysplasia for two years and receiving three bone marrow transplants from his sister, Sagan died from pneumonia at the age of 62 at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, on December 20, 1996. His burial took place at Lake View Cemetery in Ithaca, New York.


title: Carl Sagan

text: The 1997 film "Contact", based on Sagan's only novel of the same name and finished after his death, ends with the dedication "For Carl". His photo can also be seen in the film.


title: Carl Sagan

text: In 1997, the Sagan Planet Walk was opened in Ithaca, New York. It is a walking-scale model of the Solar System, extending 1.2 km from the center of The Commons in downtown Ithaca to the Sciencenter, a hands-on museum. The exhibition was created in memory of Carl Sagan, who was an Ithaca resident and Cornell Professor. Professor Sagan had been a founding member of the museum's advisory board.


title: Carl Sagan

text: The landing site of the unmanned "Mars Pathfinder" spacecraft was renamed the Carl Sagan Memorial Station on July 5, 1997.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Asteroid 2709 Sagan is named in his honor, as is the Carl Sagan Institute for the search of habitable planets.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Sagan's son, Nick Sagan, wrote several episodes in the "Star Trek" franchise. In an episode of "" entitled "Terra Prime", a quick shot is shown of the relic rover "Sojourner", part of the "Mars Pathfinder" mission, placed by a historical marker at Carl Sagan Memorial Station on the Martian surface. The marker displays a quote from Sagan: "Whatever the reason you're on Mars, I'm glad you're there, and I wish I was with you." Sagan's student Steve Squyres led the team that landed the rovers "Spirit" and "Opportunity" successfully on Mars in 2004.


title: Carl Sagan

text: On November 9, 2001, on what would have been Sagan's 67th birthday, the Ames Research Center dedicated the site for the Carl Sagan Center for the Study of Life in the Cosmos. "Carl was an incredible visionary, and now his legacy can be preserved and advanced by a 21st century research and education laboratory committed to enhancing our understanding of life in the universe and furthering the cause of space exploration for all time", said NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin. Ann Druyan was at the center as it opened its doors on October 22, 2006.


title: Carl Sagan

text: August 2007 the Independent Investigations Group (IIG) awarded Sagan posthumously a Lifetime Achievement Award. This honor has also been awarded to Harry Houdini and James Randi.


title: Carl Sagan

text: In September 2008, a musical compositor Benn Jordan released his album "Pale Blue Dot" as a tribute to Carl Sagan's life.


title: Carl Sagan

text: Beginning in 2009, a musical project known as Symphony of Science sampled several excerpts of Sagan from his series "Cosmos" and remixed them to electronic music. To date, the videos have received over 21 million views worldwide on YouTube.


title: Carl Sagan

text: The 2014 Swedish science fiction short film "Wanderers" uses excerpts of Sagan's narration of his book "Pale Blue Dot", played over digitally-created visuals of humanity's possible future expansion into outer space.


title: Carl Sagan

text: In February 2015, the Finnish-based symphonic metal band Nightwish released the song "Sagan" as a non-album bonus track for their single "Élan". The song, written by the band's songwriter/composer/keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, is an homage to the life and work of the late Carl Sagan.


title: Carl Sagan

text: On October 21, 2019, the Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan Theater was opened at the Center for Inquiry West in Los Angeles.


title: Carl Sagan

text: In 2022, Sagan was posthumously awarded the Future of Life Award "for reducing the risk of nuclear war by developing and popularizing the science of nuclear winter." The honor, shared by seven other recipients involved in nuclear winter research, was accepted by his widow, Ann Druyan.


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: Akkineni Naga Chaitanya (born 23 November 1986) is an Indian actor who primarily works in Telugu cinema. He made his acting debut with "Josh" (2009) and his breakthrough came with Gautham Vasudev Menon-directed "Ye Maaya Chesave" (2010). He has won several film awards including Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut – South, Nandi Award for Best Supporting Actor and SIIMA Award for Best Actor (Critics).


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: In his initial years he appeared in successful films including "100% Love" (2011), "Tadakha" (2013) and "Manam" (2014) along with few films that did not perform well. Chaitanya is known for his notable work in films such as "Premam" (2016), "Majili" (2019), "Venky Mama" (2019), "Love Story" (2021) and "Bangarraju" (2022).


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: Chaitanya was born on 23 November 1986 in Hyderabad to actor Akkineni Nagarjuna and Lakshmi Daggubati. His paternal grandfather, actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao and his maternal grandfather, producer D. Ramanaidu are prominent figures in Telugu cinema. Chaitanya's parents got divorced when he was a child. Both his parents later remarried. While Nagarjuna married former actress Amala Mukherjee, Lakshmi married Sharath Vijayaraghavan, a corporate executive at Sundaram Motors. Chaitanya has a paternal half-brother, actor Akhil Akkineni and a maternal step brother. His maternal uncle Venkatesh and first cousins Rana Daggubati, Sumanth and Sushanth are also actors.


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: Chaitanya grew up in Chennai, where he was raised for 18 and a half years. He was educated at Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan, Chennai and at AMM School, Chennai. He then completed his graduation from St. Mary's College, Hyderabad. He expressed his desire to Nagarjuna to take up acting as his profession during his second year in college. He enrolled in a three-month acting course in Mumbai. He received further training in acting and martial arts in Los Angeles, apart from taking voice and dialogue coaching for one year before making his acting debut.


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: Chaitanya debuted in 2009 with the film "Josh", directed by Vasu Varma, in which he played a college student. "Rediff.com" wrote: "As a debutant, Naga Chaitanya has performed well. He has his moments where he's proven himself. There is always scope for improvement and one hopes that he will hone his skills in the years to come." Chaitanya won the Filmfare Award South for Best Male Debut.


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: He next starred in the 2010 romantic drama "Ye Maaya Chesave", directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon, which was simultaneously shot in Tamil as "Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa", with a different cast and climax. He played a Hindu Telugu assistant director who falls in love with a Christian Malayali girl. A reviewer from "Sify.com" wrote: "Naga Chaitanya is at home in romantic scenes. His asset is his voice and his casual acting style. Chaitanya has improved his performance from his first film. He can now confidently act in more romantic films and strengthen his position." However, the reviewer felt that he should concentrate on his looks as he felt that Chaitanya looked "very boyish". The film was a success at the box office and went on to receive a cult status. He also received a nomination for Filmfare Award South for Best Actor Male.


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: After "Ye Maaya Chesave", he paired up with Sukumar in 2011 for another love story titled "100% Love", in which he played a studious and egotistical college student who is the top ranker of his college. His next film was "Dhada" (2011). The film's story is based on an engineering graduate student who was to complete his studies in the US and return to India in another 10 days. "The Times of India" wrote: "After good performances in his last two films, Naga Chaitanya doesn't live up to expectations. He has the same expression stuck on his face throughout the movie."


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: His next release that year was "Bejawada", directed by Vivek Krishna. The film saw Chaitanya portraying the role of a college student-turned-gangster. The film received negative reviews, with critics calling it his worst film. His performance was also panned by critics. "The Times of India" wrote: "This film might have even outdone "Dhada", in being called the worst film of Chaitanya's career. While the young actor still needs to work on his facial expressions, he was saddled with a poorly sketched character in this film, devoid of all heroism, and he fails to rise above it."


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: Chaitanya's next film, "Tadakha" in 2013, was an official remake of N. Lingusamy's Tamil action film "Vettai". "The Hindu" wrote: "Naga Chaitanya shows tremendous improvement even his last outing, the debacle called "Bejawada". He is in sync with his role, exudes over confidence and seems to have had funny stunt sequences and comic portions. Reprising a role played by an established actor like Arya is no mean task and Chaitanya pulls it off rather well." The film was commercially successful, giving the actor a much needed break.


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: In 2014, Chaitanya appeared in the period-drama "Manam", which also featured his grandfather, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, and father, Nagarjuna. He played two roles in the film, which were of a middle class father in 1983 and a happy-go-lucky college student. "Deccan Chronicle" wrote: "Naga Chaitanya has done a decent job and compared to his earlier films he matured a lot as an actor." Sify.com wrote "There is lot of improvement in Naga Chaitanya's acting. He looks natural and has done justice to his role."


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: His next release was the political-drama "Autonagar Surya", directed by Deva Katta, in which he played Surya, a skilled mechanic. Upon release, the film received mixed reviews from critics, who however appreciated Chaitanya's performance in the film calling it one of his best efforts. The film ended up as a flop. "The Hindu" wrote: "One rarely gets to see Naga Chaitanya smiling in this film. Chaitanya brings in the right amount of grit and intensity required for his role and shows that he can carry a film on his shoulders with the help of an able director."


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: He later starred in romantic comedy "Oka Laila Kosam. The Times of India" wrote, "Oka Laila Kosam is a simple love story which doesn't quite leave you with a big smile on your face, but it has enough mojo, if you are a big sucker for romance."


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: In 2015, he played the lead in the action-crime drama "Dohchay", directed by Sudheer Varma. Later that year, he was brought aboard for Gautham Vasudev Menon's bilingual romantic thriller film "Sahasam Swasaga Sagipo".


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: In 2016, he starred in the remake of the 2015 Malayalam cult-romantic film "Premam", of the same name, alongside Shruti Hassan. After the success of "Premam", his next release was "Sahasam Swasaga Sagipo", released two days after demonetization, received positive reviews. and won him critical acclaim but no commercial success.


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: In 2017, he had two releases. The family drama "Rarandoi Veduka Chudham", directed by Kalyan Krishna and the thriller film "Yuddham Sharanam".


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: In 2018, he starred in a brief role in the Savitri's biopic, "Mahanati", directed by Nag Ashwin, which was a huge hit. He played his grandfather Nageswara Rao. In the same year, he starred in Maruthi-directed "Shailaja Reddy Alludu" alongside Anu Emmanuel and Ramya Krishna. "The Times of India" wrote, "Some preaching, some family drama, some humour and "Shailaja Reddy Alludu" plays safe for a festive release." Two months later, his next film, the thriller "Savyasachi" directed by Chandoo Mondeti featured Chaitanya in the role of an ambidextrous man.


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: In 2019, Chaitanya featured in "Majili" along with his then wife Samantha Akkineni in their fourth film together. With a gross of , "Majili" become the highest-grossing film in Chaitanya's career. Later that year, he starred in "Venky Mama" alongside his maternal uncle Venkatesh. The film directed by K. S. Ravindra, and produced by his uncle D. Suresh Babu was a profitable venture, grossing .


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: In 2021, he starred in the film "Love Story" with Sai Pallavi. His performance was called one of his best by Neeshita Nyayapati of "The Times of India" and "Hindustan Times" Haricharan Pudipeddi stated: "In spite of the hurried climax and the predictable ending, the film works to a large extent because of its sensible treatment and earnest performances of Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi, who complement each other so well."


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: In 2022, Chaitanya appeared in "Bangarraju" along with his father, Nagarjuna. Anji Shetty of "Sakshi" stated that Nagarjuna and he were the core strength of the film. The film received mixed reviews but was a commercial success. He next appeared in "Thank You" with Raashi Khanna. The film received mixed to negative reviews, Neeshita Nyayapati of "The Times of India" wrote "Thank You doesn’t offer anything fresh in terms of the story or the performances".


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: Chaitanya will make his Hindi film debut in 2022 with "Laal Singh Chaddha". He will also appear in Venkat Prabhu's Telugu-Tamil bilingual film. It will mark his Tamil debut. Chaitanya will make his web debut with Vikram Kumar's web series "Dhootha". He also has a film with Parasuram in the pipeline.


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: After being in a relationship since November 2015, Chaitanya got engaged to actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu on 29 January 2017. Later that year, they married in Goa, in a Hindu religious ceremony on 6 October and a Christian ceremony on 7 October. Both were private ceremonies, where only close friends and family were present. The public knew them as "ChaySam". After much speculated rumours, Chaitanya and Samantha announced their separation on 2 October 2021, ending their four years of marriage.


title: Naga Chaitanya

text: Chaitanya is one of the most popular and highest paid Telugu actors. He has featured on Hyderabad Times Most Desirable Men list various times. He ranked 12th in 2017, 7th in 2018, 11th in 2019 and 6th in 2020.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: Mason Will John Greenwood (born 1 October 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Manchester United.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: Coming through the youth system, Greenwood scored in a UEFA Europa League match against Astana in September 2019, to become the club's youngest ever goalscorer in European competition at the age of . His senior international debut for England came in September 2020, in a UEFA Nations League game against Iceland.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: In January 2022, Greenwood was arrested on suspicion of raping and assaulting a woman, and a few days later on suspicion of sexual assault and threats to kill. Since then, Greenwood has not trained with, or appeared for, either his club or his national team. He was charged in October 2022 for attempted rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and controlling and coercive behaviour.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: Greenwood joined Manchester United at the age of six, playing at the club's development school in Halifax. After progressing through the academy ranks, he joined up with the Under-18 squad for the 2017–18 season, despite being eligible for the Under-16s, and finished as top scorer of the U18 Premier League North with 17 goals in 21 games. In May 2018, Greenwood was named Player of the Tournament as the youth side won the ICGT Trophy in the Netherlands.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: In July 2018, Greenwood travelled with the first team on their pre-season tour of the United States. On 20 July, he made his non-competitive debut as a 76th-minute substitute in a 1–1 draw against Club America. On 2 October, Greenwood signed his first professional contract with the club. In December, he was selected by José Mourinho to train with the first team ahead of their UEFA Champions League match against Valencia.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: On 6 March 2019, under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Greenwood made his competitive debut as an 87th-minute substitute in a 3–1 win against Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League. At the age of 17 years and 156 days, he became the second-youngest player to represent the club in a European competition (behind only Norman Whiteside) and the youngest ever in the Champions League era. Four days later, he made his Premier League debut from the bench in a 2–0 defeat to Arsenal to become one of the club's youngest league debutants.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: On 7 May, Greenwood was named Premier League 2 Player of the Month for April. At the end of the season, he received the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award, given each year to the best player in the club's youth teams. On 12 May, the final day of the season, Greenwood made his first senior start for the club in a 2–0 defeat to Cardiff City.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: Greenwood's first United goal came in their Europa League opener against Kazakh side Astana on 19 September; scoring the only goal of the game to become the club's youngest ever goalscorer in European competition at the age of . On 7 November, he scored in United's 3–0 win over Partizan Belgrade, qualifying them for the knockout stages of the competition. On 24 November, Greenwood scored his first league goal in a 3–3 draw with Sheffield United. On 12 December, he scored twice and won a penalty in the final game of the Europa League group stage against AZ Alkmaar. Manchester United won the game 4–0 and finished top of their group.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: On 11 January 2020, after failing to score in three consecutive matches, Greenwood scored once in a 4–0 win over Norwich City. Fifteen days later, he scored his first FA Cup goal as United defeated Tranmere Rovers 6–0. Greenwood scored again four weeks later, in a 3–0 league win against Watford. On 12 March, he scored his fifth European goal during a 5–0 win over LASK of Austria; becoming the first teenager to score at least five goals in a single European season for United.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: After a three-month suspension of football caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Greenwood played in all six of United's matches as of 9 July 2020. He failed to score in the first three, but delivered a total of four goals in the next three, including a brace in a 5–2 win against Bournemouth on 4 July. After that, he scored against Aston Villa; making him only the fourth player aged below 19 to score in three consecutive Premier League appearances and the first since Francis Jeffers did so for Everton in 1999.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: After wearing the number 26 for his breakout season in 2019, Greenwood was given the number 11 shirt by Manchester United on 4 September 2020. He joined a famous list of players to wear the number 11, most notably Ryan Giggs, a fellow academy product who retired in 2014 as the leading appearance maker for United with 963. On 22 September, Greenwood scored his first goal of the season in a 3–1 away victory over Luton Town in the third round of the EFL Cup. On 28 October, Greenwood scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League in a 5–0 win over RB Leipzig; the goal came from his first ever shot in the competition. On 5 December, he scored his first league goal of the season in a 3–1 away win against West Ham United.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: On 24 January 2021, Greenwood scored his first FA Cup goal of the season in a 3–2 home win against arch rivals Liverpool in the fourth round. On 2 February, Greenwood played a full 90 minutes in Manchester United's Premier League record-equalling 9–0 home win against Southampton. On 4 April, he broke a four-month goal drought in the league, scoring the winner against Brighton & Hove Albion which ended 2–1 at home. Greenwood excelled in April with four league goals in four matches, including a brace against Burnley. This earnt him his first nomination for Premier League Player of the Month which was won by teammate Jesse Lingard who was on loan at West Ham. On 29 April, Greenwood scored his first goal in the UEFA Europa League for the season against Roma during the first leg of the semi-finals in a 6–2 home victory.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: On 9 May, Greenwood scored another goal against Aston Villa in a 3–1 away win. Two days later, Greenwood scored against Leicester City, assisted by Amad Diallo, in a 2–1 defeat; the goal was the first time in 15 years a teenager assisted another for a Premier League goal. On 26 May, Greenwood played in his first cup final in the 2021 Europa League against Villarreal at the Stadion Gdańsk. Greenwood played 100 minutes before being substituted in the first period of extra time for Fred, the match was even at 1–1 before it went to penalties which ended 12–11 to Villareal.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: On 14 August 2021, Greenwood scored his first goal of the season in a 5–1 win over Leeds in Manchester United's opening match of the 2021–22 Premier League season. On 29 August, Greenwood scored the goal that secured a 1–0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, becoming the second teenager in Premier League history after Robbie Fowler to score in each of his team's first three games of a season, and helped United breaking the record of most consecutive away matches undefeated in English football history with 28. On 8 December, Greenwood scored his first goal in the 2021–22 Champions League against BSC Young Boys in a 1–1 draw for interim manager Ralf Rangnick's first Champions League game with the club.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: Greenwood has represented the England under-17 team making six appearances in 2017–18 and was part of the squad in the Algarve Tournament in Portugal.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: On 30 August 2019, Greenwood was included in the England under-21 squad for the first time and made his debut as a 59th-minute substitute during the 3–2 win against Turkey on 6 September in qualifying for the 2021 European Under-21 Championship. On 19 November, Greenwood scored his first goal for the U21s; equalising against the Netherlands in a match which England ultimately lost 2–1.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: On 25 August 2020, Greenwood was named in the England senior squad for the first time. He made his debut on 5 September in a 1–0 away win over Iceland in a 2020–21 UEFA Nations League A match, coming on as a 78th-minute substitute. On 7 September, Greenwood, along with England teammate Phil Foden, was withdrawn from the England squad after breaking COVID-19 quarantine guidelines in Iceland by leaving the part of the hotel that the England squad was occupying; media reports alleged that Greenwood and Foden had met two women in another part of the hotel.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: Despite his strong start to the 2020–21 season where he had scored three goals in three games, Greenwood was not selected for the September 2021 World Cup Qualifiers for England by manager Gareth Southgate who stated, "He is in our thoughts, I've spoken with him and his club, he is a player we really like. We are all very conscious that he makes the progression at the right time."


title: Mason Greenwood

text: Greenwood began his career as a midfielder but gradually evolved into a centre forward. He often plays on the right flank for Manchester United, as well as moving more centrally to occupy as a second striker when the ball is fed into the penalty area. During his early career, several of his goals have seen him dropping a shoulder or chopping the ball to get it on to his left foot before scoring. He also often reverses his shot by aiming low for the near post from the right of the box.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: In May 2018, former Manchester United player Clayton Blackmore said: "He's great on the ball and very good with both feet. He's the first person I've seen that takes penalties and free-kicks with his wrong foot. I've never come across anyone like that!" In March 2019, former academy coach Mark Senior said: "People says he's like the new Robin van Persie but I don't know. I think he's his own man. I've not seen another player like him. His style means his pace is deceptive because he is absolutely rapid."


title: Mason Greenwood

text: In July 2019, Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær praised Greenwood during their pre-season tour, saying: "He can play all of the front-three positions, or across the front four, as he can play number 10, number seven, number 11 and number nine. He's a natural footballer with his left foot, coming in, but he's got two feet and can play anywhere along the front. He's just a natural. When he takes a penalty with his right, then takes a penalty with his left, free-kicks with his left, free-kicks with his right. He is almost what you'd call 50:50, maybe 51:49 left-footed."


title: Mason Greenwood

text: Greenwood was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, and raised in the Wibsey area of the city. He is of Jamaican descent. His family has a background in sports; his sister, Ashton, is a track athlete.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: On 30 January 2022, Greenwood was accused of assault against a woman, in a series of posts on her social media. The posts included images and video of apparent injuries, as well as audio where a woman tells a man whom she called Mason: "I don't want to have sex", to which the man replies that he "doesn't care" and, when told to stop again, he replied: "I asked you politely, and you wouldn't do it, so what else do you want me to do?" The man later says: "Push me again one more time and watch what happens to you."


title: Mason Greenwood

text: Later on 30 January, Greenwood was suspended by United, and arrested by Greater Manchester Police on suspicion of rape and assault of a woman. On 1 February, Greenwood was further arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and threats to kill. By then, sports apparel company Nike had said that it suspended its relationship with Greenwood, and video game company EA Sports had said it removed Greenwood from its "FIFA" games.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: On 2 February, Greenwood was released on bail pending further investigation. Within a week, Nike stopped sponsoring Greenwood. In April 2022, his bail was extended to mid-June.


title: Mason Greenwood

text: On 15 October 2022, Greenwood was arrested for allegedly breaching his bail conditions by contacting his accuser. The same day, he was charged with attempted rape for an alleged incident on 22 October 2021, assault occasioning actual bodily harm for an alleged incident in December 2021, and engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour from November 2018. On 17 October 2022, he was initially remanded into custody until 21 November 2022, but on 19 October 2022, after a private hearing at Minshull Street Crown Court, he was granted bail with conditions not to contact witnesses, including the complainant, and to reside at an address in Bowdon. He is to be tried in November 2023.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson of PDP–Laban, the ruling political party in the Philippines during his presidency. Duterte is the first president of the Philippines to be from Mindanao, and is the oldest person to assume office, beginning his term at age 71.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Born in Maasin, Leyte (now in Southern Leyte), Duterte moved to Davao as a child where his father, Vicente Duterte, served as provincial governor. He studied political science at the Lyceum of the Philippines University, graduating in 1968, before obtaining a law degree from San Beda College of Law in 1972. He then worked as a lawyer and was a prosecutor for Davao City, before becoming vice mayor and, subsequently, mayor of the city in the wake of the 1986 People Power Revolution. Duterte won seven terms and served as mayor of Davao for over 22 years, during which the once crime-ridden city became peaceful and investor-friendly.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte's 2016 presidential campaign led to his election victory. During his presidency, his domestic policy focused on combating the illegal drug trade by initiating the controversial war on drugs, fighting crime and corruption, and intensified efforts against terrorism and communist insurgency. He launched a massive infrastructure plan, initiated liberal economic reforms, streamlined government processes, and proposed a shift to a federal system of government which was ultimately unsuccessful. He also oversaw the controversial burial of Ferdinand Marcos, the 2017 Battle of Marawi, and the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He declared the intention to pursue an "independent foreign policy", and strengthened relations with China and Russia. He initially announced his candidacy for vice president in the 2022 election, but in October 2021, said he was retiring from politics; the next month, he filed his candidacy for senator but withdrew it on December 14.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte's political positions have been described as populist, as well as nationalist. His political success has been aided by his vocal support for the extrajudicial killing of drug users and other criminals. His career has sparked numerous protests and attracted controversy, particularly over human rights issues and his controversial comments. Duterte has repeatedly confirmed to have personally killed criminal suspects during his term as mayor of Davao. Extrajudicial killings that were allegedly committed by the Davao Death Squad between 1998 and 2016 during Duterte's mayoralty have also been scrutinized by human-rights groups and the Office of the Ombudsman; the victims were mainly alleged drug users, alleged petty criminals, and street children. The International Criminal Court opened a preliminary investigation into Duterte's drug war in 2018, prompting Duterte to withdraw the Philippines from the body in response. He is the only president in the history of the Philippines not to declare his assets and liabilities. Duterte's popularity and domestic approval rating remained relatively high throughout his presidency and by the end of his term, he was the most popular post-EDSA president.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Rodrigo Roa Duterte was born on March 28, 1945, in Maasin, Southern Leyte. His father was Vicente Gonzales Duterte (1911–1968), a Cebuano lawyer, and his mother, Soledad Gonzales Roa (1916–2012), was a schoolteacher from Cabadbaran, Agusan and a civic leader of Maranao descent. Duterte has said that his grandfather was Chinese and hailed from Xiamen in Fujian, China. Duterte has four siblings: Eleanor, Jocelyn, Emmanuel and Benjamin.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte's father was mayor of Danao, Cebu, and subsequently the provincial governor of (the then-undivided) Davao province. Rodrigo's cousin Ronald was mayor of Cebu City from 1983 to 1986. Ronald's father, Ramon Duterte, also held that position from 1957 to 1959. The Dutertes consider the Cebu-based political families of the Durano and the Almendras clan as relatives. Duterte also has relatives from the Roa clan in Leyte through his mother's side. Duterte's family lived in Maasin, and in his father's hometown in Danao, until he was four years old. The Dutertes initially moved to Mindanao in 1948 but still went back and forth to the Visayas until 1949. They finally settled in the Davao Region in 1950. Vicente worked as a lawyer engaged in private practice. Soledad worked as a teacher until 1952, when Vicente entered politics.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte went to Laboon Elementary School in Maasin for a year. He spent his remaining elementary days at Santa Ana Elementary School in Davao City, where he completed his primary education in 1956. He finished his secondary education in the High School Department of Holy Cross College of Digos (now Cor Jesu College) in Digos, Davao province, after being expelled twice from previous schools, including one in the Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) High School due to misconduct. He graduated in 1968 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science at the Lyceum of the Philippines in Manila.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: He obtained a law degree from San Beda College of Law in 1972. In the same year, he passed the bar exam. Duterte eventually became a special counsel at the City Prosecution Office in Davao City from 1977 to 1979, fourth assistant city prosecutor from 1979 to 1981, third assistant city prosecutor from 1981 to 1983, and second assistant city prosecutor from 1983 to 1986.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte has claimed he was sexually abused by a priest when he was a minor. After he was challenged by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and AdDU officials to name the priest and file a case against him, Duterte then revealed the priest's name as Mark Falvey (d. 1975). The Jesuits of the Society of Jesus in the Philippines confirmed that according to press reports in the United States, in May 2007, the Society of Jesus agreed to a tentative payout of US$16 million to settle claims that Falvey sexually abused at least nine children in Los Angeles from 1959 to 1975. Accusations against Falvey began in 2002 but he was never charged with a crime. In May 2008, the Diocese of Sacramento paid a $100,000-settlement to a person allegedly raped and molested by Mark's brother, Arthur Falvey. However, it was not clearly indicated in the report if Mark Falvey was assigned at the Jesuit-run Ateneo de Davao.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: When asked why he did not complain when the abuse supposedly happened, Duterte claimed that he was too young to complain about the priest's abuse and was intimidated by authorities at that time. He also stated that he never disclosed that information after he was expelled and moved to a different high school and especially not to his family.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte stated at a rally in April 2016 that he shot a fellow student who had bullied him about his Visayan origin as well as other students of the same ethnicity, while at San Beda law college. He said, "But the truth is, I'm used to shooting people. When we were about to graduate from San Beda, I shot a person." Duterte said that he shot the student in a corridor at the college when the said student called him names again. He later told a reporter that the student survived, but refused to answer any further questions about the incident.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: However, in an interview aired on 24 Oras and published on the official GMA News Online website on April 22, 2016, retired labor arbiter Arthur Amansec said Duterte and Octavio Goco at that time were both playing with a gun as it was normal for students to bring guns to school in the seventies. Amansec is Duterte's former classmate in San Beda College who witnessed the incident. He added that "the bullet hit the school's wooden floor and was embedded there." Amansec emphasized that Duterte and Goco remained friends until Goco died in the United States years later.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: After the 1986 People Power Revolution that toppled the regime of President Ferdinand Marcos, Duterte was appointed officer-in-charge vice mayor by President Corazon Aquino. In 1988, he ran for mayor as an independent and won, serving until 1998. He set a precedent by designating deputy mayors to represent the administrative districts, as well as the Lumad and Moro peoples in the city government. This was later copied by other cities in other parts of the Philippines.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: In December 1990, Duterte joined the Nacionalista Party upon the persuasion of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile. In 1998, because he was term-limited to run again for mayor, he ran for the House of Representatives and won as congressman of the 1st district of Davao City (under the Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino coalition). In 2001, he ran again for mayor of Davao and was elected for a fourth term. He was re-elected in 2004 and in 2007.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: In 1995, after Flor Contemplacion, a Filipina, was executed in Singapore after confessing to a double murder, Duterte allegedly burned a flag of Singapore (though this claim was later denied) and joined 1,000 employees of Davao City in protest.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: In 2010, he was elected vice mayor, succeeding his daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, who was elected as mayor.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: In 2013, Davao City sent rescue and medical teams to Tacloban to give aid to the victims of Typhoon Haiyan (locally known in the country as Typhoon Yolanda). Financial assistance was also given to Bohol and Cebu for earthquake victims.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte also passed Davao City's Women Development Code, which aims "to uphold the rights of women and the belief in their worth and dignity as human beings". Duterte banned swimsuit competitions in beauty pageants in Davao City. He gained prominence for supporting the first-ever Gawad Kalinga Village inside a jail facility in Davao City. It is a home-type jail with ten cottages built inside the compound, which now serve as homes for female inmates.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: During Duterte's tenure as mayor, Davao City experienced economic boom and a significant decrease in crime from being a conflict-ridden area between communists and right-wing groups during the 1970s and 80s, and is constantly rated as among the safest in the country. The city also ranks high in the world according to crowdsourced survey site Numbeo, a narrative that gained currency in the national media, creating a widespread public perception that has been a significant factor in establishing support for his nationwide drug policy. The city was also awarded "Most Child-Friendly City for Highly-Urbanized Category" in 1998, 1999, 2013 and 2014.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Under Duterte's watch, the city council imposed a prohibition on selling, serving, drinking, and consuming alcoholic beverages from 01:00 until 08:00 each morning. Duterte signed Executive Order No. 39, reducing the speed limits for all kinds of motor vehicles within the territorial jurisdiction of Davao City in the interest of public safety and order. Duterte also signed Executive Order No. 04 creating the implementing of rules and regulations for a new comprehensive anti-smoking ordinance. A firecracker Ban was also implemented by the City Council through the support of Duterte. Davao acquired 10 ambulances for central 911 intended for medical emergencies and 42 mobile patrol vehicles and motorcycles for the Davao City Police Office. Duterte, through Executive Order No. 24, ordered all shopping malls and commercial centers to install, operate and maintain high end and high definition closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras at all entrance and exit points of their premises.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: In early September 2015, an incident was reported of a tourist being forced to swallow his own cigarette butt in a local bar in Davao City after the tourist refused to comply with the public anti-smoking ordinance of the city. Duterte was contacted by the bar owner and the then-mayor personally went into the bar and forced the tourist to swallow his cigarette butt. Duterte was then met with criticisms especially from the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte has been linked by human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to extrajudicial killings of over 1,400 alleged criminals and street children by vigilante death squads. In the April 2009 UN General Assembly of the Human Rights Council, the UN report (Eleventh Session Agenda item 3, par 21) said, "The Mayor of Davao City has done nothing to prevent these killings, and his public comments suggest that he is, in fact, supportive." Duterte stressed that the concept of human rights for criminals is Western and should not apply to the Philippines.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte has denied responsibility for the extrajudicial killings. He has also frequently announced his support for them. In 2015, Duterte confirmed his links to extrajudicial killings in Davao, and warned that, if elected president, he may kill up to 100,000 criminals. After the said confirmation, Duterte challenged human rights officials to file a case against him if they could provide evidence of his links with vigilante groups.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: In September 2014, Duterte and former mayors and governors, calling themselves the Mindanao Council of Leaders, advocated for a federalist government. A month later, Duterte attended an event sponsored by the Federal Movement for a Better Philippines in Cebu City.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: In December 2014, Duterte held a summit entitled "Mindanaons Forging Unity Toward a Federal System of Government".


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: As early as the first quarter of 2015, Duterte made hints to the media of his intention to run for president in the 2016 elections. However, he denied these plans numerous times amidst clamor from his supporters for him to run.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: In January, Duterte said he would abolish Congress if he chose to run for president and was elected. On November 21, in a private gathering with fraternity brothers from San Beda College of Law, Duterte formally announced his presidential bid and also finally accepted Alan Peter Cayetano's offer to be his running mate, and named his daughter, Sara Duterte, as his substitute for Mayor.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: In his campaign, he said he would introduce a federal parliamentary form of government. He also promised to kill tens of thousands of criminals and eradicate crime in six months.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte campaigned for decentralization and a shift to a federal government during the 2016 presidential election. In an October 2014 forum organized by "Federal Movement for a Better Philippines" in Cebu City prior to joining the presidential race, the then-mayor of Davao City called for the creation of two federal states for Moro people as a solution to the problems besetting Mindanao. Mayor Duterte said that Nur Misuari and his Moro National Liberation Front do not see eye-to-eye with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front which the administration of President Benigno Aquino III had inked a peace deal with. He also said that the "template of the Bangsamoro Basic Law is federal", but what is granted to the Bangsamoro should also be granted to other Moro groups and other regions in the country. In a dialogue with the Makati Business Club prior to the elections, Duterte said he is open to "toning down the Constitution" to accommodate more foreign investors to the Philippines. He also said he is open to up to 70 percent foreign ownership of businesses in the country and foreign lease of lands up to 60 years, but will "leave it to Congress to decide".


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: At a campaign rally on April 12, 2016, Duterte told supporters that, as mayor, he thought he "should have been first" to rape Jacqueline Hamill, an Australian missionary who was gang-raped and killed during the 1989 Davao hostage crisis. He recalled examining her corpse and saying that he "should have gone first".


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: After being condemned for his comments, Duterte apologized for the incident and claimed the comment was a "bad remark" and that he regretted his "gutter language," but "would not apologize for being misinterpreted." He said that the comment was not a "joke," as was reported by some media outlets and that he made it out of "utter anger" when recalling the events.After the United States' and Australia's ambassadors to the Philippines criticized him for the comments, Duterte threatened to sever diplomatic ties with the countries if elected.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: His daughter Sara Duterte subsequently announced on social media that she was a rape victim, but would still vote for her father. He said that he doubted her story, and called her a "drama queen".


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: In a campaign speech on April 27, 2016, where he spoke to business leaders, he said his presidency would be "a bloody one", but that he would issue "a thousand pardons a day" to police and soldiers accused of human rights abuses, and would also issue a presidential pardon to himself for mass murder at the end of his six-year term.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: On May 30, 2016, the 16th Congress of the Philippines proclaimed Duterte as the president-elect of the Philippines after he topped the official count by the Congress of the Philippines for the 2016 presidential election with 16,601,997 votes, 6.6 million more than his closest rival, Mar Roxas. Camarines Sur representative Leni Robredo on the other hand, was proclaimed as the vice president-elect of the Philippines with 14,418,817 votes, narrowly defeating Senator Bongbong Marcos by 263,473 votes.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: The presidency of Duterte began at noon on June 30, 2016, when he became the sixteenth president of the Philippines, succeeding Benigno Aquino III. At the age of 71, Duterte became the oldest person ever elected to the presidency. Duterte is also the first local chief executive to get elected straight to the Office of the President, the second Cebuano to become president (after Sergio Osmeña), the third Cebuano-speaking president (after Osmeña and Carlos P. Garcia), the first Visayan from Mindanao and the fourth Visayan overall (after Osmeña, Manuel Roxas and Garcia).


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Shortly after his inauguration on June 30, Duterte held his first Cabinet meeting to lay out their first agenda, which included the country's disaster risk reduction management, decongesting the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, the country's main gateway, and expressed his ideas and concerns regarding the territorial disputes in the South China Sea prior to the announcement of the verdict of the Philippines' arbitration case against China over the issue, which the Philippines later won. Four days later, on July 4, he issued his first executive order, allowing his Cabinet Secretary to supervise over several agencies that focus on poverty reduction. He called for the reimposition of capital punishment in the country to execute criminals involved in "heinous" crimes, such as illegal drug trade, insisting on hanging.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: During his first 100 days in office, Duterte issued an executive order on freedom of information, launched an intensified campaign against illegal drugs, sought to resume peace talks with communist insurgents, formulated a comprehensive tax reform plan, led efforts to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law, made efforts to streamline government transactions, launched the nationwide 9–1–1 rescue and 8888 complaint hotlines, established a one-stop service center for overseas Filipino workers, and increased in the combat and incentive pay of soldiers and police personnel.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte made moves to limit US visiting troops in the country, and has reached out to China and Russia to improve relations. He launched tirades against international critics, particularly, United States President Barack Obama, the US government, the United Nations, and the European Union, which expressed condemnation to his unprecedented war on drugs that led to the deaths of about 3,300 people, half of which were killed by unknown assailants, and the arrest of 22,000 drug suspects and surrender of about 731,000 people.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Following the September 2 bombing in Davao City that killed 14 people in the city's central business district, on September 3 Duterte declared a "state of lawlessness", and on the following day issued Proclamation No. 55 to officially declare a "state of national emergency on account of lawless violence in Mindanao".


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: On December 7, Duterte signed Executive Order No. 10 creating a consultative committee to review the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: While adjusting to working and residing at the Malacañang Palace, Duterte divides his workweek between Manila and Davao City by spending three days in each city, utilizing the Malacañang of the South while in Davao.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: A Pulse Asia survey conducted from July 2–8 showed that Duterte had a trust rating of 91%, the highest of the six presidents since the Marcos dictatorship (the previous highest was Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino III with 87%). One year after taking office his trust rating was 81%. In December 2016, Duterte was ranked 70th on "Forbes" list of The World's Most Powerful People.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte's socioeconomic policies, referred to as "DuterteNomics", include tax reform, infrastructure development, social protection programs, and other policies to promote economic growth and human development in the country. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has said that the government required what he describes as an "audacious" economic strategy in order for the Philippines to "catch up with its more vibrant neighbors" by 2022 and help it achieve high-income economy status within a generation. The term "DuterteNomics" was coined to describe the economic policy of the Duterte administration.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte initiated liberal economic reforms to attract foreign investors. In March 2022, he signed Republic Act No. 11647 which amended the Foreign Investment Act of 1991, effectively relaxing restrictions on foreign investments by allowing foreigners to invest in a local enterprise up to 100% of its capital. He signed Republic Act No. 11659, amending the 85-year-old Public Service Act, allowing full foreign ownership of public services, which include airports, expressways, railways, telecommunications, and shipping industries, in the country.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte reformed the country's tax system in an effort to make the country's tax system fairer, simpler, and more efficient. In December 2017, he signed Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law (TRAIN Law) which excludes those earning an annual taxable income of 250,000 and below from paying the personal income tax, while raising higher excise taxes on vehicles, sugar-sweetened beverages, petroleum products, tobacco and other non-essential goods. Revenues collected from the TRAIN law will help fund the administration's massive infrastructure program. In March 2021, to attract more investments and maintain fiscal stability, Duterte signed the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, reducing the 30 percent corporate income tax rate to 25 percent for firms with assets above and to 20 percent for smaller firms. Duterte raised sin taxes on tobacco and vapor products in July 2019, and alcohol beverages and electronic cigarettes in January 2020, to fund the Universal Health Care Act and reduce incidence of deaths and diseases associated with smoking and alcohol consumption.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: To reduce poverty, encourage economic growth, and reduce congestion in Metro Manila, the Duterte administration launched its comprehensive infrastructure program, Build, Build, Build, on April 18, 2017. The program, which forms part of the administration's socioeconomic policy, aimed to usher in the country's "Golden Age of Infrastructure" by increasing the share of spending on public infrastructure in the country's gross domestic product (GDP) from 5.4 percent in 2017 to 7.4 percent in 2022. The administration, in 2017, shifted its infrastructure funding policy from public-private partnerships (PPPs) of previous administrations to government revenues and official development assistance (ODA), particularly from Japan and China, but has since October 2019 engaged with the private sector for additional funding.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: The administration revised its list of Infrastructure Flagship Projects (IFPs) under the Build, Build, Build program from 75 to 100 in November 2019, then to 104, and finally, to 112 in 2020, expanding its scope to include health, information and communications technology, and water infrastructure projects to support the country's economic growth and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Some major projects include the Subic-Clark Railway, the North–South Commuter Railway from New Clark City to Calamba, Laguna, the Metro Manila Subway, the expansion of Clark International Airport the Mindanao Railway (Tagum-Davao-Digos Segment), and the Luzon Spine Expressway Network By April 2022, 12 IFPs have been completed by the administration, while 88 IFPs, which were on their "advanced stage", have been passed on to the succeeding administration for completion.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: From June 2016 to July 2021, a total of of roads, 5,950 bridges, 11,340 flood control projects, 222 evacuation centers, and 150,149 elementary and secondary classrooms, and 653 COVID-19 facilities under the Build, Build, Build program had been completed.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Following his inauguration, Duterte started a nationwide anti-drug campaign, urging the Filipinos, including the New People's Army to join the fight against illegal drugs. According to former Philippine National Police Chief and future senator Ronald dela Rosa, the policy is aimed at "the neutralization of illegal drug personalities nationwide". Estimates of the death toll vary. Officially, 5,100 drug personalities have been killed as of January 2019. Some news organizations and human rights groups claim the death toll is over 12,000. or over 20,000.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte campaigned to eliminate illegal drugs in the country within three to six months, but later admitted he miscalculated the gravity of the drug problem after taking office as he based his approach to that of Davao City during his tenure as the city's mayor. He cited the difficulty in border control against illegal drugs due to the country's long coastline and lamented that government officials and law enforcers themselves were involved in the drug trade.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Part of the Duterte administration's strategy on anti-illegal drugs is the Barangay Drug Clearing Program, which aims to eradicate illegal drugs in the country's remaining drug-affected barangays. , the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency reported that a total of out of the 42,045 barangays have been declared drug-cleared, barangays were drug unaffected/drug-free, while have yet to be cleared of illegal drugs.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte has said that Moro dignity is what the MILF and MNLF are struggling for, and that they are not terrorists. He acknowledged that the Moros were subjected to wrongdoing, historical and in territory.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte was endorsed in the election by Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader Nur Misuari due to his background in Mindanao. Other Muslims also supported Duterte and denounced Roxas, the Aquino-supported pick.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: On November 6, 2016, Duterte signed an executive order to expand the Bangsamoro Transition Commission to 21 members from 15, in which 11 will be decided by the MILF and 10 will be nominated by the government. The commission was formed in December 2013 and is tasked to draft the Bangsamoro Basic Law in accordance with the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte signed the Bangsamoro Organic Law on July 26, 2018, which abolished the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and provided for the basic structure of government for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, following the agreements set forth in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro peace agreement signed between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in 2014.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte oversaw the five-month long Battle of Marawi starting May 2017, declaring martial law throughout Mindanao and extending it for two years to ensure order in the island. In June 2017, Duterte ordered the creation of an inter-agency task force to facilitate the rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction efforts in the conflict-torn city.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: In July 2020, Duterte signed the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, which aims to give more surveillance powers to government forces in order to curb terror threats and acts.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte signed proclamations granting amnesty to members of the Moro National Liberation Front, and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in February 2021.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte initially pursued peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and appointed several left-leaning individuals to government positions, but cancelled all negotiations in February 2017 following attacks and kidnapping of soldiers by New Peoples Army (NPA) rebels, officially declaring the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization. Several officials with leftist affiliations initially appointed by Duterte have either resigned, been fired, or rejected by the Commission on Appointments.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte created the Task Force Balik-Loob in April 2018 for the reintegration of former communist rebels. In December 2018, he ordered the creation of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and institutionalized a "whole-of-nation approach" in combating extremism and terrorism.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: Duterte officially announced the permanent termination of the peace negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDF on March 21, 2019, and said the communist rebels' call for land reform is already being done under his administration. On June 23, 2021, the Anti-Terrorism Council designated the National Democratic Front (NDF) as a terrorist organization, citing it as an "integral and inseparable part" of the CPP-NPA.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: On November 29, 2021, the NTF-ELCAC reported that a total of 20,579 communist rebels surrendered since the start of the Duterte administration.


title: Rodrigo Duterte

text: The Duterte administration initially adopted a "technology neutral" policy in energy generation. Earlier in his term, Duterte stressed that coal remains the most viable source of energy if the Philippines is to accelerate industrialization, and questioned the sanctions imposed by the United States and European Union on smaller countries including the Philippines when the country's carbon footprint is not significant compared to the superpowers.