title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built the Jama Masjid between 1650 and 1656, at the highest point of Shahjahanabad. The mosque was designed by architect Ustad Khalil, and constructed by approximately 5000 workers. The workforce was diverse, consisting of Indians, Arabs, Persians, Turks, and Europeans. The construction was supervised primarily by Sadullah Khan, the wazir (or prime minister) during Shah Jahan's reign, and Fazil Khan, the comptroller of Shah Jahan's household. The cost of the construction at the time was ten lakh (one million) rupees. The mosque was inaugurated on 23 July, 1656 by Syed Abdul Ghafoor Shah Bukhari, from Bukhara, Uzbekistan. He had been invited by Shah Jahan to be the "Shahi Imam" (Royal Imam) of the mosque.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: The mosque was one of the last monuments built under Shah Jahan. After its completion, it served as the royal mosque of the emperors until the end of the Mughal period. The "khutba" was recited by the Mughal emperor during the Friday noon prayer, legitimising his rule. The mosque was hence a symbol of Mughal sovereignty in India, carrying political significance. It was also an important centre of social life for the residents of Shahjahanabad, providing a space transcending class divide for diverse people to interact.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: The British took over Shahjahanabad in 1803. The Mughal Emperor remained the ritual imperial head of the mosque, but Mughal power and patronage had significantly waned. The initial policy of the British in the city was favourable towards its residents; the British undertook repairs and even renovations of the Jama Masjid. The Masjid continued to serve as a site of social and political discourse, in keeping with other mosques of Delhi at the time; for example, theological and philosophical debates were held between Muslims and Christians.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: The Revolt of 1857 was a major turning point in this situation. This event resulted in the deaths of many British people in the city, and weakened colonial authority, deeply affronting the British. It also ended the Mughal empire. The British perceived the revolt as instigated by Muslims, cultivated within Delhi's mosques. After the British reclaimed the city in the same year, they razed many mosques and banned the congregation of Muslims in any remaining mosques. The Jama Masjid fell into British confiscation during this time, and was barred from any religious use. It was repeatedly considered for destruction, but the British eventually began using it as barracks for its Sikh and European soldiers. This was a desecration of the space; Aziz characterises the decision as deliberate, in order to insult the sentiments of the city's Muslim inhabitants.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: The Masjid was eventually returned to the Muslim population in 1862, due to their increasing resentment of British actions. Multiple conditions were imposed, including the usage of Jama Masjid as strictly a religious site, as well as mandatory policing by the British. The Jama Masjid Managing Committee (JMMC), consisting of respected Muslims of Delhi, was established as a formal body to represent the mosque and enforce these conditions.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: Upon its return, the Jama Masjid was reestablished as a mosque. Though the Mughal state had been dissolved, the mosque received patronage from various regional Islamic rulers and nobles. In 1886, the Nawab of Rampur donated a large sum of 1,55,000 rupees to facilitate repairs. In 1926, a donation from the Nizam of Hyderabad of 1,00,000 rupees was used for similar purposes.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: Growing unrest against British rule manifested in Delhi's mosques from 1911. The Jama Masjid was frequently used for non-religious, political purposes, against the rules instituted. While the British could police and clamp down on political activities in public spaces, the Jama Masjid was a religious space and was hence protected from such action, by both law (Religious Endowment Act, 1863) and the sentiments of Delhi. Hindus often gathered with Muslims in the mosque to express anti-colonial solidarity, in spite of simmering tension between the communities in the colonial period.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: The Jama Masjid continued to be a political symbol after independence. Indian independence activist Abul Kalam Azad delivered a speech from its pulpit during the Friday prayer of 23 October, 1947. The Partition of India was underway, causing massive population movements in Delhi. Azad implored the Muslims of Delhi to remain in India, and attempted to reassure them that India was still their homeland.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: During 1948, the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Asaf Jah VII was asked for a donation of 75,000 rupees to repair one-fourth of the mosque floor. The Nizam instead sanctioned 3,00,000 rupees, stating that the remaining three-fourths of the mosque should not look old.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: The mosque served as a site of significance with regards to the infamously communal Babri Masjid dispute. Abdullah Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid at the time, made several speeches in 1986 regarding the issue from the Masjid, condemning the political support given to the Hindu cause and mobilising Muslim sentiments. In one instance this ignited riots and clashes in Old Delhi. In 1987, Jama Masjid was the staging point for a major peaceful protest regarding the Babri Masjid dispute. On 28 May 1987, amidst rising communal tensions and riots all over India, the Jama Masjid was closed by the Imam and adorned in black cloth, symbolising Muslim resentment of government actions at the time. The decision was highly controversial among Islamic leadership.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: The Jama Masjid serves as Delhi's primary mosque, and has a largely congregational function. The Muslims of the city traditionally gather here to offer communal Friday prayer, as well as for major festivals such as Eid. The mosque is also a major tourist attraction, and derives a significant amount of income through the visits of foreigners.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: The function of the mosque as an autonomous political space has continued in the modern era. For example, in 2001 (in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks) the mosque was a site of protest against U.S bombings in Afghanistan. In 2019, massive protests occurred at the site due to the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: In 2006, it was reported that the mosque was in urgent need of repair, following which the Saudi Arabian king Abdullah offered to pay for it. The Imam said that he had received the offer directly from the Saudi authorities, but requested them to approach the Indian government. However, the Delhi High Court said that this matter had no "legal sanctity" giving no "special equities" to the Imam.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: A project aiming to renovate the Jama Masjid and its surroundings has remained unimplemented since the early 2000s, due to several administrative and logistical roadblocks.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: On the 14th of April in 2006, there were two explosions which came soon after Friday prayers and occurred in swift succession. It was unclear how the blasts occurred. Among the casualties, one was in serious condition, whereas eight other people sustained minor injuries. Imam Ahmed Bukhari commented, "there is anger among our people but I am appealing to them to maintain calm".


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: On the 15th of September in 2010, two Taiwanese tourists were injured after gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on a bus parked near gate number three of the mosque. After the attack, the police detained 30 people to question and the area was turned into a fortress because policemen were heavily deployed.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: In November 2011, the Delhi Police arrested six members of the Indian Mujahideen who were believed to be behind the Jama Masjid blast along with the Pune German bakery blast. Sources said that the "'main man' Imran" allegedly planted the bomb in a car outside the mosque. In September 2013 it was reported that Yasin Bhatkal, a leader of the group, along with Assadullah Akhtar, were arrested the month before and they admitted that they carried out the attack with the on-the-run Pakistani national Waqas. Yasin said that he was ordered by Karachi-based IM head Riyaz Bhatkal to do the task as the Imam allowed "semi-naked" foreigners inside it.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: The Jama Masjid was built as a part of Shah Jahan's new capital in Delhi, Shahjahanabad. At the time of its construction, it was the largest mosque in the Indian subcontinent. Shah Jahan claimed that the mosque was modelled after the Jama Masjid of Fatehpur Sikri, and this is reflected in the design of many exterior features, such as the facade and courtyard. However, the interior of the mosque more closely resembles the Jama Masjid in Agra. The mosque predominantly uses red sandstone, and is set apart from its predecessors by a more extensive usage of white marble. Black marble also features as a decorative element. Arabic and Persian calligraphic pieces are found on various surfaces of the structure, whose content ranges from religious to panegyric.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: Having been built on a hill, the mosque is situated on a plinth elevated 10 metres above the surrounding city. The complex is oriented to the west, towards Mecca. An imperial college, imperial dispensary, and madrasa used to lie adjacent to the structure, but were destroyed in the uprisings of 1857.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: The mosque is accessed by three sandstone gates. The most prominent of these is the three-storey high eastern gate, which historically acted as the "shahi" (royal) entrance, reserved only for the use of the Emperor and his associates. The other two entrances are the northern and southern gates, which are two stories high and were used by the general population. Each gate is accompanied by a three-sided sandstone stairway, with white markings to designate prayer positions. The cabinet located in the north gate has a collection of relics of Muhammad – the Quran written on deerskin, a red beard-hair of the prophet, his sandals and his footprints embedded in a marble block.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: The square "sahn" (courtyard) is paved with red sandstone, and faces the eastern gate. It has a side length of at least 99 m, and can accommodate 25,000 worshippers. In its centre lies a marble ablution tank, measuring 17 m in length and 15 m in width. Open arcades run along the edges of the courtyard, through which the surroundings of the Masjid are visible. Chhatris mark the four corners of the courtyard, rising above the arcades.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: The prayer hall measures 61 metres in length and 27 metres in breadth. Three marble domes rise up from its roof, featuring golden finials. The facade of the prayer hall features a grand "pishtaq" in the centre, flanked by five smaller, cusped archways on either side. Above each archway of the prayer hall are some calligraphic pieces. The interior of the hall bears seven "mihrabs" (prayer niches) on the western "qibla" wall, corresponding to the seven bays into which the hall is divided. The central "mihrab" is intricately decorated and clad in marble, with a marble "minbar" (pulpit) lying to its right. The hall is floored with white and black ornamented marble to look like a Muslim prayer mat.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: The mosque's domes are flanked by two sandstone minarets, at the northeast and southeast corners. They are 40 metres high and longitudinally striped with white marble. Each minaret consists of 130 steps, along which viewing galleries occur at three places. Both minarets are topped with a marble chhatri.


title: Jama Masjid, Delhi

text: The Imams of Delhi's Jama Masjid have traditionally been the direct descendants of the first Imam of the Masjid, Syed Abdul Ghafoor Shah Bukhari, who was appointed by Shah Jahan. Their position is known as that of the "Shahi Imam," or Royal Imam. The person next-in-line to the position is known as the "Naib Imam", or Deputy Imam. The Shahi Imams bear the last name of "Bukhari," denoting their ancestral origin in Bukhara (of modern day Uzbekistan). The imams who have occupied the position are listed below.


title: Keiran Lee

text: Adam Diksa (born 15 January 1984), known professionally as Keiran Lee, is a British pornographic actor, director, and producer who works mainly for pornographic production company Brazzers. His penis was insured for $1 million in 2012 by "Brazzers". He is one of the highest paid pornographic actors. He received several adult film industry awards including AVN Award for Favourite Male Performer in 2017 and UK Adult Film and Television Award for Best Male Actor in 2007.


title: Keiran Lee

text: Lee was born and raised in the Littleover area of Derby, England. He is of half-Indian descent, his father being Indian. Growing up, he attended Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy. By the age of 18, he was working as a project manager for Network Rail.


title: Keiran Lee

text: Lee's career in porn began after his friends uploaded a nude photograph of him to a swingers website. After seeing the post, a couple offered Lee a role in porn. Lee first performed in adult video in 2002 at age 18. He began freelancing in porn in England before signing an exclusive contract with Brazzers in 2005 after moving to America. He started his pornographic career in 2006.


title: Keiran Lee

text: Lee performed in his first video for Brazzers in 2008. In August 2011, Brazzers placed a billboard advertisement with a photo of Lee in a tank top and sunglasses on Sunset Boulevard. Dan Miller from XBIZ referred to it as "a landmark promotion for a male porn star." In 2012, it was reported that Brazzers had taken out an insurance policy with Lloyd's of London, insuring Lee's penis for a reported $1 million. Lee appeared in 1,553 videos for Brazzers, as of 8 May 2020, more than any other performer. In October 2013, Lee made his feature film directorial debut with "Hot Chicks Meet Big Fangs" for Digital Playground.


title: Keiran Lee

text: From May to July 2016, Lee appeared as a mentor and judge on "The Sex Factor", an online reality series featuring sixteen men and women competing for $1 million and a three-year porn contract. Lee, along with fellow pornstars Lexi Belle, Remy LaCroix and Tori Black, would offer advice and judge the contestants throughout the competition. In her review of the series, Janis Hopkins from Vice News was critical of Lee's judging, commenting that "he has confused the deadpan tell-it-like-it-is judging technique of real TV with just straight up being a dickhead." Lux Alptraum of The Verge was also critical of the judging, referring to the hosts as "stilted". Jeremy Glass from Thrillist agreed with this sentiment, calling the judges "hard to watch."


title: Keiran Lee

text: Lee married twice. His first marriage was to pornographic actress Puma Swede in 2009 but the couple divorced. He married pornstar and host for Playboy TV Kirsten Price in 2013. The two currently reside in Calabasas, California, with their three children. Lee is a big fan of football, saying he schedules his "whole life around Derby County". In 2011, while playing soccer for the Hollywood United F.C., Lee had to be hospitalized after breaking his jaw in two places.


title: Keiran Lee

text: Lee won many major award nominations in his pornographic career. He won 2 awards from 49 nominations. Some notable awards and nominations:


title: Siena

text: The city is historically linked to commercial and banking activities, having been a major banking center until the 13th and 14th centuries. Siena is also home to the oldest bank in the world, the Monte dei Paschi bank, which has been operating continuously since 1472.


title: Siena

text: Several significant Renaissance painters worked and were born in Siena, among them Duccio, Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Simone Martini and Sassetta, and influenced the course of Italian and European art.


title: Siena

text: The University of Siena, originally called "Studium Senese", was founded in 1240, making it one of the oldest universities in continuous operation in the world.


title: Siena

text: Siena was one of the most important cities in medieval Europe, and its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From January until the end of September of 2021 it had about 217,000 arrivals, with the largest numbers of foreign visitors coming from Germany, France and the Netherlands. Siena is famous for its cuisine, art, museums, medieval cityscape and the Palio, a horse race held twice a year in Piazza del Campo.


title: Siena

text: Siena, like other Tuscan hill towns, was first settled in the time of the Etruscans (c. 900–400 BC) when it was inhabited by a tribe called the Saina. A Roman town called "Saena Julia" was founded at the site in the time of the Emperor Augustus.


title: Siena

text: According to local legend, Siena was founded by Senius and Aschius, two sons of Remus and thus nephews of Romulus, after whom Rome was named. Supposedly after their father's murder by Romulus, they fled Rome, taking with them the statue of the she-wolf suckling the infants (Capitoline Wolf), thus appropriating that symbol for the town. Additionally they rode white and black horses, giving rise to the "Balzana", or coat of arms of Siena with a white band atop a dark band. Some claim the name Siena derives from Senius. Other etymologies derive the name from the Etruscan family name "Saina", the Roman family name "Saenii", or the Latin word "senex" "old" or its derived form "seneo" "to be old".


title: Siena

text: Siena did not prosper under Roman rule. It was not sited near any major roads and lacked opportunities for trade. Its insular status meant that Christianity did not penetrate until the 4th century AD, and it was not until the Lombards invaded Siena and the surrounding territory that it knew prosperity. After the Lombard occupation, the old Roman roads of Via Aurelia and the Via Cassia passed through areas exposed to Byzantine raids, so the Lombards rerouted much of their trade between the Lombards' northern possessions and Rome along a more secure road through Siena. Siena prospered as a trading post, and the constant streams of pilgrims passing to and from Rome provided a valuable source of income in the centuries to come.


title: Siena

text: The oldest aristocratic families in Siena date their line to the Lombards' surrender in 774 to Charlemagne. At this point, the city was inundated with a swarm of Frankish overseers who married into the existing Sienese nobility and left a legacy that can be seen in the abbeys they founded throughout the Sienese territory. Feudal power waned, however, and by the death of Countess Matilda in 1115 the border territory of the March of Tuscany which had been under the control of her family, the Canossa, broke up into several autonomous regions. This ultimately resulted in the creation of the Republic of Siena.


title: Siena

text: The Republic existed for over four hundred years, from the 12th century until 1555. During the golden age of Siena before the Black Death in 1348, the city was home to 50,000 people. A major economic centre and among the most important cities in Europe, as well as the main political, economic, and artistic rival of its neighboring city of Florence.


title: Siena

text: In the Italian War of 1551–59, the republic was defeated by the rival Florence in alliance with the Spanish crown. After 18 months of resistance, Siena surrendered to Spain on 17 April 1555, marking the end of the republic.


title: Siena

text: After the fall of the Republic, a few Sienese led by the Florentine exile Piero Strozzi, not wanting to accept the fall of the Republic, took refuge in Montalcino, creating the Republic of Siena sheltered in Montalcino. It lived until 31 May 1559 when it was betrayed by the French allies, whom Siena had always supported, concluding with the Peace of Cateau Cambrésis with Charles V, which effectively ceded the Republic to the Medici.


title: Siena

text: The House of Medici, apart from the brief parenthesis of Ferdinando I, who tried to create an organized state, were not able to give a stable structure to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, keeping almost unchanged the division between the so-called Old State, i.e. Florence, and the New State, i.e. Siena and the southern part up to Pitigliano, with different laws and taxes. With the death of Gian Gastone de' Medici, (1737), who had no children, the Medici dynasty ended and the Grand Duchy passed into the hands of the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty who kept it until 1799.


title: Siena

text: After the Napoleonic period and the Risorgimento uprisings, Siena was the first city in Tuscany, in 1859, to vote in favour of annexation to the Kingdom of Italy.


title: Siena

text: Siena is located in the central part of Tuscany, in the middle of a vast hilly landscape between the Arbia river valley (south), the Merse valley (south-west), the Elsa valley (north), the Chianti hills (north-east), the Montagnola Senese (west) and the Crete Senesi (south-east). The city lies at above sea level.


title: Siena

text: Siena has a typical inland Mediterranean climate. Average rainfall is , with the maximum in November and the minimum in July. July is the hottest month, with an average temperature of , and January the coldest.


title: Siena

text: In 2009 agricultural activity comprised 919 companies with a total area of for a usable agricultural area of or about of the total municipal area (data ISTAT for the 2000 Agriculture Census "V").


title: Siena

text: There is little manufacturing in the city. One exception is the seasonal confectionery industry, which produces local specialities including panforte, ricciarelli and cavallucci at Christmas, and pane co' santi for I Santi on 1 November and I Morti on the following day.


title: Siena

text: The area has also seen a growth in biotechnology. The Centenary Institute Sieroterapico Achille Sclavo used to be Swiss-owned, operating under the company name, Novartis Vaccines. Novartis developed and produced vaccines and employed about a thousand people. In 2015, the research plant in Siena became part of Glaxo Smith Kline, as part of a deal between Novartis and this firm.


title: Siena

text: Siena retains a ward-centric culture from medieval times. Each ward ("contrada") is represented by an animal or mascot and has its own boundary and distinct identity. Ward rivalries are most rampant during the annual horse race (Palio) in the Piazza del Campo. There are 17 wards (contrada): Aquila, Bruco, Chiocciola, Civetta, Drago, Giraffa, Istrice, Leocorno, Lupa, Nicchio, Oca, Onda, Pantera, Selva, Tartuca, Torre, Valdimontone.


title: Siena

text: The Palio di Siena is a traditional medieval horse race run around the Piazza del Campo twice each year, on 2 July and 16 August. The event is attended by large crowds, and is widely televised. Ten randomly selected from 17 Contrade (which are city neighbourhoods originally formed as battalions for the city's defence) vie for the trophy: a painted banner, or "Palio" bearing an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary.


title: Siena

text: Over the centuries, Siena has had a rich tradition of arts and artists. The list of artists from the Sienese School include Duccio and his student Simone Martini, Pietro Lorenzetti and Martino di Bartolomeo. A number of well-known works of Renaissance and High Renaissance art still remain in galleries or churches in Siena.


title: Siena

text: The Church of "San Domenico" contains art by Guido da Siena, dating to the mid-13th century. Duccio's "Maestà", which was commissioned by the City of Siena in 1308, was instrumental in leading Italian painting away from the hieratic representations of Byzantine art and directing it towards more direct presentations of reality. And his "Madonna and Child with Saints" polyptych, painted between 1311 and 1318, remains at the city's "Pinacoteca Nazionale".


title: Siena

text: The Pinacoteca also includes several works by Domenico Beccafumi, as well as art by Lorenzo Lotto, Domenico di Bartolo and Fra Bartolomeo.


title: Siena

text: The Siena Cathedral ("Duomo"), begun in the 12th century, is a masterpiece of Italian Romanesque–Gothic architecture. Its main façade was completed in 1380 with a nave oriented northeast–southwest. A proposed expansion of the eastern transept would have transformed the church into an ambitiously massive basilica, the largest then in the world, with an east–west nave. However, the scarcity of funds, in part due to war and the Black Death, truncated the project. Two walls of this expanded eastern transept remain; through an internal staircase, visitors can climb for a grand view of the city.


title: Siena

text: The Siena Cathedral Pulpit is an octagonal 13th-century masterpiece sculpted by Nicola Pisano with lion pedestals and biblical bas-relief panels. The inlaid marble mosaic floor of the cathedral, designed and laboured on by many artists, is among the most elaborate in Italy. The Sacristy and Piccolomini library have well-preserved Renaissance frescos by Ghirlandaio and Pinturicchio respectively. Other sculptors active in the church and in the subterranean baptistry are Donatello, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Jacopo della Quercia and others. The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo contains Duccio's famous "Maestà" (1308–11) and various other works by Sienese masters. More Sienese paintings are to be found in the Pinacoteca, e.g. 13th-century works by Dietisalvi di Speme.


title: Siena

text: The Piazza del Campo, the shell-shaped town square, unfurls before the Palazzo Pubblico with its tall Torre del Mangia. This is part of the site for the "Palio" horse race. The Palazzo Pubblico, itself a great work of architecture, houses yet another important art museum. Included within the museum is Ambrogio Lorenzetti's frescoes depicting the "Allegory and Effects of Good and Bad Government" and also some of the finest frescoes of Simone Martini and Pietro Lorenzetti.


title: Siena

text: The Palazzo Salimbeni, located in a piazza of the same name, was the original headquarters and remains in possession of the Monte dei Paschi di Siena, one of the oldest banks in continuous existence in Europe.


title: Siena

text: Housed in the notable Gothic Palazzo Chigi-Saracini on Via di Città is the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, Siena's conservatory of music.


title: Siena

text: The city's gardens include the Orto Botanico dell'Università di Siena, a botanical garden maintained by the University of Siena.


title: Siena

text: The Medicean Fortress houses the Siena Jazz School, with courses and concerts throughout the year, and a festival during the International Siena Jazz Masterclasses.


title: Siena

text: In the neighbourhood are numerous patrician villas, some of which are attributed to Baldassarre Peruzzi:


title: Siena

text: Associazione Calcio Siena (football) was founded in 1904 and fully established in 1908. It was first promoted to Italy's top league, Serie A, for the 2003–04 season and stayed in this serie for nine seasons. After the club's bankruptcy in 2014, a new club named Società Sportiva Robur Siena took its place and had to restart from Serie D. Currently, it is in Lega Pro league. The club hosts its games at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.


title: Siena

text: The premier society of men's basketball in Siena was called Mens Sana Basket (also referred to by its sponsored name of "Montepaschi Siena"). It is also the oldest sports society in Siena. Mens Sana Basket participated in the highest level of play in Italy, Lega Basket Serie A, and it has won the national championship eight times, with a streak of seven (2004 and 2007–13). The team host their home games at PalaEstra indoor arena. Like the local football team, the club went through financial issues in 2014, and its place was taken by the new club Mens Sana 1871, currently in the Serie A2 league. The city co-hosted the EuroBasket 1979.


title: Siena

text: Siena hosts the start and finish of the Strade Bianche, a professional cycling race famous for its historic white gravel roads, called "strade bianche" or "sterrati" in Italian. More than of the race is run over dirt roads, usually country lanes and farm tracks twisting through the hills and vineyards of the Chianti region. The finish is on the Piazza del Campo, after a steep and narrow climb on the roughly paved Via Santa Caterina leading into the center of the medieval city.


title: Siena

text: Siena Mobilità was a consortium established in 2005, formed by Tiemme Toscana Mobilità, Busitalia Sita Nord e ByBus, to manage the local public transport in Siena, in its province and regional service to Florence and Arezzo. From 1 January 2018 Siena Mobilità operated by virtue of the bridge contract between the Regione Toscana and the company ONE Scarl.


title: Lzzy Hale

text: Elizabeth Mae "Lzzy" Hale (born October 10, 1983) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of hard rock band Halestorm, which she co-founded with her brother Arejay Hale in 1997.


title: Lzzy Hale

text: Hale began writing and performing music in 1997, when she founded Halestorm with her brother Arejay Hale. She has since gained success as Halestorm's lead singer, and with guest appearances alongside artists such as Eric Church, Lindsey Stirling, Shinedown, Machine Gun Kelly, Black Stone Cherry, Seether, Adrenaline Mob, Ray Wylie Hubbard, the Hu, and Stone Sour.


title: Lzzy Hale

text: In the December 2009 issue of "Revolver" magazine, Hale appeared on the cover alongside former Landmine Marathon vocalist Grace Perry as one of the "Hottest Chicks in Metal". For most years since, Hale has been listed as one of the magazine's "Hottest" either in the magazine and/or in its Hottest Chicks calendar. For the magazine's February/March 2015 issue, Hale appeared alone on the cover for both a feature article and once more as one of "Revolver"'s "25 hottest chicks in hard rock and metal".


title: Lzzy Hale

text: In 2021, Gibson announced that Hale was being named the first female Gibson brand ambassador. A long-time fan and user, Hale had previously partnered with Gibson to design the Limited Edition Lzzy Hale Explorer guitar. As a brand ambassador, it was announced Hale would help create new signature models from Gibson, Epiphone, and Kramer.


title: Lzzy Hale

text: During Halestorm's tour with The Pretty Reckless in 2022, Hale gifted a white Gibson Explorer to guitarist Daniela Villarreal from The Warning during the middle of their opening set. The making of the guitar was a collaborative effort between Hale and Gibson.


title: Lzzy Hale

text: As a musical artist Hale has collaborated with a number of other notable bands. Some of the songs she has lent vocals to include:


title: Lzzy Hale

text: In 2020, Hale was made the host of the third season of “A Year in Music” on AXS TV, which she continued to host in season four. She was also a judge on the inaugural season of the television show “No Cover”, a music competition show where unsigned bands and artists performed original songs with the hope of winning a record contract.


title: Lzzy Hale

text: Hale is the fourth Elizabeth Mae in her family, she said in an interview for "Loudwire"'s "Wikipedia Fact or Fiction".


title: Lzzy Hale

text: On October 11, 2014, Hale said she is bisexual on her personal Twitter account. In 2015, bandmate Josh Smith confirmed that Hale was in a relationship with fellow Halestorm guitarist Joe Hottinger, and in 2021, Hale stated on Twitter, “I’m a bi gal in an 18-year relationship with a man.“


title: Lzzy Hale

text: On February 29, 2020, Hale performed at Nashville SC's inaugural Major League Soccer match at Nissan Stadium.


title: Lzzy Hale

text: Hale often speaks out about the importance of supporting one's mental health. In 2018, she started the #RaiseYourHorns trend online following the suicide of Huntress vocalist Jill Janus, resulting in thousands of pictures being posted online from celebrities and rock fans sharing their own experiences with mental illness.


title: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

text: Aránzazu Isabel María "Arantxa" Sánchez Vicario (; born 18 December 1971) is a Spanish former world No. 1 tennis player. She won 14 Grand Slam titles: four in singles, six in women's doubles, and four in mixed doubles. She also won four Olympic medals and five Fed Cup titles representing Spain. In 1994, she was crowned the ITF World Champion for the year.


title: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

text: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario started playing tennis at the age of four, when she followed her older brothers Emilio Sánchez and Javier Sánchez (both of whom became professional players) to the court and hit balls against the wall with her first racquet. As a 17-year-old, she became the youngest winner of the women's singles title at the 1989 French Open, defeating World No. 1 Steffi Graf in the final. (Monica Seles broke the record the following year when she won the title at age 16.)


title: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

text: Sánchez Vicario quickly developed a reputation on the tour for her tenacity and refusal to concede a point. Commentator Bud Collins described her as "unceasing in determined pursuit of tennis balls, none seeming too distant to be retrieved in some manner and returned again and again to demoralize opponents" and nicknamed her the "Barcelona Bumblebee".


title: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

text: She won six women's doubles Grand Slam titles, including the US Open in 1993 (with Helena Suková) and Wimbledon in 1995 (with Jana Novotná). She also won four Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. In 1991, she helped Spain win its first-ever Fed Cup title, and helped Spain win the Fed Cup in 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1998. Sanchez Vicario holds the records for the most matches won by a player in Fed Cup competition (72) and for most ties played (58). She was ITF world champion in 1994 in singles.


title: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

text: Over the course of her career, Sánchez Vicario won 29 singles titles and 69 doubles titles before retiring in November 2002. She came out of retirement in 2004 to play doubles in a few select tournaments as well as the 2004 Summer Olympics, where she became the only tennis player to play in five Olympics in the Games history. Sanchez Vicario was the most decorated Olympian in Spanish history with four medals – two silver and two bronze. Her medal count has since been surpassed by David Cal and Saul Craviotto with five medals each.


title: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

text: In 2005, "TENNIS "Magazine ranked her in 27th place in its list of 40 Greatest Players of the "TENNIS" era and in 2007, she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. She was only the third Spanish player (and the first Spanish woman) to be inducted.


title: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

text: In 2009, Sánchez Vicario was present at the opening ceremony of Madrid's Caja Mágica, the new venue for the Madrid Masters. The second show court is named Court Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in her honour.


title: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

text: In 2015, Sanchez Vicario went into professional coaching. She got involved in training Danish player Caroline Wozniacki.


title: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

text: She has been married twice: her first marriage to the sports writer Juan Vehils in July 2000 ended in 2001. She then married businessman Josep Santacana in September 2008, with whom she has a daughter (born 2009) and son (born 2011). In 2019, Sánchez Vicario and Santacana divorced.


title: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

text: In 2012, Sánchez Vicario published an autobiography in which she claimed that, despite having earned $60 million over the course of her career, her parents had exerted almost total control over her finances and lost all of her money. The same year, Sánchez Vicario sued her father and older brother Javier for the alleged mishandling of her career earnings. The court case continued over three years, and in 2015 concluded in a private settlement.


title: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

text: She has faced multiple court proceedings relating to charges of tax evasion and fraud. In 2009, Sánchez Vicario was found guilty of tax evasion and ordered to repay €3.5 million. In 2015, Banque de Luxembourg successfully filed complaint against her for credit and property fraud amounting to $5.2 million, however they were unable to recoup it. In 2018, Sánchez Vicario was once again charged with fraud, for deliberately misleading the courts on her financial set-up during the previous case. As of 2021, Barcelona prosecutors are seeking a four-year jail term for Sánchez Vicario, due to further allegations of fraud relating to the transfer of assets to avoid paying her debts from a previous lawsuit.


title: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

text: As well as tennis-playing siblings Javier and Emilio, Sanchez Vicario also has an older sister – Marisa – who briefly played professional tennis, peaking at world no. 368 in 1990.


title: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario

text: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario lost in the semi-finals to Jennifer Capriati 3–6, 6–3, 1–6. In 1992, there was no bronze medal play-off match, both beaten semi-final players received bronze medals


title: Baybayin

text: The Archives of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, one of the largest archives in the Philippines, currently possesses the world's biggest collection of ancient writings in . The chambers which house the writings are part of a tentative nomination to UNESCO World Heritage List that is still being deliberated on, along with the entire campus of the University of Santo Tomas.


title: Baybayin

text: Despite being primarily a historic script, the script has seen some revival in the modern Philippines. It is often used in the insignia of government agencies and books are frequently published either partially or fully, in . Bills to require its use in certain cases and instruction in schools have been repeatedly considered by the Congress of the Philippines.


title: Baybayin

text: For modern computers and typing, characters are in the Unicode Basic Multilingual Plane (BMP) and were first proposed for encoding in 1998 by Michael Everson together with three other known indigenous scripts of the Philippines.


title: Baybayin

text: The term means "to write" or "to spell (syllabize)" in Tagalog. The entry for "ABC's" (i.e., the alphabet) in San Buenaventura's "Vocabulary of the Tagalog language" (1613) was translated as ("", ).


title: Baybayin

text: The word is also occasionally used to refer to the other indigenous writing systems of the Philippines, such as the Buhid, Hanunó'o, Tagbanwa, and Kulitan scripts, among others. Cultural organizations such as Sanghabi and the Heritage Conservation Society recommend that the collection of distinct scripts used by various indigenous groups in the Philippines, including "", "iniskaya", "kirim jawi", and "batang-arab" be called "suyat", which is a neutral collective noun for referring to any pre-Hispanic Philippine script.


title: Baybayin

text: In modern times, has been called "badlit, kudlít-kabadlit" by the Visayans, "kurditan", "kur-itan" by the Ilocanos, and "basahan" by the Bicolanos.


title: Baybayin

text: Historically Southeast Asia was under the influence of Ancient India, where numerous Indianized principalities and empires flourished for several centuries in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam. The influence of Indian culture into these areas was given the term "Indianization". French archaeologist George Coedes defined it as the expansion of an organized culture that was framed upon Indian originations of royalty, Hinduism and Buddhism and the Sanskrit language. This can be seen in the Indianization of Southeast Asia, Hinduism in Southeast Asia and the spread of Buddhism in Southeast Asia. Indian honorifics also influenced the Malay, Thai, Filipino and Indonesian honorifics. Examples of these include raja, rani, maharlika, and datu, which were transmitted from Indian culture to Philippines via Malays and the Srivijaya empire. Indian Hindu colonists played a key role as professionals, traders, priests and warriors. Inscriptions have proved that the earliest Indian colonists who settled in Champa and the Malay archipelago, came from the Pallava dynasty, as they brought with them their Pallava script. The earliest inscriptions in Java exactly match the Pallava script. In the first stage of adoption of Indian scripts, inscriptions were made locally in Indian languages. In the second stage, the scripts were used to write the local Southeast Asian languages. In the third stage, local varieties of the scripts were developed. By the 8th century, the scripts had diverged and separated into regional scripts.


title: Baybayin

text: Isaac Taylor sought to show that was introduced into the Philippines from the Coast of Bengal sometime before the 8th century. In attempting to show such a relationship, Taylor presented graphic representations of Kistna and Assam letters like g, k, ng, t, m, h, and u, which resemble the same letters in . Fletcher Gardner argued that the Philippine scripts have "very great similarity" with the Brahmi script, which was supported by T. H. Pardo de Tavera. According to Christopher Miller, evidence seems strong for to be ultimately of Gujarati origin; however, Philippine and Gujarati languages have final consonants, so it is unlikely that their indication would have been dropped had been based directly on a Gujarati model.


title: Baybayin

text: David Diringer, accepting the view that the scripts of the Malay archipelago originate in India, writes that the South Sulawesi scripts derive from the Kawi script, probably through the medium of the Batak script of Sumatra. The Philippine scripts, according to Diringer, were possibly brought to the Philippines through the Buginese characters in Sulawesi. According to Scott, 's immediate ancestor was very likely a South Sulawesi script, probably Old Makassar or a close ancestor. This is because of the lack of final consonants or vowel canceller markers in . South Sulawesi languages have a restricted inventory of syllable-final consonants and do not represent them in the Bugis and Makassar scripts. The most likely explanation for the absence of final consonant markers in is therefore that its direct ancestor was a South Sulawesi script. Sulawesi lies directly to the south of the Philippines and there is evidence of trade routes between the two. must therefore have been developed in the Philippines in the fifteenth century CE as the Bugis-Makassar script was developed in South Sulawesi no earlier than 1400 CE.


title: Baybayin

text: The Kawi script originated in Java, descending from the Pallava script, and was used across much of Maritime Southeast Asia. The Laguna Copperplate Inscription is the earliest known written document found in the Philippines. It is a legal document with the inscribed date of Saka era 822, corresponding to 21 April 900 AD. It was written in the Kawi script in a variety of Old Malay containing numerous loanwords from Sanskrit and a few non-Malay vocabulary elements whose origin is ambiguous between Old Javanese and Old Tagalog. A second example of Kawi script can be seen on the Butuan Ivory Seal, found in the 1970s and dated between the 9th and 12th century. It is an ancient seal made of ivory that was found in an archaeological site in Butuan. The seal has been declared as a national cultural treasure. The seal is inscribed with the word "Butwan" in stylized Kawi. The ivory seal is now housed at the National Museum of the Philippines. One hypothesis therefore reasons that, since Kawi is the earliest attestation of writing in the Philippines, then may have descended from Kawi.


title: Baybayin

text: could have been introduced to the Philippines by maritime connections with the Champa Kingdom. Geoff Wade has argued that the characters "ga", "nga", "pa", "ma", "ya" and "sa" display characteristics that can be best explained by linking them to the Cham script, rather than other Indic abugidas. seems to be more related to southeast Asian scripts than to Kawi script. Wade argues that the Laguna Copperplate Inscription is not definitive proof for a Kawi origin of , as the inscription displays final consonants, which does not.


title: Baybayin

text: From the material that is available, it is clear that was used in Luzon, Palawan, Mindoro, Pangasinan, Ilocos, Panay, Leyte and Iloilo, but there is no proof supporting that reached Mindanao. It seems clear that the Luzon and Palawan varieties started to develop in different ways in the 1500s, before the Spaniards conquered what we know today as the Philippines. This puts Luzon and Palawan as the oldest regions where was and is used. It is also notable that the script used in Pampanga had already developed special shapes for four letters by the early 1600s, different from the ones used elsewhere. There were three somewhat distinct varieties of in the late 1500s and 1600s, though they could not be described as three different scripts any more than the different styles of Latin script across medieval or modern Europe with their slightly different sets of letters and spelling systems.


title: Baybayin

text: An earthenware burial jar, called the "Calatagan Pot," found in Batangas is inscribed with characters strikingly similar to , and is claimed to have been inscribed ca. 1300 AD. However, its authenticity has not yet been proven.


title: Baybayin

text: Although one of Ferdinand Magellan's shipmates, Antonio Pigafetta, wrote that the people of the Visayas were not literate in 1521, the had already arrived there by 1567 when Miguel López de Legazpi reported from Cebu that, "They [the Visayans] have their letters and characters like those of the Malays, from whom they learned them; they write them on bamboo bark and palm leaves with a pointed tool, but never is any ancient writing found among them nor word of their origin and arrival in these islands, their customs and rites being preserved by traditions handed down from father to son without any other record." A century later, in 1668, Francisco Alcina wrote: "The characters of these natives [Visayans], or, better said, those that have been in use for a few years in these parts, an art which was communicated to them from the Tagalogs, and the latter learned it from the Borneans who came from the great island of Borneo to Manila, with whom they have considerable traffic... From these Borneans the Tagalogs learned their characters, and from them the Visayans, so they call them Moro characters or letters because the Moros taught them... [the Visayans] learned [the Moros'] letters, which many use today, and the women much more than the men, which they write and read more readily than the latter." Francisco de Santa Inés explained in 1676 why writing was more common among women, as "they do not have any other way to while away the time, for it is not customary for little girls to go to school as boys do, they make better use of their characters than men, and they use them in things of devotion, and in other things that are not of devotion."


title: Baybayin

text: The earliest printed book in a Philippine language, featuring both Tagalog in and transliterated into the Latin script, is the 1593 "Doctrina Christiana en Lengua Española y Tagala". The Tagalog text was based mainly on a manuscript written by Fr. Juan de Placencia. Friars Domingo de Nieva and Juan de San Pedro Martyr supervised the preparation and printing of the book, which was carried out by an unnamed Chinese artisan. This is the earliest example of that exists today and it is the only example from the 1500s. There is also a series of legal documents containing , preserved in Spanish and Philippine archives that span more than a century: the three oldest, all in the Archivo General de Indias in Seville, are from 1591 and 1599.


title: Baybayin

text: In 1620, "Libro a naisurátan amin ti bagás ti Doctrina Cristiana" was written by Fr. Francisco Lopez, an "Ilocano Doctrina" the first Ilocano baybayin, based on the catechism written by Cardinal Belarmine. This is an important moment in the history of , because the krus-kudlít was introduced for the first time, which allowed writing final consonants. He commented the following on his decision: "The reason for putting the text of the Doctrina in Tagalog type... has been to begin the correction of the said Tagalog script, which, as it is, is so defective and confused (because of not having any method until now for expressing final consonants - I mean, those without vowels) that the most learned reader has to stop and ponder over many words to decide on the pronunciation which the writer intended." This krus-kudlít, or virama kudlít, did not catch on among users, however. Native experts were consulted about the new invention and were asked to adopt it and use it in all their writings. After praising the invention and showing gratitude for it, they decided that it could not be accepted into their writing because "It went against the intrinsic properties and nature that God had given their writing and that to use it was tantamount to destroy with one blow all the Syntax, Prosody and Orthography of their Tagalog language."


title: Baybayin

text: In 1703, was reported to still be in use in the "Comintan" (Batangas and Laguna) and other areas of the Philippines.


title: Baybayin

text: Among the earliest literature on the orthography of Visayan languages were those of Jesuit priest Ezguerra with his in 1747 and of Mentrida with his in 1818 which primarily discussed grammatical structure. Based on the differing sources spanning centuries, the documented syllabaries also differed in form.


title: Baybayin

text: The Ticao stone inscription, also known as the Monreal stone or Rizal stone, is a limestone tablet that contains characters. Found by pupils of Rizal Elementary School on Ticao Island in Monreal town, Masbate, which had scraped the mud off their shoes and slippers on two irregular shaped limestone tablets before entering their classroom, they are now housed at a section of the National Museum of the Philippines, which weighs 30 kilos, is 11 centimeters thick, 54 cm long and 44 cm wide while the other is 6 cm thick, 20 cm long and 18 cm wide.


title: Baybayin

text: The confusion over vowels (i/e and o/u) and final consonants, missing letters for Spanish sounds and the prestige of Spanish culture and writing may have contributed to the demise of over time, as eventually fell out of use in much of the Philippines. Learning the Latin alphabet also helped Filipinos to make socioeconomic progress under Spanish rule, as they could rise to relatively prestigious positions such as clerks, scribes and secretaries. By 1745, wrote in his "Arte de la lengua tagala" that "The Indian [Filipino] who knows how to read [] is now rare, and rarer still is one who knows how to write []. They now all read and write in our Castilian letters [Latin alphabet]." Between 1751 and 1754, Juan José Delgado wrote that "the [native] men devoted themselves to the use of our [Latin] writing".


title: Baybayin

text: The complete absence of pre-Hispanic specimens of usage of the script has led to a common misconception that fanatical Spanish priests must have burned or destroyed massive amounts of native documents. One of the scholars who proposed this theory is the anthropologist and historian H. Otley Beyer who wrote in "The Philippines before Magellan" (1921) that, "one Spanish priest in Southern Luzon boasted of having destroyed more than three hundred scrolls written in the native character". Historians have searched for the source of Beyer's claim, but no one has verified the name of the said priest. There is no direct documentary evidence of substantial destruction of native pre-Hispanic documents by Spanish missionaries, and modern scholars such as Paul Morrow and Hector Santos have accordingly rejected Beyer's suggestions. In particular, Santos suggested that only the occasional short documents of incantations, curses and spells that were deemed evil were possibly burned by the Spanish friars, and that the early missionaries only carried out the destruction of Christian manuscripts that were not acceptable to the Church. Santos rejected the idea that ancient pre-Hispanic manuscripts were systematically burned. Morrow also noted that there are no recorded instances of ancient Filipinos writing on scrolls, and that the most likely reason why no pre-Hispanic documents survived is because they wrote on perishable materials such as leaves and bamboo. He also added that it is also arguable that Spanish friars actually helped to preserve by documenting and continuing its use even after it had been abandoned by most Filipinos.


title: Baybayin

text: The scholar Isaac Donoso claims that the documents written in the native language and in the native script (particularly ) played a significant role in the judicial and legal life of the colony and noted that many colonial-era documents written in are still present in some repositories, including the library of the University of Santo Tomas. He also noted that the early Spanish missionaries did not suppress the usage of the script but instead may have even promoted it as a measure to stop Islamization, since the Tagalog language was moving from to Jawi, the Arabized script of Islamized Southeast Asian societies.


title: Baybayin

text: While there were recorded at least two records of burning of Tagalog booklets of magic formulae during the early Spanish colonial period, scholar Jean Paul-Potet (2017) also commented that these booklets were written in Latin characters and not in the native script. There are also no reports of Tagalog written scriptures, as they kept their theological knowledge unwritten and in oral form while reserving the use of the script for secular purposes and talismans.


title: Baybayin

text: The only surviving modern scripts that descended directly from the original script through natural development are the Tagbanwa script inherited from the Tagbanwa people by the Palawan people and named Ibalnan, the Buhid script and the Hanunóo script in Mindoro. Old Kapampangan, the precolonial Indic script used to write Kapampangan, has been reformed in recent decades into the modern Kulitan script and now employs consonant stacking.


title: Baybayin

text: is an abugida (alphasyllabary), which means that it makes use of consonant-vowel combinations. Each character or "titik", written in its basic form, is a consonant ending with the vowel "A". To produce consonants ending with other vowel sounds, a mark called a "kudlít" is placed either above the character (to produce an "E" or "I" sound) or below the character (to produce an "O" or "U" sound). To write words beginning with a vowel, three characters are used, one each for "A", "E/I" and "O/U".


title: Baybayin

text: Note that the second to last row features the pamudpod virama " ᜕" (U+1715), which was introduced by Antoon Postma to the Hanunuo script. The last row of clusters with the krus-kudlít virama "+", were an addition to the original script, introduced by the Spanish priest Francisco Lopez in 1620.


title: Baybayin

text: There is only one symbol or character for Da or Ra as they were allophones in many languages of the Philippines, where Ra occurred in intervocalic positions and Da occurred elsewhere. The grammatical rule has survived in modern Filipino, so that when a d is between two vowels, it becomes an r, as in the words "dangál" (honour) and "marangál" (honourable), or "dunong" (knowledge) and "marunong" (knowledgeable), and even "raw" for "daw" (he said, she said, they said, it was said, allegedly, reportedly, supposedly) and "rin" for "din" (also, too) after vowels. However, script variants like Sambal, Basahan, and Ibalnan ;to name a few, have separate symbols for Da and Ra.


title: Baybayin

text: The same symbol is also used to represent the Pa and Fa (or Pha), Ba and Va, and Sa and Za which were also allophonic. A single character represented nga. The current version of the Filipino alphabet still retains "ng" as a digraph. Beside these phonetic considerations, the script is monocameral and does not use letter case for distinguishing proper names or initials of words starting sentences.


title: Baybayin

text: The original writing method was particularly difficult for the Spanish priests who were translating books into the vernaculars, because originally omitted the final consonant without a vowel. This could cause confusion for readers over which word or pronunciation a writer originally intended. For example, 'bundok' (mountain) would have been spelled as 'bu-du', with the final consonants of each syllable omitted. Because of this, Francisco López introduced his own kudlít in 1620, called a "sabat" or "krus", that cancelled the implicit "a" vowel sound and which allowed a final consonant to be written. The kudlít was in the form of a "+" sign, in reference to Christianity. This cross-shaped kudlít functions exactly the same as the "virama" in many other Brahmic scripts. In fact, Unicode calls this kudlít "tagalog sign virama". ()


title: Baybayin

text: The pamudpod () is part of the Hanunuo script and functions as a virama. As of Unicode 14.0, a separate pamudpod for the Baybayin script () is encoded in the Tagalog Unicode block.


title: Baybayin

text: originally used only one punctuation mark (), which was called "Bantasán". Today uses two punctuation marks, the Philippine single () punctuation, acting as a comma or verse splitter in poetry, and the double punctuation (), acting as a period or end of paragraph. These punctuation marks are similar to single and double danda signs in other Indic Abugidas and may be presented vertically like Indic dandas, or slanted like forward slashes. The signs are unified across Philippines scripts and were encoded by Unicode in the Hanunóo script block. Space separation of words was historically not used as words were written in a continuous flow, but is common today.


title: Baybayin

text: historically was used in Tagalog and to a lesser extent Kapampangan-speaking areas. Its use spread to the Ilocanos when the Spanish promoted its use with the printing of Bibles. was noted by the Spanish priest Pedro Chirino in 1604 and Antonio de Morga in 1609 to be known by most Filipinos, stating that there is hardly a man and much less a woman, who does not read and write in the letters used in the "island of Manila". It was noted that they did not write books or keep records, but used for personal writings like small notes and messages, poetry and signing documents.


title: Baybayin

text: Traditionally, was written upon palm leaves with styli or upon bamboo with knives, the writing tools were called "panulat". The curved shape of the letter forms of is a direct result of this heritage; straight lines would have torn the leaves. Once the letters were carved into the bamboo, it was wiped with ash to make the characters stand out more. An anonymous source from 1590 states:


title: Baybayin

text: During the era of Spanish colonization, most began being written with ink on paper using a sharpened quill, or printed in books (using the woodcut technique) to facilitate the spread of Christianity. In some parts of the country like Mindoro the traditional writing technique has been retained. Filipinos began keeping paper records of their property and financial transactions, and would write down lessons they were taught in church, all in . The scholar Isaac Donoso claims that the documents written in the native language and in played a significant role in the judicial and legal life of the colony. The University of Santo Tomas Baybayin Documents cover two legal real estate transactions in 1613, written in , (labelled as "Document A "dated 15 February 1613) and 1625 (labelled as Document B dated 4 December 1625)


title: Baybayin

text: A number of legislative bills have been proposed periodically aiming to promote the writing system, among them is the "National Writing System Act" (House Bill 1022/Senate Bill 433). It is used in the most current New Generation Currency series of the Philippine peso issued in the last quarter of 2010. The word used on the bills was "Pilipino" ().


title: Baybayin

text: It is also used in Philippine passports, specifically the latest e-passport edition issued 11 August 2009 onwards. The odd pages of pages 3–43 have "" (""/"Righteousness exalts a nation") in reference to Proverbs 14:34.


title: Baybayin

text: The virtual keyboard app Gboard developed by Google for Android and iOS devices was updated on 1 August 2019 its list of supported languages. This includes all Unicode blocks. Included are "Buhid", "Hanunuo", "baybayin" as "Filipino (Baybayin)", and the Tagbanwa script as "Aborlan". The "baybayin" layout, "Filipino (Baybayin)", is designed such that when the user presses the character, vowel markers ("kudlít") for e/i and o/u, as well as the "virama" (vowel sound cancellation) are selectable.


title: Baybayin

text: It is possible to type directly from one's keyboard without the need to use web applications which implement an input method. The Philippines Unicode Keyboard Layout includes different sets of layout for different keyboard users: QWERTY, Capewell-Dvorak, Capewell-QWERF 2006, Colemak, and Dvorak, all of which work in both Microsoft Windows and Linux.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: The AIM-7 Sparrow (Air Intercept Missile) is an American, medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile operated by the United States Air Force, United States Navy, and United States Marine Corps, as well as other various air forces and navies. Sparrow and its derivatives were the West's principal beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile from the late 1950s until the 1990s. It remains in service, although it is being phased out in aviation applications in favor of the more advanced AIM-120 AMRAAM.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: The early Sparrow was intended primarily for use against larger targets, especially bombers and had numerous operational limitations in other uses. Against smaller targets, the need to receive a strong reflected radar signal made achieving lock-on at the missile's effective range difficult. As the launching aircraft's own radar needed to be pointed at the target throughout the engagement, this meant that in fighter-vs-fighter combat, the enemy fighter would often approach within the range of shorter-range infrared homing missiles while the launching aircraft had to continue flying towards its target. Additionally, early models were only effective against targets at roughly the same or higher altitudes, below which reflections from the ground became a problem.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: A number of upgraded Sparrow designs were developed to address these issues. In the early 1970s, the RAF developed a version with an inverse monopulse seeker and improved motor known as Skyflash, while the Italian Air Force introduced the similar Aspide. Both had the ability to be fired at targets below the launching fighter ("look-down, shoot down"), were more resistant to countermeasures, and were much more accurate in the terminal phase. This basic concept was then made part of the US Sparrows in the M model (for monopulse) and some of these were later updated as the P model, the last to be produced in the US. Aspides sold to China resulted in the locally produced PL-11. The Japan Self-Defense Forces also employ the Sparrow missile, though it is being phased out and replaced by the Mitsubishi AAM-4.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: The Sparrow was also used as the basis for a surface-to-air missile, the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow, used by a number of navies for air defense. Fired at low altitude and flying directly at its target, although, the range of the missile in this role is greatly reduced due to the lower atmosphere. With the retirement of the Sparrow in the air-to-air role, a new version of the Sea Sparrow was produced to address this concern, producing the larger and more capable RIM-162 ESSM.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: The Sparrow emerged from a late-1940s United States Navy program to develop a guided rocket weapon for air-to-air use. In 1947 the Navy contracted Sperry to build a beam riding version of a standard HVAR, the standard unguided aerial rocket, under Project Hotshot. The weapon was initially dubbed KAS-1, then AAM-2, and, from 1948 on, AAM-N-2. The airframe was developed by Douglas Aircraft Company. The diameter of the HVAR proved to be inadequate for the electronics, leading Douglas to expand the missile's airframe to diameter. The prototype weapon began unpowered flight-tests in 1947, and made its first aerial interception in 1952.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: After a protracted development cycle the initial AAM-N-2 Sparrow entered limited operational service in 1954 with specially modified Douglas F3D Skyknight all-weather carrier night fighters. In 1956, they were joined by the McDonnell F3H-2M Demon and Vought F7U Cutlass fighter aircraft. Compared to the modern versions, the Sparrow I was more streamlined and featured a bullet-shaped airframe with a long pointed nose.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: Sparrow I was a limited and rather primitive weapon. The limitations of beam-riding guidance (which was slaved to an optical sight on single-seater fighters and radar with night fighters) restricted the missile to attacks against targets flying a straight course and made it essentially useless against a maneuvering target. Only about 2,000 rounds were produced to this standard.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: As early as 1950 Douglas examined equipping the Sparrow with an active radar seeker, initially known as XAAM-N-2a "Sparrow II, the original retroactively becoming Sparrow I". In 1952 it was given the new code AAM-N-3. The active radar made the Sparrow II a "fire and forget" weapon, allowing several to be fired at separate targets at the same time.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: By 1955 Douglas proposed going ahead with development, intending it to be the primary weapon for the F5D Skylancer interceptor. It was later selected, with some controversy, to be the primary weapon for the Canadian Avro Arrow supersonic interceptor, along with the new Astra fire-control system. For Canadian use and as a second source for US missiles, Canadair was selected to build the missiles in Quebec.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: The small size of the missile forebody and the K-band AN/APQ-64-radar limited performance, and it was never able to work in testing. After considerable development and test firings in the U.S. and Canada, Douglas abandoned development in 1956. Canadair continued development until the Arrow was cancelled in 1959.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: A subvariant of the Sparrow I armed with the same nuclear warhead as the MB-1 Genie was proposed in 1958 but was cancelled shortly thereafter.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: Concurrently with the development of the Sparrow I, in 1951, Raytheon began work on the semi-active radar homing version of Sparrow family of missiles, the AAM-N-6 "Sparrow III". The first of these weapons entered United States Navy service in 1958.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: The AAM-N-6a was similar to the -6, but used a new Thiokol liquid-fuel rocket engine for improved performance. It also included changes to the guidance electronics to make it effective at higher closing speeds. The -6a was also selected to arm the Air Force's "F-110A Spectre" (F-4 Phantom) fighters in 1962, known to them as the AIM-101. It entered production in 1959, with 7500 being built.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: Another upgrade reverted to a Rocketdyne solid-fuel motor for the AAM-N-6b, which started production in 1963. The new motor significantly increased the maximum range to for head-on attacks.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: During this year the Air Force and Navy agreed on standardized naming conventions for their missiles. The Sparrows became the AIM-7 series. The original Sparrow I and aborted Sparrow II became the AIM-7A and AIM-7B, despite both being out of service. The -6, -6a, and -6b became the AIM-7C, AIM-7D, and AIM-7E respectively.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: 25,000 AIM-7Es were produced and saw extensive use during the Vietnam War, where its performance was considered disappointing. The mixed results were a combination of reliability problems (exacerbated by the tropical climate), limited pilot training in fighter-to-fighter combat, and restrictive rules of engagement that generally prohibited BVR (beyond visual range) engagements. The P (kill probability) of the AIM-7E was less than 10%; US fighter pilots shot down 59 aircraft out of the 612 Sparrows fired. Of the 612 AIM-7D/E/E-2 missiles fired, 97 (or 15.8%) hit their targets, resulting in 56 (or 9.2%) kills. Two kills were obtained beyond visual range.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: In 1969 an improved version, the E-2, was introduced with clipped wings and various changes to the fuzing. Considered a "dogfight Sparrow", the AIM-7E-2 was intended to be used at shorter ranges where the missile was still travelling at high speeds, and in the head-on aspect, making it much more useful in the visual limitations imposed on the engagements. Even so, its kill rate was only 13% in combat, leading to a practice of ripple-firing all four at once in hopes of increasing kill probability. Its worst tendency was that of detonating prematurely, approximately a thousand feet in front of the launching aircraft, but it also had many motor failures, erratic flights, and fuzing problems. An E-3 version included additional changes to the fuzing, and an E-4 featured a modified seeker for use with the F-14 Tomcat.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: Improved versions of the AIM-7 were developed in the 1970s in an attempt to address the weapon's limitations. The AIM-7F, which entered service in 1976, had a dual-stage rocket motor for longer range, solid-state electronics for greatly improved reliability, and a larger warhead. Even this version had room for improvement, leading British Aerospace and the Italian firm Alenia to develop advanced versions of Sparrow with better performance and improved electronics as the BAe Skyflash and Alenia Aspide, respectively.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: The most common version of the Sparrow today, the AIM-7M, entered service in 1982 and featured a new inverse monopulse seeker (matching the capabilities of Skyflash), active radar proximity fuse, digital controls, improved ECM resistance, and better low-altitude performance. It was used to good advantage in the 1991 Gulf War, where it scored many USAF air-to-air kills. Of 44 missiles fired, 30 (68.2%) hit their intended targets resulting in 24/26 (54.5%/59.1%) kills. 19 kills were obtained beyond visual range.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: The AIM-7P is similar in most ways to the M versions, and was primarily an upgrade program for existing M-series missiles. The main changes were to the software, improving low-level performance. A follow-on Block II upgrade added a new rear receiver allowing the missile to receive mid-course correction from the launching aircraft. Plans initially called for all M versions to be upgraded, but currently P's are being issued as required to replace M's lost or removed from the inventory.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: The final version of the missile was to have been the AIM-7R, which added an infrared homing seeker to an otherwise unchanged AIM-7P Block II. A general wind-down of the budget led to it being cancelled in 1997.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: Sparrow is now being phased out with the availability of the active-radar AIM-120 AMRAAM, but is likely to remain in service for several years.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: As part of the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow program, Canadair (now Bombardier) partnered with Douglas Aircraft Company in the development of the Sparrow II (AAM-N-3/AIM-7B). After Douglas dropped out of this program, Canadair continued on with it until the termination of the Arrow project.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: The AAM-N-3 Sparrow II was unique in that it had a fully active radar guidance system. This combined both a radar transmitter and receiver in the missile, making it unnecessary for the pilot to keep the aircraft aimed at the target after firing the missile, unlike Semi-active radar homing (SARH) missiles which require continuous radar-assisted guidance throughout flight. This allowed the aircraft that fired the AAM-N-3 to turn away, prosecute other targets, and/or escape from potential retaliatory missiles fired by the enemy aircraft during the time it takes for the Sparrow to reach its target. Despite the significant advantages of this design over SARH guidance, all subsequent models of the Sparrow use semi-active radar homing.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: To accommodate the active radar guidance system, the AAM-N-3 Sparrow II had a much greater volume than its predecessor. Its size would subsequently set the precedent for all future Sparrow variants.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: In 1959, Canadair had completed five missiles based on airframes from Douglas, and built two models from scratch, when the program was cancelled with the cancellation of the Arrow.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: The Italian company Finmeccanica (now Leonardo S.p.A.), Alenia Difesa licensed the AIM-7E Sparrow technology from the US, and produced its own version.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: Later in the 1980s, Alenia started to produce an improved version of the AIM-7 called the Aspide, compared to the AIM-7E, it received a newer and improved monopulse guiding system that allowed for a better hit ratio and easier targeting of enemies at low altitude confused in the ground clutter.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: It also received a new and more powerful engine and new control surfaces, these control surfaces were all independent one of the others, this gave the missile a much better maneuverability compared to the AIM-7E and the English Skyflash that still used dependent control surfaces.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: The PL-11 and HQ-6 is a family of Chinese missiles developed by the Shanghai Academy of Science and Technology, largely based on the Italian Aspide missile – a version of the Sparrow.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: The Soviet Union acquired an AIM-7 in 1968 and a Vympel team started copying it as the K-25. The missile did not enter production as the R-23 was thought to have better versatility, range, signal processing logic, and immunity from interference. K-25 work ended in 1971, but analysis of the Sparrow was later used to inform the design of the Vympel R-27, particularly the servomechanisms and movable wings.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: British Aerospace (BAe) licensed the AIM-7E2 technology in the 1970s, producing the Skyflash missile. Skyflash used a Marconi XJ521 monopulse seeker together with improvements to the electronics. It was powered by the Aerojet Mk52 mod 2 rocket engine (later by the Rocketdyne Mk38 mod 4). Skyflash entered service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) on their Phantom FG.1/FGR.2 in 1978, and later on the Tornado F3. Skyflash was also exported to Sweden for use on their Viggen fighters.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: An upgraded version with active radar seeker, called Active Sky Flash was proposed by BAe and Thomson-CSF, but did not receive funding because the RAF opted for other missiles.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: The Sparrow has four major sections: guidance section, warhead, control, and rocket motor (currently the Hercules MK-58 solid-propellant rocket motor). It has a cylindrical body with four wings at mid-body and four tail fins. Although the external dimensions of the Sparrow remained relatively unchanged from model to model, the internal components of newer missiles represent major improvements, with vastly increased capabilities. The warhead is of the continuous-rod type.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: As with other semi-active radar guided missiles, the missile does not generate radar signals, but instead homes in on reflected continuous-wave signals from the launch platform's radar. The receiver also senses the guidance radar to enable comparisons that enhance the missile's resistance to passive jamming.


title: AIM-7 Sparrow

text: The launching aircraft will illuminate the target with its radar. In radars of the 1950s these were single target tracking devices using a nutating horn as part of the antenna. This caused the beam to be swept in a small cone. Signal processing would be applied to determine the direction of maximum illumination and so develop a signal to steer the antenna toward the target. The missile detects the reflected signal from the target with a high gain antenna in a similar fashion and steers the entire missile toward closure with the target. The missile guidance also samples a portion of the illuminating signal via rearward pointing waveguides. The comparison of these two signals enabled logic circuits to determine the true target reflection signal, even if the target were to eject radar-reflecting chaff.


title: Positions (album)

text: Positions is the sixth studio album by American singer Ariana Grande. It was released by Republic Records on October 30, 2020. Grande worked with numerous producers on "Positions", including frequent collaborator Tommy Brown, accompanied by longtime co-writers Victoria Monét and Tayla Parx. Inspired by her "emotional healing", Grande desired to emphasize her vocals on the album.


title: Positions (album)

text: Built around themes of sexual intimacy, attraction, and romantic devotion, "Positions" expands on the trap-infused R&B and pop sound of its predecessors, "Sweetener" (2018) and "Thank U, Next" (2019). Doja Cat, the Weeknd, and Ty Dolla Sign appear as guest features, alongside Megan Thee Stallion on the deluxe edition. Upon release, "Positions" was met with generally favorable reviews from music critics; Grande's vocal performance was often praised, though the album's lyrics and production style drew criticism. Publications ranked the album on various year-end best albums lists of 2020.


title: Positions (album)

text: The title track was released as the lead single, which debuted atop the "Billboard" Hot 100 and marked Grande's fifth number-one single in the United States, making her the first act with five number-one debuts on the chart. The song was her third Hot 100 chart-topper in 2020, following "Stuck with U" and "Rain on Me". All 14 tracks on "Positions" charted simultaneously on the Hot 100, with the second single, "34+35", arriving at number eight on the chart and peaking at number two, following the release of its remix with Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion. In 2021, the album was promoted by a series of performances of its tracks, presented by Vevo, and the release of "POV" to US radio as the third single.


title: Positions (album)

text: With the debut of "Positions" atop the "Billboard" 200, Grande earned her fifth number one album in the United States. It spent two consecutive weeks at number one in the country, was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, and became the eighth most consumed album of 2021 in the US. Elsewhere, the album reached number-one in Argentina, Canada, Croatia, Ireland, Lithuania, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom. "Positions" contended for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards (2022); Grande tied Kelly Clarkson for the most nominations for an act in the category, with five each.


title: Positions (album)

text: On April 19, 2020, it was first reported that Ariana Grande was working on new music. She also declared in May 2020 that she had recorded a song with Doja Cat earlier that year. In the same interview, however, Grande stated that she would not release an album during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. On October 14, 2020, Grande announced on social media that her upcoming sixth studio album would be released the same month. Three days later, she posted a slow-motion video in which she types out the word "positions" on a keyboard. That same day, Grande's official website launched two countdowns counting down to October 23, 2020, and October 30, 2020. On October 23, 2020, she confirmed via her Twitter account that the album was coming on October 30 and posted the cover art. The tracklist was revealed the following day. Grande released three slightly different "Positions" album covers on her social media. Each of them are beauty shots of the singer in black and white with varied posing. The covers were shot by Dave Meyers (who also directed the title track's music video), with creative direction by Stefan Kohli.


title: Positions (album)

text: Musically, "Positions" is an R&B and pop record with trap inflections. Its tracks also contain elements of hip hop, neo soul, disco, funk, microhouse, electro house, and orchestral pop. Grande's vocals have been described as evoking mumble rap. The opening track, "Shut Up", has been described as "a jewel box of an orchestral-pop number in which the singer tells off people too concerned with how she spends her time". The second track, "34+35", has sexually suggestive lyrics. The third track, "Motive", is a collaboration with Doja Cat. Grande had declared the two worked on a track together during an interview in May 2020. The two would collaborate again on the remix of "34+35" alongside American rapper Megan Thee Stallion. "Off the Table" is a collaboration with the Weeknd, and "tackles the idea of loving after loss head-on and with grace". "Six Thirty" sees Grande "[shatter] established language norms and creates a new metaphor paradigm, comparing a person to a very specific hour of the day as represented on a clock". Vulture's Rachel Handler described "My Hair" as "a witty, clever little ditty about reassuring an uneasy lover that it is, indeed, okay to touch Ariana Grande's almost frighteningly giant ponytail. It's also a classic horny bait and switch, kicking off like a sexy, swingy, '70s-esque doo-wop about fuckin'." The eleventh track, "Love Language", is described as "disco-meets-new jack swing". PopSugar and "Idolator" respectively reported that "Off the Table" sampled "2009" by Mac Miller, while "West Side" sampled "'One in a Million' by Aaliyah". According to the liner notes, there are no officially credited samples in the album.


title: Positions (album)

text: On October 27, Grande announced that limited-edition CDs of "Positions" with two alternate cover artworks are to be released in conjunction with the album, and were made available for preorder on Grande's website.


title: Positions (album)

text: The album was released on October 30, 2020. The same day, limited quantity of "Positions" standard edition CDs, autographed by Grande, were issued DTC on the website. On February 19, 2021, a deluxe edition of "Positions" was released, featuring five additional tracks. The deluxe version was released on CD on March 26, 2021. On April 9, 2021, the vinyl of the standard edition of the album was released, including a glow-in-the-dark variant, available exclusively at Target.


title: Positions (album)

text: In July 2021, "Positions" was promoted by a series of live performances of some of its tracks, presented through Vevo.


title: Positions (album)

text: The title track, "Positions", accompanied by its music video, was released on October 23, 2020, as the album's lead single. "Positions" was a global success. It debuted atop the US "Billboard" Hot 100, becoming Grande's fifth US number-one single and extended her record of being the first artist to have five number-one debut singles on the chart. Spending 17 weeks in the top 10 of the Hot 100, it tied "Thank U, Next" as Grande's longest-running top 10 single in the United States. The track also peaked at number one on the US Mainstream Top 40 airplay chart in December 2020, becoming Grande's seventh number one single and 17th top ten single on the chart. It also remained at the pole position for seven consecutive weeks, becoming Grande's longest running number one single on the pop airplay chart, surpassing "7 Rings". In April 2021, "Positions" was certified double platinum by the RIAA, for shipments of over 2 million units in the United States.


title: Positions (album)

text: "34+35" was released on October 30, 2020, serving as the second single from the album. A commercial success, it debuted at number eight on the Hot 100, marking Grande's 18th career top ten single, tying her with Beyoncé for the eighth-most top ten entries among women. Following the release of the remix, "34+35" reached a peak of number two on the chart dated January 30, 2021, becoming Grande's 12th top five hit in the United States. The track also peaked at number one on the US Mainstream Top 40 airplay chart in February 2021, becoming Grande's eighth number one single and second number one single from "Positions". It replaced the title track which dominated the chart for seven consecutive weeks, making Grande the first artist to replace herself at number one with two solo songs. It remained at the pole position for three consecutive weeks. The track also peaked at number one on the U.S Rhythmic Top 40 airplay chart, becoming Grande's third number one single. In April 2021, "34+35" was certified double platinum by the RIAA, for moving over 2 million units in the United States. A remix of "34+35", featuring American rappers Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion, was released on January 15, 2021.


title: Positions (album)

text: "POV" was sent to American adult contemporary radio stations on April 19, 2021, as the album's third single. Following the release of the album, "POV" debuted at number 40 on the "Billboard" Hot 100, later peaking at number 27. "POV" entered the top ten of the US Mainstream Top 40 airplay chart at number ten on the issue dated May 15, 2021. It became the third consecutive top ten hit from "Positions" and Grande's 19th top ten single. The same week, Grande yielded three songs in the top ten of pop airplay chart; the title track, "34+35" and "POV", making her the first artist to post three concurrent top ten hits in the survey's history.


title: Positions (album)

text: "Positions" received generally favorable reviews from music critics, most of whom agreed that Grande "does not break any new ground" with it. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 72 based on 24 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".


title: Positions (album)

text: Louise Bruton of "The Irish Times" labeled "Positions" a "big orgy of breathless R&B songs" that solidify Grande as one of pop music's leading voices, despite the scarcity of "bangers". Mary Siroky of "Consequence of Sound" detailed the album as "showy", "wildly theatrical", filled with romance and flirtation, establishing a blend of "Dangerous Woman" (2016), "Sweetener" (2018) and "Thank U, Next" (2019), while dismissing the guest appearances as its weakest songs. "Pitchfork"s Dani Blum wrote that Grande is "both in love and scared of it" in "Positions", as she tries to heal herself in "new giddy romance"; Blum further noticed that the album does not broaden her sound "the way her past few albums have". Brenton Blanchet of "Clash" gave plaudits for its "beautifully layered" orchestrations and sweet harmonies, but felt that Grande stays inside a comfort zone, in a genre "she's all too familiar with". "Vulture"'s Craig Jenkins appreciated the "effortless" vocals, and pinpointed how the album is "risqué and unsubtle" in nature, but underlined its safe formula and presence of filler tracks. Hannah Mylrea of "NME" affirmed that "Positions" is "jaw-droppingly good fun", however, observed that the washy melodies result in indistinct songs, deficit of Grande's "trademark sparkle".


title: Positions (album)

text: Chris DeVille of "Stereogum" lauded the "impeccable" vocals, but downplayed the "least stimulating" production. He dubbed "Positions" as a solid Grande album, but deemed it a premature "disappointment" in comparison to "Sweetener" and "Thank U, Next". "The Telegraph"'s Kate Solomon described it as "sultry sexjams and thinly veiled euphemisms" with X-rated lyrics, softened by Disneyfied strings, but despite the singer shining new confidence, "Positions" "doesn't quite hit the spot". Carl Wilson of "Slate" classified the album as Grande's "most shamelessly sexed-up set" and "back-to-basics-plus album" with relaxed and familiar music, that turns "bedroom calisthenics" and "mundane" romance into "bubbly pop fodder", yet avowed that it feels trivial amidst her other projects. "The Independent" writer Adam White highlighted the album's push-and-pull dynamic, but felt the singer sticks to her comfort zone, and noted that "Positions" has "Spotify syndrome"—short songs to aid playlisting.


title: Positions (album)

text: David Smyth of "Evening Standard" praised Grande's voice as "a thing of great beauty", but remarked that she "isn't firing as hard as she was when she released her last two albums". Alexis Petridis of "The Guardian" concluded that the album proceeds at a tiring pace, causing the individual tracks blur into "one long slow-motion shot", without a climax. Naming "Positions" a misstep in Grande's career, "The Fader"s Shaad D'Souza denounced its conversational style of vocals, "low-effort" lyrics and trend-chasing production. He thought the songs lacked distinction and punch, dissolving into a "swamp of icy drum hits and aimless melisma". Calling it a product of pandemic fatigue, Alexa Camp of "Slant Magazine" wrote that "Positions" leans on "the same midtempo trap-pop" that were on Grande's previous albums, and criticized the lyricism for its "empty" pillow talk and repetitive hooks. Bobby Olivier of "Spin" found the album "sultry yet forgettable", with several "uninspired" or "unmemorable" tracks.


title: Positions (album)

text: Several publications listed "Positions" in their rankings of best albums of 2020. Additionally, some of its tracks were also named amongst best songs of 2020: "Positions", "34+35", "POV", "Just like Magic", "Nasty", "My Hair", "Motive", "Love Language", "Six Thirty", and "Off the Table".


title: Positions (album)

text: "Positions" debuted at number-one on the US "Billboard" 200 chart, with 174,000 album-equivalent units, which included 173.54 million on-demand streams and 42,000 album sales, in its first week. This became Grande's fifth US number one debut and the fourth album by a female artist to reach number one in 2020. At the time of its release, "Positions" achieved the highest one-week total for an album since bundles and concert ticket offers stopped factoring into chart and sales rankings (October 9, 2020). "Positions" marked Grande's third number-one album in under two years and three months, which was the fastest accumulation of three number one albums by a woman at that time. It became Grande's fifth chart-topper on the "Billboard" Top Album Sales chart.


title: Positions (album)

text: All 14 tracks of "Positions" charted simultaneously within the top 75 of the US "Billboard" Hot 100, issue dated November 14, 2020, becoming Grande's second consecutive album to do so, following "Thank U, Next" (12 songs). Grande's career Hot 100 count expanded to 66 entries, the fourth-most among women. In its second week, the album remained at number one on the chart, with a furthered 83,000 units and 99.5 million on-demand streams. It was her second consecutive album to spend its first two weeks at number one, following "Thank U, Next." In its third week, the album slipped to number four on the chart, moving over 75,000 units.


title: Positions (album)

text: Following the release of the deluxe version, "Positions" ascended to the second spot of the "Billboard" 200 on the chart dated March 6, 2021, moving 49,000 units in its seventeenth week. After its vinyl and cassette release, "Positions" returned to number six on the chart dated April 24, 2021, earning 54,000 units in its twenty-fourth week. The album also peaked atop the "Billboard" Vinyl Albums Chart in the week ending April 15, 2021, becoming Grande's first chart-topper there. Having sold around 32,000 vinyl LPs that week, it held the former record for the largest vinyl sales week by a female artist since MRC Data began tracking sales in 1991. On April 6, 2021, "Positions" was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for moving a million units in the US.


title: Positions (album)

text: As of the July 2021 MRC Data report, "Positions" was the tenth most consumed album of 2021 thus far, having earned 707,000 units in the year's first six months. Overall, "Positions" landed at number eight on the "Billboard" 200 year-end chart for 2021, while representing the third-biggest album amongst female artists, behind Olivia Rodrigo's "Sour" and Taylor Swift's "Evermore". Additionally, three "Positions" songs landed on the Hot 100 year-end chart of the same year, with "Positions" at number 14, "34+35" at number 21 and "POV" at number 87.


title: Positions (album)

text: In the United Kingdom, "Positions" debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, becoming her fourth number one album. For the second time, Grande achieved a chart double with the title track at number one as well. Grande achieved this in 2019, when her album "Thank U, Next" and single "Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" topped the album and singles chart simultaneously. She is the fourth artist, and first female artist, to achieve a chart double in 2020, following Drake, Eminem, and Stormzy, and the second female to achieve this feat twice since Rihanna in 2011. In April 2021, "Positions" also topped the UK's Official Vinyl Albums Chart.


title: Positions (album)

text: In Canada, "Positions" debuted at the top spot of "Billboard" Canadian Albums chart, yielding Grande her fourth Canadian number-one album and third consecutive number-one album. It remained at number one for two consecutive weeks. All 14 tracks of "Positions" charted on the Canadian Hot 100 simultaneously—Grande's third album to do so, after "Sweetener" and "Thank U, Next". The title track became Grande's fifth Canadian number-one hit and "34+35" debuted at number eight and later peaked at number five, becoming Grande's eighteenth top ten hit in the country. "Positions" was the 11th biggest album of 2021 on the Canadian Billboard Albums chart (fourth amongst female artists).


title: Positions (album)

text: In Ireland, "Positions" debuted atop the Irish Albums Chart, becoming Grande's fourth consecutive number one album in the country. It was the most downloaded and most streamed album of the week. Joining Madonna, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, Grande became the fourth female soloist to claim at least four number-one albums on the Irish Albums Chart.


title: Positions (album)

text: Aided by "Positions", Grande placed at number eight on the list of best-selling artists of the world in 2020 by International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, ranking third amongst women.


title: My Son (2021 film)

text: My Son is a 2021 mystery thriller film written and directed by Christian Carion. It is an English-language remake of his 2017 French film "", and stars James McAvoy and Claire Foy.


title: My Son (2021 film)

text: Edmond Murray is an absent father who is called to the site of his son Ethan's disappearance. He meets and briefly consoles his ex-wife Joan there, and promptly joins a search party before being interviewed by the police.


title: My Son (2021 film)

text: After being interviewed by the police, Edmond visits his ex-wife's new partner, Frank, and the two begin talking. After seeing that Frank has made plans for a new home for himself and Joan (without bedroom accommodation for Ethan), and upon hearing that Frank has given Joan a Valium tablet to help her sleep, Edmond becomes irate and confrontational, accusing Frank of being responsible for his son's disappearance. He assaults him in the kitchen, knocking him unconscious and calls Inspector Roy to have him look into Frank.


title: My Son (2021 film)

text: Edmond is arrested but no charges are filed, as Frank is apparently forgiving of Edmond due to his emotional stress at the moment. Edmond is later met by Inspector Roy, who hides Edmond's phone in a microwave oven (so as not to be heard), and informs him that he has been taken off the case without any explanation.


title: My Son (2021 film)

text: Edmond looks through Frank's phone, which he took after knocking him out, and finds videos of Ethan leading up to the disappearance. During this, he realises there is a car present in both videos, two weeks apart, hidden barely out of sight. Relying on Joan's brother who works in the insurance industry, Edmond obtains the vehicle owner's address, a William O'Connor who lives at an isolated farm.


title: My Son (2021 film)

text: After arriving at the location, Edmond hears a vehicle approach. Hiding, he grabs a crowbar and eventually knocks out O'Connor, and ties him up to a post in the shed. After an aggressive interrogation involving a blowtorch, O'Connor reveals that he is responsible for sending pictures of children outside of schools to a kidnapping ring operated for paedophiles, who then "choose" which children will be kidnapped. After being told of his son's location, at a hilltop lodge, Edmond drives to near the lodge, continuing on foot to hide his approach.


title: My Son (2021 film)

text: Joan arrives at the O'Connor farm, and finds another kidnapped girl unconscious in the back of his vehicle; Edmond had not thought to look. She takes the child to the hospital, then leaves when Edmond sends a text telling her where the lodge is, asking her to contact Inspector Roy. She calls Roy as she heads to the lodge herself.


title: My Son (2021 film)

text: When Edmond reaches the lodge, he sees that three members of the kidnap ring are present. He incapacitates their vehicle, which proves fortuitous, as they were preparing to take an unconscious Ethan away. Edmond knocks out Steven, the kidnapper who was repairing the vehicle. After a game of cat and mouse with kidnappers Alan and Fergus, during which Alan mistakenly shoots Fergus dead, Edmond finds Ethan. By then, Joan has arrived, and the three make a narrow escape. During the escape, Edmond is shot and veers off the road when he loses consciousness. As a vehicle approaches, Joan and Ethan exit, hiding behind a tree before being found by Roy, who takes them to safety.