title: Chefchaouen

text: Chefchaouen (, ), also known as Chaouen (), is a city in northwest Morocco. It is the chief town of the province of the same name and is noted for its buildings in shades of blue. Chefchaouen is situated just inland from Tangier and Tétouan.


title: Chefchaouen

text: It was founded as a military outpost shortly before the Spanish Reconquista of Granada, and its population grew quickly with Muslim and Jewish immigrants fleeing from Spain. The economy is based on a traditional agro-pastoral system with olive and fig plantations; numerous water mills for grinding grain and olives; a handicrafts sector focusing on leather, iron, textiles, and carpentry; and summer-dominated tourism.


title: Chefchaouen

text: The name "Chefchaouen" is of Tarifit or Tamazigh origin, derived from the word "isakon" or "echaouen" which means 'the horns', and the word "chef" which means 'look at'. Chefchaouen thus means 'look at the horns', reflecting the two mountain peaks overlooking the area. Nowadays, Chefchaouen is known as "the Blue Pearl" of Morocco, known for its traditional houses painted in blue and white.


title: Chefchaouen

text: The city was founded in 1471 as a small kasbah by Ali ibn Rashid al-Alami, a descendant of Abd al-Salam ibn Mashish al-Alami and Idris I. Al-Alami built the kasbah to defend against Portuguese invasions of northern Morocco. Along with the Ghomaras of the region, many Moriscos and Spanish and Portuguese Jews settled here during and after the Reconquista of Spain.


title: Chefchaouen

text: Ali Ben Rashid was born in Gherzoim, a nearby village, (844 AH). He went to Emirate of Granada in 1460 and achieved outstanding services in battle against the Crusaders. He settled in Chefchaouen and, due to his experience as a warrior, was chosen as successor to his cousin ibn Abi Jum'ah and leader of the Mujahideen in the northwest of Morocco. He fought alongside the Amir of Tétouan, Ali al-Mandri, who married his daughter, the "Mujahida" Aisha al-Hurra. The latter, known by her title, Sayyida al-Hurra, reigned Chefchaouen through a rapid period of growth and development.


title: Chefchaouen

text: Chefchaouen was home to Andalusian families between 1492 and 1609, when the last Moriscos were expelled from Andalusia by King Felipe III. These Andalusian families built their own residential quarters surrounded by walls, in the Andalusian architectural style, very similar to the Arab quarters of Granada.


title: Chefchaouen

text: Pressures of the Reconquista and the fall of Granada led many of its people to immigrate to Morocco, which continued for more than three centuries. Some of them chose the large cities of Fes, Marrakesh, Tlemcen, Tunis, and Kairouan, while others settled in the jihadist fortress of Chefchaouen, which was in a fierce war against Portuguese armies. They established their quarters on the rugged slopes of the Chefchaouen Mountains. In a few decades, the fortress of Chefchaouen turned into a prosperous new city, in which the Andalusi-Granadan culture merged with the culture of Ghomara. The urban expansion included military fortifications such as walls and about ten gates and the construction of several mosques including the Grand Mosque. The Andalusian community that settled in the city also included several well-known poets and philosophers.


title: Chefchaouen

text: In October 1920, General Dámaso Berenguer occupied the city for the Spanish protectorate in Morocco. Following the Spanish , Chaouen was part of the Republic of the Rif led by Abd el-Krim from 1924 to 1926. In September 1925, in the middle of the Rif War, a rogue squadron of American volunteer pilots, the Lafayette Escadrille, bombarded civilians in Chaouen. Colonel Charles Sweeny had proposed the idea to French Prime Minister Paul Painlevé, who "warmly welcomed the Colonel's request."


title: Chefchaouen

text: After el-Krim was defeated with the help of the French, he was deported to Réunion. The Spanish Army retook the city in 1926.


title: Chefchaouen

text: The city of Chefchaouen is located at about above sea level in the foothills of the Kaʻala mountain in the western part of the Rif mountain range, in northwestern Morocco. The province of Chefchaouen is among the largest in Morocco, with an area of . It is bordered by five provinces – Tétouan Province to the northwest, Larache Province to the west, Al Hoceïma Province to the east, Taounate Province to the south, Ouezzane Province to the southwest – and the Mediterranean Sea to the northeast. The Province of Chefchaouen belongs to the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region and consists of one urban commune (the municipality of Chefchaouen) and 27 rural communes, giving the province a rural character.


title: Chefchaouen

text: The province of Chefchaouen has a Mediterranean climate characterized by rainy and cool winters from October to April, and dry and hot summers from May to September. The average annual rainfall is around , variable with altitude and proximity to the coast. (Rainfall could reach 1,400–2,000 mm per year, with snowfall over the mountain peaks.) Likewise, the temperature remains influenced by the Mediterranean Sea, altitude, and winds, with the mean annual temperature around .


title: Chefchaouen

text: The Chefchaouen Mountains are composed of very rugged siliceous and limestone layers, with some peaks exceeding above sea level, such as Jbel Lakraa and Jbel Tissouka in the rural commune of Bab Taza, as well as Jbel Tizirane in the rural commune of Bab Berred. In addition to its mountainous aspect, the province also has important sites on the Moroccan Mediterranean coast, such as El Jebha, Kaa-Asras, Chmaala, and Steha.


title: Chefchaouen

text: Chefchaouen and its surroundings were historically and geographically known as the Jbala region or country (i.e. mountain inhabitants) where many Jbala tribes once lived. The Jbala region was officially described at the beginning of the 20th century as a geographical territory corresponding to the foothills of the southwestern Rif, between the massifs of the central Rif and the pre-Rif domain.


title: Chefchaouen

text: Natural forests cover around and are dominated by broad-leaved trees. Forest formations are distributed according to local variations of climate and soil due to altitude, lithology, and human activity. There are sclerophyllous oaks such as cork oak ("Quercus suber"), holm oak ("Quercus rotundifolia"), and kermes oak ("Quercus coccifera"), deciduous oaks such as Tauzin oak ("Quercus pyrenaica") and zeen oak ("Quercus canariensis" and "Quercus faginea"), and natural coniferous forests such as Maghreb maritime pine ("Pinus pinaster" var. "maghrebiana"), Moroccan fir ("Abies maroccana") and Atlas cedar ("Cedrus atlantica").


title: Chefchaouen

text: The province of Chefchaouen is considered one of the richest regions in terms of biological diversity. It is designated as a Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot (i.e. a zone with an exceptional concentration of endemic and threatened species) and suffers from accelerated forest degradation due to anthropogenic pressures exacerbated by the impact of climate change. Two protected areas have been created in the province:


title: Chefchaouen

text: In 2006, these two parks were included in the Mediterranean Intercontinental Biosphere Reserve of Spain and Morocco, established in the context of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAN) program. Reforestation programs have been carried out since 1966, and by 2016 had generated .


title: Chefchaouen

text: High rainfall at altitude provides a potential for hydrological development. Several seasonal rivers flow into the Mediterranean or feed the Loukos or Ouargha rivers.


title: Chefchaouen

text: According to the last census of the Moroccan population (2014), the municipality of Chefchaouen has a population of 42,786. Chefchaouen Province has more than 457,432 inhabitants representing 1.3% of Moroccan total population. The provincial population is 87.45% rural.


title: Chefchaouen

text: Chefchaouen has maintained strong relations with the inhabitants of the Jbala Region such as Akhmas, Ghomara, Ghazaoua, and Sanhaja tribes, particularly in terms of trade. The federations of these tribes were sometimes a source of strength, and sometimes a weakness due to their frequent struggles to take possession of assets such as water sources, grazing areas, and fertile land.


title: Chefchaouen

text: The traditional houses of Chefchaouen were made of stone, brick, tile, wood, soil, and lime. Each house had an open yard in the center surrounded by corridors and bedrooms. The yards are often decorated with fruit trees such as oranges, lemons, berries, and grapes, as well as some perfumed shrubs including night-blooming jessamine ("Cestrum nocturnum") and jasmine ("Jasminum officinale"). From a physiognomy perspective, the city is influenced by Andalusian architecture, such as the curved brick archways that strengthen the houses and decorate the narrow blue alleyways, the traditional water network, and the landscaping and care of plants inside houses and mosques. From a cultural perspective, many Chefchaouen families have conserved the art of Andalusian music, which has become the main ritual of Chefchaouen religious festivals and social ceremonies.


title: Chefchaouen

text: The rural landscape was characterized by a distribution of space according to intra- and intertribal relations. At the level of each "dshar" (low-density rural settlements), the houses are built around a mosque or a marabou and occupy the center of the concentric spatial structure of traditional agro-sylvo-pastoral systems. This spatial distribution of "dshars" is tightly associated with arable land and availability of water resources, with shifting cultivation limited to a diffuse strip of matorral shrubland and pasture that mark the transition to forests. However, this traditional agro-salvo-pastoral system has been deeply affected by multiple processes of modern socio-cultural and economic transformation.


title: Chefchaouen

text: Chefchaouen's residents commit to religious and social rituals. The devout perform prayer together in the mosque or the "zaouia" (i.e. agglomeration of marabous). They also like to visit their families and friends on religious and social occasions. Some of the major religious and social occasions include:


title: Chefchaouen

text: Despite the diversity of these ceremonies, observances of similar characters are present in almost all of Morocco.


title: Chefchaouen

text: Despite the significant rainfall, agricultural activity is limited due to the rugged and steep topography, the scarcity of arable land, the low mechanization level, and the lack of irrigation infrastructure. These factors have contributed to the emergence of traditional agriculture largely dependent on climatic hazards. Forests have been harvested for wood and pulp products and to clear land for agriculture. Villagers from rural areas form an important workforce in the agricultural field.


title: Chefchaouen

text: The province is dominated by cereal agriculture, goat herding in the mountains, and arboriculture of fig and almond trees. The countryside has a reputation as a prolific source of kief. The Chefchaouen region is one of the main producers of cannabis in Morocco.


title: Chefchaouen

text: This traditional agro-pastoral system – of olive and fig plantations, cereal fields, and limited grazing pastures – has been carried out for centuries. Local products are also diversified, such as fresh goat cheese and other animal products, medicinal and aromatic plants, and products based on wild olives, figs, wool, etc. These various agricultural models have contributed to a richness of food diversity and, in 2010, UNESCO recognized Chefchaouen for its Mediterranean diet.


title: Chefchaouen

text: In 2020, Chefchaouen was included as a learning city in the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC). This network encourages policy discussion and mutual learning between its members, to forge collaborations and develop abilities and designs tools to support and identify progress.


title: Chefchaouen

text: The industrial sector remains very weak despite the province's potential with its availability of human and natural resources. The commercial sector is one of the main economic supports of Chefchaouen, bolstered by tourism activity and remittances from workers abroad. It is mainly focused on urban centers and the main rural communes and is based on the sale of traditional food products, construction materials, clothing, and household items. Commercial transactions become dynamic during summer, with the influx of tourists and the return of foreign workers to the province.


title: Chefchaouen

text: During the holidays, the city sees a considerable influx of Moroccan and foreign tourists, attracted by its natural landscapes and historical monuments. Tourism is largely seasonal, with 200 hotels in the province catering to an influx of European tourists in the summer. The city history is seen in the brightly painted medina (old town) with its blue-white facades, the narrow streets of the Bab Souk district, and the interior gardens of the Kasbah and its ramparts and towers, while the city is surrounded by diversified landscapes including mountains, forests, and beaches. A nearby attraction is the Kef Toghobeit Cave, one of the deepest caves in Africa. Chefchaouen also draws tourists from its reputation as a center of the marijuana plantation region in north Morocco.


title: Chefchaouen

text: In terms of accommodation, Chefchaouen encompasses in 2016, 68 hotels, including 17 classified hotels, with a capacity of 1,796 beds, including 720 beds for classified hotels. Moroccans represent 49% of tourists, followed by Russians at 10.9%, Japanese at 9.2%, and Spanish at 7.8%.


title: Chefchaouen

text: The handicraft sector or traditional industry (e.g., sewing, cupping, blacksmithing, carpentry, needlework, and tanning) is the most common economic activity practiced by Chefchaouen's population and thus plays key a socio-economic role in this province. It is closely related to the tourism sector and includes a multitude of artisans (38 cooperatives and 688 artisan adherents in 2016) largely occupied in leather, textile, ironwork, and traditional carpentry. Wood products represent the best-selling artisanal product in the province, with 57.6% of products sold.


title: Chefchaouen

text: Villagers from neighboring regions of Chafchaouen practice crafts and various trades such as knitting, tanning, construction, and weaving.


title: Chefchaouen

text: Chefchaouen's blue walls are a popular subject of interest. There are several theories as to why the walls were painted blue. One popular theory is that the blue keeps mosquitos away. The blue is said to symbolize the sky and heaven and serve as a reminder to lead a spiritual life. However, according to some locals, the walls were mandated to be painted blue in the 1970s to attract tourists.


title: Chefchaouen

text: The medina is one of the most important historical neighborhoods, where blue and white paint dominates the walls and houses, and the streets are so narrow that cars cannot pass, which provides a peaceful and calm atmosphere.


title: Chefchaouen

text: The kasbah is one of the first buildings constructed in the city in the Andalusian style. It includes the emir's residence, a small mosque for the emir, a prison, a garden, a horse stable, sheds for the animals, and dozens of towers. The kasbah played a major role as a house of "Makhzen" (i.e. authoritarian forces) until its occupation by the Spanish in 1920. The kasbah was built from strong and sustainable local raw materials such as limestone, with successive layers of hard rammed earth. Fired red bricks were used to build the sides of the doors and arches. Local cedar, fir, juniper, and other woods were used to form the roofs, clad in red tiles. The Kasbah overlooks the Outae Hammam yard.


title: Chefchaouen

text: The biggest courtyard of the old Medina is Outae Hammam at more than . Its name is derived from "outae" which means "low ground or yard" and "hammam" due to the presence of the first "hammam" (traditional public bath) in the center of the town. Its design is similar to the Andalusian public yards of Granada or Cordoba. While historically a crossroad, its function changed to a tourist center surrounded by cafes and restaurants.


title: Chefchaouen

text: Souiqah quarter is the second-oldest residential agglomeration in the city and includes the houses of old Andalusian families and a large number of shops and stalls that sell local products.


title: Chefchaouen

text: The traditional souk (bazaar, marketplace) has small shops and stalls selling traditional handiwork such as colorful porcelain utensils, textiles and clothing, leatherware, and various souvenirs. The weekly market was a place for strengthening social ties between the townspeople and their rural environment.


title: Chefchaouen

text: Al-Kharazin district was settled by many villagers from neighboring tribes, giving it a rural character.


title: Chefchaouen

text: The Grand Mosque of Chefchaouen is the city's oldest and historically most important mosque, located at Place Outae Hammam at the heart of the medina, close to the kasbah. The Spanish Mosque is a disused mosque overlooking the town from a hill to the east. It was built by the Spanish in the 1920s and is now a popular lookout point. The Mausoleum of Abdessalam Ben Mshish al-Alami is dedicated to the patron saint of northern Morocco's Jebalah region, Moulay Abdessalam Ben Mshish al-Alami. His tomb and the village surrounding it is roughly northwest of Chefchaouen on the old road to Larache.


title: Chefchaouen

text: Ras Al-Maa (mountainous spring of water) is the main water resource for the population. From the Ras Al-Maa, rivulets branch out and provision mosques, houses, "zaouias", "hammams", fountains, hotels, farms, and gardens. A large number of water mills for grinding grain and olives are distributed near these rivulets. Women traditionally gather along the banks of the river to socialize as they wash clothes and blankets. The river is frequently visited by tourists.


title: Chefchaouen

text: The Chefchaouen Mountains belong to the Rif mountain range and are the destination of guided excursions. They are characterized by a rich flora, especially the forests of cork oak, green oak, endemic Moroccan fir, and Atlas cedar.


title: David Burke (British actor)

text: David Burke (born 25 May 1934) is an English actor, known for playing Dr. John Watson in the initial series of Granada Television's 1980s "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes", which starred Jeremy Brett in the title role. He also starred as Joseph Stalin in the last two episodes of "Reilly, Ace of Spies".


title: David Burke (British actor)

text: Burke played Dr. Watson in "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" for the initial series and then left the programme after receiving an invitation to join the Royal Shakespeare Company along with his wife, Anna. They both considered the joint work to be the best idea for their young son, Tom, who was around 3 years old at the time. He was thought by many to portray Dr. Watson with an excellent style. He was replaced by Edward Hardwicke, whom he had recommended as his successor. Burke had earlier experience with Holmes having played the villain in an adaptation of "The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet" for the 1965 BBC series starring Douglas Wilmer and Nigel Stock.


title: David Burke (British actor)

text: Other notable TV appearances include his turn as Joseph Stalin in the British serial "Reilly, Ace of Spies" and the John Wyndham science fiction story "Random Quest". He also played William Morris in the 1975 series "The Love School". Burke frequently portrays Johannes Coenradus Klene in the Dutch commercials for Klene liquorice. He appeared with his son, Tom Burke, in the 2006 BBC adaptation of the M.R. James ghost story, "Number 13".


title: David Burke (British actor)

text: Burke is married to Anna Calder-Marshall. Their son Tom Burke is also an actor. Burke is an Everton supporter.


title: Remko Pasveer

text: Remko Jurian Pasveer (born 8 November 1983) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Eredivisie club Ajax and the Netherlands national team.


title: Remko Pasveer

text: Pasveer started playing football at local SC Enschede. He then moved to FC Twente, where he was reserve goalkeeper from 2003 to 2006, behind Cees Paauwe and Sander Boschker.


title: Remko Pasveer

text: In the summer of 2006 he left for Heracles Almelo, where he initially again had a role as backup goalkeeper, now behind Martin Pieckenhagen. In the 2008–09 and 2009–10 seasons, Pasveer was sent on loan to Go Ahead Eagles, who at the time played in the second-tier Eerste Divisie. After a difficult start, he grew into a fan favourite in Deventer. For the 2010–11 season, Pasveer returned to Heracles, this time to in the role as starting goalkeeper. He remained as starter for four years, after which he decided not to sign a contract extension.


title: Remko Pasveer

text: In the summer of 2014, Pasveer signed a three-year contract with PSV, where he had to compete with first goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet. He made his official debut for the Eindhoven-based club on 21 August 2014, during the first of two legs against Belarusian club Shakhtyor Soligorsk in the final qualifying round for the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League. Pasveer played the entire match, which his club won 1–0 at home. He played several more times that season in both KNVB Cup and Europa League matches. A week after PSV secured the Eredivisie title, Pasveer also made his league debut for the club in matchday 32 against Excelsior. PSV triggered an option in his contract in May 2015 and thus committed him to the club until mid-2018. Pasveer won the national title with PSV for the second time in a row on 8 May 2016. The club started the last matchday of the season with as many points as rivals Ajax, but with a goal difference of –6. PSV then won 1–3 at PEC Zwolle that day, while Ajax drew 1–1 at De Graafschap. He did not make a league appearance that season, but only played in the cup tournament. Pasveer made his UEFA Champions League debut on 1 November 2016. Due to an injury from Zoet, he a made a start in the 1–2 lost group match at home against Bayern Munich. Pasveer made three league appearances during the 2016–17 season. Zoet, who was the starter that season, only conceded 23 goals in 31 appearances. With that, PSV had the statistically best defense in the Eredivisie that year, alongside the Ajax defense. The Eindhoven team finished third that season.


title: Remko Pasveer

text: Pasveer signed with Vitesse in July 2017. He made his debut on 5 August 2017 during the lost game for the Johan Cruyff Shield against Feyenoord. His first year under head coach Leonid Slutsky was difficult, but eventually he grew into a starter and team captain. In the 2019–20 season, he was voted "Player of the Year" by Vitesse fans.


title: Remko Pasveer

text: On 23 April 2021, it was announced that Pasveer had signed a two-year contract with Ajax, joining the club on a free transfer from 1 July. He made his debut for the club on 7 August in a 4–0 loss to PSV in the Johan Cruyff Shield. Due to suspensions and injuries for goalkeepers André Onana and Maarten Stekelenburg, Pasveer stayed on as the starter in goal. On 19 October 2021 Pasveer earned a record as the first goalkeeper to stop three direct shots on goal from Norwegian striker Erling Haaland in a UEFA Champions League match. Pasveer went on to keep a clean sheet against Borussia Dortmund as the match ended a 4–0 win for Ajax. Four days later, Pasveer kept a clean-sheet once more, in a regular season match, as Ajax defeated his former club, and rivals PSV Eindhoven 5–0 at home. He conceded only 2 goals in the domestic league prior to matchday 12, played on 7 November 2021. This proved to be a record, as no goalkeeper in the Eredivisie had conceded so few goals during the first 12 games before. This yielded an impressive average of 1 goal against every 4 matches, both at national and international level.


title: Remko Pasveer

text: Pasveer was part of the Netherlands squad that won the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Portugal.


title: Remko Pasveer

text: On 22 September 2022, Pasveer made his debut for the Netherlands as a starter against Poland in a 2022–23 UEFA Nations League match. At age 38, he was the second oldest player to ever debut for the Dutch national team, after Sander Boschker in 2010 (aged 39).


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: The 7th Panzer Division was an armored formation of the German Army in World War II. It participated in the Battle of France, the invasion of the Soviet Union, the occupation of Vichy France, and on the Eastern Front until the end of the war. The 7th Panzer Division is also known by its nickname, Ghost Division.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: The division met with great success in France in 1940 and then again in the Soviet Union in 1941. In May 1942, the division was withdrawn from the Soviet Union and sent back to France to replace losses and refit. It returned to Southern Russia following the defeat at Stalingrad, and helped to check a general collapse of the front in a series of defensive battles as part of Army Group Don, and participated in General Erich von Manstein's counterattack at Kharkov. The division fought in the unsuccessful offensive at Kursk in the summer of 1943, suffering heavy losses in men and equipment and was further degraded in the subsequent Soviet counteroffensive.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: Through 1944 and 1945, the division was markedly understrength and continuously engaged in a series of defensive battles across the eastern front. It was twice evacuated by sea, leaving what was left of its heavy equipment behind each time. After fighting defensively across Prussia and Northern Germany, the surviving men escaped into the forest and surrendered to the British Army northwest of Berlin in May 1945.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: Following the completion of the invasion of Poland, the limited effectiveness of the light divisions caused the "Oberkommando des Heeres" (OKH; German High Command) to order the reorganization of the four light divisions into full panzer divisions. In October 1939, the 2nd Light Division became the 7th Panzer Division, one of Germany's ten armoured divisions. It consisted of 218 tanks in three battalions, with two rifle regiments, a motorcycle battalion, an engineer battalion, and an anti-tank battalion.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: Newly promoted General Erwin Rommel, who had served on Hitler's staff during the Invasion of Poland, was able to, with an intervention from Hitler, obtain the command of the division. Upon taking command on 10 February 1940, Rommel quickly set his unit to practicing the maneuvers they would need in the upcoming campaign.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: The invasion began on 10 May 1940. By the third day, the 7th Panzer Division under Rommel's command, along with three panzer divisions commanded by General Heinz Guderian, had reached the River Meuse, where they found the bridges had already been destroyed. Rommel was active in the forward areas, directing the efforts to make a crossing, which were initially unsuccessful due to suppressive fire by the French on the other side of the river. By 16 May, the division had reached its assigned objective at Avesnes, where the original plan called for him to stop and await further orders, but Rommel pressed on.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: On 20 May, the division reached Arras. General Hermann Hoth received orders that the town should be bypassed and its British garrison thus isolated. He ordered the 5th Panzer Division to move to the west and the division to the east, flanked by the SS Division Totenkopf. The following day the British launched a counterattack, deploying two infantry battalions supported by heavily armoured Matilda Mk I and Matilda II tanks in the Battle of Arras. The German 37 mm anti-tank gun proved ineffective against the heavily armoured Matildas. The 25th Panzer Regiment and a battery of 88 mm anti-aircraft guns were called in to support, and the British withdrew.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: On 24 May, Hitler issued a halt order. The reason for this decision is still a matter of debate. He may have overestimated the size of the British forces in the area, or he may have wished to reserve the bulk of the armour for the drive on Paris. The halt order was lifted on 26 May. 7th Panzer continued its advance, reaching Lille on 27 May. For the assault, Hoth placed the 5th Panzer Division under Rommel's command. The Siege of Lille continued until 31 May, when the French garrison of 40,000 men surrendered. The evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk concluded on 4 June; over 338,000 Allied troops had been evacuated across the Channel, though they had to leave behind all their heavy equipment and vehicles.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: The division, resuming its advance on 5 June, drove for the River Seine to secure the bridges near Rouen. Advancing in two days, the division reached Rouen to find the bridges destroyed. From here they moved north, blocking the westward route to Le Havre and the Operation Cycle evacuations and forcing over 10,000 men of the 51st (Highland) Division, French 9th Army Corps and other supporting troops to surrender at Saint-Valery-en-Caux on 12 June. On 17 June, the division was ordered to advance on Cherbourg Naval Base, where additional British evacuations were underway as part of Operation Aerial. The division advanced in 24 hours, and after two days of shelling, the French garrison surrendered on 19 June. The speed and surprise it was consistently able to achieve, to the point where both the enemy and the OKH at times lost track of its whereabouts, earned the division the nickname "Gespensterdivision" ("Ghost Division").


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: After the armistice with the French was signed on 22 June, the division was placed in reserve, being sent first to the Somme and then to Bordeaux to re-equip and prepare for "Unternehmen Seelöwe" (Operation Sea Lion), the planned invasion of Britain. This invasion was later cancelled as Germany was not able to acquire the air superiority deemed a necessity for a successful outcome. In February, the division was placed in reserve and returned to Germany, with General Hans von Funck assuming command. The unit was stationed near Bonn while preparations were being made for an invasion of the Soviet Union. For reasons of deception and security, it remained in Bonn up until 8 June 1941, when the division was loaded onto 64 trains and transported by rail to the eastern frontier. The division assembled in East Prussia southeast of Lötzen in preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: Operation Barbarossa began at 03:05 on 22 June 1941. Resistance at the border was weaker than expected and brushed aside, the tanks of the division raced forward, covering the 60 km to reach the Neman River at Olita (Alytus) by midday. The Soviet 5th Tank Division stationed on the east bank of river at Alytus was completely taken by surprise, and the Germans were able to capture two bridges and establish bridgeheads across the river. Shortly thereafter, the Soviets initiated a series of fierce counter-attacks, bringing the German advance to an abrupt halt.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: The 5th Tank Division was well equipped with 300 tanks, of which 55 were of the new T-34 and KV-1 types. Firing from hull down positions on the reverse slopes of hillsides, they caused the panzer forces their first combat losses. Reinforced in the afternoon by tanks from 20th Panzer Division's 21st panzer regiment, von Funck could fend off probing attacks from the Red Army tanks and pressure the east bank, but decided to delay further advance until his supplies caught up with him.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: Having lost 80 of its tanks in its probing attacks against the bridgeheads, the 5th Tank Division withdrew in the night to the north-east. The path now clear, the division advanced another 100 km to the outskirts of Vilnius. Its motorcycle battalion captured the city the following day. Consolidating its position in and around Vilnius, the division then handed responsibility for the city over to the 20th Motorized Division and resumed its advance east. Unlike previous campaigns, when the Red Army positions were outflanked and cut off, the Soviet defenders frequently continued to fight rather than surrender, even though their situation was hopeless. The stubbornness of the Soviet defenders cost more time and casualties, frustrating the German command. Though creating pockets of resistance, the Soviet command was unable to mount a linear defense, and the vital road and rail communications north east of Minsk were cut on 26 June, only four days into Operation Barbarossa. The following day, the division linked up with 18th Panzer Division from Panzer Group 2, trapping the bulk of three Soviet Armies, the 3rd, 10th and 13th, in a vast pocket west of Minsk.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: In a three-day dash, the division reached the town of Yartsevo, outflanking Soviet positions around Smolensk and threatening the Soviet 20th Army with encirclement. Meanwhile, the 29th Motorized Division had captured the city of Smolensk from the south, but with substantial elements tied down at Yelnya, 2nd Panzer Group lacked the strength to link up again with 7th Panzer positions. The gap between the two groups remained open, and the Soviet command was able to move forces both ways through the corridor. On 26 July, together with 20th Motorized Division, the division lunged southwards another 20 kilometers, but still could not entirely close the encirclement. In another week, however, pressure from all sides had squeezed the pocket out of existence and the division was finally relieved by infantry units, and taken out of line for refitting and rest.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: The division started the campaign with 400 officers and 14,000 men. By January 1942, six months from the start of the offensive, the division had suffered 2,055 killed, 5,737 wounded, with 313 missing and another 1,089 sick with frostbite and louse-borne diseases. Total casualties were 9,203. In late winter, the division took up positions along a defensive line running Yukhnov-Gzhatsk-Zubtsov. On 15 March, it took part in fighting against a series of Soviet offensives as part of the Battles of Rzhev. By 4 April, the division was moved to Vyazma. By May 1942, the division was at a strength of 8,589 men and officers, most of whom had not been with the unit at the start of the campaign. As a result, the division was withdrawn to rest and refit in southern France.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: In mid-May, the division was transported by rail to southern France, where it was assigned to coastal protection duties with the 1st Army under the command of von Funck. Even though the division was to be ready for 1 September, the II/Panzer Regiment 25 was temporarily equipped with French tanks. However, new equipment was issued, including 35 Pz III(J)s, 14 Pz III(N)s and 30 Pz IV(G)s, and the division's two Rifle Regiments were re-designated Panzer-grenadier regiments.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: Hitler had been concerned about the possibility of an Allied invasion of the continent. Following the 8 November Allied landings in West and North Africa, his anxiety rose greatly. On 11 November, the division, as part of Case Anton, was sent to previously Vichy France, to reach the Mediterranean coast between Perpignan and Narbonne. Assembling in a staging area around Aix-en-Provence, the division prepared for Operation Lila, the seizure of the Vichy French fleet at the naval port of Toulon, to prevent them falling into Allied hands. For the mission, the division was augmented with units from other divisions, including two armoured groups and a motorcycle battalion from the SS Division Das Reich and a marine detachment called "Gumprich" after its commander. Marine Detachment "Gumprich" was assigned the mission of seizing the French ships before they could sail or be scuttled. The combat groups entered Toulon at 04:00 on 27 November 1942 and captured the main arsenal and the coastal defences. However, they were unable to prevent the scuttling of the French fleet in Toulon, and the operation ended in failure.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: Afterwards, the division was stationed in a region between Marseille and Avignon. It remained there until January 1943, when the deterioration of the German front in southern Soviet Union necessitated its return to the Eastern Front.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: On transfer to Army Group South, the division fought to stem the Soviet effort to cut off the 1st Panzer Army in the Caucasus. The division checked the Soviet advance on Rostov, maintaining an avenue of escape for the 1st Panzer Army. It continued in actions along the Don and Donetz river lines, and in the Third Battle of Kharkov. In the summer of 1943, the division took part in the offensive at Kursk, serving as part of the armoured formations of Army Detachment Kempf as they attempted to screen the eastern flank of the southern German pincer. The division suffered heavy casualties in this battle, and by the end of the battle the division was down to 15 tanks and had an infantry combat strength equivalent to three battalions.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: Following the end of the German offensive at Kursk, the division was transferred to the XLVIII Panzer Corps. On 20 August 1943, Generalmajor Hasso von Manteuffel took command of the division. The Soviet Steppe Front launched a massive attack on 3 August 1943 spearheaded by the 1st Tank Army and the 5th Guards Tank Army.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: The German front west of Belgorod was pierced and forced back. The division, attached to the 4th Panzer Army, gradually gave way battling against the Soviet 40th Army. The division was relieved at the front, enabling it to form a shock group with the Großdeutschland division, which would drive into the Soviet flank and join with reinforcements arriving in the Kharkov region, and blunt the Soviet advance. The counterstroke was led by Großdeutschland, with the division, operating with its 23 remaining operational tanks, covering the left flank. By nightfall, the attackers had driven 24 kilometers into the Red Army flank and isolated the forward elements of the Soviet offensive. Success was short lived, however, as further Soviet reinforcements advancing behind the lead elements confronted the German counterattack and reduced the combat effectiveness of the Wehrmacht formations. With this Army Group South withdrew to the line of the Dnieper.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: Personnel losses in August for the division were even higher than in July. The replacement battalion was disbanded as all capable leaders were needed at the front. Losses in heavy infantry weapons and motor vehicles reduced the division's combat value. Remaining operational tanks were amalgamated into a single company. The battered division withdrew to the Dnieper position, crossing the river at Kremenchug.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: The division then fought in the defensive Battle of Kiev and the German counterattack at Zhitomir. During these battles, the division was twice cited for distinguished conduct. After this, the division fought in a series of heavy defensive battles during the long retreat across the Ukraine.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: In July 1944, the division was transferred north to the Baltic States and the northern area of Army Group Center in response to the Soviet Baltic Offensive. The division participated in defensive fighting in Lithuania. Late in the summer the 1st Baltic Front attempted to reach the Baltic Sea through the Third Panzer Army. On 21 September, the division moved more than 100 km north to an area east of Memel where there was heavy fighting. The German forces were forced to fall back during the follow-up Memel Offensive, to a defensive perimeter around the coastal town of Memel. With the Memel bridgehead isolated, the division was relieved by an infantry division and was loaded onto ships and transported by sea out of the pocket, leaving its heavy equipment behind with the German forces still holding. On 7 November 1944, the remainder of the division was gathered at the Aryes training area in East Prussia and the division was partially reorganized. Here it formed a reserve for the 2nd Army of Army Group Center.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: In January 1945, the Soviet 2nd Belorussian Front mounted a massive attack and broke through the defenses of the 2nd Army, which was forced back north and west. The Kampfgruppe of the division fought a rearguard action through north Poland at Elbląg and to the east of Grudziądz. The division crossed the Vistula and then continued in defensive battles for and around Chojnice. In mid-February 1945, the division was pushed back into northern Pomerania. In March 1945 the division was fighting a delaying action at Gdynia, north and west of Danzig. On 19 April 1945, the surviving men were again taken off by sea, evacuating from the Hel Peninsula. Only a small remnant of the division came back from the Hel Peninsula. This remnant assembled at the Baltic Sea island of Usedom in western Pomerania and retreated west through Prussia until finally surrendering to the British Army at Schwerin north and west of Berlin in May 1945.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: Historian Raffael Scheck says, "Although there is no evidence incriminating Rommel himself, his unit did fight in areas where German massacres of black French prisoners of war were extremely common in June 1940."


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: According to some authors, during the fighting in France, the division, alongside troops from 5th Panzer Division, committed numerous atrocities against French troops, including the murder of 50 surrendering officers and men at Quesnoy and the nearby Airaines. After the war a memorial was erected to the commanding French officer Charles N'Tchoréré, who was allegedly executed by soldiers under Rommel's command. The division is considered by to have been "likely" responsible for the execution of POWs in Hangest-sur-Somme, while Scheck believes they were too far away to have been involved in the massacres at Airaines and nearby villages. French historian states the number of victims of the division in Airaines at 109, mostly French-African soldiers from Senegal. Historian Daniel Butler agrees that it was possible the massacre at Le Quesnoy happened given the existence of Nazis like Karl Hanke in the division, while stating that in comparison with other German units, few sources regarding such actions of the men of the division exist (Butler believes that "it's almost impossible to imagine" Rommel authorizing or countenancing such actions, in either case). Showalter claims that there was no massacre at Le Quesnoy. Claus Telp comments that Airaines was not in the sector of the division, however, at Hangest and Martainville, elements of the division might have shot some prisoners and used British Colonel Broomhall as a human shield. Telp is of the opinion that it was unlikely Rommel approved or even knew about these two incidents.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: The organisation structure of the "7th Panzer Division" of the German Heer (May 10, 1940), in preparation to the Battle of France was as follows.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: The divisional artillery consisted at this time of 24 towed 105 mm LeFH (light field howitzers). The divisional anti-tank battalion and the infantry anti-tank platoons all fielded towed 37mm PAK 36. The infantry traveled by truck or by motorcycle. Both Panzer Regiment 25, and Panzer Battalion 66 had gone into action in Poland with only Pz I and Pz II light tanks. On assignment to 7th Panzer Division, these units were to adopt the Czechoslovakian tank LT vz. 38 as the main battle tank in their light companies, along with the Pz IV in the medium companies. However, this process was not complete by the start of the battle with France and the division went into action in May 1940 with 225 tanks (34 Pz I, 68 Pz II, 91 Pz 38(t), 24 Pz IV and eight command variants).


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: The 25th Panzer Regiment had absorbed the 66th Panzer Battalion, which had been the panzer force of the original 2nd Light Division. By 1941, this unit had become the 3rd Battalion of the 25th Panzer Regiment. On the eve of Operation Barbarossa, the tank strength of the division had risen to 53 Pz II, 167 Pz 38(t), 30 Pz IV, and 15 French Char B, for a total of 265 tanks. The artillery regiment had added a 3rd battalion of heavy guns, with two batteries of 150 mm sFH, and a battery of 100 mm guns.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: In May 1942, the division was withdrawn from the Soviet Union and rebuilt and reorganized in France. The Panzer Regiment now consisted of two battalions equipped with German tanks. The infantry regiments were now renamed Panzer Grenadiers, with II / Panzer Grenadier Regiment 6 equipped with armored half tracks. The motorcycle battalion was merged into the reconnaissance battalion and contained an armored car company, a half track company, two motorcycle companies, and a heavy company.


title: 7th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

text: On its return to Russia in December 1942, the Panzer Regiment was now equipped with 21 Pz II, 91 Pz III (50mm long), 14 Pz III (75mm), 2 Pz IV (75mm), 18 Pz IV (75mm long), 9 Befehl (command), a total of 155 tanks.


title: Loyle Carner

text: Benjamin Gerard Coyle-Larner (born 6 October 1994), known professionally as Loyle Carner, is an English hip hop musician. After supporting various rappers during their tours, he released his debut album, "Yesterday's Gone", in 2017, which garnered a nomination for the 2017 Mercury Prize. He went on to release his second album, "Not Waving, but Drowning", in April 2019. Throughout his career, Carner has been nominated for two Brit Awards.


title: Loyle Carner

text: Benjamin Gerard Coyle-Larner was born on 6 October 1994 in Lambeth, South London. He and his younger brother, Ryan, were raised in South Croydon by his mother, Jean, a teacher of children with learning difficulties, and his stepfather, Nik. He has had minimal contact with his father, who is of Guyanese descent. Carner is mixed race. His stage name is a spoonerism of his double-barrelled surname as well as a reference to his childhood struggle with his ADHD and dyslexia diagnoses.


title: Loyle Carner

text: At the age of 13, Carner portrayed a small role in the 2008 film "10,000 BC". He started his secondary education at Whitgift School in South Croydon, having secured a scholarship, and moved on to study at the Brit School, and began studying for an acting degree at the Drama Centre. In 2014, he dropped out of the Drama Centre after his stepfather died of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), deciding to focus on his music.


title: Loyle Carner

text: Carner played his first official gig at The Button Factory in Dublin, Ireland in October 2012 supporting British-American rapper MF DOOM. He released his first extended play in September 2014, titled "A Little Late," which was well received by music critics. The rapper supported American rapper Joey Badass on his UK tour and went on to play the 2015 UK festival season, including Glastonbury Festival. He played on Huw Stephens' BBC Radio 1 show as part of their Piano Sessions series in October. Carner was included in the BBC's Sound of 2016 list. In August 2016, he supported American rapper Nas in his show at the O2 Academy Bristol. Later in the year, he collaborated with poet Kae Tempest for a performance.


title: Loyle Carner

text: Carner's debut album, entitled "Yesterday's Gone", was released on 20 January 2017. It garnered acclaim from music critics, with "The Independent" naming it the album of the year. The album was nominated for the 2017 Mercury Prize, which was won by Sampha for" Process". In 2018, he received two respective Brit Award nominations for British Breakthrough Act and British Male Solo Artist. He was scheduled to perform on BBC Radio 1 in February 2018 but cancelled due to a disagreement over cover song choices. The rapper's sophomore album, "Not Waving, but Drowning", was released on 19 April 2019. On 30 June, he performed as part of the year's Glastonbury Festival on its Other Stage, marking his second appearance after playing the John Peel Stage the year before. The song "Angel" was listed as part of the "FIFA 20" soundtrack playlist. In 2020, Carner and his brother co-directed a music video for the song "Eugene" by Arlo Parks.


title: Loyle Carner

text: Carner employs a "languid" style of rapping. His sound has been described as "confessional hip-hop", "introspective", "jazz-infused", as well as "sensitive and eloquent". He cites American hip hop and grime music as musical influences. He also regards American poet Langston Hughes and British writer Benjamin Zephaniah as inspirations.


title: Loyle Carner

text: As of January 2017, Carner lived in Croydon, South London with his mother and brother. He has one son, born in late 2020. He loves to cook and also runs a cooking school for children with ADHD called Chilli Con Carner. He has titled songs after chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Antonio Carluccio. Carner has nut and sesame allergies. In 2018, he appeared in a film for a project by the charity organisation Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), which aims to prevent male suicide. The following year, he curated an art exhibition and donated its proceeds to CALM.


title: Loyle Carner

text: Carner is a supporter of Liverpool F.C. As a tribute to his stepfather, who idolised Eric Cantona and was a passionate Manchester United F.C. supporter, Carner released a song titled "Cantona". He also named his 2016 tour after Cantona, and has worn his stepfather's Cantona shirt during concerts. Carner used samples of songs written and performed by his stepfather alongside Misure La VerT for "Yesterday's Gone"s hidden title track, which concludes the album.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: William Ramsey Clark (December 18, 1927 – April 9, 2021) was an American lawyer, activist, and federal government official. A progressive, New Frontier liberal, he occupied senior positions in the United States Department of Justice under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, serving as United States Attorney General from 1967 to 1969; previously, he was Deputy Attorney General from 1965 to 1967 and Assistant Attorney General from 1961 to 1965.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: As attorney general, Clark was known for his vigorous opposition to the death penalty, aggressive support of civil liberties and civil rights, and dedication to enforcing United States antitrust laws. Clark supervised the drafting of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and Civil Rights Act of 1968.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: After leaving public office, Clark led many progressive activism campaigns, including opposition to the War on Terror. He offered advice or legal defense to such prominent figures as Charles Taylor, Slobodan Milošević, Saddam Hussein, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, and Lyndon LaRouche. Until his death in 2021, Clark was the last surviving member of the cabinet of Lyndon B. Johnson.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: Clark was born in Dallas, Texas, on December 18, 1927, the son of jurist Tom C. Clark and his wife Mary Jane (née Ramsey). Clark's father served as United States Attorney General from 1945 to 1949 under President Harry S. Truman and then became a Supreme Court Justice in August 1949. His maternal grandfather was William Franklin Ramsey, who served on the Supreme Court of Texas, while his paternal grandfather, lawyer William Henry Clark, was president of the Texas Bar Association.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: Clark attended Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington, D.C., but dropped out at the age of 17 in order to join the United States Marine Corps, seeing action in Western Europe in the final months of World War II; he served until 1946. Back in the U.S., he earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin in 1949, and obtained a Master of Arts in American history from the University of Chicago and a Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago Law School in 1950 and 1951, respectively. While at the University of Texas, he was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: He was admitted to the Texas bar in 1950, and was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States in 1956. From 1951 to 1961, Clark practiced law as an associate and partner at his father's Texas law firm, Clark, Reed and Clark.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: In the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, Clark occupied senior positions in the Justice Department; he was Assistant Attorney General, overseeing the department's Lands Division from 1961 to 1965, and then served as Deputy Attorney General from 1965 to 1967.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated him to be Attorney General of the United States. He was confirmed by the Senate and took the oath of office on March 2. Clark was one of Johnson's popular and successful cabinet appointments, being described as "able, independent, liberal and soft-spoken" and a symbol of the New Frontier liberals; he had also built a successful record, especially in his management of the Justice Department's Lands Division; he had increased the efficiency of his division and had saved enough money from his budget so that he had asked Congress to reduce the budget by $200,000 annually.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: However, there also was speculation that one of the reasons that contributed to Johnson's making the appointment was the expectation that Clark's father, Associate Justice Tom C. Clark, would resign from the Supreme Court to avoid a conflict of interest. Johnson wanted a vacancy to be created on the Court so he could appoint Thurgood Marshall, the first African American justice. The elder Clark assumed senior status on June 12, 1967, effectively resigning from the Supreme Court and creating the vacancy Johnson apparently desired.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: During his years at the Justice Department, Clark played an important role in the history of the civil rights movement. He:


title: Ramsey Clark

text: As attorney general during part of the Vietnam War, Clark oversaw the prosecution of the Boston Five for "conspiracy to aid and abet draft resistance." Four of the five were convicted, including pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock and Yale chaplain William Sloane Coffin Jr., but in later years, Clark expressed his regret at the prosecution's victory: "We won the case, that was the worst part."


title: Ramsey Clark

text: Clark served as the attorney general until Johnson's term as president ended on January 20, 1969. Because of Richard Nixon's attacks on Clark's liberal record during the 1968 presidential election campaign and ultimate narrow victory over Hubert H. Humphrey, relations between Johnson and Clark soured and, by inauguration day, they were no longer on speaking terms.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: In addition to his government work, during this period Clark was also director of the American Judicature Society (in 1963) and national president of the Federal Bar Association in 1964–65.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: Following his term as attorney general, Clark taught courses at the Howard University School of Law (1969–1972) and Brooklyn Law School (1973–1981). He was active in the anti-Vietnam War movement and visited North Vietnam in 1972 as a protest against the bombing of Hanoi. During this time he was associated with the New York law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, but he resigned in 1973, saying, "I didn't feel like working on things I didn't believe in, I didn't think were important."


title: Ramsey Clark

text: On January 28, 1970, Ramsey Clark testified in the Chicago Seven trial. He was barred by Judge Julius Hoffman from testifying before the jury after Clark had testified outside the presence of the jury. Judge Hoffman upheld the prosecution's objections to 14 of Defense Attorney William Kunstler's 38 questions to Clark, but Clark did testify that he had told the prosecutor Tom Foran to investigate the charges against the defendants through Justice Department lawyers "as is generally done in civil rights cases", rather than through a grand jury.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: At the 1972 Democratic National Convention, Clark received one delegate vote for the presidential nomination and two delegate votes for the vice-presidential nomination.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: In the 1974 New York state election, Clark ran as the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senator; he defeated the party's designee Lee Alexander in the primary, but lost in the general election to the incumbent Jacob Javits. In the 1976 election, Clark again sought the Democratic nomination to represent New York in the Senate, but finished a distant third in the primary behind Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Congresswoman Bella Abzug.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: On November 5, 1979, at the start of the Iranian hostage crisis, President Jimmy Carter instructed Clark and Senate staffer William Miller to visit Tehran and seek to open negotiations with Iranian authorities for the hostages' release; while en route, they were refused entry into the country by Ayatollah Khomeini. Defying a travel ban, Clark went to Tehran again in June 1980 to attend a conference on alleged U.S. interference in Iranian affairs, on which occasion he was granted admission. While there he both demanded the release of the hostages and criticized past U.S. support for the deposed Shah. This second unauthorized trip reportedly infuriated President Carter.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: In September 1998, Clark led a delegation to Sudan to collect evidence in the aftermath of President Bill Clinton's bombing of the Al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory in Khartoum the previous month as part of Operation Infinite Reach. Upon returning to the U.S., the delegation held a press conference on September 22, 1998, to refute the U.S. State Department's claims that the facility had been producing VX nerve agent. U.S. officials later acknowledged that the evidence cited as the rationale for the Al-Shifa strike was weaker than initially believed.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: In 1991, Clark's Coalition to Stop U.S. Intervention in the Middle East opposed the U.S.-led war and sanctions against Iraq. Clark accused the administration of President George H. W. Bush, its officials Dan Quayle, James Baker, Dick Cheney, William Webster, Colin Powell, Norman Schwarzkopf, and "others to be named" of "crimes against peace, war crimes", and "crimes against humanity" for its conduct of the Gulf War against Iraq and the ensuing sanctions; in 1996, he added the charges of genocide and the "use of a weapon of mass destruction". Similarly, after the 1999 NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Ramsey charged and "tried" NATO on 19 counts and issued calls for its dissolution.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: As a lawyer, Clark was criticized by both opponents and supporters for some of the people he agreed to defend, such as foreign dictators hostile to the United States; Clark stood beside and defended his clients, regardless of their own admitted actions and crimes.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: In 2004, Clark joined a panel of about 20 Arab and one other non-Arab lawyers to defend Saddam Hussein in his trial before the Iraqi Special Tribunal. Clark appeared before the Iraqi Special Tribunal in late November 2005 arguing "that it failed to respect basic human rights and was illegal because it was formed as a consequence of the United States' illegal war of aggression against the people of Iraq." Clark said that unless the trial was seen as "absolutely fair", it would "divide rather than reconcile Iraq". Christopher Hitchens said Clark was admitting Hussein's guilt when Clark reportedly stated in a 2005 BBC interview: "He [Saddam] had this huge war going on, and you have to act firmly when you have an assassination attempt".


title: Ramsey Clark

text: Clark was not alone in criticizing the Iraqi Special Tribunal's trial of Saddam Hussein, which drew intense criticism from international human rights organizations. Human Rights Watch called Saddam's trial a "missed opportunity" and a "deeply flawed trial", and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found the trial to be unfair and to violate basic international human rights law. Among the irregularities cited by HRW, were that proceedings were marked by frequent outbursts by both judges and defendants, that three defense lawyers were murdered, that the original chief judge was replaced, that important documents were not given to defense lawyers in advance, that paperwork was lost, and that the judges made asides that pre-judged Saddam Hussein. One of the aforementioned outbursts occurred when Clark was ejected from the trial after passing the judge a memorandum stating that the trial was making "a mockery of justice". The chief judge Raouf Abdul Rahman shouted at Clark, "No, you are the mockery ... get him out. Out!"


title: Ramsey Clark

text: On March 18, 2006, Clark attended the funeral of Slobodan Milošević. He commented: "History will prove Milošević was right. Charges are just that: charges. The trial did not have facts." He compared the trial of Milošević with Saddam's, stating "both trials are marred with injustice, both are flawed." He characterized Milošević and Saddam Hussein as "both commanders who were courageous enough to fight more powerful countries."


title: Ramsey Clark

text: In June 2006, Clark wrote an article criticizing U.S. foreign policy in general, containing a list of 17 U.S. "major aggressions" introduced by "Both branches of our One Party system, Democrat and Republican, favor the use of force to have their way." He followed this by saying, "The United States government may have been able to outspend the Soviet Union into economic collapse in the Cold War arms race, injuring the entire planet in the process. Now Bush has entered a new arms race and is provoking a Second Cold War."


title: Ramsey Clark

text: On September 1, 2007, in New York City, Clark called for detained Filipino Jose Maria Sison's release and pledged assistance by joining the latter's legal defense team headed by Jan Fermon. Clark doubted Dutch authorities' "validity and competency", since the murder charges originated in the Philippines and had already been dismissed by the country's Supreme Court.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: In November 2007, Clark visited Nandigram in India where conflict between state government forces and villagers resulted in the death of at least 14 villagers. In a December 2007 interview, he described the War on Terrorism as a war against Islam.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: In April 2009, Clark spoke at a session of the UN's anti-racism Durban Review Conference at which he accused Israel of genocide.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: In September 2010, an essay on torture by Clark was published in a three-part paperback entitled "The Torturer in the Mirror" (Seven Stories Press).


title: Ramsey Clark

text: Clark was a recipient of the 1992 Gandhi Peace Award, and also the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award for his commitment to civil rights, his opposition to war and military spending and his dedication to providing legal representation to the peace movement, particularly, his efforts to free Leonard Peltier. In 1999, he traveled to Belgrade to receive an honorary doctorate from Belgrade University.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: In 2008, the United Nations awarded him its Prize in the Field of Human Rights for "his steadfast insistence on respect for human rights and fair judicial process for all".


title: Ramsey Clark

text: In 2002, Clark founded "VoteToImpeach", an organization advocating the impeachment of George W. Bush and several members of his administration. For the duration of Bush's terms in office, Clark sought, unsuccessfully, for the House of Representatives to bring articles of impeachment against Bush. He was the founder of the International Action Center, which holds significant overlapping membership with the Workers' World Party. Clark and the IAC helped found the protest organization A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism).


title: Ramsey Clark

text: On March 19, 2003, the New Jersey newspaper and website "The Independent" reported Clark's efforts to impeach Bush and others, prior to the start of the Iraq War. The paper commented: "Clark said there is a Web site, www.votetoimpeach.org, dedicated to collecting signatures of U.S. citizens who want President George W. Bush impeached, and that approximately 150,000 have signed to impeach, he said." "The Weekly Standard" magazine stated in an article dated February 27, 2004, "Ramsey Clark's VoteToImpeach.org is a serious operation", and said the group had run full-sized newspaper advertising on both coasts of the U.S. though the "Standard" also went on to describe them as also being an "angry petition stage."


title: Ramsey Clark

text: Clark's speech to a counter-inauguration protest on January 20, 2005, at John Marshall Park in Washington D.C. was broadcast by "Democracy Now" in which Clark stated: "We've had more than 500,000 people sign on 'Vote to Impeach'." The "San Francisco Bay Guardian" listed the website as one of three "Impeachment links", alongside afterdowningstreet.org and impeachpac.org.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: The organization, under Clark's guidance, drafted its own articles of impeachment against President Bush, Vice President Richard B. Cheney, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and Attorney General John Ashcroft. The document argues that the four committed, "violations and subversions of the Constitution of the United States of America in an attempt to carry out with impunity crimes against peace and humanity and war crimes and deprivations of the civil rights of the people of the United States and other nations, by assuming powers of an imperial executive unaccountable to law and usurping powers of the Congress, the Judiciary and those reserved to the people of the United States." Votetoimpeach.org claimed to have collected over one million signatures in favor of impeachment as of January 2009.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: As a lawyer, Clark also provided legal counsel and advice to prominent figures, including many controversial individuals.


title: Ramsey Clark

text: Regarding his role as a defense lawyer in the trial of Saddam Hussein, Clark said: "A fair trial in this case is absolutely imperative for historical truth." Clark stated that by the time he decided to join Hussein's defense team, it was clear that "proceedings before the Iraqi Special Tribunal would corrupt justice both in fact and in appearance and create more hatred and rage in Iraq against the American occupation...affirmative measures must be taken to prevent prejudice from affecting the conduct of the case and the final judgment of the court...For there to be peace, the days of victor's justice must end."


title: Ramsey Clark

text: A partial listing of persons who have reportedly received legal counsel and advice from Ramsey Clark includes:


title: Ramsey Clark

text: Clark married Georgia Welch, a classmate from the University of Texas, on April 16, 1949. They had two children, Ronda Kathleen Clark and Tom Campbell Clark II. His wife died on July 3, 2010, at the age of 81. His son Tom died from cancer on November 23, 2013. Clark lived in Greenwich Village in New York City, where he died on April 9, 2021, at age 93.


title: Marcus Camby

text: Marcus Dion Camby (born March 22, 1974) is an American former professional basketball player who played 17 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was named Defensive Player of the Year during the 2006–07 NBA season, leading the league in blocked shots per game. Camby is also a four-time member of the NBA All-Defensive Team and is 12th on the NBA's all-time career blocks list.


title: Marcus Camby

text: Camby, a native of Connecticut, began his high school career at Conard High School in West Hartford. He transferred to Hartford Public High School where he finished his high school education. In his senior season, Camby averaged 27 points, 11 rebounds, 8 blocks and 8 assists, en route to a 27–0 record and state title. He was named Gatorade's Connecticut Player of the Year.


title: Marcus Camby

text: Camby played three seasons for the UMass Minutemen. He had an NCAA freshman record 105 total rejections during his first year at UMass, and was named the Atlantic 10's Freshman of the Year. Camby was named to the A-10's First Team during his sophomore season in 1994–95, as the Minutemen reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.


title: Marcus Camby

text: Camby won the John R. Wooden Award and the Naismith College Player of the Year Award during the 1995–96 season. He led UMass to numerous #1 rankings and the 1996 NCAA Final Four. In the NCAA tournament, Camby set a tourney record of 43 total blocked shots in 11 games. On April 29, 1996, Camby announced that he would forgo his senior year at UMass and enter the NBA Draft.


title: Marcus Camby

text: In 1997, UMass' visit to the Final Four was vacated by the NCAA because Camby had been found to have accepted $28,000 from two sports agents. As part of the penalty, the school was forced to return their $151,617 in revenue from the 1996 NCAA Tournament. Camby later reimbursed the school for the amount lost. According to a 1997 "Sports Illustrated" article, the agents, John Lounsbury and Wesley Spears of Connecticut, had hoped that Camby would hire them to represent him when he became a professional. The article reported that Camby had also received "jewelry, rental cars and prostitutes" from the agents.


title: Marcus Camby

text: Camby was inducted into the UMass Athletic Hall of Fame on September 10, 2010. Though some criticized the school for inducting a student-athlete who caused their Final Four achievement to be vacated, others saw it as a positive recognition of one of the school's best ever athletes.


title: Marcus Camby

text: Camby was selected second overall in the first round of the 1996 NBA draft by the Toronto Raptors. In his rookie season, he made the NBA All-Rookie First Team, averaging 14.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. On March 27, 1997, Camby had perhaps his best game as a rookie, scoring 37 points (a remarkable 47% of Toronto’s points) and grabbing 8 rebounds in a 90–79 loss against the Atlanta Hawks. In the following season, Camby led the league in blocked shots with 3.7 per game.


title: Marcus Camby

text: Camby was traded to the New York Knicks in a draft-day deal for Charles Oakley, and for his first two seasons in New York, Camby backed up veteran All-Star center Patrick Ewing. The Knicks struggled to establish on-court chemistry in the lockout-shorted 1998–99 season, finishing with a 27–23 record, which was just good enough to qualify for the 8th and final seed in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, Camby and teammate (and close friend) Latrell Sprewell began to assert themselves as the Knicks shocked the top-seeded Miami Heat and swept the Atlanta Hawks in the first two rounds, setting up a meeting with the rival Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. After Ewing went down with a season-ending Achilles injury early in the series, Camby filled the void, averaging doubles in the last three games of the series to lead the Knicks to a six-game upset series win over the Pacers and into the NBA Finals. The Knicks became the first (and to-date the only) 8th-seeded team to make it to the NBA Finals, where they matched up with the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs defeated the Knicks in five games to win the 1999 Championship.


title: Marcus Camby

text: In the 1999–00 season the Knicks with Ewing back at center bounced back and won 50 games thanks to the contributions of many of the veteran players, including the Sixth Man of the Year Award-type season from Camby. In the playoffs, the Knicks defeated the Toronto Raptors in three games and Miami Heat in seven games in the first two rounds of the playoffs en route to making it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second year in a row. There they faced the top seed in the East, the Indiana Pacers, and were defeated by the Pacers in six games.


title: Marcus Camby

text: During a game against the San Antonio Spurs on January 15, 2001, Camby took a roundhouse swing at Spurs' forward Danny Ferry after he was hit in the eye on a box-out. The punch missed Ferry because Knicks' head coach Jeff Van Gundy stepped in at the last second, resulting in his being head-butted by Camby. Van Gundy required 15 stitches to close a gash above his left eye. Camby, who ended up with scratches on his face from both incidents, was suspended for five games and fined $25,000. Ferry was suspended for one game and fined $7,500 for the initial foul. Upon returning from the suspension, Camby began to play his best ball of the season in averaging 12 points with 11 rebounds and 2 blocks a game; however, it was not enough as the Knicks were defeated by the Toronto Raptors in five games in the first round of the playoffs. Camby spent most of the 2001–02 season injured, and without him as an inside presence, the Knicks struggled with a 30–52 record and missed the playoffs. Camby, after getting traded to Denver, accused the Knicks training staff of misdiagnosing his injury and causing him to miss more games than he should have. The Nuggets however, sided with the Knicks.


title: Marcus Camby

text: In the 2003–04 season, along with rookie teammate Carmelo Anthony, Camby helped lead the Nuggets back into the playoffs where they were defeated by the Minnesota Timberwolves led by league MVP Kevin Garnett.


title: Marcus Camby

text: Camby led the NBA in blocked shots for several seasons. During the 2005–06 season with the Nuggets he had 12.0 rebounds per game, 9.6 defensive rebounds per game and 1.4 steals per game. He also averaged 12.8 points per game and led the league in blocks per game (3.3), while helping Denver earn a playoff berth by winning the Northwest Division.


title: Marcus Camby

text: On December 16, 2006, Camby was involved in the Knicks–Nuggets brawl. He was one of 10 players ejected from the game, but received no suspension.


title: Marcus Camby

text: Camby won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award for the 2006–07 season. The honor was the first of Camby's career. He received the actual award from NBA commissioner David Stern during a pregame ceremony at the Nuggets first home 2006–07 playoff game, which was against the San Antonio Spurs on April 28, 2007. During the 2006–07 season, Camby averaged 3.3 blocks per game (first in the league), 11.7 rebounds per game (fifth in the league), 9.3 defensive rebounds per game (second in the league) and 1.24 steals per game (second among centers).


title: Marcus Camby

text: During the 2007–08 NBA season, Camby continued to make his mark as one of the best defensive players and centers in the game. He finished the season averaging 13.1 rebounds per game (second in the league), 18.1 rebounds per 48 minutes (first in the league), 10.2 defensive rebounds per game (second in the league), 14.1 defensive rebounds per 48 minutes (first in the league), 3.61 blocks per game (first in the league), 4.96 blocks per 48 minutes (first in the league), 285 total blocks (first in the league), 1.06 steals per game (third among centers) and 3.3 assists per game (second among centers). On December 26, 2007, in a Nuggets' home win against the Milwaukee Bucks, Camby posted a triple-double, with 10 points (which included a three-pointer), 11 rebounds and 10 blocks. The triple-double was Camby's third of his career and the first since April 19, 1998, against the Philadelphia 76ers. On January 14, 2008, in a Nuggets' road loss against the Charlotte Bobcats, Camby had a game of 20 points, 23 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 blocks. He became only the fourth player since 1990 to have at least 20 points, 20 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 blocks in one game. On January 17, 2008, in a Nuggets' home win against the Utah Jazz, Camby became just the third player since blocked shots became an official NBA stat in 1973–74 with at least 24 rebounds and 11 blocks in a game. On January 25, 2008, in a Nuggets home win against the New Jersey Nets, Camby blocked 4 shots—and in the process—recorded his 1,000th blocked shot as a member of the Nuggets. On March 16, 2008, in an historic 168–116 home win in regulation over the Seattle SuperSonics (the 168 points were the most points scored in franchise history – fourth most in NBA history – for a non-overtime game), Camby recorded his second triple-double of the 2007–08 NBA season when he had 13 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. The triple-double was accomplished in an NBA record-tying 27 minutes.


title: Marcus Camby

text: On July 15, 2008, Camby was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for the option to swap second-round draft picks in the 2010 NBA draft. Camby said that he was unhappy that he was traded from the Nuggets, essentially being made the scapegoat for their lack of post-season success.


title: Marcus Camby

text: "I thought I had done everything possible that I could do with that team, and just tried to go about things the right way. I just thought the way they went about it was classless; they didn't let me know anything. That's a thing of the past right now, that's something I put behind me and I'm looking forward to embarking on this journey."


title: Marcus Camby

text: In the first part of the 2008–09 NBA season, he started at power forward, with Chris Kaman remaining as the starting center. Then, an injury that occurred to Kaman and the arrival of forward Zach Randolph brought Camby back to the starting center position. On December 17, 2008, Camby pulled down a career-high 27 rebounds in a 115–109 overtime loss against the Chicago Bulls. He also had 19 points, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 4 blocks.


title: Marcus Camby

text: On February 16, 2010, Camby was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for Steve Blake, Travis Outlaw, and 1.5 million dollars in cash.


title: Marcus Camby

text: Camby played in 23 games for the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2009–2010 season. With injuries to fellow centers Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla, Camby helped the team secure a playoff berth as the Western Conference's six seed. On April 12, 2010 in a game in Portland against the Oklahoma City Thunder Camby led the team in scoring with 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. On April 20, 2010, he signed a two-year contract extension to stay with the Blazers.


title: Marcus Camby

text: Camby was traded at the deadline on March 15, 2012 to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Jonny Flynn, Hasheem Thabeet and a second round draft pick.


title: Marcus Camby

text: On July 11, 2012, Camby was traded to the New York Knicks in a sign-and-trade deal that also involved Toney Douglas, Josh Harrellson, Jerome Jordan, and two future draft picks going to the Rockets. He missed most of the 2012–13 season with a strained plantar fascia in his left foot, playing only 24 games.


title: Marcus Camby

text: On July 10, 2013, Camby, Steve Novak, Quentin Richardson, a future first round draft pick, and two future second round draft picks were traded from the Knicks to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Andrea Bargnani. The Raptors then bought out Camby's contract.


title: Marcus Camby

text: On July 29, 2013, Camby re-signed with the Houston Rockets. However, he was waived by the Rockets on October 28, 2013.


title: Marcus Camby

text: Camby tutored South Hadley students while at UMass, and has been active in charities throughout his career. He was active with several Denver-area charities as a Nugget. As a pro he has also toured Africa with Basketball Without Borders.


title: Marcus Camby

text: In 1996, Camby established the Cambyland Foundation, a non-profit organization. Cambyland partners with school and community organizations to provide opportunities for young people.


title: Marcus Camby

text: On April 23, 2001, Camby's mother and two sisters were taken hostage in their own home by Hartford resident Troy Crooms. Crooms, who was charged with kidnapping, first-degree sexual assault, burglary and possession of a weapon, held the women at knife-point over an eight-hour-long stand-off with police. Camby himself was at the scene with police during the stand-off. Crooms eventually pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual assault, second-degree burglary and violating probation. After initially facing 95 years in prison, Crooms was sentenced to 18 years in prison.


title: It Takes Two (1995 film)

text: It Takes Two is a 1995 American romantic comedy film starring Kirstie Alley, Steve Guttenberg, and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The title is taken from the song of the same name by Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston, which is played in the closing credits. The storyline is similar to the 1881 novel, "The Prince and the Pauper" by Mark Twain, which in turn helped inspire the 1949 book "Lisa and Lottie" by Erich Kästner. The film was distributed by Warner Bros. through their Warner Bros. Family Entertainment label.


title: It Takes Two (1995 film)

text: Amanda Lemmon is a nine-year-old orphan who is being sought after by the Butkises, a reclusive, secretive family known to "collect" kids via adoption. She actually wants the likeable warm-hearted Diane Barrows, her social worker, to adopt her instead. Diane would like to do so, but authorities will not let her because of her low salary, unmarried status, and social worker position. While at summer camp, Amanda meets a rich girl named Alyssa Callaway, who looks just like Amanda. She's just come home from boarding school, only to find that her billionaire father and the camp's owner, Roger, is about to marry Clarice Kensington, an overbearing, self-centered, gold-digging socialite.


title: It Takes Two (1995 film)

text: Amanda and Alyssa soon become acquainted, each longing for the other's life and decide to switch places. While Amanda adapts to Alyssa's wealthy lifestyle and Alyssa gets to experience summer camp, they get to know the other's parental figure and discover that Roger and Diane would be perfect for each other. Desperate to set them up, they arrange many meetings between them, hoping that they'll fall in love.


title: It Takes Two (1995 film)

text: Roger and Diane do seem to hit it off upon meeting, as she is pleasantly surprised with his kind and humble nature despite his wealth, and he, with her help, is able to work up the courage to visit the camp again, which he has not done since his first wife (and Alyssa's mother) died, due to painful memories of her untimely death.


title: It Takes Two (1995 film)

text: Upon having spied Roger and Diane laughing and swimming together in the lake one afternoon, Clarice manipulates Roger into moving the wedding up from the next month to the next day and Amanda, while posing as Alyssa, finds out that she plans on sending her off to boarding school in Tibet afterward. Alyssa ends up being adopted by the Butkises without Diane's knowledge while posing as Amanda.


title: It Takes Two (1995 film)

text: Roughly two hours before the wedding, Amanda proves to the family butler, Vincenzo, that she is not Alyssa. He visits Diane at the orphanage and tells her about the switch. Diane arrives at the Butkises’ residence via helicopter to pick up the real Alyssa and get her to the wedding. Diane discovers the only reason the Butkises had adopted so many kids was to put them to work in their salvage yard as slave laborers. Furious, Diane reclaims Alyssa (disguised as Amanda) and threatens to report the Butkises to social services, giving their other adopted children hope for salvation.


title: It Takes Two (1995 film)

text: Vincenzo and Amanda try their best to stall the wedding. As Roger hesitates to say "I do," he recalls all the good times he had with Diane and realizes that he has fallen in love with her, and he therefore cannot marry Clarice. All of a sudden, Diane bursts into the church with Alyssa behind her. At that moment, Roger confesses his love for Diane to Clarice, who furiously slaps him. She tries to do the same to "Alyssa", blaming her for sabotaging their wedding, but is stopped by Vincenzo. As she storms down the aisle, the real Alyssa steps out from behind Diane, and Clarice claims that there is a "conspiracy", thinking that there are two Alyssas. She tries to slap the real Alyssa, but Diane steps forward in time, barking at her, "Back off, Barbie", and calmly informs her that she has something in her teeth. Humiliated, Clarice moves to storm out of the church again, but Alyssa deliberately steps on her wedding gown, causing the skirt to rip off and exposing her white knickers to the whole church.


title: It Takes Two (1995 film)

text: An incredulous Roger learns that Alyssa has been with Diane, while he had Amanda, all this time and it becomes apparent to them that the girls had orchestrated their meetups all along, about which they are extremely smug. After some encouragement from them, Roger and Diane share a kiss, and the four of them board a horse-drawn carriage, driven by Vincenzo, to take a ride through Central Park.


title: It Takes Two (1995 film)

text: The film received an 8% approval rating on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, based on 24 reviews. The site's consensus reads "Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock told us that It Takes Two to make a thing go right, but this unpleasant Olsen twins comedy proves that the opposite can also be true".


title: It Takes Two (1995 film)

text: Kevin Thomas from "Los Angeles Times" called the film "a predictable but fun romp". Roger Ebert called it "harmless and fitfully amusing" with "numbingly predictable" plot and praiseworthy performances and rated it two out of four stars.


title: It Takes Two (1995 film)

text: The website "Parent Previews" graded the film an overall B as a family-friendly one with "only a couple of bad words and a bit of child intimidation from the bad guys", and Rod Gustafson from that website called it "predictable" with a "happy ending" that children can enjoy.


Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia (, also spelled "Romanoff"; ; born 13 March 1981) is the heir apparent to Maria Vladimirovna, a claimant to the disputed Headship of the Imperial Family of Russia. He is the only child of Maria and her former husband, Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia. George's mother attributes to him the title of "Tsesarevich" and he bears, as a title of pretence, the prefix of "Grand Duke" with the style of Imperial Highness which is still being questioned. As the son of a cadet member of the branch of the House of Hohenzollern which formerly ruled the German Empire and Kingdom of Prussia, he is also sometimes entitled "Prince of Prussia" with the style of Royal Highness.


title: Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia

text: George was born in Madrid in 1981, the son of Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia (daughter and heir of Vladimir Cyrillovich, Grand Duke of Russia) and her husband Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia (titled at the time Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich, son of Prince Karl Franz of Prussia and Princess Henriette of Schönaich-Carolath).


text: George was baptised on 6 May 1981, in Madrid; his godfather is Constantine II of Greece. Also present at the baptism were King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain and Simeon II and Queen Margarita of Bulgaria. The announcement that George Mikhailovich would be known as a Russian Grand Duke prompted Prince Vasili Alexandrovich, then president of the Romanov Family Association, to respond in writing that "The Romanov Family Association hereby declares that the joyful event in the Prussian Royal House does not concern the Romanov Family Association since the newborn prince is not a member of either the Russian Imperial House or of the Romanov family". This response was ignored by Grand Duke Vladimir as he had already selected his daughter to succeed him according to the Pauline laws, and because the marriage between her and Prince Franz Wilhelm of Prussia was deemed dynastic. Prior to their wedding, the Grand Duke and his first cousin, then Head of the House of Hohenzollern, Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia, had made a dynastic agreement that any child born from this marriage should be raised as a Romanov. Therefore, George is considered a dynast of both houses (Romanov and Hohenzollern), as his father has never renounced his Prussian royal title.


text: His father, who stopped using his Russian title after his separation, has said of his son, "I have his German passport right here; I always carry it with me. It says he is Prince George of Prussia".


text: George spent the first years of his life in France before moving to Spain. There he and his mother lived, along with his maternal grandmother, in the home of his maternal aunt, Helen Kirby, who inherited a significant fortune from her father, Sumner Moore Kirby.


text: George was educated at Runnymede College in Madrid, D'Overbroeck's College, Oxford and at St Benet's Hall, Oxford.


text: In Brussels, he worked at the European Parliament where he was an assistant to Loyola de Palacio, former European Commissioner for Transport and Energy. Later he moved to Luxembourg where he was employed at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Atomic Energy and Security.


text: On 12 December 2008, he was appointed an aide to the Director General of MMC Norilsk Nickel, a major Russian nickel-mining company. In 2012 he was nominated chief executive of Metal Trade Overseas, the main sales hub for Norilsk Nickel in Switzerland. In 2014 he started his own company, Romanoff & Partners, in Brussels.


text: On 21 April 1992, upon the death of his maternal grandfather Grand Duke Vladimir Cyrillovich, George's mother claimed to have succeeded as the sovereign and Curatrix of the Throne of Russia, making him, to supporters of his mother, heir-apparent and "tsesarevich". He visited Russia for the first time shortly thereafter to attend the funeral of his grandfather. His claim to the throne is contested.


text: In 1996, when he, his mother, and his grandmother Leonida returned to Russia after living in Madrid, one of President Boris Yeltsin's former bodyguards was assigned as tutor to the 15-year-old prince. He was also set to study at a Russian Naval college but these plans were dropped.


text: On 17 July 2018 he participated, along with his mother, in the liturgical commemoration of the centenary of the assassinations of Saints Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and their children conducted in Yekaterinburg by Patriarch Kirill I of Moscow.


text: In January 2021, the family announced that George was engaged to marry Victoria Romanovna Bettarini (born Rebecca Virginia Bettarini in Rome on 18 May 1982), having received the permission of Grand Duchess Maria. His mother decreed that Bettarini would have the title of Princess, with the predicate "Her Serene Highness" and the right to use the surname Romanova from her marriage, which therefore implies that theirs is a morganatic union. Victoria Bettarini is the Director of the Russian Imperial Foundation. She is daughter of Roberto Amedeo Simeone Bettarini (born in Taranto on 5 May 1947), an Italian diplomat, ambassador in Luxembourg from 2006 to 2010 and in Brussels from 2010 and 2013, and wife Carla Virginia Cacciatore (born in Rome, Italy, on 30 April 1945), whom he married in Kinshasa, Zaire, on 13 August 1977.


text: They married on 24 September 2021 in a civil ceremony in Moscow. The religious wedding took place on 1 October in Saint Petersburg, at Saint Isaac's Cathedral. Around 1500 guests attended the ceremony, including King Simeon II of Bulgaria and his wife Queen Margarita; King Fuad II of Egypt; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa of Qatar; Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza and his wife Isabel, Duchess of Braganza; Prince Emanuele Filiberto, Prince of Piedmont; Crown Prince Leka of Albania and his wife Crown Princess Elia; Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg and his husband Gauthier Destenay; Prince Louis Alphonse de Bourbon and his wife Princess Marie Marguerite de Bourbon; Prince Aimone, 6th Duke of Aosta and his wife, born Princess Olga of Greece; Russian monarchist and billionaire Konstantin Malofeev; Sarah Fabergé; European historian and socialite, Stéphane Bern as well as many members of Russian, Spanish and European nobility.


text: Following the wedding events, a gala wedding supper was held at the Russian Museum of Ethnography in St. Petersburg. The 500 guests included members of the royal houses of Albania, Afghanistan, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Liechtenstein, Portugal, Prussia, Qatar, and Spain. The following day, a Wedding breakfast "à la Russe" was hosted by George's mother, the Grand Duchess Maria, held at Constantine Palace and was attended by a smaller amount of 700 guests before their departures.


text: On May 22, 2022, the Imperial House of Russia announced that Princess Victoria was expecting their first child in autumn. Later on July 21, the Russian Imperial House announced that the couple were expecting a boy.


text: The Grand Duke and Princess Victoria had a son, born in Moscow on 21 October 2022, who is named Alexander Georgievich Romanov. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, head of the Imperial House of Russia, announced that her first grandchild will be called "His Serene Highness Prince Alexander Georgievich Romanov".


title: 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes

text: Beginning on 5 May 2020, Chinese and Indian troops engaged in aggressive melee, face-offs, and skirmishes at locations along the Sino-Indian border, including near the disputed Pangong Lake in Ladakh and the Tibet Autonomous Region, and near the border between Sikkim and the Tibet Autonomous Region. Additional clashes also took place at locations in eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).


title: 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes

text: In late May, Chinese forces objected to Indian road construction in the Galwan river valley. According to Indian sources, melee fighting on 15–16 June 2020 resulted in the deaths of Chinese and Indian soldiers. Media reports stated that soldiers were taken captive on both sides and released in the coming few days while official sources on both sides went on to deny this. On 7 September, for the first time in 45 years, shots were fired along the LAC, with both sides blaming each other for the firing. Indian media also reported that Indian troops fired warning shots at the PLA on 30 August.


title: 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes

text: Partial disengagement from Galwan, Hot Springs, and Gogra occurred in June–July 2020 while complete disengagement from Pangong Lake north and south bank took place in February 2021. Following disengagement at Gogra in August 2021, Indian analysts pointed out that the LAC has shifted westwards at patrol point 17A (PP 17A).


title: 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes

text: Amid the standoff, India reinforced the region with approximately 12,000 additional workers, who would assist India's Border Roads Organisation in completing the development of Indian infrastructure along the Sino-Indian border. Experts have postulated that the standoffs are Chinese pre-emptive measures in responding to the Darbuk–Shyok–DBO Road infrastructure project in Ladakh. China has also extensively developed its infrastructure in these disputed border regions and is continuing to do so. The revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, in August 2019, by the Indian government has also troubled China. However, India and China have both maintained that there are enough bilateral mechanisms to resolve the situation. This includes multiple rounds of colonel, brigadier, and major general rank dialogue, special representatives' meetings, meetings of the 'Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on China-India Border Affairs' (WMCC), and meetings and communication between their respective foreign and defense ministers. On 12 January 2022, the 14th corps-commander-level meeting at Chushul-Moldo Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) point took place.


title: 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes

text: Following the Galwan Valley skirmish on 15 June, some Indian campaigns about boycotting Chinese products were started. Action on the economic front included cancellation and additional scrutiny of certain contracts with Chinese firms, and calls were also made to stop the entry of Chinese companies into strategic markets in India. By November 2020, the Indian government had banned over 200 Chinese apps, including apps owned by Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu, Sina, and Bytedance.


title: 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes

text: The border between China and India is disputed at multiple locations. There is "no publicly available map depicting the Indian version of the LAC," and the Survey of India maps are the only evidence of the official border for India. The Chinese version of the LAC mostly consists of claims in the Ladakh region, but China also claims Arunachal Pradesh in northeast India.


title: 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes

text: Since the 1980s, there have been over 50 rounds of talks between the two countries related to these border issues. Only 1 to 2 percent of border incidents between 2010 and 2014 had received any form of media coverage. In 2019, India reported over 660 LAC violations and 108 aerial violations by the People's Liberation Army which were significantly higher than the number of incidents in 2018. Despite the disputes, skirmishes, and standoffs, no incidence of gunshots being fired had been reported between the two countries along the border for over 50 years, due an agreement by both sides that guns were not to be used; however this changed on 7 September, when warning shots were fired.