document_title: How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?

question_text: how do you solve a problem like maria tv show cast

question_tokens: how do you solve a problem like maria tv show cast

text: How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?

text: Format[edit]

text: Creation[edit]

text: The lead role of Maria von Trapp in the new West End production of The Sound of Music, to be staged by Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian, was to be played by American actress Scarlett Johansson. Negotiations fell through,[2] and after a four-year search for an actress to fill the role, it was revealed in November 2005 that Lloyd Webber had approached the BBC to allow the public to cast the role through a Popstars-style talent search, the first time that such a format had been used.[3][4]

text: This was the first programme to allow the public to cast a leading role in a West End show, and it was initially criticised. However, it won International Emmy and Royal Television Society awards and became the first of a series of collaborations between the BBC and Lloyd Webber, including Any Dream Will Do, I'd Do Anything, and Over the Rainbow. The series also led to versions and similar series abroad.

text: Expert panel[edit]

text: To assess and train the potential Marias and judge them during the live shows, an expert panel was chosen. The panel comprised:

text:
Andrew Lloyd Webber – musical theatre composer and producer, co-producer of the new stage production
David Ian – theatre producer, co-producer of the new stage production
John Barrowman – musical performer, dancer, singer and actor
Zoe Tyler – voice coach, singer and performer, vocal coach to the finalists

text: Lloyd Webber also asked Denise van Outen to participate in the series, but she turned him down, saying that she "felt uncomfortable about being on the panel and giving my criticism". She later became a judge on follow-up series, Any Dream Will Do.[5]

text: Auditions[edit]

text: Open auditions were held around the UK in April and May 2006, open to both professionals and amateurs over the age of 17. The top 200 made it through to the London callbacks where they performed for Ian, Barrowman and Tyler to secure one of 50 places at Lloyd Webber's "Maria School", where over four days they would receive vocal and drama training from the expert panel.[1][6]

text: Several additional performers were selected over this fifty contestant limit; one being Briony, who had been rejected initially due to nerves hampering her performance, but who returned for a second chance and was allowed in by Ian. A further four, whom the panel had rejected, were contacted by Lloyd Webber himself as he personally believed them to be potential Marias.[7]

text: During "Maria School", contestants were eliminated to leave twenty, who were then taken to Lloyd Webber's house, where they performed for fifty people from the entertainment business. Ten finalists were then chosen by the panel and taken through to the live studio finals.[6]

text: The series started on Saturday 29 July 2006, and the first two programmes followed the audition stages of the competition before revealing the final ten at the end of the second programme.[7]

text: Live finals[edit]

text: The final ten contestants then competed in the live studio finals held on Saturday nights over six weeks. Each week the contestants sang and performed during the live show, receiving comments from the judges following their performance. The public then got a chance to vote for their favourite Maria, and the two contestants with the fewest votes performed a sing-off in front of Lloyd Webber, who then decided which Maria to keep in the contest. This was repeated with the top ten, the top nine and the top eight. With the top seven and top five, two were voted off in the program, and there were two different sing-offs.

text: Lloyd Webber had no say in the final casting decision, when in the concluding edition of the series it was left to the public to choose who should play Maria out of the final two contenders, Connie Fisher and Helena Blackman. After more than 2 million votes were cast, the winning entrant was revealed as Fisher, who won a six-month contract to play Maria in the West End production, performing six out of the eight weekly shows.[8]

text: The profits from the telephone votes went to a bursary for young performers.[9] Lloyd Webber also donated his fee to the bursary.[2]

text: Finalists[edit]

text: Ten potential Marias were selected as finalists who would appear on the live shows. Abi Finley and Aoife Mulholland auditioned together having known each other from college, and both made it to the finals. One of the original 10 finalists, Emilie Alford, withdrew from the competition after deciding it was not for her. She was replaced by Siobhan Dillon, who lost a place in the final ten following a sing-off against Alford and Laura Sicurello in front of Lloyd Webber. This earned her the nickname "Second Chance Maria".[10]

text:
Finalists

Finalist

Age*

From

Dress colour

Status

Laura Sicurello[11]

26

Milton Keynes

Yellow

Eliminated 1st in Week 1

Belinda Evans[12]

28

Somerset

Dark blue

Eliminated 2nd in Week 2

Meliz Serman[13]

23

Chingford, London

Gold

Eliminated 3rd in Week 3

Simona Armstrong[14]

28

Greenford, London

Purple

Eliminated 4th in Week 4

Leanne Dobinson[15]

20

Colchester, Essex

Lilac

Eliminated 5th in Week 4

Abigail "Abi" Finley[16]

23

Prestwich, Manchester

Light blue

Eliminated 6th in Week 5

Aoife Mulholland[17]

28

Salthill, Galway

Green

Eliminated 7th in Week 5

Siobhan Dillon[18]

21

Staffordshire

Red

Eliminated 8th in Week 6

Helena Blackman[19]

23

London

Pink

Runner-up

Connie Fisher[20]

23

London

Orange

Winner

text: *As of start of series

text: Results summary[edit]

text:
–
Contestant was in the bottom two and who was saved after the sing off

     –
Contestant was eliminated after the sing off

     –
Contestant who received the most public votes

text:
Weekly results per contestant

Contestant

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Final

Part 1

Part 2

Part 1

Part 2

Part 1

Part 2

Connie Fisher

1st

Safe

Safe

Safe

Safe

Safe

Safe

Safe

Winner(week 6)

Helena Blackman

10th

Safe

7th

6th

6th

Safe

Safe

Safe

Runner-up(week 6)

Siobhan Dillon

Safe

Safe

Safe

Safe

Safe

Safe

3rd

Eliminated
Eliminated(week 6)

Aoife Mulholland

Safe

Safe

Safe

Safe

Safe

4th

4th
Eliminated(week 5)

Abi Finley

Safe

Safe

Safe

Safe

Safe

5th
Eliminated(week 5)

Leanne Dobinson

Safe

Safe

Safe

Safe

5th
Eliminated(week 4)

Simona Armstrong

Safe

Safe

Safe

7th
Eliminated(week 4)

Meliz Serman

Safe

9th

8th
Eliminated(week 3)

Belinda Evans

Safe

8th
Eliminated(week 2)

Laura Sicurello

9th
Eliminated(week 1)

text: Live shows[edit]

text: The live shows saw the finalists eliminated one by one following both individual and group performances. Once eliminated, the leaving contestant ended the programme by leading a performance of "So Long, Farewell" from The Sound of Music with the remaining contestants.

text: Week 1[edit]

text: Following the first week of competition. The show performances were:[21]

text:
Group performances:
"How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?" (from The Sound of Music)
"I Have Confidence" (from The Sound of Music)

text:
Contestants' performances on the first live show

Act

Order

Song

Result

Leanne Dobinson

1

"It's Oh So Quiet"

Safe

Laura Sicurello

2

"Torn"

Eliminated

Aoife Mulholland

3

"Runaway"

Safe

Abi Finley

4

"Nobody Does It Better"

Safe

Siobhan Dillon

5

"Man! I Feel Like a Woman!"

Safe

Connie Fisher

6

"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"

Safe

Simona Armstrong

7

"Over the Rainbow"

Safe

Belinda Evans

8

"Over the Rainbow"

Safe

Helena Blackman

9

"Crazy Chick"

Bottom 2

Meliz Serman

10

"Son of a Preacher Man"

Safe

text: Guest performance: "Iris"  (Ronan Keating)

text:
Panel's verdict on who was Maria
John Barrowman: Connie
Zoe Tyler: Leanne
David Ian: Connie

text:
Sing-off:
Helena Blackman and Laura Sicurello were in the sing-off, with Helena receiving the least number of viewer votes, and performed "No Matter What" from the musical Whistle Down the Wind.
Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Helena and bid farewell to Laura.

text:
Notes
It was revealed during the results show that Connie received the highest number of votes

text: Week 2[edit]

text: As the mission for this week, the potential Marias performed a scene from the musical with an actor as Captain Von Trapp.[22]

text: The show performances were:[23]

text:
Group performances:
"My Favorite Things" (from The Sound of Music)
"Don't Rain on My Parade" (Barbra Streisand from Funny Girl)

text:
Contestants' performances on the second live show

Act

Order

Song

Result

Belinda Evans

1

"Fever"

Eliminated

Abi Finley

2

"The Closest Thing to Crazy"

Safe

Simona Armstrong

3

"Material Girl"

Safe

Meliz Serman

4

"The Voice Within"

Bottom 2

Helena Blackman

5

"Woman in Love"

Safe

Connie Fisher

6

"Shout"

Safe

Leanne Dobinson

7

"See the Day"

Safe

Siobhan Dillon

8

"Chains"

Safe

Aoife Mulholland

9

"If My Friends Could See Me Now"

Safe

text: Guest performance: "You Can't Stop a River"  (Duncan James)

text:
Sing-off:
Belinda Evans and Meliz Serman were in the sing-off, with Meliz receiving the least number of viewer votes and performed "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" from Evita.
Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Meliz and bid farewell to Belinda.

text: Week 3[edit]

text: During the week, David Ian talked to the girls about fitness and stamina, and Claire Sweeney advised the singers on looking after themselves and their voices. The mission was a fitness test, with Olympic athlete Iwan Thomas, requiring the Marias to complete an assault course.[24] The Marias also attended the première of the film You, Me and Dupree in Leicester Square.[25]

text: The show performances were:[26]

text:
Group performances:
"The Lonely Goatherd" (from The Sound of Music)
"Don't Stop Me Now" (Queen)

text:
Contestants' performances on the third live show

Act

Order

Song

Result

Siobhan Dillon

1

"Jump (for My Love)"

Safe

Leanne Dobinson

2

"9 to 5"

Safe

Helena Blackman

3

"Flashdance... What a Feeling"

Bottom 2

Aoife Mulholland

4

"Sway"

Safe

Meliz Serman

5

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun"

Eliminated

Abi Finley

6

"Big Spender"

Safe

Connie Fisher

7

"My Baby Just Cares for Me"

Safe

Simona Armstrong

8

"I Only Want to Be with You"

Safe

text: Guest performance: "Something About You"  (Jamelia)

text:
Panel's verdict on who was Maria
John Barrowman: Aoife
Zoe Tyler: Abi
David Ian: Abi

text:
Sing-off:
Helena Blackman and Meliz Serman were in the sing-off, with Meliz receiving the least number of viewers votes and performed "Take That Look Off Your Face" from Tell Me on a Sunday.
Lloyd Webber chose to save Helena and bid farewell to Meliz.

text: Week 4[edit]

text: Ahead of Saturday night, Lloyd Webber made a surprise visit to the contestants and worked with each to improve their performance.  Lloyd Webber also watched them on how well they interact with kids.[27]

text: The show performances were:[28][29]

text:
Group performances:
"Do-Re-Mi" (from The Sound of Music)

text:
Contestants' performances on the fourth live show

Act

Order

Song

Results Part 1

Results Part 2

Helena Blackman

1

"Can You Feel the Love Tonight"

Bottom 2

Bottom 2

Connie Fisher

2

"Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend"

Safe

Safe

Abi Finley

3

"Summertime"

Safe

Safe

Leanne Dobinson

4

"Hopelessly Devoted to You"

Safe

Eliminated

Aoife Mulholland

5

"You'll Never Walk Alone"

Safe

Safe

Simona Armstrong

6

"It's My Turn"

Eliminated

N/A

Siobhan Dillon

7

"Songbird"

Safe

Safe

text: Guest performance: "It's Not That Easy"  (Lemar)

text:
Panel's verdict on who was Maria
John Barrowman: Helena
Zoe Tyler: Siobhan
David Ian: Siobhan

text:
First sing-off:
Helena Blackman and Simona Armstrong were in the first sing-off, with Simona receiving the lowest number of viewers votes and performed "Memory" from Cats.
Lloyd Webber chose to save Helena and bid farewell to Simona.
Performance with children: Siobhan: "Truly Scrumptious" from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Second sing-off:
Helena Blackman and Leanne Dobinson were in the second sing-off, with Helena receiving the lowest number of viewers votes and performed "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar.
Lloyd Webber chose to save Helena and bid farewell to Leanne.

text: Week 5[edit]

text: This week, the mission was a chemistry test with John Barrowman, which involved his giving the Marias a surprise kiss.[30]

text: The show performances were:[30]

text:
Group performances:
"I Have Confidence" (from The Sound of Music)
With John Barrowman: "Have You Met Miss Jones?" (from I'd Rather Be Right)

text:
Contestants' performances on the fifth live show

Act

Order

Song

Results Part 1

Results Part 2

Connie Fisher

1

"If I Can't Have You"

Safe

Safe

Siobhan Dillon

2

"All That Jazz"

Safe

Bottom 2

Helena Blackman

3

"My Heart Will Go On"

Safe

Safe

Abi Finley

4

"Maybe This Time"

Eliminated

N/A

Aoife Mulholland

5

"Footloose"

Bottom 2

Eliminated

text: Guest performance: "Oh What a Girl"  (Simply Red)

text:
First sing-off:
Abi Finley and Aoife Mulholland were in the first sing-off, with Abi receiving the lowest number of viewers votes and performed "Any Dream Will Do" from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.
Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Aoife and bid farewell to Abi.
Second sing-off:
Siobhan Dillon and Aoife Mulholland  were in the second sing-off, with Aoife receiving the lowest number of viewers votes and performed "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" from Evita.
Lloyd Webber chose to save Siobhan and bid farewell to Aoife.

text: Week 6[edit]

text: In the run-up to the final, the three finalists and Lloyd Webber visited Salzburg to visit some of the locations made famous by The Sound of Music, including Leopoldskron Palace and Nonnberg Abbey, to give the finalists a chance to understand the real Maria von Trapp.[31]

text:
Group performance:
Finalists and former Marias: "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" (from The Sound of Music)
Connie and Helena: "The Sound of Music" (from The Sound of Music)
Former Marias: "Edelweiss" (from The Sound of Music)

text:
Contestants' performances on the sixth live show

Act

Order

Song

Order

The Sound of Music song

Order

Song of the Series

Result

Siobhan Dillon

1

"Anyone Who Had a Heart"

4

"My Favorite Things"

N/A

N/A (already eliminated)

Eliminated

Helena Blackman

2

"Cabaret"

5

"Do-Re-Mi"

7

"Woman in Love"

Runner-up

Connie Fisher

3

"As Long as He Needs Me"

6

"The Lonely Goatherd"

8

"Shout"

Winner

text:
Panel's verdict on who was Maria
John Barrowman: Connie
Zoe Tyler: Helena
David Ian: Connie
Andrew Lloyd Webber: Connie

text: After being announced as the series winner, Connie concluded the series with a performance of "The Sound of Music".

text: Winner[edit]

text: Following a public telephone vote, 23-year-old Connie Fisher was chosen as Maria and performed the role in the West End from November 2006 to February 2008. The series also helped the careers of the other finalists, some of whom later took leading roles in West End shows. Semi-finalist Aoife Mulholland also took up the role of Maria in April 2007 for two shows a week, after Fisher was advised to reduce her performances to six per week.

text: After the series[edit]

text: Following the final, Lloyd Webber was criticised after it was revealed that actress Emma Williams had been hired to perform the two performances per week that Fisher would not.[32][33] Prior to The Sound of Music opening Williams "withdrew her services", reportedly because her role had been downgraded from four shows per week to two, leaving Fisher to perform all eight shows unless indisposed.[34][35]

text: With £10 million in advance ticket sales,[36] the £4 million production opened at the London Palladium on 15 November 2006 to positive reviews,[37] leading to a £1.1 million increase in ticket sales in one day.[34] In January 2007, Fisher was chosen by the London Critics' Circle to win their award for best newcomer, sharing the prize with Andrew Garfield.[38] Reducing her performances to six per week in March 2007 following an order to rest her voice,[39] her run in the show was extended until 23 February 2008, when actress Summer Strallen took over the role following a tie-in with the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks.[40] Fisher has also made numerous appearances on stage and on television, released two albums, and performed the lead role in the ITV1 drama Caught in a Trap on 26 December 2008.[41] She  reprised her role as Maria in a UK tour of the production in July 2009.[42]

text: Several of the other final ten contestants have taken on leading roles in musicals following the series. Aoife Mulholland was cast in December 2006 as Roxie Hart in the West End musical Chicago,[43] and took on the role of Maria in the West End production for two shows per week in April 2007 after Fisher's reduction in performances.[39] In July 2007 Siobhan Dillon started in the role of Patty Simcox in the musical Grease and later went on to play the lead role of Sandy in January 2010.[44] Fellow finalist Helena Blackman played Nellie Forbush in a UK tour of South Pacific.[45] Mulholland originated the role of Brooke Wyndham in the West End production of Legally Blonde,[46] and Dillon took over the role of Vivienne Kensington in October 2010.[47]

text: A follow-up programme How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? – Connie's Story aired on 27 December 2006 and followed Fisher during rehearsals for her new role up to and including the opening night.[48] Fisher and several other finalists appeared in a special programme on 24 December 2007 with the winner and finalists from Any Dream Will Do titled When Joseph Met Maria.[49]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Lloyd Webber was initially criticised for wanting to cast the role through a television talent search,[36] and he and the BBC were also criticised by the actors union Equity. They stated that they believed their members would find the series "demeaning to their profession" and that it was not a "proper way" to choose a performer.[50]

text: The series opened to mostly negative reviews from the press,[51] with the Daily Mail stating that the series was a "trainwreck".[52] In response to the criticism, Lloyd Webber told The Times:

text: "This programme is providing a platform for musical theatre that it has never had before. The only people upset with Maria are a few precious luvvies who think things should be done a certain way."[52]

text: Lloyd Webber and the BBC were also criticised for giving the production "11 hours of free publicity on prime-time television"[53] and that the series could be "considered commercial advertising". The BBC Trust's Editorial Standards Committee disagreed, saying that the corporation retained "editorial control of the programme" and avoided "disproportionate prominence for Lloyd Webber and the production".[54]

text: The first programme attracted 5.1 million viewers with a 32% audience share,[55] with 4.9 million viewers (30% share) watching the first of the live finals, and 4.7 million (23% share) viewing the results programme.[56] The series dropped to a low of 4.4 million viewers (24% share) against the third series of The X Factor on ITV1, which started the week before.[57] The X Factor continued to gain higher viewing figures as the weeks progressed, with the final of Maria? attracting 5.5 million viewers (28% share) for the main show and 7.7 million (35% share) for the results show.[58]

text: Following the conclusion of the series on a ratings high and positive reviews for Fisher following her opening night, the series was followed by a number of similar series from both the BBC and other broadcasters in the UK and abroad. It was credited with helping London theatres reach record ticket sales and attendances in 2007 and, according to The Independent, for "persuading a new, younger audience to see the shows in the flesh".[59]

text: The series was shown on BBC America in the United States from June 2009. It was described as being "refreshing in its simplicity" in a "landscape that lately seems dominated by audition-heavy musical competitions" by LA Times critic Mary McNamara,[60] but Brian Lowry of Variety didn't feel that it would be successful in the U.S.[61]

text: Awards[edit]

text: The series won three awards, and received nominations for another two:

text:
2007 International Emmy Awards: winner – non-scripted entertainment[62]
2006 Royal Television Society Awards: winner – best entertainment programme[63]
2007 Broadcast Awards: winner – best entertainment programme[64]
2007 British Academy Television Awards: nominated – best entertainment programme[65]
2007 Broadcasting Press Guild Awards: nominated – best comedy/entertainment[66]

text: Ratings[edit]

text:
Episode
Airdate
Viewers(millions)
BBC One weekly ranking
Share

Auditions 1
29 July 2006
5.15
14
32.0%[67]

Auditions 2
5 August 2006
4.69
18
31.0%[68]

Results
5.20
13
27.0%[69]

Live Show 1
12 August 2006
5.07
14
30.0%[70]

Results 1
4.80
15
23.0%[71]

Live Show 2
19 August 2006
4.47
18
23.0%[72]

Results 2
5.35
15
N/A

Live Show 3
26 August 2006
4.45
18
23.7%[73]

Results 3
5.67
11
27.8%[74]

Live Show 4
2 September 2006
5.36
13
24.0%[75]

Results 4
5.92
10
26.0%[76]

Live Show 5
9 September 2006
4.76
17
24.4%[77]

Results 5
6.40
10
30.0%[78]

Live Final
16 September 2006
5.82
12
28.3%[79]

Final Results
8.20
4
35.0%[80]

Average
5.42
N/A
27.5%

text: Follow-up and international series[edit]

text: The success of the series led to its becoming the first in a series of West End themed talent contests produced by the BBC in collaboration with Lloyd Webber. 2007 saw Any Dream Will Do search for a new male lead to play Joseph for a production of Lloyd Webber's and Tim Rice's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. This was followed in 2008 by I'd Do Anything, which sought a lead to play Nancy and three young performers to play the lead in a production of the musical Oliver!. In 2010, Over the Rainbow cast Dorothy and a dog to play Toto in the forthcoming stage production of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. The BBC also collaborated with Lloyd Webber to find a performer for Britain's entry into the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 through Eurovision: Your Country Needs You.

text: On 20 August 2006, it was reported that Lloyd Webber had taken legal action against David Ian. Lloyd Webber reportedly wanted to take the format to the United States to cast a Broadway theatre production of Grease. Lloyd Webber discovered that Ian had already brought the idea to NBC, who announced they will look for unknowns to play Sandy Dumbrowski and Danny Zuko, via reality TV show Grease: You're the One that I Want! with Ian and BBC Worldwide, leaving Lloyd Webber furious. Ian said "I don't understand the problem. Andrew has no connection with the stage show Grease, which I have successfully produced in the UK. There is a new production of Grease on Broadway in the spring of 2007, that's why I've been asked to judge on You're The One That We Want."[81] This was followed in the UK with the ITV1 series Grease Is the Word, with Ian as a judge. It aired against Any Dream Will Do in 2007.

text: Op zoek naar Evita (Looking for Evita) was produced in the Netherlands in 2007, followed by Op zoek naar Joseph (Looking for Joseph) in 2008, Op zoek naar Mary Poppins (Looking for Mary Poppins) in 2009 and Op zoek naar Zorro (Looking for Zorro) in 2011 and even Op zoek naar Annie (Looking for Annie) in 2012.

text: In 2008 a Canadian version of the show with the same title, searched for a Maria for an upcoming Toronto production of The Sound of Music; this show was initiated by Lloyd Webber, and was aired on CBC Television.

text: In 2009 Vtm aired a Flemish version titled Op zoek naar Maria (Looking for Maria).


document_title: Burning of Washington

question_text: who was the president when the white house burned down

root

text: Burning of Washington

text: Reasons[edit]

text: The British government, already at war with Napoleonic France, adopted a defensive strategy against the United States when the Americans declared war in 1812. Reinforcements were held back from Canada and reliance was instead made on local militias and native allies to bolster the British Army in Canada. However, after the defeat and exile of Napoleon Bonaparte in April 1814, Britain was able to use its now available troops and ships to prosecute its war with the United States. In addition to reinforcements sent to Canada, the Earl of Bathurst, Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, dispatched an army brigade and additional naval vessels to Bermuda, from where a blockade of the US coast and even the occupation of some coastal islands had been overseen throughout the war. It was decided to use these forces in raids along the Atlantic seaboard to draw American forces away from Canada.[4] The commanders were under strict orders, however, not to carry out operations far inland, or to attempt to hold territory. Early in 1814, Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane had been appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Navy's North America and West Indies Station, controlling naval forces based at the new Bermuda dockyard and the Halifax Naval Yard which were used to blockade US Atlantic ports throughout the war. He planned to carry the war into the United States by attacks in Virginia and against New Orleans.[5]

tag: p

text: Rear Admiral George Cockburn had commanded the squadron in Chesapeake Bay since the previous year. On June 25 he wrote to Cochrane stressing that the defenses there were weak, and he felt that several major cities were vulnerable to attack.[6] Cochrane suggested attacking Baltimore, Washington and Philadelphia. On July 17, Cockburn recommended Washington as the target, because of the comparative ease of attacking the national capital and "the greater political effect likely to result".[7]  General Ross commanded a 4,500-man army, composed of the 4th (King's Own) Light, 21st Royal North British Fusiliers, 44th (East Essex) Regiment of Foot, and 85th Regiment of Foot.

text: An added motive was retaliation for what Britain saw as the "wanton destruction of private property along the north shores of Lake Erie" by American forces under Col. John Campbell in May 1814, the most notable being the Raid on Port Dover.[8] On June 2, 1814, Sir George Prévost, Governor General of The Canadas, wrote to Cochrane at Admiralty House, in Bailey's Bay, Bermuda, calling for a retaliation against the American destruction of private property in violation of the laws of war. Prévost argued that,

text: … in consequence of the late disgraceful conduct of the American troops in the wanton destruction of private property on the north shores of Lake Erie, in order that if the war with the United States continues you may, should you judge it advisable, assist in inflicting that measure of retaliation which shall deter the enemy from a repetition of similar outrages.[8]

text: On July 18, Cochrane ordered Cockburn to "deter the enemy from a repetition of similar outrages ... You are hereby required and directed to destroy and lay waste such towns and districts as you may find assailable".[9] Cochrane instructed, "You will spare merely the lives of the unarmed inhabitants of the United States". Ross and Cockburn surveyed the torching of the President's Mansion, during which time a great storm arose unexpectedly out of the southeast. They were confronted a number of times while on horseback by older women from around Washington City and elderly clergymen (Southern Presbyterian and Southern Baptist), with women and children who had been hiding in homes and churches. They requested protection from abuse and robbery by enlisted personnel from the British Expeditionary Forces whom they accused of having tried to ransack private homes and other buildings. Major-General Ross had two British soldiers put in chains for violation of his general order. Throughout the events of that day, a severe storm blew into the city, worsening on the night of August 24, 1814.

text: Events[edit]

text: President James Madison, members of his government, and the military fled the city in the wake of the British victory at the Battle of Bladensburg. They eventually found refuge for the night in Brookeville, a small town in Montgomery County, Maryland, which is known today as the United States Capital for a Day. President Madison spent the night in the house of Caleb Bentley, a Quaker who lived and worked in Brookeville. Bentley's house, known today as the Madison House, still stands in Brookeville.[10]

text: The sappers and miners of the Corps of Royal Engineers under Captain Blanshard were employed in burning the principal buildings. Blanshard reported that it seemed that the American President was so sure that the attacking force would be made prisoners that a handsome entertainment had been prepared. Blanshard and his sappers enjoyed the feast.[11]:358

text: U.S. Capitol[edit]

text: The Capitol was, according to some contemporary travelers, the only building in Washington "worthy to be noticed."[12] Thus, it was a prime target for the British invaders, both for its aesthetic and symbolic value. Upon arrival into the city via Maryland Avenue, the British targeted the Capitol (first the southern wing, containing the House of Representatives, then the northern wing, containing the Senate).[13] Prior to setting it aflame, the British looted the building (which at that time housed Congress, the Library of Congress, and the Supreme Court). Items looted by British General Sir George Cockburn included “An account of the receipts and expenditures of the United States for the year 1810.[14]"

text: The British intended to burn the building to the ground. They set fire to the southern wing first. The flames grew so quickly that the British were prevented from collecting enough wood to burn the stone walls completely. However, the Library of Congress’s contents in the northern wing contributed to the flames on that side.[15] Among the destruction was the 3,000-volume collection of the Library of Congress [16] and the intricate decorations of the neoclassical columns, pediments, and sculptures[17] originally designed by William Thornton in 1793 and Benjamin Latrobe in 1803.[18] The wooden ceilings and floors burned, and the glass skylights melted because of the intense heat.[19] But, the building was not a complete loss. The House rotunda, the east lobby, the staircases, and Latrobe’s famous Corn-Cob Columns in the Senate entrance hall all survived.[20] The Superintendent of the Public Buildings of the City of Washington, Thomas Munroe, concluded that the loss to the Capitol amounted to $787,163.28, with $457,388.36 for the North wing and main building, and $329,774.92 for the South wing.[21]

text: White House[edit]

text: After burning the Capitol, the British turned northwest up Pennsylvania Avenue toward the White House. After US government officials and President Madison fled the city, the First Lady Dolley Madison received a letter from her husband, urging her to be prepared to leave Washington at a moment's notice.[22]  Dolley organized the slaves and staff to save valuables from the British.[23] James Madison's personal slave, the fifteen-year-old boy Paul Jennings, was an eyewitness.[24] After later buying his freedom from the widow Dolley Madison, Jennings published his memoir in 1865, considered the first from the White House:

text: It has often been stated in print, that when Mrs. Madison escaped from the White House, she cut out from the frame the large portrait of Washington (now in one of the parlors there), and carried it off. She had no time for doing it. It would have required a ladder to get it down. All she carried off was the silver in her reticule, as the British were thought to be but a few squares off, and were expected any moment.[25]

text: Jennings said the people who saved the painting and removed the objects actually were:

text: John Susé (Jean Pierre Sioussat) (a Frenchman, then door-keeper, and still living)  and Magraw [McGraw], the President's gardener, took it down and sent it off on a wagon, with some large silver urns and such other valuables as could be hastily got hold of. When the British did arrive, they ate up the very dinner, and drank the wines, &c., that I had prepared for the President's party.[25][26][27]

text: The soldiers burned the president's house, and fuel was added to the fires that night to ensure they would continue burning into the next day.

text: In 2009, President Barack Obama held a ceremony at the White House to honor Jennings as a representative of his contributions to saving the Gilbert Stuart painting and other valuables. (The painting that was saved was a copy Stuart made of the painting, not the original,[28] although it is the same one on display in the East Room.) "A dozen descendants of Jennings came to Washington, to visit the White House. They looked at the painting their relative helped save."[29] In an interview with National Public Radio, Jennings' great-great-grandson Hugh Alexander said, "We were able to take a family portrait in front of the painting, which was for me one of the high points."[24] He confirmed that Jennings later purchased his freedom from the widowed Dolley Madison.[24]

text: Other Washington properties[edit]

text: The day after the destruction of the White House, Rear Admiral Cockburn entered the building of the D.C. newspaper, the National Intelligencer, intending to burn it down. However, several women persuaded him not to because they were afraid the fire would spread to their neighboring houses. Cockburn wanted to destroy the newspaper because its reporters had written so negatively about him, branding him "The Ruffian". Instead, he ordered his troops to tear the building down brick by brick, and ordered all the "C" type destroyed "so that the rascals can have no further means of abusing my name".[30]

text: The British sought out the United States Treasury in hopes of finding money or items of worth, but they found only old records.[16] They burned the United States Treasury and other public buildings. The United States Department of War building was also burned. However, the War and State Department files had been removed, so all books and records had been saved; the only records of the War Department lost were recommendations of appointments for the Army and letters received from seven years earlier.[31] The First U.S. Patent Office Building was saved by the efforts of William Thornton, the former Architect of the Capitol and then the Superintendent of Patents, who gained British cooperation to preserve it.[32][A] "When the smoke cleared from the dreadful attack, the Patent Office was the only Government building ... left untouched" in Washington.[33]

text: The Americans had already burned much of the historic Washington Navy Yard, founded by Thomas Jefferson, to prevent capture of stores and ammunition,[34] as well as the 44-gun frigate USS Columbia and the 22 gun USS Argus both new vessels nearing completion.[35]  The Navy Yard's Latrobe Gate, Quarters A, and Quarters B were the only buildings to escape destruction.[36][37] Also spared were the Marine Barracks and Commandant's House, although several private properties were damaged or destroyed.[38]

text: In the afternoon of August 25, General Ross sent two hundred men to secure a fort on Greenleaf's Point. The fort, later known as Fort McNair, had already been destroyed by the Americans, but 150 barrels of gunpowder remained. While the British were trying to destroy it by dropping the barrels into a well, the powder ignited. As many as thirty men were killed in the explosion, and many others were maimed.[39]

text: "The Storm that Saved Washington"[edit]

text: Less than a day after the attack began, a sudden very heavy thunderstorm—possibly a hurricane—put out the fires. It also spun off a tornado that passed through the center of the capital, setting down on Constitution Avenue[3] and lifting two cannons before dropping them several yards away and killing British troops and American civilians alike.[40] Following the storm, the British troops returned to their ships, many of which were badly damaged. There is some debate regarding the effect of this storm on the occupation. While some assert that the storm forced their retreat,[3] it seems likely from their destructive and arsonous actions before the storm, and their written orders from Cochrane to "destroy and lay waste",[41] that their intention was merely to raze the city, rather than occupy it for an extended period. Whatever the case, the British occupation of Washington lasted only about 26 hours. Despite this, the "Storm that saved Washington", as it became known, did the opposite according to some. The rains sizzled and cracked the already charred walls of the White House and ripped away at structures the British had no plans to destroy (such as the Patent Office). The storm may have exacerbated an already dire situation for Washington DC.

text: An encounter was noted between Sir George Cockburn 10th Baronet and a female resident of Washington. "Dear God! Is this the weather to which you are accustomed to in this infernal country?" enquired the Admiral. "This is a special interposition of Providence to drive our enemies from our city", the woman allegedly called out to Cockburn. "Not so, Madam", Cockburn retorted. "It is rather to aid your enemies in the destruction of your city", before riding off on horseback.[42] Yet, the British left right after the storm completely unopposed by any American military forces.

text: The Royal Navy reported that it lost one man killed and six wounded in the attack, of whom the fatality and three of the wounded were from the Corps of Colonial Marines.[43]

text: The destruction of the Capitol, including the Senate House and the House of Representatives, the Arsenal, Dockyard, Treasury, War Office, President's mansion, bridge over the Potomac, a frigate and a sloop together with all Materiel was estimated at £365,000.[11]:359

text: A separate British force captured Alexandria, on the south side of the Potomac River, while Ross's troops were leaving Washington. The mayor of Alexandria made a deal and the British refrained from burning the town.[44]

text: President Madison returned to Washington by September 1, on which date he issued a proclamation calling on citizens to defend the District of Columbia.[45] Congress returned and assembled in special session on September 19. Due to the destruction of the Capitol and other public buildings, they initially met in the Post and Patent Office building.[46]

text: In 2013, an episode of the Weather Channel documentary series "Weather That Changed History", entitled "The Thunderstorm That Saved D.C.", was devoted to these events.

text: Aftermath[edit]

text: Most contemporary American observers, including newspapers representing anti-war Federalists, condemned the destruction of the public buildings as needless vandalism.[47]  Many of the British public were shocked by the burning of the Capitol and other buildings at Washington; such actions were denounced by most leaders of continental Europe, where capital cities had been repeatedly occupied in the course of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and always spared destruction (at least on the part of the occupiers – the famous burning of Moscow that occurred less than two years prior had been an act carried out by the defenders). According to The Annual Register, the burning had "brought a heavy censure on the British character", with some members of Parliament, including the anti-establishment MP Samuel Whitbread,[47] joining in the criticism.

text: The majority of British opinion believed that the burnings were justified following the damage that United States forces had done with its incursions into Canada. In addition, they noted that the United States had been the aggressor, declaring war and initiating it.[48] Several commentators regarded the damages as just revenge for the American destruction of the Parliament buildings and other public buildings in York, the provincial capital of Upper Canada, early in 1813. Sir George Prévost wrote that "as a just retribution, the proud capital at Washington has experienced a similar fate".[49] The Reverend John Strachan, who as Rector of York had witnessed the American acts there, wrote to Thomas Jefferson that the damage to Washington "was a small retaliation after redress had been refused for burnings and depredations, not only of public but private property, committed by them in Canada".[50]

text: When they ultimately returned to Bermuda, the British forces took two pairs of portraits of King George III and his wife, Queen Charlotte, which had been discovered in one of the public buildings. One pair currently hangs in the House of Assembly of the Parliament of Bermuda, and the other in the Cabinet Building, both in the city of Hamilton.[51]

text: Reconstruction[edit]

text: Although the President and military officers returned to Washington only a few days after the British left, Congress did not return for three and half weeks.[52] The Thirteenth Congress officially convened on September 19, 1814, at the Blodgett’s Hotel, one of the few surviving buildings large enough to hold all members.[53] The Blodgett's Hotel also housed the U. S. Patent Office. Although the British had destroyed all public buildings, the Blodgett's Hotel and U.S. Patent Office was spared.[54] It was in this building that Congress met between September 1814 and December 1815 (when construction of the Old Brick Capitol was complete).[55]

text: There was a movement in Congress to relocate the capital after the burning. Congressmen from the North pushed for relocation to Philadelphia or other prominent Union cities, while Southern congressmen claimed that moving the capital would degrade the American sense of dignity and strength (however many southern congressmen simply did not want to move the capital north of the Mason–Dixon line).[56] On September 21, 1814, the House of Representatives voted to strike down a proposal to relocate the capital from Washington, D. C. by a margin of 83 to 54.[57] On February 3, 1815, in an effort to guarantee that the federal government would always remain in the area, Washington property owners funded the building of the Old Brick Capitol,[58] a larger meeting space where the Supreme Court now stands.[59] Construction of the Old Brick Capitol cost $25,000 and was funded primarily through the sale of stocks. The largest donor was Daniel Carroll of Duddington, a rich English property owner in the area.[60] Construction began on July 4, 1814, and concluded in December 1815. Congress met in the Old Brick Capitol between December 1815 and December 1819, when the Capitol reopened.[61]

text: The Capitol reconstruction took much longer than anticipated. The Old Brick Capitol took only five months to complete; the Capitol took twelve years.[18] A committee appointed by Congress to investigate the damage to the District concluded that it was cheaper to rebuild the already existing and damaged buildings than to build an entirely new one.[62] On February 13, 1815, President Madison and Congress passed legislation to borrow $500,000 to repair the public buildings, including the Capitol, "on their present sites in the city of Washington".[63] Benjamin Latrobe, architect of the Capitol who took over for William Thornton in 1803, was rehired to repair the building on April 18, 1815.[64] He immediately requested 60,000 feet of boards, 500 tons of stone, 1,000 barrels of lime, and brick.[64] With the $500,000 borrowed from Washington banks,[61] Latrobe was able to rebuild the two wings and the central dome before being fired in 1818 for being difficult.[65] Charles Bulfinch took over and officially completed the renovations by 1826.[18] Bulfinch modified Latrobe’s design by increasing the height of the Capitol dome to match the diameter of 86 ft. With the reconstruction of the public buildings in Washington, the value of land in the area increased dramatically, paving the way for the expansion of the city that developed in the years leading up to the American Civil War.[66]


document_title: São Tomé and Príncipe

question_text: what islands off the coast of northern gabon were uninhabited until the portuguese arrived in 1470

text: São Tomé and Príncipe

text: History[edit]

text: This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

tag: table

text: The islands of São Tomé and Príncipe were uninhabited when the Portuguese arrived sometime around 1470. The islands were discovered by João de Santarém and Pêro Escobar. Portuguese navigators explored the islands and decided that they would be good locations for bases to trade with the mainland.

text: The dates of discovery are sometimes given as 21 December (St Thomas's Day) 1471, for São Tomé; and 17 January (St Anthony's Day) 1472, for Príncipe, though other sources cite different years around that time. Príncipe was initially named Santo Antão ("Saint Anthony"), changing its name in 1502 to Ilha do Príncipe ("Prince's Island"), in reference to the Prince of Portugal to whom duties on the island's sugar crop were paid.

text: The first successful settlement of São Tomé was established in 1493 by Álvaro Caminha, who received the land as a grant from the crown. Príncipe was settled in 1500 under a similar arrangement. Attracting settlers proved difficult, however, and most of the earliest inhabitants were "undesirables" sent from Portugal, mostly Jews.[10] In time these settlers found the volcanic soil of the region suitable for agriculture, especially the growing of sugar.

text: By 1515, São Tomé and Príncipe had become slave depots for the coastal slave trade centered at Elmina.[11]

text: The cultivation of sugar was a labour-intensive process and the Portuguese began to enslave large numbers of Africans from the mainland. By the mid-16th century the Portuguese settlers had turned the islands into Africa's foremost exporter of sugar. São Tomé and Príncipe were taken over and administered by the Portuguese crown in 1522 and 1573, respectively.

text: However, competition from sugar-producing colonies in the Western Hemisphere began to hurt the islands. The large enslaved population also proved difficult to oppress, with Portugal unable to invest many resources in the effort. Sugar cultivation thus declined over the next 100 years, and by the mid-17th century, the economy of São Tomé had changed. It was now primarily a transit point for ships engaged in the slave trade between the West and continental Africa.

text: In the early 19th century, two new cash crops, coffee and cocoa, were introduced. The rich volcanic soils proved well suited to the new cash crop industry, and soon extensive plantations (known as "roças"), owned by Portuguese companies or absentee landlords, occupied almost all of the good farmland.[citation needed] By 1908, São Tomé had become the world's largest producer of cocoa, which remains the country's most important crop.

text: The roças system, which gave the plantation managers a high degree of authority, led to abuses against the African farm workers. Although Portugal officially abolished slavery in 1876, the practice of forced paid labour continued. Scientific American magazine documented in words and pictures the continued use of slaves in São Tomé in its 13 March 1897 issue.

text: In the early 20th century, an internationally publicized controversy arose over charges that Angolan contract workers were being subjected to forced labour and unsatisfactory working conditions. Sporadic labor unrest and dissatisfaction continued well into the 20th century, culminating in an outbreak of riots in 1953 in which several hundred African laborers were killed in a clash with their Portuguese rulers. This "Batepá Massacre" remains a major event in the colonial history of the islands, and its anniversary is officially observed by the government.

text: Independence (1975)[edit]

text: By the late 1950s, when other emerging nations across the African Continent demanded their independence, a small group of São Toméans had formed the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe (MLSTP), which eventually established its base in nearby Gabon. Picking up momentum in the 1960s, events moved quickly after the overthrow of the Caetano dictatorship in Portugal in April 1974.

text: The new Portuguese regime was committed to the dissolution of its overseas colonies. In November 1974, their representatives met with the MLSTP in Algiers and worked out an agreement for the transfer of sovereignty. After a period of transitional government, São Tomé and Príncipe achieved independence on 12 July 1975, choosing as the first president the MLSTP Secretary General Manuel Pinto da Costa.

text: In 1990, São Tomé became one of the first African countries to undergo democratic reform, and changes to the constitution – the legalization of opposition political parties – led to elections in 1991 that were nonviolent, free, and transparent. Miguel Trovoada, a former prime minister who had been in exile since 1986, returned as an independent candidate and was elected president. Trovoada was re-elected in São Tomé's second multi-party presidential election in 1996.

text: The Party of Democratic Convergence (PCD) won a majority of seats in the National Assembly, with the MLSTP becoming an important and vocal minority party. Municipal elections followed in late 1992, in which the MLSTP won a majority of seats on five of seven regional councils. In early legislative elections in October 1994, the MLSTP won a plurality of seats in the Assembly. It regained an outright majority of seats in the November 1998 elections.

text: Presidential elections were held in July 2001. The candidate backed by the Independent Democratic Action party, Fradique de Menezes, was elected in the first round and inaugurated on 3 September. Parliamentary elections were held in March 2002. For the next four years, a series of short-lived opposition-led governments were formed.

text: The army seized power for one week in July 2003, complaining of corruption and that forthcoming oil revenues would not be divided fairly. An accord was negotiated under which President de Menezes was returned to office.[citation needed] The cohabitation period ended in March 2006, when a pro-presidential coalition won enough seats in National Assembly elections to form a new government.[12]

text: In the 30 July 2006 presidential election, Fradique de Menezes easily won a second five-year term in office, defeating two other candidates Patrice Trovoada (son of former President Miguel Trovoada) and independent Nilo Guimarães. Local elections, the first since 1992, took place on 27 August 2006 and were dominated by members of the ruling coalition.[citation needed] On 12 February 2009, there was an attempted coup d'état to overthrow President Fradique de Menezes. The coup plotters were imprisoned, but later received a pardon from President de Menezes.[13]

text: Politics[edit]

text: The president of the republic is elected to a five-year term by direct universal suffrage and a secret ballot, and must gain an outright majority to be elected. The president may hold up to two consecutive terms. The prime minister is appointed by the president, and the fourteen members of cabinet are chosen by the prime minister.

text: The National Assembly, the supreme organ of the state and the highest legislative body, is made up of 55 members, who are elected for a four-year term and meet semiannually. Justice is administered at the highest level by the Supreme Court. The judiciary is independent under the current constitution.

text: Political culture[edit]

text: São Tomé has functioned under a multiparty system since 1990. With regards to human rights in São Tomé, there are freedom of speech and the freedom to form opposition political parties.

text: São Tomé and Príncipe finished 11th out of the African countries measured by the Ibrahim Index of African Governance in 2010, a comprehensive reflection of the levels of governance in Africa.[14]

text: Foreign relations[edit]

text: São Tomé and Príncipe has embassies in Angola, Belgium, Gabon, Portugal and the United States. It recognized the People's Republic of China in 2016. It also has a permanent mission to the UN in New York City and an International Diplomatic Correspondent Office.

text: Military[edit]

text: São Tomé and Príncipe's military is small and consists of four branches: the Army (Exército), Coast Guard (Guarda Costeira also called "Navy"), Presidential Guard (Guarda Presidencial), and the National Guard.

text: Administrative divisions[edit]

text: São Tomé and Príncipe is divided into two provinces: Príncipe and São Tomé.

text: The provinces are further divided into seven districts, six on São Tomé and one on Príncipe (with Príncipe having self-government since 29 April 1995).

text: Geography[edit]

text: The islands of São Tomé and Príncipe, situated in the equatorial Atlantic and Gulf of Guinea about 300 and 250 kilometres (190 and 160 mi), respectively, off the northwest coast of Gabon, constitute Africa's second-smallest country. Both are part of the Cameroon volcanic mountain line, which also includes the islands of Annobón to the southwest, Bioko to the northeast (both part of Equatorial Guinea), and Mount Cameroon on the coast of Gulf of Guinea.

text: São Tomé is 50 km (30 mi) long and 30 km (20 mi) wide and the more mountainous of the two islands. Its peaks reach 2,024 m (6,640 ft) – Pico de São Tomé. Príncipe is about 30 km (20 mi) long and 6 km (4 mi) wide. Its peaks reach 948 m (3,110 ft) – Pico de Príncipe. Swift streams radiating down the mountains through lush forest and cropland to the sea cross both islands. The Equator lies immediately south of São Tomé Island, passing through the islet Ilhéu das Rolas.

text: The Pico Cão Grande (Great Dog Peak) is a landmark volcanic plug peak, located at 0°7′0″N 6°34′00″E / 0.11667°N 6.56667°E / 0.11667; 6.56667 in southern São Tomé. It rises over 300 m (1,000 ft) above the surrounding terrain and the summit is 663 m (2,175 ft) above sea level.

text: Climate[edit]

text: At sea level, the climate is tropical—hot and humid with average yearly temperatures of about 27 °C (80.6 °F) and little daily variation. The temperature rarely rises beyond 32 °C (89.6 °F). At the interior's higher elevations, the average yearly temperature is 20 °C (68 °F), and nights are generally cool. Annual rainfall varies from 5,000 mm (196.9 in) on the southwestern slopes to 1,000 mm (39.4 in) in the northern lowlands. The rainy season is from October to May.

text: Wildlife[edit]

text:
São Tomé and Príncipe does not have a large number of native mammals (although the São Tomé shrew and several bat species are endemic). The islands are home to a larger number of endemic birds and plants, including the world's smallest ibis (the São Tomé ibis), the world's largest sunbird (the giant sunbird), the rare São Tomé fiscal, and several giant species of Begonia.
São Tomé and Principe is an important marine turtle nesting site, including the hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata).

text: Economy[edit]

text: Since the 19th century, the economy of São Tomé and Príncipe has been based on plantation agriculture. At the time of independence, Portuguese-owned plantations occupied 90% of the cultivated area. After independence, control of these plantations passed to various state-owned agricultural enterprises. The main crop on São Tomé is cocoa, representing about 95% of agricultural exports. Other export crops include copra, palm kernels, and coffee.

text: Domestic food-crop production is inadequate to meet local consumption, so the country imports most of its food.[15] In 1997 it was estimated that approximately 90% of the country's food needs are met through imports.[15] Efforts have been made by the government in recent years to expand food production, and several projects have been undertaken, largely financed by foreign donors.

text: Other than agriculture, the main economic activities are fishing and a small industrial sector engaged in processing local agricultural products and producing a few basic consumer goods. The scenic islands have potential for tourism, and the government is attempting to improve its rudimentary tourist industry infrastructure. The government sector accounts for about 11% of employment.

text: Following independence, the country had a centrally directed economy with most means of production owned and controlled by the state. The original constitution guaranteed a mixed economy, with privately owned cooperatives combined with publicly owned property and means of production.

text: In the 1980s and 1990s, the economy of São Tomé encountered major difficulties. Economic growth stagnated, and cocoa exports dropped in both value and volume, creating large balance-of-payments deficits. Plantation land was seized, resulting in the complete collapse of cocoa production. At the same time, the international price of cocoa slumped.

text: In response to its economic downturn, the government undertook a series of far-reaching economic reforms. In 1987, the government implemented an International Monetary Fund (IMF) structural adjustment program, and invited greater private participation in management of the parastatals, as well as in the agricultural, commercial, banking, and tourism sectors. The focus of economic reform since the early 1990s has been widespread privatization, especially of the state-run agricultural and industrial sectors.

text: The São Toméan Government has traditionally obtained foreign assistance from various donors, including the UN Development Programme, the World Bank, the European Union (EU), Portugal, Taiwan, and the African Development Bank. In April 2000, in association with the Banco Central de São Tomé e Príncipe, the IMF approved a poverty reduction and growth facility for São Tomé aimed at reducing inflation to 3% for 2001, raising ideal growth to 4%, and reducing the fiscal deficit.

text: In late 2000, São Tomé qualified for significant debt reduction under the IMF–World Bank's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The reduction is being reevaluated by the IMF, due to the attempted coup d'état in July 2003 and subsequent emergency spending. Following the truce, the IMF decided to send a mission to São Tomé to evaluate the macroeconomic state of the country. This evaluation is ongoing, reportedly pending oil legislation to determine how the government will manage incoming oil revenues which are still poorly defined, but in any case expected to change the economic situation dramatically.

text: In parallel, some efforts have been made to incentivize private tourism initiatives, but their scope remains limited.[16]

text: São Tomé also hosts a broadcasting station of the American International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) for the Voice of America[17] located at Pinheira.[18]

text: Portugal remains one of São Tomé's major trading partners, particularly as a source of imports. Food, manufactured articles, machinery, and transportation equipment are imported primarily from the EU.

text: São Tomé and Príncipe was ranked the 174th-safest investment destination in the world in the March 2011 Euromoney Country Risk rankings.[19]

text: Petroleum exploration[edit]

text: In 2001, São Tomé and Nigeria reached agreement on joint exploration for petroleum in waters claimed by the two countries of the Niger Delta geologic province. After a lengthy series of negotiations, in April 2003 the joint development zone (JDZ) was opened for bids by international oil firms. The JDZ was divided into nine blocks; the winning bids for block one, ChevronTexaco, ExxonMobil, and the Norwegian firm, Equity Energy, were announced in April 2004, with São Tomé to take in 40% of the $123 million bid, and Nigeria the other 60%. Bids on other blocks were still under consideration in October 2004. São Tomé has received more than $2 million from the bank to develop its petroleum sector.[20]

text: Banking[edit]

text: Banco Central de Sāo Tomé e Príncipe is the central bank, responsible for monetary policy and bank supervision. There are six banks in the country. The largest and oldest is Banco Internacional de São Tomé e Príncipe, which is a subsidiary of Portugal's government-owned Caixa Geral de Depósitos. It had a monopoly on commercial banking until a change in the banking law in 2003 led to the entry of several other banks.

text: Society[edit]

text: Demographics[edit]

text: The first ever census was carried out in 2011 with the help of the National Statistic Institute (INE) of Cape Verde.[21]

text: The total population is estimated at 163,784 in 2010 by the government agency.[22] Approximately 157,000 people live on São Tomé and 6,000 on Príncipe.

text: All are descended from people from different countries taken to the islands by the Portuguese from 1470 onwards. In the 1970s, there were two significant population movements—the exodus of most of the 4,000 Portuguese residents and the influx of several hundred São Tomé refugees from Angola.

text: Ethnic groups[edit]

text: Distinct ethnic groups on São Tomé and Príncipe include:

text:
Mestiços, or mixed-blood, descendants of Portuguese colonists and African slaves brought to the islands during the early years of settlement from Benin, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola (these people also are known as filhos da terra or "children of the land").
Angolares, reputedly descendants of Angolan slaves who survived a 1540 shipwreck and now earn their livelihood fishing.
Forros, descendants of freed slaves when slavery was abolished.
Serviçais, contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde, living temporarily on the islands.
Tongas, children of serviçais born on the islands.
Europeans, primarily Portuguese.
Asians, mostly Chinese, including Macanese people of mixed Portuguese and Chinese descent from Macau.

tag: ul

text: Languages[edit]

text: Religion in São Tomé and Príncipe [23]

text: Portuguese is the official and the de facto national language of São Tomé and Príncipe, with about 98.4% speaking it in the country, a significant share of it as their native language, and it has been spoken in the islands since the end of the 15th century. Restructured variants of Portuguese or Portuguese creoles are also spoken: Forro, a creole language (36.2%), Cape Verdean Creole (8.5%), Angolar (6.6%) and Principense (1%). French (6.8%) and English (4.9%) are foreign languages taught in schools.

text: Religion[edit]

text: The majority of residents belong to the local branch of the Roman Catholic Church, which in turn retains close ties with the church in Portugal. There are also sizeable Protestant minorities of Seventh-day Adventists and other Evangelical Protestants. There is a small but growing Muslim population.

text: Health[edit]

text: There was a resurgence of malaria in the country in 2010, but the exact cause is unknown.[24] Female life expectancy at birth was 65.1 years in between 2005 and 2010, and male life expectancy at 62.8 for the same time period.[25] Healthy life expectancy at birth was at 64.7 years in 2011.[26]

text: A Cuban medical team of seven doctors, nurses and other health workers is working on the main island, with occasional visits to Príncipe.[27]

text: Government health expenditure per capita was at US$90.73 (current US$) in 2009.[28]

text: According to WHO, São Tomé and Príncipe is also home to the largest documented amount of iron-deficiency anemia amongst any country's population.[29]

text: Education[edit]

text: Education in São Tomé and Príncipe is compulsory for four years.[30] Primary school enrollment and attendance rates were unavailable for São Tomé and Príncipe as of 2001.[30]

text: The educational system has a shortage of classrooms, insufficiently trained and underpaid teachers, inadequate textbooks and materials, high rates of repetition, poor educational planning and management, and a lack of community involvement in school management.[30] Domestic financing of the school system is lacking, leaving the system highly dependent on foreign financing.[30]

text: Tertiary institutions are the National Lyceum (São Tomé and Príncipe) and the University of São Tomé and Príncipe.

text: Culture[edit]

text: São Toméan culture is a mixture of African and Portuguese influences.

text: Music[edit]

text: São Toméans are known for ússua and socopé rhythms, while Príncipe is home to the dêxa beat. Portuguese ballroom may have played an integral part in the development of these rhythms and their associated dances.

text: Tchiloli is a musical dance performance that tells a dramatic story. The danço-Congo is similarly a combination of music, dance and theatre.

text: Cuisine[edit]

text: Staple foods include fish, seafood, beans, maize and cooked banana.[31][32] Tropical fruits such as pineapple, avocado and bananas are a significant component of the cuisine. The use of hot spices is prominent in São Tomése cuisine.[31] Coffee is utilized in various dishes as a spice or seasoning.[31] Breakfast dishes are often reheated leftovers from the previous evening's meal, and omelettes are popular.[32]

text: Sports[edit]

text: Football is the most famous sport in São Tomé and Principe, the São Tomé and Príncipe national football team is the national association football team of São Tomé and Príncipe and is controlled by the Federação Santomense de Futebol. It is a member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA.[33]


document_title: Comic Relief, Inc.

question_text: when did red nose day start in the usa

question_tokens: when did red nose day start in the usa

text: Comic Relief, Inc.

text: History of Comic Relief and Red Nose Day[edit]

text: In 1985, as a response to famine in Ethiopia and other poverty stricken areas of the world, British comedy scriptwriter, Richard Curtis and British comedian, Lenny Henry co-founded and co-created the British charity, Comic Relief.[3] On February 8, 1988, Lenny Henry went to Ethiopia and celebrated the very first Red Nose Day Telethon. Over 150 celebrities and comedians participated. The event raised £15 million and attracted 30 million viewers on BBC television. The highlight of Comic Relief is Red Nose Day which raises funds for children in need, poverty alleviation and worldwide charities.[3]

text: Red Nose Day USA[edit]

text: Starting in 2015, Red Nose Day is celebrated on the last Thursday of every May in the U.S. Multi-year funding grants have been given to organizations that help end child poverty such as Feeding America, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Save the Children and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.[4]  In its first four years, the U.S. Red Nose Day raised more than $145 million.[4]

text: Red Nose Day 2017[edit]

text: In 2017, Facebook used its new fundraising platform to help users raise money for Red Nose Day.  Anyone who created a Red Nose Day event could add a donate button to any post.  The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation matched up to $1 million of donations raised on Facebook.[5]  The NBC Telethon for Red Nose Day[6] included special episodes for American Ninja Warrior, Celebrity Ninja Warrior: Red Nose Day;[7] Running Wild with Bear Grylls with Julia Roberts;[8] featuring celebrities and corporate sponsors for their activities, as well as standard telethon show hosted by Chris Hardwick.[9]


document_title: Bagel

question_text: when did bagels become popular in the us

text: Bagel

text: History[edit]

text: Contrary to some beliefs, the bagel was not created in the shape of a stirrup to commemorate the victory of Poland's King John III Sobieski over the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Vienna in 1683.

text: Linguist Leo Rosten wrote in The Joys of Yiddish about the first known mention of the Polish word bajgiel derived from the Yiddish word bagel in the "Community Regulations" of the city of Kraków in 1610, which stated that the item was given as a gift to women in childbirth.[6]

text: In the 16th and first half of the 17th centuries, the bajgiel became a staple of Polish cuisine[7] and a staple of the Slavic diet generally.[8] Its name derives from the Yiddish word beygal from the German dialect word beugel, meaning "ring" or "bracelet".[9]

text: Variants of the word beugal are used in Yiddish and in Austrian German to refer to a similar form of sweet-filled pastry (Mohnbeugel (with poppy seeds) and Nussbeugel (with ground nuts), or in southern German dialects (where beuge refers to a pile, e.g., holzbeuge "woodpile"). According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, 'bagel' derives from the transliteration of the Yiddish 'beygl', which came from the Middle High German 'böugel' or ring, which itself came from 'bouc' (ring) in Old High German, similar to the Old English bēag "ring" and būgan "to bend, bow".[10] Similarly, another etymology in the Webster's New World College Dictionary says that the Middle High German form was derived from the Austrian German beugel, a kind of croissant, and was similar to the German bügel, a stirrup or ring.[11]

text: In the Brick Lane district and surrounding area of London, England, bagels (or, as locally spelled, "beigels") have been sold since the middle of the 19th century. They were often displayed in the windows of bakeries on vertical wooden dowels, up to a metre in length, on racks.

text: Bagels were brought to the United States by immigrant Polish Jews, with a thriving business developing in New York City that was controlled for decades by Bagel Bakers Local 338, They had contracts with nearly all bagel bakeries in and around the city for its workers, who prepared all their bagels by hand.

text: The bagel came into more general use throughout North America in the last quarter of the 20th century with automation. Daniel Thompson started work on the first commercially viable bagel machine in 1958; bagel baker Harry Lender, his son, Murray Lender, and Florence Sender leased this technology and pioneered automated production and distribution of frozen bagels in the 1960s.[12][13][14] Murray also invented pre-slicing the bagel.[15]

text: Around 1900, the "bagel brunch" became popular in New York City.[16] The bagel brunch consists of a bagel topped with lox, cream cheese, capers, tomato, and red onion.[16] This and similar combinations of toppings have remained associated with bagels into the 21st century in the US.[17][18][19]

text: In Japan, the first kosher bagels were brought by BagelK (ja) from New York in 1989. BagelK created green tea, chocolate, maple-nut, and banana-nut flavors for the market in Japan. There are three million bagels exported from the U.S. annually, and it has a 4%-of-duty classification of Japan in 2000. Some Japanese bagels, such as those sold by BAGEL & BAGEL (ja), are soft and/or sweet; others, such as Einstein Bro. bagels sold by Costco in Japan, are the same as in the U.S.

text: Preparation and preservation[edit]

text: At its most basic, traditional bagel dough contains wheat flour (without germ or bran), salt, water, and yeast leavening. Bread flour or other high gluten flours are preferred to create the firm, dense but spongy bagel shape and chewy texture.[2] Most bagel recipes call for the addition of a sweetener to the dough, often barley malt (syrup or crystals), honey, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, with or without eggs, milk or butter.[2] Leavening can be accomplished using a sourdough technique or a commercially produced yeast.

text: Bagels are traditionally made by:

text:
mixing and kneading the ingredients to form the dough
shaping the dough into the traditional bagel shape, round with a hole in the middle, from a long thin piece of dough
proofing the bagels for at least 12 hours at low temperature (40–50 °F = 4.5–10 °C)
boiling each bagel in water that may contain additives such as lye, baking soda, barley malt syrup, or honey
baking at between 175 °C and 315 °C (about 350–600 °F)

text: It is this unusual production method which is said to give bagels their distinctive taste, chewy texture, and shiny appearance.

text: In recent years, a variant has emerged, producing what is sometimes called the steam bagel. To make a steam bagel, the boiling is skipped, and the bagels are instead baked in an oven equipped with a steam injection system.[20] In commercial bagel production, the steam bagel process requires less labor, since bagels need only be directly handled once, at the shaping stage. Thereafter, the bagels need never be removed from their pans as they are refrigerated and then steam-baked. The steam bagel is not considered to be a genuine bagel by purists, as it results in a fluffier, softer, less chewy product more akin to a finger roll that happens to be shaped like a bagel. Steam bagels are considered lower quality by purists as the dough used is intentionally more alkaline. The increase in pH is to aid browning, since the steam injection process uses neutral water steam instead of an alkaline solution bath.

text: If not consumed immediately, there are storing techniques that can help to keep the bagel moist and fresh. First, cool bagels in a paper bag; wrap the paper bag in a plastic bag (attempting to rid the bags of as much air as possible without squishing the bagels); then freeze for up to six months.[21]

text: Quality[edit]

text: According to a 2012 Consumer Reports article, the ideal bagel should have a slightly crispy crust, a distinct "pull" when a piece is separated from the whole by biting or pinching, a chewy inside, and the flavor of bread freshly baked. The taste may be complemented by additions cooked on the bagel, such as onion, garlic, sesame seeds, or poppy seeds. The appeal of a bagel may change upon being toasted. Toasting can have the effect of bringing or removing desirable chewiness, softening the crust, and moderating off-flavors.[22]

text: A typical bagel has 260–350 calories, 1.0–4.5 grams of fat, 330–660 milligrams of sodium, and 2–5 grams of fiber. Gluten-free bagels have much more fat, often 9 grams, because of the presence in the dough of ingredients that supplant wheat flour in the original.[22]

text: Varieties[edit]

text: Traditional bagels in North America can be either Montreal-style bagel or New York-style,[23] although both styles reflect traditional methods used in Eastern Europe before bagels' importation to North America. The distinction is less rigid than often maintained.

text: The Montreal-style bagel contains malt and sugar with no salt; it is boiled in honey-sweetened water before baking in a wood-fired oven. It is predominantly of the sesame "white" seeds variety (bagels in Toronto are similar to those made in New York in that they are less sweet, generally are coated with poppy seeds and are baked in a standard oven).

text: In distinction, the New York bagel contains salt and malt and is boiled in water before baking in a standard oven. The resulting bagel is puffy with a moist crust. The Montreal bagel is smaller (though with a larger hole), crunchier, and sweeter.[24] There is a belief that New York bagels are the best due to the quality of the local water.[25] However, this belief is heavily debated. For instance, Davidovich Bagels, made in NYC, are a recognized wholesale manufacturer of bagels that use these traditional bagel-making techniques (associated here with the Montreal-style bagel), including kettle boiling and plank baking in a wood fired oven.[26]

text: As suggested above, other bagel styles can be found elsewhere, akin to the way in which families in a given culture employ a variety of methods when cooking an indigenous dish. Thus, Chicago-style bagels are baked or baked with steam.[27] The traditional London bagel (or beigel as it is spelled) is harder and has a coarser texture with air bubbles.

text: Poppy seeds are sometimes referred to by their Yiddish name, spelled either mun or mon (written מאָן), which comes from the German word for poppy, Mohn, as used in Mohnbrötchen. American chef John Mitzewich suggests a recipe for what he calls “San Francisco-Style Bagels”. His recipe yields bagels flatter than New York-style bagels, characterized by a rough-textured crust.[28] An everything bagel may include such toppings as poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onion flakes, caraway seeds, garlic flakes, pretzel salt, and pepper.

text: Non-traditional doughs and types[edit]

text: While normally and traditionally made of yeasted wheat, in the late 20th century variations on the bagel flourished. Non-traditional versions that change the dough recipe include pumpernickel, rye, sourdough, bran, whole wheat, and multigrain. Other variations change the flavor of the dough, often using blueberry, salt, onion, garlic, egg, cinnamon, raisin, chocolate chip, cheese, or some combination of the above. Green bagels are sometimes created for St. Patrick's Day.

text: Many corporate chains now offer bagels in such flavors as chocolate chip and French toast.

text: Sandwich bagels have been popularized since the late 1990s by specialty shops such as Bruegger's and Einstein Brothers, and fast food restaurants such as McDonald's.

text: Breakfast bagels, a softer, sweeter variety usually sold in fruity or sweet flavors (e.g., cherry, strawberry, cheese, blueberry, cinnamon-raisin, chocolate chip, maple syrup, banana and nuts) are common at large supermarket chains. These are usually sold sliced and are intended to be prepared in a toaster.

text: A flat bagel, known as a 'flagel', can be found in a few locations in and around New York City, Long Island, and Toronto. According to a review attributed to New York's Village Voice food critic Robert Seitsema, the flagel was first created by Brooklyn's 'Tasty Bagels' deli in the early 1990s.[29]

text: The New York Style Snacks brand has developed the baked snacks referred to as Bagel Crisps and Bagel Chips, which are marketed as a representation of the "authentic taste" of New York City bakery bagels.[30]

text: Though the original bagel has a fairly well-defined recipe and method of production, there is no legal standard of identity for bagels in the United States. Bakers are free to call any bread torus a bagel, even those that deviate wildly from the original formulation.

text: Large scale commercial sales[edit]

text: United States supermarket sales[edit]

text: According to the American Institute of Baking (AIB), 2008 supermarket sales (52-week period ending January 27, 2009) of the top eight leading commercial fresh (not frozen) bagel brands in the United States:

text:
totaled to US$430,185,378 based on 142,669,901 package unit sales.[31]
the top eight leading brand names for the above were (by order of sales): Thomas', Sara Lee, (private label brands) Pepperidge Farm, Thomas Mini Squares, Lender's Bagels (Pinnacle Foods), Weight Watchers and The Alternative Bagel (Western Bagel).[31]

text: Further, AIB-provided statistics for the 52-week period ending May 18, 2008, for refrigerated/frozen supermarket bagel sales for the top 10 brand names totaled US$50,737,860, based on 36,719,977 unit package sales.[32] Price per package was $3.02 for fresh, $1.38 for frozen.

text: The AIB reported US$626.9 million fresh bagel US supermarket sales (excluding Wal-Mart) for the 52 weeks ending 11 April 2012.[33] Fresh/frozen supermarket sales (excluding Wal-Mart) for the 52 weeks ending 13 May 2012 was US$592.7 million.[33] The average price for a bag of fresh bagels was $3.27; for frozen it was $1.23.

text: Similar breads[edit]

text: The bublik in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, and the obwarzanek (in particular obwarzanek krakowski) in Poland are essentially larger bagels with a wider hole. Similar to bagels, these breads are usually topped with sesame and poppy seeds. Other ring-shaped breads known among East Slavs are baranki (smaller and drier) and sushki (even smaller and drier). In Lithuania, similar breads are called riestainiai and sometimes by their Slavic name baronkos.

text: In Finland, vesirinkeli are small rings of yeast-leavened wheat bread. They are placed in salted boiling water before being baked. They are often eaten for breakfast toasted and buttered. They are available in many varieties (sweet or savoury) in supermarkets.

text: German pretzels (which are soft and formed into rings or long rectangular shapes) are somewhat similar to bagels in texture, the main exceptions being the shape and the alkaline water bath that makes the surface dark and glossy.

text: In Romania, covrigi are topped with poppy, sesame seeds or large salt grains, especially in the central area of the country, and the recipe does not contain any added sweetener. They are usually shaped like pretzels rather than bagels.

text: In some parts of Austria, ring-shaped pastries called Beugel are sold in the weeks before Easter. Like a bagel, the yeasted wheat dough, usually flavored with caraway, is boiled before baking. However, the Beugel is crispy and can be stored for weeks. Traditionally it has to be torn apart by two individuals before eating.[citation needed]

text: In Turkey, a salty and fattier form is called açma. However, the ring-shaped simit, is sometimes marketed as Turkish bagel. Archival sources show that the simit has been produced in Istanbul since 1525.[34] Based on Üsküdar court records (Şer’iyye Sicili) dated 1593,[35] the weight and price of simit was standardized for the first time. Famous 17th-century traveler Evliya Çelebi wrote that there were 70 simit bakeries in Istanbul during the 1630s[36] Jean Brindesi's early 19th-century oil paintings about Istanbul daily life show simit sellers on the streets.[37] Warwick Goble made an illustration of the simit sellers of Istanbul in 1906.[38] Surprisingly, simit is very similar to the twisted sesame-sprinkled bagels pictured being sold in early 20th century Poland. Simit are also sold on the street in baskets or carts, like bagels were then.

text: The Uyghurs of Xinjiang, China enjoy a form of bagel known as girdeh nan (from Persian, meaning round bread), which is a type of nan, the bread eaten in Xinjiang.[39]

text: Cultural references[edit]

text: "Bagel" is also a Yeshivish term for sleeping 12 hours straight—e.g., "I slept a bagel last night." There are various opinions as to the origins of this term. It may be a reference to the fact that bagel dough has to "rest" for at least 12 hours between mixing and baking[40] or simply to the fact that the hour hand on a clock traces a bagel shape over the course of 12 hours.

text: In tennis, a "bagel" refers to a player winning a set 6–0; winning a match 6–0, 6–0, 6–0 is called a "triple bagel".[41]

text: Bublitchki or bagelach is a title of a famous Russian and Yiddish song written in Odessa in the 1920s. The Barry Sisters together with the Ziggy Elman Orchestra made it popular in the US in 1939. Until today it belongs to the repertoire of klezmer, jazz and pop musicians.


document_title: Deming Prize

question_text: what was the first us company to receive the deming prize

text: Deming Prize

text: Winners of individual award[edit]

text:
1951: Motosaburo Masuyama [2]
1952: Tetsuichi Asaka, Kaoru Ishikawa, Masao Kogure, Masao Goto, Hidehiko Higashi, Shin Miura, Shigeru Mizuno, Eizo Watanabe[2]
1953: Toshio Kitagawa
1954: Eizaburo Nishibori

text: Winners of application prize[edit]

text:
Fuji Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. (now part of Nippon Steel)
Showa Denko K.K.
Tanabe Seiyaku Co., Ltd.
Yawata Iron & Steel Co., Ltd (now part of Nippon Steel)

text: Kaneka Corporation

text: Denso Japan

text: Florida Power & Light (first non-Japanese winner of award)

text: Lucent Technologies, Power Systems (first American manufacturer to win award)[3]

text: Sundaram Clayton brakes division[4]

text: TVS Motor Company (TVSMC)[5]

text:
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., the world's first tractor company to win.[6]
Rane Brake Lining Ltd.
Sona Koyo Steering Systems Ltd.

text:
Indo Gulf Fertilisers Ltd.
LUCAS TVS[citation needed]
SRF limited [7]

text:
Rane Engine Valve Ltd
Rane TRW Steering Systems Ltd.(SGD)
Krishna Maruti Ltd., Seat Division

text: Sanden International (Singapore) Pte Ltd (SIS), the first Singapore-based company to win.[2]

text: Rane (Madras) Ltd.

text: Tata Steel, the first integrated steel plant in Asia to win Deming award

text: National Engineering Industries Ltd, part of the 150-year-old, multi-billion CK Birla Group. NEI is the second bearing company in the world after NTN Corporation, Japan to win this coveted award. Mr Rohit Saboo ( President & CEO ) received the award in a glittering ceremony in Osaka, Japan.

text: Sanden Vikas (India) Limited, (India)

text: SRF Limited, Chemicals Business (India)

text: Mr. Roop Salotra, President and CEO

text: Mahindra & Mahindra Limited, Farm Equipment Sector, Swaraj Division (India)

text: Mr. Bishwambhar Mishra, Chief Executive

text: RSB Transmissions(I) Limited, Auto Division (Jamshedpur(Unit 1), Pune & Pant Nagar Plant) (India)

text:
GC America (USA)
Yaskawa

text: Ashok Leyland, pantnagar plant - World's first commercial vehicle to get deming award (India)