Peru was one of the most important campaigns in the Spanish colonization of the Americas.After years of preliminary exploration and military conflicts, it was the first step in a longcampaign that took decades of fighting but ended in Spanish victory and colonization of theregion known as the Viceroyalty of Peru with its capital at Lima, which was then known as “LaCiudad de los Reyes” (The City of Kings). The conquest of Peru led to spin-off campaignsthroughout the viceroyalty as well as expeditions towards the Amazon Basin as in the case ofSpanish efforts to quell Amerindian resistance. The last Inca resistance was suppressed whenthe Spaniards annihilated the Neo-Inca State in Vilcabamba in 1572.As a result of these andother changes, the Spaniards and their creole successors came to monopolize control over theland, seizing many of the best lands abandoned by the massive native depopulation. However,the Spanish did not resist the Portuguese expansion of Brazil across the meridian. The Treaty ofTordesillas was rendered meaningless between 1580 and 1640 while Spain controlled Portugal.The need to ease communication and trade with Spain led to the split of the viceroyalty and thecreation of new viceroyalties of New Granada and Rio de la Plata at the expense of theterritories that formed the Viceroyalty of Peru; this reduced the power, prominence andimportance of Lima as the viceroyal capital and shifted the lucrative Andean trade to BuenosAires and Bogotá, while the fall of the mining and textile production accelerated the progressivedecay of the Viceroyalty of Peru.In the early 19th century, while most South American nationswere swept by wars of independence, Peru remained a royalist stronghold. As the elitevacillated between emancipation and loyalty to the Spanish monarchy, independence wasachieved only after the occupation by military campaigns of José de San Martín and SimónBolívar.The economic crises, the loss of power of Spain in Europe, the war of independence in NorthAmerica, and Native uprisings all contributed to a favorable climate to the development ofemancipation ideas among the Criollo population in South America. However, the Criollooligarchy in Peru enjoyed privileges and remained loyal to the Spanish Crown. The liberationmovement started in Argentina where autonomous juntas were created as a result of the loss ofauthority of the Spanish government over its colonies.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in southern Africa known for itsdramatic landscape and diverse wildlife, much of it within parks, reserves and safari areas. Onthe Zambezi River, Victoria Falls make a thundering 108m drop into narrow Batoka Gorge,where there’s white-water rafting and bungee-jumping. Downstream are Matusadona and ManaPools national parks, home to hippos, rhinos and birdlife.Hyperinflation in Zimbabwe is anongoing period of currency instability in Zimbabwe which, using Cagan’s definition ofhyperinflation, began in February 2007. During the height of inflation from 2008 to 2009, it wasdifficult to measure Zimbabwe’s hyperinflation because the government of Zimbabwe stoppedfiling official inflation statistics. However, Zimbabwe’s peak month of inflation is estimated at79.6 billion percent month-on-month, 89.7.From there, the Kingdom of Zimbabwe wasestablished, followed by the Rozvi and Mutapa empires. The British South Africa Company ofCecil Rhodes demarcated the Rhodesia region in 1890 when they conquered Mashonaland andlater in 1893 Matabeleland after a fierce resistance by Matabele people known as the FirstMatabele War. Company rule ended in 1923 with the establishment of Southern Rhodesia as aself-governing British colonyIn 1965, the white minority government unilaterally declared independence as Rhodesia. Thestate endured international isolation and a 15-year guerrilla war with black nationalist forces; thisculminated in a peace agreement that established de jure sovereignty as Zimbabwe in April1980. Zimbabwe then joined the Commonwealth of Nations, from which it was suspended in2002 for breaches of international law by its government under Robert Mugabe and from whichit withdrew in December 2003.Mugabe became Prime Minister of Zimbabwe in 1980, when his ZANU–PF party won thegeneral election following the end of white minority rule; he was the President of Zimbabwe from1987 until his resignation in 2017. Under Mugabe’s authoritarian regime, the state securityapparatus dominated the country and was responsible for widespread human rightsviolations.From there, the Kingdom of Zimbabwe was established, followed by the Rozvi andMutapa empires. The British South Africa Company of Cecil Rhodes demarcated the Rhodesiaregion in 1890 when they conquered Mashonaland and later in 1893 Matabeleland after a fierceresistance by Matabele people known as the First Matabele War. Company rule ended in 1923with the establishment of Southern Rhodesia as a self-governing British colony.In 1965, the white minority government unilaterally declared independence as Rhodesia. Thestate endured international isolation and a 15-year guerrilla war with black nationalist forces; thisculminated in a peace agreement that established de jure sovereignty as Zimbabwe in April1980. Zimbabwe then joined the Commonwealth of Nations, from which it was suspended in2002 for breaches of international law by its government under Robert Mugabe and from whichit withdrew in December 2003.Mugabe became Prime Minister of Zimbabwe in 1980, when his ZANU–PF party won thegeneral election following the end of white minority rule; he was the President of Zimbabwe from1987 until his resignation in 2017. Under Mugabe’s authoritarian regime, the state securityapparatus dominated the country and was responsible for widespread human rightsviolations.From there, the Kingdom of Zimbabwe was established, followed by the Rozvi andMutapa empires. The British South Africa Company of Cecil Rhodes demarcated the Rhodesiaregion in 1890 when they conquered Mashonaland and later in 1893 Matabeleland after a fierceresistance by Matabele people known as the First Matabele War. Company rule ended in 1923with the establishment of Southern Rhodesia as a self-governing British colony.In 1965, the white minority government unilaterally declared independence as Rhodesia. Thestate endured international isolation and a 15-year guerrilla war with black nationalist forces; thisculminated in a peace agreement that established de jure sovereignty as Zimbabwe in April1980. Zimbabwe then joined the Commonwealth of Nations, from which it was suspended in2002 for breaches of international law by its government under Robert Mugabe and from whichit withdrew in December 2003.Mugabe became Prime Minister of Zimbabwe in 1980, when his ZANU–PF party won thegeneral election following the end of white minority rule; he was the President of Zimbabwe from1987 until his resignation in 2017. Under Mugabe’s authoritarian regime, the state securityapparatus dominated the country and was responsible for widespread human rightsviolations.From 2000 to 2009 the economy experienced decline and hyperinflation beforerebounding after the use of currencies other than the Zimbabwean dollar was permitted,although growth has since faltered. In 2017, in the wake of over a year of protests against hisgovernment as well as Zimbabwe’s rapidly declining economy, a coup d’état resulted inMugabe’s resignation. Emmerson Mnangagwa has since served as Zimbabwe’s president.Zimbabwe is a member of the United Nations, the Southern African Development Community,the African Union, and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa.The name”Zimbabwe” stems from a Shona term for Great Zimbabwe, a medieval city (Masvingo) in thecountry’s south-east. Two different theories address the origin of the word. Many sources holdthat “Zimbabwe” derives from dzimba-dza-mabwe, translated from the Karanga dialect of Shonaas “houses of stones” (dzimba = plural of imba, “house”; mabwe = plural of ibwe, “stone”).TheKaranga-speaking Shona people live around Great Zimbabwe in the modern-day Masvingoprovince. Archaeologist Peter Garlake claims that “Zimbabwe” represents a contracted form ofdzimba-hwe, which means “venerated houses” in the Zezuru dialect of Shona and usuallyreferences chiefs’ houses or graves.Societies speaking proto-Shona languages first emerged inthe middle Limpopo River valley in the 9th century before moving on to the Zimbabweanhighlands. The Zimbabwean plateau became the centre of subsequent Shona states, beginningaround the 10th century. Around the early 10th century, trade developed with Arab merchantson the Indian Ocean coast, helping to develop the Kingdom of Mapungubwe in the 11th century.This was the precursor to the Shona civilisations that dominated the region during the 13th to15th centuries, evidenced by ruins at Great Zimbabwe, near Masvingo, and by other smallersites. The main archaeological site used a unique dry stone architecture. The Kingdom ofMapungubwe was the first in a series of trading states which had developed in Zimbabwe by thetime the first European explorers arrived from Portugal. These states traded gold, ivory, andcopper for cloth and glass.By 1220, the Kingdom of Zimbabwe eclipsed Mapungubwe. ThisShona state further refined and expanded upon Mapungubwe’s stone architecture. From c.1450 to 1760, the Kingdom of Mutapa ruled much of the area of present-day Zimbabwe, plusparts of central Mozambique. It is known by many names including the Mutapa Empire, alsoknown as Mwene Mutapa or Monomotapa as well as “Munhumutapa”, and was renowned for itsstrategic trade routes with the Arabs and Portugal. The Portuguese sought to monopolise thisinfluence and began a series of wars which left the empire in near collapse in the early 17thcentury.As a direct response to increased European presence in the interior a new Shona stateemerged, known as the Rozwi Empire. Relying on centuries of military, political and religiousdevelopment, the Rozwi (meaning “destroyers”) expelled the Portuguese from the Zimbabweanplateau in 1683. Around 1821 the Zulu general Mzilikazi of the Khumalo clan successfullyrebelled against King Shaka and established his own clan, the Ndebele. The Ndebele foughttheir way northwards into the Transvaal, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake andbeginning an era of widespread devastation known as the Mfecane. When Dutch trekboersconverged on the Transvaal in 1836, they drove the tribe even further northward, with theassistance of Tswana Barolong warriors and Griqua commandos. By 1838 the Ndebele hadconquered the Rozwi Empire, along with the other smaller Shona states, and reduced them to

vassaldom.After losing their remaining South African lands in 1840, Mzilikazi and his tribepermanently settled in the southwest of present-day Zimbabwe in what became known asMatabeleland, establishing Bulawayo as their capital. Mzilikazi then organised his society into amilitary system with regimental kraals, similar to those of Shaka, which was stable enough torepel further Boer incursions. Mzilikazi died in 1868; following a violent power struggle, his sonLobengula succeeded him.Following Zambian independence (effective from October 1964), IanSmith’s Rhodesian Front government in Salisbury dropped the designation “Southern” in 1964(once Northern Rhodesia had changed its name to Zambia, having the word Southern beforethe name Rhodesia became unnecessary and the country simply became known as Rhodesiaafterwards). Intent on effectively repudiating the recently adopted British policy of “noindependence before majority rule”, Smith issued a Unilateral Declaration of Independence(UDI) from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965. This marked the first such course takenby a rebel British colony since the American declaration of 1776, which Smith and others indeedclaimed provided a suitable precedent to their own actions.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Kawasaki Heavy Industriessimply Kawasaki) is a Japanese public multinational corporation manufacturer of motorcycles,engines, heavy equipment, aerospace and defense equipment, rolling stock and ships,headquartered in Chūō, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It is also active in the production ofindustrial robots, gas turbines, pumps, boilers and other industrial products. The company isnamed after its founder, Shōzō Kawasaki. KHI is known as one of the three major heavyindustrial manufacturers of Japan, alongside Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and IHI. Prior to theSecond World War, KHI was part of the Kobe Kawasaki zaibatsu, which included KawasakiSteel and Kawasaki Kisen. After the conflict, KHI became part of the DKB Group(keiretsu).Shōzō Kawasaki, born in 1836, was involved with the marine industry from a youngage. He was involved with two offshore disasters but accredited his survival to themodernization of the ships. This led to the decision to create technological innovations for theJapanese shipping industry. In 1878, after struggling to find business, his first order was placed.This is marked as the company’s start in the industry.In 1886, Kawasaki moved the business from Tokyo to Hyogo. This allowed space for the rise oforders placed to his company and the renaming to Kawasaki Dockyard. The new and improvedcompany went public as Kawasaki Dockyard Co., Ltd when the demand for ships rose duringthe Sino-Japanese War of 1894. Kojiro Matsukata was announced as the company’s firstpresident.After opening a new factory in 1906, Kawasaki began diversifying its products. They began toproduce parts for the railroad, automotive, and airplane industry by the end of World War 1.After the war, along with the Allied arms-limitation agreement in 1912, Kawasaki faced a hugedecline in shipbuilding. In 1929, the Depression caused a large amount of financial problemswith the company.During World War 2, Kawasaki was a major builder of combat aircraft like the Ki-61, which killedmany US aircrew. Just afterwards, they adapted air intakes from combat aircraft to high speedmotorcycles.In 1947, the government introduced a new shipbuilding agenda and gave Kawasakia rise in profits and helped restore the company. The company was able to resume alloperations and by the 1950s, Japan was leading as the world’s largest shipbuilder.By the late 1960s into the 1970s Kawasaki had begun to withdraw from the shipbuilding industryand diversified its company, producing motorcycles, jet skis, bridges, tunnel-boring machines,and aircraft. They also supplied technologically advanced railroad cars to the New York subwaysystem.In 1995, Kawasaki Heavy Industries came to an agreement with China to produce the largestcontainerships ever. This led to the company announcing higher than expected profits in 1996.However, shortly after the profits, the company saw a long decline in business forcing them tofind a solution.With the company seeing continuous losses into the 21st century, it formed a joint venture withIshikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co. However, by the end of 2001, the agreement wasterminated. In the following years, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Co. have seen a fluctuation ofprofits and losses.Kawasaki is active in a diverse range of the aerospace industry. The companyis a contractor for the Japanese Ministry of Defense and has built aircraft such as the C-1transport aircraft, T-4 intermediate jet trainer, and the P-3C antisubmarine warfare patrolairplane. Since 2007, it has built the P-1 maritime patrol aircraft, and since 2010, it has built theC-2 transport aircraft. Kawasaki also builds helicopters, including the BK117, jointly developedand manufactured with MBB. It also produces the CH-47J / JA helicopter.In the commercialaviation business, the company is involved in the joint international development and productionof large passenger aircraft. It is involved in joint development and production of the Boeing 767,Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 with The Boeing Companyand the 170, 175, 190 and 195 jets withEmpresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica. It is also involved in the joint international development andproduction of turbofan engines for passenger aircraft such as the V2500, the RB211/Trent, thePW4000 and the CF34.Kawasaki also works for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The company wasresponsible for the development and production of the payload fairings, payload attach fittings(PAF) and the construction of the launch complex for the H-II rocket. It continues to provideservices for the H-IIA rocket.Kawasaki has also participated in projects such as the development of reusable launch vehiclesfor spacecraft that will handle future space transport, space robotics projects such as theJapanese Experiment Module for the International Space Station, the cancelled HOPE-Xexperimental orbiting plane and the docking mechanism for the ETS-VII. According to adocument from July 1997, they would have been a major manufacturer of the Kankoh-maruspace tourism vehicle (also known as the Kawasaki S-1), which never saw production.Kawasakiis Japan’s largest manufacturer of rolling stock. It began operations in the industry in 1906. Itmanufactures express and commuter trains, subway cars, freight trains, locomotives, monorailsand new transit systems. Kawasaki is also involved in the development and design ofhigh-speed trains such as Japan’s Shinkansen.Main ProductsElectric cars (including Shinkansen trains)MonorailsPassenger coaches and freight carsDiesel locomotivesElectric locomotivesPlatform screen door systemsPassenger coaches and freight cars integrated transit systemsShipbuildingShipbuilding CorporationShipbuilding is the historical industry in which Kawasaki Heavy Industries was created anddeveloped, as from the company’s 1878 founding as the Kawasaki Dockyard Co.Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kawasaki Heavy Industries.Its product range include high-performance LNG and LPG carriers, container ships, bulk carriersand VLCCs, as well as submarines. The company is also involved in the development ofoffshore structures and research vessels.Kawasaki also produces marine machinery and equipment, including main engines, propulsionsystems, steering gears, deck and fishing machinery.Kawasaki has shipyards at Kobe and Sakaide, Kagawa. (Kagawa Prefecture). The companyalso builds ships as a part of joint ventures with COSCO in China, i.e. the Nantong COSCO KHIShip Engineering Co., Ltd.(NACKS), in Nantong, China, and the Dalian COSCO KHI ShipEngineering Co., Ltd.(DACKS), in Dalian, China.Energy plants and facilitiesEditKawasaki’s key offering are high-performance gas turbines. The company is also involved indevelopment of new energy sources as an alternative to fossil fuels such as wind powergeneration, biomass power generation, photovoltaic systems and rechargeablebatteries.Kawasaki develops and builds a vast array of industrial plants and equipment,including large cement, chemical and nonferrous metal plants, prime movers, and compactprecision machinery. It also offers industrial plant engineering from design to sales.Kawasaki also develops automation systems. Industrial robots for processes such as assembly,handling, welding, painting and sealing, as well as automation systems for distribution andlogistics such as automated product- and cargo-handling systems for plants andairports.Kawasaki is involved in the development of equipment that prevents pollution in a widerange of industries. Among the leading products are fuel gas desulfurization and denitrificationsystems, and ash handling systems. The company also supplies municipal refuse incinerationplants, gasification and melting systems, sewage treatment and sludge incineration plants.Kawasaki has also been developing systems that enable a wide range of municipal andindustrial waste to be recovered, recycled and put to new use. Such systems include refusepaper and plastic fuel production facilities that convert wastepaper/plastics into aneasy-to-handle solid fuel, equipment that converts old tires into highway paving materials andtiles, and machinery that sorts glass bottles by size and color.InfrastructureEdKawasaki’s history of building steel structures spans more than a century, with bridge-buildingamong its first businesses. The company offers of storage management for LNG,Kawasaki’s portfolio also includes retractable roofs, floors and other giant structures, theSapporo Dome’s retractable surface is one example.For construction, Kawasaki produces products such as wheel loaders, tunnel machines, rollers,snowplows and purpose-specific loaders. The tunnel boring machines used to excavate theChannel Tunnel and the 14.14 m diameter shield machines used in the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Lineconstruction are two well-known examples.Kawasaki made a technical assistance agreementwith Bajaj Auto Ltd. in 1984, and cooperated to expand production and sales of motorcycles inIndia. In November 2016 India Kawasaki Motors decided to break ties with Bajaj Auto Ltd. forsales and service from April 2017 and sell its motorcycles through its own network.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Armenia is a nation, and former Soviet republic, in the mountainousCaucasus region between Asia and Europe. Among the earliest Christian civilizations, it’sdefined by religious sites including the Greco-Roman Temple of Garni and 4th-centuryEtchmiadzin Cathedral, headquarters of the Armenian Church. Khor Virap Monastery is apilgrimage site near Mount Ararat, a dormant volcano just across the border in Turkey.Armeniais a unitary, multi-party, democratic nation-state with an ancient cultural heritage. The firstArmenian state of Urartu was established in 860 BC, and by the 6th century BC it was replacedby the Satrapy of Armenia. The Kingdom of Armenia reached its height under Tigranes theGreat in the 1st century BC and in the year 301 became the first state in the world to adoptChristianity as its official religion.The ancient Armenian kingdom was split between theByzantine and Sasanian Empires around the early 5th century. Under the Bagratuni dynasty, theBagratid Kingdom of Armenia was restored in the 9th century before falling in 1045. AnArmenian principality and later a kingdom Cilician Armenia was located on the coast of theMediterranean Sea between the 11th and 14th centuries.Between the 16th and 19th centuries, the traditional Armenian homeland composed of EasternArmenia and Western Armenia came under the rule of the Ottoman and Persian empires,repeatedly ruled by either of the two over the centuries. By the 19th century, Eastern Armeniahad been conquered by the Russian Empire, while most of the western parts of the traditionalArmenian homeland remained under Ottoman rule. During World War I, 1.5 million Armeniansliving in their ancestral lands in the Ottoman Empire were systematically exterminated in theArmenian genocide. In 1918, following the Russian Revolution, all non-Russian countriesdeclared their independence after the Russian Empire ceased to exist, leading to theestablishment of the First Republic of Armenia. By 1920, the state was incorporated into theSoviet Union. The modern Republic of Armenia became independent in 1991 during thedissolution of the Soviet Union.Armenia is a developing country and ranks 85th on the Human Development Index (2021).[23]Its economy is primarily based on industrial output and mineral extraction. While Armenia isgeographically located in the South Caucasus, it is generally considered geopoliticallyEuropean. Since Armenia aligns itself in many respects geopolitically with Europe, the country isa member of numerous European organizations including the Council of Europe, the EasternPartnership, Eurocontrol, the Assembly of European Regions, and the European Bank forReconstruction and Development. Armenia is also a member of certain regional groupsthroughout Eurasia, including the Asian Development Bank, the Collective Security TreatyOrganization, the Eurasian Economic Union, and the Eurasian Development Bank. Armeniasupports the de facto independent Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), which wasproclaimed in 1991 on territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.”Aram had theAramites, which the Greeks called Syrians;… Of the four sons of Aram, Uz founded Trachonitisand Damascus: this country lies between Palestine and Celesyria. Ul founded Armenia; andGather the Bactrians; and Mesa the Mesaneans; it is now called Charax Spasini.”Armenia is alandlocked country in the geopolitical Transcaucasus (South Caucasus) region, that is located inthe Southern Caucasus Mountains and their lowlands between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea,and northeast of the Armenian Highlands. Located in Western Asia,on the Armenian Highlands,it is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, the Lachin corridor which is a part ofLachin District that is under the control of a Russian peacekeeping force and Azerbaijan properto the east, and Iran and Azerbaijan’s exclave of Nakhchivan to the south.[19] Armenia liesbetween latitudes 38° and 42° N, and meridians 43° and 47° E. It contains two terrestrialecoregions: Caucasus mixed forests and Eastern Anatolian montane steppe.Armenia has aterritorial area of 29,743 square kilometres (11,484 sq mi). The terrain is mostly mountainous,with fast flowing rivers, and few forests. The land rises to 4,090 metres (13,419 feet) above sealevel at Mount Aragats, and no point is below 390 metres (1,280 ft) above sea level.Averageelevation of the country area is tenth highest in the world and it has 85.9% mountain area, morethan Switzerland or Nepal.Mount Ararat, which was historically part of Armenia, is the highestmountain in the region at 5,137 meters (16,854 feet). Now located in Turkey, but clearly visiblefrom Armenia, it is regarded by the Armenians as a symbol of their land. Because of this, themountain is present on the Armenian national emblem today.The climate in Armenia is markedlyhighland continental. Summers are hot, dry and sunny, lasting from June to mid-September. Thetemperature fluctuates between 22 and 36 °C (72 and 97 °F). However, the low humidity levelmitigates the effect of high temperatures. Evening breezes blowing down the mountains providea welcome refreshing and cooling effect. Springs are short, while autumns are long. Autumnsare known for their vibrant and colourful foliage.Winters are quite cold with plenty of snow, with temperatures ranging between −10 and −5 °C(14 and 23 °F). Winter sports enthusiasts enjoy skiing down the hills of Tsaghkadzor, locatedthirty minutes outside Yerevan. Lake Sevan, nestled up in the Armenian highlands, is thesecond largest lake in the world relative to its altitude, at 1,900 metres (6,234 ft) above sealevel.Armenia ranked 63rd out of 180 countries on Environmental Performance Index (EPI) in2018. Its rank on subindex Environmental Health (which is weighted at 40% in EPI) is 109, whileArmenia’s rank on subindex of Ecosystem Vitality (weighted at 60% in EPI) is 27th best in theworld.This suggests that main environmental issues in Armenia are with population health, whileenvironment vitality is of lesser concern. Out of sub-subindices contributing to EnvironmentalHealth subindex ranking on Air Quality to which population is exposed is particularlyunsatisfying.Waste management in Armenia is underdeveloped, as no waste sorting or recycling takes placeat Armenia’s 60 landfills. A waste processing plant is scheduled for construction near Hrazdancity, which will allow for closure of 10 waste dumps.Agriculture accounted for less than 20% ofboth net material product and total employment before the dissolution of the Soviet Union in1991. After independence, the importance of agriculture in the economy increased markedly, itsshare at the end of the 1990s rising to more than 30% of GDP and more than 40% of totalemployment.Armenian mines produce copper, zinc, gold, and lead. The vast majority of energyis produced with fuel imported from Russia, including gas and nuclear fuel (for its one nuclearpower plant); the main domestic energy source is hydroelectric. Small deposits of coal, gas, andpetroleum exist but have not yet been developed.Nevertheless, the government was able tomake wide-ranging economic reforms that paid off in dramatically lower inflation and steadygrowth. The 1994 ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has also helped the economy.Armenia has had strong economic growth since 1995, building on the turnaround that began theprevious year, and inflation has been negligible for the past several years. New sectors, such asprecious-stone processing and jewelry making, information and communication technology andtourism are beginning to supplement more traditional sectors of the economy, such asagriculture.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Malibu is a city west of Los Angeles, California. It’s known for itscelebrity homes and beaches, including wide and sandy Zuma Beach. To the east is MalibuLagoon State Beach, known as Surfrider Beach for its waves. Nearby is the SpanishRevival–style Adamson House, with local history displays in its Malibu Lagoon Museum. Inland,trails weave through canyons, waterfalls and grasslands in the Santa Monica Mountains.ThePacific Coast Highway (State Route 1) traverses the city and has led most residents to settleanywhere from half a mile (0.8 km) to within a few hundred yards of it, with some residents livingup to one mile (1.6 km) away from the beach in areas featuring narrow canyons. As of the 2020census, the city’s population was 10,654.Malibu is noted for its beaches. The many parks withinthe Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area lie along the ridges above the city alongwith local parks including Las Flores Creek Park, Legacy ParkTrancas Canyon Park.The city isbounded by the Santa Monica Mountains to the north, Topanga to the east, Solromar to thewest, and the ocean to the south. Signs around the city boast of its “21 miles of scenic beauty”in reference to the incorporated city limits. In 2017, the signs were updated from the historical27-mile (43 km) length of the Malibu coast spanning from Tuna Canyon on the southeast toPoint Mugu in Ventura County on the northwest. Many residents of the unincorporated canyonareas are included in the Malibu ZIP code, as the city has their closest commercialcenters.Malibu is named for the Ventureño Chumash settlement of Humaliwo, which means “thesurf sounds loudly”. This pre-colonial village was next to Malibu Lagoon and is now part of theState Park.Humaliwo was next to Malibu Lagoon and an important regional center in prehistorictimes. The village, which is identified as CA-LAN-264, was occupied from approximately 2500BCE. It was the second-largest Chumash coastal settlement by the Santa Monica Mountains,after Muwu (Point Mugu).Humaliwo was considered an important political center, but there were additional minorsettlements in the area. One village, Ta’lopop, was a few miles up Malibu Canyon from MalibuLagoon. Research shows that Humaliwo had ties to other pre-colonial villages, including Hipuk

in Westlake Village), Lalimanux (by Conejo Grade) and Huwam (in Bell Canyon).ColonizerJuan Rodríguez Cabrillo is believed to have moored at Malibu Lagoon, at the mouth of MalibuCreek, to obtain fresh water in 1542. The Spanish presence returned with the California missionsystem, and the area was part of Rancho Topanga Malibu Sequit—a 13,000-acre (53 km2) landgrant—in 1802. Baptismal records list 118 individuals from Humaliwo. That ranch passed intactto Frederick Hastings Rindge in 1891. He and his wife, Rhoda May Knight Rindge, staunchlyprotected their land. After his death, May guarded their property zealously by hiring guards toevict all trespassers and fighting a lengthy court battle to prevent the building of a SouthernPacific railroad line through the ranch. Interstate Commerce Commission regulations would notsupport a railroad condemning property in order to build tracks that paralleled an existing line,so Frederick Rindge built his own railroad through his property first. He died, and May followedthrough with the plans, building the Hueneme, Malibu and Port Los Angeles Railway. The linestarted at Carbon Canyon, just inside the ranch’s property eastern boundary, and ran 15 mileswestward, past Pt. Dume.Most of the Big Rock Drive area was bought in 1936 by WilliamRandolph Hearst, who considered building an estate on the property. In 1944, he sold the lowerhalf of his holdings there to Art Jones, one of Malibu’s prominent early realtors, starting with theinitial leases of Rindge land in Malibu Colony. He also owned or partly owned the Malibu Inn,Malibu Trading Post, and the Big Rock Beach Cafe (now Moonshadows restaurant). PhiliipMcAnany owned 80 acres (32 ha) in the upper Big Rock area, which he purchased in 1919, andhad two cabins there, one of which burned in a brush fire that swept through the area in 1959,and the other in the 1993 Malibu fire. McAnany Way is named after him.The incorporation drivegained impetus in 1986, when the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved plans fora regional sewer that would have been large enough to serve 400,000 people in the westernSanta Monica Mountains. Residents were incensed that they would be assessed taxes and feesto pay for the sewer project, and feared that the Pacific Coast Highway would need to bewidened into a freeway to accommodate growth that they did not want. The supervisors foughtthe incorporation drive and prevented the residents from voting, a decision that was overturnedin the courts.The city councils in the 1990s were unable to write a Local Coastal Plan (LCP) that preservedenough public access to satisfy the California Coastal Commission, as required by the CaliforniaCoastal Act. The state Legislature eventually passed a Malibu-specific law that allowed theCoastal Commission to write an LCP for Malibu, thus limiting the city’s ability to control manyaspects of land use. Because of the failure to adequately address sewage disposal problems inthe heart of the city, the local water board ordered Malibu in November 2009 to build a sewageplant for the Civic Center area. The city council has objected to that solution.Malibu’s eastern end borders the community of Topanga, which separates it from the city of LosAngeles.According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 19.8 square miles (51km2), over 99% of it land.Paradise Cove, Pirates Cove, Trancas, and Encinal Bluffs are along the coast in Malibu. PointDume forms the northern end of the Santa Monica Bay, and Point Dume Headlands Parkaffords a vista stretching to the Palos Verdes Peninsula and Santa Catalina Island.Like all California beaches, Malibu beaches are technically public land below the mean high tideline. Many large public beaches are easily accessible, but such access is sometimes limited forsome of the smaller and remoter beaches.Various environmental elements collectively create arecipe for natural disasters: the mountainous and geologically unstable terrain; seasonalrainstorms that result in dense vegetation growth; seasonal dry Santa Ana winds; and anaturally dry topography and climate.Malibu’s dry brush and steep clay slopes make it prone to fires, floods, and mudslides.One of the most problematic side effects of the fires that periodically rage through Malibu is thedestruction of vegetation, which normally provides some degree of topographical stability to theloosely packed shale and sandstone hills during periods of heavy precipitation. Rainstormsfollowing large wildfires can thus cause mudslides, in which water-saturated earth and rockmoves quickly down mountainsides, or entire slices of mountainside abruptly detach and falldownward.After the 1993 wildfire stripped the surrounding mountains of their earth-hugging chaparral,torrential rainstorms in early 1994 caused a massive mudslide near Las Flores Canyon thatclosed down the Pacific Coast Highway for months. Thousands of tons of mud, rocks, and waterrained down on the highway. The destruction to property and infrastructure was exacerbated bythe road’s narrowness at that point, with beachside houses abutting the highway with little or nofrontage land as a buffer to the mudslide.Mudslides can occur at any time in Malibu, whether arecent fire or rainstorm has occurred or not. Pacific Coast Highway, Kanan-Dume Road, andMalibu Canyon road (as well as many other local roads) have all been prone to manysubsequent mudslide-related closures. During any period of prolonged or intense rain, Caltranssnowplows patrol most canyon roads in the area, clearing mud, rocks, and other debris from theroads. Such efforts keep most roads passable, but it is nevertheless typical for one or more ofthe major roads leading into and out of Malibu to be temporarily closed during the rainyseason.Malibu is within 50 miles (80 km) of the San Andreas Fault, a fault over 800 miles (1,300km) long that can produce an earthquake over magnitude 8. Several faults are in the region,making the area prone to earthquakes.The 1994 Northridge earthquake and the 1971 Sylmar earthquake (magnitudes 6.7 and 6.6,respectively) shook the area. Smaller earthquakes happen more often.The Census reported that12,504 people (98.9% of the population) lived in households, 126 (1.0%) lived innon-institutionalized group quarters, and 15 (0.1%) were institutionalized.There were 5,267 households, out of which 1,379 (26.2%) had children under the age of 18living in them, 2,571 (48.8%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 403 (7.7%) hada female householder with no husband present, 222 (4.2%) had a male householder with nowife present. There were 269 (5.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 49 (0.9%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,498 households (28.4%) were made up ofindividuals, and 501 (9.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. Theaverage household size was 2.37. There were 3,196 families (60.7% of all households); theaverage family size was 2.87.There were 2,366 people (18.7%) under the age of 18, 1,060 people (8.4%) aged 18 to 24,2,291 people (18.1%) aged 25 to 44, 4,606 people (36.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,322 people(18.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.8 years. For every 100females, there were 100.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0males.There were 6,864 housing units at an average density of 346.2 per square mile (133.7/km2), ofwhich 3,716 (70.6%) were owner-occupied, and 1,551 (29.4%) were occupied by renters. Thehomeowner vacancy rate was 2.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 11.9%. 9,141 people (72.3% ofthe population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,363 people (26.6%) lived in rentalhousing units.According to the 2010 United States Census, Malibu had a median household income of$133,869, with 10.6% of the population living below the federal poverty line.There were 5,137households, out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% weremarried couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and38.4% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% hadsomeone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39and the average family size was 2.86.In the city, 19.6% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25to 44, 32.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43years. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over,there were 95.6 males.The median income for a household in the city was $102,031, and the median income for afamily was $123,293. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $46,919 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $74,336. About 3.2% of families and 7.6% of the populationwere below the poverty line, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 1.1% of those age 65 orover.German and English were the most common ancestries. Canada and the United Kingdom werethe most common foreign places of birth.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Anndrew Blythe Daguio Gorostiza (born March 12, 2003), knownprofessionally as Andrea Brillantesis a Filipino actress, commercial model, endorser andentrepreneur. At age 7, she began a career as a child actress, appearing in several showsincluding Goin’ Bulilit (2010) and E-Boy (2012).Brillantes’ first television appearance was in thechildren’s comedy show Goin’ Bulilit. She later appeared in the 2010 ABS-CBN drama seriesAlyna, where she played Sofia Alvaro, a young girl who is the lost daughter of Alyna (ShainaMagdayao). In 2012, she appeared on E-Boy as Princess, a boyish girl who believed in fairytales. She made guest appearances in Wansapanataym and other shows from TV5.In 2013,she made her first big break by playing the main role in the family drama series Annaliza.[19]She portrayed Annaliza (originally portrayed by award-winning late actress Julie Vega), a girl

who faced numerous trials under her foster parents. The show debuted on May 27, 2013, andended on March 21, 2014.In 2014, she starred in Hawak Kamay as Lorry Magpantay-Agustin. In2015, Brillantes starred in the remake version of Pangako Sa ‘Yo as Lia Buenavista.In 2018,Brillantes played her first role as an antagonist in hit afternoon series, Kadenang Ginto, in whichshe played as Marga. Marga would soon be a household name and a subject of memes.[22]Due to the series’ phenomenon success, Brillantes and her loveteam Seth Fedelin, alongsideco-lead stars Francine Diaz and Kyle Echarri were formed into the Gold Squad, a teenagequartet. The four of them would later topbill several projects. As of now, more members wereadded to the squad. It is currently called, the Squad Plus.Andrea Brillantes is a Filipino actresswho has a net worth of $4 million. Andrea Brillantes is known for appearing in television seriesand films like “Annaliza,” “Kadenang Ginto,” and “E-Boy,” among others.Early LifeBrillantes was born on March 12, 2003 in Taytay, Rizal, Philippines and given the nameAnndrew Blythe Daguio Gorostiza. Growing up, she went by the nickname Andrea. She wasraised by her parents, Byron and Mabel, and grew up with her older brother Kismet and herolder sisters Kayla Ann and Nina.In 2013, Brillantes got her first big break when she landed amain role part in the family drama series “Annaliza.” She played the character of Annaliza, a girlwho has to go through a number of difficulties while living with her foster parents. The showdebuted in May of 2013 and then ended in March of 2014. She was recognized at the 27th and28th PMPC Star Awards for TV for her performance in the show. In 2014, she starred in “HawakKamay” as the character of Lorry Magpantay-Agustin. She won the Child Star of the Year awardat the Yahoo! Celebrity Awards in 2014 for her performance in “Hawak Kamay.” The followingyear, she starred in the remake version of “Pangako So ‘Yo” as the character Lia Buenavista.She also appeared in the films “Crazy Beautiful You” and “Everyday I Love You.”In 2019, shelanded roles in five films – “Banal,” “Spark,” “The Ghosting,” “Wild Little Love,” and “The Mall,The Merrier.” For her work in “Banal,” She won the Best Young Actress award at the 7th UrdujaHeritage Film Awards. In 2020, she appeared in the series “Paano Kita Mapasasalamatan?”The next year, she appeared in the shows “Click, Like, Share: Poser” and “Saying Goodbye” aswell as in the film “On the Job: The Missing 8.” In 2022, she landed role sin the shows “Lyric andBeat,” “Maalaala Mo Kaya: Engagement Ring,” and “Drag You & Me.”Andrea Brillantes’male-sounding real name, Anndrew Blythe Daguio Gorostiza might sound a little ironic,especially since there’s nothing manly about her doll-like features. But underneath the frilly andgirly dresses lies a surprisingly good mix of irony.Blythe (a name taken from the famous Japanese doll line with popping big eyes), according toher, is very different from Andrea.Unlike teenager Blythe who can be a little too rowdy, adventurous, and sporty wheneverpossible, Andrea is the conservative actress who enjoys quiet times and girly things.Whether she was Blythe or Andrea, she is, at 13, the youngest in a brood of four who grew up inthe house of her lolo and lola.

Like any other kid her age, she enjoys being online, anything related to fashion and her currentcareer as an actress.But what many do not know is that Andrea (and Blythe) enjoys a lot ofoutdoor activities and sports, too.While she may look a little too girly for it, Andrea claims that her dream sport is soccer,something that she discovered when she was still in grade 6.Now that she is in high school, she also tried her luck in joining the Angelicum College highschool pep squad since she can bust a few moves and is flexible enough to become a flyer. Butdue to her broken schedule in showbiz, she opted to not push through with it.After that, Andrea also tried her hand in basketball and now she is currently starting to lovevolleyball. Interestingly though, Andrea says she is the only one who enjoys sports in thefamily.She is also a big fan of manga, specifically Sword Art Online, Akame ga Kill! Tokyo Ghouland Attack on Titans. Aside from mangas, Andrea also enjoys reading DC comics, specifically ofBatman, Harley Quinn and Joker. But, Andrea unabashedly admitted that she only reads thedigital copies because the physical comics can get too expensive.Since she’s into the abovementioned things, Andrea revealed that she also hopes to be able todo cosplay in the future or when she becomes a millionaire.After finishing her guitar and ukulele sessions, Andrea also wants to learn to play the guitar inorder to feed the rockstar side of hers that loves Nirvana and AC/DC.But even though she has done a number of interesting sports and activities, Andrea still cravesto be able to do one thing—that is, to dye her hair a shocking color.Having a huge energy issomething that many people saw as a good potential for a person to join show business.But unlike the rest, Andrea’s partaking in showbiz is something that has been set even longbefore she was born.According to her, her Mommy Mabel has specifically prayed to have a celebrity daughter. Thepossibility of her mother’s dream to come true was further bolstered by the fact that Andrea, withher fair skin and cutesy features, used to act certain scenes with matching props when she wasstill a lot younger.When she reached 4-years-old, Andrea’s mother asked her to join a certain competition. Thething, though, was that Andrea is not in to doing competitions because she hates the idea oflosing.The stunning Philippian, Andrea Brillantes was born on 12th March 2003 in Taytay, Rizal,Philippines. The Millennial star debuted in the year 2010, she didn’t look back since then. Shehas worked on innumerable acting gigs and received huge acclaim from her fans and viewers.She is known for her remarkable performances which make her stand out. She is consideredamong successful actresses as she has the ability to win the hearts of many. She is not just anactress, yet a recording artist. She is the daughter of Andrew Blythe and Daguio Gorostiza. Sheis popularly known for appearing in ‘Annaliza’. And also, she made her identity after portrayingthe role of Marga Bartolome in ‘Kadenang Ginto’. Apart from films, she made severalappearances in television series including the best ones E-Boy and Alyna and played a varietyof other roles.The young actress, Andrea Brillantes debuted through a television children’scomedy show named ‘Goin’ Bulilit’. She also made another presence in the 2010 ABS-CBNdrama series named ‘Alyna in which she played the role of Sofia Alvar- a young girl who wasthe lost daughter of Alyna (Shaina Magdayao). Later in 2012, she then appeared on ‘E-Boy’wherein she appeared as Princess, a boyish girl who is a firm believer of fairy tales. Apart fromacting in many hit films and television series, she also made a presence as a guest inWansapanataym and other TV shows from TV5.Andrea Brillantes is a recipient of many awards,nominations, and honors that she has received on different film occasions in her career life.Among many achievements, the 7th Urduja Heritage Film Awards (2020) for the category ofBest Young Actress for the film named ‘Banal’ is notable.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Avocados are a source of key nutrients, including healthy fats andfiber. They also contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds and may help reduceheart disease risk.Avocados are native to Mexico and Central America, but they are cultivated inmany areas of the world, including North America.In the United States, California is the top producer of avocados and is home to more than 5,000avocado farms, which generate over 400 million pounds of avocados each year.Avocadoscontain a wide range of nutrients and may have various health benefits. These includeimproving digestion, lowering the risk of depression, preventing bone loss, supporting hearthealth, and protecting against cancer.Avocados are a source of vitamins C, E, K, and B6, aswell as riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and potassium. They alsoprovide lutein, beta carotene, and omega-3 fatty acids.Avocados contain high levels of healthy, beneficial fats, which can help a person feelfullerTrusted Source between meals. Eating fat slows the breakdown of carbohydrates, whichhelps keep blood sugar levels stable.The fruit of domestic varieties have smooth, buttery,golden-green flesh when ripe. Depending on the cultivar, avocados have green, brown, purplish,or black skin, and may be pear-shaped, egg-shaped, or spherical. For commercial purposes thefruits are picked while unripe and ripened after harvesting. The nutrient density and extremelyhigh fat content of avocado flesh are useful to a variety of cuisines and are often eaten to enrichvegetarian diets.Persea americana is a tree that grows to 9–20 m (30–66 ft) with a trunkdiameter between 0.3–0.6 m (0.98–1.97 ft). The leaves are 7.62–25 cm (3–10 in) long andalternately arranged.Panicles of flowers with deciduous bracts arise from new growth or theaxils of leaves. The tree flowers thousands of blossoms every year. Avocado blossoms sproutfrom racemes near the leaf axils; they are small and inconspicuous 5–10 mm (3⁄16–3⁄8 in) wide.They have no petals but instead 2 whorls of 3 pale-green or greenish-yellow downy perianthlobes, each blossom has 9 stamens with 2 basal orange nectar glands.The fruit of horticulturalcultivars has a markedly higher fat content than most other fruit, mostly monounsaturated fat,and as such serves as an important staple in the diet of consumers who have limited access toother fatty foods (high-fat meats and fish, dairy products). Having a high smoke point, avocadooil is expensive compared to common salad and cooking oils, and is mostly used for salads ordips.A ripe avocado yields to gentle pressure when held in the palm of the hand and squeezed. Theflesh is prone to enzymatic browning, quickly turning brown after exposure to air.To prevent this,lime or lemon juice can be added to avocados after peeling.It is used in both savory and sweetdishes, though in many countries not for both. The avocado is common in vegetarian cuisine asa substitute for meats in sandwiches and salads because of its high fat content.Generally, avocado is served raw, though some cultivars, including the common ‘Hass’, can becooked for a short time without becoming bitter. The flesh of some avocados may be renderedinedible by heat. Prolonged cooking induces this chemical reaction in all cultivars.In Mexico andCentral America, avocados are served mixed with white rice, in soups, salads, or on the side ofchicken and meat. They are also commonly added to pozole. In Peru, they are consumed withtequeños as mayonnaise, served as a side dish with parrillas, used in salads and sandwiches,or as a whole dish when filled with tuna, shrimp, or chicken. In Chile, it is used as a puree-likesauce with chicken, hamburgers, and hot dogs; and in slices for celery or lettuce salads. TheChilean version of Caesar salad contains large slices of mature avocado.Avocados in savorydishes, often seen as exotic, are a relative novelty in Portuguese-speaking countries, such asBrazil, where the traditional preparation is mashed with sugar and lime, and eaten as a dessertor snack. This contrasts with Spanish-speaking countries such as Chile, Mexico, or Argentina,where the opposite is true and sweet preparations are rare. With the exception of thePhilippines, a former Spanish colony where avocados are traditionally used in sweetpreparations and savory uses are seen as exotic.In Ethiopia, avocados are made into juice bymixing them with sugar and milk or water, usually served with Vimto and a slice of lemon. It isalso common to serve layered multiple fruit juices in a glass (locally called Spris) made ofavocados, mangoes, bananas, guavas, and papayas. Avocados are also used to make salads.In Kenya and Nigeria, the avocado is often eaten as a fruit alone or mixed with other fruits in afruit salad, or as part of a vegetable salad. In Ghana, they are often eaten alone on sliced breadas a sandwich. In Sri Lanka, their well-ripened flesh, thoroughly mashed or pureed with milk andkitul treacle (a liquid jaggery made from the sap of the inflorescence of jaggery palms), is acommon dessert. In Haiti, they are often consumed with cassava or regular bread forbreakfast.Raw avocado flesh is 73% water, 15% fat, 9% carbohydrates, and 2% protein (table).In a 100 gram reference amount, avocado supplies 160 calories, and is a rich source (20% ormore of the Daily Value, DV) of several B vitamins (such as 28% DV in pantothenic acid) andvitamin K (20% DV), with moderate contents (10–19% DV) of vitamin C, vitamin E, andpotassium. Avocados also contain phytosterols and carotenoids, such as lutein andzeaxanthin.According to information published by the Water Footprint Network, it takes anaverage of approximately 70 litres (18 US gallons; 15 imperial gallons) of applied fresh groundor surface water, not including rainfall or natural moisture in the soil, to grow one avocado (283L/kg [33.9 US gal/lb; 28.2 imp gal/lb]). However, the amount of water needed depends on whereit is grown; for example, in the main avocado-growing region of Chile, about 320 L (85 US gal;70 imp gal) of applied water are needed to grow one avocado (1,280 L/kg [153 US gal/lb; 128imp gal/lb]).Like the banana, the avocado is a climacteric fruit, which matures on the tree, butripens off the tree. Avocados used in commerce are picked hard and green and kept in coolersat 3.3 to 5.6 °C (37.9 to 42.1 °F) until they reach their final destination. Avocados must bemature to ripen properly. Avocados that fall off the tree ripen on the ground. Generally, the fruitis picked once it reaches maturity; Mexican growers pick ‘Hass’ avocados when they have morethan 23% dry matter, and other producing countries have similar standards. Once picked,avocados ripen in one to two weeks (depending on the cultivar) at room temperature (faster ifstored with other fruits such as apples or bananas, because of the influence of ethylene gas).Some supermarkets sell ripened avocados which have been treated with synthetic ethylene tohasten ripening.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly offive players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primaryobjective of shooting a basketball (approximately 9.4 inches (24 cm) in diameter) through thedefender’s hoop (a basket 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter mounted 10 feet (3.048 m) high to abackboard at each end of the court), while preventing the opposing team from shooting throughtheir own hoop. A field goal is worth two points, unless made from behind the three-point line,when it is worth three. After a foul, timed play stops and the player fouled or designated to shoota technical foul is given one, two or three one-point free throws. The team with the most pointsat the end of the game wins, but if regulation play expires with the score tied, an additionalperiod of play (overtime) is mandated.Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking orrunning (dribbling) or by passing it to a teammate, both of which require considerable skill. Onoffense, players may use a variety of shots – the layup, the jump shot, or a dunk; on defense,they may steal the ball from a dribbler, intercept passes, or block shots; either offense ordefense may collect a rebound, that is, a missed shot that bounces from rim or backboard. It isa violation to lift or drag one’s pivot foot without dribbling the ball, to carry it, or to hold the ballwith both hands then resume dribbling.The five players on each side fall into five playing positions. The tallest player is usually thecenter, the second-tallest and strongest is the power forward, a slightly shorter but more agileplayer is the small forward, and the shortest players or the best ball handlers are the shootingguard and the point guard, who implement the coach’s game plan by managing the execution ofoffensive and defensive plays (player positioning). Informally, players may play three-on-three,two-on-two, and one-on-one.Invented in 1891 by Canadian-American gym teacher James Naismith in Springfield,Massachusetts, in the United States, basketball has evolved to become one of the world’s mostpopular and widely viewed sports.Outside North America, the top clubs from national leaguesqualify to continental championships such as the EuroLeague and the Basketball ChampionsLeague Americas. The FIBA Basketball World Cup and Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournamentare the major international events of the sport and attract top national teams from around theworld. Each continent hosts regional competitions for national teams, like EuroBasket and FIBAAmeriCup.The FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup and Women’s Olympic Basketball Tournament featuretop national teams from continental championships. The main North American league is theWNBA (NCAA Women’s Division I Basketball Championship is also popular), whereas the

strongest European clubs participate in the EuroLeague Women.In December 1891, JamesNaismith, a Canadian-American professor of physical education and instructor at theInternational Young Men’s Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College) inSpringfield, Massachusetts,was trying to keep his gym class active on a rainy day.He sought avigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied and at proper levels of fitness during thelong New England winters. After rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited towalled-in gymnasiums, he invented a new game in which players would pass a ball toteammates and try to score points by tossing the ball into a basket mounted on a wall. Naismithwrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto an elevated track. Naismith initially set upthe peach basket with its bottom intact, which meant that the ball had to be retrieved manuallyafter each “basket” or point scored. This quickly proved tedious, so Naismith removed thebottom of the basket to allow the balls to be poked out with a long dowel after each scoredbasket.Eventually a lace-free ball construction method was invented, and this change to thegame was endorsed by Naismith (whereas in American football, the lace construction proved tobe advantageous for gripping and remains to this day). The first balls made specifically forbasketball were brown, and it was only in the late 1950s that Tony Hinkle, searching for a ballthat would be more visible to players and spectators alike, introduced the orange ball that is nowin common use. Dribbling was not part of the original game except for the “bounce pass” toteammates. Passing the ball was the primary means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventuallyintroduced but limited by the asymmetric shape of early balls.[dubious – discuss] Dribbling wascommon by 1896, with a rule against the double dribble by 1898.The first official game wasplayed in the YMCA gymnasium in Albany, New York, on January 20, 1892, with nine players.The game ended at 1–0; the shot was made from 25 feet (7.6 m), on a court just half the size ofa present-day Streetball or National Basketball Association (NBA) court.At the time, soccer was being played with 10 to a team (which was increased to 11). Whenwinter weather got too icy to play soccer, teams were taken indoors, and it was convenient tohave them split in half and play basketball with five on each side. By 1897–98, teams of fivebecame standard.Basketball’s early adherents were dispatched to YMCAs throughout theUnited States, and it quickly spread through the United States and Canada. By 1895, it was wellestablished at several women’s high schools. While YMCA was responsible for initiallydeveloping and spreading the game, within a decade it discouraged the new sport, as roughplay and rowdy crowds began to detract from YMCA’s primary mission. However, other amateursports clubs, colleges, and professional clubs quickly filled the void. In the years before WorldWar I, the Amateur Athletic Union and the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the UnitedStates (forerunner of the NCAA) vied for control over the rules for the game. The first proleague, the National Basketball League, was formed in 1898 to protect players from exploitationand to promote a less rough game. This league only lasted five years.Teams abounded throughout the 1920s. There were hundreds of men’s professional basketballteams in towns and cities all over the United States, and little organization of the professionalgame. Players jumped from team to team and teams played in armories and smoky dance halls.Leagues came and went. Barnstorming squads such as the Original Celtics and two all-AfricanAmerican teams, the New York Renaissance Five (“Rens”) and the (still existing) HarlemGlobetrotters played up to two hundred games a year on their national tours.

In 1946, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) was formed. The first game was played inToronto, Ontario, Canada between the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers onNovember 1, 1946. Three seasons later, in 1949, the BAA merged with the National BasketballLeague (NBL) to form the National Basketball Association (NBA). By the 1950s, basketball hadbecome a major college sport, thus paving the way for a growth of interest in professionalbasketball. In 1959, a basketball hall of fame was founded in Springfield, Massachusetts, site ofthe first game. Its rosters include the names of great players, coaches, referees and people whohave contributed significantly to the development of the game. The hall of fame has people whohave accomplished many goals in their career in basketball. An upstart organization, theAmerican Basketball Association, emerged in 1967 and briefly threatened the NBA’s dominanceuntil the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. Today the NBA is the top professional basketball league inthe world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition.The NBA has featured many famous players, including George Mikan, the first dominating “bigman”; ball-handling wizard Bob Cousy and defensive genius Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics;charismatic center Wilt Chamberlain, who originally played for the barnstorming HarlemGlobetrotters; all-around stars Oscar Robertson and Jerry West; more recent big men KareemAbdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and Karl Malone; playmakers JohnStockton, Isiah Thomas and Steve Nash; crowd-pleasing forwards Julius Erving and CharlesBarkley; European stars Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol and Tony Parker; Latin American stars ManuGinobili, more recent superstars, Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, LeBron James,Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, etc.; and the three players who many credit withushering the professional game to its highest level of popularity during the 1980s and 1990s:Larry Bird, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and Michael Jordan.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Umran Malik is an Indian international cricketer who plays for theIndian cricket team in limited-overs cricket as a right-arm fast bowler. He debuted for India inJune 2022 against Ireland. He plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad in Indian Premier League andJammu and Kashmir in domestic cricket.Hyderabad’s fast bowler Umran Malik has been in the spotlight of the cricket world by becomingthe fastest bowler in India. In the Indian T20 League 2022 season, Umran constantly bowled atover 150kph throughout the season. Umran Malik has taken over the title of the fastest bowler inIndia during the 2022 season of the Indian T20 League. He bowled at an average speed ofaround 150km/hr, with many deliveries crossing the 150 mark.The likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj haveshown plenty of control and accuracy with the ball in hand. Indian fastest bowlers can now goagainst the quickest bowlers from Australia, South Africa, England and New Zealand.It took allbut 4 overs for the world to take notice and the IPL to unearth a raw talent called Umran Malik.At 21, he had everything you wanted from a fast bowler. A smooth, clean action, and clocking150 kmph effortlessly which was enough to grab the right eyeballs. In one IPL season inOctober, he was bowling to Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers in the IPL, and in November hewas making his first-class debut for India A against South Africa A. The Sunrisers Hyderabadidentified their need for speed and retained him in their side alongwith Kane Williamson & AbdulSamad. Malik is till young and raw and he will only get better with time. The 2022 IPL seasonwill be a test for Malik and it will be interesting to see if he has upped his game from his lastouting.Umran Malik is the fastest bowler in India, with the fastest delivery bowled at 157 km/hr.Jasprit Bumrah is second on the list, with his quickest ball coming at 153.36 km/hr.UmranMalik’s fastest delivery in international cricket is 156 km/hr, which came against Sri Lanka inJanuary 2023. His fastest ball in IPL is at 157 km/hr, which came against Delhi in 2022.UmranMalik, Lockie Ferguson, Anrich Nortje, and Alzarri Joseph are the few bowlers who can breakShoaib Akhtar’s record of the fastest ball (161.3 km/hr) in cricket history.It isn’t as if UmranMalik’s performances in the ODIs have been unimpressive this year; the appearances, however,were inconsistent. Umran had played three ODIs in 2023 before the one against West Indies –all in January. In two matches against Sri Lanka, he took five wickets, and also recorded adismissal against his name in the only appearance in the three-match series against NewZealand. Interestingly, he didn’t feature in a single game during Australia ODIs, and went on toendure a forgettable outing in the Indian Premier League.At a platform which earned Umran hismaiden Indian cap last year, Umran failed to make a mark in 2023. Such was his fall that he wasbenched by Sunrisers Hyderabad mid-way through the season. Umran picked five wickets ineight games, conceding at 10.85. His outing against West Indies in the first ODI was Umran’sfirst since the IPL, and even as the sample size was small – he bowled only three overs –Umran hardly impressed the fans.The bowler didn’t look lethal, neither did his short balls look threatening despite the pace. Heconceded 17 runs, and returned without a wicket.Former India pacer Rudra Pratap Singh, whois part of the broadcasting team at JioCinema, the official broadcasters for the West Indiesseries, believes Umran’s problem is not with his mindset. Singh believes that the pacer can onlyfind rhythm with regular bowling, and three overs are barely enough for any bowler tounderstand where the weakness lies. Furthermore, Singh pointed out a certain regularity inUmran’s bowling in the first ODI, with which the former cricketer wasn’t very pleased.“I don’tthink it’s a confidence issue, but there are a few things that I noticed while commentating duringthe 1st ODI. He was bowling cross-seam deliveries quite a lot, that could have been avoided.His pace was good but he bowled only three overs, which I felt were less. He could’ve beengiven more overs. Rohit opted to give the ball to Kuldeep instead,” Singh told Hindustan Timesin an interaction.”I don’t see any major issue with his bowling, though. I actually think his deliveries have startedmoving a bit. Things are still in his favour. He needs more matches. When you get 2-4 wickets,you don’t need external motivation.“He was relying on cross-seam, maybe to find reverse. I think he should stick to seam only. Idon’t find any major problem right now. If he gets 7-8 overs in a game with some consistentspells, he will be more aware of how his body is reacting, and whether he is in rhythm ornot.”With Umran enduring a rough spell, is he the right man to put faith on as India head into theWorld Cup with less than three months’ time? Singh certainly believes so, given Umran is givenconsistent playing time.“Before the World Cup, we will have many matches. If we do well in Asia Cup, we will have 5-6matches here. Overall, there are still many matches remaining till that World Cup opener. If hegets a consistent run in those games, he will certainly do better,” says Singh.Umran’s pace had made him an overnight sensation last year in the IPL, and is largely thereason why he stands apart from his contemporaries. And Singh believes that it still works to hisadvantage but the pacer needs to develop the understanding about his game.“I will still say, hisbiggest advantage is his pace. The problem is the skill. The (ball) movement isn’t much rightnow, and planning the game (needs to improve). You also have to set batters up. He hasn’tlearnt that as quickly as he should have. He concedes run, that remains the biggest worry. So,the Indian team needs to know how and when to use him,” said Singh.”By the looks of it, he will remain in the loop for the World Cup. And you can’t develop a playerby playing him one game and then benching him for two. If they think Umran Malik is one for thefuture, they have got to show faith in him and polish him.[10/15, 22:27] SKILL INDIA: Chandrasekara Arachchilage Kasun Rajitha (born 1 June 1993) isa professional Sri Lankan cricketer, who plays all formats of the game in international level forSri Lanka. He is an old boy of St. Servatius’ College, Matara.Virtually unheard of before 2015, the first inkling of right-arm seamer Kasun Rajitha’s potentialcame during a three-dayer against the touring Indians in August of that year. He took 5 for 68 ona spicy Khettarama deck in that match, dismissing Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and RohitSharma in a single spell, before claiming Kohli’s wicket in the second innings as well.Achieving appreciable seam movement at a sharp pace, and from a high release point, Rajithaproved to be a penetrative T20 bowler in the following domestic season. He was thesecond-highest wicket-taker in the Super T20 Provincial Tournament, with 10 scalps in sixmatches. That performance earned him an international T20 debut, where he claimed twowickets in his first over, against India in Pune.National sideSri Lanka (2016–present)Test debut (cap 146)14 June 2018 v West IndiesLast Test17 March 2023 v New ZealandODI debut (cap 188)1 August 2018 v South AfricaLast ODI12 September 2023 v IndiaODI shirt no.65T20I debut (cap 62)9 February 2016 v IndiaLast T20I8 April 2023 v New Zealand