وكالة ناسا

وكالة ناسا

الإدارة الوطنية للملاحة الجوية والفضاء وتختصر ناسا NASA (ملاحظة 1) هي وكالة تابعة لحكومة الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية. وهي المسؤولة عن البرنامج الفضائي للولايات المتحدة. وأنشئت في العام 1957. وكان تمويلها السنوي يقدر بـ 16 مليار دولار. بالإضافة للمسؤولية عن البرنامج الفضائي فإن وكالة ناسا أيضاً مسؤولة عن الأبحاث المدنية والعسكرية الفضائية طويلة المدى. ووكالة ناسا معروفة على أنها وكالة الفضاء الرائدة للوكالات الأخرى حول العالم بعد تفكك الاتحاد السوفييتي.

يعد الرئيس الأمريكي السابق دوايت أيزنهاور من مؤسسي الوكالة حيث تم تأسسيها سنة 1958 لكي تكون وكالة مدنية وليست عسكرية للنهوض بالبحث العلمي السلمي وبدأت العمل بتاريخ 1 أكتوبر 1958.

بعد إطلاق الاتحاد السوفيتي لسبوتنك-1 في 4 أكتوبر من العام 1957، هذا القمر الذي كان أول قمر صناعي مصنوع بيدي الإنسان. اتجهت الولايات المتحدة لتجد نفسها متأخرة في هذا المجال. أفزع الكونغرس الأمريكي وجود خطر يهدد ريادة الولايات المتحدة التقنية حيث أن إطلاق سبوتنك-1 للفضاء سمى لدى الأمريكيين بـ "صدمة سبوتنك". برنامج ميركوري الذي ابتدأ في عام 1958م، جعل وكالة ناسا تقترب من التوصل إلى إمكانية سفر الإنسان إلى الفضاء بواسطة مهمات مصممة لمعرفة إن كان بمقدور الإنسان أن ينجو ويعيش في الفضاء. ممثلين من الجيش الأمريكي (M.L Rains من جيش الولايات المتحدة) و(P.L. Havenstein, CDR من بحرية الولايات المتحدة) و(K.G. Lindell, COL, من سلاح الجو الأمريكي) تم اختيارهم / طلبهم لتقديم المساعدة لمجموعة مهمات ناسا الفضائية من خلال التنسيق مع أبحاث جيش الولايات المتحدة الموجودة أصلاً والبنية التحتية الدفاعية للولايات المتحدة، والعون التقني الناتج من الطائرات الاختبارية (و حوض طياري الاختبار العسكريين المٌرفق) في الخمسينيات. في 5 مايو 1961م أصبح رائد الفضاء Alan B. Shepard Jr أول أمريكي في الفضاء عندما قاد مركبة Freedom 7 لمدة 15 دقيقة من الطيران في الفضاء. John Glenn أصبح أول أمريكي يدور حول الأرض في 20 فبراير عام 1962م أثناء رحلة طيران مدتها خمس ساعات على متن مركبة Friendship 7.

في الوقت الذي أثبت فيه برنامج Mercury أن رحلات البشر إلى الفضاء ممكنة. فإن مشروع Gemini تم إطلاقه لإجراء تجارب ولحل مشاكل متعلقة بمهمة محتملة إلى القمر. أول رحلة لمشروع Gemini حاملة رواد فضاء كانت مهمة Gemini III، قادها Virgil "Gus" Grissom وJohn W. Young في 23 مارس عام 1965م. تبع هذه المهمة تسع مهمات أخرى، لتظهر أن رحلات الفضاء البشرية طويلة الأمد من الممكن تنفيذها، وأن من الممكن التقاء مركبتا فضاء وربطهما-وصلهما- معاً، كما جمعت هذه المهمات بيانات طبية حول تأثير انعدام الوزنه على صحة الإنسان.

برامج الرحلات الفضائية

أبرز برامج ناسا هي رحلة فضائية برامجها، سواء المأهولة وغير المأهولة. في البداية، ركزت البعثات التابعة لناسا في سباق الفضاء مع الاتحاد السوفيتي، الذي فاز في الجولة الأولى، ولكن في وقت لاحق الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية بادرت وفازت في السباق النهائي إلى القمر. لقد جلبوا أيضا التلسكوبات لاستكشاف الفضاء العميق في مدار حول الأرض جنبا إلى جنب مع الأقمار الصناعية لدراسة الأرض نفسها.

الرحلات المأهولة

بدأت تجارب ناسا بالطائرات الصاروخية التي تم اتخاذها كخطوة أخرى من قبل وكالة ناسا لدعم رحلات فضائية، وأولها كانت الصواريخ المأهولة والصواريخ التي أطلقتها القوات المسلحة الأمريكية. وعندما تحول الاهتمام إلى الوصول إلى القمر، معقدة الحل المختار ولكن أيضا أكثر اقتصادا. وأدخلت مشاريع داعمة، سواء المأهولة وغير المأهولة وصواريخ أكبر جنبا إلى جنب مع المركبات الفضائية المتقدمة. ,و بعد الهبوط على سطح القمر ونهاية سباق الفضاء تراجعت الأنشطة التابع لناسا. وقد بعثت وكالة ناسا أكثر من 100 بعثة مأهولة منذ عام 1958.

الطائرة الصاروخية إكس 15 (1958-68)

هذه الطائرة قادره على الذهاب إلى أي مكان في العالم والعودة إلى الولايات المتحدة دون التزود بالوقود فهي قادره على الانطلاق بسرعة تبلغ حوالى سبعة أضعاف سرعة الصوت (7 ماخ) إذ انها مزودة بمحرك يولد ضغطاً صاروخياً 22.650 كجم ضغط. هذه الطائرة يمكنها ان تجتاز ما بين نيويورك ومنطقة الخليج العربي في نحو 20 دقيقة.

برنامج ميركوري (1959-63)

هو أول برنامج لرحلات الفضاء البشرية في الولايات المتحدة، ويهدف البرنامج الذي أستمر من عام 1959 إلى 1963 إلى وضع الإنسان في مدار حول الأرض. وتم التخطيط المبكر للبرنامج من قبل اللجنة الاستشارية الوطنية للملاحة الجوية، وتم تنفيذ البرنامج بواسطة وكالة ناسا التي كانت حديثة الإنشاء في وقتها.

برنامج أبولو كان مصمماً بهدف هبوط البشر على سطح القمر ثم إرجاعهم سالمين إلى سطح الأرض. ست مهمات (أبولو 11 و12 و14 و15 و16 و17) حققت هذا الهدف.أبولو 7 و9 كانتا مهمتان حول الأرض لإجراء اختبارات القيادة، ولم يعودا ببيانات من القمر. أبولو 8 و10 دارتا حول القمر لإجراء اختبارات حول العناصر المحيطة بالقمر، وقد عادتا بصور لسطح القمر. أبولو 13 لم يهبط على سطح القمر بسبب أعطال لكنه عاد بالصور إلى الأرض. أتت المهمات التي هبطت على سطح القمر عادت بوفرة من المعلومات والبيانات عن سطح القمر كما أتت بما يقرب من 400 كيلوجرام من عينات من القمر. شملت التجارب ميكانيكا التربة، والنيازك، والزلازل، وتجارب على الرياح والمجالات المغناطيسية.

أحد الأسباب التي أدت لبدأ المشروع هو المنافسة بين الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية مع الاتحاد السوفياتي حيث كان الاتحاد السوفيتي عام 1961 أول دولة تبعث إنساناً إلى الفضاء يدور حول الإرض كقمر صناعي وهو رائد الفضاء الروسي يوري جاجارين. وكان ذلك في فترة الحرب الباردة. فرأى الكثير من الأمريكيين أنه يجب على الولايات المتحدة التسابق والتفوق على الاتحاد السوفياتي في مجال استكشاف الفضاء.

سكاي لاب (1965-79)

مختبر السماء (بالإنجليزية: Skylab) هي أول محطة فضاء تطلقها الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية. كما هي المحطة الوحيدة التي أطلقتها الولايات المتحدة دون مساهمة دول أخرى. وتعتبر سكاي لاب ثاني محطة فضائية تدور في مدار الأرض.

مكوك فضاء

الخاص بـوكالة ناسا الأمريكية، والذي يدعى رسميا نظام النقل الفضائي (STS)، هو مركبة فضائية تستخدم من طرف حكومة الولايات المتحدة لرحلات الفضاء المأهولة، والذي سحب من الخدمة سنة 2011 بعد 135 عملية إقلاع.

مشروع أبولو-سويوز التجريبي (1965-79)

(بالإنجليزية: Apollo-Soyuz Test Project) يقوم على الالتحام بين وحدة القيادة لبرنامج أبولو ومركبة سويوز السوفيتية في مدار حول الأرض. هو أول مشروع فضائي مشترك بين الولايات المتحدة والاتحاد السوفيتي، وكان هذا المشروع هو الأخير لبرنامج أبولو وآخر بعثة مأهولة لناسا قبل استخدام مكوك الفضاء في أبريل 1981.

على الرغم من أن المشروع شمل تجارب علمية عديدة (بما في ذلك دراسة كسوف الشمس والتقاط صور للهالة الشمسية)، وقدم معلومات هندسية مفيدة التي من شأنها أن تمهد لبرنامج محطة الفضاء مير، إلا أن المهمة جاءت رمزية، حيث كان ينظر إليها رمزاً لسياسة الانفراج (الاسترخاء أو تخفيف) بين الولايات المتحدة والاتحاد السوفيتي لوضع حد للتوتر في سباق الفضاء.

عهد مكوك الفضاء

أصبح مكوك الفضاء المشروع الرئيسي لوكالة ناسا في أواخر السبعينيات والفترة التي تلتها في الثمانينات. ويرجع هذا الاهتمام إلى أن فكرة وطريقة عمل مكوك الفضاء تتيح إمكانية إعادة استخدامه وإطلاقه بدون الحاجة إلى إجراء الكثير من الإصلاحات. تم بناء أربعة من مكوكات فضاء مع بداية العام 1985م. أول إطلاق كان مكوك كولومبيا في 12 أبريل عام 1981م.

لم يكن مكوك الفضاء بهذه الروعة ولم يكن خالياً من العيوب. كانت كلفة الرحلات الفضائية بواسطة المكوك الفضائي أعلى من المخطط له، وبعد كارثة تشالنجر Challenger Disaster الذي تسبب في مصرع روّاد الفضاء السبعة الذين كانوا على متنه، فظهرت بشكل أوضح المخاطر التي قد تنجم عن الرحلات الفضائية، وفقد الرأى العام اهتمامه بالرحلات الفضائية.

مهمات مبكرة أخرى

بالرغم من أن معظم ميزانية وكالة ناسا أنفقت في سبيل الرحلات البشرية الفضائية، إلا أنه كان هناك العديد من الرحلات غير المأهولة التي نفذتها الروبوتات. ففي عام 1962م انطلقت مهمة Mariner 2 غير المأهولة لتكون أول سفينة فضاء تحلق بالقرب من كوكب آخر غير الأرض، هذا الكوكب كان كوكب الزهرة. ومركبات أخرى غير مأهولة مثل Ranger وSurveyor وLuner Orbiter كانت مهمتها لاستطلاع وتخمين الظروف على القمر قبل هبوط مركبات أبوللو المأهولة على سطحه. بعد ذلك هبط مسبارا الفايكنج على سطح المريخ وأرسلا صوراً ملونة من المريخ إلى الأرض. وكان هناك أيضاً مركبة فيوجر التي زارت كوكب المشترى، وزحل، وأورانوس، ونبتون، وأرسلت بيانات علمية وصور ملونة إلى الأرض.

الرحلات غير المأهولة

تم تصميم أكثر من 1,000 بعثات غير مأهولة لاستكشاف الأرض والنظام الشمسي. وقد تم إطلاق بعثات مباشرة من الأرض أو من المكوكات الفضائية التي تدور حول، والتي يمكن نشر أي القمر الصناعي نفسه، أو مع مرحلة الصاروخية لأعتبر أبعد. تم إطلاق رحلات أخرى إلى القمر والكواكب وخارج المجموعة الشمسية.

البحث العلمي

الطب في الفضاء

تجري مجموعة متنوعة وواسعة النطاق من الدراسات الطبية في الفضاء من قبل وكالة الفضاء والمعهد الوطني الأمريكي للبحوث الطبية الحيوية. ومن أبرز هذه البحوث هي الموجات فوق الصوتية التشخيصية المتقدمة في دراسة الجاذبية الصغرى التي يختبرها رواد الفضاء. أيضاً تم مسح الموجات فوق الصوتية تحت إشراف خبراء عن بعد التشخيص والعلاج يحتمل مئات من الحالات الطبية في الفضاء. عادة لا يوجد طبيب على متن محطة الفضاء الدولية. رائد فضاء عرضة لمجموعة متنوعة من المخاطر الصحية بما في ذلك ضغط الدم، نقص المناعة، وفقدان العظام والعضلات، والتعصب الانتصابي بسبب فقدان الصوت، اضطرابات النوم، والإصابة بالإشعاع. الموجات فوق الصوتية توفر فرصة فريدة لرصد هذه الظروف في الفضاء.

استنفاذ الاوزون

في عام 1975، وجهت وكالة ناسا عن طريق التشريع لبحث ورصد طبقات الجو العليا. هذا أدى إلى برنامج دراسة الغلاف الجوي العلوي وبرنامج بحوث في وقت لاحق نظام رصد الأرض وإرسال أقمار لدراسة طبقة الأوزون. تم الحصول على أول قياسات عالمية شاملة في عام 1978 بعد إرسال القمر الصناعي 7 نيمبوس واستفاد منها علماء وكالة ناسا في معهد غودارد للدراسات الفضائية.

تبخر الملح

في واحدة من المشاريع في الولايات المتحدة. ساعدت وكالة ناسا بالترميم وتقديم التكنولوجيا حيث ساعد الدولة والحكومة الأمريكية الاتحادية استعادة مياه بقدر 15100 فدان من برك تبخير الملح في جنوب خليج سان فرانسيسكو. وتم استخدام أجهزة استشعار الأقمار الصناعية من قبل العلماء لدراسة تأثير الملح على التبخر في البيئة المحلية.

علوم الأرض

ساعدت أبحاث وكالة ناسا على فهم التغيرات الطبيعية والتي هي من تأثير الإنسان على البيئة العالمية والهدف الرئيسي لدراسة علوم الأرض التابع لناسا. وتملك وكالة ناسا في الوقت الحالي أكثر من عشرة مركبات فضاء لدراسة علوم الأرض في المدار ودراسة جميع جوانب نظام الأرض (المحيطات والأرض والغلاف الجوي والغلاف الحيوي، بالإضافة إلى الغلاف الجليدي)، مع عدة خطط لإطلاق مراكب فضائية في السنوات القليلة القادمة.

برامج لاحقة

برنامج النقل الكوكبي اوريون وهي مركبة فضائية تستخدم للسفر إلى كوكب المريخ لصالح وكالة ناسا بالتعاون مع وكالة الفضاء الأوربية، ولانجاز وحدة الخدمة أوريون تم تجربتها في محطة الفضاء الدولية بنجاح.

الميزانية

Crystal Clear app kdict.png مقالة مفصلة: ميزانة ناسا

مثلت ميزانية ناسا 1% تقريبًا من الميزانية الاتحادية للولايات المتحدة منذ أوائل ستينيات القرن الماضي، لكنها ارتفعت ارتفاعًا حادًا لتصل إلى 4.41% في 1966 على خلفية برنامج أبولو. أجري استفتاء لعامة الأمريكيين أظهر أن معرفتهم بميزانية ناسا مختلفة كثيرًا عن الواقع، حيث رأوا - في المتوسط - أن 20% من الميزانية الاتحادية تذهب لناسا.

بانتهاء تنفيذ برنامج أبولو انخفضت ميزانية ناسا المخصصة لها من الميزانية الاتحادية، ومنذ 2012، تقدر ميزانية ناسا بحوالي 0.48% من الميزانية الفيدرالية. في مارس 2012، شهد نيل ديجراس تايسون أمام لجنة العلوم بالكونغرس الأمريكي حيث قال "الآن، ميزانية ناسا السنوية تمثل نصف قرش من دولار الضرائب. بضعف هذا - قرش من الدولار - يمكن أن نحول هذا البلد من حالة الحقد والكآبة والانهاك الاقتصادي إلى حالة تسترجع فيها حقها بالولادة في القرن العشرين حيث تحلم بالغد. تأسست منظمة بني فور ناسا في 2012 بواسطة جون زيلر، وهي مؤسسة غير ربحية تدعو إلى مضاعفة ميزانية ناسا إلى واحد بالمائة من الميزانية الفيدرالية."

Medtronic

Medtronic

Medtronic plc is a medical device company that generates the majority of its sales and profits from the U.S. healthcare system but is headquartered in the Republic of Ireland for tax purposes.[3][4] Medtronic has an operational and executive headquarters in Fridley, Minnesota in the U.S.[5][6] In 2015, Medtronic acquired Irish–tax registered Covidien (a U.S. tax inversion to Ireland from 2007), in the largest U.S. corporate tax inversion in history,[7][8] which enabled Medtronic to move its legal registration from the U.S. to Ireland.[9] Medtronic operates in 140 countries and employs over 86,000 people

Medtronic was founded in 1949 in Minneapolis by Earl Bakken and his brother-in-law, Palmer Hermundslie, as a medical equipment repair shop.[11]

Through his repair business, Bakken came to know C. Walton Lillehei, a doctor of heart surgery at the University of Minnesota Medical School. The deficiencies of the artificial pacemakers of the day were made painfully obvious following a power outage over Halloween in 1957, which affected large sections of Minnesota and western Wisconsin.[12] A pacemaker-dependent paediatric patient of Lillehei died because of the blackout. The next day, Lillehei spoke with Bakken about developing some form of battery-powered pacemaker. Bakken modified a design for a transistorized metronome and created the first battery-powered external pacemaker.

The company expanded through the 1950s, selling equipment built by other companies but also developing custom-made devices. Bakken built a small pacemaker that could be strapped to the body and powered by batteries. Work in the new field later produced an implantable pacemaker in 1960. The company built headquarters in the Minneapolis suburb of St. Anthony, Minnesota, in 1960[13] and the company moved to Fridley in the 1970s. Medtronic's main competitors in the cardiac rhythm field include Boston Scientific and St. Jude Medical. In 1998, Medtronic acquired Physio-Control for $538 million.[14]

Animal rights (2005 to 2010)

In 2005, 2008, and 2010 PETA threatened to submit a shareholder resolution to improve animal welfare standards in the company. In 2005, PETA attempted to stop five specific animal experiments that it deemed "crude and cruel". In 2008, PETA protested the outsourcing of animal testing to countries with lax animal welfare laws, such as China. In 2010, PETA attempted to stop Medtronic's reported use of live animals in testing and training. In response, Medtronic conducted a feasibility study that found that banning the use of live animals was impractical. Medtronic continues to use live animals for testing and training but has said that it will look for alternatives in the future. In each case, PETA withdrew its shareholder resolution after talks with Medtronic's leadership.[15][16]

Tax inversion to Ireland (2014)

In June 2014, Medtronic announced it would execute a tax inversion to Ireland by acquiring Irish-based Covidien plc (a previous U.S. tax inversion to Ireland in 2007), for $42.9 billion in cash and stock.[9][17] The tax inversion enabled Medtronic to move its legal headquarters to Ireland, while maintaining its operational and executive headquarters in the U.S., thus allowing it to avoid taxation on more than $14 billion held overseas, and avail of Ireland's beneficial low corporation tax regime.[7] Medtronic's tax inversion is the largest tax inversion in history,[4][7][8] and given the changes in the U.S. tax-code in 2016 to block the Pfizer-Allergan Irish tax inversion, is likely to remain the largest.[6] Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak defended the tax inversion in a 2015 interview to the Financial Times saying, "We just followed the rules and the deal was done based on strategic merits".[10] Ireland is less than 0.1% of Medtronic (or Covidien) sales, and the majority of Medtronic's sales, and an even greater percentage of Medtronic profits (due to the higher margins on U.S. medical devices), are from the U.S. healthcare system.[4] In 2016, the Star Tribune reported that Medtronic was still winning U.S. Federal contracts and attending U.S. trade-missions as a U.S. company.[5]

In terms of scale, on 23 November 2018, Ireland's largest stockbrokers, Davy Stockbrokers reported that the total capitalization of the Irish stock market was €104 billion (this does not include Medtronic, which Davy do not consider an Irish company).[18] In contrast, on the same day Medtronic's capitalisation was listed on Bloomberg at just over $130 billion (or €115 billion).

Medtronic's acquisition of Covidien plc made Medtronic the world's largest medical device company by revenues.[3]

Post tax inversion to Ireland (2014–2020)

In February 2016, the company announced that it would acquire Bellco from private equity firm Charme Capital Partners.[19] In June, the company announced its acquisition of HeartWare International Inc. for $1.1 billion.[20] In December 2017, Medtronic acquired Crospon in €38 million ($45 million).[21] In September 2018 the company acquired Mazor Robotics for $1.64 billion ($58.50 per American Depository Share or $29.25 per ordinary share.[22] In late November, Medtronic acquired Nutrino Health Ltd boosting the companies nutrition-related data services and analytics.[23]

In May 2019, Medtronic announced it would acquire Titan Spine, a technology company focussed on titanium spine implants.[24] Chief Executive Officer Omar Ishrak will retire in April 2020 and will be succeeded by senior executive Geoff Martha.[25]

In January 2020, the company announced its intention to acquire Stimgenics, LLC and their primary therapy, differential target multiplexed spinal cord stimulation

History

1956: Vitatron founded

1962: First Implantable pacemakers

1981: Microprocessor-driven, software-based pacemaker (DPG1)

1982: Rate Responsive pacemaker (TX1)

1984: Quintech DDD with automatic upper rate behavior ("mode switch")

1988: Daily Learn algorithm (Rhythmyx)

1997: First upgradeable pacemaker system with dedicated AF diagnostics, rate and rhythm control therapy.

2003: Vitatron goes digital: 1st Vitatron C-Series, the world's first fully digital pacemaker.[60]

2004: 2nd Vitatron C-Series, digital, fast pacemaker.

2004: Vitatron T-Series: The full picture, digital pacemaker system.

2005: Vitatron C-Series, A3 models, a new top line range of digital pacemakers for bradycardic patients.

Business units

Medtronic has four main business units: the Minimally Invasive Therapies Group, the Diabetes Group, the Restorative Therapies Group, and the Cardiac and Vascular Group. Medtronic develops and manufactures devices and therapies to treat more than 30 chronic diseases, including heart failure, Parkinson disease, urinary incontinence, Down syndrome, obesity, chronic pain, spinal disorders and diabetes.

CRDM

Cardiac rhythm disease management (CRDM) is the oldest and largest of Medtronic's business units. Its work in heart rhythm therapies dates back to 1957, when Bakken developed the first wearable heart pacemaker to treat abnormally-slow heart rates. Since then, it has expanded its expertise in electrical stimulation to treat other cardiac rhythm diseases. It has also made an effort to address overall disease management by adding diagnostic and monitoring capabilities to many of its devices. An independently-operating Dutch pacemaker manufacturer, Vitatron, acquired by Medtronic in 1986, is now a European subsidiary of the unit.[61] Medtronic and Vitatron pacemakers are interrogated and programmed by Medtronic Carelink Model 2090 Programmer for Medtronic and Vitatron Devices; they use separate interfaces.[62]

In 2007, Medtronic recalled its Sprint Fidelis product, the flexible wires, or leads, which connect a defibrillator to the interior of the heart. The leads were found to be failing at an unacceptable rate, resulting in unnecessary shocks or no shocks when needed; either can be lethal. The scope of the problem continues to be a matter of research. Studies since the recall, disputed by Medtronic, suggest that the failure rate of already-implanted Sprint Fidelis leads is increasing exponentially. Medtronic's liability is limited by various court decisions.[63]

Spinal and biologics

Spinal and biologics is Medtronic's second-largest business. Medtronic is the world leader in spinal and musculoskeletal therapies. In 2007, Medtronic purchased Kyphon, a manufacturer and seller of spinal implants that are necessary for procedures like kyphoplasty.[64]

In May 2008, Medtronic Spine agreed to pay the US government $75 million to settle a qui tam lawsuit after a whistleblower alleged that Medtronic committed Medicare fraud. The company was charged with illegally convincing healthcare providers to offer kyphoplasty, a spinal fracture repair surgery, as an inpatient, not an outpatient, procedure to make thousands of dollars more in profits per surgery.[65]

A "special report" by writer Steven Brill in Time showed that according to Medtronic's quarterly SEC filing of October 2012, the company had, on average, a 75.1% profit margin on its spine products and therapies.[66]

Cardiovascular

Medtronic's cardiovascular therapies span the major specialities of interventional cardiology, cardiac surgery and vascular surgery. The products are used to reduce the potentially debilitating effects of coronary, aortic and structural heart disease.

Neuromodulation

Neuromodulation is the second-oldest and third-largest department of Medtronic. Its products include neurostimulation systems and implantable drug delivery systems for chronic pain, common movement disorders and urologic and gastrointestinal disorders. The department's revenues in 2014 amounted to $1.9 billion, or 11% of Medtronic's total revenues.[67]

Diabetes

The diabetes management manufacturing and sales division of Medtronic is based in Northridge, California.[68] The original company, Minimed Technologies, was founded in the early 1980s by Alfred E. Mann and spun off from Pacesetter Systems to design a practical insulin pump for lifelong wear.[69] Most devices then were either too large or impossible to program and were extremely unreliable. The release of the lightweight, menu-driven MiniMed 500 series changed the landscape, and it was a major factor in bringing insulin pump usage to the mainstream.

In 1996, the MiniMed was redesigned by the innovation consulting RKS Design to look both more flashy and more elegant and to resemble a beeper. The friendliness of the device boosted adoption rate, and sales increased by 357%.[70] In the early 2000s, Medtronic purchased Minimed, to form Medtronic Minimed.[71]

On 11 May 2009, Medtronic announced it had chosen San Antonio, Texas, for the location of its new Diabetes Therapy Management and Education Center. The company announced that it expected 1400 new jobs would be created to staff the 150,000-square-foot (14,000 m2) facility.[72]

In September 2016, the FDA approved a device, MiniMed 670G, which automatically pumps insulin to a diabetic patient's body on sensing its absence or reduction

دريك

دريك

أوبري دريك غراهام معروف باسم دريك(ولد أكتوبر 24، 1986)، دريك أصبح معروفا عن طريق لعبة دور جيمي بروكس في المسلسل الكندي Degrassi: The Next Generation.

في حزيران 2009 وقع دريك عقدا مع شركتة يونغ ماني الذي يملكها ليل وين، وفي نوفمبر من نفس العام اعلن ليل وين بيان يعلن به ان تم الانتهاء من البوم دريك الاستوديوا الأول وكان عنوانه ' أشكرني لاحقا " (بالإنجليزية: Thank Me Later )'و قد أصدر الالبوم في حزيران 15، 2010 إحتل الألبوم المركز الأول في ترتيب الألبومات الأمريكية بيلبورد200 وحاز علي جائزة البلاتنيوم من رابطة صناعة التسجيلات الأمريكية، وفي 15 نوفمبر من عام 2011 أصدر دريك البومه الاستوديو الثاني ب عنوان ' Take Care 'و أيضا كان مقرر ان يصدر البوم دريك MIXTAPE R & B في المستقبل جانبا بجانب الالبوم بالتعاون مع ليل وين ولكن تم تاجيله لأسباب مختلفه.

و قد عمل دريك مع العديد من الفنانين في مجال الهيب هوب مثل: ليل وين، جيزي يونغ، كانييه ويست، إمينيم و مس رانا نانا، جي-زي وقد شارك أيضا مع فنانين آخرين في مجالات أخرى مثل : ريهانا، نيكي ميناج، أليشيا كيز. وقد تم ترشيح دريك لجوائز جرامي وحتى تم اختياره لأداء مراسم الجرامي 2010، وقد فازت شركة دريك للإنتاج بعديد من الجوائز ومن الجوائز كانت جائزتين من جونو ورد لأفضل مغني راب جديد في 2010.

حياته

ولد أوبري دريك غراهام في 24 اوكتوبر 1986 في تورونتو كندا، وهو ابن لاري غراهام هودجز الذي كان يعزف الدرامز الذين عملوا مع جيري لي لويس وساندي غراهام، ووالد دريك هو أمريكي أفريقي من ممفيس - تينيسي ووالدته هي الكندية البيضاء اليهودية. ووالديه مطلقين من هو كان في الخامسة من عمره وهو قد عاش مع والدته في تورنتو في حي هيل الغني بالغابات، وقد بداء في مهنة التمثيل عن طريق دراسته في معهد غابات الجماعي هيل ولكنه لم يدرس الدراسات العليا، وكان يمضي معظم الصيف مع والده في ممفيس. وقد ذكر دريك ان طلاق والديه قد اثر فيه كثيرا: كان علي ان اصير رجلا بسرعة جدا وان اكون العمود الفقري للمراه الذي احبها من كل قلبي والدتي.

التمثيل

في عام 2001 بدأ دريك حياته المهنية في التمثيل في دور جيمي بروكس في مسلسل ديقريس : الجيل التالي، وكان الدور يتحدث ان بروكس هو نجم كرة السلة الذي أصبح معوق جسديا بعد أن اطلق النار عليه من قبل زميلة، وقد انها شخصيته في المسلسل بعد 138 حلقه. وفي يونيو 2010 اعلن دريك ان سيكون له دور بارز في لعبة الفيديو التروس الحرب 3. وكان من المقرر ان يلعب جزءا من ستراتون جيس ولكن تضارب المواعيد يعني انه ذهب الي شخص آخر.و في اواخر يناير 2011 اعلن ان دريك كان في مفاوضات من اجل ان ينضم إلى ايفا غرين وسوزان ساراندون في الفيلم المترقب ' التحيكم ' ولكن في نيسان 2011 اعلن دريك ان الفيلم ليس في مخططته وهو يضع تركيزه الكامل ع البومه الجديد.

الموسيقى

في شباط 2006 أصدر دريك أول MIXTAPE المحسنه وقد اتيحت عبر موقعه ع الإنترنت وصفحته في ماي سبيس الرسمية. وفي عام 2007 اطلق سراح MIXTAPE آخر وقدر اصر أيضا فيديو "Replacement Girl" مع المغني تري سونغز، وفي عام 2007 أصبح أول مغني راب كندي غير مركزه الفني بسبب شريط فيديو واحد قد تميز به كما ظهر في عدت اغاني ري ماكس مع ليل وين كما ظهر في ري ماكس " Man of the Year " وكان تم إصداره من قبل بريسكو ورضا فلو. وفي عام 2008اعطى ليل وين بعض من اغاني الراب ل دريك وبعدها دعاه معه إلى هيوستن في جوله معه، ومن ثما سجل دريك العديد من الاغاني مع ليل وين مثل "Ransom" والنسخه الاصلية من "I Want This Forever" وبعض من الريمكس مثل أغنية دريك "Brand New" .

و في فبراير 2009 أصدر دريك MIXTAPE الرسمي الثالث وقد كان تحميلة مجانا على مدونته يضم كل من ليل وين وبي بون وأوماريون ولويد وتري سونغز وقد تم تنزيله أكثر من 2000 مرة فقط في الساعات الأولى من صدوره وقد حقق نجاح كاسح وقد وجدت هذه الاغاني في النهاية طريقها الي الراديو نظرا لنجاح اثنين من البومات MIXTAPE و من انجح الاغاني في هذا الالبوم "Best I Ever Had" و"Successful".

Drake

Drake

Aubrey Drake Graham[10] (born October 24, 1986) is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, producer, actor, and businessman.[11] Drake initially gained recognition as an actor on the teen drama television series Degrassi: The Next Generation in the 2000s; intent on pursuing a career in music, he left the series in 2007 after releasing his debut mixtape Room for Improvement. He released two further independent projects, Comeback Season and So Far Gone, before signing to Young Money Entertainment in June 2009.[12]

Drake released his debut studio album Thank Me Later in 2010,[13] which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and was soon certified platinum. His next two releases, 2011's Take Care and 2013's Nothing Was the Same,[14][15] were critically and commercially successful; the former earned him his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. In 2015, he released two mixtapes—the trap-influenced If You're Reading This It's Too Late and a collaboration with Future titled What a Time to Be Alive—both of which earned platinum certification in the U.S.[16] His fourth album, Views (2016), broke several chart records.[17] The dancehall-influenced album[18] sat atop the Billboard 200 for 13 nonconsecutive weeks,[19] becoming the first album by a male solo artist to do so in over a decade. The album's second single, "One Dance", topped the charts in several countries, and became his first number-one single as a lead artist. That year, Drake led both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard 200 charts simultaneously for eight weeks.[20]

Views achieved quadruple platinum status in the US, and earned over 1 million album-equivalent units in the first week of its release, and became Drake's best-selling album to date.[21][22] Its lead single "Hotline Bling" peaked at number two on the Hot 100 and received Grammy Awards for Best Rap/Sung Performance and Best Rap Song.[23] In 2017, he released the playlist More Life.[24] It became his seventh consecutive number one on the Billboard 200, and set multiple streaming records.[25] A year later, he released the double album Scorpion, which also broke several streaming records,[26] and contains the Grammy Award winning number-one single "God's Plan", and the bounce-infused number one singles "Nice for What" and "In My Feelings".

Among the world's best-selling music artists,[27] with over 170 million records sold, Drake is ranked as the world's highest-certified digital singles artist by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[28][29] Drake also holds several Billboard chart records; he has the most charted songs (208) of any artists in the history of the Billboard Hot 100,[30] the most simultaneously charted Hot 100 songs in a single week (27), the most time on the Hot 100 (431 weeks), and the most Hot 100 debuts in a week (22).[31] He also has the most number one singles on the Hot Rap Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Rhythmic Charts.[32][33] Drake has also won four Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, twenty-seven Billboard Music Awards and three Juno Awards. As an entrepreneur, Drake founded the OVO Sound record label with longtime collaborator 40 in 2012.

Aubrey Drake Graham was born on October 24, 1986 in Toronto, Ontario. His father, Dennis Graham, is an African American and a practising Catholic from Memphis, Tennessee, and worked as a drummer, performing alongside country musician Jerry Lee Lewis.[34][35] Drake's mother, Sandra "Sandi" Graham (née Sher), is an Ashkenazi Jewish Canadian who worked as an English teacher and florist.[36][37][38][39][40] His parents met after Dennis performed at Club Bluenote in Toronto, where he first interacted with Sandra, who was in attendance.[35] He is a dual citizen of the United States and Canada.[3][4][41] In his youth, Drake attended a Jewish day school, and formally celebrated becoming a Bar Mitzvah in a religious service.[42][43]

Drake's parents divorced when he was five years old. After the divorce, he and his mother remained in Toronto, while his father returned to Memphis, where he was incarcerated for a number of years on drug-related charges.[44] Dennis' limited finances and legal issues caused him to remain in the United States until Drake's early adulthood. Prior to his arrest, however, Dennis would travel to Toronto and bring Drake to Memphis every summer.[45][46][47] His father later collaborated with Canadian music group Arkells on the music video for a song titled "Drake's Dad".[48] Graham claimed in an interview that Drake's assertions of him being an absent father were embellishments used to sell records,[49] which Drake vehemently denies.[50]

Drake was raised in two Toronto neighbourhoods. He lived on Weston Road in the city's working-class west end[46] until grade six, playing minor hockey with the Weston Red Wings.[51] He then moved to one of the city's affluent neighbourhoods, Forest Hill, in 2000.[52][53] When asked about the move, Drake replied, "[We had] a half of a house we could live in. The other people had the top half, we had the bottom half. I lived in the basement, my mom lived on the first floor. It was not big, it was not luxurious. It was what we could afford."[54]

He attended Forest Hill Collegiate Institute, where he demonstrated an affinity for the arts, first acting while an active student at the school.[55] He later attended Vaughan Road Academy in the city's multicultural Oakwood–Vaughan neighbourhood. Due to the economic status associated with the neighbourhood, Drake described the school as "not by any means the easiest school to go to."[46] Drake was often bullied in school for his racial and religious background,[56] and upon realizing that his busy class schedule was detrimental to his burgeoning acting career, Drake dropped out of school.[57] He later graduated in October 2012.[58]

Career

2001–2005: Degrassi: The Next Generation

At 15, eager to begin as an actor, a high school friend introduced Drake to his father, an acting agent.[59] The agent found Drake a role on Canadian teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation. Drake portrayed Jimmy Brooks,[60] a basketball star who became physically disabled after he was shot by a classmate. When asked about his early acting career, Drake replied, "My mother was very sick. We were very poor, like broke. The only money I had coming in was off of Canadian TV."[46] He continued to appear on the show until 2007, returning for sporadic appearances until his character graduated from school: Drake appeared in a total of 145 episodes.[61]

2006–2009: Early mixtapes and So Far Gone

After becoming musically inspired by Jay-Z and Clipse, Drake self-released his debut mixtape, Room for Improvement, in 2006. The mixtape featured Trey Songz and Lupe Fiasco, and included vast production from Canadian producers Boi-1da, and Frank Dukes. When asked about the mixtape, Drake described the project as "pretty straightforward, radio friendly, [and] not much content to it." The mixtape was released for sale only, and confirmed to have sold over 6,000 copies.[60] In 2007, he released his second mixtape Comeback Season. Released from his recently founded October's Very Own label, it spawned the single "Replacement Girl", featuring Trey Songz. The song made Drake become the first ever unsigned Canadian rapper to have his music video featured on BET, with "Replacement Girl" being featured on the channel's "New Joint of the Day" segment on April 30, 2007.[63] The song also saw Drake sample "Man of the Year" by Brisco, Flo Rida and Lil Wayne, retaining Lil Wayne's verse, and adjoined his own to the song's earlier half. This caused Jas Prince to gift Lil Wayne the song, which prompted the rapper to invite Drake to Houston to join his Tha Carter III tour.[64] Throughout the duration of the tour, Drake and Lil Wayne recorded multiple songs together, including "Ransom", "Forever", and a remix to "Brand New".[64] Despite the collaborations between the duo, Drake was yet to be signed by Young Money Entertainment.

In 2009, Drake released his third mixtape So Far Gone. It was made available for free download through his OVO blog website, and featured Lil Wayne, Trey Songz, Omarion, Lloyd, and Bun B. It received over 2,000 downloads in the first 2 hours of release, finding mainstream commercial success due to the singles "Best I Ever Had" and "Successful", both gaining Gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with the former also peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.[65] This prompted the mixtape's re-release as an EP, featuring only four songs from the original, as well as the additions of the songs "I'm Goin' In" and "Fear". It debuted at number six on the Billboard 200, and won the Rap Recording of the Year at the 2010 Juno Awards.[66]

Due to the success of the mixtape,[67] Drake was the subject of a bidding war from various labels, often reported as "one of the biggest bidding wars ever".[68] Despite this, Drake was rumoured to have secured a recording contract with Young Money Entertainment on June 29, 2009.[69] This was later confirmed following a planned lawsuit from Young Money, in conjunction with Drake, against an unauthorized album titled The Girls Love Drake, which was released on iTunes under dubious means.[70]

Drake then joined the rest of the label's roster on the America's Most Wanted Tour in July 2009. However, during a performance of "Best I Ever Had" in Camden, New Jersey, Drake fell on stage and tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.[71] He underwent surgery later that year.

2010–2012: Thank Me Later and Take Care

Drake planned to release his debut album, Thank Me Later, in late 2008, but the album's release date was postponed, first to March 2010,[72] and then to May 25, 2010.[73] Young Money and Universal Motown had then released a statement that the album had again been pushed back three weeks for a June 15, 2010 release.[72][74]

On March 9, 2010, Drake released the debut single "Over",[75] which peaked at number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as topping the Rap Songs chart. It also received a nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 53rd Grammy Awards.[76] His second single, "Find Your Love", became an even bigger success; peaking at number five on the Hot 100, and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[77] The music video for the single was shot in Kingston, Jamaica, and was criticized by Jamaica's minister of tourism Edmund Bartlett. Bartlett condemned the portrayal of the island in the video, saying, "care has to be taken by all, including our creative artists, in [showcasing] images of our destination and people. Gun culture, while not unique to Jamaica, is not enhancing [the island's image]."[78] The third single and fourth singles, "Miss Me" and "Fancy" respectively,[79] attained moderate commercial success; however, the latter garnered Drake his second nomination at the 53rd Grammy Awards for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.[80] On April 29, it was reportedly announced that Drake had finished Thank Me Later during a show in Kansas City, Missouri.[81]

Thank Me Later was released on June 15, 2010,[82] debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 with sales of over 447,000 copies in its first week.[83] Upon the album's release, 25,000 fans gathered at New York City's South Street Seaport for a free concert, hosted by Drake and Hanson, which was later cancelled by police after a near-riot ensued due to overflowing crowds.[84] The album became the top selling debut album for any artist in 2010,[85] and featured Lil Wayne, Kanye West,[86] and Jay Z.[87]

It was soon announced that Drake would have a prominent role in the military science fiction video game Gears of War 3. He was scheduled to play the part of Jace Stratton, but scheduling conflicts with his upcoming Away from Home Tour[88] prevented Drake from accepting the role.[89] He began the tour on September 20, 2010 in Miami, Florida, performing at 78 shows over four different legs.[90] It concluded in Las Vegas in November 2010.[91] Due to the success of the Away from Home Tour, Drake hosted the first OVO Festival in 2010. It would soon become a regular event during the summer, with the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto playing host to the festival on its annual cycle. Drake also had an eco-friendly college tour to support the album, beginning with Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. It concluded in Plymouth, New Hampshire on May 8, and he had also performed at The Bamboozle on May 1.[92][93]

Beginning his second effort in fall 2010,[94] Drake announced his intentions to allow for Noah "40" Shebib to handle most of the production and record a more cohesive sound than on Thank Me Later, which featured disparate production duties by Shebib and others.[95] In November 2010, Drake revealed the title of his next studio album will be Take Care.[96] In comparison to his debut album, Drake revealed to Y.C Radio 1 that Thank Me Later was a rushed album, stating, "I didn't get to take the time that I wanted to on that record. I rushed a lot of the songs and sonically I didn't get to sit with the record and say, 'I should change this verse.' Once it was done, it was done. That's why my new album is called Take Care, because I get to take my time this go-round."[97] Drake sought to expand on the low-tempo, sensuous, and dark sonic esthetic of Thank Me Later.[98][99] Primarily a hip hop album, Drake also attempted to incorporate R&B and pop to create a languid, grandiose sound

JEE Main

JEE Main

Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) is an engineering entrance examination conducted for admission to various engineering colleges in India. It is constituted by two different examinations - JEE Main and the JEE Advanced.

The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) conducts the joint admission process for a total of 23 Indian Institute of Technology campuses, 32 National Institute of Technology campuses, 18 Indian Institute of Information Technology campuses, Indian School of Mines and 19 other Government Funded Technical Institutes (GFTIs) based on the rank obtained by a student in JEE Mains and JEE Advanced.

There are some institutes like Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs), Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (RGIPT), and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) use the score obtained in JEE Advanced as the basis for admission. These institutes do not participate in the post examination counselling session. Any student who takes admission to IITs cannot appear for the JEE-Advanced exam in the next year, but the same is not the case with IISc, IISER, RGIPT and other institutes as these institutes only use JEE Advanced score for admission.

As per the reports from Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) of Government of India, the government is considering to conduct only one common engineering entrance test based on the lines of NEET for all engineering colleges, including private institutions, across India

JEE Main has two papers, Paper-1 and Paper-2. Candidates may opt for either or both of them. Both papers contain multiple choice questions. Paper 1 is for admission to B.E./B.Tech courses and is conducted only online. Paper-2 is for admission in B.Arch and B.Planning courses and is conducted offline only. From January 2020 an additional Paper - 3 is being introduced for B.Planning courses separately.[2]

JEE Main, unlike JEE Advanced, has a fixed exam structure and is not subject to change every year. Paper-1 is of three hours duration and consists of thirty multiple-choice (single-correct) questions in each of the three subjects (physics, chemistry, and maths). 4 marks are awarded for correct answers and 1 mark is deducted for incorrect answers.

New pattern consisting of 20+5 questions per subject is introduced in January 2020 with 20 multiple choice questions + 5 numerical type question. In multiple choice questions 4 marks are awarded for correct answers and no marks are deducted from numerical type questions.[3]

From 2013 to 2016, the marks obtained in the class XII school board examination used to be accorded a 40% weightage in deciding the JEE Main all India ranks

GHOST

GHOST

Ghost, also formerly known as Ghost B.C. in the United States,[1] is a Swedish rock band that was formed in Linköping, Sweden in 2006.[2][3] In 2010, they released a 3-track demo followed by a 7" vinyl titled "Elizabeth", and later their debut full-length album Opus Eponymous. The song Ritual was chosen by Kerrang! as one of "The 50 Most Evil Songs Ever."[4] The Grammis-nominated album was widely praised and significantly increased their popularity. Their second album and major label debut, Infestissumam, was released in 2013, debuted at number one in Sweden, and won the Grammis Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Album. The band released their third studio album, Meliora, in 2015 to much critical acclaim and high record sales, reaching number one in their home country of Sweden, and number eight in the United States. Its lead single, "Cirice", earned them the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. The band released their fourth studio album, Prequelle, in 2018.

Ghost is easily recognizable owing greatly to its eccentric on-stage presence. Seven of the group's eight members, its 'Nameless Ghouls',[5] wear virtually identical, face-concealing costumes. Prior to a 2017 lawsuit filed by former members of the band, lead singer Tobias Forge obscured his identity behind the character "Papa Emeritus". The character, which consists of Forge in a prosthetic mask and makeup, can be best described as a 'demonic anti-pope'.[5] The Papa Emeritus Character has gone through five incarnations - I, II, III, Nihil, and IV. From the release of the 2018 album Prequelle and subsequent world tour, Forge portrayed a character known as "Cardinal Copia", who is described as being unrelated to any of the Papa Emeritus characters and whose costume consists of either Cardinal vestments or a black or white tuxedo alongside a prosthetic mask with black eye makeup and the multi-colored eyes which had been present in each Papa character. In March 2020, at the final show of A Pale Tour Named Death, Forge once again assumed the mantle of Papa Emeritus.

History

Formation and Opus Eponymous

Ghost was formed in 2006, when future band leader Tobias Forge wrote the song "Stand By Him".[6] He said, "I said that this is probably the most heavy metal riff that has ever existed ... When the chorus came to me, it haunted my dreams. Every time I picked up the guitar, I ended up playing that progression, and when I fit the words in, it seemed to cry out for a Satanically-oriented lyric."[7] Forge then contacted his former Repugnant bandmate Gustaf Lindström to record the song.[6] In early 2008, the two entered the studio to record three songs: "Stand by Him," "Prime Mover" and "Death Knell".[6] Afterwards Forge remarked to Lindström: "This definitely does not sound like two dudes that look like you and I".[6] Thus Forge decided that they should be an anonymous "theater band", and use their love of horror films and "the traditions of Scandinavian metal" in the band's imagery.[6][7] While other members of the band would wear black hooded robes and be called "Nameless Ghouls", Forge would go by "Papa Emeritus", dressed in Papal regalia and his face painted to resemble a skull.[8] Forge then chose the name Ghost for the group.[6] Initially Forge had no aspirations on becoming the band's vocalist, instead wanting to play guitar.[6] He offered the position of lead vocalist to Messiah Marcolin, Mats Levén, Christer Göransson and JB Christoffersson, all of whom passed.[6] As a result, Forge became the band's lead singer by default.[6] On 12 March 2010, Forge posted the first three Ghost songs on MySpace and within two days was contacted by records labels and managers wanting to work with the group.[6]

Ghost spent a few weeks in a basement studio in the band's hometown of Linköping recording their debut album.[8] In June 2010, the band released their first single "Elizabeth".[8] Ghost released their first studio album, Opus Eponymous, on 18 October 2010, on the independent record label Rise Above Records. The album reached number 50 on the Sverigetopplistan and was well-received by critics, being nominated for the 2011 Grammis Award for "Best Hard Rock" album.[9][10][11] Ghost played their first concert on 23 October 2010 at the Hammer of Doom festival in Würzburg, Germany

Ghost supported gothic metal band Paradise Lost on their "Draconian Times MMXI" tour in April 2011.[13] On 29 May, Ghost made their United States debut at the Maryland Deathfest.[14] The band played at the annual Download Festival in the United Kingdom on 11 June. Following their performance, Phil Anselmo, lead singer of the band Down, performed wearing a Ghost T-shirt and invited three members of the band to join him on the main stage, where they performed Down's "Bury Me In Smoke" together.[15] In December 2011, Ghost took part in the "Defenders of the Faith III" tour with Trivium, In Flames, Rise to Remain and Insense.[16] The band then embarked on their first United States tour, "13 Dates of Doom," beginning in New York on 18 January 2012, and ending on 2 February in Los Angeles.[17] Afterwards Ghost joined Mastodon and Opeth as the opening act on the Heritage Hunter Tour throughout North America during April and May 2012.[18][19][20][21] In June, Ghost received the award for "Breakthrough Band" at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards.[22]

Infestissumam

In February 2012, a Nameless Ghoul revealed that the band had completed writing their second album.[23] Ghost entered the studio in October to record their second album in Nashville, Tennessee, with producer Nick Raskulinecz.[24] The band had planned to record the album at the turn of 2012, but after starting their US tour in January, they were offered another tour immediately after.[24] At the same time the band, their management and Rise Above Records all agreed that the group's next album should be released on a different label.[24] Thus Ghost signed with Loma Vista Recordings in partnership with Republic Records—a division of Universal Music Group.[25]

On 15 December 2012, Ghost played a show in Linköping, where they debuted a new song titled "Secular Haze", which was released online earlier that day, as well as their cover of ABBA's "I'm a Marionette".[10] During the same show, the band introduced Papa Emeritus II as the successor to the first Papa Emeritus.[26] On 20 December, the band announced that their second album, Infestissumam, would be released in early 2013.[2] On 5 February 2013, the band announced a name change to "Ghost B.C." in the United States for legal reasons.[27] A Nameless Ghoul said: "B.C. is obviously a pun on ‘Before Christ’, but it's just an amendment. In our world, we're just gonna be called Ghost ... The B.C. is silent, and as soon as we can, it's gonna be taken away forever."[28] They officially dropped the amendment from their name in 2015.[29] From 23 February to 4 March 2013, Ghost toured Australia as a part of the Soundwave Festival.

Infestissumam was originally scheduled to be released on 9 April 2013, in the US, but the band could not find a US company that would manufacture the CD.[31] Four US CD manufacturers rejected the job because the artwork for the deluxe edition of the album was described as "basically a 16th century illustration of an orgy." [31] Rather than delay the album further, the band decided to use the artwork from the regular edition for the US pressings of the deluxe edition and announced the new release date of 16 April.[31] All European copies and the US vinyl versions include the controversial artwork.[31] Infestissumam charted in seven countries, including at number one in Sweden, eventually going gold. The album was also well received by critics, winning the Grammis Award and the P3 Guld Award for "Best Hard Rock/Metal Album" of 2013.[32]

Ghost began their "Haze Over North America" tour on 14 April 2013, at the Coachella Festival, which continued until 18 May.[33] On 27 July, Ghost began the "Still Hazing over North America Tour", which ended in Chicago at the Lollapalooza festival.[34] Immediately after, Ghost toured South America supporting Iron Maiden and Slayer, which included a performance at Rock in Rio.[35] In October 2013, Ghost opened for Avenged Sevenfold and Deftones on their US tour.[36] In November, the band toured the UK with Alice in Chains, before a tour of Europe.[37][38] On 20 November 2013, Ghost released the EP If You Have Ghost, consisting almost entirely of cover songs. It was produced by Dave Grohl of Nirvana and Foo Fighters fame.[39]

In January 2014, Ghost received six nominations at the Loudwire Music Awards.[40] From 17 January to 2 February 2014, the band toured Australia as a part of the Big Day Out festival.[41][42] They then embarked on the "Tour Year Zero", which lasted from 17 April until 17 May 2014, in North America.[43] In July, the band performed at the European Sonisphere Festival.[44]

Meliora

Ghost's third studio album, the follow up to Infestissumam, Meliora was released on 21 August 2015. In an advertisement for the album that aired 28 May on VH1 Classic, it was announced that Papa Emeritus II was "fired" and that his successor Papa Emeritus III is his younger brother by a full three months.[45] The song "Cirice" was released as a free download from the band's official site on 31 May, and won the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.[46] Papa Emeritus III was officially unveiled with a debut performance in Linköping on 3 June 2015, where the band also performed new songs from the upcoming album.[47]

The album was first promoted in August by a five date acoustic tour named "Unholy/Unplugged" of record shops in the US. Here Papa Emeritus III sported slicked-back jet black hair without his trademark mitre, and performed alongside the two guitarist Nameless Ghouls; accompanying them on the kazoo.[48] A tour of the US titled "Black To The Future" began on 22 September and ran until 1 November.[49] This was quickly followed by a European tour of the same name that ran until 21 December, including a full UK tour and two other tours in North America that took place in the spring and mid-summer of 2016.

On 12 September 2016, the band released a new track on a radio show titled "Square Hammer" and a new EP, Popestar, was released on 16 September, the same day the Popestar Tour began. Following the conclusion of the North American tour that concluded on 12 November, was the European tour of the same name which started in late March and finished in late April 2017.[50] They were the opening act for Iron Maiden on their 2017 North America tour from June to July 2017.[51] A Nameless Ghoul stated that after the tour was over, they would be writing and recording the new album which they stated would be much darker than Meliora, with Tobias confirming in a recent interview that the fourth album would be released in 2018.[52]

In early 2017, Tobias Forge was sued by former Ghost members Simon Söderberg, Mauro Rubino, Martin Hjertstedt, and Henrik Palm as part of a royalties dispute. The four, who left Ghost in 2016, filed the suit in the district court of Linköping, Sweden and accused Forge, who was in charge of the band's business affairs, of withholding financial information and payments to the other members.[53][54] The former members also claimed that "Our vocalist and former friend is now attempting to, in an underhanded and shameless way, transform Ghost from a band into a solo project with hired musicians."[55] Forge claimed that "no legal partnership" ever existed between the other members and himself; they were paid a fixed salary to perform and execute the band's image as he instructed as "musicians for hire."[56] He also stated that he refers to Ghost as a solo project, "Even though I've never wanted it that way, but at the end of the day, that is what it is. I mean, I started it in 2006, and no one that was ever in the band in 2016 was even on the first record. Call it solo, if you want to, but I call it a project."[3]

On 24 August 2017, the band released their final music video from Meliora for their song "He Is". It premiered at Saint Vitus Bar in New York City the day before.[57] The band released their first live album titled Ceremony and Devotion digitally on 8 December 2017, with a physical release following on 19 January 2018.[58]

Prequelle

On 13 April 2018, Ghost released a new single, titled "Rats", along with an accompanying music video.[59] This marked the first release from the band, with their "new" frontman Cardinal Copia.[59] Additionally, the band welcomed a new character, saxophonist Papa Nihil, extending Ghost into a septet.[60] The album was titled Prequelle, and it was released on 1 June 2018.[59] A second song, “Dance Macabre” was released ahead of the album on 17 May, and was later released as the album's second single.[61]

To promote the album, Ghost began the Rats! on the Road tour in the United States which ran from 5 May until 1 June.[62] The band was an opening act for Guns N' Roses in Oslo, Norway on 19 July 2018.[63]

Ghost began A Pale Tour Named Death in London, England at Royal Albert Hall on 9 September 2018. A North American tour of the same name began later in the fall that year featuring two headlining arena shows in Los Angeles and New York City.[64][65] An early 2019 European tour of the same name was announced on 10 September 2018.[66] In March 2019, the band performed in Australia and Japan as part of Download Festival.[67] Ghost was later announced as the opening act for Metallica's WorldWired Tour from May to August 2019.[68] A second North American tour was announced on 1 April 2019, with Nothing More as support.[69] A European tour at the end of 2019 with All Them Witches and Tribulation was announced on 8 July 2019.[70]

The band released their second music video for the song "Dance Macabre" on 17 October 2018.[71] A third music video, "Faith" was released on 20 December 2018 following the band's first North American leg of their tour.[72]

Ghost announced their standalone single Kiss the Go-Goat / Mary on a Cross which was released on 13 September 2019 under the title Seven Inches of Satanic Panic. A video for "Kiss the Go-Goat' was released at midnight on September 12 as "Chapter 8" of their ongoing web series.[73]

In an interview on 25 September 2019, Ghost confirmed that other than one show in Mexico City on 3 March 2020, there would be zero touring next year. The year would be spent working on a new studio album which is expected to be released at the beginning of 2021.[74] At the final show of the tour in support of Prequelle, Papa Nihil "died" and the band introduced the new frontman for the next album cycle, Papa Emeritus IV to which Tobias Forge had stated would be the next frontman.[75]

Members

Tobias Forge – vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards (2008–present)

Papa Emeritus – vocals performance (2010–2012)

Papa Emeritus II – vocals performance (2012–2015)

Papa Emeritus III – vocals performance (2015–2017)

Cardinal Copia – vocals performance (2018–2020)

Papa Emeritus IV – vocals performance (2020–present)

A Group of Nameless Ghouls – guitars, bass, drums, keyboards, backing vocals (2010–present)

Papa Nihil – saxophone (2018–2020)

The members of Ghost mimic the Roman Catholic Church, but have reversed the image to worship Satan instead of the Holy Trinity.[76] From 2010 to 2017, the band's instrumentalists, referred to as the "Nameless Ghouls", each represented one of the five elements, typically attached to their instrumental role; the lead guitarist was fire, the bassist was water, the keyboardist was wind, the drummer was earth, and the rhythm guitarist was ether,[77] and wore their respective alchemical symbol on their instruments. With Meliora each Nameless Ghoul had all five elemental symbols embroidered on the right breast of their costumes, with the elemental symbol representing the individual Ghoul being highlighted to show the identity of the wearer. In 2018, the band's line-up was expanded to include a third guitarist, two female keyboardists referred to as the "Ghoulettes", and Papa Nihil on saxophone.[78]

Suhas LY

Suhas LY

Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj (born 2 July 1983) is an Indian professional Para-Badminton player currently ranked world No.2 in Men’s Singles and an IAS officer of 2007 batch of Uttar Pradesh cadre. He is serving as District Magistrate of Gautam Buddha Nagar. He was formerly serving as the District Magistrate of Prayagraj. He became National Champion after winning Gold Medal in Men's Singles category at 2nd National Para Badminton Championships held at Varanasi in March 2018.

At the 2016 Asian Para Badminton Championships,[4][5] Beijing, China, he became the first Indian bureaucrat to win a professional International Badminton Championship.[6][7] He won gold beating Hary Susanto of Indonesia in the finals when he was serving as District Magistrate of Azamgarh.[8][9][10] He came to International attention when he won gold and became first ever serving Indian bureaucrat to represent and win a medal for India at global level.[11][12]

In December, 2016, he became the recipient of Uttar Pradesh’s highest civilian honor, the Yash Bharti,[13] which he received on 1 December 2016 by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. On December 3, World Disabilities Day, he received award from the state government for his performances in para sports.[14] He also holds distinctive record for winning many awards while serving in his official capacity.[15][16] He has been awarded for his performances by Governor of Uttar Pradesh for his duties related to elections, by Revenue Minister and Chairman, Board of Revenue for duties regarding revenue administration.

Childhood and Education

Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj was born to Yathiraj L K(late) and Jayashree C S in Hassan, Karnataka. Sibling : Sharath L Y, His early schooling happened in Dudda near Mandya district. Since his father was a government servant, he had to travel and move with father during his postings at different places. He did most of his secondary education in Shivamogga, Karnataka. He graduated from National Institute of Technology, Surathkal, Karnataka in Computers branch in 2004 by scoring First class with Distinction.