Asia

News Update (25/07/2016)

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Bahrain

The largest opposition group in Bahrain, al-Wefaaq, has been banned by the ruling monarch, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. His regime has garnered widespread criticism for alleged human rights allegations. Bahrain is an important ally for the UK and USA in the Middle East, and hence these two nations normally try to maintain positive relations with the monarchy. (1)

 

Canada

The Canadian parliament has passed a law that allows assisted euthanasia for patients with terminal illnesses. (2)

 

Colombia

The Columbian government reached a ceasefire agreement with the FARC guerrilla. Colombia has been in a state of civil war for over 50 years and this may finally bring peace to the nation. (3)

 

DPRK

The DPRK successfully carried out two missile tests, heightening tensions in the region and increasing worry from South Korean and Japanese officials. The United Nations Security Council has condemned this act. (4)

 

Italy

Homosexuals in Italy will be able to adopt their partner’s children with great ease thanks to a ruling from the Italian Supreme Court. This comes after same-sex civil unions were recognized by the state. (5)

 

Sources

  1. “Bahraini Court Suspends Al-Wefaq Opposition Group.” Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera, 14 June 2016. Web. 25 June 2016.
  2. Laurence, Lianne. “Canadian Senate Passes Euthanasia Bill.” Life Site. N.p., 17 June 2016. Web. 25 June 2016.
  3. Romo, Rafael. “Colombia, FARC Rebels Sign Ceasefire Agreement.” CNN. Cable News Network, 24 June 2016. Web. 25 June 2016.
  4. Nichols, Michelle. “U.N. Security Council Condemns North Korea Missile Launches.” Reuters. Thomson Reuters, 23 June 2016. Web. 25 June 2016.
  5. “Italy’s Top Court Lets Gay Woman Adopt Partner’s Child.” The Local. N.p., 22 June 2016. Web. 25 June 2016.

News Update (16/08/2015)

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Cuba: American Secretary of State John Kerry formally reopened the American embassy in Cuba on August 14th after 54 years. Despite the restoration of diplomatic relations, the USA still has an embargo against Cuba which prevents American companies from doing business there. Only the American Congress can repeal this ban.

Greece: On August 14th, the Eurogroup agreed on a bailout for Greece, the third since May 2010. In the agreement, Greece will get up to $95 billion in rescue funding over the next three years. This is the first bailout in which the International Monetary Fund is not involved.

Pakistan: The Minister of the Interior of the Punjab province and another 11 people died and 25 were injured today in a suicide bombing against his house (in eastern Pakistan).

Turkey: Four soldiers, one police officer, and four members of the Kurdistan’s Working Party (PKK) recently died in different conflicts in southeastern Turkey. the PKK’s frequency of attacks has increased over the past five weeks as the Turkish Army bombs their positions in northern Iraq. According to the Turkish Army, at least 400 PKK rebels have died since the Turkish offensive in northern Iraq and Turkey.

Sources:

  • “The Battle of Midpoint.” The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 15 Aug. 2015. Web. 16 Aug. 2015.
  • “Cuban Deals.” The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 15 Aug. 2015. Web. 16 Aug. 2015.
  • “Next Steps in Havana.” The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 15 Aug. 2015. Web. 16 Aug. 2015.
  • “Ataque Suicida No Paquistão Mata Ministro Do Interior E Outras 11 Pessoas.” VEJA.com. Abril, 16 Aug. 2015. Web. 16 Aug. 2015.
  • “Confrontos Entre Guerrilha Curda E Forças Turcas Deixam 9 Mortos.” G1. Globo, 16 Aug. 2015. Web. 16 Aug. 2015.

Country Profile: Vietnam

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Geography

  1. Location:  Southeastern Asia.
  2. Bordering Nations: Laos, China, Cambodia.
  3. Climate and Terrain: Tropical. Low, flat delta in south and north.
  4. Natural Resources: phosphates, coal, manganese, rare earth elements, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits, timber, hydropower

Society

  1. Nationality and Major Ethnic Group: Vietnamese. Kinh.
  2. Official Languages and Major Religions: Vietnamese. Buddhist.
  3. Population: 93.422 million
  4. Life Expectancy: 72.91 years
  5. Literacy Rate: 93.4%

Government

  1. Official Country Name: Socialist Republic of Vietnam
  2. Government Type: Communist State
  3. Capital: Hanoi
  4. Independence: September 2nd, 1945.
  5. President (2014): Truong Tan Sang
  6. National Anthem: Vietnamese National Anthem

Economy

  1. GDP: $ 358.9 billion
  2. GDP per capita: $4,000
  3. Agriculture and Industry:rice, coffee, rubber, tea, pepper, soybeans, cashews, sugar cane, peanuts, bananas; poultry; fish, seafood. Food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building; mining, coal, steel; cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, mobile phones.
  4. Labor Force: 52.93 million
  5. Population Below the Poverty Line: 11.3%
  6. Inflation Rate: 6.8%
  7. Exports: $ 128.9 billion. Commodities:clothes, shoes, electronics, seafood, crude oil, rice, coffee, wooden products, machinery. Partners: US 17.8%, Japan 11.8%, China 11.2%, South Korea 5%, Malaysia 4.1%
  8. Imports:$319.4 million. Commodities:machinery and equipment, petroleum products, steel products, raw materials for the clothing and shoe industries, electronics, plastics, automobiles. Partners: China 25.8%, South Korea 13.9%, Japan 10.4%, Singapore 6%, Thailand 5.2%, US 4.3%
  9. Debt: $ 68.38 billion

Communication and Transportation

  1. Number of Cellphones: 134.066 million
  2. Number of Internet Users: 23.382 million
  3. Number of Airports: 45 (Paved: 38)
  4. Roadways: 206,633 km

Military

  1. People’s Armed Forces: People’s Army of Vietnam, Vietnam People’s Air and Air Defense Force, Border Defense Command, Coast Guard)
  2. Expenditure:  2.37%

Major Transnational Issues

  1. Illicit Drugs

Other Facts

  1. Vietnam’s HDI is 0.638

This page was last updated on: July 27th, 2014

Source: “Vietnam”  Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 27th July 2014.

Country Profile: Uzbekistan

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Geography

  1. Location: Central Asia
  2. Bordering Nations: Kazakhstan. Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan. Afghanistan.
  3. Climate and Terrain: Mostly  temperate. Vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east.
  4. Natural Resources: coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, rare earth elements, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber

Society

  1. Nationality and Major Ethnic Group: Uzbekistani. Uzbek.
  2. Official Languages and Major Religions: Uzbek. Muslim.
  3. Population: 28.929 million
  4. Life Expectancy: 73.29 years
  5. Literacy Rate: 99.4%

Government

  1. Official Country Name: Republic of Uzbekistan
  2. Government Type: Republic
  3. Capital: Tashkent
  4. Independence: September 1st, 1991, from the Soviet Union.
  5. President (2014): Islom Karimov, Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev
  6. National Anthem:  Uzbekistani National Anthem

Economy

  1. GDP: $55.18 billion
  2. GDP per capita: $3,800
  3. Agriculture and Industry:cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock. Textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, mining, hydrocarbon extraction, chemicals.
  4. Labor Force: 16.99 million
  5. Population Below the Poverty Line: 17%
  6. Inflation Rate: 10.1%
  7. Exports: $14.91 billion. Commodities: energy products, cotton, gold, mineral fertilizers, ferrous and nonferrous metals, textiles, food products, machinery, automobiles. Partners: China 21.2%, Kazakhstan 15.9%, Turkey 15.8%, Russia 14.7%, Bangladesh 9.5%, Kyrgyzstan 4%
  8. Imports: $2.273 trillion. Commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, ferrous and nonferrous metals. Partners: Russia 20.7%, China 16.6%, South Korea 16.4%, Kazakhstan 12.5%, Germany 4.6%, Turkey 4.2%, Ukraine 4%
  9. Debt: $ 8.773 billion

Communication and Transportation

  1. Number of Cellphones: 20.274 million
  2. Number of Internet Users: 4.689 million
  3. Number of Airports: 53 (Paved: 33)
  4. Roadways: 86,496 km

Military

  1. Uzbek Armed Forces: Army, Air and Air Defense Forces
  2. Expenditure:  N/A

Major Transnational Issues

  1. Illicit Drugs
  2. Human Trafficking

Other Facts

  1. Uzbekistan’s HDI is 0.654

This page was last updated on: July 26th, 2014

Source: “Uzbekistan”  Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 26th July 2014.

Country Profile: Turkmenistan

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Geography

  1. Location: Central Asia
  2. Bordering Nations: Uzbekistan. Iran. Afghanistan. Kazakhstan.
  3. Climate and Terrain: Subtropical desert. Flat-to-rolling sandy desert.
  4. Natural Resources: petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt

Society

  1. Nationality and Major Ethnic Group: Turkmen. Turkmen.
  2. Official Languages and Major Religions: Turkmen. Muslim.
  3. Population: 5.171 million
  4. Life Expectancy: 69.47 years
  5. Literacy Rate: 99.6%

Government

  1. Official Country Name: Turkmenistan
  2. Government Type: Republic
  3. Capital: Ashgabat
  4. Independence: October 27th, 1991, from the Soviet Union
  5. President (2014): Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow
  6. National Anthem: Turkem National Anthem

Economy

  1. GDP: $ 40.56 billion
  2. GDP per capita: $9,700
  3. Agriculture and Industry: cotton, grain, melons; livestock. Natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing.
  4. Labor Force: 2.3 million
  5. Population Below the Poverty Line: 30%
  6. Inflation Rate: 9%
  7. Exports: $17.13 billion. Commodities: gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, textiles, cotton fiber. Partners: China 69.6%, Italy 4.7%
  8. Imports: $12.48 billion. Commodities:machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs. Partners: China 19.5%, Turkey 17%, Russia 12.6%, UAE 6.8%, Ukraine 6%, Germany 4.7%, UK 4.2%
  9. Debt: $ 428.9 million

Communication and Transportation

  1. Number of Cellphones: 3.953 million
  2. Number of Internet Users: 80,400 million
  3. Number of Airports: 26 (Paved: 21)
  4. Roadways: 58,592 km

Military

  1. Turkmen Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces
  2. Expenditure:  N/A%

Major Transnational Issues

  1. Human Trafficking
  2. Illicit Drugs

Other Facts

  1. Turkmenistan’s HDI is 0.698

This page was last updated on: July 23rd, 2014 Source: “Turkmenistan” Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 23rd July 2014.

Country Profile: Turkey

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Geography

  1. Location: Southeastern Europe and Southwestern Asia.
  2. Bordering Nations: Syria, Iran, Iraq, Armenia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Greece, Azerbaijan
  3. Climate and Terrain: Temperate. High central plateau, narrow coastal plain.
  4. Natural Resources: coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestite , emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites, clay, arable land, hydropower

Society

  1. Nationality and Major Ethnic Group: Turk. Turkish.
  2. Official Languages and Major Religions: Turkish. Muslim.
  3. Population: 81.62 million
  4. Life Expectancy: 73.29 years
  5. Literacy Rate: 94.1%

Government

  1. Official Country Name: Republic of Turkey
  2. Government Type: Republican Parliamentary Democracy
  3. Capital: Ankara
  4. Independence: October 29, 1923, from the Ottoman Empire.
  5. President (2014): Abdullah Gul
  6. National Anthem: Turkish National Anthem

Economy

  1. GDP: $ 821.8 billion
  2. GDP per capita: $15,300
  3. Agriculture and Industry:tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, hazelnuts, pulses, citrus; livestock. Textiles, food processing, automobiles, electronics, mining, steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper.
  4. Labor Force: 27.91 million
  5. Population Below the Poverty Line: 16.9%
  6. Inflation Rate: 7.6%
  7. Exports: $167.6 billion. Commodities:apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport equipment. Partners: Germany 8.6%, Iraq 7.1%, Iran 6.5%, UK 5.7%, UAE 5.4%, Russia 4.4%, Italy 4.2%, France 4.1%
  8. Imports: $242.9 billion. Commodities: machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport equipment. Partners: Russia 11.3%, Germany 9%, China 9%, US 6%, Italy 5.6%, Iran 5.1%
  9. Debt: $ 359.5 billion

Communication and Transportation

  1. Number of Cellphones: 67.68 million
  2. Number of Internet Users: 27.233 million
  3. Number of Airports: 98 (Paved: 91)
  4. Roadways: 385,748 km

Military

  1. Turkish Armed Forces: Turkish Land Forces, Turkish Naval Forces, Turkish Air Forces
  2. Expenditure:  2.31%

Major Transnational Issues

  1. Illicit Drugs

Other Facts

  1. Turkey’s HDI is 0.722

This page was last updated on: July 23rd, 2014 Source: “Turkey” Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 23rd July 2014.

Country Profile: Timor-Leste

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Geography

  1. Location: Southeastern Asia
  2. Bordering Nations: Indonesia
  3. Climate and Terrain: Tropical. Mountainous
  4. Natural Resources: gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Society

  1. Nationality and Major Ethnic Group: Timorese. Austronesian.
  2. Official Languages and Major Religions: Tetum. Roman Catholic.
  3. Population: 1.201 million
  4. Life Expectancy: 67.39 years
  5. Literacy Rate: 58.3%

Government

  1. Official Country Name: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
  2. Government Type: Republic
  3. Capital: Dili
  4. Independence: November 28th, 1975, from Portugal
  5. President (2014): Taur Matan Ruak
  6. National Anthem: Timorese National Anthem

Economy

  1. GDP: $ 6.129 billion
  2. GDP per capita: $21,400
  3. Agriculture and Industry: coffee, rice, corn, cassava (manioc, tapioca), sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla. Printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth.
  4. Labor Force: 418,200
  5. Population Below the Poverty Line: 41%
  6. Inflation Rate: 4.5%
  7. Exports: $5.92 billion. Commodities: gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton. Partners: N/A
  8. Imports: $689 million. Commodities: food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery. Partners: N/A
  9. Debt: $ 13.82 billion

Communication and Transportation

  1. Number of Cellphones: 621,000 
  2. Number of Internet Users: 2,100
  3. Number of Airports: 6 (Paved: 2)
  4. Roadways: 6,040 km

Military

  1. Timor-Leste Defense Force: Army, Navy
  2. Expenditure:  2.92%

Major Transnational Issues

  1. Illicit Drugs

Other Facts

  1. Timor Leste’s HDI is 0. 576

This page was last updated on: July 21st, 2014

Source: “Timor-Leste” Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 21st July 2014.

Country Profile: Thailand

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Geography

  1. Location: Southeastern Asia
  2. Bordering Nations: Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia
  3. Climate and Terrain: Tropical. Central plain, Khorat Plateau in east, mountains elsewhere.
  4. Natural Resources: tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Society

  1. Nationality and Major Ethnic Group: Thai. Thai.
  2. Official Languages and Major Religions: Thai. Buddhist.
  3. Population: 67.74 million
  4. Life Expectancy: 74.18 years
  5. Literacy Rate: 93.5%

Government

  1. Official Country Name: Kingdom of Thailiand
  2. Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
  3. Capital: Bangkok
  4. Independence: 1238; traditional founding date (never colonized)
  5. President (2014): King Phumiphon Adunyadet
  6. National Anthem: Thai National Anthem

Economy

  1. GDP: $ 400.9 billion
  2. GDP per capita: $9,900
  3. Agriculture and Industry: rice, cassava, rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans. Tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry and electric appliances.
  4. Labor Force: 39.38 million
  5. Population Below the Poverty Line: 13.2%
  6. Inflation Rate: 2.2%
  7. Exports: $225.4 billion. Commodities: electronics, computer parts, automobiles and parts, electrical appliances, machinery and equipment, textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber. Partners: China 11.7%, Japan 10.2%, US 9.9%, Hong Kong 5.7%, Malaysia 5.4%, Indonesia 4.9%, Singapore 4.7%, Australia 4.3%
  8. Imports: $219 billion. Commodities: capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels. Partners: Japan 20%, China 14.9%, UAE 6.3%, Malaysia 5.3%, US 5.3%
  9. Debt: $ 142.6 billion

Communication and Transportation

  1. Number of Cellphones: 84.075 million
  2. Number of Internet Users: 17.483 million
  3. Number of Airports: 101 (Paved: 63)
  4. Roadways: 180,053 km

Military

  1. Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy, Royal Thai Air Force
  2. Expenditure:  1.47%

Major Transnational Issues

  1. Illicit Drugs
  2. Human Trafficking

Other Facts

  1. Thailand’s HDI is 0.690

This page was last updated on: July 21st, 2014

Source: “Thailand” Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 21st July 2014.

Country Profile: Tajikistan

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Geography

  1. Location: Central Asia
  2. Bordering Nations: Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, China
  3. Climate and Terrain: Midlatitutde continental. Pamir and Alay mountains dominate landscape.
  4. Natural Resources:hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Society

  1. Nationality and Major Ethnic Group: Tajikistani. Tajik
  2. Official Languages and Major Religions: Tajik. Sunni Muslim
  3. Population: 8.051 million
  4. Life Expectancy: 67.06 years
  5. Literacy Rate: 99.7%

Government

  1. Official Country Name: Republic of Tajikistan
  2. Government Type: Republic
  3. Capital: Dushanbe
  4. Independence: September 9th, 1991, from the Soviet Union
  5. President (2014): Emomali Rahmon
  6. National Anthem: Tajik National Anthem

Economy

  1. GDP: $ 8.513 billion
  2. GDP per capita: $2,300
  3. Agriculture and Industry: cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats. Aluminum, cement, vegetable oil.
  4. Labor Force: 2.209 million
  5. Population Below the Poverty Line: 35.6%
  6. Inflation Rate: 3.7%
  7. Exports: $1.163 billion. Commodities: aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles. Partners: Turkey 40.7%, Russia 10.6%, Iran 9.9%, Afghanistan 8.7%, China 7.4%, Kazakhstan 7.4%, Switzerland 6.6%
  8. Imports: $4.121 billion. Commodities: petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and equipment, foods. Partners: Russia 22%, Kazakhstan 15.2%, China 14.5%, Lithuania 4.7%, Kyrgyzstan 4.4%, Turkey 4.4%, Iran 4.3%
  9. Debt: $ 2.162 billion

Communication and Transportation

  1. Number of Cellphones: 6.528 million
  2. Number of Internet Users: 700,000
  3. Number of Airports: 24 (Paved: 17)
  4. Roadways: 27,767 km

Military

  1. Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Mobile Forces
  2. Expenditure:  N/A%

Major Transnational Issues

  1. Illicit Drugs

Other Facts

  1. Tajikistan’s HDI is 0.622

This page was last updated on: July 20th, 2014

Source: “Tajikistan” Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 20th July 2014.

Country Profile: Sri Lanka

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Geography

  1. Location: Southern Asia
  2. Bordering Nations: None
  3. Climate and Terrain: Tropical monsoon. Mostly low, flat to rolling plains.
  4. Natural Resources: limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower.

Society

  1. Nationality and Major Ethnic Group: Sri Lankan. Sinhalese
  2. Official Languages and Major Religions: Sinhala. Buddhist.
  3. Population: 21.87 million
  4. Life Expectancy: 76.35 years
  5. Literacy Rate: 91.2%

Government

  1. Official Country Name: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
  2. Government Type: Republic
  3. Capital: Colombo
  4. Independence: February 4th, 1948, from the United Kingdom
  5. President (2014): Mahinda Percy Rajapaksa
  6. National Anthem: Sri Lankan National Anthem

Economy

  1. GDP: $ 65.12 billion
  2. GDP per capita: $6,500
  3. Agriculture and Industry: rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, vegetables, fruit, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef; fish. Processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking.
  4. Labor Force: 8.528 million
  5. Population Below the Poverty Line: 8.9%
  6. Inflation Rate: 4.7%
  7. Exports: $10.39 billion. Commodities: textiles and apparel, tea and spices; rubber manufactures; precious stones; coconut products, fish. Partners: US 20.4%, UK 9.9%, India 5.8%, Italy 4.7%, Belgium 4.3%, Germany 4.3%
  8. Imports: $18 billion. Commodities: petroleum, textiles, machinery and transportation equipment, building materials, mineral products, foods. Partners: India 22.7%, Singapore 8.8%, UAE 7.7%, China 7%, Iran 6.1%, Malaysia 4.5%
  9. Debt: $ 33.67 billion

Communication and Transportation

  1. Number of Cellphones: 19.533 million
  2. Number of Internet Users: 1.777 million
  3. Number of Airports: 19 (Paved: 15)
  4. Roadways: 114,093 km

Military

  1. Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force
  2. Expenditure:  2.43%

Major Transnational Issues

  1. Human Trafficking

Other Facts

  1. Sri Lanka’s HDI is 0.715

This page was last updated on: July 18th, 2014

Source: “Sri Lanka” Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 18th July 2014.