Coordinates	55°45′06″N37°37′04″N
Name	Khost
Native name	خوست
Settlement type	City
Pushpin map	Afghanistan
Pushpin label position	above
Pushpin map caption	Location in Afghanistan
Coordinates display	inline,title
Coordinates region	AF
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name
Subdivision type1	Province
Subdivision name1	Khost Province
Subdivision type2	District
Subdivision name2	Khost District
Area land km2
Population as of	2006
Population total	160,214
Timezone	Afghanistan Standard Time
Utc offset	+4:30
Elevation footnotes
Postal code type

Khost or Khowst ( - Xost) is a city in eastern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Khost province, which is a mountainous region near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan. The population of Khost is about 160,000 people and the whole province has over one million.

During the nine-year Soviet war in Afghanistan in the 1980s, the town was besieged from July 1983 to November 1987. Khost Airfield, with its runway, served as a base for helicopter operations for the Soviet military.

American forces have used the Khost Airfield since as early as at least January 2007 during the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) that commenced in October 2001.

Khost is the home of Khost University.

Geography

Khost is located about 150 kilometers south of Kabul and 100 kilometers from Gardēz, in Khost Province in eastern Afghanistan. The town of Khowst is located on a plateau of at least 1,000 metres in altitude that extends to the East for about 40 km until the Pakistan border. Thirty km to the North the peaks start up to 2,500/3,000 m right next to the frontier, while 20 km to the South, near the border, the average is around 1,800 m. The valley of Khowst is closed to the West with a long mountain chain with peaks that go over 3,000 m. Through this runs for about 90 km the road to Gardez, which is considered extremely dangerous due to the risk of ambush.

History

Soviet war in Afghanistan

During the Soviet war in Afghanistan, Khost was the object of a siege which lasted for more than eight years. Soon after the invasion of Afghanistan by Soviet troops, Afghan guerillas took control of the only land route between Khost and Gardez, effectively putting a stop to the Soviet advance.

During the assault on the Zhawar Kili Cave complex, the Soviets used the Khost Airfield as an initial staging ground to insert troops into the combat zone, using Mil Mi-8 armed helicopter transport ships.

2001-present war in Afghanistan

Khost has been in American control since the 2001 US led invasion of Afghanistan. Due to its location in eastern Afghanistan, it was a hotbed for insurgent activity attempting to dislodge the American forces there. Like most every other province, Khost is home to maneuver forces and a PRT. Maneuver forces wage war against insurgents and assist the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police in operations while Provincial Reconstruction Team's handle the reconstruction aspects.

In early 2007, Lieutenant Colonel Scottie Custer of the 82nd Airborne Division saw that the best way to limit insurgent activity in Khost was to forward deploy some 187 paratroopers under his command to Force Protection Facilities in Khost's various district centers next to the sub-governors mansions so they could both protect them and maintain a visible presence in population centers as well as help mentor Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police units operating across Khost.

The FPF's brought a broader sense of security and prosperity to surrounding areas. Bazaars, shops, and gas stations have improved the quality of life for local residents. The Mandozai Force Protection Facilities in Khost include a medical clinic attached to further assist Afghans in need of basic medical assistance. The offices of Khost's various sub-governors had experienced increased activity as Afghans went there to settle disputes and voice concerns instead of going through traditional tribal channels and bribes cutting down on sectarian suspicion and strife.

Throughout 2007 and 2008 roads had been improved, businesses were springing up and schools were being built, at least 50 in 2007 alone with another 25 planned for 2008. A new airport was under construction as the Khost Airfield was used by the US Military creating new opportunities and jobs.

May 2009 battle

On May 12, 2009, several teams of armed militants stormed Khost prompting a heavy six-hours battle with US and Afghan National Army forces. Reportedly the attack involved 10 suicide bombers, of whom seven were able to detonate and three were shot by security forces. Coalition Forces, aided by the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police took the lead in repelling the attack.

Attack on CIA base

On 30 December 2009, a suicide bomber attacked Forward Operating Base Chapman, a major CIA base in Khost, and killed seven CIA officers, including the chief of the base.

Sport

Cricket is growing in popularity in Khost, with the sport being introduced by newly returned refugees from Pakistan. Afghanistan batsman Noor Ali was born in Khost.

See also

List of airports in Afghanistan

Shkin, Paktika

Central Intelligence Agency

Notes

References

Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire, by Chalmers Johnson, ISBN 0-8050-6239-4

External links

Official website of Khost City

GlobalSecurity.org's page on Khost

Images of Khost border town

Category:Populated places in Khost Province

Coordinates	55°45′06″N37°37′04″N
Name	Zwan
Landscape	yes
Background	group_or_band
Genre	Alternative rock, indie rock
Years active	2001–2003
Label	Reprise
Associated acts
Past members	Billy CorganPaz LenchantinMatt SweeneyDavid PajoJimmy Chamberlin

Zwan was an American alternative rock band that was formed by members of The Smashing Pumpkins, Slint, Tortoise, Chavez, and A Perfect Circle. Zwan was started in late 2001 by Billy Corgan, lead singer and guitarist of The Smashing Pumpkins, after the Pumpkins disbanded in December 2000. The band released only one album, entitled Mary Star of the Sea. The group disbanded acrimoniously after their 2003 world tour.

Biography

Formation and first shows

Following the breakup of the Smashing Pumpkins, Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin joined forces with Matt Sweeney (formerly of the bands Chavez and Skunk) to start Zwan. Corgan had been friends with Sweeney since early in his career and Sweeney was thanked in the liner notes to The Smashing Pumpkins album Siamese Dream. Sweeney recruited David Pajo (member of Slint, Papa M., Stereolab and many Drag City acts) as a bassist, and the band debuted as a four-piece in late 2001.

Paz Lenchantin completed the group in spring 2002, at which time Pajo switched to guitar duties. The band initially played low-key shows in California, while slowly touring in small clubs throughout 2001 and 2002. Their first large-scale performance was at WKQX's Jamboree Festival in May 2002, in the Chicago area. Most songs they played during this era did not make it onto their album. November and December of 2002 was spent headlining clubs around the midwest and northeast and a series of opening shows in support of Counting Crows.

True Poets of Zwan

Zwan had two different incarnations. The first, and more common, version, the True Poets of Zwan (or simply "Zwan"), used three guitars, bass guitar, and drums. Zwan's only album, Mary Star of the Sea, is attributed to the True Poets of Zwan in the liner notes.

Djali Zwan

Djali Zwan, an acoustic incarnation of Zwan, which also featured cellist Ana Lenchantin, was to film and record the making of a new album in the studio in the fall of 2003, with an album and DVD to be issued in early 2004. Corgan spoke with Rolling Stone about his plans: "We're going to do it Let It Be-style," Corgan said, referring to the documentary about the 1970 Beatles album. "The album would be recorded live, with the cameras rolling. When you get the DVD, you can watch the takes on the album being done." He described the songs he'd written for Djali Zwan as "more folk-driven, rooted in traditional music. I don't want to compromise veins of material to fit into an electric band, which I often did in the Pumpkins. With Djali Zwan, I can write an acoustic song and not worry how it's going to stand up against some rock epic."

Djali Zwan made their live debut as a quartet—Corgan, Sweeney, Pajo and Chamberlin—at the end of 2001; Paz Lenchantin joined the two Zwans in '02. But the roots of Djali Zwan go back to Corgan's last years with the Pumpkins, who broke up in December 2000. Corgan had been writing material adapted from old folk and gospel songbooks. From that came new originals such as "Friends and Lovers", "Love Lies in Ruins" and "Rivers We Can't Cross", all slated for the abandoned album.

"We're not trying to be country blues," Corgan said of Djali Zwan. "But Djali Zwan is its own thing, a totally separate band. It would be exciting if we could pull this off." The Djali Zwan album never came to be, but several studio Djali Zwan tracks did appear on True Poets of Zwan releases – specifically, the "Honestly" and "Lyric" singles. Some of their songs can be heard in the soundtrack of the movie Spun, directed by Jonas Åkerlund.

Break-up

After the initial press junket surrounding the release of Mary Star of the Sea, fractures became apparent within the band. In June 2003, Zwan cancelled most of its scheduled European tour. Not long after, Dave Pajo embarked on a solo tour as Papa M, and Paz Lenchantin formally left Zwan to join him.

Billy Corgan announced the band had broken up on Chicago's WGN, on September 15, 2003. "I really enjoyed my experience with Zwan, but at the end of the day, without that sense of deeper family loyalty, it just becomes like anything else," Corgan said. "Our attitude in the Pumpkins was, it was a do or die proposition, and that got us through all the hard times we went through, particularly with the Pumpkins where we had two members with serious drug problems."

Corgan's post-breakup comments in the press

In the years following the breakup, Corgan began elaborating more on the circumstances of the breakup, and specifically, his disdain for his former bandmates. It started with a blog post on August 3, 2004:

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On April 24, 2005 in the Chicago Tribune, Corgan commented briefly on the breakup of the band: "The music wasn't the big problem, it was more their attitude... Sex acts between band members in public. People carrying drugs across borders. Pajo sleeping with the producer's girlfriend while we were making the record."

In the May 27, 2005 edition of Entertainment Weekly, Corgan elaborated on his version of what went wrong:

Pajo denied Corgan's accusations in the same article. "Pretty much everything that he said has been exaggerated and blown out of proportion," he said. "The drug stuff in particular. I know there was no heroin." Adds Lenchantin, "I believe that we were a really good team. I am moving on and onward. I hope that our paths will meet again in peace." Sweeney declined to comment.

In the same Entertainment Weekly article, Corgan disclosed that things went wrong at some of the very first recording sessions. "...it was like, 'What do you mean the guitar's out of tune? What do you mean I have to be there at 11? What do you mean I can't order $100 of lobster every day?' I mean, like, bad. But it was too late. It was already public. The album was going out. So I did what I always did: Try to make the best of a situation and start covering up. Put on a good face. And honestly, I'm glad the thing didn't sell, because if it had sold well it would have been really tough. I would look like I was going to walk away from something that I'd just built."

He also stated that he can no longer listen to Mary Star of the Sea, because to him it sounds like "thousands of lies upon lies upon lies. It's a shame because there's tons of music unreleased that will just sit in a box until I can stomach it." When asked which of his two former bands would ever reform, he said, "Pumpkins. You'll never see Zwan. I'll never go anywhere near those people. Ever. I mean, I detest them. You can put that in capital letters. Bad people. James and D'Arcy are good people. They might be misguided people, but they're good people."

Discography

Albums

Mary Star of the Sea (2003, Reprise Records, #3 US, #4 Canada, #33 UK)

Singles

{|class="wikitable" !rowspan="2"| Date !rowspan="2"| Title !colspan="6"| Chart positions |- !style="width:6em;font-size:90%;line-height:1.3"| US Modern Rock !style="width:6em;font-size:90%;line-height:1.3"| US Mainstream Rock !style="width:6em;font-size:90%;line-height:1.3"| Canadian Top 40 Singles !style="width:6em;font-size:90%;line-height:1.3"| Germany !style="width:6em;font-size:90%;line-height:1.3"| UK Singles Chart |- | November 2002 | "Honestly" |style="text-align:center"| 7 |style="text-align:center"| 21 |style="text-align:center"| 17 |style="text-align:center"| 86 |style="text-align:center"| 28 |- | June 2, 2003 | "Lyric" |style="text-align:center"| — |style="text-align:center"| — |style="text-align:center"| — |style="text-align:center"| — |style="text-align:center"| 44 |- |}

References

External links

Zwan collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive

Category:American alternative rock groups Category:Musical groups established in 2001 Category:Supergroups Category:2000s music groups Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2003 Category:Musical quintets

Coordinates	55°45′06″N37°37′04″N
Name	Park Sandara
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Park Sandara
Born	November 12, 1984
Origin	Busan, South Korea
Genre	Pop, R&B;, Hip Hop
Occupation	Singer, Actress, Rapper, Dancer, Television Host
Years active	2004–present
Label	YG Entertainment
Associated acts	2NE1, Big Bang
Url

Color	khaki
Title	Korean name
Hangul	박산다라
Hanja	산다라
Rr	Bak Sandara
Mr	Pak Sandara
Tablewidth	245

Park Sandara (박산다라) (born November 12, 1984), better known as Dara (다라), is a Korean singer, dancer, rapper, actress, television host and model. She is best known as being a member of the Korean girl group 2NE1.

Early life and career

Sandara Park was born in Busan, South Korea to Korean parents. Her family moved to the Philippines in 1995 to start a trading business. In 2004, Park was involved in a talent survival show, known as Star Circle Quest in the ABS-CBN Network. In the final rounds of voting, she earned a record setting number of over 1,800,000 text votes but came in 2nd place to Hero Angeles in the Grand Finals. After appearing in dramas, movies and commercial spots, Park released a song collection, which achieved 2x platinum status in sales.

When she broke up with her on-screen partner and reacted by returning to Korea for a while. She attended workshop classes and looked for opportunities in Korea. Six months later she went back to the Philippines but the hype had died down in her absence, and her schedule was much less packed than before. During an interview she revealed how her father had left their family and taken all their money with him. Soon after she starred in a movie alongside Joseph Bitangcol, in which her single was used as the movie theme. It was during this time that she attempted to show a new side of herself by being on the cover of UNO. After a period of almost no projects coming in the entertainment arena, Sandy (as she was often referred to in the Philippine media) packed up her bags and returned to Korea once again.

Park returned to South Korea on August 1, 2007 with her mother and siblings to begin a new life. The next day, YG Entertainment reported that they had signed a contract with Park. She was featured in a TV drama "The Return of Iljimae", and in Gummy's music video for "I'm Sorry." Her younger brother, Sang-Hyun Park (Thunder Park), also debuted in early October 2009 as a rapper and dancer of a Korean boy band, MBLAQ in J.Tune Entertainment.

2009–present: Debut with 2NE1

YG Entertainment announced that the group would consist of four members and debut sometime in May 2009. The company stated that the group had trained for four years, and that their debut album would contain songs produced by 1TYM leader Teddy Park and Big Bang's GDragon. The group's name was initially announced as "21"; however, due to the discovery of a singer with the same name, the group was renamed "2NE1". "NE" means the abbreviation of "New Evolution".

Discography

Extended plays

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" ! scope="col" style="width:12em;"| Title ! scope="col" style="width:15em;"| Album details ! scope="col" style="width:150px;"| Certifications |- ! scope="row" |Sandara |

Released: 2004

Label: Star Records

|

PH: 2× Platinum

|- ! scope="row" |Sandara: Walang Sabit |

Released: 2004

Label: Star Records

| |- ! scope="row" |Sandara: Ang Ganda Ko |

Released: 2006

Label: Star Records

|| |}

Singles

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" ! rowspan="2" style="width:12em;"|Title ! rowspan="2" style="width: 4em;"|Year ! colspan="2" style="width: 10em;"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2" style="width: 151px;"|Album |- ! align="center" style="width: 5em;"|KOR ! align="center" style="width: 5em;"|PHI

|- ! scope="row"| "In Or Out" |align="center"|2004 |align="center"|— |align="center"|1 |align="center"|Sandara |- ! scope="row"| "Walang Sabit" |align="center"|2005 |align="center"|— |align="center"|1 |align="center"|Sandara: Walang Sabit |- ! scope="row"| "Ang Ganda Ko" |align="center"|2006 |align="center"|— |align="center"|1 |align="center"|Sandara: Ang Ganda Ko |- ! scope="row"| "Kiss" (feat. CL) |align="center"|2009 |align="center"|1 |align="center"|— |align="center"|To Anyone |}

Filmography

{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 90%;" |- bgcolor="#CCCCCC" align="center" ! colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Film |- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;" ! Year ! Film ! Role ! Notes |- | rowspan="2"| 2004 | Volta | Herself | Cameo role |- | Bcuz of U | April | Won – 21st PMPC Star Awards for Moviesfor Best New Actress |- | 2005 | Can This Be Love | Daisy | |- | 2006 | D' Lucky Ones | Lucky Girl | |- | 2007 | Super Noypi | Michie Rapisora | |- | 2009 | Girlfriends | Herself | Cameo role |- |- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;" ! colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Television |- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | rowspan="6"|2004 | Star Circle Quest | rowspan="3"|Herself | Reality show |- | Sandara's Romance | Host |- | ASAP Fanatic | Supporting host |- | SCQ Reload: OK Ako! | Sandara Soh | Reality show |- | Krystala | Kim | |- | My Name isSandara Park | Herself | TV special |- | rowspan="3"| 2005 | Maalaala Mo Kaya | rowspan="3"| Herself | Cameo role |- | Farewell Lovers:A Lover in Paris Special | Host |- | Ang PambansangKrung-Krung ng Pilipinas | TV special |- | rowspan="8"|2006 | Komiks | Mara | Episode: "Machete" |- | Your Song | Herself | Episode: "Everything You Do" |- | Star Circle Presents | Barbie | Episode: "Bongga" |- | Abt Ur Luv | Betina | |- | Crazy for You | Ara | |- | Gudtaym | rowspan="2"| Herself | Variety show |- | O-Ha! | |- | Nuts Entertainment | Various roles | Sketch comedy show |- | 2007 | Dalawag Tisoy | Kim Chee | |- |rowspan="4"| 2009 | The Return of Iljimae | Rie | |- | Style | rowspan="4"| Herself | Cameo role |- | 2NE1 TV | 2009–2010Reality show |- | Strong Heart | Variety show |- | 2010 | Win Win | Variety show |- | 2010 |2NE1 TV Season 2 | herself | Reality show |}

References

External links

YGfamily.com

Category:1984 births Category:Korean expatriates in the Philippines Category:SCQ Category:Living people Category:People from Busan Category:South Korean actors Category:South Korean female singers Category:K-pop singers Category:2NE1 members