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Davis, Viola

(Encyclopedia) Davis, Viola, 1965-, African-American actress and producer, b. St. Matthews, S.C., Rhode Island College (B.A., 1988), Juilliard (1993, acting; honorary...

Arzú, Álvaro

(Encyclopedia)Arzú, Álvaro (Álvaro Enrique Arzú Irigoyen), 1946–2018, Guatemalan lawyer and political leader. He was director of the Guatemalan tourism office (1978–81) before he was first elected mayor of ...

Muhammad, Murtala Ramat

(Encyclopedia)Muhammad, Murtala Ramat, 1938–1976, Nigerian military officer and politician. A Muslim Hausa from the north, he joined the Nigerian army and was involved in the coup that brought Yakubu Gowon to pow...

Muluzi, Bakili

(Encyclopedia)Muluzi, Bakili (Elson Bakili Muluzi) bäkēˈlē mo͞olo͞oˈlē [key], 1943–, Malawian political leader, president of Malawi (1994–2004). After serving in the cabinet of Hastings Kamuzu Banda, he...

Bánzer Suárez, Hugo

(Encyclopedia)Bánzer Suárez, Hugo o͞oˈgō bänˈsĕr swäˈrĕs [key], 1926–2002, Bolivian military and political leader, president of Bolivia (1971–78; 1997–2001). Educated at military schools in Bolivia...

Rajoelina, Andry

(Encyclopedia)Rajoelina, Andry änˈdrē räjōēlēnˈä [key], 1974–, Malagasy businessman and politician. Rajoelina was a popular disc jockey and built a successful media conglomerate. Elected mayor of Antanan...

Serrano y Domínguez, Francisco

(Encyclopedia)Serrano y Domínguez, Francisco fränthēsˈkō sāräˈnō ē dōmēngˈgāth [key], 1810–85, Spanish general and statesman. In 1834–39 he distinguished himself in the war against the Carlists. H...

Vieira, João Bernardo

(Encyclopedia)Vieira, João Bernardo zhwouN bârnärˈdō vēâˈrə [key], 1939–2009, Guinean political leader, president of Guinea-Bissau (1994–99, 2005–9), b. Bissau. He joined the African Party for the In...

Compaoré, Blaise

(Encyclopedia)Compaoré, Blaise blāz cŏmpôrˈrā [key], 1951–, Burkinabe military and political leader, president of Burkina Faso (1987–2014), b. Ouagadougou. An army captain and minister of justice under Pr...

Couthon, Georges

(Encyclopedia)Couthon, Georges zhōrzh ko͞otôNˈ [key], 1755?–1794, French revolutionary. An able lawyer, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly (1791) and to the Convention (1792). He became (1793) an impo...