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Hagel, Chuck

(Encyclopedia)Hagel, Chuck (Charles Timothy Hagel), 1946–, U.S. politician and government official, b. North Platte, Nebr. He served (1967–68) in the infantry in the Vietnam War, receiving several decorations. ...

Hakam II, al-

(Encyclopedia)Hakam II, al- äl-häkämˈ [key], 914–76, Umayyad caliph of Córdoba (961–76), son and successor of Abd ar-Rahman III. In the early part of his reign he successfully waged war against the Christi...

Nichols, Mike

(Encyclopedia)Nichols, Mike, 1931–2014, American actor and director, b. Berlin, Germany, as Mikhail Igor Peschkowsky. His family immigrated to the United States in ...

Koch, Edward Irving

(Encyclopedia)Koch, Edward Irving kŏch [key], 1924–2013, U.S. politician, mayor of New York City (1977–89), b. New York City. After receiving his law degree (New York Univ., 1948), he practiced as a lawyer, be...

xenon

(Encyclopedia)xenon zēˈnŏn [key] [Gr.,=strange], gaseous chemical element; symbol Xe; at. no. 54; at. wt. 131.293; m.p. −111.9℃; b.p. −107.1℃; density 5.86 grams per liter at STP; valence usually 0. Xeno...

Benn, Anthony Wedgwood

(Encyclopedia)Benn, Anthony Wedgwood (Tony Benn), 1925–2014, British politician, b. London, grad. New College, Oxford. After working for the British Broadcasting Corporation (1949–50), he was elected a Labour m...

négritude

(Encyclopedia)négritude nĕgˈrĭto͞odˌ, –tyo͞od [key], a literary movement on the part of French-speaking African and Caribbean writers who lived in Paris during the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. Adherents of négrit...

Extremadura

(Encyclopedia)Extremadura ĕstrəmədo͝oˈrə [key], autonomous community, 16,075 sq mi (41,634 sq km), W central Spain, ...

Fernández de Córdoba, Francisco, d. 1526?, Spanish conquistador

(Encyclopedia)Fernández de Córdoba, Francisco fränthēsˈkō fārnänˈdāth dā kōrˈdōbä [key], d. 1526?, Spanish conquistador. Sent in 1523 by Pedro Arias de Ávila to deprive Gil González de Ávila (d. 1...

Yusuf ibn Tashfin

(Encyclopedia)Yusuf ibn Tashfin yo͞oso͝ofˈ ĭˈbən täshfēnˈ [key], d. 1106, ruler in the dynasty of the Almoravids (c.1059–1106). A Muslim, he led the Berbers in N Africa, continued the conquest of Morocco...