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Alexy II

(Encyclopedia)Alexy II or Aleksy II əlyĕkˈsē [key], 1929–2008, 15th patriarch of Moscow and all Russia (1990–2008), b. Estonia, as Aleksey Mikhailovich Ridiger. He spent 11 years as a Russian Orthodox paris...

Nemtsov, Boris Yefimovich

(Encyclopedia)Nemtsov, Boris Yefimovich, 1959–2015, Russian physicist and politician. He worked at the Gorky Radiophysics Research Institute (1981–90) before he was elected to the Soviet Congress of People's De...

Radio Free Europe

(Encyclopedia)Radio Free Europe (RFE), broadcasting organization established in 1950 with the stated mission of promoting democratic values and institutions. Its original purpose was to broadcast news to countries ...

Grechko, Andrei Antonovich

(Encyclopedia)Grechko, Andrei Antonovich əndrāˈ əntôˈnəvĭch grĕchˈkō [key], 1903–76, Soviet army officer and minister of defense. As a World War II commander he took part in the liberation of the Cauca...

Craxi, Bettino

(Encyclopedia)Craxi, Bettino bətēˈnō krăˈksē [key], 1934–99, Italian political leader. Craxi joined the Italian Socialist party in 1957, eventually becoming deputy secretary (1970) and general secretary (1...

Korolev, Sergei Pavlovich

(Encyclopedia)Korolev, Sergei Pavlovich, 1907–66, Soviet rocket designer. His role as chief designer of the Soviet space program was revealed only after his death. After he successfully launched two intercontinen...

Rusk, Dean

(Encyclopedia)Rusk, Dean (David Dean Rusk), 1909–94, U.S. secretary of state (1961–69), b. Cherokee co., Ga. After teaching (1934–40) and serving in World War II, he entered (1946) the Dept. of State. In 1950...

Rio Treaty

(Encyclopedia)Rio Treaty (Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance), signed Sept. 2, 1947, and originally ratified by all 21 American republics. Under the treaty, an armed attack or threat of aggression again...

Lukács, György

(Encyclopedia)Lukács, György dyörˈdyə lo͞oˈkäch [key], 1885–1971, Hungarian writer, one of the foremost modern literary critics. Converted to Communism in 1918, Lukács served (1919) in the cabinet of Bé...

Gromyko, Andrei Andreyevich

(Encyclopedia)Gromyko, Andrei Andreyevich grōmēˈkō, Rus. əndrāˈ əndrāˈyəvĭch grəmĭˈkə [key], 1909–89, Soviet diplomat. A member of the Communist party from 1931, he entered (1939) the diplomatic s...