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Sabah

(Encyclopedia)Sabah säˈbä [key], state (1991 pop. 1,736,902), 28,417 sq mi (73,600 sq km), Malaysia, N Borneo, on the South China and Sulu seas. It is bordered on the south by Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo). The...

Ramos-Horta, José

(Encyclopedia)Ramos-Horta, José, 1949–, East Timorese independence advocate and political leader; co-recipient, with Carlos Belo, of the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize. After engaging in anti-Portuguese activities, he w...

Ban Ki-Moon

(Encyclopedia)Ban Ki-Moon bän gē-mo͞on [key], 1944–, South Korean diplomat, secretary-general of the United Nations (2007–16), b. Chungju, grad. Seoul National Univ. (B.S., 1970), Kennedy School of Governmen...

Service Employees International Union

(Encyclopedia)Service Employees International Union (SEIU), labor union representing U.S. and Canadian workers in health care (doctors, nurses, health technicians), public services (government workers, school emplo...

Albright, Madeleine

(Encyclopedia)Albright, Madeleine, 1937–2022, American government official, b. Prague, Czechoslovakia, as Maria Jana Körbel. Her family immigrated to the United States in 1948, and she attended Welle...

Aliyev, Heydar

(Encyclopedia)Aliyev, Heydar khāˈdär älēˈyĕf [key], 1923–2003, Azerbaijani political leader, president of Azerbaijan (1993–2003), b. Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, grad. Azerbaijan State Univ. (1957). A...

Abhisit Vejjajiva

(Encyclopedia)Abhisit Vejjajiva äpēˈsĭt wāchäˈchēwä [key], 1964–, Thai politician, prime minister of Thailand (2008–11), b. Newcastle, England. Born into a wealthy Thai-Chinese family, Abhisit was educ...

Food and Drug Administration

(Encyclopedia)Food and Drug Administration (FDA), agency of the Public Health Service division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is charged with protecting public health by ensuring that foods...

Hua Guofeng

(Encyclopedia)Hua Guofeng or Hua Kuo-feng both: hwä gwôfŭng [key], 1920–2008, Chinese Communist leader. He was relatively unknown until he became minister of public security and deputy premier in 1975. As Mao ...

Sirisena, Maithripala

(Encyclopedia)Sirisena, Maithripala (Pallewatte Gamaralalage Maithripala Gapa Sirisena), 1951–, Sri Lankan political leader. After an early interest in the Communist party, he joined the Sri Lankan Freedom party ...