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Farabi, al-

(Encyclopedia)Farabi, al- äl-färäˈbē [key], d. 950, Islamic philosopher. He studied in Baghdad and later flourished in Aleppo as a sufi mystic (see Sufism). He died in Damascus. Al-Farabi was the author of an ...

Scherbo, Vitaly

(Encyclopedia)Scherbo, Vitaly, 1972–, Belarussian gymnast. Often considered to be the best male gymnast of all time, he had won at least one world title on each apparatus by the time he retired in 1997. He won hi...

Shelburne, William Petty Fitzmaurice, 2d earl of

(Encyclopedia)Shelburne, William Petty Fitzmaurice, 2d earl of, 1737–1805, British statesman. He served briefly (1763) as president of the Board of Trade in George Grenville's cabinet but then became a supporter ...

Sócrates Carvalho Pinto de Sousa, José

(Encyclopedia)Sócrates Carvalho Pinto de Sousa, José, 1957–, Portuguese political leader, prime minister of Portugal (2005–11). b. Porto. A member of the center-left Socialist party since 1981, he was elected...

Sigel, Franz

(Encyclopedia)Sigel, Franz fränts sēˈgəl [key], 1824–1902, Union general in the American Civil War, b. Sinsheim, Baden, Germany. An officer in the army of Baden, he was a leader (1848–49) of the Baden revol...

Sigurðsson, Jón

(Encyclopedia)Sigurðsson, Jón yōn sĭˈkhürᵺsōn [key], 1811–79, Icelandic statesman and historian. A student in Copenhagen from 1833, he developed an interest in Icelandic literature and history, on which ...

Ronaldinho

(Encyclopedia)Ronaldinho (Ronaldo Assis de Moreira), 1980–, Brazilian soccer player. Also nicknamed “El Gaucho,” the agile attacking forward was a footballer from childhood. Known almost as much for his sunny...

Sandwich, John Montagu, 4th earl of

(Encyclopedia)Sandwich, John Montagu, 4th earl of, 1718–92, British politician. He served variously as secretary of state (1763–65, 1770–71) and first lord of the admiralty (1748–51, 1763, 1771–82). He ea...

Torrijos Herrera, Omar

(Encyclopedia)Torrijos Herrera, Omar ōmärˈ tōrēˈhōs ārāˈrä [key], 1929–81, military leader, dictator of Panama (1968–78). As a lieutenant colonel, he led, together with Col. Boris Martínez, the coup...

Underhill, John

(Encyclopedia)Underhill, John, c.1597–1672, military commander in the American colonies, b. England. In 1630 he accompanied John Winthrop (1588–1649) to Massachusetts Bay, and in 1637 he distinguished himself a...