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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...

Papadopoulos, George

(Encyclopedia)Papadopoulos, George (Georgios Papadopoulos) päˌpədŏpˈəlĭs [key], 1919–99, Greek colonel and political leader. A career army officer, he was the strongman of the military junta that seized po...

Kotelawala, Sir John Lionel

(Encyclopedia)Kotelawala, Sir John Lionel, 1895–1980, Sri Lankan political and military leader. After studying at Christ College, Cambridge, he returned to Sri Lanka (then the British colony of Ceylon), joining t...

Arns, Paulo Everisto

(Encyclopedia)Arns, Paulo Everisto, 1921–2016, Brazilian Roman Catholic cardinal and social activist. He joined the Franciscans in 1943, was ordained in 1945, and studied at the Sorbonne (Ph.D. 1946). After teach...

Kubitschek, Juscelino

(Encyclopedia)Kubitschek, Juscelino zho͞osəlēˈno͝o ko͞oˈbəchĕk [key], 1902–76, president of Brazil (1956–61). A surgeon and political centrist who served as mayor of Belohorizonte and governor of Minas...

Aramburu, Pedro Eugenio

(Encyclopedia)Aramburu, Pedro Eugenio pāˈthrō āo͞ohāˈnyō ärämbo͞oˈro͞o [key], 1903–70, president of Argentina (1955–58). An army general, he participated in the overthrow of Juan Perón in Sept., 1...

Abacha, Sani

(Encyclopedia)Abacha, Sani, 1943–98, Nigerian military officer and political leader, b. Kano. He received military training in Nigeria and England, joining the Nigerian army in 1963. Abacha participated in severa...

Vladikavkaz

(Encyclopedia)Vladikavkaz vlədyēˈkävkäz [key], city (1989 pop. 300,000), capital of North Ossetia-Alania, SE European Russia, on the Terek River and at the northern foot of the Caucasus. It is the starting poi...

Tojo, Hideki

(Encyclopedia)Tojo, Hideki hēdāˈkē tōˈjō [key], 1884–1948, Japanese general and statesman. He became prime minister after he forced Konoye's resignation in Oct., 1941. His accession marked the final triump...

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...