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Rovaniemi

(Encyclopedia)Rovaniemi rôˈvänēˌĕmē [key], city (1996 pop. 57,389), capital of Lapland prov., N Finland, at the confluence of the Ounas and Kemi rivers. Commercial and agricultural fairs and winter sports ev...

Gaucher's disease

(Encyclopedia)Gaucher's disease gōshāzˈ [key], rare genetic disease involving a deficiency of an enzyme, glucocerebrosidase, which normally breaks down certain body glycolipids (i.e., lipids (fats) that have a s...

Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani

(Encyclopedia)Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, 1980–, emir of Qatar (2013–). The fourth son of Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, he became heir apparent when his older brother Jasmin renounced his claim to the throne i...

Koster, Laurens Janszoon

(Encyclopedia)Koster or Coster, Laurens Janszoon louˈrəns yänˈsōn kôsˈtər [key], c.1370–c.1440, Dutch sexton of a church in Haarlem, one of the men to whom has been ascribed the invention of printing with...

Arbuckle Mountains

(Encyclopedia)Arbuckle Mountains ärˈbŭkəl [key], range of low, rolling hills, rising c.700 ft (210 m) above the prairie, S Okla.; remnant of mountains formed in the Precambrian. Interesting geological formation...

Thomas of Erceldoune

(Encyclopedia)Thomas of Erceldoune ûrˈsəldo͞onˌ [key], fl. 1220?–1297?, Scottish seer and poet, also known as Thomas the Rhymer and Thomas Learmont. Evidence of his existence is founded on the mention of his...

Voice of America

(Encyclopedia)Voice of America, broadcasting service of the United States Information Agency, est. 1942. Originally set up as a means of fighting the cold war, the Voice of America produces and broadcasts radio pro...

Dogger Bank

(Encyclopedia)Dogger Bank dôˈgər, dŏˈ– [key], extensive sandbank, c.6,800 sq mi (17,610 sq km), central North Sea, between Great Britain and Denmark. Covered by shallow water (c.55–120 ft/17–36 m deep), ...

Ptolemy XV

(Encyclopedia)Ptolemy XV (Ptolemy Caesarion), 47–30 b.c., son of Cleopatra and (almost certainly) Julius Caesar. He became joint ruler with his mother, but played no role in the great and tragic events that broug...

Good Friday

(Encyclopedia)Good Friday, anniversary of Jesus' death on the cross. According to the Gospels, Jesus was put to death on the Friday before Easter Day. Since the early church Good Friday has been observed by fasting...