Jeffrey Eugenides is an American writer who has released three novels: The Virgin Suicides, Middlesex and The Marriage Plot. Eugenides won the Pulitzer Prize in 2003 for Middlesex, and The Virgin Suicides was made into a film. In this video, Eugenides speaks about what influences him, including his hometown of … Continue reading
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) was designed to explore Mars from orbit. It was launched on August 12, 2005, and reached Martian orbit on March 10, 2006. The spacecraft was built by Lockheed Martin, and the mission is managed by the California Institute of Technology. In this video, some of the … Continue reading
Garry Kasparov is a Russian chess Grandmaster and former world champion. He is widely considered to be one of the best, if not the best, chess players of all time. On March 10, 2005, Kasparov announced his retirement from chess. In this video, Kasparov discusses mistakes in chess and the … Continue reading
Omar al-Bashir is the current President of Sudan, having come to power through a bloodless military coup in 1989. On March 4, 2009, al-Bashir became the first sitting president to be indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC charged al-Bashir with war crimes and crimes against humanity for … Continue reading
Khaled Hosseini is an Afghan writer and physician. Hosseini’s father was a diplomat, and when Khaled was eleven the family moved to France. His debut novel, The Kite Runner, won critical acclaim and went on to become a feature film. In this video, Hosseini talks about what it was like … Continue reading
Operation Anaconda was an effort by the United States military, CIA Paramilitary Officers, NATO forces and allied Afghan military to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban forces. Operation Anaconda took place from March 2 to March 16, 2002, in the Shahi-Kot Valley and Arma Mountains of Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan. … Continue reading
Jack Abramoff is a former American lobbyist who was the center of a corruption investigation that led to his conviction. In addition to Abramoff, 21 other people either plead guilty or were found guilty of corruption. Abramoff worked as the top lobbyist for the firm Preston Gates & Ellis from … Continue reading
Johnny Cash is widely considered to be one of the most influential American musicians of the 20th century. In this video, musicians Little Richard, Sheryl Crow and Merle Haggard, as well as Cash’s children, discuss the artist’s wide-ranging influence.
Corazon Aquino became the 11th President of the Philippines, and the first female President in Asia, on February 25, 1986. Aquino came to power following the 20-year authoritarian rule of President Ferdinand Marcos, helping to restore democracy to the Philippines. Aquino’s rise to presidency began with tragedy. Aquino’s husband, Senator … Continue reading
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has been leased to the United States for use as a coaling and naval station since February 23, 1903, making it the oldest overseas U.S. Naval Base. Since 2002, the naval base has also served as a military prison for unlawful combatants captured during the War on … Continue reading
