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DEFINITION: (noun) An ornamental drapery hung across a top edge, as of a bed, table, or canopy. SYNONYMS: cornice, pelmet, valance board. USAGE: Large valances of silk, embroidered with flowers of gay colors, which were rather faded, fell from the wide windows; the fittings of the room were simple, but in excellent taste.

Dostoevsky was a literary giant whose works exhibit an uncanny grasp of human psychology and offer penetrating analyses of the politics and social and spiritual state of the Russia of his time. He began his career as a political radical, but after a time spent in exile, he became much more conservative and reflective about the nature of man. What other great Russian author reportedly burst into tears when he learned of Dostoevsky's death?

This battle, which took place during WWII, marked the first all-aircraft naval attack in history. The results were definitive, as British planes destroyed much of the Italian fleet anchored in Taranto. The battle is seen as a turning point in military history, marking the end of the reign of "big-gun" battleships and leading to the rise of naval air power. Aspects of the attack were studied as part of the planning for what other notorious aerial bombardment?

According to the UN's Human Development Index, Norway, the world's 3rd-largest oil exporter, is the best country to live in. The decision was based on factors such as life expectancy, education, and income. Iceland was No. 2, followed by Australia, Ireland, and Sweden. According to the study, Norwegians earn 40 times more than the study's lowest-ranked country, Niger, live almost twice as long, and have nearly 5 times the literacy rate.

The Ganges River in northern India originates from the Gangotri, a glacier in the Himalayas, and empties into the Bay of Bengal after branching into many distributaries. It is 1,560 mi (2,510 km) long and, because of its location near major population centers, highly polluted. Two species of dolphin and a rare species of freshwater shark live in the river, and rice, grains, oilseed, and cotton are grown in its basin. One out of how many people in the world lives in the Ganges Basin?