Coup d'état (n.) a sudden decisive exercise of force in politics; especially: the violent overthrow or alteration of an existing government by a small group (French: “stroke of state”) Sudden overthrow, often violent, of an existing government by a group of conspirators. Coups are most common in countries with unstable governments and in countries with little experience of successful democracy. Their success depends on surprise and speed. Coups rarely alter a nation's fundamental social and economic policies or significantly redistribute power.

Refugee (n.) one that flees; especially: a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution. Person involuntarily displaced from his or her homeland. Until the late 19th century and the emergence of fixed and closed national boundaries, refugees were always absorbed by neighboring countries. Later, immigration restrictions and increasing numbers of refugees necessitated special action to aid them. Refugee status in 1921 was accorded only if the migrant's departure was involuntary and asylum was sought in another country. In 1938 the definition of refugee was expanded to include persons with a well-founded fear of persecution because of ethnicity, religion, nationality, group membership, or political opinion. Later the definition was expanded again to include persons who have fled from their homes to other places in their own countries. Refugee status ceases to apply when the migrant either is resettled or returns home. At the beginning of the 21st century there were some 16 million refugees, including nearly 4 million Palestinians; much of the rest of the world's refugees were in Asia (particularly Afghanistan) and Africa, though conflict in the former Yugoslavia and elsewhere in post-Cold War Europe significantly increased the number of refugees in those regions.

Embargo (n.) 1: an order of a government prohibiting the departure of commercial ships from its ports 2: a legal prohibition on commerce