Looking Ahead

Auf Wiedersehen, Schumacher

When German Formula 1 racing star Michael Schumacher finishes the season finale race in Sao Paulo on Nov. 25, he’ll say goodbye and retire from the sport he’s often dominated for more than 20 years. The 43-year-old retired in 2006 after his 90th F1 victory, but came back shortly thereafter. In the twilight of his career, the seven-time F1 champion has racked up only a single victory since 2006.

The Big E

After more than 50 years of active service, the USS Enterprise will be slated for deactivation Dec. 1, marking the end of an era for the U.S. Navy. Entering active service in 1961, the Big E, as the carrier is known, was the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the world. Scrapping the Enterprise, and her nuclear reactors, is slated to cost the Navy more than $850 million dollars in 2013 alone.

Kennedy Center Honors

On Dec. 2, actor Dustin Hoffman, super group Led Zeppelin, and late-night TV host David Letterman will headline the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C. The yearly awards highlight artists and entertainers for a lifetime of achievement. And though Led Zeppelin may generate most of the buzz, this year’s awards will also honor ballerina Natalia Makarova and bluesman Buddy Guy.

Chile vs. Peru

Both Peruvian President Ollanta Humala and Chilean President Sebastián Piñera say their nations will abide by the decision of the International Court of Justice regarding a disputed maritime border between the two countries. Peru filed the complaint with the ICJ in 2008, claiming a faulty boundary gives Chile about 14,500 square miles of lucrative fishing waters that should belong to Peru. Hearings begin Dec. 3.

Hanukkah begins

The Jewish celebration of Hanukkah begins at sundown on Dec. 8. The holiday, also known as the Festival of Lights, celebrates the Maccabean Revolt in the second century B.C. and the resulting rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The eight-day holiday this year runs through Dec. 16.