Mystery Theme LP#11 by PolinskyL

Expo 2017 in Astana, Kazakhstan will be the latest installment of what event, previously held in a variety of places including (twice) New York's Flushing Meadows-Corona Park?

What six words begin a sequence that eventually continues to "it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair..."?

In addition to two more familiar products (most prominently, a foodstuff popular with people and bears), what animal also produces something called royal jelly? (Be forewarned: the European Food Safety Authority has concluded that current evidence does not support consuming royal jelly will give health benefits in humans.)

What word meaning 'trivial' is derived from the name of an old Spanish coin? (It was worth half a real.)

Who was the author of 1922's Etiquette: The Blue Book of Social Usage?

What American won 2 Australian and French Opens each, but was beaten, by Stefan Edberg and Pete Sampras, respectively, in his only US Open and Wimbledon finals?

What actor, who died in 2008, was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Ennis Del Mar?

When Albert Einstein worked in this role (before physics became a gig), he was called a mere clerk. Today, most of the nearly 10,000 employees of the USPTO are generally referred to as having what job title?

What revolutionary and co-founder of the Kuomintang, interred in a mausoleum in Nanjing, is, unusually, held in high esteem in both mainland China and Taiwan?

Although Facebook is dominant in much of the world, pockets of resistance remain. For example, in Russia, the rival VKontakte ('in contact') is much more popular. What company, listed on the London Stock Exchange, owns VKontakte?

What Gabriel Garcia Marquez book tells the story of the death of Santiago Nasar?

What is the common theme linking the above answers?