Wikipedia:Main Page history/2012 August 25

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

Today's featured article
Herne Hill railway station is a passenger railway station in Lambeth, South London. Opened on 25 August 1862 by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway, the station was an important interchange for passengers travelling between London and continental Europe for many decades; direct rail services were available to the Kent coast and London Victoria, the City of London and King's Cross. The arrival of the railways transformed Herne Hill from a wealthy suburb with large residential estates into a densely populated urban area; the number of residents increased five-fold in the decade after the station’s opening as workers took advantage of the fast and cheap trains to central London (some services cost as little as a penny per journey). Today, the station is served by two commuter routes and used by more than 2.6 million passengers a year. The original building, which is still in use, has been praised for its architectural quality and was Grade II listed in 1998. (more...) Recently featured: Aiphanes – Olmec colossal heads – Battle of Bosworth Field Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that the Doda River (pictured) in the Zanskar Valley of Ladakh rises from the Drang-Drung Glacier and forms the Stod valley? ... that artist and academician Władysław Łuszczkiewicz, who taught and inspired Poland's national painter Jan Matejko, gave private art classes for free to struggling artists? ... that Bach composed two cantatas with similar music at the same time: Ihr Tore zu Zion, BWV 193, to celebrate the new town council on 25 August 1727, and the secular BWV 193a for 3 August that year? ... that Matty Blair scored the winning goal for York City in the 2012 Conference National play-off Final, which saw the club return to the Football League after an eight-year absence? ... that theatre music can be traced to the very origins of theatre in Ancient Greece? ... that despite his strong interest in education, Matthew Oram was not appointed Minister of Education, but became Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives instead? ... that a Cardinal, three Browns, a Dupree, and a King have all played for the Minnesota Timberwolves? ... that during his life, Saint Nicetas the Patrician specialized in "healing men tormented by sexual desires"? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in the 2011 Norway attacks, is sentenced to 21 years in prison. Sectarian clashes linked to the Syrian civil war continue in Lebanon's second largest city, Tripoli (pictured). Ethnic clashes over grazing rights for cattle in Kenya's Tana River District result in more than 50 deaths. Russia, formerly the world's largest non-WTO economy, joins the World Trade Organization after 19 years of negotiations. The Constitutional Court of Romania declares a referendum to impeach President Traian Băsescu invalid, reinstating him. Syrian civil war – Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
August 25: Independence Day in Uruguay (1825) 1248 – Ommen in the Netherlands received city rights and fortification rights from Otto III, the Archbishop of Utrecht, after the town was pillaged at least twice by a local robber baron. 1580 – War of the Portuguese Succession: The army of the pretender to the Portuguese throne, António, Prior of Crato (pictured), was routed in the Battle of Alcântara, ending his short-lived reign. 1939 – The United Kingdom and Poland entered into a military alliance for mutual assistance in case of military invasion by "a European Power". 1942 – Second World War: Japanese forces attacked the Australian base at Milne Bay on the eastern tip of New Guinea. 1945 – Armed supporters of the Communist Party of China killed American military intelligence officer and Baptist missionary John Birch as he was leading a mission to reach Allied personnel in a Japanese prison camp. More anniversaries: August 24 – August 25 – August 26 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now August 25, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

The dorsal and ventral views of the shell of an orange spider conch (Lambis crocata), a species of sea snail that belongs to the true conch family. It is found in the western Indian Ocean and grows between 70 to 205 mm (2.8 to 8.1 in).

Photo: George Chernilevsky

Recently featured: Dusky Woodswallow – Sea anemones – Lady Margaret Beaufort

Archive – More featured pictures...

Other areas of Wikipedia

Community portal – Bulletin board, projects, resources and activities covering a wide range of Wikipedia areas.
Help desk – Ask questions about using Wikipedia.
Local embassy – For Wikipedia-related communication in languages other than English.
Reference desk – Serving as virtual librarians, Wikipedia volunteers tackle your questions on a wide range of subjects.
Site news – Announcements, updates, articles and press releases on Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.
Village pump – For discussions about Wikipedia itself, including areas for technical issues and policies.