Wikipedia:Main Page history/2013 June 30

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

From today's featured article

The golden-crowned sifaka is a medium-sized lemur characterized by mostly white fur, prominent furry ears and a golden-orange crown. It is one of the smallest sifakas, weighing around 3.5 kg (7.7 lb) and measuring approximately 90 cm (35 in) from head to tail. Like all sifakas, it is a vertical clinger and leaper, and its diet includes mostly seeds and leaves. The golden-crowned sifaka lives in groups of around five to six individuals, with groups containing a balanced number of adult males and females. Its binomial name, Propithecus tattersalli, denotes its discoverer, Ian Tattersall, who first spotted it in 1974. Found in gallery, deciduous, and semi-evergreen forest, its restricted range includes forest fragments around the town of Daraina in northeast Madagascar. Its estimated population is between 6,000 and 10,000 individuals. Forest fragmentation, habitat destruction, poaching, slash-and-burn agriculture, and other human factors threaten its existence, and it is listed by the IUCN Red List as Endangered. Lawlessness resulting from the 2009 political coup in Madagascar led to increased poaching of this species, and many were sold to local restaurants as a delicacy. (Full article...)

Recently featured: HMS Speedy – Jürgen Ehlers – Cycling at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's road race

Archive – By email – More featured articles...

Did you know...

From Wikipedia's newest content:

... that the race horse Paynter (pictured) survived a near-fatal case of colitis, laminitis and abdominal surgery, then won the first race of his 2013 comeback by 4¹⁄₂ lengths?

... that despite writing moderate columns and playing the role of mediator, Mansoor al-Jamri was not spared from the effects of the Bahraini uprising?

... that it took seven years after the French destroyer Espingole ran aground for her captain to be court-martialled and acquitted?

... that baritone Gerhard Faulstich takes an "unpretentious, conversational approach" to the part of Jesus in his recording of Bach's St Matthew Passion?

... that when Garendon Hall was demolished in 1964, the building's rubble was used in the construction of the M1 motorway?

... that ChinaAid, Bob Fu's legal aid organization for Christians in China, is largely funded by wealthy oil magnates from Midland, Texas?

... that IDT Megabite Cafe is considered to be the world's first kosher cybercafe?

Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news

Kevin Rudd

At least six planets, including three planets suspected of being habitable, are found orbiting the star Gliese 667 C.

Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj is reelected as President of Mongolia.

The Cambodian Tailorbird, found in Phnom Penh, is identified as a new bird species.

Kevin Rudd (pictured) wins leadership of the Australian Labor Party, ousting incumbent Julia Gillard and becoming Prime Minister of Australia.

The United States Supreme Court decides that portions of the Defense of Marriage Act withholding federal benefits from same-sex marriages are unconstitutional.

The Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani formally hands power to his son Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...

On this day...

June 30

1894 – London's Tower Bridge (pictured), a combined bascule and suspension bridge over the River Thames, opened.

1908 – A massive explosion occurred near the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in what is now Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, knocking over 80 million trees over 2,150 square kilometres (830 sq mi).

1934 – Adolf Hitler violently purged members of the Sturmabteilung, its leader Ernst Röhm, and other political rivals on the Night of the Long Knives, executing at least 85 people.

1963 – A car bomb intended for Mafia boss Salvatore Greco killed seven police and military officers near Palermo.

1971 – The Soviet Soyuz 11 spacecraft suffered an uncontrolled decompression during preparations for reentry, killing cosmonauts Vladislav Volkov, Georgiy Dobrovolskiy and Viktor Patsayev—the only human deaths to occur in space.

More anniversaries: June 29 – June 30 – July 1

Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries

It is now June 30, 2013 (UTC) – Reload this page

Today's featured picture

Pope Nicholas V (1397–1455) was the head of the Catholic Church from 6 March 1447 until his death. Born Tommaso Parentucelli at Sarzana, Italy, he served as a diplomat, Bishop of Bologna, and cardinal before being elected pope in 1447. He took the name "Nicholas" in honour of his early benefactor, Niccolò Albergati, and is the last pope to have taken the name. During Nicholas' reign, in which he encouraged humanists, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks. This portrait by Rubens was painted in 1610-12.

Painting: Peter Paul Rubens

Recently featured: KIM-1 – Whistler's Mother – Common toads in amplexus

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.