Wikipedia:Main Page history/2019 December 29b

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

From today's featured article

The red-tailed tropicbird is a seabird native to the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. One of three closely related species of tropicbird, it has four subspecies. Superficially resembling a tern in appearance, it has almost all-white plumage with a black mask and a red bill. The sexes have similar plumage. Adults have red tail streamers that are about twice their body length, which gives rise to its common name. Nesting takes place in loose colonies on oceanic islands, the nest itself a scrape found on a cliff face, in a crevice, or a sandy beach. A single egg is laid, being incubated by both sexes for about six weeks. The red-tailed tropicbird eats fish, mainly flying fish, and squid, catching them by plunge-diving into the ocean. This bird is considered to be a least-concern species according to the IUCN, though it is adversely affected by human contact. Rats and feral cats prey on eggs and young at nesting sites. (Full article...)

Recently featured:

Did you know ...

Diners at Yume Wo Katare share their dreams.

... that Yume Wo Katare (pictured), a ramen bar in Cambridge, Massachusetts, encourages diners to share their dreams and aspirations with each other after finishing their meals?
... that actor Ryan Reynolds has lent his voice to a garden snail, a caveman, and Pikachu?
... that the sale of WWIZ radio in Lorain, Ohio, undertaken in order to raise capital to build WXTV in Youngstown, prompted both stations to lose their licenses?
... that Polish courtier and writer Krzysztof Warszewicki was a respected orator who spoke at the funerals of Catherine, queen consort of Poland, and Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor?
... that the Concert Hall inside the BBC's Broadcasting House was pressed into service as a dormitory at the outbreak of World War II?
... that Sally Milgrim designed the dress that Eleanor Roosevelt wore to her husband's first inaugural ball?
... that after laying its eggs on a leaf, the female mango leaf-cutting weevil severs the leaf near its base and lets it fall to the ground?
... that the Jewish a cappella group Six13 sings traditional Hanukkah songs and prayers to music from Star Wars?

In the news

Jamal Khashoggi

Bek Air Flight 2100 crashes near Almaty, Kazakhstan, killing at least 12 people and injuring 54 others.
A court in Saudi Arabia sentences five people to death for the 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi (pictured).
In the Netherlands, the supreme court upholds a ruling that the government must meet established emissions reduction milestones, creating the first legal precedent on the impact of climate change on human rights.

On this day

December 29

Sun Yat-sen

1779 – American Revolutionary War: Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Campbell led a contingent of British soldiers to capture the city of Savannah, Georgia.
1911 – Sun Yat-sen (pictured) was elected the provisional president of the Republic of China in Nanjing.
1940 – The Blitz: The Luftwaffe conducted a major night bombing raid on the British capital, beginning what was later called the "Second Great Fire of London".
1959 – Physicist Richard Feynman gave a speech entitled "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom" at Caltech, anticipating the field of nanotechnology.

Christina Rossetti (d. 1894) · Adele Zay (d. 1928) · Ann Demeulemeester (b. 1959)

More anniversaries:

Today's featured picture

Syed Kirmani (born 29 December 1949) is an Indian former international cricketer who represented his country as a wicket-keeper for nearly two decades. During his international career, his record included 160 catches and 38 stumpings during Test matches. He was a reliable lower-order batsman and, in the 1983 Cricket World Cup, was the recipient of the best wicket-keeper award. He partnered Sunil Gavaskar in a record ninth wicket stand, scoring an unbeaten 143 in the Madras Test. Always a central figure on the field with his closely-shaven head, he could dive and somersault to catch the ball, and was responsible for many batsmen being run out.

Photograph credit: Augustus Binu

Recently featured:

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.