Wikipedia:Main Page history/2012 February 4

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Today's featured article
Richard Barre (c. 1130 – c. 1202) was a medieval English justice, clergyman, and scholar. He was educated at the law school of Bologna, and entered royal service under King Henry II of England, later working for Henry's son and successor Richard I. He was also briefly in the household of Henry's son Henry the Young King. Barre served the elder Henry as a diplomat, and was involved in a minor way with the king's quarrel with Thomas Becket, which earned Barre a condemnation from Becket. After King Henry's death, Barre became a royal justice during Richard's reign, and was one of the main judges in the period from 1194 to 1199. During the reign of King John, Barre was no longer employed as a judge owing to earlier disagreements with John. Barre was the author of a work of biblical extracts dedicated to one of his patrons, William Longchamp, the Bishop of Ely and Chancellor of England. (more...) Recently featured: Pathways into Darkness – Chew Stoke – Germany women's national football team Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that French manufacturer Vétra built trolleybuses (example pictured) for transit systems in 12 countries, on three continents? ... that Wu Ying, named China's sixth richest woman at the age of 25, has been sentenced to death for financial fraud? ... that the architecture of Turkey has been influenced by many architects from Germany and Austria invited between 1924 and 1942 to work in Ankara? ... that XTERRA World Champion Lesley Paterson plans to co-produce a remake of the Oscar-winning 1930 film All Quiet on the Western Front? ... that while the fifty-seventh episode of Glee features newly cast actors to introduce Rachel's two fathers, the actors cast to play them in 2009 were cut from the second episode? ... that in 1992 the leader of the Gambela People's Liberation Movement, Agwa Alemu, was killed by his own troops? ... that Mündig never competed on a racecourse prior to winning the 1835 Derby Stakes, and bookmakers were misled to lengthen his odds based on false information fed to them by his trainer? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
Polish poet Wisława Szymborska (pictured), recipient of the 1996 Nobel Prize in Literature, dies at the age of 88. More than 70 people are killed in crowd violence following a football match in Port Said, Egypt. Queen Elizabeth II annuls Fred Goodwin's knighthood due to his role in the Royal Bank of Scotland's near-collapse. In tennis, Victoria Azarenka and Novak Djokovic win the women's and men's singles titles, respectively, at the Australian Open. The European Men's Handball Championship concludes with Denmark defeating Serbia in the final. Intense Tropical Cyclone Funso stalls off the coast of Mozambique, killing 15 people at sea and at least 14 others through inland flooding. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
February 4: Day of the Armed Struggle in Angola (1961); Independence Day in Sri Lanka (1948) 211 – Roman emperor Septimius Severus died of illness while on a military campaign in Eboracum (modern York, England). 960 – Emperor Taizu began his reign in China, initiating the Song Dynasty period that would eventually last for more than three centuries. 1899 – The Philippine–American War opened when an American soldier, under orders to keep insurgents away from his unit's encampment, fired upon a Filipino soldier in Manila. 1969 – Yasser Arafat was elected chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization. 2008 – The London low emission zone (sign pictured), governing what types of vehicles may enter Greater London, came into being. More anniversaries: February 3 – February 4 – February 5 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now February 4, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

The violet coral (Clavaria zollingeri) is a widely distributed species of fungus with tubular, purple basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that grow in clusters up to 10 cm (3.9 in) tall and 7 cm (2.8 in) wide. It is a saprobic species, growing on the ground in woodland litter.

Photo: Dan Molter

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