Wikipedia:Main Page history/2016 April 7

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

From today's featured article

Aquaman is a television pilot developed by Smallville creators Al Gough and Miles Millar for The WB Television Network, based on the DC Comics character of the same name. Featuring Justin Hartley, Lou Diamond Phillips, Denise Quiñones, Rick Peters, Amber McDonald and Ving Rhames, the pilot was written by Gough and Millar and directed by Greg Beeman. It was inspired by "Aqua", the highest-rated episode of the fifth season of Smallville. Hartley plays Arthur "A.C." Curry, a young man living in a beachside community in the Florida Keys who learns about his superpowers and destiny as the Prince of Atlantis. Much of the filming took place underwater, and Hartley did the scenes without a tank. The pilot was expected to debut in the fall schedule of 2006, but following the merger of The WB and UPN, the resulting CW Network opted not to buy the series. The pilot received generally favorable reviews. It was made available online in the United States through iTunes, where it became the most frequently downloaded television show for over a week. It was later released through other online markets, and aired on Canadian television network YTV. (Full article...)

Recently featured:

Did you know...

Chief of Staff Ali Abu Nuwar, 1956

... that Jordanian Army Chief of Staff Ali Abu Nuwar (pictured) was accused of conspiring to overthrow King Hussein and was consequently exiled?
... that singer Madonna dressed up as a clown for her one-off acoustic show in Australia?
... that Shamsi Hekmat was a founder of the Jewish Ladies' Organization of Iran and the Iranian Jewish Women's Organization of Southern California?
... that King Sisavang Vatthana wanted Black Lion to attack Paksong?
... that in August 2015, the term "social justice warrior" was one of several new words and phrases added to Oxford Dictionaries?
... that Stephen Jurika was one of 18 crewmen of the USS Franklin (CV-13) awarded the Navy Cross for their actions on 19 March 1945?
... that in 1921 more than 95% of the Czechoslovak citizens of Polish ethnicity lived in the Těšín electoral district?
... that after he won the 2011 Gran Alternativa with Último Guerrero, wrestler Escorpión anointed himself King?

In the news

Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson

Pfizer and Allergan call off a planned $160 billion merger due to changes in U.S. tax inversion regulations.
Amid the scandal caused by the Panama Papers, a leak of legal documents revealing information on 214,488 offshore companies, Iceland's prime minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson (pictured) steps aside temporarily.
In basketball, the Villanova Wildcats defeat the North Carolina Tar Heels to win the NCAA Men's Championship.
In cricket, the West Indies win both the ICC World Twenty20 and ICC Women's World Twenty20.

Ongoing events:
- Zika virus outbreak
Recent deaths:

On this day...

April 7: World Health Day

Fridtjof Nansen

1141 – Empress Matilda became the first female ruler of England, adopting the title 'Lady of the English'.
1724 – Johann Sebastian Bach debuted the St John Passion, a musical representation of the Passion, at the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig.
1896 – An Arctic expedition led by Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen (pictured) reached 86°13.6'N, almost three degrees beyond the previous Farthest North mark.
1956 – Spain relinquished its protectorate in Morocco.
1994 – The Rwandan genocide began, a few hours after the assassination of President Juvénal Habyarimana; an estimated 500,000–1,000,000 Rwandans were killed in the following 100 days.

More anniversaries:

Today's featured picture

The Pena National Palace is a Romanticist palace in Sintra, Portugal, built by Ferdinand II of Portugal on the site of a ruined monastery. The palace stands on the top of a hill in the Sintra Mountains, and on a clear day it can be easily seen from Lisbon and much of its metropolitan area. It is a national monument, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and considered one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. It is also used for state occasions by the President of the Portuguese Republic and other government officials.

Photograph: Uwe Aranas

Recently featured:

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.