Wikipedia:Main Page history/2013 February 4

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From today's featured article

Lady Saigō (1552–89) was the first consort and trusted confidant of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the samurai lord who unified Japan at the end of the 16th century and then ruled as Shogun. One of her four children became the second Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada. During her relationship with Ieyasu, Lady Saigō influenced his philosophies, choice of allies, and policies as he rose to power, and she thus had an indirect effect on the architecture of the Tokugawa shogunate. Although less is known of her than some other figures of the era, she is generally regarded as the "power behind the throne". Her contributions were considered so significant that she was posthumously inducted to the Senior First Rank of the Imperial Court, the highest honor that the Emperor of Japan could confer. A devout Buddhist, she donated money to temples in Suruga province, where she resided as the consort of Ieyasu, first in Hamamatsu Castle and later in Sunpu Castle. She also established a charitable organization that assisted visually impaired women with no other means of support. Lady Saigō died at a fairly young age, under somewhat mysterious circumstances. Although murder was suspected, no culprit was identified. (Full article...)

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From Wikipedia's newest content:

... that a Bermudan culinary specialty is to serve fish chowder (pictured) with black rum and sherry peppers?

... that Carlos López Estrada won a Latin Grammy Award for directing a music video that employs stop motion technique?

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... that actor Reza Rahadian has "flawlessly" represented the mannerisms of former Indonesian president B. J. Habibie?

... that the Bespoke Collection's retail store, Ma(i)sonry, is located in a former farmhouse listed on the National Register of Historic Places?

... that Andy Dirks gained celebrity status in the Dominican Republic due to his performance in the Dominican Winter League's postseason?

... that Jack Finch had a pit full of black rat snakes that he used for experiments to protect bluebirds?

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In the news

An explosion at the Pemex Executive Tower (pictured) in Mexico City kills at least 33 people and injures more than 100.

Queen Beatrix announces that she will abdicate the Dutch throne at the end of April.

In tennis, Victoria Azarenka wins the Women's Singles and Novak Djokovic wins the Men's Singles at the Australian Open.

The World Men's Handball Championship concludes with Spain defeating Denmark in the final.

More than 230 people are killed and over 160 others are injured in a nightclub fire in Santa Maria, Brazil.

Miloš Zeman is elected President of the Czech Republic.

Recent deaths: Ed Koch – Patty Andrews – Pham Duy

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On this day...

February 4: Liberation Movement Day in Angola (1961); Independence Day in Sri Lanka (1948)

1169 – A strong earthquake struck the eastern coast of Sicily, causing an estimated 15,000 deaths.

1859 – German scholar Constantin von Tischendorf (pictured) rediscovered the Codex Sinaiticus, a 4th century uncial manuscript of the Greek Bible, in Saint Catherine's Monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai in Egypt.

1974 – American newspaper heiress and socialite Patty Hearst was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army, which she later joined in one of the most well-known cases of Stockholm syndrome.

2002 – Cancer Research UK, the world's largest independent cancer research charity, was formed from the merger of two competing cancer charities.

2006 – A stampede at the PhilSports Stadium in Pasig City, Metro Manila in the Philippines, killed 78 people and injured about 400.

More anniversaries: February 3 – February 4 – February 5

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From today's featured list

The association football State Cup winners of Israel are the winners of the highest domestic cup in Israeli football, the Israel State Cup. The cup is contested on a knockout basis, with its trophy awarded to the team that wins the final. The competition, which has been organised since the foundation of the Israel Football Association in August 1928, was the first nationwide football tournament to be held in Mandatory Palestine. It was named the People's Cup until the foundation of the State of Israel in 1948. In all, Maccabi Tel Aviv (2011 team pictured) hold the record for most cups, with 22 wins. The longest run of successive wins is three, won by Hapoel Tel Aviv between 1937 and 1939, and again between 2010 and 2012. The most decisive cup final victory was in 1942, when Beitar Tel Aviv beat Maccabi Haifa 12–1. (Full list...)

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Today's featured picture

Hurricane Bob, the first hurricane of the 1991 Atlantic hurricane season and the only one to make landfall on the contiguous United States, as it approaches New England. The Category 3 storm killed 17 people and caused $1.5 billion in damage.

Photo: NOAA / Satellite and Information Service

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