Wikipedia:Main Page history/2011 January 16

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Today's featured article
I. M. Pei (born 1917) is a Chinese American architect, often called a master of modern architecture. Born in Guangzhou, in 1935 he moved to the United States. While enrolled at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he became unhappy with the school's focus on Beaux-Arts architecture, and spent his free time researching the emerging architects, especially Le Corbusier. After graduating, he joined the Harvard Graduate School of Design and formed a friendship with the Bauhaus architects Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer. Pei spent ten years working with New York real estate magnate William Zeckendorf before establishing his own independent design firm that eventually became Pei Cobb Freed & Partners. Among the early projects on which Pei took the lead were the L'Enfant Plaza Hotel in Washington, DC, and the Green Building at MIT. His first major recognition came with the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado; his new stature led to his selection as chief architect for the John F. Kennedy Library in Massachusetts. He went on to design Dallas City Hall and the East Building of the National Gallery of Art. In the early 1980s, Pei was the focus of controversy when he designed a glass-and-steel pyramid for the Louvre museum in Paris. Pei has won a wide variety of prizes and awards in the field of architecture, including the 1983 Pritzker Prize, sometimes called the Nobel Prize of architecture. (more...) Recently featured: Moons of Saturn, Guadalcanal Campaign, and The Four Seasons – Calgary Hitmen – Forksville Covered Bridge Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest articles: ... that Saudi Arabian officials detained a vulture (example pictured) and accused it of spying for Israel? ... that the house in Tekirdağ, Turkey, where Hungarian national hero Francis II Rákóczi spent his last years, is a museum now and is regarded as a cultural bridge between the two countries? ... that the Farman F.281 only logged four hours of flight time between January 1933 and the spring of 1935, despite being in service with Air France? ... that in the case of budget bills and urgent matters, a bill must be passed in the same session of Parliament in Bhutan? ... that The Concord Review is the only academic journal in the world to publish the research papers of high school students? ... that Croatian high jumper Blanka Vlašić was named after Casablanca, a city where her father Joško Vlašić won the decathlon gold medal at the 1983 Mediterranean Games? ... that in a 1946 incident, three ammunition magazines exploded at the Swiss Fort de Dailly? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
At least 100 people are killed and another 90 injured in a stampede at Sabarimala in Kerala, India. President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali leaves Tunisia following nationwide protests and Fouad Mebazaa becomes the acting president. More than 610 people are killed by flooding and mudslides in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro (Teresópolis pictured). South Korea starts to cull approximately 12 percent of all domestic pigs in the country after an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. Saad Hariri-led Lebanese government falls after the opposition allies withdraw support. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor shows that gamma rays and antimatter particles (positrons) can be generated in powerful thunderstorms. Archaeologists announce the discovery of the world's oldest known winery, believed to be over 6,000 years old, in a cave in Armenia. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
January 16: Teachers' Day in Thailand 1547 – Ivan the Terrible (pictured) was crowned the first Tsar of Russia at the age of 16. 1605 – Book One of Don Quixote, El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes, was first published in Madrid, Spain. 1917 – World War I: The German Empire sent the Zimmermann Telegram, a diplomatic proposal to Mexico to make war against the United States, which led in part to the U.S. entering the war. 1920 – The League of Nations held its first council meeting in Paris, France. 1945 – World War II: Adolf Hitler and his staff moved into the Führerbunker, where he would eventually commit suicide. 2008 – Five days after proposing lyrics for the wordless La Marcha Real, the Spanish national anthem, the Spanish Olympic Committee withdrew the proposal due to widespread criticism. More anniversaries: January 15 – January 16 – January 17 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now January 16 2011 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

The Globe Skimmer (Pantala flavescens) is the most widespread dragonfly species on the planet, found between about the 40th parallels of latitude or where the annual mean temperature is above 20 °C (68 °F), except in Europe where there are only occasional sightings.

Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim

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