Wikipedia:Main Page history/2016 December 26

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Satellite image of Tropical Storm Vamei

Tropical Storm Vamei was a Pacific tropical cyclone, the last storm of the 2001 Pacific typhoon season. On December 26 the storm developed into a tropical depression about 230 km (145 mi) east of Singapore in the South China Sea at 1.4° N, 156 km (97 mi) north of the equator. This was the first recorded occurrence of a tropical cyclone developing near the equator, which had previously been considered impossible because of a lack of Coriolis effect there. It strengthened quickly and made landfall the next day approximately 60 km (35 mi) northeast of Singapore, along extreme southeastern Peninsular Malaysia. The storm rapidly dissipated over Sumatra a day later, and the remnants eventually re-organized in the North Indian Ocean. Though officially designated as a tropical storm, the intensity of Vamei is disputed; some agencies classify it as a typhoon, based on sustained winds of 140 km/h (85 mph) and the appearance of an eye. The storm brought flooding and landslides to eastern Peninsular Malaysia, causing US$3.6 million in damage and five deaths. (Full article...)

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Saint George and the Dragon
Saint George and the Dragon

In the news

The crashed Tupolev Tu-154B-2 aircraft in May 2016
The Tupolev Tu-154 in May 2016

On this day...

December 26: Boxing Day in Commonwealth countries; St. Stephen's Day (Western Christianity); Kwanzaa begins in Canada and the United States

Flannan Isles Lighthouse
Flannan Isles Lighthouse
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From today's featured list

Vladimir Lenin

The office of Premier of the Soviet Union was synonymous with head of government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Twelve individuals became premier over the time span of the office. Two of the twelve premiers died in office of natural causes (Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin), three resigned (Alexei Kosygin, Nikolai Tikhonov and Ivan Silayev), and three held the offices of party leader and premier simultaneously (Lenin, Stalin and Nikita Khrushchev). The first premier was Lenin (pictured), who was inaugurated in 1922 after the Treaty on the Creation of the USSR. Ivan Silayev spent the shortest time in office at 126 days in 1991. At over fourteen years, Kosygin spent the longest time in office, and became the only premier to head more than two government cabinets; he died shortly after his resignation in 1980. (Full list...)

Today's featured picture

Baris tunggal

A dancer from Sanata Dharma University's Sekar Jepun troupe performing the baris tunggal dance. The baris family of Balinese war dances is accompanied by gamelan and performed by one or more men, sometimes wielding a variety of weapons. The dance has been understood to depict the feelings of a young warrior prior to battle, glorify the manhood of the triumphant Balinese warrior, and display the sublimity of his commanding presence.

Photograph: Chris Woodrich

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