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Welcome to Wikipedia,the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.2,352,066 articles in EnglishArtsBiographyGeographyHistoryMathematicsScienceSocietyTechnologyAll portalsOverview · Editing · Questions · HelpContents · Categories · Featured content · A–Z indexToday’s featured articleBAE Systems is a British defence and aerospace company headquartered at Farnborough, UK, which has worldwide interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is the world’s third largest defence contractor and the largest in Europe. BAE was formed on 30 November 1999 by the £7.7 billion merger of two British companies: Marconi Electronic Systems, the defence electronics and naval shipbuilding subsidiary of The General Electric Company plc (GEC) and aircraft, munitions and naval systems manufacturer British Aerospace (BAe). It has increasingly disengaged from its businesses in continental Europe in favour of investing in the United States. Since its formation it has sold its shares of Airbus, EADS Astrium, AMS and Atlas Elektronik. BAE Systems is involved in several major defence projects, including the F-35 Lightning II, the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Royal Navy Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers. The company has been the subject of criticism, both general opposition to the arms trade and also specific allegations of unethical and corrupt practices, including the Al Yamamah contracts with Saudi Arabia that have earned BAE and its predecessor £43 billion in twenty years. (more…)Recently featured: Prince’s Palace of Monaco – Peter Jennings – ManzanarArchive – By email – More featured articles…Did you know…From Wikipedia’s newest articles:…that Wilshire Boulevard Temple, with its landmark Byzantine dome (pictured), is the oldest Jewish synagogue in Los Angeles?…that the government of Malaysia has been alleged to be behind Project IC which involves the systematic granting of citizenship to hundreds of thousands of immigrants to alter the demographic and voting pattern in their favour?…that priest Benjamin Pâquet was such a controversial figure in 19th century Quebec that his possible nomination to bishopry was rejected for three different dioceses?…that Detroit Tigers pitcher Denny Bautista is the second cousin of New York Mets pitcher Pedro Martínez?…that Norwegian politician Helge Seip was succeeded by Helge Rognlien both as Minister of Local Government and Regional Development and later as leader of the Liberal Party?…that veterinarian Martha Kostuch linked reproductive and immunological problems among cattle to sulphur dioxide emitted in the oil and gas industry in Alberta?…that the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize, for achievements in medical research and services to combat diseases in Africa, is named after a Japanese scientist whose portrait can be found on recent ¥1000 banknotes?…that Ronald J. Rábago became the first Hispanic American to be promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral in the United States Coast Guard?Archive – Start a new article…In the newsMaoists win a plurality of seats in the Nepalese Constituent Assembly election, the first election in Nepal in nine years.Researchers discover what is believed to be the first use of oil painting at Bamyan in Afghanistan, predating European oil painting by some six centuries.Fernando Lugo (pictured) wins the presidential election in Paraguay, ending the Colorado Party’s 61-year rule.In auto racing, Danica Patrick wins the Indy Japan 300, becoming the first female driver to win an IndyCar race.An airliner operated by Hewa Bora Airways crashes upon takeoff in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing at least 47 people.An alliance led by Silvio Berlusconi of the People of Freedom party wins the general election in Italy.Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events…On this day…April 29: Shōwa Day in Japan; International Dance Day1770 – British explorer James Cook and the crew of HM Bark Endeavour made their first landfall on Australia on the coast of Botany Bay near present-day Sydney.1882 – German inventor Ernst Werner von Siemens (pictured) began operating his Elektromote, the world’s first trolleybus, in a Berlin suburb.1916 – World War I: Khalil Pasha of the Ottoman Army accepted the surrender of Major-General Charles Townshend and the British Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force, ending the Siege of Kut.1968 – The controversial musical Hair, a product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, opened at the Biltmore Theatre on Broadway, with its songs becoming anthems of the anti-Vietnam War movement.1991 – A powerful tropical cyclone struck Chittagong, killing at least 138,000 people and leaving as many as 10 million homeless in Bangladesh.1992 – The acquittal of policemen who had beaten motorist Rodney King sparked civil unrest in Los Angeles that lasted for six days and killed over 50 people.More events: April 28 – April 29 – April 30Archive – By email – More anniversaries…Today’s featured pictureThe rotor of a modern steam turbine produced by Siemens AG. The steam path is from the smallest blade, expanding through progressively larger blade elements. Steam turbines are used in power plants to extract mechanical work from pressurised steam and benefit from their high efficiency and high power-to-weight ratio compared to other technologies, leading to their widespread deployment from electricity generation to marine propulsion.Photo credit: Christian Kuhna, Siemens AGRecently featured: Northern Elephant Seals – Flatirons – FrankfurtArchive – More featured pictures…