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Welcome to Wikipedia,the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.2,442,907 articles in EnglishArtsBiographyGeographyHistoryMathematicsScienceSocietyTechnologyAll portalsOverview · Editing · Questions · HelpContents · Categories · Featured content · A–Z indexToday’s featured articleThe Russian–Circassian War was the period of hostilities between the Russian Empire and the inhabitants of Circassia during the Russian invasion and occupation of the Circassian region. Circassia was a region in Caucasia which consisted of the coastline and most of the interior of the current territory of Krasnodar Krai and Adygea. The historical region, now mainly North Ossetia–Alania, was named after the traditional inhabitants, the Circassians, Adyghe or Adiga, along with a number of smaller ethnic groups and tribes. The Russian–Circassian conflict began with the initial arrival of Russian occupation forces in 1763, and ended with the signing of several Russian loyalty oaths by Circassian leaders on June 2, 1864 (May 21, O.S.). While the Russian–Circassian War began as an isolated conflict, Russian expansion through the entire region soon brought it into conflict with a number of other nations in what later became known as the Caucasian War, and of which the Russian–Circassian War became a part. Both came to an end with the signing of the loyalty oaths to Russia, and with the total occupation of the region by Russian forces, which involved the mass migration of millions of indigenous Circassians to areas of the Ottoman Empire (modern Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Kosovo), with some Circassian historians citing that up to 4,000,000 civilians perished during the exodus. (more…)Recently featured: Typhoon Paka – Macintosh Classic – Winfield Scott HancockArchive – By email – More featured articles…Did you know…From Wikipedia’s newest articles:… that the 1948 Headingley Test, in which Don Bradman’s cricket team the Invincibles (pictured) made a world record run-chase, remains the most attended Test on English soil?… that the series of oil paintings by Nabil Kanso titled The Split of Life comprises over 80 mural-sized works?… that the Jamaican Blackbird has evolved to fill the ecological niche more typical of woodcreepers and woodpeckers?… that Major General William P. T. Hill, Quartermaster General of the United States Marine Corps had participated in Doctor Roy Chapman Andrews’ expedition to the Gobi Desert while still a captain?… that the 1948 film Terri Yaad was the first feature film to be released in Pakistan after the partition of India?… that the National Park Service originally rejected the application to create a second historic district in Roslyn, New York, suggesting the first one be expanded instead?… that the Australian Army adopted the Pentropic organisation in 1960, but returned to its previous unit structures in 1965 as the new organisation was found to be unsuited to Australia’s strategic environment?Archive – Start a new article…In the newsVenus Williams (pictured) defeats her sister Serena 7–5, 6–4 at the 2008 Wimbledon Championships Ladies’ Final, her fifth title to date.Clashes are reported between Georgian and South Ossetian forces near Tskhinvali.Weekend cross-strait charter flights between Taiwan and Mainland China resume after 59 years.A series of explosions at a depot storing 1,500 tonnes of obsolete munitions forces the evacuation of some 2,000 people in Sofia and the closure of the Bulgarian capital’s main airport.NASA announces the discovery of water in the atmosphere of Mercury by its MESSENGER probe.Íngrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages are rescued by the Colombian government after being held captive by FARC guerillas.Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events…On this day…July 6: Independence Day in Malawi (1964) and in Comoros (1975); Statehood Day in Lithuania (1253); Jan Hus Day in the Czech Republic; the festival of San Fermín begins in Pamplona, Spain1415 – The Council of Constance executed Jan Hus (pictured), founder of the Christian Hussite reform movement, for committing heresy.1809 – Napoleon’s French forces defeated Archduke Charles’ Austrian army at the Battle of Wagram, the decisive confrontation of the War of the Fifth Coalition.1887 – King Kalākaua of Hawai’i was forced to sign the Bayonet Constitution, stripping the Hawaiian monarchy of much of its authority as well as disfranchising all Asians, most native Hawaiians, and the poor.1966 – Hastings Banda became the first president of Malawi, exactly two years after the country was granted independence from the United Kingdom.1998 – Hong Kong International Airport, built on the island of Chek Lap Kok by land reclamation, opened for commercial operations, becoming one of the world’s busiest airports.More events: July 5 – July 6 – July 7Archive – By email – More anniversaries…It is now 14:19, July 6, 2008 (UTC) – Refresh this pageToday’s featured pictureA pastoral scene of a lone house, composed using Blender, an open source 3D computer graphics software. Blender can be used for a number of applications and is available for a wide variety of operating systems.Image credit: Michael OttoRecently featured: American Robin – Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima – StonemasonryArchive – More featured pictures…