<h3 style="padding:3px 7px; margin:8px 0; background-color:#CEF2E0;"><small>Today's Featured Article</small></h3>[[File:Edith Swan and Rose Gooding.jpg|alt=style=max-width:40%; margin-right:10px;|left|thumb|200x200px|<small>Edith Swan (left) and Rose Gooding (right)</small>]]<small>The '''[[Littlehampton libels]]''' were a series of letters sent to numerous residents of Littlehampton, in southern England, over a three-year period between 1920 and 1923. The letters, which contained obscenities and false accusations, were written by Edith Swan, a thirty-year-old laundress; she tried to incriminate her neighbour, Rose Gooding, a thirty-year-old married woman. Swan and Gooding ''(both pictured)'' had once been friends, but after Swan made a false report to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children accusing Gooding of maltreating one of her sister's children, the letters started arriving. Many of them were signed as if from Gooding. Swan brought a private prosecution against Gooding for libel. Gooding was imprisoned twice, but Scotland Yard investigated and cleared her. Swan was prosecuted in December 1921. A similar case of letters being sent over several years was reported in 2024, in the village of Shiptonthorpe, East Yorkshire. ''('''[[Littlehampton libels|Full article...]]''')''</small>
<h3 style="padding:3px 7px; margin:8px 0; background-color:#CEF2E0;"><small>Today's Featured Article</small></h3>[[File:Fountains Abbey view02 2005-08-27.jpg|alt=style=max-width:40%; margin-right:10px;|left|thumb|200x200px|<small>Ruins of Fountains Abbey</small>]]<small>Around June 1447, '''John Greenwell was poisoned''' by a monk, William Downom. The abbotof Fountains Abbey ''(ruins pictured)'', Greenwell led the richest abbey in England; his office made him an important figure in Yorkshire. The first half of the century saw the abbey wracked with internal strife, including a disputed election which had violent repercussions as well as, possibly, embezzlement. Greenwell appears to have brought a degree of peace to the abbey upon his election, but he does not seem to have been popular. Downom poisoned a dish of pottage, which he attempted to feed to Greenwell while he was sick. He survived the poisoning, and the case became notorious. Although it took over a year and discussions with Fountains' motherhouse of CĂŽteaux Abbey, Downom was eventually expelled. Greenwell remained controversial and was both accused and accuser in local lawsuits, and incurred the distrust of King Edward IV for his political leanings. ''('''Full article...''')''</small>
<h3 style="padding:3px 7px; margin:8px 0; background-color:#CEDFF2;">Today's Featured Picture</h3>[[File:African Chaffinch (Fringilla spodiogenys) female Sfax.jpg|alt=style=max-width:40%; margin-right:10px;|border|center|950x950px|'''Leopard seal''']]The '''[[African chaffinch]]''' (''Fringilla spodiogenys'') is a species of passerine bird in the genus ''Fringilla''. The African chaffinch is found from southern Morocco to northwestern Libya, and in Italy on the islands of Lampedusa and Pantelleria. There is also an isolated population in northeastern Libya. Its habitat includes deciduous forests and lowlands, and during the nonbreeding season extends its habitat to open areas including weedy fields and olive groves. The diet of the African chaffinch is similar to the Eurasian chaffinch, consisting mostly of small invertebrates and their larvae as well as flowers, seeds, and buds. This female African chaffinch was photographed in Sfax, Tunisia.
<h3 style="padding:3px 7px; margin:8px 0; background-color:#CEDFF2;">Today's Featured Picture</h3>[[File:Joseph Karl Stieler's Beethoven mit dem Manuskript der Missa solemnis.jpg|alt=style=max-width:40%; margin-right:10px;|border|left|frameless|436x436px|'''Leopard seal''']]'''Ludwig van Beethoven''' (baptised 17 December 1770 â 26 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire and span the transition from the Classical period to the Romantic era. His early period, during which he forged his craft, is typically considered to have lasted until 1802. From 1802 to around 1812, his middle period showed an individual development from the styles of Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and is sometimes characterised as heroic. During this time, Beethoven began to grow increasingly deaf. In his late period, from 1812 to 1827, he extended his innovations in musical form and expression. This oil-on-canvas portrait, titled ''Beethoven with the Manuscript of the Missa Solemnis'', was painted by Joseph Karl Stieler in 1820, and depicts Beethoven while composing his Missa solemnis, which was first performed in 1824. The painting hangs in the Beethoven House at his birthplace in Bonn, Germany.
<small>Photograph credit: [[wikipedia:User:Charlesjsharp|Charles J. Sharp]]</small>
<small>Painting credit: Joseph Karl Stieler</small>
<b>Recently featured: [[Leopard seal|Leopard Seal]] . <small>[[Glassblowing]] â˘Â [[Hugh McCulloch]] ⢠[[Siege of Baghdad]] [[Golden-shouldered parrot]] ⢠[[wikipedia:Template:POTD/2025-12-02|Pedro II of Brazil]]</small></b> Â
<b>Recently featured: [[Leopard seal|Leopard Seal]] . <small>[[Glassblowing]] â˘Â [[Hugh McCulloch]] ⢠[[Siege of Baghdad]] [[Golden-shouldered parrot]] ⢠[[wikipedia:Template:POTD/2025-12-02|Pedro II of Brazil]]</small></b> Â
Revision as of 10:32, 17 December 2025
Welcome to Verified Wikipedia The encyclopedia of verified knowledge
âIn a world of noise, Verified Wikipedia speaks truth.â â The Verified Source of the Worldâs Knowledge
The platform combines the precision of Wikipedia, the authenticity of government data, and the credibility
of verified digital identities to create the worldâs first âVerified Internet of Knowledge.â
Today's Featured Article
Ruins of Fountains AbbeyAround June 1447, John Greenwell was poisoned by a monk, William Downom. The abbotof Fountains Abbey (ruins pictured), Greenwell led the richest abbey in England; his office made him an important figure in Yorkshire. The first half of the century saw the abbey wracked with internal strife, including a disputed election which had violent repercussions as well as, possibly, embezzlement. Greenwell appears to have brought a degree of peace to the abbey upon his election, but he does not seem to have been popular. Downom poisoned a dish of pottage, which he attempted to feed to Greenwell while he was sick. He survived the poisoning, and the case became notorious. Although it took over a year and discussions with Fountains' motherhouse of CĂŽteaux Abbey, Downom was eventually expelled. Greenwell remained controversial and was both accused and accuser in local lawsuits, and incurred the distrust of King Edward IV for his political leanings. (Full article...)
Leopard sealLudwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 1770 â 26 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire and span the transition from the Classical period to the Romantic era. His early period, during which he forged his craft, is typically considered to have lasted until 1802. From 1802 to around 1812, his middle period showed an individual development from the styles of Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and is sometimes characterised as heroic. During this time, Beethoven began to grow increasingly deaf. In his late period, from 1812 to 1827, he extended his innovations in musical form and expression. This oil-on-canvas portrait, titled Beethoven with the Manuscript of the Missa Solemnis, was painted by Joseph Karl Stieler in 1820, and depicts Beethoven while composing his Missa solemnis, which was first performed in 1824. The painting hangs in the Beethoven House at his birthplace in Bonn, Germany.
5G and early 6G testing expanded, supporting industrial automation.
Medical AI tools improved diagnostics for major diseases.
Global cybersecurity alliances were formed to counter digital threats.
Tech companies committed to ethical AI development.
Telemedicine grew rapidly, especially in developing regions.
Education systems adopted AI-based personalized learning on a large scale.
VI. Culture, Society & Sports
International film festivals experienced record global participation.
World music and entertainment industries expanded global reach, especially in Asian and African markets.
Major sports tournaments and global event bids shaped the future of international competitions.
Cultural diplomacy initiatives increased, promoting heritage and creative industries.
Global migration trends reshaped cultural demographics, increasing multicultural integration in major cities.
Fuel the Movement
If the internet has ever broadened your understanding, strengthened your work, or shaped your perspective,
we invite you to give back â not merely as a donor, but as a dedicated partner in protecting truth and
elevating verified knowledge.
You can support our mission financially through the following methods:
Every edit shapes the future.
Every contribution strengthens global trust.
Every act of support builds a more reliable, transparent, and accountable information ecosystem for the world.