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Today's featured article Jovan Vladimir (died 1016) was ruler of Duklja, the most powerful Serbian principality of the time, from around 1000 to 1016. He ruled during the protracted war between the Byzantine Empire and the First Bulgarian Empire. His close relationship with Byzantium did not save Duklja from the expansionist Tsar Samuel of Bulgaria, who conquered the principality in around 1010 and took Jovan Vladimir prisoner. A medieval chronicle asserts that Samuel's daughter, Theodora Kosara, fell in love with Vladimir and begged her father for his hand. The tsar allowed the marriage and returned Duklja to Vladimir, who ruled as his vassal. Vladimir was acknowledged as a pious, just, and peaceful ruler. He took no part in his father-in-law's war efforts. The warfare culminated with Samuel's defeat by the Byzantines in 1014; the tsar died soon afterward. In 1016 Vladimir fell victim to a plot by Ivan Vladislav, the last ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire. He was beheaded in front of a church in Prespa, the empire's capital, and was buried there. He was soon recognized as a martyr and saint; his feast day is celebrated on 22 May. (more...) Recently featured: Hurricane Vince – Nick Adenhart – Giraffe Archive – By email – More featured articles... Did you know... From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that Agneta Matthes and her husband (pictured), who ran factories in Delft producing yeast, perfume, and margarine, developed a workers' housing area in garden city style, Agneta Park? ... that the Madrid Codex, one of only three surviving pre-Columbian Maya books, contains almanacs and horoscopes that were used to assist Maya priests in their ceremonies? ... that 2012 women's eights Olympic rowers Renee Chatterton, Tess Gerrand, Alexandra Hagan, Sally Kehoe, Elizabeth Patrick, Phoebe Stanley, and Hannah Vermeersch are part of a team nicknamed the "Motley Crew"? ... that Ole Hannibal Sommerfelt succeeded his brother Christian Sommerfeldt as County Governor of Christians Amt? ... that the director of Pareh engaged in a car chase with the film's star before casting him? ... that Jade Neilsen and Brittany Elmslie were selected for Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics as members of swimming relay teams? ... that Sheffield's Supertram system runs on a route initially selected for the Minitram automated guideway transit system? ... that Nicola Wilson and Opposition Buzz were selected for Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics after Piggy French was forced to withdraw? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news The Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympics is held in London. At least 58 people are killed and 200,000 displaced in ethnic violence between Bodos and immigrant Muslims in Assam, India. At least 42 people are killed in clashes between rebels and Tajik government troops in Gorno-Badakhshan. Ghanaian President John Atta Mills (pictured) dies at the age of 68 and is succeeded by Vice President John Dramani Mahama. At least 116 people are killed and more than 250 others wounded in a string of bombings and attacks in Iraq. Olympic summary – Wikinews – Recent deaths More current events... On this day... July 29: Tisha B'Av ends at nightfall (Judaism, 2012); Ólavsøka in the Faroe Islands 1014 – Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars: Forces of the Byzantine Empire defeated troops of the Bulgarian Empire at the Battle of Kleidion in the Belasica Mountains near present-day Klyuch, Bulgaria. 1836 – The Arc de Triomphe in Paris, commemorating those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, was formally inaugurated. 1947 – ENIAC (pictured), the world's first general-purpose electronic digital computer, was turned on in its new home at the Ballistic Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Grounds. 1950 – Korean War: U.S. Army 7th Cavalry Regiment troops concluded four days of shootings of civilians, sparked by fears that columns of refugees might contain North Korean spies. 1981 – A worldwide television audience of over 700 million people watched the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales and Diana Spencer at St Paul's Cathedral in London. 2010 – An overloaded passenger ferry capsized on the Kasai River in Bandundu Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, resulting in at least 80 deaths. More anniversaries: July 28 – July 29 – July 30 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now July 29, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture The European bison or wisent (Bison bonasus) is the heaviest of the surviving land animals in Europe, with males growing to around 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). European bison were hunted to extinction in the wild, but have since been reintroduced from captivity into several countries. This male is moulting, his winter coat coming off in clumps. Photo: Michael Gäbler Recently featured: St. Moritz, Switzerland – Rhodium – Bay of Kotor, Montenegro Archive – More featured pictures...