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SMS Kaiser Friedrich III was the lead ship of the Kaiser Friedrich III class of five pre-dreadnought battleships. Laid down in Wilhelmshaven in March 1895, the ship was launched in July 1896, entered service in October 1899, and became the flagship of I Squadron of the German Home Fleet in 1900. The battleship was armed with a main battery of four 24-centimeter (9.4 in) guns, supported by a secondary battery of eighteen 15 cm (5.9 in) guns. In 1901 the vessel was severely damaged striking submerged rocks; this led to design changes in later German battleships. Kaiser Friedrich III was extensively modernized in 1908 and placed in the Reserve Formation in 1910. Though obsolete, the aging battleship served as a coastal defence ship in the early months of World War I. The vessel was withdrawn from service by February 1915, and was later employed as a prison ship and a barracks ship, before being broken up in 1920. (This article is part of a featured topic: Battleships of Germany.)

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Did you know ...

Ultrasound waves imaged by Franziska Seidl's apparatus

... that Franziska Seidl, born 130 years ago today, finished school after her husband's death and then went on to research ultrasound (illustration pictured) at the University of Vienna?
... that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first president of Bangladesh, had an appearance in the 1974 film Sangram?
... that Lebanese LGBT rights activist Sandra Melhem, one of the foremost promoters of drag culture in Beirut, was given an award for her humanitarian relief work after the 2020 Beirut explosion?
... that the quantum boomerang effect causes particles to turn around and return to their starting point?
... that Pat Gozemba married her wife while researching a book about the history of the struggle for equal marriage in Massachusetts?
... that red-boxing by American politicians is used to coordinate with Super PACs, an activity that the Campaign Legal Center called the "primary mechanism for corruption of federal campaigns in 2022"?
... that a song about an esports team went viral in Finland?
... that King Mohnyin Thado of Ava responded to the troubles of his kingdom by recalibrating the Burmese calendar to year 2?

In the news

Yair Lapid

Yair Lapid (pictured) succeeds Naftali Bennett as prime minister of Israel.
At least 53 unlawful migrants are found dead in an abandoned tractor-trailer in San Antonio, Texas, United States.
In ice hockey, the Colorado Avalanche defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning to win the Stanley Cup.
At least twenty-one people are found dead in a nightclub in East London, South Africa.

On this day

July 1: Canada Day (1867); Republic Day in Ghana (1960); Independence Day in Rwanda (1962)

Striking railroad workers, 1922

1690 – Williamite forces defeated the Jacobites at the Battle of the Boyne near Drogheda, marking a turning point in the Williamite War in Ireland.
1922 – Seven of the sixteen American railroad labor organizations staged a nationwide strike (striking workers pictured) that lasted two months.
1979 – Sony introduced the Walkman, a portable audio player that changed listening habits by offering users the ability to play one's own choice of music.
2002 – Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937 and DHL Flight 611 collided in mid-air over Überlingen, Germany, killing all 71 people aboard both aircraft.

Alfonso VI of León and Castile (d. 1109)
Nguyễn Đình Chiểu (b. 1822)
Julia Higgins (b. 1942)

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From today's featured list

Leeteuk during a public broadcast of Kiss the Radio, 2009

South Korean singer-songwriter, television host and actor Leeteuk made his screen debut in 2000 on All About Eve with a bit part. After joining Super Junior in 2005, he began appearing in shows related to his group — firstly Super Junior Show on KM and horror mockumentary Mystery 6. Expanding his repertoire, he started presenting soon after. His first stint as a host was on Mnet's M! Countdown between 2005–08. He rose to prominence as a host on Strong Heart, winning the Best Newcomer Award (Variety) and Excellence Talk Show Award in the 3rd and 5th SBS Entertainment Awards respectively. Events he has hosted include the Golden Disc Awards, Dream Concert, and the Idol Star Athletics Championships since 2015. He has acted in series and films such as Attack on the Pin-Up Boys, Dream High, Salamander Guru and The Shadows, and Secret Queen Makers. While serving in the military, he was the recipient of the Newcomer Award for his portrayal of Miss Kim for The Promise at the 7th Daegu International Musical Festival. (Full list...)

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Today's featured picture

The willie wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) is a passerine bird native to Australia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Bismarck Archipelago, and eastern Indonesia. It measures about 19–21.5 cm (7+1⁄2–8+1⁄2 in) in length. The willie wagtail is insectivorous and spends much time chasing prey in open habitat. Its common name is derived from its habit of wagging its tail horizontally when foraging on the ground. Aggressive and territorial, the willie wagtail will often harass much larger birds such as the laughing kookaburra and wedge-tailed eagle. It has responded well to human alteration of the landscape and is a common sight in urban lawns, parks, and gardens. It is widely featured in Aboriginal folklore around Australia and New Guinea in a variety of roles, from stealer of secrets and liar to a good omen for successful crops.

Photograph credit: JJ Harrison

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