Daily Content Archive

Word of the Day
Definition: ()

Article of the Day

Qadi A qadi is a Muslim judge who renders decisions according to Sharia, the canon law of Islam. Although his jurisdiction extends to civil and criminal matters, the qadi typically hears only religious cases, such as those involving inheritance, marriage, and divorce. The first qadi was appointed in the 7th century by the second Muslim caliph, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, to help alleviate the burden of judging disputes that arose in the community. What are the qualifications for becoming a qadi? More...

This Day in History

The 4th of August Regime Established in Greece (1936) Political instability coupled with economic unrest undermined the Greek government for much of the 1920s and 30s and finally brought parliament to a standstill in 1936. On August 4 of that year, Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas declared a state of emergency, suspended parliament, and made himself dictator—with the blessing of the king. Though his 4th of August Regime suppressed political opposition, it also carried out beneficial economic and social reforms. What brought the regime to an end? More...

Today's Birthday

Raoul Wallenberg (1912) In 1944, as Nazi troops rounded up hundreds of thousands of Jews in Hungary, Wallenberg—a Swedish citizen who had previously worked for a company run by a Hungarian Jew—asked to be posted there as a diplomat. Once there, he worked relentlessly to save tens of thousands of Jews by sheltering them on Swedish property and distributing counterfeit Swedish passports. He was arrested by the Soviets in 1945, and his death while in their custody is shrouded in mystery. What might have happened to him? More...

Quotation of the Day
It is a melancholy truth that even great men have their poor relations. Charles Dickens (1812-1870)

Idiom of the Day
pull a prank (on someone) — To carry out a trick, deception, or practical joke (against someone). More...

Today's Holiday

Dog Days (2021) The Dog Days are known as the hottest days of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, and usually occur in July and early August. In ancient times, the sultry weather in Rome during these months often made people sick, which they blamed on the fact that this was when Sirius, the Dog Star, rose at about the same time as the sun. There are many different ways of calculating which days in any given year are the dog days, but it is impossible to be precise; nowadays it is generally assumed that they fall between July 3 and August 11—slightly later than they occurred in ancient times. More...