Help desk
< March 5	<< Feb \| March \| Apr >>	March 7 >

Welcome to the Wikipedia Help Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current Help Desk pages.

March 6

Mohammad Sharifullah , also known as “Jafar”

Mohammad Sharifullah, also known as “Jafar” - deported to the US, DOJ officially confirms.^[1] He is one of the most brutal terrorists, who will face justice here in the US. But we do not have an article about him in Wiki. Who can help with this? M.Karelin (talk) 04:48, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

“This evil ISIS-K terrorist orchestrated the brutal murder of 13 heroic service members,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. M.Karelin (talk) 04:50, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

I'd suggest dropping the jingoism; it's not helping your case at all. —Jéské Couriano v^_^v ^{threads critiques} 07:20, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

Did I understand you correctly, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev killed 2 or 3 Americans, and there is an article about him, but we should not have an article about someone, a terrorist, who orchestrated the brutal murder of 13 US Military officers ?? Is that what you mean ?? M.Karelin (talk) 08:22, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

You were just asked to drop the jingoism. Maproom (talk) 08:38, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

2021 Kabul airport attack does have an article, but it is too early to have one about Mohammad Sharifullah, per WP:BLP1E.--♦IanMacM♦ ^{(talk to me)} 08:48, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

Ok, then why we have an article about Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, or about Timothy McVeigh ?? Or about Thomas Matthew Crooks ?? M.Karelin (talk) 08:58, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

It depends on the amount of sourcing. At the moment, there probably isn't enough sourcing to justify a standalone article about Mohammad Sharifullah, and anything that needs to be said can be covered at 2021 Kabul airport attack.--♦IanMacM♦ ^{(talk to me)} 09:32, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

@Миша Карелин, you're making the assumption that whether an article can be written about a subject depends on what they are or what they have done: this is incorrect. The criteria (notability) mostly comes down to whether or not enough independent material about them has been reliably published or not - and it may simply be TOOSOON for that. ColinFine (talk) 22:06, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

Is BBC an independent source ? [2]. I know we have not much info about his bio, but there is a lot of info about what he did in Kabul (btw, according to BBC - At least 170 Afghans died alongside 13 US service members in the attack). M.Karelin (talk) 02:00, 7 March 2025 (UTC)

It's an independent source. It says he is accused of organising the attack, and uses the word alleged a few times—so it's carefully not saying that he did it, only that he's accused of doing it, until the trial determines whether or not he actually did. Musiconeologist (talk) 02:21, 7 March 2025 (UTC)

We have an article about Thomas Matthew Crooks, and he never been convicted but any court... M.Karelin (talk) 10:24, 7 March 2025 (UTC)

I don't have an opinion about whether there should be an article—I'm just saying what kind of thing the reference would be a reliable source for, namely the accusations and the fact of his being put on trial. Musiconeologist (talk) 10:41, 7 March 2025 (UTC)

Миша Карелин, whether or not it is appropriate to write an article about a person depends entirely on the quality and depth of coverage in reliable sources discussing that person. The BBC report says that he was arrested and extradited, that he is short and was wearing a mask, and little else. We do not learn whether he is Afghan or another nationality, or how old he is, what his education is, whether he has family, when and where he was apprehended or any other biographical information. As for Thomas Matthew Crooks, that article has 53 references to reliable sources, and we have massive information about his short, troubled life. As for Crooks not being convicted, that is irrelevant. He has been dead since last July so our strict policies on biographies of living people do not apply to him. Also, we have articles about John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald, neither of whom were convicted, but both of whom are highly notable. Cullen328 (talk) 05:33, 8 March 2025 (UTC)

New sources will appear. If we try to search them, of course. M.Karelin (talk) 05:39, 8 March 2025 (UTC)

Миша Карелин, that may well be the case, but Wikipedia is not a crystal ball and we do not predict the future. Please read Wikipedia:Too soon. Cullen328 (talk) 08:09, 8 March 2025 (UTC)

References

^ [1]

Biographical infobox portrait caption?

Hello. I have a question about the policy regarding lead images for contemporary biographies in the infoboxes where there are photographs. Where is the policy for it and what is the precedent? For example, I have seen in a lot of political officeholders, they usually have a free picture that says "Official portrait, __ year" If the jurisdiction they serve doesn't have a free picture, usually it is a close up, cropped photo of them with the caption "Last name in __ year" The same applies for notable celebrities that have free pictures that are not prepared by government bodies. Some exceptions to the government ones are probably JFK and Donald Trump.

However, I have seen some other exceptions regarding celebrities. For example Leo DiCaprio's article which is featured says him at some film festival. Also, the featured article for today March 5, 2025, Les Holden, has something different. Also the same for Dolly de Leon. I changed Willem Dafoe's to the format of "Last name in __ year" but now I am realizing I may have made a mistake.

Any insight is greatly appreciated! AsaQuathern (talk) 05:35, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

Hello, AsaQuathern. I suggest that you read Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Captions. Donald Trump signed a law in 2018 banning official presidential portraits. His current lead image is his 2025 inaugural photo. JFK's portrait is official. It was taken in the Oval Office by White House photographer Cecil W. Stoughton. Les Holden's image shows him "in action", as it were, and calls for more detail to clarify things for the reader. Leonardo DiCaprio's caption explains why he is wearing a tuxedo. And so on. Each case is unique. Be aware that the Manual of Style is not a policy. It is a guideline. Cullen328 (talk) 07:58, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

makes sense thanks! One last question though, if TRump signed a law banning official portraits, why does Biden have a portrait?AsaQuathern (talk) 15:46, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

Also I believe the bill he signed in 2018 was concerning oil portraits, not photographs based on the research I did. However, the MOS link you gave was much appreciated! Perhaps Dafoe's caption should be changed then...AsaQuathern (talk) 15:59, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

AsaQuathern, you are correct. I did more reading and according to Artnet, the law only applies to government funded paintings, not photos. Cullen328 (talk) 11:43, 7 March 2025 (UTC)

Is it allowed to add an edit to an article reverted because of a block?

Example is here Talk:Hurricane Milton. A user made a potentially constructive edit but it was reverted as user was found to be blocked. Is it within the rules to make that edit myself due to the fact it was only reverted because of the user not the edit? HydrogenPowered (talk) 12:09, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

@HydrogenPowered Yes that's fine, provided you are happy the edit is within policy. See Wikipedia:Blocking_policy#Edits_by_and_on_behalf_of_banned_and_blocked_editors. You, of course, will be taking responsibility for the content now. Mike Turnbull (talk) 12:48, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

question re navbox

I am trying to keep the navbox below expanded at the article 97th Academy Awards. could you please tell me what i did incorrectly? I thought that {{Oscar nominees 2025|state=expanded}} would do this.

thanks. Sm8900 (talk) 15:03, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

@Sm8900: I have implemented the state parameter.[3] It has to be done in each navbox with the option. There is sometimes false documentation claiming it works. PrimeHunter (talk) 15:10, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

ok, thats good to know. sorry, just to clarify, what do you mean, There is sometimes false documentation claiming it works? i think i understand, but just want to make sure. thanks for your help!! Sm8900 (talk) 19:20, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

@Sm8900: By false documentation I meant Template:Oscar nominees 2025#Initial visibility which also documented the alleged parameter before I made it work. PrimeHunter (talk) 19:30, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

Issue with category name

There is a category titled "Category:Perpetrators of the Herero and Namaqua genocide" It is a list of people who participated in the genocide of the Herero and Nama people in German Southwest Africa. As one may have noticed, I have referred to them as the Nama, and not the Namaqua, like in the name of the category. This is because Nama is the modern term. Namaqua is an outdated term literally meaning "place of the Nama" in the native language of the Nama, Khoekhoegowab. The reason for this discrepancy is most likely due to article writers using dated sources, due to the fact that Namaqua is a much older term. Thus, it would be pertinent to change the name to "Category:Perpetrators of the Herero and Nama genocide". However, I do not know how to, nor do I believe I have the qualifications to change the name. I have multiple sources using the modern name as well:

-Sincerely and Aufrichtig, Babelball (talk) 21:44, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

Do note, the International Mission Board is a website for an organization focused on spreading Christianity, so I'd take information from it with a grain of salt. Babelball (talk) 21:49, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

@Babelball The place for the rename discussion is WP:CfD. You are absolutely qualified to start the discussion, as is any editor. Go ahead, be bold. Ultraodan (talk) 21:51, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

Thank you, I didn't know exactly where to discuss this. Babelball (talk) 21:52, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

Specifying specific categories

Hello, I would like Template:WikiProject style advice to have a parameter that removes it from Category:WikiProject style advice and places it into one of the more specific categories that I have created to diffuse the category (mirroring Template:Style), like (arts), (regional), etc. Thanks for your assistance! JuxtaposedJacob (talk) | :) | he/him | 22:12, 6 March 2025 (UTC)

@JuxtaposedJacob: {{Style}} doesn't add categories and you already removed the addition of Category:WikiProject style advice from {{WikiProject style advice}}.[4] The wanted categories can just be added normally to the pages. Template-added categories other than maintenance categories are controversial and need a good reason. PrimeHunter (talk) 09:08, 7 March 2025 (UTC)

Ok, thanks @PrimeHunter; have a good day! JuxtaposedJacob (talk) | :) | he/him | 22:57, 8 March 2025 (UTC)

[1] [1]

[1]