Wikipedia:Main Page history/2013 January 30

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From today's featured article

Bastion is an action role-playing video game produced by independent developer Supergiant Games. In the game, the player controls "the Kid" as he moves through floating, fantasy-themed environments collecting special shards of rock to power a structure, the Bastion, in the wake of an apocalyptic event. It features a dynamic voiceover from a narrator, and is presented as a two-dimensional game with an isometric camera and a hand-painted, colorful art style. The game debuted at the September 2010 Penny Arcade Expo, and it went on to be nominated for awards at the 2011 Independent Games Festival and win awards at the Electronic Entertainment Expo prior to release in July 2011. During 2011, the game sold more than 500,000 copies, 200,000 of which were for the Xbox Live Arcade. It was widely praised by reviewers, primarily for its story, art direction, narration, and music, although opinions were mixed on the depth of the gameplay. Bastion has won many nominations and awards since its release, including several for best downloadable game and best music. The soundtrack was produced and composed by Darren Korb, and a soundtrack album was made available for sale in August 2011. (Full article...)

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From Wikipedia's newest content:

... that Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates Alexander W. Monroe successfully protected a 27-mile (43 km)-long wagon train of General Robert E. Lee's forces retreating from the Battle of Gettysburg?

... that during the Byzantine civil war of 1341–47, Theodore Synadenos wanted to surrender Thessalonica to John Kantakouzenos, but was ousted by the radical Zealots faction?

... that House actor Hugh Laurie had his first feature film lead role in The Oranges, released in October 2012?

... that Christina Aguilera's song "Lotus Intro" was inspired by her passion for "chill-out" electronica music?

... that in the 1780s Livesey, Hargreaves and Company was the largest calico printer in Lancashire?

... that Central Powers offensive codenamed Operation Faustschlag forced the Soviet government to transfer its capital from Petrograd to Moscow?

... that Michael G. Santos became the first American prisoner to be released from a maximum security facility?

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In the news

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands

Queen Beatrix (pictured) announces that she will abdicate the Dutch throne at the end of April.

The World Men's Handball Championship concludes with Spain defeating Denmark in the final.

More than 230 people are killed and over 160 others are injured in a nightclub fire in Santa Maria, Brazil.

Miloš Zeman is elected President of the Czech Republic.

At least 50 people are killed in a prison riot in Barquisimeto, Venezuela.

Protests coinciding with the second anniversary of the 2011 Egyptian revolution result in widespread injuries and deaths in Egypt.

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On this day...

January 30: Martyrs' Day in India

1018 – The German–Polish War ended with the signing of the Peace of Bautzen between Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor and the Piast ruler of Poland Bolesław I.

1858 – The Hallé symphony orchestra held their first concert in Manchester.

1945 – World War II: In one of the largest losses of life in a single sinking in maritime history, the Soviet submarine S-13 sank the Wilhelm Gustloff carrying German soldiers and refugees evacuating from East Prussia, killing at least 9,400 people.

1948 – Nathuram Godse fatally shot Mahatma Gandhi (pictured), the political and spiritual leader of India and the Indian independence movement, at Birla House in Delhi.

1982 – Richard Skrenta's "Elk Cloner" became the first known computer virus found "in the wild". It infected Apple II computers via floppy disk.

More anniversaries: January 29 – January 30 – January 31

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Today's featured picture

The White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae, shown in non-breeding plumage) is a relatively small heron that is common throughout most of Australasia. First described by John Latham in 1790, adults range in size from 60 to 70 centimetres (24 to 28 in) in length.

Photograph: JJ Harrison

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