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Present-day view of the Schliengen battlefield

The Battle of Schliengen took place on 24 October 1796 between the French Army of the Rhine and Moselle and the Austrian army near the village of Schliengen during the War of the First Coalition. Control of the area gave either combatant access to southwestern German states and Rhine crossings. On 20 October, the French army under Jean-Victor Moreau retreated from Freiburg im Breisgau and established his army along a ridge of hills. The Austrian army led by Archduke Charles attacked the French flanks directly, and in force, which increased casualties for both sides. The French withdrew from the battlefield in good order and several days later crossed the Rhine at Huningue. Confusion in Vienna wasted any strategic advantage that Charles might have obtained and locked the Habsburg force into two sieges on the Rhine, when the troops were badly needed in northern Italy. The battle is commemorated on a monument in Vienna and on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. (Full article...)

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Candy store in Maryland, United States

This week's article for improvement is confectionery store, also known as a sweet shop, candy store or lolly shop. These stores may sell locally distinct sweets, international sweets, or "vintage" candies like rock candy or liquorice.

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Adding information about early confectioners and the development in the modern age
Finding reliable sources about its history, offerings, and regional varieties
Expanding the "History" section

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Hôtel de Ville the day after the fire

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The International Bureau of Weights and Measures votes to effectively abolish the leap second over concerns about disruptions to computer systems.
The Houthis launch a series of attacks on Saudi Arabian airports, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 370 others.

On this day

October 24

George Washington Bridge

1789 – The Brabant Revolution, sometimes considered to be the first expression of Belgian nationalism, began with the invasion of the Austrian Netherlands by an émigré army from the Dutch Republic.
1851 – Umbriel and Ariel, the third- and fourth-largest moons of Uranus, were discovered by William Lassell.
1931 – The George Washington Bridge (pictured), connecting Manhattan, New York City, to Fort Lee, New Jersey, and today the world's busiest motor-vehicle bridge, was dedicated.
1964 – Charges in a military court against generals Dương Văn Đức and Lâm Văn Phát of leading a coup attempt against South Vietnamese leader Nguyễn Khánh, were dropped.

Tycho Brahe (d. 1601)
James Rorke (d. 1875)
Sofia Gubaidulina (b. 1931)
Roman Abramovich (b. 1966)

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Today's featured picture

Thomson's gazelle (Eudorcas thomsonii) is a species of antelope native to the grasslands and savannas of Kenya and Tanzania. It is named after Scottish explorer Joseph Thomson. It stands 60–70 centimetres (24–28 inches) tall at the shoulder and has a sandy-brown coat, a black stripe along each flank, and a white rump. Thomson's gazelles feed primarily on grasses, supplementing their diet with leaves and seeds during dry periods. They can reach speeds of 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph), evading predators such as cheetahs through rapid changes of direction. Although classified as a least-concern species, their populations have declined substantially because of habitat modification and other threats. This male Thomson's gazelle was photographed in Amboseli National Park, Kenya.

Photograph credit: Diego Delso

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