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The Satrapy of Cappadocia (dark red) c. 500 BC

The ancient Cappadocian language is an unattested language once spoken in antiquity in Cappadocia, a historical region of central Anatolia in modern-day Turkey (map pictured). There are no known texts written in Cappadocian, although classical Greek writers identified Cappadocian as distinct from Greek, and a few Greek words were attributed to a Cappadocian origin. The language also influenced the pronunciation of Greek spoken by Cappadocians, whose accent was infamous among classical authors. Although Cappadocian does not have a secure linguistic classification, it likely belonged to the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European languages, probably as a relative or descendant of Luwian. Prior to the modern understanding of Anatolian languages in the twentieth century, Cappadocian was variously considered part of the Semitic family, part of other known branches of Indo-European, or part of an Anatolian language family unrelated to any other known languages. (Full article...)

Painting of St. Mark's Square by Haines

• ... that paintings of Venice by William Henry Haines (example pictured) were passed off as the work of old Italian masters like Canaletto?
• ... that the 7,257-foot (2,212 m) Mount Bonaparte had a cistern hand-carved into its granite summit in 1929?
• ... that a Metropolitan Police detective called Chao Xu "one of the most prolific sexual predators" whom they had investigated?
• ... that, during the siege of Rome, the Goths told the citizens of Rome that its Byzantine defenders had previously visited Italy only as actors and thieving sailors?
• ... that actor Octavian Cotescu was serving in the Romanian communist legislature when he appeared in a production of Master and Margarita, alongside his topless wife?
• ... that the first woman to climb Mount Everest wore a Favre-Leuba watch while doing so?
• ... that Ukrainian trade unionist Mykhailo Volynets was inspired to organise miners after supporting the 1984–1985 United Kingdom miners' strike?
• ... that unlike most female spiders in their genus, Stenaelurillus darwini have domed "flaps" covering the opening to their reproductive organs?
• ... that Mindaugas bribed Andreas von Velven with gifts and agreed to be baptized to stop the Livonian Order's invasion of Lithuania?

Candy store in Maryland

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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Hôtel de Ville the day after the fire

• The Hôtel de Ville in Limoges is partially destroyed by arson (damage pictured) as fuel and student protests escalate in France.
• The International Bureau of Weights and Measures votes to 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.
• South African jurist Navi Pillay is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
• Canadian poet Anne Carson is awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

October 19

Hurricane Wilma northeast of Honduras

• 1864 – American Civil War: Despite incurring nearly twice as many casualties as the Confederates, the Union army emerged victorious at the Battle of Cedar Creek.
• 1943 – World War II: Allied aircraft sank the German cargo ship Sinfra, killing mostly Italian POWs.
• 1955 – At a meeting of its general assembly, the European Broadcasting Union approved the staging of the first Eurovision Song Contest.
• 1965 – Vietnam War: The Siege of Plei Me began with the first major confrontation between soldiers of the North Vietnamese Army and the U.S. Army.
• 2005 – Hurricane Wilma (pictured) became the most intense Atlantic hurricane on record with a minimum atmospheric pressure of 882 mbar (26.05 inHg).