Wikipedia:Main Page history/2013 March 17

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From today's featured article

Irish Thoroughbred, the debut novel by American author Nora Roberts (pictured), was first published in January 1981 as a category romance. Like other category romances, it was less than 200 pages and was intended to be on sale for only one month. It proved so popular that it was repackaged as a stand-alone romance and reprinted multiple times. Roberts drew on her Irish heritage to create an Irish heroine, Adelia "Dee" Cunnane. In the novel, Dee moves to the United States, where her sick uncle arranges for her to marry his employer, wealthy American horsebreeder Travis Grant. Although the early part of their relationship is marked by frequent arguments, by the end of the story Travis and Dee reconcile. According to one critic, the couple's transformation from adversaries to a loving married couple is one of many formulaic elements in the book. Although the protagonists adhered to many stereotypes common to 1980s romance novels, Roberts's heroine is more independent and feisty than most others of the time. Roberts wrote two sequels, Irish Rebel and Irish Rose. (Full article...)

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In the news

The National People's Congress of China names Xi Jinping as the new President and Li Keqiang as the new Premier.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina (pictured) is elected as Pope Francis, becoming the first Latin American pope of the Catholic Church.

JOGMEC announces the first successful extraction of methane hydrate from seabed deposits.

A binary brown dwarf system, WISE 1049-5319, is observed 6.5 light-years from Earth, making it the closest star system discovered since 1916.

Armenian presidential runner-up Raffi Hovannisian goes on hunger strike after three weeks of rallies protesting the results of the recent election.

Recent deaths: Ieng Sary

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On this day...

March 17: Saint Patrick's Day; Passion Sunday (Anglicanism, 2013)

455 – After arranging for the assassination of Valentinian III, Petronius Maximus seized the throne of the Western Roman Empire, only to be killed 11 weeks later during the sack of Rome.

1891 – The transatlantic steamship SS Utopia accidentally collided with the battleship HMS Anson in the Bay of Gibraltar, sinking in less than twenty minutes (pictured) and killing 562.

1963 – The most recent eruption of Mount Agung on Bali, Indonesia, killed approximately 1,500 people.

1969 – Golda Meir became the first female Prime Minister of Israel.

1988 – Eritrean War of Independence: The Eritrean People's Liberation Front encircled an Ethiopian force and gained a decisive victory in the Battle of Afabet.

More anniversaries: March 16 – March 17 – March 18

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It is now March 17, 2013 (UTC) – Reload this page

Today's featured picture

Thelephora palmata is a widespread species of clavarioid fungus. It is commonly known as the stinking earthfan for its fetid odor, which intensifies after drying.

Photo: H. Krisp

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