January 31, 2005
This article, originally published on Sept. 21, 2003, discusses the environmental disaster suffered by Romania, Serbia and Hungary when a gold mine in the former country burst its walls, sending tons of toxic cyanide into the Tisza and Danube rivers. The second of a two-part series, the article sets the context for tomorrow’s piece- devoted [...]
January 30, 2005
This article, originally published on Sept. 20, 2003, talks about environmentalists’ outcry over planned mining in Bulgaria. The first of a two-part series, the second of which will be reprinted tomorrow, helps set the context for Tuesday’s new story from Serbia- about a recent and unlikely victory for the people over the powers that be, [...]
January 28, 2005
Surprisingly enough, Dr. Nebojsa Covic’s Jan. 25 speech before the European Parliamentary Committee for External Affairs met with an almost complete media blackout. Covic, the Serbian government’s point man on Kosovo, spoke about the dire and increasingly urgent situation that Serbian and other non-Albanians have been facing for the past 5 years in UN-occupied Kosovo. [...]
January 26, 2005
In a daring pre-dawn raid, scores of heavily armed Macedonian soldiers stormed the streets of a quiet Skopje suburb early Wednesday morning. However, there was no shooting, for the soldiers were armed – with shovels – for an unusually crafty enemy: snow.Since Monday, Macedonia has been blanketed with its first significant snowfall of the year. [...]
January 21, 2005
Defeat in Detail: The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912-1913 By Edward J. Erickson Praeger Publishers, 2003; 345 pp., 31 maps, 50 tables and 3 appendices Reviewed by Christopher Deliso Defeat in detail – a title with a clever double meaning – refers both to the author’s exhaustive treatment of a little-known yet vital part [...]
January 19, 2005
by Carl K. Savich A version of this article appeared initially on December 30, 2004 in the Sterling Heights (MI) Mirror. According to the author, the fact that it won a special commendation from the paper indicates “the growing antipathy to the war in the American heartland.” As more U.S. troops are killed and wounded [...]
January 17, 2005
Although it’s been linked for many centuries to the Orthodox (Julian Calendar) New Year’s holiday, the Vevchani Carnival like many others has its roots in the pagan tradition. Along with alleviating winter doldrums, the carnival also offered its participants the chance to drive away evil spirits. The symbolic exodus of such harmful apparitions was conducted [...]
January 17, 2005
By sundown on Friday, Vevchani had become a scene of carnage. Burning piles of debris, splintered constructions, staggering men in chains and a generally disoriented smog hung over this idyllic village in Macedonia’s southwestern pocket. No, it wasn’t another Balkan war relapse – just the merry unfolding of 2005’s annual carnival. Vevchani’s demon hordes delight [...]
January 17, 2005
by David Pugliese Esprit de Corps Books (2003), 207 pp., 2 maps and 97 photos (26 color) Reviewed by Christopher Deliso Billed as “a must-read for anyone interested in learning more about the world of covert warfare,” Shadow Wars is a fairly objective and clearly-written account of the role special forces units are playing in [...]
January 15, 2005
Alexander the Fabulous: the Man Who Brought the World to its Knees Advocate Books, 2004, 162 pp. Reviewed by Christopher Deliso Alexander the Fabulous is the book for anyone seeking relief from the incessant, childish spats between Greeks and Macedonians over the rightful heritage of Alexander the Great – and perhaps even for other readers [...]
