12 January 2008

Stories from 12 January 2008

Afghanistan: More troops

  12 January 2008

Bipasha Ray reports that the Pentagon has asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates for 3,000 more troops to be sent to Afghanistan, to counter a potential Taliban spring offensive.

Serbia: “Elegy For a Swine”

  12 January 2008

Many Serbs traditionally celebrate Orthodox Christmas by firing rifles and pistols, and consuming lots of homemade plum brandy and pork. Serbian bloggers have been writing about their Jan. 7 feasts for days now, but one of them, instead of composing her own sentences about it, posted an 1887 satirical poem by Serbian poet Vojislav Ilić. The poem is dedicated to the chief victim of Serbian Christmas celebration - a pig.