Battle of Vukovar

Today's featured article The Battle of Vukovar was an 87-day siege of the Croatian town of Vukovar by the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) and paramilitaries from Serbia, between August and November 1991. In 1990, Croatian Serb separatists launched an armed uprising, supported by Serbian President Slobodan Milošević, and seized control of Serb-populated areas of Croatia. The JNA intervened in favour of the Croatian Serbs and launched an offensive in August 1991 against Croatian government-held territory. Vukovar was defended by around 1,800 lightly armed Croatian soldiers and civilian volunteers, against 36,000 JNA soldiers and Serbian paramilitaries equipped with heavy armour and artillery. When the town fell on 18 November 1991 after prolonged fighting, hundreds were massacred by Serb forces and the town's non-Serb population was expelled. Vukovar was peacefully reintegrated into Croatia in 1998 after the end of the Croatian War of Independence and has since been rebuilt, but deep ethnic divisions remain. Several Serb military and political officials, including Milošević, were later indicted and in some cases jailed for war crimes committed during and after the battle. (more...) Recently featured: William de St-Calais – Ming Dynasty – The Lord of the Rings Archive – By email – More featured articles... Did you know... From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that the ruby red beverage called hibiscus tea (flowers pictured) in English-speaking countries is called "water of Jamaica" in Mexico, where it is widely available? ... that professional baseball player Chuck Rose was a league-leader in both hits and pitching wins? ... that the Obedient Wives Club is the publisher of a book called Islamic Sex, Fighting Against Jews To Return Islamic Sex To The World? ... that the Long-tailed Ground Roller, a species of bird endemic to Madagascar, digs a tunnel in the sand as an entrance to its underground nest? ... that the cross in front of the Presidential Palace in Warsaw became a focus of a major controversy in 2010, regarding the relations between church and state in Poland? ... that a flying scene in the music video for Eminem's song "Not Afraid" has been compared to The Matrix? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news Soyuz TMA-22, carrying a crew of two Russians and one American, docks with the International Space Station. Following the resignation of Silvio Berlusconi, Mario Monti (pictured) becomes Prime Minister of Italy. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is re-elected President of Liberia. The Arab League suspends Syria's membership amid a violent crackdown on an internal uprising. Mexican Secretary of the Interior Francisco Blake Mora is killed in a helicopter crash near Mexico City. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events... On this day... November 18: Independence Day in Latvia (1918); National Day in Oman (1940) 1210 – Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor was excommunicated by Pope Innocent III after he commanded the Pope to annul the Concordat of Worms. 1928 – Walt Disney's Steamboat Willie, the first completely post-produced synchronized sound animated cartoon, was released. 1943 – Second World War: The Royal Air Force began its bombing campaign against Berlin. 1978 – Jim Jones led more than 900 members of the Peoples Temple to mass murder/suicide in Jonestown, Guyana, hours after some of its members assassinated U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan. 1999 – Texas A&M University's Aggie Bonfire collapsed (remains pictured), killing 12 people and injuring 27 others, and causing the university to officially declare a hiatus on the 90-year-old annual event. More anniversaries: November 17 – November 18 – November 19 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now November 18, 2011 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

A lithographed portrait of King George V of Hanover, his wife Marie of Saxe-Altenburg and their children Ernest Augustus, Crown Prince (right), Frederica (centre), and Marie (left). George succeeded his father Ernest Augustus I as King of Hanover on 18 November 1851. His 15-year reign came to an end in 1866 when Prussia forcibly annexed Hanover in response to Hanover's support for Austria during the Austro-Prussian War. Artist: Julius Giere Recently featured: White-faced Heron – Northern Curly-tailed Lizard – Tiburtine Sibyl