B92 News in English

Five municipalities without water after flood

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Five Serbian municipalities have no water after the flooding of the Rzav River.

In Sjenica, local officials have proclaimed an emergency situation because of the flooding.

"Horgo�-Novi Sad complete in 2010"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:21:00 +0000

Infrastructure Minister Milutin Mrkonji� said that work on the highway from Horgo� to Novi Sad is expected to be completed in 2010.

Mrkonji� visited the construction site of the Be�ka bridge and the by-pass route around Novi Sad, where second layers of asphalt are being put down, after which traffic lights and safety nets will be installed.

NATO soldiers �believed drowned�

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:31:00 +0000

Two U.S. soldiers missing in western Afghanistan after failing to return from a routine resupply mission are thought to have drowned, officials say.

Afghan officials say the men died two days ago in what appears to have been an accident.

Feith urges Serbs to participate in Kosovo elections

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:19:00 +0000

Pieter Feith said that Serbs in Kosovo could lose power in municipalities in which they make up the majority if they boycott local elections.

The EU special representative in Kosovo said that if the local Serbs do not participate in the local elections�organized by the Kosovo Albanian institutions and scheduled for November 15�they could risk losing control of the local governments in municipalities and territories in which they make up the majority population.

Vojvodina parliamentary session begins

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:10:00 +0000

The Vojvodina parliament has begin the session at which it will debate changes needed to be made to the Vojvodina statute draft.

The Vojvodina League of Social Democrats (LSV) exited the session.

CeSID: Support for EU growing thanks to visas

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:26:00 +0000

CeSIDProgram Director Marko Blagojevi� said that support for EU integration in Serbia is growing thanks to the announced visa liberalization.

According to Deutsche Welle radio, Blagojevi� said that only 14 percent of the Serbian population is against joining the EU, while 71 percent supports Serbia�s integration into the Union.

Minor slays 20 year-old in Kur�umlija

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:17:00 +0000

Fifteen year-old D.M. was arrested after killing 20 year-old Stefan Ne�i� in Kur�umlija, Prokuplje District Court investigative judge Ljubomir Jovanovi� said.

The minor stabbed Ne�i� in the heart on Friday night, killing him instantly.

U.S. seeks clues to army base massacre

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:45:00 +0000

The U.S. is still trying to understand the reasons behind the deadly mass shooting at the Fort Hood military facility in Texas.

Visitors and families joined servicemen and women for a vigil in memory of the 13 people murdered in Thursday night�s rampage.

Slovenia, Russia harmonize South Stream agreement

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:41:00 +0000

Slovenia and Russia have harmonized an agreement for the South Stream pipeline, which is expected to be signed during the Slovenian PM's visit to Moscow.

Administrator of the Energy Directorate of the Slovenian Economy Ministry, Janez Kopa�, told daily Dnevnik that it is possible that the agreement will be signed during the qualifying match for the World Cup between Slovenia and Russia on November 14.

Parliament extending validity date for passports

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

The parliament will pass changes to the passport law in order to extend the validity date for all passports to the end of 2010.

It was first planned to have old passports become invalid by the end of this year.

Fifth swine flu-related death in Serbia

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:53:00 +0000

An elderly man died in the Ni� Infective Clinic from complications arising from swine flu, health expert Branislav Tiodorovi� said.

Tiodorovi�, a member of the government�s working group for following the pandemic, confirmed that this was the fifth person to die of swine flu-related health problems.

Kosovo: Municipal president released

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:34:00 +0000

Gora Municipal President Alija Abdi has been released after giving a statement to police. Charges are expected to be pressed against him.

Regional Police Director in Prizren Lumni Graishta told the Beta news agency that Abdi was freed after giving a statement regarding the circumstances surrounding the threats against Goranis and Bosniaks in the municipality of Draga�.

Minister doesn�t expect new worker strikes

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:21:00 +0000

Labor Minister Rasim Ljaji� said that he does not expect new strikes, and announced that social dialogue with unions would be intensified.

�It is important for the measures which are being proposed by the government to be understood and accepted,� Ljaji� told Novi Sad daily Dnevnik.

Pakistan: 11 militants killed in strongholds

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:19:00 +0000

Pakistani soldiers killed at least 11 militants during overnight gunbattles in three Taliban strongholds, intelligence officials said Saturday.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak with the media, said that while the Pakistan military has taken control of two of the strongholds � Sararogha and Ladha � there were still occasional clashes with militants.

Ministry to help with visits to Kosovo cemeteries

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:08:00 +0000

The Ministry for Kosovo announced that it will help displaced persons visit places they were forced out of and cemeteries where their family members are buried.

Orthodox Christians in Serbia are observing the Mitrovica zadu�nice, which is a type of Serbian equivalent to All Souls Day and similar holidays for honoring the dead.

SNS opposes Vojvodina statute

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:12:00 +0000

Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) deputy leader Aleksandar Vu�i� said that the party will not be voting in favor of the Vojvodina statute.

He said that the statute presents �the formation of a state within a state.�

Over 100 people detained at anti-U.S. rally in Iran

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:02:00 +0000

Iranian police detained more than 100 people for "disturbing public order" during a rally this week to mark the anniversary of the seizure of the U.S. embassy.

Security forces clashed with supporters of Iran's opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi in Tehran on Wednesday when an annual state-organized rally marking the 30th anniversary of the storming of the U.S. embassy turned violent.

New editors for Macedonian encyclopedia

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:59:00 +0000

The Macedonian Academy of Science and Arts (MANU) has dismissed the current team of editors and has decided to appoint a new one.

The new team of editors of the first Macedonian national encyclopedia will be formed in a month and will include scientists who are not members of the academy as well as representatives of ethnic minorities.

Health Minister: No room for panic

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:40:00 +0000

Health Minister Tomica Milosavljevi� said that there is no room for panic, even though Serbia is close to proclaiming a swine flu pandemic.

Epidemiologist Predrag Kon said that several municipalities have a huge number of infected persons, but that the epidemic will only be proclaimed once the virus starts spreading through the capital city of Belgrade.

Grocery store workers to wear protective masks

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:35:00 +0000

Workers of the grocery store and supermarket chain Maxi will start wearing protective masks on Monday because of the swine flu epidemic.

The Delta Holding company, which owns Maxi, has secured 500,000 masks as preventive measures and ordered increased cleaning and disinfection of the stores.