B92 News in English

Bomb blast in Kragujevac

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:02:00 +0000

A bomb has exploded in the center of Kragujevac, injuring one person and damaging nearby vehicles and homes.

Eyewitnesses say that the explosion happened as a car with Macedonian license plates was driving down the street, but no one could tell whether the bomb had been planted earlier or had been thrown out of the car.

Novi Pazar wahhabis sentenced

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:54:00 +0000

The first set of verdicts in the case of the Novi Pazar Wahhabis has been delivered in court this afternoon.

One of the terrorists was found guilty and sentenced to 13 years in prison, ten others were given prison terms of between two and eight years, while three were acquitted of all charges.

Swine flu count: 15

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:44:00 +0000

According to the Torlak Institute, there have so far been 15 confirmed cases of the A H1N1 virus, better known as swine flu, in Serbia.

The Serbian Public Health Institute�s website states that the most recent confirmed case was registered in an individual from Belgrade who had arrived from Australia, and that �a further three likely cases of the infection� have been registered.

U.S. Kosovo envoy urges �multi-ethnicity�

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:28:00 +0000

U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Tina Kaidanow said in Pri�tina yesterday that Kosovo must learn to uphold its multi-ethnic character.

Kaidanow organized a reception at the U.S. diplomatic mission for officials from the provincial institutions, international community, the media and the non-governmental sector to celebrate American Independence Day.

Demjanjuk cleared to stand trial

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:07:00 +0000

The alleged Nazi war criminal, John Demjanjuk, has been declared fit enough to stand trial in Germany.

The announcement followed a medical check. Earlier he had been transferred from a Munich prison to hospital after developing gout, a joint disease.

Up to 250 jobs to go at U.S. Steel

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:58:00 +0000

U.S. Steel has announced that it is to ax between 150 and 250 jobs in its administration and parallel departments.

U.S. Steel�s communications director, Nemanja Brkovi�, told Beta that the company�s employee structure had been analyzed, and that they were sure that the redundancies were a �necessary step� towards striking an effective balance between administrative and production personnel numbers both at the Smederevo foundry and the subsidiary in �abac.

Power restored in Gra�anica

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:33:00 +0000

Power has been restored in the town of Gra�anica after talks between local Serbs, the Kosovo Electric Corporation (KEK), and international representatives.

The reason for the delay was that the two sides differed over the total number of households in the town that had agreed to pay the EUR 26 reconnection fee.

NIS owed EUR 320mn

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:29:00 +0000

NIS Managing Director Kirill Kravchenko says that the Serbian Oil Industry is currently owed about EUR 320mn.

He explained that the company�s receivables had fallen to about EUR 10.6mn, adding that he expected existing receivables to be settled in August.

Feith calls on Serbs to participate in elections

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:18:00 +0000

Special EU envoy to Kosovo Pieter Feith has called on the Kosovo Serbs to participate in the local elections scheduled for November 15.

He said that otherwise, they would be unable to form governments in the five Serb municipalities, as called for by the decentralization plan.

Honduras to meet OAS but tells Zelaya "don't come"

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:06:00 +0000

An interim govt. in Honduras warned ousted Pres. Manuel Zelaya to stay away but indicated it could be more conciliatory in talks with the OAS over the crisis.

Roberto Micheletti, head of a caretaker leadership set up after an army coup, said he welcomed the chance to talk with Organization of American States Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza, who was expected to arrive in Honduras early on Friday with an ultimatum to reinstate Zelaya or be suspended from the regional body.

IAEA calls on Serbia to address nuclear waste problem

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:00:00 +0000

The head of the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) has warned that Serbia must dispose of any remaining atomic fuel as soon as possible.

Mohammed ElBaradei and Serbian Science Minister Bo�idar �eli� today signed an additional protocol on cooperation between Belgrade and the IAEA, after visiting the Vin�a Nuclear Science Institute yesterday.

�SNS to form European Integration Council�

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:19:00 +0000

Serb Progressive Party (SNS) leader Tomislav Nikoli� says that his party has decided to form a European Integration Council.

He told daily Politika that he had asked officials in Brussels for help to that end.

"Dayton impeding reforms," says B-Croat leader

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:25:00 +0000

Bosnian Presidency member �eljko Kom�i� says that the Dayton Accords are impeding reforms and that constitutional change is inevitable.

In an interview with the Austrian APA agency, Kom�i�, a Bosnian Croat, said that the complex Dayton structure was hampering the necessary reforms.

UN chief arrives in Burma

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:21:00 +0000

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is in Burma to press the ruling military government to release its political prisoners.

Ban arrived in the main city of Rangoon Friday, and was scheduled to fly to the remote administrative capital of Naypyitaw.

Parliament accepts Sanader resignation

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:20:00 +0000

The Croatian parliament has accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Ivo Sanader and the decision will take effect with the appointment of his successor.

118 MPs voted in favor of Sanader�s resignation on Thursday night, two officials of the Croatian National Party abstained, while one independent candidate voted against the resignation, the Hina agency reports.

LDP slams call to boycott

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:18:00 +0000

Liberal Democratic Party leader �edomir Jovanovi� says that Belgrade�s call for a boycott of the Kosovo elections is pushing the Kosovo Serbs into isolation.

Reacting to yesterday�s government decision to advise the Serbs against participating in the local elections in Kosovo, Jovanovi� said that the boycott would only push Serbs deeper into the ghetto and wreck their chances of gaining the status of an organized political community able to use the institutions to promote their rights.

Liberalization proposal due in July

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:08:00 +0000

Swedish Migration Minister Tobias Billstrom believes the EC will present a proposal on visa liberalization for Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia in mid-July.

�In mid-July, the European Commission will put forward a proposal that will make it possible to introduce a non-visa regime for the countries meeting the conditions required by the end of 2009,� Billstrom told Deutsche Welle Radio, adding that he was, of course, referring to Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

"Montenegro could reconsider Kosovo decision"

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:41:00 +0000

Montenegrin PM Milo �ukanovi� says his country is ready to reexamine its recognition of Kosovo independence should the ICJ qualify Pristina's act as illegal.

�ukanovi� underlined that the Montenegrin political scene was absolutely aware of the responsibility it had for fostering the best possible inter-state relations with Serbia.

Putin to meet Obama on July 7 to discuss trade

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:38:00 +0000

Vladimir Putin will meet with President Barack Obama, who arrives in Moscow on his first visit next week, for talks set to focus on persisting trade hurdles.

Obama's summit meeting with President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday follows the leaders' pledge to "reset" relations, which plunged to a new Cold War low under the previous U.S. administration.

EULEX chief pleased with KPS returns

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:21:00 +0000

EULEX Chief Yves de Kermabon says that he is very happy with the fact that more than 300 Serb police officers have returned to the Kosovo Police Service (KPS).

He said, however, that there had been no negotiations, conditions or agreements with the government in Belgrade regarding the return of Serbs to the KPS.