Serbia votes in historic election as students seek to end Vucic’s long grip on power

-
By Mina PEJAKOVIC AFP | Posted by TOE Voting was under way in Serbia on Sunday in what is set to be its most fiercely contested parliamentary election in more than 14 years, as a student-led movement seeks to oust the party of veteran leader Aleksandar Vucic. The snap vote is the culmination of nearly two years of student-led protests sparked by the 2024 collapse of a canopy at Novi Sad railway station that killed 16 people — a tragedy widely blamed on corruption. The disaster triggered some of Serbia’s largest protests since the fall of strongman Slobodan Milosevic in 2000. The Students’ List, a selection of candidates backed by the largely leaderless movement, now poses the biggest challenge to Vucic’s right-wing populist Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), which has dominated politics throughout its tenure. – High turnout – Eighteen electoral lists are vying for seats in Serbia’s 250-member parliament, but polls suggest ...
Post a Comment

Al Qaeda affiliate says it killed 70 soldiers in Benin, SITE reports

-

Al Qaeda affiliate JNIM said it killed 70 soldiers in raids on two military posts in north Benin, the biggest death count claimed by jihadists in the country in over a decade of activity in West Africa, the SITE Intelligence Group said on Saturday.

The West African state and its coastal neighbour Togo have suffered a series of attacks in recent years as groups linked to Islamic State and al Qaeda have expanded their presence beyond the Sahel region to the north.

Reuters news agency could not immediately confirm the report independently.

Benin’s army spokesman Ebenezer Honfoga did not respond to calls and messages.

SITE quoted a statement by Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) on Thursday saying 70 soldiers were killed in attacks on two military posts in Benin’s northeastern Kandi province in the Alibori department, more than 500 km (300 miles) from the capital Cotonou.

U.S. group SITE tracks online content from militant groups.

The Sahel insurgency took root after a Tuareg rebellion in north Mali in 2012 and spread into neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger before reaching the north of coastal West African countries such as Benin more recently.

Thousands have been killed and millions displaced by the conflict, which contributed to spurring five military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger between 2020 and 2023.

Military authorities cut ties with traditional Western allies such as France and the U.S. after the coups and turned to Russia to help in fighting jihadist activity.

SOURCE: REUTERS AND AGENCIES



from The Times Of Earth https://ift.tt/jcrFmvz

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Myanmar earthquake death toll rises as fresh tremors further complicate rescue efforts

-
Image
A5.1-magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, on Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor was part of a series of aftershocks following Friday’s devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake, which resulted in the collapse of numerous buildings and significant infrastructure damage. The death toll has risen to over 1,600, with more than 3,400 individuals reported missing; these numbers are expected to increase as rescue operations continue. Foreign rescue teams and supplies arrived in Myanmar on Sunday to help the impoverished country cope with an earthquake that killed over 1,600 and left many near the epicentre scrambling for help without proper equipment. The 7.7-magnitude quake, one of Myanmar’s strongest in a century, jolted the Southeast Asian nation on Friday, leaving 1,644 people dead, 3,408 injured and 139 missing, the military government said. India, China and Thailand are among Myanmar’s neighbours that have sent relief ...
Read more

St. Louis nominated for 'most walkable city' in national poll

-
ST. LOUIS - The Gateway to the West is in the running for the title of America’s “most walkable city” as part of a  national poll  conducted by USA TODAY. St. Louis has been nominated for national spotlight through the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. A panel recently nominated 20 large cities around the United States for recognition. As of early Thursday afternoon, St. Louis is currently ranked third among the 20 U.S. cities, trailing only Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Long Beach, California. Top Story: Missouri students physically restrained, secluded thousands of times The City of St. Louis stretches 66.17 square miles, much of it along the Mississippi River, and consists of 79 unique neighborhoods. Some well-known destinations to walk around in city limits include the Gateway Arch grounds, the Riverfront Trail, Forest Park, Mississippi Greenway and John F. Kennedy Memorial Forest. Voting closes at 11 a.m. CT on May 8. USA TODAY will announce the winners o...
Read more