Kosovo-Serbia: The background to the sirens in the Balkans – explainer

The recent gunfire, sirens and border closings between the two Balkan countries have raised alarms. Here is an explainer on the region’s complex history.

Sirens sounded for three hours in the town of Mitrovica in northern Kosovo on Sunday, July 31, as Serb protesters blocked roads and shot at local authorities in the Balkan country.

There Will Be No Surrender: Serbian President Calls for Peaceful Solution to Kosovo Escalation

Amidst escalating tension in Kosovo, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said: “No matter how difficult it is, there will be no surrender, Serbia will win,” he stated.

“We do not want conflict and we do not want war,” Vucic said in his speech.

He said: We will pray for peace and seek peace, but let me tell you right away. If they dare to start persecuting, harassing and killing Serbs, Serbia will win.”

Blinken to visit Africa to counter Russian charm offensive

US secretary of state will visit Pretoria, Kinshasa and Kigali weeks after Russia’s Lavrov visited the continent.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel next month to South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, the Department of State announced on Friday, as Washington ramps up diplomacy in Africa to counter a Russian charm offensive.

Ukraine seeks to retake the south, tying down Russian forces

Even as Moscow’s war machine crawls across Ukraine’s east, trying to achieve the Kremlin’s goal of securing full control over the country’s industrial heartland, Ukrainian forces are scaling up attacks to reclaim territory in the Russian-occupied south.

China reveals footage of launch of missile resembling ‘aircraft carrier killer’ hypersonic weapon celebrating Army Day amid Taiwan Straits tension

Shortly prior to the 95th founding anniversary of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Monday, China for the first time revealed a video featuring the launch of what resembles a DF-17 missile, in a move experts said on Sunday displayed the flexibility of the “aircraft carrier killer” hypersonic weapon that is almost impossible to intercept, at a time when tension is rising in the Taiwan Straits amid US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s possible visit to the island of Taiwan.

Bulgaria, North Macedonia Should Enhance Relations

With progress still fragile and vulnerable to Russian interference, the US and EU must remain deeply engaged, advancing Euro-Atlantic integration.

International mediation was indispensable to the recent deal between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, allowing the start of EU accession talks between Skopje and Brussels.