GLOBAL DIARY

“Thank you European Council and the leaders of the EU countries whose diplomats remain in our country and support us in our work” – VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY,

PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE

CLASHES IN BRUSSELS AMID COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS

Tens of thousands of people protested in Brussels on January 23 against Covid-19 restrictions, some clashing with police who fired water cannon and tear gas to disperse them near the European Commission’s headquarters. The rally drew about 50,000 people, Belgian police said. It was peaceful at first as protesters chanted and filled streets, waving placards and balloons with slogans like: “We want to be free again” and “No Covid slave ticket”, a reference to vaccine passes required for certain activities. Trouble flared later, with a building housing the European diplomatic service and a sandwich shop broken into. Police said more than 60 people were arrested, with three officers and 12 demonstrators taken to hospital.

NIN AWARD FOR 2022

The winner of the NIN Award for 2022 is the writer Milena Markovic for the novel “Children”, the jury of the most prestigious domestic literary award announced. Ilija Đurović’s novels “Sampas”, Elvedin Nezirović’s “What Can’t Be Talked About”, Vladimir Kopicl’s “Spanish Boot”, Srdjan V. Tešin’s “Mokrin Chronicles” and David Albahari’s “Pogovor” were shortlisted. “Children” by the famous poet Milena Markovic, published by the publisher “Lom”, is a book that escapes all attempts to determine the genre. At the same time, it is a poem, a collection of poems, a mix of stories, a novel in verse, but in any case it is a work that depicts childhood and inevitable growing up in an unusual way.

DJOKOVIC WITHDRAW FROM 2022 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Novak Djokovic who won nine Melbourne Park titles didn’t get the chance to play for a 10th Australian Open title after the Australian Federal Court upheld the cancellation of his Australian visa. Djokovic, who would have been top seed at the Australian Open, withdrawed from the men’s singles field. Because the court’s decision was delivered after last month’s schedule of play had been released, there was no shuffling of seeds in the men’s draw. Instead, Italian lucky loser Salvatore Caruso took Djokovic’s place at the top of the draw.

“I had a very, very good meeting - total unanimity with all the European leaders” – JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT

BEIJING 2022 - XXIV OLYMPIC WINTER

SERBIA VOTES TO JUDICIARY CONSTITUTION CHANGES

The XXIV Olympic Winter, commonly known as Beijing 2022 is an upcoming international winter multi-sport event scheduled to take place from 4 to 20 February 2022 in Beijing, China and venues near neighbouring towns of Yanqing and Chongli. Hosting the Olympics presents a massive challenge for China, where for the last two years, authorities have implemented some of the most rigorous COVID-prevention policies in the world. The country has closed its borders to nearly all travellers and locked down cities over just a handful of infections. The global surge in omicron cases has also put authorities on edge. In nearby Tianjin – a 20-minute high-speed train ride away from Beijing – authorities tested all 14 million residents after a few dozen omicron infections were discovered.

US FAMILIES TO LEAVE UKRAINE ON WAR FEARS

The United States has ordered the families of all American staff at the US Embassy in Ukraine to leave the country amid heightened concern that Russia, which has massed troops on the border, is about to invade. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken resists imposing immediate sanctions arguing it would remove their deterrent effect. In a statement on 23 January, the State Department also said that non-essential embassy staff could leave Ukraine at government expense and that all Americans should consider departing immediately. Russian military activity has fuelled growing concern in Washington and other Western capitals that it is planning to invade Ukraine. Moscow has insisted it has no plans for an invasion.

Serbian citizens voted to change the country’s constitution and accept a judicial reform package, with 60.48 per cent of voters saying “Yes” to the proposals in last month referendum, according to the results. Around 39.52 per cent of voters chose the “No” option. Referendums on constitutional changes do not have any required threshold in Serbia. According to the official information, around 30 per cent of voters went to the polls.

DOWNING STREET PARTIES

British PM Boris Johnson has apologised to MPs for attending a drinks party in the Downing Street garden, during the first lockdown, in the spring of 2020. He “categorically” denied he was warned in advance a drinks event in the Downing Street garden risked breaking Covid lockdown rules. For people who broke these rules, the police in England could fine them £100 for the first offence which could then double for each further offence up to a maximum of £3,200. He had spent 25 minutes thanking staff, before returning to his office, the prime minister said.