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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 14 July 2020
AP Explains: Why Serbs are protesting against virus lockdown

By DUSAN STOJANOVIC ficials have denounced the
Associated Press protests as an attempt to
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — overthrow the government
Thousands of people in and weaken his position in
Serbia have been holding EU-mediated negotiations
protests against the coun- on Kosovo, the former prov-
try's president and his gov- ince whose 2008 declara-
ernment in what was ini- tion of independence Bel-
tially triggered by his plans grade doesn't recognize.
to reintroduce lockdown Vucic said he's not afraid
measures to contain the that he could lose politi-
coronavirus outbreak in the cal power amid the pro-
Balkan country. tests and expressed his fear
Many in Serbia accuse in- about the spread of the vi-
creasingly authoritarian rus by the demonstrators.
President Aleksandar Vucic He pledged the state will
of letting the virus crisis spin curb the unrest, urging his
out of control in order to followers not to confront
hold a parliamentary elec- the demonstrators. He de-
tion on June 21 that tight- nounced the protesters as
ened the ruling party's grip "hooligans" and "sons of ty-
on power. coons" who want to take
Vucic has denied this al- In this Friday, July 10 2020 file photo, protesters clash with riot police on the steps of the Serbian power without elections.
though authorities had parliament during a protest in Belgrade, Serbia. ___
relaxed the rules on mass Associated Press WHAT WAS THE POLICE RE-
gatherings prior to the vote, ACTION?
allowing crowds at soccer overthrow of former Ser- infections. The main opposition parties Police reacted to the at-
games and tennis match- bian strongman Slobodan They have continued even allege that Vucic and his tacks with a heavy hand,
es, nightclubs, restaurants Milosevic who was also un- though Vucic suspended secret service have used brutally beating up pro-
and weddings. seated in a popular rebel- his plans to enforce the far-right groups to infiltrate testers and arresting sev-
Some of the demonstra- lion in October 2000. lockdown. Instead, his gov- the protests to hijack and eral dozen, some of whom
tions turned violent, with ___ ernment has banned gath- weaken the uprising. The were swiftly sentenced to
protesters trying to storm WHAT TRIGGERED THE PRO- erings of more than 10 peo- opposition says this has prison terms. Some were
the parliament building in TESTS? ple in the capital. been done to distract the detained at their homes af-
the capital, Belgrade. Last week's demonstrations Without clear leadership population from the main ter being at the protests.
The protesters, who have were at first driven by frus- or a unifying message, purpose of the demonstra- Footage from the rallies
been defying an anti-virus tration over renewed lock- the gatherings quickly at- tions — protesting against show a widespread violent
ban on gatherings of more down measures to contain tracted different groups, Vucic's coronavirus poli- crackdown against pro-
than 10 people, threw bot- the pandemic, but soon ranging from far-right and cies. The president has de- testers in Serbia's capital,
tles, rocks and flares at po- evolved into anti-govern- anti-vaccination groups to nied this. Belgrade, and other major
lice who were guarding the ment rallies with partici- nationalists claiming Vucic Because of a drop in the towns across the country
parliament building, and pants demanding Vucic's wants to "betray" the Ser- number of citizens that which left dozens of people
police responded with tear resignation. bian cause and "sell off" have gathered during the injured. Reporters covering
gas to disperse the angry The protests initially started Kosovo — the former Ser- weekend, these national- the protests weren't spared
crowds. July 7 when the president bian province which they ist groups have gained in from attacks by police or
The protests, which start- announced that Belgrade consider the cradle of Ser- prominence. right-wing groups.
ed in Belgrade but later would be placed under a bian medieval state and ___ Videos on social media
spread to several other Ser- new three-day lockdown religion — in exchange for WHAT WAS THE PRESIDENT'S appeared to show po-
bia cities, are considered following a second wave the country's membership REACTION? lice severely beating up
the most intense since the of confirmed coronavirus in the European Union. Vucic and other Serbian of- protesters.q

UN: Pandemic could push tens of millions into chronic hunger

By FRANCES D'EMILIO duced it. went hungry last year, an
Associated Press Preliminary projections increase of 10 million since
ROME (AP) — The United based on available global 2018 and of nearly 60 mil-
Nations says the ranks of economic outlooks suggest lion since 2014.
the world's hungry grew the pandemic "may add The report noted that af-
by 10 million last year and an additional 83 (million) ter steadily declining for
warns that the coronavirus to 132 million people to the decades, chronic hunger
pandemic could push as ranks of the undernourished "slowly began to rise in 2014
many as 130 million more in 2020," the report said. and continues to do so."
people into chronic hunger Also compounding the situ- In terms of sheer numbers,
this year. ation is what the report's Asia is home to the great-
The grim assessment was authors described as "un- est number of undernour-
contained in the latest edi- precedented Desert Locust ished people, an estimat- In this Nov. 6, 2017 file photo, the U.N. World Food Program's logo
tion of the State of Food outbreaks" in Eastern Africa. ed 381 million, the report is seen at the agency's headquarters in New York.
Security and Nutrition in the The U.N. agencies esti- said. Africa has the most Associated Press
World, an annual report mated that nearly 690 mil- as a percentage of the of the continent's people 7.4% in Latin America and
released Monday by the lion people, or nearly 9% population, U.N. research- undernourished. That com- the Caribbean, according
five U.N. agencies that pro- of the world's population, ers found, with nearly 20% pares to 8.3% in Asia and to the report. q