DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Montenegro votes in presidential election
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

First unofficial results by pollsters, based on a sample of the electorate, are expected about two hours later. If no candidate secures more than 50% of votes, a second round of voting between the top two is scheduled for April 2. A victory in the presidential election would bolster the chances of the winner's party in the parliamentary vote. Following the invasion of Ukraine last year, Montenegro joined EU sanctions against Russia. The Kremlin has placed Montenegro on its list of unfriendly states.

[1/5] Milo Djukanovic, President of Montenegro and a candidate from the Democratic Party of Socialists, speaks to the media at a polling station during the presidential elections in Podgorica, Montenegro, March 19, 2023. REUTERS/Stevo VasiljevicPODGORICA, March 19 (Reuters) - Montenegro's veteran President Milo Djukanovic will face a run-off on April 2 against a pro-Western former economy minister, after no candidate secured a 50% majority in a first round election on Sunday, according to a vote projection. The Center for Monitoring and Research polling group (CEMI) projected Djukanovic would end up with the most votes, with 35.5%, based on results tabulated from a statistical sample of votes cast. Djukanovic has served as president or prime minister for 33 years. A victory in the presidential election would bolster the chances of his DPS party in the parliamentary vote.

[1/6] Milo Djukanovic, President of Montenegro and a candidate from the Democratic Party of Socialists, visits a polling station during the presidential elections in Podgorica, Montenegro, March 19, 2023. Milatovic described his result as a victory of "a beautiful, better, just ... and European Montenegro." Djukanovic has served as president or prime minister for 33 years. "We are content with this level of support, it is a good foundation ... that will carry us to the victory in the run-off," Djukanovic said. A victory in the run-off would bolster the chances of his DPS party in the parliamentary vote.

☆ Serbia wants to normalise ties with Kosovo but will not sign any agreement
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BELGRADE, March 19 (Reuters) - Serbia wants normal relations with Kosovo but still won't sign any agreement with it, President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday, a day after he verbally agreed to implement a Western-backed plan for the normalisation of ties. "Serbia wants to have normal relations with Kosovo. "I didn't want to sign the agreement on the implementing annex last night nor the EU-backed agreement (in Brussels last month)," Vucic told reporters. "I don't want to sign any international legally binding documents with Kosovo because Serbia does not recognise its independence." Under their verbal agreement, Kosovo committed to giving greater autonomy to Serb majority areas, while Serbia agreed not to block Kosovo's membership in international organisations.

☆ Kosovo, Serbia agree on "some kind of deal" to normalize ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[1/3] Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic speaks to the media, in Ohrid, North Macedonia March 18, 2023.REUTERS/Ognen TeofilovskiOHRID, North Macedonia, March 18 (Reuters) - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that Kosovo and Serbia have reached "some kind of a deal" on implementing a Western-backed deal to normalize ties on Saturday. This is not the final deal," Vucic told reporters in Ohrid. He said that despite disagreements on some issues, talks with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti were "decent". He said Serbia's path towards EU membership will be conditioned on implementing the deal. Reporting by Fatos Bytyci and Ivana Sekularac; Editing by Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Djokovic to miss Miami Open over vaccine status, tournament director says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 17 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic will miss next week's Miami Open after the Serbian was denied an exemption that would have allowed him to enter the U.S. despite not being vaccinated against COVID-19, tournament director James Blake said on Friday. "We tried to get Novak Djokovic to be allowed to get an exemption, but that wasn't able to happen," Blake told Tennis Channel. "Obviously, we're one of the premier tournaments in the world, we'd like to have the best players that can play. Djokovic, 35, is also missing the ongoing Masters event in Indian Wells, California due to inability to secure the exemption. He has not played at Indian Wells or the Miami Open - which together comprise the "Sunshine Double" - since 2019.

☆ Kosovo, Serbia leaders arrive for EU-backed talks on deal to normalise ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Fatos Bytyci | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"I am optimistic," Kurti said ahead of the meetings, taking place in the lakeside town of Ohrid in North Macedonia. Kosovo and Serbia agreed in Brussels last month to a Western-backed deal to normalise relations, following nearly 10 years of EU-mediated dialogue during which little progress was made. "The eyes of the EU & the Western Balkans are on Ohrid today," Borrell tweeted. Belgrade and Pristina need to mend bilateral ties for both to achieve their strategic goal of joining the EU. "I want to caution that we may not have a final agreement," Gabriel Escobar, the senior U.S. diplomat for the Western Balkans who is also attending the Ohrid talks, told Pristina-based RTV21 station.

☆ Thousands in Belgrade protest against Western-backed Serbia-Kosovo deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Ivana Sekularac | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/6] Protesters shout slogans and hold signs during a demonstration against a Western-backed deal on normalizing ties between Kosovo and Serbia in Belgrade March 17, 2023. REUTERS/Djordje KojadinovicBELGRADE, March 17 (Reuters) - Several thousand people gathered in Belgrade to protest against a Western-backed deal to normalise ties between Kosovo and Serbia, which they view as recognition of Kosovo independence. Bilateral ties need to be mended for Serbia and Kosovo to achieve their strategic goal of joining the EU. Protesters held Serbian flags and banners reading "Kosovo is not for sale," "Serbia, not European Union," and "No to capitulation." "This is just the start of the protest," said Milos Jovanovic, leader of the Democratic Party of Serbia, which was one of the protest organisers.

☆ Fact Check-Photo of 1999 Serbia bombing shared with missing context
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

On Facebook the same screenshot was shared with the remark: “Be careful who you follow...” (here). A Bosnian newspaper published the 1999 photo identified as Kyiv in a February 2022 article (here). The war in Ukraine is well documented and the latest Reuters reporting can be seen (www.reuters.com/places/ukraine) , (here) , (here). Reuters Fact Check has previously debunked images and videos claimed as proof that the war in Ukraine is fake (here) and (here). A photograph showing the 1999 NATO bombing campaign against Serbian forces was not widely used by media to depict Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

☆ EU hopeful that Kosovo and Serbia will reach deal this month
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PRISTINA, March 9 (Reuters) - The European Union expects former wartime foes Kosovo and Serbia to reach a final deal next week on normalising relations after both endorsed a peace plan, the bloc's envoy said on Thursday. The nations' leaders are due to meet on March 18 in North Macedonia to discuss implementation of an 11-point EU plan after agreeing last month that its contents needed no further talks. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, almost a decade after a guerrilla uprising brought an end to repressive Serbian rule. The EU plan does not commit Serbia to acknowledging an independent Kosovo but it would recognise documents such as passports, diplomas and licence plates. He was to travel next to Serbia for talks with President Aleksandar Vucic.

☆ Florida's DeSantis urges Biden to let unvaccinated Djokovic enter US for Miami Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 8 (Reuters) - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has called on U.S. President Joe Biden to allow Novak Djokovic to compete at this month's Miami Open despite the world number one being unvaccinated for COVID-19. The Serbian, 35, formally withdrew from Indian Wells on Sunday. He has not played at Indian Wells or the Miami Open - which together comprise the "Sunshine Double" - since 2019. Indian Wells tournament director Tommy Haas, the United States Tennis Association and the U.S. Open were among those also hoping Djokovic would be allowed to enter. "The only thing keeping Mr Djokovic from participating in this tournament is your administration's continued enforcement of a misguided, unscientific, and out-of-date COVID-19 vaccination requirement for foreign guests," DeSantis said.

LOS ANGELES, March 5 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic has formally withdrawn from the draw for the Indian Wells tournament, organisers said on Sunday in an indication that the world number one's application for a COVID-19 vaccine waiver to enter the U.S. might have failed. The Serbian, who is one of the most high-profile athletes unvaccinated against the virus, applied to the U.S. government last month for special permission to play at ATP Masters events at Indian Wells and Miami. Djokovic has not competed at the back-to-back ATP Masters events in Indian Wells and Miami, two of the biggest tournaments on the ATP calendar and known as the "Sunshine Double", since 2019. Indian Wells tournament director Tommy Haas, the United States Tennis Association and the U.S. Open were among those also hoping the 22-time Grand Slam champion would be allowed to enter. He would have been a heavy favorite to win his sixth Indian Wells title when the tournament kicks off in the Southern California desert on Wednesday.

☆ Serbian nationalists march in protest against Kosovo talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Many Serbs view Kosovo, home to the Serbian Orthodox faith's main churches and monasteries, as the heartland of the Serb nation. Serbian nationalists who also want closer ties with Russia, Serbia's longtime ally, criticise President Aleksandar Vucic for his role in talks over a Western-backed deal with Kosovo. "The people of Serbia which soiled this land with blood will not give away Serbian Kosovo, because Kosovo is sacred," said Zorica Mojsic from Belgrade as he walked with other marchers. The Serbian Orthodox Church organised its own prayers for Kosovo, set to last until Easter, but did not endorse the march and its clergy did not participate. On Friday, the Serbian Orthodox church's Patriarch Porfirije said in a sermon "no one should teach the church ... what is Kosovo... Liberating Kosovo with words is easy."

☆ USTA, US Open hoping unvaccinated Novak Djokovic gets special nod to enter country
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Novak Djokovic of Serbia competes during the men's single quarter final match of Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship on March 3, 2023. The United States Tennis Association and the U.S. Open are hoping Novak Djokovic is successful in his bid to enter the country after the Serbian, who is not vaccinated against Covid-19, applied for special permission last month. "Novak Djokovic is one the greatest champions our sport has ever seen," the U.S. Open Twitter account said on Friday. "The USTA and U.S. Open are hopeful that Novak is successful in his petition to enter the country, and that the fans will be able to see him back in action at Indian Wells and Miami," it added. Indian Wells tournament director Tommy Haas said in January it would be a "disgrace" if Djokovic was not allowed to compete this year after the Serbian also missed last year's U.S. Open.

☆ Djokovic happy with injury recovery despite semi-final exit in Dubai
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

World number one Djokovic suffered a three-centimetre hamstring tear en route to winning the Adelaide Open before claiming his 22nd Grand Slam title at the Australian Open to go level with Rafa Nadal. The 35-year-old Serbian had a solid run at the ATP 500 event in Dubai before he lost 6-4 6-4 to Medvedev. I know that I didn't play well in some decisive moments, but it was also due to his quality of tennis," Djokovic told reporters. If that's the case, I'll take some time off, I'll prepare," he said. Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Simon Cameron-MooreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Meet Matija Pecotic: a real-estate investor who counts Bill Ackman as a mentor - and now a breakout tennis star on the pro circuit
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A 33-year-old real-estate investor has become a tennis star after beating a former top-10 player. Pecotic counts Bill Ackman as a mentor, and compares his game preparation to day trading. "Being mentored by Bill Ackman continued to influence that hunger," Pecotic said. The moonlighting tennis star scours match tapes and other information sources to spot his opponents' weaknesses and refine his own game. "In our world, we are all about information, put the emotions aside – analytics, analytics, analytics," he said.

He also declared he will not sign anything that recognises Kosovo "formally or informally" and would never agree to its membership of the United Nations. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, almost a decade after war brought an end to Serbian rule. While Vucic says he will not even "informally" recognise Kosovo, such a definition is ultimately a matter of interpretation. A senior EU official said an overall deal would be final only "when we also know exactly how it will be implemented - within what timelines, by whom". The official said the two sides had made significant progress but "the last mile is always the most difficult".

☆ Djokovic targets elusive gold medal at Paris Olympics
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 2 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic said he is already looking forward to next year's Olympic Games in Paris, as he seeks to win a gold medal that has so far eluded him in an otherwise glittering career. World number one Djokovic won a bronze medal in Beijing 2008 but has been unable to build on that in 2012, 2016 and 2021. The tennis competition at Paris 2024 will be held on the claycourts of Roland Garros where Djokovic has won two of his 22 Grand Slam titles -- in 2016 and 2021. "I look forward to the Olympics," Djokovic told reporters after beating Tallon Griekspoor in Dubai on Wednesday. "I always try to be very clear with myself what the goals are, what I want from competitive tennis," Djokovic said.

☆ Djokovic powers past Griekspoor into Dubai quarter-finals
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] ATP 500 - Dubai Tennis Championships - The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates - March 1, 2023 Serbia's Novak Djokovic in action during his round of 16 match against Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor REUTERS/Amr AlfikyMarch 1 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic stormed into the quarter-finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships on Wednesday with a 6-2 6-3 thrashing of Tallon Griekspoor, swiftly returning to his best form at a tournament he has won five times. A day after being taken to three sets by Czech qualifier Tomas Machac, Djokovic was back to his ruthless best and blasted past a shell-shocked Griekspoor to take the first set with two breaks of serve. Griekspoor managed to win a game and world number one Djokovic dropped serve with a double fault before sealing victory in style. Yesterday, I really had to work hard to get a win," Djokovic said. I have no words to describe it," Rublev, who has saved match points en route to victory three times this season, said.

☆ Djokovic says return to top spot more special after tough year
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

It happens," Djokovic told reporters following his win over Tomas Machac in Dubai on Tuesday. Djokovic is now into his 378th week as the world number one, surpassing Steffi Graf's record for the most weeks at the top of the sport. But he said younger players like Carlos Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas will eventually catch up with him. I'm not playing as much and don't plan to play as many weeks as they do," Djokovic said. Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ West gains advantage as it vies with Russia for influence in Serbia
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Aleksandar Vasovic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

T-shirts with the letter Z, a symbol of Russia's campaign, are sold as souvenirs while far-right groups openly tout support for Russia. Last month, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said that while Serbia had made progress in EU accession negotiations, Brussels required more. A separate CRTA poll found 61% felt Belgrade should preserve good relations with Moscow even at the cost of EU ties. U.S. and EU sanctions mean Serbia can no longer send its fighter jets or helicopters, based on ex-Soviet technology, to Russia for overhauls, nor purchase new weapons from Russia. Cedomir Stojkovic, a Belgrade-based lawyer and activist whose October Group publishes lists of prominent Serbs who are outspoken supporters of Russia, said Serbia was under Russia's "hybrid occupation".

☆ EU extends $647 mln grant for Serbia's fast railway line
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BELGRADE, Feb 28 (Reuters) - The European Union on Tuesday extended a 610 million euro ($647.15 million) grant to Serbia for the construction of a fast railway line that will connect southern Serbia with central Europe. The 208-kilometre line should connect the Serbian capital Belgrade with the southern town of Nis. President Aleksandar Vucic said the EU grant was the largest ever given to Serbia, which has received a total of 420 million euros in EU grants so far. "The EU is now giving us 610 million euros as a gift," said Vucic, adding that the new railway line will enable travellers from Nis to get to Budapest in less than five hours. Vucic said Serbia would provide 525 million euros for the project and would take out loans of 1.1 billion euros and 550 million euros with the EIB and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development respectively.

☆ Fearless Alcaraz can show next-gen how to topple Djokovic, say sports psychology experts
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Florida-based Patrick Cohn, who teaches mental skills and sports psychology techniques to professional athletes, said he was not surprised Djokovic was still dominating the next generation. Cohn believes young players must rely on better preparation, tactics and develop a stronger mental game to topple Djokovic. I suggest to younger players that they view opponents as nameless and rankless." Former tennis player Jeff Greenwald, now a sports psychology consultant, said the Spanish world number two possessed rare qualities required to excel at the elite level. He will be a contender and likely one of the players who begins to take a bite out of Djokovic."

Speaking after hosting talks in Brussels between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Borrell said the leaders agreed "no further discussions" are needed on the deal between the former wartime foes. But Serbia still regards Kosovo as a breakaway province and flare-ups between the Balkan neighbours have stoked fears of a return to conflict. Under the new deal, Serbia stops short of recognising Kosovo as an independent state but agrees to recognise official documents such as passports, diplomas and licence plates and not to block Kosovo's membership of any international organisation. Borrell said the annex was an "integral part" of the new deal but it had not yet been agreed. Vucic has insisted Kosovo establish an association of Serb-majority municipalities, as agreed by a previous Kosovo government.

☆ Novak Djokovic breaks Steffi Graf's record for weeks at No. 1
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The 22-time Grand Slam champion broke the mark set by Steffi Graf. 1, to match Graf -- one of the all-time greats," Djokovic said. Djokovic won his men's record-tying 22nd major title last month at the Australian Open. Graf, also a 22-time Grand Slam winner, was No. 1 in the women's rankings for 377 weeks before retiring in 1999.

Search resuls for: "Serbian"

25 mentions found