Balkans

Serbia’s pro-Western President Boris Tadic faces nationalist challenger Tomislav Nikolic on Sunday in an election that is seen as a referendum on the nation’s future.

SERBIA – Pro-Western Serbian President Boris Tadic faces nationalist challenger Tomislav Nikolic on Sunday in an election that will decide Serbia’s attitude to the West after the imminent loss of breakaway Kosovo province.

PRISTINA, Serbia – Kosovo will declare independence from Serbia with Western backing the weekend after the February 3 Serbian presidential election if the nationalist candidate wins, political sources said on Wednesday.

MOSCOW – Russia warned the United States and European Union on Monday that it would take a series of unidentified measures if Serbia’s breakaway province of Kosovo unilaterally declared independence.

BRUSSELS – EU foreign ministers will debate on Monday whether to sign an interim trade agreement with Serbia — a move seen as boosting pro-European President Boris Tadic ahead of a February 3 presidential run-off.

BELGRADE – Serbs face a choice between a nationalist who leans towards Russia and a liberal favoring the West in a presidential election run-off next month.

BANJSKA, Serbia – The plum brandy flowed freely at polling station No. 9 in Banjska, northern Kosovo, as Serbs voted for a new president.

Serbs vote on Sunday in a presidential election, with opinion polls giving hardline challenger Tomislav Nikolic a slim lead over pro-Western incumbent Boris Tadic, but not enough for a first-round victory.Here are profiles of the main candidates:

According to KC’s source in the command of the Armed Forces of the Caucasus Emirate, 9 Muḥarram 1429 in the afternoon (17 January 2008), a spetsnaz (special force) team of invaders was attacked

The British side has frozen ties with the FSB (Russian Federal Security Service) for the so-called “anti- terrorist cooperation”, British Ambassador to Russia Anthony Brenton said.