Serbia's parliament passed a law on Friday designed to accelerate the development of a luxury complex in Belgrade, leased to an investment company founded by Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law.
U.S.-based Affinity Global Development plans to construct a hotel, apartments, shops, and offices on the site of the former Yugoslav army headquarters—a project that has sparked protests from Serbs who believe the site should be preserved.
Many Serbs view the old headquarters, which was damaged during the 1999 NATO bombing campaign, as a memorial to those who died and a symbol of Yugoslav-era modernist architecture. They opposed the signing of a 99-year lease agreement with Affinity last year.
Some opposition politicians argued that the law was unconstitutional, but the ruling majority passed it without amendments, agreeing that it could take effect before the legal deadline, allowing work to begin soon.
Kushner's broader investment firm, Affinity Partners, did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Despite protests, the Serbian government removed the buildings’ protected cultural heritage status last November. Kushner, who is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka, established Affinity Global Development after stepping down as a White House aide in 2021.
The vote comes at a turbulent time for Serbia, as President Aleksandar Vucic has faced large-scale protests following the collapse of a station roof in November 2024, which killed 16 people.
Serbia's only Russian-owned oil refinery is under U.S. sanctions, raising concerns about fuel supplies in the Balkan country this winter.
On Friday, Russia called on Belgrade to clarify President Vucic's comments regarding the potential sale of ammunition to the European Union, amid fears in Moscow that the shipments could end up in Ukraine. Moscow had previously been assured by Serbia that its ammunition would not be sent to Ukraine.
Russia has violated an energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelen...
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One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a new attack Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi ...
The explosion at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday afternoon killed at least 12 people and injured a further 309, according to Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority. The airport remains closed until further notice.
Yemen's Houthis renewed warning to airlines, airport workers, and travellers against using Saudi airports, saying the warning should be taken seriously and that the kingdom “bore responsibility for failed interceptions”, a day after an attack on Riyadh's international airport that killed 12 people.
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a new attack Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi authorities reported, a day after a strike claimed by Yemen's Houthis that killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
Ukraine is ready to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries if Moscow also halts strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday.
Russia has violated an energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday, urging Washington to step in to ensure that Moscow abided by the terms of the putative agreement.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 12 October 2026 with the top five natural disasters happening around the world.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Ukraine is ready to respect the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, but only if Russia does the same, saying Moscow has already violated the agreement.
China has announced sanctions against Belize’s foreign minister and Paraguay’s communications minister over their countries’ diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The move comes as Beijing continues to pressure the few remaining nations that maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taipei.
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