BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Scuffles and fistfights broke out between ruling party and opposition lawmakers in Serbia’s parliament on Monday, weeks after a deadly rail station roof collapse that ignited tensions in the Balkan state.
The opposition wanted to discuss who is responsible for the crash that killed 15 people in the northern city of Novi Sad on Nov. 1, while governing officials, who have a majority in Serbia’s legislature, sought to adopt a bill on next year’s state budget.
The opposition displayed a banner showing a red hand print reading “blood is on your hands." The ruling party responded with a banner accusing the opposition of wanting “war while Serbia wants to work.”
Scuffles erupted when the two sides tried to grab each other's banner.
The rail station, a major hub, was recently renovated as part of a Serbian-Chinese partnership. Critics allege that corruption, poor oversight and inadequate construction work contributed to the tragedy.
The collapse has fueled widespread anger toward the government and protests, becoming a flashpoint for broader dissatisfaction with Serbia’s authoritarian rule. There are growing public demands for transparency while the country undertakes large infrastructure projects, mostly with Chinese state companies.
Serbia’s parliament speaker Ana Brnabic on Monday accused the opposition of wanting to come to power by force with help from outside.
“There is not a hint, not a grain of doubt, that these are people who are well organized, who were trained quite well, I believe paid well, to create chaos in Serbia and destabilize our country,” she said.
Serbia's autocratic President Aleksandar Vucic said on Instagram that the “daily bullying" and "the savage behavior" of the opposition would not be tolerated.
“I want to reassure the citizens and tell them that we will respond to their rudeness, rudeness and arrogance with even more work in the future." he said. "Today they tried to prevent pensioners from receiving their increased pensions, public sector employees from their increased salaries. They won’t succeed.”
Opposition leader Dragan Djilas said the speaker had “shut down” the parliament by refusing to allow a debate on who's responsible for the tragedy.
“She started with that when she refused to put on the agenda the request of more than 80 members of the opposition for a debate on confidence in the government because of the murder and crime in Novi Sad,” Djilas said.
Protesters shout slogans with red paint on the hands symbolizing blood, demand arrests, two days after a concrete canopy collapsed at a railway station in Novi Sad, killing 14 people and injuring three, during protest in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Ruling party lawmakers, opposition members, and some ministers fight during a Serbia's parliament session, which was scheduled to debate the 2025 budget, in Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo)
Hollywood cranks out holiday programming as fast as toys are made in Santa's workshop with broadcast networks, cable channels and streaming services offering seasonal specials.
This year's options include three sequels to the 2023 Hallmark Channel hit “Christmas on Cherry Lane,” a docuseries following what happens when a letter to Santa is dropped in the mail, and the stop-motion classic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
Below are 10 options to get you in the Christmas spirit:
— Lindsay Lohan stars in a new holiday rom-com for Netflix called “Our Little Secret," out Wednesday. Lohan and Ian Harding ("Pretty Little Liars"), play exes who find themselves spending Christmas together after discovering they're now dating siblings. “It has a lot of heart and it’s very funny and I think that's what we need in film these days,” Lohan told The Associated Press in an interview. Kristin Chenoweth is in it too.
— “Dear Santa, The Series” will warm the soul like a cup of hot chocolate. Now in its second season, the show highlights the United States Postal Service's Operation Santa program where children write letters to Santa and a team of Elves help to grant their holiday wishes. The new season streams on Hulu beginning Friday.
— Candace Cameron Bure and Cameron Mathison star in “Home Sweet Christmas” as former childhood friends who reunite after the death of a family member who leaves his maple sugar farm to them both. It premieres Sunday on Great American Family.
— Remember the 1985 film “Brewster's Millions” starring Richard Pryor and John Candy? The comedy classic has been updated with a holiday twist. “Brewster's Millions: Christmas” stars China Anne McClain as Morgan Brewster, a wealthy heiress who will lose her family's fortune unless she completes a series of tasks in time for Christmas. It premieres Dec. 5 on BET+. The film also stars Romeo Miller and two of Pryor’s children, Richard Pryor Jr. and Rain Pryor.
— The 2023 Hallmark movie “Christmas on Cherry Lane” was a big hit for the network. It followed three families on Christmas Eve who live in the same home in different time periods. Three sequels will stream on Hallmark+, spanning from 1951 to present day. Jonathan Bennett, Vincent Rodriguez III star in the first sequel, “Season's Greetings from Cherry Lane,” debuting Dec. 5. “Happy Holidays from Cherry Lane” premieres Dec. 12 starring Catherine Bell and James Denton. The third film, 'Deck the Halls on Cherry Lane" arrives Dec. 19 with Erin Cahill and Brooke D’Orsay.
— An original holiday romance movie called “A Season to Remember” airs Dec. 7 on OWN. Michele Weaver plays a sports reporter who works hard to prove herself in a male-dominated industry but still sometimes gets overlooked for opportunities. The pressure is on to find a compelling story the week before Christmas. Weaver teams up with a freelance photographer (Nathan Owens) who helps her find romance, confidence and the right path.
— Freeform has designated its December programming, “25 Days of Christmas” with holiday fare airing from morning to midnight. Dec. 8 is a highlight with Tim Allen’s ”The Santa Clause” franchise and the 1964 stop motion classic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and 1969’s “Frosty the Snowman.”
— Smokey Robinson and Halle Bailey host NBC “A Motown Christmas Special” on Dec. 11 (streaming next day on Peacock). Motown legends including Robinson, Gladys Knight and the Temptations sing some of their best-known songs as well as Christmas tunes. Bailey will perform a medley of music by Diana Ross and the Supremes, while Jamie Foxx will lead a Stevie Wonder tribute featuring Andra Day, Bebe Winans and Jordin Sparks. An 11-piece live band will accompany the performances.
—- A new double-episode Christmas edition of “The Simpsons” called “O C’mon All Ye Faithful" streams on Disney+ on Dec. 17. A famous mentalist arrives in Springfield and uses his mind tricks to boost holiday spirits. When Homer gets hypnotized and believes he's Santa Clause, it causes the rest of the town to question their own Christmas beliefs and the meaning of the word miracle. The special also has music from Patti LaBelle and Pentatonix.
— Netflix will stream two NFL games on Christmas Day. First, Super Bowl LVII champs, the Kansas City Chiefs, will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers followed by the Baltimore Ravens facing the Houston Texans. The streamer is gifting the beyhive with Beyoncé this holiday season — as the superstar will perform at halftime during the game featuring her hometown team, the Texans. The Netflix Christmas Day games will also be available on broadcast TV in the competing team cities.
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Video journalist Gina Abdy contributed to this report.
This image released by BET+ shows Romeo Miller, left, and China Anne McClain in a scene from “Brewster's Millions: Christmas." (BET+ via AP)
This mage released by OWN shows Nathan Owens, left, and Michele Weaver in a scene from "A Season To Remember." (OWN via AP)
This image released by NBCUniversal shows a scene from the 1964 stop motion classic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” (NBCUniversal via AP)
This promotional image released by NBC shows Smokey Robinson, left, and Halle Bailey, who will host the holiday special "A Motown Christmas." (NBCUniversal via AP)
This image released by Disney shows a boy mailing a letter to Santa in a scene from “Dear Santa, The Series." (Disney via AP)
This image released by Disney shows a postal worker, right, delivering gifts to a home in a scene from "Dear Santa, The Series." (Disney via AP)
This image released by Netflix shows Ian Harding, from left, Lindsay Lohan and Jon Rudnitsky in a scene from "Our Little Secret." (Bob Mahoney/Netflix via AP)
This image released by Netflix shows Lindsay Lohan in a scene from "Our Little Secret." (Chuck Zlotnick/Netflix via AP)
This combination of images shows promotional art for holiday films "Our Little Secret," left, "Seasons Greetings from Cherry Lans," center, and "A Season To Remember." (Netflix/Hallmark+/OWN via AP)
