Tensions soar in Serbia as protesters clash with police, set fire to party offices

Fresh clashes erupted late Saturday (august 17) between protesters and riot police in Serbia’s capital Belgrade and other cities, on the fifth consecutive night of unrest. Almost daily protests have gripped Serbia since November, following the collapse of a railway station roof that killed 16 people. The tragedy became a symbol of deep-rooted corruption in the Balkan nation, with demands for a transparent investigation growing into calls for early elections.