Fatherland

BELGRADE - The head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija Petar Petkovic said on Tuesday the 1999 Battle of Kosare represented one of the most difficult battles for the Serbs and that "it is our sacred duty to never forget the heroes who gave their lives to defend freedom and Kosovo-Metohija."

At a joint meeting of the two chambers, Kazakhstan's parliament passed a law renaming the state capital Astana to Nursultan in honor of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, TASS reported.

The members of the Magglias (Lower House) and Senate (upper) unanimously voted in favor of the proposal. The law is considered adopted and is now due to be signed by the president.

Kazakhstan's lower house of parliament voted on March 25 to keep in place the government of Prime Minister Karim Masimov after a parliamentary election in which the ruling Nur Otan party retained its overwhelming majority.