On Saturday evening, a chaotic shooting incident unfolded at the Washington Hilton, the venue hosting the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner, leading to the immediate arrest of a male suspect identified by law enforcement sources as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen. A native of Torrance, a community in California’s Los Angeles region, Allen’s actions have sent shockwaves through Washington D.C.’s political and media circles. Multiple senior law enforcement sources confirmed to CBS News, the BBC’s U.S. news partner, that after being taken into custody by hotel security personnel, Allen explicitly told investigators he had entered the venue with the goal of targeting and shooting current and former officials from the Donald Trump administration. Initial witness and law enforcement accounts indicate between five and eight gunshots rang out inside the hotel during the incident. Closed-circuit security footage later shared by former President Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform captures the suspect rushing past uniformed security officers, who immediately pivot to pursue him through the hotel corridors. During a late-night emergency press briefing shortly after the incident was contained, Washington’s interim police chief Jeffery Carroll confirmed that security personnel and the suspect exchanged gunfire during the confrontation, though he declined to confirm the total number of shots fired at that time. Carroll clarified that the suspect was not hit by any gunfire during the exchange, but was transported to a local medical facility for mandatory psychological evaluation following his arrest. Further details released by Carroll confirmed Allen was registered as a guest at the Washington Hilton the night of the dinner, and was found to be carrying an arsenal of weapons upon arrest: a shotgun, a loaded handgun, and multiple edged weapons. “At this point in our ongoing investigation, it does appear he is a lone actor, a lone gunman,” Carroll told reporters, adding that no accomplices have been identified at this stage of the probe. Hours after the arrest, former President Trump shared a close-up photograph on his Truth Social account showing a shirtless Allen on the hotel floor, his hands cuffed behind his back, surrounded by uniformed U.S. Secret Service agents. The photograph has circulated widely across social media platforms in the hours since the incident. Law enforcement teams have also expanded their investigation to California, where visual evidence shows FBI agents and local law enforcement officers searching a residential address linked to Allen. Additional background checks have uncovered that Allen was employed by C2 Education, a private tutoring firm based in his hometown of Torrance. Two law enforcement sources confirmed to CBS that Allen was even recognized by the company with a “Teacher of the Month” award in December 2024, though it remains unclear whether he was still actively employed by the firm at the time of the incident. In a public statement, the Torrance Unified School District clarified that Allen had never been employed as a staff or faculty member at any of the district’s campuses. The California Institute of Technology also confirmed in an email to CBS that Allen graduated from the prestigious research institution in 2017, but declined to release any further information about his academic record or time on campus. On Sunday, U.S. Attorney for Washington Jeanine Pirro announced formal criminal charges against the suspect: two felony counts, including use of a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on federal officers with a dangerous weapon. Pirro confirmed Allen is scheduled to make his first formal court appearance for arraignment in federal court on Monday. As of Sunday, investigators continue to work to map out the suspect’s radicalization process, travel planning, and potential motives beyond his stated intention to target Trump administration officials.
作者： admin
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New fighting in Mali’s Kidal between army and rebels
Renewed armed confrontation broke out on Sunday in Kidal, the strategically critical northern Malian town long centered in the country’s decade-long conflict, pitting Tuareg rebel forces aligned with jihadist fighters against Malian government troops backed by Russian personnel. The outbreak of new fighting comes just 24 hours after insurgents launched a wave of coordinated attacks across the restive Sahel country, the most violent assault to hit Mali since the ruling military junta seized power in 2020.
Mohamed Ramdane, a spokesperson for the Tuareg rebel coalition the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), confirmed Sunday that hostilities had resumed in Kidal. “Fighting resumed in Kidal this morning. We want to drive out the last Russian fighters who have taken refuge in a camp,” Ramdane stated. A local elected official, speaking on condition of anonymity, also verified the renewed clashes, confirming that residents across the town have heard sustained gunfire.
Kidal, long considered a historic stronghold of the Tuareg movement, was recaptured by Malian army forces in November 2023 with backing from Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group. That seizure ended more than 10 years of direct rebel control over the northern town, making it a powerful symbolic prize for both sides in the ongoing conflict. Beyond Kidal, the FLA has also claimed to have seized new positions in Mali’s northern Gao region, expanding the scope of their recent offensive.
A anonymous security source speaking to Agence France-Presse clarified the strategic logic behind the recent insurgent campaign: “The aim of the attackers was not to seize and control cities permanently, but to carry out coordinated actions in order to at least capture Kidal, which is a rather powerful symbol.”
Mali has been ravaged by jihadist insurgency and intercommunal conflict for more than 11 years, but Saturday’s coordinated attacks marked the deadliest and most extensive assault since the 2020 military coup that brought the current junta to power. Strikes were launched not only in northern regions but also on the outskirts of Mali’s capital Bamako, hitting multiple population centers across the large West African nation.
In an official statement released Saturday evening, the Malian government reported that the violence left 16 civilians and military personnel wounded, alongside what it described as “limited material damage.” The government also claimed that “the situation is totally under control in all the localities” targeted in the attacks.
However, developments in the capital and surrounding areas have sparked widespread anxiety among residents. Multiple witnesses and a medical source confirmed that on Sunday morning, Malian soldiers deployed heavy security around a Bamako clinic where Defense Minister Sadio Camara was admitted the previous day. Residents also reported that Camara’s official residence in Kati, a garrison town adjacent to Bamako that serves as a key stronghold of the ruling junta, was heavily damaged in a powerful explosion. Aides to the defense minister have denied claims that Camara was wounded in the attack.
An AFP journalist reporting from Bamako confirmed that access to all military facilities in the capital has been blocked by road barriers and makeshift barricades of burning tires. In Senou, the outlying Bamako district that houses the city’s main airport and saw heavy fighting on Saturday, residents remain on high alert. “I still hear the blasts ringing in my ears. It’s traumatising,” one local resident told reporters. In Kati, while calm has returned to the area after jihadist fighters withdrew, residents continue to live in constant fear of new attacks. “The jihadists left the area, but we are living in fear,” one Kati resident said Sunday.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has formally condemned the wave of violence across Mali. “The Secretary‑General is deeply concerned by reports of attacks in several locations across Mali,” his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in an official statement. Guterres also called for unified global action to address the growing security crisis in the Sahel, adding: “The Secretary-General calls for coordinated international support to address the evolving threat of violent extremism and terrorism in the Sahel and to meet urgent humanitarian needs.”
In recent years, Mali’s ruling military leadership has shifted the country’s foreign policy dramatically, cutting long-standing security and diplomatic ties with former colonial power France and other Western nations, and forging a close alliance with Russia. Following the mutiny that ended the Wagner Group’s operations in Mali, the Russian Africa Corps, a paramilitary organization under direct control of the Russian Ministry of Defense, has taken over Wagner’s role supporting Malian government forces in their fight against insurgent and jihadist groups. Mali holds significant untapped reserves of gold and other valuable strategic minerals, making its ongoing instability a critical concern for global markets and regional security.
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Police in Northern Ireland declare security alert after reports of a car bomb explosion
BELFAST, Northern Ireland – Law enforcement in Northern Ireland has activated a major security alert in Dunmurry, a suburban town on the edge of Belfast, following confirmation that a vehicle-borne explosive device detonated close to a local police station. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) announced Sunday that residents living in the surrounding area have been evacuated from their homes, and the general public has been urged to steer clear of the cordoned-off zone to avoid potential risks from further explosive hazards.
Local UK Member of Parliament Sorcha Eastwood, who represents the Lagan Valley constituency southwest of Belfast, spoke publicly about her reaction to the overnight incident, describing the news as deeply unsettling. “It is distressing and disturbing to wake up to the news that a car bomb exploded outside Dunmurry police station last night,” Eastwood said. She went on to note that the targeted area is a densely populated hub that is home to residential neighborhoods, local small businesses, and regularly sees large numbers of residents out for social activities or work on weekend evenings. She emphasized that the absence of any injuries or fatalities was nothing short of a stroke of luck. “It is only through the grace of God that there are no casualties,” she added.
As of Sunday, investigators have not released any confirmed details about potential suspects or the underlying motive for the attack. The incident also comes in the wake of a similar attempted bombing just one month prior roughly 32 kilometers southwest of Dunmurry, targeting another PSNI station in the town of Lurgan.
According to law enforcement accounts of the Lurgan incident, two men wearing masks intercepted a delivery driver, forced the driver at gunpoint to drive a vehicle fitted with a crude but functional improvised explosive device to the station’s entrance. The incident forced the evacuation of more than 100 local homes before a controlled explosion could be carried out to disable the device. Officials concluded the attack was orchestrated by dissident Republican factions opposed to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, a landmark peace deal that brought an end to decades of sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland. PSNI characterized the Lurgan attack as a “pathetic attempt to remain relevant and provoke fear” among local communities.
The Good Friday Agreement, brokered in 1998, effectively ended 30 years of violent unrest known as The Troubles, which pitted Republican groups seeking unification with the Republic of Ireland against pro-union factions that wish to keep Northern Ireland part of the United Kingdom. While the peace deal has drastically reduced large-scale violence, small dissident groups that reject the power-sharing framework of the agreement continue to carry out sporadic low-level attacks targeting police and government infrastructure.
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Shooting triggers evacuation at White House correspondents’ dinner
A late-afternoon shooting incident at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner in downtown Washington, D.C. on April 25, 2026, sparked immediate mass evacuation of high-profile attendees, prompting a rapid large-scale response from U.S. security forces. The high-profile annual gathering, which draws top administration officials, congressional leaders, national media figures, and former presidents, was interrupted abruptly when gunfire was reported near the venue, setting off emergency protocols.
Eyewitness and agency footage shows security teams immediately moving to extract key attendees from the event. Among those evacuated was U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, who was quickly escorted away from the venue by Secret Service personnel. Former President Donald Trump, who was in attendance at the dinner, was also removed from the premises by security responders as a precaution. Alongside Trump, U.S. Senator JD Vance, another prominent attendee, was also moved to a secure location shortly after the incident began.
Within an hour of the first reports of gunfire, law enforcement officials confirmed that the suspected shooter had been taken into custody. Responding units including the National Guard were deployed to the perimeter of the venue within minutes, securing the red carpet entrance and surrounding areas to prevent further risk. In an official update released shortly after the situation was contained, authorities confirmed that neither Trump nor Vance suffered any injuries during the incident or evacuation process.
The WHCA dinner, a decades-old tradition that bridges the White House, Congress, and the national press corps, was put on indefinite hold following the security breach. Event organizers have not yet released further details about potential casualties, the motive of the suspect, or plans to resume or cancel the remainder of the event. This incident marks an unprecedented security disruption to one of Washington D.C.’s most high-profile annual political-media gatherings, prompting immediate discussions about revising security protocols for future major open political events in the nation’s capital.
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World leaders react to Washington gala shooting
In a shocking incident that sent ripples through global political circles, an armed suspect stormed a high-profile media gala in Washington D.C. on Saturday night, where former U.S. President Donald Trump was in attendance. The incident, which targeted an event that stands as a cornerstone of American political and press engagement, has drawn swift reaction from heads of state across the world, with widespread condemnation of political violence and collective relief that no lives were lost.
U.S. law enforcement agencies confirmed that they have taken the lone attacker into custody. According to official statements, the suspect was heavily armed, carrying a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple bladed weapons when he advanced on the glitzy White House Correspondents’ Dinner venue. The detained individual is scheduled to make their first court appearance at a federal courthouse on Monday, where formal charges will be laid out. One law enforcement officer was injured in the incident during the response to the attack.
In the hours following the incident, global leaders took to social media platform X to share their reactions, nearly all echoing two core sentiments: outrage at the act of violence, and relief that Trump, the first lady, and all other attendees emerged unharmed.
United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer was among the first to speak out, stating he was shocked by the chaotic scenes that unfolded at the annual dinner. Starmer emphasized that any act of aggression targeting democratic institutions or press freedom demands the strongest possible condemnation from the international community.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu framed the incident as an attempted assassination of Trump. In his post, Netanyahu noted that he and his wife Sara were stunned by the attack, adding that they felt profound relief knowing the former president and first lady were unharmed and in good condition. He extended wishes for a rapid full recovery to the injured police officer and praised the U.S. Secret Service for their immediate and effective response that prevented a far worse outcome.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi echoed the global relief, confirming that he was greatly reassured to learn Trump, the first lady, and U.S. Vice President were all uninjured. Modi extended his ongoing wishes for their safety and wellbeing, stressing that violence has no place in democratic societies and must be rejected without ambiguity.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also shared his reaction, saying he was relieved that the former president, first lady, and all event guests escaped unharmed. He noted that political violence has no place in any democratic system, and offered his solidarity to all those left shaken by the distressing event.Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that it was a positive outcome that Trump and his wife remained safe following the incident, extending her respect to the couple. She reinforced that violence can never be an acceptable course of action in political or public life. Similarly, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez formally condemned the attack targeting Trump, writing that violence never resolves disagreement, and that humanity can only progress through democracy, peaceful coexistence, and dialogue. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif added his voice to the global reaction, saying he was deeply shocked by the troubling shooting incident. He shared that he was relieved to confirm Trump, the first lady, and all other gala attendees were safe, offering his prayers and well wishes for the continued safety of all those involved.
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Zelensky accuses Russia of ‘nuclear terrorism’ on Chernobyl anniversary
Sunday marked the 40th anniversary of the catastrophic 1986 Chernobyl nuclear explosion – the worst civilian nuclear disaster in recorded history – and Ukraine’s commemoration was overshadowed by a fresh wave of deadly Russian drone strikes that left multiple casualties on both sides of the frontline. In this charged context, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a stark condemnation of Moscow, accusing it of engaging in deliberate nuclear terrorism.
The 1986 Chernobyl disaster permanently altered global attitudes toward nuclear power, leaving a contested and grim human toll in its wake. While a 2005 United Nations report estimated that up to 4,000 people across the three most affected regions would die from radiation-related causes, environmental advocacy group Greenpeace placed the projected death toll far higher, at nearly 100,000. Around 600,000 first responders and cleanup workers, known locally as “liquidators”, were exposed to dangerously high levels of radiation while containing the disaster after the explosion. To honor the victims of the 1986 catastrophe, members of the public gathered in the Ukrainian town of Slavutych on Sunday, lighting candles arranged in the shape of a radiation warning symbol outside a memorial for those who lost their lives.
In a social media statement released to mark the somber anniversary, Zelensky argued that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in 2022, has once again pushed the international community to the edge of another catastrophic man-made nuclear incident. He pointed to repeated risks created by Russian military operations around the Chernobyl site, noting that Russian drones regularly fly over the decommissioned power plant, and one strike damaged the facility’s protective radiation containment shell in 2023. “The world must not allow this nuclear terrorism to continue, and the best way is to force Russia to stop its reckless attacks,” Zelensky added.
The anniversary commemoration coincided with one of the largest sustained drone barrages Ukraine has faced in months, part of the almost nightly Russian air attacks that have continued since the invasion began. Ukrainian officials confirmed that three people were killed and at least four more injured across the country in overnight strikes Saturday into Sunday. In the northeastern border region of Sumy, two civilian men aged 48 and 72 were killed in a drone strike on the Bilopillia community, located less than five kilometers from the Russian border, according to regional military administration head Oleg Gryborov. In the central-eastern city of Dnipro, a separate drone and artillery attack left one civilian dead and four wounded, damaging dozens of residential buildings and private vehicles, regional governor Oleksandr Ganzha confirmed.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched 144 drones in the overnight operation, and Ukrainian air defenses successfully intercepted and destroyed 124 of the incoming vehicles. The violence was not limited to Ukrainian-controlled territory: Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-appointed governor of Sevastopol in Russian-annexed Crimea, said a Ukrainian drone attack on the port city killed one man in his vehicle and damaged multiple residential buildings and a local dance school across several neighborhoods. Russian air defenses claimed to have shot down 43 drones in that attack. The latest wave of violence comes just one day after Ukrainian officials reported that eight civilians were killed in Dnipro during a 20-hour-long series of Russian strikes on the city Saturday.
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Watch: JD Vance evacuated from ballroom stage after shots heard
A startling security incident unfolded Saturday night at an event tied to the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner, forcing U.S. Vice President JD Vance to be hastily evacuated from a ballroom stage just moments after multiple gunshots were reported in the area.
Emergency response protocols kicked into effect immediately after the sounds of gunfire reached attendees. Security personnel assigned to protect the vice president moved rapidly to surround Vance and escort him away from the public stage, prioritizing his safety amid the unfolding chaos.
The incident sent shockwaves through the gathering, which was held in conjunction with one of Washington D.C.’s highest-profile annual media events. As of initial reports, details remain limited on the source of the gunshots, potential casualties, or whether any suspect has been taken into custody. Law enforcement agencies have launched a rapid investigation to determine the full circumstances of the incident, including whether the gunfire was linked to the event or the vice president’s attendance.
The evacuation highlights the persistent security challenges facing top U.S. government officials, even at scheduled public events in the nation’s capital. The White House Correspondents’ Dinner itself, which draws hundreds of journalists, politicians, and celebrities each year, had additional security deployments in place ahead of the event, and organizers have not yet released an official statement on how the incident will impact remaining scheduled activities.
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Despite Russia’s war, one Ukrainian city still gathers for midnight Chernobyl vigil
Four decades after the world’s worst nuclear disaster shattered communities across what is now northern Ukraine, residents of Slavutych defied wartime curfews and official warnings against large public gatherings to honor the dead and heroes of the 1986 Chernobyl catastrophe in a midnight commemoration held on the 25th of April, 2026.
Slavutych, the purpose-built city located roughly 50 kilometers from the shattered remains of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, is inextricably tied to the disaster’s legacy. Built in the aftermath of the April 26, 1986 explosion to house displaced plant workers and their families, the city welcomed its first permanent residents in 1988. Today, it holds the collective memory of a catastrophe that exposed decades of dangerous negligence and institutional secrecy under the former Soviet Union. For 48 hours after the reactor exploded, Soviet authorities hid the scale of the accident from the public, only acknowledging the disaster after radioactive fallout drifted across Northern Europe and Swedish scientists raised public alarm.
An estimated 600,000 emergency responders and cleanup workers, widely known as Chernobyl’s “liquidators,” were drafted into the deadly work of extinguishing the reactor fire and containing radioactive contamination. Thirty workers lost their lives within months of the accident, claimed by the blast or acute radiation sickness. Millions of people across Ukraine and neighboring Belarus were exposed to life-threatening radiation levels, and hundreds of towns and villages were permanently abandoned, forcing hundreds of thousands of residents into mass permanent evacuation.
Like much of northern Ukraine, Slavutych has faced new upheaval amid Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The city was briefly occupied by Russian forces early in the war during Moscow’s failed push to capture Kyiv, and it has endured brutal winters marked by widespread power outages that left some residents cooking meals over open fires in city streets. Even with these risks and ongoing restrictions, the annual commemoration vigil has gone ahead without fail, drawing crowds of all ages to the city’s central square.
This year, attendees streamed into the plaza before midnight, many arriving as families carrying armfuls of spring tulips and daffodils. They arranged candles across the ground to form a giant radiation hazard symbol, a quiet tribute to those who lost their lives to the disaster. The gathering unfolded against a backdrop of Soviet-era apartment blocks, with a war memorial honoring local residents killed in the ongoing invasion standing a short distance away.
For many attendees, the vigil is a deeply personal ritual. Seventy-one-year-old Liudmyla Liubyva once attended the ceremony with her husband, a former Chernobyl plant worker who developed a radiation-linked disability that left him unable to walk. She told attendees that while honoring the sacrifices of liquidators remains a critical duty, Russia’s war has reignited long-dormant fears that the nuclear danger was never fully laid to rest. Referencing a 2025 Russian drone strike that damaged the New Safe Confinement — the massive steel dome constructed to seal radioactive contamination from the destroyed reactor — Liubyva said, “When the drone struck the arch, it felt like the world could return to 1986. We all — young and old alike — must protect our land, because it is so vulnerable.”
As soft instrumental music played, poetry about the disaster echoed across the square through loudspeakers. “Years pass, generations change, but the pain of Chernobyl does not fade,” a woman’s voice recited. At the front of the gathering, attendees dressed in white protective suits and face masks, symbolic of the gear liquidators were often forced to use during cleanup, stood in silent vigil holding lit candles.
Sixty-seven-year-old Larysa Panova, who was forced to abandon her native hometown of Chernobyl and resettle in Slavutych after the accident, said the new city has become her home, but she still longs for the forests and open land of the community she left behind. Before the full-scale invasion, Panova regularly traveled back to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone to visit remaining relatives or revisit the places of her childhood. The war has cut off that access, leaving her with only memories. “I never stop thinking of Chernobyl as my homeland,” Panova said. “You remember your school, your childhood, your youth — everything happened there, in Chernobyl.”
This reporting was contributed by AP correspondents Vasilisa Stepanenko and Volodymyr Yurchuk based in Kyiv, with financial support for nuclear security coverage provided by the Outrider Foundation. The Associated Press retains full editorial control over all content.
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In pictures: Chaos as gunfire heard in Washington DC ballroom
A high-profile annual gathering of Washington’s political and media elite descended into chaos Saturday night when gunfire erupted at the Washington Hilton, forcing an immediate evacuation of U.S. President Donald Trump and sending hundreds of attendees scrambling for cover under tables and chairs.
The incident unfolded mid-event during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, a traditional gala that brings together sitting presidents, top Cabinet officials, congressional leaders, senior White House aides, and leading journalists from across the country. Within seconds of shots being reported, Secret Service agents rushed Trump off the event stage, whisking him away to a secure location as heavily armed law enforcement officers swept the venue to secure the perimeter.
Multiple U.S. media outlets have identified the suspected shooter as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, a resident of Torrance, California. Official confirmation from law enforcement authorities indicates Allen is scheduled to be arraigned and formally faced with criminal charges during a court hearing scheduled for Monday.
A single Secret Service agent sustained injuries during the response to the incident, and the individual was immediately transported to a local hospital to receive medical care, authorities confirmed. No other attendees were reported injured in the chaos that followed the shooting.
Photographs from the scene captured the full scope of the sudden disruption: senior administration figures including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. were escorted out of the packed ballroom by security personnel, while top Trump aide Stephen Miller and his wife Katie were seen taking cover under event furniture alongside other guests. House Speaker Mike Johnson was also removed from the venue as part of the emergency security protocol.
Shortly after the situation was secured, Trump shared an image on his Truth Social platform showing the shirtless suspect in handcuffs on the hotel floor, surrounded by Secret Service agents, saying he had personally authorized the release of the photograph to the public. Still wearing the black tuxedo he had donned for the gala, Trump appeared in the White House Press Briefing Room minutes later to address reporters and answer questions about the incident.
Many attendees, who had arrived at the dinner in formal ball gowns and tuxedos, traveled from the locked-down hotel directly to the White House briefing room to hear the president’s update. Trump noted that the experience had been traumatic for First Lady Melania Trump, who joined him in the briefing room for the appearance, marking one of her rare public comments at a White House media event.
After being evacuated from the Washington Hilton, dozens of guests gathered outside the venue in the hours after the shooting, many saying they were initially confused by mixed communications that suggested the event might resume after a brief security check. Law enforcement officials have not yet released further details about a potential motive for the attack, and investigations into the incident remain ongoing.
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A growing amateur choir brings joy and community to hundreds in Serbia
Four years after launching with just a couple dozen singers in the small central Serbian town of Gornji Milanovac, an unconventional amateur pop choir has grown into a nationwide movement, offering a much-needed outlet for joy and connection in a country grappling with persistent political division and social tension.
Founded by trained music educator Nenad Azanjac and his wife, Pop Hor (Pop Choir) operates on a radical, inclusive founding principle: anyone can sing, no experience required. Unlike most traditional vocal groups, the organization has no auditions, no mandatory music reading skills, and no voice tests—an approach that sets it apart in Serbia, where community choirs remain far less common than in many other parts of the world. Modeled after inclusive international community singing projects, the initiative invites participants ranging in age from 5 to 105, framing group singing as a tool for stress relief and joy rather than professional performance.
Today, the movement has expanded to 10 cities across the Balkan nation, attracting hundreds of members, the vast majority of whom are women of all generations. Since its 2022 founding, roughly 2,000 people have sung with Pop Hor, and the group’s founders have ambitious plans to expand across the entire Balkan region. Weekly performances regularly fill community halls and venues across Serbia, with the choir’s repertoire drawing primarily from popular Serbian music, alongside occasional tracks from Croatian and Bosnian artists. Despite its entirely amateur status, the group has even been invited to perform at festivals and public events both across Serbia and in neighboring countries.
For many members, the choir has become a vital escape from the daily stress of Serbia’s volatile political climate. Seventy-two-year-old member Nevenka Bila, who participates in ongoing pro-democracy protests across the country, explained that the choir offers a gentle, positive counterpoint to the tension of public activism. “In this madness that we are living, where I spend half of my free time in the streets fighting for basic human rights, I found something that feels so good for me,” Bila said. “I discovered a new world.”
Sixty-two-year-old economist Radmila Kozarac echoed that sentiment, saying the choir has transformed her life for the better. “I never miss a class,” Kozarac said, noting that she has formed deep new friendships through the group and looks forward to post-rehearsal coffee and chats with fellow members. “It is joyful, it reduces stress,” she said of the group’s impact on her mental health.
Experts back up the perceived mental health benefits of the choir’s model. Aleksandra Djuric, a psychologist and professor at Belgrade’s Singidunum University, explained that group singing has well-documented positive neurobiological and psychological effects. When people sing together, she noted, shared collective energy lowers stress hormone (cortisol) levels while boosting production of endorphins and other positive mood hormones tied to connection and happiness. At a time when most people are constantly bombarded by overwhelming, often distressing news and information, Djuric emphasized the critical need for dedicated spaces to disconnect, relax, and build social connection.
Serbia has a long history of systemic stress: the country endured years of armed conflict, international sanctions, and crippling economic crisis in the 1990s, and remains politically fractured today, with ongoing economic struggles. In 2024, widespread youth-led protests erupted against the government of populist President Aleksandar Vucic, triggered by a deadly train station accident that many blamed on systemic negligence and corruption in large state-run infrastructure projects.
Azanjac said many new members join the choir on the recommendation of their therapists, who prescribe group singing as a natural way to manage chronic stress. For these participants, the biggest benefit is not singing itself—but the sense of belonging and togetherness the group fosters. “Singing comes second, socializing comes first,” Azanjac said, adding that participants “find a sense of belonging here, they enjoy it.” With growing momentum across Serbia, Azanjac says the movement will continue expanding: his end goal is to get the entire Balkan region singing together.