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Serbian President sends message to Australian PM amid Novak Djokovic drama

Published

4 years ago

January 6, 2022

ticker NEWS

Serbia’s President has responded after world No. 1 tennis star Novak Djokovic’s Australian visa was cancelled

Tennis star Novak Djokovic has had his visa to enter Australia dramatically revoked on his arrival in Melbourne.

The world number one was held at Melbourne airport for several hours on Thursday, before border forces announced he had not met entry rules and would be deported.

Djokovic has reportedly now been taken to a government detention hotel pending his departure on an outbound flight.

The star’s visa cancellation comes amid a backlash over a vaccine exemption that Mr. Djokovic revealed he was granted in order to play in the Australian Open.

Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison released a tweet shortly after, stating that no one was above the country’s rules. At a press conference on Thursday Mr Morrison said he had been advised that a medical exemption was not in place for the player’s entry.

Mr Djokovic’s visa has been cancelled. Rules are rules, especially when it comes to our borders. No one is above these rules. Our strong border policies have been critical to Australia having one of the lowest death rates in the world from COVID, we are continuing to be vigilant.
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) January 5, 2022

Australian media reports suggest Djokovic could pursue a legal appeal or apply for a new visa so he can re-enter and play in the tournament.

Events unfolded shortly after his arrival in Melbourne at a time when authorities noticed that his team had not requested a visa that permits medical exemptions for being unvaccinated.

Mr Djokovic has not spoken about his vaccination status publicly, but last year revealed that he was “opposed to vaccination”.

In a statement, the Australian Border Force said Djokovic “failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements to Australia, and his visa has been subsequently cancelled.

“Non-citizens who do not hold a valid visa on entry or who have had their visa cancelled will be detained and removed from Australia,” the agency added.

Ticker NEWS affiliate network Reuters reported that the player was later taken to a hotel in the Melbourne suburb of Carlton which is used for immigration detention.

The facility has been the site of COVID outbreaks.

Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt earlier described Djokovic’s treatment as “tough” but “fair” and said “it’s one rule for all under this Australian government”.

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Trump issues stark warning to Iran amid nuclear tensions

Trump warns Iran’s supreme leader amid escalating tensions and concerns over nuclear site strikes and potential program restart.

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3 hours ago

February 5, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Trump warns Iran’s supreme leader amid escalating tensions and concerns over nuclear site strikes and potential program restart.

President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran, saying the country’s supreme leader should be very worried as geopolitical tensions escalate. His comments signal a hardening tone as rhetoric between Washington and Tehran sharpens once again.

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Grok continues generating sexualised images despite new safeguards

Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok faces scrutiny for generating non-consensual sexualized images despite new safety restrictions.

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24 hours ago

February 4, 2026

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Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok is still producing sexualised images of real people without their consent, even after new restrictions were introduced by X following public backlash.

A Reuters investigation found the chatbot continued generating explicit imagery despite warnings about the vulnerability of the subjects involved, raising fresh concerns over the effectiveness of the safeguards.

While officials have cautiously welcomed recent changes, the findings have reignited debate around AI accountability and user safety on social media platforms.

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Peter Mandelson investigated by police over alleged Epstein information leaks

Scotland Yard investigates Lord Mandelson for allegedly leaking information to Epstein; PM Starmer vows to revoke his peerage if guilty.

Published

1 day ago

February 4, 2026

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Scotland Yard investigates Lord Mandelson for allegedly leaking information to Epstein; PM Starmer vows to revoke his peerage if guilty.

Scotland Yard has confirmed it is conducting a full criminal investigation into allegations that Lord Peter Mandelson leaked sensitive government information to Jeffrey Epstein while in public office. The probe centres on potential misconduct and whether any information was deliberately shared.

Police say a successful prosecution would require clear evidence that Mandelson intentionally passed confidential material to Epstein. Investigators are currently assessing whether the claims meet the criminal threshold required to proceed with charges.

Officials are also reviewing the full scope of Mandelson’s interactions with Epstein during his time in government, as pressure mounts for answers and accountability at the highest levels of power.

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