Independent News Service Breaking News | Politics | War | Economy | Finances Monitoring Western Balkans

Remembering the innocent victims of Hamas’ brutal terrorist attack on Israel, three years ago today. Their lives, their stories, and their memory must never be forgotten.
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The Presidential Palace in Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, was illuminated this evening with the flags of Israel and Srpska alongside the inscription “We Remember,” honoring the Israeli civilians brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
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#BREAKING Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a bilateral meeting at the APEC summit, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said.
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#BREAKING “This victory changes everything. We want the original Dayton Agreement. We want our Army, taxes, border police and intelligence service back,” SNSD leader Milorad Dodik said following his party’s convincing victory in the Republic of Srpska.
SNSD leader Milorad Dodik thanked Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin after his party’s decisive victory in the Republic of Srpska. “If it weren’t for Donald Trump’s magnificent victory, we would probably be politically dead. Now we are winners,” Dodik said.
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SNSD leader Milorad Dodik thanked Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin after his party’s decisive victory in the Republic of Srpska. “If it weren’t for Donald Trump’s magnificent victory, we would probably be politically dead. Now we are winners,” Dodik said.
#BREAKING Republic of Srpska’s ruling SNSD, led by Milorad Dodik, won the National Assembly election with 38.89%, while opposition PSS, led by Banja Luka Mayor Draško Stanivuković, received 14.11%. SNSD has won at all levels of the election.
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The new three-member BiH Presidency will consist of: 🇧🇦Bosniak member: Bećirović — 38.12% Izetbegović — 33.98% Efendić — 25.75% 🇭🇷Croat member: Filipović — 46.55% Kovačević — 30.57% Lučić — 22.88% 🇷🇸Serb member: Cvijanović — 55.37% Božović — 26.54% Vukanović — 18.08%
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#BREAKING Republic of Srpska’s ruling SNSD, led by Milorad Dodik, won the National Assembly election with 38.89%, while opposition PSS, led by Banja Luka Mayor Draško Stanivuković, received 14.11%. SNSD has won at all levels of the election.
#BREAKING SNSD presidential candidate and current Republic of Srpska PM Savo Minic has won the presidential election with 52.13% of the vote, defeating SDS leader Branko Blanusa, who received 41.96%.
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#BREAKING Largest Croat party HDZ candidate Darijana Filipovic has won the Croat seat in the BiH Presidency with 13.90%, defeating Slaven Kovacevic (DF) with 9.11%.
#BREAKING Republic of Srpska’s ruling SNSD candidate for the BiH Presidency, Zeljka Cvijanovic, has won the election with 55.33% of the vote, defeating main opposition candidate Marinko Bozovic (SDS), who received 26.56%.
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#BREAKING SDP candidate and current Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency Denis Becirovic has won the election with 26.71% of the vote, defeating Bakir Izetbegovic, leader of the largest Bosniak party SDA, who received 23.79%.
#BREAKING Republic of Srpska’s ruling SNSD candidate for the BiH Presidency, Zeljka Cvijanovic, has won the election with 55.33% of the vote, defeating main opposition candidate Marinko Bozovic (SDS), who received 26.56%.
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#BREAKING Republic of Srpska’s ruling SNSD candidate for the BiH Presidency, Zeljka Cvijanovic, has won the election with 55.33% of the vote, defeating main opposition candidate Marinko Bozovic (SDS), who received 26.56%.
#BREAKING SNSD presidential candidate and current Republic of Srpska PM Savo Minic has won the presidential election with 52.13% of the vote, defeating SDS leader Branko Blanusa, who received 41.96%.
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#BREAKING SNSD presidential candidate and current Republic of Srpska PM Savo Minic has won the presidential election with 52.13% of the vote, defeating SDS leader Branko Blanusa, who received 41.96%.
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#BREAKING Voter turnout in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s general elections as of 5 p.m.: • Republic of Srpska: 37.28% • Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: 30.03%
#BREAKING Voter turnout in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s general elections as of 3 p.m., by entity: • Republic of Srpska: 31.62% • Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: 24.78%
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#BREAKING Saudi-backed PLC forces have collapsed on the Taiz front. The Houthis have cut the last road linking Yemen’s third-largest city, Taiz, with Aden and are rapidly advancing. Latest reports indicate Al Turbah has been captured.
#BREAKING Large-scale Houthi offensive toward Al Turbah has broken through PLC defenses, with Houthi forces now approaching the town from both the east and west. If Al Turbah falls, Yemen’s third-largest city, Taiz, would be cut off.
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#BREAKING Voter turnout in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s general elections as of 3 p.m., by entity: • Republic of Srpska: 31.62% • Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: 24.78%
#BREAKING Voter turnout in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s general elections stood at 26.88% as of 3 p.m. This is a sharp drop from the 35% recorded at the same time in 2022 and 37% in 2018.
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#BREAKING Voter turnout in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s general elections stood at 26.88% as of 3 p.m. This is a sharp drop from the 35% recorded at the same time in 2022 and 37% in 2018.
#BREAKING Voter turnout in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s general elections stood at 11.94% as of 11 a.m. This is lower than the 14% recorded at the same time in 2022, but similar to the 11.41% recorded in 2018.
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#BREAKING Germany will provide Ukraine with more than €1 billion in military and energy aid, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. A further €350 million will be allocated to support Ukraine’s energy sector.
#BREAKING German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv for a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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#BREAKING Saudi-controlled PLC leader Rashad Al-Alimi announces the launch of full-scale military operations on all fronts against the Houthis.
#BREAKING Large-scale Houthi offensive toward Al Turbah has broken through PLC defenses, with Houthi forces now approaching the town from both the east and west. If Al Turbah falls, Yemen’s third-largest city, Taiz, would be cut off.
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#BREAKING Following Zelensky’s statement that Ukraine will intensify strikes on Russian energy facilities, Russian strikes on military targets and defense industry enterprises in Kyiv and other Ukrainian regions will be intensified, Russia’s Defense Ministry said.
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#BREAKING German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv for a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
#BREAKING According to the latest INSA poll, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU continues to lose ground and has hit a historic low of 18% support. The AfD, on the other hand, continues to grow and has reached a historic high of 30% support.
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#BREAKING Voter turnout in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s general elections stood at 11.94% as of 11 a.m. This is lower than the 14% recorded at the same time in 2022, but similar to the 11.41% recorded in 2018.
General elections are underway in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska. Voter turnout as of 11 a.m. will be announced at noon. We’ll be following the election throughout the day. Stay with us for the latest updates.
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General elections are underway in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska. Voter turnout as of 11 a.m. will be announced at noon. We’ll be following the election throughout the day. Stay with us for the latest updates.
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#BREAKING Large-scale Houthi offensive toward Al Turbah has broken through PLC defenses, with Houthi forces now approaching the town from both the east and west. If Al Turbah falls, Yemen’s third-largest city, Taiz, would be cut off.
#BREAKING Houthi forces have secured Yemen’s entire Red Sea coastline and seized Mayyun Island, effectively placing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait under their control.
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#BREAKING Yemen’s Houthis attacked an Aramco oil refinery in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh.
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#BREAKING Russia’s Foreign Ministry has again warned foreign nationals, including diplomatic personnel, against staying in or traveling to Ukraine, saying those who ignore the warning knowingly put their lives at deadly risk.
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#BREAKING According to the latest INSA poll, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU continues to lose ground and has hit a historic low of 18% support. The AfD, on the other hand, continues to grow and has reached a historic high of 30% support.
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#BREAKING Saudi Arabia plans a 100,000-troop offensive in Yemen to retake the Bab el-Mandeb from the Houthis, led on the ground by Yemeni forces overseen by Riyadh and backed by Saudi airstrikes, according to media reports.
#BREAKING Houthi forces have secured Yemen’s entire Red Sea coastline and seized Mayyun Island, effectively placing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait under their control.
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#BREAKING Protests have erupted across France, with 40 school principals and 170 students injured, as 564 high schools remain blocked over demands for better school conditions, amid violence, fires, property damage and clashes with police.
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#BREAKING Finnish President Alexander Stubb says Europe will eventually have to return to dialogue with Russia, arguing that cutting off communication simply does not work.
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#BREAKING South Korea will take measures against Kyiv unless it apologizes for disclosing information about the transfer of two North Korean POWs to South Korea, President Lee Jae Myung said.
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#BREAKING “Serbia’s leadership and former president and, hopefully, future PM Aleksandar Vucic are pursuing a balanced policy and seeking cooperation with Russia,” President Vladimir Putin said, adding that Moscow appreciates it and will reciprocate.
#BREAKING “Serbs are a divided nation in Europe, divided by force, and that is bad and unjust,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
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#BREAKING “Serbs are a divided nation in Europe, divided by force, and that is bad and unjust,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
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#BREAKING Negotiations between Hungarian oil company MOL and Russia’s Gazprom over the sale of Serbia’s oil company NIS have reportedly failed, Forbes Serbia reports.
#BREAKING The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued a new operating license for Serbia’s oil company NIS, extending the company’s authorization to operate until October 30.
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#BREAKING Republic of Srpska-based defense company TRB will sign an agreement with Serbia for “significant quantities” of Vihor and Despot armored vehicles, majority owner said. TRB will also open a production facility in Loznica, Serbia.
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#BREAKING Serbia’s state-owned power utility EPS, gas company Srbijagas and Azerbaijan’s oil and gas company SOCAR signed an agreement to build a 500 MW gas-fired power plant in Nis, southern Serbia.
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#BREAKING NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed that Russia warned the Alliance it would use its full arsenal, including nuclear weapons, if Kaliningrad were subjected to an air or naval blockade. Rutte said he does not believe Russia’s threats.
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#BREAKING The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued a new operating license for Serbia’s oil company NIS, extending the company’s authorization to operate until October 30.
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According to a September poll by Metrics, Republic of Srpska’s ruling SNSD leads with 36% support ahead of the October 4 general elections, while its candidates for President of Republic of Srpska and the BiH Presidency also lead their opposition rivals.
A Faktor Plus poll shows the ruling SNSD, led by Milorad Dodik, at 41% support in the Republic of Srpska ahead of the October 2026 elections, while the main opposition stands at 18% The survey also finds Milorad Dodik leading on protecting national interests, with 38% support.
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#BREAKING Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Republic of Srpska’s Milorad Dodik and Prime Minister Savo Minic. “We discussed expanding bilateral relations. The Russian side expressed interest in cooperation with the "Orao" Aviation Institute,” Dodik said.
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#BREAKING Yemen’s government in Aden announced full mobilization to fight the Houthis.
#BREAKING Houthi forces have secured Yemen’s entire Red Sea coastline and seized Mayyun Island, effectively placing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait under their control.
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#BREAKING Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered preparations for a case against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the International Criminal Court (ICC) over his government’s treatment of Kurds and alleged funding of Hamas, i24NEWS reports.
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#BREAKING Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to the UAE today to meet with Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed, The Times of Israel reports.
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#BREAKING Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has resigned from office and will run as the candidate of the ruling SNS for prime minister in the October 25 parliamentary election. “By the end of December, we will have presidential elections,” Vucic said.
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Columbia University Professor Jeffrey Sachs, one of the world’s leading economists, has arrived in Banja Luka, where he met with the leadership of the Republic of Srpska. Sachs will deliver a lecture at the University of Banja Luka tomorrow and receive an honorary doctorate.
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#BREAKING The separatist Kosovo* regime arrested nine people early this morning in the Serb-majority municipality of Zubin Potok over alleged war crimes.
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#BREAKING German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU has fallen to a record-low 19% in a new INSA poll, while the AfD remains the strongest party with 29% support.
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#BREAKING Russian President Vladimir Putin could meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Shenzhen on November 18–19, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
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#BREAKING Reportedly, around one million people gathered at Paris’ Arc de Triomphe today to see Pope Leo XIV’s motorcade pass through the city.
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#BREAKING Russia opposes permanent membership for Germany and Japan on the UN Security Council and supports India and Brazil’s bids for permanent seats, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
#BREAKING “The EU is blatantly ignoring UN Resolution 1244 and forcing Serbia to ‘come to terms’ with the loss of Kosovo* while pressuring Belgrade to sanction Russia in exchange for the illusion of EU membership,” Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said.
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#BREAKING “The EU is blatantly ignoring UN Resolution 1244 and forcing Serbia to ‘come to terms’ with the loss of Kosovo* while pressuring Belgrade to sanction Russia in exchange for the illusion of EU membership,” Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said.
#BREAKING Western countries are increasingly turning to force, acting unpredictably and putting millions, if not billions, of lives at risk, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the UN General Assembly.
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#BREAKING Russia considers the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader and government officials an unacceptable act of coercion, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
#BREAKING Western countries are increasingly turning to force, acting unpredictably and putting millions, if not billions, of lives at risk, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the UN General Assembly.
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#BREAKING Western countries are increasingly turning to force, acting unpredictably and putting millions, if not billions, of lives at risk, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the UN General Assembly.
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#BREAKING “If Bosniaks again elect a Croat Presidency member, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s institutions would be paralyzed. I fear the Council of Ministers would never be formed and the Federation of BiH Government would stop functioning,” Bosnian Croat leader Dragan Covic said.
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#BREAKING Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly for the first time in almost five years, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
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#BREAKING U.S. President Donald Trump says he rejected Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. “They made an offer, but I turned it down,” Trump said.
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#BREAKING Türkiye’s defense and aerospace exports have reached $6.3 billion, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said.
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