Banja Luka

The main party representing Serbs in Bosnia, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, SNSD, has called on the country's largest Bosniak party, the Party of Democratic Action, SDA, and the Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, to start talks on forming a government.

The Centres of Civic Initiatives, CCI, a non-governmental organization which follows the work of governments, said in the new report that the Republika Srpska authorities' main problem was a lack of focus on the problems of citizens. 

BELGRADE - Book 'Stilske igre' authored by Simeon Marinkovic and Dusan Pavlic and published by Belgrade-based Kreativni Centar won the Gomionica award as the best children's book at the Banja Luka Book Fair.

Russia sends aid to flood-affected areas of Bosnia

SARAJEVO -- A Russian airplane carrying 38 tons of humanitarian aid for the areas affected by the May floods landed on Thursday in Sarajevo.

Several dozen children from Vrbanjci near Banja Luka in Republika Srpska did not start school on September 1 due to their parents' boycott of the school system which does not allow Bosniaks to have their own curriculum at the local school uses the Serbian-language teaching programme.

BANJA LUKA - Serbia's Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said in Banja Luka on Wednesday EU membership was a goal Serbia and Republika Srpska (RS) shared, adding that Serbia wished to pass on its experience in EU integration.

VIENNA - The Austrian humanitarian organisation Caritas said on Tuesday the situation in the areas of Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina hit by the May floods was difficult.

The situation in the flood-hit areas is still very difficult and the weather is not allowing people respite, Caritas President Michael Landau stressed in comment to new floods and rainfall.

Bosnian committed suicide attack in Iraq - reports

SARAJEVO -- Bosnian Emrah Fojnica, accused of involvement in an attack on the U.S. embassy in Sarajevo, has died in Iraq, "probably while committing a suicide attack."

More floods have hit the Western Balkans in what is shaping up to be worst year in memory in terms of appalling weather.

One man was reported to have drowned in Banja Koviljaca in Serbia in the basement of his home on Tuesday, the Serbian daily newspaper Blic reported.

BANJA LUKA - President of Republika Srpska (RS) Milorad Dodik and Serbian Ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) Stanimir Vukicevic underlined the importance of very good relations between RS and Serbia at a meeting in Banja Luka on Tuesday.