UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres on Thursday called for an immediate ceasefire for Israel-Palestine fighting, saying children in Gaza live in "a hell on earth."

-I was horrified by reports that nine members of one family were killed in the al-Shati refugee camp- Guterres said during his address at the UN General Assembly meeting on the Israel-Palestine tensions.
-If there is a hell on earth, it is the lives of children in Gaza today- said Guterres.
-The fighting must stop immediately- he said. -I appeal to all parties to cease hostilities, now and I reiterate my call on all sides for an immediate ceasefire.-The UN chief said the civilians must be protected.
-Even wars have rules- said Guterres.
-There is no justification, including counterterrorism or self-defense, for the abdication by the parties to the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law- he added, and called both parties to abide by international human laws.
The Turkish president of the 75th UN General Assembly also called on Israel and Palestine to swiftly "return to the negotiations with a goal of ending the occupation."
The way forward to end tension between two nations is "addressing all final status issues, including the status of Jerusalem, and achieving two independent sovereign states, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace, security and mutual recognition with the basis of the pre-1967 lines, Jerusalem as the capital of both states," Bozkir said during his opening remarks.
-The parties must step away from the brink and respect international law. Israel, as an occupying power, must ensure compliance with its international humanitarian law obligations, including proportionate use of force.-He urged Israel to stop the violence and incitement in the occupied West Bank, including in East Jerusalem.
-Palestinians should not live under perpetual fear of eviction from their homes because of expanding settler colonialism in the West Bank- he continued. -The eviction of Palestinians from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah could constitute a war crime under international law.-At least 232 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s relentless assault on the Gaza Strip since May 10, including 65 children, 39 women, and 17 elderly people.
According to Palestine’s Health Ministry, over 1,700 more people have been injured as Israel continues to pound the besieged Palestinian territory in airstrikes.
Israel launched an offensive on Gaza after Hamas fired rockets in retaliation to days of violent Israeli assaults on Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem during the holy month of Ramadan.

'I appeal to all parties to cease hostilities, now and I reiterate my call on all sides for immediate ceasefire,' says Guterres

UN chief calls for halt to violence that brought 'hell' to Gaza children

After the qualifying combat shootings from infantry weapons, members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Armed Forces of the United States of America, on the fourth day of the exercise "Immediate Response 21", today entered the phase of tactical movements on the ground.
The AFB&amp;H Operational Command issued an operational order to the AFB&amp;H Light Infantry Battalion Group Commander to make tactical movements in order to fully integrate forces and prepare for an even more intensive phase of the "Immediate Response 21" exercise, the B&amp;H Ministry of Defense said.
As part of the regular activities of visiting the engaged units, the director of the exercise "Immediate Response 21" in B&amp;H, Brigadier Slaven Blavicki, visited the temporary Media Information Center (MIC) of the MoD and AFB&amp;H, which was formed for this exercise, with the support of the US Armed Forces. The units in the field were also visited by the representative of the Operational Command of the AFB&amp;H, Brigadier Mirzet Lubenović. As it was announced, both of them expressed satisfaction with the activities so far at the exercise.
At the same time, the regular annual exercise of the Armed Forces of BiH "Dynamic Response 21-4" began at the training ground Manjača, which further checks the ability of the AFBiH command staff to simultaneously combine two different exercises. Thus, the total number of engaged personnel is now more than 1,700 soldiers.

The regular annual exercise of the AF B&H "Dynamic Response 21-4" has started at the Manjača training ground, which additionally checks the ability of the command staff

Preparations for an even more intense phase of the "Immediate Answer 21" exercise

Fourth day of the AFB&H and US Army exercise: 1,700 soldiers are engaged

A Japanese government panel on Thursday recommended approval of Moderna and AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccines, as criticism mounts over the slow start to inoculations with just two months until the Olympics.

The Pfizer-BioNTech formula is currently the only vaccine licensed for use in Japan, where less than two percent of the population of 125 million are so far fully vaccinated.
A health ministry official told AFP that the panel "concluded it has no objection" to the two vaccines' approval, clearing the way for the formal government green light, expected on Friday.
Two mass vaccination centres operated by the military in Tokyo and Osaka will open next week and are expected to administer the two-shot Moderna vaccine, initially to the elderly.
Japan's government is under pressure over its comparatively slow start to vaccinations, with strict rules that required additional domestic trials and complicated bureaucracy.
Only medical workers and the elderly are so far eligible, with no timeframe yet for expanding the rollout.
-Vaccination is a powerful card among coronavirus measures... the entire government is trying to form a system in which we can vaccinate as many people as possible- Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told reporters on Thursday.
The decision comes after International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach said at least three-quarters of athletes and team members staying at Tokyo's Olympic village will be vaccinated before the Games, which open on July 23.
Organisers insist the event can be held safely this summer, although public opinion remains largely opposed as infections surge in Japan, with regions including Tokyo currently under a virus state of emergency.
While the government says the Olympics do not factor into its vaccine rollout plan, Suga has said they aim to finish inoculating the over-65s by the end of July.
Japan has agreements with drug firms to provide enough vaccine doses for its entire population, including Moderna doses for 25 million people and Pfizer for 97 million people.
It has ordered AstraZeneca doses sufficient to vaccinate 60 million people.
Earlier this month, the CEO of Japan's top drugmaker Takeda, which has an agreement with Moderna to distribute its vaccine, said discussions were ongoing to increase the total number of Moderna doses imported to 100 million.
-It shows that there is a great need for these vaccines in Japan- Christophe Weber said.

Two mass vaccination centres operated by the military in Tokyo and Osaka will open next week and are expected to administer the two-shot Moderna vaccine, initially to the elderly

Japan's government is facing pressure over its comparatively slow start to vaccinations

Japan panel okays Moderna, AstraZeneca jabs before Olympics

Progress against the coronavirus pandemic remains "fragile" and international travel should be avoided, a World Health Organization director warned Thursday, while stressing that authorised vaccines work against variants of concern.

-Right now, in the face of a continued threat and new uncertainty, we need to continue to exercise caution, and rethink or avoid international travel- WHO's European director Hans Kluge said, before adding that "pockets of increasing transmission" on the continent could quickly spread.
The so-called Indian variant, which might be more transmissible, has now been identified in at least 26 of the 53 countries in the WHO Europe region, Kluge said during his weekly press conference.
But he added that vaccines authorised by the WHO are effective against the new strain.
-All Covid-19 virus variants that have emerged so far do respond to the available, approved vaccines- Kluge said.
In February, South Africa suspended its rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine after a study found it might be ineffective against mild and moderate forms of the South African variant, but "although confirmation in larger studies is needed", the AstraZeneca jab will still reduce hospitalisations and deaths from the South African variant, the WHO told AFP by email.
In the WHO's European region, which covers parts of central Asia, the weekly number of new cases fell by 60 percent in a month, from 1.7 million in mid-April to 685,000 last week.
Although the Indian strain is still being studied, "it is able to spread rapidly" and replace the dominant lineage in Europe, Kluge said.
Variants are "not in themselves dangerous, but they can be if they change the behaviour of the virus," the WHO said in a note published on its website, adding that further lockdowns might become necessary to stop a new strain spreading out of control.
So far only 23 percent of people in the region have received a vaccine dose, with just 11 percent having had two doses, Kluge said, as he warned citizens to continue to exercise caution.
-Vaccines may be a light at the end of the tunnel, but we cannot be blinded by that light- he said.

Variants are "not in themselves dangerous, but they can be if they change the behaviour of the virus"

The so-called Indian variant, which might be more transmissible, has now been identified in at least 26 of the 53 countries in the WHO Europe region

Vaccines stop variants but overseas travel still not safe

A hearing was held today in the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina to extend the custody of Josip Barić, a police officer of the SC Ministry of the Interior, who was arrested for obstructing the investigation into the murder of Dženan Memić.
The Prosecutor of the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H, Ćazim Hasanapashić, stated the reasons why he believes that the detention should be extended in order to efficiently and unhinderedly continue the investigation into the death of Dženan Memić who perished in February 2016.
As Prosecutor Hasanspahić said, from the testimony of the additional examination of witnesses, it can be concluded that Barić committed the criminal offenses he is charged with.
He quoted witness A. A. as a person employed at the Sarajevo Clinical Center, who stated that police officer Josip Barić did not remove the bloody sweater from Alisa Mutap and that Alisa Mutap was released that night because she was found to have minor bodily injuries and she took a bloody sweater with her.
- Why is Alisa Mutap's sweater was not excluded, maybe that is the key to the complete procedure and the resolution of everything. From the statements of witnesses and evidence, it follows that it is an organized planning and faking of evidence by those who need to protect citizens, which resulted in an investigation by the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H - said Hasanspahić.
Prosecutor Hasanspahić also said that the central unit of a group of hotels whose video surveillance covered a key part of the Great Alley was exempted. Suddenly, the electricity went out and when the officers of the MUP of the Sarajevo Canton appeared, there was no recording.
- It is indisputable that the recordings were deleted. The Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H issued an order to SIPA in order to determine the manner and moment of deleting the recordings and possibly exporting the content. Shouldn't it have been determined earlier who deleted the recordings, if the MUP officer saw them - said the Prosecutor.
He added that there were fears of influencing witnesses, accomplices and detainees. The prosecutor announced that there will be more hearings in this case to order custody.
- The family has been fighting for the truth for five years, we must not send a message that this case will be uninvestigated. All the facts indicate that this is an atypical case and extraordinary circumstances due to which the public interest is great, and the work of the judiciary has been called into question - Hasanspahić believes.
Josip Barić's defense attorney, lawyer Kadrija Kolić, presented in detail the arguments for which he requests that Barić is released immediately with protective measures.
The defense pointed out that the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor's Office suspended the investigation against Barić and other police officers in the "Dženan Memić" case in 2017. Kolić categorically established that there was no evidence that Barić had committed any crime.
Josip Barić also addressed the Council of the Court of B&amp;H, pointing out that he could not take off Alisa Mutap at the KCUS in order to remove her clothes, but that he asked the nurse to take her clothes.
- I took the clothes that the nurse gave me - said Barić.
That night when everything happened, Barić pointed out, he did his job for which he was paid and for 18 years of work in traffic investigations, neither judges nor prosecutors ever had any objections to his work.
- Everything I did that night, I told the prosecutor everything. I said that maybe it was possible for something else to happen, to pay attention, so that no mistake would be made - Barić explained, adding that he and his wife became ill after the chase started, and that he had previously received the only support from Muriz Memić.
The hearing was attended by the victim's father and sister, Muriz and Arijana Memić, and lawyer Ifet Feraget.
The Court of B&amp;H will make a decision later.

As Prosecutor Hasanspahić said, from the testimony of the additional examination of witnesses, it can be concluded that Barić committed the criminal offenses charged against him

Custody extension hearing: Witness working at KCUS says Josip Barić did not take out Alisa Mutap's sweater

Belgian police on Thursday were combing a national park for a soldier suspected of extreme-right views who went missing after stealing arms from a military base and threatening public figures. 

Some 300 police and army personnel were deployed on the hunt for Jurgen Conings, 46, after his abandoned vehicle was found in the area near the Dutch border on Wednesday evening with four rocket launchers inside. 
-The search continued throughout the night- federal prosecutor spokesman Eric Van Duyse told AFP. 
Van Duyse warned that Conings likely remained armed and dangerous after he was suspected of stealing weapons from a military base where he worked as an instructor. 
The manhunt dominated newspaper headlines in the country, with one tabloid labelling him the "Belgian Rambo" after the 1980s action film staring Sylvester Stallone.
Authorities earlier said that they had discovered a letter left behind by the fugitive that included threats to the state and public figures. 
Among the people Conings has threatened is Marc Van Ranst, a leading virologist who has become a target for conspiracy theorists, Covid-sceptics and the Flemish far-right in Belgium during the coronavirus crisis.
Conings, whose Twitter profile describes himself as a "Belgian Air Force soldier who likes fitness, body building and boxing", already figured on a list of extremists monitored by Belgium's anti-terrorist agency.
He was one of around 30 Belgian military personnel with known extremist sympathies, officials said, but he remained on active duty, training Belgian troops ahead of deployment on overseas missions.
Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said it was "unacceptable" that the fugitive had been allowed to access the weapons at the military facility, and Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder said an inquiry would be launched.&nbsp;

Some 300 police and army personnel were deployed on the hunt for Jurgen Conings, 46, after his abandoned vehicle was found in the area near the Dutch border on Wednesday evening with four rocket launchers inside

Belgian special forces deploy in a national park in northeast Belgium to hunt for a soldier who has allegedly threatened state and public figures

Belgian police scour national park for rogue soldier

The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has issued a decision rejecting as unfounded the appeal of Zijad Mutap, the father of Alisa Mutap, a suspect in the "Dženan Memić" case, for concealing evidence.
Mutap was arrested several months ago and is in custody, at the suggestion of the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is conducting an investigation.
His lawyers filed an appeal on February 18th, complaining, among other things, the decision to order custody.
Among other things, it was stated that the appellant's defense stated that it considered the motion unfounded and procedurally incorrect. It was pointed out that the motion did not contain the operative part for which the appellant was charged, as well as that there was a difference in the grounds of suspicion communicated to the appellant during the examination in relation to those from the search warrant and those set forth in the custody motion. The defense pointed out that they were not able to state their grounded suspicion, since no evidence had been submitted to them. In addition, it was pointed out that there are no special reasons from Article 132, paragraph 1, items b) and d) of the CPC of B&amp;H.

Further, the appeal alleges that the allegations of his defense were not actually considered either from the custody hearing or from the appeal.
However, the Constitutional Court of B&amp;H states in its decision:
"The Constitutional Court concludes that there is no violation of Article II / 3.d) of the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Article 5 paragraph 3 of the European Convention when the court in the custody procedure found that there are reasons the conclusion gave a clear explanation, both in terms of the existence of reasonable suspicion and in terms of the existence of special reasons for ordering detention under Article 132, paragraph 1, items b) and d) of the CPC of B&amp;H.
The Constitutional Court also concludes that there has been no violation of Article 5 § 4 of the European Convention as it has not found that the appellant has been denied the opportunity to effectively challenge the Prosecution's submissions relevant to the extension of his detention. "

Mutap was arrested several months ago and is in custody, following a motion by the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina to investigate the "Memić" case

The court found that there was no violation of the appellant's rights

The Constitutional Court of B&H rejected the appeal of Alisa Mutap's father, he remains in custody

In the past 24 hours, 1,474 samples were registered with the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&amp;H, of which 79 were positive for SARS-CoV-2.

New cases have been registered in all cantons in the Federation of B&amp;H.
A total of 661,086 samples have been tested so far, and SARS-CoV-2 has been confirmed in 132,842 individuals.
In the past 24 hours, six deaths were reported to the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&amp;H.
As of today, the number of deaths in the Federation of B&amp;H is 5,167, the Institute said.
In Republic of Srpska, 548 laboratory samples were tested in the last 24 hours, and coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was confirmed in 85 people.
In the last 24 hours, two deaths were reported to the RS Institute of Public Health, in which the presence of coronavirus was confirmed.
So far, 63,597 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in that entity, and a total of 3,608 people have been confirmed to have been tested for the virus.
Today, seven new cases of coronavirus infection were registered in the Brčko District of B&amp;H out of 117 tested. Two people died and two recovered.

New cases have been registered in all cantons in the Federation of B&H

As of today, the number of deaths in the Federation of B&H is 5,167, the Institute said

B&H registers 171 new cases and 10 deaths in the last 24 hours

After we uncovered a new affair, that the director of the Intelligence and Security Agency (ISA) of B&amp;H, Osman Mehmedagić Osmica, fulfilled the conditions to retire by force of law four months ago, the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H got involved in everything.

According to the information that "Avaz" has and the documentation we had at our disposal, Mehmedagić already has 40 years, four months and 13 days of work experience (including benefited work experience), officially registered in the Federal Institute for Pension and Disability Insurance (PIO / MIO).
The Law on Work in B&amp;H Institutions specifies that employment by force of law ends when an employee reaches 40 years of insurance, regardless of age, but this was hidden by ISA services, as well as Mehmedagić and his deputy Trifko Buha for months.

The question is who hid this information in the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute, which is headed by SDA director Zijad Krnjić.
This information from "Avaz" was obviously of interest to the Prosecution to start checking Mehmedagić, against whom three investigations are already underway. He will soon be indicted in the "Diploma" affair.
However, Ranko Debevec, the President of the Court, a good friend of Mehmedagić, could be involved in the whole story again. Debevec has twice before saved Mehmedagić from charges in the "Security Checks" affair, and on the day the indictment was confirmed, he was filmed with him in one building in Sarajevo.
In addition, the friendly ties between Osmica and Debevec resulted in an accelerated first-instance acquittal in the "B&amp;H Post" case.
How strong the ties between Mehmedagić and Debevac are is also confirmed by the Viber messages that Mehmedagić sent to his former mutual friend, prof. dr. Muhamed Ajanović.

In one of the messages, Mehmedagić says: "You should know that I stand behind Ranko until my death."
The Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H was also informed about the content of these messages, and they unequivocally confirm the relationship between Mehmedagić and Debevec, with which the entire judicial community is acquainted, as well as individuals in the international community.
Due to inappropriate contact with Mehmedagić, Debevec has also been disciplined and is awaiting disciplinary proceedings.

<h2>Achieved illegal benefit, what does PIO do</h2>

During these four months, for how long he is as pensioner at the head of ISA, Mehmedagić also gained illegal property gain of almost 20,000 KM. And that is a very aggravating circumstance for him because he took state money from the budget to which he was not entitled.
On the other hand, the leaders of the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute, instead of explaining to the public how a pensioner is at the head of ISA, have been trying for days to find out who the person who provided this information to "Avaz" is.

After it was discovered that Mehmedagić is a pensioner, the Prosecutor's Office of B&H got involved in everything

Messages that Osmica wrote to a good and mutual friend of him and Ranko Debevac, prof. dr. Muhamed Ajanović, and the Prosecutor's Office of B&H is familiar with these messages: "You should know that I stand behind Ranko until death"

The messages reveal the connection between the head of the Court and the director of ISA: Will Ranko save his friend Osmica again?

Nermin Džindić, Federal Minister of Energy, Mining and Industry, said today in Mostar that yesterday they held a meeting with the workers of the bankrupt company IP Krivaja, emphasizing that they addressed them with two requests.
One request, he said, was to help workers who had acquired the conditions for retirement, which they could not realize due to unpaid obligations.
- We informed the workers that the public announcement is over and that it will most likely be published on Monday and that they should apply. At the same time, we informed our colleagues that in the mandate of this Government, close to nine million KM have been allocated so far to link the length of service of IP Krivaja workers in bankruptcy to Krivaja mobel, also in bankruptcy - said Džindić.
The second request, he added, was for the FB&amp;H Government to be involved in the trial in the Zenica Cantonal Court, to which they were told that this was not possible.
- We cannot do that, nor is it our competence, but with the conclusion at today's session, we instructed the Privatization Audit Agency to audit the privatization of IP Krivaja and to submit a report to the Government in the next 60 days. After that, the Government of FB&amp;H will take the next steps that are in accordance with our competencies and in accordance with the Law. So, I see no reason why the workers are gathered in front of the Government building in Sarajevo today. I can’t expect the Minister and the Prime Minister to go with the pole and force someone to do their job. So, the trial is underway, it has its own terms and procedures, we must not interfere in that, and after the audit we will certainly take certain steps - he stressed.
Also, he said that all those who submit proper documentation during the public announcement, which they underlined to them yesterday, will certainly be taken care of, that is, their length of service will be linked.

At the same time, we informed our colleagues that in the mandate of this Government, close to nine million KM have been allocated so far for linking the length of service of IP Krivaja workers, says Džindić

Nermin Džindić: Review the privatization of Krivaja

Minister Džindić: The length of service of Krivaja workers will be linked

The Ambassador of the United States of America to B&amp;H, Eric Nelson, officially opened the recently renovated kindergarten "Prvi koraci" in Banja Luka today.
-Today in Banja Luka, Ambassador Nelson opened "Prvi koraci" kindergarten, which was recently renovated by the AFB&amp;H in collaboration with our Office of Defense Cooperation. The US, as NATO ally, is committed to building a better future for the children of B&amp;H – it was written on Twitter profile of the US Embassy in B&amp;H.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today in Banjaluka, AMB Nelson opened Prvi Koraci kindergarten, which was recently renovated by the AFBiH in collaboration with our Office of Defense Cooperation. The 🇺🇸, as a NATO ally, is committed to building a better future for the children of 🇧🇦. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USAinBiH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USAinBiH</a> <a href="https://t.co/MRzP9JIR88">pic.twitter.com/MRzP9JIR88</a>— US Embassy Sarajevo (@USEmbassySJJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/USEmbassySJJ/status/1395317576612331522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The kindergarten was renovated by the Armed Forces of B&H in cooperation with the US Office of Defense Cooperation

Ambassador Nelson opens renovated "Prvi koraci" kindergarten: We are committed to building a better future for children in B&H

Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny has recovered after he ended a 24-day hunger strike last month demanding adequate medical treatment, a top aide and the head of Russia's prison service said Thursday.

Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's best known domestic critic, is serving two-and-a-half years in a penal colony outside Moscow on old fraud charges he says are politically motivated. 
The 44-year-old opposition figure went on hunger strike at the end of March demanding proper treatment behind bars for severe back pain and numbness in his limbs. He ended the protest on April 23 after receiving treatment at a civilian hospital.
His last public appearance was by video link in court during an appeal hearing at the end of April, where he appeared thin and said he had started eating a couple spoonfuls of porridge a day.
On Thursday, news agency TASS quoted the head of Russia's Federal Prison Service, Alexander Kalashnikov, as saying that Navalny "has recovered, more or less".
-His weight is already up to 82 kilograms (180 pounds), I think- Kalashnikov told journalists. 
The prisons chief, who has been sanctioned both by the US and the EU over the treatment of Navalny, added that the Kremlin critic is "eating normally".
The director of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), Ivan Zhdanov, confirmed his health was improving.

-His condition is now more or less normal. The recovery process is indeed underway- Zhdanov said on Ekho Moskvy radio.

Navalny's allies said that he weighed 93 kilograms (205 pounds) when he arrived in prison in February, but that the figure had already fallen to 85 kilograms (187 pounds) by the time he launched his hunger strike. 
His wife Yulia in mid-April said that his weight was down to 76 kilograms (167 pounds).
The update on Navalny's health comes as Russia moves to outlaw his movement. 
Next month a court will begin hearing whether to add his network of regional offices and the FBK to a list of "terrorist and extremist" organisations.
In a move targeting his supporters, Russia's lower house of parliament on Tuesday approved legislation in a first reading that would ban members of "extremist" organisations from becoming lawmakers. 
Since Navalny returned to Russia in January from Germany, where he had been recovering from a poisoning attack he blames on Putin, most of his top allies have been placed under house arrest or left the country. 
Several announced publicly they were quitting the FBK after prosecutors requested the extremism tag.&nbsp;

The 44-year-old opposition figure went on hunger strike at the end of March demanding proper treatment behind bars for severe back pain and numbness in his limbs

This handout picture provided by the Babushkinsky district court on February 12, 2021, shows Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, charged with defaming a World War II veteran, standing inside a glass cell during a court hearing in Moscow

Kremlin critic Navalny's health 'normal' after hunger strike

Scores of Greek villagers were evacuated early Thursday as a forest fire raged overnight around the protected wildlife habitat of Mount Geraneia, the fire department said, with no injuries immediately reported.

Six villages and two monasteries were evacuated after the fire broke out on Wednesday evening near the village of Skinos on the Gulf of Corinth, some 90 kilometres (56 miles) west of Athens, a spokesman told AFP.
Fire department chief Stefanos Kolokouris said reinforcements had been rushed in from around the country to contain the blaze.
-The situation is clearly better now- Kolokouris told Skai TV.
-It's a large fire in a pine forest (and the) terrain is difficult.-Kolokouris said he believed the fire could be brought under control during the course of the day.
Billowing clouds of smoke were visible in the capital.
Many locals have summer homes in the area, but lives are not in immediate threat, fire officials said.
However, electricity has been knocked out in the area and could take 48 hours to restore service, according to state grid technicians on the scene.
-This is the first major fire of 2021... communities have been evacuated as a precaution- fire department spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis had earlier told Skai.
-We have no information (that people's lives were threatened) and we have not had to rescue anyone- he said.
Over 180 firemen with 62 fire engines have been deployed to the area, backed by 17 planes and three helicopters, the fire department tweeted.
Some homes have been damaged, fire officials said.
Wildfires pose a challenge for Greece every year during the dry summer season, with strong winds and temperatures frequently exceeding 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).
In 2018, 102 people died in the coastal resort of Mati, near Athens, in Greece's worst fire disaster.

Fire department chief Stefanos Kolokouris said reinforcements had been rushed in from around the country to contain the blaze

A firefighting airplane drops water on a hill near the area of Kehries, near Corinth, 80 kilometers (50 miles) southwest of Athens, on July 23, 2020.

Greek villages evacuated as forest fire rages

Spain has sent around 4,800 of the 8,000 migrants who crossed into its African enclave of Ceuta back to Morocco, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday.

A relative calm has returned to the beaches of Ceuta where a record influx of migrants had washed ashore from Morocco starting Monday, after Moroccan security forces appeared to relax border control.
The scene was both a humanitarian and the diplomatic crisis, deriving from Spain’s decision to treat Brahim Ghali, leader of the rebel Polisario Front, for a severe case of COVID-19 in a Spanish hospital.
Spain did not tell Morocco that they were harboring the leader of the Western Sahara separatist movement, which provoked an escalation of threats that were shrugged off by Spain until it reached a boiling point on Tuesday.
By late Tuesday, after high-level bilateral meetings, Moroccan forces began controlling the border and stopping groups of migrants traveling towards it. Spanish military and police reinforcements were also deployed to control the situation.
According to local Spanish media, Ghali has been summoned to appear before the Spanish High Court on June 1 to make a declaration following the decision to reopen a lawsuit against him for genocide and torture.
Meanwhile, Spain is in hot water from some rights defenders for the questionable legality of its move to return the majority of migrants without due process.
Six major NGOs released a statement on Tuesday saying that the rapid, mass expulsions are violating international and Spanish law.
European Union courts have previously backed Spain carrying out these so-called “express deportations,” but only in cases where migrants were crossing border fences.
Spain’s Interior Ministry has not made public its legal justification for being able to carry out these mass deportations at record speed.
Many of those remaining in Spain are minors, who, the Interior Ministry said cannot be deported quickly. Spanish authorities have scrambled to establish a holding area in the small city of Ceuta, which is just 18.5 square kilometers.
The European Union has backed Spain's actions, with European Council President Charles Michel tweeting: “Spain has all our support and solidarity… Spain’s borders are the EU’s borders.”
The six Spanish NGOs blamed the migratory position of both Spain and the EU for creating the conditions for the crisis in Ceuta.
-The policy of externalizing the borders to third countries doesn’t only fail to offer permanent solutions, it leads to people who are in migratory processes being used to exert political pressure- they said in a joint statement.

Unprecedented 8,000 people irregularly crossed into African enclave of Ceuta over course of 2 days

Six major NGOs released a statement on Tuesday saying that the rapid, mass expulsions are violating international and Spanish law

Spain deports 4,800 migrants back to Morocco

Authorities in France are appealing to residents to guard “collective responsibility” as several public places are set to reopen Wednesday after six months of restrictions because of a surge in coronavirus infections.

The second phase of gradual lifting of the lockdown will be marked by the reopening of non-essential commercial shops, museums, cinema halls, theaters, outdoor terraces of cafes, restaurants and indoor sports centers, with certain restrictions. An evening curfew will be further relaxed from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The government issued a sanitary protocol for public places. Bars, restaurants and cafes can only open outdoor seating areas with 50% capacity. Indoor restaurants at hotels can reopen for guests.
Indoor swimming pools and sports centers will only be open for schools and extracurricular activities. Close confined spaces like cinemas and theaters can have a maximum of 35% seating and large concert halls will have a spectator capacity capped at a maximum of 800 people.
For gatherings of more than 1,000, a digital health pass providing details of vaccination and results of negative antigen/PCR tests will be mandatory beginning June 9.
Economy, Finance and Recovery Minister Bruno Le Maire said the reopening is a moment of joy for all and France must be a collective success. “It must be done in a responsible, progressive manner and respecting barrier gestures,” he said on Twitter.
Minister of Culture Roselyne Bachelot in an interview with the Le Parisien newspaper said, “there is a great appetite” amongst people for the reopening but it does not mean abandoning protective measures. “It means creating barriers between people ... wearing a mask, ventilation, distancing, flow management,” she said. “The world of culture anticipates all these measures ... we have to let the public know that they are safe.”
The ministry has also authorized the first musical concert in Paris on May 29 and another in Montpellier. Bachelot defended the decision as being “worth the effort.”
-We have to adapt to the epidemic ... this is what is struggling to percolate in public opinion- she said, emphasizing that permission was given after scientific research and the development of protocols.
Similarly, the Fete de la Musique, or World Music Day, will be held June 21 with no restrictions of a health pass, she said.
Authorities are hoping to reach herd immunity by then with vaccination of nearly 50% of the adult population.

Authorities appealed for residents to maintain collective responsibility

Bars, restaurants and cafes can only open outdoor seating areas with 50% capacity

Public places in France set to reopen with restrictions

EU member states agreed Wednesday to reopen the bloc's borders to travellers who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, European sources said.

Meeting in Brussels, diplomats also agreed to increase the level of new cases a country can hit before being declared unsafe -- a measure that would open up travel into the EU from more places.
The recommendations will be adopted by EU ministers on Friday, they said. An EU Commission spokesman confirmed that the envoys had endorsed the update to travel rules.
Since March 2020, non-essential travel into the 27-member European Union has been banned, apart from a small number of countries deemed safe because of their low Covid case rate.
But businesses on the continent are reopening as virus restrictions are phased out and bars, hotels and restaurants are worried about the summer tourist trade.
Diplomats said that, under the new rules, travellers who could demonstrate that they had received the required number of doses of an EU-approved vaccine could enter the bloc.
In addition, the number of cases per 100,000 people that a country could register over two weeks and still be considered for the green list will rise from 25 to 75.
This would still exclude non-vaccinated travellers from much of the world, but could allow travel from, for example, Britain, which is well-advanced in its vaccination campaign.
The current green list only has seven countries: Australia, Israel, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, plus China if Beijing agrees to reciprocate.
The 27-nation bloc looks set to expand this list to include other countries with low infection rates from where people could arrive with or without being vaccinated. 
Individual member states could still decide their own rules on quarantine or testing requirements for arrivals. 
Member states also agreed to set up a coordinated emergency mechanism to rapidly suspend arrivals from a non-EU country stricken by the sudden appearance of a new variant.
As it makes progress on opening up to the rest of the world, the EU is struggling to advance on establishing a common health certificate that would allow people to travel more freely within the bloc.

The so-called "green certificate" was supposed to be operational from June and ease movement for those who could show they'd been vaccinated, had a negative test, or been through an infection. 

But negotiations to set finalise the scheme between the European Parliament, member states and the bloc's executive have been making slow progress. 
A further round of discussions is scheduled for Thursday as talks stumble on demands from lawmakers for tests to be free or their cost capped.
The delay is causing major concerns for some countries as they are desperate to free up travel before the vital summer season in a bid to revive battered tourism sectors.&nbsp;

Diplomats also agreed to increase the level of new cases a country can hit before being declared unsafe

A passenger wearing a face mask arrives at Brussels Airport in Belgium on June 15, 2020

UN chief calls for halt to violence that brought 'hell' to Gaza children

Fourth day of the AFB&H and US Army exercise: 1,700 soldiers are engaged

Japan panel okays Moderna, AstraZeneca jabs before Olympics

Vaccines stop variants but overseas travel still not safe

Custody extension hearing: Witness working at KCUS says Josip Barić did not take out Alisa Mutap's sweater

Belgian police scour national park for rogue soldier

The Constitutional Court of B&H rejected the appeal of Alisa Mutap's father, he remains in custody

B&H registers 171 new cases and 10 deaths in the last 24 hours

The messages reveal the connection between the head of the Court and the director of ISA: Will Ranko save his friend Osmica again?

Minister Džindić: The length of service of Krivaja workers will be linked

Ambassador Nelson opens renovated "Prvi koraci" kindergarten: We are committed to building a better future for children in B&H

Kremlin critic Navalny's health 'normal' after hunger strike

Greek villages evacuated as forest fire rages

Spain deports 4,800 migrants back to Morocco

Public places in France set to reopen with restrictions

EU to reopen borders to fully vaccinated travellers

News

UN chief calls for halt to violence that brought 'hell' to Gaza children

Fourth day of the AFB&H and US Army exercise: 1,700 soldiers are engaged

Japan panel okays Moderna, AstraZeneca jabs before Olympics

Vaccines stop variants but overseas travel still not safe

Custody extension hearing: Witness working at KCUS says Josip Barić did not take out Alisa Mutap's sweater

Belgian police scour national park for rogue soldier

The Constitutional Court of B&H rejected the appeal of Alisa Mutap's father, he remains in custody

B&H registers 171 new cases and 10 deaths in the last 24 hours

The messages reveal the connection between the head of the Court and the director of ISA: Will Ranko save his friend Osmica again?

Minister Džindić: The length of service of Krivaja workers will be linked

Ambassador Nelson opens renovated "Prvi koraci" kindergarten: We are committed to building a better future for children in B&H

Kremlin critic Navalny's health 'normal' after hunger strike

Greek villages evacuated as forest fire rages

Spain deports 4,800 migrants back to Morocco

Public places in France set to reopen with restrictions

EU to reopen borders to fully vaccinated travellers