Italy

Spain's coastguard says it has rescued 600 migrants crossing from Morocco in a 24-hour period amid a spike in the number of migrant arrivals, reported BBC. 

The rescued migrants were in 15 vessels including toy paddleboats and a jet ski and included 35 children and a baby.

Romania and Bulgaria are among the European Union countries most vulnerable to modern slavery, a new report has warned.

The Modern Slavery Index 2017, released by the UK-based Verisk Maplecroft risk analysis consultancy, puts Romania and Bulgaria among the top five countries in the European Union at highest risk of modern slavery together with Greece, Italy and Cyprus.

Even as a steady influx of undocumented migrants continues to arrive on Greek islands in the eastern Aegean from neighboring Turkey, in western Greece hundreds have been intercepted while attempting to continue their journeys further into Europe.

Austria is sending 70 soldiers to the border with Italy to help border police stop the entry of illegal migrants.

Police official Helmut Tomac and Herbert Bauer of the Austrian army say the move is in response to increased instances of migrants trying to hitch rides over the border under the carriages of freight wagons, Tanjug reported, citing AP.

A Spanish migrant aid group is deciding whether to continue its Mediterranean rescue mission after it said its boat was targeted by Libya's coastguard, reported BBC.

Proactiva Open Arms, one of three groups still operating off Libya, said its boat was in international waters when it was told to head to port in Libya or come under fire.

Dozens of tourists chose to spend the night in Rila Monastery for the upcoming celebration of the feast day of the Assumption of Mary, which Bulgarian Orthodox Church celebrates on 15th of August, reported the Bulgarian National Television. 

Many people have decided to spend the night in tents close to the monastery and attend the morning liturgy to pray for health.

"Kosovo has no time to lose," the EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy office told BIRN as Kosovo remained without a government two months after holding general elections.

The Kosovo Assembly has failed five times so far to appoint a parliamentary speaker, a process that would open the way to establish the new government.

Nehir Özzengin is a 12-year-old girl from the Aegean province of İzmir who has prodigious talent and has won awards in international piano competitions since the age of nine. Her talent was discovered by her family when she was four and began playing piano with the support of her teachers. 

The Italian government yesterday (13 August) welcomed Libya’s decision to bar foreign vessels from a stretch of water off its coast,a move that has prompted almost all international charities to halt migrant search and rescue operations in the area.

Leading western powers voiced concern yesterday at political deadlock in Kosovo, which has still not formed a government two months after snap elections in the tiny country,EurActiv.com reports.

Britain, France, Germany, Italy and United States said it was "the responsibility of Kosovo's leaders" to form a parliament and government following the June ballots.