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Ukraine's Interior Minister Arsen Avakov demanded of the armed separatists in eastern Ukraine to surrender immediately. 

According to reports in Russian-language media, he also demanded that they  release the hostages, vacate the occupied administrative buildings and terminate “riots and looting”. 

A twin suicide attack in Syria's province of Hama took the lives of at least 18 people, 11 of which children, according to state media reports.

The two explosions, which were described as "terrorist"-originated, were in villages which are presently under government control, as the BBC reports.

The Ukrainian forces started an operation against the separatists in Slaviansk early Friday morning, Ukrainian and Russian media report. 

Ukrainian Air Force combat helicopters are in the sky above the east Ukrainian city of Slaviansk, the city is fully blocked, fighting is underway, a representative of the militia told ITAR-TASS by phone on Friday. 

Ukrainian special forces will storm seized buildings and checkpoints set up by pro-Russian rebels on May 2, the country's Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said Thursday.

Reports cited by RIA Novosti also reveal that Valentin Nalivaychenko, head of the special forces, will take the lead of the so-called "anti-terrorist" operation, which was previously assigned to Avakov.

An unknown number of people were reported injured after a crowd of pro-Russian protesters stormed into the regional Prosecutor's Office in Donetsk, east Ukraine.

Clashes ensued after rebels first attempted to break into the building.

Greece has also committed serious violations against asylum seekers and immigrants entering its territory from Turkey, a new report by Amnesty International has argued.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin demanded that Ukrainian forces pull back from the south-east of their country in a conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

A phone call between the two has held as Merkel decided to ask Putin for help in the OSCE hostage crisis of the last few days, Der Spiegel magazine has reported.

More than 20 people have been injured and tens have been detained in Istanbul during May Day protests.

Episodes of unrest began after police used tear gas and water cannon to warn citizens against staging a banned demonstration on Taksim Square, which saw a wave of anti-government action last year.

Ukrainian officials detained a Russian military attache, which authorities suspect of spying.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kiev, though not initially disclosing the man's identity, said he was ordered to leave the country and was about to do this "in a short time".

Russia is to file its second formal complaint against the EU with the World Trade Organization (WTO) over the EU's so-called 'Third Energy Package', reports EUobserver.