A 7-year-old boy lost his life when a fire broke out in a migrant camp northwest of Athens, Greek media reported.

The fire broke out Tuesday at the migrant camp in Thebes, some 90 kilometers (55 miles) from the capital before firefighters were finally able to extinguish the blaze, according to the Greek AMNA news agency.
Several media outlets reported that the 7-year-old boy was the child of an Iranian family.
Last September, a migrant camp on the Greek island of Lesbos caught fire, leaving more than 13,000 people without shelter.

Boy was child of Iranian family in migrant camp in Thebes, northwest of capital Athens, according to reports

The fire broke out Tuesday at the migrant camp in Thebes

7-year-old dies in Greek migrant camp blaze

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&amp;H PA) Denis Zvizdić received today the newly appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Osamah Dakhel Al-Ahmadi.

The two officials talked about the current political situation in the country and the region, the process of Euro-Atlantic integration of B&amp;H, as well as the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.
Zvizdić and Al-Ahmadi agreed that Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are friendly countries that have good relations, without any outstanding issues, but that there is a lot of room for better cooperation in the field of foreign trade, agriculture, wood industry, hydropower, tourism, education, science, culture and sports.
They also agreed that there is a need to adopt a decision on visa liberalization and this should be done in the coming period.
Zvizdić wished Ambassador Al-Ahmadi a pleasant stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina and success in performing his ambassadorial duties, said the office of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the B&amp;H Parliamentary Assembly Denis Zvizdić.

The two officials talked about the current political situation in the country and the region, the process of Euro-Atlantic integration of B&H, as well as the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic

Denis Zvizdić and Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Osamah Dakhel Al-Ahmadi

Zvizdić-Al-Ahmadi: B&H and Saudi Arabia need a visa-free agreement

The introductory remarks of the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the "Respirators" case, in which the Federal Prime Minister Fadil Novalić, his deputy Jelka Milićević, the suspended director of the Federal Civil Protection Administration Fahrudin Solak, and the owner of the company "Srebrena malina" Fikret Hodžić are accused, were completed.
Prosecutor Mirza Hukeljić said that the company that would procure 100 respirators was known in advance. As he explained, the procedure of selecting "Srebrna malina" was based on one text message that was sent to the accused Novalić and that he did this under the instructions of a person named Asim.
The accused Fikret Hodžić sent this message to the Prime Minister of FB&amp;H Fadil Novalić.
In the introductory remarks, the Prosecution said that the complete procurement plan was devised by Novalić, and that the Solak and Hodžić were following the instructions. It is interesting, however, while in the introductory words, Prosecutor Hukeljić said that an expert witness from Great Britain would testify, who would explain what kind of respirators are in question, Prime Minister Novalić laughed, which was also pointed out by the Prosecutor.

While giving his introductory remarks, Prosecutor Hukeljić said that an expert witness from Great Britain would testify to explain what kind of respirators are in question, Prime Minister Novalić laughed, which was also pointed out by Prosecutor

Novalić during his arrival at the Court of B&H

"Srebrna malina" was selected based on SMS message sent to Novalić: What is the role of "Asim"

The Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&amp;H in the past 24 hours tested 2,346 samples of which 384 were positive for SARS-CoV-2.

New cases have been registered in all the cantons in the Federation of B&amp;H, except in Podrinje and Posavina.
Currently, there are 5,033 active cases of SARS-CoV-2.
In the past 24 hours, eight new 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 2,646, the Institute of Public Health of the Federation of B&amp;H announced.
Today, 17 new cases of coronavirus infection were registered in the Brčko District of B&amp;H. One person died. In the last 24 hours, a total of 60 people were tested, while 58 people recovered from coronavirus infection.
In the entity of Republic of Srpska, 766 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, and coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was confirmed in 176 people.
In the last 24 hours, eight deaths were reported to the RS Institute of Public Health.
So far, a total of 2,230 people have died in the RS.
There are 2,736 people currently under health supervision, according to the RS Institute of Public Health.

Currently, there are 5,033 active cases of SARS-CoV-2 in FB&H

Today, 17 new cases of coronavirus infection were registered in the Brčko District of B&H

COVID-19 confirmed in 577 people in B&H, with 17 deaths

The police of the Una-Sana Canton (USC) this morning relocated migrants and refugees from abandoned buildings in the city of Bihać to the Lipa migrant camp.

-With the arrival of warmer weather, there are more and more migrants and refugees on the streets of Bihać, which means a significant increase in the volume of work for police officers. This morning, we carried out an action of relocating more than 200 people from the building of the former company Krajinametal and the unfinished building of the Retirement Home, to the camp at the location of Lipa near Bihać. This was done to ensure more adequate living conditions for these people, and everything went without any problems- said Spokesman of the USC Police, Ale Šiljdedić.
The action was carried out in coordination with the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and with the help of members of the humanitarian organization "SOS" Bihać.
All people will be accommodated in the Lipa camp, where food, clothes and shoes, living conditions in heated areas, medical care, as well as areas for maintaining personal hygiene are provided.

The action was carried out in coordination with the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and with the help of members of the humanitarian organization "SOS" Bihać

All people will be accommodated in the Lipa camp, where food, clothes and shoes, living conditions in heated areas, medical care, as well as areas for maintaining personal hygiene are provided

USC police relocates more than 200 migrants from abandoned facilities to Lipa

A German court sentenced a former member of President Bashar al-Assad’s security services to 4-1/2 years in prison on Wednesday for facilitating the torture of civilians, the first such verdict for crimes against humanity in the 10-year-old Syrian civil war.

The higher regional court in the western city of Koblenz said Eyad A. had arrested at least 30 anti-government protesters at the start of the conflict in 2011 and sent them to an intelligence facility where he knew detainees were tortured.
The verdict gives hope to the 800,000 Syrians in Germany who say they were tortured in government facilities after attempts to establish an international tribunal for Syria failed.
-This is an important step forward in the process of securing accountability for the Syrian government’s systematic use of torture against civilians- said Steve Kostas, a lawyer with the Open Society Foundation’s Justice Initiative, which is representing Syrian plaintiffs.
The Assad government denies it tortures prisoners.

Eyad A.’s lawyers had asked for an acquittal, saying he had carried out the arrests in and around Damascus under duress by his superiors. He had asked the court to consider him a witness in broader legal efforts against the Syrian government.

The same court will continue hearings in the case of a second suspect identified as Anwar R., a former intelligence officer charged with 58 murders in a Damascus prison where prosecutors say at least 4,000 opposition activists were tortured in 2011 and 2012.
Syrian human rights lawyer Anwar al-Bunni said the unprecedented verdict would speed up efforts to bring charges against former members of the Syrian government suspected of war crimes who have fled to Europe.
-History has been made- said al-Bunni. -The first verdict against a member of the Syrian regime’s torture and murder machine is a verdict against the whole regime, not just against one individual. It gives hope that justice is possible.-

The verdict gives hope to the 800,000 Syrians in Germany who say they were tortured in government facilities after attempts to establish an international tribunal for Syria failed

Syrian defendant Eyad A. arrives to hear his verdict in the courtroom in Koblenz, Germany February 24, 2021.

German court issues guilty verdict in first Syria torture trial

Ghana is to receive Wednesday the first shipment of Covid-19 vaccines from Covax, a global scheme to procure and distribute inoculations for free to poor countries, UNICEF and the World Health Organization said.

-We are pleased that Ghana has become the first country to receive the Covid-19 vaccines from the Covax facility- UNICEF, which organised the shipment from Mumbai, said in a joint statement with the WHO.
It said the 600,000 doses are part of an initial tranche of deliveries of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine licensed to the Serum Institute of India, "which represent part of the first wave of Covid vaccines headed to several low and middle-income countries."
The West African nation has recorded 80,759 Covid-19 cases and 582 deaths since the start of the pandemic. These figures are believed to fall short of the real toll as the number of tests is low.
Frontline workers in Ghana are meant to be the first to receive the vaccine.
-In the days ahead, frontline workers will begin to receive vaccines- UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said. 
-The next phase in the fight against this disease can begin – the ramping up of the largest immunization campaign in history.-Covax, led by Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, the WHO and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), said it would deliver two billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines to its members by the end of the year, including 2,412,000 doses to Ghana.
Schools in the country reopened in January after a 10-month closure, but large social gatherings are banned and land and sea borders have remained closed since March 2020.
Ghana's economic growth is expected to plummet this year to its lowest in three decades, to 0.9 percent according to the International Monetary Fund, from 6.5 percent in 2019.

600,000 doses are part of an initial tranche of deliveries of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine licensed to the Serum Institute of India

Frontline workers in Ghana are meant to be the first to receive the vaccine

Ghana to receive world's first doses of free Covax vaccines

Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željko Komšić received yesterday in an inaugural visit the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Osamah Dakhel Al Ahmadi.

The two officials discussed good relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Saudi Arabia, opportunities for increasing economic cooperation and strengthening relations in the field of tourism.
Komšić wished Ambassador Osamah Dakhel Al Ahmadi a successful mandate in Bosnia and Herzegovina, stated the Presidency of B&amp;H.

The two officials discussed good relations between countries, opportunities for increasing economic cooperation and strengthening relations in the field of tourism

Željko Komšić and Ambassador Osamah Dakhel Al Ahmadi

B&H Presidency member Komšić receives Saudi Ambassador Al Ahmadi

Thailand will start vaccinating priority groups including health workers against COVID-19 by the end of this week, its prime minister said on Tuesday, a day ahead of the arrival of the country’s first coronavirus vaccines.Thailand will receive the first 200,000 of two million doses of Sinovac Biotech’s CoronaVac on Wednesday. The Chinese vaccine was given emergency use authorisation on Monday.-We will start injecting the target groups within three days after the vaccines arrive- Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said in a Facebook post.
The Sinovac vaccines will be given to priority groups in 13 provinces, the COVID-19 taskforce said. More than half of the 200,000 doses will be earmarked for Samut Sakhon, the epicentre of Thailand’s latest outbreak, and the capital, Bangkok.
Prayuth said 800,000 more doses will arrive in March and the remaining one million in April, some of which will be used for the second inoculations for priority groups.
Prayuth also said that 26 million doses of vaccines on order from AstraZeneca, which has authorised a Thai firm to manufacture its vaccine, will be ready around May to June.
Thailand has also reserved a further 35 million doses from AstraZeneca.
Thailand will also receive 117,000 imported doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine on Wednesday, health minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters.
Those were part of the 150,000 “early doses” he had previously said AstraZeneca would provide from another Asian country.
Authorities have received some documents from Johnson &amp; Johnson’s Janssen and have been contacted by Moderna and Pfizer, all with a view to registering their COVID-19 vaccines, according to Prayuth.
Thailand is aiming to administer 10 million doses a month from June when its mass vaccination campaign is in full swing.

More than half of the 200,000 doses will be earmarked for Samut Sakhon, the epicentre of Thailand’s latest outbreak, and the capital, Bangkok

A healthcare worker takes a nasal swab sample from a migrant worker during proactive testing at their work place, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Samut Sakhon province, Thailand January 29, 2021.

Thailand to start first coronavirus vaccinations this week

Deputy Chair of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bisera Turković and Ambassador of Japan to B&amp;H Ito Makoto signed today an Agreement on Japanese grants in the amount of 100 million yen for equipping medical institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Minister Turković thanked Japan and the Japanese Government for today's valuable donation, emphasizing the strong and friendly ties between the two countries.
She also congratulated the National Day of Japan, which is being celebrated today, on the occasion of the birthday of the Japanese Emperor Naruhito and handed over a congratulatory message to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
Ambassador Makoto thanked for the congratulations and expressed satisfaction that this year, which marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the Japanese Government donated grants to equip medical institutions in B&amp;H.
On this occasion, he also announced his country's assistance to the security sector in B&amp;H, i.e. the strengthening of the Border Police.
Turković pointed out that strengthening the B&amp;H state border in a situation of a large influx of migrants is of key importance, and stressed that the importance of Japanese donations is greater due to carefully selected sectors for which assistance is intended, the B&amp;H MoFA said.

Makoto also announced his country's assistance to the security sector in B&H, i.e. the strengthening of the Border Police

Minister Turković thanked Japan and the Japanese Government for today's valuable donation, emphasizing the strong and friendly ties between the two countries

Government of Japan provides 100 million yen to equip medical facilities in B&H

An informative meeting was held today at the B&amp;H Ministry of Defense regarding the activities undertaken so far on the establishment of the Media and Information Center of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of B&amp;H (MIC MoD and AF B&amp;H), under the chairmanship of the Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina Sifet Podžić, also attended by Deputy Ministers of Defense Mijo Krešić and Mirko Okolić. 

The informative meeting was also attended by the Chief of the Joint Staff of the AFB&amp;H, Colonel General Senad Mašović, and the Deputy Chief of the AFB&amp;H Joint Staff, Major General Gojko Knežević, the Commander of the NATO Headquarters Sarajevo, Brigadier General Eric Folkestad, the US Military Attaché to B&amp;H, Brigadier Michael Tarquinto, Major Taib Grozdanić, and the heads of sectors and offices of MoDB&amp;H, as well as associates from the NATO Headquarters Sarajevo and ODC.
The establishment of the MIC has been supported by the US Embassy in B&amp;H through their Department for International Cooperation - ODC.
For the purpose of equipping this center and training of the staff for MIC work, the US Embassy will allocate close to 500,000 USD in the period of three years.
In the conclusion, Podžić issued a series of instructions that contain future steps and dynamics for the establishment of the MIC of the MoD and the AFB&amp;H, the statement said.

For the purpose of equipping this center and training of the staff for MIC work, the US Embassy will allocate close to 500,000 USD in the period of three years

The establishment of the MIC has been supported by the US Embassy in B&H through their Department for International Cooperation - ODC

Podžić issues instructions for setup of MoD and AFB&H Media Information Center

The German Federal Police donated valuable equipment to the B&amp;H Border Police, such as tactical gloves and protective suits, worth around 400,000 KM.

Director of the B&amp;H Border Police, Zoran Galić, pointed out that the Federal Police of Germany continuously provides support to the B&amp;H Border Police.
-Friendly country Germany has been following our work and activities since the establishment of this police agency and continuously provides support to the B&amp;H Border Police, through various donations and specialist training of police officers. Our police officers are exposed to pressures and dangers every day, and the new valuable donation from the Federal Police of Germany will greatly help them in more effective protection of the state border and in the fight against all forms of crime and suppression of illegal migration- said Galić.
Liaison Officer of the German Federal Police, Florian Wedekind, announced that in the next period they will continue to be partners of the B&amp;H Border Police and support the further development of that police agency.
So far, numerous activities have been carried out with the support of the Federal Police of Germany and various types of equipment have been donated with the aim of operational strengthening of the Border Police, and thus increasing general and border security, the B&amp;H Border Police announced.

The donation is worth 400,000 KM

So far, numerous activities have been carried out with the support of the Federal Police of Germany and various types of equipment have been donated with the aim of operational strengthening of the Border Police

German Federal Police donate tactical gloves and protective suits to B&H BP

The General Hospital 'Prim.dr. Abdulah Nakaš' Sarajevo received a defibrillator, a medical device that plays a crucial role in resuscitating a patient with sudden cardiac arrest and an ECG device and monitor for the needs of the Covid ward.

As stated in the press release, the donation for the Covid ward of the General Hospital 'Prim.dr. Abdulah Nakaš' was provided within the project 'Response to Covid-19', funded by the European Union in partnership with the International Organization for Migration in BiH (IOM B&amp;H).

The donation  was provided within the project 'Response to Covid-19'  funded by the European Union in partnership with the IOM

Valuable donation for COVID ward at the Sarajevo General Hospital

The trial of the accused in the "Respirators" affair, Fadil Novalić, FB&amp;H Prime Minister Fahrudin Solak, the suspended director of the Federal Civil Protection Administration (FCPA), Fikret Hodzić, owner of "Srebrna Malina", and FB&amp;H Deputy Prime Minister Jelka Miličević is scheduled to begin tomorrow in the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

<h2>Who is the President of the Council</h2>

This information was published on the trials schedule. The chairman of the court council is Džemila Begović, and the members are, as "Avaz" finds out, judges Branko Perić and Braco Stupar.
20 days ago, the accused denied guilt in the corruption affair worth 10.5 million KM, which refers to the procurement of 100 respirators from China for B&amp;H.
We remind you that on December 30th last year, the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina fully confirmed the indictment against these four. Novalić, Solak and Hodžić are also accused of procuring protective equipment worth 2.9 million KM.

After several months of investigation, the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H filed the indictment on December 4th last year, and then sent it to the Court for confirmation. The indictment was confirmed only after finalization.
The accused Novalić, Solak and Hodžić are charged with having committed several criminal offenses, including abuse of position or authority, receiving a reward or other form of benefit.
Milićević is charged with committing the criminal offense of negligent work in the service.
According to the indictment, Novalić is charged with using the circumstances of declaring a pandemic, as well as the capacities of the Prime Minister's authority in the Government of the Federation of B&amp;H, to devise a plan for illegal payment of budget funds for the purchase of means and equipment to fight coronavirus.
The indictment alleges that Novalić, using the powers of the Prime Minister, together with the Deputy Prime Minister, signed previously prepared payment orders on April 3rd, 2020., which was the basis for the transfer of money from the budget to the account of "Srebrna malina" in the amount of 10.5 million KM. 4,950,000 KM was transferred from the current reserve account, and 5,580,000 KM from the special account of protection and rescue funds.

In addition, the Prosecution charges the accused with corruptive activities and clearly underlines:
Purchased and delivered medical equipment (respirators, ACM812A) does not have even the minimum necessary essential characteristics for adequate treatment of patients with moderate and severe clinical picture due to COVID-19 disease, which is why its use in intensive care units is not recommended.
That is, they are not intended for use in invasive treatment, especially for patients with COVID-19 who are in critical condition and who may require prolonged invasive and high / low ventilation.
What makes this case even more scandalous, as stated in the indictment, Hodžić and Solak knew that the Serbian company "Sinofarm", with the mediation of the company from Podgorica, bought 200 respirators type ACM812A for five million euros, which is stated in the indictment as " twice lower price ''. It was emphasized that Hodžić even received counterfeit proforma invoices for ACM812A respirators from the company from Podgorica, one with an increased price of respirators of 3.9 million euros, and the other, unsigned, of this increased amount of 30 million Chinese yuan.

The accused Novalić, Solak and Hodžić are charged with having committed several criminal offenses, including abuse of position or authority, receiving a reward or other form of benefit

Hodžić and Solak: Proceedings start tomorrow

The trial of the accused in the corruption affair worth 10.5 million KM starts tomorrow, these are the judges who will preside the court

The handover of equipment for civil protection and mountain rescue services, which came as a donation by Austria and France, took place today in Sarajevo.

This is a donation of technical and medical equipment worth 20,000 euros, which was procured within the TAIEX project "Strengthening the capacity of mountain rescue services in B&amp;H".
Ambassador of Austria to B&amp;H, Ulrike Hartmann, stated that as part of the project, experts will be hired to conduct the so-called "coach training".
She added that Austrian experts will spend seven days in B&amp;H, after which B&amp;H staff will spend one week in training in France.
Ambassador of France to B&amp;H, Christine Toudic, pointed out that she was pleased that her country, together with Austria, was participating in a project that should be very useful to B&amp;H mountain rescue services.
She stated that both countries are mountainous in their nature and that they have perhaps the best experts in that field.
Minister of Security of B&amp;H, Selmo Cikotić, thanked for the valuable donation that will the rescue services in B&amp;H will use in the best possible way.
The equipment was handed over to the B&amp;H Border Police, the FB&amp;H Civil Protection Administration, the RS Civil Protection Administration, the B&amp;H Mountain Rescue Service, and the Brčko District Public Safety Department.
&nbsp;

This  donation of technical and medical equipment is worth 20,000 euros

The equipment was handed over to the B&H Border Police, the FB&H Civil Protection Administration, the RS Civil Protection Administration, the B&H Mountain Rescue Service, and the Brčko District Public Safety Department

Austria and France donate equipment for rescue services in B&H

Swedish Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Johanna Strömquist visited today the Sarajevo Canton Prime Minister Edin Forto, with whom she discussed environmental protection, energy efficiency and the fight against corruption.

They placed special emphasis on Green Economic Development (GED) which the Government of Sweden will continue to fund in B&amp;H.
Ambassador Strömquist informed the cantonal Prime Minister that at the end of autumn she will present a study that will contain all relevant data on the basis of which it will be possible to assess air quality in the canton, and how harmful pollution is to human health. This study was done by experts from Sweden.
She pointed out that it is in their interest to work together in the canton, as a local partner in the public sector, and with civil society organizations in all these areas, in order to create positive changes that will benefit citizens.
Prime Minister Forto emphasized that the Embassy of Sweden has always assisted the Sarajevo Canton in resolving many issues, especially when it comes to continuous air quality monitoring.
-Sweden struggled with this problem in the past that we have today, and it has succeeded in that thanks to renewable energy sources and energy savings- the Prime Minister said.

7-year-old dies in Greek migrant camp blaze

Zvizdić-Al-Ahmadi: B&H and Saudi Arabia need a visa-free agreement

"Srebrna malina" was selected based on SMS message sent to Novalić: What is the role of "Asim"

COVID-19 confirmed in 577 people in B&H, with 17 deaths

USC police relocates more than 200 migrants from abandoned facilities to Lipa

German court issues guilty verdict in first Syria torture trial

Ghana to receive world's first doses of free Covax vaccines

B&H Presidency member Komšić receives Saudi Ambassador Al Ahmadi

Thailand to start first coronavirus vaccinations this week

Government of Japan provides 100 million yen to equip medical facilities in B&H

Podžić issues instructions for setup of MoD and AFB&H Media Information Center

German Federal Police donate tactical gloves and protective suits to B&H BP

Valuable donation for COVID ward at the Sarajevo General Hospital

The trial of the accused in the corruption affair worth 10.5 million KM starts tomorrow, these are the judges who will preside the court

Austria and France donate equipment for rescue services in B&H

Forto - Strömquist: Presentation of a study for air quality assessment in SC

News

7-year-old dies in Greek migrant camp blaze

Zvizdić-Al-Ahmadi: B&H and Saudi Arabia need a visa-free agreement

"Srebrna malina" was selected based on SMS message sent to Novalić: What is the role of "Asim"

COVID-19 confirmed in 577 people in B&H, with 17 deaths

USC police relocates more than 200 migrants from abandoned facilities to Lipa

German court issues guilty verdict in first Syria torture trial

Ghana to receive world's first doses of free Covax vaccines

B&H Presidency member Komšić receives Saudi Ambassador Al Ahmadi

Thailand to start first coronavirus vaccinations this week

Government of Japan provides 100 million yen to equip medical facilities in B&H

Podžić issues instructions for setup of MoD and AFB&H Media Information Center

German Federal Police donate tactical gloves and protective suits to B&H BP

Valuable donation for COVID ward at the Sarajevo General Hospital

The trial of the accused in the corruption affair worth 10.5 million KM starts tomorrow, these are the judges who will preside the court

Austria and France donate equipment for rescue services in B&H

Forto - Strömquist: Presentation of a study for air quality assessment in SC