Macedonia

Macedonia 1 Spain 2: Silva and Costa keep visitors on top

In-form Silva scored for the fourth consecutive Spain match as Julen Lopetegui's men made a fast start in Skopje.

Chelsea striker Costa, who has been heavily linked with moves to AC Milan or the Chinese Super League, then netted his fifth goal of the campaign before the break.

Stefan Ristovski scored his first international goal in spectacular style as Macedonia threatened a second-half fightback, but Spain held on to stay ahead of Italy, who beat Liechtenstein, on goal difference.

About 2,000 migrants rush past police into Macedonia

The tumult started when police decided to allow a small group of migrants with young children to cross the frontier and crowds in the back squeezed them toward the shielded police wall. Many women, at least one pregnant, and children fell to the ground apparently fainting after squeezing past the cordon.

Then, thousands of others used the moment to run across a field not protected by barbed wire to enter Macedonia. Police fired stun grenades, but didn't manage to stop the rush.

Macedonia blocks migrants on border with Greece

The government said it is deploying troops as it tries to stem a surge of migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Macedonian police spokesman Ivo Kotevski said both police and the army will control the 50-kilometer (30 mile) stretch of the border in order to stop a "massive" influx of migrants coming from Greece.

Macedonian police arrest 9 suspected IS fighters, seek 27

Interior ministry spokesman Ivo Kotevski told The Associated Press Thursday that all those arrested are Macedonian nationals. They are suspected of being volunteers or recruiters for the group to fight in Syria and Iraq.

Islamic State is banned in Macedonia, where participation of the country's citizens in overseas militant groups carries a sentence of at least four years in prison.