Russia have sacked manager Stanislav Cherchesov after they finished bottom of their group at the European Championship, the country's governing Football Union (RFS) said on Thursday. In the run-up to the tournament, Russian sports officials had said they wanted to reach the knockout stage, building on their success at the 2018 World Cup in Russia where they dazzled fans by reaching the quarter-finals for the first time.

According to the Israeli club, Barcelona did not want to play the match in Jerusalem, prompting Beitar's managers to call off the game.

Strong winds are hampering firefighters' efforts. Alerts have been sent to residents warning them to "be ready to follow instructions."

Turkish firefighters continue to battle deadly wildfires that forced the evacuation of entire villages and hotels on the Mediterranean coast. At least four people were reported dead Thursday and more than 180 injured.

Four Palestinian families could soon find out whether they will be evicted from their homes in occupied east Jerusalem to make way for Israeli settlers. The move would leave them homeless — and could spark new tensions.

Emergency services evacuated several northern suburbs of the Greek capital after fresh fires broke out late on Tuesday as strong winds and blistering heat continue to complicate the efforts of rescue crews.

Local residents support firefighters in their efforts to extinguish violent fires on the southern coast of Turkey, in areas that are often difficult to access.

Greek islanders are taking refuge on a chartered ship and on the beach after fleeing their homes from wildfires on the Greek island of Evia, sparked by a record heatwave. The blazes have destroyed homes and reduced thousands of hectares of land to ash on Greece's second-largest island just northeast of the capital Athens.

Raging forest fires in southern Turkey have caused huge devastation, with many people losing their homes and possessions — and some their lives. DW reporter Serkan Ocak reports from the region.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis says the country is facing a "natural disaster of unprecedented proportions" as wildfires wipe out hundreds of homes and force thousands to flee. He apologises to Greeks for possible "weaknesses" in the state's response, and says "those who lost homes and property will be compensated".

Firefighters supported by firefighting aircraft work to put out a large forest fire, as smoke is visible from much of the city of Jerusalem. The fire threatened the villages of Beit Meir, Shoeva and Ramat Raziel, west of Jerusalem, police said in a statement.

Hundreds of firefighters are battling the Windy Fire to protect several groves of giant sequoias in the United States. The fire has already charred 25,000 acres (10,000 hectares), and a number of separate fires are converging on the California woodland that is home to the huge trees.