In news from Europe, Macedonia has announced it is closing its border with Greece, only one day after Slovenia announced it was also closing its borders to refugees fleeing violence in the Middle East and North Africa. Croatia and Serbia have said they, too, will block refugees from entering their countries. The series of border crackdowns effectively seals off the Balkan route, which refugees have been using to reach northern European countries such as Germany. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has condemned the border crackdowns.