ECONOMY-EU Portugal, Greece Pose Risk of Contagion

The flood of economic woes devastating Greece and Portugal are evidence that the German prescription imposed by a troika of multilateral creditors is not working, and that both countries are heading into a blind alley, says economics professor Mario Olivares.

EU Moves on Myanmar Questioned

Extraordinary political changes in the year since former army general Thein Sein came to power in Myanmar have prompted European powers to ease restrictions on the isolated nation, raising questions whether such rewards are too little or too much.

Colombia Finds Swiss Hostage Mediator Innocent

The dismissal of charges in Colombia against Swiss mediator Jean-Pierre Gontard, who helped negotiate the release of numerous hostages held by guerrillas in this country between 1998 and 2008, is "magnificent news, for bilateral relations as well as at a purely human level," Colombia’s ambassador to Switzerland, Claudia Turbay, told IPS.

RUSSIA-HEALTH: Censorship and Dirty Needles Fuel HIV/AIDS Epidemic

A recent government crackdown on Russian media, particularly online information portals specialising in health tips and harm reduction methods for drug users, has sparked widespread public opposition, with critics claiming that the "draconian silencing" of public health advocates could worsen an already perilous health situation in the country.

Greeks Discover the Politics of Poverty

According to European mainstream economists and politicians, the solution to the Greek debt crisis, and the only option for returning the country to a path of progress, is 'fiscal consolidation'.

BALKANS-ECONOMY: One-Dollar Steel Mill Exposes Cracks in Privatisation

For the first time in its history, Serbia has bought back a company sold to a foreign investor almost ten years ago, for the symbolic price of a single dollar. But while the purchase has stirred a sense of national pride, it is hardly a success story for the Balkan economy; rather, it has exposed the failure of a decade-long effort to privatise the national economy.

Spain to Reform, But Not Shut Down, Immigrant Detention Centres

The Spanish government has decided to reform the country’s Immigrant Detention Centres (CIEs) in response to a wave of criticism of the way they are run, following the death of two migrants. But the announcement has not toned down the campaign for closure of what many regard as prisons.

Finland Joins Call for Financial Market Tax

In the midst of the debt and financial crises plaguing key European countries, Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja has joined a growing international chorus calling for the introduction of a global financial market tax and the shutting down of tax havens, saying all that is needed is the political will to do it.

Poles Apart in These Online Wars

Many people are appalled by the anti-Polish website established recently by the Dutch Freedom Party (PVV). The site encourages complaints against migrant workers from Central and Eastern Europe, particularly from Poland. The Poles are hitting back with their own hotlines, and humour.

Latin American Migrants Flee Crisis in Spain

"What on earth is happening to Spain?" asks Hernán Bocchio, a 43-year-old Argentine architect with three children who has been unemployed for four years and is considering a job offer from Brazil.

EUROPE-INDIA: Trade Deal Threatens ‘Pharmacy of the Developing World’

Behind closed doors, a trade deal affecting a fifth of the world’s population has been quietly in the works for years.

Poland Leads a New Struggle for Freedom

Last weekend saw tens of thousands of people across Europe taking to the streets in protest against the international treaty to enforce intellectual property rights. European politicians are gradually distancing themselves from the treaty, largely as a result of citizen mobilisation initiated in Central Europe.

SPAIN: Conservative Government’s Reforms Draw Fire

In its less than two months in office, Spain’s new conservative government has begun to introduce sweeping educational and reproductive health reforms, prompting protests from the opposition and from civil society groups, which see them as a throwback to an earlier era.

Can Europe Derail the Shale Gas Express?

Following numerous warnings issued by geologists, health scientists and environmental experts throughout the United States, Europe is now well aware of the high ecological and health risks associated with the exploitation of shale gas fields.

Some Swiss Parcels With Migrants In Them

Two years ago, a Nigerian asylum seeker died during a forced deportation attempt from Switzerland. Now, the prosecution has dismissed the case, leaving nobody responsible for the young man's death. Instead of re-assessing the deportation system, Swiss authorities prefer ignorance.

KYRGYZSTAN: Efforts to Tackle Bride Kidnapping Hit Polygamy Snag

Legislation designed to discourage the controversial practice of bride kidnapping fizzled recently in Kyrgyzstan's parliament.

Kazakh Media Faces Harsh Crackdown

President Nursultan Nazarbayev is orchestrating a media crackdown that editors and independent analysts say is the harshest since he began ruling this Central Asian republic in 1989.

‘Arms Easier to Trade Than Bananas’

The lack of international regulation in the trade of conventional arms is a "scandal" that must be brought to an end, said a coalition of non-governmental organisations as they heightened their campaign this week for a comprehensive United Nations treaty.

EU Pledges Strong Support for Earth Summit

European leaders have mapped out a bold agenda ahead of the Rio summit, vowing to transform development aid, help provide renewable electricity to the world’s neediest people, and bulk up the United Nations environment body.

Spain’s Green Groups Slam Rollback of Conservation Policies

Spain's new conservative government has announced changes in environmental policy that are a significant step backwards for environmental protection in the country, provoking an immediate, harsh reaction from the opposition and civil society.

Europe Fears a Summer Attack on Iran

The appeals to Israel by numerous European diplomats attending the Munich security conference last weekend have led to growing concern that Israeli plans to attack Iran are imminent.