OP-ED: Still No Escape From Killer Chernobyl

The accident could have served as a wake-up call to the whole of humanity. Twenty-five years ago, on Apr. 26 1986, disaster struck at the fourth reactor of the Chernobyl nuclear complex in the Ukrainian state of the former Soviet Union.

ECONOMY: Portugal Negotiates Draconian Bailout Plan

The strangling of the Portuguese economy by the international capital markets has led to what was expected: a bailout with tough conditions that will bring the country to its knees.

SPAIN: Madrid Mayor Wants to Sweep Homeless Out of Sight

The mayor of Madrid, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, has called for a law for compulsory removals of homeless people off the streets, but this has met with resistance from civil society organisations and has split Ruiz-Gallardo's own People's Party (PP).

Headscarf Is Also a Scarf Over the Head

While Belgium’s politicians, academics, business leaders and feminists grapple with the concept and reality of a law banning headscarves in public institutions and beyond, two entrepreneurial women have joined forces to rescue the headscarf from the country’s political debate. Inge Rombauts and Fatima Rafiy run the exclusive hijab boutique Noor D’Izar, which offers women, "a fashionable solution regardless of their reasons for wanting to wear a headscarf," Inge Rombauts tells IPS.

BALKANS: Anger Over Sentencing Could Lead to Calm

Sentencing of two former generals ignited protests across Croatia over the weekend. Thousands of angry people protested in the streets of Zagreb and other major cities, claiming injustice had been done to heroes of the homeland war for independence that ended 16 years ago.

Dominican Republic Seeks Greater Autonomy for CARIFORUM

The first public hint that something was amiss within the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) bloc came last week from Belize's foreign minister, Wilfred Elrington, when his country hosted the 18th meeting of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Council of Ministers, the second highest body within the 15-member regional grouping.

Arab Spring at Azerbaijan’s Door

Campaigners are asking the Azerbaijan government to introduce radical reforms early to avoid a popular uprising sweeping the Arab world.

EUROPE: The Harmless Invasion of the Pacific Oyster

In the 1970s, French oyster breeders introduced the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) to the Bay of Biscay to diversify the area’s species and develop the commercial oyster industry.

Q&A: The Fight Against Organised Crime Has to Start with Society

In countries where powerful organised crime groups operate, like Mexico, there is a kind of "mafiosity" or culture of illegality deeply rooted in society, which must be fought by educating the young, says Italian priest Tonio Dell'Olio, one of the leaders of the anti-mafia organisation Libera.

ECONOMY: Serbs, Croats and Slovenes Revive Old ‘Kingdom’

Two decades after former Yugoslavia fell apart, leaders of the newly created nations of Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia met earlier this month to agree on joint economic strategy, putting some of the effects of wars of the 1990s finally behind them.

U.S.: Libya Splitting Republicans in 1990s Redux

In something of a replay of the infighting among Republicans over Washington's military interventions in the Balkans in the 1990s, U.S. involvement in the civil war in Libya is exposing serious splits among self-described conservatives.

Oil Giants Need To Think Beyond Profits

The uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa have shaken the petroleum industry, triggering oil price hikes and forcing the sector to go on the defensive. But critics say the industry carries some of the blame for the current crisis.

MIDEAST: Turkey Relishes Role as Mr. Fixit

In the course of 24 hours earlier this week, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu met a top envoy from Libya, dispatched a senior Turkish official to Tripoli and traveled to Bahrain and Syria, all struggling to survive the pro- democracy Arab spring.

NATO Vows to Protect Misurata Amid Criticism

NATO has vowed to protect Libya's civilian population and give priority to the besieged city of Misurata, a day after rebel fighters accused the military alliance of acting too slowly.

Libya Poses Immigration Challenge to Italy

The influx of migrants arriving from Libya and other African countries has created an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in southern Italy.

Fukushima Forces Europe to Rethink Nuclear Energy

The unfolding catastrophe at the Japanese nuclear power plant Fukushima has forced a number of European countries to radically rethink their energy policies and eventually renounce nuclear power.

Libya Not Quite the Same as Serbia

The month of March, named after the Roman god of war, Mars, appears to be the favourite among war planners in modern times.

Theatre For Development and Peace

Some African playwrights say they want to use drama to promote development and peace, and they appealed to world leaders to listen on World Theatre Day, celebrated Wednesday.

TRADE: African NGOs Oppose Human Rights Clause in EPAs

Part of the delay in the finalisation of the economic partnership agreements (EPAs) is due to the so-called non-execution clause that gives the EU the power to take steps against its African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) trading partners if they violate human rights, democracy and good governance principles.

‘God Bless Montevideo’ Inspires Serbs

Only months ago, most of the Serbs would probably not know that Montevideo is the capital of Uruguay, as there is hardly anything that connects the two nations.

HEALTH: Scare Haunts HIV/AIDS Patients in Ukraine

Fears are growing among HIV/AIDS sufferers in the Ukraine amid claims from some patients that they have been denied life-saving medicines by authorities as a crackdown is launched on drug substitution therapy.